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Difference between revisions of "Lore Episode"
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Ozma was blind, but Kazan, who was being dragged away by the soldiers while Ozma continued to shout, turned his face toward Ozma, making a mysterious smile. | Ozma was blind, but Kazan, who was being dragged away by the soldiers while Ozma continued to shout, turned his face toward Ozma, making a mysterious smile. | ||
− | It is not understood whether it was a sign that he believed Ozma's words or it was a last sad farewell | + | It is not understood whether it was a sign that he believed Ozma's words or it was a last sad farewell to his friend who spat out frivolous words. |
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Revision as of 23:32, 17 August 2018
Seria says: "Nothing should be as mysterious as I am!"
Some info is missing, please help to provide it if you can. |
Contents
- 1 Episodes
- 1.1 Episode 1: The Way of Peace - Linus's Monologue
- 1.2 Episode 2: Sewer Princess Faris
- 1.3 Episode 3: Slayer Petrician
- 1.4 Episode 4: Dark Elf Merchant Sergmin
- 1.5 Episode 5: Hunter Dolph
- 1.6 Episode 6: The First Pandemonium Assembly
- 1.7 Episode 7: Precursor of War
- 1.8 Episode 8: Apostle Kasijas
- 1.9 Episode 9: Crying Eyes Hilder
- 1.10 Episode 10: Journal of Arbitrator Marcellus
- 1.11 Episode 11: Ozma of Chaos
- 1.12 Episode 12: God, Heed My Prayers...
- 1.13 Episode 13: Poison
- 1.14 Episode 14: Stained with Autumn Leaves
- 1.15 Episode 15: Rossi's Song
- 1.16 Episode 16: Morgan's Journal
- 1.17 Episode 17: Genesis (Chapter 1)
- 1.18 Episode 18: The Festival of Warriors
- 1.19 Episode 19: Wolf
- 1.20 Episode 20: Bakal, the King of Dragons
- 1.21 Episode 21: Luminous Anodron
- 1.22 Episode 22: Machine Gun Audrey
- 1.23 Episode 23: Communication
- 1.24 Episode 24: Great Will
- 1.25 Episode 25: Citadel
- 1.26 Episode 26: A Certain Autumn, Ghent
- 1.27 Episode 27: The Girl in Central Park
Episodes
Episode 1: The Way of Peace - Linus's Monologue
Episode 1: The Way of Peace - Linus's Monologue
Hah Hah Hah. How are you? I am Linus, an arms dealer in Elvenguard. I have a small smithy here, and also give adventurers advice and care for their weapons. You may have heard that I was once a adventuring swordsman in the past, but now I'm working on saving people, not killing by the sword. Oh... I already told you so much. Since this is the first time I've seen you here, I'll teach you a few things. Hah Hah... To start, welcome to Grand Flores. Grand Flores has been famous for its hidden magical items and treasures for many years. This is the only place on the continent where there are valuables that were left by the Elves. Swollen with dreams of wealth, many treasure hunters and adventurers came to explore Grand Flores, but it was not so easy because it was the paradise of the Elves which prohibited the entry of humans. Many adventurers lost their lives by mistaking the Elf's paradise for their own. In the meantime, the Principality of Bel Myre and the Empire warred over who would control Grand Flores. So, the Empire invaded Bel Myre, but failed due to the help of the Resistance. In an act of suppression, the Empire set the forest ablaze. The Empire does such horrible things... Well, thanks to that, the forests were greatly reduced and adventurers came to explore its depths. By the way, how long have you been in the forest? Ah, only a few days? ...Hm, I see, you're still new to this. I don't know if it will help, but I'll tell you something good. You see that white building in back of the forest, right? That's Sky Tower, the gateway to another world. It's just a rumor and no one has confirmed it, but wouldn't be great if it actually leads to another world like the rumors say? However, it is said that no one has returned after ascending Sky Tower. If you are going there, please be careful. What? You want to leave now? Oh, wait! Wait, there's one more thing I need to tell you. When it comes to Grand Flores, the place is now overflowing with monsters. In the end, there are many rumors, but nobody knows why it happened. Anyway, there are many strong monsters out there... Please be careful.
Episode 2: Sewer Princess Faris
Episode 2: Sewer Princess Faris
Episode 3: Slayer Petrician
Episode 3: Slayer Petrician
Episode 4: Dark Elf Merchant Sergmin
Episode 4: Dark Elf Merchant Sergmin
Episode 5: Hunter Dolph
Episode 5: Hunter Dolph
Episode 6: The First Pandemonium Assembly
Episode 6: The First Pandemonium Assembly
"Young mage, very impressive!" A heartfelt admiration was made among the crowd. The people nearby looked around and discovered that it was the voice of Iris, who had been watching silently with an emotionless face until now. She gently strummed the instrument in her hand; her elegant movements instantly captured the attention of a large number of male magicians. Although her appearance was not the most outstanding in Pandemonium, her fresh and refined temperament, combined with the unique charm of a minstrel, was definitely a beautiful sight to behold. Her figure was more like that of an angel descended from heaven or a troubadour detached from the troubles of the world rather than that of a mage. "Young mage. Did you say Niu? Are you the one everyone talks about?" "..." "Niu, was it? A fighting type mage like yourself... is certainly new. I've heard rumors about you for a while, but it's more amazing than I imagined, seeing it firsthand. Thanks to you, I was able to see a whole new world today." Iris's vivid and beautiful voice sounded like sweet heavenly music, but Niu felt a hint of inconsistency in her voice, causing a cold sensation run throughout her body. "To be honest, I did not expect Kashipa's Ricardo to lose. I'll have to do my best with this as well against such a worthy opponent." As soon as her voice fell, Niu saw Iris's graceful silhouette vibrate slightly, and suddenly appear in the battle arena. With a calm smile, Iris closed her eyes and slowly raised her hands. Gradually her body was surrounded by a dazzling aura, and hot flames ignited from above her palms. Niu stared at Iris's hands closely, and did not dare to relax. At the same time, her body began to release a strong mental power to collect more Chasers... This was the First Pandemonium Assembly, an event held by Iris for the purpose of mediating the conflict between the Magical factions. At this meeting, representatives from each Magical faction: Iris of the Terra Cottas, Ricardo of the Kashipa, Iki of the Ancient Library, Niu of the Guardians, and Rahm of the Circle Mages fought in a magical arts tournament over the information of the Water of Life; the ultimate winner gaining intellectual ownership of its location. Niu and Iris defeated them one after another, until only the two of them remained... As the flames in Iris's hands gradually disappeared, Niu felt an invisible pressure slowly creeping toward her and noticed her surroundings getting darker. Suddenly, upon feeling a blazing heat from above her head, Niu subconsciously looked upward to see a huge fireball that enveloped half the sky, falling toward her at a tremendous speed. Niu instinctively moved to avoid it, but felt a burning pain in her left arm from its flames. Before she could regain her composure, she felt the heat of another fireball above her. This time, she moved unconditionally without looking upward. (Concentrate. I have to concentrate! If I don't pay attention, I might turn to ashes...) Niu did her best to avoid Iris's subsequent attacks, but as she did, her mind became more clear. Naturally, the representatives who participated in the Pandemonium Assembly were considered masters of their respective organizations. Therefore, from the beginning, Niu's opponents were by no means pushovers, but fortunately she found ways to suppress each of them. (The device that Mage Librarian Iki invented was great, but not perfect. Using its flaws, I had a chance to break through her defenses and use my Chasers. When fighting Summoner Rahm, my strategy was to suppress him before he could summon any powerful monsters. Even when fighting Ricardo with his dark magic, my Chaser was superior in attack power alone. However, the magic used by this woman... It seems so flawless that I can't see an opening... If there is opportunity to land a Dragon Strike, I should be able to use my Chasers.) It was for the first time, that while facing such a troublesome foe like Iris, Niu felt so frustrated. Iris's magic surely did not have any openings. Now, not only the properties of fire, but also water, light, and darkness; the four attributes emanated freely in her hands. Whether it was from near to far, from far to near, from narrow to wide, she manipulated her magic effortlessly; she clearly demonstrated that she was one of the best Elemental Masters. Although Niu had only been passively dodging, Iris's magical attacks apparently did not account for much. Every dazzling offensive spell was easily evaded by Niu's lightning speed. The spell's seemingly useless movement speed had been skillfully used by Niu as a weapon to defeat Iris's magic. This competition had not only displayed magnificent magical offensive skills, but also practical combat prowess as well. To the other representatives outside the arena, It was truly a feast for the eyes. Everyone stared intensely in the same direction in fear of missing any part of such a splendid confrontation. (Yes. Now!) At that very instant, the Niu's figure vanished leaving behind an afterimage, and at the same time, appearing behind Iris with a roar that echoed like thunder. "Chaser, Dragon Strike!" "Ah!" The audience unconsciously screamed. How many renown mages have fallen uttering that one word? No matter how powerful the magician was, even for one as strong as Iris, it was difficult to escape the power of the Golden Dragon. Or so everyone thought... "BANG ~~~" accompanied by a loud and powerful explosion, an inexplicable powerful airflow suddenly rushed to the crowd outside the duel. Some people were shocked, some began to scream in pain... The flustered crowd looked around, but what happened in front of their eyes was situation that one could only say was unexpected. It was not Iris struggling on the ground, but the little magician, Niu! With the surprise in front of them, the crowd could feel the sound of luscious music from somewhere. The music dug deep into their hearts, as if it could heal all their uneasiness, becoming their ruler, friend, and lover. It was not known how many seconds had passed. The once chaotic conference hall had become peaceful; the originally panicked audience calmed down under the comfort of music, and those who fled in terror finally settled down... After hearing the music, several old wizards with stronger wills could not help but exclaim: "It's the Legendary Instrument, Marrelete..." As time went by, the music gradually disappeared, and the the venue of the riots finally returned to tranquility. Looking at the unconscious Niu on the ground and the confused audience, Iris's angelic face did not waver, but the corners of her mouth revealed a faint smile...
Episode 7: Precursor of War
Episode 7: Precursor of War
Episode 8: Apostle Kasijas
Episode 8: Apostle Kasijas
Episode 9: Crying Eyes Hilder
Episode 9: Crying Eyes Hilder
Episode 10: Journal of Arbitrator Marcellus
Episode 10: Journal of Arbitrator Marcellus
Episode 11: Ozma of Chaos
Episode 11: Ozma of Chaos
Over 800 years ago, tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides of a wide plain confronted and killed each other. "Ozma... My friend, are you really trying to kill me?" It was the Empire's famous commander, Kazan. His voice was trembling, which was unbecoming for its fame. "Kazan. If you were planning this rebellion, I have no choice but to obey the orders of the Empire." However, the voice of Ozma, the Empire's greatest wizard, showed he was not convinced. "Ozma, I did not revolt. I am just trying to protect myself from those who plot against me. Don't believe what they say!" "My friend, if that's the case, then withdraw your troops. There must be some misunderstanding. Let me report to His Majesty, the Emperor, immediately!" "My friend, the one who's plotting against me... is the Emperor!" "That means... you personally admit to rebellion... Forgive me. My friend." Ozma ordered the advance. The charging soldiers of Ozma stared at Kazan as he rushed out as he shouted with a thunderous roar; as usual, he wore no armor and held an axe in one hand and a sword in the other. ---------------------- "Hehehehe... Gah Hah hah hah...." With a sad laugh passing through his chest, Ozma slowly came to. "Have you regained consciousness, my friend? We might have been orchestrated to do this from the start. Gah hah hah hah..." Kazan's appearance reflected in Ozma's eyes, it was like the devil itself was forced to wear human skin and became bloodstained. Both of his legs were tied up,but both both his arms were dangling effortlessly, without the need to tie them. "Y-You, what happened to your arms!!" "They must have been scared of my arms. I can see that all the tendons were pulled out." "It.. It can't be!" Ozma slowly recollected. Everything was clear. The Empire's orders to suppress a revolt awoken by Kazan. The soldiers who suddenly rushed in during the encounter with Kazan. Their clothes were different, but they had the coordination of Imperial soldiers. ...Why did such an order come down to me, a mere wizard, instead of the other generals? I see. It was a conspiracy from the beginning... It was plot to eliminate Kazan and me at the same time! "Ah..." After thinking for a while, Kazan saw Ozma let out a light sigh, and said: "You already seem to have understood everything too. Yes. Yes..." Kazan had the form of a ghost, as if it seemed he strayed from the likes of his human body... He mumbled only to himself. "My life as a human probably ends here. If we are in this situation, it is likely that our families will not be safe either. My bloodline will end at my generation... For that, I am regretful." "Family,... that's right, they're probably not safe... Ah... Then my Liz, too...!?" At that moment, an elongated rod from somewhere penetrated through the iron bars and struck Ozma's face. "Watch what you say, Traitor. You carelessly call out from your filthy mouth the name of one of His Majesty, the Emperor's concubines." Ozma stood up and yelled, clinging to the prison bars. "Wh-What the hell did you say?! Tell me more!" The prison cell door opens and Ozma was beaten by the guards and was dragged away as if he were a heavy bag. "Hey!! What happened to Liz! Hey!! Tell me!!" The moist, pungent air was entangled with Ozma's receding screams. ---------------------- "Ozma... Ozma." Someone is calling me... Kazan... I reflexively tried to open my eyes. Oh... They took the light from my eyes... The darkness... I'm not very familiar with it. "Ah... Kazan..." "Hey... Are you okay?" "..." When I chose not to respond, Kazan said no more. There was no longer any hope to breathe into each other. (This is unheard of... This is the consequence of being unaware of their jealousy toward the two of us!) (Kazan, my family, and my poor Liz... Liz... What sins did they have?...) (I'm withering away like dust as it is... The one line recorded in the history books will tell of the two men who were exceedingly better than everyone else, and how they were accused of treason and executed due to the jealousy of other human beings . No, that's not right. They will not let us have the satisfaction of a glorifying end...) "The human race,... are they living beings beyond redemption?" Ozma didn't know that he was muttering to himself. Kazan ignored it quietly without any hesitation. Suddenly, Ozma's thoughts began to flow in a strange direction. (It's simple... Such a thing as erasing one race that lives on this planet. Even so. Well, it wouldn't be that large of a problem. What is the human race to begin with? Why do they believe themselves to be the most important beings in the universe? Even savage monsters would not do this to their own kind!!!) (Yes, revenge... Revenge. I will enact my revenge upon this world. I will cleanse this world of its humans that only bring destruction. It will be true purification! But how!?) ---------------------- "How is it? My proposition?" "Disappear from me, wicked being. Accepting your offer is not worth the sanctity of my soul." As a deep red flame gathered on one of Ozma's hands, both of his glaring eyes ignited with kindling flames. "The opportunity to gain the power to destroy the world in exchange for one's own soul is not for everyone. You are a chosen human being. Heh heh heh..." Unable to withstand listening to any more unpleasant laughter, Ozma threw the cluster of fire which had been burning from the palm of his hand. However, the fireball passed through the dark being before him, and made a huge explosive sound and opened a large hole in the back wall. The invisible being continued to whisper unpleasantly. "Hey. There is no need to get so angry. Even if you threaten me like that, I will be disappearing in front of you soon. But someday, you will ask me." The being before him slowly vanished and lost its shape. Only its final words remained, echoing. "Someday, you will ask me ..." ---------------------- Did he know that all of this would happen? Ah... Humans! Humanity! Because of your desire for power and jealousy, you will face a terrible demon that you have never seen before... Suddenly, Ozma began to laugh maniacally. "Hah hah hah hah..." "Ozma...?" "Kazan. Listen to what I say. We two are the best humans in the world. Is that not right? "..." "I think it's very pitiful that the two of us are going to go out like this." "What are you planning?" "Fufufu... Kazan... Will you become the God of Extinction? Then, I will become the God of Chaos." "Hey,... what the hell does that mean?" It was time. The iron cell door opened, and a couple of prison guards pulled up and took out Kazan. Ozma urgently cried out. "Kazan! My friend. Remember! It's not over yet! You must survive! I will surely find you! Kazan, Kazan!" Ozma was blind, but Kazan, who was being dragged away by the soldiers while Ozma continued to shout, turned his face toward Ozma, making a mysterious smile. It is not understood whether it was a sign that he believed Ozma's words or it was a last sad farewell to his friend who spat out frivolous words. ---------------------- "...After, Kazan was exiled beyond the Stru Mountains, and Ozma was thrown into the South Sea. Ozma was willing to accept the offer of the god of death and asked for him to come again, selling his soul to gain evil powers, and took the life of Kazan, whom he found barely alive, and transformed him into the God of Extinction. However, Kazan did not join Ozma's plan. Instead, he became a Ghost and wandered the world. From that time on, there was a disease called Kazan Syndrome set about by the Ghost of Kazan, which broke out all over the continent..." Archbishop Magar Rosenbach, an elder of the prominent Crusader Rosenbach family, continued to recollect things of the past from hundreds of years ago to his young granddaughter, Oberith Rosenbach, who sat upon his legs, listening. "From then on, did you learn that in school, too? The Curse of Ozma made humans into Imposters (monsters disguised as a human beings) - history books note this as the Curse of Blood. Because humans were mutilating themselves and to promoting chaos, God sent down a sacred, divine revelation to Michael, allowing him to distinguish ordinary humans from the Imposters. Through him, we were able make people like us, "Priests," and we were able to prepare for the fight against the Imposters." Magar stroked his granddaughter's hair with his warm hand. "Finally, the Imposter soldiers of Ozma and the Priests led by Michael exchanged in a massive battle near the Black Earth, and our Priests succeeded in casting Ozma's army into another dimension. Do you know the name of this battle, Oberith?" "The Black Crusade!" "Yes, you know well. Although Michael finally succeeded in banishing Ozma, he is still alive somewhere. I do not know when he will attack this world again. There is still a large number of Imposters hiding in the world; for that reason, the significance of our existence has not yet been lost. Understand, Oberith?" "Yes. But, Grandfather?" The young girl's glittering eyes now stared directly at Magar. "Ozma was once a good person, wasn't he?" "That's right, long ago, Ozma was best wizard of his time and saved the world with Kazan." "Yes... Well, since all the cruel, bad people in the world from long ago are already dead and there are only good people like grandfathers and grandmothers left, do you know if their original good hearts will return again?" "Hahahaha... You're such a benevolent child. So, you're suggesting that the world's creatures are at not at all evil from the beginning? My adorable granddaughter has a greater depth of enlightenment than the stubborn Priest elders! If I ever have the chance to meet Ozma directly someday, I'll see if I can talk to him." "But, please be careful, Grandfather. Sometimes you don't listen to me." "Yes, yes. You are really smart and truly wise. It seems I don't need to worry about you for a lifetime." However, Magar saw the path his adorable granddaughter walked upon, and his face wasn't as spirited as his laugh. (It would be great if this peaceful age continued to last forever. It would be great if I were able to see true peace before I close my eyes, a world without the need for us priests. A world where my beautiful and intelligent Oberith can experience ordinary happiness...)
Episode 12: God, Heed My Prayers...
Episode 12: God, Heed My Prayers...
Episode 13: Poison
Episode 13: Poison
Episode 14: Stained with Autumn Leaves
Episode 14: Stained with Autumn Leaves
Episode 15: Rossi's Song
Episode 15: Rossi's Song
Episode 16: Morgan's Journal
Episode 16: Morgan's Journal
Episode 17: Genesis (Chapter 1)
Episode 17: Genesis (Chapter 1)
Episode 18: The Festival of Warriors
Episode 18: The Festival of Warriors
Episode 19: Wolf
Episode 19: Wolf
Episode 20: Bakal, the King of Dragons
Episode 20: Bakal, the King of Dragons
Chapter 1: A Special Dragon
I am special. Unexpectedly, out of all the filthy vermin this damn universe spat out, there is nothing as remotely indispensable as me. I was born a dragon, a natural fighter, and had some talents. But that does not make me special. I despise all beings who scorn their lives, thinking that they are not special. No matter how small the possibility, the birth of one life has the power to change the universe. However, if he were to neglect his own existence, he can only be forgotten. Because of such a life, the value of their existence is not even comparable to that of rotting trash fed on by worms. The universe has granted me the privilege to end such unexamined lives; as cruelly and as ruthlessly as possible! Because, only when they perish, their lives will have the most meaning. Increasingly stronger people appeared, but it was useless. Because I was strong. The life forms of the universe trembled in fear simply by hearing my name, for I was the strongest of the dragons. It was then, I realized that there were no longer any opponents to oppose me; it was so long ago that I had forgotten the time... It was only natural that I became the king of the dragons. I was called the Eternal Dragon King. My people have surrendered to my arrogance and self-confidence, and they admired the sovereign king of their hearts. But the funny thing was, I grew tired of it day by day. It seemed as if there was nothing worth pursuing in my life. No matter how many various and creative ways I was praised, I no longer felt the slightest excitement. Without a strong opponent, even battle lost its meaning. I feel that my enthusiasm was gradually fading away... "Long live the King of Dragons!" I can always hear such shouts in my ears, but day after day, I became more numb to their words, sometimes even bored. "Shut the hell up!" I screamed wildly in my heart, but the cheers of the croud still soared. "Long live the King of Dragons!" "Long Live!" ------------------ I killed dozens of civilians today, a little more than yesterday. If you asked for a reason, I did not do it out of anger, out of fun, or simply to vent, but... It seemed that only when killing, I can truly feel that I am alive. I know that those who surrender to me are all pretending; that they are probably waiting for when I grow old and frail. When that time comes, they will gather their power, reveal their sharp claws, and dethrone me as the dragon king. I think after they endured pain for so many years, they will definitely want my head to be torn from my neck, dragged around the street and desecrated. For many decades to come... Oh, this a beautiful ending for my life, isn't it... Was this the reason I was born? To satisfy those who want to spit on my head? Hahahaha.... It was around that empty time when she appeared. The woman was surrounded by a mysterious, yet familiar atmosphere; emanating a similar energy to my own. The way that I felt; it was wonderful... She had strange pair of eyes, that seemed as if they could cry at any moment, but they gave a frightening gaze as if they had seen everything in this world. She did not say a word, but I knew I had to follow her. My instinct tells me where she's going, there was my future. The most meaningful moment in my life may be there-- no, it should be there waiting for me! "[Hilder]." That was her name. Unfortunately, she seems to have already known my name. I still wanted to formally introduce myself... "I am [Bakal]."
Chapter 2: Seven Colors
Pandemonium. Truly, it is a very interesting place. There was no light in Pandemonium; only long and bleak darkness. It was natural as it was a small fragment of a planet floating in the dimensional space. However, once in a while, there were times when Pandemonium settled on a planet where a sun existed. At such times, a space between the outer world opened, and the light refracted into Pandemonium little by little. The refracted light divided into seven colors, and reflected the gorgeous colors in the sky. At such times, Pandemonium became a more mystical place than any other planet in the universe. Perhaps it a bit of compensation for a world that is always shrouded in darkness. Whenever the light shined upon Pandemonium, I liked to fly freely throughout its borders. Flying with the world beneath my feet, the ability to view things from above, made my numb heart feel joy. However, in spite of its shining beautiful lights, the reality was not beautiful. It was an ugly world: among the collapsed and decaying buildings, there were piles of unnamed bodies left to rot. The bloodstains scattered on the walls may be the last traces of the bodies left in this world. Alas, the value of one's life is not measured by how fiercely one bleeds to death. Perhaps it is considered to be a heroic sacrifice, but in fact, there is no practical significance. Unfortunately, even under these seven colors, their blood is still a bright red... Nevertheless, it seemed there were all kinds of creatures with strange appearances from all corners of the universe gathered into Pandemonium, fighting for their lives for a false title. Those stupid fellows don't understand: no matter whether the fate of the duel results in being alive or dead, their lives will not become any more valuable. Just by looking at the corpses on the ground, the fact that I don't even know their names is actually the best proof... Anyway, these ridiculous creatures have been blinded by the so-called "honor," in their hearts. But I knew; there is only one common goal - to become "Apostles." This "predicate" is the one accord to which all names of the various creatures of the the entire universe in Pandemonium bow their heads. "Apostle." The symbol of fear. The object of praise. I forgot from which day, but they too began to call me this: "Apostle Bakal." At that time, I realized the color that was reflected on me was not only the seven colors of the sun, but also a bloody red... Of course, in addition to me, there were several other beside me called "Apostles." I carefully looked at each of them, and though I knew nothing of their skills yet, to my surprise, like the first time I saw Hilder, I could feel that special--the same aura I had. At the time, they all stared at me; I wonder they felt it from me as well. Although they were members of the "Apostles," most of them, I did not take seriously. Except for him - the one who doesn't often show up, but the one I definitely can't ignore. Every time I think of him, I tremble uncontrollably. With my current strength, I could hardly measure the depths of his powers. How powerful is he? That person is the First Apostle, [Cain]. I think maybe one day in the future, am I going to fight with this group of self-proclaimed "Apostles?" I repeatedly sketched out scenarios of confrontations between Cain and myself in my mind countless times, but the result of each battle ended with my body being torn apart in his hands... For the first time in my life, I felt the fear of death. However, I don't know why they came, maybe, like me, because of that woman. Pandemonium... There is definitely something here. If this is the reason, there must be a secret in Pandemonium we don't know, so that Hilder is willing to travel all over the universe and bring us, "Apostles," here. I wonder if everyone is here for similar reasons to mine. Fateful guidance. If so, what on earth for? What is Hilder trying to do? I still have no clue. But I am not in a hurry to find the answer. Anyway, as long as I don't run away, my destiny will definitely be waiting for me ahead. And the only thing I can do now is wait... Waiting for the next time--the day when the seven color light again illuminates the sky of Pandemonium, meaning a new strong creature has arrived from the outer world. I just don't know. Will it be another "Apostle", or another nameless corpse rotting in the back alley again?
Chapter 3: Prophecy of a Madman
That day was no different from the others. Again, I flew freely through the Pandemonium sky. Despite being in the dark, I was able to see some new buildings -- these are the works of that old architect. His name was [Luke]; he was a strange old man who never spoke. Seeing him desperately work like a madman to build such useless things made me realize how terrible it would be for a normal person to become old and confused... Of course, Luke was called "The Constructor;" not only did he create these buildings, but also sometimes generated electricity to Pandemonium. It was inconceivable for electricity to be brought to such a dark world as Pandemonium. However, the existence of this kind of "electricity" was very rare. As far as I knew, at least two difficult conditions had to be met. First, [Anton] of the Metro Center had to be asleep. Second, Luke had to be not be as busy, thus allowing him to go start the power. That day, it just so happened that these two conditions were available. When I was looking down upon the city from high above, the power came on by chance. (The sparse shining lights makes the city look even more distorted.) But even the light, which had only been sustained for a short while, was soon extinguished. When I was about to go back, I suddenly saw something... No, I'm sure I saw something... (In the light just now, those buildings... The shapes on their walls feel so unnatural... Is it a coincidence?) I can't be wrong. It must be an apparition from that strange old man! Fortunately, it was not long ago since the blackout. The old man should still be there. I quickly left the roof of the building and flew toward the Metro Center at a very fast speed. "Hey, dumb old man. Put the power back on!" After finding Luke, I landed steadily from the air and shouted at him. But Luke did not say a word and just ignored me; he continued what he was doing. "I think I saw something in the light. I want to check it again!" The old man still didn't look back, as if he didn't hear what I said. It made me more angry--no one dared to ignore me! I expelled my nostrils of air, and rushed towards him. Under the deafening noise of my surroundings, my huge body now stood in front of Luke. The mechanical noise continuously reverberated between the huge walls and ingots; the entire Metro Center seemed to slightly vibrate. I thought that this act would be enough to scare him, but I didn't expect him to still remain indifferent. I clasped the knuckles of my fist. Unfortunately, I can't move him a hair before I reach my goal... I took a deep breath to try calm myself down, then pointed at the generator as the sound slowed down. "Well, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but could you please turn the electricity back on?" It did not matter whether or not the old man could hear me. I desired to transmit my words with a feeling that was less overwhelming and more polite. Could he be impressed by this look of sincerity? Finally, Luke stopped working and looked at me quietly with a dull expression. Having said, "looked at me" is actually up to speculation. Due to him wearing heavy glasses, I couldn't be sure where his eyes were looking. Perhaps I should put it in another way; he turned his head toward me, and then "stared" at me for a long time. After a while, I saw his mouth smack its lips under his thick beard. "Anything you wish to tell me, old man?... Then, were all those buildings constructed by you?" In the face of my "friendly" inquiry, Luke turned his head back. Fortunately, after he thought for a while, he touched a few switches. Then, I heard the start of a "squeaking" sound from a huge gear of an engine. After seeing the engine run normally, I immediately spread my wings and flew back to the same place. From there, I circled the nearby surrounding sky, waiting for Luke to start the power again. Soon, from the distance, came a loud continuous "squeaking" and "banging" sound. Then, I saw lights around the Metro Center light up in turn. Now I can finally confirm what I failed to see clearly. What was it? However, I did not think, that on the wall of buildings, such a picture would unexpectedly appear: a dragon dying in the midst of flames, crying out. It was a symbolic image that was poorly done using the shapes and incoming lights of buildings, but the intention of the painter was clear. Out from the nothingness, an unknown voice spoke: "Bakal, gaze upon it well! This is what you will look like before you die." I couldn't help but shudder. In fact, there was no evidence that it was me - it was just a common dragon. But there was only one dragon in all of Pandemonium, and as far as I knew, there were no other dragons that Luke would know in this universe. Moreover, am I not the King of Dragons? If you wanted to represent a dragon, it was probably me. Not only that, but there were three other dying creatures in the picture around the dragon that burned to death: One of them, an ambiguously shaped figure, was dispersed in a cave... The other, a multi-legged being, was dying from being crushed by collapsing stones...The last one was a being who had a long protruding mouth and walked on four legs; his body was torn apart and sucked into another dimension... I knew who they were. (These are the other Apostles... These pictures depict them at their dying moments... Is that old man a prophet? Impossible... He's just a delirious madman.) Although I didn't want to admit it, I couldn't help but think about it at the time. Maybe I was the madman. I seemed to see hundreds of Luke's huge faces in the sky, each one grim, speaking to me at the same time: "Since you want to see it, I will let you see it now... but can you bear this result...?" This arrogant tone completely angered me. Since when did the Dragon King falter out of fear? Does he think these kinds of apparitions could scare me? But after thinking carefully, this might not be a prophecy, but a warning to me. From what was presented in the picture, was this Hilder's purpose of bringing us so-called "Apostles" to Pandemonium? I have to go to Luke to ask. But after quietly thinking about it, something felt off. For the old man to do this, is he as dumb as everyone thinks? Being "Dumb" would be the best cover for him to shirk responsibility and avoid problems. Maybe he's been pretending to be dumb... But even so, I have no way to be sure. In the end, I still have to solve these strange mysteries on my own...
Chapter 4: Savior
First of all, I needed to know more about this place called Pandemonium. Unfortunately, it proved quite difficult to investigate; there were very few sources of information in Pandemonium. But I still tried to collect as much as possible. For a while, I poured my efforts into collecting the few remaining ancient Pandemonium artifacts, starting with the Ancient Library. Then, I asked the native people about the Pandemonium legends, and selected the parts that I thought the most valuable, and sorted them out... Of course, I did not give completely on that old man, Luke. Occasionally, he would provide electricity to Pandemonium, and at these times, I would quickly fly to the vicinity of the buildings to see if there are any new images, and then write them all down. All of Luke's paintings projected themes related to the deaths of the apostles -- or what I presumed to be Apostles. There were paintings of some characters of whom I did not even know. Are these the Apostles who have yet to arrive in Pandemonium? I soon denied this speculation. As far as I knew, Hilder had already stopped searching for new Apostles a long time ago. I noticed in all the images, the apostles died one after the other, except for two people - Hilder and Cain. Were they different from the other Apostles and eventually escape the fate of death? Or did Luke fail to predict their future? I became focused on these questions, and I unknowingly stayed in Pandemonium for decades searching for the answer. Luke continued to build things over the years, but at a slow pace. I continued to leisurely fly through the skies above Pandemonium in my spare time, while silently anticipating the moments when the power will turn on. Soon, the lights of Pandemonium lit up again. This time, an unusual picture appeared. I stopped upon a empty roof and looked at the buildings beneath. (This should be the final image...) However, this picture had nothing to do with the death of the Apostles, but rather it presented a vast unfolding scene: a man and a woman standing side by side, looking down upon a rich, glorious world. Although it was not entirely clear who the man and woman were, but since the images of Cain and Hilder never appeared, I inferred that the two characters in the painting were them. But this was the result I expected, and I put on a cold smile. After slowly recollecting the previous and current images in my mind and linking them together, I became more and more certain of Hilder's final goal. I see. So that was exactly what Hilder was trying to do. The "Reconstruction of Terra." In the ancient books of Pandemonium and from the legends I have collected, I have seen or heard the story of the "Destruction of the Terra Civilization" countless times. There was no doubt that these two were linked, and Hilder's plot to revive Terra's brilliance was almost completely exposed. To achieve this goal, it required the sacrifice of the Apostles and the destruction of one world. Because only through death, can it be reborn! In ancient times, Terra passed on a book called, "New Genesis," which I studied when I collected materials. It specifically describes the destruction of the planet Terra and the process of its reconstruction. Much of the book has been lost, but some chapters have been preserved: -Your sacrifice will be sacred. Let it be known we will not kill each other... -All trials are cast to souls. Only a blade that is forged in hardship can penetrate our hearts and send us back to the Great Will... -At the beginning of all things, the world was chaotic and empty, and filled deep with darkness. The light that slowly emerges from the void gives a new life to the dark. Your sacrifice is true. Your extinction is another's creation. Here we are, from the glory of this world and from you, the new world will be created... According to Terra historians, the "we" mentioned in the ancient book refers to the "gods who created Terra". So, in summary: the ancient Terra gods recreated Terra through self-sacrifice and the destruction of the world. However, "apostles" are not the same as "gods", but Hilder seems to think otherwise. She may have come up with the desperate idea that she and Cain are the glorious gods that will create the New World, and that all the other apostles, like the ancient "Terra Gods", must be sacrificed in exchange for that damn Terra to reappear! I felt something surging deep inside my heart. Yes, I finally solved the mystery that puzzled me for so many years. I didn't care about the destruction of the world, or the life and death of other Apostles. In fact, ever if I were destined to die, I didn't care about the success or failure of Hilder's plan. What shocked me was something else - "Cain", "The First Apostle", "Cain the Invincible", "Cain the Absolute" ... The world titles boasting his reputation echoed in my mind countless times. Damn, even in Hilder's plan, he does not die. In the end, he will trample on my corpse, move to a new land created by my death, and become the eternal god of the new world with Hilder... Damn, I absolutely can't accept that! However, I thought about it again. "Heheheh... Hahahah... Gwahahahah!" I suddenly burst into laughter. Perhaps someone would have thought I had gone completely insane. My laughter grew more and more maniacal, but on the contrary, my mind became more and more clear. "Great. If I succeed in thwarting Hilder's plan, then the world will be spared, and many lives will be saved... Haha, I did not expect me, the one called 'The Dragon Tyrant', to take on the role of the 'Savior', and save the world from destruction! Wow. Hahaha!" It was ridiculous to think about it, and I almost suffocated from laughing. But gradually, I regained my composure because I remembered my purpose for coming to Pandemonium. I came here to change my destiny and find the most meaningful moment in my life. So, I thought of it this way: "Yes, well, this is not an ordinary fate." My face, which had been consumed by laughter, turned into a calm smile. "This will be fun."
Chapter 5: The Dragon War
"Trying to dominate Pandemonium alone just for the Water of Life... I would never let that happen, Bakal." "Dominate Pandemonium... That's the reason why I gathered so many reinforcements... Heheh... Are you sure? Oh, it does sound very plausible. Don't you agree, Hilder? It seems like something the King of Dragons would do..." Bakal smiled eloquently, his eyes focused on the "Second Apostle" in front of him. However, Hilder did not heed to his cynicism, and then advised: "Did you ever think that you could deal with all of the apostles here at once? It is not like you to do something so foolish, Bakal." "Yes, well I had no intention of opposing all the Apostles. Well, before I could try anything, how did you manage to persuade these Apostles to your side? If I had succeeded in getting the Water of Life, it would have a little more fun. It's a shame I couldn't do that... However, I am touched that you responded so quickly after I had done so little, Hilder." "Let's not waste our strength fighting each other and just surrender, Bakal. If Pandemonium arrives to another planet in the future, I will release you there. If you like, you can also return to your original planet Drakwald. But until then, regrettably, you must be retrained, under custody at all times." "Haha, ridiculous! Do you think I'm going to believe your words? Hilder, don't lie to me! It's unthinkable for Pandemonium to leave this planet. You purposefully stayed here for decades without the thought of leaving, haven't you? Is this not the world that will accomplish your plan?" Despite being under siege, Bakal still did not lose his kingly resolve. He calmly refuted each of her statements one by one. But the reality was really grim. He was surrounded by Hilder and a group of magicians, plus other formidable Apostles; there was almost no way to retreat. Even access to the sky was blocked by a magic circle created by Hilder... Bakal looked around and wanted to see sliver of hope from his situation, but unfortunately... (Are all the dragons I have created dead? Ah, yes, they too should not been able to confront the Apostles. This will be a challenge...) Bakal smiled bitterly and suddenly remembered Luke's prophecy on the building that day: the dragon that died in the midst of flame. Was he really going to die like this without a hint of success? At that instant, an idea emerged in his mind. "Until now... you have been only persuading me to surrender, but I don't understand. In fact, you obviously had a lot of opportunities to kill me, why not do it?" "I might have some mercy left in me." Hilder replied with an understatement. But in Bakal's mind, he didn't think so. Hilder a kind person? He knew better than anyone else, such a person cannot have sympathy. The only explanation is... "Your sacrifice will be sacred. Let it be known we will not kill each other..." Bakal remembered a sentence in the ancient book, muttered it to himself, and he noticed a slight distorted expression on Hilder's face. Bakal quickly looked at everyone around him and shouted: "Mercy? Impossible! There are no other alternatives for anyone who might ruin your ambitious plan besides finding the right opportunity to get rid of him. I have no doubt in my mind that you will eventually kill me, Hilder!" Even before finishing his sentence, Bakal suddenly leaped upward, and one big flap of his wings, rushed at full speed toward Cain. In this layer of the encirclement, Cain stood alone, of course, because in everyone's mind, he was the absolute strongest; no one could escape from him... Cain looked calmly at Bakal, who rushed towards him, and slowly raised his right hand and gathered energy into it. Although it was only a normal act, even the earth began to produce violent tremors. The lighter objects around him could not withstand his force, and they were entangled in a swirling vortex. Some people with weaker constitutions almost lost their senses and fell to the ground... On the other hand, the rapid state of Bakal speed turned the long howling noises of his flight into an explosive sound. Just before Bakal immediately ran into Cain, Cain wound up his right arm, ready to swing... At this moment, Cain's facial expression became stiff and his movements suddenly stopped. He glanced at the dragon that flew toward him at full speed, and turned to avoid it - which resulted in an escape route for Bakal. The Dragon King took advantage of this opportunity and quickly flew way to the distance Gradually, his silhouette became more and more blurred... Everything happened so fast that everyone did not see the action in time to react. They just looked at each other, the direction Bakal was flying, then at Hilder and then at Cain. Even Cain himself could not seem to understand his own behavior; he just kept gazing at his right hand, turning it back and forth... In the direction Bakal fled, the figure gradually became a small speck and disappeared. "Do you want me to chase him, Hilder?" The question was from [Isis - Frey]. Among the group of people, he was the only one who could fly. From the beginning, Hilder had been quietly looking at the direction of Bakal's departure, and when she heard Frey, she replied: "No, Frey. At Bakal's current speed, you can't catch up with him. Anyway, he has no more places to hide in Pandemonium, so he will escape to the outside world. Perhaps today is not his day to die, but his endless greed will eventually bring him to ruin. Let us withdraw for today, everyone has done well!" Hilder looked to be crying as per usual, but she surely felt pleased at the time. The first part of her long awaited plan succeeded perfectly.
Chapter 6: One Month Ago
One month ago. "Dumb old man, remember the things you showed me earlier?..." He responded to me with that same "pounding" noise and continued to work, but over the years I've gotten used to it, so I didn't care. "I want to get something from Hilder this time, but it's not going to end well... Luke, do predict that I will die? I do not think your prophecy said I would die amidst flames in Pandemonium, right? That would be a terrible way to die!" As I said that, I leaned my large body against a crumbling wall. If Luke was worried about the wall collapsing, he should at least look toward my direction. However, he still didn't react, and continued hold his hammer in hand and kept pounding. "To tell you the truth, even if I told this information to the other Apostles now, they would never believe me. Those guys are just like me, only concerned about their own pride... What do you think, old man? Hahaha..." At this time, Luke stopped hammering, and began to wander around, looking just as busy moving bricks. I couldn't bear it anymore, and jumped forward and stopped in front of him. With a loud "banging" noise, dust scattered all over the ground. "Hey, old man. I know you are dumb, but not deaf. I just asked you a question." After looking at me for a while, Luke tried to turn around and run away. But this time, I did not easily let him off, and immediately stretched out my giant claws, stopping him in his path. "Hey! The next thing I want to do is all because of the prophecies you showed me. Shouldn't you help me? I will definitely need a place to escape to in the future. There is nowhere in this place that is safe from Hilder's control, only she is able to decide where Pandemonium goes in dimensional space. Where can I escape?" I stared at Luke with no intention of letting him escape. Perhaps my eyes were too aggressive as Luke removed his gaze from mine, and started staring into the distance, as if looking at the distant mountains. (Is this old man afraid to look at me?... Or maybe he really is deaf.) I frowned and naturally glanced in the direction of Luke's gaze. There was a very faint ray of light in that direction, and in it I seemed to see a strange tower that I had never seen before. What the hell is that? I immediately flew towards the direction of the tower. As I grew closer, I realized that the tower endlessly extended upwards, even its spire remained unseen, exceeding the skies of Pandemonium... Is it connected to another world? I circled around the strange tower and discovered that it seemed to have a mechanism that concealed it from all surrounding light. If the light source was not shown from a certain angle, it could not be seen. That sly old man. He unexpectedly constructed a passage through dimensional space in secret, and cleverly hid it from everyone. I went back to Luke again; he continued to be busy with his work. But now my mood was completely different. "Haha, I did not expect you, old man, to be on my side! I'm impressed you managed to create something so huge like that and keep it a secret... I don't know what kind of world that tower is connected to, but it sure as hell can't be worse than here." I suddenly felt a new kind of feeling. There was finally a person who thought the same things as me; someone who agreed with me and was on my side. Of all places, I did not expect to find a companion here! "To think that having such a thing like the support of an old man would be so reassuring! Haha. It seems that I really have been lonely for too long. Ever since I was a child, I was accustomed to fighting alone. And even after I became the Dragon King, I was still alone... No one was truly on my side. For that, I want to sincerely thank you." I took a deep breath and said: "So, are we friends, old man?" I grabbed Luke's shoulders with both hands. Luke's head was only half the size of my palm. Because the difference in size between me and Luke was so large, my pose looked as if I were bowing down and honoring him. I kept this position and looked at him for a long time. Unconsciously, a thought arose again. "By the way, I've been thinking about this..." As the sincere smile gradually faded from my face, my eyes became more and more sharp. "What if you, old man, are not a true prophet, but merely doing what Hilder wanted? That is to say, although it seemed like you were predicting the future, it was only to prompt me to act in accordance with Hilder's plan. What will happen then? Under such questioning, Luke's expression still remained unchanged. Looking at him like this, I couldn't help but laugh. "If that's the case, I hope that you helping me escape is also a part in Hilder's plan. I might just survive. The future has not been decided yet, right? Anyway, as long as it doesn't involve me dying in this dark, run-down world, I can accept other deaths... Hahahah."
Chapter 7: Ruler of the Heavens
The tower was indeed a passage to the outside world, and it connected to the heavenly realm of the Planet Arad. As Bakal passed through the tower, he felt sincere admiration for the old man. The art of creating a path between space and time, Luke was probably the only one in the universe who could do it. However, in this passage, he also saw countless bodies floating in the tower. A reasonable result, the experimentation of such a feat would require a large amount of victims. Years later, Bakal recalled the scene at the time, and decided to call the tower [the Castle of the Dead]. At the time Bakal arrived in the heavenly realm, he was a fugitive. However, there were no opponents who could match his power; thus allowing the King of Dragons to easily become the ruler of the heavens. As long as Luke did not tell the other Apostles about the location of the Castle of the Dead, Bakal knew very well that his rule would go unchallenged . Upon settling down as its new ruler, Bakal quickly gathered all the basic information of the world. After some understanding, he learned that the place he now lived in was called [Empyrean]. Below it was a large Arad continent, which was connected via a tower in the sky, named [Sky Tower]. Above Empyrean was space and the upside down world of Pandemonium. For the past several decades, Pandemonium never moved, and Luke used this opportunity to secretly build "the Castle of the Dead" to connect Pandemonium to the planet. This world must be "the" planet that Hilder had in mind. Bakal was confident in his own hypothesis. Naturally, he would never let Hilder's plan succeed. So Bakal clearly knew what to do. It was important that nothing went wrong. Since Hilder's ultimate goal was the Arad Continent, Bakal decided to sever its connection to the middle section, Empyrean. Soon, he sealed off the Sky Tower leading to the Arad continent and the Castle of the Dead leading to Pandemonium. There was one more thing to do: completely eliminate magic from Empyrean. That way, if or when Hilder should arrive in Empyrean, he could easily detect her via her powerful magical powers. Of course, there was another real purpose to eliminate magic. (Hilder wants to rebuild Terra, hoping for the deaths of the Apostles... But just like Cain could not kill me, as an Apostle herself, neither could she. Despite the strength of her magical abilities, she does not have that kind of power. So in what way will she pursue this goal?) Bakal was slightly confused. Suddenly, he remembered the phrase in New Genesis. ("All trials are cast to souls. Only a blade that is forged in hardship can penetrate our hearts and send us back to the Great Will..." Does Hilder honestly think that she can train the savage creatures of this planet to eventually kill the Apostles? That's ridiculous! Even if it were possible, it would take hundreds or even thousands of years...) But after laughing, Bakal had a different idea, the same one he speculated before: if Luke was under the command of Hilder. (Maybe she allowed me to take over Empyrean, after all. By my own hand, through the suffering known as the Dragon King, I will be the hardest test for these savage creatures... Indeed, for them, I definitely will be a huge trial that they cannot bear... But, in turn, I will be playing right into Hilder's hands. This must not be tolerated!) Bakal clenched his fist, and secretly vowed: (Hilder must not succeed! Even if all means are exhausted, I must destroy her plan. I have to somehow create a variable that causes her to deviate from her scheme. From what I know, even overly ambitious plans such as Hilder's are usually extremely sophisticated and broad, and can be broken down into tiny variables. Sometimes, if one makes full use of it, even a very small difference can change the overall result, and disrupt everything.) Thinking of this, Bakal filled with growing resolve; he couldn't help but flap his wings. Bakal flew upward, gradually disappearing at the ends of the sky and shouted loudly, only leaving vague words that echoed in the ears of the people. "Savage creatures! I shall bring upon you a suffering that you have never imagined before. So grow strong and show me! If you have potential and pride, then it may just be possible. Only when your strength exceeds Hilder's expectations, can we create variables in her grand scheme. I will believe in you more than she does! I shall sacrifice myself for this pursuit and look forward to the day you kill Cain and Hilder! However, you cannot defeat them by relying solely on a force like magic. Another more essential power is needed. You must find this power on your own...!!!" From then on, the use of magic was forbidden in Empyrean. Thus, the 500 years referred to as Age of Darkness of Empyrean began.
Chapter 8: The Seven Meisters
Meister [Teneb] was deeply troubled. The source of his distress was [Eldirh], one of the Seven Meisters. Although she was his ally, he never understood her. (Meister Eldirh... What on earth is her true identity? Why is she able to use magic? Was she ever really an Empyrean?) Teneb could not confirm any of his suspicions. (If she is not, then could all the countless ideas she thought of be of this world? Oh, damn it! What the hell...What the hell is this?!!) Teneb was so depressed that he quickly grabbed his hair. (What is the origin of that woman?) ....................... The time dates back to earlier, back when Teneb considered Eldirh the best of the Seven Meisters. None of the others came close. Every time research hit a wall, she always came up with some new revolutionary idea. Without her, the 'Gaebolg' project would never have been dreamed of. Teneb, on the other hand, always wondered where the origin of her genius came from. When he asked her about it, she always replied that it was due to "meditation." Although Teneb laughed and sometimes jokingly asked for her to teach him this "meditation" method, in his heart, he was skeptical. Through his many years of research experience, he knew that Eldirh's ideas seemed to be more like an advanced technology rather than one of a whimsical thought. For these questions, Teneb struggled in his heart, and only blamed himself for doubting her. After acknowledging Eldirh's great talent, he knew that she was not only evoking from him a strong jealousy and respect, but also a strange love. The guilt he felt for his lover, Jenne, was like a heavy stone pressing on his chest. Therefore, to comfort himself, he could only fool himself into thinking that Eldirh's talent was not real. But in his heart, it was clearer than to anyone else, he fell in love with her. However, he could not accept this,and he decided to end this confusion as soon as possible. Teneb made up his mind that he needed to find out the true source of Eldirh's talent. To this end, he violated his conscience, and placed a number of miniature surveillance robots on her. However, he uncovered something amazing that he would have never dreamed of -- Eldirh's outstanding talent actually originated from the use of forbidden magic! ....................... And because of this, Teneb was now so distressed. Teneb snuck out of the lab in the middle of the night and walked aimlessly. He had not smoked in the last ten years, but at the moment, he took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. (To think... for the first time in three months, the first breath I would take outside would not be of fresh air, but the smoke of cigarettes.) "What's wrong with cigarettes? Tobacco stimulates the secretion of chemicals to the brain, which leads to more creative thinking." "That's bullshit! Why would we risk our life expectancy for your pig-headed creative ideas?" ....................... Teneb remembered the bickering between the two "vindictive rivals", Lati and Volgan of the Seven Meisters, and couldn't help but laugh out loud... "Do not worry. As you have guessed, she is not a person of this world." Suddenly, Teneb heard an overpowering voice in his ear. Without needing to look back, he could already feel the huge and strong figure behind him, the source of the majestic low voice. Teneb was terrified to say anything. After a while, he turned around and asked: "Who... who are you?" As the giant shadow slowly approached toward him, Teneb asked: "Do you know why she can use magic? Why she possesses knowledge of technology I have never heard of? And... why... I fell in love with her...?" Upon asking the last sentence, Teneb's face became flushed. He did not wait for the figure to answer, but at least he proved that he was safe for the time being. If it was an assassin, he would have already been killed before he could speak. After calming down, a new question arose: How did this shadowy figure know what I was thinking? I never mentioned anything about Eldirh to anyone. "Have you ever seen the mirage of an upside-down city before?" The shadow suddenly spoke. "...?" "A long time ago, a splendid technological civilization bloomed on a planet known as Terra. But, after a certain incident, the planet Terra blew up in a massive explosion, and a piece containing one its cities survived, floating in space for a long time. That piece of Terra drifted through various different dimensional spaces, collecting various forms of alien creatures along the way. Their infighting caused the whole city to be thrown into chaos; eventually, it came to be known as Pandemonium. And that very city has been attached to the planet of Arad for a few hundred years now, upside down." The dark figure spoke of the legend of Pandemonium; it was a story that basically all Empyreans have heard. But Teneb had no evidence that the mirage of the upside-down city of Pandemonium even existed, he had never seen it... Teneb wondered for the reason why this figure suddenly appeared in front of him to talk so much about Pandemonium. It can't be... Teneb suddenly realized. "Are you trying to telling me, that Eldirh... that she is from Pandemonium? And that the knowledge attributed to her technological success was originally the science from the ancient planet, Terra?" "You aren't called the leader of the Seven Meisters for show. That's right. Think about her name." "Eldirh... Eldirh... Eldirh...It can't be... Is she Hilder??!!" The legends about the apostles were famous even in Empyrean. It was the apostles who, during the Dragon War in Pandemonium, defeated Bakal and let him retreat. Of course, since this eventually led to Bakal flee down into Empyrean, there were also people who blamed them as well. However, many Empyreans hoped that someday the Apostles would descend into the heavenly realm and defeat Bakal. It can be said that this was a great belief shared among the people of Empyrean, just like a religious ideology. But, for the emerging mechanics headed by the Seven Meisters, they believed more in the power of science rather than faith. "Eldir... She is an Apostle..." Despite having help from the Apostles, even though Teneb was surprised and overjoyed, he still felt something was amiss. He did not know their motivation. "Why...why would she help us?" "It is to make sure that you can kill me quickly before you grow too powerful." (Kill me... "Me?") Teneb was shocked and looked at the huge figure again. Everything was clear. Damn. It was Bakal! "I was stupid for not noticing earlier. You are Bakal... If you are here to kill me, just get it over with, and cut this idle chatter. Also, if you are here to find out the whereabouts of the other Meisters, you can forget about it. Even if you try to trick me, I won't say a word. So don't waste your time!" No matter how scared Teneb was, it didn't mean a thing, and he knew it: However... since Bakal knew everything about me, does that mean the other Meisters, as well as the 'Gaebolg' project, have all been exposed! That's impossible! It was so close to being finished!! "You want to die? Don't be so anxious. Although you will sooner or later, it is not now." "You still want to continue trick to me? I will not hear any more of your deluded stories..." "Can you please stop the 'Gaebolg' project?" "What? Hahahahaha...." Teneb burst out laughing like had heard one of the ridiculous of jokes. Was this really the so-called Bakal, the Dragon Tyrant, who made such a request? The thought that he had talked to him casually for so long made Teneb laugh even more. At the same time, however, his doubts grew: Since he knows about me and the 'Gaebolg' project, with his abilities why did he not just kill us directly? Instead, why did he come before me and tell me so many things? At this moment, a voice that was full of oppression filled his ear. "If the 'Gaebolg' project is completed on time..." Hearing Bakal's loud voice, Teneb stopped laughing. Bakal didn't seem to care about his reaction, and continued: "... then I might just die, but I would have done so in vain. Your kind did not become strong enough yet. Even if all seven of the Seven Meisters got together, it would still not be enough. Strictly speaking, the 'Gaebolg' is not your creation. In the end, it's only the technology of the ancient Terra civilization. With your current strength, you cannot stop the destruction of your planet..." "Destruction? What are you talking about?" As Teneb thought carefully, Bakal's words did have some truth. It was Eldirh who originally proposed the 'Gaebolg' project, and Eldirh who would bring solutions when the research encountered difficulties. The 'Gaebolg' project was indeed a result of her efforts. If Eldirh was really Hilder... "If not right now, when will you kill me?" "When you're ready for future generations to inherit your research." "Inherit? What does that mean..." Teneb repeatedly pondered on Bakal's words, and found that there was a deeper meaning hidden inside. It was true for that Bakal, who knew everything, it would not be difficult to erase all the research results, but why did he say he wanted to leave these things behind? "If so, do you think that later generations will be able to analyze the research results of the Seven Meisters and adapt them to their own technology? You know, even if is not the 'Gaebolg', their very technology will be used to kill you in the near future." "Haha, that's what I am most looking forward to... However, I am afraid that there is still a long time left until that 'near future' can be realized..." "What do you want to do, Bakal?" "Oh, are you ready to listen to me now?" Bakal began calmly explaining about what happened to him over the centuries: including the events on the dragon planet, the encounter with Hilder, Pandemonium, the Apostles, Luke's prophecy, and Hilder's plan, and even what he was planning to do. There was no reservation. Teneb just listened quietly. It was not until Bakal finished that he slowly began to speak: "The whole story you just said, the only evidence I have for your claims is the fact that Eldirh can use magic. However, I doubt it matters whether I believe you or not. Regardless of what happens, you will destroy the 'Gaebolg' project, am I correct? "Exactly. The reason I am only talking to you is in the hopes you will find the opportunity to pass on your achievements to future generations. If you refuse, I will destroy all your research, including, of course, you and your peers. Then, I will personally wait for a similar person to appear again. Honestly, about a hundred years ago, there were people just like you, just not as advanced. Unfortunately, they refused my offer at the time and they all died without a trace. Your achievements are much more excellent than theirs, so it's a pity... Thankfully, your kind will have grown in the meantime, so I think I'll only need to wait a few more decades this time around. So it won't be a major loss." The methodology in which Bakal explained his reasoning was very unappealing, but Teneb knew that he had no choice. In this case... "Alright. But in exchange I will ask of you two conditions." "I'm listening." "It does not matter if I die, but please at least let the others live. This will better ensure that the achievements will be passed down." "That's not possible. It is only when your entire group dies in a violent and heroic way that your story can be passed on to future generations. This is the only way to ignite people's enthusiasm for revenge and inherit your will. So, in this case, a tragedy is necessary." "If that is the case... then please let at least two people survive. You said this was all in the hopes that we will pass on the results to future generations, correct? Then let Curio live, he is the best candidate for that." "Well, that is what I asked for. Yes, I will accept that. Then, if he survives, I will give him enough time unlike the others, to sort out your results. And the other one?" "Jenne, she has my child... And she's going to be born soon, can you keep her alive?" "Human beings are strange creatures. What good is the survival of your child if you die? Oh, I cannot understand." "In fact, you may think so. How about this? If you suddenly kill the Meisters one day and destroy the 'Gaebolg' project, then our descendants would not dare try anything against you out of fear. So, wouldn't that cause your plan to fail? This is better... Let me play the role of the traitor. The 'Gaebolg' project, which neared the point of success, failed because of my sudden betrayal... This way, the people of the future will plan things out fearlessly." "That is a good idea. I shall let your child live for the sake of your thoughtful consideration. Any other requests?" How could there not be? In fact, Teneb's biggest request was: Get the hell out of here, Bakal! But it was just this request that would not be achieved even when he died. Perhaps Teneb thought for too long, Bakal was a little impatient. "Is this too much for your mind to accept? Has it thrown your mind into chaos? You'd better hurry and think it over clearly; I will give you three days of preparation time." After Bakal finished, he flapped his wings and flew away, his figure gradually disappeared at the end of the sky. Although Bakal was no longer visible, Teneb stood in the same place, staring blankly at the sky, biting the cigarette butts that had already been extinguished... Three days later, Bakal kept his promise and initiated his plan... Meister Teneb "carelessly" left all the false evidence to let people know of his "betrayal". At the same time, under Bakal's vigorous siege, the 'Gaebolg' project failed. Subsequently, Teneb suddenly disappeared. Everyone thought that he managed to escape. In fact, he committed suicide in a deserted place... In a final stand, Meister Volgan resolutely took the unfinished 'Gaebolg' to fight Bakal's army, but both were vanquished heroically in the end... Meister Lati was weary from smoking and overwork, and saw Bakal personally destroy the 'Gaebolg'. Unable withstand the shock of what he had just seen, Meister Lati coughed up blood and died... Under the aggression of Bakal's army, Meister Curio was "fortunate" to escape with his life. He gathered the remains of the 'Gaebolg', and sealed it in another dimension. He organized all the research results of the Seven Meisters passed it on to the next generation... Meister Jenne, after realizing the 'Gaebolg' project falied, gave birth early due to shock. During her recovery, she discovered that her lover Teneb was responsible for the betrayal. She then entrusted her child to Meister Audruiz and chose to commit suicide... After the failure of the plan, Meister Audruiz assisted Curio, but one day she suddenly vanished with Jenne's child.... Meister Eldirh's whereabouts were unknown two days before the invasion of Bakal's army...
Chapter 9: Earlier than Expected
500 years ago. Empyrean. The Mechanical Revolution broke out. The Empyreans who inherited the will of the Seven Meisters studied and developed their achievements over time and gained enough power to fight back against Bakal's tyranny. On this day, the Empyreans combined their strengths and attacked Bakal's army at once. As a result, all the cities in Empyrean were burning; the screams of the people ripped through the skies. At this time, Bakal stood on the terrace of his palace, drinking wine while overlooking the burning war-torn city. Although, there were deafening sounds of explosions, he held a calm expression. "Finally... is it time?" He whispered to himself. All of a sudden, there was a faint noise behind him. Bakal did not have to look back; he already knew who it was. "You came earlier than I expected, Hilder." He said with a cold smile. As soon as his voice fell, the silhouette slowly showed itself from the darkness behind him revealing a woman with a sad facial expression . "You blocked my path for so long. But it all ends now, Bakal." While saying this, Hilder now stood next to Bakal, not looking at him, but similarly overlooked the city engulfed with fire. "Is it not too soon? There is no one in this world that can face me just yet. You don't think they will see the end of me just relying on those puny toys, do you?" "Of course not." Hilder paused for a bit and then continued. "They may not be good, but what do you think will happen if they are assisted by friends from the future?" "Hahahah, the future? You seem rather impatient, Hilder." Bakal turned his head toward at the woman whom he once considered as a guide. "These guys from the future... Are they that special to be able to challenge me?" Hilder did not answer immediately, she quietly stared into Bakal's eyes for a while, and then slowly spoke. "Perhaps..." Bakal's eyes glinted suddenly, and a black aura emanated from all around him. The expression on his face began to stiffen as the black breath exuded from his body gradually spread out under his wrath. He yelled to the sky, his voice so loud that the whole earth began to tremble. However, Hilder remained expressionless, looking at the wine glass that fell from his hand, landing, broken... Bakal's shadow engulfed Hilder, growing bigger and bigger, painting the whole area with darkness. "Not even the apostles can deal with me!" In the blink of an eye, Bakal turned into a huge black dragon, standing high above the ground overlooking Hilder. He spread his huge wings and snarled. "Who... WHO on earth does not fear me?!" Hilder stared up at the laughing black dragon as its enormous expanse blotted out the heavens. Although she had remained expressionless all this time, she showed a faint smile, but Bakal missed it.
Chapter 10: A Very Small Difference
The Castle of Bakal was engulfed in a sea of fire. Here, Bakal faced a group of people; his body already heavily injured and bleeding everywhere... Behind the crowd, the cracks of a dimensional rift gradually closed... "You are not all Empyreans. Then let me guess... Are you the people from the future? Tell me, from how long after do you come?" "Yes, we are. We come from 500 years in the future." "500 years...So I have to wait another 500 years... Then did you defeat my three dragons?" "We even defeated apostles transferred to Arad. Your sloppy dragons were no match for us." "Congratulations. You passed the basic test. But, did the stupid apostles die in unfitting areas, playing into Hilder's hands? Let me guess... Sirocco, Lotus, and Delezie?" "How do you know of future events?" "Hmm... I do not know if whether the order was decided by fate or by her design.. But after seeing all of you: Humans, Empyreans, Pandemonians, and even Dark Elves, it seems Hilder gathered all those that seem to have potential." "Enough! We did not come all this way to talk, so let's fight. In history, we learned that the Empyreans killed you through the Machine Revolution, but today we are just here to lighten their shoulders a bit. It is unfortunate that you have already been greatly injured, but there is no mercy toward the wicked!" "Kekekeke..." Bakal listened without anger and laughed. "You learned that the Empyreans killed me? With these machines? Haha, sadly, their little toys may weaken me, but there's no way they could kill me just yet. Although, facing them all at once did weaken me quite a bit. So, she used this as an opportunity to send you here. Not a bad plan, Hilder! Now, let me teach you a real history lesson. If I die today, then it had to have been so in your past as well; otherwise, you would create a paradox, correct? Therefore, even in your future, it was you that killed me, not the Empyreans. That fact alone will never change!" "...!?" "Now you seem to understand. In order for your kind to become strong enough to defeat me, it seems it would take another 500 years. Hilder was afraid that I would continue to hinder her plans and that there might be unforeseen consequences, so she decided to send you back in time to kill me today. In fact, even if you did not come here from the future, I was planning on going down to the continent... Ah... so that is why she was in such hurry!" It seemed the more he understood, the more Bakal couldn't help but be proud of his own perceptual prowess, but... "I did not expect that, in the future, Hilder would not only be able to control dimensional space, but also manipulate time with such precision..." As everything burned around him, Bakal suddenly remembered the picture of Luke's prophecy - the dragon dying in the midst of flame - and thought to himself. Yes, Luke did foresee that I would die in flames. Is it referring to the present? No, I still have work to do! "Hearing your words, perhaps I might just die today. Now that my energy is exhausted, it is definitely the perfect opportunity. However, it is unfortunate to just die like this, being unable to test your true strength..." While saying this, Bakal felt his heart stir. The fruits of his efforts for hundreds of years were right here in front of him! He carefully observed each adventurer in turn while thinking. Have my efforts affected them? Or are they just mere puppets controlled by Hilder? He couldn't help but ask loudly: "Will your strengths be as Hilder thinks or more? While I hindered her plans for 500 years, did your kind grow at all or has nothing changed? In such a well planned game like this, a very small difference is everything... " At this time, Bakal's eyes became very sharp. He raised his gigantic body and unfolded a pair of giant wings. Under such shock and awe, the adventurers involuntarily stepped backwards, and each of them showed instinctual fear in their faces. Looking at all this, Bakal couldn't help but show a sneer. "There remains a question to be answered. Even though I am greatly weakened, will you be the ones to kill me? Even if I am destined to die today, the ones who kill me may not necessarily be you, but maybe someone else from the future... Let's find out for sure, shall we?" Having said this, the mouth of mighty dragon opened wide, and a huge fireball began to flicker in it... The whole city burned with flames that touched the sky...
Episode 21: Luminous Anodron
Episode 21: Luminous Anodron
Episode 22: Machine Gun Audrey
Episode 22: Machine Gun Audrey
Episode 23: Communication
Episode 23: Communication
Episode 24: Great Will
Episode 24: Great Will
Episode 25: Citadel
Episode 25: Citadel
Episode 26: A Certain Autumn, Ghent
Episode 26: A Certain Autumn, Ghent
Chapter 1: Newspaper Articles
"Colonel, you're a celebrity." Second Lieutenant Lucas Wane of Ghent Command pushed a stiff newspaper in front of Colonel Woon Lyonir, who was buried deep in paperwork. It smelled of fresh ink and displayed large print photos of Woon's childhood and more recent ones taken at in-explicit dates. Judging by the image quality and the shooting perspectives, the photographs obviously did not have the consent of the parties involved. Moreover, the paper planned to include his story in a featured section over a period of several days. It seemed that journalists were very eager to speculate on him. Woon looked up and glanced at the newspaper casually, then moved his eyes back to the documents in his hands. "Oh." "Recently, more and more journalists have come wanting to see you, Colonel. It turns out you're going to be in a special issue. Your fans are going to skyrocket!" "I'm not interested." "Little Lyonir, who moved Empyreans as a child, became a heroic soldier and saved the country. He was the youngest colonel of the entire headquarters and the youngest soldier in the Empyrean Army. Recently, his outstanding victory in the war has given him the opportunity to be promoted to be a Brigadier General, but..." "Stop reading." Woon asked quietly, and Lucas reluctantly put down the newspaper in his hand as if he were the protagonist in the report. "Why did you refuse? You could have been a Brigadier General! The first 20-year-old Brigadier General in the history of the command! We would have had increased wages, more subordinates, and less work..." Hearing Lucas's unconcealed thoughts, Lieutenant Tammy screamed. Like Lucas, she was older than Woon. Due to the continuing implementation of the military budget cuts, there were only three people left in the office, and she was the only woman. "You still have the nerve to spend a good time complaining, which is time you should not be wasting when the Colonel is working overtime to help us. It's your fault. Don't always get the numbers wrong and the increase the workload for everyone. Do you think it's easy to check for your mistakes? Don't be lazy, hurry up and finish the documents I handed to you." "It's strange." Seeing Woon suddenly stop working to talk to himself, Tammy waved her hand. "It's not strange. It's common for a small number of people, especially the Second Lieutenant, to get numbers or units wrong." "I mean it's strange that the newspapers would publish news about me. This large newspaper is usually inextricably linked to the capital of the nobility. The Anton incident is over; there is no need to continue to advocating the army now." "They are not advocating the army, but you, Colonel." Lucas had already sat back in his seat, and replied with a sigh of relief. He rummaged through the contents of the drawer to look for the paperwork Tammy wanted. Upon looking up, he unexpectedly found that Woon was quietly waiting for his follow-up explanation. "As you mentioned, because of its connections with the nobility, most newspapers tend to be very negative toward the army. The proposal to build a new hospital was rejected because the newspapers took the lead in inciting public opinion, claiming it as unnecessary. Oh, what should happen if it infringes on the role of already existing hospitals? In fact, anyone could see that they wanted to pull patients to the private hospitals of the nobility." "Ironically, they are now pointing the finger at The Royal Highness and the Commander, saying that the poor soldiers have no place to receive treatment." Tammy also complained. "The same is true of the Colonel. They tried to use the Colonel's origins and rough experiences to increase sales. They never respected him as a hero; they just wanted to pull popularity." "Why would the nobles want to bring popularity to the Colonel?" Tammy couldn't help but ask. Lucas shrugged his shoulders. "It's not to bring popularity to the colonel, it's to bring popularity to the newspaper. The story of Little Lyonir has always been very appealing. The newspapers have been hyping up the story and calling on people to help the poor child. Since then, the production of weapons increased significantly. Although they claimed not to be taking advantage of the productivity in the private sector, the factories owned by the nobility made a lot of money... In short, since then, people have created a rescuer's mentality for the Colonel, saying that 'He's doing so well because of us.' While we're in this mentality, it's no different from the way we feel when we take care of stray pup." Tammy was a bit distressed, although what Lucas said was not unreasonable, comparing the Colonel to a little dog was a bit over the top. However, she saw that Woon was listening to Lucas's analysis attentively; there was no dissatisfaction with this metaphor, and she was not at liberty to interrupt. "Is that so? But the war is over, shouldn't everyone be less interested in my story?" "You are underestimating them! To them, you are like some kind of trophy; a trophy that should be polished and then placed in the most conspicuous of places to be flaunted by everyone. Do you know what topics have been discussed in the circle of nobility lately? They want you to take home and marry their second or third daughters. In their eyes, although you were not born a noble and are from the Lawless District, compared to the reputation of Little Lyonir, your origins is only but a speck of dust on a pretty decoration." Lucas was very straightforward, but to Woon it was still somewhat incomprehensible. He didn't completely fathom what Lucas meant. There were those who couldn't bring themselves to taste unforgettable defeat, so they try to lick their wounds through means of ignorance and discrimination, which was something he understood. But what he couldn't grasp was the social phenomenon: the sense of superiority and the desire to showing off. It was something he had never experienced. To him, these unfamiliar psychological phrases were only words that could only be found in books. Looking at the long-winded Lucas and the contemplative Woon, Tammy found a chance to intervene. "You should not speculate; the newspaper may be tired of news about the Imperial Army, and want to cover stories about the Colonel for a new change of taste. Maybe the president of the newspaper is a crazy fan of the Colonel, and one day might come to openly propose marriage to him... Oh, I think these guesses are far more realistic than what you said about 'Bakal's hidden underwater city.'" Woon thought that Tammy's unreasonable imagination was more terrible than Lucas's fantasy. Lucas couldn't help but shout: "Bakal definitely has a hidden city!" "If you saw Anton, you would know. The Apostles building an underwater city to defend against thieves? That's ridiculous. You always like to say such random words; no wonder your brother tells you to shut up. Anyway, you'd still better find the documents I gave you. It must have been a real mess this time. Do you know how the people in the Imperial Princess Garden laughed at us last time? I'm embarrassed for you..." Lucas lowered his head and dared not to utter a word. Tammy smiled proudly and couldn't help but laugh out loud. The conversation, triggered by a news report, ended in the victory of the only woman in the office. Woon did not continue to ask questions and put his attention back to his work. "Colonel Lyonir! The Commander General asks you to bring the meeting materials to his office." One of the officers from headquarters delivered Jackter's orders. Woon looked at his watch; it was only 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Lucas looked at Woon pack up the the documents one at a time and asked with concern. "I didn't expect the General to call you so urgently, do you need me to check the information? "No, I've already reviewed it twice. After seeing the Commander, I might not come back directly. You don't have to wait for me, just go to work." "Can I get off work one hour in advance? The Second Lieutenant failed his last shooting test, I want to keep an eye on him." Tammy asked. Lucas's face immediately became flushed. Woon nodded without any change in his facial expression. "You can." Tammy cast a sneering look at Lucas, and Lucas, who failed the exam, dropped his head, afraid to utter a reply. On the newspaper that was left on the table, under the report about Woon, there was an editorial demanding for Jackter's resignation published in a striking headline.
Chapter 2: The Commander's Room
Chapter 3: Afternoon, the Palace
Chapter 4: Two Dinners
Chapter 5: Midnight, and Early Morning
Chapter 6: Morning Disturbance
Chapter 7: Downtown Ghent
Chapter 8: Back to the Palace
Chapter 9: Midnight Town Outskirts
Chapter 10: Another Morning
Episode 27: The Girl in Central Park
Episode 27: The Girl in Central Park
Chapter 1: One Day of the Girl Wizard
Chapter 2: Wind Blowing from Afar
Chapter 3: A Worried Pai
Chapter 4: Individual Troubles
Chapter 5: Conversation with Kate
Chapter 6: One Step
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