Reuniting the team: Part three

With Jack in the group, they were finally able to leave the capital and head off in search of the others. Everyone was sleeping in the carriage while Verena drove the horses. It was dawn, and only the sound of the wind and the horses’ gallops could be heard.  

“So Verena, do you know where Roxy and Lemos are?” Liz asked as she rubbed her eyes and began to wake up.  

“Of course, I’m the princess of the kingdom. It’s my duty to know where the strongest people of Aurelia are in case we need them.”  

“So, where are they?” Mark asked curiously from the back.  

“Well, Lemos is obviously in the kingdom of the elves, so we’ll leave him for last. As for Roxanne, she’s in the old hut where her master, Miraelis, used to live.”  

“Eh? The hut of the legendary mage?” Jack sat up, surprised. “I thought nobody knew about that place.”  

“Only I and her disciple, Roxy Morwynd, know about it,” the princess said confidently. “You see, Roxy obviously needed some means of sustenance to continue living, so she often sends the kingdom magical research or discoveries. She confided in me the location so I could visit once a month. We also have tea together.”  

“So you’ve stayed in touch with her?” Mark asked curiously. “How is she?”  

“Just as calm as always. She only speaks when it’s about magic.”  

“Ha, typical of her. Looks like none of us has changed,” Mark smiled, reminiscing about old times.  

“Yeah, that’s true,” Verena agreed. She then stopped the carriage and added, “We’re here.”  

When they arrived, a young woman with short black hair, dressed in a dark tunic and holding a magic staff, was waiting for them at a table in the garden on a hill. She was reading a book with magical runes while drinking tea. Upon looking up, she adjusted her glasses and stood up to approach the carriage.  

“You’re late,” Roxy said, adjusting her glasses with a serious face.  

“Huh? You knew we were coming?” Verena asked, confused by her friend’s behavior.  

“Of course,” Roxy got into the carriage without greeting anyone and sat in the back to continue reading.  

Everyone stared at her in astonishment until she raised her head.  

“Why are we stopping? Don’t we have an important mission?”  

“Wait, wait, first of all, hello Roxy, it’s been a while. We’ve missed you,” Liz interrupted. “Second, how did you know we were coming, and why are you so sure we have a mission?”  

Everyone looked at Roxy, waiting for her response.  

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a mage, and I have my methods,” a owl flew up from behind her and perched on her shoulder. What was strange about the owl was that its eyes were violet and glowing. “Meet Mira. With her, I’ve been able to track all your movements over the past two years in case you ran into any trouble. So, I’m aware of your situation and why you need me.”  

“I see, I see, magic stuff” Jack repeated while nodding. “Wait, does that mean you watched us while we bathed?! Pervert!” Jack grinned with a mischievous look.  

“Idiot, an owl can’t enter a bath, and even if it could, there wouldn’t be much to see,” Verena laughed quietly.  

“What did you say, scum?” Jack shot a threatening look at his companion.  

“Calm down, Jack. We have more important matters to attend to,” Liz silenced the fool and turned to the witch, who was already back to reading her book. “Roxy, are you really sure you want to come with us? We don’t even know what we’re getting into. It could be really dangerous.”  

“I’ve never been more certain in my life. My master spent her entire life preparing for a task that she didn’t even know. As you know, she was famous for having visions of the future. Once, she had a vision of how a being as powerful as her, in a distant future, would bring about a vast number of victims like never seen before. But that being never appeared, and she grew old. Before she died, she entrusted me with the task of stopping it. At first, I thought that being was the Demon King, and everything ended when we defeated him, but a year ago, on her deathbed, my master told me: ‘The Demon King was just the beginning of my vision.’ So, I believe this new mission is the one I’m destined for. The only person as strong as my master, aside from the Demon King, was Hiroshi. So, of course, I’m going. I owe it to her for showing me the beauty of magic.”  seeing how much she talked about he rpersonal life, she blushed and returned to read her book.

Everyone listened seriously and nodded, setting their course for one last stop: the kingdom of the elves.  

After a long journey, they arrived at a city surrounded by a large, impenetrable wall. The elven kingdom is known for having resisted during the war with the demons, minimizing its losses in land and soldiers thanks to the strategies of the elven king. 

Verena got off the carriage to speak with the soldiers guarding the kingdom, but they immediately took a defensive stance.

"Calm down, we come in peace. You may not know us, but you are looking at the old group of the hero, and I am Verena Aureliana, Princess of Aurelia. Raising those weapons could start a war," she said seriously and angrily.

The two guards exchanged doubtful glances but decided to trust them for the moment.

"I'm sorry, Princess. What brings you here?" one of them asked.

"We wish to have a meeting with your king and his bodyguard, Lemos, our former companion. It’s urgent," she replied.

"As much as we would like to let you through, we cannot. Only those who have notified us a month in advance may pass."

"I know, but a month is too long, and this is an urgent matter. At least let us see Lemos."

"Lemos cannot leave the king without permission. We ask that you return to your human kingdom and start making preparations to schedule a meeting with the king."

"This is no way to treat me. I have enough authority to pass right now," Verena’s veins were bulging as her anger grew.

"Miss, you have no authority here, especially over the elves. We ask that you leave and not force us to use force," one of the guards warned.

Both of them pointed their weapons at her, trying to push her away from the gate. Just then, an arrow fell from the sky and landed a few inches from one of the guards’ feet. A voice called out from where the arrow came from.

"That’s no way to treat a lady." A tall, blonde elf with long hair stood with a wooden bow in his hands. He dropped down from the wall, landing on one of the guards to cushion his fall.

"Hey, Lemos, what are you doing? You could've killed us! You should be with the king!" one of the guards complained, raising his fist at him.

"I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I only wanted to stop this pointless argument. The king allowed me to come. He received a letter from Minister Esteban Von Manfred about this urgent matter involving the princess. So, if you’ll excuse me, I must go greet my friends," Lemos explained gracefully, brushing dust off his clothing.

"Lemos, I see your aim is as precise as ever," Verena remarked with a smile.

"And I see you’re as bossy as always, Alveriana," Lemos replied calmly, walking toward the carriage where the others waited. Mark and Liz greeted him cheerfully, while Jack made mocking faces, and Roxy continued reading as if nothing had happened.

"Let’s hope this mission is faster than the last one," Lemos grumbled as he climbed into the carriage. "Esteban already filled me in with the details, so no need for explanations."

"I'm still surprised the king let you come, especially since you’re his most trusted bodyguard."

"Hiroshi was the only person the king couldn’t figure out, which intrigued him, so he let me come to report the results of the mission. Still, I’m not convinced. I’m just following my king’s orders."

"You’re still such a kiss-up," Jack shrugged, disappointed with his companion. "So, what’s next?"

Everyone looked at Liz, who had received the goddess’s call and was with all of them.

"Well, the goddess told me that Mark would know where to go. Something about a magic circle," Liz explained, trying to remember her dream.

Now, Mark was the focus of their attention, not understanding what Liz meant.

"Oh, I know. Hiroshi disappeared from the face of the earth in a magic circle… but I don’t remember where it is."

"Let me handle this. You may not remember, but your subconscious will. Would you mind if I looked at your memories?" Roxy said, looking up and moving toward Mark’s head.

"Sure, no need to ask," Mark said with a confident smile, trusting his sorcerer friend.

"Here I go," Roxy said, pressing her hands to Mark’s head. Her eyes turned completely white as she searched for the location of the magic circle.

Ten minutes later, she snapped back to reality, stepping away from Mark. For some reason, there was a tear on her face as she looked strangely at Liz and Mark. Everyone grew concerned.

"Hey, Roxy, are you okay?" Liz asked calmly. "Do you need a spell from the goddess?"

"Relax, it’s just an allergy," Roxy sighed and regained her composure. "I know where we need to go. Mira, come here."

With those words, the owl flew over to her. She whispered something in an unintelligible mage language, making the owl’s eyes turn violet. It then flew ahead of the carriage.

"He knows the way. Just follow him," Roxy said.

"Alright, next stop—Hiroshi’s world," Verena stated.

The true journey began. After several days of travel, they finally arrived in the middle of a forest, where a white circle covered in runes and strange symbols appeared on the ground.

"Is this it, Mark?" Verena asked, stopping in front of the circle.

"Yes, this is where Hiroshi disappeared," Mark replied, getting off the carriage with the others.

"This is strange; I’ve never seen these markings before," Roxy said, examining the circle. "Just in case, don’t get too close. We don’t know what spell might be activated."

"Tch, what could some drawings on the ground do? Probably just some kids messing around," Jack said, stepping recklessly into the circle with his hands behind his head. "See? Nothing’s happening—"

Suddenly, a lightning bolt struck from the sky, causing Jack to vanish from their world.

"Jack? Jack, where are you? This isn’t funny," Verena said, confused by the disappearance. "Damn, I’ll have to go in. We can’t leave him behind."

"Hold on, Verena, we need to go in together," Roxy said, but before she finished, the princess stepped into the circle and disappeared from view.

"I suppose this is the only way, Morwynd. There’s no turning back now," the elf said like a sage, stepping into the circle as well.

"I guess the elf’s right," Roxy admitted reluctantly, stepping in herself. "I’ll see you all on the other side—if there is one, and if this isn’t some trap."

Only Elizabeth and Mark were left, with Liz trembling and reflecting on what to do, while Mark remained as calm as ever.

"It’s not too late to back out," Mark said.

"No, it’s fine. It’s our duty as heroes and as Hiroshi’s friends to be there for him, no matter what," Liz replied.

"Well said," Mark smiled, giving him a thumbs-up. "Do you want me to hold your hand?"

"No, I can do this alone. Let’s go, or the others will leave us behind."

"As you wish, my lady," Mark said, jokingly.

Together, they walked toward the circle, and the light took them to their next destination.

When the blinding light faded, Mark opened his eyes and found himself in a completely white place. In the center, there was a table, stairs leading upwards, and doors on each side. His friends were slowly opening their eyes, adjusting to the strange place.

"Where are we?" Verena asked, still perplexed.

"Welcome to the home of the gods," a voice answered.

Descending the stairs was a beautiful, mature woman, with long blonde hair down to her feet, dressed in a white tunic with a sunflower in her hair. "Thank you for answering my call."

"It can’t be… it’s the goddess," Liz said, eyes filled with tears as she saw the goddess she had idolized all her life. "Oh, my goddess, thank you for your presence before our humble mortal eyes."

Liz kneeled, her hands together in prayer. The rest followed suit, in awe of the creator of their world.

"Had I known the goddess was so beautiful, I’d have become a priest from birth," Jack whispered to Mark.

"Hey, show some respect," Mark snapped back, slightly annoyed.

"Calm down, my children. There’s no need for such formality. I should be the one kneeling before you for saving my creation."

"We don’t deserve such praise, holy goddess," Liz responded respectfully, eyes still tearful.

"Well then, how about we sit after this long journey? There are matters we need to discuss." The goddess motioned for them to sit.

As they took their seats, the goddess began the conversation.

"I assume you know why I called you here."

"Only what you told me, but we don’t quite understand. We don’t believe Hiroshi is causing harm in his world," Liz said.

"I’m afraid you’re wrong, child, and it’s all the fault of the useless goddess you worship so much," a voice came from the stairs.

An adult man, with a beard and wearing a tunic, walked down while stroking his beard and looking suspiciously at everyone.

"Who’s this old man?" Jack asked.

“You little brat, that’s no way to speak to a god,” the deity said, his voice seething with fury. “If you were under my jurisdiction, I would have evaporated you before you could even finish saying the word ‘old man.’ This is just one of my many appearances. In truth, I have no physical form; I simply take the one that suits me best. Understood?”

The supposed god pointed firmly and angrily at the lancer.

Jack wanted to respond but the intimidating aura around the god prevented him from speaking. He could only nod in agreement.

“Apologies, brother,” the goddess intervened, “I just wanted to give them some context before you arrived. Everyone, let me introduce you to the god of Hiroshi’s world.”

“Nice to meet you,” Liz bowed her head and clasped her hands together.

“Well, at least one of you has manners,” the god remarked.

“Excuse me,” Liz spoke up, “but we’re in a bit of a rush. Could you explain the situation? We don’t want to jump into a suicide mission without knowing the details.”

“Of course, my child,” the beautiful goddess responded. “As you may know, the world created by my brother is in danger, and we have reasons to believe that Hiroshi is the cause.”

“But that can’t be true! He’s a hero!” Liz protested, and the others nodded in agreement.

“Pfft, then explain this,” the god snapped. “After your so-called boyfriend returned to my world, suddenly everything turned into a chaotic, magical mess. It was once a scientific and technological world—magic is too much for them, and this sudden change is far too abrupt.”

“That could just be a coincidence,” Liz countered, “or else you would have noticed.”

“Generally, yes,” the god replied, “but Hiroshi is an extremely powerful being who can distort the reality around him. We can’t decipher what he’s thinking or what he’s doing right now. In fact, since his arrival, I’ve been unable to fully understand what’s happening in my own world. All I know is that something bad is occurring. Who knows how many wars and conflicts could break out between nations if such magic power is in their hands?”

Liz couldn’t find a rebuttal.

“I think they’re right,” Roxy spoke up. “I could never fully grasp Hiroshi’s magical potential or read his memories the way I did with Mark.”

“I suppose that’s why even the Elven King can’t understand him,” Lemos added.

“If only Hiroshi hadn’t gone to my idiot sister’s world…”

“Hey, you know Hiroshi was the only one in all the worlds who had could have enough magic to defeat the Demon King. You’re the one who created humans so greedy that magic couldn’t be entrusted to them,” the man-god shot back.

The male god turned angrily, refusing to even look at his sister after what she had just said.

“But how is it possible for an entire world to suddenly become magical?” Mark pondered aloud.

“Zephyr,” Roxy quickly answered. “Magic crystals that can be imbued with magic, and from them, magical materials or weapons can be created. If Hiroshi brought enough of these to his world, it’s possible he could spread them across the world, causing others to seek ways to replicate them.”

“That reminds me,” Verena interrupted, slamming his fist on the table, “the Zephyr supply from the castle disappeared two years ago.”

“There you have it,” Roxy continued, “the only thing missing would be an infinite bag to store endless things so he could save the Zephyrs. You didn’t see him leave with one of those, did you?” she asked the gods.

The goddess whistled, pretending not to know what Roxy was talking about.

“Sister, answer the question.”

“Well... yes, he did have one, but he told me it was filled with his memories and his sword. I allowed him to keep the sword since he couldn’t part without it because of Miraelis’ enchantment. I let him keep the bag as long as it didn’t harm anyone.”

“You’re such an idiot, sister.”

“What do you want me to do? We’re talking about the hero who saved my world.”

“Well, now you understand the problem,” the man-god continued. “We need a capable group of people to go to my world, investigate the situation, and if necessary, eliminate the cause of it all—Hiroshi. And the only competent ones are his former companions—you. Make your decision now, because once you agree, there’s no turning back.”

“Ha, count me in. Like I said, I’ve always wanted to give that idiot what he deserves,” Jack said, clenching his fists.

“Me too,” Roxy added. “I think this is the vision my teacher saw, and I have to do everything I can to avoid it.”

“Wherever innocent lives are in danger, I’ll be there. And if possible, I’ll try to correct Hiroshi,” the princess said firmly, looking straight at the god.

The rest of them were waiting for Liz and Mark’s response. Mark seemed to have already made up his mind, but he was waiting for Liz to speak first.

“As I said, you can still change your mind. If you want to turn back, I’ll go with you.”

“No, Mark. I appreciate it, but I need to see the situation with my own eyes. Even if I don’t like what I see, I’ll trust in the innocence of the hero who’s saved us so many times. I’ll never stop seeing him the same way.”

“I agree with Liz,” Mark said, standing up from the table and pointing at both gods. “Hiroshi isn’t that kind of person. He’s my best friend, and I know who he truly is. I’ll go and show you all how wrong you are.”

Both gods nodded, signaling that the next step could begin.

“Alright, now that we’re all in agreement, you’ll finally be able to go to my brother’s world. The entrance is the door to my right. Once you cross it, you’ll become ordinary humans typical of that world. It will feel as though you’ve always lived in Japan. You’ll have your own home and job, but nothing will bind you like a family would. That way, once you complete your mission, you’ll be able to return to Aurelia peacefully. When you first arrive, you’ll be in separate locations, but we’ll help you reunite—though that’s all we can do. Additionally, we’ll implant basic knowledge about the world, such as the language, into your brains so you can adapt faster. You’ll also be able to summon your weapons and armor by speaking the incantation ‘Armor.’ Understand?” the god explained diligently.

Everyone nodded, except for Mark and Jack, whose heads were practically steaming from the overwhelming amount of information they were struggling to comprehend.

“Just go through the door, and good luck.”

“Be careful, my children. I’ll be watching over you. Oh, and Roxy—would it be alright if we borrow your owl’s eyes to keep an eye on what’s happening on Earth?” the goddess asked sweetly.

“Of course,” Roxy replied, allowing them to enchant her owl to watch the events unfold through its eyes.

With that, they all crossed the door one by one, and a bright light blinded them.

When Mark opened his eyes again, he found himself in an even stranger place.

He was wearing red, inflated boxing gloves and a helmet, along with a white shirt that had a huge word on it: “Boxing.” He was standing inside a large ring surrounded by ropes. People around him were either hitting punching bags or lifting weights. As Mark tried to understand what was happening, a man dressed similarly approached and raised his gloved fist, ready to strike.

“Hey, hey, did I really get into a fight this fast?” Mark said in a new language, dodging the punch.

“What are you saying, Mark? Did you drink too much last night?” his opponent asked in the same language.

Somehow, Mark could understand him. At the same time, knowledge about this new world flooded his mind. Apparently, he was a coach in a boxing gym, training with a partner.

“I see. I get it now. So, this is boxing. Sorry, buddy, but I have urgent matters to attend to. Don’t take it personally.”

Mark gathered strength in his fist and knocked out his opponent with a single punch to the head, causing smoke to rise as the man collapsed.

“Hey, Mark! What are you doing? You could’ve killed him!” the referee exclaimed, clearly confused by the unexpected strength.

“Relax, it wasn’t a lethal blow... I think. Sorry, but I’ve got to go,” Mark said, removing his gloves and rushing out of the gym.

Outside, a crowd of people was pushing past him along the sidewalks. Steel machines rumbled down the streets, making deafening noises that gave Mark a splitting headache. The air was thick with smoke, making him cough, though he never got sick. Towering structures covered in glass blocked his view of the sky. As all this information flooded into his mind, new concepts formed.

“Cars, pollution, honking, buildings... what is all this stuff? Where is everyone? Liz!!! Where are you???” Stressed and overwhelmed by the noise and the crowd, Mark felt like he was starting off on the wrong foot in this new world.