~ Chapter 9 ~

[ A Bestial Endeavour ]

Rulid Village was in yet another outrage. This time, it was much worse than the loss of a single child.

Five. That was the number of souls that had gone missing—the fact that no one had witnessed their disappearance whatsoever was cause for concern. And that so many had gone missing in such short notice had everyone up in arms, quickly dispersing in order to find them.

She had been there when Chief Gasupht left the house. Likely soon to be overworking himself trying to maintain some amount of decorum. Per Fanatio's orders, he was forced to spread the news that only one child had gone missing. Such was untrue, but for the many that knew no better, that was the only thing that they deserved to know for now. It was 'safer' to believe that only one kid had gone missing than five; lessens the amount of panic going around.

And yet, the sheer timing of everything is adding up to a cumulative fear.

'Kirito and Eugeo haven't returned since they'd gone to work today, there was that strange aura I sensed from the northern caves, and now the children are going missing… What is going on today?'

Pushing past several people, Charlotte would have offered words of apologies if she wasn't in a rush to convene with the other hunters. Several other guardsmen had assembled themselves and their weapons to patrol the perimeter, if only to keep an eye out in case something or someone turns up. Children were being shepherded back indoors by their parents, and adults who could help took to their duties as best they could.

Rulid was in full swing tonight, and though it would turn to midnight sometime from now, sleep would be the last thing on anyone's mind tonight.

Charlotte clicked her tongue. If only she'd gone to investigate that strange emission of energy from the cave… but she'd been busy on her patrol missions with the others. Shirking her job when she'd already volunteered for it would have been irresponsible. That doesn't make her feel any better, but right now, things are a mess. She's got to—

A sudden burst of energy from a direction catches her attention, jet-black eyes widening in surprise as her head snapped towards the source. 'What… is this feeling?'

Frigid cold. That was the only way she could describe it, even though the physical sensation of being cold did not come to her. Her body did not shiver or react to the feeling that washed over her. No, it felt more like a phantom imagination of her mind's creation, intended to make her feel like she'd just walked into snowy plains despite how clear the weather is at the moment.

With it being so close to winter, the nights here are cold, she will admit that much. But this sensation was… separate. Too distinct to interpret as a physical sensation. Too ethereal.

And it feels familiar.

'…It's coming from the church,' her mind whispers, a bad feeling overcoming her. 'What is that..?'

Her head gazes back in the direction she was heading, knowing that she should be looking for Reyes or the other two hunters. However, without wasting a single moment to consider it, she turned to run in the opposite direction.

A part of her suspected that some third party had entered their village. A Dark Territory spellcaster, perhaps? This feeling she has speaks of some kind of «Sacred Art», but more ancestral and older. Raw and powerful. It's enough to set off too many alarms in her head that, if she ignored it now, she knew she would regret it later—especially if they end up hurting the children in the orphanage.

The suffering it would inflict upon Kirito would be unimaginable. She can't let even more go missing.

Snapped out of her thoughts, her eyes caught sight of something for just a second. Something emanated from the church grounds; pale blue glowing lines seemed to spread outwards like a rippling circle, eventually fading off but telling her that a spell was being casted.

Fearing the worst, Charlotte broke into a sprint immediately after, running past the others. Without even giving a thought for what the others would think seeing her, she leapt up onto the roof of the church, finding purchase on the building's slanted roof and balancing herself precariously on a brick. Quickly, she looked down, ready to introduce herself and make do with the attackers…

"…What in the world?"

'Cardinal Dragons'. The name alone would have made zero sense to most people who hear them the first time, left with the assumption that perhaps these are just fancy titles to set them apart from the other dragons.

She knew that to be untrue. The term 'cardinal directions' is used to denote the four directions that people use in geographical mapping and layouts, determined with the use of the light of Solus as it rises and sets as reference points. Such a term was then used to coin their title, for the four of them each govern over one quadrant of the Human Empire.

She, the dragon of the north, was tasked with overseeing Norlangarth's safety and future. And in her creation, by the miraculous and gentle hands of the creator Stacia, she was blessed with many a gift.

Limitless «Life» to carry out her duty until the end of time. Intellect to better understand the world and its people. Strength to defeat all that opposed her. A body so durable and natural abilities perfect in every situation. The ability to use «Sacred Arts» to interact with the world in a way that could overcome certain limitations. And finally…

'Now then, Kirito, Eugeo. The both of you need not do anything, but I will need immense focus in what I am about to do. Be sure not to try and distract me, understood?'

"Will do. No one should be coming around here, so it should be fine for you go ahead."

'Very well. Eugeo, I shall proceed with the spell now. Touch the ground with the palm of your hand and all your fingertips.'

"Oh, alright," recovering from her words earlier, he crouched onto one foot and planted his right hand directly on the ground—connected as they are, she could feel the faint sensation of wet soil against his fingers, as if she was touching it herself. A small hiss escapes him but he manages to steady himself. "O-Okay. Is this good?"

'It is, yes. Maintain this posture for at least five minutes. I shall do my best to make it quick.'

Goddesses, it had been far too long since she'd made use of her blessed ability. Her last had been during her fight with the Integrity Knight, of which she'd used it to give herself every bit of an advantage as she could get to win their fight.

She had lost that day, slew and dethroned. But today, she takes her place once more as a Cardinal Dragon.

'I offer the life of the Algor Halcyon to the goddess of creation. May my devotion serve you until my passing,' she muttered. And then, without wasting a beat, Selena brought to life the gift of which was passed down unto her by the goddess of creation: '«Lexida of Vision».'

The world around her shifted. Eugeo gasped, green eyes watching their surroundings as the area began to glow in ethereal auroras, the air rich with resources that were slowly multiplying. To the point that the area was aglow with what could have been will-o-wisps.

Befitting her status as a guardian of Norlangarth, within her is a unique gift. A «Cardinal Favour», as she and her comrades once called them—the easier it is to differentiate from «Sacred Arts» that all beings are capable of using, and «Dark Arts» that are specific to the people of the Dark Territory.

It is unlike anything that she knows, for each one of them are granted «Favours» that are completely unique to one another. And, fortunately, part of what she is bestowed allows her to tap into the memories of the world itself.

Accessing her «Favour», Selena could feel the build-up of ethereal energy in their surroundings, which quickly began to grow in volume. Cold, frigid air blew outwards from Eugeo… or at least, that was the way it should be, but it was simply a phantasmal projection intended to depict the actuality. In truth, however, no winds blew and the temperature of the air dropped none.

What did change, however, was the glow of bright illuminance across Eugeo's skin, his arm acting as a medium to transduce her intended spell into the earth. From the point of contact between his hand and the earth, light ripples outwards like a puddle, leaving faint signs of frost that spread from his point of contact to the ground. Each pulse travelled as far as they could before they melted away, only to reform just as quickly.

"W-Whoa…" Eugeo watched intently as the ripples spread outwards from his touch, moving beyond the village walls at a speed akin to a flash of lightning. It travels along every surface that it touches, and faint traces of it reach the mountains. "What are you doing?"

'I am currently attempting to sync up my search with the individuals that are lost from this village. And it seems I've found something interesting. It seems that their disappearance does indeed have something to do with this monster you've been speaking of.'

"How do you know that?"

'Every being leaves behind a signature aura, if you will—be it a physical appearance or even the usage of «Sacred Arts». I am picking up traces of it everywhere within the village.'

The realization of such leaves even a sick feeling in her gut. She hadn't noticed it earlier, if only because of how minute they'd been. But now that she's finding these hints, it's honestly shocking just how abundant these traces are.

"Shit… Then it did kidnap the children. But it could be really far from here, and none of the hunters or Fanatio had managed to find it all this time. How are you—"

'Norlangarth,' she interrupted. 'Is my territory. It is the empire I was tasked with protecting. It is my duty to know all things regarding it. As such, would it not make sense that I would know all that happens within Norlangarth?'

That was simply the gist of it. All of Norlangarth's goings-on never fails to evade her, no matter how far or how deep down or high up they may be; she is the overseer of the north. It is her territory, and in her territory, all is for her to see and protect. Such is her pride and birthright.

The reliance on her «Favour» works well, sending a chain of messages across the earth that would then rebound once more to her. It was an immaculate system of information transmission that had never failed her in her old life, and would not fail her now.

In the sixth beat, something shifted. Selena immediately homed in on that particular anomaly, quickly tracing its location and refusing to let go.

'I have found it!' She cried out, ceasing the spell but not completely severing the connection. The boys perked up at her shout. 'It is—'

Something approaches.

Before she could figure out what it was, a body drops from the sky, the sounds of her dress flapping against the wind ended with her boots stamping against the ground, kicking up dust in a dramatic fashion. The person slowly stood up, her short silken black hair waved and bobbed with her descent.

Powerful. That was the single impression she got from a single glance. It was such a distinct aura that, though was being muted, told her enough to know that Fanatio was not the only strongest person in the village. Though no weapon rested on her person, she could tell that perhaps she herself is a weapon enough. It was enough to make every fibre of her being scream at her to be cautious.

And everything was telling her that she knew of this person.

The boys had a very much different reaction to her presence, rounding on her in shock. "C-Charlotte?!" Eugeo cried out. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Throwing the question right back at them had them stuttering for a response. "From what I'd heard, none of you had returned home despite supposedly having finished your calling," her words had them flinching. "And what was that glow I saw earlier? Was that—"

"Charlotte!" Kirito quickly grabbed both her hands, cutting off her tirade. "Listen, I know we're in big trouble, and we'll both make it up to you and Sulinea later. We promise. But right now, we've got bigger fish to deal with!"

She looked hardly pleased to let the initial topic slide, but opted to accept it. "Of course. The village is in a state of unrest following the disappearance of a child—"

"Five. Fanatio told you to keep it secret, didn't he?"

"…The fact that you know of this is likely because you spoke to him. Yes, five children did indeed go missing tonight," she sighed, sounding rather unnerved herself. "We haven't exactly come up with concrete evidence as to where they'd gone, but there's a high chance that it has to do with our hidden quarry. For the time being, the hunters, myself and Fanatio will be dispatched to search for them and the monster. And you two should find someplace to hide for the time being. In fact, you should return home. It would be much safer for you."

"Or we could help you with finding that monster! We know where it is!"

"What? How could—"

'No wonder I recognized your aura,' she exited Eugeo's body through his chest, materializing herself as a wisp once more. This 'woman' stared at her, eyes growing wide. 'Charlotte… Ah, of course. We met long ago.'

"L-Lady Selena?" She whispered, disbelief rich in her voice. The way she was looking at her was akin to someone seeing a ghost; she supposed that's not exactly untrue. "I-Is that actually you?"

'Yes. Rather hard to believe considering my form, but I—'

Charlotte promptly dropped onto one knee, head lowered in a respectful fashion. The other two boys blinked at the sight.

"I… I can't believe it. Your soul still lives on," she shook her head, staring up at the wisp. "I had thought that you'd long expired when the Axiom Church dispatched their strongest to hunt you down… You have been here all this while?"

'That's the odd thing. I feel like I shouldn't be, and yet here I am… In fact, it feels like I hadn't been unconscious for the past few centuries. Up until now, that is. In fact, it was around that time that the young boys here entered the northern cave.'

"I see. So the reason the boys hadn't returned early…"

'You may refer to it as a call for help, if you will. A… tragedy would have befallen the people of the Human Empire had these two brave souls not intervened,' she gestured to the two children (might as well try and cover for them. She owes them that much, at least).

"Is that so…" Her sigh conveyed equal amounts of gratitude, pride and exasperation. "I suppose the shame falls upon me for being surprised. I really shouldn't, now that I look back on it. The two of you oft find yourselves in the centre of such situations. This is just another one amongst the many," Kirito and Eugeo had the good graces to be embarrassed about that. "Nevertheless, reunions can wait until later," she rose once more. "So you've located where the beast is?"

'It is southeast of here, towards Uetra Valley.'

"Uetra Valley…" Eugeo muttered the name, a look of worry surfacing. "If I remember correctly, plenty of dangerous beasts hang around that place. Travellers typically avoid that place because there's nothing to gain from travelling there, though it is home to some rare species of herbs that you can't find elsewhere. But the overall risk of going there is just too much."

A fitting place for it to hide itself. No sane human would go there, after all, so might not make use of the obvious advantage? Even during her time of life, everyone steered clear of what had housed the deaths of many foolish men. 'I'd tracked down its location earlier by utilizing my «Favour», and it seems to be staying in that location for the time being—though I wager it won't stay there for long, so we should make haste.'

"Then we know what to do," Kirito nodded. "I'll go inform Fanatio and the hunters, try and send them that way. Charlotte, Eugeo, the two of you should go ahead. Selena's currently bound to Eugeo's body right now, and since she's currently got ahold of its position, she'll be able to update you guys in case it starts to move. Find some way to get there. Maybe with a horse or something. I'll join up with you later."

"Our village doesn't exactly have any horses, are there?"

'That won't be an issue,' Selena said. 'Remember the speed-boosting «Sacred Arts» I used on Kirito while he was fighting my curse—'

"Wait, what's that about a curse?"

'—I will cast that on Charlotte,' she ignored the look she was getting from the woman. 'She can carry Eugeo and run ahead.'

"Then we have our plan. I'll meet up with you guys later on. I'll make a quick stop at the shed and grab the Blue Rose Sword."

Selena perks up at the mention of the sword. Eugeo seemed just as taken aback by that. "W-What? But why would we need it? We probably don't."

"No guarantees on that, man. We gotta' be as prepared as we can," he shook his head. "Now go! I'll try and make it quick! Charlotte, Selena, I'll leave Eugeo's safety in your hands! Now get moving!"

"Of course," nodded the other ravenette. "No time to be wasted now. Come, Eugeo. As you are currently locked onto the beast, we'll be able to keep track of its movements."

This was really happening, it seemed. Eugeo realized that, feelings such as disbelief and fear springing up inside of his chest. Selena could feel every bit of it, blooming like a tendrilled vine that wrapped painfully around his heart.

And yet, the hope and conviction he sowed within himself quickly did away with his hesitation, warm, his green eyes reflecting willpower that even Selena could not help but be amazed to witness. The hand of his ruined arm balled tight, sending jolts up his skin that he used to keep himself focused.

"I… A-Alright," he nodded. "Kirito, be safe!"

"That's what I should be saying to you!" His best friend grinned back. She felt the hope in Eugeo's chest grow, inspired by the other boy's confidence. "Don't die!"

Scoffing at that last bit, Eugeo exchanged a nod with Kirito before all of them broke off, Kirito heading for the village centre while Eugeo and Charlotte rushed for the southern gate. Several people watched them go in confusion, but no one could stop them when even they were occupied—things were just too much in disarray for anyone to care about three people leaving the village.

"So wait, are we actually going to travel on foot? I know Selena said that she can use that wind blessing to speed us up, but—"

'Have faith in Charlotte,' the dragoness interjected. 'It goes without saying that she's the fastest of the two of you. And with the wind blessing, she'll make the journey fast. Hurry!'

His expression reflected doubt on that particular matter, though he quickly relented in the end. "Gaah..! Okay, okay!" Without missing a beat, he leapt onto the woman's back, who held him up by the back of his knees. "Okay then, what are— Whaaa!"

Like an arrow, Charlotte is suddenly zooming across the ground, winds kicked up beneath her feet as Selena casts the same spell she'd done on Kirito during their battle to spur her forth. The world moves right past them as they almost turn into a blur of colours in the eyes of spectators, zipping out through the southern gates.

"Don't run so fast! Charlotte?! Charloootte..!"

All of this was messed up.

Of all possible scenarios, this was simply not one of them. People going missing? He'd thought the worst that could have possibly happened was Eri, Yuka and Selka getting taken away by the goblins that night and almost getting killed. Nothing like this.

'Calm down. You have Charlotte, Selena and Fanatio. They can help.'

Sprinting down the road, Kirito let out a panting breath before making a corner, stopping short to catch his breath and scan the crowd for a hint of violet armour.

Integrity Knight Fanatio Synthesis Two… Never would he have thought that he'd be actively looking for an Integrity Knight to begin with. But the situation is different now; he's their best bet at killing this thing if it proves to be too dangerous to handle. Call it a gut feeling, but Kirito could tell that he was far stronger than he let on.

But finding no sign of the knight in question, desperation rising, he forced himself into a run once more to search for the knight.

Had he already left the village? And he couldn't even find any of the hunters. That would be bad. He really needed to tell them that the monster was at Uetra Valley! Otherwise, they'd be too late and the children—

'Stop it! Don't think negative thoughts! We made it before! This won't be any different!'' He snarled in his head, head swivelling left and right to find either Fanatio or the hunters. "Damn it… Fanatio! Sir Fanatio, are you there?!" His yelling caught the attention of a few villagers, some of them staring at him in surprise. "Fanatio! Come on, come on..! Where are you?!"

"Kirito!" A strong voice called his name, prompting him to halt and turn his head towards the source. A large, burly man with a massive sword strapped to his voice jogged over to him, his identity known to everyone in the village. "Where have you been? We'd been—"

"No time, Reyes! Chew me out later when everyone is happy and safe!" He interrupted. "Listen, we found the monster's location! Charlotte has already moved ahead, and I was trying to look for you and Fanatio! They're at Uetra Valley!"

"Uetra Valley..? That's too far."

"Not far enough for me," their heads snapped towards Fanatio, his footsteps steady and loud despite the noise in the village. Beside him, his draconic companion proudly strode forwards, the gleam in its eyes indicating that it was ready for battle. "Uetra Valley, you say? I shall head there and convene with Miss Charlotte. The rest of you, guard your village."

"Then I'll be coming with you! I—"

"Nonsense. You cannot fight."

"I can!" Kirito yelled back, adamant. "Eugeo went as well, so I've got to be there to make sure that nothing bad happens to him!"

"You would be foolish even now? I'd been lenient enough to tell you of the situation, and you would attempt to push your luck, boy?" This time, he could tell that he was starting to get annoyed. "There is no time for this. Hunter, keep that boy restrained. He will not be stepping foot out of this village no matter what."

"But that's—"

"Kirito," a large hand grabbed him by the shoulder. His stern voice had him ready to argue, but seeing the firm look on his face, he was forced to stew in silence. "Listen to him. You'd only get in the way. Can't you stop being reckless and think for once?"

Damn it… He knows that they're right. He'd most likely be a liability to the group if he came along. But he can't just sit around and do nothing here! His best friend was out there and putting himself in danger for his brothers and their friends! He'd even promised that he'd go meet them later.

"Seriously… You've already given us such a headache for the night. How 'bout you head back and—"

"Kirito!"

Whatever thoughts surging in his mind came to an abrupt halt, the boy freezing up upon hearing that voice. Black eyes slowly went wide as he turned to look at the source of the voice. He had barely half a second to even acknowledge the blonde hair before the person threw themselves at him, wrapping their arms around him and pulling him in close.

"A-Ack..! S-Sulinea..!"

"T-Thank the Goddesses you're okay..!" His heart freezes when his ears pick up his voice. She's crying. "I-I, ngh..! I thought the worst had h-happened to you…"

"Sulinea," he whispered, slowly pushing her away by the shoulders. "You…"

Heartbroken. That was the only way he could describe her appearance—from her unruly hair to the tear lines down her face, with fresh signs of water sitting on her puffy, red eyebags. Her skin was pale, her chest heaving back and forth as she tried to contain her sobbing.

Just the mere sight of the usually bubbly girl like this brings up such unpleasant feelings in his gut that makes him feel sick. "…Goddesses. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…"

"N-No, it's okay…" She tried to laugh for him, but it came out far more hoarse than she'd hoped. "A-At least you're here… And E-Eugeo? Where is he?"

"He… He's here. Was here," even though he couldn't tell her that he'd just left the village, he could still appreciate how much she worried for her family. Goddesses bless this woman. "Don't worry. He'll be back soon."

"That's… That's good," she nodded, more to herself than anyone else. "We… We should go, okay? You'd just gotten back, so you need to rest. I-I'll cook you something up, and we can—"

"I can't. Not yet. Eugene and Euden—"

"T-They're okay!" She hastily cried out, the panic evident in her eyes. Behind her, he noticed Reyes's building discomfort, staring at her back with a clear frown. Even Fanatio had averted his gaze from the scene. "Everyone… They're d-doing their best to look for them. They'll be home soon! And then we can all…"

"Sulinea," he cut her off. He didn't mean to hurt her this way, and he sure as hell was going to make sure he'd pay for every second he'd made her cry once he gets back. "I have to go. I'm going to find Eugene and Euden, and bring them home. Then we can eat together, just like you promised."

"W-What? What do you mean you have to go?"

"This is my fault to begin with. Don't even try to deny it, it is," he added that last part when she made to argue. "I… did something to hurt you. Maybe I don't have a hand in everyone going missing, but I did give you stress. Heck, if you've already grown grey hairs, that's definitely my doing. And I've already made up mind. Everyone's disappearances? It is my responsibility now. And I know where they are, so I'm going to go look for them."

"B-But you can't even…"

"I can't fight, you're right. But I can't sit around and do nothing."

"T-The hunters, can't they…"

"I know, I know. They'd be much better suited for the job. But I still need to go," slowly and gently, he detached Sulinea's hands from his, smiling at her. "Don't worry. I'm not the smartest person in the world, but I'm at least smart enough to know what I can and can't handle. I promise, I won't do anything stupid."

"I-I…"

What goddess would smite him, he wonders, for having to hurt a maiden's heart like this. Likely wouldn't be the last time, either, but he has to go; because he'd already decided. It would most certainly be much easier to just wait for everyone at home, but…

But something is calling him out there. Calling for him to go.

"Kirito, you should listen to her. She's been so worried about you all day, she'd been frantically searching throughout the entire village on her own. Can't you just—"

"N-No, it's okay," Sulinea shook her head. Sniffling, she scrubbed at her eyes, drawing back her hands to reveal a firm expression. "If there's one thing I know about Kirito… it's that he never makes a promise he can't keep. And if he says he'll bring everyone back home…"

"I will," he nodded. "There's no other way to it."

"Sulinea, this is madness. He's just a kid!"

"He is, but isn't he amazing?" She managed to laugh a little this time, weak as it was. "Kirito, he… He's always been able to do just about anything he puts his mind to. For as long as I know him, there's never been a moment he's failed at anything he says he'll do, no matter what it is," she focused once more on him. "So if he says he has to go… If he'll bring everyone back, then I'll choose to trust him."

"I…"

"Alice," the mention of that name has him stifling. "Isn't your fault. And you still tried to help her, didn't you? So… please."

Please bring back her family. Bring back her brothers.

That was the only thing the Orick's eldest daughter wanted. Her feelings of love, her pain, her faith; everything that her heart spoke of resonated with him stronger than anything else in that moment.

And right now, he wanted nothing more than to fulfil her wish.

"…You got it," he whispered, moving forwards to hug the older girl for a little while—basking in the warm presence of someone who felt like the older sister he'd never had—before he finally retracted himself. "Sorry. About everything."

Even with the pain in her eyes, she manages to smile for him. And it was easily the most beautiful thing he'd seen that night. "Silly… Don't worry about it. Just… go do what you gotta' do, alright?" And her eyes seem to pick on a stronger glow. "Now go get 'em, tiger!"

Kirito was spurred by her faith in him, grinning back. Before Reyes or Fanatio could recover, he immediately turned on his heels and broke into a sprint southwards. "I swear, I'll make up to all of you! Until then, stay safe! That goes double for you too, Sulinea!"

"And that's triple for you, Kirito!" She yelled back, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Don't be late!"

"I won't!"

There was no more room for hesitation. Dangerous as this may be, he had to take the initiative once more—just as he had rushed in to fight Gabura, he must do so once more tonight. Otherwise, people are going to die.

And he sure as hell isn't going to let that happen.

Ignoring the shouting from behind, he managed to cross the archway. He didn't stop there, however, continuing his sprint for the shed in the distance. The wheat fields on either side swayed with the wind, the moonlit sky casting light upon his road to better let him see through the darkness, as if guided by Lunaria herself to seize fate in his hands. Seems a little too dramatic, but he may as well take what he could get.

Reaching the shed in record time, he slammed his shoulder through. Dust in the air inside struck against him like a draft, irritating his lungs and getting him to cough. Still, he dropped to both hands and reached at the floorboards, spotting the glimmer of blue deep down in the darkness.

"Alright… Selena, I'll be borrowing this again. Hope you don't mind!"

With his fingers wrapped around the panel, he gave a strong tug, straining his whole body to aid in the process. Eventually, as he let out a howling cry, the wood gave way, wretched out with a sickening crack. Some stray splinters found their way into his skin, pricking into his hands painfully.

Ignoring the pain and spurred on by his first success, he continued breaking apart the floor with forceful pulls and, reaching down into the hole he had dug up, pulled out the Blue Rose Sword, its hilt cooling to his reddened palms.

Its weight felt different now. More natural than it ever had before. Had it sensed that something was up? Was it trying to reassure him that everything would be okay? Perhaps it sensed the incoming fight? He didn't have time to think further on that. Dropping the Dragon Bone Axe onto the floor, he rushed out of the shed with the sword in hand—

Just in time for winds to kick up from above, almost knocking him flat on his back from the sheer recoil. A massive silhouette was cast upon him, blocking the light of Lunaria, causing him to stare up.

A silver body and violet armour adorned upon it, with the insignia of the Integrity Knights etched onto its metal. Its eyes watched him warily, a shrill cry released upon meeting his gaze, its rider watching him with an equal amount of caution.

Right. He'd forgotten that Fanatio had a dragon. With all the rushing, that particular detail had somewhat gone over his head.

"How odd. For a child such as you to possess such a weapon. This might be seen as a sign of aggression, would it not?"

"It's only aggression if the intention was to hurt someone!" He yelled back, trying to make his voice heard over the harsh winds. "Right now, I just want to get to my friend and keep him safe! That's not criminal! So out of my way!"

"You truly intend to challenge me, boy?"

"I sure am if you're trying to be a goddesses-damned idiot who can't see what's important right now! People went missing, and I know where they are, so I should obviously help!"

"You honestly think you can do something to help?" Some sense of mocking amusement slipped into his voice. "You are blindly marching into a situation that you know nothing of, hoping that you'll be able to walk out safe. How asinine could you be? If you'd simply told me and the hunters, we would have handled the matter on our own. And yet, here you are, trying to fight a battle that isn't yours to fight," he swept his arm to the side. "What are you trying to prove, boy? You—"

"Oh, for the love of Stacia, shut up!"

His outburst caught the knight by surprise, the anger thick in his voice that it cuts off his tirade. Stubbornness pushes him onwards, forgetting the situation in favour of simply venting at the bastard.

"I know already! I can't do everything—heck, I might just end up being heavy weight here and getting people hurt because of me, but that doesn't mean I should just sit around and twiddle my thumbs while my best friend, his brothers and our friends are out there facing goddesses-know-what! I have to do something! Anything! Because I'd regret it so much more if I'd done nothing when I could have, and they got hurt because I chose to sit behind!"

The sight of Alice's face was forever seared into his mind that day. And sure, he couldn't have done anything, but he would have despised himself even worse if he'd just bowed his head just like everyone else.

"So you listen to me, and you listen to me properly!" He screamed. "I'm going, and you can't stop me! Still looking down on me just because I'm some kid? Get that stick out of your ass, already! If you're not going to help, just get out of my way and go back to Rulid already! I don't need you trying to stop me, asshole!"

Done with his screaming, Kirito was left heaving for air despite having not done anything just yet. Distantly, he was aware that he had been spewing curses at an Integrity Knight, of all people. He would have never thought himself capable of being so blatantly insolent with anyone, much less so a defender of the Human Empire.

But with everything that's been going on, he has a pretty good reason to be freaking pissed! Everything about today has been just one disaster after another. He's mad with himself, mad at this monster, and now he's mad at this knight. All that mattered right now was getting out there and do what he's promised Sulinea. And if Fanatio wants to stop him so badly?

He'll pay the consequences for any and every of his failures later. But first, he has to go.

"You know what? If you want to arrest me and kill me just like you did to my friend, fine! Be my guest! But I'm not going to let Eugeo die because of your pettiness! And I made a promise to Sulinea, which means I'm going! I don't have time to be arguing with you!" He snarled. Just as he was about to move, however, the dragon promptly dropped itself onto the ground, keeping its body close to the ground. "What is it now?"

"Get on," he said simply. "I will pretend as if I didn't hear anything you've said in the past few minutes. However, you are right to say that limitless time is not something we have. If you are so determined to go, then it will be much faster on dragonback."

Annoyed or no, he couldn't pass up on that offer. Fast as he may be, he simply wouldn't be able to make it on his own. "…Tch. Fine."

Quickly, he leapt onto the dragon's back, seating himself behind Fanatio. Fixing himself in place, Fanatio nodded back when he was properly in position and gave the signal for her companion to take flight. It growled back in response, spreading its wings wide apart, legs strained for a run.

And then, as it jogged forwards to get a running start, it quickly flapped its wings down, giving itself a good push to lift itself off the ground. Eventually, as the wind began picking up and it took higher and higher to the air, they were now soaring forwards at a speed that he knew he'd never have been able to achieve on the ground.

'Whoa,' peering downwards, he gulped a little, seeing just how far the ground is down below. 'This is really high… Better not fall, or else I'm dead.'

"Where did you find it?" Fanatio's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "The sword."

"…It's from the cave in the north," he replied, putting on a haughty front. "Don't see what's wrong about it, though. It's not like I used it to hurt anyone, and I'd never even broken the taboo of hunting animals. I'd just kept it with us just in case."

"Hmm. The fact that you're able to lift it suggests that you have a fairly high «Authority». How did that come about, then?"

"…I can't tell you. It's not something pleasant."

He'd expected Fanatio to push for it, but the ensuing silence left him questioning his motives. "Very well," he said. "Then I shall trust in your words and your intent. If you truly wish to use that sword to protect your friend, so be it. Just be sure not to regret your choices."

Speechless for a moment, he recovers in time as Fanatio's dragon begins to move faster. "I won't," he replied. 'Just wait for us, Eugeo. We'll be there soon enough!'

"Whaaaaah..!"

"Just a little longer. We're close to arriving," certainly would be nice if they could get there already, if only so he doesn't have to feel like he's having his soul getting ripped out of his body!

Selena hadn't exaggerated when she said Charlotte was fast. In just a matter of minutes, they had crossed distances that would have needed half a day's worth of travel—and that was excluding stops for rest and gathering for food. Enchanted by «Sacred Arts» and using her own body strength, they moved far faster than any other animal imaginable.

The world blurred around him in their journey, but he noticed that clarity was beginning to return to him as they neared their destination. Charlotte was gradually lowering her speed the closer they got to the valley, and that allowed him to take in the massive mountainous formations that would lead into someplace he had zero clue about.

He gulped. Word of warning regarding this place mentioned dangerous monsters, making this place an absolute no-go for everyone. Only the foolish and the brave would dare venture out here.

'But we have no other choice. Otherwise…'

The faces of his brothers flash across his mind. He forced the ill feeling in his gut down, unwilling to bend to his own thoughts—he needed to trust in Kirito's word. They can still save them.

They arrive at the very mouth of the valley soon enough, staring at the passage that lead deeper inwards. As Eugeo finally got off of Charlotte, he couldn't help but want to be anywhere else. He felt like an ant, the mountains bordering the path forwards towered high above, overshadowing them and projecting this daunting feel that had him feeling nervous. Trees climbed up across the surface, a blanket of green across the surface that served to hide whatever dangerous predators lay hidden in wait, and the faint particles of snow in the air only served to add to this place's infamous identity.

Eugeo kept his gaze focused on his surroundings, trying to spot any dangerous residents of this place. And yet, with how oddly quiet it is, he can't but feel as if everything had died. Or deserted this place. Neither was good, ironically enough, and that left him feeling more tense than before.

"Seems like there is nothing awaiting our presence. Perhaps they have been warded off by the presence of this trespasser," Charlotte remarked, scanning the area for any signs of danger. If her expression was anything to go off of… well, it doesn't really tell him much because she has that expressionless look plastered on her face almost all the time, but the lack of any changes must mean something good, right? "Must we travel inside, Lady Selena?"

'I fear we must. I'm sensing the creature deep in the valley. Be prepared for the worst.'

"…It will be difficult to protect the both of us, but Lady Selena's searching ability is too important to neglect," sighing, she looked down at him. "Eugeo, you must be sure to stay out of danger no matter what. Is that understood? I cannot promise your safety."

"I… I understand," he nodded back. "I'll do my best not to get in your way."

'And we will be sure to protect you as best as we can,' Selena's words helped calm him down a little. 'After all, Kirito trusted us with your protection. It would reflect poorly on us if we fail to do just that.'

"As you say, milady. Now then," she begins as they turn their gaze towards the mouth of the metaphorical beast, quite possibly marching towards the literal beast in preparation for a face-off. "Stay close, Eugeo. We are moving in now."

Were this a leisurely exploration of their own making, Eugeo could have found himself captivated by the sights. The area's natural beauty was not one he overlooked since coming here, untainted by human's progressive measures of civilization. And yet, with the pressure and time restraint, he was more on edge than anything else.

Selena exacted her «Cardinal Favour» once more, emitting a pulse out of his body and around their surroundings. It brought forth a temporary glow to the area that they used to illuminate their path and keep a lookout for any monsters in the area, which served well to keep them safe.

Now that he's had time to collect his thoughts, he was beginning to wonder where Kirito was. Knowing him, he must have reached the shed long ago—goddesses know he's a natural runner. But did that mean he was making the rest of the trip here on foot? No. Likely scenario, Fanatio was on his way here as well with him in tow.

It was a reassuring thought, having knowledge of backup coming their way to assist. He hoped the hunters would be coming as well, but maybe just Charlotte and Fanatio were enough.

He had witnessed Charlotte's feats that night, though short as it may have been. And certainly not with any flashy moves that would have earned her the right to be called a master fighter or anything (Kirito had the opportunity to see that part, a mildly envious part of him pointed out), but he simply knew that she was a force to be reckoned. And Fanatio, being an Integrity Knight, was a paragon of humanity; there would be no room to doubt his strength.

Shaking away all thoughts, he moved in deeper into the valley with Charlotte in tow. Light patterns formed and flickered away, and reformed to navigate their way through the valley and to search for any signs of lifeform. Nothing save for the few critters that resided here, though those bore no need of mention.

'Ah,' he halted upon hearing Selena's gasp. 'Just a little closer. And it is massive. Far more than I had initially expected,' massive, she says? Eugeo gulped. As if a dragon hadn't been bad enough. 'Let's see. It seems to be… underground?'

"Underground?" That could explain how it'd manage to travel unnoticed all this time, and the fact that it'd managed to stay undetected all this while is impressive. Although, how had it managed to nab five children in their village without anyone noticing, and then migrate here so quickly? That literally made no sense… "Then that's difficult. How are we supposed to get to it, then?"

'We will likely need to find a tunnel that could lead downwards into the ground, by which we will then reach the beast and—' Selena suddenly paused, making him do the same. 'Wait… There's movement.'

"Movement? I don't…"

No, wait. He can feel… something.

It was brief, almost faint, but he could sense movement in the earth. He looked down, noticing how the grass were swaying and the gravel was shifting around ever so slightly. The earth was shaking, even if barely.

"Where… is it going?"

'It's—' A sharp gasp resounded, panic filling her voice with the next few words. 'Eugeo, Charlotte! Run!'

Nothing seemed to move, stilled as if time had decided to freeze in place… before everything 'blinked' into action with a millionth of a second's delay when the world began to tremble. And then, material and space finally aligning, the ground caved inwards.

Eugeo's brain registered the instance so slowly, eyes going wide as the ground beneath him collapsed, feet slipping past the rocks and falling downwards—

"Eugeo!"

Charlotte was much faster, rushing his way to grab him by the back of his shirt and drag him as she leapt up the mountains. She adjusted him mid-way so that he was sat piggybacking on her once more.

"W-Whoah..!" Jolting from how sudden his position had shifted, he stared back down as Charlotte continued to climb and climb. "What's going on?!"

"It's moving upwards!" Charlotte yelled.

As if it had heard her, the world around them began to shake once more. The earth had been cracked wide open like an egg, stone and debris falling into a sinkhole of a blackness unending. The world around him groaned. The cliffs were beginning to suffer first, slowly eroded by her devastating blows and collapsing down onto them. Trees fell with them, uprooted and crashing downwards.

'My goodness..! What is this creature?!' Selena cried out, mirroring his own shock. 'Eugeo, Charlotte, brace yourselves! Whatever it is, it's massive! I'll cast a «Favour» that will restore your «Life» over time, but be cautious not to get yourself—'

Her words were cut off as Charlotte suddenly twisted mid-air, Eugeo feeling his perspective move through a whirlpool as she avoided a massive chunk of mountain that almost crushed them. More rock and gravel caved downwards, and Charlotte continued to move, dodging every piece.

Down below, he watched as the earth continued to break away, spilling everything into the pit. The cliffs were giving away, he noticed, trees upended and coming down rolling. The sheer level of damage baffled him—even more so when Charlotte finally found purchase on an elevation, allowing them to view the area and give herself an opportunity to catch her breath.

Something shook. Black eyes went wide. "That..!"

Eugeo caught it too. He would have missed it from the current earthquake they were experiencing were it not for the sudden dread that washed over him—like seeing the goblins for the first time that same night, trying to crush him with unimaginable fear.

Everything suddenly went silent, the shaking as well. It gave them a momentary respite from the destruction…

And then, the mountains exploded outwards.

"We're getting closer. Are you prepared to fight?"

"I'm… hoping I won't have to, in all honesty, but if it comes down to it, at least I'll be prepared."

The sound Fanatio made denoted satisfaction, so he let it end there, focused once more on the valley that they were getting close to. Even from afar, it did not fail to intimidate him, knowing that it would be much more massive up close.

Charlotte, Eugeo and Selena must have already ventured in. Maybe already in the process of fighting the monster? If that's the case, then they'd need to get there faster.

'But haste makes waste, or so that old guy once said,' he grouched in his head, trying to keep himself focused. With the wind against his face and the sights all around him, he had to remind himself that they were on a mission.

Gaze dropping down to his side, he eyed the weapon he grasped in his left hand. The hilt was cooling to the touch, the sheathe possessing ornate details that even a talented artisan would have difficulty etching into the material. Beautiful, despite being a weapon.

And he was going to have his first fight with it.

He swallowed, throat feeling thick. 'This would be no different. Maybe a little more difficult, but… Nah. It'll be fine. With Charlotte and Fanatio on our side, everything will be—'

Something slammed against him like a bull, driving the air out of his system and causing him to jerk in place. Eyes watering from the sudden sensation, gasped sharply as he stared in the distance.

"Kirito? Are you alright?"

"I-I…" He tried to come up with something to say, but fell short. What was that? "I-I don't know. I thought I just… Fanatio, something's wrong, I can feel it!"

Before Fanatio could even ask, the mountains up ahead were suddenly breaking apart, collapsing upon itself. The ground was shaking, web-like cracks forming out of the ground and spreading outwards from within the valley.

He watched as the mountains began to collapse, losing structure as they began to break off. Trees that littered the upper portion were carelessly ripped out and scattered, dragged by the soil.

"Shit, shit, shit..!" He cursed. "They're in danger! Sir Fanatio, we need to get closer!"

His dragon was first to make its disagreement known by screeching back. "Nonsense! We'll be putting ourselves in even greater danger if we try to approach the valley! I know not what is causing this, but it spells absolute doom for us if we get close!"

In that moment, the tremors ceased, catching both of their attentions. Half of the mountains had collapsed already, but it seemed as if it had truly stopped—

A brief pause. And then, with the blink of an eye, the mountains exploded.

Expletives were the only thing his mind could helpfully supply in that moment, as his brain processed the very phenomenon of the entire valley practically being razed to the ground. The mountains, the ground, the trees—everything shattered like glass as one single outburst wrecked the world like the crack of a thunder. A dust cloud shot upwards like a geyser, blanketing every part of the valley.

Fanatio's dragon let out a high-pitched growl, its posture suddenly defensive. Even Fanatio had stiffened in his place, watching the mountains with a kind of wariness he hadn't shown thus far. Kirito followed the trajectory of his gaze…

Just in time to witness as something burst upwards from the earth.

And went up. And up. And up. And up.

Words failed him in that moment, eyes strained as he stared past Fanatio's shoulder and at the abomination that rose beyond the height of the mountains.

It was too big. Almost as big as the Gigas Cedar had been, as it steadily approached the sky, filling the space with nothing but its body. The light of Lunaria shining upon its body revealed the amounts of dirt, rock and trees dropping off of its fleshy exterior. As if that hadn't been enough, the flesh of its body began to writhe. As if it was being moved up and down. And then, eyes began surfacing. Millions of them, all in varying sizes that pushed against the skin and out of its body, each blinking and moving on their own terms, covering every bit of its flesh.

This thing… Kirito felt his heart stop, saliva suddenly too thick to swallow. His hands shook, the Blue Rose Sword within his left hand's grip clinking due to his shaking.

What is this thing? What… How had this thing been hiding? Its ungodly size would have meant that anyone could have easily found this thing; and now, it had finally decided to reveal its whole grotesqueness to the world.

He felt sick to the core.

The emergence of the monster complete, all Kirito could do was watch as it released a belly-deep groan, akin to a human in excruciating pain. With all the eyes that it had, it certainly might have been. And it was in that moment that Kirito knew…

"We are so fucked, aren't we..?"

"…We really are."

As if goblins and dragons alone weren't enough…

Author's Notes:

Wowee. A large ass monster for our heroes to deal with? Talk about insane!

This one's frantic, so there's no helping it. Now I can't wait for the next two chapters; full on action sequences. It'll be my personal test on how well I can write action once more, which I'm personally excited for. Look forward to them!