CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The End

Road blinked her eyes slowly, as if unaware of the audience staring at her. Her small mouth opened slowly.

“Ketus? No…It is very much me. And please leave. The sensation is uncomfortable.”

With a light sigh, the remaining essence of Maxi was swirled into the palm of Road’s hand. Despite the protests and the screams coming from the bright white ball, Maxi found himself immobile as he was rolled around Road’s fingers.

“Road? Is that you?” The brilliance coming off of the little girl could not be put into words. Before, she was just another unconscious body, but now, every single movement of hers radiated with power.

“Secure the sword maiden!” Asteros roared, but just as the paladin’s surged forward, a sickening crunch stopped them all in their tracks.

“Halt.” Road’s violet hair floated to her sides as she tossed aside the fragments that had once been Pastor Maxi. There was a brief flash as the light of the divine blade was summoned before her.

“The goddess is ashamed of you all.” Her words poured cold ice water on all of those present. “The city lacks faith. The order is corrupt, yet nobody has done anything to stop it?”

“Sword maiden. What is going on?” Asteros began, but was firmly shut down with a wave of sword aura.

“Silence! I ask you all now. Come and purge the city with me. Already the streets are littered with the fallen. Some of which you have encountered while fighting your way here. Come with me, and put a stop to those who have instigated this. By this time tomorrow, the streets shall run red with blood,”

At her radical words, many of the watching paladins were watching in abject horror. Was this the timid and cute sword maiden they had known for all their lives? Her words were like ice, yet still the sacred sword was summoned to her side, which confirmed her identity.

“If you don’t. Then I will do it alone.” Road stood up and began to walk past between the astonished troops. She paused before yelling.

“WHO DO YOU SERVE? YOURSELVES OR THE PEOPLE?”

After a moments hesitation, some of the paladins responded in kind. “THE PEOPLE.”

“WHO DO YOU SERVE? THIS COUNTRY OR THOSE WHO SEEK TO DESTROY IT?”

“THE COUNTRY!”

Road stopped before Asteros, who wanted to speak out but was suppressed by Road’s overwhelming martial aura.

“I want to save everyone. Will you help me?”

“…I will.” His voice was pained, but the moment Asteros uttered those two words, his eyes steeled and his will became resolute.

“Then listen to my orders! We don’t have any time to lose.”

“YES MA’AM!” This time Asteros lead the cheer as the soldiers and paladins around them knelt to pledge their allegiance to her.

“Road. What is this?” Diethard who was standing woodenly to the side, stuttered as the little sword maiden walked up to him. Even now, more and more paladins were streaming in. It would seem the commotion outside had been firmly and neatly settled.

The old man was aghast as the little girl suddenly pulled him in for a kiss. The sight of which left many of the onlookers dumbfounded. Startled, the old man tried to pull away, but found that Road’s grip was far too strong.

Even as Road pulled away and appraised the old man’s blushing face, she smiled brightly towards him.

“Thank you Diethard. It was fun while it lasted.”

“Road, I—??” Diethard started before immediately collapsing onto the ground. His hands came away from his chest, red and sticky with blood.

“And goodbye.”

With but a single motion of her blade, Diethard’s head was cleanly separated from his body.

Suddenly, the survivors were feeling identical pains in their stomachs.

Road, however declared boisterously, “The Elseworlders had conspired to destroy our city. Leave none of them alive!”

Her words sent everyone present into a dazed stupor, however the members from Legacy immediately reacted and began to channel their teleportation scrolls.

That said, such scrolls failed as Darkblade and Hellsinger were immediately assaulted by a barrage of holy missiles, succumbing to their deaths in a matter of moments.

Snek and his band faired no better, having barely retracted the bone eater in time before being executed by a shower of falling blades.

All that was left was Pale and Dawn who were looking at Roari with expressions of outrage. However, none of them could voice their concerns as a brilliant sun materialized above them

It was the god tier spell. Extreme purification. In the lore of the city, such a spell mimicked the concentrated combination of thousands of sunbeams, which incinerated the target from where they stood.

“Goddamit Roari. Just what did you do.”

“It wasn’t my fault!”

“Today, our city returns to our hands!”

Even as the fiery rays of god came crashing down, Dawn could only feel that they mildly deserved it.

That particular day was dubbed the day of judgement. After enlisting the support of the regular army, the goddess incarnate, Road had taken to the streets, slaying every Elseworlder in sight.

In addition to that, it appeared that many children of the nobility had also become corrupted. Unable to discern who was clean, many noble houses were purged in their entirety.

The King has also been placed under house arrest, and from this day forth, all players are banned from joining the Church of Mercy.

Such events have sparked public outcry, but it doesn’t look to be over quite yet. Numerous country leaders have took note of this event, and have banded together to discuss what is to be done.

Even now, the smoke has still yet to clear from the city of Baracus, so traveler beware! It is not a good time to be adventuring in the White Kingdom.

As for the instigators of this entire mess, it seems to be the Basilisk Guild at fault, though their leader has remained silent since the ordeals. May the trolls have mercy on their soul.

More details at eleven!

This is Mindy Mails, bringing you the latest in the hit series, ‘Looking Elsewhere’. Stay safe! And have a good night folks!

…

As the show finally came to its conclusion, the two siblings had finally snapped out of their 10 hour long stupor. Perri looked at Rinden who frowned but nodded.

“So… Are we playing again?”

“Actually, Dawn called. How about we get some ice cream first?”

“Yeah…That’ll be nice.”

And like that, the two siblings went to get ice cream. Their pods temporarily forgotten until the sequel.

…

And so the adventure continues!… After ice cream!