Soon Zelretch opened up the portal and the Valkyries came to a whole new different location, and the sheer magic in this place caused the Valkyries to gasp for a moment. "Lord Zelretch just where are we?" Brunhild couldn't help but gasped out as she looked around the area.
From the looks of the place, they were in a temple of sorts and there were pillars with carvings on top of them, but what really took her aback was the feeling of souls that permeated the location. As a Valkyrie, she was not only expected to fight when need to but also guide the souls of the Worthy to Valhalla once they have died in honor of their trials and tribulations. Therefore, she could also sense that the feeling of souls was not only flowing but also being used as a source of power, and this greatly uneased her for many reasons.
The usage of souls for power gain was seen as among the darkest and most forbidden of magic due to the foulness behind the concept. Souls were power, that is indeed true, and Human Souls can contain a great deal of power, which is why in the Cycle of Life and Death, they can go to the afterlife, where most beings on Earth can't because their souls weren't as powerful enough to do so. But to use souls as power was a very easy slippery slope into insanity as not only would the user be taking someone's very essence into themselves but also gain all of their memories, feelings, and knowledge and if someone was weak enough to try and do this, they could easily find themselves being overwritten.
"We are in the Nexus Lady Brunhild." Zelretch soon spoke up. "It is a temple that binds together the northern land of Boletaria where a monster known as the Old One is sealed away to prevent a great Calamity from befalling the land." Zelretch said to her.
"The Old One?" Geir soon asked curiously.
"The Old One is an Ancient Demon of immense power and can only be sealed away by being forced to sleep." Zelretch said with a grimace. "It has once woken up before and engulfed the entirety of the land into a magical fog that drove people insane and turned them into monsters." He said as he started walking once, he found the way with the Valkyries quickly in tow. "Thankfully the one that we're searching for as lulled the Old One asleep and has become what we call a Monumental, a seal that prevents Monsters like the Old One from invading the Mortal Realm." Zelretch explained as both Valkyries widened their eyes at what they heard.
"But wouldn't that mean if we removed the Monumental, we would also be putting the world in danger by allowing the Old One to awaken once more?! Geir gasped out as Brunhild nodded in agreement with her.
"That might seem like the case, luckily I have a way to prevent the Old One from being awaken." Zelretch smirked widely as he turned to the Valkyries. "As you can tell there are countless souls that are flowing through this Nexus; yes?" He asked as Brunhild nodded. "What I need you to do is to find the remains of the most powerful and ancient soul you can find here, for that is the soul of the previous Monumental and with your powers and mine combined, we can restore the previous Monumental and allow the current one to leave so we can accomplish what we need." He explained.
"Is that even possible?" Geir gasped out upon hearing Zelretch's plan.
"Souls for all intents and purposes here are power." Zelretch explained. "Brunhild can restore the condition of a Soul back to its original condition and to fuel it, all I need to do is access the vast power of the Multiverse and feed it basically." He explained.
Brunhild nodded at the explanation. "I see, I believe I can do this." She replied towards Zelretch as he nodded as Brunhild closed her eyes and searched for the Soul that they needed and eventually after some time, was able to find it and soon started molding it and restoring it as best as she can until it was whole again. Passing it towards Zelretch, who pulled out one of his Jeweled Swords, he then aimed it at the Soul and fed it vast amount of energy till it was whole and proper again. "It is done." Brunhild noted as Zelretch restored the previous Monumental.
"Indeed." Zelretch nodded. "And now we simply need to find the current Monumental and get past its guardian." He said seriously as both Valkyries nodded but couldn't help but feel anxious as they did sense a very powerful presence in here, perhaps something as old as the Soul of the Monumental that Brunhild basically restored. And so, they continued their walk until they heard a distinct female voice speak up.
"Who dares to invade the Nexus?" a soft-spoken female demanded to know as there were barely a sound when before the trio was a ghostly pale woman in all black from her dress to the cloak, she wears around herself. She had a staff in her hands, her black hair was a mess, but most horrifying of all, was the wax that covered her eyes. "You shall find that even as sealed as I am, I am still very dangerous." She said to the Trespassers, two thirds of whom flinched at her power.
Zelretch however, was undeterred and continued walking towards the woman. "Greetings Maiden in Black." He greeted respectfully towards her. "While my companions and I, have entered the Nexus without permission, we have done so for honorable reasons." He said as the Maiden tilted her head but motioned him to continue. "As you may not have heard of yet, the Gods have decided to exterminate Humanity if they do not prove themselves in a contest of strength, known as Ragnarök. And for that very purpose we are gathering the thirteen most capable and combat efficient warriors to fight for the sake of Humanity's right to live." Zelretch explained clearly and thoroughly towards the Maiden in Black.
The Maiden in Black was silent for a moment but eventually she nodded. "I see, yes that would make a great deal of sense, within the Nexus there are many powerful souls that rest and many that have been used as power." She said softly. "So, who is it you wish to claim? Biorr of the Twin Fangs? Yurt the Silent Chief? Saint Urbain? Sage Freke? Yuria the Witch? Old King Doran? Scirvir the Wanderer? Or is it perhaps someone else?" She hummed out.
"As great as all those warriors are, they are not who we are looking for." Zelretch said to the Maiden in Black before he became even more serious. "We are searching for the Slayer of Demons." He said as the Maiden tensed up at that. "If there is anyone that can be regarded as the best warrior here, it would no doubt be the Slayer of Demons since he had studied under some, fought with, and even fought the names of those you have mentioned, therefore it is only natural that the Slayer of Demons is our choice."
"That…is impossible." The Maiden in Black replied. "The Slayer of Demons has already given his life for the sake of this land, and has gone into his eternal rest as The Monumental to safeguard the Mortal Realm from the Old One." She explained softly before she looked up to Zelretch a bit more defiantly. "And I shall not taint his sacrifice by letting you remove his soul from the seal." She said as power glowed a bit from her.
Zelretch grimaced a bit, he knew damn well for a fact that the Maiden in Black is among the eldest Demons to have exist and even predates the Old One, luckily, he has a plan. "But what if we have a plan that won't sully his sacrifice, but still allow him to fight?" He offered up.
"How would you do so?" The Maiden questioned.
Zelretch smiled. "Like this, Brunhild dear, please come up and show our dear Maiden the Soul we have collected." He requested as Brunhild nodded and walked up and then revealed the soul before the Maiden in Black as she gasped in surprise at the sight of what she sensed.
"This is…! The Soul of the Monumental! The previous one at that!" The Maiden said in surprise as Zelretch nodded.
"Indeed, as you can tell this is the Soul of the previous Monumental, and it's been restored to perfect condition and full power." He explained to the Maiden in Black. "With a Soul of a Monumental, the Slayer of Demons can be removed from the Seal and fight while the previous Monumental will be restored and allowed to continue his fight, everyone wins." Zelretch said.
The Maiden in Black was silent for a moment and when she spoke it was with a tremble and a tinge of hope. "The Slayer of Demons has gone through a great deal of many trials and tribulations." She spoke rather softly that the trio had to strain their ears to hear her. "And the Slayer is without doubt the most honorable and kindest man that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting." She said as she started to blush a bit as she remembered the kindness visited onto her by the Slayer. "And it broke my heart that he had to sacrifice himself to lull the Old One to sleep. If what you say is true and if it is possible, please restore the Slayer." The Maiden in Black pleaded.
Zelretch nodded towards the Maiden in Black. "You have our word, we shall restore the Slayer of Demons, and with his aid, we shall stop the Extinction of Man." He promised as the Maiden nodded in acceptance at that and guided them to where the Monumental of the Slayer of Demons is and soon the Maiden transferred the Soul of the previous Monumental into its old location while the Soul of the Slayer of Demons was taken out by the Maiden in Black and soon guided into the gentle embrace of Brunhild.
Zelretch smirked. "That's three down, ten more to go." He said as he opened a portal to the next world as he, Brunhild, and Geir got ready to depart.