Chapter 20

Fresh air.

The smell of nature.

The warmth of the sun and the sound of birds chirping.

How long had it been since Regis had felt this?

All of these things melding together felt like a blissful dream, one that any in her position would want to linger in.

This was just a dream after all.

There was no feasible way she'd be out on the surface, not after all this time… not after everything that happened…

All she could do now was protect the magic of her lord for what remained of her life.

As the sun washed over her pale skin, she longed to bask in its glow once more, to see the blue sky one last time.

That endless azure sea that finally gave her freedom.

Slowly Regis opened her eyes, expecting a scene from the past, only to be caught off guard by the small yet cozy log cabin she found herself in now.

The imposing and darkened armor she donned is now being replaced with a simple villager's outfit.

Brown slacks, a loose yet comfy tan shirt, simple yet relaxing socks… there was even a pair of boots left for her by the bed.

Looking around she saw her armor and sword resting nearby, unguarded and free to grab.

Much to her surprise the equipment all looked immaculate, only a few battle scars remained on the surface.

Quickly she looked down, letting out a sigh of relief as she saw that her prized possession was still around her neck.

A simple ruby jewel in black iron hung there, it had been a vampiric artifact but now… it meant so much more.

Cautiously she stood up, knowing she shouldn't let her guard down in this situation, no matter how much she wanted to.

Though she didn't grab her sword, instead glancing around a little more, trying to take in everything fully.

This place seemed to be small in size, yet was big enough to comfortably house her along with some notable supplies.

A bed next to one of the only windows.

Full wardrobe with a closet next to it for extra space.

The display mannequin with her armor and weapon.

A kitchen with the minimal needed supplies.

Lastly, a dining table with what looked to be a bottle of honey wine on it.

Her mind was racing, trying to piece together what was going on when the front door creaked open behind her, causing her to grab the bottle as a defensive weapon… only to relax a bit upon seeing another unarmed individual standing there.

He wore an outfit similar to hers, his blonde hair lightly blowing in the breeze, in his hands a basket filled with food.

"Ah, it's good to see you awake." Ryder's voice was calm and kind, filled with understanding. "Sorry I wasn't here to greet you, but I figured you'd like some fresh food when you finally woke up."

Regis stares at him for a moment, contemplating her actions before nodding and letting him walk inside.

Cautiously she watches him, making sure he doesn't try anything… though much to her comfort it's only food that is pulled from the basket.

Fresh baked bread, honey and butter, bacon that still smells sizzling hot, even freshly picked apples rested on the table now.

With a smile Ryder motions to the food on the table. "Please, help yourself, I imagine you must be starving."

Though she half expected the food to be poisoned it was impossible to refuse, her stomach begged for her to at least snack on the smallest apple.

With hesitance in her heart and a small frown on her face Regis takes a seat at the table, cautiously taking a piece of bacon and eating it.

The Death Knight's senses were quickly overwhelmed with the nostalgic texture and taste, a wave of joy washing over her as she quickly begins to wolf down the food around her.

It was real food, not rations, not mana puddles, not even mushrooms.

This was truly food.

Ryder stares at her surprised before reaching into the basket and producing two bottles of crystal clear water. "Easy there, I get that you're hungry but if you go too fast you'll choke."

Before he can even set the bottle down it's snatched from his hand, Regis practically drinking it all in one gulp.

A sigh of pleasure escapes her lips as she practically slams it down on the table, a smile forming on her face.

Her eyes soften up, focusing on Ryder a bit more, now seeing him not as a threat but a potential friend.

"Thank you… whoever you are, I must say it's been quite some time since I've been able to just enjoy myself like this." Regis spoke for the first time, her voice a bit quiet but rather deep and velvety smooth, a natural charm flooding out.

It was enough to make one think she'd be highly sophisticated nobility, but the way she handles herself makes it seem quite the opposite.

A small chuckle escapes Ryder's lips before he waves off the praise. "It's no big deal, I'm just glad I could be of some assistance."

"You have been of great assistance, though I must ask… where am I? And what have I been doing?" she tiredly asks, her mind still clouded over by an impenetrable fog, only the important memories remaining clear.

Ryder's eyes seem to tense a bit, clearly trying to find the right words as he takes a seat. "Well, I hope you're ready for some rather interesting news… but you've been under some kind of brainwashing spell for… well… who knows how long?"

Surprisingly not a single ounce of concern is on Regis' face, rather a bit of disappointment and understanding. "I see, I suppose that explains this fog in my mind at the moment." she crosses her arms and closes her eyes for a moment. "Though I'm surprised it happened near my lord's tomb… I wonder what caused it."

"Sorry, we still aren't sure of that, however I can tell you where you're currently located." without a second thought he produces a small map of the island and places it on the table. "Currently we're here, near Jules Village, named after the outlander who secured it."

Suddenly Regis' eyes go wide as she looks at the map, letting out a surprised yell as she grabs hold of it. "Where are we?!"

"We're on this island… is that a bad thing?" Ryder's voice holds a bit of worry and hesitance now, unsure if he just upset her.

"Boy, do you know what this island's name is?!" she slams the map back down onto the table, her eyes getting a little more serious.

"No, why? Is it important?" he leans back in his chair, trying to hopefully put a little more distance between them.

"Oh for the love of-" Regis pinches the bridge of her nose. "How long have I been in that bloody cave for this to have happened?!"

"I don't know, but if I had to guess, a long time, after all it seems like most of the residents don't even seem to keep the places fixed up anymore… oh! I might know someone who knows!" Ryder states before turning to the door and yelling. "Eleanor! Can you come here please!"

After a bit of silence the door creaks open and the blonde haired maiden walks in, the soft smile on her face as usual. "Pardon the intrusion…" her voice is as soft as ever.

Regis looks her up and down, the gears turning in her mind. "So, there are still memento maidens… that's good at least."

"Eleanor, sorry for the weird question, but what's the name of the island and what year is it?" the champion asks kindly, his smile still faltering a bit.

"Well… this is the Island of Wernt and I'm sorry but I don't remember the year currently… I think it might be due to the fractured time." Eleanor ponders for a moment. "I think before this started it was… 5058?"

A wave of disbelief washes over Regis as she sinks back in her chair. "No way… I've been in there so long they've even forgotten the original name of this island." she sighs a bit. "I guess that's what happens when you're locked up for three thousand years…"

Eleanor gasps. "three thousand years?! Then you're from back then?!"

Regis raises an eyebrow before connecting the dots. "Ah, you mean during the unity of Terminus?"

The mirror maiden quickly nods, a smile forming on her face. "Of course! That era has become nothing but a myth to most of us! All that remains is all the ruins…"

"Well I can imagine, hardly anything stands the test of time, only those of us cursed with immortality can." the death knight shrugs a little. "Though I will say, I think the island's current name is better, heck my lord probably would've liked it more as well."

"Who was your lord, if you don't mind me asking… as there were many kings, queens and conquerors back then." Eleanor nervously asks, now taking a seat next to Ryder.

"Hm? Well I mean if I was found here it should be obvious, the Astral Lord and First Great Lord…" Regis pauses, looking perplexed. "Huh, weird, I can't remember his name, I guess he wasn't lying about that…"

Ryder looks at her, raising an eyebrow as if to question her. "You can't remember? What, did you serve The Forgotten?"

"If that's what the First Great Lord is known as now, then yes, yes I did." she happily grabs a big chunk of bread, basically eating it whole. "I was actually his right hand man, his sword against all foes."

"Then can you tell us what the hell is going on here?!" Ryder seems to get excited, hoping that this could finally be the key to learning more.

"Maybe, but I need more information about what's going on first." the death knight calmly states, while now also taking Ryder's bottle for herself.

With nothing to lose Ryder begins explaining everything that they knew so far, down to the last detail.

Even up to saving her and losing Lily.

"Hmm I see… unfortunately this sounds like some apocalyptic spell that an Astral Lord would develop, can't know for sure though without finding a source." The death knight casually states without much care. "All spells have an origin point, whatever it may be, could be a person or location, it's probably a location though."

Eleanor nods in agreement. "Yes, if it is truly a spell then a large location would be needed, especially if time truly is shattered."

"Oh it certainly is, Hellfang Teach was an infamous pirate back in the early 1350s, if he is here then no year is truly current…" her calm tone shocks and surprises both Ryder and Eleanor, as they expected her to be more shell shocked. "What? I've dealt with a lot crazier serving my lord, stuff many wouldn't even believe."

"You have? Well I guess that could be a benefit. Do you think you could help us take down Teach? I get the feeling a pirate won't be as eager to talk things out, especially considering the state the island is in." Ryder sighs while resting his head in his hand.

Regis thinks for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I don't think I can, at least not with Teach himself." She pauses and lifts up her amulet. "This thing hasn't been glowing the entire time I woke up, meaning whatever you did drained all power I had stored up, meaning it'll take time before I'm back to full power."

"But you can still help in other ways, right?" Eleanor desperately asks, locking eyes with the death knight.

She thinks for a moment before nodding. "If it's just your typical pirates and thieves, then yeah, I shouldn't have any problem with them… could help build up my energy reserves again." Casually she grabs an apple and looks it over. "How much do you two know about Teach exactly?"

"Not much, only that he's the so-called Lord of this land and is slowly draining everyone he gets his hands on." Ryder states, pausing as he sees a smile form on Regis' face.

"Aye, that sounds like Teach alright, the only pirate to brandish the Lord's Rite as a weapon…" without any warning a small red sigil begins to glow on the back of her hand. "The Lord's Rite is a spell unique to those who are either born with it, or to those who prove themselves worthy. I and many of my colleagues were in the second group."

Suddenly the light begins to glow faster and brighter until suddenly all life is drained from the apple, all color and smell vanishing in an instant. All that remains in her hand is dust that begins to drift away in the wind.

"The Lord's Right changes depending on the person wielding it, but for the most part it remains as the ability to take knowledge from someone… but it can also be used to gift knowledge as well." Regis holds her hand out. "Outlander, let me see your hand for a second, if your kind is truly worthy then you should already have the potential to use it."

Though uncertain about whether he could trust the death knight or not, Ryder holds his hand out, allowing Regis to gently take it in her own.

A strong, electrical feeling surges through his hand, causing him to tighten his grip a bit.

"First time receiving an influx of mana? Don't worry, you get used to it-" Regis began, only to stop, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked at the sigil. "Well… I'll be damned…"

There on Ryder's hand was a pitch black sigil, glowing with a vicious dark light, the sound of a flame crackling becoming prominent in the room alongside the smell of smoke.

It was a very peculiar feeling, the energy flowing through him at that moment, it felt… powerful, unstoppable even.

"You weren't lying about the guardian then… I've only known one man bearing that dark magic, the power that comes from beyond the stars." Regis has a very serious look in her eyes as she focuses on the champion, tightening her hold on his hand. "This is powerful… but you know what my lord said about it?"

A chill runs down Ryder's spine as he returns the stare, unsure of what to think now. "What?"

"This power is destruction, devouring everything including the soul. Its darkness is powerful… but also corrupting if you are your own worst enemy." Regis' voice gets colder, venomous almost. "Remember that, for if you lose yourself in the darkness… no one will pull you out."

Eleanor's eyes sparkle a bit. "That was part of The First Great Lord's mantra! Take neither light nor dark for granted, while either may help-"

Regis lets go of Ryder now, her eyes softening a bit. "Only you can be the ruler of your mind." a bittersweet smile forms on her face. "It's good to see his warnings at least survived to this day…"

Ryder looks at his sigil once more, a slew of emotions stirring inside, though he knew he couldn't just turn away from this power.

It was something he'd need to use… it was the only thing evening the tables for him right now.

"I'll use it to the best of my abilities! Though, it would be nice to learn more about it when I get the chance." Ryder's slight charismatic and upbeat tone returns as he lightly rubs the sigil on his hand.

"Well, after we take care of Teach how's about I teach you both what I know?" Regis leans back in her chair, a more relaxed smile finding its way onto her face. "After all it seems like you could use all the help you could get."

"That'd be a huge help… thank you." Ryder and Eleanor bow their heads in a respectful manner, joy washing over them.

After all, how could they not feel joyous? The meeting with the fearsome death knight had gone smoother than expected.

With a smile Regis slowly stood up, stretching a bit before walking to grab her sword. "Well, shall we be off then? If I'm going to be of service I'll need to meet with those in charge."

"Actually about that… there's no need to go anywhere." Ryder nervously states, trying to find the right words for his explanation. "You see, I didn't know how our conversation would go, so I had our most reliable fighters waiting outside, just in case you went into a blind rage."

Regis stares at Ryder, a small look of surprise on her face until she bursts out laughing. "And here I thought I was dealing with a fool!" after calming down her smile returns. "Turns out you're smarter than I gave you credit for boy, keep up those tricks and you'll live longer than most."

Without waiting for a response she walks over to the front door, throwing it wide open and marching outside, enjoying the sun on her face and wind blowing through her hair.

The group of players sitting outside were surprised by this sudden move, many readying their weapons until Ryder spoke up.

"It's okay guys! She's on our side!" His panicked voice was a bit muffled, but he could somewhat be seen behind the imposingly tall figure of Regis.

Her eyes glanced over everyone, seeming slightly intrigued by the outlanders on display before her.

"So, you lot were the ones who wanted my help, yeah?" Her voice is surprisingly cheerful as she steps down into the grass, looking at Aranea specifically. "Well you've got it, though I'm going to need to know all the details, especially with who we're working with."

A bit taken aback by her personality, Aranea takes a moment to gather herself before speaking. "Well, what you see is mainly what you get, all of us here embody what Outlanders are like, though unfortunately not many of us will actually be on the frontline… the Lord Hunter dwindled our numbers drastically."

"Well, you seem capable enough, and I've had to fight with worse so whatever." Regis shrugs before resting her hand on the pommel of her sword. "Now, you said mainly, I take it there are others?"

"There is one group, a roving band of merchants from the mainland, they're led by a Northern Isen who goes by the name Delvia." Aranea relays the information, though seems a bit troubled by the name. "She seems good hearted, but certainly knows how to get everything she wants."

"Oh, tell me about it, all northern merchants are well trained artists." Regis nods in understanding. "If we have one such as her on our side though, well we should have a strong enough army to repel Teach's forces currently."

"How do you know? With the power he has currently he could easily destroy any villages-" Aranea begins, only to be cut off by Regis.

"Easy, he has power, not his army, we hold them back with the support of the merchants, then the one bearing the black flame duels him to the death, devouring his knowledge and rite." She looks back at Ryder. "Meaning you'll be taking on the big responsibility of being the new lord candidate."

"What?! Why me?! Can't someone else do it?" Ryder looks at everyone, desperation in his eyes. "I know I have the flame, but why do I have to be the candidate?"

"Relax, you're all already technically candidates… but without knowledge like Teach's you aren't a big threat." she replies, sighing a bit. "Besides, no one else here has that flame meaning you're currently the best suited to fight him in a duel. You can nullify most of his defense and natural armor after all."

Seeing no way out of this position he lets out his own sigh, giving up the argument. "Alright, I guess I'll do it then."

"Good!" With a toothy grin Regis looks back to the others. "Now as for the rest of you, get ready… we have a counter attack to prepare!"