Moon IV

"Let's … play a guessing game." She giggled a bit.

"Ugh, you do like to tease me, don't you?"

"What's your guess then?"

Ervian pouted. "A month." Answering randomly.

Adelle just couldn't help herself silently chuckling seeing him making that face. "Oh come on. Don't answer me like that."

"I … felt like … it's kinda hard to pin down."

"Can you describe to me how you felt at that time?"

"It's, the only thing I could think of was to live. But, it scares me deeply that I'm stuck in that place for all my life."

There was a brief silence between the two. Not even one of them dared to make a tapping sound of a spoon to the bowl.

"Two years. The battle ended two years ago, Ervian."

Ervian was certainly sure that he felt he was wandering about in Nethereal for not even a year. But, he couldn't come up with a strong argument.

"It didn't surprise you?" she added.

"That's … a lot to process."

'What things could I've missed all this time, oh right!'

"What about the Invasion?"

A full-scale global assault by the demon race. They used meteors as teleportation nodes to reach the earth surface.

"It's over. That's what I'm referring to at times like this. It's a peaceful time now."

"That's … wonderful."

"Yeah, able to freely roam the land without worrying too much about those demons lurking around. They're just, really terrifying in both powers and looks."

She continued, "That being said, after the battle ended. The Alliance returned and sealed the Great Gate so that nothing could travel between the two realms anymore. So it's like, you were left when the army returned. How is that possible?"

Images of painful memories suddenly reside back on his mind. Something that he wished never happened.

"I–i …."

Ervian looked away without aim, clenching teeth. "... got to save someone …."

'Actually it was both of us that were down.'

Adelle quickly wanted to follow up that statement with how it goes. But, she went silent as the answer could be seen in his expression.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"It's fine, I guess. I'm glad that my days wandering alone in Nethereal are over."

"Yeah. I know how lonesome it is."

'Lonesome ….'

Now that she mentioned it. After all these chatters, Ervian realized it's just him and her. There isn't any neighboring noise beside birds. Not to forget that Gramps she introduced was away for days.

"Well, it's getting dark. I'll prepare supper. Next time, if you need anything, don't be a cat to ask. Just, don't wake me up like the last time you did, haha."

"Umm, sorry about that. May I ask then?"

"Go on."

"Where are we? I mean, location, continent's name might help."

"It's east of the nearby town, Rumabel. For the continent, it's Trensia, center part."

"I see, thank you."

"Sure. I'll be in the kitchen if you need something."

Sound of her footsteps on the wooden floor slowly faded away. Makes him wonder how big this house is exactly.

'I had never known about the town of Rumabel, but if it is Central Trensia, then Lamantia kingdom is further to the east of Trensia. Months of horse riding.'

He let his body hit the couch backrest. Such relaxation was second to none compared with anything in Nethereal, where there were only rocks.

The Kingdom of Lamantia was his hometown.

'But, I don't have any reason to go back. The war is over. People who once knew me must've thought I died. It's a perfect start here.'

Ervian let out a sigh. Even though his simple plan of having a normal life draws near, there's still something that eclipses his mind.

'Yet, the gift of six Primordial Crystals still lives on me ….'

He is concerned about a divine vision that he saw when he was in Nethereal.

This particular divination ability is beyond Ervian's control. It was a wisdom given by the blessing of Primordial Crystals to accompany the prowess of their gifted one.

'I saw those six Crystals were floating around under my hand. I took command of them. In front of me stood a large stone structure with runes carved on them, what was known as The Great Gate. There, I looked back to witness destruction that was laid by rampaging demons. Then, I stepped forward to enter the desolated realm. Later, the vision vanished.'

This was surely a bad sign at times like this. Asking Adelle surely won't help since she has nothing to do with it, which leads Ervian to have a long sigh.

'Wish you were still here, Lika ….'

Feeling of powerlessness runs deep in him despite that he owns the greatest blessing of Venevisium. His mind curses himself that he fails to save a single person.

'Excruciating …. Still, It's all but past now.'

Burying the pain behind, he decided to recall the aftermath of the divine vision. Bright green aura suddenly radiated from his body at that moment. He tried to grasp it more clearly, focusing his mind to reach its source.

Ervian then commands his Vis of Inanis, an Aspect which is linked to the void. Its special properties allows him to shift the form of any material into raw Vis so that said item could be reserved into one's Vis flow. Fancy words for portable storage.

With concentrations of such Aspect in hand, he summoned forth source of the aura. Grayish magical energy formed a cluster then welded together into a shape that he could easily hold with one hand.

The Vis of Inanis finally dispersed, leaving a green translucent Crystal of Terra, one of the Six Primordials.

'I almost forgot that this thing was with me all this time. I wonder how fare the king of Troya is. He was the one that made this deal with me.'

But now, he can only be patient until his power is back … and Adelle too.

"You are so silent that I almost forgot someone else is here."

Speak of the devil.

Ervian gave his awkward laugh. "I was just thinking about something."

"If it is about potatoes, you have them baked now."

'Never thought that one day I would be so dependent on others like this.'

"I'm sorry to burden you even at the smallest thing like this, Adelle."

"Well, your case is just unusual. One time, Gramps and I took care of a person who came here out of nowhere similar to you. But, he wasn't from Nethereal. His teleportation Vis was disrupted by the portal here. We kept it secret from him and sent him back to Rumabel."

"Will you send me to Rumabel, too?"

"Of course, no. Gramps didn't say anything about that."

"I see. Well, I am more than glad to be able to pay you and Gramps back one day."

"Geez, you sure like to fret about it. Don't worry then. I'll make sure you pay it until you feel it fair and square, hehe."

"O-okay …."

'Sounds super fishy. Well, I just hope that no one will blow my cover.'