SideQuest!

Act 4 - The Return

The sun was about to set when I decided to slide the door open to get some fresh outdoors air, as I'm bored to death being locked inside my room – which was somewhat dark because of the setting sun. As I stepped outside, I noticed Dr. Fuhan's assistants lighting up lamps posted around the zen garden and the house as the night slowly sets in. I was having a difficult time looking at my surroundings as I slid into my wooden slippers to walk around the premises, as I wasn't really used to the dim light these lamps were emitting. I had to squint as I try to adjust my eyes to the darkness.

Luckily, one of the servant girls walking around the estate decided to whip out a lamp encased in glass, lighted it and set it in front of the shrine with the blue flame hanging from a long rod. The light was a godsend as it emitted at least five times the brightness of a torch or a regular lamp and I was able to see my surroundings better. Being idle and all, I offered to help out and assisted in lighting up the rest of the lamps hanging on the fence or on the edges of the roof of the house, which the servants seemed to appreciate. One of the servant girls handed me a burning stick so I can help out. I took it, and proceeded to walk towards the first unlit lantern that I can reach – which was the one placed on the left hand side of the zen garden, near one of the idols. Suddenly, I felt a strange wave of nostalgia come over me as I guided the flame towards it. It brought back memories of me as a kid when I was visiting my grandmother in Seoul, who lived near a traditional Hanok village in one of the neighborhoods in the Jung District. I remember when I got to light one of the lanterns in the village. My father would hold me up and carry me towards the hanging lanterns as I held the small burning stick, setting the flammable component inside the lantern ablaze.

"Already busy helping out, I see." Sev commented as he guided my hand, pushing the stick lit on one end towards the lantern by guiding my hand when it seemed to have stopped halfway through. "Is something the matter? Are you all right, Julia?"

"Oh!" I bolted to respond, flustered as I snapped back into reality. "Uh...yeah."

"You look dazed. Are you sure?" he commented, eyes squinting.

"It's nothing." I answered dismissively, waving my hand away with an amused smile. "It's just, umm...it's been a while and...these lights remind me of home."

"You still use lanterns in Valencia?" he asked with a hint of suspicion.

"Yes. Why not?" I said. "I came from a poor family, remember?"

"Ahh, yes. Fair enough." Sev acknowledged in a soft tone. "Oh, how are you holding up, by the way?"

"My wound's healing up. Thank you." I replied with a grateful tone as I walked towards the next lantern to ignite it. "It's getting late, don't you think? Shinjiro hasn't come back. Shouldn't we be looking for him and his party right about now?"

"Nothing to worry. He's a former elite agent of the Royal Guard Interior Ministry and he has men with him. They'll do fine." Sev commented.

"He's a what?" I replied.

"Ahh, yes. Of course. Pardon me." Sev then paced towards one of the unlit lanterns and snapped his index finger alight. "The Interior Ministry is the official peace-keeping body of the imperial federal government established after the great civil war...or at least, it was."

"War?" I asked. "You had a civil war before this one?"

"Yes." he affirmed.

As soon as I ignited the remaining unlit lantern, I put out the flame flickering on the tip of the stick that I held. "I...didn't know that a conflict erupted here before this one. What happened?"

"In the past, Tosen-Kyushu had an emperor who left no heirs of his own before he died. A power vacuum was left at his death, and so the council of lords was convened to decide who the next ruler of the kingdom would be. Understandably, all of the lords immediately put themselves forward as candidates to the throne. And as you may have guessed, no one is willing to vote for anybody but themselves. Obviously, democracy will not settle the matter and only a show of force will determine the ruler of the land. And so, the land fell into conflict and the lords quickly submerged the kingdom into a quagmire of strife. Battles were rife among towns – as each of them fly different banners and all of them are vying for control. I'm sure you're aware that a civil war of this magnitude is costly and battles will certainly be bloody. Essential resources like food and iron that was supposed to be for the general populace were redirected to the military. The lords spared no expense for their war efforts, and at the time, the economy of the country revolved around war. Soldiering was a popular profession back then...understandably, and most of the boys at the time had mandatory training for combat. I was still a young boy at the time when I had my first taste of war, and I can still remember the feel of my first sword."

"Oh..." I gasped. "It must have been horrible for you as a child."

"...Yes." Sev replied with a forced smirk. "Funny enough, at the time, it was not the fear of death that terrified me the most during my time as a soldier."

"You have a really poor sense of self-preservation, you know that?" I joked.

"Maybe." he replied with a chuckle. "But you know...I'm going to be honest with you. This may sound a bit crazy, but to me, the war just felt...surreal. Like it was just a very long nightmare I just woke up from. It felt like I was there when the war happened...and at the same time, I wasn't."

"That's a fancy way of saying you have dementia." I replied.

"Why, thank you. What a charming remark." Sev scoffed.

Moments later, I heard a loud clanging of a bell as rows of radiant blue flames floating from a distance marched towards Junjo.

"I see movement from the north." I reported. "That must be them."

"Most likely. Come, let's go and meet them." Sev invited as he dashed down the brick staircase leading to the entrance - which was quite a drop from where I stand since Junjo is a town set on a valley.

"The f**k?! Hey, Sev! Don't leave me here!" I roared as I slowly descended the steps like an old woman as I try to catch up to him. "My injury still hurts, you big buffoon!"

"Oh, right." Sev exclaimed as he dashed back towards me. "My bad."

Without warning, Sev picked me up and carried me on his back.

"What the fuuuc-!"

"Hang tight!" he said as he jumped from the top of the staircase, zooming in on the entrance like a crane gliding through the air. I felt my arms wrap around his neck as I hang on for dear life. The bastard didn't even consider asking me first before doing his s**t. Good thing I modelled my character after myself sporting a short hair, else it'll be whipping my face at the rate Sev is gliding down these numerous steps.

"Sev, once my wound heals, I swear I'm going to murder you! Would it kill you to ask permission from me first?!" I complained as I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"I thought you Valencians are fond of flying?" he asked in an amused tone.

"Well, not like this!" I countered.

A few moments later, I can feel his descent decelerate as we gradually touched down and approached Shinjiro's party. From a distance, I can see the apparent gloom in the faces of the soldiers - like defeated men returning from a m******e. In their midst, I can see four foot soldiers carrying a chest that looks oddly similar to an in-game loot box.

"Shinjiro..." Sev exclaimed as he slowly let me off. "What news of Manjeong?"

Shinjiro was silent for a moment, half-dazed as he walked towards Sev and knelt.

"Everyone is dead. The Interior Ministry left none alive." he replied.

Sev bowed his head. "What of the shrine guardian, Lady Nima?"

At this, the ranks of soldiers parted as Shinjiro looked behind him, giving way to the men carrying the large, luminescent loot box. "Lady Nima asked us to give this strange box to the Valencian, your Highness. It...it was her dying wish."

"What?!" Sev gasped. "Who-...how?!"

"We're not sure, your Highness. But Lady Nima spoke of four warriors...whose abilities far surpass that of a shrine guardian. We were met by the Shepherd of Lost Souls. Not even he can give us an answer. Lady Nima directed us to give this box specifically to Julia Cheong. Perhaps, once the Valencian opens this box, we may get some answers."

At this, Sev directed his gaze towards me, his eyes filled with wonder.

"I suppose this is what the key was for." Sev exclaimed as he pointed his finger towards the circular cavity of the box. "Do the honors, Julia."

Sev then turned to Shinjiro and his men. "Shinjiro, Company. At ease. Go back to your homes. You have more than earned your rest."

At this, the men saluted by striking their fist against their chest. "Sir, thank you, sir!" they chanted in chorus as they took their leave while  Shinjiro and the four soldiers carrying the box remained.

Not long after, sakura petals converged near the box, swirling into a spiral as a figure materializes. Lady Yui immediately approached it, feeling the radiant cyan light running across its surface.

"Nima..." she said softly as she put her hand over her breast. She then moved her gaze towards me, looking at me intently. After a few second, she shifted her attention to Sev.

"Prince Josen...we must assemble the other shrine guardians. Nima has fallen. Only six of us remain. We must rally them all to our cause if we are to even get a chance of winning this war."

"Six?" Shinjiro remarked. "Are you suggesting-!"

"Yes. Even the shrine guardian of Shikoto, the capital city. I know it will be difficult, Shinjiro. But if what Onimaru told me about these four Hunters' are true, then we will need all the help we can get." Yui replied. It will be best if we discuss this matter further at my father's house. Prince Josen, can the outsider walk?"

"She's still incapacitated, my lady. I'll take her up the stairs."

"Very well." She then turned her attention to me. "Outsider, I assume you have something with you to open this box?"

"Yes...uhh, my lady." I replied hesitantly as I took the radiant key from inside my kimono. "We can open the box with this."

"Can you hold, outsider?" she asked again.

"Yes, my lady." I answered.

"Outstanding."  she replied. "Because this discussion that will last us the entire night."