Chapter 21

                                    

                                          

Arthur Leywin POV

Laying on my stomach, with my face stuffed into a moist soil and my whole body in pain but manageable and fully exhausted, I contemplated everything that happened in the last, I think, 2 to 3 hours or less.
From my entire escape from the flying castle in a "Mission Imposible" style, how I managed to escape death more time than I could count on my fingers, the bizzare flashes of images of all my loved ones, and how many more, I was tired, depressed even.
Not for the fact that I had to endure all of this, but for the reason that my entire life—the life I was blessed with—one where I had family and friends and the chance of protecting them—a different life that I lived back as the Grey back on Earth was now ruined. I lost the chance of ever seeing them without putting their lives in danger, and I also lost the chance to achieve the little dreams I had in my previous life, all impossible back then but here realistic.

*bonk* *bonk* 

Something hard and stiff was hitting my head as I was speaking with myself. I offered no response back; leave me alone, whatever or whoever you are.
Back to my problems, I tried to form some plans and ideas for everything that could work and give me an advantage. Things that could help me clear my name of any wrongdoing or hell.
*bonk* *bonk*

"What if I surrender?" I was open-minded. There is no way for me, a simple and weak teenager, to be able to escape and run forever by all six Lances. Even if I put all my knowledge from my past to use, I would have to always look from my back at any possible danger, and even more. This type of runaway does not suit me at all or from anyone.
bonk bonk  For the third time, my head was again gently hit by something, anything. "Leave me alone," I grunted out loud, fed up with everything up to this point. "Maybe this is it," I realized with apathy. "For all my crimes and wars started by my own hand back on Earth, how can I ever be blessed with such a gift and opportunity?" Maybe I should just end here; after all, I have an entire continent in terms of what is coming for me. Why not just?"

"Ah, thank the mighty Lord from above," a woman, elderly by the voice and tone, sighed in relief. "For a moment, just for one, I really believed you were dead, young man. Come on now, we have a lot to talk  about!" As she continued to speak casually, I realized, with a thunderous thought, who she really was. My body rejected all the pain and fatigue I had acumulated, and in just a second, I stood on both feet, looking in disbelief and shock.

*E-Elder... Rinia?" I stumble on my own words—a very rare moment for me personally. "W-w-what the hell are you doing here?"

"Holy Lord above, you scared me there, Arthur! Did you forget that I am a sensible old woman with heart problems? You gave me nearly a heart attack." Rinia yelled back at me, covering with her voice all my questions.

"I'm sorry, but you too scared me. Out of all sudden, you appear out of nowhere and casually... ARGH!"

[...]
After our... very awkward encounter, to say the least, Elder Rinia invited me to follow her in some direction where she wanted me to pressent to someone in particular, for everyone's great benefit. With no idea what she was talking about, I was of course very skeptical about her plot, her motives, and her logic, but knowing Elder Rinia as a mysterious person since the first day I saw her back when I met Tessia and first arrived in the Eleanoir, I gave up and decided just to follow. I tried to put some questions for her, and she offered me no answer back, only saying that everything would make sense when we arrived 'there'.