Dimensions Collide: Destiny Bond-Chapter 174: Mortals

Dimensions Collide: Destiny Bond-Chapter 174: Mortals

Chapter 174: Mortals
The sun glared brightly as the three mortals stepped out of the carriage. John squinted at first, but gradually, his eyes adapted to the light level.
The village was beautiful. Incredibly beautiful. In a way, everything was perfect, but not in an artificial sense that took away from the beauty. It felt completely natural. The trees didn’t appear to be trimmed by intelligent hands, but not a single branch was too long, nor was a single leaf wilted or discoloured. The blades of grass weren’t perfectly even, but they were lush and green, creating an inviting bed of greenery.
The cobbled paths had not a single bit of litter or dirt, and the lamps were kept pristine and bright. Beings with ears and tails similar to Kit wandered around, some chatting, others walking with intent, but the village was otherwise quiet. The sound of wind blowing through the trees was calming, almost hypnotizing.
He took a deep breath, and pure, clean air filled his lungs. His brain was trying to stay alert, but this place was simply too calming for him to stay that way naturally.
Looking around, he saw Prota and Destiny with relaxed expressions. Destiny had a soft smile on his face, his eyes unfocused and wandering, while Prota looked more sleepy than usual, if that was even possible.
That was enough to snap him back to his senses. This wasn’t just a case of a beautiful city.
This was intentional.
“Come,” Ryuto said, not bothering to hide his disdain. “For the time being, you are guests. Feel free to wander, but do not cause any trouble. Do not touch what is not yours. Do you understand?”
There was a collective nod from the others, and Ryuto seemed satisfied with that.
Down the path they went, following their guide carefully, making sure not to step out of line. As they walked, the mortals stared at the structures around them, looking at architecture they had never seen before.
Each and every house was designed like a Japanese shrine house, with elevated floors and curved roofs. Now that he was looking more carefully, it seemed that all of the Ninetails Mystics were wearing shrine maiden clothing, just like Kit. There was obviously deviation in design, but for the most part, it was as if they were in a giant shrine land.
The Mystics didn’t act like this was the case, though. Despite all the housing, there was no shrine actually visible. None of them were attending to cleaning duties. None of them was managing some object of worship or prayer.
Well, that made sense. After all, they were the gods, not the mortals. If anything, they were the ones to be worshipped.
Soon, they reached a home that looked no different than the others. There was nothing grand or outstanding about it. The only thing significant about it was the fact that Kit was visibly more tense than she’d been before.
The whole time they’d been in the Ninetails’ land, she’d seemed a little nervous, maybe a little upset, but now, she was definitely looking off. Her jaw was set, and her hands were shaking ever so slightly.
The doors to the home slid open, and two figures stepped out.
“Kit.”
The man’s voice was deep and resonating, giving John a strict and firm impression. He looked up and saw that the man’s face fit the voice. Aside from the fact that the hair was pink, the man had a clean beard and cut, his jawline sharp and defined. Although the man seemed aged, he gave the impression of someone who should not be messed with.
John’s gaze shifted slightly to the left. The woman beside the man looked a lot like Kit, only older. She was similarly quite beautiful in an objective kind of sense, but her gaze was cold.
“Mother. Father,” Kit said, bowing her head.
“Come. We have much to discuss.”
~~~
The three mortals weren’t allowed to stay with Kit any longer. Apparently, there was something she had to discuss that wasn’t for their ears, so they were instead escorted to their quarters for the time being.
John had learned that the premise for their stay was “training,” as he’d expected. If this followed the flow of similar stories, it was about time Destiny acquired some Mystic-level skills anyway. John was vaguely aware that the hero had already learned some of these: mana breathing, for example, and as some of his casting magic came from Kit, a Mystic.
However, it wouldn’t be enough if the [Protagonist] were to be strong enough for the incoming war.
Soon, they reached the end of what appeared to be the residential area and moved into the forest. A small house was there, surrounded by trees. There was a small pond nearby, completing the look of a peaceful little cottage of sorts.
“This is where you will be staying,” Ryuto said. “There will be someone to greet you shortly.”
WIth that, he left. It wasn’t a simple matter of him turning around and leaving; he literally vanished from sight.
“...I don’t think he likes us,” Destiny muttered.
“Oh, really?” John said sarcastically. “What makes you think that?”
“No, it’s just-”
“What, did you think they’d be all like Kit?”
They flinched. Not just Destiny, but Prota as well. John’s eyes widened in surprise.
“W-wait, hold on. You really thought… no, this is bait, right?” He sighed. “Ah… you’re serious.”
It was given that racism and elitism would be prominent in a fantasy story. In fact, the trope was so common that John had read numerous stories revolving around this plot alone. It made sense. It was a plot that appealed to many: overthrowing the entitled elite and enforcing justice in an otherwise unjust world.
John didn’t dislike this trope. Many stories that followed it weren’t written very well, but it was still enjoyable. Just because he hated Draco and his character type didn’t mean he hated the genre as a whole.
However, it was annoying when he himself had to deal with it. He himself wasn’t a hero of justice. He didn’t want to pioneer some kind of revolution. In the first place, he was likely to be the elitist looking down on others given his nature and abilities. As a result, he’d been mentally preparing himself for this as soon as he’d learned they were heading to the land of the Mystics.
Thus, it was a surprise to him when Prota and Destiny hadn’t been expecting this.
“You’re going to be experiencing this a lot,” John said as they stepped into their new home. “It won’t be as bad as with Draco, but you’ll be… well, looked down on. Not actively, but it makes sense.”
“What? Why?” Destiny frowned.
“Your perception of Mystics is twisted because of Kit,” John explained. “But think about it. This isn’t something as stupid as Draco believing that nobles are naturally superior. Mystics literally are superior. They may look like humans, elves or dwarves, but they’re essentially gods. Imagine if you had a bug as a guest. Yes, they’re your guest, and yes, you treat them with respect, but they’re still a bug. They’re still something you either ignore or kill.”
“I… I see,” Destiny nodded slowly.
It did make sense, which was why John wasn’t too annoyed. However, he did still dislike the situation he was in. The reason was hypocritical in a sense, but it also made sense:
He looked down upon the Mystics for the same reason that Mystics looked down upon mortals. In John’s eyes, these were [Characters]. Beings who weren’t real, beings who existed to evoke emotions and entertainment out of [Readers]. He was one as well, but this knowledge was part of the reason why he treated everyone the way he did.
They were just [Characters].
As a result, he wasn’t fond of the fact that he was being looked down upon. What made it slightly more irritating was the fact that these Mystics weren’t being illogical. To them, John was weak.
He let out a dejected sigh. For the time being, he’d have to keep it in. Had he been alone, he might’ve gone to say some choice words, but for Destiny and Prota’s sake, he’d hold himself back.
“Well, for a race that doesn’t think we deserve respect, they gave us quite a nice house,” Destiny said as he poked through the rooms.
It was, in fact, a very nice house. In fact, it seemed to have been made specifically for them. There was a kitchen, a living room, as well as three beds and baths that seemed to have been made with them in mind. Clothing in the Mystic style had also been provided in their sizes, and when everyone was done exploring, it seemed that Destiny and Prota had opted to wear them.
“...you’re not going to change?” Destiny muttered, looking at John. “Come on. Shouldn’t you, you know. Be a little courteous?”
“No,” John said, pouting ever so slightly.
He didn’t care what Kit said. In his mind, he was above the Mystics. Why should he have to bow down to them?
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from NovelFire. Please it.
Destiny nodded, giving up. “Well, at least Prota looks cute in that outfit.”
John had to admit, she did look cute. She was like a little shrine maiden in training. Her expression turned pleased at Destiny’s words, which made John a little less annoyed at the whole situation.
“So… what now?” John said, looking around.
As if to answer his question, there was a knock at the door.
“...um. Are we supposed to be expecting someone?” John frowned.
“No, but it could just be someone else who was sent to pick us up, right?” Destiny suggested. “Unless-”
“No. Don’t say anything.”
The three of them went to the door, a little tense. Once opened, however, they were met with the sight of an old man with long hair and a long beard, the pink colour fading to grey. His eyes were hidden, and in his hand was a cane.
“Ah. Hello children. I am- ah-”
Tension turned to confusion as the man mumbled to himself, stuttering over his own words and often repeating himself. It was strange, considering his speech had been fine before, but it was as if he had suddenly gone senile.
Eventually, however, he recovered.
“I am Elder Kang Loy.”
~~~
“So, Kit. Did you do what you set out to do?”
Kit wasn’t very pleased with her current situation. She couldn’t help but feel that the gazes of her parents, once loving and kind, were now harsh and expectant.
“Yes,” she said, her usual nature nowhere to be found.
Now, she was submissive and quiet, bowing her head to the ones who had given her life.
“I explored Devroth and discovered many things about mortals. Their lives, their habits, their dreams, emotions…”
“Then, I trust you have had enough?
Kit hid her emotions well. That wasn’t a question. It was a demand. It was clear that her parents hadn’t approved of her excursion, but then again, she’d known this from the start. Hiding herself from the eyes of her fellow Ninetails had been very intentional, going so far as to risk her life just to avoid being found.
She just hoped she could get out of this situation again.
“Yes. I am home, now,” Kit replied, bowing her head.
“Good. Kit… we were wrong.”
Kit’s head snapped up in surprise.
“You are our child, but you are also a Mystic. Your decisions should be your own,” her father said with a smile. “If you do not wish to marry, that is your decision. Of course, you will have to explain this to the king as well, but a decade has passed. It is possible the prince has reconsidered, or found another partner.”
“Re-really?” Kit said, completely stunned.
“Yes. Welcome home, Kit.”
A smile stretched across her face as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Father! Mother! Thank you!” she exclaimed, throwing herself forward.
She felt the warmth of her parents’ embrace seep through her body, tears flowing down her eyes.
Perhaps this return would not be as painful as she anticipated.
~~~
“E-Elder?” Destiny said in shock, quickly bowing his head.
Prota immediately followed suit, followed by John, who was a little more reluctant to bow. However, to their surprise, the old Ninetails simply laughed.
“You’re Kit’s friends, is that right?”
“That is correct, Elder.”
“Call me Kang,” the man said, his wrinkles deepening as his mouth curved into a warm smile. “I, uh- no. Kit’s friends are my friends.”
“Why are you here?” John frowned. “They sent an Elder to guide us around the village?”
“No,” the man said, shaking his head. “I was, um, ah- I was asked to teach you.”
Prota’s eyes widened. Teach? Kit’s teacher was going to teach them?
“Stronger. You need to be stronger, right?” Kang Loy said, shuffling forward.
He grabbed Destiny’s arm, muttering as he felt around, probing at the boy’s body and occasionally nodding. He turned to Prota, who backed off, and the old Mystic immediately moved back in respect.
“Hm… exceptional,” he muttered, leaning on his cane.
“Yes, you two will do fine. As for you-”
“Hold on. Are you telling me you can sense mana?” John said, raising an eye. “I thought that was a trait unique to dragons.”
“Souls and mana cores, yes. Mana… no. The girl can see mana. The boy cannot. Am I correct?”
Destiny and Prota nodded, somewhat dumbfounded.
“Well, it seems I’ve still got it.”
John frowned. This man wasn’t anything like the Mystics he’d met. He seemed to have no pride, no self-respect that typically came with such power, and he mumbled like a fool.
A shudder ran through John’s body. There was a very, very strong chance that this was one of the strongest [Characters] he’d ever meet in this story. He’d met several old people he considered old in this [Story]: Jinae, Lupin, Leora, and Albert, but all of them had established themselves as strong. All of them had the appearance and aura of those who were meant to be powerful.
But this was different. Here was what was essentially a bumbling old fool who stuttered and lost his train of thought.
In [Story] terms, this was a being who should never be underestimated.
“Ah, you… should go look around the village,” the old fox said. “These two will be ok.”
John snapped out of his thoughts. The terrifying image of the Elder blowing him up suddenly vanished as reality set in again. This was an old, harmless man.
For now.
“Wait, me?” John said, pointing to himself. “Why me?”
“Kit said, uh… ah, right! You don’t have mana. So, go look around. And from me… you should help that child out.”
“That child?”
“You know who-” Kang paused like he’d forgotten what he was going to say. “Ah. Yes, help that child.”
“Help… ah, shit.”
John sighed, flipping his hood up as he began to head toward the cobble path. Prota put her hand on his arm, but he just shook his head.
“You focus on getting stronger,” he muttered. “Trust me on this one. I’ll be careful, I promise.”
“Promise.”
“Yeah. Really. After fighting Hikari, I’m not interested in getting my ass whooped again.”
Prota let go, visibly reassured. John turned to leave, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
He’d been telling the truth. He was planning on being careful. He didn’t want to fight an entire town of Mystics.
But the [Story] was never about what he wanted in the first place.
~~~
“First. Skills.”
Prota flinched. The old Mystic still stumbled over his own words, but his tone had suddenly turned serious, unlike the friendly nature he’d been displaying earlier. His eyes weren’t visible under his bushy eyebrows, but somehow, his gentle face seemed far more focused than before.
They were deeper in the woods, in yet another clearing. She was starting to notice that this setting was becoming somewhat familiar, but she didn’t hate it. In a way, it reminded her of her training with Kit back in the Town of Beginnings.
How interesting. To learn from her mentor’s mentor. That was, if this mentor was to be trusted.
She turned to Destiny, waiting for him to make the first move. Without John, she wasn’t sure how much to reveal, but that didn’t make her stupid. Destiny’s strength was somewhat known to her, so in this fashion, she could use him as a benchmark.
“Yes, sir,” Destiny nodded, unsheathing his blade.
His golden eyes began to glow as he activated his mana, displaying a formidable set of skills. Single-word chants summoned a wide variety of magic, both in the style of fighters and casters. His magic wasn’t particularly intense, but there was such finesse and beauty in it that it didn’t matter.
“I see,” Kang said, nodding slowly. “Hm… More control needed.”
Prota was surprised. She hadn’t been watching the flow of mana, but at the very least, Destiny’s magic felt as controlled as her own. Was control really something he needed?
“I understand,” Destiny said. “I’ve been training the sword, so…”
“And… Kit taught you my technique, it seems.”
“Mana breathing is your technique?!”
The Elder just smiled. He turned to Prota, nodding in her direction, and that was her cue to start.
It seemed that Destiny had gone all out, so she should do the same.
She wasn’t quite sure what she was supposed to show. Her magic was suited precisely for combat, and for killing at that. She also had a variety of spells for a variety of purposes, and it wasn’t like she had a spell that encompassed all of her skills.
For a few minutes, she continued to deliberate on what to do. In the end, though, she chose the spell she’d started with.
Blossom of Ice.
This time, though, she would make it special. First, the air turned cold as she activated her domain, the grass beneath her feet turning white with frost as the ambient mana turned icy in nature. With that, she felt the mana within her body draw out, calling to the mana surrounding her, grabbing it and bending it to her will.
Slowly, the petals began to form, the ice crystal clear. Not a single blemish could be found, not a pocket of air nor inconsistency in texture. In a swirl, they began to bond together until a rose of pure ice gathered, glistening as the sunlight hit the spell.
Prota’s eyes shone as she observed her own spell. Not once had she managed to make it so beautiful. Then again, beauty had never been something to consider when casting it. However, she’d grown immensely since the last time she’d spent so long on this particular spell, so it was natural that the quality would be higher.
“Go,” she whispered, and the blossom exploded, the petals shearing through the trees.
She looked at Kang, whose expression was the same as always. Her heart sank in disappointment. At the very least, she’d been hoping for some kind of reaction.
But there was nothing.
“Hm… I understand,” he said, stroking his beard. “Then, I will see the two of you tomorrow.”
With that, he vanished, leaving Destiny and Prota behind.
~~~
John sighed as he wandered around the village. He wasn’t sure where he was going, but it seemed that the Elder had essentially given him free rein to do whatever he wanted.
Well, that suited his purposes.
He’d almost forgotten about this in the midst of his annoyance with Ryuto, but he couldn’t let his guard down here. Not for a moment.
This was, after all, where that strange note had come from. There was a very strong chance that these were the people who had delivered the [Deus Ex Machina] power to Sofya. This village might seem peaceful, but if there was even a single secret lurking in the shadows, it was one he couldn’t ignore.
Not for the sake of this world, not for the sake of his companions, but for his own sake. As of the moment, he didn’t have the means to defeat Diaboli. He simply didn’t have enough [Deus Ex Machina] power.
But if he could acquire some more…
Well, this would be tricky. From what he’d experienced, it seemed that the more powerful the being, the more capable they were of understanding what John was capable of. After being outed as an otherworlder by Sofya, he didn’t know how to hide anything anymore. Granted, she’d used an ability only dragons had, but still, the impression had been left behind.
That was partially why he’d decided to reveal his powers. If people could figure it out on their own, he might as well start taking more action. The only problem was that any actions here would probably get him immediately killed.
“Seriously, what a pain,” he muttered as he continued walking down the path.
Regardless of his thoughts on the Ninetails Mystics, though, he had to admit that this was a nice place to live. Were it not for everything else going on, he wouldn’t have minded staying here for a couple of years, just to wind down and relax.
“John!”
A familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned around to see Kit running toward him, a suspiciously wide grin on her face.
“Kit? You’re already done?”
“Yep!”
John hadn’t seen her this happy ever. What could have possibly happened? Well, there was a straightforward way of knowing.
“Uh… so, what happened?”
“The marriage is off!” she said, her grin somehow growing even wider. “Well, I have to talk to the prince, but… I’m free. I can do what I want now.”
John almost spoke his mind. It was a natural response.
“Are you sure it’s that simple?”
There was no way he’d sat through an entire backstory, learned about some weird political power struggle between Mystics and questioned Kit’s backstory for a whole four years just for things to end like this. No. The [Author] might’ve had some strange moments, but this was definitely not one of them. This was part of the [Plot]. Things couldn’t just end at that.
But looking at her face, looking at the smile, he couldn’t say it. He couldn’t ruin the ecstasy she’d gained, even if it were just an illusion.
“Yeah,” he said, smiling back. “That’s good to hear.”
“Oh! I also asked my teacher if he could help Prota and Destiny with their training,” Kit said. “I put it in my letter.”
“Yeah, we met him,” John nodded.
“And you’re not- right, no mana,” Kit said, calming down a bit. “Well, I suppose I’ll come over and say hi. Isn’t this great, John? I don’t have to get married! I’m not tied to anyone! And that means-”
She blushed ever so slightly, sending a shiver down John’s spine. He vaguely remembered some of the things she’d said to him, and he’d rather not think about it at the moment.
“Yeah, whatever,” John said. “I’m gonna walk around. You know where we’re staying?”
“Nope, but I’m sure I’ll find it. Our clan is pretty peaceful, John. Try not to cause any trouble, alright?”
“Yeah.”
Kit dashed off, leaving John alone. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of air, but the peacefulness of the village wasn’t nearly as serene as it’d been a few minutes ago.
There was really only one word that properly described the situation he was in.
“Well, shit,” he muttered before walking off.

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Chapter 174: Mortals