(Author: Hey all! So I know I said I was going to do a double release, but unfortunately my 11-yr old dog has been really sick the past few days. Between taking him to the vet and watching over him to make sure he doesn’t get even worse, I haven’t been in the mood to write anything. That being said, I wanted to keep my word by at least releasing the finished chapter. I was just about finished with the next one, and since my dog has being looking a lot better recently, I might be able to finish it tomorrow, but no promises.

Now for this chapter, it does have a lot of debate talking and the like, but since I feel it is necessary for the story, I had to put in. I’m also not as good as I want to be at writing scenes like this yet so please bear with me.

Now without further ado, Chapter 24! Enjoy!)

Before noon on the next day, the summit meeting of the five allied nations of the world commenced.

While Druein’s Elf inhabitants resumed their normal lives, the mass influx of visitors and tourists hoping to join in the festivities had yet to leave.

Druein itself is not a very large city since it was constructed around the World Tree.

Taking into consideration the large roots that extend from the base of the oversized tree, it occupies almost two-thirds of the capital’s territory.

With so many people crowding the streets, the Elven capital had become extremely overpopulated.

Eager customers packed into taverns and restaurants, and one could rarely find an inexpensive inn or hotel with available rooms.

Despite the merry atmosphere of the citizens, an unshakable feeling of tension shrouded Druein’s magnificent capitol building.

Due to the fact that all of the current state leaders on the continent were gathered under one roof, security had been drastically increased to ensure their safety.

All gates leading into the building’s estate had been closed off with guards ordered to arrest anyone who attempted entering without proper identification. Elf soldiers dressed in full combat gear patrolled the grounds in and around the two meter thick wall that separates the premises from the general population. The amount of archers manning the wall and lookout points had also been tripled to reduce the possibility of intruders.

In addition to the heightened security details, a special barrier was erected around the entirety of the building. Though its primary function was to ward off physical and magic attacks, it also prevented unauthorized uses of Transportation coming from both inside and outside of its range. As such, the five Saviors were told to wait in their assigned rooms until an official would arrive to personally escort them.

They were also informed that each Savior would be summoned separately to retell their ordeal before the state heads, and that only one Savior would be allowed in front of the joint council at a time. Though at first there was some criticism, since it was an order from their superiors, they could not refute.

Once all of his companions had finished their hearings, Kris, who had been waiting inside his penthouse suite, was finally called upon. He was then immediately guided to a grand chamber in the center of the building.

As soon as he entered the circular hall, he headed towards the center of the room which was his predesignated position.

Sitting in a circle around him were the leaders of the five nations.

From left to right: the three Blacksmith Elders of Gimlee, the Alpha Drake of Astern, the five members of the High Elf Council of Celestia, the King of Valeria, and the five members of Sphinx’s Council of Elders.

Though they had already heard four different perspectives, Kris’s testimony was crucial because he alone fought the Abyss King and succeeded.

There was slight murmuring amongst the joint council so Kris waited until the room became silent before beginning his introductions while doing a formal bow.

“I am Kristoff Arondight, the Human Savior and leader of the Five Saviors. I offer my gratitude in advance for allowing me to talk of my experiences inside the labyrinth in the presence of this council.” (Kris)

He then started his report by first talking about his team’s skirmishes with monster packs early on in their expedition before describing the strange sensation originating from the labyrinth itself that intensified the further his party descended.

After depicting how he and Eliza were separated from the others due to the collapse of the ceiling above them, he recounted the pair’s desperate struggle to bypass the hordes of monsters that searched for them until they were forced to go on the offensive when they were surrounded inside a large hall.

He also explained the concept of his single-use magic attack when talking about how he managed to destroy all of the monsters with it's incredible power, but how it ultimately led to the destruction of the floor beneath him, causing him to fall deeper into the labyrinth.

His encounter with a survivor of the long-lost Basilisk tribe did not come as a surprise to the leaders present since his fellow Saviors had already revealed this fact in their reports.

Though Kris did not hide his battle with the stone golem from his superiors, he left out the detail of it having a protective shield and instead claimed he defeated it with his mithril-iron sword.

From that point onwards, the rest of his story differs greatly from the truth.

“...After defeating the stone golem, I was about to rush back to my comrades’ location, but I soon realized the golem had been stalling for time so that the Abyss King could regain enough of his life force in order to conjure up a crude physical form. Recognizing the danger that would befall us if were to leave, I abandoned the idea of reuniting with my comrades and decided to engage him. Looking back on it, my actions may not have been ideal, but I judged that his body did not have the strength to withstand physical attacks and so I began my offensive.” (Kris)

Kris took a deep breath before continuing.

“What followed was...well, one of the most ferocious brawls I’ve ever fought. Despite lacking a weapon, his magic barrier prevented any of my attacks from reaching him so it steadily became a war of attrition over whose stamina would run out first. Unfortunately, when I was about to land a killing blow to his chest, he unleashed an unknown Shadow magic spell which somehow shattered my sword instantly. I withdrew in order to form a different strategy, but he relentlessly barraged me with spells so I had to remain on the defensive. While dodging his spells, I noticed the destruction caused by our battle had revealed a hidden room. While he was preoccupied with chanting a high-level spell, I entered the room in the hopes of finding a replacement weapon. To my surprise, the only object in the room was a crimson sword. It did not give off a threatening aura so I grasped it. Almost immediately, I was overcome with a surge of power. For some reason, this caused the Abyss King to hesitate before launching his attack spell. Without a second thought, I closed the gap between us and slashed at his chest once more. The force of the impact tore through his armor and seemingly destroyed his heart. The shock wave caused by his mana dispersing propelled me across the tomb and I was incapacitated momentarily, but I witnessed his body crumble away into nothingness before losing consciousness.” (Kris)

Kris fabricated this false story before heading to the conference so that he had time to rehearse it. Even though he was currently suffering through a conflict of morals about having to lie in front of his king, he didn’t let it show on his face.

“When I awoke, I realized my tracker was giving off an alert. It had been damaged during the battle, but it allowed me to see that one of my companions had been severely wounded before it became defective. As I was about to leave, I discovered that I could sense precisely where my comrades were located, and before I was aware of it, I had already been transported there. Fortunately, I was able to recover my senses in time to prevent my comrade Eliza from being hit with a fatal spell.” (Kris)

Kris then went into detail about his confrontation with the self-proclaimed Basilisk Queen in which he emerged victorious, and how he used the teleportation-like magic again to quickly escape the labyrinth with his companions.

Once he was done, he became silent, quietly awaiting any inquiries that were sure to follow.

“There is a simple question I have for you, Sir Arondight.” (-)

The first to question him was his majesty, King Augustus Leopold V.

His imposing physique that towered over the average man was such a stark contrast to his gentle face that to someone who did not know him personally would think that he was constantly wearing a mask.

That’s probably why he got the nickname “the Gentle Bear” from the populace.

Kris mused to himself as King Leopold gave his query.

“Can you describe the Abyss King’s appearance?” (Leopold)

“Yes, your majesty. He wore a suit of black armor from head to toe. I couldn’t see his face since it was hidden underneath a helmet, but I recognized the armor from illustrations recorded in texts I’ve seen. I have no doubt it was the Abyss King.” (Kris)

“I see.” (Leopold)

King Leopold nodded in understandment.

There was a brief pause until someone called out to Kris from his left.

“There is an important matter I would like for you to clarify, Sir Arondight.” (-)

When Kris looked towards the owner of the voice, it was a handsome man with a few wrinkles on his face that showed his youth had long since left him. He had light blond hair that appeared to be turning white and clear blue eyes that stared at Kris as if examining him. Long pointed ears protruded outwards from the sides of his head, and his body was adjourned with the same dark green robes as Lily.

Kris recognized him from his previous visit to the Elf capital just before heading to the labyrinth.

That’s...Elderin Phaem, the High Elf council’s longest serving member. He was also part of the original assault team that raided the Abyss King’s fortress during the invasion of Lucifer. (Author: Elderin Phaem is pronounced Elde-rin Fae-ohm)

“Why did you feel compelled to leave the tomb even though you had not confirmed the demise of the Abyss King? That was your primary mission, and yet you abandoned it so quickly? I fail to understand your logic.” (Elderin)

“My comrades were in danger. As their leader, I am responsible for their safety. I couldn’t leave them to fend for themselves.” (Kris)

“And why not?” (Elderin)

“...I beg your pardon, sir?” (Kris)

The High Elf councilman’s blunt words failed to register in Kris’s mind.

“To be chosen as a Savior signifies you possess the most superior abilities of your race. That also means you are obligated to carry out your duties above all else. Your mission should have taken the highest priority.” (Elderin)

Kris’s eyebrows twitched in anger from hearing that cold-hearted explanation.

“Are you saying I should have let them die...sir?” (Kris)

Although Kris’s reply might be deemed as impolite in regards to the receiver being of nobility, Elderin did not seem to notice and instead gave his response in an authoritative tone.

“You all knew the risk of death was great before venturing into the tomb. I am merely suggesting you should not make rash decisions when the fate of the world is at stake.” (Elderin)

So according to him my friends were sacrificial pawns that could be disposed of if the situation called for it? This guy...

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Elderin’s statement triggered some bitter memories to resurface.

As a result, Kris barely managed to hide the anger in his voice when he responded.

“With all due respect sir, I would not have hesitated to give up my life if it meant the world would be free from the Abyss King...but I would never sacrifice the lives of my comrades. I will have to decline your suggestion.” (Kris)

Elderin furrowed his eyebrows and opened his mouth to rebuke Kris’s defiant declaration, but before he could speak--

“If I may be allowed to interject.” (-)

--he was interrupted by a woman’s voice.

“I ask that you please hold your temper, Sir Phaem. I do not believe Sir Arondight made the wrong choice.” (-)

The one who reprimanded the slightly flustered Elderin was a female member of the Council of Elders.

I feel like I’ve met her before...but where…?

Though Kris did not know her name, a pair of black triangular ears that stood upright on her head seemed awfully familiar to him.

They bore an uncanny resemblance to someone he knew very well, but he did not dare bring up such a trivial matter at the moment.

“You claim Sir Arondight acted prematurely, but how was it not logical to save his comrades from certain death? Sir Arondight had no means of sealing away the Abyss King without the help of the Elf Savior, Madam Liliana Spriggan. If she had perished, their entire mission might have ended in failure...Am I wrong?” (-)

“...That is so.” (Elderin)

Elderin answered her in a begrudging tone.

The woman seemed satisfied with his response and returned her attention to Kris.

“Is there anything you would like to add, Sir Arondight?” (-)

Fortunately, the woman’s intervention allowed Kris to calm down and he replied in a respectful tone.

“Yes ma’am. Before leaving the labyrinth, I brought my team to the tomb and had Liliana use her Spirit magic to search for any trace of the Abyss King’s essence. To our surprise, she could no longer sense his life force inside the entire labyrinth, so we concluded he had been defeated in my bout with him earlier. I assumed Liliana had already relayed this information in her report.” (Kris)

“Yes she did...and she also mentioned the peculiar nature of this ‘crimson sword’ you now carry with you.” (-)

Here we go…

Kris had already braced himself for the questions regarding Stryfe that he knew were sure to come.

“Yes, that is also something I wished to inquire about. Is it currently in your possession?” (Elderin)

“Yes sir. It’s currently contained within my right hand, but I can call for it at any time. Shall I summon it?” (Kris)

Kris was about to remove the gold ring on his index finger, but Elderin raised his hand to stop him.

“That is not necessary. However, I am not fully convinced your new weapon is without malice. Are you certain it is not under the control of the Abyss King as we speak?” (Elderin)

“If it had belonged to the Abyss King, I presume he would have used it in his fight with Sir Arondight.” (-)

Before Kris could answer, the Demi-human woman offered her own opinion.

“...I believe my question was for Sir Arondight, was it not?” (Elderin)

“.....” (-)

The woman gave him a cold glare, but she remained silent since she could not provide a valid rebuttal. Elderin returned her gaze for a few moments before looking back to Kris.

Seems there’s some history between these two...

Though Kris wanted to offer help to the woman as thanks for defending him, he knew it would only cause more problems for her if he did, and so he decided to only answer Elderin’s question.

“My initial opinion is that it could be an artifact he had acquired during his expedition 500 years ago. I speculate he had locked it away since it was capable of harming him. In addition, the fact that Liliana herself found it to be clear of any outside influence convinced me that it is an ally.” (Kris)

“Hmm, that is intriguing indeed. A weapon that could cut through the Abyss King’s magic and sever his life force would be an indispensable asset in the future. We should consider it an ally as well.” (Leopold)

The woman and the rest of the Council of Elders nodded their heads approvingly while the Alpha Drake continued his silence, but Kris took it to mean he was giving his consent.

However, it seemed the High Elf council and the Blacksmith Elders remained unconvinced.

“Even so, I’m puzzled as to why the Abyss King would keep such a powerful object near him. Why not just eliminate it? Can you give us a valid conjecture, Sir Arondight?” (Elderin)

To Elderin’s sudden question, Kris took a deep breath before giving him an honest answer.

“...No, I’m afraid I can’t. My only theory is that it cannot be destroyed.” (Kris)

“I suspected as much. While that may be true, it only proves that it is a dangerous artifact that we know very little about. Therefore, I would like proof that it will not become a threat in the future.” (Elderin)

Before continuing, Elderin rose from his chair so that he would have everyone’s attention.

“I propose that Sir Arondight participates in a special Purification ceremony in order to determine the true nature of that sword.” (Elderin)

The other members of the High Elf council nodded in agreement, as did the three Blacksmith Elders.

“Could you please explain what you mean by ‘special Purification’ sir?” (Kris)

Kris asked the High Elf since he was uneasy after hearing those words.

“This procedure uses high-level Spirit magic that will discover if the weapon residing in your hand contains ill will towards the people of this continent. If the results show that it will not bring harm to the people or to you, I will concede my disapproval over your continued use of that weapon. Should it prove to be a dangerous existence, it will be dealt with immediately.” (Elderin)

A chill went down Kris’s spine when he heard those words.

“How so?” (-)

The Demi-human woman from before asked the question that was on everyone’s minds.

“First, we will attempt to exorcise it from Sir Arondight’s body. If that does not work, then we will have to remove his right hand to prevent. In the event the weapon has not left his body even after that...we will have no choice but to forfeit Sir Arondight’s life.” (Elderin)

Those words caused the surrounding national leaders to stir.

“You would sacrifice the hero of the world?!” (-)

“Are you insane!? What would the people say!” (-)

“This is how we would treat our savior!? I would never allow it!” (Leopold)

King Leopold was especially outraged at Elderin for saying something so drastic.

Killing the Human Savior who slayed the Abyss King would certainly cause the populace to riot, and future generations might view it as paranoidal actions taken to save their own lives.

“ENOUGH!” (Elderin)

To silence the rowdy council members, Elderin used Wind magic to amplify his voice so that it reverberated throughout the entire chamber.

“Remember that it is our duty to ensure this world will not succumb to darkness, and in order to accomplish that, we must root out all evil without exception. We cannot allow personal feelings to deter us from achieving true peace. One life cannot be put before the lives of the people. We must discern if this weapon will bring calamity to us all.” (Elderin)

Unable to counter Elderin’s sound logic, the room became deathly silent.

After taking a quick look around the room, Elderin’s gaze settled on Kris once more.

“Sir Arondight, will you comply with my demands?” (Elderin)

Kris, who had been forgotten during the commotion between the council members, was finally asked if he would cooperate.

All eyes focused on the Human standing in the center of the room as a result.

Before responding, Kris took one last look towards his King.

The King had a sullen look on his face, but he nodded to show his consent.

Kris nodded back and looked towards Elderin.

“Yes.” (Kris)

Kris answered while staring directly into Elderin’s eyes.

What choice do I have…?

“Are there any more objections?” (Elderin)

Elderin looked around the room, but no one raised their voices.

“Very well. Once we have a verdict, we will move accordingly.” (Elderin)

Once all of the members of the joint council agreed on Elderin’s notion, the hearing was adjourned and Kris was free to go.