Chapter 974: Chaos’ symbol


    “Don’t apologize, courtesy as of this moment isn’t the greatest idea.”


    “Sitting around and doing nothing won’t bring an answer.”


    “I have my answer,” said Igna, “-and I told Gophy what I thought. She showed her resolve through the surrender of her title, one of her defining qualities. It’s like this, we can’t get angry for someone ready to surrender everything.”


    “Trust me,” slow anger rumbled, “-if she left with her powers and willingly decided to change sides, my, even if you can’t stop us, we would stop ourselves. Understand, Igna, as a watcher, thy responsibility is the protection of the realm and its overall stability. A taskpleted wlessly – we know how much was sacrificed in the rescue of Persephone, we know how strong-headed you get. Gophy left by choice, and we’re part of the me.”


    “Won’t feel the same without her around,” said Lilith holding an air of nostalgia, “-look at her statue, for a goddess of chaos, her beauty has no equal save us.”


    “Count on the queen to alleviate the mood,” Igna stood straight, “dy Miira was right, idle chatter won’t bring her back nor change theing future.”


    Just as he thought of a bde home, the hall mored by the sound of armor, “-guardian deities, it’s Cora and Kaleem...” a shaken guard hurried, “-report came from an anonymous tip.”


    .....


    “My contact’s making the wage worth,” the guardian of time rolled her sleeve and summoned abat-ready outfit, “-about time we step into Draeb.”


    “What did the report say?” wondered Igna.


    “Have a look,” returned a nonchnt Miira, “-right, I ought to give ’em a piece of my mind.” Between the subtle cacophony, a stranger figure – oily-haired and glistened in sweat, held their body upright against a pir, “dy Miira.”


    “Yuria,” beckoned Miira, “-my girl,” they melted into each other’s arms. Redden spots marred around her eyes, her weakened purrs, exhaustion due to woe.


    Igna casually glossed over the reunion, instead of focusing on a scroll, ‘-adorned in gold and basked in the teleportation spell. Seem this spy of hers is more than what first appears.’


    “Lady Miira, I urgently ask for assistance in aing battle. Our would-be stronghold is under attack from aing horde of monsters. Some of my peers havebeled their abilities over the mortal limit. Cora and Kaleem immediately set out despite the incertitude of the guild master. Nobleman of our town has no words to speak, he wishes for the gates to shut. Lest the battle is won, Shadow Realm won’t have a better ce to settle.”


    ‘Draeb,’ he conjured a disy,’-town in question is Inux, cupped northeast of the main continent on a remote fragmented ind. Yeah, the scale could easily fit two or three provinces. The ce’s massive for its rtively small size. Conquer Zayan D’olsak and we’ll be set for expansion. The only route of ess is the Suen Passage, an arduous trek through the rough seas.’


    “Miira.”


    Stranger nces returned, “-something the matter?” he inquired to a row of no.


    ‘He sounded like him,’ passed the collective minds, ‘-he is him...’


    “Miira,” he firmed once more, “-about the report, can Ie?”


    “No?”


    “Why not?”


    “Because,” she threw her hands on her hip, “-Draeb is a ce for the strong.”


    “Right,” he lowered the note, “-at least,” Vengeance rose from the ground in a purple flicker, “-take him.”


    “Culmination of an entire Kingdom’s thirst for revenge,” Lilith licked her lips, “-I heard about spirit weapon, never imaged it to be so powerful.”


    “Oh he is,” said Igna, “-he won’t hesitate to use the fullest of what I have at my disposition.”


    “Mantia?”


    “No,” he said straightly, “-Mantia is unique to he who shares the soul of Origin.”


    Flick of the clock, tap of the minute hand – portals summoned amidst the grand courtyard. “-May victory guide thee,” said Igna, “-Formle and Miira, show them no mercy,” there was no doubt on either face. A subtle smile formed upon Igna’s face; ‘-we’ve won.’ Lilith and Intherna were content to stand the battle. Latter of whom were spotted perched upon a lovely balustrade, warmly watching theirpanion leave.


    “Honestly sucks,” whimpered Intherna.


    “You know the number of people we can send is only infinite,” said Lilith, “-poweres at a great cost, and this time, if we were to go all out, I think not Draeb would hold the strain of our powers,” a spark, akin to a spirit, fluttered above her palms and up her arms, “-this drop of mana has enough power to level an entire town, change the ce of impact and it can easily level a whole district.”


    “I don’t think Gophy willingly gave her symbol,” suggested Intherna, “-I mean, look at it this way, why would a goddess give her all for the sake of love. It’s not logical, out of us, she always was the thinker.”


    “Maybe?” Intherna’s brow lit.


    “No, you don’t think?” Lilith followed.


    “It’s a possibility?” she added resolutely.


    “Too tant, I don’t think she’d go that far,” hands waved at the incertitude.


    “You’d be surprised what love can do. Well, what’s done is done. I’m headed to bed. I’m leaving the council meeting in thy hands, Lilith,” the figures faded in the distance, Igna saw hispanions leave. Greatness of the way the air felt, the way the sun shone, and the way the silence was perturbed in the distance, all brought a feeling of belonging, a nostalgia he wouldn’t have imagined.


    “Pops?”


    “Vanesa.”


    “What’s the matter, pops?”


    “Oh, plenty that need not wane thy mind,” he shuffled her hair a little and smiled, “-you look good.”


    “Thanks,” returned a dubiously shaped smirk, “-something you want?”


    “Yeah,” the tone slowed, “-Vanesa, out of my children, you’re the strongest and one with unlimited potential. Thex attitude and unwillingness to get stronger are admirable. You subconsciously walk the thin path between strength and greed, as such,” Gophy’s symbol hovered above his palm, “-I’m bestowing the boon of Chaos upon thee.”


    “Lady Gophy’s power?” she blinked, “-you sure, pops?”


    “Yeah,” he said, she reached and grabbed – a massive pool of raw energy exploded, rising a funnel far into the sky. Her devilish features blotted and dimmed, “-cool,” the energy swallowed into a single dot, “dy Gophy’s strong, super strong,” the symbolid on her right arm, “-not my style though,” she exhaled, “-I’m to hold?” her vision narrowed, “-and protect from any other who wishes her power?”


    “Yeah.”


    “Sure, I can do that.” Here ended Igna’s sudden visit – portals summoned for the trip home, back to the foreignnd of dreams and fortune. Contrary to the greener countryside, Miira, Formle, and Vengeance arrived on a craggyndscape. Damp rocks, the ever-sinking somber hue, and a flock of flying creatures, a sort of dots against the gray – sometimes lighter or darker dependent on clouds.


    “This ce is lovely,”mented Miira dressed in a military outfit. Her uniform held shades of dark blue, gold, and white. White reserved for her hat, under which hid a true monster. des cackled at her waist, a noise she paid no heed towards.


    “I know,” returned Formle, “-one of my favorite holiday spots.”


    “Onward,” she said, “-to my next game.”


    An unfair game yed by a heavily wounded Cora, “-Kaleem, stop,” he coughed plumps of blood, “-retreat, now,” despite the wounds, he shot and killed.


    “Nay,” returned the strong-headed Kaleem. He fought using martial arts; Intherna’s blessing lit a thousand mes – the dull and mundane skipped and punched, leaving charred footsteps on each dodge or side-step, “-hell no,” a block of fire summoned to block a hammer-wielding giant. The attacker growled, each stretch and attack made flexed its massively muscr frame. Another strike bellowed, cracking the shield and barely missing Kaleem- the impact sent him flying into the woonds.


    “-Son of a,” a sudden moment of weakness, Cora looked to his injured friend – when the aura reacted to one superior, he snapped for his trigger to no avail, “-GRR,” the goliath had its hammer inches from Cora’s face, “-DUCK!” a dagger chipped and halted the mortal blow – a visible sense of mockery befell the giant. It rose its weapon and struck, “-don’tugh at the small,” Kaleem limped with a dislocated shoulder and bloodied face, “-to fight is the will to die,” strength drained, he fell on one knee, “-FINISH HIM, CORA!” the hammer dropped, ‘-thank you, Kaleem,’ a small crack, he aimed and fired, sting the beast into shreds.


    *Cough, cough,* “-we have more to fight,” they crawled towards one another, “-don’t think I’ll make it through.”


    “We’ve been fighting sincest night... the army’s relentless, if those vile things are scouts, what’s in the main unit?”


    A rumble, a bad omen. The vanquished foe rose from remnants – this time, too. “-out of power,” gasped Cora, “-can’t muster the strength to release the limiter.”


    “Best we die as heroes,” he gritted, “-to fight alongside my friend, nothing rivals this feeling,” s, the scene told a far different story. Granted, the forest did reak of the defeated – many of the battles came at a far greater price; stamina. Curtains were to shut – newly risen beasts gripped their hammers and leaped, “-ONWARDS ONTO DEATH!” they screamed, *douf,* “-idiots,” carried a confidently amused voice, “-you’re not fighting monsters, we’re facing off against Titans,” few ps cleaned her hands, “-go for the head or go for the heart – the only way to defeat a god is to have the powers of a god yer or be blessed by the boon of immunity.”


    ‘Seconds, mere seconds,’ shuddered Cora, ‘-she dashed across the forest, grabbed their heads, and mmed them into the ground, no special powers nor a sense of her mana. Goddess Miira dispatched them as if killing ants.’


    “Confused?” Formle returned from the opposite direction, “-here, the heads of the fallen,” he flung a dozen onto the ground, “-that should be it for the scouting party. Cora, Kaleem, let’s head home.”


    A siege was upon Inux, as such, when the newer party approached town’s gate, “-no visitors,” hallowed guards.


    “It’s us,” cried Cora, “-we’re from the adventuring guild.”


    “Y’all never registered,” said another, “-go away, we don’t need strangers.”


    “Seems we are abandoned...” mumbled Cora in a lowered voice. A greenish re, scales climbed her fist, *SMASH,* “-there, no need for fret,” she entered and nced at the bystanders, “-the name’s Miira, and I’m here to speak with thy leader.”


    “Seriously...” scattered fragments painted the ground.


    “Count on master’s friend to share the same brazenness to authority,” chuckled Vengeance, “-allow me to restore the door,” as soon as they entered, he turned and created better fortification from thin air.


    Two chairs, an office, and a trembling nobleman, “-speak thy name.”


    “Plu Oden, I’m the new mayor of Inux. On the order of the king, the previous noble was tried as a traitor and executed. I’m to guard the ce until a new nobleman is elected as ruler of our town.”


    “Executed, let me guess, for harboring my men?”


    “Yes,” he nodded, “-for sheltering,”


    “-Speak no more,” she threw her feet over the desk, “-Plu Oden, an army marches for Inux as we speak. It’ll take no more than hours topletely besiege thy town. Instead of them, how about surrendering to us,” she smiled, “-we’ll protect the town in exchange for information and total immunity. We won’t harm the local populous lest they grow malicious.”


    “The army which moves for Inux is part of a new nation, thend of Titans. They’ve alreadyid siege to Zayan D’olsak’s capital. We remain as the only free town amongst the Ilse.”


    “Thus thee understand how important we are, yes?


    “No...”


    “My, you’re rather crude for an imposter. Forsake the disguise, native of Eipea.”


    “I see,” disguise faded into the apparition of a middle-aged man, “-how disappointing.”


    “Eipea and Aapith faction won’t stand still – they’llunch their own counterattack soon. You being here means but one thing, a surrender, and destruction of the free states.”


    “I was, not anymore. Tell me,dy Miira, I’m not opposed to joining a better faction.”


    “And I’m not interested in a turncoat. However, we can strike a mutual agreement.”


    “Protect the town and I’ll make sure-”


    “No, you’ll take the credit,” she smiled, “-I just want a ce to stretch my legs and enjoy the taverns. No one parties like the Inux.”


    “Wee to the town of drunkards. Lady Miira, long as the town is protected, we have a deal.”


    .....


    “Great.”