"H...h-hurk..."
Kazu coughed and retched as she felt her insides revolt against her. She tried desperately to get her bearings.
"Are you alright?"
Those words were clear in her ears, and she felt a warmth that was unfamiliar flow through her body. After a minute, she was able to open her eyes. She was still in pain and her insides still revolted, but it was getting better.
"How about now? Can you even hear me?"
Kazu tried her best to pull in a clean breath, and when she managed one, she sighed in relief.
"I'm...okay now."
She realized after hearing the voice for a little while, that it was completely unfamiliar and had a foreign accent. She was worried when she would be able to see, that she would see something she wouldn't be happy to.
She made her best effort and finally after a few minutes, she was able to see, and to sit up. She took advantage of the restored strength and looked around after sitting up.
"Whoa, you are still incredibly unwell. You've the worst case of sacred sickness I've heard of since miss Kirim's case as described by head integrity knight Bercouli. So strange a lost would have sacred sickness without a sacred task..."
Kazu was jolted to her understanding of the situation immediately as soon as she heard Kirim and Bercouli's names mentioned. She was in Underworld. She was conscious again. She was with other people.
"Was-"
She coughed violently after getting the word out, the surprise too heavy.
"...was there another with me? A younger girl with white hair and eyes?"
The woman whose voice she heard shook her head. It was an older woman with shoulder length and well maintained silky dark purple hair who greeted her.
"There wasn't. You mysteriously appeared in the highest minister Administrator's quarters, so we were all assuming you were from the realm of the gods. Are you truly?"
Kazu sighed, not understanding what was happening with her. Suddenly on her own in Centoria, in the cathedral built in large part by the people conducted by Quinella.
Kazu wasn't sure what her position should be. Should she act ignorant, as if she knows nothing? Or should she act as the self who lived hundreds of years with Quinella? She couldn't take the risk of Quinella questioning her memories, but she could potentially call herself Kirito and nothing go wrong. She could explain that her "death" robbed her of her memories. But reincarnation and such weren't a concept in Underworld. She decided she would act partially ignorant.
"I don't know about any realm of gods...I don't think I have amnesia, but I don't remember at all how I got here..."
"The yellow eyes and pointed ears of blood elves aren't a trait you have, so you're not like elder Kirito was or Kirim. Just the black hair. I believe that is a dark lander trait though...perhaps a dragon tamer?"
Kazu shook her head.
"I'm a light lander. No offense to dark landers, but they're a little more violent than I'd prefer on average."
The woman smiled.
"Great! Oh, I should get your name and your town. It would make this a lot easier."
Kazu was concerned with her situation. She didn't seem to be talking to an integrity knight, but inside of the cathedral, she would think everyone would be more serious.
"I'm Kazu of Rulid. Maybe one more thing to add...what year is it? Just in case there was some crazy circumstance. I remember it being 186 since the border walls appeared."
The woman stared in disbelief after nodding happily understanding Kazu's name and knowing where she was to go home to. It was year 492. Over three hundred years were lost for her.
"It is year 492, miss Kazu..."
Kazu blinked in surprise. No time had passed in Underworld. She threw out the number 186 just to give her back story credence, but she was happy to hear no time had passed in terms of her personal involvement as Kirim.
"...what has happened since then? Is there someone who could tell me what happened?"
Kazu lived up the role she gave herself.
"So much it would be difficult for any to explain. It would be best to have someone bring you there and you to find out directly..."
Kazu didn't think her words would get her to her destination so quickly.
"...I think that would be best. I don't know if I even have family remaining there..."
"Give me a moment. You will be fine here for a time, I will return when I have word from someone that you can be taken to Rulid."
Kazu nodded and stretched herself a little. She knew some sacred arts, she knew magic, she had plenty skill in physical combat, but would she retain it with her new body in Underworld? She stood up and looked around the room she was in a little more. She had been in a cot, and the room gave the sense of a medieval infirmary. She might be in a much lower floor of the cathedral. She walked around a little and noticed that there was another person in the room on another cot. A young soldier in chain armour with a missing arm and bandage over the left side of his head.
It was grim, realizing what kind of situation she was in. She had no idea why she was in Underworld, no idea why she wasn't with Koeru, and she was stunned that she was where other people were. She had a pressure on her that if she left the injured person there without giving any help, she would regret it. She took a deep breath, hovered her hands over him, reached her thoughts, imagination and the words of the highest healing sacred art she knew into him, and after a few solid inhales and exhales, she blinked and he had his arm back, and she imagined the injury under the left side of his bandage would be fully healed.
She walked back to her cot and sighed. She wasn't exhausted from it. There was something else she was feeling though, and she realized what it was after giving it some thought. She was relieved. Not just because her conscious would plague her for leaving the unconscious soldier untended, but because she felt the familiar sense of sacred sickness ease off of her. Whatever she did, relieved her sacred sickness.
"What's going on in here? There was sacred light coming from-what the blazes happened?! How is your arm back?! Was this the act of a god?!"
Kazu sighed and laid back in her cot. She would let whoever the man who entered the room guess at other things, but she wasn't admitting to her contribution to saving the soldier.
"Thank whoever saved this man...my brother..."
Kazu smiled a little but her expression returned to tired as she stayed laid down.
"Is there anyone else in here?"
The man began walking around, checking the other cots. Kazu tried to think of Ela's bed to distract her from the horrible disparity the cot felt in comparison. Finally the man came upon her cot and he stared in disbelief.
"There is someone else here, but asleep...hey, hey you. Are you really asleep?"
He walked up to her and nudged her shoulder. She faked grogginess as she wiped her eyes of sleep and looked at him.
"...I was...urrg...I'm still feeling unwell..."
He shook his head. He couldn't believe it. He didn't believe at least that Kazu was the one who saved his brother.
"I don't suppose you were awake a minute ago? There was sacred light in here a moment ago."
She shook her head.
"No...very much asleep after the other woman left."
He nodded with a disappointed expression on his face.
"Then the only explanation...is that a god came in here and saved my brother. What luck that they would decide to spare him...please, rest more if you need it. Unfortunately you still appear to be unwell. The gods unfortunately weren't kind to the room. May they bless you as well."
He hurriedly left the room, possibly remembering that he was supposed to be guarding the room.
"Ah, welcome back nurse. A miracle from the gods saved my brother while you were out."
"What do you mean?"
He and the familiar voiced nurse stepped in and she gasped, disbelief filling her that an arm could be restored. Shuffling could be heard and Kazu sat up, peering around the curtain which showed her how they were reacting.
"Even his head was restored...this could only be done by a god. He was on the verge of death with how badly his head was wounded. Not even highest minister administrator could heal him when she tried. Only a god could..."
She glanced at Kazu and shook her head.
"Count your blessings, because I don't think something that immense comes without some sort of planned recompense."
The guard nodded and he smiled wide.
"I already questioned the other patient, probably woke her back up. I am sorry if that was bad for her."
The nurse nodded.
"Oh, well she had quite an abnormal exhaustion clinging to her and her sacred sickness was particularly strong. Sleeping again so soon would have been good for her. It would also relieve her from the sickness from her sacred task recoil."
The guard hummed in understanding.
"Well, I'll get out of your way. Imagine...a miracle!"
Kazu was nervous inside that she did something that drew attention but showed exhaustion on her face. The nurse looked over her and balked when she noticed Kazu's condition.
"You...your sacred sickness is gone! On your status, it's gone! A god must have been here and cured you and the man in the other cot...your sacred task which wasn't there before, it's showing. You're...the same as Administrator and her passed friend Kirito? That was a task made for them though..."
Kazu stared at her in disbelief.
"Who is Administrator, just to check? I don't know either of these names..."
Kazu was bluffing of course. The nurse was buying every word.
"Right, Administrator descended from the heavens three hundred years ago and you're from before she appeared...Administrator is the highest minister, the leader of the Axiom church sent from the gods to take care of us. Her and her companion Kirito were given a unique sacred task by Administrator's adoptive father to study and use sacred arts."
Kazu wore a thoughtful expression.
"Right, I found someone who would take you to Rulid. I only advise you hold your tongue a little while around them, but since you are new to the concept of integrity knights, you'll have one escort you. Scheta Synthesis Twelve will accompany you on dragon back in two hours when she's on duty."
Kazu nodded in understanding.
"Is there a particular reason to be quiet around integrity knights or is it just miss Scheta?"
The nurse frowned, got close and began to explain.
"Miss Scheta Synthesis Twelve is the most difficult of the integrity knights to speak with is all. She is more accustomed to fighting than to talking. Cornering her into uncomfortable conversation...I imagine frightful things just thinking on it."
Kazu nodded.
"Thank you for the advise. And thank you for taking care of me."
She shook her head.
"Don't thank me, I barely did anything. You should thank the gods for the miracle they bestowed upon you. Oh right, and Administrator wanted to meet you before you are escorted to Rulid. If you are feeling well enough now, would you accompany me to her chambers?"
Kazu nodded. She was curious if she could get past Quinella's senses. Would she be able to tell that she was the same person as Kirim and Kirito? Then again, she couldn't tell that Kirim and Kirito were the same person originally. There was still the chance she could identify Kazu as one or the other, but not both.
"I think I'm well enough to meet her now."
The nurse smiled, and led the way. Kazu appreciated the view of the barracks at the lower level of the cathedral, and she was surprised with being led to a panel which when they both stepped on, glowed and swiftly levitated smoothly straight up several floors. When it stopped, the nurse led them across the hall they stopped in, and one more time took them right up to a massive room. There was a large balcony along one wall, but otherwise it was an ambient, darkened room with a massive canopy bed in the middle. There wasn't much more she identified as important information.
"Welcome back, nurse. And it seems you managed to bring back our conscious guest. That was nice and fast. Please leave us and return to your duties."
The nurse bowed and left as she was told.
"Welcome, conscious guest. I hear your name is Kazu? And you're from Rulid over three hundred years ago?"
Kazu nodded nervously, trying to keep her act consistent.
"Come closer. I want to see you more clearly."
Kazu stepped forward and Quinella looked at her more closely.
"Hmm...let's add a little more light..."
She clicked her fingers and held her hand palm up as a light appeared above the palm of her hand. She nodded and smiled.
"You have beautiful dark brown hair. I thought the first time I saw you that yours was the same black colour as my more cherished acquaintances and my dearest friend, but yours is a little different. I hear you mentioned a missing white haired, white eyed person you were expecting to be with? Who might this person be and where do you believe they will be?"
Kazu honestly didn't know, but she made the effort to show she was thinking about options of where Koeru might have shown up, but it was possible she didn't end up in Underworld as well. If she did end up in Underworld, then there were many possibilities. It could be the classroom where Kirim was recently attacked by Vector. It could be where the two of them spawned in before in the dark lands. It could be where Kirito passed away in the connecting tunnel for the dark and light lands by Rulid.
"I honestly don't know. She could be somewhere in Rulid or near. I ended up here but I have no idea how I ended up here. Do you think...she could have ended up in the dark lands?!"
Quinella sighed with a frustrated tone.
"I certainly hope she didn't end up in the dark lands and there's no easy way to find out. There are ways, so I'll contact some people to figure out if we can find her for you. There's a chance we'd end up searching and never finding something, you being the only person who arrived in the future, but I believe this person you're talking about might be found."
She gave a more positive expression, but still a little frustrated.
"I unfortunately don't know Rulid from over three hundred years ago. And we don't keep much record on that far back. I certainly hope you find some familiarity in the village, but you'll see a very new landmark for the village long before you land there with Scheta. If you decide to attend my new young friend's school there, give Kirim my regards. It would be a good way for you to learn how to live in the world how it has changed. It's very different out there than it was three hundred years ago."
Kazu blinked, showing surprise. She was honestly baffled she was managing to keep up her act so well. That there was still no issue with her acted identity so far.
"Thank you for telling me so much and assuring me you'll do what you can to help me figure out how I belong now. I'm afraid of returning home and finding no familiar faces, but I'm happy I'm not being forcibly studied or some sort of imprisonment for just being from the past...it just feels so strange to be accepted when I'm from a different time. Are there others like me, who've come from the past?"
Quinella shook her head.
"You are the first, and we can observe you normally as you live your life however you do. We don't need to study you in a way that would make you uncomfortable. Plus, you're a fellow light lander. It would be an affront to the gods whether you're a light lander or dark lander honestly, to dismiss you and eliminate you. You are welcome among us, and we'll do what we can to make you comfortable."
Kazu wanted to cry. It was completely different than how she would be received outside of Underworld. The stark difference between expectation of cruel treatment and the respect and kindness she was experiencing instead was highly emotional. She managed to keep her act going through the emotional weight.
"Th-thank you, miss Administrator. I'm so thankful to have met such a kind and compassionate woman who would help me find my way in this new situation."
Quinella smiled and nodded.
"If you ever need my help for anything, use this device given to me by miss Kirim's school. It will connect to the other half I have here and we could speak through a projected voice call. Just please only make use of it in emergency situations, or I'll take that back."
Kazu accepted it gratefully.
"Thank you very much, Administrator."
She gave her a broad smile.
"I'm actually quite surprised you are well here. We're incredibly high above the ground level, and unless someone is using sacred arts, they would get sick quickly just from being this high off the ground even without knowing. You must be rather special or possibly just incredibly hardy from your time, or it could be a factor of why you appeared here on this floor. I don't know yet, but it appears you're fine both up on this floor and on the ground floor, so you might have an incredible hardiness to change."
Kazu was surprised to hear what she did. She should have considered that a difference in elevation like she went through would be considered abnormal, but Quinella explained it away quickly dismissing abnormality through her rationality.
"Let's hope something strange didn't happen to me when I came to the future..."
Quinella chuckled.
"If anything strange happened, then hopefully it will be something we can find entertainment over. You don't seem to have anything wrong with you. If you decide to have another sacred task, we could alter that for you as well."
Kazu was puzzled about that.
"I would like to know something..."
Quinella was surprised to hear those words from Kazu, since she hadn't been very inquisitive.
"About my sacred task...I've heard that only you and one other person had this sacred task before, so I wonder why I have it in the first place. I don't recall having this sacred task, as I was a spinster. I was a weaver house worker making clothes for the farmers and hunters..."
Quinella was surprised to hear that.
"So your sacred task changed when you came to the future...that is truly strange. Perhaps your sacred task changed to new strengths you came to the future with? Have you tried using a sacred art since coming to the future? Weaving anything? Using magic?"
Kazu remembered that magic was largely unknown in the light lands, so she had to carefully answer.
"I've used a single sacred art since coming to the future, just one to help with my breathing. I struggled with breathing when I first regained consciousness, so I chanted it under my breath. I haven't weaved, and this...magic...you speak of is something I've never heard of before."
Quinella sighed.
"No magic huh...so then you weren't the one who cured the soldier who was in the same room. You only used it to fix your breathing. I thought the gods wouldn't visit us directly anymore, but something only a god could do happened in the same room of the infirmary you were in. Perhaps a god moved you to the future and when you used a sacred art, they gave you a new sacred task and healed you, the other in the infirmary recovering as collateral of their sacred art. Immense collateral, but it makes more sense to me than your sacred art healing him collaterally."
Quinella was incredibly speculative whenever new information was thrown at her. Just what kind of a person was she after her time with Kirito and speaking with Kirim? Her mind was very convenient though. It explained things in a way that Kazu needed only to pick an option or come up with one more that was similar to her speculation.
"Would a god have such whims? That sounds unbelievable to me. I'm just a normal clothier after all. Why would I be sent to the future?"
Quinella was stunned. She didn't understand how Kazu could be special enough to be sent to the future if she was only a clothier. She thought about all of the details she had and she understood some things were missing.
"Just who is the white haired, white eyed person you mentioned to the nurse? And why did you know any sacred arts in the first place? Sacred arts before I was sent from the heavens were exclusively used by the small Axiom church back before the founding of this cathedral. The church never made use of spinsters directly, only taking the robe donations..."
There was the loophole. Kazu had found her way into an inexplicable situation. She thought as fast as possible so she didn't have an awkward space of time before answering, and she found her explanation.
"My younger sister Koeru was part of the church and though it was against the rules, she taught me some minor healing sacred arts because I'm a little clumsy with my hands and tend to need to get my hands healed often...it's rather embarrassing for a spinster to have clumsy hands, so I would rather not say. Your kindness made me feel obligated to answer..."
Quinella calmed down and she sighed. With her sigh, she exerted an immense pressure which made Kazu feel she was in pain.
"We are alone, miss Kazu. I would like to hear the truth. Koeru sounds like a blood elf tribe name, not a light lander name. Your name could pass for a light lander, but not hers. And someone with that kind of name could only become a member of the church back then if they were a lost child, and they were forced into the church. It is unlikely someone like that made it to this era, unless you admit your connection with the gods, or you are one and she as well..."
Kazu sighed. Quinella might be safe to tell the truth to, but she would definitely need to be more careful in the future.
"I...suppose I am from the realm of the gods, as you call it. And Koeru is too. We should have been together since in the realm of gods, we share the same body. I know sacred arts and magic and that's how I saved the man below. While the combination might seem godly, is it any more godly than Kirim's feats? I am just one who has immense knowledge of this world as an outsider."
Quinella sighed in relief.
"Tell me more truths. You need to have known more than what you're letting on. I bet you've lived alongside us as humans before and you're testing us. Or perhaps you're guiding us. I suspected Kirito, my greatest friend, was from the realm of gods but she lost her connection on the first day I met her. Kirim I also believe is from the realm of gods, especially with her feats. I want to know if it's possible for you and Kirim to be conscious at the same time, so please spend time with her and show Scheta you and her conscious at the same time. To sate my curiosity. If you were originally Kirim or Kirito or both, it's possible this other person you were supposed to come with is occupying Kirim, and since Kirim's school is tall, you were placed elsewhere on similarly high elevation – the highest that could be managed by whatever puts you gods into our world."
Her word cut Kazu deep.
"You're...wrong. I know I'm not from this world. I know that I've seen this world before, but I haven't been here recently. I studied this world. There might have been others from outside who spent time here, but the last time I was here, I've told you the truth of my experience."
Quinella gave her a strong stare.
"Please, if you're that curious about me, just tell me. Tell me if you think I'm lying. You tell me you want truths, and I've told you the truth. I'm sorry if you were expecting something else, but I'm here without expecting to be when usually our outside memories are completely blocked off. There might be something wrong outside, maybe something existence threatening to this place..."
Quinella's stare turned into a frown.
"I am growing more curious about you, but I can tell either you're phenomenal at acting, you're telling the truth or you truly believe whatever you say."
Kazu began crying.
"What are you crying for?"
Kazu didn't even have to think about her response.
"I have no idea why I'm here, I have no idea why my memories aren't impeded, I haven't been contacted by the realm of gods, I might be in danger outside, and I have no idea what's happening with the person who was sharing my soul! I'm scared, I'm confused and I have no idea what to do other than try and find Koeru! And you pressured me to break the biggest rule of the realm of gods regarding this world. We're not supposed to have interference. The residents of this world aren't to know of the realm of gods."
Quinella stared in disbelief. She shakingly reached out a hand to try and comfort Kazu, but she realized she might have given the situation more danger than she could fathom. The gods might outcast Kazu and cast off the world, eliminate it because of the failure she caused by exerting pressure on Kazu.
"I promise to speak none of our conversation to anyone. Please, stop crying."
Kazu sat down, hugged her knees and buried her face between her legs. She continued to cry, and Quinella eventually began patting her back. Quinella tried many things to try and comfort Kazu, but Kazu continued to cry quietly into her legs.
"Is there anything I could do to get you to stop crying? You're going to Rulid soon..."
Kazu shook her head while keeping her face firmly planted between her legs.
"Just...find out a way to get me home...and find Koeru..."
Kazu's strained voice through her cries got through to Quinella and she sighed.
"I want to get to the realm of gods as much as you do, so while I'd love to send you back and go there myself I think that option is unavailable, but I'll do my best to try and find your Koeru."
Kazu nodded her head while keeping it held between her legs. Soon after, she heard clinking footsteps as armored feet crossed the floor toward them and stopped beside Kazu.
"Thank you for helping with this today, Scheta Synthesis Twelve. The girl in question I requested you escort to Rulid is the one curled up beside you. Please see her safely to Rulid and let me know if anything happens to her of note."
Scheta nodded, grabbed Kazu by the shoulder and Kazu stood up on her own instead of being dragged off. Kazu went with Scheta, waving at Quinella as the elevator panel dropped them out of sight. The panel didn't go down as many floors as she thought they would. They were in a landing floor where there was essentially a dragon stable. There was hay all over the place, walls covering most of the floor and gates on each end of the massive floor. It was a massive amount of space for the floor in itself. There were several spaces for each dragon on each side, and half of the stables were empty of their residents. Scheta took them to a dragon who had light purple scales and without giving Kazu a chance lifted her right onto the back of the saddle. She hopped onto the saddle as well, gently rubbed at the dragon's neck to comfort it and tapped her heels to its sides to get it going.
It was an interesting sensation. Scheta grabbed Kazu's hands and wrapped them around her waist.
"Hold tight or you'll fall off."
Those were the only words she directed to Kazu before they emerged through the other side of the gate and began to plummet. They plummeted far enough Kazu thought her guts would come up out of her mouth. She breathed heavily, trying not to scream into Scheta's ears as they evened out and she had the dragon pull up and continue forward. The dragon flapped its wings steadily and after about a minute, Kazu's heart beat matched the flapping of the wings. It took only a minute to be able to see the giant pillars of the school in the distance, and it took a grand total of twenty minutes to get from the cathedral to Rulid. Kazu's legs were shaking and everything about her was like jelly as they landed on the dragon landing that was built into the top of the eastern tower.
"Thank you for bringing me home..."
Scheta nodded, and when Kazu was clear enough away, she took off once again. Kazu was on her own, left to deal with the school situation on her own.
As soon as she turned around, she saw a blur and felt herself being tackled to the floor.
"Who are you?! Why did an integrity knight leave you here?!"
She recognized the voice as Teru's, but she had to act as if she didn't know him.
"Please...please calm yourself."
He got off of her, noticing she was out of breath with him on her.
"I am Kazu, and I lived here once, over three hundred years ago."
She continued her act, but she wasn't sure if she should continue the lies.
