According to Gram, it was gonna take two days till we can even reach the capital again. It all the more meant that I was stuck camping in ruins once more. On the other hand it was better to travel with company rather than alone. It was actually better to be in a party to consider security within a group at night. Normally it is recommended for there to be in a party of four. The reason being for the party to split into teams of two and take alternating turns in keeping watch for a certain amount of time.
Me and Gram were at our halfway point to the capital at some ruins a few miles from Belle Isle. The glowing lights of Cletus were just at the horizon on where we stayed. We made camp in an apartment complex inside a room in second floor. Night already settled in and the only source of light that we had was the moon. We did have flashlights and some other things but we were more worried of attracting attention. I took the first watch and there looked as if nothing was around. All I had for dinner was dried bear meat and some water. The taste of bear meat made me miss canned food more but it was something I had to deal with just for one more day. From my experience of hunting with Mr. Williams, the older the creature, the harder the meat gets. Chewing on it was so hard that I started to give up. Eventually Gram woke up and took a bite out of some dried meat and took a periscope from his bag. The way he chewed so easily made me envy that lizard jaw. "What did I miss?" He asked. "Nothing I guess…it's still quiet out there." I replied, quickly.
The lizardman then walked away from the window and did a little stretch. Gram then heads back to position and heads back at his periscope. I got a quick look at it looked handmade. "Where did you get that?" I asked. "I made it myself. It's amazing what you can make from what people can throw." He replied. The periscope was collapsible and made out of a variation of PVC pipe, lenses, and mirrors. I kinda felt safer with Gram's resourcefulness. It gave a sense of security when I was with him. "You go ahead and sleep. By the time you're done sleeping it'll be daybreak." Gram assured me.
I decided to take those words to mind and went for bed. The night started out peacefully. I managed to get a few hours. But that was until I was woken up by something. It was Gram waking me up while covering my mouth. He then gave me the sign to keep quiet and pulled me to the other side of the room. It was there we heard the sound of gunshots filing the air. Gunfire lit the street below us along with screaming and yelling. The gunfire went for a decent five minutes. "How the hell were you able to see that?" I asked Gram. He then points at his mouth. "Some species of lizard folk have heat glands that are able to sense the body temperature of living beings around them. Them being me." Gram explained. The gunfire then continued For a decent three minutes. Then one of the bullets shot through the window and ricocheted across the room and on the ceiling. The bullet then fell down and burned Gram's tail. Gram was about to scream until I tied my blanket on his jaw. It masked his scream, just enough for him to grasp for air. He then starts to blow wind at his tail to soothe the pain. "At least it won't get any worse." I mentioned. But that's when we heard a loud explosion. It was so loud that it shattered all the glass windows in the whole room. We kneeled on the floor in pain as the noise was almost deafening. Then two more explosions burst out with an orchestra of car alarms. Gram then forms an indifferent expression at his face. "Looks like neither of us are gonna get any sleep." He put out. "Like we even can." I added.
The car alarms stopped after ten minutes of loud noise. Even if the noise stopped, red flames could be seen at the street. We wanted to peak outside but were worried that either of us would be spotted. For all we know some raiders might head inside of the building after an attraction like that. Neither the two of us could even get any sleep at all. In the end, Gram and I decided to check what happened at first light. But it wasn't actually a sight looking forward to. There was a sight of eight bodies, there were four bodies intact but the rest were either burned, blown to pieces or both. Gram took a gander on what actually happened. With a keen eye and a sniff of his nose, Gram managed to get an image of what happened. "It looks like a party of five raiders took on three." He explains to me, "Eventually two of both parties died by gunshot. One of the defending party shot one of the raiders holding bombs. It caused a massive explosion that caused a chain reaction of other cars to explode."
"So whoever was part of the crossfire of the explosions most likely died?" I asked.
Some of the bodies then raised up. Two of them were the ones that were shot while one of them was barely even burned. "I thought they were dead?" I asked him as the ghouls started to rise. "Well the other two who got killed by bullets were shot in the head but not the other raiders. Maybe the partially burnt one died of carbon monoxide poisoning…?" Gram figured. I then drew out my sword as Gram went for his spear. "I'll take the two guys that were shot, you take the burned guy." I told Gram.
As two of the ghouls came for me, one by one I dodged their grasp and decapitated the both of them in one swing. Gram then trips the ghoul with his spear and the undead fell on his back. The Lizardman then finished it off by stabbing his spear through the eye to the back of the head. "That's one way to kill someone." I commented in awkward fashion. "I know...kinda brutal but it works." Gram implied.
We then threw the bodies in the car fires after that. There was nothing to salvage at all after all. Most of the supplies were burned into a crisp and none of the weapons looks salvageable. Most of the bullets even exploded when the explosion triggered last night. All we can get was a small first aid kit and three cans of food. It wasn't actually the worst haul we got. But on the bright side at least we managed to find breakfast. I was getting pretty tired of bear meat as it is. Soon Richard's owl descends towards us. But instead of going to me, it rested on top of Gram's arm. At first he shoos it away but eventually noticed the note written on it. He started to read it and formed a stressed drown. "Looks like I'm going with you at your guild, kid." He says, "Your guildmaster wants to see me."
Around late afternoon we managed to reach Cletus without a hitch. The only problem was the entrance. We were already at outer wall of Petra and there was a big line. "What's with the crowd?" I asked. "Most adventurers, survivors, and refugees come around the afternoon. It's no surprise after a long day." He told me. But it was only there I realized that I forgot something. It was shining at the front line. There was still a citizen check at the front gate. The words then ring in my head that I should keep a low profile. I then grabbed Gram by the arm. "Why don't we head at the back tomorrow?" I suggest, "I think I wanna get some good scrap metal for some arrows."
"Don't you got those arrowtips from earlier? You're good for the next quest." Gram denied.
I then accidentally bumped to one of the guards on the gate. He looks at me in a pissed manner. "What the hell are you doing, you foreigner?! Get your crystal ready!" The guard shouted. My face turned pale as a sheet as we were getting closer. Gram then pulls on my necklace. "What are you doing Rin? Get your crystal out." Gram insisted. But then when he looks into my shirt, the lizard man's jaw dropped and he grasped. He then puts his hand on my chest and turns me around. Gram started to sweat buckets. "Yeah! Let's head back to Detroit! I need to get something to make my spear… more pointy!" He insisted in a panicky matter. Gram gave a fake laugh as he was starting to become jittery as we walked away. But before we can go even another step, we accidentally bump into someone. It was a large, dark green orc with a blind eye and was about ten feet tall. He gave the both of us the mean stare. The both of us gulped as chills went down our spine. We turned back to the gate and we both let our crystals out. However I grasp it hard with my hand, making sure no one sees it. Slowly we were getting closer the gate. I was losing my shit as we kept on getting closer. Gram takes his mouth next to my ear. "When I give the signal, we run like hell." He whispered at my ear.
The both of us were next in line. It felt we were on a conveyor belt towards a meat grinder. Gram shows him his crystal and give him a bag check. He was soon in the clear and waited for me. "What are you doing lizardman? Pass through the gate!" The guard demanded. The lizardman slowly walked away as he kept an eye on me. The guard then took a hold of my crystal from my hand. A smirk then formed from his face. "Is this for real?" He arrogantly asked. The guard then tapped my crystal with his wand then a blinding light appeared for all the people to see. While is was shining, Gram took my hand and shouted, "Run Rin! RUN!"
The moment when I felt that hand I ran for my life. I started to sprint as if there was no tomorrow. It went to a point where I no longer felt Gram's hands. I was then pulled away from some unknown force. It was a vine that pulled me away and into a bush. Gram was the caster of the magic and he covered my mouth with his hand as he reached into my mask. "Idiot! Why didn't you tell me that you were a citizen?" He whispered loudly. Through the bushes we see the guards pass. "That Terran was fast." One of the guards commented. "Forget about him." The other one says, "Let's just be thankful the guy was masked. If he wasn't then he's gonna experience hell."
The guards then walked away as they couldn't find their target. Gram then let go of me and exhaled. We both could get a breather after that ordeal. He then pulls me up and walks me out of the bush. "What happened?" I asked. "You're a citizen of Cletus. That's rather a blessing...but it's more of a curse." He tells me, "People take advantage of citizens here when given the chance." My face turned pale again. "What's gonna happen to me if I didn't wear the mask?" I asked. Gram scratched his chin and was lost in thought. He then spells it out for me. "Well… on the lite side you might be either conned or kidnapped to do a couple of gangsters' bidding. Worst case scenario, you get drugged and some chick rapes you in your sleep. Then you get jailed when she accuses you of rape and enjoys her new citizenship while you are rotting in a cell." Gram explained. The answer made chills go down my spine. We walked out of that bush and scanned around for anyone there. We decided to lounge around Tetra until the sun was no longer visible at the horizon.
By that time there was nobody was at the gate and everybody was in their homes. To simply put it everybody at the Tetra district was empty. Most of the farmers at the Tetra tuckered in to get a good head start for the following morning to tend their crops. It gave us a good amount of cover to get in. Most of the activity at Trium was after all in the central parts so were fine to sneak in.
After passing through The Trium Gate we managed to get into the district. It goes without saying that the both of us were in the clear. And yet to enter with a bright light per each gate made me wonder how the heck didn't anybody see me. I was a walking blinker and you would have thought maybe one person might have seen me.
The two of us then soon came to Rose Line and head to Hanami. But before I can go in, The two stone samurai dropped from their stone pedestal and pointed their iron spears at Gram. Again the fear comes. But soon after the spears were cast away. "Special Permission has been granted to the visitor." One of the statues say in Japanese. The stone statues then stand up and jump back to their pedestal. The doors open as they move the gears and a star like mark forms at Gram's hand. "Looks like Hanami is strict as ever with security." Gram mumbled. But soon Gram falls on his knees and opens his trap. "It doesn't mean I'm used to this...I'm getting too old for this shit." He mumbled due to stress.
Gram looked mentally exhausted. I lifted him up and helped him to the door. "Come on, Gram. Don't wuss on me yet." I told him. Gram went up on his two feet and got his spear. He looked at the door with a very worried look. "What's wrong?" I asked. The lizardman gulped air. "Why do I feel like I'm jumping in the rabbit hole rather than falling into it?" He mumbled.
The two of us went inside the guild hall. To our surprise there was no one there. The only people that were there were the receptionist on her desk with Richard and Magna sitting on the staircase. The both of them walked down the staircase. "You made it. For a second there I thought you wouldn't make it." Richard said. I wanted to say something but I was too tired to speak. Richard's attention was directed towards Gram. "The boss saw you just a mile away. Norms must find you interesting." He told Gram. Richard then puts out his hand to shake. "Richard Samson. Rogue Class, Tier Three: Marauder. Good to meet you. This is my companion, Magna. He's a Warrior Class, Tier Three: Brawler." The man greeted. Magna took out his hand. "So you're part of Oak Cinders? You must have a lot of talent to be part of their guild." Magna complemented. "I'm not compared to you guys. You manage to go up the ranks in a short matter of time. I'm Gram Blackfoot. I'm just Hunter at my second Tier as a Stalker." Gram humbly replied.
We went up the stairs as four of us went to the guildmaster's office. However we were greeted to a rather peculiar sight. In the guildmaster's office didn't just have Sakuya but also some familiar faces. "We've been expecting you." Sakuya said. In there happened to be Rebecca, Tyrell, and Mr. Williams. "Looks like everybody is present." Sakuya said. "What's the meaning of this? Why the sudden summons now?" Mr. Williams asked.
"Yeah. Mr. Williams and I just finished our Initiation requests. What's going on?" Rebecca asked.
"I already notified your guilds and all of you are to be excused as the moment." Sakuya replied.
She then goes to Gram. Sakuya then circles around him and observes the lizardman's physique. "Especially you. Actually your guildmaster will be coming shortly." She told Gram. We hear the doors open the doors from the outside. Stomps at the stairs and the loud steps on the second floor, someone started to come towards the room. That person kicks the door open. "Hey! How's it going nerds?!" Someone shouted from behind. We look from behind. It was a Eurasian woman with blonde dyed hair with red lips. She wore a leather breastplate, steel spaulders and some military boots. Her arsenal was a pair of gladius short swords, a small buckler, and a desert eagle handgun. But I looked next to me and I found something unusual. It was Gram with a shocked expression and his jaw dropping. The lizardman then looked down as he looked too embarrassed to see the woman. I then taped Gram at the shoulder out of curiosity. "Who is this woman?" I asked him. "She's Helen Young… my guildmaster..." He replied in a reluctant manner. The blonde woman then went up to me in a quick distance. But something was in the air. I smelled something that was quite familiar. I draw out my katana and blocked the cross slash. I then followed up with a spinning sidekick to the gut. She tumbled back as the woman was kicked with such force. Now I remember this feeling. This was bloodlust.
I was gasping for air as I barely managed to counter it. The blonde woman then started to get up on her two feet. The started to laugh as she coughed up blood. "Interesting… this guy is way beyond what I was expecting." The blonde insisted. That's when Sakuya hammerfisted the blonde at the head. "Expecting?! Why the hell are you trying to kill my recruit?! You overexcited asshole!" Sakuya shouted. "What the hell?! You stuck up prick!" The Blonde shouted.
"That's my line, You brutish bimbo!"
"Right back at you, you gypsy flat chest!"
The both of them started to chew each other out. All of us watched as they were calling each other names. A brown-skinned man started to appear next to me in anger he had clean hair and a well groomed mustache. He wore a guerrilla style military outfit and had a Spanish saber, a scorpion submachine gun, and a magnum revolver. I even barely noticed his presence. "How frustrating. They're at it again." He muttered. The man then noticed my stare. "Sorry. My name's Edwin Rosales. I am the past life of Antonio Luna." The man said. Again I was lost. It wasn't magi-babble but it was something I didn't know. "He was a general that fought in the Filipino-American wars. He was quite the revolutionary." Richard told me.
"Is that so? You must have been quite the hero, Mr. Rosales." I complemented.
"I wouldn't say that. I was the loose cannon at the time. Please call me Edwin." The brown skinned man replied.
But as we were talking, there was still the issue with the two guild masters. I couldn't help but point it out. "What's with them?" I asked. Again that gentle attitude from Edwin vanished into disappointment. "Ellen is the reincarnation of Spartacus, the rebellious gladiator. Even if both our guildmasters are both military figures, they don't get along well." Edwin told me.
"How come?" I asked.
"Even if they are both influential figures, they have opposite styles." Richard explains to me, "Sakuya has the cool and calculating mind of Isami Kondo but Helen has the brash and reckless style of Spartacus. It's no wonder that they don't get along."
"So in other words… they're polar opposites?" I replied.
"Right on point." Edwin confirmed.
"Do they hate each other or something?" I asked.
"They're more of rivals than enemies." Magna pointed out.
"The word 'Nemesis' does have the same kanji as 'friend' in Japanese…" I blatantly mentioned.
"You said it." Richard agreed.
Everybody was soon watching the two guildmasters chewing each other out to the point it becomes catty. The insults started to get brutal to the point some of them were just straight up offensive. Edwin then puts on some gloves and walks to them. "Come on. We don't want it to be like last time." He insisted. Gram, Richard, and Magna then followed as they tried to separate them. Each guild member got a hold of their respective leaders. But the room started to become even noisier. "Reminds me of me and my wife when we were about to get divorced." Mr. Williams put out. "You and your wife were pretty drunk on that doomsday prepper convention." Rebecca added.
"Who wouldn't? She's been low blowing him the whole time." Tyrell said.
"Another memory I would rather forget…" Mr. Williams stated.
We got a good look at the two leaders and they we're still at it. I was getting sleepy because of the long day. Everybody was tired and didn't wanna put up with this. So I tore a small rectangle from one of my paper charms the size of a quarter of my index finger. There I got a pen and wrote an explosive charm then rolled it to a small tube. I flicked it in between the two quarreling sides and lit the whole thing with an ember spell and it exploded like a small firecracker. Both sides fell back as they got the shock of their lives. Soon something started to take over in me. I then threatened with a loud voice in Japanese, "Get a hold of yourself already! You immature imbeciles!"
The whole room became quiet. All there was were stares and dropped jaws. My face turned red out of embarrassment as my anger took over for a second. Rebecca whistles as she saw something nostalgic. "I never thought I would see him go samurai rage again…." She muttered.
"Samurai…what?" Richard asked.
"When Rin gets pissed or stressed, he does something stupid and then shouts in Japanese." Mr. Williams clarified.
"Hmmm… reminds me a lot when some of the Shinsengumi was getting themselves drunk." Sakuya said.
"What happened? My mind was a bit fuzzy from that." Richard asked.
"You and the rest of the imperialist were getting in a fight with the shogunate loyalist. Toshizo threw his katana and wakizashi at you and the loyalist...one cut your pipe near your lips while the other cut off the loyalist's topknot. Both of you guys were so close to death that the both of you were foaming at the mouth. We did take the both of you to the doctor." Sakuya told him.
The memory surged in my head. I could remember how much I was pissed that day. Yet after that I could actually remember how embarrassed I was. My face turned red and I looked away. "Can you not point out those episodes?...they're embarrassing." I asked calmly. "At least I payed for the hush money. NO way in hell I wanted to be involved in that. Shinsengumi was police force after all." Sakuya reminded me.
My head was turned towards the Oak Cinder's guildmaster. She looks at my eyes rather intensely. Again I got lost in what was happening. "His eyes are pure, almost like a prince. I thought he was a demon?" She said. My head started to feel heavy. There a cheeky smile formed from her face. "What's this? I can't see his soul. I can only feel it." She babbled on. I couldn't take the pressure. The guildmaster then grabbed my butt and I screamed. There I fell on my side feeling violated. The guildmaster laughed. "Wow! He's pretty lively for a virgin!" The girl says out loud, "Call me Helen."
"Quit it already!" Sakuya shouted.
Mr. Williams did a loud cough. All turned to his direction. "May we get into business? I'm getting old so I need the rest." He implied. Everybody then started to calm down and we began our discussion. "It looks like another allied to Prometheus has been slaughtered." Sakuya said. She tossed a folder with a photograph on the desk. It was a woman with silver hair. "That girl was one of ours, Lilith Vain." Helen tells us, "She just became fourth tier mage as a caster. We found her body cut up somewhere at the Duo." In the file was information such as bio-data and information about the girl. She was a Half Terran and had a special ability. Her's was mana spring. She was a someone who was able to cast magic with high amounts of mana making an F tier spell equivalent to S by her body able to release high quality amounts of mana. There were many other bios as well coming from other guilds too. Some had the ability to read minds, change forms, or cast magic without incantation time. The folders kept on piling up till it managed to reach the point. All and all, they were an equivalent of fifty-two case files. "Why so many?" I asked. "Looks like somebody has been busy for some reason." Sakuya put out.
"Yet why?"
"That's something I don't know myself."
"But why are there so many people that died?"
"I'm kinda worried about that myself."
Richard then brings a separate file. He slides it at the middle of the table. Inside was a couple bios and wanted posters. One of them had a red (X) in the picture. It was Damien Morte. Under the poster was his name and some title reading: The Pale Rider of Death: No Life King. There were others too such as Red, Black, and White. The Red Rider of War was Rahir Mohammed. Given the title 'Stormbreaker', he was a tempest that made the battlefield rain blood. Rosy Rosales was the Black Rider of Fury and known as Mother Harlot. Her ability with illusion and magic can bewitch her enemies to their own downfall. Then there was the man known as Dagger. None is known by him other than his title. He was the White Rider of Conquest known as the Immortal King. "What do these do with the situation now?" I asked. "Those four, Lilith and the fifty-two murdered are all under Prometheus." Richard says as he lays their bio-data, "Because of that there have been witch hunts for those who have been given gifts by the god."
"What did these guys even do to become so infamous?" Rebecca asked.
"Many things. But they are wanted for causing the Lazarus Curse." Magna said.
"It's the spell that caused people who died in Laputa to turn into Wild Ghouls. Damien Morte managed find a mana source to spread the curse throughout the entire continent. For that, the group was wanted for crimes against humanity." Sakuya told us.
"In the end people started to go on witch hunts by targeting people who are allied with Prometheus. It caused mass hysteria throughout Laputa. There were even rumors that Prometheus even caused the whole formation of Laputa." Helen added.
"I've also heard of people not allied to Prometheus being killed as well. Some even stereotyped powerful magic users to be allied with Prometheus." Mr. Williams interrupted.
The whole room became silent. But soon clapping was heard. It turned out to be Helen applauding. "Quite the good eyes you got. Both the demonfolk and old man." She says, "You should have gave me the old man if he was that skilled."
"He was ex-military...I should have been more wary." Sakuya said.
"I've been at the military for a long time. Never have I thought I would see the stare of people like that ever again. It's easy to tell now that I was being watched." Mr. Williams said.
"I guess now we go back to business. Your comment made us speed things though faster but it seems unfit to keep you in the dark, magic or not." Sakuya replied.
We were then all told to take a seat where further instruction was given. A table was set in the guildmaster's office and some food. Of course they were rations and canned goods but it was enough to lighten up our spirits. Gram even put some of the dried meat on the table. As we ate, Sakuya told us her side of the story. "There were actually three reasons why we separated you." She says, "One was to check if Rin was ever capable to survive. Another was to see if he was as powerful as the Norns say."
"What was the third?" Mr. Williams asked.
"The Hanami guild is exclusively to reincarnations. It's why we are both praised and hated by some groups."
"I see…and by making yourself look powerful , you make your own reputation."
Gram tossed a sack at the center of the table for all to see. "Can you explain this?" He asks, "Was this yours?" It was something wrapped in cloth. As they opened the contents, it turned out to be the shaved bear arm I got. "It's not. We did spy on you using magic but never got in the way. The hexing of that bear was someone else's doing." Sakuya replied. Magna then grabs the arm and takes a look out of it. "Whoever used these markings and runes on these animals knew what they were doing. Plus who would have thought Animalia Puppet Formula Spells could even be found." The Magna said.
"Are these spells hard to find?" I asked.
"Yeah… the records of the Animalia Puppet Formula Spells have been long lost but copies of the spell books suddenly reappeared. I'm wondering myself how they were even made..." Gram wondered.
"I'd say he passed the initiation but this brings another issue." Richard asked.
"Meaning someone's after him?" Mr. Williams confirmed.
"This old man's pretty sharp. But yes, looks like someone is aware of his existence." Helen complemented.
"I'm not that old...give a guy a break, will ya?" Mr. Williams ranted.
"Anyhow…Rosy Rosales was of the only few that managed to get a hold of these spells. Her specialty is manipulation and illusion magic after all." Richard said.
Sakuya then turned to Gram. Her calculating stare brought chills the lizardman's spine. "Gram. What do you think of Rin?" She asked out of the blue. "He's a good fighter. None that I would expect." He quickly replied. She then demanded, "I meant a professional opinion."
Gram jumped at the back of his seat. I wouldn't blame him. When Sakuya was Kondo, even if he was kind the man can be scary on assignments. Her glare towards Gram was much like Kondo's at the time. The Lizardman then cleared his throat for an explanation. "The guy is strong, far beyond on what I witness. It's like he's on a whole new level of power." He tells her, "But the boy is more of a wild card than an Ace. He's too unpredictable. If Rin uses his demon form then he becomes something that can destroy anything like hellfire. But lock the demon back in...then that firestorm is good as being put out. In other words as strong as he is, Rin is still vulnerable." It was too serious to the point Helen started to laugh. "As expected from the teacher of the guild." She said proudly. "So what should we do? Rin's Obviously some kind of walking target." Tyrell asked.
"That's where you guys come in." Richard points out, "We want the four of you to go on quests outside the city to make sure Rin is less known as he is."
"But doesn't that mean Rin would stick out like a sore thumb?" Rebecca asked.
"Gram, Magna, and Richard will alternate in aiding you on the requests you wish to take. Of course they would be amongst the low profile ones that make you head outside." Sakuya told us.
"So I'm guessing this is just gonna be living like some RPG?" Tyrell asked.
"Except we only got one life and we'll die if we're not careful." Mr. Williams added.
"That's pretty much it." Richard summed it up.
It looked like a simple plan on the lines. But then again Mr. Williams had that look again. We didn't make him leader of our group for nothing. "Yet what do you guys want in return?" He asked. "We just wish for your field notes on Rin to be shared. If these guys who are after people who are allied with Prometheus, then we might as well find a way for Rin to make up on his weak spots." Sakuya told the man.
"Then we might as well make Tyrell stay in the capital. He doesn't have any combat experience or knowledge due to class."
"Yet you might need him to manage your weapons."
"Then we'll take him as an associate in expeditions. Tyrell will only be at gathering missions with me, Rin, and Rebecca. We'll just take on the remaining three when necessary."
"Okay then… anything else?"
"Just one. Why go all this way for Rin? There's no way all can be for one person."
That's when they paused. The room became silent. But with this silence between the two groups, it became clear that this was no ordinary issue. "We believe that there is some cold war between the gods." Sakuya says, "It's because the reappearance of Prometheus that the many Pantheons of many gods have been under chaos."
"Idiot! Why did you tell them that?!" Helen asked out of spite.
"Like we have a choice now. I can barely get in contact with Ebisu now and all the more with Sakuya and the Norns." Richard told Helen.
"It's the same with me and Tyr. I still sense his power but he barely sees me anymore." Magna added.
"So it's true? Mayari hasn't had contacted me neither." Edwin also added.
The guildmaster of Oak Cinders started to scratch her head. She took a long gulp of wine and slouched on her chair. From that charisma it turned into grief. "So it's true..." Helen confirms, "The gods are under turmoil again. Even my god, Loki. It looks like things are just get worse."
"What's gonna happen now?" I asked.
"We don't know… all we can do is to figure out these witch hunts first. All we can do now is to make sure you don't get known." Sakuya answered.
"And why Rin?" Mr. Williams asked.
"It's because of his title." Sakuya mentioned.
"His title?" Rebecca asked.
"When the Norns gave me a vision to find Rin, they kept on calling him the 'Tragic Hero of Lost Souls'." Sakuya told us.
The whole group was directed their stares to me. It was even a surprise even for Sakuya to even hear this. "Don't tell me your gods gave you this title?" She asked. "I don't know...it's just a weird name Tsukuyomi gave me." I replied.
"Titles are barely given by gods. Yet how do you have?"
"What? I don't know."
Sakuya then walks up to her large window. She looks at the moon as she was full with wonder. "I guess this means you are not one of the pawns in the chess game." She says, "You maybe part of her plan. Yet what could it be?"
"For now we might as well keep Rin a secret. His magic is powerful to the point that people maybe looking for him." Magna suggested.
"I agree. We don't want him to be misidentified as Prometheus's followers. He's still a newbie. And with his weak stature in magic, he's going to be vulnerable." Richard agreed.
"But what are titles?" I asked.
"Titles are given to reincarnations for people to act as representatives of the gods. Only a few reincarnations are rewarded, given, or born with it." Edwin explained.
"So that would make Rin some kind of prophet." Rebecca rationalized.
"It's a great privilege to have one. Rin having one gives a bigger complication." Magna told us.
"Why? What is this complication?" Mr. Williams asked.
"There are title that prove as status but others that play a role in the world. A title with the world 'Tragic' comes with complications."
"And those complications would be that things would be going to shit very soon. An emergence of a tragic hero would mean that something big is going to happen." Richard added.
"I agree, the worse part is that most of these heroes happen end in tragic ways or have tragic fates, Lilith was titled 'the Tragic Figure of Wandering Thought'. She was even in the middle of a breakthrough but something happened along with her research notes." Ellen shared.
"So if we don't play our cards right then Rin might die?" Tyrell asked.
"I'm afraid so…and with the situations happening in Laputa, we might need to prepare for the next threat. It could happen any moment." Edwin answered.
All of us were lost for words. We didn't know what to think about it. All it meant that I was chosen for something. But then again for what purpose? For some I was an important figure but to the rest of the world I was a threat. This brought too many questions for me. But as the gods fight amongst themselves, I wonder if this was the cause of everything. I didn't know at the time. There were too many unknown factors in this life of mine. But as the existence of the four horsemen came to light...where was their leader, the Antichrist? I still remember that line back at the Ark Index but it was already there I just realized that I was laying on my grave even before I was at this floating continent. But then again...why is my arm so heavy? Lilith Vain...where have I heard of that before?