The Third Party - Chapter 86

3rd Person’s POV (12 yrs., 8 months)

‘Ugh, what now?’ thought Ken, clearly he knows that he blacked out and his vision still hasn’t returned. All black and such, his eyebrows could only stay at a straight line as he stared dead ahead, arms crossed​​

[Astral form in progress…]

A notification informed Ken. At first he was surprised of the sudden turn of his situation, but seconds later he could only stare condescendingly at the message.

‘I did not use or activated a spell that will allow me to use an astral form. What is going on?’ he thought to himself, albeit with a calm expression. “White are you there?”

“Right here Ken.” said White appearing by his side in his sphere form.

“Why do you sound worried?” Ken asked.

“You flat out fainted on me, for a second I did not know what to do.” White explained, a mixture of worry and relief on his voice.

“Sorry for making you worry, I did not know what happened to me.” Ken could only feel that White nodded at him. He gestured in front at the notification.

“Do you know any of this?” Ken asked, to which White turned and read the message on the notification.

“I don’t know, but I’ll figure something out.” White released a pulse of white on his surroundings seemingly illuminating the area they were in, but after a few moments of that pulse running, the surroundings returned to its black color.

“It would have been better if whom-ever transported me here filled this space with stars or light so it doesn’t have to hurt looking at this bright notification letters.” as if someone heard him, the dimness of the area lessened as small dots of light aided in illuminating the area.

“Oh, thank you.” He said out loud to whoever is out there, he was still floating in open space though.

“I understand now.” said White and floated closer to Ken. “Your being given a vision from someone that governs the land of Terres, he said that you will be needing to know of the situations that will unravel before you.”

“Hmm, how generous of them, I hope they’d receive our gratitude for giving us these visions.” Ken nodded. “Considering that they are giving me these visions, do they have something drastic that may affect the course of this world, or someone’s life?”

“Yes, they do.” replied White.

“Okay, I understand now, but having such knowledge may be detrimental to whatever the outcome of the people involved in these visions, it would be wise to deliberately pick courses of actions that are beneficial for everyone.” said Ken.

“I hope you’re not going to try and gain more for yourself.” teased White.

“You already know I have no use for more power, I have other fantasies I would like to fulfill.” replied Ken, gone with the business voice, and in with the playful one.

[Astral Form complete… Beginning assimilation]

“Okay, good, let’s see what these visions have in store for us.” Blinding light covered the entirety of the space before them, slowly engulfing Ken and White’s forms. Meanwhile, Alfred and Lyn were relieved that their son just suddenly went to sleep.

But it still made them worry for they do not know the cause of such a situation, they could only observe for now. Good thing that they didn’t turn into worry wart parents when it comes to their son entering weird and dangerous situations.

Right, we can only blame Ken for convincing his parents that he’s capable enough already despite still being considered as a child in their eyes.

The sight of greenery and trees filled Ken’s vision, quickly taking a look at himself first to know whether he was transparent or not, sure enough he was. He then proceeded to float around aimlessly and look out for something that will happen before him.

One thing he quickly noticed and knows is that he is at the edge of the valley’s barrier as he could see above him that seemingly translucent covering, reflecting the colors of the rainbow.

To which only they could see. Anyone who would live inside the valley were the only ones given the opportunity to see the translucent barrier, which was slowly developed over time.

The terrain was slightly slanted forward, meaning this was on one of the mountains. Far ahead, was a sight to behold as it showcased a wide view of… this is not their valley, this must be on the other side of the barrier.

He could see a small town far ahead, and what looks to be a countryside down the mountain, with vast fields and small villages here and there. He tried smelling the air to feel it’s freshness but stopped short when he didn’t smell anything.

‘Right, I’m just an astral projection of my form.’ He thought, White silently floated in front of him.

‘The scenarios of the first vision shall now play out.’ White said.

‘There are more?’ Ken asked.

‘Approximately three visions.’ replied White.

‘Oh, okay.’ Ken continued on floating aimlessly, swaying from left to right because he doesn’t want to make anything boring, he laid his body in mid-air, crossed both hands behind his neck and assumed a sleeping position.

Rustles from the nearby bushes caught his attention, head down, vision upside down to catch a glimpse of whomever is nearby. A blur bypassed him, seconds later three others revealed themselves on his vision.

But it looks like they’re chasing after the person from earlier. With a push, Ken launched himself high to get an over view of the situation.

The person from before was running at the speed of which he has, yes the person is a male with that short blonde white hair, and those male aristocratic clothing, how Ken knows so? Easy, he’s read too many manga’s and manhua’s to distinguish such attires.

The boy?… or man’s plain sky blue suit, paired with equally sky blue slacks and white gloves minus a cape, glistened in the vast majority of greens below Ken, coupled with the person’s blonde white hair, he stuck out like a sore thumb.

The other three did not cover their faces up -which in Ken’s opinion is a very stupid move- as they wore brown leather pants and long sleeve, daggers in hand, roughed up faces, one you could identify as bandits.

‘Looks like a typical dog blood plot of an aristocrat getting assassinated on remote areas and using a cover up to make it seem like the person died of natural death.’ Ken thought, to which White silently nodded by his side.

The two watching from afar as the boy or man stumbled forward and proceeded to roll down a steep part of the mountain -cliff rather-, his body colliding with trees and brushes along the way, fading out of sight from the bandits.

The bandits stopped at the top where the aristocrat fell, them gazing down to get a glimpse of the person they were pursuing but found none. The three silently left knowing that wherever that noble may be, it’s safe to say that the person is dead.

They can now truly say to their employer that the person died of natural death.

Ken floated near where he saw the noble stopped falling, only to find a bloodied and battered up form, laying on top of a horizontal tree’s bark.

‘This looks more like a cliff.’ He approached the noble, checking to see whether they were dead or not, judging from the steady breathing of the person, it looks like the person survived.

Ken could hear a faint sound of a waterfall nearby, he assumes that it must be covered for its noises to be muffled, but where could it be? Maybe at the left direction he was facing since it goes deep, along with leaves casting a shade behind them.

‘Give me a thorough background check on this person please White.’ He said, distancing himself from the person. ‘Oh and, send a healing wave towards this direction.’ White’s actions ceased.

‘Why?’ he asked.

‘Because this is happening right now, aren’t I right?’ Ken felt White’s attention dancing across the area, he smirked. ‘I’ve known that we were witnessing these situations before us now are of the present, just from knowing that I could freely move my astral form.’

White sighed, of course, with such a meticulous host such as Ken, he’d figure out things as fast as possible.

‘But won’t it have an unfavorable outcome if we choose to interfere?’ White asked, of course Ken knows this as well.

‘Then let’s make the healing spell, be a healing over time effect, so that it may seem natural for this person to recover, use my body’s magic, that’ll help.’ said Ken, gesturing at the person.

He observed the person and felt pity, but that kind where he’s looking at an adorable creature that are in need of help. As the person’s form really did look pitiful, along with that petit frame and small body.

Nope wait, scratch that, the person is not petite, the person’s quite a male specimen. Must be an illusion he saw from above, despite that…

Ken could surely guess that this person has feminine features despite being a male. ‘Maybe that’s one of the reasons he’s being killed? Guess I’ll have to find out in the future.’

His figure distorted, indicating that the scenario before him was ending. ‘Welp, guess that’s that, I hope I’ll get to see this person again.’ He thought, as his figure really did disappear along with White’s, white dust softly flowed towards the noble.

Seconds later, green energy engulfed the person’s body before disappearing, the spell Ken requested from White has arrived.

Ken was back on the familiar space, and another notification was glaring before him.

[Guess you’re not as dumb as you look, hope you’d enjoy yourself, because you’re in for a ride]

The notif said, Ken raised his left eyebrow, receiving a bad premonition just from reading the text, without giving him a second of complain, bright light once again engulfed his vision.

‘I could really use a warning or two before the bright light, I’m afraid I’ll go blind with this predicament.’ White could only chuckle softly, since technically that are one of the worries if your eyes were being targeted, but to worry of that in such a situation, was kind of weird.

The scene unraveled before him was more mountains, but looked to be more barren of trees, he could see patches of land eroding from parts of the mountains.

A stench of darkness was here, Ken observed the situation before him finding out that tendrils of darkness were dancing in and out from below the mountains, and upon close inspection on the trees, slowly but surely killed it

‘It’s like the scourge was here, I would even go so far as to call this effect death and decay.’ Ken thought to himself. His vision suddenly distorted as his body was suddenly being pulled forward away from the scene of death.

Unknown to him, dead creatures stirred from the sudden fluctuation of mana, an eye from a dead man had gazed at the direction Ken was floating moments ago.

Ken’s body stopped and before him was an icy wasteland. ‘What am I gonna do here?’ He floated below to try and feel the coldness of the snow but stopped short when he felt nothing of the sorts.

From a distance, he heard an echo of metal clinking, must be someone walking on this calm cold weather. He took a glance at the clouds before him and found the dark clouds to be converging at some kind of focal point.

‘Great, another mountain, but curiously enough, I’d like to explore it, funny enough, why didn’t I notice it first-hand.’ The mountain he was pointing at nonchalantly was the mountain where the clouds seem to gather, he flew towards the mountain, White following beside him, weapons strapped behind them.

He noticed from his peripheral vision at his right, three people covered in heavy fur, and what looks to be armor and covering for this harsh weather, and judging from their statures, they should be men, with those beard below their faces covered by a helmet.

‘They must be walking to the same direction I’m heading.’ with that thought, Ken paid the men no mind and just rushed towards the mountain, at the side of the mountain, he found a hole that he could enter.

The hole before him turned out to be a tunnel, entered without precaution, well, will there be someone who’ll be able to harm an astral projection of a person? Maybe the gods.

Curiously enough, the tunnel before him was made of ice, and they glowed a faint sky blue light, illuminating his way, he found the exit before him, and went out. His eyes slowly adjusted to the place, revealing a nice ice sculpture of what looks to be a room.

A throne room to be more specific, he looked at his left and found a chair stuck to the wall of ice, one might consider this as the pedestal where the leader, be it a queen or a king sits, seeing as there seems to be power radiating behind the chair going upwards the wall.

Ken followed those sky blue lights upward and found a hole at the top and white clouds from outside, with the occasional fwish of blue current.

Clacks resounded on the room, Ken turned his gaze downwards to his right, and sure enough a person that could be considered as queen walked inside the room, the door of ice opened ajar.

She had pale white skin and kept silver like blond hair, reaching up to her lower back, a small tiara of ice rested on top of her head with three ice crystals glowing white floating atop her head, adorned in a sky blue dress covering all her body that flowed softly as she walks.

She could be comparable to that of a goddess’ beauty, white though blue eyes, long eye lashes, long pointed nose, and pink lips exuding femininity, but the way she walks gave off a majestic and composed person.

Once she sat down on the throne magic exploded in a series of warm light filling the cold dim room, almost as if the surroundings were happy that their master was finally here with them.

Several doors suddenly surfaced at the walls and out came people wearing the same clothes Ken saw earlier. Then as if the lights weren’t even more delighted, a small streak of white fell at the door of which the queen entered.

It stopped mid-air and playfully went out the doors. Three people with the same clothing entered through the door, carrying with them a big glowing ice crystal, slowly walking towards the queen.

The queen’s icy exterior softened as she gazed at the crystal approaching her. The three men softly let go of the ice crystal as they had neared the queen, but before it could fall, light blue streaks of magic held on to it and made it float, approaching the queen.

The queen stood up from her sit and touched the crystal with both hands, the crystal exuded a white light, further warming the room and filling it with more lights, to which exuded happy vibes all around.

“Your new princess has been born.” She said, and everyone inside the room, cheered in delight and joy as loud as they can. Ken felt like the noise was deafening but, he can’t help but share the joy these people before him showed.

Of course the birth of a person is a joyous occasion, but being born from a crystal is a different kind of birth, Ken must say.

Ken’s form slowly distorted indicating that the scene before him had reached its end, he only smiled softly, but didn’t forget to gaze at the far distance, wondering what that first scene he was presented supposed to be.

His figure finally disappeared from the place, but not before a magic circle’s symbol was carved on the wall of ice behind him, small in size.

No one noticed that tiny bit fluctuation of magic, no one, but the queen, lightly glancing at the direction at which Ken’s form disappeared.

Ken returned to the same space again, with another message, this time, there were two.

[What do you think of the Ice Queen, is she human?]

[You’ve seen the death cult’s doing, do you think you have the power to fight it?]

‘For the first question, I think she’s not human but I could be wrong, as for the second I think I do and I don’t, something like that.’ He thought, the notifications disappeared and another replaced the two.

[Prepare yourself for the last one.]

Ken stared at the message blankly, not knowing what or how to respond. Without wasting any moment, Ken’s form was enveloped in bright light again, but this time he was prepared and had closed his eyes in time.

Rumbles of thunder resounded within the area, Ken opened his eyes and came face to face within a devastated land, which was relatively near the sea, he scoured his vision around and found himself… on an island.

‘Wow, this must be a vast island.’ He thought as he had turned around and gazed at the waters as far as the eye could see. ‘Don’t you think so White?’ he asked White beside him.

‘Yes.’ He replied.

A strong fluctuation of magic exploded behind Ken, he turned around just in time as a massive lightning as wide as the island, struck the said land head on.

Ken’s eyes widened in surprise for this lightning could simply eradicate this island into nothing. He closed his eyes from the bright light, and opened them to widen once again.

Not only was the island unscathed from the lightning, a stone like plate with a symbol on its surface was floating in mid-air, exerting lightning energies everywhere.

This time, the lightning was damaging the land as it randomly struck parts of the island. Ken watched as a hard covering formed below the stone, and gradually covered the stone in a sphere like dome of hard black rock.

Finally the lightning strikes cleared, revealing the first rays of light on the island, clouds from the sky slowly dispersing, from a distance in front of him, Ken could see from far away a shape of a mountain.

He wasn’t able to ponder much on his thoughts when his vision distorted once again, finding himself in the same space as before. Another message popped up

[The three visions have been given, Astral form, deteriorating, preparing to transport back the person to his body]

In one ding, Ken’s form was covered by a bubble, his consciousness slowly fading, as he fell into sleep, White silently entered the bubble as he quietly waited for the bubble to transport them back.

Before the two could disappear from this space, another message popped up.

[Thank you… and good luck]

White could only nod, as the magic surrounding them exuded a faint light before their figures disappeared, the space returning to its once stale state of darkness.

Ken opened his eyes to find himself in his room, he sat up, rubbed his eyes lightly, and stretched, he gazed at the window to his right and reminisced of the scenes from before.

His figure was suddenly startled as the door to his room opened abruptly, he turned to the people before him wide-eyed, Wilbert and Glen out of his door, clad in their morning attire.

“Oh, hey Ken, glad you are awake.” said Wilbert casually waltzing inside his room.

“It wouldn’t be gladness for you if I get my hands on you!” shouted Ken, pulling the blanket from his body and running towards Wilbert and Glen.

The two barged out of Ken’s house followed by Ken running after them. Celine, Flin, Lila, Princess Lang, Alfred, and Lyn all went out of the house to see the commotion the three made.

Only to find out that Ken was chasing down his friends, in his bed garments, the group could only chuckle at the three, observing them as Ken continued to relentlessly chase after the two,

Despite his garments slowing him down. Oh and that bed hair that stuck to his face, wouldn’t that be a problem to deal wi-,

Nevermind, he fell down, and… continued to chase after the two once again.

——-