"Uhh I don't think you'll find the Rune of Dreams hiding out in a place like this master..."
"You silly little book you. It's not just the Rune of Creams or whatever that I'm looking for. I'm trying to think outside the box and put myself in that dingdong Viktor's shoes and go somewhere I think he would go." The chilly sunset air smacks against my skin as I walk down the grasslands on the far outskirts of Fortuna's wall. I've decided to be a smart boy and go somewhere that isn't Fortuna.
Because let's be honest with ourselves for a minute - If you stole something, the last place you'd want to be is at the area you stole it from.
This is big brain time.
"Maybe we'll find a way to break the cycle and begin a new journey that doesn't involve going to a Kingdom over and over and solving its crisis~"
"That's kind of too much to ask for. Ask for something less, thanks."
"Like fishbones, Nya?"
"Exactly like fishbones."
"Master, there's something ahead."
I look forward and spot a ruined graveyard. It's kind of small, but aren't all graveyards kind of small? I guess it depends on where it is and what is getting buried there. Or what family tree is getting buried there. Maybe I'm just thinking too much about it.
I step through the thin black gates that look like they've been breached by some giant monkey. The way they're just gaped open makes it look like some fatso busted into a coffee shop like they're trying to get the last powdered donut before they run out on a morning rush.
"Lucifer, do you sense that clown Viktor anywhere? Or the Rune of-"
"Creams? Hmmm no. But I do sense someone else..."
*Thunk*
I look to my right and see an old man probably in his late 50's leaning against a tombstone, his palms resting on a long black shovel. And there's a dark red horse hitched just to his left against the ruined thin black gate.
He's wearing a black cowboy hat, a black duster, and he has long gray hair and a thin beard.
And he's wearing a black necklace with a single red jewel.
"Well, I didn't know there were kids still going around Fortuna, and right after hell broke loose couple'a days ago too." He speaks in the deep raspy voice you'd expect from an old timer. He then looks up at me, giving me the chance to look at the top half of his face, and onto his dark red eyes looking into mine. "Don't think you're from Fortuna, what's your name?"
"Aleksander."
"Hmm." He stands up straight. "I don't think you gave me the right name. That's just an alias, isn't it?"
"..Uh." How did he know? Was there something off with my expression when I said it? I made sure to not to show any kind of body language to blow my cover. This old man is digging into my soul like he's the world's leading detective or some crap.
"Relax kid, I'm just messing with ye." He sniffs, then spits at a rock like a cowboy would do.
"...Right. Well you can just call me Alek I guess. Y'know, since it's shorter and all..."
"I am Father Shaye John. Since we are shortening names, you can just call me Father John, if you will."
"You some kind of priest?"
"I can see why you would think that, but no. Far from it."
"That's kinda weird." What's the point of having the 'Father' part if you're not connected to god in any way? That's pretty weird.
It doesn't really surprise me all that much though. I've met a handful of weird people so far.
Apart from that, nothing in this world makes the least bit sense. I should just get into the habit of not questioning everything and just continue living this life.
"You think so?" He picks up his shovel and starts to dig up the pile of dirt next to him, before shoveling the dirt onto the coffin by his feet. "Afraid yer not gonna find what you're looking for out here, Alek. The one you want is still in Fortuna."
"I told you!!"
"Uh." How much does he know? I'm guessing he somehow knows I'm looking for the lanky bimbo that took the Rune of Creams. I'll just stop with the questions and be on my very way. But first... "If you're not some kind of priest, then who are you?" I look over my shoulder at him, still shoveling dirt.
"Me, huh?" He looks up at me, holstering his shovel over his right shoulder. "I'm just a gravedigger." He turns away and starts to walk towards his horse.
"Let's get a move on, Alek. Duty calls elsewhere..."
I walk back out the ruined gates and start to take the path back.
.
.
.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Elsewhere...
"Too bright...too bright..!!" Yukki shouts, shielding her eyes from the bright neon lights emitting from the many projections mantled onto the buildings.
"Oh relax. It simply looks like projection magic. It won't kill you, unfortunately." Rin sighs to herself, sitting with her legs crossed as the light from the bright projections bounce off her golden cross necklace.
"Hm.. 'Make your dreams a reality' huh? So stupid..." Hero mutters, unamused.
"The streets are so empty..." Akane looks onto the ruined decorated streets, holding her hand out from the side of the carriage and watching the glitter particles land on her hand.
"Hm? 'Remember your dreams with the new Dream Catcher starting at 5 platinum coins'? How barbaric!" Gwyn crosses her arms, scanning the projections and onto their contents.
"This place looks like something out of a dream..." Crowella speaks her thoughts, gazing at the various colorful projections and onto the diverse shapes. "A-And the way everything is so empty just reminds me of the strange dreams I get..."
"Oh, do you remember your dreams?" Emilia looks at Crowella siting next to her. "I can never remember mine..."
"Not really..." Crowella tangles her finger around her left braid, nervously rolling her finger around. "Only the really scary ones..."
"Hahh... Why have we stopped, Draken?" Rin raises her eyebrow, looking ahead and onto the opening in the front end of the carriage, then onto Draken.
"Bandits..." Draken replies, holding onto the lead wrapped around the large drake. "Didn't think we'd get confronted this early." He looks at the three figures clad in tattered cloth, blocking the road ahead.
"..H-Hand over the l-loot..!" The one in the middle yells in a shaky voice, holding up a dagger. "..W-We can d-do this the easy way..! N-N-No one needs to get hurt..!"
"Ah?" Draken's eyebrows raise, looking at the three figures raising their rusty short weapons. "Uh.. listen.."
"SHUT IT!" The one on the left yells, the hood obscuring his face falling and revealing a malnourished pale man. "J-Just hand over the goods.. quickly!
"Just what is this?" Rin hops off from the back of the carriage, then walks around to the front. "You are in the way. Move." She glares at the three figures, narrowing her red eyes.
"Gh!" The one in the middle reaches into his tattered robe and pulls out a red sphere, before smashing it into the ground.
*FRShHh..* A red smoke releases up into the sky with a loud screech.
Suddenly more men begin to appear from the alleyways, from the road behind the carriage, and from the boarded-up buildings, slowly surrounding the carriage, holding pitchforks, shovels, and various kinds of common tools threateningly.
"Agh!" One of the men gets knocked back after they tried forcing their way into the back of the carriage.
"Hm." Hero steps out from the back of the carriage, then hops down onto the cobble. "Did you not get the idea? Go away." He looks at the two other men help the man that was kicked away stand back up, before backing up into the mob of bandits.
"Hahh.. Rin get back in the carriage, let me handle this.." Draken lets go of the lead and hops down onto the bricked cobble. "Listen fellas, we ain't packing much except five other kids from Luthran. Just step aside, ah?" He looks at the three men as they look at each other.
"Can we hurry up and get a move on..!?" Gwynalice yells from inside the carriage impatiently.
"W-what..? The Kingdom of Luthran?" The one in the middle speaks up, removing his hood and revealing another man with a malnourished look. "..Impossible! None can pass through the barrier... and none can get out!"
"..Please! Help us..!" The man in the left falls onto his knees, slowly crawling towards the carriage. "..Please.. take us with you! Get us out..." Tears begin to form in his eye sockets, dropping onto the cobble. "..My wife and daughter... they haven't eaten in two days.. Please.."
"..You fool!" The man in the middle yells, raising his dagger forward threateningly. "The barrier remains active infinitely! These people... they are liars! There is no possible way to breach through the Mysterial barrier that the foolish Dream King has doomed us with!" He lunges forward and grabs onto the man's shoulders, raising him up and forcing him to meet his gaze. "Your hunger has scrambled your head! We are trapped here.. with those.. murderous weapons of slaughter..!"
"..L-Let's just kill them a-and take their loot!" The man in the right raises his small wooden staff, the small blue crystal on its tip beginning to shine.
"...Fool!" The man in the middle drops the crying man back onto the ground, then smacks the wooden staff from his hands. "..Are you mad!? Magic will alert them to our position! Do you want to die!?"
"..No..No please..! I-I don't want to see them.. I don't want to relive the sight..." The crying man begins shaking uncontrollably. "..Those things killed my son..." His eyes go bloodshot in fear and insanity. "..They took him.. th-they.. they split his body.. in.. in tw-.. in.. in two.. BRHGR.. BLAGHGHRRHGHR..!!" He vomits white liquids onto the cobble, shaking in delirium.
"Hmph..." Rin crosses her arms, adverting her gaze with masked apprehension.
"Oh my..." Emilia peeks from the opening in front of the carriage, her hand on her mouth in distraught.
"Enough talking..!" The man in the middle grips onto his dagger. "..W-We just want the stuff... H-hand.. Hand it o-over..!" The mob of bandits around the carriage raise their makeshift weapons, slowly approaching the carriage.
"..No..." The crying man begins to crawl towards the carriage. "..I don't.. I don't have the strength.. I don't.. I can't keep l-living like this.. Pl-please.." He crawls in front of the large Drake, wrapping his hand around its arm. "..PLEASE..!"
*BZZZZZFWOOM!* The Drake shot a bolt at the man, vaporizing him in a red explosion, followed by the loud sound of a thunder bolt that echoes across the ruined empty streets.
"..N-..no.." The man in front drops his dagger onto the cobble. "...They're.. they're coming.."
"What are you talking about?" Hero joins Rin and Draken at the front of the carriage, looking at the red blood pool, then onto the man in the front. "Who's coming?"
*R:r:R:r:r:R:r:m:mmm* A magnetic, deep trumpet-like sound echoes from beyond the distance.
"...No.. Nononono..!!" The man in front quickly turns around and begins running towards an alleyway, disappearing from sight.
*CLANG* *CLANG* The sound of metal hitting against cobble rings loudly as the mob of bandits around the carriage drop their makeshift weapons and turn to quickly run away.
"Buncha lunatics..." Draken scratches his red hair, sighing to himself.
"..Uh.. didn't the headmaster say something about.. Golems?" Yukki peaks her head from the front of the carriage.
*R:R:R:R:R:R:R:MMM* Another deep magnetic trumpet-like sound echoes from beyond the streets. Only this time, it is closer.
"What? Golems?" Gwyn steps out of the carriage and joins the three as Emilia follows behind her. "What king of golems? Rock golems? Marble golems? Be specific!" She crosses her arms.
"How should I know.." Hero glares over at Gwyn, annoyed she decided to step out and join them. "Whatever let's just keep moving so I can get back and get myself expel-"
*CRASH!*
The group tense up as they look to the side of the building on their left, and onto the giant axe buried violently against the brick wall that was thrown, dried red stains clearly outlined along its edge.
"..Well well, I didn't know golems could make such an entrance like this.." Draken grips onto his broadsword, watching a 10-foot knight golem slowly emerge from an alleyway, dragging itself as it walks in an odd manner, its joints repeatedly shaking and emitting purple sparks, childlike stickers and glitter pasted onto its shiny green armor.
"Wha-?... How dare they!" Gwyn balls her fists, watching the golem drag itself towards the giant axe buried against the wall, before forcefully retracting it with its large shiny green hands. "You listen and you listen well!" She points at it, face red with anger as it suddenly grips onto the large axe, looking over at the group, and letting out a low, deep magnetic hum. "..You would dare attempt to harm someone of the Silvergate family..? Who do you think you are!?"
*R:R:R:M:M:M* It emits a louder magnetic hum, then begins to slowly walk towards them, dragging its large axe along the cobble as it slices along the ground, leaving a deep line along its path.
"Alright that's enough, Gwyn." Draken looks at Hero, Rin and Gwyn as they look at the shiny large green suit of armor drag itself towards them in an unnerving manner. "Get back in the carriage." He grabs onto his broadsword, tightening his grip. "All of you, go, now." He starts to walk towards the shaky sentient armor.
"Hah?" Gwyn complaints with defiance.
"Just listen." Rin and Hero begin to walk back towards the back of the carriage.
*R:R:R:M* The large green knight raises its huge axe high up in the air, before SLAMMING it down in a loud IMPACT.
"..Too much force, not enough speed, ah?" Draken dodged the large, but slow slam of its axe, before leaping upwards and delivering a hard Slash onto its green helmet.
*cling* His sword instantly recoiled backwards, stunning him briefly after landing back onto the ground. "..What? I can't move..?" His muscles ignore his brain's signal to move.
*R:R:R:M:M:M* It once again raises its red-stained axe into the air, the reflections of the various bright projections bouncing off its shiny surface as it looks down at him.
*FWSSH* It suddenly halts its movements after a purple magic arrow got fired at the glowing circle in its helmet, the impact of the magic projectile hitting against its shiny green surface echoing across the empty streets.
*CRASH!* It resumed its movement before slamming its axe down at Draken's previous position after his muscles recovered from its numb state.
"Hmph... Not even a scratch." Rin lowers her rapier, then looks over at Draken as he slowly begins to back away.
*R:r:R:r:r:R:r:m:mmm* Multiple deep magnetic trumpet-like humming echoes from beyond the streets.
"So what? Just throw a burning hot ball of fire at it~!" Gwynalice's ring glows, giving shape to a ball of flames on her hand.
"..Don't." Draken backs himself against the large Drake as it is plopped against the ground. "..We can't fight that thing."
"Ha? Sorry didn't hear you..!" Gwyn throws the ball of fire at its helmet, the sound of an EXPLOSION follows immediately after impact.
"...Just use blunt force and deal with it already." Hero walks towards the large suit of armor, clockwork gauntlet in hand as he watches the smoke slowly dissipate and revealing no scratches along its shiny green surface.
"..Hero no..!" Draken attempts to lunge and grab onto his shoulder but fails to catch up as Hero charges up a fiery punch and launches himself towards the large amor's left leg.
*CLANg.....* The sound of metal hitting against metal reverberates across the streets as Hero looks up at the shiny golem, then onto his gauntlet connected to its leg. "..What the hell..? I can't feel my arm..?" The shockwaves that spread throughout his skin after the impact catches up to him, numbing his nerves.
*PFWBANG!* Four big musket balls ricochet off the knight helmet after getting shot from Draken's quad barreled musket, briefly stalling its movement before it could raise its axe. "..Moron! Get back over here now!" Draken shouts, reloading his musket.
"..Damn it, I still can't feel my body.." Hero looks up at the large armor, raising its red-stained axe up.
"..Here!" Emilia peeks from the carriage, casting a pink barrier around him as the large axe SLAMS onto the bright pink surface, releasing a shockwave across the streets immediately after impact, shattering the windows on the surrounding buildings. "Huh..? I can't feel my mana waves.." Emilia holds up her hands in front of her face, staring in confusion.
"..Neither can I." Rin's rapier de-manifests abruptly, along with Akane's summon.
"W-Where did Icky go..!?" Akane begins to shake her small staff over and over.
"...What are these things made of..!?" Hero begins to back away after regaining control of his nerves.
"I can't summon stickers... it's as if he can't hear my mana calling out to him..!?" Yukki squints her eyes, trying to get a closer look at the shiny green armor. "I've never seen that kind of material before...is that anti-mana armor or something??"
*STOMP* *STOMP*
*STOMP*
*R:R:R:M:M:M*
Four 10-foot sentient knight armors emerge from the surrounding alleys, scraping their large armaments against the cobble and emitting deep magnetic hums as they approach the lone carriage, glitter particles falling off their shiny surfaces.
"N-n-n-no..." Crowella begins to shake, covering her ears as a new scar engraves onto her brain from the killer metal machine's humming.
"..Well, this got all sorts of messed up, hm.." Draken grips onto his broadsword in one hand, quad musket in the other.
"..Well, at least I'll die to a large piece of armor rather than a dragon. In a way, I'm glad this is the way it ends." Hero snickers to himself, a bead of sweat rolling down his neck as the gears shift and clang along his gauntlet, looking up at the five tall metal beings dragging their heavy armaments towards them.
"Oh, quiet that pathetic mouth! The least you can do is let me die without your constant pitiful whining..." Gwyn sighs, crossing her arms and looking up at the bright projections and onto the bright colorful letters and shapes.
"Are you two seriously giving up!!" Yukki hops off the carriage, walking towards them, then looking at the group of living armor inching closer. "..Well, I can see why now.."
"Rin? What are you doing..?" Emilia and Crowella watch as Rin suddenly begins to walk towards the five large metal knights, unflinching as their deep magnetic trumpet-like roars scrape against her ear drums for each step she gets closer.
"Hmph." She stands before the five metal giants, looking up at them as they look back down at her, slowly raising their heavy red-stained weapons. "..Please, father.." She whispers to herself, her hand reaching up her chest to grab onto the golden cross necklace.
"The heck are you doing prez..!?" Yukki calls out to her, confusion on her face as she looks at the metal titans seconds from slamming their heavy weapons onto her.
The golden necklace hanging from Rin's neck suddenly emits a small golden glow, slowly spreading.
"...Lux's necklace, huh... So he's still watching over us after all." The light from the golden glow reflects off Draken's prosthetic bronze arm as he watches the holy light engulf Rin.
"Holy magic...? Crowella peeks from the carriage, mesmerized by the golden sparkling light spreading, growing brighter than the colorful projections mounted on the ruined buildings.
Rin manifests her rapier, before the golden light shifts and combines along it, tracing up its edges until the shape of a long golden sword overrides up its tip. "...No one is dying, not again." Rin raises her golden-engulfed rapier, the tip of the glowing golden sword aimed upwards, spreading its sparkling light, before she suddenly SLASHES at the four sentient armors in a long golden cleave.
Shing---* The sound of a single heavenly chime echoes across the street, before the sound of heavy objects crashing against the ground follows.
*THUNK* *THUNK* The top halves of the large armors crashed onto the ground, leaving heavy dents against the cobble.
"Huff.. Huff.." Rin falls onto her knee, her hand on her chest as she struggles to breathe. "..Don't just stand there..." She looks over to Draken, a look of bewilderment on his face as he approaches her.
"Well I'll be.." He grabs her arm and wraps it over his shoulder, helping her up. "It's been a while since I've seen one of Lux's holy blade arts, you really are his flesh and blood to be able to stay breathing after using that, heh.."
"..Hmph." Rin stays quiet, clutching onto her golden cross necklace as she looks down at the ground.
"..Waow prez..!! I didn't know you could do that..!?" Yukki joins them, poking Rin's tired thigh over and over.
"Holy magic really is the work of God... Where would we be without their gifts? Fufu~" Emilia giggles to herself, joining the group and smiling at everyone.
*R:r:R:r:r:R:r:m:mmm* The familiar sound echoes from beyond the streets, jolting everyone up as they attempt to process the events so far.
"..Damn, there's more?" Hero darts his gaze to the various alleys, then over his shoulder, attempting to predict where the large killer armors will approach from.
"...Screw that! Our path forward is open, let's book it to the castle!" Draken suddenly lifts Rin onto his arms, carrying her after she let out a surprised yelp. "..Run!" He looks over his shoulder, then immediately begins sprinting forward.
"Wha-" Gwyn stands motionless, confused at the audacity, before realizing she'd rather get tired from running than get smooshed under a weapon bigger than her body. "..I swear..!" She immediately begins to run after him.
"Hero..!!!" Crowella shrieks as she jumps onto Hero's back and wraps her arms around his neck, anchoring herself to him in panic.
"OOF...!" He suddenly looks over his shoulder with annoyance. "..What do you think you're doing!?"
She looks at him with teary eyes. "..I-I can't run very fast... A-And I'm scared my legs will give out a-a-and-"
"..You're already scared...Tch whatever." He grabs onto her calves and begins to sprint forward, not bothering to stick around for the large armors to catch up.
"L-Last one there is a rotten slime..!!" Yukki shouts in a shaky voice over her shoulder at the two remaining girls before breaking into a wobbly sprint.
"Huh! Hey..!" Akane watches the group grow distant as they run towards the castle, before looking at Emilia. "Let's go..!" She takes her hand as they begin to run after everyone else.
"Hahh! Hah..! S-slow down!" Gwyn yells as she watches Draken pick up more and more speed in front of her. "..I demand you Hah.. I d-demand you wait for me this very instant..!!"
"F-Faster..!" > < Crowella shrieks as she continues piggyback riding on Hero as he soon catches up to Gwyn before passing her.
"..You don't get to tell me that..!" Hero breathlessly groans out loud, gripping onto Crowella's legs in irritation.
"..Hii!" Yukki greets as she catches up to Hero, running side by side, then smirking with a confused and raised eyebrow as she looks over at Crowella riding behind him.
"HAAAH..!" Gwyn suddenly stops, leaning forward and grabbing onto her knees as she attempts to catch her breath, then glaring up at Draken as he gets farther than everyone else. "...What's with him!? Seriously! Huff... How is that brute so fast..??"
Emilia and Akane catch up to her, looking at Gwyn as she takes deep huffs. "Are you okay?" Emilia reaches out her hand with a concerned look.
"..B-But of course~!" Gwyn straightens up, hands on her hips as she smiles wide, revealing her small fang. "I'm not so weak as to not possess the necessary stamina for an everyday excursion..!"
*R:r:R:r:r:R:r:m:mmm...*
The three look at each other briefly, before suddenly breaking into a sprint towards everyone ahead.
"For crying out loud Draken..! I can feel my mana waves so let me go already! I can run on my own!" Rin growls at Draken, looking up at him as he continues to carry and shake her around as he sprints at a fast rate down the ruined streets. "For petes sake..."
"Ah? Yeahh sorry can't hear you Rin, running..!" Draken suddenly spots two large green armored knights appear from the corners ahead, blocking their path. "..Ah damn it!"
"Just keep running!" Rin raises her hand and points forward, casting a wide purple platform on the street. "Jump now!"
"Ah? Shit, alright..!" Draken raises an eyebrow with uncertainty before complying, hopping forward and landing on the flat purple light.
*FwoOboink*
He gets launched forward into the air, looking down at the streets as he soars. "Damn it Rin warn me next time..!"
"S-Shut up and don't drop me!" She looks over Draken's shoulders and onto the rest of the group, watching as they follow in Draken's footsteps and launch themselves up in the air.
"HYAA!" Gwyn clutches onto her dress, attempting to prevent it from hiking up as she screams through the air.
"..You're freaking choking me..!" Hero yells over his shoulder as Crowella digs her nails into his neck as she screams.
"Whoaa..! The lights are so pretty!!" Yukki beams in awe as she looks below and onto the bright neon projections illuminating the now darkened streets.
"W-WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO LAND!?" Akane screams, watching the rough ground grow closer as gravity beings to pull them back down cruelly.
"P-Please leave it to me!" Emilia flips through her grimoire, reaching into a page and pulling out a pink orb, then throwing it below them.
*POP!* The orb lands and explodes into a large pink ball, deflating as the whole group land in a bouncy and soft impact in front of the castle
"Hrg.. My back.." Draken groans out loud, looking over at everyone as they rise to their feet
"Shut up and drop me." Rin glares at him as she sets foot onto the cobbled ground, crossing her arms.
"What king of magic was that Emilia?! Huh? Huh!?" Yukki hops up and down, clutching Emilia's hand eagerly.
"Bubble gum!" Emilia smiles at her, a flushed look on her face as she watches Yukki bounce on her boots.
"What? Magic modeled after candy!?" Gwyn raises her eyebrows in amused disgust, then looking over at Hero drop Crowella onto the floor as she shrieks, then dusting his shoulders and sighing to himself.
*STOMP* *STOMP*
*R:R:R:R:M* The mob of eight living armors catch up to them, slowly closing in on their position.
"O-Oh no..!" Akane gets interrupted as she combs her messy blonde hair, looking at the army of killer machines drag their large iron tools as they get closer.
"Get in!" The group look over to a young girl with long dark purple hair with violet streaks holding the large double doors to the castle open. "You guys wanna get smooshed into a red puddle!? Get in noww these doors are frickin' heavy..!!" > <;
They all run past her, slipping inside as the girl shuts the large doors before a large thrown axe could impale her.
Everyone stands in the middle of the entry hall, looking at her as she leans against the large doors.
"..Uh.." She straightens up, looking at the group of strangers that suddenly sought refuge in her castle. "..Hi." She waves awkwardly.
"..Ah, hm.. are you.. Princess Kuroime?" Draken walks towards her, pulling out a letter out of his jacket and showing it to her.
"Oh! My letter! So I'm actually getting help??" Kuroime beams up, relief washing over her face as she looks at everyone, before coming to a realization. "Ah... Ku~Hyun.. Where are my manners ahaha..!" She brushes her fingers on her dark violet hair, smoothing out the loose strands, then bowing. "Kuroime Fortuna Willowfield, I thank you for accepting my pathetic plea..." She looks up, smiling with embarrassment.
"Draken Fanghart of Luthran." Draken offers his hand, then points over his shoulder. "This here is Platoon seven of the Pale Inquisition. They're a lil' erratic, but they're the Luthran Kingdom's future, heh.."
"Erratic?" Rin crosses her arms and glares at him.
"Oh please, hardly!" Gwyn also gives Draken her glare as she places her hands on her hips.
"So you're all from Luthran? It's so nice of you to give me your help, I have yet to reach back from Azula and Draevak... bunch'a jerks.." She looks away with a pout, then realizing something. "Ah, I am very sorry for your loss..."
"Eh that's old news, don't sweat it." Draken gives a half smile. "Raise your head, Princess Kuroime." He offers his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet a new face thought to not exist."
"J-Just Kuroime is fine..!" She takes his hand, smiling shyly. "..Yeah.. a fifth Kingdom haha.. surprise..!"
"Emilia Goldkin, pleasure!" Emilia steps forward with Akane, offering a friendly smile.
"Akane Rosevoir, thank you for letting us in..." Akane smiles nervously, thinking of what would have happened had they have been stuck out on the ruined streets.
"Rin." Rin introduces herself, straight to the point, looking away with her arms crossed, then up onto the unlit chandelier hanging above them.
"Gwynalice Silvergate, at your service~" Gwyn looks at Hero next to her before bumping his shoulder.
"Tch.. Hero." He mumbles in a low voice, uncaring for introductions, his attention caught onto the bright neon lights shining through the tall windows through the night sky.
"Crowella..." Crowella mumbles in a whisper, still thinking about the large iron executioners that threatened to wipe them out, the sound of their abnormal humming still echoing in her ears.
"Hiiii~!" Yukki shoves herself past Emilia and Akane and stepping right in front of Kuroime's face, causing her to reflexively jolt. "It's so nice to meet you!! I'm Yukki! Just call me Yukki everyone calls me that hiii~! So you're the princess of Fortuna? That's so cool!! But.." She looks at Kuroime up and down as she looks back at her in silence. "So you're the princess of Fortuna? That's so cool!! But.. do princesses really wear that? PFteeheeheehee~!" She breaks into a giggle as she looks at the loose striped top, the black short shorts clinging to her legs, and then onto the dark circles around her eyes. "You look tired! How long have you been up huh?? Do you not go out much~? What do you do all day~?"
"Gh..!" Kuroime flinches slightly, feeling a small rush of irritation creep onto her face. "..B-But of course I'm a princess..! The princess of Fortuna no less!" She places her hands on her hips with a prideful look.
"Ooo~ I don't know.. shouldn't a princess be dressed in a more sophisticated manner~? You sure don't look like one.." Yukki winks at her, with a small smirk.
Kuroime silently glowers at her, wondering if a girl with the ability to annoy her this quickly has really existed this whole time, but chooses to remain silent, narrowing her eyes.
Draken suddenly raises his quad musket and points it up the double stairs after his ears picked up the sound of incoming footsteps. "Hm.." Everyone tenses up after his unexpected motion, looking up at where he is looking.
The footsteps get closer, until a figure emerges from the hallway and begins to step down the stairs. "Lower your weapon, scoundrel." A tall woman with long ultraviolet hair wearing a blindfold descends slowly, looking at the group as they all look up at her.
"Oh, just you, huh, been a while." Draken lowers his weapon, watching as she steps in front of them. "Wasn't expecting to see you again here... I thought we would have met again out in the central plains while you were beating a new student to a pulp, heh."
"Your attempts at humor remain as outlandish as ever." She stands right in front of him, crossing her arms. "Almost as outlandish as your attempt of reaching the outer heavens." Her lips curl slightly, giving shape to a small smirk.
"..Yeah, well, things had to happen, didn't have a choice." Draken adverts his gaze, looking at the glitter particles pass by and stick to the tall windows.
"Hiii!" Yukki waves at her, giggling as she looks up at her tall ears. "Your ears look so fluffy!! Let me touch..."
"Perhaps in due time." She gives everyone a small wave. "You may all address me as Kitsuna."
"A new name already!?" Kuroime yells with confusion and a raised eyebrow.
"Control yourself." Rin says sternly, tugging on the back of Yukki's uniform and pulling her back, before looking over at Kuroime. "Now let's stop wasting time and get to the matter on why we are here."
"..Oh, right!" Kuroime straightens her posture, then looks at everyone as they all look back at her, waiting for her to speak. "I've already said it in the letter, the Rune of Dreams was taken from me.. by a bunch'a MONGOLOIDS!!" > <
"Rune of.. Creams?" Crowella tilts her head.
"Rune of Dreams, my deaf subject." Gwyn bumps her shoulder, correcting her.
"I heard Rune of Screams..." Akane scratches the back of her head.
"..The hell is a 'Mongoloid'..." Hero whispers to himself, thinking.
"Did someone say cream?" Emilia's sweetooth gets activated.
"Shaddap and let her speak!!!" Yukki raises her voice, standing next to Kitsuna and attempting to reach up to touch her ears.
"Yeahh.. The Rune of Dreams.. Ku~Hyun.. Anyways it was taken and I need help getting it back!" Kuroime smiles with prideful triumph, hands on her hips dramatically.
"You expect us to go out there and look for it while getting hunted by giant armored butchers?" Hero crosses his arms, leaning his back against a wall.
"Haah.. Kid's got a point.." Draken scratches his nape with a sigh. "We couldn't do jack against those things, we could'a died if it wasn't for Rin's holy magic.."
"Holy magic!?" Kuroime beams up, looking over to Rin. "Okay sweet! We can use that!" She smiles smugly. "They're pretty weak to that."
"Absolutely not." Rin says with a blank tone. "If I were to use that again, my mana waves would implode."
"Wait." Hero straightens up, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Kuroime. "How do you know they're weak to holy magic?"
Everyone in the entrance hall shoots her their gazes.
"..How do I know? Well because I created them, obviously!" Kuroime crosses her arms and smiles widely with pride. "I even tried making them look cute! I may have used too much glitter..."
"You?" Gwyn looks at Kuroime with disdain, narrowing her eyes. "So it was you that created those weapons of mass destruction? So you're the reason your Kingdom has fallen to ruin?"
Kuroime recoils, looking away with a mix of shame and embarrassment. "..Well... uh.. yea-"
"NONSENSE!" Gwyn shouts, balling her fists. "And you expect us to give you our help?"
"Pretty please?" Kuroime says in a whisper, ashamed she has to plead for assistance as everyone looks at her in silence.
"The Adamant Knights will cease their violent behaviors and return to their docile state once the Rune of Dreams has been returned." Kitsuna steps forward, shifting everyone's attention to her. "After all, it was the ones cloaked in black that are the true perpetrators."
"So those things weren't always violent, huh?" Draken thinks out loud.
"I-I know they look a little... Ahem.. un-hero like.. B-But I promise they're really sweet when they're not trying to axe you in half! Haha..!" Kuroime laughs awkwardly.
"Wait." Rin comes to a realization. "Figures cloaked in black? Did they have a black tag around their arms?"
"Yes!" Kuroime gasps in surprise. "S-So you know who they are? Does this mean you know where the Rune of Dreams could have been taken!?"
"..You called us all the way out here and you don't have even a clue on where it could be.." Hero sighs out loud with amused irritation.
"I have allowed the young man to set out and at least gather a clue or two, perhaps more." Kitsuna says out loud, palming her chin in thought.
"Uh.. who?" Draken asks in confusion.
"Oh, pardon me. I seem to have contracted muscle memory regarding the way I address him." Kitsuna clears her throat with a tinge of embarrassment. "My new pupil, Alek."
Rin, Yukki, Amelia and Akane instantly jolt up and look at Kitsuna as if they had just heard the most unbelievable and shocking thing.
"Alek..!?" Rin is the first to ask with a raised voice.
"Who?" Hero tilts his head with a raised eyebrow as he watches the four girls looking at each other as they are attempting to figure out if it is the right person she mentioned.
*CRASH!*
"OH YEAAAHH!"
The group suddenly look over at the large figure that smashed itself in through the large window above.
"Haah.. You don't have to shout like that every time we make an entrance." The large suit of black armor sighs audibly, kneeling on top of the broken glass fragments.
"You dare instruct me on what I can and cannot do!?" The lanky person sitting a top its shoulder asks with amusement, nearly falling off, holding up his glasses, then looking down at the group as they are looking up at him as if they are looking at some nitwit.
"..YOU!" Kuroime points up at him with clenched teeth.
"ME!" He stands up carefully, holding onto the horn etched onto the black armor's mask with wobbly hands.
"..Who's that?" Draken scratches his head with confusion.
"Probably the village idiot." Rin looks up at him with a blank and stern look.
"Perhaps an intoxicated individual." Kitsuna grips onto her spare katana, slowly unsheathing it.
"He's got a black tag around his arm though!" Yukki squints her eyes, trying to get a closer look at him while holding back a giggle as she watches him attempt not to fall off the large black knight's shoulder plate.
"Probably the Order's idiot." Rin manifests her rapier, ready to beat this moron to a pulp.
"The.. wat?" Kuroime asks in confusion, before shaking her head and regaining her focus. "..Give me back my grimoire!" She stomps her flipflop against the glass fragments spread onto the floor.
"What ever could you mean? Oh, surely you don't mean.. THIS." He pulls out a book with a golden and purple frame, the light of the purple symbol on its cover glowing and shining off the edges.
"..Duh! Give it back! And get your own granma to give you stuff..!!" Kuroime shouts, glaring daggers and sticking her tongue out at him.
"Hm..." He looks at the glowing grimoire in his hand in brief silence, before looking back down at her. "How about NoOoe!"
"Gh...! You little..rat!" Kuroime can feel her blood rush to her face in anger.
"Very well very well, I am feeling awfully generous on this particular day.. catch cretin!" He tosses the book at her with a smirk.
"Ah!" Kuroime lunges forward, reaching for it, but it goes through her hands and falls onto the ground before disappearing. "..Bro." She looks up at him with a blank face.
"BAHAHAHA! YOU BELIEVED." He pulls out another book of the same design, opening it and flipping through its pages. "YOU'VE BEEN HAD BY THE GREAT VIKTOR."
"..Hrng..!.. Asshole!" Kuroime looks away in defiance, crossing her arms.
"..Uh.. what did he say his name was again..?" Draken scratches the back of his head again.
"I heard Hector..." Akane speaks up, palming her chin in confusion.
"VIKTOR." He shouts, correcting them as he closes the book. "And VIKTOR has claimed ownership over the RUNE OF CREAMS."
"It's Dreams, bonehead." The deep voice speaks up from the large suit of black armor, before raising its large black double-bladed axe. "Let's just do what we came here to do so I can get back and water my plants."
"..What more do you R-tards want! You've already taken the Rune of Crea- DREAMS from me..!!" Kuroime balls her fists and shakes them up and down in annoyed frustration.
"And that I have, you loser pest! However despite my bestest efforts, we are unable to slip back out through that pesky barrier.. so we are here to exclude you from the equation for our FREEDOM!" Viktor shouts like a total baboon, tapping his finger against the horn on the black knight's mask.
"..Come again?" Kitsuna speaks up, failing to decode his claim.
"We're here to kill the princess." The large black knight begins to slowly walk towards them. "He thinks killing her will release the barrier, as much as I've told him how stupid that idea sounds."
Viktor flinches in irritation, before raising his voice. "..Silence and do my BIDDING YOU OVERGROWN CUN- *BANG!*
The sound of a gunshot getting fired echoes across the area as Viktor's body suddenly disintegrates into a purple light.
"..Uh...wat.." Kuroime's face is one of pure blank confusion as the room falls silent, looking over at everyone as they share the same look, looking at each other in perplexity.
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*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"WOOOOOOOO! THAT was a good shot.. TELL ME THAT WASN'T A GOOD SHOT!??" I shout like an excited idiot as I exit the scene and hop through the roofs, clutching onto Gloom like the beauty she is after I just got done pulling the most stealth and devious ASSASINATION known to man.
"You were too close to your target to be celebrating like this... It wasn't that much of a good shot Nya.."
"You're just jelly master decided to use me instead of you teehee~"
"Yes yes, well done, Alek. Your enthusiasm is commendable is always."
"Yeah yeah, I know..I know... it's crazy." I stop and sit down over the edge of a roof as the bright lights of the projection billboard things shine onto my eyes and slowly blind me. "Gotta say, I didn't expect to see everyone here. Not even gonna ask who those three were. That girl with the drilled hair looked kinda cute tho."
"My, my..."
"GASP master..!"
"I'm just kidding jeez.. can't joke around with any of you."
"Just shut up and go to sleep Nya.."
"True that." I've been going around all evening trying to look for a smidgen of a clue on where the Cream of Runes could be so I can be done with all this and go back to trying to find a way to convince Kitsuki to set my free, till my searching got interrupted when I heard the sound of something big busting through a window or something. It was so loud I could hear it from across the dang Kingdom. It was enough to get my attention so I yeeted my way over there and saw a big suit of black armor like something out of one of those hardcore fantasy games. It was pretty freaky looking, but what really captured my focus was that clown Viktor, so I decided to bust a cap on his head and let my allies take over from there. I'm sure they can deal with a large black knight, they have Kitsuki with them for heck's sake.
Still, I can't have them spotting me this soon, I've still got some farming to do if I want to be back at full power, and I'm pretty sure they're gonna force me to go back to student council work the second they find me, and I ain't got time for all that.
"Hngg..!" I stretch my back trying to get comfy, my back is killing me. It's to be expected when you carry your teammates the way I just did. "What should we do tomorrow?" It never occurred to me that I haven't set an agenda, which was a bad play on my part. Now I'll wake up all confused trying to figure out what to do and where to go, which will waste critical time I could be using to actually do the activity I would've planned out.
Planning is always a very good thing to do.
"Perhaps the usual..."
"Hm? And what would that be?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you~"
"Why are you being so cryptic Nya? It doesn't suit you Lucy..."
"You're lying. That crazy woman is always thinking about a thing or two constantly."
"..Oh hush.. now get some sleep, we can't progress unless you do after all~"
"You're all distracting me." I lay back against the roof and close my eyes, and I can feel the bright lights from the projections scraping against my eyes.
Lucifer probably just meant repeating the same routine of going somewhere and trying to stay alive while feeding her. Because let's face it, that's pretty much the majority of what I'm actually doing.
Somehow I've turned into the errand boy for Satan the god damn Devil.
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*-*-*-**-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Whoa.."
"What is it, young man? A mosquito get into your mouth?"
"Nah, I just felt a wave of chilly air.. as if a ghost past by me or something."
"A ghost, hm? How unusual... Well we are nearing Fortuna, it is up ahead."
"..Uh, didn't you say that already?" DeJa'Vu is very real and very spooky.
"Young man what are you blabbering about this time?" She looks over to me as we ride our horses side by side, her expression is blank just like always. Sometimes I wonder if she has ever laughed in her life, I don't think I have ever seen or even heard this fox woman laugh.
"Forget it, I think I'm just sleep deprived..." I can't even remember when the last time I've gotten a wink of sleep was. I can't even remember yesterday or the day before.
"How unwise of you, it would do you very good to get some rest when we arrive." She looks over to me, in silence.
"..What?"
"..Hm.. Oh, nothing. I merely find it.. odd that you have been granted passage through the barrier.. Usually outsiders would get disintegrated on the spot.." She palms her chin in intrigue.
"How the hell."
"I can see that confused little expression of yours. You have not been to Fortuna then, I was right all along.."
"What is that supposed to mean.."
"Well then, allow me to give you a brief but small history of Fortuna." She returns her gaze forward. "When the Rune of Dreams was obtained by the first ever King Agamemnon, he gave it to Hitzerald Fortuna. Then, King Hitzerald chose to keep his Kingdom hidden from the outside world after King Agamemnon fell to the abyss, as the corruption began to spread at an alarming rate, forcing him to act out of paranoia."
"Who the hell is King Agamem-.. what..??" What kind of name is that?
"He was the first mortal to ever achieve the role of absolute King, the mortal above mortals, and the first and only mortal to ever choose to do something as outrageous as harnessing the power of the Void. Unfortunately for him, the forbidden knowledge led him to fall into the Abyssal Hollow."
"Hmm..." Just how much history is there to this world? Everyone's talking about King this, King that, researcher this, first mortal that. Why couldn't everyone just live a simple life by becoming farmers or something god damn it. "..Wait, when did this even take place?" Just how old is this woman?
"Before the Kingdoms of Azula and Ragnav were established, and after the war with the ancient dragons that was led by Agamemnon, as well as the first Kings of Luthran and Draevak some five thousand years ago, perhaps longer... My memory tends to fail me often." Her tall ears wiggle as she palms her chin. "However, I witnessed the creation of the Abyssal Hollow firsthand, and the anguish I felt seeing my home get taken from me is the one thing I shall never forget." She grips and clenches onto her spare katana to her side.
"..Right, well tell me more later.. if you want... I feel like you're nano seconds from gutting me like a fish."
"..Ah, my sincerest apologies, I am not angry with you." She relaxes her shoulders and starts to pick up the pace on her horse. "I simply must not forget what I am living for." She gets ahead of me.
"..Was it something I said?"
"No I don't believe so. Relax~ Women are mysteries... myself included, wink~"
"Did you just say wink..?"
"Well how else are you all supposed to know I winked? Riddle me that~"
"You can just do that without saying it like a dingdong Nya! There, I winked, see how simple it is??"
"But what's the point of saying you winked when we didn't see it happen? It's like saying 'I blinked' when you're laying next to someone in the dark."
"Nya..? How does one blink when they're sleeping?"
"I said laying down, not sleeping.."
"Nya?"
"Just go to sleep.."
"No Nya I'm hungry!"
"Hi hungry I'm Satan~"
"...."
"...."
"....."
"So Alek, I would like to hear your thoughts on your upcoming adventure?"
"My thoughts? There are no thoughts, it's just another case of.. Wait..."
"Oh?"
"Nothing, lost my train of thought there for a second..." It felt like I remembered something, but it immediately went away. "..Anyway I don't really have any expectations, it'll probably be another case of 'Go to point A, talk to this person, discuss the problem, then bust my ass solving it' Then it's just rinse and repeat. Any other questions?"
"FuFuFu~ You are so adorable."
"I don't like your tone."
"It sounds to me like you just need to break the cycle..."
"Elaborate."
"Nu~"
"Screw you."
"Oh my..."
"Grrr all of you shudup Nya! Let a kitty sleep..!"
"D-Don't yell! You just woke ME up..!!"
"Screw all of you." I wish I could get some sleep.
"Young man."
"..Coming."
I eventually catch up to Kitsuki after she raised her voice at poor little me, until we reach a clearing. "There it is ahead." She points forward and onto a tall fancy looking wall with silver gilded bricks. "Fortuna is just over the walls."
"So that's it huh.." I can see the pointy tip of the castle peeking through the tall wall, as well as something bright above it, but I can't tell what it is from this angle. It's probably a UFO or something.
"Correct, the dream princess lies just ahead." We stop right in front of the shiny wall as we look up at it. "I am sure you will get along nicely." She suddenly looks back over to me with the faintest of smirks.
"I doubt that." She'll probably be another Yukki, and I dread picturing that.
"Nonsense, now up you go." She points upwards with a stern look.
"..Fine." I get off my black horse before it de-manifests and gets absorbed into the bone whistle in my pocket, then I walk up to the wall. "..What a pain."
"What was that?"
"..Nothing 'master'.." I then start to run up along the wall, careful not to stub my toe on a gilded brick and fall off and fracture my spinal cord. "..Upsies." I reach the top, then I grab onto the ledge and pull myself up before catching Kitsuki's long sheated katana that she threw up at me like a psycho.
She appears where it lands in a blue flash before flipping herself upwards and landing behind me. "Thank you very much." She says casually as if I didn't just do three fourth's of the muscle work before she walks nears the edge to look down at the streets.
"..Sure." I join her and look down at the sight before me, which actually surprises me.
This Kingdom looks like it was modeled after a fancy british city, kind of like a fancier, less gothic version of the Ragnav Kingdom. Also the architects didn't have to go above and beyond with the roof designs, just who were they trying to impress?
But what actually surprises me is the bright screens plastered onto the many tall buildings that resemble those flashy screens they glue onto city buildings to molest your vision with intrusive advertising. Except these ones are transparent and look like they were summoned with magic or something. Kind of like... "Projections?"
"That is correct. Similar to what the Rune of Conjuring can do. The Rune of Conjuring and Dreams have always been the most similar in terms of their capabilities." Kitsuki crosses her arms and follows my gaze over the many bright projections and onto the weird symbols and shapes displayed on them. "However, the projections the Rune of Dreams cannot be touched, unlike the ones of the Rune of Conjuring. But despite this, the Rune of Dreams is the most complex, and I dare say intricate..."
"Cool... What does that say up there?" I point up to the gigantic squiggly shapes rotating and floating high above the big Castle in the far middle.
"Ah, that says 'Reality', can you not read, young one?" She turns her gaze onto me with her small noticeable mocking smirk.
"Nevermind that." I didn't know this world knew what vaporwave was. The way the symbols, shapes and colors pop out from the big rotating projection gives it away pretty easily. Pastel pink has always been one of my favorite colors.
"Now then, it appears this Kingdom has withstood Ruin." We both look down onto the empty ruined streets, the many abandoned carriages, and the pile of balloons just rolling around like tumbleweeds as small glitter particles travel through the air.
"Dang, who's birthday was it?" I notice some of the projections are displaying what looks like a knight, as if its advertising some kind of new armor or something. And some display what appears to be some girl with a hime hairstyle just smiling and winking while throwing up the peace sign and standing in front of a tall freaky knight. "Who's that?"
"That is actually Princess Kuroime, the one we will meet shortly, come." She hops down from the wall and lands onto a roof before dashing towards the big castle.
"Well? What are your thoughts so far, Alek?"
"We kind of just got here though, so nothing yet." I will admit, it's kind of weird to see an empty Kingdom while there are various party-like decorations just strewn about all over the place. It all just feels very liminal.
"Hmm, just got here? Yes, you are right, fufu. What a silly thing for me to ask so early into our.. new adventure."
"Exactly. Silly woman."
"Well, it is still nice to see you are stable and honkey dory..."
"You're being very strange today." I have this weird sensation in the back of my head. Almost like that feeling you get when you first enter an abandoned building and you get hit with a wave of 'Wtf'.
"..I smell cake Nya.."
"Go back to sleep."
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[__________________________________]
Professor Tohdsen's Log 12
The particular element present in Infested matter continues to worry me so.
After analyzing the inner anatomy of infested matter using sorceric lens capable of looking at the very shape of DNA, I have discovered something peculiar that caught my immediate interest.
Instead of observing strands of DNA, I have observed strands of something else entirely.
What were supposed to be helix-shaped strands were instead strands of microscopic red-orange shapes that resembled the number "6" piled against one another in clumps.
Because of its unusual shape, I have decided to call it "Element 6" for future reference.
As the Infestation continues to spread, new developments have been getting discovered over the course of its one-year life cycle across the continent. In collaboration with The Exorcists, we have been making progress on spreading the Vaccine to every corner of the continent, big or small.
The Kingdom of Draevak and Ragnav continue to make it difficult to share with them the only source of infestation prevention. I do not know who or what is spreading misinformation that 'The vaccine is harmful and does more bad than good.' I am convinced a separate party is stalking the shadows and utilizing the power of false information in order to delay the vaccine spread.
The Kingdom of Ragnav has always lived with its unfavorable reputation, and no matter what atrocities the Isolated Kingdom continues to commit with its alchemy, it is unwise to leave them out of infestation protection. The infestation cannot be allowed to exist.
The threat of a potential 3rd world calamity will remain present so long as Element 6 remains in the mortal world.
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[__________________________________]