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On the edge of Magiland, an ordinary forest located near the town. It is only a general forest grows among time there with animals living in it, but the things just occurred there made it special. It is evenfall now, the close of the day. The clouds hanging on the sky are embraced by red-orange lining and the forest becomes dark gradually. The burning color of the sky is expressing the sadness to the things just happened in the forest.
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The wheel of fates turns in the sparsely populated area of Magiland. Someone falls into the abyss of despair, someone walks on the edge of life and death, someone waits for the fate that is about to come on, and the desperate tearing screams resound through the forest.
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However, it is not the time for sadness, they have little time to become intoxicated in sorrow, and they know it solves nothing.
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The waiting one noticed the person she waited for may not turn back. Her heart is that hurt in both physical and mental, she can feel the tearing pain, maybe that is the pain Velvet bearing for a long time.
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Eleanor knew Velvet always fights against the giant malevolence, like the time she just gained her consciousness, she saw Velvet nearly fall in her endless self-blame.
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*
The line of reality and dream is blurred after Eleanor sealed the shrine of tranquility by herself, but the situation in front of her is not something she allows herself to ignore.
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Velvet fainted, with the cloud of malevolence surrounding her. Malevolence is toxic to the seraphim, but it is nothing when comparing to a friend who disappeared for a long time and she wanted to help.
She knows what to do, to help those people who are not good at saying out things, to save those people always bearing all the things on their own, to save those who trapped in their nightmare forever. She has studied a seraphic arte to tackle such cases, it is an ancient seraphic nearly lost, it will allow the user to enter the world of mind or say: dream so the user may find out the reason of the malevolence easier and it is a way seraphim use to tackle malevolence when they didn’t have the purification flame.
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In the time the purification flame is non-existing, people and seraphim can only kill the daemon to tackle malevolence. They want to prevent people from turning into daemons, thus the seraphic arte was created to let the user entering dreams and stop the one turning into a daemon. However, it is not an effective method and it is a dangerous method. Since the people in that time rarely see seraphim, the users of the seraphic arte are mostly seraphim. Seraphim may absorb the malevolence from the person nearly hellionize, it is possible that the seraph turned into a drake before he activates the arte. Not to mention that altering things in the mind-world can be dangerous and evil, all those may be the reasons why the seraphic arte be long lost or say it may be a prohibited ancient seraphic arte. Now no one will know why the seraphic arte called ‘Alice’, maybe it is the name of a person that is very important to the creator of the arte.
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This must be dangerous to Eleanor, she, a seraph, will absorb the toxic malevolence from Velvet, but right now she is the only one able to perform it.
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Eleanor touches Velvet’s forehead with her forehead and launched the seraphic artes “Alice” to enter the dream.
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It is the dream of darkness, the night is painted with scarlet, the moon is tainted with blood. On the edge of the cliff, someone is hanging on it and then fell down. Eleanor search the person while estimating the falling position and she met the amnesiac Velvet. It is the worst case she has ever seen, the person before her is full of injuries, on the edge of breaking.
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The Malevolence caused her amnesia, she didn’t want to remember.
Eleanor can somehow hear the infinite voice of curse echo in the Abyss when she just entered the world, she is sure that Velvet is blaming herself.
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Eleanor thought of the days of the ancient journey with the Lord of Calamity. She had heard that Velvet kept saying a cursing apology in her dreams. She knew that Velvet was always pretending to be ruthless and secretly blaming herself for countless times. She is undoubtedly a conscientious human being.
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In such a case, she can’t do many things, the situation may turn better if she has time, but Velvet urged to save her friends, completely ignored herself after the recovery in memory.
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Eleanor knows she can’t stop Velvet, she never succeeded, but she still tried to fight and stop Velvet, and she failed. She hopes to complete Velvet's current wish as soon as possible, she hopes this will help a little.
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From the result, she temporarily stopped the mental breakdown of Velvet, so that she will not become a Hellion, but if it is left, Velvet will collapse again. Because the spirit of Velvet is actually very fragile and returned to the status when there is only the wish to achieve without the awareness of herself.
*
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Eleanor is not surprised if Velvet hellionized again, she just doesn’t want it comes true. Glad that at least purification flame exists in this Era, there is a way to turn her back.
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Velvet must be hellionized because she cares about Eleanor, she cut the link so that the malevolence would no longer affect Eleanor. In the end, Velvet still didn’t aware of herself in the action but only act to prevent herself from causing further pain to her friend. She acted to give ‘hope’ to people after she destroyed their home but she just can’t find hope for herself. Eleanor doesn’t know that Velvet didn’t plan to live at the moment, but she would still want to help her friend. Sad that she now loses contact with Velvet, but apart from Velvet, there is one more person Eleanor is waiting for, that is Sorey. She never truly meets him, but only briefly knows about him from Velvet and she knows Velvet wants to save him. She guessed that this person must have a position in Velvet, and she thinks he can help Velvet, so now she at least wants to keep both Sorey and Edna safe for Velvet’s sake.
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“Sorey is around here,” Edna announced while Eleanor is pondering to calm herself down.
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“Why would you know?”
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“We have formed a pact, without the external disturbance, I am able to sense him,” Edna explained. She was not able to talk to Sorey in the facility because of the external disturbance until now she can sense him.
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“Ok, then let's go find him,” Eleanor stated while gaining her calmness again from the guess that Velvet hellionized.
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“You have calmed down,” Edna commented as she thought of her early emotional moment for Velvet cutting the contract.
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“If I can't calm myself, I won't be able to do something for Velvet.” Eleanor shows her determination in her eyes. Now Edna noticed, Eleanor has the same eyes as Sorey, maybe this is one of the reasons she didn’t hate her and Sorey. She didn’t hate the one shows and live with the determination which just like her brother did.
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“Great, let's go, we don't have much time,” Edna stated, somehow, she can’t wait to see Sorey too.
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“AUWOO..” a wolf howl shakes the forest, the sound of horror and sadness, the struggle of a hurt breast.
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“We should be careful.” Eleanor wanted to figure out where is the breast when the cry is so sorrowful, but she managed herself to concentrate on Sorey. She thought it is the best, for now, it is not like she can achieve things alone.
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The owl light painted with star sky, entering evening as the forest went dark gradually, Eleanor lights up the surrounding area by a simple seraphic arte forming a ball of light so the may see the way in the forest.
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“Sorey, are you there?” Edna shouted to confirm when she sensed Sorey inside her domain circle.
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“Here!” It is Zaveid to be the one to respond. They may already expect something bad that Sorey is not able to make a sound now. They increase their pace to approach the source of sound, then they see Zaveid is there casting the healing arte and Sorey severely injured. From the bloodstain on Shepherd’s cape, it can tell there is massive bleeding, he is nearly dying.
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“Healing circle!” “Resurrection!”
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Edna and Eleanor immediately cast the healing artes to make a first aid. Seems the wounds stop bleeding, but Sorey is still in a coma.
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“What happened?” Edna asked in an urge with a little anger. She believes Sorey is strong, and hardly be injured seriously, her impression based on the memory of Shepherd’s journey when she fought with him together for a long time with countless battle. Still, as a companion, she thought she can’t forgive the one hurt Sorey like this, he nearly died.
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“We talk in the inn!” Even Sorey may not in danger, the forest is not a good place for the wounded to rest. Zaveid urged two girls to find an inn.
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Zaveid carried Sorey on his back to the inn in Magiland that Sorey and Edna once lived in and started the talk in the living room outside Sorey’s room. It is a meeting of old friends, maybe they were not close friends, they still concerned about each other.
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Zaveid and Edna is already close companion in many ways since they traveled together and Eizen told him to take care of his sister after all. However, the relationship to Eleanor is a bit strange to Zaveid and Edna. To Zaveid, Eleanor is just a girl traveled with the Lord of Calamity and got her determination to help the world, also an ally in a fight with Asura. To Edna, she only knew Eleanor through several times of ancient visits after Eizen’s last visit as a seraph. She knew not much about her, but she is sure that the girl is a selfless Shepherd.
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“First. I am glad that you are safe, Eleanor. Where have you been? I haven't seen you for 700 years!” Zaveid asked Eleanor for the contact loss. Even if they are more like strangers coming together by chance, Zaveid will concern for her. Hmm, let’s say most of his friends are meeting by chances since he is a wanderer. The core reason he concern for her maybe that Eleanor is somehow a beauty.
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“Yeah, sorry for that. Maotelus told me to protect the Shrine of Innominat that time, so as to isolate Velvet and Innominat from the disturbance of malevolence. Though I never thought you would care for me.” Eleanor explained.
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“Hey, of course, I will care for a pretty lady.” Zaveid protested and Eleanor just rolled her eyes.
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“I see, which is why you didn’t visit me and didn’t aid the Shepherd,” Edna added, thinking that Eleanor should try to contact with her and help Maotelus at the time Sorey was the Shepherd if Eleanor reincarnated into a seraph with her memory still here as she is a kind-heart idiot like Sorey. However, what she concerned about is Eleanor reincarnated into a seraph and still keeping her memory, it is really a rare case among humans and seraphim.
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“Yeah, part of it is because I haven’t fully recovered my memory in the early days…..” Eleanor stopped suddenly and her expression turned a bit sad.
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“Sorry that your brother had turned into a dragon.” She continued while memorizing what had happened in the battle she fought the Lord of Calamity with Zaveid, Rokurou, and Eizen there to protect Maotelus. She felt guilty that she was not able to stop the incident in front of her, she realized the sadness of losing a family member as she lost her mother too.
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“.....So you know.” Edna is a bit shocked and she pretended to be calm.
“She was there, fight side by side with Eizen, so am I,” Zaveid stated they were both not able to stop it.
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“The enemy, the Lord of Calamity was too strong, we both severely injured. Eizen decided to attack him all out even if he would turn into a dragon.” Zaveid added to explain the situation, it is the unstoppable situation for everything.
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“That was how he became the dragon...That idiot……..” Edna sighed and silently accepted the fact that Zaveid always avoids to tell her.
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“Anyway, it is not your fault, and...we killed Eizen finally.” Thinking that Eleanor may be worried and feeling guilty, Edna tried to comfort Eleanor and stated Eizen’s fate afterward, they ended his life, for the best to him.
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“...........I see…….”
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“Back on track, what is happening?” The discussion is held back to the initial target by Zaveid, to know why would things happening and why Sorey gets such damage.
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“Sorey and I were caught by a man, who may be the current Lord of Calamity.” Edna started from their side of the story.
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“Velvet ran after and is controlled by the man using Sorey and Edna and also the metal collar on her neck. She was ordered to destroy towns and cities to bleed malevolence. I was the seraphim arranged to work with her.” Eleanor added the things she knew.
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“You worked with the malevolence bleeding stuff?!” Zaveid doubted what side is Eleanor when Eleanor just said that she worked for the evil side.
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“No…..I...I just found myself worked with Velvet when I awoke, somehow I remember the order. Maybe I got hypnotized after my seal to the shrine broken.” Eleanor explained.
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“Poor kid, lived in a chaotic age, reborn in the chaotic age and awoke in the chaos again,” Edna smirked at Eleanor for her bad luck. Since Eleanor was a human lived in the chaotic age after Abbey was destructed with Shepherd Artorius’s fallen, then reborn as a seraph in the age without Shepherd, now awoke in such bad condition. Now Edna starts to wonder if all the people survived under Eizen’s curse have a certain degree of bad luck themselves.
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“But it is good to see Velvet again. I realized all things from Velvet and we planned to ask help to rescue Sorey and Edna. I went secretly to rescue, and Velvet continued…..to follow the order to destroy towns.” Eleanor somehow felt sorry for Velvet to let her alone in doing the dirty works when she is telling the story.
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“We received a request in ancient words from a mysterious person to rescue Sorey, would that be…” Zaveid remembered a person wearing a robe and a hood to mask the face request them to rescue just by writing ancient letters on paper. The grammar and words written are in ancient style, so probably only Seraphim like Zaveid would understand the meaning, the other people can only guess. After all, it is the language 1500 years ago, it should be lucky if people still recognize some of the words. He already guess the person maybe Velvet at that time as the person knew Sorey is a friend to him. Now he asks about it, he won’t be surprised if the person was actually Velvet.
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“Yes, she is Velvet. It is inconvenient to talk directly, Velvet said that the metal collar can record all the voice in the environment surrounding her. We don’t know if it possesses other functions.” Eleanor answered Zaveid with the reason behind it.
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“So, I am rescued out, and so as Sorey, this is the plan, right?” Edna asked and she found no hint of the person who hurt Sorey.
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“But, I saw Velvet attack Sorey.” At last, Zaveid raised his doubt, he stated the fact he saw, and it is very opposite to the plan and aim Eleanor just told. Edna is shocked by this message, she is sure that Velvet is not this kind of person. She should not want to hurt Sorey from the plan she has just heard.
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“How......Maybe another order.” This is the only conclusion Eleanor got from the sudden fact.
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“Well, she seems not using the full power, but the power became different when her eye turned red.” Zaveid tried to think of some suspicious points in the fight. Certainly, Velvet is a murderer to him, still, she killed for some reason, now he is thinking of the reasons behind her action and trying to defend her to persuade himself.
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“At the end of the fight, after she severely hurt Sorey, she looked like in a calmer state and was shocked by the scene. She was sad and then escaped quickly.” Zaveid listed out more observations he made.
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Now all the observation pointed to the conclusion of she was under control when she acted.
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“Maybe that is why she cut the pact with me, she may be a hellion now.” Eleanor is sure that Velvet must feel guilty because of it, this ensured her early conclusion in her mind that she didn’t want to believe it.
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“I see a lot of hardship for Velvet again…...We shall plan and wait for Sorey to wake up.” Edna stated and everyone here agreed.
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Then, a special guest comes suddenly, the door of the unit lent for Sorey opened, Eleanor and Zaveid are shocked by it. They didn’t get caution once they sensed the sacred air around the invader.
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He is the Empyrean of Void: Maotelus, but he presents with his past seraphic appearance. It appears to be a virtual body constructed with mind and mana with the assistance of a seraphic arte since his real body is still a dragon and it is too large to enter a building and to commit usual talk with friends.
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“So you come, Mao-boy,” Edna stated.
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“Yes, finally I find Sorey. Never thought the situation will become that bad.” Maotelus worried.
“I tried to sense Sorey and Velvet's position when I finished my work temporary but the sensation is blocked for certain districts. Until now I sense Sorey, but Sorey is now severely injured and I can’t see Velvet.” Maotelus added his current status.
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“Maybe you overslept and your mind is slow.” Edna teased the Empyrean in front of her.
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Maotelus is stunned by the attitude of the seraph just teased him and he pondered to recognize the girl before him. She has short blond hair and the blue eyes of the sea, just like Eizen. He chuckled and said: “ You must be the little sister of Eizen, Nice to meet you, Edna.”
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Maotelus remembered all the moment Eizen talked about Edna with pleasant, he really loved his sister, even if turned into a dragon. Maotelus knew Eizen is going to fight against the madness as a dragon until he is unable to do so. Now he hopes Eizen to rest in peace.
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“It is my pleasure to be remembered by an Empyrean,” Edna smirked.
He responded: “I won’t forget the family of a friend, especially the one he treasured that much. Now let's wake Sorey.”
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Maotelus cast a superior healing artes to heal most of the inner wound in Sorey’s body to wake him.
The boy slowly flipped open his eyes, look around the room. He wants to figure out the situation.
“Everyone, and Mao- Laphicet!” Sorey is shocked by his friends and the Empyrean presence, especially the latter one.
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“Long enough for us to wait,” Edna smirked.
“Now Sorey woke, I will tell what is all going on, but first, let me introduce myself. My name is Eleanor, once the companion of Velvet.” Eleanor stated introduced herself to Sorey, she is sure that Sorey and Maotelus are starved for the truth.
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“Nice to meet you, I heard some of your things from Velvet.” Sorey greeted nicely.
“Oh? That’s my pleasure, what did she say?” Eleanor is curious about how Velvet comments about her.
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“She said you are a crybaby exorcist who cries for others unfortunate, a really serious person, who always wants to help others,” Sorey answered from his memory.
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“Eh…..never mind, anyway I will start now.” Eleanor facepalmed when she heard the word ‘crybaby exorcist’, seems that it is the first impression that would never be forgotten. She pretended to hear nothing and she tells the story again.
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Eleanor told them about Velvet’s things that after Sorey and Edna are caught, and she added a sad conclusion that Velvet has hellionized with the fact that Velvet cut the contract with her. Both Sorey and Maotelus feel bad about it.
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“Guess the enemy this time is strong enough to block my sensation,” Maotelus mumbled.
Sorey exclaimed: “That is bad, we should go help Velvet!”
“Yes, but how, see what you got this time. The first time we encountered Tartarus, we are immediately defeated. Now you got severely injured, even with our artes, you are not completely healed.” Edna warned Sorey.
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“......Sure we are too weak now, and it was my bad to go out that late…… I am going to find all my friends together to face him.” Sorey felt bad for his temporary wrongly estimated self-ability before the incident, but he is determined to do it, he believed he can do it with his friends who passed all the trials with him in the past journey. He will take back the power of Shepherd, even if it means he would be the Shepherd again.
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“Guess that is the only possible option we have, I will go with you.” Edna can’t think of a new option but to agree.
Maotelus confirmed: “I will go with you too.”
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“What about your duty?” Edna teased.
“Velvet is more important than my duty. And if we don’t solve the problem, I doubt my duty can be fulfilled.” Maotelus answered.
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“Selfish as always, Laphicet,” Zaveid smirked, he is glad to see the Empyrean just like the boy he knew.
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“ Eleanor, I am sorry that you got caught and brainwashed after the seal is broken. When I awoke, I can’t see you and the seal is already broken.” Maotelus apologized to Eleanor, he thought it is his responsibility to let someone capture his friends, Velvet, Eleanor and Sorey, all under the influence of the unknown enemy to him.
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“Nevermind, I managed to get my free will back at last. If I am not captured, I won’t meet Velvet too.” This may be the only good thing Eleanor could say.
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Edna asked: “Talking about to find others, how do you plan to do it?”
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“Hmm, I don’t know the way to find Mikleo, he is possible to be in every ruin, but I think I have an idea to find Lailah. Laphicet, may you help me?”
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“Sure.”
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“Please sense Lailah’s position. She possesses the flame of purification by the oath she has taken.”
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“I know, I will try.” Maotelus closed his eyes to cast a domain. It released a strong power that the people here can feel the energy like a strong wind.
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“...In one of the ancient shrines of Musiphe.” Maotelus added that it is not the shrine located in Magiland.
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“Right, we will go!”
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“And we will wait for your good news.” Edna decided to keep an eye on the town. Zaveid has guild members like Beta to take care of, so they both decided to stay.
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(Meanwhile on Alpha’s side)
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Live, the original of Beta(Velvet) told him, to a clone of someone.
Not just for the sake of the world, live for his important people and live for himself are the meaning of his life now.
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He saw that the Raven hair woman destroyed a village and then went rescue the villagers with no awareness of her health condition.
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She is a person full of contradiction, he thought.
Before he formally met her, he thought that she is a merciless monster with the least human heart.
When he asked her for the next plan and the reason for the action, she watched the destroyed village not that far away from view and said: “I……. don’t want to destroy their home, but I have important friends to protect from Tartarus, I must obey. To save the people and decrease the damage I caused is the only thing I can do for the people.”
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She is still a person full of contradiction, but now she sounds like a demon pray for hope to him. He is impressed, and he wanted to do something for her too.
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Thus he came back to the facility to search the solution of the cursed arte set inside the people caught by Tartarus, for the people he loved.
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He is fear of this place instinctively, as a Homunculus born here, he knows their father as an Omniscient being. However, he fights against his fear to keep moving. He will hack the information from the computer to ensure it is the last time he comes here.
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He knows many things about their father. Tartarus is actually an existence similar to a seraph, a strange thing that he relies on the technology of humans. The last time he saw his kind, they all like hypnotized to worship for their father. Their father is too pride to have a companion to work with, but this doesn’t matter, he still gets his strong power, by the power of ‘worship’.
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He immediately escapes from the facility after hacked the required information and released an AI with a virus into the facility network. He didn’t know if his father is watching him, he is just a failure to him anyway, so as Beta, his pride will let his guard down.
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He will ask the ancient seraphim about his father and his artes.
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He ran away from the facility and go to Magiland, the town of Mayvin. He hopes he may get some help there.
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A girl stands in front of the gate of the town as if she is waiting for someone. She has ravel hair as that woman possessed but she has orange iris, so she must be Beta, his ‘little sister’.
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“Brother!” Beta is surprised and rushes to hug him once she sees her long lost brother is in front of her.
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“Beta? Why would you be here?” Alpha doesn’t expect Beta to be here as the guild is located at the Lost Tower.
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“I came here for a request, how have you been? I am worried, we can’t get any of your news.”
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“I am sorry for that…..I have important things to do, have Zaveid been here?” He avoided discussing the topic when he is not ready.
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“......Ok, Zaveid is there, kind of running the guild now.” Beta stated with a lonely expression.
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“...I promise to spend more time with you after I have done the things.” Alpha comforted Beta with a ‘promise’ that he may have said several times.
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“Really? Thank you! I will support you anyway. As we are family.” Beta gladly takes it as she always does, not to make her brother worry.
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Alpha smiled as he heard, laughed at his doubt of their relationship sometime before while Beta has never doubted about it.
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“Have you been great?” Maybe he should at least hear out his sister’s condition as a brother.
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“Sure, although we involved in a gang fight, we got two useful helpers helped us out. One of them is inside, another one looks nearly identical to me but with golden iris.”
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Now that’s a piece of surprising information to him.
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“Oh? May I know more about it?” He will ask for more to know about his sister and that woman.
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3rd pov
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As a friendly ride on the silver dragon: the Empyrean Maotelus, Sorey’s team arrives at the destination that Maotelus mentioned.
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Following the indication of Maotelus, they arrived at the core of the shrine. Unlike the Fire temple Igrain, the ruin was decorated by more curvilinear elements to show smoothness and elegance rather than the solemn atmosphere by regularity. The curve highlighted the life in flame, always changing in form and still keep burning to sustain. The Guardian beast in this temple is the Phoenix which is claimed to have the ability of rebirth. However, the ruin seems to be an ancient one and be abandoned that there are many hellions on the way.
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In the middle of the temple, the stone altar surrounding by the lake of lava, a lady is sitting next to the altar. She possesses extremely-long silver hair with fluorescent pink tips, the gold headpiece on her head glittered by the reflection of the light of flame in the temple. She is wearing a long red dress with multiple tails of translucent patterns. It matches the appearance of Lailah the fire seraph.
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The female seraph, Lailah, is staring into the burning silver orbs inside the sacred flame on the stone stove in the altar. They are similar to the earthen historia and all the people in the altar automatically involved in the memory of orbs.
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*
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It is the memory of another fire seraph, once called Lady of the lake too.
Billions of years ago, seraphim descended onto the earth from the heavenly realm. They are here to prove that seraphim may live with human malevolence with the oath set between seraphim and become the new law of the earth. They didn’t know the law was changed just after they left their home, where they cannot turn back. The Seraphim in the heavenly realm has no plan to open the door again.
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The 4 Prime lords, with a powerful leader who possessed the imperturbable power to clean the malevolence, became the Empyrean on the earth and will take their responsibility to bless and protect the land with their guardian seraph, the fire seraph is the guardian seraph of Musiphe.
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They fought hard for the future they wished for, however, every time ends with the malevolence overflown on the earth, then Innominat would wake up and turn the world imperturbable. All the creatures on earth, including human and seraphim, become unable to be upset or excited, the world is brought to the end and start everything again, all the history, language, the culture will be recreated in every time and then doomed again.
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The fire seraph lived the billions of years, she has experienced countless times of loop, saw the countless time that her pact former fell into despair from hope.
“Vermillion, let’s save the world together!” Every time the pact former claimed to save the world.
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“Sorry, I….failed.” every time, they ended with an apology.
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The Seraphim can’t break the taboo, to tell the truth, they know it would only bring despair, and things continue as a loop.
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She had died infinite times and reborn infinite times with all the memory inherited by the power of oath to a fire pedestal. At last, she was done with this, she gave up, she didn’t want to reborn again, so she finds another seraph that is not Lailah to take her position and she broke pedestal and stop the rebirth.
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She left, went far away, wandering aimlessly. After she left eternally from her responsibility, the world entered into the Dark Age.
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*
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Now the broken pedestal is in front of them, became the fire stove that contains the orbs of the memory of despair, lights up the area with the eternal flame, they still feel the sacred power within it.
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Lailah is sitting still, she has a complicated feeling when seeing the memory of despair of one of her ancestors. There are many multiple generations of Lady of lake, she is just one of them. Before she took the position, she can see the wry smile of the former Lady of lake. She didn’t understand the smile at that time but she gets it now. She wondered, will she end up like the ancient fire seraph recorded by the burning orbs? To witness countless times that the Shepherd fell into darkness, again and again, and then despair. In fact, she has already witnessed many Shepherd fell into despair too, it would be sudden for human to have the sadness and they will die one day, but it is forever to her to remember the sad memory, maybe it is why the ancient fire seraph fell into despair finally.
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Maybe she could call the world to become better now, after Sorey’s action, the situation is improved. Still, she would see the deaths of the Shepherd and remember them all forever. How long will this last until the day comes, until she despairs?
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“Lailah.” A familiar voice called her, the voice is spiritual and hearty, just like a youngster she once knew. She turned her head and see the boy is there, dressing with the broken Shepherd cape Alisha gifted to him and wearing the yellow feather earrings as always. He is walking towards her and lending out his hand.
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“Sorey……” The boy didn’t fall into darkness, he lives to see her.
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“I’m back.” He smiled, she missed it.
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“Sorry to keep you alone, Lailah.” Then another longing female voice reached her with the approaching steps. A female seraph walks out behind Sorey and stands next to him, lends her hand to Lailah. She possesses the green eyes that similar to Sorey.
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“Eleanor……” She recognized an old friend missed a long time ago.
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She wondered if she is dreaming, she reaches out to catch but also afraid the everything will disappear when she touches.
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They both catch her hand and hug together.
“It’s fine, we are here for you.”
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They come out from the shrine after calmed Lailah.
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“Lailah...you have worked hard,” Maotelus stated longingly.
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“Yes, it has been a long time, Lord Maotelus.”
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“Indeed. I wish you may rest but seems there are some accidents.”
They then explained the situation they are facing and ask for the news of Mikleo. Luckily, Lailah gets the news of Mikleo, so they go back to Magiland together to tell their friends about the good news.
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When Sorey gets back to the Inn in Magiland with Lailah, Eleanor, and Maotelus, they meet an unexpected person.
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“......Artorius and Velvet???!!” Eleanor has the biggest reaction to the presence of Alpha and Beta.
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“Alpha! You are here!” Lailah doesn’t mistake them as the fallen Shepherd and the first Lord of Calamity since she never met them in person, instead, she exclaimed as she found her lost Shepherd here.
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“Now a lot of stuff to be explained again, huh…...Alpha and Beta, care to explain it for me?” Zaveid sighed.
“Yes my ‘dear leader’..... I would introduce myself first, my name is Beta. Just, unfortunately, I have a face that nearly identical to Velvet. I am here as a member of the guild of Wild Wolf. We received the request from Velvet to rescue out Sorey.” Beta explained with a bit nuisance expression and she remembered she is recognized as Velvet several times because of her face.
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“My name is Alpha, I am her brother.” Alpha pointed at Beta and stop.
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“Umm? Just that?” Eleanor asked.
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“We may explain to you later.” Noticing that Alpha doesn’t want to talk, Zaveid ended the topic.
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Gathering the information from Zaveid and Lailah, Sorey knows that Alpha is supposed to be the present Shepherd, but he is lost tracked after losing all his companions apart from Lailah. He thought that his mental condition will grow malevolence, so he disconnected his pact to Lailah and left alone.
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One thing surprised Zaveid is that Alpha and Beta are actually the clones from Artorius and Velvet respectively, but this doesn’t matter to him, he will treat them no difference. Seems that Beta didn’t know her identity as a clone of Velvet, so he requests the group to keep it a secret.
As Alpha still not willing to talk, they will focus on finding Mikleo for now.
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Mikleo POV
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500 years passed, I adventured various ruins and I am exploring the new one now.
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The vine spreads on the ladder leading to the depths of the ruins, entwined with weathered outer decorative columns. The murals engrave the history of humans and Seraphim. It is still the history of Shepherd, Shepherd's sword guides the sentient beings, shining The earth. However, no matter which one remains, there is no record of their end. It is enough when I know how my dear Shepherd ends his journey and achieve his legend. I want the world to know about it, so I take the position of one of the writers of the Celestial Record to record his legend, and now he is the Grand Shepherd everyone talking about, guess he will be surprised by it when he awake.
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The flaming lava is the thing which keeps the ruin working, here is the ruin of fire element for the Empyrean Musiphe.
The dazzling lava flows through the early tunnels, and the sacred coat of arms is engraved. Among the engravings is the huge statue of the robe that stands in the robe.
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Suddenly, I felt something, turned my head, but nothing behind me, maybe my illusion, maybe just my bad habit that to check if Sorey is behind me. The time is not long enough to change my habit when I still believe that one day Sorey will come back. I have to admit that I am still not used to the day without him, exploring ruins alone is somehow lonely when Sorey is not exploring and discussing it with me there. Now I understand that what I love the most is not exploring ruins but exploring ruins with Sorey.
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I continued on and reached the remains of the bottom of the water, which is the remains of the sacred city of Atlantis, which was recorded 10,000 years ago.
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From the central skylight, the sunlight that is refracted and softened under the water is adopted, and the entire space is illuminated by the crystal reflection of the surrounding.
This ruin is complete compared to other ruins, almost no cracks. I look up at the skylight above my head.
Ah, how sacred. Even the soft sunshine is too dazzling for me, so I have to cover the light slightly with my hand.
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I walked to the stone monument under the skylight, I don't know what it is, but it is placed in the center and under the light source, then this is an important belief!
I touched the water jade embedded in the stone tablet with my hand.
Suddenly, the floor under my feet collapsed! This is a trap!
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But I did not continue to fall, someone caught my hand. I followed the light source to confirm the appearance of this benefactor.
I saw his arm wearing Shepherd’s gloves, the glove that I found in the ruins of Sorey and I. Maybe I can't see the person in the backlight, but I know, this must be Sorey’s hand.
I smiled with relief, welcome back, my best friend. I caught the other hand.
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Sorey pov
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I pulled Mikleo up, he would still be willing to do something in some places while completely did not expect this trapping mechanism.
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We always met again, and we made a punch between us for a long time.
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Then he suddenly hugged me deeply. The strength was so great that I am even twirled by the force. Damn, he just did the thing I wanted to do, he just has taken away the position to be the one rush and hug a friend. I planned to hug him first, but now he is hugging me.
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“Sorey!” It is too excited for Mikleo to say a word, he can just say out my name for I am his best friend.
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I can understand his mood because I have been looking for him too. It has been months but feels like years without him when I have been trapped for a certain period. I am not saying it is boring with Velvet, but it is just different when Mikleo is with me. The time I spent with Mikleo is irreplaceable as much as the time I spent with Velvet, everyone has a position in me. Although a lot of things occurred, I found Mikleo eventually, now he is in front of my eyes.
Now he is taller than before, as tall as me, wearing adventurous clothes and with longer hair, so different from the outlook I knew. It has been 500 years but the 500-year gap has just disappeared at the moment I meet him again, and I am deeply holding him back.
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“It is really good to see you, Mikleo.”
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“Me too!” He was moved to cry, I really feel sorry, I have been away for 500 years, that long he has to wait for me. 500 years may not be a long time to a seraph but it is long by human standard, and I decided not to leave anymore for him.
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“If you’re here, then you must have succeeded, where is Maotelus?”
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“Oh? Just behind me.” Then he discovered that a bunch of people was watching him and laugh while covering their mouth.
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“It’s great, Mibo.” Edna is ruining the atmosphere by a smirk. She knows calling Mikleo ‘Mibo’ will irritate him but she just likes toying with Mikleo.
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“Don’t call me that.” 500 years passed, and he is still the same Mikleo I know.
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May the time never change our friendship.
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We then quit the ruin together.
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“So you are Seraph Mikleo as Sorey always say? Nice to meet you, I am Maotelus.” Maotelus introduced himself in his old seraphic form.
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“It...It is my pleasure to meet you! Lord Maotelus!”
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“Haha, you don’t need to be so nervous.” The little boy disappeared but a silver dragon appears in front of us once we quit the ruin.
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“I understand you guys are sharing the happiness, but sorry, we have to be quick.” Maotelus is concerning Velvet’s case, he is worried about her situation, so he urged everyone to move fast by riding on him.
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“Are we really permitted to ride on your back?!” Mikleo is surprised that he can ride on the Empyrean.
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“Yes, you have my permission.” The dragon extended his wings and shade everyone from the sunlight, he permitted with a voice of penetration and tender.
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“Although I want to explore more interesting ruin around here with you, there are more important things to do now, we will explain later,” I said with a serious face, I am the same with Maotelus that I want to help Velvet as soon as possible too.
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So Mikleo nodded and rides on Maotelus back with everyone and they tell things to Mikleo on the way back to Magiland.
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“If you are not the one who tells me that, I think it is unbelievable…...so you are going to rescue her….the Lord of Calamity?” Mikleo exclaimed his concern.
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“Yes, and I believe she is not a Lord of Calamity anymore. I will prevent her to become one again if there is a trend.” I cleared my mind with determination, I am going to help Velvet.
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“You have decided…...that is the Sorey-est choice. Fine, as your best friend, I will fully support you!.”
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“Thanks! Mikleo!”
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A.N.
Finally, I can start writing something happier, Lailah and Mikleo are finally here!28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhl9KiJcHEN
I try to write the scene meeting Mikleo with reference to the Epilogue of both the anime and game version of Tales of Zestiria. I am really unconfident to write Mikleo as I know he is important to Sorey, I hope that I write it just fine.
I don’t want to spend too long time to find the past companion, so I group them in a chapter( ok this doesn’t change much for the time). Just find and group them together is not enough to defeat Tartarus. Since I just set so many damn kinds of stuff here, I am going to destruct it one by one with the bad things I set in the future. However, now I get the problem to link Alpha into the group………..
ns13.59.14.52da2
