24. Hellraiser Revisit
Lenny and Kirin took some time to orientate themselves after emerging from the foot of Mount Varrus. "You sure you want to go back inside?" Lenny asked Kirin the same question again. "Yes. That's the nearest shelter we have. The nearest village is a twenty-thousand paces away. It is very dangerous to transverse the thick jungle at this hour." Kirin answered. "How far exactly is twenty-thousand paces?" Lenny asked. "It's about 4 hours by foot and with horses, it will take slightly more than 2 hours." Kirin replied. Both of them ascended Mount Varrus with Princess Kirin leading the way. "How about flight? Like with a dragon?" Lenny threw another question at her. "About an hour or more. But flying will make you an easy target." Kirin said while they transverse through the craggy ascend that was scare in foliage. They eventually made their way pass the steep terrain and reached a slightly more graded slope. Between the dense undergrowth and rocky outcropping was a well hidden and narrow dirt road. "Let's take a break here," Kirin sat and leant against the trunk of a fig tree. The tree seemed aged, with its buttress roots extending into the dense undergrowth like the tentacles of octopus. Lenny sat on one of its root and stared at the setting sun. The view of the lush green jungle under the orange sky was mesmerizing. As the sun descended below the horizon, the surrounding jungle green was slowly shrouded by darkness. There were no settlement in sight as dusk began to settle. There was only jungle as far as the eye could see despite their altitude. "I could fly us through the jungle and to the nearest settlement. It's still not too late," Lenny suggested. "Listen," Kirin pointed at the horizon and signaled Lenny to keep quit. It was faint at first but soon, the inhuman shriek echoed all around them. They came in waves of different pitch and length. "What made those?" Lenny asked. "Quiet! Keep your heads down," Kirin pulled Lenny's forearm and half-dragged him into a thick bush. Charlie followed its master and hid inside the bush.
"It's a flying raptor." Kirin pointed into the twilight. From the corner of the sky, the silhouette of large flying creatures could be seen. They had enormously wide wing span with long thin legs. "They look like pterodactyl to me." Lenny stared closely as the creatures flew closer. "What's a ptero-, what was that again?" Kirin clarify. "A pterodactyl. It is an extinct species of flying dinosaur back in my home world." Lenny replied. "What's a dinosaur?" Lenny sighed and replied. "Never mind that. Why are we hiding? I had a few encounters with them in the past back in Yume. They didn't seem to attack human that often." Kirin led Lenny along the dirt road, crouching low the entire time. "It used to be that way until the Jolyu Empire started invading our shores." After a few minutes, the dirt road led to an area dense in foliage, practically hiding them from plain sight. "The people from the Jolyu Empire cleared the forest for new settlements, driving the creatures away. There were also multiple battles that led to mass casualties and death. During that time, the raptors developed a taste for the human flesh. Slowly, we started seeing increased flying raptor attacks." Kirin stopped for a moment as dusk approached. The thick canopy blocked whatever twilight that remained. "Fira-Firage-Firaja" A spark which ignited and burst into flame as Kirin chanted. "This way," She continued along the dirt road. The road soon began to diverge as the canopy thinned out. "Is it still far?" Lenny asked as he stared around the near pitched black jungle. The eerie darkness came to live as night falls. The howling of wolves in the distance could be heard under the moon illuminated the dark woods.
They reached a rocky slope with no visible path anywhere. Princess Kirin touched the rocky surface and murmured softly. The rock surface fissured and moved apart large enough for a person to enter. It was a well hidden passage, camouflaged among the bare craggy slope and low bushes. "Let's go." Kirin led the way into the dark passage. The rocks rearranged themselves between the gap and sealed off the entrance after they entered. They found themselves inside a small opening after the narrow passageway. With a short incantation, the torches in the enclosed space lit up. "This is the emergency rations. Take whatever you need." Kirin said and headed to a far corner. "Let's see what goodies we can find," Lenny said to Charlie. Lenny found a small weapon stash as he ran through the racks. He picked up a sheathed short sword and withdrew it for inspection. It seemed brand new. Finding a leather strap nearby, he secured the sword to his waist. He also came across a few boxes of clothes. However, most of them were very old fashion and not to his liking. A cold wind that blew through the cave changed his mind instantly. He chose a simple tunic and draped it over his t-shirt and shorts. The clothing weren't particularly good-looking but they kept him warm. As Lenny wandered through the shelves and rummaged through some of the boxes. There were a lot of potions and materials for crafting in the boxes he searched. But they were of no use for Lenny. "Stop, master!" Before Charlie could warn Lenny, he parted a makeshift curtain and walked through it. He had unintentionally wandered across the small enclosed space and reached where Princess Kirin was. "Kyaa!" Princess Kirin shrieked as Lenny saw her half naked while changing. "I'm so sorry!" Lenny quickly turned around and closed the curtain. It was followed by a long pause of awkward silence.
Their awkward silence was broken by a plea for help. The voice of a woman was heard yelling in distress. "Help! Help me, somebody." Lenny rushed towards the door and saw a women ran past him. A man was chasing after her. The man stopped when he noticed Lenny and Kirin. His movements were rather peculiar and his voice sounded rather hollow. "Hey, you're the princess!" "Back off!" Lenny warned and drew his sword. "What are you gonna do with that pointy stick, boy?" The man's palms and eyes glowed. Then, his hands were engulfed in flame. "I warned you!" Lenny ducked the moment the man advanced. His punches missed and was greeted by a boot to the face. A gush of cold water doused the fire as the man stumbled backwards. Suddenly, a purple flash of lightning struck the man in the chest, killing him instantly. "What the heck, Kirin! You don't have to kill him!" Lenny said. "He's the enemy! Who knows how strong he is or whether he had more friends coming. We cannot let our guard down!" Kirin pointed out. "She has a point master." Charlie said telepathically. "Go check on the corpse." Lenny whispered in his thought after seeing how the movement of the man. "Princess Kirin?" The woman who was fleeing moments earlier turned around and approached them. "Uzuki? You're alive!" Princess Kirin ran towards the woman and hugged her. "It's so good to see you again, your highness. I thought you were dead." "I was, until Lenny came to save me." "You were the boy we captured from Zui." Uzuki said after she took a closer look at Lenny. "You don't say." Lenny sheathed his sword. "What happened here?" Kirin asked. "Lord Tarkhan and his men ambushed us and overwhelmed the guards. After that, they started killing everyone that were resisting. They capture the rest and brought them away using the magic portals. Then the demon went on a rampage and desecrated the entire place. It killed anyone on sight, whether friends or foes a like. Only few survived the onslaught. After that, everything went quiet again." Uzuki explained.
"Are there any other survivors?" Kirin asked. "The rest of the survivors had left for Vermilion Village yesterday. I stayed back to ensure no other survivors were left behind. I thought the base was deserted and the enemy had left when the demon started rampaging. It turned out there were still here." Uzuki replied. "You manage to establish a portal to Vermilion Village?" Kirin said. "It was a relatively easy task, given that we regularly transport supplies from the village. Follow me," Uzuki pointed at a dark passage in the distance. "Hold on guys, I think I left something behind," Lenny halted Princess Kirin and Uzuki as they were about to move. Lenny and Charlie moved into the storage room again. A short moment later, Lenny emerged with a drawstring duffle bag. "Alright, lead the way please." Lenny said as he closed the door behind him. Uzuki led the two of them through a narrow passageway. Their path were filled with corpses that were in variable stages of rigor mortis and decay. "Where are we heading?" Kirin asked with her nose pinched. The pungent smell of rotting corpses grew stronger as they moved forward. "The hiding place is just up ahead. Please bear with me, princess." Uzuki said without turning her head. The three of them reached a large opening with piles of corpses all around them. There were no obvious paths to follow but the one they came through. Then, a tremor shook the ground followed by the sound of a heavy object crashing behind them. A giant boulder blocked the entrance and sent shockwave across the ground. Princess Kirin lost her footing and fell in a sitting position while Lenny managed to maintain his stance. "What is the meaning of this, Uzuki?" Kirin demanded. "The Barbosa Monarchy is nothing but a bunch of tyrants! Because of them, my village is destroyed, my people enslaved and killed!" Uzuki explained. "The main family is corrupted but not the entire monarchy. There is still hope," Kirin said. "Silence! I will make an example of you. For you will suffer a fate much worse than death, just like my family had!"
"You talk too much, lady!" Lenny swung his sword across the air in front of him. A gust of wind blew towards Uzuki's direction, picking up speed as it travelled. The wind formed into an arc, like the blade of a sword as it approached Uzuki. "Weak!" Three corpses sprung from the ground and shielded Uzuki from the attack. "I thought so," Lenny murmured to himself. The dozens of corpses all around them rose to their feet and began shambling towards Lenny and Kirin. They were completely surrounded! "You seems like a strong boy. I will make a good undead warrior out of you!" Uzuki said and uttered an evil laughter. "Thanks, but I'll pass on that. I prefer to stay alive much longer." Lenny opened his duffle bag and put it on the ground. "What are you doing?" Kirin asked while casting lightning bolts at the charging enemies. "Getting us out of here," Inside the duffle bag were ceramic flasks filled with oil and alcohol. Lenny threw the flasks towards the incoming undead and also the corpses that were not yet animated. "Can you light them up?" Lenny said. "With pleasure," With a simple enchantment, all the corpses were on fire. "Fools, your magic don't work on them!" "It's not for them." Lenny pushed the air with his palms, creating a strong current that fanned the fire. Within seconds, all the corpses were burning. "This way!" Lenny pointed at an opening. The two of them fought their way through the hordes of incoming zombie. Charlie latched onto Lenny's back as it couldn't help much since its venom doesn't work on the dead. "We're being surrounded." Princess Kirin said while choking. Thick smog covered the entire space, reducing visibility to less than an arm's length. "Get down!" Lenny dropped to a crouching position and beaconed Kirin to follow. The undead seemed to slow down on their pursue as the smoke screen got worse.
"You think this pathetic trick can stop them?" Uzuki said. "Like I said, it ain't for the undead!" Lenny murmured and pushed his palms towards Uzuki's direction. A gust of wind blew the concentrated smog towards Uzuki. She coughed violently while she tried to run though the thick smoke fog. However, she failed to do so before she suffocated. Lenny's manipulation of the wind ensured she never left the smoke screen. "Gotcha!" Lenny uttered as he heard a loud thump some distance away. He slowly stood up from his crouching position and diverted the smoke screen away from Kirin and himself. He was surprised to find the horde of undead still moving and coming towards them. "Why are they still able to fight?" Lenny smashed the skull of a zombie coming after him. "I thought you knew? Once the reanimation spell is casted, they stay alive until the spell wears off." "Oh shit! This is certainly very different from the movie." Lenny bashed the skull of a zombie coming at him. "What's a movie?" "Never mind that, let's focus on staying alive for now." Lenny replied and hurled Charlie into the air. The wyvern rose above the smoke screen to scout a safe passage for them. "There is an exit to the south, master." Charlie informed Lenny telepathically. "Roger that," Lenny replied. "What are you doing?!" Kirin yelled as Lenny fought his way towards the unconscious Uzuki. Lenny quickly tied a rope around Uzuki's chest and passed it underneath her armpits. Using gentle current, he levitated her and dragged her with him as he continued battling his way towards the exit. "Why are you saving her? She tried to kill us!" Kirin said. "You tried to kill me before as well. Do you see me returning the favor?" Lenny shot back in a cold voice. "If you have any complaints, you are welcome to fight your own way out of this." Kirin fell silent after hearing what Lenny said.
The two of them continued hacking and slashing the undead that came their way. There were tons of them. The undead ignored Uzuki completely. They only focused their attack on Lenny and Kirin. "How much further?" Lenny asked Charlie telepathically. "About 300 meters ahead." Charlie dodged sideways as arrows and javelins flew towards it. Lenny threw his swords towards an undead chasing after him. His sword pierced through its torso and impaled it onto a rocky surface behind of it. He panted at the sight of the unrelenting undead that were pursing them from behind. Kirin summoned waves of flames which incinerated most of the arrows that came their way. However, not all of them were destroyed, some of them made it through the flame and grazed them. Both of them sustained cuts and bruises along the way towards the exit but no mortal damage were dealt. They winced as their sweat drenched onto their open wounds. Enduring the sharp pain, they kept moving forward to prevent being completely surrounded. "There! We are almost there." Lenny pointed at an opening a few feet ahead of them." When both of them made their way into the passage, Lenny used his remaining energy to collapse the opening. Drawing the moisture in the cavern while generating wind current to accelerate them. The water vapor concentrated into torrents that seeped through the slits between the rocky surfaces. All of a sudden, the walls broke apart and collapsed, sealing the entrance. Lenny slumped onto the ground and exhaled a sigh of relieve. "That was close." He spoke through panted breath. Kirin sat some distance from him, taking heavy breaths as well. "Where are we anyway?" Lenny asked. Kirin took a glance around them and said. "This is one of the storage room. The Crystal Room should be just up ahead." Kirin replied. Just as the two of them were taking a break, an explosion could be heard beyond the rubble. It was followed by the sounds of rock being smashed. "Damn it! They are persistent!" Lenny clicked his tongue and forced himself to his feet. He caught sight of a sudden flash of lightning as he stood up, causing him to spring into action.
Lenny deflected the beam of lightning towards an empty space and then pointed his sword at Kirin's neck before she even had the chance to raise her wand. "I told you before, you can't kill her!" Lenny uttered in a deep undertone. "Why are you protecting a traitor?" Kirin shouted. "She maybe a traitor to you but how can I be sure that what she said wasn't a lie? From what I see, you aren't exactly the ideal leader yourself." Lenny lowered his sword when he notice Kirin had loosened her grip on the wand. "It's best if we were to stay on each other's good side until we find a way out of here. Agree?" Lenny then sheathed his sword. "Fair enough." Kirin answered reluctantly. Charlie bit Uzuki on the neck and injected a doze of sedation venom into her blood stream before they started moving again. "We should keep moving before they clear the rubble." Lenny carried the unconscious Uzuki using the air current. Kirin nodded and led the way forward. They passed through some narrow passageways and reached a well ornamented doors. The doors that stood before them were decorated with gem stones and coated in silver. "Wow, that's one expensive door." Lenny whistled. "It's a Barbosa tradition to decorate such room with fine gems to show our appreciation to Lord Hasamelis - our God of Travel. The transportation spell can be a dangerous one, even with the tiniest mistake. Therefore we always pray to Him for a safe journey." Kirin puts her palms together and muttered in an undertone. Lenny just bowed his head slightly at the decorated doors. The doors parted by themselves after Kirin finished her prayer. They quickly made their way through the doors upon hearing a loud explosion coming from the passageway. "How did they suddenly became so aggressive?" Lenny asked. The doors were sealed shut before the undead reached them. The undead were heard pounding and scratching beyond the doors. Their effort were futile against the magical barrier. "It must have been a Delayed Spell. It is a spell that would be activated once certain conditions had been met." Kirin explained.
"She must have casted an enhancement spell on the undead, to be activated when she is defeated." Lenny nodded and stared at the shinny doors. "How are these doors still holding?" "Never underestimate the power of Lord Hasamelis." Kirin replied and headed towards a huge crystal in the center of the room. "Give me some time to work on the transportation spell. It will take us to Vermilion Village." "Are you sure it's a good idea to go there?" Lenny asked. "To tell you truth, I have nowhere else to go. Vermilion Village is the last of my stronghold." Kirin's eyes welled up as she spoke. Lenny looked away, regretting what he said earlier. Fifteen minutes later, an intricate magic circle was drawn around the crystal. "This should take us to the center of the village." Kirin said. "Let's go then," Lenny dragged the unconscious Uzuki into the magic circle. His hands were wrapped around the hilt of his swords while Charlie rested on his back. "I'll start the enchantment soon. Are you ready?" Kirin asked. Lenny reply with a nod. She then turned to face the crystal and began chanting in a foreign tongue that rhymed like folk songs. The crystal slowly shimmered with increasing intensity. The magic circle was illuminated as well. Then, everything was engulfed by a blinding light. Lenny saw his hands began to vanish followed by the rest of his body in the blink of an eye. In the split of a second, he felt himself reappeared in the heat of battle. The swashing of swords and clanks of metal-on-metal could be heard all around him before his eyes even began to adjust to the surroundings. The yowling of the wounded, the weak cries of the dying and the plead of the innocents were all too familiar to Lenny. The sickening smells of entrails mixed with the foul of spilled feces and piss reminded him of the battlefield on Eastern Range 3 years back. And finally, the one smell that was deeply etched into Lenny's subconscious - the smell of human blood. The odor was unmistakably unique despite the stench of the battlefield. Kirin had just transported them from one battlefield to another!
25. Soul Bound
Alex was drifting between dreams and reality. He could not maintain his consciousness for long. He was affected by an unexplained fatigue that plagued him since he opened his eyes. As Prof. Jeffery shadow vanished into the distance, a curtain of darkness was once again drawn across his field of vision; rendering him in complete darkness. There it was again! The blurred silhouette of a small child. The image became sharper than before and soon, he heard the child sobbing. It was a little girl with golden blond hair. Her face was covered by her hands. Her clothing became more vivid as well, it was a pearly-white flounce dress. The color on her dress seemed odd at first glance but once the image intensified, he understood why. The flounce of her dress was soaked with blood, with blood stains splattered all across her body and face as well. She was sitting in a pool of blood. "The heck is this?" Alex murmured to himself and decided to call out to the child. "Hey, are you alright?" The girl didn't seem to notice him and continued crying. He approached her and tried to touch her. However, the moment Alex's hand went near her, it went right through her as if she was just a hologram. All of a sudden, Alex caught a glance of a sword materialized at the corner of his vision. It was too late to dodge! The sword went right through his chest just as he was about to dodge to the side! However, nothing happened except Alex being startled. The sword appeared to be a hologram-like as well. It stopped short of the girl's neck when a voice called out. Another two figures came into view, their faces were completely blurred. They conveyed in an unfamiliar language. Not long after that, the girl was brutally pulled by the hair and dragged into the darkness. After that, everything turned pitch black once more.
A dim light illuminated the darkness again, showing the same girl but in a different attire. She was unkempt and in tattered clothes, a far cry from the child Alex saw earlier. Images of other children were seen beside her in a crowded cage of sort. There was a conversation going on between a man and another woman. Only their lips were seen moving but what came out was all gibberish to Alex's ears. Their faces were blurred like the scene before this. There was something on the woman's neck that caught Alex's attention. It was an emblem of sort with a bird engraved on it. The image was not clear but the outline of a bird was unmistakable. The cage then started moving and vanished into the darkness. Another cone of light was shone from above at a short distance from the place the girl vanished. The same girl was seen. She was in some form of Gothic nun costume. She was sitting along side other children in similar clothing, all of them were girls. It seems they were in a classroom based on the limited images that Alex could see. The light faded just like it did before and was replaced by a new scenery. It was a drastic change from the previous scene. The girls were seen sparring with each others using wooden daggers, spears, staff, club and other weapons. The scene that was depicted was not something a girl of that age should be doing. They weren't merely sparring from what Alex saw, their weapons clashed with lethal force as if they were fighting for their lives. Just then, the girl from earlier was knock to the ground by her opponent. An adult woman approached them and stopped the fight. Her mouth opened but Alex couldn't understand a word she said. After that, a group of girls of her age were seen surrounding her and started beating her with wooden staff. The poor girl curled up on her tummy and cried out loud as her peers battered her relentlessly. She eventually lost consciousness. It was a pitiful sight to behold. He released his grip as the light dimmed, his fists were clenched and was ready to intervene but he knew there was nothing he could do.
Just when another shimmer appeared in front of him, he heard a voice calling out to him. The voice sounded distant at first but progressively grew louder. It was feminine and somewhat familiar. "Alex! Wake up," The darkness slowly faded as he began opening his eyes. "Miss Beatrice?" Alex murmured, he was still disorientated. He found himself in a small room with no window in sight. "Where am I?"Alex asked. "This is Kalmitsu Hospital, underground lab. You are in no immediate danger. Here, you must be starving. You have been in deep sleep for two days." Miss Beatrice handed a cup of warm liquid. "What's this?" Alex sniffed the fluid. "It's protein milk shake." She replied. Alex's stomach growled at the smell of sweet vanilla aroma. It was at that moment that he realized how hungry he was. He swigged the cup in 3 gulps. He felt more energetic after taking the beverage. He tried standing up but became dizzy the moment he stood up. His legs wobbled and gave up on him. His buttock landed on the corner of the bed. "You should have some rest, I don't think you are ready to be on your feet yet. I will inform the professor of your recovery. He will see you soon." Miss Beatrice took the empty cup and left the room. Alex reached for the bottle of water at his side to wash down the milk. After that, he was again overcome by tiredness. It started from his hands, they began to feel weak. The weakness then travelled proximally and spread to involve his upper limbs and shoulders. Soon after that, he felt sleepy. Alex lay onto the bed once more and shut his eyes. The darkness took him back to the virtual reality story telling. The montage started the same way it did before, with a shimmering light seemingly appeared from above. The same little girl was seen wearing a balaclava, exposing only her face. She was in the middle of the holographic image but a few others could be seen as well. She seemed older than the image before. She was seen moving metal bars which looked like gold. All of a sudden, a loud warning siren could be heard. All of them seemed to have quicken their paces after the siren was sounded. In the matters of a few seconds, they were seen running. The entire scene looked like as if they were thieves and trying to get away. Alex was not able to find the conclusion to that before everything became pitch black again.
When the darkness was illuminated once more, Alex was met with a familiar sight. It was the bloody Celestial Square where he had a real taste of what a battlefield looks like. There she was, the little girl frozen at the sight of the giant abomination. It was then that Alex realized why those hologram images flashed before him. They were Yui's memories! "Yui!" Alex couldn't hold back his tears. As he called out her name, the holographic images blurred and became static as if someone had pushed the pause button. There was a long minute of silence before a familiar voice was heard echoing everywhere. "Alex? What's going on here? Where are we?" The frozen image slowly faded and was replaced by Yui n her 14-year-old body. "Yui?" Alex stopped, couldn't believe what he was seeing. He reached out to touch her hand. His hand didn't went through hers like it did with the holographic images before, it felt solid. "Where are we? And why is it so dark in here?" Yui asked. "What happened? And why are you crying?" Alex wiped his face and held Yui's hand to his cheek. The feeling he felt was real, it felt like the Yui he knew. Alex cleared his throat and said "Listen, what was the last thing you remembered?" "The last thing I remember…" Yui murmured. "We were in a battle with your sister, Karen and the djinn. After that, I got injured pretty badly, it hurt so bad that I lost consciousness I think." "That's right, you were on the brink of death. The injuries to your body and the toxin that Horatio spew onto you flesh were fatal. Your body was not going to make it," Alex explained. "Am I dead?" She asked. "I am not sure how to tell you this, I think the professor is better at explaining this to you." Alex replied.
"Alex?" Yui pointed at the distance. "What's that?" Alex turned around and was shocked to find a bright light shone into his face. Everything turned blinding white all of a sudden. He was forced to close his eyes. "Yui!" He called out. "Alex, Alex, wake up!" Someone was calling his name. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself in the same room he was in earlier. "Are you alright, Alex?" Prof. Jeffery said. "What are you doing here? Where is Yui?" Alex asked. Then, something unexpected happened. the reaper's cloth moved from Alex's shoulder to his left hand. After that, a face made completely of shadow emerged from the cloth. It was Yui's face! "Where am I? Why is it so dark in here? I'm scared, Alex." Yui's voice echoed from the cloth. The face slowly transformed into a head and emerged from the cloth. "What is happening to me? Why do I look like this!" She seemed to be about to lose it. "Calm down please, young lady." Prof. Jeffery said. Yui's head turned towards the professor. "Who are you?" She asked. "I am Prof. Jeffery. I am the one who did the surgery. Now can you please go back into the Reaper's Cloth before Alex pass out? Please!" Prof. Jeffery said firmly. "Professor, I am not feeling very well, blargh!" Fresh blood gushed from Alex's mouth and painted the floor red. "Alex!" The professor and Yui called out at the same time. "Young lady, please just go back into the cloth! You are killing Alex if you keep this up! I will explain everything to you two provided Alex is stable. You can still listen even though you are not physically here." The shadow paused for a moment before slowly disappearing into the Reaper's Cloth.
Alex lost consciousness after he vomited blood. Everything went pitch black before his eyes. In the darkness, he was reunited with Yui once more. "Alex, are you alright?" She seemed extremely worried. "I felt dizzy all of a sudden and then I am here. What happened?" Alex asked. "You vomited blood, remember? After that, you passed out." Yui explained. "Yeah… I guess I kinda remember now. But how come? It happened so abruptly that I didn't even realized it." Suddenly, a flash of bright light was seen in the distance. It was so bright that Alex had to close his eyes. When he opened them, he was back in the same bed as before. "How are you feeling?" Prof. Jeffery asked. "What happened just now? Why did I started vomiting blood and felt so terrible?" Alex asked. "I shall explain it shortly but before that. Can you hear us, Yui? Can you try talking without manifesting into an image of yourself? This is very important, and I need both of you to understand." The professor directed his voice towards Alex's left hand where the Reaper's Cloth had migrated to. "I can hear you, professor. Please continue." Yui's voice echoed from the cloth. "So she is really inside." Alex murmured. "Alright. I will begin. The reason Alex collapsed was because both of your souls share the same life force for sustenance. Yui on her own has no life force or mana of her own. When she tried to manifest into a physical body, you are using Alex's energy instead. In your exhausted state, she will draw on your life force which will literally kill you if you do not have enough reserve. There was a short gasp echoing from Alex's left hand. "This was one of the biggest hurdle to overcome in the past. That was before the artificial cores were introduced. They are basically strong batteries that are used to power machines. But before they could be of any use to Yui, you must learn how to draw energy from them." The professor explained. "In order for her to do that, she must first borrow energy from you to do it." Prof. Jeffery pointed at Alex. "That is why you must rest, recuperate and build up your strength first." Alex nodded as he began to grasp the concept of how the soul-binding works. "However, there is a limit to how much the cloth can accommodate. Like your Extra Dimension, the Reaper's cloth grow in capacity as you collect its pieces that was shredded years ago. Legend has it that the amount of energy that the cloth can hold is close to infinite. Therefore, try your best to get all of them. No doubt it is a daunting task but I'm sure you can do it."
"Let's do this together," Alex murmured. "I'm in your care," Yui's voice flashed across Alex's mind as if it was a thought. "Telepathy?" Alex replied using his thought. "Alex, are you listening?" Professor asked. "Sorry, what were we talking about again?" The professor clicked his tongue and said "I was saying, that it is possible for both of you to share each other's power. Both of you can communicate between each other through a mere thought as both your souls are bound to one another. Just like telepathy." Alex nodded. "I understand what you are saying, professor. It's a new feeling that I have to get used to." "Don't worry too much for now. You are still recovering from the surgery. Have some rest. I will talk to you again tomorrow. Hopefully by then you can be on your feet and go about your daily activities. Goodnight." Prof. Jeffery said and headed for the door. "How are you feeling, Yui?" Alex talked to himself once the professor left the room. "Weird. I felt light, almost weight-less. And it's dark in here. Everywhere I see are pitch black except a small window. It's like watching a movie." Alex shut his eyes and ruminated their conversation with the professor. Just then, an idea hit him and got him excited. "Yui, let us try an experiment. See if it works." Alex said. He teleported into his dimension storage which was well furnished and stashed with all sorts of utilities. It had a few overhead lighting which still work despite years of disuse. "Wow, where is this place?" Yui asked. "It's my storage dimension. Eric thought me how to use it and from the looks of it, it seems to have grown bigger." Alex pointed at an empty space a few feet from where he was standing. "If I remember correctly, this whole place was filled to the edges with supplies the last time I was here. It was in preparation for the battle in the Eastern Range. But now it seems to have grew larger." Alex paused and then walked towards the darkness beyond the shelf at the edge. "Before this, I wouldn't be able to walk into this space. It would be like walking towards an invisible wall of darkness that marks the edge of my dimension storage. Ouch!" Alex stopped all of a sudden. "I guess this is the new edge." Alex took a step backward and extended his arms to identify the edge of his storage portal.
"If what the professor said was true, you should be able to access this place as well. It would be better than that dark place you are in right now." Alex said. "That's very nice of you…" Yui's voice was breaking, she then began to wail. Alex sat of the ground and began tearing as well. "I thought I would never hear your voice again," Alex's voice was brittle and wobbly. "Just seeing your face again…" Alex paused and sobbed. " Hey, stop crying. I'm still here, am I?" Yui said. "Get some rest, you need it. We, need it." Alex nodded. He left the dimensional storage and lay on the bed. It didn't took him long to fall asleep. In fact, he was more exhausted than he thought he was. Some time passed with Alex staring into complete darkness. Then, Yui's voice was heard echoing around him. "Couldn't sleep?" She said. "There is a lot on my mind." He replied. "There is something I must tell you, Alex." Yui's voice became softer and more focus. Her voice sounded near and coming from the right. When Alex turned his head, Yui appeared sitting cross-legged beside him. He paused for a moment and positioned himself into the same posture as Yui. They were facing each other with direct eye contact. "You were saying?" Alex asked. "This is going to sound really bad. After all the things you have done to save me. The reason we met during the battle in Celestial City was intentional. I was there for a purpose," Yui explained. "Okay, go on." "I was sent there to assassinate you," She paused. "That's unexpected. But you didn't try to kill me, right?" Alex replied. "I was too afraid at that time. I panicked and in the chaos, you saved me instead. My overseer died in the chaos and the mission was a complete failure." "Any idea who sent you?" Alex asked. "I wish I could tell you but the organization that raised me up don't usually give us more information than it was necessary for our mission. Whoever wishes you dead was someone of power in society. The organization don't just take contract from anybody. Unfortunately I didn't managed to find out who it was before Eric adopted me from the orphanage and thus ending my career as a mercenary."
"Okay, theoretically, the chaos never took place. How were you going to kill me back then? You were only eight." Alex asked. "That's why they always fall for it. You tend to underestimate your opponent when they appears small and weak. That's usually the killing blow. When there is sufficient opening, I would activate the Arc Net and use my hidden poison dart to finish the job." Yui explained. "That sounds very plausible to work, considering I won't see it coming. What kind of organization train you guys to do such horrible things? I mean, from pieces of your memories, no children should be treated that way." Alex said. "The organization has many names but it is best known in the underworld as Mama Rozaria. They would adopt children, only girls would be taken. After that, they will be trained as mercenaries. Those that failed to adapt would be killed in the process itself or during their mission. I was lucky that Eric got me out of the organization not long after the failed mission. If it weren't for him, I would have died. The organization don't treat failure lightly." Yui started tearing up again. "You're alright now." Alex hugged her tightly between his arms and kissed her on the forehead. The two of them soon fell asleep in each others arms.
26. Ise Terminal Ambush
Lenny and Kirin found themselves in the midst of a battle. The battle was halted for a brief moment with their sudden appearance. "Princess Kirin! Long live the king!" A man shouted shortly before his throat was slit by a dagger. The fighting between the two sides intensified with their appearance. Lenny could feel the immense killing intent radiating from around him. He managed to identify the opposing sides easily. One side was wearing military style uniform - light blue shirt with navy blue helmet on the head. On the other hand were large groups of men and women, some dressed in daily attire while others were wearing light armor. Overall, they outnumbered the soldiers but were not as well equipped. The soldiers converged on Kirin and Lenny's location, slicing and dicing their way through the defenders. Lenny drew his sword and stabbed the closest soldier that lunged at him. He was a medium built man probably in his forties, he slayed the two men that were trying to protect Kirin. Lenny feigned a lunge to the torso and then directed his sword towards his opponent's left shoulder. His sword sliced through the thin armor and drew blood. Lenny follow-up with a stab to the guy's right hand, causing him to drop his sword. The man only managed a short yelped before he was silenced with a knock to the temple. A pair of icicles were launched at Lenny while two more pairs charged towards him. "There is too many of them!" Charlie sunk its teeth into one of the assailant, knocking her out with a potent paralyzing venom. Lenny was slowly being overwhelmed by the increasing number of assailants, aiming him from all directions. He accumulated multiple wounds, as he tried to fend them off.
"Enough!" Kirin yelled and raised her hand into the air. The ring on her middle finger emitted a pitched black aura that spread rapidly like a miasma through the entire battlefield. Everyone began to drop to the ground one by one like flies. The intense aura silenced and halted most of the fights. Another surged of energy followed, it was a strong spiritual pressure that would have knocked out most average power users. Lenny's assailants fell one by one and began convulsing on the ground. As soon as the second wave of energy hits, Lenny felt an immense negative spiritual energy almost as if an impending doom was upon him. His heartbeat suddenly slowed down for unknown reasons and he began having cold chills. His legs then buckled, causing him to drop to his knees. His pet wyvern was already knocked out by the spiritual energy. Moments later, a third wave of spiritual energy was felt, it was many folds stronger compared to the previous one. Everyone around Lenny, as far as his eyes could see was already on the ground, either having a seizure or not moving at all. His limbs suddenly went numb. He tried hard to move them but to no avail. "You are one strong boy!" Lenny vividly heard an eerie voice echoing from behind. It was the last thing Lenny heard before his consciousness faded away. The entire battlefield fell eeriely quiet after the three waves of energy. "That will be all, Maestro."
Lenny opened his eyes to find himself on a comfy bed staring at a white ceiling. "Master Lenny, you are finally awake." A stranger called out to him. Lenny turned his head to the direction of the voice. It came from an elderly man in a gray robe. "Lenny, this is Mr. Gregory, he is the headman of this village." Princess Kirin voice came from the corner of the room. "At your service, princess." Mr. Gregory bowed. "I will be taking my leave now. Enjoy your stay at our humble village." Mr. Gregory said and left the room. Lenny suddenly felt a sharp pain on his left flank. He recalled that he had received a stab to the flank earlier during the battle. "Does the pain start to trouble you?" Kirin asked after noticing Lenny wincing. "It's about time for your medication." She then left the room to get Lenny his medications. Lenny inspected his body for the injuries he sustained from the battle earlier. His torso was bandaged nicely as were his limbs. Moments later, Lenny realized that his pet wyvern - Charlie was nowhere to be seen. "Charlie, are you there?" Lenny tried to reach out to his pet via telepathy. "I am here, master." His pet wyvern appeared out of thin air from the ceiling. "How did you do that?" Lenny startled by the wyvern's sudden appearance. "Camouflage is one of wyvern's specialty." Charlie replied. Moments later, Princess Kirin returned with a teapot and a porcelain cup. "Here, this should ease your pain," She poured an odourless straw colored fluid from the teapot and passed it to Lenny. Lenny brought the drink to his nose and smelt nothing. He took a small sip and was surprised to find the medicine to be slightly sweet and very palatable. Within minutes, he felt a warm sensation spread from his chest and radiated outwards. His dull aching slowly faded and was replaced by a warm feeling. He turned towards Princess Kirin and asked "What medicine is this? It taste good."
"Glad you like it, master Lenny." Mr. Gregory said. His presence startled both Princess Kirin and Lenny. "Apologies, princess. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but the portal you requested is completed." "Thank you, Mr. Gregory." Princess Kirin replied. "What kind of portal is that?" Lenny asked. "It's your ticket home, Lenny. I requested Mr. Gregory to re-established a portal to Ise Terminal. It is one of the biggest commercial terminal connecting the magical word to the rest of the continents. You can find your ride to Waf Zile from there." Princess Kirin explained. "Please excuse me, princess. There are a few more arrangements I would like to make." Mr. Gregory gave a half bow and left the room. "What about you? What are you planning to do now?" Lenny asked the princess. "I am meeting someone in Ise Terminal. I swore to myself that I will do everything to exact revenge!" She gripped her fists tightly as she recalled the horrible incident of her family's massacre. Lenny kept quiet, there was nothing much he could said that would make her feel better. In his heart, his still doubted that his mentor was a cold blooded murderer. "Something is very wrong here," He thought to himself. "What seems to be wrong, master?" Lenny was still not accustomed to the contract between his familiar where both of them shared their thoughts telepathically. For Lenny, it felt as if someone is constantly spying on him. "Is my old mentor, Master Shin." Lenny replied telepathically after a short pause. "He was very nice to me. Almost like a fatherly figure. I never knew he could do such heinous atrocities. But seeing the image the princess showed me, it was very real." "Don't worry, master. We can find out from Master Shin when we meet Iris." Charlie replied. "You're right."
"How long did I slept?" Lenny asked after putting on a new sets of clothes. His old clothes were torn and stricken with blood. The village head - Mr. Gregory had prepared a brand new medieval tunic for Lenny. The fabric was slightly rougher than his usual tee but it was very well made. The effort of the tailor shone in the embroidery on the tunic. "You were out cold for a day, Master Lenny." Mr. Gregory replied and handed him his weapons. "Thanks," Princess Kirin emerged from the other room in full body armor with a new wand on her belt and a short sword strapped to her side. "I trust the armor fits, princess." "Yes, it does. It was nicely done." Princess Kirin walked toward Lenny and Mr. Gregory. "Are the rest of the troops ready for departure?" She asked. "At your command, princess." Princess Kirin smiled and headed for the exit. Lenny was astonished to find that the exterior of the house he was in looked nothing like the inside. The entire building was made of stones and shaped like a dome. Dull was the best description for it. A dozen men and women were seen gathering in an opening in front of the hut. They wore a variety of light leather armor, each carrying a unique weapon. It was easy to tell that they weren't seasoned veterans. "The portal is that way," Mr. Gregory pointed at a large pink crystal not far from them. The crystal was the size of a truck and it stood in the middle of a magic circle. As they approached the crystal, Lenny noted a dozen people locked in a wooden cages. Lenny recognized them from their uniform. They were the foe that the villager fought with earlier. "What do you plan to do with them?" Lenny asked Princess Kirin. "I let the headman decide their fate," She replied. "In position," Mr. Gregory instructed his troops to position themselves around the crystal once they were near it. While waiting for the rest to get into position, a couple caught Lenny's attention. Their attire was nothing out of the ordinary but the way they moved were a cut above the rest. From his previous battles, Lenny could tell that those two were trouble. When all of them were in position around the giant crystal, Mr. Gregory began to chant in a foreign language. It started with a soft steady hum followed by a bright flash emitting from the crystal. After the light dimmed, gone was the grassland and the dome shape houses. They were replaced by dull greyish walls with metal cone-like structures intermittently broadcasting announcements.
"Is this Ise Terminal?" Lenny asked. His question was soon answered by the greetings from a uniformed officer walking towards them. "Welcome to Ise Terminal. How can I help you?" He was a young and energetic-looking lad. He paused all of a sudden after screening through the group of people. "Good day, Princess Kirin. How may I be of help," He bowed and said in a nervous tone. "My friend here is heading to Waf Zile. Can you see to it that he get on the correct flight?" Princess Kirin pointed at Lenny. "My pleasure, princess." "Before that, I would like to have a word with my friend in private." Princess Kirin requested. "You may use the guest suite over there, princess." The officer pointed. "We'll wait here in the meantime, princess." Gregory said. Lenny and Princess Kirin headed to the direction given. The interior of the terminal was nothing fancy. It consisted of stone walls an steel pillars painted in gloomy greyish color. As they opened the door leading to the suite, they were surprised to find someone was already inside. "C'mon in and close the door." The voice was familiar to Lenny but yet, he couldn't put a face on that voice at that moment. "Kazuya, I was wondering when you will show up." Princess Kirin was not surprised at all. "Kazuya, what are you doing here? You two know each other?" Lenny closed the door and took a seat. "It's a long story, Lenny. Sorry you got caught up in this mess. That's the reason why I want you and her to be out of the Jolyu Empire." Kazuya explained. "I am sorry, Lenny." Princess Kirin apologized. "Back to business. The army is advancing. Emperor Shin will be launching a full land and sea assault within days from now. I hope your army is ready."
"What?! I thought we still have weeks before he decided to strike." Princess Kirin was shocked at the news. "Me too. But the decision was sudden. I only got the news yesterday, that's the reason I requested meeting you so urgently." Kazuya replied. "Why is he doing this? Many innocent lives will be lost," Princess Kirin sobbed. "To be honest, princess. Despite being the emperor's son, he doesn't share much about what he does with me. In the public eye, this attack was to rid the pirates that threatened Yun Xi - the western district. However, the massacre of your family was unnecessary if he solely wanted to kill all the pirates." Kazuya paused and continued after taking a sip from his water pouch. "Sadly, I still failed to get the real intention of why he did what he did. Jolyu Empire is rich in resources and most of the population are happy with how things are. The whole pirate act and invading the Kingdom of Bashara makes little sense to me." Then, there was complete silence in the small room. A few minutes passed in complete quietness before Lenny spoke. "I might not have known Master Shin for long but from my encounter and interaction with him, he seems like a man with plans. I am pretty sure that he had his motives. From what you guys said, I can't say they are of good intentions though." "Agreed." Kazuya nodded. "I suggest that you don't waste time thinking about the why but focus more on the how to…" Kazuya stopped all of a sudden and then shouted "Get down!" He leapt towards Lenny and Princess Kirin and pushed them to the floor. An immense burst of heat and light blasted through the door and set everything ablaze. The couch and paintings inside the room turned into soot the moment the room was hit. Lenny felt a dull ache on his back from the heat that set ablaze his bandages. He quickly put out the flame with his elemental skill, gathering water from the surrounding vapors. Afterwards, he re-positioned himself in a crouch with his light sabers drawn. The three of them waited patiently for the smoke and dust to settle. "Princess Kirin, are you alright?" It was Mr. Gregory's voice. "Something feels off," Lenny thought to himself. "Be careful, master," Charlie warned.
The soot finally cleared and Mr. Gregory could be seen along with the men and women he brought. The young lad that worked at the station was nowhere to be seen. "What happened?" Princess Kirin shouted. She then coughed as smoke entered her throat. Lenny's eyes dashed between the people that approached them, watching for potential threats. He caught a glimpse of a fast moving silhouette. His instinct told him it was after the princess. Lenny dropped one of his light saber and grabbed Princess Kirin's belt with his free hand. He managed to pull Princess Kirin out of harm's way in the nick of time. Spikes made from earth burst forth from the ground where Princess Kirin was moments earlier. They made holes through her dress but missed her body thanks to Lenny's quick action. The shadow whom Lenny spotted earlier materialized before them. It was the lady from the suspicious couple he saw earlier. She lunged forward and thrust her dagger towards Princess Kirin's chest. Her attempt assassination was foiled by Lenny's quick action. Lenny had anticipated a close range assailant when he first spotted the silhouette. He swung his light saber which was on his other hand towards the assailant's dagger, trying to fend off the attack. It was a feint! The assailant suddenly withdrew her right hand dagger while her left hand which concealed anther dagger thrusted forward. "Shit!" Lenny cursed as he knew he couldn't react in time. However, she was foolish to have ignored Kazuya. In the split of a second, a strong gust swipe her to the ground where she laid dead. There was a deep cut across her throat from which blood came spurting like a fountain.
The other man who was with the lady earlier launched himself towards Kazuya from the side. It was a futile attempt as he too laid dead on the ground with his throat sliced. "Are you two alright?" Kazuya helped the princess to her feet. "Let our princess go!" Mr. Gregory pointed his wand at Kazuya. His men follow suit. "It's alright, Gregory. He is a friend." "Something is missing, where did the flash came from." Lenny thought to himself. His doubt was immediately answered when he caught the glimpse of a flash from the distance. Judging from the trajectory, he could already tell it was coming right at them, specifically for Princess Kirin. Lenny anticipated such an attack and executed his evasive maneuver. Charlie read Lenny's mind and synchronized with its master's move. Lenny twisted his wrist and commanded the air around him to create a gush that swipe Princess Kirin off her feet. Lenny caught her as she fell to the ground. Seconds later, an intense and bright beam struck where Princess Kirin was moments ago, charring everything around it. "You two alright?" Kazuya appeared besides Lenny. "Some burnt clothing, otherwise no major injury." Lenny replied. "I think you should retreat. I will tell Iris that you're safe. We'll regroup in Mount Varrus. In the meantime, help me keep the Princess safe." Kazuya said and sprung into action. He charged towards the direction of the beam with the Golden Leaf in his right hand. A dozen leaves, gold in color flowed around Kazuya as he moved. "Princess, are you alright? I think we should retreat." Mr. Gregory helped Princess Kirin to her feet. "Agreed." Princess Kirin nodded in reply.
Lenny, Princess Kirin and Mr. Gregory sprinted towards the crystal while the rest covered the rear. When all of them are near the crystal, Mr. Gregory began chanting the magic incantation, making the crystal glow. Halfway through the process, a few arrows struck him in the chest. However, he continued to chant despite the agonizing pain. As soon as the spell was finished, he stepped out of the magic circle. "What are you doing!" Princess Kirin yelled. "I'll hold them off and destroy the crystals so they couldn't follow us back to the village. It's an honour serving you, Princess Kirin. Please treat my people with kindness." Mr. Gregory raised his wand and casted another spell while coughing out blood. "Gregory! Please stop this, let me hold them off!" One of Gregory's men offered. "No, my child. Save your strength for later," Gregory gasped, trying his best to stay focus with the profuse bleeding. More arrows came their way which was blocked by an invisible barrier. Princess Kirin gritted her teeth and clenched her fists in anger. She was angry at her powerless self, powerless to save her own people. Their bodies faded as the teleportation began. Within seconds, they vanished into thin air. They re-appeared in the grassland as before with the dome-shaped stone houses in the background. The crystal that sent them to the station shone in a blinding light before suddenly became dim. Afterwards, a crack appeared in the center of the crystal as it lost its shimmer. Princess Kirin was silent. There were tears flowing down the corner of her eyes. The men and women that were with them dispersed to their respective families waiting for their return. "Where is daddy?" Suddenly a young boy called out. Everyone else glanced at the boy with a middle aged-lady. There was total silence for a brief moment. Then, a young lad approached the two and said "Mr. Gregory was a great chief. I am sorry for your loss." The lady dropped to her knees and started bawling. The boy looked confused. "Daddy is gone, my love." The lady told her son. The boy started to cry after hearing the passing of his father.
Lenny brought his gaze away from the grieving pair and noticed Princess Kirin was tearing as well. She wiped her tear and drew her wand from her waist. A pink spark gave way to a pink ray which dissipated in the air. Afterwards, she spoke with a tone filled with authority. "Today is a sad day for the people of Olive Hill, for the chief has passed on. He was a brave leader. His selfless act had saved his people and myself included. For that, I am grateful. However, the road ahead is full of hardship and despair; for we are facing a strong adversary never seen before since the Great War - The Jolyu Empire. They will be sending their army to invade our lands and challenge our way of life in days to come!" There were multiple audible gasps from the crowd. The sadness that was lingering in the atmosphere was transformed into fear and panic. "For our empire to survive and continue our way of life. We must unite and fight this evil force together! As the last heir of the House of Bassel, I - Princess Kirin Bassel swore to fight till my last breath to defend this land! Will the people of Olive Hill lend me your strength?" A group of men raised their weapons in the air and chanted "Olwaazi! Olwaazi!Olwaazi!" The rest of the people soon followed. Lenny was amazed by the charisma of the princess, how she managed to rally the people to a common cause. He scanned the crowd for any potential threats while Princess Kirin continued to give her motivational speech. After Lenny was happy with the situation, he retreated to a corner and relaxed his shoulders. The pain on his left flank returned as his adrenaline rush slowly subsided. "The pain is back, master?" Charlie asked. "Yeah, it is. I should've been more careful. I've not practised with a sword for a while. I lost my edges." Lenny recalled his previous fights. His reminiscence brought him back to the battle he had with Lady Numue's knight. It was one of the most memorable duel he had. Despite managing to land a single blow on his opponent, Lenny knew he was no match for the knight if they were to duel for real. His flash back was cut short by Princess Kirin's voice. "We're going back to Mount Varrus tomorrow. From there, I can send a message to the surrounding barons for aids. We need all the manpower we can get to fend off the Jolyu Empire. I'm sorry you're dragged into this mess." Lenny nodded and said "Actually, I was thinking of going back to Mount Varrus as well." Lenny's thoughts went back to the fight he had with the knight, there were a few questions he would like answers to.