Dimensions Collide: Destiny Bond

Chapter 245: The Beauty of Living

The first thing Prota did was use the magic circle. Immediately a familiar sensation welled up within her, spreading from her core all the way through her body. After a moment, it died down, but Prota could feel the difference.There was an ocean of mana within her, ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

Immediately, she took off. As soon as she made her way out of the inn and into the forest beyond the town, she took flight, flying out over the trees, travelling without purpose or aim. As she hadn’t done this in her last life, Anta had no means of directing her anywhere. They simply travelled until they spotted a town.

From there, they registered at the local Adventurer’s Guild, where they asked for directions to the town the Rose household lived in. The locals were friendly enough to provide directions and a map, even informing them of multiple carriages that would depart for the town within a few days. However, flying was far faster than any carriage of any sort, so they grabbed a meal, checked their map, and took off again.

As Prota flew, she couldn’t help but notice something:

The world was beautiful.

Regardless of the conflicts or problems within it, there was something amazing about being high up in the air, looking down on chunks and chunks of land, ocean and civilization. Watching the sun rise in the horizon, its rays of light bouncing off the sparkling waters below, the trees rustling in the wind, smoke rising from rooftops and castles. It wasn’t that everything felt so small that it was insignificant.

Rather, it was that everything felt like it simply made sense.

Instead of seeing one thing at a time, it felt as if everything simply fit together. As if everything would eventually be all right, because the world learned to heal and recover.

She was beginning to understand why John, despite knowing everything was fake, enjoyed watching the stars.

They were beautiful.

“Over there,” Anta said, snapping Prota out of her daydream. “I think that’s the place we’re looking for.”

It was larger than the towns they’d seen, but it was definitely smaller than Vulcan. There was a small castle in the center surrounded by various buildings that were definitely too fancy and large to be houses. Prota controlled her descent, using wind magic to float down into the woods. Even though she’d just learned how to fly, she understood that having a flying individual land in the middle of the city was cause for some alarm.

She made her way to the path leading to the city’s front gates, where she presented her adventurer’s card to the guards. Her appearance got a few eye raises, but since her identity was legit, she made it in with no further complications

From there, she made her way straight to the castle. She was sensible enough to enter legally, but she had no desire to wait around and figure out how to garner enough attention to enter the palace. She might cause a bit of ruckus, but it wasn’t like anyone here was strong enough to subdue her, anyway.

With that, she stormed right up to the castle gates.

“Huh? Hey, kid, this isn’t a place to play around,” a guard said, lazily lifting his helmet visor. “Go home.”

“I want to go in.”

“You can’t just go into the castle-” the guard started, but was rendered silent as Prota simply leapt over the gate.

For a brief moment, he was left dumbfounded, stunned at how easily he’d been ignored. Then, reality kicked in again, and the guard remembered he had a job to do.

“Halt! Hey, get that kid!”

Unfortunately for them, that kid was no longer Prota. Anta turned around and stuck her tongue out, dashing toward the palace. Immediately, half a dozen guards swarmed out of the front doors, halberd and swords ready.

“Anta,” Prota warned. “No hurting.”

“Yeah, yeah. If it was a few days ago I wouldn't have argued, but this is arguably going to be way funnier.”

With the augmented core, an incredible level of mana reinforcement was available. Not only could Anta slow down her perception of time, but her body could move fast enough to keep up.

Dashing forward, she disarmed two soldiers, grabbing the sheaths of their swords and putting them in their hands instead. She twisted the helmets of the next two soldiers around, effectively rendering them blind, then grabbed two more halberds and leapt up onto them, using them like stilts.

Of course, she wasn’t fast enough that they didn’t realize what was going on, but she was definitely fast enough that they couldn’t react in time.

“She’s making fools of us!” the guards at the gate yelled. “Use magic!”

“Magic?” Anta grinned. “Prota, you hear that?”

“Nn.”

Their senses closed off, replaced by a now familiar dark world. A [Fireball] was headed their way, but it was fine.

Because in the end, a [Fireball] was just [Mana].

“What the- where did my spell go?!”

Suddenly, another figure burst out of the front doors. Anta whirled around. This one seemed particularly stronger than the guards, although he seemed to be a Caster based on his attire.

“Who are you?” he roared. “State your intent, lest I smite you where you stand!”

Anta’s eyes flashed as Prota analyzed the mana gathering before him. A particular formation was forming, even without a chant, but it was clear it wouldn’t form unless a chant was completed. Still, that formation was familiar.

“Prota, you’re up,” Anta grinned, immediately swapping out.

The intent was obvious.

This was the head of the Rose household. The spell that was almost ready to cast was his signature spell, the origin of one of Prota’s own spells.

Then, which was stronger? The original? Or the stolen version?

“You have shown malicious intent!” the man yelled. “Then, you have been warned!”

A fire danced in Prota’s eyes as mana gathered at her own side, snaking and coiling around her body. It solidified, forming into a long, snaking dragon. She leapt up, the beast’s head coiling, ready to strike.

At the man’s side, a lion of roaring flames had materialized, its mane flickering back and forth with deadly white fire.

“Flaming Roar!”

“Dragon of Ice.”

The two spells collided midair, creating a massive, blinding explosion that knocked nearly everyone down. A massive cloud of dust shot up, blinding everyone present, leaving them tense, ready to make a move at a moment’s notice.

And when the dust settled, only Prota and the head of the house remained standing.

“That’s… that’s our spell,” he said in a whisper. “How? How do you have that spell?!”

He raised his hands, prepared to cast again, then two familiar voices rang out from the inside of the castle.

“Father, wait!”

“Dad, hold on!”

Prota almost smiled. She was well acquainted with the owners of those voices.

“That’s our friend!”

Lilith and Ryan Rose burst out, holding onto their dad’s arms. Prota fell back down, nodding at them once before looking back at the father.

“Sorry,” she said simply. “Wanted to see how strong you are.”

“Who… who are you?”

“She’s our friend!” Lilith exclaimed, pounding on her dad’s back with her fists. “I told you!”

~~~

With everything explained and settled, Prota was welcomed into the castle. Of course, Baron William Rose was a little cautious of her, but as she explained things, he gradually warmed up to her.

Lilith and Ryan, of course, were excited to hear what had brought her to their house. They were pleased to see her, but it wasn’t like Prota had told them she was going to visit. Thus, when questioned, Prota could only say that she’d stopped by because she felt like it. She couldn’t quite bring herself to say that she was visiting because it might be the last time they ever met. Regardless, the answer provided was good enough for the twins, and they questioned it no further.

She spent a month with them. During that month, she did her best to teach them magic, explaining the fundamentals of spellcasting and the intricacies of mana control. They didn’t get all of it, but they were smart. In fact, the two of them were already as strong as their father when combined, and it seemed Prota’s teachings only bolstered their capabilities further.

Even William was interested in her lectures. Of course, they weren’t taught well, but he was intrigued as to her capabilities. Once he understood Prota’s abilities in mana control, he was less displeased with the fact that she could use their signature spell. Perhaps he wasn’t exactly pleased, but one could not simply deny the fact that she was a genius. Besides, it never hurt to have someone as strong as Prota be friendly with one’s household.

In this manner, Prota spent the days lazily. It wasn’t that she was trying to dodge her responsibilities, but she just wanted a break from all the [Story] nonsense. These were friends who had been with her, regardless of anything else.

This was the least she could do for them.

After a month’s time, though, Prota couldn’t stay any longer. She wanted to, but if she lingered for even a day more, she might lose her drive. She might forget what this was all about, and if that happened, she’d never be able to make it to the end. She’d be trapped in her comfort, unwilling to step up and do what she had set out to do.

So, once again, without warning, she began to pack her few belongings.

This time, though, she wouldn’t leave unnoticed.

“Prota!” Lilith exclaimed, bursting into the guest room Prota had been staying in. “Will we see you again?”

For a moment, Prota’s heart dropped. Would she?

No. There was no point in questioning things. Either she would, or she wouldn’t. But that wasn’t up to her.

“I’ll try,” Prota said simply.

“But… well, you won’t forget us, right?”

“No. Of course not. You are good friends,” Prota said, smiling at them. “Thank you. Lilith. Ryan. For being good friends.”

She couldn’t tell them that they’d protected her in another life. That they’d sacrificed their social status and such to stay friends with her. That they’d been bullied just because they valued a friend.

But Prota would keep it in her mind. She wouldn’t forget.

Slowly, they made their way to the front gates, where William was also waiting. It seemed they’d anticipated her departure.

“T-thank you,” Lilith said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Suddenly, she threw her arms around Prota, wrapping her in a tight hug. And slowly, Prota raised her arms, slowly returning the embrace. Then, just as suddenly as she’d given the hug, Lilith let go and stepped back. Ryan didn’t offer a hug, but he did extend his hand, and Prota quickly shook it.

William Rose stepped forward with a faint smile. “Are you sure you don’t need a carriage? I can easily arrange-”

“No. It’s ok. Thank you,” Prota said, stepping outside.

A wind picked up, lifting her body into the air, much to the amazement of the onlookers. With that, she took to the skies, headed to her next destination.

~~~

Her next destination was the Town of Beginnings. There were quite a few people for her to see here.

Even before she made her way in, though, it looked like the place had recovered well over the past four years.

Surprisingly, the townspeople still recognized her. As soon as she stepped through the front gates, people began to approach her, offering their thanks and giving various gifts. They were mostly small things, like bits of food or flowers, but the sentiment was there.

“Wow,” Anta whistled in her mind. “Even all this time later, I guess what we did still matters, huh?”

Quickly, Prota made her way to the Adventurer’s Guild, where she greeted Katheryne at the front desk. The receptionist smiled brightly, giving her a warm welcome, and didn’t stop her as she went up to the boss’s office. From inside, she could hear the sounds of a friendly argument.

Without knocking, she stepped in.

“What the- I thought I wasn’t to be interrupted!” Albert grumbled. “Who- Prota?!”

His mouth spread into a wide grin as he threw his arms up.

“Hey, here’s the hero! How you doin’, kid?”

Prota just nodded, looking around. Everyone was present. Elfin, Bren, and surprisingly, Breaker. They all greeted her warmly, their argument apparently forgotten.

Apparently, the town had recovered well, with Breaker and Elfin doing their best to atone. Memorials were left for the lost, and the capital had sent multiple forms of aid and compensation to ensure something like this would never happen again. Of course, something to this scale couldn’t happen again, since no one like Doctor would appear, but there was no point in bringing that up.

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After a quick and quiet party, Prota went to visit Olivia. Surprisingly, Danjo and Briar were also present.

“Prota? Hey, look who decided to show up!” Briar grinned, patting her on the back. “You look a little different. Ah, whatever. It doesn’t matter. Good to see you. Is Anta here too? Wait, what am I saying? She’s always here, right? Hey, Anta.”

“Oh! Prota, you’re finally here?” Danjo smiled. “Come in!”

So, for another month, she spent time in the company of good friends. The town was a nice and quiet place to live, and Olivia was a kind host. In return, Prota provided Danjo with various schematics she could remember from her last life, and Briar added on any details in the plans Prota might have missed.

The days flew by.

But once again, Prota realized she couldn’t stay. She would be too tempted by the comfort of a slow life.

This was her burden to bear.

“Hey, we’ll see you again, right?” Briar said as Prota prepared to leave. “I still haven’t paid you back for what you did.”

“...maybe,” Prota shrugged. “Want to do some things.”

“Well, it was good to see you,” Danjo said, also awkwardly patting her on the back.

Well, he tried, but he ultimately failed, patting her on the arm instead. It was a somewhat awkward position, but Danjo could be clumsy, so Prota didn’t really mind it.

“By the way, Aurora and Arthur have settled down in the Elvish country. The Royal Family acknowledged their skills, so they’ve been working in the crafts,” Briar added. “Just, you know. If you want to see them.”

Prota nodded in response.

With that, she took off in flight once again, much to her friends’ amazement. It was a far ways away, but half a day later, she made her way to Scholaris.

This time, she did effectively fly past the barriers set up to keep intruders out. They were well made, but ultimately, they were [Mana], so she could simply absorb it, making a hole in the wall, allowing her to pass through.

When she landed on school grounds, a few professors rushed out to deal with the threat, but they stopped as soon as they realized who it was.

“Prota,” Sofya sighed as she stepped out. “You know, our students don’t usually return in this manner. I can’t say I’m surprised, though.”

“Sorry. Wanted to see everyone again,” Prota shrugged.

“Well… I can’t say it isn’t good to see you again.”

Thankfully, the school was mostly quiet, since it was still summer break. However, it was almost exam season, so Prota decided to stick around for that. At Sofya’s request, she wound up sparring with the Casting and Fighting candidates simultaneously. Obviously, she took things easily, but even with that, there wasn’t a single student who could defeat her.

“Your core has grown,” Sofya said as Prota returned to the office. “It is… almost the size of an aged Mystic’s. Did something happen?”

“...time,” Prota said quietly. “Soon.”

“Ah.” Sofya’s expression turned sullen. “Then, I suppose you are saying your goodbyes?”

This was the first person she’d really admitted it to. It felt odd, but at the same time, it was a weight off Prota’s chest.

That was exactly what she was doing.

Saying her goodbyes.

“Nn.”

“I see. Then, would you like to…”

“Nn.”

Sofya pressed some sort of device, and in a few minutes, Lupin and Leora were present as well. They’d seen her during the exams, of course, but this was the first time they’d talked.

“Prota!” Leora exclaimed happily. “Are you doing well?”

“Nn.”

“What brings you here?” Lupin said gruffily. “Surely not another incident.”

“No. Saying goodbye.”

“Saying- I see. Do… do you require any assistance?” Lupin asked.

Prota just shrugged. “Don’t know. And not final goodbye. If it works, then everyone is happy. Just… just in case.”

“I see.” Lupin’s stern expression softened a little. “Of course.”

“...thank you. Everyone.”

There was visible confusion on the gods’ faces.

“Last life. You all helped me. A lot. Even when it was hard. So thank you. Wouldn’t be here without you.”

With that statement, she stood up and bowed deeply. Just as it had been ridiculous for Lupin to bow to her, in her current state, it was ridiculous for her to bow to them.

But power was not what mattered. It wasn’t about who could make the other do their bidding.

It was simply respect for the things they’d done for each other.

“...I suppose that’s a farewell declaration if I’ve ever seen one,” Sofya smiled. “I suppose you still need something?”

“Nn,” Prota nodded. “Teleportation gate. Elven kingdom capital.”

“Very well. That’s entirely doable.”

They personally escorted her to the gate hub, where the guards let them through with no issue. Within a few minutes, they had arrived at their destination.

Prota shook hands with Lupin and Leora, nodding in respect toward her former mentors. When she turned to Sofya, however, she was surprised to receive a hug instead.

“Prota,” Sofya said quietly. “Thank you for everything. And for letting me see my daughter one more time.”

“...ok.”

Prota let go, taking a step through the portal, not looking back.

One last place to go.

~~~

When she arrived in the capital, the first thing she did was inquire as to Arthur and Aurora’s locations. She didn’t want to go to the palace. Not yet. Doing that would definitely trigger a certain event, and she was really looking to hold that off until last. She wasn’t sure why, but she felt as if it would fit best if it were the last thing she did.

“You don’t even need to do all that, you know?” Anta suggested. “Destiny can probably handle it.”

“I want to,” Prota said quietly, her voice erased by the wind as she flew. “Feels wrong. Did everything else the same. Might as well help one more time. And I didn’t say goodbye to Kit.”

“That is true,” Anta said approvingly. “If we’re wrapping everything up properly, we should finish things as they are. It’s just… you know. You’re a little strong for something like that, don’t you think?”

Prota just shrugged. At this point, she didn’t particularly care if things were hard or not. She just wanted to get them over with.

First, though, she should finish things with those she held close to her heart. She would have visited the adventurers in Vulcan, only, they didn’t really know her in this life. It was a shame. She wanted to thank them for what they’d done, but they wouldn’t really get it.

Eventually, she managed to track her friends down. They were in a farm on the outskirts of the city, guarded by a few soldiers. This time, Prota didn’t barge in rudely and waited for her friends to confirm her identity.

“Prota!” Aurora exclaimed as they wandered out. “How ya doin’? Haven’t seen ya for a few good months now.”

“Good,” Prota nodded. “Came to say hi.”

“Well, what’re you waiting for? Come in!”

And just like that, one more month was spent. She hadn’t even intended to stay for too long, but it just turned out that way. Along the journey, she learned about magic circles and managed to help Arthur a little more with his alchemy. It turned out that he was able to bolster his father’s recipe, just like in his old life, which would have been a boon to Prota had her mana core not already been so large.

Additionally, Prota found farm life quite enjoyable. When the two weren’t working on magical things, they were busy harvesting vegetables and taking care of the various animals.

And just like before, she could only stay a month before she felt her willpower slipping. Once again, she prepared to leave.

Arthur waved as Prota stood at their front gate. “It was nice having you around!”

“See ya around, Prota, Anta,” Aurora said with a kind smile, patting her shoulder. “Hope ya’ do well.”

“Will we see you-”

Before Arthur could finish his question, Aurora covered his mouth. Prota tilted her head in confusion, but Aurora just winked.

“This one needs to help me with the cows,” she said. “We’ll do our job. You just go’n do yours.”

Prota felt her heart pick up pace.

Her job.

Right.

Quickly, she flew toward the Royal Palace, where she landed in the flower garden. The bright summer sun shone harshly overhead, but Prota was kept cool by her cloak, wandering through the cobble pathways.

“Prota.”

A single voice rang out behind her. He must’ve known she was coming, because no guards rushed to apprehend her.

“Destiny.”

“You came back just in time,” the hero smiled. “I was about to go looking for you. You know, if you’re going to go visit our friends, you should at least let me know what you’re up to.”

“Kit?”

“As you thought. You coming along?”

There was no long talk. No question of what she’d done. Destiny acted like she hadn’t even left to begin with.

But then again, that was fine. In a sense, it seemed he understood what she needed.

And Kit did need help.

Prota nodded confidently. “Time.”

“Alright, then.”

They made their way into the forest. It was odd. Destiny moved like Prota already knew the details. She did, of course, but it was strange how easily he’d adapted to it.

“Cel missed you, by the way,” Destiny said casually. “She was a little hurt you left so suddenly.”

“Had something to do.”

“I tried explaining that to her, too, but she didn’t listen,” Destiny grumbled. “Well, what can you do? Oh. I told my parents, by the way. You know. About the whole hero thing.”

“Nn. Were they ok?”

“Surprisingly, yeah. Almost as if someone prepared them,” the hero said, casting a side eye at Prota.

She just looked away awkwardly.

“Thanks, Prota,” Destiny laughed. “You don’t have to do all this. But you did it anyway. You’re a good person, you know?”

“...thank you.”

“Alright. Here we are.”

Soon, they reached a clearing, where a carriage was waiting. Kit was standing patiently, although a hint of amusement flashed through her eyes as she saw Prota. It was surprising that she didn’t greet anybody, but in hindsight, she had to restrain herself in front of her fellow Mystics.

“Are these your mortals?” Ryuto said haughtily. “Hmph. Figures that they’re just some hairless monkeys. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why you were given permission to bring them along.”

Prota strongly resisted the urge to slap the Mystic.

“Well, I suppose they can sit in the carriage. Come along. We shouldn’t keep them waiting any longer.”

Ryuto hurriedly moved toward the front seat of the carriage, but Kit lingered behind just a little longer. In fact, she lingered so long that Prota passed her.

“Thank you, Prota,” the fox whispered before lengthening her stride.

Right.

In the end, it was what she wanted to do.

One more fight before the grand finale. An appetizer of sorts, a wettening of the palate.

If it could even be called that to begin with.