Chapter 1 (2/2)

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“I suppose that wraps it up then, huh?” Ethan asks before taking a sip of his coffee.

“I suppose it does.” Kileh says calmly. “I don’t exactly like leaving it here, but what’s done is done.”

Durooa folds her hands. “Emperor Mason.” Ethan looks at her. “I apologize for seeming a bit straightforward on this, but do you have plans tonight?”

Ethan chuckles softly. “No I do not, did you need something?”

She nods as she looks through her papers. “I have a few papers from the amba.s.sadors of Orrun that need to be filled out, and I was ordered to give them directly to you. I only have some of them on me at the moment, I need to head to my chambers to retrieve the rest.”

“Very well, I will see to them when you deliver them.”

“Thank you, milord.” Everyone stands and takes their leave, save for Di-Meen who stood at Ethan’s side.

“So… What do you make of all this, Di?” Ethan asks.

Di sighs softly. “Aside from the small bits and pieces? I wonder what they plan to do with all that supplies that they requested to support in their efforts. They claim it to be for their military, but I have my doubts.”

“Yes, I can understand that…” Ethan rubs his chin. “Well, how is Project Seraph coming along?”

“It is going quite well, the Twilight is being pushed back, so we’re managing to do some damage.” He scratches at his neck. “I have a worry about the 0 Star though.”

“Hmm… Understandable I suppose.” Ethan rubs his chin. “How is Pym doing?”

“She is doing fine, tomorrow is her 87th birthday.”

“Heh… She grows up so fast, huh?”

“That she does.” Di sighs softly. “However, she isn’t a true Ceterian, so her body’s age in appearance is still that of an eleven year old.”

“I see, that’s a little rough, isn’t it?” Ethan asks with a wry smile, before sighing softly. “Life just keeps on changing, huh?”

“That it does…” Di is silent for a moment. “She looks up to you… Which is natural, isn’t it? She doesn’t have any worries, not anymore.”

“That’s good…” Ethan gazes across the table for a moment, before standing. “Well, I best get back to it, huh?”

“Of course, milord, do you need any-”

However, before Di could finish, suddenly everything around them began to shudder, the sight of the roof beginning to collapse, causing Ethan to grunt and push Di out of the way in time before everything went white.

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The first thing Ethan noticed upon awakening, was the fact he was sitting in the middle of what appeared to be a kind of forest, making him grunt softly as he grips his side, checking for any wounds. Thankfully he didn’t find any, so with a slow, ragged grunt, he pushes himself to his feet, rubbing his head with slight dizziness as he begins walking, pus.h.i.+ng through the forest to try and figure out where he was. Before making it that far, however, he is suddenly greeted to a woman standing up in front of him, looking around as she wore what appeared to be medieval hunters clothing.

She then lays eyes on Ethan, narrowing her eyes as she draws her hatchet.

Ethan steps back as he raises his gloved hand, ready to fight, before realizing that his clothing was… Bigger than him? Looking at himself, then using a mirror, he discovered he was currently appearing as a 15 year old, his clothing, crown and such were the same, but he was now about as tall as the average teenager.

Ethan looks at the woman for a moment, then realized she had a lizard tail and scales along her body, black hair in an attractive ponytail, and a pair of green irises.

Taking a slow breath, Ethan raises his hands in the air as he speaks. “Do you understand me?”

She tilts her head, slightly confused, great, she doesn’t speak his language… With a sigh, he pulls out a earpiece, and attaches it to his ear, pressing a b.u.t.ton as an invisible scan is done on the woman, and instantly the translator begins working.

“Do you understand me now?”

The woman’s eyes widened as she lowers the axe. “You can speak our language simply by putting that strange thing on?” Ethan nods. “Amazing!” She blinks, then clears her throat. “You are within the territory of the Red Lizard clan, do you have business here, outsider?”

Ethan shakes his head. “No, I woke up nearby after an incident that brought me here. I don’t clearly understand what happened there, but I’m not an enemy.”

She eyes him cautiously, before slowly putting the axe away. “Very well, I will believe you for now.” She turns. “Come, our Chieftain will decide what to do with you.”

“Of course.” Ethan nods and follows her through the forest.

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