26 The Keepers

The [World Breaker Behemoth], it was a fearsome raid boss that could not be cleared without four full parties of players who know what they are doing. From the boss' massive damage output to the various hazardous field effects that it could dish out, it was not something one could even survive without a properly constructed party and an inventory full of potions. It was a boss so hard, all but the most hardcore of players called for it to be nerfed. Our guild, the SlayerZ formed a raid party to challenge this boss. For our party construct, we minimized our support and healing, and instead maximized our damage output, relying on not only the healers but the skills of each individual player to increase survivability while dishing out the most damage imaginable. In the end, for our efforts, we were able to clear the boss within record time.

It was right after, wasn't it, that we were pulled into this world. It all started with the [World Breaker Behemoth]. And right now, the spitting image of the raid boss is staring down at me. Though its mane is no longer dark purple, its body no longer ebony, and its fur fluffier than before, I would not mistake it for anything else. This is indeed the creature we painstakingly studied down to the smallest detains, the timing of its skills, the pattern of its attacks, and even the size of its hit boxes. Cecilia, myself, and many others spend a whole night strategizing on the best way to beat it, and we spent days gathering and scheduling the right members to fight it. From the way it moves towards me, from the way it stares down at me, I have no doubt that this Holy Beast before me and the one we fought that fateful day is undoubtedly the very same.

"Fear not Champion, no harm shall come to you while you are in my domain."

All of a sudden, I hear a voice in my head, a voice of a woman.

"Was that the Holy Beast?"

"Yes, this body is not built for speech, and so I send my voice into your minds."

"Built?"

"Indeed, we, the Keepers, are created along with the lands, and we exists to protect it, or at least, we used to. I fear that I am the only sane one left."

"Wait, just hold on for the moment. How about we start from the beginning? This conversation is going too fast for me to keep up with."

Hearing my words, the Holy Beast reacted as if she realized something and began to posture herself proudly with her head held high.

"Oh yes, I haven't had company quite a while now, I seem to have forgotten my manners. Greetings, Champion, I am the Keeper of this land, the one known as the [Holy Guardian Beast]. And of course, it is good to see you as well, Princess Aurelia, and you too, Merida."

The rest all bowed and replied with their own greetings upon being mentioned by the Holy Beast, I am the only one who didn't react in time and ended up not bowing, earning the stink eye from the two who guided us here. Well, the ball's already rolling, I can't freeze up here.

"I am... I mean, good to finally meet you. As you may already have heard, I am Aurelius, one of the Champions here to fight the [Demons]."

I stuttered a little there at the beginning, but I think I did good with that one.

"Yes, Aurelius, good to meet you too, though you seem a little pale. Is my form terrifying to you?"

"Huh? Do I look that bad? I-I mean, I'm just surprised. I did not expect you to be so huge."

I wonder, if she can send her voice into my head, can she read my mind as well? Does she know that I've fought her before, as the [World Breaker Behemoth] in the game? To begin with, what is the relationship between the game and this world? We were suspecting it when we realized that the forest was called [World Devourer Woods], but to think World Breaker is here too, a raid boss that had already been released, pretty much confirming our suspicious about this world being connected to Elysium Online.

Coming out of my thoughts, I find the Holy Beast's gaze upon me, and I realize that she must have said something to me, something I must have ignored while deep into my thoughts. What now, should I find something to reply with? What did she say? Probably something relating to her size since that's what I mentioned earlier. Should I reply with something? But I don't know what she just said. What to do? Maybe I should just change the topic?

"Pardon me, but I have a question."

"Ask away, Champion."

"Why do they refer to you as a 'she'?"

Already, I am regretting my decision. I could feel the gazes on me, the princess and Merida staring at me in shock while our two guides sending me glares that could kill. Without even turning to look, I can feel them upon my back, boring a hole into me. I mean, I can't help it. It's the only thing that came to mind. She has a mane yet they called her a 'she'. I mean sure, her voice is that of a woman's but since she's projecting it into our minds, I'm sure she could make it sound like whatever she wants. Though, unlike the rest, the one being asked the question herself seemed amused.

"Ah, an interesting question, Champion. Let's see, it may not the right answer, but I believe it is because we, the Keepers, are associated with the land, with nature itself, and nature is seen as a nurturing mother. Thusly, the Keepers, associated with it, were seen as motherly entities, and so, we are referred to mostly as 'she'."

"Oh, that makes sense I suppose. But what do you mean it may not be the right answer? You mean you never actually confirmed it?"

"I never asked, the Keepers have no genders and I have never been bothered by what I was being referred as. But ah, you sure know how to begin a conversation, Champion."

Really, I do? I would have assumed that questions of such nature would only make things even more awkward though. Then again, I am speaking to a divine being, so I'm guessing that their sensibilities are different than ordinary folks. Either that or the Holy Beast is being sarcastic.

"However, as much as I am enjoying myself, you are not here to chat are you? Let us cut straight to business, shall we?"

The princess, taking it as her cue, promptly came forward.

"Keeper, we have come to seek your council in regards to the forest to the west. You see, plans have been made to burn it to the ground but there are concern in regards to the ash and smog that will surely come after."

"I understand, Aurelia. I shall call upon the winds for you, to ensure that the ashes never fall upon this land."

Wait, that's it!? That's all it took? No hesitation, no need for convincing? We're just going to burn down potentially one-fourth of Elgardia and no one is even going to bat an eye?

"You look almost disappointed, Champion. Is something the matter?"

Apparently, my exasperation did not go unnoticed. I know that I may have said something about the princess wearing her feeling on her sleeve, but it seems that I too may share the same problem.

"I'm just a little surprised. After all, the forest, the [Holy Protector Forest], it is one of the Keepers, right?"

"It is, yes, but unfortunately, all of the Keepers aside from myself have long gone mad from the [Corruption] and even now they propagate this ailment upon their lands. They must be destroyed if we seek to salvage what is left."

"And... pardon me for my ignorance, but what will happen to the land after its Keeper is gone?"

The Holy Beast remained silent for a moment, as if the words were caught in her throat, figuratively of course, since she speaks directly to the mind.

"The land will become desolated and barren. No life will be sustained upon those lands, none of ours, and fortunately, none of the [Demon]'s either."

"So, to save this world, we will have to destroy the rest of it?"

"If we must, yes. However, fret not Champion, for as Keeper, we do not, nor are we able to, truly perish. In time, a new Keeper will be reborn, hopefully, this time, one that is un[Corrupted], and life may once more resume upon the land."

That's good to know, but wait, did she say "hopefully un[Corrupted]"? Does that mean what I think it means?

"Is there no guarantee that the newly reborn Keeper will not be afflicted by the [Corruption]?"

"I am afraid I cannot deny the possibility that they will not be [Corrupted] again. Not as long as the true source of the [Corruption] remains."

So the Keepers could not be truly destroyed, yet as long as the [Corruption] is around, they may become enemies again, and the cycle of battle continues. In other words, to truly end this once and for all, the source must be destroyed.

"And the source of the [Corruption] is?"

"I do not know."

"You don't?"

"No, I am afraid I do not, Champion. I apologize."

Seriously? Even the Holy Beast doesn't know. Well I guess if she did she would have told the Beastkins a long time ago. But without know where or even what the source is, won't we just be running around in circles while in the dark? We wouldn't get anywhere like this would we? We'd just be fighting one fight after another, and another, and then another, with absolutely no end in sight? Will we have to spend an entire lifetime here, unable to go home and constantly fighting?

As I feel the despair seeping in, I felt a small soft hand grasped onto my own, the thin, tender fingers intertwined with mine. The pleasing softness and the comforting warmth allowed me to still my wavering heart, just long enough for me to get a grip on myself.

"Worry not Aurelius, we have the best scholars in the kingdom looking into it. I'm sure we will have some answers soon, so please, until then, keep faith in us, as we do you."

The princess' words were comforting, as was her voice. I haven't really thought about it, but being here in this hopeless world, having to fight constantly with no end in sight, I seem to have ended up rely on the princess a lot more than I realize. I'm willing to bet that it's thanks to her that I'm taking this better than I would have. I wonder if she's doing this consciously. If she is, then she is good, very good. If not, then bless her kind gentle soul.

"There's nothing else I can do about it I suppose. Forward is the only way to go for me, for all of us."

"That's right. We're all walking on the same path now."

I turn back to the Holy Beast.

"Thank you, for answer my questions, Keeper."

"It was no trouble. You've been a great company, Champion. However, if there are no further businesses, I am afraid you must pardon me. My body is feeling heavy and I think it may be time for me to slumber once more."

"Very well then, Keeper, rest well."

Once more, the princess and the rest offered a bow, and this time, I too did the same. And with that, we were guided out of the caverns and into the forest, where we headed back to our carriage and began our trip back to the western front.

***

"It's getting a little too dark to continue traveling isn't' it?"

"Fret not, Merida is more than capable of seeing in the dark. She'll get us back safely."

By the time we left the Holy Beast's dwelling, night had already fallen. However, wanting to return as soon as possible, it was decided that we would continue our journey back regardless. Briefly, we had stopped for a quick meal with the rations brought over from the garrison before moving on again.

There's still a good deal that I haven't had the chance to ask, about the relationship between Elgardia and Elysium Online, about why is it that we were summoned after defeating the [World Breaker Behemoth], but those questions will have to wait another day. My head is already spinning from what I've already learned.

"You know, I've just realized something. Why haven't I been told of the Keepers till now? The fact that we would eventually be facing them is a somewhat important information, don't you think?"

The princess furrowed her eyebrows, and I must say, even her troubled expression is adorable, but that isn't going to help her here. She said that we're walking on the same path, in that case, such thing will have to be straighten out.

"I didn't want to burden you with that information, since you tend to worry too much about such things... No, to be honest, Aurelius, I simply withheld the information from you because I did trust that it would be the right decision."

"Why, it's the only way to stop them right? I know that it would cause devastation to to the land they reside, but still, that's our only shot right?"

"Is it? Is that truly the case?"

"You tell me, I just got here."

"I don't know, I truly do not know, but Aurelius, I shall let you in one a secret, one you must swear to never repeat to anyone."

All of a sudden, I could feel a sense of great pressure from the princess, as if she's about to lay upon me a burden of massive proportion. Even so, I must know, I must push forward, I must learn more, otherwise we'll all be trapped in this cycle forever.

"You have my word, Aurelia."

The princess nodded.

"The last time I visited the Holy Beast, she revealed a secret to me, that she had been dreaming. That in her dream, she too has been [Corrupted], and through her, all of those living upon this land were driven mad and they began ravaging the lands, till in the end, nothing is left."

"What does that even mean?"

"Who knows, perhaps she had peered into the future, or perhaps, it is we who had been [Corrupted], that it is we who were the [Demons] ravaging the lands."

The princess began shaking, her fears running wild. With her shaking hand, she reaches out to me, grabbing my arms and placing my hands upon her cheeks.

"Tell me, Aurelius, what do I look like to you? Am I really who I think I am, or am I a [Demon] deluded into thinking that I am a person?"

Her face felt warm and soft, her hair smooth and silky. Could this really be a [Demon]? The Holy Beast said she had a dream, but perhaps that all it was, a dream, because right in front of me is the princess, the beautiful, adorable, and sometimes moody princess. There's no way she is a [Demon].

"I see Aurelia, the princess who summoned me to protect her kingdom, her world. There's no need for worries, princess. It was but a dream, just that."

So I say, but, back in Elysium Online, we did fight a corrupted Holy Beast, the [World Breaker Behemoth]. I don't believe that is a coincidence. Perhaps she was dreaming of that world instead? Our world? In the end, what is the connection between this world and ours? I'll have to come back again when I have the time. It may not have much to do with the [Demons] but at least I might find out about what that dream was about and finally put the princess' fears to rest.

***

End of Chapter 26