Just a bit of recap for everyone since it's been so long. Chapters are still coming on friday's.
Our story begins with Derek, normal average guy, being unceremoniously thrown into hell.
From there, with broken brain and his newly demonic body, he is begged by his summoner (Selve) and villager to help save the town from an evil baron and his men. Derek, mind practically nulled to pieces, agrees, only to kind of 'snap' back to coherency mid combat. A brutal but quick battle follows and he rests in the village, trying to put together himself and his situation. A deadly Gem is what brought him here and seems to sink into him when handed to him by Selve. He relaxes, adjusting to his new powers and ability...
Only for the Heroes to show up a few days later.
Riary, the Fire Mage with a tragic backstory and turns burning into art.
Konohora, priestess of Truth, able to tell no lies, heal, and see through all untruths.
Tyler, another summoned Hero like Derek, from Earth!
Each Kingdom has a Hero team, hearkening back to ancient days of summoned heroes, a practice now strictly allowed as the highest possible crime. They're the face of a Kingdom, the designation moving to young blood more often than not to show off future potential rather than current advancement.
And the problem for Derek? After the Thirty Year Demon War, otherwise known as The Great War, between demons and humans... Demons are kill on sight in human territory. Especially by Heroes.
Riary does her damn best to prove just that, turning Derek into charcoal, but his selfless sacrifice to protect someone shakes her beliefs that all demons are evil horrible monsters. Well, kinda. It mostly just makes her pissed enough to heal him to demand "WHY?!"
From there, the Heroes and Derek come to an agreement, as they're not complete dicks and have Konohora to sift fact through fiction. They decide to 'escort' Derek to edge of human territory, which is only a few weeks away on foot, to Elven Territory where demons are not murdered merely for the crime of existing.
And so the journey begins!
Only for it to suck for Derek. It's a long bitter travel and when they finally do reach a village, Derek's Ability to sense Power goes haywire, telling him no uncertain terms he and all of them are about to die. The level of power is monstrous and as they talk to the villagers and learn of how some women have gone missing, the experience lingers.
There's an ogre, a goblin horde, running, and a really freaky woman, but finally after all that, they narrow down their search using Derek's power to a mansion that only appears at night. Derek thinks fighting whatever is in it is suicide... the rest of the team doesn't care what a demon thinks very much.
Only to run into Vanessa Vilconoff. Futanari Vampire and lover of women. Not only someone with centuries of experience, a mansion with a Domain, a host of minor powers, but also a B-Rank existence (D-S levels of power) and with the ability of Tactile Telekinesis as an inborn Ability. Quite literally, tears the team apart.
Derek nearly dies, multiple times in a frighteningly span of a few minutes, but in the end, they all manage to win. And grow a bit closer as a team.
So the journey continues!
The travel this time is much smoother and finally, they reach Elven territory and a border town. Derek, finally, feels free. Now, even if the Heroes attack him, he's free because the guards would stop them. He's safe. He's okay. He then decides to do what he loves to do and simply explore the town, enamored with it's architecture and culture. He meets a nice woman who makes a literally magical meal for him, talks to a few shop keepers, learns that Elves simply don't 'do' work unless they want to, learns about religions in this world, and more. All while enjoying the night spent with a Dark Elf futanari (and sadly, dealing with pretty intense Body Dysphoria).
And all the while, dark things are afoot in town and Riary is keeping a secret from the rest of them. The Hero team is nominally suppose to 'protect their kingdom' and this is typically done by simply being good adventures. But the Heroes have their own aims, seeking the Gems in order to get Tyler back to his own world. Mystical things that have begun appearing around the world, said to link to other worlds. Riary out of a hidden love, Konohora out of absolute fear and worry for the future with True Heroes in it, and Tyler out of homesickness. And within what was left of Vanessa's mansion, Riary found one. And then told no one because she's worried somehow, it'll make Tyler immediately go back home. Emotion rarely applies to logic.
Only for the Gem to go missing. Suspicion and fear and worry explode, and for Riary, there's only possible culprit.
Drama proceeds, secrets are revealed, Derek gets fed up with their shit, Konohora has immense suspicions and more. But all the while, the question of "Who the hell has the Gem then?!" remains.
It's the bard. The really sexy bard Derek was talking to yesterday, Happy Go Lucky. A strange, gray skinned man, who's 'power level' simply reads as 'unfathomable, unknowable' to Derek.
As they begin their search, and learn of Cult murders happening in town, they literally fall on top of the whole thing, finding the Gem in his hands. A short cult fight later and the Gem begins to 'activate'. A desperate attempt to stop it happens... only for the team to be teleported across time and space, flying through a sub dimension with Happy. Horrible, terrifying things are learned and at the end, Derek and Konohora arrive naked in a Jungle where they seem to be inches tall. Except it's not them that has shrunk, but that the Jungle truly is that massive.
[End of book 1 here]
Tyler and Riary find themselves naked and afraid, stranded in a Winter Tundra. Food scarce, heat even more so with the after effects of teleportation lingering, and in a hastily constructed Igloo their feelings finally ignite.
We move back to Derek and Konohora, struggling against a Giant snake, only for it to runaway as the ground begins to shake. And what comes out of the bushes? A giant...ess. A naked woman, ten stories tall, making a few skyscrapers look tiny. Seeing Derek and Konohora, there's a moment of frozen confusion, before elation hits! She speaks no language they know, but she is more than a little excited to see them. They try to runaway, only to be caught and quickly tied up with unusual dexterity in what seems to be living string/ropes. Konohora is turned into a necklace, worn out the neck. And Derek... gets a very close up view of another part of her anatomy.
Taken back to the village, they find they are far from the only one here. There's a whole village of giant women, all seeming to wear people in different 'clothing' elements. Bra, earrings, armbands, and more. But with a noticeably strange, gentleness to it. Taking great care not to damage them. That and the fact that there are no men at all, causes Derek's suspicions to grow.
Soon though, Konohora and him are separated, as she is put in the village within a village, where the tiny people live. As for Derek, he is kinda stuck there, going about his day. But he does see his new enemy, relaxing as an earring, Happy Go Lucky the Bard. Their conversation is less than cordial.
All the while, Tyler and Riary have been having their own adventures. After the night in the igloo, they find a pillar of ice, seeming to stretch high into the sky, with a black orb around the bottom. At the top, there seems to be a blue glow. Having no other alternatives in this barren snowy wasteland, they head towards it, only to nearly be frozen to death the moment they pass through the black barrier. So cold, even souls and time itself freeze.
Through a stroke of luck, they manage to pull themselves out, barely managing to survive in the process. From there, Riary, Genius she is, suggests that the phenomena is literally freezing time somehow. That the black orb that was around the base of the tower was light itself not being able to move and the cause should be at the top of the tower. Lacking options, they decide to climb, fighting four armed yeti's in the process.
Finally finding a 'flat' piece of land on the tower, Riary begins to curse up a storm as Spacetime are not separate concepts. The tower itself has been spatially expanded, meaning their climb could take months or longer. And while they may have sources of heat and water, even food with Yeti's around... it's still gonna suck. They move forward, climbing, only to run into Mama. A four armed yeti, who lives in a nice brick house, strangely on this frozen tower.
Back in the Jungle, Derek is sleeping, still firmly tied up in living string and rope, when Konohora awakens and frees him. But her expression is... dire. All the while, they had not been the only 'living clothing' the giantess they're attached to had, and when they go up to her chest... Derek's expression matches hers instantly.
They're not alive. But not dead either. The things the giantess's are wearing are... not human. They look human, but they're like blank dolls. Empty. Noticeably... unsouled. The uncanny valley kicks into high, goes into maximum overdrive, and then keeps going and going. These things are wrong. Wrong.
Konohora begins to tell him what she learned. She found a book, with pictures, that explained a little of what was happening. It seems that the empty creatures, when they are drug into reproducing, their child is not another unsouled or even a human. They produce one of the Giantesses. These creatures are both ancestor and origin for the tribe of Giantesses. Why they wear them around is currently unknown but still... it's incredible information to learn.
In the midst of studying the creature and talking, the Giantess wakes up, but only moments later, an alarm across the villages rings out. An attack is happening. She carries them with her, only for Derek to feel shock as he see's who exactly the enemy is.
The forces of nature itself.
Living earth, opening up pitholes wide enough to bury towns, tornadoes, the tree themselves come to life, and more. Living calamities are attacking them and Derek has the unlucky situation of ending up flung into the air by one of them. A brief fight with a little tornado, and Derek manages to break it's 'core' and survive. He falls back, only for the Giantess's to look at him and Konohora like they're a golden gift from god.
Unknown to Konohora and Derek, the Life Bringers (the human-like, unliving creatures) are greatly respected and cherished. After all, they are what bring the Gaieldr to life. And there are no more in the jungle. The jungle is dangerous, finding more of the Lost is a fools errand, none have been seen in a very long time. Finding two of them, by chance? A miracle. Especially two who seem to be bonded. Stories have been told, of two that seem inseparable. They always give rise to the greatest of them but have long been lost to history. And now they were here!
Immediately, they decide to make sure this pair mates, especially after the attack by the Awakened.
Drugged with aphrodisiacs by Giants, Konohora and Derek find new sides to each other, pretty quickly.
But afterwards, in the village within a village, they begin to plot their escape. The book of Gaieldr is nearby and they tear out a page, making a giant paper airplane to literally soar out into the jungle from their higher position. In the process, the Gaieldr that has been wearing them finds them. And she could not be more shocked. The Life Bringers don't move much... but they do. A bonded pair moving more, that's been to know to happen, at least historically. But creating an actual tool, showing signs of real intelligence? Never. That has never happened.
All at once, she realizes what's been going on. Awakened Life Bringers. A reality never before unfolded right in front of her. Mind going into shock, that the same phenomenon that brings to life their greatest enemies, has infected their progenitors.
From Konohora and Derek's perspective, the Giantess keeping them hostage has found them trying to escape. They quickly make a run for it, flying out into the world and running the second they land. Chaos ensues the village as the Gaieldr begins to shout and yell. Finally, they make it out, with space to breath.
They begin to plot their next move... only for Happy Go Lucky to find them. Derek doesn't hesitate, going for the kill. After all, Happy Go Lucky didn't just send them here, he was also the head of a cult, murdering innocent people. Happy, the eternally smiling bard, simply moves and Derek misses. Repeatedly, again and again. A leaf falls and gets in the way, a slip here and there, Derek just straight up trips, and a hundred more unusual circumstances in the space of a few seconds before Derek stops, his jaw dropping. Impossible. With dawning realization, he realizes why Happy reads as unfathomable to his power gauge. Regardless of how powerful he actually is... he literally has Luck itself on his side. And how on earth is power gauge suppose to measure that?
Happy, smile never having left his face, suggests they travel together to get back. Derek and Konohora are not at all happy with that idea but having literally just failed to hit him once, they decide an enemy close is better than an enemy far away. Happy leads the way, seeming to know exactly where to go and acting as he was merely going on a picnic.
They run into people surprisingly, almost suspiciously quickly. Happy's Luck Ability no doubt in play. But these people aren't ten story tall giants, but regular people! Invited by spear tip back to their underground city, the Restante tell their history and story, how they came to be, how the Gaieldr came to be, telling of the calamity that befell them. After all, to every other man, woman, and child, this is common knowledge. (Feel free to go back and reread all that, it was a lot. Bit too much to put into a recap.)
The Calamity that befell their whole civilization long ago... was a Gem. What used to be a completely normal jungle became this. And the Restante died, en mass. The leader knows they must've come from outside the jungle and only asks that they take the damn Gem away. However they got here, she assumes they can leave in the same way.
They agree and there's a few events that happen in the village. Pretty fun.
After that, the Restante, on the back of a giant snake they tamed, take them to the Temple, where the Gem originally landed.
And all the while, the Gaieldr are tracking them, following their trail. They discover not just the trail of Derek and Konohora, but of the Restante escorting them. The shock of a whole society of 'awakened' life bringers uproots their whole understanding of the world, but they continue to follow onwards. They need answers.
Also meanwhile, Tyler and Riary are busy battling ice elementals, more yeti's, and generally trying not to freeze to death as they climb the ice pillar.
Getting to the Temple, Derek immediately notices the influence of the Gem. He can feel it in practically the air itself. Everything seems to be... alive. Whether literally or metaphorically. And then disaster strikes. Konohora begins to... drift away. So potent he can feel it in his power gauge. Being so close to the Gem is causing her to become one of the Lost. Now, they're on a timer. The Restante have inborn resistances after their culling and Derek has his demonic nature to protect him but Konohora is dying. Her soul being drowned out in pure life force.
Finally arriving in the middle of the absolutely massive temple, what awaits them strikes fear in Derek's heart. They came with a small platoon of the Restante's soldiers, the leader herself, a giant snake, and them of course. He assumed it would be enough. Seeing a panther the size of a Gaieldr, a small army of monsters, and living elementals of air, land, and water, he realizes all they're going to find here is death.
The Panther moves, lightning quick for a regular panther, let alone something so big. Death descends... only for spear to meet claw. Derek looks up... and up and up... seeing the Gaieldr looking down on them. A whole lot of them, at that. Neither side knows what's going on, but the Gaieldr do know one thing.
The Life Bringers need help.
Without hesitation, they rush into battle. Struck dumb, Derek watches and the Restante leader, with emotions choking her up, orders a charge. The snake listens, and Derek prepares himself. A lot has happened to him in a very short time frame, but one thing is clear, They either get that Gem to stop radiating outwards or Konohora is gonna die.
A massive, and awesome, fight breaks out. It's pretty great.
In the middle of it though, Happy makes a break for the Gem. Derek runs to stop him, not wanting the bastard to get his hand on a weapon like that. Konohora manages to throw one of the Gaieldr's spears and Derek breaks past his own limits, grabbing the Gem before Happy can get it, much to his shock.
Then everything kinda goes to hell. But Derek survives and the battle is cleaned up.
A portal opens, and an exhausted Derek readies himself for whatever bullshit this is going to be, only to be utterly shocked when Tyler and Riary walk out.
They just had their own massively life changing moment, battle against the blue Gem that had been at the top of the tower and the source of all the frozen time and space shenanigans. Lots of stuff happened there.
Derek, relieved, looks over to the Restante and Gaieldr. Their language shares an origin so, talking becomes possible. (again, lots of fun social and cultural stuff going on here, just go back and read it all lol)
They wave goodbye, Derek knowing for a fact, somehow, that with the green Gem in hand he can teleport back. Tyler sharing the same feeling, with the blue one in his.
They manage to get back and for the first time in months for one pair and weeks for the other, they can finally wear their own clothes and have their weapons and armor back. They turn around, happy... only to see Happy with both the green and blue gem in his hands, as he teleports away.
(Would you believe that entire thing I just said from start to finish was only 30 ish chapters? I really packed it in there on that arc.)
Frustrated and pissed, the team goes and rests an inn, wakes up, and then decides to have a serious conversation about the future.
Tyler, thinking all past issues would be resolved because of their shared troubles (*cough* like in a typical fantasy *cough*) is shocked to here that no, Derek isn't just going to let bygones by bygones and is still more than ready to leave if their goals don't at least line up. Tyler wants to get home, Riary wants to get him home, Konohora wants to help him get him home but mostly just make sure he becomes a decent person so he doesn't one day turn into a massive tyrant because of his innate True Hero power. That creates a very 'Tyler centric' goal and team and none of those line up with what Derek wants. Derek tells them exactly what he wants. He wants to change his body and get his eyes back to how they were. (True but also not the whole story, fairly obviously there.)
Konohora confirms it as the truth, confusing all three of them. It's a very... vain and strange goal, to simply want to change your eye color. They suggest a few things but overall, body modification even to a light degree is hard. They do agree however, that they would each help each other. Tyler will help Derek change his body and Derek will help Tyler get home.
A proper team for now and for once, they think over what they need to do now and come to a quick conclusion. Power. Their previous journey has certainly made them stronger, they can all feel that, even if they don't have Derek's Ability. But raw power and trained power aren't the same thing. They need to hone it and somewhere they can test themselves at the same time.
And so Konohora suggests Prisnk, an Elven city, home to a B-Rank dungeon and also, B-Ranker trainers. A perfect place to get some training, fight to figure out their limits, and even rank up to B-rank. Still absolutely flush with cash from raiding Vanessa's mansion, they set off!
And then spend a month on caravan. Mostly relaxing and taking it in slowly. The travel was going to take a month anyway, might as well make some side money and ride in a wagon while they do so, as adventurer guards.
Bandits attack, bandits die. Like really fast.
They continue onwards, finally reaching the city, where Derek's power nearly sends him into a coma because it's being overwhelmed by so many strong existences. Almost none in the same tier as Vanessa but... enough that she wouldn't be able to go wild here. Not at all.
Tyler goes to finish up the caravan mission, Derek is approached by a little curious elven girl, all while he and his teammates are stared down by far too many strong existences. While Tyler is off on his own though... he is challenged to a duel. Surprised, he tries to say no, but Rhicontinu Vegarl and the guild leader aren't having it. It turns out that Tyler, leader of his Hero team (on paper), allowing a demon in has created large ripple effects. No human nation is happy and a month and change is plenty fast enough for word of mouth to spread to royalty via magical means.
And in the midst of the duel... Vegarl's friends try to sneak attack Tyler, with the Elven Guild leader pretending she hadn't seen anything.
He wins, easily, but still sports a few light wounds from the ambush.
Heading back, he tells his team about it, everyone feeling pissed.
But they continue on, finding somewhere to stay, and then hiring a team manager the next day who gives them some tips but most importantly, finds them each trainers. And some good trainers at that.
Derek's trainer however, doesn't show up, instead making him come to her. Derek shrug's, doing so, only to finally meet Xilvia, a beautiful noble-esque looking human. Before he can even speak, she attacks him with extremely deadly intent, tearing him to shreds in the process.To the point he passes out from blood loss.
And then again.
And again.
They manage to have a small talk on the nature of power and training, on why's, before Xilvia continues her training by endlessly tearing Derek apart.
His team begins to get worried, especially as weeks to begin to pass with no sign of him. The only reason they didn't march in immediately was Konohora's ability to see through lies and their team leader's continued assurance that he was A. Alive and B. Training.
After a whole month, they finally see Derek, only to see the entire arena coated in blood and body parts. For a whole month, Xilvia kept him alive, not needing sleep, food, or water, only stopping when he passed out. A true hellish trainer, but one with incredible effects.
Finally free, Derek and the team goes down into the dungeon, where they meet Vegarl, where Derek kills him and his team immediately with ease. Tyler and him then have a discussion about morality and when it is and isn't okay to go around killing people. Derek and the rest of the team agrees to hold back their punches if it's not literally a life or death scenario and to discuss more in the future before straight up murdering people if they don't need to.
And that brings us to here and right now, where they're in a dinosaur dungeon.
