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Chapter 22: Gabriel The Conqueror

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“I have received a vision from The Oracle that you will be here.”

The players all looked at Janus who then sighed heavily, like a father knowing that his son is safe after hearing of a landslide, upon the mention of The Oracle.

“So she too, huh?” He said with a saddened look.

But these words that came from Janus made the players more confused than relieved.

All they know is that Janus is a great player. He knows things that other high class players don’t. He taught them all about designs and engineering, the do’s and the don’ts of monster hunting, and he even led them to the most simplest of things, yet, the most awesome and fun adventures in Terroa.

Sand surfing with Worms, spelunking Rock ’o Mole habitats, stealing crystal eggs from Crystal Wyverns, harvesting the A-class rare honey grains during Bubble Wasps’ infestation season… these are all just a few of the fun things they did on his company.

But, behind all these, they all only see Janus as a fun old man who knows many things.

And along with that impression, they also understood that he was an extra special player in the game.

When these red robed people carrying the marks of the Circle of Magi, and a delegate of the Circle themselves, spoke with Janus, their respect and admirations towards him increased another notch.

“Master Janus, we were sent here to give you a war—”

Before the leader of the group could finish, Janus had raised the hand who once held the Ivory earlier.

The Magi stopped talking and he bowed to show respect —which baffled the players, again.

“I already know what’s happening.” Janus said plainly.

The members of the circle trembled and the leader, the Magi, knelt down as Janus and his group went close.

“Rise,”

Janus tapped the Magi’s shoulder and the Magi rise up to his feet with tears in his eyes.

The youth members were utterly surprised when they saw the real face behind the hooded robe; a beautiful Maven NPC with a tiara and a few tattoos on her face.

As it turns out, the Magi was actually a priestess.

“Destiny have been written even before all of us are born. It is our purpose to carry out the tasks we are made to do. For me, I am currently fulfilling my purpose and as for you and the order, you just have to continue supporting her. Especially now.”

The Magi bowed and presented a glass bottle. Inside it was a folded piece of paper.

“Master Janus, this is the item we were tasked to deliver in your presence.”

Janus reached for the bottle and examined it. Then he gasped and gulped, surprising the youth group that’s been left since their conversation began.

“Old man?” the leader tried to reach.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Did I worry you? This is nothing. More importantly, please check this out.”

Janus gave the bottle and the youth leader with a gunblade strapped on his shoulders, dangling on his back, opened the bottle and read the message.

Upon doing so, a pop up window appeared in their visions, telling them of an A-ranked mission.

[Mission]

Protect the Traveler

Rank “A” difficulty

A traveler leading a group of young warriors will be arriving at the gates of Maria. He holds a key to a great quest that will soon put the world into the brink of life and death.

The hand of darkness stretches out from the abyss, you hold the power to decide the fate of this world.

Protect him at al cost.

Requirements: The message in the bottle.

Limit: None

Will you accept?

(Yes?) — (No?)

Strange as it seems, before the happy reactions of his team could ignite movement, the youth leader stopped them with a hand signal.

“Wait.”

The team became curious and so they halted.

“Teacher, this is suspicious.”

Janus smiled at the sharp kid. “How so?”

“Firstly, Terroa’s quests, from the day we began and until now, no quest have been so exact and strict with the rules of its completion. They always have to be so puzzling to understand, one has to go research.”

Upon the realization, the fingers that was about to press the (Yes?) button was immediately pulled off.

“And secondly,” In this part, the kid’s expression was even more serious than before. “There is no reference to the origin of the mission.”

From this message, the players’ eyes went back to read the message.

Like he said, there wasn’t any reference to the origin of the mission. It was a clear suspicious variation of what Terroa’s tradition of always hinting of the mission’s origin on the description.

Clearly, there was something wrong.

And knowing Janus, the youth leader had been aware that he was a man that will never teach them something that is easily picked up.

The reason why they were with Janus and the reason why he was with them is because of this kind of trust.

Janus also knew this, or perhaps he always knew.

His smiled couldn’t me much happier.

Thus, he patted the boy’s head and turned to face the Circle of Magi’s representative.

“Eleanor.”

“Yes master.” Eleanor, the Magi, knelt down to Janus.

“I thank you for giving these kids the heads up for the problem. I will be sure to teach them the right things to learn so you should…”

“B-But master, I…”

“Eleanor, I have a mission for you.”

This line surprised the players.

A player, giving mission to an NPC was unheard of. To be able to do that means that one must be at least a recognized noble, a high ranking kingdom knight, a paladin of any church, or an NPC with high priority himself.

—which is impossible because more than a few times than not that they had proven that Janus is a player.

In fact, because of his old age, he often abruptly logs out without a warning. And when he comes back, he’d always apologize to them because he was taking his old man maintenance medication.

This had happened many times that it even happens when they are in the middle of a fight.

They had gotten used to this that they even became concerned for his health.

Especially three days ago when Janus suddenly said;

‘I won’t be online for a few days.’

And suddenly logs out.

So him, ordering around an NPC and actually saying that he has a mission, just what kind of player he really is was just unfathomably unthinkable.

“What ever is your command, I will follow.”

“Find an Apollo named Siva. And, no matter what he do, no matter what he decides to do in the future, do all in your power to help him. Even if it means that you have to fight against the order. Even if it means you have to fight against me.”

“Master!” Eleanor’s cry was heart wrenching.

Her hood got off and an angel with a distinct tattoo on her left cheek cried on her knees on Janus’ feet.

“Eleanor, the gate has been opened. And whether you all help me or not, one way or another, someone will have to go through me.”

After this message, Eleanor kissed Janus’ feet and she stood and covered her mesmerizing crying visage with the cloak.

With just one wave of her hand, the ten delegates of the prestigious Circle of Magi disappeared like a haze of hot air.

There was only a short feeling of the wind rattling in all directions and after that, everything went silent.

After recovering his mental bearing, the youth leader asked Janus.

“What was that just now?”

“Ah, if you’re asking how I am able to order them all around like my underlings, then I would have to answer your question with the reason why we took that mission in the Walled City of Maria in the first place.”

Janus winked and wore a playful, challenging smile.

“So that’s the reason why we’re here?” the youth leader raised a brow.

“Yep.”

“…”

“Hehehe… you kids, you really have so much to learn.”

“Old man, isn’t that why we’re together?”

After the youngest member of the team pouted at Janus, the old man with gray strike hair chuckled and laughed.

He then led them in the center of the wide flower field and there they saw the gathering of more different colored flowers.

But before they could actually play around, “Now,”

Janus stood at the center of a rock, or what seemed to be a rock, and faced them.

“What I’m about to show you is how I became the old man who knows many things.”

He knelt down and took a small item from his pocket and the flowers that formed an invisible pattern as seen from high up glowed with their respective colors.

Red, green, blue, purple, pink, yellow… many colors of many sizes and shapes danced as a strong wind started to blow and surround them.

Beneath their feet, a large symbol appeared.

Runes of unrecognizable origins combined to be a large circle, expanding around 20 meters wide, surrounding the whole group.

With a flash of bright light, they disappeared from the flower field and appeared again in a hall filled with big shelves as that of a library.

“What is this place?”

On the twins’ prompt, Janus put his arms on their shoulders. “This,”

“This is the hall of the Magus, Gabriel. A researcher of magic, the very first Arch Mage in the entire history of Terroa, and…”

“—and the person that united the Continent of Tiara.”

“That’s right. You know the history.”

“By the gods, is this the place what I think this is?”

This question was asked by the only Mage in their group.

“Yes. Yes, it is.”

By this time, they were in front of a big book. And instead of the typical «Book of Legends» they see in the libraries that had a computerized printing of the history of Terroa, this one seemed to be handwritten.

And then, on the other side of the book, a handsome man with gold flowing locks and eye glasses peeked from the left side and saw their group.

“Great, new visitors to interrupt my work!”

“Don’t be hard on us, Gabriel, we’re just trying to pay you a courtesy visit.”

At the mention of the name, the players all gasped.

“What are you so surprised about? If you think I am an immortal, then yes and no!” Gabriel’s tone was both solid like that of a gallant knight, but also like that of an old man who doesn’t want to be disturbed in his work —which is obvious.

But then, when he was about to turn back to work,

“Wait, I know that voice.”

“It is I, Gabriel.”

Gabriel crawled on his knees and reached down to Janus’ feet.

“By the Gods! It is really you, master!”

“Now we’re totally lost.” The youth leader’s words bid the group to nod.

Janus chuckled and pulled Gabriel up to his feet, the latter trembling and puzzled with the sudden familiarity treatment. Janus used his other hand to mess the leader’s hair.

“Now, don’t be like that. Besides, it’s not everyday that you get to pay a visit in the Magus Archive.”

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