User blog:Pollux83/Beyond Light and Darkness, Chapter 23

Yes. It finally goes to Zipangu. I'm sure this will be a great adventure for Mareus.

Chapter Overview

 23 Departure to Zipangu



 At home a school festival was being prepared. Lara already helped and Eleana and Norik were full of anticipation for the celebration and very antsy. How could I say no? So I helped diligently carry various boxes and hang garlands. In contrast to my usual work the whole thing was really relaxing.

At the festival itself, I entertained the kids with a little bit of my magic. A few simple tricks, but the kids were delighted. Finally, there was a small magic firework. It was nice to use my magic for something else.





 In the meantime, the Order sought an angel. Or rather they tried to convince an angel to come to me. For me the opportunity to spend more time with my family.



 Besides, I tried to learn the art of light magic. I wanted to use the white crystal at any time. So far I was not very good and the training did not change much. I was able to use the crystal more or less effectively. In addition, I could now illuminate a room with my hand without torching it. Not a great success, but at least something.





 I thought about what we could do. There was not much left on the list. Find more holy places? The effect was smaller each time. The maximum was thus practically achieved. An angel I've been waiting for years. An unattainable goddess. And Zipangu.



 The problem with Zipangu was that it was a monster-friendly nation, respectively region. The Order had often tried to gain control over the archipelago, directly or indirectly. Without success. Officially, there was an armistice. Unofficially the war continued. So it was no wonder that my request had always been rejected.



 So if I wanted to lead an expedition to Zipangu, then I needed something to convince the Order to say "yes". Unfortunately, I had only one bargaining chip that really interested the Order: Green Crystals.

I had encrypted my research well. Apparently too good, because the Order could not reproduce my results without me. They were therefore as dependent on my cooperation as I was on theirs.



<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> In wise foresight the Order had diligently brought resources to my lab. You have bought a small kingdom for the gold. I was always surprised how much of these rare ingredients still existed. The Order must have searched on the entire continent. Perhaps they had even bought all in the territories behind the great desert. Who knows?

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> I had been negotiating with the Order for a long time. And my victory at the front seemed to have changed something. Suddenly they accommodated me.

I should make 13 green crystals. The Order wanted 7 of them. The other 4 I could keep for more "tests". Now I realized what was going on.

Both sides did not have a great choice. The Mamono slowly won the war. The Order needed a miracle. My miracle.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> I played with fire. Giving the Order so much power could be fatal, but did I have a choice?

So I gave them enough power to secure the borders. I was absolutely aware that there would not be left much at the border.

The Order even agreed to produce 2 black crystals, which I wanted to take on the expedition. However, only after a few months.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> After I had reached an agreement with the Order, the preparations could begin. In addition to the crystals, we needed as much information as possible about the region before the expedition could begin. The Order, therefore, procured books and reports of Zipangu while I made the crystals.

<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> After 3 months, all preparations had been completed. The expedition to Zipangu would take at least one year. Perhaps even 5. That depended on what we found there.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> To my great surprise, Kai wanted to go too. He only said, "Someone has to take care of you. Besides, you're stranded without me. You do not understand a word Zipangi." He was right. My attempts to learn the language were ... horrible. Kai could speak more words in a month than I did. So he came with us.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> After that was clarified we could go. Our caravan consisted of 18 people. 10 soldiers, 4 scientists, an interpreter, Kai, myself and a watchdog of the Order. We were disguised as merchants and had besides the device lots of goods and gold with us.

We headed east to Zipangu. Since the winter was coming we took the southern route, which led through subtropical areas.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> At the beginning of our journey we did not encounter any Mamono. This was not surprising. Since Lescatie, the Order had become increasingly radicalized, which probably also had to do with a change of the leadership. In Lescatie, some of the most powerful families of the Order had their headquarters. The resulting power vacuum was filled by their strongest rivals. Rather than rely on heroes, the Order now recruited a large army. In Tegras the troops could be seen marching again and again. In the few years the Order had been heavily armed.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> The priorities had also changed. Instead of constantly sending armies into the demon realms they secured the borders. Large fortresses were built specially for this purpose. But also in the country much changed. In the core areas of the Order, eradicating groups were increasingly used, who combed cities and forests. A specially founded department of the Inquisition was responsible for this. Even my informants could not tell me much about this department. There was only one thing clear. They knew no mercy.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> As a result, the Mamono were eradicated in some regions. They even burned down entire forests, just to make sure they were dead. Only a few Mamono were able to flee or were good enough to hide their demonic aura. There were also some harpies colonies in hard-to-reach areas.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> Depending on the region, certain Mamono were tolerated, but only when they were useful. Apart from that, large parts of the Order's territories were monster-free.

<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%">

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> The only ones who were foolish enough to attack us were humans. Ordinary bandits, nothing that posed a serious threat to us. They undoubtedly had attacked other caravans, but with us they had overdone it. My companions from the Order and I agreed. They were a thorn in everybody's side.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> They had surrounded us. I counted a total of 12 men. They were relatively well equipped, but they had not expected a special group of the Order. Nevertheless, I activated the crystals on my belt. The stupid face that the bandits made when the soldiers drew their swords and rushed to them was too good.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> Elite troops of the Order against ordinary bandits. You did not have to be a genius to know the outcome. I watched the whole action and neutralized two archers, who were hiding in the trees. After a few minutes, the entire spectacle was over and the bandits were dead. We could continue our journey.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> Human robbers. The Mamono were under the influence of the Demon Lord and could not do much against their behavior. But humans. They had a free will. They could decide for themselves. However ... choosing the right path was often also difficult for humans. This did not alter the fact that the actions of robbers and other murderers was unforgivable. And this was the price they had to pay for their decision.

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<p align="left" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; line-height: 150%"> In the next village we stopped. It was already late and time to sleep, so we looked for the next roadhouse and made ourselves comfortable. After dinner I went to my room and slept comfortably in the soft bed.