Lyka: (How can we warn Dasman ahead of time?)
Akino: (We still haven’t got enough intel… I’ll try to pry the unconscious officer.)
Alexa: (What about us? How can we get out of here?)
Akino: (Lyka, can you blast through the barrier?)
Lyka: (I think…)
Akino: (Once we’re done, put a hole on that barrier then we ran away.)
Lyka: (Got it!)
The three quietly went to the tent where the previous elf officer went unconscious, sneaking in and making sure they won’t leave any tracks. Akino pulls out from her hair the needle wire that she stabs through the nape.
Alexa: (Got anything?)
Akino: (Give me a sec. I’m trying to connect to this dude, but I don’t know why it’s taking a bit long.)
Lyka: (Elves have strong magic prowess and mana affinity, that’s probably the cause like the one interfering with your communication satellites.)
Akino: (I see. Can you lower the magic output so we can enter?)
Lyka: (You mean as lowering his mana? The elves might sense it and go here…)
Alexa: (How about phasing through? Using ma’s magic as energy to penetrate through potential barrier and Aki’s computing skills to make both of your minds like a wave?)
Akino: (Did you just talk about quantum tunneling???)
Lyka: (I don’t get it…)
Alexa: (If ma used magic to lower that dude’s mana then elves might storm this area, which will make all of our effort to sneak in fail. It’s just a suggestion though.)
Akino: (Alexa, can you stay on look out?)
Alexa: (Sure thing, my stingers are ready. I’ll just slap both of you when they are coming.)
Lyka: (Slap? Can you just call out on us?)
Alexa: (Hehehe… I’m just kidding.)
Akino: (Shall we?)
Lyka: (Yes.)
Akino and Lyka sat down beside the elf, with Akino’s hair connecting through napes of Lyka and the other at the elf. Lyka tried to concentrate her mana, and Akino tried to focus the mana, using it as a ‘navigating beacon’ to the mind of the elf.
Alas, they’ve entered his mind, visualized as a flat grassland and a bed where the elf officer lies still. Next to the bed was a small cupboard, and a table with maps and scrolls. Akino approached the elf, making sure he’s still unconscious by feeding him random events from his memories, acting in a way that he is dreaming. Lyka looked on the table, reading the maps and scrolls.
Lyka: Maps, supply orders, orders of invading Dasman… hold on, somethings weird…
Akino: The infos we need were materialized as these stuffs, huh? Wait, let me handle it.
Akino projects a holographic keyboard and taps on it, turning the maps and scrolls into folders of papers full weird symbols.
Akino: Ah, good ‘ol evidence hunting.
Lyka: You just made my search more confusing…
Akino: Alright, I’ll relay it to you.
Lyka: What does it say?
Akino: I can’t read these text…
Lyka: I told you something’s weird!
Akino: Okay, okay. You know about this?
Lyka gets closer to Akino and reads the papers.
Lyka: These are runic symbols, only present at the halls of powerful beings!
Akino: Powerful beings?
Lyka: High elves, demon lords, dragons, high and divine spirits, and lastly gods!
Akino: Wait, wait, wait, so these data came from the abode thingy you’ve told us?
Lyka: Data?
Akino: I mean – this stuff?
Lyka: Maybe, or even from the underworld, from high-level dungeons that the guilds were looking for, or ruins under the sea, or even forests inhabited by spirits!
Akino: I don’t have a translation algorithm for these runic symbols… I thought the Institution had a collab with Elynians?
Lyka: Don’t worry, I can read it.
Akino: Really?
Lyka: Being a daughter of a god has some perks, you know? Not only power and immortality, but also the proper knowledge on reading runes.
Akino: So not all the Elynians can read this?
Lyka: Beings of high power can only read it, at least that’s what father used to tell me.
Akino: That’s convenient… alright, pass it to me, I’ll make the translation algorithm.
The two remained quiet for 5 seconds, then the symbols on the virtual papers were changed into English texts.
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Lyka: English? Really?
Akino: You can read it, right?
Lyka: Alright… let me see…
Lyka reads through the papers.
Lyka: The papers said that the god of thunder and the goddess of knowledge went to investigate… the tribe of Roza, my birthplace… they went there and looked what happened after that the goddess of knowledge went insane… the elves, who worship her, blame the god of thunder that was being worshipped by humans…
Akino: And they want to exact revenged by invading human cities…? Wait, they went to that forest home of yours?
Lyka: Yeah, that is indeed dubious… wait, let me read more…
Lyka further read the papers. As the time goes on, expressions change: a mix up of being confused, saddened, as Akino notices, agitation as she barely grits her canine teeth.
Akino: Lyka?
Lyka: It’s about when the Altruis attacked us… the elves were also behind it…
Lyka tightens her hold on the paper, crumpling it.
Akino: How? When I and Alex came here, we only saw your father’s heralds and the knights.
Lyka: The magic barrier… Dr’akan did lead the knights into our home, but the elves are the one who put up the barrier outside the forest…
Lyka finally crumples the paper she was reading and placed it back at the table.
Lyka: And the gods of the abode must have motives… they left me alive for a reason… they must have known there’s a demigod in our tribe and they know it was me…
Akino: Lyka…
Lyka: I-I’m fine…
Akino: Is there a way to contact these ‘gods’?
Lyka: I’m not sure… but the elves were always accompanied by their goddess of knowledge – Mina.
Akino: We should wake up then –
The two turn around and saw a woman in white elegant dress.
Lyka: Aki? We should be the only ones supposed to be in here, right?
Akino: That woman… she’s the one I saw at Ravine!
Lyka: You saw her before? Oh! The one where Alexa teases –
Lyka gets a closer look on the woman, seeing the runic designs on her dress.
Lyka: She’s… she’s Mina, the goddess of the elves… the goddess of knowledge.
Akino: Say what?! How the hell did she get here?!
Lyka: She’s a god that has knowledge transcending the minds of any Elynian beings…
Mina: That… that is correct but not quite…
Akino: What do you want?
Lyka steps forward, conjuring her sword and points it at Mina.
Lyka: Are you the one who ordered killing my tribe?
Mina: Th-the tribe Roza?
Lyka: ARE YOU THE ONE?!
Mina: …
Lyka: ANSWER ME!
Akino: Lyka…
Mina: I-I did order the elves to create that barrier… but I didn’t know the humans will attack-
Lyka leapt and attacked Mina. Mina conjures a shield and block Lyka off. Akino ran in between them and stopped their fight from escalating, holding Lyka still as Mina backs off on a safer distance.
Akino: Lyka! Calm down!
Lyka: Why…? WHY?! WHY DID YOU DO IT?!
Mina: Because we’ve got no choice!
Lyka: Choice? What choice? You could just let us be!
Mina: We knew that the god of destruction had a child, and so the gods scrambled down on who will be able to get the child first…
Akino: And killing her tribe was a way to get her?
Mina: The humans were notified, and knew that the demi-god was a demi-beast… they tried to contact my elves and asked to eradicate you…
At that moment, Lyka loses her composure and drags Mina by her dress.
Lyka: What did we do?! We did nothing to deserve this!
Mina: I tried to stop them, but the abode disagreed with me. Instead, is devised a plan by trapping the humans inside the forest, let Marcus’ heralds fight, and let YOU fight off the knights of Altrius… but I didn’t take into account that for over a thousand of years you were still an inept with your abilities…
Lyka throws down Mina to the ground.
Lyka: IT’S BECAUSE WE’RE NOT WARMONGERING BEINGS LIKE YOU!
Akino: Shame for a god of knowledge, huh?
Mina: I-I also didn’t account the mysterious beings who helped you… which I presume to be you…
Mina glances at Akino.
Akino: Me?
Mina: A human soul, without mana… but has abilities far beyond to our comprehension…
Lyka: They helped me… in the nick of a time….
Mina: I’m sorry… I am truly sorry…
Lyka coldly stares down Mina, but she calms down and regains her composure.
Lyka: You’ve said Marcus’ heralds… is that my –
Mina: Yes. That’s your father’s name… Marcus, the god of destruction…
Lyka: Wh-where is he? Did the abode took him just because he made family? Just because he had me?!
Mina: No. NO. We didn’t… years ago, probably when you’re still young, Marcus and Perdius disappeared….
Lyka: Perdius? He’s already dead when I was born!
Mina: It’s a faked death… they disappeared, without a trace… until a found a clue, that your friend here might know…
Akino and Lyka looked at each other, wondering what Mina wants to say.
Akino: Please tell me it’s not that cave….
Mina: It is…
Lyka: It’s pretty much empty, like literally empty.
Mina: It is, but when we went inside that large, emptied chamber… we passed through the ground like it was a quicksand and the next thing we knew we found ourselves in a ruined city…
Akino: Earth… y-you got teleported to Earth?
Mina: Yes… and it was a terrifying experience… and might be the same case with your father…
Lyka: …
Mina: I know… I’m not even sure on what am I saying… it maybe a hunch but still it is a possibility…
Lyka: How could we trust, and believe you?
Mina: It doesn’t matter to me anymore if you trust me or not… but after learning the truths of this other world connected to us, my title as the goddess of knowledge seems to be in question… but I do know that I can help you, to find your father and end the conflict between the gods…
Akino: How about sending back your elves to your turf, will you help on that?
Mina: I can’t… they don’t believe on an insane goddess… but I’ll give you my word…
Lyka: What?
Mina: I’ll never interfere, even if you slaughter my people…
Akino: What the fuck?
Lyka: You really are insane, aren’t you?
Mina: Maybe I am… but it’s most plausible solutions – to escape this camp and stop their attack on Dasman.
Akino: Is the god of whatever-it-is that the humans’ worship will show up to protect Dasman?
Mina: Taino is… he’s locked up in the abode… and no other gods were trying to go down here and protect the city…
Lyka: Useless bunch…
Mina: I’m sorry… I really am…
Lyka: Aki, let’s get out of here.
Akino: R-right…
Mina: Oh, one last thing!
Akino: What is it?
Mina: Find me, at the elven kingdom of Sohdomhir, at the northern most part of the world… I’ll be waiting…
Mina banishes without a trace, leaving the two.
Lyka: Sohdomhir? Near the gateway to the Abode?!
Akino: Let’s discuss that later. We should leave first, right?
Lyka: Y-yeah.
Akino and Lyka woke up back to reality. Alexa was still guarding the tent, but she seems to be nervous.
Akino: (Psst, what’s going on?)
Alexa: (They suddenly moved around scoured the place! I heard they were talking about a ‘Mina’? I don’t know and I don’t get it!)
Lyka: (Should I blast the barrier now?)
Akino: (Yeah, but we need a place with less ears.)
The three left the tent and went to the edge of the encampment barrier near the forest. Lyka casts her spell, which alerts the elves from the distance. The guards and soldiers immediately jump on their horses, others ran, hover, preparing their swords and magic as the horde of these elves rans toward the three girls’ location.
Akino: Hurry!
Lyka activates her spell, causing a shockwave of mana that made the magic sensitive elves tumble and get distracted. A breach on the magic barrier was created, and the three quickly went outside before the barrier heals itself.