LoRG 5

However Randidly forced himself to be sharp as he raised his eyes and looked down at the cracked lowered ground that had housed the root avatar melee

So much significance had gathered in the area that black lightning crackled in the clouds overhead A strange haze hung over the remnants of the battlefield The memory shook slightly not in a way that showed it was about to collapse but rather like the surface of a pound while an engine hummed beneath the surface

Feeling exhausted Randidly stood and hopped down off of his chosen stone He picked his way across the remnants of the battlefield If anything the deeper he headed toward the center the denser the significance became Grey flames of Nether Weight hung in the air almost like torches

His skin began to tingle A frown twisted the edges of his mouth down This is strange

During the height of the battle Randidly had truly allowed things to go on autopilot He felt the shift as more and more of his emotional sea got pulled into the root avatars as the three images led their fighters against each other He had even been shaken away by a few of the powerful reverberations as the main image holders clashed

Ultimately however those three had essentially defeated each other Leaving the remnant avatars to return to their chaos fueled fight But now

A single shadowy silhouette stood in the middle of a deep crater Around the erect root avatar almost a score of its fellows lay broken and shredded to pieces by the final frenzy of violence As Randidly approached the remnants began to smolder burning away because they had been controlled with threads of Mana

You what are you Randidly asked

The silhouette raised its head and looked straight at him For a split second Randidly felt a stab of fear that the fourth emotional core exhaustion had somehow escaped the Stillborn Phoenix and come back to punish him

Yet the moment of tension passed and the avatar bowed its head Just a manifestation of yourself my liege A small fraction of your power But having us all fight like this can you feel it I discovered something inside the fighting Take it

The silhouette raised an object into the air as its body began to fall to pieces By the time the object was revealed the root avatar vanished It was a cube

RandidlyÆs pupils dilated as he watched the object begin to rotate With just a look he knew what this was It was his second to last Fatepiece with the final currently being in the possession of the freed Nether King

He was glad to have found it he had been so distracted by other concerns he hadn’t really been focusing on his Fatepieces

But why had it suddenly appeared

Chapter 2139

Randidly swayed looking at the floating cube held aloft by the humanoid form woven from thorny roots His body already hummed with acceptance Aether settling into place as he prepared to take the Fatepiece back into himself and activate it Yet he also hesitated at the unexpected situation

You brought this to me RandidlyÆs voice came out as a growl from several hours of disuse He cleared his throat and tried again Considering you are the one who won the melee it would be more appropriate if I would give you a prize warrior

Of all the reactions Randidly hadnÆt expected the root avatar to begin to laugh

A prize well I do indeed crave your approval my liege The bottom half of the avatarÆs jaw moved in an approximation of speaking even if no vocal cords existed The longer Randidly observed him the more he felt an odd sense of sickness spreading through his body As the being hesitated he felt an uncomfortable truth coming

However a prize wonÆt be necessary As for why I bring this to you it is because we are alike the cube and I Tools and remnants Destined to perish

He heard it in the distance resonating through the Nether in the area The doom Randidly had accepted into his body in exchange for power ash stalked closer with a hungry mouth and cruel fingers

RandidlyÆs heart sank as he looked down at the bits of charcoal fluttering away from its legs By the time he noticed the avatar turning to ash in spite of the presence of his Mana in the avatarÆs body it was too late Within the next few seconds most of its body disintegrated He frowned and flooded the roots with more Mana Yet Nether rolled over his Mana annihilating his attempts to stabilize the creature

You made this choice This is the sort of leader youÆve become

What do you mean Randidly demanded speaking half to himself and half to the root avatar

But he also knew he was addressing the same part of himself that had provided this Fatepiece These tools didnÆt simply spring from nothing Significance began to swirl faster around the duo And as soon as Randidly wondered why so suddenly the Fatepiece had appeared another part came forward with an answer

YouÆve finally conquered the emotional blindspots youÆve ignored for so long Maybe now you can finally handle what this Fatepiece says about you

The root avatarÆs jaw shredded itself and floated away but didnÆt prevent it from speaking We are the churned bodies the repeated patterns the discarded and forgotten servants left in the wake of the Ghosthound Fertilizer required by the Lord of the Baleful would to grow his waxing kingdom But know we do not hate you We know you have always needed us That is enough

To be useful to you was our greatest honor

The root avatar vanished It hadnÆt even left a name in its wake Feeling quite cold Randidly reached out and touched the floating cube

Congratulations You have advanced your Fateset the Paradox of the Alchemist You have obtained your fifth Fatepiece The Codex Hexahedron Lvl 1

Codex Hexahedron Although both ingenuity and fistful of madness are necessary elements for a successful Alchemist there is one area which cannot be overlooked expansive knowledge Despite the genius of the alchemist any sort of successful endeavor is ultimately determined by the surety of their foundation in the esoteric formulae Thousands of years worth of experiments hundreds of lives worth of effort and a half dozen savants weaving together the disparate insights are required to gather together the requisite understanding so the Paradox of the Alchemist could even have a shred of possibility

You have plundered worlds and absorbed them almost casually into yourself Perhaps it wasnÆt your original intention but your hunger has gathered the sweat toil and history of hundreds of civilizations The Dungeons and Danger Zones have added to that library of knowledge enriching it further Drawing in the dangerous subconscious of your worlds has afflicted you with deep emotional flaws but overcoming them has revealed equal riches beyond even the emotional power at your disposal

Humming to himself Randidly exerted his will against the Fatepiece The cube buzzed and the cubes extended further apart until it covered about the size of a basketball Randidly activated Hallucination of the Bloodless Heart and scooped up a handful of dirt He brought that dirt into the middle of the floating rubix cube and squeezed following his instincts

The Codex Hexahedron buzzed softly Then without any input from Randidly flat planes of cubes began to rotate As the Fatepiece examined the dirt invisible hands continued to adjust themselves and zero in on accurate information

Congratulations Your Fatepiece the Codex Hexahedron has grown to Level 2

Eventually the cube ceased its motions it had dug up all the available information to Randidly considering his Fatepiece Level

The dirt he examined was in fact thoroughly dirt Pulped granite with a few pinches of gypsum and some trace elements that didnÆt correspond to anything he had seen on Expira

Randidly grimaced Great now I have insight into dirt But still itÆs a bit strange that I cannot examine its significance to learn a bit about the history

No sooner did the thought appear than the Fatepiece rumbled again Little bolts of ruby energy flickered around the floating squares as the inner illumination pulsed Randidly felt an obstruction resisting his desire but now that he noticed the block he brought the whole of his Discretion of the Apostate Moirae to bear upon it

The impediment cracked and disintegrated before his concentrated effort with RandidlyÆs Stats bulldozing his way through the early levels of any System creation was childÆs play

Congratulations Your Fatepiece the Codex Hexahedron has grown to Level 3

Congratulations Your Fatepiece the Codex Hexahedron has grown to Level 7

The relatively sedate rotation of cubes on a plane was replaced by whirlwind motion as RandidlyÆs powerful Nether senses struggled to take advantage of the particular boost given to him by the knowledge hidden within the Codex Hexahedron After a headache inducing flood of unintelligible rock truth Randidly gradually received a picture of how the dirt beneath his feet had been formed

He sighed and released his examination The cube clicked several times as the rotations slowed until the object settled into the rigid superstructure of spaced silver cubes with a burning inner light now a lovely turquoise However that light dimmed and all the cubes settled together with a satisfying click

Where did all the knowledge contained in this come from I wonder Randidly muttered to himself The inert cube didnÆt answer

He tskÆd at his own behavior and stored it away in his Soulspace he could experiment more on it later He raised his hand and cracked his neck Okay a quick nap and then I just need a score more Skill Levels

RandidlyÆs head whipped around following a rapid flow of significance flowing back toward Malloon The current wasnÆt large and domineering enough to be an inflection point within the memory but something important was definitely about to happen

With a tired sigh Randidly kicked off the ground He would be late to the party but only by a few minutes

Chapter 2140

We cannot afford this Jotem forced the words out between his teeth both inwardly and outwardly miserable He inwardly cursed his luck that saw fit to bring his family member to Malloon

Across from him his UncleÆ adjusted his spectacles and gave him a rather nonplussed look Behind him sat piles of rare and opulent raw materials The finest basilisk scales gleamed on top of an ethereal bolt of cloud silk these two rare treasures now being repurposed into drapes Considering the prized daughter of the Cerulean City is waffling about whether to rent out an entire floor of our prestigious penthouse resort for a party we cannot afford not to spend this money In the end I suspect you will all be thanking me for my foresight I am aware most will be too envious of my accomplishments to admit it but I expected you wouldnÆt be this small minded After all what use truly is money

For a split second Jotem couldnÆt believe the Patron of the Deep hadnÆt drowned in the sea of bullshit in which he was swimming It took several attempts to spit his words out around the snarl that kept twisting his mouth There is simply no need to curry favor with the Ceruleans

Spoken like someone who has never drawn the ire of that damned city The Patron of the Deep observed But there was a twist to his lips that revealed a small spark of fear

JotemÆs eyes widened the fear had been unexpected but wouldnÆt be enough to explain this behavior by itself Are you appropriating our funds in order to generate goodwill for Elhume Let me assure you the Cerulean City would not be the monolith of power it is today if they could be bribed

For the first time the Patron of the Deep looked at Jotem with genuine disappointment Nephew you are oversimplifying an intricate and multi step plot To frame my actions as bribery especially when IÆm also gracing these floating islands with my singular insight and understanding of finery no I will not indulge this foolishness Besides Nether King Hungry Eye left me in charge of our discretionary funds I will simply brook no dissension not at this critical juncture

He did no such thing Jotem shook his head vehemently

And of course was ignored The Patron of the DeepÆs eyes began to glow as he turned and picked up a lavender metal ingot Speaking of which this next step in the plan is particularly important Deliver to me your recent profits so that I might set it in motion

There are no profits Jotem rubbed his eyes not even bothering to raise his diction for the simple declaration He was very very tired

The Patron of the DeepÆs face turned stormy as he whipped around What do you mean there are no profits Do you expect me to believe that with the raucous flood of bodies coming into Malloon people suddenly stopped wanting the high quality foodstuffs produced by your farm Setting aside how quickly the Ara Fruit you provide have become the gold standard for Hobfootie games

A Nether King attacked the farm Jotem replied The next crop wonÆt come in for another half a week Which wouldnÆt be a problem if you hadnÆt spent all of our cash on hand Now we just need to Hah I can ask for some allowances from merchants

Jotem The Patron of the Deep let out a long sigh and leaned back in his massive reclining chair Do you take me for a fool Nether King Hungry Eye is the Nether King Why would he attack his own farm

Strangling would be too difficult his neck is too thick Jotem reflected Stabbing would be the correct method But to answer your question yes you are a fool

There are other Nether Kings He finally managed to wheeze around his rage

The Patron of the Deep opened his mouth likely to say something that would saw its way through the rest of JotemÆs self control but several loud explosions knocked those concerns away in a flash The two origin beasts exchanged a glance and slithered through the air to the window The Patron of the DeepÆs office was located on the top floor of a building at the edge of the housing skyisland Originally he had grumbled at it being a relatively small building in comparison to most of the housing facilities

But right now the duo appreciated this particular building being built at the edge making it possible to peer out past the lip of the skyisland and down toward Malloon below

TheyÆve been setting fires to waste on CeruleanÆs doorstep for decades The Patron of the Deep sniffed some of his condescension finally breaking through his worry This field trip probably feels like a vacation

At that exact moment ivory feathers began to drift down from the sky They were almost beautiful especially when they caught the light Yet the implications of their presence were very very dangerous

JotemÆs head whipped up Faelmac Westrisser floated about fifty meters above them his face expressionless It was something of a relief when he didnÆt acknowledge them but instead raised a hand and snapped his fingers

Feathers began to fall more quickly transforming from snow flurries to driven rain His massive image had spread out so far that Jotem hadnÆt even noticed it at first His skin tingled and sweat beaded on his neck After a few moments passed it became obvious the goal of the strange precipitation

Several individuals bound in a mass of ivory feathers were pulled out of the panicking crowd and carried up to join them in the sky JotemÆs heartbeat quickened when those captured individuals stopped at the same altitude as himself and the Patron of the Deep

The seven captured people cast their heads around until they saw Westrisser Various expressions of fear contorted their faces only the leftmost insectoid figure with six eyes remained relatively self possessed likely their leader

You have damaged my property Westrisser spoke mildly but somehow his voice also spread to cover the whole of Malloon As such you will be tried I appoint myself as the single member of the tribunal May justice in Malloon ever be served

You may take our lives but weÆve spread the word An ugly looking pig creature spat to the side We are here Our cause is just Blood purity is a relic of the outer universe Here we have a chance

In my opinion as arbiter Westrisser interrupted He casually gestured You deserve to die

One of WestrisserÆs own ivory feathers detached from his wings and grew until it was as long and likely as sharp as a short sword Right as it angled itself to aim at the first speaker’s throat the leader of the insurrectionists finally raised his six eyed head Wait

WestrisserÆs eyes glittered in annoyance but he didnÆt yet attack

The leader of this group cleared his throat and attempted to sound more confident than he actually was as he spoke We have destroyed property Lord Westrisser but that is it You might have philosophical disagreements with us but your laws

Westrisser gestured The enlarged feather didnÆt move but the multitude of raining feathers spun into a funnel and forced themselves into the leaderÆs mouth Their speed was impossibly quick From the sheer amount flooding towards him the feathers must also be barging their way down his throat His eyes widened and he twisted back and forth but the feathers’ charge didnÆt abate

The individual belatedly tried to close his mouth but by then the damage was done As he began to scream Jotem couldnÆt exactly see what was causing him such pain Yet then the edges of feathers bulged and then sliced their way out through his cheeks and throat Blood spurted and dribbled out of the wounds

For a few seconds longer the leader struggled but the life drained out of his eyes

All laws Westrisser spoke coolly to the corpse Mean nothing in the face of power

Chapter 2141

Chapter 2142

Chapter 2143

Chapter 2144

Chapter 2145

The group left the city together and Randidly cast a long look over his shoulder as he passed through the gate and the bristling guards stationed there More than movement he cast around for a hint of emotion to give more context to the sudden cessation of hostilities The lack of any other hints in the air honestly made him more uneasy it seemed that the image of absence could be used in very sophisticated ways

When he turned away Randidly remained nervous and confused

His gaze wandered up to the barrier around Malloon which had just finished its slow healing of the hole the energy burst had punched in it He also noticed with some distaste that the unleashed blast had grievously wounded his own weather modulating Nether Ritual He hadnÆt targeted it in particular but many of the Scrawled pieces that held it in place had been burnt away by its passage3 Now the whole thing had begun to list sideways toward collapse Considering how long it had been active enough atmospheric pressure had built up that a massive superstorm would sweep through in the aftermath

MalloonÆs barrier would spare them the worst of it but all the refugees on the ground would be hammered into the dirt Wind and precipitation might be enough to flush all the people on his skyislands not locked down out as well

One more task to see to when he had time

Randidly glanced sideways at Demetrius who supported Jotem in their procession Yggdrasil shifted its emerald leaves rustling A wave of life energy from the image wove itself together with Animation Nova to quicken the healing process He slid a thread of energy into the Patron of the Deep as well but the half Origin Beast suffered more in the confrontation Jotem might not have received a direct blow from Westrisser but he also was so much weaker

He looked small and deflated as he was carried away barely conscious of the world around him RandidlyÆs jaw tightened

When they had passed through the entirety of the camp outside Malloon Randidly gestured slightly to Demetrius so the Nether Herald would take the wounded individual to recover on one of the skyislands

In the meantime he needed to talk more with Elhume and his group about what had happened

The other Patrons showed up quickly the Patron of the Blooms and the Patron of the Sun taking the Patron of the Deep and attempting to heal him The Patron of the Abyss and Blades both crackled with tension while Elhume simply looked down at his hands The Patron of Feathers looked ill as she simply watched the developments but Randidly also noticed that the Patron of Truth Mae Myrna also seemed strangely guilty

He filed that information away and turned to Elhume What are we missing I know that Westrisser doesnÆt want to show weakness while Nether King Bleak Sky is waiting outside of his city but considering his earlier attitude it doesnÆt make sense that he would just let us go here after we hurt his city

considering I have agreed to the bloodline ceremony perhaps he doesnÆt wish for me to back out The Patron of Feathers offered But from her tone she didnÆt believe that to be the case

ElhumeÆs eyes widened in shock and he shot her a glance apparently he hadnÆt known about this development But very quickly he shook his head His shoulders trembled hinting at a barely controlled racing heart I doubt he even considered that Cruelty is in his blood you heard him proudly sneer he had been planning to eradicate the Origin Beast line And shit he had a chance to do it That power he wielded fuck I hate feeling this weak

Randidly observed Elhume for several seconds The humanoid bit his lips trying to control his emotions Of all the lessons he learned in the memory world the strange one was how reckless Elhume seemed How human in this case meaning vulnerable Randidly could see how fighting against established monsters while also searching for clues about his son had lit a fire underneath him Yet it was the steadily rising thread of panic he felt in his behavior that made everything click

Should things come to blows we will not be easily subdued The Patron of Blades whispered His grey eyes promised violence

ArenÆt we The Patron of the Sun countered He raised his head from the Patron of the DeepÆs wounded form and released an exhausted sigh We are mighty warriors true but these are monsters They have had years to hone their powers two separate racesÆ worth of currency and rare materials to strengthen them We might be right in our beliefs but if we force this

Enough Elhume growled His eyes were bright and glassy Randidly noted We might not be strong now but we will be And you know as well as I do our plan will not work without the support of a majority of the Aether population

When will we accumulate this mystical promised strength The Patron of the Sun hissed back How Even this damned Nether King could fight you to a standstill No matter your pride who you might have been outside of the Nexus no matter what profound secrets youÆve seen

IÆm almost there ElhumeÆs expression hollowed out leaving his features hungry and desperate Soon as soon as I can get an image of a certain specificity Pah letÆs not argue about this You have a point we still have some time to narrow the gap But a more pressing issue has emerged I have heard from the Cult of the Savior the meeting location has been determined just beyond the edge into Nether lands Finally we will get some answers from them On our journey we will spar heavily We will grow

Some of the urgency of the conversation seeped out of the other Patrons replaced by something closer to concern The Patron of Blades cleared his throat This meeting I understand youÆve always believed you sensed him still alive but doesnÆt the timing strike you as too convenient We only have a few weeks until the trial it will require all that time to get out to the Nether Lands and back If you miss this grand event they will send agents after us directly They will denounce you

Elhume shook his head yet he seemed less sure than stubborn This will just be an information exchange It shouldnÆt take much time

But what if they want to move directly after the meeting The Patron of Blooms added wrinkling her nose The Cult of the Savior should not be trusted They may even be trying to cause you to miss the meeting

The breezy confidence came back to Elhume as he smiled and looked around at the group IÆm not trying to say this will be easy But after the Patron of the Deep heals we will face that challenge together We will find a way We always have

Randidly frowned at ElhumeÆs current plans He had been a bit worried things would develop like this events dragging him away from Malloon Not only did he now have enough PP to finish the next reward Path but he was also close to several other Skills reaching a Mille In addition to all that he wanted to experiment with the repurposing of Nether Rituals to empower his attacks directly If Randidly had some time to sit and train he knew he would take another step forward in power

The only question is whether ElhumeÆs right about this meeting just being an information one He took a deep breath through his nose and took a deep pull of the surrounding significance Very quickly the answer came back The threads were uninterested in ElhumeÆs journey But weirdly enough

Randidly glanced sideways at Mae Myrna who still had a strange expression on her face This whole time she hadnÆt really interjected at all More significance pooled over her and by association the Patron of Feathers than the other group The other Patrons exchanged sly grins at ElhumeÆs confident rallying of the team but those two stood outside of the shift in attitude

Randidly pursed his lips

The Patron of Truth cleared her throat There is implicit danger in splitting up the group in any scenario but IÆm in the middle of a training montage I wonÆt be able to head out with you Elhume especially if this meeting is really just a time to exchange information You should go on without me

Chapter 2146

Elhume accepted Mae MyrnaÆs announcement she would be staying even kept his good cheer when the Patron of Feathers because she was also trying to improve herself and the Patron of the Deep who swore Randidly would absolutely butcher his artistic visions for the skyislands if he left him to his own devices announced they would remain in the area around Malloon for the time being

Everyone seemed confident that so long as they made themselves scarce Westrisser wouldn’t seek them out

In a way ElhumeÆs expression seemed to ease with each announcement especially with the implication they would be hanging around Randidly at the very least several people would be here to protect the injured Patron of the Deep The group might be split but it wasnÆt an issue

His tune however changed completely when he found out the nature of her training montageÆ

You are allowing your image to be refined by Westrisser ElhumeÆs eyes widened The fury seized him a second later tightening the muscles around his jaw It can be nothing but a trap IÆm torn between whether heÆd mangle your image while you are vulnerable or plant a bomb at the heart of you but this wonÆt end well

Mae MyrnaÆs eyes filled with empathy as she looked at Elhume This is a difficult time And I am not trying to defend his integrity I think we can all agree he has thoroughly strapped on the boots of villainy But heÆs also strong Elhume After several long discussions I believe he understands how I want my image to change and is uniquely equipped to make it happen As such

He tried to kill our friend And admitted to arranging for many Elhume growled lightly reaching up and rubbing his cheeks which probably had cramped from how long he had been scowling Look I get it I also want to be stronger But this isnÆt the way We will survive just like we always have

This is my way that IÆve chosen Mae MyrnaÆs eyes narrowed Trust me Elhume I have weighed the risks They are not as dangerous as you believe

Elhume huffed out a breath through his nose as he considered her Weirdly the memory began to skitter and shudder The sensation was similar to when Randidly destabilized the memory with pressure from his Nether Core but this time it wasnÆt him causing the disturbance From the way he growled out his words it was clear Elhume didnÆt sense the sudden stutteriness of the surroundings What the hell is this about Mae

The capability to determine my own fate She replied directly Neither backed down The twitching across the memory grew worse

When did you become this desperate This might look like a shortcut but you are weakening yourself by trusting Westrisser Elhume snapped back You donÆt think I crave power too But relying on them is too risky If I if I want to have any hope of seeing Pine again we canÆt give those monsters even a sliver of access Because they will twist and burn everything to the ground

If it is desperation to realize how close we walk to the precipice of death then maybe MaeÆs eyes flashed with genuine irritation And you waltz into a meeting with the Savior Cult and yet have the gall to question why I Ha Okay fine You know what it is IÆve understood conceptually we have only survived by relying on each other and you but recently IÆve realized how much itÆs always been you You swinging your fists and playing the hero on your journey to save your mythic sun

RandidlyÆs attention was dragged back from the weird behavior of the memory around them by Mae jabbing her thumb at his chest The one time we acted alone we got in deep shit with WestrisserÆs people We needed a stranger to help us And you know what I was thinking right before he arrived I hoped you would be the one to show up I was weak And IÆm tired of it Elhume IÆm tired of relying on someone else Maybe this is reckless but I trust my instincts And they are telling me that training with Westrisser will work Let me go now and I will return with the confidence to back you up We can save your son

There is no shame in needing help sometimes Mae ElhumeÆs expression softened Yet the emotion radiating out from his expression was pity I would not have you make bargains of yourself for my sake

The Patron of Truth schooled her expression into a mask of disinterest IÆve said my piece Elhume Trust me I have things under control It is not as dramatic as you want it to be This is simply a transaction

It makes some sense If I hadnÆt intervened Jotem would have died and the Patron of the Deep would have rushed to Malloon for vengeance Westrisser gets the justification to attack him earlier but he escapes with a deep wound The group flees and regroups elsewhere Mae Myrna doesnÆt encounter Westrisser again until much later

Randidly resisted the urge to look back over his shoulder Hard to tell what exactly it is though But since the contents of the discussions were similar shit I really have no idea

His mind continued to turn the possibilities over and over again but he hadnÆt made much headway by the time he made it back The only detail he noted was the Patron of Borrowed referred to methodsÆ of Westrisser Based on what Randidly knew about the context these methods and the implied price in Nether King bodies were very likely the reason that Nether King Bleak Sky had been sent out against him

If he could he should try to uncover what sort of experiments drew the ire of Wyndaos

Randidly found his farm much as he left it beginning to heal from the earlier battle here He released a pulse of Animation Nova to accelerate the healing of the farm and sat down to meditate For the moment he pushed the strange interaction of Nether out of his mind and focused on himself

When he felt recovered he opened up his Path Menu Randidly Ghosthound grinned Looks like IÆve caught up Don Beigon

Congratulations You have completed the Achieving a Mille III Path Although the amount of time you have spent pursuing your route to the Pinnacle has been short you continue to rapidly accrue achievements It is not an easy Path you have chosen either but one of immense complexity and power shaped now by your unique capabilities and intentions As you reinforce the foundational pillars of your method the path forward grows more even Beyond even your Skills new avenues of advancement open up to you Your understanding influences every movement Dedication becomes a familiar tool its worn handle fitting well into your palm

Such a tool is necessary for what comes later

Yet do not mistake your current improvements for narrowing the gap between yourself and the Pinnacle Your power grows Your Path firms Yet it is not distance that separates you from true control but a barrier of your own design Until you locate and reach across that gap the Path leads ever onward

Congratulations All regenerations +1000 Your understanding of Skills deepens The effect of GhosthoundÆs Proficiency slightly increases

Congratulations You are the second fastest to finish the Achieving a Mille III Path Due to your speed you have earned an extra reward All Stats +100

Randidly narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the Path completion notification First because of the not so subtle prodding from the text stating that while this would increase his power it didnÆt help him reach toward the Pinnacle And second because again someone else had reached the Path before he did Considering his own meteoric rise he was having some difficulty swallowing that fact

But I guess there have been billions even trillions of individuals before me Randidly mused He looked down at Sulfur palm where the spot of exhaustion still lingered He felt the weight of all the negativity from those lives only in just his Alpha Cosmos the way they lingered and affected him as he clenched his fist

For a few seconds he simply flexed his hand bearing that weight His emotions seethed inside of him His new Stats and regenerations settled across his body Then he released it and relaxed He let out a low breath

Then with a different focus than he had previously he began to train

Chapter 2147

Blood pumped through her ears Her body was hot The massive freshly finished stadium hummed with noise as the audience screamed out all their passions at the Hobfootie players struggling below

Congratulations Your Skill Vicious Strike (Un) has grown to Level 121

DevickÆs fist cracked into the apeÆs jaw Blood spurted out of its broken nose and it took a half step backward Still the bastard had about sixty pounds on her and wouldnÆt go down easy even after the grueling match so far he remained unshakable Her eyes flicked down to the Crusher held in his hands and weighed her options Ultimately she decided to risk it Ssince the Miracles had seized the lead ten minutes into the Hobfootie match the opposition became increasingly targeted at eliminating her specifically

Bah let them try Devick allowed the song of strife its sweet song in her blood Instead of attempting to knock away the ball she kicked the side of the apeÆs knee and then brought her knee against his face Any scrap of solid cartilage remaining in its nose shattered LetÆs make this glorious

Across the field Toll boomed the oblong ball up into the air with all his strength

Another one of the opposition attempted to spear tackle her as she turned away but DevickÆs body reacted to the threat She felt like she was dancing swaying just beyond his reach and positioning herself in position to catch the ball and score Before focusing upward she glanced around and found the Arakis Beast crept closer but was far enough away she didnÆt need to worry about its sudden rush quite yet

Still the attention of the entire field seemed to be on her She practically stood in a spotlight The crowdÆs cheers were for her

The other crusher whipped past her rustling her clothes Behind her the failed tackler had his lower back shattered by the projectile She shot a bemused glance at the grim faced Jawem Even now while they dominated the Hobfootie match Jawem refused to actually enjoy the playing

Privately Devick believed he would be a much better player if he would just loosen up a little He insisted on revealing his inherent unlikability

She glanced upward The oblong ball spun down toward her position Yet at the last second her instincts began to tingle with the thrill of danger Like a suspicious spirit in the presence of a priest she ghosted backward the front of her uniform singed by a spurt of orange flames

To her surprise the broken nosed ape hunched over with a singed palm extended in her direction Devick thought she caught a flicker of lime green light from the apeÆs eyes but whatever illumination it might have been was smothered by the next blast of orange fire Devick spun sideways out of the way and the ape growled

It forced itself to its feet and pressed both palms together A large amount of fire gathered in a massive ball in its palms DevickÆs lips twisted Are you kidding me How the hell do you have enough Mana for this

Why did we have no information about a walking fireworks factory

She skipped backward positioning herself right under the oblong ball The apeÆs eyes blazed as he unleashed the firebomb But rather than catching the oblong ball as it passed waist heigh Devick whipped her leg around and kicked it The sharp redirection shot the ball directly over the sizzling flames and knocked it against the bloody remnants of the apeÆs face

The blast sizzled past without hitting anything Which was good because you lost quite a bit of points if the ball was destroyed while in your possession

Devick saw Jawem who had walked some of the way down the raised bridge with the rest of the team but began loitering to listen in on their conversation narrowing his eyes

Devick raised a hand and fanned herself She tried to display the due amount of concern one should have for the truth they were being targeted but it was really hard to feel anything around the massive surge of delight she felt from this proof the Nether King had observed the match and worried about her safety She tried to focus on that delight and not the insistent eel tightening around her windpipe Raising a hand she gracefully fanned herself with her fingers Truly it is a curse to be this charismatic Everyone wants a piece of Devick

She viciously strangled away a grin but unfortunately the left side of her mouth quirked up Devick coughed lightly to hide the twitch and shot the Nether King a look of mounting worry and maidenly dread Her acting as always was superb That is I hope you arenÆt attempting to insinuate that in a similar manner I should allow you to puppet me That simply

At the end of the bridge Jawem twitched Devick took a breath to swallow the insane and dangerous eagerness she had at the thought of her body wrapped in his solid power and spoke firmly

cannot be even considered Her voice squeaked a little at the end She admitted that perhaps her statement was as much for herself as it was for him

The Nether King quirked an eyebrow at her in a manner that implied he had followed the entirety of her thought process and was bemused by the veering insanity he found there To be so casually seen through set her aflame made her hungry for more for more proof of their connection of their natural understanding

Unfortunately the Nether King was quite the tease He spoke without touching upon that shared moment at all Just be on the lookout for another such instance The Skill used was pretty interesting but limited in that the user would only be able to activate Skills she has learned herself Ah thatÆs the other thing Normally I would have just taken care of the problem myself but He grimaced even I would hesitate to touch her so long as it only seems like a diversion Because you can handle a whole lot more than a fire sneezing ape

Devick worshipfully no thankfully she corrected herself received the compliment But she didnÆt miss the small wince in his expression Only a few individuals existed that would give the Nether King pause From there a name naturally unfolded

Larson Cerulean Devick said lightly SheÆs the one who did the puppeting

The Nether King nodded Just be careful She seems like the type of bully that will escalate things Honestly well my priorities have shifted a bit If that conflict comes to a head donÆt endanger your life I no longer need to maintain the popularity of the skyislands

With that and a small wave the Nether King departed Devick stood completely still watching his departure A tremor ran through her body as she walked back through the Nether KingÆs words

He didnÆt need her help any longer His priorities changed

All that joy in her chest became cloying frigid suffocation The long tongue of the frigid eel unrolled smug and triumphant However she rewound the conversation and emphasized different parts of his statements Larson Cerulean threatened her The Nether King would rather she remain safe than continue to win the high seed for the Hobfootie tournament

Between her safety and likely happiness and the point differential happiness was more important

Some of the warmth returned Yes this was a much more acceptable way of looking at things

You dumb bitch Devick said cheerily She pivoted on her heel and skipped across the bridge beginning to plot a suitable way to punish Larson Just when Hobfootie started to become a bit predictable Hehe

Chapter 2148

After warning Devick of the meddling from the Cerulean girl Randidly returned back to the farm He paused at the edge and looked back toward the city Despite his curiosity about what would happen at ElhumeÆs meeting he felt confident remaining here Significance continued to pool above Malloon specifically at the location where Mae Myrna and the Patron of Feathers were staying for their training

With false cheer in her voice Mae had informed Randidly they would come to visit when they had the chance Also she extended an invitation for him to come into the city and join them However returning seemed like a pointless risk while the area near WestrisserÆs capitol building was undergoing repairs Better let any lingering aggression bleed off for a few more days

Which also prevented Randidly from making any headway on figuring out what weird methods Westrisser had used to draw the ire of Wyndaos but he wasnÆt in a rush to ferret out that truth Plus he assumed the answers would come out on their own eventually

He had warned Devick because he had felt the tingle of malicious intent in the puppeteering although he wouldnÆt mention that to her despite the relative naivete of the current Devick it was hard to predict how she would react if she knew the princess of Cerulean City plotted against her Randidly hadnÆt met the daughter of the soon to arrive Fatia Cerulean himself but just sensing the bundle of cruelty and power within their most ornate viewing box taught him all he needed to know

Perhaps she was to him what he was to Westrisser and Bleak Sky DidnÆt seem like a genuine threat but strong enough she would be a real headache to kill

For now while whatever is the next important event in the memory is building in Malloon I need to take advantage of the chance to improve myself Randidly released a slow breath He headed back to his room and began his meditation These old monsters whatever plans Bleak Sky Westrisser and the Cult of the Savior are concocting IÆll need to be able to survive in the area around the dangerous events Or at the very least I need to master my own abilities enough to support Elhume and his group

So in the three days since the clash against Westrisser Randidly had thrown himself fully into sharpening the knives at his disposal In the mornings he refined and utilized a brutalizing Nether Ritual designed to hone his physical body Sulfur and Acri enjoyed the tingling strain as he moved through spear strikes Sweat beaded across his brow and dripped down off the tip of his nose as he thrust and swept and spun and settled

Even now will all of his Stats steadily creeping up toward two thousand he didnÆt think this was the limit of his body With eyes grimly forward he tightened his grip on AcriÆs shaft and thrust again The weight of the spot on his left palm tingled but he ignored it Having shattered the shackles of the System with an inner source of energy that would not run out he wanted to see what lay at the end of this Path

There was an unfortunate interruption in that process at the end of the first morning apparently the Nether Ritual released a low hum that resonated with an underground aquifer hollowed out the surrounding ground and created a sinkhole and then collapsed half of the farm into a massive cavern However Randidly felt relatively sure the new foundational Engraving he built around the Nether Ritual would contain the radiation

It did irk him to have destroyed the farm for a second time But Randidly tried not to dwell on that too much

In the afternoons he settled into a mostly meditative state to think about refining his images and also purifying the emotional sea he had inherited from the Alpha Cosmos While he had claimed those emotions for his own they still possessed lingering traces of the individuals who had spawned those violent emotions Small variances prevented a cohesive emotional force from being forged which made hitting and holding the correct emotional notes a fraught business

For several hours he sat and breathed and tried to capture the different aspects of his images drawn in vehement emotions Protectiveness and steady growth for Yggdrasil Fear of misunderstanding and overwhelming desire to surpass limitations from the Stillborn Phoenix A wild desire to survive and a rather straightforward rankling at even the slightest hint of outside influence

In the evenings he cooked Sometimes for just himself and Bogart but the Patron of the Deep had somehow sniffed out the fact Randidly was cooking bringing Demetrius and Jotem along as escortsÆ

Randidly smiled through the meals allowing some inner part of him to relax in the process of making even if ancillary conversation was swiftly devoured by the Patron of the DeepÆs ego

Then as night fell and the dinner guests departed Randidly called out and summoned Neveah to work on another strength he had allowed to go unimproved for far too long They called it the energy games a slightly tongue in cheek moniker that Neveah used to smooth over RandidlyÆs feathers when she absolutely crushed him five times in a row on the first night

Really Randidly Neveah did her best not to gloat but her cheeks kept twitching with the repressed smile ItÆs just a game Is there any reason to take it so personally

The game was rather simple They would set a desired result and then compete to more successfully accomplish it using different methods Sometimes they chose antagonistic goals drag the boulder across your line while sometimes they selected more general tasks like generating as much cold as you could with only a minute to set up

After the final loss Randidly had regarded his smug Soulbound companion with all the sourness of a squirrel with lemons in both cheeks If we were both competing in Engraving patterns I would get you absolutely bludgeoning me over and over again But you Engrave while I create a Nether Ritual How the hell do you keep winning

Neveah clicked her tongue I almost hesitate to say this because youÆve never been very good at letting go But youÆve pretty much abandoned Engraving to a lesser degree and understanding Aether Meanwhile I donÆt have your natural deftness with Nether but IÆve been following your discoveries rather closely I understand both sides while you really only get one

Still Randidly growled but Neveah held up a hand

Let me demonstrate Our first task involved the boulder yes No time limit just fueled with raw power You considered it a tug of war you crafted the Nether Ritual to counter me to overcome my force It was an elegant Nether Ritual beyond a doubt However did you ever pause and look at my Engraving

In a few quick strokes Neveah sketched it out After looking at the Engraving really understanding its purpose his expression worsened this was designed to push and lightly

You crafted a prayer to overcome me Some of that smugness flickered across NeveahÆs face So I let you In the temperature challenge most of my Engraving was designed to prevent yours from functioning only a small portion would affect the temperature All the other energy games were similar I didnÆt try for the task I could predict how you would approach the problem and countered that Because I understood the way both Aether and Nether works

And so Randidly reached up and rubbed the bridge of his nose I study

You study Neveah confirmed At least with me but there is a reason your most problematic emotional core was exhaustion

Chapter 2149

Meeting adjourned Westrisser rumbled out His face displayed no movement even when words passed through his lips His cruelty held his expression to the austere limits of harshness He didnÆt even seem to blink although those eyes swiveled across the shifting bodies to one target in particular Swacc remain We have much to discuss

Undersecretary Swacc remained seated as the rest of the council scurried out of the room Most of the rest of the Council were there as figureheads possessing even less power than he WestrisserÆs ire had smothered them all Swacc sat up straighter in his seat keeping his own face blank It would not do to seem snide or smug during this conversation despite the fact he had fought tooth and nail to prevent the insidious Nether King from influencing Malloon No Swacc readied himself to be gracious in victory Him being proven right was no real accomplishment for him but rather an indictment of the Nether

Worst of all their common foe still lurked around the cityÆs edge

You are a man of cunning Westrisser grunted out when the two were alone in the hall The words echoed casting long shadows in the empty room Undoubtedly you have made careful arrangements to hack at his capabilities for the past few weeks You may now bring these ploys out into the open Officially Malloon will take no stance on such actions but you otherwise have free rein Make Nether King Hungry Eye bleed for what he has done Prove your worth

Swacc licked his lips He felt anticipation but Westrisser reserving official action from Malloon meant he had to find a way around a very large headache to legitimately threaten the Nether King

With the destruction of the main thoroughfare of commerce individuals were flocking to the two skyislands Even some of the upper class of Malloon made the rip out to take advantage of the novel shopping and architecture but also to indulge in the so called spasÆ the Nether King offered The methods of massage and cleansing products were not unknown to Swacc but the sheer variety of products Hungry Eye came up with was somewhat intimidating And the individualized temperature and lighting controls for every room proved to be a luxury to which these individuals very quickly grew accustomed When they returned to the city proper they had made increasingly pointed inquiries about how soon they could expect similar amenities

Already you could see the Nether KingÆs insidious touch on the streets by looking at the fashion Individuals with strange haircuts and exotic dresses with slanted hems Lizard races with each individual scale polished and every fifth scale painted an exaggerated color Headdresses of stately feathers provided to elderly Peregrine Serpents who now molted more quickly than their feathers returned

Lord Westrisser if I might offer a suggestion why not insist the Nether King give up control of the skyislands Swacc began We might still allow the choice of vendor up to a point but if we could make the restocking periods difficult and edge out the competition

Swacc clicked his jaws shut Westrisser gave him a withering glance This is why you remain an Undersecretary Do you know what my most senior engineer told me when he examined the Engravings on the skyislands That we should cede control over MalloonÆs defensive barrier to a Nether King as a means to revise our entire defensive structure The idea is horried but I trust this man That is how far ahead the Engravings of Nether King Hungry Eye are Even if we could enforce the transfer of control I doubt it would be simple What could we do if the Nether King set down his skyislands a far distance away and announced Malloon would now be in control The population on the skyislands would be stuck so long as we attempted to master the Engravings Which may take years

then we call for an expert in Engravings Swacc added To assist in the transition

Westrisser waved a hand I have made inquires However it isnÆt feasible in the short term Consider this a test Swacc You have proved able enough at functioning with a tight framework of twisting your allies and enemies to your benefit yet this out of framework Nether King has handed you nothing but defeats If you cannot overcome this foe Undersecretary will be all the higher you rise

The raptor construct leader was three meters of blackened metal framework and wafting gouts of blue energy somewhere between flame and smoke It had no flesh just coiling anarchistic trios of the strange substance that served as its bones These coiling trios ended in large bony feat and three taloned hands as well as a massive dinosaur skull that sat atop the whole construct Swacc always found the torso to be the most unnerving because the long and powerful limbs were connected by only a single twisted pillar of a spine that held everything in place

The spine held the rest of the body aloft borrowing more posture from anthropomorphic than the raptors for which the race was named The pulsing seething blue energy that drifted out from his body helped add heft to his middle where the energy was the densest but it gave the strange impression of the raptor construct being starving

A starving raptor construct was the nightmare of the entire Aether lands and probably half of the Nether territories It had been a hundred years since a Cerulean had to fight personally but no one underestimated this monster

My lead engineer is currently penning a masterwork treatise regarding the benefits and limitations of the current energy conversion framework specifically in regards to the polluted exhaust it produces Westrisser responded smoothly It is an early draft but pushes some very interesting theories

Ah one of the Yuuyins yes A capable enough people but unimaginative Give him time to reinforce his arguments no need to sour my outlook with disappointment too early Perhaps he will surprise me with good sense CeruleanÆs voice sounded surprisingly gentle a scholar rather than a soldier Swacc didnÆt believe this for even a moment Cerulean pivoted Well thatÆs neither here nor there Elhume has requested a delay in his trial Faelmac ah wait who is this

The domineering raptor construct tilted his bare skull to the side seemingly noticing SwaccÆs presence for the first time Swacc opened his mouth to respond but found a seeping lassitude ensuring further movement was difficult Weirdly Swacc only felt a bleary confusion at the shift Struggle seemed like an impossibility With a leaden tongue he licked his lips and tried to get his bearings His eyes moving in such slow motion even he could perceive widened as Fatia Cerulean blurred across the room and came to tower over him As it breathed blue energy whispered out between its bone teeth

Despite the impediment SwaccÆs blood ran cold at CeruleanÆs words

For someone of your inferior pedigree perhaps my treatment of YuuryinÆs rough thesis wasnÆt enough to deduce my abhorrence for disappointment To save you from your own tongue IÆve ensured you will remain silent Anyway my examination of you would uncover more truths than you probably even know about yourself You are welcome for this courtesy

When the slowing spell finally left Swacc a panting mess the Raptor Construct didnÆt even acknowledge him He spoke lightly to Westrisser A being without the requisite spine to ever be first in anything Yet capable enough to organize the rabble while the demands of true leadership requires his betters to handle business elsewhere An apt servant with potential

For the second time The towering beingÆs gaze swiveled back to Swacc It was not a Skill this time that smothered his tongue but rare fear The jaws of the dinosaur skull stretched into a hungry look of amusement Begone little servant What comes next is not for your ears

Barely able to breathe Swacc stumbled out of the room Before he left however he caught WestrisserÆs eye A flicker of amusement shone out The same smile that originally he had assumed had been some sort of approval Now it revealed itself as mocking For Swacc had chosen this bargained for this forced this

The door closed in his face He slunk off pouring all of his bruised pride and ego into ways to take this slight out on Nether King Hungry Eye

Chapter 2150

Randidly you are being petty Neveah said rather drily She considered her Soulbound companion squatting with an Engraved bar across his shoulders and grimacing as the veins in his neck began to throb with his stifled effort The beginnings of a Nether Ritual swirled listlessly around his ankles but her own Engraving across the wooden bar kept anything concrete from manifesting She sniffed loudly for good measure Just concede IÆve already succeeded in overcoming your attempts and forged a closed system Unless you believe you can pick up the entire fabric of this memory world with your physical body you are just torturing yourself

If picking up the entire world is what it takes Randidly rocked from one foot to the other adjusting his stance Then the muscles of his legs midsection and shoulders bulged as he attempted to force the wooden bar upward A body against an entire world Then I will do it

ThatÆs impossible Neveah said However she had to admit she wasnÆt quite sure after all this was a woven memory

Randidly just chuckled in response

Neveah made a show of turning away and producing a rather lurid romance paperback loaned to her by Tatiana but her attention didnÆt waver from Randidly Again and again his body flexed and then relaxed failing to overcome her Engraving

She had to admit it was a rather inspired working The details were an esoteric extrapolation Neveah had made from observing some of the world stateÆ images of the Second Cohort After creating this Engraving several flaws occurred to Neveah which limited its effectiveness in real world situations But once installed it became impossible for Randidly to straighten fully with the bar on his shoulders

The world wouldnÆt allow it

However his stubbornness and the increasingly ominous swirl of Nether Ritual around his ankles was only a meager third of the reason for her continued observation A hidden observation but it only worked because he wouldnÆt have his attention turned outward No the lionÆs share was due to the vicious struggle that had ensued while Neveah had forced her Engraving upon the wooden bar She had very nearly lost

Randidly grunted in a rather unflattering way next to her Neveah rolled her eyes wishing all the teenagers at Kharon Academy dreaming of catching up to the Ghosthound could see this side of him

The chosen task for this energy game had been a simple bet as to whether Randidly could stand straight up with the wooden bar on his shoulders but only after ten minutes had passed from the start of the game So the first confrontation had been a rather direct clash of Aether and Nether to affect the wood Randidly had the easier task running interference and simply preventing her from accomplishing anything but he still caught Neveah entirely by surprise when he had seen through and demolished all her first attempts to secure an easy victory with incisive ribbons of Nether

Neveah didnÆt necessarily feel surprised just resigned Tricks and abilities she had used previously to beat him he had now memorized Those without true substance he had plotted against and could break with just a sharp flare of Nether Over five days of a dozen competitions every night Randidly had gone from rather inept enough to lose against her when she used Nether to forcing Neveah to spend part of her day thinking up new methods to keep him at bay during their nightly competitions

In this case she had created the outline of a half dozen different arrays to apply floating them in the air around her When he focused on defending against any specific one she would pivot and attempt to exert a different one upon the bar behind his back Nether naturally possessed more flexibility than Aether but Randidly firmly stuck to a solid foundation and only managed one Nether Ritual at once Which meant he was scrambling to keep up

The smile eventually vanished but because it had grown old and died not because she had been defeated

Now she sat through an hour of pointless struggle Or what should have been a pointless struggle But the stirrings of Nether around his ankles grew increasingly demanding Surge after surge came as he flexed his body the energy first running through his limbs and heart before unleashing it The circulation through his body added an extra surge of momentum each time more and more efficiency in the rising Nether Ritual

ItÆs more than that though Neveah observed HeÆs honing some aspect of the Nether Ritual Perhaps what can be most aptly described as faith The more he throws himself against an impossible task like this the more he can disassociate the need to have a solid plan for Nether when he utilizes it HeÆs using me to break a habit

as always Randidly your recklessness will mean I am in for long nights of fretful waiting up for you But I understand what you are doing In the short term not needing to have a sure possibility of success might mean you smash your head against a foe stronger than yourself without accomplishing anything But you take a longer view than that

What if this underlying belief of yours can incorporate the weight of the sea of emotions you possess What if you believed with the entire force of the Alpha Cosmos at your back A universeÆs worth of faith

After releasing a steaming breath Randidly adjusted his footing one more time Water vapor continued to radiate up from his muscular form He flexed his muscles and exploded The swirling Nether Ritual at his feet had grown slightly darker She wasnÆt sure if it was her imagination or not but it seemed to her senses that the Engraving had to shine just a bit more brightly to maintain itself

Another breath another shift another explosion of force The wood audibly groaned The surging Nether Ritual circled his feet scoring a small ditch around where he stood

Neveah couldnÆt suppress a shiver but there was a pleasure in the motion too Because he might be a monster but Randidly Ghosthound was hers

In the end that was the first official draw of the energy games simply because the wooden beam eventually imploded after being ground down so thoroughly by the posturing of two such stubborn individuals

Neveah gathered up as many of the splinters as she could knowing Sam would pay well for any material that had been so thoroughly soaked in both Aether and Nether of the quality the two Soulbound were utilizing

Her mood cheered somewhat when she defeated Randidly in the next two energy games Much to her chagrin however the fourth she lost

The rest of the night ended up being four more draws and a loss for Neveah

Chapter 2151

On the morning of the ninth day of this relative peace Randidly received a handwritten note from Mae Myrna He sat in the renovated kitchen of the farmhouse with light filtering through the wide windows sipping at the heavily lemoned ice tea which Jotem was now addicted His fingers traced the curling letters oddly touched by the note even if he felt uneasy at the message

Dear Nether King

IÆve been feeling quite strange lately after allowing Westrisser to help me tune my image Powerful I believe but some of that seems to be turned inward in an unpredictable manner I do not believe Westrisser would be purposefully malicious he seemed to take the bond of pupil and teacher very seriously showing no deviation in the process or goal even after you and Elhume destroyed a neighborhood Yet it also strikes me that he is not infallible

The Patron of Feathers canÆt quite put her finger on the source of the deviation but I suspect its because Westrisser has been teaching me Nether principles to incorporate into my image There is a dangerous resonance in matching Aether with Nether even hastily

I always knew we had encountered each other for a reason perhaps this difficult is it I know you possess quite a working understanding of Aether as well Please could you spare some time to come to Malloon and investigate the strangeness in my image

I feel poised above a cliff It is not in my nature to hesitate long but the consequences of moving hastily give me pause

Mae Myrna

Randidly methodically folded the letter and stored it within an interspatial ring It served as an obvious call to action Chewing on his lip thoughtfully he went to the window Truth be told he didnÆt want to draw attention to himself yet Elhume and most of the Patrons remained abroad Word had spread throughout Malloon and the surrounding areas that Fatia Cerulean had arrived in the city The ominous truth of this news was that Randidly didnÆt sense anything different Perhaps because of the second Aether powerhouse in the city Nether King Bleak Sky had also made himself scarce

Randidly twisted his lips On the one hand he worried this was a trap On the other all he had to do was look at the skies above Malloon to see the chaotic whirlpool of significance beginning to congregate Based on the rabid energy discharge from the significance and the tremors running through the memory that no one else seemed ot feel something was coming His Nether Core revved in his chest but it did little to stabilize the memory

And when he looked at the whirlpool for a long time he noticed a jerkiness he had only seen once before in that strange little monologue by the Patron of the Borrowed Something that hadnÆt happened in the real version of events was about to happen or the memory was trying to correct itself There was a strain on the memory associated with this but not as much as Randidly had experienced a few times before

Randidly licked his lips The other possibility something within the memory is happening too early due to my interference

After a few seconds of hesitation Randidly shook his head I still think we are too early to begin thinking about integrating Aether and Nether Maybe after I see more Nether Kings of the past in action

Not that Neveah shook her head Her eyes were firm I want to begin the process of receiving formal Phaea from individuals in the Alpha Cosmos Not everyone but en mass IÆm thinking of tying it to enrollment in Kharon Academy now that it has soundly marked its capability above the other imitation schools that have sprung up on Expira

Randidly wondered about the story behind NeveahÆs confidence in Kharon Academy but knew it was likely a distraction for another time Still he hesitated His mind turned over the process and possibilities I can see the use but it would be a weight against me now We could do a few trial runs to ascertain whether Classes or Levels impact the burden on the body but too many bodies will affect even me

You forget our greatest advantage Neveah chided her eyes crinkling To your credit I think you never wish to give to others burden you could bear But we are not separate entities just separate manifestations of an allied stubbornness

Randidly blinked You want to handle the burden of the Phaea and just feed me the power

My body is not so overwhelming as yours but IÆm stronger than anyone else in the modern Nexus Neveah justified She stretched out an arm and splayed out her fingers I didnÆt notice it at first but your evolved Stats are beginning to filter across to me Slowly they grow and I think their ends will be different but my Control recently morphed into SentinelÆs Watchfulness a Rare Stat I expect it will continue to climb with the physical Stats soon to follow Besides I donÆt fight like you do The extra weight will just add extra gravitas to me in my day to day activities

RandidlyÆs lips quirked up at the attempted humor but already Nether stirred in his chest in response to her suggestion After a beat of consideration he shook his head In theory itÆs a good idea But even if we are Soulbound thatÆs not how Nether works History and connection significance and faith Cheating the burden like this will probably lessen the well of power I siphon If we dodge the price the benefit wonÆt bother to show up

Then we split the burden Neveah countered And from the familiarity of the words Randidly realized this had been her aim the entire time

He pursed his lips You could have just asked for this from the start But why do you think the Phaea is so important The power we would gain from them would probably be very slow in coming Perhaps even so slow it wonÆt have accumulated enough by the time I finish in the memory and head back to the Nexus proper

Because I donÆt think the use of Phaea comes from that power but from the channel that brings it Neveah said She shrugged her shoulders You have been putting out fires for so long you might not have even recognized when certain areas become abruptly less incendiary But since youÆve received the Phaea of Demetrius the subconscious horrors of the Alpha Cosmos havenÆt shown any sign of condensing around another of your flaws The power just pools around that channel Eventually it will again become problematic but not if we create more channels And we shouldnÆt forget that we donÆt understand the roles of the different Nether types very well

Phaea might be part of an entirely other sort of scaffolding Randidly hummed to himself as he picked up on her point His Nether Core hummed back in confirmation This time he accepted her suggestion

A few hours before noon he set off for Malloon to answer the Patron of TruthÆs call for help Meanwhile Neveah returned to within his Alpha Cosmos earning a few grumbling shudders from the memory Deep within his body more Phaea would be soon given Although he did not know exactly what lay on the Path he walked toward becoming a true Nether King

Chapter 2152

Demetrius felt a tug on his instincts and followed them setting down the correspondence in his hand Despite the relative lack of Nether he carried within his body no perhaps because of it he needed to heed the nudges of meaning As always he was rewarded for his willingness to listen He waited at the edge of the farm when his chosen Nether King strode past its edge the set of his lordÆs spine announcing he rode to battle

IÆd like to accompany you if I may Demetrius spoke quietly despite the informality of their usual interactions He couldnÆt help himself his instincts responded to a shift in the Nether King The air around him had grown heavy

It was not right to say this being polluted the environment but the sort of energy he produced did tend to stain

Nether King Hungry Eye nodded shortly and Demetrius fell in behind him The Nether King used his strange images to wrap a bubble of gravity around the two that accelerated their movements beyond what should be possible Single steps crossed vast distances bringing them within sight of the sprawling markets outside of Malloon in about three minutes

Around that time of the arrival Demetrius finally sniffed out why the impression of the Nether King had begun to shift His eyes widened as he stared at his liegeÆs back You have begun accepting additional Phaea

Now that Demetrius knew what to look for he could feel the signs The stability in the weave around the Nether King A certain gravity in movements that hadnÆt been there previously as Hungry Eye grew used to the drains of rule Yet once Demetrius started paying attention to the right things he grew only more confused

Unable to keep his silence Demetrius cleared his throat you are gaining additional Phaea even now Which should be impossible since I stand beside you and see no oaths being given I would caution you to not take the process of Phaea lightly if you believe you have some manner of generation false Phaea it will not be without consequences In addition you should accept each personally The connection is quite important to the process

Nether King Hungry Eye flashed the half smile he used when he felt genuine surprised amusement I am not just making up shades to create Phaea Demetrius And although I might not be there in person my agent is the woman I trust most in the world The connection will be there

They must also be beings of sufficient Nether Demetrius couldnÆt help but add hating how much he felt like he was nagging The accumulation of energy around Hungry EyeÆs body seemed to be balanced but logic dictated it could not be that simple

Hungry Eye nodded in understanding still walking forward and eating up the distance to Malloon We are being careful

Probably little could have given Demetrius more worry than the pronoun we from a Nether King but his further worries were squashed by arriving before MalloonÆs gates Individuals flowed rather freely in and out of the buzzing barrier but that flow of bodies slackened as two individuals in distinctive black robes appeared right in front of the cityÆs mouth The guards blanched in surprise hands tightening around their weapons Speakers strangled off their sentences midway through appalled at their sudden presence

Demetrius felt a flash of pity for the guards if they were fool enough to try and stop Hungry Eye but in this case fear saved them from ruin They froze without being able to respond to his presence simply static while their boogeyman glanced around

To his credit Nether King Hungry Eye walked through their midst without smugness Demetrius followed passing through the barriers Near the city he caught other scents of meaning Being here was dangerous for them right now although the why was not exactly clear On the other side of the barrier an orcish guard in a much more ornate armored robe stood with a straight back and a glaive clenched tight against his side

What the hell is this Demetrius hissed out the words before he could stop himself

As though the dank and twisted energy had sensed his words several flows twisted around and rushed in DemetriusÆs direction Even as he flinched and took a step back Hungry Eye interposed himself and waved a hand A humming wave of Nether smashed back the flows

Across from them Mae Myrna grimaced at the collision Blood began to ooze from her lips

Release the grip you have on your image Hungry Eye said His sharp emerald eyes remained on the greedy flows of energy an infectious energy seeking to spread its rot throughout the world

Mae Myrna shook her head slowly If I let go now I wonÆt be able to control it any longer My will is spent You all will be forced to face directly whatever Westrisser has caused my image to become I will likely transform

You have such a taste for the dramatic The Nether King interrupted rather drily so much so that Demetrius first felt a bit of shock that Hungry Eye didnÆt display more sympathy for his friendÆs plight The Nether King flicked his fingers and knocked away a flow of the rotting image You are suffering yes but I believe you are actually being too critical of Westrisser Your image is definitely strengthened you’re just now fighting against it

You call this filth my image The Patron of Truth scowled

Hungry Eye shook his head You probably had a fear in the corner of your heart no matter how truly you believed it was necessary that Westrisser might betray you or twist your image to his own ends Now as you refuse to face it directly why would it not be mysterious and flawed It needed to be honed

The room settled into silence for a split second Mae Myrna blinked She swayed in her seat but the puzzled expression remained Yet what about the strange sentience suddenly within my image pulling it in so many directions

Hungry Eye grunted in a dismissive manner To DemetriusÆs shock the Nether King glanced at him he wanted support for his position from his Nether Herald And while Demetrius had no idea about what he saw of the rotting image he could still read the weave and the way the image responded to it

I do not know the manner used but aspects of Nether were added to your image Demetrius said What you witness is not sentience Just as gravity affects the physical significance pulls Nether What you see are the flows of connection and history

If you donÆt release your image soon its going to tear itself in half The Nether King added If you think the rot stinks now just wait until there is an open wound at the core of your power

When the Patron of Truth didnÆt seem swayed the Nether King sighed Look I think I see what Westrisser was trying to do Let me put is this way which is harder to swim across a lake or a whirlpool

Chapter 2153

RandidlyÆs senses blazed he examined the Patron of Truth who stood with a puzzled look on her face and tried to parse apart his comment about a lake or a whirlpool She seemed like she had gone through a blender since he had seen her last Deep bags sat under her eyes shading toward the deep purple of an ugly bruise Her hair was unkempt and her cheerful certainty had been replaced by a resignation that felt dangerous to his nascent emotional senses

A few strands of her image mutated by WestrisserÆs addition to resemble tendrils of Nether stretched out toward Randidly The humidity in the room remained uncomfortably high He eyed the tendril with distaste Just by being here his Nether Core pressed against the fabric of significance and drew attacks For this remade image to flow it had to flow through him

He crushed that aggression with just a Nether Weight enhanced glare

Congratulations Your Skill Yearnings of the Nether Heir has grown to Level 955

Obviously a whirlpool Mae grunted out the words She blinked her bleary eyes Ah I see You mean to say what Westrisser really did was add a rotation to my power to add its persistence and force Yet itÆs hard to look at these manifestations Randidly blasted through a few more tendrils that aimed for himself and Demetrius Each time he popped the tendrils a smell of tainted water and sulfur popped up into the air and not worry something more sinister is occurring

You are fighting against yourself The rotation That caused the pain which worsened your fears and blurred the details of your own shape Randidly felt slightly embarrassed to look at the woman and be able to see the way Aether Nether and twisted emotions intersected to cause her such anguish in her body He felt too fresh after his own struggles to really be giving advice but it seemed like few others would understand the conflux of the energies as much as he Especially after having their relative capabilities pounded into him by Neveah for the past nine days

Still I might not be entirely correct A snap of his fingers popped a rot filled thrust of tendrils aiming for his chest A grey green fluid of indeterminate origins splattered on the ground He pursed his lips as the residue began to shimmer The horrid breath of Mae MyrnaÆs image hit him in the face but could find no purchase Considering how incensed Wyndaos is by WestrisserÆs experiments perhaps the origin of these Nether principles in Mae might be more problematic than anticipated

But Randidly tried not to dwell on that possibility Better solve the problems they could now and figure out the rest later He cleared his throat You need to release the grip you have on the image Upstodatee from

The Patron of Truth looked at him uncertainly Beside the table her shadow began to wriggle Are you sure

Let go IÆll handle it Randidly said lightly His Nether Core revved in confirmation He could see the impulse to rotate within Mae MyrnaÆs image now tied in with the weird sense of justice and providence that gave her image its bite but he couldnÆt really see its shape while she had twisted herself so much to keep it still Unless she allowed the image to manifest itself in its altered form they wouldnÆt be able to figure out what they needed to do next

They locked eyes briefly Randidly didnÆt blink He let his certainty show With a sigh she relaxed herself

Her image flourished with wicked glee prepared to use its black teeth against anything that did not fit with its justiceÆ Black tendrils erupted from the ground around her like an inflatable nightmare anemone Her shadow twisted and pounced into motion directly at RandidlyÆs chest

ThatÆs it ThatÆs why this seems familiar RandidlyÆs pupils dilated The way her image now tries to linger and alter the world functions like a Nether Core beginning to form But her image is attempting to use the entire universe to establish itself

Huh The Patron of Truth hesitantly stood and stretched The Ritual stayed anchored to her body allowing the energy to maintain its tight spiral She took several sharp steps to the side The Ritual didnÆt waver She raised her hands and flexed her fingers sending out little spurts of energy A grin split across her face Hey you know perhaps this isnÆt such a bad thing DonÆt I look positively devious shrouded in darkness Nether King let me take this opportunity to reveal I have cast aside morality and embraced debauchery Fear my capricious rage I will spare you this time as you have aided my woeful existence but donÆt let it go to your head

Sure sure RandidlyÆs lips twitched but he did feel a flush of relief that she now felt good enough to joke But before you begin your successful bid to become evil overlord of the area why not test the limits of your new image I would imagine you should be able to increase the circulation speed quite a bit Once you can handle that slowing it down will help you learn to function without my protective bubble

Mae Myrna bit her lip and nodded With a bit of focused will her image began rotating more and more quickly The air hummed being thoroughly conditioned by significance to support the spread of her worldview It was honestly fascinating to observe As she increased the speed the outward pressure increased RandidlyÆs first Nether Ritual quickly began to fray The Patron of Truth stopped but Randidly wavered he on

The first Ritual soon collapsed but the second made for a better seal She would be able to overcome it eventually should she need to release the image In the meantime

Mae Myrna seemed to notice the same thing because she released a disgusted breath Alright IÆm getting a better sense of how to manipulate it but Westrisser he canÆt legitimately believe heÆs made me stronger with this can he

Randidly shrugged unwilling to pass judgment so quickly But it was easy to understand the undercurrent of frustration in her words There are advantages As you familiarize yourself with the different levers of activation I expect you will figure out how to release your image at a high level But youÆll also need to find a better way to prevent your image from dominating the area when you donÆt want to use it than strangling yourself

Ah but will such a method be as melodramatic Mae lifted a hand and struck a pose

Snorting Randidly turned away That Nether Ritual should hold for

He froze midturn His senses blasted out of his body and filled the room and the surrounding hallway The orc guard took a step back clearly afraid due to the sudden surge of power Yet Randidly guided his power around him and examined the rooms in the area He touched on just the hint he had sensed and seized upon it

RandidlyÆs eyes opened and blazed emerald Gradually he reeled in the scrap of significance he had found until he could taste it A slow smile crossed his mouth I suppose it makes sense Now that pretenses have fallen away Westrisser has no reason to keep Swacc from seeking to undermine me But honestly do your worst If you lash out IÆll catch you and break your arm

RandidlyÆs left hand clenched The memory has proven it will show me truth enough of the real occurrence even if I intervene and alter things So your presence is no longer required

Chapter 2154

The massive raptor construct lifted a spoon to its bare jaws The metal implement looked like made for a doll within his dangerous claws Azure energy flickered around its skull Insisting upon etiquette schooling for the servant class requires an investment of time and funds sure However one cannot overestimate the value of moral fiber and good upbringing on the support caste In addition I would remind you that it eliminates the most problematic aspect of servantÆs lives undirected time Too much time without guidance results in the development of unwanted ideas

I have begun to attempt that Westrisser began tiredly The two sat alone in a massive dining hall eating a late dinner For all that Fatia Cerulean could be considered his strongest ally he did not enjoy how Cerulean used his visits to spread his pet theories about governance After all Westrisser himself would not listen had Fatia not also possess strength Yet the reality meant he had to engage no matter how drained it made him feel Especially amongst the Winged Serpents But knowledgable teachers are difficult to find

I took the task in hand personally Cerulean gave Westrisser a pointed look Westrisser didnÆt bother to respond he simply felt a great deal of pity for those who lived within Cerulean City and had been re educatedÆ by their lord I must admit that I feel a great deal of admiration for your treatment of the half breeds I am big enough to admit the flippant actions of the Origin Beast would have driven me into a rare

Not really that rare Westrisser observed Based on the dread you inspire

emotional state I may have even slaughtered them to be rid of any proof of my shame That you didnÆt shows Cerulean finally sipped at the stew Something in the air changed Instead of giving Westrisser a judgment the raptor construct simply stilled Its flames froze entirely giving lie to their usual gentle undulations The raptor’s head pivoted and glowing eyes bored into the spoon

Lord Cerulean Westrisser hazarded cautiously Perhaps it was karma he suddenly felt the same dread he had just flippantly thought about

The raptor construct ignored him He dipped his spoon into the soup once more and brought another bite up before its face But Cerulean clacked together the thick claws of his other hand blasting away almost all the liquid What remained was an oblong orange chunk on the dull metal The glowing in CeruleanÆs eyes intensified

What is this

Westrisser considered responding rather bluntly that the Lord of Cerulean looked at a carrot However he could recognize the raptor contructÆs intense fixations levity here would result in being attacked He opened his mouth mind whirling to try and understand why the carrot would matter

Westrisser stilled Of course How foolish could he be It wasnÆt the carrot that was important but its harvester

After gulping down his nerves Westrisser attempted to speak Ah I had wondered no it simply slipped my mind Is there something wrong with the carrot We have a rather active Nether King in the area who has claimed his neutrality YouÆll have seen the floating pieces of ground that orbit Malloon those are his work He also runs a successful farm But if there is a problem with his produce I will personally hunt and slay him

Problem No Fatia Cerulean leaned back and cackled There is absolutely nothing wrong with this carrot A pure vegetable without any extra influences You

Suddenly the glee passed and Cerulean looked at Westrisser with reproach You really cannot sense how special this is Purity is a rare thing even in this young alternate universe Ah well I will lend you a few books to educate you on the conundrum of attention and influence in environments with manifestational Willpower But tell me how is this Nether King heralded

Randidly frowned Not an attack then A prayer Or a message Maybe even a signal

Soon the lingering energy in the sky dispersed Not a ripple remained in the clouded space above the farm Yet the sudden calm only made Randidly clench his teeth all the harder He did not have much more time before the situation in Malloon came to a head When the Nether forces came Randidly expected everything would begin accelerating This probably would be the justification for ElhumeÆs attack on Wyndaos From there even with so many holes in what Randidly expected to happen the Second Cohort would rush toward its climax

What do I need before that time Randidly asked himself He found his answer rather quickly His eyes went down to his left hand SulfurÆs fingers curled slowly together into a heavy brick of a fist

He needed to understand the limits of his power

Randidly rushed away from the farm heading both away from the source of Bleak SkyÆs Nether Ritual and Malloon To test how well the memory could withstand the descent of his full power he needed an area where he truly didnÆt fear marring the ground for years to come

In the end he continued eating up the distance until he closed in upon the edge of the Aether territories The divide here was less overwhelming than what he would encounter later on the frontlines He did not simply walk to the edge of the land to find a cliff above a vast abyss The land continued unabated although the ground along the boundary was covered with the inert grey material that resulted when Aether and Nether merged into a failed union

The sky was darker across the boundary the light of the day screened by the heavier Nether but PineÆs constant humming remained clear From squat trees the Nether land populated the sloping fields with elongated graceful cacti RandidlyÆs senses spread out over to the Nether side looking for inhabitants or patrols He found nothing dangerous but he did sense some ground dwelling meter long weasel worms Their presence filled him with morbid curiosity If he could he would capture a few to bring back and see if they could survive on the farm

Congratulations Your Skill GhosthoundÆs Acute Nether Nose has grown to Level

What he did find on the other side was a strange protrusion from the ground pulsing with the intersection of flows of significance Very quickly Randidly realized it was a more primitive version of the blue veins on the frontlines Nether creatures could use these lanternsÆ to gather information and also travel if they needed to

It was probably why the border was so deserted

Hope my demonstration here wonÆt be too alarming then Randidly whispered to himself He sat down on the Aether side gathering his attention and making sure he was in peak mental condition Then he began to construct his image physicalizations across his body

While inside the memory and climbing the Sonora he had sharpened his images and also mastered more and more of his emotional affect Now he needed to take these disparate elements and bring them back together into a threefold image and Skill activation Each with the perfect harmony to the images that wielded them and relative to each other

He released a breath Already energy and significance began to swirl uneasily around him sensing the preparations

Chapter 2155

Larson heart of my heart Devick said sweetly She set down her class with an audible clack of container on wood She leaned forward selling this would be in the details May I ask you for a favor

Oh Devick IÆm insulted you need to ask The other woman released a tinkling laugh and waved a hand She leaned back distancing herself almost subconsciously from the request despite her warm words Anything for you

Devick tried not to smirk at the other woman while also resisting the urge to seize her by the hair and slam her face into the table The small celebratory dinner party after the MiracleÆs most brutal match yet had cleared out The other players had been politely dismissed a long time ago but Larson had kept Devick around to laugh and tell the quirky little story about how a warrior secretly puppeted by Larson had blasted Devick in the back of the head with a fireball

The punchline of LaronÆs bit was when Devick got back to her feet it was hard to tell if her head was on fire or not Because of her red hair

Now after all the hangers on had finally departed it was just the two of them Devick made her move She had known Larson wouldnÆt immediately accept just as Devick knew Larson would attempt to embarrass her rather publicly no matter what sort of favor she asked It was just in this womanÆs nature to twist any opportunity into a way to inflict pain

The knack was making sure Larson didnÆt know how to wound you And then give her just the opportunity to make an attempt at it without being certain In such an instance she would aim broadly and overreach

I almost feel foolish for asking considering how busy you must be Devick raised a finger and twirled her hair drawing out the tension Already LarsonÆs eyes gleamed with interest although the other woman hid it behind a condescending smile After dangling the bait for a few seconds Devick released a loud sigh and looked around at the surrounding room You just I donÆt know Have the touch

The touch Well IÆve certainly tried to do the best I could considering the circumstances Larson waved her hand vaguely at the surrounding walls Considering the amount of money poured into the lavishly decorated penthouse of the hotel Larson Cerulean had nothing about which to complain These suites might even be superior to her lodgings in Cerulean City But what sort of favor do you require

My birthday party is in a week Devick serenely lied to the woman who had prodded the match earlier in the day to make her victory that much more difficult Yet that anger was just a buzzing annoyance compared to the sea of black hatred she held toward Larson for making the Nether King believe he should set Devick aside Obviously IÆll be busy with preparations for the quarterfinals and wonÆt have any time to plan it And I recall quite fondly some of the parties you used to throw when I visited Cerulean City

Larson Cerulean for all that she had grown cannier in her age could not prevent her eyes from widening This young woman valued three things her fierce pride in her family the ability to show off and executing cutting cruelties with plausible deniability The chance to host DevickÆs made up birthday would give her the opportunity to do all three

Oh Devick Larson reached out and laid a hand gently on her arm I had assumed you already had something arranged Obviously I tucked away a special to gift you for the occasion but well this is all so sudden It would certainly be almost a miracle to wrangle together a birthday party suiting someone of your stature in only a week IÆm not sure if I can promise my usual panache

If anyone can do it itÆs you Devick insisted As she looked over at the other woman she could practically see the wicked gears of LarsonÆs mind turning figuring out how best to rip into Devick without being obvious about it

Gotcha Devick thought Step one complete

The Grey Creature howled and tore

His image physicalizations absorbed both emotion and Nether and shot forward carving a path through the memory Considering the complicated visualizations of the strike Randidly was curious bout the final form However

However the power was enough to shred right through the memory The area toward which Randidly struck was replaced by a gaping twitching void As he lowered his fist small bots of power shot off of SulfurÆs knuckles

Hum Randidly said I suppose this is a good sign

Then the memory cleared its throat and began to try and tear itself to pieces folding along the void he had cut into it with the unleashed energy For the moment Randidly let the matter of his destructive force drop Instead he rapidly began crafting Nether Rituals to suture the gap together and keep everything from collapsing

Now that he had finally seized upon several threads within the memory he didnÆt want to let them go He had no idea when he would end up if he allowed himself to go back to the web of the upper Sonora Randidly also worried that the lower Sonora had finished collapsing so being forced out of the memory would mean his chance to learn more would vanish

Wind not of his own making whipped around him tugging at his hair Randidly stuck out his tongue as he attempted to concentrate His Nether stabbed into the ground and wove the space back together His first attempt had been done with too much force just ripping off an uneven chunk at the edge of the gap and worsening the problem But Randidly had been pushed to his limits by his energy games with Neveah Once he ceased panicking he could use the proper amount of force

Under his insistent care the memory healed

Two hours of frantic surgery later he collapsed onto the ground with a pounding headache Shit That was closer than IÆd like

He allowed a few gaps to gurgle their way out of his chest but the relief of collapsing didnÆt iron out all of the tension in his body An almost bitter smile crossed his face Still have a bit more growing to do within the memory huh Alright but IÆm almost there

Randidly raised his hand toward the sky while he allowed his exhausted body to rest on the broken and melted ground beneath his experimental attack It took almost a half hour to prepare and he wouldnÆt have even a hundredth of that time in actual combat But it proved he was on the right track That strike contained power enough to consider himself one of the top figures of the Nexus

All of it Randidly said to himself Yet as he spoke he felt NeveahÆs awareness riding with him His Phaea the steadily growing individuals within the Alpha Cosmos seeking a more established bond with him resonated with his wish His eyes sparkled a darker green than they usually appeared but no less dangerous for that The entire sky IÆll tear it all down if thatÆs whatÆs required to escape this hell of consumption and violence

And what then Neveah prodded What will you do if you truly reach the Pinnacle

Randidly barred his teeth but didnÆt answer In the quiet of his mind he admitted to himself he didnÆt know what came next Just he hoped he would leave an easier Path to tread for those who followed in his footsteps

Chapter 2156

Devick wandered over to the Nether KingÆs farm trusting in her luck and the nudging of a kind fate aiming to have her succeed romantically She took it as an auspicious sign that she approached and the Nether King sat outside on a raised stand of roots observing as root anthrompromorphs fought against the Nether Warrior and the three Arakis Beasts that attempted to imprint on him

Even from a distance the root beings seemed superior

She approached meekly remaining quiet while Nether King Hungry Eye watched the four trainees with such intensity nothing could pull his attention away A part of Devick wished a giant sinkhole would open beneath the farm and swallow the four but she recognized this was a Bad ImpulseÆ which shouldnÆt be humored She had matured from those days

No matter how tantalizing the possibility was

However she also now recognized the quality of attention was the most important aspect in a relationship second only to the fact that it came from the Nether King himself After all if sheer volume of attention would be enough wouldnÆt Devick be positively giddy from JawemÆs stalkerish tendencies And the cruel martial force of Hungry EyeÆs current gaze while giving her fodder for some of her more forceful fantasies was a rather impartial framework

Perhaps at first such a baleful glare would send a tingle through her body but she would hope she could inspire slightly more passion

Devick dragged a heavy barrel filled with carrots over next to the training grounds and sat on top of it The barrel did not make for a comfortable seat but she had been spending an hour or so a day practicing the act of sitting while languid self possession Devick did so now please she had the foresight to prepare for a situation like this Although it did mean she had nothing to do but pay attention to the fights She had successfully suppressed her impulse to hope they would all vanish but that didnÆt mean she didnÆt enjoy the look of stunned dumbness when a root avatar stepped sharply forward and knocked the Nether Warrior Bogart near senseless

She allowed herself one lingering glance up at Nether King Hungry Eye before disciplining herself that being too obvious wasnÆt attractive So she settled on enjoying the methodical way the root avatars ripped through their opponents guided by the Nether KingÆs will The three Arakis Beasts fought well with enough compact force that Devick was alarmed at the prospect of them actually participating in a Hobfootie match yet even they couldnÆt help but give ground

HeÆs controlling four of them at once each avatar with a different fighting style and capabilities He makes them just stronger than the opposition so the training is exhausting without overwhelming them With the ability like that the things the Nether King could do with his hands while his mouth is also

Devick cleared her throat stalling the flush creeping up through her cheeks Despite her earlier resolve her pathetic eyes flicked back once more to Hungry Eye Then she buckled down and observed the fighting again She didnÆt really know much about sophisticated fighting strategies but she did understand Hobfootie Almost all of the Miralces had only grown to their current capabilities based on her advice

So if she was giving advice Devick considered what would she say

Congratulations Your Skill Methodical Recalibration has grown to Level 270

No matter what she would be useful to him Even if it seemed impossible even if he could crush her on a whim

Sure sure The Hungry Eye waved his hand His eyes wavered between the collapsed bodies on the ground sticking the longest on Bogart And Devick could sense a low undercurrent of frustration in his face You want me to come yea So long as nothing comes up IÆll be there

Almost step two complete But you cannot simply come Nether King You need to arrive in a stupendous mood giving me a gift One Larson feels the need to top She cleared her throat If I might offer a suggestion For the training of Bogart

She had taken him by surprise The Nether King pivoted and looked Devick straight in the eye with his head tilted to the side Her heart thrilled at the unadulterated attention Seeing his shift and focus she realized that the aspect she appreciated the most about Hungry Eye was the way he responded to surprises He did not deny them or try to avoid facing them but met them directly with an open mind That attitude was probably how he had survived to become so capable When the unexpected arrive the Nether King greeted it kindly

Her addiction to his attention gave her an almost omnipresent urge to take him by surprise but even she could admit that repeated surprises like that would not endear her to him

Flushing Devick came back to herself She didnÆt remember how long she had been lost in her imaginative indulgences Ahem Well the look he gets in his eyes when heÆs fighting heÆs overwhelmed

Yes The Nether KingÆs expression soured He doesnÆt respond well to unusual arrangements of tactics

I donÆt mean that I mean well thereÆs a half second pause when the opponent shifts where BogartÆs eyes widened YouÆve likely noticed Devick trailed off Then she chuckled Well maybe not His every action looks like heÆs pausing to you doesnÆt it

Hungry Eye just grunted so Devick continued Anyway that sort of stalling usually happens when an individual sees a whole chunk of what might happen without being able to easily intuit what probably will happen All this to say that the tools are there Bogart just gets all stuffed up

Hungry EyeÆs eyebrows shot upward You are trying to tell me Bogart just sees and understands so much he cannot respond IÆve been drilling the possibilities into his body for weeks without improvement

Maybe itÆs better to say that at every moment of decision Bogart is biting off more than he can chew Devick tried Inwardly she began to resent Bogart for being the source of disagreement between them but smothered the feeling She tried to stay focused on the task of earning the Nether KingÆs goodwill How heÆs biting well

Both turned and looked at the collapsed demon person

Almost amused the Ghosthound huffed out a breath ItÆs a good idea IÆll try a few things to try and figure out if it really is just a mental problem I appreciate it Devick If the trick works IÆll see what I can do for birthday gifts

Step two complete Humming to herself Devick skipped back toward Malloon

Chapter 2157

RandidlyÆs arm whipped back into a cocked punch low and pressed to his side Each beat of his heart spread blessed heat through his body animating his limbs He had already deftly grasped the flows of kinetic energy in the worn training area South of the farm far enough away that he wouldnÆt damage the facilities Only a few meters away from him Neveah sniffed disapprovingly and raised an eyebrow Now what do you think you are doing

He didnÆt bother to smother a sly quirk of the lips IÆm generating outside forces ItÆs not against the rules of the energy game

She grimaced Are you really going to spit into the spirit of the challenge I said first one to destroy the otherÆs Working without touching each other or the workings Are you trying to claim that because itÆs kinetic energy it doesnÆt count as touching The few victories youÆve received in our games have transformed you into an ugly and petty creature Randidly Ghosthound

Randidly didnÆt stop gathering force to his body creating a pressurized missile of force around his punch He planned to do exactly what Neveah said Few victories If I recall correctly I won quite a few more than I lost last night

You also cling to history to soothe your ego Neveah serenely concluded He rolled his eyes that accusation was pretty rich coming from her and her almost six days of running the energy games without being defeated She raised her hands and settled into a fighting stance However if you believe you will be able to seize a decisive advantage by distracting me with combat you are sorely mistaken I may not willfully throw myself at every fight but that doesnÆt mean I am weak

Weakness is relative Randidly growled He punched The world shivered

He pulled up the blow at the last second allowing only the finely honed drill of force to shoot forward and impact her He also took care to erase all undue influence of his images He might rather flippantly attack with force but he wasnÆt going to try and toe the line too much with what constituted touchÆ Behind Neveah sat a humming Nether RItual she animated while behind Randidly was an Engraving The energy of the two workers were already beginning to grapple against each other seeking to find a weakness

Their bodies became small pieces on a larger battlefield of energy dominance

Truth be told Randidly admitted that in a straight up match Neveah was better in those energy games that allowed her time to plan and prepare Her Nether Ritual was worse than what he would have done and by far worse than what she could do with a few minutes to think about Engraving but it would hold up against his own rather uninspired Engraving

So Randidly sewed the seeds of chaos upon this battlefield trusting his innate flexibility would be enough

Snorting Neveah raised a hand and batted the force attack away with her own impressive physicality She definitely was powerful enough to simply crush this amount of energy For a brief moment purposefully Neveah allowed the constant illusion of humanity she maintained to flicker Behind that stood a four limbed Bone Wyrm her maw numbering over a thousand jagged teeth her arms armored and heavy After RandidlyÆs transformation of all his Stats he now stood larger than her

But it was not by much The bloodline of the Bone Wyrm remained strong in her

Randidly grinned to himself and swirled the energy in the environment around the two of them The waves of broken force and disturbed force he gathered purified and repurposed in only a moment so that he pulled back his arm for another punch and an even more destructive onslaught

She snapped her fingers and a fist sized space warped with grey flame For a split second Randidly felt genuinely surprised Out of the air a blurry spear of Nether Weight manifested and shot toward his chest His pupils dilated at the close attack Using Synechdochence A good thought to try and take me by surprise by not adjusting the environment but you forgot something

Instead of trying to block the attack Randidly stepped forward lifting his chin in invitation to have his throat slit Cursing Neveah undid the working so that a fat bundle of Weight simply splashed against his face He moved forward without slowing down in the slightest

Based on the look on your face It seems like youÆve had an idea Neveah released a long sigh Thank god I could use a break IÆm going to go take a peak at the latest batch of cider Let me know if you need any help brainstorming

Neveah left him to his own devices buzzing with possibilities Randidly shouldnÆt be surprised by his capability but he had always had been playing catchup relying on compensating for his power with his Nether or powerful body But he didnÆt need to rely simply on tricks any longer did he

Not when he could modify the whole fucking battlefield to his benefit

So when whatever battle looming on MalloonÆs horizon finally arrived he could crush it as Neveah had done to him

It is here

Yes Lord Cerulean Westrisser gestured to the two steles crackling with power in front of them The energy discharge signaled he still didnÆt have the anchoring formula quite right but the hum in the air proved his experiment’s power Right now a servant of mine named Dogeol is within taking advantage of the power Based on our previous arrangements he should soon emerge

So we judge the garden based on how our little seedling has grown eh I suppose this method is effective as long as more systematic experimentation is impossible Cerulean allowed

On cue the two steles began to glow The ground rumbled slightly due to the rough adherence between the surgically removed Phaea and the environment Despite the rough activation a hole in the world did yawn in front of Westrisser and Cerulean In the next moment the stone man Dogeol walked out of the opening

Report Westrisser ordered

Dogeol looked down at his hands There were no obvious changes to his image but Westrisser could observe a sudden heaviness in the air Obviously hard work cannot be replaced This is just an opportunity But I think ah

DogeolÆs expression not often more expressive than a series of stones piled on top of each other crumpled into pain and fear Over the next few moments the sense of solidity from his image rapidly withered In its wake Dogeol leaned forward his arms tightening around his body in a strange attempt to keep everything together

With his senses Westrisser had a front row seat as his subordinate of three decades collapsed from the inside out His Class atrophied and broke shredding his soul and leaving him nothing but a husk bleeding out all of his energy

It took all of five seconds of Dogeol returning to the world proper for him to die

Fascinating Cerulean breathed next to him Westrisser didnÆt know whether it was better or worse that the towering raptor construct seemed genuinely enthralled by the failure they had both witnessed

Chapter 2158

Randidly and Neveah parted rather amicably on this night They had drawn in the energy games all eight times preserving the fragile pride both had for their usage of their more natural energy

By tacit agreement this would be the last night of the energy games Based on the likely timeline they wouldnÆt have the spare attention for training starting tomorrow

Neveah returned to the cidery wanting to try new mixes for alcoholic beverages Over the past week she had found a real knack for creating popular flavors All the better for Randidly who simply wanted to create an alcoholic drink and leave it at that

With the continued festivities as they approached tomorrowÆs semi final match of the Hobfootie tournament RandidlyÆs farmÆs cider had become a staple of revelry They were expecting a staggering amount of demand for cider to the point that even RandidlyÆs energy fueled orchards couldnÆt keep up with production As such Neveah wanted to have a few specialÆ batches to tide the upper class over

If nothing else the hunger marketing tactics Neveah imported from Expira seemed to invigorate MalloonÆs upper class

Randidly flexed his left hand these days leaving it still for too long meant it became stiff For his own part RandidlyÆs attention flowed toward two separate problems First significance once more had begun to gather in the sky above Malloon The long awaited confrontation would soon happen but even with his well honed senses he couldnÆt figure out exactly when Bleak SkyÆs attack would occur And considering the strange pulse of Nether they had witnessed a few days prior Bleak Sky might not be the only foe they needed to deal with

Tension from the mass of significance had become palpable this morning growing worse as time passed To the point that Bogart commented on the air feeling strange Every hour more significance pooled in the sky The swirling darkness held a sea of potent meaning the intangible gaze of history gathering in this one location It was just a matter of how important this confrontation would be for the Nexus

The other competing problem had been one Randidly hoped to have been rendered moot by the climactic arrival of the first That is tomorrow was also the day of DevickÆs fake birthday party scheduled for after the Hobfootie match Had the attack come in these intervening days he wouldnÆt need to get her a gift after all they both understood it wasnÆt actually her birthday But if the attack would come after

Most likely during the party Randidly thought with a thin thread of misery So IÆll have to endure the horrid first half of a party before I can just fucking fight with this ancient Nether being Well I suppose it isnÆt here for me Observe a fight between an ancient Nether being and the Aether forces

But I shouldnÆt forget the Aether forces might take this opportunity to lash out at me considering my identity as a Nether King

Snorting out a breath Randidly pushed those thoughts away Since he was going to this party he wanted to give Devick a gift A high quality gift considering her advice about Bogart had born fruit when he had tailored the training away from physical fitness and toward mental capability rather quickly Bogart became a better fighter

Apparently the demon manÆs mental Stats had been so pitifully low that they held him back this whole time A few Skills wouldnÆt completely bandage that wound but Randidly had made it abundantly clear that this sort of weakness and being for so long unable to recognize it was unacceptable

As he spoke the words aloud some of the gathering Nether in the area shifted to surround him Threads spun down into a circle in front of him already envisioning the shape it would take Likely a bracelet Randidly judged and it would pass both as a gift for a woman and as one suitably nonromantic A thick band of Engraved metal worn on the arm

He could at least concede that some amount of precious gems should be used Likely either onyx or a blood opal to match DevickÆs usual aesthetic

Randidly looked unseeingly forward with half closed eyes The patterns in his head roiled and changed seeking a permanent shape to give them power He nudged and twisted emphasizing some traits while playing down others Step by step he closed in on the meaning he sought All three of his own images raised their heads to add a hint of their essence to the Engraving pattern Yggdrasil to provide a way to grow and live The Stillborn Phoenix for the cheerful capability to spit in the face of the possible Last of all the Grey Creature barring its teeth as it gave its entire existence to the labor of survival

He saw the patternÆs manifestations too Those same chains cursed with rust colored madness But twisted to a new end the bracelet he would provide for her could save DevickÆs life After her body split almost in half by a vicious blow from a foe those chains would erupt out of her flesh and suture her back together Her will and those burning chains could sustain her even as the rest of her body would begin to fall to pieces With the underpinning of a Nether Ritual laid within the gems those chains could stretch from her will and seize upon existence destabilizing otherÆs images or domains

It remained an image of madness But the madness of stasis of maintaining the status Quo Of refusing to be wounded by reality or to push forward despite deepening injuries

Down that path Randidly saw darkness as well The darkness was personified in his own Alpha Cosmos by Alta who progressively replaced her flesh and humanity with an unflinching machine of iron and smog to accomplish her goal With a tool of the power Randidly considered crafting Devick could do something similar But she would essentially be using her future power to stitch together the past which would not end well for anyone involved

IÆm not going to try and shape your future Devick Randidly whispered almost surprised to realize he genuinely meant it This darkness your own madness youÆve already embraced it Empowering it like this will probably accelerate the process but you will need to deal with it eventually The rest will be up to you

He saw the bracelet in his mindÆs eye After casting about through his interspatial ring he found a plethora of rare materials that would serve to hold the Engraving he planned He began to narrow down the possible combinations for the greatest synergistic effect but his skin tingled with an altogether unexpected and ominous sensation The Grey Creature looked away from the gradually coalescing working and hissed out a warning

Randidly pivoted on his hill to find a grotesque wireframe triplicate skeleton ending in the limbs of a fleshless dinosaur The hulking thing had been moving with remarkable stealth over the low hills avoiding both his physical senses and the Nether Rituals for observation he had thrown up to prevent exactly this

If not for the preternatural instincts of the Grey Creature this being may very well have walked right up to Randidly without him noticing And it only took a single glance at the color of the flame billowing around his body to know who this was

I wanted to meet you once before tomorrow Fatia CeruleanÆs raptor skull tilted to the side You can sense it too IÆd imagine No perhaps even better than I The storm approaches Yet when I see you it is strange Nether King Hungry Eye I feel a kinship with you We both walk the Narrow Path and it has been a long long time since I have met another fellow with as much potential as you However

As CeruleanÆs emotions turned the air quivered around him the same qualities that engender admiration make me believe it is best to kill you now before you can grow into a problem

Chapter 2159

Fatia Cerulean grinned at Randidly daring him to move in response to his vicious words And for that exact reason Randidly suppressed even the slightest physical or emotional reaction to the blatant threat He allowed the aggression to pass over him allowing his own violent reaction to only occur in the depths of his emotional sea Such was the control over his body that he flexed not even a single muscle

The provocation bothered him but a conflict wasnÆt worth it

It did not escape RandidlyÆs notice that a fight with this figure now would undoubtedly demolish his farm for the third time

He released a breath The fact Cerulean hadnÆt immediately attacked meant there was still some room for negotiation Yet the possibility only made him all the more hesitant Because when he looked at the mysterious figure of the raptor construct that ruled the Aether Lands Randidly didnÆt receive even the slightest hint of his image He could not see what sort of power the other wielded

For now definitely not a foe to antagonize No matter how much of a prick he seemed to be

RandidlyÆs mind raced as he considered his options He spoke slowly and avoided the contentious subject what do you mean by the Narrow Path

The raptor construct regarded Randidly with a small flicker of surprise how interesting You truly do not recognize the term Well I suppose you are young Let me provide some small instruction before we consider your future This is old thinking one that predates the Nexus It animates the great disagreements of those in power There are two Paths to reach utopia The Broad Path walked by untold millions marching arm in arm toward the future Obviously the Broad Path is slow and meandering as guiding such a host is impossible One cannot lead when everyone moves together However it is admittedly a smooth Path Many can tread those steps beaten down by untold feet Rather than improving the world in a literal sense the Broad Path uses bodies to dig into the world until all may reach perfection

Cerulean took a step forward the blue flames around its body growing more intense You do not have the signs of the Broad Path on your body Your individuality almost announces itself in your body and energies I can smell your methods The determination the scent of blood the fierce convictions the exhaustion You definitely walk the Narrow Path You do create a Path with your actions but it is not an easy Path for others to follow For you ascend higher and higher by advancing and slaughtering all in your way These piled bodies become the steps you take until one day you hope to ascend to the Pinnacle and grasp enough power to simply wring the blessing you desire out of the world with your own hands

If the world waits in its high tower with its blessing you will scale the wall and seize them

Randidly frowned but Cerulean held up a sapphire wreathed claw Ah I do not mean you approach your ascent with the express goal of killing Yet you have undoubtedly encountered others whose designs run directly counter to yours The Nexus in particular has become a pipe dream for many on the Narrow Path What happened when you meet another with diametrically opposed viewpoints to your own Who believes you should fuel their ambition That your home should be demolished and repurposed

Randidly tingled with recognition He sucked a breath in through his teeth finally seeing it You arenÆt saying there is a single Narrow Path But a million separate ways carved through bodies and dreams crisscrossing existence When two such Paths intersect only one gets to rise

Until eventually only a single Narrow Path remains to grasp the Pinnacle That is the idea Cerulean agreed Then he shrugged Despite the fact this is simply a philosophical tool I must consider you carefully Nether King Hungry Eye If someday we are fated to meet along our individual Paths would it not be prudent to eliminate you now before you grow even further Sensing the way you worked with both Aether and Nether as I approached you seem like a particularly dangerous thread to be allowed to weave yourself freely

Cerulean smiled or as close to it as a flaming raptor construct could manage the expression RandidlyÆs blood turned to ice in his veins finally glimpsing CeruleanÆs image It started as flickers small imperfections in his shape but soon Randidly realized these distortions were purposeful The Lord of Cerulean City did not cultivate image physicalizations or world state images like most of the others Randidly had encountered No an extremely detailed and rather physically constrained image lurked within his body

To this Randidly laughed His emerald eyes danced with genuine amusement Lord Cerulean I now straddle two worlds IÆm sure youÆve sensed the energy moving within my body I was not raised amongst the Nether And just like you now regard me with suspicion due to my Nether Core so too have I fought against Nether Forces for possessing images

This was true if a bit of mischaracterization of RandidlyÆs time on the frontlines Still he believed this would be enough

And so it was The monstrous sculpted Cerulean faded The air ceased trembling beneath the touch of his image He leaned back and settled onto his heels Suddenly the raptor construct radiated cheerful amusement You know Nether King Hungry Eye the fact my instincts tell me I should believe you only makes me trust you less But I cannot deny I enjoy the tingle of danger you make me feel For this storm feel free to linger around and observe But can I offer you a suggestion

Please Randidly replied

Cerulean chuckled as he turned away IÆm a quite meticulous being Hungry Eye So I am not unaware of your involvement with Elhume He is a piece of a plan much larger than any of these dalliances around Malloon So you will someday have a choice to make Either cut all ties to him or be amenable to acting as an intermediary between me and him Obviously without his knowledge Just a slight nudge would be all thatÆs required of you Think on it And for a while longer live while straddling two worlds

He wants me to help him influence Elhume That fact stunned Randidly enough that he simply stood and waited until the powerful Lord Cerulean vanished from the farm with just as much stealth as he approached However now that Randidly had witnessed his image he could feel the ripples it made in the air

It was a construct of Aether not quite trying to be Nether but resembling it all the same It possessed enough similar notes that RandidlyÆs nose found it rather easily now that he knew what he was looking for To his immense relief Cerulean proceeded directly back to Malloon after making his visit

Had the powerful raptor construct circled around and observed him for a time it would have been difficult not to become slightly twitchy

For the moment Randidly set aside his insights into the piece of equipment he would make for Devick He walked down to the carrot patch gesturing with his hand and using the Stillborn Phoenix to suck away the ancillary images that lodged within the vegetable and slightly dragged at the flavor It was rather mindless work freeing his thoughts up to consider the implications of CeruleanÆs warning

Obviously the trial had a secondary purpose If a being like Cerulean truly intended to punish Elhume he would not play around like this Randidly scrunched his brows together Yet from the way Cerulean spoke the push would be in the future If he simply intended on sentencing him

The Cult of the Savior Randidly blurted out the organization before he even understood what he was saying He paused in his work pivoting and looking at his surroundings The farm was dark and still the leaves of the sprouts in front of him almost black in the darkness He licked his lips What if Cerulean is a part of the Cult of the Savior The trial might have some purpose to placate or scare the average person but itÆs more than that It was a pretext to force Elhume to be here So he could attend this meeting with the other representatives

After meeting them if Elhume is brought back and hammered in the trial he will likely see his own weakness He might feel powerless

The question is why Randidly whispered He flicked a hand an image of nothingness devouring foreign influences The silence remained heavy over the farm unable to provide an answer

What sort of request are they going to make Randidly said slowly That the only way Elhume would say yes was to have every other avenue severed

Chapter 2160

Devick pressed her fists against her hips She glared out the window at the unexpected phenomenon Now what sort of fuckery is this Of all days not today CanÆt you come back tomorrow

She currently was staying in one of the finest guest suites on the Nether KingÆs Skyisland She had slept like a baby wrapped in the softest sheets she had ever encountered and lounging across almost twenty pillows Yet when she woke up this morning the horizon promised a gloomy future In the face of her powerful glare it didnÆt even flinch

Over the low hills around Malloon the clouds had gathered and propped themselves up into an absolutely baleful approximation of a face Huge building sized hollows in the cumulous cloud sketched a pair of gaunt eyes As Devick watched the massive rift in the side of the cloud opened in the approximation of a mouth For thirty seconds it expanded and expanded the jawsÆ stretching to provide an opening almost as large as the rest of the cloud revealing the fluffy lined throat within Upstodatee from

Then the cloud face began regurgitating a veritable waterfall of water vapor The clouds along the horizon began to darken almost poisoned by this cloudÆs presence The edges of the lips deformed bulging underneath the flow it released

Devick growled and leaned up against the window I will not forgive you for this clouds Should you continue to vex me I will seek to end all weather All evidence of its existence will be eliminated I will claw your fickle power from the sky and break it over my knee The air will be dead and empty all water will flow from my hand or not at all For a thousand generations your existence will be suppressed until clouds are forgotten and my legend is worshiped in your place

The cloud face remained blandly unimpressed by her tirade Or perhaps it was shocked across time triggering the initial widening of the mouth

Biting her lip Devick tried another tack She was not above soft power when she needed to wield it She batted her eyelashes TodayÆs my birthday Please wait until tomorrow

Again her words triggered no response from the clouds Perhaps she had been foolish starting with the rage Devick reflected Due to the sky having seen the depths of her fury and her promised retribution it would not now fall for a gentler approach Pouting Devick turned away from the window and wandered over to the breakfast table She ravenously tore into an apple turnover muttering to herself about how stubborn weather could be

Beneath her feet she felt the hum of the skyislandÆs Engravings change they would be descending to land in preparation for todayÆs match

Devick went to the mirror and slapped her cheeks She wet her fingers and dragged them through her long crimson hair For good luck she cocked out a hip and aimed both pointer fingers at the reflection in a cool pose Alright LetÆs make a miracle

By the time she was dressed and left the hotel the skyisland had landed on the ground She used the side docking area so she wasnÆt swept up in the throng of people trying to get into the skyisland But she did pause and look at the thick queue of people waiting to attend the Hobfootie match

Children sat on their parents’ shoulders pointing and screeching in glee at the buildings Groups of older kids dashed after each other and wrestled next to the line playing while their parents held their spots And almost two thirds of the attendees wore jerseys or special pins with various teamsÆ colors with the Miracles overwhelmingly represented

Devick grinned pleased despite the relative unknowns that chatted so excitedly about her exploits Yes this much adoration is natural

She had intended to move to one of the nearby hills and go through some last minute physical training just to get her blood pumping but she was distracted by several large wooden crates laying on the ground near the special entrance Spotting Jotem and the Patron of the Deep Devick wandered over WhatÆs all this then

Those gains came at the cost of the scoreboard deficit And sensing the rising momentum of the Miracles and the fact that Devick was visibly improving over the course of the match improving at a rate that Randidly had seen in few individuals other than himself the Iron Giants now intended to end this farce

One of MalloonÆs most storied teams would not permit any loss Not against an unknown first time participant in the tournament no matter how impressive their path to the semi finals had been

Iron GiantÆs team captain unleashed a sharp whistle All of the players in the central area pivoted from their sparring and pounced toward DevickÆs position even as she cracked her guyÆs jaw and pried the crusher from his fingers

She whipped around her crimson hair spinning around her body Her eyes narrowed as she took in the six opponents now attempting to defeat her Randidly acknowledged it was the only possible strategy at the moment Devick propped up the spirit of the Miracles If she were to fall the game would be over no matter the score

A wide grin stretched across her face as she looked around My my So many enthusiastic suitors Please stop IÆm blushing IÆm not woman enough to handle you all

They didnÆt acknowledge her joke But a few did hesitate as she raised her crusher and prepared for a throw They moved to surround her evenly so they could cover any gap Devick might attempt to open with a crusher Devick apparently didnÆt mind those odds In a viciously quick motion she raised and threw

Perhaps surprised at the inaccurate throw one of the encirclers stepped to the side on instinct The crusher whizzed past his head even as the team captain of the Iron Giants hissed You fool

The crusher crossed into the left area Rather than striking at the other team however it caught the oblong ball mid air which three of the Iron Giants had been tossing back and forth to keep the Miracles from being able to catch up Due to a strange bounce the ball spiked almost directly down from the impact point and up into the air But as it rose Jawem arced through the air and plucked it up

The crowd roared its approval Not only were most of the audience fans of the Miracles but they hated the oppositionÆs defensive tactics for the last ten minutes Now that the tide seemed to be turning they threw all their effort into deafening the players with their cheers

The stern looking follower of Devick looked over at their leader where she remained surrounded Are you

When am I not sure Devick chuckled The surrounding warriors began activating Skills striking at her from six directions at once

Jawem pressed his lips together and punted the ball up into the air Devick took a few delicate steps to the side swaying around a haymaker of a left hook from the nearest opponent She leaned back avoiding a conjured golden spike that would have pierced into the back of her skull and blended her brain to paste It passed harmlessly only an inch from her nose She spun left twisting around the lizardperson who had thrown the hook and coming face to face with the Iron Giant team captain

He bellowed and stomped the ground in the surrounding few meters rupturing Devick somehow predicted the way the ground would break because she was jumping just as the stone beneath her feet bulged With the combination of the oppositionÆs Skill and her own jump she spiraled up into the air not missing the chance to crack the Iron GiantÆs captain in the temple with a kick as she ascended The attack only staggered him slightly but as DevickÆs body rose out of the encirclement the whole of the audience seem to rise with her

SheÆs channeling their emotions Randidly hummed thoughtfully A side effect of her growing image but itÆs enough like PaoloÆs ability to empower herself that sheÆs only going to get stronger Looks like they might actually pull off a

At that moment one of the replaceable players for the Iron Giant began to emit orange flames The sight might be familiar but the amount of power channeled down onto the field had reached new heights Randidly narrowed his eyes and looked left into the luxury box next to his Larson Cerulean once more interfered with the match

Chapter 2161

As Devick rose in the air gleeful at her ability to foil the plans of the Iron GiantÆs team she relished in the slew of notifications she saw

Congratulations Your Skill Methodical Recalibration has grown to Level 301

Congratulations Your Skill Competitive Spirit (Un) has grown to Level 129

Recalculating Skill Competitive Spirit (Un) is evolving

Warning if you possess insufficient energy Skill evolution will result in death

Congratulations Your Skill Competitive Spirit (Un) has evolved into MaverickÆs Psychosis Skill Level will be maintained

Congratulations Your Skill MaverickÆs Psychosis has grown to Level 130

Congratulations Your Skill MaverickÆs Psychosis has grown to Level 131

Devick twirled in the air luxuriating within the cheers of the audience She didnÆt even need to read the details of her new Skill her intuition proudly announced this was a powerful Skill With it they would pull off the shocking comeback she had been working toward this entire match Her entire body thrummed with pleasure the inevitable truth of the next five minutes filling her with joy

Hell perhaps her dramatic actions would even capture the Nether KingÆs heart She likely cut a very dashing figure at the moment

Strangely Devick felt oddly weak and hollow as she reached the apex of her jump She ignored the sensation she believed firmly in good vibes only She refused to allow some passing stomach twinge to bother her

Congratulations Your Skill MaverickÆs Psychosis has grown to Level 132

Congratulations Your Skill MaverickÆs Psychosis has grown to Level 160

So it was with abundant mirth that she opened her eyes to look at how shocked and defeated the opposition would be below her Yet as she looked down at them they seemed nothing of the sort With irritation Devick realized they all seemed determined to continue standing against her Worst of all some random nobody from the other team now burned with flames due to LarsonÆs interference

I will flay you all Devick announced to the group As soon as she gathered up all of her Willpower to release the sort of domineering blow to lay all of these pretenders low she felt another horrid cramp in her stomach The muscles and tendons of her hand flexed Yet the cramp deepened into something more than physical She felt a deficiency in her body that kept her frozen midair

After that events began to accelerate

Her words cut off abruptly There was an audible thump as a body collapsed to the ground Devick swayed a vicious pressure squeezing the air around her as the Nether King glared toward Larson Time ticked past but the pressure remained Devick felt blood rushing to her head Soon she would burst Popped out of existence without being able to struggle

The muscles along her jaw clenched She hated it Hated her weakness

Another voice cut across easing back the pressure Nether King How kind of you to volunteer to discipline my unruly daughter but I think you will find such an action entirely unnecessary

Nether King Hungry Eye grunted but Devick recognized that his expression shifted to something more guarded The speaker likely Lord Cerulean himself took another step into the tent but still remained out of sight for Devick

Larson spoke back up Father this

Child Lord Cerulean clicked his tongue I meant what I said but not in the way you want it to be Nether King Hungry Eye need not punish you because I will gladly do so Your games here had no prize but your own vanity while endangering the peopleÆs trust in the ruling class with your every stumble Did you think no one would notice how MiracleÆs opponents repeatedly had an individual who suddenly manifested Skill with flames

I Larson hesitated finally losing her self assurance No one associates fire with me

A petty defense Lord Cerulean said mildly Go Now

Devick heard soft departing footsteps For a few seconds the two remained silent Then Lord Cerulean spoke Do not pursue it further than this Both of you no matter your motivations interfered in the Hobfootie match Leaving it here can be considered balance

Balance Nether King Hungry Eye scoffed

What right do those without power have to complain about balance Lord Cerulean chuckled But honestly this is utterly meaningless I came here with another question What connection do you have with the one name Devick She is also one who walks the Narrow Path And should she come into your own she will devour you Hungry Eye Nothing would give her more pleasure

Nether King Hungry Eye lifted his chin Lord Cerulean perhaps you are not such a capable ruler as you think if you are in such constant fear of those beneath you rising up and devouring you

Tch donÆt be obtuse You saw her in the match she had grown so intoxicated on the cheers of the crowd and her own hubris that she put herself into a position where her teammate needed to sacrifice himself

Devick couldnÆt breathe Her whole body burned Did she really do that It was so hard to remember But maybe that was the point She hadnÆt been focused on winning the Hobfootie match not really She had been spinning up in the air drunk on the cheers When she came down she had been so damn sure of herself So sure she could handle anything

And she had been wrong

For several seconds there was silence in the tent Nether King Hungry Eye turned back to the bed where Toll was resting You should leave Lord Cerulean I have a patient to see to

Heh Would you have acted so blithe about it if our selfish little mouse wasnÆt observing from the side You do her a disservice knowing the depths of her own derangement would not harm her Lord Cerulean cackled as he departed

Devick took one step back Her hands shook Then she turned and limped away every movement an agony looking for a private location to cry

Chapter 2162

Randidly stood at the edge of one of his skyislands with his arms folded behind his back Directly out from his position the monstrous clouds shaped by Nether King Bleak Sky drifted closer His Nether Core continued to whine grinding up against the constant pressure of the impending crisis

But apparently we need to wait a few more hours before the main event RandidlyÆs lips twitched as he straightened his black robe embroidered in gold Fucking typical Why are you delaying Bleak Sky

Light began to fade as night arrived in the Second Cohort Nearby a dozen craftsmen were hurriedly assembling ornate gazebos jutting out from the edge of the skyisland It was an idea of the Patron of the DeepÆs after Swacc’s donation of the expensive and sturdy wood Basic lumber for the base the rich and gorgeously stained wood for the framework Although only ten such gazebos were being built they could hopefully house a segment of the population rich enough to want privacy but unable to afford one of the penthouse suites in the hotel The Patron of the Deep insisted it was necessary Every small act to counter the overcrowding on the island helped

Randidly scanned the materials for the third time today just to reassure himself Again he found not even a hint of any subterfuge by Swacc Which filled him with a strange mixture of disappointment and anxiety Disappointment Swacc didnÆt give him the justification to seek him out and end him and anxiety because the lack of a hook in the gifted wood made him feel like he was missing something Yet by every metric he and Jotem could devise the wood was simply wood

However it was hard to believe Swacc was a serious issue compared to the threat looming above the city The threat which insisted on arriving fashionably late like some two bit diva arriving at a house party

Sighing Randidly pivoted and walked back across the skyisland toward the highest and most prestigious building The grand hotel the personification of everything the Patron of the Deep value shaped from foundation to vaunted windows by the Origin Beast It would be the venue for DevickÆs imaginary birthday party

Perhaps a slow form of torture for Randidly

There was a chance of course Randidly mused that Devick would not show up The absence of the guest of honor would give him the excuse not to attend at all The MiracleÆs team captain had taken TollÆs injury very hard The flaking skin as his body healed combined with the pointedly harsh words said by Lord Cerulean while she was eavesdropping shook her self confidence Yet Randidly had been surprised to feel how disturbed her emotions had become

IÆm used to the relentlessness of the modern Devick Randidly clicked his tongue She might resemble her in intensity and methods now but she doesnÆt possess the uncompromising spine she developed failing to imprint on the Master and then surviving until the Seventh Cohort SheÆs fragile

As he moved toward the center of the skyisland street lights increased in frequency The thoroughfares were clogged with bodies queueing in front of street vendors for food Randidly used the Stillborn Phoenix to bend gravity and light around his person but picked his steps forward carefully He was not in a rush

No one would have expected Devick to flawlessly defeat the Iron Giants They were an established team from Malloon with a comprehensive recruiting program and a tested and true training methodology Compared to that DevickÆs motley crew of Miracles had very little going for them except for the burning hope in their hearts

Hope had proven to be a surprisingly easy substance to tear when exposed to the elements Devick had been the vivacious soul of that hope but Toll was the body of the team carrying her will to completion Without him the execution began to fall to pieces Jawem could not fill in the role of Toll Nor did he want to

In the end he suspected Devick would need to take that step on her own

Once Randidly had finished stabilizing TollÆs condition he had left the healerÆs tent From afar he had sensed Devick creeping in to visit her injured subordinate

Even remembering TollÆs state now made Randidly grimace as he wove through a group of teenagers throwing rocks at each other He had reached out and used his Fourth Authority Animation Nova to directly seize the essence of Toll when his Health had bottomed out It had been a close thing From his experiences on Expira Randidly understood how dangerous it was to bring back the soul of someone who had been dead for too long due to their core aspects being absorbed into Pine Or perhaps reabsorbed

The current Pine felt a lot less dangerous but Randidly didnÆt want to risk it However he had hesitated slightly when the flame blast hit the entangled bodies of Toll and Devick he had checked on Devick first and missed the chance to simply reinforce TollÆs body with life energy at the moment of impact

He raised his head and unleashed the full force of his awareness Suddenly all the noise and interference vanished He brushed slightly against the attentions of Westrisser and Cerulean who guarded the city But they reacted with indifference and bemusement respectively allowing Randidly to grasp at the opponents

Congratulations Your Skill GhosthoundÆs Acute Nether Nose has grown to Level 1042

Congratulations Your Skill Infinite Incendiary Filaments of the Dove Moirae has grown to Level 1091

Five Nether Kings including Bleak Sky Randidly blinked in surprise So he really was waiting for reinforcements Now are they delaying for a sixth or will there also be a giant Nether Ritual aimed at Malloon

Perhaps Randidly allowed himself to be too lost in his thoughts because he arrived at the base of the hotel For a moment he intended to leap up to the roof and linger there for a bit but he paused as he noticed Devick standing there and staring up at the building He tilted his head to the side Are you ready for a celebration dedicated entirely to you

We both know it wonÆt be like that Devick pivoted and looked at Randidly Her eyes were dark and serious More than that she seemed incredibly genuine He could still feel grief hanging around her but apparently she had moved past it in the last few hours Randidly couldnÆt help but feel impressed

After a brief hesitation Devick did something else entirely unexpected she bowed to him without any winking or playfulness Nether King Hungry Eye I need to apologize to you I had intended to bring you here and use you IÆm sure you were at least distantly aware of my intentions but you know

Devick bit her lip as she straightened A single tear ran down the side of her face Y you know IÆm not alone We have relationships And thatÆs scary but I canÆt keep everyone at armÆs length If I do well you wonÆt get hurt but others will Probably I will too So let me try this again Nether King please I need your help to punish Larson Cerulean who hurt a friend of mine

This Randidly chewed lightly on the inside of his chew Is a much better Path

However he still folded his arms keeping his face stern What will I receive in exchange

First and most importantly my thanks and respect Devick said She didnÆt even need to suppress a smirk The knowledge that I couldnÆt have done this without you I have some funds I am willing to provide to you as well around ten thousand credits Is this satisfactory

Nope Randidly shook his head There is something very specific I want

For a brief moment some of DevickÆs seriousness fell away Her eyes glittered and danced her mind hopping along various avenues predicting and imagining possible requests Then her focus snapped back into place she guided herself back to the task at hand What do you want If it is within my power I will do so

An invitation to your real birthday Randidly said rather gently

After a stunned second of silence Devick began to laugh She wrapped her arms around her shoulders as the laughter transitioned smoothly into sobs her torso shuddering with the force RandidlyÆs small joke disintegrated the last of her control leaving her to vent all the emotions that had been pressurized over the course of the day

Devick despite what she might eventually become had such thin limbs Wrapped in her grief she seemed so small

Chapter 2163

Devick couldnÆt stop sobbing until the moment the Nether King wrapped his heavy arms around her When they were apart she simply sank into her emotions The darkness drew a curtain between herself and the rest of the world Yet then the Nether King stepped forward and reminded her he was there The gesture possessed very little intimacy or desire which made Devick disappointed but his limbs were long solid and warm A part of her relaxed into him just leaning against his body

The Nether King smelled like fresh cut grass and aged lumber His robe had been woven from high quality silk Devick attempted to marshal her features into a cute crying motion but it just made the next sob into a hopefully charming hiccup A flush crept across her face some less high minded emotions creeping into the forefront of her mind

After only a few seconds she stepped away from the Nether King and sucked in huge gasps of air Her heart remained bleeding the vision of Toll twitching in his sleep haunting her Yet she had already resolved herself She had come to get even with Larson Cerulean For the woman she had allowed to plot against her for several matches believing herself to be above her petty tricks

What made it worse was Devick hadnÆt been wrong She had never had to foot the bill for allowing Larson to prod at her Someone else simply had to pay the price A friend

Now what The Nether King asked just in time to prevent her from spiraling away

Devick nodded several times in quick succession to get her thoughts in order They bounced around her head again resulting in her sadness and grief landing on top of the pile but she could rummage through them and grab what she needed Now we attend a party You brought your gift The Nether King nodded Devick breathed out through her nose Alright so my plan is based on Larson being predictable When we were younger she always made fun of me for

Nether King Hungry Eye raised a hand to stop her Opening up and trusting your companions is good But IÆll be honest I donÆt really care If all I need to do is give you an impressive gift we can leave it at that I trust you to sweep up the remnants of this Larson girl after you are done with her

For several seconds Devick simply goggled at the Nether King The faith felt good almost too good It took a great effort to find her voice You arenÆt even slightly interested in what I intend to do

Congratulations Your Skill Methodical Recalibration has grown to Level 311

Congratulations Your Skill Methodical Recalibration has grown to Level 312

So Devick nursed her stifled desire to monologue and huffed into the building She would just need to make the process so inevitably dramatic that a pre briefing was unnecessary They rode up the strange levitation platform in silence Gentleman that he was the Nether King offered Devick his arm when they arrived at the top floor So they arrived almost as a couple to the party thrown by Larson Cerulean

Touching the Nether King again did a lot to improve her mood Which she needed because when the doors were thrown open to the party Devick had to forcibly repress a scowl At least there is no need to worry that Larson doesnÆt remember what she used to tease me

Valuable minerals have been embedded in the metal of the accessory grounding the Engraving and Nether Ritual that are present The two differing systems of energy intersect but the result is harmonious Unless the individual is a master of energy equivalent to Randidly Ghosthound it is impossible to destabilize these effects At the moment both are tied into a SkillÆ based in the Clasp that possesses the ability to Level Health +50 Mana +200 Willpower +30 Otherworldly Materials VI Priceless Gift V Tailored Union of Aether and Nether VIII

Otherworldly Materials VI Notes of the Alpha Cosmos cling to some of the materials used in the Clasp While wearing the item it is slightly easier to learn new Skills and very marginally easier to gain Skill Levels Wisdom +20

Priceless Gift V The Clasp of Lunacy draws a portion of its power from the wearer As such attacks that would not kill the wearer will not be able to damage the Clasp of Lunacy As the wearerÆs power grows so does the ClaspÆs threshold of invulnerability

Tailored Union of Aether and Nether VIII Understanding forged across a thousand battlefields has been incorporated into this object Not only that but the craftsman Randidly Ghosthound has stood before the heights of both Aether and Nether forces surviving and learning through the process The ability to accumulate energy into a shape and also the ability to gather significance into weight have been incorporated into the object In addition a scaffolding designed specifically for Devick means that when she uses the equipment the Skill will grow at double the pace of any other user Wielder gains the Skill Frolic of the Needle Toothed Hare

Frolic of the Needle Toothed Hare The cavorting movement style of a trickster god Able to affect conversation and attacks however primarily concerned with the movement of the user through the world Sharp movements can become smooth and flowing movements reveal their jagged edges Once the Skill is activated user will tumble down the rabbit hole Skill can allow the user to transgress the natural laws of the world Slightly increases speed and unpredictability of movement Causes a very small decrease in Stamina consumption Simply maintaining the Skill will cause a small amount of damage to all hostile entities in the surrounding area Skill will draw energy from the array stitched into the gemstones meaning the user will not require a Class to support its growth Skill will gather significance naturally with use in historic moments naturally causing the Rarity and effects of the Skill to rise The potency of all described effects increases with Skill Level

Oh wow Devick drew her pointer finger across the choker Already she could feel a buzzing spark of energy sitting within the core of the item She could activate it at any time triggering this Frolic of the Needle Toothed Hare Was it really possible to include a Skill within an item Plus all the extra Stats Hungry Eye I donÆt know what to say Such a gift such a gift is priceless

His lips twitched as he looked at her ItÆs just what you deserve In the end a tool can only be as effective as you use it to be

Despite Devick repeatedly trying to temper her expectations her whole being glowed with pride at the gift She wished there was a mirror in the room to see how it looked around her neck She scanned through the description one more time and saw those hints that the Nether King possessed a deeper understanding of Devick than should be possible Heat flushed through her cheeks

This certainly it possesses some rough homemade charm Larson Cerulean finally reintroduced herself into the conversation The smile on her face seemed carved and lifeless made of shaped stone and arrogance The works of the Nether people are unique However the gift I prepared

The piece of equipment comes with a Skill built into it IsnÆt that positively spectacular Devick drawled LarsonÆs eyes flashed Devick savored the notes of desperation she sensed Yes now that you realize what sort of gift IÆve received

In a single moment the entire taste of the air changed Devick froze as a strange rumble spread through the hotel around them Even Larson caught the words she had intended to spit out likely moving DevickÆs plan to the third stage A few seconds later a second rumble jarred most of the individuals in the room into scrambling to stay on their feet A tray of tiny fish bites crashed to the ground Several appalled lizardpeople rushed forward to clean up the debris

Next to Devick the Nether King grinned About damned time

He pursed his lips at the room as the skyisland recovered from whatever impact had shaken it and looked at Devick Stay alive yea This part is going to be rough

Chapter 2164

Randidly left the ornate room where DevickÆs birthday was being hosted and flickered down the hall Each of his light steps consumed a dozen meters However he reached the end of the hall and felt a brief moment of frustration He awkwardly paused as he looked at the options in front of him He should have breezed past the partygoers and jumped off of the balcony to reach the sky and the outside almost immediately As it was he now had to choose between heading down the stairs or going back to the party and passing through

Congratulations Your Skill Yearnings of the Nether Heir has grown to Level 971

His Nether senses were already spread out around the skyisland observing the steady descent of the Nether Storm toward Malloon so he could feel the follow up reverberation of power the Nether Kings Bleak Sky had gathered were beginning to gather huge amounts of power

Randidly glared at the end of the hallway in front of him A bland looking painting of a two headed duck hung on the wall I fucking own all this anyway

He burst right out through the building and into the night sky Undercurrents of Nether swirled through the air pressing against his skin With a thought Randidly adjusted the propulsion engravings within the skyislands and moved them away from Malloon and the Nether KingÆs encirclement Their speed was low but so long as the Nether Kings didnÆt target them directly the people within should be safe

With a single glance he took in the whole of the battlefield RandidlyÆs skyislands were situated to the Southwest and South of Malloon Both dutifully hummed East removing themselves from the area of conflict between Malloon and the gathering of Nether Kings to the Southwest However what grabbed his attention was the movement of the significance He had originally assumed it would be utilized by the Nether forces but it sank down across both sides Randidly followed the flows and eddies as they swirled around both the Nether Kings and Westrisser and Cerulean defending Malloon

His eyes widened The atmosphere of the Second Cohort is different Nether hasnÆt been thoroughly suppressed even in the Aether Lands Significance benefits both sides fighting each other

Two figures broke out of Mallon and rushed toward Randidly They passed above a seething crowd of panicking individuals the common people seemed to realize that trouble had finally arrived at the city If they couldnÆt get into Malloon they fled into the hills

With their power they would be crushed just from the confrontation between two powerful figures

At first Randidly narrowed his eyes but when he recognized the approaching two his tension eased The Patron of Feathers and the Patron of Truth stopped in midair in front of Randidly both looking exceedingly pale underneath the heavy clouds In the distance the cloud vomiting heads loomed closer towering over the city

What are your intentions Hungry Eye The Patron of Truth asked immediately As always she cut right to the chase Much of her old strange intensity had returned much restored from when Randidly had woven a limit on the area her significance fed image tried to influence He studied the barrier around her closely Already it began to fray beneath the constant pressure of her world state At the current rate it might not even last another month

Hopefully by that time she would be familiar enough with the process to restrict her image on her own

The Patron of Feathers also seemed much more powerful than she had previously perhaps a match for the current Elhume Her eyes were firm if slightly anxious as the daughter of the most powerful Peregrine Serpent who also had drawn the ire of the Nether forces Randidly couldnÆt help but be impressed by her growth these past few weeks Her own image had been heavily refined From what he understood she hadnÆt even undergone WestrisserÆs bloodline ceremony She had simply accepted the teaching of her father who thoroughly reinforced her foundations

From their posture it was clear they might even be willing to try and fight against him

However Randidly shook his head to assuage their fears Just to observe I do not want to be caught in the confrontation between Bleak Sky and Malloon I will however protect the people currently on my skyislands From whichever side threatens them

As Bleak Sky narrowed his eyes a massive wind began to howl around his body He deftly wove Nether into a web of energy around his body The ragged cloak across his shoulders fluttered Into that tempest Cerulean walked forward and laughed A monstrous image rose within his body The dense facade that replaced the original suppressing the raptor constructÆs true heart beneath reinforced will Opposite him stood the bloodthirsty monster of the Nether RandidlyÆs heartbeat quickened Which would come out on top

This To see moments like this this is why IÆve lingered in the Upper Sonora Randidly didnÆt even dare breathe The energy in the air buzzed against his skin

Both blurred into motion Bleak SkyÆs Nether Core spun faster and faster achieving a strange vibrational frequency that stirred up the Nether in the surrounding environment His storm growled and pressed itself down against the ground Next to Randidly the Patron fo Truth hissed in displeasure as the Nether resonance spread and tried to grab the energy around their bodies

With a snort Randidly used his own Nether to blast those attempts away But he was careful to keep his resistance local

All the other Nether around Malloon started to surge to the guidance of Bleak SkyÆs will becoming the sharp edge of the blades of wind he conjured Before that rumbling majesty Cerulean just ripped his way forward the incredibly refined image of himself crushing all impediments in his Path

He pounced and struck with sinuous grace Despite his massive size the raptor construct truly embodied the slinking feline hunting patterns of raptors Randidly pressed his lips together feeling the pure power within his image

The clouds Bleak Sky dragged always behind him began to swell their mouths growing larger and pouring more of his energy into the area Randidly couldnÆt even imagine the strain Bleak Sky experienced as all that Nether rushed through his Nether Core A massive pattern emerged in the air causing RandidlyÆs eyes to widen To his surprise Bleak Sky grafted himself onto RandidlyÆs weather adjustment pattern to seize control of the area rather quickly Were the Nether KingÆs aware of the trap he had built into it

CeruleanÆs steps had only the significance of the moment and the power of his images yet he destabilized the surrounding Nether with raw violence Randidly sucked a breath through his teeth It was an intensity of image he had only once witnessed when Devick had gone all out in an attempt to stop Randidly from assisting Claudette Beigon The image appeared inscrutable and perfect to RandidlyÆs senses he couldnÆt find its edges at all

And the current Randidly possessed much more insight than his past self Which meant that either Devick had been more powerful than he believed and held back or Fatia Cerulean was the sort of image monster that could only be rivaled by Elhume when he rose to power

Neither was a very reassuring truth

Cerulean crossed the distance between them ripping directly through the Nether edged wind Both raised their hands

Predation Cerulean hissed as he pounced forward and swiped with his talons

Ominous Squall Bleak Sky countered His hand cut through the air and severed even his own Nether with the intense sharpness of the shaped energy

When the two attacks met in the air the ground shuddered and seethed Pieces broke off and tumbled sideways ripping through a nearby hill like it was whipped cream As the confrontation stretched the ground began to collapse More screams cut through the air as those Hobfootie enthusiasts lucky enough to avoid being boiled by Bleak SkyÆs Nether instead fell into the ruptured stone around Malloon Even MalloonÆs barriers shuddered before the power of those strikes

The powerful winds of Bleak SkyÆs storm cleared out the dust of the sundered stone almost instantly The blazing raptor construct covered in sapphire flames stood tall while the buzard headed Nether King with the tattered cloak had been pushed back a few steps

Fatia Cerulean chuckled Satisfactory Now letÆs begin in earnest

Chapter 2165

Faelmac Westrisser stood on the walls of Malloon with only a single companion Freewall Yuuryin was needed within the operation room of the barrier and any other citizen of Malloon would likely be heavily injured even by the reduced reverberation from the battle Therefore the presence of servants was pointless

He stood tall arms folded behind his back His feathers tingled I am so close Just a bit more time and I would have perfected the anchoring once my isolated spaces are complete my power accumulation will accelerate So long as we win today

Looks like I wonÆt even need to act WestrisserÆs companion croaked a sadistic glee obvious in her tone You know you owe me a favor either way yes

He spared the old woman a glance The squat wart skinned old woman filled him with distaste Grettic was a goblin an ancient one whose canny knack for survival had been noted even before she had entered into the Nexus As a member of a lesser race that spent most of its time squabbling with each other and slaughtering themselves Westrisser did not appreciate having to owe the old crone a favor

However he was a cautious man In order to succeed today he would pay any price

Westrisser didnÆt dare relax his attention Lord Cerulean might be more powerful than Bleak Sky but I doubt this is the Nether KingÆs full power Also Bleak SkyÆs companions remain in the distance gathering energy for nefarious purposes It is very likely you will need to assist Lord Cerulean when they reinforce Bleak Sky

Grettic waved a pruned hand DonÆt worry keke Defensive battles are my specialty Is that not why you sought me

In front of Malloon Bleak Sky cracked his long neck and adjusted his cloak Nether swirled around his body still maintaining the keening note of resonance You are as arrogant as rumored

I must admit I am disappointed not to have exceeded expectations even in that regard Lord Cerulean teased He rolled his strangely slender wrists with the same deadly grace with which he always moved Then both rushed toward each other once more

Bleak Sky brought more and more dangerous fusions of Nether and wind to slash at the raptor construct but Fatia Cerulean had been named the most powerful warrior of the Aether lands for a reason Nothing could stand in the path of his twitching horrid self image Claws both physical and spectral lashed out caving a path through the storm Arrogance and certainty stained existence unleashing a constant pressure that buckled all of the Nether constructs the Nether King threw against him

Behind Westrisser a young woman climbed the steps to the top of the wall He barely suppressed a grimace and spoke without turning around Daughter Considering your current strength you should not be here

I cannot in good conscience remain idly by while my ancestral city is under attack She responded stopping on the side of Westrisser opposite Grettic She even stayed a single step behind him as etiquette dictated

A loyal kid Grettic cackled

However WestrisserÆs lips barely twitched Do you think I will forget all of your transgressions just because you learned to act cute now Heh fine Remain here and witness what our people have worked so long to build

However opinions about his daughter could wait until more peaceful times Nether grew heavy in the air even through MalloonÆs barrier More and more currents of energy gathered around the baleful Nether King Bleak Sky to pressurize the entire area However Cerulean didnÆt hesitate before such a foe His claws lashed forward severing the wind

On cue the azure flames around the raptor construct surged The image of himself raised its head and roared forcefully pushing back the huge ocean of Nether threatening to drown him Westrisser couldnÆt help but feel a glimmer of admiration for this being for the purity of power his image could manifest

How petty was all Cerulean said his image humming with killing intent He accelerated forward at Bleak Sky

As Westrisser had suspected the Nether King now gathered a hitherto unheard of amount of Nether power in his body The strange vibration in the Nether sharpened abruptly He settled into a crouch his tattered cloak whipped back and forth by the wind His slashes of violent squalls were massive carving canyons into the ground in front of him Cerulean took the first on the shoulder and paused for a brief instant Then he drilled forward ripping his way through the Nether Bolts of negative energy crackled around the battlefield generated by two powerful forces standing in such forceful opposition to one another

The Nether KingÆs skeletally thin arm met the slash of Cerulean Again the ground broke but this time neither took a step back

YouÆve been holding back Cerulean clacked his jaws

You are a mannerless bastard who toys with those he considers weaker than him The Nether King responded Should I not take advantage of your flaws

Cerulean barred his teeth The flames spun tightly and sunk into the image version of himself Fatal Predation

The world exploded Ground and Nether and air were so forcefully displaced that the disparate elements had become an indistinguishable solution that slapped up against MalloonÆs barrier The force was enough that the tremors shook the wall

Yet despite Cerulean unleashing the Skill for which he had earned his dread Nether King Bleak Sky spoke His words resonated with the Nether content in the air somehow surpassing problems of hearing Desolate Horizon

With the same violence of the explosion all motion ended The note Bleak Sky had spread throughout the area was removed Or more accurately ripped away leaving the remaining energy to collapse The Nether quieted Dirt and air stilled without the animating resonance The horizon cleared a rapidly expanding area of visibility The core area displayed the Nether King cloak discarded standing tall All the Nether that had vanished from other areas gathered around his body in a grey haze A small wound by his waist showed that CeruleanÆs attempt had an effect just not a fatal one

The cleared area continued to expand Cerulean stood several meters away finally looking at Bleak Sky with interest How unique This manifestation is not a Nether concept

You are not the only being who can devour their opponents and grow more powerful Upon crushing the spines of so many Aether mundanes I have some small attainment in the area of Domains How does mine feel

Rapidly the Nether enhanced Domain blossomed across the battlefield The clouds melted away underneath Desolate Horizon just like Nether had The hills were bare and harsh the jagged fissures laid bare The sky had been sucked clean of color leaving it a strange yellow grey like aged paper

In the distance suddenly the figures of the supporting Nether Kings were clear Westrisser could grasp some of the details of the great Nether Ritual

However another detail caught his attention His eyes narrowed Why is one of Nether King Hungry EyeÆs skyislands drifting toward the opposition

Chapter 2166

Randidly bit his lip as he observed Fatia Cerulean unleash the full force of his image His blows were uncannily sharp and violent distorting the air and then rending it The sculpted image riding in his body erupted with the force of a tsunami The physical movements were almost insultingly unrefined yet each one forced Nether King Bleak Sky backward

Honestly Randidly reflected as he stared down at the impressive fighting in front of him Standing on the sidelines and watching isnÆt nearly as boring as I anticipated I might not get the chance to test out my theories but watching battles like this definitely fill me with inspiration Just the way he utilizes his emotion to convey raw power

His entire focus narrowed to the two domineering individuals clashing in front of the gates of Malloon Bleak Sky only maintained the same stable amount of Nether power he utilized against Randidly despite the massive flow of Nether through his body so Randidly knew this wasnÆt the Nether KingÆs limit The being stalled for time and quite effectively

Even so this wasnÆt Fatia CeruleanÆs limit either Both had a dozen cards left up their sleeves Bleak Sky began tainting the environment with a Nether fueled mist and Cerulean just ripped his way forward to strike at the Nether King Once the Nether became a heavy obscurement Bleak Sky remarked that they could cease fighting now and simply wait for the Nether Kings he gathered to finish their Nether Ritual

Obviously Cerulean bared his fangs and began fighting with more intention to kill His bloodlust became palpable The internal image version of him practically salivated at the prospect Yet even that ferocity couldnÆt compare to his shock when Bleak SkyÆs energy began to abruptly circulate in a very structured pattern not like Nether energy at all The pattern amplified and spread a certain sort of order through the Nether which latched onto everything else and dragged it down with it

The mist fell away the ground air and sky stilling into a hollow facsimile of reality The horrifying weight of the change settled around him too across the battlefield A Nether King wielded a Domain on an order of magnitude that Randidly couldnÆt believe And finally with the heavy waves of Nether gone Randidly looked with interest toward the spot where the Nether Kings were creating their great Nether Ritual Unfortunately a completely unexpected variable threw him so much he simply blinked

He blinked again The blip didnÆt vanish

One of his skyislands the expensive one with the ornate shopping plaza and the Hobfootie stadium had used the cover of the Nether fog to drift much much closer to where the Nether Kings were located It had done this without his knowledge or approval Counter to the prodding he had given the levitation Engravings controlling the island

So many of his subordinates were located on that skyisland Even with the brace well choker Randidly had given Devick a Nether King would annihilate her without breaking a sweat

His body blurred torn somewhere between his heart dropping worry and frustration The air around his starting position exploded as he streaked across the sky The manifestation of Bleak SkyÆs Domain grabbed at him to try and slow Randidly down and restrict his usage of both Aether and Nether but his physical body shouldered those burdens and allowed him to move freely

When he exploded in the air above the skyisland to brake he took a deep breath through his nose and ascertained the entire situation on the skyisland Immediately he located a rather hasty additional Engraving that had been carved within the sewers within the belly of the Skyisland These acted as thrusters which had steadily pushed the skyisland in a single direction while he was distracted by the heavy Nether in the air and the fighting between the Nether King and Cerulean

Immediately RandidlyÆs eyes narrowed Because along with the details he also saw the source The Engravings hadnÆt been done with his hand but every aspect of this had the scent of SwaccÆs irritating smugness all over it RandidlyÆs mind spun The wood Again his powerful senses combed through the donated materials but

Ah RandidlyÆs expression darkened as he discovered a few ratsÆ clustered together in the corner of his skyisland Not the wood the workmen hired to construct the gazebos He probably paid off a few of the best craftsmen in the city knowing that the Patron of the Deep would try and make something of the materials Once they were allowed onto the skyisland with their apprentices and assistants he just needed a few individuals who knew how to Engrave

Furrowing his brow Randidly asked Why

Is any justification but the existence of bugs necessary to begin eradicating them The dragonÆs lips twisted in an eerie resemblance of a cruel smile You known as the Hungry Eyes have become a traitor to your race Do not think your transgression is unknown within Wyndaos Had not the Arbiter urged patience you would have already been dragged back to the holy city and executed

The Nether Arbiter the being that held the Phaea for all the Nether Kings knows about me Randidly felt a flash of surprise But then those thoughts were wiped away as the dragon stretched out the four small arms attached to his sinuous body and generated a half dozen brown fireballs around each limb Nether rapidly began to shift and flow in a complex pattern around the Nether King demonstrating very clearly it didnÆt seem to be adversely affected by Bleak SkyÆs Domain

However the attack quickly accumulated even more dangerous momentum The Nether King barred its teeth while Randidly struggled to get his own patterns in order Go peacefully into the next life so you might learn to bring honor to your retainers Authority Wither

For a brief moment Randidly saw the outline of a massive tree within the Nether patterns this being generated so deftly Definitely the two of them had come from similar sources He utilized a knack he developed fighting against Neveah in the energy games taking a mental snapshot so he could unpack and reengineer the pattern later But then the tree began to melt and swirl together the patterns becoming degenerative and rotten Auras of consumption and death hummed out from the brown fireballs while a small tongue of black flame emerged in their cores

The air around these projectiles began to corrode Strange black discharge condensed as the energy destabilized the molecular structure around it

With a gesture the dragon tossed the dozen fireballs toward Randidly He flexed his fingers feeling the buzz of more impacts from the distant battle smacking against his back even though he was quite the distance from where Cerulean and Bleak Sky fought Almost instinctively he began gathering up what little pinches of kinetic force he could maintain through the Desolate Horizon Domain

Meanwhile he gathered his images to his body manifesting the physicalizations His efforts probably helped Cerulean against the Desolate Horizon Domain but he couldnÆt afford to care right now He brought more and more of the pressure onto his shoulders His body warned his heart pounding He barred his teeth In the face of these sucking destructive bursts of energy Randidly mobilized his own Nether Core The Fourth Authority Randidly thought to himself Animation Nova

The dragon attempted to wither and Randidly filled the air with life prying open the Domain with his body and moving into the crack Even so the effect was somewhat reduced by the presence of Desolate Horizon but the inheritance he had received from the Origin Beasts could not be taken lightly A halo of pure life radiated out from RandidlyÆs body making him seem like a holy prophet Those dangerous Witherballs shot closer The first few crashed against RandidlyÆs aura and began to eat their way forward destabilizing even the pure life he generated

However RandidlyÆs green eyes shone with an inner brilliance His Nether Core might be currently restricted but he felt his Fourth Authority keening its resistance with more and more volume The radiated energy around his body grew denser and more stubborn It seemed to whisper that this sort of foe was exactly what it had been born to fight against Where the world sought generation and death the Animation Nova would be born to protect and nurture the seeds of life

The memory shuddered unable to withstand the rapidly unfolding power of Animation Nova even Randidly felt shocked by the instinctual vehemence of its response As more and more of the Witherballs slammed against the energy he projected they began to shrink and expend themselves

Yet opposite Randidly the emerald dragon Nether King did not simply allow him to weather this storm With a howling growl it conjured more brown Witherballs Authority Wither For how long can your hunger persist traitor

Long enough Randidly whispered The light from his eyes continued to increase as Animation Nova illuminated the surroundings Beneath him he navigated the skyisland away burning up some of his Engravings to move it quickly enough to avoid this waterfall of smoldering hazel destruction

Chapter 2167

Waves of force mixed and sloshed around in front of them eventually crashing against the humming barrier of Malloon Behind Westrisser his daughter spoke in a surprised tone Nether King Hungry Eye is moving against the Nether Ritual I had thought he would remain aloof

Westrisser almost cackled out loud Keh Hungry Eyes wishes he could remain separate and then pick at the corpse of whichever side loses canny carrion that he is But no it is not to be His interference is the result of SwaccÆs plots Heh detesting a foe and still having the presence of mind to use the Nether King as a knife against our enemies Perhaps I underestimated the Undersecretary

Limited he might be but not unwilling to learn

In the end however the movements of Nether King Hungry Eye were just a distraction Convenient for delaying the oppositionÆs work on the Nether Ritual but the real thrust of their resistance focused on the overwhelming actions of Fatia Cerulean

Predation The raptor cackled his body pouncing forward with enough momentum that the suppression of Bleak SkyÆs Domain gave a little bit of ground Yet just as soon as Bleak Sky conjured blades of wind and slowed FatiaÆs advance the power of the Domain reasserted itself The greyness of the sky wavered slightly before remaining blandly implacable Both Aether and Nether not condoned by Bleak Sky moved sluggishness underneath his Desolate Horizon

Annoying fucking ability Grettic loudly sucked on her lip and then spat over the edge of the wall Her saliva sizzled and disintegrated upon touching the barrier Westrisser I hope you donÆt believe I can overcome that Not my style These sort of foes are exhausting

Not your style Westrisser agreed easily But he didnÆt need to speak more than that because situations on the battlefield developed quickly

First one of the Nether Kings managing the Nether Ritual flew out and attacked Hungry Eye The massive pillar of Nether those beings conjured slowed in its assemblage But much closer Cerulean pulled up short right before Bleak Sky His aura hummed with image power strong enough to pierce through the Domain Well this has been interesting but I will not allow that Nether Ritual to form LetÆs accelerate your demise HunterÆs Boon HuntedÆs Bane

Bleak SkyÆs cloak had been torn several times over the last two minutes with several deep wounds across his body oozing blood Yet at CeruleanÆs words those wounds vanished Bleak Sky himself seemed surprised and glanced down at his body He made several small movements as though checking his condition and found nothing amiss Nether surged around his hands and he conjured powerful winds with the same sharpness as when he had started

Yet Cerulean grinned and approached with an echoing step When he slashed his claws the wind shattered into jagged pieces that pulped stone and accomplished little else And when his attack landed on its target it opened Bleak SkyÆs body from hip to shoulder

Do you truly believe you rival me in physical attainments Bleak Sky spoke with a voice heavy with scorn You might inflict small wounds but they will not threaten

HunterÆs Boon HuntedÆs Bane Cerulean chanted again Once more the wounds he had given to the Nether King vanished Yet the image version of the raptor construct seemed to swell within the sapphire aura of its body The claws it contained were long and bloody humming with the power of the wounds it had inflicted and forgivenÆ upon its preyÆs body

Predation Cerulean crooned The image Cerulean shivered with pleasure He cut with his long claws and tore away Bleak SkyÆs entire left arm

For the first time the Desolate Horizon Domain shook to the point it seemed about to collapse Bleak Sky scrambled backward pulling huge amounts of Nether into his body Unfortunately for Cerulean the environment had already been thoroughly flooded with the dark energy The Nether King was able to recover his composure relatively quickly and steady himself

Bleak Sky didnÆt answer but the grey flames around his body grew to rival the raptor constructÆs Yet as the tension stretched something else snatched away the attention of the battlefield above them all the Nether RItual finally settled into the fullness of its power A massive pillar of woven black currents reached toward the sky

And a second later the Nether King Hungry Eye roared in fury A wave of power exploded from his body To WestrisserÆs surprise that power punched against Bleak SkyÆs Domain and created the slight flaw A crack ran through the universal energy suppression

Cerulean reached up and grasped a bloody red violet weapon out of the first distortion of power In a smooth movement he leveled the weapon and slid forward Vicious Violet Sting

The duel rushed into its second phase the two participants finally barring their true fangs

RandidlyÆs heart pounded as he raised his head and forced back the Domain another hair manifesting more of his Animation Nova Authority An almost endlessly pure wave of life erupted through his body using the small path he created to affect the surrounding environment The rich energy fought directly against the Witherballs thrown at him by the emerald dragon the two forces furiously colliding and canceling each other out

For several long seconds the two struggled both in energy and Willpower Gradually Randidly felt himself gaining ground in the latter this being might be a Nether King which had enjoyed the gradual accumulation of Phaea runoff for a long time but Randidly had Grey MonarchÆs Authority sharpening his every intent With his evolved specifications the struggle dragging on would inevitably benefit him

Yet Randidly felt wariness toward it that reserved lake of power as the emerald dragon grew increasingly desperate It had roared and generated another wave of brown/black Witherballs to throw at him drawing only a handful of that force

Dangerous to push Nether Kings too far then Randidly clenched his jaw Especially if theyÆve been alive for a long time

Underneath the second wave of the withering onslaught RandidlyÆs Authority began to falter He currently bore too much with the disparate impact of Bleak SkyÆs Domain Randidly couldnÆt endure for much longer So he quickly gathered up all the Nether he could muster rotated it several times through his body in order to reinforce the density of the energy then slammed it against the Domain pressing against him

To his great relief the Domain gave the slightest bit

However even as he recognized that thirteen Witherballs were shooting toward him and his Fourth Authority Animation Nova ran dry his eyes scanned through the suddenly concrete Nether Ritual above him Infinite Incendiary Filaments of the Dove Moirae transformed the relatively bland sight of the pillar of black energy into a swirling lively masterwork of craftsmanship For a split second he lost himself in the admiration This too was a working he would need to study and interpret later

Then he realized what he did and paled

Holy shit Randidly whispered This Nether Ritual doesnÆt target Malloon at all not directly The Nether Kings are trying to build a bridge to the sky To connect this place with the place where Pine waits

Chapter 2168

RandidlyÆs mind stuttered for several fractured seconds trying to understand the implications of what would happen if an area near Malloon was connected to Pine the swirling mass of significance and images that filled the sky and functioned like a constant moon Setting aside the very real risk that the fallen Pine would reach back and destroy the entire memory if Randidly couldnÆt avoid viewing the phenomenon he tried to look at the process from the Nether KingÆs point of view

To them Pine was the powerful core of the universe If the Nether Ritual could bridge the gap even for a moment before the flood of dense force caused the whole working to collapse it would be the equivalent of a nuclear bomb dropped on pre System Expira The area would be leveled Anyone not as powerful as Randidly or Westrisser would probably be wiped away

The barrier around Malloon might resist for a bit but the quality of energy surrounding Pine would eventually invalidate it Everything would be annihilated

Above the threatened city of Malloon the storm of significance pressed even closer almost anticipatory From the behavior of the energy it was clear what had happened in the original memory Westrisser obviously escaped to finish his research into Dungeons but Malloon would be no more

Neveah Randidly pulled his companionÆs attention to the situation His stubbornness began to surge through his chest A thousand patterns spun in his eyes showing the movement of the Nether Ritual and the supports in place to keep outside interference from being able to stop the bridge from being made Compared to the pillar of black energy growing toward the sky a cursed beanstalk seeking to draw the gaze of a god even RandidlyÆs massive weather working was a childÆs toy

Congratulations Your Skill Infinite Incendiary Filaments of a Dove Moirae has grown to Level 1100

Congratulations Your Skill Yearnings of the Nether Heir has grown to Level 985

Even mentally Randidly could feel her grimace Well fuck ThatÆs going to be a tough one especially if your senses will be distracted IÆll get to work trying to parse everything apart but it looks like youÆve got problems of your own

RandidlyÆs eyes refocused on the Witherballs shooting toward him They had crossed about half of the distance between the dragon and himself while he had been distracted by the Nether Ritual His Animation Nova continued to falter and fade as they ate through more and more of the vital energy he could project The well ran dry Of his Authorities the Fourth had the shallowest foundations and it was beginning to show Of the second wave of Witherballs he had worn the projectiles down until only eight remained

But those crackled unpleasantly during their approach continuing to warp and rot every element they encountered

Narrowing his eyes Randidly pulled even more deeply from his Nether Core The memoryÆs soft shudders began to occur with slightly more frequency he wasnÆt in danger of destabilizing the area quite yet but even the foundations he built began to be shaken He extended his left hand and unleashed a gush of life energy The eight Witherballs began to shrink but they forced their way through the onslaught

RandidlyÆs senses were pulled in so many directions he almost felt like he floated behind his body rather than being in it The overwhelming fight between Bleak Sky and Cerulean continued to nag at his back He utilized a few pinches of his awareness to gather kinetic energy and build a storm Neveah frantically tried to pierce through the Nether Workings above him And finally he looked forward at the Witherballs

He pushed himself to his limit his Fourth Authority groaning A last nova of life energy swept through the Witherballs eliminating three and shrinking the remainder to half the size of their original form The dragon opposite hissed and fury and his body twisted and coiled in on itself but luckily it also seemed like his energy was expended

His breathing grew heavy his Soulseed was trying to sacrifice itself to spare him pain

His emotional sea began to churn Almost immediately Randidly found the perfect clarion note to harmonize with Yggdrasil In a moment of flaring golden light the last remnants of corrosion were banished from his body Rapidly his wounds began to heal

Congratulations Your Skill Casting Blades from Insatiable Emotional Grievances has grown to Level 900

Congratulations Your Skill Marred Yet Reliable Foundation of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 911

Congratulations Your Skill Dawn Opens the Sky and Reality Stirs has grown to Level 875

The grey blob of Sulfur twisting his bulk into a ball fell toward the distant ground After a moment of indecision RandidlyÆs gaze focused to razor sharpness He reached out with the Stillborn Phoenix and caught his long time companion with a burst of gravity He found himself trembling horrified at the power of the Witherballs Sulfur you donÆt need

The Nether King dragon roared and rushed across the intervening distance Randidly raised his head and observed the foe His eyes were a pale green too many emotions to count buzzing across his awareness The pure note that harmonized so well with Yggdrasil still sang its ballad of violence Had Randidly been himself he would have waited another half second before lashing out Yet to know Sulfur had been wounded by this foe made him lose his grip and slash before he could consider