Meeting in the Courtyard

Dante was relieved to finally see Micheal. He had no idea what had happened at the meeting. The last thing he could remember was talking to Nova about.... Something?

"I cleared your name, I told them about how your mind was being controlled by Nova, and you went berserk!" Micheal explained to the lost Dante.

Maximillion walked up, with the jangle of his keys echoing through the room. He lifted up his keys and put them into the door locking Dante in. The rusting door creaked open and Dante slowly walked out. Dante looked relieved to finally be out. Maximillion grabbed a bag out of a huge pile that had Dante's name on it and threw it at him. Dante grabbed the bag and opened it, seeing all the stuff that had been stripped off his body since he was put behind bars. Maximillion led the two young heroes back outside. Micheal began walking towards the palace once again. This time Dante followed behind him.

As they walked to the palace, Micheal explained what had happened during that night, and how Julia was killed by the L-shaped weapon.

"You mean a gun?" Dante said disappointingly.

As they made their way to the palace, Dante explained what a gun was to Micheal, and explained all that he had remembered from that night. Everything that happened was cloudy in Dante's mind. Micheal explained how the king had ordered all the warriors and soldiers to meet at the palace courtyard that day since the plans had changed from when they had originally called everyone.

They arrived at the palace courtyard shortly after. They saw what seemed to be every strong person in the capital waiting for the king to give a speech. The king looked around and made eye contact with Micheal. He gave a grin, and stepped up onto a large stage. Maximillion walked up to Micheal and grabbed his hand. He forcefully led him up onto stage, even though Micheal tried to make him stop.

"I did not consent to this!?" Micheal said to Maximillion as they pushed through the crowd.

"I don't remember asking for it." Maximillion said back as he pushed Micheal to the front with the rest of the guards. Micheal was now standing on stage with the king. His cheeks glew red in embarrassment as he was now at the center of attention. He looked around at the crowd. He saw a few faces that he knew. He saw Dante, Tyson, and even some the Marketwires, such as Luna and Sunny. Dante was further back laughing his ass off at seeing Micheal start panicking. Micheal could almost hear what that orc would say at a time like this.

"WhAtS wRoNg MiKe L, hArPeR gOt YoUr ToUnGe?"

Tyson looked at Micheal, chuckling and giving a fat thumbs up under his cloak. He saw Luna and Sunny arguing or something. Then he looked back at the king. King Kadema cleared his throat and the crowd settled down. What once a smug look on his face, turned dead serious in an instant. Micheal looked around the stage and saw Princess Naomi. He smiled and waved to her. Her face immediately gleaned red and matched the color Micheal's face was. He was still confused with this reaction, perhaps she was anti-social?

The king then pointed at Micheal, saying "Right Micheal?" with a big grin. Micheal turned back away from the princess and at the king. "Huh?" Micheal said as he waited for the king to repeat himself. "As I was saying…" King Kadema said as he turned back to the crowd, "We are having Micheal lead the group going after Nova in hopes of retrieving the crystal that has been stolen from us." Micheal looked shocked.

"After I give our great hero, Micheal, his reward, we shall meet again and set off toward Nova's location." The King said as he smiled and put his hand on Micheal's back, leading him off stage. He grabbed Maximillion and Princess and shoved them towards Micheal. "As for his reward… Just take him to the market place so he can get anything he will need to stop Nova."

Maximilian was laughing at Micheal's reaction and said "So where are you going first, hero boy?" Micheal grabbed Maximillion and Naomi's hand and ran towards the markets. They shortly arrived at the large market. There were stands full of food, weapons, anything an adventurer would need. Dante caught up and stopped in front of Micheal.

"I need to get supplies for when we track down that damned Nova!"

"I need stuff equipment, and materials to get to the next step! I beat Nova's face in when I was Step 1, so if I get to Step 2, I'll definitely be set."

Micheal still had Naomi and Maximillion's hands, and continued to pull them to the many stores set up nearby. Naomi forcefully pulled her hand away from Micheal. Her face was just as red as the fabled monster Maelstrom, the monster who Micheal learned about in his village, that took kids who stayed up at 4am. She pulled her hand close to her chest.

"If you're looking for supplies to advance in your Pathways, I recommend the shop in the Eastern district, called Johnathan's Armoury. They sell anything from armour, weapons, or shields, but most importantly, ingredients you'll need to advance to the next Step in your Pathway!" she said.

Micheal looked at Naomi, and they both nodded to each other. Micheal then started heading for the shop. He finally could get closer to living the life he had imagined in the village.

"Hey, you do realize that the Eastern district is that way, right? Maximillion said pointing in the polar opposite direction Micheal was heading towards.

Micheal blushed, and without a word changed direction and began walking closer to his dream.

As they were walking, Naomi looked over at Micheal. Despite not knowing where to go, his face radiated confidence as he walked. She blushed, but then put on a serious face and started, "Micheal, I feel as if your really underestimating Nova. This may seem like a minor incident, but even now, mere hours after the event, countless people at a higher step than you are working towards remedying this. This whole force being put together by the king, at this point is really just a small mercenary team at this point.

Micheal was confused, "Underestimating Nova? Isn't it just a matter of a sneak attack? According to what I read, his pathway doesn't have much to defend against a strong force or sneak attacks until really high steps! Also, he may ha--"

"You fool!" He was interrupted by Maximillion. Remember what these steps signify. Steps towards godhood! Most people don't even see a person at step 6 their whole lives! Every single step is a qualitative change in a person. In the past, before sentient races had invented pathways, hundreds of armed men at walls would fall against a few wild animals, whose strengths could be compared to a step 3 or 4! Villages would get wiped out by a single animal should they have strength similar to a step 5 of today! This is what we suspect Nova to be! In addition, he was heavily armed. All in all, perhaps not even a step 6 could have defeated our guards so easily! A step 6 has the force of an army by existing!"

Micheal was flabbergasted! "That can't be!" 'If Nova was truly that powerful, I wouldn't be standing here today!'

"Indeed, it is." Naomi confirmed. "Honestly, most people attribute your success to luck, including the king and I. I follow you, however, for other reasons." As she said that, she blushed.

Before the sun had set, they arrived at Jonathan's Armoury. Micheal, Naomi, and Maximillion walked into the shop. The first thing they saw was a short man wearing no clothes chasing around a swan.

"Oh….customers…" the man said.