Shieda started telling Sen his story. Something about the way he spoke had an allure that brought the words to life, making Sen feel as if he himself experienced the tragedy that is Shieda's story.
The chained man's childhood was spent in his birthplace: the labyrinth of K'rasia kingdom.
This fact surprised Sen as he knew of the labyrinths. They were basically dungeons where monsters spawned repeatedly and trials were at every turn. Even a seasoned hunter or adventurer would only venture so far before running back outside.
Shieda, however, was born inside this place, lived, and survived there until he was ten. The most striking thing about his identity is the fact that he is actually a Valas, just like Melaidhrin Snowborn that Leonas spoke of.
"So you know a Valas with the name Melaidhrin Snowborn?" Sen asked.
"Melly? You know her?" Shieda was visibly delighted.
"I know of her. The father of a friend of mine once had an encounter with her. But he said that she was caught by an enemy and since then, no news of her was found"
Shieda's joy turned to sadness. After a while, he sighed, "So they got their hands on her as well"
"Who did? Is it Elaila and her teacher?"
"No", Shieda shook his head. "I got captured for being special. The ones who were after Melly are from the Frojlay continent, they have a blood feud with her"
"What do they want of her?"
"That I can't tell you my weirdly colored friend. It's not my place"
Sen suppressed the irritation once more and spoke, but Shieda cut him off. "Alright, back to my story. Anyway. I grew up inside the labyrinth, never knowing who my parents were. That's how it works for us Vallas, independent since birth. I hunted desperately for years and trained myself until I finally managed to grasp my bloodline memories and awakened my ability to shapeshift."
Sen felt as if he was watching a really bad actor. Shieda was exaggerating his tone and making dramatic grimaces with his face that made Sen doubt whether he was telling the truth or not.
"Anyway, it was a beautiful morning in the labyrinth. I had just defeated my way to the middle area where I had my first encounter with humans. I was small and curious back then... they told me of the outside world and that alluring place conquered my thoughts.
"When I left with them, they treated me with respect, kindness, and love, and told me that I was special, a unique existence called the Vallas. They had to wear these funny looking circular spectacles just so that they could see me well.
"I loved the feeling of having people to talk to and have fun with, and I wanted to satisfy and repay their kindness. So I helped them defeat their enemies, and eventually, we conquered the entire continent with the help of my Vallas power"
"Hold up" Sen interrupted. "You don't mean to tell me that one Vallas has the ability to unify an entire continent. You sure you're not just exaggerating?"
"How can I? Of course a Valas does. But true, although our combat power is just at the world rank when we're born, we are still second to none when it comes to being invisible and assassinating the enemy. And we can also somewhat read others' thoughts and feelings"
'Just, at the world rank....at birth...' Sen suddenly felt his knuckles itching to punch this dude. But from the story flow, Sen concluded that he was probably betrayed because they were scared of his powers turning on them.
"Anyway, if you're thinking that the people I helped turned their backs on me, then you're dead wrong" Shieda read his thoughts.
"They were my family and friends. After we unified the land, we retreated and lived in peace, far away from the intrigues of the court and army, and just ventured the land for years…. My family, they sacrificed themselves one after the other just so I could live when those monsters came."
"Demons?" Sen wondered, but cursed himself silently for thinking like a human from earth. Nivera was a demon and she had a better character than most people he's ever met.
"No. They are called Ifrits. They came from another realm. And by the way, demons are not really as terrible as humans make them out to be…"
"What did they want from your friends?" Sen changed the topic.
With misty eyes, Shieda answered, "me, they wanted me. My friends sacrificed themselves so that I could escape once they knew that the Ifrits came for me" Shieda stared at Sen for a while, "now that I look at you, I have the feeling that they would be coming after you too"
Sen gulped. What is this person saying?!! He already had a few people desiring his fused energy, now creatures from another realm are coming after him? Is it the fused energy again?
"No it's not" Shieda answered and Sen realized he read his thoughts once again. He really felt naked in front of this person. "They want you because, like me, you are probably a key"
"A…key?"
"I did mention that Ifrits were from another realm right? Well, seven realms in total exist in this universe. This realm where we are currently; the mortal realm from where you came…" Shieda smirked.
"You know?!"
"I told you I can see beyond normal or even extraordinary people. Your soul is quite peculiar and I have seen before. In the mortal realm where not a whiff of Mana or energy exists"
First, Mathrim El'dor, then this person. Sen suddenly felt as if keeping his transmigration a secret is useless.
"What else?"
"Hmm, let me see. Ah, there is the Shagat realm where the Ifrits are. And the Valas realm where my people are born. I, Melly, and other vallas in this realm are born accidentally. I really don't understand what happens there, but it just does. Anyway, there are three realms left. The Sprite realm which is the smallest one of the seven is a realm of beasts, animals, plants, and even mythical beasts."
"So it's a primitive realm?"
"Ha? No way. Those animals can think, speak, and work way better than humans do. Their technology is even more advanced than this kingdom's.
"What are the last two?"
"The last two are special. The Hell realm, where departed souls are, and the ascension realm which is the realm of the gods. Well, not gods, but ascended"
The information made Sen go into deep thought. There are multiple realms in this universe including his home planet earth. The person that brought him here, the goblin king, what does he really want with him. Mathrim couldn't give him an answer. Shieda probably wouldn't know either. Just what has the goblin king gotten him into?
"You said key, what do they want of this key?" he asked again, his voice hoarse.
"Going to the god realm, the realm of the ascended"
"How so?" Sen asked after a while. Now, he really felt like he is thrown into a deep-sea and couldn't swim. He was just a food critique for goodness sake. What god realm and whatnot!!
"The king of Ifrits want to ascend, but couldn't. I really don't know the details, but I know that from each and every race, a key is born. I am the key of the Vallas race. You are the key of your race."
Sen went silent, even Shieda became serious. Only Sen's deep breaths could be heard. After several minutes of digesting the information, he spoke, "how you know I am a key? Just by looking?"
"Nonsense. It's natural, a key can somehow recognize a key through their bloodline memories. I feel that something is blocking yours so that is maybe why you didn't feel it."
He had sealed it. Sen before had sealed his bloodline memories from taking over his mind and turning him into a ruthless killer. So far everything makes sense.
"How will they find me?" if even Shieda who is world rank couldn't fight against them, how could he?
"Relax" Shieda smiled as he sensed his distress. "First, Ifrits are just minions. The ones to be cautious of are called the forsaken and their king. Apparently, they are ascended from the god realm who were later banished and are looking for a way back to the god realm. But for now, the entire Ifrit realm is sealed so you can relax"
"For now…. Doesn't that mean they will be released soon?"
"Yes. I felt the one who placed the seal, the key from the fairy race, die some years ago. You know fairies are real mischievous little things, they are sneaky and cunning but super hilarious. When we were wandering the land, I once met…"
"Back to the point!" Sen growled.
"Cough… now the seal is weakening. If I have to estimate then we have about a dozen or so years before Ifrits once again appear in this realm."
"Then how are you here?"
"The Ifrit king desires to enter the god realm while people of this realm desire to enter the Shagat realm"
"You mean..."Sen felt as if he understood something.
"Correct, my ridiculously tall friend. Elaila and her teacher precisely want to enter the Shagat realm. As for why I really don't know. Not even my thoughts reading can uncover it."
"But you said that we are keys to the ascension realm."
"Haha, we are keys to all the realms my friend. It's just that we really do not know how to use our key power. I've only accidentally been to the mortal realm and the Ifrit realm and barely made it out alive. if you find out, let me know okay?"
Sen calmed down for a minute and thought about what Shieda just said. The chained man also gave him time to digest so he did not speak.
Sen organized his thoughts and after a while, he turned back to Shieda. "But how were you captured?"
"Ahh, that; after the Ifrits killed my friends, I managed to escape. Only I felt like I have no reason to live anymore, so I tried to kill myself, only to find out that we as keys, cannot even commit suicide. Each time I plunged a stick in my heart, I would miss it by a hairbreadth. I fall from a mountain and my bones are still intact. So in the end, I just ventured through the entire land, with my flask of wine"
Sen looked at Shieda's bare upper body and indeed it was riddled with scars and burn marks. Looks like these are not from torture.
"So one day, that old man found me drunk in the streets of K'rasia. I loved that place, so different from my country, it's located in the middle of a desert, but the scenery is really exquisite and beautiful, the people also…
"Stay on topic damn it!"
"Haha, okay, okay, don't get mad. Anyway, I mumbled something about how being a key sucks. The next thing I know, I woke up locked with Mana draining chains, and imprisoned here. To be honest, at least now I get to spend my days in peace while he comes once in a while to try and get me to take him to the Ifrit realm. It's been a few years since, but now I'm really bored"
"Umm…" Sen contemplated. "If I let you out, what would you do?"
"Ha!" Shieda didn't seem intrigued or even surprised, he just laughed and thought about it. "Since my friends died, I lived the life of a drunk vigilante, not honoring them in the least. If I'm out, I guess I will just burn this country to the ground and make one where my friends would've lived in peace."
"You mean that your friends were..."
"Yes, they were of all races, humans, demons, stonefolk, and many others. This country…is disgusting. From what I read of those two's minds, my friends would be rolling in their grave now. For years we've fought for equal rights for all races. So you if let me out, I'll just discipline those humans a bit" he smirked at the last words.
Sen, however, did not need more convincing. He summoned hellfire, and shot it towards the chains at full force. Yet surprisingly, nothing happened.
"It's Mana absorbing chain. How about you use a weapon with brute force"
Sen complied, he got the highest level weapon from his void space and slashed at the chains. Yet again, nothing happened.
"Ahh, that old man," Shieda sighed, "he used reinforced, Mana-absorbing, eternum. Almost immune to brute force and Mana attacks."
An idea flashed in Sen's mind. Since this metal is unbreakable, he just needs something that is more unbreakable: Mathrim's daggers.
He retrieved the two, and Shieda was visibly surprised. "Chaos items, you're a lucky fellow, but looks like you survived their attack. Good, good, worthy of being my cat-eyed friend."
Sen ignored his remarks altogether and brought the daggered down on the chains with full force.
"Clang!'
The chains fell. Once one part did, the rest crumbled like wood blocks.
Shieda who was suspended fell down on the hard cold ground. He was nonchalant until it happened. He couldn't believe himself, he stood up unsteadily, rubbed his wrists together, and looked at Sen.
"I won't hold back if I have to kill them. But they are humans, just like the ones from your world, is that okay with you?"
"Yes," Sen directly answered. "I only have two favors to ask. First, not all humans are rotten, take that into consideration when you do your thing."
"Ha, don't worry, that, I know. I had human friends too you know."
"Second, I just released a few hundred slaves from this city and have no idea how to manage them, so I'll leave that to you"
"Hmm, okay. But you're going somewhere?"
"Yes, I need to find that Elaila, she has something I want. But now, her teacher took her away, so I can only go to K'rasia and search for her."
"Ha, you don't have to, I know where she is."