"Akira, you stand before the Mage Lord and High-King of the empire of Granieda, Tarcosa Sunbrand." Professor Markel introduced the king himself.

"Oh, come now. I don't have a steward present announcing me everytime I meet with an audience," Tarcosa remarked.

The professor sighed. "Honestly, your lack of decorum appalls me. No one would believe you're the king at first sight."

"You humans are such a stickler for putting on airs…" He rolled his eyes, waving a dismissive hand.

Professor Markel, Cresta, and I stood before King Tarcosa, who sat upon his throne with two busty elven women pampering him on each side. Perhaps 'sat' wasn't the correct word. He was lounging on his side, being fed fruits by one elf and legs massaged by the other.

The throne chamber was so large, our voices echoed with each word. A dozen wooden brooms swept the ivory tiles that paved the floor, and floating lanterns levitated listlessly above our heads. All, what I presumed, was powered by magic.

I was in such pure awe it left me speechless.

While the professor and king bickered, I leaned over to Cresta to ask, "I thought the king would… I don't know, be as tall as a god, have a white beard down to his waist, and buff like a minotaur?"

"Well, it's true that Tarcosa used to have a taller body. This is just what he's using now," she replied as a matter of factly.

"What's that supposed to mean…?" I squinted at her.

"Exactly as she said," King Tarcosa began. "This is a body I constructed through magic and alchemy after my previous one was annihilated by the demon lord."

I choked on my spit upon hearing that.

"Hehe. Back in Tarcosa's heyday, he could have single-handedly taken on the demon lord and his armies," Cresta said.

"All I'm good for now is warming seats that no longer need a king and being a glorified custodian. As you briefly saw, Weyera is in utter ruins. We who remained have pooled our magic together to create and raise terra-domes like the one we stand on now to live in. But the fate of my world is not why I summoned you here." The king's smile waned. He sat up on the seat and leaned forward, legs too short to touch ground lifted to a folded position. The elves stopped pampering him at once and stood to each of his side.

"You had me come back because Pesha's alive, right?" Cresta asked, her eyes and voice filling with hope.

"We have signs, but nothing concrete. I have arranged for you and Akira to touch ground tomorrow to search for her."

Professor Markel took a daring step forward that caused the elves to tense up, suggesting to me that they weren't just around King Tarcosa for show. Their eyes were trained on him like hunters ready to pounce. He clearly had no idea the specifics of why we came. Of why I, a human being and non-military personnel, was asked to come.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't suspect this. Especially after what Cresta had told me about Pesha. I gathered as much that this would happen if she were alive.

"You're sending an eighteen year old boy down to that god-forsaken hellscape," the professor blurted out in disbelief. "Have you any idea what dangers he will be in? The ramifications you risk with the international leaders on Earth if Akira is hurt?"

"I know. However, you are wrong to think he will go without the best protection I can offer. The decision is yours, Akira. If you decline, you may return home with my blessing," Tarcosa replied.

Cresta turned to me, like a stray kitten who had no one left to ask for help from. I wanted to help, but wasn't this out of my depth? A stray arrow could kill me down there. Even so…

"But what help can I offer that the whole U.N military can't?" I asked.

"If we do find her, Irapesha has gone for years in a shattered world; I cannot imagine her state of mind is in a good place after all this time. It is by your merit as a caretaker that I trust you," King Tarcosa explained.

Another netherfolk with baggage. This king has been throwing me in a loop ever since I took the job. When I get back, demanding a raise from the professor should be the first thing I do.

I returned Cresta's gaze and nodded, eliciting from her a wide grin.

Then to King Tarcosa, I gave my answer. "Count me in the search party."

While Professor Markel was less than enthused about this as the rest of us, he acquiesced to my decision and took a carriage back to the military base. King Tarcosa ensured that Cresta and I were well-looked after. They provided us a feast, a nice soak in a grand marble bathhouse, and an extravagant room to sleep in. Unfortunately, a certain someone had too much energy being back home.

"Akira, look!" Cresta shouted from above, hanging onto a chandelier. She hopped defly from one to another along the corridors, every jump rattled the crystals and caused the lights to flicker.

"This is deja vu all over again. Get down from there!" I yelled.

"Catch me if you can!" She giggled.

Some of the maids passing by didn't seem to mind one bit. In fact, their moods brightened up due to Cresta's antics.

"It's nice to have the young lady home, isn't it?" a scaly, lizard-like netherfolk maid said.

"Very much so. I heard King Tarcosa humming to himself as I passed his study earlier. He hasn't in months!" the other, a red slime, nodded in agreement.

Both of them took notice of me at once and gasped.

"Aren't you Akira?"

"C-Can we have a moment of your time!"

They tried to get a word in with me, but I ignored them to chase after Cresta.

Although she taunted me to catch her, there was no damn way I could match her speed. I eventually lost track of her in this oversized castle. Nothing but red carpet at my feet, framed paintings of King Tarcosa's old appearance on the walls, and clawed-up pedestals that no longer have decorations on them.

"Excuse me!"

I stopped a maid who couldn't see over the stack of linens higher in her arms. Calling her out proved to be a mistake. She tripped over her own foot and fell forward. Fortunately, I was already close enough to steady her and catch some of the linens that fell off the top.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she apologized profusely. "Ahhh, that scared me! I didn't think anyone was walking down the halls during this time except for the other girls."

I bowed apologetically out of instinct. "No, I'm sorry for spooking you! I just wanted to ask if you've seen Cresta."

The maid started viciously sniffing the air. Her brown tail, fluffier than Cresta's, started wagging back and forth.

"Gotcha! She's at the Terrace of Heroes! I can show you there, but, uhm…" she trailed off.

Without waiting for her to continue, I grabbed half the stack and saw the surprised face of a canine netherfolk.

"I'll help you take these to where they need to go, then you escort me to her. How's that?" I suggested.

The maid smiled brightly and nodded so vigorously, her long brown hair became disheveled.

"By the way, my name's Lula. You're Akira, aren't you? Not many humans around here. We've heard so much about you!" Lula exclaimed.

"Wait, what? Am I a celebrity here or something?" I asked.

"You might as well be as famous as the heroes in the Terrace of Heroes! So many of us applying to the exchange program put you at the top of the list of caretakers!" she explained.

My face turned red. I had no idea I was such a hot topic here.

After we delivered all the linens, she guided me to the Terrace of Heroes. The artificial night sky made of magic was now painted with stars and two moons. Beyond that illusion was hell.

The courtyard was a flat field of cut grass and smooth, stone walkways. Framing the edge of the terrace were statues of netherfolks, donning savage armor and wielding weapons I'd see in a fantasy video game. There were maybe a hundred of them.

Cresta sat in front of one that was undoubtedly Irapesha. The statue of her had unfurled draconic wings, ribbed horns on her head, and holding a sword raised towards the castle. She was much taller than the rest and possessed an intimidating demeanor.

"Before you go, can I ask for a favor?" Lula tugged on my sleeve, then lowered her head. "Please, pet my head! I heard humans keep dogs as pets on Earth, and you treat them like family. If I get accepted to your dormitory, I hope we can get along!"

The overexcited hound was wagging her tail so much, I was worried she might sprain it.

I put both hands on her head, scratching behind the ears and stroking the long hair back into place.

"Ehe… hehe… " She swayed back and forth with the movements of her own tail, grinning like a fool.

"I have no control over choosing my tenants, but if it happens, you can bet we'll get along like family," I assured her.

Once Lula was sufficiently satisfied, she bid me goodnight and went back to work.

I walked up to Cresta, whose eyes were red and was having a hard time breathing through a stuffy nose. She patted the grass beside her for me to sit down.

"There's a lot of heroes up here," I said.

"They were all close friends. Every time Pesha lost one of them, I'd find her sitting in front of their statue for days at a time. I started sitting with her because she looked more lonely as more statues were raised. She would tell me stories about their lives when I kept her company." Cresta started choking up.

I put an arm around her shoulder as she wiped tears and snot from her face.

"This was all done during the war?"

She nodded. "Pesha and I promised to not let each other become statues up here. She kept her promise and saved me so many times, but... I couldn't save her when she needed me the most."

At some point, Cresta started letting her tears run down. I pulled out a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped them for her.

"You've been telling me sad stuff about her all this time, but I'm sure she would want you to talk about her life the way she told you about the others," I said, tossing the soaked handkerchief over my shoulder.

Cresta burst into a fit of giggles. "Okay, let's see… Where do I start?"