Level Up Legacy

Ai watched Layla erect steel walls and join them together, creating a small house. She then took her time dividing it, creating bathrooms and bedrooms. Although the Seika brought them here without their consent, he was right about their need to hide. This was proven when Haro received a report over her badge of the three women becoming wanted.

"I guess this means we must stay away from cities for a while," Haro said while taking off her armor. "Although this place is infested with monsters, it is the safest place. No one would think we are hiding here."

"Well, we need food. I will finish the house while you go fish," said Layla as she stood up and walked back toward the building. Ai stood and watched the two embark on different tasks while she stood there without knowing what to do.

Poof! Woosh~

A distant muffled sound echoed on the beach, compelling the three to look at the sea. Something had left the water and soared toward the sky, and it started falling toward them. It arched and landed on the sand, rolling for a few meters until it stopped in front of Haro.

It was giant fish, three meters long and one meter wide. There was a gaping hole through its neck that was bleeding continuously. The three stared at the sudden newcomer with confusion before looking back at sea.

"I guess there is no need for me to fish anymore, right?" asked Haro while scratching her cheek. Layla huffed and returned to the house, which she had started building.

A few hours later, the sun set behind the horizon, and Ai was sitting on the beach and staring at it. She heard footsteps behind her before Layla sat down next to her.

"Are you waiting for him?" asked the warrior, and Ai nodded. "What makes you so attached?"

"The first time I met the Seika, I had no gratitude to feel towards him. However, even still, I was intrigued. He wasn't handsome or particularly kind, just normal. That made me interested."

"His normality made you interested?" asked Layla with confusion.

"It was that with the fact he was powerful. I heard stories about his strength that sounded like legends. People called him Lorius."

"Is that a good title?"

"Haha, far from it," snickered Ai. "Lorius means calamity, and it's a word that originated from the Alvan Kingdom. He earned that title after destroying Shades City."

"…that does look calamity-like."

"I thought so until I became someone important and learned the truth. Seika was protecting the city against an enemy, and the fight ended with collateral damage. This made the citizens hate him instead of the enemy."

"That sounds dumb."

"It is, but the Seika didn't mind. He did what he wanted to do and moved on. So, therefore, when I saw that he was just someone my age, looking no different from the rest of us, I admired his strength. Do you know those people who look like gods? The Seika was the opposite of that."

"Where are you going with this?"

"I know he refused to revive your friend, but he cannot be blamed for that, like what happened in Shades City. The Seika is not the enemy here."

Layla was silent, seeming to ponder it. At that time, the man returned from the sea with wounds covering his body. The two women watched him leave the waters with the sunset behind him, making it look like a painting.

"Are you hurt, Seika?" asked Ai as she stood up, ready to heal him. However, the man raised his hand to stop her, his chest heaving for breath.

"Have you received the food?" he asked, and Ai nodded before pointing at the hut they had built. After cutting it down, Haro was still cooking the giant fish over the fire. "Good."

Then, he walked toward the house and stopped in front of it. Ai and Layla were confused as they watched him move his hands through the air, creating symbols that the two didn't understand. Then the Seika infused the symbols into the house, and it disappeared.

"What the…" muttered Layla with shock before she gulped down. "Is there a thing that this man cannot do?"

"If there is, it would be a terrifying thing," replied Ai before she walked back and raised her hands toward his wounded body. Then, the wounds started healing, making Arthur Silvera turn toward her. "Count this as an apology, Seika," said the healer.

Arthur Silvera stared at her for a few minutes before nodding as his wounds disappeared. He then stared at his hand, seeming to realize the return of his strength.

"Is this your ability?" he asked before smiling. "It is no wonder that Lorius wanted you so badly, despite hating me."

"He wanted what you gave me and wanted to retain his youth," said Ai with a smile. "I can turn back the clock, but only you can make the past different."

"…I hold no such power," said Arthur Silvera before turning toward her. Ai had to crane her neck to stare at the tall man, whose body was dripping with water. "I take back what I said."

"About what?" Ai was confused.

"About our debt. I still owe you for returning me because Dia was not the only one who sacrificed herself for me. She lost control of her power, but you are the one who disappeared."

"That's not true, Seika," replied Ai. "Your actions awakened me, and that sacrifice is not repaid either. We are…"

"Can you two just shut up?" interrupted Layla with a scowl. "You keep talking about this debt and that gratitude, but it's obvious that either of you is willing to help the other without conditions. Otherwise, this bond would have never been created."

Ai and Arthur were silent before the two looked at each other. Then, Arthur Silvera offered a handshake, which the healer took. Then, the two nodded at each other.

"About the forger," started Arthur, but Layla raised her hand for him to stop.

"I accepted what happened and realized that you had no obligation to help me. Ai told me that each time you revive someone, it also harms you. This power must come at a high price, so I wouldn't ask you to revive him anymore. Although I doubt that we can anymore."

"That won't be necessary," Arthur said, confusing the two women. Finally, as the waves slammed to the shore, Arthur told them the truth, making their eyes widen. However, he kept Lyle's involvement a secret.

"Are you shitting me right now?" asked Layla with surprise. "Are you saying I made myself the empire's enemy over nothing?"

"It wasn't nothing. You helped me escape and reunited me with Ai," said Arthur with a smile. "It proves you are willing to risk everything to save your friends. I apologize for what I said before."

Ai watched Seika nod toward Layla, which made her stand there frozen. Then, she turned around and waved her hand, replying to some gibberish that none understood. Nevertheless, it was clear that his words made her emotional, striking down the guilt she had felt before.

As the three stood there smiling for different reasons, Haro called for them to come and eat. The three walked over and sat around the bonfire before serving the meat. Although it was cooked in a basic manner, Arthur made it tastier with a rune.

"What are we going to do now, Seika?" asked Ai after she ate her full. Arthur was silent while chewing on the food before swallowing it and answering.

"I need to grow stronger before the executions, so I will stay here. The three of you can do whatever you need, but I advise against returning to Helios. The Light Emperor is a cunning man."

"Is it that bad?" asked Haro with a frown. "You could have refuted the accusations that he made."

"His accusations were fueled by my actions, making the citizen doubt me enough to ruin the image I created. The rebellion is going to take a hit because of this."

"You are a part of the rebellion?" asked Layla. "What about Gray?"

"Both of us are, along with others. We aimed to rescue the prisoners, who no one knows their whereabouts. We planned to use the forger, but he never got there before being executed."

"I want to do that too," said Layla as she stood up. "I want to save Zonas Mantra from prison, so let me help!" she demanded. However, Arthur was hesitant.

Lyle asked him to keep his involvement a secret from Layla because he never wanted her to get mixed into this. However, the knight knew that his fate might meet with death at this end.

Arthur then remembered Little Yin, making him think of a different plan against the emperor. First, however, he needed to give Night an answer.

"I want to save Zonas as well, but we cannot work together," he shut her down. "As the sister of an acting Knights Commander, the rebels would never trust you."

"I don't need them to trust me, just you," she answered with determination. "The years I spent as a gangster made me meet all kinds of people. I met someone who escaped from the Light Prison a few years ago."