Chapter 2: The Intercity Transport Gates

Ancient Palace of Eternal Ice, 2F Dungeon

Where was it again?

The mage scholar Regan, current Sage of Mirror Lake, often prided himself for having a photographic memory and an insane amount of intellectual capacity for information. He could remember the first book he had read as well as the first letter he learned. He could also recite the first full sentence he had spoken when he was still a toddler, and his knack for remembering things he only saw ONCE proved invaluable when he took the path of a scholar and researcher. As such, he was completely baffled on why he could not remember where he had placed that thing he was searching for.

Grumbling to himself, he glanced around his study. Piles of books lay scattered everywhere. Research papers littered the floor. On his desk, stacks of ancient scrolls and documents were carelessly thrown aside in his frantic search. Even the bookshelves were emptied, their contents creating a mountain as tall as him.

He had already checked each and every one of them, flipping through the pages just to be certain, but his search was fruitless. He still couldn't find that particular book, or rather, that particular page.

Could it be that he had placed it somewhere else? The archive in the lower dungeons was huge. Perhaps, he had just forgotten to take it with him during his visits. It may not even be a book at all, and he saw it on one of the scrolls being kept in this palace...

But no, that's impossible. He knew it was a book. He remembered it was a book, and his memory was excellent. He could even recall the sheer excitement he felt when his eyes drifted on that page, when he saw the lines written in flowing gold script. Similar to how he had felt when he fimally came to meet the legendary archmage Shiroe in person. There was no way he could have forgotten something like that.

So where did he put it?

He crossed his arms and paced slowly inside what limited space he has, careful to avoid stepping on one of his precious books. It was just a small tome, of that he was certain. Tucked away and hidden behind several grimoires, he had almost missed it during his visit to the library several years ago. If not for that strange sensation, like his eyes were forcibly drawn towards the book, he would have passed it by on his way out.

He stopped in his tracks and tapped his chin thoughtfully. The cover was simple - even he would clearly pay it no attention at first glance - made from red leather with its spine outlined in gold. The strange thing was there was no title on it. Not even the author's name or the date it was written. Obviously, whoever wrote the book does not want to be known, and that immediately piqued his curiousity.

Its content was a rather peculiar thing too. He expected a comprehensive list of magic spells catalogued inside, even something regarding the World Fraction spells and how to recreate them. But instead, he had been disappointed to find the book was about nothing more than a fairy tale; a story of some hero trying to save a damsel in distress trapped inside a birdcage atop a giant tree. That in itself was not bad - he was a fan of such stories when he was still a kid. However, those kind of tales were not what he was looking for at the moment, and definitely not what he needed.

And then, he saw those verses.

As he stood there thinking with his eyebrows scrunched in concentration, he couldn't help but relieve the state of confusion and puzzlement he had felt when he was finish reading it. For one, the lines does not fit with the entire context of the story. For another, it seemed to have been added in a way that would make it seem like it was part of the narrative when in truth, the construction of the sentence was vastly different.

What was it about again?

He shook his head and sighed. Not only could he not remember where he had last seen it, he could not remember the exact lines as well. But why? Does it have anything to do with that strong surge of power he felt just a few minutes ago? It was the reason he postponed his travel to Shibuya in order to resume his work on the communication device in there, as the sensation triggered something in his memory that immediately made him thought of the book. But if that's the case, then why couldn't he remember where he hid it?

Wait. He hid it?

Regan jumped in realization and immediately rushed outside the room, sweeping away any obstacles with a simple spell. Sprinting across the dim hallway, he made his way towards his sleeping quarters, bursting through the door in a hurry.

He remembered now. He delibirately casted a memory wipe on himself to prevent anyone from knowing about the book should he be captured by a hostile group. It should only deactivate when the right conditions were met, and he was certain it did now. Though he still could not remember what made him do such a thing, he knew the book held all the answers he needed.

Crouching at the base of his bed, he brushed his fingers on a section of the floor. Instantly, a glowing rune appeared. Drawing powers from within him, Regan muttered a short incantation and with a bright light, the symbol vanished along with the flooring, revealing a small hiding space.

And there, nestled safely at the center of a velvety cushion, was the book.

Central Plaza, City of Akihabara

Akihabara, a city of wonder and excitement. With a population of at least 25,000 people, it was a central hub for trade and commerce in the province. On any fine day, the streets would be filled with people going about their daily businesses and routines. Stalls and booths would line the sidewalks selling their merchandise to anyone passing by. Shops and restaurants would be open, enticing customers with extravagant products and scrumptous dishes. Adventurers and People of the Land alike always frequented these establishments, creating a busy traffic in the roads. More often than not, a few carriages and wagons would appear - nobles and merchants arriving to conduct their businesses and trades - and the people would briefly give a wide berth for them before going back to their own personal affairs.

Adventurer guards from the combat guilds could sometimes be seen patrolling the streets and alleys to ensure the safety of the people, more to keep an eye out for suspicious activities than the monsters roaming outside the walls. After all, with the magical barrier protecting the city gone, player-killing was now possible with the absence of the Royal Guards. Due to the wide thoroughfares, the city was always bustling during the day and a lot of people would make it easier for someone to blend in and cause chaos. As such, it should be common to see a few high-leveled players walking among the crowds and casting wary glances around them.

However, today was different.

Nothing could be seen on most of the streets and avenues. The shops were abandoned, and the roads were mostly empty except for a few people strolling here and there. Instead, the masses were gathered in a single location: the plaza.

And so, Shiroe found himself squeezing through the crowds just to get near the front. It was a slow progress; with all the people jam packed like in a concert, he could barely move an inch. Bodies were being pressed together, and in more than one occassion, he felt a few people stepped on his toes. People kept pushing and shoving around in their haste to satisfy their curiousity. The loud murmurings of the crowd did not help either - he could not hear his friends anymore, much less see them from the throng of people obstructing his vision.

"SHIROE! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Naotsugu bellowed somewhere to his right.

The enchanter immediately scanned his surroundings looking for the source of his friend's voice, but it was in vain. He was sandwiched between several people, making his search futile. Not to mention, they were guardians wearing full-plate armor which greatly added to his discomfort.

"I'M RIGHT HERE!" He yelled back as loud as he could, raising his staff and waving it for good measure. Shiroe does not know if it would work; if they were not looking in the right direction, they would surely miss it. However, considering his current situation, he could not do anything else other than this.

A flash of purple suddenly caught his attention. Craning his head to the right, he saw someone standing on what looked like a tower shield, amethyst hair swinging as she shielded her eyes and looked around in all directions.

"AKATSUKI!" Shiroe yelled.

Like a true ninja hearing its master's call, the assassin swiveled her head to the left so fast it almost snapped and zeroed in on Shiroe's location. Narrowing her eyes, she jumped on someone's head and used it as a foothold to move on another. Using her agility and skills, the petite woman deftly ran to her master's side, nimbly stepping on every person without so much as a glance.

Cries of surprise and indignation followed, and the crowd stirred in annoyance as Akatsuki navigated through the crowd. As if she was crossing a river, the ninja stepped on people like she would do on protruding rocks, gracefully skipping as swiftly as she could. By the time she reached her master, Shiroe was already hard pressed on all sides by several hulking guardians.

"My lord, are you alright?" Akatsuki asked in concern, balancing skillfully between two swashbucklers who were, incidentally, too mesmerized and shocked to even protest.

"Yes, I'm okay!" Shiroe barely managed a squeak, stuck between two heavily armored adventurers. "Where are the others?"

Jerking a thumb behind her, the loyal ninja replied.

"Somewhere back there."

Stifling a groan, the enchanter closed his eyes. At this rate, they would not be able to reach the front before something happens - and he had a feeling something will. He could sense a great deal of magic flowing just ahead; right where the Transport Gates should be. In fact, even at this distance, he could already see the gigantic portals releasing tendrils of blinding light. Whatever it was, he knew it could not be good.

"Go check with the others up ahead," he said at last, "Tell Isaac and Soujiro to organize a perimeter. We don't want the people going on a stampede if something happens. And send someone to clear a path for us!" Shiroe added the last part with a grumble.

"Understood, my lord." Akatsuki bowed her head before racing to the front to fulfill her master's orders.

Fire, burning passion and rage that consumes all,

Water, purifier of life and cleanser of soul,

Wind, freedom that soars above the heavens,

Earth, fortitude that strengthens,

Night, power that overwhelms,

Shadow, concealer of secrets,

Music, soother of mind and spirit,

Metal, instrument of the gifted,

Beast, companion of all who seeks,

Together, they come at the first day of the week.

Nine elements, nine races,

Nine territories, nine realms,

One castle, one tree,

The full moon rises on the day of three,

Salvation will arrive after Sakura dies,

Sounds of ringing bell filling the skies,

A shadow looms over the city,

Bearing strangers key to victory,

Friend and foe together must band,

To deal with the threat close at hand,

At the top of the castle lies a key,

A gateway to set everyone free.

Regan finally closed the book with trembling hands, his entire body shaking in excitement.

This was it! There could be no mistake now. This book might well be carrying the answer to the Adventurer's plight; a way for them to go home. Most of the lines were mysterious and enigmatic, but he could understand what they were trying to tell. There was someone that could help them, perhaps a group from their own world, and they would be arriving soon. He was certain of it. He could feel it, sense it, and his intuition were always right.

The scholar stood up and clutched the book in his hands. He had to take this to Shiroe soon. The mage would know what to do. Such discovery could not wait, not when it may lead to the key to their dillemma. Plus, he was also interested on what kind of reaction the enchanter would have. After all, talking with him was always entertaining...

Glancing around his room, he took stock of what he might need for his travel. He would obviously have to stay in the city for several days at best in order to observe as well as resume his work in Shibuya. Clothes were essential, and a sizable amount of gold. Bringing his tomes and research notes were mandatory too - they contained information he would definitely need in the near future. All that remains was food, but he could just buy them from the shops and inns in Akihabara. Besides, he was not much of a good cook anyway.

Finally nodding to himself, Regan approached one of his closets and began the preparations for his journey.

...

The Intercity Transport Gates. As with most MMORPGs with an expansive map, each city was connected via a network of instant transport routes allowing players to hop from one destination to another without the hassle of going through the outside fields. This reduces the amount of time needed to travel between cities as well as the danger posed by monsters roaming the environment - a boon for beginners new to the world of Elder Tale and online games in general. Many ignorant and arrogant newbies had often suffered extreme consequences when they foolishly ignore the importance of such a feature, confident enough of their levels and luck and taking their chance in the wilderness. All had been killed either by field bosses or sheer boredom.

When Elder Tale was still just a game, the Gates would always receive a flood of players utilizing it for quests and raids. The distance between Akihabara and Shibuya alone was half an hour at best - excluding the time consumed when taking out mobs encountered in the field - and many people found the transport system practical for fast travels. It was even rumored that in one instance, a server crash occurred when the influx of players using the gates exceeded the limit of what was only allowed at any given time, forcing an emergency maintenance. In the end, the next patch finally included a lot of new mounts for the adventurers to lessen the traffic being received.

When the Apocalypse happened and trapped the Adventurers inside the game, things changed. With the world of Theldesia coming to life, the neccessity of instant travel became essential once again. What was once a simple fifteen-minute leisure stroll of their in-game avatars had became a daunting two-hour trek of their actual selves, and with pain actually present, no one wanted to dare the monster infested zones just to see the next town or village. This would not be a problem for high-leveled veterans of the game; with their stats and skills alone, they could risk the long travel without worrying about their HP falling to zero. But for most of the newbies who were unfortunate to be included in this mess, the mere idea of simply setting foot outside the safe zones would leave them quaking in their boots and sandals.

Unfortunately, the transition had somehow affected the functionality of the transport gates. Used to be, the portals were always glowing with energy; a swirling mass of vortex constantly ferrying players to and fro. But when they got trapped here and realized that this was no longer a game, they were shocked to find the gates seemingly deactivated and devoid of its original purpose. Regan told them that these gigantic relics were fueled by magic and connected to ancient Alv ruins on the moon, and their inactive state was caused by the lack of power. Unfortunately, countless research yielded no results on how to revitalized them - they don't even know the cause for their dormancy - and for many months, the colossal devices were left standing and only served as a landmark.

And just like during the first day they came here, the Transport Gates would be as dead and useless as a background building from when Elder Tale was still just a game. Today, however, was the first time in months that it had shown signs of activity.

Tendrils of bright energy crackled and snaked along its surface, hissing as they went off in different directions before dissipating to the air. An orb of pulsating electricity emanated from the center of the circle, throbbing rythmically and oozing vast amounts of magic. Occassionally, a rumble would occur, and the globe would give off a blinding flash of light before returning to its previous state.

Shiroe pressed forward with the rest of his guild mates. Fortunately for them, it did not took more than a few minutes for a perimeter to be established and the people organized into a less chaotic crowd. Several guards kept an open lane in the middle, allowing them to pass through without hassle.

A good thing too, because he almost became the 'Villain in Mushes' with all the constant shoving and pushing.

As they neared the front of the crowd, the onlookers gave them a wide berth. By now, his guild was already well-known throughout the city, and in most of the surrounding provinces as well, making it less harder for them to proceed ahead. From Naotsugu's immense bulk to Akatsuki's short stature to his own beady eyes rimmed with glasses, Log Horizon was easily distinguishable from the rest of the other Adventurers and guilds. Not to mention, Isuzu's increasing fame as a musician helps a great deal in their popularity, and Shiroe could even see a few of her fans - mostly Landers - among the gathered mass waving to her as they passed by.

As for him, well, the suspicious and wary glares casted in his direction was just a proof of what most people still thought of him. Not that he mind it - he was already used to people referring to him as the 'Villain in Glasses' - but he could admit that it was kinda unsettling. Especially for someone like him who prefers to remain incospicious.

When they finally reached the end of the crowd, he was immediately greeted with Maryelle and the rest of the Round Table leaders.

"Shiroe!" the elven cleric and guild master quickly approached him.

"Maryelle," he nodded. Glancing around, he noticed Roderic conversing in hushed tones with Isaac and Soujiro up ahead. Meanwhile, Michitaka and the remaining leaders were standing on one side, staring grimly at the portal.

"What's the situation?"

Shaking her head, Maryelle answered.

"We don't know. One moment, everything was fine. Then suddenly, every magic-user in our guild felt a strange pulse in the area before collapsing." she took a deep breath before adding, "Most of us were out cold after that. Henrietta stayed behind to take care of the others while I immediately came here when someone reported the gate is activating."

She suddenly began to wobble on her feet and would have almost stumble on the ground if not for Naotsugu catching her.

"Hey, are you okay?" the guardian said with worry.

"I'm just a little tired," Maryelle managed a weak smile as she leaned on his right shoulder.

"Take a rest then," Shiroe said in sympathy and adjusted his glasses. "We'll take care of everything."

Leaving them behind with his guild, he approached the others, passing Eins along the way until he stood beside Isaac. As soon as they noticed him, the trio immediately stopped talking, and judging by their expressions, he had a feeling that the topic of their conversation was sensitive in some way.

"Is there a problem?" he raised an eyebrow.

Soujiro glanced at Isaac, who glanced at Roderic, who shifted in his feet and cleared his throat several times before finally speaking.

"You know the news about Minami managing to partially reactivate their own gate, right?" the scholar asked, to which Shiroe nodded. "Well, we were just discussing about the possibility that it might be them doing... this."

Shiroe thought for a moment. It was possible, but unlikely. For one, the gates run on magic. They would need a vast amount of mana to fully activate an Intercity Transport Gate, not to mention the additional energy required to connect it with a recipient city. And while they could probably achieve such a feat, the chances of them actually doing it were slim. For another, Nureha would not be so bold as to open a portal within a potential enemy, no matter how strong Plant Hwyaden may be.

"We also think they are the ones attacking and-" Soujiro added before he was interrupted by Shiroe.

"It can't be them," the enchanter adjusted his glasses. "Nureha is not stupid. She knows the risk it will pose if she recklessly attacks Akihabara."

"Are you sure?" Isaac frowned, unconvinced. "Plant Hwyaden has an army and controls two cities. It would not be hard for them to send a raid group here and hit us from the inside."

"I'm sure," Shiroe said confidently. "After all, if you are going to attack someone, why would you alert your opponent?"

The group fell silent. They could not argue with what Shiroe had said; he had a point. Besides, they knew better than to question the 'Villain in Glasses'. Everyone could agree that he was the best in this field, and they would not dare doubt his opinion on such matters.

"Fine," Isaac grunted. "Still, I posted a few parties of spellcasters and shooters on top of the surrounding buildings." he gestured to several rooftops where Shiroe could see some Adventurers. "If someone, or something, comes out and starts attacking, they'll immediately shoot it."

The enchanter nodded at his decision. The height advantage would leave the enemy with no way to counter-attack, and with spells and arrows supporting them, their ground forces could swiftly close in to engage them. Still, he was hoping it would not reach that point. The last thing they wanted was a hostile army marching within their own city.

His gaze swept across those lining the rooftops. Most of them were above level 70, comprised mostly of sorcerers. Since they were the main damage dealers of the magic class, he approved of their large numbers. If an army emerged from the portal en masse, their devastating spells should be enough to force them back.

As he surveyed the rest of the Adventurers, he was surprised to see a certain silver-haired girl turning away before their eyes could meet.

"What is the Princess doing here?" he blinked, perplexed.

Nowadays, the princess was always in a sullen mood. She rarely goes out to interact with the people; not even on major festivals could she be seen participating, and only a selected few were allowed to visit her residence. Aside from official visits and meetings, Lennesia remained cooped up in her room most of the time, only emerging when needed. She had stopped conversing with Shiroe at some point too, though the enchanter does not have any clue why. Yes, she doesn't trust him for various reasons, but she was civil at best whenever they meet. However, for the past few weeks, she was starting to avoid him for no apparent reason.

I must be reminding her of Krusty, he suddenly realized, what with my glasses and all.

He grimaced. The absence of the Berserker and guild master of D.D.D. had affected Akihabara greatly. As the leader of the largest battle guild in the city, Krusty wielded an enormous influence and was considered as an important pillar in their society. He may be the strategist, but Krusty was the leader. He was essential in ensuring the safety of all Adventurers and Landers in the city, personally taking charge of their military campaigns against monsters. Because of his ruthlessness in combat, they managed to quell any rising threats even before they could spread. As such, his absence had diminished their efficiency in battle, and Black Swords Knights and West Wind Brigade was forced to compensate for their deficiency.

So far, they had received no further news about Krusty's whereabouts since they last made contact with Kanami at the start of this year. And with him temporarily unreachable, his subordinates were doing their best to keep his guild from disbanding. A lot had already left to join Ein's Honesty, and it was all Riese could do to keep the remaining ones from leaving as well. Even Takayama Misa had to set aside her guilt and shame for what happened to their leader and returned as an active member just to prevent things from escalating. But despite her assistance, it seemed that the guild was slowly tethering on the verge of collapse.

Speaking of the two Drei Klauens, he was not surprise to find them standing beside Lenessia watching the commotion below them with an unwavering expression. It was no secret that Riese and Misa had already grown considerably fond of her, and with their leader's disappearance, the two had took it upon themselves to personally ensure her safety. They were always with her wherever she goes, serving as her personal bodyguards. Whether she would simply take a stroll outside or attend an important event, the bard and cleric could be seen accompanying her alongside her maid.

Still, he frowned, that does not explain why she was here. This could be dangerous, after all. And the two D.D.D. second-in-command should know that.

"Oh, the Princess?" Isaac followed Shiroe's gaze, balancing his massive sword on one shoulder. "I heard she had insisted to come here after learning about the commotion."

"I don't know why though," he shrugged and returned his attention to the gate.

But I do, Shiroe thought with a smirk as he realized everything.

Apparently, Princess Lenessia seemed to actually miss Krusty, if her current behaviour was anything to judge by. He should have guessed it the moment she stopped going out in public. That was why the princess was avoiding him, because she does not want to be reminded of the 'monster' - something Shiroe found amusing. Who knew that she secretly harbors such feelings for him?

This might make for a good blackmail, he inwardly smirked in an evil way.

Of course, he did not mean it in a bad way. He was not the sort of person to commit something horrible on someone who had done him no wrong. However, politics was politics. And in a game like that, you need some aces up in your sleeves.

Suddenly, there was a shout from a guardian. But even before he turned his head to check what was happening, he could already feel the air vibrating around him.

The gate was starting to fully activate.

The pulsating orb in its center had now grown into a swirling vortex of pure energy, twisting and churning like the maw of a whirlpool. Electricity and tendrils of light danced around it, and the edges glowed with power. The air hummed, throbbing and sending waves of aura in all directions. It was so powerful that his entire body trembled just by being near the source, making him step back in haste. Around him, the crowd readied their weapons in preparation for anything that might come out with evil intentions.

They waited in tensed silence as the portal finally expanded to encompass the entire circle. A radiant beam suddenly shot up into the sky, parting the clouds in a halo and blinding them for several seconds. When it vanished, the Intercity Transport Gates finally stood in all its glory, activated and ready to be used once again.

For a moment, everyone was still. Shiroe gripped his staff tightly, already preparing to cast Thorn Bind Hostage if the moment call for it. Behind him, the rest of his guild swiftly took their positions, with Akatsuki and Naotsugu flanking him. Meanwhile, the rest of the guards now had their weapons at the ready, both Isaac and Soujiro standing at the front. They were all holding their breaths, expecting an army to charge through at any moment.

And then, they heard a howl.

Something large, armored, and definitely humanoid in appearance came tumbling out of the portal, cursing and growling as it fell from the steps of the pedestal where the gate was erected. The... thing landed face first at the foot of the stairs, groaning in discomfort. Purple hair covered its head, preventing them from seeing it properly.

Shiroe stared at the creature curiously. Odd. The hair was familiar. And so was the yellow fur around the shoulders. And so were the claws on its forearms.

Huh?

He quickly glanced at the status box hovering above the newcomer's head, his eyes widening instantly as soon as he saw the name. And whatever suspicions he might have vanished the moment the 'thing' finally spoke, or roared for that matter.

"DAMN IT, WILLIAM! I'M NOT A DOG FOR YOU TO USE AS A SCOUT!"

No one spoke after that. No one even moved. They were busy staring open-mouthed as the mass of muscle and armor finally rose to its full height. All of them were too dumbstruck to even lower their weapons, standing as if a freezing spell had been casted over them.

Shiroe could not believe what he was seeing either. He blinked once. Then twice. Then thrice. But the image was still there. That guy was really standing in front of him.

His jaw worked like a fish briefly before he finally found his voice and shouted the man's name in sheer disbelief.

"DEMIQAS?!"

And it with another cliffhanger. XD

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I will admit, it should have been a little bit longer. But I decided against it since the additional scene felt kinda out of place with the tone. Don't worry though. The next update will involve that particular scene as an opening.

As for the second prophecy, I hope you enjoyed that as well. Being a fan of the Percy Jackson books, I tried to make it as vague and enigmatic as possible, and I thought I did okay. A little feedback would be nice though. :)

Regarding Regan, I am planning to give him more backstory for this fic since he will play an important role. Most of it is from my own headcanon but hopefully, I can make it work.

By the way, who gets that obvious Fairy Dance arc reference I placed in this chapter? :3

Please Read & Review!

Until next time!