2 The Great Shift

The Great Shift, an event that happens once every millennia, had started in our era. The records from the previous era mentioned that the Great Shift would last for 20 years, as monsters from unknown dimensions would flock into this world and kill all of its inhabitants.

It was unknown why and when the Great Shift first happened, but after each shift, an era of prosperity would inevitably follow.

But only if mankind successfully survives the waves of monsters that would seemingly flood the world once a year. And one of those times...was today.

"Lancell? Are you okay? Your face is pale."

"A-Ah. I'm alright. I just got dizzy for an instant."

The one I was talking to was Lina, my childhood friend from the here, in the village of Slaith, our birthplace. And I know, today this place would get annihiliated.

"I think you should rest, Lancell."

As always, she had always been the gentle elder sister to me, but she had never survived the start of the Great Shift. However, it's different this time...

I grabbed her hand as I said.

"Quick! Follow me, we have to get out of here!"

She was surprised my pull as she resisted my hand.

"Follow you? Where?"

"I have a place I can think of. Hurry up!"

I kept pulling her making her think it was a prank. This was the best way to convince her, as the monsters that would soon come are something on a different level that your usual goblins.

"Wait, slow down! I can run by myself! How can you even run this far without getting tired, anyway?"

'Huh? Come to think of it, I'm now back to my 12 year old self, how did I run this fast... wait...'

An absurd thought came to mind as I then checked my chest with my magical perception.

'Wait, this feeling...Arkenvalle?'

It was my sword, the divine weapon I had condensed as a Hero. Heroes were not actually a chosen person kind of thing, as Heroes referred to the people who cultivated the Path of Heroism. A specialized branch in the path of light. It was a path that gave powerful physical abilities and large scale area of attacks, at the price that all spells must be first performed with a chant.

There were a lot of person who had condensed a divine weapon, but I was one of the people who condensed the strongest attacking capabilities. It's not limited to a sword either, it could be any weapon that the owner has most talent in.

Divine weapons were weapons that strengthen their owner as well increasing growth speed, it was the true appeal of the Hero Path, and the only reason I chose to be a hero in the first place.

"Hey! Lancell! You went in a daze all of a sudden! Are you really all right?"

"I'm fine, I just remembered something. Anyway, can you keep up?"

"It's okay. I've rested now."

And so, we continued moving. We continued running all the way to the forest, I hid inside a certain hollowed tree that I used to play and blocked it as we entered.

Lina saw my actions and gripped my shoulders as she asked.

"Hey Lancell, something's obviously wrong with you! You've been strangely pushy ever since a while ago. We've done what you want, so let's go back now, okay?"

I went silent for a bit, and answered.

"It's too late now. There's nowhere to go back."

"Huh? What are you talki—"

"Go climb to top of this tree. The village should be visible from here."

She wanted to argue, but knowing me, she knew I wouldn't budge. I was just like that, once I set my mind to something, I'll see it through the end. Even if it meant dragging those above me down.

Lina climbed from the hollow top the led to a branch outside, and proceeded to the top. I followed behind her as I saw her expression shift into that of horror.

I looked at where she was looking at, and saw something similar to what I always saw. It was a massacre.

15 feet tall monsters that resembled trolls, but had pitch black skin and four tentacles in their back that's as large as their arms, was ravaging the town, breaking every house they see, eating every person they can find, and killing all the livestock they reach. They were called Murder Trolls as they were an unknown variant of trolls that was sole focused on murder.

It was nightmare. I could practically hear their screams as I saw their expression with my enhanced vision.

But as I observed, I suddenly noticed one of them shift its attention here. My eyes widened as I looked towards Lina. It seems she was visible from there as she stood at the very top.

'Shit, this is bad. I can't beat them yet.'

"Lina! Let's go! We've been seen!"

I called out to Lina but she didn't respond. She's terrified.

'Argh! Damn this.'

I pulled Lina downward and she lost her balance as she fell downwards, I jumped and caught her as I materialized Arkenvalle as it strengthened my body further.

Carrying her with my left hand and Arkenvalle in the right, I landed on my feet as the ground made a slight depression from the momentum of our landing.

I then willed the Arkenvalle to vanish as I held Lina with both hands as I ran deeper into the trees.

...

"Let go..." A soft voice spoke as I ran. It was Lina who was still being carried.

She then suddenly resisted as she tried to free herself from my grasp and yelled.

"Let go!!"

"No" I denied.

"You'll die if you go there" I added.

"They need help—"

"But you can't help them! You can't do anything than get mercilessly murdered by those monsters!! So shut up!!" I cut her off and yelled at her. Her expression pained as she looked at me and...

SLAP!!

"What is wrong with you?!! They're not just people! They're our family! Everyone is! Why are you abandoning them?!!"

I kept my silence.

"Say something! Why won't yo—"

"Shit!" As she was speaking, I suddenly cut her off as I then threw her away. The next instant later...

BOOM!!

An dust flew everywhere as the monster that saw us earlier had finally caught up, falling from the sky as it landed with a loud boom.