Carne Village, Enri's House
Enri Emmot paced around the living room of her house, growing more and more agitated by the second. Every so often she'd look out the window to the greater village, only to then return to her pacing moments later.
Her shoulders were stiff and her posture rigid. Her eyes narrowed in thought while she stared at the floor, and her feet on automatic. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides, unable to stay still.
Rowan and Aeliana stood near the doorway leading in, watching with concern at the future chieftain, in their eyes at least. Neither said a word, content to let her vent her frustration however she pleased.
A pair of the Goblin Troop were present as well, Jugem and Cona. They sat quietly at the dining table in the room over, but the doorway connecting both rooms provided a clear sight of their summoner.
It wasn't that everything was going wrong in the village, quite the opposite really. Save for a few spats between the Goblin Troop and more radical portions of the Sunlight Scripture, all was coming along swimmingly.
Supplies were abundant, the villagers were happy and healthy, and expansion of Carne continued at a steady but sustainable pace. At the center of it all, Enri found herself as the de-facto chieftain and go-to for all projects and issues.
Talk among the village circulated that Chief Haru was preparing to step down, to give up his place to Enri and allow her to run things from now on. She scoffed at the notion, because she couldn't possibly see herself doing such a thing.
Her, running a village as chieftain? She was strong willed, but that came with a whole set of responsibilities she felt she wasn't worthy of. What did the others see in her that she didn't?
She was just a simple village girl, one who did her best to help her neighbors and rebuild what they lost. She had a little sister to take care of, and the Goblin Troop to manage, though they did fine on their own.
The Sunlight Scripture, despite their best behavior under Rowan's watchful eye and the precautions provided by the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown, always loomed in the back of her mind. Some of their number were acquaintances, friends, if she were so bold to say.
But she couldn't, wouldn't forget how they got to Carne, or why they were there in the first place. There were times, in her worst moments, that she saw them still drenched in the blood of her people.
These worries came second, however, to what really bothered her.
It's only been a little over a week. His studies likely haven't even begun yet. He'd still be going through the basics, getting a feel for the academy. I wish I knew where it was so I could write him a letter.
"Miss Enri, if you continue to pace anymore like that, you're liable to run a dent into the floorboards of your own house," Rowan finally said, in his usual professional voice.
She stopped in her tracks. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. I'm just…worried is all, about Nfirea. It hasn't been long, but he wasn't well when he left. I just hope that "Hermetis" man doesn't do anything drastic to him."
"Nfirea is tougher than he looks, despite his scrawny appearance. I'm sure he's fine," Aeliana said, but her words fell on deaf eyes as Enri unconsciously began to pace again.
"But what if he's not fine? I'm not there to give him the support he needs. He's in a strange place with strangers, all because they promised him knowledge and getting better? What if this was a trap? No, no, they never would've gone through all this trouble just to steal him away."
A sigh broke through her muttering, as well as a strong but gentle grip on her shoulder. She looked up to see Rowan's amused eyes, his scar almost disappearing in the slight wrinkles of his face when he smiled.
"You care for him so much, to be so concerned over a man who's only left a week ago. If we're not careful, you just might crush that boy in a hug when he comes back home, or make him chieftain alongside you," he said in a rare tease.
It took a moment for her to get the implication he was getting at, but when she did her cheeks burned up. Chuckles from the dining area and Aeliana confirmed she was not wrong in her guess.
"I-I just think he's a good friend! He's been through so much, had to endure losing everything. He has no one left except for me and Nemu…I hoped he realized we were here for him, but now he's run off," Enri explained with a morose sigh.
"I'm sure he knows, but if I'm being honest with myself, this outcome was inevitable, it's the reason why I initially asked him to come with us into the forest in the first place," Rowan admitted.
Enri made a noise of surprise. "I thought you said we needed to gather herbs and materials for potions? For security reasons?"
"Well, okay, me requesting him to come along for potion making was one of the reasons why I asked him. In truth, I hoped to be able to remind him of what was really important to him, and also what he still had left in his life. It wasn't all doom and gloom for the young man, especially not when he had such a good woman taking care of him.
The edges of her dress bunched up in her dress. "…I wish he was here to hear you say that. Maybe coming from somebody else, he would've had the sense to stay and recover without leaping at the first opportunity to leave the village."
"If it's any consolation, Miss Enri, then we can be secure in the idea that when he does come home, it's to a safe and familiar place with people he knows will protect him," Aeliana said, jumping into the convo.
Rowan nodded. "Indeed. The Sunlight Scripture, your Goblin Troop, and the villagers trained in combat will all be here to stand between him and whatever foul factions may come after him. You have our word on that."
Enri's shoulders finally lowered at their comforting words, only to raise again when shouting came through the window. Multiple voices joined in, a mixture of alarm and wonder.
Several villagers ran past the open window, as did mages and a few goblins. One mage stopped in his tracks to poke his head through the window when he saw Enri and the others.
His head was covered in that strange helmet that the Sunlight Scripture originally wore. It seems not all of their members got rid of their old gear. An image of the Sir of Ainz Ooal Gown who wore the red and green mask was painted onto the chest of his robes.
"Commander Rowan, Aeliana, Miss Enri! There's been word from the guards at the gate! It seems Mister Nfirea has returned with some company!"
Enri ran right up the window, the mage backing off so she could lean out of it. "Nfirea's back already? Is he alright? Is he safe? Who is he with right now? He's not hurt is he? How many others-"
"I don't know much more, unfortunately, but many others are going to the gate to greet him. You should come with us!" The masked mage said, and then ran to catch up with some of the others.
There wasn't any time to waste. The village girl ran straight to the door, throwing it open and practically sprinting to the front of the village. She could hear shouts from Rowan and Aeliana, as well as Jugem and Cona, for her to wait for them.
Adrenaline pumped through her, making it hard for her to focus on their voices. She tried to push past as many people as possible as quickly and gently as she could. Given her status in the village, the people parted automatically for her.
She was hardly out of breath when she made it to the gate, their heavy wooden doors reinforced with stone swinging open to permit the outside party entry.
Archangel Flames used thick ropes to pull open those doors, for nothing human had the strength to do so. She waited with baited breath for them to finish opening.
When they did, she saw Nfirea, more or less how he was when he originally left. His bangs still covered his eyes in a way that she wondered how he could see at all, and he still carried around a nervous sort of energy to himself, as if ready to bolt at a moment's notice.
But when she looked at him more, she noticed something else as well. He filled out his clothes somewhat more. His lanky frame possessed definition worthy of a runner, not bulky, but certainly strong.
His nimble fingers possessed callouses, the sort she saw on the mages' hands to indicate a life or practice with weapons. He stood taller, more confident in his stature despite his aura.
He grew up more too. He was taller, not by much, but enough to be noticeable. The awkwardness of early adolescence seemed to be shedding off, but not completely.
He grew up. He grew up in the span of only a week? What were they doing to him over at the academy?
A small smile came to her from Nfirea, who also gave her a small wave. Her cheeks warmed up when she returned the gesture.
"I'm back," he said simply, "Sorry to suddenly show up like this, but I'm home again. And I've brought company."
She was so engrossed in looking at Nfirea, admiring the way he held himself now, that she completely missed the ones said to accompany them. A trio of women, all of whom bore…remarkable outfits.
Two were noticeably "normal", if that word could apply to them. One was shorter than the other, with spiky hair as short as a boys and a fanged smile to make a bear jealous. Her shirt, if she could call it that, had many buckles attached to it and her pants were an eye glaring orange.
The other was much taller, standing a head over the first. Light pink armor covered her arms and legs but left her center exposed, with a skin-tight outfit. Her skin was so pale it could blend in with the light of the moon.
Black hair with streaks of green gave her an exotic look, but her eyes ruined it. They stared glassily at the people around the four of them. Rather than look at them, she seemed to stare through them.
An ice pick lodged itself in her chest when that dead gaze came her way.
The third woman was a bit harder to read, but her appearance matched the description of the woman who her little sister spoke to that began Nfirea's trip to the academy. Now that she could see her properly, a profound sense of wrongness prevailed in Enri's mind.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she guessed it had to do with the woman's face. She couldn't tell for sure because of the dense hair that covered it.
"We are here. Our objective is to protect Nfirea Barreare. Any objections?" Said the dead eyed woman, her voice monotone and flat. However, it was said loud enough that the crowd around the gates heard it.
A murmur rose from the crowd, voices whispering and fingers pointing at the alchemist's company. "Who were they", "why were they with Nfirea", and "where did they come from" were all common questions that Enri heard.
She took that first step forward, almost bursting into a run to grab her Nfirea. The sight of him alive and well filled her with relief she didn't know she needed.
Dead eyes zeroed in on her, holding a hand up to stop her. "You are Enri Emmot? I learned much from Nfirea. You may pass."
Spiky Hair huffed. "No need to sound so official Rubedo. She's just his lady friend. Nobody in this village is a threat to him."
"Understood, Citrinitas. Stern protective protocols shall be lessened."
The one named Citrinitas rolled her eyes, offering an easy going smile to the village. "Sorry about the intensity folks. My sister here has a habit of taking things a bit far when it comes to her orders. We're good people, cross my heart."
That got some of the people to relax, though a great many more were still on edge, the mages especially. Enri took another step forward to Nfirea now that she could without fear of being brought down.
BOOM!
A cry of fear and alarm rippled through the community at the massive explosion that erupted. The earth trembled and shook with the force of the blast.
Everyone's head was on a swivel, looking around for the source of it. Leaves flew into the air and swirled around, creating a blanket over them all.
"Over there in the forest!" A villager identified, pointing over the wall. A sullied cloud rose in the air just beyond the forest line in the shape of a mushroom, darkening the sky with its shape.
The woman whose hair covered her face hummed. "Father and the others must have eradicated the academy. Unfortunate, but not unforeseen."
"Yes. A necessary outcome. Now we move forward with the next mission," Rubedo replied.
Nfirea looked the most troubled, a frown making its way onto his normally calm and happy features. It passed, replaced now by one of his trademark nervous smiles.
"I have a lot to discuss with you Enri. Can we find somewhere more private than this?" He asked.
She nodded. "Yeah, let's go back to the house. I'm sure the others will want to talk to you too."
Back at Enri's House
Her house had never been more crowded than it was that day, especially since some of the villagers and mages milled around on the outside of her abode.
Nemu had returned back home in time to catch the crowd, going straight in before anyone could accidentally bar the door with their nosiness. Some of Rowan's people stood guard outside, keeping the crowd at bay and dispersing anyone who got too close.
Enri and Nfirea sat at the table, sipping contently from their glasses of water while everyone else found their own places to plant themselves.
Rubedo, Citrinitas, and the woman with dark hair she learned was named Nigredo stood along the wall, watching the pair with interest. Though it was likely not meant, their stares felt invasive and almost condescending, like she was a particularly interesting insect.
Rowan and Aeliana were in the other room conversing quietly with Jugem and a few of the Goblin Troop. It warmed Enri's heart to know that petty differences like species could be set aside for the good of the village, even if there wasn't any present danger…yet.
Nfirea's tale of his time at the academy he was invited to boggled her mind, a story consisting of nameless horrors and abstract creatures that served his teachers' whims, a trio of mysterious beings from a far off land that didn't even show up on the map.
Libraries of endless depths, knowledge of the deep dark meant to forever be buried, servants of untold power and animalistic prowess were all major components of the alchemist's recount.
Some portions were more normal and indicative of a formal education he could get at the Imperial Academy or any of the private schools in Re-Estize or the Slane Theocracy. There were days when the young man practically devoured books of alchemy, practicing and applying his craft in new ways.
He brought news of western and eastern alchemy, forbidden knowing's of a creature called a homunculus, or an artificial human, and forgotten gods that dwelled in oceans unnamed.
Then there was his physical training, working with various weapons of war to better his body while he strengthened his mind. Based on how well defined he was, she would say the results were rather stellar in her opinion.
Not that he needed extra muscle. His mind was by far the most appealing aspect of him. All the wonderful ideas and techniques he had locked in there were what drew her to him in the first place and began their friendship, in a way.
Now he came upon the most recent turn of events, detailing the attack on him from a rogue monstrosity called a shoggoth, a slimy, faceless being who could digest and tear apart prey with extensions of their own body.
"Thankfully, I was saved by Lady Aellai," Nfirea said, pausing to take a drink of water. "By that point though, I was already passing out from the pain and partial bloodloss, so I didn't see what happened afterwards."
"Not much really," Citrinitas jumped in, "You were brought back to safety and healed. Cool how your arm was able to be fully regenerated, but I wonder how you would've looked with a robotic replacement."
"I think I would've been fine, thank you," He said, rubbing the back of his neck with a bashful smile. "I think the only real souvenir I needed was the potion canon and everything I learned. I'm…going to keep my memories of my time at the academy, right?"
"Your memories are secure. You will retain all. That was father's wish, so we abide by it," Rubedo said, not taking her eyes off Nfirea.
The way she kept looking at him nagged at Enri. Some alien emotion tugged at her heart and made it clench. It wasn't quite anger, more like jealousy, but she wasn't sure why.
Well, maybe she did know why. She was supposed to be the one who helped and protected Nfirea. She was the one supposed to be supporting him and encouraging his healing process. He came to her after all, so it was her obligation to make sure she had a part in that.
Only that didn't seem like the whole truth of the matter either. She'd always enjoyed Nfirea's company and felt close to him. Lately, with him moving to Carne after the fall of E-Rantel, they had felt closer than ever. He divulged in her his fears, his anguish, to have someone else know and try to butt in felt…wrong, somehow.
But her friend was capable of making his own choices. If he felt secure enough to inform others, then that was his wish. She couldn't really do anything else other than continue being supportive.
"I still don't like how you got hurt like that," she admitted, "I wish you stayed home, so that way you didn't even have to lose an arm at all. No amount of knowledge could be worth that much."
"Are you questioning our father's desires, girl?!" Said Nigredo in a deadly tone, "All that occurred was meant to happen. He is safe, and he came away with a treasure more precious and valuable than all the gold in the world. Hold your tongue, before I cut it out!"
A sickening aura radiated off the dark haired woman, her too-bright eyes twitching in barely restrained fury. The weight of her presence nearly made Enri fall out of her chair, crushing her in the wooden beams of her floor.
Pitch Terror gripped at every fiber of her, making her want to grab Nemu and Nfirea to scurry into a well fortified hole that could never be breached.
The effect promptly ended when Nigredo was smacked upside the head by Rubedo. "Parameters were established. The shoggoth was abnormal, not of father's design. An unknown combatant infiltrated us."
"Your strength is disproportionate to your observations, Spinel," Nigredo spat, gingerly rubbing her head. "Were Albedo here as well, she would agree with me on this."
"Maybe, but we're here to protect Nfirea, remember?" Citrinitas reminded her with a fanged grin. "I don't think dad would appreciate it if we accidently traumatized him again by unleashing our killer intent on his loved ones."
While the three sisters argued amongst themselves as ordinary siblings would, the village girl turned her attention back to Nfirea. "I…You have some very interesting friends."
Nfirea shook his head. "Sorry, they tend to get like that. They're very protective of their dad, Master Hermetis, and Ladies Aellai and Cythlla. I should've warned you in advance."
"Speaking of your teachers, Master Nfirea," Rowan said, walking into the room with all the authority deserving of his status. "Do you know where they are? What can you tell me about their magical potency? If what those three said is true, they're quite destructive in their power."
"I don't know where they are, or the full extent of their magical abilities. The last I saw of them was when I passed through the [Gate] they used to get me here."
"A [Gate]? Was it a large, black portal that seemed to swirl in on itself?
"Yeah, that was the one. You've seen those before?" Nfirea asked. Enri wasn't really sure what a [Gate] was either, but she did recall the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown using magic that matched the description Rowan gave.
The commander grunted. "Yes. Those individuals who called themselves the 'Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown' used a spell remarkably similar to that one. You said your teachers were from another place, right? Somewhere not cataloged on the map?"
"Do you think the Sirs and Nfirea's teachers are connected somehow? Are they maybe a part of the same group?" Enri inquired, wanting to keep up with the conversation.
Unfortunately, her friend shook his head. "No, I don't think so. When I asked Master Hermetis about them, he said he only heard of them in passing. Apparently, they were quite powerful and wild back in the day. I saw them in action too, they were…something else."
"You 'saw' them? How?" Rowan crossed his arms with an inquisitive look.
For the first time since he started talking, the alchemist's expression became guarded and apprehensive. He shot a quick glance at Enri out of the corner of his eye, and then sighed, seemingly reaching a conclusion.
"When I was at the academy. I met someone during those first few days. He wasn't my teacher, nor was he like any of the other inhabitants. His name was Wish III."
He launched into a summarized account of his encounter with a being made of pure fire and malevolence. His description pointed towards a demonic origin, being able to shape shift itself and hide in plain sight.
Apparently, it answered a question Nfirea had, but rather than tell him outright, it showed him its memories. A vision of a war, so monumental and devastating that it shook the world.
Growing horror lodged itself in her chest when she heard descriptions of hellfire and muddy roads slick with blood, divine beings wielding might great enough to split the heavens. An army of these people marched against Ainz Ooal Gown, who struck back and actually held the tide against those invaders.
Magic that scorched the earth, strength that split mountains, speed that stopped time itself, and an avatar of death at the center of it all. From what the one called Wish III said about that particular figure, he was the leader of Ainz Ooal Gown.
Except that didn't make sense, as the figure was a skeleton. An undead. When she met the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown, they were entirely human. At least she thought so, and from what she could remember, one of them wore nothing to conceal his face.
She remembered that man clearly. Dark, long hair, a face like chiseled stone, and a crimson longsword able to decapitate three men at once. Quite difficult to forget something like that.
Rowan shared her incredulity. "A skeleton? You mentioned something else about a lizardman, an automaton, a winged woman, and a goat man. And they were all a part of Ainz Ooal Gown?"
"That's what Wish III said, yes," Nfirea confirmed, then he paused. "Although, he did warn me that my mind might interpret things differently, so maybe that's not what they really looked like. Maybe that's just how he saw them."
"Possibly. I've met the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown. The undead have a distinct aura and smell to them, and none of those three had that. It's likely this self-proclaimed 'god' was talking out of his ass and showing you bullshit, at least for some of it," the commander explained, shaking his head.
A segmented sword and the open blades of shears rested against Rowan's throat, two murderous sisters glaring vehemently at him. Citrinitas still stood against the wall, but her gaze was anything but friendly.
Nigredo and Rubedo stood at the ready to lop off the man's head, but tremendous physical restraint was used, visible through the trembling of Nigredo's forearms.
"Alright look, we're just here to make sure Nfirea is safe and sound. We gave our word to dad and the others that nothing would happen to compromise that, but that doesn't mean you get free reign to trash talk someone near and dear to our hearts, human," Citrinitas stressed, baring her fangs in a feral snarl.
The tips of her fingers were elongated into needle thin spear tips, ready to puncture whatever target she lined up in her sight. They were kept pointed to the ground, but her message was clear.
To his credit, Rowan didn't even flinch. He just kept his gaze steely and aimed straight ahead. "Duly noted. I'll be sure to keep that in mind for the future."
"Acknowledged," Rubedo said icily. She pulled the sword away, the weapon sliding into itself and then into the handle. She placed it back on her hip and stepped back.
Nigredo took longer to put away her shears, but when she did, it was done shakily from her rage. "Be thankful for this mercy, and when our father arrives, we will make sure you give your thanks to him. Be aware of that much."
They retreated back to the wall, glaring all the while. The atmosphere of the room was regrettably tense, everyone trying their best to ignore the situation but failing.
Finally, Nfirea stood up from the table. "Enri, could I talk to you for a moment? Just the two of us?"
His question was asked pleasantly enough, but there was an undercurrent that felt…charged. Not angrily, but there was passion to it.
She stood up with him. "Sure. We can go and talk in the back room. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah. Come on."
He led the way, walking down the hallway that led to his room. From behind her, Enri could hear some slight snickering from Citrinitas. She paid it no mind, but her cheeks did flush at feeling like she was being laughed at.
When the both got into the room, Nfirea closed the door but didn't lock it. They proceeded to the bed, where they sat shoulder to shoulder. Neither said anything at first, content to let the silence fill the space between them.
That nervous energy Nfirea had tripled, and he was fidgeting, but he still didn't speak a word. Because of their proximity, she could feel him trembling.
Before she could ask him what was wrong, he let out a shaky sigh. "Enri, when I told you about that thing, Wish III, I-I didn't tell everything there was to tell. He didn't just answer my questions, he offered me something."
"Offered you something? Like… a gift?" She asked soothingly, coaxing the man to speak more freely.
He shook his head. "No, not a gift. It was a wish. And I mean exactly that. He has the power to grant wishes, to give me anything I wanted, if I asked it of him."
"That doesn't seem so bad. A wish for anything you want sounds really nice," she said, tilting her head.
"No, you don't understand. He wanted a heavy price for that kind of wish. He…he told me that the price would be something I still had, something precious to me. When I told him I had no more wealth, he said I'd be surprised how much left I had to lose. That's when I realized what he was really asking of me. That's when I realized what he really wanted."
His words were vague, not really making any sense to her at face value. What did Nfirea still have left to lose? Just about everything to his name was gone: his pharmacy, his equipment, his money, and his grandma.
What else could possibly be so valuable to him? Wait…
Sometimes the greatest treasure isn't in all the material stuff you have, but in the people around you. If I'm thinking what Nfirea is trying to tell me, then that means that creature wanted someone from the village?
It made sense. The people of Carne became Nfirea's second family in his turmoil, at least she hoped so. She in particular gave him a home to live in. She gave him the support he needed to heal. She cared for him more deeply than anyone else could bar his grandmother, may she rest in peace.
If she were a wish granting demon, or djinn, or whatever Wish III called himself, then it was likely the price she demanded would've been-
"Me. You think he wanted to take me away, didn't you?" She asked gently. Her heart shattered when a single tear fell down Nfirea's cheek, splattering his lap.
"I-I couldn't do it! It was too much, and when I thought about how he wanted you to give me what I wanted, I couldn't go through with it. I just-I couldn't-I wouldn't-"
By that point, he was becoming an incoherent mess. She didn't wait any longer, wrapping her arms around him and bringing him in for a deep hug. He clung back to her desperately, like he was afraid she'd disappear if he let go.
For the first time since he arrived, he genuinely cried. Not out of fear or his nightmares, but out of letting go. She thought maybe that was the point he finally came to terms with everything.
They sat there for a good while, holding his head close to hers and letting a few tears go herself. Her heart ached for him, clenching in tune with his ugly sobs. She stroked his back, whispering comforting words in his ear.
When the flow of liquid sorrow stopped, they continued their embrace, not letting go. The whole world could set itself ablaze and she wouldn't dare think to release him. Not yet, not ever.
Maybe that's why what happened next felt like a long time coming.
Nfirea shifted, making it clear he wanted to sit up a bit. Enri relented, but still kept her arms around him. He made eye contact with her, his face so close to hers. She was able to see his eyes clearly, despite the wall of bangs that covered them.
Such a beautiful, piercing blue. They got closer, though whether from Nfirea leaning in or her or both, she didn't know. Really, she didn't care.
The contact was soft, fleeting almost. So small and tender that it took her breath away. It lasted only a second, but it left her heart beating itself out of her chest. Her face burned red-hot pleasantly.
When they disconnected, she leaned back in, eliciting a startled gasp from the man in front of her. Her grip tightened, and she pushed so hard that they both fell back on the bed. When she came up for air, she saw how flushed Nfirea was beneath her.
He looked so small, so meek, despite his stronger physique. It conjured in her a fierce protective desire to stand between him and all the terrible dangers in the world.
"Does this mean…what I think it means then? Do you feel the same way I do?" Nfirea asked in a vulnerable moment. She brushed noses with him, giving him her most genuine grin.
"Absolutely. From now on, we're in this together, so please don't go running off to strange academies in the future," she replied half-jokingly.
He laughed back, this time trying to initiate another moment. A minor creak interrupted the two of them.
They looked up, seeing Nemu gazing innocently at them. She glanced back and forth between them, the cogs of her young mind turning.
"Does this mean I can get a new sibling?" Nemu said, sounding neither surprised nor bothered by the recent development.
The new couple blushed up a storm at that, separating except for their hands, which stayed interlocked. Enri's younger sister merely smiled her cute smile, and then closed the door, leaving the two of them alone.
Nfirea fidgeted, but never let go. The way his features contorted made it seem like he couldn't decide whether to smile or whoop for joy, an expression she giggled at.
"What? What's so funny," he asked, chuckling with her. She waved it away.
"Sorry, it's just good to have you home is all. We should get back to the others, make sure Nemu doesn't say anything compromising."
Unfortunately, they were too late to prevent such a fate, for by the time they came back in the main room, everyone was giving them knowing looks and grins.
A few days later.
Nfirea was hunched over his work station, an assortment of beakers and vials bubbling with boiling liquids. Rowan and some of the other Slane Theocracy mages stood behind him watching with interest and to make sure nothing accidentally exploded.
Everyone was currently set up in one of the spare warehouses, an expansive space where he'd have room to work and others could file in and out as they pleased. The arrangement wasn't permanent, but it would do until an official pharmacy could be built.
During his time at Master Hermetis's academy, he had time to master the purple potion, which he saw as a definite upgrade from the traditional blue potion favored by all.
"Guess the blood of the gods is now purple instead of blue," one of the mages said.
"Maybe soon we can get it to be red, just like in the old stories. Didn't Lady Hokey Pokey supposedly have a lot of healing potions of her own blood?" Asked another.
"Yeah, way more than any of the Great Six. Nfirea here is an actual miracle worker."
The young man smiled at that, but continued to focus on his work. One of the Bunsen burners he had sister trio salvage for him shut off automatically, signaling that the mixture was ready.
Enri was among the group as well, beaming with pride at him. Her presence the last few days served as a major morale booster. The hole in his heart, while not exactly gone away, shrank by the day.
Pretty soon, he imagined there would come a day the wound was so small he could hardly notice it anymore. He could never forget, but he could move on with his life and focus on the new memories he was making.
Especially since he was no longer alone. Not anymore, not with Enri by his side. The others too all played a part in that. His family hadn't died out, it just got bigger.
He hovered his hand above the vial's surface, letting his mana suffuse into the substance and change colors. Instead of the murky brown of all the ground ingredients, it switched to a radiant lavender.
A result of his strenuous study and the different techniques he picked up from his mysterious teachers. Their level of alchemy and spellcraft was leagues beyond anything he could accomplish, but just trying to replicate them was enough to elevate his own abilities.
Using a pair of tongs, he gently lifted the finished product, proudly displaying it to the assembled party. Some clapped politely, while the rest gave approving nods. He poured the potion into a different container, one that had a thin neck but bulbous body.
He slotted the potion into his potion cannon, also showing off the artifact. Rubedo pleasantly surprised him by revealing she grabbed the fabled weapon before the academy's destruction.
"I don't think we'll need to worry too much about supplies, though we'll need to gather more herbs in the future," Nfirea said, "Just a sip of this should be enough to heal almost every wound instantly."
"So less quantities but more healing per potion. Well done, Master Barreare," Rowan praised. "You're right in needing to gather more supplies however. Hopefully your benefactors are able to pull through and bring us some more."
"You don't need to worry about that. They gave their word that as soon as they're able, they'll be back," Citrinitas said from the back of the group. She and her sisters were content to observe everything from afar.
"Father will return to the village with more materials to experiment and work with. Just because the academy is no longer here, does not mean the boy's training is complete," Nigredo said. She hissed at the mages too close to her, promptly forcing them to back off.
Rubedo inclined her head. "They will be here soon. They are preoccupied. Plans move forward without our knowing."
Rowan frowned. "Plans, huh? So long as they are beneficial to the good of all, they sound less nefarious that way. Not that I can complain, given how they improved Nfirea's skill."
"They improve everything that they touch, human. Our father in particular has a special aptitude for alchemy. He is without rival, unparalleled in his chosen field and every other life path he could choose." The ragged dressed woman with her glowing eyes said.
One mage leaned close to his companion to whisper. "Talk about being real daddy's girls."
"Well, they'll be here soon I'm sure, and then we can really finish up Nfirea's training. Maybe dad can even help with expanding the village a bit, possibly get you your own alchemy shop," Citrinitas offered.
"My own alchemical shop? You mean like rebuilding the pharmacy I had in E-Rantel?" Nfirea asked. The thought stirred up some mixed emotions, but one of them was positive. He felt hopeful at the idea.
"Sure! I'm sure dad and the others can help out with that. Your skills and talent are of great interest to them anyways, so I think them building you your own shop would help them out in the long run."
There were mutterings of agreement in the crowd. A pharmacy with a dedicated workspace would be nice and helpful for the village. They wouldn't need to set up makeshift workshops for the alchemist whenever he needed to brew a new batch of potions.
A fluttering touch on his forearm alerted him to someone else close by. His blue eyes met brown, those of Enri's.
"Is that something you'd feel comfortable doing? You don't have to get started right away, at least jumping back into your old line of work," she reassured, pulling in closer.
He smiled back at her. "It's alright. Sooner or later I'm gonna need to start pulling my weight around here. What better time than with my own pharmacy?"
She searched his face for any uncertainty he might be feeling. She would find none, especially not with how elated Nfirea felt at the thought of practicing his craft again.
The barn doors flew open, letting in a rugged villager. Based on his bulky build, he looked suited to working the fields and plowing them for the next harvest. A pair of bushy eyebrows hid his eyes, and the thick mustache covered his mouth.
"Sorry to interrupt," he started in a shockingly soft voice, his mustache wiggling with his words, "but some giant portal opened up near the stone statues of the Sirs. A man and two women are asking for Nfirea here. I think they're mages."
"Seems they came a lot sooner than you thought they would," Nfirea commented to Citrinitas and her siblings. She made an odd gesture with her hand, the index and thumb connected into a hole and the remaining fingers pointing up.
Everyone began to walk out of the barn, making their way to the center of the village and towards the unfinished statues.
Even though the project was still incomplete, a sense of awe filled those who looked upon the masonwork. The hands that served to chisel the shape out of rock did so with a precision and clarity that made it seem like they were simply digging a pre-made item out of burial.
Just like the villager said, a trio of hooded figures stood before the project, talking amongst themselves. They stopped at the sound of approaching footsteps, turning to face the crowd.
Lady Cythlla, Lady Aellai, and Master Hermetis looked more or less the same as the last time the former pharmacist saw them. Which was to be expected, since he saw them only a few days ago.
Only now, they seemed more on edge. The tenseness of their shoulders and narrowness of their gaze, at least for Lady Cythlla, indicated their thoughts were troubled.
"Greetings, whelp," said Lady Aellai. Her hood fell away to reveal her signature domed helmet. "Good to see you're still in one piece."
"Been spending your time wisely back with your neighbors?" Lady Cythlla asked in her soft way. Nfirea rolled his eyes at the way the men of the village and some of the male mages ogled her plentiful form.
Master Hermetis remained quiet, observing the assembled group of people before him. Finally, he pointed towards Enri, who stuck close to the alchemist's side.
"Are you one of the leaders of this village? I would like to speak with you, to get an idea of how my daughters are doing," the tone left no room for discussion. It was his same flat, neutral voice that was ageless.
His beloved shifted her feet. "I don't know why everyone keeps thinking that, but I suppose at this point I should just say yes, since you've singled me out."
"Good. I wish only to inform you that the supplies we promised are here. We wished to deliver them so Nfirea could keep up his experiments."
"We also wanted to drop off his books, since he didn't get a chance to get them all when he left the academy initially," Lady Cythlla noted.
She reached off to the side, her hand disappearing into a miniature [Gate]. She began pulling out several tomes that Nfirea recognized from his personal library.
He stepped forward with his arms outstretched, receiving a good portion of them. When he couldn't hold anymore, Enri came to relieve him of some of his burden so he could carry more.
Others also helped, their arms laden with his studies. He searched the piles for the emerald notebook, which contained most of his research from the last two months.
"Looking for this?" Lady Aellai held up said notebook, but the edges were slightly charred. "Almost missed this when the initial destruction happened. But I managed to grab it before the fire consumed it."
That one was laid gingerly on top of the stack the young man had in his arms. Out of all the texts to survive, that one that was truly irreplaceable.
Though he hadn't much time to dwell on it, all of his theories and possible applications of his teachings were in that notebook. When he realized he left it behind, he nearly wept at the hard work being lost.
To have it back in his hands felt like an act of fate, especially if he was to continue his lessons in western alchemy and homunculus creation.
"Dad, where are your bags? Aren't you going to stay with us to continue Nfirea's studies?" Citrinitas's voice was right next to his ear, almost making him jump from her close proximity.
"About that. It's possible we may be delayed in our desire to come and stay here," Master Hermetis admitted slowly, "We…Some issues have arisen that caught our attention. Not all is well, unfortunately, and we find our attention diverted elsewhere."
"Not to mention that we don't want to impose on anyone else here. Better we keep things on the down low and just let the problem be handled by those who can," Lady Aellai mentioned.
Whatever it was that bothered the three was enough that the cloak she wore over her armor smoldered from the electricity it generated. Wisps of smoke rose in the air, and the stench of seared fabric penetrated his nostrils.
"We can accommodate. We could build for you a home. If not in here, then outside the village." Rubedo said in her flat voice. She took a step forward and lifted her hand as a gesture.
Even Enri took a chance to convince his teachers. "We could certainly try, I hope. Nfirea told me about how well you built your academy and the sort of magic you used to make it bigger on the inside than the outside. I'm sure we could find you a space somewhere in the village and let you get comfortable."
"You're so considerate, sweetheart, but no. We talked about this extensively. Our-We chose to stay out of this, for the best out of everyone. What we need to do is something on our own. But we can make you a compromise."
Lady Cythlla knelt down, no doubt sullying her dress but the titanic woman didn't appear to care. When she did that, it contrasted to everyone else and reminded Nfirea of the size difference between himself and those he called teachers.
I wonder if maybe they use magic to make themselves so tall. Or maybe they were just born that way. I dread to think what sort of creature or person would be able to bring them down.
"When we get our issue settled, we'll come back. This seems like a quaint village, and I've always wanted to try living in the "countryside" as they called it. Never really got that chance back home, so this could be it," the larger woman extended out a hand herself to shake Enri's.
His beloved caught on, reaching out to take it. Her hand was positively dwarfed in the other woman's. She nearly got knocked over just from the force exerted naturally.
"Sorry! I forget how much stronger I am sometimes. We need to get going now, but we'll call ahead and let you know when we can come back.
A [Gate] opened up right behind the trio, Lady Cuttlefish and Lady Aellai walking through first. Citrinitas, Rubedo, and Nigredo all moved to pass through as well.
"No. You will remain here and complete your task. Nfirea requires protection and a mindful eye on him. You three will act as our liaison from home to Carne," Master Hermetis commanded.
"Father, surely you will need our help for the trial ahead! Let us return with you, so that we might give our full aid as befitting of yourself," Nigredo eagerly gasped, rushing up to her father.
"This was the best course of action we also decided on. You will remain here, and do as I tell you. Given the value of this place, it must be guarded at all costs."
"But dad!" Citrinitas protested, also sprinting up to the man. They stared at each other a moment, then Master Hermetis sighed.
"Come here, all three of you. There is something you must know, something important I'm entrusting to you."
Rubedo then walked up to join her sisters, the group leaning in closely.
What passed next, Nfirea could not say. He heard whispers, but their words made no sense. It was like he got the impression of words, but not their meaning. Whatever it was the father said to his daughters, it was not meant for his ears.
However, what he could determine was that info was tremendous, from the wide-eyed looks the sisters gave. Rubedo's eyebrows were both raised, her equivalent of gasping in shock.
Without another word, Master Hermetis passed the threshold, not pausing to look back. The [Gate] swirled shut, leaving only humans and otherwise in the village square.
"I feel like casually displaying magic reserved for the gods is going to become a common occurrence around here," said one mage.
"A fact that will become integrated with our reality it seems. Not much we can do about it," a villager agreed.
Gradually, the collection of people began to disperse, until only those with any sort of status in Carne remained.
"I think I should get back to the house now, I'm starting to get a bit hungry," Nfirea said, punctuated by the loud rumble from his stomach.
"I'll make sure to put something on the stove. It's about time for lunch anyways," Enri looped an arm through the alchemist's, the pair chatting about one thing or another.
"Hey wait up a second! We could have something to eat too! We're your bodyguards now, and we got to stay in tip top shape," Citrinitas cried, catching up with the humans. Nigredo grumbled but complied, while Rubedo wordlessly did so.
That just left Rowan and Aeliana by themselves. The commander turned to his subordinate.
"Come on. Let's meet back up at the barracks, we have a lot to discuss."
"Yes sir. I imagine we do, with that sort of display."
After some twisting and weaving, both Sunlight Scripture members ended up back at the barracks where most of their number were. A few were lingering around the door, giving dirty looks to the Goblin Troop stationed right across them.
"Inside, now," Rowan dictated. His people complied, shuffling inside the large building. He let Aeliana in before him, allowing himself to serve as look out for any more of the mages.
One of the Goblin Troop named Kyumei was tending to his wolf mount, brushing its hair with practiced ease. He waved amicably to him, to which he waved back. He closed the door shut behind him.
The barracks were erected as a means to not only provide housing for the repentant scripture, but as an easy way to keep all of them in one place. It was a three story building, built like a square and with plenty of space on the inside.
The bottom floor served as the communal area, where a latrine, kitchen, and tables and couches were situated. The second floor was where a sparring area was set up, meant more for personal training than team exercises, as well as a miniature library to store entertainment and work.
The third floor was where the bunk beds were. Of the fifty members that composed the scripture, around forty-three were still around. It would be forty-five, were it not for the two who were taken as "hostages".
From what Rowan understood, Boric and Urek were treated fine. More than fine, in fact, based on what the two said of their captors.
"Their home is not like anything we've ever seen. It's beautiful. No, it's not just beautiful, it's divine," Urek gushed. The thinner, slightly effeminate man always had a keen eye for architecture, so to hear him say such a thing was a brow raiser.
Boric shook his head, smiling. "Sir, from what I could tell you about the women alone, it's paradise. They take real good care of us, serving us food and drink not even a king would be fit to eat. But there is something we need to tell you about these people."
From that later report, he fully realized who his group went up against, and the power they wielded in their hands. They'd been present when Nigun was handed off to another of the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown.
To think that some of their own are not even human. Ha! I can only hope they never discover our history as a scripture, the missions we undertook in the name of our country.
It was likely not all of Ainz Ooal Gown was human, if the leafy Demi-human was anything to go by. Actually, the description of that creature, who Boric said beat the three sirs senselessly with a wad of paper of all things, pointed at something not Demi-human either.
Whoever Ainz Ooal Gown as an organization were, they had powerful allies and answered to someone else more powerful than even they. If the plant-like being was able to abuse the sirs so easily, then it was plausible it was their true leader.
He had no doubts in his mind that the three who repelled him and the Sunlight Scripture were human. Their presence was distinct in that he sensed no undeath, no demonic energy, nothing of the sort.
But that didn't stop his fears from plaguing his mind, wandering to dark places and conjuring heinous thoughts.
"Aeliana, make sure you gather all the other men and women. We need to have a meeting," he barked at her, only doing so to convey the seriousness of the situation.
She stalked off without another word, doing as he ordered. Within minutes, everyone else of the former scripture was gathered up on the third floor. Because of the cramped space, they mostly sat in their bunks.
Once he was satisfied all were present, he began. "It seems we have new players on the board. A new force has arrived in these lands, one with an unknown agenda and unknown power. The Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown were the first, but now we have this new trio that took in Nfirea and trained him."
"Will they interfere with our work here, sir?" asked a blond woman with blue eyes and her hair shaved down into a buzz cut like his. Four claw marks traced themselves from her upper lip to the bottom of her chin. Her gaze was ice cold.
"No. I do not believe so. We continue as we do, especially under the watchful eye of Ainz Ooal Gown. As it stands, we keep up with the expansion and rebuilding efforts, and possibly conversion of the people here."
One mage raised his hand. "Sir, with all due respect, but these people are simple peasants. They have no concept of religion or worship beyond simple idealizations of vague concepts. Some seem to be taking to our faith, but total conversion seems improbable."
"In your opinion, perhaps, but I believe there is potential here. We have a chance to make things right, to atone for our sins against our own kind. We do what we must to ensure our survival, and theirs," Rowan said, glancing sharply at the mage.
Another spoke up. "But these damn Demi-humans have me on edge already! How can I go and spread the good word of Lord Alah Alaf when those filthy goblins are mucking up the place."
The senior officer glared so hard the offending mage shriveled. "They are the Goblin Troop and you will afford them and by extension Enri all your respect, soldier. Besides, they pose no threat, and we do not need to strain relations with the villagers by taking up arms because of old habits."
A dark haired mage who had her hair done up in a pixie cut mumbled. "Pretty sure one of them spit on my shoes the other day. All I said was 'hello'."
There were mutterings of agreement, to which Rowan had to bang his fist against the wall to calm his subordinates down. "We do what we must! In case you all forgot, we cannot return home! We have survived worse conditions before, and we will make it out of this situation all the better for it. We are the Sunlight Scripture, an elite force of the Slane Theocracy, we are better than this."
"Then how do we proceed, commander? Even the villagers who treat us well are few and far between. Most of them only tolerate us because we provide protection and manual labor, and I shudder to think of what those who truly hate us would do if they could get their hands on us."
The question came from somewhere in the crowd, no real direction to the voice. It could've been any one of his people. Hell, it could have been himself for all he knew.
Aeliana stood by his side, stalwart as always. He may not have officially made her his second in command, but her capacity for handling numbers and managing the members of their force was unrivaled. She earned that title, he just had to officially name her as it.
Later, he decided, and then answered the previous question. "I've been giving this careful thought, and I believe we should extend an offer to train the villagers in some of our ways. Martial combat, reconnaissance, economic management, the whole way."
"But sir, what if they choose to reject our offer, or worse, accept it and then use what they learned to finally finish us off?" One mage exclaimed. From the look of him, he was the youngest of their number. Actually, Rowan recalled him to be their most recent inductee.
He looked young enough to be his son, but his hair was so blond it was platinum. Like him, he had those same steel-colored eyes and strong jaw. The flower of youth was present within him.
"That's precisely the point, young man," he answered, drawing some confused gasps from his people. "We need to prepare these people for the day they do decide we're not needed anymore. Whether that's banishment or slaughtering us or calling upon the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown to deal appropriate punishment, is not for us to decide."
He fixed his eyes on the entire crowd, steadily scanning each face and reciting their names and deeds in his mind's eye. They were his brothers and sisters in arms. The best and brightest that the Slane Theocracy had to offer, which is why he knew they'd understand what he had to say.
"At the end of the day, the people we hurt were human. We fulfilled our orders to their fullest without question, but in the process, we slaughtered a lot of good people, just to end the life of one. I know for some of you, you justify the killings of the last missions because at least then, the lives we took were not human."
A majority of them nodded their heads in agreement. "When the day comes that it is our time to go, these villagers need to have the tools necessary to defend against another group like us. Heaven forbid another scripture come out to finish our task, or the Black Scripture itself is drawn here. If our last act in this world is to prevent more senseless killing, I think I'd be content with that. But we'll never know if it's doable without trying first."
Steadily, the former scripture made noises or agreement or inclined their heads. They stood up from their bunks, making sure to look their commander in the eye. They placed a fist over their hearts.
Aeliana moved from her place at his side to stand before him too. "Whatever it takes, sir, we know with you at the helm, we can't go wrong. To the Sunlight Scripture and Carne Village!"
"To the Sunlight Scripture and Carne Village!" The mages repeated, creating a new mantra.
Genuine happiness flowed into Rowan at that moment, as did pride. "We have work to do, ladies and gentlemen."