Part 2 –

 

A celestial body soared along the Great Plains. Its brazen blue trail left its mark upon the cloudless skies, stretching many kilometres before they faded away. A comet best described the object. A blue, near flaming head pierced its way at a speed that left whatever adventurers and wanderers alike bewildered at the spectacle along the way. At first, they would see the what most believed was a magical projectile pass overhead before an ear-shattering explosion of air followed in its wake.

But this majestic object was none other than Exrite’s group. The blue trail was the result of the fragmentation of her triple layered [Physical Barrier], which needed to be replaced as soon as the two upper layers were stripped away by the immense battering of air and heat.

Exrite’s concentration was unmatched, although, not because she needed to maintain all her magic at once. Rather, her concentration was solely focused on replenishing the [Barriers] without fail. Having [Agonised Restoration], [Accelerate] and her [Barriers] was pitiful compared to when she stopped time for a complete 10 seconds.

She had finally leveraged the power of physical magical ‘catalysts’ – a name she gave to the ‘circles’ part since, for the most part, her magical circles no longer resembled circles at all. The hardest part of magic by far was the process. The finalised product of one’s conjuration was just a matter of using it.

[Time] on the other hand was different. It was a process through and through. As magic that directly influenced the very essence of existence – there was no such thing as a product. The exception was combination magic that harnessed the power of [Time]. [Agonised Restoration] was a product, requiring little to no effort in using after its production.

[Accelerate] was the same, although it was more involved in this instance since she constantly adjusted Phase’s speed until she had reached the maximum of, what she denoted as [Accelerate V].

The same, odd sensation of being connected with time filled her with [Time Acceleration] magic. Like hands reaching out into the empty air, only to reach something she could not see. It was jarring, but comfortable. Her agonised past and the tribulations she faced in the Trial etched her soul with the engravings of a key. [Time Acceleration] magic happened to be the lock. With a single twist, Exrite found herself unlocking the sensation of [Time Acceleration] magic.

However, this was purely for the physical body and extremely simple objects.

This was the major nuance of her magic, and why she felt reluctant to call it a true [Fifteenth Tiered] magic.

The prospect of moving anything more complex than a bullet proved to be impossible since the object was not one thing, but a construct of multiple different components.

They were essentially ‘bodies’ but with an entirely different system she lacked understanding of.

This was Exrite’s flaw. Not experience per say – but a limit in her knowledge. A void that she could only fill by consuming.

On the same train of thought; because of her experiences she deeply understood how the scale of elapsed time weighed the obliteration of the body on one side, and its strengthening on the other.

Obliteration came before strength. Like how muscles must tear to become strong to overcome the exertion that led to its destruction in the first place. The same was true for many things, and Exrite was a human who had first-hand experience with this truth.

As a result – the acceleration of [Time] came naturally to her.

She saw it as nothing less than silver lining atop a mountain of her own desiccated flesh.

“It’s just like the first time we passed through the Great Plains… Ugh. It’s… it’s gotten worse.” Frosty’s face warped as a hand fell to her stomach. “Their voices. I can hear so many voices coming from ahead. How many souls are there!?”

Thankfully, she was not reduced to a sickened mess this time. The number of souls she had harvested from within the Trial had strengthened her temperance to massive clusters of souls. But even the hundreds of thousands of souls that existed within the Trial – it was like a candle flame to the inferno of the dark-purple sphere ahead.

A hideous cacophony of billions of voices spoke all at once, collectively suffering from a despair so rich that she was convinced that the [Barrier] was the physical manifestation of it all.

“Hatred. Destruction. Revenge – a calamity… what are these souls? How are there so many…?” Frosty spoke to herself, her eyes agape in shock. “So much hatred. So much despair… Agh…”

The purplish dome that rapidly approached them at the border of the horizon was like a pale fog in her eyes.

“It’s the same thing that wrecked me before. It was at Di-Lock first. But it was nothing like that. It’s incomparable.” Frosty retched. “Thousands of times stronger. Shit… its suffocating. W-White –”

“You want your olfactory and gustatory senses blocked?” Despite White having questioned her, she had already slashed her thumb open.

Frosty chomped down on her tongue without a second thought.

“Thanks. It’s better now. I can actually keep my eyes straight. Uru. The concentration of souls was nowhere near as rancid as this. How could have they captured nearly a thousand times more in just a few months?” Frosty needed to know, as did the others.

“Pay no heed to the number of souls that dwell within. Our focus right now is to prevent more from joining them.” Uru spoke. “Although, I do not know the answer myself. It’s possible the souls were not present within the Well of Wishes when you sensed it. They possessed orbs capable of capturing souls in the first place. In a strategic sense, it would be wise to keep a reservoir sperate from the Well of Wishes until the time became ripe. Our pitiful foe and I are not the only Apostles of Desire.”

“Hmhm~ So you’re saying other of her Apostles can swoop in at the last moment and have their wish granted?” Black stated.

“Precisely. Though it depends on the Well of Wishes itself. Desire is an Overlord with multiple Apostles. Most of them are driven mad by the sweet nectar of having their wish granted. Desire is as misguiding as she is honest. An Apostle has two rites thereafter – to expand her omnipresent reach to seize more minds to infect, or; to fall prey to the false promise of a wish. Like wax moths, they’ll inevitably melt and fuse with the candlestick amongst the others in the designated Well of Wishes. There are no winners. Even the sorrowful Star Child born from greed will fair no better. Greed with find them at every stage of their life.”

“Sounds complicated as hell… so a battle royale, huh. A battle for a wish-granting object sounds interesting. That’s not too far off from us Colours~ Exrite. You slowing down yet?” Black called out.

“We’re at four times the speed now. 10 minutes everyone. We’re leaving the rest to you Uru!” She cried as the foreboding dome, which rose steadily like a blackened sunrise, gradually consumed their world as the skies began to darken.

“What’s merely required is my presence. An Apostle has free reign to enter and leave the boundaries set by [False Disillusion – Your World] so long as they are not the subject of it. Ensure you’re touching my limbs; else you’ll be ripped apart.” Uru assured with absolute certainty. “If all else fails, at the very least Exrite and I will survive. Khaos has a sturdy enough body to survive it initially, but what about the plumet?”

“H-hey. You’re joking, right?” Khaos nervously chuckled, quickly realising that Uru was in fact completely serious. “… can you wrap another loop around me? Fuck it, another two please.”

“Two kinds of Apostles… which one are you? I know Desire gave you strength at one point. Doesn’t that count as a wish?” Exrite suddenly asked, causing her to faintly grin. “At the same time you’re supposed to spread her name. Can an Apostle fit into both?”

“Never. I am the former. It was not strength she gave me. It was an avenue. This body allowed me to partially regain my former strength through countless years of lulling my captors one by one into my embrace. My thirst for vengeance was too pure to be something as low as a wish. But my body was too weak to escape alone. Therefore, Desire changed my body and in return, I was made to carry her name. Hm…” Uru suddenly broke into a reminiscing smile.

“Uru?” Exrite asked, somewhat worried.

“Spare your concerns for this one. Proclaiming myself weak aloud would have certainly made statues cry and stones to bleed.” Uru whispered with a slow, tantalising voice. “And yet this pitiful Spirit dared to bare her fangs against me.”

“That reminds me. You never really did clarify who you were. Not that it matters now. I’m sure you have your reasons.” Exrite said, her massive sniper-rifle falling onto her lap with a heavy clap. “Listen up. The inside is likely to be depraved of mana, so try not to use any magic.”

“You’re telling us?” White tilted her head.

“No. I mean those two.” Exrite pointed her nose towards the restless Inkshard and Lizen, who, despite their conditions, seemed to carry the greatest conviction out of anyone present.

“The Eye of the Uboros, huh? I guess there’s some phenomena you can’t describe with magic alone.” Frosty shrugged.

“Isn’t that why it’s called magic in the first place? It’s a pretty convenient explanation if you ask me.” Khaos said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“… this moron…” Frosty deeply sighed. “Just what the hell do you think magic is?”

 

* * *

 

Phase eventually slowed to a cruise. Although to an onlooker they were still moving at an immensely fast pace. By now the purplish dome consumed their vision, its grim expanse spanning multiple kilometres in all directions.

Labelling it huge was an understatement.

Exrite looked up as far as he could, and he could still not see the skies. It baffled him for a moment, the roaring winds suddenly falling silent as a faint buzz replaced it. The buzz became murmurs. Soon a deranged choir, and then – as they all braced themselves in the last minute before they entered through its clouded wall – it became a mangled symphony of overwhelming desires.

“Inkshard. Lizen. Pale. Shout if you feel anything strange.” He warned.

“W-what would’ve happened if we entered without Uru?” Lizen asked with a long gulp.

“As I said – you would be ripped apart. Rend from the mind as your desires burst from the depths of your heart like a blossom of blades. They’ll emerge like my tendrils. Can you fathom the agony of it flailing against your innards?”

“Those are desires physically manifested, is what you’re saying huh. Tch… all these voices won’t shut up.” Frosty groaned.

“Desires are a reflection of oneself. Be it a monster or naught – your desires will be the last thing to define you regardless of what you become. Once you realise it –”

“Despair will follow. The same tale told too many times from that place.” Nav finished, speaking from a cocoon created by Uru’s black tendrils.

“Precisely. But it is also proof that our desires cannot fully blossom. Because all that will be left is a formless void. My own body is not entirely different from it. The Domain of Judgement prevents our desires from ripening. Although the Geared are an entirely different story. That being said – Exrite. It’s highly likely the Overlord of Desire is present in Palvel. Though I doubt she’ll become your enemy, I implore you – try not to make an enemy of her.” She clasped him close. “While [Time], [Space], [Wisdom], [Wishes], [Realms] and [Judgement] control fundamental aspects of our existence, we who exist must possess desires in some capacity. Exrite. Overlords stand above Gods. But some stand so far above the rest that they’d be closer to Maidens. Desire is one of them.”

“Does that make them stronger than the Children of Balance?” Exrite wondered.

“Preposterous. [Desire] is ultimately a subsidiary of [Despair]. The Children of Balance are never referred to as the Goddess of Balance for a reason. We call them Goddess Hope and Goddess Despair separately, but in truth – they are beings beyond that scope of power. Even with the truth in our grasp, they are still the creator of the Overlords.”

“I’ll keep that in mind then.” Exrite said.

He glanced around. No one else seemed to hear the disturbing voices. Besides Frosty of course, whose grip strangled the rims of her ethereal scythe. Its light was like a lantern in the dark of this world. It felt like they were cast into a moonless night.

A dark aura feasted on the sun’s rays, distorting it as if an invisible hand had smeared it across a broken window.

In an instant a billion shimmering eyes were cast onto them, appearing like false stars as they were seemingly suspended in this clouded space. Violent clouds separated like a thick veil as Phase cut through. The gaping hole left was instantly flushed with vibrant clouds, sealing them as they ploughed deeper through the barrier. He steeled himself, clutching close onto the giant sniper rifle.

“Talia is your priority, Uru. We’ll help the others below in any way we can. Inkshard. Lizen. Don’t leave Uru’s side. And Pale – stick with Black. Follow everything she says, even if it doesn’t make any sense.” Exrite brought up their rather simplistic plan. As long as they were clueless of what exactly the situation was within, all they could do was adapt the moment they breached through.

“Always~!” Pale saluted.

Just as the fog began to thin, and the bright-red hue of Palvel begin to unveil – Exrite concluded:

“Alright. Let’s save our friends.”

“Right!” Khaos exclaimed.

“Like we weren’t going to.” Frosty grinned. “It’s the least we can do for everything they’ve done for us.”

“It would be a shame to let our toy from Pathfist die.” Black smirked.

“Forget their King. I’m more interested in the biology of the Undead.” White’s eyes momentarily sparkled with inspiration.

“Ho? Indeed. It would be a tragedy if Talia were to perish in the hands of the Undead. Her services to the Children of Balance must be rewarded by a Demon of my calibre.” Uru spoke.

“Thank –” Phase tried to thank them all of a sudden, particularly Uru. But before she could utter another word, the very same person she wished to thank cut her down.

“You have your own matters to tend to. Thank me when they’re all resolved. It’s no wonder you’re still so pitiful after all this time.” Uru sharply retorted, although, there was a tinge of warmth in her voice.

“My Minicube’s first live test run! You’ll be watching right, Exrite!? Right!?” Pale shouted with boundless enthusiasm, causing him to smile warmly.

“Of course.”

“Perhaps this Overlord of Desire will be willing to converse with us. Their knowledge likely exceeds my own of my Creator. A future Her sounds promising.” Nav sounded hopeful of this prospect.

“Yeah. Exactly what I was thinking. Let’s hope so Nav. For our sake.”

 

* * *

 

A crimson world revealed itself when the curtains parted. A smouldering hellscape of a city once named Palvel unravelled as far as the eye could see, the burning remnants running throughout the city like the glowing veins of a molten stone. These replaced the streets, for the brickwork paths created by man were buried beneath mounds that once stood as homes.

Uncontrolled smoke rose like hazy strings. They were dragged towards the Eye of the Uboros; the blackened sun as if it were a vacuum, devouring all destroyed matter like a black hole.

At the furthest edges of Palvel were towering black obelisk bearing a striking resemblance to those found within Gaia’s Trial. They surrounded the perimeter of the city, appearing like an ancient Stonehenge as they emitted a low-frequency murmur, as if reciting sacred text etched into its obsidian stone.

“… it’s worse than I thought.” Exrite could not hide his shock.

The closest disaster he could compare to this was the devastation of the <46^th Floor>. And even that felt insignificant to the total loss of life before his eyes.

He had witnessed villages and towns become razed overnight in their travels across the Katho Region; and was well-read of the ongoing wars waged between Enthile and Skathow with the ‘lesser’ races.

But none could paint the picture of devastation any clearer than what unfolded before his very eyes.

It ultimately did not matter in the end. There was no point in feeling sentimental to what was already lost. He held no connection to Palvel to feel anything to begin with. What stirred him up the most were the innocent souls that were caught up in this mess; and their friends which were still cast amongst its ruins.

Flashes of light emerged from a certain clearing, as did a pillar of flames nearby a tower where Frosty pointed the tip of her scythe. In the corner of his eye, he could also see a giant, looming Undead unleashing heavy strikes towards a familiar face attached to green strands.

“THERE! There are still people in there!” Frosty cried as Phase soared in its direction; the pale dragon illuminating the wretched world with its magnificent aura. “A hundred souls left… no – a thousand! Inkshard! Lizen! They’re all still alive!” More souls came to light as her sweeping gaze caught them in isolated sections of the city.

The relief Exrite felt was shared by all. Tears instantly fell down Inkshard’s cheeks as Lizen peered out, marvelling at the strength of her closest friends.

“Tch. I was expecting a different kind of twist. But this isn’t so bad from time to time.” Black sighed, openly disappointed by their tenacity, yet was equally as impressed. “What’s the plan now then? Jump off and start the operation?”

“Oi –”

“That’s exactly right!” Exrite cut off a warry Khaos. “Phase – head straight for that airship! Take care of Talia and keep Inkshard and Lizen safe there! As for you Uru; drop off the rest of us! I’m counting on you guys!” Exrite roared; and without a second to lose, he broke free from Uru’s embrace and threw himself off.

“That fucking idiot! Huuuuuh!?” Black suddenly blurted out. “Couldn’t he at least tell us how to beat the Well of Wishes thing now that we’re here!? Got any bright ideas Uru!?”

“Ease yourself. We cannot stop it while it’s already in motion. However – I trust an alternative option may arise. Desire would never allow a mere Apostle to have their wish granted.” Uru affirmed, her right hand growing a single claw as she pointed towards the celestial object in the centre of Palvel. “We’ve detected each other’s presence. An Apostle consumed by a desire-turned-wish. It’d be humorous if it weren’t so pathetic. Priestess Inkshard. Hero Lizen. It may become difficult to fulfil our task to protect the rest of those still alive. Aside from our esteemed individuals. Heed my call: the ruins of Palvel are no more than the gravel beneath our feet.”

“That’s one way to put it. Hah… At times like this I wish we had access to the Colour Plane.” White sighed, revealing a bulky sniper rifle crafted in a similar taste to Exrite’s. “Anyway – Don’t get me wrong. Neither Black nor I feel any obligation to help these people. At all. We can only think of this place as a testing ground.” White said coldly, before adding with a faint smile. “But allies of allies are allies of our own. And before that – Pathfist is an ally of ours. As is Truebirth. Palvel on the other hand are enemies. Unless they’re under the protection of one of our ‘friends’; then none will be spared.”

“Hmhm~ Yep. No hard feelings. Pale~ Once you’re down there you’re clear to rip everything apart. Only spare the people from Pathfist and Truebirth. Everything else is fair game.” Black commanded, folding her arms as smugly looked down at the silver haired Biomech.

“Rip them apart~!” Pale saluted.

“Yeah. We’ll never get along. Ever.” Frosty muttered. “Khaos and I will have to work twice as hard to save their lives. There are innocent people down there… you know that don’t you? People who have nothing to do with this madness –”

“ALRIGHT!” Khaos pounded his chest with a hearty roar, relinquishing himself of his fear of heights. “It’s time to showcase our strengths cultivated from that Trial! Let’s show them what we’re made of! … Huh. What’s with those looks?”

“… aren’t you too excited?” Black sighed. “Half the weaklings down there are citizens of a nation at war with you. Children. The elderly. Women. Don’t they make you sick~?”

“What’s wrong with getting worked up over saving people!?” He lashed back with pure valence, surprising Black as she suddenly shot him with a vibrant smile completely unlike her.

Khaos knew no barriers when it came to helping others. So long as one needed help and were free of evil; then why shouldn’t he help them? That what the kind of man Khaos was.

A man with a brilliant heart of gold.

“Right. How could I forget? Silly me~ Then if you’re in such a hurry –” The dreaded barrel of her handgun found itself pointed towards him.

And then she shot him with a steaming bullet. Or more specifically, she shot at the black blade by his back. A resounding chime rang out as he was instantly staggered backwards, just enough to lose his footing.

“WAIT –! WAIT WAIT WAIT! YOU CAN’T BE FUCKING SERIOUS! STOOOOOOOOOOOP!”

At the same time he sought to regain his balance, Phase twisted herself all of a sudden. His voice trailed off as he fell towards the giant Undead beneath with Uru’s tendril still wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Such a sturdy metal. That’s a blend of Exrite’s bones and steel for you~” Black hummed.

“W-will he be ok?” Lizen could not help but to ask, feeling worried for the man.

“Think of it as a little kickstart to his heart. Uru wouldn’t let him fall to his death. With that bungie cord attached he should be just fine. Now then, let’s get this ordeal over and done with, starting with… hmm. Oh~ That spider-looking thing!”

With that said – Black followed Khaos’ with Pale towed in hand.

 

* * *

 

The clearing Exrite fell towards was suddenly engulfed in a sea of dust. For a moment he recognised one of the gallant figures below by their iconic green armour. That person was Anoma without a shadow of doubt.

Something fast had them pinned down. Moments before the dust consumed the vast clearing, he watched her take a final stand above the two unconscious bodies beneath her. One of them was Ectarod, and the other an unfamiliar face. But from the damage they had all accumulated, particularly that unknown figure – Exrite could tell just how much they struggled to remain alive after all this time.

Since the news was delivered by the desperate Inkshard his blood had been steadily cooking this entire time. The pressure amounted with the steam that rose from his blood, cycling infinitely until it finally reached its boiling point.

Because at that moment, he heard her voice of surrender.

“Exrite. I’m entrusting it onto you now –”

He crashed straight through the centre of the enshrouded clearing like a meteor. In that instant, his [Threat Detection] sensed the incoming attack of the Undead. By merely thrusting out his [Biomechanical] arm – he caught it by its lance-like head with shocking ease.

The clashing force caused a shockwave that cleansed the clearing of its dust cloud, revealing the devastation caused by this one, disgusting Undead. It struggled in his grasp to no avail, squirming like the insignificant worm it was.

Even if it was no more than a beast incapable of fear, he could sense the immense confusion coursing through its mangled veins. He had stopped its attack, which had easily ploughed through brick walls like butter, like it was nothing. Exrite did not budge the slightest.

“I-Impossible! With a mortal’s bare hand!?” A hideous screech sounded from the Undead in a similar method to Phase’s telepathy.

“Anoma, put your sword down. Get some rest. I don’t want to see the Guild Master that kicked me around looking so grim.” He spoke with abnormal calmness, his grip steadily imprinting the shape of his fingers into the beast’s needle.

“Ex…rite?” Anoma breathed in disbelief. Until now he had never heard Anoma make such a strange sound. His sudden appearance at the time she called for his very name was nothing short of a miracle. A work of fate. Or in Exrite’s eyes – a perfect coincidence.

Although, it was rather difficult to admit it with a straight face. His timing could not have been more impeccable. A second later and Anoma alongside these people would have been killed in a single fell swoop. Another 8 hours and a similar fate was certain to befall the rest.

He didn’t know if this was work of the so-called power of ‘fate’, or if Hope was as reckless as a gambler as he was.

Either way, it worked out in the end.

Before another word was exchanged, his black sniper rifle suddenly swung wide. It clobbered the Undead like a massive club, launching it straight into the ruined buildings surrounding the clearing. One by one, the web of [Fire Whips] were set off in a blazing chain reaction, annihilating the entire section surrounding where it crashed. What remained after the fumes and flames settled was the levelled aftermath with no trace of its carcass left in sight.

The needle remained in his hand, snapped like a branch from the base. A head frozen with its owner’s final expression remained skewered just above a torn set of circular jaws. Layers of serrated teeth ravenously snapped at the air in a desperate attempt to chomp into his flesh. It was his first time seeing an Undead. The depictions etched in countless books severely failed to describe the true extent of their nightmarish appearance.

But it could hardly compare to the horror of the Geared within the deepest recesses of Gaia’s Trial.

The bony harpoon vibrated as if alive, reminding him that all components of an Undead, whether it be bone or teeth – were still functional parts seeking nothing but to devour.

“Wretched human! From where did you come from!? What trickery did you pull to stop the embrace of my sweet daughteeeeeeeeeeeer!?”

The voice shrieked from everywhere around them as he watched the Undead in leap around them with continuous bursts of air. It was fast. Exceedingly fast.

“No matter. Your eyes cannot possibly keep up with the immortal body of a graced Undead! Perish, you insignificant insect! Your head will make for a fine collection for her beaded necklace!”

It wanted to confuse him. To intimidate him. Its speed only grew with each passing second, priming itself to strike with unmatched power.

But he had seen faster. Even the weakest Geared along the descent past the <60^th Floor> were faster. It was no more than a petal prancing arrogantly in the wind.

Exrite didn’t speak a single word to the Undead. He assumed that the Necromancer was the one that spoke, given that it referred to that thing as its daughter. [Threat Detection] blared a weak warning of an attack in his blind spot.

There was no courageous yell or a cry of triumph. He only pointed the harpoon-like spine towards the oncoming maw like a lance. In the next moment, it skewered itself perfectly from head to its putrid base, its mouth gnawing at the elbows of his metallic hand in a desperate attempt to devour him.

“W-What –!? Impossible –!”

“Close your ears, Anoma. Try to shut theirs as well.” He warned as a swarm of [Gears] erected a barrier between them. The woman didn’t ask why, still bewildered at the spectacle before her. Like a Hero clad in black – Exrite overcame what surmounted to a mountain with only one hand.

Once her own reddish [Physical Barrier] enveloped them – A spectacular type of round instantly shredded the human-sized Undead. Half of its body burst like an overstuffed bag. The black mist and various chunks of steaming flesh were flung across the ruined battlefield.

What Exrite used was a fragmentation round, created by the crushed remains of a singular slug round. Hundreds of these razor-sharp fragments were ejected at immense speed from an opening in his palm, rending the Undead incapable of further movement.

But that was only the beginning. This was not enough to completely kill an Undead. [Fire] and [Light] magic was the most effective weapon by far, but he also had a different method up his sleeve to finish off what was left of it.

“You – are you not human!? Insect insect INSECT! A metal carapace means naught when you are already parasitised by the worms of my –!”

The voice froze stiff suddenly. A wicked realisation befell them as Exrite continued to stare into its empty maw entirely unfazed.

“The [Curse of Desire] … failed? Lady Desire’s gift – no, it was that wretched APOSTLE! WAIT! I can exchange your miserable life for my daughter’s! Even the band of bandits you brought along into my domain! You – you wouldn’t – if you’re human, then you wouldn’t kill an innocent –” The Necromancer suddenly began to plead for, ironically, the life of this Undead. But before it could end its pitiful plea, which he suspected was no more than a distraction as the shredded chunks began to roll over towards Anoma –

An explosion of steam erased the Undead from his entire arm, vaporising it in an instant. At the same time a steady stream of his [Azure Liquid Fire] from a [Gear] Simplex incinerated the attacking remains, leaving nothing but a pool of half-molten material.

That was perhaps the worst attempt at a bargain Exrite had ever heard. But from the voice alone he sensed the immense fear of losing its… ‘loved’ one. If he could even call it that anymore. What he did was a favour of the highest order: relinquishment in the form of death.

“Your daughter was better off dead. What kind of a father are you for turning your own flesh and blood into that?” He let loose and an incredibly long sigh before he turned to a worn-down Anoma. “Are you hurt Anoma?”

“… Hurt? No. Just scratches…” She spoke groggily, almost in a dream-like state as she stared up at him. His height, attire, the strange objects surrounding him – and even his arm were different. The person she loathed the most had saved her from the brink of death. And ironically; the person she considered to be weakest was far stronger than she could ever imagine. With no more than a single hand, he managed to take down the Undead that not even their combined strength was able to put a single scratch into it.

Desire’s promise was kept after all.

“Is that really you?”

Exrite was the one who asked, surprising Anoma as her shoulder stiffened, the blade still clutched tightly in her palms.

“That’s what you want to say, right? I’m sure there’s a lot more you want to tell me. Or shout at me for. ‘Where were you when we needed help?’ I guess that’s the first thing that would come to mind. Am I wrong?” He calmly spoke.

“… no. You’re not wrong. In fact, I can blame you for a lot of things going on here. With that kind of inhuman strength many of us wouldn’t have had to die. The Spirit of Balance disappeared, and our good for nothing Heroes only just sprang into action. But those are just excuses. Every last one of them. They were false expectations created by my own desperate interpretation of a promise. Exrite. You don’t know how conflicted I feel seeing you stand there in front of me.” Her voice was rife with torment.

He couldn’t tell what exactly was going on through her mind. But to see her so shaken up like a beaten dog was utterly disheartening, though despite this, her reddened emerald eyes never yielded. Slowly, those eyes brimmed with hope as they bored into his.

“But I’m glad. So glad… so unbelievably glad that you’re here. Exrite. Are you going to fight?”

“What kind of a question is that?” Exrite sighed with a small smile, kneeling as he checked the conditions of the sleeping two. “What else am I here for? You made me make that promise remember? That I’ll be on your side in Truebirth’s eleventh hour.”

Anoma suddenly relaxed at his comforting words. Half of her burden suddenly slipped onto Exrite’s shoulders as he silently took the reins from her. She had reached the limit of what she could achieve in this place. Exrite on the other hand was just getting started by the determined look in his eyes.

They were still the same as the ones that strove to surpass her months ago in the Palace’s courtyard. Exrite wasn’t a normal person by any means. His ethic in her training cemented that. She didn’t know how he attained that strength. But her gut as a warrior told her it must have been gruelling to reach where he now stood.

“I made our weak Exrenity make that promise. Not whoever you are.” She faintly grinned.

“Aha. That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you complement me. By the way, it was Inkshard that delivered the news to us in Saicry. If it weren’t for her, then we wouldn’t have returned. Give her some praise when this is all over…” Exrite trailed off, his demeanour suddenly steeling itself. “Anoma. Are there other survivors?”

“’Others’ is too broad. If you mean who we’ve found, then the tower houses them all… that dragon… if you returned with that, then you’re aware that we may be the only ones left in the city. Less than a thousand are likely left.”

“And this city housed a population of how many exactly?” Exrite asked, using his [Biomechanical] arm to heal their superficial wounds with [Healing] magic. He could feel the gears in his blood convert into magic as his blood boiled into superheated steam.

Because it took vast amounts of blood to perform even the most trivial of magic – he became lightheaded for just a moment.

“Too many. All sacrificed for a purpose I’ll never understand.” She answered solemnly.

“I see.” Was his only response.

Anoma sounded oddly guilty. He didn’t know exactly why, but he sensed a powerful grief emanating from those battered eyes. He only knew Anoma was the one who orchestrated the offensive. If they she no idea that these monstrous Undead hid amongst the herd in Palvel, then it was easy to see why she would blame herself for that oversight.

But her wording made it sound like there was more than what met the eye. She confirmed his brief suspicion with a solemn voice.

“Exrite. The Overlord of Desire called this place the ‘Staging Ground’. We have a Spirit, an Overlord, an Apostle of Desire, an Exrenity – and a fucking Maiden all in one place. For what I don’t know. But that doesn’t matter anymore to me as much as it will to you. Can I ask you – from Guildmaster and the Queen of Truebirth – my last request before I’m stripped of my title?”

“… I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m certain you have your own circumstances.” He began, casting his gaze into the distant black orb. “Listen. Titles don’t mean anything to me. Whether you’re the Queen or the Guildmaster doesn’t matter at all.”

“How surprising. If you knew how much I spited you, would you still consider me a friend?” She asked, causing Exrite to lightly sigh.

“If all it took to make someone an enemy was for them to spite me then I’d be the loneliest person in the world.” He promptly answered. “Don’t tell me your request. Not until this is over.”

“I thought you’d say that. Would it hurt you if I said that this is the first time I’ve put my faith in you?”

“So what was that promise built on then if you didn’t trust me at all?” He wondered.

Anoma set her sights to the darkened skies where a shining pale dragon soared along the blackness of the world above like a fleeting streak of light.

“What else other than hope?”

Exrite shut his eyes briefly, satisfied with her answer.

“Anoma. Get some rest at the tower. You don’t have to fight anymore.”

“I get it. We’ll only get in your way. I don’t want to be on the receiving end on whatever these floating things are either.”

Exrite took a step forward with his back turned to her. Their exchange was over. Anymore and he would be wasting valuable time. He kept their reunion brief with the hopeful promise of extending it once this was all over.

After all – he also had business in Truebirth with the Children of Balance.

“Exrite… ugh. Good luck.” Anoma somehow struggled to convey her faith, amusing him ever so slightly. “And thanks. I have a lot more I want so say afterwards.”

“And I have a lot I want to ask. About you specifically, so don’t die along the way.”

“How funny of you to show concern for me.” She sighed.

With that said – Exrite marched onward with an army of [Gears] following in his steps, orbiting him like planets to a sun as his sniper rifle hung by his back as if attached by an invisible strap.

His gaze met with the grotesquely enlarged Well of Wishes. Unlike the others who either marvelled at its celestial might or feared its darkened visage –

– He couldn’t see it as anything more than an oversized target.