Arc 1 Special Chapter: A Short Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own Gate or Nihon-koku Shoukan as it belongs to its rightful owners.

Arc 1 Special Chapter: A Short Aftermath

When a man ventures into the region itself, it would always give him the shivers.

A band of Imperial soldiers' simple journey felt like they were on a path to conquer a hundred kingdoms. A sense of exhaustion and discomfort weighed heavily on their shoulders, and despite being informed and properly prepared for this mission, they still questioned whether this was the right thing to do.

Silence had been reigning for days since they left the capital gates.

A long single file of horses traveled across the vast green fields surrounded by valleys, hills, and towering mountains. Despite the fact that the weather was calm that day, the strong wind persisted and a certain tension in the air remained.

Darius was still lost in his own thoughts. There was no reason to question why he was given a much larger group of soldiers for this small expedition. That's why, before leaving, he gave these men time to talk and say goodbye to their families, knowing that the inevitable could just be around the corner. Aside from the well-known lands, The Region of Alnus is no exception, with a good number of sacred and cursed lands, giving the group plenty of reason to be wary and cautious.

He already knew that they were the ones next in line for this simple expedition, and with the task of locating an important individual, who had sought refuge into one of these cursed lands, what could possibly go wrong?

The man had heard the tales ever since he was a young boy.

The Urban Legend of a certain land was infamous for shedding the innocent blood of those who dared to settle there. In an unexpected twist, the legend itself was well-documented, with accounts from travelers, merchants, and even soldiers who passed through or ventured into the area itself. These same people considered themselves fortunate to have survived even for a few minutes. They all claimed the same details, ranging from vengeful spirits attempting to take them away from the living world to demonic creatures emerging from the depths of the underworld to claim their blood.

For their case, the perspective on the subject at hand was very different. Apparently, the previous groups prior and that were tasked for the same expedition, had never returned. Not even a single survivor made a presence.

This kind of scenario prompted the young captain to request a guide. A Guide who is more knowledgeable about the region itself, and the type of person who could assist them in locating the cursed land's exact location.

The young captain wondered why most expeditions, be it small or a grand one often did not request Guides or even assigned one.

Was it because of Pride?

Was it recklessness or just pure blind confidence?

"Sir Darius, May I ask, who's this person that is going to act as our guide?"

A voice of a boy called him out.

The young Imperial Captain looked at a brown-haired adolescent boy riding his own horse. To keep the identity in check, he donned a simple traveler's outfit with a design semi-influenced by the Empire.

Aidan is his name, raised in a simple family from one of the Empire's conquered territories. When he found out he was going to be assigned and be part of an Imperial Expedition as an observer, he was overjoyed in both his heart and his eyes. How could a new recruit like him be a part of such a simple yet important mission? He wasn't going to accept the simple explanation of him being an exception since he was a trainee under his wing; he knew there were more reasons behind this. He felt a shiver run down his spine when he realized he was part of a group heading towards the cursed land of legend.

For the first time, the boy felt this sense of dread. Never he had ever faced something that would be more akin to the supernatural. The demons and mythical creatures that he had heard from the countless tales told by his family and friends. The fact that he had disclosed this kind of venture from them, so they won't be filled with worry.

"Even I do not know."

With an unsure tone of voice, his superior responded to his question.

Who was this Guide exactly?

Wasn't He supposed to be with the rest of them during the early stages of the journey or even before they left the gates of the walled city?

"But, of all places, where can we meet him?" The boy then asked another question.

Darius only managed a sliver of a smile. He was indeed informed about him prior to the journey. A type of person even the prince himself recommends. Someone that is worth trusting and has no records of double-crossing people.

"No need to worry, we are almost there."

The wind grew stronger. As the small expeditionary force climbed and passed the supposed last ridge, they came across the same road path on a much larger field, but with a large crossroads located in the middle.

As the horses moved forward, Aidan's eyes were drawn to a figure standing in the middle of the crossroads. The tension in the air gradually increased, and before long, they were approaching the first leg of their journey. As they got closer to the crossroads, the figure's identity began to emerge.

The men were greeted by this new mystery. The supposed guide they were to meet was this veiled figure shrouded in silence. His face was hidden beneath his hood, with the exception of some sections of his facade, which revealed a modest traveler's outfit and a pair of light brown leather boots to cover his feet.

The Horses stopped their tracks as the Imperial Expedition had finally met their so-called Guide.

The silence continued to take charge in their surroundings, there was a brief moment when the soldiers seemed intimidated and felt fear creeping up to them, and if not for the veiled figure raising his hand as a sign of his own greeting.

"So you are the ones that I'm supposed to attend to?" The cloaked figure finally spoke, with youthfulness radiating in his voice. He kept his interest at a high level.

Darius simply nodded as a response.

"Yes, sire." He said, before adding." So you are the guide that He assigned for this expedition?" He then asked." Do you know where exactly is this forgotten settlement?"

The Guide smiled behind his hood." Of course Captain, the forest is not that far away from here." He explained, turning towards a certain direction." Just only a few miles to travel." He pointed towards the last view where a big portion of the forest could be seen, signaling the end of the journey.

"That we may finally reach our destination."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It wasn't the kind of scene they were truly expecting when they finally reached the land and forest itself.

The expeditionary force was first greeted by a simple huge sign of a village that appeared to be nearly destroyed and tattered. Furthermore, the place that came after had a completely different story to tell.

"So there was indeed a new settlement established here."

"Coda Village?"

The rest of the men began to wonder, and Darius dismounted from his horse as the young Imperial Captain began to instruct the men to explore the rest of the area, or what remained of the village itself, on foot. The paths leading to the other sections were small and unfit for the horses to navigate through.

As time continued on, there was this sense of tragedy the man had felt, seeing countless destroyed stalls, debris scattered everywhere, and even severely damaged shophouses as if a great battle had taken place in this very area. To which was actually true according to their mysterious Guide, yet the latter himself did not possess more details regarding this so-called battle.

One of the things that surprised him was that there was no evidence of any casualties, nor any bodies left behind. No slain or eaten villagers to be found, Though, stains of blood from the cobblestone path to the walls of the ruins were very noticeable.

It just fueled his confusion.

Whoever these villagers were fighting against, was no ordinary foe, to begin with. It was just a small hunch but he deduced the fact there was strong magic involved here. He could sense these small remnants of it scattered around the village.

Apart from the tragic scenery, there was one structure that caught the young Imperial captain's eye, while the rest were exploring the other parts of this former village, he proceeded towards the structure or what was left of it.

Even though it was the epicenter of a once lethal and powerful curse, the ruins of the village hall retained some of its dignity and former memory of what it used to be before. When the man entered the premises, he noticed a huge hole that spread throughout the roof, allowing the sun's rays to penetrate inside. In the middle of the empty hall, a huge circular symbol lay on the wooden floor, and a certain scroll is at the center of it.

"It can't be... "

He trailed off his words, immediately suspecting that someone had recently performed a lethal type of summoning magic.

But for what purpose?

On the semi-torn opened scroll itself, there were traces of blood that filled and covered the small incantations and symbols, revealing that of the inevitable. Darius' eyes widened in surprise when he recognized the writing on the scroll.

There was no doubt that this was a sacred artifact.

"So why did he bring it here of all places?" He wondered to himself.

It would be madness for a man to take a dangerous relic that had been passed down and carefully guarded against generation to generation, and then randomly release its evil on a village that had nothing to do with the current happenings around the mainland. Unless this was the exact place where it originally came from.

Besides the scroll, there was an unusual weapon that has yet to be issued to every captain and lieutenant of the Imperial Army. Darius forced a bitter and sad grin, recalling how the man was cautious of everything around him. The numerous times he had given him and the others, the same warning regarding the real truth about their home.

Unfortunately, no one ever believed his claims as he was deemed losing his own sanity. The next thing he knew, the man left the capital and headed across the land towards the Alnus Region, vowing to return with all the assistance that he can find and get.

There was this small worry that filled in for the rest of the days, and now, he finally discovered what really happened to him. Darius picked up the small weapon and continued to examine it. The barrel itself still had its bullets left, hinting that the man had participated in a battle of some sort or worst...

"By the looks of it, your friend met something terrible." A voice then broke the silence as a new presence arrived in the area.

The Imperial Captain's attention went towards a familiar figure in the form of a cloaked person, who had entered the premises.

"If you were to ask me, He partook this action as to bring the curse that plague this land, to an end."

The calm voice of the guide spoke, sharing his own thoughts regarding the matter.

Darius narrowed his eyes." What makes you say that?" He asked, wondering what this man had to do with the said event.

"Marcus wanted to avoid and seek refuge from the forces he had provoked, and whatever he had discovered there, is something worth investigating." The Guide explained, while slightly looking away.

"I'm afraid to say that the man met a tragic fate while pursuing his goals."

The hooded guide gave a slight chuckle in return.

"It's just my own guess sir, and from what I learned carrying a great burden will take one's sanity away." The Guide replied." For whatever happened in this land before, I could no longer sense the dark presence or even any remnants of it."

Darius remained silent this time. It was indeed true on what happened to the men who had previously held and guarded the relic, they all suffered the same fate, its power dragging them away from what they were used to be, to the point that they were ready to take their own lives or even commit the horrible acts.

However, in the man's case, it appeared that he took matters into his own hands in order to finally break the cycle that continued starting from his forefathers until the burden reached unto to him.

"It seems that he had eventually succeeded in his task." The guide then added while looking up towards the open hole in the roof, which showed the tranquil sky and sun.

"But with the cost of his life."

Just as the latter finished his sentence, the small Manacom crystal around the young Imperial Captain's neck began to glow, and a voice then spoke through it.

"Sir Darius, we request your presence immediately as possible." Apparently, one of the Imperial Soldiers said with a hint of worry and urgency in his voice.

The Imperial Captain shifted his gaze to the crystal Manacom and immediately held it. "I heard you clear as day sir, may I know what the current situation is?" He inquired, his curiosity rising as every second passed.

A few moments of silence passed as the Imperial Soldier replied with just a simple phrase.

"We finally located it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was in this very site that the former noble had supposedly stayed.

Miles away from the main area of the village, there was a small cabin that stood in front of the Imperial soldiers. After the news of the discovery had been announced to their own Manacoms, the majority of the soldiers immediately rushed to the said site. It was already a part of the norm to call most of everyone, just in case if there was ever a terrifying force that would emerge and greet them with a chance to meet death.

They had learned their lesson from previous encounters.

One might expect a dragon or a demon to emerge from a certain structure or a shelter. It was thought that in places like these, dark creatures like them could easily ambush their prey. Another aspect that would be considered a threat is the ability of some of these creatures to cast a spell of illusion to trick and confused their minds.

Completely to let their guard down and become instantly vulnerable.

The small expedition force did not have any arch-mage or mages brought along with them. They'd really wished that their group would have one when they began the journey, but unfortunately, they had to handle this mission without them. Yet, despite all the fears and warnings, the soldiers were able to muster up the courage and proceeded to open the doors to the cabin.

A sigh of relief came out from the boy.

Aidan understood that everyone was relieved that nothing had come out of the structure. They walked inside as soon as they opened the door to assess and clear the surroundings of any potential dangers and threats.

Not long after, the teenager safely found himself inside the cabin along with the rest of the men.

In comparison to the tragic but beautiful scenery outside, the interior of the cabin was even more bizarre and shocking. When the boy entered the first section of the hallway, he was greeted by a series of large eerie symbols and incantations written on the walls.

Every area and room inside the cabin was filled with the same drawings and writings, either made of ink or chalk.

A chill ran down Aidan's spine as he continued exploring the cabin still feeling unsettled regarding the writings on the walls. It was as if the man had really lost his sanity altogether or was it?

He did recognize one symbol found in every wall, and that symbol itself was considered belonging to one particular magic spell.

"Who or what was he trying to protect himself from?" He wondered as he tried to analyze the situation at hand.

Moving forward, the boy finally reached the main room, finding himself being greeted by stacks of books and documents scattered everywhere around the room. A beautiful mess that he had not seen before.

"Looks like sir Marcus was really that knowledgeable."

The boy let out another comment. Slowly believing what the rumors say regarding the man being a scholar during his time. He felt pity to see that a man, who was formerly looked up to by many, had fallen from his grace.

Aidan's attention then shifted towards a lone table beside the window. Particularly, his interest was piqued when he saw the crystal and a single small brown envelope beside it.

There was the familiar image of the Empire's old flag projecting from the crystal itself, revealing that the man's allegiance to his homeland had remained strong all along. However, it made the boy wonder why the latter had used the old flag rather than the current one.

Sadera, He believed, wanted to forget its past.

Yet there was something amiss here.

By then his gaze was drawn towards the small brown envelope on the table, noticing a small red seal engraved on it. He knew he can't open it due to the fact that the seal requires a more important individual to do it.

In just seconds, the silence was broken.

"Strange, Why would he fill his house with illusion spells and magical defensive barriers, if there were no threats, to begin with?"

Just then the voice of Captain Darius broke the silence as the man himself along with the second-in-command soldier entered the room.

"It's not far-fetched for the Empire to easily track down individuals accused of treason or sedition." The Second-in-command soldier explained, sharing his own theory and thoughts.

"The only difference is that they'll employ ones that don't belong to their own kind."

Darius simply nodded in understanding, as the young man observed the former noble's room. A sense of sadness overwhelmed him, wondering how a promising individual like him would end up in such a state. He was so persistent in wanting to dig deeper to find out a kind of truth that wouldn't surely exist.

Was the man truly that insane, or was he claiming to have discovered something that would change the course of this land's history?

"Captain Darius!"

And at that moment, the teenage boy called out to him, approaching with a certain brown envelope in his hand.

"I believe sir Marcus had written this letter for you," Aidan informed his superior, handing the supposed letter, contained inside the brown envelope, to the man.

Darius wasted no time as he took the envelope from the boy's hand. His eyes went to the small red noble seal itself, observing and wondering what his message would be this time around.

Slowly, a part of him encouraged the man to shift his gaze to a specific wall, where an illustration greeted him. Unlike the other incantations and symbols from the other rooms and areas, the illustration in front of him was presented as some sort of message. He recognized the Empire's small symbol, though it was hidden within a much larger drawing.

His eyes soon widened in surprise, placing the pieces back together inside his mind, just in time to see the whole picture. The man, speechless and shocked, stared at an image of a demonic creature on the wall, with the flag of the Empire, on top of its own large hands.

Others were stunned, and some were horrified. The artwork alone might send chills down their spines or give them nightmares for days. However, an idea immediately returned, especially in the thoughts of the young commander.

Not only did he feel a sense of fear, but so did the rest of the Imperial soldiers inside the room. Coming to the realization that they came across another subtle warning about the place they called "Home." for so many years.

Darius, still dazed by his own thoughts, turned his gaze to the small envelope. The man hoped that the real truth would be included in whatever message he read this time. However, the only words he could think of right now were:

"What in the world is going on?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sun did begin to set during the duration of the expedition's investigation on the former village.

For the first time in months, they were all grateful because luck was on their side. Throughout their exploration of the other areas of the village, they encountered no single threat or danger to their own safety. Aside from that, the only disadvantages they could draw from the investigation were that no new significant discoveries could be made, with a few exceptions of so-called small and empty golden iron metals located in some parts. Aside from that, this village was simply a victim of an unknown battle that occurred here.

Another place that is meant to be forgotten altogether.

There was no sign of any dark force or energy engulfing the entire land; instead, they could see swaths of a blue-green ethereal essence floating and encircling the various parts of the village. It was a relief to them to learn that the cursed location had been cleansed and returned to nature. Some of the soldiers would go on to claim that brave individuals had finally confronted the evil forces and put them to rest once and for all.

As hours passed, The time had finally come for the darkness to emerge again.

The day had finally come to an end as the moon slowly revealed its presence in the fading sky, and the night had arrived in the blink of an eye. Because of these occurrences, the group had finally concluded their mission for the day and set up camp in a nearby open field.

Silence had still reigned upon them but the mood in the air had calmed down letting the rest of the soldiers spend the night without fully worrying about what could befall them next.

Darius sat down on the grass and quietly gazed at the bonfire in front of him. While most of everyone was enjoying the rest they deserved, the young man spend time with his own thoughts, in an attempt to figure out and make sense of what had transpired.

"How is that even possible?" He asked himself, holding a piece of parchment which was revealed to be the letter itself, finally released from the envelope. "There has to be more than just losing one's sanity." He muttered to himself, his skepticism slowly being shattered.

By then, a familiar teenage boy arrived at the scene.

"Captain."

Aidan called his superior's attention, handing him what appeared to be a piece of Elven bread wrapped in Mallon leaves.

Darius smiled in return as he accepted the boy's offer." Thank you, Aidan." He said afterward.

The delicious taste of these thin cakes never gets old. According to a popular belief that one bite of it will fully satisfy one's stomach for a day. He never recalled being able to feel that certain hungriness in him, when he took a bite of the bread.

As time continued on, the boy also sat beside the young captain, noticing his bothered expression.

"Is everything alright sir?" The boy then asked." You looked very concerned."

The older man simply nodded in return." I am alright, Aidan." He said, taking a bite of the bread." I just need a little time to gather my thoughts and senses."

Silence befell for a few moments before a thought came to the boy.

"Is it true that the Empire is really bent on invading Qua-Toyne and uniting this continent?" He asked, often hearing the same old reason and motivation told by the many officials he had met before.

He was skeptical of it.

Darius could only sigh as he then let out a small chuckle afterward.

"Truthfully, I still have no clue regarding it." He soon explained." I've always been told since I was just a young child, that the Empire's motivation originated from a vow and an ambition to rise from the ashes of the last war. " He added. recalling how the nobles and even the common people were very supportive of that certain dream.

Till to this day that Sadera is still clinging to it, even though how it has already become twisted.

The boy just stared at him, his curiosity still at a high level.

"Although, I still wonder if that was really the case." Darius continued on, remembering a certain person from his past." My grandfather always reminded me to cautiously believe what other people relay." He explained as he could feel his hands slightly shaking.

Through him, he was able to learn some of Sadera's secrets, which were kept away from the public, and even to some of the nation's important figures themselves. Unfortunately, no one believed the information, considering it as bogus rather than a full-pledge theory.

"What story is that, sir?" the boy inquired once more.

The wind grew stronger at that moment.

The young Imperial Captain briefly glanced at his surroundings in a slight urgency. He managed to calm himself down before continuing on.

"I leave this information up to you," he said, before adding, "but it is your choice whether you believe this or not." He took another deep breath, gathering himself as the boy continued to listen.

"It is said that Sadera was once a peaceful kingdom, one of the nations that had the Gods' blessings," he explained. "And when a great war and calamity struck the entire continent, everything changed from that point on," he said, pausing briefly before continuing, "Everything that had transpired until this very day, originated from those past actions of those former kingdoms, which eventually destroyed the once pure hearts of our home."

"Yes, there was a time that Sadera was willing to help than to conquer."

Aidan felt a tinge of sadness wash over him. Outside of this circle and the capital, people expressed their fear and hatred for the place where he was raised. His friends and relatives from other provinces had already warned him and his family to leave the land, and if possible, the continent itself.

Silence took charge briefly.

Darius, in his part, had shifted his thoughts to a certain white-haired beauty. A bittersweet smile crept across his lips. Whatever way he attempted to persuade her to leave the place as soon as possible for greener pastures, yet she still wouldn't do so, no matter what. That certain aspect of her continued to amaze him as time passes.

She really did care for her own people, and she will never give up until she could finally break the chains that had bound her home to the Empire.

It was one of the main concerns that continued to bother him until now. If the young woman pursued that very goal, then it could possibly lead to a much more difficult scenario.

Though, it was no longer familiar to him as he had seen many good people, who fell from grace. If it would come to strike the young warrior bunny, he would do everything in his power to prevent that, even if it meant risking his very life.

Indeed, there was corruption that had poisoned the minds of the ones in-charged, even the Emperor himself was oblivious to that, blinded by his own goals and trust towards a much more horrible individual. Only a handful are aware of the real truth and He himself was now starting to believe it.

Only time will tell.

Unbeknownst to him and the boy, the expedition's cloaked Guide had taken an interest in their conversation and had been listening in for several minutes. As he sat across the bonfire, he let out a faint smile in response to the topic, then observed the rest of the imperial soldiers around him.

Sadly, these men haven't realized who they are currently serving.

As the night continued on, the coldness strengthened, and the strong wind began to let its presence known more around the area.

The letter to which was concealed in darkness and still on the man's hand, began to move along with wind, presenting itself near the fire as a part of its own light was able to project towards the parchment revealing a phrase written at the very end of it.

A certain phrase that led the Imperial Captain to keep repeating it inside his mind, and to finally doubt and wonder for the first time.

"This is no longer our home."

CHAPTER END