***The Heavenly Realms, sometime in the past…***

  After gaining consciousness, Greg Santos—no, Kuro’s spirit had been wandering around the white, swirling, fluffy clouds that surrounded him for quite a while now. Contrary to what he was led to believe when he was still on Earth, no angels welcomed him in heaven. No ‘tribunals’ either, so he didn’t know if this ‘isotion’ he was experiencing was the ‘real’ hell, or if he was still awaiting judgment for his deeds when he was still a mortal.

  “…”

  Kuro had no idea for how long he had been there. All that he could remember was the gloomy, dark, and lonely feelings he had as life slowly slipped from his physical body, lying fatally injured in Cherfmmen. He was pretty sure, however, that his friends in Chersea and the Other Realms had forgotten about him. And the love of his life, Maddie, probably found the man meant to make her happy.

  It also might be that she already has a child by now…that baby he saw in his visions.

  Being there, walking around the heavens, was a pleasant experience. Kuro felt like his body was as light as a feather, and though, he wanted to be sad, the happy feelings kept returning. However, though he’s happy and relieved that his loved ones are safe in his previous world, a faint hint of bitterness remains in his heart. Deep inside, he wished it was he who was beside them. Deep inside, he wished to see his children with those he loved…

  Deep inside, he’s questioning the wisdom of his decision to stay behind in Cherfmmen, only to die by Gaius’ hands.

  “…”

  But he knew he couldn’t go back on his decision. Besides, if Kuro never sacrificed himself, they would have been dead by now.

  Still, does it have to be this way? Is his life made to exist only to be sacrificed for others? Can’t he be a little selfish for once?

  “I won’t call it being ‘selfish,’ you know?”

  Kuro’s heart nearly skipped a beat when he heard a familiar, gentle voice speak from somewhere. When he noticed someone standing from his peripheral vision, he turned, only to see that bearded person he pyed a little game of chess before. The human blurted out, “God?”

  ----------

  Just like when he first met the High King of the Gods, the deity kept on pulling out furniture and snacks from weird and random pces, impressing and freaking Kuro at the same time. His ‘homely’ air, and soothing voice calmed the human’s bitterness, all the while they talked over two mugs of hot coffee.

  “Cream?” God asked him.

  “Y-Yes, Lord,” Kuro replied. “Lots of cream, if you please…”

  “No problem! Feel free to say your wishes.” He pulled a cream jar from the air and put several spoons on the human’s mug. “That’s enough for you?”

  Kuro nodded and gave his thanks. Then, he took his first sip as the High King spoke.

  “Kuro, what’s happening to you isn’t because of selfishness. If anything, we can summarize it as you asking for what you need.”

  “My needs? You mean like, Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?”

  God nodded. “Do you want to? We can request Dr. Maslow’s spirit to appear and expin matters to us.”

  Kuro ughed and shook his head. “I’d rather hear Your wisdom, Lord. I think we’re closer than Dr. Maslow; we’ve pyed chess before, right?”

  “Hm…who says you’re a stranger to Me before?” the High King chuckled. “I always welcome those who call to Me, and treat them as My children.”

  “T-Thank You for Your benevolence, Your Majesty.”

  The High King pulled a pair of cinnamon buns from somewhere and gave one to Kuro. “Any case, I appud your efforts, Greg…or should I call you Kuro now?”

  “I guess Kuro is fine, Lord. I’m already used to it, anyway.”

  “Alright, Kuro. Going back to the topic, you’re one man who doesn’t think of himself, and is brave to always sacrifice himself to save others.”

  “T-Thank You for that, Lord…” Hearing praise from the High King of the Gods made Kuro happy, though bitterness still remained in his heart.

  “However, I’d like to point out that I designed mortals to be sociable. All can’t live as an ‘isnd’; you need companions.”

  “Err…”

  “If you’re thinking of the introverts,” the High King paused briefly before continuing. “No one is really isoted. Even those who say they ‘don’t need people and can live alone’ still interact with their families and others. The only difference is the duration and quality of the retionship.”

  “It’s true, Your Majesty.”

  “Of course. Your observations only verify My designs. Continuing on, Kuro, remember that saying in your world that goes like this: ‘too much is always bad’?”

  “I recall it Lord. But if I may ask, why do You tell this to me?”

  “You give too much of yourself that nothing is left for you,” the High King said. “Tell me, Kuro, how can you give something you do not have? Too much sacrifices can get you exhausted; ‘burn-out’ is the term. Get what I mean?”

  The human nodded, but he had another question.

  “If you’re going to ask if you should just go with Maddie before they cut off Cherfmmen from the other realms, you can’t.”

  “Then it means that I was really meant to die in Cherfmmen!”

  The High King of the Gods nodded.

  “So, it’s all for nothing. Alexa’s efforts to avoid my fate, and my own as well!”

  Several minutes of awkward silence ensued. Kuro was fuming within him; he was thinking, if he’s meant to lose his life in Cherfmmen, what’s the purpose of resisting it?

  “Tell me, Kuro,” God suddenly broke the ice. “What do you think of death?”

  “The end of everything, Your Majesty.”

  “You’re partially right,” the High King nodded. “Especially to those who never believed in the afterlife. However, while death is a terrifying and sad event to everyone, have you thought that it can also serve as a beginning of something else?”

  “Are You…referring to a ‘new chapter’ in a person’s life, Lord?”

  God smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. “You really catch on quickly. Not just for the one who died—whose spirit will go to their final destination, but also for those who are left behind. Often, new chapters give us a new ‘perspective’ on stories, and so it applies in life as well. It gives us opportunities to grow, or lessons to be learned to help us grow.”

  “I see…” Kuro heaved a sigh. “But I guess, those lessons are meant for the living. As for me—who’s dead—a different chance for me, right, Your Majesty?”

  “It is,” the High King gulped down the rest of His coffee, before adding. “Though even if you’re a spirit, you can still learn. Want to know your first lesson?”

  “Sure!”

  “Well, I will not spoon-feed to you the concepts, but I want you to answer Me honestly, Kuro.”

  “I’m ready, Lord.”

  The High King of the Gods touched the human’s chest. Then, He asked, “Do you want to live again?”

  Kuro was surprised by the question. He carefully replied, “Up to You, Your Majesty.”

  “No, I want you to answer. Do you want to live again?”

  “Err…”

  “Yes, or no?”

  Kuro stared at the face of the High King of the Gods. Though His gentle features would make anyone think the deity was a ‘soft’ individual, this time, the human could feel the pressure from Him to give a definite answer. Kuro took a deep breath and said, “Yes Lord. I want to live again.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I want to come back for those people whom I love.”

  The High King of the Gods smiled, and a soft, warm light emanated from His hand pced on Kuro’s chest. “You’re really a fast learner, Kuro. This will be your third life in the mortal realms,” He winked at him, as the human noticed that everything was slowly fading. “Think of it as My gift to you for learning your first lesson after dying the third time: to stand for yourself.”

  ----------

  ***The Holy Consute, Mouth of Cabria Branch, Kingdom of Cabria, present-day…”

  “Y-Your H-Holiness…”

  “Mmmm…”

  “Y-Your H-Holiness…p-please wake up…”

  “Hmmf…I want to sleep…”

  “Rise and shine, zy bum!”

  “!!!” Lady Hinwe nearly jumped out of her bed when she realized someone else was in her room, aside from Meanor. Much to her surprise and horror, three other dies stood on the other end of the pce, and one of them held a dagger to her maid’s throat. She was about to fight with her elf magic, however, Lady Hinwe got even more scared when she realized that the one with the bde was the Human Saint herself, the Lady Madeine Ann Rubinforth.

  And the two others are the Demon Saint, Natasha Bellingsen, and the Saint of the Fme, Seirna Stephanie.

  “Y-Y-Y-Y-Your H-H-H-H—”

  “Your Holinesses, alright? Now that I completed it for you, you have to answer my questions,” the Lady Madeine let go of the terrified Meanor and put the dagger back into its sheath. She walked towards Lady Hinwe, though her face darkened…as if she was in a trance and was ready to commit murder. “Where is that elf named Gerard?”

  “She means Kuro, Your Holiness Lady Hinwe,” Natasha could only scratch her head, trying to appease the bewildered Elf Saint.

  “No worries, Hinwe,” it was Seirna. “The Lady Rubinforth goes nuts whenever it’s about the otherworlder, Kuro of Arles. It’s pretty normal for her, see?”

  “Wha-What do you mean normal?” the Lady Hinwe panicked. “The Lady Rubinforth’s thinking of fying me alive if something bad happens to my guard!”

  “Oof!” the two saints had pained expressions on their faces, to match the intensified murderous aura from Maddie.

  “What?! Why did she come to hate me even more?” the Elf Saint was hysterical. “What? What?! I didn’t mean he’s my actual guard! I mean, Kuro’s one of my Life Guards but—”

  “Well, I can always revive you if you get killed,” Seirna commented.

  “Don’t speak as if I’m going to die! Help!”

  Maddie was almost upon the Elf Saint when something hit her head. Then, she lost consciousness, falling face down on the bed. Behind her was Maddie's head maid, Lily, and the one who caused her to stop in her murderous intent.

  “Pardon for my mistress, Your Holiness,” the Holy Patial Garden’s head maid curtsied before the Elf Saint. “Don’t worry; Lady Madeine may be like that, but she hasn’t murdered anyone recently.”

  “Recently? Then that means she murdered before!”

  “Well, aside from summoning the entire humankind to make war against the demons for not releasing the Lord Kuro of Arles, Her Holiness the Human Saint won’t hurt a fly anymore.”

  The Lady Hinwe’s face went even paler than before; still, she let out a sigh of relief.

  “Anyway, Your Holiness,” Lily took an empty chair nearby and sat beside the Elf Saint. “Lady Sylvia of the Padin Corps sent a letter to us asking for reinforcements for your protection. Apparently, something happened to Cherwoods and you’re now forced to hide here?”

  “Yes…?”

  The head maid smiled, but the Lady Hinwe quickly noticed something sinister. “Tell me, Your Holiness, why did you allow your bodyguard to leave for the Saint’s Tree just to fetch your dolls and other stuff? Isn’t it his duty to stay beside you?”

  The Elf Saint rushed towards Seirna and Natasha, but Lily caught one of her arms in an iron grip. Terrified, she cried out to them, “These two will kill me!”

  “!!!” However, everyone’s attention quickly went away from the Lady Hinwe and to another person who just barged into the room. Her brown ears and fluffy white tail were smeared with crimson blood, coming from the two figures she dragged with her.

  Seirna commented, “For goodness’ sake, Lady Ruro! What did you do once again?”

  “Oh these guys?” the Beastman threw them aside. Natasha tried to see if they were still alive, while Ruro said, “I heard their thoughts; I think those vilins are conspiring to kill the Lady Hinwe, under the pay of someone back in Cherwoods. I guess they got other people in their pns, but hey, at least we already caught some of them.”

  “Ahem,” Lily cleared her throat. “I’ll ask the Lady Henristone to look into this conspiracy, to safeguard Her Holiness the Lady Hinwe’s life.”

  “Agh! No matter!” the Elf Saint snapped. “I’m going to die, either by the hands of my enemies or the other saints!”

  ----------

  ***The ‘Eternal Holiness,’ fgship of the elvish galley fleet…***

  The commander of the Life Guards’ fleet blockading the portal of Cherwoods, Lord Ninier of Dorian, watched the trapped steamships as his soldiers from the reinforcing galleys overwhelmed their enemies. However, even when they had already surrounded the Chersean flotil, its defenders would not back down nor surrender.

  Proof of that is the activated magic barrier.

  The frustrated companies of elves rained arrows and magic spells on the steam ships, in an effort to exhaust the casters of the barriers. However, once the shields were lifted…

  “They’re shooting at us from afar!”

  “Their bullets are passing through the wood! Get some thick cover!”

  “Help! Help! The captain is bleeding!”

  In this way, several attempts to board the ice-bound vessels ended in bloody failures. While the crews of the human ships were hopelessly outnumbered, their tactics and equipment were wreaking havoc among the elvish forces. The Lord Ninier suddenly remembered a mysterious figure from way back in his past. That person offered his soldiers ‘demon weapons’ that could shoot accurately and with more range than their standard bows and arrows. But, his commander—the Lord Eldarv—refused it, as it was made by the demons…which were their sworn enemies.

  “The elves will never bow down to other races!” the Lord Eldarv decred back then. “It’s either our traditions, or we die!”

  And now, they’re suffering for this stubborn belief. Aside from those injured and died in the galleys that were sunk, or peppered with raking fire, the elves’ casualties grew each time they mounted an assault at the trapped ships, with their enemies turning it into a formidable fortress.

  A lot of good elves lost their lives this time…

  “…”

  Shaking his head in disbelief, the elf naval commander called an orderly. “Send someone to the galleys attacking the Chersean ships. Tell them to retreat, but don’t let our enemies escape.”

  Just as the orderly was about to leave, however, a powerful gale suddenly blew from the northerly direction of Cherwoods, causing the gentle waters of the Gulf to turn violent. Much to the elves’ shock and terror, bck clouds gathered above their battle site at an arming rate; even the most experienced of their seafarers hadn’t seen something like that in their lives up to the present. Soon, combined with the rough seas, fshes of lightning and peals of thunder made its presence known, with some of the elf ships struck and burned.

  The Lord Ninier couldn’t believe what he was witnessing. A freak weather phenomenon decimated his fleet right before his eyes. It’s as if it was the god-powers of the Beastman Saint manifesting…

  A lieutenant called his attention and pointed toward one of the steamships, “Sire, look!”

  “!!!” All the elves—from the lowest of the soldiers to the highest of the officers—were terrified to witness a small yet bright golden-yellow light emanating from the ship named ‘Hagena’…the sure sign of the god-powers of the Beastman Saint. And much to their consternation was the sight of the person wielding that ‘god-power’: a man, with bck hair and round ears…a human.

  “Th-This is…” the Lord Ninier could only mutter. “…impossible!”

  Then, the human turned his gaze in the direction of the elf fleet’s fgship—the vessel of the Lord Ninier himself. From their spygsses, the elves saw his smirk, as if mocking them for their folly of trying to resist him. Standing on the deck of ‘Hagena,' the human raised his hand to the dark, swirling clouds, shooting the golden-yellow light from his hands and into the heavens.

  It was a terrible, yet mesmerizing sight…

  “…”

  However…

  “!!!”

  The next thing that came was a thick rain of hailstones.

  ----------

  ***The deck of ‘Hagena’…***

  In the aftermath of the ‘hailstone barrage’, only the steam ships remained floating on the waters of the Gulf of Cherwoods…at least, in those parts. The ‘formidable’ elvish galleys of the blockade fleet were reduced to waterlogged flotsam, where the living soldiers and mariners of the Life Guards clung to avoid drowning. On the decks and gun ports of the Chersean seacrafts, astonished crews watched in silence when the hero of Arles, their ‘Commoner General’, the Lord Kuro, dispyed his overwhelming god-powers.

  The only ones who knows what to expect are the dies from the Holy Patial Gardens…

  “…”

  With his ‘Gerard of Yusave’ disguise peeling off, Kuro stood in silence before them. Honestly, he didn’t know what to say, other than ask, “H-How did you guys know?”

  Salis put her gun back to its holster. “Have you forgotten, Kuro? I’m a genius—hey!” the owl-girl was interrupted in her speech when the Duchess of Braunhauer, followed by the lycanthrope and the orc-girl, ran and threw themselves to him.

  “!!!”

  They fell together on the deck floor, though Kuro quickly supported himself so they wouldn’t hurt themselves.

  “I knew it was you!” Eris, though with tears in her eyes, smiled pleasantly. “You give away so many clues about yourself, milord!”

  “Clues? What?” Kuro excimed.

  Nari buried her face in his chest, “I already suspected when I recalled his smell; I just can’t confirm it because I’m not that smart like Lady Salis…”

  Oh right, she’s a werewolf, Kuro thought to himself.

  “You guys…” Salis clicked her tongue but decided not to spoil the moment. She continued, “Kuro, even if you try to hide yourself, your attitude gives you away. See? You’re always ready to give, even if you lose in the process. Of all the humans I met, you’re the only one who does that stupidity.”

  “S-Sorry…”

  “W-Well,” the owl-girl blushed. “I-It’s not like I hated that selfless part of yours.”

  “And Sir Kuro loves Nari’s lugaw!” Tama’lee added. “And another clue is, Lady Salis noticed Sir ‘Gerard’ calling her gun ‘derringer’—a word not found in dictionaries anywhere!”

  “Honestly,” Lady Henristone revealed, “The Lady Hinwe told us the truth about you, Lord Kuro after you fought with her. I mean, for someone whose position is just a lowly guard of her elite warriors, ‘Gerard’ sure is brave for throwing insults and curses at Her Holiness.”

  “Ah…I was just taken by the heat of the moment back then…” Kuro could only scratch his head. “Damn her; her timidity is leading her people and Cherwoods to certain destruction, and I felt I should help her back on track.”

  Lady Malvette also came out from the lower decks at that moment. Impressed by her courage and skills in naval engagements, Kuro got up and offered her a handshake. “Midy, that was really great! Thank you for helping us!”

  The former admiral fshed a smile and grabbed his hand. However, instead of a handshake, she pulled him closer to her and pnted a kiss on his lips, much to everyone’s shock. “Welcome back, Lord Kuro!” she chuckled. “It’s how seamen greet their people, see?”

  “I-I’m pretty sure it wasn’t,” Kuro tried to ugh it off, but he could feel the piercing stares on him.

  “I…I mean, the ‘speaking your feelings directly’ part,” Lady Malvette ughed, realizing that she created tension with her companions. “Anyway! Let’s help these poor elves! They’ve been floating at the sea for a while now.”

  “R-Right…” Eris dusted herself and went back to her ‘serious’ mode. “Let’s go!”

  ----------

  ***The Saint’s Tree…***

  The ‘other’ Kuro of Arles, whose true identity was the low-ranked member of the Life Guards, ‘Gerard of Yusave,’ watched the soldiers of his military unit distribute food and other supplies to the elves who had gathered at the borders of the Elf Saint’s city to demand action from their holy dy. He knew that the ‘lull’ in their protests was temporary, and soon, he would have to admit to them that the Lady Hinwe was in another pce, with a low chance of returning to her duties as the Elf Saint of Cherwoods.

  “…”

  As someone whose home was destroyed by the encroaching sands in the frontiers, Gerard was aware that the Lady Hinwe was unfit to rule anymore. Still, he’s giving her a chance, not only because his lover and fiancée—the Elf Saint’s closest maid, Meanor—pleaded with him to support her, but the appearance of that human, Kuro of Arles, brought hope in him that maybe…just maybe…he could prod Her Holiness to do her duties to her people.

  At that point, it doesn’t matter to him if they take suggestions from other races, even from the demons. Lady Hinwe needs to ‘wake up’ now.

  “…”

  But, it seemed like the Elf Saint would never change even with the wisdom of Kuro of Arles. Her stubborn character and ziness were too much, even for the human. That’s why, like his superior, the Lord Sir Eldarv of the Life Guards, he already reached the decision to inaugurate a new saint to rule over the elves.

  The only problem is that they must kill the Lady Hinwe so that her god-powers can pass to someone else.

  “…”

  As much as he never wanted to turn into those pace officials they hated, Gerard had no choice but to take the drastic options. Time was of the essence, and the more they deyed, the more the sands would engulf huge swaths of Cherwoods’ ancient forests. They had to make the nds fertile again; and the Elf Saint’s god-powers was key to this.

  The irrigation systems proposed by Kuro of Arles would continue. While they were not sure that this ‘set of canals’ could solve their woes, building it would tell the elves that Her Holiness was doing something to help them. And if it turned out that it was beneficial, they’d hit two birds with one stone, thus encouraging the people to return to the fold of the Elf Saint’s authority.

  In any case, so as not to arouse any suspicions, Gerard wanted the Lady Hinwe to return to Cherwoods. After all, killing her in another nd would be a diplomatic incident and could lead to tragic reprisals from the other saints. But, for some reason, her group was taking its time; Gerard was worried that human Kuro had noticed his duplicity and purposefully deyed their return to urge him to take action, exposing his treason.

  “…”

  Still, Gerard would persevere. It’s for the good of the elves, as well as the secured future for his fiancée.

  “!!!”

  His train of thought was interrupted when Sir Eldarv came to him. “Sir Kuro,” the captain began. “I just received news from our scouts in Tenedrim that the entire fleet of the Life Guards was annihited in a sea battle and a freak storm.”

  Gerard couldn’t believe what he just heard. “Wait…a sea battle and a freak storm?”

  “It’s also confusing me, Sire,” the captain of the Elf Guards admitted. “But according to eyewitness accounts, a confrontation occurred at the vicinity of the Tenedrim goon between our fleets and two Chersean steam ships. Then, after a running battle, the weather took turn for the worse, and destroyed our galleys. Only the steam ships remain.”

  “What kind of weather we’re talking about here?”

  “Err…” Sir Eldarv read the letter he had on hand. “A powerful gale that made the seas rough. Thunderstorms, and, uh…err…a rain of hailstones. The scouts also cimed that the steam ships were undamaged.”

  “I…really don’t understand. Are you telling me that the ‘freak weather’ chose to hit our galleys and avoid the Chersean ships?”

  The captain of the Life Guards shrugged. However, he added, “Sire, the Chersean flotil was st sighted, heading to the northern waters. We don’t know where those vessels intended to go, but they did drop our surviving members on the nearest ndmass and left supplies for them to have something to eat.”

  “Generous, huh?” the disguised elf mused. He ordered Sir Eldarv, “Then, if it’s the Elf Saint, we let them pass and dock here. Otherwise, the blockade stands. Allow no one to cross into your waters and reach this pce. Gather the remaining galleys and search for those ships.”

  The captain of the Life Guards gave him a snappy salute and went to implement ‘Kuro of Arles’ orders.