"Yes... YES!"
A vicious windy vortex swirled out of control under a forest of stalagmites, tearing and shredding bases, gems, and underground pools out from nowhere.
It howled like a thousand wolves, glowed a purple light, and its portal dragged with it.
The underground tornado carved the cavern's terrain with its vicious winds, moving on its own as if the vortex was alive.
As the force of nature rends and rips everything underground, witnesses gather next to it, praising and unleashing their manipulative ancient technology on it.
"Almighty torrent of wind, grant us your blessing and wreak havoc upon Linuxinia! Justice for The Princess!"
The winds howled louder. Four silhouettes raised their arms and unleashed a monumental magenta laser straight through the inevitable force of nature. The entire bottomless cavern glowed a bright purple.
"YES! LET ALL HELL REIN FROM BELOW!"
The devilish-shaped silhouette aggressively ripped its horn out of his head and tossed five innocent people inside the gusting tornado.
Pink blood oozed out from the gaping hole on the being, spreading and splattering at all the screaming souls and mixing with the winds.
The monster laughed maniacally as the force of nature ripped and tore the souls, consuming and growing toward the surface.
"CHAOS! CHAOS! CHAOS!"
And despite tossing souls in, the monster itself was so mentally deranged that it lobbed itself inside the tornado, shredding him and consuming his soul.
The winds roared, the funnel expanded, and the moment of pure chaos was inevitable.
The Ending was successful.
* * * * * * * *
Ubel grunted, pushing his soft gray hair back.
"Something... bad? Do you know what it is?"
Jesica shook her head and crossed her arms, washing away the severe look on her face. The four carriages had departed from the hotel, driving and rolling their way to Linuxinia City harbor.
As the carriage rolled and bumped, Jesica replied with a honeyed voice, fidgeting with her lavender hair.
"Nothing...major. My magic is distorted, so I can't really tell what it is. Now stop asking me, little rabbit. I don't deserve to speak to peasants such as you."
Asahi twitched his eye.
"Stop calling people that. It's degrading and rude."
Ubel's midnight blue eyes shrunk in shock. It seemed that he had some connection with Jesica, quickly swopping in and warning Asahi.
"It's just a habit of hers. Get over it. Jesica always calls people rabbits."
Aletha turned and raised an eyebrow.
"Eh?"
"Just ignore her. It won't be long until we arrive. Remember, she's wealthy."
(The man's right.)
Asahi sneered and mumbled, gritting his teeth.
(Not now, Telos.)
. . .
As the carriage passed through a traffic jam of people and others within the streets, the wanderer sat back and relaxed, peering through the crease behind the carriage. The driver informed while Aletha peeked through.
"If you want, you can open the zipper of the carriage just a little bit."
The wanderers nodded.
"Okay."
The driver resumed.
"But don't open it too far, or you will--
A gust of fresh wind blew through, soothing their pores and carrying floral scents.
Aletha took a deep breath and commented while her chest pressed against the back.
"Woah! It smells so good. Barbeque... Cake... Cheese... yummy!~."
Asahi backed up and darted his eyes to the front of the carriage. He questioned Aletha with a flabbergasted look on his face.
"Didn't you just eat dozens of cookies? I thought your appetite would be satisfied by now."
Aletha's face turned cherry-red in discomfiture, hearing others gasp around her.
She quivered and nodded with guilt, gulping a grimy breath of regret down her throat.
"Y...Yeah..." Avoiding the situation, Aletha interrupted Asahi with a question, pointing her finger and making a cute gesture. "So, anyways... can you tell me why your tattoo is glowing? Where were you in the morning?"
Telos' voice declared in Asahi's mind.
(Don't tell too much, but also don't tell too little to Aletha. I don't want your sister to be traumatized now. You here?)
Asahi bent down to his tattoo and questioned.
"What do you mean?"
(You know exactly what I mean.)
Asahi hunched his shoulders and paced with an unnecessarily nervous voice.
"U...Um, how would I put it this way? Do you remember a man named Telos? The guy we met back in Pladtioa?"
Aletha gasped, her eyes dilated in shock.
"Telos? Yeah, I do. That dark-haired man that has a very deep voice? Wait, are you telling me he's here?!"
Asahi scratched his head, his voice chiming down to an anxious tone.
"Well, not exactly."
Asahi explained the "death of Telos" and his soul absorption to Aletha in full detail-- pointing out things like the voice in his head, knowledge of a cult, and the Tenth Eye.
Aletha couldn't believe what her brother was saying.
Her face was paralyzed at how much her brother had experienced in just a short time.
Most of it sounded like a fever dream to her.
While the carriage bumped again, Aletha replied with a rising voice.
"A... cult? Telos is inside your body? How is that even possible?! Can he hear me right now?"
Asahi stopped Aletha and whispered.
"Shh. Yes, yes... Telos can hear you clearly."
He heard light chuckles sound in his mind. Telos' voice sounded much more lenient and laid back than when Asahi first heard him.
(Of course, I can )
Asahi's mouth pressed.
"Y...Yes... I know."
Telos' tone became more serious.
(Hold on. Asahi, that lavender-haired girl is right. There is a disturbance lingering beneath the nation. I suggest you heed that warning and don't tread too far out of the city. I believe this ceremony could be more of a "trap" than a gathering.)
Zeru's sharp eyes darted to Asahi. Suspicion lingered within his mind seeing his appearance shine out from the rest and hearing Ubel chatter.
"... and now that I have arrived in this nation, I felt like all my magic had disappeared. I had to manually fight my way to get into the city, along with my peers."
Ubel finished while grabbing a glass of water from the crates.
Zeru nodded and sighed.
"I had the same trouble too."
Aurelia nodded and brushed her silky golden hair.
"I, too, have also faced the same stead. Once I arrived from the border of Zomrack, passing through the vast valleys, my flight magic was inevitably stopped when I touched Linuxinia's soil."
She crossed her arms over her chest.
"It's convenient that I landed in the water pool. Or else, I would have been vanquished."
Zeru nodded silently, pushing his sienna brown hair to the side, and sighing. His cinnamon blemished skin blended nicely with the lances of sunlight; he brushed leaves off his blue-black suit, fiddled with his gleaming golden gem necklace, and closed his eyes, mumbling.
"It appears that all of us could relate to such absences. I couldn't use my power as well. Perhaps, that's why I have seen the Raven Man use his feet rather than his wings because of the sheer lack of energy."
While the carriages slowly passed through a sea of individuals, with the oceanic breeze blowing with the vast sunlight, Zeru pushed himself off the barrel and grabbed the handle.
"Whatever is going on, it doesn't look good. But now's not the time." He made a gesture to Asahi and Aletha, acknowledging them. "Hey, the two siblings in the back. Yeah, you two."
Aletha was showing the sketch she had made inside her hotel room.
"Look what I drew!"
"Huh?"
Asahi saw the vivid dark lines and the massive tail that took half of the paper. He couldn't help but feel proud of her sister's talent. Aletha continued.
"Cool, right? I think I have a smidge of my powers back. I can summon paper from thin air!"
Asahi's eyes flashed with surprise.
"Oh, that's nice."
Asahi and Aletha jumped up, hearing Zeru's voice shout at them.
"Hey, you two!"
Asahi and Aletha stopped their discussion and drew attention to the dark-skinned man. He opened the carriage door, loud chatter rushed in, and blinding sunlight flooded the carriage.
Zeru bowed down and introduced himself, noticing that Aurelia, Ubel, and Jesica had exited the carriage.
"I'll make my introduction brief. My name is Zeru; you may see that I originate from the dunes of Zomrack, but that isn't of your worries. Please, step out of the vehicle and be careful to not trip over."
The siblings answered with a cheerful, energetic tone.
"Okay!"
* * * * * * *
Exiting the carriage, Asahi and Aletha noticed that their carriage had arrived a little too early.
They couldn't even see the other three carriages, forcing the entire group to wait for all of them.
(The beauty is just as it was years ago.)
A hot and virulent skirmish filled the busy streets; no street corner was empty. It was packed with either individuals, marketplaces, or animals.
All the buildings were blanketed in a pensive hazy golden light, each varying in height but making way for a glorious sight.
Aletha gasped while she laid her hand against the railing, watching the city slope downwards to the busy docks.
"Wow! It's so pretty!"
Asahi couldn't help but smile, seeing the pillars of white puffy clouds drifting across the azure horizon.
All could see the shimmering sea in the background and noticed that the perilous green mountains were much more visible than yesterday, with all their lush greenery reflecting the bright light.
While waiting for the others to arrive, Asahi pulled out his magical notebook, grabbed a pen, and turned a page, writing to beguile the wait.
[This street is shrouded with individuals. So many different styles and fashions of hair, attire, and bodies; it's unbelievable that there are this many people. Pladtioa is nothing compared to this.]
Asahi's eyes caught Jesica arguing with a large man in the background. He chuckled lightly and continued.
[I watched the sunrise and heard chatter bouncing off from corner to corner. My sister was too bored, so she continued drawing on the back of her sketch, drawing a beautiful landscape with... what looked like cookies?]
"Hey! Stop looking!" Aletha shrieked with a pouty face.
Asahi scratched his head and sighed.
"I'm not... I'm not."
[I know Aletha is creative, but she could be very secretive too.]
(Ten minutes later.)
At last, the rest of the three carriages arrived from the large stone ramp, with Drimi's head poking out the window and the sounds of activity lingering within the urban atmosphere.
She had no time to mess around.
When her carriage and the other two parked near an alleyway, Drimi raised her hand and yelled.
"Alright, everybody off. See those two white-haired people standing near the railings over there?"
The riders answered.
"Yeah."
Drimi made a gesture and pushed her dark hair to the side.
"I want all of you to follow them, okay!"
On the second carriage, Kali jumped out and sprinted to Asahi at full speed, pushing through the crowds without hesitation.
Her hair gleamed and shined with the sunlight, wrapping her arms around Asahi and whispering.
"S... Stay close to me."
"Kali? What are you doing?!"
(Again, Asahi. It's not the time to fool around. I sense the presence growing ever so closer.)
Kali's eyes sparkled with awe seeing Asahi's tattoo glow in a flashing pattern on his chest.
"Ooo!"
Asahi was overwhelmed by the constant stuff that was flooding through him. And to make it worse, a loud voice sounded out from the approaching colorful group.
"Hey, feces face!"
Kali backed away.
"Eh?"
She turned to Asahi and asked with a confused tone.
"Is he talking to you?"
Asahi nodded.
"Yeah."
While looking back, he saw Devlin, Phthonus, Sally, and other new faces approach them. Drimi, who stood in the front group, raised her hand and pointed at the street curving downward. She raised her confident voice and announced as people passed by them.
"Alright, listen up! I know this group is large, and there are distractions everywhere here, but I want all of you to stick together. I don't want to go through the hassle of finding you guys. You here?"
Everyone in the group answered.
"Yes, mam!"
"Good!" Drimi raced to the wanderers and clapped her hands. "Then, if you can be so kind, Asahi and Aletha, guide everyone down the street. There should be a staircase leading to the city center. You'll know it when you see it."
Asahi and Aletha nodded their heads and stood straight.
"Okay!"
"And make sure that everyone in the group is close. Please, I don't want to search through this crowd of people."
Kali nodded and grappled on Asahi's arm.
"We won't let you down!"
Drimi chuckled.
"Ha ha, good."
* * * * * * *
The crowd density gradually grew denser the more they went down the street.
The group all stayed together. Some were chatting, and others were gazing at the sight.
Aurelia jumped up and socialized with strangers while Ubel sneered and tried to seclude himself, holding onto Jesica's hand so she wouldn't run off and argue.
Asahi and Aletha stood out from the group; they were the only people that had white hair. Aletha mumbled while the noise of the crowd got.
"People… people everywhere."
Asahi patted her back and whispered.
"You'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
He looked over to the stream of individuals flooding the streets and then back to his sister.
"Yeah."
"Okay…"
They passed through a marketplace with merchants screaming out to their lungs to buy their products. All of the signs were plastered with blinding bright colors.
"Come and get our pork bellies!"
"Signs, get your Linuxinia signs here!"
"Look at these fashionable dresses. A perfect fit for the ceremony!"
It made the wanderers realize that no matter what, this city was teeming with advertising.
(I'm not allowing it.)
Asahi ensured that no group member wouldn't go anywhere near them. He, Kali, and Aletha continued further down the street, anxiousness overwhelming him.
. . .
Trumpets blared out in the distance, followed by the banging drums and the loud cheers of a massive crowd.
The group had a hard time advancing because some were blocking their way. Luckily, they found an opening among the sea of heads and continued further to where the place was.
A sea of seats encircled the center, with carriages of different sizes and shapes parked around it. It looked like a massive stadium with bleachers reaching to heights of buildings.
Kali pointed out as the crowd's cheers went wild.
"We should find a seat..."
(Chatter)
Asahi found it so hard to hear Kali that he had to be a centimeter away to listen to her voice.
"What? I can barely hear you!"
Aletha gripped Asahi's wrist, passed through the stairway, and yelled at the top of her lungs.
"Bro, we need to find a seat now!"
Another trumpet blared. Aletha agreed and informed Drimi that the group would go to the highest seats, far in the back near the ocean. Drimi nodded while she was pushed and shoved.
"Okay, okay. Let's go there."
Asahi made a gesture and led the group across the bleachers, ascending further up the chairs. While passing through the people, the group could see a massive stone platform suspended high, surrounded by bleachers.
Kali scratched her head and held tightly to Asahi's arm.
"Stick together."
"I'm trying as best as I can, Kali."
Phthonus leaned in and mumbled.
"What is this all about?"
Devlin jumped in.
"I think it's about the announcement of world peace to all seven nations?"
Sally pushed her platinum hair and raised an eyebrow.
"What happened to the eighth city?"
Devlin shrugged.
"That's Wraileza. The queen is severely against it. I can't believe it. If my parents were here, they would be fanatic about this. This ceremony will be monumental for this world's future."
Zeru tilted to the sky.
"If that's true, then it's no surprise everyone from different nations has come all their way to gather here. How long have they waited for this?"
Aurelia pushed through the crowd and snapped her fingers.
"They waited two-thousand years for this to happen."
Asahi and Aletha bounced up, finding an empty row of seats at the top.
"Two thousand years? That's insane."
Telos' voice chuckled.
(That's nothing compared to last time.)
Asahi raised an eyebrow.
"This happened before?"
Jesica, Zeru, Ubel, and Alai all answered.
"Yes."
* * * * * * *