Kyros and his team had journeyed to where the Alpha Draconi kingdom stood, and the ruins of the kingdom were shown. But what was shocking was one of the fallen pillars of the area.
"Alpha Draconi..." Reptilia was amazed. In the former world, this pillar still had the engravings of the former name. It was called Lizard Kingdom A. But the fact that it was now changed to Alpha Draconi proved that their actions in the past were carried over, and the world in this region were affected by Kyros's actions.
"So they liked the name this much, huh? So our actions in the former world impact this one... Is it possible to...?" Kyros became lost in thoughts.
"Reptilia take us to the underground region." Kyros disregarded these thoughts and asked to be brought into the deeper parts of the mountain.
Reptilia led the group, and they moved deep into the ruins of the castle.
"The battle here must have been brutal," Kyros observed.
"There are signs of life here!" Branze called out.
The army of Steele lifted their weapons.
"No need. I've sensed them since we arrived. They are survivors in this post-apocalyptic world. The armies of the Dark Dependent need life to feast on so some of them will be spared and allowed to be multiplied in order to be hunted down." Kyros explained.
He turned to the edges and began to speak in Lizard language.
"We are not here to attack or harm you. But the armies of darkness will be here soon." Kyros shouted.
At that moment, a tall figure emerged.
"You speak our language well, human. We have seen the battles your allies waged against Commander Neteri from afar. You are all weak, and only very few among you are Champions. Yet, we sense the deaths of several Commanders." A tall lizardman carrying a spear appeared.
At that moment, several others emerged. Most of those that appeared were lizardmen and other lizardfolk. But there were humans and goblins and even Skeletons!
"Hm? Strange..." Demerus sensed it as the tall lizard appeared. It was then he could sense it.
"Their souls are different." Mezal felt it too.
"Souls born without time. What an interesting group of people." Kyros smiled.
"I haven't seen beings like this for a long time. Most of the Timeless Ones who were mortals have either been slain or devoured. This is very interesting." Calaminus spoke.
"They were probably born in this place when whatever it is that changed time happened here." Kyros guessed.
"Are you the leader of this place? I'm sorry. But I ask you to find other places of shelter. We will be fighting here.
"We choose not to leave."
"You will die." Kyros's gaze turned into a glare. The power of darkness covered Kyros, and his wings appeared. The Balefire sword also appeared on Kyros's hands, and his chains suddenly shot and pierced the ground near the lizard.
"So cool..." Scarlet sighed.
"This is a mark of a leader. His words and threats are enough to weaken the enemy..." Reptilia praised secretly.
Avary, Gregory, and Hunter motioned to the men that they began to order to take positions.
The lizards who saw the movements all paled in fright. The leader of the Lizards also trembled at Kyros's display of power.
"You misunderstand! We want to help. I am a Champion, and these lizards are but captains. And while we do not have the same strength that your men have, we can still be of use. Use us! Send us to our deaths. Use us as cannon fodders. But just allow our sons and daughters to survive! Please!" The lizard pleaded.
"You son of a lizard, I'm in! That's all that you had to say!" Kyros laughed as his threatening forms disappeared, and he moved closer to the lizardman.
"You are just the allies we need! You the man! Or... the lizardman." Kyros approached and began to do friendly finger-guns to the lizardman.
"But for real, I don't have to make you guys cannon fodder. We are allies here fighting against the enemy! I won't dare treat your men like that! So tell me about your men. Tell me about their strength. Oh. Right. How rude of me! Do you drink tea? Hey, can we get some tea here for our negotiations? Hurry up! Oh, I need to see the underground. You guys probably have some for, right? I need to see it." Kyros talked to the lizard as they continued to walk towards the underground region.
The Steele family was shocked at Kyros's sudden change in attitude.
Kyros even began to tell jokes and slapped the lizard leader's back as he told the joke.
"What...?" Aron was amazed.
Surprisingly, Mezal approached, made several grandfather jokes and joined in on the tea.
"Father?" Aron was even more amazed.
"Kyros is using various skills. Father-in-law is also helping him win the hearts of these lizards." Martha explained.
"While we can make them our allies, Kyors has to make them feel at ease and at peace. In short, he wants the lizards to like him so that they would serve him," Martha explained.
"Ah. Of course. Genius."
"Actually, Kyros wanted Reptilia to use her beauty and make them fight with us. But Reptilia refused."
"You can refuse an order from Kyros? Isn't he your master?"
"It wasn't an order, but more of a request. Kyros was practically begging Reptilia in our chat room."
"Your Coven leader... begs?"
"Kyros has a strange code which he uses which places tremendous values his employees. Your Steele family could use some of these. Oh, right! There was that Performance Evaluation form that I need to answer if I want to take a leave of absence!" Martha recalled one of the pending questionnaires that Kyros placed in their chat rooms that everyone should answer.
The team reached the insides and saw piles of stones placed on top of each other, making a makeshift wall.
But beyond the wall was the home of the lizardmen. It was a pitiful sight. Since they were underground, there were no tents or houses erected. Instead, there were humans and lizardmen, and even goblins. And everyone was simply sitting around campfires as families or groups of families.
There were rows of farmland in this deep underworld region, and Kyros could tell that even the herbs and plants were grown using Dark Dependent methods.
The familiar alchemy glass chamber where Kyros once crafted his materials was at the far end. But this time, it was sed to house various shadow familiars and shades.
"Everyone here has learned to devour darkness, I see." Kyros observed.
"We were forced to learn it. Otherwise, we would die. When the Necromancer came and laid waste to all kingdoms, many of the necromancers that lived on the edge of these worlds abandoned their kingdoms. Some of their survivors reached Alpha Draconi and taught us how. It came just in time as the skies grew dark and the land fell into the dark curse. Even plants and crops would be born of darkness."
"So your young ones must be suffering. They will die soon, right? I estimate that they won't live past the age of thirty, even as cultivators. The means to live by darkness is too forced."
"... Yes. All of us, save for a few who had an alignment close to the dark elements, and the skeletons will have short lifespans. And there is a high death rate among our young. But please... even if their lives are short... please let them live." The lizardmen pleaded.
Kyros looked around and sighed.
"Tell me your name," Kyros asked.
"Claw Eighty-two."
"... Damn, that sucks." Kyros sighed as he recalled the name curse for all lizardkin.
"From now on, you shall be... Claw Eighty-Three."
"What?"
"Just kidding. You shall be called Midgard! The Guardian of the Middle. Since you can't live and come with us and fight in the past, then you shall stay in this world and guard this present whenever we are not here." Kyros smiled.
"Abandon despair. And embrace hope. Fate has sent us here not just to battle for the Middle but to create a base. I understand now. I shall build in the past... And make this present powerful!" Kyros smiled.
"What are you...?" Midgard was confused at Kyros's words.
"You'll find out soon enough. For now, we have to overcome this tribulation and get back to my time." Kyros raised his arm, and the bright light flashed out.
The Temple appeared and shone a majestic light.
The bright light began to emit a powerful wave of energy, and all the beings nearby felt as if a strange weight was lifted in their hearts.
All of the Steele family felt the rejoicing of Fate.
"So this is our purpose..." Mezal understood the plans of Fate and how it worked with the battle.
The power of the Temple began to shine, and the faces of everyone who lived in this dark world suddenly felt relief in their wounds. The darkness in their body began to tremble.
"Lady Diana... What did Lord Kyros mean?" Avary asked.
"Our actions in our real world affect this one. If Kyros builds a mighty kingdom there and has the strength to resist the Cardinal and the Commanders, then we would have our fortress here.. This is what it means to war in the Middle."
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