Around us, a heated cobblestone road fighting against encroaching icy elements. Our path opened for fifty meters on either side, cleared, only the occasional colossal tree stumps remaining.
A location without any distinct landmarks at a different time of day since we first passed. It might take less or more than an hour to return to the last bend of the occasionally cliffside highway, leading straight into the underground city of Nala.
"You good man?"
"ARGH! FUCK! Dammit!"
I clung to the carriage seat, cracking the wood as I dealt with the searing pain. Slowly, it faded away to nothing. Whatever magic was placed on my back had activated.
"How…"
"Use your words Touji, are you okay?"
"Don't- don't either of you remember? We where-"
"Touji!"
Grim snuck up from behind, quickly interrupting any further talk. She ripped me out of my seat, pulling me up to her level by my coat. Immediately on alert, Adelard stood up in protest, demanding answers.
"What the hell are you doing!?"
"This doesn't concern you"
"Like hell it does!"
"Sit down, this is matter is private"
Refusing to spare a second through, Grim pushed my friend back down to his seat, then jumped off the carriage, dragging me through the snow by the collar. I struggled to get a foothold to no avail, as if the frozen ground had a will of its own.
The Horsemen inadvertently choked me as we headed towards the treeline.
"Let me- go! Why are we back here!"
"Silence! Every word puts people at risk!"
"Just STOP!"
Sick of being pulled by the throat, I swung my fist back and struck towards Grim's hip, an attack thwarted by one of her three spare arms.
"Be quiet or I will make it so"
"Then explain why themgfm!"
Grim refused to let me continue and spun thread around my mouth as I viciously tried to bite through. Her defiance to let me ask a basic question only served to boil my blood.
"I warned you"
"Mmdfghr!"
"Why must you insist on-"
That was it, I had enough.
Vague implications, unanswered questions, deep knowledge that was beyond creepy. All for not as nothing by misdirection from a woman I felt sat on the fence for her own benefit, like the Hydra I met below Judgement's home.
Maybe that was why I finally got it through my head, as I bit down on a hundred threads of fibre, that the 'House of Origin' was not a family of fire breathing Elder Dragons, but rather, a lineage of destruction that started from a single little white spark.
First came lighting out of the corners of my mouth, then fangs, if only for a mere second, they were sharper than a razor's edge, and sliced through thread, fiber by fiber.
Each strand felt like I bit down on a perfectly cooked piece of tender meat.
Anger swelled within Grim's eyes as she was set on keeping me silent. I wouldn't let her hold on any longer.
*BANG*!
Blood, guts, flesh, protruding bone.
No! Not again. Never again
A brief flash of Arisu's rain dredged body barely breathing, half her torso blown out entered my mind as claws halted mid strike, mere inches away from Grims face. An attack she couldn't foresee.
It was only when the ringing in my ears started that I came to realize what I had done and the speed of which it occurred, shattering the sound barrier. A lack of thought and an eruption of emotion had caused another problem.
I staggered back, spat out a few strands of thread, and slowly walked back to the cart, my arm more than heavy.
Bez and a sobered up Naji came running to stop a fight that already ended in utter frustration, as I nearly repeated mistakes of the past. Soonafter, my hand returned to its normalcy, yet for that brief moment in time, it was not human.
"Touji!?"
"Hey kid, you good?"
Thanks for nothing
Wandering past with a head low was all I cared to do, clutching onto the arm that almost did too much, and that I had undoubtedly sprained by holding back so abruptly.
Passing through the pair of adult onlookers, snow up to my ankle, stars witnessed my solace. Part of me wished upon the passing comets for a different blood inheritance.
"That was pretty cool"
Adelard jumped off the back of our carriage, his shoes tapping against the cobblestone road inlay with heated stone.
"I can't even control it"
"So? I wish I had that sort of power. Maybe then I'd get a Relic"
"Ota and I- we didn't get Relic's for being strong, not that it even matters. It's all borrowed power anyway"
"What!? Are you serious man!? If you 'borrowed' those claws that went poof, then could you tell me when you found them? Wouldn't mind trying them out myself"
Behind us, Bez and Naji pushed Grim back to have a few harsh words. Their bloodlust could be felt from next to the carriage. Their lack of immediate action when I was first pulled off our ride by the neck left a pit in my stomach.
"If you ask me, it looks like you've barely scratched the surface of what you can do, then gave up because it's 'borrowed power'. Like, do you really think this is 'borrowed power'?"
Adelard reached out with his left arm to heal my strained muscles with a pulsating golden light.
"No, that's different"
"That's bull and you know it. At first, I took what I had for granted. Felt nice to have a special power, something nobody else in my family had… but, well, we both know what I should be able to do"
"..."
"Don't lie to yourself man. We've both got things we can do. Just because we haven't figured out how to use it, doesn't mean we didn't earn it. Gods know we need it"
"A little hard to learn when there's nobody that can teach us"
"Don't move the goalposts. Are you forgetting about those top tier mages- uh, Maguses? Magi? Whatever it is- you think Enda had a teacher? Or Anzo? What about that Blue Oni asshole, Fuyuhiko Broken-Blade"
"I haven't even heard about that last guy"
"That's because he's a lazy bum that stays in his castle and orders people around with commissions"
"..."
"Be real Touji, if we don't use what we have, then how do we know what we can do?"
After healing my arm back to a manageable state, Adelard cupped his hands together, light emanating from within. Then, he revealed small strands of holy splinters, slowly attaching to each other before crumbling apart.
"See? It's not much, but it's something right? So you know what?"
"What?"
"I'm not starting from nothing, not any more, and neither are you"
My friend gave me a little nudge on the arm. Partially in jest, partially to see if I was still wounded.
A small breath escaped my nostrils as I held back a modest chuckle. Even though he ultimately failed to create anything substantial with Light energy, my friend had hit the nail on the head, a nail I failed to see in its entirety.
He would start with a golden splinter, I had started with a white spark.
"Hey man, are we- expecting company?"
"No. Get behind me"
Two mages in the dark, propelled by flame, appeared heading straight towards us over the treeline.
Immediately, I reached into my breast pocket and traced my finger along the fabric in the form of a constellation, drawing my Relic as fast as possible.
A recreation of Rider's 'Crescent Cutter' halberd configuration at the ready in a defensive stance; left foot forward, right foot perpendicular, spike tip above head height, angled forward.
Preparations to catch any attack spells with the top of the weapon, all relatively pointless once we realized who had flown out.
Enda, wearing her usual black and blue coat, landed a distance away in the snow first, kicking up chunks of ice.
Surprisingly, she was joined by a male High-Drake I didn't recognise wearing his own black cloak with a white trim. After landing, he kept his distance and scanned the area, keeping his hood down.
His yellow and red eyes peered over the landscape, not once stopping on any individual, rather, he looked beyond into the frozen forest. For a male High-Drake, he seemed a little small. Shorter than Rider, but a couple inches taller than Enda.
"What would you do if I wasn't your mother?"
"I'd remain on guard, feign ignorance and make sure it was you"
"And how would you confirm the identity of someone such as myself?"
"Cut yourself"
"Direct, effective- very good. Testing unique physiology is certainly a surefire method"
Quelling any doubt, the Phoenix Witch lowered her hood, rolled up her white sleeve and cast a quick wind spell that sliced open a small section of flesh, allowing her blood to flow.
Obviously, it turned to ash before it had the chance to stain the snow.
"Although, you may wish to conjure up other tests, depending on the individual with the mission that lies ahead"
"What are you doing here?"
"I think she's been listening in on us man"
"Do you not trust me Adelard? Well, speculation aside, we're received reports of a particularly nasty monster needing immediate extermination. As a trade, mind telling me why you haven't reached Nala yet?"
Adelard quickly responded to the Witch before I could formulate a method of vague speech out of uncertainty of Grim's warning.
"We were riding along, then day turned to night and Touji's back hurt"
"...And this caused a confused fight?"
"Not really, it looked like it, but then he held back"
"I see"
Enda opened up her cloak to trace two different constellations and pulled out a small hourglass, no bigger than my hand, alongside a familiar rune engraved stone.
After activating the small stones enchantment, a handoff for the time-counting instrument was conducted.
Adelard understood the desire for privacy and stood back. Enda gave her thanks with a smile and nod towards my blonde friend.
"When this is almost empty, you'll be free to speak on the matter"
"Why can't I talk about it?"
"It's only for now. Touji, do you know of the city Elder Dragons once called their capital?"
"Chronox?"
"Yes- a place named after the very God who founded the kingdom through a paradox, a divine being that still resides deep within its frozen walls, despite his death, thus, locking the land in time"
"Enda-"
I understood to a degree that natural magical resistance affected all Elders, big and small, yet a thought lingered in my mind.
"-My body, it's-"
"A mere fraction of what they are capable of. Elder Dragons may mostly be docile, intelligent Monsters, but their power is not to be underestimated. It is a tool that will serve you well"
"And that's it? There's nothing to do with that glowing stone or anything?
My foster mother knelt down to pull out one more object from her cape that acted as a gateway back to a hidden storage compartment. A red, oblong stone no bigger than her forearm, clearly cut down in size.
"I'm beginning to believe our meeting isn't mere cosmic coincidence. Touji, I've kept this a secret from you for some time, fearing you'd repeat the same mistakes of the man that stole my heart"
"Is that what I think it is?"
Enda took my hand and placed it on the stone. A rainbow of colors swelled, then deformed, stripped back one by one until only two remained. Lifeless green, and pale gold.
"This stone reveals the magic that will be the most impactful to one's life. More often than not, it is mistaken as affinity. Nevertheless, many wholeheartedly train to use what is revealed by it. His colors was only this yellow- and the last time I saw him… he worked with Myrddin"
Even now, over ninety years later, Enda struggled to speak about her lover's death, or moreso, how his entire existence was erased from this world. She found herself choking on her own words.
"What did they do?"
"Together- they used Time magic as a well to draw power… they funneled it through him, into the Relic you know hold in your hand"
"I didn't know…"
"I'm afraid Touji, that in telling you what this light means- I'll lose you as well"
Tears swelled up in the corner of the woman desperately fighting her emotions.
"No, I've already found my affinity. I promise I won't learn that magic"
Enda softly spoke a few words that recounted the Forgotten Hero's last actions through a sharking chest that made what I said feel hollow.
"On that day, he made me promise, that'd he'd come back alive. Don't limit yourself for my sake. I don't know if his actions saved the world, but I do know he saved the millions taking refuge in Nala"
"Then- I won't say anything, and you'll see for yourself"
"Will I? With the company you keep? The path you walk?"
"What do you mean?"
"I've said too much"
Enda quickly attempted to dismiss what she had said in a rare moment of honesty.
"Wait no! No! No running away! Explain, please, you have to!"
Raising her hood to hide her face, my foster mother stood up, turned around, and prepared to leave.
"Please… just- I just want a straight answer, for once in my life"
"Rider- she's trained others before. They may have never fulfilled the role she intended, but they inevitably served a Horsemen. Not as Conquest and Consequence, but as Death and Destruction"
Cold yellow for time, lifeless green for death. The destiny that shone in the stone was now clear.
If Enda remembers that…
"You're saying she's-"
"Continue your journey, I'm sure he'll be waiting at Nala. If anyone can answer questions about destiny, it's him"
Having said all she wished, Enda deactivated her runestone and placed the artifact back through her cloak.
"Enda, that Hero used this Relic right? How'd he get good with it?"
A somewhat unrelated query I asked to throw off any possible notion that Grim may have been listening for. The last thing I expected to hear was genuine advice, regardless of its quirky nature.
"Well, Ta____ did often say 'If I can make a guitar, I can make anything'. Fufu- He spend all Winter learning how to do it, and he was right"
Under her hood, I saw a slight blush as she giggled, recalling a precious memory. A side of herself she rarely showed. Enda truly loved the man that was forgotten by all.
"Hey, got any advice for me? I know I don't really have a Relic, but, I'm kind of lost too"
"Well, dear Adelard, I am a teacher that just so happened to once know a woman of whom shares a similar skill. However, you've failed to grasp a fundamental rule of Light magic"
"'Fundamental rule'... What, like fighting unholy things?"
"Restriction, simplicity. I'm sure the two of you can figure the rest out"
Somewhat alerted, the High-Drake shook his head to the right, his eyes following that movement.
"It appears our prey draws near. ALL OF YOU, LEAVE! THIS AREA MAY SOON FALL TO ASH AND FIRE!"
What the hell are they hunting…
Enda's booming voice was a clear warning to stay clear.
Begrudgingly, everybody ran back to the carriage, save Adelard and I, who just stood, confused, as the ground began to rumble.
Knowing the seriousness of Enda's warning, Bez picked both of us up before jumping all the way back on top of our box cart.
"Don't tempt fate"
The former Captain put us down and forced us to watch what happened next as Sinclair flicked the reins, yelling at Charney to take off in haste.
"Kerraa!"
Seconds later, cold wind blowing at the back of our heads, fire erupted forming gigantic fiery pillars, higher than the colossal snow-covered Giap trees.
A wall, no, a cage quickly burning blue. Heat quickly found itself savagely brushing against our faces as we continued to pick up speed. A spectacle of power lighting up the dark, creating shadows dancing in tune with the hunt.
Bone chilling croaking roars pierced through the mountain, shaking rock and stone.
"Be thankful we're not back there"
"What type of monster is that…"
"See for yourself"
Round another bend, through gaps of snow-covered wood, we caught a glimpse of movement, as if a hill itself took the form of an ice elemental creature.
It matched the size of our surroundings in the manner being far greater than what either of us could expect.
"A Greater Frost Wyrm"
Longer than a lake, thicker than Magma Dragon, it screeched as it extended far above the trees, finding itself cornered by Enda and her companion.
Streaks of flame pelted its cylindrical head. Clearly, it evolved in the deep dark crevices of the earth, and now that it had surfaced, the hunt was on.
Trees fell, rock flew, ice barred incoming damage, protecting the beast. Horrific roars caused Charney to wail, fearing the monster.
Then, unexpectedly, as it stood tall in preparation to slam down, a hole exploded outwards just below its head, all without any form of magic. Instantly, the two mages performed a follow-up attack.
Long lines of deep crimson and blue fire spewed for their hands.
The monster croaked in pain from the fire burning inside, through its mouth and out its six eyes, hexagonally lining its head. Seconds later, a loud boom rang out and we understood what caused the monster's rock-like armor to break.
"Thundercrack certainly has range"
"Bez, do you remember her?"
"'Her?' I'm not sure what you mean kid. Everybody knows the stories of the top Hunter. Never seen 'em in action before, pretty sure nobody knows what they look like either"
So Merrah's gone, but not her nickname, or what she's done as part of the Hunters Guild. Whatever weapon she used to do it- I want to know
"Then, who was the High-Drake guy then?"
"You're joking, right? That was Anzo, man. That's why I said she was listening in!"
"Argh!"
"Ow"
Bez flicked the back of both our heads.
"Don't stand around waiting to be killed. Enda's known for her tricks, but she wouldn't put together a farce like that, it'd serve no point"
All three of us took a moment to take in what we had seen, standing on the back of the cart.
In my right hand, the hourglass Enda gave me had cracked. A fault of my own that I had yet to notice. Luckily it still worked.
Figuring it may be for the best to wait, I kept my mouth shut about what had occurred. The destruction within Nala, two powerful people clashing, and our bodies sent back an hour as the world marched onwards.
Although, it felt as if I'd gained more in the trip then lost. And if such magic resulted in saving lives, then perhaps it was for the best.
Only one man was capable of accomplishing such an achievement, a man I hadn't seen in a while, wielding a power that clearly demanded a price.
Merlin, he was in Nala, and I had questions. Everything considered, I understood why my foster mother believed the man that could wield Time used it to allow our paths to cross.
***
Plenty of sand left in the glass, Adelard and I found ourselves figuring out a new training plan, alongside discussing Light magic and the self-proclaimed Goddess's power.
We sat on the roof at the back of the carriage, dangling our feet off the side.
"Restriction right? That means it only affects one target, or a type of target"
"No- well, sort of I think. When we ran from Tyrants Rest-"
"Wait, two nights ago?"
"Oh, no, like- uh, middle of Harvest, when I was adopted. We had to run because two Trinty's showed up for us, but before we got to the boat, Enda got hit through the heart with a golden spear thing"
"Man, how come you never told me this?"
"Uh, I mean, Tsumugi was there as well. I thought you might talk to her I guess- Wait, that's not important! The spear thing, it flew through the air, but until it hit Enda, it kinda didn't exist"
"Didn't exist or was transparent?"
"Yeah, kinda see-through. It went through her cloak and shirt without damaging the back, but there was a hole at the front"
"Then, with Light, the more rules in place, the stronger it is... I'll be real man, I've got no idea how to throw a spear"
"Didn't you say start with something small? What about a throwing knife? Like this but imagine the uh, this bit isn't there"
Relic at the ready, I transformed it into a relatively plain throwing knife, balanced for the job, and pointed to the second hand hold.
A regular throwing knife wouldn't have a symmetrical longsword wire grip, obviously.
Several taps against wood later, Naji flung herself up from inside the cart by holding onto the roof's edge. After graciously landing on her black heels, she addressed the both of us with a proposition.
She'd been watching over Grim, who was retracing her own steps by cutting up the wagon quilt for a skirt and jacket.
"We still have a distance to go, so why not give knife throwing a try?"
"Both of us?"
"No, I'd prefer if you used that thing to shoot a few arrows, like back home, that way Adelard can try target them"
"Alright, but we don't really have anything to throw"
"That's fine, you can borrow one of mine"
Naji lifted up her black dress, revealing both pantyhose and a belt strap around her right thigh lined with exactly what we needed.
"Shall I notify Ota and Aoife of their boyfriends wavering eyes?"
Oh shit
From the drivers bench, Sinclair smiled as Bez pinched his forehead. I knew he picked up extra pebbles to flick at us at the right time, and yet, he did not launch them.
"Nuh, that one's on you! And Ota's the kind of girl that wants Touji to have a harem"
"Bro- see- how the fuck! I didn't tell you about that, but you know about it, that's weird!"
"Heh, I have my sources"
Yeah right. Ota probably talked to Fae because I don't want one, then he picked up on it
"Really now? I'll have to sit her down when I get the chance"
"Don't bother man. She probably only wants it because her gramps did the same thing"
"That's even more concerning"
As Naji replied to Adelard, she revealed her devious plan. Attached to a horn behind her nun's coif, she hid Recall Ring as jewelry, putting its resize enchantment through its paces, and placed it on her right ring finger.
"Nevertheless, I'll give you a demonstration of how to use this, then we'll practice. I don't trust a beginner to catch this with a Recall without losing a few fingers, so for now, that's my job-"
***
What started off as rough quickly turned into genuine competition with stakes, as once Adelard was proficient, Naji told us to flick the loser.
It was crude, and it was most definitely effective.
While shooting my relatively basic imitated bow with Chilled Stream arrows without fletching, as all of Charney's loose feathers came off fleeing the Greater Frost Wyrm, I occasionally swapped arms to build up a bit of muscle.
Roughly ten minutes in, a large military band with raised Nala banners passed going the opposite direction, riding Newts pulling humongous mining carts with their metal wheels swapped out for braced wooden alternatives.
Enda probably sent word ahead that a partially large monster needed butchering.
***
Adelard and I sat behind the carriages front bent, which currently granted Sinclair a spacious seat as Bez held the reins. It may have looked a little strange to some, however, the transformed Daemon believed we looked like eager servants if we did so.
Right on the last grain of sand, we arrived back at Nala's cobblestone highway entrance.
This time, it housed many soldiers of various races at the ready standing Guard. Unlike Dragons Mort, the military acted as Guardsmen, rather than a separate branch for civic peacekeeping.
As we drew closer, I noticed a large pile of trash to the left of the road, near the cliff's edge, and two men sitting inside a purple transparent dome, supported by four small stands, each holding two mana crystals.
One empty, one full, housed in black claws of iron, presented as if they were Yin and Yang, slowly turning with time.
"That stuff- it's not from our world…"
"Yeah, probably good stuff in it"
"Feel free to go scavenging for anything useful or exotic while we handle the papers. And from now on, refer to each other by your initials"
"Be careful what you say in this place. The walls may as well be Enda's creepy copies"
Sinclair believed in the pile's possibility to hold treasure that could be sold, or strengthen our cover story of being traders from abroad. Bez, on the other hand, gave us a well meaning warning that sounded rather rude.
Although if I was honest, none of that mattered to me as my true interest was in the two people near the steep decline overlooking the cogwork water elevator.
***
"Well, Mister A, any idea what we should look for?"
"I'm not calling you Mister T, man"
Underneath our feet was nothing but random assorted items. Mostly made of some sort of lightweight material, similar to a mixture of resin and slime. Ridiculously weak, yet somehow widespread as practically everything was made of it.
"Hey! Don't break the stuff!"
"But… what is it?"
"You're kidding. Have you never gone downstairs in your own home?"
"I only found out there was a secret basement thing the other day, and it's just another library- Uh, I think"
"Whatever, just go see what's going on over there. You've been side eyeing-"
Like a hundred tiny Firecrack spells going off at once, a small explosion occurred inside the purple dome as the man with short, yet pointy beard tossed what looked like sand into the air.
Shortly after, their barrier disappeared and two men hobbled out coughing.
"*Cough-Cough* Smokeless powder you say? *Cough* My goodness"
"Nope- *Cough* That's black powder *Cough*"
Myrddin, alongside the overweight, balding priest leaning heavily on his staff, a man I'd seen before, escaped out of an odd situation.
"Ah! *Cough* I've been waiting for you two! Please, ignore all the smoke. We had to disassemble some bullets"
"Who's he?"
"Oh, that's Cardinal Peter"
"-J-just Peter is fine"
Their accents seemed similar, like two sides of the same coin, yet distinctly different.
They had been sitting on small stools that looked like potion vials encased in a wooden frame, almost as if they were two halves of an hourglass, divided by wood, with a hoop of sand spinning in each.
From what I knew about gunpowder from Tyrants Rest, the four devices that Mryddin didn't appear to care about, must have created a mana free zone to stop the accidental discharge of the bullets.
"Reh teh teh, someone such as yourself isn't-"
"-Worth inviting trouble over. Now, please excuse me. If either one of you young men require assistance from a retired Priest, come visit my home on Fifth Street"
Peter's face was friendly, if not a little ugly, yet still held a slight charm as the edges of his mouth gave way to an appreciative smile in the midst of being brought down.
Rushing off as quickly as one can with a crooked leg, hidden under his old Athena worshiping white robes, it was apparent we spooked him off.
"Hmm yes, well, let's get rid of this shall we?"
Myrddin was dressed in what I could only imagine was between a robe, duster coat, and poncho. Three layers of navy blue separated by a white trim. Parted in the front to reveal a maroon vest and slacks over a white shirt.
His long, loose sleeves danced as he flick his hands to either side, as if addressing a large crowd, only the people was the wind itself being told to shoo.
No magic circles, yet certainly a faint tinge of mana, as all the smoke quickly dispersed.
It looked like a basic spell, or perhaps application, I wasn't aware of.
Or maybe, it was more primal than that.
"Come, I'm sure you're confused"
"..."
We walked up to the cliff's edge. Below, carried in large tubs of condensed earth and water, vessels were slowly raised to one of three elevations. As all things made of the same pressure method, it somewhat resembled obsidian glass, without its brittle nature.
A constant flow of liquid lowered visibility into Nala through each tunnel. Each boat brought up was hit by the spray of water.
"Gave Peter quite the fright. I'm sure he won't spill the beans, but walking around like that may be cause for concern. Most will judge a book by its cover in this city, then sell that cover for spare change"
"Sorry, I'm not used to it"
"It's alright. Here, take these. I'm sure those eyes will adjust in time"
"Three…"
As if holding knowledge of this exact event, Merlin reached into his pocket and handed me a few squarish black sunglasses, made of the same flimsy material of the otherworldly garbage.
"Three pairs, three servants. I'd give you a bullet, but last time I did that… Huh- my memories a little fuzzy on that. Side effect of using too much mana, brain starts to get cloudy, but it's better to be safe than sorry"
"Can I ask how you did it? Like, our location?"
"Ah, so you ran into her. Perfect timing, as it were, aided in no small part by Grim's beacon, and a Kistune with divine foresight. Although, Grim may be a tad upset it was set off early-"
A beacon for a time mage…
"-And now that I'm here, the plonkers that cocked-up might be a little more cautious about starting a fight, less I hold them in stasis for a few decades till they cool off. That said, I must warn you. Somethings going on in Nala, big enough that even Kuzunoha can't see what's coming"
"I almost forgot she's a Sage"
"A Great Sage now, even so, untangling events after preventing one disaster? Well, now we're sailing into misty waters. Carry out your mission. It's only thanks to Alice I could make it down the rabbit hole in the nick of time"
Is that some sort of joke?
The Magus waved around his arms while explaining everything to the best of his ability, or at least, in a way I could understand, even if found his overly expressive nature humoris.
"Do all the former Hero's have spiders on their ceilings?"
"Glad to see you've joined us, Adelard. Not often am I called a nutter or a 'former hero'. Have you told Touji yet?"
My friend joined us holding a strange device that looked like a guitar, only without a body, or rather, a sound hole. And it appeared to be far thinner too, and shaped into an unwieldy battle axe.
"...Told me what?"
"It speaks volumes to see that he trusts you enough not to think about the odd things you say from time to time"
Adelard looked away from me and towards the giant cogs that pulled the large chains and platform unto Nala.
"Hmm- Well, it's hardly consequential if you keep it hidden. Let's go get some grub"
"No- I think…"
"Don't worry dude, I'll be fine"
The response I gave only served to compel my friend to speak up. With each word, his voice grew faint and he began to tremble. It wasn't hopelessness, nor anger that I felt in his intent.
"But- I'm not sure if I will. There's- there's a reason why only a few people can silently cast Light magic…"
Adelard spoke as if staring at an approaching arrow aimed for his heart, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His voice became distant, faint, yet ever determined.
"Soon enough, the person you're looking at won't be the same person you know"
"...I don't understand"
"I'm afraid Touji, that the other soul in me is taking control"
"Woah, wait- No that's- that can't be right"
"Do you know what happened this morning?"
He looked at me and smiled through a mask of lies. Fair flesh, golden hair that liked the night's breeze, emerald eyes that shone like gemstones. Yet it was all fake. A facade used to hide a man's deepest despair.
"I broke up with Fae, because I was afraid of that the person she loved would no long be me, just someone wearing my skin"
"Did you at least tell her why?"
"No- I… I just stood there, said it was my fault, that I was no good for her"
"..."
"She pleaded, hoped it was a joke while her mask stained with tears… and I just watched"
I wanted to punch him, strike his cheek, uppercut his stomach, slap him across his perfect face. But I couldn't. Pain gripped the heart he had hidden behind his grin.
This was a man that had become accustomed to facing horrible suffering with a smile.
"In the end, I walked away, and she threw her mask at me, her guild card too. She'd give them all away if I came back… but I didn't"
Telling him he was wrong would be pointless. Adelard knew he fucked up, but to him, it was more important that they depatared before he had the chance to hurt her in unimaginable ways.
That was why I ultimately grabbed him by the shoulders and stared into his eyes.
"Look to me Adelard, you are not going to lose to the other soul"
"It's too late. His memories, more and more, I see them, I quote them without thinking. I meet people that remind me of others, people that I've never seen"
"That doesn't matter. You recognise who you are, WHAT you are"
"I'm nothing more than a coward"
"A coward wouldn't jump off a Dragon and stare certain death in the eyes for the sake of his friend!"
"I only did that to impress her- and for what? I'm not worth the air I breathe"
"Dammit Lars! I've seen the bravery you claim is vanity. I've seen the man charge headlong into swathes of undead! I've seen the courage to stand in front of crowds and call out the rich and powerful! I've seen-! I know who you are, I've seen WHO you are"
Subconsciously, I'd been digging into his shoulders in anger. With a deep breath, I eased up and shook him once over.
"Listen- we're gonna save Arisu, we're gonna buy a few things, then, we're going to put on the best apology a Coney has ever seen, got it?"
"But that-"
"Shut up! Shut the fuck up! We're going to do it, and you're going to explain exactly what's going on to her, got it?"
My voice shook with anger. I knew no other way of showing him I wouldn't compromise, and that this was a promise.
Adelard's smile began to fade, unable to deny the determination in my eyes.
"The moment you give up on her- on us, your goal of surpassing your family, that's the day I know you're no longer yourself. Do you know who you are?!"
"I- I'm not-"
"You're nosey! You're horny! You a fucking idiot that jumps of Dragons to fight battles he can't win! You're brave! You're strong! And you're my goddamn friend! Do you fucking understand!?"
Experiences in life had driven me to the person I was today. If others had not talked to me, argued with me, and ultimately forgiven me, then, I too would ultimately be a lost cause. That's why it was important to give my friend the same chance I was graciously given.
I had a workshop of knowledge and connections. With them, anything was possible, including saving a dear friend.
"...Dammit"
Slowly, I let go of Adelard and gave him a pair of sunglasses as a drop of cloudless rain dampened the earth below. So too did an otherworldly guitar join in falling from the same heavens.
"Who'd of thought the weather would be bad tonight"
"Y-yeah"
"We'll fix everything, and maybe you don't believe me, but I don't lie to my friends"
At the end of the day, what he did was unequivocally far less than the destruction I had brought.
To the copies, to Arisu, and by extension, to Dragons Mort itself. And eventually, there would be those that would come to claim my head for the blood running through my veins, illegitimate heir or not.
That is why I had to do better, to not fall any further into a destiny that seemed purpose fit for my folly. I refused to let Death control me, or anyone for that matter.
Adelard had chosen to reject everything he held dear out of fear, and I chose to hold him close in defiance of his own ideas. His chest shook and his chin bounced ever so slightly against my shoulder. The warmth of hastened breaths blew against my ear.
Even now, he fought the harsh weather.
Slowly, the clouds around his heart cleared for the better, yet many lingered, failing to tear the soggy mask from his face. I had faith that once the festering wound was cleared, Aoife would steal it away, once and for all.
With a pat on his back, I let my friend go and gave him a nod to let him know everything would be okay. After a deep breath, he returned the gesture.
"Once upon a time, I had a friend like you. He pushed away his closest allies, afraid that the mantle of leadership could bring ruin to all he held dear. Please accept this. May it serve you well, as it did him"
Myrddin reached into his robe to pull out a rather unique longsword scabbard. Bearing the color of dried blood, a golden Dragon wrapped around the right spine, clutching various gems in each of its four claws that lined both sides.
"It's a treasure of greater wealth than the blade it once housed. I've enchanted it to remain invisible and completely undetectable once equipped. Please, do not lose it like its previous owner"
"What happened to the sword?"
"Broken by a few angry Oni, I'm afraid. Luckily for them, a new kingmaker has found itself within the Eternal Empire's lands. Meaning those Yokai won't have to fear an opportunistic visit soon, not that they won't prepare"
Still steading his emotions, Adelard simply looked up into the night sky as the time Wizard knelt down to attach a powerful artifact to his belt, by his left leg.
"Then… If there's a new leader, there's a chance they could use a major defeat could to start a civil war and overthrow the old Emperor"
"Or, it could embolden them on a national scale. There's no greater unifier than a great enemy. They've snuggled up to the Crusade already. War is quickly approaching Dragons Mort in numbers almost unheard of"
"Do you think that if something happens, if a battle breaks out, you could reverse time but let them keep their memories? So they don't all die?"
"Not without a large power source and the right tools. Time magic has its own set of rules, recalling the original past too soon can make things far more messy than this, and far bloodier. There's only one timeline, we must protect it…-"
I was already the cause of over ten thousand deaths at Tyrants Rest, there needs to be a way to prevent more fighting
"-Hypothetically speaking, there might be a way to trick everyone into seeing the future, without truly living it. Combining certain magic… If I set off now, there is a chance of avoiding a dog's dinner"
Without knowing it, I started twirling the small hourglass in my hand, as I formulated an idea, running through the situation I was in, and the possible future problems.
"But, then, if you're not here, whoever fought in Nala might do it again. Unless- unless we get someone else that could stop them, someone strong"
"Who do you have in mind?"
"It's a gamble, but Enda knows she has allies that are more than willing to aid her. Even if only four or five stand up to defend for their city, it'd be enough for a show, and that'd free up someone we could use"
"That's a lot of 'ifs', Touji- including if that individual wants to lend us a hand"
"She will- taking a chance, having faith in the draw of the cards is her thing, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind reintroducing herself to the world"
"Ha, ha ha! Brilliant! Brilliant! For a second, I thought you'd lost the plot. Ahhh… Before I go, take a gander over there"
It appeared our emotional turmoil had drawn the attention of a large number of soldiers. I quickly put on my pair of sunglasses and tried to think of an excuse.
"Let me settle this"
Throwing a hand on each of our shoulders, Myrddin gently walked us back the rough hundred meters or so to our ride, that of which, was ready to go. I felt many eyes on both of us, and a particular pair of beddy yellow irises on me.
"I'm sure you all know who I am, and what I am capable of! For the sake of these fine gentlemen, and to spare their embarrassment, how about we all take a look back?!"
Each of his resting fingers glowed a dull yellow as several tiny magic circles appeared, as big as a pocket watch, and just as complex as the cogwork inside.
"We've all been through tough times, seen things that would make us- well, things we wish to keep hidden, and we've all found our way to reconcile!"
The Time Wizard twisted his wrists in a counter-clockwise motion as he spoke.
"So I'm sure we now all understand some things are best kept to ourselves, correct?!"
"Y-yes sir"
"Hmm? Yes, who?!"
"Yes Sir Hero. P-please, don't tell anyone a-ab-about that"
Their Captain, a highly decorated greasy man wearing typical Nalan Soldier garb, surcoat and all, shook in his boots, and hid under his kettle helmet. He seemed like the type of individual that would welcome an under the table 'payment' for his lack of reporting.
In fact, they all seemed willing to look past an incident, depending on the price.
"As long as each and every one of you shall keep their secret, I- well, you shall keep yours. Unless, of course, a time arrives in which you betray my trust. Silence is golden, as they say!"
And with that, his wrists flicked back, the magic dissipated, and his mischievous intent faded. It was a bluff, but an extremely effective one.
He had successfully turned all of the watch pale. From those on high wielding ranged weaponry and magic, to those bearing polearms at the ready.
"Right then, give me a bell if either of you strangers need me. After all, I'm only exactly fifty nine seconds away. And don't worry, I'll make sure to check in on a few people"
Myrddin pushed us forward, and I leapt into the back of the cart. His last statement directed to my friend. With a helping hand, Adelard joined me in silence.
Inside, an intense Grim and meditating Naji. Whatever she had planned, or thought, was a mystery, however, I preferred not to reveal my conclusion.
***
As we rode into Nala once more on a night where peace had prevailed, I caught one last glimpse of Myrddin approaching the cliff. He picked up both odd seats and stacked them on top of eachother.
After a twist, they combined to form a large hourglass of infinite time, as the sand inside formed a twisted mobius loop.
Behind the Hero, an enormous square brick lighthouse rose from the ridgeline, its light illuminating everything around, built on top of a floating piece of land. It hummed with power, dull, lifeless power.
An artifact of immense strength, similar to Enda's strange placeable hotspring. What it searched for, what it found, or more interestingly, where it could travel, too many possibilities came to mind.
Myrddin took one small step onto the floating island, grabbing onto a chain threaded through many iron poles down a very simple dirt path.
Suddenly, all the otherworldly rubbish was drawn into the lighthouse's flame, including the odd Guitar Adelard found.
***
Looking back in the carriage, I came to a realization.
If I said nothing to Grim, suspicion may conjure a storm in her mind. That led me to make a request of her, a question she could never expect, and that raised a long grey eyebrow in tow.
"Grim, could you teach me how to play the guitar?"