Chapter 18:

  Temporary Goodbye

  Elizabeth made her speech very clear. The Wild Zone is not a pyground. Anyone who came to show off should go home. Anyone who was found in viotion of the stiputions put in pce would be under immediate punishment by Aegis. They would follow instruction, or they would be left behind.

  Under no circumstances were there to be any deviations. All the guilds would coordinate together and process materials as they found them. Of course, she left out anything about the Crowned Tulip. While she would help the top guilds to find it, she didn't exactly confirm its existence. It was, after all, just a rumor currently.

  Once it was found, the information would be spread like wildfire. When that happened, it would be chaos. The Wild Guard would hopefully help to limit the damage of those foolish enough to try and sneak their way into the Wild Zone, along with those who would fight each other for the opportunity of finding a Crowned Tulip.

  That's why they had been created. To keep the peace and monitor the Wild Zones. Unfortunately, other countries weren't as keen on creating such a force. She could only hope that this time around, the Wild Guard was strong enough in the states to make up for the ck of control elsewhere in the world.

  It wasn't like other countries weren't taking precautions, but many of them were as greedy as the Pyers themselves. The resources of a Wild Zone were plentiful, and while her influence was high, she could only do so much. As her speech came to an end, she closed her eyes for a moment as she reminisced.

  The United Kingdom and Irend were the first to fall. Becoming the first ever Wild Nation. It was a perilous pce filled with dangers that, unless you were at least A Rank, you were bound to die. It had been littered with the corpses of those who had tried. Some called it the Land of Corpses, for the ground was drenched in their blood and fed the monsters within.

  That wasn't to say anything for the rest of the world. Japan had lost most of its nd, becoming half-Wild Zone. Tokyo had become, literally, a concrete jungle. Overgrown and dangerous, it was near impossible to recim it, especially after they burned it to the ground in an attempt to rid it of both foliage and monster.

  That's how most of the major cities ended up at first. No one really knew what to do, and so the governments responded in the only way they knew how. Military action. Casualties were considered colteral and completely acceptable if it meant reciming even a fraction of what they had lost.

  It was only when they say the futility of this that they began to become more defensive and section off these areas. Pyers soon gave rise and hope was restored...if only for a time.

  A heavy sigh escaped Elizabeth's lips as she walked off of the stage. Every guild was now beginning their preparations to enter the Wild Zone. This was the st time for everyone to say goodbye to their loved ones.

  Her eyes set upon Lucas standing with Maya; Azure curled up on his shoulder. There was a lot on Elizabeth's mind as she saw him. How many times had she seen the world go to shit? So many lifetimes. So many times, she saw Lucas die, and now...he was right there. Living, breathing...smiling.

  It was a smile she wanted to protect, much like he wanted to protect her own smile. He was so sweet to worry about her, but it was her who had to worry about him. He was prone to reckless behavior if push came to shove, and so she had to do everything in her power that it never came to that. That he'd never be in a situation where he had to do something drastic.

  Using her knowledge, she had gotten the world to where it was now, in this lifetime. In no small part due to her own determination, the world would be prepared, or it would fall and even if Lucas hated her, she would ensure that he at least survived. However, she would try because it was what he would want.

  That's why only London, Wales, and secluded parts of Irend had become Wild Zones. The Isle of Man was no exception, but otherwise, they had survived in order to put up a much better fight. Tokyo, Hokkaido, and Kyushu had still fallen in Japan, along with a few major cities, but otherwise had been able to hold off.

  The Sahara, which had been the single rgest Wild Zone in the past, had now been segmented and contained in smaller, yet no less deadly, Wild Zones. These were often called the Oases of Death for obvious reasons, but at least it didn't take up the entirety of the Sahara.

  It was all thanks to the technology and efforts of Falcrest Corp. under the guidance of Elizabeth herself. Through trade deals, political maneuvering, and a few underhanded methods, she had ensured the most countries had the resources necessary to fight back when everything began.

  "Don't look so serious," Lucas's voice pierced her thoughts.

  His teasing words were a blessing as she smiled, having made her way over to him.

  "Penny for your thoughts?" he inquired, but she shook her head.

  "No," she stated, running a hand along his face, "Just a kiss, my love."

  "That, I can do," he chuckled, leaning in to kiss her.

  Gods, it was sweet. The taste of his lips, the touch of his skin...it was just what she needed to keep her sanity. Not like there was much of that left. She was absolutely besotted with him, and she would do everything in her power to ensure he remained hers. She would no longer run from him in hopes that he would be safe.

  The safest pce he could be was where she could watch him closely, and that was by her side. Damn, she hated having to leave him, but she had no choice for now.

  The emptiness she felt when she pulled away from him was endless. A cold depth that threatened to engulf her and swallow this world whole. What was the point of living if she couldn't feel his warmth?

  "Mmm," Lucas mumbled in satisfaction as Elizabeth reluctantly pulled away, "Damn..."

  He slowly opened his eyes with a smile, looking upon her with an unfair amount of passionate fixation. All she saw in his eyes was a desire to drink her in. To take everything she was and commit it to memory. Who wouldn't be excited at such a look? She'd devour him now, if not for using everything she had to control herself.

  "Agreed," Elizabeth smirked, brushing his hair affectionately, "Are you sure I can't stay? Just say the word..."

  She was hopefully, almost pleading in her words. She wanted him to tell her to stay. To not go into the Wild Zone. All he had to do was say the word, and she would call everything off.

  He chuckled, an angelic tone to her ears. There was no doubt in her mind that he also wanted her to stay, but she also knew what his answer would be. Perhaps that's why she asked. To hear him say it. To help harden her resolve.

  "I want nothing more than you to stay, Ellie, but..." Lucas looked around at all the people gathered, saying goodbye to their loved ones.

  He had that look on his face. The one that always took her by the heart. It held her in a chokehold no matter how many times she saw it. A gentle, selfless expression filled with a subtle conviction. Whenever he saw someone needing help, he would always have that look.

  "No matter how selfish I want to be, and I want to be selfish," he continued, gncing at her obsessively before his expression softened, "You're needed out there. So, keep them and yourself safe, and return quickly. Kick some ass, Ellie...I love you."

  Elizabeth's heart was shot through by so many of Cupid's arrows that she felt ready to burst. It took everything in her to hold her composure, though the warmth in her face most definitely gave her away.

  "I love you, too, Lucas," Elizabeth replied, gazing upon him with fanatic passion, "So very, very much."

  The clearing of Maya's throat brought her to Elizabeth's attention, and brought Elizabeth herself back to her senses, if only a little.

  "You heard him, Miss," Maya spoke up professionally, though there was an underlying warmth to her words, "Go kick some ass, find what they need, and hurry back. I give you my word, I'll keep Sir Lucas safe in the meantime."

  Lucas glowered pyfully in her direction, a light blush to his face as she called him "Sir Lucas". He still wasn't used to such things, nor was he really big on formalities, and Maya was a stickler for formalities most of the time. Though, Elizabeth knew the real reason she did it. Underneath that professional facade was a mischievous woman who enjoyed seeing him flustered, if only a little.

  To be honest, Elizabeth condoned it. After all, she also got to see him flustered. They shared a brief look with each other in shared admiration for such a reaction. Elizabeth silently praising Maya, which boosted Maya's own pride. Lucas would be in good hands; of that she had no doubt.

  Wasting no more time, Elizabeth gave Lucas one final kiss upon his forehead before turning to meet up with the rest of Aegis.

  -----

  "Should I ask her for some pictures, Sir?" Maya teased me for staring at Elizabeth, "I'm sure she wouldn't mind, and would in fact be quite enthusiastic about it."

  "N-No, that's fine..." I felt my face burn up at the thought.

  I couldn't help but be entranced by Elizabeth. She was literally the woman of my dreams. It was difficult not to stare. I also wasn't the only one staring. Maya had been, for a while now, gncing off towards a certain direction.

  Following her gaze, I couldn't help but smile smugly. Not too far off, past Elizabeth, standing with her back to us, was a woman standing slightly taller than Elizabeth herself and with twice the bulk. If Elizabeth was the definition of an Amazon, then this woman definitely was one. Dark auburn hair that fell to her shoulders, the right side braided back into the rest of her hair.

  Skin that looked to have been touched by the sun. Wearing armor akin to what you might imagine a Viking would wear into battle. She carried a magnificent spear that which accentuated the muscles in her arm as she held it with the tip pointed down.

  She was talking to what looked like another group of people, whom I actually recognized when I realized that Elizabeth was walking directly towards them. It was Zero Squad! I felt a sudden giddiness to see them in person, and pouted when I realized I hadn't been able to meet them. They were recognized as one of the best squads in the world, even among Aegis, they were a powerhouse.

  Though, I didn't recognize the woman. Was she new? I didn't know, but Maya seemed to be captivated. Something that amused me.

  "Should I ask for a picture?" I teased, leaning to whisper into her ear, "Perhaps we could go on a double date."

  Maya startled slightly, which was honestly quite cute as a light pink entered her cheeks. She gred at me from behind her sungsses as she composed herself.

  "Would you be able to ask, Sir?" Maya shot back politely.

  She had a point, much to my chagrin. Crossing my arms before me, I sighed and glowered at her. Though it was all in good fun. I wasn't angry or anything, just begrudgingly accepting she was right. I wasn't someone to just go up and say hello to anyone first, let alone asking them for a picture.

  "Besides," Maya spoke, her tone softening, "I'm not sure that would be appropriate."

  "Why not?" I wondered, genuinely not seeing the problem, "And don't give me some bullshit like 'I work for you, bh bh bh'."

  Maya chuckled softly, a half-smile to her lips.

  "No, Sir, nothing like that," Maya responded, and I noticed her tone took on a serious note, "Her name is Sigrid, the Vice Leader of...well, she was the Vice Leader of Iron Cw, over near the Rockies. She lost her entire guild. So..."

  "Ah...I see," I couldn't imagine what that must feel like.

  "Yes," Maya nodded, speaking quietly, "Do you remember when we met up with Ms. Meridith? That's when Ms. Falcrest learned about what happened."

  Maya expined to me that Elizabeth had warned them against going into a specific dungeon before they were ready, but they didn't listen. Bravado had gotten the best of them. It was a cruel awakening. Sigrid had been injured in the process and was going to retire, but was flown out shortly after to receive treatment.

  "Ms. Falcrest offered her a chance at redemption," Maya stated, though the way she said it held a little amusement before turning serious again, " Her skills are needed. So, it wouldn't be appropriate right now."

  "That's fair," I nodded, and despite the heaviness of the topic, I couldn't help but feel a little pyful, "Though, not to be callous of the situation or anything, but she is quite attractive, isn't she?"

  Maya gnced at me with a coy roll of her eyes. In that look, we both shared a mutual understanding and appreciation for the types of women we both liked.

  "Yes, she is," Maya admitted, letting out a sigh of begrudging amusement, "Honestly, Sir, that's not appropriate."

  "Oh, please!" I scoffed, nudging her pyfully in the arm, "You were thinking it, I just said it."

  "That's beside the point, Sir," Maya stated in that professional tone of hers.

  "Mhm, suuure~," I joked, but I knew heaviness of the situation; I just wanted to help alleviate it a bit, which seemed to have worked, "Come on, we should go before I lose my own resolve."

  "As you say, Sir," Maya smiled, bowing her head slightly.

  It was good to see her more rexed than when I first met her. I felt comfortable around her, and somewhere deep in the bowels of my chest, I felt connected to her in a strange way. Elizabeth had told me that Maya knew of her Regressor status, but I had to wonder...what were we in the past? In all those other lives, were we also this close? Perhaps closer?

  I wasn't sure, but I was gd that I had Maya with me. She may not be Elizabeth, but she was nonetheless someone I could feel whole around. It just felt right.

  Scratching Azure under his chin, I followed closely behind Maya as we made our way to the vehicle and left the Wild Zone border.

  -----

  Elizabeth watched Lucas and Maya leaving from the corner of her eye. She was gd to see them getting along. It was always a soothing sight for her heart. However, she had to turn her mind to other things. The Wild Zone wasn't about to just disappear any time soon.

  A massive wall surrounded the Wild Zone to keep its encroaching environment from overtaking the city. Roughly fifty feet tall and about ten feet thick, its dark stone material was quite imposing. Shimmering with a slight metallic sheen, this wall had been built with both materials from this world and the dungeons.

  Thanks to the skills of some Pyers, upgrading and constructing the wall had been a retively trivial matter. Aegis had invested quite a bit to get everything started. Now, it was up to the Pyers Association and the Government to keep it running. An aurora-like shimmer permeated the top of the wall and rose even higher than the stone structure itself. The magical barrier that supplemented the physical one.

  It was constantly fueled by material taken from dungeons and the magical power of mages within the Wild Guard ranks. There were towers all along the wall where Wild Guard members kept watch. Other structures jutted out from and were built into the wall itself. This pce was a living hive of constant vigince. Honestly, it was a city in and of itself.

  Since Wild Guard members were almost always needed at the wall, their families were allowed to live nearby should they wish, and thus apartments and homes were built. Of course, there were precautions. Evacuation procedures and other emergency actions to be taken if something went wrong.

  They all knew the danger, but for the sake of morale and their loved ones, they were determined to stay nearby. It was decisions like these that made Elizabeth, for but a moment, believe that humanity deserved to be saved. The willingness to do what they had to for those they loved reminded her a lot of Lucas. For his sake, she made sure their chances of survival were as optimal as she could make them. Everything else was up to them.

  In the end, however, she couldn't care any less. This was all a means to an end. That end being her happy, peaceful life with Lucas. It was for this reason that she entered what people called her "war goddess" persona. A bnk, stone-cold exterior with an inner fire burning hot. A state of utter focus and determination.

  "There she is!" Ailyah commented excitedly, "The War Goddess has arrived!"

  "Is everyone ready?" Elizabeth inquired, casting her gaze of Zero Squad, "Do you understand your orders?

  "Yes, Ma'am," Richard answered with an affirmative nod, "We'll keep an eye on Bryan and the Hawks Guild, along with the rest of them. Don't worry."

  "I'll trust your eyes," Elizabeth responded coolly, "Sigrid, this is your first time after Titania's Lair. Are you ready?"

  "As ready as I can be," Sigrid forced a smile, though she was being genuine, "I'll keep the little ones alive."

  Sigrid nodded to the newest members of Zero Squad, besides herself, Priscil and Trevor. They looked nervous, but the determination in their eyes was adequate. They would be a good addition, but there was something more pressing on everyone's mind than the Wild Zone.

  "So..." Ailyah got that curious, mischievous smirk on her face, "Who's the boy? You two looked quite close."

  "Ailyah..." Richard cautioned, though it was obvious he was curious as well.

  "Oh, come on!" Ailyah defended, smacking Richard across his chest pyfully with the back of her hand, "You were wondering too!"

  "I mean...it would expin her behavior at Mothar's Pin," Richard admitted, with Priscil and Trevor silently agreeing with a few nods.

  Elizabeth felt a little embarrassed but kept her demeanor. They all meant well. If it was said that she had friends, they would be it. There was a sense of camaraderie that she had instilled in them from the very beginning. Zero Squad had been handpicked by Elizabeth herself. Their training was her responsibility. She allowed a little bit of familiarity.

  "Knock it off," Elizabeth ordered, causing Ailyah to cover her mouth, mirth sparkling in her eyes; rolling her eyes, Elizabeth continued, "All you need to know is that he's important to me. You'll be briefed ter, after we get this done. So, if you're curious...you better do well."

  Ailyah's eyes lit up even more at the thought of learning more. She had always been a giddy person. Full of the love for life. Serious when she had to be, but overall a bubbly person. Richard was a bit more reserved, but nonetheless had a curiosity that could make a cat jealous.

  Priscil and Trevor were twins that often got into trouble. A mischievous bunch, but completely loyal. All of them were. Zero Squad had always been there with her until the bitter end in each of her lives. Though, she could never find it in herself to fully open up to them.

  It was...easier that way. The pain of losing them after growing so close never reached the heights that losing Lucas did, but it was nonetheless difficult. This time would be different. It had to be.

  Seeing them now motivated, Elizabeth led them from the front with the rest of the guilds following behind.

  "Let's get this over with," Elizabeth stated to them, and with confidence strode forward into the Wild Zone.

  -----

  Nikushimi