Maryam learned his name was Oren, before the young man was knocked unconscious by her potions. The best method to relieve pain was to knock the patient out, said her father once. As she stared at his youthful face, Maryam knew that such a child would be traumatized.
The potions she has given him enhanced his life force for a short period so that he heals. This sends his body into a hyperactive state, but there was a down-side. It was the overstimulation the potions bring to his sensory nerves.
Therefore, whatever pain he experienced before that state began was nothing compared to the one that he would experience now. This was the reason that Maryam knocked him out using the painkillers from earlier, and hope this boy survives.
“Oren, huh?” muttered Maryam while the youth took deep and pained breaths. His face was red, telling her he had a fever. “There is nothing for me to do now, Alexie. Your brother will have to survive on his own.”
Maryam rose and looked around, staring at the destruction of the house. There were some walls left intact, but most of them were destroyed. It was time to investigate what happened to their mother.
“What am I doing here?” wondered Maryam as she walked amid the rubble. “I don’t even know these people, but I’m helping them. This is an adventure too, right? This is what you wanted me to do, Ori?”
There was no response, of course. However, Maryam kept grumbling to herself as she looked for clues. The first one she found was how the walls were destroyed. Their surface was smooth, as if it was cut by a sword or a claw. Maryam went to the foundation of the house and found the surface of the pillar to be cut clean.
“This house was torn apart, not using brute force, but a calculated attack that used minimal effort to bring about maximum damage,” muttered Maryam while her hand ran on the surface. “It means that… we are fighting against a human, and a powerful one too: A Swords Master.”
The realization made her job more difficult. If this was an incident of monsters or an accident, it would be easier to trace the victims. However, even amid the rubbles, there was no blood.
“Amelio knows Alexie personally, and knows the address that he needs to target. Is this invasion merely to target Alexie’s family? If so, who is that man and why is he so important?”
As she pondered, Maryam felt the ground shake again. A great wind made her robes flutter, and it came from the main battlefield. Even as she speaks, Alexie was still fighting there. If there was the only a method to monitor the situation…
“Who are ya?” barked a voice behind her, and Maryam turned to find a chubby giant man carrying two kids with him. His hair was red, and his eyes were green, almost making him look like a flame. “What have you done to my brother-in-law?”
“Brother… in-law?” muttered Maryam while glancing at Oren. “That kid is married?”
“He will be, one day!” said the intruder with offense. “I was following him here, but he was too fast… what the hell have you done to him?”
“How rude,” frowned Maryam. “I treated his wounds, and he should be fine after some sleep. However, I can’t believe that you are just his friend.”
“We have tons of pictures together!” said the red-head before showing her a photo of Oren and two more redheads. Maryam frowned while looking at it and then turned to the man.
“Your hair is different.”
“Our hair gets redder the more powerful we become,” said the man with pride. “We are from the Nightroad family! And this man is my sister’s boyfriend.”
“Nightroad?” muttered Maryam with surprise. Their family was indeed known for their red hair, but she didn’t think they would be here. After all, the Nightroad family was a military-trade family that specializes in manufacturing all kinds of things for the military. “Very hard to believe. After all, how can a scion from a rich family just roam around unguarded?”
“… our father is an eccentric man,” said Kody with embarrassment. “We need to become of the Vetus-rank before he allows us to use the family resources.”
“And what if you die here?”
“There should be some mechanisms involved to protect us, but it seems the earlier mana beams struck our satellites. Our reliance on mana for communication backfired now, and we need to use technology.”
“… I will believe you for now, but who are these kids?” asked Maryam, while pointing at the two sleeping children on his back. “Did you promise them candy?”
“I am not a kidnapper!”
“Kids are napping on your shoulder, kiddo.”
“… that is a valid point, but,” his face turned red. “These are the ones Oren risked his life to save. I couldn’t leave them, and we didn’t have time to seek a shelter.”
“A shelter is no longer viable, and you should go to the portal stations outside of the city. You will be teleported somewhere else.”
“Countless monsters attack that place now,” said Kody as he placed the kids down, and allowed them to rest atop a broken table. “We are trapped in this city.”
Maryam frowned at this. She assumed she can save Alexie’s family and make him indebted to her, but now, she wasn’t as sure. Her own life might be at stake if there were monsters in every direction.
“Do you know what happened here, then?”
“I just arrived here,” said Kody, before shaking his head. “But there is a place we can go to, and a person we can ask for help. She is our master, and her grandfather is someone powerful.”
“A powerful master?” Maryam tried to recall who might be living in Kera.
“Master Ronin, the Ex-Principal of Jerano College. I have only met him once when we were training with Oren, but I bet he is strong enough to help us.”
“… that might be correct,” nodded Maryam. “If it’s him, then he might foresee what happened to Oren’s mother.”
Master Ronin was a renowned figure in the world of awakeners, and he was the brother of the previous Yalen King. Even though she was not born in the Yalveran Union, Maryam knew what the Yalen Family could do.
‘Foresight.’
The ability to see the future was something terrifying, which made the Yalen King one of the most feared throughout the world. After all, no one wants to enter a fight with someone who knows the future. As one of them, Master Ronin should be able to see where Alexie’s mother is at the moment.
“Lead us there,” said Maryam before walking back toward Oren. “We need to go there before Master Ronin leaves. Grab the kids, and I will handle Oren.”
“Can a small body even carry…?” Kody doubted her, but he closed his mouth when she glared at him. “I mean, please.”
Maryam then walked toward Oren and placed her hand on his body. A barrier appeared around Oren, glowing and following her hand as she raised it. Then, the barrier carried the injured youth while floating beside her.
“Are you a witch?” muttered Kody with the two kids on his back.
“I am a healer,” said Maryam as she carried Oren with her. “Lead the way, kid.”
“I am… your age,” coughed the man, and Maryam raised a brow. “And my name is Kody.”
***
Oren could feel a burning heat taking over his body, and he couldn’t move or open his eyes, even though he could tell that he was aware. Then, his wounds burned with a great intensity that knocked him out.
After he regained consciousness, Oren opened his eyes. There was no pain, only a dizziness that reminded him of the time he was hospitalized. As his eyes opened and the voice returned, Oren could see the blue sky.
It was so clear, and unfazed by their suffering. The infinite blue was silently judging their misery and struggle to survive, not willing to send mercy their way. Their corpses could rot for eternity, and the sky wouldn’t bat an eye.
His fingers moved as he raised his hand toward the sky, reaching out toward the clouds. There was something out there that seemed to call for him, and Oren wanted to break free of his body and go there.
“You are awake,” said a girl with twin tails as she grabbed her hand. “The wounds have healed now, and you are fine.”
Oren could hear the sounds of battle, despite her words. As he got up, Oren saw the figure of Kody fighting against monsters. Maryam also waved her hand, and the monsters fell to the ground.
“You don’t need to fight too,” said Maryam as she turned to him with a smile. “Your friend is more powerful than I thought. We are going to Master Ronin.”
“… why?” his voice was hoarse, and Maryam looked at him before shaking her head. “You found nothing at the house?”
“I managed to find some clues, but none that would tell us where they are.”
“Then, Master Ronin should be able to,” nodded Oren as he sat up and lifted his head toward the sky. “I wonder what the end of this battle will be?”
