"Ah, oh, indomitable spirit of conquest, whose name resonates through the ages like thunder in battle. You who have ridden on Bucephalus, uniting peoples and forging an empire under the rising sun." As Velgrynd continued reciting the chant, the wind grew stronger around the circle.
A red energy emanated from the circle, but Velgrynd did not stop. "I invoke you at this moment, not out of necessity, but out of camaraderie. Iskandar, oh Conqueror King, respond to my call!"
The circle burst, causing smoke to spread. Just when Velgrynd thought she had done it wrong, the neighing of a horse was heard.
As the smoke dissipated, a beautiful and elegant black steed entered everyone's view, rearing on its hind legs while a man who could be described as giant rode it.
He was a man over two meters tall, with large muscles and armor made of bronze, with white fur protruding from his fists and greaves, and he wore a thick red cloak with a fluffy white fur collar.
The giant inspected the surroundings before looking back at Velgrynd, who watched him with stars in her eyes.
"Oh, you have done well to summon me! Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, will pave your way!" Iskandar exclaimed, laughing.
Dismounting from his horse, he patted it with a smile on his face. "My friend, there are no battles to conquer yet; you may go rest," Iskandar told him as Bucephalus neighed and disappeared into particles of light.
After that, he looked at each and every one of the present. He said nothing until several seconds later.
"What has been the reason for my summoning? It is clear that this is not a Holy Grail War; I have not been given information about this era," Iskandar said as he sat on the ground.
"And you are not human," he mentioned with narrowed eyes while starting to count. "Four are dragons, one a demon, two humans, and a woman who smells of nature; I could think she is a fairy."
Veldanava and the others were astonished to see how he distinguished their races just by looking at them, although Velgrynd smiled even more upon hearing him.
"That you could know our nature is impressive, King of Conquerors," Velgrynd said appreciatively.
"It's nothing out of the ordinary," Iskandar dismissed while waving his hand. "And call me Iskandar; I never liked titles."
Velgrynd nodded and sat beside him as the others did the same. "This is not your world, Iskandar; nor is it that Holy Grail War you mentioned. In fact, I summoned you with the help of my brother, as I wanted to meet you," Velgrynd mentioned with a smile.
Iskandar nodded thoughtfully. "In any case, I never really cared about that cup of wishes. However, I hope this world at least has modern technology," Iskandar said with a smile on his face.
Before anyone could say anything, several game consoles, televisions, clothes, magazines, and more appeared around Iskandar, followed by Akasha's monotone voice.
"I know of your fondness for the modern world; that's for you," Akasha said as he prepared to leave.
"He is Akasha, my brother. Although he is very boring and indifferent to everything, he is a good person," Veldanava said while introducing Akasha.
Iskandar stopped looking at the consoles and turned to Akasha with wide eyes. "To bestow upon oneself the name of the Root is no different than an insult to it, and I would be killed by the world itself on the spot," he explained in a serious tone.
The faces of everyone, except Veldanava, turned serious upon hearing Iskandar's words, although he didn't care as he stood up.
"It is true that this is not our world; everything feels different: the energy, the laws. I may be weak compared to other heroic spirits, but I still understand something so basic.
"Moreover, the Throne of Heroes has a connection to the Root; it is the Root that maintains it, and with it, each of the worlds where we dwell," Iskandar explained while rubbing his chin.
"Being close to it creates a certain connection, and from you, I feel that connection. So tell me, Akasha, am I wrong?" Iskandar just wanted, above all else, to confirm it.
Akasha sighed in annoyance upon hearing the wise strategist's words and could only nod. "I am," he said simply.
Next, Iskandar knelt. "It is an honor to see you in person, my Root; I wholeheartedly thank you for summoning me among all the others," Iskandar said with respect and joy in his voice.
Akasha waved his hand dismissively. "Leave that; I set aside a part of myself to know the worlds outside my own. Here, I am not a god, just a wandering adventurer."
"I know of your addiction to the modern era; what I gave you updates constantly," he said with a smile before disappearing after saluting everyone.
No one complained about his behavior, and soon the women began to talk with Iskandar, asking him about what he meant by the origin of Akasha, while Veldanava and Guy kept talking at a distance.
"No titles or ranks," Iskandar smiled at the thought as he passionately answered their questions.
---
Six months later.
Akasha stood while talking with Veldanava.
"What name will you give your daughter?" Akasha asked Veldanava as the latter poured coffee into two cups.
Veldanava looked at him and thought for a few seconds. "Milim, Milim Nava will be her name," he said with a smile on his tired face.
Akasha nodded. "You surely have improved with names since then," he said with a smile.
Veldanava laughed as he handed one of the coffee cups to Akasha. "So what have you thought? Will you accept for me, brother?" Veldanava asked Akasha in a low voice; his tone was serious.
Akasha said nothing for several minutes; he knew that his decision was important to Veldanava, so after several minutes, he nodded.
"I will take care of her; I will raise her as if she were my daughter. But when she comes of age, I will have to leave," Akasha finally said, but before Veldanava could say anything, he added, "Of course, before I leave, I will leave her with a servant to take care of her."
Veldanava sighed in relief and hugged Akasha before he could say anything.
"You know... I don't like being hugged," Akasha said emphatically, his face scrunching up.
"I know, but you won't do anything to me, your brother. Ha, ha, ha!" Veldanava said as he started to laugh. Just when Akasha was about to retort, they heard the cry of a baby.
The two looked at each other and reappeared inside the room, where Lucía held a small baby with pink hair and blue eyes. She was just an adorable baby.