We already see some of the changes I made to the plot here. It isn't much but hopefully it'll produce significant changes later down the line.
Thank you for reading.
5K words.
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—
The seasons danced around them yet again. Snow formed, melted, and then flowers bloomed and wilted…
Multiple times this cycle occurred, and before he knew it, over five years had passed since the day he had been born.
/Clang!/
/Clang!/
"Hum… This is enough for now."
"O-Okay…" Silver replied amidst heavy gasps
Not long after he recovered, he grabbed his wooden sword and carefully stored it in the wall stand… Yes, a sword… It wasn't sharp; rather blunt, actually. But it was very sturdy.
It was his gift from his grandfather for his fifth birthday. One he had to beg non-stop for several weeks to get. Made out of resilient iron oak, it was extremely sturdy!
"All done." He added once he cleaned everything
"Good, leave the rest to me. Don't be late tomorrow again, alright?" Saphos asked as he rested his own wooden sword on his shoulder
Silver ran away with only a few words, "I won't!"
"Humph… that brat…"
…
After leaving the warehouse where he trained every day. Silver's next stop was the shower, followed by a study session at his grandparents' office. So he dashed downhill with a faint smile on his face, taking in the warm breeze as it brushed past his face.
In the last few years, he had read most if not all books within their library, and he had even sneaked a peek at Grandmother Misty's secret archives. The documents she kept hidden and her most prized collection…
This had been most of his schedule, but now that the books were thinning and his autonomy as a child was increasing, he knew it was time to move on with his life.
Now that he had grown a little, he thought it was time to build a foundation for the future… He could forge, farm, or learn some other craft… but why all the training? Well… hadn't he made it clear already?
Orario! The Dungeon! One of the great wonders of the world! The place where all the strong and talented eventually converged. Where an enormous chunk of the gods live! The place where their legends and the myths of thousands of years all end at…
Silver wanted to figure out its secrets. To have the adventure he was unable to have in lifetimes past…
"Sigh... my hands hurt…" He mumbled as he looked at the calluses on his hands
'This is all for the future… this is a world of many dangers. Without Plasmids or just the power of conventional weaponry, I'll have to rely on my body to make do.'
'If I can train myself enough, I could potentially become even more powerful than I was before! And if I can figure out some of the secrets and mechanisms behind my reincarnation… wouldn't there be a possibility of me returning to my past life's world?'
"Though that's mostly wishful thinking…"
'Right now, training serves to increase my physical aptitude. The more I train, the greater my prospects will become, but that isn't the goal of training. It's all about survival. The rest is just a consequence of it.'
'I train not for what it could do but to achieve something else. To explore the Dungeon!'
'Then again, there are far more benefits to training… but most of those will only manifest when I receive a god's baptism. Until then, I can only work my hardest so that when the time comes, I'll be at my utmost physical state.'
'What I have the most of is time anyway… though that makes me wonder…'
"Where on the timeline am I?"
Silver frowned as he walked downhill. He reached the village and went past it, going home. Once inside, he went towards his room and quickly began flipping through his collection.
Throughout the years his family had given him quite a few books, either from their own collection or from merchants traveling across their land. Over time, it grew into a sizable collection of a few dozen units.
/Flip…/
"Let's see… as expected."
'I needed no confirmation of this, but I still looked around just in case. It seems the One-Eyed Black Dragon has yet to be challenged.'
'The Black Dragon is the strongest monster known and the subject of many tales and legends. It's a monster that escaped the Dungeon in ancient times, and slaying it is one of the Three Great Quests.'
'In the original story, the Black Dragon is challenged by the strongest array of adventurers and heroes of the last 1000 years, if not ever… even so, they lost. The tale of their struggle was buried to prevent public mayhem, and amidst the conflicts and challenges everyone faced over the years, the event was forgotten in time.'
'The Dungeon is a complex labyrinth located under Babel in Orario.'
'Orario is the only place in the world that has a Dungeon and many people of different races gather from across the world to explore it… there's not much on it, unfortunately. The Dungeon's true nature and purpose is something all Gods, no matter how evil or good, collectively hide.'
'The Dungeon is the greatest enemy of mankind, spawning countless creatures, each stronger than the last in an attempt to consume the world above.'
'As for the three great quests… those refer to the subjugation of the Behemoth, Leviathan, and the One-Eyed Black Dragon, some of the strongest monsters ever spat out by the Dungeon. There may be stronger ones in both legend and inside it, but those have either already long died, or are so far down the earth they may never escape.'
'As of now, I can't say for certain if any of them have been defeated. News takes time to reach us, so if they defeated them a year or two from now, we still wouldn't know.'
'Wait… hum… I do remember overhearing something about them… when I was younger my grandparents mentioned going to Orario to gather supplies for my birth… they might've learned something then.'
'I'll ask them later. This could help me form an idea of where I am in the timeline… I wouldn't want to be late when the main events of the story start, right?'
'I don't quite remember much of it though… certainly more than enough, but I don't think I ever finished the story. Even then, it's hard to say if this world will follow everything I know. My existence alone might've already altered the flow of some events…'
'It doesn't matter either way. I'll grow strong enough to defend myself, even if my opponent is the legendary dragon of myth. If the story changes from my actions… then so be it.'
'I'll not live my life waiting for the Hero to be born so he can clear my worries. I have some shame.'
Antonoine… or rather, Silver grew with the mentality of achieving the things he wanted himself. If someone were to help him, then it would be under his command.
He had lived like that for over a century after all… some habits would take some time to clear. He would adapt and change as he had done before. It was only a matter of time.
…
Silver left his home to the nearest river. Taking a shower at a section hidden by the bushes. From here he could see his grandparent's home uphill.
'I feel like I've been living there more than my own home… Mother seems unhappy with this, but that's my father's problem to deal with.'
/Splash…/
"Phew… chilly…" He muttered as he touched the water with his feet
'During this time of the year, the water can get quite cold… I miss the steaming hot showers from Rapture… I wonder how they're doing now.'
'I left most of my research there and even my personal diaries… there is quite some compromising stuff there… although I wrote it all on cypher hahaha… I wonder if someone will ever figure out how to make Ambrosia.'
'The research to make it is scattered throughout my diaries, only as notes from me since I didn't have the habit of keeping research papers… I didn't need to given my strong memory.'
'Anyhow, if all of it is gathered, I suppose it would be about 70% complete? They're in for quite the trouble.'
"Well… that was one reason I went somewhere secretive and quiet to die…"
'Ambrosia gave me incredible power, but it also caused my demise… in due time my very body was going to break apart, causing any clues regarding its structure to go along with it. If someone is lucky enough to recover and preserve my body before that happens… then they might have a possibility of recreating it.'
/Splash!/
All of a sudden, a small blue toad jumped into the water stream. But before it could vanish, Silver grabbed it.
"Would you look at that? Hello friend."
/SQUEEEEK/
"Yeah yeah… go on now."
/Ploft!/
"A world full of wonders huh… ARRRG?! Something bit my fucking toe!!"
Time passed as Silver enjoyed his bath. Soon after cleaning and drying himself, he ran back home to continue with his schedule.
Back to the library it was. To bury his mind in research…
…
/Later…/
"Let's see… today I'll be reading about Plants and Herbs. The last category of books from my grandfather's collection."
'After this, there won't be much more for me to study, so it's either practice or… more practice.'
'I could go play with other kids my age but uh… nah… I'm not old… but I'm too old for that.'
He flipped the first page, "Time to dig in!"
…
/Later…/
"… urg… these books are horrible, like the rest… they're an utter mess of organization."
'It's all I have though…'
/CRASH!/
"Hum?!"
'Did Grandma drop another plate? Sigh… I don't hear conflict I wager it wasn't grandfather's fault this time…'
/BANG!/
But soon after, he heard something crashing against the walls, causing even his room to shake slightly.
'Oi! This isn't the usual accident! What's happening this time?'
/Creak…/
Silver slowly reached for the door, looking outside. The house was completely dark, albeit he could still see a little with his strong vision and the moonlight, 'Strange. It's already way past dinner yet grandma has yet to put up the candles…'
His eyes narrowed, 'Something's wrong. She never missed her timing, ever!'
/Crack…/
The wood twisted as someone made their way upstairs. Silver could easily tell from the sound of their footsteps… this wasn't one he was used to. It was far heavier than that.
He quickly hid inside a wardrobe and waited. Using his enhanced senses to keep track of their location.
/Step.../
/Step.../
'Those aren't grandma's nor grandfather's steps. I can recognize them by the sound of their shoes. They each have one pair of shoes to use inside the house, and if grandfather uses the wrong set, grandma would kick him out. The same goes for father… sometimes even me…'
'And I never saw grandma use the wrong pair even once… shit. Are we being robbed? And I thought this village was peaceful… maybe it was only a matter of time.'
In this chaotic world with monsters roaming around the place, villages like these were but momentary. All it took was a few weak monsters or one strong one to end it all… one unlucky moment in an otherwise peaceful life.
And most of the time, monsters weren't the biggest issue. People who took advantage of the chaos and void between nations and the wilderness to strike at those too far to receive their protection… those were the biggest dangers of them all.
If not nations led by corrupt and powerful individuals far beyond the reach of ordinary citizens… but perhaps the worst of them all…
What if your opponent was a God?
/Hold…/
He picked up a sharp candle holder inside the wardrobe and prepared to strike.
/Crunch.../
'ITS TIME!'
Jumping out of the closet, using the doors to stun the target, Silver swung his blade! The moment the sharp piece of wood was about to hit him…
He grabbed the kid's hand.
"!!!!!"
For a moment, Silver felt as if the world had stopped. This person either had insane reflexes, or he knew he was here from the beginning.
He fell into a slight panic as his thought raced, 'To have such reflexes… someone from a Familia? But why…'
Silver could feel his body grow weak, not because of him but due to an innate instinct. Being this small, there were many things he couldn't control, and things used to be even worse when he was smaller.
The moment he felt the man's hand reach his head, he took this chance to bite it!
/CHOMP!/
"!"
But he felt as if he were chewing on a tire, causing no damage whatsoever to his assailant.
'Oh no! There has to be…'
/Spit!/
He tried spitting in the man's face, but the man easily dodged it. With no alternative, he made his last, most desperate move!
/Swoosh!/
His legs moved at an incredible speed as aimed towards his balls! No matter how fast he was, there was no way he'd be able to evade it! Now… if it would be effective, that was hard to say. In this darkness, Silver couldn't tell its gender.
/Thud.../
But he once again blocked it with his free hand. With the same hand, he held onto his other arm, rooting him in place as if he had been bound by metal.
"Oh no…"
'I tried my best, but there's just no solution. My only hope is that he doesn't kill me immediately, until I figure out how to escape. I should've run away when I could instead of hiding!'
'If only I had my Plasmids…'
At that moment, against Silver's expectations, the man hugged him, "It's okay now, Silver. Your grandpa is here."
"Grandpa..."
"Haha… to think you would be so fierce… HAHAHA! You're a smart boy, but you definitely took this from her! She was just like you back in the day!"
Still a bit shaken, Silver grit his teeth to try to calm his raging heart down, "... What happened…"
His grandfather's hearty tone shifted as he coughed faintly. He looked away as he thought of an excuse… "Just… broken cutlery. Your grandmother is down there taking care of things."
But Silver did not let go of it, "... I am not that dumb, grandpa…"
"You aren't… Sigh…"
Saphos looked at his grandson with an awkward smile before patting his head and shaking his shoulders, turning him around and pushing him down the hallway to his room.
"It's nothing, anyway. Go to sleep. We'll take care of the rest. If she sees you walking around now, she'll skin the both of us alive, so do me a favor and stay put."
"… Fine… but you'll give me a real sword in exchange."
"What?! You're too young. And what are you going to do with a real sword?"
"I'm gonna tell grandma."
"Arg! You stubborn lad… Fine! I'll give you something soon… but this remains between us, alright?"
"Okay!"
Silver did as he was told and ran down the hallway with a faint smile on his face.
"… She'll kill me for this… whatever…"
'Perhaps this is for the best.'
…
Around an hour later, he was called by his grandma, so he went downstairs to meet her.
/Crack…/
"Watch your foot, dear. I've caused quite a mess this time."
"…"
'I can tell.'
Silver saw broken pieces of wood and furniture all around. Although most had been cleaned, he could still see broken areas in the house. Small shards could be cleaned, but shattered walls and scarred wood could not be replaced so easily.
To make matters worse, his grandmother had purposely kept everything dark. Only the table inside the kitchen itself had a few candles lit up. Everything else was cast in utter darkness.
/Sniff…/
'This smell…'
He could even smell blood. But it's unknown whether that's from the meat or from somewhere else… in either case, it made him feel even worse.
As he reached the kitchen, he saw both of them sitting on the table peaceful, waiting for him to join them.
He couldn't resist anymore, "... Grandma, what happened?"
"..."
"Grandma…?"
"... It's nothing, sweetie, just some problems from decades ago. Now, finish your curry." She said as she placed a large bowl of curry on the table
The atmosphere was a little gloomy… "Grandma… I already ate…"
"Eat your curry."
"… okay…"
'Looks like I'll be meeting the bush quite a bit tomorrow…'
Soon after he finished eating, Silver went to his room… A few seconds after he left, Ullie's eyes narrowed down as her suppressed anger exploded outward!
She held the table, almost throwing it upward. Thankfully, Saphos was there to stop her, "To think they would follow us all the way here! They almost… bastards!"
"Dear... do you want to wake up the whole village?"
'I need to calm her down a little... let's change the subject.'
Saphos smiled, "You had to see little brat. He looked like a beast! He tried to bite and kick me; the little brat even spat at my eyes haha… He sure is your grandson alright, no doubts about that."
She seemed to calm down a little, smiling awkwardly as she was reminded of the past, "Blood sure is thick, huh? Marcus got your mumbled brain while the grandson got my fierceness."
/Crunk…/
As she said that, she removed her collar, causing her body to change… Two cat ears popped up on her head, her nails got slightly sharper and a tail appeared behind her.
She was actually a demi-human! "Haa… so much better now!" She said as she stretched her arms and legs underneath the table
Saphos, on the other hand, looked at her ears and tail and sighed, "Look at that gray fur… time sure has left its marks on you."
"#!!! You are one to talk old man! You can not even lift your sword anymore!"
Saphos almost spat his food, "What?! Of course, I can!"
Ullie smiled, memories of the past resurfacing in her eyes. She smiled faintly, but she soon hid it away as her ears twitched, "As if... Before we continue talking… how about the young man over there come here?"
"!"
"You've been busted. Come out, child. We don't have all day." Saphos added as he crossed his arms
"Step…"
Knowing his cover had been blown, Silver entered the kitchen with his head low and arms behind his back. Ready to receive his punishment.
He did notice Ullie's ears. When he saw them, he was reminded of a faint memory from long ago… but he couldn't quite recall them.
"It's bad to spy on others, Silver." Ullie said sweetly as she looked down at him from her seat
Seeing that, Saphos snickered inside his mind, 'Now she speaks sweetly, huh… The only time she ever spoke with me like that was when we first met... when I proposed to her, the day we married… and uh… when Marcus was born?'
'Why did I choose this rough woman as my wife?…'
"Yes…"
'If I don't act naturally… she'll woop my ass again… act naturally…'
Seeing his fingers moving behind him, Ullie smile deepened before she suddenly pounced down!
"Arg! I can't do this!" She exclaimed as she picked Silver up
She hugged him strongly as if he were about to fly away.
Almost crying, she held him in her arms, "I was so scared! So scared! My little thing, never scare grandma again!!"
"Ugh…"
'My spine… has bent…'
"You are suffocating him, Lia!" Saphos cried as he dashed to pry him from her
…
/Gasp…/
After a slight tug of war, Silver was let go and allowed to breathe on the side. As he gasped for air, Ullia reached out for his little nose, saying:
"You are a curious boy, aren't you? Just like when Marcus was little… but it's about time for you to sleep, okay?"
"Okay…" Said Silver as he turned around and went up the stairs
'Seems like I won't hear anything this time… and I severely underestimated my grandparent's abilities. I always thought of them as being retired Level 1 adventurers, but maybe now they were Level 2 all along.'
'With senses like that…'
This time, Silver truly went all the way to his room. What was he supposed to do? Stay and receive a beating from two adventurers?
They say a beating from your loved ones hurts the most… he had experienced that a few times already… no more.
"… He is so similar to you that it's scary." Saphos said with a faint exhale as he laid down on his chair
Ullia had a downcast expression, with her two cat ears down, "That used to be my greatest fear when Marcus was born... but now it seems it has returned with my grandson."
"I fear he'll eventually commit the same mistakes as me."
"That won't happen… little Silver at least knows how to use his head, hahaha…" He then grew serious, "What do we do now? They know where we are."
'It's been over twenty years since we last met… but it seems they still hold that flimsy belief.'
Ullie took a deep breath, "Leaving isn't an option, not on our own… they can't remain alone. No matter how strong those two are, they'll never be able to protect them. This issue came from nothing but our stubbornness in the past, didn't it?"
"We made the right decision at the time… though I wonder if we should've conceded by now… anyhow, I can call some friends back in the city; this should give us some time. We can also talk with those other two and figure something out with them."
"They are also aware of our situation, you know them better than even me."
"Just thinking about dragging them into this mess…"
"Come on, we've had this conversation dozens of times already. Otherwise, we wouldn't have allowed Marcus to marry Rubia all those years ago."
"Humph... fine."
"I knew you'd agree… we have little time left, and from the looks of things, they know it. I thought we would've been able to talk this through… but you overdid it."
"They threatened our family, Saphos! How could I continue listening to them? The moment they spoke that I knew they were undeserving of it."
"I agree, but that doesn't make things any easier."
"Sigh... What do you propose then?"
Saphos tapped the table, "We must think of the future. We can not protect them forever."
"Now that the possibility of a peaceful resolution is over, and given Marcus and Rubia are well past the age to learn how to defend themselves… there's only one thing we can do to ensure their safety… at least until we figure out a way to talk with them again."
"That won't be happening!"
"It's just a possibility. Even if their words were harsh and their intentions impure… between an old promise and family… if I have the chance, I'll gladly throw it aside. It's what his lordship would've desired."
"Never would he have wanted a promise to endanger the lives of his children. But if that's your decision, I'll abide for it… especially when I cannot trust them to keep their word after."
"Without that for us to rely upon, then I can only call upon my old contacts to protect them."
"Do you want to send them to the city where it's the most dangerous?! You know how things are around there! People can't protect themselves, much less others."
"You're making this hard on me… fine… if nothing works, this leaves us with only one option."
"Let's train little Silver into…"
"NO! He is just a child, Saphos!" Ullie exclaimed as she clenched her fists
"Yes, he is, but that will not be the case forever. I am not saying we should train him with such expectations, but that we should give him the bare minimum to protect himself and his parents. The other two are certainly going to agree with me on this."
"We should be the first to raise this subject with them otherwise they'll want to turn Silver into something else…"
Ullie closed his eyes "... You speak as if him becoming an adventurer wasn't your goal… you know better than me that's the inevitable outcome if we do teach him."
Saphos smiled awkwardly, "Little Silver is… talented. He's intelligent, perceptive, and above all, he seemed to have the determination. He has the basic resources to become strong, Lia! Don't tell me you didn't realize from watching him over the years?"
"Little Silver was born to go out there. Village life is… far too little for him, no matter how much I wanted to deny it."
/Silence…/
He smiled slyly… "The "Demon Cat" of the past would've agreed with me..."
"How cheeky of you to bring back a name I abandoned decades ago… "Fading sword"." She replied as she looked towards a long sword hanging above the fireplace
"Fading… indeed it has. Now those memories are as faded as my swordsmanship. I wager that with this body I can't even perform half of my sword moves without breaking a sweat."
"I feel old now…" He said as he remembered his younger times
"You should."
"Oh, you!…"
/Laughther…/
The two laughed in the night, discussing things beyond Silver's knowledge.
…
Later that day, somewhere far north… a village stood within a distant valley.
The village was utterly ruined. Destruction was everywhere, with merely the signs of its forgotten luster scattered around the area. Broken houses, tilted bridges, uneven farms with weeds growing as tall as a mane… yet people still lived here.
In the rubble of civilization, people still persevered… for they had nowhere else to go.
Somewhere on the outskirts of this depressing place, there is an abandoned inn. But that wasn't what mattered…
Underneath its rooting floorboards, beyond the shifting shadows of the dried curtains… an extensive underground complex spread, spanning several thousand square meters below sea level.
In one of the many rooms of this near-underground city stood an extensive library, an office.
Within, a man waited under the dim light of a candle, carving away wood with a small knife.
/Shaaa…/
Cold wind blew across the caverns, and the once silent room was breached by noise as someone stepped inside.
The hooded man stopped carving, "Report."
"We found them. Just north of Orario, in a medium-sized village around the outskirts of the Beol Mountain Range."
"That place… it must be within the direct territory of the Demeter Familia?"
"Not quite sir, another Familia exists in the region. A small presence that has grown in recent times. The Boreas Familia. The Demeter Familia claims most of the territory between the Beol Mountains and Orario, using it to supply the city."
"I see, it's been quite some time since I left, so I lost my sense of touch with the outside world… what became of the mission?"
"We lost contact with our agents. They failed to retrieve it."
"And their status?…"
"Most likely dead."
"So that was their choice… I thought there would still be some chance for discourse, that even if we could not return to what we were before, we might've been able to come to terms in the present… Seems like I was too optimistic."
"But for all envoys to have been taken down… they're still the same as ever despite their age. How old are they even now? Somewhere around their early fifties, I presume? Last time we met… was it over twenty years ago? Their child was still just about as tall as my knees…"
He looked away from the man before him, 'If only things had been different… then perhaps our paths wouldn't have diverted.'
'It is all to blame on my weakness.'
"Now that we've found them, have there been any reports of the item in question? I imagine the envoys did not act without notice? My orders were clear."
The man hesitated for just a moment, "Not yet, sir. I deployed some agents, but they were all repelled by the patrols of the Boreas Familia. We're now trying to regain our foothold in the region so we can resume our investigations."
"I understand. There is no rush… They aren't going anywhere… but if possible, do try to contact them peacefully, and this time, make sure your agents follow my orders." He said deeply as he tapped the table
"Trying to take what they were entrusted with through force won't do us well. Right now, we have more things to worry about than sending our first-class members after two elderly folk."
"Understood sir. This time I will more strongly enforce discipline in my soldiers."
"Good… is there anything else to report on this subject?"
"No sir, we'll continue to monitor both the target and the Boreas Familia."
"Keep an open eye on this Familia. No matter how small, you never know how things may turn out… as for you, don't neglect your training. You'll soon reach first class. It's about time you passed the mantle to someone else."
"Yes, sir."
"You may go now."
He nodded, and his body melted into the shadows as he disappeared.
The chilly breeze receded, and with it, silence returned to the room.
The man looked at the half-finished carving of a woman in his hands and grasped it tightly, his tone full of regret, "Sigh… what will a man do to seek one's dreams?"
He picked up a pendant and opened it. Inside, the faded picture of a large group of people was revealed. They seemed happy and decently armored, showing this was probably a well-off Familia of the past.
In the distant background, a tower reached for the heavens, albeit now it was far too difficult to notice.
"I'm really sorry… I've failed you all."
'If only you two of you hadn't left. Then perhaps all of us… no… they left for something I too once desired dearly…'
"I betrayed your trust and committed the most foul heresy against the one who loved me the most… I blame you not for being so aggressive. I deserve none of your trust."
'But for the sake of those that have passed, I cannot stop now. I must unravel the secrets our Lord left behind.'
"To continue moving forward into a better tomorrow. One where none shall feel… the same dread we did."
'… I will cleanse the Dungeon of this world.'
/Clack…/
He placed the pendant inside a small ornate box and opened the door of his office, going somewhere unknown...
...
.
.
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Notes
This chapter was originally larger, but I cut it in half because of its considerable size. We'll continue with its second time soon enough.