"Ains-sama!" - Regular Speech
'Haaahh…so tiring!' - Thoughts
{Message} - Telepathy
[The Goal of All Life is Death!] - Magic Spell/Skill
Chapter 2: New World, Old Faces
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00:00:04...
"Huh?" Momonga said…but it wasn't his voice. It was deeper, more commanding and older.
"Did the GM's decide to leave the servers on a little longer?" Grandia mused aloud, then stopped in shock. Her voice had changed! It was huskier, more throaty, than it had been!
Now she was alert, she couldn't see her HUD. No map, no clock, no icons…nothing.
Momonga swiped in the air, attempting to open his console…but nothing happened. "Grandia-san, can you use your console? Or use chat or contact the GM?"
Grandia tried everything. "No, I cannot. What is going on, Momonga-san?"
"Grandia-sama? Momonga-sama?" a voice said and both Players looked in shock at Albedo, the one who had just spoken.
'Impossible! Albedo is just an NPC!' Grandia thought in shock, 'She isn't capable of speech outside of her opening cinematic, and I know that Tabula Smaragdina-san never used my name or Momonga-san's name in that!'
She exchanged a startled look with Momonga…or what she could consider to be a startled look from Momonga, since he was without any flesh or muscles to make such an expression. And characters in YGGDRASIL couldn't make facial expressions anyway.
Albedo stood up and approached them with a concerned look in her agate-coloured eyes. "Is there any problems, Momonga-sama?"
Grandia noticed the red pinpricks of light that served as Momonga's eyes drifting towards the succubus' décolletage and resisted the impulse to roll her eyes. Men.
"We cannot use the GM Call function." She stated for him.
"Forgive my ignorance, Grandia-sama, Momonga-sama." the raven-haired NPC replied with a small bow, "Sadly, I have no knowledge of what this 'GM Call' you speak of is. If you will forgive this lapse, I will be forever in your debt."
'Her mouth…is moving?!' Momonga thought in shock, 'The graphics engine for YGGDRASIL is good, but not good enough for such delicate and precise movements as facial expressions! That's why people convey facial expressions via emoticons in lieu of that!'
'Is this some kind of error or bug?' Grandia thought in confusion, 'A last-minute event to say farewell to YGGDRASIL? No…it can't be…'
After Momonga confirmed that the [Staff of Ains Ooal Gown] functioned pretty much like it had in the game, he decided to try issuing orders to an NPC…not Albedo.
"Sebas!" he said.
"Yes, Momonga-sama?" the distinguished man said.
After hesitating for a moment, Momonga continued, "Sebas, reconnoitre the area around the Great Tomb of Nazarick and confirm the surroundings around us."
"Orders understood, Momonga-sama." the butler said as he stood up.
"Pleiades Battle Maids." Grandia added, "Go the 9th Floor and guard it from possible intruders."
"By your command, Grandia-sama." Yuri Alpha, the leader of the Pleiades Battle Maids said with a bow before she led her troops out of the Throne Room, followed by Sebas.
'So the NPC's respond to commands from Grandia and myself that aren't in the command list?' Momonga thought in confusion, 'This really does not make sense!'
"Momonga-san, we should see if the Floor Guardians respond to our commands also." Grandia leaned in and muttered to him.
"Good idea." he muttered back before raising his voice, "Albedo. Gather all of the Floor Guardians except for the Guardians of the Fourth and Eighth Floors at the arena on the Sixth Floor, one hour from now."
The ravenette bowed submissively. "Understood. I shall go and inform them of the meeting immediately. However, I am unable to meet with the Wandering Guardian. Only the holder of a [Ring of Ains Ooal Gown] can enter her sanctum."
"I shall handle her myself, Albedo." Grandia informed her, "Focus on the rest."
"By your command." Albedo bowed once more, turned around and started strutting across the floor, an extra sway in her step.
As the white-clad succubus left the room and the doors clanked shut behind her, Momonga put one bony hand on his face and groaned. "Tabula-san…I am so sorry. I dirtied your precious NPC!"
"Divine punishment, I would suppose." the vampiress said tartly, "Now what in hell's name is going on here?! We obviously aren't in YGGDRASIL anymore."
"I…I had guessed that, but…" Momonga sounded worried, "If our minds have been directly connected to our YGGDRASIL Avatars permanently and the entirety of the Great Tomb of Nazarick isn't in Niflheim…I don't know where we could be."
"Well, we are getting far more sensory input and output than YGGDRASIL should allow us." Grandia stated, "My sight is incredible and my senses of smell and hearing are also incredible. I feel…thirsty…as well. What about you, Momonga-san?"
"I cannot feel emotions with any degree of strength. When they do appear, they are quickly suppressed by my nature as a Lich." the Overlord of Death replied, "My…libido…seems to be resistant in that regard."
"Men." Grandia muttered, shaking her head slowly, "You'd better head down to the 6th Floor to meet Aura and Mare."
"Bukubukuchagama-san's Dark Elf twins…" Momonga said reminiscently, "I'll experiment with my spells in the arena as well. Might as well test out the [Staff] as well."
"Good idea." Grandia nodded, "I'll be down some time before the meeting so I can test out my combat skills, so if you can, save the [Staff of Ains Ooal Gown's] [Summon Primal Earth Elemental] ability for today for my use."
"Of course." Momonga nodded. Between his magic (if it worked), the power of the staff (again, if it worked) and Grandia's physical prowess, they would be able to at least hold their own if any of the NPC's tried to revolt or anything. That scenario was unpleasant to consider, although the reactions of Albedo, Sebas and the Pleiades indicated it was unlikely.
Still, better safe rather than sorry.
"Let us go then." Momonga said.
Grandia nodded and the two remaining members of [Ains Ooal Gown] used their [Rings of Ains Ooal Gown] to teleport to their destinations.
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Later
Amphitheatre, 6th Floor, Great Tomb of Nazarick
Momonga watched analytically as the Floor Guardians of the 6th Floor, Aura Bella Fiore and Mare Bello Fiore, fought against his summoned [Primal Fire Elemental] with ease. The Dark Elf twins were both Level 100, the highest level possible in YGGDRASIL and worked very well together.
Aura, a spunky girl dressed in masculine clothing and with her left eye pale purple and her right eye a vibrant green, was a beast tamer who wielded a whip with great skill. She had no ability to use magic, however.
Mare, her shy twin younger brother, was dressed in female clothing and his eyes were the opposite of his elder sister's. He was a Druid, a nature spell caster of great strength. Working together, the two had fended off almost every attacker who made it to the end of the 6th Floor with as much ease as they were handling their current opponent.
'Certainly, Bukubukuchagama-san did an excellent job creating them.' Momonga thought, 'The meeting will start soon, and Sebas is on his way back. I wonder where Grandia-san is? Ah, she's probably catching up with the Wandering Guardian. After all, she did create the Shadow Star Sisterhood.'
The Wandering Guardian, as that particular Floor Guardian was known as, was the most powerful member of the Shadow Star Sisterhood. She earned the name by the fact that the SSS moved the location of their HQ to any floor of Nazarick aside from the 10th and 8th Floors. That is to say, the HQ moved at random.
They had been Grandia Bloodragon's creation, created from the reward crystals that she herself had gathered over the course of three months of hunting. She had persuaded the majority of the guild to support her plan for the SSS by pointing out that mysterious warriors attacking from the shadows was something that 'evil monsters' (as the Heteromorphic races were seen as by the human and half-human races) would do.
His attention was drawn from the past when the [Primal Fire Elemental] was destroyed by the twins. He had to admit to being impressed. The fire spirit had been in the upper-eighties level and was ferocious on the attack, yet the two had handled the fire spirit with ease.
The upside of this last fifty minutes was that he confirmed that it was relatively easy to use magic. All one had to do was focus and you could 'feel' what spells you had access to and how much MP you had left. Using the [Staff of Ains Ooal Gown] was even easier, especially with its auto-attack system. If anything attacked him, it would lash out at that thing with prejudice unless he specifically throttled it.
"Both of you did very well." he congratulated the twins as they ran over to him, exultant at their victory.
"Thank you very much!" Aura grinned, "It has been a long while since we've exercised this much!"
"Hmm…you're probably thirsty." the Overlord muttered. He reached into the air, his hand disappearing into black darkness. When he pulled it out again, he held two glass chalices, which were given to the twins. He then pulled out an expensive looking porcelain jug and poured some water into each of their cups.
"M-Momonga-sama!" Aura protested weakly, "We have water magic! We can't just use your personal ration!"
"Nonsense, I am undead, thus having no need for water." Momonga said dismissively, "Drink up."
Once the twins had finished their drinks, it didn't take long for the Floor Guardians to start showing up. First to arrive was the Guardian of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Floors, Shalltear Bloodfallen, a [True Vampire], created by Peroroncino, the younger brother of Bukubukuchagama.
Wearing a burgundy dress with a matching umbrella, her disguised form, barely taller than the short Aura, looked very cute and adorable, whereas her true form resembled a lamprey.
Momonga was taken aback to discover that Shalltear was in love with him also. He recalled that one of the fetishes that Peroroncino had given her was necrophilia…great.
Next to arrive was Cocytus, the Guardian of the 5th Floor. He was a [Vermin Lord] and was the most physically imposing of the Floor Guardians. Created by Bujin Takemikazuchi, he was the weapons master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, able to wield over twenty-one weapons with his four arms. He was truly the epitome of the concept 'warrior.'
Albedo showed up next with the Guardian of the 7th Floor, Demiurge. He was a [Demon] who was the commander of the NPC's if Nazarick was attacked. His creator, Ulbert Alain Odle, had been obsessed with the concept of 'evil' and had made Demiurge to personify his views on the matter. Wearing an orange suit and glasses, with his grey armoured tail waving lazily behind him, he looked elegant rather than evil, but was in fact a sadist and extremely cruel being beneath his façade.
"Has the Wandering Guardian not appeared, Momonga-sama?" Albedo asked.
"Not as of yet." Momonga replied, "I daresay she is rejoicing in being reunited with her creator."
"Grandia-sama is here?" Shalltear asked with a hopeful look. As a [True Vampire], she was bound to serve any [High Daywalker] vampires, at least according to the [True Vampire] flavour text.
"Indeed." Momonga nodded, "She went to fetch the Wandering Guardian an hour ago and has not yet returned."
Just then, a large purple opening appeared behind the Guardians. From it emerged Grandia Bloodragon with another figure about the same height as Albedo at her side. Her robes, a kunoichi top and hakama, were midnight blue and you could just see some black chain mail beneath it. A long black scarf was wrapped around her neck twice and still draped down to the back of her knees, while her head was graced with a spiked forehead protector with the kanji for shinobi engraved on it. Her forearms were encased in a pair of crimson fingerless gauntlets while her lower legs were clad in a pair of light green greaves with a Mitsudome symbol emblazoned on the knees. The hilts of a pair of swords were visible over her shoulders and a furry tail and set of ears showed that she was a [Kobold].
"Momonga-san, my apologies for being late." Grandia said with a small bow, "My little ones were very excited to have me with them once again and it took me some time to calm them down. Allow me to present my greatest creation, Exia Shadowhound, the Wandering Guardian."
"Momonga-sama." Exia bowed deeply, her ears twitching excitably, "It is an honour to meet you at last."
"Indeed." the Lich nodded.
Grandia leapt over to stand nest to Momonga and Albedo took her place at the front of the group of Floor Guardians.
"Well then everyone." she said, "Now give to our Supreme Beings the oath of loyalty!"
"The Guardian of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Floors, Shalltear Bloodfallen." the vampiress knelt with one hand over her heart, "I bow before the Supreme Ones."
"The Guardian of the Fifth Floor, Cocytus." the armoured insect warrior stated as he knelt, laying his spear to the floor in respect, "I bow before the Supreme Ones!"
"The Guardian of the 6th Floor, Aura Bella Fiore…"
"…a-also the Guardian of the 6th Floor, Mare Bello Fiore…"
"…We bow before the Supreme Ones!" the twins said as they knelt.
"The Guardian of the 7th Floor, Demiurge." the demon said smoothly as he knelt, "I bow before the Supreme Ones."
"Wandering Guardian and the Leader of the Shadow Star Sisterhood, Exia Shadowhound." the shinobi said as she knelt and bowed her head, "I bow before the Supreme Ones!"
"Supervisor of the Floor Guardians, Albedo." the ravenette stated as she knelt, "Aside from the Guardian of the 4th Floor, Gargantua, and the Guardian of the 8th Floor, Victim, all of the Guardians have gathered to bow before you. Oh Supreme Beings, bestow upon us your divine orders. We offer our complete loyalty to you!"
'That's a relief. Looks like their loyalty isn't in doubt.' Momonga thought before saying gruffly, "Raise your heads. I thank you all for gathering here."
"Your thanks is wasted upon us. We here have all have pledged ourselves to you!" Albedo replied, a blush readily apparent on her face, "Momonga-sama, Grandia-sama, you may find us lacking. However, we vow to work hard and live up to the expectations of the Supreme Beings who created us."
"This we vow to you!" all of the Guardians chorused.
Grandia smiled at the devotion that the Guardians were displaying. They were just like children, eager to please a favourite parent.
"Wonderful!" Momonga boomed, "Floor Guardians, I have no doubts that you will be able to be able to fulfil your duties without fail. What say you, Grandia-san?"
"I agree." the [High Daywalker] said with a nod, "I am very much impressed by your devotion, Floor Guardians. You do your creators proud."
The beatific looks on the faces of the NPC's was a pleasure to see.
"Hm. Moving on then." the Ruler of Death said, "The Great Tomb of Nazarick has been caught up in an unknown situation. Sebas, give the rest of the Guardians your report."
"Hai, Momonga-sama." Sebas Tian said as he walked out of the shadow of one of the pillars, his butler's suit looking utterly unwrinkled, "The Great Tomb of Nazarick is no longer in a swamp. We are now in the centre of a vast grassland."
"…grassland?" confusion was in Momonga's voice, "I see…any signs of life?"
Sebas shook his head. "I could not detect any signs of human or monster life signs within one kilometre of the entrance to the Tomb, Momonga-sama. Nor are there any buildings, ruined or otherwise, within that same distance."
"Good work, Sebas." Grandia said, "This is something I find highly alarming, however. To transport not only the residents of Nazarick, but all ten floors of the Tomb itself, completely intact and without breeching our wards would take more MP than every single member of [Ains Ooal Gown] put together."
"Hmmm…an excellent point." Momonga nodded, "Did any of you detect anything unusual approximately an hour ago?"
A chorus of negatives came back at him.
"Unfortunate…" Momonga muttered, "So, someone has transported us to this unknown land for some unknown reason…Guardian Supervisor Albedo and Defensive Leader Demiurge!"
"Hai!" the two named NPC's responded.
"Increase our defences and improve the information sharing system!" the Overlord of Death ordered, "Whoever teleported us here cannot be assumed to be benign, so we must step up our precautions."
"Your will shall be done, Momonga-sama!" Demiurge replied.
"Exia." Grandia stated.
"Hai, Grandia-sama!" the Kobold Kunoichi said, ears perked up and tail still.
"The members of the Shadow Star Sisterhood's [1st Star] are to engage in random patrols of the surroundings of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, keeping from sight at all times." the vampiress ordered, "Any who discover interlopers are to [Message] either myself, Momonga-san, Albedo or Demiurge."
"Hai!"
"Will they be able to remain concealed, Grandia-sama?" Demiurge asked.
"The [1st Star] are composed of the best troops that use stealth skills and equipment in the Sisterhood, Demiurge." Grandia replied, "Only a troop of lizardman chameleon soldiers would be better."
The debonair demon nodded.
"Mare, is there a way to conceal the Great Tomb of Nazarick?" Momonga asked the diminutive Dark Elf, who was the most powerful support Magic Caster in Nazarick.
"Umm…it would be hard to use just illusion spells…" Mare replied with a thoughtful expression on his face, "Any Magic Caster who can use 6th Tier spells could detect such a large illusion. If we cover the walls in dirt and conceal ourselves behind vegetation, however, we would only need to cover a relatively smaller area with illusions…"
"You would smear the glorious walls of Nazarick with dirt?!" Albedo snarled quietly.
"Enough, Albedo." Momonga rebuked her softly, "I am talking to Mare."
"My most humble apologies, Momonga-sama." the succubus said, bowing her head down once more.
"So mare, you believe that if we follow your suggestion, Nazarick would be concealed?" the Overlord asked, "Is it possible to do such a thing?"
"As long as you allow it, Momonga-sama, it will be done." Mare replied humbly, "However…"
"Indeed, a large mound in the middle of the grasslands would not blend in." Momonga nodded, "Sebas, were there any hills nearby?"
"Unfortunately not, Momonga-sama." the butler replied.
"What if we created a series of dummy hills?" Grandia suggested, "For a Druid of Mare's abilities, that ought to be easy."
Sebas considered that for a moment. "In which case, I believe that Nazarick would be concealed with ease."
"Very well. That is what shall be done then." Momonga said, "Mare, I leave the concealment of Nazarick and the creation of the dummy hills in your hands. Should you require resources to fulfil your mission, inform me and they shall be made available to you."
"Hai, Momonga-sama!" mare said with a bow of his head.
"Now then…Grandia-san, would you care to test yourself now?" Momonga asked.
A feral smile crossed the [High Daywalker's] face. "Very much so."
"Guardians, come to my side." Momonga instructed them "You are about to witness one of your Supreme Beings fight!"
The Guardians moved swiftly to stand near Momonga, even as Grandia leapt back nimbly to stand several meters away, he hands resting on her rapiers.
"[Summon: Primal Earth Elemental]!" Momonga commanded as he raised the [Staff of Ains Ooal Gown] up high. One jewel sparkled and glowed with an inner light as he called upon its power.
Erupting from the surface of the arena, a titan of rock stood, towering above Grandia. It had a bulky body, three heads and a long sinuous tail lashing behind it.
Grandia just grinned as her opponent loomed over her. She caressed the hilts of her weapons before drawing them. The rapier in her left hand had a glowing red blade surrounded by a crackling golden aura. The crossguard resembled a pair of spread bat wings, topped by a hexagonal piece of metal to protect the user's hand.
The rapier in her right hand was as black as a raven, with an aura around it of mixed black and white flames. It was a basket hilted weapon covered in runic script.
"The [Blade of Walachia] and [Sword of Balefire]." Cocytus rumbled, "Two of the most powerful rapier-type swords in YGGDRASIL. How did Grandia-sama acquire them?"
"She took the [Blade of Walachia] from the broken body of [Vlad Dracule], the most powerful [True Vampire] NPC outside of [Ains Ooal Gown]." Momonga replied, "The [Sword of Balefire] was her prize for defeating the [Fallen Paladin of the Dark God] during one of our raids on Jötunheimr."
Momonga raised the staff again. "[Primal Earth Elemental]! Attack Grandia Bloodragon!"
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Next Chapter: The Shadow Star Sisterhood
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