LoRG 4

He had no choice in the matter although he had some doubts that this would really help her So Randidly sat and saw all the careful emotional energy he had cultivated the true intensity that he had born from HelenÆs death and watched as Claudette carelessly guzzled it down Thick streams of ice and wind howled around the periphery of that core area acting as ribbons that tied the core blizzard into a tighter and tighter knot

After an hour NeveahÆs grand working was barely holding Randidly was exhausted Just paying attention through the haze of his headache had become a challenge But that weariness extended to his emotions as well acceptance was easier than feeling anything toward this development Just like the red gauntlet of rage the black one was steadily consumed RandidlyÆs senses tingled as he observed the way the cataclysmic storm that devastated the world of the Lizakh was rolled up and stuffed into the hilt of a sword The Engraving breathed a sigh of relief

Whether or not itÆs enough I donÆt have any regrets Randidly observed the climax with clear eyes Clarent glowed with a blinding light as all that momentum began to adjust the core details of ClaudetteÆs image

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 264

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 275

Frost and snow had accumulated in a thin layer across his body by the time the energies began to diminish NeveahÆs well crafted Aether machine alternated between wheezing and rumbling as even its foundations were scoured by the radiated energy

The wind died revealing the bleak surface of ExpiraÆs moon The Engravings on the ground slowly dimmed their purpose served Randidly bowed his head to them in thanks for enduring for as long as they did Finally the last of the dust and frost drifted away revealing the figure of Claudette sitting cross legged in front of a floating sword

Up and down the rocky slope images slammed into the seemingly endless lines of Level 85 Mutated Nightmare Ants that swarmed up from the depths of this place The jittering teeth and clacking mandibles created a horrible din that remained a low thrum beneath the cries of anger and pain from ExpiraÆs fighters

Plus two of the bastardsÆ that Tosam was talking about filled the sky with heart stopping impacts as they battled ExpiraÆs greatest warriors Alana handled one all by herself Lucifer and Wolfram handled another with the final of the trio being attacked by Paolo and Kayle

Despite the tense situation TosamÆs shout drew the attention of many upward As they watched the bulging rust colored growth on the moon popped For a brief moment something small and chilly swirled there But then the energy began to dissipate

DÆmin used a spare moment to wipe the slippery mixture of blood and sweat that had accumulated on his hands and then readjust his grip He didnÆt have the luxury to worry about anything but his own life right now Ahead of him a massive spectral centaur summoned by Glendel cut down three of the ants while three more jumped out to rip deep gashes in the back of its legs The creature bellowed in living fear and pain

In the next moment YnÆulk was there swinging his sabers with brutal precision He eviscerated the first decapitated the second and lopped off the arm of the third His image of a blazing golden crocodile settled around his body giving him the ability to keep up with monsters far beyond his Level

But as always more of the horrid things hurried forward to fill the place of their fallen comrades The denizens of this barren home to Calamity had no individual thoughts or will A geas to protect the ritual to summon their fell Patron drove them forward Their lives were only valuable if they could serve a higher purpose

And my people are just like them DÆmin thought in disgust He might not be anywhere near as deadly as YnÆulk but his eyes flicked across the chaotic lines and pierced through the complex weave of Skills and blood and ichor He raised his javelin and heaved it forward The weapon whistled through the air and penetrated an ant through the side just as it was about to sneak up on an ogre

It wasnÆt a killing blow but it gave the ambushed ogre a chance to recover DÆmin lifted his hand and spent a small amount of his Mana YnÆulk wasnÆt the only one who had learned some tricks in the Dungeon with Alana

Congratulations Your Skill Javelin Recall (Un) has grown to Level 134

With a spare moment DÆminÆs eyes drifted up to the two celestial bodies looming in the sky Because of perspective Expira looked to be the smaller of the two What cast the largest shadow was ExpiraÆs moons where a strange red and grey energy had been steadily building for the last week

Yet now it continued to dissipate DÆminÆs heart was tired but even he felt a thin sliver of fear at what would come next

Perhaps the ritual failed

With YnÆulkÆs help the centaur was able to gather itself and push even deeper down the slope to the central temple More and more of GlendelÆs remaining summons charged forward helping to carve a path The muscular Lizakh warrior pulled up for a second scanning the battlefield with a critical eye TeÆLeto to me We need to assist with the flank Otherwise the Patron of Grey will be able to descend onto this planet

DÆminÆs mouth felt dry and he couldnÆt bring himself to speak TeÆLeto had died six hours ago as they moved through the entrance of the large valley guarding the final temple The other four remaining Lizakh were similarly quiet too exhausted to point out YnÆulkÆs mistake

But he seemed to realize his mistake immediately His face went pale and for a moment even the dauntless YnÆulk allowed his shoulders slump But in the next moment he pressed his lips together and brought one of his sabers to his forehead a sign amongst the Lizakh that showed respect to the Patron of the Sun DÆmin then Follow me We will carve a path forward

Me DÆmin blurted out All the other warriors gave him a look and he flushed

YnÆulk just nodded as he stalked down the slope Yes Your senses are the sharpest We need an opening to make a difference Amongst the Lizakh even before the attacks of the Sky Otters I donÆt know if IÆve ever seen anyone as sharp as you

He brought his sabers together in a violent clang that attracted the attention of a dozen mutated ants that began to skitter forward YnÆulk smiled tightly at DÆmin It is time we earned our place in this world

As though in answer to Yn’ulk’s words a pillar of grey light erupted from the fading remnants of the strangeness on the moon and shot down for the central area of the Calamity

Chapter 1768

Releasing the pillar of grey light depleted the last pinch of RandidlyÆs Willpower What remained inside of him was a humming need to cease all mental activities After Neveah gave him the signal that everything went as planned he gladly withdrew into himself and curled up on the surface of the moon for a long nap At this point comfort was the furthest thing from his mind His senses sank into oblivion finally blunting the edge of the strain he had endured while he worked on ClaudetteÆs image

As he slept he didnÆt dream Even in his exhausted state Randidly considered it a small victory worth celebrating

A yawn stretched his jaw to cracking as he was pulled back to wakefulness The slow and lazy extension of his body popped his shoulders neck and back All of the strangeness of his physical form had vanished a lazy warmth coiled through his powerful body even as he was hit by another large stomach rumble He leveraged himself up into a sitting position and stifled another yawn Randidly glanced across the rough surface of the moon and saw that Claudette was still sleeping

I might have been the one working be she had to host all of my efforts Her exhaustion is probably even worse than mine And we started this process early exactly so she would have some time to adjust

Randidly stood checking in with each of his images in turn Yggdrasil creaked cheerily in greeting But what he sensed from the image was enough that he paused and scanned it once more some slight visual changes were occurring across the World Tree Perhaps its evolution had been aided by his work with Claudette

The Stillborn Phoenix pulsed weakly during its inspection probably still subdued from taking on the lionÆs share of the efforts during the image refinement The Grey Creature for an entirely different reason than Yggdrasil gave Randidly pause For after nodding in acknowledgment of him his image continued to stare off toward the horizon

Randidly followed his gaze and saw the asteroid he had given the Pantheon for ExpiraÆs trial At this very moment the climax of the Calamity still raged He could feel the daring and bravery of ExpiraÆs expedition pushing through hordes of increasingly strong enemies to reach the altar He even felt the PantheonÆs movements as they prepared to release an Avatar of the Grey

Mostly itÆs a being shaped by Alta and Lucretia and combined with my memories of the Patron of Ash but there is still a little bit of me in that enemy I guess there had to be to have enough force to overpower people like Alana and Lucifer

Sighing Randidly turned away Even though he had largely been unconscious for twelve hours the focused exploitations of his emotions left a portion of his heart unnaturally still He couldnÆt stand to observe the final fight lest someone die

Right now he couldnÆt handle the consequences of his prior choices

So he flickered and vanished from Expira returning to his floating position in the Shaft Nether flowed steadily downward and emotions writhed up toward freedom He hesitated for a short time but began to ascend back toward the Nexus Claudette would need time to recover and acclimate to her new image but there was still a little less than two months until Don BeigonÆs party to celebrate his third Mille

Besides despite how bleak the situation was in his heart his attention kept returning to the prospect of making Commandant Wick pay And although it was difficult to admit this was not a problem that could address with just a long training session There was too much he didnÆt understand about the Commandant himself and how much Military High Command would protect him if Randidly really did make a move

He needed to gather information and formulate a plan which meant he needed to allow time in the broader Nexus to pass

Randidly stomped into EdraineÆs safe house and found Octavius Shrike and Lady Iellaya in the study The feathered woman raised her eyebrows as she looked Randidly up and down Her lips curled at the ends before settling down to a more vulnerable expression you certainly have seen better days huh I heard about your subordinate My condolences

Any word from Edraine Randidly replied trying to ignore how raw his voice sounded Lady IellayaÆs words hit him harder than he had expected

Because she knew from her own tragic loss of her subordinate on the frontlines The empathy unnerved him

You seemed exhausted so I let you sleep although there have been a few developments in the last day First you received three letters One from someone in Military High Command who Lady Iellaya says is a mid level snake serving another Commandant Another from Don Beigon The final is from that disciple who oversaw the performance of the Grand Pattern at the Imperium Ball You should be wary that so many influential individuals are reaching out to you

Perhaps more importantly the situation in the Nexus is destabilizing further Most of the political pressure on the Swacc Family had dissipated as ire was concentrated on Velio Dunn and Edraine Plus a lot of the orthodox Nexus has its energies tied up getting the overlay System back online but last night three powerful Pinnacle Seekers assaulted the Swacc Family headquarters

No one is leaking information regarding the motivation but the Swacc Family are preparing for war and the Pinnacle Seekers are bunkering down on a planet on the outskirts of the Nexus Whatever happened must have been serious

Randidly rubbed his chin slowly as he read back through the letter a second time It seemed like the Pinnacle Seekers were unwilling to allow this period of instability in the Nexus to pass without grabbing at some value He wondered if ClaudetteÆs Frost Matriarch was involved

Ultimately the broader issues could wait until later Randidly pulled the cloth bag off the wall and took the three letters back into the room He read them in order that Octavius Shrike described them

The military letter was from Pinion Trake who requested the cooperation of Randidly and some of his subordinates to pacify a rebelling planet The language of the letter corroborated Lady IellayaÆs accusation of being a snake the obsequious praises and flattery practically squeaked off the page

Still reading the letter did give Randidly pause A rebelling planet If the Nexus were to find out the status of Expira would it also have been considered to be rebelling

Shaking his head he moved on to the letter from Don Beigon When he opened the envelope a normal scroll and a thick packet of papers held together by a bright red ribbon RandidlyÆs expression twisted as he read the extremely short message on the scroll

Attached is all the information I have regarding Commandant Wick Your relationship isnÆt simple yes

If you choose to peruse the attached materials I assume you wonÆt mind owing me a favor

The Don

God I hope Claudette is now powerful enough to tell you to fuck yourself Randidly muttered as he crumpled up the scroll For several seconds he glared at the red ribbon hoping that the tempting package would vanish But of course it didnÆt He then considered simply flaring his image and annihilating the presumptuous package

He ultimately didnÆt do that either

Randidly forced himself to release a breath He stored the packet within his interspatial ring Don BeigonÆs strange transactional image laid heavily across this offer but Randidly knew that he didnÆt need to make a decision now He should wait and gather information on his own before rushing into this decision

The final letter was similar to the first Randidly was invited to a special hundred slot training camp to pursue the Grand Pattern Almost apologetically the invitation admitted that 50% of the attendees would die but the most talented ten would experience personal instruction from the visionary who had created the grand pattern

It was the letter insisted an opportunity that could change the Fate of Randidly Ghosthound

Chapter 1769

The third offer too Randidly set to the side for now Heading to train with a mysterious figure in the Nexus would be a desperate move but right now Randidly felt like it would be better to focus on more dependable sources of improvement There were no extremely pressing circumstances on his vengeance

Aside from the dull loss of Helen which continued to be a constant presence within his heart

For now Randidly pushed all his thoughts Don Beigon and his offer out of his mind and pulled out the Nether materials given to him by Claudette Even through his listlessness a spark of curiosity flared He opened the book and began reading about the method used by the Rex Family to create a Nether Core

Very quickly Randidly began to chuckle the diagrams for the process were extremely familiar The core problem that the people of the Nexus faced when making Nether Cores was that the Aether they used all came from the Nexus which was generally shaped to be antagonistic toward Nether their own Aether could never be rid of that taint So creating an environment where the Aether and Nether could coexist was extremely difficult

Or rather coexist with their own image and significance

The Engraving Guild got around this by basically having one giant Nether Core to which more people were continually added The sympathy between the two energies would always be slightly flawed but the Nether of the Nether Lattice had been steadily forced to acclimate to images for generations It was a cheapÆ solution

Meanwhile the Rex Family created an image world to help form a Nether Core One that used the same principles as image refinement A significant pool of Nether was stored within the image world in close proximity to your image Through the use of time acceleration Engravings Aether and Nether were forced to coexist for long enough that some bare connection was generated between them Once that connection existed the significance could be carved into a meaningful item to create a Nether Core without the two energies clashing violently enough to destroy the medium

which according to the text was a common response when enough time and effort wasnÆt invested into making the Nether Core Randidly shivered trying not to imagine the pain of a Nether Core even a partial one fracturing

In comparison to the Nether Lattice the Rex Family method of creating a Nether Core required quite a bit of Aether to fuel the time accelerators But once it was created the power would belong entirely to the owner

Randidly paged through the information about the formation of the Nether Core but didnÆt find anything much that could help him now Both of the two methods to generate faux Nether Cores had the disadvantage that the accumulation of their power was extremely slow The Nether Lattice relied on others joining and the Rex method required more Aether to fuel the time accelerators for even longer

My growth has always been quick but Nether is the area where I can really leverage the presence of both personal Aether and Nether within my body Randidly licked his lips In this area I have even more talent than Neveah I just need to figure out how I can best utilize that ability

The knowledge he gleaned from the book was useful but Randidly ultimately felt like he gained very little from the Nether methods until he reached the section that discussed the different Nether Attributes Especially the section on Weight captured his attention

Nether Weight is the Common Attribute observed by the System yet it ultimately becomes the most important aspect of a Nether Core Many of the Attributes that follow (Connections and Influence) are just records of an outside phenomenon Even those with more concrete benefits to the holder (Scope and Synechdochence) are more ancillary capability rather than the sheer force of Nether that a Core can mobilize

All of them of course ultimately affect the power that the Nether Core can demonstrate But Weight goes beyond the userÆs ability to utilize Nether It can directly boost the force of all aspects of an individual by briefly emphasizing them in a way that is difficult to accurately describe Thousands of experiments were made to try and replicate the effect of Nether Weight using Aether inputs but none were successful This is the sole domain of Nether

As such it is recommended that the Nether Core wielder accumulate as much of each of the Attributes as possible before seeking to move to the next Rarity For one there appears to be a soft limiter on growth when one rapidly advances if you proceed through Rarities too quickly improving the Core will become more fraught with difficulty

Congratulations Your Skill Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 424

Congratulations Your Skill Grit of the Ascendant Bane has grown to Level 418

A few times Randidly paused to up the light radiation he was experiencing but otherwise he completely dedicated himself to the study of Nether In this way another one of RandidlyÆs natural advantages manifested itself He had seen the Engraving Guild utilize Nether they made Nether Rituals but they were rigid structures that took time to set up This was a direct result of the poor connection they had between Aether and Nether making the energy chalky and fragile

But Randidly could use his tail to spin a dozen prototype Nether Rituals through the air His Nether was thick and malleable so he could rapidly adjust his rituals to follow new insights Besides unlike how most people had to engage in a cumbersome process of tearing down the Ritual on their Nether Core Randidly could massage it directly to shift it toward a new form

Gradually he lost himself in the experiments balancing a dozen dense Nether plates around his torso They rotated slowly like small galaxies Occasionally one would sputter and fail but Randidly would quickly use his tail to spool out dense lines of Nether to replace it The air crackled as his Nether forced away the System Aether lingering in the area

Congratulations Your Skill Precise Nether Ritual has grown to Level 390

Congratulations Your Skill Precise Nether Ritual has grown to Level 398

He experimented with the process several times just to be sure that he wouldnÆt waste a chance to improve his Weight But as long as he was willing to flood the improvement Ritual with Nether he could maintain it while he made adjustments to the overall structure So when he had settled on his final design he wove the first Nether Ritual around his body

The pattern steadily seeped into his Nether Core For a few seconds a tingling ran through RandidlyÆs Soulspace Then the notification that he had been waiting for popped up in front of him

Congratulations Your Skill Precise Nether Ritual has grown to Level 399

Congratulations Due to your Nether Ritual you have temporarily increased your Nether Weight by 47

Randidly grinned According to the notes in the Appendix by following the rules it gives you can expect to achieve a maximum Weight increase of around 60 If I already have streamlined the Ritual 47 after just a short amount of time I can definitely surpass that limit Especially because the included rules are not true understanding

This is an edge This is exactly what I need Randidly clenched his fists in triumph and anticipation Although he knew his own power this small success was something that he realized he had needed very badly

This was the first step

Chapter 1770

His Nether Core steadily spun gathering and concentrating his significance into energy The three small grey bubbles drifted around the central area now that he didnÆt need to endure as much strain Even RandidlyÆs senses were lost in that horrifying sense of depth that was beginning to emerge as he continued his experiments

His Nether Core resembled an upside down tornado with a wide base of whirling darkness narrowing to a sharp point RandidlyÆs tail guided that point out through his body and into the world becoming the basis for his power The more he used it the more he felt a small amount of bitterness at his prior attempt to create a Nether Penance which would have been the equivalent of a Fate

I was grasping blinding He admitted to himself Even now itÆs likely still impossible But once I have a better understanding of the way Nether Functions

He hummed in pleasure as he made a small discovery about the second pattern with which he toyed Randidly would have loved to lose himself to the Nether Empowerments for the next several days However while he compared the first Empowerment Ritual with the second someone stomped up to his room and knocked on the door

Congratulations Your Skill Left Hand of the Nether Oracle has grown to Level 363

He slowly raised his head flames of Nether Weight licking up from his pupils to give his features a pale illumination As he released a breath he eased his focus

After allowing his Nether experiments to dissipate Randidly opened the door to find Lady Iellaya standing there with a grim face She beckoned for him to follow without commenting on the darkness of his room or the oppressive presence of Nether Unfortunately we are getting deployed YouÆve been appointed temporary overseer under me in charge of a few squads Including your elite one Grab your stuff and letÆs get going

Randidly blinked and tried to recalibrate himself with this sudden development What We are getting deployed

We still arenÆt sure what was taken but we underestimated how badly the Swacc Family wanted to get their item back from the Pinnacle Seekers Lady Iellaya grimaced They have mobilized fully perhaps for the first time in a thousand years They pulled an army of about a hundred thousand out of somewhere Their hidden reserves are not to be underestimated That army is making a push through the space dominated by the Pinnacle Seekers And from the reverberations coming out from that area someone is attempting to ascend to the Pinnacle

Randidly was trying to decide if it was worth it to skip this recruitment call as Lady Iellaya grunted and prodded him in the chest So officially we are there to keep the peace But I suspect that we might be there to keep other Pinnacle Seekers from interfering The Nexus doesnÆt want more individuals to step onto the Pinnacle and doesnÆt mind utilizing the Swacc Family to interfere and donÆt give me that look you are coming DonÆt you think itÆs strange that we were chosen Commandant Wick wants an excuse to fuck with you more to get deeper in your head He wants you to rely on our relationship to avoid this

Randidly allowed a breath to hiss through his teeth as he imagined a smile curling across the furry face of the Commandant That did sound like the sort of action he would take Despite his desire to continue sharpening his advantages when it came to Nether he would follow Lady Iellaya to this new battlefield Visitt for the latest updates

If only because he was curious What did it look like when someone attempted to ascend to the Pinnacle Exactly how much difference existed between the Speculum he witnessed and that final accomplishment

After contacting RandidlyÆs Elite Squad the two of them traveled up the Nexus to Military High Command Randidly noted that most of the streets they took were deserted even before they arrived Soon the pair of them walked up the wide entranceway of Military High Command

After the abrupt end to the Imperium Ball RandidlyÆs impression of the heavy marble building was one of abandonment and desperation But now when they approached the whole place was filled with bustling soldiers The shadows of the massive pillars next to the doors covered hundreds of soldiers A few higher ranked officers bellowed out orders and groups formed up together on the wide steps before the doors

They might know that we were heading here but they donÆt know the location Velio shook his head His eyes were glittering he seemed to be caught up in some emotion Edraine couldnÆt quite read and simply drinking in the surroundings Like I said the secret of this place stretches back to the Second Cohort Aside from myself and one other I donÆt believe there are any left alive that remembers the method to arrive at this place

Although she was still unnerved Edraine pressed her lips together and walked behind Velio as he approached the soft illumination of the Sanctum Every direction around them was filled with a fuzzy darkness that stubbornly refused to give underneath the focus of her Perception As they moved from one floating stone to the next the bridge dipped very slightly as though straining to support their weight Their footsteps echoed as though the darkness around them was not as infinite as it seemed

So what is it Edraine asked She was almost annoyed Velio seemed so caught up in this place that he wasnÆt helping her understand the importance of their journey here at all

A political compromise Velio eventually released a breath The transition between the Second and Third Cohorts was rough as I said In order to keep up with rising Aether needs Elhume embarked on a grand project to create a super race that would more easily develop powerful image Unfortunately during the final stages of the project well even I donÆt know exactly what happened Some say Elhume was betrayed and his wrath shook sky and stone Others believed that this was always his plan and the project was just a pretext so that his targets would be at their weakest

What I can say for sure is this Elhume had the support of eight powerful individuals through the Second Cohort They were the original Patrons Two were killed in the chaotic transition period Afterward as the project was disregarded due to the need to rebuild the remnant forces feared Elhume So they demanded that the remainder of his Patrons be sealed In essence they wanted Elhume to give up some of his power as a show of good faith Perhaps due to his own struggles at that time he acquiesced

The reason IÆm so confident that no one else knows this location was that I was one of the twenty guards that were charged with choosing the location and taking the secret with us to the grave And considering the fact that this place hasnÆt been disturbed it appears none of my fellows gave up the location before they died Velio took one last step onto the final stone platform before the rotating pillars

Edraine scrutinized the tattooed man his features dyed purple by the light released by the Sanctum You were targeted

Oh yes Although we never found out by who Velio replied Perhaps at the beginning of the Fourth Cohort it became obvious we were dying off one by one We considered telling others about this place but we worried that it all was a ploy of Elhume to force us to reveal our secrets Of course by that time Elhume had established the Engraving Guild and Military High Command and had absolute control of the Nexus anyway so I suspect it was actually another power that wanted to contact the original Patrons But what comes next is the hard part The way this place was constructed was very specific we will need to flare our images and attempt to wake one of the sleeping Patrons They are bound in their cells but only they can open

The circle of rotating pillars ground to a halt VelioÆs look of pure surprise made EdraineÆs lips twitch But she also felt the stirring of something truly dangerous through the stone pillars After stopping their movements there was a bright pulse of light Then as the two watched the stone pillars slid outward and created a three meter opening for them to walk forward

Someone is already awake Velio muttered Then he rapidly walked forward into the purple light

I hope these secrets are worth it Edraine thought to herself as she followed

The light was not natural light but some sort of sophisticated image However every time that Edraine tried to scrutinize it directly it dissipated like fog beneath a midmorning sun Each step she took carried her deeper into the light until all of her senses were somehow muzzled by its overwhelming presence

She was just relieved when she continued forward and she could still hear VelioÆs footsteps They stood in front of a massive stone edifice all dark grey granite piled together to form a primitive tower A bridge of stone led forward to a dark hole in the towerÆs side That same purple light seeped up through the cracked floors providing some basic illumination Edraine quickened her step to follow Velio Dunn through a glimmery archway

Chapter 1771

The scent of old leather faded but Edraine was still not comfortable within the Sanctum

Past the archway was a long passage that was covered with complicated interlacing patterns With the heavy and dark hewn stone of the tower the space quickly became claustrophobic Velio studied the markings intently and gestured expansively when Edraine moved to stand beside him Fascinating These defenses incorporate aspects of Nether into their arrangement At the time of the making of this place I was much weaker than my current self but to feel what our forefathers were capable of accomplishing is truly inspiring

Edraine did her best to ignore the fanatical gleam in VelioÆs eye and followed the man into the interior of the gloomy tower He moved in sharp turns and buzzing energy like an excited child Her own examination was much more considered Her expression was drawn the strange sigils covering the walls glittered in the lapping waves of purple light that wafted up from below but most of her attention was consumed by the growing heaviness in the air

Even worse something definitely stirred from deeper within the Sanctum She felt the curious gaze of that conscious being at the core of this place slide across her and shivered

The tunnel steadily widened until they came out into a grand hall hung with massive banners The threads of the banners were brilliant and bright but the shadows hung heavy along with them muting their radiance The darkness clustered and bred above them completely masking the ceiling Along the far wall a set of double doors at least five meters tall made of carved bone stood ajar

The mark of the eight original Patrons in all their splendor Velio Dunn strode confidently forward and grinned up at the banners By todayÆs standards each could be considered a Speculum And this was in the Second Cohort Ah perhaps it is true that ElhumeÆs attempts to create a perfect race were flawed from the start The Nexus was at its peak in the past

Then Velio Dunn pointed to each of the shadowy banners in turn Our wise ambassador the Patron of Feathers The inscrutable philosopher the Patron of the Deep The brave Patron of the Sun The kindest of them all the Patron of Blooms Our misunderstood spy the Patron of the Borrowed The silent and brooding Patron of the Abyss The warlike Patron of Blades And finally the Patron of the Truth

Here Velio heaved a deep sigh The Patron of the Truth was one of the Patrons that died during the chaotic fighting at the end of the Second Cohort Which seemed tragically fitting in a way she was the greatest of us all she would have been very disappointed by what the Nexus has become

So these eight are you heroes even though you imprisoned them Edraine thought as her lips twitched She supposed that she was technically a contemporary of him but she had been too wrapped up in her family drama at the time to pay much attention to the broader situation of the Nexus But certainly it was eye opening to see the grim and bitter Velio Dunn suddenly become so excitable

They arrived before the imposing bone doors and Velio rubbed his hands together Then he grabbed the dusky frame of the door It swung silently outward allowing them immediate passage to the deepest chamber within the Sanctum

What waited on the other side was a large circular room with eight equal cells along the walls The symbols of each of the Patrons were inscribed above their individual cell Immediately EdraineÆs attention was drawn over to the hot and harsh presence of a scaled humanoid sitting in the Patron of the SunÆs cell Waves of steam wafted off his body clouding the air around his figure

Through the haze the Patron flashed his pointed teeth I can feel how much time has passed how much my people have forgotten and been led astray But there is one thing I do not understand Where are half of my companions children Have some of us already been released The seal shouldnÆt have been broken

Next to her Velio finally shook himself from his stare at the patron in the flesh and examined the other cells Although Edraine could sense beings sleeping in the depths of the cells for Blooms Abyss and Blades the cells that should half held Feathers Deep and the Borrowed were empty

Edraine looked at Velio who was shaking his head One other Patron died in the fighting which should explain one Patron missing IÆm not sure which But as for the other two I have no idea

Perhaps your fellows werenÆt as stoic as you thought Edraine remarked

When you prayed for help any help you appealed directly to his subconscious and the Ghosthound stirred in response to your primal need Neveah moved her hands spreading the motes of light across the whole of DÆminÆs body Some part of him descended and possessed your body for those few minutes Honestly he at least kept his images uninvolved it was just the overwhelming Willpower of the Ghosthound and his battle instincts that you bore But even if it was just those things they were too much for your psyche The force at which he can now feel is not something you can handle all at once ThatÆs why everything else now seems bland and empty in comparison

With great care Neveah lowered her hands and pressed them against DÆmin brow His head tingled strangely but the sensation wasnÆt unpleasant Your mind is so overdrawn at the moment You briefly housed an existence much larger than you If we let you recover naturally well honestly IÆm not sure if you would ever return to normal Your state is considered natural by the System Which is why I wanted to come and give you some help IÆll just fudge the edges of your memory and let you forget the bleeding edge the Ghosthound holds At least for now

The tingling intensified DÆmin sucked a breath in through his teeth His stomach spasmed strangely and he suddenly realized he wasnÆt sure when was the last time he ate

But if you hadnÆt been briefly possessed by RandidlyÆs subconscious fighting forward and suppressing the Ascendant Nightmare that was harrying Alana Donal who knows if she would have been able to strike a decisive blow against the recently birthed Patron of the Grey Neveah finally lowered her hands The tingling continued to spread through DÆminÆs torso to his extremities

Then she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his forehead You were a hero Mr DÆmin One thing that IÆve learned from Randidly is that being a hero is all about being in the right place at the right time and having the will to follow through I donÆt want you to have sacrificed that will you decided in order to save my home You deserve happiness too

The place that she kissed released a wave of heat that briefly stupefied DÆmin Even worse when the heat reached those small tingling spots his entire body was set aflame A wildfire raced across his scales That pain throbbed and throbbed worsening each second Tears formed in the corner of his eyes and DÆmin couldnÆt help but lean forward and release a curse By the sun

So dry was his throat that the words could only be croaked out That set off a bout of coughing that shook him and made DÆmin curl up like a shrimp One of his fellow Lizakh heard the commotion and hurried over carrying a carafe of water The woman had vanished leaving them alone with the sound of the sea waves

Fssh

The warrior hurriedly poured some into a wooden cup and offered it to DÆmin Ah are you alright YouÆve been so still for the past few days that some thought well It would not be unexpected if there was a cost for the power DÆmin are you crying

DÆmin didnÆt bother to nod He simply wrapped his arms around his shoulder and let the tears flow out of his eyes His body felt new and unfamiliar and every sensation was sharp The memories of the past few days receded leaving him feeling new and vulnerable Everything overwhelmed him A wave crashed against the shore and sent a thousand drops of water glittering through the air A brief and ephemeral rainbow lay draped between those drops

We did it DÆmin whispered

The other Lizakh warrior nodded a knowing look on his face Yes We won

How many His throat was too dry and his eyes too wet and everything too fresh for DÆmin to continue so he took the cup and sipped at the water

The older warrior’s face sagged Only four But we have brought honor to our people

DÆmin continued to cry freely watching the sea

Chapter 1772

Randidly felt his heart drop as he came out of the teleporter onto the Fifth Cohort Rally Station and saw the waiting Elite Squad They saluted in unison a sharp and practiced movement that spoke of military precision and repetition But what threatened to unravel him at that moment was the black armband that they all wore over their smartly pressed uniforms

He didnÆt need to ask who it was for

After the salute finished Raymund Ballast walked up to Randidly and Lady Iellaya His three tails hung behind him much more well behaved than RandidlyÆs singular tail Although its not specifically condoned by military regulations this band is the common method for mourning the passing of an instructor This shouldnÆt bring any more negative attention your way

Thanks Randidly huffed out a breath carrying the word His throat felt dry Even now he hadnÆt completely gathered the emotional force to confront his memories of Helen or his images the more he looked at them in their uniforms with a slash of black the less he could keep his mind away So he turned away and gestured for the group to follow

They gathered a few more specialty squads on the Fifth Cohort Rally Station as they moved to the central teleporter off the asteroid By the end of it almost a thousand soldiers marched behind Lady Iellaya and Randidly He scanned them quickly curious about how useful the group would be in actual fighting situations He had seen the group image formations that other squads had used but in RandidlyÆs experience they ended up being rather useless against a single powerful individual

As he expected the soldiers given to them for this peace keeping mission were rather underwhelming The force was meant to show that Military High Command was observing not that they meant to act So he just made a mental note of their leaders and focused on the march across the dusty and cracked asteroid

Funny to think that Velio Dunn almost destroyed this place trying to kill me and now heÆs off traveling with Edraine Randidly thought as they arrived at the slightly damaged Engraving and stepped on top of it Life is certainly strange

The teleportation to the edge of Pinnacle Seeker territory wrenched RandidlyÆs stomach more than any of the others and it became immediately obvious why they arrived above an asteroid belt where most of the dense pieces of stone and metal were beginning to melt Randidly raised his hand and squinted Heat wasnÆt exactly the right word for what they experienced the light radiation blasting down from the half dozen white dwarf stars in front of them burned in the same way that the Hierarchy of Burden tested his body albeit only as much as the first layer

However his eyes immediately widened as he looked closer How there is an Engraving channeling the energy of those stars outward It also keeps the gravity from each star from affecting each other How the hell did they manage that

The whole arrangement was beautiful to the point that he had to give Neveah a mental nudge The six stars formed a ring with only a central path through the middle of them all to get to the core area

Yet soon RandidlyÆs attention was dragged away from this massive six star Engraving The array was on the left and his eyes now went to the left Against the backdrop of a dust filled nebula the massive army of the Swacc Family slid forward in the direction of the six white dwarf cluster Fully fifty thousand individuals floated around a central space making their preparations for combat Their silver uniforms were rather plain compared to Military High Command but they made each soldier extremely visible

Looks like we arrived a bit early but we are in for a treat Lady Iellaya pointed toward the densest cluster of Swacc Family forces See that object That those old fogies are working on

Glad to have something to occupy his mind aside from the armbands of the Elite Squad Randidly squinted His Grim Intuition was extremely powerful but the different forces were quite spread out the individuals Lady Iellaya pointed to were perhaps a hundred kilometers away But Randidly was barely able to make out where she indicated mostly because of the large grey cone floating in the middle of the people

ThatÆs a Hush Spike one of the specialty products of the Swacc Family Lady Iellaya said It will make teleportation like we did almost impossible Seems like they are seriously worried about other Pinnacle Seekers interfering ah look who slinks in right before the gates close

There was a rush of energy opposite the small group from Military High Command that came with a stale tang of Nether A much larger force perhaps five thousand individuals arrived bearing the markings of the Engraving Guild

However a strange pulse made Randidly look back at the Hush Spike Strange symbols he couldnÆt quite make out flared along the cone and a spatial array rapidly expanded and covered the area Randidly felt it barely but removed his PhilosopherÆs Key to test how effective it was A slight obstruction was there but it seemed the Hush Spike wasnÆt designed to counter his Fatepiece

Once the Hush Spike was in place the Swacc Family forces began to move Compared to the combination images Military High Command used Randidly couldnÆt help but be impressed as he sensed that groups of a thousand soldiers carried the very same image

Randidly rubbed his chin as he watched a group that all seemed to carry a thunderstorm in their chests Were they trained to one specific image Or was that image made and then somehow implanted into them all

ThatÆs unexpected Lady Iellaya commented Perhaps they are going to

Shal raised his arms from the center of the grouping holding daggers in his hands A massive cloaked shade manifested above his group of twenty soon enveloping the entire squad All that was left was the fluttering darkness and the gleam daggers of the large image rushing toward the Engraving Guild

The other orthodox faction realized that the Swacc Family group meant to attack them too late Randidly felt them mobilizing some small Nether Rituals but that shade accelerated and ripped into their lines Those massive daggers split some of the desperate humanoids completely in half leaving their bodies to be slowly dragged toward the white dwarfs Their Nether was thick and inflexible Taken by surprise most of the weaklings could only flee and die

Lady Iellaya floated forward to stand next to Randidly Perhaps a preemptive strike worried that the Engraving Guild still remembered the Swacc Family was hoarding Unitarium Or perhaps the reason that they showed the Nexus their army wasnÆt a show of force but because they wanted to consolidate themselves in an area far from Nexus control

Randidly bit his lips he stared at the massive image and saw not the slightest hint of Shal His master had been completely obscured in its featureless depths

We might be witnessing the first open rebellion in Nexus history Lady Iellaya sounded almost cheerful even as the shade slaughtered more of the figures from the Engraving Guild The one thing I donÆt understand is why now

RandidlyÆs attention drifted away from Lady IellayaÆs words and to his pounding heart The more he thought about Shal losing himself in that image the worse he felt His mouth tasted sour but it was more than that Randidly could feel his Nether bubbling in his veins reacting almost physically to this diminished version of Shal

His very Nether Core was founded on a very specific philosophy imparted to him by Shal Now seeing Shal behave this way felt like a very targeted repudiation of the significance that Randidly had accumulated And his Nether did not take this challenge lightly Gradually RandidlyÆs mouth firmed into a line as the numbness in his heart that had been present since he had given so deeply to Claudette began to tremble

Huge deep waves surged from the corners of RandidlyÆs heart and began to gather His Nether continued to curdle

A thought occurred to Randidly as he experienced his sickened state

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 276

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 277

If my emotions can return so easily they werenÆt spent after the image refinement How could I have recovered so quickly They were just unused as I tried not to dwell RandidlyÆs emerald eyes began to glow Besides my images havenÆt been weakened today IÆve just felt wrung out But perhaps that is a matter of perspective rather than an objective fact I feel empty but thatÆs not because IÆm drained but because IÆm currently utilizing less

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 278

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 279

If emotion as an aspect of Aether and images should be considered not as a volume to be spent but only as a capacity with an upper limit then what IÆve been feeling isnÆt exhaustion but the capability to mobilize much much larger quantities of emotional force than IÆm currently utilizing The heat in RandidlyÆs chest was rising twining together to reignite the furnace that raged in his heart in the wake of HelenÆs death And still his emotions howled upward especially as the faceless dagger image finished destroying the Engraving GuildÆs left flank and turned its gaze toward Military High Command

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 280

Ah word from above Lady Iellaya said A little slow on the uptake but what can you do Based on their observations they discovered what the Pinnacle Seekers stole from the Swacc Family And now they want it obtaining it supersedes our previous mission They call it the skull of truth huh And whoever manages to reclaim the item will receive a Tier 3 Citizenship coin no questions asked

The dagger wielding shade screeched and accelerated above the flowing silver army of the Swacc Family in their direction RandidlyÆs Nether rose in response His face twisted into a smile Whatever it is Looks like the Swacc Family doesnÆt want to turn it over to us

And they are willing to attack us directly to keep it Lady IellayaÆs own sharp smile stretched across her face

Chapter 1773

There was a moment of silence as Randidly continued to focus on corralling the rising emotional pressure in his body Then Lady Iellaya laughed Yes well if they intend to eliminate all witnesses

Even through the din of impacts as images forced their way forward through the relentless solar winds the huge surge of energy and noise as another army teleported directly into the area marked by the Hush Spike Apparently the bypass teleportation functions could only cover a specific area because the tight clump of bodies that appeared rapidly separated itself into what looked like fifty thousand more soldiers wearing the eye catching silver uniforms of the Swacc Family

Well at least that explains why they took the time to create those stabilizers and didnÆt care about revealing their trump cards They knew that word about the stolen item would get out if the Pinnacle Seekers were ever worried about having their defenses breached they could spread the word Lady Iellaya clicked her tongue Despite the forces arranging themselves in front of their group she didnÆt seem worried at all But damn if Military High Command is willing to give a Tier 3 Citizenship Coin for it the thing weÆve been scraping contributions to accumulate for almost a year

Boom Boom BOOM

To their left the battle with the PInnacle Seekers continued to intensify To the right the fifty thousand new troops unfolded like an origami crane into ten thick cohorts Half flew down to join the groups heading toward the star array which one forth each went toward them and the remnant Engraving Guild forces

RandidlyÆs emotional power howled through his body and flames of Nether Weight flickered to life across his person in response His body temperature began to rise Below them the river of bodies in silver uniforms forced their way through the howling solar winds entering the stabilized space between the white dwarfs

Randidly huffed out a breath His images manifested across his body One eye darkened to black and his lower tail thickened into an armored freight train The non armored portions of his skin became translucent and golden veins shimmered within his body His heartbeat continued to accelerate pressurizing the blood and Nether that animated him

But more than either of those things it was the shift in emotional power that curled his fingers into clenched fists Randidly buzzed The edges of his image physicalizations seemed to pulse and breath as though the life they contained couldnÆt just be described by shape The whole of the image Randidly created was in constant relentless motion

Randidly could see it so clearly as the shade raised its daggers and streaked toward their position Its lack of emotional vibrancy was appalling The flames of Nether Weight on his body darkened This is the difference that I felt when I saw the Speculum fight This internal animation of the image As though the shape of the image wasnÆt the dominant feature the emotions became the heartbeat the breath the characteristic movement of the power

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 281 Visitt for the latest updates

Congratulations Your Skill the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences has grown to Level 301

If I can channel these emotions through my images

RandidlyÆs muscles tightened His hair lightened to emerald but a kaleidoscope of green was contained within each strand The spreading darkness that clustered around his left eye pulsed and shivered tasting the universe and liking what it found And across the claws of the Grey Creature different rust colored stains faded in and out of existence

Congratulations Your Skill Conviction of the Celestial Cataclysm has grown to Level 517

Congratulations Your Skill Absolute Grasp of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 392

Congratulations Your Skill Golden Roots of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 400

Congratulations Your Skill Absolute Grasp of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 393

The image manifestation practically sang with life and color running with the perfect emotional frequency to empower it The shade spun quickly around and slashed left and right with its daggers It cut through several of the roots but not enough more formed as Randidly poured himself into the effort

He raised his right hand and darkness congregated within his palm The Inscrutable Mien of Genesis Tide of the Void The Wandering Deity Demands

In that moment of synergy a brilliant and holy aura infused his outstretched hand But that holiness was tainted by the relentless hunger of the Stillborn Phoenix and the domineering tithe that was the birthright of the Grey Creature With those tools Randidly pierced through the amorphous shadeÆs exterior and truly seized upon its heart meaning to rip Shal out of the group image and face him directly

The impact was less massive than their physical clash but the shade brief shuddered and paused in its movements A single body drifted out from its edges rendered unconscious from the attack Randidly was smiling and furious and horrified and made nearly insane by the possibility that he could kill Shal without being able to speak to his master

And that surge of emotional intensity was too much Randidly slipped from that perfect emotional frequency He was still expending his wrath at an extremely high capacity perhaps even higher than before but the efficiency fell Some of the extra liveliness to his images faded

Still Randidly didnÆt miss the chance to move while the shade was briefly listless The Wrathful Calamity Rends Piercing Gaze of the Egg Ripple of Amenonuhoko

Congratulations Your Skill Piercing Gaze of the Egg has grown to Level 299

Congratulations Your Skill Ripple of Amenonuhoko has grown to Level 380

The darkness around RandidlyÆs left eye deepened and spread covering a portion of his face as he unleashed a brutally empowered thrust with Acri It was difficult to balance Ripple of Amenonuhoko with the two well defined images but Yggdrasil supported it as best as it could The weapon traveled through the air and borrowed the discharged images and solar energy from the battlefield below crashing into the shadeÆs chest

Two more bodies seeped out of the shadowy form but suddenly the whole demeanor of the shade changed The head rippled and suddenly ShalÆs face was there glaring down at Randidly His two normal eyes were closed but the third eye on his forehead was wide open

Is this what you wanted Randidly ShalÆs projected voice rumbled out Then the shade disappeared moving with a grace it previously hadnÆt possessed

Even as his instincts tingled at the sensation of danger Randidly just grinned Yes This is exactly what I wanted

Chapter 1774

Lady Iellaya watched the accelerating battle between Randidly Ghosthound and the giant image shade with a tight expression Randidly blazed like a sun throwing off grey flames and waves of emotion that she could feel from here even through the heat of the nearby star array Next to her the leader of the Vulpis Squad Raymund Ballast gave her a sidelong glance Not to speak out of turn but Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound improves quite quickly does he not At this rate

Definitely out of turn Lady Iellaya jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow The muscular Vulpine had the grace to wince and take a step backyard Then Lady Iellaya clapped her hands and gestured toward the column of troops heading their way But do you really have time to joke As our Squad 1 you will be tasked with fighting the most dangerous of our foes

Raymund nodded seriously and gestured Behind him the Elite Squad organized their forces to meet the twelve thousand man battalions rushing over toward their position Which left Lady Iellaya to examine the state of the escalating battlefield

The Swacc Family main forces had pushed through to the inner area of the white dwarf formation and fought against some lesser Pinnacle Seekers while those massive blasts of solar wind continued to harry them Wind Scythe was one of those Pinnacle Seekers that had hundreds of disciples beneath him

At least in terms of subordinates he would not cave easily

Within the hollowed out group of the Engraving Guild someone who must be relatively established within the Nether Lattice finally emerged and calmed down the butchered group While the new reinforcements proceeded to mop them up Lady Iellaya was not surprised to see that the group was forgoing the path of vengeance and instead bunkering down ostensibly to wait for more reinforcements on their end

Lady IellayaÆs gaze turned to the heavy Hush Spike that the Swacc Family had so carefully set up early Suddenly it doesnÆt look like they painstakingly assembled those up with other Pinnacle Seekers in mind at all if anything these Pinnacle Seekers warned their peers away They knew that once the Orthodox factions heard about this object they would go rabid to get their hands on it Tier Three Citizenship just for a skull huh What would they give for the whole damned corpse

Her gaze slid back to the flashy performance of Randidly and she winced Her subordinate was trading blows with the twenty individual image He lost out every time but it was clear he wasnÆt sustaining any real damage Honestly you might need to tone it down The real problem isnÆt the number of their forces ItÆs the Swacc FamilyÆs experts If they believe that more force is required to neutralize our group

As though summoned by her thought a figure drifted forward out of the Swacc Family base camp The space around that individual roiled and seethed this was an individual too powerful to be kept in one of their death squads With the aura wafting off of him it would be difficult for Lady Iellaya and Randidly to combine forces and handle him let alone deal with him on a chaotic battlefield like this

Blessedly the figure headed directly forward following the main flow of the Swacc Family forces toward the solar array As the Swacc expert raised his hands massive silver fists manifested in the space above him Those fists rushed forward and smashed away some of the powerful solar winds that rushed forward protecting the advancing columns Gradually the Swacc Family shoved its way into the core areas of the area

In response a strong image flared to life within the confines of the core area the Dusk Jackal revealed his presence

Ready your images Raymund BallastÆs voice boomed out even over the clashes between the Ghosthound and the shade

Lady Iellaya floated above the group her eyes continuing to monitor the developing battlefield DonÆt engage too fully we need to retreat to the edge of the white dwarf array Otherwise we will just be surrounded and crushed by their numbers

Raymund nodded his head and flashed several hand signs spreading her orders to the entire group Still Lady Iellaya was worried as the twelve thousand troops snaked through space toward their position The Swacc Family forces flared their images creating solid if unimaginative projections in space that rushed ahead of the soldiers toward their position Their faceless grey golems all looked similar raising gleaming weapons of war

A few of the powerful individuals from the GhosthoundÆs Vulpis Squad stepped forward DiOrtho Vant Jieu Ronault and Vizzeret Clamman all projected their own images sending them smashing toward the Swacc Family forces RandidlyÆs trainees all lost out from the clash even DiOrtho but the Swacc forces slowed their charge navigating around the shifting battlefield between Randidly and the shade for better position They spread out into a more horizontal grouping meaning to completely surround the a thousand strong force from Military High Command

Fall back Raymund barked Most of the troops turned and left in short order but WickÆs grandaughter hesitated looking behind them

However It immediately became clear that for every extra individual that the image array lost ShalÆs frown became a little bit more stern The blades of those daggers released a few more motes of light and cut more easily through RandidlyÆs images The movements because increasingly fluid

These shifts only infuriated him further Because it proved that if Shal wasnÆt just losing himself in this image brigade

Cease your struggles Randidly There is no point in continuing this further ShalÆs booming voice erupted with enough force to press against RandidlyÆs skin in the void of space Do you know how little I could accomplish despite my individual power Tellus has been destroyed Not that I would expect you to have noticed you selfish child Just stop struggling You will doom yourself to disappointment

Randidly swayed slightly at ShalÆs words which then forced him to desperately flare his Willpower to resist a direct clash with the glimmering daggers Why the hell are you trying to convince me to stop Just because you gave up doesnÆt mean I need to Although I can understand if he doesnÆt know what happened to his planet shit if you think you can overwhelm me with just these cutting edges Ripple of Amenonuhoko Sharpness Conviction of the Celestial Cataclysm

The battlefield was vast which just meant that there were hundreds of chaotic energy ripples spreading in every direction Above Randidly Lady Iellaya began fighting against a powerful representative from the Swacc Family and Randidly sensed his trainees’ images clashing against the thick column of Swacc forces Beyond that the huge funnels of wind and solar radiation released sunbursts of force

Each impact created only the tiniest ripple of natural energy but a few seconds filled the battlefield with so many ripples that the surroundings looked like a topography map Randidly gritted his teeth and mobilized his massive Fidelity of the Ascendant Moirae guiding all those ripples together along the edge of Acri

Congratulations Your Skill Ripple of Amenonuhoko has grown to Level 381

Congratulations Your Skill Sharpness has grown to Level 340

Randidly tumbled back through space for several seconds releasing a single blood filled gasp he hadnÆt managed to gather all the energy ripples in time and the failure left him with an aching backlash Plus the impact was jarring enough to take a small divit out of AcriÆs edge and even Sulfur released a strained groan When he stabilized himself the shade was almost upon him again However both his tails had not idle while he had skidded backward through space they spun together a thick ring of natural energy

Hints of burning flame the dark feathers of Lady IellayaÆs monstrous image the desolate bleakness that DiOrthoÆs Machine Horror produced all those notes became ripples And in RandidlyÆs careful hands those disparate energies reinforced AcriÆs edge Flames of Nether Weight danced across his limbs This time he gathered the energy in time to create a spearhead of grey fire

Congratulations Your Skill Ripple of Amenonuhoko has grown to 382

Randidly smiled at the approaching shade For another brief instant he felt his emotional frequency line up with Ripple of Amenonuhoko Suddenly he could feel the whole of the battlefield spinning around him like an elaborate dance He shifted his stance just slightly and suddenly the energy seemed to guide itself swirling around his weapon More power accumulated each second

So Randidly spoke both wanting to buy time and venting the frustration that this gloomy Shal inspired in him Tellus destroyed Ha I saved Tellus Shal Even when you couldnÆt

For a brief moment ShalÆs glower flickered with uncertainty

Chapter 1775

It only took a moment for the expression on ShalÆs face to harden once more Perhaps due to his own emotional surge his features became a little more clear on the shade that open eye in the center of his forehead fixated on Randidly You will pay for your flippant attitude boy

Randidly raised Acri and his three images roared to life For now he cast the natural energy back down to his tails to manage while he accumulated more At the moment increasingly powerful waves of force radiated out from the white dwarf array Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil Grit of the Ascendant Bane Hallucination of the Bloodless Heart

Congratulations Your Skill Grit of the Ascendant Bane has grown to Level 420

Congratulations Your Skill Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 426

While empowering his body further Randidly created a wall of gravity to create a firm foundation for a primarily physical attack But although he didnÆt yet unleash it the natural energy his tails manipulated added mass to each of his movements At the moment it was like Randidly carried a portion of the dangerous warzone on his shoulders

For the first time in their fight the shade was stopped dead by RandidlyÆs attack Two more bodies drifted out from its edges which once again seemed to firm ShalÆs control over the image a little more emotional affect leaked outward True rage could be seen in the tight lines around his closed eyes

RandidlyÆs joints ached from the impact even through the overwhelming combination of his body and physical Stats At the same time that perfect emotional frequency was lost once more he felt the authentic liveliness of his images diminish The sensation of feeling himself dimming was not pleasant but he squashed the frustration before it could develop into a distraction

At the very least he had definitely earned ShalÆs attention with that last strike His tails took the brief window to spool in more energy ripples to within his person

IÆm not being flippant I truly saved Tellus from the Nexus Randidly said Sulfur used the kinetic force from the last impact to help shift into position on his left arm Why would I lie about that If you stop fighting on the side of the Swacc Family I can prove it to you Tellus

However something in the shadeÆs expression made him trail off Shal seemed so exhausted Even as its weapons continued to gleam with increasing deadliness it lowered its daggers and its body sagged

Even if what you say is true it is only delaying the inevitable Shal responded Can you compare to the overwhelming force of the Speculum Or even those lessor powers that rule this place Your foolish optimism will only lead to you breaking yourself when reality comes knocking

Randidly felt his expression tighten and the image of HelenÆs corpse appeared in his mind once more Something dark and hopeless stirred in his chest immediately destabilizing his emotional output further But he forced himself to move past it He focused on the strain of hosting all the energy ripples from the battlefield The burning sensation grounded him

I hate seeing you like this Shal Was your pride really so fragile Randidly opened his mouth to ask but hesitated

Sulfur cracked a large portion of his left forearm in order to settle into place Randidly licked his lips and avoided the deeper questions that plagued him And yet here I am rivaling twenty people with your pointless outlook IÆll teach you how much we can accomplish even if I need to carve it into your body

Randidly flexed the fingers of his new left hand adjusting his normal grip on Acri to suit this new limb He flicked the tip of his weapon to the side tracing the invisible and amble lines of natural energy The shade had no response to his promise ShalÆs expression remained strained and lined as the shade charged toward Randidly

Nether Weight flames surged along his body as he settled himself into a coiled position and created a plate of gravity beneath his feet His muscles were spasming slightly as the natural energy continue to press against him but still he ignored it for now Hallucination of the Bloodless Heart The Implacable Price of Exodus The Wrathful Calamity Rends

Congratulations Your Skill Hallucination of the Bloodless Heart has grown to Level 348

Congratulations Your Skill the Vindictive Chimera Smites has grown to Level 337

Congratulations Your Skill the Vindictive Chimera Smites has grown to Level 338

That time as RandidlyÆs legs exploded and his whole person became a spear he felt the way that his emotional force pushed his Skills to a slightly higher height carrying up their Skill Level in the process But then he lost himself in the pure adrenaline of the fight adjusting the vector of his spear to intercept a dagger

Congratulations Your Skill Cutting Tide of Amenonuhoko has grown to Level 451

Randidly thrust and Acri shook the surrounding space with the force of the battlefield all of the accumulated natural energy gathered into a single point Finally he released the tight grip he had kept on the natural energy The shade whipped its dagger around but the grey and gold beam that erupted from the tip of Acri punched a hole directly through the imageÆs side

VRoosshh

The shade shivered and disintegrated into pieces revealing three more floating bodies that were clearly unconscious and then seven stunned individuals in silver uniforms including Shal However Randidly was briefly distracted as his eyes followed the beam he unleashed which shot across the battlefield and smashed into one of the back columns of the Swacc Family that were assaulting the dug in remnants of the Engraving Guild

The large metal golem had its back caved in from the force and unlike RandidlyÆs attack against the shade perhaps a hundred individuals were it directly by the steadily expanding beam He watched those people disintegrate within the laser he unleashed

Well we are on opposite sides anyway Randidly felt exhausted after he finally released all that natural force but kept himself focused He turned to Shal and gestured sharply with Acri That was the decisive blow he had been waiting for now Shal would be swayed

But ShalÆs expression crumpled when their eyes met RandidlyÆs master sighed Fine You win Randidly I suppose I suppose we are different sorts of people

You Randidly blinked This was supposed to be the decisive proof that they could fight against the System Yet looking at ShalÆs face all he felt was disappointment This was their third confrontation their fight with everything on the line

Yet at the end of it Randidly tightened his grip on his spear and felt empty

You werenÆt supposed to just rollover This was supposed to wake you up This fight should have been enough to reach you right IsnÆt that what you taught me That between master and student the differences needed to be resolved with a spear So why

Randidly forced himself to speak unwilling to allow that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach to grow stronger Why wonÆt you believe me IsnÆt this proof enough that I can

Randidly jerked backward to avoid a blast of pure invisible silent oblivion that streaked through the position where he had just been floating It was only due to a sudden tingle along his ethereal upper tail that he even managed it despite the distance He watched the space filled by that attack with wide eyes The Grey Creature and the Stillborn Phoenix warned that getting hit with that would have been extremely dangerous

A powerful figure rapidly accelerated out of the main base of the Swacc forces Randidly felt a sinking feeling in his chest as he watched them approach Looks like I was a bit too eye catching especially if they intend to eliminate witnesses Ah no wonder Lady Iellaya is glaring at me even while fighting

they probably wonÆt believe IÆm too exhausted to try that again huh

And despite that Shal

Randidly gathered himself as best he could as the figure neared And when he saw the six tails his face twisted into a grimace

Mr Ghosthound I must say IÆm quite surprised TechetadoreÆs eyes glittered as he slowed to a stop next to Shal Despite your appearance you are remarkably capable arenÆt you Shal take the rest of your squad back to the base to recuperate Each force the Swacc Family sends after you seems to mysteriously fail

But That ends today TechetadoreÆs eyes turned white and his six tails spread out around him Shal nodded woodenly Randidly twitched wanting to say something but he felt the feral killing intent of the Vulpine making his skin tingle Just as much as he wanted to force this conversation with Shal he dared not push further

What if Shal continued to disappoint Then all the effort he had poured into their relationship

Techetadore smirked I think youÆll find that IÆm not such an easy foe to avoid Succumb

Another completely imperceptible blast of destruction erupted from the FoxmanÆs fingertips

Chapter 1776

Congratulations Your Skill the Grey Creature Glimpses Providence has grown to Level 400

None of RandidlyÆs senses possessed the capability to detect TechetadoreÆs attack His eyes ears skin and battle instincts remained ominously silent in front of this six tailed Vulpine Only the tingling warning of his future sight Skill gave him the hair of warning to shift to the side And even so the Nether in the right side of his body rapidly decreased as something eroded the substance of him with its passage

Hissing Randidly retreated further and flexed his now numb right hand In just a second almost half of the Nether in that portion of his body had been directly wiped from existence Although waves of burning heat continued to radiate out from the nearby white dwarfs Randidly felt a chill

Hm How strange Techetadore tilted his head to the side as he lowered his hand You have a way to predict the attack Perhaps thatÆs why you have proven so difficult

Despite TechetadoreÆs casual words this time Randidly was ready when the Vulpine unleashed another dangerous blast of energy By maintaining small gravity wells underneath both feet he threw himself to the side as soon as his Skill tingled The strange absence blast passed him by without touching him Randidly glared at Techetadore

Just as he was leaning forward to counterattack and turn some of the pressure back on Techetadore he received a message from Lady Iellaya Just stall for time you fool The more we seem capable of resisting the more forces they are going to deploy against us Are you looking to fight to the death today

Noted Randidly replied He didnÆt bother to explain how close to mental exhaustion he currently was relying on his Yggdrasil image to keep a headache at bay The combination of emotional intensity and unleashing that blast of accumulated energy left him truly with only Nether and his body And even then he could feel hundreds of tears through his muscles after briefly housing all that natural energy

Congratulations Your Skill Glittering Leaves of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 397

I really donÆt like being wrong about people Randidly Ghosthound Techetadore growled His tails flicked back and forth Today will be the end of you

Randidly did his best not to roll his eyes Not that he wanted to be arrogant but Randidly had heard a similar statement too often in his life to take too seriously

Eventually the difficulties of retreating toward the six star array while also defending against the attacks of the Swacc Family troops proved to be too much for the average soldier A flaw emerged in one of the formations between two of the assisting squads and one of the massive Swacc images didnÆt miss this opportunity Raising its halberd the golem slammed itself forward into the gap The two combination images were caught without the leverage to assist each other and both were forced to the side

Just as the image projection raised its weapons and swept it through the bodies of Military High Command Forces Raymund Ballast lifted his hand and grasped FieroÆs Audacity seized upon the otherÆs image The golem stiffened for enough time that the two military images had time to form their defenses back up

But even more surprising to Raymund was the rushing sense of power as a large cast iron tail formed behind his body It felt like his Skill had stolen almost the entire force of the Skill He tilted his head to the side In terms of ease few images have been so severable from their makers Perhaps this aspect is related to the uniformity

Either way the current pressurized situation meant that Raymund was unwilling to ponder about this useful tool for too long Even while the first golem listlessly attempted to build its momentum back up Raymund twisted and cut sideways with a palm Charlotte WickÆs Primal Force had been struggling to keep a quarterstaff wielding golem at bay and suddenly a borrowed projection of the halberd golem thrust its weapon into it from the side

Other members of the Vulpis squad noticed the moment of weakness and twisted around to unleash their own image Due to their intense training regimen underneath Overseer Helen a single moment of weakness became a fatal ambush Under the combined assault of a dozen images the quarterstaff golem shattered wounding dozens of the individuals who created it Unfortunately or perhaps tragically the Swacc Family soldiers reformed their column and continued to move forward without any recognition of their defeat Another golem this one slightly smaller gathered above their shifting advance

However he forced his eyes away and to the attacks in front of him he had a responsibility right now His tails flexed and Raymund reached out both hands at once grasping at two of the heavy golem images that harried their forces Even though he had experienced it before Raymund was still taken aback by how easy it was for him to steal their images

These he turned on two other groups fully staggering four of the Swacc Family image columns single handedly Next to him DiOrtho Vant grinned and flexed his hands A horrible grinding noise began to rise as his machine horror steadily gathered itself thanks for the opportunity Now its my turn to demonstrate how much Overseer Helen meant to us

Vant released a long breath and exhaled pure darkness that stunk of the cataclysmic death of a civilization The grinding metallic hum of his image intensified until he exploded outward throwing himself directly toward two of the most intact columns from the Swacc Family The heavy golems pivoted to face the new threats but Vant charged forward with a single minded intensity that he had inherent directly from Overseer Helen He carved a path forward using the body of the silver uniformed body of Swacc soldiers as cobblestones

Raymund reached up and rubbed at his black armband I hope you are watching Overseer Today and forever we will carry your spirit with us

Raymund did his best to monitor the situation of Military High CommandÆs sagging battle lines Occasionally he activated FieroÆs Audacity to stabilize a collapsing position Against almost ten times their number the efforts of the Vulpis Squad were no longer enough to keep the assault at bay

Occasionally violence from across the way distracted them the Swacc Family forces were prying apart the defensive Nether Rituals to attack the Engraving Guild

Even worse his eyes kept going to Techetadore feeling to him like a stranger even though that face was so familiar Raymund felt sick whenever he witnessed that smirk on his brotherÆs face What sights had marred his soul to such an unrecognizable extent Where did he obtain such an easy power yet forget the plight of his people

Perhaps the time he endured was larger than anticipated but to have that bright and hopeful boy be reduced to this Raymund gnashed his teeth The culpability does not lie completely with me but to see him like this as his elder brother I cannot remain idle

Techetadore unleashed another invisible blast aimed at annihilating the Ghosthound but the Head Drill Sergeant quickly skated sideways out of the way Across the battlefield the forces clashing in the depths of the white dwarf array stilled once more as there was a new pulse of energy from the Pinnacle Seeker making their ascent despite their chaotic surroundings

Raymund stilled Perhaps it was the way that ripple of truth spread out and briefly reframed the battlefield but he finally understood the aura of familiarity that he sensed around Techetadore He had missed it before because he had been too focused on the foreground But if Raymund viewed the whole of the battlefield

Techetadore sat at the end of a massive spectral tail that Raymund knew quite well as the birthright of his people And once he saw the first one he saw three others present two undulating lazily around the edges of the solar array and the other jabbing itself at the Head Drill Sergeant

With a trembling hand Raymund activated his FieroÆs Audacity He reached toward the tails which represented stolen images and grasped There wasnÆt even the slightest defense against his touch

Each tail was independent and although sliding into the essence of the tail was easy moving the image contained within was exhausting Refusing to balk at the spine tingling way his brother was a part of this Raymund pulled until his head seemed about to split from a throbbing headache

Congratulations Your Skill FieroÆs Audacity has grown to Level 303

And something shifted The tail ending in Techetadore flickered and died as Raymund seized control of it

Techetadore froze for several seconds then began to scream

Chapter 1777

Shal floated back to the Swacc Family base camp feeling his blood sluggishly pounding through his body He was mentally and physically battered pushed beyond his limits He kept his head hung low unwilling to look at the other survivors of the clash against his pupil

I found that boy helpless and alone in a Level 35 Dungeon Shal thought numbly as they passed through the floating defensive blockade without being challenged Yet now he has become powerful enough to crush a group of us with enough power to spare to damage another battle group

Even through the exhaustion and depression that had lain across Shal since he arrived in the Nexus and had his confidence broken by the ease with which the Vulpine Techetadore acquired power so quickly he felt a small glimmer of pride when he considered RandidlyÆs accomplishments Despite being outnumbered ShalÆs student had somehow managed to overcome the combined force of their image and eliminate half of them And that last spear thrust

ShalÆs group reached an internal area where several of the image handlers waited with their special unityÆ drugs The lead handler a man with a scarred face and a monkey tail sneered at Shal as he passed over an extra pill Shal after today I hope you are ready to admit that you donÆt possess the requisite capability to lead this group during battle After all it was your deviance from the united image that caused you to lose that fight Individual thoughts and actions only lead to weakness

Shal said nothing looking down at the two pills in his hand Even just looking at the small silver pills made him feel exhausted The Swacc Family claimed that the pills only promoted synergistic thinking that made powerful images possible but Shal was sure that there was a small bit of an image within the pills erasing some of the undesirableÆ traits within himself He wasnÆt even mad about the process Shal was so disappointed in his own performance over the last few that he hoped some of that weakness was erased

Yet to say that it was ShalÆs fault that they had lost against Randidly

For a moment he saw that spear thrust of pure power his student had unleashed From the way that it had spread outward into a larger attack as it traveled Randidly didnÆt have total mastery over the resulting force Yet Shal believed it had been a truly sublime attack

One worthy of a true Spearman

He closed his eyes and brought the two pills to his lips without attempting to counter the handlerÆs words What would have been the point Shal had already acquiesced and allowed his own image to be suppressed Soon they would finish this newly created armament especially for him It was too late to reject the philosophy of the Swacc Family

Even if nothing IÆve seen from this pompous family so far not even Techetadore can compare to the life contained in that last attack

Within the defensive wards of Swacc Family base the impact and energy reverberations of the battlefield felt extremely distant Shal gulped down to swallow the pills and sat down to meditate Already he felt a strange fogginess and subsequent dissatisfaction spreading through his mind after swallowing the effects were much quicker this time He suddenly felt a flash of foreboding The effect of these pills seemed somewhat different

Yet his weakness remained the same

A scream cut through the fog and pulled ShalÆs gaze upward On the distant battlefield with Randidly Techetadore gripped his body and writhed in obvious pain

Randidly paused wondering if what he saw in front of him was a trick Suddenly while he had been dutifully dodging as Lady Iellaya had requested his Vulpine foe experienced something similar to a mental collapse For the last thirty seconds all he had done was scream The near impossible to detect attacks had ceased

Despite the fact that the fighting was increasingly intense over by the solar array Randidly felt the attention of something that made his skin crawl settle on him from within the Swacc Family Base

What the hell did I say Lady IellayaÆs message arrived almost immediately Unless you have some inner gear yet remaining to fight someone just below the Speculum power level You feeling tough Randidly

Lady Iellaya flared her own image and covered their forces with the dark wings of the Peregrine Serpent finally easing some of the pressure on Randidly Meanwhile the Swacc Family forces began to withdraw both from the group attacking them and proceeding directly forward down into the solar array

There was a single moment of warning that something was changing The blue in the air vanished leaving the melancholy to intensify twist and ferment into something dark and dangerous Even the six white dwarfs the dense and superheated celestial bodies began to dim and writhe before the strange energy released by the portal

What is this feeling Lady Iellaya muttered ItÆs almost like

Randidly felt the tremor run through the thin layer of Nether the System allowed just as an inky black hand reached through the portal and gripped the edge Even from this distance Randidly could see every detail of those slender fingers clearly His heartbeat seemed to become deafening in his ears as he recognized that hand

A power beyond the Speculum tier exploded out across the battlefield as an enormous shadow immediately ballooned upward but Nether in the surrounding space spun in a complex pattern too quickly for even Randidly to follow A strange energy vibration began drilling into the entire battlefield attacking any image it could find The shadow ponderously raised a hand and tightened its fingers into fists

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 357

Congratulations Your Skill Left Hand of the Nether Oracle has grown to Level 366

Randidly rapidly expended the Nether that he had roaring through his body creating a blanket that could muffle the dangerous pattern unleashed on the battlefield He witnessed Swacc Family soldiers twitching and dropping like flies in the massive army below their bodies going limp and being steadily drawn toward one of the white dwarfs

This figure did not step casually through the doorway to the universe it had come prepared to fight

Randidly opened his awareness and did his best to memorize the sublime pattern of Nether that ground Aether away at a frighteningly quick speed He bit his lip as more movement drew his attention back to the portal

A humanoid body made of liquid darkness bent and stepped out of the opening in the world Another graceful hand reached out and held the edge Then a lowered head adorned with a crown of starlight passed from the threshold of the Path of the Pinnacle and back into the universe

RandidlyÆs entire being felt the impact as Nether King surveyed the battlefield with its baleful eyes As it stepped fully through the portal its hands were suddenly full In one it held the head of a smiling woman with closed eyes In the other it held a shining sphere

RandidlyÆs eyes widened as he made two sudden discoveries That sphere is my next Fatepiece And that crown

ThatÆs a Penance A true completed tool of significance and sacrifice How

Then the Nether King smiled and gestured lazily at them all completely disregarding the specter above the battlefield entirely

Fuck Lady Iellaya shivered Randidly felt the reverberation in the surroundings too although he was too occupied with the Nether attack to understand it Its breaking down the bounds of the array

Six white dwarfs formerly isolated by a powerful Engraving suddenly noticed each otherÆs gravity and heat in inexcusable proximity As the six celestial bodies angrily sank toward one another a wave of fire and destruction blasted outward

Chapter 1778

Neshamah Rex walked down the dark hallway of the undercity not bothering to look at the hanging strands of dread that coiled in the dark corners of the corridor At this point she had grown used to the way that the Nexus was changed by the fickle moods of the most powerful man standing behind it The metal mesh clacked with each of her steps a harsh metronome that cataloged her advancement through the otherwise absolute silence

The pipes and around her didnÆt even dare breathe

An emergency meeting Neshamah kept her expression schooled even alone in the undercity Despite the utter stillness around her you never knew who might be watching Called by Elhume himself Should I have woken father from his slumber

Neshamah arrived at the steam elevator opening the copper cage and pulling it shut behind her with an echoing rattle The metal frame groaned as the mechanisms activated carrying her up into the Nexus proper To the nervous Neshamah the ride was all too short soon she stepped out of the service elevator and into the solemn halls of the Nexus Labor Council headquarters

The silence of space and flimsy metal barriers was replaced with the heavy silence of coiled tension and marble Her steps echoed just as much in this new environment as they had in the old

When she reached the door to the meeting room she took a moment to take a slow breath She savored the feeling of her lungs inflating the certainty of her physical body reacting to her commands That touch was enough to mask the storm of negative emotions that hung across this whole place for the briefest moment She pushed open the door affecting a trademark look of boredom

Eight heavy gazes glanced up from their impatient vigil to examine her In the eyes of some she recognized a brand of the same nervousness that she carried In others there were vague suspicions and hostility Ignoring all of it Neshamah walked around the side of the table and took her usual place although things were slightly off with these extra attendees

You are late Methualla said quietly The womanÆs heavy lidded eyes narrowed at Neshamah As one of the original students of Lathis NÆGick her presence here meant that the Engraving Guild took this threat very seriously Their two Nether AuraÆs pressed up against one another spiraling quickly for purchase

In addition Neshamah believed her to be the most self involved individual in the entire Nexus With neither willing to draw too much attention to themselves the Nether clash ended in a draw

Neshamah shifted in her seat and took the temperature of the room very few other emotions stirred at the Nether Lattice representativeÆs words so Neshamah didnÆt even bother to respond verbally Instead she cataloged the sitting persons Methualla and another Nether Lattice Crony Two Commandants from Military High Command An exhausted looking Octavius Shrike who likely didnÆt need to be here at all A floating jellyfish wearing the insignia of the Xyrt Brigade An ancient humanoid with a long straw colored beard and no powerful image to speak of

And of course at the head of the table the flickering form of Elhume The bringer of the emotional storm that tainted the main spire of the Nexus although few seemed to notice his cloying breath clouding the air Even through the blurring it was obvious his features were harsh and heavy even more so than usual The edges of his spectral body undulated buffeted by the harsh winds of his fury Visitt for the latest updates

Once everyone was in place the slightly insane Commandant Wick looked around the table since we are all here IÆll begin with a brief summary of events Early yesterday morning a group of Pinnacle Seekers including the Dusk Jackal Wind Scythe and two unknown entities attacked a Swacc Family facility From their actions it was clear that they were aware of their target and had inside knowledge to quickly dismantle the engraved defenses and penetrate into the core area There they obtained the rumored Skull of Truth

Why the hell The Xyrt Brigade leader quivered in tightly suppressed fury Did the Swacc Family have that holy treasure I believe some amongst us have claimed that particular object is secured

The lines around Commandant WickÆs mouth tightened to be interrupted but he endured without comment The question seemed to be directed at the elderly being with a straw colored beard who released a deep sigh The Nexus Vault has been sealed for almost fifteen hundred years during my time as a trainee It is not impossible that some of the items that are alleged to be there are replicas with the originals still at large The Nexus is not yet a place without mystery

The words gurgled to a stop in MethuallaÆs throat at the noise from Elhume Most of the other attendees also went pale such a casual noise from the leader of the Nexus was unusual The last time Elhume had been so vocal at a meeting one of their number had been erased from existence and replaced

LetÆs continue to the actual reason that we called this emergency meeting then Commandant Wick said quietly It was a needle at Methualla but a quiet one designed not to draw ElhumeÆs ire While both of our forces fought against a portion of the Swacc army their main force fought their way through the solar array mainly against the subordinates of Wind Scythe As they neared the core area the unknown figure who had assisted in the heist and perhaps leaked the Swacc Family information to make the theft easier opened the Path to the Pinnacle

Commandant Wick steepled his fingers Reports concerning what comes next are messier and conflicting mostly due to the fact our two most powerful combatants were occupied by other confrontations But it does not appear that this figure immediately stepped onto the Path to the Pinnacle None of the usual phenomena manifested that would indicate their image was being tested Instead they activated the Skull of Truth which released a strange image pulse that affected not only themselves but the entire battlefield

What follows is even more chaotic There are reports of a fourth Pinnacle Seeker flaring their image as the Swacc Family unleashed an unknown Speculum tier combatant to try and reach them before the Pinnacle Seekers could take any further action Using whatever insights gleaned from the Skull of Truth the one who opened the Path to the Pinnacle began adjusting their image on the fly This continued for almost ten seconds but my subordinate was unable to determine how or why their image was adjusted After this individual then stepped onto the Path to the Pinnacle well youÆve all heard IÆm sure The Nether King that previously attacked the Fifth Cohort and escaped our combined offensive stepped back out

Commandant Wick chose his next words carefully A second powerful Speculum tier figure revealed themselves in the Swacc Family base and lashed out against the Nether King This we believe to have been the Patriarch of the Swacc Family although the image manifested for such a brief time that we cannot confirm this fact Instead of fighting against this figure directly the Nether King ripped through the solar array causing the several white dwarfs to collapse inward and amalgamate into a monstrously large neutron star The force released by this process allowed the Nether King to vanish without a trace

And the Swacc Family The other Commandant asked

Wick shook his head Unknown It is believed that much of their army was directly annihilated but their core fighters should have escaped

You should have observed them more closely Yimeon interjected What if they possess more treasures

but the most fruitful of the discussions is on the state of the returned Nether King Wick spoke without acknowledging the Loreholder First he held the Skull of Truth which appeared exactly as described in the records as resting woman There were no clashes between the Nether King and Pinnacle Seekers which leads us to believe they were working together the whole time Second he held some other strange item in his other hand perhaps some other precious tool that he had obtained on his invasion of the Path to the Pinnacle And upon his head

A crown Elhume mused A true Nether King walks within the Nexus once more

Everyone winced enduring the raw power contained in his voice Before anyone else could speak ElhumeÆs blurry gaze swept the table Neshamah tightened her grip on the chairÆs armrest suppressing a groan of pain Find the Nether King Spare no effort Fully deploy the Xyrt Brigade I will handle the Swacc Family

It was a relief when he flickered out of existence

Goodbye Gabriel Neshamah thought of her longtime rival and his family being hunted by that monstrous storm of an individual It has been nice knowing you

Commandant Wick looked around gravely Alright LetÆs discuss a partial deactivation of the Nexus Ways so we can limit the movements of the Pinnacle Seekers

Chapter 1779

Randidly sat and meditated on the hollowed out remnants of a destroyed moon He remained completely drained after the fight and escape over the past hour but he didnÆt want to miss the chance to examine this memory while it was fresh

His Nether Core spun in his chest steadily deepening his significance Again and again he pictured that smirking face of the Nether King Occasionally his focus drifted down to that floating orb that he sensed would be his next Fatepiece but mostly RandidlyÆs attention fixated on the Crown the Nether King wore

Even in his memory a complex and layered pattern gleamed beneath the surface of that starlight wrought object He continued to stare at it feeling like he was only a single step away from understanding the principles on which it functioned The walls of his current understanding of Nether trembled at the proximity to this new insight

And once Randidly took that step he would be able to weaponize up his experience with Nether both to empower his Nether Weight with the patterns in the Rex book but also create a Nether Penance of his very own His gaze buzzed with intensity So long as he could glean some order to the energy of memory and connection

Yet Randidly could only grimace and allow his focus to fade lest he aggravate the heavy layer of mental exhaustion he still carried from the battlefield Fighting against ShalÆs squad and then Techetadore was bad enough but then he expended everything he hed to assist Lady Iellaya in screening their forces against the wave of light heat and collapsing images that boomed outward as the solar array exploded That effort had drained his reserves to nothing

Hopefully I wonÆt end up creating a Penanceset Randidly rubbed his eyes with the butt of his palm and then stood IÆm not sure that I have the time to gather six more items

Lady Iellaya flew down to the cracked surface of the moon and then decelerated for a graceful landing Black feathers fluttered around her tumbling through the atmosphere less space The other surviving soldiers of Military High Command stirred at her approach They stood and began to gather in their official designations All of the Elite Squad had made it as they had been closest to Randidly and Lady Iellaya when everything began to collapse but perhaps only half of the others lived

Despite the fact that she probably had handled the lionÆs share of the work Lady Iellaya looked fresh and sharp as she glanced around at the tired assembly Orders finally came down We need to move fast because the Nexus Ways are going to be deactivated in fifteen minutes Most of you will come with me to scour the area for any clues on the particulars of the unknown Pinnacle Seekers who fought here Ghosthound and the Vulpis Squad you will be heading to talk with other Pinnacle Seeker groups to find out if they know anything You are authorized to use as much force as necessary to get the answers you need

Randidly felt his frown tighten and sent a message to Lady Iellaya So they want us to poke around and cause a fuss huh

And hopefully get yourself killed while doing it Keep them from having to reward you for another noteworthy performance under pressure Lady Iellaya gave Randidly a meaningful look before she began giving orders to the other squads Be careful Commandant Swacc informed me that you would need to request reinforcements from him directly if you needed them I doubt he would delay sending troops considering the circumstances but he will definitely antagonize you if you show weakness

Randidly didnÆt bother to respond to that As his focus was dulled ancillary thoughts slipped past his mental wall and prodded at the edges of his mind A small movie repeatedly showed him the broken way that Shal had admitted his defeat and turned away without any bit of fire On the other hand small speculations about the sadistic machinations of HelenÆs murderer set his teeth on edge

For now he tried to push it out of his mind and focus on the task at hand One step at a time

Useless partially because whatever the Don had done had missed but RandidlyÆs heart was racing

Still it was the Don who was truly surprised by the result His dramatic facade crumbled away and he tilted his head to the side to regard Randidly quizzically You had the self control to resist looking into the information packet eh Well I suppose only a short amount of time has passed No hard feeling trying to call in a favor you donÆt yet owe me eh I still think itÆs for the best for you to leave before you learn too much about what is happening here If you involve yourself I cannot be held responsible for the consequences

Randidly cleared his throat as his eyes slid to the form of the Frost Matriarch Octavius had explained that this last year had been the most chaotic in several cohortÆs worths of time but he didnÆt really understand until now now that different organizations were taking action everyone prepared to take advantage of the chaos to address their long held grudges

It was a long shot but hopefully his presence in an official capacity would make the Don behave more reasonably IÆm here as a representative of Military High Command Don Beigon sighed and raised a hand to his forehead but Randidly ignored him and continued speaking to investigate the recent actions of several PInnacle Seekers who appeared to have conspired to allow the Nether King to return from the Path to the Pinnacle Frost Matriarch do you have any information regarding this matter

The Frost Matriarch looked at Randidly Ghosthound for a long moment her eyes possessing some limpid tenderness that struck him despite the tense circumstances Perhaps it was that same foggy mental exhaustion that allowed his mind to drift to fruitless lingering subjects but her tenderness took him by surprise

Maybe this situation is more dangerous than I thought

Inwardly Randidly was marshaling his Nether Core as best as he could preparing to assist the Frost Matriarch in escaping the clutches of Don Beigon Looking at the thin threads that the Don had woven around the Frost Matriarch it was clear she owed him something Perhaps that something was even related to Claudette

However even from his brief interactions Randidly knew that the balance of the DonÆs image was tenuous As long as he could upset the restraints with the Frost MatriarchÆs power and his durable body

Yes I have plenty of information The Dusk Jackal the Wanderer Wind Scythe these Pinnacle Seekers are all ones who I helped refine their images in the past The Frost MatriarchÆs words echoed out in the wide hall Of course they came to me for a consultation before making such an aggressive move like attacking the Swacc Family And when the Dusk Jackal privately expressed to me his hesitation to work with a Nether Gatekeeper on this plot I reassured him that the individual would be trustworthy If nothing else you can always rely on a Nether soldier to be loyal to their superior

Randidly looked blankly at the Frost Matriarch He felt very very tired Had he misheard

Don Beigon shrugged and affixed an insufferable expression to his face I tried to warn you away boy Alas even if my honeyed tongue carries enough wisdom to drown a youngling such as yourself will you listen Nay your pride blinds you No wonder you and my daughter have developed such an amicable relationship

A shudder ran through the fabric of the Nexus RandidlyÆs mind distantly recognized that the Nexus Ways had been deactivated even as he slowly absorbed the Frost MatriarchÆs words

Right on time Don Beigon said with a grin Little known fact the Nexus Ways actually support the SystemÆs messaging functionality So right now itÆs just us three Intimate right

Chapter 1780

Once Randidly withdrew from the process Claudette felt herself given the spark of momentum but bound within the confines of her own image She moved back and forth the whole of her reaching the delineated limits of the details Randidly had given her until she impacted the edge and rushed back through her image with slightly more intensity

In her accelerating passage the shape of her personality warped the work that Randidly had done Not that there was anything necessarily wrong with it but it wasnÆt her image Not truly Now as she crashed back and forth without fear or judgment toward the changes she was making the image became her own

The constant motion relaxed her Claudette felt her consciousness turning blurry at the edges So even while her image buzzed with pent up force she fell asleep

Her focus turned inward In her dreams Claudette rebuilt herself

Even with the assistance of Randidly Ghosthound Claudette still experienced a strange unease whenever the possibility of her own existence occurred to her So she smelted herself a suit of dark blue armor to give her the solid hands to interact with the world The armor had no helm and no body within its confines but its hands could wield the desolate blade Clarent

On her left hand was a dull red glove the color worn away by long years of use Occasionally a spark of a half forgotten intensity was prodded into existence but those violent displays quickly extinguished themselves On her right Claudette wore a pitch black gauntlet with ridges along the knuckles that leaked a sludge like black material

She held the sword in front of her the blade filled with swirling darkness and tightened her grip The dream began to change around her The buzzing in her image threatened to sunder all the work they had done to empower her

Yet her attention was elsewhere With her body created Claudette fought across the sky cutting through faceless enemies that were more often than not her own fears and insecurities given vague amoeba like bodies But these foes were indestructible as she bisected their flexible shells they simply split into smaller forms As the dream stretched Claudette had to wade through a sea of bodies adopting a style of dispassionate butchery to advance

She fought until she returned to the gloomy kingdom ruled by her father Even when her fears became as small as ants biting at her ankles when she wasnÆt paying attention she moved through the hollow world once that was once so bright underneath the stewardship of the four Skykings

Claudette used Clarent to cut through the high abandoned gates and stormed through to her fatherÆs throne room There he sat waiting for her Her energy rushed back and forth through her image at such a high speed that she was completely filled by her energy Her image began to swell to avoid cracking open like a dropped egg

Her fatherÆs smile curled outward as he looked at the thick black drops falling off of the gauntlet on her right hand YouÆve returned As I always knew you would And it seems youÆve grown quite a bit since IÆve last seen you IÆm so proud of you

For a split second Claudette wavered But as she looked at her father she recognized the same greedy gleam in his eyes her expression hardened and she raised Clarent I refuse to be a tool any longer You cannot control me father

Will you kill me then He regarded her with a serpentÆs smile Have you changed to the point that you are willing to kill to get what you want Truly you are my daughter through and through

This time his words did not affect her mentality Her image continued to balloon outward struggling to endure until she laid this last detail to rest She stepped forward and held her blade horizontally across her body without any intentions to speak Her father laughed and gathered two fistfuls of shadows Come then Show me what youÆve become

Visitt for the latest updates

You Randidly licked his lips and tried again to decide what he wanted to say At the moment he had too many questions jostling for his attention

His Nether Core whirled excitedly just at the thought

So Randidly nodded to the Don and held out a hand for the memory If he was going to get swept up in this situation he at least wanted to get as many benefits as he could The Don chuckled and flicked the gleaming item sending it drifting over to him After accepting it Randidly paused and said One question before we go Why do you want to pursue the Nether King

I believe you are aware of the reasons that I am handling ClaudetteÆs situation in such a callous manner I need more power to protect her I am making my own preparations to ascend to the Pinnacle The Skull of Truth is an object that I want very much for the assistance it will give me Don Beigon wheeled himself over to Randidly

Randidly shook his head unwilling to accept that But Elhume has killed everyone who has gotten too close to the Pinnacle right So whatÆs the point

The DonÆs smile turned sharp as he regarded Randidly Heh Maybe you should waste your favor on that sort of question if you truly care about the answer

In the face of this rare glimmer of genuine antagonism from the dramatic individual Randidly pressed his lips together and nodded His attention turned inward as he examined the memory passed to him by Don Beigon The visual provided was somewhat blurry but Randidly easily got a feel for the Aether and Nether of that place

For Randidly that would be enough to create a portal

It was a desolate place at the edge of the Nexus beneath a luminous grey nebula Randidly produced his PhilosopherÆs Key and felt through the air trying to capture that particular sensation

Should I really be helping the Don Randidly wondered idly as he tasted various locations But when he found the match he still slid the key forward Once they met up with the other Pinnacle Seekers they would still need to find out information about where the Nether King was hiding He could obtain this favor and withdraw later

Although Randidly worried that he might need to cash in the favor just to force Don Beigon to let him go

When the portal opened the Don cheerily rolled himself forward through the fluctuating hole in the world without any doubt in his mind As he moved Randidly watched as a thin thread stretch out from the wheelchair bound man toward his body Just like earlier he reflexively flared his Nether Weight to resist it and nothing happened the thread ignored the layers of Nether and established a connection between the two of them

However Randidly immediately felt a bit of sway that he now had over Don Beigon This was the downside of the DonÆs influential image Randidly realized For internal consistency the hooks in himself had to be just as effective as the hooks in others

Pondering how he could use this favor Randidly walked through the portal Almost immediately the density of Nether on the other side snapped his attention forward There waiting for them as though he wasnÆt the most infamous individual in the Nexus the Nether King floated in the gloomy light of the Nebula That crowned being turned slowly with the Pinnacle Seekers around him following his gaze to look at the new arrivals

If I had known the Nether King would be on the other side of the portal RandidlyÆs skin was crawling He cursed himself for not noticing the difference in Nether then realized that it was probably just the difference in their manipulation of Nether that had left Randidly fooled I wouldnÆt have followed the Don so easily

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 361

Ah good Don Beigon didnÆt seem intimidated in the slightest by the shock and suspicion aimed in his direction You are all already here That makes things easier Mister Nether King would you like to make a deal with me

Chapter 1781

RandidlyÆs skin tingled Small bits of desiccated stone tumbled slowly through the air His pupils dilated He released thin streams of Nether and attempted to rationalize what he saw now with what he had sensed before he had opened the portal Visitt for the latest updates

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 362

Time seemed to slow giving him his ponderous mind the opportunity to absorb the majesty of a Nether King

Congratulations Your Skill Grand Perspective has grown to Level 220

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 364

Congratulations Your Skill Grand Perspective has grown to Level 249

For several seconds Randidly couldnÆt even must up an emotional reaction to what he saw he threw every bit of his attention toward memorizing the aura of the Nether King He saw the complex currents of Nether that wound around his shadowy body guiding in foreign Nether in a delicate way through the space around him so that othersÆ senses would be fooled in believing nothing was there

Despite the fact that he was aware of what was occurring Randidly numbly watched his Nether continually being unobtrusively misled He flared and flexed its Nether but the way the Nether King had positioning himself turned the natural forces of the world against any force trying to observe him

Damnit I need to learn this Randidly gulped

Even more profound was the way that the pattern was slightly imperfect and constantly shifting as though the weight and force of the Nether veins running through the air eroded the space until the whole immaculately balanced system had no choice but to roll into an entirely new form Like a gyroscope the pattern continually overbalanced and transformed

And the Nether KingÆs Penance

Randidly winced and swayed For a brief moment as he peered at the crown of starlight on the Nether KingÆs head something dark and intent revealed itself in the Nether KingÆs baleful gaze The force of that touch caused Randidly to flinch That tight intensity that had orchestrated the immaculate patterns issued a warning

Yet only a second later as Randidly steadied himself and saw the Nether King looking so intently at Don Beigon Randidly wondered if he had imagined that bit of piercing deterrent

A Pinnacle Seeker in a worn brown cloak stepped forward into the silence left by Don BeigonÆs words Tusks jutted out of the corner of his mouth but he otherwise seemed to be a typical humanoid He glared at the Don but Randidly knew that he had suspicion directed at him as well Leave immediately you snake Otherwise

But the speaker fell silent as the Nether King raised a hand His body was sleek and shimmering an abyss edged in mysterious light Then flipped his arm and performed a beckoning gesture at Don Beigon allowing him to come closer Both Randidly and the Pinnacle Seekers behind the Nether King stiffened

Seeing that Randidly wondered if the Pinnacle Seekers were just as exhausted as he was They probably had to be defending against the Swacc Family forces

Don Beigon rolled forward with a knowing smile on his face We might be constructed of different energies but there is no reason that there canÆt be commerce between our peoples yes The free exchange of goods and ideas is the bedrock of civilized society Now Mr Nether King letÆs not beat around the bush you have no use for the Skull of Truth and I very much want to possess such a valuable piece of history And I believe that I have something you will be very much interested in

Immediately the Don Beigon shook his head I donÆt know what youÆve heard but there is only a single Citizenship Coin Fabricator and it is in the hands of the NLC

Final Offer The Nether KingÆs smile stretched and lengthened like a cat waking after a long nap With those jerky motions he flicked his wrist again and the Skull of Truth vanished Even while shaking his head Don BeigonÆs expression grew increasingly pale

Does the Don actually possess a device that can make citizenship coins Randidly glanced sideways at the man torn between trying to make sense of these events and observing the movement of Nether Perhaps I can cash in some of this favor for a few genuine coins After of course I let him stew with this debt for a while

Congratulations Your Skill Grand Perspective has grown to Level 250

but not too long Something tells me that he will find other ways to avoid paying

Eventually Don Beigon went very still If emotions were the flesh of his persona the current Don let all that rot and fall away His eyes were intense and stark the bare lines of his personalityÆs skeleton on display without any dressing His features burned with an inner emotional fire giving Randidly newfound respect for the man He observed the controlled frequency of his affect making a mental note to experiment with his own emotions later

When he was away from these dangerous individuals with barely controlled hostility When he had time to rest and recover

Fine Don Beigon pushed the word out through his teeth in a hiss He gestured and produced a golden plate covered with esoteric lines The central portion of the plate in the size of a Nexus Citizenship Coin was hollow The Nether King reproduced the Skull of Truth and both tossed the valuable items toward each other at the same time

Both items released imperceptible waves as they moved through space Powerful images and materials had clearly gone into both Honestly Randidly was taken aback that the presence of the Citizenship Fabricator didnÆt lose out to the Skull of Truth which was apparently a mutated chunk of Aetherium

What exactly are citizenship coins then

Randidly felt a strong temptation to step forward and grab one or both of the items then began to sweat as he realized that the subtle tug came through the threads between himself and Don Beigon As soon as he noticed the source the impulse vanished and the items safely landed in the hands of their new owners

I might be in the advantageous position but that doesnÆt mean I can let my guard down against him Randidly sucked in a breath

The Nether King laughed and waved a hand casually A rift of pure darkness appeared in front of him and expanded to swallow him whole In the next moment he was gone leaving the animated Nether he had influenced to slowly lose its momentum and turn sluggish in his wake Gradually those flows would settle back to normal with no one the wiser about his movements

Don Beigon gnashed his teeth gave Randidly a meaningful look and said As you requested the restrictions on the Frost Matriarch will last for twenty four hours Thank you for your business

Then the Don vanished too leaving Randidly alone beneath the grey nebula with three Pinnacle Seekers and their subordinates RandidlyÆs mouth twitched I donÆt remember making such a request and was there really a need to announce it Asshole

However the subtleties of the interactions was completely lost on the Dusk Jackal who bounded over to Randidly with a wide grin on his face Ha Ghosthound I noticed your duel against the Swacc forces You single handedly kept one of their elite squads at bay then fought to a draw against a high level combatant Have you grown stronger since IÆve last seen you You have havenÆt you How about a spar for old times sake

The Dusk Jackal turned to glare at a sallow skinned woman who held an orange fan Hmph my allies were too greedy hogging all the interesting fights for themselves and their subordinates Ahh My blood started to really pump but there was never that thrill you know So Are you free for a duel

Randidly felt truly exhausted But fighting seemed easier than trying to parse apart the meaning of this meeting so he nodded

Chapter 1782

After a two hour slugfest with the Dusk Jackal Randidly finally raised his hands and conceded the duel The gathered Pinnacle Seekers clapped politely even if the duo had stopped using their images an hour and a half ago Randidly then drifted across the Nebula in the opposite direction of the departing Wind Scythe and her apprentices He wondered how problematic it was for them to travel the old fashioned way due to the deactivated Nexus Ways

But even if they could use the teleportation formations these individuals assisted an enemy of the Nexus in stealing a valuable artifact Randidly thoughts had to pass through steel wool to drift up to the surface of his consciousness but he forced himself to consider Would they be bold enough to take the Nexus Ways Considering the Nether King kept that ritual up constantly to hide I doubt resisting the Nexus is as easy as he makes it look

Also how did the Don depart so quickly And why did he bother to bring me along if he could travel so quickly

Randidly allowed his bruised body to be pulled down into the atmosphere of a grey gas giant wondering if he was going to regret this The thick fumes of the planet sizzled against his skin but the fizzing wasnÆt to the point of being uncomfortable Besides it was really due to the Frost Matriarch that I got dragged into that situation The Don probably improvised on the fly to try and sell my Nether Core once I was here but why would the Frost Matriarch want that to happen

He sank deeper and deeper into the grey gases feeling the temperature rise as he did so Eventually the gases around him occasionally felt partially liquid as he submerged himself making his skin tingle Sulfur gurgled with pleasure despite the strange surroundings already using the significant kinetic energy it absorbed in the fight to improve itself

At least someone enjoyed that duelÆ Randidly thought sourly His body just felt like it had been forced to endure the trials of his own day and serve as the punching bag for the Dusk JackalÆs frustrations

The density of the surrounding gases/liquids eventually reached the point that his movements slowed then stopped Between pressure and gravity an equilibrium had been reached The thick environment roiled and oozed around his skin but Randidly had pushed himself too far to reach this relative safety at this point any port would do A sigh escaped his lips and his consciousness was gone finally shutting down

Blessedly he didnÆt dream

When Randidly came back to himself the high temperatures of the gas giant had become almost comfortable Floating here was vaguely like being in a suspended sauna His muscles were rejuvenated and humming He looked down at his red skin and flexed his hand Space popped and cracked from the abrupt display of force

Feeling inordinately pleased by the display Randidly twisted and earned another small triumph almost his entire spike creaked and cracked after the long period of inaction That suggestion brought RandidlyÆs focus to Absolute Timing An acceptable fourteen hours had passed since he dragged himself away from the battle against the Dusk Jackal

He yawned and stretched Feels like that little nap did me a lot of good Alright back to work

Randidly activated Hallucination of the Bloodless Heart and catapulted himself out of the gas giant enjoying the massive eruption he produced when his accelerating body broke the surface and dragged some of the atmosphere with him The heavy grey gas left him in streaming trails clinging to his body as though it didnÆt want to let him go

Randidly kept his thoughts to himself and opened a portal for the Wanderer to the edge of the Fifth Cohort When he was finally alone in that desolate corner of the universe Randidly sat in a meditative position and floated through space

So many different things demanded his immediate attention Too much information had been cascaded onto his unsuspecting face in the past twenty four hours But his first order of business was the strange sensation in his Nether Core During the talk with the Wanderer he had gradually grown used to the strangeness just like having a cast across an arm to set a broken bone or feeling the unusual pressure of a new haircut would gradually be accepted as natural But the fact that a change had occurred without his knowledge still left Randidly unnerved enough to dig into the sensation for answers

What he found earned a bark of laughter He reached up and scratched his head The Nether Core is literally the nucleus of me And IÆve had all these improvements in my Nether density my significance plus the extra Weight I got from the Nether Ritual in the Rex book over the past few months but I couldnÆt really consolidate those gains with my mind emotions and images running constantly Was I like a computer that needed to restart for the updates to be completed

Once he sensed the manner of the shift Randidly could easily identify the noticeable improvements both in the stability uniformity and flexibility of the energy He took almost ten minutes just splitting and rejoining Nether flows seamlessly finally getting an inkling to how the Nether King could so effortlessly subdue his Nether senses even while his eyes could clearly see what was happening

Will I have to do this again in the future IÆll need to keep it in mind Plus I need to remember to return to Expira for the significance pooling around the physical core haah they should be done with the Calamity now though right Recalling the chaos filled state of his home planet made RandidlyÆs stomach flip back and forth

Luckily for him just as soon as he began to panic about the unleashed Calamity NeveahÆs consciousness reached out and brushed up against his She released several visual flashes of the recovery efforts along with emotional reassurance Alana Donal led them to a splendid victory although there was a little bit of your image that bled through it wasnÆt involved in the final confrontation Expira is recovering and cleaning out the remnant monsters gives the Zones an easy goal outside of themselves to focus on

Randidly cracked his neck But I assume that isnÆt why you reached out

Why do you assume IÆm not here to comfort you Neveah prodded him back You might not think you dreamed today but let me tell you youÆve been radiating an emotional storm through our connection Why do you think our Soulbond Level increased so suddenly

Randidly had no response for that he hadnÆt even noticed that the Soulbond Skill had Leveled But even so he waited

Neveah sighed Alright fine yes Claudette is finally ready The image refining process is finally done

Both his flesh hand and the Sulfur one tightened in a weird mix of pride and anxiety And the result

The transformation is striking

Chapter 1783

Randidly came back to Expira and let the chaotic mess of images that dominated in the wake of the Calamity soak over his skin Without any overwhelming power individual he could feel the chorus of emotions lapping up against him He felt their battered hope the sense of relief and weary exhaustion at their success and also a powerful drive to improve themselves so this couldn’t happen again

But even if most of the people on Expira werenÆt anything of note there were some extremely noticeable exceptions Several new images had emerged burning with an intensity and potential that filled Randidly with hope

Even if he failed as long as he could protect the Alpha Cosmos others would step forward to try and fight against the NexusÆs tyranny His planet would soon be able to protect itself as long as he gave it time to develop

At the same time Randidly made note of a powerful feeling of fear and resentment toward the System that grew in some of the Zones Most disappointing was the pool of the population that had dug in their heels on the issue of the images seeming to decide that the violence of the Calamity had convinced them that they could never be powerful enough to matter So they shouldnÆt even bother to try

Randidly heaved out several sighs as he walked along the dirt path to NeveahÆs cabin His breath misted in front of him in the cold air Perhaps even more than the negative reaction to the threat was the message from his Pantheon they wanted to know what timeline they should use for the Second Calamity

For now Randidly left that message unanswered He wasnÆt ready to consider the implications of that question quite yet

Neveah opened the door before Randidly had even knocked wearing a fluttering pink dress that did not fit in with the light dusting of snow on the ground Randidly cocked an eyebrow at her outfit and Neveah shrugged ItÆs pretty so IÆm wearing it Any other burning questions

Randidly shook his head and walked into the room while hiding his smile Immediately his eyes snapped to Claudette who sat at NeveahÆs table and blew on a tray of muffins to cool them off Not even the welcoming smell of freshly baked goods could take his attention from the incessant worry in his chest Their eyes met and Randidly felt cool prickles all along his skin

ClaudetteÆs blonde hair high cheekbones and bright eyes remained the same But when she smiled the expression was wickedly sharp some of the grudge that this young woman had nursed for her entire life had finally been exposed to the world The image was still developing but Randidly felt the fell edge of a blade press up against his neck as she spoke Well What do you think Am I ready to win against my father

Randidly kept his expression mild WouldnÆt you know better than I would

Yes well it still feels a bit strange Claudette set down the tray of muffins and looked at her hands For a brief moment space pulsed and she was holding a sword of ice filled with cloying smog that attempted to strangle three bright stars out of existence Then the image receded leaving her hands shaking I feel so vulnerable Like I poured everything into this transformation and if it ends up not being enough IÆll have nothing else

IsnÆt that the point To pour yourself fully into the effort Randidly urged He licked his lips and thought the cruel smile of Commandant Wick Because otherwise you would never have a hope of accomplishing the impossible

For a moment Claudette looked at her hands and Randidly looked at her downturned face feeling quite a lot of empathy for the young woman How could he not after spending almost a yearÆs worth of time toiling to help improve her image Her goal was his

Then Neveah nudged Randidly to the side and walked into the room Both of you need to relax a bit Before you start picking at what you could have done in the past examine the present and truly know your situation How about we take a break and enjoy ourselves a bit

Randidly paused from unpacking a wooden box filled with tomatoes to look over at Claudette His lips twitched and he gave Neveah a sidelong glance that informed her that there was a joke here that Claudette was missing

She looked down at the black dress with a white apron combo that Neveah had provided The material is a bit stiff but its high quality Obviously this is part of a uniform but why is Randidly making that sort of face Is this not how a restaurant worker dresses on their planet

Claudette turned back and forth feeling the frilly skirt swish around her She wouldnÆt label herself as unusually vein but considering her long legs and healthy diet she believed that she looked quite fetching in this outfit And she wanted to make sure she looked her best considering that she would be the one interacting with the customers to keep Randidly and Neveah from revealing themselves

Around them other workers and cooks bustled about the back end of the erected tent as they made their preparations for their own restaurants An elderly woman dictated to a young girl who solemnly wrote menu offerings on a chalkboard A man two restaurants down was inspecting his ingredients and quietly cursing Claudette could hear the metronomic clack of a knife cutting against wood and already her nose detected several savory scents in the surroundings

A massive tent covered the twenty individual stalls masking the number of food vendor options and covering the massive somewhat communal kitchen area in the back Neveah had reserved them one stove sink and section of counter that was squeezed uncomfortably close in with the rest even if the tight proximity meant that most of the pervading chill of the current weather was kept at bay

Claudette smoothed down the front of her dress If nothing else this experience will be a diversion from how horrifyingly cold I feel all the time now My image is empowered but some things havenÆt changed

I’m just saying why soups and stews Randidly scratched his chin I get that itÆs a cold weather food but are we just giving people cups to carry away with them ThatÆs not very satisfying is it

You havenÆt tried my soups but even Sydney is impressed by them I earned hums of pleasure from Drake Neveah grumbled Is this just about being head chef I donÆt care which of us is the chef I just think soups will be a hit No one else is doing it

Because the logistics of soups are a hassle Randidly rolled his eyes looking surprisingly mundane as he bickered with his sister It was somewhat hard for her to imagine that this was the same being that planted the seeds of rage and hatred she now watered in her chest

Claudette turned and peered around the edge of the flap over the entrance to the wide tent They werenÆt supposed to open for another two hours but there were still hundreds of people walking through the lanes outside of the food tent chattering and laughing And those streams of individuals were concerned thin They were at the North end of the valley in which the city of Donnyton was situated with the festival area built around the arena in which the various individuals were currently competing Most of the population was currently concentrated at the venue

To ClaudetteÆs senses the people of this town were so incredibly weak But she couldnÆt deny that looking at them feeling their fragility gave her the strangest sense of security

If these people dare smile dare strive for their dreams Claudette patted her apron flat Surely I can too

Okay okay soups Randidly raised his hands But we canÆt just do soups

Yes feel free to figure out what you are going to contribute at any time Neveah said dryly Then she turned to Claudette Oh I reached out to someone who should be over shortly You wonÆt have to handle orders alone And I think the two of you will get along swimmingly considering his history

Chapter 1784

When Randidly closed his eyes he could feel Donnyton moving around him From the high fever pitch of emotions down in the stadium suspended above the sinkhole they were nearing the climax of whichever event was currently occurring The crowd roared and cheered each adding to an invisible narrative of what this city was The sharp images of Donnyton moved across the sky like mirages casting long inverted shadows upon the grey clouds overhead

Although most of the population hadnÆt headed to the festival area yet thousands of people toiled in the food stalls artists’ stands and vendor areas to make preparation for a long day of work Since Randidly had been back to Donnyton the city had crept up over the two hills that hemmed in the original valley and begun to spill down into the surrounding area

Compared to the potent desires at the stadium the workmanlike efficiency of the workers was a different sort of impressive But like all things the people of Donnyton approached challenges directly and with resolve

And yet here I am suddenly serving as a line cook in a soup stand God I wish I still had my Cooking Skill Maybe then Neveah would let me help with something more important than the carb RandidlyÆs lips twitched as he pulled his senses back into only his immediate surroundings

He stood in the kitchen a bowl of egg flour and salt partially mixed in front of him He paused in his rotations and shook himself He flexed his hands savoring the tactile sensation of standing in only a single place he pushed his insights about DonnytonÆs image out of his mind Then he began to increase the amount of radiation that flowed into his body through the Hierarchy of Burden NeveahÆs desire for them to take a break aside Randidly was growing a bit bored

A mental and emotional break Randidly could allow that He probably needed it quite desperately more desperately than he could admit even to himself

But wasting this perfectly good exercise time Randidly grinned as he kept tight control of his body and observed the crimson static dance along his limbs He suppressed even the slightest twitch as he brought the wooden mixing spoon into batter and began to whip all of the clumps out of it His heartbeat was strong and resonant seeming to hum through his veins with each wave of blood it propelled outward

Claudette walked into the back portion of their individual stall in the larger tent her fingers dusted with chalk RandidlyÆs lips twitched the Nexus elite had spent the last ten minutes on her knees with the young girl from the next stand over learning how to make their own chalkboard menu Randidly opened his mouth to make a comment about how quickly she took to the work but the young girl bounced into the room behind Claudette

Her eyes were bright as she talked excitedly at ClaudetteÆs back My drawings look ugly but you oh hi sir

The girl regarded Randidly with remarkably intelligent hazel eyes He had encountered few people who addressed him so directly fewer still who could meet his gaze even when he had his images and Nether contained For a brief moment he was struck by a vision of a much younger Sydney from a time when Randidly had often followed her around But the resemblance was more a projection from him than anything else the girl didnÆt look anything like Sydney She was just a normal girl perhaps eight years old without the slightest taint of images But despite that her emotions were clear and vibrant as she looked at him

Hello Randidly greeted just as politely It was almost as though his word was permission for the girl to twist back around to Claudette and engage in enthusiastic chatter about the girlÆs drawing ability and how her mother taught her to fold dumplings and how she recently discovered that mushrooms arenÆt as disgusting as she thought and a half dozen other topics that she skipped through without sweating if the finer points of the discussion were overlooked

Claudette received it all with a tentative smile but Randidly could already tell that some of the bleakness in her features had receded He nodded silently to himself and turned back to his batter Having a powerful image is important But that isnÆt all of who you are Sometimes I almost think the differences between you and the image are the reason that they can be so powerful when you need them

or maybe thatÆs just wishful thinking because I have three So mine necessarily have to be more divergent from my base personality

RandidlyÆs three images chimed in their agreement He continued to whisk the batter taking pause whenever exceptionally powerful bursts of electromagnetic energy flooded through his body He spared a glance for Claudette and the girl his eyes briefly taking in their whole dynamic The blonde woman in the maid costume was shyly washing her hands while the girl very literally beamed positively up at her with her smile By keeping his senses limited to just the immediate area he could practically feel the warm waves of enthusiasm wafting off of the girl

RandidlyÆs lips curled as he continued to stir the batter Except her mother might not thank us if we give the kid a fascination with maid costumes

But the longer that Randidly observed the twoÆs interactions the more his smile faded Instead his expression turned serious You know IÆve known for a while about Aether being primarily constituted of shape and emotion while Nether is all about memory and connection And with my success against Shal and Techetadore itÆs obvious that most of what IÆm missing with my images is mastery of the emotional portion ThatÆs what I need to improve in order to grow stronger in the short term

EdraineÆs joints creaked as force thundered through her body The pure and refined kinetic expulsion of her image was reassuring in a way Or at least Edraine had always found it so Her image was one designed to effect a total destruction but the single minded intensity she possessed reassured her In its simple application there was beauty

However Edraine had never unleashed her image so constantly so forcefully for so long in the past Her image was a muscle that was beginning to spasm and tremble No self respecting foe would stand still and allow her to ratchet up the intensity her image was powerful enough in short bursts

But whether it was due to overestimation or underestimation of her power on the part of the barrier maker the glittering wires simply endured the force thrown against it Next to her Velio Dunn gritted his teeth and hissed out a breath She could tell that he was close to his limit Opposite them in the interior of the Sanctum cell the Patron of the Sun still seemed to study the lattice with intensity but remained almost casual in his stance

You woke up for a reason Edraine told herself Her image began to twist and warp at the edges YouÆve been training since you were liberated from that depression but youÆve never pushed yourself Not truly Now that we have a test subject that wonÆt flinch

She cranked up the force Energy pumped through her body popping her joints and causing her veins to swell Waves of streamlined destruction bounced off of each other with the riotous desire to expand and fill a larger space With renewed focus Edraine raised a second hand next to the force to give her a better grip on the unleashed energies Her Willpower rumbled downward steamrolling the rippling collisions between the energy pulses and creating one cohesive steam of annihilation

Edraine corralled the wild wholeness of herself into a space the size of a fist and unleashed that condensed apocalypse on the barrier

Sweat dripped down her forehead A breeze seemed to ruffle the wires within the barrier the first actual result they had generated even after ten minutes of concentrated force The tendons in EdraineÆs fingers and wrists flared outward as she squeezed her image even tighter

Just a little more Edraine bit her lip Her hands began to burn but the wafting motions of the woven energy barrier were quickening Opposite them within the cell the Patron of the Sun began to smile Edraine urged herself to push harder ignoring the small pained complaints of her image that so wished to explosively expand while she forcefully folded it back in on itself

The flesh at the tips of her fingers began to burn with yellow flames The pain shouted its arrival across her psyche but the next moment the barrier groaned and tore

Edraine hissed and backed hurriedly away gazing in horror at the bubbling flesh of her arms Her whole consciousness went glassy unprepared for the blast of domineering image that came out through the small flaw in the barrier The self inflicted pain of flaring her image was nothing compared to the radiation from the Patron of the Sun

However she quickly schooled her expression and sent a pulse of her image through her body It took a few attempts to dislodge the heat from the PatronÆs image but soon her skin began to heal

A panting Velio Dunn took several steps backward to stand next to Edraine That thank you Without you I am not sure that I would have been able to disturb the barrier enough to make the PatronÆs attempts matter

Edraine simply inclined her head Because in front of them the Patron of the Sun reached down and seized the edge of the ripped barrier Through the opening the golden radiance of his image seemed out and stained the surrounding space suddenly the interior of the Sanctum was more well lit Like he was yanking apart denim the Patron tore and soon a fluttering gash appeared in the barrier

S sir Patron Velio licked his lips The worshipful look was back on his face I have so many questions for you

Your questions can wait The Patron of the Sun stepped slowly through the gap Outside of the cell some of his luminous internal radiance left him He simply seemed like a teenage boy But the frown on his face was deep even as he sucked in a deep breath and savored it Someone is attempting to sway the faith of the last of my people And if it were not for a threat to them I would not have forcefully liberated myself Before anything else we much find the remains of the Lizakh and reward them for their faith in me

Chapter 1785

The Patron of the SunÆs dark scales shimmered in the wake of his sudden pronouncement From the hard lines of his expression he truly meant that this issue with the Lizakh was more important than liberating the other Patrons

For the first time since they arrived within the Sanctum Velio DunnÆs reaction to the presence of the ancient seals or the Patrons themselves wasnÆt the excitement of an awed child Edraine was glad to know that she hadnÆt hitched her wagon to a complete idiot The tattooed man rubbed his collarbone uneasily You Patron I know how important your people are but we have larger issues The current Nexus is filled with chaos Elhume is a shadow of his former

DonÆt you dare A new feminine voice bubbled up from the other side of the Sanctum It was a life that hit them like a physical presence bubbling over them like a cool stream Say that name here

Edraine turned and looked toward the source Across the Sanctum under the unmistakable mark of the Patron of Blooms a being made entirely of wound and tied plant matter pressed her hand against the barrier at the edge of her cell Whereas the Patron of the Sun released an aura of intensity this one oozed abundance Her entire existence seemed to explode out of its confines in bristling green bouquets Less than an actual living being this Patron of Blooms looked more like a grass doll with heavy vine ties restricting disparate elements that had been forced together into a humanoid shape

Most notably however were the sharp and furious lines of her face that gave Edraine the private impression that calling this being the kindest of all the Patrons was a gross exaggeration Thorny stalks formed the sharp ridge of her nose and cheekbones only implying her eyes by leaving that portion of her head empty Edraine didnÆt find the vacuum reassuring in the slightest

It was a timely reminder that these beings they were now freeing were powerful individuals who had stood at the top of the Nexus but might have been rendered slightly unstable after thousands of years’ worth of isolation

But perhaps the rest are simply even crueler than this Patron She earned the moniker of kindÆ by default Edraine cast a sideways glance at the Patron of the Sun who immediately upon his liberation wished to bring retribution upon the individual who was stealing away his people EdraineÆs forearms twinged visited by the ghost of the intense image that had burned her earlier

You are awake That makes things easier The Patron of the Sun nodded over toward the Patron of BloomÆs cell You two work on liberating that tenacious weed Meanwhile I need to locate this audacious fellow

The Patron of the SunÆs eyes began to glow with golden light as he raised his gaze and peered out into the wider Nexus Now do you really think you can hide from me Eh

While the Patron of the SunÆs self righteousness slowly faded to confusion VelioÆs backbone continued to function at least partly He offered the former prisoner a half bow but his tone was firm Patron please assist us Without your power it is difficult for the two of us to pierce the barrier

He canÆt help you The Patron of Blooms sneered the thorned vines that constituted her lips twisting If any of the Patrons manifest their image within the Sanctum area especially outside their cells a very particular kind of barrier is triggered One that would likely kill you two before you even noticed what was happening To prevent any of us lucky enough to escape from freeing the rest

The plant PatronÆs gaze went to the empty cells of the Patron of Feathers Deep and Borrowed

So youÆve taken precautions The Patron of the Sun kept frowning speaking to some distant adversary A novel method remaining within the Nexus yet segregating this space as other but mark my words when the radiant light of my sun eventually finds you

Oh shut the fuck up The Patron of Blooms interrupted Then she turned to regard Velio and Edraine By the way how are my people The Soul Plants Ah I cannot wait to see what sort of growths have been made since IÆve been locked away

Edraine glanced sideways at Velio Finding a new method of utilizing her image had been rewarding but her patience was wearing thin And her expectations for a reward for this behavior was quickly vanishing Is this bickering what you had in mind when you wanted my help to release the Patrons

Claudette called over her shoulder for a jar for tips and DÆmin walked out with a glass jar She stiffened immediately Claudette felt the strangest electric buzz between the two of them since they had been first introduced The closer they came to each other the stronger her image seemed to tug her toward him She hastily pressed down the front of her apron careful to control ClarentÆs radiation around Katrina It was difficult to listen to the young girl explain what she was going to buy with her tip money after the festival as DÆmin moved forward and set the jar down on the wooden counter with a loud thump

He kept his eyes low barely acknowledging her seeming perfectly capable of ignoring the electrical storm crackling between their bodies Unless he really couldnÆt feel it Was it all in her head

To her there was the strangest sense of incongruence between them Like she felt like she should know this man could almost feel him walking around in her inner world Yet the version in front of her felt different in a way that aroused her curiosity

Claudette had to suppress an urge to reach out and grab his elbow just to feel something definite Because her instincts told her that if they touched right now

What will you buy with your tips Mr D Katrina asked DÆmin When she didnÆt think he was looking the young girl gaped at his scales clearly fascinated by his reptilian body

The Lizakh warrior raised his gaze but not to look at the girl No his gaze gripped Claudette for a long moment and she was suddenly so sure that he felt the same strange magnetism between them Then with a great effort he turned to look at the young girl To ClaudetteÆs surprise his whole demeanor shifted The strained yearning was gone replaced with a friendly ease He kneeled down next to her and shrugged I believe I will have some free time later on the last day of the festival I have a younger brother about your age I think IÆll buy him some local delicacies and take them back to him

Where do you lizards live The girl asked IÆve seen ogres and frogpeople and Lancers but never talking lizards

We call ourselves the Lizakh DÆmin corrected gently Then his expression showed some hesitation We we live to the Northeast of Donnyton in the wastes Or we used to Most of our cities well we suffered greatly during the Calamity So now IÆm not sure

The rest of his explanation was cut off by a powerful surge of joy that spread out from the North Claudette raised her head and peered forward The celebratory emotion seemed strangely inappropriate set against the grey and overcast sky Somehow all of the individuals in Donnyton served as image intermediaries accepting and rebroadcasting the initial surge of joy until the whole of the city rose in an unconscious harmony

WhatÆs that Katrina asked looking out of the stall with wide eyes

DÆmin stepped forward to get a better look Claudette wondered if the Lizakh noticed that the step also brought him closer to her The people of Donnyton revere the capable I heard that this acceptance of achievement created a strange sort of meta image over the city but this is the first time IÆve felt it in action

Powerful Claudette said quietly Her fingers twitched watching to scratch the itch of the potent charge between their bodies but feeling vaguely weird about doing so right above KatrinaÆs head

Kat Come back over here KatrinaÆs mother walked out of her own cooking area tying her apron around her waist Time to get ready since the tournament is over the people will be coming soon

Katrina left but not so quickly as DÆmin did turning and moving silently back toward the kitchen area Claudette fussed with her uniform feeling an inscrutable sense of disappointment

Maybe this is just a strange side effect of the image Claudette refused to allow herself to look at DÆminÆs departing form To do so would be foolish What would she learn by looking at him now

She turned and glanced toward the kitchen before straightening Coincidentally she caught a flash of his scales as the door closed behind him This feeling isnÆt so bad I suppose Better than the depression or isolation

Chapter 1786

YnÆulk sat in the darkness of the Lizakh inner caves meditating while standing guard over the precious eggs The mounds of football sized protuberances were beginning to emit a slight heat and warmth which meant that they were approaching the hatching stage Per tradition he had spent the first portion of the day spreading the ashes of fallen Lizakh warriors across the different clutches so they might inherit some of their predecessors’ bravery when they were born

This year they had a depressing amount of ashes to spread The grey particles lay thickly over the eggs like an old knit blanket

Patron of the Sun please guide our people YnÆulkÆs hands tightened into fists as he thought of all the warriors they had lost over the past month The image of DÆmin tossing aside his faith in the Patron of the Sun and serving as the avatar for the guardian deity of Expira also featured heavily in his mind His mood sank Hear our prayers and know that we are doing our best every day to accomplish your will

Then something strange happened Though it was from a great distance YnÆulk felt like he was laying on a rock on a warm summer day his whole form was illuminated as though he was basking in the sun The sense of connection and fulfillment that came upon him then was intoxicating He sat sharply upward his breaths coming more quickly His confusion morphed smoothly into utter stupefaction as the light flickered in front of him and a figure slowly formed in the air

Patron YnÆulk asked in a disbelieving tone For no one but the Patron of the Sun could feel so intimately connected to him yet also seem so unfamiliar The youthful Lizakh turned back and forth around the cave his eyes seeming to take in every detail YnÆulk didnÆt doubt that the Patron finally here to reward his peopleÆs faith was examining their exact situation

If anything the Patron of the Sun didnÆt seem disappointed by how far the Lizakh had fallen He simply offered a small smile to the heavy stone walls of the cave Interesting You have even kept several worlds within the space But you probably didnÆt even think of this backdoor eh Heh Finally his golden eyes settled on YnÆulk You my precious descendant I have need of your body Some accounts need to be settled

Despite the fact that a miracle was truly unfolding in front of him YnÆulk felt his scales prickle at that tone Even a casual reader of the gospel of the Patron of the Sun would quickly realize this was not a forgiving god You you appear to know that one of our number recently forsook the faith But please have mercy on him He only wished to protect our people

The golden light in the PatronÆs eyes flash YnÆulk almost flinched from the scorching heat contained in the figureÆs gaze To his relief the Patron shook his head slowly His mirage like projection rippled You misunderstand I can vaguely sense the circumstances I would never punish one of my own for turning to a more ready source of aid I can sense the desperate straits you have endured It is my greatest shame that this proud Lizakh was forced to turn away from me In this matter I will be delicate

Feeling reassured YnÆulk acquiesced to the force sliding between them through his bond with the Patron Then he was falling and settling in the warm embrace of darkness where his consciousness went dormant

Within the muscular body of the Lizakh warrior the Patron of the Sun stood and stretched His shoulders and spine popped from YnÆulkÆs long vigil Then he showed his sharp teeth to the empty cave I can easily forgive one of my own flock for straying but the figure standing behind him who dared interfere with my descendants Heh

I hope he has a god to pray to

Vye usually felt herself being exhausted by the looks of deference that her Order Ducis uniformed earned but amongst the throngs of people at DonnytonÆs festival it was a welcome relief to have people stand aside and let her pass Delilah bobbed along behind her gaping and oo ing at every new site or performance or piece of armor that caught her eye

Around them Donnyton and more largely all of the powerful Classers in the surrounding Zones were finally letting loose and celebrating Specialty drinks had been imported with alcohol content high enough for even people with powerful Stats to feel briefly inebriated This was the release that the people had been waiting for since the Calamity had begun

Hello The woman in the maid costume greeted them when Vye and Delilah stepped forward to the front Her eyes were bright and blue and her long blonde hair was perfectly done up What can I get for you

Now that she was pressed for the purpose of her visit Vye was somewhat tongue tied She didnÆt want to out the fact that Neveah was here but she didnÆt want any soup despite the threatening storm above She glanced down at a glass jar stuffed with cash which had a small but precisely written label on the front

Working here to acclimate to my new image Tip if you like it

Vye shook her head thinking of the sort of looks those boys were giving this woman while also suddenly sensing how powerful she was The woman possessed such a sophisticated image that she hadnÆt noticed her power until she stood in front of her

And that powerful image that Vye sensed was likely not what the boys thought they were tipping

Meanwhile Delilah had been scanning the menu IÆll have a cup of the goulash with a biscuit please

And IÆd like to speak to your chef Vye added When the maid woman gave her a suddenly pointed look Vye smiled helplessly It had been a while since somewhat had been so suspicious of her while she was wearing her uniform Tell her that its Vye If your cook is who I think it is then she will let me come speak to her

I hope it really is her Delilah smacked her lips as the maid bid a lizardman to go back and ask Her goulash is to die for

The lizardman quickly came back with the affirmative and the maid gestured them into the stand Delilah happily sipped her soup while Vye led the way and pushed open the wooden door into the kitchen area

Congratulations Your Skill Divine Internal Compass has grown to Level 304

The first person that Vye saw wasnÆt Neveah but Randidly Ghosthound bent over a hot stove with a dirty apron wrapped around his athletic limbs He looked up at her and smiled earning another affirmative pulse from her Skill Heya stranger Could you sense that I was here Oh and look isnÆt that Delilah Wow youÆve grown quite a bit since IÆve seen you last huh

Delilah froze and gulped very audibly Randidly seemed puzzled by the reaction but Vye just rolled her eyes Sometimes it was easy to forget that Randidly didnÆt seem to understand the effect he had on people Vye was quite positive that Delilah remained scarred from playing hide and seek with Randidly years ago

But before the conversation could continue further several shouts drew their attention out of the food stand

Oh my god A womanÆs loud voice cut through the excited mutterings Is that Raina

Chapter 1787

Through the thick crowd the womanÆs hysterical voice was clear in ClaudetteÆs ear as though she was flailing directly behind her Oh my god Is that Raina

Claudette was in the middle of passing a shy young man a cup of chicken and rice soup but his head whipped around so fast that it dragged his hand a small distance to the left when Claudette let go of the soup his hand was not in place to catch his food There was a brief moment where Claudette was seized by the horrible fear that the dropped pottery would shatter on the ground and Neveah would be so disappointed in her but then her hand moved so fast that it left afterimages She plucked the handmade piece out of the air earning only a ripple from the soup

Sir Claudette began but her voice was drowned out by another scream of pleasure from this mystery woman who had ensorcelled the surroundings Suddenly the crowd was rustling and shifting pulled inexorably to follow the shouts The young man hurried away without a word leaving both his soup and his money on the counter Most of those that had been waiting and enjoying their soup nearby availed themselves to the sudden current of bodies unwilling to be left out The excitement on their rushing faces was weirdly uniform

Meanwhile ClaudetteÆs eyes locked onto a figure moving against the flow of bodies weaving a path through them and approaching their stand despite the stampede in the opposite direction The air around the figure rippled and blurred she was using an illusion based Skill to hide her presence As the figure neared she suddenly noticed ClaudetteÆs observation

The womanÆs strong features went briefly blank then she flashed Claudette a rueful smile There was something instantly intimate about that smile like the two of them shared all of their most precious secrets with each other in a single exchange of expressions Like Claudette could trust this person The illusioned woman had shoulder length blonde hair with pink highlights and wore brightly colored makeup around her eyes that made her resemble a mythical fire bird

Claudette pressed her lips together despite the warm butterflies in her stomach There wasnÆt the slightest hint of a Skill activation in that implied connection between them but she had spent far too long with her father to miss that this was just a person who had grown so capable with her own charisma that she didnÆt need to use a Skill or an image to make you like her

And compared to her father this individual was slightly lacking in execution

The figure had to step to the side to avoid a stream of teenage girls whistling like overdue tea kettles in a mad dash toward the churning source of the disturbance and mimed that she wished to go back to the kitchen Unsure of how else to respond Claudette gave her a tight nod

I know this is their home planet but Randidly and Neveah are surprisingly popular To her own surprise Claudette felt a weird flash of jealousy as she glanced over her shoulder Then she straightened and looked down at the cooling chicken and rice soup in her hand So many men approached me to flirt and get closer to my father but when it comes to people who actually wished to know me

She didnÆt allow herself to finish the thought The illusioned charmer slipped unnoticed into the stand leaving Claudette to look helplessly at the bodies in front of her Most of the soup line had shifted dragged along with the movement of people even if they didnÆt originally intend to be So Claudette could only put a lid on the cup of chicken and rice soup and neatly stack the money for when the young man returned

Honestly it was a welcome distraction when two men stepped forward to the front of the counter pushing their way through the people rushing away to see this RainaÆ even as the rush cooled Customers gave her purpose let her fulfill the task that she had been given It allowed her to forget about the strange pulses of her newly stabilized image

Claudette greeted them with her most dazzling smile Welcome what can I get for the two of you

We would like The tan sharp featured man began

How do you know Raina The other snarled at the same time The two turned to look at each other the former reproachful the latter hostile Visitt for the latest updates

Suddenly it was all too much for Claudette She raised both of her hands and released the barest pulse of her image the pressure in her body forcing a hint of ClarentÆs power into the air At the very least it got both of the menÆs attention Let me be clear You will not be heading to the back of the stall

Suddenly IzzieÆs expression twisted into something ugly He eyed Claudette again his focus lingering on her curves underneath her uniform a smirk twisting his face Do you think someone like you can stop me

I will not allow you to harm her Pan interjected before Claudette even had a chance to respond And somehow he found time to flash her a white toothed smile as he leaned between them

Izzie shrugged at Pan ignoring her entirely Do you think anythingÆs changed in the last few hours mister fourth runner up

I saw no need to go all out against you before Pan countered He raised his hand and clenched it into a fist Now that IÆve met this vision of loveliness

The counter including the carefully stacked money and waiting chicken and rice soup were flash frozen as ClaudetteÆs control shattered A howling gust of wind knocked the two men sprawling They probably would have smashed and rolled across the ground had they not run into some of the other spectators The crowd hastily backed up pushed away by the rapid drop in temperatures

Claudette hopped over the counter and brushed off her uniform Ice condensed into tinkling diamonds across her head ears and neck She waved a hand and the crooning and desolate blade Clarent manifested in her hand Fine then Do you want to play Let me entertain you in RainaÆs stead

Within the back kitchen area Raina made an apologetic expression at Neveah and Randidly seemingly unsure of who she should be addressing IÆm really sorry about this

Randidly continued to check the oven monitoring the biscuits within In the far corner Delilah meekly mixed more flour for the next batch DÆmin stood rigidly by the door watching the action develop and Vye sat and happily tucked into her soup the two were a study in contrasting reactions

Neveah brought Raina a cup of her favorite seafood stew and patted her shoulders Oh donÆt worry about it SheÆs needed to blow off some steam for some time This saves Randidly the trouble of serving as a punching bag

Ugh I wish someone would come to challenge me to a fight Randidly thought wistfully and shook his head In a way that was so intimate and didnÆt emotionally destroy him he missed Helen and her constant desire to challenge him He looked back at the oven and sighed Today was a day of biscuits

He pushed his Hierarchy of Burden up another few layers but resigned himself to remaining in the kitchen all day The burning light radiation at least allowed him to feel something other than envy

Biscuits Randidly sighed again

Chapter 1788

The Patron of the Sun stood on the summit of one of the low hills to DonnytonÆs North carefully sensing the image reverberations from the city He tilted YnÆulkÆs head to the side and slowly unveiled a smile toward the waiting city Truly what a strange intersection of images The Nether in this isolated space isnÆt restricted to levels that prevent significance mutation which has allowed them to form composite images But sloppy accidental ones Why isnÆt the Nexus monitoring this Surely that tyrant wouldnÆt allow this to continue if he knew

A cold wind blew across the hilltop and the Patron shivered Then he scowled up at the infuriatingly grey cloud cover A part of him wanted to reach up and used his significant presence to burn away these infuriating barriers to his glory but he managed to resist the impulse There were several strange aspects to this place and he didnÆt wish to reveal his presence too early

Eh The Patron of the Sun blinked He hadnÆt noticed any shift but suddenly his location was different His face twisted into a scowl If he hadnÆt detected anything It was neither Aether nor Nether that had shifted him but something else A Domain

He stood at the center of a grand hall that was pitted and shattered as though a great battle had occurred here Decomposing bodies of twisted humanoid ants lay everywhere filling the space with a rancid smell High above was a circular opening allowing this streams of starlight down around the Patron In front of him was a massive crater at the bottom of which a twisted grey hand stuck out of a pile of rubble

He looked around slowly toward the thick layer of gloom that hemmed in the room and chuckled An ambush How truly peculiar This space seems exceedingly unique What sort of beings are you

A stone golem grinned over at the Patron from his seat on a broken pillar A woman shifted between a lovely young girl into a smoking and overheated cyborg and back again as he watched her stroll forward A dog sized rheumy eyed spider rubbed its forelegs together knitting a web so quickly between them that it seemed to come alive and move

A woman with long white hair and a pole length needle stood directly opposite the Patron of the Sun watching him serenely Every single one of these figures burned with a strange authority in this space that despite the differences between their images and the PatronÆs made him wary We had the same question for you sir Who gave you permission to so brazenly walk into our Alpha Cosmos

Claudette glared balefully over at Izzie and Pan daring them not to take her seriously The ground underneath her feet blackened and began to smoke as her manifestation of Clarent brought with it some of its horrible burdens upon the space The temperature continued to drop as Claudette got caught up in the intoxicating feeling of unfolding her image and flaring it toward the sky

Before the two men had recovered another part of Claudette began to hesitate Actually creating a disturbance like this might not be a good idea If I bring more attention to the presence of Randidly and Neveah

However none in the watching crowd seemed inclined to run and report her to the authorities If anything they seemed excited Claudette supposed the reverberations of her image would do their dirty work for them Instead of running after creating a sizable circle around her Izzie and Pan the spectators seemed all too willing to engage in bets on the outcome of the fight

A small part of her was incredibly flattered to observe that most people were betting on her to win against both of them

I I will abstain from this showdown PanÆs face was pale as he raised his hand in surrender There was a groan of disappointment from the audience and several people began arguing about the odds of her solo against Izzie Pan offered Claudette a half bow and tried to smile at her Let it never be said that Pan Cortez takes advantage of a la oof

Claudette tried not to beam with satisfaction as he collapsed in front of her She had ripped across the intervening space and drove a fist into his stomach Clarent radiated cold desolation which transformed into an icy black gauntlet around her hand making the blow particularly potent Pan released another wheezing breath as he stared up at her with a blank expression

A split second after that several other images locked onto her position ones much more potent than either of these two men although not quite as strong as her own Still those images worked together to blunt the edges of the desolation that she unleashed outside of the battle while allowing her to hit the two men with the full force of her attack

Ice and weird patterns of darkness began to accumulate on both their bodies while Claudette watched them both from within the icy protection of her Dead Frost Barrier However Pan quickly reacted A blue aura spread out from his daggers and he began methodically slicing at ClaudetteÆs protection

Clink Clink Clink

Izzie raised his head and bellowed releasing a pulse of that regeneration that seemed to slow the corruption of his body even as the winds around them accelerated and the snow intensified With a single bound he crossed the rest of the distance between them and slammed his fist against the ice

To ClaudetteÆs great amusement Izzie looked dumbfounded when the full force strike from his massive fist earned only the tiniest crack in the ice She felt the hungry cold condensing down above her and lashed out with it covering his bushy eyebrows in frost and send him sneezing and reeling Pan shifted his attacks and started to make deeper cuts in her defenses but at this rate the blizzard would smother them before they could reach her

Interesting a voice cut through the howling of the wind making Claudette wary Let me join in the fun

Me too

Suddenly Claudette felt her grip on the weather weaken She turned to face the first speaker and saw a middle aged woman who grinned cheekily at her Lightning seemed to flash in her eyes and when she breathed all of the surrounding air currents spun a little closer to her The woman raised her hands and began to release crackling bolts of electricity that blasted apart the growing frost on the ground

Meanwhile the male voice had come from a tall muscular man with red hair who pushed his way through the crowd He stepped onto the tainted soil without any apparent ill effects simply reaching up and pulling a heavy saber off of his back He swung the weapon smoothly his gaze fixed on Claudette the entire time not an ounce of hesitation or excess in the motion Lucifer Slash

For a brief moment sensing the growing influence of lighting from the woman and the power of the manÆs pure slash Claudette felt something tighten in her chest Can this group really defeat me Capture me and force me

No Her response came equally as quickly and her weapon blurred into motion Clarent ripped through the cold air a thick band of malicious darkness At that moment she opened her mouth and finally released the true chorus of the bladeÆs song Edge of Desolation

Her attack empowered by the primal core of her image ripped forward smashed apart the lightning and then the manÆs saber slash without slowing and headed directly for Izzie ClaudetteÆs eyes widened in horror If that attack hit him directly

Her senses barely could keep up with the next few fractions of the second

The ground in front of Izzie cracked A disgruntled Randidly Ghosthound wearing a flour dusted apron swiped at ClaudetteÆs attack with his hand which condensed into a thicker clawed hand Her released image buckled and burned him weakened by still forcing him back

And then he was gone leaving the remaining force to crunch into IzzieÆs chest and slam him into the ground

Chapter 1789

Claudette flushed and bowed her head No matter how she attempted to distract herself she couldnÆt keep the color from rising in her cheeks The soup in front of her did nothing to alleviate her feelings of guilt I apologize once again Due to this mistake I am willing to forgo the tips that I gathered with my effort You may do with them as you wish I do not deserve them

Neveah snorted Vye and Raina too looked at each other and giggled Even the subdued young girl Delilah looked up with a hint of a smile on her face But then she glanced and Randidly and shivered before returning to her enthusiastic washing of the dishes

The group of them congregated in the back kitchen behind the soup stand made slightly cramped now that they were joined by the two figures that had resisted the spread of ClaudetteÆs image Lucifer and Clarissa Both cheerily devoured some of NeveahÆs soups as compensation for her troubles

Even as the main focus of her guilt Randidly just scratched his chin with his metal hand leaving a light dusting of flour on his face He barely even seemed to acknowledge her Claudette bit her lip wishing to get some sort of response out of him after his injury I know it is but a pittance but

ThatÆs not why we laughed Neveah interrupted while slowly shaking her head ItÆs just Randidly is notorious for never having money on him although heÆs probably the richest man in Expira ItÆs like money as a concept doesnÆt even exist to him His interspatial ring is too full of priceless treasures for individual bills

Tatiana used to give me these thick folders filled with the details of my investments Honestly it exhausted me to look at them So I gave her a Power of Attorney so she could run the whole Randidly Foundation or whatever Randidly waved the metal hand again Then he winced and looked down at his right hand Honestly what I want is not the money Just warn me next before you unleash an attack like that I took it directly on my body Which

Which you can handle Neveah said curtly prodding Randidly with a soup ladle

He rolled his eyes but he didnÆt bother to disagree Claudette forced her eyes to wander down past his elbow and flinched A thick black gash covered most of the top portion of his forearm where he had absorbed most of the force of her attack to protect that idiot Izzie Thick tendrils of desolation wiggled outward from the wound but they were being slowly beaten back by golden and emerald roots of RandidlyÆs own images

Neveah poked Randidly again You are just a sore loser

I didnÆt have time to fully manifest my own images Randidly grumbled as he eyed Neveah with a sour expression Some warning would have been nice ThatÆs all IÆm saying

You lived What else matters Lucifer chimed in earning a wide smile and a second helping from Neveah But the muscular saber user kept his head buried in his food to avoid RandidlyÆs withering glance

Claudette remained silent somewhat comforted by their casual attitude Besides that final attack was a cause for celebration in that moment she had felt the whole of her imageÆs power Her attacks before had been vague approximations of the image she and Randidly had struggled so long to create essentially efforts where ClaudetteÆs grip on her newfound power wasnÆt quite in the right place to achieve proper leverage The force that she had been able to unleash was only half of her true ability and it had still dominated those two foolish men

But then feeling threatened by the arrival of Clarissa and Lucifer Claudette had instinctively found her grip and unleashed a strike that might have leveled the Western portion of the festival grounds had Randidly not taken the brunt of the attack

Exactly how high are your Physical Defense Stats Claudette wondered The whole of her image albeit a version still unfamiliar with the newfound wholeness of her power had only left a mark on him That mark likely would have given her an advantage in a longer battle but it was vaguely frustrating that the attack she thought could level a city was just absorbed by him

The golden light shattered falling down in jagged pieces until it hit the ground and began to disintegrate Finally the figure of the intruder was revealed as he fell down into the crater and settled on top of the rubble The scaled humanoid looked around at them all blood leaking from the corner of his mouth His muscular body was bruised and exhausted but Alta was still wary their true foe was the golden specter floating behind this body

Even if they killed this fellow she somehow suspected that the golden spirit wouldnÆt be harmed And if he came back again

Alta gathered a fistful of grey destructive energy to use this opportunity to strike but suddenly a figure appeared next to her and laid a hand on her arm Wait

LucretiaÆs long lavender hair fluttered around her Compared to the grim faced group of the Pantheon who had been fighting against this foe she seemed otherworldly as the projection of the sun faded and left her bathed in starlight Lucretia took several steps forward smiling at the intruder You are strong But fighting us here with that body as an intermediary You will fail

The intruder clicked his tongue but didnÆt answer

Lucretia took another step forward Are you ready to explain why you are here We could sense your ill intent toward Randidly when you arrived that was the reason that we pulled you here for this private discussion

Randidly Hum So that is his name The intruder muttered to himself

You did not even know his name This time Azrial spoke tilting her head to the side Then why did you come here with malicious intentions And how did you come here It is difficult to believe you discovered the Alpha Cosmos accidentally

The intruder shrugged a small smile on his face It is truly this RandidlyÆs fault He has been interfering with my connections to my descendants Originally they should revere me but due to my imprisonment I had been unable to respond for generations So this Randidly superimposed himself in that connection and provided one with assistance That process woke me up from my long slumber and coincidentally I was able to escape I did not expect to find any of this The isolation this group of you The resemblance to the way we were all those years ago is uncanny

On behalf of Randidly we apologize for any insult that may have been given Lucretia said slowly But you are not welcome here IÆm sure you can meet with Randidly in the wider universe and settle accounts in the future And we assure you your people will be well protected within the Alpha Cosmos

I can see that Which is why IÆve decided to change my approach The intruder sighed and shook his head The gesture caused more blood to leak out of the corner of his mouth Then he looked down at the rubble beneath him in the base of the crater Do you know why Elhume made the decision to restrict the amount of Nether in the Nexus all those years ago

Lucretia shook her head and the intruder continued to speak flicking some of the stones beneath him with a finger Because Nether sometimes makes things unpredictable It is the energy of memory and connection When too much Nether is allowed to pool without any structure powerful natural currents form Some of those currents come in the form of unexpected associations

Alta had a bad feeling in her chest Lucretia cleared her throat perhaps sensing that same thing even more acutely So what is your new approach

The easiest way for a connection to form is a name The intruder ignored LucretiaÆs question and plunged his fingers into the dirt Then he pulled revealing a broken corpse with a spear wound at his heart The intruder grinned up at the Pantheon Casually naming a disposable piece is a mistake that we made often too in the beginning You might not know it now but you all are you not the private group of Patrons raised by Randidly Ghosthound

And suddenly I want to be a part of this Alpha Cosmos With this piece that you have named a Patron such a jump is quite simple

Chapter 1790

Alta could feel the energies swirling in the surroundings as the intruder lifted the body of the deceased Patron of the Grey and offered it them a mocking smile on his face The effect was immediate both Aether and Nether responded to whatever intent this intruder held in his wizened heart Grey lightning crackled between the broken body in his hands and the golden specter floating behind him

Lucretia pressed her lips into a thin line The forelegs of the Ancient Weaver twitched Azriel raised her spear

and the intruder tossed the corpse back down on the ground It slumped against the slope of the crater and then slid partially back toward him There was a strange fizzling and the gathering energy began to disperse Alta felt a sense of relief but strangely the look of worry on LucretiaÆs face intensified

The intruder beamed around at them all However I donÆt wish to force my way into this interesting venture as a show of good faith I will forgo this opportunity But truly you should dispose of that body With how much ambient Nether is present inside of this isolated space something will mutate onto that eventually if you simply leave it to the elements

Lucretia measured the intruder for several seconds Then she nodded slowly I understand and have received your intentions I believe I will arrange a meeting between you and Randidly Ghosthound It truly seems like you have some familiarity with what we do here

The intruder responded only with a sharp smile

With a low hum the final restrictions that lay across the Frost Matriarch shattered into motes of impotent light She rubbed her wrists looking around at the surroundings with a wistful expression Outside through the wide open archways the expanse of pristine frozen tundra glittered This place this ruse has been nice In a way I think I really grew to believe that ice possessed such a compelling natural beauty

Even if I did resent the way it preserved everything It is a bandaid nothing more When locked under ice old wounds never get the chance to heal

The Frost Matriarch took several tentative steps from her frozen throne without encountering anything else Don Beigon hadnÆt left any other restrictions on her person or in the surrounding area It seemed that the madman truly intended to leave her here for Randidly Ghosthound

That name caused her face to crease Randidly Ghosthound is it a coincidence that everything started to roll right after you arrived at the Nexus All of this conflict bubbling to the surface was always inevitable but still And that body of yours A different context warps everything even while the patterns repeat themselves I hope you make better choices in subordinates than Elhume did

The Frost Matriarch walked out of the viewing hall and down through the wide passages of her palace She moved with an arm outstretched tracing the lines of the tall frozen pillars Currently there was no need to rush Through her efforts she managed to escape the restrictions after only five hours rather than the twenty four Don Beigon intended The man was strong but his image couldnÆt truly grip her

After all the Frost Matriarch didnÆt exist

She went down a shadowed side hallway and reached a locked door She tapped a finger against the heavy metal binding inducing a rapid rust and disintegration Beyond the open door was a staircase that led down to an old chamber A breath of ancient air wafted outward and the Frost Matriarch kept her mouth tightly shut Then she descended her ice slippers tinklings against the heavy stone stairs

Her destination was the old chamber at the bottom That room with the complicated Engraving on the floor was the first construction of this entire compound This room served as the foundation

As she walked into the middle and activated the array her thoughts turned to Claudette Beigon Speaking of ironies how strange that you somehow came to me to learn how to strengthen your image I wonder if you ever noticed that the reason I could help you so much was not due to the cold you radiated but because of all the things that you hid within the depths of yourself

Bound Aether within the talisman was forcefully propelled along flows of Nether principles The shape was one of Aether filled with captured Nether This was a tool of pure unmaking

She beat her wings again tearing through the suppressing of the Engraving and ignoring the shriek of warnings behind her she knew that facility had already served its purpose She felt no qualms about leaving a mess in her wake

In the next minute she appeared above the Engraving Guild compound She licked her lips this was the portion that required the most luck She couldnÆt be sure that any powerful Nether individual here would be acting against his wishes at this moment but if anyone were

Begrudgingly she allowed her perception to spread out Her long tongue flicked out from her beak and tasted the space She smiled in pleased satisfaction as she felt someone deep within the Engraving Guild compound assembling the pieces and resources to make an attempt on the Pinnacle My my how naughty It seems the Orthodox Factions canÆt be trusted at all Nether bastard indeed

The geas flared to life as it found a target After all words were weak preserved or not

The Patron of Feathers beat her wings and slithered further downward moving past all the Nether Rituals and defensive Engravings that stood in her way In only a split second she had reached Lathis NÆGick who looked sharply up from his meditation at the arrival

Shock spread rapidly across his face He lowered his hands leaving the Nether Ritual on the table in front of them half finished Apep I cannot believe Is that really you How

The Patron of Feathers raised the small bone talisman A mysterious voice seemed to whisper in her ear reading the sinister verses off the bones and filling her head with their chaotic sounds The inscriptions were in a language that the Patron had heard before but never understood because it predated the Nexus Her skin crawled and her ears began to ring suddenly her hand was slick with sweat

A drop of liquid fell off of the trembling fingers on the bone talisman staining the dry wooden floor of LathisÆ personal workshop

Lathis realized the threat just as the six bones activated and folded him in on himself in six different ways The process was like nothing like flipping a coin in the air and not even caring which way it would land

She watched him die and then felt the concentrated fulcrum of the Nether Lattice in his body be torn in half a paper banner that accidentally ended up in the path of a bull The floor on which Lathis had been standing cracked but otherwise the room remained remarkably affected by the powerful talisman

Of course as the Nether energy supplied by the various apprentices began to sputter and fail as the Nether Lattice began to collapse alarms began to shrilly whine across the compound With the geas fading in her chests and the horrid whispers intensifying in her ears the Patron of Feathers beat her wings again and escaped that place and fled to deep space

Only the whispers followed her taking up more and more of her mind She looked grimly down at the bone talisman The various bones trembled the ill will they contained beginning to infect her The geas was gone but now she needed to pay the price for misusing the two energies

Honestly the Patron of Feathers expected something like this she had never expected that he would let her go after doing his dirty work

As the volume of the whispers rose taking small bites at the edge of her sanity the Patron of Feathers sent one last message Tell your father that itÆs almost time to wake up A change is coming For all of us

Then she shut herself off from the world and prepared for a long struggle the end might be inevitable but she didnÆt intend to go down without a fight

Chapter 1791

We have a problem

Despite himself Randidly perked up almost immediately when he received the message from Lucretia He rolled back his shoulders and rubbed off some of the flour on his hands on his apron Most of the rest of the people in the crowded kitchen didnÆt seem to notice the shift caught in some heated gossip about RainaÆs tragic dating experience in the past few months Only Neveah raised an eyebrow at him but Randidly just shook his head and left the kitchen out the back entrance

Randidly could feel that ClaudetteÆs emotions finally started to normalize So he didnÆt want to disturb

His lips quirked up as Delilah heaved a sigh of relief after he closed the door behind him He suppressed the urge to pop back in and give her some random task Are you really this scared just from hide and seek all those years ago Ah you are too fun to tease

But quickly he focused his mind and reached out for Lucretia Heat began to build in his body as he prepared for a fight WhatÆs the problem

A foreign entity managed to make it into the Alpha Cosmos He calls himself the Patron of the Sun While he is behaving now his earlier behavior leads me to believe that his is both significantly powerful and more experienced with the way that ambient Nether behaves than even we are We suppressed him but it is hard to say how long that will last