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2024-10-29 19:42:56"No sign of nobody here, brother", the masked man stood up, after having observed what looked like a campfire.
The other man was cloaked and masked in white too. Both of them carried a heavy luggage on their back, apparently supplies for travel. By the looks of it, the two of them were traveling healers. It wasn't common in war days to see people like that around. While most of the healers stuck to war grounds healing the wounded soldiers, many took to areas that were indirectly affected by wars. There wasn't any shortage of ghost towns in those days, so even though it didn't pay them much, traveling to many different places was enough to get them by. People couldn't pay them money but they could share what little food and supplies they had, in exchange for treatment.
"Strange, isn't it? Looks like the people up and left, all too suddenly", the other one replied.
"Then there were some of them Blue ones in that there barracks, brother. It's just an ancient piece
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Road to Valhalla Chapter 123: Lubbock And Doctor Ema
"That's the only place we'll be safe", Lubbock led the way after we'd decided it was too dangerous to stay in town after all.People kept coming after us no matter where we went. Even if we killed them, they would just respawn. There was no point in fighting."The one thing every program fears is corruption. If these dummies follow us to the mounds, they'll get exactly that. So I'm sure we'll be safe there", Lubbock educated me, though I can't say I understood everything."And you don't fear that corruption?""No, because my data can't be corrupted.""And why is that? Didn't you say you weren't part of the system? So if anything, shouldn't you be more prone to this corruption?""Perhaps so, but my firewall is infallible. Even if I were to walk off this world, I'd probably end up creating a road of my own. It's even easier if I'm in a foreign system.""Alright, well, how do we stop this?""One way would be to destroy the server, but I doubt we'll be able to make it to Doctor Ema like t
Road to Valhalla Chapter 124: Motherly Love
"I had a bright future ahead of me, a career, a whole new world. If I had stuck around, I'd be a star today. And what does your father have? And what have you given me?"I remember those words vividly, and my mother's face turned away towards the window, as I sat at her bedside. She went on with that but this is as much as I remember. I don't think I listened to the rest, even though I was sitting right there. I knew how she hated everything, all the while my father loved her even though she was like this. As for me, I was a failure of a son, without magic and without a shred of talent for anything whatsoever. She must have seen her failure reflected in me too, so she couldn't stand me in particular.I don't exactly remember when she died. My father didn't let us in the house that whole day. Unlike my brothers that had friends to keep company, I was left alone to wonder what had happened. I think a part of me knew. When we did go home later that day, I remember seeing my father's brut
Road to Valhalla Chapter 125: My Friends
If words could skip out of my head and land neatly on a paper, only then will I have a chance to express myself correctly and perfectly. But though words spill out of my mind here and there, it seems they never do so properly nor do they do it in the right places. So then, I assume, I am terrible at expressing myself.I wonder if I had told Serena how much I didn't want to fight her, not for her sake but Doctor's, would this calamity had been prevented? Or if not prevented entirely, surely not everything needed to be destroyed, right?I could tell she was programmed to attack anyone who seemed like a threat to the server, but still it wasn't as simple for me to go down on her even if she was like that. Or perhaps, all the more because she was like that. Although I wasn't thinking of it yet, I think deep down I wanted to justify what Doctor had done to her. But I couldn't do that by eliminating Serena. She needed to live, fulfilled, without remorse of having lived an unfair, pointless
Road to Valhalla Chapter 126: A Search for Freedom
"You think he'll come?"Snowy days were never seldom in Agartha. When winter finally rolled in, the mountain was blanketed with a soft white and there was barely any of the signature red left on the rooftops. This year too, it was nothing new. The harshest of weather couldn't stop Agarthan children from playing outside. Ema and Argoll in particular, despite turning into teens since the past two years, had barely given up on their mischiefs. "He said he would!"With their parents far too important and busy to look over them, the two had free reign in Agartha. Them, and of course, their that one friend."It's getting late, though. It would be curfew before we know it! Where is he?!", Argoll stomped his foot on the ground which gave rise to a tiny avalanche. This winter hadn't come alone in Agartha. It brought along the Blues. It was unheard of to see an attack in Agartha. No outsider dared trek that mountain. Although by now, people had forgotten when the conflict even began. The War
Road to Valhalla Chapter 127: One Half of a Whole
"He isn't coming, is he?"The mighty sun that shone after a snowy night always felt warmer than ever before. But now, it was already on its way down. The bright white snow began to glow a faint yellow under the afternoon sun. This shade left a bitter taste in Argoll's mouth. Ema sat against a tree with her head hanging on her chest. She felt betrayed, lost, and yet her faith hadn't wavered still."He wouldn't miss it for the world", she said, as if comforting herself.Was he caught by a Blue again? But it was a Sunday, so people were allowed a free day. He couldn't have been captured. Was he afraid? That was completely out of question. Both Argoll and Ema knew he wasn't the type of kid that got scared of anything."Hey Ema, you know, the adults are doing something amazing. I heard from my dad", his voice began to broke, "He said they are building a weapon that no one can defeat. Not even the Blues. So maybe...if we trust them...maybe we can go out soon...maybe we don't have to sneak o
Road to Valhalla Chapter 128: Together, the Two of Us
"I don't want to kill you...Serena...not for your sake...", my eyes were rolling back into my head because of the impact, but I held on, "...but for Doctor Ema's."Coming from someone that was getting pummeled for the last ten minutes, this must have sounded odd or even ridiculous. Luckily, Serena had no sense of humor for the time being. "For her sake? Then, do so. Please don't kill me", she said before flinging me another hundred miles. Of course, I was aware of the fact that my real body might die if I were to die in this world. I couldn't be sure of the impact it would have. But I did mean what I said. I wanted to spare Serena, at least. Lubbock would have hated that if he were here. So I was glad that he wasn't.Still, the mystery of how she was holding on remained to be solved. Serena already knew she wasn't human, like she'd always been believing. She knew her memories weren't real. By now, she should have spiraled into a vegetative state. She ought to be shutting down, inste
Road to Valhalla Chapter 129: Your Name Without Us
"Because love is all I can give her."My father gave this answer to me when I asked him why he loved my mother. I think it was unconditional love he was talking to me. But even to a child like me, it seemed that love was one of those very impossible things that I couldn't ever hope to achieve. Maybe it was another form of magic that everyone but me had.If so, I wonder if now, after I've become a part of a demon, would I have been able to love just like my father? It seems to me, and very bitterly, that that wouldn't be the case.After awakening Nasty, my fight with Serena was once again one-sided. This time I wasn't the one being pursued. Serena did dodge me for quite a long while. She was absurdly fast and flexible. In another world, I'd have to be careful where I swing my sword, lest I should erase the world around me. But in Shamballa, even if I did delete the place, the memory of the place, the data still remained in the form of numbers in a computer. It would just reload and eve
Road to Valhalla Chapter 130: Argoll
"I am not cruel to myself. I simply fail to see the beauty in a world that is so full of destruction and contradictions. I do forgive you but in return, you'll have to forget me. You've lost the right to remember my name. Still, I want you to look forward to the day we meet again. Maybe, when that day comes, I won't be so filled to the brim with hatred." ************When I regained conscious, I was being dragged away in the snow. It was the same scent, the same warmth, the same golden hair tickling my neck, as that day. Even though, I was awake, I let her drag me through the cold. She breathed heavily every time she carried her feet to the next step. The snow was piling up quite a bit. I felt a faint numbness in my body, I was completely exhausted. My mind was relaxed though, I knew we'd succeeded in coming back. As for Lubbock, I could never find myself worrying much for him. Perhaps because he seemed so strong
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Final Chapter: A World Where They Are No Longer
I would like to think to myself that this isn't the end. But seeing as her story went back to where it all started, I realized that my role wasn't saving her at all. I just made sure she'd continue to exist, eternally.In eternal suffering and forgetfulness and new encounters and the last times, in every world, she'll continue to exist.As for me, I couldn't bear to live in a world knowing she was somewhere out there, helpless and torn, just as she'd been when I first found her.When did I first find her?Who can say? I had always been talking about how I wished I'd met her sooner. In fact, I had always known her. Our existences were intertwined so much that I don't think either of us could just pull away and be happy all on our own without thinking of the other.After I'd returned Lady's power to her, I floated away in an empty space for an eternity. I was foolish enough to think that the sorrow would fade away one day. But no matter how long and far I floated away, the memory and th
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Chapter 211: The End is The Beginning
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Chapter 210: Promise
"I didn't imagine we'd ever come to a crossroads such as this", I let out a puff of smoke, standing opposite her."But, as a matter of fact, I always had a feeling we would", Lady answered with her signature smirk."Sure, you did", I said sarcastically.It was surprising at first. But things made sense soon enough. Lady had sent all of us away on a mission. She'd isolated herself at Valhalla. Chopper had left of his own accord. She'd sent Sight to look for him. Deli had gone to see her children. And she bid Lubbock and June farewell. She'd even given her fur coat to June. Grim was on a mission, too. And I was looking for Jean V. to deliver her letter.It was all exactly as it had been back then. When I'd return from meeting Jean V., Lady would already be beyond saving. Back then, all I knew was that the person who sent her that blank letter was the one who came to kill her. I never ventured to find out much else.It all made sense now as I stood be
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Chapter 209: No Bells Ring in Heaven
"Must you leave without fulfilling my wish, Seraph?"He had some guts to ask. I looked up at the red sky. There was nothing but barren, burnt land all around us."What else could you ask for?", I looked back at him."You look so old, Seraph", he chuckled, "What exactly did you give the others?"I looked behind me without answering his question. There was no one and nothing."What? It's a long story", I answered without looking at him."We've got time to kill", he grinned."I don't", I said, but went on to answer him anyway, "I gave everyone what they wanted.""Really?"I glared at him, "Yes, really, Grim. I took a fee, of course."He laughed."And what will you take from me?", he asked, grinning.I looked around and then rested my eyes on him."There's really nothing."He seemed to agree."So how'd you manage?""Well, Grim, you could almost call it travelling back through time. Though, it really isn't that. I split the worlds to create new ones. Time doesn't exist for me anymore. Ever
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Chapter 208: A Wonderful World
"I will take death in any way and form it comes to me, anywhere and anytime."That had to be the most brazen statement I'd heard. It took me a bit to take that statement in."You really have no special requests? If I can, I'd like to make it up to you", I sat down and stared at his bloodied face.He shook his head."Make up for what?", he asked.He didn't know me yet to call me "boy" but I suppose that's the way it had to be.I had become better at rewriting the reality. I could write quite far back in certain cases. For example, in Sight's case, I made it so he never met Lady and Chopper on the night he killed the prima donna, Czarna Dalia.Before meeting them he didn't know anything about what he'd been doing. He didn't know what an outcast was, even though he himself was an outcast. Ignorance is indeed the greatest of all blisses. And I thought for Sight, it had to be the biggest saving.Lady was right. People who see things differently are the most dangerous of all. Especially tho
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Chapter 207: A World You Deserve
"This isn't what I asked for, Seraph", she complained, fixing her glasses on her tiny nose."I don't get what the hell it is that you want exactly, June", I was beginning to get tired."You don't understand at all", she folded her arms."You're damn right, I don't. What kind of crazy a-""One thing.", she looked at me sternly, "One thing I'm asking for is a place to be happy. Not a mother, not a wife, not a hero, not any of the other things you're trying to come up with.""What'll make you happy, exactly?", I folded my arms and leaned against the wall of Valhalla.Everyone else was off to fend the red sky off. June had been left behind in a protective barrier.She fell silent."How about Lady? Isn't she your favorite?""I could care less about her", she answered, bluntly, "I hate her.""Huh?", I wasn't sure I'd her heard her right."She does everything on a whim. She claims to understand everything when rea
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Chapter 206: The Greatest Ordinary Man
"They are waiting for you, Monsieur Lubbock", a dark woman poked her head into the dressing room, "It's almost time for the show."The bajillion young ladies that were powdering his nose scattered away.His face was pink with heat and he wore a long fancy coat. It almost looked odd on his somewhat small figure."I'll be right there", he answered, gussying up in the mirror."Aww, you're leaving already, Monsieur?", some of the girls came up to him.He chuckled modestly."What can I say? The life of the greatest singer in the world isn't so relaxing, my dears.""You might be the greatest singer, but Monsieur is also the life of all women's hearts", one of the cheekier ones commented.Lubbock laughed. He didn't try to hide how much he loved being pampered like this."I'm sorry, girls. My audience awaits!"Saying so, he shot out of the room and hurried towards the stage. Backstage was always heated just before his shows. He was the one star that every theater wanted to have. But he was a
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Chapter 205: The Stars in Her Eyes Still Shine
"Do you blame me for mother's death, father?", she asked, placing the empty cup of tea on the little side table.Her father wasn't facing her. He was still locked up in his study, reclining on his chair and looking out of the window at some distance lands.She sat straight, with her back erect. The weight of her gown was enough to tire her but she was made up, as befitting of a noble. She had to look all the more perfect since she was visiting her home for the first time since her marriage."Blame you?", the lord of the house spoke in his grave voice after a while, "I simply don't think you were worth her death. Esme was a wise woman. A level headed, understanding, noble woman."Faye looked at her lap."You refuse to carry out the will of the house of Vlad. You'll go as far as to commit a heinous crime to that end. I'm disappointed beyond measure."Faye pursed her lips. No one but she herself had been hurt the most by what she'd done."Vlad was born to you twice. And yet, you ungratef
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Chapter 204: A Nice Dream For Grey Eyes
"Tell you what, Seraph, this one time, I met a girl and she had these enormous scars all over her arms and legs. I couldn't help noticing her, of course. When she told me she did it herself, I couldn't help it. I killed her then and there", he chuckled to himself, "I didn't want to do it, of course. Something just came over me. It wasn't that she told me she did it herself. It was how she said it. She was smiling.""I'm sure she wasn't smiling because she was happy", I answered, with a solemn look on my face."I'm sure of that too. I was sure of it back then too. That's probably why I killed her. But do you know how many people I've saved?"He looked at my face. I stayed silent."I've saved more people than I've killed. I've been counting since the beginning. I know, for sure, that my atonement is over. At least, it ought to be. But does it look like I'm still repenting?", he asked, smiling vaguely, knowing my answer."You do.""That's because I am. No matter how many I save...the ato
