Chapter 376 - 375: Portal
"You can't catch me!"
"Come back here, you brat!"
In a street; no, on a skeleton of a street; where saws and lumber were scattered everywhere, with bare houses by their side, waiting to be completed as the final pieces of their puzzle was yet far to be placed.
In that street, there was a boy. Creating smoke as he ran without care, blowing the sawdust to the side and leaving the workers to have no choice but to cover their noses and eyes. Some, however, seemed to have already lost their tolerance as they started chasing the boy.
"I am King Van! Thou shall not catch me! Aha!"
The boy then stopped running as he turned around, revealing the obviously painted scar on his face and continuing to mock the workers chasing him.
"Ah! Kid, that road isn't dry--"
"Gah! What is this vile magic!?"
"There he goes, someone get something to pull the brat out. Whose child is this anyway?"
With the boy struggling to get out of the pile of deep cement, the only choice he had for salvation was the scrap lumber that the workers were trying to extend towards him… but the boy did not take it.
"You think you can trick me, vile heathens!?" The boy said as he pushed the lumber away, "I shall not be-- W… wait, put me down!"
But before he could act out even further, one of the workers, a frost giant, casually picked him up like a kitten and carefully threw him to the side. The workers were about to catch and pin him down, but alas, it would seem he still had the strength to run away.
"Just let him go, we still have tons of things to do."
"No choice, population is growing by the second."
"Shouldn't we just take a rest since we're already here? I've never worked on a house this fast before."
"That's because of the unlimited supply of timber. Let's go, everyone! Work, work!"
The workers then all let out a collective sigh as they all just went back to their respective jobs; some of them, with smiles on their faces and oddly spry even though they have been laboring for hours… weeks on end.
2 Years. 2 years had passed since the founding of the 10th Realm and its population had more than doubled from the initial 120,000 to 330,000.
2 years had passed, and yet it seemed like its development and birth had not even started yet. Even what was supposed to be the very center of the 10th Realm, Van's castle, had not been completed yet.
Build the necessary establishments; prisons, clinics, adventurer's guild, school, roads, farms, and all the other things that the people would need to ensure a fair and safe environment for everyone-- were the exact same words that came out of the 10th Realm's ruler. The people take precedence above all else, he said…
...and those were his last words. After that, his face had not been seen by any of the people. The one that was talking was the former Queen of the Vanir, Latanya. The people initially thought that the leadership was passed down to her without their knowing… but no.
Latanya refers to their King as 'Master', completely letting them know that there was a hierarchy being followed inside the castle-- and King Van remains at the top.
The only problem is… he has been missing for months. And with the onslaught of new people coming to them for refuge due to the war going on between the Aesir and the humans, it was probably best that their King was present to welcome or turn them away.
But alas, he was nowhere to be found. The one that was welcoming the new people was his daughter, the progenitor of the Forest Giants. Not every new people were there to seek refuge, however, as some only came for trouble-- demanding to be put in a position of authority or they would wreak havoc.
Perhaps they thought that since the 10th Realm was just being built, and their King was someone they have not heard of, overtaking the Realm would be easy.
But alas, Princess Vanya's rumored lover, Gerald, would beat the troublemakers back to their Realms before they could even have the chance to enter the city.
"He… he… I got away again." And now, somewhere deep in the city's incomplete alleyways, the boy who had successfully escaped from the workers earlier was hiding between boxes of random supplies.
"I think that was my fastest time yet. Wait 'til the others in school hear about this," the boy then rubbed his nose, clearly satisfied with the chaos he had just created, "I shall become the King Van of Heven Academy!"
"Oh, there's something like that now?"
"What the-- Who is there, reveal yourself, or I Torbjorn shall kill you with my lightning!" The boy, Torbjorn, quickly stood up from the floor as he turned his whole body towards the direction of the voice.
He then slightly backed away as he saw an individual completely wrapped in cloth, only revealing a part of his face which showed the huge scar that adorning it. The man seemed to be coming from the sea of grass that surrounded half of the city… but he should have noticed him earlier since there weren't any walls blocking the view.
"Who… are you, hermit!?" Torbjorn then said as he pointed his finger towards the man, "Are you one of those illegal immigrants I have been hearing about!?"
"...Maybe," the cloaked man then said, "And you said you wanted to become King Van?"
"T… that's right! So what if I do!?"
"That's interesting, I know someone with the same name and title."
"Impossible. I would have to know you for that to be true! What is your name, illegal immigrant!? I will report you if you don't identify yourself!"
"Well, it's a bit of a coincidence..." the cloaked man's chuckles muffled through his thick robes as he slowly approached Torbjorn, "...but my name also happens to be Van."
And as if the winds themselves heard him utter his name, their howls became stronger-- strong enough to blow the blades of grass peacefully dancing on the ground; strong enough to blow away the cloak that was covering the man's entire body.
"Ah shit, my hair's gotten too long," Van then said as his hair, which almost reached to his waist flowed haggardly in the air, "Anyway… it would seem Latanya and the others are doing a good job around here," he then whispered to himself as his eyes scanned vicinity.
"You… you are…" Torbjorn let out a tiny stutter as he looked Van straight in the eyes, "Are you also a fan of King Van!?"
"...Not really, he's a bit of a disappointment."
"How dare you say that to our lord and saviour!?"
"...It would seem Headmistress Hilda is teaching something weird in the Academy. Maybe I should visit her fir--"
"Please don't, father."
"Who is-- Princess Vanya!?" Torbjorn was about to say the lines he had practiced for so many times again when another unfamiliar voice entered his ears, but as soon as he realized who the individual was, the only thing he could do was fall to his legs and kneel.
"You've been gone for almost a year, father," Vanya's disappointed sighs echoed through the air, almost weakening the strong gusts of wind that still continued to howl in the air, "Maybe aunt Athena shouldn't have taught you how to survive in space if you were only going to spend most of your time there. You know, instead of actually helping us with the Kingdom you built."
"...I'm home?"
"That line loses its meaning when it's not said with sincerity!" Vanya then stomped his way towards Van, tightly grabbing his wrist before he could even utter a response, "The others know that you're here as well, so it is best you don't keep them waiting. I swear, sometimes you can be such a child!"
"Well, I am the youngest out of all--"
"Please don't start, father."
"...Ms. Angela's influence seems to be growing on you."
Torbjorn's whole body began to tremble as the two passed by him. Was… Was he actually just casually talking with the mysterious King of the 10th Realm? They… wouldn't execute him for disrespecting the King, would they?
Torbjorn then sneakily took a glance towards the two, only to find that the two of them were not even paying him any heed. Seeing this, he quickly stood up, letting out a long and deep breath. Forget his new record-- the story of him meeting King Van would surely gather more of his classmate's attention.
"And so, father? You must have a great excuse for being gone this long." Once again, the disappointment in Vanya's voice was clear for anyone to hear, "This is your Kingdom, please stop letting others run it for you."
"I found something."
"Found… Could it be you found Evangeline?"
"No, nothing that evil," Van quickly waved his hand, "It's a thing I haven't seen since arriving here…
....A Portal."