The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 67: Where I am. (Part 3)

I wasn't sure what to expect as Shin described a world after the Merge. A world that had its own troubles but sounded fantastic. There were no Rift Walkers to break down what they'd built. He smiled as explained how we met in different circumstances to my own. What the people I knew did for a living. It was a world were exploration and wonder were alive. Science and magic converged and incredible things were being made. Then his tone became dryer, filled with frustration.

"Politics," Shin bashed the word with hatred. "We warned all your governments the dangers of demons, but it was too late. They played the voice of free speech, the right to worship. They didn't understand and it became apparent the demons had infected deeper than anyone could guess. 10 years after the Merge they became more forceful. Kidnapping people, sacrificing them and killing. Those that didn't join them were crucified in the streets."

He scoffed, "We tried to stop them but the world broke. We were outnumbered and people were scared. A war broke out... a war we lost. When your allies could succumb and became an enemy, it was hard to have friends. Nations split, hiding in dungeons and on the surface, demons ruled.

"Ardent led a whole lot of us and became the dungeon's master. It was okay for a few years, though every day we heard worse and worse news. Cities falling, our heroes dying.... Then our dungeon was attacked too. We lost so many friends that day and Ria was lost to the Void. It was then that you and Vanter had enough and decided to find a solution. You became our hope.

"For about a year you two travelled, picked out what the demons were planning and how they were finding us. It was thanks to you that the Isles of Alias began to harbour the survivors. See, while dungeons hide you, they don't move. They tracked people, spotting where they disappeared and reappeared. The Isles move and the barrier hides us. Plus being in the skies, the demons ain't so organised to reach us.

"Then you disappeared. Last message that you found something big. It's been 9 months since then and now you're here with Ria. Things have settled on the Isles, almost normal now but we can't ever let our guard down. We travel the world and find survivors but that's it. We don't have an end goal."

The beer in my hand was half empty now. After hearing such a tale, my hand shivered. I couldn't decide if demons or Rift Walkers were worse. At least with Rift Walkers, we knew how they acted. With demons, they were people and people were dangerous.

"Shin, you didn't mention my sister, what happened to Aria?"

"Who?" From how he looked at me, he really had no idea.

"Aria... my sister? Black hair, maybe even white, same eyes, pretty good looking."

"Ardent, you don't have a sister in this world."

I frowned, "Then... who's the Witch of the End?"

"The Witch of what?"

"Ah never mind that." I finished the rest of the beer in one go, "I think I know what I need to do. I need to find where Ardent went before he disappeared."

"You know where that is?" Shin eyed me, intrigued.

I dropped the notes from my inventory onto the table, "These were his. Somewhere in South Africa."

Shin collected the notes, "You... you don't mind me having these do you?"

"I'll need a copy but... they should go to you."

"Thanks, Ardent," he picked up the papers tenderly as if they were remains of a long-lost friend. "I'll make sure to look after em. So, if you're going to adventure off, what about Ria?"

We both looked to Ria who sported a smug confident smile. She had figured out the mechanism to the shield's colour changes and was now changing it at will.