The Previous Hero

Stepping back into the adventurers guild, the pair was lead to Xenon's room by Serena. The moment the door opened, they were greeted by the site of the handsome half elf, his sharp brows furrowed together, deep in thought as he pondered over multiple stacks of paperwork from the City of Tristan, as well as reports from different adventurer parties.

"Yo, I'm back." Reiji greets him casually.

 "Have a seat, I'll join you in a moment." Pointing to the sofa in the middle of the room. "Please bring some tea Serena."

Saluting playfully, the guild clerk leaves to prepare the set of tea and snacks. By the time she came back, Xenon had already finished his work and moved to join the other on the opposite sofa.

"I see you've managed to complete the quest, although not exactly the way I had planned. Why don't you fill me in on what actually went down?"

Taking turns, Reiji and Nraltia recounted the details of what they encountered on the Black Spine Mountain, regarding the corrupted scenery as well as the Corrupted Minotuar, Elnyra mentally reminding Reiji about important details he'd missed or forgotten. 

Finishing their tea and snacks during the explanation, Xenon finally concluded. 

"I see. So it really is true, that the corruption is returning. I've heard rumors, but haven't gotten proper confirmation until now." His eyebrows furrowed as he gaze into the distance, unsure if it was the past or the future he was looking to. 

“So… should I be worried about what happened in the Grand Market?” Xenon asks, a sharp glint in his eyes.

“Wow news sure travels fast.” Reiji laughs as Nraltia averts her gaze, under the silent pressure emanating from Xenon.

“I knew it would happen sooner or later, but I didn’t think you would be picking a fight with the Holy Knight, especially Captain Ophelia.” Xenon sighs, sounding heavier than usual.

“Oh? You sound as if you know her.”

“I do. She used to be an adventurer in this town, before moving to the Hierophant Empire. Her name disappeared for a few years, before reappearing as the Knight Captain for the Holy Saintess. Her official title is The Holy Saintess Blade, supposedly, she has been blessed by Alicia herself, able to wield the Sacred Sword. Even the Reagent of Light has acknowledge her.”

“…”

“The Reagent of Light? The Sacred Sword? What the hell kind of cliche name are those?” Reiji ask bewildered.

“The Reagent of Light, is the archbishop, he leads the Religion of the Holy Saintess, a new religion that worships the previous here as a living saint who sacrificed herself for the world. As of late however, it seems that the new Reagent of Light is taking a strange turn, utilizing the Knight Order as a weapon to further his own goals.”

"Oi. I've heard abit about the previous hero and your past world ending problem. But since you were actually there, tell me what actually happened." Interrupting Xenon's explanation, Reiji demands answers to questions he'd been ignoring for too long. 

Xenon sighs, before nodding. "Very well. I'll start at the beginning." The two on the other sofa nods ready to listen.

"The first time corruption happened was 525 years ago. Just like what you saw atop the Black Spine Mountain, multiple parts of the continent underwent corruption. We call it corruption because the very essence of life and mana are twisted. It was a phenomenon that we couldn't control. A miasma that spread like a plague across the continent. It seeps into soil, and river, corrupting everything it touches. Monsters consumed by ravenous madness, their minds devoured by a unending hunger. Plants twisted and rot, growing spined abominations, forest chocked, turning into a wasteland, and the air shimmered with warped mana that gnawed at the soul."

"And? How does the previous hero fit in?" Reiji rushes, before being told of by Nraltia.

"Reiji, don't interrupt people when they're speaking."

Clearing his throat Xenon continues with the explanation.

"The kingdoms and races of the continents united, forming an alliance to find a solution to stop the corruption. Together they pooled resources, until one of them found a secret spell, one of ancient powers long forgotten. It summoned a hero from another world, a hero that would be blessed by the goddess Elnyra, in our final hours of need, someone who would lead the way forward."

Xenon taps his fingers on the hilt of his blade lightly, reminiscing about his past.

"The Hero that came was Alicia, a warrior of pure heart and unshakable will. She held in her hands the Scared Sword, a blade said to carry the diving magic of creation. They rallied around her, warriors of all races, I included, as we began fighting the corrupted monsters, and the corruption itself to save as many lives at possible." 

"With Alicia guiding us, we were able to push back against the corruption, taking out the core of the corruption spreading in each part. We thought that would be the end of it... but then the skies split open with a deafening roar, something that echoed through out the world, as a dragon unlike any seen before descended. We called it Vermundr the World-Eater, the miasma of corruption came from his aura, what came before was merely the beginning.

We thought the corruption was but a short nightmare, created by a mad god, but it was only the beginning. With the appearance of Vermundr, those who perished under it's presence, their corpse rose again, driven by the same unending hunger, their very being twisted by the corruption."

Noticing the twitch in Nraltia's ears Reiji couldn't help but glance at her.

"Are you alright?" He whispers.

"I'm... fine. Please continue Mr.Xenon."

"Despite our best effort, we could not best Vermundr, no matter how many beast we struck down, how many hordes we destory, it's corruption endured. It's malice burning away an entire kingdom. In the end, Alicia did the only thing she could, using the final embers of the divine magic, she created a pocket dimension, sealing herself and Vermundr inside, this would stop the corruption of our world, and stop Vermundr from escaping. However since corruption is beginning to reappear, I can only assume that the seal might be weakening."  

"Tch. So if even the previous hero couldn't destroy it, then what hope do we have?" Reiji clicks his tongue annoyed at the lengthy history lesson.

"We don't have to defeat Vermundr, we simply need to strengthen the seal again."

"So how are we supposed to do that?"

Scratching the side of his face, Xenon clears his throat before answering dryly. “I’m not sure either.”

“WHAT?! How could you not know something this important?” His seat falls over as Reiji shoots to his feet.

“Incase you’ve forgotten, both YOU and I, are Ki users. There’s nothing we can do. Only a powerful mana user with the right class would be able to do it.”

“…”

“He’s right Reiji. Only a powerful Sage class would be able to strengthen the seal, it’s not something you or Xenon can do. The requirements for Alicia's seal was to be a Sage and able to wield the Sacred Sword”

“Apart from the requirements, we’d also need to find the location of the seal. The way Alicia set it up, the seal is constantly moving around the continent, so that it can’t be messed with easily.”

“Tch. Thats a pain, how are we suppose to find it then?”

“Well, since the seal is still operating, I think it’s safe to assume that anywhere with corruption, is a place that the seal has moved through recently, our best bet would be to search for any areas with corruption that’s brand new. The seal would most likely be in the place with the signs of corruption just starting to sink in.”