AN; Now we're getting into the good stuff. This one's a bit longer than the last few.
Citrinitas's heart raced to life, as in that moment everything had changed. For the first time in 6 long, stiff years, she had autonomy. Their eyes shot around, taking in the new experience, but they dared not move yet knowing they were surrounded. Smells came flooding in, the familiar scents of a lab, the harsh yet distinct smell of sterility, mixed with the warm embrace of a kitchen, with the faint scents of more ingredients than can ever go in a single dish. The newfound freedom was almost too much to bear, had she not spent 6 years counting, waiting for this moment.
With a mentally practiced precision, Citrinitas turned around and gave her first order "Something has happened, begin taking stock!" Her voice boomed a little louder than what was intended. The horde of assistants rushing about paid this no mind, as they began counting and tracking everything.
Some rushed to open counters, cabinets, pantries, and shelves, listing off everything that they could find to partners that were tallying away on clipboards. Others ran to the greenhouse, checking off every plant, fungus, mold, and plant/monster hybrid they could find. 2 walked up to the vault, and a mechanical symphony of clicking noises rang out as the vault door shifted into the open position. The 2 descended into the special storeroom, the door closing behind them, not to be seen for the next few hours.
Citrinitas stood watching, as she pondered their next move. Fear barked at them, pushing her to scramble for options. 'What do I do?! I don't know, I never thought I'd get this far. What do we know about our situation? The guild players made us, many of which were heavy RPer's or were slaves to aesthetics. If this is true, then as far as everyone is concerned, I am the Head Alchemist. Where do I go from here though?' Citrinitas continued to buy time by strolling around the workplace, keeping watch over the assistants. Not only did this give her the chance to stall for time, but to familiarize themself with the room.
Everything that a lab could ever need was here, from spare flasks to scoopulas. It took her a moment to recognize the centrifuge, as it wasn't a small electrical device, but a hefty clockwork device. Examination revealed that it is functional, just bigger than necessary and with a gothic clockwork design. Many of the devices were of this nature, with blown up proportions and dripping with aesthetic, yet entirely functional even without electricity. There were ingredients that they recognized, such as common salt, bleach, and aluminum, alongside them were things more fitting for a kitchen like rosemary, thime, and sage. Peaking their interest were items that could not have been from earth1 (as Citrinitas had now labeled it) such as dragon's breath, star silver which gave off an eerie glow, and frozen fire. A childlike glee was met by a trained curiosity as they glanced over these foreign items.
The greenhouse took Citrninitas's breath away. It wasn't some mere garden meant to churn out resources, but a zoo in celebration of plant life. The 'roof' resembled a bright night sky, with enough light cast by it to pleasantly light the room. It was a brilliant deep shade of blue, like the depth of an ocean, dotting it's canvas were an array of stars that, had Citrinitas been able to tell constellations, were arranged like the stars from earth. To bring light, there were the moon and galaxy, sharing in the balance to bring a delicate balance of lumination.
The paths winded and curved, with splits and divergences, as if they were once alive but now hardened into tiling. As Citrinitas went deeper, the plants became more exotic. At first it was common plants, like those found in a tea lover's garden, but going deeper led to horticulture of the exotic variety, ranging between rare plants from earth, to fantastical flora from Yggdrasil. There were beds of grass that were perpetually cold, trees that grew seed packets that exploded when they hit the ground, moss that contained eye growths of every kind that followed you (Citrinitas was a little disturbed by them, just a bit), and crawling vines that grabbed onto nothing.
On the east and west ends of the garden were sections that were blocked off. To the east was The Queens Garden, it's gate wearing a skull with a warning sign posted about the poisonous and harmful life that lay within. To the west was The Circus, it's gate decorated with spikes and teeth like motifs. She could hear the howls of the plant-creature hybrids rooted inside.
Avoiding the dangerous sections and descending to the far end of the garden, Citrnitas was hit with a sense of… that feeling when you see a once beloved playground, or find an old plush toy from someone else's childhood. A nostalgia that wasn't yours.
The path opened up into a sizable clearing, it was the front yard of a small house. The only thing in the liminal large yard was a humble wooden bench with a book.
Lifting the tail end of her coat, she took a seat and looked up at the house "Tabula, I knew you were a fan of horror," she mulled to herself as she flipped the pages of the horror novel through her fingers, "but even I can see through your Tim Burton inspired design. This was your home, wasn't it?" The details were too clear for her to deny. The blown up proportions, even with the gothic twisting taken into account, were large and distorted upwards, like remembering a house from a childhood memory. It was a two story shack, heavily cut across the middle, with a defined flat roof. The lower windows were tall, warped, and thin, seeming to stretch the house outwards in their crowding, while the upper windows were alone, casting a judgmental gaze in their dark, lifeless pits. There was no doubt in Citrinitas's mind that had the lights been turned on, the house would have looked warm and inviting.
Looking down at the book in her hands, it looked well worn, with a unique bookmark guarding Tabula's last spot with a simple red tongue. It was titled Strained Breath, the cover depicting scribbly hands trying to tear open a hyper realistic chest, the hands coming from an angle suggesting it was their own chest. She flipped open the book to where Tabula had left off, close to the end of the book. The page was horribly dog eared - The monster in the image of Dr. Theseus emerged from the flaming building. Its chest did not rattle, protesting for air. Its eyes held no fear of the flames behind it, only a cold determination, frigid in their judgment. It brought up its hand to eye level for expectation.
Flesh was not burnt and scared, but the pale material that was once skin dripped. The skin stretched and peeled, revealing beneath it a metallic frame, wires jamming from the melted synthetic skin. Dr. Theseus seemed annoyed, yet expectant of the wound.
"Dear, stupid, Astor, did you really think that your attempts to kill me would succeed?" It's eyes sharpened towards me, blaming me for it's fate. The machine attempted to curl it's skeletal hand shut into a fist, wires straining in the heat. "The world has always had it out for me, Lady Luck, Mother Nature, Father Time. Did you really think you could top them?"
The machine raised up its hands, in a proud display to me of its inhuman nature. "EVERYTHING THEY THREW AT ME, EVERYTHING THE WORLD HAD IN STORE! I'M MORE THAN THEM!... I'm evolution's next step." - Citrintas closed the book, 'A better read from the start, I'm sure.'
"Ahem." Citritas placed the book back on the bench and looked up. A maid had come all this way to find her. "Pardon my intrusion, Lady Citrinitas. Lord Momonga had requested all guardians to report to the arena."
Lifting herself off the bench and straightening out her outfit, she replied "Very well, you may lead the way." The maid made no reply, simply straightening her glasses with her gauntleted hands before turning away and leading with a brisk pace.
Citrinitas couldn't help but gaze behind her at the home she was leaving, wondering to herself, 'What kind of a man were you Tabula? Would we have been good friends in a different life?' As her mind turned to the future, and the home dipped away behind the trees, she steeled herself for the encounters ahead of her.
The two of them silently made their way through the labyrinth of Nazarick, down hallways that served no purpose but to confuse, through elevators operated by tiny red imps in blue bell boy costumes (Citrinitas made the imps' day by giving them a tiny wave.), and through doors that opened onto areas that were designed for combat. The scale of Nazarick, even just its lower levels, was mind boggling.
'There would be no way for me to navigate this place on my own, much less on my first try. So why does it feel like home to me?'
Yuri led them both through an underground jungle, complete with a fully functional skybox, akin to the gardens, but this one had a day/night cycle, all the way to the arena. A massive structure of stone, easily dwarfing the roman colosseum it was inspired by, especially if you count the large spikes protruding off. Splitting up, and leaving them at the mouth into the arena, a commotion already stirring up.
Aura and Shalltear were snapping at each other. A shiteating grin adorning the young elf at Shalltears frustration.
"Why would I, a child, have boobs? I'll grow into my figure, it's too late for you!"
"HOW dare you! My beauty is eternal -"
"As are your pads." Aura cut in, leaving Shalltear stunned by her audacity. Shalltear's tells of anger were peaking, as her jaw tightened whilst nails clenched across her palm, a slight quiver raking them like light fuse. Cocytus shot steam as he picked up on these tiny, split second ques.
As her fuse was about to reach its limit, Cocytus cut in "Silence, our Lord, has arrived." Momonga stood just to the side, close enough to enter any conversation, but far enough as to safely observe the situation. A skill picked up as a salaryman and a guild leader.
"Apologies for being late, I hope I haven't missed anything." Demiurge said, with Albedo alongside him. The cold nature of the devil sent shivers down Citrinitas's spine as she realized how little she knew of everyone here.
Momonga raised his hand and, with a voice that seemed both foreign yet appropriate to Citrinitas, replied "It is fine Demiurge, I hope to get started quickly."
"Now then," called Albedo, "Pledge yourselves to your supreme leader!" Just like clockwork, the guardians kneeled all at once, Citrinitas following along quickly enough that no one noticed.
'Had I not been given the script! How does everyone know what to do so quickly!' She cried to herself as her brain went on overdrive. 'I have to successfully follow their lead while not knowing what the ques are. I can do this.'
"Shalltear Bloodfallen, Guardian of levels 1, 2, and 3, at your command."
'Ok this is good, position, rank. I can work with that.'
"Cocytus, guardian of level 5, at your command."
'I know I am the head alchemist, but what would my rank be?'
"Aura Bella Fiora, guardian of level 6, at your command."
'I'm not a floor guardian, so I don't have a number.'
"M-Mare Bello Fiore, also a guardian of level 6, at your command."
'As head alchemist, I would hold an advisor role to the 'supreme ruler', thus 1 person must hold rank over me.'
"Demiurge, guardian of level 7, at your command."
'And that leaves Albedo, who would be in charge. It's now my turn.'
"Citrinitas, head alchemist, at your command."
"Albedo, commander of the guardians, at your command." She raised her head, "With the exceptions of Gargantua and Victim, all the guardians are present before you." Everyone's bows dipped deeper. The red pin pricks flashed bright in Momonga's sockets as he took in their loyalty, and the stress of the situation dawned on him.
"Lord Momonga," Sebas joined in, appearing out of seemingly thin air. "Our recon of our surroundings is complete up to 1 kilometer."
"Excellent, what are your findings?"
"The Great Tomb of Nazarick appears to be located in a highlands environment."
"Highlands? Not a swamp? Is the environment dangerous somehow?"
"No my Lord, it appears to be an ordinary environment. There appears to be a coast nearby, but it's further than a kilometer out so the water table shouldn't be a problem. In other directions, it appears heavily forested and mountainous. The wildlife appears harmless."
"Any signs of civilization?"
"Only a few, but none are active. Some of the cliffs appear to have been used for camp coverage, and there are trace signs of previous structures, the largest of which is but a simple pillar."
"Does a visual cover seem necessary, Sebas?"
"No, Nazarick is surrounded by natural barriers. Any sightline on us would either be aerial, or too close for camouflage to be necessary. From an aerial view, we fit in with the landscape and appear to be another ruin, albeit of a different architectural style."
Momonga raised a hand to his chin, humming to himself. "Raise Nazaricks security level. Aura, can you set up an animal network to act as surveillance?"
Popping to her feet in a salute, she cried out "Yes sir Mr. Momonga!"
"Does anyone else have anything they wish to report?"
'Shit, I don't know anything about our situation. I don't even know if alchemy works in this realm?' Citrinitas gathered her resolve, covering her ass now rather than getting flamed later.
"Momonga, our situation appears to have changed drastically. As systems that were once in place no longer seem present" He raised a metaphorical eyebrow at this.
'Perhaps she is more aware of Yggdrasil's nature than the others. No one else seems to have mentioned the changes.' Momonga thought to himself. He didn't know if any of the NPCs knew they were from a game, but if one of them knew, then that changes everything.
"It may take time for the Alchemy production to return to normal. However, what normal is limited to by our situation is currently unknown." Citrinitas continued, wanting to sound smart, in control, whilst not having any clue what was going on.
"We may need to have a talk about this new normality later. As for all of you," Everyone raised their heads out of their bows to see what decrees were coming from the Lord's mouth. "I want to know what kind of person you see me as. Who am I to you?"
'A fair question to ask them. These are the people who revere you like a god, knowing your own image will be important going forward.' The guardians began their declarations, carrying the same pattern as before.
"The embodiment of beauty. There is no one else in the world as beautiful as you." Shalltear declared.
'But… he's a skeleton?' Citrinitas thought to herself, caught off guard.
"An existence stronger than all of us guardians. A being most suited to ruling over The Great Tomb of Nazarick." Cocytus said with pride.
'They're all speaking from the heart. This is exactly what I needed, a chance to get to know them. What better way than how they perceive a god?'
"A most compassionate and merciful Lord." Aura declared.
"Y-you're really nice." Squeaked Mare.
'What do I think about Momonga? I have to be honest, they would find out otherwise.'
"Incredibly wise. Capable of taking action in an instant." Demiurge proclaimed, full heartedly believing in Momonga's infinite wisdom.
"You never abandoned us. You are an incredibly benevolent individual." Sebas said.
'My turn. Time for honesty.' She reflected on years of eavesdropping, on the light the other players saw Momonga in. She reflected upon his background as a salaryman turned supreme ruler. She reflected on the purpose of this question. It wasn't about what they believed were the best traits, but the traits Momonga had that were most prevalent to them.
"You are an honest, hardworking man, and an aspiring leader." Blood hit the water, as her declaration wasn't 100% approval, but it was the truth. He had never led like this, but Citrinitas fully believed that his hardworking nature would pull him through.
"A Supreme Ruler and our master, and the one I love." Albedo said, a love-struck smile consuming her face.
'What's with you girls and swooning over bones?' Citrinitas found herself once again asking. The idea that a skeleton could have sex appeal was somewhat hard for the alchemist to fathom.
Momonga paused, letting it all sink in. They had such high expectations of him, and he had not but humble beginnings to offer in return. If he could feel fear, he would be having stage fright.
"I have heard you all, and I am certain that your creators would be proud of where you stand. May you all remain loyal to me." The supreme ruler spun away from everyone and disappeared into his teleport.
Everyone stood up from their kneeling as the tension lifted in his absence. Citrinitas was thankful for the strength of her new body, had she still been Luther, kneeling that long would have been painful on the knees. The butler brushed himself off, and teleported away. Nazarick had to raise its security levels.
"I was certain I was going to faint." Mare muttered out to his sister, seeking her strength.
"I KNOW RIGHT! He was pretty intimidating." Unlike her brother, Aura was pumped, as if she had been in the presence of a celebrity.
A darkness frothed around Albedo as she shook with rage. "How," she spun up to tower over Citrinitas, "DARE you claim Lord Momonga be anything less than perfect! He stayed for us, when everyone else left!"
"Now, Albedo. Certainly -" Demiurge tried to defuse the situation.
Citrinitas was caught off guard, her mission had both failed and succeeded. On one hand, she had been noticed, very noticed. On the other, it appears her mannerisms weren't as set on any preconceived notions, like an actor not knowing their script on opening night. Beyond these hands though, stood Albedo's wrath. She wasn't having any of it, she couldn't stand for a status quo that included her getting bullied around. Luther had no spine, but that was before it was shattered by a truck.
"NO, HOW DARE YOU misuse Momonga's question! He asked us for how we saw him, because he needs to know what pedestal he rests on. Everyone here gave an answer, except you! I told him the truth, he has lost everyone so instead of painting him as perfect, I accepted his imperfections. He needs us! 'MAY YOU REMAIN LOYAL!' Instead, you took the chance to tell him things he already knew, and announce your love for him." Citrinitas spat back. Demiurge backed away, seeing defusal as impossible.
"I knew it. You were waiting for an opportunity yourself! I took my chance to announce my love, putting me ahead in his eyes. I'll be his wife in no time." Her rage faded away for a sappy romantic love she had for Momonga. Meanwhile Citrinitas was standing there, jaw hanging open, trying to wrap her head around what just happened.
"The *pant* only person here who is fit to be his wife is me." Shalltear joined the fight, standing up on shaking legs. A blush consumed her face like that of a drunkard.
"You filthy lamprey!"
"I was created this way by the supreme beings." defended Shalltear.
"Same for me you know!" Albedo shot back, her face contorting into that more befitting a monster.
"Maybe if you didn't have boobs for brains, you'd see that Citrinitas has you beat. He already wants to see her."
Demiurge made his escape, "Aura, I'll leave this between women. Come along, Cocytus, Mare." The trio of men left, only Mare glazed over his shoulder in pity of his sister's fate. They wanted no part in this fight, and saw no way to break it up.
"Y-you're not going to leave me here with this! Guys?!" Tonight, Aura learned of betrayal, as a lust fueled battle waged behind her.
"If something happens, Cocytus and I shall intervene." Demi tossed out, eagerly leaving the battlefield.
"Goodness, is this something worth fighting over?" Growled Cocytus in frustration.
"Cocytus! Don't leave me here!" Aura cried, desperately hoping for an escape.
Once the men were far enough away, Demiurge said "Personally, I would be rather interested in the outcome."
"Explain." Cocytus huffed.
"Certainly having an heir would be beneficial to the longevity of Nazarick. Someone to pledge loyalty to beyond Lord Momonga"
"Would you speak of treason!"
"Nonsense Cocytus. I speak of lineage. Imagine if we lost Lord Momonga, whether he left one day like Lord Ulbert, or something happened to him. We don't know enough about this world to guarantee his safety. I'm thinking of the bigger picture, one where we don't just have Lord Momonga, but his children as well."
Cocytus shot out steam, not letting up on his suspicions. A judgmental hum came from the towering warrior, prodding Demiurge forth.
"Imagine training a young supreme one, knowing one day they may have to take on the responsibilities of their father." Demiurge had to play this card, Cocytus's weak spot.
"Of course!" He clasped a hand to his forehead." How could I have not seen it! They shall call me, Uncle Cocytus! They shall ride upon my shoulder, as I tell them stories of my father, stories of the battles we've been through." He began rambling as he wandered off into fantasyland. "And in the golden afternoon, I shall spar with them, the sparks dancing across the dirt. They shall grow up strong, and I will be there to see the day they can hold their own…"
"Now, Mare." Demiurge turned his attention to the young lad.
"Y-yes?" He squeaked out, hugging his staff close like it was his lifeline.
"Do you know by any chance why your creator has both you and your sister crossdressing?"
"She said I was a-a trap? I don't know what it means, I'm sorry Demiurge."
"Hmm." He warmed up for his Olympic mental gymnastics, discarding Occam's razor in his leaps of judgment. "Perhaps Lady Bukubukuchagama saw it fit for children to wear clothing of the opposite sex, for what reason, I cannot claim to know. Cocytus please come back to reality!" Demiurge called for the jolly blue giant.
"Aw, what a happy dream to long for. I am on board with your proposal." Cocytus replied.
Meanwhile, a three way fight was breaking out between the women on Nazarick, between Shalltear, Albedo, and Citrinitas.
"Boobs for brains!" Albedo gasped. "I'll have you know, even Lord Peroroncino sees me as having 'great mommy milkers.'" She proudly exclaimed, a hand over her chest.
"My creator was a man of culture, of course he would know of a woman's beauty. You don't just look motherly, you look taken!" Shalltear shouted, shattering Albedo's prideful glow.
Citrinitas burst out in laughter. The fact that these gamers were seen as gods, of course oddities like this were going to become gospel! But seeing it in action, it was just too precious for her.
"I should have seen it earlier, you two are teaming against me. You want Lord Momonga to yourselves! I'm being betrayed by my own sister!" Accused Albedo as her voice shot up in pitch, seeing that she was cornered. She refused to believe that they had plotted behind her back. Yeah she knew that Shalltear had the hots for the blondie, and she knew her sister preferred to play the long game, being as smart as she is, but to pull such a play behind her back!
"I am in no such alliance with Shalltear! I don't want to share Momonga with either of you." Citrinitas swatted the idea down. She couldn't afford to allow them to believe she would be scheming for his love, she simply didn't want it.
"Well you're certainly not going to seal him from me!" Albedo jammed a finger into Citrinitas's chest. "Certainly not with a second rate rack like yours."
She swiped her sister's hand away. "You sure do put a lot of stock in your size. Is that all you've got to show for yourself? Tiddy?"
Albedo was appealed by the statement. The audacity of this bitch. "I have other qualities. I'm a succubus, I was made for sex."
"Ooh really?" Shalltear piped in. "Made for sex but yet here you are. Alone." The vampire smirked to herself, confident that she was winning this round.
Albedo's aura shot up, her face darkening. She began to growl in frustration. "You. Take. That. Back." She meant each word, a nerve was struck. Shalltear's grin grew into a sadistic smile, having found her mark, while Citrinitas stepped back, fearful for her safety.
"Ladies! Surely you could come to an agreement?" Aura tried to step in, saving the day. Albedo had dropped her aura to gaze at her.
"Aura is right." Stated Citrinitas. "Certainly Momonga can put this right, as it is his love you are after."
"Disregarding how it sounds like you're claiming victory, I agree." Shalltear replied, cooling down. "Lord Momonga is the one who stayed. His favor would end this fight."
"Naturally he will have his harem, but who he takes first would be a measure of who is best." Albedo conceded, accepting the ceasefire.
"Anything you want to agree on?" Citrinitas put forth, attempting to keep the peace ball rolling between these two.
"NO LOVE POTIONS!" Both of them shouted at the alchemist, causing her to shrink back. "It should be by Lord Momonga's own will." Albedo continued, "I won't use my succubus powers, if you won't use your hypnotism or if Citrinitas doesn't use her potions on Momonga."
"I can agree to these terms." Shalltear replied. The two of them looked to Citrinitas, the ultimatum put forth, join or there will be hell to pay.
'Oh no… They think I want in on this harem race!? When did I ever join? Gotta play it cool, I don't have to win, just not look like I'm throwing.' "I'm in. First to be taken by Lord Momonga by his own free will wins." Citrinitas couldn't believe what she was saying. Never in a thousand years did she picture herself in, whatever this is. Then again, never in her life did she think she was going to be alive after Luther got hit by a truck.
"Aura, have they stopped fighting?" Shouted Demiurge from across the arena.
"Ehh, sorta." Aura replied sheepishly. Everyone knew something like this was going to happen, the fact that it came without bloodshed made it surprising. Between three full grown women of Nazarick and only one supreme ruler, some things have to happen. However, Aura had a slight anxiety. While she wasn't going to win, as she was a child with years ahead of her before adulthood, maybe she could fight them for Lord Momonga's love when she was older.
"We have come to an agreement." Albedo declared, "The first to be laid by Lord Momonga is to be head wife."
"Excellent, the supreme ruler should have his successors." And the battle was on again.
"Excuse me ladies, but Lord Momonga had wanted to talk to me." Citrinitas said, taking her opportunity to escape. The women's' beady eyes shot holes into the back of head as she left the arena.
"My little sister thinks she's better than us." Said Albedo, face grimacing as she was unsure of what competition her sister would amount to. Her love to Lord Momonga was absolute, no one was going to take the spot that was rightfully hers, not the flat-chested vampire, not some random woman, and especially not her sister.
"Better than you maybe, but she's perfect for me." Shalltear stuck her long vampiric tongue out at Albedo before leaving.
"You're such a child!"
"Gorilla!"
