The Advent of Adversity

Shliinkk!

Blood splattered everywhere. The woman's dazed face, slowly fell. The coldness of the spear, that had penetrated her curved body, coursed throughout her flesh. Her pupils shook, as her body slowly lost strength.

As she slumped down onto the ground, that was littered with corpses, an owner of a hoarse and anguished voice, let out a war cry of desperation. He rushed at the spearman. But that's it. The spearman let go of the spear, that was impaled into the beauty, and spun around quickly to the direction of the cry. Swinging his fist while using his spins momentum, He narrowly clipped the man's chin.

The target fell on his bottom from the spearman's surprise attack. The spearman didn't stop there. He got on top of the disheveled man, who's sanity can be seen returning into his eyes, and struck his head with his bloodied fist, that can be seen to have bits of flesh stuck to it.

Pow!

The man's scalp burst open. His brain matter contaminated the corpse behind him. He dropped his arms, as if he was a rag doll. The spearman didn't stop there. He punched, again and again. Again and again, and again. He roared and screamed as he continued to punch what was left of the mans head. His skull could not withstand his strikes and joined the same fate of it's oldest, closest companion. The brain.

Only then he stopped. He looked around with a pair of bloodshot eyes, grabbed the spear, and kicked off the ground which was soaked with brain matter and handfuls of flesh.

The man which resembled a demon, shot into the swirling fog.

The swirling fogs of war..

***

Cough! The collapsed woman heaved out a heavy cough, tinged with blood. She frowned at the smell of corpses and iron. She lifted her head and surveyed her surroundings.

"Is anyone there..?"

Nothing.

"Are all of you.. dead?"

The only an irrefutable answer was a gust of wind.

Kuku

She cackled. Her cackling was the only thing human about this place. The only sound that seemed to mix in harmony with her voice, were the sounds of embers.

Just how.. did she end up like this?

She looked around at the countless bodies that surrounded her. She gazed at a burnt corpse and thought that it looked better than some others. She looked around once more and saw a human marinating in a bloody puddle.

This woman. A warrior who won countless achievements by the name of royal family, for her heroic deeds in 4 battlefields, will die like this.

She was only 7, when she first heard of the war between the parasitic alien race, that was littered on top, underneath, and next to these humans.

The alien race soon took over, and destroyed the pinnacle capital of the human continent. The capital which was once called to be a revolutionary, 'Never Setting Sun', of the era, became nothing in a measly 5 years.

One by one, after the first alien race appeared, countless other races followed after in a battle which was once, 'survival' has changed to 'conquest'.

Recalling the hardships of the past, the warrior chuckled feebly. The land once ruled by mankind was now a war ground for several foreign races.

Pushed around this way, pushed around that way, the original inhabitants devolved to a candle flickering in the wind.

But accompanying the appearance of these races, countless gods, who lived upon a higher realm, decided and promised to help the humans. In return of their worship.

And so, the deal was struck. But to the surprise of the inhabitants, help from these gods came in a strange manner.

Their method of fighting this matter, was calling less then 20,000 of another worldly race, that happened to to resemble the worlds inhabitants.

But they all knew there was no other choice, but to trust in the otherworldly Earthlings.

Furthermore, the population had been drastically reduced due to the countless wars.

"These pieces of shit."

She spat out a curse while weakly looking up at the constellation of stars.

'We shouldn't have trusted them, in the first place.'

In truth, it wasn't so bad in the beginning. The first Earthlings summoned to aid the inhabitants grew at a shocking speed under the gods' divine protection.

However, as their influence grew and gradually overwhelmed that of the original inhabitants, the situation began to change.

There really were all sorts of reasons. Some formed groups by nationality, some by the color of their skin, some by religion, and some by politics.

In the end, 'profit' was the problem. The factionalization among the Earthlings began to cause rifts in the relationship of the once-united kingdoms. The alliance formed under the desire to survive broke into pieces, and the ensuing internal conflict naturally weakened their forces.

There were some who even revolted against the new gods.

It was truly unfathomable.

But was that all?

In the end, the majority of Earthlings refused to participate in the final battle. They coldly ignored the inhabitants' desperate pleas and returned to their home world.

This was why rage boiled inside the warrior.

"Sons of...."

She was about to curse once more, but quickly shut her mouth.

Splash... splash....

A soft sound echoed out amidst the gradually-cooling mountain of corpses. The sound approached her, but it stopped a bit to the right of her.

Standing there was a burnt corpse.

[Amazing.]

In front of the corpse was a large light that couldn't be described with words.

[Truly fascinating! I did not place much hope, but to think you actually survived this bloody battle...]

'An Earthling?'

As if to answer the warrior's question, the collapsed man raised his head. A powerful emotion surged up within the warriors heart, but she had no choice but to swallow it back down.

The state of the Earthling was horrifying. So much so, that she wanted to avert her gaze.

The number may have been extremely small, but it wasn't as if no Earthlings participated in the battle. The state of the burnt man clearly demonstrated that he had fulfilled his duty in this battlefield.

When the beauty thought this far, she began to develop a sense of sympathy. At the same time, she felt it was a shame.

'If only all the other Earthlings were like him....'

[I wanted to praise your achievements, but it seems like you don't have much time left.]

A holy voice echoed throughout the wasted field.

[Since you held up your bargain. Tell me. What is it you want?]

As darkness fluidly entered the man's eyes, his weakened eyes abruptly stared forward. His will to hold on was commendable. he opened his mouth, and spurted out pieces of his organs along with a mouthful of blood. His voice seemed to be lost, as only the sound of wind passing through his throat sung out..

[You do not have to speak. I can read your mind.... You want to be revived?]

The beautiful warrior almost burst out laughing. Being revived? It's far too late for that. Humanity has lost. Everything was over.

[No? How barbaric, your life is hanging on by a measly thread. Riches? Honor? In this situation?]

"..."

[..What?]

The tone of the light, suddenly went up.

[You want to start over?]

A unknown, ominous sensation, slowly filled the warriors heart.

[Impossible.]

The cold voice rung out.

[Even with your achievements, how could it be possible to reverse time!? You wanted to return everything to the way it was with only what you've accomplished?]

"...."

[Impudent! Perhaps if you accomplish today's feats dozens of times more, but in the current state, I cannot grant your wish. Nevermind your soul, not even a single piece of your body can be sent back!]

"...."

[How persistent! Given that your life is about to end and the feats you have accomplished until now, I shall restrain myself. Tell me another wish.]

Then, a heavy silence descended.

[...Why did you make such a wish?]

Was the light moved by the pitiful sight of the man dropping his head? The voice reverberating in the warriors' ears softened slightly.

[Child, hurry and wish for your revival. If that is truly your wish, you can ask again in the future after you've accomplished more feats. Though, I can't say that it will be possible.]

The man's shoulders jumped ever so slightly. He seemed to be cackling. It was already a miracle just to have survived this battle. But he had to accomplish feats equaling dozens of what he accomplished already?

The man, the warrior, and the light all knew it was impossible.

The man raised his head just barely.

His mouth moved slightly.

[Your memories?]

"...."

[You want your current feelings to...]

"...."

[Since you can't send back your body or soul, you want to send back the feelings you felt here?]

The light seemed to be taken aback, as silence descended once again.

[...Sending back feelings based on memories.... Certainly, feelings are only thoughts of your emotions.]

After a long silence, the voice answered.

[But even that is difficult.]

Although it was only for a brief moment, the mouth of the dying man twisted up.

[I am truly sorry.]

That was it.

The man's shoulders stopped moving. Plop. His head slumped, never to rise again. Just like that, he stopped moving.

[How foolish...]

Suddenly, a hand-like thing reached out from the light. As if it had suffered a great loss, it slowly caressed the man's head.

"I understand."

The warrior, who had been watching this scene unfold, spoke up. The darkness stopped its hand.

[You are... a warrior of the Royal Families .]

"That is correct, O Venerable God."

The warrior smirked as if to ask why that mattered.

"The kingdom has fallen. The gates must have been taken over by now too. With everything he's experienced, wouldn't it be better to die, and return back to his world?"

[No, this child didn't wish to return.]

The heavy tone of the voice caused the warriors eyes to widen.

[He said he wouldn't have a place to call home even if he returned.]

"A place to call home...."

Those words moved the warriors heart. Perhaps, she felt a sense of camaraderie. With the kingdom's collapse, she also didn't have a place to call home. Although a few humans would have surely survived, their fate would be no different from that of livestock.

After all, humans couldn't become the victors of this war.

"Then why didn't you just grant his wish?"

Her quiet grumbling made the light smile.

[Nonsense. All effects must follow causes. No matter what, this child's wish would have resulted in interfering with the past.]

The warrior chuckled bitterly. She couldn't understand, nor did she want to. It just sounded like an excuse.

[His achievements were simply not enough to become the cause.]

"You say that, but you seem to be regretting it quite a bit."

[How could I not? This child was originally born with the fate of an Apostle.]

"Apostle?"

The beauty was surprised. The Apostles were warriors who carried out the will of the Gods. They were the leaders who chose to fight against the aliens.

The only problem was that only one of the hundreds of Apostles, participated in this battle.

The light happened to read her thoughts and replied.

[Right, he shone brighter than any of the other. . If only he didn't ruin everything, and succumb by his own hands... Why do you humans only learn to regret after everything is over?]

The warriors eyes glanced to the dead man. His humbling end, was pitiful.

She had no way to know. But if the man wished for the reversal of time, he must have went through dozens of life or death situations to a frighteningly degree. Yet, all the contribution points be accumulated from all his experiences, had not been enough to grant his wish.

He fought like a dog and died like a dog.

After deep hesitation, the warrior dug through her pockets and took out a medallion.

"O' Vulnerable God.."

After a moment of silence, she continued her sentence..

"Please grant this man's wish."

"The Counting Oath. You haven't forgotten. Right..?"

She put a medallion, which was dug out of her pocket on her thigh. The confusion of the light quickly faded away.

The Oath was handed out to only the most achieving of warriors of the Royal Families, as a promise to reward them.

[...Do you have a reason to go that far?]

"Of course."

The warrior smiled.

[But I can grant your own wish instead.]

"What can you do for me?"

She now laughed out loud.

One thing she learnt from this sight, was that Gods weren't even omnipotent. What can she live for in this doomed world? What can she do?

[I will say it again this child cannot go back. Even with the Oath.]

[Only his feelings of earning and regret will pass by him. It may even not be etched into his mind, he may even treat it as a insignificant dream and forget all about it.]

It would be a lie if the warrior didn't have second thoughts, as the words continuously rung in her ears.

But she was just...tired.

This war had gone on too long. Far too long. Returning to nothingness and falling into eternal slumber didn't sound too bad, right now.

'If only all Earthling were like you...'

Then, she wouldn't have to die with slight regrets.

[...I have read your will. In that case, Fine.]

The world began to spin, and something unknown

covered her eyes.

[I cannot wait. Until I meet you all again.]

The light laughed in joy.