The 1.000 year Great Sage ---> COMPLETED STORY

Seya opened a Gateway to the meeting room of Baron Frank, and they could see him already seated at the table with the Minister of Agriculture in front of him, looking at some documents. As soon as Seya, Xenya, and Ryn crossed, they waved to Ryn's parents, while the Gateway was dispersing. The Baron and the Minister stood up and they were looking at Xenya, wondering who was that powerful looking woman. Seya smiled at them.

- Baron, seems that you returned. How was it? Did the Minister saw everything?

The Baron was looking at Xenya, that had a serious look on her face and was standing next to Seya and Ryn, but a little further from them, like an escort. Seya noticed the Baron and the Minister's stare and he quickly made the introductions.

- This is Xenya, the Warrior Maiden. Considered by many, the best fighter in the world. I discovered recently that she's also my half-sister from my father's side, and she came today to visit me.

The Minister opened his mouth, in surprise.

- I remember that name! She went to one of our tournaments some years ago! She defeated easily every opponent that went against her! The Emperor lost a lot of money because he was betting against her. Since she kept on winning, a lot of people lost money in their bets. If I recall correctly, she escaped the Emperor wrath at the end of the tournament by mysteriously disappearing while locked inside the preparation room!

- Yeah, that ugly man was really mad with me. As soon as I received my prize money, I got out from there. I never returned. It's a pity because I liked the scenery and I also met some interesting people and some good fighters.

The Baron smiled, he remembered something.

- Milord, she looks a bit with your father, Rolland Hinamoto. The way that she smiles and the glow around her, when talking so enthusiastically.

Seya looked at Xenya, and she was also surprised. No one ever told her that she looked like Rolland! Seya was looking at Xenya, very closely.

- Now that you talk about it, I also see some resemblances. Mostly the eyes and the smile. Yeah, sister, you're Rolland's daughter, alright, no doubt about it! And you are a little crazy, like him!

Xenya was smiling a lot. Some tears appeared in her eyes.

- Thanks, brother. I never guessed that I could resemble our father!

- Yeah, you weren't as much, but in these past two years, your features changed a bit. You even have a certain hard look and darkness around your eyes, that you hadn't previously.

- … I saw some ugly things… I suppose they changed me, a bit…

- Milord, I think it was quite productive, he got a good view of everything that can be accomplished, by following Milord's advice.

- Yes, I sure did! All those fields filled with cereals and vegetables, even the small gardens beyond every house were impressive! And the farming equipment, my Goddess, those things are unbelievably good and easy to use! I saw some farmers using it, they were preparing some fields or putting the manure on it, very quickly! I even saw a DogKind woman using one equipment to plant some seeds, all alone, only with the open wagon pulled by two horses, while her husband was using another equipment in a different part of the field! And the market, so many and different products! There were also some Elfians and Dwarfs selling there. We went to that Inn near the ocean, on the top of a hill. Such beautiful scenery! And that glass building with that pool inside is amazing! Not to mention the Coliseum in this Capital! And the Crystals on the top of those poles in the streets that are able to use Light Magic to illuminate the streets at night! So many wonders!

- Milord, as you can see, the Minister was very impressed by everything. He was also surprised by seeing a school filled with children that weren't Nobles, like in the Empire.

The Minister nodded his head.

- Yes, that really surprised me. Why did you allow for commoners to attend school?

- I have a better question for you, why in the Empire the children of Nobles are allowed to go to school?

- That's easy, for them to be able to take care of their family interests when the time comes.

- Exactly, same here. You see, if the people have the knowledge, they can choose better ways to do things and to be better at their jobs. By doing that, they can improve the wealth of the Country.

The Minister smiled.

- Well, they can also get some funny ideas and start to rebel against the natural order of things.

- What you think it's the natural order of things, I think it's stupidity that doesn't allow your country to grow. Maybe that's why you guys thought it was a good idea to conquer more territory, instead of improving what you already had. I don't remember seeing in the fallen Empire, fields so well treated and so productive like I have here. Or a Coliseum. Or new uses for Magic's.

- But Sir, these lands were always productive, because of the river.

- That's a good excuse. But my methods are already being used in the Kingdom of Rohan, very far from any river, and with similar results. If I recall correctly, your big arena for tournaments is very old and it's falling to pieces, because of a lack of maintenance. What about new uses for Magic's? Any improvement in these last centuries?

- Well… we do have a new type of carriage that instead of being pulled by horses, is pushed by Wind Magic, by having two Mages seated at the back of it.

Seya opened his mouth and he began to loudly, mumble to himself.

- That's… actually a good idea… if instead of Mages we use Magic Crystals with Wind Magic, infused with a Magical Program… even someone without any Magic could use one of those… and with a steering wheel to change the course of the front wheels… A Magical Car… the same principle can be applied to ships…

The Minister tilted his head, he was hearing some strange words.

- Sir, we can't use Magic Crystals for that, they are rare and expensive. And what's that… Magical Program? And steering wheel? Magical Car?

Seya shook his head and he smiled.

- Never mind, you just gave me some ideas.

- Well, Sir, what was strange to me, was seeing so many BeastKind everywhere we went. In the Empire, they are considered low races and they are all slaves.

- Yes, I'm aware of that. And I also know it has something to do with your religion.

- Yes, Sir. In the Old Book of the Goddess, it says that humans are superior and they must always rule over the lower races.

Hearing that, made Seya think for a while, before continuing his conversation.

- …|… next time I see the Goddess, I'm going to pull her ear for allowing such thing until today…|… If I remember correctly the History of the World, more than 2.000 years ago, Humans had good relations with the BeastKind Races. It was only after the Templar Knight Great Sage that things changed, mainly because he always saw BeastKind as his inferiors. I bet he had something to do with that Old Book of the Goddess. I've read it too, and I'm sure that it wasn't written by the Goddess herself, as the Goddess Teachings were.

The Minister blinked his eyes in a shock.

- Sir, saying something like that, can be considered a blasphemy in the Empire… I mean, the Human Conclave.

- Well, we can ask the Goddess if it was her that wrote that Old Book, I bet she will strongly deny it. What I don't understand, is why she never told you guys the truth!

Ryn held a laugh, by seeing the Minister opening his mouth even more than it was already and she spoke with a smile.

- Seya, I bet that at this hour, she's training with the LizardKind at Aku Kiro's Dojo.

- Yes, I think so too. School has ended, she's not here, so, she must be there.

- But… But Sir! Speaking like that about the Goddess, that's…

Ryn smiled at the Minister and she pointed with her head towards Seya.

- Don't worry Minister, the Goddess likes him very much. They have a very good relationship. She often appears to him, just to speak or mess with him.

The Minister turned pale and he looked at the Baron that was seated in front of him, just smiling, like if what he was hearing wasn't surprising.

- But Sir, the Goddess never appears to anyone! Some Priests may be guided by her, but until now, no one ever saw or spoke to her!

- I understand, maybe that's why you guys think so much of yourselves, it's just a matter of lack of guidance. Your people need to change that idea that Humans are superior. They are inferior, actually. They are ruled by emotions instead of reasoning, they have short lives and low intellect. The only thing good about them, it's the reproduction speed and adaptability, but even that is low, compared to the amazing LizardKind race. In the middle of the Elfians, Dwarfs, the Kingdom of Rohan, RabbitKind, and BeastKind, Humans are looked like just another race, with their goods and bads, like any other race. Only on that fallen Empire, Humans are so proud about themselves, with no reason whatsoever. That Templar Knight Great Sage really messed you guys up. And because you closed your minds, you could never learn with the Elfian Great Sage that came after him, as the rest of the world did.

- That's some interesting points of view, that Sir has. But do you have any proof about all that?

- Look around you, think for yourself, see the advancements that I made here in some short weeks, look at the state of your country. Do you need more proofs that your old ways aren't good enough? If the Emperor hadn't died and the Empire kept on being restrained like it is until now without outside help, very soon the people would rebel and a lot of your people would die. The Empire has weak foundations, mostly because of your outdated and wrong beliefs. I hope we can change that, otherwise, Humans will be extinct very quickly, on those lands of yours. If it was up to me, I would just burn and kill every single one of you, but the Goddess forbade me of doing that. So, I can only try to help your people and the new Nobles Conclave must guide and change the minds that you have.

The Minister remained silent, for some time. Seya crossed his fingers over the table, waiting for him. After a deep breath, the Minister talked.

- Maybe what you said is true, but it will be difficult to change the minds of my people that easily. Our beliefs, as you said, are very old. For 2.000 years, all the Emperors that ruled us made sure that every human in the Empire followed the guidance in the Old Book of the Goddess and the teachings of the Knight Great Sage. Maybe because of that, we failed to advance and that could be the reason for this last try of expansion of the Empire's borders that ended so badly, with my country restrained so easily.

- If you don't change, I won't help if you ever face these things.

Seya opened a Gateway to the Demonoid Island. He then made a barrier in front of it, able to sustain any physical or magic attack, because right in front of the Gateway, a huge Demonoid was there, bigger than the house they were in. As soon as he saw the Gateway and he sensed beings on the other side, the Demonoid threw a tentacle to the Gateway. The Minister had his mouth open, as the Baron and Ryn. Xenya and Seya were looking at it, very seriously.

They all could see a gigantic Demonoid, completely dark and with four big reddish eyes, looking at them. Some small tentacles were around his triangular mouth, located in the middle of his head. Pointy, drooling teeth's were opening and closing, with a clacking sound, as if it was chewing something. And it was. It was chewing a tentacle of a smaller Demonoid that was lying in a corner, dead. And the most disgusting in that image was the drooling. A black, gelatinous drool that was dripping to the ground, were six gigantic tentacles that were like its feet, were twirling and snapping, trying to cross the Gateway. The massive body, full of humps and holes from where more dark substances were dripping like if they were sweat and falling to the ground, was wobbling and throwing its massive weight against the Gateway that was protected by Seya's barrier. Suddenly, the Demonoid made a loud screech, like if it was mad because he couldn't get to those tasty beings on the other side of that strange Magic.

That was the limit for Ryn, she fainted. The Baron and the Minister were completely white, with dead eyes, unable to speak or move.

Seya closed the Gateway and he waited for the Minister and the Baron to recover. Xenya was helping Ryn. When everyone was drinking water and regaining some color, Seya spoke.

- If that thing was in front of you trying to eat you and judging by your reaction, you would all die, for sure. That is what lives in the Demonoid Island and it's always trying to escape from there to eat every living being in this world. Those things, 1.000 years ago, were stopped in the border between the Dwarfs Mountains and the LizardKind prairies at great cost, not only by the four major races, but also by the Dragonoids, Fairies, and Mermaids. The people in the Empire didn't help at that time because they never wanted to deal with the other races.

Now, I'm going to give you a message so that you can deliver it to your fellow Ministers and to the future Nobles Conclave. The Magical Border, the Dragonoids, and the Mermaids are protecting the lands of the fallen Empire for being devoured by those nasty things, they don't only restrain you. Since your army doesn't have weapons, every human living there, would be easy prey. Next time these things attack, I expect the people in your country to join the battle. If they don't do that, I will make sure that the people living there will be the first casualties. Did I make myself clear?

The Minister slowly nodded.

- Yes, Sir, I understand. I will pass your message. I'm not sure if anyone will believe me when I describe that dark thing!

- Well, if needed, I can transport one of those things to the middle of your country. I'm sure some hundreds dead will make quite an impact!

The Minister trembled, and when he saw the serious look and the darkness that surrounded Seya, he had no doubt that it was a genuine threat.

- I will do as you say, Sir.

Seya opened a Gateway, directly to the throne room of the former Empire. The other Ministers were at a table, discussing some things. The Minister of Agriculture got up and before crossing the Gateway, he bowed at Seya.

- Thank you for everything, Marquess Seya. I'll pass to my colleagues everything that I saw and learned here. What must I do, if I need to contact you again?

- Use your Communicator Device and call Baron Frank, of the Clan Macleod. That will work.

The Minister nodded and did a final bow while the Gateway was dispersing. Seya took a deep breath and smiled.

- Well, I think it went very well, what do you think, Baron?

- I agree. At least, until Milord shows us that thing. I'm still shaking.

- Sorry for that, I just wanted to warn that Minister. But I think that Ryn here is feeling worse than you.

Ryn was still a little pale, even with Xenya pushing some air against her by using a napkin.

- I don't know how Duncan is able to fight those things! I just froze and fainted! No wonder the Goddess pukes because of them! Those things are disgusting!

Seya was looking at Ryn very seriously. He was very angry with her and everyone noticed because of the tone of his voice.

- If you were in front of one and fainted like that, you would die. You really need to get rid of that bad habit of yours. I don't know how you mustered the courage to work as a security guard, I really don't. What would happen if one caravan that you were protecting faced a thing like that? Would you just faint and let everyone get eaten, without even trying to fight it?

Ryn lowered her head and she started to cry in silence. But Seya wasn't over.

- You were curious about those pesky things, I showed you one and you, instead of taking a good look at it and trying to see his weak spots while thinking about a way to defeat it, you fainted! I don't know what more I can do about your constant fainting! If we ever face a group of those things, how can I trust you to defend yourself? How can I believe that you will be able to protect me if needed? Do you know what Princess Heiji did when we were ambushed by one of those? She jumped against it because she thought I was in danger! And she was only ten years old!

That was the last drop. Ryn started to cry loudly, no stop. Seya looked at her and bitted his lip. He thought that maybe he went too far, as so did Xenya, that scolded him.

- That was too much, brother. I understand that you just want to put some sense into her, but you could be more gentle.

- Yes, I think the same also and I regret it already but I got enough of her constant fainting. One day, she may need to defend her life against those things and I may not be around to help her. I don't want that she gets eaten by one of those things! I don't know if I can live without her, and that really scares me!

Xenya made a gentle smile. She knew very well how kind Seya was and having to be so rough towards Ryn that he deeply loved, must have been very painful for him. She placed one hand on his shoulder and she looked at him, very closely.

- Don't worry, brother, I will protect her, if needed. And I will make sure to properly prepare her for the worst, you have my word. Now, let me take care of her, ok?

Xenya let go of Seya and she went near Ryn. She grabbed Ryn from her collar and shook her nonstop. Again, and again, and again. Soon, Ryn was completely dizzy.

- If you ever cry again in front of me or faint, I'll make sure that you regret it, you hear me, you spoiled child? You are not worthy of being near my amazing brother, but I'll take care of that, even if I have to kill you! I can't believe that you are the daughter of Leia! She would kill herself, before allowing herself to cry as you did! From now on, your life belongs to me! I'll personally train you! I'll make sure to dry out those tears of yours and you will think very well before fainting again, do you understand me, you brat?

Ryn was looking at Xenya in a shock, without saying anything. That silence granted her another shake.

- I said, do you understand me, you stupid brat?

- Yes…

The hesitation along with the wrong response granted Ryn another shake.

- When talking to me, always put Master in the beginning and at the end of every sentence that comes out of your mouth!

- … Yes, Master, I understand… Master!

- Good! See? It's not as difficult as you may think, addressing your Master with the proper greeting! Seya, heal her, please. I think I might have shaken her brain a little too much, she doesn't look good, even her eyes are a little to the side!

Seya quickly went to Ryn. He was a bit worried by seeing Ryn getting such a treatment. While he was taking care of Ryn, he stared at Xenya.

- And you had the nerve to say that I did too much… sister, you are crazy…

- Maybe, but I'll fix your girlfriend, for sure. Better if you prepare yourself, dear Ryn, tomorrow we'll go Demonoid hunting!

Ryn opened her mouth in a surprise. She was going to say something but she then remembered, last time that she said the wrong thing, Xenya shook her brains out, so she quickly closed her mouth a bit and answered.

- Yes, Master! I understand, Master!

- Good answer, student! Ahahah! See, Seya, she learns fast!

And then Xenya looked at Ryn with a very menacing look.

- It's better if you learn very fast, I don't like slowpokes!

- Yes, Master!