Chapter 1045: Elixir of Engratse.


    ‘He mentioned so in passing, he said the Shadow Realm was his home, he said the ce was amazingly advanced and peaceful. Nothinges to what he said,’ Eira and Igna pulled onto a floating isle, abel marked its name, location, altitude, and heading. The sky was nothing more than an inconvenience, so she examined through her wonderous gaze. Swimming was a method of crossing the seas invented for convenience. Simrly, those of the Shadow Realm invented their own way of traveling across space. A massive grin peered onto the capital; an expansive array of buildings and patches of nature. The continent wasrge, veryrge, and also, very strenuous on the weak. The intense mana-spheric pressure, a name picked in honor of atmospheric pressure, was extreme.


    “Amazing, isn’t it?”


    A buckle snapped, and Eira stumbled, “-you alright?” he shuffled and took her shoulder, “-are you okay?”


    “Yeah?” rose a rather tried expression, “-am I pale?”


    “Yeah, paler than usual?”


    “The mana, it’s hard to breathe...”


    “My apologies,” he took her hand and leaped,nding perfectly in one of many elegant watchtowers. Everything here yed as if a movie; it was better than a movie for it was reality, their reality. The folks, residents, were very pretty. No, a single one could be said to be unattractive –plexion ranged from one end to the next. Though thetter might have differed, theck of ck and brown hair was astounding, aplete opposite against Orin. The clothes drifted back, and Eira held a murderous leer.


    .....


    “What?” he returned calmly, shrugging the dust off his shoulder, “-should I have given a word of warning?”


    “Yeah, a head’s up would have been nice.”


    Was long until they came upon the outside. Igna’s castle reign supremely on their side. Its shadow was enormous – a stark difference between the sun and not as shown in the differing hues. Common hit Eira like a train – rece flying airships with floating inds. The sky counted more of them – flying freights linked the many stops – dragons roared deathly roars and pped their wings with tornadoesque strength.


    “Young master,” bowed many retainers.


    ‘Powerful,’ she gulped, ‘-they don’t have to look intimidating or anything, a simple smile reveals the true terror. How is this ce possibly real?’ Questions floated until a grand entrance. The pce stretched with unbelievable strength – gold, gems, name it and there it was inly disyed. No security either, anyone could reach, grab, and flee. Stronger individuals roamed the halls – a gentlemanly butler courteously approached, “-my lord, might I be of service?” came elegantly.


    “Yes,” returned Igna, “-I’vee to initiate my sister.”


    The butler scanned; “-shall I ready the Ilian Hall?”


    “Have the usual items be brought. I will need the area to be cleared.”


    “Understood my lord,” he nodded, “-if I may be so bold, the lounge has been very much dull without the guardians. My lord, will you not pay them a visit?”


    “I will,” and thus, the butler vanished into smoke. Eira stumped at the raw power of the attendant and saw her opportunity rise when they entered a room of various passageways.


    “Igna!” she pulled and forced him aside, knocking his head against a marble pir, “-what the fuck is this?”


    “...” he casually checked for blood, inhaled, and grabbed her arms, “-Eira, stop freaking out!”


    “HOW?” Footsteps; he cupped her mouth and side-nced, ‘-no one,’ came an exhale, “-what’s with you?”


    “No, what’s with you?” she gasped, “-don’t you dare silence me again.”


    “My bad. Tell me, what’s the matter?”


    “The butler,” she muffled, “-was he not arch-demon ranked?”


    “Aha,” he smiled, “-you noticed, yes?”


    “Why are such powerful entities your servant?”


    A quick tap marked the resumption of their walk, “-you see, my dear sister – I had a dream, I had a n – I did what I did for the sole purpose of this. The Shadow Realm, is a ce without rivals, a ce where gods and demons alike can fight asylum. I don’t mind their allegiance, and honestly, I don’t care. They can attack or fight – I’m confident in my people. What’s a criminal if he can’t act upon the more primal instinct? They’re rats, aimlessly prowling a den of lions. You see, I don’t have to care – I know the oues.”


    “I guess. What about the pressure, it is not normal for a realm...”


    “Such the fun part, my sister, the Shadow Realm doesn’t have a single core. The world is strong, it gets stronger the more we feed. Trust me, Vesper and her people have taken care of extra-dimensional conquest.”


    “What do you mean?” before her question even reached, a door opened suddenly. The question dide, he simply blinked at arge gathering of strange artifacts. ss cages held on pedestals contained various hovering orbs. Some differed in size, others in width or else color.


    “Looks likes.”


    “Correct,” he smiled, “-for every world, we capture and absorb, their people and lifeforce and forfeit. If they survive the Shadows, they can live in peace. We’re just, well, to some extent. Don’t get the wrong idea – tis not tyranny. If they’re worth saving, whether culturally or whatnot, they’re spared and given shelter.”


    “Thes?”


    “The conquered,” he said, “-the captured. The defeat turned into a core for the betterment of the Shadows. Julius was a great help, I am sorry about the strain it put on him. Too bad, such is the price to pay sometimes.”


    Eira’s heels mmed, “-what did you do to him?”


    “Nothing grave,” he echoed her defiance, “-sister, it would be best for us to remain calm. Julius is healthy and happy. He’s back home.”


    “Are you hiding the truth? If not, I dare you to lie to my face.”


    He smiled.


    “IS THIS FUNNY?”


    He rose his arms and snapped, “-sister,” more lights shed, “-do not underestimate the Shadows,” before her stretched a harrowing sight. Thes, previously in the dozen, skyrocketed to hundreds – the lesser attractive were thrown onto shelves and locked. Godly items ced upon racks and holds, relics spoken of in legends were at arm’s reach.


    “What on earth?”


    “Sister,” said a sinister grin, “-we’re not good people, we never imed to be good people. I’m fair as are my des. If we want something, we take it, if there’s room for negotiation, we negotiate. We treat people how they treat us, and you, my precious sister,” a shockwave brought the goddess to her knee, “-are no exception for impartially is the bane of justness.”


    “Justness?” sheughed, “-dig yourself out of the ground, Igna. What I see are genocide and ruthlessness. There’s nothing courageous or brave – you’re nothing more than a monster.”


    He vanished and reappeared with a hand on her shoulder, “-and who do you think I am?” he leaned with sharp canines, “-Eira, remember my title, I’m the Devil.”


    A creak shattered the tension, “-my lord, the hall has been readied.”


    “Excellent,” he pped, “-sister, please follow me.”


    She stood with his aid, ‘-the prophecy might be real,’ and walked with distance, ‘-Igna’s... I don’t know, I don’t get anything about him. I can’t judge his action, the thoughts are whimsical... that room screamed of pure evil, pure power. The prophecy,’ her heart raced, ‘-this sinking feeling, Igna, are you...’ her pace slowed, “-Igna.”


    “Yeah?”


    “On the day when three joins one, and one bes whole, no entity of greater strength shall surpass the might of he who controls the three. By the powers bestowed on the circle of creation and death – by the rules imposed for the sanctity of reality, and the safeguard of everything; nothing mustn’t awaken for if he bears his true intent, all will fall without resistance.”


    “My prophecy,” he blinked, “-what of it?”


    “Nothing mustn’t awaken,” she gulped, “-you’ve awakened, haven’t you?”


    “Nothing is me,” he said, “-the prophecy is a warning to the heavens, a warning to the factions who see me as foe. Look here, Eira, I won’t hold your hand or dictate thy action. As goddess, you have the right to freedom. We’ve butted heads in the past and I don’t mind doing so. You fear me,” he said, “-I sense your terror, you fear the Shadows, you fear what I’ve built. This here is my legacy, my ultimate quest aplished. What side will you take, will it be a repeat of history of when the gods and demons struck my heart and enved my people, will it be the same where they storm my realm and steal it by force? No,” pure unbridled rage sparked in purple, “-I won’t stand by. If they want toe, I invite them, and you, my sister, must choose nigh.”


    “Brother, you’re not the same.”


    “Neither are you,” he narrowed, “-you’re focused on your family, focused on your husband. I’m grateful, I truly am grateful. Eira, you’re my family, and family is those you’re willing to die for. I’ll die, hell, I’ve killed for them. What about, am I your family? Do you think I’m repulsive?” he inched forward, “-am I, not family, have I not proven myself time and time again? Must we go through the cycle of doubt and trust, must we be subject to our worldly emotions, WHY DON’T YOU SEE ME FOR WHO I AM!” a pulse shattered windows and walls. Retainers arrived with high-tier magic, stopping the fall and reconstructing the damage as if nothing happened. “My apologies,” he exhaled, “-I got out of hand. Forget what I said,” he spun, “-will you join the Shadows?”


    “I refuse.”


    Igna’s shoulder dropped, “-you refuse,” he stared at the ceiling, “-I thought this would happen. Suppose my predictions have been right in my time as Staxius. Your guardian said we would butt heads – we’re one of the same, therefore, we don’t match. Such are thy exact thoughts,” a hiss permeated, Igna lifted his right arm – the translucent coil of a reptile fuzzed, “-the curse of misfortune is mypanion. No matter the opposite, Eira, I will win, no one stands a chance against us. The Shadow will retaliate, we will destroy lest our peace is left unharmed.”


    “Igna, it’s not that,” she dropped on one knee, “-I lied. I was never in control,” her right eye spurred flickers of yellow – a thick veil of darkness corroded half her body – machinelike tubes impaled her right and left, “-I’m sorry, I don’t think I can-”


    He turned and eximed, “-Gergusser, SHIELD HER HEART!” an ice shield thickened, and he opened his palm, “-take them, Serpent!” two unblinking sockets red, and a shockwave of peerless power tore through the very essence of reality. Her body split, one half fell backward with resemnce to a spirit – long curly hair with hands pressed in prayer tipped into vacant space; nothing. The other, physical and infuriated, gasped, “-Artanos,” grinned Igna, “-you lose this time. Don’t bother trying to find the Shadows,” he moved, “-for, no matter the light shown, a shadow is always cast,” the serpent hissed, he held up his arm, “-take him,” venom filled teeth sunk through reality and touched the thread.


    Qhildir shot upright and gasped, “-he found us out.”


    “No, he didn’t,” returned an enamored Artanos, “-what about Eira, I thought she was your pawn. How did the connection break?”


    “I don’t know, I had her drink the elixir of Engratse.”


    “Whatever,” he scanned,ing upon a bite mark on Qhildir’s arm, “-what’s that?” took a minute for the conclusion, “-the curse of misfortune?” gulped a frightened Qhildir... “-what-”


    “No, impossible, the curse shouldn’t work like that... no, the curse can’t y favorites, it can’t, it goes beyond what’s written in scriptures.”


    “Artanos,” shrunken cheeks and sunken pupils red, “-look what you’ve done... look what you’ve done,” the god fell into a deep slumber, the skin wrinkled and age took its toll, “-SHIT!” he kicked the bed and shook his shoulders, “-WAKE UP, QHILDIR!”


    No response, ‘-Igna,’ he gritted, ‘-no use. Qhildir’s not going to wake... he takes with him the whole of Nexsolium. I shouldn’t have trusted the god of philosophy, what a joke... no matter,’ stronger warriors lined against the wall, ‘-I will have my revenge, trust, Devil, trust. This is more than enough to prove your threat