Chapter 1
My mother and father's estate is located just west of the city, just a bit of distance away from. The place that we visited last time before we departed to the south was just a house they built near the guild. It is build for a purpose as a temporary housing for them, when they are quite busy to go back to the estate, or needed to stay in city for quite some time.
The temporary house is built with wide area, with 2 floors. With ashe colored walls, and a dark orange rooftop. It has 2 windows upfront the entrance door, small, and large ones at each of the house side. A simple design with a [Living Room], a [Dining Room], and a [Kitchen]. Just try to imagine a rectangle shape that was placed near with a square one, at the bottom. It has a medium sized garden at its right side, with a simple, small shelter at the top left. It has a small pond at near the shed, with 2 swimming fish.
At the back of the house, there is a [Water Shed] - a well equipped with a shed - near a [Lavior] - a water house where the maids clean their, and their master's clothes. The [Lavior] has a rectangle shape concrete like tub, with a roof atop.
While the estate was a 3 storey mansion, with a wide front yard, and a 4 layered fountain. The bricks designed pathway circle around the fountain, then continue, straightforwardly, towards the entrance door. The design of the estate is like 2 huge towers where placed next to a house. Upfront is a wide [Porch], with 2 long hallways at each side. 2 balconies at the 2nd floor, and a wide [Terrace].
A [Terrace] is like a balcony, but with a much wider space, and could be use for tea party, and other gathering, may it be important or personal. Located at the back side of the mansion, in the 2nd floor. Below the [Terrace] is the [Porch], and upfront is the [Courtyard Garden], with a 3 layered fountains at the center. [Pinus Balfouriana] (foxtail pine) - a Pine tree that has a length of 30 meters, and with needle like leaves, that bundles together in five, with a long, deep glossy green outer layer, and white in the inner. It has a cone that coated in dark purple, and changed to red-brown when ripen, that has a flexible and soft scale - surrounds the garden with 2 [Arbours], placed at each opposite side.
Upon entering my mother and father's estate, we were then greeted by 4 servants - 2 manservants, and 2 maids - as they bowed behind a huge, golden brown door. At they welcomed us, they then guided us towards my mother and father. The house has a center staircase, or the main staircase that leads to the 1st floor - the one we are currently standing is the ground floor. It then divided to the left and right wing, with a vermillion carpet, and an ivory colored coat.
We then climbed up towards the [Grand Room] where mother and father was, sat at the sofa, with the same design with the ones that father have in his room, at the guild. Sipping his tea, father was calm sat down while mother was staring at us as we walked towards them. She then stood up with an elegant composure, and smiled at us.
"Welcome back"
She stated, as she opened her arms, and welcome us
"We're back"
I replied, as I slowly went towards her and accept her living hug. After a few tight hug on ahc of us, and a couple of gentle caress and kisses on our cheeks, we then sat down to the sofa, opposite side of where my father sat. Father then place her glasses down as he stared at us. His gaze was unwavering, and stoic, staring at us with full of thoughts and worry.
"It is good that none of you lost a limb"
"You could have at least make your word a little bit, concerning?"
"Nhmm"
He replied as he nodded, which made my mother quite irritated. Sighing a bit, I then spoke
"The world isn't a pond, but an ocean' I have truly learned such word upon arriving in the south. Monster with caliber I couldn't fathom, and enemies that are unknown to most lurks there, just waiting an opportunity to pouch me. And among those we should always look out for-"
I then stated at father and added
"Are doubts and regrets"
"Darling"
Isabelle whisperingly spoke, as all of them looked at me with a confusion, and bewilderment. Taking another silent breath, as I steel my heart, I then added
"I live in a certain village, located in an island, detached from this continent, just far between the south and west, and could only be accessed when venturing the east, the village of [Mors Cadaveris et Mortis]" (Latin for the death of a corpse and of death)
"Where death resound through the corpse, and death"
Father then suddenly spoke, as he gazed at me with a stoic look, even mother has a serious expression, painted on her face
"Where did you hear-no"
Father then swayed his head, as he realized that he asked the wrong question. He then stared at me, and asked
"Did you really came, from that village?"
I then nodded. Mother face were then painted in shocked, worry, doubt, and fear, while Isabelle, Natsumi, and Sheryl was confused to the situation, engulfing in front of them, while father didn't falter, as he keep staring at me
"[Maledictio Peccati et Doloris de Terra Mortis], was what everyone referred my hometown as, long ago before I was even born. Some even called it [The Island that bores Transgression of Immorality]. I was born in a village where strength speaks all, and rules are sustained for those who are strong" (Latin for the curse of sin and pain from the land of death)
"The very essence of 'survival of the fittest"
I then nodded towards Sheryl's words
"The village, my hometown, was covered in thick Mist, both magic and naturally produced, making your way inside it confusing and hard, as if transversing a never ending Maze. Only at the moment, when the moon covered the sun, could the Mist dissappear, lightning your way to our home, and finding yourself inside that village. But even with such guidance, don't dare step inside a Lion's den, where Wolf hides, and Jackals laughed"
"What does-"
"It's an old saying in my village, where anyone you meet is your enemy, even if it is your own father and child. Don't step in, if you don't want to find your end, and If you seek guidance to our village, make sure you are permitted, if not, then even your family's corpse will not be found"
As I answered Natsumi's inquiry.
"A disaster wreck havoc in our village, causing everyone, except me, to meet their end. The source was unknown, nor the reason of why, it just happened and ended, and nothing further follows"
I then took a deep breath and added
"All my memories that time were suddenly sealed, locked away, but yet, some still harbors me in my sleep, never letting me go, nor find peace. Though I can't remember them correctly, those emotions, those desires of hatred and regret, they were like chains, wrapping me up, and sinking me beneath. Right after that event where I lose myself, all memories then slowly came back, letting me remember for all the chaos that took hold of my village"
I then clenched my fist as I stated
"Even finding who I truly was"
"Who, you truly are?"
Mother asked, curiously questioned. I then gaze at her as I responded
"I think, I found my other self, which I don't know how, but I was able to talk to him, and able learn about, everything"
Mother was confused as she looked at me, while father was lost on his thought - as he crossed his arms, as he lean his body on the sofa - before he suddenly spoke
"Reincarnation"
"We also thought the same, father"
As Isabelle replied, father then gaze at her, though he still wore a stoic look, but his demeanor changed
"Like darling, we also found our other selves"
"Explain"
Mother stated. Isabelle then nodded
"I found a woman named Isabella, with the same structure, faces, and, everything, as if I was looking at a mirror. The only difference would be, she wasn't a Paladin, but rather an Elementalist like darling. After I fought with.... Another darling, I mean- the other self of darling, in the midst of almost certain death, I then meet her, and talked to her. She was also able to guide me to what I lack as a fighter, and as-ahem"
She then coughed, cutting off her words before she continued
"She also stated she was once darling's lover, and someone.... He holds dear"
(Author's POV)
Her last words that she spoke were quite heavy, as if she was drowning in loneliness and sorrow
(Creeper's POV)
"Mine was the same. Height, weight, breast size, and our clothes, we even have the same likes and dislikes, and our class is also identical to each other. More than a mirror selves, we are like twins"
As Sheryl spoke, though she was quite sneckered as she explained their bust size.
"The only difference between me and my other selves was, our butt, as mine was bigger. Other than that, we are completely the same"
As Natsumi spoke, she truly destroyed the mood that was roaming around the room, Sheryl even glared at her
"... Reincarnation is a process where one soul of your past self, will reborn to another. The vessel might be different, but the soul will always be the same, but those things are only in theory, and more of a mythical tales of legends, and nothing more"
"And yet here we are, facing such legend head on"
Isabelle spoke, as father tried analyzing the situation we are in. As the room was engulfed in silence
Clap!
"!?"
"Let us not dwell to much of something that we yet to know, neither to something we can't know. Let us be grateful that the 4 of you are alive and back, we shall further tackle this event after we have gained all the necessary informations we needed, and other things to include"
Mother spoke. Everyone of us then nodded to her words, as trying to probe on something that not of us know, it will bore no fruit for such endeavor.
"Let us rather talk about your voyage towards the south, how was it?"
Mother then suddenly switch her self as she asked me, crossing her legs with the right at the top, and leaning her right elbow atop of it, as she listened. Sighing, I then told them about all the things we encountered, and experienced in the south region
Slam
"What?!"
Mother yelled, right after I told her about the almost death end of our venture, as we faced an emerald ranked monster, the [Wisp Ship: Batavia], in our second day of our voyage.
"If wasn't for that mysterious uncle that helped us during such crisis, we should be goners"
Isabelle stated
"But what really caught me was, on what kind of luck did we have, that such entity's skill didn't worked on us? That uncle stated that if someone has a strong foundation in mind and body, repelling it won't be easy, but not impossible"
"[The Will of the Wisp] can't be easily fought back, even how much training you do, if the level you have against it, is like how you compare a deep ocean, and a bottle of water"
Mother then replied to Sheryl's inquiry, and denied her claim
"So how then mother?"
"The badges we gave before you departed, take them out"
Though confused, all 4 of us then took our badges out, the [Travelers Badge]. Mother then stretched her left arm towards me, asking me to hand my badge to her, which I gave without questions. Mother then flipped the badge to the back, and raised it at the length that we could see
"The back part has a talisma that I placed, which I added after it was created, called [Consciousness Fortitude]. It has an effect that gives each of the beholder a shield that protects them to any soul, or mind attack, that are only 5 times the rank of the owner, anything beyond that is something it can't hold on"
Mother was pointing at the design that has a bow, with 2 pointy edge upfront, and a long center, that stretches backward. There are 2 bows, facing at the opposite side. At the center was a leaf design, one is pointing up, while the other is pointing below, with a circular shape at the center. All are coated in gold touch. It was really hard to see it as a talisma.
"So it was that talisma that saved us"
"I made it as a countermeasure to any mind, or soul attack that you might, unexpectedly, faced during your exploration, which was indeed a good decision of mine"
Though mother was seem relieved, she couldn't hide her distress. After that, I then further spoke all the things we encountered, mother was quite enthusiastic to our journey towards the kingdom, not until
"A thick [Mist] covering an entire forest, missing individuals for unknown reason, a new variants of strong monster, and an unknown entity that tamed a {Wrym}, which is at least at emerald rank"
"Also remember mother, that those who went missing are at platinum rank, and above at best. Some aren't just Knights and adventurers, but also some merchants, reportedly gone missing right after entering that forest"
"And yet none even their footprints, nor any clues hinting they went inside that forest, were seen?"
"Yes"
Isabelle nodded to mother's question, which made her lost in thought.
"I was thinking that maybe that person that I, or he fought, might be the cause of this disappearance. Taming a {Wrym} isn't an easy task, especially if they are hot blooded monsters. That Snake might be young, no older than a young fawn, but they shouldn't be an easy task to be taken out, especially if their mother should be guarding them, which is a feat we shouldn't take for granted"
"Do this monsters lives with their parents, darling?"
"They usually being monitored by their mother, as their father should be leaving their nest, right after the mother give birth, and will assure that their young child will grow, splendidly, and with care. Their mother should be guarding them until they reached the appropriate age, where they could find their own food, and survive on their own, even from their parents hands. Serpents are known to eat their young when they already reached an appropriate age, or even when they are still young, especially if they were hungry. Some even will try to protect their young by leaving the nest to find found, right after the egg hatches. {Wrym's} might be a partly {Dragon}, but they are mostly overgrown Serpents"
"I see"
Sheryl said, as I answered her inquiry.
"I will try to investigate this matter, as the south region is still one of our partnered place, and has a place we have jurisdiction to"
"It wasn't tackled during the meeting before our departure but, I am thinking on asking mother for her cooperation, to be a-"
"A spy to that kingdom?"
"Yes, just in an essence of, recollection"
I replied to mother's question
"Oh my, so my son now has grown up to be able to think such ha, how wonderful~. But-"
She then stared at me with a stoic look, as she added
"The King and Queen aren't stupid to be deceive by such thing, they aren't ruler for nothing"
"I know, but if we offer them some 'generous' offer, I think those doubt shouldn't pose any problem to us"
"And what might be those 'generous' offer?"
"I will take care for that matter, It won't be a problem, I shall arrange the necessary documents for that"
Father responded
"But rather than that, what should you be doing then?"
"I am thinking of further honing my skills, father, and even trying to unlock some new fundamentals on myself"
"We also thought the same, right after meeting those people, ghost or whatever, father. They gave us some pointers on how to further improve ourselves, so I wanted to try to at least give it some shot"
Natsumi stated
"I am thinking of visiting the [Village of Portch] for this matter"
"That village? Why?"
Father's word seems heavy as I mentioned that village, with his concerning eyes that were looking at me, which made me confused
"There is a certain cave there that might help me seek, this unfamiliarity that I am feeling. I would like to also wanted to visit that village, to see what those people are doing now"
"..."
Father didn't answered, as he silently closed his eyes, and took a deep breath
"What is it, father? Something wrong?"
Isabelle inquired
"That village, Portch, was massacred"
"What!?!"
Sheryl yelled, right after mother spoke, which also taken all of us aback.
"Mother, what is this? What is this supposed to mean!?"
Taking a breath, mother then replied
"5 days after you departed, a certain news then came in. It started from a simple gossip, that none of those villagers were seen going out from their hometown. From there, words then keep going and going, until all curiosity were born from those whispers, 'where did they go?' was what many asked"
"We didn't move any personnel for such roamers, so we didn't know anything before the 3rd day came in, as one of those curious people visited that village, and found a wretched place of corpse and wreckage"
As father added, mother's words. The 3 of us were silent, as we couldn't believe what we just heard, especially that we just secured that village, not long before.
"The people?"
Natsumi whisperingly asked, with flickering worries and anger
"None survived the attack, can't even count how many were found dead, as their body was all over the place"
"Dammit"
Sheryl cursed, as she clenched her fist
"The penetrator?"
Father then swayed his head, before he spoke
"No clues of who are they are, neither their whereabouts, even the reason why they did such crime. I already deployed some personnel for such matter, and no news yet were found. It might take a while to find who did it"
With a heavy atmosphere clouding the room, the 3 of us could only closed our eyes, and curse in our breath.
(???? POV)
"Sniff.... Sniff..... Help me..... Sniff... Sniff..... Pleaseeee... Help me..... Hic.... Hic"
Bang!
"Kyaaa!"
Graoowll!
Bark! Bark! Nark!
Grrrrrrr!
"Ahhhhhh!"
Bang!
"Kyaaaa!"
Bang! Bang!
"Please! Help me! Momma! Poppa!"
Bang! Bang!
Bark! Bark! Bark!
"Ahhhhhh!"