Chapter 483: Old Home

"Are you saying that you want a civil war?" frowned Arthur as he heard what their plans ent.i.tled. "This disregards how many lives would be lost and the amount of damage the kingdom has to suffer. It cannot sustain another war," protested Arthur.

"This is the only way for them to summon their powers and for us to find them all. At least, it was the only way," Grandmaster Riana sighed with emotions. "We wanted the Mernars to keep attacking the kingdom because it means the enemy will show its true face."

"You are the Devil Hunters," ridiculed Arthur. "And you have no idea who has fallen?"

"You are crossing the line, young man," said the short man. "As the three grandmasters of Paradise, we deserve nothing but respect. There will be no discussion if you intend on keeping this att.i.tude."

"That is fine by me," stood up Arthur from his spot, but Ori pleadingly looked at him to sit back down. "I am only doing this for you, Ori."

"And I thank you for that," sighed the grandmaster. "Our plan was not perfect, and it involved many sacrifices. However, it was the lesser evil that we needed to endure."

Arthur listened to his words and could see the guilt-ridden expressions of the members. They knew the consequences of their actions, but they chose to bear them.

This city was indeed a paradise for those from Earth, and these people were the ones behind it. Arthur calmed down from his earlier anger to understand their views.

"I understand," tapped Arthur on the table. "However, it does not change that you have knowingly endangered my city and people."

"The alternative was for us to allow his descent," interrupted a young woman from the Council. She was not a runemaster but seemed to be a fighter of some sort. "We regret that it came down to this, but many more would have died if our plan failed."

Arthur turned toward the young woman, who looked in her late twenties. She had long sky-blue hair tied into a ponytail behind her, matching her silver engraved light armor. Her face was calm, unwavering.

"And who are you?" Arthur was intrigued because for someone who looked like a fighter, she was the youngest among the group.

"They call me Zephyr," she replied before nodding in greeting. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Seika of Living Beings."

"I cannot say the pleasure is mutual," Arthur threw away all planetaries. "Maybe you have the choice to sacrifice a few to save many, but I, as the few, have the right to destroy your plans."

"Seika," Zephyr shook her head. "We are all outsiders of this world, only trying to find a way to survive. Do not, for even a moment, believe that we wanted you harm. We had no choice."

"There are better ways to find the fallen ones," he said with a frown. "We do not need to tear this kingdom apart just to accomplish that. Otherwise, what is the point?"

"We need to save this world," she replied, opening up her palm upward. "This is our duty, and we cannot compromise the rest of the world because of one kingdom. Freda is the gate that will allow for the descending of the calamities, and we need to stop it at all costs."

"A duty delegated by who?" frowned Arthur as he asked. The five members were silent before looking at Oriole to answer.

"There is something that I need to give you, and it will answer that question. First, however, I need you to understand that we are not your enemy, and we had no wish to deceive you."

"What are you talking about?" frowned Arthur as apprehension filled his mind. His eyes glanced toward the rest for any unusual movement. "What do you want to give me?"

"This," presented Ori after standing up and walking toward his seat. Arthur watched the small pocket watch with confusion. "I was asked to give it to you when you come to us."

"You knew I would be coming?" Arthur stood up from his spot as he glared at his friend, whose face began to morph into unfamiliarity. "What are you planning?" his eyes scanned the crowd.

"We knew, but we did not know when," Grandmaster Riana explained with a sigh. "We are not the enemy, and that item will explain everything you need to know."

With suspicion, Arthur looked at the watch, which Ori held for him. There were runes on the watch, but Arthur could not tell what they were. This made it more difficult for him to trust them.

"I need you to trust me," Oriole said with sincerity. "I did not believe it myself, but this was meant to be. I waited here to give you this letter."

"A letter?"

"Please," pleaded Oriole as he gave him the item. "Take it, and you will understand."

His experiences taught him that trusting someone because he knew him from before was a deadly mistake. Arthur was debating the matter before something appeared on the table in front of him.

"Meow!"

It was a black cat with three golden eyes. Arthur blinked his eyes and realized that the rest of the council could not see it. The cat jumped from the table and landed on Ori"s shoulder before nodding at Arthur. 

"This is the same cat I saw in the Spirits Realm," Arthur realized it was the cat he saw on the ship, which encouraged him to help Hana.

The cat"s golden eyes stared into his, and they were mirrors of each other. Arthur looked at the watch and then back at the cat, making Ori confused.

Then, his hand reached out toward the runic item until his fingers felt the engravings on the watch. Ori looked relieved after Arthur took the object, which radiated unknown power.

As the watch rested into his palm, Arthur could see that it started to glow brighter. The runic lines brightly shone as cracks appeared on the surface, and its lid was pushed open by the power.

The watch"s hands were frozen in place before one of them moved. Then, the hands began to move faster and faster but anticlockwise. Arthur could feel the power emitting from the watch envelop his consciousness, but he did not feel any danger.

The doc.u.ments flew away by the mighty wind as his robes and hair fluttered. Arthur felt his consciousness slip into the watch before the cat gave another meow and jumped into the watch, diving into it like smoke.

Then, Arthur was pulled into the watch, traveling through a tunnel. It was filled with a myriad of colors, and he swam across the sky of lights. Finally, at the end of the tunnel, there was a door.

Arthur reached out toward the handle and pulled, opening the door to reveal what was behind it. The light shimmered in his eyes when he realized that this was a place he adored.

The sunlight came in three, even, blocks through the window. There was a layer of dust on the counter where he used to eat his meal. Arthur subconsciously walked into the house, none other than his old home.

Everything was the same as he remembers. This was their house before his father was labeled a criminal, an excuse for the guild to seize it. It was not a mansion, but it was a good place to live.

"What am I doing here?" muttered Arthur with confusion as he looked at the empty living room. There were children"s books, toys, and clothes were thrown all over the place. This resulted from their messiness, and their mother made sure to pinch their ears for it.

Arthur couldn"t help but smile as he looked at the sunny and warm house. His steps carried further down the living room, and he started hearing whispers from the deeper parts of the house.

"And then, he did not know what to do," the gentle voice whispered, and it grew louder as Arthur advanced toward the nostalgic room which was his. "He was alone, scared, and wanted to go home."

Arthur started remembering the voice as he pushed the door open, and it creaked to reveal what was inside. A children"s room filled with afternoon sunlight, where a man was sitting with a child sleeping in his embrace.

Their conversation stopped, and the man turned toward him. Arthur stood there silently as they looked at each other. His eyes turned away from the man and then toward the child in his embrace.

"Do not worry," the man said as he stood up and carried his child. "I think he slept a long time ago, but he still likes to hear that story." Arthur was silent as the man spoke to him while putting his child in the bed, covering him, and patting his head affectionately.

The man then turned to him, his gentle face looking the same as he remembered, with green eyes and black hair. Arthur opened his mouth, but the man greeted him first.

"h.e.l.lo, Art."