Where am I?

Shin was high up in the air, glancing down at the ground. Shin was barely managing to keep his eyes open or even focus on what was going on.

Shin had a bad premonition, he pushed the air and evaded to the left before swinging his arm. With a closer look, Shin saw he was holding a sword.

Who are these guys?

Shaking his head, Shin continued moving and waving his sword from one side to the other.

After ten minutes, everything went quiet. Shin stood in the air without moving, not knowing what to do.

Suddenly, a purple light emerged from within Shin’s body. Shin glanced at the light, but he didn’t do anything to it because he felt no threat from it.

“Shin, why don’t you rest a little bit?”

From within the purple light; Zura appeared. She stared at Shin with a worried expression.

Why does she feel familiar?

Ah, wait… She, she’s Zura…

“Zura…”

Shin tried to force a smile on his face before shaking his head.

“I have to continue…”

“Shin!”

Zura roared with a cry, she grabbed Shin’s body and hugged him.

“You have been going for seven days straight with no rest, you need rest…!”

Zura’s voice calmed down and she embraced Shin, caressing his back softly.

It feels warm…

That was the only thought Shin had on his mind when Zura embraced him. Truthfully, Shin wanted to continue, but he had no strength to push away from Zura’s hug.

All he could do was to close his eyes and embrace the warmness he was feeling from Zura.

“Shin, I will protect you, close your eyes and rest peacefully…”

Zura said in the softest voice she could muster, she continued to caress his back while holding him tightly.

Zura and Shin floated in the air, nothing could bother them. Shin had his eyes closed and his breathing started to calm down. Zura on the other hand trembled slightly whenever she watched Shin’s exhausted expression.

“I’m very sorry.”

She whispered in a low voice.

“We are sorry that we couldn’t do enough back then, now you have to handle our mistakes. Sorry…”

A tear escaped Zura’s eyes as she tried to hug Shin even tighter.

In an ancient cave

Within the pass of one week, half a million civilians have managed to set up a camp inside the enormous cave.

Towards the centre of the cave, twelve sculptures could be seen. Eleven of them were covered in a specific colour, whereas the last sculpture had gone pale.

Aria, Anaj, Eline, Tor, Susan, Hath and Eva sat around a table while glancing at the sculptures from time to time.

“Let me introduce myself once more. My name is Eva Wathan, I’m from the Elven race on the behalf of the Queen.”

Eva bowed slightly towards the people sitting around the table.

Aria waved her hand and said with a casual tone.

“The letter Kali gave me through you did explain most things.”

After breathing in and out, Aria gave a simple bow.

“We are glad that your race has decided to help us.”

“No need to be humble.”

Eva said softly before sighing.

“Besides, it was my daughter which decided everything on her own. I as her mother, can only support her.”

“Haah…”

Aria sighed deeply.

“Wait…!”

Eline interrupted the conversation while staring at Eva with a nervous expression.

“Is your daughter trying to take Shin for herself?”

“Eline!”

Susan tried to stop Eline, but she was a second too late.

Eline stared at Eva, clenching her fists harder.

Eva kept her eyes on Eline, after a couple of seconds, she was shocked.

“You don’t have to worry about that, I am sure that Eva will not take him for herself.”

I hope, at least for the survival of our race…

“I can see that you’re very young and you are already at the Throne Stage, I do not think that Shin would leave a genius like you.”

Eva had a soft smile as she tried to reassure Eline.

After hearing that, Eline became more depressed and pouted.

“Shin doesn’t care about strength, besides, he is very strong himself…”

“Cough cough…”

“I do think that we might be side-tracking right now.”

Anaj said with a calm voice while glancing at everyone around the table.

Hath Kagatsu which has been trying to remain calm troughout the whole discussion couldn’t take it any longer and pounded the table.

“I want to know where he is…!”

He said with a deep voice.

“Don’t try to threaten anyone here, you will not like the end result…!”

Aria spoke with a cold voice slowly.

“Humph!”

Hath glanced at everyone around the table before speaking with a tone filled with disdain.

“Weaklings have no right to make choices.”

Aria didn’t deny him and nodded in confirmation.

“Do you honestly think that I have been sitting still since I met you the first time?”

Her voice was calm and steady, which made Hath shiver slightly.

Hath gave a finale stare towards Aria before giving a snort before putting his eyes somewhere else.

“As Anaj said, we need to get back on track.”

Aria said while giving a simple nod.

“Kali did also write a little on the letter about Shin’s condition through what his Guardians told Peutoa almost a week ago.”

“From what we can deduce, Shin is forcing his strength by stealing the enemies’ power.”

While everyone was in deep thought, Anaj furrowed his eyebrows for a brief moment.

What are you doing?

“How long can Shin support himself by doing this?”

Susan asked a simple question, for the past week, she and Tor had been told most of what’s going on.

“Hard to say, his Guardians said a week, two at most if Shin doesn’t take a break. They did mention that they will try to force him to rest, but time is tight…”

Aria said while letting out a groan.

“Let me find him!”

Hath suddenly spoke up, since the day Hath has been born, he was a fighter made only to support the Child of God.

“You idiot!”

Aria rebuked him with harsh words.

“Shin’s moving rapidly from one place to another, do you think it will be easy to pinpoint his location?”

“Shin’s moving like a hurricane throughout the whole continent. His appearance is known and there are tons of stories about him lately.”

Tor spoke as he remembered the report of the intelligence squad.

Aria nodded with a slight frustration.

“They are marking him as a saviour. To be honest, that is very troublesome…”

Before she let anyone speak, Aria glared at Hath before speaking in a cold voice.

“Don’t say anything…! Shin is just a little child; do you really want him to push himself till his death!?”

Hath frowned slightly, not voicing out his thoughts.

Kingdom of Leran

Capital

In a small room, Leo sat silently while staring at Qui.

“That was what happened throughout the journey I followed him.”

Qui said with a deep voice.

“I couldn’t keep on his track after he left the Elven city.”

Leo frowned for a full minute after Qui finished his report. After having calmed down, Leo opened his mouth.

“It is good that you managed to protect him…”

“Haah…”

Qui sighed before opening his mouth.

“Your Majesty, I would like to make a selfish request.”

“Go on…”

Leo said in a low voice after he heard Qui ask him that.

“I would like to support that kid. He is being seen as a hero, a saviour. But, it is too painful to see him shoulder all these by himself.”

Qui spoke with a slightly annoyed tone.

Leo closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. His red eyes were like wild flames.

“Let us do it then…!”

He lowered his voice, ordering Qui.

“Aria has already given her location away, giving any civilians free housing… Make way there and get in contact with her. There is no way for her not to make a plan to help Shin, we will give her full support.”

“Besides, it’s time to counter-attack. We can’t let Muir have the initiative forever…!”

His red eyes glimmered with madness for a slight moment.

Qui nodded, he felt joy deep inside of him. Even Qui himself didn’t know why he felt something like that.

“Qui, you seem to have changed…”

Leo said while staring at Qui sharply.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty.”

Qui lowered his head, wanting to explain himself.

“Seeing something like that happening, did make me see things differently.”

“A small boy facing the enemy of the continent by himself while we are like tortoises, cowering…”

Qui wanted to speak more harsh words, but he remembered that he was speaking with the King…

Leo waved his hand, he wasn’t displeased by what Qui said.

“I agree with you, Qui.”

“While we are trying to lick our wounds after the defeat, Shin has been on the front saving lives…”