Persona x Xenoblade Chronicles: Resolves to Change the Future

by QuietMan2357

In a certain world, there was a tale about the Legendary Sword Monado and a boy who wielded it to change the future and save the world. But little did they know, there were also three other swords called "Three Blades of Despair" that were said to cause negative feelings, and it led to the appearance of people from another world. What secrets could these strange swords hold?

7. The Desire to Absolute Freedom: ENGULFED

Disclaimer: I don't own Xenoblade and Persona series.

I'm quite impressed with myself that I could finish this before New Year. Anyway, this is the last chapter for this year.

Unlike the other chapters, this takes place in Alcamoth with many High Entia characters. So the hard part is their formal way of talking and using different vocabulary. I'm not even a native speaker. Thus, writing their dialog and not even being sure if what I write is correct is just like hell. If there are still some errors in that matter, I give up. I have tried my best to fix them, so I hope you can tolerate me for that.

About how this chapter is faster than usual, I guess it's because I have a clear idea how to write. I've already had the outline idea for the next chapter, but making them clearer in detail is just another problem, and also my free time is even more limited. So I guess it may take longer than half a year, though you won't be interested in my story anyway.

As usual, I'm not a native speaker, so there is some weird grammar and vocabulary in my writing that could make you feel cringe or confused. I'll try to fix them as soon as I find one. (Though I said that, I hardly review my story after publishing, so that may not happen.)

And finally, please enjoy my humble story!

---

Telethia.

In the civilian of Alcamoth's point of view, they were a kind of strong beast with a luminous green skin. To say something about their look was somehow difficult, as they beard for themselves many shapes. Mostly having wings, some only having many legs and heads, and there were also a few that didn't have wings or legs, but they swam in the air like a fish with their enormous size.

For a long time, the High Entia scholars had learned so much about them. The creatures usually came around the upper part of the Bionis. And like many other monsters, they would hunt any person down as their prey, making them dangerous. However, what made them harder to defeat was that they could read the ether flow of the enemy, thus predicting the next movement of the opponent. In a battle, anyone would know that finding out the next move of the enemy was vital, even with that, the tide of the battle could change in a significant way.

That was the reason people were usually scared when they had to face those beasts.

She was also not an exception to the fear of them.

But with the role she had at that time, she had to press them in.

Her name was Melia Antiqua, the princess of the Second Consort of the High Entia.

With such a royal position, she had to protect the people of Alcamoth, and inside her she did honestly want to wish for their best.

Though there was one thing she couldn't understand.

Lately, she had a strange dream.

For the start, she was standing at the transporter, the gate to go in and out. Then she stepped, slowly but steadily, inside the Alcamoth.

Next, she saw the residents around. They talked together, played together, and laughed together. The scene was lively and bustling. By being in the shape of the green-skin beasts, the area was even livelier than that.

She didn't know how she could think like this, but as if, the residents were turned into Telethia.

Normally, that was enough for causing chaos. However, that was not the case here.

Despite the scene, she kept on walking on the Melfica Road leading to the Great Hall.

Before the stair, she spotted someone facing their back at her.

That was a young girl with a pair of small wings on her head, proving that she was a High Entia. Her build was short and looked so fragile, and the clothes she was wearing were designed with royal attributes and dignity. How much impression would all of those give? A weak, little princess who could be targeted by any bad person.

Melia should know this, because that girl was Melia, and Melia was her. She was looking at the back of herself standing there.

With no word, Melia approached her, or in another way of saying, herself.

And before she knew it, everything became blurry. She couldn't remember what happened after that. Then she woke up.

This dream has sometimes just repeated recently. She didn't know why and what it would mean.

But there was one thing she could be sure of: the dream was so real that she didn't think it was really a dream at all.

She had also tried going the same route as her dream in reality, and surprisingly she felt no difference while doing that, except the residents were still normal High Entia. She couldn't distinguish between dream and reality, and she even nearly mistook a resident as a Telethia.

She hadn't told anybody about this yet, as she couldn't be certain. But she hoped one day she could bring this story out of her chest to someone.

Was that really a dream?

Or...

Was that a vision of a possible future?

---

Hovering Reef 1, Eryth Sea, Day 2, 05:49

It was almost daybreak. The rising of the sun was coming soon.

The sunshine of the dawn would be showered on the rock, the livings, and the surface of the sea of the Eryth Sea as it would be daily. But that landscape wasn't ready for that hour yet.

However, at that time, something was different. That was altered that day by the presence of a certain individual.

'...'

Her silver hair was gently blown by a light breeze. The mentioned breeze wouldn't, however, ease her anxiety. The mentioned girl had large sleeves and a short dress. She was sweating from exhaustion, and her feet were tired.

Even when this place was like her hometown, she still felt it was unpleasant to wander around this place.

The Eryth Sea was a dangerous location that no citizen should be allowed to venture into, even if it was outside of Alcamoth and was obviously too familiar to the High Entia. In addition to the terrain, the reason for that was the area was teeming with harmful creatures that might feast on any unfortunate victim who got lost here.

However, an exception could be made for those who had undergone proper training to be capable of fighting, such as the Imperial Guards and Melia.

She was aware, as was every person who frequently visited this area, that the Eryth Sea was made up of numerous tiny reefs floating on a broad surface of water. To travel between them, it was common for anyone who was unfamiliar with this place to think they would use a vehicle moving on the water surface, such as a ship. But in truth, the islands were really high, and such a method was hard for them to climb up. The teleporters built by them had solved this problem. By their cutting-edge technology, they had deployed some special devices called "transporters" at the rear of each island that could immediately teleport anyone to the next one without any problem.

However, even when it was small like that, she still couldn't find what she was looking for.

'Your Highness.'

'...'

Her attention was shifted to a knight who approached next to her.

'We have been searching for more than ten hours, but we cannot find him.'

'Then continue your search. What is the point of telling me this now?'

'Your health is what we are concerned about, so I ask Lady to return to your villa and have some rest.'

'I do not need to rest. Have I not made this clear to all of you?'

'But Lady Melia, your-'

'Do you think I cannot take care of myself?'

'N- No, I do not dare.'

'Hm... If this keeps on, I think we ought to widen the searching area on Frontier Village. You may need to cooperate with the Nopon-'

'Lady Melia, I may not be allowed to say this, but the team is unable to keep on this searching.'

'...You may tell me your reason.'

'The Nebulas and the Hodes are spawning unusually. If this keeps going, they will cause danger and hinder our operation.'

'And you are saying you cannot defeat those creatures. Do you even call yourselves the Imperial Guard?'

'We apologize for being incapable of reaching your expectation.'

'...' Melia let out a sigh. She realized that she couldn't force them to go around too much. 'Fine then, you all can hail the operation now. Tell your subordinates that you have my permission. I shall keep this up alone.'

'Lady Melia, you cannot. I beg you to reconsider.'

'As the crown princess, I had the responsibility to have a result and report to her. If you cannot keep up, then I will not force you.'

'We are saying this for your own good. Our duty is to protect you, even if you are capable of defending yourselves.'

'How about that child we are looking for? Is he capable of defending himself?'

'...I suppose not...'

'Then I compliment your courage for claiming to protect someone who can protect themselves and not the one who needs it. If we are not in haste, I would think about how your punishment is.'

'...'

'As I have said, I will leave the decision to end the search to you.' Melia said that then left the spot quickly.

'...' The guard didn't respond except with a nod. He just turned back and left.

Ignoring what he had said, all Melia could do was just look around like she had been doing.

She had half-expected to be helped by them. But she had already known why it wouldn't be like she imagined.

On the Bionis, it was common knowledge that the races with intelligence were Homs, Nopon, and High Entia. In those, High Entia was the finest technology, had the highest level of knowledge, and had the best living conditions. Naturally, they became the top in every aspect compared to other kinds, and they were aware of it. However, that led them to despise the other race, especially Homs.

Ironically, the royal bloodline had a long-standing custom that the Emperor or Empress had to marry a Homs, and that lady would be referred to as the Second Consort.

Therefore, as the daughter of the Second Consort, Melia had the Homs blood inside her, so even though she might have some influence, it wouldn't be regarded in the same manner as the other in her family. This type of thinking had gone too deep on a majority of them. Due to that, many people had protested this tradition. Melia wasn't sure why their ancestors would make a procedure like that, but at least she knew looking down on other races wasn't the right thing to do.

She cautiously gave her step with her heartbeat quicker than usual. Her feet were sore, and she knew it, but she still tried to overdo it. If being asked why she worked hard like that, her answer was simply that someone's life was in danger, and her duty was to rescue them.

('I feel terrified just thinking what might happen to him. Please! Please help me!')

She still remembered clearly that woman's words. It was full of desperation.

To clear out what was happening, she had been strolling through the city before discovering that a mother whose son was missing. In detail, the previous day, he had suddenly told her mother that he wanted some training and fled before she could stop him. That was like how a curious and energetic child would act, so she had no reason to ask why.

After that, Melia had asked for the Imperial Guard and looked for him. However, the boy wasn't able to be found after searching for hours in Alcamoth, so they had to expand the search in the Eryth Sea too. But she felt like they didn't dedicate themselves to this job, so she joined them.

And yet, there was not any good progress due to there not being a single clue to be found. They had their own limit. Not just Melia, the searching team had also tried their best. At this rate, she wasn't sure if she could even go on.

Until...

'HELP!'

She heard the voice of a young boy. When she heard that, she knew her patience was rewarded.

'IS ANYONE THERE?! HELP ME!'

For a few seconds, she hesitated. Should she go and tell the Imperial Guard, or should she go to save him herself? That was what she wondered.

(What am I thinking?! I do not have time for calling for reinforcement. I must go save him, or it will be too late!)

'HANG IN THERE! I WILL COME IMMEDIATELY!' Melia shouted back after making up her mind.

She had been exhausted, but she still tried to rush over.

Blurg

She heard a weird liquid sound. She didn't know what kind of creature could make a sound like that. But that was not the reason for her to stop.

The source of the sound was near. It just took her a huge cliff before she arrived at her destination.

'Hah... Hah... Here I... come?'

When she arrived, she witnessed something so unbelievable.

'You- You're...?! Ple- Please! Save me!'

In front of her was a High Entia boy in the age of an elementary student. And he was being surrounded by many strange creatures that she didn't see before, which were about to attack him. She was not sure if she should call them a creature, since their body was some black slime blobs, and each of them had for themselves a blue mask attached on. The slime also extended some black arms to strike the unlucky boy.

Also, behind the boy was... a strange spot of light. It was luminous with some odd shards floating in the air, as if the space around it was warped.

'Lady Melia! NOOOO!'

'What?!'

While calling for help in panic, the High Entia child who was in danger unintentionally stepped back to the light spot before the slimy creatures around could get him.

Then he disappeared in that light spot.

(H- Huh? He vanished?! Is the ether gathered in that light? It looked like a transporter without the device. This is the first time I saw a natural transporter outside man-made ones.)

Just by a first look, she could identify it could bend the space by feeling the ether flow around it. Therefore, it could teleport people to other places. This was the first time she saw this phenomenon.

Gobble Gobble

(Ah, right! I need to concentrate!)

She didn't have time to think much. Before it was too late, she needed to pass the slimy creature to know where the light would lead.

Swoosh

Boom

A small flame suddenly formed itself around her when the monster made some strange movement, so she had to jump back to dodge.

(Ether manipulation?! That is how the Nebula would attack. But... there is something different here?)

Swoosh

Crack

Then there were some ice shards manifesting themselves around her. Melia was still able to dodge before they launched themselves.

'You are not the only one capable of using ether manipulation here! Summon Flare!'

At the top of her back, a small orange spherical light-like object came out.

Talking about Melia's ability, it was controlling and manipulating the ether for many special ether Arts. But her fighting style was focused on supporting the ally, and as a drawback, she usually needed someone to accompany her. Regarding that, although her combat experience wasn't enough, it didn't become a problem for her to walk and fight alone in a familiar place like Eryth Sea.

'Hiyahhh!' Melia used all her strength to smash her staff on the enemy.

Squishhhh

'Hhhhhhhhhhhhh!'

(So my Art still worked on them! I just need to-)

Swoosh

'Huh?'

Suddenly, she was surrounded by a dark orange aura. Then she suddenly felt her muscle become weak.

(What sort of move is this? Are they using a strange ether Art to hinder my strength?)

'Whhhhhhhh!'

Swoosh

Some of the flame and ice shards started to form around her and explode. She then quickly drew back to not take a direct hit.

'Urgh!'

She got hurt, but not significantly.

(This is not good. It should be obvious that I am unskillful in close combat. I need to revise my tactic.)

'Elemental Discharge! Flare Impulse!'

The crimson spherical light behind her disappeared, then following that was an explosion around her, blowing away all the creatures and setting them on fire.

Gobble Gobble

But the creatures were still able to move.

(Right, of course it would not be easy.) She drew back a few steps.

'Summon Bolt!'

Another spherical light appeared behind her head. This time it was light blue.

'Whhhhhhhhhhh!'

'Yah!'

She then swung her staff and hit the creature approaching her to knock it back, then she chained it with another Art.

'Hypnotize!'

When the creatures were surrounding her, Melia stabbed her staff down. It released a purple aura, and somehow it made their movement sloppier.

(So Hypnotize could get them asleep. I can handle this easily.)

'Spear Break!'

Then she thrust the staff at one of them with much force to attack. The strike knocked the enemy back a little.

'Summon Flare! And now, Elemental Discharge! Flare Impulse!'

Not letting the enemy rest, another explosion, which was made by Melia, rang out with more force than earlier. The creatures were set on fight and then disappeared while painfully screaming.

There were still some other monsters around, she could stay to destroy them all, but she had other thing to do immediately.

(I have no time to waste. The path is clear now, I need to know where that portal will lead to.) Melia thought while rushing straight to the light.

'Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!'

'!'

Unexpectedly, more of the creatures started to emerge themselves out from the light.

(They came from the transporter?! I got careless!)

The monsters extended their arms and swung it on her.

Swoosh

She got a scratch on her arm.

(This is nothing. I can try it harder.) She stepped back to have some distance.

But she was slower than them.

Gobble

'!'

The remaining creatures had gathered behind before Melia could notice. At this rate, the route to withdraw would remain no more. She blamed herself for letting her guard down, but at least she didn't think about running away.

The monsters had started increasing their number. She was quickly overwhelmed, and she had to break out of the creatures' swarm somehow.

'Gh! Summon-!'

Swoosh

'Whhhhhhhhhhhh!'

'?!'

For another surprise, the slime monsters were defeated with a few swift strikes, but not by Melia.

(That man...?! Who is he?!)

The creatures were attacked by a boy with a long black coat, wearing a mask and holding a short dagger. Melia at least knew one thing: he wasn't a High Entia since he didn't have the signature wings on his head.

Just looking at the way of his swift movement, Melia could confirm that this boy's skill was splendid, and he had overcome many battles to have this much experience.

But that was not the only impression she had on him.

'Persona!'

She was astonished by a huge, shining figure that suddenly appeared behind him. It looked like a man with red clothing that she had never seen before with huge clothing wings behind.

'Raoul! Phantom Show!'

Swoosh

Suddenly, everything around became darker, except the slime monster and himself. Then, everything was lit by something shining on above. When she looked up, a huge spherical stone object similar to a moon appeared. When looking closely, Melia could tell it was hazy like an illusion.

'You should avoid looking at it.'

'Huh?'

When she heard that from the masked man. She found out that all the creatures were subdued, and some of them didn't move.

(They are asleep? That move just now had the same effect as my Hypnotize?)

'Maeigaon!'

Swoosh

BOOMMMMMMMMMM

Not even waiting for her to comprehend the situation, the figure gently lifted his hand. Then on each creature, a strange crimson energy engulfed them. For some strange reason, even with some distance, she could feel some chill on her spine. The ether emitted a fearsome atmosphere, like a curse that could send anyone to death.

Gobble Gobble

It went without saying, the creatures were also defeated.

'Based on how I was told, you are Princess Melia, right?'

While still trying to keep up with everything that happened before her eyes, she was called by the masked boy.

'Ah, yes.' She bent down formally. 'I am Melia Antiqua. I am thankful for your help earlier.'

'I came here to deliver a message from the Emperor.'

'My fa- His Majesty?'

' "Return to the Ascension Hall at once. There will be a conference that discusses the recently summoned hero", that's all he said.'

'What? But my-'

'Lady Melia, thank the Bionis we found you.' Some of the Imperial Guard came to her. 'His Majesty is summoning you. Please return immediately.'

'...'

'Don't worry.' The masked boy said. 'I'll make sure to tell them to keep watch over this place. At least those Shadows won't be hard for them with such weapons like that.'

'Those things?'

'I'm talking about the monsters you've just seen. Though there're Shadows that're stronger, the ones we've seen are just some low-level creeps. These guys of yours can handle them.'

'Hold it. What do you know? And who are you?'

'I can only say this so far. It seems you may be in trouble if you don't go back now.'

'...'

Melia looked at the guards who were kneeling down and waiting for her answer. She wanted to make sure the child was safe, but she couldn't do anything else.

'Tell His Majesty that I have received the message. I shall make my presence known now.'

'Let us accompany you.'

'...' Melia slightly nodded. She looked at the masked boy. There were many unanswered questions in her mind that only the boy could answer. But at the moment, she had no choice but to wait for him to answer them for another time.

---

Audience Chamber, Alcamoth, Day 2, 07:05

The sun had already come up, but Melia only managed to get about an hour of sleep before the conference. However, her eyes still tried to close themselves.

She tried her best to not yawn before her subordinate, but in a few moments she failed to stop her mouth from doing so. She knew that they would tolerate her since she was still young and in the training period, but she couldn't do the same for herself.

At that moment, the only thing she was thinking was comforting the woman who lost her child. She was the one asked by her, and she also was the last one seeing him, but unable to save him. Melia had heard that the Imperial Guard was inspecting the portal, thus making her calm down a bit as there was a chance that they could have saved him already. Regardless, she still wanted to have some words with the woman to put her mind at ease, but she had to postpone that because the conference was about to start.

This place was the meeting place of all royal members of the High Entia, mostly to give decisions for many problems. But today this conference was a little more special than usual, because they would meet the one who was supposed to be their savior.

'...'

As the gathering place for the high-up and the leader of a nation, this place showed the essence of the solemn in the unique race that had wings on their head, the High Entia. The place had a hall leading to the throne. The guards were standing still on both sides along the hall, and four royal members, who could be distinguished by their clothes just at the first glance, were waiting at the end of the line. The scene made the scene looking even more solemn and dignified.

Melia glanced at each person to see if everyone was present yet.

On the higher platform was a throne for the Emperor. Though it was called a throne, instead of a chair, it was a circle for the Emperor to stand there, show his power, and voice his mind to command them. This man was also her father, Sorean Antiqua.

Next to him was also a grown woman. She looked like someone in her late forties, but knowing the High Entia's lifespan, she had to be older than that. She was Tyrea, Kallian's mother and the First Consort, making her become Melia's mother, not related by blood.

'Is everyone present?' Sorean, the Emperor, asked.

'All except Nixea.' A High Entia man standing next to him that looked like he was in his early twenties answered. If you knew about their long lifespan, you would know that he was actually older than that. His name was Kallian, the Prince of the First Consort, and at the same time, Melia's half brother.

'I shall accept her absence due to her inevitable duty in the Eryth Sea. Is it acceptable?'

'We have no objection.' He replied.

'Very well, but first, I want to ask Melia about her action at the Eryth Sea.'

'Yes, Your Majesty.' Melia calmly replied. 'May I be allowed to presume your knowing about the lost child in our city?'

'Yes, I am aware of the situation. But the answer I am expecting is the reason you join the Imperial Guard's search. You do not have the duty that they have.'

'I just simply want to give them some help.'

'I must remind you that you are a member of the royal bloodline. Your action may affect not only yours but our name as well.' The woman said in a little aggressive tone. 'I believe you need more lectures about this in the future.'

'...I have fully understood my foolish decision. There will be no repeatability, dear Mother. I wish for your mercy.'

'Hmp...!'

'Then I won't continue this topic anymore, as this is not the main problem we are about to discuss for this conference.' The Emperor. 'Is he ready yet?'

'Yes, Your Majesty.'

'Very well, summon him.'

The whole room was silent after that. If anyone was standing here for the first time, they would surely feel nervous because of the pressure.

'...'

But that didn't necessarily mean that everyone who stood here multiple times would get used to that atmosphere. That would apply to Melia as well. Since her childhood, she had to learn the rule of the noble and how she would behave as a princess. In other words, she had had to bear a big burden of responsibility as a kid for a long time, an abnormal childhood compared to other High Entia kids.

But she really, honestly had nothing to complain about. She just gladly accepted it as something she had to do. Nobody knew whether her mentality was weak like her outlook. Not to the point she would get trauma, but it might really be something for a little girl to endure.

Clomppp

Clomppp

Her thought was interrupted by a stepping sound. Because everyone was silent, the sound could be heard very clearly. The sound just echoed through the place a few times until he walked in and stopped.

Clomppp

Clomppp

(That is... the "hero"?)

In front of Melia's eyes was a teenager seemingly seventeen or eighteen years old. "He wore a strange costume" was Melia's impression. Moreover, it was the same boy that had helped Melia earlier. She didn't recognize him immediately because the clothes on him had been changed. The previous one was more flashier in her opinion.

'You insolent! How dare you not bow down before the Emperor!?'

'...' He silently did what the guard said.

'...' The Emperor quietly looked at the boy, seeming to think on something.

Since Melia was too focused on his clothes, she didn't notice his face. His face was just simple and ordinary, along with frizzy hair. When she looked more closely, she detected that he showed no fear before her father, the Emperor. His eyes filled with frustration and determination, as if the world had taken everything from him and he had nothing to lose, and they were boldly looking straight into the Emperor's eyes.

'Tell me your name.'

'Ren Amamiya.' He straightforwardly answered.

If they weren't talking about it, nobody would think he didn't belong to this world, let alone he would be their savior even if it was true that his outlook seemed out of place. Regardless, the prophecy about the last day of High Entia had haunted them for centuries, so to them, he was really like a light of hope.

But about the boy's thought...

'Your attitude seemed arrogant. Have you not been told about our situation?' Sorean calmly said.

'Yeah, you said something about your Bionis and Mechonis, then High Entia's rules, and you want me to save all of you from your "final day" or whatever.'

(...) Melia lost the ability to express her thinking.

To her, the Imperial Court of the High Entia was absolute. Anyone who dared to disrespect it was usually the ignorant, filthy criminal. That was how the capital was ruled over for the longest time.

And now before her was a boy with that same attitude. He indicated no hesitating to show his hatred in front of this fearful, solemn being, namely the Emperor. As for how he had shown it, she could only think he was foolish, and she knew everyone else here would think the same as her.

'Since everything to you here is unfamiliar in your perspective, I shall tolerate your manner for now. But next time, I kindly ask you to follow our discipline.'

'Don't be ridiculous. You suddenly kidnapped me to this place, and now you're making me do what you want? My friend was still missing, so I don't have time to play with you.' He strongly answered.

'Careful how you speak, you ignorant!' One of the guards said out loud.

'Silent!' The Emperor said. 'Do not cut off our talking.'

'...My apology, Your Majesty.'

'Please listen, our savior.' He still calmly said. 'We know our actions are selfish, and this is unjust to you. But you are the only hope we can find, and it was the only option we were obligated to make. Under my honor as the High Etia's Emperor, I vow to you that you will return to your home safely.'

'...Can I ask you a question?'

'Yes, please ask away.'

'I was told that I'm here because you believe that I can save you guys from your so-called "doomsday". But what exactly is this "doomsday"? Can you tell it in detail?'

'It was foretold in the Ancient Grimoire from our ancient time. And to avoid it, the prophecy demands we organize a ritual, and a hero will appear. He then will save all our kind from the disaster.'

'You don't understand, huh?'

'I am afraid I do not understand that saying.'

'Then I will say it like this. What exactly will happen when that day comes? How will the event take place to let all of you to the death? Is it a deadly plague? Or a catastrophic phenomenon? And how is my role in all of this?'

'...I see.' He paused for a while since he had thought too much about it. The "final day" is just too vague for them to know what they had to do, but since Ren was the solution the Grimoire mentioned, they had no choice but to follow. 'Truth be told, we do not know. It only said that it will lead us to the horrible extinction of our kind.'

'How ridiculous. You people kidnapped me just because of some unknown words that said something about an unknown future? How do you know it will happen by only believing in something so baselessly? How can you justify this action?'

'I must apologize to you again, and I beg you to calm your spirit down.' The Emperor calmly replied. 'You may not know this, but we usually have a Seer, an individual that can predict the future for us.'

'Predicting the future? Is that even possible?'

'Yes, that is the truth. My point that I am trying to elaborate here is we have that such power, so something that was predicted in the ancient documents can be bound to happen to. I admit there is a possibility that the prophecy is wrong, but we cannot take that risk, as all the existences of our kind are depending on this.'

'Even so, you can't just suddenly kidnap someone and then ask for their help.'

'Again, I am sorry for our selfish act. So when everything is over, I promise we will compensate anything you want, as we are out of options.'

'So what do you expect me to do? You don't even know what will happen in that "doomsday".'

'Since we do not know, we predict that will involve your... ability. However, if you insist on a hint, I myself have nothing but my own assumption to give.'

'...I'm hearing.'

'There was actually a legend, and it has passed down through generations. It was about the divine weapon that was once used by the Bionis, the Monado. And the Bionis will bestow the blade to the one he chooses. However, there is a possibility that the chosen one has a black heart, and they will bring forth the destruction of High Entia.'

' "Destruction"? Is it referring to...'

'Your guess is the same as mine. If that "destruction" is the disaster referred to by what was foretold, we shall be forced to take down this Monado user.'

'I've been explained about the Monado and the Titans tale earlier already. Although it's hard for me to consume those stories, it seems that this "Monado" thing is very crucial to you all. Am I right?'

'That is correct.'

'But if it's true, why not recover it and prevent everyone from touching it? Surely that "chosen one" can't do anything without that Monado.'

'If we try to do that, we will naturally declare war with the Homs, the race who is reserving the Monado as we speak. I do not desire that.'

'Don't want to cause war, huh?'

'Also, fate is absolute. Either we recover that legendary weapon or not, the Monado will still be drawn near to the "chosen one" in one way or another. Preventing that is meaningless. We can only wait and face it. The "final day" too, you are our only hope, and I wish for your tolerance for supporting us.'

'...' He took a long pause for thinking.

'Please let us hear your thought.'

'...Fine then. I don't want to believe what is called "fate", but it's your rule so...'

'So did we get into you yet, young man? I hoped we did not do anything too intrusive to you. If we did, you may ask for anything as long as it is practicable.' He said with a soft smile.

'...' Ren Amamiya was silent.

'Also, if I am not mistaken, you mentioned your missing friend?'

'...'

'Then rest assured that we will support you to search for them.'

'...' He continued to be quiet.

Melia felt like something was off. She still wasn't sure what he was thinking, but at least he wouldn't do anything so mindless. That was her assumption, though.

'Though I said that, but don't think that I've already trust you, old man. I've seen so many people with sweet talk like you. If I have a chance, you better watch out.' He answered. In fact, it was just an impulsive action from his inhibition.

Rumble Rumble

That last sentence really had shaken the whole hall. Even Melia couldn't believe what she had heard.

'You...! How dare you doubt Your Majesty's words!'

'I said silent!' The Emperor shouted.

'But Your Majesty, this man's foolishness could really disfigure Your Majesty's title. Even we are not allowed to raise our words. Your Majesty's dignity is irreparably damaged.'

'...' The Emperor had lost for words.

'You all said about me saving your people and such.' Ren added. 'But in truth, what you all just care about is power and your own safety. How about dropping this charade and show me your true intention?'

'You...'

'Let me tell you this, I had a wild experience with a bastard who think he could do whatever he wanted because he's standing on the top. That's a valuable lesson for me, so of course-'

'Enough!' The one cutting his speech was the woman wearing red clothing. 'Your Majesty, I know as the Emperor, there is no denying that you must have the heart of the people so that they voluntarily followed your rule. But there is also no denying the existence of the mindless fool who holds no ability to be aware of the consequences of their foolish actions.'

'I see your point, Minister of Research and Records, but...' The Emperor was out of words, but he seemed to partly agree.

'With that reason, I propose Your Majesty to use this.' The woman wearing red took out an object that looked like a black dagger with red stripes.

Ren's eyes widened after seeing it. Melia wasn't sure, but it was as if he was alarmed by it and frustrated at the same time.

'Tch.' Ren clicked his tongue.

'And that is... the relic to summon the hero?'

'Correct, Your Majesty. It is called "The Blade of Anger" by the Grimmore, which was translated by the First Princess Nixea.' The woman explained. 'But that is not the important thing here. I wish to show you its other function.' She said before using force on her hand to bend the dagger.

'GH!'

As soon as the dagger was bent, Ren felt a sudden pain in her body. He held his head and screamed in torment. His screaming echoed throughout the hall as if this was a torture room.

'Gah! HAH! AGHHHHHHHHH! Hah! ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!'

(...)

Melia looked to another place as she couldn't bear to watch this.

'Now, bow down and show your respect to His Majesty.' Then she let loose the bending a little. He seemed to be less in pain.

'...' Ren was silent for a while after semi-kneeling and bowing down his head. But his eyes still showed a sign of hostility. '...Your Majesty.'

'Minister of Research and Records, may you elucidate your action?' Sorean spoke.

'It is my honor.' The woman said. 'The Blade of Anger will connect to the summoned one's soul in the moment they were summoned. Thus, through this relic, enslaving his soul is within the realms of possibility. That is my conclusion through my research on this object.'

'So this is a kind of torturing tool?'

'Allow me to make it more correct. More than inflicting pain on the host, it can also tamper with the subject's mind and bend its will as we desire, though this function is not fully at its capability. However, we, under the name of the Research Team, can assure Your Majesty that his rebel mind will be subdued.'

'...' Sorean shook his head, seeming like he didn't desire to do this. 'The reason he is here is helping our people overcome the incoming dark event, meaning that he is our benefactor. Yet the way we treated our savior is too mean.'

'This problem cannot be solved by any form of coercion but this, Your Majesty. The High Entia's future depends on us.'

'...You're right.' Sorean said. The awful feeling was shown in his voice and his face.

'If his behavior begins to be strayed, you may need this to repair.' She gave the dagger to Sorean. 'We know that your kindness is our biggest blessing, but to go against "that day", we must sometimes abandon the mercy choice. We will trust your wise decision for when you will use it.'

'...' He sighed, seeming to be lost in thought for a few seconds, probably pondering, but he still reached out to the dagger. He knew that this was out of the line of morality, but as the leader of his race, his burden forced him to ensure their future. The woman then returned to her position.

'Raise your head, Ren Amamiya.' The Emperor strictly said. As his words were saying, Ren raised his head to look up. 'From now on, I declare that you are the Hero of the High Entia. Be proud of the title you received!'

'...'

His face had told it all. He wasn't pleased with that. Melia thought it was easy to understand, as a rebel was forced like that and wouldn't let the word get through their head.

Clank

'Your Majesty, forgive me for interfering.' A guard from the outside got in.

'Hm? Is there something that is so important?'

'Yes. A woman is causing chaos from the outside.'

'A woman?'

'She said she wanted to know how her missing son is.'

'Missing son?' Melia raised her voice. 'Pardon me, is that the woman whose son is being looked for by our Imperial Guards at the moment?'

'Yes, Lady Melia. She was in a panic right now, saying she also wanted to meet you to ask how long she had to wait.'

'...You see.' Tyrea interrupted. 'You have brought to us trouble in the middle of our conversation.'

'First Consort, that is a little too much. While I acknowledge that this conference is important, it is unwise to ignore our civilian's wish.'

'...'

'Guard, how is she now?'

'She has calmed down and is in the Whitewing Palace. Some of our servants are with her, but she is still crying.'

'And how is her son's searching?'

'That... we found a portal that transported the poor boy to somewhere else. But...'

'Why the delay?'

'The transporter led us to a weird version of Eryth Sea. It is hard to explain, but it is as if the world has transformed, not simply a new place.'

'...I failed to see what you mean. What is the detail?'

'The most understandable way to say is, when we stepped in on the other side of the portal, we found ourselves in a new bizarre area that looked exactly like the Eryth Sea, but was covered heavily in fog, and many places were heavily damaged. Our squadron is investigating it. However, the environmental condition there has hindered us.'

'Is that so? I hoped that you had done everything possible because the life of a child is in danger here.'

'Please forgive us. In truth, this discovery is really new to us. There are strange monsters there that are beyond our study.'

(They are talking about those liquid-shaped monsters, right?) Melia wondered.

Discovery of a new area with some new monsters at the time the hero was summoned like this, she felt like this wasn't a coincidence.

'Your Majesty, may I speak to the Hero?'

'Melia? Yes, you may.'

'The Hero, Ren Amamiya, right? I want to ask you some questions.'

'...' Ren raised his head to her.

'When I met you, you seemed to know clearly what those monsters were.'

'Did I?'

'My memory still remembers clearly that you called them "Shadow". I might be correct if you know more than that.'

'And what your point is?'

'Since you know them so well, I request that you will join the rescue operation.'

'Melia. You think the Imperial Guard can not take care of this themselves?' Tyrea said. 'You are not allowed to waste the hero's strength on those unnecessary tasks.'

'But I beg to differ, Mother. As I said, it is too convenient for those strange monsters to appear at the time the Hero is summoned. And when I was aided by him at Eryth Sea, he seemed to know more than we expected by calling them "Shadow". I imply that letting him join the rescue team is the necessary decision. Those monsters may be involved with "that day" as we were alerted.'

'How foolish. He is crucial as the key to guaranteeing our safety in the future. We cannot believe in just a baseless conjecture like that. Do we even need them to tell you that such a small task like that is not necessary?'

'I-'

'Your Majesty, the boy's life can be placed in the Imperial Guard. The Hero needed to be trained in order to prepare.'

''Hm...' The Emperor felt hesitant. 'Melia, I need you to resolve some vague understanding of mine.'

'Yes, Your Majesty?'

'You indicated that you have seen and battled with them, so what word would you use to describe them?'

'Yes. What is most noticeable about them is their body. It only consisted of black liquid and a blue mask. I am not sure how its body could move with a structure like that. They also showed the ability to control ether.'

'Like the Nebula?'

'That is another way to say it, but there is something different about their way of attacking that I can not put into words to describe.'

'And you think the Hero here knows what they are?'

'Yes, that is my belief.'

'...Kalian, what do you think?'

'Your Majesty, in my personal opinion, like Melia said, it is hard to ignore such a coincidence like this after we summoned the hero. That said, a life of a child is in danger here. We must think carefully when we face the unknown.'

'I see. It is undeniable that it would be best for someone with knowledge about the unknown to handle the task. Saving a citizen's life is also our priority here.'

'...'

'What will you say, First Consort?'

'...I have no more objection. But if the Hero is harmed, Melia must take all the responsibility as the person proposing this idea.'

'Of course, Mother. I am fully aware of the weight in my proposal.' Melia agreed to her.

'Then it is decided. Melia, do you want to join them too? You are the first one alerted to this case, so you know the situation more than us.' The Emperor asked.

'If Your Majesty allows, I shall willingly do it.'

'Very well. Ren, return to your room, then await the guard to instruct you to the position and start the rescue mission.'

'...Yes, Your Majesty.'

'...' Sorean nodded. 'If there are no questions remaining, the discussion is dismissed.'

---

Whitewing Palace, Alcamoth, Day 2, 07:51

She returned to her room after that. But there is no time to rest.

She picked up her staff, the weapon that had followed her in many battles, the Alcor Staff. After that, she hastily left.

She knew that she needed to go to the scene as soon as possible. But before that, she thought that there was something that she needed to take care of first.

She was standing in front of the door of the room. The door is opened, and she met a certain someone inside.

'Ah...? Lady... Melia?'

'Greeting. Is it not the right time?'

'Ah, no. It's okay. I'm sorry for causing such a scene earlier.'

'No need to be so tense. It is understandable for your nervousness. We should be the ones apologizing for not returning him back sooner.'

'...'

'So I am here to check if you are calmed down yet. Do you need anything now?'

'I wanted to ask... how is the Mir'leiz's searching going?'

'We have located him this morning, but-'

'R- Really?! You found him?! Where is he?! Can I meet my son now?' She rushed to Melia and grabbed her shoulder.

'I- I... Please stay calm.' Melia was awkward. 'We have found his location, and... things started to get complicated.'

'Complicated? Was he attacked by the monsters?'

'I- It was, yes, it was.' She said awkwardly. Melia didn't dare to mention that the monsters were a new kind that they hadn't seen before. 'But please rest assured that he is still alive, and we will make sure he is going to keep living. You can trust us, the Imperial Guard.'

'...' The mother lost for words. She slowly staggered to the chair and sat down.

'...'

Melia was lost for words too.

For a moment there, she suddenly remembered her mother.

She hadn't showed it out, but whenever she would have to do something dangerous, like fighting the monster for first battle experience, Melia could see a worrying sign on her mother's face.

'...'

And she could feel that same feeling on Merisa.

'Th- they will bring my son back to me, r- right?' The poor mother asked in desperation.

Merisa was trembling.

That same feeling Melia had used to feel from her mother a long time ago.

'Pl- please, Lady Melia, can my son be-?'

At this moment, the action of someone who was depended on was obvious.

But Melia was doubting herself.

If she had found the child sooner, or if she hadn't been hesitant when hearing his calling for help, the boy's fate might have been different. Melia was still young and inexperienced in many things, and she was well aware of that.

Even so, this was a task that she was entrusted with, and she had accepted it. There was no reason for her to fail or quit. Not when looking at someone frozen in fear in front of her eyes. She had to become their hope, a hope that they could trust.

And Melia thought that she needed to do one thing, a thing which is required her to do for that moment.

She gently touched her shaking, then slowly grasped it.

'...' Merisa looked like she was confused, but her trembling was less than before.

'I apologize for this sudden action. If this offends you-'

'No, it does not. Thank you.' She took a deep breath. 'It is really what I need right now. Just thinking about losing him makes me feel...'

'He is really a whole world to you, huh? Any parents would see their children like that.' Melia gently said. 'You remind me of my late mother.'

'The Second Consort?'

'Yes, she was always worried about many small things. If I were in the situation like your son, she might be unable to control her emotion like you, or it might be worse. But that was in the past now.'

'She must have really loved you.'

'She has.' Melia smiled. 'I know this is just empty words, but you have my promise for saving your son, and I am definitely going to fulfill it, so please trust me.'

'...Yes, I know you can do it.'

Even if there was a chance of impossibility, she knew she had to keep on. Because that was her mission, her responsibility.

'So you are here, Lady Melia. Sorry for my intruding.'

In the middle of the conversation, a young man stepped in. He looked like someone in their early twenties and had silver hair. He looked plain, but there was something noticeable.

He didn't have a pair of wings like a High Entia. In other words, one could come to the conclusion that he wasn't a High Entia at all.

'Alvis?'

'Yes. There is something I need to tell you. Can we have some private space to talk about it?'

'...' She looked at Merisa, and what she received was a nod from her.

'Looks like you agree. Thank you for your cooperation. And Your Highness, I will wait for you at the other side of the transporter.'

He quickly left just after he had said that.

'Uhm... Is that the Seer?'

'Yes, his role is foresee the future. It is vital for our city.'

'I've also heard that, so is it true?'

'I am not certain. I did not join the prediction ritual, but I heard that what he said always happened, so it has proved its value. Since I wasn't involved too much, I am not sure about his role myself.' Melia explained, then became quiet. '...'

'What's wrong?'

'Future is an uncertain thing. Even I cannot foresee it. So I would not dare to guarantee anything.'

'...'

'But at least please do me a favor.' Melia's voice became more determined. 'You must believe in me no matter what. Even when I have nothing to assure you, even when I have nothing to prove the worth in my word. You must have hope that your son will return. Is that... fine with you?'

She wasn't sure what she had just said.

She just told her to believe in her unconditionally. She just wanted to calm her down.

'If it is Lady Melia, it will be fine.'

That was Merisa's reply, with a soft smile.

'...' Melia nodded. 'It is.'

No matter how hopeless the situation is, just believe that everything will be fine. That is the motivation for anyone to keep on living, to keep on fighting.

'I have used up my time. Pardon me for getting my leave.' Melia said.

'...Yes, good luck... and be careful.'

'I will.'

Melia had hoped that she could stay longer. However, she knew there was something she had to prioritize first.

Swoosh

She quickly warped to the Great Hall by the transporter at the end of the room. Then she spotted Alvis, who was leaning his back next to the exit transporter she had used.

'Alright. You may tell me what the problem is?' Melia quickly got to the point.

'This is the direct request from His Majesty. He entrusted me to deliver you an object to hold.'

'Huh? His Majesty?' She was surprised.

'Here.'

'!'

Melia was astonished because she was given something she would never expect.

That was the small blade to summon the hero that she had seen in the conference, the "Blade of Anger". It didn't seem to be a fake, too.

'T- That?!' Melia was even more astonished than before. 'You are claiming that His Majesty wants to give this to me?!'

'He desires that you would become the one observing the Hero's behavior. This comes from his word, of course.'

'Observing him? Alvis, I really doubt this. There are many people in the Counsel who are more fitting than me to fulfill this role. Why would he choose me?'

'You are right. I asked him that same question. You are inexperienced in many things, and he too does not think you can even bear the burden of leadership.' Alvis calmly explained. 'But what he is seeking is not leadership. It is kindness.'

'Kindness? You think... my kindness is the reason?'

'He said we must not show any ill intentions or malice towards, so kindness is the only way.'

'Alvis, what are you plotting?'

'What do you mean?'

'As we have discussed, I have not reached enough qualification for this burden. I may believe it if it comes from His Majesty himself, which was the situation I cannot imagine. Your story feels like a lie to me.'

'...' Alvis was quiet for that sentence.

'I truly hope that what I am anticipating is false, but... you did not steal it, did you?'

'...' Alvis had no reaction to that sentence. Then... 'Even if I am forced to die, I will not dare to do such a thing.' He calmly said.

'I hope what you said is true...' Melia said, then she took the black dagger from his hand. 'Since I had something to do, I will temporarily hold this relic and ask the Emperor later. We shall know whether your assertion is a lie or not.'

Due to her not being sure if this object was stolen by him or not, and she was in a hurry, she had to, for the meantime, keep it safe and confirm that to Sorean later.

'But before you go, please let me give you some advice.' Alvis's tone became more serious.

'What is-?' Melia paused before finishing after feeling his tone.

'You are still too young, and you do not know holding power may lead people into their dark side, and it causes tragedy and unfairness. So please trust in your pure kindness to guide you away from that malice called "power".'

'...'

'If you think you cannot bear that burden, I shall not force you. But if you accept, can you vow that you will reach his expectation?'

'...'

She was not sure what he said.

But if thinking in the way that it was true...

She was about to hold an unknown power. Something that greed wouldn't ignore.

Whatever she said, this was the Emperor's decision. There had to be something that the Emperor had seen from her. If someone wanted to rely on her, she would do anything to not let them down.

'I will accept it.'

'...' Alvis slightly nodded. 'And remember this: do not let anyone know that you are holding on to this blade. You and I will treat it like this meeting is never happening. Are we clear?'

'...'

She wasn't positive for comprehending what he meant by"not letting anyone know". She wanted to ask him further, but she was out of time.

'And the final thing, before you go...'

'Hm?'

'He asked me to deliver his message to you.'

'...'

' "Good luck, and be careful".'

'...!'

She was a bit surprised, but she knew what that sentence meant.

'Yeah.'

---

Eryth Sea, Hovering Reef 1, Day 1, 07:05

She arrived at the last place where she saw the missing boy. The weird transporter is still there, but this time there were also the guards around. She could also notice some machines and equipment around the portal, which seemed to be used to analyze that gate and the environment on the other side.

'Lady Melia, you have arrived.'

'What is the situation now?'

'We are still struggling with those bizarre monsters we have never seen before. If it weren't for the Hero, we would have no way to proceed.'

'Do you know where it leads to?'

'That... we don't know. It is still... this same place.'

'...I fail to see what you mean.'

'Lady Melia, I suggest that you should go to see it by yourself. It is hard to find a way to describe it.'

'If you say so.'

Melia was really curious when he said that so vaguely, so she quickly approached the portal. The guards quickly caught on, so they moved to the side for Melia to let her enter.

Swoosh

It was still that same feeling when she entered a man-made transporter. Her mind was usually blank for a moment, and then before she realized it, the destination was already in front of her eyes.

But there was something she didn't expect.

She didn't teleport at all. It was still that same landscape when she first entered.

That was what she had thought first, though.

(?)

The area is filled with fog. It was quite thick, and the longest range of sight was about ten meters.

The terrain around was also the same, except that there were many places that were heavily damaged. The rock was scattered with holes, and the grass field and plants like grass were seriously withered.

It was as if Eryth Sea was catastrophically contaminated like... a dead land. A version of Eryth Sea that has reached its doomsday.

'Lady Melia. I am the captain of the of this little squadron. Do you have anything you wish to ask?'

One of the guards who stood near the gate spoke up. They were gathered with quite a number of some men and women that looked like researchers.

'Yes, I heard you. Is the boy found yet?'

'My apology, Your Highness. The boy was nowhere to be seen on this island. We had to prepare some ships to expand the look. In the worst case, he might have fallen into the water below.'

'I see. But why does this place look like Eryth Sea? Does there even exist a place like that on the Bionis?'

'That is an answer that we are investigating, but I am afraid that we would never know. However, to add to the mystery, we notice there is something stranger.'

'What do you mean?'

'Pardon me for shifting your attention to there.' He pointed to the end of a path.

Though the fog made it hard to see, Melia still managed to spot a transporter. Like in the real Eryth Sea, there was a transporter in that same spot.

(Wait...)

She just realized the unusual here.

'If this place just looked like Eryth Sea and had not been discovered yet, why would there be a transporter?! And just in the same position at the other side?!' Melia showed her surprise, and it didn't stop there.

'That transporter is also usable. It just needs to be fixed, and we could move around the Hovering Reef like the other side. The workers is currently working on it. Quite ironic it is. It just feels like a parallel world where the layout is just the same.'

'!'

Leaving aside the transporter, she could also spot a creature that lay next to her. Then she noticed there were some similar ones scattered around. Probably they had already been dead for a long time. All the High Entia could recognize them by their emerald-colored skin. They were all Telethia.

'Telethia... corpses?! This place also had Telethia?!'

'We have already investigated this area, and this place does have Telethia, but they were all found dead. So it's safe to assume that Telethia will not be the threat here.'

'I- I see.' She tried to be calm. At least she didn't want to have more dangerous creatures hunting that child down.

However, that would add another mystery: why did this place have Telethia? And why had they all been dead?

'May I be allowed to speak more? Your Highness.'

'Say it.'

'We cannot see it here due to the fog, but... we found a city. It was damaged hardly, but it just looked like Alcamoth.'

'Even the Capital?' Melia was astonished.

One might think this was just an uncovered place that coincidentally had the same geometry as the Eryth Sea she knew. But the coincidence was also in the man-made objects, like the transporter and the city, which seemed to smash that idea into pieces.

It was like they were in the mirror, created as if it was the real world.

'Your Highness, about the rescue operation...'

'!'

She abruptly remembered. The reason she came here was to find the missing boy and save him. It was not the time to think about those insignificant features.

'Yes, am I right to assume that the boy hasn't been found yet?'

'Yes.'

'What about the Hero? He is here, right?'

'Yes, only thanks to him could we go this far. With the condition of this place, those monsters could kill all of us.'

'Where is he right now? I want to see him.'

'Please wait for me to contact the leading team.'

He stood up, then quickly ran to the other guard. They talked a little before he received a device that looked like a communication device. He pressed some buttons, but then he looked annoyed. He did that a few times until he came back to her.

'Your Highness, my apology. It seems that there is a team sending the signal for requesting reinforcements.'

'Is it urgent?'

'Yes, and we cannot get more response from them. Probably the transmission line was cut off. I have to lead my team there to give some help.'

'Then I will come with you.'

'Yes, Lady Melia. That would be a big help.'

After the conversation, the guard instructed her to wait for them preparing a boat. Since the boat was too big for bringing them over the portal, they had to dismantle and transport all the parts over, then regather them up again. Since the moment the natural transporter was found, they had managed to bring about five boats that were rebuilt completely and able to use. The boat was still brought over, and all the parts were assembled, and it happened that one of them was about to finish and ready to be used. They had thought about using a flying ship, but that would have taken more time if using the same method, so they rejected that idea.

Melia was really nervous. The more time wasted, the higher the chance the High Entia boy would lose his life. Deep inside her mind, she knew that this unknown place held many monsters that they didn't even know about. Thus, there was a probability that this place could be more dangerous than she could imagine. But she kept telling herself that everything would be fine, avoiding thinking about the worst scenario.

That was the only way she could do to cling to her hope.

'We are ready to go, Lady Melia.'

She felt like some weight just had been lifted from her shoulder when she heard that, but not completely.

She tried to remain as calm as possible when she was instructed to get on the ship. First, the land was hovering above the water, so they had prepared a temporary elevator functioning by ether to use it and slowly descend. Then, she sat tightly in the small boat that could only carry about ten people, including her. That was a simply constructed boat that could be seen by just looking.

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

They swiftly started the engine. It used stored ether, so the noise was light.

But still, she got used to the transporter so many times that she didn't have the chance to travel on the sea by boat.

Boommmmmmm Boommmmmmmm

The echo of many explosions rang through the whole area. When she looked at its source, she could see the dust and smoke on the other Hovering Reef levitating nearby.

'That Hovering Reef has been conquered by another team of ours.' The captain explained. 'They had to defend the intermediate station we took a lot of time to set up from those "Shadow", like what he called.'

'The "Shadow" again, huh?'

'He seems to have the knowledge on those weird creatures. I don't understand completely, but he said they're born from the suppressed side of consciousness.'

'...If he knew so much about them, I think those monsters also come from his world, or at least somehow relate to it.'

'That is a good deduction, Lady Melia.'

'Is that a sycophant? That is just a theory you all could simply think of.'

'I do not dare. You have misunderstood.'

'It is fine. How far did you explore?'

'We managed to take over four Hovering Reefs. But the farther we reach, the stronger the monsters are. Their number is also huge, and most of them gather near the Alcamoth copy version.'

'Is there any chance that the one we are seeking could reach the other Hovering Reef?'

'It is not possible. There is really some transporter here, but they are out of order and unable to be used, not when we finish repairing them yet. If there is a way the boy could escape, he must have jumped into the water, and that is the area we are focusing on. We have organized the diving team and hastily started the research.'

'I see. By the way, is there any specific reason why they are malfunctioning?'

'Because no one used it for a long time. Just some maintenance is needed to travel around more freely.'

'Um.' Melia nodded, seeming pleased with the answer.

Looking at their face, they seemed to have something they wanted to talk about. They showed exhaustion, as if he wanted to give up. Some hesitation was also shown, like they wanted to talk about it, but they didn't have the courage to do so.

Melia felt like what it was meant.

The boy they were looking for was just a child. The only land in the Eryth Sea was the Hovering Reef that was... hovering. Therefore, the only place he could reach was the beach that led to the lower layers on Bionis. That was quite a long distance if not using the transporter, and a strength of a child wasn't that high enough to swim to that.

In other words, there would have been no chance for the boy to survive. The situation was just against the odds here.

But still, Melia didn't allow herself to think that.

'Until the missing is found, even alive or... otherwise, our hope must not rest.'

She knew the Imperial Guard had their limit, so there was a bound for her to force everyone. She told herself to embrace it alone if the worst scenario happened.

'Of course, Your Highness.'

'While we are traveling like this, I want to ask about something. To be honest, I was kept from some information about this "that day" and hero until the last few days.'

'Are you? I am very sorry for that. Please forgive me for saying this, but your position as the daughter of the Second Consort has prevented you from many rights in the royal bloodline, and I think this is also the result of that.'

'...I see.'

'I- It is just my thinking. I didn't mean to disrespect or anything. My apology.'

'Do not be so nervous. What you said is the truth. Do not hesitate to state the truth. It is the necessary courage to make you better. There is nothing to offend or shame.'

'I am grateful for your kind words.'

'Hm... when is the document with the prophecy found? The first time I heard about its existence was a month before the summoning. I was quite shocked at that time.'

'The document was found in the High Entia Tomb, then it was deciphered, and then it showed that we will meet the "final day". To avoid that, it instructed us to find a relic that was kept in the same place in the High Entia Tomb and use it to hold a ritual with it, and the time to do it. Only some high-ranking members of the Imperial Guard, some ministries and some members of the Counsel knew it, and you seemed not to be one of them.'

'Wait, who would dare to enter the tomb?'

'That was Lady Nixea, your sister.'

'My... sister?'

'Did you forget? May I need to remind you that she also was the one who deciphered the document?'

'O- Oh right, she was. I have been told that was her.'

'She was really a strange girl. Her intelligence on the Grimoire was amazing. She has done something that the researchers could not accomplish since the language was too foreign.'

'The Grimoire was using a language different from the Ancestors'?'

'Yes, that is a mystery too. And Lady Nixea could translate it naturally.'

'...'

'I heard that she knew what the Ancient Grimoire said and insisted on entering the High Entia Tomb to find that relic. It was quite chaotic at that time, until the First Consort approved it and convinced His Majesty.'

'Right, Sister is also Mother's daughter.' Melia commented. 'But even so, the tomb was for the long-removed succession ceremony and was not used for a long time. I fail to see any reason that could allow anyone to enter the tomb, and just imagine she was the one approving it...'

'Of course, our low knowledge doesn't help us comprehend the Emperor's wisdom and action, but we know it is the right choice for us to trust it and be loyal to the royal bloodline.'

'...'

If saying she had no doubt in those words, that would be a lie.

And it was not just one. It was two things in it.

'We have arrived. This is, based on the other side, supposed to be Hovering Reef 4.'

She nearly forgot about what she was doing while she was lost in thought. Before she knew it, she was already near the destination.

There was another temporary elevator near the cliff similar to the one she had used to descend. A few of the guards going with her used it first, then she was accompanied by the rest.

The Reef had a three-petal flower shape and had no boulder. Unlike the other Reefs, there was a tall structure, a lighthouse. It also seemed to undergo huge damage and be old.

'Huh?'

That was when she heard a commotion when she ascended the elevator.

The Imperial Guard went before her and started to be unusually panic.

'Y- Your Highness, I'm afraid this is not a pretty sight for you to see.' The captain said.

'...No need to be concerned. I have to be prepared for any circumstance.'

'If you said so, Your Highness.'

She stepped forward and went in front of them to see the reason for this tense atmosphere.

'?!'

And it was not a pretty sight, just like the captain said.

The land was splattered with red blood, and it was a huge amount. But that was not all. The corpses of the soldiers were around. Some bodies were cut in half, some protruded their interior, and some were stomped and smashed to the point it was hard to identify the unlucky victims...

'...'

She felt like she wanted to scream, and she had to do it immediately. If not, she would have thrown up. Either way was not appropriate for someone like her.

'Your Highness, your command?'

'...'

She wanted to calm herself down, but it was impossible. Her body was shaking while she tried to hold tightly her staff. But she was a princess, a member of the royal family, so she had to stay calm and act like a leader. So she had to suppress those emotions altogether.

(I...)

What she was seeing in front of her was dead people. She used to see it once, her mother. But this was totally different this time, a definition of brutality and mercilessness.

Her thinking was out of control, and she started to think this was her fault.

(If I had not sent them here, would they still be alive now?)

She thought about their friends and family. She thought about how she should apologize to them.

And she thought it was her responsibility to cost their life for dragging them into this.

'Lady Melia! Watch out!'

'?!'

Gobble Gobble

Some of the slimy creatures revealed their presence, and there were also some new ones.

She could notice among them were creatures that had the shape of a human right hand, literally. It seemed to wear a white glove covering over their body and use its fingers as legs to move around. It could be easier to imagine if you used to pretend your hand as a creature, then wiggle the fingers as if they were legs. She used to do that when she was young, so seeing this made her feel gross. They had a blue mask, making it as its face.

Also, a few levitating sphere-shaped monsters could also be spotted. They had a blue mask that attached to their black-and-white striped body. But when they rolled over, they revealed their huge mouth, with a long tongue. Some of them were lengths of scroll-like objects that were spirally wound into the shape of a fish. There were two objects that looked like eyes attached to each of them and a mask attached to its forehead. And finally, some objects like pink tiaras were floating at the back. They had strings that seemed to be hair, and just like others, they had masks on them too.

All of them just gave the impression of absurdity.

'If you need some rest, you could ask us to take you back. I can take the charge from here.'

'...' Melia shook her head. 'Do not worry about me. I will not flee, as long as I complete my mission.'

'...'

Before she knew it, the guards started to scatter around and prepared their guns. Some of them tried to contact each other and report about the situation.

She tried to concentrate, looking around while avoiding looking at the corpse. She thought she should do something and prove herself helpful.

She noticed a camp next to the lighthouse structure similar to the one near the portal she had first seen. And there was a pole too, seemed to have been sabotaged.

'Be careful!' Melia shouted.

Bang Bang

Melia was startled when the guard fired their gun.

Because they attacked immediately, the monsters got some confusion in their action. All the guards then quickly surrounded them and blasted anything they could.

(No time to think. I need to act now!)

'I shall help too! Summon Bolt!'

By summoning that element, the troop's gun, which used ether, could be buffed and enhanced.

'Hah!'

Some of the knights stepped forward and ran to the enemy. Each of them held a sword and a shield with a wing pattern, rushed to, and slashed them with all their might.

'Summon Flare!'

Melia manifested another element. As soon as she did, the knight holding the sword fought more effectively. The weapon in their hand was heated, and their muscle was even stimulated.

Slam

Smash

The hand-shaped monsters tried to swing their whole bodies, as if a real hand was slapping the soldiers. Some slime monsters also extended their arms and clapped. But like professionals, they used their shields to defend themselves and swiftly struck back.

'Whhhhhhhhhh!'

Following that, some sphere-shaped monsters used their tongues to lick. It seemed to be their attack. But those weren't a threat too, so they were swiftly destroyed.

Boom Boom Boom Boom

But physical attack wasn't all of their ability. Some of the hand-shaped monsters started to snap their fingers in the midair. The tiara-shaped monsters followed up as well by gathering some energy. Then among the guards, some flame and some ice shards formed themselves, and they caused damage by exploding.

(Ether attack? Just like that time?!)

But the soldiers weren't flinching. They skillfully made use of their guns and shot back at them. The Bolt element Melia summoned earlier had made the ether power in the gun stronger.

Gobble Gobble Gobble

(?!)

While the battle was still going on, some other monsters started to approach from outside the surrounding circle.

'More of them?! Back off to shield Lady Melia!' The knight shouted.

(What a huge number. A suitable tactic is in need here.) Melia thought. Then she tried to observe the enemy carefully. (If I can exploit a particular movement of theirs, or a weakness...)

While she was doing that, she noticed something when the sword-holding knights were combatting.

(This... I believe that I notice something. But to prove my theory...)

She was scared, and she knew that. But she still stepped forward. From each step, she carefully kept moving.

'Lady Melia?!'

'Step back! I will discharge my element!'

The soldiers quickly got out of the way after hearing that, as if knowing what she was about to do.

'Elemental Discharge!'

Boommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

'Whhhhhhhhhhhhhh!'

The red orb behind her disappeared, then a heat wave broke out. It made a huge explosion, then burned the monsters around.

(My theory, if it is true...)

She hastily glanced at the monsters, and she could say that she was right.

(Those monsters with gross tongues and those... hand things... their reaction to my blaze ether Art compared to others, they were toppled down easier. So their weakness to these particular ones is... fire?)

But that was not all.

(On top of that, although all the tongue things have the same reaction, not all the hand things do. A part of them wasn't even flinched, so I could conclude they can resist fire, and the meaning of that is also... not all of them are the same?)

She had thought the monsters had the same shape and also had the same attribute. But there was something else she missed that made the difference.

'Please step back!'

In just a short moment, the soldiers started stepping forward and shielded her again. Even though the monster started swarming, the knights still fought back effortlessly. Wiping them wasn't easy, but it wasn't too hard when they took it slow.

(With the Imperial Guard, I guess finding their weakness is not necessary. I may need to step back and give support.)

'Summon Flare!' Melia summoned another element to power up the knights. Though they might not need it, she still wanted to contribute something.

The advantage was on them. If continuing like this, they could win this battle.

However...

(Isn't this going too smoothly?)

When something proceeds too easily, it is natural for anyone to doubt it.

Thud

She stumbled on something, and it startled her.

That was one of the soldier's corpses she first saw when she first arrived. The blood puddle hadn't dried yet.

Melia's heart seemed to skip a beat.

(To think their lives are fallen by those weak, disgusting things...)

That was when she realized it.

(Wait... something is not right.)

Assuming the soldiers at this Hovering Reef were armed with the same equipment and weapons as the warriors who accompanied Melia, they should have been able to handle these weird, weak monsters like how the fighters by her side did then. And yet, they were defeated and ended up being killed in a terrible way.

(Have they been ambushed? But the wound... no, the whole body was devastated brutally and horribly... It is hard to claim that those monsters can do that much, even with those ether move.)

She was focusing, and that was the reason she let her guard down.

(So that means... there is something far stronger here?!)

'Lady Melia! Watch out!'

'?!'

She didn't expect to see the answer that soon.

For a short moment, she couldn't feel her body as if her blood stopped flowing in her vein because of the shock.

Slashhhhh

It was a clean, but swift slash that severely damaged three knights at the same time.

'What...?!'

Her body was numb, and her breathing was faster. Melia couldn't believe what she saw.

That was a black and tall humanoid monster with two thin arms and two thin legs, which made no sense for its huge figure. Its body looked burdensome with the sturdy part of its torso as if it was wearing armor. The catching eyes part was a big red cross on that "armor" and a short red cape that made it seem to be a little "royal". It also had a mask on its face, though she seemed not to be able to see its head.

The short sword held in its right hand was covered in blood. Some drops of blood splatter on her clothes too.

(That monster... has it just been hiding in that lighthouse the whole time?!)

The fear had prevented her from moving.

Bang Bang Bang Bang

The knights didn't have time to mourn, so they fired their guns and used their swords to charge ahead.

'Lady Melia!'

'Huh?!' Melia came back to her senses. 'I need to do something! Shadow Stitch!' She tried to act fast by casting the ether Art that could hold the enemy's feet and make them stay where they were temporarily.

Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang

Clang Clang Clang Clang

The monster's size made it easier for the bullets from their ether gun to hit. On the other hand, the knights using swords slashed as hard as they could.

Slash Clang

It was a swift but strong cut. And unfortunately, it was a counterattack from the huge creature.

'AH!'

The knights on the front line were attacked by surprise. They managed to shield themselves, but some of them didn't and then got hurt.

'Summon Aqua!' Melia recovered her calmness and then began to act again.

By using this new element, the wound of the knight started to recover. Its aura could slowly heal her ally around. It would help the knights a lot for combating.

'Do not let your guard down! Keep the formation!' The captain shouted.

The huge creature holding the short sword was really different from other smaller ones. It was tough, and its attack was strong but slow. By taking that as an advantage, the knights could cumulate the damage as long as they could maintain their defense.

(That is the Imperial Guard for you. Despite being attacked by surprise, they will not let themselves get lost in the panic. Unfortunately, the previous team did not have that luck, so I hope this is the revenge for them.)

Boom Boom

Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang

The battle had been going on for about five minutes already, but the monster was still able to move normally.

(This battle is taking far too long.)

Melia had seen a lot of monsters of huge size, with the quickest example coming to mind being the Telethia, and they were really hard to take down. She had also witnessed how the knights cooperated with each other for the best efficiency, just similar to what was taking place before her eyes.

But this time was different.

The said creatures had shown their pain or sloppier in their moment when the time passed longer. Be it five or ten minutes, the way the knights fought as a team, even though there had been some sacrifices, made Melia feel admiration for them. But the creature in front of them hadn't shown any of those signs. It was still stubborn to act no matter how hard the soldiers hurt it.

(I have a bad feeling about this.)

'Lady Melia! We need to recover! If you could-!'

'Of course! Elemental Discharge! Healing Aqua!'

She pointed the staff at the creature, then released the ether energy from the orb of Aqua. Discharging the Aqua element allowed her to drain the health of a target and recover for herself and an ally.

Or it was how it was supposed to be.

Crack

'Argh!'

The orb just exploded. The Art had failed.

'What? It's...' Melia said in confusion.

'Lady Melia! What's wrong?!' The captain asked.

'I failed to discharge the element? It is supposed to cause damage from the inside and retract that amount of loss to me. What is going on here?!'

Even no matter how strong the enemy was, her Healing Aqua art hadn't failed a single time since it bypassed the physical defense of the target, manipulating the ether inside the enemy to absorb their life force from the inside. But this time it was as if her attack was negated.

(My attack did no harm to it... "no harm"... no, don't tell me...)

She was scared of this realization.

'Captain, command everyone to retreat!'

'What? But-'

'NOW!' Melia lost her composure. 'WE CANNOT WIN THIS! WE HAD TO RUN!'

Boom

'Wah?!'

'Shadow Stitch!' She launched her binding spell on the creature, so it couldn't move forward further.

Rumble

'Wait! You cannot!'

When Melia ran to the front line, she could see the knights had been exhausted from keeping fighting for too long.

'Stand back! We have to withdraw! We are unable to defeat this creature.'

'B- but Lady Melia, this monster is at a disadvantage, and we are still able to maintain the formation.' The knights were surprised. 'That would be unwise-'

'Fight to the point of death? Keeping the defense or not, this monster is immune to all of our attacks! The damage we deal to it is nothing, but the opposite is not!'

'I- Immune?!'

'Yes, no matter the strategy, it will be all meaningless for a monster that can not take damage! That is the reason I said we-'

'Lady Melia! Behind you!'

Slash

In that moment, she forgot that her Shadow Stitch had a time limit.

'AHHHHHH!'

The huge creature, being five times higher than anybody else there, made a swift slash at a knight who moved forward to cover her. The knight's body was cut in half.

Her eyes widened for that scene.

Rumble

Slash

The effect of Shadow Stitch had been over. The movement was very stiff, like a robot. That was why it was slow. But with all the attacks, the knights use of it wasn't working, as if it was invincible. It could take however much time it wanted to take all the lives in front of it.

'No... This must be a lie! He is... killed... just like that...' Melia was shocked.

'R- Retreat! Someone took Lady Melia-!'

Slash

For a moment, its sword movement was quicker, and the swing range was wider. By its long arm, the knights being unluckily in the range got those swift cuts.

'Ah!'

Before the blade could hit her, the captain rushed straight to its attack range.

'HA!'

Swoosh

Then he caught and brought Melia out of its attack.

'Forgive me for this rudeness.'

'I...'

'Unable to take damage, huh? I cannot believe a creature like that even exists.'

'There is no evidence to support my claim. Don't give up yet-'

'I afraid not, Lady Melia. Your guess exactly elaborates the reason we have not subdued it yet. And even if it is wrong, it is already too late. You have to run alone.'

'What are you talking about? Of course you and your subordinates-'

'Please look, Lady Melia.'

'...'

Even though they tried their best, she could see that the Imperial Guard wasn't able to fight properly like they had done earlier.

'Our formation has been broken, so we need all the men to hold that monster off for you to flee.'

'Such nonsense! Why do you want to throw away your life like that?!'

'This is our fate to fight for your life as an Imperial Guard. As long as your life is safe, we are more than ready to give up ours.'

'That cannot even be more nonsense with such a thing called "fate".'

'You are still young, so you may not understand. But His Majesty would agree with us. Everyone in your family would agree with us. This is our responsibility, and this is our honor.'

Thud Slash

Melia, with her empty mind, looked at the knights who couldn't do anything but still recklessly tried to fight back. The enemy could take no damage, and when every kind of attack couldn't do it, it became the fearful threat.

'This is absurd... You know you will be dead if you try to fight that thing. You know those attacks cannot even change anything. And yet, you are still...'

'Lady Melia! Flee! We will hold this creature here!'

'You all have to run with me too! I cannot do such a shameful action like leaving all of you and running away!'

'I have already said it, but it is our duty to serve our lives to you, Lady Melia! Your life is the most important here!'

'Do not be ridiculous! I... I-!'

Rumble Rumble

The red-cross monster was slowly approaching Melia and the captain before they could even realize it. It raised the sword and was about to smash it down.

'Elemental Discharge! Flare Impulse!'

Boom

As an attempt to struggle, she tried to release the explosion of flame element.

Rumbleeeeeeeeee

But it was just the same as the knights' effort. The flame explosion didn't stop the swinging.

'It... does not work too?!'

'Lady Melia!'

Thud

Clang

The captain pushed Melia aside, then he used a shield to take it.

'Captain!'

'Just because you are immune to damage does not mean- ARGH!'

Thud

Just like a heartless machine, the monster then kicked the captain down. Then when he tried to stand up, the monster stabbed the sword down on his stomach.

'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

'No...'

The scream was prolonged for a few seconds until it was no longer.

Thud

After kicking the captain's corpse away, the monster slowly looked for another target.

Rumble Rumble

Everything had turned into total chaos.

Some remaining knights started to panic because the captain was lost.

Gobble Gobble

'!'

They were startled when the smaller monsters started attacking the knight. Just by a presence like a boss monster, the mobs finished the rest by slowly tearing apart the already broken formation.

Even if it was already too late, even if knowing all of the action she would do couldn't change anything, she still wanted to do something.

'I- I need to heal them...'

'AHHHHHHHH!'

Melia was shaking when she heard the scream, but she still had to be calm and strong.

She tremblingly ran to one of the knights with hope that she could save someone, even just a little.

'HAH!'

Thud

She used her staff to smash as hard as she could on the hand-shaped monster and the slimy monster that was about to devour him.

'Argh... ahh...'

It was already too late. His body had lost a lot of blood. Melia wasn't an expert, but she could still say it at first glance.

'Your... High... ness...'

'I... It... You will be fine! S- Stay with me!' She wasn't sure what to say anymore.

'The missing...'

'!'

She didn't expect that.

In that significant moment, she remembered her purpose for being here. There was someone who was waiting for her to save. The longer the time passed, the higher the risk of the missing High Entia boy being lost forever.

She had made a promise to not let that happen. This was what she had insisted on doing.

That was why she had to get out of here alone.

She had another mission to accomplish, and she needed to survive to see it through.

Thud

He took his last breath, and that could be expected.

'You cannot give up like that! Summon Aqua!'

She summoned another new element, the Aqua.

'Say something, please... This is my flesh and blood, Healing Gift!'

It was the art of sacrificing a part of her health to recover the target from their wound by delivering the flow of ether.

And yet, as an obvious thing, it had no effect on those who had fallen.

'It must be enough, right? So... please...'

In Melia's mind, she clearly knew that what she was trying to do was pointless. Perhaps like a denial, she had awaited a miracle.

She honestly didn't know what to do anymore. Her head was spinning. She felt dizzy.

Rumble Rumble Rumble

Even the aura from the element Aura wasn't enough for the remaining knights to survive.

The screaming from the knights put the heaviest weight on her since the time she was born. They had given her a chance, so she could not waste it.

'...'

She stood up.

Looking at the creature, she just wanted to destroy it. She just wanted to kill it at that moment. She just wanted to avenge the knights.

'...but it is impossible.'

No damage could even harm them, so how she would even do that was the question.

She tried to think in every possible way.

She wondered if the monster wasn't invincible like she thought. Perhaps she had made a mistake and presumed things too soon.

If there was something she didn't try, she would regret it forever.

'Elemental Discharge! HEALING AQUA!' Melia pointed her staff at the monster again.

SWOOSH

Now she carefully used the art this time for more precision so that it wouldn't fail again. She did it slowly, trying to remember every movement of the body she missed compared to when she had been trained.

That was what she hoped for.

Crack

The Aqua element exploded on her staff. It almost knocked her back.

But she still hadn't given up.

'Elemental Discharge! Vertical Bolt!'

BOOMMMMMMMMMMMM

She released the Bold element at the red-cross monster. Then a strong thunderbolt struck from above its head.

Melia expected that this attack wasn't able to damage it. However, all she had then was the rage. She didn't have any plan, but she refused to lose, and her desire was one and only: to destroy the huge thing in front of her eyes.

But...

Rumble

(W... What?)

Surprisingly, the humanoid monster had fallen back on behind. And it was struggling to stand up.

Regardless, this led her to a conclusion.

(This thing's weakness is electricity?!)

'That attack works?!' The remaining knights shouted.

There was finally hope.

It had been proved that this monster wasn't invincible at all, and she wouldn't let that chance slip.

'Summon Bolt!'

Rumble

The red cross monster managed to get up with its heavy body. Then it slowly moved forward to her.

'Summon Copy!'

Another Bolt element appeared beside the one before. She had the same two elements on standby.

Clang Clang

Suddenly, its body started to emit a rainbow-colored aura. The aura was consumed by its body and then disappeared.

Melia noticed this, but she didn't care.

Melia raised her staff. 'ELEMENTAL DISCHARGE! VERTICAL BOLT!'

BOOMMMMMMMMMMM

Just like earlier, another thunderbolt struck the monster from above. It hurt the monster and made it fall down.

That was supposed to be happening like Melia thought.

Rumble Rumble

The monster was still moving and didn't bother to it. Just like how it was immune to all the damage earlier.

'It... cannot be?!'

She was surprised, but she couldn't stop here, so she tried again.

'Elemental Discharge! Vertical Bolt!'

BOOMMMMMMMMMM

The thunderbolt struck again, and the result was the same.

'...' She was frozen in shock and fear.

Melia's hand gripped the staff tightly. She had no other option.

'Looks like it is no use after all.' A soldier who was still alive but hardly breathing near her said.

'...' Melia was speechless.

'I guess our destiny has come to an end. We have underestimated the danger of this place, and our life became the cost for the payment.'

'I am sorry...'

'Please do not apologize. It is our fault for not reaching your expectation. At least the only thing we can do here is leave the chance for you to leave.' The knight calmly said. 'You should find Sir Hero. He should be able to help you.'

'But you...'

'May you find the unlucky child and return safely.'

'I will find someone to help... I will definitely not forget you, so at least please survive.'

'That is my- no, our honor. But I am afraid I cannot keep that promise. So this is our farewell.'

'Wait!'

The knight rushed to the monster with no hesitation.

'HUAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

Slash

That knight had left a loud battle cry before being slashed in half.

'...'

With just small group, the number of the alive knights was even decreasing into three people. They still fought their impossible battle, a pointless struggle. And yet, when the knights saw her, they just had the same face that told the same thing.

"Don't worry about us. I won't let this creature touch you. So I'm begging you to flee."

The reason they kept fighting to that moment was because of her.

'Because of me...'

If she could do anything to stop that monster from its massacre.

If she could do anything to save the remaining.

She would do it immediately.

'But I cannot... so I had to flee.'

She couldn't waste the knights' effort.

Staying there just meant waiting for death, and she didn't want to look at the knights meet their inevitable end.

So she ran away.

One step.

Then two steps.

For each step, her regret was increased.

She wondered what their reaction would be when they saw her do that, but she didn't dare to.

(I have to find someone to help, the Hero, anyone...)

She ran to the ship they used to arrive here. Despite that, her whole body was shaking, and her mind was in a mess.

Hearing no more screaming, Melia took it as a sign for all the people in the troop being annihilated, except that she was the last one.

Thud

'AH!'

She tripped over a rock when she landed after the jump. She tried to stand up, but her left leg was hurt.

'Ouch...'

(Ugh... How clumsy I am... Looks like I sprained my ankle. If I try to endure the pain, I could still walk and sprint for a short distance, but I am unable to run. But no matter the reason... I have to move forward!)

Melia raised her head and pushed herself from the ground. She wouldn't give up, so she reached her hand to her staff that was dropped nearby.

(?!)

At that moment, beside her staff, she noticed another object. It looked like a black dagger with light red strips.

(The relic Father gave me? It must have been because it fell out from my belongings.)

She took back her staff and the relic dagger.

(This...? Right, I was entrusted by Father. I must survive, or it will become nothing.)

And she kept limping.

As soon as she arrived at the edge of the Hovering Reef, she could use the ship and leave the area.

'Hah... Hah...'

But there was a small problem.

'Why...?'

She raised that question when she was running.

'Why haven't I reached the edge of the Reef yet!?'

She had been running for a long distance in a straight way, so she knew it was something abnormal here.

The Hovering Reef wasn't that huge, and she could be sure that she and the knights hadn't gone in that far in the Reef.

'The fog...?'

Then she noticed an obvious thing that she should have done sooner.

The fog in the area was thicker.

It wasn't with that amount when she was still there. And for some reason, her mind was out of focus, so she couldn't give her mind to the fog.

(My head...)

She started to feel dizzy.

But her legs were still moving.

She was still moving forward in a straight line, to an invisible goal. The goal might not even exist, so she might be running forever.

(At this rate...)

She couldn't against it.

After a few seconds, she lost her consciousness.

---

?, ?, ?, ?

It was that same dream again.

She was standing at the main entrance of the Alcamoth.

But there were a few differences.

She could see a heavy storm outside the ceiling glass.

There were a lot of Telethia lining up in straight lines on two sides of the straight road leading to a slope that ascended to the first floor. They were all facing each other and didn't move.

And at the end of the road, it was her again, standing at the foot of the slope and turning her back on Melia, where the Telethia's line ended, Melia.

It made no sense, as Melia knew she was the real one, and she was standing at the main entrance, so the other one had to be a fake.

She then went ahead.

'...'

The Telethia suddenly had some movement. They simply bowed down their heads as soon as she walked past them, one by one, similar to a powerful Empress.

But she had no concern about that.

She just focused on getting closer to another her.

Plop

A drop of red liquid fell to the paddle below.

It was blood.

The other her was covered in blood. The floor below her was covered in blood.

On the girl's right hand, she was holding a blade, The Blade of Anger.

The closer she got, the more certain that scene became.

And wanting to see it or not, a corpse of someone was in front of that "other her".

'...! Fa...ther?!'

The Emperor was lying in a blood puddle. His neck was cut, and his blood poured out, becoming the source of the puddle.

His eyes still opened even after the horrible moment of death.

She was about to run to him, but...

'!'

His pupil abruptly moved, stared at her coldly, deadly, hatefully,...

With something so sudden like that, she was startled.

Swoosh

'AH!'

'...?! You awake?' A voice of a boy raised.

'H- Huh?! Where... am I?'

She looked around in confusion. It seemed that she was behind a boulder on a Hovering Reef in the Eryth Sea.

'It was just... a dream?'

'Are you okay? Your face looks pale.' That voice asked her again.

When Melia looked, it was a boy with a weird black costume with a white mask. It was the Ren.

'Oh, it is... you? Thank you for your concern.' Melia showed her gratitude, but she felt tired.

'Look at you like that... can you even fight?'

'I... guess.'

Her head was still dizzy, but she still tried to move normally.

'Even so, it's still hard for us to make it out alive from that thing then.'

'That thing?'

'Try to look for yourself.'

Out of curiosity, she tried to stand up and walk. But she was reminded by the pain that her ankle had sprained. Regardless, she staggered to poke her head out to look.

(?!)

It was also a huge, black creature like the one she had fought before. But this time it had a huge belly with a long neck, and attached to it was also a mask. When leaving that out, it could be confirmed that it was wearing a blue dress and having a long and wide cloak whose two corners were connected to its two arms. In addition to the scepter it was holding, she couldn't help feeling that it showed some dignity and royalty for some unexplainable reason.

'That Shadow is really something unlike the smaller ones. For some reason I can't deal any damage to it.'

'Can't deal any damage?! This one too?!'

'"Too"? Looks like I need you to explain to me what has happened to you.'

'There is no reason I would say otherwise.' Melia said. 'When my soldiers was on the way as reinforcement request, they were all annihilated except me. I am a survivor. The creature attacking us is just as big as that one...'

'You can't deal damage to it too, I presume?'

'Yes.' Melia said tremblingly.

'Looks like the trouble is doubled, huh?'

'I am afraid that other squadrons did not know the existence of these killing monsters. I need to warn them somehow before there would be more slaughtering.'

'And the only way to do that is return to where we come from and contact with the others. Still need to leave this place though.'

'I do not understand... How on Bionis could such a creature like that exist?'

'They are Shadow, there are just so many things I didn't know about them.'

'I thought you had knowledge about this so-called thing "Shadow".'

'Actually, just to an extent. There's a long range of variety of them, just like the complication of the human mind where it was born.'

'Born from... human mind? I am afraid that I do not comprehend.'

'That's a long story. But we shouldn't discuss that for now.'

'If you say so... What about where you have found me? You have not seen that creature with a sword in its hand?'

'I've seen nothing. I've just found you unconsciously lying on the ground while running away from that Shadow so I just brought you along.'

'I see. Thank you for saving me again.'

'You don't have to be so formal.'

'But there is one thing I find strange. I did not arrive at the ship to leave the Hovering Reef, so how can you find me without that monster in the same place?'

'...I think I could explain-'

Rumble

They were interrupted by a loud noise. When they tried to look, it was shown that the scepter-holding Shadow was going around a nearby boulder.

'That thing... it's really bad news. We're forced to take it down, or we can't escape this place forever.'

'You have not found the clue to find the missing child yet, have you?'

'No. Not any clue.'

'I see. I knew you would say that-'

'Actually, I found him, so I don't need any clue.'

'W- What?! Why did you not report to us?!'

'Unfortunately, the knights going with me were murdered by this huge Shadow as you knew. They... Let's say they have tried their best.'

'They were also... But hold on, you leave the boy and come here alone? What will happen to him?'

'A friend of mine's taken care of that.'

'Your friend?'

'Don't worry, he is strong. You can believe him.'

Rumble Rumble

The loud noise became closer.

'This is bad. I can't even cut the tail from the Shadow so it knows I'm here. We're in a dead end.'

'At this rate I guess I must be used as a decoy for you to escape.'

'Don't say that. We still have hope. I manage to defeat it, though.'

'What? You can? How?'

'...The way I see it, it can block all physical and magic attacks except one particular type as its weakness. But when that weakness is found out, it can cover and replace it with another weakness.'

'...' She remembered the moment she used the Bolt element and discharged it to the monster. It had really worked, and in fact it had been toppled. So saying it had no weakness but one had some ground.

Then when it had released a rainbow aura, her electric attack had no longer worked. If it could cover all of its weaknesses just like that, it could do it from the start, so she also dares to say that that aura didn't protect it perfectly.

However, even after knowing that, there was one problem.

'We do not have enough time to find out that weakness before it defeats us. Even if we could hit that weakness, it will not die immediately. It will change the weakness, and that process will keep repeating. It is not invincible, but to exploit the weaknesses every time it changes is really a nuisance. We surely cannot keep enduring or avoiding all the attacks to exploit that weakness.'

'If only we had Oracle here...'

'Oracle?'

'Sorry, forget what I said. She won't magically appear here anyway.'

'?'

'Back to the point, instead of striking on the weakness, I can use Almighty attribute spell to cause damage.'

'Almighty spell?'

'The effect won't be the same as hitting the weakness, but it's a neutral element. The cons it gives are making me use too much stamina. It was really tough taking it down.'

'So can you do it again?'

'I'll try, though. You should run when you have the chance.'

'What are you talking about?! I am done running away. And how can you expect me to let you die here? You are vital to our fate and "that day". If it is anything, I should be the one protecting you.'

'For someone who can't fight properly now to say that... I don't die that easily. You had sprained your ankle, right?'

'How did-?' Melia was about to ask how Ren knew that, but she guessed he had just seen how she had walked to look at the Shadow, so she stopped. 'You have underestimated me. As long as I can still stand like this, as long as my grudge to those creatures is not answered, I will still hold my weapon to face my opponent.'

'...You seem to care too much about your subordinate.'

'I... do not, my inexperience as a leader has cost them their life. But at least I must atone for my mistake.'

'...You're just different from them, huh?'

'What do you mean?'

'Anyway, I intend to hold it for you to run away, but if you want to fight with me, then it's fine. But just don't hinder me.'

'Like I have said, you have underestimated me, and I had left those people to death, so I want the two of us to not be in their same fate.' Melia said with a sigh of grief. 'Let my element support you, Hero. I am also in the Elemental Burst state, so that I can use my Art to the fullest efficiency. If you are doubting my ability, then witness this. Summon Aqua!'

Swoosh

'This is...?'

'The element of life, of course. The aura could heal your wound. I also have other elements that are ready to assist.'

'Heh, interesting, so you're like the mage-based character in an RPG.'

'I... fail to understand what you meant?'

'I look forward to your ability, Melia.'

'So do I, Hero.'

'But before we start, I have a request.'

'Say it.'

'Don't call me "Hero", just use my real name.'

'Your real name? Uhm... Ren?'

'There, that's better.'

'But "Hero" is just showing how we respect you. You really do not like it?'

'No, thanks. Just drop that formality. I kinda have... an allergy to that. So just do me that favor.'

'If that is what you wished, Ren, then I guess so.'

Rumble

'Looks like our discussion time is over.'

This time, beside the loud noise, there was also a huge shadow cast on the ground near them by the huge Shadow.

The creature had found where they were hiding.

Swoosh

The Shadow quickly spun its scepter in the air. Answer to the reason for that action, the air around them started to move and be twisted, turning into a whirlwind.

'WAH!'

But before that, Ren lifted Melia up, princess-carried her, and jumped out of the attack. He put her down after moving to a spacious area.

'W- Wha- What have you done?!'

'I figure you can't run because of your ankle.'

'Just tell me before you do that! It was so sudden...'

'I didn't have time to tell that first... well, my bad, there won't be a next time.'

'Wait, did you also carry me like that when I was unconscious?'

'Of course not, I put you on my back. It's easier for me to move around.'

'That... is good to know.'

'What with that reaction? Don't tell me you are emba-'

'Shut up-!'

Rumble

The huge Shadow with the scepter moved out to their position.

'So about the tactic we have talked about, you will use that Art you told for unleashing the neutral element? And we will use it continuously on it until it is down?'

'Don't expect too much. I used too much Persona energy on that Shadow a while ago. I manage to recover some, but I'm not sure it would be enough.'

'Then I propose that we should focus on finding the weakness. You should not overdo it.' Melia suggested.

'No, even when we could find the weakness, there's also another problem.'

'Another problem?'

Swoosh

The monster interrupted them by unleashing another gust attack on him.

'To sum it up, I need to finish it with one strike. You have to stay back and cover me, power me up, or weaken it down. We must end this battle as soon as possible.'

'What-?'

'I have my reason. Just trust me.'

'Then my element will power up your Art.' Melia added.

That was the battle that they couldn't win. Their condition was even in the worst state.

However, they still had to believe that we could win.

Being cornered, to survive, they would fight to the end, even though it is just a small chance.

'I summon the element! Flare, Bolt!'

'Come out! Raoul!'

When Ren shouted that, the mask on his face glowed. And emerging from him was a huge figure with a huge cloak and mechanical wings on the back.

'Let's warm this up, Heat Riser!'

Ren's body was then covered with a three-color aura.

Swoosh

The monster raised the scepter, then another tornado burst out after he dodged with quick agility.

'Cover me! Melia!'

'Stay where you are! Shadow Stitch!'

Rumble

The monster's feet were quickly bound when Ren quickly created some distance from the enemy.

Taking the chance, Melia also did something.

'The ether overflowing in my vein, now is the time! Burst... END!'

BOOMMMMM

A massive light blasted out from her raising staff. The light was too strong that Ren couldn't look at it directly.

Rumble Rumble

But the Shadow struggled after that move, showing that it had some effect on it.

'That's quite impressive, Melia!'

'I just weaken its defensive ability. It is not much, but I pray that it would help!' Melia said while moving away further from it.

'All right, wait for me. Concentrate!' Ren's Persona emitted another aura, then it started to gather on him.

Rumble

The monster escaped the binding darkness under the foot and rushed to Melia. It, then again, released the wind spell.

Swoosh

'Hah!'

She jumped and rolled on the ground to dodge. Her leg was still in pain, but she managed to endure it.

'Your opponent is me! Lucifer!'

Ren brought out his other Persona, Lucifer, a huge, muscular, blue-skinned humanoid figure with three pairs of wings on its back.

'Strike! Morning Star!'

Pewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

BOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

A huge beam of light struck down to the monster. It caused a huge explosion on the monster.

'That was... an impressive attack.' Melia couldn't help saying that.

The Shadow was heavily damaged. Some small fragments fell out of a few parts of its body.

She was glad that they had a chance, until...

Swoosh

On the spur of the moment, the broken parts stopped falling, then reconnected back to the Shadow.

'Impossible. That monster is recovering?!'

'Damn it... So it won't work after all?' Ren said.

'H- Hero, tell me the meaning of this.'

'I told you to call me by my name.'

'S- Sorry. I have not gotten use to it. But this is not the time for that.'

'A... Anyway, that's the problem I said. As soon as taking the damage, the Shadow regenerates itself. I tried to finish it of by a strong attack, but- ugh...'

'Ren!' Melia caught him before he fell on his own.

'I feel... exhausted. My body is about to reach the limit. But I can still fight. I have to.'

'Even with this condition? You can not!'

'Giving up right now is just the same as we'll accept our death!'

'...?!'

'Even when everything tell us that the chance for our survival is zero, I will never accept that. I still have my friends and you. That's why I'll believe that I'll win no matter how nonsense it is. You said so yourself, both of us will get out of here alive.'

'...'

It happened again.

Keep struggling, even though that is useless, that couldn't change anything.

Such an idiot act like that, Melia couldn't understand.

She questioned herself.

The reason they had to keep fighting...

'Because there is something even more important than their life, than everything else that they wish to achieve.'

'!'

That wasn't Ren who said it. It was a new voice of someone who wasn't here. Ren didn't have any reaction when the voice was spoken, so she seemed to be the only one hearing that. She looked around to seek its origin.

'What's wrong? Did you notice something?' Ren asked when he noticed her strange behavior.

'Ah, no. Nothing.' Melia answered.

'Thinking about your desire, your most wanting right now. What would it be then?'

She heard the voice again. There was no mistake this time. Someone was trying to talk to her.

(What would it be?)

('The missing...') Melia remembered about the missing High Entia child whom she had promised to bring back to his mother.

'Good, now we can get started.'

She could feel it at first. But this time, she was certain that it came from her head and the owner of the voice.

There was no doubt about it. It was Melia's voice, her own voice.

'If you want to survive, follow my instruction.'

'What are-?'

'Look at the smaller Shadow around.' The voice didn't wait for her to finish her question. 'Tighten your grasp on the Blade. Then focus your mind.'

'What is the meaning of this? Who are you?'

'You have the choice: either your future puts its end here and now, or you can survive to avenge them. The burden of choice is yours.'

'...'

She wasn't sure what to ask or whether it was wise to trust it, but she was out of options here.

As she looked and noticed some smaller Shadow, the hand-shaped monster, the tiara-shaped monster, and the slimy monster nearby watching, probably didn't want to get involved with the big one. "It" started talking again.

'Imagine you are superior to them. Use your mind to force them to attack the Arcana Empress.'

'Arcana Empress?'

'Your enemy you desire and want to kill most, in front of your eyes at this moment.'

The Shadow with a huge belly. She immediately knew what it meant.

Thud

Something out of her expectation happened.

The smaller monsters... started gathering to attack the huge one.

'!'

Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud

The monsters delivered their weak and frail attack, and the huge one seemed not to be harmed at all, and it didn't even care.

'?!' Even Ren was surprised with the sudden change of development too.

'Good... Arcana Empress's weakness at this moment is slash-type attack.' The voice continued.

'What did you say?'

'Command your servant to swing that small blade on the enemy.'

'You are talking about Ren?'

'Who are you talking to?' Ren interrupted.

'...I know it sounds weird, but... try to use your dagger to attack it.'

'...Roger that.'

As being told, Ren rushed to the enemy and showed his short blade skill. But the unexpected thing was that...

Rumble

The Shadow got hurt and fell down.

'...It hit the... weakness?' Ren was unable to comprehend the situation.

'Well done, now this is the final step.' The voice kept its talking.

'...'

'Taking this chance, use your servant to give a finishing blow.'

'What?'

'The Blade contains the soul of the lowly servant before your eyes, so that you can decide his fate.'

'Decide... his fate?'

'Yes. His soul was powerful, but to exploit its true potential, you have to break the limit.'

'Hey, seriously, what's wrong with you?' Ren interrupted. 'It was as if you're just talking to yourself.'

'What? Ah, no, I...'

'Then... explain this.'

Rattle

'!'

'...'

Ren lifted his hand to show that a handcuff was tied on his arm, and it connected to the dagger by a red luminous chain.

'What...? Where does it come from?' Melia was surprised.

'...'

'Think about the reason you are fighting right now.' The voice added.

'Why am I... fighting?'

'The enemy in front of your eyes is about to claim your life. Will you accept it?'

'...No.'

'Then what if you have a tool as a choice to escape this? What will you do?'

'I... certainly will do it.'

'Correct. The tools in your hand and the servant in front of you are what I refer to.'

'You mean... him? B- But you said I would break the limit. Then what will happen... to him?'

'Is it necessary to bother with this trifling question?'

'What do you mean...?'

'What matters now is your life, does it not? Why hesitate to incinerate everything around you to save yourself?'

'But I-'

Rumble Rumble

'!'

The huge Shadow managed to stand up again before they could do anything.

Clang

Then, without a pause, its body released a rainbow-colored aura, and then the monster absorbed all of it.

(Just... like that time?)

'Paradigm Shift. This monster could modify its weakness at any time it wants. It may look invincible, but in truth, it is not.'

'You... knew its ability?'

'Worry not. The Blade of Anger in your hand is enough to break that bound.'

'What should I do?'

'Focus your mind on your servant. Since this is your first time, close your eyes to concentrate more easily. Tell me, what do you feel?'

'Stop calling him "servant". He had a name.'

'...'

'Fine then...'

The moment she tried to close her eyes and think about Ren in front of her, she could feel a strange energy sphere emitting from him. It was eerie, and she could estimate the distance was the same as between her and Ren.

(That was... ether? No, something seems odd. The ether current is flowing in a spiral with him being the core.)

'You can feel it, right? His soul energy. The Blade's ability allows you to do that.' The voice calmly continued. 'Normally, when anyone uses their strength, they could only draw on a certain amount from their total stamina. Even when they tried to overdo it, there is still a limit.'

'...' Melia started to understand what the voice was trying to say.

Let's assume a human's inner strength and stamina is water and the human itself is a container.

Then we have a faucet on that container, and by rotating the van, the water comes out, just like how humans draw their strength to do some certain things.

But this van can only open partially, as humans have limits on their muscle. They can only let out a part of it from a certain amount in a short period of time. For example, if you try to rotate the lid from a new bottle, you may sometimes be unable to open it since you can't use enough force. This isn't a bad thing, since it allows humans to save their stamina for long work.

'But what if you can decide that amount?'

And then, this time, let's say the van now can fully be open. The strength is obviously different from before.

Or you can even poke a huge hole in the container to draw out the water as much as you can.

'But he has been exhausted after fighting, how-'

'Now then, try to imagine it again. That energy inside him, push all of them out, as much as you can.' The voice didn't care what she said.

Rumble

Clang

Boom

Looking at Ren fighting the monster, she could say his movement was weak and staggering, yet he was still doing this just to protect her.

'I...' She looked at the glowing chain.

What she needed at that moment was winning this.

There was no way to run, so she had to go forward.

'...'

With that, she closed her eyes and focused on the energy on Ren.

(Let me see... force it out...)

'GRHH!'

'!' Melia suddenly heard Ren grunt, so she stopped what she was doing.

'ARGH!'

'Ren! What's wrong?!'

'My head suddenly feels pain... then I feel like a surge of energy is about to get out of my body.'

'What?!'

'Now it's no longer there. I'm suddenly fine now?' Ren said confusedly.

(Is it... because of what I am doing? Because I tried to force that energy sphere out?)

Melia got scared. She had been about to do something harmful to him.

'Was it your doing?' Ren asked.

'...I.' She was hesitating but still saying it. 'Yes, it... was.'

'Then about weak Shadows suddenly attack the big one?'

'...It is also my doing too.' Melia answered honestly.

'...You seemed to know how to use it, huh?'

'This is my first time... but about why I know how to use it, it is complicated to explain right now. Please forgive me on that matter.'

'...' There was a slight pause, then Ren replied. 'Then can you promise to explain after we got the job done?'

'What?'

'Maybe it's related to why you've been just talking to yourself, but I won't ask further about that now, so you can clear my doubt later. Just continue what you're doing.'

'B- But I could... accidentally kill you.'

'Then what options do we have left? To defeat this monster, it is a matter of time until my strength runs out. Unless we have something else to turn the table. Don't think too hard about this. You seem to have the key to help us get out of this situation. I'll trust you that you're going to get us out of here, and I'll bet for it.'

'...'

'This is our final hope, so let's put it to the test, okay? I promise I won't blame you for anything.'

They didn't have any option. If they hesitated, they would pay for it with their life.

'...'

Melia took a deep breath, then...

'I have made up my mind. But if you have any problem, tell me to stop.'

'...' Ren slightly nodded.

'Are you prepared, Ren Amamiya?'

'Yes, let's get started and show it who's the boss here.'

She had gathered up her resolve.

With that determination, she closed her eyes and focused.

'GRHH! ARGH! HAH!'

Despite the screaming, and she didn't know Ren's condition due to closing her eyes, she still did what she needed.

Because Melia trusted him, and Ren trusted her.

Swooshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Melia had "pushed" a huge amount of energy sphere out from him, then she compressed it. She could feel that there was some remaining she could take, but that was enough.

'What...?!'

Melia was astonished by what she was witnessing when she opened her eyes.

On the ground was Ren painfully grasping his head, and then about him was the six-winged Persona, Lucifer, holding his head, acting as if he was in pain too.

'Gah! Hah!'

(No, this is not the time to worry about him. I need to finish this soon, or he will keep suffering!)

She focused again. And then she carefully gathered the energy, ready to discharge.

'DO IT NOW! MELIA!'

'ON IT!' Melia pointed the dagger forward, and then it started glowing a weak red light. And to end this, they determinedly shouted together.

'MORNING STAR!'

Pewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

BOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

The power was immeasurable. As if it was a blow from a true God, the Bionis itself.

Melia was blinded by the strong light. It was the Persona spell Morning Star, but as if its effect was boosted ten times.

It took nearly a minute. Melia almost thought she was unconscious.

Splash

She heard a loud sound of something huge dropping on the water. When she opened her eyes, the huge Shadow disappeared. She guessed that it was blown away into the water below.

(This... This is unbelievable.)

'Ugh...'

She could hear Ren's groaning nearby.

'Ren!'

He was lying down. His face looked pale, as if all of his stamina was drawn from him. Melia quickly came to him.

'Healing Gift!'

Even when using her health to fix the wound, he seemed not to be better. His condition was critical.

'Argh... Melia...'

'You can speak! Thank goodness...'

'Not wanting... to say it... but I feel so... exhausted... I can't even... move...'

'Try not to talk, and save that energy. I am sorry. It was because of me...'

'Heh... looks like that dagger is... really dangerous... Just what is it really?'

'I honestly do not know.'

'...'

Next to it was a long silence.

Had Melia drawn out the energy more than that, Ren could have lost his life.

She was trembling, as just a small mistake like that could have made Melia regret for the rest of her life.

---

'Considering that this is your first time, you did it well. I suppose I will give you a compliment.'

And the voice in her head was back.

'What? You again?'

'As you did earlier, you could dominate the small Shadows nearby and make them do as you commanded. But since you are inexperienced, you can only control the low-level ones. However, as you grow further, you can conduct this on the stronger one.'

'Just state your name! And what is your purpose?! Why do you know so much?!'

'I am you, of course.'

'What?'

'You realize your own voice, right? I am you, and you are me.'

'Do you expect me to believe this nonsense? I do not know what trick you are using to speak in my voice and how it could come from my head. But the fact that there are so many other reasonable excuses to lie to me and you did not even consider them is just proving that you are just a fool.'

'And soon you will believe what I said. I also believe that you ask my purpose, so I will answer it like this: I am a tutorial for you to join the game.'

'The game?'

'The true bearer of the Blade of Anger. And the Blade in your hand is the ticket for you to participate.'

'I didn't expect for myself to join any game.'

'You did see what you can do with the blade by your own eyes, right? The reward of the game is far more promising than that.'

'I do not follow.'

'Did you not feel it? The feeling of dominating?'

'Dominating? I am not interested. I am only interested in the sake for my people.'

'I knew it very well since I am you, the sweetness of controlling others, making everyone and the world revolve in your will. Such power, such authority like that, I know you want more.'

'I do not have such a desire.'

'I know you have, since I am you.'

'Again with this nonsense?'

'You are a princess. Though your words have less pressure, you are still bearing the blood of the ruler. You can tell the Imperial Guard to do whatever you want, yes, including their death when they save you from the Arcana Emperor.'

'No, why would I do that?! Everyone's life is precious. They are all dear friends to me.'

'Tell me their name then.'

'N- Name?'

'See? You do not even care to ask for their name. And you let all of them die. Is this what "dear friends" usually do? Aren't you just hypocritical?'

'...'

'Look at the servant in front of you. Think about that power just now. Don't you want to own it again? And use it anytime you desire?'

'For the last time, he is not a "servant". His name is Ren Amamiya.'

'Oh? What is he to you?'

'A... partner in battle and a friend.'

'In the same position as you, I see. But the fact that you can manipulate his power-'

'It is not. The fact that he has free will is true, and yet he still chose to believe in me to release such power.' Melia answered determinedly.

'Naive... Too naive...'

'...Explain yourself.'

'The weapon in your servant's hand. How about a small cut to your hand?'

'What is the meaning of this sudden suggestion to hurt myself? Do you want to turn me into a fool?'

'The opposite. This is to avoid you becoming a fool in the future for lack of knowledge.'

'...'

At first, she didn't take what the voice said seriously.

But then she abruptly remembered Ren's movement while combating. He had staggered, as if his leg had something wrong. And then before that, she had sprained her ankle. That was when she had an idea.

Melia reached out to the dagger, Ren's weapon. She put her right pointy finger to the blade and lightly cut it, just enough to let it bleed out a little.

'And now you see it.'

Then she looked at Ren's one. Though he was wearing a red glove, it could be seen that a small amount of blood came out that hadn't been there before.

'The damage I take... He will also receive it?' Melia said.

'I know you are smart enough to know what this means.'

'I...'

'Too scared, huh? Then I will say it: he just saved you because if you die, he also will perish with you. So he fights for his own life, not for you.'

'He is not-'

'There it is. I can feel your doubts in your heart, dear other me. You could try to deny it, but the suspicion thinking will grow stronger.'

'How can you-?'

'Know all of this? Obviously because I am you, or if you want to be more specific, I am your dark side, the side that you do not want to become, the side that you do not want to see or be revealed.'

'...You are... insane. I will definitely reveal your trick.'

'That is right. You are insane right now. You only want to escape your confusion by avoiding me.'

'Enough already! What is your true purpose?!'

'Why? Did I not tell you? I want to guide you through the game to reach The Blade of Anger.'

'And I told you, I do not-!'

'The moment you hold that Blade, it is already too late. I talk to you because this is the game that bets with your life. There is no way to escape anymore. There is nowhere to run anymore. The only road now is one way ahead.'

'...'

'If you win this game, you can become the supreme being that can control fate and the future. Everyone will do what you want. The whole world will do what you want. The fate will do what you want.'

'S...'

'Human desire is like a bottomless hole. It is never enough. Therefore, it consumes everything until there is nothing. But isn't it satisfying? Who cares about the others? The power to decide everything's fate is what any human being seeking-'

'SHUT UP!'

...

She couldn't hear the voice anymore after losing her patience.

(I...)

'Lady Melia!'

'?!'

She heard the voice of a small boy. In fact, she had heard it before.

'You are-'

'Lady Melia! You are here, thank goodness!'

It was the missing High Entia they were looking for, and then he appeared before her eyes.

'Are you hurt?'

'No, thanks to the Hero and his monster partner, I'm safe. But... the other Imperial Guards...'

'I... know. Wait, "monster partner"?'

'How many times do I have to tell you?! I am Morgana!'

An unfamiliar voice sounded aggressively.

When she checked, it came from a small black creature near him. It walked on two short legs and had a black-and-white head that was bigger than its body.

'W- Wah! Another monster?!' She lifted her staff and got ready to fight again.

'How rude of you?! I look just like an innocent cat! Wait, no, that doesn't mean I'm really a cat!'

'It can talk?!'

'You just want to make a fight with me, don't you?! Wait, now this isn't the time. I have to help Joker first.'

' "Joker"?'

'Lady Melia, please calm down. He's his ally. Thanks to him, I was safe to come back here.' The boy said.

'...Sorry for being hasty and drawing the wrong conclusion.' Melia dropped her fighting position. 'I-'

'Zorro! Diarahan!'

Swoosh

A huge but small leg humanoid figure appeared just like how Lucifer was summoned. It was wearing a black costume with a small black cape that Melia wasn't familiar with. Except for its arms, hands, and torso, the other body parts were bigger, which made its appearance look like a joke. Its huge right hand holding a long and thin sword made a "Z" pattern.

(So this creature has the same power as Ren?)

Swoosh

After that movement, a light, green aura surrounded Ren.

'U... Urgh...'

'Joker! Thank goodness.'

'Mona, huh? Thanks for the help. I feel like I can move again now. What about Mir'leiz?'

'Don't worry, he's safe now. I brought him here.'

'...' Melia was speechless.

('See? You do not even care to ask for their name. And you let all of them die. Is this what "dear friends" usually do? Aren't you just hypocritical?')

She felt so messed up when remembering those words.

In order to save just one person, she had let many people die. A few tens of lives just for one life. The cost is too high.

All she talked about was having hope, but she never thought about her underlings. They wouldn't have met this fate if they hadn't been here.

(Is this really worth it? Maybe... I am just a hypocrite after all...)

'Hey, Melia.' Ren called her.

'Huh?! What's wrong?!'

'There are so many things that have happened. You probably don't like this progress. Many people have died for this...'

'...'

'...but I want you to remember one thing. The child you're looking for is right here. Your purpose is saving him, and now you are about to accomplish it. So at least their death had some meaning.'

'Meaning, huh...'

'You don't intend to throw away what they've left for you, right?'

'...Absolutely not.'

Melia realized it. She had to improve the situation and move forward, not to bother with those doubts about herself.

'Lady Melia, it should have been my fault. Because of me...' The boy raised his voice.

'No, Mir'leiz. You should not blame yourself.' Melia replied.

'But... if I didn't suddenly go outside the Capital...'

'We should not think about who is at fault in this anymore. Our priority is leaving this place safely. Thinking who is responsible for this unfairness is just pointless at a time like this.'

'I agree with you.' Ren said. 'We have to leave this place as soon as possible. You can't run with that leg, right? We will walk then.'

'What a shame to admit this. My apology for hindering us.'

'You don't have to worry. We can fight, so just make it slow. You can support us with those elemental skills of yours if you want. I'll leave the Mir'leiz back to you. I and Morgana will lead the way.'

'Morgana? You mean your black-and-white pet?'

'How rude! I'm not a pet, I have a name.' The small creature cut in.

'M- My apology. It is just that there are so many bizarre things that are out of my comprehension.' Melia was sorry.

'Well... I guess this is just a common reaction. Don't think too hard about it, though. I'll try explaining everything I know when this is over.'

'...?'

'Alright, we return to the ship, then reunite with everyone and then go home.'

'Yes.'

'Remember to stay close with each other, as the space here could be bent and distorted. You could get lost from us.'

'Bent and distorted, what do you mean?'

'Ah, that would be about Mir'leiz.'

'The boy?'

'I think he meant what happened when I first came here.' Mir'leiz explained.

'Did something out of the ordinary occur?'

'I can't say for sure. But to make it short... Eryth Sea only had hovering islands, so I feared that I couldn't escape them from that small land. Even after I think I've escaped with the transporter just suddenly appearing...'

'I... see, everyone just wonders how you can leave Hovering Reef 1 without the transporter, but I guess you found a way.'

'N- No, that's not it.'

'Hm?'

'It's just strange. When I was running, the fog started to get thicker. And when I saw the monsters stop chasing, I found myself in the other Hovering Reef.'

'On other Hovering Reef? Are you sure you did not take a transporter without knowing it?'

'I think it's impossible. We could feel our body being transported, and I should know it. But thinking back now, I was just running straight, and... the road behind me disappeared.'

'...'

'Lady Melia, you have to believe me! I'm talking the truth!'

'No, I did not say your story is a lie. Just... what caused this?'

'I think it's the fog.' Ren replied.

'The fog?'

'I'm not sure of the detail.' Morgana added. 'But there is something unusual with this fog. As if it can alter reality directly.'

'Is it even possible?'

'You saw so many strange things and can't even believe this?'

'...So then... how can the fog here alter reality like you said?'

'That's what we don't know.'

'You should know about it more than me, shouldn't you?'

'This is the first time I see this phenomenon too, and I'm not a walking book that could answer all of your questions.'

'...'

(So that is the same thing that has happened to me back then.)

Melia remembered the moment she escaped the Hovering Reef. The way she ran was just straight, but with the fog becoming thicker, it led her to somewhere else entirely.

After a few minutes, they had arrived at the ship.

'Alright, Morgana, You get on it first to start the engine. Stay close to each other, if-!'

'Before you go, we have something to discuss.'

His sentence was interrupted, not by Melia, Mir'leiz, or Morgana. It was completely someone else.

'HI-YA!'

Swoosh

Out of the blue, something flew past Melia before she could notice.

Bam

'Ouch!'

That was a High Entia wearing full Imperial Guard armor. Looking at the figure, one could conclude that it was a female knight with a huge pair of wings on her head. But instead of using any weapon, she was meteor-kicking Morgana's face.

'Mona!' Ren wanted to help his friend, but his body had failed him since he had reached his limit.

'I only remember saying that you are only allowed to restrain that creature, not offensive attempts.'

From behind, a young High Entia woman with long silky black hair holding a fan put it on her mouth like a fancy, noble girl approaching them. She wore a long dress with the same pattern design as Melia, along with a huge pair of wings on her head. She also wore a glass that made it feel a little out of place.

'Come on, Lady Nixea. You just saw what this creature can do. You really expect me to hold back after what's happened?'

'Hey!' Morgana shouted. 'Did nobody teach you that suddenly kicking somebody's face is rude?!'

'Wow, am I being scolded by a monster? But sorry, monster is still monster. What you said has no value!'

'Sis...ter? What is happening?' Melia couldn't understand the situation. 'They are my savior. Please cease this at once.'

'Savior? What do you mean?'

'There we go, you damn criminal.' The girl took out a black dagger-like object with a red strip from the small bag on Morgana's hip. It wasn't even a new strange object she didn't know. It was Blade of Anger.

'?!'

As soon as she saw it, Melia quickly checked her hand only to find out that she was holding nothing.

'Ouch, ouch! I can explain!' Morgana shouted in pain under the girl's restraint.

'You... did you steal it?!' Melia asked in her disbelief.

'Correct, Melia.' The girl with the fan said. 'Quite unbelievable that this creature could dare to make an unforgivable sin. There should be no question to be asked that you deserve to be executed at the spot.'

'Executed?! You can't- Argh...' Ren tried to talk, but his body collapsed.

'Sister! Even if it is you, I must demand you stop this at once!' Melia interrupted.

'Melia...?'

'It is true that robbing away an important object from my hand could be treated as an act of guilt, but it cannot deny the fact that he is a close partner of my savior. I propose an integration to find his true purpose before incriminating him!'

'You are mistaken, Lady Melia.' The female guard raised her voice. 'Excuse me for interrupting you, but he is judged by another charge, not for stealing this relic. A charge that is worth a thousand deaths.'

'What?!' Melia was astonished.

'Hold it.' Nixea said. 'Melia, did you say he robbed that Blade from you, not from the Capital?'

'Huh? Sister, what do you mean? I possessed it from the very moment I left Alcamoth, and the only way for him to have it is stealing it from me the moment I let my guard down just now.'

'T- Then you...' Nixea's face looked like she was shocked. 'No, that is impossible. No matter how I think, that is impossible. What is going on here?'

'Impossible? What are you trying to deny?'

'Listen, Melia. It is true that the Blade was stolen away, but not from your hand.'

'What are you trying to imply?'

'It was stolen away from The Emperor's villa.'

'?!'

Melia was speechless.

As far as she knew, it wasn't stolen, because she received it from the Emperor through Alvis. At least, according to Alvis's word.

But the situation had changed. She could only think Alvis had been lying.

However, that was not all.

'Melia, there is one other thing you must know. It is just a matter of time that this news comes to you, so stay calm and listen closely.'

'Sister, I am sorry. There are so many things that I find it hard to-'

'His Majesty has been assassinated in his room.'

---

And... done, you just finished the chapter.

From the start, I intended to write the story in Ren's POV. But then I feel like what happened to Melia could even confuse you more, which Ren didn't know, so I change my mind and switch to Melia's POV instead. I'm pretty sure you had so many questions like, "What had happened to Ren?" "How and where did Morgana show up?". His story is a mystery to Melia, just like how Melia's story is mysterious to Ren. They have a long way to go to understand each other. No need to wonder too much. You will have the answer in the future if I still keep writing this.

I'm not sure if this story makes you feel entertained, but at least I want to thank everyone for reading my story.

Also, I probably will try another series crossover for some change of pace. I'm currently watching Kamen Rider and have some ideas for crossovers with some underrated series. If you're interested, I'm really grateful if you are going to check it out.