A Former Hero’s Journey : I just want to live peacefully!

I guess I need proofreader or someone to edit my work.

Chapter 28

In the Temple Cathedral many people of the PKF could be seen. Some of their magician were casting a barrier to keep everything seem like normal. Mark could be seen frowning. Behind him Ryuu and the others were given a blanket. Mark breathed in and sighed, shaking his head. Some PKF were turning the people who came to pray at the cathedral away before reporting to him.

“Sir, the people are asking why they are not allowed to go for the evening prayer at the Cathedral. We cannot keep the incident hidden from the public much longer.”

Mark sighed once more. It really was the worst. The reaction to this incident just when the celebration was near would be bad. Security concerns would be raised and questioned.

‘This is bad. We may have grown to be complacent because the [Cult] never did something so bold for decades. The Temple never really thought much of the [Cult] and didn’t go on a crusade like stance the Adventurer Guilds did. That is why the [Cult] never did bother the Temple much. Do they intend to drag the Temple to this fight? Or are they planning something big, that the Temple could not ignore so they attacked them first? Towns and villages are wiped off from the map because of the [Cult] but the Temple did nothing but offered shelter and food to the victims. But what the Temple could not ignore? First it would be destruction of a Kingd-…’

Mark’s eyes widened.

“Well shit.”

‘Exactly. Destruction of a Kingdom at this time could flip the equilibrium of peace the world has barely maintained with the help of Adventurer and other guilds. It is no surprise that the military kingdom of Sholiy would attack our Kingdom if the capital itself is in chaos and the emergence of the new [Demon King] would require the strength of every Kingdom to quell it. Not to mention that our neighbor who share close relationship would not just sit and watch. It would be war then and that’s not what the Temple would want. So the Grand Marshal was right. They are planning to destroy the Kingdom….’

He looked at the kids and mumbled.

“We need backup and fast….. This attack confirms that there must be [Named Assassin], otherwise they could not have killed [Bishop] who is supposed to be just over Lvl. 300 along with other Temple Guards just at that level. And there’s also that woman behind the scene…..”

Flashback

The man seemed to be scared as he felt scorching pain from his cut off limbs. He screamed as another leg got cut off.

“Argh!!”

Even Ryuu and the others were surprised at the brutality. Mark slowly walked closer to him as the man tried to crawl away from him. Mark said as he got closer.

“Hmm? Where did all the bravado go? You were having fun then, weren’t you? If you had given them quick death, I would too. But, but you just had to do those unspeakable things, didn’t you? Well, out goes the mercy killing.”

Then the man started to shake bad and dark mist began to pour out of his body. Mark instantly jumped in front of the Ryuu and his friends in guard. He knew what that dark mist emanating from the man was.

“Curse of the [Cult], was it? But I have yet to kill him or is it controlled manually? There must be someone watching and listening closely.”

He used a skill.

[Insight]

Then his eyes widened and he shot his halberd upward. From the bodies stitched in the ceiling a figure burst out and then disappeared in a burst of wisp.

“A [Familiar]? I have gotten careless it seems.”

“So it seems, [Drunk Commander] or should I say your other nickname [Demon Commander]? Funny how people are liable to forget the good ones and the remember the bad ones.”

A sultry female voice echoed in the room. He looked at the source as a black haze had emerged out from the now dead body.

“T’was the nature of people. It seems you know of me?”

The voice chuckled.

“I know everyone of importance.”

“But I certainly don’t know of you, Miss Cultist.”

The voice seemed to be flattered for a second.

“Oh my so polite. Why do you think I am from the Cult?”

Mark scoffed.

“Guts. Logically, other organizations don’t have the balls to do this.”

Soft laughter could be heard from the other side of the speaker.

“You are funny. But it seems my subordinate has caused some trouble.”

Mark glared as if sarcastically telling really? But she spoke like she did not notice that.

“Well, I only wanted to destroy the Temple but he went tad too far and did those things. Hmm… not that I apologize or anything.”

Mark shrugged.

“I’d preach about morality and principles but it feels like they will be wasted on you since you just watched the whole thing happening and did nothing. So, I’d rather not waste my time and get to the case. The fuck are you doing here?”

“Hmm… bit too straight forward. Did you honestly think I’d tell you about my gra-..”

Mark promptly cut the wisp off with his halberd.

“Well no. Just so I could do that in the middle of your grand sermon…. and as a formality.”

The body of the man laid there as Mark used a spell to communicate with his knights.

Flashback end

Mark then used a spell he used a while ago, communication spell called [Phone]. It was a simple spell. A method devised by Solomon himself, who had gotten the inspiration from his friends, to communicate with allies within 100 km. It used [Mana Signature] as guide for the spell. Both the caster and the receiver should have exchanged their [Mana Signature] beforehand in order to communicate. A convenient spell indeed. It made it possible to relay information easily but as it was a simple spell, it could be disrupted as well. Also only limited people could use it because if many [Mana Signature] were flung here and there, then the signal would get mixed up. After a while no one answered in the other end. He frowned.

“It seems the Grand Marshal is busy right now or has he gone somewhere else already. Did something happen? Better call the King or the Prime Minister then.”

He then called to the other. It was the Prime Minister who answered first.

“Yes, Mark. Did you find anything regarding the case with the Heroes?”

Mark scratched his cheek in discomfort.

“Actually….”

Then he relayed the entire event. After finishing his story telling he could feel the sigh forming in the Prime Minister’s mouth.

“It’s going to be a long night. I will prepare the report to give to the Temple regarding this incident. Better us telling them than when they hear the rumors piling up. I will talk to the King about this. About the Heroes, let them stay in the Headquarter for now. It’s important that the [Cult] do not know about them being in this Kingdom. Huh, didn’t expect them to face such an ordeal right after the meeting.”

Mark nodded.

“I will see to it.”

“Is that all, Mark? Oh about the female, what’s your evaluation of her?”

Mark pondered for a bit.

“Sound prideful and snobbish, definitely dramatic and possibly with a big ego. Well could be wrong, I just met her for a few minutes after all.”

“Ok then so what about your job? Are you liking it?”

Mark shrugged.

“Meh.. closer to home now than then at the border. This time too, I failed to come in time.”

His eyes lost in his own thought. The Prime Minister sounded apologetic.

“It’s my fault for giving you such urgent order in those time.”

Mark shook his head.

“It’s not your fault. Maybe it was my karma getting to me. Anyway enough of this sentimental crap, I need to take care of these children now.”

As he looked towards the Hero’s group as he cut off with the Prime Minister. He walked towards Ryuu, who he assumed to be the leader. They had been sitting in the benches and he could already see the tension in the air. The quiet guy seemed to glare at the air, the energetic one seemed to be frowning, the girl seemed to be shaking and at last the leader had an unreadable expression which unnerved him a little. He made the first talk.

“Hmm your first skirmish with the [Cult] huh? Didn’t exactly go as planned, did it?”

Ryuu suddenly stood up. Mark was sure that he would be at the end of an argument but was surprised at what happened next. Ryuu bowed towards him.

“I thank you for saving Sarada and us.”

Mark just swayed his hand.

“No problem kid. It was my duty. But enough about me, what about you? Seeing your expression made me think you are having a dilemma.”

Ryuu just shook his head while looking at his hands.

“I don’t know about the others but I have come to realize that I am extremely weak. When the time came I could not even protect my friends…. What good am I if I couldn’t protect the people I care for?”

Mark smiled. His evaluation of Ryuu rose up. He said what he felt.

“I think you are strong kid. I really do.”

“Am I?”

Ryuu looked at him in confusion but Mark continued on.

“Yes, the power to acknowledge that you yourself lack something is quite of a feat in itself. Many don’t until it’s too late. Did you know I used to be a part of a bandit group? I was strong and drunk in my power I pillaged villages. Pillaging was my lifestyle until I made a mistake of trying to get the valuables of the then General Stan’s carriage. Well, he beat me up left and right while his wife was critically analyzing every flaws in my move. That time I felt that I still had so much to learn. If it weren’t for him then I would still be somewhere out there in the border pillaging until an order came for my execution. So, I abandoned my way of life and joined the army.”

Ryuu looked skeptical.

“They allowed a bandit in the army?”

Mark scratched his cheek.

“Well, it was Grand Marshal Stan who let me in despite him still being a General in those days. It was a risky move for him but it seemed he saw something in me. I too valued him and became a soldier under his care stationed at the border. Besides, I may have been a bandit but I never killed anyone nor did I let any of my minions to kill others. We just took things, never killed anyone. I was lucky because there was Stan who made me realize. Others aren’t so lucky nor are they willing to accept their flaws. So I think you really are strong that you can acknowledge your weakness but don’t be too hasty to belittle yourself as well.”

It was then Sarada asked, albeit a little frightened by the ordeal.

“Will that person be the most despicable of them?”

Mark stood up and looked up in the night sky as he replied.

“Nope. He was truly vile but I don’t think that that’s the worst you will ever face. There are people who will not hesitate to murder millions just for their goal. You already heard how the Empire of Amrita fell didn't you? A plague created by the [Cult]'s leader that wiped out millions of people. And that man was not even the strongest among them. Maybe at the lower end of the middle? He was only Lvl. 200 something. Sometime humanity could be its own worst nightmare.”

Sarada looked scared as Mark had an idea. Just as Ryuu was about to say something Mark shouted out.

“Do you know my motto, Soldiers?”

All the PKF members looked at him in confusion before they shouted back.

“Sir, yes sir!”

The Heroes were surprised at the sudden change in topic. Mark continued hooting as well.

“Well it’s time to give our bunch of new recruits, the welcoming speech!”

Ryuu and the others looked surprised. The soldiers looked at each other before grinning. Mark screamed.

“It started as: Scared?”

The soldiers screamed back.

“Grit your teeth and fight!”

Mark shouted louder.

“Frightened?”

The soldiers hollered.

“Roar in rage and face your fears!”

Mark pointed a finger at the sky.

“Pushed back?”

The soldiers raged.

“Don’t give an inch and take their mile!”

Then Mark said in small voice.

“Weak?”

The soldiers smiled evilly and looked at the Heroes.

“Come to daddy and train with your life on the line!”

Not to mention the Heroes gulped in fear. Mark sweetly smiled as he patted their back.

“I will wake you all up in the morning 4 AM sharp. What you desperately lack is experience in fighting human opponents. You may have faced many boot-lickers in the Temple but let us show you how real men fights.”

Ryuu said in a tired voice.

“….My first impression of you was that you were the serious kind despite the rumors.”

Mark shrugged.

“First impression is the best impression. After that, screw formality I don't give a damn. After all I have got all the backing I need.”

Aaron Pov

The next day he was all ready for going to their Ancestral realm. He looked at his attire, a black kimono if he was correct. He drank the water provided to him. He looked at his room, devoid of anything luxurious. He stood up and went out of his door and to the ground floor. There, Rowley waited for him. Fiore still seemed to be sleeping in her room as she had yet to come downstairs. Aaron then looked at his uncle right in the eye and said.

“I am ready.”

Rowley acknowledged it and gestured him to follow. Alicia waved them off from the door as her one hand clutched tightly into her dress, a twinge of worry on her face. Aaron acknowledged it.

“May you return triumph over your ordeals….”

Then he and his uncle went out of the house and went behind their home. Horses were readied for them and they climbed onto each. The huge gate to the forest opened as they followed the dirt path carved into it. The lush green forest stretched beyond the eyes could see. It was a special place, their ancestral home. They used to live in this very forest before the Empire of Amrita brought them inside their Empire hundreds of years ago. They used to live in this forest trading until the Empire annexed their territory with the bonus of keeping their territory to themselves in exchange of providing the Empire with strong warriors.

After their destruction, they sided with the Kingdom of Posat with their Ancestor’s close friend, the then King of Posat who was the younger brother of Solomon. Such was the history of their forest as Aaron looked around. Don’t know why but Monsters and their ilk never spawned in this region, but they could migrate to this place. After their stance in being annexed with Kingdom of Posat, they have constantly cleaned this place of any monsters and kept a close eye on it. Aaron remarked as they walked.

“The scenery has not changed much.”

Rowley scoffed.

“Well, what did you expect? You have not visited this place for a year or so. The forest doesn’t change that much in a year when you do nothing to it.”

Aaron replied.

“Well, glad some things don’t change so easily.”

“Hmm? Got something on your mind kid?”

Aaron shrugged before replying.

“Just something on my mind.”

Rowley asked.

“Planning on sharing it?”

Aaron just shrugged.

“Nope.”

“Cheeky brat.”

“You know me so well uncle.”

Rowley scoffed as he said.

“It’s been quite some time since we were able to banter like this. A whole year gone by. So I never got to know why you left?”

Aaron just replied.

“Well, I was admitted to the Central Academy from a recommendation from the Royal Academy of Posat. So I decided to travel to the Central Academy by foot to look for myself. It was grand to say the least.”

Rowley looked at him in astonishment.

“You did? That’s amazing! I recall that the Royal Academy of every country is offshoot of the Central Academy? It was opened by those old coots from the Tower of Babel, right? So still in the Knight Course.”

Aaron replied.

“Yes, you can also see the Tower of Babel, right in the middle of the Academy. Still there are not much factional disputes between Knight course and Magic course as I thought there would be but it is between the factions of different Kingdoms.”

“It is to be expected Aaron. Every Kingdom or nation alike, likes to show their own superiority not to mention most of them are nobles or someone with huge backing with their massive pride.”

Aaron just looked a little tired and sighed dejectedly.

“It really doesn’t suit me, this factional dispute.”

“Well, we are warriors first, then noble second. Our pride lies in the mastery of our weapon. And it seems we are here, be ready nephew.”

Aaron was surprised. It seems like they were talking for quite some time. They got off from their horses and he looked in front. A cave. A white cave to be exact. There were few decorations and so. Aaron looked at his uncle and asked.

“What am I supposed to do uncle?”

Rowley just scratched his cheek.

“Well, you need to head deep inside. Watch the murals etched into the wall very carefully. You will experience something vague that will evoke emotions within you. It is most likely to be stimulation of your bloodline. Don't give in and move forward, that is the first hurdle. Then at the end of the cave there will be a slab. You just then need to meditate with emotions raging within you that brings you closer to the Dragon within you. Reign those emotion until you can meditate properly. Then your consciousness will be sent to another realm where you have to perform a task given to you. That’s it.”

“Task?”

Rowley nodded gravely.

“Yes. It will appear in your mind. It could be anything from fighting yourself to making decision and so on. There are different tasks for each of us. Also be careful, if you fail then your consciousness will be forever trapped in that plane and you will be living dead.”

Aaron inhaled and exhaled slowly. Then he looked steely at his uncle, smiling faintly.

“I am ready and I will prevail.”

Rowley nodded and kept his hand on Aaron’s shoulder.

“That’s the spirit.”

With that being said, Aaron walked inside the cave. The further he went, the darker it became until he could see a mural on the wall. As he stood over the mural paintings on the wall and looked at it. It was a mural of people living in the forest, hunting small animals and fishing. A serene feeling rose within him, a feeling of fulfillment. He went forward. After that another painting depicted some unknown creature eating the said people terrorizing the populace, most likely monsters. A dreadful feeling rose within him but he pressed on. After that the people were surrounded by the said monsters. A feeling of despair rose in him, nearly making him fall to his knees. He used the wall to support himself. The next depicted a hole in the sky and rays of sunlight entering through it. A small sense of hope arose. Then a painting depicting a giant green dragon that came from the sky. A feeling of awe stirred in him. Then the monster running away from the said monster. A feeling of happiness rose within him at their survival. Then the dragon granting a drop of blood to the people. A feeling of reverence rose within him as if wanting to prostate then and there for eternity.

He squashed it as he moved forward. Sweat forming within him. It felt like as if his emotions were multiplied hundred folds. It had gotten dark inside the cave and there were fire torches flaming to keep the light inside the cave. Then at last, a mural depicting the same dragon who saved their ancestors looking somewhere. His blood stirred, something in his blood that wasn’t draconic in origin caused something to happen. And suddenly his eyes grew hazy as he saw something else. In the mural the dragon was facing his northeastern direction. Then another dragon appeared, colored blue. Then another, colored red and another, colored white and again another colored brown. They were all looking at something. All of them were looking above in the middle. A golden dragon, with 4 pairs of wings appeared. Then it all disappeared, only the green ancestor dragon remained.

‘What was that?’

He wondered if it was all a lucid dream, a hallucination perhaps. Then the same cave opened to a huge cavern with a stone slab right in the middle.

“This must be it.”

He slowly but surely trudged towards the slab. Then he sat on it, cross legged and began to meditate. His blood began to stir like crazy as if wanting to come out his body. It made it difficult to concentrate but he suppressed it. Then he felt as if in peace, serene. He opened his eyes to see himself suspended in a white space. He looked around to see nothing and then the white space cracked and suddenly he was on a cliff. Dark grey colored rocky landscape dotted his vision. The sky was turbulent greenish gray as if storm was raging. The faraway shrubs shook violently to the wind but he could not feel the wind. He looked behind to see from the cliff only to see dead land devoid of any trees and rocky landscape as far as the eyes could see. The sun rising between the hills gave it all an ethereal beauty. It was…. intoxicating.

“Is this the Ancestral plane? It is barren but…. beautiful.”

A monotone voice was heard.

“Yes, this was the place where the Dragon first came into being. The sight it saw when it came out its shell. The tempest and the fury of the wind, the dry and barren landscape with the sun in the horizon. It became so grand to it that it wanted to be as wild and unruly as the tempest itself.”

Aaron looked back to see himself clad in his armor, face devoid of any emotion. He asked.

“Is this my trial? To face myself in a battle?”

His doppelganger shook his head.

“No, your task is-….”

Then the fake suddenly stopped talking. He looked at Aaron intently. All of a sudden he came face to face in front of him, so close that there was a few centimeter of distance between their faces. Aaron just looked confused.

“Ummm… is there something on my face?”

The fake asked.

“Did you see anything strange in the last mural?”

Aaron thought for a while, remembering the dragons.

“Something about many colorful dragons?”

The fake one looked thoughtful for a while. He stepped back before pointing out to Aaron. In between his index finger and middle finger a card emerged. He swiped it in front of him before something akin to glass shattering was heard. Then the winds howled and this time he could hear as well as feel the winds. He steadied himself just before the wind could knock him off balance. Then, the space behind the fake Aaron glowed and a figure could be seen. Aaron was tongue-tied.

It was big as a small hill. It had emerald green scale with golden patterns and had big wings. It had a single long green horn on its stout. Aaron thought that it could be more than 300m if it stood up. Yes, it was stupidly big dragon and could be the one who had saved their ancestors. The dragon seemed to be sleeping as well. Aaron looked at it and thought.

‘I never seen a dragon this big. Even A-class dragon could be not more than 50m big. Could this be something even more greater than SSS-class monster? The Elder-Dragons said to be the hidden [Calamity Class] dragon?’

Then the fake Aaron transformed himself into a beautiful girl with long green hair and golden eyes. She looked at him and said.

“Wait a moment, I will be right back.”

But Aaron would not look at her cause she was… stark naked. He would not be tempted so he decided to look somewhere else. But he could hear what was happening in the background.

“Hey wake up!”

“zzzzzzzz”

“WAKE UP”

“zzzzzzzz”

“WAKE UP YOU BIG OAF!”

*BOOM*

And a sound akin to an explosion occurred. Then a whiny voice could be heard.

“……..ouch?”

The girl spoke.

“We have a guest, you sleeping lizard.”

“A guest?”

“Look over there.”

But as Aaron looked at them, he could see that the girl still did not had an ounce of modesty so he turned away. The girl spoke haughtily.

“Hey! Its rude to turn away from a beautiful girl when she talks to you!”

‘Is that a rule?’

Aaron thought helplessly. Helpfully, the Dragon commented dryly.

“Maybe it’s because how you are presenting yourself. You are naked.”

The girl seemed confused before looking at herself and then to him.

“What about it? Aren’t you naked as well?”

The Dragon said wryly.

“If you say like that, you could say so.”

The girl tilted her head.

“Then what’s the problem?”

A slap could be heard and Aaron could imagine the Dragon slapping himself or herself. It was a bit funny to imagine though. He could hear the frustration in the Dragon’s voice.

“Damn it! How did I mess up in teaching ‘common sense’ to this girl, I ended up teaching her the ‘common sense’ of the Dragon instead! I will just do it myself.”

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

*whoosh*

The Dragon said.

“You can look now boy.”

Aaron turned around but the girl was clad in a blanket? Even her mouth was sealed by the blanket. But he could not look at her long because behind her he could see the Dragon looking at him.

‘Holy hell….’

His estimate was totally off, the Dragon was more than half a kilometer in height, then it’s wingspan could be even more longer. The Dragon looked smug at the disbelief shown on Aaron’s face. The Dragon deepened his voice to sound grand.

“Be amazed boy. You are in the presence of one of the Dragon Kings, Fafnir!”

“…….who?”

Aaron honestly didn’t know him. The Dragon seemed to deflate at that questioning while the girl seemed to be giggling. Aaron asked again.

“So are you an Elder Dragon?”

The Dragon asked.

“Are you mocking me? Comparing me to those kids? Is he mocking me?”

Aaron just scratched his cheek while the girl in blanket shrugged.

“Well we know that the Elder Dragons are the one at the top of the Dragon species. Then there is the Dragon God.”

The Dragon sighed.

“It seems the records have been thoroughly cleansed off.”

Aaron recalled something and asked.

“What about Bahamut? I heard he was one of the Guardians of the World?”

The Dragon, Fafnir’s eye widened before mumbling.

“That guy still lives huh…”

Before turning to Aaron and saying.

“Yes, we knew of him as a brave leader, the Guardian of the Dragons. But betrayal happened and he vanished while protecting us as we made our escape.”

Aaron looked surprised. The dragon continued.

“If he still lives then the worst seemed to have happened, there’s just no way Bahamut would….. "

A look of understanding, if that could even be called a look, arose in the Dragon's face.

"It seems much years have passed since I awoke after going to hiding.”

Aaron noticed something.

“Hiding? From who?”

Fafnir snarled.

“Those Bastards!”

His anger reined in as he exhaled heavily, causing a tornado which dissipated before it could hit Aaron.

“But it seems that they still don’t know I am hiding underneath here. The others must be as well. Hmm there were so many monster in this land before so I gave the humans some of my blood to wipe them out….”

Aaron sweatdropped. Then the dragon seemed to think for a while.

“So about the Dragon God……. Wait a damn minute……………….. WE DIDN'T HAVE A DRAGON GOD!”

It was Aaron’s turn to be surprised.

‘What? And such a delayed reaction?’

Fafnir seemed to be thinking before laughing hysterically.

“ hehehehahahahHAHAHAH OF COURSE THAT’S WHAT THEY DID!”

The dragon laughed for a minute before composing himself.

“It seems I had lost my marble a fair bit. Reminds me of time we dragons used to fight with [Ancient] just for the heck of it. And didn’t Bahamut marry one of them? I created this place so that whenever a bloodline descendant was about to go mad I’d help them to control themselves, lest some unruly eyes think our Bloodlines is far from simple Draconic Bloodline. But this isn’t about me was it little Aaron. Now let me analyze something.”

The dragon looked at him up and down before sniffing some more. Then a drop of blood escaped from his finger and floated towards the Dragon before it got swallowed by the Dragon.

‘A small drop of blood for that big mouth? Not that I am complaining or something….’

The dragon seemed to nod at himself.

“It seems the assumption was right. There seems to a strong bloodline that is not of Draconic origin. The previous one too didn’t have it but it started with you? Your father did not have it then it could be from your mother?”

Aaron was confused.

“What are you talking about……. Um… O’ great Fafnir?”

When hearing that, Fafnir seemed to be gag while the restrained blanket girl was shaking with laughter.

“Don’t….. just don’t call me that. And of course it not [Divine Bloodline] that seemed to be popping out of nowhere then it leaves one conclusion. Rejoice boy, you have [Bloodline of the Hero] which is even rarer than the [Divine Bloodline]. Only these bloodlines can see what's hidden in the last mural. Never thought one would come to mix in my lineage. A rare one too with the [Unique Skill] that's suited to my unending greed...”

What? Aaron gaped. There were just too many crazy things happening today.

Kimiko Pov

Kimiko thought to herself as she was returning to the mansion.

“ ……I am bored.”