0.18.

The heavy rain settled to a sizzle. The night had passed, dawn broke in the sky. The scattered refraction of the light made the world a canvas of yellow.

Sequencee who had been running since he saw the sky split had arrived at the edge of the pasture. The zone of transition between the rocky mountains and green fields, Sequencee noticed many of the mountain gouged open. Thick black smoke rising from the remnants of some kind of inordinate battle.

He wasn't dumb to not have a guess on what happened. The question was: why? Why would his mother do this?

Black Majesty Dragon Astroth. Whoever had the courage to climb these mountains were those crazy enough to challenge his authority; but also stupid enough to awaken a calamity that might possibly end an era.

"Damn it mom!"

Sequencee began climbing–he didn't know where his mother was yet, but it didn't matter.

The sun crested above the horizon, the clouds soon lifted. Every step taken, each boulder climbed, Sequencee ascended higher and higher above. The stench of molten rock with the fresh dew of rain made him nauseous.

The mountains split the continent into two. One side, a great land of green as far as the eyes could. The silhouette of the empire's fort, the Great World Tree Yggdrasil, and The Black Ravine running across the length of earth.

The other, a barren land of red. Black forests to the ends of the horizon, geyser fields, swamps, and a red sky. Out in the distance, Sequencee could make out the faint shape of a castle.

–Leviath Demon Nation.

Sweat and rain poured down his cheeks. An inexplicable feeling of dread welled up inside of him.

Rumble–

He held his breath.

A shadow dawned from above him. A force of oppression sent him down on his knees, his hands tightened around the grip of a rock to sustain himself.

'Thine mother.'

Sequencee couldn't look up. His body trembled like a newborn fawn. Of all the monsters and creatures he had encountered, none had ever sent him into a derisory like this.

'Bring her home.'

A gale shook past, and by the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of Him. That alone was enough to forever etch His Majesty's presence into his mind.

Soon the ominous aura faded, the suffocation lifted. Everything returned to how it was, Sequencee recollected himself and hastened his climb.

A smoke signal. It wasn't just black, but had faint traces of purple and red as if on purpose.

He came before a crater by the side of the mountain, leveling the incline. And found in the center of it …

Sequencee rushed to her side.

Her hair scattered into a mess, clothes torn in various parts. Black scales formed on her swollen skin, but no obvious wounds were seen. Her calm breathing belied the sight he was witnessing.

'How … He … '

Astroth had spared her. There was no denying this point.

But Sequencee knew that no matter how it looked on the surface, after enduring such a battle, she needed treatment, and fast.

Healing magic was in itself a whole field of study due to the complexity of its nature. While Sequencee knew the basics to this class of magic, he wasn't good enough to could cure internal wounds. A deep understanding of biology and the underlying knowledge of the possible diseases are needed to prevent healing errors–errors that could cause further medical complications, which may only do more to worsen the condition of the patient.

Sequencee hurriedly wrapped her hand around his shoulder in an attempt to support her.

'This … won't do. I need to carry her.'

His stature was too small. Either he gave her a piggyback ride or to cradle her in his arms…

"Dear, here … "

"Mom!"

Weakly, her voice rang. She held out a scroll.

"Tear this … " blood trickled from the edge of her lips.

"This–"

" ... home," her words were faint, Sequencee barely caught onto her message.

A lost technology of the era that they lived in–an activation scroll. Sequencee who would've usually been awestruck by this relic, tore it without sparing another second.

A runic circle spun around them, following a flash of light and the sensation of a soft warmth, they found themselves back at the green fields. Gull's caravan no more than a few meters before them.

By this point, Anna had collapsed again.

===

They weren't able to reach Luddite Earldom by the end of the day, having to stop at a nearby village to rest. Sequencee tried to convince Gull to drive through the night, but his suggestion was thwarted. It was crazy enough that they had survived through all those encounters, he wasn't going to risk their chances traveling at night.

Anna gasped, coughed.

His fingers trembled as a hollow pain spread within his chest. Signs of mana exertion could be seen on his bluish skin. Yet despite this, Sequencee continued to force more mana into his healing.

Anna could vaguely make out her own son's image through the blurry mess of her vision. She grabbed his hands.

"..."

"Mom … "

It had been a long time since she felt like this–the burning sensation of her skin and the cold pain inside her bone. Breathing was heavy, and though it no longer hurt, it was still laborious.

She saw the glistening of his tears.

'What kind of mother am I …? '

To put her son in this sort of position just because she wanted to pursue her own wishes–Anna held his hand.

"Mom …?"

"I think that's enough. You should stop," Astrid, who had been sitting beside him, advised.

"Stop?"

"She's telling you to stop."

"No, I'm not going to let the encroachment spread any further."

The black scales had spread all the way to her shoulders, her right hand was almost entirely black.

"Enough," Anna gasped.

"No."

Anna pushed Sequencee away.

"Stay still!"

"Sequencee! Enough!" Astrid shouted.

His body shook. The faint green light on his fingers flickered out.

Inexplicable expressions of his frustration leaked from his mouth. He gripped his hands into a fist just to release it moments after. Raising his hand to pull at his hair, he stopped just before his fingers touched anything.

Slamming his boots against the floor, he left the carriage and walked away.

Astrid bit her lips, holding onto Anna's hands tight. There was a squeeze, Astrid turned to Anna.

Anna beckoned for her to chase him with feeble gestures.

"F-Fine… Molly, look after her for a bit," Astrid said to one of the other slaves before leaving the carriage.

The outskirts of the village town. Her master, Gull, was chatting with the residents. He did not set up shop as they were leaving first thing in the morning tomorrow. Nevertheless, he wasn't opposed to bringing out anything specific that the residence needed.

Astrid walked up the hill, approaching the lone soul overlooking the mountain range. She could faintly make out the abnormal shapes in the distance that shouldn't have existed. Just what kind of battle did Anna get herself into, she wondered.

"Hey."

"..."

"Sequencee."

Astrid stood in front of him. In response, he who was laying on the grass looked up at her.

"Your mother will be fine."

"I know that."

"Great that you know, so cheer up."

"It happens every time."

"What?"

"Every time I tell her not to go, she just does. Then she gets injured, it's not the first time this has happened, she never listens to me."

She didn't know much about the life of a mercenary, but the words he spoke clearly embodied his concern for Anna.

"Doesn't she know that she can die? I don't want her to die … "

He had a perfect justifiable reason to be angry. The confusion he must be feeling at this moment, having a mother whose current condition was unknown. Not to mention, he alone had to carry the burden of protecting them.

"And … even though I say so much, in the end I never do anything to prevent these problems," Sequencee laughed.

"Then you have to rest. If something happens tomorrow and you're not in the right shape, we'll all die."

"Nah, it won't happen," he saluted her.

"..."

Sequencee closed his eyes.

Astrid kicked him in the shin.