Chapter 58: Depatures Away
Ty and Todd strolled down the corridors away from the Demon King's room, their conversation shifting towards matters of trust. Todd's unexpected question caught Ty off guard, and his skeletal face reflected a momentary shock before he responded.
"Of course, even if he does plan to use me to some degree, the ultimate goal is getting back home, and if that's the end result, then I'm happy with it," Ty assured, his voice laced with determination.
He then continued, "Besides, we have signed a binding contract where he has to assist me in getting back home."
Todd, who seemed genuinely concerned for Ty, offered some advice, "Yes, I have heard about that contract, but just take into consideration how much trust you can place in him."
"Thanks, Todd. I will make sure that I keep it in mind," Ty nodded, his tone reflecting his appreciation for Todd's concern for him. "My sole focus is getting back my life with Jade, and I am open to any possible method which will help me achieve that."
Slightly lowering his head, Todd muttered with a somber expression on his face, "I understand that feeling. Just don't lose yourself in the process."
Before Ty could offer any words of comfort or try to delve into Todd's past further, their conversation was abruptly interrupted as two energetic children bounded toward them, their excited voices filling the corridor.
"Dad, we completed the work, now we are going to the training area to watch some fights."
They announced the completion of their tasks and their intention to head down to the training area to watch some of the fighters who were engaged in duels.
A moment later, they saw Kaiko turn around the corner and join them before apologizing for the kids' unruliness. She then reassured Ty with a playful tone, "I will make sure to keep a close eye on them as they move forward."
As she turned to Ty, her expression softened as she continued, "Ty, you make sure to keep this big lug safe, okay? Can't have my only enjoyment around here to get killed."
"Sure, sure," Ty replied with a grin, appreciating Kaiko's protective nature. He watched as she grabbed both kids and shooed them away down a busy corridor.
"So, are you two like a thing or something?" Ty asked with a pondering expression.
"Uh, is it that obvious?" Todd responded as they walked up to the designated room. The room's ice-glassed doors displayed a red tint, giving them an intriguing and otherworldly appearance.
Pushing the door open, they were greeted by a breathtaking sight before their eyes. The room featured a giant canvas that opened out of the side wall, creating a mirror-like effect. It seemed to be stretching into the endless universe, with numerous stars lighting up the night sky.
The vastness of space spread out before them, leaving an awe-inspiring sight that left Ty and Todd both speechless.
"This castle is just endlessly big, isn't it?" Ty commented as he continued to walk further into the castle. He then added, "You two do make a cute couple, though, so that's nice," while giving Todd a sly smirk.
Todd responded to the compliment with a knowing grin but didn't say anything in return.
Suddenly, Ty bumped his knee into something, causing him to exclaim, "Ouch!" He looked down only to find Nana wrapping some items together.
Seeing her like this, he couldn't help but chuckle and tease her, "Sorry, I didn't see you there, shorty."
Nana protested playfully, "Yea, yea, keep picking on me. You'll appreciate my efforts more once you see what I went ahead for and have prepared." Her face lit up with a strong smile while her cheeks flushed were tinged with a light rose, evident of the excitement and pride she felt after her preparations.
Noticing Nana's unusual cheerfulness, Todd couldn't help but express his curiosity and asked, "You sure have been cheerful since Ty came back. Everything okay?"
His tone held a sense of concern and interest in her recent change in behavior.
Nana nodded and explained, "Y-yes, I'm just excited about the things that might be happening after we get there. The last couple of weeks have been a bit stale with being the errand girl for the Demon King, even if it has been pretty cool overall."
While Nana was distracted while talking, Ty couldn't resist grabbing the paper bindings from her hand, which prompted a shout from her as she protested, "Hey, hey, that's mine!"
A bit amused, Ty pointed out, "Didn't you say that this was for me like a couple of seconds ago?"
Crossing her arms slightly across her chest in annoyance, Nana admitted, "Well, yes, I just wanted to be the one to give it to you."
Ty began to flip through the pages, and the astonishment he felt was clear on his skull-like face. Impressed by the contents, he couldn't help but exclaim, "This is a breakdown of the planet's entire power system and some of the current key figures."
Nana confirmed his observation with a proud smile on her childish face, "Yep, while it actually might be outdated by a year since the last update of the planet's status, everything else should be spot on."
Flipping through the notes, Ty asked with astonishment, "How did you even get your hands on this so quickly?"
"I was talking with Kirana for a while, and she was the one who compiled all the information. I just bundled it up because she tends to be very messy," Nana explained with a smug smile.
Ty was impressed and commented, "Wow, she really does an amazing job. So, according to this, the planet houses 4 Crystals at its center."
[
Restriction 1: Energy usage is locked.
Restriction 2: Unlocked weapons restore Energy usage while being wielded or are in close proximity to the weapon.
Restriction 3: Race generation excluded "Dragons, Assortment of strong creatures"
Restriction 4: ??? Classified ???
]
Just after Ty finished reading this concise directive in the front of the folder, the Demon King walked in before apologizing.
"Sorry for the delay, the matter I was dealing with took a bit longer than I anticipated it would take."
"Understandable," Ty responded, waving it off with his skeleton hand and then asked, "Do you have some time, I have a few more questions to ask."
"Sure, but make it quick," the Demon King nodded as he pulled himself up to a desk in the corner. An array of lights flashed on a screen before he began to type away, adding random notes.
Ty began his inquiry, "This sheet mentioned that the planet has 4 crystals. What exactly is a crystal?"
The Demon King leaned back in his chair, contemplating how to answer this question. "That would take a while to explain, but for now, just know that the crystals are something that sets the world into a design without a need for any constant intervention."
He then continued, "These crystals allow a planet to grow on a desired path and cultivate certain aspects of a world. Most of the weapons, relics, and items are born from the effect of these crystals on the world."
The Demon King then shared more details about their upcoming mission. "I have you designated to land at night right outside the town of Scyle. It's a small town a few hundred miles from the capital, so you will be able to lay low there while you gather enough information on the sword's location."
He then added a crucial piece of information, something that Ty had missed earlier. "Also, I should have mentioned this earlier, but you will be down here for about a year, roughly, and that will culminate to around 3-4 Earth months, just so that you are aware."
With a puzzled expression on his skull, Ty questioned, "Why such a long period? I believe that I wasn't that long on the last planet I went?"
The Demon King explained, "The planet is experiencing some unique turmoil issues, and the crystal you will be taking will need to recharge since Elithira won't be going with you this time."
Ty's confusion caught the attention of Todd and Nana, who were listening intently.
The Demon King then continued, "While it seems to be nothing but some minor house disputes, you could find yourself ingrained in the issues once you arrive. So just align yourself with whoever is likely the most advanced and focus on retrieving the sword."
As he continued typing on the translucent keyboard, the Demon King shared more details, "As you will read in the report Kirana has made, this world runs off a weapons-style system where, from the age of 11-12, they are bestowed a weapon from the local religious places each town has."
"You will likely have a chance at this as well and I am more than curious to see what will happen, but beyond that."
Taking a brief moment of break, the Demon King tossed an item towards Ty, who caught it with ease in his right bony hand curious as to what he had been given, Ty inquired, "What is this?"
"It's the relic that you retrieved from planet Alexiera, or what's left of it," the Demon King explained.
He then instructed Ty, "Go ahead and equip this. You will be able to completely disguise yourself in any manner you like. It's a perfected version of the watch you lost back when you were on Alexiera. All you have to do is visualize how you want yourself to look, and it will manifest accordingly."
As Ty began to fit the relic into his right skull eye, the doors of the room burst open, and a flaming sword came rushing in, demanding Ty's presence.
"WHERE IS MASTER TY!"
The sword yelled out, shocking everyone in the room and painting an annoyed expression across the Demon King's face to which he swiftly intervened and declared, "You are not going with them."
Apologizing, the sword floated in the air and said, "Sorry, your Demon King, sir. I just came to offer a parting gift to Ty, one that I meant to give him back when we were on Alexiera."