Disclaimer: I don't own Gate or Nihon-koku Shoukan, as they belong to their rightful owners.

Arc 2: A City, A Diplomacy, A Dragon

Noble City XII: Aftermath II

At first, it was all the loud explosions that she could hear.

Then the continuous earthquakes that rattle her world.

Indeed she felt the intensity even if she was inside the chapel.

Her eyes could only catch a glimpse of the flames that passed by the skies.

The subsequent crashes of that gigantic ball of flaming debris near the vicinity of the chapel were indeed nerve-wracking.

But to all of that, the refugees residing within the chapel stayed despite the many attempts to convince them that the place was already at risk of getting crushed by the giant flames from above.

Mari, of all the people she had met, these were tougher by the mind and the calmest that she had seen.

Even the little girl herself was showing no signs of fear.

As they continued their prayers amid her recon team members warning them to get out of the place, she heard the inhuman roars of the so-called beast.

And then right after that was silence.

"In the name of the Sun God, Let your Emissaries reign destruction upon evil!"

The last prayer coincided with the event and before she knew it, a burst of powerful shockwave had reached the chapel itself.

The last thing that Mari recalled was that she tried to cover the girl from the shattered pieces of glass that fell from the windows and then there was black.

It felt like an eternity of darkness but when she opened her eyes, she was still here.

"Do you copy! Are you two alright in there?"

She heard the walkie-talkie coming to life, the worried voice of the sergeant contacting them.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw a different environment and scenario compared to before.

Her vision was still blurry but she felt being carried off towards a specific area.

"Outside now!" She heard a voice again and this time it belonged to Wataru.

Along the way, her mind began to work and brought her to the last memory she remembered.

"The little girl!?" She yelled out inside her mind.

Where was she?

She remembered covering her from the falling shattered glass and then...nothing but darkness all of a sudden.

Then she heard the door open and the old wooden smell of the chapel was gone and replaced by the scent of grass and semi-fresh air.

"I hope you are alright." Then she heard another voice, this time she recognized it.

Her senses came back all at once.

Her vision became clear and not long after she found herself being greeted by the concerned face of the little girl.

Mari's eyes widened in surprise.

"What happened?" Is that all she could think of right now?

She then looked around and saw her surroundings.

She was outside the chapel, under the shade of a lone tree. Moreover, she wasn't alone as many refugees were already outside.

"Damn, I didn't expect that to happen that fast."

All this time Wataru had been alongside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

The man gave a quick smile.

"You looked as if you were in a trance, so I had to take you girls quickly out before things got worse." He explained.

Mari took a deep breath in relief.

She chose to observe her surroundings once again and saw the entire scene at hand.

The fields around the estate were still intact but several debris had already caused craters in various spots.

For the first time, she found herself baffled and surprised.

The fighting was over?

The dark clouds were dispersing away and the sun was visible to everyone.

"What happened?" She asked.

"We've been wondering too." Wataru replied." It had been just raining fire awhile ago and now it's all gone as if nothing had happened." He added.

No sign of enemies and even the rumored beasts.

"It was the Emissaries."

Both of their attention turned towards the little girl, who smiled at them.

Until now, she was still standing by her own belief...her family's and fellow villagers' beliefs.

"Didn't you hear the sound of their iron eagles just a while ago?"

Mari and Wataru were still dumbfounded as they stared at her, however, they tried to dig into their memories and one stood out.

Several seconds before the glass was shattered they heard a very loud explosion.

"Iron Eagles?"

"Yes! I am sure of it!"

In the midst of that, a familiar voice rang out through their ears and all turned towards a certain recon member.

"Mari-san, Wataru-san!"

"Daisuke?" Both of them said in unison.

The young private was gasping for his breath as he hurried his way through the fields, apparently reaching them first before his fellow recon members from behind could.

Once he recovered, he gave an excited grin, something that the two had not expected.

"Are you two alright?" He asked first.

"Yeah, we're okay...What's happening?" Wataru gave a puzzled face.

The young man took a deep breath before letting the revelation out." You won't believe this but the radio signals are back up again and we can finally talk to Itami-san!".

Both widened their eyes in surprise.

Daisuke raised a hand.

"This last one might be unbelievable to you guys but the Base camp has sent reinforcements and they're almost here!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hang on there!"

She heard the voice of her elf friend as she assisted her back on the LAV.

Her consciousness was fading away, though she fought to keep her senses up as she wanted to know what was going on.

"What is happening?" She muttered with her weary voice.

"Tuka, Ms. Shino..." She called out the names that came into her mind.

All this time, she was still concerned if the spell had worked and that everybody was leaving because of the possible fact that the creature was finally sucked into the void.

Her words were entertained as she slightly raised her attention and saw everyone in a state of panic.

"Everything okay back there?" She heard the voice of Higashi.

"Buckle up!"

And at the same time, Kurata had exclaimed before stepping on the pedal.

Lelei was finally getting the gist of it, they were leaving the area...but in this kind of state which she couldn't understand nor comprehend.

Her body was still in a weakened state.

She wanted to go over to the windows to see what was transpiring outside.

Could they be on the run from the remaining shadow dragons?

Yet, Rory was here and she could have taken them on easily.

There was something more to it.

"Hurry, we gotta go fast!" Mari then exclaimed, pushing the Otaku Soldier to accelerate.

"I am trying!" He replied.

Lelei blinked, as she turned towards her elf friend, who was looking to the back window.

She wanted to ask that question and by the time she could open her lips, she felt that strong surge of intense energy approaching.

From her corner, she caught a glimpse of a gigantic wave that reached them, and from the other side, a giant shadow appeared and loomed in.

At the same, her senses were fading away again, and before she knew it, everything had turned black.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Her eyes soon opened and this time her environment had changed once again.

She was lying on the ground and greeted by a different sky and familiar people surrounding her.

And she could feel the little drops of drizzle on her cheeks.

"Lelei, by the Gods you are alright!" Tuka was the first one to speak, as she hugged the blue-haired teen.

The rest of the people, which consists of Kurata, Higashi, and also the children have their sigh of relief, though they were all glad that she was alright.

The still baffled teenage girl rose as she was still eager to know what had happened.

She looked around her surroundings and saw that the environment had changed.

They were in an open plaza, what was left of it.

Abandoned, but still intact surrounded by the ruined establishments and stalls.

She tried to search for the battle but the monsters were nowhere to be found.

Not long after that, she would then catch a glimpse of a familiar dark bluish dragon and the red dragon herself which surprised her the most.

"They saved us," Tuka explained.

"Yeah, especially the bigger one!" One of the children then remarked.

In instinct, Lelei slightly turned to her left and caught a glimpse of the Flame Dragon herself.

As it turned out when the LAV and Chocobo-driven Cart were about to be tipped over by the shockwave, the beast's massive body was able to block the full force of the wave, allowing Little Foot to catch them in time.

The teenage mage felt dumbfounded for a little bit but considering that the mood had been improving ng ever since all of these events were over.

She couldn't believe that the battle was over.

The elf kids were laughing for the first time as they played with Little Foot for a little bit.

The Men In Green were having their usual relaxed conversation.

"It's over," Tuka remarked, smiling for the first time.

However, in the midst of that, the Duke stepped forward and reminded the elf girl of one thing.

"Ms. Tuka, I believe there is one last unfinished business yet to be done."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ahhh, in many years of my travels, I'd never felt this satisfied after participating in a battle."

Rory yawned as she thought about the current situation.

"Of course, you have to weigh in different approaches, not just recklessly throwing yourself in." She added while observing the surroundings.

In some way, she did feel saddened by what had happened to the whole place.

A lot of lives had to be sacrificed because of it.

And that only caused her to crave a drink which she considered her way of coping with such situations.

The Wonders of Tea.

She then looked to her right and saw the young man observing the scenery at hand.

Rory rolled her eyes and said." Well, you looked terrible."

Only to receive silence from the latter.

Luscious only glanced at the young lady before turning away, though, he did sigh in the end, giving her an idea.

"Oh don't be a little squeak, you did not even break a sweat." She then remarked, reminding him of how little effort he even participated during the battle.

The man just continued to ignore her as he seemed to prioritize his plans at the moment. Considering how it did not go as smoothly as he had expected.

The man appeared to be self-absorbed and focused solely on his agenda, even though things were not going as well as he had hoped. Meanwhile, Rory smirked once more, adding to the already tense atmosphere. Rory had another smirk on her lips.

"Besides, you did get bothered and distracted when you tried to defeat me."

Then Luscious surprisingly turned to her upon hearing her statement, showing signs of being affected by her playful demeanor.

It was a subtle thing that he disliked even back then.

As for Rory, she was just simply in the mood to ruin serious and edgy moments, especially to her own Childhood friend, who she thought had become a brooder for many years now.

Luscious was not afraid to say something, and by the time he attempted to do so, a certain Chirithy had come on site.

"Hold it!"

Terra manifested in front of him, raising his hands to stop him from moving forward.

"Whatever you do...you will not try to harm my master!" he cried, publicly and verbally protecting the young lady he had been serving for quite some time.

Although, there was something off with his words as the man was quite unfazed, and gave a puzzled look, glancing at the Oracle of Emroy.

"Is this guy serious?" He thought to himself.

"Rory, did you find someone who genuinely likes to be your servant?" He then asked.

The black-haired lady rolled her eyes in a sassy response. "Assistant is the word..." she said. "And let's be Professional here," she added, lightly hitting Chirithy on the head.

"And as for you...Terra, you don't have to be this impulsive.." She attempted a grin while gritting her teeth, emphasizing her annoyance.

"But, this guy is the one responsible for" He was cut from his words.

"Yes! I know...This handsome young man saved a lot of people and helped us defeat the enemy," Rory recounted, before changing expression abruptly.

Terra was perplexed, but he understood the expression, understanding that there was a lot to discuss in private from here. Even though his boss had already informed him about the guy, he hesitated to believe that he was on the side of good.

He gazed at the man as if telling him to acknowledge his boundaries, while the latter only kept making the same bewildered face.

Rory simply sighed, but then smiled as she turned in a specific direction.

"Well, now that's out of the way, it's time for her to finally deserve her moment." She then remarked.

At the same time, a certain someone had arrived on the scene, landing from the skies with her companions.

X

The conversations and laughter had halted as all of their attention turned towards a familiar face.

Giselle's arrival was marked by a subtle but unmistakable expression of desperation in her eyes as if she had been grappling with some pressing issue that had left her feeling helpless and alone.

She was struggling from the inside as she tried to resist her own emotions from going out.

She walked silently towards the carriage as the humble merchant carried her friend's body, which was wrapped in a simple cloth, and gently laid him down on the ground.

Everyone went silent, first confused by the situation, then understanding it.

The Draconian woman deserved her time to mourn.

The remnants of the eastern district were bathed in the soft glow of the sun's rays, even as the clouds slowly dissipated overhead. Yet, a gentle rain continued to fall, casting a serene and melancholic veil over the scene.

For the first time, Giselle could feel her legs trembling. Not from fear but from the worry that this would be one of the final times that she would be seeing her teenage companion.

As she cautiously approached the motionless body lying on the ground, her mind became flooded with a chaotic mixture of emotions and memories. Amidst the jumble of thoughts and feelings, one particular memory stood out, vividly replaying in her mind's eye: a mental image of her friend's confident grin, etched into her memory forever.

"So you're the person that I am supposed to work with in this quest?"

The memory where she had met him for the first time in a simple training field.

A brash and over-the-top young boy, who wanted to take on the world and reach heights that no one would ever dare.

"The name is Albretch, and damn! I'll be the best warrior in the land!"

As she reminisced, a small grin crept onto her face. The memory of his former persona brought her back to her early days as an apostle when she was just beginning to discover her path. It was almost as if she was looking into a mirror, seeing her innocence and eagerness reflected at her through his eyes.

Soon the small smile crumbled as she kneeled and watched the covered body of the boy.

The rest of everybody could only be in solemness.

There might be silence but the emotions were high at this point.

It didn't take long enough for them to hear the faint sobs of the young Draconian woman under the drizzle.

"W-Why...Why does this always happen?"

She began to speak, struggling with her words.

"W-Why do people have to endure this kind of fate!?"

Her emotions were emerging until she finally cried.

The children cried as Sara, who was also trying her best not to cry... eventually cried.

Lelei remained quiet while Tuka was in tears as her childhood friend, Aldon consoled her.

Tomita struggled to be in the same emotions as his arm was constantly being pulled by Selina, who was a bit overreacting with her tears. As a result, he remained slightly annoyed though he couldn't do anything at the moment.

Hitoshi stayed silent as did Captain Ine as well.

Shino was unconsciously holding Kurata's shoulder, gripping it tightly as she was secretly in tears while the latter was taken by surprise due to her actions and Higashi observing them in surprise.

Little Foot had made a sad growl and alongside him was the little girl from the circus and her father, who was now freed from the dark spell.

As moments passed, Giselle surprisingly mustered up the courage to take off the cloth, slowly revealing the angelic sleeping facade of the boy.

Despite the fact that there were subtle, yet noticeable, signs of blood stains on his attire, he appeared to be in a peaceful slumber.

"A-Albrecht, I felt your presence not too long ago." She began to speak again, though, she struggled with her words.

"I didn't exactly know what you did during the fight but...You did ruin that monster's moment." There was indeed a small chuckle that came out from her.

"You are a sneaky little bastard even in death..." She added, pausing for a little moment."

"But you saved my butt back there...Everyone's butt..."

"I owe you everything right now."

Despite the persistent drizzle, the beams of the sun had shifted their focus towards the vicinity they were in.

Giselle had this part of her that was hopeful that in some her talking would work and the boy would respond.

That part of her grew and she was eager to hear him once again but unfortunately, she only received the silence.

"Albrecht, I don't want to say this but I don't know what to do?"

She remarked again, recalling more memories of him.

The boy's character and way of living left a lasting impression on the young lady. She drew inspiration from his actions and learned to assert herself and stand on her own two feet. His influence was instrumental in helping her gain the confidence and strength she needed to navigate life's challenges.

"Please, I don't want you to go..."

All these years she mostly relied on power that was bestowed upon her by the Church she served.

She wanted to thank him for that yet she wasn't able to get the chance to do so.

She then glanced up towards the heavens.

"For once! "Please, I don't want this suffering anymore!"

For the first time in many years, she was finally free to voice out her regrets.

The regret of choosing the path to become an Apostle.

It only brought nothing but loneliness and suffering.

It resulted in failure to save the people whom she loved dearly.

At this point, she chose to kneel and mourn the loss of her friend, and eventually, she was able to place a hand on him, albeit weakly.

However, unbeknownst to her an ethereal essence has been growing and spreading throughout the city.

X

It was in the same area that the ethereal essence itself had emerged once again to heal the land.

At that very location, where the souls of those long gone and those recently departed could observe this moment of somber significance.

The boy himself was present as he stood alongside the mysterious beautiful woman, watching the whole scene unfold.

Albrecht was in silence yet from within, his own emotions were growing.

"Giselle..." He muttered his companion's name.

He never thought that he would see the day her friend would let out everything...

Her feelings and thoughts about him.

That was the moment he realized that the Draconian woman indeed cared for him.

She just didn't know how to relay it to him.

He stood there as the Lifestream surrounded the whole area, bringing peace and comfort to them.

From behind, he felt something had come up and as he turned around he saw a bright light from above that had emerged from the clouds.

As the sun set in the distance, the city was aglow with an otherworldly blue light. Glittering particles of the same hue floated in the air, slowly rising toward the sky. They seemed to be scattered in different areas around the city, creating a surreal and enchanting atmosphere. The ethereal presence was mesmerizing to behold, and it felt as if the city was being lifted toward the heavens.

A breathtaking scene indeed but a sad story behind it.

"The Gates of the Promise Land had opened." The beautiful woman had remarked.

The boy silently observed.

"It seems that the spirits of the recent deceased had been allowed to be passed on to the next world." She explained further as she could feel sorrow and joy colliding with each other.

The lifeless bodies that were scattered around the district were transforming and joining the Lifestream as they went up to the magnificent light.

She then turned towards the boy and smiled at him.

"This is your opportunity to move to the Promised Land..." she said, but was met with silence that perplexed her. "Your actions have moved even the Gods themselves, and you are considered worthy to receive the best gift."

Then the boy spoke.

"Do I still have a choice?" He asked.

"Is my time in this horrible world over?"

The woman was speechless.

"Can I still go back?"

He then glanced back at his own body and his friend.

The wind grew stronger.

Albrecht had been directing his attention towards them.

Sure, he appreciated the chance to move on from this world filled with wars and destruction, but something from within had begun to encourage him.

In the back of his mind, were all his loved ones, friends, his mom, who was still waiting for him back home, and even the distraught Giselle, whom he was leaving in this state.

The boy finally made his decision and he was standing up for it.

"I don't think, I am ready for this." He then said, looking straight at her in the eye.

"I still have a lot of things I wanted to do."

He then smiled confidently.

"And that is to keep living the life I want and also for my loved ones."

"And for her..."

He gave a smile

"I appreciate your invitation but I made my choice..." He paused for a moment.

"I want to live."

The forgotten goddess felt moved by his words as a small tear fell from her eye.

She smiled in return as she walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The Gods have spoken." She then said as she moved to kiss him on the head.

"It's not your time yet..."

Before he knew it, a bright light had engulfed the teenager.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Giselle felt compelled to do it because she wanted to give her friend one last hug before leaving.

"Albrecht, if you could hear my words..." She trailed off for a little moment, as her lips slightly trembled.

"T-Thank you for everything." She finally said it, mustering up the courage to tell the boy, though there was disappointment because she could have said it a long time before.

However, something subtle had transpired and unbeknownst to Giselle one of the boy's eyes started to twitch.

Moments later, and amidst the silence, a slight groan was heard.

As she was wiping her tears, she heard it.

"Geez, you don't have to be that melodramatic." The voice was noticeably weak and husky, but it did belong to a specific person.

Everyone widened their eyes.

Giselle was left in a state of utter disbelief as she stood before a surreal scene that had her feeling shock like never before. The sheer magnitude of what was unfolding before her eyes seemed too incredible to be real.

Was this a dream?

Did her mind give up without her knowledge?

Now, that she was just hallucinating all over the place.

This slightly terrified her.

Even the Men in Green were left speechless upon seeing something out of this world, at least to their eyes.

There was a widely known belief that the abilities of a necromancer were limited to resurrecting the dead. However, in contradiction to this notion, the appearance of the boy did not suggest that he had once been deceased nor pale as an undead.

For the rest of the time...She remained in that expression as if she had turned into a statue.

Yet, it didn't last long since her cheeks met the boy's hand in a slightly inappropriate manner.

As soon as the teenager delivered a resounding slap to the draconian apostle, everyone present quickly snapped out of their shock. However, Giselle, who tended to lose her composure in stressful situations, was particularly affected by the sudden turn of events.

"Come on, it's just me...You looked like you've seen a ghost."

Albrecht had to say it. He needed her mind back on this, despite the consequences that may happen next.

As he had just expected, he was greeted by the usual reaction.

"A-Albrecht...I-I..." She trailed for a little while until she finally yelled.

"YOU IDIOT! DON'T JUST SLAP A WOMAN LIKE THAT!"

"IT'S RUDE!"

It became a sigh of relief for him as he missed that certain brash and aggressiveness from his friend.

As a response, he chose to grin and laugh about it.

Like he had done it many times before this.

Not long after, he found himself being pulled into an immediate embrace.

"Don't do that to me ever again." She added.

The contagious laugh spread through the air like a domino effect, traveling from one person to another until it finally reached Kurata. He was the first to notice the shift in mood, and the laughter quickly caught on with him too. The sound of his laughter echoed throughout the open plaza, causing the children to burst into giggles and join in the merriment. It was a joyous moment that brought everyone together, united in their shared laughter.

Shino remained confused regarding it.

Soon the cheers would follow as the sadness was eventually replaced.

Lelei and Tuka were surprised at first but it was the elf girl's words that showed their emotions regarding it.

"He's alive!" The elf girl said as she wiped her tears off.

The blue-haired teen smiled in return.

The sight of a person rising from the dead left Captain Ine, Higashi, Tomita, and Furuta completely bewildered and taken aback. They could hardly believe what they were seeing. Nevertheless, the same sense of relief that had washed over the rest of the group also settled over them, as they realized that the impossible had just happened before their very eyes.

Selina began to jump with joy, unintentionally pulling both Tomita and Hitoshi along as if they were her toys.

"Hey! Selina! Will you cut it off?" Tomita remarked, while Hitoshi cringed.

"I don't care! I am so happy right now that everyone is alive!" Selina replied with a jolly face.

At this point in time, Little Foot went towards the boy and happily licked him.

The little girl and circus owner embraced each other as father and daughter cried for joy at the moment.

From the corner, Rory smiled and spoke.

"It seems that the Promise Land has granted his wish."

"What a rare opportunity indeed."

Catching some of their attention as they looked towards her.

"You mean like a near-death experience?" Higashi asked.

"Divine intervention...just like in many isekai manga I've read before.." Kurata muttered aloud, still amazed at what had happened.

The apostle simply nodded, acknowledging both of their guesses.

"Yes, something like that.." She said, as her eyes moved towards a certain direction.

In truth, she and the man knew all along that this was happening as both could see the path to the Promised Land nearby.

She saw the spirit of the boy and the mysterious woman alongside him.

"It seems she never left..." She thought though she felt happy for her since she hadn't vanished as many people believed.

Even, Luscious was not saying anything regarding it, choosing to only watch the scene unfold.

Rory smiled as she looked up towards the sky.

Most of the dark clouds had faded away as the blue sky and sun were now emerging once again.

Having successfully eliminated the threat, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief and turn their attention to the task of recovering from the ordeal. It was a difficult journey, but they were determined to get back on their feet and move forward, stronger and wiser than before.

However, several things needed to be concluded.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Damn, I didn't know this district would be this big."

Yuji had the fortunate chance to say it.

It was indeed true.

They've been walking along the now vast ruins that surrounded them.

From their current spot, they could only see the cityscape of the other districts, but they knew that they had a long way to go.

Yuji gave a glance at the bunny woman.

Seemed a bit amused as he said.

"Are you sure...that this won't be exhausting for you?"

Parna then turned towards him and simply smiled before casually saying.

"I'm used to this."

Her words left him at a bit loss for words.

"Well, that's good to hear." The writer remarked.

" I guess you traveled a lot then?" He then asked.

"My people, we travel most of the time by foot."

Yuji then glanced toward the latter's legs and was just impressed by the thick muscles, indicating that she was telling the truth.

As the young man gazed towards the horizon, he was met with an endless expanse of land stretching out before him. Despite the place which was once a bustling street that they were walking in, the surroundings were rife with the remnants of structures long gone, each one bearing its unique marks of ruin and decay.

It was hard to believe that this place was thriving with life before.

"Still no signs of life." He remarked, experiencing the silence to which he never thought was going to come back.

His mind trekked back and he wondered about the last person he saw before throwing the crystal toward the source of the dark magic.

The mysterious man riding a wyvern saved them.

"Who was he?"

"Why did he save us?"

At the same time, his thoughts were cut when the bunny woman placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Yuji, something is coming..."

He did feel the approaching presence as well.

As they stood at the crossroads, the group surveyed their surroundings. Most of the structures in the area lay in ruins, reduced to rubble. From their vantage point, they could see everything around them with crystal clarity. Suddenly, they noticed a group of figures emerging in the distance, gradually taking the shape of horses as they approached with a gentle trot.

As they faced each other, Yuji's hand instinctively went to his gun, even though he knew it was empty. Meanwhile, Parna drew a small, sharp blade, ready to defend herself if necessary. For a moment, they both hesitated, wondering if the other was a potential threat.

However, the two of them would soon widen their eyes in surprise, especially Yuji, who would eventually recognize them.

"That's Ms. Hamilton..." Yuji said, as he raised his arms and waved towards them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had been a long exhausting journey back towards the civilization in the aftermath of the defeat of the dark beast.

The young lady had mostly led the way alongside the other members of the rose knights while her red-haired friend rested behind her, albeit still sleeping and dreaming.

They were traversing this certain street surrounded by ruined structures and dead trees which all became victims of the battle.

As the group progressed, they soon realized that retracing their steps was going to be a daunting challenge. Every corner they turned, every street they crossed, seemed alien and unfamiliar. The once-familiar landmarks that had guided them before were nowhere to be seen, replaced instead by a maze of unfamiliar sights and sounds. With each passing moment, the task of finding their way back became more and more difficult, increasing their sense of disorientation and frustration.

Hamilton had a lot going on her mind at the moment.

With the sudden turn of events, she too was not even sure if they fulfilled their diplomatic mission. However, what matters right now is their safety and getting the princess to a safer place.

As they neared the crossroads, the young lady caught a glimpse of two human figures standing in the very middle.

She widened her eyes as she immediately recognized the person waving his arms.

She remembered the name "Yuji," which was frequently mentioned by her childhood friend and the person who assisted her in locating the princess during her unofficial exploration of the city with her pet Griffin.

"Hey over here!" The young man was certainly jumping for joy.

It didn't take long enough for the girl to raise a hand as the horses immediately stopped at the precise moment.

"Hey...you're Hamilton." The writer had pointed out." Pina's friend, if I am correct?"

The latter took a few moments to double-check his identity. She was also surprised that a commoner could address her without using the proper abbreviations.

At the same time, Pina, who was in a dream-like state, mentioned the name of the said person in front of her friend.

"Mr. Yuji...what happened?" She was mumbling.

The young man had noticed it and soon his worry rose.

"Pina! Is she alright?" He asked as he immediately approached the unconscious redhead.

However, his sudden actions nearly gave other rose knights a cautious fright as they were on the verge of drawing out their blades.

It was just instinct to protect their captain, though they managed to compose themselves.

The one thing that surprised them was that a person, whose not even royalty could just mention the princess' name like that.

Then they remembered that they swore not to reveal any secrets even their true affiliation.

Hamilton sighed.

"She is...though I don't understand what happened or what she was doing in the skies..." Hamilton replied, her gaze drawn to the small materia containing Mera's essence.

She vividly remembered the arduous process of persuading the mystical being to return to the other realm, as she was reluctant to abandon the red-haired woman in her current incapacitated state.

Parna looked away while Yuji kept silent regarding it. They were the ones who mostly saw the princess during the chaos as she took matters into her own hands to fight a certain person.

Hamilton gave a slightly puzzled look, sensing that there was something more to it.

Though, she recalled last seeing them during the destruction of the palace.

"I take it you two survived whatever is in the skies?" She asked.

Yuji could only chuckle.

"You have no idea what we went through."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh man, that was the most intense 1 hour of my life!"

Carl was the first one to say it.

He just had to say it.

During those crucial moments, he didn't even say a word while most of his face was already covered in sweat.

So this is how it feels to be a hero.

Imagine that you're playing a video game, but there's a significant twist. Every decision you make, every move you take, has a direct impact on the lives of the people around you. The fate of their existence depends on each of your choices, making the game much more challenging and thought-provoking.

The small drone may be the smallest to participate in whatever battle that was happening but it was the most crucial.

Itami gave an exhausted chuckle.

The two men were resting on a nearby tree somewhere in the gardens. Both of them holding a small water bottle, nearly empty.

"You bet Carl-san..." The Japanese Lieutenant said." Though, actually we went from Hero to almost Zero in those last 25 seconds."

If it weren't for that little drone being mighty and sneaky during the chaos of the battle.

"This whole thing is a miracle if you were to ask me," Carl replied with a chuckle.

Itami raised a hand..." And considering that the rest of the cheers were so loud that I couldn't even hear what Brian was saying."

Both men burst into laughter.

For the first time, they were finally allowed to let out everything that was trying to keep them tense the whole time.

They had always believed that everything, from the beginning, depended on it.

Carl then took a deep breath as he slightly yawned and stretched out his arms.

"Damn...I hope the others are okay..." He remarked." God, I hope you kept them safe."

He referred to the rest of the recon team who had each of their objectives in the city throughout the day.

Itami sighed as there was still a little worry left in him and because of that, the latter encouraged him to stand up and approach the radio.

Carl followed suit.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist." The man said, as he grabbed the walkie and adjusted several controls.

He was quite nervous about it as he took a deep breath and spoke through again.

"This Is Lieutenant Itami, Kuwahara-san, do you copy..."

There was a brief moment of silence that followed.

In the back of his mind, he was praying for the signals to return.

This time he put a little faith in it.

There was the static sound that continued but soon, it began to break and a voice quickly came in.

"Sir, this is Kuwahara speaking..."

He recognized the voice and that was the moment, Carl jumped for joy.

"Yes! Finally...!"

Itami couldn't believe it at first, but he continued with the conversation.

"Kuwahara-san, I am glad you are alright, the signals had been screwing with us for a long time...we thought we had lost contact with you guys."

"How's the rest of the team?"

The man couldn't wait as he had just to ask.

Yet there was a silence that followed.

Then the older man responded.

"We lost our signals as well..." His voice explained." And we lost contact with the others..."

"I see...though where did you stay the whole time this has been happening?" Itami asked again.

"Uhmmm, It's quite a long story but well...we took refuge in a mansion." He explained.

"Did anyone get hurt?"

"As far as I can say...Everyone is one piece...though we do need a lot of back up here in order get these people out here to a safer place."

Then at that moment, another voice emerged from the walkie.

"Tomita here sir...Just want to let you know that we are still alive...the rest of us...including Shino's Team.."

Itami couldn't hold his tears of joy, yet someone was missing.

"We might need backup...One of the LAVs was lost and we are on our own with a cart, a giant yellow bird, and a carriage."

Itami paused for a moment.

"You mean a Chocobo? You guys are riding Chocobos?"

It made him more excited while Carl just sighed.

"Well...just one bird pulling a cart...though it might be best if we could be there as soon as possible with Heli or something..."

Both groups indicate that in some way they are all escorting huge numbers of people.

Itami slightly cringed.

The worst part of it all was telling them that the Government Palace had been almost burned to the ground and they were still establishing contacts with the remaining logistics in the city.

Then it was that moment that Carl had finally wondered.

"Hey, I think those reinforcements from HQ should be here by now..."

"I mean...how long did their journey take?

Not long after, both men heard the familiar sounds of helicopters as they looked to the skies, becoming among the first to witness them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Western Gates were put to a standstill when the giant balls of fire landed on nearby areas.

It was a miracle that it did not hit a spot where many of the still-living and fleeing citizens were residing.

Then a major event happened that led to the destruction of the rumored beast and that caused everyone more confusion that the dark clouds faded away and the dark wyverns vanished without a trace.

Moreover, it was the arrival of something more hopeful that surprised many.

Huge groups of soldiers, cavalry, and even healers from various kingdoms have arrived near the walls.

"We are from the Dukedom of Mandalu, we received the news of the supposed attack by the Saderans."

"The Township Aquaria, we are here on behalf of our town to provide supplies for the victims."

"Kingdom of Quila, we are to aid on behalf of our king and people."

"We saw the beacons lit up...Did those Saderan filths send forces to invade the city again?"

It was surely an amazing scene more of them turned up...The allies of the principality.

By then, the citizens of Maihark were moved by their assistance.

Cheers erupted as a response and some small groups even chanted praises.

"Long live the alliance! Long live the Principality!"

The panic and fear that was dominant from before were now being replaced by hope and unity.

As forces from allied kingdoms and towns arrived creating a spectacle that attracted crowds.

However, there was force...a still unknown ally to many but indeed displayed something that caught the eyes of many.

They arrived at the same time as the allies but they possessed some kind of horseless carriages that were bigger, flying iron contraptions that produced an unfamiliar noise. In addition, most of them were in Green and even the people riding and piloting them.

Where were the horses?

Where were the Chocobos and other creatures for necessary transport?

A strange scene indeed.

The guards at the Western Gates were a bit alarmed by their arrival but when they saw two people who appeared to be a mage and an elf boarding out a specific green horseless carriage, their curiosity increased.

The mage and elf approached them and said.

"Greetings, we mean you no harm and we've come in peace." The old mage said, calming the guards.

"I am Cato and this is my companion and friend...Hodor."

"We are guides."

The leader of the western gate guards stepped up from the crowds and acknowledged their presence.

"I see...but who are those people."

The elf man simply smiled." They are friends as well...you could say an ally of Qua-Toyne from the Alnus region." He explained.

"Trust me...You people will be needing them."

"We heard your call and we've come to aid the city in these troubled times."

At the same time, a tall older man in a similar green outfit albeit with a symbol of an eagle and star on it, walked towards them and smiled.

"Greetings! I'm Colonel Parks." The older man." One of the leaders of reinforcements from Alnus Hill." He introduced himself further.

"We are pleased to see you...although we may know what is the identity of your kingdom?" The leader of the guards asked.

As Cato was about to speak, the colonel raised a hand, telling him that he could handle this.

"We're from a place called "Earth" and it's not a kingdom, to be honest..." He straightforwardly said.

By then, Hodor sighed. He was aware of the man's excited manner as he also decided to follow up his words.

He smiled.

"They are from another world beyond a gate."

Amongst the nearby crowd...whispers and chatters became prevalent and a certain staff from the "Lonely Lamb" widened his eyes as he knew he heard that word before from his boss.

"Earth? Is that what Chef Ramsay told us before?"

"The place where he came from..."

He recalled the countless times the old geezer had told stories of the vastly different but unique world.

And the people that resided in it had actually appeared in front of Maihark's Gates.

Because of this, the staff felt motivated and will definitely inform his boss about this revelation."

CHAPTER END

AN: Hey there fellas! So here's another chapter wrapped up once again.

This might be tough for me since it contains a little bit of drama and some emotional scenes. So I kind of have to be in that vibe or search for some music or videos that get me into that mood of writing a drama scene. It's not easy, to be honest.

So yes, for anyone who is expecting Albrecht to not come back, don't worry he is saved by the bell and he will have his proper conclusion in this arc.

The rest of the scenes are more calm after the storm that the previous chapter had and continue in this chapter.

We also are getting close to the eventual meeting of Chef Ramsay and the coalition. Of course being an Isekai Protagonist in this world for several years now, He'll be having mixed emotions about it.

With that said, thank you very much for reading the chapter! Please forgive me for the occasional grammar mistakes, since English is not my main language.

I appreciate your time to give the story a chance :)