“Nick! Zem!” White Mask’s reddish-brown barrier disappeared, and Tiana and Karan rushed toward them. Nick/Zem dispelled Union as they did so, and each of them fell to the floor. They had both exhausted their mana and stamina and were completely out of breath. “I’m pooped… My life flashed before my eyes,” Nick said. “Mine as well. I have never felt so close to dying,” Zem agreed. “That was way too reckless,” Karan said, grabbing Nick’s hand to help him up. “Sorry… Stay on your toes, everyone. This isn’t over yet,” Nick said, watching White Mask from the corner of his eye. He was deathly motionless, and his armor showed no signs of regenerating. That function may have been broken. “What the hell is he anyway?” “Let’s take his weapon and restrain him. We should also take off his mask and gag him so he cannot cast—” Zem was interrupted when someone yanked him backward. “Huh?” It was Nargava. Zem glared at him, thinking he still intended to fight, and something zoomed toward Nargava with a high-pitched squeal. “Grk…,” he grunted. “Nargava?!” Zem yelled. The object, whatever it was, pierced a small hole through his body. Blood gushed forth from the wound. They all looked in the direction the object came from and saw a strange metal tube protruding from White Mask’s sleeve. The tube was matte black tempered metal. It didn’t look like a magic item—it didn’t have the jewel that was inserted into mages’ staves. “I never thought I’d have to rely on such a cheap trick… But I suppose that’s our contract,” White Mask said, sounding dejected. He didn’t sound like someone who had just accomplished a mission. “He’s still alive! Take cover, everyone! Zem… Ah, crap! You’re out of mana!” Nick said after mustering what energy he had left, watching for any more strange attacks. “Got it!” Karan responded. “Over here! Ice Shield!” Tiana chanted. Karan jumped forward and held her Dragonbone Sword as a shield, and Tiana used that as cover to cast a wide-range defensive spell. Zem approached them to cast a healing spell but failed because of his lack of mana. They all felt a wave of frustration—they knew they were in trouble. But White Mask didn’t attack again. “And with that, I bid you farewell,” he said. He turned around and dashed off as if nothing had happened. “H-hey, come back here!” Nick yelled. White Mask responded by pointing the strange tube at him. “Look out! That’ll easily pierce through any armor!” Olivia shouted, grabbing Nick and forcing him to the ground. Multiple high-pitched squeals followed as White Mask shot more of the objects out of his tube, which, despite their small size, mercilessly tore through the washing tubs and pillars in the building. Nick could tell that getting hit by one of them would mean death. “What are those?” he asked. “I didn’t expect him to have a forbidden weapon that can no longer be manufactured. Talk about overkill…,” Olivia replied, sounding irritated. “Forbidden weapon? What do you mean by that?” “Anyway, it’s safe to assume he’s secured an escape route. We’re exhausted, too, so let’s call this a draw. Actually, we broke his valuable armor and made him waste many of his limited bullets. We can consider that a victory.” “Can you stop saying things that don’t make any sense? How big of an ancient civilization fanatic are you? Don’t tell me you were born back then.” “Ack.” “You’ve gotta be kidding… Anyway, Nargava’s more important right now.” Nick looked at the former high priest, who had collapsed and was losing a large amount of blood from his wound. It was clear that he was near death. “Zem!” Nick shouted. “I know! Dammit… Please say it’s not too late!” Zem implored. “Forget about me… You…,” Nargava wheezed. “Be quiet!” Zem shouted. “You need…to run…” Nargava weakly pointed toward a fragment of White Mask’s armor. It looked slightly different from when it was first broken off. “Huh? That piece of armor is glowing…,” Tiana muttered. “Oh no! The information concealment process has started!” Olivia exclaimed. “It’s going to explode! Run!” Bond yelled. “Run where?!” Nick shouted, panicking. “Anywhere! Get behind that!” Tiana yelled, pointing toward a toppled washing tub. They all ran toward it and crowded inside. Nick picked up Nargava and followed. “Don’t waste…your effort… I’m already dying…,” Nargava muttered. “Shut up! I don’t know if we’ll get our reward if you croak here! You can die after repenting for what you’ve done in prison!” Nick yelled as he leaped into the toppled tub. Just as he made it inside, the armor exploded. Nick awoke to rays of light from the purple-tinged sun peeking through the window and to the sound of birds singing. It would have been a refreshing morning if not for his extreme exhaustion and pain. “Ngh… Where am I?” “Stay in bed. You need to rest,” Olivia answered. Nick almost asked why she was in his room, but realized they were somewhere else as there was no Agate merchandise in sight. “Where are we?” he asked. “The Manhunt infirmary. Adventurers who aren’t injured badly enough to need the hospital are carried here.” “We survived the explosion…?” “Yep. Like I said, you need rest. Do you feel any pain?” Olivia watched Nick’s face and began to ask him questions about how he felt. He wouldn’t have thought she’d have good bedside manners, given her usual casual attitude, but she was surprisingly good at acting like a doctor. “Okay, looks like you only have external injuries. You’re a tough guy!” she said. “I’m glad for that, at least,” Nick responded. He sat up in the small bed. The white light of the magic lamp and the still bluish sun mingled to give the room a cool glow. He looked around and found Zem and Bond sleeping. Nick was dumbfounded by the calm of the room, as just earlier, they were in immense danger at the abandoned facility. “Where are Tiana and Karan?” Nick asked. “The girls were more badly hurt, so they’re being treated at a proper facility. Their lives aren’t in danger.” “Thanks.” Nick sighed with relief upon learning his party members were safe. “So who are you?” “Oh, that question again…” “Did you really think I wouldn’t ask?” Nick said, exasperated. “What could you possibly have to hide at this point? Eh, I won’t force it if you don’t want to answer.” “Huh? Are you sure?” “I already have an idea of what you are. You must be from the ancient civilization.” “You’re pretty close, actually.” “Either that or you’re such a hard-core occult fanatic that you’ve convinced yourself that you were born back then.” “That’s just pathetic…” Olivia laughed weakly. She steeled herself and sat up straight, as if resigning herself to something. “Bond can use Union. I’m guessing that makes him the Sword of Bonds?” “You know about that?” “Yeah. I was forged after him.” “I knew it… You’re one of those wonky weapons.” “Hey! What do you mean, ‘wonky’?” “Give me your real name if you don’t want me to call you that.” “I’m the Sword of Might,” Olivia muttered. “The Sword of Might?” Nick repeated. “Yes. I am the Spirit-Class Anti-Demon Combat Training Program, the Sword of Might. That’s my product name and my project name.” Those last words sounded familiar. Bond had said “project name” when he’d introduced himself, too. “So you’re like Bond. Do you have an owner?” “No. I can’t use any special spells like Union. My role is different from the other holy swords.” “Your role?” Olivia nodded. “The other holy swords were essentially made as weapons to be used in the decisive battle against the grand demons. I, on the other hand, am a tool made to train people before they face such threats.” “Wouldn’t have predicted that…,” Nick said, surprised. He scrunched his face when he realized something. “Oh yeah, Nargava had a term for spells like Light Body…” “The term is Stepping. It’s a form of combat devised to allow those without a lot of mana or the physique to fight strong opponents. I’ve taught it to many apprentices,” Olivia responded. “Really…?” That information gave Nick a newfound respect for Olivia—she was a true master of the martial arts. “I started traveling the world after the war against the grand demons ended and peace was achieved. I couldn’t tell you how many years I spent picking up and training passing children and granting apprenticeships after beating people in combat. I’ve been taking fewer apprentices lately in favor of fighting villains like White Mask, journeying as an adventurer and eating delicious food, and working as a magazine reporter after developing a fascination for the occult.” “I think there’s such a thing as being too free-spirited.” Nick slightly regretted the respect he’d just felt for her. “Nargava might be an apprentice of an apprentice, or an apprentice of one even further back in time… You get the idea. It pained me to see his fate,” Olivia said sadly. “I see…,” Nick responded. “That probably makes you one of mine, too.” “I dunno how to feel about that…” “You feel honored, is what! Don’t act like the idea disgusts you!” “Forget about that. I have more important things I wanna ask you. The fight’s over, but there’s still more left to do… Ah.” Nick fell silent, his expression turning serious. “Hmm? What’s wrong, Nick?” Olivia asked. A long list of things he needed to do flooded into his mind at once, sending a sense of urgency racing through his body like an electric current. “The Steppingman… Oh, right! What happened to Nargava?!” Nick yelled. “Please calm down, Nick!” “Nargava was the Steppingman! He was the one abducting children! We can’t let White Mask kill him to keep him quiet!” “He’s already succeeded at that, unfortunately. Nargava lost too much blood and died before we reached the guild.” Olivia quietly shook her head. “Crap!” Nick punched his bed in frustration. “What’s wrong? We fought off White Mask. He escaped, but only after we injured him. He’ll have to lie low for a while as he recovers. Is there anything else you’re worried about?” Nick didn’t know how to answer. He was anxious about so many things that he had no idea where to start. “I’m thinking,” he said. “I still say you should rest first…” “There’s no time for that! Can’t you think of something?!” “What do you…? Oh—” Olivia stopped, seeming to remember something. “I picked these up.” “These look like notes…,” Nick said, taking two pieces of paper from her. He studied them closely. There were a number of strange lines drawn on the first one. If they were symbols, he had no idea what they meant. The other piece of paper had arrows drawn on it. “I think it looks like a map? I’m not sure, though. I don’t know what the arrows on the second one mean,” Olivia said. “Hmm… Oh, I know what the arrows are. It’s a code for a magic lock,” Nick said. “Huh? Those exist?” “It’s a magic item that’s been gaining popularity recently. People use them to lock safes and warehouse doors. I don’t know what this maplike one is, either… Hmm…” A wave of drowsiness came over him, but he fought to keep his eyes open and racked his brain. The map looked familiar. He knew it was important. “I’ve seen this before… But where?” Nick wondered. “Are you feeling okay?” Olivia asked. “Yeah, yeah. I just need to think… Come on, think…” Nick grimaced and raked his fingers through his hair. Olivia sighed. “You need to sleep.” “I know! But I need to figure this out! Why did Nargava leave this there?!” “Maybe he wanted to tell us something…” “Like what?” “Maybe something he’s been hiding until now.” Nick thought about that. What was the Steppingman hiding? He was concealing his identity, but that was just to help him achieve his goal. His goal was to kidnap people. Children, specifically. “I know what it is,” Nick said. “Did you figure out how to read it?” Olivia asked. “This is definitely a map.” “A map for what? It doesn’t look like Labyrinth City.” “It may not look that way, but it is. This is a map made for a Steppingman. It looks different because these aren’t roads, they’re paths for people who can walk atop roofs and fences!” Nick finally remembered why it was familiar. It looked like the Steppingman routes Ada had drawn. The map was roughly drawn because Nargava must have used the last of his strength to make it, but Nick knew exactly where it was pointing and what its purpose was. His vague sense of danger was taking shape. “Nargava being silenced means that the children he abducted are in danger, too. He might have drawn this so we could find and save them,” Nick said. “I see… It’s a race against time,” Olivia responded, her expression turning grim. The gravity of the situation had dawned on her. “Hey, Zem! Wake up! We’re not done yet! You too, Bond!” Nick shouted. “S-slow down, Nick. They’re hardly in a fit state—” “Shut up! You’re not doing anything! Help us out!” Nick yelled, overpowering the usually aloof Olivia. She finally seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. “Ngh… Nick…,” Zem muttered. “You’re awake, Zem!” “Yes, I heard your conversation… I just couldn’t get up.” Zem looked completely exhausted. His wounds had closed, but Union and all the spells he cast must have drained his mana. The only way to recover from that was rest. “Haah… Fine. I’ll carry you both,” Olivia said. “That’d be great… Actually, no, I can walk,” Nick protested. “No way you can’t. Not like that. Let’s go!” Olivia responded, picking up Nick and Zem. “H-hey! What the hell are you doing?!” Nick shouted. “We’re going to save those kids! Tell me where to go!” “I know that, but I don’t wanna be seen like this!” “Do you want to get there quickly or not?!” Olivia ignored Nick’s complaints. He gave up and read Nargava’s note. “W-wait… Uh, this is probably the factory, which makes this the church wall… There’s a residential area to the northwest of the factory. Carry me and Zem there,” he requested. “Got it. Let’s go!” Olivia responded. She took off running with shocking speed. “H-hey, can you please slow down?!” Zem objected, but Olivia ignored that, too. “Don’t talk! You’ll bite your tongue!” she said. There was still morning mist as Olivia carried Nick and Zem through Labyrinth City. Doing his best to ignore the suspicious stares of the merchants preparing their stalls for the morning market and the newspaper deliverymen, Nick read the note. “Take a right next! Go down the street opposite from that government building—” “I’m taking a shortcut!” “H-hey!” Olivia stepped firmly on the ground and chanted a spell, then jumped over a building with one tremendous leap. Nick was astonished; she was even more nimble than Nargava. “This is what a real Steppingman is capable of…,” Nick said. “I don’t remember calling myself that!” Olivia shouted. Olivia leaped from rooftop to rooftop with absurd speed, seeming to think of her route as she went. She relied purely on her agility and jumping ability without the use of chains or ropes. The scenery flew by so quickly, it made Nick nauseated. He had little choice but to leave the navigation to Olivia. “Is this it?” she asked when they arrived at their destination. “Yep,” Nick answered. Olivia put them both down. Zem immediately put his back to the wall and slid down to the ground, still obviously groggy. Nick resisted doing the same and pounded on the door. “Hey, are you all okay?! Is anyone in there?!” he yelled. No one answered. “Is the door locked? What should we do?” Olivia asked. “Open it, obvio… Huh?” They had arrived at a totally normal three-story wooden residence. The wooden door had a metal doorknob with a perfectly ordinary keyhole, rather than the magic lock Nick was expecting. “Is this note not a code? Or do we have the wrong place?” Nick wondered aloud. “No, this building is definitely suspicious,” Olivia said. She pressed her palm to the door as if to check something. She then knocked on the door and tapped the wall. “Huh, can you tell something by doing that?” “You can figure out how many people there are in a building and their general physiques from the vibration of their voices and how the building creaks when they walk.” “So? How many people are in there?” “I have no idea.” “Hey.” “The building is so quiet, it’s unnatural. I couldn’t even perceive the reverberations from hitting the wall… It’s not that there’s no one in the building. There’s an illusion making it seem that way.” “So Nargava did something to hide the children?” “He probably placed an illusion to conceal the children living within so that the neighbors wouldn’t notice them. That means any attempt to call for help would go unnoticed.” “It’s probably a phantom king orb fragment, then. Crap, what a pain in the ass,” Nick cursed. Zem finally staggered to his feet. “Does that mean the children could scream at the top of their lungs without being heard?” he asked. “Most likely. This note Nargava wrote is probably the combination to unlock the door from the inside. There’s nothing we can do out here,” Nick responded. “Should we break down the door?” Zem asked. “Oh yeah, why didn’t I think of that? There’s no reason to hold back,” Nick said, his expression brightening. “Right! Duh! I’ll give it a taste of my secret technique!” Olivia proclaimed cheerfully. She prepared to strike the door, but Nick suddenly stopped her. “Actually, no. We’re not doing that.” “Hey, don’t pull on me like that! These combat clothes are expensive!” Olivia complained. “He might’ve set a trap in addition to the illusion. Destroying the door might cause the building to explode or be set on fire. Breaking in by force should be our last resort.” “Then what should we do?” Olivia asked. “That’s what we need to figure out!” Nick said, rubbing his head. “Can you please explain that note to me?” Zem inquired. “Huh? Oh, sure…” “We know nothing of the situation inside. They might be surprisingly comfortable, or they could have already been moved somewhere else. There is also a chance they are hoping for someone to save them as soon as possible. If that is the case, what we need to do is clear.” Nick explained the note to Zem in detail. Once Zem got the gist of it, he stood in front of the door. “We cannot hear you from here! But you should be able to hear us!” Zem said with a carrying voice. “I am guessing the door is blocked by chains. You can only unlock it from the inside. We cannot risk destroying the door because of the chance of a trap! You need to unlock it yourselves!” Neighbors began to crowd around them to see what was going on, but Zem didn’t pay them any mind. Ten minutes passed. All they could do was hope the children inside were following their instructions. “There should be a single bead-sized gem inserted into the chains. Press it gently with a finger. After holding it for ten seconds, a green arrow should appear,” Zem instructed. “Hey, what’s with the racket? It’s the break of dawn,” one of the people complained. “Go back to your houses. You’re getting in the way,” Nick responded threateningly. Olivia hurriedly pushed people away so they wouldn’t bother Zem. “Hey, what gives?!” a man shouted. “We’ll be done soon! Please don’t make too much noise!” Olivia requested. “You’re the ones making noise,” another person accused. Zem ignored the commotion and repeated the same instructions three times. He spoke slowly, loudly, and clearly. He then waited another ten minutes. “Once the green arrow appears, trace the stone to change the arrow’s direction in the order I say. First…” Zem read them the combination and repeated it three times. Nearly an hour had passed since he’d begun, but nothing happened. By the time he started the explanation over from the beginning, the neighbors had lost interest and left. Nick and Olivia kept watching. The former priest raised his voice. “Nargava is not coming back. He is dead.” Zem reflected on the past. When he was imprisoned, he wanted nothing more than to get out. He would have done anything to regain his freedom. But it was when he was finally released that his pride was truly broken. He had lived his sentence in constant fear that he would be abandoned to starve to death or that he would go insane and spend the rest of his life locked away, but when he was finally taken out of the cell, his first thought was that he didn’t want to leave. The cell was cramped and isolating, but there was no threat other than the guards. But even they had lines they couldn’t cross, and they rarely entered the cell. They never did anything Zem didn’t expect. His fear grew the longer he was cut off from news of the outside world. His delusions became reality in his mind. When he was banished and pelted with jeers and stones on the way out of the village, Zem even wished he had died in the cell. “Do your best to remember. This is not your home. It is not a fortress to protect you from outside threats. It is a prison to shut you away and isolate you from the world,” he said. If his own experience was any indicator, he was positive the children would not feel immediately happy to hear they were being set free. He knew they would be afraid and slow to trust after all that time being locked away in that small world. “You are free to remain inside until you are convinced it is safe to leave. But please make a decision when you are ready. I will repeat myself.” Once again, Zem gave the instructions for unlocking the door. The last of the onlookers left when the day passed noon and the sun began its descent to the west. Not long after that, they heard a click and saw the doorknob turn. “A-are you really saving us?” A girl opened the door. There were five more children, boys and girls, behind her. Their clothes were dirty, their hair unkempt, and their eyes were lifeless. Some of them had bruises, likely from fighting among themselves. “You have no need to stay here. You can return to your homes,” Zem said kindly. The children all began to cry.
Chapter 59
20 min read