13 Chapter 13, Towards the Future

"Basilio hired you?" I asked Gregor as I, Robin, Nowi, and the mercenary with the heavy accent sat around in my room eating dinner: medium rare steak slathered in a spicy gravy, baked and salted potatoes, and smoked salmon fished from Port Ferox. The furniture was pushed against the quarried walls, allowing the servants to haul in a long table for us to eat around.

"Yes! Basilio pay Gregor many shiny coin!" Gregor laughed, a mug of alcohol in one hand an a baked potato in the other. "Friend be asking Gregor to whip young whippersnappers into whipping shape! Easy job that be giving Gregor much gold with less danger of gutting Gregor like juicy pig! Will also be helping Gregor pay back many debts! Ho ho ho!"

"Good for you," I said over the room's crackling hearth. "Guess this means we'll be parting ways tomorrow."

"Aw, you're leaving?" Nowi whined past a mouthful of steak. Gods, she'd already eaten more than her body's weight in meat, and was still going strong. Basilio's cooking staff was constantly coming and going, delivering fresh platters while leaving with stacks of empty plates. "Can't you stay, gramps? You're fun to hang out with!"

"G-Gramps?" Gregor sputtered. "What is this 'gramps'? And coming from great-great-great-great-granny!"

Robin laughed at their byplay, spilling gravy over her salmon. "Come to think of it, I never did get the chance to thank you, did I? Thank you, Gregor. Without you, I fear things would've gone very differently with Aversa. I owe you so much."

"No, no, pretty lady owe Gregor nothing! He be doing his best for well-paying client!"

"I doubt most sellswords would've gone so far, even with generous pay. You're a kind man."

"Ho ho! Well, Gregor not be shy of praise! Please, be keeping the kind words coming! Gregor will make sure his big heart has room for all!"

"You're so silly for an old guy!" Nowi giggled.

"Oy! Again with hurtful words from granny dragon!"

"What about you, Nowi?" I asked the Manakete after washing down my own meal with water. "What'll you do?"

Nowi blinked. "Am … am I not allowed to come with you?" Uh oh, tears were rapidly gathering in her eyes. I'd forgotten how emotional this Manakete could get at the drop of a hat.

"You want to travel with us?" Robin asked.

"Y-You said we were friends, and friends s-stick together. Right? Sniffle. Were you lying? Do you not like m-me? Is it because I'm a d-dragon?"

"T-That's not it!" Robin hurried to assure the Manakete, who was on the verge of bawling. "We were just surprised, that's all! We'd love to have you with us!" She glanced at me for confirmation, and I simply shrugged. Unexpected, sure, but I didn't mind.

That turned Nowi's frown upside-down as she leapt atop of her chair and cheered. "Yay! This is going to be awesome! We're going to have so much fun together!"

"Ho ho! Gregor envious of young friends and old granny!" Gregor said. "Gregor be having most fun when traveling countless lands! Seeing many sights! Tasting many foods! Making many enemies! Good times! Gregor hopes friends be breaking many legs!"

"So long as they're not our own," I chuckled.

"Do we have a destination in mind?" Robin asked.

"I figured we'd go wherever the winds take us, unless you've got a suggestion."

"I do. I overheard it from one of Khan Basilio's men and it piqued my interest, but it's quite far from where we are. We'd have to walk for a while, if that's okay."

"Oh, I don't know about that," I said, grinning. "I recently got my hands on something that should make traveling a lot easier."

~

"WOO-HOO!" I shouted over Robin's panicked screams, Nowi's exuberant hollering, and the wind rushing past us as I shifted to fourth gear and gunned the Master Cycle Zero's throttle, its ancient Sheikah-tech engine roaring as we tore across Regna Ferox's snowscape.

Master Cycle Zero, the personal Divine Beast of Link from Breath of the Wild, or in layman's terms: a motorcycle with a horse motif, powered by ninja tech/magic. Its dark umber plating was contoured with lines of bronze, with cerulean and amber energy glowing between its welded segments. The "legs" of the beast connected to the wheels, also acting as the machine's suspension.

"This is AWESOME!" Nowi gleefully cried from my shoulders, her arms spread open to embrace the passing wind.

"Oh Naga! Dear Naga! Sweet Naga!" Robin cried as she clung to my back, her grip tightening every time we accelerated.

We definitely would've been pulled over if I did this back home, but that was the best part: we weren't! No Five-O here blaring their sirens and demanding we pull over! I could go as fast as I liked, on this open tundra devoid of roads or traffic. Sure, taking a spill would majorly suck, but the driving skills I assimilated through [Structural Analysis] ensured that wouldn't be happening any time soon, and even if we did we still had healing magic!

Recklessness for the win!

[Master Cycle Zero, Rank: S]

The Divine Beast of the Hero of the Wilds, rewarded to him upon defeating the Sheikah monk Maz Koshia. The Master Cycle can travel up to speeds of 100 MPH, and has a magi-tech converter that turns basic materials into fuel.

Magic Cost: 5

[<Master Cycle Zero, Rank: S> has been added to the SYSTEM's Catalogue!]

The Master Cycle Zero's top speed was lower than I thought it'd be, being a motorcycle and all that, but it was still faster and more comfortable than any horse so I wasn't going to complain. Its magic cost was also high, but I guess that came with being a Divine Beast.

"Guardian!" Robin screamed. "If we crash, I'll haunt you from the Beyond!"

"Faster! Faster!" Nowi cheered.

"Your wish is my command!" I laughed as I hit the throttle.

"GUUAAARRRRDIAN!"

~

I pulled the Master Cycle Zero to a stop at around sundown. Robin slipped off the back and collapsed against the snow, while Nowi ran in enthusiastic circles as she babbled about how wonderful the ride was.

"Wh-Where … did you even … get that from?" Robin wheezed, her knees knocking as she tried to stand.

"I've absolutely no idea!" I said cheerfully. Hey, it's kind of the truth! I hadn't the faintest clue where the SYSTEM was getting all this Legend of Zelda stuff from.

Robin huffed, grumbling about me and my secrets, before taking out her tome of Elfire and melting a large swath of snow; the clearing for our camp tonight.

Meanwhile, I recharged the Master Cycle Zero. With an invisible prompt from me, the seat parted in the middle to expose the Divine Beast's magi-tech converter: a Sheikah styled engine pulsating with cerulean light. Instead of dumping my spare junk into the converter, I placed a hand on the mechanical organ and poured my magic into it. The converter accepted the offering, and its fuel cells gradually refilled. Very eco-friendly.

Despite Regna Ferox's freezing temperatures, the clothes I'd Altered were fantastic at keeping us all warm and comfortable. Basically, I gave all our outfits the trait [Warmth], keeping everyone blissfully cozy in spite of the biting northern climate.

Why didn't I do something similar during our trek through the deserts of Plegia? Give our clothes a [Cool] trait through [Alteration]? Because I'm a moron who forgot he had the skill until we were running for our lives. Ugh, in a way it's a good thing I was never saddled with a typical Gamer's SYSTEM, one that'd dump thousands upon thousands of skills and abilities on me. It would've been a pain to remember them all, and I bet I'd never even use most of them.

Then a clump of snow hit the back of my head, making me yelp as most slid down my jerkin. I glared at the culprit, the grinning Manakete who was already rolling together another ball of snow.

"Snowball fight!" Nowi shouted as she nailed Robin in the face.

As the snow slipped off, it revealed the tactician's unamused frown; it didn't last long. A diabolical smile spread across Robin's lips as she whipped out her Wind tome and blasted a heap of snow at the Manakete, burying the squealing dragon underneath a heap of slush.

Nowi easily dug herself out, shaking the white flecks from her peasant dress (we'd bought it off an Anna visiting Basilio's castle) while grinning from ear to ear.

War was fought on the fields of Regna Ferox: the Great Snowball War.

It was a three-way fight, with Nowi happily tossing clumps of snow this way and that, Robin timing her shots and exploiting the openings the Manakete provided, and me sniping both girls on the head over and over again with unerring accuracy. Anything they hurled towards me, I avoided with a healthy application of Bullet Time.

If you're not cheating, you ain't trying!

Robin and Nowi quickly wisened up when they discovered I was bereft of "damage," and wordlessly teamed up to take me down.

"Keep him on his toes!" Robin ordered between bouts of laughter as she prepped a pile of snowballs.

"The Nowi Squad's gonna take down the Evil King of Cold!" the Manakete giggled as she kept tossing clumps of slush my way.

"You believe yourselves worthy enough to encroach upon the Evil King's dominion?" I declared, hamming it up as I dodged. "Your tiny minds cannot begin to comprehend the power my frozen fingertips command!" I hit one of Robin's immaculate snowballs with [Structural Analysis], and a copy was stored within the SYSETM's Catalogue. "Projection, start!" I expended all my magic Tracing dozens of snowballs, hanging in the air around me, making Robin and Nowi gawk. "All barrels, open targeting! Full barrage, consecutive fire!"

My Projected snowballs fired like ammo from a machine gun, pelleting the two with a constant stream of snowballs. Once I ran out, I immediately Traced some more and continued my chilly assault.

"We need—!" Robin sputtered as she got a mouthful of snow "—to regroup! Nowi, transform!"

Nowi, already buried underneath my relentless snowball attack, burst forth in her mighty dragon form. I smirked, as I only saw a bigger target, and concentrated fire at her dragonic face.

Robin used Nowi's sacrifice to her advantage by ducking behind the Manakete's bulk, the perfect shelter from my snowball storm. With this reprieve, Robin used her tome to summon a wall of rushing wind between Nowi and my cold projectiles, reducing them to snowflakes before they could touch the dragon's emerald hide.

I didn't stop, aiming to keep the pressure up. I could see Robin conversing with Nowi, but couldn't hear them over the whirlwind's roaring barrier. However, I did see Nowi eagerly nodding her serpentine head as she began gathering heaps of snow with her large talons.

Their plan became obvious as Nowi rolled together a boulder-sized snowball.

"Now!" Robin commanded, releasing her wall of wind.

With a triumphant roar, Nowi chucked the giant snowball at me with surprising accuracy. It plowed through my regular snowballs before slamming into me, knocking me off my feet and burying me beneath a sizeable mound of powdered snow.

I was so glad for the [Warmth] enhancement on my clothes.

"Victory!" I heard Nowi cheer.

"An excellent throw! I couldn't have done better myself!" Robin praised.

"Fools!" I emerged with all the flourish and melodrama of an 80s Bond villain. I even Traced a black cloak so I could let it billow behind me. "Your desperation was born of fear, which only leads to anger! Anger leads to hate, and your hate shall drown you in the Dark Side! You thought you'd won, but you've only succeeded in making me stronger!"

I'd used [Structural Analysis] on Nowi's snow-boulder before it hit me.

In other words …

"Trace, on!"

Robin and Nowi craned their heads up, up, and up as I filled the sky with the Manakete's enormous snow-boulders, ready to strike them down like a rain of meteors.

"R-Retreat! Full retreat!" Robin shouted in a panic.

"Cheater! You're a big fat cheater!" Nowi whined as they tried to flee.

"Yes! Yes! Feed me your rage! Full barrage, concurrent fire!"

Their wails of despair were music to my Sith ears.

~

We continued following Robin's directions eastward the following morning, with me and Robin on the Master Cycle Zero while Nowi took this chance to freely fly alongside us in her dragon form. Somewhere along the way it became a race, the two of us zipping across Regna Ferox's snow-covered fields while Robin cursed us both all the while. When we stopped for the evening, Nowi wanted to play a game she called Duck Duck Dragon. Basically, she'd chase one of us as a dragon while breathing white-hot fire, and if she caught us she won.

Robin looked like she wanted to say that was the dumbest game she'd ever heard.

I was all for it, earning me an exasperated sigh from my best friend. Still, that didn't stop her from watching. Nowi came at me with everything she had, and were I a lesser man I might've panicked at the sight of a cottage-sized dragon barreling towards me with fangs and fire. Instead, I danced around her adorable attempts to catch me for a half-hour. Afterwards, I used Full [Reinforcement] to dodge Nowi's latest attempt to chomp me, then wrapped my arms around her maw. I dug my heels into the ground, felt my magic circuits crackle with power, and pulled.

I felt Nowi's surprise reverberate throughout her whole body as I lifted the transformed Manakete into the air, kept the dragon's bulk suspended above me for a brief second, then slammed her into the snow with a suplex. With the dragon stunned by the sheer physical feat I pulled off, it was easy for me to maneuver my arms around her serpentine neck and wrestle her into submission.

Robin announced my victory, and Nowi reverted to her human form. She wasn't sad or disappointed she'd lost. Instead, she was thrilled, giddily exclaiming how this was the first time anyone had won that way, and begged me for another round. I said we'd give it another go after dinner, and any complaints died a swift death; Nowi was a massive fan of my Reinforced food. With a dragon in our little band of buddies, I was going to have to stock up on a lot more meat.

As I prepped dinner (fragment mushroom sauté, creamy seafood soup, and meat-stuffed pumpkins), I gave my status screen a passing glance.

What I saw made me frown.

NAME: ???

AGE: 21

CLASS: ???

LEVEL: 15

EXP: 26 / 100

HIT POINTS: 47 / 47

STRENGTH: [25]

MAGIC: 17

SKILL: 21

SPEED: 20

LUCK: 0

DEFENSE: 17

RESISTANCE: 21

The numerical value of my strength was highlighted in green. As a Fire Emblem player, I knew what that meant: my base strength had reached the maximum value for my current class, and would no longer see any increase no matter how many times I leveled up. I could still temporarily boost it with [Reinforcement], as I had been for a while, but the base value would never change. Were this a game, the easiest way to extend my strength cap would be by promoting to an Advanced Class.

The problem: this world wasn't a game, so why was the SYSTEM suddenly constraining me with game mechanics?!

What if I did push-ups, pull-ups, and pumped iron until my arms were as thick as tree trunks? Would I become physically stronger, or was I shackled to the whims of the SYSTEM? This was something I needed to find out, fast.

But my problems didn't end there.

PERSONAL SKILL 3: [ERŘ̴͓͔̺͕͈̂̃̚OR̷̳̽!]

Seriously, what the hell was going on with the SYSTEM? First the strength cap, and now this! It was like the whole thing was bugging out! I didn't even know that was possible! Something was obviously wrong, yet I'd no idea what. Bleeding Hell, was this even fixable? Did I actually have a 3rd Personal Skill, or was this a precursor to the SYSTEM's catastrophic failure? If worst came to worst, would I lose it entirely?

I couldn't begin to describe how terrified the mere idea made me. The SYSTEM was, while annoying at times, my greatest asset. I would've already died several times over without it. If, for whatever reason, this … this corruption did bring about the SYSTEM's end … the hell was I supposed to do then?

Stop. Just … just stop.

I'm freaking myself out, possibly making a mountain out of a molehill. From what I could tell, all the SYSTEM's functions, save for the 3rd Personal Skill, were operating normally. I'd figure this out, one day at a time.

In the meanwhile, I checked Robin's status and got a pleasant surprise.

NAME: Robin, the Heart of Grima

AGE: 18

CLASS: Tactician

LEVEL: 1

EXP: 0 / 100

HIT POINTS: 27 / 27

STRENGTH: 9

MAGIC: 15

SKILL: 12

SPEED: 10

LUCK: 18

DEFENSE: 10

RESISTANCE: 11

STATUS: Satisfied, Nervous, Optimistic

She'd changed classes! Before she was labeled as a Villager, but now she was a Tactician! How? When? Why? Did she trip over a Second Seal (a promotional item from the game) without knowing, or was there a different reason?

Best way to figure out: ask her.

~

No such luck.

Robin was ignorant of things such as "stats" and "promotions," so when I asked about her occupation as a Tactician, she best summed it up as a moment of enlightenment she'd experienced while we were facing Aversa.

Was that really all it took? Did I only need to wish to become a Great Lord, Paladin, or Swordmaster, and then poof, instant class change?

Nope. I tried, and my Class remained stuck as ???.

On top of that, I doubted Robin's class change was such a straight forward matter. She'd been emotionally flayed by Aversa before I'd gotten to her. It still tickled me pink knowing the stuff I rambled on about helped Robin so greatly, ultimately aiding in her moment of self-discovery.

Perhaps that was the key? A journey of awareness that melded the unconscious ego with the conscious authentic self?

Ugh, sounded like a huge pain. I'd rather buy a Master Seal off an Anna.

"Guardian?" Robin shook my shoulder, drawing me from my thoughts. "Are you alright? Is the manor affecting you?"

"Hmm? Ah, no. It's not that. I've just got things on my mind," I assured her as the wall we'd destroyed behind us magically reformed itself, trapping us in a dimly lit dining room.

"Want to share?" Robin asked, nonchalantly setting the skeletons shambling towards us—armed with forks and knives of all things—on fire.

"It's nothing important. Don't worry about it," I said, absently beheading an undead she missed with a Traced silver sword.

"If you're sure."

We'd arrived at the eastern fishing village of Coldwater just this morning, and asked for a boat ride to the abandoned island a few miles off shore. A particularly brave fisherman agreed to ferry us, so I gave him an hefty bag of gold coins for his troubles.

The island itself was pretty creepy. While the edges were abundant with verdant land, the closer we got to the heart the more the flora around us withered. When we reached the manor at the center of the island, there was nothing but dead vegetation around us for miles.

This was the place Robin had heard about: a cursed mansion that ate adventurers, treasure hunters, and thieves alike, all of whom were lured by the legends of untold wealth stored within. Rumors said all who entered its darkened halls were never to be seen or heard from again, their souls trapped within the voracious beast's stomach to be digested over a lifetime, thus earning it the moniker: Manor of Lost Souls.

Well, I think they got the "cursed" part correct, because there were a bunch of skeletons and magically reanimated zombies aimlessly shambling about its gloomy bowels.

Nothing Robin and I couldn't handle. Nowi was waiting outside, per my request.

"Find anything interesting?" I asked as a door in the dimly candlelit dining room opened all on its own, allowing the haunted and tortured moans of the unliving to echo throughout the gallery. The noise was annoying, so I stepped through, found the offending zombies, and gave them a taste of my Full Barrage; the pack of rotting undead was torn apart by a storm of swords.

"The curse at work is fascinating," Robin said, ignoring the racket as she studied the moldy floorboards as if they contained a secret only a studied mage could divine. "I haven't the faintest idea how it works—dark magic was never my main subject of interest—but it's present throughout the entire building." A few of the candles lining the hallway lit themselves, like they were trying to lead us deeper into the manor. "That, for example. I've been mapping the route we've taken in my head, and if we'd followed those"—she waved at the candles—"we would've stumbled into a much more complicated area of the building. It's like the house itself is trying its best to disorient us, make us lose our way."

As if the curse could hear her, the entire manor trembled as the hallways began rearranging themselves. Robin stumbled, and I caught her before she fell. By the time it finished, the building's whole layout had changed, rendering Robin's mental map obsolete.

"I think this place is a sore loser," I said. Then the walls around us collapsed, revealing hordes of cursed undead brought from other areas of the mansion. "A very sore loser."

"Indeed," Robin agreed, unleashing Elfire on the flammable bones, while I did the same with Ragnell. "However, there's undoubtedly a method to all this madness; a pattern behind the fog of deception. Give me a bit more time, and I'll have us navigating this wretched place without issue."

"Cool, cool. We could do that. Or, we could go with Plan D."

"We have a Plan D?"

After blasting away another group of zombies, I nodded. I stabbed Ragnell into the rotting floorboards, Reinforced my vocal cords, and cupped my hands around my mouth before shouting, "UNLEASH THE NOWI!"

"UNLEASHING!" came Nowi's distant cry, soon followed by the crashing and smashing of rickety manor walls as an overly-eager dragon gleefully barreled through them.

Tainted wood and moldy stone groaned as the cursed mansion let out the mockery of a pained scream.

"D for Dragon. Why bother following the building's path when we can make our own?" I said as we heard Nowi getting progressively closer.

Robin gave me an exasperated smile. "Simple, but effective."

"It's my go-to strategy: if something's in our way, trying hitting it first."

"You'll never sharpen your tactical intellect if you keep resorting to the same stratagem."

"That's fine, I've got something better." I playful nudged her shoulder with mine. "I've got you."

It took Nowi less than a minute to catch up to us, and was more than happy to vent her destructive urges. With a bit of prompting, I got Robin to do the same, as there was nothing quite as therapeutic as breaking shit. I lent her a Traced warhammer, which she needed two hands to swing, and she merrily went to town on the manor. She wound up smashing her way into the kitchen, filled with dust, cobwebs, and fragile dishware.

Those poor plates, bowls, and cups didn't last a minute.

Nowi was on a constant giggle spree as she playfully rolled through the walls with her impressive bulk, and indulged her inner pyromaniac by setting anything and everything aflame. The Manor of Lost Souls turned out to be surprisingly fire-resilient, as it smothered most of the flames with smogs of foul sorcery, but there was no way to truly stopping the frolicking dragon.

As for myself, I focused on clearing out the undead, as eliminating every dozen or so awarded a single point of EXP. Really went to show that these were all mooks.

That was until I discovered the Holy Grail: an entire storeroom filled with empty pottery. I didn't know it was humanly possible to feel this stimulated by the sight of shelves upon shelves of painstakingly molded earthenware. It … dear Gods, it was beautiful! I picked up the nearest pot, my trembling hands nearly dropping the smooth ceramic as I studied it. The touch of porcelain was bliss against my fingertips!

Then I dropped it.

Shatter!

Oooooh, that heavenly note of pottery fragmenting into tiny irreparable pieces! It was a balm to my soul that I never knew I needed, especially after all my recent troubles.

"To whatever Gods or Goddesses who can hear me now: thank you for this wonderful opportunity, as I so swear to cherish it in its entirety."

Then I Traced two hammers, one for each hand, and went bonkers.

~

Suffice to say, there was nothing left of the Manor of Lost Souls once we maniacs were done with it. Nowi said she had a blast, while Robin came out looking refreshed. They mentioned how they thought they'd heard rapturous moaning several times, so I truthfully told them I'd come across a masochistic zombie and was forced to put it down for the good of humanity.

I swore on my granddad's grave (he was cremated).

With the manor razed, the curse maintaining it was broken as well. We dug through the remains to find a secret basement, filled with gold coins and bullions. It was safe to say we'd found the treasure so many adventurers died searching for. All of it went into my Inventory.

But the real treasure came from the locked chest in the corner of the forgotten space. After opening it with [Alteration], we saw it was a tiny bag filled with fine dust, each granule glimmering a varying shade of blue.

[Spirit Dust, Rank: A]

Dust ground from Naga's scales and imbued with her divinity. Those exposed to it are blessed with a permanent boost to their arcane abilities.

MAGIC Increase: 2

Magic Cost: 5

[<Spirit Dust, Rank: A> has been added to the SYSTEM's Catalogue!]

[Warning! Should a third-party receive the blessing of a Projected Spirit Dust, the given MAGIC will be acquired from the user! Proceed with caution!]

A permanent stat booster, and for magic! Yeah, coming here had definitely been worth it!

Instead of snorting the Spirit Dust on the spot, I offered it to Robin first. She was on her way to becoming a magnificent mage, and the additional boost would surely help her fend off the Grimleal.

Robin turned me down, saying we shouldn't be playing around with strange dust found in a lunatic's curse mansion. Nowi also wasn't interested, as it wasn't food.

Their loss, my gain.

I sprinkled the Spirit Dust over my head, feeling the particles of pure magic grant me their boon.

[MAGIC: 19­ (+2)]

~

The fisherman who'd ferried us was overjoyed to hear the Manor of Lost Souls would claim no more victims, and was eager to share the good news with his friends and family. He transported us back to Coldwater Village, and the townsfolk held a small celebration. Since this was Regna Ferox, it obviously meant eating, drinking, and fighting.

I had my fair share of challengers, though they were mostly young men with more guts than sense. Robin sparred a bit too, and I was happy to see her holding her own. Our sword lessons were really paying off. No one wanted to fight Nowi, since she looked like a 10 year old child, so she wound up playing with the village's children. Thankfully, the game wasn't Duck Duck Dragon.

The next morning, we let Robin pick a random direction before heading that way on the Master Cycle Zero.

~

The town of Frostfront was a bustling city deep within Flavia's territory, as she watched over the eastern lands of Regna Ferox. The buildings were made of stone, each with an attached furnace that pumped warm air under the floors and into the spaces deliberately left between the walls. It's main attraction was a small arena, where weekly competitions were held.

Robin, keen on trying something new, went to sign up; Nowi followed.

I found a store run by an Anna ("Annabert"), and asked if she had anything for me.

"A few letters from one Morgan Nirvid, to be delivered to a Robin Nirvid," the redheaded merchant said, handing me a stack of folded letters, "and some special goods ordered through the Anna Family's Special Requisition Service!"

She placed the items one by one on her front counter. They were a vial shaped like a teardrop holding a rosy liquid, a thick book with ageless pages, a white feather that could've belonged to an angel, and a hexagonal buckler with a gilded rim and surface composed of overlapping scales of varying colors.

An Energy Drop, Secret Book, Speedwing, and Dracoshield.

It was a shame my strength was currently maxed out, rendering the Energy Drop useless for me. After I handed Anna the required amount of gold, it went into the Inventory, while I used the other three stat boosters on the spot.

[SKILL: 23­ (+2)]

[SPEED: 22­ (+2)]

[DEFENSE: 19­ (+2)]

"Where do you usually find these?" I asked curiously.

"Secret♡!" Anna winked, happily collecting the bags of gold.

"Are you sure?" I placed a blue rupee on her counter, and the shopkeeper locked onto it as a lion would a wounded gazelle.

"A-Absolutely," Anna stuttered, unable to tear her gaze away as I waved the rupee in front of her drooling face. "An A-A-Anna's secrets are sacred!"

I made another blue rupee appear in my other hand.

"But everything has a price!" Anna declared, snatching the rupees up with the swiftness of a viper. Once she calmed down, concealing her ashamed blush with a weak cough, she said, "These mostly pop up in old ruins, sacred places of worship, the treasure vaults of passionate collectors, and sometimes an Anna's sock drawer.

"I'm surprised more folks don't use these," I admitted. "Instant power ups? You'd think people would be running each other over for stuff like this."

"That's because they don't always work."

"How so?"

Anna prodded her chin. "These artifacts are a picky bunch. They don't let just any random shmuck use them. I've seen knights, nobles, merchants, and peasants put on a Seraph Robe, only for nothing to happen. The going theory is that the person hasn't earned Naga's notice or approval, and is thus undeserving of her blessing. As you can imagine, this scares a lot of people. Artifacts that reveal whether you're on the Divine Dragon's naughty list or not? Turns a lot of folks off, so rather than risk potential rejection they keep them as valuable treasures instead."

"Huh, the more you know," I murmured. Well, I considered it good news for me. The more stat boosters were out there, the more the Anna Family could locate and find them for me.

"Is there anything else you need?"

"Hmm, depends. What else do you have in stock?"

Anna flashed a toothy smile. "Everything you'll need and more, my very wealthy friend!"

~

"You like to read?" Robin asked as they sat around the campfire. This new tidbit actually surprised her. "But I've never seen you pick up a single book before."

"I like fantasy stories," the Guardian admitted as he watched tonight's dinner sizzle within the giant iron cooking pot. Nowi was nearby, salivating as the delectable aromas enticed her senses. "But ever since coming … here," he sighed heavily, "I guess my interest died off."

Fantasy? What sort of genre was that? She'd read action, comedy, horror, mystery, drama, and non-fictional books, yet never "fantasy."

"So … Ylisse doesn't have the genre you enjoy?" Robin probed.

The Guardian shrugged. "That's one way of looking at it."

"Then why not try another?"

"Because they're not my preferred choice?"

Robin huffed. "Come now, Guardian. You'll never know if you like something or not if you don't give it a chance. Step out of your comfort zone, so to speak."

That got the Guardian to laugh. "Believe me, these past few years I've stepped so far out of that zone that I don't even know where it is anymore."

"Then you shouldn't have a problem with giving one of my recommended readings a try!"

"Fine, fine," the Guardian groaned as he stirred the tantalizing meat stew with a ladle. "After dinner, before Nowi shrivels up and floats away."

"I'm not that hungry," Nowi grumbled, her eyes never leaving the stew.

Supper was as divine as always (if the Guardian ever wanted to put down his sword, he could easily find employment as the Exalt or Khan's personal chef), and after they convinced Nowi to clean the dishes for them (bribed her with salted pork), Robin asked the Guardian to take out her favorite novel from his Inventory.

Her book, The Gilded Snare, appeared in his hand as if by magic. Robin would never not envy the Guardian's access to such a convenient private dimensional storage.

"Romance?" the Guardian said in a tone of clear disinterest.

"Just give it a try," Robin appealed. "Out of all the novels I've read, that one's my favorite. I'll definitely surprise you."

"If you say so," the Guardian huffed before taking a seat by the fire and opening the book to the first page.

Robin sat beside him, opening her own book on battlefield tactics and resuming where she last left off.

"Seriously?" she heard the Guardian snort, "the main character's name is Heffalphro Veanyei IV? I'm already regretting this."

Despite his claim, the following minutes passed in silence, broken only by Nowi's singing of pork, salt, and roasted snakes. As the stars appeared one by one, Robin found herself leaning against the Guardian, sharing his warmth. He didn't seem to mind, and continued silently flipping through The Gilded Snare's pages.

An hour passed, and Robin found herself perfectly content. Nowi was done with the dishes and was passed out inside her own tent, sleeping off tonight's dinner coma, leaving Robin alone with her closest friend. It was unbelievable how peaceful she felt, no longer haunted by old doubts and nightmares. There was only … acceptance, and a yearning to see what this new future had in store for her.

Robin jumped a little when the Guardian snapped the book shut. Could he be done already? It wasn't a very long novel, but this was still quite fast.

"Done?" she asked.

The Guardian nodded.

"Well? What did you think?"

"Robin, I stand corrected," the Guardian said solemnly. "I said before you had trash taste in romance novels, but now I've seen the truth."

"You liked it that much?" Robin asked eagerly.

"Your tastes go beyond trash; it's orbital rubbish, trash so bad the planet booted it into outer space."

Robin was gobsmacked!

"Let me summarize this, just to be sure we read the same story," the Guardian said, dangling the book between his fingers like it was a dirty handkerchief. "H.V. is a Plegian noble who fled his country to Ylisse during the previous Exalt's crusade. He settles in Ylisstol and is an all-around Grade-A douchebag, pissing off just about every living being in the capitol with his self-entitlement. Years pass, and one day he sees the portrait of a beautiful woman and immediately falls in love. Cliché stuff, but I've read worse. He demands to know who it is, but no one seems to know her name. All anyone does know is that she appears the night of every full moon and goes around helping people for free, like some kind of saint. Only the old granny running the apothecary knows anything for sure, and she's not telling H.V. jack because he's been such a massive ass. If he wants answers, she'll tell him after he finds everyone he's ever wronged and earns their forgiveness one way or another.

"A decade passes, and H.V.'s been sweating his butt off making amends. Not once does he meet the supposed love of his life during that time. He's had his ups and downs, but he finally gets the forgiveness of his last victim: the granny. When he's finished, she tells him the truth: she's a powerful witch who cursed H.V. long ago so that on the night of every full moon he transforms into the beautiful saint, making amends to those he wronged. The woman he's been fantasizing about is basically the personification of his morality. H.V. is shocked, but Naga's so touched by his pure love for … himself, ugh … that she grants him a miracle: she separates H.V. from his female self for one night, allowing them to meet face-to-face for the first time. He confesses, she accepts, and they … I'm not going there. In the end, when they rejoin, H.V. puts a wedding ring on his own finger and lives happily ever after … with himself."

"Isn't it incredible?" Robin defended. "I never could've foreseen that twist ending!"

"Because it's absolutely crazy! I know magic can do crazy crap, but this?"

"I'll have you know this novel is critically acclaimed amongst the Ylissean nobility!"

"Oh god, it's even worse than I thought." The Guardian glared at the literary masterpiece as if it was his most heinous adversary. "What's the moral of the story supposed to be? Be a good enough person and you'll achieve your dream of becoming a narcissist?"

"Nothing so literal! It's about someone who's undoubtedly a bad person, but overcomes his horrible nature all in the name of love!"

"With himself," the Guardian deadpanned.

"It's a message! Saying people can truly become great by discovering their inner kindness!"

"And the explicitly detailed sex scene? What's that supposed signify? A post-enlightenment masturbation session? A 'good job' nutting? Wait a second …" Robin could imagine the Guardian was staring at her intently from behind his mask, "… is this smut?"

"Wh-What?"

"Obscenely pornographic writing," the Guardian stated bluntly, making Robin's cheeks light up. "H.V.'s enlightened masturbation went on for three chapters, and this book only has six!" Her face felt like it was hit by an Arcfire. "Oh god, it is isn't it? The romance is nothing but a smokescreen! You read this stuff for the smut! You recommended me porn!"

"I-I-I did n-not!"

"When was it, Robin? When did you become so corrupted?"

Robin refused to say. How could she, when the culprit was the first "romance" novel the Guardian ever bought her, back when she still lived in isolation with her mother? He most definitely never read it himself, either selecting it by random or having it recommended to him by another. During those adolescent years, the only literature Robin had ever read before were those based on martial combat, basic tactical knowhow, and the fundamentals of magic. So when she opened up Red Passion for the first time and reached its raunchy climax, she was sucker punched by an awakening.

"I've n-no idea what you're implying!" Robin replied staunchly, or at least so she hoped.

"Hmm. So if I perused through your favorite books, all of which I'm holding for you in my Inventory, I won't—?"

"DON'T!" Robin tackled the Guardian to the ground in a blind panic, all while her heart was trying to flee from her chest out of absolute embarrassment. She knew it was pointless, as the Guardian could take items in and out of his storage with but a thought, yet she had to try something! Why did she think introducing him to her favorite books was a good idea?! Stupid, stupid Robin!

They tussled for a bit, though it was obvious the Guardian was playing with her. He was ridiculously strong, his arms like iron, and could've pinned Robin down with ease. He didn't, instead ending up beneath her while she sat atop his chest.

Uhh … what was the plan again?

"Pinned by the pervert," the Guardian ribbed. "Well, there are worse way to goes."

"You're insufferable," Robin panted, rolling off the goof and lying beside him.

"I tease, I tease," he assured. "The opportunity was too good to pass up. Don't sweat, you've got nothing to be ashamed about. Believe me, back home we've got stuff way dirtier than this"—he waved The Gilded Snare—"and it's all freely available too."

"Oh? Meaning its material you've perused as well?" Robin asked coyly.

"Repeatedly," the Guardian confessed without shame. "What can I say? I was a healthy teenage boy once, and the Internet was a vile temptress."

"Internet?"

"Think of it … like a magical book, one that everyone can read and write in with proper access."

"Sounds messy."

The Guardian snorted. "Oh young grasshopper, you've no idea."

They lapsed into silence, staring up at the starry night sky. Robin didn't feel uncomfortable with the quiet between them, as the wordless peace brought with it its own feeling of serenity. There was no need to constantly crowd the air with banter and wordplay, as she often found the Guardian's mere presence to be companionable enough. Despite their exposure to the elements, the clothes he Altered provided plenty of warmth, and the feeling of his magic wrapped around her offered its own sense of security. It would be so easy to drift asleep as they were, underneath the night's glimmering jewels.

"Robin?"

"Hmm?"

"Your tastes in romance is still trash."

"Naga smite you."

She wound up falling asleep in the Guardian's arms, and he didn't protest.

~

Together, they traveled across all of Regna Ferox, taking in the sights and experiencing the culture of the cold northern kingdom. There was a band of mercenaries exploiting a small village in the north, so the Guardian let Nowi play Duck Duck Dragon with them. They journeyed alongside a traveling theater troupe for a time, sharing stories and often helping the entertainers with their stage props. Their lead dancer, a pink-haired performer whose gorgeousness was the envy of many, was as graceful as a goddess when she danced on stage.

Like that, months passed in the blink of an eye.

Robin always made sure to stay on top of her training, whether it was swordplay or magic. With her existence exposed to the Grimleal, she knew it was only a matter of time before Validar made an attempt to abduct her.

Let him try.

Her thoughts on Plegia were equally grim. Now aware of their undead puppets and the terrifying Deadlords at their command, Robin felt like they should be doing more against the hostile nation. The Guardian promised he'd informed Khan Basilio about everything they'd learned, and trusted the Khan Regnant to formulate a proper response. This was a matter best left to rulers and monarchs, as there was little a few well-meaning individuals could accomplish on their own.

Their next destination was one they learned from Olivia, the theater troupe's main dancer: the Ruins of Time, a temple in northwestern Ferox said to have once belonged to the Divine Dragon, Naga.

Robin was awed by the sight. While the holy site was in obvious disarray, broken and uncared for in a millennium, its configuration was unlike anything she'd previously seen. It was built from geometrically perfect cerulean blocks, each faintly glowing with a hum of celestial radiance. The pillars were of the same material, though many were toppled over to add to the picture of ruin. Amazingly, the canals around the dilapidated temple were still filled with water so clear they were almost ethereal.

"This place is awesome!" Nowi shouted, spinning in circles as she moseyed through the holy sanctum's open court. "There's so much magic in the air! Pure magic! Can you guys feel it?"

Robin could. It was like … a warm embrace, from a loving parent. Simply feeling the lingering vestiges of Naga's divinity filled her with a welcoming sense of belonging. The farther into the ruins they journeyed, the stronger the magic became. The cerulean tiles beneath their feet began lighting up upon contact, gradually illuminating the once venerated location.

The Guardian kept his head on a swivel, jokingly claiming he was on the look out for a time-displaced lost child with amnesia. Robin didn't know why such a child would come to this lonely corner of Regna Ferox, but let her friend have his eccentricities.

Then they entered the main shrine, the only building within the consecrated grounds still relatively intact. Here was where Naga's divinity was strongest. When they stepped onto its tiled floor, the holy slates lit up while generating a harmonious hymn; an unblemished musical note.

"Cool!" Nowi was the first to rush inside, eagerly stepping on as many tiles as possible, each releasing a plethora of bright colors while warbling a childish tune.

"I … can't believe a place like this actually exists," Robin gasped, following the Manakete's lead, albeit much more slowly.

"Makes me wish I had a camera," the Guardian agreed. Robin didn't know what a "camera" was, but she wanted one too.

As she took in the phenomenal scene, Robin whispered, "I'm so grateful."

"About?" the Guardian asked.

"That you stayed with me, despite … well, learning my past. If you hadn't, I would've lost out on so much." Robin turned in a gradual circle, taking in the sacred temple in its entirety. "Life can be cruel, and destiny a right pain in the rear, yet even then there are moments and people that make it worth living."

The Guardian turned to her, almost nervously. "Would you say I'm one of those people?"

"I thought that would've been obvious."

"Oh … oh … huh. Well, I'm … happy to have helped."

Robin grinned, which evolved into a full smile as she developed an idea. "Let's dance."

"Huh?"

She held out her arm invitingly. "After reading about all these fancy balls kings and Exalts host and attend, I've always imagined going to one myself. While this isn't a palace, I'd say it's the next best thing. So let's dance! Enjoy the moment to its fullest!"

"… kind of random, but you know what? Why the hell not?" the Guardian said, accepting her hand. "Fair warning, I've never danced before, so I've no idea what I'm doing."

"What a coincidence: me neither! Guess it'll be a first for both of us!"

They held each other awkwardly at first, not knowing where to put their hands. Eventually, they settled with placing a hand on one another's waist, while entwining fingers with the other. They braved their first step together, and cautiously followed it up with another, lighting up the temple bit by bit with every motion. There were a few stubbed toes at first, but those were fixed with a wave of a Heal stave, and as they pushed onward their movements became smoother and more synchronized.

It was only a matter of minutes before they were slowly waltzing across the temple floor.

These past few years had been more tumultuous than a ride on the Guardian's health-hazard of a transportation vehicle, yet through them Robin became aware of two major discoveries.

First, her identity as Robin Nirvid, enemy of the Grimleal.

Second, her feelings for the Guardian.

[Do you have feelings for the man? Is it love? How sickeningly adorable!]

Though they'd been spoken with mockery and scorn, Aversa's words stuck with Robin for weeks afterwards. Her head felt clearer than it had in ages, yet the thought continued to restlessly bounce about in her mind. Was she in love? She always felt happier when the Guardian was around, every day felt exciting as they discovered something new together, and her heart would flutter like a hummingbird whenever they touched.

Especially now, as she swayed in his arms.

If this wasn't love, then she feared the real thing. She couldn't imagine an emotion more intense than what she felt now.

Yet there remained a constant gap between her heart and his. The Guardian knew basically everything there was to know about Robin, yet she couldn't claim the same with him.

She knew nothing about his past.

She didn't know what he looked like underneath that mask.

She didn't even know his name!

Robin had thrown her mask away, but the Guardian continued to bear his zealously. If she confessed her feelings now, she was afraid they'd shatter upon the shell her friend hid himself behind. He was still aimless, lost; simply living with no greater goal in mind. He didn't know who he truly was underneath the mask he wore.

So she'd wait. The Guardian had been so patient with her, willing to lay down his life for her own. How could she not do the same for him?

Until that time, Robin chose to relish these precious moments they shared together. Her and him, standing so close yet feeling so far. They danced with their hearts billowing from their sleeves, all while Naga's temple sang around them.

~

That night, as they made camp in the Ruins of Time, Robin did something she should've done a long time ago: she asked the Guardian for her mother's letters. The Guardian was briefly surprised by her request, but she knew he was smiling beneath his mask as he took out a dauntingly large stack of mail from his Inventory and passed them to her.

Robin felt a surge of guilt, seeing the hundreds of unopened letters that'd accumulated over the years, but that didn't stop her from doing what needed to be done. So she reached for the nearest one, cracked open its wax seal, and began reading.

The Guardian and Nowi happily took over tonight's dinner duties, giving Robin the time she needed to read her mother's words, although he did end up with his hands full keeping the Manakete's sticky fingers out of their dinner mid-preparation.

Robin didn't read the letters in any particular order, though the first dozen shared a common theme: apologies. Over and over again, she read her mother's requests for forgiveness, as she confessed to her mistakes and why they'd been made. As Robin read letter after letter, the contents gradually changed. Her mother would ask how she was doing, and if she was keeping herself healthy and safe. Several were followed by a postscript reminding her to never put her current location in any of her replies, a security measure in case these missives were intercepted by Plegian spies. Then the messages changed, as her mother would write about herself, telling Robin more about the woman who sacrificed everything to raise her, as well as Robin's grandparents, Zegis Cranog Nirvid and Goewyn Isolde Nirvid. Other than being overly doting parents and Plegians loyal to the crown, they sounded like upstanding people.

Yet not once, in any letter, did her mother ask her to write back. Even when Robin could read between the shaky lines, past the parchment dried of teardrops, her heartbroken mother continued to give her the space she believed Robin needed, all to ensure that the last bridge between them was preserved for as long as possible.

Hours later, when she was done, Robin found her cheeks wet with silent tears, wracked with shame for all the unintended pain she'd been causing her mother. Nowi crept up beside her and gave her a warm hug, which Robin was grateful for as she dried her tears on her sleeves. The Guardian, on the other hand, wordlessly passed her a parchment, quill, and bottle of ink he'd kept in his Inventory.

She accepted them gratefully, and began writing.

{Dear mother …}

~

[Two years later …]

I wanted to tear my hair out over my lack of progress. It began with a simple experiment: I'd see how many push-ups I could do while wearing a Projected set of heavy armor, its weight drastically increased through [Alteration]. I pushed myself until it felt like my muscles were tearing themselves off my arms, and ended finishing 101 of them; not too shabby.

Yet two years later, after doing the same exercise day after day without fail, the end result never changed: 101 push-ups, without deviation. I'd hit a ceiling, one made out of concrete and reinforced with titanium beams. My improvement was inexorably tied to my status, granted to me by a clearly defunct SYSTEM. While the SYSTEM had helped me develop at a rate no ordinary person could match, the faulty ability was now clearly curtailing my growth. So long as my strength was capped at 25, I was never going to get any stronger. Matters only became worse as several of my other stats hit their maximums as well, further crippling any progress I tried to make.

The best way to fix this would be to find a way to "promote" into an advanced class, but I'd no idea how the hell I was supposed to achieve that. I'd asked the Anna Family for advice, to see if they had any Master Seals they were willing to sell, but none of the redheaded merchants had heard of the item.

I was stuck in a dismal quandary, which only worsened the closer I got to Level 20.

NAME: ???

AGE: 23

CLASS: ???

LEVEL: 18

EXP: 44 / 100

HIT POINTS: 50 / 50

STRENGTH: [25]

MAGIC: 21

SKILL: [24]

SPEED: [24]

LUCK: 0

DEFENSE: 20

RESISTANCE: [24]

In Fire Emblem Awakening the game, Level 20 was the highest level a unit could reach, and at this rate I was afraid it'd be my limit as well.

On top of that, my mysterious Personal Skill was only getting worse.

PERSONAL SKILL 3: [E̶̢͒̎͝R̸̗̫̝̫͋̏̉Ŗ̶̯͂̒O̸̲̘̜͍̎́̓R̸̺͕͌̚͠!]

I'd no idea what the skill actually did. As far as I could tell, I hadn't gained any new abilities, nor did it effect my current skills in any noticeably way. In truth, it was like I didn't have a new skill at all. Yet every time I saw that damn [ERROR], its corruption slowly but surely spreading with every passing day, I couldn't help but worry. Initially, I thought it could've been the result of a curse, one Aversa somehow placed on me as that's when I believe the SYSTEM's glitch first occurred, yet every healer and magician who diagnosed me all said the exact same thing: I was as healthy as an ox, and free of any dark malediction.

Robin always asked me if anything was wrong, but I could never bring myself to tell her the truth.

That's not to say I spent the entirety of the last two years freaking out. Once we'd had our fill of Regna Ferox, Robin, Nowi, and I headed to Ylisse. I showed them all my favorite haunts, such as the fishing lake at Lakeshore City, while also giving them a tour of Ylisstol. Nowi loved the warmer climate, since it let her go snake hunting; as in the long limbless reptile, not Plegian spies. I didn't know if snakes were a general delicacy for Manaketes, or if it was Nowi's personal preference, but I've seen her eat one raw with a bloody smile that was extremely out of place for her childish appearance. On the other hand, I gained a lot of experience cooking snakes in a variety of interesting ways.

As for the Plegian spies, their presence nearly tripled in Ylisse. Instead of committing acts of espionage, now they were hunting for Robin, who wore fingerless gloves to keep the Brand of Grima concealed. We'd fended off over a dozen abduction attempts already, forcing us to learn how to sleep with one eye open. I still fondly remembered the one time they'd been dogging us for three days, trying to exhaust us through constant sneak attacks, only to wind up as smears on the grass when a sleep deprived Nowi said enough was enough and went on a rampage.

Never mess with an irate dragon.

Their attacks petered off a few months ago, and I think it's because Gangrel and/or the Grimleal couldn't afford to lose anymore manpower. There were only so many spies Plegia could field, after all. I'd also been expecting the Grimleal to send their Deadlords after us, and was surprised when they didn't. Perhaps Plegia was trying to keep them a secret a little while longer? Or maybe they were worried any Deadlord they sent against me would be returning home in pieces?

In any event, our travels took us all across Ylisse. In fact, stories started spreading about Robin and Nowi, the companions always seen in the company of the Guardian of the Halidom. Inevitably, rumors ran amok about their possible identities. The one that cracked me up the most claimed Robin was an escaped princess from Valm whom I dashingly rescued on my noble dragon steed.

Today, we were exploring a patch of desert in the southeastern peninsula of Ylisse. It wasn't nearly as insufferably hot as the deserts of Plegia, but I Altered our clothes with a [Cool] trait all the same.

"What're we looking for again?" Nowi asked, shielding her eyes from the noon sun. The Master Cycle Zero was parked atop the highest dune we could find. I stood atop of the Sheikah motorcycle's seat, while Nowi balanced atop of my raised arm as we searched for our destination.

"The Mirage Village," Robin said before taking a sip from her waterskin. "The locals say it disappears and reappears during heavy sandstorms."

"And that it's the resting place for a legendary staff," I added, swiveling Nowi left and right to give her an omnidirectional view of our surroundings.

"Oh! So more treasure?" the Manakete asked excitedly.

"We are basically glorified treasure hunters at this point," Robin laughed. "What's one more conquest to our growing reputation?"

"Yay! More shiny stones!"

Nowi, as a dragon, saw little value in gold and other such currencies. To her, funnily shaped rocks were far more precious. Her dress had pockets full of them, along with a bag filled with her own toenail clippings. When Robin and I asked why she kept those, she didn't answer and instead pretended to whistle; badly.

"Well, make sure to keep a constant eye out," Robin said. "From what I gathered, there's a hub of bandit activity farther into the desert."

I perked up. "Bandits?" I was amazed any still dared to tread on Ylissean lands.

Robin nodded. "Most of them are survivors from your Silent Fiend days, escaping here in the hopes you'd never find them in this quiet corner of Ylisse."

"I hope they all enjoyed their borrowed time until now then, because the Fiend do cometh," I growled, letting a bit of bloodlust color my words. No matter how many years did and would pass, one constant remained: the only good bandit was a dead bandit.

"Hey!" Nowi exclaimed. "I think I see—!"

RUMBLE!

Nowi nearly fell as the world trembled, but I caught her before she could faceplant in the sand. The very sand which now rippled like water as an earthquake shook the land.

"What's going on?!" Robin cried, collapsing against the Master Cycle Zero for support.

"I don't know!" I shouted as I hopped down from the seat and did the same.

All of a sudden, gouts of fire began erupting throughout the desert, the intensity of their flames turning the surrounding sand into glass. Sweat began to dot my brow as the desert directly beneath us heated up precipitously.

Oh shit!

"Get on!" I yelled as I swung my leg over the Master Cycle Zero. As soon as I felt Robin's arms tighten around my waist, and Nowi grip the front of my jerkin, I gunned the throttle. The Divine Beast's engine roared, its rear wheel sending a plumb of sand exploding behind us with its rapid acceleration.

We lurched forward, avoiding incineration by mere seconds as the peak of the dune was dyed red with fire. Robin and Nowi both kept a death grip on me as I raced around the eruptions of flame, ramping up one gear after another as I squeezed out all the speed the Master Cycle Zero could give me.

Luckily, we escaped from the chaotic zone of death and fire with nary a singe. I drove us a bit farther away, just to be on the safe side, before pulling the brakes and gliding us to a stop.

"What … in Naga's name … just happened?" Robin gasped, her arms refusing to loosen from me.

Then Nowi pointed. "Look!"

We did, wondering what insanity would occur next. In the skies above the simmering field of glass and flames, hundreds upon thousands of white lights gathered. They coalesced into a single unit, before exploding outward to create a gigantic magic circle. The gilded space was marked with arcane glyphs I didn't recognize, screaming of a feat far greater than any mortal magician could humanly accomplish. The space within the center of the coruscant ring of divine magic was blacker than the darkest night, before a crystalized tear split it across the middle.

Then the rip opened as an eyelid would, revealing a colorless void within.

But that space was soon filled with numerous dots, enlarging before spilling forth from the wound in space like copious black tears.

I Reinforced my eyesight to see what they were, and cursed. I recognized those stitched-together bodies, their faces entrapped behind a mask depicting rage and agony, and those dead eyes literally glowing with foul necromancy.

Risen.

Where had they come from? Was this the Warp magic the Grimleal used to transport their undead puppets across great distances?

But those questions died an early death as another figure emerged from the center of the mysterious portal. It was a young man, wearing the robes of a Ylissean magician. His intelligent maroon eyes were behind a set of oval spectacles, and his short burgundy hair partially hidden underneath his wide-brimmed wizard's hat.

I was using [Structural Analysis] as the teenager fell from the portal and hit the sand below.

NAME: Laurent, the Academic Mage

AGE: 16

CLASS: Mage

LEVEL: 19

EXP: 81 / 100

HIT POINTS: 38 / 38

STRENGTH: 14

MAGIC: 25

SKILL: 23

SPEED: 20

LUCK: 21

DEFENSE: 39­ (+26)

RESISTANCE: 66­ (+44)

STATUS: Disoriented, Grieving

It was Laurent, future son of Miriel (a member of Chrom's Shepards) and one of the children who escaped from a doomed future to save the past.

~Current Stats~

NAME: ???

AGE: 23­ (+2)

CLASS: ???

LEVEL: 18­ (+3)

EXP: 44 / 100

HIT POINTS: 50 / 50­ (+3)

STRENGTH: [25]

MAGIC: 21­ (+2)

SKILL: [24]­ (+3)

SPEED: [24]­ (+4)

LUCK: 0

DEFENSE: 20­ (+3)

RESISTANCE: [24]­ (+3)

~Current Skills~

PERSONAL SKILL 1: Projection, Trace Version

PERSONAL SKILL 2: Inventory of the Wild Hero

PERSONAL SKILL 3: [E̶̢͒̎͝R̸̗̫̝̫͋̏̉Ŗ̶̯͂̒O̸̲̘̜͍̎́̓R̸̺͕͌̚͠!]

SKILL 1: Too Angry To Die!

SKILL 2: Reinforcement

SKILL 3: Poison Immunity

SKILL 4: N/A

SKILL 5: N/A

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