Chapter 5: Granny Amanda

"When I was a child, my mother used to tell me stories about legendary knights fighting enormous dragons with their shining silver swords, while also saving princesses. Some of the stories also featured wise and powerful mages battling equally powerful but evil mages who sought to rule the world."

"But my personal favorite among all the stories was the tale of the great hero Brave, whom my mother used to call by name. The story goes that he engaged the Dark Lord of all demons, the Demon King, in a one-on-one combat. The legend says that their battle tore apart the sky, the flames of the Demon King evaporated the vast seas, and the hero split the sky in half with his sword."

"The hero ultimately emerged victorious, but it came at a great price. The legend tells that in the final moment, the hero sacrificed all of his vitality in one last, final attack that annihilated the Demon King, never to be seen again.

Whether this tale is true or not remains debatable, but the important thing is that great beings also engage in combat with one another. I used to dream of the day when I could do the same. I even hoped that the first monster I would fight would be some sort of evil dragon causing mayhem in a local village.

"What I never wanted was to fight a three-foot monster that closely resembled a goblin, but instead of being green, it was pink. Maybe next time," I thought to myself.

"Mr. Samuel, what's that?" I asked.

"Oh, that thing is a rare variant of a normal goblin called a [Goblin Dreamer]. According to the [Monstrum Encyclopedia], [Goblin Dreamers] are born when two Goblin Shamans reproduce, and there is a chance of creating this unique variant," Mr. Samuel explained.

"It's not often I come across a goblin of this variety, but when I do," mr samuel trailed off.

"And when you do?" I prompted.

"I crush them, of course. You'll never see me struggling against a goblin, even if it's a special variant like this one," He replied confidently.

I rolled my eyes at Mr. Samuel's last comment and ignored it. I focused on the enemy in front of me. Even though Mr. Samuel said he could crush this monster, the problem was that I couldn't, as I had almost died the last time I encountered one.

"Anything else I should know about this monster, Mr. Samuel?" I asked, hoping for some useful information to help me defeat it.

"Not that I know of, but you can ask Ms. Flying Tiger for further details about it next time," Mr. Samuel replied.

"Will do," I said, grateful for any information that might help me in the upcoming battle.

"Oh, and it almost slipped my mind," Mr. Samuel continued, "I won't be fighting, so you're on your own, kid."

I froze when I heard that last part. I was about to protest when Mr. Samuel disappeared. This time, my surroundings didn't turn dark, and a [Goblin Dreamer] appeared in front of me, eyeing me like I was about to be its next meal.

"Wait, Mr. Samuel! I'm not ready yet! As you know, I've never fought anyone or anything in my life. Heck, I only started training a week ago!" I shouted with a loud voice, pleading to wherever Mr. Samuel was. But my plea was ignored as a pervasive silence stood between me and the [Goblin Dreamer].

Accepting that Mr. Samuel wasn't going to save me, I prepared a battle stance and put my undivided attention to the enemy. I took a deep breath and exhaled to calm my racing heartbeat. Now that I was somewhat calm, I wondered why the ]Goblin Dreamer] hadn't attacked me while Mr. Samuel and I were talking.

I quickly realized why the [Goblin Dreamer] had disappeared and my surroundings had shifted to all black again. This time, I could think clearly.

As time passed, I noticed that my thinking process slowed down, and I started forgetting some things, like what I had for lunch or even my own identity. However, I remembered that I was in a dream and currently fighting a [Goblin Dreamer]. I suspected that remaining lucid allowed me to keep fighting

Suddenly, reality changed again, and I found myself back in the forest. Notably, the forest was not as silent as it used to be, and when I used {Life Detection}, I sensed some living creatures in my vicinity. This was odd, very odd.

I kept my guard up, fearing being ambushed and caught off guard by the [Goblin Dreamer]. I knew I was still in a dream, even though the surroundings were the same, the feel of it was different.

An ambush from a goblin caught me off guard, but I quickly reacted to defend myself before its short knife could pierce my back. Sparks flew as our two weapons collided. I had a short sword given to me by Mr. Samuel before leaving, and I was glad I remembered to use it.

The Goblin backed off, and now I could see it as clear as day. It wasn't the goblin dreamer; its skin color was green, and it was taller than the [Dream Goblin] but only by a small margin. Its beady eyes looked at me with bloodlust, and its salivating mouth was ready to devour me if I made a single mistake.

I sensed movement barreling down towards me. Two, no, three goblins were approaching in the distance, and I could almost hear the leaves cracking. I knew I wouldn't last long fighting against four goblins at once, so I decided to hide in the shadows.

I cast a {Fireball} towards the goblin, but it dodged it and proceeded to shorten the distance between us. However, it was too late, as I never planned to use it for damage, only for a moment of distraction.

Using {Umbrage Step}, I hid in the shadows and watched as the three incoming goblins entered the battle. They looked left and right, up and down, but I was nowhere to be found. I was somewhat thankful that Mr. Samuel had taught me this technique.

"Kid, stop hiding and fight them," a voice said from somewhere. When I turned to look where it came from, there was no one there. It must have been Mr. Samuel.

"Sigh. Fine, Mr. Samuel," I said, realizing that hiding any longer wouldn't be any help. I guess my only choice was to fight, but poor me..

II threw a knife towards one of the goblins who was looking for me, but a slight shock overcame me as the goblin blocked it with their knife, revealing my position. The other goblins found me, but I shifted to another shadow as fast as possible to hide again.

I pondered what went wrong with my ambush. It was clear that the goblins didn't know my position before my assault, so what was the problem? Then I remembered that I was in a dream. The [Goblin Dreamer] could not possibly pull Mr. Samuel into a dream since their levels were vastly different.

A chill went down my spine as I realized that I had been tricked. It was not Mr. Samuel that had called out to me, but the [Goblin Dreamer]. It had imitated Mr. Samuel's voice and swindled me into revealing my position.

I quickly gather my wits and take advantage of my surroundings, using the trees to my advantage, leaping from one branch to another, and utilizing my acrobatic skills to dodge their attacks. I take out my short sword and defend myself with all my might, slashing at them whenever I see an opening.

Despite my injured shoulder, I manage to hold my ground and fend off their attacks. I use my {Life Detection} to sense their movements and anticipate their attacks, giving me the upper hand in the fight.

Finally, after what feels like hours, the last goblin falls to the ground, defeated. I pant heavily, feeling exhausted and drained. But I know I can't let my guard down, as the [Goblin Dreamer] might still be out there, waiting for its chance to strike.

I quickly take out a rope from my backpack and tie it to a sturdy tree. I then tie the other end of the rope around my waist, taking a deep breath to steel my nerves. The goblins are closing in on me, but I don't hesitate. I jump off the cliff, praying that my plan will work.

The sudden jerk of the rope almost knocks the breath out of me, but I hold on tight. The goblins, caught off guard, stop in their tracks and stare in shock as I descend down the cliff, almost like a spider descending on its web.

As I reach the bottom of the cliff, I quickly detach myself from the rope and run as fast as I can, putting as much distance between me and the goblins as possible. I know that I have to find a safe place to rest and recover from my injuries, but for now, all I can do is run and hope that I'll survive this nightmare.

As the goblins approached, their beady eyes conveyed a sense of satisfaction in having cornered me. But they were wrong. With a short distance between us, I unsheathed my short sword and plunged it into my own heart with all the strength I could muster with one arm. The goblins looked puzzled by my actions.

I laughed wickedly, spat in their faces, and said, "I'll be seeing you."

Then I leaped into the dark abyss below, unsure if my plan would work. It had to work.

"Good job, Cosmo," I whispered to myself as I fell.

I woke up from my deep slumber, taking some time to think and see straight. As I regained full consciousness, a strange scene appeared in front of me. I pulled out my knife and cut my thumb to make sure I wasn't in dreamland again. This time, the pain felt different - instead of being somewhat surreal, it was indeed real and my blood dripped onto the ground.

"I finally made it back, Mr. Samuel! It was difficult to come up with a solution to escape dreamland, but I did so with a bit of smart thinking. By the way, Mr. Samuel, why are you drinking tea with the [Dream Goblin]? He almost killed me, you know!"

Mr. Samuel took a sip from his tea, paying no mind to what I had said.

"Good for you, kid. Now come sit down. We have things to discuss with this Goblin Dreamer."

Bewildered, I gazed warily at the Goblin Dreamer, unsure if I was still in a dream. Even though I had tested it to be otherwise, I couldn't trust the reality in front of me yet.

Suddenly, a pebble was thrown at me, and I didn't react in time. It hit me directly on the forehead, causing more pain than getting stabbed in the shoulder.

"Ouch!" I exclaimed as I held my injured forehead.

"Stop crying like a baby and come here, we have a guest as you can see," Mr. Samuel said sternly.

Despite my watery eyes, I looked at him with a pleading expression, hoping for an explanation. However, he ignored me once again, leaving me with no choice but to make my way to a chair that was set up with a full tea table. I had no idea how it got there, but what was even more peculiar was the [Goblin Dreamer] sipping tea while staring at me.

I whispered to Mr. Samuel, asking why a [Goblin Dreamer] was sipping tea with us.

"Mr. Samuel, what's happening? And more importantly, why is the [Goblin Dreamer] drinking tea with us when he tried to kill me just a few minutes ago?"

"I can explain that to you, Sir Cosmo," said a voice that shocked me. I scanned my surroundings to see who spoke, but found nothing except a [Goblin Dreamer] and Mr. Samuel. I knew it couldn't be Mr. Samuel because I was aware of the sound of his voice. It seemed even more preposterous to think that the [Goblin Dreamer] was the one who spoke, as he was a goblin.

"Sir Cosmo, even though I am indeed a 'Goblin', I do know how to talk," said the [Goblin Dreamer].

Startled, I looked at the [Goblin Dreamer], realizing he was the one who spoke. I felt a little embarrassed.

"Ah, I'm sorry Mr. [Goblin Dreamer]. I didn't mean to insult you like that. By the way, may I ask how you knew what I was thinking?

"It's simple, Sir Cosmo. Your expression says it all," replied the [Goblin Dreamer].

"Um, okay..." I muttered.

Mr. Frank once told me that I was easy to read and that I am very simple to take advantage of. I didn't believe it at that time, but now that I thought about it, there is some truth to what he said. I sighed.

"Alright, let's not waste time. Let's go already," said Sir Samuel.

"Yes, Sir Samuel."

"Go, go where?" I asked, confused.

"To the place I have been telling you about, idiot," Sir Samuel snapped.

It dawned on me that I was supposed to be going somewhere. I got distracted by almost dying, so it slipped my mind. However, I still didn't know what we were going to do.

"Mr. Samuel, can you finally tell me where we're going and what we're going to do there?" I asked.

"Well, since we're almost there, I'll tell you," he replied.

I listened with rapt attention, not wanting to miss or forget anything Mr. Samuel said. As we were talking, the [Goblin Dreamer] guided us somewhere, and the more I looked at my surroundings, the more they changed.

"Sir Cosmo, please follow me and don't get lost. In the event that you do get lost, you will be wandering the eternal realm of the [Void] forever, and not even the gods will be able to help you," warned the [Goblin Dreamer].

My body suddenly tensed at the thought, and I steeled myself to follow wherever the [Goblin Dreamer] went. I would rather not get lost again.

I looked back at Mr. Samuel, eager to hear what he was about to say.

"We're going somewhere that only a few people on the continent know exists, and I am one of those few people," explained Mr. Samuel.

The idea sounded exciting to me.

"There's more to this legend, but I'm too lazy to explain it. You can ask your teacher for it. But for now, long story short, the place we need to go is the Home of a [Magister Vatis], or in casual terms, a Master Seer."

A Master Seer? I've never heard of a Master Seer or anything about [Classes]. Seer is the first class I've heard of, excluding Assassins. I only overheard about these things when Mr. Frank and Mr. Samuel were talking. I thought to myself.

"She is one of the Three Greats of the continent, and luckily for you, she has agreed to prophesize your fate," Mr. Samuel said.

"How did she even know about me?" I asked.

"Because I asked for a favor, she knows you, kid. Don't waste this opportunity, Cosmo," Mr. Samuel said with a serious tone, the first time I saw him like that. I took it seriously as well.

"Yes, Mr. Samuel," I replied.

"We're here," he announced.

Suddenly, the surroundings stopped shifting, and a small house with brown rooftops, overtaken by nature, appeared. Lustrous plants and evergreen trees surrounded the house, with a small garden beside it filled with all kinds of fruits. I felt a bit hungry just by looking at them.

"Stop salivating at the fruits, kid, and let's go," Mr. William said.

"Uh, sure, Mr. William," I replied, painfully turning my head away from the delicious plum fruits. I walked towards the door and was about to knock when I heard a voice from the other side.

"Come in."

For a moment, time seemed to stop, and I froze. It felt like eternity as a pair of eyes seemed to survey my very being. I felt like every secret I held dear was out in the open.

"Sir Cosmo, wake up," I heard someone say.

I snapped out of my trance-like state and realized that the door was already open. As I peered inside the house, all I saw was perpetual darkness in a never-ending void.

Mr. Samuel didn't seem to notice it and just ignored it, and went in first, followed by Mr. [Goblin Dreamer] and me. It took a while for me to go in because those eyes that peered into my existence creeped me out for a bit.

"Come in already Cosmo, don't make the old lady wait."

Startled, I went in, and what I saw was not what I expected. I expected a dark, eerie room filled with bones and ritualistic items filled with magic and curses. I was also expecting human heads dangling in some part of the house. Yet, reality was often disappointing.

The room was instead filled with sorts of furniture, ranging from a couch, a rocking chair, a tea table, and a carpet. To top it all off, there's even a dinner table further down the room. I can only imagine what's upstairs.

The old woman, whom I assume was and is currently staring at me, is sitting in the rocking chair, rocking back and forth in a slow, relaxing motion. Its every creaking sound was calming for some reason.

"Hello, child."

"Uh, yes, hello," I said nervously.

Suddenly, Mr. Samuel stepped ahead of me and bowed towards the old woman, followed by the [Goblin Dreamer].

"Kid, stop having a death wish and bow," he scolded me.

In a moment of shock, I followed along and bowed in a 90 degree angle with my hands beside me. She must be a really powerful woman for even Mr Samuel to bow, I thought. He did mention she was one of the Three Greats, but I didn't know what that meant.

"Rise, and stop being so formal. You guys look ridiculous," the old woman giggled, cautiously raising my head along with the others. I looked at her and took in her appearance.

The old woman had wrinkles forming across her face, despite her closed eyes, I could still feel her stare. She was also very short, and I guessed her height to be around 156 cm. I quickly dismissed that thought as I didn't want her to read my mind again.

"Despite my short stature, I am still somewhat powerful," she said to me.

"Powerful is an understatement," Mr. Samuel replied with a reverent tone. He didn't show it on his face, keeping a straight uniform posture, and emitting a serious atmosphere. I blushed with embarrassment as my mind got read again.

"Oh, Samuel, stop being so stiff. It's not like this is our first meeting," the old woman said, smiling. Her look towards Mr. Samuel was familiar to me, tender, just like the one my mother gives me.

"Come, let's sit first before we start," she added.

A rectangular wooden table and four chairs appeared in the room, two on either side. Mr. Samuel and I sat on the opposite side of the old woman and the [Goblin Dreamer], who just stood beside her.

"Come with me, Charlie. You must be tired from escorting our dear guest," Amanda said.

"I cannot, madam. You have business to attend to, and it is informal for me to be seated with you. Just standing guard is enough for me," Mr. Charlie replied.

The old woman had a helpless look on her face when Mr. Charlie said that, yet I felt she had a kind gaze to it, even if I couldn't see her eyes.

"Well, alright then, but you're always welcome to sit, Charlie," Amanda said.

Mr. Charlie agreed and continued to stand beside the old woman. She then turned to look at me and Mr. Samuels and said, "Before we start, I'll introduce myself first. I am Amanda Vacanti, a Magister Vatis and one of the Three Greats, as people like to call it. Though, personally, I think it's egotistical."

She had a bright smile on her face as she introduced herself, and I realized that despite being one of the so-called Three Greats, she was not overbearing or arrogant. Instead, she was a kind and gentle woman. How nice.

"I was told that I'm supposed to get my fate prophesied," I said to Ms. Amanda.

Granny Amanda giggled and replied, "Yes, it seems that way. Your mentor, Samuel, asked me for a favor, and since I was pretty bored, I agreed to it. Oh, and stop calling me Ms. Amanda; it's too stiff. Instead, call me Granny Amanda. I always wanted a grandson, you see."

"Um, okay... Granny Amanda," I replied, feeling my face flush red. I had only met her for a few seconds, and I was already calling her granny. This was a strange day.

"I would love to talk more, Cosmo, but it seems Samuel is getting a bit impatient," Granny Amanda said.

"I'm not," Samuel protested.

"Uh-huh, sure," Granny Amanda said with a smile.

Suddenly, the room transformed from a warm and relaxing space to a dazzling array of stars that filled my vision. It swiftly shifted from a star-filled room to one with only a few shimmering stars in the distance, and then to a dark void.

"As a relatively high-level seer, I can perform a simple divination by merely asking for your name, so tell me, child," Granny Amanda said.

"Yes?" I replied.

"May I know your name?" Granny Amanda asked.

My heart raced as I felt frozen and unable to move my hands and feet, but somehow I could still move my mouth.

"What is your name, child?" Granny Amanda inquired.

Her voice had a trance-like quality, causing the space around her to bend and the distant stars to shimmer and sing a melodic tune, as if welcoming and supporting her. It felt as though fate was in the palm of her hands.

"Cosmo le Strange," I said.

Suddenly, the surroundings went berserk, with nearby stars shattering into a billion pieces and gashes appearing in space as if someone had used a sword to slice it open. To make matters worse, I felt the gazes of beings I couldn't fathom from who-knows-where.

Despite what was happening around us, Granny Amanda remained calm and acted as if nothing was happening. Then, suddenly, she opened her eyes, and what I saw in them was unfathomable. Her eyes reflected the stars above, and I felt as though her unfathomable eyes saw everything that ever happened, witnessed everything that was happening, and knew what was going to happen

A staff materialized in her hands, and a blue jewel containing an unknown substance was mounted on top of it. She slammed it onto the ground, and the chaos abruptly ceased, returning us to reality.

Observing Mr. Samuels, I noticed a slight crack in his composure as I detected fear in his eyes, though he quickly concealed it before I could fully discern it.

Strange. Despite the upheavals that had transpired, I felt serene. I was not agitated nor cowering in fear, but rather, I felt as though I was in a calm lake with the sun shining brightly. I pushed the thought aside as there were more important matters to attend to.

"So, what did the prophecy reveal?"

Granny Amanda didn't answer and just looked at me for a brief moment before turning to Mr. Samuel.

"You brought an interesting child, Samuel."

Mr. Samuel had an indifferent face when he heard what Granny Amanda said, yet his cold face faltered a bit after a few seconds.

"Yes, yes, I did."

"Well, either way, I still have to do my job."

Granny Amanda turned to me again and stared at me for a few seconds. Her eyes flashed a starry gaze that seemed to last for an eternity. She answered, half-serious and half-joyful, and in that moment, everything changed - by everything, I mean literally everything.

"You, Cosmo le Strange, will be the one destined to destroy the world."