After arguing for a long time, the boys decided to play the game inside Adekin's room.
Black lines covered Berlin's forehead as he watched the boys huddled around the board game. He was even pulled by his brothers with Avina to join them. Berlin smacked his eldest brother on the face. Have you ever seen a one year old play a board game? How can his brother be this stupid?
"Now choose your five characters and five items," Brently happily started. He chose two warriors, one mage, and one priest. He also chose five items that he thought fitted his characters. The other boys, then, chose their own five characters that they thought were cool.
"Thomas, don't choose a Rogue," Adekin warned his brother.
Berlin thought that these kids only thought that warriors and mages were the only characters that were cool. He can't blame them because he also thought of it when he was a child from his past life.
The thing that piqued his interest was not the characters but the game itself, especially the board. It was very unusual to have a board game that was in a spiral shape. It was just like his previous life's Monopoly. However, the game also resembles chess because of its adjustable territories, depending on how many players will play the game.
It was fascinating to see something new. But the most fascinating was the ball of sphere at the center of the board. It was floating at the center, spinning slowly like it was enticing the players to stare at it. Its color was the most beautiful shade of purple.
He stared at the sphere with his cute large eyes. His orbs reflected a completely different hue of mixed purple and his amber color. Berlin's mind cleared, his hearing closed, his senses blur; the only thing that was sharp was his sight.
Slowly, the sphere moved, gently spinning its perfect shape. It felt like the sphere was saying something to him; whispering noises that he can't decipher. The only thing that he was sure of was the sphere seemed to taunt him. It was like the sphere was provoking him. However, it did not work, which he was not sure why.
Even if it did not irritate him, it still got his curiosity. Why did it tried to anger him?
"Oh! I stepped on a challenge!"
The surrounding changed slowly, creeping through the walls of the room. The children followed their heads to the sight. With mouth agape, their eyes flashed with a strong gleam of excitement and expectations. Not every day you will encounter this sudden change.
"I think this will be our first challenge. It appears to be a kingdom of some sort," Brently excitedly told the others. His neck almost breaks from turning his head too much.
Everything felt so real, the wind, the noise, the heat of the sun, and of course the atmosphere of a fallen kingdom. The place was a kingdom ruins; abandoned and forgotten.
"Why is Avina and Berlin with us?" Nilson asked the others. He was completely confused. He didn't know how the two got into the game with them. They were not even players. The boys snapped their head to the two.
"I think I know why." Raymond pointed Avina's left hand that was grabbing Thomas's clothes while holding Berlin with her right hand.
"You mean that if someone touched you, he will also be transported inside the illusion?" Brently clarified.
"Well there are no other reasons, aren't there?"
"Makes sense." Adekin nodded while looking at his siblings.
"My apologies for accidentally holding Young Master's shoulder." They all looked up to see Abner bowing in apology. Bently yelped and jumped to the side.
"What?! You too?!"
Nilson and Raymond laughed loudly at the startled Brently. They also did not realize that Abner was with them inside the illusion. Adekin sighed. He wanted to finish the game so that he can be away from these idiots. In addition to that, he turned his head to his little sister and his youngest brother, they were also dragged inside.
"Now, now, it's good that Abner is with us. At least we have one adult to accompany us," Adekin appeased his friend.
"Adekin's right brother. Abner can help us along the way." Nilson smiled while patting Abner's back.
"Oh well whatever. What does the sphere told you to finish?" Brently asked the one who triggered the illusion. Raymond scratched his nape while recalling the first challenge.
"I think it's about the caravan that was supposed to be going to the Mydhig Kingdom. We will escort it from here!"
"Here? But this looks like an abandoned kingdom," Nilson said with doubt.
"The game will not place us here if it isn't connected to the mission, right?" Adekin analyzed their surroundings. They were standing outside of a huge castle that seemed to be abandoned for a thousand years. The supposed to be walls were now in ruins, the debris were scattered to the ground looking like something was smashed unto it.
The grass grew abundantly on the scattered stones. Vines were clinging to the left over building. Even though the place was messy, it still retained its peaceful ambiance with an ancient feel to it. It looked magical; Berlin cannot stop his head from turning left and right. This was the first time he went outside the household even if this was only an illusion, it still felt so real.
This isn't so bad. This was the first time Berlin thought that reincarnating to this world was the greatest thing that ever happened to him. Before he just wanted to live his life like a lazy cat in this life, but now he wanted to enjoy traveling this world. He wanted to see all the beauty and mystery that this world can offer besides magic.
He wasn't a fan of dragons and magic. He was just a man with brain and talent; he was supposed to study and earn amazing achievements that will place his 'family' on top of the aristocrats. His mother once said, "To gain more dazzling recognition and wide reputation, you must always be outstanding in every way."
Recalling his past family, Berlin closed his eyes and shook his head. They were all from the past that need not be remembered in the present. Avina glanced at her younger brother with a wide smile. Ah, Berlin looks too cute in whatever he does.
A love of a sibling can never be replaced.
"Young Masters, Young Miss, this place can be where the caravan was supposed to pass by. We can walk around the city while waiting for the caravan," Abner spat out what was on his mind. The children looked at him in admiration. That's right! Why didn't we think of that!
Thus, Abner led the children to walk around the city ruins. Abner picked up Berlin to his arms. He did not want to let a baby suffer walking around a place that they were not sure if it is safe.
"Avina don't let go of my hand okay?" Thomas was reassured when Avina nodded her cute head.
After a long walk around the city, they finally heard hooves thundering the ground. There were also people talking from a distance. Abner hid the children behind. Being kids, they all got curious to what will happen.
"Young Masters, you all need to summon your characters," Abner suggested.
"That's right! I totally forgot about them. We still got those people." Brently slapped his forehead for his stupidity. Raymond gave a chuckle.
"We all forgot about them. It happens Brent." Raymond patted his friend's shoulders.
Brently took out his pawns and the rest followed suit. Suddenly, light flashes some silhouettes. And there appeared a group of intimidating men and women. They look so real; their faces were filled with different expressions. Even their eyes were gleaming with different thoughts. Very much like a real person.
Berlin silently gaped at the additional people. These people can only be found on fantasy games and books! And now they were all standing tall in front of his very eyes!
As if feeling his gaze, they all looked at Berlin's pair of amber eyes. Just like a normal person would feel when they see a baby, they all cooed at him inside their mind. However, the child's looks was so adorable. Dangerously adorable.
"Alright, we have a mission to do. Before I start, I would like to introduce to you all my companions." Brently started with introducing Adekin amd the others to the new members of their groups. Adekin and Thomas only gave them a stare which made some of them felt goosebumps. One man even stared at the two and then at the little girl, lastly to Berlin. The others figured out that the four were all siblings.
It was quite obvious because of their similar facial expression which really didn't show emotions except expressing a killer-like glance. One cannot even fathom what they were all thinking.
On the other hand, Abner asked of the others' names. At the end of the line, one man with a huge body that resembles a body builder came forward. His once silver armor reflects the light coming from the sun, making the others squint their eyes.
"I am called Evrat from the lands of Ladril, a warrior with a beast bloodline. I can help lead the others throughout the mission."
With a sudden falsh of light on his eyes, Berlin stared at the man's face. He somehow resembles a gorilla. No doubt because of his huge body. Now he wanted the man to crouch down into a position that would definitely suits him.
"That's great then. Our mission is to accompany a caravan that would pass by here into their destination. It's easy but we can never lower our guards on the way. Some bandits may or may not be ahead so we need to protect them," Raymond said with a serious face. He wanted the mission to be over because he can feel that something bad may happen to them. He doesn't know if it was because of the rumors regarding this board game or because of their family waiting outside of the illusions.
"We understand." Evrat bowed slightly and turned his head to the other people behind him. This group will be his allies for a while so he must do his best to not let them suffer any serious injuries on their mission especially the children. "From now on we would be brothers and sisters. We will fight together and endure hardships together. Our mission sounds simple but we may not be sure of what lies ahead."
Brently and Nilson cannot stop feeling the excitement that was creeping through their little boddy. Their blood was boiling inside. With flushed face, they joined the others' yell of encouragement. Adekin and his siblings, on the other hand, were just looking at them silently but their eyes betrayed their peaceful exterior.
On one side, Abner sweats for his young masters. Now he felt regretful of bringing out this board game. He can just make an excuse to Brently that he forgotted it on the manor. He would accept his young master's punishment if it means not playing this game. But there's no crying over spilt milk now. Even if he felt regretful, he can't change the fact that they're currently inside the game's illusions. Ah, fortunately they still have plently of strong members on their side.
With a slight smile, Raymond looked at his friends. He, then, glanced at the pathway that, in a few minutes, would show the caravan that they were all to protect. After signaling the others to be ready, he walked slowly towards the sound of the nearing hooves.
"Ray you shouldn't go alone," Brently warned before he went to his friend's side. The others followed suit.
In a few minutes, there came a silhouette of two horses on the front and some people on the open carriage. There were some with horses as their own transportation while some were just seen walking; probably hired warriors for their safety.
"Halt!" A loud voice was heard that made the caravan stopped. They all went to see the people on the front. It was Berlin's group.
"And what may we offer to you young lords?" The man, who looked like the leader of the warriors that were guarding the caravan, noticed the children that dressed with fine clothings compared to the others' scrathed armors. These children seemed to be the one with the most authority. Maybe they all went to experience an adventure and hired some warriors to accompany them. Still, they all look too too young, they even have two toddlers.
Evrat glanced at Raymond to seek approval before talking, "We were all assigned that to accompany the caravan that would pass by here on the ruins." The other man stared at Evrat's face. Why does he resemble a gorilla?
Apparently, just like Earth, there some similar animals that can also be found in this world. So a gorilla was also called a gorilla here.
"And how can we trust you to safeguard these things?" The man asked. They can never be sure of these were all a ploy of the bandits. Maybe even these children were just dressed to fool them by lowering their guards. After all, who can be so cautious in front of children especially if they all look like from a weatlthy family.
"I swear with my life on the gods above that we were sent here to protect and accompany you to your destination." Before Evrat could even open his mouth, Raymond stepped forward to meet the man's eyes.
The others, just like the man in front, were shocked breathless. What a courageous child with big words. Even have the guts to swear with his life. Isn't he scared that he may really die?
Apparently, Raymond completely fooled all the adults. In fact, inside, he was nervous and his back was drenched with cold sweat. Ah how can a child handle this mission surrounded by scary looking adults? He really wants to go home and coop up inside his room forever. He would rather face his father's wrath than these men.
They're not goood looking at all!