Aether Cross: The Tides of Time (Fantasy Quest)

[Reverent One]

When I was younger, just a boy, a great disaster befell the village in which I once lived. It was a terrible time for me and everyone else involved.

There was a bright light that illuminated everything within miles. At first, it was a splendid beauty but… then it turned to a haunting nightmare.

Everyone screamed.
Everyone ran.

There at the center of it all was a young boy.
He looked up at the divine beauty turned catastrophe with a blank look on his face.

He had no recollection of the events afterward. The only thing, rather I, could do was run away.

Before that my life had been filled with good fortune. My family had money. I had a life that was worth living all at the age of twelve.

Because I did what I did, my life had become a nightmare.

A nightmare that continues to haunt me every night that I sleep.

I only hear screams.
Pleading.
Mercy.

Sometimes I wonder what's harder. Living with the dark memories while wondering what could have been or losing everything in a flash of confusion and fear.

It's all a matter of perspective. For me, the only thing I can compare it to is the former. The end for some was the beginning for me.

Though that's enough of my sulking. I had three years away from home to travel the mediterranean temperament of the northern continent known as Euraia. Now that's going to bring me to say this: My home continent goes by the name of Ethona. Comparing Euraia to Ethona is comparing a blizzard to a heat wave.

Euraia has this thing called 'winter' where it gets cold. Down here? We have 'hot, 'hotter' and 'sweating your nads off'.

Getting used to life in Euraia was a hard task on its own which just added more onto the 'personal' affliction I was talking about before. I persevered, never gave up, and got the girl… Alright, I'll admit I didn't get a 'girl' as in screwed her two days to Sunday. I got the girl as in I bought her.

She goes by the name of Amira Blackedge now since slaves up in Euraia require the last name of their Master as a sort of 'ownership' method. Now she has my last name. Now why did I buy her? Well I was traveling through this desert nation called Zardossa because it was hot. Very hot. It was the only place there that felt like home due to the temperature.

She was going to be shipped off to some far away place (most likely to die!) so I bought her for cheap.

I have a hard time understanding the concept of slavery. I mean, they work without pay (most do), and you 'own' them as people. I don't personally believe in that. At least I don't think I do.

A person is a person no matter who or what they are.

Ah, I'm getting off track. What am I doing right now some people might wonder? I'm riding a boat into a port in Blackmore. My home country.

I'm leaning against the railing of the ship as it approaches a busy, busy harbor. I can see children, young men, young girls, adults and grandparents all gathered there at the harbor awaiting the return of family members. I don't know what the occasion is but if I had to guess, some kind of military expedition? Explorers? Eh, I can't say it isn't my business since this is my homeland but since I feel so detached from it all, it feels like I'm taking a step into a foreign place. I feel like I'm alien here.

"Hey! Hey!" cries Amira as she points to the shore, "This is your home, right Lyle? Right?" she's so happy that I can't help but smile.

"Yeah, it's my home alright." I lean forward.

"Oh, can we see your place? Where are we going to live?" Another question right after the other. I reel back from the rail.

"We're going to keep moving place to place like we have been doing."

"Really?" I can almost see her heart breaking. "Why?" more questions.

"Because curses and monsters follow me. I can't stay in one place for too long." That's another thing about me that I don't like very much.

I'm not just 'finding myself' when I went on that journey. Monsters flock to me like no one's business if I just stay in a town for more than a few days. Now that's probably another reason why I'm never going to be able to settle down.

I take a closer look at Amira's face. The questions have stopped but her pouting face is driving a knife into my heart.

[_] Alright, we can stay for a few days.
[_] Pout all you want, you're not getting your way.
[_] I'll consider it, okay?
[_] Custom

 

[Winged One]

The curses and monsters can't be that ba- *shot*

[X] I'll consider it, okay?
-[X]Take into account the nastiness of the monsters and curses and how well you can deal with such things when considering it.

 

[Silversun17]

[X] I'll consider it, okay?
-[X]Take into account the nastiness of the monsters and curses and how well you can deal with such things when considering it.

 

[Reverent One]

"I'll consider it, okay?" This is the only answer that I can think to give right now. Considering that the monsters and curses that I normally have to deal with aren't nearly as bad if keep on moving. If I stay in one place for two or so days, nothing major will happen. My already abysmal luck will sink even lower but hey, that's the price to pay for happiness.

If I stay for three or more? Monsters will ignore the normal convention of 'this place has a lot of humans, danger, not entering' to 'MUST GO, MUST EAT, MUST PROCREATE WITH NEAREST FEMALE'.

It gets to be a bit tiring after the dozenth time. This is especially bad if Orcs are around. Then it just gets REALLY nasty.

"Consider?" Amira looks at me with her big, red pleading eyes. For extra measure she makes sure to bounce those meat sacks of hers.

I sigh.

Yes, this is Amira Blackedge. The very hyper, very enthusiastic servant girl. Normally if I'd say 'no' to something that would be the end of it. But now? She's been getting more rowdy as of late, showing more of her personality. Not that I don't mind that. I think it's great that she has individuality… it just becomes pretty hard to handle considering my way of life.

Now that goes back to me.

I'm Lyle Blackedge.

My life feels like an uncoiling spiral of depression with some icing on top. I've met Amira who's certainly added that 'something' to my life. I mentioned before she's a bit hard to deal with at times but, ultimately, I'm grateful.

Another person I met at a young age that really helped me shape my life up to what it is now. My OWN Master that goes by the name of Zepplin Ulrich.

He was the man who taught me how to fight, how to hone my skills, how to be whatever I wanted to be.

He's-

CRASH

"What… was that?" Amira murmurs while looking over the side of the boat.

My instincts immediately kick in, "Amira, get back." I tug on the back of her purple garment. She stumbles back a few steps.

"What? What?"

"Can't you see that-" I try to talk but the sound of people screaming overshadows my own voice. The boat starts to rock left and right with an erratic rhythm. "Tch." I look left, right. Nothing out of the ordina-

Water blasts up like lightning out of a cloud. A large, humanoid monster with webbed hands and feet emerges from the 'bolt' of water. Its wet skin glistens in the sun. Its putrid smell enters my mouth, making me cringe. "Gghhh." I'd grab something to plug my nose but no such luck.

It's gunning for me, that much I know.

Between the panicking people trying to find cover, Amira just standing there looking at the thing unfazed and me… what's the best thing to do?

[_] This is my fight. I'll show it what I can do.
[_] Going to go with the people running. I'm not sure if I could take this thing.
[_] Grab Amira and run for it.
[_] Custom

 

[staplesdex2]

[X] This is my fight. I'll show it what I can do.

 

[kinglugia]

[X] This is my fight. I'll show it what I can do.

 

[Winged One]

[X] This is my fight. I'll show it what I can do.

And show us, too!

 

[Genome001]

[X] This is my fight. I'll show it what I can do.

 

[Reverent One]

I reach behind my back to grab the curled up, three-part staff. "Amira, help get the others to safety!"

"Nope."

"What?" I don't look back at her refusal. Mostly because I'm staring certain death in the face right now. "Why not?" I bring the staff up, pointing it straight at the monster.

"I live beside you, I die beside you." I hear the unsheathing of a blade. "SO are we gonna dance?~" that tone of her voice just makes me chuckle.

"It's not a game."

"It might as well be!" I don't know if she's overconfident or stupid. It's hard to decipher which.

*CCcshhh.*

I hear static from the ship's communication speaker, "Monster attack!" the man at the mic shouts. "Monster attack! All passengers, take shelter in the lower sections of the ship! I repeat, take shelter in the lower sections of the ship!"

"Alright, that makes things easier, even if that announcement was a bit too late."

A blast of water courses right past my head. I dodge just in time.

I flinch, "W-whoa, okay, that nearly took my head."

"Pay attention, Master!" Now she stopped calling me by my name, now it's back to Master. That girl is… wel, she's right. If I don't pay attention, I'm dead.

The merman fires off another stream of water. This time I'm prepared. The staff quickly spins into a violent whirl that deflects the next stream of pressurized water. After finishing the twilr with my right hand, I get low into a fighting stance.

Now it starts!

[_] Attack up front. Don't bother with a surprise attack.
[_] Distract it and let Amira get behind it. She has a weapon that can pierce its skin easily.
[_] Get Amira to use some of her magic on it.
[_] See if I can utilize my energy in some way to damage it.
[_] Custom

 

[kinglugia]

[X] Distract it and let Amira get behind it. She has a weapon that can pierce its skin easily.

 

[Genome001]

[X] Distract it and let Amira get behind it. She has a weapon that can pierce its skin easily.

 

[staplesdex2]

[X] Distract it and let Amira get behind it. She has a weapon that can pierce its skin easily.

 

[Jiven]

[X] Distract it
[X] Get Amira to use some of her magic on it.

 

[Reverent One]

I spring into action with a powerful sprint. "Amira, attack while I distract it!" I command her as I gauge my distance from the aquatic monster. Predictably it fires off another shot of water aimed at tearing my waist wide open.

With a violent spin of the staff, the water goes spraying every which way.

"Got it." Amira moves into position as commanded. Good. While I keep this thing busy with my parries, he's going to get skewered from behind.

The blade rips through the air, slicing into the merman's back. There's no scream of pain, nothing to say that it was 'hit'. That's the thing with these monsters. They don't show any signs of humanity, nothing that animals normally do. When a dog is in pain, it'll yelp. If a dog is scared, it'll run away from you. The only thing these beasts know how to do is 'survive and kill'. This is all from my experience with them, anyway. Maybe my presence has something to do with it. That's something I'll probably never know.

The monster lunges forward from the direction of the received pain. Luckily for Amira, that wasn't toward her. That was straight at me. It throws out its arm in an attempt to tear my head clean off my shoulders.

Are those favored targets? Chest and head? That makes it easier to dodge but I'd like to see some variety.

My body bends down. I aim the shaft of the staff right at the beast's throat.

My honed sense slow time to a crawl.

"Have a safe trip."

A powerful thrust lodges the blunt end of the staff right into the humanoid monster's throat. Saliva drips to the ground after a loud 'CRACK' sounds off.

I pull the staff away, spin in the opposite direction and deliver a second blow to its face. "Amira, magic."

"Come forth, light of heaven. Dance, resound, return to the clouds…" I cast a glance to Amira. Her body is radiating with a purple light. "Lightning Spear!" That light leaves her body in the form of a projectile lance. The same instant it goes up is around the same time it strikes back down.

More than saliva falls out of it this time, leaving its body completely lifeless, hoisted on the blade of a metaphysical spear.

The magic weapon vanishes. Before the monster can make contact with the deck of the ship, a powerful baseball swing from my own weapon sends the monster spiraling into the air and back to the sea from whence it came.

With that I can safely say the battle was over.

"Phew." I fold the staff back into 'threes' and deposit into the sheath at my rear. "Good job, Amira."

"No problem, Master." she gives me this ditzy smile of hers…

[_] Pat her on the head.
[_] "We should go see if everyone is okay."
[_] Ignore Amira as if you were dense. (Become the harem protagonist)
[_] Custom

 

[kinglugia]

[X] Pat Amira on the head
[X] "We should go see if everyone is okay."

 

[staplesdex2]

[X] Pat her on the head.
[X] "We should go see if everyone is okay."

 

[Winged One]

[X] Pat her on the head.
[X] "We should go see if everyone is okay."

Seems kind of obvious. No, we'd rather not become a harem anime protagonist, thank you for offering.

 

[Jiven]

[X] Pat Amira on the head
[X] "We should go see if everyone is okay."

Cute~

 

[Reverent One]

I give in. My hand falls upon her green head of hair. "You did good, Amira, thanks." The ditzy smile soon evolves into a look of total bliss. Her cheeks are flushed red. She looks up at me with teary eyes.

That's my cue to stop doing it or she'll end up losing herself for good, "We should go see if everyone is okay."

She grabs my hand.
Puts it back onto her head.
So she wants me to keep petting her?

No, not going to spoil her.

"Come on." I pull my hand back while moving toward the lower deck of the ship where everyone had retreated to.

"MMmmm." now she's pouting.

"Come on." I give the firm command. After that she just strolls right behind me with the biggest frown.

Now it's stinging my heart. No, I can't give into her demands. If I falter once, it's as good as a thousand times. Can't be weak.

Have to be strong here.

"Quit your pouting, stop acting like a child and follow me."

"..." no response, "Yes, Master." she falls like a puppet that's had her strings cut. Her arms are drooping down, her head is locked onto her feet as she walks.

I sigh and continue on.
______________________
Ship --- Under the Deck

"Everyone, the coast is clear! The monster has been defeated!" I scream down the blackened hall. People who were once filled with fear now start to show signs of hope.

"Really?" one man asks.

"Yeah, we took care of it." I make sure to let Amira get some of the credit since I was just the distraction.

"Thank you." the man says.

There's boisterous talk, praise and joy as the ship finally pulls into port with the defeat of the merman monster in their minds.

It all happens so fast but that's life here. Expect the unexpected and prepare for the worst. I'd hate to image if this monster attacked while Amira or I weren't here. The monster would have broken through the ship and people would have died. That's one of the perks of me traveling too. If I go through some forest and people are camping out nearby, the monsters that would have normally attacked them attack me instead.

I muse on this thought while the ship comes to a stop.

Now I'm back outside with Amira with the luggage, egging me to step off of the boat. I take a look around the stone-ridden city. The architecture is seemingly simple but stable. The people that are gathered near the harbor to cheer for the people that survived the 'attack' by the monster are certainly a stark contrast to the lifeless ivory that's behind them.

I smile, walk down the 'steps' onto the cobblestone harbor where the ship will sit for the rest of the day. "We're here in Hydewell." I take in a deep breath after the long, (up until now) uneventful boat ride.

"SO!" Amira says with all the enthusiasm she can muster, "Are we going to stay here or not? Huh?"

I sigh.

[_] Yeah, for a few nights then we're heading south.
[_] No, we're leaving as soon as we gather our bearings.
[_] Just a day. That's it.
[_] Custom

 

[Genome001]

[X] Just a day. That's it.

 

[Silversun17]

[X] "Just for a day Amira, just so we can resupply and get a decent nights sleep."

 

[Winged One]

[X] Yeah, for a few nights then we're heading south.

Eh, we should be able to handle a few monster attacks.

 

[Silversun17]

Am i the only one who wants to see what happens when we leave our hand on the servant girl's head for a while?

 

[hunter09]

[X] Just a day. That's it.

 

[Genome001]

I'm curious, too. We should try it and see.

 

[staplesdex2]

[X] Yeah, for a few nights then we're heading south.

 

[Reverent One]

"Just for a day Amira, just so we can resupply and get a decent nights sleep." I'd rather sleep on a bed than on that rocking ship each night. My head kept hitting the side of the wall while Amira was able to sleep soundly. I'll just pin that up to my terrible luck then call it a day.
"That's it?" she pouts, "Can't we stay longer?" She's really like a kid with the assets of a milk farm.

"That's it. Get used to it." I say as seriously as I can, "Come on." I look back at Amira to mentally tell her to follow me. Of course the order goes through. She walks behind me with a slouched back and hanging arms.

Guilt starts to prod at me from the inside.
My stomach gets into a knot.
My eyes roll.

"Amira," I put my hand on her head, smile at her and start rubbing it. "Thanks for everything you do, alright? I know it's going to be hard from here on in but I appreciate what you do." I say this from the bottom of my heart and-

Okay, it's not completely because of my appreciation. The strange feeling in my stomach just wouldn't settle. I couldn't handle it. I had to get rid of it somehow. Maybe this'll help quell the awkwardness of it all.

"Lyle, are you coming onto me?" she says with her face flushed red. "Are you? Are you?" she's making advances on me. "Are you?!"

That's like three times in a row.
Sheesh, this girl really knows what she wants.

[_] You're your own individual, if you want to sleep with me, do it because you love me and not because I'm your Master. Maybe sometime in the future, Amira.
[_] If Amira reallys wants to do it then sure. Sex is sex and that's all.
[_] Heh, alright, LET'S GET IT ON.
[_] You're an idiot.
[_] Custom

 

[Silversun17]

[X] "If you want me to..."

 

[kinglugia]

[X] You're your own individual, if you want to sleep with me, do it because you love me and not because I'm your Master.
-[X] But if you really want to do it then sure. Sex is sex and that's all.

 

[Jiven]

[X] *blush* Hasty retreat.