40. Departure From the Biomechanical Gardens
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The sound of scuffles and gentle patters roused Exrite into a slight wince. His head was heavy, and as he brought a hand to strain his eyes, the noise seemingly grew louder.

It came from the direction of the pathway, just pass the grand oak tree. He imagined that it was the curious Biomech children and warmly smiled to himself. Like the gentle waves of the coast, the memories of Auga he witnessed in his dream washed over him as he basked underneath the pleasant rays of the sun.

If it was him who had to endure those countless of years waiting underneath that oak tree, then he would’ve broken a long time ago. There was no way to describe the strange feeling he suddenly had for Auga, who tested time and watched the stars die and be reborn.

Was it respect? Awe? Bewilderment?

Or was he simply… relieved?

He didn’t know and would rather it stayed that way.

As he brought himself to a seated position, he quickly realised that he wasn’t where he last fell asleep. He could have sworn that last night – or what was left of it – he was surrounded by a small family of metallic flowers with Melody who plucked the strings of her crystal guitar.

Now – he was surrounded by broken rubble, and was precariously close to the edge of a shattered balcony. With a simple peak, he saw the same moss-covered lake from before which quickly led him to believe that he was on top of the dilapidated auditorium.

He didn’t plan on falling asleep, but Melody’s music lulled him into a state of pure, inescapable bliss. There was nothing he could do to suppress his yawns when the wave of drowsiness pulled him into the grass.

The sun hovered high in the centre of the sky. He quietly yawned to himself and brushed his body clean of any loose rubble before he tiredly looked out into the distance.

“We’re so close.”

He muttered.

The thick blanket of fog covered nearly the entirety of the world beyond the Biomechanical Gardens. It bared no trees like the massive forests that characterised the Shallows. Instead, there were the flat peaks of mountains poking out of the fog, where it grazed an impenetrable ceiling of fog.

What was beyond the fog, he wondered. It was the last place Gaia had ventured to before she suddenly disappeared without warning. Both her home and the ‘trial’ were the only real answers he had, but he was certain that there was more to it.

After all, it was where he would find his answers.

Another yawn slipped from his lips as he sluggishly brought himself onto his feet. After studying his surroundings one last time, he pried his eyes away from the distance and began to make his way down the broken staircase.

Dust kicked with each descending step, and the churning crackles made it seem like it would collapse at any moment. It was only a single, giant pillar that held it; which was infested with invasive overgrowth.

Truly, it was nothing short of a miracle that this place was even standing. From cracks and crevices that allowed the light to pour in, to the dangling architecture that dangerously hung like mourning stars – it was all baffling.

Once he reached the stable ground of the stage, he quickly made his way through the centre isle that was surrounded by the remnants of what looked like seats. However, there were small, metallic flowers growing in the middle of many of them.

It was not hard to guess what this place was.

“… you lost so many of them, Auga.”

Indeed. This was a graveyard. What was once an auditorium – a place where people would gather to watch people dance and sing – was now a gentle resting ground for the lost Biomech.

Of course, no one would immediately come to the conclusion that Exrite came with.

However, he saw it through the lens of Auga in his dreams.

He submerged himself in the sombre silence and continued on his path. Soon, he left the auditorium and followed a rugged trail back to the oak tree where he was met with the welcoming faces of his friends and companions.

“Exrite! Where the hell were you!? We’ve been waiting out here since morning for you!” Khaos called with a raised hand.

“Ah – Sorry, I just woke up. I didn’t expect to sleep so late.” He replied with nod as he approach Khaos and Frosty.

They stood near the shallow wall of trees at the side of the path, next to a shattered monument that held various cryptic etchings, including the [Gears]. The others were also present, although it seemed like Black and White were far to entertained by Melody and Auga to notice Exrite.

Uru however, greeted him with a simple hum as she watched over the Biomech with intrigue. After hearing that they were the direct creations of the ancient Maiden of Time, she couldn’t help but to feel awed by them. It was an honour to even bask in the same light as them, let alone breathe the same air.

Not to mention they were under the care of the Maiden of Realms.

“You were still asleep, huh? Did something happen last night?” Frosty curiously asked, her arms folded as she gave him a welcoming smile.

To see Exrite back in his normal body was refreshing to say the least.

“Nothing much. I just had a long talk with the Maiden of Realms and tried to figure out a few things.”

Just had a long talk?” She playfully smirked. “You make it sound like having the chance to privately talk with a Maiden is nothing. Well, then again, you’re a… Maiden.”

Her smile quickly degraded into a wry smile. To call Exrite a Maiden – which by definition was an unmarried woman – was awkward now that he was back in his original body.

“Learn anything about the old Maiden of Time’s home?” Khaos asked, an eye glued to the broken etches as Exrite finally stopped by them.

“To be honest with you guys, I’ve got nothing. Past that fog we’re completely blind. Our best bet is to keep moving forward once we’re in. But apart from that, we’ll have to rely on the landscape – or whatever’s in there – to guide us.”

“Just like how we were back in Enthile, huh. Just directions with nothing else in between... Geez, I’m starting to feel like your Maiden of Time’s no different from those damned Gods.”

Frosty spoke with spite, her long pony tail jiggling as she sighed.

She couldn’t be more right. While they were given a clear goal and direction, there still wasn’t a feasible way to figure out the rest of the puzzle. It wasn’t a simple matter of getting from ‘point A’ to ‘Point B’, but rather from A to Z; an assortment of interluding steps were necessary to eventually reach their goal.

Perhaps to the beings that were so vastly powerful and knowledgeable – it was all just a simple matter – a simple, linear step.

It was a perspective that none of them could even begin to conceive.

“Not that it matters, sis. Don’t forget that we still have Exrite as our party leader. Even in those conditions we faced trying to crawl away from Enthile, he managed to bring us all the way to Colight and meet the Children of Balance.”

Khaos heartily laughed, garnering a few curious eyes from their surroundings.

“This isn’t anywhere close to the likes of the Enthoric and Katho regions. But then again, I’m not complaining. You’ve always been our party leader, and I don’t think I want that changing anytime soon.”

An uncharacteristic smile found its way onto Frosty’s face. Once again, Exrite and Khaos felt like they saw an unhinged version of herself for a moment.

“And besides – you won’t lead us into circles.”

Exrite and Frosty shared a small laugh as Khaos tiredly sighed at the mention of his misadventure near Sorshore. Of course, he found it humorous to hear the recurring joke once again, and found himself chuckling as he gently pressed a hand against the strange etchings.

The Biomech – Auga specifically – had been here since the beginning of time, so he wondered if he could find any etchings that referenced his ancient race. He had already personally asked Auga if she knew anything earlier, but she seemed to only know them by name.

He was grasping at straws, and despite how futile it was to look through the etchings – he couldn’t help it. If the Frostbitten were one of the few races that had been in Six Point since the beginning of its creation – then why were there so few of them today? Where did his parents disappear to? And why was he and Frosty left alone?

It seemed like there was no way of knowing until they finally arrive at the Maiden of Wisdom’s Domain. But even so – he didn’t want to shove his curiosity aside like his sister, who was content with leaving it all until that grand moment.

Unaware of the intent face he made at the monument, Exrite called out to him.

“Khaos.”

“Yes?”

“I think I have something you might want to hear.”

“Really? Like what?”

“It’s about the Maiden of Wisdom. Her Domain isn’t in Eastern Six Point like we thought. Rather, it’s in a more… difficult area.”

“Right… she’s not in Eastern Six Point. Wait… what – she’s not in Eastern Six Point!?”

“– Exrite!? Are you serious!?”

It wasn’t just Khaos who suddenly shoved his face in front of him. Frosty was quick to ask for confirmation, her eyes yearning for a response. It came as shocking news, since they believed that the Maiden of Wisdom resided somewhere in this side of the continent.

Traversing to the other sides of the continent was beyond impossible.

“Unfortunately. Melody said she was somewhere in Western Six Point. But where exactly is still a mystery.”

They didn’t doubt him for a single second.

Despite the news, none of them seemed disheartened. There were baffled more than anything. Quickly, the two began to wind down as Khaos scratched the back of his head with a short sigh.

“Hah. man, we’re still so damn far away, aren’t we? I knew chasing after the Maiden of Wisdom would be a life-long goal, but now it sounds like it’s getting close to impossible.”

One would easily imagine that he was in a sullen mood, but a single glance at his confident face would quickly say otherwise. He caught his into his palm and assumed a gallant grin.

“Not that I’m complaining. If the Children of Balance expect us to cross Six Point’s split, then I’m sure there’s a way.”

Frosty was much the same, although she had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, they had a rough idea on where to look. But on the other, her questions for the Maiden of Wisdom would have to be further postponed.

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see. It’s too far off to get worried over, you know? I’m relieved either way, but I just can’t understand why those damned Gods forced you to liberate the Maidens without telling you how to cross the chasms.”

“There’s a chance that they also didn’t know the Maiden of Wisdom was in Western Six Point. I’ve never heard of anything but the Maidens residing in this side of Six Point.” Exrite claimed as his eyes suddenly met with Uru’s in the nearby distance.

“What? You’re telling me that the Gods who created the Maidens doesn’t know where they all are? I’m not buying that, Exrite. After everything they’ve omitted to us, this is probably another one.”

Her voice was rash, although she meant no harm.

“No. I’m just saying that there’s a chance.”

He wanted to conclude their minor argument as it was getting them nowhere. Although it did make him wonder:

If Hope and Despair already knew where the Maidens resided, then why didn’t they say anything? He had brushed aside their omitting of his inevitable descent into madness, the fact that they failed to give him the Eye of Hope and his transformation into the Maiden of Time – but he could not shake off the reason why they never told him anything about the Maidens.

It was their goal to liberate them, wasn’t it? Or was there more than what meets the eye? The more he thought about it, the more he drew similarities to Gaia.

Lost in his train of thought, he failed to respond to a strange softness that caressed his cheeks.

Until –

“– O-ouch! H-hey, Uru –!?”

“Is this how you do it, Frosty?”

“You’re too soft. Try to stretch it a bit more.”

“W-wait! You’re going to pull my cheeks off –!”

Because of his momentary daze and failure to respond to Frosty’s calls and Uru’s warning touch – Exrite had to endure the wrath of a worried Frosty while at the mercy of a ruthless Demon.

* * *

Soon – after the business between the Commanders and Melody concluded – the group gathered at the base of the oak tree to prepare for their departure. It was sudden, considering that had only arrived two days ago, however, Exrite did not want to waste any more time.

In an optimal world, they would’ve left by sunrise. That’s not to say that Exrite regretted the delay. He learnt many things from his talk with Melody, and a part of him didn’t want to leave the strange Biomechanical Gardens.

The same could be said for the others, save for Black and White whose interests lay in the [Biomechancial] magic and the bizarre anatomy of the Biomech.

Their arms, gear and belongings were double checked by White. She dug through the contents of their bags and laid out everything they had in a presenting manner.

“That’s at least a two to three weeks worth of food and water, two hundred iron pellets for Exrite’s handgun, some grenades and spare Octanid thread.” White spoke quickly before she returned to her feet. “Good. Our cargo hasn’t changed at all. Is everyone else set?”

An assortment of responses arrived from the others as she softly grinned. It seemed like everyone was ready and armed, apart from Khaos who was missing a weapon of some sort.

His fists would have to suffice. Not that they wouldn’t in the first place.

Small chatter quickly roused from the group, consisting of enthusiastic cheers and confident laughs. There wasn’t a single one of them who believed that they would fall trying to reach the Maiden of Time’s home.

Their group consisted of beings that were far from normal, and Melody admired the strange, wacky group that surrounded the only normal person there. It humoured her, and she truly wondered if this group would be the one to finally defeat her.

It would be a humorous twist if they never returned from the fog, just like Gaia – but it would be a cruel twist of fate. Exrite and his companions were possibly the only group that stood a chance of defeating her. If they fell now – then she’d forever be doomed in her Domain.

Auga held very similar sentiments. As she intently stared at Exrite, she couldn’t help but to feel worried about him. He was about to venture to the place where her Creator disappeared.

Her chest throbbed as violent emotions began to stir into a hideous concoction of uneasiness and uncertainty. Exrite was all she had left of her Creator, and if she lost him – then what other purpose would she have of living?

The vile thoughts began to constrict her like poisonous ivy as her eyes broadened in terror. The mere thought of losing the remnant of her Creator was far too much for her to bear.

But before the darkness could infect her heart – a hand found itself on her head.

It was Exrite.

“Auga. Thank you calling me here to meet you. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve still been at the Capital swinging a sword around. Really, thank you for helping me find my footing, and letting us meet with the Maiden of Realms –”

“Ahem. That’s Melody to you~” The woman in question spoke in a threatening yet charming manner.

Exrite held back a small chuckle as he continued:

“I know you’re still lost, and feel uncertain about me leaving to the place where Gaia disappeared to – but I don’t have any other choice. Both of our answers are in there, inside of Gaia’s home. Why she told you to wait, why she created you and why you’re not ‘complete’ are all in there.”

Exrite stroked her fine, metal strands of hair with a warm smile. The calmness of his soothing ticks and warmth was nostalgic. In the blink of an eye, it seemed like all her worries suddenly vanished as if it never existed in the first place.

“Just as how you opened a path for me to follow, I want to open one for you as well. So Auga –”

He brushed away the stray strands that blocked her vision and gallantly smiled.

“– Please believe in me – no. Believe in us.”

His words were sickly sweet. She was drawn to them like an insect to honey as she bathed in his familiar warmth and gentle hands.

“You heard him, Auga. We’ll plough through everything in our way!” Khaos punched the air with tremendous force and enthusiasm.

“Exactly. There’s no need to worry, Auga. We want to help you just as much as Exrite does.” Frosty spoke tenderly, her eyes briefly hovering over the watchful children.

From the short amount of time she spent with them – she had grown to adore the Biomech children. And to see them in such a state was heartbreaking. Even without a soul, they were still living creatures.

“Ho~ You have the assurance of a Demon, dear Creation of Gaia. Remember my name well, for I am Uru Lust – the Succubus of Desire. It is an honour to be of aid.”

Uru spoke with with a voice so tantalisingly beautiful, that even Exrite felt drawn to it. It was part of Uru’s natural [Charm]. Whether it was magic or an innate ability was entirely unknown.

Aside from Uru, of course.

Auga was silent. The reassuring voices filled her heart with emotion as she stared at their proud, smiling faces with broadened eyes. Then, they slowly moved onto Black and White.

As if Black understood what those cautious eyes entailed, she placed a hand onto Exrite’s shoulder before she hummed:

“Hmhm~ Why are you looking at me with those sorrowful eyes? Are you worried that I’m going to meddle with Him? Listen carefully, Biomech – so long as you give Exrite your [Biomechanical] magic, then I’m fine with escorting a human through thick and thin. But if you even dare try to fool us –”

Her free hand gently caressed the smooth handle of her handgun – Night’s Melody.

“– Then you’ll be more than just ‘incomplete’.”

Her deadly warning was met with an immediate scowl from Melody, who drove her gaze into her like a twisted knife.

“Just joking.” Black muttered unapologetically with a cunning grin.

“I’m so sorry about her, Melody.” White found herself more irritated than she appeared. “Auga. We’re not expecting much in return, but we cannot afford to lose our only chance of defeating Melody. Like it or not – we’re already a part of this mess.”

“And you’ve only got your beloved Maidens to blame~” Black chimed in.

“Black. Shut up.” She growled as a hand swiftly hovered on the handle of her blade.

In an instant, Black’s mouth clamped shut as a sudden pressure coursed through her body. It was as if the floodgates of a dam had released its water solely ontop her.

Reluctantly, Black drew her hand away from her weapon and clicked her tongue.

She did not want to anger her any further.

Only Melody and Uru noticed the strange pressure and immediately recognised the phenomenon. Similar to [Statement], this was a magic unique to Vampires – [Higher Order] – or at least it was what they believed.

The magic essentially amplified the user’s presence, usually instilling fear and dread into its surrounding victims. But the fact that Frosty and Khaos were fine, let alone Exrite was strange since the original magic did not discriminate between targets, save for other Vampires.

It was intriguing, particularly for Uru who was only mildly aware that White was a Vampire.

White didn’t speak any further. With a loud sigh, she turned away from Auga with a solemn face.

Slowly, Auga’s eyes softened before they returned to Exrite.

And there, she instantly mellowed.

“Don’t worry, Auga. I didn’t come all the way from Enthile because of shortsighted judgement. If it weren’t for them – for anyone – I wouldn’t have met you in the first place.”

He pulled his hand away from her as Black smugly grinned.

A glimmer of realisation sparked from within the depths of her heart. It ached, and quickly swelled into a strange throb. Of course, she was well aware that it was thanks to Black that Exrite was even here in the first place.

Each person beside Exrite played a role in his journey here. They were all like the cogs of a machine, all striving and turning for a purpose. They were grandeur gears; gigantic and immense.

Yet amongst them was a single, tiny cog.

It was Exrite.

He was minuscule in comparison. But he was there in the centre of them all, spinning their gears with resounding purpose.

As the Exrenity and the Maiden of Time, he found companions he could trust with all his heart, no matter how dubious and morally deprived they may be. In the end, they strove for the same goal in mind, and had a need for Exrite’s existence.

Betrayal was negligible. But like Frosty, she couldn’t be so sure and had to put all of her faith into Exrite’s judgement. After all, if her Creator trusted Exrite, then why couldn’t she.

Arriving at that conclusion, she mellowed and turned to the others, thanking them from the bottom of her heart.

“Please be careful. Exrite, everyone – please come back safe.” Her coarse, static voice sparked some to wince.

“Auga~ You want to learn how to sing again, right? C’mon, try to speak more clearly this time.” Melody motherly hummed as she warmly smiled.

“Like this?”

“Perfect.”

As the two entered a cosy world of their own, Exrite felt Black’s finger softly dig into his shoulder.

“Hmm?”

“For you.”

Before he could turn to her, a black object was suddenly shoved into his chest. He didn’t have to look down to realise that it was his coat. It was still warm, as if someone had worn it just prior.

In the corner of his eye, a Biomech child stood beside Black with a hand held at the hems of her dark mantle. The image of a mother and her daughter came to mind, but was immediately dissolved when he remembered Black’s vile personality.

“Ah – thanks. I was wondering when I’d be getting this back. Thank you – er… Biomech child?”

He didn’t know the child’s name, or if she even had one to begin with.

“I don’t deserve your thanks. I was simply returning what was yours.”

Her nonchalant voice was jarring, especially with how she held onto Black like a nervous child. Whether that behaviour was conscious or not was something he wondered.

“What’s wrong? Now that you’ve lost the coat, you want mine? Aha. You’re just as peculiar as ever.” Black hummed in a teasing voice. “So? Are you going to let go of me or did you want to come along?”

The child eagerly shook her head before blankly staring up at her. It seemed like Black recognised the Biomech, while Exrite stood there wondering where he had seen her before.

“… I don’t know.”

“Tch. You’re not cute at all.” Black ruffled the girl’s hair with her leather gloves.

The friction would easily cause one immense pain, yet the girl remained there nonchalant and utterly expressionless.

“But I guess you’ll know soon enough. Hmhm~ I can’t wait to see what kind of face you’ll show me when your emotions return.” Black spoke with sadism as she gently shoved the girl’s head back.

Reluctantly, the girl released Black and simply stood there with both hands fondling her sore head. It seemed like they could feel pain, albeit to what extent wasn’t known.

“Is there a reason for touching my head like that?”

“None at all, none at all. Consider it special treatment for being my longest living escort.”

“I see. Then am I special?”

“Special isn’t what I’d call a tiny bundle of metal and flesh. I’m saying that you survived longer than the others before you, that’s all~”

The Biomech didn’t respond. Instead, she thanked Black for giving her the ‘special’ treatment which caused her to click her tongue once more. Soon, the girl turned and began to make her way towards the rest of her curious brethren, who stared at the group nonchalantly.

“It’s sad, isn’t it? They’re prisoners of their own body.” Exrite whispered as Black kept a fixed sidelong gaze at the retreating girl.

“In another world, they’d be considered perfect. To strip someone down of emotion and have them be ignorant of the world sets them up to be the perfect pawn. If you have no concept of yourself, then you’ll be shaped by someone else. Maybe the previous Maiden of Time thought the same thing~”

“I wonder about that. She was more adamant on saving them than using them.” Exrite rebutted with a small sigh. “… but I can’t imagine what it would be like to not be able to smile, let alone feel any emotion.”

The though was terrifying. He knew that the Eye of Despair would shatter the last remnants of his humanity one day. He was that lucky his Eye of Hope seemed to act as a counter weight.

Black embraced their brief silence as the others noisily chatted. Lost in their own world, the Colour slowly narrowed her gaze and brought them back to Exrite.

“Emotion is a surprisingly powerful tool. You’d be baffled by how it can push people to their absolute limits. But it’s imperfect. It skews the clarity of the world, and can make it hard to distinguish friend from foe. If anything – emotion is a detriment, especially for weapons like us.”

She spoke with a low voice.

“We’re beings designed to kill, so it’s strange that we even have emotions to begin with. Well, not that I’m complaining.” She shrugged as she reeled her head back.

Her hair tumbled behind her before her eyes suddenly fell onto a smiling White.

“A perfect weapon has no emotions, nor any remorse.”

“Is that why you regret not leaving your humanity behind earlier?”

“Hmhm. Not entirely~” Black cheerfully hummed all of a sudden as she swung her forward.

It didn’t seem like she would answer, so Exrite soon changed topics.

“By the way, don’t you have to return to Saicry?”

“Nope. I’m confident our crew can handle themselves there. Think of it as their vacation – although I plan to work them to the ground once we get back.”

“Then what about the war in Colight?”

“That snail-paced war isn’t going to go anywhere anytime soon. I’ve seen countless of wars in the worlds I’ve embarked, and this is by far the least exciting of them all. I’m a weapon, not some duke or political figure. If they’re not planning to go all out, then what the fuck is the point?”

While Exrite wasn’t so sure about that, he couldn’t help but to understand where she was coming from. He too expected the war to escalate the moment Di-Lock’s envoy declared war, but so far nothing of significance had occurred.

That was aside from the strange reporting of Undead and ghost towns along the borders of Di-Lock’s sovereignty. As odd and bizarre as it was, that kind of investigation was on the shoulders of the Heroes, the soldiers and perhaps even the Priestesses of Balance – who would possess magic extremely effective against the Undead.

Lost in thought, a sudden grow emerged from Khaos’ stomach. He lightly laughed at the man’s appetite as Frosty nudged him for being a glutton.

As always – you can’t embark on a journey on an empty stomach.

* * *

Their meal consisted of nothing but dried fruit and some water created using magic, courtesy of Frosty and Exrite to a lesser degree. In his human form, he could only materialise a chunk of ice about the size of his fist.

This, combined with the fact that it was magic of the [Second Tier], caused it to fizzle out almost entirely when heated by Uru. Unlike Frosty’s icicles, which were of the [Sixth Tier], they were more physical than they were unrefined mana.

As a result, they were able to melt Frosty’s ice into drinking water efficiently.

He was quickly reminded of how limited his human body was. As he remembered the incident with a wry smile, a green-haired figure approached him at the foot of the desolated bridge.

It was Melody.

“Quite a surprise that Black and White are going along with you. Things are looking a bit more interesting now. Hmm. Almost makes me want to join in as well~”

She spoke with a deceptively calm voice that were like the harps of a beautiful violin. For a second, Exrite was shocked by what she said until he realised that it was probably another joke.

“I’m kidding. There’s no way I could abandon Auga and her children. Not while they’re still silently suffering.”

As the gentle taps of her lightweight boots subsided, she paused and placed a hand onto his shoulder.

“I hope this won’t be the last time I’d get to feel this soothing ticking. You might not know this Exrite, but the fate of everyone here in the Biomechanical Gardens now rests on your shoulders. Carry it well with the aid of your companions.”

She nearly sung.

He was entranced for a second. Melody’s beauty was truly unlike any other. But that was to be expected of a Maiden.

“I know. Believe me Melody, I know that all to well.” Exrite affirmed with a stern demeanour.

He knew that if he failed, then Melody and the Biomech would be forever damned to the ebbs of time. Gaia’s trust in him will be all for nought, his strive for answers would be cut short and the goals everyone else strove for would render into nothing but pure despair and hopelessness.

The pressure – no. The burden was monumental. While he was always aware of his importance in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t until now that it hit him like a barrel of explosive powder.

It was daunting. The risks were as high as ever. But even so – he stood his ground and composure. Like everything else beforehand, he didn’t think for a second that he would falter, no matter what was thrown at him.

Melody studied him with calculating eyes for what felt like an eternity. Her freedom from the Domain of Realms and the Timeless effect all resided on Exrite – a mere human Exrenity who was granted the powers of a Maiden.

From his stern face to the insatiable flame in his contrasting eyes, she couldn’t help but to put her faith in him. For better or worse – it was her discretion as the Maiden of Realms.

“Exrite. Don’t you dare fail on my watch. Whatever it was that Gaia found or did there, it was certainly enough to abandon Auga and this place. As Maiden to Maiden, I trust you with every ounce of my being. So –”

She suddenly tore out one of the crystals from the hems of her dress-like top. For a moment, her body fizzled in an out of reality like a ghost.

“Relax, there’s no need to worry about me. This body is merely a projection of my real self within my Domain in the Heart of the Realms. That aside – here, take it.”

Exrite quickly regained his composure as Melody offered him the perfectly chiselled gemstone. It was purple and green in colour, and was about the size of a fist. With care, he thankfully took the strange gift and studied it in utter awe.

“Melody –! this is –!”

“That’s right. It’s a Gatestone. I’m surprised you even recognise it! Hm. I guess even humans know that much about us.”

A Gatestone was an immensely powerful object with the ability to tether realms and worlds through what was called a Gateway. Many were apparently created and lost after the first Maiden of Realms created them in mass, hence why they were well known relics.

Essentially, it would open a door to another world and allow individuals, objects and any form of energy to traverse through. Although, the connected world varies – and in some cases – was a one way trip. However, it also allowed for travelling long distances within the same world.

And if he could guess correctly – then this was a getaway device.

It glistened beautifully like the irises of her eyes as she watched the speechless Exrite.

“Pour some mana into it and it’ll bring you back into the Biomechanical Gardens. Just be careful with your mana. I doubt you’d be able to activate it in that body without being depleted.”

She warned before slowly inching her face closer to Exrite’s. Unaware of the mere inches that separated them, he nearly jolted in fright when he saw her gemstone irises.

“Use my gift wisely. That Gatestone is both an entrance and exit. It’ll take you right back to where you last activated it.”

With a hum, she leapt backwards and began to make her way up the massive stone pathway.

“Now – if you’ll excuse me, I have an encore I need to attend to. Farewell, Exrite. Oh –! Also, do give some thought into what we spoke about last night!”

She called as she plucked a crystal violin from a tear in space.

what?

The dumbstruck Exrite stood there wondering what she meant until –

“Let’s strike Gaia down together~!”

Ah… right…

He couldn’t help but to smile wryly and watch her disappear into the distance.

The ambience of nature returned at last, as if it withdrew in the presence of Melody. Truly, the Maidens were far spectacular than he could ever imagine. With a final look at the Gatestone, he promptly shoved it into a pouch by his waist which contained an assortment of iron bolts.

It bulged unnaturally, but it wasn’t enough to significantly encumber his movements. After all, the Gatestone was surprisingly light – just like limeite.

And when he set his gaze onto the path once more –

He broke into a confident smile.

Arriving from the pathway were his companions and friends, who appeared to be more than ready to embark on their journey.

Reunited at the base of the broken bridge, Exrite was naturally appointed as their party leader. With their indomitable might, any and all dangers would be eliminated.

They briefly skimmed over their final checks before they soon departed from the Biomechanical Gardens.

And as they crossed the perilous bridge, Black suddenly overtook Exrite. Her black strands of hair fluttered behind her like wings as a howling breeze swept by. However, something seemed off about her.

And when he finally noticed – he couldn’t help but to silently chuckle.

Special treatment, huh.

For whatever reason –

The mantle that Black was so fond of was mysteriously missing.

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