The Second Harmony:The Tyrant's Mad Dance
"I'd give anything, even my own life to hold you in my arms but once more…in His name I had performed this mad dance for the gods in what they had me believe were my own desires. Thrice have I made this mistake and thrice I have turned on those I loved. Now but once more I must perform for them, to flay the one who started it all, and to avenge your unjust death." (Vanir)
The following morning TJ lay in the grass of Elias Fields looking up at the clouds as they gently drifted by. The dream he had seen previously remained fresh in his mind. Since the day he had not seen any others that stood out as the first since his awakening had. The fact that it occurred at all, and catching a glimpse of the unusual change in his eye once more left an even greater gap between what he understood and what had occurred. The last time he had seen that change was after he found himself in Atlantis, and saw the dream with Su in the tunnel that lead to the unusual gate in which he had seen his past self.
He knit his eyebrows after finally coming to a realization. It seemed that many of the strangest occurrences for him often pointed back to his companion. She had given her life at Elfa in order to stop Choen Palm, yet she had him inherit her soul afterwards and from there taught him how to master the Frequency. If it was a duty of the God's Governors, why would Amata try to fight him? TJ closed his eyes.
The trust and faith he put in her was something he would not cast aside so easily, but the more he thought about it the harder it was not to suspect that there was something unusual in the actions of his companion. He was still yet to hear the answer to why she had prevented him from sealing Choen Palm away in Kimara Research. It was the most baffling thing he had experienced, and the fact that it was her of all people worried him even further. Of all of his companions, she had to have known him the best, considering the fact the two spent every waking moment together. Even more so, the Cerebian race as a whole strived to defeat Choen Palm and the Agasuras beneath her. Was TJ in the wrong in doing what he had set out to do?
"Su?" He asked.
"What do you want?" She responded.
"I…I need to know." She emerged from the crystal and crossed her arms while gazing upon him disapprovingly. He sat up and met her gaze with his own, a look of uneasiness. "Why did you stop me from sealing Choen Palm away at Kimara?"
Despite the fact she now glared at him, they did not contain the usual ferocity they would. "It's because you were gonna seal yourself away, idiot." She frowned and turned her head away. "I already told you that stopping her was only the beginning. You wouldn't have three different transformations if you only needed one to stop Choen Palm. There are other Agasuras…other stronger Agasuras than her." She clenched her fists. "There's no way in hell that the Agasuras' proxy could be that weak! And you can't afford to do something that stupid again or you won't get lucky a second time."
He was quiet and his eyes said he expected more, but it was exactly that which he did not receive. "There's much more to it than that, isn't there? There's still so much more to this story I'm just not ready to know, isn't there?"
She closed her eyes and sighed. "You think I like doing this? I couldn't give a rat's ass whether or not you were ready to know what was out there and what you had to do when you're up against those things. I dunno about the others but I've got an oath to keep; I'm completely sworn to secrecy and if I break that prematurely it's gonna be on my ass. Fuck that." She rolled her eyes. "If you want answers so badly let's get them out of that tight-lipped guild master. She knows more than enough, and unlike me I'm sure she can tell you something."
"You're right. Now that things are getting back on track, we need to make our move too."
"I feel like someone is purposely leaving behind evidence and clues to her whereabouts. If this isn't proof that someone or something has a lead on her whereabouts, I dunno what is." Axle said. The guild master gave him an uneasy glance in response. "I've been hunting down these clues for years now, but I feel like I'm getting really close now. I've got more to lose than I do to gain in waiting."
Peorth shifted the ice pack she held to her forehead aside and sighed gently. "Axle you must not jump to conclusions so easily. You know very well that we cannot trust strangers, let alone follow possible clues blindly. The Seven are now present, and there is something out there that is hunting our kind. I cannot authorize the mission nor can I provide you with party members until we can confirm the sender really does have your sibling." She explained. Shortly after she caught a glimpse of TJ and Su approaching and placed the ice pack by her side. The two examined her with a quick glance, feeling the tension from the sense of urgency Peorth gave off. "TJ, Suuba I-"
Before she could speak Axle raised a hand to stop her. "Let me Chief." He turned to the two and smiled. "There were hundreds, probably thousands of Cerebian refugees after we fled from Yggdrasil. My younger sister and I were some of them. She was stolen from me; we were attacked by bandits and she they took her away from me. I eventually managed to escape but I hadn't seen her since. Spent most of my years on Jienda chasing any clues I could to get to where she is, and eventually I found myself here." He grinned. "Never thought I'd be one of the queen's vassals, but here I am. With Yggdrasil's help I've gotten closer than I ever imagined, but I can't celebrate until the two of us are reunited. I'm sure she'd like to join us in saving our world; until then, I'll do everything in my power to get even a small step closer to where she is."
"Then let us help you search for her Axle." TJ suggested. "Three Cerebians is better than one right? Well…two and a uhh…me. That's a pretty decent number if I say so myself."
Axle laughed heartily. "Thanks TJ, but I don't need it. There's some scary stuff out there, and I don't want you to have to get your hands dirty in my business." Axle placed a hand on his arm and flexed. "Don't worry about me, I've got it covered! Besides, the big boss needs you more than I do, and if something happened to you I don't think she'd be so forgiving."
TJ stole a glance at Peorth who seemed to have her calculating gaze fixated upon the blader.
Su crossed her arms and glared at him. "Are you seriously gonna play that lone wolf bullshit on us? I'm already up to my knees in shit that isn't my business and adding more to the pile isn't gonna change a goddamn thing. We're all from the same goddamn place and we're the same freakin' race; if you wanna go get yourself killed I won't give a shit, but if he's crying about it-" She pointed to TJ with her thumb, "then it'll be my business too 'cause someone's gotta deal with it. If someone has to have their ass kicked so you can rescue your stupid sister we're coming along, got that?"
Axle looked astounded, and he suddenly burst out into laughter. "After that speech how could I say no? You really have a way with words, you know that?"
Su crossed her arms and scoffed. "I could be a fuckin' noble."
He grinned. "I doubt you'd let me off with just a warning if I acted without your permission. But if you're not there when the boss authorizes the mission I'm leaving you two behind. Though truthfully I'd rather do this one alone; losing Moran was more than too much." He crossed his arms. "Though it's not every day you get to have a moment to be flashy and cool in front of your siblings."
Peorth shook her head. "We will not let you pass away Axle. Our fight is yours as yours is ours. I will do everything in my power to save everyone, including your sister, so fear not."
He ruffled the guild master's hair and she furrowed her brows while staring at him over her glasses. "I know Boss. I wouldn't doubt you for even a second." He pulled TJ and Su into a hug and ruffled their hair as well. "Thanks you guys. A guy couldn't have better friends than you. Anyway, I'm gonna hit the road. Ken needs a hand and he called the right man for the job." As he walked away he waved.
The guild master sighed once more and began to pat her hair down. "Axle is usually very composed, but because he is adamant on rescuing his younger sister he oft becomes much more imprudent than his normal self would be, putting him in great danger. I do empathize with him, but we must stay vigilant at all times. We must always remain at least two steps ahead of our enemies or they could easily turn the tides in their favour."
TJ nodded. "I hope we'll be able to save her soon."
Su rolled her eyes. "It's time you went into detail on what you plan to do Peorth. We can't make a move until you properly say what it is that you have in mind for us, and explain to him exactly what's going on now. Had you told him before the battle at Kimara maybe I wouldn't have had to do all that stupid shit."
"You are correct Suuba. Forgive me for putting you through all of this." She bowed apologetically and turned to TJ. "TJ, what do you know of the 'Seven Deadly Sins'?"
He rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "I don't know too much about them, but I do recall some of them like Envy, Sloth, Greed…Lust…Pride…" He seemed completely baffled.
"Wrath and Gluttony." Su completed the seven.
"Good. Now do these sound familiar to you at all?" He crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he searched his memory for where and when he had heard the terms. "Look deep into your memories to the battles you had been in. You may find a clue in them."
He reflected back on the battles he had engaged in: the goblin king, Trinidell, Choen Palm, Su, Rabana, Yuta, Peorth, and finally Choen Palm again. He suddenly opened his eyes with a surprised look after finally finding his answer. "The seven deadly sins were part of the incantations for the Contemptuous Arts!"
"That is correct. A major part of bringing the spells into existence is invoking the Seven Deadly Sins during the incantation process. Now as you may or may not know, the Deadly Sins are not baseless creations. They are some of the deadliest creations know to Cerebian and mankind."
"The sins are just things that we shouldn't do right? That is, sins that we shouldn't commit right?" TJ tilted his head quizzically.
Su rolled her eyes. "The sins are the vices that broke the bonds between the gods and mankind. They were the worst sins that humanity committed and because of them the humans could never be enlightened and understand what the gods tried to teach them. The Agasuras fed on the negativity created through the sins of mankind and became too strong for them to fight alone, which is why the gods had to intervene." She shook her head. "It didn't end there. Each of those sins became a new Agasura that took the name of the sin and started wreaking havoc on shit. The more humanity committed the sin specifically, the stronger it got, and the more destruction they brought with them. The humans of the past were really stupid."
"Though I do not agree with the final statement, you are correct Suuba." Peorth remarked. "The Seven Sins origins began with Pandora's Box, an artifact from the gods. Pandora, the first woman on Midgard was given a jar that contained all of the sins of the world. The gods requested that she not open the box under any circumstances, but due to her curiosity she did. In doing so, she released the sins upon the world, leaving but one being inside the box; the spirit of Hope Elpis." She blinked but once and her expression seemed rather forlorn. "TJ, it is best I tell you now than wait any longer. I have already put your life at stake more than once, and having Su stop you at Kimara has opened my eyes."
He began to look worried also. "What is it Chief?"
"I wish to tell you how we will put a stop to the Agasura." He nodded. "Though no matter how much we defeat them they always return; this is due to the fact that the sins are still present and their influence strengthens the Agasura King, allowing him to continue to recycle the souls of the dead so long as they are gripped by malice. Sadly, since we cannot prevent humanity's sins, the only means to end this war would be in defeating the Agasura King himself, and inheriting his powers. This is a role that only you are able to do TJ."
He looked alarmed, then absolutely puzzled. "Wait so…I have to defeat him and become the next Agasura King?"
Peorth nodded solemnly. "It is my fault that Suuba was forced to turn her hand against you, so I want you to know the truth now. Without you, we would not have been able to win the war. Even with all the Cerebians on our side, we would not be able to defeat the Agasura King, as you are the only one who could bring him to his knees, and the only one able to succeed him as God Ah's right hand."
"I guess that's why I'm the Abellan huh?"
She nodded once more. "Indeed. Your symbiotic nature is crucial to manipulating the Seven Sins into defeating their king."
He knit his eyebrows. "Can you say that once more in a language I can understand?"
"She means that because you're both an Agasura and a Cerebian, you can use the powers of the Seven Sins to put the Agasura King in the ground, idiot." Su sneered.
"How do I use their powers though? Do I just need to follow a similar incantation to the ones I had seen before?"
Peorth shook her head. "That is only for casting the Contemptuous Arts. Using the abilities of the Seven requires you to defeat them and integrate their souls into your own."
"Creepy!" He cried out, appalled.
"Sounds easy enough." Su muttered and made a puzzled expression shortly after. "Wait a sec'. How the hell are we supposed to defeat all of them if no one ever found Lust?"
The guild master crossed her arms. "You raise a good point Suuba. I can only hope that with the Agasura King's Dominion, it will show itself as the rest would. This is the only time they could take their physical forms, and if they are not to bring out the sins in humanity now, their king will not be able to gather mana from the chaos upon his return."
"The sooner that asshole shows up the better. If they don't we'll just have to kick Asmodeus' ass extra hard."
"Asmodeus…the name sounds so familiar…" TJ whispered under his breath trying to recall it.
"It's the Agasura King jackass." Su interjected.
"Now now you two there is no need to fight. Moving on, before we can defeat the Seven, we must form a subjugation team to raid seek out Foe Mansion, within the heart of the Dark Forest and subdue the Instance Dungeon's guardian Pandora, and claim the box. With the power of the God's Governors we will strengthen the box's seals and hunt down the Seven. Using the box as a conduit, we shall purge the spirit from the body and seal it away, then claim their abilities and have them added to your repertoire. It would be best to take some time to recover. Once you feel that you are prepared to set out, come and see me on the matter." She reached into her pocket and removed a small piece of paper, then took TJ's hand and placed it in it. "If you have the time, I would like you to visit this store. The owner may be able to teach you some useful things about the stronger Agasura. He's very knowledgeable in those respects. That aside, there is also something that the guild as a whole had prepared during your absence; many of them have been quite anxious to show you."
Sellistar began to shift and quickly crouched down near the group, speaking in her usual gentle tone, "I strongly recall that a certain queen had appeared to be the most eager of all the members of Yggdrasil."
Peorth's face flushed slightly as she glanced at Sellistar from the corner of her eye. "My intentions are being misunderstood. I only seek to lead the Cerebians in the proper direction; I had no ulterior motives whatsoever." The crop smiled and Su raised an eyebrow with a grin. Despite the fact that Peorth was a stalwart leader, she was prone to be teased by those around her. She cleared her throat. "As I had mentioned before, once you are prepared come and see me and I shall brief you further on our mission, as well as who will be joining us for it. Now then, if you will excuse me…"She curtsied and turned to walk away, nodding to the air, "Guild Master Shabur."
From thin air a levitating mask appeared that nodded back at her. "Good day Guild Master Peorth." She left after he greeted her.
"What the-" TJ cried out.
Beneath the mask a long slender robe began to manifest followed by a face, long sleek golden hair and gloved hands. The body proved to lack legs and levitated in the air almost naturally. A hand rose towards the mask and removed it slightly revealing a handsome man and his crimson red eyes.
"Did I startle you? Forgive my rudeness." He placed his hand to his chest and outstretched the other as he took a bow with a gentleman's grace. "My name is Shabur. Many refer to me as Guild Master, but I am only that in name, as there can only be one. I handle all guild works."
"Oh…Shabur." TJ said with a sigh of relief. "It's been a while."
"Yes it has Powers TJ and Suuba. I had heard about the tragedy at Kimara Research Laboratory. It is a pleasure to see that you are well."
"Thanks. It's good to be back. A lot must have changed while I was gone huh?"
"You have not missed much TJ. Lady Rain and Fae have parted ways with the guild in your absence and the location of Elias' haven Xenym has been located."
"Bad news and good news huh? It's a shame to hear that those two left but I'm glad the others found the Haven; didn't think they had to look for them though."
The guild master chuckled. "Keeping it hidden away from all eyes is just part of the process. If the Cerebians seek it, then they shall find it. This one was not hidden by the Cerebians mind you; it was by the selki tribe. The means were very different from what they are familiar with."
"I see. Must have been difficult, but I'm glad that they came through and everyone came back safely."
"A queen who stands side by side with her warriors is a fearsome one indeed." Shabur remarked.
"I've seen it first-hand." TJ chuckled.
"TJ, a moment?" Sellistar chimed in nearby.
"Oh sure!" He quickly replied rushing to her side to hear what she had to say.
She looked down upon him and soon crouched down to gently brush his cheeks and loose strands of hair aside with her branch-like hands. "TJ, I know Queen Peorth can be a tad prideful and obstinate at times, but she truly is a good girl at heart. She just needs someone to give her a chance to be more honest; not as a queen, nor as a guild master, but as a lady. Whatever happens, promise me that you won't give up on her. Would you do this for me?"
His usual tired expression suddenly seemed to come to life upon her request giving his gaze an almost childlike curiosity. "If there's anything I can do for the Chief I will, I promise."
She beamed. "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."
"You two almost done your little hush-hush conversation? I've been ready to go for some time now!" Su shouted from across the room.
"Coming!" He called back and ran to her side as he waved to the other two, the Abellan and his partner making their exit.
As Sellistar watched them leave she smiled slightly. "A little bit of love would do them both worlds of good. What do you think Shabur?"
"We are in agreement on this matter Order Sellistar. I strongly believe that Guild Master Peorth should not be sworn off of one of Her Grace's finest teachings." Shabur replied.
The duo found themselves back in Elias Palace's Courtyard and were immediately approached by one of the maids.
"TJ good day!" After getting a closer look he noticed it was Minari and she smiled impishly. "Who's this cute little lady? Is she your girlfriend?"
"Hey Minari, it's good to see you." He stole a glance at Su and pointed to her. "This is Su, and yeah we're f-"
Su covered his mouth and glared at him. "Don't agree to that and try to cover it up right after you dumbass!" She hissed.
"Well aren't you two just the most charming little couple."
"I'm gonna say this once and I'm not gonna say it again." Su said with the utmost conviction. "We are not dating. We are not going to date. Hel would freeze over before I ever consider dating this guy!"
"D-dating?! That's what you meant?!" TJ cried out in shock after coming to the same conclusion as them.
"What a shame." Minari said with a chuckle. "I'd love to meet your girlfriend TJ."
"I don't have anyone like that!" He replied nervously.
She smiled. "I did come her for a reason though." The two looked at her curiously. "His Highness has requested an audience with you TJ. I'm sure he won't mind if you bring your friend along too."
"Wait the king wants to see me specifically?!" She nodded.
"Well aren't you Mr. Popular?" Su sneered.
"I'm not too good with formalities…I'll just have to do this from what I remember. Let's get going Su, it'd be best not to keep him waiting."
The two followed Minari into the palace and to the throne room. The entire room was surrounded by maids and guards alike underneath a raised roof. The two walked down the crimson carpet and approached the king at his throne with his lovely young daughter sitting next to him.
"Your Highness." Minari curtsied and made her exit. Seeing her acting so respectful instead of teasing someone was something new to TJ.
He kept his focus trained on the king as the two approached, seeing the man just as he remembered him. Tall and slender with a long chestnut beard and soft eyes. Fully clad in red robes emblazoned with Elias' emblem with a traditional headdress. Once they had reached an appropriate distance the two knelt before him.
"My Liege." They said in unison.
He smiled gently as he gestured for them to rise. "Please, raise your heads. Both of you are my honoured guests. Though, I do believe that it is the first time that we have met this young lady. If I may, would you indulge me with your name?" Hejong requested.
She blinked, then immediately regained her composure and responded, "My name's Suuba, y-your Highness."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Suuba. An ally of TJ's is always welcome in the city of Elias. He had been a valuable asset to our militia previously, defeating the goblin king with the assistance of a young gunslinger named Trinidell. I believe in this time of need, I would like to enlist your help once more young TJ."
"It would be my honour." He replied.
The king chuckled. "You are as brave as I had hoped." Hejong snapped his fingers and a maid brought a scroll over to him, revealing the quest's requirements. "There seems to have been various sightings of a creature the adventurers had named a 'Muscling'." One of the guards approached and unfurled a scroll revealing a depiction of the creature. TJ squinted at it, deeming it to be an oversized and unnaturally muscular priring. The fact that it seemed to have arms and hands came off as unusual to him, but it was nothing more than a depiction of the creature. "In your adventures you may have come across something of the sort."
"I do believe I saw something very similar to it…" He began to recall the 'muscle boy' he had seen back on Toad Mountain.
"Normally musclings are not found on Jienda. Where they come from is currently unknown, but that is not what ails us." TJ gave the king a curious gaze and was met with a grave expression. "This muscling is not like the others you see…it has…deformed. It has grown limbs." TJ's expression began to look grave also after realizing the depiction was much more accurate than what he initially believed, and that the creature was in fact different than the muscle boy. "The creature is very vicious, and aside from bringing serious harm to the newcomer adventurers, it has also attacked traders and their caravans en route from Belos to Elias. Some reports claim the creature has obtained the ability to use magic. The Forest is no longer a safe place for adventurers and traders alike, so this vile creature must be stopped at all costs! What say you, TJ?"
He nodded solemnly. "Su and I will exterminate this creature for you, your Highness. You can count on us."
Hejong nodded approvingly. "We shall be counting on you once more TJ. As listed, transportation and meals for your journey will be provided. I wish you the best on your journey and that you return victorious."
"Thank you your Highness." The two said. They both took a bow and were guided back out of the castle and into the courtyard.
As they exited TJ sighed gently. "I remember it so clearly. That day Trini and I fought the goblin king and how we came back hailed as heroes…I…took those days for granted. Never thought that they would end, especially the way it had. With everyone by my side I felt so invincible, as if nothing could stop us…as if death was something the six of us were immune to. The thought that the others can fall scares me."
"You've heard us say it a million times before and I'll say it again now. Shit happens. Deal." Su remarked without batting an eyelash.
He cracked a tiny smile and she gained the sneaking suspicion that he had grown to enjoy her typical backlash. "You know just what to say, don't you? Have I ever told you that?"
"You're not the first, and you're not gonna be the last." She grinned.
He looked to the sky as the two walked. "After being out cold for so long and spending so much time in the hospital after getting up, I've realized that I wasted a lot of time. Now that I'm finally out I wanna make the best of it, each and every day. I'll strive to be better day by day also. For my sake our friends sacrificed a lot so with this power I'll do everything I can to save everyone!"
She snorted. "Heh, good luck with that. Keep telling yourself that while I'm hauling your ass out of every sticky situation you find yourself in."
He smiled. "I'll be counting on you again throughout this journey."
As the two neared the exit they were surrounded by a flock of maids from TJ's previous visit that bombarded the two with various questions about their next quest and all sorts of other inquiries. The straw that broke the camel's back just so happened to be Suk asking if Su was his girlfriend.
One of Su's eyebrows began to twitch which led to her pointing her finger at each of the maids as she muttered, "The next one of you to assume I'm this loser's girlfriend won't be making it home tonight."
They all began to pretend to scream and laugh at the comment to which TJ joined in also, but none of it seemed to really bother Su.
"Ladies, let's not keep the driver waiting!" Minari said. "Time to say goodbye."
Nengi took their hands. "Have a safe trip!" She said.
Genari followed after handing TJ a large box wrapped with a cloth. "If you get hungry during your quest you and your companion can eat this. I hope it's to your tastes." She told him.
"Thanks a lot." He said beaming.
Dalae stepped up afterwards tightly gripping a broom. "Take care of yourselves out there. Though it might not look like it, I'm very handy with patching up wounds, so if you get hurt we'll take care of you."
Suk stepped up afterwards and patted the two hard on their backs. "Try and come back in one piece alright? If your clothes don't, I'll fix them for you before you know it."
"If you don't find the time to inform your guild companions of your absence, I'll let them know as they visit." Nan said.
"Thanks everyone. As long as the two of us are together, I know we'll come back alright. Or at least, in one piece." He laughed. "See you again real soon!"
"Later." Su said with a wave as she turned away to follow her companion and Minari.
The trio walked to the streets and found a luxurious carriage that awaited them. A driver dressed in the palace garb sat at the front of the closed vehicle holding the reigns. Two abnormally large prirings sat at the front, ready to pull the carriage at the driver's signal.
Minari turned to the two and hugged them tightly. "Best of luck kids." She nudged TJ gently as Su stepped inside the vehicle and gestured for him to come closer. "It's not every day you get a chance to be alone with a cutie like that! Better make a move before she's taken!"
"We're not dating!" He said in a flustered voice. "Su and I aren't like that."
She grinned and patted him on the head. "Stay pure kiddo."
He smiled back at her as he got in. "Take care Minari." The door closed and the carriage set off northwest to the Ancient Forest.
"Well…this is certainly…fancy." TJ began with a puzzled expression.
"Livin' like a king. Guess this is what it'd be like to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth." Su commented. Though she made such comments, she did not seem to be basking in the extravagance. She watched the scenery of Elias pass her by from the window while he silently stared at a wall. After a brief period she shifted her gaze to him. "Stupid." She did not receive a response and frowned. "TJ." Nothing on her second attempt. "Hey!"
"He nearly leapt from his seat at her call. "What?!" As he calmed down and caught the smirk on her face, he paused for a moment to frown. "What?
"Listen up. I didn't tell you before 'cause I thought it was too soon but this probably shouldn't remain a secret." She said gravely.
"What is it? It's not like you to sound so serious all of the sudden."
She seemed to be eyeing something that did not exist outside the window. "I've been sensing a heavy malicious aura in Elias for a hell of a long time now. It only happened a few times and it seems to have pretty much disappeared recently, but I can still feel the remains of it in the city." She grit her teeth. "Can't pinpoint the damn location. Well whatever. Whatever the source is, it sure as hell isn't there now. Damn thing packed up and hauled ass to the Forest. I can feel the aura getting stronger every second we approach the place. Don't you feel anything at all?"
He shook his head and crossed his arms. "A malicious aura huh? Do you think that's one of the Seven Sins?" He asked.
She glared at him. "How the hell should I know? If it is, it waited a damn long time to show itself. I've been feeling its presence since the first time I came near Elias. The only possible Sin it could be is Lust, since that fucker was the only one who wasn't listed as KIA. The other six lost to the Cerebians and disappeared after that. Now that asshole Asmodeus is flaunting his powers around and the other six decided to join in his stupid celebration; that ass-clown Lust probably decided to finally show up. Then again, this one couldn't be an Agasura."
"Because it was inside the city right?"
She nodded darkly. "The Iris Stones are supposed to keep them out. I doubt that this ass-hat is even a sin. It has an even more overpowering aura than Choen Palm, and not even the Seven should be stronger than the proxy."
TJ closed his eyes and thought hard. "If the aura was coming from the city before we met with Choen Palm in Kimara, it couldn't be her right? I mean, if the Agasura King's influence made her stronger too then it could be the only possible option, since she's next in line as the strongest Agasura, and nothing other than the king himself should be more powerful than her. But how could she be in Elias all that time, and be at Kimara? Rather than that, what would she be doing in Elias? On the other hand, if it's not her, and it's not an Agasura, could it just be a person?" He suggested.
"You're right."
He snorted. "You're joking!"
"Someone able to infiltrate the city and remained there for a long time without attracting the attention of the humans…a dark aura that's more befitting of the Contemptuous Arts than any regular Agasuric spells…it'd have to be an outside source! When I got hauled off to Dark Moon Castle for the first time I sensed that energy while passing the city. There's no way its Choen Palm because she was with the Dark Moon's army at the time. Or…at least what was left of the bastards anyway."
TJ knit his eyebrows with a confused expression. "But wouldn't you have to have some sort of connection with the Agasuras to use their magic and whatnot? If that's even possible…"
Su nodded thoughtfully. "I don't think that's how it is at all. Think back to the battle at the City of Iron with Yuta. When you took on your Tyrant of the Maelstrom form, it gave you all sorts of new and powerful abilities. Hell, they weren't even the Contemptuous Arts."
"They…weren't?"
"No stupid!" She shouted and he shrunk away. " Some were, but the others were something else. Something that went beyond that. I felt it too when it became a part of us. It was almost as if the malice and spite of thousands of people manifested into a creature…" She shook her head as her entire body shuddered at the thought. For the few seconds that it occurred, she had seemed frailer than ever before. "Some kind of twisted being born from…hate. I'm getting that same feeling now but…just not from us. This time though it feels even stronger…stronger than the Tyrant of the Maelstrom." She shook her head and closed her eyes as she rubbed her temples. "It's almost sickening."
"Stronger than the…no way!" He cried.
As she opened her eyes he could see the anxiety in them. "That's how it is. In the off chance we do meet that overpowered bastard you better be ready."
"I hope I can be." He sighed.
TJ looked out the window and saw as the dry but not quite barren land of the Ancient Forest disappear into the distance and the lush grass of the Forest come into view. The more he had seen the more it reminded him of the beginning of his journey. He remembered seeing the vision from the Iris Stone of his past self and what Choen Palm had put him through, and fondly thought of the short time he had spent with Dornie and her family from the Traveller's Heaven. As he reminisced about how far he had come, the carriage suddenly came to a halt and brought him back to reality.
The driver knocked on the door gently three times and opened it, bowing as the two exited.
"Forgive me, but we do not have the exact location of the creature as it is rather mobile and extremely dangerous. On behalf of the kingdom, I wish you success and a safe return once your quest is complete, honoured guests."
"Thanks a lot. Be careful on your way back." TJ told him. The driver tipped his hat to him and set off back towards the palace. "Well, we're here now so let's get a move on with finding that…Muscling."
The Forest had proven to be exactly as TJ had remembered it. The sprawling length and acres of massive trees reaching out towards the sky, higher than any trees he could recall. The lengthy branches proved to be rather inviting, as their size allowed for adventurers and passerby alike to walk on them with the utmost ease. The unnatural emptiness of the Forest made it much more uninviting in comparison to what he had become familiar with. Though most of the adventurers he met did not like him, knowing that there were others like him around gave him a subconscious sense of security. He began to wonder whether it really was the Muscling that had chased everyone away, or if it was the mystery creature that not even Su could identify. He tightly clenched his fist and looked around uneasily, but reminded himself that so long as Su was beside him that he would be alright.
Without a moment's notice his moment of respite came crashing down upon him through Su's words. "We should split up." She suddenly said.
"What?! Are you nuts?!" TJ desperately cried out. "If that thing finds me it'll crush me!"
"Stop complaining and grow a pair will you? We can cover more ground this way, and if we do find the damn thing we can find each other. If you find it, summon me. No matter how far apart we are, our contract and your crystal has us joined by the damn hip. You call for me, I'll be there. Nothing else to it. But I can't do the same for you 'cause you're the contractor. If I do find it I'll 'whisper' you through the crystal like I normally do. Just pay attention for my aura and you'll be able to find your way to me. Even an idiot like you should be able to handle that much. You got all that?" He frowned sulkily and she turned away. "Good. Let's get going."
She dashed up one of the trees and stopped on a branch, taking a moment to plan where she would go to next and leapt to another, quickly moving from one tree to the next until she was completely out of sight. He watched her uneasily as she left his field of vision and sighed gently while gripping his left arm. Now he really was alone, and he certainly was not fond of it, but he knew his companion was right. He took a deep breath and attempted to reassure himself that if he could defeat Choen Palm, he could handle a muscling, though he could not convince himself that he would be able to defeat something stronger than the Tyrant of the Maelstrom.
The young man walked through the Forest occasionally stealing a glance at anything that happened to make a sound in the near vicinity. The noise of birds beating their wings caused him to jump and the squeaks of nearby beetle gs made him turn in every possible direction. He started to become self-conscious of how jittery he was and tried to right himself by standing up straight and walking with confidence, but one of the beetle gs approached him and nudged his leg causing him to leap back and shout in sheer terror. Before he knew it he was tumbling down a hill and rolling through the grass, coming to an eventual and painful halt. He managed to get back on his feet and dusted off his clothes, gently rubbing the areas that hurt the most. He looked around him knowing that he had no destination and wandered on convincing himself that he could go on.
After walking for nearly a half hour that felt longer than hours he collapsed by a tree and decided to rest for a spell. His body was sore and tired, and he spent most of his energy panicking at every sound around him that he could not muster the energy to do it any further. He removed his bag and guitar then leaned against a tree, taking a quick glance around the area in case anyone was nearby. After deeming it safe he closed his eyes and gently placed his hands against his gem.
"Su? Su can you hear me?" He asked.
"Yeah I can. Whaddya' want?" She responded from within it.
"I was thinking of eating now. Do you want to?"
"I don't need to eat you dumbass!" She shouted back.
He chuckled uneasily realizing how logical her response was. "…Right." The crystal lost its glow seemingly ending their conversation there. He sighed and shook his head realizing how ridiculous his request was and it made him question exactly what made him say something with so little thought. For a moment he had considered himself to be feeling lonely because of the lack of her presence and her razor sharp one-liners, but he immediately wrote it off as not being the cause and dropped the matter entirely. In a meager attempt to escape the reality that plagued him he opened one of the lunchboxes and found bulldajong, sikhae and provided utensils. He ate in silence holding a slight hope that Su would say that she had found the muscling and that the two could put an end to their search, but his hopes were in vain.
Once he had finished his meal he had felt better than he had prior, and considered the possibility that a bit more rest would properly prepare him to continue his search. He rummaged through his bag for his monster manual and eventually found the familiar item, reminiscing about the fantastic adventures he must have had and the amusing captions he included in the book. He opened it and flipped through the pages until he found a passage on musclings. As he began to read it a sudden vibration caught his attention and the uneasiness in him returned in an instant. He chuckled nervously and immediately wrote it off as a small earthquake, and convinced himself it was nothing to fear. A second vibration caused him to dart his glances around the surrounding area as he struggled to deceive himself into believing that it really was nothing more than a small quake. He began to consider the possibility that it was just Su trying to scare him. She liked getting him all riled up over small things so it was not entirely unlikely that she would do something of the sort. God's Governor of Earth probably could cause small earthquakes if she tried hard enough. He placed a hand to his chest and let out a sigh of relief. He would certainly give her the scolding of a lifetime when she put an end to the nonsense. A third earthquake caused him to leap to his feet and drop the book. If it was Su's doing, she was taking it a tad too far. The birds cried out as they flew away from the west and the feeling that whatever was causing it was coming from that direction became very dominant in his mind. Curiosity said that he should look; his sanity disagreed. Despite the fact that he would rather not know, his curiosity overpowered his desire for ignorance and he took a look behind the tree he sat at.
As he peeked around the tree he saw a massive muscular creature leaping through the air with the use of its gigantic hands and as it landed, a magic circle appeared beneath it and lightning shot out in every direction. Of all the years TJ had spent on Jienda and the things he had seen throughout his journey, he had never seen anything quite like the creature; if there was anything that could potentially be called a 'muscling' this had to be it. The muscling like a priring, had a body with its face on it, though despite its lack of legs the creature still had arms that it used to move even faster than it should have been able to without them. The vicious glare it gave off only served to make it more intimidating.
"What the…" TJ whispered as he caught a glimpse of it rushing past. As he watched it go for a moment he had wondered exactly what could scare off the exact creature that scared everyone else away. The moment the thought had passed he was bombarded with a sudden sickening feeling across his body. He wanted to throw up, not out of illness but just by the immense amount of dark mana that was suddenly forced into the surrounding area. It was completely overbearing, and it was almost as if he was being forced to feel a deep-rooted hatred of everything. It felt as if he would lose himself in it, and once he did, that there would be no returning. The way he felt reminded him exactly of how he did when he was forced to transform into an Agasura, but unlike the previous occurrences, he was not the one emitting the aura. Something much worse, much more horrifying and with malice that ran deeper than whatever brought about his own was approaching him; it could feel his presence, taste his fear and would certainly come for him the moment it was near. Just as he had predicted, it did.
A creature shrouded in darkness beneath a cloak dashed past for but a moment and immediately turned on what seemed to be the ball of its heel to him and slammed him against the tree with its massive claw to his neck. From within the hood of the cloak he could see two eyes, a bloodthirsty crimson eye and the other a white eye with a magic circle emblazoned on it, seemingly examining him in his entirety, and reading every single emotion that jolted through him as he looked into his fears themselves. His eyes darted around the area in search of an answer, for help, for someone to come to his aide, for Su to be there when he needed her. He needed to call her before she would show, but he could not bring out his voice. He was absolutely terrified, like a small creature looking into the eyes of its predator he could only run away, but his body refused to respond in its entirety. The creature began to bring its face closer to his and he could feel its heavy breaths upon his face, the being seemingly breathing miasma out as it neared.
In a desperate measure he forced himself to shout the first thing that came to his mind, "SU! HELP! SU-" Before he could scream once more the creature reeled a second claw back and a massive magic circle appeared behind it as it did; a crimson circle emblazoned with a winged creature seemingly eating its own tail forming a circle; the inside of it a closed eye surrounded by thorns. It dispersed and surged forth to the claw as it was slammed into TJ's chest, reforming the circle upon him. TJ fell forth gasping for air and feeling his entire body lose any and all strength within it. He could not feel a thing save for the lasting pain and ill feeling within him; it was almost as if his senses were numbed by the strike. Suddenly he was unable to sense the mana surrounding him, the evil aura it created and even the mana within him. He felt empty, afraid and lost. He could no longer tap into any of his powers or bring forth even a simple spell. He had never experienced fear like it before. He was completely at the mercy of what seemed to be the Tyrant of the Maelstrom, but unlike him, it was complete, it was powerful and it was something he never could compete with. Despair washed over him in droves as he dreaded what would occur if he was to die here and this creature was left to run rampant across Jienda. He wanted to cry but his tears would not come out; he could only wish with all his might that Su could come to save him just as she always would. But she never came.
The creature carefully examined him for half a minute and sharpened its gaze, seemingly focusing on something else. It reached into his pocket and unfurled the scroll with his quest requirements, examining it for a couple of moments and tossing it aside afterwards. It began to speak in a language TJ felt positive he had never heard before, but somehow still felt he understood. What initially sounded like low hisses and roars came through clearly to him as words. "Forget everything you saw…" It hissed. "Or face erasure." Suddenly it let go of him and his body collapsed to the ground, unmoving but still seeing everything. The terror on his face remained even after the creature turned away, and the creature that followed it quickly chased its wake. Its tiny feet pattering across the ground as the two disappeared into the shadows.
TJ could feel his heart beating. It was loud, it was clear, and it was a sign that he had lived through the experience. Though he had survived, he could not bring himself to rejoice. Knowing that a being such as that existed in the world; something so blasphemous and spiteful beyond belief that it could surpass the Agasuras themselves was not something he was prepared to come across. Such an enigma could serve no proper purpose. It could only bring terror, death and destruction. He could feel the strength returning to his joints and as he attempted to move in the slightest, he felt as if the concept was completely foreign to him. His limbs felt completely loose and detached and his mind would just not accept the idea of them being a part of his body. Like a puppet waiting for the puppeteer to take the strings, he sat motionlessly. The dissipating vibrations of the muscling's departure did not faze him in the slightest; his senses had been completely nulled and he was left to drown in his own despair without catharsis. He was beaten and broken, but the threat and the fear the creature had left in its wake was like venom in his blood. The feeling of his own mana began to return to him and every little bit that returned was like being stabbed by thousands of tiny needles causing him to wish he had never had it in the first place.
That creature was no Sin. It was not Choen Palm nor was it the Agasura King. If it was an Agasura, it was one that had surpassed the thousands of others to rise to overcome one of the strongest. It was a true monster, and one that should not exist in any world. It would take a true god to slay a creature such as that. TJ was bested, he knew it and had come to terms with the fact. If he could not defeat that, he would not be able to face the strongest. He was weak and helpless, and this was a cruel reminder of that fact.
A sudden sharp pain in his chest caused him to snap out of his sorrowful reverie and the sound of Su's pained screams brought him back to reality. From the crystal she emerged and collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily while her bangs covered the upper portion of her face. Her entire upper body was drenched in sweat and the look on her face said that she had experienced something very similar to what he had. She turned to him and slowly crawled over to him, lifting his head into her knees and hugging him tightly.
"I…I can't believe I let them do that to you…" She whispered, her voice a mixture of anguish and frustration. "Whoever did this…I'll find them. I swear by my fucking title as God's Governor of Earth, I'll find them and I'll make them regret every fucking moment they spend on this world!" She gently rested him against the tree and took one last anxious glance at her companion. "If you die, our hope dies with you, and so does my dream." She grit her teeth. "Don't go anywhere you hear? I'm gonna find that bastard. In this state I won't be able to fight it but…I wanna see it for myself. Knowing your enemy is half the battle." She lifted the book from her hip and gently tapped the badge that rested beneath it. "Peorth. It's me. I need you to send someone to get TJ out of this shithole." She paused. "Yeah…we had a run in with some kind of an Agasura. No, it wasn't a Sin. You can debrief me about it later, I'm going to scout it out." She tapped the badge again and sighed. She clenched her fists and ran off, following the trail of destruction left by the three.
Su caught a glimpse of a nearby levitating platform and leapt towards it, grabbing hold of the rope and quickly scrambling to the top to get a better look of the area. She scanned the vicinity for more debris and tracks from the muscling and found that and more with miniscule amounts of effort. She ran to the edge of the platform and leapt towards a branch of a tree, grabbing hold of it and swinging from it to another. She landed with ease and dashed across it to jump to another until she neared where the three creatures had remained.
As she approached she saw the aftermath of a battle; dark energies and miasma residue lingered on some of the trees and the grass, and blood stains were not far from them. A small group of trees were broken and aflame, resting upon the ground and other trees. Whatever the creature was it most certainly was familiar with the Contemptuous Arts, and Su had no doubts in her mind that it was familiar with spells that exceeded them. She took a deep breath and hid her presence to the best of her abilities. The spell the being used on TJ to seal his mana worked in her favour, as it only made it more difficult to detect the little mana available to her. She proceeded on quickly and quietly, rising higher into the branches of the trees to remain out of sight and eventually caught sight of the two and a bloody muscling. They seemed to have killed the Agasura, the sinister being and its companion standing over its bloody corpse and talking. As it crouched down to the muscling Su took the opportunity to silently approach from the safety of her vantage point giving her the opportunity to catch a glimpse of a massive claw that seemingly represented that of the Tyrant of the Maelstrom's. She felt certain that it was a copy, or at least a being eerily similar to it, but her knowledge disagreed with the fact. There was only one; or there should have been only one. Even She said that there could be no others, so what could explain the existence of this being?
She saw it cut off the tail and turn to the smaller of the two as the massive claw began to shrink and disappear beneath the long sleeves of the cloak it wore.
"Another of Miniamoto's abominations. We need to locate that bastard and put him out of his misery once and for all. The last abomination we faced put this one to shame; I could've sworn it was using the Divine Arts too. Might have been a Cerebian he abducted…" The creature muttered. Su deemed it to be a grown man likely to be in his mid-thirties, and a voice she was certainly not familiar with.
"I think so too." Its tiny companion agreed. A young girl this time, her size dictated that she could be no older than five or six years old. "His presence and constant tampering is upsetting this world's balance." Her words said otherwise. Her eyes shifted from the creature the two had slain to her companion. "What of that young girl from before? She had seen you in that form. Are you sure that you can leave things as they are?"
He muttered something inaudible and shrugged. "I don't like it either, but I've killed more than enough innocent people. She was a Cerebian too…but at the same time I sensed a very familiar energy from her. It was if she was one of us, but had it hidden deep within the confines of her own mind. I've heard of 'inner demons' but that one was nothing like what we've faced." He sighed. "Regardless of what she is, I don't want to have to kill anyone anymore. In this world I'm nothing more than a mere hunter, not a 'tyrant'. We'll see this quest through and finally live a peaceful life."
"Right." She chimed. He heaved the muscling over his shoulder. "Why did you cut off the tail Master?"
He stopped walking for a moment. "Eh…that kid probably got sent here to kill this thing. Can't leave the corpse with them though."
"You have a really big heart Master."
He scoffed. "Don't spread that around. I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea." It held out a hand. "Let's go back before the seals shut me down." She took his hand and a dark energy surrounding the two, dispersing as they disappeared.
Su climbed down the tree and walked over to the location where they stood only moments ago. She picked up the blood-soaked tail and looked back in the direction of Elias. She had finally witnessed it for herself, and the amount of mana the being had exerted was more than enough of a lead on his location. She knew exactly where the two had went, and she was not gonna let them walk away so easily.
TJ rested in the cockpit of Robo's MG as it rushed back towards Elias. The machine was only built for one person, so he sat in Robo's lap with his legs and head hanging out on both sides of the robot.
"You find yourself in the strangest of predicaments, don't you TJ?" He chuckled. "The end results always seem to be rather grim, though. I really do worry about you sometimes." He looked up to the sky. "I could only imagine what it would be like to be in your shoes. Always have to bite off more than you can chew, whether you like it or not 'cause someone's counting on you. Last fight must have left you pretty run down, but take it from me, sometimes you have to fall to…ah…" He paused. "Sorry. That was very…inconsiderate of me. What I'm trying to say is don't let a loss get you down." TJ silently stared at his shoes and Robo broke out into a cold sweat, realizing that he was going to have a much harder time than Curt had promised him.
The rest of the trip back had been relatively quiet, as Robo had eventually run out of encouraging words and TJ rarely, if ever, responded to the things he had said. He occasionally muttered a one-word response but neglected to make eye contact in the slightest. Robo was thankful for that. After what seemed like much longer, the two arrived in Elias and he rested his MG outside of the bank to let TJ out and perform maintenance.
"You sure you don't want a lift to the arena or the Guild Room or something?" He offered.
TJ shook his head. "No…this is fine. Thanks."
Robo sighed. "Alright. If you need anything just give me a shout. I'll stay tuned into the guild chat in case anyone needs me." He waved with a wrench in hand. "Goodbye TJ."
He waved back as he walked away. As he passed by Club Abio his crystal began to emit a bright light and he immediately turned into the nearest alleyway so his companion could exit from it.
She solemnly looked into his eyes for a couple of moments and suddenly broke eye contact. "I'm going to find that thing and interrogate it. Even if I don't get any answers out of the bastard, I'll know that he really is in this city, and I'll know where to find him when it's time to put him out of his misery." TJ placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned to him glaring. "What?"
"I'm…going too." He said. Though his voice was shaking she could still hear the conviction in it.
"Fine. Just don't do anything stupid."
The two began their exploration of the market, leaving the high end stores behind them and submerging themselves amongst the more common shops. The further in they went, the louder the sound of someone's voice became; the two could hear a man singing nearby, and Su seemed to be leading them right to it. They emerged in a small plaza featuring a series of shops: tailors, apothecaries, and arms dealers were littered around it. Off in a little corner nearby, there was a tiny worn-down looking restaurant with a pair of people sitting atop it, one of the two gently strumming an acoustic guitar and singing as he did. As they neared he stopped and placed it in his lap, looking down upon the two and smiling nervously.
"I'm sorry, did I bother you two with my singing?" The man asked. From what they could see he was rather lanky, and clad in an unbuttoned lounge coat over a white dress shirt, with matching dark blue pants. His face was partially covered by a long snow white cloth with a black pattern beneath a wide rimmed fedora.
Next to him was a young girl with puffy green hair in two twin tails, beneath a green Gatsby with a tiny heart on the front of the hat, two matching ribbons on the side and ear flaps beneath them. The two caught a glimpse of her matching dress as the duo scrambled down the roof of the shop and into one of the windows eventually emerging at the front door. The young girl's white sleeves were tightly wrapped around a broom with a blue ribbon resting before her brown moccasins. She looked at the two with a mixture of fear and curiosity. TJ smiled uneasily and waved to which she hid behind the shopkeeper's leg.
"What can I do for you two this fine evening?" The cloth wrapped around his face seemed to be a scarf, and he kept his head down revealing very little of his facial features beneath the hat. He seemingly examined TJ for a couple of moments and suddenly jerked from surprise, but immediately covered it up by fixing his posture. Both of his hands were covered by white gloves.
"I'm from one of the parties that were sent to eliminate the creature in the Forest and we were told that the area was off-limits to any other outsiders. One of my companions said they had seen you there leaving with the creature. What can you tell me about this?" Su said in a respectful and serious tone. The speed in which she talked gave him the vibe that he was being interrogated.
"Me?" He chuckled. "What would I be doing in the Forest? I heard that the route to Belos was closed because of an Agasura so I didn't stick my nose into it. Got a shop to run after all, so I did just that. My f-pet and I didn't go anywhere specifically recently, next to shopping in the market." He grinned.
"According to the reports, you and your pet fit the description perfectly. If you have nothing more to tell us, we'll have to have you brought to the palace for questioning."
He grit his teeth and looked around uneasily. Su knew she was getting through to him, and she planned to stay on the offensive. With a sigh of defeat he opened the door and insisted the two come in.
The inside of the shop had a very homely feel to it. A series of chairs were set up across the store and a small bar with seats invited customers to sit and have a meal or drink. The walls were decorated with pictures of various different people, and a few of the current owner and his companion. He took his place behind the bar and his young acquaintance scurried into one of the seats nearest to him, the two turning their gaze to Su and TJ.
"Could I…get you anything?" He asked with a nervous grin.
"No refreshments, just answers." Su replied curtly.
He frowned slightly. "Okay fine. So maybe we were in the Forest and maybe we did haul off with the muscling, but it's not like I let the adventurers walk off empty handed. If you came to get the corpse, you're a tad too late. I already disposed of it." He grinned.
"No we're not looking for that. Moving on, there have been sightings of a second Agasura in the Forest recently. One considered much more dangerous than the muscling itself. What can you tell me about this?"
"What?! I mean, that's bound to happen right? Where there's one Agasura, there's certainly gonna be more! One or two of them will always be stronger than the others. I didn't see it though, sorry."
He was starting to try her patience. "Your…pet…it's a brownie, correct?"
"The eyes don't lie."
"She's unnaturally green, don't you think?"
He smiled wryly. "Well yes…yes she is. She's really fond of the colour green so I got her clothes in that colour and we dyed her hair together. Is there something strange about that?"
"You do know it's against the law to unnaturally change a pet's outer appearance don't you?" She asked.
"Ye-no, no I did not know. I'll remedy that as soon as possible." At this juncture it was a battle of endurance; the first to crack would certainly leave themselves wide open for a jab at the other's identity and Su would do everything it takes not to let him get that opportunity.
"Can you tell me how you got said brownie?"
He intertwined his fingers as he leaned against the counter. "LaDeck! I won the egg through LaDeck and raised it myself! Spent a fortune on gold darts of luck to play the game and after nearly four hundred darts I won it. The GMA is merciless with the game, but I persisted and here we are!"
He was lying; she knew it, he knew it, and the two would certainly get nowhere so long as they continued in that direction. If she invaded his personal space any further he would catch on to her ruse and could potentially call her out on her fraud. She certainly was not an official from the palace, and she would be in more trouble than he was if she was reported. She was at her wit's end with him and the situation as a whole, and was ready to fight him and put an end to all of it right then and there. "Oh fuck this! Did you really think I'd buy any of that shit?!" She suddenly shouted and slammed the table while rising, causing him to look startled. "How dull do you have to be to not notice that this is the same guy that you attacked earlier?! Are you done wasting my time now?" She glared at him. "Also pets don't talk dumbass!"
A harsh silence fell upon the entirety of the store, everyone aside from Su looking absolutely nonplussed. The man pointed to Su, then to TJ and shook his head.
"If all that swearing means anything, you two must be the kids that the ice queen mentioned. If she'd given me a description of you two it would have made all of this so much simpler." He said.
"Ice queen?" Su asked befuddled. "Wait…you don't mean Peorth do you?"
At that moment there was a knock on the door and it steadily opened as the guild master entered. "Good evening. I hope you do not mind me letting myself in, I had heard my name and reacted subconsciously." She said coolly.
"Ah…Queenie. Are these the guys you wanted me to meet? This kid has a pretty foul mouth and the other kid's pinker than a flamingo. Don't think anyone else comes close to these two."
"Call me a kid again and I'll give you a slow agonizing death with a butter knife." Su told him.
"Indeed." Peorth responded. "Please, allow me to introduce you all. Vanir, this is the Abellan TJ and his contracted spirit Suuba. TJ, Suuba I would like you to meet one of our finest informants and Confidants, Vanir."
I won't confirm or deny who this character is, but you'll be seeing a lot of him. On that topic, as I had mentioned on my twitter I'm gonna put this on hold for a while and go back to Innocent to finally see it through. It should be finished by next month if all goes well, and the rest will be held back for a while as I'll be on vacation for about three weeks. I'll be editing the rough draft for Project H/H's prologue and I'll let you guys know where you can read it via twitter once its done. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and will like what's to come.