Hailian Continent, February 4, 4068 A.D.

Outside the Polare Underground Hospital

The 50 men surrounded Meldy and his children as they unsheathed their crossbows, as if intending to overwhelm them with projectiles. Without warning, they aimed their weapons against Meldy and released their bolts.

“Stinkin’ bastards!” Meldy bellowed as he went near his children and touched his 2nd ring and chanted, “Ancient Spell: Elesius’ Aegis!”

There was a sudden fluctuation of energy level around Meldy, producing blue orbs of hazy lights. As if gaining mass, it swiveled around them as it solidified and became layers of barriers, shielding them from the incoming attacks.

Pow! Bang! Bang!

The bolts collided with the enormous barriers, creating blue sparks of energy. A minute had passed, but the shield was able to hold itself from the onslaught of bolts, protecting Meldy and his children from harm.

“Shield of Elesius...as expected of the vulgar elder,” Garret smirked as he looked at the fight with disdain in his eyes. “Don’t think that you’re safe, vulgar elder. I know your strength very well. In fact, I knew you too well.” He took out a tattered staff from his spatial ring and raised it in the air, and said with a jeering voice, “You know what this staff can do, right vulgar elder?”

Meldy was alarmed as he saw a very familiar staff in front of him. He could not be mistaken, for this staff was the sole weapon of Erech, the God of the Damned. “How come you have Erech’s divine artifact, ‘God’s Deterrent Staff’?”

“Are you so old that your mind went retard? Can’t connect the dots, vulgar elder?”

Meldy squinted his eyes as he stared at the artifact, clenching his fists. Being a guardian, he knew too well that no one can wield any weapon of a God without the God’s permission, since even touching it would lead to one’s death. And out of all the weapons that existed in the realm, God’s Deterrent Staff was the most troublesome against him being a holy mage, since it could negate every spells that were of divine origin. Meaning, his Ring set was made useless, and he could only rely on normal spells for now. This put him into disadvantage considering Garret was a holy guardian, meaning he had access to ancient spells as well.

Meldy knew that they were in great danger, and his children’s life would perish if he would not do something about it. We have to get out, but how?, he thought as he searched for their way out of their current predicament. He could only rely on normal spells for now, and hoped that luck would be in their favor.

“So you’re now Erech’s lackey, you fart? How in the world did you convinced that poop-faced Divinity?” Meldy accused Garret, intending to distract him so he could prepare some time casting an attack spell. Since fluctuations of energy were concealed completely while inside Elesius’ Aegis spell, he gathered his mana on his right hand, carefully assimilating his energy as he took advantage of the transparent barriers, as he whispered, “Brad, Elena, prepare to run towards the Portal of the Other World. Wait for my signal.”

“But dad, wouldn’t we be in great danger if we use the Portal without God’s permission?” Brad asked, his face bewildered upon hearing Meldy’s command.

“We have no choice right now. I just lose your mom, I don’t want to lose anyone right now, my heart can’t take it,” Meldy softly answered, his eyes reddened as he quelled his tears. “Either way, we’re fucked, and I mean we’re fucked bigtime.”

Elena steadied her gaze towards her uncle Garret as she bit her lips. Sighing deeply, she said with a solemn voice, “whenever you are ready, dad. Fuck Uncle Garret.”

“Elena, you’re words…”

“Sorry, dad...”

“Elena, where’s Eric?” Brad asked, still holding the baby in his arms.

Instead of replying, Elena just pointed her hands towards a seemingly charred figure just beside the Perkan tree, tears streaming from her eyes. Brad was wide-eyed, while Meldy trembled in rage as he understood what happened to his nephew.

“FUCK GARRET! ARE YOU SO SHAMELESS THAT YOU KILL MY NEPHEW?!”

Garret chuckled as he saw Meldy’s countenance, as if amused by the things he was seeing. “Well, vulgar elder, since he does not want to cooperate with me, it’s better to kill him, no? He’s much as a deadweight like you, and don’t you worry, you’ll be next in line.”

Clutching the staff, Garret raised the artifact on the air, his eyes now shining with a blue blaze. Waving it in the air, he chanted, “Oh Erech, God of the Damned, grant me my request. Give me thy power, and make your enemies cower before you.” He turned his eyes towards Meldy, and smiled evilly. “Ancient Spell: Erech’s Void Space!”

Sounds similar to breaking glasses echoed throughout the yard as the barriers disintegrated, layer by layer it ceased to exist. Just by a second, Elesius’ spell was nullified! It just showed the dominance of the spell, and the overwhelming power it inflicted upon their recipients. “Shit! My rings aren’t working due to that damned staff,” Meldy muttered as he retreated a few steps.

As soon as the barrier was gone, the 50 men shoot their crossbows against Meldy. Without wasting a moment, Meldy flicked his fingers on the air and chanted, “Hurricane Barrier!” Gusts of winds enveloped Meldy and his children, deflecting the crossbolts and pushing the 50 men away from them just by its wind pressure.

“RUN!”

Elena and Brad gathered their mana on their feet, and propelled towards south as fast as they could, at the direction of the Portal of the Other World. Streams of wind energy protruded on their feet, like a jet stream, and continued to fly away from the enemies, as if their life depended on it.

Garret saw the children flying towards the south, and bellowed, “Do not let them escape!”

“Over my dead body, you cunt!” Meldy shouted in a rage, his eyes were now bloody red. Sneering, he began to float as his robe fluttered in the air. “Garret, oh fucking Garret! I think you need to be reminded as to why I am made the Chief of the Rechione Clan.”

Meldy knew in his heart that he could not afford to attack halfheartedly; a single mistake might cost them their lives. Right now, he could not expect help from his children, and he knew he had to give everything even if it might cost him his life. After this spell, he was aware that his mana would almost be depleted, but if he could kill his enemies, then for him it was all worth it.

"Volcanic Rift!" After chanting, Meldy swiftly flew 50 meters away from where he cast the spell.

The ground shook intensely as the metallic lampposts and nearby trees felled down while the flat ground, 20 meters away from Meldy, grew into a pyramid of about 10 feet tall, forming a miniature volcano. Smokes of sulfur reeked the air while smolders of lava flowed from the volcano's mouth. Deafening explosions frightened the 50 men while big gravels dispersed throughout the vicinity. Pandemonium broke out.

"AAAAH!"

"Cast the Cold Array Spells!"

"We're gonna die!"

Screams reverberated across the field as people were ablaze - no one was spared. Magma engulfed every living and nonliving things: living hell depicted the entire scenario. The volcanic rift appeared just beside the 50 men, surprising them as they failed to react. In fact, all these things just happened in mere seconds!

Clutching his staff, Garret gathered all his strength just to stand up, gasping for air. The spell, even though flames of lava hit him, failed to kill him because of the staff’s innate protection spell, which protects its wielder from harm at the cost of his mana. But because of the spell’s domineering strength, the staff almost entirely used up Garret’s mana force, thereby making him weak and unable to counter Meldy’s attack. Veins bulged out on his forehead as he screamed, “DAMN YOU, MELDY! DON’T THINK YOU’VE WON THIS!” Flicking his fingers, he chanted, “TELEPORT!” After a few seconds, Garret vanished.

Agony crept inside Meldy’s heart. Remembering the onslaught he had done earlier, he couldn’t help it but feel stabbing needles in my chest. Yes, I had to be ruthless, they leave me no choice. He never imagined that Garret would rebel against him - as for his reasons for his betrayal, he had no means of finding it out. With a resolve to kill, it was natural for him to protect his family from the traitor' assaults, eliminating dangers at all side. Tears streamed in his eyes as he quelled the rage surging inside him, after all, even though Garret was a traitor, he once genuinely considered him as a brother.

It is the resulting karma of their choice in life. Good actions beget good karma. Likewise, bad actions beget bad karma. Why did you betray me? For the last time, Meldy fixed his eyes on the burned bodies and shook his head. With his remaining mana, he flew south, towards the Portal of the Other World.

_______________________________________________________

The winds blew in a rage and the trees bent in a slant. The once green sky was now streaked with a dark tint. There was a torrent downpour of rain as thunders roared instantaneously. Animals scampered away towards the caves and shelters. Despite the storm, Elena and Brad continued to tread against the rushing winds, with the hope of reaching the portal.

After an hour of flying, Meldy finally caught up with Elena and Brad.

"Dad, we need to find some shelter! The storm's getting stronger, little Melk might not make it!” Elena shouted as she wiped the water off her face. “Brad, help me convince Dad!”

"We can't afford to waste our time in a cave or something, Elena!” Meldy looked back at Elena as he continued casting the Water Resist Spell on everyone, his mana recovered because of the Mana Pill he had taken a while ago, and said, “We must reach the Portal if we want to escape, alive."

"Dad’s right, Elena! We have no choice!" Brad bellowed while looking at the floating Detection Orb in front of him, checking the crystal for any enemy’s mana or spirit fluctuations that it might spot. “Besides, we are much safer if we can arrive at the Portal before nighttime!”

“But, Dad! Can we just -”

"No more talking! Move fast!" Meldy snapped at her, signalling her that the conversation was now over. He knew that she implored out of concern for her siblings, but he was adamant in reaching the Portal. The sooner they reached the portal, the better their chance of surviving this predicament. He momentarily gazed at Brad cuddling his youngest child, and his brows knitted in a furrow. Oddly enough, the baby was not crying despite the bad weather. Seeing his child, fresh memory started to haunt him, again.

Oh, Malcee, my love, my precious...he unknowingly bit his lips - now bleeding - as he remembered his wife’s last words.

“Meldy, dear, protect the child. He is the key.”

“The Devourers should not get him. By all means, he must be alive at all cost.”

“Sorry that I can’t join you. I love you…”

My boy’s a key? A key to what? To hell with them!

As Meldy pondered on these things, he couldn’t help but suspect Garret as the mastermind of the assassination. Several things were confusing him: Garret’s staff, his earlier actions, and Elesius’ passivity. He couldn’t help but waver on his faith, especially since fellow holy mages could attack each other only upon their deity’s consent. “What did I do wrong to merit this?”

Soon enough, after hours of grueling amidst the storm, they arrived at a dark forest. The big trees swayed as if waving their hands, as the wind shook their shining yellow leaves. The pale, ghastly crescent moon sat above the forest, seemingly watching everything that moves under it. It was nighttime. The forest shined with a pleasant radiance as the little fireflies began to emerge from their resting spots and went upon their daily business. The silhouettes of creatures prowled behind the bushes. Dangers loomed at every nook and corner of the mysterious forest. It was a strange scene. The forest was peaceful despite the storm creating havoc around it.

Meldy waved his hands, signaling them to stop.

"I thought we're going toward the Portal?" Elena halted right at the forest’s clearing. She went towards Brad and extended her hands towards the baby, checking if he was alright.

"This is the entrance, Elena.” Brad muttered as he stared intently at the Detection Orb. “Well, you weren't with us the last time we came here, you're always ‘dawdling’ with your boyfriend after all."

"Well, sorry for being idle and clueless," she blatantly replied.

"Enough. Let's go. We don't wanna be exposed here with you bickering." Meldy reprimanded them as he shook his head, a smile quivered on his lips for the first time since his wife’s death. After all these years, they still act like children...

Brad and Elena scowled at each other, not uttering a word, when unexpectedly, the Detection Orb began to dazzle.

A creature emerged out of the forest's entrance, and said, "No one's allowed to enter the Forest of Space!"