Chapter 10
Hero's Come Back
I woke up. Dazed from the explosion of the Floating Hospital, I looked around, my vision blurry for lack of my glasses. As my vision stabilised, the blur gave way to the fairly unfamiliar (well, to me anyway) but still unmistakable sight of a hospital room. Looking straight ahead, I spied a flag with a most unusual design- instead of a single symbol, the flag itself combined two distinct symbols, specifically combining the crest of the Sovereign from Tales of Arise and the Mark of Grima from Fire Emblem Awakening. "Odd.", I thought. Not only that, but I also heard the unmistakable chords of the song "Hotel California" on the radio, even though I was allegedly in a mediaeval world. A nurse with brown hair and matching brown eyes came in; I tried to ask her where I was but I couldn't find the ability to speak. Examining me for a second, the nurse then abruptly left. I then tried to sit up, but found that something (or rather someone) was weighing me down. I looked to my left, only to find a woman with pale skin and waist-length dark magenta hair sleeping next to me wearing a dark purple dress, her right arm positioned lovingly around my back.
Another nurse then came in, sporting short silver hair and teal eyes; she also had wings in her hair. I couldn't shake off the feeling that I had seen her before somewhere. As she approached, I read the name on her card- Melia Antiqua. My vision grew blurry again as Melia perked up upon gingerly examining me; at this, she ran out the room excitedly. I looked now to my right, finding an IV strapped to my right wrist. Having precious little to do, I went back to sleep.
Waking up again, I found Melia, the woman who was sleeping next to me and a doctor with short brown unkempt hair and grey eyes wearing rectangular glasses, a blue shirt and a dark blue plaid tie with grey trousers, black sandals and a white labcoat. Noticing that my vision was much clearer now since I was wearing glasses, I noticed the name on the doctor's card- Takuto Maruki. "Good, you're awake.", Maruki said with a very friendly voice. "Where am I?", I asked. "All in due time.", Maruki said. Taking a moment to compose himself, Maruki then said, "I'm afraid you've been unconscious for quite a while. Ever since you came from your world to ours, you've been unable to escape unless you defeated this strange divine monstrosity called YHVH. And now you're currently in a dimension called Cyber Space that was intended to heal you but was instead turned into a bespoke torture chamber to ensure that you would suffer.". "I mean, who blows up a hospital anyway to make one person suffer?", Melia asked. "Anyway, after you fought the Archangels back in your Peterborough, you were heavily wounded. Sumia brought you to the Floating Hospital there but the Archangels warped them out before blowing it up, but before even that, they used a specific programme to ensure that the healing pod you were placed in became a prison used to torture you. The medical report we received from scanning you indicated that the angels used the healing pod to constantly pump poisons into you, each one even stronger than the last. Said poisons were severely ravaging your very body, making it so your Aura couldn't regenerate on its own.", Maruki continued. "If that's so, then why do I feel reasonably OK?", I asked. "Ah, I was getting to that point. Well, as it seems, we certainly couldn't resuscitate you as your body wasn't responding and our healing magic wasn't working either- the poison, you see. Thankfully though, we had someone among us who could help heal your spiritual wounds- Princess Ivy of Elusia.", Maruki said, indicating the dark magenta-haired woman. Turning my attention to Ivy briefly, I said, "Thanks for healing me. Seriously, thanks.". "You're welcome.", Ivy replied.
Turning my attention back to Maruki, I asked, "Well, how did Ivy heal me exactly?". Grimacing, Maruki replied, "Well, about that, she had to do something…special. Since your Aura was completely broken, it wasn't completely reforming. Of course, I say completely broken, but much of it had indeed regenerated aside from a noticeable hole; to cover it, Ivy climbed into your bed and kissed you, transferring part of her Aura to yours, repairing it. Though this did heal you, even repairing your muscle mass which we also stimulated through electrotherapy, it also means that the two of you also have a lifelink, meaning that neither of you can be killed on your own unless you are killed together. It also made her your Observer, meaning that she is now responsible for maintaining your existence.". I thought about my conversation with the purple and yellow figures I met in the Leicester Space Centre but I decided against telling them about it. "So, what now?", I asked. "Well, before we fished you out, we received a report from our army that they yet again failed to retrieve the purple, yellow, cyan and white Chaos Emeralds from Garreg Mach Monastery. We were thinking of sending a considerably larger invasion force to retrieve the Emeralds and take 12 of the people there hostage- Marth, Celica, Sigurd, Leif, Roy, Lyn, Eirika, Ike, Micaiah, Lucina, Corrin and Byleth. The people of my world incidentally know of them as the Emblems. And we'd prefer it if you came along with us.", Ivy said. "Why me specifically?", I asked. "Well, you're the key. We need to acquire the Chaos Emeralds so we can properly get out of Cyber Space and safely cross over to the Root and get access to the Holy Grail and you as the key can manipulate the Chaos Emeralds to such a degree to allow us to get to the Grail.", Melia explained.
Before I could give a proper response, I found myself in Ardyn's office. "Wait, wasn't I in a hospital ward?", I asked myself. Looking out the window, I looked up to the sky only to see a bright golden light in place of the usual green sky. "Ah, you've awoken.", Ardyn said behind me. I turned around apprehensively. "Wait, you're speaking in the Arial typeface too?", I asked, confused. "Why wouldn't I be?", Ardyn asked. "It's just that in the previous 10 chapters, everyone but me was speaking in the Times New Roman typeface with Arial reserved to just me.", I said. Turning my attention to the unnaturally bright sky, I asked, "Well, why's the sky so bright?". Looking out the window, Ardyn said, "The sky doesn't seem to be unusual.". "But according to the radio I saw when I woke up the second time, it's night now and yet the sky's still ever so bright.", I said. "How long have you been out, anyway?", Ardyn asked. "Wait, you don't notice anything wrong with the sky? Nothing at all?", I asked. "What do you mean by 'anything wrong'?", Ardyn asked. "Look, just, when I came to Nintentopia originally, I noticed that at night, the green sky just darkened instead of how it is in my world where the sky just blackens.", I explained. "Oh, that.", Ardyn said. "Well? Why's the sky so bright even at night?", I asked. "Well, I guess the time has come to tell you now.", Ardyn said. "Tell me what?", I asked.
"You see, young one, long before you were even born, there were seven heroes revered as the Warriors of Light and thirteen heroes reviled as the Warriors of Darkness. Now, Nintentopia compared to other worlds is a very fragile world in the regard that it is very susceptible to the aetheric balance between light and dark. Usually, the two elements need to be in balance for a world to properly exist; if dark grows too strong, the nights lengthen even in the day and vile demons and voidsent are able to roam free to prey on the living; if light grows too strong, a flood of light occurs causing angelic monsters called Sin Eaters to surge and allowing them to prey on those to convert those not of their number. Worse, unlike voidsent, the Sin Eaters are nigh unkillable outside of special powers like those that you possess; the power to kill beings of light that normally can't be killed.", Ardyn explained. "But why don't people notice the flood and freak out like normal people do in regard to something unnatural?", I asked. "Well, when this war started, our lord YHVH made a deal with us Nintentopians; in exchange for Nintentopia's continued survival, we were to serve him and help him spread the flood beyond this world only known as the First. But don't worry about that; once the flood finally spreads beyond just Nintentopia, we shall all know peace and true unity.", Ardyn said. "But isn't this world called Cyber Space and not Nintentopia? And if so, why is the Flood of Light affecting a digital realm?", I asked. "That I do not know.", Ardyn replied.
Suddenly, I found myself back in the ward. "Wait, why am I back here?", I asked. I then noticed another woman entering the room; she had short brown hair and yellow eyes and was wearing a yellow dress with a black bow in the midsection and white socks. She also had some very tasty melons on her that my eyes were quickly drawn to; perusing her "assets", I found myself drooling heavily. "My eyes are up here.", the woman said, placing a finger under my chin and moving my head up to meet hers. And she was a very attractive woman too. Suddenly, Melia entered the room. "Goldmary,", Melia said to the brown-haired woman, "Princess Ivy is waiting for you in the imperial lounge.". "Just give me a second.", Goldmary replied. Examining my face with a studious intent, Goldmary then said, "Seems the poison has completely disappeared. Her Highness did indeed heal you well.". "I'm sorry, but where am I? I don't think I ever received an answer to that.", I said. "Oh, that. Sorry you've had to wait so long, but I think you now deserve a proper introduction now. Anyway, welcome to the Sovereign Empire.", Goldmary said. "But I thought I was in the Niflheim Empire.", I said. "Oh, that? Well, we needed to keep the Allied Kingdoms of Nintentopia on their toes- you know how unnecessarily ruthless they can get toward Sovereign Imperials like us.", Goldmary replied cooly. Finishing her…"examination" of sorts, Goldmary then said, "Well, I'll get out of your hair now. Be sure to rest up for the attack on Garreg Mach.".
As Goldmary left, I saw a much shier woman with messy purple hair and grey eyes wearing a black and dark purple dress enter. "And who are you?", I asked, curious. "O-Oh, you're awake now! Sorry about that. My name's Bernadetta von Varley.", the woman said. "Hi, Bernadetta.", I said weakly. "By the way, do not go to Garreg Mach. Your body's still too weak- you may have recovered from the poison and your Aura is now fully repaired, but your body is too weak for field work. Also, the Empire's not really expecting you to go there anyway.", Bernadetta said. "Wait, everyone's saying I need to accompany them to Garreg Mach to get the Chaos Emeralds and you're saying I don't need to? How does that make any sense?", I asked. "Still, you need to stay here and rest. You really are too weak to go back to the field anyway.", Bernadetta said, this time much more forcefully. "Don't worry, I won't. You can trust me on that at least anyway.", I said. "That's good to know.", Bernadetta replied with a slight smile on her face. Seeming satisfied, she left.
Deciding to test if what Bernadetta said was true, I attempted to manifest the Tao mandala I manifested when I fought the Archangels back in Peterborough; as if on cue, it disappeared as soon as I manifested it. "Well, seems I do need to rest.", I said to myself. Before I could do so, however, I then found myself facing a glorious azure pool of water with an alabaster marble floor. "Wait, why I am I facing a pool now?", I asked. As if to answer my question, I then saw a woman with blazing crimson and waist-length salmon pink hair wearing an attractive dark pink bikini rise out of the pool. "Oh, you've come now.", she said. Utterly transfixed by her beauty, I felt a drop of blood drip out of my nose. The woman calmly walked over to me; wiping off the blood with her finger, she placed it up to her lips and serenely sucked the crimson stain off. "Incidentally, my name is Arashi Spring.", she said. "Uh, hi Arashi.", I nervously said. "Oh, there's really no need to be like that.", Arashi said seductively; I couldn't help but notice that she sounded vaguely like Ivy (or maybe Ivy sounded like her). "So, what brings you to the Sovereign Empire?", Arashi asked. "I don't know; the last thing I know was falling unconscious in a floating hospital above Peterborough right before it exploded. When I woke up, I found myself here with no memory of what happened between the two.", I said. "So you don't remember how you were rescued?", Arashi asked. "No, I don't.", I replied. "Interesting. Muy interesting.", Arashi said. "On the topic of that, how was I rescued?", I asked. "Oh, I'll answer that question.", Goldmary said behind me. I turned around apprehensively. "Wait, Goldmary?", I asked. "Oh, you two know each other?", Arashi asked. "Yeah, we met in Elusia when he was a child.", Goldmary said. "Wait, we did?", I asked. "Oh, I remember now. He also came to New Himuka when he was young as well.", Arashi said. Turning her to me, Goldmary then said, "Well then, if you'll follow me, I'll tell you the full story of how we saved you.". Having nothing better to do, I decided to follow her.
Sitting me down in a dimly-lit room, Goldmary then said, "OK, the story of how we saved you. I'm going to abridge it a bit, but the story's simple enough anyway.". "Fine by me.", I said. Taking a moment to collect herself, Goldmary said, "OK, you know what happened when the Floating Hospital you were in exploded? Well, the portal you fell into was a gateway to this world, Nintentopia- well, to be more exact, the replication of Nintentopia within Cyber Space. We picked up a strange energy spike on our sensors off the coast of Galdin Quay; deciding to investigate further, we found an artfully placed arrangement of rocks, stones and sediment forming a strange circle on the bottom of the sea. We also had a hard time getting to Galdin too; the rain and storms there that weren't there before just wouldn't let up. Not only that, but we also saw these angelic monstrosities standing sentinel, as though they were trying to stop us from getting closer. Still, we persevered and broke through them; after all, they were causing the local residents there trouble as well. With me so far?". Nodding, I said, "Yeah, I am.". "Good. Now, as we tried to break you free, we found that the tractor beams attached to the airship we sent wasn't working; obviously, the Archangels had thought ahead and made sure to make the seal extremely difficult to break. We found a way though by firing concentrated lasers of dark magic at the seal, dislodging the powerful light magic and weakening the seal enough for the tractor beam to work and properly fish you out inside your healing pod.", Goldmary continued. "And what came after that?", I asked. Goldmary's face hardened at this. "Well, when we opened the pod, we saw such a ghastly sight. Your skin was so unhealthy that it had turned grey and your robes had been so damaged to the point that they were ripped and covered in your blood. There was also such a horrid smell coming too that I even felt the urge to vomit. After getting you back here to the castle, we then gave you a truly extensive bath whilst your glasses, robes, shoes and the clothes your robes transformed from were washed and hemmed back together. And that was the story of how we rescued you.", Goldmary explained.
Taking a moment to absorb and understand what had happened to me, I then found myself in front of Garreg Mach's entrance, now wearing the black and dark orange hooded robes and black Chelsea boots I was wearing in my fight against the Archangels. "Wait, why am I now in front of Garreg Mach?", I wondered. Nervously walking inside, I noticed the empty silence suffocating the inside. "Hello? Anyone home?", I asked. Walking into the monastery's garden, I saw a strange cyan circle; touching it, I found myself in a strange subterranean tomb with a dark green stone construction. In front of me was an empty golden and white throne; though it was the first time I'd seen the chair, it still seemed oddly familiar to me. "So you've found the Holy Tomb. Interesting.", Micaiah said behind me. Turning to face her, I asked, "Micaiah, right? Where are we?". "Oh, we're in the Holy Tomb underneath Garreg Mach Monastery- the resting place of the Goddess Sothis, the deity worshipped by the Church of Seiros.", Micaiah explained. "Wait, the Church of Seiros worships a completely different entity from the being it's named after?", I asked, confused. "Well, it was founded by Her Majesty Queen Rhea in the distant past after Sothis the Goddess died.", Micaiah said. Before we talk further, I then found myself in the market outside the monastery's entrance where I saw a man with green eyes and short grey hair wearing a black overcoat with dark grey gauntlets and grey boots. "Hi, my name's Jack. Who are you?", I asked. "The name's Travers. Karen Travers.", the man curtly replied. "Wait, your name's Karen?", I asked, incredulous. "Mock me if you want, but not even you can escape your destiny. You are the key.", Karen replied. "There's that calling me the key again.", I said. Walking up to me, Karen then aggressively grabbed my head and hoisted me into the air. "Hey, let me go!", I said. "Hmm, interesting.", Karen said, seemingly ignoring me. "No, really, let me go!", I said. "OK, if you want.", Karen said, forcefully throwing me inside the monastery; I managed to reduce the force by quickly manifesting a mandala and using it to gently glide down to the ground. "So my Brain Eater power didn't work on him. He may be more useful than I thought.", Karen thought.
Composing myself, I said, "Hey, what was that for? What did I do to you?". Karen then rushed at me with speed so fast it was honestly inhuman. "If you want to know, meet me at Kunad Highway. That is…if you remember who you are.", he said before teleporting away. "Yeah, you better run!", I said. Still though, I was unnerved by how strong he seemed to be; if we were to fight, I had a feeling it would end both very quickly and very decisively in Karen's favour. As I walked into the garden again, I then saw a white piece of paper with a hastily written note on it strangely addressed to me. The note read, "So, you've finally come. We're currently out searching for the final 3 Chaos Emeralds; we will be back soon. Do not try to escape.". Unnerved, I then found myself in the monastery's library where I saw a mighty tome lying on a pedestal. I nervously approached it only to find myself in a remarkably old jungle temple, only for that to give way to a strange floating mechanical castle in the middle of a wasteland with a dark sky overhead.
Something strange was definitely happening.
The story continues in the next chapter.
