Realm Lord
Chapter 131: Going Home

Chapter 131: Going Home

The journey from the ancient castle to the realm’s core had taken Arthur and the rest of the group approximately two weeks of steady travel. Despite their initial concerns about the dangers that might await them on the road, the journey had gone relatively smoothly without any major hiccups or life-threatening encounters. The group had fallen into a comfortable rhythm of travel during the day and rest during the night, with each member taking turns keeping watch while the others slept.

And finally after months of being stuck in the second realm, Arthur and Aziel had finally made it to their destination—the city that surrounded the realm’s core. The anticipation that had been building within them throughout their long journey was now reaching its peak as they approached the place that would serve as their gateway home.

The core of the Second Realm was an absolutely breathtaking sight to behold. It was situated inside a colossal pillar of what appeared to be crystalline material that seemed to stretch infinitely upward, reaching toward the heavens themselves. The pillar’s surface shimmered and pulsed with an otherworldly energy that was both beautiful and slightly intimidating. This magnificent structure was positioned precisely in the center of a rather large and sprawling city, which was itself completely surrounded by an impressive circular wall that rose high into the air.

It had been taken over many years ago and was now used as the primary base of operations for all Chosen who operated within the realm. The city served as a crucial hub of activity—many powerful guilds based their entire operations out of its secure walls, there were countless shops and vendors established by Chosen who had chosen not to pursue the dangerous path of active combat, and the place had even developed a thriving real estate market where some people actively bought and sold houses as permanent residents.

Arthur and the group came to a stop at a considerable distance away from the main gate of the outer wall. Both Arthur and Aziel found themselves staring up at the towering pillar in complete shock and awe. The sheer scale of the structure was almost impossible to comprehend, and the way it seemed to pulse with mysterious energy made it appear almost alive.

"So this is it, huh? The core city of Aragon," Aziel said with a wide grin spreading across his face, his head tilted back as far as it would go as he stared up at the tower in pure amazement. The sight filled him with a mixture of excitement and reverence that he had rarely experienced before.

They all took several more moments to fully absorb the magnificent sight before them, each processing the reality that they had finally reached their destination. Then, with renewed determination, they began making their way toward the city’s entrance.

They walked through the massive gates, which were carved with intricate designs. Almost immediately upon entering, they found themselves immersed in the city’s main streets, ready to experience the bustling activity they had heard so much about.

However, the reality of what they encountered was far different from their expectations. The streets were significantly emptier than Arthur would have ever imagined possible for such an important location. Instead of the crowded, busy thoroughfares they had expected, they found relatively deserted paths with only the occasional vendor or lone Chosen wandering about their business. The contrast between expectation and reality was jarring and immediately concerning.

Arthur looked around with growing confusion, his eyes scanning the eerily quiet streets. He turned to look up at Lara and Kay, hoping they might have some explanation for what they were witnessing. However, he was surprised to see that they seemed to share his confusion entirely, their faces reflecting the same bewilderment he was feeling.

"Um... is it always this empty around here?" Arthur asked, his voice carrying a note of genuine concern. "I thought this city was supposed to be somewhat of a hotzone for activity?"

Lara and Kay continued staring blankly at the nearly deserted city streets around them, their expressions growing more troubled by the moment. The silence stretched uncomfortably before Lara finally responded.

"Uh, yeah... it definitely is supposed to be busy," Lara said, her face beginning to show more and more concern by the moment. The worry in her voice was unmistakable. "Uh, we should hurry and find out what’s going on."

Without any further explanation, she suddenly broke out into a much faster-paced walk than they had been maintaining before. Her urgency was palpable, and it immediately put the rest of the group on high alert.

The rest of the group quickly followed behind her, matching her hurried pace as best they could. Kay jogged slightly to keep up with her rapid stride. "Do you think something is wrong, Lara?" he asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice while maintaining the faster pace.

Lara kept walking briskly, her eyes scanning the streets for any sign of life or activity. Suddenly, she spotted a lone vendor in the distance and immediately changed directions to head directly toward him. "I really hope not, but we need to find out what’s happening," she replied tersely.

She quickly made her way to an elderly man who sat behind a small wooden vendor stall that appeared to sell various traveling supplies and trinkets. The man was notably older-looking, which was actually quite rare to see among the Chosen, who typically were all under the age of 40. He sat leaned back comfortably in a weathered wooden chair, looking as though he might possibly be asleep, completely oblivious to their approach.

Lara reached his stall with obvious haste, her tone becoming loud and serious as she attempted to rouse him from his apparent slumber. "Hey, wake up!" she called out sharply.

The old man practically fell out of his chair in surprise, clearly startled by the sudden interruption to his peaceful rest. "Uh, w-what can I do for you?" he stammered, stumbling awkwardly to his feet and trying to regain his composure after the rude awakening.

"Where the hell is everyone? Why is it so empty in the city?" Lara demanded, her voice carrying both urgency and frustration.

The old man gave her a genuinely confused look, squinting his eyebrows and tilting his head slightly as if he couldn’t understand why she would be asking such a question. His reaction suggested that whatever was causing the emptiness was common knowledge that everyone should already be aware of.

"Uhh... how long have you guys been in Aragon?" he asked slowly, his tone suggesting that the answer to this question would explain everything.

Lara reeled her head back slightly, her confusion growing even deeper at this unexpected question. "What does it matter? Just tell me what the hell is going on here!"

The old man sighed heavily and sat back in his chair in a lazy, resigned manner.

"A category 4 gate opened up in District 3, as well as a couple of other smaller gates scattered around the same district," he began, his voice taking on the weary tone of someone delivering bad news. "And for some reason, they’re not closing like they normally would. They opened just over 3 months ago, and District 3 is already close to complete ruin from the invasion."

He paused to let this information sink in before continuing with the full scope of the crisis. "The government and military are working hand in hand with some of the top guilds to try and push the void creatures back and reclaim the continent while simultaneously trying to evacuate as many citizens as possible. But it hasn’t been going well at all—the situation keeps getting worse despite their best efforts."

The old man’s expression grew even more grim as he delivered the final piece of information. "They’re set to allow volunteers to start joining the fight in a month or two, but overall it’s just pretty hectic and dangerous out there right now. That’s why not a lot of people have been going into the realms lately."