27 Onwards, One Step at a Time

The question raised by the princess, about whether or not we're the [Demons], whether or not that we're the threat to this world. At first it sounded absurd, but the more I thought about it, the more unsure I became. How exactly does one prove that he is not what he thinks he is? To me, we look nothing like [Demons] but perhaps that is only so in my eyes, perhaps my perception has been warped, or perhaps this is exactly what a [Demon] is supposed to look like in this world. However, in the end, it doesn't matter. If we do not strike at them, they would strike at us, and for us Champion, it never mattered, because for us, this is merely survival. No matter which side we fight for, our goal should be ending the conflict and return home, whether it be for [Demons] or otherwise. I may not know many things about this world, but I do know one thing for the time being: It was the princess who had promised us a way home, no one else.

***

When I got out of my bedding and left my tent, it was already well pass noon. No surprise given that the princess, Merida, and I had returned to the garrison deep into the middle of the night. Still, even though I had slept through morning, the sluggishness remains, making me want to stay in the bed till the end of time.

"Good afternoon, Aurelius."

Soon after leaving my tent, I bumped into Toto who appears to have just been to the war room.

"Good afternoon. Something going on?"

"Not really, the commander, the princess, and I were just discussing something. There was something I thought would be useful in our next battle."

"Oh, interesting... But wait, the princess is up already!?"

"She's up since this morning."

"I am somehow both amazed and terrified."

"Merida's trying her rest right now I think."

"Probably for the best."

Toto nodded in agreement.

"Anyways, where are the others?"

"Cecilia should be in our tent, and Six should out patrolling with the troops."

"That so? I guess I could wait for Six to come back."

"Is there something you want to tell us?"

"Yeah, about a few things I learned from the Holy Beast."

"I see. In that case, let's wait at our tent, I'm heading back there and Six should probably be back soon."

"Well then, don't mind if I do."

With Toto, I went ahead and visited the tent Cecelia, Six, and she shared. It was a tent large enough for three to share comfortably in, but a fourth would have made it too cramped, which is why I was given my own tent. It wasn't as big, but I think having a small tent all to myself was better than having to share a large one. I'm a guy who likes my personal space after all.

"Cecilia, we have a guest."

"Hmm...?"

It appears Cecilia is still in bed. It's one thing to say that she's not a morning person, but it's already way passed noon, if she keeps this up, she's not going to wake up till night fall. I've heard that there are some Beastkins who are basically nocturnal, preferring the night to the day. Is she trying to become one of them?

"Hey, Cecilia, Aurelius is here. Come on."

Toto shifted the curtains dividing Cecilia's section of the tent form the rest and went right in, leaving me to wait at the space at the center, the neutral grounds within this tent I would suppose.

"Oh hey, it's Aurelius."

Cecilia, half asleep, peeked out from her curtains with her drowsy eyes and disheveled hair.

"Mornin', though it's actually afternoon already. How long are you planning to sleep?"

"As long as it takes to sleep away this headache I guess?"

Well, I can't say I don't understand how she feels. There are days when I just want to lie on the bed a never have to get up too. Still...

"It's only going to get worse the longer you stay down you know. Go get some sun and you'll get better in an instant, I guarantee it."

"Ugh... If I must. Toto, help me up, my back kinda hurts."

"That's because you were lying down for so long."

Toto went and tried pulling Cecilia up from her beddings only to find her own strength insufficient. I suppose as a Sorcerer/Enchanter, she doesn't really have much in the way of strength, either that or Cecilia is simply that reluctant to leave her bed.

"Should I help?"

"Yes please."

Though I too am of a build that does not place much emphasis on strength, I have been training with Merida, obtaining various buffs in regards to my physical attributes. It may not be much overall, compared to those of with a more physical focused build, such as Six and Cecilia, but it should at least be enough to drag this one girl out of bed, unless she's actively fighting it of course.

With my strength combined with Toto's we were able to drag Cecilia onto her feel and keep her that way, long enough to get her to do her stretches and cast her drowsiness away.

"Aurelius, will you give me a moment? I'm going to have her dressed."

"I don't suppose you'll take no for an answer?"

"You're... going to stay?"

Somehow, it seems like Toto didn't realize that I was only joking. Is it my tone, or is it because we just don't know each other well enough?

"No, I'm going to leave. I was just joking."

"Oh, you were? You scared me a little."

"Seriously?"

"I mean, I though you're like Cecilia, thinking that there's no problem since it's just an avatar and such things along the lines."

"Right, I get what you mean. I'll be going now."

It looks like not everyone is as detached to their avatars as Cecilia. As for me, well, I'm more in the middle ground. I'm more or less conscious of the fact that Aurelius is me, yet sometimes, I feel somewhat disconnected from him. Maybe it's because the sensations Aurelius experience as a younger man is far too different from what I experienced as my older self. And then, there's that time when I felt as if I'm peering down at him from a third person perspective, as if the mind had been separated from the body, and I become more perceptive and calm in that state. I wonder what that was, during that battle within the forest, when all of a sudden I felt disconnect from this body known as Aurelius. Was that real? Or did I just imagine that?

Eventually, I was called back into the tent, and now, rather than the loose blouse and pants she wears to sleep, Cecilia is properly wearing her shirt and trousers.

"Mornin' Aurelius!"

"It's already afternoon."

"I guess it is. At any rate, Toto said you have something to tell us. What is it?"

"It's about the things I've learned at the Holy Beast's place, but I think it's best to wait for Six before I start."

"Seriously? In that case, you could have let me sleep a little more."

"Cecilia, you've slept plenty already."

"What are you Toto, my mom?"

Briefly we chatted about a bunch of nothings till Six eventually returned, and it was then our meeting, the meeting just between the Champion who were summoned into this world, began.

"First of all, let's talk about what we went there for in the first place, which is the countermeasures for the ash and smog that will result in our burning of the forest as part of the invasion plan. The short of it is, the Holy Beast had agreed on protecting the land. She said that she would 'call upon the winds', so there's apparently nothing to worry about on that front."

To my news, they rest looked delighted, especially Cecilia, who looked as if a great trouble have been lifted from her.

"Good, I was a little worried that we might have to go challenge the [World Devourer Woods] with axes or something."

"You've actually considered that?"

"Well, it has to be done, right?"

"Anyways, moving on, I will now talk about the Holy Beast and the opponents we will be facing..."

I spoke of the Holy Beast, about how she's the spitting image of the [World Breaker Behemoth], and I spoke of the Keepers, about the consequences for defeating them and what may come after their defeat.

"So if these Keepers cannot be truly killed, and they keep coming back and keep getting [Corrupted], the fighting will never end?"

Six looks a little bit devastated at the news, not that I blame him, I was taken aback too when I heard about it.

"They won't come back immediately, it would take at least a decade before they return, at least that's what the princess told me. A decade of peace should be more than enough for the princess and her scholars to find a way to send us back."

There's no guarantee of course, but I can't have Six, or anyone here for that matter, breaking down on me now. I need them, and we need each other if we're going to pull through this.

"And the Holy Beast, you said that she's exactly like the World Breaker?"

Cecilia leaned forward as she questioned me, looking rather curious about the situation than devastated, though she might be putting up a front.

"Not exactly, but like how the [Holy Feathered Dragon] is the purified form of the [World Ender Dragon], the [World Breaker Behemoth] would be the [Holy Guardian Beast]."

"I see, and with the [World Devourer Wood], I suppose now we can assume that all of the Keepers are related to 'World Destroyer' series of bosses, and that this world is undoubtedly related to Elysium Online."

"Still, we can't approach this as if we're in a game."

"I'm keeping that in mind. I'm just saying that perhaps figuring out the connection between this world and the game might help us in some way, it might even be the key to getting us home."

"I sure hope so."

"Here's an idea, the next time you go to the Holy Beast, I'll go with you. You're not the best when it comes to conversations after all. I bet you probably had reservations about asking someone you've just met too many questions when you were there, weren't you?"

Unconsciously, I gulped down a ball of spit. Of course, she wasn't completely right, there was also the fact that the revelations I've had that day were too much to handle, but still, she wasn't completely wrong either.

Upon hearing my audible gulping, Cecilia smiled, quite pleased that she was able to read me.

"That's a fine idea, yes, let's do that next time."

Well, like they say, two heads are better than one.

"But still, we have to fight all of the Keepers, huh. This is going to be tough."

Six nodded, agreeing with Cecilia.

"You've got that right. We had a hard enough time in that one battle with the forest as it is. I'm not sure about having to deal with two more of these."

Toto had her eyes cast downwards, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress.

"Can we... really do this?"

As expected, it's hard isn't it, to know that you work is so far from done, to know how difficult it is to take even one step and then have a hundred more laid out in front of you. It almost makes me regret telling them this. Still, I can't withhold such important information from them. They're my friends, my guildmates, and my fellow Champions, leaving them in the dark would be unwise.

"It's probably going to be hard, very hard, probably harder than we could ever imagine."

My muttering caught the attention of everyone in the tent, and I could feel the weight of the gloom sinking in.

"But we can't stop, I'm sure we can all agree to that. If we stop, it'll be the end of it all. That is why, we must move forward, even if one step forward is all that we can manage, even if it's only one step at a time, we'll move forward, and then, bit by bit, I'm sure we'll get there eventually."

I had no idea what I was doing, saying all these things. However, I have been in these situations before, where everything seemed unreasonably difficult. At times like those, I simply stop thinking more than necessary, and just push forward, one step at a time, and eventually, it gets easier, slowly and steadily, I got closer to the end. Though, one thing I did regret was the fact that I eventually stopped thinking entirely, stopped looking for other ways forward, and in the end, I ended up not getting very far when it comes to my own goals in life.

"We'll keep our eyes forward as we plant one foot in front of the other, and I'm sure, together, with everyone here, we'll find a way through."

Facing everyone, I sat up right and with my head held high. I need them to believe in these words of mine, I need them to keep faith and not lose hope. If we fall into despair now, we'll never see the end, we'll never find our way back home.

Everyone stared at me, their gaze fixed and their face rigid. Was that too out-of-character for me? Did they find my words too silly or ridiculous? Such fears surged through me as I await their response. However, eventually, someone's face loosens, and she beamed a smile.

"You know, that was probably the coolest thing I have ever heard you say."

It was Cecilia, and though she was smiling, I can tell that she was trying hard to put on a front, but thanks to that, Six and Toto began to loosen up as well.

"Really, I thought it was kind of cheesy. Gave me goosebumps in fact."

Really, Six, it was that bad?

"I... I thought it was cool too."

Looks like Toto liked it though. Then again, it sounds like she's forcing it too. Hmm... Maybe I should stop giving these speeches.

All of a sudden, I head the grumbling of a stomach resounding throughout the tent, felt it too actually, for it was actually my stomach that was crying out for sustenance.

"Well, well, well, what a coincidence, I haven't had anything to eat myself. Let's say we cut this meeting short and go grab something to eat?"

"I mean, I suppose so. It's not like I have anything else to report."

"That settles it then! Six, Toto, what about you two, any of you wanna join Aurelius and I?"

"Actually, I got a little something to take care of. I'll join you two later."

Six then went ahead and left the tent. I wonder what's this business of his is.

"I've already eaten. You two go ahead."

Looks like it'll be just Cecilia and I then. Well that's just fine, it'll be awkward for me anyways, after that little speech I just pulled out of nowhere. God, thinking back to it now, I kinda just want to jump into a well and stay there for a good few days. Why the hell did I even think that it was a good idea to do that?

"Guess that's that then."

With that, Cecilia dragged me out of the tent, and as she does, she whispers into my ear.

"Give them time, they know you're right."

"Cecilia?"

"Come now, let's go, I'm getting plenty hungry myself."

Looks like she's going to pretend that did not just happened. Well, not that I need to confirm what she meant. I guess it was silly for me to expect to just get them to flip over and become motivated after a little speech, but at the very least, given time my words will reach them, at least according to Cecilia, and I would very much like to believe in her.

Our fight will be a long one, and it's not going to be easy either. Even so, as long as we keep moving forward without losing hope, as long as we keep our eyes forward, looking for a path leading onwards, eventually, we'll see the end. At the very least, we'll have a better chance of seeing it than if we simply stood around and did nothing.

***

End of Chapter 27