I have rewritten chapters 1 and 2. Be sure to read them. I have decided to write from the character's POV instead of a third person. Having said that, you might notice how characters Yuri or Murata refer to other characters, either by first name in Yuri's POV, or last name in Murata's POV. For example, Yuri calls Conrad by his given name while Murata calls Conrad 'Lord Weller'.
I hope you enjoy the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Danmachi or Kyou Kara Maou.
Chapter 3: A Trip Down the Memory Lane
== Blood Pledge Castle – Maou's office ==
== Yuri's POV ==
I know that controlling my emotions was of my biggest weakness, but I had improved greatly compared with when I first arrived in Shin Makoku. I was quick to anger before, easily losing myself to my emotions, and then letting myself unleash my 'maou-mode', as Murata likes to call it. I had been like this even when I was a kid. What did my music teacher liken these outbursts before? Oh yes, a 'Turkish March'.
But as I said, I had improved over the years spent here in Shin Makoku – time flows differently here. I had been more mature and not be swayed away easily by my emotions as a result of years of being guided by Conrad, Gunter, and Gwendal – Wolfram not included as he is worse than me when it comes to controlling emotions. He is a hot-tempered, selfish, spoiled brat. I guess it is because he is the youngest among the three siblings and he is not an heir, which means no big responsibility. He is used to get what he wants, and things given to him.
I sighed as I looked at Murata being tended by Gisela, a green-haired mazoku, one of the best healers in Shin Makoku, and Gunter's adopted daughter.
This is the first time after years of mastering my emotions, that I lost control. The impact of my punch sent Murata straight to the shrine fountain, his glasses broken, his forehead bleeding from a deep cut that Gisela is currently tending to.
Speaking of Gisela, she has not stopped giving me the stink eye ever since she learned what happened. We have not explained why Murata and I fought but anyone who initiates violence in her opinion deserves her wrath. I started to look anywhere but her direction.
We decided to go straight to my office inside the Blood Pledge Castle. When we arrived at the castle, the Murata 's appearance, and the apparent tension within the group has garnered attention from everyone.
"We'll have to get your glasses fix" I said as I looked at the broken object in Murata's hand. It was a good thing that he was drying off his face with a towel and not wearing his glasses when I punched him.
"No, it's okay. I guess I should stop wearing this" he said, referring to the glasses.
"I've had my eyes fixed months ago in Japan through surgery. I was just so used to wearing them that I had to buy non-graded ones…" he added.
"But that's not all the reason you're still wearing them, right?" I observed. Whenever Murata lies or tell me half-truths, he could not look me in the eye.
"No…" he finally conceded.
"Look, Murata… I'm sorry for losing control."
"It's nothing Shibuya… Really, it's nothing…" he said with a small smile on his lips that I returned.
"I'm sorry for involving you without telling you first what to expect" he added as we looked at each other.
Murata is my best friend, almost like a brother. Even though we quarrel and fight like this, I know that at the end, we will still reconcile.
"OOI – OOI – OOOOI!" Wolfram exclaimed, coming in between us and flapping both his hands comically like a bird to get our attention, ruining our emotional moment.
"You can't just reconcile and smile at each other like that after almost wrecking the Shinou Shrine. I want explanations" he demanded.
"I think he speaks for everyone?" Gwendal said as he entered my office, closing the door immediately and leaned against it.
I looked at the face of each of my retainers. Conrad, Gunter, and Yozak all looked relieved that Murata and I have reconciled, a smile showing on their faces. Gwendal has, as always, a frown on his face, an eyebrow raised when my eyes met his. Wolfram has, as always, a look of impatience, his arms cross over his chest and his right foot tapping on the floor as he leaned against the wall opposite my desk. And Gisela? Well, she is still giving me the stink eye.
I looked towards Murata. "Murata, would you like to start?"
Gisela has finally done tending to his wounds and gave Murata space to sit more comfortably on his chair.
== Murata's POV ==
"Where to start" I paused to organize my thoughts.
"When we traveled back to Shin Makoku, I intentionally tried to get Shibuya and I into another dimension. I was not sure at first if it will work, but somehow it did…" I continued, noticing that Shibuya's retainers tensed upon hearing this.
"Geika, you cannot just pull Heika and yourself to other worlds. That is risky. There is great chance that you could not travel back to Shin Makoku or your own world" Lord Von Christ reasoned out.
"I know. If I have enough maryoku to do it myself, I would not have bothered Shibuya. I just would like to try if I could go back… if I could find that world again" I said, making everyone give me a worried look.
"Murata let's make this clear. I was angry because I felt that you were using me, manipulating me once again, like back when we fought Soushu" Shibuya said.
"I'm not a chess piece that you could simply move at will to attain your goal" he continued. "Having said that, I'm not a person who abandons his friend either, even if we fight and disagree. Why don't you tell us all we need to know about that world, why it's important for you to go back…"
I sighed as I prepare myself to tell my long story.
"I guess let me go back to the time of Shinou and the Great Sage, the promise I gave to Shinou to help him destroy Soushu. As you all know, when we learned that Soushu has infected Shinou, we came up with a plan to eventually destroy him in the future by sealing him within a pure soul and have the maou with strongest maryoku destroy that soul. Even then, 4000 years ago, we knew that this plan would have to take generations to fulfill until the maou who will be able to destroy Soushu is born. I promised not to abandon Shinou, and to wait for the chosen maou, guide the chosen one if needed. To make sure our plan succeeds, Shinou and I had agreed that I had to be reborn with my past lifetimes' memories intact to keep track with our plan as I wait. In the end, that did help Shinou's plan and eventually destroy Soushu" I took a deep breath before continuing.
"I have been reborn a couple of times in this world, both here in Shin Makoku and in human territories. I have also been reborn numerous times in Earth, the world where Shibuya and I currently live. A few lifetimes ago, on my way of being reborn in Earth, I remember hearing a voice calling for me. I followed that voice and arrived in a different world, in a place called Orario, the Labyrinth City. In that world, beings other than humans like elves, dwarves, demi humans, spirits, and gods live together", I said and could see that this information piqued their interest.
"Later on, I found out that the voice calling to me was a spirit on its way to the realm of the mortals in that world. The spirit told me that she sensed a soul, someone pure. She called out to that soul, reached for it, and brought it to that world. She gifted the soul to a wonderful couple to be born as their child. The couple were humans that she met on her travel. That soul was me, and that spirit was Aria, who later became my wife" I smiled, remembering memories of my wife. I could see the others giving me a sad smile, starting to understand the situation.
"My name was Albert Wadlstein, a swordsman, also called the Sword Champion. Without my glasses now, I look very much like him that I think the Fates are playing with me, forcing me to remember that place each time I look at myself in the mirror" I said as I run my fingers through my hair to get them away from my eyes.
"As I said, Aria, my wife is a spirit. A spirit is a powerful being in that world, said to have been sent to the realm of the mortals by gods as avatars to execute the god's will and aid heroes in fighting monsters…" I noticed Shibuya's surprised look.
I chuckled a bit at his reaction before I continued. "Yes, Shibuya, there are monsters in that world… A lot of monsters in fact are continuously born from the dungeon. If you remember the tall tower in the middle of Orario?" I asked Shibuya, who nodded in acknowledgement.
"That tower is called 'Tower of Babel' and under it is the dungeon, an underground labyrinth that give birth to monsters constantly. Hence, Orario is called the Labyrinth City. There are no other places in that world that contains a dungeon. It could also be said that Orario was created to contain that dungeon. Back before I was born in Orario, there were people, or specifically heroes, who fight these monsters. The spirits were sent by the gods to aid them. However, from what I remember Aria telling me, some of the spirits had been missing. When a hero dies, the spirit in his aide goes back to heaven to recuperate before being sent down again to aid another hero."
"That's harsh. Won't they get attached to the heroes they help? Even fall in love? Don't you think repeating that cycle is a bit callous…" Yozak commented.
"Indeed, but there was no other way to defeat those monsters before" I responded.
"I remember Aria mentioned that several heroes had died but the spirits with them did not go back to heaven. Something or someone has been sealing them in the deeper floors of the dungeon. To investigate this, Aria and I tried to delve deeper. But on our way down, we were met by a black dragon, a dragon bigger than any of those we see in Shin Makoku. I could say that that monster is about ten times bigger than Pochi's mother, or even bigger" I said as I compare the black dragon with the dragon that Shibuya has named.
I then heard Lord Von Biefelt who has named 'Pochi' a more regal name said, "Her name is Liezl".
I smiled, somehow that comment has lightened our mood a bit.
"It's not just the size and its flame that is terrifying about that dragon, it could talk and think intelligently. It could cast spells, spells so powerful that it could obliterate a whole town or city. Even with my swordsmanship ability and maryoku, I could not defeat that thing. I could only wound one of its eye and delay it to give Aria some time to cast her own spell to protect Orario and its citizen, and also protect our little girl Ais" I added, feeling their sympathy, something I'm not comfortable with.
"I could not remember much of it after wounding its eye and telling Aria to protect Orario and Ais. The dragon has casted a spell… I think that was when I died." I finished.
"Oh, now I get it. That is why your swordsmanship is on par with Conrad, you were a sword master back then" Shibuya said as the others also realized, looking between me and Lord Weller.
"Yes, my swordsmanship was also enhanced by my maryoku back then and also from the blessing given to me by Lord Ouranos, my familia's god."
"Blessing? I remember you asking for a 'falna' from Lord Ouranos but getting rejected. He said that you have to find another familia…" Shibuya said, but before I could respond, I was interrupted by Lord Von Biefelt.
"Who is this 'Lord Ouranos'?" Lord Von Biefelt asked suspiciously.
"Lord Ouranos, is one of the gods who reside in Orario. He is said to be the first god to descend from heavens to the mortal realm to watch over the dungeon. Most gods descend to the mortal realm only for R&R…" I added with a slight smile as I noticed Shibuya's puzzled look.
"Rest and relaxation, Shibuya…" I continued to enlighten him.
"I didn't know gods could do that… Or should do that…" he grimaced, sighing.
"Now I understand why Lord Ouranos said you have to go deep into the dungeon to find answers about Aria's whereabouts. You think she was somehow sealed there together with other spirits" Shibuya added as he understood what I am getting into.
"That is what Lord Ouranos and I believe…. Lord Ouranos is the only god who had noticed the missing spirits. He believes that there is someone in the background, a god, or a group of gods pulling the strings. After some time, he knew that it is not safe to send a spirit into the mortal realm anymore, which was the main reason why he descended to watch over the dungeon. He knew though that he could not do all the work – his prayers keep the dungeon from giving birth to more monsters but someone has to go down to kill the monsters that has appeared, otherwise Orario or that world will be overwhelmed. To entice other gods to descend as well and help fight monsters, Lord Ouranos has started the concept of familia."
"My familia before is called Ouranos familia, the name taken from the god who leads it. A familia is essentially a group of people who are bestowed a falna by a god. Back then though, it was only me and Lord Ouranos – he is the god of the familia and I was his child. The falna gives the familia members, or children as we call them, abilities and strength to fight monsters in the dungeon. They are also called adventurers in general. Although there are also familia that focuses more on other activities like blacksmithing, creating potions, and the likes. Not everyone goes to the dungeon" I sighed, feeling my body getting more and more tired.
"I get it… So, in a familia, the god is like the 'parent' while the members, who are mortals, are the 'children'…" Shibuya concluded.
"Something like that…" I conceded.
"Why did your god reject your request for a falna though if you were his child before?" Lord Von Voltaire asked, looking like he had just a migraine.
"Politics… Gods are whimsical beings who often quarrel with each other, mostly about just small, petty things. When they fight, they drag their familias with them. Orario needs a neutral faction, someone who is not in any familia to intervene when such situations happen. Lord Ouranos is that neutral faction. If he started his own familia again, he could not be deemed as neutral faction anymore. Other gods would look at his decisions as tarnished with personal interest, an interest to advance his familia", I explained.
"What about your daughter?" Lord Weller asked. "Do you know what happened to her?"
I smiled a real big smile immediately. "Lord Ouranos said she's been found. Somehow, Aria has found a way to protect her. She's currently living in Orario as a member of one of the strongest familia."
I could see them smile in relief. Everyone turned silent then, contemplating what to say next.
"I only need help getting back to Orario, Shibuya. You could leave me right away" I started to say but noticed his frown immediately.
"Murata… I thought you know me better…" he continued but I cut him off.
"I do know you. I know and had predicted this would happen that you would insist to go down the dungeon with me. That is why I am already telling you not to. You are a king Shibuya. You have a kingdom to run."
"You have fought this monster before and said that even with your ability and maryoku, you could not defeat it. I know that you are strong. You are intelligent. You are wise and could most likely plan to defeat that monster this time. You are Shin Makoku's Great Sage after all. But even so, could you tell me not to worry?" he asked with concern.
"You are like a brother to me Murata. Let me help you with this. I will not take no for an answer. Even if you deny me, I will just go to that world and join a familia. I will go into the dungeon first before you even know it" he added stubbornly, his arms folded in front of his chest as he looked at me.
I looked at each of his retainers, all with a look of defeat in their faces.
"And you also said earlier that our travel in that world doesn't affect our arrival in Shin Makoku. Thereby, I could still look into my responsibilities as a king. I have decided to go to Orario with you tomorrow. We will join a familia and go save Aria."
I could see Lord Von Voltaire massaged his temples with his right hand, and then Lord Von Christ did the same. Lord Weller and Yozak merely grinned, both used to the stubbornness of their king. Gisela merely sighed and shake her head slowly, giving up any objections she was about to say regarding the danger they will encounter.
I then sighed myself, smiled at Shibuya and conceded. 'Why did I even plan to not let him go with me. He is as stubborn, if not more, than Shinou.'
"I could not thank you enough for this, Shibuya..."
"If you're going, I'll be going, too" Lord Von Biefelt suddenly said and I could see Lord Von Voltaire's forehead twitching and Lord Von Christ about to protest.
I could only chuckle a bit at this. "Shibuya, with Lord Von Biefelt coming with us, your plan of pursuing beautiful elves is in peril…" I teased him.
Shibuya paled as Lord Von Biefelt looked at him menacingly. "WHAAAT? YOUU CHEATER! SO THAT IS YOUR PLAN ALL ALONG!"
"Murata, you have to bring that up right now?" he winced as Lord Von Biefelt started to strangle him.
Thank you so much for reading.