A farewell gift

I feel like I’m sinking in cold water. This feeling is becoming unfortunately familiar.

“Sonala.”

“I’m here.”

“What happened?”

“The worst possible scenario. I figured out what has happened these past 10 years. Umbravar has also brought a soul from another world. And for this past decade, this soul has slowly been corrupting all the citizens of this continent. Preventing slumberwalkers to wake up on their own, and worst of all, turning those who were already awakened back into their primal forms.”

“Now what? That orc kin guy, his name was Tanaka. He said something about the end. What’s going to happen to this world? With everyone else?!”

“He’s planning to completely curse this entire world. In approximately 24 hours, all of its people will go back into their original forms, lose all control over themselves and return to an age of violence.”

“Can’t you do anything?! He clearly cheated! Can’t you use your turn to fix everything? Take out the soul he brought here maybe?”

“I CAN’T!” I can hear the frustration in her voice. “I told you. This game has been going on for far too long. If I use my turn now, the power he will receive next will completely end the world, turning it into his ideal place.”

“So, there’s nothing we can do? We will just turn into slumberwalker and continue to suffer and kill everyone we care about?!”

“I never said that. I told you before. But this world needs someone like you. You are its last hope, if anyone can defeat the other soul and stop Umbravar’s plan, is going to be you.”

I don’t know if I can do this. But right now, it is not a matter of can or can’t. If the Goddess herself says it, I don’t have a choice. No matter what, I can’t allow the people of this world to suffer any longer.

“So, what’s the plan? I just have to take out the other reincarnated soul, right? Where is he right now?”

“I don’t know, they have been hiding from me for ten years I was only able to sense him after I felt his presence in the bodies you sent me. but right now, I can’t detect him anywhere in the continent.”

I think about everything I know about the gods that Sonala told me.

“You mentioned that the Resting Guild was a place where you had more power in the continent correct? We were able to talk better because of that. So where on the continent do you have the least amount of influence. A place no matter how much you try you can’t catch even a glimpse off?”

“Now that you mentioned it, there is only one place in the entire continent like this. All the way north. At the very edge of the continent, is like a shadow blocks my view completely.”

“Then it has to be there.”

“Please Akihiko. Now more than ever, I beg you. Save this world and its people.”

“I will.”

I regain consciousness.

I’m back in the library, sleeping on a makeshift bed. Beside me are Juni, Lafanda, Mimi and Gora. They are all covered in bandages and wounds. But they are alive. I wave of relief washes over me, something I haven’t felt in a long time.

“He’s awake!” Juni says.

All four of them hug me tight.

“Ow ow ow, easy guys!”

“Sorry!” They say in unison.

“How are you feeling?” Lafanda asks.

“Awful…” I hold my left arm. “Guys, Salazar and Olivia…”

“We know…” Juni says, he clenches his fist. “Those who aren’t hurt too badly are preparing the bodies for the prayer on the grounds.”

“I see.”

I look around and there’s dozens of other injured members sleeping beside me. I get up and start looking around.

“Gora, is Volkan…”

“Yes, he’s still alive.”

“I need to talk to him right now.” I start getting up

“Hey, you’re still injured!”

“Doesn’t matter. Please Gora, it has to be right now.”

“All right.”

The five of us head above and search for Volkan. However as soon as I get outside there’s something clearly wrong with the sky. It’s morning, the sky is turning blue, and I can see the sun rising on the horizon. But right below the sun I see a pure black sky starting to rise with it, like it is following the sun. It is even darker than the night sky.

We can see Volkan in the middle of the grounds looking over the guild member who are lining up dozens of bodies of slumberwalkers and regular people, Lumiere and Ruina are also with him.

“Volkan.” I call out to him.

“Akihiko. I’m so happy to see you right now. It’s a disaster.”

“I know, but I’m afraid is about to get much worse.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I didn’t mean to hide it for this long. But I never would have thought things would get this bad. The truth is…”

I proceed to tell the seven of them everything. How my soul was reincarnated in this world by Sonala, how another soul allied with Umbravar is planning to curse the entire continent and how me and Sonala managed to discover the location of where it is hiding.

They all look at me unsure of what to say next, except for Volkan. He calmly listens to me and after pondering for a moment he answers.

“So, I take it that is our time limit before the world is fully cursed.” He points at the black sky closing flowing behind the sun.

“I think so too.”

“Then what we must do is clear. If the entire Resting Guild with all of its member across the mesas leave right now and travel nonstop, we should be able to reach the edge of the continent up north before the curse is activated.”

“But Volkan, the majority of the guild member were here at the base. They are all incredibly injured from last night’s raid. There’s no way they will be able to handle an almost 24 hours trip!” Ruina says

“She’s right and even if they do, there’s no doubt the place will be full of slumberwalkers guarding it. How will they be able to fight?” Lumiere adds.

“I’ll go alone then. I must do this no matter what.” I say.

“No way you’re going alone! We’re going too!” Gora says

“Yeah!” Juni, Lafanda and Mimi say together.

Volcan raises his hands, signaling us to stop.

“As noble as your intentions are Akihiko, going alone won’t solve a problem of this magnitude. But I’m afraid Lumiere and Ruina are both right. There’s absolutely no way we will be able to stop this calamity if the entire guild isn’t at 100%.” Volkan looks at the sky. “I would like to do this while the blue sky is still out. Are we finished setting up the corpses for the prayer?”

“I believe so.” Ruina says.

As we look behind all of the members seem to just be waiting for us to finish our conversation with Volkan.

“Well, then let’s begin. We can continue after I’m finished.”

We head back and join the other members as Volkan goes up to the front of the crowd. We get in position and get ready to start the prayer, only waiting for Volkan to begin but he does something unexpected.

Volkan turns his body towards us and reaches with his hand forward.

“Holy Dream Blessing: Heart to Heart Communication”

A spectral dream catcher appears in his hand. He grabs it and holds it like a microphone.

“This message is to every single member of the Resting Guild, all around the continent.” Volkan begins to speak.

As he says that, a spectral dreamcatcher appears in front me and in front of every single member that is present here.

“Some of you may have noticed it already as you look to the sky, but we are nearing a calamity that could very well destroy the entire world as we know it. As members of the Resting Guild, our duty isn’t solely dedicated to put to rest slumberwalkers, but to also protect those who can’t protect themselves. And right now, this is what we must do. This calamity approaches but that doesn’t mean we are without hope. Sonala hasn’t abandoned us. She has sent us a champion, who is even willing to face this danger by himself. But I won’t allow that. I want you all to follow him as he charges towards this calamity, located all the way up on the northern edge of the continent. We have less than 24 hours, so I beg of you to make haste.” Volkan takes a slow deep breath. “Unfortunately, I won’t be here to see you all succeed, but I believe with all my heart that you will be able to overcome this once again. Together.”

All the members begin to talk to themselves, asking what Volkan could possibly mean by this.

“Volkan, you’re not think off…” Ruina says.

Volkan looks directly at me:

“Akihiko. I told you this before. You are a miracle.”

Volkan closes his eyes.

“Holy Dream Blessing: The Gift of Life.”

Volkan starts glowing orange, when a pillar of light shoots up towards the sky and begins to grow larger until it envelops the entire mesa where the headquarters are located. It happened so fast that none of us could react.

As the light fades, I suddenly feel much better than before. I remember this feeling. It was just like before back in the capital. The pain is gone and I’m feeling full of energy. There’s steam coming out of my bandages and as I remove them my wounds are completely healed.

All the members look at each other. They then begin to remove their bandages as well. Everyone seems to be completely healed.

“VOLKAN!” Ruina screams.

We all turn our heads to him. He has collapsed on the floor. We rush to his side but as Ruina takes a look at him she begins to cry.

“He’s gone…”