The Homeseeker: Elemental Adventurer LitRPG [Isekai] (Series Complete!)

Zalan stared at Rep, his head shaking slightly in disbelief. Rep's face was shrouded in guilt, his usually affable nature completely torn away. Zalan scrunched his face, unamused.

"You said you're the reason I'm here? That doesn't make any sense, how would that even be possible? Nothing in this realm has access to other worlds, and your Elemental Power can't do anything that big," Zalan said, already in denial.

"That is true. My Elemental Power would not be able to bring anyone from another world. However…" Rep shuddered. "I found an Artifact," he shared, nervous to explain the rest.

Zalan waited quietly, watching Rep with his full focus. Rep sighed and continued reluctantly,

"Right after I gained my Elemental Power on the volcano, I defeated a horde of Fogfangs, and they dropped an Artifact I had never seen before. I thought I knew all manner of Artifacts, as I had studied them in my spare time before reaching the age of maturity and gaining the ability to increase my Levels. There were very few that I had not read about or learned from those in my guild.

"But this one eluded me. I went to Sir Kilile and asked him what it did, and he said he had never seen anything like it. He warned me not to disregard the dangers of Artifacts I was unfamiliar with, but I did not heed his warning. Curiosity did battle in my better judgment and won. I went to Madam Hikma to ask her to tell me its secrets, but she also had no idea of its power. All she could tell me was that it was an Artifact with the power to change the course of many lives. I thought it sounded inspiring, I never thought that it could change the course for the worse. I went back to Journey House… And I activated the Artifact," Rep exhaled solemnly.

He was full of regret. Every word he shared pained him. His lower lip was trembling.

"You used an Artifact you had never seen before? I thought you always told me not to mess with any I was unfamiliar with."

"Indeed. The reason I tell you as such is so that you will not repeat my worst mistake. I had a mysterious Artifact, and I activated it. I never should have touched it without having a full understanding of its capabilities."

"Okay… then what happened? What did the Artifact end up doing?" Zalan asked.

"At first, nothing. But then something happened, as though something on your end of the world had triggered a connection. It showed me something, pulling me through a miraculous window to a new reality. It was an odd expanse of blank space with a single person in a white void. You, Zalan. You were lying there, staring up at nothing, looking aimless and afraid. Your eyes were rotating listlessly and you looked far too uncomfortable for someone laying down," Rep expressed.

Zalan recoiled slightly, dreading the image. The rotating eyes reminded him of the sickening spin of his fan back home.

"You saw me lying down in my apartment?" Zalan asked.

Rep nodded begrudgingly and continued.

"And the Artifact… inspired me with the idea that I could reach out to you. That you were in a state of darkness that I might be able to assist you with. The thought made its way to my mind and I believed it to be true. All I had to do was reach out and I could pull you from where you were. Bring you out of the void of misery and into a realm of life. I was given so much knowledge about you. Your name, the pain you were in, the distance you had put between yourself and your family. It seemed like you needed help. I thought you looked so alone, and that you should not be alone at a time like that. You were in such a terrible state," Rep said, trailing.

"You… you literally pulled me through?" Zalan asked, appalled. "If you had just left me alone, I would have been fine and back in my own world?"

Rep face was downcast. He chewed lightly on his lip, then nodded. Zalan exhaled loudly, shock coursing through him.

"I was so arrogant," Rep said. "I believed I could assist someone I had never met before. Instead, I put you through some of the worst experiences of your life," Rep had hot tears brimming his eyes. Zalan couldn't care less for his tears. His confusion was busy morphing into rage.

"And… What about the Artifact?" Zalan demanded. "If it could bring me here, couldn't it take me back?"

"It degraded on its first use. I pulled you through, but the portal that opened did not let me bring you next to me. As soon as I grasped a hold of you, it flung you away from me. In the void presented by the Artifact, I saw that you had landed outside the walls of Oriton in the midst of a Flamestriker. Immediately, I thought to send you back before the monster hurt you, but the Artifact had already crumbled to dust by the time it spat me out of the void. I went running to save you immediately," Rep said.

"That… that's why you showed up so soon! People on the walls of Oriton didn't even notice I was running for my life, but you were there right away!" Zalan realized.

Rep nodded sorrowfully.

"The Mind of Madness showed me a vision of you dying in this realm, alone and afraid. I can not let that come to pass," Rep said firmly. "I have made it my sole duty to make sure you find a way home."

Zalan was reeling with shock. He had always assumed that he came to the realm because of something on his side. Some otherworldly tendril meeting him by way of a pill he didn't read the contents of or something similar. And that still seemed to be part of it; a catalyst that connected the pill to the Artifact.

However, instead of random chance, this felt almost deliberate. Rep forced him here without permission. Took him from the comfort of his home to the warzone in this new realm, with no way back. Rep assumed he needed help and forced him to accept it. Zalan shook his head slightly.

"You did this to me?" Zalan asked, unable to think of anything else to say.

"I am truly sorry, Zalan. I never meant for any harm to come your way," Rep insisted.

"This is why you never wanted to talk about your source of 'inspiration!' This was all just your big mistake! I can't believe this! I thought you were…" Zalan trailed as a new idea came to mind. He hesitated before asking. "This is the reason you introduced yourself as my guide, isn't it?"

Rep didn't say anything.

"Everyone else I met in the realm comes and goes, no one has stuck around more than you. The only reason you were trying to get me home is so you could stop being wracked with guilt. This is all just to clear your conscience, not some goodness in your heart! I thought you cared about me. I thought you were my friend, but you're just carrying around the problem you're trying to solve!" Zalan said, appalled.

"Can it not be both?" Rep cut in.

"Wouldn't it be convenient if you were both a good person and the reason my life is completely ruined!"

He wanted to run. He wanted to hit Rep. He wanted to strike him with lightning, if only he could find it in his veins once more. Everything felt wrong about his situation. More than anything, he felt betrayed. Like the last person he could trust had never actually been on his side. It was all just a means of paying back a debt he felt he owed.

Instead of expressing any rage, instead Zalan lowered his head, dejected. He was totally spent. He had so much faith riding in Rep being the way to bring him back from the brink and now he felt nothing but animosity toward him. He knew, somewhere in his mind, that Rep wasn't to blame for the bad that occurred in the realm, but he couldn't help himself. If it wasn't for Rep, he would still be back home.

"Zalan, please, listen. I am here as your friend. You need not be concerned about my loyalty. I have always been genuine with you," Rep said.

"Get out of here, Rep," Zalan said without looking at him.

"What?" Rep asked, stunned.

"I said leave," Zalan clarified. "We're not a team anymore. We can hardly be called acquaintances."

Rep's head bounced back an inch, shocked by his words. His confusion turned to annoyance.

"That is not fair. I shared my fears so that you may assist me with them, yet you only stand to use them against me. I told you the honest truth, hoping to help you better understand your situation."

"I understand that you're the reason I'm in this situation to begin with. I'm going to get that Elemental Power. And I don't need you there with me."

"Zalan, be reasonable," Rep said sternly.

"Reasonable would be to leave someone alone when they're minding their own business! What gave you the right to bring me here?" Zalan snapped.

Penelope suddenly stepped into the room looking between the pair. They looked at her, a mix of shame and embarrassment on their faces. Neither would look at the other.

"A heated discussion I can tolerate, but this yelling is too much," she said. "This is still my home, you know."

"Apologies, Penelope. We did not mean to cause you any trouble," Rep said.

"This is how the Mind of Madness works, you know," Penelope said. "It breaks the bonds between people by showing them terrible visions. I am concerned for you, in particular."

She nodded to Zalan. Zalan tried to look nonchalant, but felt a chill in his heart. His natural instinct told him to look at Rep for support, but he deliberately made sure to keep from making eye contact. He addressed Penelope alone.

"Why are you concerned? What's wrong with me?"

"It took you a particularly long time to break through from the Mind of Madness's darkness, even with the benefit of an Artifact. The longer it takes, the worse the state of one's mind is in. I have never seen someone take as long as you did to recover. You may want to call off this expedition of yours before you get irreparably hurt," Penelope said.

"Yes, we can go back to Journey House together and reconsider our options," Rep agreed.

"No!" Zalan shouted immediately. He looked shy for having the outburst in front of Penelope. She placed her arms on her hips, an eyebrow raised. Zalan decided to continue despite his embarrassment. "I need to feel like… something is under my control. I need to challenge an Elemental and get its power. Otherwise I'm… I'm just so tired."

Rep and Penelope looked to one another with concern. They could read what Zalan didn't say explicitly. Penelope studied Zalan for a moment, her arms sliding down her side to a more gentle posture. She brought her voice low and spoke to him delicately.

"Whatever your choice is, I am simply glad to hear you are awake and looking healthy after dealing with the Mind of Madness. It could have been much worse," she said.

"You mean like it could have killed us?" Zalan asked facetiously.

Penelope looked at him curiously. She scrutinized his expression, a thoughtful glint in her eyes. She measured her answer to Zalan, seeming as though she cared deeply about how she expressed her next ideas. She breathed deep, a maternal gaze in her eyes.

"Dying is certainly bad, but I do not think that is the worst result. After all, death is the one constant in life. We are all on our way to dying, none of us are lost to that fact. I come to grips with my mortality often. I am only Level Three, despite my age. I never took the time to gain Levels when I could instead tend to my shop, my children, or my community. All it takes is one creature to cross paths with me at the wrong time and I will be dead. If not a monster, perhaps a rogue Elemental decides to visit town and stop by my home. Or, if I wait long enough, time itself will come to strike me down. All of these instances are fine by me. They are all paths to the destination I expect, though I hope the journey would be more pleasant. The worst case is much more miserable.

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"It is to live a life in which one feels like they would be better off if they were dead."

Zalan sat up slightly straighter and listened close. He had often felt he would be better off dead in recent days. But he didn't want to feel that way. Ever since he had seen Morloch, he couldn't help it. With some effort, he was previously able to quell the emotion. But the Mind of Madness brought it to the front lines of his thoughts. Often, Zalan had to battle with always feeling at his lowest. He desperately listened to what Penelope had to offer on the subject, inching further forward on the bed.

He knew he was having a hard time hiding his ability to relate to the subject so he lowered his eyes to hide his face. Penelope read him easily and continued her spiel.

"It is a good thing that there is always time to change so long as one lives," she said.

Zalan's face shot upward, burning curiosity. Ever since coming to the realm—no, even since he remembered lying in his apartment—he had been in a constant flux of crazy emotions. He desperately wanted that to change. He wanted to feel comfortable in his own mind. Everything constantly felt like it was in a state of disarray and self sabotage. Having time to change so long as one lives was a powerful beacon to Zalan.

"What do you mean, change?" he asked, surprised at the enthusiasm in his own voice.

"Well…" Penelope thought about it for a second.

Rep and Zalan waited in silence, not wanting to disrupt her thought process. The two hung on every word she spoke.

"Let me try putting it in this way. Think of a man who does nothing to sustain himself except to steal from others. He pilfers what he can find from all manner of people. The rich and poor alike are known to have their things taken by him. What would you say about this man? What would you call him?" Penelope looked between Rep and Zalan.

They stared back in quiet embarrassment. Penelope moved her arms as though trying to pull the answer from them through a string.

"This is not a trick question, what would you call him?" Penelope asked again.

"A thief?" Rep answered.

"Precisely. Most of us would call this hypothetical man a thief." She nodded to Rep. "Now then, let us say this man has a change of heart. He goes about the second half of his life repenting for what he has done. He vows to fix his mistakes and even attempts to pay back some of the funds he took. On top of that, he uses his prior knowledge of thievery to protect others from would-be robbers. He would even put his life on the line to protect others from acts he used to do, himself. What would you call this man, now?"

"A good person?" Zalan asked hopefully.

"Ha! I do not know about that, but it would sound odd to call that same man a 'thief.' The title would feel a bit inapplicable. Would you agree?" Penelope asked.

Rep and Zalan both nodded, their eyes focused solely on her.

"So, the man has changed. And in the same way that man could change his title, we can all change ourselves with enough work and dedication," Penelope said.

Zalan took the words to heart. He was suddenly feeling motivated to fix himself. He wanted to jump out of bed and race out to take on the world. He was alive. He had time to change himself. He and Rep reflected for a few seconds, soaking in the information.

"Is it that simple?" Rep asked, optimistic.

"Do not be deceived. Change does not come easily to anyone. It takes sincere action. Let me continue that same example. The first half of the man's life remains the same. He is branded a thief. But in the second half of his life, he feels remorse for what he's done and vows to never steal again. The difference this time is that he does nothing more. He never steals again, but makes no amends. One day he was stealing from people, the next he was not. What is he now?" Penelope asked.

Rep and Zalan shot one another a glance, instinctively. They were both stunned to see the other making eye contact without a scowl on their face. It made each of them sigh in relief. Zalan could see that the conversation had an effect on Rep as much as it did himself. Rep wanted to change himself too. Perhaps become more powerful, and Zalan knew it was always in an effort to help him get back home. And so long as he was alive, he could do that. He didn't want to hold a grudge on something Rep was actively trying to fix. It should have inspired him.

Both Rep and Zalan looked back at Penelope, neither of them having an answer to her earlier question. She waited for one to answer, pulling the invisible thread from Zalan's chest.

"What am I supposed to call him? I don't know, what kind of other title is there? I think people would still consider him a thief. I would," Zalan assessed.

"I would agree," Penelope said. "He may have stopped his actions, but he will always be known as a notorious thief of the past. He would have ruined people's livelihoods and then went on to live his life. Whereas the other version of this man would be seen as a changed man. He was once a thief, but now he does everything he can to protect us from thieves. So, do not think it is as simple as thinking you would like to change. Speech is effective, but it is weak. You must take action. You must always try."

Zalan remembered something similar said by Fran when she was still alive. She would be fine dying in battle, so long as she died trying. Zalan finally understood what she meant by it. She never feared death, only feared becoming a quitter. And he could try. He could go out and fix himself, as well as right the mistakes he made with ever falling for Morloch's ploys. And he might not even succeed, but he would know that he tried. He could be proud of himself so long as he tried.

"What happens if the man dies while he is still working on clearing his past mistakes?" Rep asked.

"A noble death is enviable," Penelope declared. "I often pray for a death devoid of disgrace. Imagine knowing you are about to take your last breath, but do not have even a single regret joining you in the grave."

Rep and Zalan exchanged a sudden glance. Without a word, Zalan knew they were thinking the same thing. Both Fran and Xavier smiled the moment before they perished. Trying to the end. Zalan swung his legs over the bed and stood, stretching his tense muscles. He shared a look with Rep, a silent apology to which Rep nodded graciously.

"Thank you, Penelope," he said.

"Your words are most inspiring," Rep said.

"One learns to bring up others when raising several children," she chuckled to herself.

"Where are your children, if I may ask?" Rep said.

"They all grew up to be wiser than me. They left the city of Nightfall, determined never to see the Mind of Madness ever again. I could never bring myself to follow them. I grew up in Nightfall, myself. The Mind of Madness feels like a regular visitor. One that is uninvited, but at least it is expected," she shrugged to herself.

"Speaking of, which way is it to the Depths of Despair?" Zalan asked.

"Are you certain?" Rep asked cautiously. "I do not want to have another run in with the Mind of Madness after what just happened. One glance is enough to incapacitate us. And before you awoke, Penelope informed me that it had returned to its home. Perhaps we can wait and go into its lair later, there is no need to rush."

"No, I don't want to wait," Zalan said.

Rep looked at him with worry growing in the form of wrinkles on his face. With a shake of his head, Zalan tried to brush away Rep's growing concerns.

"I think it'd be good for me to get to the Depths of Despair. Madam Hikma mentioned that we can find the fourth Monster of the Mindscape there. That's supposed to help me get out of this realm, right? I think it's the best way for me to change for the better right now," Zalan said.

Rep still looked skeptical, a twist forming in his lips.

"It would definitely be better than sitting around. In fact, I think that would make me feel even worse," Zalan insisted.

Rep sighed, looking at the indentation in the bed. Zalan had been laying down for such a long time.

"Very well, we can go to the Depths of Despair. But I will drag you out of there as soon as I sense you are in any sort of danger. Physical or otherwise," Rep said.

"Sure," Zalan agreed readily.

"In fact," Rep opened his palm and held it out. "Give me the Homeseeker. I will not give you the choice of when we should escape. Delays mean death when in the mines."

Zalan frowned slightly, but pulled out the Artifact. He raised it toward Rep, then pulled back at the last second.

"You better not trigger it as soon as you get a little spooked or something like that," Zalan said, finally placing it in his hand.

"That would be the exact time in which I would activate it," Rep said firmly, pocketing the Artifact. "But we can leave now. Where is the Depths of Despair, Penelope? Just point the way and we will be out of your way."

"You can not leave yet! Especially not to the Depths of Despair," Penelope said, appalled.

"I know of the dangers. Trust me when I say we will not take the mines lightly. We will be very cautious, I promise," Rep tried to assuage her.

"I do not care about your caution. You owe me."

"What?" Zalan said, confused.

"I dragged the two of you here on a cart, let you rest in my home, and brought you back from the brink of death. You think all of that comes free?" Penelope asked.

Rep and Zalan shared a raised eyebrow.

"I didn't realize that all that was a service you do around here," Zalan said.

"How can we repay the debt?" Rep asked.

"One gold coin," Penelope said, then looked between them eagerly. "Each."

"Sure," Zalan pulled the money out of his pocket without hesitation.

Penelope looked at the money in her hand, surprised by how fast Zalan produced it. She looked up, unconsciously making a face that even Zalan could easily read. She wanted more money now that she knew they had it. Zalan felt a twinge of sympathy for her, seeing as she lived in a modest home of two rooms.

"Would you like more money?" Zalan asked.

"I am not in need of charity." She waved him off fiercely.

"Would it be okay for us to purchase the Artifact for healing from the Mind of Madness if you have any to spare. An Essence of Soul? For… perhaps, five gold coins?" Rep asked politely.

Penelope's smile widened. A sale of a useful product was not charity. And it wasn't a crime to overcharge someone for an Artifact.

"Yes! Of course! I only have the one I used on you, however. The Artifact works well to bring anyone back from the Mind of Madness's blast. You need only to squeeze and touch it to someone's skin directly. But be aware that it is very difficult for the holder to use it on themselves. Not that you physically can not do it, but you are not in a sane mental state when struck by the Mind of Madness. One does not think of their previous plans when they can think of nothing but despair and worst fears. I would say almost impossible. So, you will want to make sure that only one of you is struck so the other one can help with the recovery," she said, pulling out the Artifact. "And it does not have much use left, I suspect it will degrade by the next time it's used."

Zalan pulled out the money and paid her, accepting the Artifact graciously. Immediately, it made him smile. Warmth bled into his veins and made him feel like everything was going to end up fine. Touching the Artifact was like the opposite of experiencing the Mind of Madness's darkness.

He looked the Essence of Soul over with slight apprehension. It might be the only thing between him and dying a depression-induced death. He was hoping that neither him nor Rep would have to use it. But they were literally walking to the home of the creature that made the Artifact most necessary. He tucked it away, not wanting to risk wasting its power. His smile disappeared, but some of the jovial energy remained, to his relief.

"Let me show you the way," Penelope said, opening the front door to her home.

Rep and Zalan blinked, stunned to see the outside world was completely dark.

"I didn't realize it was so late," Zalan said.

"No, that is just Nightfall. It is always this dark, day or night," Penelope explained.

"What time is it now?" Rep asked, looking up at the sea of stars.

"Early morning. Others should be going about their day soon," Penelope said.

"How is it always dark?" Zalan wondered aloud.

"According to legend, someone challenged a Dark Elemental, and this was the result. We do not know the nature of the challenge, or where that Elemental lives to this day. We do not even know whether the one who challenged the Elemental gained the power. But the legend continues, suggesting that the Mind of Madness only appeared when the town was locked in darkness. I am of the opinion that the monster was created as a result of an Elemental challenge.

"The giant head took over the active mines at the edge of town, claiming it as its home. Those are the Depths of Despair. Though, when the creature first arrived, it did not have a name. It was simply an entity of evil. The old residents of Nightfall called it the Mines of Madness. The name of the mines may have inspired the name of the creature." Penelope raised an arm to direct them to where they would be going.

She pointed out toward endless darkness, down a path that led out of the town.

"The mines are somewhere in that direction, but I have never been near it myself for obvious reasons. You will have to ask some others in the community where to go," Penelope said.

Nightfall's homes were small and scattered around the area looking fairly unorganized compared to most cities Zalan had seen. Windows were nonexistent, instead the homes were more similar to bunkers with heavy mud filled into wood to make sure no light could sneak through. In addition, most homes had a large leather cover on poles covering from above, as if to shade the home in the endless nights. Zalan quickly determined that the homes were built specifically to protect from the Mind of Madness. Looking out as far as the darkness allowed, Zalan was surprised to see not a single spec of plantlife. He would have thought that trees or vines would help, but quickly deduced that there were no plants that could thrive in a sunless land.

The only sources of light in the town were produced by torches placed at the doorways of homes. They would have to travel through the town to make it to their destination. Zalan wondered if the other residents of an always-dark town were any good at small talk.

"Thank you for everything," Rep said, beginning to step away to the Depths of Despair.

"Of course. Be safe. Remember it is not shameful to run from the Mind of Madness. Save your life over your pride," Penelope said.

With that, Rep and Zalan made their way across the dark town, their shadows flickering in several sources of firelight along the way.