Epilogue: Spoils Are For Those Who Live

A familiar canopy of trees surrounded me. However, familiar as the flora was the area itself was foreign.

I had been left in a part of the Tole Forest I’ve never been to.

[Lucid, head north now. We’re deep into the forest where B and A ranked hyres are we need to leave now.]

What? The books said I was supposed to be left by the entrance.

There was no one around only causing me to worry more. Only the sharp fresh air and the soft breeze met my ears.

I followed along Eurval’s map heading for the major road that led back into the city. The faster I got to where other people where the better it was for me. Using my natural speed I ran quickly through the forest. I had less than a fourth of my mana left and I had none to spare for my movement spell when not in danger.

—Woosh

My swift steps of my run rustled the leaves and bushes as I passed them. My speed slightly exceeding a car on a highway, but the forest was large and I was in terribly deep with no detours the shortest distance to the main road was close to a hundred miles.

“It's over there!” A strangers voice yelled out from above.

A group of five strangers and one familiar face. Laurent head the group above me. Behind him were two women and three men all wearing a beautifully shimmering silver armor that dazzled in the sun’s light. In the hands of one of the woman was familiar red-eye.

It looked almost exactly the same as the one the Keeper I fought had…

I wonder what they’re looking for? They seemed rushed to find something as they peered below.

I silenced my steps slowing down curious to what they were doing and also vigilant that they might have tracked some powerful hyre. I didn’t want to be the one that ran into it first especially a hyre they wanted to fight.

“I see it,” Laurent spoke out and all together they flew down headed near me.

I should stop the hyre might be near me…

Slowing to a stand I looked around for any trace of a hyre.

Nothing.

My heart began to race.

What if it’s something on the level of a spectral lion? There was no way I could sense one of those at my current strength.

[Lucid be careful something, seems amiss.]

Do you have access to the Laurent database?

[I should, but something seems to be blocking the connection, but most of the hyres from this area are saved.]

I wonder if the city is still under reconstruction from the appearance of the dungeon. Are there any hyres that can camouflage itself like the spectral lion?

[Only the mirror snake, but it doesn’t inhabit this area Lucid.]

“Hey son, do you happen to have the major ether shard?” My heart jumped as a voice pierced me from behind.

I turned around to see the source and was met with the face of Laurent. He stood before me.

When did he get there…

As I thought that, the other five appeared surrounding me on all sides.

“Son, do you?”

“He does. He absolutely does, my divination cannot be wrong. He should have the second eye too.”

This is not how you greet someone with good intentions. That fact became clear.

How severely did I underestimate the value of the ether shard?

My mind raced to come up with a reply.

“Asking was just a courtesy son, I know that you do have it.”

…

I said nothing, whose to say he isn’t bluffing?

“I’ve just been expelled from the dungeon. I was dragged in from Laurent academy, could you help a cadet back into the city?”

I shot for appealing to his sense as the founder of the city and especially the academy.

Hearing my words his eyes did open a little, but then they turned a bit sorrowful.

I don’t like that.

“Haa of course. I am truly, truly, sorry.”

[Run Lucid.]

White mana engulfed me as I shot for a gap in their circle.

—THUD

I smashed into an invisible wall.

“Please understand that I really didn’t want it to be this way.”

“No!”

They slowly walked towards me.

Quickly I picked my self up flinging my body as fast as I could with another charge.

—THUD

Another wall.

“I will make it painless. Do you have any family? A lover? I will personally see to it that they’re taken care of.”

Laurent’s steps neared. My heart pounded through my chest. The feeling of being attacked by a hyre and another person was different.

I turned around it seemed they had boxed me in long ago with magic above what I could detect.

Facing Laurent I brought out my bow. There was no hesitation in a body filled with this much adrenaline.

—KWACHAA

A storm of lightning crashed down onto the six in front of me.

—Bzzt bzzt

Their steps weren’t hindered one bit.

“Rainer’s spread shot? No…you made some modifications didn’t you, quite good. Decent actually.”

—KWACHAA

Another storm descended.

Nothing…

A flurry of emotions pushed themselves out making my eyes pained but my mouth smile.

“Just take it!” I brought out giant ether shard.

“If it was that easy we wouldn’t resort to this. If there was some other way we would. Please understand.”

“Stop wasting time he's just an apostle at this age nothing noteworthy other than being a cadet at your academy.”

I could only bite my lip at the indignity of them acting like my life is no longer my own.

“Son, the moment you defeated the Keeper that shard became bound to you. A special bond one above that of oaths. Unbreakable until its used or the person it's bound to no longer has their soul in this realm.”

“Truly, I apologize for not conquering the dungeon in your steed.”

Stop Eurval, there’s no escape. My head felt hot as Eurval had been using the maximum and more of the allocated portion of my mind.

[Don’t say that Lucid!]

Eurval’s voice screamed at me in anger and horror.

I loved you. I don’t know how to describe the relationship familial, platonic, business, romantic? self?

Something was there.

Laurent produced a vorpal blade of silvery mana.

A stinging pain came from my chest reminding me of my first time with the practice dagger. And like the times with the practice dagger the pain quickly went away, but this time my conscious began to flow away with it too.

Speaking of daggers I was supposed to meet up with Eugene…

Eurval began repeating my name much like when I regained control over my body, but instead of getting louder its voice became quieter and quieter.

Ah, I didn’t tell Eurval about where I came from…

***

“I’m here to speak to you all today on the Tole Forest Tragedy that affected our families, our friends, our communities. Took what made our homes, homes. We all experienced losses and yet we are here today to celebrate. Celebrate those brave souls who passed to save those less fortunate. Celebrate those who have distinguished themselves as the champions of their generation.”

“As the one who heads Laurent City I want you all to applaud these four brave cadets. Without them, the tragedies would have continued and the losses been far, far greater.”

“However, there is one other soul that cannot be here with us to be recognized. His sacrifice, like many others, cost him his life due to my failure as the founder of the city and the academy. For that, I apologize.”

“This soul was the cadet who slew the Keeper that freed us all. In remembrance of his noble sacrifice, I will be naming this day as Lucid’s Grace in his honor.”

***

“Is it true that Last’s name was Lucid? You don’t think he was…”

“No way I can’t believe it.”

“I’ve seen the videos I think it is. One of the armored fighters used the same magic arrows with the same bow Last used when he fought the rock tortoise”

“What…”

“Seriously.”

“Shhh! Eugene is passing…”

“I heard he was the only cadet that went to his funeral.”

“He had a funeral?”

“I thought the alchemist and her husband on the ground shops went too?”

“Yeah, that’s why I said cadets.”

“Ohh, but forget that did you hear Abigail was gifted a new estate in the central ward from her father. Place is huge! I thought it was a park.”

“Well, of course, all of those four got massive lesser ether shards on par with major shards of threat A dungeons. Each one will probably the Laurent’s of the future. Who doesn’t want to have them owe them favors.”

“Oh, we’re going to be late let's go inside.”

***

“That ether shard almost looks fake for how large it is.”

“Did you undo his binding?”

“What! No…”

“What happened?”

“He…he had fully bound it. It’s impossible to undo it.”

“What! He fully bound it? He must have only had it for an hour at most. Even the most powerful apostles would have taken a year.”

“I just killed my own cadet for nothing…”

“He was just an apostle.”

“I understand that, but I still hold attachment to the academy.”

“Maybe you should honor him somehow, ah the shard is disappearing.”

“Aaand its gone.”

“Well, obviously the fully bound owner died its existence will follow with him.”

“Okay, let's go we need to assist the civilians who got left in the open. This dungeon wasn’t kind enough to drop everyone off near the entrance. Scattered everyone.”

“Should have expected it considering how it brought everyone in.”