Chapter 20: United, We Stand
When the princess revealed the truth to them, I have no idea how the other two would react and I feared for the worst. Toto, fortunately, reacted rather calmly. She seemed a little distraught by the news, but after being given an explanation of the situation, she understood that our summoning wasn't something done out of ill will nor was it a result that could have been foreseen by anyone. After hearing the full story, Toto readily accepts the fact that in order to survive and to improve our situation, she is going to have to fight, whether she likes it or not.
The one who did not take it so well, was Six, who in my impression had always been a carefree guy, but the expression he showed when being told the truth was anything but. When Toto said that she would work with the princess and when it was revealed and both Cecilia and I have agreed to work with the princess as well, never have I seen him so angry, so upset. Granted, the player avatars in-game don't make much of an expression, but I've always felt that he's a cheery, carefree guy through chats. He shouted at us, saying things like "How could you?" and "Veldar's dead because of her!" before he went and ran off. He and Veldar, I was told after he ran off, that they knew each other in real life.
"Oh, look what you've done. I told you to leave it to me didn't I, Relia?"
"I know, but, I do not want to appear as if I'm hiding behind your back. I want to confront you, all of you, face to face, that is the least I can do after what I've done to all of you."
Against the princess' sincerity, Cecilia was rendered wordless with a frown stuck to her face. I too, am without words with this willful princess, however that is hardly my concern at the moment.
"We should go after him, right?"
"We should, but I think only one of us should go. We'll only agitated him more if we all try to talk to him at once."
"Who should go then?"
"I'd say you should go. You've known him the longest of us three, yes?"
"T-that's true, but what should I say? I'm no good at this."
Cecilia places her hand on my shoulder.
"You're his friend, you know him better than anyone here. I'm sure whatever that comes from your heart will do. What he needs right now is someone that understands him. That's why it has to be you."
"I don't know, wouldn't you be a better choice?"
"If you believe in me that much, then as they say, 'Believe in I that believes in you,' and go get him."
I look around me, and I see the gaze cast towards me, Cecilia, Toto, and the princess, every single one is looking at me with confidence. All of them seem to think I can do this. If they're so confident, then, I suppose I'll have to trust in their judgment.
"I get it, I'll go get him."
With that, I start running after Six. To aid me in my search, I call upon Michaela and Timothy, one will search from the sky with her eyes and the other will search on the ground with his nose.
***
Surrounding the village and its farmlands are wooden walls made from logs, however, due to the vastness of the walls and the limited time it took to construct the fortification, numerous vulnerabilities may exist, and so, surrounding the village itself, are rows of tall fences with platforms build behind them so that the soldiers may peer over them. Atop one of these platforms, I find Six, staring into the darkness covering the farmland.
"Six..."
Slowly, he turns towards me, his eyes red from crying. It's strange, seeing at a grown man cry, you don't get see it that often. Then again, perhaps that's just the avatar, that on the inside, Six may just be a child.
"I've heard. That you knew Veldar from real life."
"We knew each other since we were kids, and I was the one who got her into the game in the first place."
Her? So Veldar is- No, that's not important right now.
"Six, what happened, it wasn't anyone's fault, no one wanted this."
"Wasn't it!? Wasn't it that princess' fault that we're here in the first place?"
"It is indeed her fault that we're here, I'm sure no one, even the princess, would argue that, and I know that to you, she might as well have killed Veldar herself. But Six, it was an accident, an accident she had indirectly caused, yes, but one that she did not wish for to happen. She thought that she was summoning heroes, not a bunch of people playing an online game."
"How do you know that for sure? What if she's lying?"
I can't say I like where this is going, Six here is prepared to doubt everything to the last detail, just so he has a reason to keep on hating the princess. That might be the easiest for him, to just focus all of his pain into his hatred. Should I let him do that? So long as I can get him to keep fighting, it shouldn't matter if he hates the princess or not, sooner or later he'll recognize that, one way or another, we'll have to fight to survive, right?
"Maybe she is, maybe this is just a desperate gambit to have us save her world for her."
For saying those words, I hated myself a little. Even though I said that I would be on her side, here I am, badmouthing her. And in truth, it's not just because I need to convince Six that we need to fight regardless, rather, it's because I too, have a bit of such doubts in my mind.
Heavily, Six sighs.
"So that's what it comes down to, saving this world? Why should I? Aurelius, tell me, why should I save this world? Why shouldn't I just let it burn?"
Has he gone beyond caring? Does he not realize that letting this world burn will mean that he will go down with it? Does he blame this world as much as he does the princess?
"Then you don't have to, Six, I won't force you if you don't want to."
At my words, Six seems to be surprised. I guess it's natural, to expect someone to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, or at the very least, it is the moral high ground. The life of one versus the life of many, both logically and morally speaking, it all too simple a choice, when it doesn't involve oneself in any way of course.
"What? What are you saying, Aurelius?"
This world isn't a game, fighting isn't just about pressing a few buttons. It's hard, even painful. In the end, I can't, and I won't, make someone fight for something he despises. I don't want to force someone who has nothing to fight for stand on the battlefield. In fact, if I did, I'm sure nothing good will come out of it, to have someone who doesn't care for anything anymore fight alongside you can only spell disaster, since you'll never know if they'll just throw the towel and quit on you when you need them the most.
"I won't force you to fight, Six, and I won't let anyone else force you to fight either. You just wait here, wait for me, wait for us, we'll save this world and then we'll come get you. Once we're done, we'll go home together."
"But I..."
"Don't worry about it, we understand. No one will blame you, and I won't let them either. So just wait for us, we'll come back for you."
Before I realized it, I had spouted some crazy things from my mouth, promising the world when I really don't have anything in my grasp. There's no guarantee that we'll be able to save this world, there's no guarantee that any of us could come back, but even so, I feel like I needed to do this, I need to make Six feel safe, I don't want him to feel trapped. I want to let him know that it's okay to turn away, and sometimes, that's just what a person really needs, a way to just turn around, a path to escape when it gets too hard. They don't have to take said path, but having one there can be more than enough comfort.
Again, Six sighs.
"I'm surprised, Aurelius."
"About what?"
"Just a few days ago, at least that's how long it was for me, you were too shy to even come meet us offline. Now look at you, standing in front of me and saying all these cool sounding things."
"Well, technically, I'm still in my avatar."
"Is that why? Because the way I see it, this place a lot scarier than real life back in our world, avatar or no."
"I suppose I've been through some stuff as well."
"Were you fighting? You were the first one that arrived right? Have you been fighting all alone this whole time?"
"I was fighting, but I wasn't alone Six, plenty of people were by my side, even the princess was there and I wouldn't have survive without her, that is the truth, regardless of what you think of her."
"I see... I guess I must be looking very childish about now."
I shake my head.
"That's not true. You have every right to be mad. You got dragged into this world without even knowing why and had to watch your friend die. It's not something you can just walk off, and I won't forgive anyone who even suggests that you should."
"Thank you, Aurelius."
Six lets out a small smile, it is a somewhat bitter smile, but I do feel a genuine warmth from it.
"I get it, I'll fight, Aurelius, I'll fight alongside everyone."
"Are you sure? It's not going to be easy or pleasant you know."
"I know, but I want to keep you safe, to keep everyone safe, so that we can all go home together. I won't let what happened to Veldar happen to anyone else. I'm going to fight, I don't care about that princess of yours, I don't care about this world even, but for you guys, I want to make sure you're all safe, so we can go home together."
"Six..."
"I'll watch your back Aurelius, so you better watch mine."
There it is, that big cheery grin of his. This is the carefree, optimistic person I know.
"Of course! You can count on it, Six!"
Our hands clasp onto one another's, making a promise between friends and comrades. This path is going to be long and difficult, but even so, we'll walk it together.
***
The day after, at the break of dawn, the garrison assembled before the expanding forest. No [Demons] have been sighted as of yet.
"I see they're not going to come out to greet us."
Cecilia stands proudly at the forefront of the soldiers, and alongside her are Toto, Six, and myself. We shall be the ones to lead the charge into the forest, and the soldier behind us will make sure that we would not become flanked or overwhelm by the enemy.
"The troops are ready, Champions. Would you like to say a few words to them?"
The commander came up to us, requesting a speech. Wouldn't this usually be his job? Well, we all have some things we're not good with I suppose.
Gladly, Cecilia turns towards the troops, and with a big grin on her face, she crosses her arms and stick out her chest.
"I'm sure you're all tired, tired of losing, tired of turning tail and running, tired of build fences after fences for a place you know you'll eventually have to abandon. Well, that ends today! Today, we will be the ones pushing back! Today, they will be the one turning their tails and running! Your waiting is over soldiers, because today, we're going to win, and it's going to be but one of many victories to come! For you kingdom! For your home! For your loved ones! For Elgardia!!!"
"For Elgardia!!!"
The troops pumped their fists in the air as they shouted in unison. Their combined voices were so powerful that it felt as if the ground itself was shaking. Of course, that was merely my imagination, which is a shame since it would have been nice to be able to be able to shout our enemies to death.
Atop the tall wooden walls fortifying the village, I see the princess standing there with Merida by her side, seeing us off. At first I was actually worried that she might try to tag along, but this time she's rather content in staying, probably because I have my guildmates with me now. She does look a little lonely, but I rather she feel a little loneliness than having her charge into danger with us.
"Aurelius, if you will."
At Cecilia's prompting, I draw a [contract] from my grimoire, and with a dramatic pose, I turn the card towards the heavens. A pillar of light shines down upon me, and from the light, an angel materializes upon this mortal realm.
"Michaela!"
"Yes, my liege."
I cast [Greater Magic Boost] upon Michaela, and in turn, she cast [Holy Ward] and [Holy Weapon], and following that [Greater Strength Boost] and [Greater Protection Boost].
With that, we set forth towards the forest, ready for war.
***
End of Chapter 20
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