A Glory Coin And A Story

Dante: “Where are we headed, Astro?”

Astro: “Abby says it will be a 2 day journey getting to Beyblue island. We can’t take the normal route. Your friend will be long dead. We have to cross through the Golden Land.”

“What’s that?” he questioned.

Astro: “It’s a vast desert that scorches your body. You have an affinity for water, so we will be okay, but your mana will run out quickly. The temperature reaches over 300 degrees. If we get attacked by the monsters out there, then we are as good as dead, but we don’t really have a choice, right?”

“Yeah…” Dante thought long and hard about the situation. “How much time will going through the desert cut off?”

Astro: “Well, it will only take us 3 hours to get there, but that’s assuming nothing attacks us. We have no choice. Let’s head out.”

Dante didn’t know much of this world, so his assassin skills only took him so far. Plus, he didn’t have full control of his sword. He looked down at the panel. ‘The level went up? Huh? 74? What does this mean?’

Dante: “Hey, Astro. Do swords have levels that increase when you kill things?”

Astro: “Hmm…As far as I know, the structure of swords are based upon their rarity. The number in the top right shows the rarity, but there are always anomalies in anything, so I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, rumored swords like Alcion exist.”

Dante: “Alcion? That’s the sword the man who gave me my sword was talking about. What is so special about it?”

Astro: “I don’t know too much about it, but it’s apparently the reason for the start of the repeating Titan Wars. There have been 6 total wars throughout 400 years. There are stories about it, but nothing is really known, so most are fake. A bunch of soldiers of the royal family were killed out of nowhere 400 years ago. A famous family that lived south in the mountains was pinned for the deaths. They are said to be stronger than the 10 great swordsmen of the country, but again, they have never been seen. They are only mentioned briefly in some books. Who knows if it’s true. All I know is that a man named Masaru formed the 10 Great Swordsmen a few years back, but he died in the last war. It has changed over time now that he is dead though…Anyways, nobody knows where the sword is or what really happened throughout a lot of the Titan Wars. Not many survivors, you know? What’s with all the questions? Aren’t you taught this in school?”

“Oh…Yeah, I wasn’t a good student.” Dante didn’t know of the strength that these men had. He thought Astro was powerful, but the story he had just told him indicated that he was the bottom of the barrel compared to the rest of the world. Before he could think about anything else, he spoke. “We’re here.”

Before them stood miles and miles of sand. Flat ground with a scorching heat. ‘This is like standing next to the sun,’ Dante thought. ‘No human could withstand this.’

Astro spoke. “Dante, I need you to go as far as you can covering yourself in water. We can’t take the horse. He’ll die the moment he steps into the heat. I’ll be hiding myself in your shadow. I have a potion Abby gave us. We’ll use it when you can no longer maintain your mana. Focus. This is life or death.”

“Okay, let’s go. I’m ready.”

Dante stepped across the barrier covering himself with as much water as he could draw from the sword. He still didn’t understand mana that much and couldn’t use his powers without his sword, so he had to focus really hard. He could feel the heat breaching his water right away, but was able to maintain it.

“How are you doing Dante?”

“It’s harder than I thought it was going to be, but I think I can go for a few miles.”

“That’s all we need.”

They continued straight with rays of light beaming down at Dante. Astro continued in Dante’s shadow for the next 4 miles.

“We’re 4 miles in, Dante. You’re doing better than you thought.”

“I got this!” Dante said with confidence. The ground began to shake. In the distance ahead of them, mounds of hills started to rise up and go back down. “Astro! Something’s coming!”

Astro: “Shit! Dante, I’m going to pull you into my shadow. Use all the mana you have left and cover me in water. I’m counting on you!”

Dante focused all his mana on Astro when they switched. He was dragged into the floor harshly, seeing what Astro had been seeing the entire time.

‘W-What? I can see everything around me as if I’m above the surface, yet I’m just following Astro’s footsteps. I can’t move though. This ability relies on mana I assume and I won’t have anything left. It must be restraining my movements. Wait…That means that if Astro loses, I’m trapped in here forever!’ Dante heard the chants of Astro above the surface and watched closely as his life was in Astro’s hands.

“Blades of Hell!” Astro swung his sword left and right. Dark purple blades of mana dispersed from his sword at the ground where the hills moved. The creature kept moving and emerged from underneath the surface. A huge worm looking monster as big as a building charged at Astro. It had 10 arms the size of houses that flailed around as it screamed in agony. ‘Astro’s powers must’ve hit him. He’s only extending his mana to his arms though. Is he not getting serious?’

“Let’s do this, Kuro!” Astro placed his scythe on the ground. He focused all his mana into his hands. The mana lines went away and his hands turned completely black. “Kuro, Extend!” His scythe grew in an instant and stretched along the sand. It was almost as long as the worm that stood before them and got big enough to chop off its head. Dante thought to himself, ‘How is he going to hold that? Even if you're strong, the balance of that makes no sense.’

This world yet again surprised Dante as Astro picked up the scythe with ease. He swung the long scythe towards the worm’s head and chopped it off as it fell to the ground bleeding green blood. Astro sighed, “Man I hate using that ability. It takes too much mana and is way too slow…Dante, you alright?”

Dante: “Yeah, but I can’t seem to move at all. Can we switch?”

Astro: “We’re going to have to use this potion for the rest of the way. Can you run? We won’t make it if we walk using this, especially if we come across another one of those worms. Drink up. This should last the rest of the way hopefully.”

Dante was curious about something that he noticed throughout the trip, so he decided to ask Astro once more. The sun hadn’t moved from its spot the entire time, not even an inch.

Dante: “Astro, when does the sun go down? Can’t we hide in the shade for the night and extend the potions?”

Astro: “The sun never goes down here. It’s a desert wasteland. There is no night, just sunlight till the end of eternity.”

That confirmed Dante’s theory. ‘What a strange world,’ he thought. ‘And it keeps getting stranger.’ They continued to walk until they could see the border where they needed to cross.

“Hold on, Dante. We’re being watched. Don’t move.”

Dante looked around. People stood amongst the sand. “How are they surviving in this heat?”

Astro: “They must be native to this land. They probably aren’t human, but just disguised as them. I’m not too sure. Stay alert.”

They continued to the front of the border. None of them had moved since they started to walk again, but they pointed at Dante and murmured out loud, “Devil. Murderer. Filth. Darkness.”

Astro: “Ignore them. They probably do this to everyone that passes through their lands.”

They crossed over without any other problems. Dante wondered what that was all about. Being brought into this world as a kid made it worse for him. He already didn’t understand this world and not being in an adult body made it harder to move around and fight. He was at the mercy of others the whole time. Never had he felt this weak in his whole life. When crossing the border, a single man stood at a booth. He wore a red scarf around his neck and had an eyepatch over his right eye. He had messy black hair almost as if he was homeless with no shoes.

???: “1 Glory coin each please.”

Astro: “What? What right do you have?”

???: “I am in charge of taxing travelers through this land.”

Astro: “What travelers? Nobody comes through here. You sit here every day for nothing. You’re an insane fool. Come on Dante.”

The man cleared his throat. “Sir. It will be 1 Glory coin each please. I will not repeat myself again.” Multiple dragons and wolves expelling mana from their bodies sat in multiple places in the distance. Dante felt the need to step in. He was quite good at negotiations in his world. “Excuse me sir. We aren’t from around here. We don’t have these Glory coins you talk about.”

He looked at Dante and said, “I wasn’t talking to you, Dante.”

“How did you know my name?”

He looked at Dante yet again with a serious grin. “That’s a secret.” Dante looked at Astro with a grin on his face. ‘This isn't good. He looks ready to fight and we used up too much mana. This man looks like he can fight.’

Astro stood for a while before sighing and reaching into his pocket. He pulled out 2 coins with candles on them. ‘Those are the coins that he used at the City of Thieves. It seems like those are used a lot for business in this world. He did have more I guess.’

???: “Thank you sir, but you are one short.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Astro said in an angered voice.

???: “The little creature your friend has in his shirt. I believe that is a Celestial Dragon. Quite a nice pet to have. He will cost you one more coin.”

Astro pulled his scythe from his back. Dante didn’t know what to do. He was too weak to stop anything that could happen. ‘Astro has been in more situations than me, and he’s strong. If he knows he can win, then I won’t interfere.’ Dante began to back up thinking a fight was brewing.

“No, no. Dante. You stay right where you are. The toll hasn’t been paid yet,” the man said. Astro went to slice off the man’s arm, not even paying attention to the creatures that began to approach. He then stopped inches away from his body.

“Dante. I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry. I’m stronger than him, but I’m not going to make this trip a suicide mission,” as he handed over another coin to the man. Astro then proceeded to spit on him. “Tell your sister to screw off. We don’t want any trouble you pretentious freaks.”

???: “Oh but of course. It seems you do know quite a bit about me, sir.”

Astro: “No sword, concealed mana, and that stupid outfit. There are only a handful of people who can do that. You and your sister have quite the reputation. It just took me a second to realize that face of yours. Don’t worry. When the world goes to hell, your sister won’t be there to save you.”

Dante and Astro walked away in anger, forcing more questions to spill out of Dante.

Dante: “What was that, Astro? Was he really just taxing people coming across?”

Astro: “I don’t know. He’s a strange man. I’ve heard a lot of weird things that he has done, so it might just be a stupid hobby that he likes to do. Wouldn’t surprise me if he got registered by a guild to tax travelers at any border.”

“Who is he?” Dante asked.

Astro: “He’s nobody. However, his sister… They go by The Vultures. I saw them a long time ago when I was in the City of Thieves. I only realized it when I went to slice his arm off and he just stood there without a drop of mana and that glaring smile in his eyes. There is a story about both of them. A long time ago when they were kids, they were abused and beaten almost to death everyday by the royals.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“You both are disappointments to the royal family! You will suffer for eternity! Rot in this cell for life!”
Agatha Rekka and Akari Rekka lay on the brink of death surrounded by royals who only thought for themselves.

“I-It’s o-okay, A-Akari. Stay strong, please.” Agatha started to cry, but not out of fear or sadness. It was for survival. “Drink…Akari.” Akari could barely move. Agatha helped him drink as much water as he could. They were born from a hand selected ceremony of two royals to produce perfect offspring that could use ample amounts of mana and an elf that they had captured. They were supposed to be the bearers of the magic sword passed down the Flaen family known as the Dougen. It was a half gold, half black sword with white stripes running down the middle with holes on the outside that could hold 14 extra chaplets. When the two are in sync mentally, the sword’s power and function increases tenfold. When the two twins were born, they possessed very little mana and were judged to have almost no potential. They were taken care of until the age of 3 where they were then beaten to the bone for not possessing justified features. Unlike Akari, his sister Agatha realized at a young age she had to do anything to survive and protect her brother. She tried to sneak out multiple times, but was always caught by the guards.

“Hey! Get back here! You and your brother will have to pay for this.”

“Don’t touch me! I’ll kill you!”

The guards laughed in her face. They took Akari away instead of her and beat him to a pulp. “Stop it! Please…Please…Stop.” Her brother was eventually returned with blood running down his face almost every week.

“Next time you try that, both of you will suffer.” Every day however, they were still misused as target practice for new royal recruits and healed by a saint within the castle with chaplets. This process would repeat everyday as they suffered in agony. One day, a letter was slipped underneath the crevice in the rocks of the cell. It showed Agatha the study of mana and how to produce certain attacks when training mana.

She continued to train even when she couldn’t stand. The letters eventually stopped coming months later, but she continued to work for years at improving her mana. At the age of 12, they both had a good understanding of how mana works and were able to conceal all of it when needed, which was an exceptional talent that they weren’t aware of. They could also lessen it to make it seem like they weren’t as strong.

Akari learned how to heal his injuries with ease and Agatha practiced the details of magic incantations, eventually being able to create her own spells engraved in her brain.

Agatha: “Akari. We are escaping tonight. This wall leads to the outside. I can blow it easily.”

Akari: “No, we can’t. You will be killed and I can’t heal you if you die.”

Akari began to cry at the thought of this.

Agatha: “Don’t worry about me, brother. Just run in the direction I told you to and don’t look back.”

“O-Okay, sister,” while still crying. Having self taught herself mana training, Agatha was able to use many different elements. With one of the simplest chants, she was able to free them both. “Fireball!” The wall exploded and the two ran as fast as they could to the forest. Agatha turned around and was caught by the guards. ‘Crap! I messed up!’ She looked at her brother. “Run! Don’t look back!”

Akari ran into the forest and didn’t stop. The king of the Flaen family approached Agatha. “Now, I have a great ceremony and the two of you are born into this fantastic world, yet you both decide to be burdens to this family. By the way, the man and woman that are your father and mother were hung for producing such horrible children along with that stupid elf. I figured I’d tell you that seeing that you wanted to leave so badly.”

“Go to hell!”

The king ignored her.

“Now, you both try to escape my hospitality. Why? Just why? I give you a place to stay, a roof over your heads, some food and water, and you betray this family in more than one way…Keith.”

“Yes sir?”

“Please show this girl to the basement.” He began to walk back towards the castle, but turned around and looked at the girl with a smile on his face. “Oh, and bring the boy as well.” Agatha screamed at the top of her lungs. “Don’t touch him! Leave him alone!” She was dragged into the castle and down the stairwell where her brother was already at.

“Akari!” “S…is…ter. H-help me.” He had multiple stab wounds on his body. She yelled and cried at the sight, but the guards quickly wrapped her mouth shut. A voice came from the corner. “Hello you two! My name is doctor Reto Byume. I have been tasked with a very special experiment on the both of you. Oh…Let me turn the lights on so you can see this marvelous place.”

The light flickered on to a huge pool of water unveiled in the middle. Black darkness coming from the bottom in waves like a black goo spreading like a virus. “This! It is my beautiful invention! I haven’t given it a name yet though. Hmm. Maybe later, I want to get this baby started.”

The man was dressed in a scientist coat with brown frizzy hair and glasses. He smiled and laughed the whole time excited to test his experiment on children. “Now it’s a little earlier than what the king promised me, but we can’t wait till you're 14, unfortunately now that you have learned a bit about mana. Okay, let’s start this up.”

The guards moved Agatha and Akari near the front edge of the pool. Agatha screamed as much as she could through the cloth, but was helpless. Akari tried to muster up words, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop from his body. The darkness reached up to the top of the water eager to get out as it banged itself against the glass.

“Don’t worry, there is a casing on the top. You just can’t see it. Let me explain what’s going to happen. After 10 years, I have finally perfected it…hopefully, the extraction of antimatter through the Gravity Chaplet. Lots of sacrifices were made to get me multiple of these. My life is on the line too, boys and girls, so let’s all do our very best!”