Hello guys, here’s chapter 7, sorry for the delay… it was surprisingly hard to make this chapter in particular, (and the procastination didn’t help too...) Anyway, hope you can enjoy it! Please if you note errors, point them out and I will try to fix them!

Chapter 7: The coming

-13th of Chaos-

The forest of Arcanxes

Many different tree species grow here, and their differences, like the shape of the trunk or tree tops, the height, leaves… fall short to the principal distinct characteristic: Colour

Yes, every tree in this place holds a colour of their own, a thousand blue or a thousand yellow, violet, green or cyan, warm colours and cold colours, all shades of them, some have a mix of 2 or more, even the pattern inscribed on them vary and, try as you might, will not find two trees alike…. Truly a magical forest in its own league.

Arranged in a circular shape, in the center of this myriad like sea forest, stands a particular tree

Black and White

The only tree that has those two, mixed in a perfect half from bottom to top

Being the biggest for a wide margin, almost to the point that if one looks from the tree top, the trees below become small dots like ants. At the base there are 8 roots that spread in 360 degrees and are connected to pillars that emerge from the ground elevating the tree many meters upwards, as if trying to help it reach the sky.

The disposition of the pillars and how the tree embraces them make for a big dome like structure, like a wooden hill, and if one enters it, one can behold a curious spectacle. Big as it may be, the inside is hollow… with an exception

A torrent of white light that emerges from the ground, collides with the tree’s center and like a fuming substance, disappears into it. The torrent moves in a slow yet continuous motion, small particles that aren’t dragged with the main flow surround it and follow its direction are witness of this fact

Following the trail one can only go upwards until hitting the interlacing roots, but the instant that we pass through the base a different stage takes place

A city

Adjusting to the tree’s frame, the city-like structures fill the insides of it and seemingly reach all the way to the top. Going up through the massive spiral stair, that looks more like roots than stairs, entering a big hallway near the summit and exiting to a balcony

A relaxing spot, or to be more precise, a belvedere

“Atxicosa, gazing at the horizon again?”

“.....Mmm...”

“Even though you use to say that ‘watching the same scenery is boring’?”

“.....Mmm....”

“Are you still hung up with that human?”

“................”

“*Sigh* Seriously… I still can’t believe it you know?”

“.....Mmm…”

“(Back to humming uh?) Yosh! Won’t you get over it? It’s been 4 years now!”

“.......Yeah…. He turns 18 today… I wonder if he caught a nice meal….”

“(This little!! Really… How did a human…..Arrrr!! Just thinking about it gives me a headache!!) When will you stop this foolishness? Did you forget? What we, the Plantae are?”

“......………………………………..Atxervisa….”

“Finally making eye contact uh? So, Did you forget? Answer me!”

“.................We are…….. Observers…...”

“What is our role?”

“.......................Spectate the events…….. of the world…...”

“And for that reason?”

“...We avoid…….contact with…. Outsiders…..”

“And what are Humans?”

“...................................................Outsiders…..”

“Good to know, so forget about him and-”

“Don’t wanna!”

“Uh? What d-”

“No!”

“Bu-”

“NO!!”

“(This little!!!) Even though I came to help you!!”

“Gu- Get off me, Atxervisa!!”

“NO! I won’t, until you yield on that human!”

“..............What a bothersome sister….also, you're heavy”

“W-What did you say!! I-I-I’m not heavy!!!”

“.....You’re right…..you are….dense”

“Uh...uuhh…*sniff*”

“(Super effective! Atxicosa wins this fight!)”

Atxicosa made a victory pose with her fist, however, she couldn’t savor her win. From the entrance, a figure came and spoke to the two with a tranquil voice.

“What is this commotion?”

Atxervisa turned to the figure and rushed the next second hugging her and started babbling

“Elder! Elder! Atxico….I,help… She….. den call... me!!!”

Even with the incoherent phrase, the Elder made an understanding gesture with her head

“I see… Don’t worry, I will have a word with her. Why don’t you go and get some Hosyp? That is your favourite, isn’t it?”

“*nod*”

With Atxervisa gone, the Elder sat next to Atxicosa, who, having her freedom back again, went to the border of the balcony and gazed at the horizon returning to her original position. The sun was halfway setting, and with it, the orange and gold threads of light grew ever so stronger caressing everything that they could reach... as if trying to impede the fact that the night was approaching.

The two sat there in silence... until the sun was almost completely gone and finally stars started showing themselves

“Did she come to ‘help’ you?”

“....................................................yes…..”

“I see…”

“.....”

The new silence reigned for an instant, before the Elder announced in a serious tone almost as if feeling mortified by the words that would soon follow

“You will have the chance to meet with him again…..”

“(!!!)”

Atxicosa overflown by the varied emotions raging in herself couldn’t muster any expression, if she had any to show at all, and remained in her own shaken world before the Elder continued

“...But... If you want to meet with him again, you will do so after performing the [Sacred Pledge]…. Are you still willing on meeting him… With that condition?”

The chaos that had shown no signs of ending for the young Plantae… like a sudden shower where there are no clouds in the sky, were suddenly brushed off by two powerful words

[Sacred Pledge]

When one signs a contract between two parties, there is usually a third party that will act as intermediary, or as better known, act as the witness and if one of the contractors breaches a rule or fails to uphold her/his part of the contract, it will act as a judge and give a penalisation to the aforementioned.

The Plante developed the ultimate contract, the [Sacred Pledge], where the witness is no one else but the world, Nemidos, itself. Under its never ending watch, the fulfillment of the contract is but a matter of fact, because the few that did not comply to it… met with this world’s might.

“….I….”

-24th of Chaos-

*Knock knock*

…

…

“Aurora, it’s me Lean. Are you there?”

*Knock knock*

…

…

“Strange… she told me she would be here… (I can’t hear anything too… uh… is that… mumbling?)”

“...oo...o...ooo...”

“(Is she sleeping? Should I knock stronger th-)”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo!!!!”

“(!!!)”

*SLAM* *CRANCK*

“AURORA! ARE YOU OKAY!?”

With Aurora’s yell as a trigger, Lean kicked with all his might at the door and partially destroyed it. The door was made of a fine and robust wood, it also exhibited a great amount of work put into it that would not fall short to a piece of art, however, Lean couldn’t care less for the piece of wood that obstructed his path

Surveying quickly the spacious living room, Lean found a strange scenario

Almost all of the bookshelves were empty, from head to toe, and their inhabitants were lying on the floor, scattered everywhere and making piles of their own.... No furniture was exempted of the paper army. Many were opened at random pages and some had theirs torn apart helping at making a messier background of what the room was, the contrast between the previous day and now would sure make someone say that a hurricane decided to stay the night

“(What a mess...but if Aurora is not here, then…. THERE!)”

Lean jumped from the lower to the upper level of the room (mainly because the stairs were also flooded with books), meeting a similar but lesser scenario than below and a quick glance let him find Aurora, she was on the floor next to the luxurious and comfy looking sofa. Approaching her, Lean kneeled and noted that she had her eyes shut

“(She…is sleeping? Then that scream…..uh?)”

Her eyes started trembling as if she was in discomfort with something, and shortly after tears started to surge and slowly trailed her white cheeks

“(!! She is having a nightmare! Gotta act fast!)”

*****************************

Darkness

Darkness envelopes me…..surrounds me……

Where is the exit?

I….I don’t want to be in this dark space…..

Someone…. Can someone help me?.....It’s cold…..

I’m cold! Please!!……...someone…………...Reidmo…….

Light? Finally….. It’s….. Warm….. Uh? The trail….. It extends?

*CRASH*

What? The light… is crumbling?

(!!!)

Run…

Run…

Faster!

Faster!!

FASTER!!

No, No.

Stay back! Don’t come closer!

STAY BACK! NO, THAT COLD PLACE

I….I….I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT COLD PLACE!!!!

UH? A door?

Run!

Run Dammit!!!

Finally! I can get out!!

….

….

….

Wait….Are those….

Maren? Yaila?

Ber? Gelon?

Dayne? Leit?

They’re alive! Wait for me guys!

…

…

Ouch… what’s with this place…

(!!!) T-T-This place…. It can’t be!!

“Aurora! Finally!”

“(!!) Yaila?”

“About time, that you caught up little one!”

“Maren? You guys… don’t you see! This place… It’s the mountain!!! We have to get out!!”

“Hahahaha! Finally you’re acting like your age!”

“Gelon? No! Guys, really! We have to get out of here!!! Listen to me!!!”

“What are you saying Aurora? We’re here to explore the new lands…. Besides, this place it’s perfect to set up a provisional camp to pass the night, isn’t that right Captain?”

“You’re right Ber, let’s go, that cave will serve to take refuge from the rain… it will come pouring down anytime now….”

“Ber...Captain...”

“..........Don’t take too much time, okay?”

“.....Leit….”

“Damn it….DAMN IT!!! WHY DO YOU KEEP IGNORING ME!!!! LISTEN TO ME!!!”

“I call dibs on that smooth looking surface!!”

“Not if I take it for myself first!”

“Ah! Yaila you bitch!!”

“Stop making a ruckus!”

“Hey! Properly start making the preparations! They’re not listening…. Damn bastards, I will get them when it’s time to give them their salary...”

“Hahah! That’s how it usually goes captain!”

“*Sigh…..*I guess...”

They’re gone… why, don’t they listen….Why….. Uh….uhhh

*Tap*...*tap,tap*.....*taptaptaptaptaptap*

“Hey there! Crying princess, what are you searching on the floor?”

“Uh?.........Reidmo?”

“That’s right, it is me! The best hunter! Reidmo Landrer! At your service!”

“Reidmo! Please! Help my friends! Quickly!!!”

“Friends??? What friends?.....Ah! You mean these?”

“...........Uh?”

Turning her head to match Reidmo’s gaze, Aurora watched through the veil of the never ending rain and not so far from her, 6 shadows laid scattered on the surface. With the almost black sky derived by the raging monsoon, and the continuous pouring, these shadows would be imperceptible under normal circumstances…. But to Aurora’s bad luck, the moment she faced in their direction, ignoring the darkness or without its permission, the shadows revealed their form

Six bodies

Six bodies that Aurora knew

Just before, they were chatting and laughing, proof of their lively demeanor ….. but now those very vivid people were worthy apostles of death itself

Ber was bisected from his left shoulder to his right leg, feet were broken and reversed in the opposite direction they should be facing. Hands were flattened like a squashed bug and all around his body deep cuts crossed it...

Yaila had all limbs cut at their base, half her head was roughly extracted as if it was removed with brute strength. Her breasts were filleted, one vertically and the other horizontally but still were attached to her...

Maren was cleaved with 5 deep cuts and his bones were protruding from their positions, excluding his head, instead of having the flesh with bones as a support, the flesh was contained in the exoskeleton like frame...

Gelon was positioned in a seiza pose… but had his hands and feet stolen and were embedded into his open abdomen. All his innards were just below him and he seemed to be trying to get hold of them with his handless arms...

Leit had a big chunk of his body torn like he was bitten and the other half of his was impaled on the ground with his spear, like a rugged and dirty flag...

Dayne had his lower half missing, only his head, spinal cord and his arms remained and were arranged in a disturbing kind of way. His beloved broadsword served as a pillar and coiling around it was his spinal cord, at the end he was holding his head with both hands and all together were skewered by the point of the sword

The corpses shared the same lifeless eyes devoid of hope

Flies flying everywhere with their hateful buzzing sounds

Dried blood, fresh blood, human waste and putrid meat

The hell incarnated in her friends... in the scene before her... left Aurora speechless, stunned beyond belief and absolutely horrified

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”

A heartrending cry came from the terrified girl

Trying to get a hold of herself, she fell on her butt and sloppily started to retreat and soon found resistance poking her back

“Uh? Reidmo?”

Reidmo was crouching and looking directly at her, soon, he rested his arm on her shoulder and said

“Why are you running away? Didn’t you want to meet your friends?”

“Wa...it...ju..st..a se..cond...”

“”No no, you know what? Even if they’re corpses they are still your friends, so face them properly won’t you?”

“Wh...at?”

Without a warning Reidmo lifted Aurora and held her in a princess carry and started marching towards them

“No..No...NOOOOO!! Please, anything but that. Stop it...PLEASE!! STOP IT!!”

“Hummm...Hummm….mmmm”

Like a deaf man, Reidmo ignored the screams and pleads of Aurora and walked humming a soft yet cheerfully tune, and when he finally stopped his march

“Open your eyes crying princess, time to say goodbye...”

“(NONONONONOSTOPSOPTITNOSTOPIT!!!)”

In the midst of the crazy turnmoil of emotions that started to get the better of Aurora...

*****************

“Aurora...wake up! Aurora!!!”

“(Damnit, she is not waking up and she is suffering a nightmare… AH! Right! Father told me what to do in these kind of cases!!)”

*****************

“Remember this Lean, How to be a proper hunter rule #16: When a companion suffers a nightmare (if they’re girls even more!!), help them with this…. [Happy injection]!”

“[Happy injection]?”

“Yes! (Although the real name is [Mana Linkage]) Imagine and recall your warmest feeling or memory, and while having it present try to project it outside of you!”

“Just that? And how will this help my companion?”

“Hehe, that depends on the feeling or memory you’re recalling in that moment… so why don’t you try different ones, I’m sure you will get many (funny) reactions! Ah, this is just my advice, but if your companion is a girl, when you project the mana be sure to put your hands just below the navel! You will thank me later!”

“(He is smirking… what is he planning?) Okay…. But still...”

“Mmm? What’s wrong Lean?”

“You remember that we are in the middle of nowhere… right?”

“Ah! That’s true! HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“*sigh*....”

* * * * * * * * * * *

“Okay… recall my warmest feeling…. what could…. AH! Yep, That’s for sure it… and now, project it outside...”

With Lean performing the [Happy injection], a bright golden light materialized in his hands, and with haste, placed them just below Aurora’s navel as he recalled

“(And now… [Happy injection]!!)”

Like a trail of powder catching fire, the mana rapidly spread through her body and cleansed, no, forcibly suppressed whatever source of discomfort lingered over Aurora and the effects didn’t wait to show themselves

“Ahhhhhhhhhhnnnnn!!”

A scream that didn’t resemble a scream. Soothing yet exciting, lovely and captivating shook the room with its unexpected manifestation

“(DAMN, that was amazing…..Dad, you were right!)”

“So…. Why is a young and healthy man looking so proud of pushing a girl down. Care to explain...L-E-A-N?”

Chaos, the 12th month of the calendar. With the end of it begins Creation and with it, the start of Autumn... consequently, summer is riding its last days but nonetheless still hold their warmth… or it should be that way

With every word that Aurora said, summer seemed like a fleeting memory of the past, long forgotten and long given up the thought of it, and to match the cold intent, her clear emerald eyes were tinged in darker shades of it, not trying to mask the deadly glare directed to the young man

It was a strange chill, different than the sensation one felt when a cold wind blew across the spine of Lean, and his instincts were running amok crying to take action but...

“Good morning?”

… His choice of words were bad

Aurora rapidly straightened herself, tackled Lean and pinned him down, but before she could mutter anything, a suspicious wind gale caressed her face, and turning to that direction… the mess of the room greeted her, only that, now there laid a seemingly broken door

….

….

….

“So, you came here on time….”

“Yes...”

“...And when I did not answer you heard me screaming….”

“...Yes...”

“....You decided to smash the door, and assault me?”

“Ye- No! Wait! I broke the door, but I thought you were in danger!!”

“AND WHY WOULD I BE IN DANGER?!?!”

“Well…you screamed...and the mess didn’t help though… Maybe a beast or those robbers or were they called vandals?”

“Yosh! Let's just stop this…(Calm down Aurora, calm down...wait a minute… why can’t I seem to calm down at all… in fact, I feel… so restless… what in the...)”

“I...I’m sorry… I thought you were in danger and rushed in… and when I found you, you were having a nightmare...”

“You...did you do something?”

“I applied a [Happy injection] to you”

“.....(What?)”

“What’s with that look? Really! Dad told me to do that when a companion was suffering a nightmare! Nightmares are bad!”

“What the hell is a [Happy injection]?”

“Eh? You don’t know? Errr… Dad told me to have a warm feeling then project it outside!”

“(????).........What?”

“Something… like this!”

“(!!)”

Actions speak louder than words, or so the saying goes by. Henceforth, Lean shared the [Happy injection]

“This is...”

“See!”

“([Mana linkage]… this is a pretty high level skill…. but what’s with this golden and warm mana… it reminds me of something….)”

“Aurora? Is this enough?”

“AH! YES! (Uh? Why did I say that so high spirited?)”

“Hehe! Dad was right!”

“*Eyelid Twitch* Reidmo uh… and in what way was him right? Also… tell me more about this [Happy injection] in more details...”

“Uh-oh…(should I make a run for it? Mmm… no, she would catch me in no time… damn cheater...) Well… He told me that to perform a [Happy injection] I have to gather my mana, mix it with a warm feeling and project it outside...also said to put my hands just above the navel if my companion is a girl….”

“(Mixing feelings with one’s own mana… interesting...) And why that particular order?”

“Emm… he said I would get a nice reaction….”

“...”

“...”

“What… did you… mix in that [Happy injection]?? (Oh dear Nemidos… I’m having a bad hunch...)”

“Well, I recalled my warmest feeling… so that would be the time when I had a climax”

“*blood gathering in eyes* H-H-how i-is that possible?”

“(Uh? Aurora’s voice sounds kinda brittle… and her eyes are like those of a dead fish...) How is that possible? I had a partner, Atxicosa... the Plantae… Remember?”

Aurora wanted to deny with all her might… but Lean sealed the deal

“You know! That night was AMAZING! We did it for 5 hours!!”

“*Crack*”

“Uh? What was that sound? Aurora? You all right?”

Lean, in his own ignorance, became the first man to ever hear the shattering of the heart of a young maiden that broke into millions of pieces

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!”

But the scream that followed after… all of Veritas heard it.