I

  NOCTIS

  Teia looked at me and took a sip of her chocolate. “So, you will be leaving soon?” She asked me as she stared at her cup. “At the end of this week, Hero Bon-Bon’s clothes will be ready by then, along the feast a day before.”

  She stayed quiet for a few seconds, then began to sip her drink. “How long? How long are you going to go?” She asked me with a frown.

  “I don’t know. If we’re heading to Joyce, along the path to it, by foot it would take us around a month or so to reach it. If the weather and ambushes let us.”

  “I see. That’s true. By the time you reach your goal, can you come and visit at least?” She said, her fingers fidgeting the cup. “I’ll do what I can.” I said as I was waiting for Bon-Bon. The winter breeze blew with Teia squinting and pulling her arms close to her chest, the cold being quite strong today.

  “You should stay inside; the temperature is lower than normal today.” Teia shook her head, her purple eyes squinting. “I’m fine. Just windy is all.” She spoke. I lifted a brow at her. “Teia, you shouldn’t push yourself so much, I’m not a human, you are.”

  “I just want to spend the last few days with you. At least as much as I can that is.” She said with her frown buried in her cup. “I see. Then I won't stop you.”

  Hero Bon-Bon came out in my cape. “I’m ready.” She said as she put the hoodie on. “Teia, please lead the way.” She nodded and began to move. The Hero and I began to follow behind, which she kept staring at me. “What is it?” I asked without expecting her to answer.

  “Nothing, just, I want to know why your eyes are different from the other Heroes?” I looked at her for a second, then only let her question float in the air. “I don’t know.”

  “That’s BS.” She said. Teia let out a chortle, which she flinched when she turned to see us. “There aren’t any answers to what happens to our bodies when we’re brought here, and with you thinking I know what made them this way, only tells me you are persistent.”

  She pouted, in which I just sighed. “We don’t truly know what the process is we go through, all its hinted is that there appears a strange woman who blesses us.” She turned to me with wide eyes. “You saw her too?” She stopped suddenly. Teia and I turned to her, though I could tell Bon-Bon was truly shocked.

  “Back with my friends, only a few of us saw her, my friends, and Dae-Hyun. But you did too.”

  Staring at the ground, she began to walk. “There are things in this world that are almost impossible to understand. Just like on Earth, in Cypher, not even the majority of everything is known.”

  “That may be true, but.” She shook her head. “Yeah, your probably right. I should really forget that.”

  Walking ahead, I began to head to the village.

  Heading inside a hut that was mainly for the entire village to gather, I opened the curtain of fur and was greeted by the people. Shouts and smiles were always something I wouldn’t get tired of.

  They hugged and greeted with even some pats. This was a tradition, the people who have been growing as long as I can remember.

  “Mister Noctis!”

  “Sanctus!”

  “Noctis boy!”

  Everyone then turned to see Bon-Bon. A silence took over but then came the sudden cheers. They all went over her like the final piece of bread. The chatter began to deafen me as they questioned her to the point her eyes were turning faster than wheels.

  “Hey now, she’s just 22.” I said as they all turned to me. “Oh, so she’s a new one.” An elderly woman said as she looked closer.

  “22? She looks far younger to me.” Another elder said. “Sir Noctis, does that mean your even younger?” A little girl asked me. “No little one, Mister Noctis has been alive since your grandmother was just your age.”

  They all were astonished as they began to stare at me and Hero Bon-Bon. Then, she went to cover her face, which Ster and a little girl went to calm down the flustered Bon-Bon.

  After they all calmed down, the traditions began to commence. As per tradition, we took a long walk towards the statue. There, we began to pray and even begin to make smoke. The tradition was to make smoke and blow it towards the sky as a sign to tell the deity that faith and hope is still present.

  As the smoke dispersed, we began to put candles and a flower known as Ult’Ani, a very special flower that resembles a peony, having its petals a black color that faded to a beautiful white. The seeds shined golden, and they were set around the statue.

  Taking the last part to fully thank the deity, we all put a small altar where the people began to ignite a fire, where they all began to place a petal of the flower Ult’Ani, which represented someone that they have lost. Bon-Bon was in front of me, and placed one petal, which meant she had lost someone.

  As I was next, the people all bowed their heads, seeing that I am the only one with more than three petals. The ten petal I held, began to be put into the crimson flame. The last one, a beautiful white petal, was placed on top, and began to burn red.

  Staring at that last petal, I turned and began to walk back where those who had put the petals into the fire, in which I waited alongside them for the rest.

  As the fire burned, we began to focus on letting it burn until it was extinguished. During that time, we would all sit down and begin to pray once more, only this time, for us to think about our loved ones, or to thank the deity for another year of peace in the village.

  Staring back into my memories, I couldn’t find anything to remember, then I finished as I felt the presence of everyone ready to head back for the feast.

  “Mister Noctis, did you speak to your loved ones?” A small boy asked me.

  “Yes, I have told them to not worry about me.” He giggled and lifted a small thumbs up. I chuckled and patted his head. “You must be hungry, lets head to feast, okay?” He nodded and went back to his mother and father. Both bowed, along heading further ahead.

  Bon-Bon was behind me, her grip strong on my cape. “You know, you’re not going to get lost, they are all heading to the same direction.”

  “Yeah, I know. But you wouldn’t let a girl feel lonely, would you?” She didn’t sound like she wanted to charm me, or even sarcasm. I just ignored it and kept on moving. Her pout was heard, then she walked next to me.

  The path was filled with the children and people of the village, the warmth radiating of their joy and genuine care for each other, something alien to me every time I saw it. But Bon-Bon seemed to easily adapt to the people’s energy, having easily speak with the two children, along an elderly woman who whispered alongside her.

  Taking the last steps to the giant hut where smoke was coming out, the smell of brew and more of a steam that dispersed and began to spill from the door. Everyone was entering in a single line, along myself holding the elderly woman next to me to help her walk up the stairs. The inside was warmer, even having in the middle of the empty hut a giant table that was extending the entire center.

  I led the elderly woman to her seat, to which she patted my hand and gave me a toothless smile. “Thank you Noctis son.” I nodded and went to sit next to Bon-Bon.

  “The feast shall begin, let’s bring the food.” The elder said as from behind him some curtains opened, and thirteen young men came with carts made of wood. The smell of sweet tarts and some stuff birds were covered in the mist of meat and vegetables. Everyone clapped twice, a way to thank for food.

  Bon-Bon did the same, showing a joyful smile that brought many of the boys staring at her. My eyes closed and I only focused on my hearing. Each voice, each giggle, laugh, and chuckle, it made my heart less empty. It would be the last time I would hear each one of their voices for a long time.

  The night was filled with music, food and one new memory for me. The food filled my stomach as I finished the last dish the elder passed out, a small cake made of cookies and cream of the goats they had to produce milk. Sweet and a bit salty, it reminded me of a cheesecake.

  Night passed, and like many of my days, it passed quite fast. It was those nights that I began to see that I would miss them, and they would miss me. Bon-Bon was beginning to recover, and with placing mana back into her by using myself as a filter, she managed to restore back herself.

  “I have scars.” Bon-Bon said as she looked at herself in the water’s reflection. “You’re lucky their just small, Juno did leave you in a rough shape.”

  “I thought Heroes could regenerate and heal all injuries?” Her hand touched her back, a small scar crossing the middle of her hips and another below her left side of her ribcage. “That’s not true completely. We may be these immortals almost indestructible, but we are still in a physical body. It’s natural for a body to leave marks.”

  “Yeah, probably. It’s still quite a relief for me to see that I have at least something that resembles my human body.” Staring at her belly, I could see two small spheres of a metallic purple.

  “Hmm. Enjoying the view?” She said while covering herself. “Sorry, its just, you have something on your belly.” She lifted her brows and widened her eyes. “Ohhh. My piercing. It’s this type of…” I lifted my hand.

  “I know what it is. I was just caught by surprise.” She lifted a brow and touched her belly, “didn’t you undress me with the intention to heal me?”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t ogle you. I was more concerned with the process of healing you.” My cheeks felt hot, but she just giggled. “Yeah, I know. No need to panic.” As she finished putting her shirt on, she came to the table to see the metal boxes I had placed on the floor.

  “So, whatcha doing?” She asked as her head poked above my shoulder. “Supplies, for the village. I have been crafting them in case I ever left.” Her eyes stared at my hands, which were occupied with sealing the last box.

  “I see.” I nodded as she lifted her head. Knocking was heard as we both looked at where the hall was. The door opened and Teia appeared along the elderly women. In Teia’s arms, a wrapping of a beautiful white cape with a chain holding it together was folded.

  “Your clothes, Lady Bon-Bon. We have made it to fit you.” Bon-Bon gleamed with joy as she skipped to see her clothes. “Go ahead, I’ll wait outside.” I said. Before even leaving the room, one of the elders held me in a tight grip. “Now, now Mister Noctis, you should give your opinion. To see if we achieved for it to charm men.” I stared at them for a second, then, they all smiled fiercely.

  “Fine.” I said as the elders surrounded me along Teia taking Bon-Bon to change. “Oh, Mister Noctis, you shouldn’t be embarrassed.” They kept on giggling and chuckling as I felt as if time was slowed down.

  Then, after eternity, Bon-Bon came out in the new set of clothes gifted to her. I stayed quiet as the elderly women were surprised. There, her lavender eyes stared at the floor with a hint of blush.

  A white button shirt with her shoulders seeming to have a puffed shoulder that drooped to her bicep, which was held by black bands. The sleeve came down and went wide cuffs. She wore tight black jeans that had a holster for supplies on her right thigh, black leather boots that reached to her knees. She seemed to have a pair of suspenders on her shoulders, but.

  Her center seems to push them away from her chest. I looked away as the elders wiggled their eyes at me. “My, my. In my 97 years, I’ve never seen Noctis stare quite intently at a lady.” I looked away, to which Bon-Bon just blushed.

  “Noctis, now, please do say what you think of Lady Bon-Bon.” Taking a small glimpse at her, she stared at me with a face that told me she was actually interested in my opinion.

  “Bel’Ka.” That single word made the elders giggle like little girls. Bon-Bon seemed confused, but Teia pouted at me, knowing what I meant. As they told Bon-Bon how her cape works, I began to dress myself, my gloves were the only thing I kept at all times.

  Gripping tightly my fists, I began to put back on my shirt and robe that covered to prevent any cold to enter. As I finish putting on the cape, I step outside, finding Bon-Bon and the elders standing. In my arms, I held small boxes similar to Rubik’s cubes in two containers.

  “Are those the boxes you were making?” Teia asked as she went to grab one, only for her to almost fall face first onto the snow. Grabbing her, the box fell near my feet. “Yeah, they’re quite heavy.”

  “Quite?” Bon-Bon looked at the box. She went and lifted it as Teia stood beside me. “Wow, its light.” She said with a plain face. Teia drooped her shoulders, along the quiet giggles of the elderly women.

  “You Heroes sure are a whole different thing.”

  II

  As we went along the village, I went on to give each hut a cube, which held quite the special instruments to help them in any need necessary. A cube that could help in protection, something similar to a bodyguard, along having immunity to magic. This will keep the village safe for the time I will be gone.

  Teia was by my side, never leaving it as I finished passing each cube in the village. “So, what do the cubes do?” Bon-Bon asked. Teia responded in my stead. “The cubes were a project Mister Sebastian created to help the tribe with protection and resources. Mister Noctis finished this project a week ago. It’s something similar to what the people in the kingdom call, AI.”

  She stared blankly at the cube Teia held in her hands. “How is that possible?”

  “With the help of magic and technology being fused together, the energy is from the environment, almost like solar panel, and can even expel mana to help growth of fruits, vegetables and roots to eat. Along the meat, it can be harvest with the help of the cubes to aid in tracking and hunting the mana beasts.”

  She looked at the cube, and then back at me. “Never saw you as an expert in technology.” A brow lifted in my face. “Alchemy.” I said bluntly.

  “Alchemy?”

  “Well, something similar to it. Crafting a mana spark inside a cube in order to be put as a guardian, helper and even protector. But I just created it as I saw it back in Earth.”

  “True. But which century are you from exactly Noctis?” I stayed silent for a few seconds. “20th.” Bon-Bon stayed quiet before saying, “Really? I’m from the 21st.”

  “Now that they are all distributed, we should begin to pack up for the journey.” I said as I lifted the cube. Teia and the elder women were all giving me expressions that made me feel hollow. Teia came with us to help Bon-Bon pack, while I began to lock up everything just for the sake of not letting the people have to worry of cleaning.

  Since the first day in this village, I was nothing but a stranger to them, however, they received me with open arms. Something I was never accustomed to.

  The memories began to flood my head, causing me to stay still for a few seconds. Then, they were finished. Unlike when I was still a human, I realized that my memories were so short to the point it was similar to blinking and realizing half a century passed. Taking it all as a clear picture and nothing else, I began to wonder about the value they had.

  “Ready?” I asked Bon-Bon as Teia was still by her side. She held her gaze with mine and stepped forward.

  “Come visit us once in a while, will you?” She held my hand and put it on her cheek. Her face was warm. But I knew what she was telling me. Pulling to hug her, I kept a loose arm, and she began to bury her head in my chest. “Please take care. Don’t worry too much and live your life with no regrets.”

  Her shoulders trembled, and her eyes closed to release tears. She never cried, as I remember since holding her in my arms as a baby, she would never cry most of the time I was present. But now, she showed how much she was hiding such emotions.

  “We’ll be going now, Teia. I’ll come visit after finishing my work.” Those were the words she heard as I left. She didn’t say anything as she stayed inside.

  “Why didn’t you express yourself?” Bon-Bon asked me with a hint of irritation. “There are things humans and Heroes can’t return, and one of those is feelings.” As we left the small village, reaching the hill of snow, I could see the entrance to the small village.

  Bon-Bon stared in amazement. This was her first time seeing it from afar. Snow surrounded everywhere the eye could see, along a crystal orb above that covered the village. Taking the hill to get up top a small wooden bridge, the lake of pure white crossed, similar to crystal.

  “We will be heading to the bridge near a river to reach the path to a enchanted forest. There, we will will follow it to reach the main road to Prynia.”

  “Prynia?” She asked while stepping carefully in the snow. “It’s the kingdom nearest to us, there, you may be able to contact your friends.” As I said this, her eyes gleamed in happiness. The girl giggled a little and then calmed herself.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Alright. Sounds good.” Skipping, she began to follow me as we ventured further inside the forest. The whiteness of the snow covered everywhere, from the ground all the way to the tip of the trees. Her eyes shined lavender and mixed with the white, having a dusk like color.

  “So, this is the forest huh?” She said, her eyes never leaving her surroundings. “The forest never loses snow as the abyss is close.”

  “Near the abyss. You mean like the lower side of the world?” Nodding I stopped, my hand pointing to the bridge which was behind us. “The abyss is that way, where we were staying. In 30 miles, the entrance to the Abyss can be seen. It’s where the original denizen of this world resides. And the last battle of the previous war.”

  The previous war that opened once more the seal from the abyss. As known from the books and tales, the abyss was the only place where the Calamities rose once more and began to endanger the world.

  “The abyss? As in the purgatory of this world?”

  “Yes,” I began to walk as I didn’t want to waste daylight, “it’s the entrance to the old world, the crust of earth where monsters of the worst kind reside. The place where even us Heroes would have a difficult time as it’s close enough to be another dimension.”

  From the hill, we managed to reach the river with the bridge. The river gleamed blue, something that was because of the pure ice that was below it. The bridge was made of a simple structure of wood and had been broken, but the villagers and I managed to build it back up again.

  “I’ve only heard stories of that place. Especially the recent one of the previous wars. That’s where the Tokyo Faction fought against the last Overlord.”

  As we crossed the bridge, the snow was beginning to show black dirt that shined like shattered glass. Bon-Bon stopped, her eyes looking at the ground. “It’s alright.” I said as she took a step closer.

  “Why do I feel such mana?”

  “Because it’s an enchanted forest.” I bluntly answered. She blinked. Then looked at the forest. “Is it?” Deadpan, I said, “Yes. As you could sense, this place is filled with mana, that’s because of the high density that it’s produced by the volcano that is underground. Because of the volcano, the ground here melts the snow and turns the dirt into a crystal-like state. Thanks to the mana pushing against the volcano, the place hasn’t been burned down.”

  “I see. So, is this place like a ruin forest?” She asked as we began to walk inside. “Not exactly. The forest began to bring forth mana as a form of resistance against the volcano, thanks to it, the forest began to have strange mutations.”

  “Such as the crystal dirt?” She asked me. “And the trees.” I said as I pointed to the closest one. The black tree was humming with mana that turned into water. Then, up above us, like glass shining with the sun, the leaves that spread showed to be made of ice.

  “Are those made of ice?!” She tried to touch one but learned quite fast why they were in such state. As the leaf came in contact with her finger, the leave suddenly became colder and began to release a condensation causing her finger to be frozen.

  Her finger then broke the ice like nothing. “What just happened?” She was checking her finger. “The defense mechanism of the forest. It’s a way to protect the tree. So do the plants and even water in this place do the same.”

  Walking further, we saw the river that flowed like thousands of crystals. Bon-Bon was astonished, almost creeping close to it, but kept her distance. The river shined as the sun beamed above, the snow not making it easier to see.

  The path began to be filled again with snow, the black crystal ground coming to a stop. “Are there any more villages through here?” She asked me. “There are only five. The rest were wiped out or they left by the war.”

  “How is that even possible?” Staring down, she looked around her, not believing that war happened a century ago. “Heroes have the capability to vanish complete kingdoms at full power.”

  “But Juno couldn’t even cause that.” I looked at her, her eyes opened slightly wider as she saw my dead expression. “If a phase 1 Hero were to truly use all their power, they would be able to destroy a mountain, possibly even turn it into rubble. If using Cosmic energy, they would leave an empty plane land filled with ash.”

  She stuttered with a gasp, the words not forming. “So, you mean that I’m capable of destroying an entire kingdom or even more?” I simply nodded.

  She stayed quiet and pale, but it faded as she began to think of something. She was quick in accepting her new self. That’s something not most of those who are brought here can do. Taking a small path near the forest, a plain field of snow began to emerge from the trees. There, ruins could be seen from where we walked.

  “Are those buildings?” She asked as she observed the giant ruin tower that was on our left. The ruins were empty, full of snow and dirt. “The buildings of an old town of dwarves. They used to have a shrine here for the dragons, but it was destroyed as the war raged and stayed here.”

  She glanced every two or three steps towards the ruins, then, we began to see more and more. “How is it that this place makes me feel…”

  “Empty?” I said while lifting my leg over a wooden pillar. She almost tripped but managed to place her foot back on the ground. “There aren’t any bodies laying here.”

  “That’s because of the tradition the people of Cypher have. They’re very aware of the bodies not having nothing but rotting flesh and bone but wish to bury them as a way to place their physical bodies to rest.”

  The ruins began to stretch many miles, and she was shocked to witness such a view. Her voice cracked for a second to release a soft weep. It was quiet enough to make me have to scan my surroundings in order to prevent from anyone from lurking.

  My eyes felt warm, something that told me my eyes glowed with a blue light. Nothing came in my sight, and I released the skill.

  “This should be a good place to camp; we have managed to reach half the trip.” Moving close to an enormous cathedral, Bon-Bon asked.

  “Why camp? We should be fine reaching Prynia.” Taking a sudden stop, I said, “Because right now, Prynia has a schedule to when you can enter and leave.” She looked at me with disbelief. “You’re joking right?” My face stayed deadpan.

  “Wait, for real? How is that even reasonable?” Opening the giant set of doors, I could see that most of the interior was intact. “Time of war. Spies, sudden ambushes and attacks, bombing, possible invasions. Unlike Earth, the people are united and careful in order to prevent massive loss and destruction.” She stayed silent as I continued to inspect inside.

  “So, we’re staying here?” She asked as she sat on a broken bench. “Yes, this is the only place to have at least a roof. Besides, I’ll put a barrier to prevent any sudden attacks or from anyone detecting us.”

  Setting down, I pushed most of the rubble and debris out of the center and used wind magic to clear the dust and rocks from where we would sleep.

  Bon-Bon seemed to stay still, uncomfortable because of her not being able to do anything. As I finished, I began to invoke the two bags made of beast fur and skin to sleep in.

  “I’ll go hunting, you can wait here and start a fire if you like.” I said as I turned. “Wait, why can’t I come with you?” She lifted herself, but I raised my hand. “It’s not necessary. Wait here and I’ll come back with something to eat.”

  Without hearing her, I left, the cold winter howling as I knew that the curfew for the winters last months would be strong. Snow and gushing air pushed at the trees, bending as the gusts were strong. Pulling up my hood, I let out a long sigh.

  Winter here is always a mess.

  III

  BON-BON

  Noctis has been gone for two hours now, which had me worried for a bit. I even thought he left me. But thankfully, I used my skill to detect him. Because of the new levels I’ve gained, my skill managed to increase the time and reach. Now I can see from 2000 meters, along being able to use it for two minutes.

  His aura wasn’t blue, not like his eyes. It was a strange mixture of white, purple and golden. I couldn’t wrap my mind as to why it faded and came to each color. Its as if his Cosmo was fusing or even dividing.

  My stomach let out a roar that made me glad Noctis wasn’t here. Peeking in the bag that Noctis had, I found some fruits and even pieces of bread. The stomach demon growled as I saw its prey, the wild beast within me not being able to hold its hunger. Grabbing a large fruit that resembled an apple, only, it was pinkish. Taking a bite, the sweetness of the fruit dripped on the side of my lips.

  The fruit held a sweetness like a peach and a scent similar to grapes. The fruit was delicious enough that I began to grab another one. This fruit was close to a mango, but it was a bit bitter then sweet. Taking a second to munch on it, I began to feel something.

  The night was quiet all of sudden, and my eyes began to look at the doors of the cathedral. Was Noctis back?

  No, it wasn’t him. It was a group of people. Their voices sounded like men around their mid 30s. Walking slowly to the doors, I used my skill, in which eight men with yellow and red auras were walking in unison. Behind them, I found two strange purple auras that were half the height of the men.

  These two were not in any condition to be walking. I could tell by their auras that they were injured, hungry and dehydrated. The fruits I just ate began to move my stomach as I felt sick.

  From hearing it in many stories and movies, to textbooks and recorded tapes, I knew these two were in fact slaves. My eyes began to feel tingly, and my body began to feel my blood boil. Taking a deep breath to keep my aura stable, I kept on seeing them drag the two slaves. They went away, all the group heading towards a small circular building.

  My head began to spin with the two options I had. Stay here and let them be to avoid problems, or…

  The second option was rather more of my sense of justice. Perhaps even my emotions moving my body, but I went out of the cathedral, the wind hollowing like crazy. A storm?

  Was this the reason Noctis wanted to take shelter? But because of my Hero physique, the storm was more like a cool breeze in the spring morning. Taking slow and quiet steps, I went to check on the group.

  My eyes scanned the small round building, in which I found the men sitting near a fire that just began to burn. They’re armor wasn’t of Joyce. It was a gray charcoal, along having a crimson color that was resembling as scars all around the chest plates and helmets.

  The scales on the arms and legs resembled similar to those of a serpent. Each man was between around his 20s and 40s. They all seemed rather foreign to those from Joyce. Having messy hair that is two colors. One of them had green and brown hair, while another had purple and red. And their eyes were rather inhuman. Unlike Noctis’s glowing thin pupils, these had sharp pupils with red eyes. Their scleras had a strange red line crossing in the middle.

  These weren’t people of this world. These were probably like us, from a different world. As a I thought this, one of them slammed his gauntlet on the cold ground.

  “Such a pain!” The youngest shouted as he ripped apart a bag made of paper. “Why do we have to scavenge the lost ruins. I don’t get those stupid Heroes.” A few of them chuckled, while one or two stayed quiet with a snare. “Great One surely had a reason.”

  That title made me remember back when we looked at the files of the Tokyo Faction. Great One, aka Hakuto Kaneko. The leader of Tokyo.

  “Ha! That guy only knows how to boss around, a fucker who doesn’t leave the empire.” One said as he at the meat inside the bag. Fresh uncooked meat was ripping in his teeth, blood dripping from his mouth.

  Nausea began to fill me, the cold entering my body as I watched on the side, two little girls, perhaps even younger than Teia, who had small horns poking out of their temples. They looked sickly thin and had bruises all over their bodies. The two girls were wearing only a small piece of cloth that seemed to be a sack in which they store potatoes.

  My lip began to burn, just realizing I was biting it hard enough as I held my anger. “Quiet, he’s omnipotent, I don’t want to be tortured as punishment for your stupid behavior.”

  The man ate a piece of meat, his eyes glaring daggers at his brother in arms. “He isn’t a god. We were just told they are they’re flesh and bone, they don’t live forever.”

  One of them scoffed. “You say such things, but you witnessed yourself how Great One could destroy the planets of our enemies.” The guy who complained swallowed hard, his face trying to hide his memory of such event.

  The man began to click his tongue. “Yeah, well he can suck it. Fucker orders us around, as if we were his slaves.” As he said this, one of the two girls coughed, wheezing as she tried to cover her chest.

  “Why is it that we must take over this planet, Great One has already taken the other planet of those barbarians.”

  “Because it’s his wish to defeat this world’s origins. If not, the prophecy could become true.”

  The others laughed as the older man just sipped his water. “Can’t believe such prophecy would be real. So many things the denizens create to bring hope. Such pitiful things only result in empty promises of salvation.”

  The little girl coughed again, such that I felt my heart break as her body was shivering. “Hope is strong. So strong that it caused this world to face the Heroes of Tokyo head on. I’d say they aren’t weak at all.”

  One of them got pissed, looking at the direction of the two girls. “Well, at least we get toys to have in the journey.” They all chuckled as if they were telling a joke.

  “Yeah, now that our bellies are full, we should shake down the food.” Those words made my blood explode inside me, but fear came to drown such anger. When I turned to my right, I saw Noctis, his silhouette burned with aura, his eyes like two suns burning in the darkness of the night. The thin pupils shined with what was rage of an inner being.

  His hand gestured as the entire building door was ripped off out of thin air. The men inside shouted and yelled as they felt the pressure coming towards them. Noctis ignored me and passed inside. There, I became witness of what a man with no mercy would do to his enemies.

  Each step made my stomach sink, and as he entered, the men inside couldn’t react in time to his presence. The six men stared in horror as they saw how Noctis came in with a presence they wished they have never had to be faced to face.

  “W-who are you?!” The young one said as he shook his body. He tried to grab his sword, but Noctis was way too fast. His hand gripped the arm of the young soldier, only to hear him wail and a snapping sound.

  The soldier fell, but he was gripping his arm. Or what was left of it. As Noctis turned, so did my stomach. “Gray Scales in the border. What is Great One up to?” He asked with a very sharp and dead voice.

  His hand held the hand and wrist of the soldier, making me want to puke. His eyes and demeanor stayed calm, yet what made me feel horrified, was the empty or even lack of emotion he displayed.

  He was proving to be what Grey once said to me. “A Hero of the eras in which war was normal, they would find killing almost similar as breathing. Ripping and tearing as if they were cutting a mana beast for feast, bathing in blood as if it were a rainy day.”

  This proved that Noctis was already aware of war, and what was necessary to achieve what his side needed to do to stop it. As he threw the hand towards the crouched soldier, another tried to slice through Noctis.

  The blade only barely touched him, and it shattered like glass. The soldiers only widened their eyes, and hope was completely lost in them. “A Hero??!!” The wailing soldier shouted. Then we saw as how Noctis lifted the man in front of him, stabbing his index and middle finger below the rib cage and how he stared into the horrified man’s eyes.

  The man pleaded, his quivering voice only making me want to stop Noctis. But my body and mind told me not to interfere. “Hakuto, did he send you?” The men didn’t even bother to take a breath. Noctis seemed to lose his patience.

  “Do you fear Great One?” His voice venomous, burning with a hatred that could be felt from where I stood. “How can a True Hero still be alive?” The man snared as he coughed blood.

  Without hesitation, Noctis pulled, and the man saw how his ribcage came out bending him towards Noctis. The blood spilled along his guts. I looked away as the other men yelled in horror and disgust.

  My eyes turned back to find another of the men try to escape, but was slammed onto the ground, which the man didn’t move. I was in disbelief of how no remorse was shown in his eyes.

  The rest of the men tried to beg, but Noctis only asked one single thing. “Did Great One send you?”

  “Y-yes. He ordered us to leave a checkpoint for the rest to come.” The man with a beard said. His eyes were drowning in tears, his hand gripping the pants of his comrade. “Please, don’t kill us!”

  Noctis ignored his pleading, lifting his hand, in which the man was raised in the air, and with a single ball of his fist, the soldier was made into a meat ball. The other men shouted and only pleading more.

  “None of you know the real reason why you were brought here. Just foot soldiers.” His hand began to hum with mana. Tendrils of electricity began to spark, and a blade appeared around his hand. The blade shined blue and yellow. The sparks only made the blade shine more, pure mana and sharp.

  Such thing would be difficult to keep in shape, as mana was shapeless, almost like liquid, or even air, nothing that could take physical form unless very skilled.

  The glimmer of the blade began to vibrate with the emotions of Noctis. Though his face was dead, his blade and mana told me he was furious. The blade began to be lifted, and along it, a glow followed its path. As he slashed, the arm of the soldier haunted his comrades.

  “Please!” That was the last word the soldier shouted before his head was sliced off his body. I held my breath, the view of a head falling down made me remember once how a peach fell dangling from the tree. I didn’t know why it reminded me of that, but the same sound took as it hit the ground.

  The remaining men could only try and use their magic, a pure purple acid being spit from his mouth like venom. Only, it didn’t even touch Noctis as he pushed his hand into the mouth of the man. The soldiers had their eyes the size of dinner plates.

  The sound of meat hissing echoed, and the slump body of the soldier fell, only it was missing the top of his head, the jaw still attached to his body, in which the others shouted in terror to see. After killing the remaining soldiers, Noctis sighed and let go of his mana blade.

  “I know your still alive. I can hear your breathing.” Noctis turned, finding the man he slammed onto the ground shake and hold his bloody mouth. “Please, spare me, I’ll tell you anything.” The man held his jaw, barely being able to speak.

  “I know. Since the beginning, you already knew I wasn’t a human.” His words were haunting, the soul inside me shivered, the tips of fingers felt tingly, and my breath got stuck in my throat.

  “You are a Hero.” The soldier said with disbelief. “I could tell by the pressure, and your glowing eyes.”

  The soldier seemed more fascinated than scared, which didn’t even bother Noctis one bit. Noctis inspected the man, but he took his cape and went to cover the two little girls.

  Noctis then only went back to stand in front of the man. “Great One has begun to move his pawns. Meaning, he really doesn’t underestimate Joyce.”

  The man gulped loudly, not hiding his surprise. “Yes. Great One has started to move to get checkpoints for the troops to come.”

  “When?” Noctis ordered.

  “In two weeks. In two weeks, 1,200 troops will be brought to this side and begin invading the cities that are close.”

  “He’s trying to sneak his way through the back door?” The soldier nodded in affirmation. “Yes, he desires to attack the two points that lead to Joyce.”

  With this, Noctis began to analyze what the man had told him. Two points? As in the ice wall up on the border between Joyce and the Empire? But what would the second be?

  “Then, he plans to open the Abyss again?” The soldier only nodded once, which made Noctis look away. But his stare was enough to make me tremble. “How many have you killed?” Noctis asked the soldier. The silence ate up and my heart was all I heard.

  “What do you mean?” The man stuttered. Then, Noctis began to crouch, the empty eyes began to return, glowing as two stars. His aura told me that the soldier was not useful anymore.

  “22.” Noctis said. The soft tone left the man speechless, his eyes widening, the tears leaving his eyes. “They were all children. It seems the soldiers are the same as their ruler.”

  As Noctis let those words out, his hand had cut his throat. “This is how you killed the last child who begged for her mother. And this is how you’ll die as well.” The man tried to speak, but only gurgles left his mouth.

  Noctis pushed his head, only making the blood spill faster. As I stayed quiet and stared at the end of the man’s life, Noctis lifted the two girls and walked past me.

  “Don’t let the image sink in your mind. Let’s head back and leave the corpses for the mana beasts.” His words weren’t empathetic, not even trying to hide his hate. He knew what he did, and he didn’t regret taking the life of eight men.

  Taking a few steps, I just couldn’t grasp how someone could kill and not feel anything. How could someone live with that in their conscience. As I walked back to the cathedral, stopping at the door.

  Noctis was cleaning their faces, along trying to make the fire bigger in order for them to get warm. I was shocked. A moment ago, Noctis brutally killed soldiers with no remorse, now he looked as if he were a father taking care of their child.

  “They’re from the Arch-Demon kingdom.” Noctis said as the bloody towel he held was twisted to spill the dirty water.

  “You mean… they’re from the other continent?” He nodded as he took his hands, the gold and blue sparkles being poured onto the girls. “From the horns and their fangs, they’re definitely demons. But what is worse, is that the children were drained of their mana.”

  His eyes didn’t leave the girls, they were lost in something, something that was very true, but it was something I couldn’t see or understand.

  “A moment ago, you said something of how the man hid how many people he had killed. How did you know?”

  Silence filled the cathedral, the winds howling and wood creaking. His eyes turned to look at me. The glow in the pupils made me stay still, as if it were reading my soul. “It’s a skill of mine. I only use it when it’s necessary.”

  The glow faded as he covered the two girls and began to wrap them in beast fur. As he stood up, though he was a bit shorter than me, his aura was intense, already making me understand that he and I are from different worlds.

  Unlike me who has never even seen a street fight, Noctis has seen the worst of humanity. His simple yet calm gesture told me to sit near the fire. “Those weren’t humans of this planet, right?” I asked.

  “No. They seem to come from a different planet or dimension.” He began to rip the meat he had brought back. The meat began to be put in the fire, where it sizzled.

  The smell of meat similar to bacon began to bring my appetite again. But the images of what I saw a while ago as well came with the hunger.

  The fact I wasn’t as disturbed by what I witnessed. “You seem to be hungry; it’ll take a minute to be ready.”

  “Was it necessary to kill them that way?” As the question left my mouth, he stopped moving the meat. Though his eyes were looking at the meat, I could tell he was thinking.

  “In war a man doesn’t fear mostly the gun, the sword or the arrow. They usually fear the one using it, and how creative they can be with a weapon.”

  “Possibly, but even so.…” I paused, the air in the cathedral cold, and cold enough to make me shiver. “War isn’t a playground. Unlike the textbooks in our world that narrate it to romanticize such events, the true story is always gruesome, nothing changes that, and trying to act civil in a war, well consider yourself dead.”

  I stayed quiet. “Why become cruel? Why even try to act like a cold killer? Aren’t the people of this world…”

  “The people in this world won’t cause war, but when it comes to it, they will protect their kingdoms. The enemy aren’t of this world. They’re from Earth, Japanese teens that got drunk in power. No matter where humans of our world go, war is inevitable.”

  Shook by his words, he looked as if he had said nothing. “I know what those words made you feel, I was as clueless as you when I first came. Nothing but the knowledge of having to fight to return to my world. But know one thing, you will need to steel your mind in order to survive.”

  The wind howled as the words were taken away. Noctis was already a very experienced Hero, something that I begun to understand just now. I may not know what he went through, but he is just trying to tell me to understand in what we were involved.

  “I understand. But I just wish to avoid more deaths as the ones I just witnessed. Please.” Noctis lifted a brow and looked back at the meat.

  “I can’t promise much but I’ll try.” I smiled. “Thank you.”

  As the meat sizzled, the smell came to tempt me to drool. After a few minutes, he took it off the fire and cut it in two pieces. Similar to pork ribs, I grabbed one of the two pieces.

  The taste was similar to bacon, but as well as a bit of the texture of pork belly. I began to devour the piece of meat and finished it before Noctis.

  He looked at me with what could be a weird combination of being impressed and probably disgust. As he bit down on the piece of meat, I began to be filled with questions. A bit fixated on how Noctis came to be and who he really was.

  Staring down at his lips, I lifted my gaze to find him staring at me. “Still hungry?” He asked, but I shook my head.

  “I was just wondering, from where did you come from. I mean as in your country.”

  He chewed and stared at me for a second. Putting his slice on a piece of paper and tossing another huge slice of meat on the fire, he responded.

  “My mother was from Italy, while my father, well I never asked where he was from. Beside that, I was mostly in Italy.” Well, that was not surprising as he seemed to be European. But his manners or even form of speaking was similar to where I come from.

  “Were you brought in as a teen?” I asked. His nod was barely visible. “16. I was only 16 when I was brought. But the others were different ages.”

  “Which generation?” I asked him with a bit of suspicion. Before I could hear him, one of the two girls groaned and even let out a weep. The girl had beautiful blue indigo eyes. Her face was clean as Noctis had already wiped it.

  “Les Sal’Ver.” She said softly, barely a whisper to the human ear. “Noctis, what language is that?” I haven’t heard it before. Unlike the Primordial language, I began to find it similar to Latin. Noctis approached the girl, but she bared her teeth, hissing while her eyes showed a hatred that made even Noctis stop for a moment.

  “Noctis.” I said warily. He didn’t speak, falling to one knee and showing his hands in front of his face. The little girl paused, but I could tell she was still hostile.

  “Vos Le Ethereo Do’ Insa. No freto, so’vos Heroes.”

  She stopped and began to stare with tears in her eyes at Noctis. Noctis went closer, but the girl was the one to reach him and started sobbing.

  My heart fell seeing such thing as the girl buried her face in his chest. Noctis blinked, something he barely did. As he brought his arms to hold her, I went to sit and hold my tears. I didn’t know such sadness and pain could be felt through just looking.

  As she stopped and looked back at the other girl, I could tell she was worried. “Ama, mi So’Kor. Es Vi’Ra?” Noctis nodded and went close to the sister of the girl.

  The two girls were the only slaves I’ve seen since being here. The fact that slavery exists here since the Heroes, only proves that we are the problem for negative people to rise.

  But I found it surprising how the girl didn’t still keep her guard up to Noctis. Heroes were the ones who invaded and enslaved them after all.

  “They were taken from their kingdom. It was the Flautist.” As he said that, Noctis didn’t blink, making the long seconds obvious he was thinking of something.

  “Is he one of the Tokyo Heroes?” He nodded. “The Flautist is a very dangerous woman.” I widened my eyes and sucked my lips. Ohhh, so the Flautist is a girl.

  “I need to check her state.” He said as he put his index and middle finger down her collarbone. The dim light that glowed like circuits across her body, each line almost similar like a computer.

  “She has a broken rib and is malnourished.” He said as he turned to the other girl. His hands were glowing, the entire night was shining with the cathedral having a beautiful golden glow sparkle.

  For a minute, he sat with the glow emitting from his hands and the girls' bodies. Then, as if faded, the girls seem to have lost their fatigue, and a growl of their stomachs sounded.

  Noctis lifted his gaze and turned to me. “Can you bring me the pieces of meat.” I turned, and with a needle made of ice, I picked up the meat. Noctis summoned a small cup and manifested water. As he took a while, I could see the water being purified.

  His knowledge in magic was highly advanced as I saw how his water became drinkable. For that to be possible, one needs to understand each element, how it forms and how to divide it to become more useful. Such as the mana energy, Noctis had a different level of comprehension of how mana worked.

  The girls took easy and calm breaths. His healing helped them back to full health. “You cured them.” I said with disbelief. “But you are a Fighter type Hero, aren’t you?” I wasn’t understanding nothing of what Noctis was.

  Heroes had different classes or may vary depending on their skills. This isn’t determined until they manifest half of all their phases. Such as how I was only a Mage-type, but Noctis showed to be a skilled fighter in martial arts but could heal as well.

  Heroes as well have certain and very rare classes that range to be quite powerful to the point a whole class of different Heroes can’t stand against such power.

  “How do you think I healed you. Though this power does have its flaws.” I didn’t know what he meant, then his eyes began to wither the glow and became a plain pale blue. His aura depleted quite little but was noticeable. He seemed tired.

  “Such skill requires from my own energy to be taken and transferred to the targets I move it to. You had taken half of my energy that’s why I took a day to recover from such depletion of power.” That would explain why he meditated quite frequently.

  As he gestured for me to bring the pieces of meat, I came close and placed the meats on top of a paper that was almost similar to tracing paper and a paper bag. He gave one to the little girl with the paper.

  She doubted for a second, then extended her hands. Clapping her hands and rubbing them together two times, she spoke in her mother tongue. She took a small bite, then another and another. In mere minutes she finished her piece of meat and began to let out tears.

  Noctis held the girl in his arms, something that didn’t bother her, and began to let out cries, sobs that even made a tear leave my eye.

  His face was deadpan, yet his eyes rose with such care and emotion that even I was still for a moment. That moment, Noctis showed more emotion in his eyes, his blue cold eyes burned up at the sky, causing even the clouds to leave and for the moons to shine. I wonder how my friends are doing, and if they are still sad of my departure.