"Didn't think I'd be back to this place again…"
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Previously after leaving the misty forest, V and the others continue their journey towards Ethdam, The Ethereal city. Many things happened on this journey. Leaving some significant marks. Who knows what the future will hold for V and his friends….
It was nighttime. After a long day of exploring and walking, V and his friends set out to camp for the night. The man(Kevin) set up the fire and started preparing food, Both Eve and Lily set out their tents and sleeping bags while V patrolled around, looking for any potential abnormalities.
V-" Hey. I'm back"
The man(Kevin)-" Yo! You came just in time, dinners are almost ready."
Eve-" Saw anything out there?"
V-" Nope..we can camp out here pretty safely"
The man(Kevin)-"Hmm~ still its kinda weird yknow~"
Lily-" What's weird Unc?"
The man(Kevin)-" Hm? No like..we haven't faced a monster at night for the past few days…hmm did they die off or something"
Eve-" Well whatever the case, it sure works well for us."
Everyone gets together around the fire and starts having dinner. The night's cold yet comforting breeze with the fire gives a sense of a warm home.
Eve-" You've outdone yourself with this curry Kevin! Shits the bomb!"
The man(Kevin)-" HAHA! Aren't I the best chef~...Also no swearing-"
V-" Tonight's dinner seems to have more flavor… it's delicious"
The man(Kevin)-" I used a different set of spices today~ There's more curry if you'd like some more…All this and I'm still single *Sobs*"
The man(Kevin) comically cries while eating his curry.
Eve-" Just stop being a creep then you'll probably have a chance to get someone"
The man(Kevin)-" OI WHAT DO YA MEAN?! MY CREEPINESS IS MY CHARM!~"
Eve-" Yep you're for sure gonna die alone-"
V-" I don't understand…what does this 'Lover' do? What's the point of it?"
Hearing this everyone comically looks at V's statement. Lily puts down her bowl and puts her hand on his shoulder.
Lily-" Big Bro…You got ED (Erectile dysfunction) or something?"
The man (Kevin)-" This is a family-friendly gathering Miss Lily- also how do you even know that word- "
Lily-" HAA?! But Big Bro's so strong and cool…I thought he'd be pretty popular with the ladies~"
V-" Is being popular with girls a good thing?"
Lily-" Yep Yep! Being popular with girls is very masculine for a guy, ain't that right Big sis!"
As Lily suddenly puts Eve in the spotlight, she comically spats out her food from surprise.
Eve-"*cough* *cough* I mean..yeah V's cool and uhh…yeah he's p-pretty cool…he'd pretty easily be popular..and stuff"
Suddenly seeing this scene, something snaps in Lily. She grins wickedly as She sits next to Eve and nudges her elbow.
Lily-" Ehehe…someone's a little jumpy hehe~"
*The man(Kevin)-" I feel like something dark just awakened inside her…Good luck my niece!"*
Eve-" Why do I feel like I'm being pitied…WHO IS IT!?"
As the 3 of them banter V just focuses on his food.
*V-" Oh that's a big chunk of meat…well don't mind if I do-"*
As V was going to eat this big chunk of meat from his curry, a bird snatched his meat from him and got away.
Everyone comically looks at V and bursts out laughing.
V-" A-"
Eve-" HAHAHAHA! Man, your luck must suck! HAHA-"
The man(Kevin)-" Hahaha! The birds got a nice meal for tonight huh HAhaha!"
Lily-" LOL! HAHAHA, I 'M GONNA…MY TUMMY…HAHAHA"
V-"Man…and it was the biggest piece too…*sob*"
They finish dinner and sit beside the fire before they go to sleep.
The man(Kevin)-" We'll stay in Ethdam for a while before going to the Valley of Drakes and then-"
Lily then taps on V's shirt.
Lily-" Say Big bro you got a crush on Big Sis?"
The man(Kevin)-" Lil' Lily if your Big sis hears this then she gon' be real mad"
Lily-"Boo~ i just wanna know tho~"
V-" What's a 'crush'?"
Lily-"...You do have Erectile dysfunction-"
The man(Kevin)-" Lil' Lily please apologize to the people who might have that issue you're being insensitiveeeee~"
Lily-" You see~ When a boy and a girl fall in love they become a couple and then…huh...What comes after becoming a couple?...Se-"
The man(Kevin)-" Lil' Lily please stop"
V-" Couple?...what does Love mean?... Is it like something you use or eat?"
Lily-" SOUNDS LIKE ERECTI-"
The man(Kevin)-" OK WE GET IT THE JOKES OVERUSED"
The night passes just like that. The next day they finally arrive at Ethdam—the Enchanted City. Unlike the previous City V and his friends went to, this city had a different vibe to it. The city was thriving but also had a sophisticated system of managing things. The moment they entered the city, their eyes glowed like pearls looking at the scenery before them.
Unlike the barren wasteland they've been traveling, the inside of the city walls were completely different, with various food stalls, refurbished buildings, and living spaces. And more the people living inside these walls were full of life something completely different from Encford, where there was a certain "distance" between the people.
The man(Kevin)-" I welcome you to Ethdam kids, completely different from Encford yeah?"
Lily-" Look at all those colors…the stores look flashy and charming.."
Eve-" I can already smell the delicious food *Her mouth starts watering*"
While Everyone was dazzled by the beauty and the busy street of Ethdam, V had something different in mind.
*V-"...Seems like there's no problem in this city..that's a relief.."*
Eve comes behind V and gives him a shoulder shrug.
Eve-" Hey Hey~ What's with the long face Ay? Wanna go check this place out?"
V-" Yeah! Lets-"
The man(Kevin)-" Oh no you're not!"
Eve-" Man~ why you always gotta be a party pooper huh?"
The man(Kevin)-" This is called being a 'Responsible Adult'...You kids must be tired so for now we'll head straight toward the Headquarters to rest up"
V-" Headquarters?"
The man(Kevin)-" Yeah, the main headquarters of the organization is here at Ethdam, Since Ethdam has more resources compared to other cities the organization was established here, Ethdam is the main hub of transportation, trading, and almost anything you can think of…thought it's got it ups and downs I can probably say that this town is the most lively and its atmosphere resembles closest to what the world was like back then..before everything went to kingdom come and all-"
V-" I see...I can see why…the people here seem a lot closer to each other than Encford"
The man(Kevin)-" Anyways Let's make a quick stop before we head to the headquarters"
Lily-" Where're we heading to?"
Eve-"*Sigh*...You're that eager to meet up with her huh?"
Stolen novel; please report.
The man(Kevin)-"*Guh*...A-Ahaha…i'm not sure what you mean miss Eve~ *Wistles~*"
Eve-" Yeah yeah let's get moving~"
Soon they arrived at a bar. The man(Kevin) started to get anxious in front of the door, seeing this squirmish side of Kevin, Eve had enough.
Eve-" OH FOR THE LOVE OF- JUST GET INSIDE AND SAY HI TO HER WHAT ARE YOU A FUCKING TEENAGER?"
Eve kicks The man(Kevin) so hard he bursts through the door and comically hits the wall.
The man(Kevin)-" OI! HAS NO ONE TOLD YOU NOT KICK YOUR ELDERS HUH!??"
Eve-" SHUT IT OLD MAN I AIN'T GONNA SIT HERE LOOKING AT YOUR CRINGEY LOVE STORY-"
Right as then a beautiful woman comes out of the bar, She had jaded green eyes and beautiful long blonde hair.
Erika-" Ah! Eve!-"
Eve-" Hey! Erika! How've you been?"
The woman rushes towards Eve and holds her hand.
Erika-" I've been wonderful, how've you been?"
Eve-" Oh y'know the usual crap- It's been a while since we last dropped by so figured since we're here now might as well drop a visit"
Erika-" Hm? We?"
Eve points behind Erika. Erika turns back to see The man(Kevin) lying down on the floor. The man(Kevin then sits up with his face covered in dust and dirt.
The man(Kevin)-" Y-Yo...Erika..how've you been?"
Erika walks towards The man(Kevin) and crouches, she pulls a handkerchief out of her pocket and starts to clean his face.
Erika-" You're just always covered in dirt aren't you Kevin…but then again I guess that's part of your charm as well?"
The man(kevin)-"Hahaha…tis as you say~"
Lily grabs onto V's arm and she squirms looking at the intimacy between Erika and The man(Kevin). She's clearly enjoying it.
Lily-" Kyaaa~ Look at that~ Are they a couple?"
Eve-" Nah…despite how much of a goofball my uncle is he's as shy as you can get when it comes to this sort of thing…Even though it's as clear as day…"
V-" Ah..I don't get it…they seem to be very good friends tho-"
Lily-" You don't get it cuz you're dumb big bro"
The man(Kevin) and Erika spend some quality time together while the rest of the gang has dinner. The atmosphere of the bar had such a pleasant feeling and fragrance, After all the shit that had happened in the past few days V felt content. Seeing everyone smile, eat, and drink together…But one thing did preoccupy his head for a while. A new question.
"How does it feel to fall in love?"
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After their visit, they decided to head out.
The man(Kevin)-"Bye bye Erika~ I'll be back later~"
Erika-" Sure! It was nice catching up and also meeting you, Mr. V, and Miss Lily"
V-" Likewise..we'll be sure to drop by again"
Lily-" I wanna eat here again!!"
They head out for the headquarters. Things have started to change up until now. After finally arriving at the headquarters, and entering it, V and Lily are in Awe at its sheer size. An open field is used for training with walls covering it. Broken down into a pentagon shape, This huge place is responsible for keeping this broken-down world somewhat intact. They explore inside and see people training in the training ground. Various types of people from different parts of the world and ethnicities all in a single place working together.
The man(Kevin)-" This place is divided into 5 sections."
"1st.
The Research Department.
They primarily research artifacts or weapons that were given to us by the Angels, no one knows why but Angels throughout the world give out certain weapons to certain people in hopes of finding something. Other than research they gather intel on things that are usually classified.
2nd.
The Arms in Hand Department.
This department consists of non-Gift users who specialize in stuff like guns and tanks to fend off roaring monsters. They are what resemble the military from the pre-end of the world Era.
3rd.
The Diplomatic Department.
They hold everything together, meaning the trading, the economy, social status, and peace, they're responsible for making a coherent web of connections and networks throughout the other cities and authorized places.
4th.
The hunter's department.
They are the modern-day military, though most of them are either minor Gift users or normal people trying to make a living and survive in this wrecked world. Different types of people each with their own goals and reasons take up a job here. However, the stuff day can be something from doing errands for a shop or even exploring a labyrinth.
And lastly,
The Gift users.
They have a completely different section and are based on ranks. The higher your ranks are the more dangerous the job gets, but since it is Gift users we're talking about, they're wanted for tasks that the norm can't handle. They're our strongest line of forces and defense."
The man(Kevin)-" That's about it for an introduction I guess…Well seems like Lily's paying attention"
Lily had already fallen asleep hearing such a long explanation.
Eve-" Well it is already nighttime, let the kid sleep,"
The man(Kevin)-" Well I suppose so… let's go to the reception then we can rent out some rooms"
After renting out some rooms from the reception, They start going to the rooms, As V is walking with his friends, an unidentified person walks right by him, something felt off to V, the person who just went by him, covering his head with a long hood and his body covered with a ragged cloak,
"I Hope this time will be different-"
Hearing these words, V looked back but that person had already vanished without a trace. Leaving V with an unsettling feeling almost as if a heavy burden was put on his shoulders.
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It's the next day, Someone knocks on V's door. He opens to find Eve inviting him,
Eve-" YO! Wanna check out the place?"
They checked out the place, visiting each department and meeting different kinds of people, V was initially shy and felt awkward when meeting new people but he didn't feel scared of it, despite the initial trauma of being backstabbed, nothing seemed out of the ordinary for him. He wondered if maybe it was because Eve was by his side when meeting these new people and exploring the different places inside the organization.
The man(Kevin)-" Oh? You guys are already up huh?"
V-" This place sure is big…It's pretty commendable that something this sophisticated was made…"
As the man(Kevin), V, and Eve are talking, their conversation gets interrupted by a new character. A loud Girthy voice reaches out to them.
"Well Well if it isn't Kevin and the young lass"
A man seemingly in his 40s walks up to them, the man has a very strong and muscular build and a sense of pride in his appearance.
The man(Kevin)-" OO! If it isn't John? How's it been?"
John ferrece-"HAHAHA! Well as you can see still alive and kicking well- hm? Who's this kid over here?"
Eve-" Ah let me introduce you to him, V, this is John Ferrace, the commander of all operations and the founder of the organization."
V-" WHAT?!...I..I'm sorry for not introducing myself first-"
John Farrece-" It's fine it's fine~ That's just a title the people here gave me, I'm just the regular old Joe so don't stress it kid HAHAHA!"
John Ferrece had a jolly attitude, he would always smile and would always try to make people laugh to the best of his abilities.
The man(Kevin)-" This is V, we've been traveling together for the past month or so-"
John Ferrece-" V?...oh you mean the one from Encford?"
The man(Kevin)-" Yes, as my report stands he's connected with the incident in Encford."
The moments in Encford left a bitter taste in V's mouth, not being able to subdue the monster who was using people as sacrifices for his experiments (Azazel).
V-" I'm sorry I couldn't stop him.."
John Ferrece-" Dont beat yourself around the bush about that…the damage had been done…right now instead of regretting what we weren't able to fend off, we should try our best so that something like that doesn't ever happen again"
V-"Yeah…I understand…"
John Farrece-" Well whatever happened, happened~ let's just try our best!"
John Ferrece puts out his hand for a handshake with V. V responds by shaking his hand firmly, at that moment John Ferrece feels a strange sting. He felt as if something was different about V than the others. Something almost sinister.
John Ferrece-" V…You have any plans of joining us?"
V-"...Pardon?"
John Ferrece-" From Kevin's report you seem to be pretty strong for your age..and you're a Gift user as well, how about it? Wanna join the Hunters?"
V-" Well…I'm not sure... Moreover, I'm kind of an outsider when it comes to this"
John Ferrece-"HAHAHA! Don't worry about that, we're all strangers here…but we all strive for one thing which is to survive and live through these hard times…finding that common ground is what makes us connected..it makes us all gather together in one place, It is also how one makes friends as well..so how about it wanna become a hunter?"
V-" Well…I'm still not sure…I don't think me becoming a hunter would change anything…and also I don't have much to strive for unlike the people here…while I do appreciate your offer I don't think I'll be joining your organization…at least for now I guess"
John Ferrece-" Hmm…I see…well that's a shame but I understand..but since you're under Kevin's authority and guardianship I think taking an examination wouldn't hurt no?"
The man(Kevin)-" Be honest you just wanna test out the kid don't ya-"
John Ferrece-" Now Now~ While it is true…I do think taking the examination would be of no harm..well only if you are interested"
V-" Um…What is this examination about?"
John Ferrece-" Well usually it's an attribute test to see which department you'll be going in but it's just an easy intuition and physical prowess test"
V-" Yeah I guess I can do that"
John Ferrece-" Splendid my boy"
*John gives V a hearty slap on his back*
John Ferrece-" Then We'll prepare for your examination in about an hour or so, I'll see you there HAHAHA!"
John leaves to tend to his other duties. Though a bit forced this was pretty different than his usual routine, so some part of V was pretty excited.
And a few hours later, The test begins…
Eve-" Just chill okay? Since you don't plan on becoming a hunter just have fun with the test!"
V-" Yeah…Even though it doesn't mean much… I wonder if everyone feels this nervous when taking a test…or is it just me haha-"
Seeing this somewhat normal side of V made Eve chuckle.
Eve-" HAHAHA!... Everyone feels nervous when they're taking a test..cuz they don't know whether they will succeed or not…or where this test will lead up to…"
V-"...but where do you draw the line?"
Eve-" Which line?"
V-" The line between nervousness and fear"
Eve-"..I don't know…I guess some people start to fear when their nervousness gets out of control…because they don't know if they can take up another failure in their life."
V-" Were you nervous when you did the test?"
Eve-" Fuck no- I can't be bothered worrying about some kinda test-"
V-" HAHAHA!... That's just like you huh"
Watching V laugh out loud at Eve's response calmed down his nerves. Soon, V goes into a room to take the first test. An intuition test.
Since V was getting the shorter version of a regular test he had to answer only 3 questions, testing his sense of morality and intuition when push comes to shove.
V is called to the examination room, He enters a room with a table and 2 chairs facing each other under a spotlight. A Woman was sitting in one of those chairs, she was the tester for this session.
Tester-" Welcome Mr.V to the examination, We will be asking you 3 questions, and based on your decision-making, morality, and said attributes, you have about 5 seconds to think about your answer to each question, if there is something you do not understand please feel free to ask."
V-" Ok…I'm ready"
Tester-" Ok. Now for your 1st question,"
"If one is met with a Runner What is the appropriate thing to do in said situation?"
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Runners…They are a group of people whose main objection is to find the relics and weapons of God, and the things they want the most are the 2 books that hold the power of life, death, rebirth, creation, and the vast knowledge of everything. Though their works are commendable, people have a negative impression of them as they are rumored to use the relics and God's power for their own gain and they detest the angels of this world, they are feared individuals holding a tremendous amount of influence and power in this world but their goals remain a mystery to this day…
V-" Runners…I've never encountered one…but...I'd like to listen to their reasons to why they exist and why they do what they do"
Hearing this the tester was a bit surprised by V's answer.
Tester-" I-I see…next question…"
"Imagine being in a situation where a monster is attacking people, if nothing is done then they will surely die, but if you intervene then you are doomed to die…between your life and the people's…what would you choose?"
V, Without a hint of hesitation,
V-" I'd fight"
Tester-" And why is that? Are you confident of your ability?"
V-" I'm not sure…but I know if I leave them to die…then somehow I'd be betraying them"
A vague answer but the tester took that as his answer. Just as the tester was about to ask him his last question, The tester gave off a confused look at the last question,
Tester-" Wha…It seems like the last questions had been swapped out for a different one…Our apologies for the inconvenience-"
V-" Um…It's fine but what's the last question?"
Tester-" Y-yes…it says.."
"On What basis are Humans made of?"
Hearing this bizarre question made the tester more confused but not to V. The moment V listened to the question, it was as if something had clicked. Vague images of a room flashed in front of his eyes, hearing the question gave him a sense of nostalgia.
Tester-" We'll be pardoning this question, this concludes the questions. You may now proceed to the physical prowess test."
V-" Huh?... Ah yes thank you…"
V heads on forward to the training grounds to take his prowess aptitude test but ponders a bit more about the last questions and the weirdness of it.
V-"...That last one…Why do I feel like I've heard this question before…and..why do I feel like I know the exact answer.."
While pondering V arrives at the training grounds, The sky is filled with big clouds almost as if it's going to rain any moment. V waits for the physical prowess tester but is surprised to see who will be taking his test.
John Ferrece-" Yo Kiddo! How was the the test?"
V-" Ah..Mr.John..it went well I think"
John Ferrece-" No need for honorifics Hahaha! Just call me Old Man John or Old Man if ya feel like it"
V-" I see…So..will you be the one who's going to take the test?"
John Ferrece-" Yes!.. You see normally in a prowess test if the examinee is a Gift User then we'll try to identify the capabilities of his powers but taking demo tests on dummies and other testing tools…but since you are a special case we'll be taking a different type of test…"
Just as John finishes talking, in a split second John lunges at V and swings his right punch across, V manages to block the attack with his arms but is sent flying across the field and smashes into the wall.
*V-" T-..that was close…if I was even a split second slower then my head would've exploded…my arms hurt like hell, did I break something?..."*
John snaps his fingers together and makes a hard fist, V, trying to catch his breath, comes out of the rubble with his sleeve torn off and his arm mangled.
John-"*Whistles*..you took that straight on didn't you...I commend you on your recklessness and naivety…"
V takes a moment to catch his breath and assess the situation, He wonders if this is an actual attempt to kill him or not.
*V-" Calm down…that punch isn't normal.. Is it equal…no... it's even stronger than mine..is this part of the test or is he actually trying to kill me here…my arm's broken...I gotta heal that first"*
Just as V glances at his mangled arm for a split second, John has already vanished, V looks around only to see John coming from behind with a full swing of his arm. V crouches down and lunges back.
John Ferrece-"..Good reflexes kid…you're able to follow along..for now.."
V-"..I see…if this is how things are going to go…"
V stands up straight and swiftly tears off his damaged arm.
John Ferrece-" Yikes~!...That's very gore-ish don't you think?"
V starts to regenerate and heal his wound, In just a few moments a new arm grows back. Snapping his arms, he curls his hands into fists and takes an attack stance.
V-" Fine…"
"Let's throw hands-"
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______________________________Chapter End_________________________________
Character Analysis:
Lily-
Date of Birth- 07 March
Age-12
Weight-37 kg (82 pounds)
Height-5 ft 1inches (155 centimeters)
Likes-Romantic drama affairs, sweets, reading comics
Dislikes-Liars, bugs, the number"4"
History-Used to live in Encford but was kidnapped to be sold in the black market, unfortunately, got mixed up with the misty forest and was tortured for an unsaid amount of days. V rescued her and now admires V and starts to follow him.
Erika-
Date of Birth- 12 February
Age-28
Weight-64 kg (141 pounds)
Height- 5ft 7inches (170 centimeters)
Likes-Flowers, cocktails, Kevin, Surprises
Dislikes- Bitter snacks, cockroaches, unclean environments.
History- Erika is a bartender and owns her bar. She was Kevin's colleague back in the day and they've always been terrific friends, and now she just patiently waits for when Kevin will ask her out.
John Ferrece-
Date of Birth-24 October
Age-41
Weight-78 kg (171 pounds)
Height- 6ft 2 inches (188 centimeters)
Likes-Diligent people, Novels, Apple pie
Dislikes- Peanuts(Alergic), Backstabbers, Luke warm tea.
History- John is one of the 2 founders of The Organization and has been acting as the lead in all departments, He used to work in an office job where he was respected and was among the greatest talent known, Aside from that He has an interest in Martial arts and had been training from a young age. He had a loving wife and has been blessed with 2 children. Amidst the Chaos, John and his partners face many hardships but have been able to get this far with the organization and have brought some balance to the people and the world.