Chapter 17:
Turning Point 1
Shirone Kingdom.
Roxas Migurdia was at his desk, working on creating a textbook on the Demon God language for his former pupil. He was around halfway done, after three months of hard work. That was when he glanced out the window.
"Hm…" He furrowed his eyebrows at the sight. Far off in the distance, he saw that the sky was an abnormal color. Brown, black, purple, and yellow. The sky shifted in color, mixing like a bucket of paint. Yet, he recognized that color pattern.
"What could that be…"
The colors were familiar to him, that was certain. But it was unprecedented. It couldn't be anything natural. The first thing that came to Roxas's mind was a wide-area spell going haywire.
Then, he remembered. The color pattern was that of summoning magic. But what type of summoning magic would be on such a large scale?
"In the direction of…the Asura Kingdom? No way…Lumina?" Roxas could see it happening. Even at the mere age of five, Lumina was capable of Saint-tier spells without breaking a sweat. She was in complete control of her mana pool, and it was evident that her pool was nearly endless. So if she was twice that age…
She had complained about fairly normal things in her most recent letter, yet she was most certainly capable of insane things.
"Thinking about your lover, Mister?" A voice broke him out of his thoughts.
"Huh? When did I ever manage to get myself a lover?" He tilted his head at his student. A lover, something he had only ever fleetingly thought about. He certainly wanted one at some point, but he really hadn't found anyone who lived up to his sky-high standards. Even if he did find his perfect woman, with the way he looked, he doubted she'd ever reciprocate his feelings.
"I slipped into your room and found all of the letters you had piled up in the corner of your shelf! She's just a pushover. With my power, I could have her killed or defiled!"
Roxas sighed. The prince he was tutoring was absurdly prideful. If he didn't receive all of one's attention, he would throw a tantrum. He was particularly spiteful of Lumina, who he viewed as less than himself since she was "merely a peasant girl."
"Feel free," Roxas said, rolling his eyes.
"Really? I'll do it, you know?! I can't take you talking about her anymore!"
The prince didn't even know where Lumina was. This was an empty threat if Roxas had ever seen one.
"If you can succeed at doing something to Lumina, you'll have my respect."
"What's with the cocky attitude?! You should know that I hold the power to do so!"
Roxas just sighed again. "The country of Asura is nearly ten times the size of Shirone. To be able to randomly assassinate a Saint-tier magician halfway across the continent would take some serious strategizing. Simply put, you couldn't do it."
"...I'll send my Imperial Guards!"
"Kid, I'll be quitting my position as your tutor soon, so you wouldn't make it in time even if you sent people out right this very minute." He flippantly replied, walking outside to the balcony.
"Wh-what? I haven't heard about this!" The prince raised his voice in shock.
"That's what I signed up for. Besides, some of the less savory people in the Royal Court want me gone. I can't risk myself like this for much longer."
"And… It's a good opportunity." He added.
"Good opportunity for what?"
"Something strange is going on with the Western sky. I'll check it out for myself soon."
Roxas also wanted to meet with Lumina again, to catch up with her. He wanted to see how much she had grown in the time they were apart. But, Roxas didn't say that out loud. He'd only get the prince more frustrated.
And thus, Roxas left Shirone and embarked on his journey. Afterwards, the seventh prince Pax Shirone protested this, declaring that Roxas should be punished thoroughly for dishonoring the royal family. However, the king was not willing to do anything for Pax. Instead, he was rebuked by members of the Royal Court and punished heavily for driving away the Wind King-tier magician Roxas Migurdia.
Roxas wasn't the only one who noticed the change in the sky. People from across the world everywhere took notice of the strange occurrence. Even people renowned as legendary beings noticed it.
The Red Wyrm Mountain Range
The Dragon God Orsted glared at the western sky.
"Is that… mana pooling in the west? At this time?" The man scowled, unable to believe the sight before his eyes.
"No matter, I'll see for myself..." He silently continued walking.
He headed west, stepping over the corpse of the red wyrm he had cut down with a single strike. Other dragons were swarming the area, yet none engaged him. They knew what would happen if they were to land near that man.
That being was the Dragon God, a being that existed far beyond the rules of the world. A man whom they could never touch.
Orsted continued down the mountain range, his mind in turmoil as he considered the possibilities of the event in the sky.
The Floating Fortress
The Armored Dragon King Perugius Dola, one of the three legendary heroes, looked down at the northern sky.
"What is that? That light is reminiscent of the light emitted when the Great Emperor of the Demon World revives…"
Standing near him was a woman with a bird's mask over her face, a member of the elusive Skyfolk possessing black wings on her back. She whispered to Perugius. "The mana levels are different."
"Correct. If anything, it looks like a wide-range summoning spell."
"That said, I've never seen a spell with that much light. It reminds me of when we created Chaos Breaker."
Perugius had to act.
He had spent today the same way he had every day during the past three hundred years. Seated atop his throne in Chaos Breaker, attended to by his twelve spirits, continuing to monitor the surface of the planet. He was only focused on one thing. His true objective. He waited in the sky for the exact moment the seal on his sworn enemy, the Demon God Laplace, would come undone.
"Could it be possible that the Great Emperor of the Demon World is attempting to unseal Laplace?"
"There's a possibility. They've been unsettlingly quiet since they were revived three hundred years ago," she responded.
"I see. Almanfi!"
"I am here, Lord Perugius." A man suited in white and wearing a yellow mask appeared in a white blip and kneeled before Perugius.
"Search this instant and…hmm. I'm nearly certain whoever is behind this is up to something. If you see anyone suspicious who looks to be involved, kill them."
"Understood, Lord Perugius."
The Armored Dragon King Perugius made his move, his twelve retainers acting under him. This time he would deal the finishing blow to the Demon God Laplace and end their centuries-long conflict at last.
The Sword Sanctum
The Sword God Gal Farion gazed up at the southern sky.
"What's with the sky? Err, also…" The second he looked up and put his attention towards something else, two of his pupils launched an attack on him. "Don't be like that, coming at me when I've got my attention on other things."
He was relaxed. He didn't think much of the strange sky color, and he was composed. However, his two disciples were out of breath.
They were being overconfident, as usual; The title of Sword Emperor went to their heads. A title meant nothing to a sword. The only thing it would get you would be wealth and political power. In the face of a lethal strike, those things were worthless. If you were physically powerful enough, you could survive.
Ghislaine had understood that, but couldn't keep herself at her peak. That was why she was going to be stuck at Sword King for the rest of her life. People who were willing to do anything to survive were innately strong, but one who knew that strength could always lose it. That was why Ghislaine had lost her way.
The pupils in front of him were not inherently talented from the beginning. It was their lust for growth and determination that drove them to become as strong as they were now. A pair who always lived for the battlefield.
"Hey, you two. Come at me already! I'm getting tired of standing around. If you can strike me down, you'll earn yourself the title of Sword God! You'll have the wealth to play around for centuries! All the women you could ever dream of! The mere mention of your name will make powerful people tremble!"
"Don't joke around, Master. I didn't start learning the sword for something as feeble-minded as that!"
"Master! Please don't insult us like that!"
It was perfect. They were on track to be more honest with themselves. That was how the greatest warriors were born. If they could, they'd be able to crush someone like him and be able to reap the title of the Sword God.
The Sword God Gal Farion had already forgotten about the southern sky.
Somewhere in the Demon Continent
The Great Emperor of the Demon World, Kishirika Kishirisu, peered up at the eastern sky.
"Haha! When you become as skillful as I am, you don't even have to turn around to see something behind you! Amazing, isn't it?!"
There was not a single soul around to answer her. No one for miles.
"So you're ignoring me! Hahaha! I'll forgive you humans because I am merciful! Or rather, no one will come near me because of the peace treaty, so I have to! Hahaha, Mwahaha! Hahaha." She sighed in distress.
Kishirika was lonely. There was no one she could talk to, so she was babbling on like an idiot in the middle of nowhere. From the moment she was revived, she cried out triumphantly, "I, the Demon World's Great Emperor Kishirika Kishirisu, have revived! Surely, I have kept you all waiting!"
Yet, no one was there. She decided to visit her city to repeat her declaration, but everyone looked at her like she was some pitiful child. Ever since no one had paid her any mind.
She even tried visiting one of her old friends, but they simply told her, "Things are peaceful now. There's no need for action, so please behave yourself."
"Haah… Honestly, youngsters these days…"
She looked up towards the eastern sky. Kishirika had another title, the Great Emperor of Demon Eyes. She possessed more than ten of them, all of which let her see different things. With said eyes, she could see the level of mana a spell had, and who was controlling it.
At least, she should have been able to.
"Hmm? I can't see who's behind this, huh? Must be a shy one, hiding your face after causing such an uproar. Oh, never mind. What is this…" She looked curiously up at the sky.
"How interesting! I've never seen anything like it! Carry on, little one!" She declared, hand on her hips.
"It'd be nice if they could summon a hero or something. Nowadays, it's all Laplace this and Laplace that. 'Kishirika? Who's that?' Whatever. I guess even heroes would flock over to good-looking men like Laplace. I want some time in the spotlight too, ya know!?"
She sighed as she began to go on her journey. One with no real destination.
On the Outskirts of Roa
Ares Boreas Greyrat was riding discreetly on a carriage, along with his master Auber Corvette. He was so relieved to finally be able to get away from his situation.
"Are you certain this is what you wish for, Ares?" His master asked.
"I'm certain. I'll have a much better time practicing for the sword than I ever would be fighting for some meaningless power in my family. I'll miss Ariel, but she'll have to understand." He said, and exhaled.
"Very well, Ares. It'll take us a few weeks for us to get out of the Fittoa Region, so why don't we stop by some of the local cities to rest?"
"That sounds good enough to me," Ares said, leaning his head towards the side of the carriage.
His heart was racing. He could finally, finally stop being his father's pawn. He spent the last three years doing all sorts of things he hated doing, solely because his father willed it. Every month that passed by he was tracking how much more of it he had to go through. Ares believed he was born to do something different with his life, so he had to do something.
"Master," He said to Auber.
"Yes, Ares?"
He took a deep breath and exhaled. "From now on, my name is just Ares."
Ares didn't want him to be associated with his past anymore. He was certainly the same person, but he was denouncing nobility forever. He was done. At last.
"Magnificient, Ares. I wasn't expecting that so early." Auber grinned at him.
And so, Ares threw away his old name. He peered up at the odd-looking sky. He wished the sky was blue for the occasion.
At The Same Time - Lumina's Perspective
It was nearly noon. My mother had called me to her guest room, presumably to discuss something. I was in the middle of writing in my diary, so this was a little odd. She usually just told me straight up if she needed something.
I walked down the hall towards my mother's room and entered.
"Hey, Mama. What did you need me for?" I asked. My mother was sitting on the chair at her desk, hands on her lap.
"I wanted to tell you something. Your dad and I talked, and we decided it would be in your best interests not to go to Ranoa until you're at least of age."
Of age in this world meant fifteen. That was five whole years from now!
"I thought we agreed that I was going to be going at twelve?" I said, my voice trembling. Was I hearing this right?
"Of course, sweetie. But, after you got kidnapped, I realized something that I should've realized a lot sooner. The world is dangerous, incredibly so for someone of your age. I don't want to see you hurt." She said, smiling. I mean, right, but isn't that being a bit overbearing?
"I-I get that, but this was something I wanted to do." For whatever reason, they had decided without consulting me. Surely I could get them to reconsider.
"Yes, but your father and I are worried about what could happen to you if we let you go."
Worried? I was looking forward to attending the University for so long, but being worried about it was the last straw. I scoffed.
"What of Sylphie? Wasn't she supposed to come along with me?" I said, squeezing my fists into balls.
"...Sylphie doesn't have the money to pay for the tuition." my mother said with a sigh. "I'm sorry Lumi, but Sylphie couldn't go with you either way."
"..." I knew that. I knew it all along, but I just didn't want to accept it. But if there was something that could solve my problems, it would be money.
"I'll work even harder, then. I'll make enough money to cover her tuition, and then we can go together!"
"That's not it, Lumi. You have to understand," she said firmly.
"What is there to misunderstand? You're being overbearing, mama!" I said, raising my voice.
"You can't spend your life doing everything for Sylphie. She'll never grow that way, and she'll be unable to do anything without your help. That's a fate that I would never wish upon any child." my mother said.
Sylphie was more than capable of making her own decisions. I didn't know where my mother was getting this idea from, but it was ridiculous.
"Who are you to determine how Sylphie will grow up? I'll never do anything to harm her, I wouldn't even dream of it!" I shouted.
"That's not the point, Lumi. If I let you go out now, what'll happen if you're killed? What then?" She stood up from her chair.
"Something like that could happen at home too! I've spent my whole life with you guys, trying to be the best daughter that I could. Could you not listen to this one request of mine?!"
"There's a limit to what you can ask for, Lumina! Going to the university is a privilege which you should be grateful you even have!"
I've heard it a million times. "A privilege, not a right." I didn't need to hear it anymore.
I continued. "That's exactly why it's a request. This is something I'm interested in and I can't just stand by and watch the time pass without me doing anything!"
"Can't you wait longer? You're just a kid, you have your whole future ahead of you! And I'm supposed to protect that future!" She looked me straight in the eyes, with a serious look on her face.
"I don't need you to dictate what I can or can not do, Mother! I'm my own person, not someone for you to shape into your perfect daughter!" I yelled. Her expression fell apart. I turned to leave.
"L-Lumina! Get back here right now!" My mother called after me, and I shut the door behind me.
I couldn't believe my mother would do something like this. I'll say it outright—I was growing tired. I had a nice little life, but that was just it. It was little. What would be the point of my second chance if I stayed holed up in my home, as I had been for the majority of my past life?
I ran into my room, grabbed Tailwind Zephyr, and headed outside. I needed to think about this a little better. I took a few shortcuts and hid my face. I decided to get outside of Roa, to clear my head.
I was lying down on a field of grass near the city walls, contemplating my mother's decision. I peered at my staff.
"I guess could use this chance to use my new staff a little…" As I thought that, I heard someone approaching me.
I saw Ghislaine walking towards me, looking a little distraught. "C'mon, kid. Is it really such a big deal that you won't go to school for a few more years?"
"…it's not just that, Ghislaine," I said.
"Then what is it, then? I don't see why you had to blow up at Zenith like that." She said, maintaining eye contact with me.
"I… just can't stand the thought of staying cooped up at home, doing nothing with my life. That's not something I want to do." I replied. I'd had more than enough of that during my past life. No way was I going to do any more of that again.
"That's admirable, I'll give you that. But couldn't you stay with your family for a little longer? You shouldn't be rushing through your life like this. That's how you end up dead, Lumi."
"I know that! But I can't just stand around doing nothing. If I get the chance now, I want to improve myself. Why can't you all understand?"
"Think about it a little more. You have to value your parents and the time you spend with them. Why would you just up and leave their lives if you're not finished growing up? Do you know how horrible it feels for someone to be taken away from their children?" She looked distraught as if she had witnessed someone in that exact situation.
"Value…your parents," I repeated and began to think. In my past life, my parents were completely detached from my life. They were always focused on my siblings and never gave me a thought. When I fell into my depressive and hikikomori-like state, they did the bare minimum for me. They didn't even check up on me or try to get me out of my condition. They just… left me there, even if we were in the same home.
…compared to that life, what I had now was infinitely better. My parents cared dearly about me, and their actions showed it.
Jeez, what was I thinking? So what if I couldn't improve? Experiencing this second chance to the fullest didn't mean taking every single opportunity when I had it. Why couldn't I have understood that? I thought back on what I had said to my mother. She was just looking out for me, and I insulted her.
I got up on my feet. "I… understand now. I'm sorry."
Ghislaine smiled at me and nodded. "Don't say that to me, Lumina. Say that to your family."
"Alright, then. Let's go." I said. I wanted to apologize to my mother especially.
I grabbed hold of Ghislaine's arm and we began to walk towards Roa. That was when I noticed it. The sky. It was shifting in all sorts of outlandish colors, and it didn't look like anything natural in the slightest.
"Hm?" Ghislaine followed my gaze, looking up. She flipped up her eyepatch and revealed a bright gold-colored iris. That's a demon eye…One that can see mana as a physical thing. "That's… an incredible amount of mana." She said. Ghislaine quickly flipped her eyepatch back on.
"Should we hurry, then?" I asked. I didn't exactly know what this strange sky signaled, but it wasn't good. It was ominous.
"I don't think so. The closer you get to the city the more concentrated the mana is. We should move somewhere else for now." Ghislaine said.
"What about my family? And the liege lord? We've got to at least warn them!" I said. If this was going to get messy, I wanted to be with my family.
"Then, I'll go–Lumina! Get down!"
I didn't hesitate. The urgency in her voice was enough to make me duck reflexively. A flash of white flittered by my eyes, slicing through the space where I had been moments before.
What? What's going on?
"You!"
Next to me, Ghislaine entered into a stance that I knew well from sparring with Paul. It was the Sword God's Style trump card and Saint-tier technique–The Longsword of Light. Rumored that if performed to perfection, one's blade could cut through anything at the speed of light. This was the technique that put the Sword God Style above all of the others in sheer strength.
"Hm." Ghislaine's eyebrows furrowed. She missed her target, meaning that whoever her opponent was, they had dodged an attack that ended in the blink of an eye. Ghislaine's face hardened in caution.
I flipped my head around to see who had attacked us.
"..."
A man was standing there, unfazed. He had lavish blond hair and was wearing a full white suit. It was similar to a school uniform in that it was fashioned from the front. His face was obscured by a yellow mask that had the markings of a fox's face., and he was holding a large, dark blue dagger in one hand.
"Who are you? Tell me your name!" Ghislaine shouted.
The moment after that, his face gleamed. The light was so blinding that I was left unable to make anything out except for white, blinded.
I heard Ghislaine growling in contempt. Then the sound of metal clashing against metal. Rapid movement.
By the time my eyes had recovered, Ghisliane was shielding me with her body.
"Bastard! Who are you? Are you an enemy of the Boreas?" Ghislaine barked.
"I am Almanfi the Radiant. I have come here to put a stop to all of this madness by the order of Lord Perugius." He said.
Perugius? What was a servant of a bygone legendary hero doing here? According to the books I had read at the library, he was one of the twelve spirits who aided Perugius in defeating the Demon God Laplace. He could move at the speed of light if The Legend of Perugius was accurate.
"I have come to slay that mage. If I do, the disturbance may cease. Step aside, woman." He said.
Slay me? I had Tailwind Zephyr with me, so I did look like a mage, but I hadn't even been casting any spells.
"Lumina! Get behind me!" Ghislaine shouted. I did as I was told, and stepped into her shadow.
"I am Sword King Ghislaine Dedoldia. Whatever is happening to the sky has nothing to do with us! Withdraw immediately!"
"Sword King, you say? How can I believe that?"
"Look! This is one of the famous blades of the Seven Original Sword Gods, Hiramune–Flat Core! Is this not sufficient proof?" She presented her sword to Almanfi, still holding onto the hilt tightly.
"Swear on the name of your master and your household," Almanfi said.
"I swear on the name of the Sword God Gal Farion, and the honor of Dedoldia."
"Very well. If we later find that your claims aren't as truthful as you say, Lord Perugius will decide your fate."
"That's fine by me."
Almanfi put away his dagger. I still didn't know what was happening, but the tension had been alleviated. Did swearing on something in this world hold this much weight? To me, it was clear that swearing on something's name or honor didn't mean anything. That was probably just my past life's perspective, though.
"As long as you two aren't the ones responsible, I'll let you go. Although, I advise you to get out of the area."
"No apology for nearly killing the young girl without warning?" Ghislaine asked.
"You have no one else but yourselves to blame. You were skulking around here of all places." He said pointedly and turned on his heel.
I was left struggling to keep up. My eyes drifted to Ghislaine, who was balling her fists. Ah… But what about my family? The shock of nearly being killed was overridden by my concern. What of them? What did this strange phenomenon mean? My mind raced.
Suddenly, a blip of dazzling white light surrounded Almanfi, and he disappeared.
"Ah! Wait, at least tell us–" I began.
My eyes shot up to the sky, which I had completely ignored. The fixed point in the middle began to puff up, and it twisted into a whirlpool before condensing itself into one small point.
Then, it exploded.
A beam of blue light branched downwards from the explosion, creating a deafening shockwave. The second it hit the ground, the light ballooned outwards at an insane speed.
I looked back, and I saw Ghislaine being sucked into the light. "Lumina!" She cried out.
I gripped my staff tightly and tried to cover myself in a stone fortress. Before I could finish the spell, the light violently swallowed everything in its path, including me. Followed by the manor, the city, and the citadel; everything on the ground was obliterated. The light expanded further and further, and soon enough, I lost consciousness.
That was the day the Fittoa Region vanished.
Interlude
It was six months after the Fittoa Region disappeared. Roxas had finally made it to the area, only to be met with grass-covered plains.
"...Huh?"
He was standing on the main pathway, the one that connected various cities of what used to be the Fittoa Region. Or at least, he was standing where it once was. There was nothing here. Not even a single tree.
"What could possibly have…"
Something happened. Of course, he knew that. But he was completely in the dark as to what it was. Everything was gone. Buena Village was nowhere to be found. Lumina along with her whole family? Gone as well. The place she had called home for two years had vanished.
Roxas had heard rumors on the way here, but he always brushed them off. There was no way they were true, after all. People out there did like to deceive people very often, he told himself. Or rather, he subconsciously refused to accept it. Lumina and her family were surely fine.
That all came crashing down as he was forced to face the harsh reality. Roxas's knees gave out from under him.
"I…"
"Lost someone too, right?" The voice of the man who drove the carriage he was riding on came from behind him.
"An…extremely talented young apprentice." He answered.
"An apprentice, you say. Being a mage's apprentice, they must've been prepared for some danger anyways, eh?"
"She…was only ten."
"It happens to all of us. Even if it was too soon." He patted Roxas on the shoulder, attempting to reassure him.
Roxas was dumbstruck. He thought back to all of the memories he had made with the Greyrat family. The way they accepted him. How they treated him like a part of their family. He didn't want to think about it, but it was all he could think about.
The driver watched him in silence, before speaking up. "You know, kid. There's a Fittoan Refugee camp around here. Maybe you could find your pupil there?"
Roxas perked up at that instantly. "I'll go!" If there was anyone who could survive something like this, it was Lumina. Roxas was certain he'd find her along with her family all living in that camp, in perfect health.
He refused to think about any other possibility.
The refugee camp consisted of many hastily constructed wooden buildings, and tents set up all over the place. A considerable amount of people bustled about. However, Roxas noticed that not one of them had a smile on their face.
Is this truly… The Asura Kingdom? Roxas thought to himself.
Everywhere around the Asura Kingdom was a thriving environment with tons of opportunities and a great quality of life. But nothing here suggested anything of the sort.
Sure, there was plenty of food to go around. No one was in danger of starving, and the people here were living pretty well. Yet, Roxas despaired at the sight before him.
In front of the melancholy Adventurer's Guild, stood a woman. She was on her knees in front of the signboard that normally should've held job listings.
"No way, no way, no way, no way! I went through so much to come back here! Francis… my boy… Jacob… why are you all…" She sobbed. It looked as if she had lost everything. No one wanted to hear such tormented cries, but they knew better than to try to stop them.
"Saint Millis… How could you? Is this what you intended for me?!" A priest threw the tools of his trade onto the ground. They were the very symbol of this man's religion, but clearly, he was no longer interested in worshipping his god. "You put me through all of this! I have no faith left for you! You're a cruel demon who enjoys watching the suffering of the human spirit!" He was furious, and he looked up at the sky in hatred. There were other priests around, but none of them were in the mood to pray.
A merchant took a dagger and put it to his neck. People around him rushed to stop him. "Don't stop me, dammit!"
"Don't be hasty! Nothing good can happen if you're dead! What good would dying do for you?!"
"There's nothing left for me anymore! I-I just lost something more important to me than… my own life! Just… let me die… please, I beg you." He fell to the ground and began sobbing. His entire body trembled as he covered his face with his arms.
It was a horrible, horrible place.
I'm… not so sure I want to check this anymore, Roxas thought, as he drew closer to the long list on the board in front of him. Sucked into the atmosphere of the place, Roxas felt like curling up into a corner and crying. Still, he urged himself to get information about the situation.
An hour passed.
He had digested the base outline of what had happened there, six months ago. After the sky turned an atypical color, a massive mana calamity occurred over the entirety of the Fittoa Region.
People wouldn't call it an explosion, but the effects of it spread across a vast area. People caught in the disaster were teleported to places all over the world, seemingly at random. Thus, the most popular term for the incident was "The Fittoan Mass Teleportation."
"What a catastrophe…" Roxas said as he began scanning the bulletin board which held the information for all known dead or confirmed missing Fittoans. Posted all around them were messages that read, "If you find this person in your travels, please bring them back home."
The thing that caught the eye of Roxas the most was a large, official-looking stamp. It was under the name of one of the highest nobility in all of Asura. It read: "High priority missing person: Ares Boreas Greyrat. The reward is five hundred gold pieces." It seemed like they were also sponsoring the search of the missing persons, in search of this boy.
Roxas turned his attention to the list of the confirmed dead and looked through it. Despite the massive scale, the list was relatively short. However, the list of the missing was extremely long. Since people had been teleported across the wide world, it made sense that many people's whereabouts or deaths were unregistered. One could be teleported into a high-risk area and never be found. Places that could kill people instantly and without leaving corpses.
"There it is."
Roxas furrowed his brows as he looked at the names of the people he had found.
Paul Greyrat. Lilia. Zenith Greyrat. Lumina Greyrat. Sirius Greyrat. Norn Greyrat.
Roxas had learned from Lumina's letters that Norn and Sirius were her twin siblings. However, he noticed that only Paul had his name crossed out. He looked through the names of the dead and confirmed that Paul wasn't on it. At least he was alive. Yet, he felt an immense amount of despair over the fact that he was the only one that there was any information about. It pained him. He looked around the board once again.
"Wait, that's…"
He found a message on the board. The writer was Paul Greyrat.
Lumina,
Zenith, Aisha, Sirius, Norn, and Lilia are all missing. I pray with all of my being that you are okay. I don't know where you could possibly be, but I know that you of all people could survive. I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm going to look for everyone else before you. I'm sure that if you are alive, you will manage to get back here safely.
I'm trying my best, but it's getting harder every single day without seeing any of you guys by my side.
Right now, I'm headed towards the Millis Continent. That's where Zenith was raised. I've sent a letter to Lilia's hometown, too. If you can manage to come back safely, please take care of yourself. Find someone you can trust, and search the Northern part of the Central Continent. If you can find any of them, contact me immediately with the information below.
Zenith, and Lilia, if one of you sees this, please contact me too.
For anyone who might know me, or any ex-members of the Fangs of the Black Wolf, I beg of you, please help me search. I know that the former members have mixed feelings about me, and I won't ask you to put your feelings aside. Hurt me, rob me, do your worst. Just please, help me find my family.
Contact Information:
Millis Continent, Holy Country of Millis's Capital Millishion, Adventurer's Guild. Party Name: Search Squadron for Buena Village Residents. Clan Name: The Capital's Search for Missing Persons Association.
–From Paul Greyrat
Paul was alive. Roxas sighed in relief. The man was acting reliably, which was a side of him Roxas had never seen before.
Roxas stopped in his tracks. He owed the Greyrats a great deal of debt, for many reasons. He wanted to see them all again, smiling together. He was more than just willing to help.
Paul, I trust in you. He thought, working together a plan in his mind. The Fangs of the Black Wolf was most likely Paul's old adventuring party. He assumed that none of them were going to be acquainted with Lumina or Lilia, for that matter. Since Paul had left Lumina for last, Roxas decided to take it upon himself to look for her.
He couldn't bear to think that a girl of such high skill could be lost so easily. He was going to bring her back, no matter what it took.
Where to start… He thought. Since Paul was making his way toward the Millis Continent, that meant he probably set similar messages here in the places along the path to Millis. Which were the Asura Kingdom's southern borders, the King Dragon's Kingdom's Eastern port, and the Holy Country of Millis's western port.
So, Roxas needed to search beyond that. The northern region of the Central Continent, the Begaritt Continent, and the Demon Continent. One of the three regions. Roxas had heard that the Begaritt Continent was filled to the brim with insanely dangerous monsters and labyrinths. Even though the Demon Continent was Roxas's birthplace, he wasn't going to stake his life on his familiarity with the land.
Roxas could take the easy way out, and search the Northern region of the Central Continent, but that was exactly why he needed to search elsewhere. If Lumina was there, she would make it back to what was left of Fittoa in due time.
And so, he made up his mind. He was going to head for the King Dragon's Kingdom Eastern port, find a party that was headed for Begaritt or the Demon Continent, and he would make his way from there.
Roxas finished his preparations and swiftly headed back towards his carriage. He got a move on, not stopping to think about anything other than finding his lost pupil.
That was the beginning of Roxas Migurdia's long journey.
Author's Note: Hope you've enjoyed the series so far. This is my magnum opus for the entire fanfiction as it stands today, so I hope you liked this chapter. :)