Chapter 10:
James "Bodhi" Montes
Being a mercenary is tough work, you get paid well but the risk you have to take is enormous, sometimes being hired for one man army contracts, It's only natural that one day my work would end up killing me.
But getting myself killed by my own explosive…that's just hurtful. Infiltration, active combat and who knows what more dangerous stuff I pull out, to then confuse that red cable with another red cable, being blown up in half and on the brink of death.
And that's where I am right now, about to die, is..horrible, not for the pain, but for the consequences, i'm a father, and now i'm leaving my wife along with my perfect daughter without the man of the house, I accept defeat, yet I will mourn it, if there is an after life of course, maybe I'll end up in hell, who knows.
oh, there he is, John…you fuck, you better take care of my daughter alright?
Yet still my partner is desperately trying to hold me, I can't feel my legs, I can't, the blood I must be losing is already making me feel weird, saving me is futile, i'm already dead.
I just wish I could see my daughter again, tell her I love them
Maybe it was destiny but, well I'm currently on a field trip with a god, I was sent into another world with my military equipment and a magically enhanced body.
Some people would call it disadvantage, but I trigger my own death so…
Dragon God Orsted, a being so powerful I sometimes wonders if he is more lucky than I am, he did tell me that my battle aura is unique, and that I had a huge mana pool, it took me a while to understand his words, after all I barely had to fight with that unit on my side, is like having a tank and a combat jet support, just watch mayhem, laugh, proceed.
But I did my best to train with his help, get me familiarized with this world, and teach him about some of the gadgets I had, along with some chemistry lessons.
Talking about gadgets, it seems powder is not a thing here, so I had to save with great care my bullets, for now a while I had to use my knife and martial arts as my only defensive method.
We went to some place, "Ranoa magic Academy", where I would set up a little base with the power of intimidation from Orsted, really natural for him, almost like a curse that everyone is afraid of him.
Still I went along Orsted from place to place, I had to take note of most of the things, creating landmarks and finding ways to have an easier time being on my own, if that time comes eventually.
"We have to Check how things are going at the Shirone kingdom".
"Is it a long walk…are there any teleportation circles from the area?..."
"No, we have to move through the red dragon's mountain if we want to make it in a month".
"...great… we have to get moving then".
A week later we were at said mountain, one that divides a good chunk of the central continent, exactly at the valley called Red's dragon lower Jaw, we had an encounter.
Is a cold place, so I had to use a coat and a bandana to keep me warm. It covers my equipment. Still, while we were walking with the cold breeze at one side when I saw 3 figures.
"...expected?"
"No, it does not matter, keep moving".
"Roger"
As we were getting closer I could look properly at the figures, a tall bald man, from the demon race as he has a pale skin and some gem in his head, a red haired girl, swordswoman from the looks of it, and a light brown haired mage, young and with green emerald eyes.
They are scared as fuck, as always, except for the kid, weird I think to myself as we walk past them.
Orsted hears the bald man saying something, to which he stops and says.
"You…Ruijerd Supardia, weird seeing you here at this time.." Supardia, interesting, I thought I couldn't see him, from what Orsted said.
"And you, Eris Boreas Greyrat, am I right?...such wasted potential…" the boreas.. the calamity that brought me here..they were responsible for the region's security.
"Yet…you..I don't recognize you…it doesn't matter…I don't have time to deal with this..".
Orsted starts walking again, I follow him until.
"Hey..wait for a second please" is the kid, what the hell, he's not afraid of him?.
"What?".
"I…well uhm…I'm..Rudeus Greyrat..".
"Rudeus Greyrat?...from which brand?".
"First…would you tell me your name?".
"..Orsted.."
"Orsted…ok… I'm the son of Paul Greyrat".
"Paul should just have two daughters.." I look at the kid, I'm on high alert now, so I move my hand to my rifle, this is not giving me good vibes.
And Orsted feels the same, as he starts to walk towards Rudeus.
"Don't come any closer!" Ruijerd, even half stopped from the fear, manages to speak up.
I follow Orsted.
"I just..wondered if you knew something about the mana disaster…just…that" Rudeus says
"No..I don't know…" we stop walking.
"Oh…ok, thanks…".
Orsted stays silent for a second.
"Does the name 'Hitogami' mean something to you?".
"¡Yes!, he appears in m-".
Orsted…went for the kill, it was so fast I barely could react, but Orsted beat them, blowing Rudeus Lungs and leaving Eris and Ruijerd heavily injured.
And as he started to leave, I just saw barely alive Rudeus, a hole in his chest, and the girl, crying her soul, pleading, "someone help Rudeus".
I just could stare, a few things started to click on my head, and as his blood started to come out of his open chest, I looked back at Orsted.
"...Orsted…" and he looks back at me.
"..I don't think this is right.., we..may be losing something here…".
"...What is your plan then".
"...I don't know…heal him, a…second chance…it may work for the better…, is not pleasing to see her… like that..…".
"..."
We went our own way, leaving the dragon's mountain, looking back at it, it was the right choice, Rudeus is useful.
Is quite comfy in this bed, also smells good, and is warm… no wait, it's not just the bed.
I open my eyes, that last dream sure does give me flashbacks, a bit sad for a "what if", still, I have a much better present right in front of my eyes.
"...Queen…you awake?"
The beauty I had for dinner tonight is Ariel Anemoi Asura, current queen of the Asura kingdom. She is wild to say the least, it almost felt like a battle, but being fair, I want the rematch.
"..hmhmm" She slept hugging my chest, currently she's hiding her face with my shoulder.
"you know it is not healthy to sleep more than 14 hours…" She just hugs harder.
"...ok you win…another hour then…." I pat her head, when she's not being sadomasochist as usual she is kinda cute
but.. I'm hungry…uhh what do I do?
"oh Queen of mine…you know that after such invigorated night I have to regain my energy, so, maybe it would be better to eat something, you know, i'm only human after all"
she holds a little laugh
"oh…Bodhi you never change do you?..." finally she is looking at me, her neck has a bite mark, she's not mine…yet still asked for it
"nor body nor soul, the same as always queen"
After a while we finally came out of the room, it seemed Luke was waiting, he's a good friend, always has been since the magic Academy days.
A little fist bump and we head out to do the usual of day by day.
Tomorrow I'll have to go back to Ranoa, as Orsted needs again some scouting work to do, and Rudeus is busy with some business, actually it's his day off, he has to rest once in a while.
We end up in a big room a huge table and lots of chairs, only a handful are used, Isolte, current Water god is Ariel's main bodyguard, as she is part of the Seven knights of Asura, the elite in combat and escorting, Ariel actually offered me said position but I had to deny it, as my current contractor is Orsted Corp.
The handful of chairs are occupied by Edward, Elizabeth and the little kid, Matthew, as currently Sariel and Michael are studying at the Asura School. I'm considered as an advisor for Ariel and her sons.
Yet, after we finish eating and everyone is leaving to do their things, Ariel tells me to stay.
She orders Isolte to give us some space.
"well..what do you want to tell me Queen?" is common for her to want a private talk every once in a while
"Bodhi, do you remember the graduation ceremony?"
"the one for the Kingdom School?,I do, is in…half a year if i'm right"
"..I want you to go in person"
"what…but… why?, I don't have any business there anyways"
"you have" her tone is more serious than before. oh… that
"no no no, I don't, she is not my problem, you said it yo-" Sariel spoke over me
"I know I said that but that doesn't exclude you from seeing them in their special events"
"..I'm just a guest here, I have no reason to.."
"Bodhi…you are not just a guest, you are her father…, you weren't at Elizabeth's ceremony either"
she knows,she knows how to break my defenses, and i'm still trying to figure out how to avoid it
"..and I want you to at least be proud of your daughter" I hate it, I hate thinking of that, really…really bad memories come to mind
"you say that, even when giving her the task of marrying Sieghart?"
"i did because he is you student, and I know you enough to know he is the right man for her" you fuckers from the nobility, this whole conversation is being a pain in the ass
"...Ariel… you don't understand.."
"I do understand, and I will keep pressuring you, because you can't be at the sidelines more, you have to start being a father for once"
I stood there in silence, if I went further with this, who knows how I would react, I let out a sigh.
"I will be there, alright? let's leave it here"
"...good…" she gets close, kissing my cheek
"Love you"
"Love you too queen", with that, she left
being a father for once huh?...I guess it's time, I already left my life in the past, better just start again right?...freaking 30 years later…
I went to one of the windows and smell the fresh air, I really want to smoke right now, still, I look at the sky
A big, floating pitch black sphere is the most notorious thing in the sky, just staying there, been like that for the past few months, but in a place that was hard to see with the whole palace in the middle.
"what have I gotten myself into…."
I should have told Rudeus about the sphere earlier, too late for that now..
Creator's note: I was afraid of publishing this chapter as it could put off some people, as the school arc is near its end I wanted to create an extra chapter, this is said chapter