"It's hard to believe, right?"
"I mean, I know the existence of other worlds that you call planets, but I didn't know the concept of galaxies and universes."
"How did you know the existence of other planet?"
"There are some native people on Mount Fargon who invented astro scope for star gazing. Sometimes, I helped them using my spells and we found a lot of worlds out there beyond the sky."
"I see. Anyway, let's have a meal and rest. I am starving."
Aldred walked to Bartrem and helped him flipping the burger.
Stella smiled. It seemed Aldred felt much better after talking with her. To the side, Mary was looking at the spot where the spider had died.
"It's so sad to see 2 innocent souls falling in the hands of a demon," Mira said.
"If you live long enough like me, you would treat this as a normal occurrence. You can say that I am heartless, but it's more like I am used to it already."
"But isn't it better if we can prevent this from happening?"
"There's always shadows within the light, and hope within despair. Empires fell and rose. Good defeated evil and so does the other way around. I have seen it countless times playing out. It's a cycle. Never ending and eternal."
"How can you be so nonchalant about this?"
"I am not a mortal like you. I can afford to be nonchalant. In fact, I am too tired already. I have played the role of the devil and the angel in my lifetime."
"Then why living?"
"There is 2 things that I have not yet tried." She glanced at Aldred. "Becoming an explorer, and a lover."
Stella smiled. "Aldred's talk about galaxies and universes intrigued me. I wonder what's out there. Trillions of world waiting to be explored."
"Guys!" Aldred shouted. "The food is done."
Stella and Mira smiled before they walked over. Mary, Mareona, Sophia, Ivette, and Zafrina also approached Aldred and they all enjoyed their meal together.
After they were done eating, Aldred and the girls entered the tent.
As he was hugged by his lovers, Aldred was staring at the ceiling, daydreaming.
"What are you thinking about, Aldred?" Mary asked.
Aldred was silent for a second before he replied: "The brother and sister reminded me of something."
"What is it?"
"That powerlessness is a sin. Being weak is a sin. And that sin will make the devil come to take a visit."
He was grateful to have a caring parents that took care of him in the shadows. Mom and dad must have realized that Aldred needed to grow, and he was grateful that they dropped him off the castle.
And unlike the siblings, his parents are watching over him.
Aldred clenched his fist. "I have to get stronger. I want to protect those I love. For that I need more power."
Mary looked at him without saying anything.
Sophia was smiling. She wanted Aldred to have more power. That way nothing could harm him in any way. She also felt terrible about herself that she couldn't help him fight the spider.
If she was stronger, she could have protected Aldred. Sophia sighed inwardly. Aldred was right. Weakness is a sin and the world would punish them for it.
Sophia hugged Aldred's neck and put her head on his chest. Aldred caressed her head, and then they all went to sleep.
…
As Aldred was sleeping, one of his clones ran outside the dungeon and leaped into the sky before activating jet flames that shot out from his hands and feet.
He streaked through the sky, and after a while he landed on the grassy plain beside a magic train track.
The sky was bright and less cloudy today, and eventually there was a dot in the sky.
It became larger and larger until it revealed itself a humongous cargo plane. It dove down, slowing down, and then landed on the uneven grassy plain.
How they landed without accident on such terrain wasn't something that he could figure out by himself.
As the plane rolled forward, it turned around, and showed Aldred its tail, before the cargo hatch opened itself, revealing a humanoid robot.
"That was faster than planned."
Thinker let out a robotic laugh. "I was told to make myself more hospitable to you by laughing and smiling more. They said my annoying appearances might be the reason why I have to kill so much."
"They who?"
"My master's assistant."
"Okay, but why did you come this early? I give you 3 days. Are you afraid that I would leave?"
"I cannot feel emotion, but I do understand its concept and definition. It has allowed you living beings to survive all this time. My master added that concept to my programming. I am told to retreat if the chance of winning is below 40% or I have to avoid something if it has a 79% chance of disabling me. And to answer your question, my master told me to be faster to show our timeliness, and that we can be a reliable partner."
"Partner? You want to team up with me?"
"Yes."
"I will consider that offer, but let me ask you a question. What is your chance of winning against me?"
"It's 31,5%"
Aldred laughed. "And you still fought me."
"It's 31,5% if I only fight using my own armaments and weapons within my mechanical body. But if keep requesting reinforcement, that probability might change."
"Do you have a nuclear bomb?"
"That keyword is not available in my database."
"Never mind then. Let me see the mechas."
"You will not receive the mechas."
Aldred frowned. "Are you trying to trick me?"
"Incorrect. According to your specifications and needs, we cannot give you mechas as they would be too big, and too hard to maintain, and they have high learning curve which require your soldiers to train at least 3 months to learn."
"Instead, we are giving you a power armor that suits your specification."
One hundred large and thick power armors walked out of the cargo plane. Their step thundered the ground because of their weight, and they towered over Aldred when they stood in front of him.
"Bartrem will love this."
