Astraea: The Journey of Magic

In Akano’s dreams, he saw Kuroki. The two of them were standing in a misty, hazy field. They were probably naked for some reason, but while they appeared to wear nothing one couldn’t see properly. Their bodies almost seemed to be made of ectoplasm and were blurred the further from the head one got, or something that wasn’t solid and just hazy. The only thing truly clear was Kuroki’s sleeping face, as only from the neck up could detail be discerned.

It felt like they were only souls, so far apart yet somehow able to connect here. At first, when Akano had fallen asleep, he had suddenly been here, but elsewhere. He had been alone. However, a voice then spoke to him. It was strange and hard to hear, but it sounded like the voice of a young boy.

"Do you want to save your friend?"

That was what the voice said, as a boy wrapped in silver light appeared in front of him. He had perfectly clear skin that looked beautiful and amazing, silver white hair, and silver eyes. He too had been like the rest of them there, but he seemed to be far more aware and present. And most of all, Akano could feel it from him. Divine energy, and a lot of it. Perhaps that was why he came in so much more clearly, his body far less hazy. And yet, the boy himself was not divine. Whoever this boy was, he seemed knowledgable.

"Who are you?"

"I am afraid I cannot say. Just that I know what you are, and why you are here".

This caught Akano by surprise. Even the Gods had skirted around admitting it to some degree, but the boy confirmed it outright.

"You must save your friend. He cannot be delayed any longer...and he shouldn't be made to suffer further. Please just follow".

The boy reached out his hand and grabbed Akano's, pulling him along. Akano did not resist, and followed him. Every step they took felt massive, as if they covered vast amount of terrain in an instant. Akano was not sure how far they came, but he knew this place was not connected to the physical realm.

Eventually they found Kuroki, and then the boy began to depart.

"I must leave now, the rest is up to you. But I will give you this freebee. You, Kuroki, Reiji, and Juno are all located within the same kingdom, while Kuroki's father is not. But, before you meet up, you should become strong. You do not wish to risk drawing attention to yourselves by grouping up before then, that is a route that leads to disaster".

And then, with those words, the boy seemed to vanish. Akano had many questions, but they could wait for later. Right now, he had to help Kuroki.

Kuroki had an issue, there was this black smog circling him. It made Akano feel repulsed and disgusted, and it appeared as if it was sapping and harming Kuroki.

Not only that, but another boy appeared next to Kuroki. Like them, no clothes, but everything below the neck got increasingly hazy. Akano recognized him as Riku, and felt relieved knowing that Kuroki was not alone. The same black smog appeared to cover them both, connecting the two. Whatever it was, it felt disgusting and reviling to Akano. His own power seemed to swirl forward, pushing him to act.

“Go” Talia’s voice spoke “I will supercharge you just this once, so make sure to learn this power properly. Consider this an exception, and a way for you to know a point which you must reach on your own one day”.

Talia never appeared, but he didn’t need to. Akano understood what was going on instinctively. What surrounded them was the remains of a rather nasty curse. Curses were powerful yet dangerous magic, with only one known weakness: Divine Power. Akano was surging with it right now, as he placed his hands on their chests. Both of them appeared to be in a trance, neither one reacted or opened their eyes.

When he tried however, another black smog appeared from behind him as he began his purification. Rising from the unseen ground, it lunged towards him. But now that he started, he couldn’t stop or defend himself. Even Talia felt shocked.

It lunged at him, only to suddenly be cleaved through by a sword. In this world where no physical objects could be brought in or created, this sword appeared as the sole exception. A blonde haired girl held it, appearing around eleven or twelve.

“Who are you?”

”My name is Anna” she mentioned with a grin. A single rogue tooth seemed to escape the smile, making her seem a bit wild. Unlike the other two, she was fully conscious and aware. Noticing his confusion, she smiled. “No worries. Everyone says I’m abnormal, then they usually sigh and shrug it off”.

”I-I see”.

More black smogs appeared from the Foggy grounds.

”You keep it up! It seems your powers are quite supercharged, so it shouldn’t be too much longer! I will defend you from these creeps”.

"What are they?"

"Fragments of the curse. This isn't a typical way to remove curses, but it appears a major player involved in your situation has made their move".

Unbothered by their lack of clothes or other physical possessions, or that Akano was a boy, she readied her sword. He couldn’t clearly make out her body below the neck like the others, yet her presence felt stronger and clearer than Kuroki’s, Riku’s, or his own. And more than that, when he saw her…he felt a surge of hope. Something that gave him the mindset he needed.

“Purge! Septa! Royal!”

Suddenly large amounts of light emerged from his hands, engulfing the foggy field. The shadows hissed and attacked, but this Anna cut through them with ease. In terms of combat ability, she far exceeded him. She felt overwhelming, an equal to Kuroki’s father in presence, and perhaps even talent or strength. But where he emitted cruelty and despair, she radiated kindness and hope.

Akano was certain now. She had far more potential than any of them. A true hero.

And that bolstered his power further, as the world was consumed by light, erasing the darkness not just around Kuroki and Riku, but pushing all the darkness back and everyone there was engulfed in light. The curse being eradicated right there. And a sense of hope and courage taking its place.

While the two boys slept, and Akano was supported in the Spirit World to do something well outside the norm, Amyris made all sorts of prepwork. Curses were powerful things, and it was likely the two would end up suffering over the next few days. He had taken precautions, so death or anything permanent was off the table. Still, worst case scenario was them being stuck in bed wearing nothing but diapers in agonizing pain and randomly to constantly peeing and pooping for several days. Possibly even a week, but Amyris was sure he prevented anything more. Love was a powerful emotion, and this curse was made out of both malice and love. Still, he was pretty sure he got them to avoid either the worst side effects or the longest times, if not both. He especially tried to focus on removing the pain part of it. But he absolutely had to remove the lethal parts first.

The aftereffects of a curse were usually lighter related versions of what the curse was, but it wasn’t one to one. Organ failure probably turned into weak bladder, and possibly other organs were weakened as well. The connection and suffocated one probably meant both would suffer from it, and they might need to maintain physical proximity to each other. It had also intended to make it hard for them to breath, but Amyris had removed that part and focused on reducing or eliminating heart and lung weakness to prevent any problematic combinations that would kill them.

Kuroki had guessed right. Amyris held a deep hatred of curses. Both the mind curse and the petrification curse had taken away his friend and student. He had learned all about them since, and the fact he was able to manipulate and weaken them on his own so quickly was proof of that. Of course, it helped that this was not a Devil’s Curse, as those tend to be far more complex and difficult to dismiss.

Still, all he would need to do was keep them inside for a few days and keep them away from anything eventful. Should their lives be written down in history books, then the next few days would probably be treated as a time skip, not really mentioning anything other then a brief summary. He was sure the boys would appreciate that. Running around naked for days was fine, but wearing a diaper and constantly peeing and pooping yourselves, possibly while in agonizing pain and stuck in bed? That would be humiliating for anyone. They would basically be reduced to being like infants. If their stomachs were weakened too, Amyris might actually be forced to resort to food that would be given to babies.

But he had worked hard so they could avoid such a bad fate. With any luck, it might only be a day or two and not a week. If Kuroki heard that though, he would panic like crazy. He was a firm believer that he had terrible luck.

There was also another concern. While monsters in the sewers did tend to happen from time to time, the fact that there had been three goblins right there worried him a bit. What were the odds of that happening? He wondered if it was a sign the Goblin population was on the rise. Goblins were tricky monsters, since they were humanoids, use tools, and depending on how evolved their leadership was, complex tactics even. He also wondered if there was a connection to the Starfall, but Goblin populations sometimes surged like this and it was something that happened here every year or two, so it could be something else.

Still, that group was pretty far in to be at my sewer exit. I wonder if its worse than normal...not that I can check.

Amyris was a skilled investigator, but his rank was simply way too high. The adventurer's guild discouraged those from taking on quests that are much higher or lower ranked. They wont even give a request to someone if its too high for them, and they would sometimes do the same if it was too low. They needed to make sure there was plenty of work for everyone, so Goblins, which were typically considered F-Rank Threats, were far too low for him. He could get away with doing some Bs or maybe even some Cs, or if he was asked to because of some emergency or to help people train.

In fact, if he provided too much help, they might even be restricted from ranking up or could even be demoted, which meant Amyris would need to stay away from a lot of their activities for awhile. You could only rank up based on skill alone to F-Rank, maybe even E-Rank but that was unlikely. After all, you needed to earn trust with the guild. Typically, most people capped out at D or C rank. The exceptional ones made it to B-Rank, and the truly amazing ones made it to A-Rank. As for S-Rank and above, they were rare. It wouldn't be surprising if only one or two of them existed in a city.

The reason there were a few in this town was because Riza was currently here, and because it was the Frontier. Additionally, Sebas was born with an idiotic amount of mana that made him around SS-Rank in theory, but in terms of everything else he was lower, and he also was not registered. Not everyone strong registered with the adventurer's guild, and Guild Rank did not always necessarily indicate the proper skill.

Of course, that was why Guild Cards had a Titles section. Depending on the Titles, one could get work they normally couldn't. For example, an expert in Divine Magic or Necromancy would be able to receive jobs to deal with undead that would otherwise be too high for their rank. If one specialized in support magic, they might be allowed to join a quest with a more experienced party since they could end up being a great boon. If one had the Diplomat title, they would be able to take quests dealing with nobles earlier then they normally would. Potion Meisters would be allowed to participate in urgent gathering quests for urgent potion restocks, since they would have the knowledge needed to gather the right things, though a more experienced party would likely be dispatched with them. But in quests like those, usually a dozen or two parties were dispatched. If one was skilled in fire magic, then one might be allowed to tank Trent subjugations since tree and plant monsters were typically weak to fire.

Similarly, those with water magic might be allowed to help deal with emergency situations like fires. Water produced or controlled with magic might not be good for drinking, cleaning, or bathing, but it was perfectly fine for things like putting out fires. A particularly skilled user might even be able to use it to treat burns. And anyone skilled enough for the Guild to grant a Beast Hunter title to would be allowed to take Beast Monster Subjugation Requests a rank higher then normally would be allowed. Typically, one could only take quests at their rank, with the Guild only letting you take quests from one rank higher if you start showing promise and reliability. The Guild was pretty cautious about this though, because information sometimes was not always perfect or accurate, or other things could happen, so any quest that was E-Rank could easily actually be D-Rank, or become D-Rank due to other factors. Many adventurers often lost their lives because it was hard to gather reliable intelligence, or predict the exact movements and numbers of monster swarms.

Goblins are Rank F, so they might make good practice for Kuroki. Considering the Mental Enhancements, as well as the mysterious effect that all Starfallen seem to get that makes them more adaptable to the culture and way of life to this world along with the Enhancements, Kuroki should be fine. Though...part of it may be because he faced his killler every day in his previous life.

Kuroki's father might not have actually tried to murder Kuroki. If he had, Kuroki would have died a long time ago. But his abuse and beatings on Kuroki could have easily killed him. Even with how meticulous he was to avoid any damage that was long lasting or would be easily seen on his body, it all could have added up. And Kuroki honestly felt like it would happen one day. Amyris had noticed that while bloody scenes did affect him...their corpses did not. He didn't even hesitate to look at the bodies of monsters, of the Starfallen either. Riku felt similar as well, but from what Amyris had heard, it appeared his parents died. Amyris guessed he probably saw them die in some accident, and was the sole survivor. That was what it felt like, but he lacked the data to be conclusive.

That, plus the mental enhancements, was probably why both boys were adapting so well and being so well behaved. Well, Kuroki was quite resistant at times, but he seemed to be adapting well now.

Too well, honestly. They are almost matching Anna's pace, but their personalities dont make sense for that. In other words, something extra is there. Something that makes them...Compliant. Its not that they can't disobey...but in the end, they don't want to. Something makes it so that they dont want to. This is accelerating their adaptation to this world more than normal Starfallen, but if it had been used in a different way...I see. So that was this was all about.

Amyris laid out the facts in his mind, as he realized something major. A huge piece of the puzzle. He had already suspected of course, perhaps even knew. But this confirmed it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

This Starfall event was deliberately caused. This was an attempt at Summoning, disguised as a Starfall.

An attempted summoning of tens of thousands of Starfallen.

In other words, whoever the mastermind was, they wanted numbers. Starfallen were not all that powerful individually. But...an army of Starfallen might be a different matter.

Kuroki had come into this world with about D to C-Rank adventurer level of natural talent in magic alone. Should he master it, becoming S-Rank was not impossible. Even surpassing it might happen depending on how well he used his talent and how much of it there really was.

Riku had the same amount as well.

This put them on the same level as the average well trained soldier. Normal soldiers would be more like F or E rank, but those with a bit of experience and were well trained would be more like D.

And then there was the possibility of those with Obsessions exceeding that, or those who were already insanely talented and strong before coming to this world, like Kuroki's shitty father. Amyris had concerns he might already be at B-Rank or perhaps even A-Rank strength, given his obsession with his own ideology.

Suddenly, while deep in thought, he heard a knocking on his door.

Oh dear, did the curse make them wet the bed already? I will need to be super nice. I was going to have them bathe in the morning anyways, but they should be more then willing now.

WHile thinking such things, he opened the door, as the early morning light came in. Kuroki and Riku were standing there, apparently no longer embarrassed or ashamed. Well, after what happened, Amyris was glad to have earned their trust.

However, it was already morning? Amyris was surprised they slept through it.

"Looks like you two slept well. Let me guess, you need new clean sheets? Its nothing to be ashamed of, the curse is affecting your bladders after all. I am afraid to say both of you will probably need to wear diapers for awhile".

When he said that though, the two boys seemed confused and a bit flustered.

"Eh? Wait what?"

"Erm, Amyris...none of that happened. We already relieved ourselves this morning outside with the buckets".

"Hmm? Wait, you were able to go on your own? Impossible, you are both still cursed!"

The two seemed confused. "Well I mean, it was only cursed traces. You feel fine, right Riku?"

"Yeah. Isn't that just because of how skilled you were?"

When they went to bed, they still had the lingering curse fragments. They were nasty ones too, the kind an expert priest at least would be needed. He had no intention of relying on the Church, since that might bring more trouble to them though. However, then they woke up, and were able to go to the bathroom normally? On their own? They didn't wet the bed, shit the bed, or need diapers? They weren't in agonizing pain and suffering? They didn't feel lethargic or weak?

Amyris quickly knelt down and put his hands on their chests. He searched and searched, but the curse fragments were gone. Entirely gone, without a single trace. Even Riku, who had been the one cursed originally, was no longer harboring any fragments. In other words, the after effects were gone. They were completely gone.

Kuroki and Riku had somehow been liberated from the curse overnight, just like that, without Amyris detecting anything. It was just too strange.

"Alright. This is strange, but it looks like you wont be stuck in bed in diapers for the next few days. How strange though...I admit its good, but...its abnormal to have a curse resolved so fast on its own".

"Isn't that just proof of your abilities?"

"Curses adapt to methods used to break them. And they are rather tenacious. Since my magic removed the curses themselves, it shouldn't have been able to do much against the fragments. And in terms of being able to wipe it away like that, it requires someone with lots of divine power. Someone like the Oracle, or a Saint, or a really experienced Shrine Maiden would be able to. Perhaps even a talented Archbishop or Cardinal, although most get there through political intrigue rather than faith I feel like".

"So wait, do you think a god did this then?"

"Gods are not allowed to directly aid or help the world, due to agreements made and rules set by the God of Order. Most likely, someone somehow was able to traverse the Spirit World, where one can typically only enter as a soul, came to you, and used their divine power to help you. A God maybe boosted them, if it was within their teachings, but that feels a bit weird and forced. And they wouldn't have led the party and boosted them, which meant...someone else, someone who could see a pathway there, led someone who was then boosted by their god to purge you of your curse".

"...that sounds...complicated. And mysterious" Riku muttered.

"Certainly. It wasn't even a curse that was going to kill you both anymore, I did that much. Normally it would be unnecessary...unless that person somehow knew the future. In which case...it seems that we need to start both of your training immediately. But first, bath for both of you. By the time we are done and you finish drying, breakfast will be ready. By the time you finish, your clothes should be fully dry and I will have them ready".

"Wait, we are having breakfast before we get dressed?"

Amyris looked at them confused. "Well of course, thats how....ah, I take it the order was different in your world? Or did you both just go out to eat breakfast a lot?"

Kuroki and Riku now looked unsure.

"Hmm...."

"Now that I think about it, ever since my parents died, I had to mooch off of friends or get breakfast elsewhere...but I think it probably depended on the household and person".

"Well, since its easy to wipe a mess off of skin instead of valuable freshly cleaned clothes, most people have breakfast first, then get dressed. At least in their own homes".

"...home..."

"...thanks for welcoming me..."

Somehow, that had a bigger impact then at any moment they had been embarrassed about being naked. Apparently, having a warm and loving home was considered more precious and a bigger deal then that to the two boys.

Amyris was reminded once more that he should probably wipe Kuroki's father off the face of the planet before the two encounter each other.

Either way, he led the boys to the back yard, picking up soap and a basin along the way. This one was large enough for them both, and he quickly filled it with water and got them clean.

During the bath however, Kuroki began to wonder on who would push for removing his curse. In the end, he could only come up with one answer.

"...Akano..."

"...I wonder who removed the curse...do you really think it was..." Riku muttered.

"Yeah. Its weird, but it almost feels like...it was someone nice. Nice and warm. Like Akano. No, I am certain of it".

"Do you think it was Akano?"

"Its possible, but...he shouldn't be that strong already. But thats how it feels to me. I am certain it was Akano. He is still helping me and looking out for me, even when we are so far apart".

Once the bath was done, Amyris had them sit at the table while he served them bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, and juice, along with melon. The bacon looked sizzled to perfection, coated in wonderful juices and greese. The egges were scrambled, with just a dash of salt and pepper on them. The juicy was sweet and energizing, preparing them for a long day. The sausage was warm and filling, giving them the sustinence they would need for lots of activity. The toast, buttered and golden to perfection.

Actually, while delicious, the toast was a bit weird. There was no toaster in this world, so how did Amyris make toast even? Did an Otherworlder spread toasters as well somehow?

But in the end it didn't really matter. The two dug in while Amyris went outside to get their clothes. They wolfed it down something fierce, apparently being quite hungry, so they were just finishing up when Amyris came back inside and handed them their clothes...as well as something extra.

"I thought we didn't need diapers anymore!"

"Riku, you still need underwear don't you?"

"I would rather go commando then wear a diaper!"

"Very well, but make sure you go to Ellie's today. She is making a spare outfit for Kuroki as well, so you might as well have her make you underwear at least".

"I will take him there" Kuroki replied, to which Amyris nodded.

"Very good. In that case, go now while I prepare. We need to get you started on magic and combat lessons after all".

The two boys got dressed, and headed out while Amyris prepared for the day.

At the same time, in a far distant city up north but still within the kingdom, there was a young boy who slept upon a massive round bed. Compared to a donut, he would take up less then half the space of the part that was cut out, it was that big. He appeared to only be about nine or ten, perhaps eleven, but unlike all other boys that age during this season, he did not sleep in the nude. Instead, he was wearing fancy and decorated robes as he slept, wrapped in them as if they were sheets. They took up more space on the bed then he did. The bed was large and circular, and in terms of height rather low. He did not wear any shoes or socks while on it of course, but he was wearing boxers. That said, one could not see them very well under his robes, which seemed to also be his shirt and perhaps even pants in this situation.

The robes were ornate and clearly quite expensive. Commoners could generally only afford to own one or two full sets of clothes, as any more were considered a luxury. But these robes were probably worth the equivalent as a hundred sets of commoner clothes at least. Their length also indicated their position within the public. They were robes that even someone three times as tall as him would still have touching the floor. They made good blankets, but their length denoted how many people would have to hold them in Ceremonial situations. In other words, it was an indication this boy held an extremely high rank.

His room was decorated with gold, silver, and gemstones. Heavy locks were placed upon his door, accessible from either side, though not a single key could be seen in his room. He did have many drawers and dressers, as well as a large standing mirror that was at least four Kurokis tall. A sceptor was nearby with a crystal orb at the end, as well as a book detailing the scriptures of the God of Order. Behind him were three huge windows, almost as tall as the ceiling, which was probably about eighteen to twenty Kurokis high. Furthermore, there was a walk in closer filled with robes and clothes, many of which appeared untouched, with Ceremonial Clothes used often but street clothes being near untouched. The room had various golden moldings, which almost gave the impression of a birdcage or golden lights raining down around him. The fact that his room was circular as well likely contributed to that.

But what was most notable was his silver white hair and silver eyes. He was a perfect match to the boy who led Akano through the spirit world.

As he began to stir and wake up, he let out a yawn, which was responded to with a dark chuckle. The boy scowled, but did not look at the voice as he sat up a little, using his arm to balance himself as he was still laying on the bed.

"Well now, if it isn't Tarkus Bain. Tell me, black dog, why are you here to visit little old me today? Come now, speak boy. Woof woof".

His voice was full of rudeness and contempt, as well as hatred. Still, the man in pitch black armor let out a chuckle. He was a large man who stood tall, wearing jet black armor made of an unknown metal. He was over two meters tall, and had a scar above one eye. His black eyes gazed with contempt at the boy, and he was quite clearly antagonistic. The boy had responded to that with his own antagonism, calling him the Black Dog. He seemed rather rough and rugged, so perhaps he was more like a wild hound then a trained guard dog.

"You have been sleeping quite a lot lately. And the council is concerned, since all of a sudden your predictions are starting to be wildly off the mark, Oracle. By any chance, are you trying to screw us over, those who shelter, house, bathe, and feed you?"

He had a haughty tone, but his gaze was sharp. Still, the boy did not turn to match it. He did however pretend his free hand was his mouth, having it take such a shape and using it to speak to him instead.

"The rupture of space and time seems to have drastically altered the timelines. I must say, this is the first time this has happened in these two decades" he said, his tone dramatic and rather emphasized in its dismay, before finally turning towards the man in black armor. He pulled on his collar a little, revealing his neck and the choker around it. He motioned the black dog forward, and then ran a finger across his neck. "If you are so dissatisfied though, you could always separate my head from my body, mutt".

Incidentally, he was actually in his thirties. However, the power of Oracles were great. When one awakens their power, they typically do it as a preteen, and it burns out parts of their brain and body. He had lost the ability to grow, but there were some who lost their sanity, and others who ended up terminally ill. Some lose the ability to use their limbs, others go blind or lose their hearing or taste. The Oracle often got sick as well, due to their imbalanced body. It was the price they paid for the ability to peer into the countless potential timelines, and recieve information of probably futures. The sheer power of time they held, it was hubris to think one could keep it in their bodies so easily.

So the fact that he had only lost the ability to grow was one of the better outcomes, although one could argue it is partially what gave him his current nasty personality, in addition to his current circumstances for the past two decades.

He snorted. "You know, for someone who essentially gets treated like royalty, you sure do love to encourage me to kill you".

"Please, dont say such false things we both know are not true. I am simple trapped within a Gilded Cage, and you are my warden, Black Dog. I cannot step foot outside this room unless you or the Council allows it, and my power is limited to this room as well".

"You say that, but you have been here for over twenty years, brat. I am sure you have some thoughts on how to escape".

The boy simply gave him an angelic smile, and yet the malice from it was palpable. Even the Black Dog snickered.

"If only the people knew how much of a rotten personality their Oracle had".

"It's only like this because I am just a prisoner, a tool or a pawn to be discarded. I am sure the Council is already looking for a new Oracle to replace me. They probably see me as too dangerous...speaking of which, your friend Shugen went with Councilor Farzil to get a buried treasure. Have they returned yet?"

At those words, the Black Dog finally got angry and threw an ornate chalice from the table at the boy. It was thrown with such force it would have been a serious injury, but a barrier appeared and stopped it before it could reach him. The boy simply shrugged, giving off a smile as he used his hands to invite him forward, once again bowing his head as he exposed his neck.

"You bastard. You know how much trouble that caused us? Losing one of my friends, as well as a councilor?!"

"Now now. You are clearly not thinking clearly. After all, you know this choker of mine protects me just as much as it keeps me a prisoner here. As for your question, I only obediently played my part. They wanted information on treasure, and the Oracle had been forced to comply. I am always forced to comply with your demands after all".

The Black Dog growled, grabbing the boy by the scruff of his neck and throwing him across the room, causing him to hit a wall. The barrier prevented serious injury, except from the Black Dog directly.

"Your mastery of sophistry is a pain. You knew they would die if they went there".

"I have no way of knowing such details for certain" the boy replied, smiling as he dusted himself off. The two stared each other down, which meant the Black Dog had to look down, being over two meters tall, while the Oracle had to look up as his arms were crossed.

"You bastard. You knew exactly what would happen".

"I did not know. I would have been forced to tell them if I did. You know that, mutt".

"You swine!"

"What are you going to do, beat me again?"

"Hmmf. As tempting as that offer is, I don't trust you enough right now not to be pulling something".

"Oh my? But I am trapped here, in this gilded cage, forced to obediently comply with all your demands. Why not free me then, either release me from the Ivory Tower, or take my head. I care not for which method you choose".

He gestured with his hands as he said that, as he bowed his head forward his arms reached out and down, his palms opened as if inviting him in. it was a emphasized and dramatic display for sure, but the black dog did not take the bait.

"...you know very well I cannot kill you without permission, brat".

"Tee hee".

"But you think the Council is going to let that slide?"

"Oh, I am sure they wont. But, I am not their only worry right now either" he said, before shooing off the Black Dog. "Now, I have to get to my official duties for the actual Church, not those sleezy councilors, you know? Thanks to a huge shift in the timeline, I need to write all new prophecies and oracles. Ahh, such a pain. Especially about the Four Cardinal Cataclysms".

The Black Dog kicked him to the ground, before storming out. The Oracle laid there for a bit, before getting back up.

"Now then, before he sends someone to torture and interrogate me to extract any new Oracles I am keeping from them, let's just edit and modify my memory a bit" he mused. "After all, I can't have them discovering my little trips through the Spirit World just yet. And after all the work I did too, especially regarding the Starfall. Besides, I doubt I will be needed again for a few weeks by any of them".

His ambiguous words lingered in the air as he placed a finger to his head.

[Invoke Dual Mind. Hounds howl at midnight! Cloud Sky Sync. Let's have some fun soon, kay? Redaction Replacement. Fog rolling over].

With a strange incantation in a strange voice, he invoked some sort of magic or power, and his mind was altered.

"What was I...ah yes, I have to write down the new oracles" he said, when three knights came back in with the Black Dog as they barged through the doors in a hurry. "What is this?"

"Just another friendly session of prying that head of yours open" the Black Dog said, unaware that he was a step too late. The Oracle stood there, glaring at him.

"Prepare to be disappointed again, you paranoid mutt".

"Says the thirty year old brat".

And so the Oracle was forced into a rather painful interrogation, prolonged by the fact they never gained anything of note. But for now, the existence of the Starfallen, and the truths that were being kept hidden, remained out of reach from the Dark Side of the Church.

Meanwhile, Kuroki and Riku arrived at the shop. Kuroki did the proper opening procedure, when he realized something.

Wait hold on, Riku has a crush on Kaede...but wasn't Kaede still being punished?!

Kuroki went to stop Riku, but he already entered. He raced in as well, only to see Riku already swarmed by women. Kaede had a bit of a red face as she was behind the counter, but she couldn't look away.

Riku's clothes fell briefly to the side, and Kuroki felt awkward, being the only clothed one of them there, that he considered joining them...but they wouldn't be there for long.

He went over to Kaede.

"Sorry, I forgot you were still being punished".

"Ah, actually I am not anymore" Kaede mentioned.

"Then why..."

"Well, as of today. She said that Amyris mentioned that I had to wait for this next customer, and then it would be fine. She said that any longer was unnecessary because of what happened with Valiance".

That had been a rather nasty thing. Amyris had mentioned to him Ellie tended to accept such excuses easily, so long as they were legitimate.

Apparently she had to endure for Riku's sake. However, her face still seemed red, and she seemed quite shy. Kuroki figured since Riku would get dressed again right after, and so would Kaede, he was fine not to strip, but he was curious on something.

"...so, why are you red exactly?"

"I mean, thats my classmate! Its Riku-chan! He is really popular you know? Everyone looks out for Riku cause of what happened to him plus his shitty uncle, but he is also super cool! He stood up to bullies who were mean to me and even older kids, and often helped everyone out! He was really cool and nice and cool! PLus...a lot of girls in my class thought he was cute..."

Ahhh, the face you are making indicates you are one of them.

Kuroki mused. It appeared that Kaede's crush was reciprocated. Riku had a crush on her as well. Kuroki was enjoying quite a feast right now. He was surprisingly into gossip like this.

Amyris must have told Ellie, who must have either told Kaede already and saw her reaction, or already heard about Riku from Kaede. She absolutely knew, that was why this was a thing. She probably thought that such a crush shouldn't get such a one sided view, so now they both saw each other like this...oh, it seems like Riku is done.

The army of women returned to the back, leaving Riku red faced on a box.

"What the hell was that?!"

"Thats how tailors work. By the way, Kaede...those women, are they projections after all?"

Kaede shook her head.

"Nope. I talked to them over lunch, and they have their own personalities. All six of them. So I dont think they are fake or automatons, though...Ellie is a master enchanter. Its possible".

"Kaede?" Riku asked, confirming as he stepped off the box. He seemed fully entranced, but when he saw that she was as bare as him he blushed.

"No worries Riku, you will get used to it" she said, walking over and shaking his hand. She was red as well, but she tried to play it cool.

Afterwards they got dressed. As they all stood there, Riku felt something stir in his heart.

"Now, this is more like it".

"It kinda feels like we are an Adventurer Party now, right boys".

"Yeah" Kuroki nodded.

Ellie then came out, and saw the three of them.

"Ah, there you all are. Now, Kaede still needs to register at the adventurer's guild".

"Wait, I thought she was staying here to help out".

"That will be her main job, but I wont always be here. So she needs to be able to earn her own money, especially if something ever happens to me. Normally family would take care of that for an emergency, but we dont know where her family is, and they likely dont have the resources to spare right now anyways. Besides...her skills are more suited for combat then one would think".

"Eh?"

"But isn't she a normal girl?"

"I am indeed..." Kaede said reluctantly, before continuing. "I wanted to be better at cooking and preparing meat, so that wish translated into knife and dissection skill. I wanted to be able to heal my family, so it seems I got healing magic. I wanted to protect myself from the rain more easily, so I gained barrier magic. I wanted to always be healthy so I don't bother my parents, so I got a more robust physical ability and more stamina. I wanted to be strong enough to support everyone, so I gained quite a bit of strength. I wanted to be able to hide from bullies, so I also seem very capable of being stealthy and sneaking around".

They were all very normal wishes, the one any normal child would have. However, it seems that while absurd overpowered abilities were not granted, that didn't stop very ordinary wishes from becoming exceptional abilities during the Starfall process. Or rather...

"Wait, I feel like I heard a scary thing in there. Did you say dissection?"

Kaede blushed a bit. She was more embarrassed about that then being seen by Riku earlier. It seemed to be a sore spot for her.

"I seem to be able to just know how to cut and clearly target vital points, and effectively cut things up...living or dead".

"Ah...well, thats...so you are a knife wielder?"

She showed two knives holstered at her waist. They were large, more like daggers really.

"Well, I guess we sort of have a complete party. Kaede has healing..."

"Ah, I have healing abilities too" Riku mentioned.

"...of course you do. Well, we have a Warrior with healing abilities, a rogue with healing abilities, and a mage. This seems like a well balanced party".

"Alright then, lets have a normal register this time!"

"Riku...I feel like that wont happen. I think its somehow set up so that any newly registered adventurer gets into a fight".

"What? So that wasn't natural?"

"No way it was! I think if no one acts up, someone would find a way to pick a fight anyways".

"...so thats why Amyris, Ozlo, and Riza all disappeared on us?"

"Yeah, that was the biggest giveaway. The fact they disappeared like that makes me sure of it. Its some sort of adventurer tradition or hazing thing. THey probably let the rowdy members do it naturally, but if no one does, someone else would find an excuse to pick a fight I am sure".

"So that guy I fought first?"

"He was probably a plant".

"Ahh! But he seriously came at me!"

"I am sure he did. But I bet he would have stopped, or been stopped, before the final blow".

"Wait though, what about you Kuroki?"

"Ah...we kinda pissed off a group of six, and those guys were probably a natural encounter. To be honest, me and Riku were kinda flashy too...so someone might pick a fight with you for revenge".

"...I feel like your earlier explanation was all an excuse so you wouldn't get blamed for what is about to happen".

"Nah nah" Kuroki denied...and pretty badly at that.

Kaede pouted.

"Fine fine, lets go".

"Back to the guild! Woot!"

"I hope we don't get pulled into it. Kaede might not earn F-Rank if we help out after all".

"You assume she will as well?!"

Kuroki looked back at Riku. "You heard those abilities".

"Ah, fair. I feel bad for Mob A already".

And so they went to the adventurer's guild. Ozlo was there, and naturally right after registering, Kuroki and Riku got pestered by Ozlo asking if they could be available to keep checking in for a few days. During that time, Kaede proceeded to defeat some ruffian that said she looked too weak and young to be there, rather decisively at that.

And so, she got promoted to F-Rank like them, and was also asked to regularly check back in with the guild for the next few days.

Kuroki. Akano. Juno. Reiji. Kaede. Riku. Everyone had been registered now, and was now an F-Rank adventurer. Their journey of adventure and magic had now finally, and officially, begun.

Meanwhile, in the sewers, scuttering sounds could be heard. So far, nothing major had happened of course. But people were creeped out, and the rogues and criminals who typically used them to travel around felt as if something was off, and tried to only use them when necessary.

Perhaps they could sense it. Something was off. Something was different. Something had changed.

Something was wrong.

A pair of red eyes lurked below.

The time was soon approaching.

The moment was nearly here.

And so was the horror.

Rolling back time to shortly after the Starfall in the north, regarding the Northern Cardinal Cataclysm...

Hokoro Kyoudo had awoken in a crater, completely naked and rather confused, when a large group of clearly Not-Humans from his perspective attacked him. They were similar to humans, but they were clearly Not-Humans. He didn't really care much more then that, but he did care what they used to attack him with.

It was magic, clearly and plainly. And that...that was a problem.

"Tsk. I cant allow someone of my own blood to be a disgrace to us. Magic is for girls, us males only need martial arts after all".

Spouting such things, he could vaguely feel it. Instinctively, he understood the direction his foolish son in his mind was.

But he also understood roughly that he was very far away, and the feeling itself was hazy. As if something was actively blocking it.

Hokoro's Wish to always find and control his son, and Kuroki's wish of wanting to be free of his father was clashing.

"Tsk. I will have to take some clothes from these guys. I will probably need to get some understanding of the area too, and...probably a mode of transportation. But I can't dally. That idiotic son of mine, I have to show him that this is for his own good. Or make sure he doesn't sully my name permanently".

The Demons had been no match for him, as he stole their clothes and proceeded to make his way forward. The Cardinal Cataclysm of the North had begun to make his move.

At the same time back at the beginning, in the west, a man strolled past a few people, having already acquired their clothes. He was a lean man, but his body had a few scars on it. All within the past few months, too.

"To think, I would lose all my assets and be sent to prison...only to lose them all permanently by being dragged into another world".

Noticably, he kept passing by rather realistic golden statues of people. Yes, they looked very realistic...as if they were people who had been turned into gold.

"Still, to think I would be given a power so suited and based on my desires...how lovely" he said, his gaze full of obsession. Of greed.

The Cardinal Cataclysm of the West began to look and see what his potential profits were. Theft, assault, murder. Nothing mattered so long as he made a profit. That was why he had been sent to jail in the first place.

Meanwhile, in the south, a fifteen year old girl walked through a forest. She already seemed to have clothes, and it was a nice dress too. There was a bit of blood on it though, and as she walked by, a large sabertooth tiger monster appeared and tried to attack her. The moment it did though, it was pushed back by an invisible force and destroyed.

"How bothersome. What do you say...what was your name?"

A boy appeared behind her, wearing merchant clothes. He seemed entirely focused on her.

"Azla, my lady".

"Ah yes, Azla. You feel nothing, even though I murdered your family right?"

He twitched a bit, but otherwise seemed entirely devoted to her. "Of course my lady. They wanted to make you work. I understand how bad that would be, such a wonderful lady like yourself".

"Good good. Then let us find suitable servants for me. I wish to rest and have people wait on me to my hearts content after all".

"Of course my lady. Its what someone like you deserve after all" he said without hesitation. She smiled at that.

"Good. Now, show me to this town you said is nearby".

"Of course, my lady" Azla said, as he began to lead the way.

And meanwhile, in the east, a old woman appeared from a crater.

"Oh my oh my. This is quite the disaster" she said. However, there was a very strange and abnormal difference between her and the other Starfallen. For one thing, she was fully clothed. She didn't seem surprised or shocked at all, but rather dismayed. "This is all quite bad. None of this is supposed to happen at all".

She seemed calm, and yet in a moment, she flung a pebble with her cane, and it obliterated a boulder. A cold fury was in this granny's eyes.

"I suppose I will just have to teach them a lesson then".

No one would know how things would end up. It might be a long time before these forces would encounter Kuroki and his friends. But they were making their moves. And the ripples from these events would have unimaginable consequences.