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

Zalan watched closely as the Homeseeker deteriorated away in his hand, its fleeting life finally having ended. Rep jumped up from his cot and rushed over to Zalan.

"What do we do?" Rep asked, hovering his hands over what was now mostly ash.

"I don't know, what are we supposed to do?" Zalan shrugged. "It's fine. I don't even know if this was supposed to get me out of here."

"But Madam Hikma said it would!" Rep said urgently.

"She's been super vague before, I'm sure this could be one of those things that don't quite fit," Zalan said. "Plus there could be other Homeseekers out there."

"What if there are none? What if this is the only one?" Rep said urgently.

There was nothing left of the Homeseeker. It had become nothing more than ash and dust on Zalan's lap. Rep stared with consternation.

"Come on, Rep, it's not that big a deal," Zalan sat up, allowing some of the dust to fall to the floor.

Rep panicked and began sweeping dust into his hand, collecting all of the remains that he could of the Artifact. He gathered it all in a small pile next to Zalan's cot. Zalan watched him, amused by his insistence on getting the Artifact back together. It wasn't until Rep shoved a hand into his pocket that Zalan wondered what he was planning. Rep pulled out a glowing rock of an Artifact. The Reversal Stone.

"Wait, Rep, wait!" Zalan said.

Rep activated it and touched it to the Homeseeker's remains. Zalan frowned and shook his head at Rep. Rep turned back, looking embarrassed.

"This could be the only way for you to return home. I can not allow it to go to waste, if that is the case," Rep said.

"We could have at least checked with Madam Hikma to see if it's still possible to go home, first."

"That could have been too long. The Reversal Stone only turns back time a few minutes."

Zalan watched, fascinated, to see the Homeseeker be built in reverse. The ashes came back together and formed into a solid piece. The colors and ridges along the side came together and it began to stand on its own. The Reversal Stone cracked and degraded, leaving the newly restored Homeseeker alone as the only Artifact on the floor.

"Fine. I guess we only have one use left," Zalan said, picking it up and looking it over.

"We will get you home," Rep said.

Zalan was going to tell him it would be fine either way. He was growing used to the realm he had been brought to. But he could see the guilt written on Rep's face. Rep didn't want Zalan to be stuck in the realm when he brought him in. Even if Zalan claimed he would be fine under the new circumstances, there was a chance that Rep would never be comfortable with the outcome. Zalan simply nodded to Rep.

Having already been well-rested and well-fed, Rep and Zalan made their way out of the guild and into the streets of Oriton. It was mid-afternoon, and the sun sat high above them. Both Rep and Zalan paused in the glow of the sun, reaching out their arms and taking in as much sunlight as they could. Zalan breathed in deeply. He liked the fresh air of Oriton, with the hint of saltwater air from the sea. Rep began walking to Madam Hikma's place and Zalan followed closely.

They stopped a short distance away and exchanged a glance.

"Why is the line so long?" Zalan asked.

"I do not know," Rep said.

The line to Madam Hikma's building had at least a hundred people standing in front of it, eager to move forward. Zalan had never seen it this long before, even the first time they visited. It was longer than usual then, people gathering to ensure their questions were answered before Madam Hikma left for a few days. But it wasn't even close to the hundred they saw now. Rep started to make his way to the back, but stopped himself when he saw Zalan approaching the center of the line. He followed closely.

"Excuse me ma'am," Zalan asked a woman in line. "Is Madam Hikma supposed to be gone soon?"

"Oh Lord, I hope not," she replied. "I have so much to ask her."

"Then, do you know why the line is so long?" Zalan asked.

"I am unfamiliar with how long the line is supposed to be. I have come from a distance of many cities. There used to be a Flame Elemental residing at the top of a volcano. It is dead. An Elemental! Dead! I wish to ask Madam Hikma what this omen means," she said.

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Rep and Zalan looked to one another, concerned.

"That sounds terrible," Rep said. "Thank you for being forthcoming with us."

The woman nodded and turned back to look if the line had moved. She bounced in place anxiously.

Rep and Zalan continued their way up the line.

"Excuse me sir, but would you mind telling me what you're going to ask Madam Hikma if it's not too personal?" Zalan asked.

The man sized up Rep and Zalan, his beard hanging low to his chest. He gruffed with uncertainty.

"You would not believe me if I told you," he mumbled, his voice low.

"Is it that you saw a dead Elemental?" Zalan asked.

"How did you know? Did you see one too?" the man asked, his eyes wide.

"Indeed," Rep nodded. "Both a Nature Elemental and a Flame Elemental."

"Flame and Nature…" the man stroked his beard in thought. "The one I saw was a Frost Elemental. I did not know what to think of the sight. I came to ask Madam Hikma whether this was an omen."

Rep and Zalan continued to the back of the line, occasionally asking others about what they had arrived to do. Almost every single person they asked said they had a matter regarding a dead Elemental. The people thought it was a sign for the end of the realm. An apocalypse of some sort. Elementals were not supposed to die, and witnessing or hearing of their deaths was terrifying the masses. Rep and Zalan finally took a place in line.

"It looks like the Elemental killings were a lot worse than we thought," Zalan said.

"How is Morloch getting around the realm so quickly as to kill this many Elementals! Do they not put up a fight? It is such a travesty for the wells of power to be stolen from the world," Rep said.

"Yeah…"

He thought about Morloch and the times he had traveled with him. The older man was always shifty or conceited. Zalan felt moronic for not having seen his evil intentions sooner, but knew not to dwell on the feelings. The only thing that mattered was what he did with the information. He wondered about what he could do to change things.

"Do you think we should try and stop him?" Zalan asked.

Rep looked up at him, concerned.

"The last battle we had with him went terribly," Rep murmured. "We could perish. We also have no idea where he may be."

"Probably back on Aetheria, right?" Zalan asked.

"You think he travels to and from Aetheria to kill Elementals?"

"Sure. Especially if it's high enough to look over all the important places in the realm. It's probably how he makes it around so fast. He doesn't have to use any energy when the city does all the work for him. A perfect launch pad," Zalan suggested. "Is it a moving city or does it just stay in one place?"

Rep thought about it, then shook his head.

"I have no idea how we would verify such a thing," Rep admitted.

"Yeah. Maybe we just need to ask Madam Hikma."

"We need to ask her whether it is still possible to get you home," Rep said firmly.

"Yeah, but we can ask more than one question."

"Only if she has not exhausted herself," Rep said, leaning to look at the length of the line.

Door creaking open, Madam Hikma took a step outside, looking haggardly. Immediately, she was rushed and inundated with a dozen questions at once, but she held up her hand and received silence.

"Good people, if you are here to ask about the death of Elementals, know that it is true. I do not know what it means. I do not know if it is a sign of something larger. Elementals are dying and that is all I know. If you wish to ask me about something else, I would be honored to hear you out."

At first, the line was stunned in silence. While she sounded as patient and poised as ever, Madam Hikma had just dismissed over half the crowd of their questions. But after the initial confusion passed, the entire line erupted in loud questions.

"What do we do!?"

"Have we angered the Elementals! How can we defend ourselves from the creatures?"

"Will it ever end? Can no one challenge them again?"

Madam Hikma closed her eyes, bearing the questions without response, then turned and returned to her building, gesturing for the person at the front of the line to follow. Zalan felt bad that she had the wisdom to try and shorten the line, but not the foresight to see the pandemonium that would follow. It must have been difficult to measure out how the Guidance Gem doled out its power.

The wait in line took so long that Rep left midway to get them some food. The line never shortened behind them, always growing to maintain its absurdly long length. Zalan could see the serious looks in people's faces as they exited the building. No one was satisfied by hearing secondhand information from anyone leaving Madam Hikma's place. They wanted to know as much as they could by asking Madam Hikma directly.

When the sun had arced across the sky, Rep and Zalan finally found themselves at the front of the line. The shadow of the building stretched out over them. Shoulou's head poked out of the door. She looked frazzled, the several distraught guests passing their emotions to her through stress osmosis.

"Next," she said, her voice slightly hoarse. "Oh! It is you."

"Is it us," Rep stepped forward with a pleasant smile on his face.

Zalan followed close behind. Sholou squinted at him, then gave him no more attention.

"Please be courteous with Madam Hikma. She has had a long day, but assures me that she still wants to see more guests. She may work herself to death," Sholou said as she led them within.

Madam Hikma was sitting in her normal spot at one end of the table, hunched over. Books piled high on either end, and some even spilled over the sides, the floor spotted with additional books. She looked as though she was holding herself up with the weight she placed on the table. She looked older than usual, and Zalan wondered if she had been using her Guidance Gem on overdrive over the past few days. She breathed loudly, even though she sat still.

"Welcome, Rep and Zalan, please sit," Madam Hikma said, her voice rough. "Whatever you need, I will try to assist."