13.6

One foot after the other.

It was all John could do after he passed through the two doors. The moment he found himself in this unknown place the doors had led him too, the white energy wall disappeared behind him.

The place he found himself in was akin to the artificial cave from earlier, the one that Matilda detected no life signals.

The rock formations that made up the structure of this cave, were far too organized and evenly produced to be called a natural cave. No doubt, whoever created this place, also created the exit passage for Team Rectiser.

“After a gruesome time of evaluating his whole life, he finally makes his appearance.”

A voice echoed throughout the cave-dimension-space that he found himself in, prompting John to halt in his tracks. He expected an audience with someone the moment he arrived here—forcefully abducted into this place, or dimension, whatever it was.

A small part of him hoped that it was the person behind the warm breeze from earlier. But hearing the comment making fun of him informed him otherwise.

“…”

So, he kept his silence. He did not ask to be separated from his team whilst they were still undergoing the aptitude test missions the academy given them. If anything, he expected answers from the voice that spoke earlier.

“…”

With the voice no longer speaking to him, John kept his quiet.

Let’s get back to what I was thinking about earlier.

He thought to himself, ignoring whoever called out to him.

The academy… Things had been oddly peculiar since the Harvests’ massacre. It was though someone was keeping tabs on me. I’ll give being teleported into this place a benefit of the doubt—

Woosh!!!

With a loud crack of the air, the space before him contorted and folded in upon itself circularly, creating a great pressure that prompted all of John’s hair and clothing towards it, sucking him in.

At the center where the winds have converged, an orange light source appeared. Following that, the light took form in the shape of a woman, then dimmed as the facial features of said woman became more vivid.

“What a troublesome man, I wonder what’s got her so entranced with his arrogance,” with those words, the physical body of the woman began moving towards John.

“Says the bitch who brought me here without warning.”

The woman’s mouth opened into an oval shape as though someone had slapped her.

“Get to the point. You summoned me here,” John drew a line with his lips, unimpressed by whatever performance the woman was putting up. “If you want to throw whatever criticisms you have of me, do that when I am not here. I am needed elsewhere.”

Closing the gap she had formed, the woman heeded his words, then adjusted herself, returning to a mature expression that was befitting of someone with such an appearance.

“You are correct, indeed your presence is needed elsewhere. But as of now, it is most vital that you are situated here, with me.”

John raised a brow.

“Look, if you want to toy with me or tell me to do something, I suggest you find someone else—”

“Aurelius Lupus was desperately searching for you.”

At the mere mention of his wolfkin friend, the woman had John’s full attention on her. The tired expression on his face became replaced with one that was filled with hostility.

“What have you done with him? If anyone in Team Rectiser is hurt because of you…” John growled, the veins on his forehead popped, his teeth clenched tightly as his hands moved to the hilt of his sword, preparing to unsheathe it at a moment’s notice. “They have nothing to do with me. If you hold a grudge against me—”

“Settle down, I mean you no harm.”

With those words, the woman raised a hand and projected a weave of energy from her hands. The white glow that seeped from her fingers then coalesced in the air above her palms and formed a mist like a flat vertical screen.

Is that surveillance magic?

Then, as if to answer John’s question, the weave of energy moved, finally showing the scene of a grassy meadow where the dusk sky was painted red from the setting sun.

John’s body instinctively propelled himself forwards into the projected scene, the details, the way the hue of the sun shone against the flat grassy lands. It was though he was inside of the projected world the woman created.

As if to stop him from marveling at the hyper realistic scene painted before him, the scene altered its focus and expanded upon the base of a stony mountain, zooming John into the view of a campfire where four figures had gathered themselves and cooked their meal.

It was Bran, Matilda, Kirk and Cacti.

John’s strained face relaxed slightly when he saw his teammates were safe. The scene shifted once more, it transitioned from the four of them and instead zoomed to the very edge cave that all of them had exit from.

Therein laid an Aurelius who sat vigilantly, the focus in his eyes was much sharper and piercing than John ever knew of. It was apparent that his wolkin friend still waited for John to exit from the cave that he disappeared from.

“How is it getting dark on their end?” John blurted. “It was barely noon when we exited the cave…”

“Time passes differently when you are here. This place is merely a world that was birthed from the one who assigned this duty to me.”

“…”

John kept his silence, he had many questions in his head, but granted how in mere minutes that he had been transported to this unknown realm hours had passed in the reality he was in, he was not about to waste any more time than needed.

“Hmm, you can be reasonable when you wish to.”

“I’ll listen to what you have to say. Make it quick, just don’t waste my teammates' time.” John lowered his head as to plead her. He knew that the woman had not summoned him here out of whim—though it felt exactly like that—but when he saw Team Rectiser, who had yet to leave the cave in anticipation of his return, the strain on his back muscles eased.

The woman shook her head, “No, John, there are some things that summarizing or keeping it brief would not suffice.”

“At the very least, don’t make them waste their time waiting for me! I need to inform them I am well before you want to tell me whatever you want!”

He understood that for living beings of any kind, time is a fleeting element that, once lost, will never be recovered. Just like the time that he once shared with the Harvests, with Ephinelyth, and the very years he devoted to A’vetheas. None of it will ever return to him.

For once, it had truly come to the past. There was no rewinding any of it.

It was why he had always been generous in spending his time with those he cared about. It was why he had no qualms whenever Miros had asked John to lend a hand in the farms. It was why, despite how dull and meaningless the household chores in the Harvest household were, he could do it with a smile on his face.

Simply because he was spending it with the people that welcomed and accepted him. To him, this was the greatest joy he could ever experience.

John needed no money, he desired no fame, he had no wish for power.

All he wanted was to be by the side of people who appreciated him.

And it was in his very core self to return the same favor to Team Rectiser, who lent him a helping hand on this aptitude test that Moxnet had consigned them to. For Team Rectiser were the people who dragged him out of his miserable state.

“Truly a commendable notion. Fortunately for you, John Sarvod, I had long informed them of your current status while you were contemplating whether to enter the two doors.”

John’s eyes grew even wider, “Y-you...did that?”

The lady shrugged her shoulders, “It was a precaution in case you took any more time lingering outside. I simply mimicked your voice and informed them you are fine and would return to them as soon as you were done.”

“Mimicked my voice… That’s albeit…”

“Your friend Aureliusm, remains doubtful regardless. So, when morning comes for them, I left a trail of your scent for him to prompt his belief in my—your words,” the lady smiled as though all it were an easy feat for someone like her. “It would lead them directly to the second mission allocated to Team Rectiser by the academy.”

“…”

“Have I convinced you to lend me an ear?”

“Yes.” John looked to his surroundings, still unable to believe the woman could achieve such measures to assure him of Team Rectiser’s well-being. There was one question that hung by his very lips before he moved to what the woman wished to say to him, “Are you some kind of deity?”

Again, just like how he retorted at the lady earlier, the woman’s face froze.

“Umm…” sensing the lady had yet to recover from her frozen expression, John waved a hand in front of her.

The woman’s eyes finally blinked and returned from her state of stasis, “My apologies. The energy in this dimension is in constantly fluctuating, so is my connection to this place.”

“Right…”

“No, I am no deity. I am simply mortal, who had a duty of care to this pocket world. All the magic, all the power that I have used, is solely generated and sustained by this realm. I am merely using borrowed power to speak to you from a place far, and unreachable from the one you are in. This place only exists as a medium to hold a conversation.”

“Power from the one who created this dimension?”

“Exactly. But that is not the reason you are here.”

“Do elaborate.”

“I am aware of your current circumstances, namely the massacre of your family.”

“…”

“And I understand the reason that you have arrived in this place is to solely satisfy the deal you made with a certain someone. But such are the unimportant details.”

“…”

“The reason for your summoning here today is to discourage you from accepting Prishine the succubus’ offer of reuniting you with the Harvests.”

“…”

Looking at John’s quiet face, the woman titled her head curiously, “I thought you would be more adamant against my words.”

“…”

“The deal you struck with Prishine the succubus was one that ended with transferring possession of the mission sphere. Had she truly wanted you to commune with your deceased family, she would have already done so, since she is no longer a denizen of the underworld for parted souls, she would have—"

John raised a palm and halted the woman, placing fingers on his forehead as he shook his head in confusion.

“Wait, wait, wait, I understand Prishine is not a good person. I know she was lying when she promised me those things. I thought you were trying to convince me to believe in her words.”

Unable to make sense of John’s words, the woman raised her brows.

John squinted his eyes.

“Isn’t she the one who asked me to approach the mysterious door that only I am able to access?”

“Her prompting you here?”

“Yeah, she showed me the illustration of a weirdly looking door that has alternating patterns on them, saying it was a prerequisite for her team to move on to their second task. Saying something about this door leads to the location where one is needed the most? Surely, you must be aware of this.”

The woman paused for a moment and thought to herself.

What is this development?

If this woman was not working towards his detriment, why would have Prishine send him here? Did the succubus truly send him here to ‘just’ fulfill the mission assigned to her team?

Was there really no ulterior motive from the succubus? No…it can’t be… I feel like I am missing something…

Sure, it was a comforting thought that she promised to reunite him with the Harvests. John was devastated over their deaths, but he was not idiotic enough to fully believe that Prishine could achieve such a thing.

From the very first day they met, he already knew the succubus was aiming for nothing more than to satisfy her lust.

Then…who arranged this meeting for me? The warm breeze from earlier?

John was quiet. His thoughts jumped around for the possibilities that were laid before him.

The ethereal people spoke of a great fire, a prophecy that someone like me would come to free them—

“Ah!!! I know what incident you were referring to!!!” the woman suddenly spoke, interrupting John’s thoughts. “You were referring to those trespassing explorers, weren’t you?”

John nodded his head favorably, “Dezarith’s Royal Explorers. So they’ve been here, correct?”

The woman then averted her gaze from him, “Yes, however it is not exactly as what you perceive, they were rejected by the entrance to this dimension that they got cast out the instant they tried to enter… The appearance of the door also changes depending on who is present...”

“Rejected? You mean, you have seen none of them, nor sent them back to the empire with magic?”

“Unfortunately, no. As I have said, this realm is not in my control. I am but a messenger.”

John placed a hand to his forehead, “Wait, wait, wait… The doors that Prishine told me to enter were your exact doors, that is no doubt correct, yes?”

Startled by John’s quick words, the woman stuttered, “It is exactly as you said. The defensive systems to this world must have transferred them away.”

“So why are you…here?”

“Right… As I was saying, whatever you do after I let you back to your reality, do not, ever, take Prishine the succubus’ words, for the truth.”

“I know that much myself already… Don’t really need someone to tell me to avoid her. My real question, however, is why are you here?” Keeping his face straight, John continued, “I understand you are not a deity, bounded by whatever task of duty you have to the creator of this realm. But I just can’t shake off the feeling you want something from me.”

“I was not coercing—”

“Tell me why are you truly here? I understand you mean well, so please…tell me, why am I here? Why now? Why me?”

“There is much I cannot tell you… This is meeting is an act of confirmation for myself and many others… That is all I can divulge.”

Here we go again. It’s the exact thing the mysterious man’s voice.

“I am someone who will benefit from your deeds. Who I am is much of insignificance to you, John. My duty is to ensure the Flames of Rebirth’s perpetuation.”

“Flames of Rebirth?”

…

...

…

“[Rebirth]…”

…

…

…

The healing flames that engulfed him, the warm breeze than gently found itself around his waist…

John’s eyes became alit.

Is that why it urged me to come here? Is that who is responsible for this conversation!? How…why would it know so much about me? And… what is this all about ignition? Have the flames not existed to heal me back then?

“The world I am in is a place independent from the world that you live in. In all honesty, I am unsure how all of it works, but what I know is that once the Flames of Rebirth takes form in your world, all the suffering on our side will not have been for naught.”

“What I have done? Suffering? What in blazes are you talking about!?”

John lowered his brows.

He had done nothing. For as long as he had lived he accomplished nothing worth of value, and now for someone came to him telling he was some saint who they owed their lives to.

His feet moved backwards unconsciously.

“You’ve got the wrong person. You’re looking for a hero, a god, a saint. I am none of those things. I-I…”

“What all of you said could be no closer to the truth,” the woman agreed.

“T-then!”

“But all actions have causalities. Whether you realize it or have yet to, the world is much more interconnected than you think it is. Far more complicated than it is understood.”

“Those are just fancy words for keeping an open mind. I know that already…” John tiredly replied. “But words cannot undo my mistakes.”

“Mistakes or successes. They are one and the same, two sides of the same coin. It is as life cannot exist without death, or light without dark. Each serves its purpose in the state of all things. Unfortunately for my world, we learned this mistake far too late and soon, our demise shall come for us.”

“Demise? Your world?”

The lady halted herself. Her eyes wavered, seemingly wanted to say more but could not.

“Our conversation has taken more time than I expected. I am truly grateful to have spoken to you, John Sarvod, despite our...rough start. I see now, I see why you are who you are.”

The woman waved a hand.

No sooner, this otherworldly dimension faded, the rocky ground that he stood on, the solid walls that were around him, all of it slowly became undone and melted into the vast emptiness around them.

“What!? Stop!!! What am I!? What do you see!?”

John tried to reach the woman, but she had reverted to the misty form that she once was. All that was left was her voice that lingered in his ears as he watched the world slowly faded from his view.

“There is just one thing, John. Perhaps I would do a disservice to you, but I rather you be mentally prepared for it when the time comes.”

“When the time comes? For what?!” John shouted back.

He could feel his body getting lighter and lighter as the woman’s voice became softer in his ears.

“Your [Heal] spell would fail you when you need it the most.”

“What!?”

“Know that it is not because you are inept, rather, know that it is something that is beyond your control, something that has been fated to be for the longest of times.”

“Explain to me!!!”

“You have my blessing, John.”

“What’s that supposed to fucking mean!? Blessing that [Heal] won’t work!?”

“It will make sense in time. This is farewell, revered Consignor.”