Two days later, it was finally time to leave for Eldfroise.   I was lying flat on my bed.  I wanted to confirmed something first. 

:::For you to contact me…don’t tell me!  You finally fell for my wiles!:::  A grin spread across my face before I could stop  myself.  So you finally admit it.  Personally, I’m glad to be rid of you at last.  :::Hey!  That was mean, even for you commander!  What’s the occasion?:::

I need you to look into Zyliane.  I’m sure they’ll try summoning more people to fight their wars for them, and it won’t be pretty.  I would tell you to eliminate any who cross over to Scria, however, I have a feeling I may be able to use them.  Bring those you can to me.

:::What did you do to the Queen anyway?  She has been a hot mess since you left.  I have a strong feeling that she is plotting something.  I have the same feeling I got when you cheated on me.:::  All joking aside, I need you to be careful.  Tell the others to be ready.  :::Aren’t you leaving for Eldfroise?  If I know you, which I do, you stay for a few days, won’t you?  I could get you a temporary job, if that’s what you want.:::

Wow.  I hadn’t even thought of that.  Thanks Kyra.  I knew I could count on you.  That went better than I anticipated.  All that remains is meeting the leaders.  I close my eyes as my consciousness fades.

*

When I opened my eyes, I find myself in a barren wasteland.  I was the only one here?  I didn’t wait long.  Before me, mist started coalescing.  Her long magenta hair reached to the soles of her feet and fanned out behind her on a phantom wind.  Anybody who saw her would be enraptured by her ethereal beauty.  She smiled, a bewitching smile which could cripple any male of any species.  I was somewhat immune to it after seeing it many times, although it still made me a little weak to my knees.

I averted my gaze when my heart rate increased slightly.  Where did all that immunity go when I needed it most?!  “How do you do, Eltar?  Been quite some time since you called for us.   Is anything the matter?”  She turned my way and bowed elegantly.  Before me stood Aritia, the leader of all the Spirits in Scria.  She was tall, and though she was powerful, her mana tended to sooth everyone it come in contact with.  It was certainly good luck that she had appeared before some of the more hot blooded leaders. 

 “…To be completely honest, I thought I would never step in this place again.  Even with its weakened state, my team was unable to complete the mission.”  Many factors influenced our defeat, all which we irrelevant at this point.  Not to mention how I accidentally blew up the second moon, Yirlt, into a permanent crescent.  Thanks o all that, I’m stuck on energy saving mode.

“A shame indeed.”  A slender man with unruly black locks answered.  When did he even get here?  I didn’t sense him until he spoke up.  He was a dark-skinned man with a regal aura about him.  It was truly impressive, since Tobias was not even an elder dragon.  He stood proud as a representative of the true dragons.  In my entire life, I have never even laid my eyes on the real form of a true dragon.  Though I suppose I should consider myself lucky from that account.  Apparently, their true forms could make even a god go mad. 

It surprised me to have such powerful allies.  They teamed up with us even when our goal seemed unattainable.  It was a huge boon as it inspired more followers to join our cause.  “A shame it may be, but it allowed me to gather some much-needed information.”  Another voice popped up.  “Which is?”

The newest person to arrive was also a woman with ethereal beauty, much like Aritia.  That is, if you considered her…uhm…small body.  I guess her allure was just on a different level than Aritia.  This was Mia, who was in charge of the continuity of fairies.  Seriously…it was no joke.  Maybe because she was a fairy herself, her body was like a different type of sin, at least, to those who were into that sort of thing.  She was so short one would mistake her with a seven-year-old child. 

The fact was solidified with her brash and carefree nature.  We took her seriously less than half the time.  How could we not, when she acted like a spoiled little sister (or daughter, depending on who was observing her)?  Sadly, it didn’t make her less deadly.  Mia had enough power to wipe out a whole continent, all on her lonesome.  The fact that she behaved childishly was all the more reason we believed she would do so, just for the sake.

…Perhaps the system was flawed from the very beginning.  Getting back on track, I explained the lingering suspicions I had.  I first felt it when I regained my memories a few years ago.  Mana was being sucked from the air in very large quantities.  At first, it made no sense.  How could mana just disappear…?  I had a few theories at that point, but they remained just that, theories.  It was actually the Queen of Zyliane who confirmed all I needed to know.

“The system is coming back online.”  They all froze, apprehension filling their faces.  It’s like the very air shifted. 

“What?”  It was bitter pill to swallow.  After all, many had guven their lives to shut it down. The system had been abolished so thoroughly that it was not in any history book.  All recorded history containing it was purged completely.  Because of our efforts, some old heroes had all but forgotten about it.  Or could that be a defense mechanism of some type?  A way to completely block out unpleasant memories?  Bleh.  Whatever the cause, it was nothing but a convenience to us.  Not that it matters now that it is coming back online.

“Are you sure?” Before anyone could speak, Aritia spoke.  “Well…monsters have become relentless, almost like the time of the demons if not more violent,” she said.  This was news for me, who had yet to see a single monsters since I reincarnated.  Are they actively avoiding me?

“I can only speculate, but I think it is trying to boot us out.” 

……

…………

“It’s resetting?”  I nodded.  The system operated like a computer in more ways than one.  It was “How many days do we have?”  Talk about a sudden shift.  “At most, three weeks.”  I replied.  I could be wrong, of course, but all possibilities fell on this time frame.  Tobias frowned.  “All this seems to be happening too fast.  Was this according to plan?”

“No.  Not at all.  Since the system will come back online, it stands to reason there are other factors we are yet to consider.  It is booting awfully fast, probably due to outside interference.  Personally, I suspect Sarvinia’s hand in all this.”  This was the exact reason I had called on them.  Normally, it would take at least twenty five years for it to power on.  Sarvinia had sworn not to get involved, but there were ways of doing something without getting one’s hands dirty.  Grr.  I haven’t been this far to plan ahead.

She, in that regard, had the most experience in that field.  Yet, it was too early to remove her.  It would cause complications in the future, problems we were not yet ready to face.  Therefore, Sarvinia would be spared.  Everyone in this room held power enough to shake the world.  Despite all our efforts, we had yet to stop the system.

“How many times have we tried this?”

“…Fifty seven.” Okay, that number should not be taken lightly.  Power could only take one so far.  Knowledge was our one advantage, but Aldan died before her could give us more information.  It was tragic to have our only scholar killed, and knowing he would never return.

“Should we let it happen?  The system will hinder our movements, will it not?”  I nodded.  The system, which did not have a name yet by the way, was the core holding Scria together.  Naturally, even after we disabled it, it would reactivate when it was threatened.  Was this her end goal?  Sarvinia certainly had the power to something of this scale.  In a way, it saved us the trouble of repairing it ourselves. 

“That’s true, however, our greatest chance of success is when the system is fully online.  We can’t very well allow Scria to die before we fulfil our purpose, can we?”  Mia giggled.  “If you’ve thought that far ahead, how do you suppose we deal with the summoning rituals?”  Unfortunately, the art hero summoning was something I could not destroy.  Even with a few do overs, the humans and non-humans retained their memories.  I eventually gave up, figuring I could just interfere with the process itself.

“Just keep on jamming them.  As long as they cannot summon anyone, my work will be simpler.  Still, I suspect that we will be unable to stop them all.  There will undoubtedly be interference.  Just to be safe, I’ll have some of my guys looking out for trouble.  I won’t promise anything though.  We are spread out as thin as thin possible can be.”  So thin that I have to do everything myself.

“Isn’t it time you called a quits?”  I shot a look at the owner of the voice, my brow creasing.  “If it isn’t the god slayer.  Tell me Vera, why did you come here?”  Vera crossed his arms, an extremely smug look crossing his face.  “Why won’t I come?  This is the first meeting I’ve attended as the demon King.  Makes sense for me to flaunt power a bit, don’t you agree?”  Vera was just like me, or rather, was like me.  A hero drunk on a warped sense of justice.  He eventually became the Demon King by forcing the system to acknowledge his power.  He has been Scria’s first and only demon King.

…Wasn’t it just two days that I threatened Zyliane’s Queen with his name?  I sighed, rubbing my temple as I felt a migraine coming on. While I could not say we were friends, we weren’t enemies either.  We just didn’t mix well because he kept inviting me to ‘the dark side’.  Seriously dude, you already have the highest ‘evil’ title the system could grant you.  What?  You want another title for bring another competent person to your side?  Good luck with that.  

“Finally comes the issue to do with Seven.”  Every one tensed, even Vera.  “Though he was sealed a few years ago, I believe the system may weaken his bonds.  It is safe to assume the system has marked us as enemies.  Therefore, every weakness each of us has will be exploited.  If that’s the case, we need to be prepared.  Seven may have been sealed, but he is still in enemy territory.  No doubt Zelph will use this against us once he has him under control.”

Someone shook me.  Uh, the me still in my room.  I shot the leaders an apologetic smile.  “It seems my time has run up.” Before I left, Aritia spoke up.  “Etlar, I believe your life may be in danger.  As such I will entrust one of mine to your care.  Use her as you see fit.”  My safety?  That should be the last thing on the minds.  It touched me though, to see her worried for my well-being.  I will accept her offer, only to put her mind at ease.

“…Very well.”  And with that, I returned to my body.

*

“Elrand?  Come on!  I won’t keep shaking you when I know you’re not asleep!”  I groaned.  That took longer than I planned.  It was good that she came to get me.  Any longer and I would have collapsed.  “Hey!  Why are you looking at me with emotional eyes?  Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me.  You’ve fallen for me, haven’t you?!  I bet it was because I shook you awake.  Is my hand that soft?  Do you want to hold it more directly?!”

I stood up and completely ignore her.  “Fwaah!  That’s one icy look, Prince Elrand.  Please stop looking at me like my value has dropped.  It was a joke.  A joke!” Yeeaaah, I somehow doubt that.

“But seriously, how can you oversleep today of all days?!  You’re going to be late.”  Late?  Did this people not understand that I could use spatial maneuvering?  Only lazy bums would be late when having such a convenient power.  I begrudgingly got ready and picked up my belongings.  It would be a long trip, and this might be the last time I see this room.  It was time to get to work.  What are subordinates for if I, the leader, have to carry my own weight?

My family this time had not turned out so bad, in fact, it felt awful lying to them.  It was inevitable, this feeling of regret.  My resolve has been built on multiple deaths, on the sacrifices of many.  Even to this point, more than a millennium later, the pain still exists.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, would deter me now.  It took priority over the end of Scria, over the life of my sister and even that of my own.

“Also, a request came in.”  Catholy handed me a letter.  A letter?  I tore it open did a once over, balling it in my hands once I was done.  “What was that about?”  I feigned nonchalance.  The piece of paper in my hands went up in dark flames.  “Nothing!  Nothing at all.”

She eyed me suspiciously, but I quickly averted my eyes.  This changes things.  All in all, the mission must proceed as planned.

*

<Talia>

“The troops are ready to march out.  We can leave at a moment’s notice.”  I saluted and gave my report.  For all it was worth, it probably looked like I was the general’s daughter playing pretend with him.  The first person to think that didn’t leave to see another day.  “Good, good.  I have a special mission for you and your captain.  It should be given the highest priority.”  That caught my attention.  I’ll finally have something to do.  Thank you, sir!

The general told me all the details, all while taking slow sips of his wine.  “I’m counting on you, Talia.”