Chapter 303: Calamitys Gate (1/2)
Arthur looked at the giant miasma in the distance that edged the border of the kingdom. They were flying over mountains of sands and dunes of unbelievable heights, heading toward the place where they'll sneak into the carriages carrying the weapons.
They have just come out from behind a mountain that obstructed their view, making them unable to see the miasma that threatened to turn the world into a wasteland.
As he looked at the other three, they seemed not to notice it at all. No, they were bound to see it. They simply didn't treat it as an anomaly.
”Gala,” Arthur walked over to the relaxed witch and whispered. ”What is that?” He pointed with his chin at the miasma. Gala was confused, glancing at him then at the miasma.
”What do you mean?” She asked with a frown. ”How can you not know this?”
”I was a Verniz before Larza bought me.” Arthur gave her a curt answer, hoping she wouldn't ask anything more. However, Gala gave him a suspicious look.
”It is the Calamity's Gate,” Gala said as if Arthur should know what that was without her needing to explain. Seeing him silent, she knew that he knew no such thing. ”It's the thin layer that is keeping us alive.”
”What lies behind it?” Arthur frowned. He remembered that Jizo told him that awakeners from Earth should stop clearing dungeons because there were calamities.
”Calamities.” Gala rolled her eyes. ”Are you pulling my horn or something? How can you not about them?” She seemed to be genuinely confused that he didn't know them. Arthur couldn't say that he has been in this world for a little over a month.
”I always lived in Larza's mansion. No one spoke about them.”
”That's the privilege of living in an herbalist's house. They are so laid back, not having to fight against the waves of monsters.” Gala sighed. ”Calamities are beings that descended thousands of years ago, bringing with them nothing but destruction. They are also the source of corruption for your race.”
”What kind of beings are they?”
”No one lived to tell the tale.” Gala looked at the Calamity's Gate. ”The gate is there to prevent them from turning the world into a wasteland. When the gates break, the calamities shall emerge, and that will be the end of the world as we know it.”
Arthur was silent as he remembered what Jizo told him about the calamities. Connecting the dots, Arthur realized that if the two merged, the gates would probably disappear. He looked at the miasma with a frown.
'These gates, they must have been created by Miko's ancestor, the one who split the world into two.' As his train of thoughts reached there, Arthur began to realize something terrifying.
'This world... is nothing but another defense line against the calamities. The guardian of space split the world into three layers. The Calamities, Alka, and then Earth.'
This fact was terrifying because not only did it mean this world shouldn't exist, but it meant that the guardian knew the Calamity's Gate would break. That's why Alka worked like the second line of defense, not as a different world.
He looked at the three of them with a complicated gaze, as none of them knew that the Guardians were sacrificing them from ancient times. Perhaps, the guardian didn't know there would be people here.
”There it is.” Rinzo pointed in a direction far away. There was a small village on the side of the road. ”The convoy will be resting there; we can use that chance to sneak into the weapons.”
”Should we expect any problems?” Arthur asked, to which Rinzo shook his head. ”Finally, something is easily done.” Arthur sighed and relaxed.
”You'll jinx us.” Gala stretched and spoke. ”Princess, hurry a bit. The sun is hot, and my skin is getting oily.”
”Shut up, leech.” Dia spat in anger after being ordered. Arthur realized that witches were often considered to be leeching off the power of spirit and never hold any of their own. That's why the Demis looked down on them.
”Seika, are you going to let her talk to me like that?” Gala pouted and said playfully, but Arthur found her annoying.
”I'm not intervening.” Arthur shrugged and looked at the village in the distance. Being in the middle of a wasteland, he wondered how they survived.
”Hehe.” He heard Dia laugh victoriously. Gala gave a humph before turning away after Arthur embarrassed her. The ice platform started descending when they got close enough.
The four of them jumped as the ice platform disintegrated and melted. As the group's feet touched the sand, they felt the unbearable heat the sand stored within.
”It's so hot,” Arthur muttered. Suddenly, a wave of cold air surrounded him, refreshing his body. He looked at Dia with surprise, but she didn't look back at him. He looked at the others, and they were sweating bullets.