"…The King wished for you to prove your might. And for that, he ordered you to undergo the trial of the great demon, which is located at the Hidden Temple in Mt. Mjollnir base north of Prontera or south of Al De Baran. Sir Cain will be waiting for you in the bridge inside the temple."

Xeyon read out the content of the letter to the other. As she finished, a book appeared out of nowhere and the letter turned into another page of the book as it flew towards the book and slipped inside.

"The Hidden Temple in Mt. Mjollnir? I've never heard of it before. Do you know about it, Lady Xeyon?" Erkard asks.

"Yes, I am. Hidden Temple, or also known as the Labyrinth Forest, is a sacred place that was located on the way from Prontera to Al De Baran. It was used as the sealing ground of a great demon of Apocalypse."" Xeyon said.

"…Great Demon of Apocalypse?"

"That's right. Have you ever heard of it?"

"…No, I don't think so."

"I see. It was to be expected though… Well then, do you know the tale of King Tristam I?"

Erkard then tried to remember that story…

King Tristam I was the first ruler of the Rune Midgard Kingdom, and the hero of human. He lead the Kingdom to many important achievements, and responsible for bringing the Kingdom to how it is look right now. Legend said that he lead many battles against a massive army of monsters with only a small forces of the Kingdom at that time and successfully secured a victory everytime.

"The Great Demon of Apocalypse was the demon who leads the monsters at the time of King Tristam I heroic's tale. After he defeated the demon, the King sealed the demon in the temple, and covers the place with magic. Ever since then, the demon became a servant of the Kingdom by becoming the overseer of trial, though its existence has been kept a secret for many centuries. Only when something extraordinary event happened that its existence taken to light."

"And on this occasion, it was one of those extraordinary events?"

"I guess so…"

Xeyon then pointed to some direction. It was the north east of the spiral plain.

"From here, we're going to circle the plain and going to north east. We should make it by nightfall in our current pace."

"Then we better hurry. I want to hurry and lie down before entering the temple, first." Elliot said.

After hearing that, they then move in Xeyon's direction. Circling the spiral plain is troublesome, but it was the only way to go. The sun ray is shining over their heads, marking the half of the day.

"(A week has passed ever since the deadline is announced. I still have more than two months to deliver the message, but I should hurry up with this matter.)" Erkard thought as he walks.

The path of circling the plain is pretty wide. Surrounding the plain, forests can be seen everywhere. Only this plain was unique as the place radiate some kind of magical power, though it looks rather weak.

"...! Hold it!"

Suddenly, Xeyon shouts that. Erkard and Elliot were confused by her sudden exclamation, as they watch Xeyon getting off from the cart and took a stance.

"...What is it?" Elliot asks.

"I feel something was moving fast near us. Be on your guard." Xeyon said.

As they stopped, they suddenly saw something unusual happened in front of them. From the forest, a girl about 10 years old with a long purple hair is running away. Behind her, a giant sized caterpillar monster is pursuing her.

"Hey, what's that kid doing here! ? We've gotta save her!" Elliot shouts.

"The monster behind her is an Argiope! Be careful! It was poisonous!" Xeyon shouts too.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

As Xeyon pulled out her book, Erkard already dashed towards the girl and the monster!

Grab!

"Kyaa!"

SHAAAA!

As the Argiope tried to attack the girl, Erkard grabbed her and took her away from the monster. He move towards an area that looks safe for the girl. As he deemed the safety of the place he's currently at, he then dropped the girl.

"T-thank you..." the girl said.

"Don't worry about it. Just stay away from the monster." Erkard answers.

As the girl just watches her savior in silent, Erkard then dashed again towards the monster!

Tap! Tap! Tap!

"Heeaaaaaaah!"

SWING!

TRAAANG!

Erkard swinged his sword at the Argiope's body, intending to split it apart! But the attack proves to be ineffective as the Argiope looks totally unharmed! Seeing that, Erkard jumps back, fearing a counter from the monster.

"What the...! ? Its body is so hard like a steel!" Erkard shouts.

"Swordsman! Restrain the monster! I shall cast my magic!" Xeyon shouts.

"...didn't Elliot tell my name to you yesterday?" Erkard asks.

"Oh, I forgot that she easily forgot people's name." Elliot said.

"You two! Now is not the time for that! Just do it!" Xeyon shouts again.

"Alright! Here it goes!" Erkard shouts in response.

Tap! Tap! Tap! FWOOSH!

Erkard ran and then jump toward the sky. In the air, he then prepared his sword as he aimed it at the Argiope! And as he falls down, he sliced through the air towards the monster!

"Try this one for a change! Magnum Break!" Erkard shouts.

BOOOM!

The sword created an explosion as it lands on the top of the monster. The heat it caused leaving the shell of the monster looks scorched.

SHAAAA!

The monster hissed. It seems that the Magnum Break was able to inflict some damage to it. Seeing his chance, Erkard pointed the tip of his sword towards the center of the burned part.

"Bash!" Erkard shouts.

CRASH!

SHAAAAA!

The sword pierced through the hard shell of the monster, stabbing its soft body inside. As pain inflicted, the monster hissing in agony as it tried to shake off Erkard who was standing on its top.

SHAAAAA!

"Whoa!"

Realizing the danger, Erkard pulled out his sword and jumps back towards the front of Elliot and Xeyon.

"Sealed covenant of truth, the time has come for us to uphold the ancient pact of the gods! Arise from your slumber, and bring down the warriors of Yggdrasil! Rune Evocation!" Xeyons shouts.

Hearing that, Erkard looks at the direction where Xeyon and Elliot is. In there, they saw her holding a shining book in her left hand. As the book flipped by its own fastly, surrounding Xeyon is an intense aura filled with shining white wisp-like lights.

"She still hasn't finished yet! Keep the monster in check!" Elliot shouts.

Hearing that, Erkard returned his attention towards the Argiope. The monster tried to move towards them and suddenly, pipe appeared from the gap of its hard shell.

SHAAAAA!

CEEEEEESSSSSS!

From the pipe, a purple gas was sprayed! The gas seemed meant to ward of the enemy who was trying to get closer.

"Poison! We shouldn't get closer now!" Elliot shouts.

"Damn! Just a little more!" Erkard cursing.

As they said that, thinking of a way to defeat the monster, suddenly…

"I call upon the verse of knowledge! Infinite insights lies on the boundary of your magic! Freyja's Aett!" Xeyon continues again.

As she said that, the light around her is turning gold-colored.

"Berkana!"

Xeyon then shouts a name of a rune. After she said that, 4 shining plates are floating out of nowhere, circling around her.

"(Millenium Shields! It was a Rune Magic that a Rune Knight wields!)" Erkard thought.

"Ansuz!" Xeyon shouts again.

Tring!

The plates are transforming into golden-colored swords that was pointing towards the sky. Xeyon then put a gesture with her right hand as she pointed her front, the direction where the Argiope is. As she does so, the four swords made a formation in front of her and pointing towards the monster, as if taking aim at it!

"Raido!"

As she shouts that...

FWOOOOSH!

The four swords flying fast towards the Argiope, through the gas! It was aimed at four different parts of its body!

STAB! STAB! STAB! STAB!

SHAAAAA!

The monster was hissing in pain as the swords pierced its body! The head, the upper part, the lower part, the tail, or anything, since its was a worm after all. But it looks fatal, since the Argiope was not moving anymore, not long after the swords pierce it. The poison gas seems to slowly dissipate as the monster died.

"...did it work?" Erkard asks.

"Yes. It shouldn't be able to move anymore." Xeyon answers.

They watch the Argiope, and it seems that the monster has really died, after all. Erkard watch the monster silently, when suddenly the girl from before entering his sight.

"...Thank you for saving me. How can I thank you?" the girl said.

When he look at the girl closely, Erkard realize that she looks expressionless. The girl is wearing a yellow camisole, and was pretty short, making her looks like a girl from a rich family.

"(But surely a rich girl shouldn't be wandering alone in this kind of place. Is she separated from her parents?)" Erkard thought.

"...? What is it?" the girl asks, still remain expressionless.

"Umm, nothing. So...what are you doing in here?" Erkard asks.

"I came here, asking for help. The place my peoples guarding is invaded." the girl said.

"Help?" Elliot asks.

"The place your peoples guarding?" Xeyon asks.

"It was invaded?" Erkard asks.

The girl nodded at each of their questions. Unknown to the three, she was grinning as she continues…

"The place is known as the Labyrinth Forest. Someone is intruding without permission in there. So please, help me and my peoples." she said as she bow, hiding her grin behind her hair that falls down in front of her.

-Interlude-

On the other place...

"Yawn...I'm still hungry...huh?"

As Yulie awakes, she found out that she was covered in the blanket that Erkard uses previously. She saw that the bed in front of her is empty now.

"Where does he go?" Yulie murmurs to herself as she walks and leaving the room.

Entering the second floor hallway as she leave her room, she then walks towards Auria's room. As she opened the door, she found a blonde female swordsman in there.

"Good afternoon, Miss Yulie." Levia said.

"Good afternoon to you, too. Why are you in here? Where's Auria?" Yulie asks.

Hearing that, Levia turned her attention towards the bed inside the room. In there, a certain black haired girl is sleeping. The girl seems to be in pain as she sweating a lot, and she also seems having difficulty in breathing.

"Auria? What's happened?" Yulie asks.

Yulie then walks towards Auria. She was curious on seeing Auria's face reddens. She then put her hand at Auria's cheek.

"...! Why is her body so hot! ?" Yulie shouts.

"It seems a bad case of fever. I have called a medic specialist from the town. But she's pretty late. Now that you're in here, I can go to find her. Please take care of her in the meanwhile!" Levia said as she walks away from the room.

"Wa-wait!"

Brak!

As Yulie tried to stop her, Levia has left the room while closing the door.

"Geez, now what?" Yulie said to herself as she grumbles.

She then turned her attention to Auria. It seems that her body's temperature are really high. Seeing that, Yulie wipe her cheek with a wet cloth, and compress her with it.

"...what happened to you? You seems fine, yesterday." Yulie murmurs.

Levia was running on the town, searching for someone. Seemingly can't find the person she's searching for, she then run towards the soldier headquarters. In there, she found the guard who died last night, though has already resurrected.

"Hmm? I thought you're taking care of a sick girl at the inn? Why are you here?" he asks.

"Renald! Where is the specialist you're promised! ? It's been a hour and she haven't came yet!" Levia shouts.

"What? She hasn't arrived yet? I guess she's as handful as the rumour said."

"Yes, you bet she is! Now where is she! ?"

"I'm afraid that I don't know. She's already gone at the time I told her to go. I thought that she would be mending the girl by now."

"But she hasn't arrived yet. Oh well, just tell me what she's look like. I'll find her."

"...alright. Let's see..."

As he took a breath, Renald then continues...

"She's a dwarf, with a short purple hair, even shorter than yours. And she's a mechanic."

"Wait, a mechanic? Renald, surely you realized that we're not taking care a machine, right?"

"I know. But her skills in medicine field is a top-notch. She's one of the revolutionary twins, after all."

Levia looks confused.

"…the revolutionary twins?" she asks. She feels like having some kind of deja vu as she heard that.

"They're infants twin who joined the Valhalla Dragon after the war. The brother are a prodigy as a Creator, while the sister is a mechanic, also a prodigy. And what's more excellent, they're able to combine their skills, bringing about a whole new different levels of item creation."

"...they seems famous. I do heard some info about genius twins before."

"Of course. Their skills are on a different level among your usual Creators and Mechanics, it was god-like. So the Valhalla Dragon kept their existences a secret, in fear of bad things happened to them. I was one of those who was fortunate enough to knew about their existences. And the sister was happened to stayed in here on a rare occasion."

"Well, alright. But her god-like skills won't be of any use if she acts irresponsible like this. Anyway, what is her name?"

"Her name is..."

"Haaa..."

"Auria, how are you feeling?"

Yulie tried to ask her that, but it seems that Auria hasn't awoke yet. Perhaps she was talking in her sleep because of the fever.

"Where is the specialist, anyway?" Yulie said to herself.

"Excuse me."

"...?"

The door behind her was suddenly opened. A girl wearing a mechanic's uniform with a short purple hair was standing in there. She looks even younger than Yulie, perhaps about 14.

"(A kid?)" Yulie thought.

"I was asked to check on a girl with fever. Is she's in here?" she asks.

"Oh yes, please come in." Yulie answers as she let the girl in.

As she look at the girl, Yulie feels unrest. She can't think that the mechanic girl was able to cure Auria. But she's thinking of giving her a chance, first.

"..."

The mechanic girl just silently watch Auria with her hand on Auria's cheek. After that, a smile rose on her face.

"How is she?" Yulie asks.

"She's just exhaust herself too much. A good rest would do the trick nicely." the girl said.

She then took out a bottle out from her bag. It was a orange colored potion.

"This Vitata 900 should take care of the rest." she said.

She then pour it on Auria's mouth. Slowly after that, Auria looks more quiet, and she looks better from before. Yulie looks surprised at it.

"Amazing, she's already looks better after she drank the potion…" she said in astonishment.

"Vitata 900 is our latest product. Its efficiency is far exceeds the normal Vitata 500. You could even expect an instant recovery the moment you drank it." the mechanic said.

Yulie looks happy when she saw Auria. Though she still asleep, she doesn't seems to be in pain anymore.

"How can I thank you? Umm... I don't even know your name." she asks.

"My name is Nia. You don't have to thank me. I'm just helping other people in need." the mechanic said.

The mechanic Nia then move towards the door, as she turned back again...

"Well, then. I'll be off, now. I'll be back tomorrow to check on her condition." Nia said.

"Yes, thank you very much!" Yulie said again.

She then leaves the room, leaving Yulie and Auria behind. As the door closed, Yulie then tried to check Auria's condition by touching her forehead. It seems that her temperature has returned to normal.

"Thanks goodness. Geez, you're really a pain, you know?" Yulie said, though smile roses on her mouth.

Unknown to her, the mechanic girl is still standing behind the closed door of the room. She seems trying to eavesdropping, but as time goes by, she seems losing her interest and she then walks on the hallway, when suddenly...

"...So she's in here. Never thought that the homonculus is still alive by herself until now." she said, grinning to herself.

Wow, I feel really nuts this week. Even though that I have many homeworks to do, I'm still spending my time on writing this story. Fortunately I was able to finish all of it on time. Seems like I was hooked by my own story myself lol. Thank you for reading this chapter! As always, your review and PM are appreciated! Though now that I mention it, I never saw a single PM in my inbox lol. Anyway, see you in the next chapter!

P.S. Does the story feels too rushed to you guys? I've always consulted my work with my friend at least until chapter 8. At that time, he says that the story was too rushed, and so I increased the detail and something like that. But starting at chapter 9, it seems that he was too busy with his college, and so I only have myself to depend right now. I do tried to make the story clear and simple as much as I can, but surely there's a limit of one person can do. So if you guys ever feeling confused about the story, please do tell me, so I could clear up the confusion. Thanks again, and enjoy the story so far! ...Though if you have readed this part, then surely you have readed the story above, huh? lol.