48 – Demonic Sacrifice

Once Anak and Androssi arrived on the scene together, I put the Lighthouse away. It was quite a pain to manage the other Cubes like this, nor could I just hook it up to Offensive Bias to delegate it, because the panels and controls could only be managed with Shinsoo. I could probably set it up so that Offensive Bias could use the small robot to interact with the controls eventually, but that was beyond my capabilities for now.

But with the two princesses together, I could keep track of them with Agate instead, so I told them I'd be turning off my Cubes because I was heading over on foot. They didn't need the light right now anyways.

I took my time getting there though, wary of getting ambushed on the way.

So I watched as the princesses 'fought' the Bull. Anak offered a bet for the Green April, which Androssi refused. The two of them fought each other in between saving Ship from the Bull, until Androssi seemingly defeated the Bull accidentally.

There was a short break in the fighting while Androssi gloated, then her fight with Anak resumed. Finally, the Bull sneak attacked both of them before running away.

Anak and Androssi began to chase it further into the darkness of the undercliff caverns.

That should be the beginning of the lure. I began moving closer, but still keeping a large distance away.

"Stay calm, Ship, I'm on my way, and don't go off on your own," I said, transmitting the message through the Pocket via Khun's network.

A while later, I caught up with Ship.

"Are you still tracking them?" He asked me.

"I've got Androssi in sight still, but Anak separated from her somewhere along the way," I said.

"Damn, those two are so immature," he said. "But they're strong, so they should be fine."

"You jinxed it. Androssi's in trouble," I said.

"What? But she defeated the Bull so easily before! She didn't even have to use the Green April," said Ship.

"What's happening?" Khun's voice came through Ship's Pocket.

"I think the Bull was just pretending earlier. Not good, it just caught Androssi! Something's wrong, this was a trap, it must be the assassin!"

"What? What assassin?"

I rushed away before they could get another word in.

O O O

[Interlude]

"Did you find them yet, Ship?"

"No, not yet, damn it...!" Ship panted. "Stupid princesses! And that damn bastard, he must know something. What do you think he meant by an assassin?"

"To be honest, I've been thinking there's something off about this test. It wouldn't surprise me if there really was an assassin here. But who's the target? If they're trying to kill Androssi Zahard it would probably be a Ranker."

"A Ranker? Seriously? Damn, why didn't he tell us anything before rushing off?"

Ship climbed up a wall of rock, then slipped and fell.

"Arghh!"

"What? What happened?!"

"N-nothing, I'm fine. Aw, my back," he grumbled, getting back up.

"So like I was saying, it's probably a Ranker. Or more specifically—I think it's one of the test supervisors. But we can't do anything about it now since we're on our own for this test, and there's no way to contact that damn coffee machine. We just have to trust that they're strong enough to handle it," said Khun.

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Ship.

O O O

"Da…damn…" Anak cursed while lying face down on the ground in a pool of her own blood. "If I had the Green April…" She muttered.

"Oh, you think you could win if you had the Green April?" Ren asked. "Why don't you give it a try then, mutt?"

"Huh? Witch?!" Anak looked up to see the Bull coming into view, Androssi being wrapped by its tail, head down and unconscious. "Y-you've been controlling the Bull?"

"That's right," said Ren. "This test was engineered to kill you. This test, the supervisors, this entire floor, and everything in this Tower are your enemies. Because you are the enemy of Zahard."

The Bull threw Androssi down to the ground, and the Green April clattered away, where Ren picked it up with an extended tongue and dropped it in front of Anak. "Now, what can you do, even if I give this to you?"

Anak forced herself up and grabbed the Green April. "Ignite!"

The ignition weapon blasted forth, but a small blue shield panel blocked and redirected it before it reached Ren.

"W-what?"

She dodged a blast of Shinsoo from Ren's cannon weapon, and then attacked with the Green April several more times, only to be blocked and then kicked down into the ground, losing her grip.

Ren's tongue picked up the Green April. "Hehehe. It's useless to fight back, mutt. I am the one who killed your mother, after all, did you really think you stood a chance against me?"

"Y-you b-bastard!" Anak growled out, but stayed on the ground.

"Now…let the show begin. Ms. Androssi, wake up, wake up!" Ren went to gently push the unconscious princess.

"Ah…argh…shut up! How many times have I told you not to wake me up?!" Androssi subconsciously roared and smacked Ren away.

Then she rubbed her head and looked around, before seeing Anak bleeding on the ground and Yuga in costume, before realizing what was going on.

"You…!"

"W-witch, that fluff ball is the enemy!" Anak warned Androssi.

Ren wobbled back. "Sorry for the late introduction, Ms. Androssi. I am Ren, a member of the Royal Enforcement Division No. 67."

"So you came to kill the lizard," said Androssi.

"But before that, I wanted to confirm something as a teacher…I was wondering if you were helping that fake go up the Tower?"

"N-no way…! Why would I do that?" Androssi said with a nonchalant face.

"But then, why did you eliminate other rivals in the previous test?"

"T-that's…"

"You don't have to explain it to me, you can just prove it with your actions! All you need to do is kill that fake right here, right now," said Ren.

"I…" Androssi looked at the lizard, who stared back at her.

"Why are you hesitating?" Ren pressed.

"I would love to do that, but we still need her for the test," said Androssi.

"Don't worry, I'll take the Bull with me when I leave, then you won't need her anymore, correct?"

Androssi tried to give another excuse before Ren cut her off. "Princess Androssi…are you siding with a girl who wants vengeance on the family of Zahard? If Zahard found out about this…you have less of a chance to receive a Thirteen Month weapon in the future."

Ren flicked the Green April back to her. "But, you were able to take the Green April from the fake on your own during the previous tests. So how about you show me that you're worthy of holding a Thirteen Month Series, a weapon powerful enough to control the destiny of the Tower?"

Androssi looked at the Green April in her hands then walked over to Anak. The green skinned princess's eyes widened in fear as the other princess loomed over her.

Ren began to giggle uncontrollably seeing this sight.

"Don't blame me lizard…" said Androssi.

In her mind, she thought back to the friend list, to the meals surrounded by friendly faces,

I like being alone. It feels worse to be with someone. They bother you…and make you nervous…

I was just using you. And now you're of no use to me…

She thought of Baam who told her she wasn't alone anymore, and then to Axion who made her chicken pie.

"…in the end, I just…belong to a different place," she said darkly, gripping the Green April tightly.

"D-don't tell me…w-witch…!" Anak stared with shock as Androssi raised the weapon's hook to her throat with a resolute expression.

"Ignite!" Androssi shouted, and a scream followed, blood splattering.

O O O

Ship heard the scream echoing through the caverns. "No! What's going on?! Fuck! You heard that, Khun?!"

"I did, that was Anak, wasn't it?! I'll send Hatsu over for support!"

"Anak, please be alright!"

O O O

Ren laughed uproariously, then noticed something was wrong. "Hm?"

Upon taking a closer look when the smoke cleared, Anak was on her back, eyes wide and staring at Androssi, but she appeared alive and well.

"…weapon of the sinner held, food of the lover eaten, blood of the daughter saved…shut, shut, shut…"

"H-have you gone mad, witch?!" Anak asked, watching the blood drip from the Green April after she made a small cut on her own forearm.

The other princess paid her no attention, seemingly focused on muttering quietly and drawing something on the ground with a needle, using Anak's blood which had pooled before.

"What are you doing, princess Androssi?" Ren asked, perplexed.

"…I hereby swear, my heart shall be my own and my sins to bear alone! O great Prince of Duality, Lord of the Infinite, whose Aspects are many and myriad, I present you the proof of my sincerity and an offering to He Who Sees beyond! If you would answer this will and reason, then I shall become your anchor!"

"Is this a Spell…?" Ren watched morbidly as the bloody circle lit up the cavern in an unholy red light.

"Thus I summon you under the sigil of the Dreambreaker, and invite you to the realm of the waking! Cross the threshold, come forth as the Demon of Chromatic Calamity and rebalance the scales!"

The blood that dripped from the Green April and Androssi's own forearm burned away, the cut on her skin having clotted and sealed already.

"Oh my, where did you learn such forbidden arts, princess?" Ren asked.

Then he felt the Shinsoo flows recoil away from the circle which had been drawn. Smoke erupted, and a silhouette with glowing red lights for eyes appeared kneeling, holding the wounded left hand of the princess.

The silhouette was wreathed in shadows, but there was something familiar about it.

"Your offering is accepted, and so I have come. If you agree to this contract, henceforth, you shall be my anchor, and I shall carry out your will. So long as you sustain my existence, I, the Chromatic Calamity, will wreak havoc on your enemies," a deep and ringing voice echoed through the caverns as the silhouette kissed the back of the princess's hand.

"I accept," said Androssi..

"I must say, this is quite unexpected. Did you really summon a demon, princess?" Ren asked.

The silhouette gave way to reveal Axion, who stood up, and his voice went back to normal. "Hello again, instructor Yuga."

"What?" Ren started to laugh uncontrollably again. "Mr. Axion? You two went through all that trouble just for a mere teleportation? You almost had me concerned for a moment."

Axion laughed as well. "Glad you got a good laugh out of it, Instructor. But I'm afraid this student must be impolite today."

"Please, go ahead. You saved me the trouble of hunting you down, you know? Although it was very funny, I shall be sure to report this to Zahard. It will be my pleasure to eliminate you and your princess as a competition to the Bia family princesses," Ren said, and meant it.

"Did you really believe Lero Ro's foolish theory?" Axion asked with a scoff.

Ren didn't, of course. Lero Ro, the fool, thought a Ranker could be smuggled past Headon into the Regular tests? It was utterly droll. The best that the princess's family could have done would be to mix up the cohorts and get the princess together with a particularly strong Regular with powerful items—that was much more likely.

"Oh, are you saying you're not here as princess Androssi's retainer, even after that display?"

"You seem to have some knowledge of Spells. Haven't you realized yet what the purpose of that Spell was?" Axion asked.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage there, Mr. Axion. My knowledge of these forbidden arts is quite lacking. Perhaps the student shall teach the teacher a little today?" said Ren.

"It's simple, really. All spells contract with a powerful medium—a demon or god, to empower them. But such beings are not like the Administrators, they don't offer tests and they do not give contracts freely. So why do they not simply act directly themselves, instead giving power to contracted Sorcerers?"

"Hmm…an interesting question. Without knowing more about them, I would guess that there is some force preventing them from acting directly?"

"Correct. Just as there are rules restricting Rankers from acting freely, there are rules of the world itself that restrict the influence of beings which are 'imaginary' from unduly influencing the real world. It is only through the willing contract of a Sorcerer that we may act—and even then it is extraordinarily difficult to manifest even a minuscule fraction of our true selves and power."

"I see, so the purpose of that Spell was for your contractor to unlock more of your power?"

"Now you understand. Through some miraculous circumstances, I was summoned directly into the real world when my previous summoner used his own body as a vessel…and then I took it over, allowing me the freedom to move about on my own. After meeting the princess, it soon became clear that she had the potential to be a far superior summoner, but such a connection cannot be forged easily—it is only in a time of great distress, powerful emotions, and in the presence of suitable sacrifices that it can be forged."

"And this was one such situation, I see," said Ren. "But what do you intend to do now?"

"As I said, a suitable sacrifice is required…the ritual is not yet fully complete. The true reason that Androssi summoned me now is precisely because it would be a pity if such a high quality sacrifice was just executed without being used properly…"

"Hm? You mean…"

Axion unsheathed his crystal sword and turned to Anak, who realized his intent and backed away fearfully. "Y-you two are really going to…?!"

"Like I said, don't blame me lizard. It's nothing personal," said Androssi, smirking evilly before taking a lick of the blood on the Green April.

"You really were a witch…!" Anak spat hatefully.

Ren clapped and laughed again. "Wonderful, wonderful! I am surprised yet again!"

"Now, Mr. Lo Po Bia Ren, do you still intend to eliminate us as 'competition', or will you allow me to proceed with the sacrifice?" Axion asked.

"Hmm, that is quite a dilemma I have been placed in. If I allow you to proceed, then according to what you have told me, you might become considerably more dangerous. But I cannot just kill you unless you have committed a crime against Zahard, what shall I do?" Ren asked loudly.

Ren paced as if thinking, while the other three waited tensely.

Anak's eyes darted around, before making a dash for escape, but Androssi extended Green April to pin her down.

"I have decided!" Ren said suddenly. "Yes…please go ahead with the sacrifice."

"I see, thank you then, Mr. Ren," said Axion.

Then he grabbed Anak by the throat with one hand, choking her, as Androssi retracted Green April. He dragged the struggling green princess to the bloody circle that had been drawn earlier.

He gestured to Androssi, who caged her down again against the circle.

"No! You monsters!" Anak shouted when Axion finally released his grip on her throat. "Let me go!"

Axion raised his sword. "Ignite!" A flash of light and then energy began rolling off the sword in wisps.

"Mmfufukukuku…I will enjoy devouring you, girl!" The sword said with a dark chuckle.

Then Axion began to chant in an incomprehensible language. The air suddenly turned heavy with a strange presence.

"Hmm? This feeling…it's just like that time," Ren said, thinking about when Axion absorbed his Shinsoo barrier.

Shinsoo rapidly converged on their location, turning the air dense. Liquid Shinsoo began to form out of the air and formed a half sphere of water that submerged Anak.

"Stop, stop!" Anak shouted desperately. "You can't do this!"

Axion's chanting grew more frantic and he began waving his sword in strange motions along with his other hand.

The blood on the ground that hadn't been burned away during the initial summoning ritual lifted up and began to form intricate symbols and arcane characters that swirled around the sphere of Shinsoo, while some went to Axion's hand.

Then Axion himself floated into the air.

"…What the hell is going on here?!" Ship came onto the scene, looking shocked. "What are you guys doing to Anak?"

"…" Axion turned to look at the Regular.

Then the Bull's tail grabbed Ship and choked him. He struggled wildly but was completely overpowered.

"Please continue, I will ensure there are no interruptions," said Ren.

Axion turned his attention back to Anak and then resumed chanting.

Ren continued watching curiously.

The chanting continued, and changed periodically in rhythm.

Ren ate a snack and then sat down.

Ship gave up and panted while looking faint.

Axion continued chanting.

'…where the fuck is Yuri?!' Axion thought to himself. 'Wasn't she supposed to arrive with Ship?'

"How long is this ritual supposed to take?" Ren asked.

Axion didn't say anything and kept chanting, raising his voice to a higher level.

"You wouldn't happen to be stalling, would you, Mr. Axion?" Ren asked.

Anak stopped struggling in the water, finally realizing that something was up.

"You can't rush these things, Mr. Ren," said Androssi. "It's a very delicate process."

"I'm not sure what you were stalling for, but I'm afraid there is no help coming your way. Now let us end this farce, hehehe…" said Ren.

O O O