Chapter 124

Chapter 124
## The Five Pillars (1)

The edge of the wilderness met the demon realm at a point where the lingering scent of corruption finally blended into the desolate wastes.

In that place, a small circle had gathered around a flickering fire.

A priest offered silent devotionals; a magic-user sat with her chin resting on her knees; a maiden of the shrine sat in deep focus near a fighter; that same fighter wordlessly maintained the dark edge of his heavy axe; and… the hero stared toward the sinking sun in the distant west, leaning his weight against a shimmering sacred blade.

By morning, they would cross into the territory of the demons.

Though no one spoke of it, the pressure of this reality weighed heavily on every member of the group. Their trek had been brutal enough to this point, and it was obvious the path ahead would only grow more treacherous. Through the heavy quiet, the faint wails of either beasts or monsters drifted through the purple twilight.

Gale, the hero, concluded his watch and joined his comrades by the flames. He cleared his throat, attempting to break the tension with a lighthearted prompt.

“So, what does everyone plan to do once this quest is finished?”

It was a startlingly fresh topic. They had spent their lives reacting only to the immediate dangers of the day. They never possessed the mental space to imagine a future so far away.

“Gordon, why don’t you start? I’m curious about the ambitions of our dedicated priest.”

Gordon paused his internal prayer. A kind smile touched his face as he rubbed the nape of his neck, looking like a massive bear waking from a long slumber.

“Hahaha, well… I suppose the first stop is the holy capital. I have to deliver the report of our trek to the high temple. Then I’ll need to organize our findings on the demon host, plan out defenses, and oversee the cleansing of the blighted lands… Wait a moment, that sounds like decades of work without a single day off! Hahaha!”

“That sounds a bit too stiff, doesn’t it? Give yourself a few years of rest at least. You’ll be burnt out by the time we’re done…”

“Hahaha, I’d love nothing more, but… who else is going to step up if I don’t? Our Master of Light has looked over the world since the dawn of time; compared to that, my small efforts are like a flickering wick before the noon sun! Hahaha!”

Gale chuckled along with him. Melissa, the mage who held no faith, merely scoffed and looked away with a sour expression…

“Okay, Cyril, you’re next. What’s on your mind? Perhaps going back to those shrine maidens in the wilds?”

“Me…? Oh, no, it’s not… I haven’t really settled on a specific plan yet…”

She trailed off, her voice growing soft. The white-haired maiden turned red, casting quick glances at the massive warrior beside her before finding her courage.

“Actually… I will stay with Kadim. Wherever Lord Kadim travels, I go. As a maiden of the wilderness, it is my duty to assist the Great Warrior of Atala in his endeavors…”

“Haha, I suspected as much! I could tell from the start—you two are a perfect match. Oh, don’t take it the wrong way! It’s not just because you share the same heritage…”

Gordon saw an opportunity to tease.

“Ahem, Brother Gale…? Are you implying that Atalans should only associate with their own kind to maintain their status?”

“No, no! That isn’t what I meant! Don’t put words in my mouth, Gordon! I’m telling you, it has nothing to do with them being the same race…”

“Heh heh heh, how tragic… I believed you were a man of pure heart, Hero, but it seems you hold such deep-seated prejudices…”

Gale began to panic, sweat forming on his forehead as he tried to defend himself against the joke. When Melissa added dryly that there were plenty of Atalans who married outside their tribes, his embarrassment peaked.

Finally, the hero bowed low to the shrine maiden in a sincere apology. She waved her hands in a frantic rush to dismiss it, while the priest and the mage shared a quiet laugh. The brief chaos did much to soften the grim mood of the camp.

However, one man remained stone-faced.

Kadim, the Great Warrior of Atala who had united them, said nothing.

Gale shifted his attention to him.

“You know I was just flustered, right, Kadim? It’s your turn. What do you see yourself doing after the war? Someone’s future might just depend on what you say…”

“…Pass.”

He wasn’t in a position to explain that he intended to return to his own world. The mood dipped instantly, but Gale deftly pivoted to keep the conversation from dying.

“Ah, I see! Keeping your grand designs a secret for now! We’ll hold you to that later then. Melissa, why don’t you go ahead and share?”

“…So, you’re asking what becomes of me after we execute the archdemon?”

The hero’s hard work vanished as the air turned freezing again. They had been carefully avoiding the word “archdemon” because of the terror it inspired, and Melissa had just thrown it into the center of the circle.

The mage didn’t seem to care about the sudden chill. She thought it over with genuine focus before speaking.

“I don’t know… maybe I’ll raise a spire and train new apprentices?”

“…”

“Or… well… like Sister Cyril…”

— *Grrrrowl…*

A sharp, predatory snarl cut her off.

“Blade wolves! Everyone, get up! Casters to the back for support. Kadim, you’re with me on the front!”

There was no delay. Under Gale’s direction, the team snapped into a practiced formation. The shrine maiden traced a glowing sigil, the priest invoked defensive wards, and the mage—despite her annoyed look—began her rhythmic chanting.

— *Grrowl…*

— *Bark, yelp, snarl, snapping teeth!*

Just as they were about to hit the pack, Kadim looked at the hero standing to his right.

“What about you? What’s your plan?”

“…Huh?”

“Once the archdemon is dead. If you’re still breathing, what then?”

Gale gave a mysterious, faint smile.

“Me? Well…”

—

“My lord! My lord! Can you hear me? Is everything alright?”

“…”

Kadim blinked his eyes back into focus.

The vision of the campfire was replaced by the sight of clean white boulevards and people dressed in airy clothes. The hero and the others were gone. Still feeling the fog in his mind, he turned to Duncan.

“…What just happened? Where are we?”

“Sir? We are in the middle of Vesta! We set out for the Magic Tower this morning, remember? We stayed at the tavern last night and just started walking…”

“…”

As he focused, the memories returned. But they felt thin and ghostly compared to the vivid weight of the past he had just witnessed.

“…”

He couldn’t be sure if it was a side effect of his mental instability, a waking dream born of a moment’s peace, or something else entirely. Regardless, he didn’t have the luxury to dwell on it. Kadim rubbed his temples firmly, pushing the echoes of the memory aside.

“…I must have drifted off while walking. I’m awake now—don’t fret. Let’s get to the Magic Tower.”

“…”

Duncan looked confused for a second, then hurried to keep pace with the barbarian.

The streets of Vesta were remarkably striking compared to other metropolises. The masonry and pavement were a brilliant white, as if the entire city had been sculpted from clouds. Bright fabric awnings, flower boxes on every ledge, and the tan, healthy faces of the citizens gave life to the pale scenery.

However, the attitude of the locals was anything but bright. They glared at Kadim as he passed, some spitting in the street to show their disgust or whispering insults loud enough to be heard.

Duncan shifted uncomfortably, trying to apologize for them.

“M-my lord… please excuse them. Vesta still looks down on Atalans… In the past, many of your people were brought here as dock laborers, and the people here value sorcery over physical strength… they are elitists…”

“…”

“Sigh… if they had any idea who you really were, they wouldn’t breathe a word! Filth!”

Kadim wasn’t bothered.

It was a familiar feeling. The eastern lands had always been cold toward those they deemed barbarians. Even Melissa had once looked at him with that same contempt. He wasn’t going to draw his weapon over a few dirty looks.

…Though he certainly wouldn’t let them stand in his way or touch him.

Luckily, the hatred remained at a distance, ensuring the white streets of Vesta didn’t end up stained in red.

Finding their destination was easy. The tower pierced the clouds and was visible from any corner of the city. Furthermore, the thick, heavy scent of “mana” grew more intense the closer they got.

After navigating the pale roads and the judgmental stares, they arrived at the base of the Magic Tower.

A shimmering, transparent field blocked the way, similar to the city’s main gates. The difference here was that mages in brown robes stood guard instead of common soldiers.

These guards showed no fear of the giant barbarian—largely because Kadim had stored his weapons away to avoid an immediate confrontation.

“What is a barbarian doing here…?”

“Why is one of them at our door…?”

“The harbor is that way, savage. Did you get lost?”

“Move along. Unless you want me to use a fire spell to give you a proper barbarian roasting… heh heh heh.”

Kadim brushed off the weak taunts.

“Is this the Magic Tower?”

“Are you blind? Where else on this continent would you see a spire like this?”

“Fine. Did a man named ‘Enrico Turis’ leave any word for me? He was supposed to coordinate with this tower regarding my arrival.”

Kadim had two strategies for getting inside: the “living” path or the “dead” path. He figured he would try the diplomatic one first.

The guards exchanged confused looks.

“Did Lord Gordon mention anything about this?”

“No, I haven’t heard a word…”

“Me neither… ‘Turis’—that’s that noble house from Delutana, isn’t it? It’s odd for a barbarian to know the name…”

“…He probably just picked it up in a tavern somewhere.”

After a brief argument among themselves, they reached a verdict.

“There are no messages here! Now get lost, barbarian!”

“…”

They didn’t want to do the work to verify his claim; they just wanted him gone.

Kadim looked down at the two mages in their brown robes. He briefly imagined crushing their skulls but decided it wasn’t time for a massacre yet.

It seemed the consul hadn’t sent word yet. It was time for his backup plan: the “dead” path.

“Duncan, give me the bag.”

“What? Oh, yes, here!”

Kadim reached into his storage. Among his supplies, he grabbed a heavy bundle of cloth. When he pulled it out, a mangled, headless body that smelled of rot tumbled onto the ground.

It wore the robes of a high-ranking mage.

The guards’ eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

“Wha—what is that…?”

“Gah! *Urp*, *bleeegh*…”

Kadim dropped the remains, preparing to explain. However, he had failed to account for a few things.

Most people don’t handle the sight of a shredded corpse very well. These were junior mages who had never seen real combat. Furthermore, the red robes on the body signified an elite level of magic they could only dream of achieving.

To their eyes, a barbarian had just slaughtered one of their masters and was now showing off the trophy.

As the terrified guards began to choke back vomit and start their combat chants…

“Urp, [*Keruna, Bolkar…*].”

“Blech, [*Graden, Ksan…*].”

Kadim’s hand moved like a blur.

Their spells died in their throats. Kadim grabbed both mages by their faces, lifting them off the ground. They hung there, their mouths stretched wide by his grip.

“Listen to me. I didn’t kill this man. I found him while hunting demons and brought him here to be identified…”

“Eeeek, eeeek!”

“Grah! Gruuh!”

“…”

They weren’t listening. One was turning blue while the other tried to bite Kadim’s hand like a cornered animal. Instead of escaping, the guard’s teeth simply shattered against Kadim’s skin…

*Crunch—*

“Kiiii! My teeth! My teeth are broken!”

“…”

The chaos only stopped when a third party arrived.

A woman in sky-blue robes stepped forward. Her clothing and her confident aura made it clear she was their superior.

“What is all this noise? What do you think you’re doing? Who are you…? *Gasp!* N-no, that robe…”

“…”

At least she didn’t try to attack him immediately. Kadim let go of the guards and gave a short explanation.

“…As I said, I found this body in demon territory and brought it back. It’s missing the head, but you should recognize him.”

“…”

“I want to speak to the leaders of this tower. It’ll be faster to settle the reward and the paperwork with them.”

The woman looked shaken, but she didn’t seem to think Kadim was the murderer. She cast a quick detection spell over the body, and her face went ghostly pale.

“There… there is no one higher than him…”

“…What?”

“H-he… this is the second-in-command of the Anti-Demon War Mage Division, a Conjurer-rank Master named Ramakren… No one in the Battle Unit outranks him… He claimed he was going to hunt a high-level demon and left the city… B-but how could he return like this…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

The whimpering guards went dead silent. Duncan stared off toward the horizon with a blank expression. Kadim let out a heavy, frustrated sigh.

He had a very strong feeling that this was going to be another complicated mess.