[Some days later]
Marco and Alice reached a small altar in the middle of the forest, the only thing separating them was a small river and some stones put over it as a bridge.
The altar had a stone base around 3 meters of diameter that looked like a flower with many petals, over that, there was a similar smaller base, on the center of it, there was a cup-like altar which had a pair of angelic wings at its sides… But… There wasn't the egg for the Garuda…
Alice: Where is the egg?!
She started to panic and scurried around the altar, frantically searching. But it doesn't look like the egg is anywhere to be found.
Marco used his power of the wind around him, and found a series of breath behind the nearby trees.
Marco unsheathed Magnus and used Serene Mind for a moment, before he slashed to the trees, cutting them with the Blade of Still Water.
Before the trees could fall, a man rolled away from their path, Marco used Sylph's powers to reach the man in a moment and put a foot over his neck before pointing his sword on the man's face.
Man: W-W-Wait, I am not a monster!
Marco: Shut up, I make the questions, you could even be the King of San Ilia, I will be the same guy you seen now. Why are you here?
Man: I…
Marco moved the sword near his left eye, and looked down at him with a cold gaze.
Marco: Let me guess, you picked the egg…
The man gulped, and slightly nodded, afraid that the katana would pierce his eye.
Marco: I will not answer all my questions, you talk or you won't see things like you did before… Why?
Man: W-We thought it was a monster egg, and we wanted to destroy it, but it won't even have a scratch…
Marco: Where?
Man: At the Headquarters of Ilias Kreuz.
Marco: Who?
Man: A small group of us…
Marco: When?
Man: A few hours ago…
Marco: Tch…
Marco put away his sword and removed his foot from the man's neck. Alice, in her human form, asked.
Alice: ...Marco, are you going to head to the Ilias Kreuz headquarters?
Marco: Well, either that, or I try my luck in finding a Heavenly Knight, either case, it's easier going over there, I doubt that Lazarus would try something now…
Alice: ...I feel nervous at you going there. How about I go in your place?
Marco: Pfft, what could happen? Me going berserk? I am strong, I don't have any real grudge on them, and besides, I already dealt with things like this…
Alice: ...Alright.
Then the two of them left the shrine, while the man left behind was still taking deep breaths from the horror he witnessed.
[Later]
They reached Gold Port, specifically the HQ of Ilias Kreuz, it looked like an old church made of stones and wood that could easily be broken.
Two guards already blocked Marco and Alice's way, but Marco kept talking.
Marco: I have some business with Lazarus. Could I meet with him, please?
Guard: Hahahaha! Brat, you came here too late, that dipshit of a leader isn't here anymore! He left us because he had an "Enlightenment".
Marco: I'm Marcellus' Son, let me in and talk to the current leader of Ilias Kreuz. Do you know how much annoying was going in a path full of monsters wishing for your virginity?! I didn't get here all the way from Illias Village because I wanted to be raped.
Guard: M-Marcellus' son?!
Guard 2: Oi, oi… That can't be…
The guard n.1 gulped a mouthful of saliva, and said.
Guard: G-Got it… I'll tell that to the leader…
Guard 2: W-Wait here for a second.
The two guards hurried into the building, and a minute later they came running out.
Guard: ...Go in. It looks like Adam will meet with you.
Marco: Oh? So it's this guy the new leader…
Guard 2: The leader is in the underground hall. This way…
Then the two guards guided Marco and Alice in the building.
They entered in a surprisingly big basement, in the center of the room there was a gigantic egg. And standing right next to the egg is a man unfamiliar with Marco, it must be Adam.
Adam: Yo, so you must be the son of the founder?
Marco: The one and only.
Adam: So, what you came here for? Joining?
Marco: I'm here to get the egg.
Adam: Hahahahaha!!
Adam was laughing as if he heard a joke, Marco, and behind him, Alice, were unfazed.
Adam: Nope, you need to gain it, try to hurt me… If you can. I'll make you know that I was Lazarus' left hand before that asshole left, I am not like those ruffians out there.
Tch, probably that bitch of your mother told you that you should coexist with monster, right? I wonder how much cum she sucked before turning retarde-
*Slam*
Adam was thrown in the ground with a kick in his stomach, Adam was unable to see him when he used Sylph's powers and Gnome's powers, then he unsheathed his sword and thrusted it on Adam's neck. Since the sword was enchanted with Magic Dispersion, it would not really hurt anyone…. For now...
A small bit of magical energy came out from Adam's neck, and he glowed before he turned back into a kid around 8 years.
He took out his sword and freed Adam, before grabbing his neck and moving him near his face.
Marco: I am the new leader of Ilias Kreuz, and my first order is that the group is disbanded, if I see again your ugly-ass face then I'll kill you for real, if I see again this group then I'll kill you for real, if you try to make another mess then I'll kill you for real, understand?
Be lucky that I didn't ripped off your spine for calling my mother a bitch...
Adam slowly nodded, and Marco let him down, he fell on his butt and ran away, unexpectedly, Marco appeared behind him and beheaded him with Demon Decapitation, since Adam was already sealed, this would count as a real injury, and blood came out.
Alice, behind him, was shocked from his sudden gesture, and Marco swung his sword around, cleaning the blade from blood.
Marco: I lied…
Alice: W-What…
Marco: I know that he won't give up, when he finds a method to grow, he will do anything to kill me, even if it means selling his soul… I don't even know why I gave him a false hope… Probably if he didn't insulted my mother then I would have left him… No… He would be in the way…
Fuck this, let's continue this shit…
Marco took out the orbs from his bag and got near the egg, but an hand stopped him.
Marco: Alice…
Alice: You need to rest a bit… Everything got bad today, you lost your patience with the Queen Elf, you fought against that undead kid again… Are you sure you are alright?
Marco: Alice… I'm fine…
*Slap*
Alice slapped Marco, surprising him, he held his cheek in pain and looked at Alice.
Alice: Where the fuck is Marco I know?! I want him, not Edgy McEdgelord! You were always making fun of everything, being an asshole at everyone, you were not this cold!
Marco: ...I lost my cool…
Alice: You don't say?! Now follow me!
Then Alice dragged Marco away, put the orbs on the backpach and took it away too.
[Later]
Alice let go of Marco when they reached the top of a hill overlooking Gold Port.
Alice: Now you start talking or I'll stop you here until you tell me.
Marco: ...You think you are able to stop me?
Alice didn't say anything and just kept glaring at Marco, making him sigh.
Marco: I can't tell anything… Not now…
Alice: You'll do it!
Marco: NO!! I CAN'T!!! I… Can't… 'Everything will go in the shit otherwise…'
Alice: ...Why?
Marco: I just can't… I have a big burden…. You just can't currently image how big is the burden…
Alice: Then share it…
Marco: ...This is the problem… I can't… Once I share the burden, it will be replaced immediately with a bigger one… And it may even cost my life… I'm just too stressed right now… And hearing someone insulting my mother was the last straw…
Alice: Can you at least tell me something…?
Marco: ...Something will happen soon… I can say only that… Alice… Can you hear me a bit?
Alice: ...Yes. I will…
Then she sat beside Marco, and he started talking.
Marco: ...I keep smiling and being a big asshole because I wanted to forget about the burden, but it is useless… The more I get near to the problem, the more I think things will go in the shit…
Alice: What do you mean?
Marco: Well, to a certain extent, I know what could happen in the future, we will go to Remina, and find something strange… Then we will go to the Monster Lord's Castle, and then I will challenge the Heavenly Knights, after that… I will not say anything…
Alice: Then what is it?
Marco: It's the problem of "what if"... You know… The smarter you are, more ways you can think of… And then you think about the "Bad Ends". Right now I am currently not strong enough to solve the problem, and I can't just train… I need to work on my willpower, which is really hard to do now…
Alice: Then I can help you…
Marco: This is another what if… You can easily die with a wrong step… And I don't want that… Do you remember the succubus? The one who told me about my future?
Alice: Yes…
Marco: She's right… I know about what she is talking about… And the problem is that she is right… If I make a single mistake, then everything is doomed.
Alice: Why? What is it?
Marco: I can't say it… And you will understand soon… Just the thought that anything I do will take heavy consequences… Brings me much stress… The more I get near to the source the more stress I get…
Alice stood silent, then she slowly hugged Marco.
Alice: It's alright… I will be here to help you on the way… If I really understand later, it just means I can help you even better… I know you, if you won't say anything about it, then it means that it is a mistake doing it…
Marco: Thanks… It seems I just needed a hug… Having a heavy burden, watching my mother's death, knowing that many people believe in me, and powerlessness…. It just stress me…
Like I said before, every decision I do, will completely change the future. I mustn't make any single error because it would cost mine and everyone else's head.
I am not saving my own skin, I am protecting everyone, as much of an asshole I look like… If I wanted to save only myself, then I could think thousands of methods, if I wanted to save both of us, then there were hundreds of methods…
But I am searching for the happy ending of as many people as possible… And there is only 1 way, which is a rope between two cliffs.
Obviously many will die… But it's a job that only I can do, reducing the deaths to the smallest number possible… This is the reason I'm getting the spirits…
Alice just continued to hug Marco, and caress his head.
Alice: Then… Am I part of the "Plan"?
Marco: Yes… You are, since I met you, many more possibilities came out, even though there is still one solution, it became a bit easier with you… *Sigh* I am just pessimistic now...
[SPECIAL QUESTS]
1st. Achieve coexistence between Monsters and Humans
2nd. Kill Illias
3rd. Return to Lucifina's grave
4th. Visit every places in Illias Continent, Sentora and Hellgondo
5th. Make Alice happy
6th. Tell the truth to Alice