A man ran past the trees as he continued down the road, he couldn't believe he missed a portal anomaly. He should have been more vigilant, not locking himself up in his tower. His wife hadn't been found yet, his kingdom truly had lost hope.

He heard rustling and sharp whistle combined with a crack nearby in the grass, he swiftly turned around with his arm ready to sheathe his finely made sword, his eyes sharpened to a cut bush nearby and widened as he saw a metallic shape. It could be gold, but where had it come?

It cut through the wood opposite end of the grass, the log is damaged as if this was some sort of experimental weapon. He hoped that it was not them that did this. He heard a squished noise and looked down. "A taint, but how? The arch-mage specifically says that they are now extinct.." He scooped it up with his scalpel and walked back home with a thoughtful look.

"I should have a conversation with the Arch-Mage soon. If this is found near portal anomaly, then we are in grave danger indeed." His eyes flashed green in hope, and this new discovery as a threat to this world. He went past the guards who elicits a simple "My lord."

He secured said taint tentacle within hard glass box until he called the Arch-Mage to his kingdom, they are dodgy with their transportation technique. Yes, yes. He plans for a meeting with all members of this kingdom to defend our people.

Earth

11:34 AM - Noon.

Houldenesse Capital Hospital of Partouche

Year 2019 - Month 5 - Day 24

He sat in the waiting room patiently, playing with his fingers until the door opens rather abruptly where his parents stood. "Mother, father." I smiled happily, happy to be welcomed back into my home. I sat in the back of the car as we drove out into the town.

He sat in his bedroom, twiddling his thumbs and finally gave into his laptop. His two friends worried about his safety and health touched his heart quite well, "How are you, Cad?" It takes him time to write the answer, but we both waited patiently.

"It's not that bad, honestly. It's just that, I had some nightmare of that thing yesterday. My parents had to put sharp stuff to protect myself with. I felt like I am now being surrounded by soldiers." I chuckled lightly, I typed rapid fire on the keyboard.

"Well, soldier. You are one. There's proof of that in the incident and that supply carriage in Minecraft." I pictured him being flustered and sputtering incoherently, my lips twitched in amusement. "Yeah, we now have our little Soundwave," said Kevin cheerfully.

"Careful now, you don't want to turn me to big-headed Mr. Greatness."

"What are you implying, Soundwave?" I retorted sharply.

"Oh, oh. Nothing, of course. Your greatness." I smiled at the jab, that confidence had appeared once more in the face of the youngest one in the group of three. "So, what do you think? Let's play more?" I smiled wickedly at the thought of tomb raiding.

"Yes, we shall," Cadmus said happily.

We dispersed in the War Room to do our things, for I am focusing to attack one dusty old tomb for retaliation of his precious carriage. I examined a newspaper sitting on the desk of my tower and smiled at the fierce hope that the villager had shown off the Golems that went to the supply carriages.

I went back into the War Room and patiently awaits my three soldiers. They were armed to the teeth, I resist the temptation, the urge to make my own Knights of the Round Table. No, he will not make these guilds yet. "Soldiers. You are here because I require your help, do you understand the vow of secrecy?" I barked out into the microphone.

"Yes, my lord." All three of them spoke. My lips twitched at the sign of respect, but nonetheless, I barked out a command to speak. "To never share with the citizens even with our allies and our enemies of our plans,

"To never betray our Lord, even hope seems bleak,

"And to help our people as best as we can without revealing our plan. And so ends the vow of secrecy that we speak of our rules to our Lord." They spoke as one, I smiled and nodded behind the screen.

"Swear to your vow of secrecy, and ask me of our plan."

They kneel with their head raised, right arm flatted against their chest and idle left arm but straight. Their spines are straight. One by one, they spoke.

"I, Helden. First Sworn Knight of The Guardians swears to the vow of secrecy, of our Lord and ask Our Lord of the Plan."

"I, Lwaine. Second Sworn Knight of The Guardians swears to the vow of secrecy, of our Lord and ask Our Lord of the Plan."

"I, Sirius. Third Sworn Knight of The Guardians swears to the vow of secrecy, of our Lord and ask Our Lord of the Plan."

The Knights of The Guardian were made by Kevin and Cadmus to separate the citizen and the guard business, it was to keep the kingdom run more efficiently. They are held under the vow, that to the public they have come from heaven to uphold the justice and laws of the kingdom. There are many ranks under The Guardians but the important rank is the Sworn Knight, serving under the Three King Order but not held back. They are the most efficient Knights ever founded.

I hummed in satisfaction, "Very well, I assume you have heard of the attack on the Northern Road?" I asked softly, with a wicked smile in my face. They shared glances, unsure of this conversation but nodded anyway. "I have concluded that the Pillagers are hiding in their dusty old tomb somewhere. We will destroy their tomb, in retaliation of our loss."

"My lord, that is suicide!" gasped Sirius, shock visible in his eyes. The other two agreed silently, but they admire their lord feel for revenge of innocent losses. "That is why we will be deploying stealth, I will just not stand by and watch as our people get slaughtered." I shot back.

"Of course, my lord. We will be retrieving our finely made clothing of darkness." They bowed and respectfully exited the room. "I just saw three Sworn Knights exiting the War Room, what have you done?" typed Cadmus in chat.

"Oh, this and that." I deflected the question casually. I could hear the exasperated sigh from beyond the screen.

They went back quickly, prepared with a sharp blade on their hips sheathed in darkness along with my player character. "Now, that we have readied ourselves. What are your records of tombs?" I asked with a smile. Helden decided this was the time to speak, "A desert south from here, two kilometers away from the Southern East Road. Perhaps, 200 blocks away are accurate for this."

"Prepare the horses!" I commanded. We ran out of the city with faster speed than usual horses, this was bred specifically for The Guardians and the Three King, the reason we did not use it because the cost is expensive and hard to feed. About two hundred fifty-five emeralds.

"That way, my lord." The honorable man pointed to the East, we all went off-road without the horses and walked carefully. 200 blocks are quite far, his thirst is dropping one by one. The tomb is the shape of a pyramid, decorated with orange lines depicting a kneeling villager in front of that I assume the pillagers. They are villager, a bit more gray. Shockingly, a Pillager had exited the pyramid and watched the horizons. "Attack. Take one prisoner." I whispered.

They nod and stealthily cut the throat of the man who was watching the horizon, fortunately, have no time to scream for help to his friends. The blood spurts out of the wound, dripping into the sands and soaking their clothes with angry red blood. The men gurgled for help, but none came.

Two men snickers as they plan to attack the Southern Road west from here, their crossbow put against the wall but their planning short-lived due to the Knight attacking from behind the pillars. Their call for help once again went ignored. One by one, until they find the leader who came out behind the pillars. "So it was you four gentlemen, and surprise. The second king of the Kingdom." He spat the word as if it was poison.

"Pity, that you will die by the hand of your harbinger."

"And we will have you captured, trust me. It will be painful." Lwaine snarled hatefully. It merely snorted with derision, and all of sudden it began to attack with inhuman speed. Luckily, sharpened by many games before this. I managed to push the knights out of the way. "You all will suffer for the loss of innocent."

"And you too will suffer as the veil between world will open." It said. I cackled in amusement, "We already have cracked the veil between worlds, fool! Farming for rich resources in the Nether!" But that thing merely stood, smiling.

"You really don't know, do you?" I merely frowned behind the screen.

A loud noise filled the pyramid, a loud clang against the head of the pillager. I gasped in surprise, as the thing slouched forward and fell to the ground unconscious. A shield had appeared in the hands of Sirius and proceeded to smash its metal against the Pillager's head. He'll suffer concussion by the time he awakens. But we have potions. "He smells," complained Sirius with disgust coloring his voice.

"Bind him, Sirius," I said exasperatedly.

"Yes, my lord." He said dutifully, locking him with a cuff harder than necessary. Three of them seems to have quite good self-control for violence. Three of them dragged the Pillager back to the town without making it sit in the horse backseat.

They quite literally have thrown him into the dungeons like an object, the strongest dungeon cell with obsidian bar. "Wait for three days for him to heal, and try to get information from him. Only the trusted, he could be quite persuasive." They bowed and left the palace.

"The veil between worlds, what did he mean by that?" He felt that this warning is specifically reserved for the reality that he lives. But that is impossible, breaks the law of the universe. Cadmus would believe otherwise, he believes there are other worlds interconnected with this world. But he did not, in fact, believe it.

Yes, yes. He should wait and come to the conclusion only when the Guardians are finished with their interrogation handiwork. He went down from the palace to do his usual exploration, he heard the fleeting conversation of today rumors of the heavenly knights entering the palace. Some of the theories are ridiculous, but he let them be.

Suddenly he lost control of his player, My eyes widened in surprise, my mouth open a little at the sight of a cut-scene in a sandbox game. A young villager by the looks of it suddenly crashed on top of the player, and he stands up suddenly as he recognizes the Second King of the Kingdom. "My lord, I am sorry. I did not look where I was going and-"

The game suddenly stands still as if it is waiting for me to answer, my lips twitched at the sight of a unique mechanic of the game. "It is okay, child. Such is youth." I replied with a smile. He nodded with a far-off look, "Are you okay, child?"

"Could you please check the sewers in the Southern Wall, please? There are bad men in there, I'm going back to my parents now." My eyes widened and narrowed. "Very well, child. Be safe." And suddenly, like it was nothing. The camera pulled back to the player eyes as the kid ran.

"Guys?" I chatted.

"I found a child who ran and stumbled into me, literally initiated a cut-scene and now wants me to check the southern wall." I typed in one line. I waited for the outburst, and I was beautifully rewarded with a spammed 'WHAT?'

"Says there is a bad man or something, Pillagers inside our kingdom?"

"We will come there, where do you want to meet up?" said Kevin curiously.

"Helga Tavern, just on the porch. Now go, this is bloody urgent." I typed rapidly, and the chat went silent and I examined my fine blade, some citizens looked at me curiously as if they are expecting a battle anytime soon. It is still at high durability.

The two friends whispering furiously at each other stopped as he saw me in the front on the porch of Helga Tavern, I smiled and met them directly off the street. "So we check the southern wall?" Cadmus asks again, I hummed. As we used the alleys to travel to the Southern Wall sewer tunnels.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" muttered Kevin uncertainly at the sight of a dark tunnel, I had my finger hover above the sheath button for caution. "I am sure." I sighed. I pushed forward and went into the dark tunnel, suddenly the game sets out loud beeping noises.

"Wait, what? We have to communicate by voice?" I gasped in surprise while Cadmus sighed exasperatedly at the overexcited developers, Mojang. This was going to end badly for the three of us. He knew it already, we were bad at strategies in gaming.

"Let's go," I said harshly, pulling deeper into the mission that had been given to us by the kid who had run from here. Presumably playing, I saw the innocent ball lying around here. I stiffened in shock as I heard the all-too-familiar noise of cave ambiance, we never heard of the ambient mechanics inside our village when we created it the first time. When our influence spreads to other villages outside the kingdom, even during mining. I have never heard of it.

But now? Something sinister is happening in the tunnels. "Holy shit," said Kevin, his voice clearly heard and tone horrified. I followed his eyes and saw the mutilated body of a panda, the intestine out of its guts. The blood spilled were numerous.

If this is real, I would've thrown up. But I think it's safe to say that I am not currently screwed up inside. "What did this?" whimpered Cadmus. Its eyes were torn out of their sockets, and I swallowed dry. "Let's go catch whoever did this."

"Not human, neither villager or pillager," said Kevin, his eyes sharpened and observing the rotting animal. He shuddered and went forward with his oldest friend. Some room turned up empty but revealed more rotting animal, flesh as if bitten by something and ripped apart by teeth.

It got worse, these rotting animals are now villagers in dark and white robes. A symbol caught my eyes, and it took my breath away. They existed a long time ago, deep within the forest north of the kingdom, they used to do rituals. Of course, we scoffed and said there is no magic in the game even the developer said that.

It looks like they lied. A hidden surprise for so long, I bent down and stared at the blank eyes of the ritual member, "A name tag, check that out, Kevin." Cadmus suddenly spoke, my eyes zeroed onto the name-tag stuck to the collar. A slave collar, but for aesthetic purposes?

"Goths." I scoffed, a snort from Cadmus.

"Faltair, his name," said Kevin as he examined said object, and put it back where it belongs. A distant growl echoed in the tunnels, my eyes widened at the sight of luminous amber eyes in the dark. "What were the Phoenix doing in this place?" whispered Cadmus at the sight of these eyes.

The monster roared, charging at us. The two of my friend dodged aside while I stand still. I unsheathe the sword and parried the attack and replacing it with a counter-attack, slashing its furry torso and soaking my armor with blood. It roared in anger at being damaged by a filthy human. "That was a FUCKING werewolf!" shouted Kevin.

It paused mid-attack and dodged aside, running towards a wall. It broke through a wall in disguise as a stone wall. A scream of the Phoenix members rang onto our ears, we moved into action. I swiped my blade underneath its legs as Cadmus positions himself behind the werewolf and did downward slash, it fell into our blade once more. Howling in pain.

"Stop!" A member of the Phoenix yells loudly in desperation, his sadness focuses on the dangerous werewolf, bleeding but nonetheless still fighting back. "We were trying to banish the werewolf back into nature, the cure to this madness. You must help us."

We quickly changed tactics. We merely defended ourselves from the claws and the jaw of the wolf. "Do what you have to do, we will distract it. DO YOUR RITUAL!" I shouted out and cried out in rage as my arm got caught in between the defense by the claws. "Chris!"

I rolled to the side before the werewolf caught me with its bite, I should have worn my strongest armor to this fight. I had thought it would be a mere simple mission to kill some filthy pillagers, but, no! Just werewolves, and the usual Phoenixes. "I'd rather become a vampire, man."

"Yeah, me too. More cool." Cadmus said in between parties.

The veins of the werewolf suddenly went bright, it howled in pain as steam began to rise off its body. As if being melted, the werewolf began to shrink and its face becoming more humane instead of inhumane. In act of desperation, it slashed upwards randomly and caught the body of Cadmus and took off many of his health.

"Cadmus!" We both yelled out, rushing towards the body and using tiny health potions to hold off the blood loss. As my friend continued to heal the youngest friend, I saw that the Phoenixes had come out from their hiding place and stared in surprise at the sight of the three kings helping. "Right, no need for a rant about us not believing the arts of magic." I feebly said.

"We merely wish to give your friend something for his damage, here." His hand had an item, a totem of sorts. It is finely made and sculptured quite well. It was glowing with ethereal energy, this is magic or enchantment they call it. "Enchantment," I muttered.

"The Totem of Healing, we call it. Forgive us for lack of imagination. Now, give the totem onto your friend wrist. It will heal your friend as quickly as possible." I nodded and gave it to Kevin, I have some diplomatic reason to stand and leave both friends alone for a moment. "I wish to talk alone."

The leader of Phoenix merely smiled, as if he had expected this. "Come, my friend." He said patiently, gesturing to follow. I saw the sight of a man bundled together with tight blankets, shivering but awake. He is looking at me with gratitude.

We came to another empty wall made out of stone, and he made a strange gesture with his wrist and suddenly. The technology existed in the world like it was nothing, the stone was pushed to the side and our kingdom only uses a rope to close giant doors. "So you wish to talk, my friend?" He says with a smile.

"Yes. How much have we missed from the knowledge?" I sighed.

"Too many, it is fortunate that you have found us in the first stage of war with them." I raised my eyebrows, they knew the Pillager had come back too. That is a stupid question though, their tomb must be made with magic to wake them up. "Could we learn of this?"

"It is not easy, it requires a lot of experience to even master the arts of magic. However, you may start with the knowledge of alchemy which is quite different from potions. It changes the nature around you, much like magic but you drink one, you eat one and things change vastly different than it is."

"Our request that you integrate us to your kingdom, we will serve the kingdom as like the Guardians served you from the beginning of your kingdom. Their society has progressed from the barbarian if I am to guess?" He asks curiously, my lips twitched at the reference.

"Indeed." and I give no more information on The Guardians.

"Now, what other question you want to ask?"

"The veil between world." I daringly asked him, he raised an eyebrow and intrigued expression began to spread from his carefree expression before turning to understand. "I see, they have told you then. But you are unsure?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot answer that now. You are not strong enough. I will answer it when you see me soon." He said carefully, and we, unfortunately, were interrupted by a female Phoenix member. "Sir, the locks of time is almost upon us. The visitors need to leave before they are trapped between the webs of pain due to them not having experiences with high-level magic."

"I see. How about Faltair? He's outside the stone wall door." Her eyes turn saddened but smiled nonetheless, "We will remember him in the memory of the Phoenix tomorrow after the locks of time ends, a curse unfortunately made by the Pillagers." I sighed and went outside after I said farewell to the Phoenixes.

"So, what now?" I asked Cadmus.

"It's school tomorrow, we all need to study." He mumbled tiredly.

We exited the game and I studied for a while before crashing into the bed, hoping I will have no more dreams this time. Still wondering about that veil between worlds though, theories flying through my head at the speed of light.

As I pass into the darkness, a light comes out.

"Fool! You have no sense of our suffering in this world!" The gray man snarled, glaring daggers at the man opposite of him. Calibur parried the sword with another counter-attack, catching the man off-guard for a few moments as the sharp blade slashed him upward through the arm. He cried out in pain but fought pretty well.

"And what would that be?" mocked Calibur, practically sneering the words.

"Betrayed by our own Lords, they trusted their secrets to us. Fool! Think we have no suffering in our life because we have killed? No, we have many and they are legendary." He screamed in rage as he charged towards his target with a sword aimed forward.

Calibur merely aimed his sword forward and thrusts forward, stopping the man dead in his track as he went pale. The sword coated in blood, "I have coated my sword in the sins of your blood, you should be proud of yourself that I am going to clean it." I smirked.

"He only said, the Veil between Two Worlds." He croaked desperately, mouth filled with blood. Trying to escape from the blade but only be silenced by another. A dagger, procured from the belt of Calibur shoved down his throat. "I felt no satisfaction from you." He spat, glaring down as it fell onto the grassy ground.

"Miranda..."

"Where are you?"

Then darkness came back.