"Get up! Come on... Get up!"
He tried to move his legs but it eventually fall, returned to kneel against the path's surface where he is currently surrounded by the medieval-like architecture of the buildings. He hears clearly no noises nor see people lurking on the area where he currently in, except the rumbling approach of the beast in scales.
The atmosphere in the town now is like it has been abandoned, same silent as ghost town. The silence has became its residence.
Nortes tries to pushed himself once more, forcing to move his weakened body in a hurry so he won't get eaten when that snake come. And then he finally rose from the dusty surface, one leg after another.
"If I die then... I died being stupid." He muttered faintly to himself. He walked forward to where the sword lay while the serpents slithered toward him through the empty street.
"I won't die here just yet! Not until I unravel across this world by myself...!" He shouts with unwavering determination. His will is now filled with unshaken determination and fiery motivation. With that, the weak body is starting to move again, walking forward across the cobble path where the sword of Mikhail laid down.
As he finally reached and grabbed the burrowed sword, he take a quick maneuver to the side then he escaped again from the incoming opened-mouth of the snake.
However, he has not escaped from that terrifying giant serpent again. The snake began to pursue to where the direction he went.
The chase continues...
'No matter how many turns I did, it still keep on chasing me, like a pesky dog. It's irritating. In that case...' He changes course, took multiple turns around the town to try to confuse that large snake--However the snake remained on his trail.
Its eyes fully locked on its prey. It is never shudder nor get distract so easily. The surroundings became oblivious to this serpent except the human in the distance far.
Its goal is so simple, in which is to eat, that even its stomach is cheering itself on!
Its will possessed in desperate hunger, completely blinded by its starvation. It no longer has a sense of awareness, for it is destroying the buildings on its pursuit toward him.
There are nobody that could tame nor break off this foul serpent from pleasing the feel of its hunger. And from its furious vengeance.
Indeed, it is truly a serpent born as the giver who bring destruction to those inferiors. Its reckless wild behavior surely justified that this serpent has no master.
However, it has one.
...And that master is itself.
Rah!
It roars loudly travels across the town entirely. It was like a mixture of sharp screeching and raging rumble of a beast.
"AAAHHH!!" Norte groaned in pain from the loud roar because it is the closest noise near him. He covered his ears with his hands from the roar while running, reducing the loudest volume to minimum. Even so the roar still echoed through his eardrum though.
As when the roar has ended he uncovered both of his ears then the arms fell back to his side afterwards. And the pain in his ears faded along when the scream ended.
"I can't hear a thing?!" He put in the little finger into the eardrum to rub gently. His hearing become numb, all the noises had became fainted except for the ringing sound currently travels in his eardrum. Then...
Out of the sudden, an unexpected just happened, the serpent did such reckless action, by bashing its head onto the ground barely hit him. The ground rumbled upon impact. His heart skip the beat in respond on that moment and fear began to possessed him.
He shrugged to brushes off that burden so he no longer felt a heavy burdened of his fear on the shoulders and able think clearly without having a second thought.
The blazing courage remains bursting in his will...
'This snake's really want to kill me sooner.'
'I guess that could be mean its patient has grown thin. A little bit more then we will settle this when I lead where I want you to be.'
'Beside that, why the heck Mikhail hasn't come back yet? It felt an hour just had past. If I were him it'd definitely be quick.'
He then turns to the left, entering another route. The foe remained still behind him like obsessive stalker, it was watching his move and followed where the direction he went. As it turned to the left, the dark scales body wrecked the house causing to crumble, there was no sense of care in its eye--but only to him.
Meanwhile at the [Phazard Estate]...
There is a tough guard standing straightly in present, exuding of unyielded dominant through his stance whom positioned closely beside the entrance gate of the estate witnessing the havoc that seemed from afar. Before long, two figures were coming to the gate in a hurry, running up on the small hill. The guard recognized in an instant about that young man with a child along his side.
"Lord's Sentinel has come! The Lord's Sentinel has arrived!" He alerts the other guards with a loud shout.
Mikhail saw the gate began to open while they are sprinting to the estate, almost reached to the their destination. Then two guards clad in iron armor sprint towards them as until they stopped when they facing them closely.
"He has no wounds. All clear." The guard state lightly before the other guard begins to speak too,
"We are aware you must be exhausted, Sentinel. But you must rest later. Lady Lieza needs to see you."
"I will be there to present myself with Miss Lieza later. There is a business I need to finish before I go. Please inform my matter to her." Mikhail declared. He sways his hand dismissively for a second.
"I'll be on my way then." Mikhail began to walk. Before that he tug gently the child to walk with him toward the gate as they have enter.
The child has slowly losing his fear when they had entered Phazard estate and slowly gain comfort.
His brown eyes wanders around to find his mother among the people who are taking shelter in the exterior of the estate only but he did not found his mother. His expression become disappointment as he frown.
Mikhail noticing the boy's silence and his head pointing at those people while they are walking.
"Have you saw your mother over there?" He asked while his gaze was also where the child is looking at.
The kid just shake his head. With a single nod, Mikhail started to lead him around the estate.
He take a right turn then right there, he was suddenly confronted and barely collided with the maid.
The maid gasp in unexpected encounter and startled but not for Mikhail. Still, he was surprised too though and--he was almost engage in combat to give a quick punch.
"Ah... O-Oh, it's just you, Lord's Sentinel." Despite the stutters she spoke respectfully as she bow her head a little, "Pardon me. I'll be on my way." The maid in blonde hair instantly paused her walking to somewhere once Mikhail speaks,
"Wait, miss. Do you know where is Lady Lieza?"
"I..." The maid pointing out with the index finger randomly as if she is trying to recall where is the whereabouts of Lady Lieza. "From what I last saw her... I think she seem managing with everybody. And handling crucial matter-" Her eyes become wide as realization hits her. "I-Excuse me!" She bow her head again at Mikhail. "I-I must go now. It's an emergency! A task given by Lady Lieza herself!" When she rose her head she ran, causing Mikhail and the boy stunned.
'I'm also want to ask you where is this kid's mother too... And she no longer there.' He become disappointed that he missed the opportunity.
"An emergency?" Mikhail thinks briefly, his sense became blurry so he think thorough to understand behind those words came from that young maid. And then it ends quick when he finally understood the faint hint. They went to the beautiful garden together swiftly while he still held the boy's wrist delicately.
After they have arrived in the garden, their first to see are many injured people receiving medical treatments by everyone; maids, servants, and guards, even the town's people. All gathered in the garden.
Over there, lies one girl who is giving instructions to those who are treating the injured people that are laid down in the floor path and some who are laid in the bench chairs-- That girl who was commanding all of them is none other than Lieza herself.
"This lady is ready to be rest at the empty bedroom." Lieza told to those guards then they left while carrying the lady in bondage who was laid on the leather stretcher as they entered inside the estate.
Mikhail wait patiently for a timing able to approach Lieza without disturbing. However his mind then reminds him that he must need to help his lord with the snake, otherwise his lord will die once again. He denied to let that from happening. So he bring the kid with him then he intervene their conversation between the maid and Lieza which is about handling blood.
"Pardon me. I have an urgent matter to discuss with Lady Lieza." Mikhail remarks kindly but under the voice is desperate to skipping everything just to come at his post-amnesia lord.
"Oh, Mik! You have finally arrived. One second..."
Lieza told the maid that she no longer available now and she suggested to tell it to estate's doctor himself instead, the maid simply nodded as she went straight to where the doctor might around the garden.
Lieza shifts her attention fully to Mikhail with now solemn composure.
"I'm happy to see you are safe. It'd sad if I'll lost another family. Neither of us do. Sadly life from everybody share a common trouble now as we did." They both stare at the sight of injured people filled the garden. The maids and guards are helping from left to right in urgent.
"We will save them so they won't experience the feeling of an incomplete family." She stared back as so he did, both eyes facing directly to each other currently.
"-Where's mama?" A question caught their consciousness. Both of them turned their head to where the voice was. It was coming from the kid who stood close to Mikhail the entire time.
Lieza remain silent then stare back to Mikhail then returned her gaze at the kid.
"Whose child belong to?"
"All I know I assumed that his mother must be around here in the estate. She should be in fact, this is the only place where people gathered and evacuated. However I have not found her just yet, I'm afraid. So had you seen troubled lady somewhere, Lieza?" Mikhail explained then told the question, a voice full of complete composed and yet the mind swirling in chaos, itching to run off to join with his lord.
Lieza shake her from side to side eventually, "No... I hadn't. Because of these people are taking shelter here for the time being it'd hard to find who are you looking for, Mikhail." She falls silent, take a long pause to think for just second then she spoke again, "His mother must be staying among those crowd at the yard."
"We were been there. I thoroughly checked with my own eyes at the crowd but she was not there... I'm certain." Mikhail reported back. Meanwhile the kid is just watching those two having conversation and chose not to intervene.
"You are certain? Wait..." Her eyes changes, squinted with a flicker of skepticism, "You are just guessing, do you?...! You didn't checked too well if the mother of the child was among them--You merely used your sight only. Rather than by went into the crowd."
"In truth, it was the kid who told me his mother wasn't in the crowd." He replied back even despite that he still the desperate urgent need in this situation to goes fast forward so he will joined his lord soon like he promised to him. His hand clenches into fist to hold it in longer.
Lieza's suspicion melts replacing with serene, "So you just believed on that child, hm? If I were you I would too." She place her hands on her waist,
"I believe you." Then approaching footsteps are coming to them, slowly from faint to clear. And followed by a worrisome voice of adult female.
"Keolei, oh Keolei..."
'That face... is unmistakable. He's alive!'
The boy's eye then shimmers in light, the glooming begone once he hears the familiar voice so he turned his head to where the voice calling out his name. He see an adult feminine woman heading to them. Her eyes are seemly holding a sorrowful but then, eye blink, it now holds of consolation and joy.
"Mama... Mama!" The boy dash forth to the gentle woman who is now approaching toward the central of the garden where they are currently in.
Lieza watches as the boy no longer on Mikhail's side and coming straight towards the brunette lady. Under that calm exterior holding apprehension onto the boy, she start to follow him,
"Wait! Slow down! You will might trip otherwise!"
Fortunately, there is no bad incident happen during the child walks forth, going to reunite his mother from separation.
They embrace themselves in tight hug then the young boy shed in tears.
"I'm... Sob! ...sorry, mama. It's my... fault I got lost... sob!sob! I'm a bad child!"
The mother senses her son is truly regret himself, but that's not all, beneath the sorrow she sensing her child was absolute terrified, desperately seeking comfort.
"You are not... I... I'll be the one to blame. It was my fault for losing you, I failed as a mother. But it won't happen again, what matter now is you are safe. And you are with me again, my little Le..." The mother cups the gentle cheek of her child with gentleness. Her eyes are now reassure as same as the water after the storm.
Her child sobs and then break down in tears again, leaning deeper into his mother's presence for more comfort.
The mother reaches to his back and give it a gentle caress, "It's okay. You are with me now, my sweet little boy. Let it all out..."
Lieza chooses to not disturb their happy reunion, standing with a grateful smile blooming in her lips. As Mikhail arrived also into the scene, he decides to not disturb them, however behind his calmed eyes are lingering a certain feeling of... the warmth of longing?
Meanwhile, back to Aecieulette!
He remains chasing by the black cobra-like serpent. Despite he is close to the area where he want to settle with the serpent, his face is seemly overload in annoyance and frustration.
'Why the hell that gae-sae-kkibyeong-sin Mikhail go!!??'
'Many minutes have past away and he still not come?!'
'And damn it, my stamina is almost reaching its limit!'
He curses inwardly in anger. Indeed, his mouth is panting, his breath is heavily, those are the obvious signs he is reaching to his limit--At this rate he won't survive longer from the desperate pursue of black-scale snake in wanting him to be its main appetizer.
'Fine then...! I will fight this serpent alone!' He pants.
At the estate again, in the garden, the mother gives Mikhail a respectful deep bow while her hand is on her son's shoulder whom standing closely on her side.
"I thank you for saving my beloved child, Sentinel."
"The pleasure is all mine, madam. I do what is morally right to do, saving people even a child is may part of the job of my position as Sentinel." Mikhail speaks kindly to the mother, and with reassurance.
The mother unbend herself until her posture becomes straight again, her coffee eyes glancing to Mikhail and Lieza who is standing in his side.
"Ah yes, if anyone might wondering where I was, I just took my privacy in the restroom so I'm so sorry if my absence worried you." She told the story behind her absence.
Lieza and Mikhail are now understand. Lieza answered back with a nod, "I see. I see... Well, at very least, you have finally reunited with your son in one peace. That is what truly matters. Soooo... does anyone feeling hungry or in need for water? No need to be shy." She shoots a warm smile and awaiting them to utter their need.
The mother is feeling hesitate on the proposal, restrained by the guilt itself--She felt a tug in the fabric of her long skirt,
"Mama... I do feel kinda hungry. And thirsty..." Her son's whispers was only audible to her ears.
With a defeated sighs, the adult lady glanced back to Lieza who remain patient with a warmth smile curled on her mouth.
"Please... Lead us to where your kitchen is." She spoke with a soft tone yet has a hint of troubled lingering behind it, the unworthy still stay.
Lieza nods then began to moving forward and giving a gentle gesture to the path outside of the garden they will using. As the family come along together with Lieza who is guiding them to their destination around the large estate.
They left Mikhail by himself, alone in the hallway, watching them entering the interior of the estate.
"I'm sorry if we are bothering you for intrusion the house of Duke for my son's needs." The mother apologies once again, looking to Lieza directly while they walking.
"Be our guest. Truly. Providing support for the citizens was the Duke's declared order, so if you want something Duke Decherd will cover." Those words from Lieza assured the mother then the guilt no more as it replaced by the serene expression.
"Oh... Thank goodness. Our Duke is providing us what we need under this situation although he must felt tremendous grief for the passing of his brother's family. So horrible... Still, he still choose to work. What an inspiring role model to us parent though, blessed his life to be forever."
Lieza delighted to hear those wholesome words coming from the mother, her smile spreads wider. "He is professional when it comes the scene become too chaotic he doesn't get overwhelm by the surrounding. That is why I admire him."
Once Lieza shared her thought the mother feel at ease as negative feeling has lift up.
"Wait!" A voice broke the silent across the empty hallway, echoed through the hallway which recognizable in Lieza's ear. She went to paused her walking quickly then turning her body to Mikhail who still there in the hallway. The civilians with her stopped along their walk also when Lieza halted.
"Is there something you need?"
"No. Seeing you alive is all I need." Lieza said it with cheerful smile. With that, she turned around and tell kindly to the mother they shall continue their journey toward the kitchen.
Little by little, their chatters are slowly were fading until they disappeared on Mikhail's view.
The Sentinel began to move quickly, rushing forth toward the route where it lead to the entrance gate.
At the distance, there are two guards, whom standing behind the entrance gate, having their conversation between each other. They were oblivious until Mikhail shouts with authority.
"Move! Open the gate!" His voice spook the guards, breaking their peaceful talk. With a swift motion like when the mouse see a cat, they spread the gate open for Mikhail as he ran past them now.
Afterward the gate carefully closing by those two guards at slow pace. Then one of them started to ponder.
"I wonder why the Sentinel ran in a hurry?"
"Must be saving another civilian who is lost in the destruction..." His fellow guard answered his question, even in fact they are unsure of the answer behind why Mikhail left in a hurry.
Meanwhile at Mikhail, he has now entered his beloved town where its beauty degraded transforming into a cruel war zone. Every house he ran past are fallen to crumble, its debris scattered all over each street as a thundering rumble suddenly occurs across the town.
It seems coming from that direction--In the far south, outside of the town, lies where a outskirt that has vast grass-field located!
For few minutes rushing toward the rumble, the Sentinel himself has eventually reached the limit of his body, at wrong time. The legs pressed the brake immediately follow by panting for air.
'Blast it... I must be present there to heed my lord!... Stupid body.' He spoke impatiently in his mind.
He stopped for now by taking a sit onto a damaged part that seem suitable to take a sit in order to refresh his stamina while he is inhaling the air hungrily in repeat. Like someone who almost drowned from the sea after they got rescued.
As for Nortes's whereabout...
He is now facing death. For the second time.
The snake and the man are standing on the surface of the outskirt where no structures are nestled. Except those few trees.
A perfect battlefield in which Nortes have chosen.
"This is the perfect place where I shall slay you with this sword." Nortes mutters to himself, the grip around the handle of the burrowed sword becoming tighter.
"And this is also where I die..." His voice carried the feeling of being overwhelmed by fear. Yet he smiles, the ferocious serpent rose its tail, slamming onto him but he quickly manage evaded--Barely survive!
'This is sucks!! Just great, just great--I jinxed myself!'
His irritation soon broke when the giant tail is starting to move. He decisively rolled over to the side so he won't get slammed to death. Then again, he survived, however...
His mouth agape, gasping in thirst for air, he inhale and exhale extremely in repeat like one is having an asthma attack. Plus, his tongue has already dried from running without rest for seemly long.
As for the serpent it is remain unchanged in behavior, merciless and murderous intent to its prey, it is even still desperate to eat him no matter what. There were no signs showing of any fatigue appearing in its body unlike Nortes on the other hand.
As the serpent began to sending another assault toward him and so he repeats the same move he did a second ago, dodging through rolling away from getting squash by its huge tail.
But sadly, the snake has no plan to give him an opportunity to rest, it casts of constant tail slam attacks onto Nortes. He although managed to dodge all of that but at the last one it was almost squash him entirely.
In that moment it caused his heart receiving a light heart-attack. He has come to conclusion which defeating the intimidating serpent is not going to be easy what he was expecting. He underestimated its capabilities and now he is in tight situation.
'Am I going to die like this?' Amidst of life and death, he thought to himself-
-Will he die in that moment?
'I did tell him I agreed to sent me in this world under by available option. Am I going to waste it...?'
'Am I going to let death take me again?'
His mind is stuck between these two option;
[Give Up?]
[Continue?]
His body whispering to him it wanted to give up, the despair has now control his flesh. However, in his desire on the other hand, it is determined to refuse to give in the despair over his mind. Though there is so much to see in this world than where he is currently now.
So it's up to him to make a choice...
'I refuse to lose!'
The despair within his body has been replaced by fiery determination, once again.
'I won't die...! I will fight just like my ancestors before me. If I die then their honor and glory will be in vain. I will not become a failure. As a man I have a fantasy, the urge to die in glorious way. Because of this moment it help me to realized I was born to fight than stuck doing the same boring schedule everyday.'
He rose from the grassy ground, 'And I will make it happen. I will fight until my lung get its final breath...' He grasped the handle then unsheathe the sword's blade from its scabbard.
Then he swing the sword, meeting its blade against the serpent's black-scale tail.
Shing!
"What the..." His confident spirit melts in an instant upon what he see, his mouth agape in disbelief expression.
"This can't be..."
--The serpent's flesh did not even get sliced, rather the strike left it with shallow cut, merely similar like a scratch. What he just witness has shattered his determined spirit. As for the serpent felt nothing but a merely soft thud.
'This giant snake... its body is incredibly solid!'
The cobra-like serpent hisses in hatred at him before smack on his side with its tail, sent him flying again.
Nortes repeat the same action he did when that snake sent him flying across the town recently, so he let go off the sword which it was fully sheathe to its scabbard, then used his arms as protection around his head again before he reached the ground.
Once his flesh made contact on the grassy ground he yelp in pain. Now he can feel his body became weaker and more damaged. There are spots in different locations of his flesh sending a harsh sting of pain.
Even so his body feeling broken he chose to fight back again. Nortes arose from the ground. He forcing himself composed his posture, his eyes gazing at the serpent who was meters away in the distance.
The serpent puzzled at its prey, surprisingly to see he still standing after that hard landing. Now it is eager to finish its prey once and for all, it has been decided it will no longer kill its prey but to swallow him up alive.
Nortes saw the serpent fell onto the ground, facing its head directly then began to slithered and crawled, it is coming toward him while its mouth opened.
'I have been facing that huge cobra for like an hour and there is no window appearing in my view! My body felt it is about to fall soon but still no system has appear.' He shouting in rage within his own world.
He was expecting to get the same fate as those protagonists receiving their own systems and few are received through near death experience, ever since he is dealing with that snake for a while now.
As it appears what he imagine won't manifest into reality.
"Well that was a mood killer." Without wasting anymore time, he quickly began to move, running around to find where the sword he dropped lies somewhere.
For couple of minutes have past he finally found the sword, and the serpent is nearly coming to him as we speak.
Nortes turning his attention from the sword to the incoming giant threat who slithering across the grassy field and increasing the pace by using its limbs...
An idea suddenly occurred in his mind when his gaze lingers at the serpent's opened mouth.
'Welp... I give up. I will take that option whenever oneself want giving up on life, and do it to take a long rest.' His lips curves into smile that rivaled the villain's evil smile.
And so he ran toward the serpent whose coming to him to swallow him alive with its mouth remain opened, and to facing it again.
The world in the serpent's mind faded once again - It's just itself and him alone.
In the midst of Nortes committing an atrocious suicidal action - sprinting toward the opened mouth of the serpent motivated by sheer...
Boldness? Determination? Or just stupidity?
Neither way, he is close to dive intentionally into the opened-mouth of the serpent's, its large fangs dripping in glowing blue goo.
A certain memory of his past flashes in his eyes in the moment he entered its mouth, his foot have landed on the wet big tongue covered in saliva,
"There are 206 bones in human's body but there is one part that is superior than the rest of the body parts."
"Yes--! And that is the brain itself!" A solid voice of familiar man echoed in his head.
"...That is the brain itself." Nortes repeated the echoing voice.
'I had study how human died all kinds of scenario.'
'And I will use it to kill you!'
He then swiftly proceed the action according to his plan, unsheathing the sword from its scabbard once more--However his time has ran out!
The jaw began to move, a signal showing it is going to closed its mouth. And obvious hint to his finality. He immediately struck a blow through the top of the mouth before nearly the jaw was closing.
The serpent ultimately fell to the grassy ground, sliding across the surface until a short time later its the motion died and then Nortes slipping out from its mouth along the saliva. Now only his lower half of his body drenched by its azure-colored glowing saliva.
His expression grimaced to disgust, he wiped off the goo from his viking pants with his hands.
"Ew... Disgusting!" He stuck out his tongue in disgusted. A foul odor that rivaled the odor of someone whose doesn't shower over several years, or far worse, invaded his nostril.
Nortes felt he is might going to vomit at this point from the smell and so he persevere himself until the goo no longer stuck in the pants.
"Bleh! So that's what lore-accurate smell of someone who never shower. Or either never do a proper hygiene."
He swishes off the goo from his hands until it was never there anymore. His gaze then turning to the dead serpent's head.
"I figured much your solid body may irritated me by surprise and gave me challenge but not your interior body. Because of your mistake by opening your mouth, it gave me an idea - Yes, the way I killed you was the same way one shove a metal to its mouth pointing upward and pull the trigger, the bullet pierce through to the mind. Thus how you died in my hand." He explained his true plan, there were no answers from the serpent. The silence becoming awkward a minute later, caused Nortes to deadpan stare at the serpent's giant head.
"Ah, now look at me, I'm talking to a dead serpent. I must becoming crazy..." He scoffs then snickered with a sly smirk, "Probably dehydration has taking its effect over me by now. Or I realize now I'm this insane?" He casual shrug off his shoulders from the question to himself and move forward.
Before he do his next action, he came closer and delivered a powerful kick to the side of serpent's mouth. The heel hit the rough black flesh.
"Take this! That's for almost killed me and gave me a minor heart attack!" He screamed out his anger then taking distance between the corpse. His body now eased up after letting go off the frustration he was holding.
What Nortes next thing to do was dancing only he know, while he remain dancing front of the head of dead serpent he just slain. He spoke but in sort of language only he understood.
"GG! EZ! GIT GUD! LOL! SKILL ISSUE! TRY HARDER! TAKE THE L-!" He freezes for a moment. His mood then shift into serious in a flash.
"All right, that's enough for emoting around." He took a second to think what his next thing to do by gazing on the serpent's corpse.
His next action to celebrate his victorious triumph despite feeling extreme fatigue is standing the top of the serpent. He climbed using the serpent's head as a minutes after he is standing now on the top of its head, the morning sunlight draped over the land and even to his body, the wind blows, its gentle breeze went past his hair, for him it was caressed his hair
"I finally done it... I did. I saved everyone in the town. Without the help of the system but my own mind." His lips curled into appreciative soft smile, his long perseverance was well-deserving at the end.
He inhale the breeze, smelling something of nostalgia. The air in this world felt fresher than his world and it was mildly cold temperature that gave the body a comfy shiver.
Nortes exhales, dropped his head down and rose up to return his gaze over the wrecked town and the vast outskirt.
Minutes have gone by he then experienced unexpectedly--His eyes became blurry, his body went deactivated, he was falling off from the top of the dead corpse.
'Seems I've reached my limit...' At his final words, he lost unconsciousness, his eyelids have fallen like a curtain.
Hours slipped away, Divine knows how long, Nortes started to regain consciousness. He slowly opened his eye, but it's blurry to see. He blinked thrice as his sight became clear again.
"Ah..." Subconsciously, his body arose.
After that, Nortes rubbed his temples to ease the throbbing pain, it gradually vanished.
'Why do I feel I'm in coma... or more like I overslept...' He yawned.
He first stretched his arms, then his vision no longer view at the wrecked town but met an unfamiliar environment.
The buildings are destroyed, the flames engulfs all around. In the right, there lies a crumbled tower, its windows shattered, its form wrecked yet still standing.
Nortes looked next to the left, seeing another destroyed building but this time engulfed in flames.
His mind became familiar to the setting, it is certain the architecture of those destroyed buildings are Modern age.
Then he look down, met the road where vehicles were using to traverse to any direction, eventually now its beauty has been melted away.
"This scene..."
"Am I in post-apocalyptic world now?" His voice drips in disbelief and confusion, he started to ponder on how he ended here.
And indeed, without a doubt, the environment where he currently now...
--Bearing a resemblance of the environment of Dystopian Age.
"You got to be kidding me..." His paralyzed expression of disbelief leisurely twisted to disappointment. He murmured, eyebrows furrowed unhappily, eyes briskly replacing deadpan stare, glanced at the new environment before him. If a word "Here we go again" had a face, it was his.
The next challenge has come! Will he manage to escape from Death once again?