A smile appeared on Erend's face when he heard her words.
'You say you've come up with a way to do that?' Erend asked, excitement evident in his voice.
'Yes. We searched non-stop last night. I'm even still tired. And suddenly Aerchon found it,' Aurdis replied.
·?θm Erend frowned. 'Aerchon? Your brother?'
'Yes. There's only one Aerchon here, Erend. I know you must be shocked to hear that but this is true. Aerchon helped us search through the records of our predecessors. And I tell you, that's a lot of records about the initial process of Magic awakening.'
Erend still frowned in disbelief. Aerchon helped them? It even sounds like a miracle.
'Why would he want to help you? Didn't you say that you're helping me solve the problems in my world?' Erend asked with a suspicious tone.
'Yes. He already knew from the start that Saeldir and I intended to help you.'
'Yeah, but... why is he helping?'
Erend still didn't understand and couldn't believe what he was hearing. Aerchon was the bastard, irresponsible, and annoying Elf prince who caused the Elven invasion years ago. He can mobilize his army to die on the battlefield even though he already knows the risks.
Erend also remembered how Aerchon looked at them when they saw him. That damn Elf stared at him, Adrien, and Billy like they were lowlifes. The words he said backed the look in his eyes full of contempt.
But now, he wants to help? Erend could only think of one thing that might be his reason. Maybe Aerchon had ulterior motives for helping them.
'Could it be that he is planning to use the chaos happening here for his own agenda, Aurdis?' Erend immediately asked Aurdis because he knew that Aurdis also kinda hates her own brother.
'I don't think he intends to do that,' said Aurdis. 'It's clear he found something that might work. That's more important now, right? And wouldn't let him do anything anymore.'
Erend sighed. 'You are right. So what is it?'
'We can't completely stop the Magic awakening in your world. But we can reduce the effect and increase the adaptability of your world's inhabitants this way.
'You have to perform rituals in some Adaeram with some artifacts. That way, you can reduce the effects of madness and the changes that occur to the creatures that inhabit your world. But we are still looking for the right formula and calculations to do that, so you have to wait a little more.'
Erend listened to Aurdis's words while thinking. Then he asked. 'Who will perform the ritual?'
'We are still discussing it. There are several things we have to consider first,' Aurdis said.
'Alright.' Erend nodded, though Aurdis couldn't see him.
Then, Erend remembered something that happened this afternoon.
'Aurdis?'
'Yes?'
'Do you know about a creature that can possess people affected by Magic? I saw several people who seemed to be possessed by something powerful. Whatever the creature is, it knows about me.'
'What?' Aurdis sounded shocked and confused.
'Yes. You remember the nightmare Billy and Cpt. Bortusk had? I have a hunch that it has something to do with it,' Erend said.
Aurdis was silent for a few seconds. Knowing that she was thinking or maybe talking with Saeldir there, Erend let it go without saying anything for a while.
'Erend... do you remember when Laston ran away that time?' Aurdis asked after a long silence.
'Yes. What's up with that?'
'He escaped using the power of Ozynk, god of the Web. Ozynk is... one of the gods in the Chaos Realm, Erend.'
Those words made Erend frown. 'What are you saying?'
'Saeldir just found out something about the God of the Chaos Realm. The figures in your friends' dreams are most likely the inhabitants of the Chaos Realm. It's kinda hard to explain because it's quite long. We have to meet again if we want to talk about this.'
'Yeah, I think that's a great idea.'
After that, they decided to end the call due to their respective matters. Aurdis said she still had to read some more records with Saeldir while Erend was too tired. So he decided to sleep.
When he lay down on his bed, however, Erend couldn't immediately close his eyes because his mind was filled with what Aurdis had said earlier.
'Chaos Realm? What is that?'
That doesn't sound like the name of a good place. But Aurdis said that the inhabitants of that place were Gods. That could be a problem. If it turns out that it was the Gods and Goddesses from the Chaos Realm who approached Billy and Adrien, things could get even more complicated.
The longer he thought about it, the more restless Erend felt. He, as the only person who has enough strength to prevent that must act immediately. If he doesn't want his friends and this world to become victims of destructive groups.
Because he was too tired, even though his mind continued to feel restless, Erend finally fell into a comfortable sleeping embrace.
~~~
The following days are the same as yesterday. Riots occurred in various places, not just in the nation's capital, the city of Ascan. Now, almost all places across the country are experiencing riots, both big enough to devastate entire towns and small ones, which can be resolved in a matter of hours after the police in that city deploy enough personnel.
Something small and trivial could trigger a huge riot due to the influence of the madness that Magic Awakening brings. Sooner or later it will get bigger and the Republic of Ascaria will only fall into chaos.
Fortunately - if that can be called a fortune - the other countries are also experiencing similar problems though not as bad as them. That made the Ascaria government not have to worry about any country attacking them for taking advantage of the chaos that was happening here.
Aurdis still hasn't found a definite way to solve this problem and every second makes Erend more and more worried. He, Adrien, and Billy are now starting to be placed in different areas to deal with the riots. It makes it difficult for them to communicate.
Until finally one night, after another tiring day, Erend got good news from Aurdis.
'We have found the best way to reduce the negative effects of the Magic awakening, Erend!' Aurdis said excitedly. Erend also felt the same excitement.
'That's great news,' Erend said via telepathy accompanied by a sigh of relief.
'Let's meet again. We should also strengthen Arty, Adrien, and Billy's Magic abilities, right?'
'But with everything that's happened here I thought it would be difficult for us to meet,' Erend said tiredly.
'Oh, you're right.'
After that, neither of them said anything more. Silence entered Erend's room, a siren coming from an ambulance that might have picked up another victim who had fallen could be heard in the background.
'Erend.' Aurdis's voice sounded again after some time. Erend, who has almost dozed off jerks, wakes up again.
'Yes?' Erend asked.
'Aerchon said he would come with some Elves to help with the problems over there.'
'What?!' Erend asked in disbelief. 'What you say?'
'He will come with some Elves, they will disguise themselves as you, Adrien, and Billy. That way we can meet to discuss the ritual,' Aurdis said.
Erend was dumbfounded.
~~~
Erend still couldn't believe what he heard from Aurdis. Yet Aurdis insisted that what she said was the truth. So Erend chose to believe her despite the impossibility of Aerchon's involvement.
When Erend told Billy and Adrien that, they showed the same reaction as him.
"What?!" Billy said, dumbfounded. "That damn prince? Want to help us?"
Erend nodded. "Aurdis said he has changed."
Billy snorted. "I doubt it. He might have other plans."
"I agree with Brook. I don't want to be prejudiced against other people. However, we know who we are talking about," Adrien added.
"I thought so too, Captain. But now we need his help," Erend said.
"You're right," Billy said. "Then I guess we have no other choice but to agree, right?"
Billy glanced at Adrien. Which in the end also agreed because of a lack of any other option. They needed someone to come up with a good disguise while Aurdis and Saeldir focused on teaching Magic to Adrien, Billy, and Arty; preparing them for the ritual to reduce the effects of the awakening Magic in this world.
~~~
Several days later, Erend asked Arty to welcome Aurdis, Saeldir, and Aerchon at the dojo where they had previously practiced before the riots escalated. He, Adrien, and Billy couldn't meet them because they were so busy.
Erend didn't know why but Arty looked more excited than usual.
That afternoon, Arty walked into the dojo with a nervous smile on her face. She was actually looking forward to seeing Saeldir again. However, Arty is too shy to tell Erend that so she keeps her excitement to herself.
Arty looked into her watch. The time is almost come for their arrival.
And a few moments later the portal opened. Arty smiled, however, the smile on her face turned into a frown when she saw not two, but three figures coming out of the portal.
~~~
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