LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 17: Life in the Land of Forests
Nier, Yonah, and I walked through the salt-covered streets; we searched for food as our stock in the apartment was running low, so we decided that it was better to get some food now than to wait until it was too late.
However, it was hard to find anything that was not expired or that other groups of survivors had not looted yet.
"ACHOW, It's getting colder every day." Nier said as he wiped his nose.
"I'm not surprised by that, it was expected with the amount of nukes detonated around the world, but I expected a nuclear winter by now." I replied, looking up and seeing the cloudy sky with few rays of sunlight shining through it.
"I think it will get better with time. The sky won't stay dark forever, will it?" Yonah asked with infantile curiosity.
"No, but it's better to stay wrapped up so you don't get sick." Nier said worriedly, adjusting Yonah's coat.
"You can't say anything about it. What is the point of telling Yonah to wrap up if you do not? You should take care of your health too." I said to Nier, lifting the hood of his coat and pulling it down, covering his eyes.
Nier stumbled forward while trying to get the hood out of his eyes and stared at me seriously when he managed to do it. I stared back, and we stayed like that for some time until we could not keep up the facade anymore.
"HAHAHA!" We both laughed.
"Just take better care of yourself, Nier." I said, patting his shoulder.
"I know, but I can't help but worry about Yonah." Nier replied, glancing at his sister.
"Me too, but you won't be able to take care of her if you become sick with a cold."
"Hey, don't talk about me like I'm not here! I am not a child; I can take care of myself!" Yonah squealed, stomping the ground while crossing her arms adorably.
"But of course you can." I smiled, patting Yonah's head.
"It makes me happy that when I'm old and gray I can count on my big strong sister to take care of me." Nier replied playfully, teasing Yonah and poking her cheek.
Yonah's face turned red as she puffed out her cheeks.
"Stop teasing me!" Yonah screamed red in shame as she slapped our hands away.
Nier and I held our hands with sad faces and pretended to be hurt, but we laughed slightly as we looked at each other. Yonah, on the other hand, crossed her arms and looked away from us.
"Are you mad at me?" Nier asked with false sadness but Yonah ignored him.
"I don't think she will ever speak to you again, Nier." I said in the same tone, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder while Nier grabbed his heart and pretended to faint from grief.
"But you'll keep talking to me, won't you?" I asked Yonah, leaving Nier to his despair, but Yonah spun her body away from me.
I covered my face with my hands, pretending to cry. However, opened my fingers and saw Yonah turning her head and looking at me from the corner of her eyes.
"Will you talk to us if I give you candy?" I asked, getting her attention.
"What type of candy?" Yonah asked with interest, looking at me with a gleam in her eyes.
"How about chocolate we give you some?" Nier suggested, getting up from the ground.
"Chocolate?" Yonah asked again, a small smile forming on her face.
"Yes, as much as you like." I completed Nier's suggestion.
"I think I can talk to you again if you give me a chocolate." Yonah replied, pretending to be angry again.
"Did you hear that Nier?" I said happily, grabbing Nier's shoulders.
"I heard it, Alan!" Nier replied, smiling at me from ear to ear.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go find some chocolate, I'm sure there's an abandoned market here somewhere!" I spoke, grabbing Yonah under the arms.
"What are you doing?!?" Yonah asked surprised, but I did not answer and placed her on my shoulders.
"I am taking you to the chocolate." I replied but noticed Nier staring at me.
"What, do you want me to carry you on my shoulders too?" I asked, teasing him.
"No!" Nier replied, looking away in shame.
"Meh! It's your choice, I think it is better this way, and you're heavy anyway." I teased again before running away.
"Hey! I'm not heavy!" Nier screamed, running after me.
I ran until I reached the market, but my eyes widened with the thing in front of me when I walked through the door. It was a dark creature with wings and carrying a great ax, the thing raised its ax and brought it down towards me.
Then I woke up...
-Midgard, Land of Forests, Village of Lyllenas, Year 998-
"Gasp!" I woke up searching for air.
Getting up quickly and looking around, I noticed that was in my bed, in my bedroom, inside my house, it was all just a dream. I covered my face with my hands and let out a long sigh, it was all just a dream.
"Lord Alan, you will be late!" Noir said worriedly as he entered my room with Rubrum beside him.
"I will be late for what, Noir?" I asked, lying down again and covering my face with my blanket.
"You will be late for your job." Noir replied.
Job, what job? Since when do I work? Wait a minute… I have a job!
"Noir, what time is it?" I asked, jumping out of bed.
"Seven fifty in the morning." Noir replied.
"Damn it, I need to be there at eight!" I sank to the floor, turning into a mass of darkness, and slid into my closet.
In addition, I slid under my bedroom door on my way out, going down the hall and the stairs until I reached the kitchen.
I wore formal brown clothing with a small black cape draped over my shoulders when I returned to my physical form. Therefore, I ran around the kitchen, preparing my breakfast.
"Lord Alan, your bag." Noir said politely, handing me a small brown bag. I took the bag and slung it over one of my shoulders.
"Thanks, Noir… Hump!" Rubrum cut off my speech by shoving a piece of buttered bread into my mouth.
Wasting no time, I turned into a mass of darkness again and left our house with Noir and Rubrum following me, and bolted towards Lyllenas, as we did not exactly live in the village, but in a house nearby.
This is due to the damage caused by the attack; many tree houses burned beyond recovery and were cut down.
The elves could build new ones, but the process of hollowing out part of the tree without killing it is slow and precise, so some preferred to live in conventional houses, which is my case.
I advanced until I reached Lyllenas; it did not take even five minutes. I saw the elves getting out of my way as I passed through the streets, or from their point of view, of the mass of darkness that slid across the ground at high speed.
I could not help but think how I got to this point; I would not have reached this level of magic without Thessalia and Elyon's help.
-XXXXXX-
"Very well, sit down." Elyon said as we stopped in a clearing in the forest, luckily the trees blocked out the sunlight.
"Okay." I said, sitting down in the lotus position on the floor.
"Now we will begin your lesson on magic, first of all, there are many types of magic, some of which are not known even to us elves, who have lived for centuries. So I cannot guarantee that what I will teach you will work." Thessalia continued.
"This training is not just for you, but for your books as well. So we expect you to work hard." Elyon completed.
"Yes, Mr Elyon!" Noir exclaimed beside me while Rubrum nodded in confirmation.
"Let's start with you, Alan, close your eyes and concentrate." Thessalia said.
"What do I do now?" I asked after doing what she said.
"Now try to feel the magic within you." Elyon spoke like some wise anime sensei.
Feel the magic within me. It sounds like an anime cliché, but they are the experts here, not me, so I did as the old elf said.
"I don't feel anything different."
"You need to focus or there will be no result!" Elyon replied, hitting the ground with his cane.
"But you also need to relax!" Thessaly spoke right after in a gentler tone.
Concentrate, but relax! This contradictory! However, I did what the elves said, and again, I did not feel anything different, only my body getting lighter.
"Alan!" Elyon shouted, but his voice sounded muffled.
"Alan!" It was Thessalia this time, her voice muffled too.
"Lord Alan, open your eyes!" Noir screamed.
Open my eyes? Looking around, I noticed that I stood in complete emptiness with darkness surrounding me. Where was everyone?
"Lord Alan!" It was Noir, his voice coming from above me.
"Looking up", I saw the elves and the books staring down at me. Therefore, I got up, but my point of view changed when I did so.
I was not seeing them from a low point of view anymore because I was back in the forest with everyone looking at me worriedly.
"What happened?" I asked confused.
"Lord Alan… Your body… Look down." Noir muttered.
Looking down, I saw that my body was a mass of darkness dumped on the ground from the waist down.
"AAAHHH! What happened?!?" I jumped while screaming in surprise, making my body return to normal as I did so.
"Well, is this new?" Elyon asked, scratching his head in confusion.
"Try it again!" Thessalia said with an excited smile.
I gave Noir and Rubrum a hesitant look and the books returned with an encouraging nod.
Breathing deeply, I stepped forward and felt my right foot disappearing, sinking into the ground, so I took another step and the same happened to my left foot.
I looked at Elyon and Thessalia with concern, waiting for their opinion on the matter.
"We know what you will do today, you will transform into this darkness until you can do it without thinking." Elyon spoke.
"Are you sure? I don't think making parts of my body disappear is good for my health."
"Don't worry; do you think this silly husband of mine became so good at fire magic without blowing himself up now and then?" Thessalia asked playfully as she pinched Elyon's cheek, making the old elf blush in embarrassment.
I wanted to protest against it, but I had no choice since there was no one like me in Midgard to teach me. I spent the day training this new skill and the day turned into weeks.
Then, we switched training when I could change shape without thinking, accuracy training, and magic conservation.
-XXXXXX-
We stood in some kind of shooting gallery with several elves lined up, carrying bows and arrows, and firing them at straw targets ahead of them.
"Today we will learn how to use the necessary amount of magic for the task at hand." Elyon said beside me as the other elves stared at us.
"Hit that target." Thessalia completed, pointing to the nearest straw target.
"Easy enough, are you ready Noir?" I asked the black book.
"Yes, Lord Alan." Noir replied
"And you Rubrum?"
The red book nodded.
"So let's go! Noir, create a Dark Spear!"
Noir's pages opened and magic flowed across the sheets as a large magic spear floated in front of him.
"Fire!" I yelled, pointing at the target.
The spear flew like lightning, cutting through the air and hitting the straw target, destroying it and knocking down a series of trees right behind it, only stopping when it hit a large rock, leaving a hole in the stone.
"How about you try it, Rubrum?" I asked to the red book, with a shaky smile and sweat running down my face.
Rubrum opened her pages with magic flowing through the paper. A red orb formed in front of the red book as Rubrum shot this sphere toward another straw target.
The sphere flew at great speed and hit the target.
BOOM!
Creating a big red explosion on the impact and leaving a scorching crater behind.
"HEHE!" I laughed nervously as I looked around and noticed the scared look that Elyon, Thessalia, and the other elves gave me.
"Well... How about using less power in the next attack?" Elyon suggested, approaching his index and thumb together.
"I think… I think you're right." I muttered, averting my gaze and scratching the back of my head.
"I also think it would be good for your books and you to practice using magic without waiting for orders. The time you waste ordering a spell is the time you are most vulnerable."
"You… You are right. Noir, Rubrum, let's try again!"
"Yes, Lord Alan!" Noir exclaimed with Rubrum following right after.
Therefore, we trained and trained. Eventually, and by that I mean months, controlling how much magic we put behind a spell became easy. Let us just say that there were fewer trees in the forest when we were done.
However, that was not the only precision and control training we did.
-XXXXXX-
"Hold it in one of those giant hands." Thessalia said as she held up a glass bottle.
I looked at Noir and Rubrum while shrugging; I did not see any problem with it. Therefore, Noir and I created a Dark Hand.
"Think fast!" Thessalia screamed as she threw the bottle in our direction and we quickly grabbed it with the Dark Hand.
CRASH!
Only for the bottle to shatter as the hand closed around it.
"That's what you and your books will do from now on; magic needs to be controlled so it doesn't damage something fragile like glass or people." Thessalia said in a serious voice.
"So, the three of you will try to grab these bottles without destroying them." Elyon continued as he threw another bottle toward us.
We grabbed it with the Dark Hand.
CRASH!
In addition, it broke.
Thessalia threw two more bottles toward us; we created two more Dark Hands and grabbed them.
CRASH!
CRASH!
Only for them to break again.
"Better make yourself comfortable, because we're going to be here for a while." Thessalia said as she used her magic to create a water whip and hit me in the leg.
"OUCH!"
CRASH!
Noir used a Dark hand to smash another bottle I did not see coming.
"Better pay attention." Elyon spoke as he pointed his cane at me and conjured a fireball.
BOOM!
Luckily, Rubrum got in front of me and blocked the spell with a red barrier.
CRASH!
CRASH!
CRASH!
Moreover, Noir smashed three more bottles thrown by Thessalia.
"Today we will also see if you three can work as a team. We will only leave when you three manage to grab the bottles without breaking them." Thessaly spoke happily, swinging her whip.
"But we won't make it easy for you, you will find yourself under constant pressure at some point and you have to keep your mind calm and focused. The moment you fail to cast a spell is the moment you die." Elyon continued in the same tone, casting another fireball.
I will not lie; I thought they were trying to kill me as they enjoyed it too much for my liking. Although, there were moments when I wondered if, they were training me or taking advantage of the array of spells I have.
-XXXXXX-
"Don't forget to wash the dishes." Thessaly spoke.
"And don't forget to hang the clothes on the line." Elyon said right after.
"Is this training?" I asked confused, running around the living room.
"Yes!" The elves responded in unison.
Noir, Rubrum, and I were at Elyon and Thessalia's house, with several copies of myself running around the house and doing different chores.
Sweeping the floor, removing cobwebs from the ceiling, preparing dinner, and much more, Rubrum also helped using her magic to levitate furniture and heavy objects.
The excuse the elves gave me us that this is magic control training. I highly doubt it, but I cannot deny the usefulness of the copies as I can say with certainty that I can multitask.
-XXXXXX-
However, only I could take care of other problems.
I sat down on a rock in the middle of a clearing, with my legs crossed and my eyes closed as the sunlight burned my shirtless body.
I want to know how long I can stay here, it was just a nuisance at first, then an itch, then a burning, and then it felt like I burned alive, I also heard a hissing like something frying.
Until I could not take, it anymore and I transformed into darkness and slipped into the safety of the shade of a tree.
"How long did I stay there?" I asked Noir.
"Five minutes." Noir replied.
Five minutes, it is longer than I expected, good to know.
Unfortunately, Elyon and Thessalia could not help me with other issues.
-XXXXXX-
"I'm sorry, but there's no one here who can teach you how to use this thing." Elyon said as he pointed at my ax with his cane.
"I doubt anyone here can lift that thing." Thessaly spoke.
"Are you sure there is no one who can help me?" I insisted.
I would like to learn how to use my ax better, as I got it from the Institute of Magic but I still do not know what it does, the Lords would not lock a normal ax in the institute.
"Well, it is not a person, but a place." Elyon said hesitantly as he looked away.
"Honey you don't mean… But that place is dangerous!" Thessalia exclaimed worriedly, grabbing Elyon's arm.
"Place, what place?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I am talking about The Coliseum." Elyon sighed.
-XXXXXX-
It was night, the only time I did not have to cover myself from head to toe. I feel relieved now that I am out of those warm clothes.
"Lord Alan, are you sure what we are going to do?" Noir asked as he floated beside me.
"Yes Noir, I am." I replied as we flew above the trees, advancing toward our objective, but I felt Rubrum looking at me worriedly.
Eventually, we spotted a light coming from a large building in the distance as the sound of fights and screams echoed through the night.
The Coliseum of Rome, this huge building was still up and running with fights taking place inside it. Someone known as the King of the Coliseum organized it all.
We landed in front of the coliseum's main entrance, surprising the inhabitants of the Land of Forests around us, like Elves, Fairies, Elementals, Goblins, and more.
We ignored their gazes and entered the coliseum, passing through corridors lit by torches, following the screams and fighting sounds until we entered the arena where everything went silent.
I do not think they have ever seen someone like me.
"WHY SO QUIET, DIDN'T YOU ALL COME HERE IN SEARCH OF A GOOD SHOW? SO WHO WILL BE MY OPPONENT?" I shouted to the crowd, opening my arms as Noir and Rubrum stood beside me.
"SUCH BOLDNESS, WHO ARE YOU TO INVADE MY COLOSSEUM?" A squeaky voice shouted from the emperor's podium.
Looking up at the podium, I saw a small green goblin wearing knight armor and carrying a short sword.
"AND WHO ARE YOU?!?" I asked back.
"I AM THE KING OF THE COLISEUM!" The goblin replied as he stomped the ground angrily.
"That saves me the time! My name is Alan, those books accompanying me are called Noir and Rubrum, and we would like to fight in your Coliseum!"
"If that's what you want, then so be it! You better put on a good show for the crowd or I'll turn you into troll food!" The King of The Coliseum shouted.
"I promise I won't let you down!" I shouted, bowing to the crowd.
"Release the centaurs!" The Coliseum King shouted again, waving his arm.
The gates on the other side of the coliseum opened and large statue-like creatures came out of it. They were completely white with a humanoid upper torso and a horse's lower part; they also carried twin blades and bows.
"Are you two ready?" I asked for the books and they nodded in confirmation.
There were four centaurs in total, two carrying twin blades and two carrying bows.
One of them fired a series of huge arrows in my direction but Rubrum blocked them all with a magic barrier, while a twin-blade centaur approached at great speed.
Noir opened his pages and the handle of my ax came out of him. I grabbed the handle, took the ax out of Noir, and swung it at the approaching monster, slamming the centaur's blade against the ground, cracking it and creating a dust cloud, making the crowd roar.
The centaur leaned down so that the blade did not escape his hands, I took the opportunity and raised the ax, cutting the centaur in the chest and making it recoil in pain.
The centaur spun its blade above its head and tried to strike me from the left, but I blocked the blow with the handle of my ax as sparks filled the air and my feet sunk into the dirt.
The centaurs with the bows rode left and right, circling us while firing several arrows. Noir created four Dark Hands and grabbed four arrows between his index finger and thumb while Rubrum used her magic to hold three more arrows in the air.
Then, the two books launched the arrows back to their owners; hitting the centaur on the left in the side of its horse body and the centaur on the right in its shoulder.
The centaur in front of me stopped forcing its blade against my ax and tried to cut me in the right, but I swung my ax again, deflecting the blow and delivering a low cut to the monster's front legs right after.
The centaur recovered from the blow and brought its blade down towards my head.
I held my ax horizontally, blocking the blow, but the centaur forced me down, so I transformed into a mass of darkness and slid across the arena, letting the blade hit the ground.
I approached the centaur and returned to my physical form, slashing its front legs, and forcing the monster to its knees. I swung my ax towards its neck now that the centaur was down, but the monster put its blade in the way, blocking the blow.
Applying more strength, the centaur pushed my ax away and tried to pierce me in the chest with the tip of its blade but I turned into darkness again, leaving my ax stuck in the ground.
Then, I "stepped" forward, returning to my physical form, grabbing my ax and swinging it at the centaur's neck, decapitating the monster.
I heard a gallop behind me, so I turned around and saw another centaur riding in my direction. I created a copy of myself holding an ax and sent it toward the centaur, and then the copy traded blows with the monster, stopping its advance.
Meanwhile, Noir and Rubrum faced the other two centaurs, Rubrum fired a series of red orbs toward one of the centaurs, but the monster galloped at high speed, leaving the orbs behind, while firing arrows toward the red book.
Rubrum stopped her attack to hold the arrows in the air with her magic, but the centaur took the opportunity and fired even more arrows at the book. Suddenly, Rubrum sent the arrows she held back to the centaur, hitting the incoming ones in mid-air with an audible crack.
Then Rubrum enveloped herself in a magic bubble and shot towards the centaur while it fired arrows at her, but the bubble protecting the book destroyed them all while Rubrum advanced.
Unfortunately, the centaur did not have time to dodge and Rubrum crushed it against the arena wall.
Noir, on the other hand, accumulated magic on its pages and fired a series of magic projectiles that chased the centaur, but the centaur was faster and each projectile exploded in the air before reaching its target.
So Noir used a different spell, magic circles appeared on the ground in the centaur's way and a series of long stakes came out from each of them, but the centaur did not stop its run and swerved and leaped out of the way.
Noir increased the intensity of his attack and more and more stakes came out of the ground, until finally piercing the centaur and pinning it in place.
Noir approached the centaur while the monster shot arrows at him, but Noir easily moved out of the way and fired a Dark Spear, piercing the centaur's heart and dissipating the stakes right after, letting the monster fall dead in the arena.
Now only one centaur remained, the one fighting my copy. Cuts covered the centaur and the copy as the two kept fighting, but the centaur endured the attack and stood up on its hind legs, crushing the clone with its front legs during an exchange of blows.
The centaur let out a snort of anger and advanced towards me, it was time to test a new trick I learned.
I pointed my finger at the ground in front of the centaur and a magic projectile formed on the tip of my finger, so I fired it.
A black and red circle formed on the ground for a second, but a burst of magic in the shape of a pillar came out of the circle, hitting the centaur when it approached.
I flapped my wings and darted towards the centaur as it recoiled in pain, intending to cut its head off, but the centaur recovered from my attack and blocked my blow.
Suddenly, the centaur took one of its hands off its blade and punched my back, throwing me to the ground.
The centaur raised one of his hooves and tried to crush my head, but I turned into darkness and moved out of the way, sliding under the centaur.
There, I "pointed" my finger upwards and fired another magic burst, the centaur screamed in pain when my magic burned its belly.
I returned to my ax, grabbed it, and threw it toward the centaur, simultaneously transforming into darkness again and advancing toward the monster.
The centaur moved out of the ax's way, but I slid under the monster and materialized again, jumping, grabbing my ax, and swinging it toward the centaur.
Suddenly, a red light covered my ax, making its bloodstained blades glow. The centaur turned around, trying to block my blow by putting its blade in the way.
However, the blade did nothing since my ax shattered it like glass, hitting the monster's neck right after, and then the centaur's head rolled across the arena.
I stopped in the center of the arena, breathing heavily with sweat pouring down my face while Noir and Rubrum approached me.
"Good job, you two." I said to both of them while patting their "heads".
"Thank you, Lord Alan." Noir replied, embarrassed by the praise. Rubrum, on the other hand, rubbed herself against my face.
Looking around I saw that the crowd went silent; watching me with wide eyes and open mouths.
"Are you not entertained?!? Are you not entertained?!? Is this not why you are here?!?" I shouted to the crowd, opening my arms and staring at them.
"HAHAHA, that's what I call a good show! I will watch your career with interest!" The King of the Coliseum shouted happily from his podium.
This drove the crowd wild and Noir, Rubrum, and I bowed amidst cheers, applause, and rain of flowers. This was the beginning of my career as a gladiator. I also got good pay for the fight, I did not know there was a reward for winning.
I repeat what I did with my ax during the last centaur and I discovered what it does after a few days of practice.
The ax itself is not magic, but whatever material composes it is a good conductor for magic. I can cover the ax with my magic, making its blades stronger and hit harder or making them more resistant, perfect for blocking attacks.
-XXXXXX-
Elyon and Thessalia invited me to dinner with them after a few days of going back and forth to the arena. I took my clothes from Noir's inventory and put them on mid-flight, landed in front of the elves' house, and knocked on the door.
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
"Come in!" Elyon screamed from within his house.
I opened the door and noticed that a soft light and a wonderful smell came from the kitchen. Noir, Rubrum, and I entered the kitchen and found Elyon and Thessalia cooking together.
"Oh, you three have arrived, please take a seat!" Thessalia said happily, smiling at us briefly, before focusing on the food.
I pulled a chair and sat next to the kitchen table with Noir and Rubrum floating beside me.
"Dinner will be ready in a minute!" Elyon spoke as he set the table.
"Let us help." I said to Elyon as I got up.
Noir and Rubrum followed me right after and we helped Elyon set the table. Then, with everything done, we dinned together in a wonderful mood.
"So Alan how was the coliseum?" Thessalia asked worriedly.
"Not that impressive, Miss Thessalia, we only fought a few fights, but we won thanks to what Elyon and you taught us." I replied, puffing out my chest and flexing my arms.
"I'm glad to hear that, but you don't have to be so formal I'd like you to call me Grandma Thessalia." Thessalia laughed, looking at me expectantly between squinted eyes.
"Miss Thessalia I don't think…" I spoke nervously, my cheeks burning with shame.
However, the killing intent I felt interrupted me. I saw Thessalia smiling innocently at me with her eyes half closed. Nevertheless, a nudge to my side caught my attention.
"PPSSHH! Do as she says, or we won't get out of here alive!" Elyon whispered with a panicked look.
"Would you like more food?" Thessalia asked politely, keeping her smile.
"Yes… Grandma Thessalia." I replied, looking at the table and sweating profusely.
"That's great, but please, eat some more, you're so skinny, you look like a toothpick." Thessalia said, putting more food on my plate. I do not know if I will be able to eat all of this.
"And you two too." Thessalia continued, setting a plate for Noir and Rubrum.
"Miss Thessalia, this is not necessary." Noir said, creating two hands and waving them negatively.
Meanwhile, Rubrum opened her pages and sucked up the food in front of her like a vacuum cleaner, literally, and then opened and closed her pages as if chewing.
"I give up." Noir sighed defeated as he picked up a fork with one hand and ate his dinner.
Then we finished our food as time went on.
"So who wants more?" Thessalia asked, holding the handles of a steaming pot.
"Thanks, but no, I'm full." I said quickly.
The killing intent came back.
"I mean, I would like more food, Grandma Thessalia." I said scared, holding my plate with shaky hands.
-XXXXXX-
"AAAHHH!" I groaned in pain as I leaned back in my chair and clutched my full belly.
"I… I can't… eat." Noir grumbled as he lay down on the table.
PLOF!
Meanwhile, Rubrum fell face-first into a plate of food. Elyon, on the other hand, was in the same situation as me.
"What did you think of the food?" Thessalia asked, putting the dishes in the sink.
"It was delicious! / Wonderful! / I never ate anything like that!" We all answered.
"I'm glad you liked it." Thessaly smiled, rubbing her red cheeks thanks to the praise
Well, I think it is time to touch on a subject that bothered me for some time.
"Elyon, Thessalia?" I called both elves.
"Yes?" They replied simultaneously.
"Listen, I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, but I feel like I'm taking advantage of your kindness, so I wanted to ask. Is there any job I can do here in the village? I am not talking about defending it, but an official job, with payment and all. I cannot depend on your goodness forever."
"Well, actually there is one, but it can be quite tiring." Elyon said, looking away while scratching the back of his head.
"What kind of job?"
Elyon told me about the job and I thought for a while. It was not what I expected, but I decided to take it.
Therefore, we spent the night talking, laughing, and telling funny stories about our lives until it was time for us to leave.
"Wait, we have a gift for you." Thessalia said as she handed me a bag.
Opening it, I saw a long trench coat with long sleeves, a high collar, and a pair of gloves, all in an impeccable white color.
"I... I don't know what to say..." I stuttered, holding the coat in front of me.
It was long enough to reach just below my knees, the sleeves covered up to the wrists, and the collar should reach to the height of my cheeks.
"It's to protect you from sunlight. Did you like it?" Elyon asked.
"Yes, I loved it!" I exclaimed, lifting the two elves off the ground and hugging them.
"Young man... Can you put us down? You are crushing us." Elyon groaned in pain.
"Sorry!" I screamed as I put them both on the ground.
-XXXXXX-
Today was another day at work. It took a few weeks to get used to the routine, but it all ended well.
Noir, Rubrum, and I stopped in front of a two-story wooden building as I changed to my physical form, opened the door of the building, and entered wishing a good day to the elves in my way as they responded mutually.
Then we walked through a hallway full of numbered doors on both sides, opened a specific door to our left, and entered the room, stopping behind a table and turning to the people in front of us.
"Good morning class!" I smiled while waving at them.
"Good morning Teacher Alan!" The little elves in front of us responded happily, returning the smile.
That is right; I am a teacher, of history, to be specific.
"How about we start today's class?" I asked, grabbing some chalk and walking toward the blackboard.
"What are we going to learn about today, Teacher Alan?" A small elf asked curiously, raising his small hand.
"How nice of you to ask, today we will learn about dinosaurs and the Mesozoic era." I said as I wrote the name of the era on the board and its duration.
"What is a dinosaur?" Another elf asked with a gleam in her eyes.
"That is what we will learn today." I smile at the elf.
-XXXXXX-
"I'm dead!" I screamed at the books as we walked home, my bag in one hand and my brown shirt slung over my shoulder.
"It can't be that bad Lord Alan, they're just children." Noir said beside me.
"You only say that because you are not the teacher, at least Rubrum had fun."
The red book opened her pages, revealing the drawings made by the children.
"I don't want to go through that again." Noir shuddered, remembering the children scribbling on his pages.
"My only consolation is the chocolate cake Thessalia made for me; it is waiting for me at home." I licked my lips, remembering the wonderful sweet on top of my table.
Finally, I got home! Throwing my things in a corner, I went towards the cake that waited on the kitchen table, cut a big slice, and ate it. It was delicious! Therefore, I bathed quickly and went to take a nap after that.
-XXXXXX-
CRASH!
I jumped to my feet immediately upon hearing the sound of something breaking.
"Two, what did you do?!?" A voice shouted.
"Sorry!" Another voice answered.
"The owner of the house will be angry! Three, please stop spreading hair all over the floor! Five, do not eat that cake! We can't trespass on someone else's property and go messing around like that!"
I looked at Noir and Rubrum, woken up by the noise. I nodded to both of them and the books nodded back.
Then, I opened the door of my bedroom and walked with my back to the wall as Noir's pages opened and I grabbed my ax. I walked down the hall and stopped near the stairs, as the voices grew louder.
"What's the problem? It would be a shame to leave that cake there for the flies to eat."
"Don't you have an education? You don't eat other people's food without asking!"
"Dear Four, you worry too much."
I ran down the stairs, ready to cut in two whoever stood in front of me, and screamed with all my strength.
"You picked the wrong house fool!"
"AAAAHHH, MONSTER!" A chorus of children's voices shouted.
Looking around, I saw five little girls scattered around my house, each of them with different hair colors and hairstyles, and clothes that were not common in the Land of Forests but matched their hair colors.
What is that, an anime? Strangely, I had the feeling of Deja Vú. Therefore, I sighed and lowered my ax.
"Listen..." I immediately raised my palm to block a punch strong enough to create a shock wave from the blonde-haired, red-eyed girl who jumped towards me. This was not a normal child, but I saw her eyes widen as I blocked her blow.
Then I closed my hand around her fist, keeping the girl in the air as she tried to punch me with her other hand, but kept her away, kicking the air and trying to hit me.
"ONE!" The blue-haired girl screamed as she jumped at me.
I did not have time to dodge and she grabbed my face, blocking my view and slamming her fist repeatedly into the top of my head.
"RELEASE MY SISTER!"
I struggled, trying to get the girl out of my face. Simultaneously, I heard someone singing and felt something wrap around my legs, throwing me to the ground.
"GET HIM!"
I yanked the girl out of my face, only to see the brown-haired girl falling towards me with an elbow drop; slamming me down in the stomach.
"GASP!" I felt the air leaving my lungs as the girls punched and kicked me across my body, but it was more irritating than painful.
Is this serious?!? A bunch of kids is beating me?!? I did not fight every kind of horror in Midgard to end up like this!
"ENOUGH!" I flapped my wings, throwing myself to my feet but a series of purple strings wrapped around my body.
I forced my wings to open and flexed my muscles, snapping the strings, and heard another of the girls singing, this time the blonde-haired one.
Golden metallic disks appeared in the air and fired magic lasers toward me, but Rubrum blocked the lasers with a barrier, surprising the girls.
The blue-haired girl sang and a portal appeared above her and a big blue hand tried to punch me.
I pulled my arm back as a Dark Hand came out from Noir and thrust it forward; the two fists collided and the Dark Hand destroyed the blue hand, scaring the girls.
"You tore away my door, broke into my house, attacked me…" I looked to the side.
"…And ate my cake!"
"It was her!" The blonde-haired girl squealed as she licked the chocolate off her lips and pointed at the brown-haired girl.
"It was not me, it was her!" The brown-haired girl screamed, pointing to the blonde-haired one while giving her a betrayed look.
"Listen, how about we all calm down and discuss what's going on here?"
CRASH!
"FUCK! SON OF A…" I screamed as the blue-haired girl smashed a chair into my back.
"Two!" The red-eyed girl screamed, scolding the blue-haired one.
"I am sorry!" The blue-haired girl yelled as she ran away from me.
"AS I WAS SAYING, how about we talk like civilized people?" I asked again, lowering my ax as Noir and Rubrum floated beside me.
The red-eyed girl looked at me suspiciously and analyzed her surroundings, probably looking for a trap or escape route.
"You will introduce yourself first." The red-eyed girl demanded in a serious tone.
"Fine, my name is Alan and the books are Noir and Rubrum." I answered tiredly while pointing at the books in question.
"Greetings, it is a pleasure to meet you all." Noir replied politely but he was a little irritated, probably because of the girls attacking me. Rubrum, on the other hand, gave a simple wave.
Strangely, the girl's eyes widened and she approached me with slow careful steps, staring directly into my eyes.
"Alan, is that you?" The girl asked hesitantly as she outstretched her hand and held my right hand.
"Yes, do I know you?" I asked suspiciously. Something is wrong here.
"It's you..." The girl whispered. Her eyes widened as realization slowly appeared on her face.
"Yes... It is me... What do you mean by that?" I stuttered, creped out by the situation.
"It's you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It is you! It's you!"
The girl yelled repeatedly with a wide smile on her face as she jumped up and down while holding my hand.
Okay, now I am scared. What the hell is she talking about? Is this girl crazy?
"ALAN!" The other girls suddenly screamed as they ran towards me and hugged me.
"What is happening, who are you?" I demanded, confused by the situation. Who are those girls? How do they know me? WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!
"You don't remember us? It's me, One!" The red-eyed girl spoke happily, smiling and pointing at herself while jumping.
"Don't forget about me, Two!" The blue-haired one said, punching my leg lightly.
"The shadow no longer exists or always existed, just out of our reach. Now, the blurred image becomes clearer and the familiarity is explained. I'm Three, by the way." The purple-haired girl spoke enigmatically as she hugged my other leg.
"Mister Alan, it's me Four! Where have you been? It has been so long since we last saw each other, but I have behaved as you said." The brown-haired one spoke politely, grabbing the edges of her skirt and bowing.
"Glad to see you again, hope you haven't forgotten about me, good old Five. How about an apology kiss for the time you've been gone?" The blonde-haired girl flirted, blinking at me as she held my other hand.
I looked around expecting the FBI to show up tearing down the walls. However, when the men in uniform and carrying guns did not show up, I could think only one thing.
WHAT THE FUCK?!?
END OF CHAPTER