The Red Hand

Chapter 130 – The Spirits’ Home.

The rest of the week came and went with little fanfare, though Hishya was quite pouty over the marker on her face. Akagi and Kana woke up bright and early Saturday morning, ready to head on their little family vacation. It would be the first time they'd gone on a trip together, since Akagi was never brought on family vacations, and even if it wasn't really a big endeavor, both were looking forward to it. Himari would technically be coming along as well, though she opted to remain mostly silent and leave the two sisters to enjoy themselves. She and Momo were finding it difficult to adapt to a more human life than expected, and even getting them to speak unprompted at times was difficult. Akagi figured this was part of their inbuilt 'programming' as they'd been created as tools to serve a purpose, something she guessed would begin to fade over time if they were prodded enough.

Mizumi originally wanted to have Akagi meet the Spirit Council today, but she was told no, and that was the end of the discussion. Akagi was not at their beck and call and she would see them when she got around to it. Mizumi said that would only annoy them, but the Demon said it wasn't her problem.

Seeing no point in arguing, Mizumi went on ahead to deal with her fellow Spirits and left Akagi and Kana to enjoy themselves. She'd gone ahead previously and made accommodations for them during their stay and informed them of where to go after they arrived. Once they were ready, Akagi opened a portal to the Spirit's home, a world they had named Omara, a word that meant sanctuary in an ancient language from the other world.

"Shall we?" Akagi looked at Kana, who was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. It was always summer in Omara, so heavy clothes were unneeded.

"Yup!" Kana smiled.

"Keep an eye on things while I'm gone, Yumi." Akagi turned to the priestess. "And if you need anything, don't hesitate to contact me." She didn't think anything would happen, but her paranoia told her to be on alert, just in case.

"Don't worry about anything, and just enjoy yourself." She hugged Akagi before the two sisters disappeared into the portal.

{At least she didn't ramble on about all sorts of things before she left.} Yumi sighed internally. {I was half expecting her to start demanding I show that I'd prepped meals for each day like some kind of overprotective mom.} 

Once she was gone, Yumi turned and went back into the house. "Sometimes I wish she'd just relax a bit." She sighed. Getting Akagi to let her guard down a bit was going to be hard, but it was a goal of hers.

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After going through the portal, Akagi and Kana found themselves standing in a grassy field overlooking a large town that was situated along a lake. Numerous farms covered the vast northern plains beyond the town, and in the distance, you could see a dense treeline in every direction with what appeared like a barrier flowing upward and creating a dome that covered the entire area.

"Oh wow!" Kana was amazed by the sight before her. "This is amazing! It's like something right out of a fantasy VR game!" She'd played a few games like that, but this was on another level. The town below looked similar to Japanese architecture from the early 20th century, and she could see people moving about in the distance.

Kana looked over at her sister, who was standing still with her eyes closed as the wind blew through her hair. Akagi took a deep breath as she enjoyed in all the sensations and feelings that flowed to her. This world was different than Earth and it tickled something within her heart, something primal.

"Everything alright?" Kana asked.

{She looks like she's at peace.} (Kana)

"Yeah, it's all good." Akagi opened her eyes and glanced at her. "Just... it feels nice to be here." Akagi smiled.

{I suppose it makes sense to enjoy the flow of magic into my body. I've never got to feel something like this before, and its nice. This place, it kind of feels like I've come home.} (Akagi_

"Nice?" Kana tilted her head.

"Probably because this world contains magic, Kana. I can feel it flow in and around me, as it swirls and dances through my body. It's not something that exists on Earth, and I quite enjoy the sensation." Akagi commented.

"I don't feel anything." Kana said.

“You'll need to develop your magic senses a bit more before you start picking up on it, its subtle, but its here.” Akagi smiled.

“I suppose.” Kana nodded

"However, its not just the magical energy that is making me feel these emotions. Staring down at the town it... it reminds me of my time in FWO. While the buildings are very different, it's still a fantasy town." Akagi laughed. "Perhaps I'm feeling a bit of nostalgia, that's not something I ever expected."

{I guess I do kinda miss my time in FWO, though I'd much rather be back in the real world with my powers and my family.} (Akagi)

"I guess that makes sense. You spent nearly four years running around in what was basically a different world, so it's only natural you have a fondness for it to an extent." Kana hoped Akagi would open up a bit more to her about her time in FWO now that they were in a familiar place.

Once they'd gotten their bearings, the two walked down the small hill and onto the road that led into the town. There were no walls surrounding the city, as the barrier covering the area kept out any monsters which might wander too close, so entering was easy. The two guards near the entrance stopped them briefly for an inspection and some questioning. But once they found out who the two girls were, they were allowed in with no issue.

"This place is even cooler up close!" Kana couldn't stop looking around at the buildings. The streets were packed with stalls, and it seemed lively. The people who lived here were definitely Yokai, as Akagi pointed out the similarity between them and the creatures depicted in legends. There were big Yokai and small ones, most looked Humanoid, but many were more creature like in appearance with large eyes, multiple feet and hands and other fantastical elements. However, after a bit of discussion, both girls pointed out that none of the residents looked exactly like the Yokai from the stories back home. They often looked close enough, but there were always differences. Akagi guessed this was the result of four thousand years of evolution in their new environment, a conclusion Kana agreed with.

As the two walked down the main road, and Kana took in the strange environment, while Akagi got hit with a sense of Deja vu.

"You know, this place reminds me of Antkellion." Akagi thought for a moment. "The main street of that city was filled with merchants and different wares, like here, and it was always busy with all the ships coming into the port."

{That place was always so fun to visit.} (Akagi)

"Was that a city in the Empire?" Kana asked. She'd only had a vague understanding of the FWO world, and didn't know much about its geography or locations.

"Yes, it was one of the largest cities on the Western half of the Eubora continent. Its harbor was connected to every major city along the coast, and you could find almost anything in its markets. It was also one of few places you could get goods from areas not implemented in the Alpha, which you can imagine made it very important." Akagi smiled as she recalled her time in the city.

"Did you spend a lot of time there? From what you said, I assume yes." Kana asked.

"Yep. Actually, one of the merchants who ran a larger trading company was quite a good friend of mine." Akagi laughed. "Antenobrech was a funny man, he always had a joke for any situation, and could drink most people under the table."

{Except Ara. That cat was invincible when it came to drinking games.} (Akagi)

"I see..." Kana couldn't be completely happy since she knew that man no longer existed, which meant her sister lost a good friend. When FWO was completed, the game world inside was deleted, and thus all the people who lived within it were destroyed. Without a second thought countless millions of people were wiped out.

"He was a good man, Kana. I tried to recruit him on a few occasions, but the old Dwarf just wanted to spend time with his family, and I chose to respect his decision." Akagi put on a fake smile. She clearly missed him and many others from the game world.

"Isn't there any way to bring those people back?" Kana asked. "Mizumi must have a way, right?"

{If she had the power to manipulate the game world, surely there must be a way to recover at least a few people?} (Kana)

"She has never said anything about it, and as far as I know, once Hishya defeated Serval and cleared the game, that was the end. FWO was scrubbed from existence both on Mizumi's and the devs end." Akagi looked into the company behind the game a bit, but since it had closed and disbanded, it was hard to get information. All she knew was that the game was scrubbed once the people inside were freed.

"It's too bad. I kinda want to see the place where you lived for all that time." Kana smiled.

"It was a place of both good and bad, Kana" Akagi said as the two turned a corner onto another street. "It was a beautiful place, and one with so much to do and see. But it was also a dark and dirty world filled with horrors beyond your comprehension. For the residents, life was cheap, and death haunted them every day."

{I've seen more than one village wiped off the face of the earth by a random monster attack.} (Akagi)

"It really was a whole different world, huh?" Kana said.

"It was, and anyone who lived through it would tell you the same thing. You can ask Hishya a bit more about it if you'd like, as I'm sure the dragon has some fun stories to share." Akagi looked at the buildings around her. "This place is a microcosm of that world, not quite the same, but any of us would feel the similarities." Akagi and Kana chatted for a bit more on the main street before coming across the Inn Mizumi told them about.

"The Wandering Spirit." Kana read its name. "It really is like we're in a game." She laughed.

"But it's real, don't forget that, Kana." Akagi pointed to the people in the street. "These people, this world, it's all real. Even more than the world in FWO."

Kana nodded as the two headed inside.

*DING!*

A small bell rang as Akagi entered the front door. The inside of this place brought back so many memories of her time in FWO. She'd spent more nights than she could count in places like this, so it was strange seeing something like this again.

"Hello!" A small tanuki girl greeted them from behind the counter. "How can I help you?" She gave a big smile.

"Mizumi set up reservations for us for tonight and tomorrow. My name is Akagi, and this is Kana." Akagi walked over and explained who they were.

{That girl is so cute! Good thing Mika isn't here, she'd probably pet her to death.} (Kana)

"Ah, yes! Lady Mizumi said guests of hers would be coming!" The tanuki girl rifled through a drawer. Here is your room key. The number on it matches the number of your room, and you can find the rooms up that stairway over there.” She pointed. “Lunch and dinner times as well as our menu is listed on a board in the dining room. Please let me know if you need anything else!"

{Why am I getting the feeling that this little girl is more responsible and mature than like 99% of people I know? It's because she is... isn't she?} (Kana)

Akagi took the key, and the two went upstairs, acquainting themselves with their room. It was nice, though nothing compared to what they were used to at their home. Akagi flopped down onto the bed and laughed as the bed creaked.

"Man, it's funny. I think part of me missed these lump mattresses and creaky beds." (Akagi)

The room had two beds and a few other amenities. It wasn't anything special, but that didn't matter to Akagi.

"Why is there an Inn in this town anyway?" Kana asked a good question. "It's not like they get travelers."

{Seems like a very bad business decision.} (Kana)

"Food and rooms." Akagi lifted her head up. "People come here to eat and also from what Mizumi told me, there isn't enough housing for everyone yet. So this place acts like apartments more than an Inn."

{This place still needs tons of development, and construction seems to be proceeding mostly as planned. But things could always be faster.} (Akagi)

"That makes sense." Kana nodded. She looked around the room before sitting on the bed. "It's quaint, I like it." She looked out the window which had a view of the main road. "So did you used to stay in places like this a lot?" She asked, referring to the Inn room.

"Yeah, in fact, Inns like this were basically my home for most of FWO." Akagi stood up. "Most of my time was spent traveling, either alone or with Yumi. So places like this were a life saver."

"Didn't you have a home?" Kana asked. She recalled Akagi mention a base of her own during FWO.

"Yes, but it was more a place I used to keep items and where my followers lived than a true home." Akagi thought for a second. "I never had a proper home, mostly because sitting in one place for too long wasn't a good idea."

{The few times I tried having a home, it was burned down. Not very fun...} (Akagi)

"I assume that was because you were being hunted by players?" Kana figured her status as an assassin lead her to being wanted.

"Players and NPCs, though mostly NPCs to be honest. By the end of the game, the bounty on my head was over 126 Million gold coins. To put that in perspective, one gold coin is worth around one hundred yen."

(Since 100 yen is about one dollar, her bounty would have been around 126 million USD)

"That's crazy!" Kana was surprised. "That's more than any bounty given out in the real world!"

{Just how many people did you piss off?!?} (Kana)

"It's just how much people hated me, Kana." Akagi laughed. "Come on. We can continue talking as we look around town. I want to see this place a bit."