Chapter 8
Avnas was a loner, a recluse, a person with poor social skills, and filled with anxiety when pushed outside her comfort zone. Every day she went out to work was a gruelling odyssey for her, a torture for her mind. Still, one must understand the reason why she was that way. Her parents died when she was very young—so young, in fact, that she barely remembers them at all. Avnas did have photographs of them, but it was like looking at strangers who had just shared blood with her. There was no connection, no love, or even remembrance of what it was to live with them. Only faint memories that were so far in between that sometimes Avnas wondered if they were real at all. Her life growing up as an orphan did not improve her state of mind and foster care wasn't a nice place to be for a young child. She was abused mentally, physically, and sexually almost all the time. There was nothing she could do to stop it but simply shut her mind down and ignore it. It was a horrible and sad thing to do. But what else could she do in the dystopian world she lived in? Nothing; she was powerless, like many.
Justice was a myth, a fairytale at best.
But now that she was there, in another world. Avnas found herself wondering if people would willingly choose to change their ways when given the opportunity or simply allow themselves to become stagnant and complacent. Her previous approach to life had been one of passivity, where she would merely react or ignore what was happening around her. Numbness and apathy had become her default states of being. She had convinced herself that not knowing, not caring, not worrying, and not feeling were the only ways to protect herself. This approach had resulted in a perfectly crafted shield around her—a wall that kept her safe from harm and ensured her survival. However, deep down, Avnas knew that this was not a sustainable way to live. She longed for a deeper connection to the world around her, but the fear of being hurt or disillusioned had prevented her from taking any risks. Now, as she pondered these questions, Avnas realised that the only way to truly live was to break down the walls she had built and embrace the uncertainty and vulnerability that came with it.
Which was challenging given that her new demonic nature didn't seem to like being labelled as weak. That demon reminded Avnas that she couldn't afford to show any signs of weakness. People would hurt her if she did. And she did not want to be hurt, right? Those thoughts flowed inside her, filling her with that old sensation of fear and uncertainty. It was her other self talking, however, and Avnas knew it.
What happened at Riverfork standing there, looking at all those bodies. Their cries and wails. It wasn't right to just stand there and do nothing. It wasn't right to not cry with them. That's simply human nature. That's what people with empathy and love do. Share emotions and pain.
Avnas knew that she alone was at fault for everything that happened at Riverfork. If she had been faster, she would have stopped playing around and wasting time testing her power. She could have saved more of them. In fact, Avnas has so many scrolls and abilities to simply revive in mass. If she had wanted. All those who died at Riverfork would have been brought to life in a matter of seconds. But Avnas did not do that, and not because she didn't remember, but because there was nothing to gain from it.
I hate myself. I am horrible. I am sorry.
Perhaps that's what she wanted to tell herself. Guilt could push people to do things they never thought possible. So, if she allowed guilt to grow in her, would that allow her to feel closer to those who suffer? Would it enable her to feel empathy?
Or was it all wrong? Maybe Avnas's approach to feeling more human was not ideal.
Perhaps what Avnas needed was someone to help her, to keep her grounded, and to help heal her mind. But who? Does she even want that?
Not what we need at all. The pain of others will only increase our own. Discomfort begets worse misery. You don't want that. You already did what you could. Simply ignore the rest.
Avnas thought to herself, or maybe she didn't.
"I guess that's true," Avnas answered her own horrible thoughts with a low mumble. Avnas's old habit of speaking to herself seemed to have not vanished at all here. Yet, in this world, that self-talk was morphing into something else.
"Master, did you say anything?" Elian asked as she rode next to Avnas.
"Uh? Nothing, sorry, just deep in thought," Avnas replied quickly before shaking her head and focusing on the things that mattered right now.
The group soon arrived near a large river, and it was clear that their travel to the city of New Altes was going to end quickly. But they still needed to feed their horses some fresh water. They had been travelling without stopping for almost half a day now.
So, as they reached the riverbank, the group jumped down from their horses and let their sore legs enjoy some rest from riding for such a long time.
"Uwah~! My legs!" Lynas exclaimed while doing some stretches. "We are almost there! It's incredible how fast this can be when we have horses. Don't you think?"
"Yeah, great, what a marvellous experience," Alex mumbled and grunted slightly as he began to feel the blood running in his legs once again. However, he was still feeling quite sore, which Lynas noticed quickly.
"What is it, Alex? Does your little imperial butt hurt? Is the little noble in pain?"
Lynas poked fun at Alex's complaints that he couldn't feel anything below the waist. It didn't matter how much the lengthy travel was bothering him, though; he wouldn't let anyone know—especially the young woman with the icy blue hair who was busy brushing her horse mane.
"Not one bit," Alex replied with a stiff tone of voice that caused Lynas to chuckle loudly.
"Of course~!" Lynas snickered. "It seems to me that your little ass is quite sore. Do you want me to rub it for you? Or do you wish to massage mine~?"
"Please, Lynas, there is nothing to massage there, you have nothing," Alex replied with a huff, and Lynas would not lie. It sort of hurt her pride.
"That's hurtful, Alex. It hurts me."
"In any case, how was your ride, Master?" Alex asked Avnas, who was simply looking at her horse, drink from the river.
"It was quite the experience," Avnas replied, humming deeply. "I like it. But my legs feel locked in place and a bit, uh, numb."
"You'll get used to it," Lynas mumbled as she stared at her reflection in the river, wondering if her backside was genuinely flat. "Hey, Elian, you're a hero, right?"
"Uh, yes?" Elian replied, tilting her head in confusion.
"Can you help me?"
"Of course."
"Touch my butt and tell me what you think?" Lynas asked, making Alex simply roll his eyes at the half-elf's worries. However, Elian simply looked confused at her green-haired companion. But oddly enough, she saw nothing wrong with the request.
"Alright, I'll tell you what I think."
"By the grace of the gods!" Alex mumbled, baffled by Elian's reaction.
"We're bonding, Alex! Shut it!" Lynas yelled out loud, but Elian was quietly puzzled as to why Lynas was making such a request. She had no idea how it appeared to outsiders. She seemed to be either overly naive or uncertain of what it meant.
And yet, while all that nonsense was going on, an odd sort of friendship between Alex, Lynas, and Elian was quietly developing.
Still, on the side, the white-haired woman was lost in thought. Her mind was thinking about the structure she saw not too long ago. Avnas pondered what it was doing there and why it looked so unique.
It doesn't look like a ruin. It seemed quite new, almost recently built. Also, the structure is oddly alien-like. I can't explain it in words. It's simply weird, and I could feel it whispering to me. Like someone talking from far away. Am I going crazy?
Avnas pondered deeply, losing herself in her own thoughts before Elian approached her.
"Master Avnas, Lynas told me I should touch your butt in order to bond with you. Would you give me the chance to do that?" Elian asked with a solemn tone of voice. Meanwhile, Lynas was simply chortling like a maniac.
"Mm, thank you, Elian, but that won't be necessary," Avnas answered, wondering if Elian couldn't detect when someone was teasing her or pulling a prank on her.
"You're very childish," Alex said, clearly not amused by his companion's sense of humour.
"Pff! Please, you three have been really serious thus far! Hours of not talking, of not saying anything! I have the impression that I am surrounded by undead! C'mon, just smile a little! Speak! Make conversation with one another!"
Lynas's voice made the horses startle as she yelled frantically at her current companions, who only stared back at her.
"I like silence," Alex stated, getting on top of his horse once again and hoping that Lynas would remain quiet for the remainder of their trip.
"I am not an Undead," Elian replied quickly as she pointed at herself in a confused manner, again not understanding Lynas's words at all.
"I like the calmness of our ride so far," Avnas added, sharing some of the same sentiments as Alex.
Still, as the extroverted member of a group of introverts, Lynas could only shake her head and sigh dramatically at their responses.
"Hopefully, we'll reach New Altes in an hour or two. I really need a mug! A big mug of beer or ale!" Lynas said as she climbed her horse once again. "These kids are driving me crazy!"
"We are not kids," Alex and Elian both replied back at Lynas, who snapped back at them in quite an amusing way.
"You're to me!"
"It seems like you take pride in being perceived as old," Alex now teased back, and the green-haired half-elf had to mutter something in Elvish, which Alex recognised.
"Hey, don't curse in Elvish!" Alex said, earning a scoff from Lynas.
"I would've cursed you in Elthien. The insults are far worse! But I barely know my ancestor's language," Lynas said, and it could be noticed a sudden sadness in that statement.
Avnas, for her part, made sure to remember that word. Elthien. What is that? She said they were her ancestors. Could they be related to the Elves? Avnas reasoned that, of all the things she needed to know, the world's history was probably the most pressing. Especially if she wished to know just how powerful magic users could get in this world.
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Humans are the weakest, supposedly. Demons are clearly above them. Then where do the Elves fit? Also, how many other races are there? And what are these Heralds?
"It's not that bad. It's clearly not round; it's a bit stiff—"
"Alright, stop it! Say no more. You're hurting me even more!"
"Why are we talking about your ass, of all things?"
"It's worth talking about!"
Avnas seemed to have lost herself in thoughts and had paid no attention to whatever they were talking about. However, while true, the topic of discussion was slightly cringeworthy in Avnas's eyes. They were still sharing and building a connection, something Avnas had always wished for.
Yes, Avnas, in her daily life, was genuinely avoiding people. But in Antherion, Avnas honestly tried to fit in with other players, to make friends, since in there she was someone else, but she never could, and not for lack of trying.
Avnas faced rejections from various guilds despite being a skilled player. However, the underlying reason was not her lack of competitiveness or ability but rather her social anxiety. She struggled to feel at ease in the company of others and form meaningful friendships, which made it difficult for her to fit in with the guild members, where everyone was so joyful to play together. Despite her efforts to overcome her anxiety and improve her social skills, Avnas continued to struggle with being friendly with others. She was often seen as cold, insensitive, and pretentious by everyone, ultimately preventing her from being accepted into these guilds.
The reality was that Avnas feared not being liked, which made her quiet. She wasn't cold or rude. Avnas was someone who kept overthinking her words and tried to be careful with what she said, making her standoffish when people tried to speak with her, as she had no idea how to express herself.
So, after a while, Avnas simply stopped trying to get into a guild and played solo. But here, she could definitely try again. I have to try again. Just speak; try to join in their conversation. I am in a new world! I faced three demons! I am powerful! I can do this. I need to be better. A better person than I was yesterday.
"Butt," Avnas's words brought the attention of everyone. "I like your butt, Lynas."
Avnas's voice was emotionless. Her face showed no expression at all. Yet, inside her mind, Avnas was proud of herself. Incredibly so.
"Thank you, Lady Avnas," Lynas replied, a bit shocked to hear that statement from her.
"Butt," Avnas replied, nodding at her with a strange smugness in her eyes.
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As the group journeyed on, the landscape slowly transformed. After about an hour, the vast expanse of wilderness gave way to the lush fields of farmland. The fields stretched out as far as the eye could see, with patches of vibrant green and yellow crops swaying gently in the breeze. Along the road, carriages could be seen, with people bustling about their daily business.
Avnas felt weird watching carriages in a world where giant aerocrucibles existed. Still, the more interesting was how, as they got closer to New Altes, the more aerocrucibles were seen flying above them in the distance.
They do have more aerocrucibles flying around. So, it was a lie that they only had a few? Avnas thought, sensing that there was something definitely going on.
"There it is! New Altes!" Lynas exclaimed happily, perhaps not because of them arriving at the city but because she could finally go to a tavern.
The city of New Altes, the capital of the Kingdom of Aplacia, boasted an imposing outer wall that encircled it, stretching high into the sky. The wall was fitted with massive watch towers that offered an unobstructed view of the entire perimeter, ensuring the safety of the city's inhabitants. As Avnas looked up, she saw several Aerocrucibles flying above the city, each resembling a soaring building crafted from a blend of wood and stone. They were quite striking to look at, especially when Avnas could see that the city itself seemed to be built up.
They looked like giant hot air balloons carrying a building on them. Amazing.
"Ugh! Look at the line!" Lynas moaned loudly as the group saw an extensive line just before the city's entrance.
"The news of the Riverfork attack must have reached the newsreel already," Elian said. "The Aplacia army must be on high alert after that."
"I just hope they let us pass. Otherwise, we are going to spend the entire day camping outside the city's walls," Alex added with a sigh.
"The king invited me, so that will surely let us through," Avnas stated, surprised by the number of people waiting to get into the large city. But she also wondered why there were so many people outside the walls of New Altes to begin with.
As they rode next to them, Avnas noticed these people's clothes were ragged, dirty, and in poor condition, like they were pushed around or had been travelling for such a long time. Avnas saw, that they had with them all their belongings, which was not much but proving to her, that they weren't homeless people. No, in fact, Avnas recognised immediately what they were. Since her family was one a long time ago.
"These are refugees," Avnas stated, knowing full well her eyes weren't lying to her.
"Yes, from Alberam," Alex commented, looking at the faces of people waiting. Their pain, their sorrows—it was something he knew too well. "Specifically from the West of Alberam."
"I knew things were bad there," Lynas saw the look of a few children. All of them had a tired look on their faces. Their gaunt expression was hard to ignore. "But I never thought it would be this bad. For how long has the war been going on now?"
"Six years," Elian responded as her gaze was drawn to a mother and a youngster. In anguish, her heart tightened. She turned away, not wanting to see such a scene.
"I bet they are using the threat of demons to not let more refugees into the city," Alex mumbled, watching how, at the city's gates, a large group of knights were pushing people away.
"Well, you can't blame them, Alex. The Kingdom of Aplacia is a small nation. They can't let hundreds of thousands in just like that," Lynas said, attempting to provide a different perspective on the current problem while recognising its complexity. "They had been doing it for years now, but each year, more refugees arrive at the continent in search of a better life. It has become way too much for New Altes to handle."
"I know, it is just—" Alex had to take a deep breath, simply deciding not to dwell on the matter any longer. "It's wrong keeping them like this, outside like animals."
Avnas agreed with that statement. Now that she thought about it. She could do something to help them. Avnas wanted to avoid acting the same way she did back at Riverfork. If she truly wished to change, she had to start somewhere.
"Halt!" A knight yelled. "Not a step closer. The city is under lockdown. No more refugees are allowed!"
A group of knights quickly surrounded Avnas and the rest. "We are not refugees," Avnas replied firmly.
"State your business and name!" The knight questioned.
"My name is Avnas. I was invited here by King Aferalth. I believe you were told about my arrival," Avnas said, and the moment she said her name, many of the knights and some of the refugees there gasped at her, which made her feel a bit anxious. The many stares were all looking at her, and such attention was hard to ignore.
"Is that her? The one who killed those demons?"
"Look at her! How beautiful she is!"
"Mommy, is she the Alabastrine? The hero of Riverfork?"
"Shh, my dear, it's rude to stare at."
"But if she is, then she could be the saviour of our time?"
Avnas couldn't help but furrow her brows at the comment made by the group of refugees standing nearby her. The moment they called her the "Alabastrine," she felt a wave of confusion wash over her. The term was unfamiliar to her, and she couldn't decipher its meaning. It didn't sound like a slur of some kind. But it certainly made the situation feel more complicated to her. What does Alabastrine even mean? Uh, I wish I had a dictionary with me.
"You're here," the knight's voice truly surprised her. It sounded like a whisper, a shocking murmur. "Bring the chariot! Now!"
Avnas was taken aback by the sudden reaction of the knight and the rest of the people. She couldn't understand what was happening until she saw a beautiful chariot approaching the scene. The chariot was unlike anything Avnas had ever seen before. It wasn't pulled by horses, but rather, it had an engine that looked like it was powered by strange shining rocks. Avnas noticed that those blue stones, those crystals infused in the engine, were the same ones used as communication devices they called Echos. But these ones were bigger and more robust, meaning that whatever those rocks were, they could be used for different things.
So, they used them to create devices that allowed them to communicate with each other and create car-like vehicles. What are those stones? Avnas was baffled by the vehicle.
"Please, my lady!" The driver, who looked more like a butler, quickly opened the door to her. "His Majesty is waiting for you!"
"Uh, the horses—" Avnas tried to speak before being cut down almost immediately.
"They will be waiting here, of course! Don't worry about them!" The knight stated it almost frantically.
They really want me to meet the king, uh? Avnas hesitated momentarily before slowly entering the luxurious chariot, her eyes scanning the opulent interior. Alex, Lynas, and Elian followed suit, looking just as confused as she was by the unexpected urgency of the situation.
"It seems that my popularity is bigger than I thought," Avnas said, sensing an awkward situation.
"It's my first time inside a chariot. I am clearly moving up in life," Lynas said, taking her time to see the luxurious details inside their rather large chariot.
"Did you notice their faces? Their reactions?" Alex said. "They were almost frantic about taking Master Avnas to the palace to meet the king."
"Yes, it's genuinely concerning," Elian replied, agreeing with Alex, surprisingly.
"How did the refugees know who I was? I'd understand if the guards knew it, but everyone seems to know now," Avnas questioned. Lynas, on the other hand, responded by pointing outside the chariot. Avnas followed Lynas's indication, and she noticed a small air balloon hovering above the street. Intrigued, she watched as the balloon began to descend, revealing a set of loudspeakers unlike any she had seen before. The speakers appeared to be fashioned from an old-fashioned phonograph. Still, it was adorned with shimmering blue crystals that served as the engineering that made the loudspeakers work.
"If you think the current Purple Sickness plague is bad enough! A demons' attack on the peaceful town of Riverfork resulted in over 800 fatalities! Is a new Crusade on the horizon?! Currently, the Aplacia guards are enforcing a lockdown on New Altes! So, no more unwanted refugees for now! More news at midday by yours truly, Barbara Roseworth!"
Avnas was taken aback when she heard the female voice. She was surprised to learn that this world even had a newsreel like that. Looking around, she noticed a boy standing on the corner below the strange air balloon loudspeaker, selling newspapers.
"Hear ye! Hear ye! King Aferalth finally appeared in public after 4 years since Queen Marisela's death! News of a grand party to welcome and reward the hero of Riverfork, Avnas, the Alabastrine! The one who defeated three demon knights by herself! Read more only in the best newspapers of all Equidaeria, the Town's Echo!"
That does explain how people know about what happened and about me. Avnas thought, still unsure of what to feel about it. "Alabastrine?" She muttered, wondering if that was a nickname or what they thought her name was.
"I am still amazed at how Barbara Roseworth is able to get the news faster than anyone else. It never stops to surprise me. Does she have secret agents or what?" Lynas wondered out loud.
"It's quite obvious she pays well for any sort of intelligence or news. No doubt some of the knights on Riverfork echoed her immediately about what happened and who was responsible for that," Alex added.
"That's not surprising at all."
Avnas was not surprised to hear that someone would pay for any sort of gossip. That's how the news business worked. Everyone knew how it played out, and what happened at Riverfork would surely sell well. It didn't matter how horrific the news itself was. As long as it was sold, someone would make a profit.
"Is she the one who named me Alabastrine?" Avnas asked. "Where did she get that name from?"
"It's hard to say. That woman has a thing for names. Do you like it?" Lynas asked Avnas, who simply hummed deeply.
"I don't know," Avnas answered. "What do you guys think?"
"I think it is elegant, oddly enough, especially coming from someone who named refugees unwanted immigrants," Elian replied with a hissing tone of voice. Clearly, her opinion of Barbara Roseworth wasn't a good one.
"I am more impressed with how she could spin the narrative in favour of our master," Alex stated. "No doubt she will be there at that welcoming party for you."
"A party," Elian whispered. "Why did the king call for a party now, of all times? Doesn't it feel forced? Strange even?"
"It could be a sort of distraction, perhaps? Or maybe the king does seem to have his wits back," Alex replied, still unsure of what exactly to believe. The game nobility played was hard to predict, after all.
"Do we even know if the king actually called for such a ceremony?" Lynas questioned, and everyone could only wonder the same.
"I guess we are going to find out soon enough."
Avnas observed as the chariot approached what appeared to be the inner walls of the city, where the king's luxurious palace was situated. In her mind, she had several objectives to accomplish. One of them was to discover a place where she could succeed in acquiring knowledge, like a library or someone with a vast understanding of world history. Another was to verify the true extent of power possessed by the entities in this world and take the necessary precautions. After all, dying was a possibility Avnas wanted to avoid.