[A few hours before.]
IF get to the city, alone and after moments of walking find the Vertidragon with the pilot outside who notice her
"Ah here you are! don't worry I got the news form Histoire, that Bethesda was stuck still behind the tunnel, we are going to go get him." The pilot says
"Good."
They get inside the tilt-rotor and the pilot starts the engine
"By the way are you okay? You don't seem with your injuries." The pilot says
"I'm fine." IF responds
IF injuries luckily are not very important, luckily enough but she still got her clothes torn and some bruises quite everywhere
The Vertidragon take off and goes to the area were the accident happened it then lands but there is no trace of the vehicles, only the bike was left here
"They must have took him away. Call Histoire, while I'm getting back the bike." IF says
She then jump off of the vehicle and get to her bike, it was badly damaged. But she manages to get it back inside the Vertidragon
[The day after or right after the end of the previous chapter.]
SOUTH EAST OF LOWEE
MOD BASE
06H00
The morning after the accident
Bethesda is currently sitting on a chair with his hands cuffed, while another side of the table Uran is looking at him standing still, Bethesda seem totally impassible but Uran have a smile on his face
URAN
THE IDEALIST CHANGER
"I must say Bethesda, I'm quite impressed by your inventions and the ASIC also is." Uran says while looking at a med-pack, possibly captured on some lowean soldier "No one managed to do something that efficient, it must have saved a lot of lives."
"I should wait the perfect moment to strangle him with my cuffs, but I must also know some things" Bethesda thinks "What are you gonna do? Force me to work for you?" Bethesda then says
"No! I respect the lowee convention unlike the ASIC. That's the art of war I been taught with."
"Yeah I heard of that concept."
"But do you really have the attention to respect it?"
Bethesda remember about what he did during the ASIC-Planeptune war "….yes of course."
Uran suddenly gets closer and licks Bethesda cheek
"This is the taste of a liar! Bethesda!"
Bethesda don't responds due to being surprised of that reaction but then "You have no way to prove it."
"Oh really? So what about the prisoners you slaved to build those weird flying machines? A prisoner that managed to escape told us. We know what you did."
Bethesda won't admit something that important easily "Its just a testimony form a random guy that probably wanted to get attention, it mean nothing."
Uran steps back and walk away "Maybe, you didn't but this better doesn't to be true or else..."
Bethesda awaits the Uran answer but it doesn't comes he just turned his head away
"Nah nevermind." Uran says while turning back his head to Bethesda "How about we talk about something else, but before. Want to have hot chocolate? At which flavor?" Uran says
"I hesitate between poisoned or drugged flavor. That might explain how you manage to turn captured lowee soldiers against their own country." Bethesda says
"Ah! We can start talking about that!" Uran says while walking away "And I'm going to pick a random flavor for you."
[Minutes later…]
Uran come back with a coffee cup full of hot chocolate
"I came back with a vanilla flavored hot chocolate and its homemade!" Uran says
"How you guys manage to make these in time of war?" Bethesda asks
"We control a Yak farm not far form there."
"And for the chocolate?"
"We got a stock of cacao."
"I see. But in case i'm going to abstain to drink this."
"You're wrong because its very good. Do you know that the yak milk have 6% more energetic values than the cow one?"
"Well no, its not because i'm an inventor don't mean that I know everything."
"Anyway." Uran says going to another topic "to come back to what we were talking about, no I don't put drugs inside."
"Like if I was gonna believe someone form the ASIC, on word."
"You are free to believe me or not, but to prove it..." Uran take the cup and pour the half of the hot chocolate on an another one and then drink it "See?"
"Maybe its not drugged after all. If he drank it to prove it then it must be clean." Bethesda thinks and then proceed to drink his cup
"So, how it taste?"
"Amazing."
"But why an inventor came here to Lowee with his girlfriend exactly?"
"She's not my girlfriend actually. And my goal are beyond your understanding."
"Then let me be omniscient, you was sent there by the Planeptune guild to help Lowee to win against us isn't it?"
"...Not so far, it was actually to test military tools at least its what the oracle told me."
"I see, but why they would do that? I thought that the land of purple progress would support our fight for freedom against their hereditary enemy and not the opposite."
"Hereditary enemy?"
"Looks like you didn't follow your history lessons in school: Lowee and Planeptune since the start of their existences, always have been in a huge rivalry, same with Lastation and Leanbox.
"Oh yeah I see. Well times as changed since, the ASIC is supporting your movement and we can't simply let a client state of the syndicate emerging. And what do you mean by "fight for freedom"? The Lowee oracle told me that you were doing illegal modifications on diverse things."
"Looks like you were manipulated by the state. Its not about the illegal modifications but its about my own title, the changers are a problem to the eyes of Lowee and they just let us being persecuted without doing anything. We're the victim in the story and we're fighting back to get us our independence and being master of our destiny."
"But why you didn't leave Lowee then?"
"Its because, its still my homeland after all. You don't know what had to been trough, this is also why I joined the ASIC, not by faith for Arfoire but to get support form them since they are the only opposition to Lowee right now, I also thought about Planeptune of course but… They only care if its in their nation, they don't have any consideration for the other ones and it also implies to Lastation and Leanbox."
Bethesda start thinking "So that's how he convert people? By persuading them into his side by making thinking that the changer are the good guys. He's maybe not really wrong after all. I must know more."
"That's fascinating, can you tell me more?"
"I summarized the situation, I don't know what I could tell more."
"I don't know… A forced antagonist backstory?"
"Its quite too soon for a backstory."
"Ah."
"But if you want to know, I struggled a lot, but it doesn't mater since freedom is ours. You should know that we started to launch a vast offensive on the Lowee positions, the gain of morale done to them by your invention is going to quickly fall down and Lowee will have to stop if they don't want their nation to collapse. More and more soldiers are joining to us whether they are Changers, Makers, form the ASIC, Lowean to joined our right full cause or then just some Mercenary: our ranks are constantly getting higher. Its the oposite for Lowee. The will of a people will always be stronger than any weapon"
"I won't be so sure on the last sentence, pretty sure nukes can stop this."
"Sure, but they can't do it, it will just destroy even further their reputation and maybe cause a direct intervention of the ASIC."
"By the way about the ASIC..."
"Yeah they are the one who captured you. Want me to explain the plan."
"That's a dumb idea-"
"When I knew that you were there and I called my superior about that, she told me to make a raid to capture you. But since I already the attack plan ready, I had just to add a few more steps, since I was expecting you to get the fuck out of the area with the girl, the attack on the outpost was partially a distraction to prevent the Lowee army to protect you since they will be focused on protecting their positions than rather observing smaller groups movement. Which allowed a group of operative of the ASIC to get out of the forest without getting noticed the set up explosives in the tunnels and make a blockade to prevent you to escape."
"Uh, I see, I understand why you are that high ranked."
"Thanks you, but I have the regret that I have to give you to them, my superior will be very happy to see you."
Bethesda expression suddenly changes form calm to "what the fuck did you say!"
"What! You fucker! You literally gonna kill me by doing that." Bethesda says while getting up of his chair
Bethesda then rush on him, but some force immediately stops him by tackling him on the ground
"Fuck, there was a third person in the room, I should have expected that."
"I'm sorry but its just the orders and don't worry they are not gonna kill you. By the way there is someone right now that wants to talk to you."
"Who?"
"The one that just tackled you."
Bethesda looks up and see someone familiar, she dressed with A green and black armor that hide almost her entire body except her arms and her midriff and she is quite toned, she also wear gloves and a black and green pants and some pair of black boots and a helmet with a black visor to hide her head and also her face. She also have a relatively large chest
"Don't you remember me?" She says
"Well, I have no idea who you are."Bethesda responds
"It must be to the helmet." The woman says, she then remove her helmet revealing her face, she as a fairly short brown hair and have olive eyes and small scar on her cheek.
Bethesda seeing her get shocked and realize who this is "I-its that you? I-Id?"
ID
THE FEROCIOUS SLAYER
"Glad that you remember me." Id says while keeping a not amused face "I want to talk alone with him."
"Sure thing. Just knock on the door when you are finished" Uran says while leaving the room and closing the door
Id allows Bethesda to get up
"Holy. You grown a lot." Bethesda says while looking at her, he notice that she is taller than him
"Of course I did, but now the actual question. Why you never responded to my messages during all those years?" Id responds while she crackle up her hands and then grab Bethesda by the neck
"I was busy, very busy and I didn't know that you sent me message!"
"I sent you a hundred of mails and you never had a little hour to responds to them?!"
"I'm really sorry, but lately I got into a huge wild ride."
"Oh yeah I see, you was busy helping those idiots form planeptune."
"Its not only that, I was also there to help them against the ASIC. It was a deal between Leanbox and Planeptune."
"Explain more."
"Well you see I was officially declared dead is because I shot up some dudes form the ASIC who didn't want to turn down their music and the ASIC trapped me and attempted to kill me."
"Yeah, I heard of that."
"To prevent me to getting targeted again, they sent me to Planeptune to help against the ASIC during both the peace time and the war. I had still to hide my identity. The ASIC figured out somehow that I was still alive and so the oracle decided to stop the conspiracy and I was to the TV to explain some of the things."
"And why are you there?"
"One, I can't tell it and two, I could ask you the same thing."
"you must had it pretty easy don't you? With your privileged origins. After the death of your dad I had to struggle once again, having to survive in and go on dangerous quest to avoid committing crimes, had to go kill monsters and sometime very dangerous ones."
"Don't imagine such things, I also struggled, and we have no confirmation that he's dead. You think I had it easy? If you think so you are wrong. I had literally to do the military service to acquire the leanboxian nationality to go the college, and I did that for two years and all of this to fail the entry test. The only reason why I got accepted into the guild its because had the luck of having my genius noticed by the CPU. Did I also said I got bullied during my ENTIRE scholarship?!" Bethesda thinks about a second of what he just said "Uh, okay, I got it less rough, but that doesn't explain why you are here in first place."
Id let go Bethesda "Well actually I joined a mercenary group led by someone called "Activision" and we went there to help the MOD, Shortly after I had the news that you we're alive, I planed to go at planeptune to meet you by myself since you responds to my messages! But when I knew that you were sent there I decided to take part in your capture, by helping them to the planing." She explains "And by the way." "I'm going to help you to get out of there." she suddenly whispers
"But why?" Bethesda Whispers back
"Its when I heard Uran talking about you are gonna get sent to the Gamindustri graveyard that I changed my mind, otherwise I wouldn't did anything."
Bethesda sighs "well, good choice, actually one of the reaons why I accepted the deal with Planeptune its because I tought that if I help them, they will be more prone to negociate with Leanbox so I can get back dad facility." He then whispers to Id
"I see. Well see you later."
Knock Knock
Uran opens the door
"I'm done with him, you can take him away." Id says
"Hope your happy with your reunion." Uran responds
[After…]
Bethesda is sleeping in his cell, on a bed
"Wake up."
"Ugh, let me sleep."
"You want to get out or not?"
"..."
Id slap Bethesda face
Bethesda wakes up almost immediately after "FUCK Y-"
"Sshhh." Id put her hand on Bethesda mouth to muffle the sound
Id, then give some of his stuff back to Bethesda he then follows Id trough the corridor there is some stunned guards, she then lead him outside, its the middle of the night, there is a full moon.
"See the mountains range?" Id says "you will have to follow it to the west and to the south, tough don't cross it or you shall either land in Lastation or even the ASIC territory at some point. If you do that correctly, you should see Planetpune form afar, here a horse so you will go faster. Good luck Brother."
Id then hug Bethesda
"…And sorry for being rude. I was angry."
"Its okay."
"When I will be done with the war here I will attempt to join you."
"Goodbye then."
"Bye."
Bethesda then mount on the horse and start to follow the range like Id told him to.
"Its hard to see in middle of the night. And I must also be more cautious since monsters tend to be more active at night." Bethesda thinks "Maybe if I start climbing the mountain, there will be less monsters to encounter and I will see better."
As he advance to the west he also climb the mountain at the same time with his horse until the dawn, when the sun arise he can start seeing better, he see's Lowee city form afar, he check his pockets and grab his phone… and its out of battery so no way to contact IF or anybody in general.
"Maybe IF is still at Lowee, but no way to be sure so I better continue the trip and the ASIC and MOD might know that I escaped so they must patrol around in small groups to avoid getting spotted." he thinks
He continue his trip to the west for a few days, he had to kill his own horse to eat it, its for surviving he did that of course, but he see some kind of heart shaped lake with an island on the middle form afar, he conclude that he his not longer far form Planeptune. So he keep moving forward, but hunger is making him suffer
"Come on, I'm not that far..." He says
Shortly after he fall on the ground, exhausted, he heavily breathes
"You are exhausted? Don't worry..." A ghostly voice says to him just seconds before going unconscious
He then wakes up somewhere inside what it seem to be a chamber on a bed, he come up to his mind, he fainted out in the mountain range and now he ends up here
Someone enters the room, he seem to be a man in the late 30
"Finally awake? Yeah the author tend to make that repetitive running gag." Bethesda cuts him
"...Anyway let me introduce myself, I'm THQ."
"Wait, you are really him?! I heard that you trained a lot of makers!" Bethesda says in surprise
THQ
A MASTER MAKER
"...Well yes that's true. I trained them to make them and in a case someone became a marshal."
"Relic?"
"Yeah that's him."
"I know him, he never talked about you."
"Its normal, he always been silences about these things."
"I see but where we are?"
"Some where in the mountain range, by the way you should have been more cautious, you know that's its controlled by them, you are lucky that I found you way before they had."
"I see thanks."
"You should thanks the guy hat visited me yesterday."
"Who?"
"I don't know actually, he was quite a mysterious stranger, he just told me to "take Bethesda and train him so he can learn magic."
"Oh! So you will tell me how to do it!"
"Well I'm afraid that I can't do that. You see there is some type of people who are more prone to learn magic and you are probably not one of them. The stranger said that you were a special case. And I have other things to do."
"Like what?"
"I'm sabotaging the ASIC. My fight with them started since long ago."
"How about you tell you that I'm also fighting them in some way."
THQ thinks about a moment
"really? In which kinds of way?" THQ then says
"Multiple, either if its about directly killing them or making inventions to fight them and their potential allies, it also ranges to making propaganda movie." Bethesda responds
"So you won't be a lost of my time. Your training starts tomorrow, but I warn you. It will be way harder than everything you imagined or lived."
Bethesda stands up "I made a Leanboxian military service. We are trained like Spartans!" Bethesda says smiling and in an unusual motivated way
THQ then smiles "Good, good. Well the stranger told me that you had a special condition to activate your magic."
"Tell me."
"When you went hunting dragons with your father, didn't there was something weird like dragons bodies suddenly disappearing?"
"Yes. Its still happen now."
"Well we will work on that..."
Well we are also getting closer to the end of the volume, next chapter is going to be why the volume is titled "dragon soul"
There was supposed to be flashbacks for Uran in that chapter but im keeping it for later
