Chapter Twenty Two – Gathering Momentum
After sending his ally off to deliver the severed head of Archangel to Shizuna, Cyrus returned to the Third Dormitory and found all of Class VII waiting for him, including Crow. The two people he actually wanted to see, however, were absent.
"Where are Sophie and Tahlia?" Cyrus asked, entering the building.
"They've already returned to Heimdallr. Sophie decided that your little sister had been through enough today, and thought it best to return to the capital," Sara responded. "Where were you?"
"Boxing up Shizuna's latest gift. I see you've returned to us," Cyrus remarked, looking at Rean, who was now awake.
"Ah, yeah… I, uhh…" Rean mumbled.
"Save it. Whatever happened to you down in the Old Schoolhouse wasn't strictly your fault. As such, I see no reason for you to offer an apology to me," Cyrus stated.
"Damn, such a great guy… Never mind that though, I wanna know where you learned to fight like that! It was awesome! It was like watching Shane Mosely fight; nice with the left, nice with the right, the jaw tapper. Mwah, perfection!" Crow exclaimed, embellishing his words with a chef's kiss.
"Hmph, Shane Mosely? I think you'll find Marv Hagler to be a better comparison," Jusis scoffed.
"Wait, hold on. You are a fan of boxing, Jusis?" Rean asked.
"Surprised? Despite what you might think, I am my own person. I have my own likes and dislikes," Jusis sighed.
"I suppose you have a point, but how did someone like you become a fan of a combat sport?" Elliot asked.
"I had someone who used to take me a few years ago to watch live bouts from time to time. Admittedly, it's been a good while since I went to a match with this person, but I still enjoyed the times I did go with her," Jusis shrugged.
"I'm sorry, did you just say her?" Alisa blinked.
"Are you heard of hearing? Yes, the person who would take me to see boxing matches was a woman, and I'll hear no more about it," Jusis snapped.
"Well, Jusis' backstory intrigue just shot up a few points…" Rean muttered. "Still though… Everyone filled me in on what happened from the Old Schoolhouse to now. I can't believe how cool, calm, and collected you were, despite your little sister being in danger."
"Don't take this the wrong way, Schwarzer, but unlike you, I know I have the power to keep my family safe; even Aurelia, if such a circumstance needed it," Cyrus responded, somewhat harshly.
"Power is right; just what the hell was that Storm God thing anyway?" Crow asked. "Seriously, with that thing in your arsenal, you've gotta be like the deadliest human walking."
"Hmph, 'deadliest human walking'? Please… I think that title should go to Master Matteus," Cyrus scoffed. "Though, I can't discount Master Ka-Fai in his prime…"
"What about Viscount Arseid? His power is well known throughout the Empire, and most of the continent," Rean asked.
"Hmm, I suppose the Radiant Blademaster would qualify too… Though, 'deadly' suggests that they have spilled blood before. Has your father ever actually killed someone, Laura?" Cyrus asked.
"I… I don't know. I would certainly hope not," Laura responded, sounding surprised.
"If he were my vessel instead of you, I could make him into the deadliest human," Vahlok cackled.
"That's enough out of you, Wrath," Cyrus glared, silencing Vahlok.
"Wait, 'Wrath'? I thought his name was Vahlok?" Elliot asked.
"Haven't you guys figured it out yet? These three spectres, the changes in Alisa, Laura, and Sara? They're personifications of the Seven Deadly Sins. Morokei is Envy, Nahkriin is Gluttony, and Vahlok is Wrath," Cyrus stated, sighing heavily.
"By Aidios, he's right!" Emma gasped. "It all makes sense now!"
"Wait, wait, wait, wait… If these are three of the Seven Deadly Sins, where are the other four?" Crow asked.
"Maybe still in the Old Schoolhouse?" Gaius suggested.
"No, not likely," Cyrus responded.
"Tch, and just how would you know?" Machias snapped.
"If they were still in the Old Schoolhouse, then why is Emma the only one without a personified sin?" Cyrus asked.
"Well, Nahkriin did say she possesses a 'turbulent soul', whatever that means," Alisa shrugged.
"Ok, hold on, so… If we have Envy, Gluttony, and Wrath… Where's Greed, Lust, Sloth, and Pride?" Crow asked.
"Some are near, some are far. That is all you need to know," Morokei retorted.
"Well, that was helpful," Machias frowned.
"Hmph, did you honestly expect them to give you a map with directions on it?" Jusis scoffed.
"Can't blame a guy for trying," Crow shrugged before standing up. "A'ight… Imma head out."
"Where the hell are you going?" Cyrus asked.
"Ah, ah, ah… I don't kiss and tell," Crow winked. 'I need to go see Vita…'
"Stupefying lie aside, I've realised I don't actually care," Cyrus shrugged as he ushered Crow out the door.
"Why do we allow him to come and go like a housecat?" Laura asked.
"That's Crow for you; he'll shoehorn his way into anything that sounds interesting," Rean chuckled.
###
After Crow left the Third Dormitory and went to see Vita, she had gone to the Hexen Clan's secret domain of Fyxestroll Garden, where the Immortal Dragon resided, in hopes of getting him to interfere with Cyrus' life long enough that Crow could still do his duties as the leader of the Imperial Liberation Front. That, however, did not go according to plan, as the Immortal Dragon not only banished Vita from his domain, but promised to completely crush the traitorous witch when he returned to the physical realm.
This, of course, caused problems for Vita, as the success of Crow and his Imperial Liberation Front was vital to the plans of Ouroboros, and their mysterious 'Phantasmal Blaze Plan'. Given that the success of the Phantasmal Blaze Plan was crucial to the Society, Vita had seen fit to use her position as the Second Anguis to call a meeting; a law that was very rarely enacted.
"You mind tellin' me what the hell you're playin' at, Vita?" a man with unkempt black hair and a long azure coat growled.
"Yes, I too would like to know why you have invoked the Law of the Adjudicator. I was in the middle of some very important research," a bespectacled old man sighed.
"Ah, shut up, you two! Come on, Vita; out with it. I have important work to do in Crossbell," a young woman snapped.
"Fine, I'll cut to the chase; the Phantasmal Blaze Plan is in jeopardy," Vita stated.
"You'd better not be fuckin' with us, missy," the black haired man snarled.
"Ellroy, that's enough. Same goes for you, Professor Novartis. Let Vita finish," Arianrhod muttered, silencing Ellroy and the Professor.
"My protégé believes he's unable to go through with his part of the plan, out of fear of the opposition he finds himself facing," Vita explained.
"What, that kid from Jurai? I told you that little shit was too much of a pussy!" Ellroy shouted.
"Didn't you say you helped him with the trials to become the Azure Awakener?" the woman asked.
"Yes, Mariabell, that's true, and while he completed the trials mostly by himself, he seems to think that the power of Ordine won't be enough to stop the person he's going to cross blades with," Vita nodded.
"Ha! You gave him a Divine Knight, and the little prick doesn't even know how to use it!" Ellroy snorted.
"He's right to be afraid, Vita…" Arianrhod stated, everyone's attention turning to the Seventh Anguis.
"What aren't you telling us, Arianrhod?" Mariabell asked.
"The person Crow Armbrust is concerned about is Cyrus Le Guin, and if he wasn't concerned about Cyrus, then the boy would be a fool," Arianrhod responded coldly.
"That bastard?! I still owe him for what he did to my family's cult! Centuries of work, gone in a single night!" Mariabell cried.
"Mariabell… You are new to the position of Anguis within the Society, taking the role of Third Anguis from the late Georg Weissman, so let me make this part extremely clear; do not challenge Cyrus Le Guin, or attempt to hinder him, unless you wish for your head to be sent to your father in a pine box," Arianrhod stated.
"Hoho! This just got interesting. Please, do continue, Arianrhod," Professor Novartis chuckled.
"A couple of months ago, we were tasked with approaching Cyrus Le Guin in an attempt to recruit him to join the Society as an Enforcer. We even used one of his secret projects to lure him out. The Stahlritter were tasked with facing him in combat, with the condition that if he lost to them, he would join us immediately," Arianrhod began.
"So, what happened? I haven't heard anything about a new Enforcer joining the ranks," Ellroy muttered.
"Quite right; he crushed the Stahlritter handily. Even now, Duvalie refuses to accept the fact she lost. It was clear they didn't do enough research into their opponent, otherwise they would have known Cyrus has the ability to redirect lightning," Arianrhod finished, sighing slightly.
"Ahh! A mere human with the power to redirect lightning?! I didn't think such a thing was possible!" Novartis cackled.
"It's very possible; every human is born with latent affinity to one of the five Natural Elements; Earth, Fire, Lightning, Water, and Wind. Only Witches are born with an affinity for all five elements, whilst Warlocks are born with an affinity for all eight, which include the three Higher Elements of Mirage, Space, and Time. The last Warlock to be born was my Auntie Isola, according to the Elder," Vita commented.
"Most interesting… I must conduct research on this phenomena immediately!" Novartis muttered, scribbling a note into a small book.
"Getting back to the original point, when my girls were fighting with Cyrus, I noted that he seemed to be… restricted in his power. I could sense a massive reservoir of power within him, but only a small amount was dripping out of him, almost like a leaking tap faucet," Arianrhod continued.
"Hmph, no wonder Walter has been so ecstatic as of late with his operation in Heimdallr. He said he watched this kid fight in his arena, and he ripped a man's heart out of his chest with his bare hands," Ellroy muttered, smirking slightly.
"So, something needs to be done. I tried getting help, and that backfired… Big time. So, that's what I have brought the subject to you, my fellow Anguēs," Vita stated.
"The fuck do you want us to do about it? If your little toddler can't find his balls and square up to this brat in a fight, that's your problem," Ellroy snorted.
"Look, it's very simple; Crow intends to formally introduce the Imperial Liberation Front to the Empire at Heimdallr's Summer Festival at the end of the month. He can't do that if Cyrus is there to kill him before the movement gains traction. No Imperial Liberation Front means no Civil War in the Empire, and no Civil War in the Empire means the Phantasmal Blaze Plan cannot continue on schedule," Vita explained.
"Fine, so take a few Enforcers, and get them to rough the little shit up. The kid can't be in two places at once, so use the Enforcers to keep him away from your boy while he and his group make their grand entrance," Ellroy sighed.
"What do you think about this, Grandmaster?" Mariabell asked, turning to look at the Society's leader, who had been sitting and watching the meeting in silence.
"I believe this will prove to be an interesting path to tread. Vita, I will send McBurn, Löwe, and Renne to deal with Cyrus Le Guin. I hope that will be enough to distract him while you make the necessary arrangements to ensure the Phantasmal Blaze Plan moves forward smoothly," the Grandmaster stated calmly.
"I think just sending McBurn would be plenty; sending the others would just be overkill, but who am I to complain? If Cyrus dies, then that'll make Crow's job easier," Vita shrugged.
###
A few days later, back in Trista, everyone was currently in 'festival mode' with the upcoming Summer Festival in Heimdallr at the end of the month. Festival season was in full swing in Trista, and at Thors, as everyone was looking forward to the annual summer festival the capital was holding.
Despite the excitement surrounding the Heimdallr Summer Festival, Thors was still the same old military academy it was renowned for. The students were still hard at work, which included Class VII.
Their Practical Exam had originally been scheduled for a series of group battles, in order to test their abilities with one another in order to see how much progress they had all made working together, but Sara quickly grew bored and wanted to go back to the dorm and drink (no doubt due to Nahkriin's Aspect of Gluttony), so she decided to have everyone fight Cyrus one-on-one, so he could assess the class.
Naturally, Cyrus took issue with this and while he and Rean got off to a decent start, he too grew bored of having to play teacher, and instead elected to simply stop, and sat down on the Practice Field in the middle of the fight. As an alternative, he decided to use the power of Fulgora to fight Class VII, as he sat inside the powerful Aegis and read a book.
Even when he told them to go all out and fight as a group, none of them were a match for the might of Fulgora, and the only one left standing after the fight was Laura, who had been spurred on by Vahlok, who refused to see his vessel lose.
Despite the heavily weighted odds against the rest of Class VII, Cyrus had been surprised that he'd been able to read three whole chapters before Fulgora had crushed them, and decided to give everyone in the class an A+, if only to spite Sara for being lazy, which seemed to cheer everyone up, especially Elliot and Machias, for different reasons.
As everyone left the Practice Field, Rean stayed behind, looking up at the frightening phantom of Fulgora, who returned his stare with a crushing gaze of its own.
"Is there something I can do for you, Rean? Or perhaps you'd like for Fulgora to beat you into the dirt again?" Cyrus asked, not looking up from his book.
"Uhh, no… No thanks, I'm good. I did want to ask you about this though…" Rean muttered as he put his hand into his jacket pocket. "Did you give me this?"
Frowning, Cyrus snapped his book shut and looked up at Rean, who was holding a small object in between his index finger and thumb.
The object in question was a ring. The ring itself was a normal silver ring with black accents, but the design that was carved into it was especially interesting. All around the ring were symbols of infinity, and on the top of the ring, a small yin-yang was engraved into the ring.
"Yes, I did. What of it?" Cyrus sighed.
"I just want to know why," Rean responded.
"Why? I think that should be obvious," Cyrus muttered, standing up.
"You mean because of what happened in the Old Schoolhouse a couple of days ago?" Rean asked.
"Yes. I don't know what you remember of that day, but you seemed to be receptive of the idea of protecting Elise. That will help you," Cyrus stated, pointing at the ring.
"How? It's just a ring, isn't it?" Rean asked, spinning the ring around in his fingers.
"It's commonly referred to as the Ring of the Crux of Fate. It should, if you wear it, keep you from going berserk like you did in the Old Schoolhouse," Cyrus stated.
"Wait, what?! How is that possible?!" Rean cried. "More importantly, how do you know it'll happen again?"
"Is that not the reason you were training under Master Ka-Fai to begin with? To stop that power from taking over?" Cyrus asked, taking Rean by surprise.
"How did you–?" Rean gasped.
"Master Ka-Fai told me all about you, Rean. He said you were supposed to be his last student, and he felt a pang of guilt for taking me on after you, but he also said he could not refuse the person who asked him to train me," Cyrus explained. "He told me that you were scared of the thing that lives inside of you, and you were afraid that if you couldn't control it, you'd hurt someone you cared about, like Elise, or your mother and father."
"But how will this help me?" Rean asked.
"Put it on, and hope that you don't find out. The reason it's called the Crux of Fate is because the wearer is the one in charge of their own destiny, and they should be able to change their own fate to whatever they want it to be, so if you desire for that monster inside you to be suppressed, then the ring should help you do it," Cyrus responded.
As Rean looked at the ring, his mind was abuzz with dozens more questions for Cyrus. When he looked up to ask a question, he found he was standing alone on the Practice Field. Looking around, he couldn't see where Cyrus had gone, but he could see a small scar in the ground where Archangel had been swallowed by the earth, and a cold chill ran down his spine after hearing about what had happened in the field. Quickly, he left the Practice Field and returned to the dorm.
###
"Any news?" Cyrus asked, as he stood on the roof of the Third Dormitory; the night air blowing a cool breeze on his face.
"Shizuna said she will consider your offer, and when she has made a decision, she will send one of her Commanders to find you," the individual stated gruffly.
"Looks like my decision to send you to her camp was a good idea. Then again, there's no way she'd refuse you," Cyrus smirked, looking at his ally.
"Hmph, don't forget yourself, Dragon. I could have easily refused," the individual growled.
"Yes… Yet you didn't. Why is that, I wonder?" Cyrus asked.
"Dispense with the philosophical musings, you fool. Where are we at with our current objective?" the individual barked.
"All that's left is the Death Diviner. However, we're not ready to move on her just yet…" Cyrus muttered, looking at another ring in his hand.
"How long do you expect until we're ready?" the individual queried.
"Hard to say… Another couple of months, at least…" Cyrus sighed, putting the ring in his pocket.
"Damn it all, Dragon! We can't sit idly by and wait; you know what's at stake if we don't complete this task!" the individual snapped.
"I am well aware the stakes… Yet, you still haven't answered my question from when we started this journey of ours together," Cyrus responded, looking up at the sky.
"That's simply because I do not have a definitive answer for you. Would you like me to lie and say nothing will happen and you'll come out at the end unscathed? I cannot guarantee that, Dragon… Only you will have the answer to that question, but only when the time is right," the individual stated quizzically.
"I suppose you're right, old friend… How long has it been, since we started this little quest of ours, I wonder?" Cyrus mused.
"Don't start getting sentimental on me, Dragon. Sentimentality is for fools and weaklings, and you are neither," the individual grunted.
"Yes… Perhaps you are right… Ahem, nevertheless… I shall find a way to ensure the Death Diviner is ready soon enough," Cyrus muttered.
###
"There you are! I have a bone to pick with you, mister!" Sara shouted as Cyrus descended the stairs of the dorm.
"What is it, Sara?" Cyrus sighed, knowing exactly what she was so worked up about.
"You gave everyone a perfect score in the Practical Exam?!" Sara cried.
"What? You put me in charge of the lesson so you could go and give in to Nahkriin's Gluttony. It's not my responsibility to teach for you, and besides, they all managed to survive against Fulgora long enough for me to read a couple chapters in my book. I'd say that warrants an A+ in my eyes," Cyrus shrugged.
"You can't just hand out A+ grades for fun, you know," Sara scowled.
"And you can't put your students in charge of your class, just so you can day drink. That's not what I got drunk for you for on our first day, remember?" Cyrus said, returning Sara's scowl with his own.
Sara simply stood there and pouted, knowing she was wrong and she wasn't going to get her own way in the argument. Cyrus could tell she had spent the last few hours drinking, and was almost ready to pass out, given the fact her eyes were bloodshot and she was swaying on her feet slightly.
"You're a meanie," Sara whined.
"Really? A 'meanie'? What next, a 'stupid-head'?" Cyrus smirked, looking at Sara incredulously.
"How'd you do that?!" Sara gasped. "Can you read minds?"
"You're kidding right?" Cyrus scowled. "You need to go to bed."
"Carry me," Sara commanded.
"Did you kill off the last of your brain cells with that final beer?! No way!" Cyrus shouted.
"Why not? I don't wanna climb stairs!" Sara whinged.
"Fucking hell, you're such a pain… Come on," Cyrus sighed, turning around so Sara could hop on his back.
"Nuh-uh… Use your arms," Sara demanded.
"God, you're unbelievable," Cyrus scoffed.
As he turned back around, and held out his arms, Sara hopped into them. He was half expecting her to cling to him like a koala would cling to a tree, but instead she took full advantage and made him carry her bridal style, up both flights of stairs.
"Zu'u gon wah lorot daar gein fund lost kosaan zos prudaav girvoh fah Rahgot…" Nahkriin muttered as he followed Cyrus and Sara upstairs and into Sara's room.
"I'm sorry, what was that? Sounds to me like you're questioning my motives," Cyrus muttered, gently placing Sara down on her bed.
Nahkriin paused and remained silent as he observed Cyrus closely, unsure of how best to respond to what he had just said. In the end, Nahkriin didn't have to say anything, as Sara refused to let go of Cyrus.
"No. Stay with me," Sara commanded.
"Absolutely not. We've already had this discussion, and you know that it'll only end with you being fired," Cyrus stated.
"I don't care. Stay with me," Sara repeated, holding onto Cyrus around his neck.
'Looks like I don't have a choice here… Her grip is ridiculously strong when she's drunk. I guess I can just jump once she falls asleep…' Cyrus thought. "Alright, fine…"
"Yaaay!" Sara giggled as she yanked Cyrus down onto her bed and cuddled him, putting a leg over him for good measure.
After a few minutes, Sara had fallen asleep, and was nuzzled into Cyrus' neck, her arms still wrapped around his neck and her thigh still slung over his hip. Deciding now was a good time to jump, he found himself unable to do so. Confused, he looked around and found that Nahkriin was forcibly detaining him, keeping him wrapped in Sara's drunken embrace.
"Where do you think you're going? This one's gluttonous desires transcend that of food and drink. Surely you must know how my Aspect works by now. Do you really think I'm going to allow the object of my vessel's gluttony to escape so easily?" Nahkriin laughed as he chained Cyrus in place.
"You will regret this…" Cyrus growled as he felt the spectral chains tighten around him, pressing him closer to Sara's body.
"Perhaps, but as long as my vessel drowns in Gluttony, I care not for the consequences," Nahkriin cackled.
###
The following morning, Sara awoke with a cry of shock. The last person she expected to see mere inches from her face was Cyrus. The moment she opened her eyes and focused in on who was in front of her, she went bright red and shot up.
"Aaahhh! What the hell are you doing here?!" Sara cried.
"You're the reason I'm in this mess, you damn Glutton!" Cyrus shouted, finally free to move again.
"What?! Nonsense, there's no way I'd–!" Sara began, until she saw Nahkriin floating in the corner of the room, watching the pair of them.
"Good morning, vessel. Sleep well, did we?" Nahkriin teased, cackling at the sight before him.
"What the hell is the matter with you!" Sara shouted as she picked up an empty beer bottle and threw it at Nahkriin.
Obviously, since Nahkriin was a phantom, the bottle passed through his head and smashed to pieces against the door, which only made the purple spectre cackle harder.
"I'm just thankful you kept your damn clothes on this time…" Cyrus muttered as he stood up and cracked his neck.
Sara looked down and noticed that she did indeed have all of her clothes on, and breathed a sigh of relief. The embarrassment she was suffering from quickly started to melt away when she came to the conclusion that nothing sordid had happened between her and Cyrus.
"You and I are going to have words later," Sara snapped, pointing at the ghostly apparition floating before her.
"Oh, most certainly… We have a lot to discuss," Nahkriin chuckled darkly.
"Right, well, you two simpletons have fun; I'm going to have a shower; I can smell the alcohol permeating into my clothes," Cyrus sighed, jumping from Sara's room in the blink of an eye.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Sara hissed.
"What? Do you think I cannot see the way you look at the boy? Your desires are as plain as the nose on your face, vessel," Nahkriin chuckled.
"That doesn't mean I expect you to force him to sleep with me!" Sara cried.
"How else will you satiate your desires? You're too much of a coward to act on your own," Nahkriin muttered.
"He's my student! I can't be doing anything inappropriate with him while we're at school!" Sara snapped.
"Waan hi lost girvoh fah Rahgot, hi fund lost vos mok verkiir hi naal nu…" Nahkriin muttered under his breath.
"I don't know what you just said, but I don't care for your attitude, mister!" Sara chided.
###
As the day progressed, it seemed like there were going to be no further headaches for Cyrus to navigate, which suited him fine, given that being forced to sleep in the same bed as Sara was far too much of a hassle for him. Yet, Cyrus knew deep down that no day at school was ever going to be free of headaches. That fact was reinforced when Patrick decided to pay Class VII a visit at the end of one of their classes.
"What are you doing here, Patrick?" Rean asked as Patrick stood at the door, blocking anyone from leaving.
"Not that it's any of your business, but I've come to speak with him," Patrick responded, looking over at Cyrus, who narrowed his eyes. Just what was Patrick up to this time?
"I don't have time for any of your ridiculous games, Patrick. Go away," Cyrus commanded.
"I'm not here to play games, I'm here to speak with you… Privately," Patrick stated, which made Class VII curious.
"What angle are you trying to play here, Patrick?" Alisa asked, scowling at the Class I boy.
"Like I said to Schwarzer, it's not any of your business," Patrick snapped.
"Patrick… If you have come to speak to me, you can either say whatever you have to say in front of them, or not at all," Cyrus responded.
Grumbling, Patrick made his way into the classroom and stood over Cyrus, who had yet to leave his seat. He was about to, but the arrival of Patrick had prevented that from happening. That suited Cyrus just fine, however, as he knew exactly what Patrick had sought him out for, and that was why he told Patrick to say his piece in front of the rest of Class VII as well.
With a pained look on his face, Patrick stood in front of Cyrus before bowing forward, standing at almost a ninety degree angle, which shocked everyone in Class VII.
"I… I'm sorry! For everything!" Patrick cried, staring at the floor.
"Wait, what?!" Alisa gasped.
"Hmph, looks like the ignorant fool has finally learned his lesson," Jusis muttered.
"What exactly are you supposed to be apologising for, Patrick?" Cyrus asked, a sinister grin spreading across his face.
"Everything! The way I have spoken about you, and your family. Attacking you from behind in that sparring match we had at the beginning of the year, threatening to harm Ferris, all of it!" Patrick shouted. "I realise that I have erred greatly, and wish to make amends for my shameful actions!"
"I'm sorry, did I fall into a coma that I have yet to wake up from? What the hell am I looking at here?" Machias blinked, lifting up his glasses to rub his eyes.
"I have to agree with you, Machias… I'm stunned by what I'm witnessing," Gaius whispered.
"Bow," Cyrus spoke the single word; a wicked smile on his face as he did so.
"E-Excuse me?" Patrick stuttered, lifting his head to look at Cyrus.
"You just said you want to make amends for your shameful actions, right? Bow to me," Cyrus clarified, sitting back in his chair with his left leg sitting on his right knee, and his chin resting in his right hand. Those watching all silently agreed that Cyrus looked like a ruling lord who was punishing a subject.
Patrick knew he had no choice; after what he had seen Cyrus do to Archangel, he knew there was no way he could ever hope to stand up to the power of the boy sitting before him. He could train for a thousand years, with all the sword masters in all of Zemurian history, and Patrick still knew that he'd be no match for Cyrus. So, begrudgingly, he complied.
All of Class VII looked on in morbid curiosity as Patrick slowly knelt down and prostrated himself before Cyrus, who was enjoying every second of the Hyarms boy's grovelling.
"I'm sorry. My actions were shameful and I wish to make amends," Patrick whispered, his voice cracking slightly as he was overcome with embarrassment.
"Alright, that's enough. Stand," Cyrus commanded. "I just wanted to see how serious you were about your apology. The fact you actually complied and bowed before me is proof enough you are being genuine. You are forgiven."
"Seriously?!" Machias shouted.
"Yes. If Patrick is genuine in his apology, then I'm going to make him jump through hoops to test his conviction. The fact he bowed to me is enough for me to know he's serious, so I will accept his apology and put this feud between us to bed permanently," Cyrus stated as he stood up. "Just don't make me regret this, Patrick."
"You have my word as a Noble that I will not do anything to provoke you in the future," Patrick nodded, now standing up, but looking at the floor.
"At least look me in the eye when you give me your word," Cyrus sighed.
As Patrick looked up, he found himself looking at Cyrus, who was still a good foot taller than him, which made his presence that much more intimidating, but when Patrick looked at Cyrus, he noticed that Cyrus had held his hand out to him. Taking a moment to process what was happening, Patrick took Cyrus' hand and shook it.
"You have my word as a Noble," Patrick repeated.
"Good… Now, I don't expect you to kiss my arse or anything like that, but simply treat me as you would any other Noble," Cyrus stated, making his expectations to Patrick clear.
"Very well, I can agree to that," Patrick nodded.
"Oh, and one more thing; please try and get along with the rest of Class VII as well. Including the Commoners. You being a Noble and them being a Commoner doesn't change the fact they're still human; treat them with the respect a human deserves," Cyrus added, which made Patrick turn around and look at Class VII.
The people in Class VII all had differing looks on their faces; some were shocked, others were confused. Jusis seemed rather amused by the situation, and Rean was trying his best to look friendly.
"Yes… I understand. If there's nothing else, I will be returning to my own class now," Patrick stated quietly.
"Nope, that's all. Thank you, Patrick," Cyrus said sincerely.
"Very well… Class VII," Patrick nodded to the others as he left the room.
"Is anyone else as confused as I am after seeing that unfold?" Rean asked.
"I think all of us are in that same boat at the moment," Alisa sighed.
"Such domination! Study this one closely, vessel! You need to learn to subjugate mortals like he does!" Vahlok shouted, forcing his masked face right in front of Laura's bewildered face.
"Give it a rest, will you? Why can't you just be silent like this one?" Cyrus sighed, pointing to the azure phantom that was Morokei, who was floating behind Alisa in silence.
###
"Hey, buddy! How you been?" Crow asked as he saw Cyrus leaving the campus grounds.
"Where have you been, Crow? Reginald told me you didn't show up for work at the casino on Sunday night," Cyrus responded with a scowl.
"Ah, yeah, that… My bad, I had something important on that night. I guess I forgot to tell Reginald," Crow shrugged, trying to play off his disappearance.
"Oh, so you have learned to say his name properly now…" Cyrus muttered.
"Well, when you're docking my pay by a hundred grand every time I call him Reggie, I learn quickly," Crow shrugged.
"When you're taking ten percent of the profits each week, that's a reasonable amount to fine you by, I'd say," Cyrus responded.
As the two boys walked back into Trista, Crow noticed that Cyrus' expression darkened considerably as they arrived at the park. Following his line of sight, Crow discovered that Cyrus was looking at a girl who had been waiting for him. As Crow had met her before, he knew exactly who she was; Cyrus' old childhood friend, Amelia, who was now a servant to him after her fiancé had bet her entire family estate against Cyrus and lost.
"What are you doing here? You should be in Heimdallr helping Mother," Cyrus stated as Amelia approached him.
"Believe me, I'd much rather be assisting Countess Mirellia than having to talk to you," Amelia snapped.
"Watch your tone, girl. You serve under me, and me alone. You are only helping my mother because I am allowing you to do so," Cyrus growled, glaring at Amelia.
"Yes, and your mother has made it abundantly clear how disappointed she is with you for what you've done to me. She even said that she'll do everything she can to undo your deplorable actions against my family," Amelia hissed.
"Hmph, get over yourself. Mother has no power when it comes to you or the fate of your family. Only I can choose to release you from servitude to me, and that won't be happening anytime soon. More's the point, it was your idiot fiancé who put you in this position, I simply capitalised on his arrogance. Now, I'll ask again; what are you doing here?" Cyrus replied, scowling at Amelia.
"Battle Cry. It's time for you to add your piece, and Sir Conrad has been waiting for you for a while now," Ameilia stated.
"Conrad knows I'm busy, and he said he would let me know when I was required to come to Heimdallr and finish the track, so why exactly are you here instead?" Cyrus retorted.
"It's supposed to be released tomorrow, and Sir Conrad did ask me to pass on a message to you a few days ago, but since I've been so busy helping out your mother, it must have slipped my mind. Whoops," Amelia shrugged.
Despite his outward appearance of being a laid-back joker and trickster, Crow wasn't stupid. Based on her attitude alone, he knew that Amelia had deliberately neglected to come and see Cyrus until the last minute in an attempt to sabotage him with whatever he was supposed to have been doing. If Crow knew this, then Cyrus absolutely knew this.
"So, this is how you have chosen to act…? Hmph, fine. I will deal with you appropriately later. Crow… Since you're due to work at the casino tonight, you can come along with us," Cyrus declared as he grabbed both Amelia and Crow by the shoulder and travelled with them to Heimdallr with his Flying Raijin.
###
When Crow opened his eyes again, he found himself in a small room. He knew he was no longer in Trista, and based on the conversation he had been listening to, knew he was now in Heimdallr. Looking around, he came to the conclusion that he was in a recording studio.
"Oh, so you guys were talking about music…" Crow muttered.
"God, you're pathetic…" Cyrus muttered, looking at Amelia, who had collapsed to the floor and started to throw up after being subject to the Flying Raijin.
"Eww… Nasty," Crow grimaced.
"Master Cyrus?! Where did you come from?" a man cried as he entered the room.
The man who had entered the room was an older man, in his early sixties, with greying hair and a pair of glasses on his face. Behind them, a set of heterochromatic eyes looked at Cyrus in shock, one blue eye and one green eye that held years of experience and life tales. The man was wearing a black suit with a bowtie, and the jacket he had on had a set of coattails that flowed freely behind him, just barely avoiding the floor.
"Ah, hello Conrad. I've been told by this… individual that you sent for me to finish a song," Cyrus stated, looking down at the still retching Amelia with disdain.
"She only just told you now?! I asked her on Sunday to let you know I was ready for you to come by the studio. This is unacceptable!" Conrad shouted. "I am a very busy man, and my time is precious. Countess Le Guin has afforded me some spare time to help her son, and you neglect your duties?!"
"Calm yourself, Conrad. I will deal with her insubordination in due course. For now, let's just get this track finished," Cyrus stated, placing an arm around the man's shoulders and turning him around to leave the room with him.
"Heh, looks like you're in for it once he's finished here," Crow smirked.
"Just shut the hell up, would you?! It's your fault I'm even in this mess! How could you let Oscar lose that game of poker?! I thought you worked for Duke Cayenne and Lord Vladimir!" Amelia snapped, wiping the vomit off her lips with her arm.
"Hey, that wasn't my fault, and if your idiot boyfriend had kept his fucking mouth shut, Cyrus wouldn't have been suspicious of our previous meetings," Crow hissed, grabbing Amelia and pulling her up to her feet.
"How was Oscar to know you hadn't told Cyrus about who you are?" Amelia scowled.
"What moron goes and makes a show of knowing Cyrus' has a tendency to speak in different languages when stressed if he hasn't seen or spoken to the guy in half a decade? There's no way he doesn't know that I've met with Oscar's father now!" Crow growled.
"Forget it, it'll be fine. Cyrus has always been arrogant and narrow-minded when it comes to Oscar. It's his biggest weakness; and one we shall exploit when the time comes," Amelia scoffed.
"Amelia… I'm going to give you one solid piece of advice, based on what I've seen of Cyrus since I first met him; do not underestimate him. His insight for picking up on even the tiniest thing is frightening. His combat prowess even more so. News flash, he can control a God and have it fight for him, or protect him at will. Vita doesn't seem too perturbed by it, but what I've seen… It's terrifying," Crow responded, speaking seriously, which was enough to cause Amelia concern.
"I did hear from Alexios that Cyrus became a Divine Blade, which is supposed to be the pinnacle of some school of swordsmanship, but what does that matter? We have the Provincial Armies at our disposal, and the Imperial Liberation Front. Plus the backing of the Four Great Noble Houses, and more. What's one arrogant teenager going to do against us?" Amelia asked.
"Honestly, I'm still hoping that we can either distract Cyrus from our plans, or recruit him to fight for the Noble Alliance. I don't think I can beat him in a fair fight…" Crow muttered.
"You're supposed to be the leader of the Imperial Liberation Front! You have G, S, V, and all the other foot soldiers all willing to lay their lives on the line to ensure you're successful, there's no way you can lose. And who said you had to fight fair?" Amelia scowled.
"You know what I mean. I don't want to reveal my trump card so early in the game, but if Cyrus is the head of the Class VII snake, then I might have to in order to put him down…" Crow sighed.
Before Crow and Amelia could continue their conversation, they were interrupted by Conrad, who had come back for Amelia, and looked furious.
"You. Come with me, now," Conrad growled.
###
After Conrad had gone to fetch Amelia, Crow grew curious as to what was going on. It was clearly something serious, given how angry the man had looked, but Crow was eager to see just what the commotion was all about.
Following Amelia and Conrad, Crow entered the adjacent room and found himself in the actual recording room. Growing up, before life set him down the path of being the leader of the Imperial Liberation Front, Crow had dreamed of being a musical artist, specifically a rapper. So, for him, getting to see the inside of an actual recording room was almost like a dream come true.
"Whoaaaaa! This is awesome!" Crow gasped as he took in the sights surrounding him. "No way, are those Platinum Records?!"
"Crow, don't touch them, please," Cyrus asked, his voice coming through a speaker as he looked on from within the sound booth.
"Sorry, man, it's just… Ahh, I've always dreamed of owning a Platinum Record. That shit shows you made it as an artist," Crow laughed.
"Yeah, well… Maybe if you behave, I can let you hold one," Cyrus responded, shaking his head as he watched Crow jump up and down like a child.
"So, uh, what's all the hubbub? That Conrad guy looks furious," Crow stated, hoping to find out what the drama was.
"This scoundrel has lied to Master Cyrus," Conrad snapped, glaring at Amelia.
"What?! Are you nuts? I haven't done anything!" Amelia objected.
"So why did you tell me that Conrad wanted me to record my piece for Battle Cry, when it was actually Swords Drawn? I haven't even had a chance to prepare anything for this track. Hell, I've only listened to it for the first time just a moment ago," Cyrus responded.
"What difference does it make? Your mother doesn't even approve of the sort of music you create; I've done you a favour by not letting you release it on time," Amelia scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"This one thinks rather highly of herself… Can you play the track for me one more time, please Conrad? I should have something to go off of after that," Cyrus sighed, rubbing the back of his head.
"Very well, young Master," Conrad nodded as he started to play the track again.
"Lying to Cyrus was a pretty ballsy move… I don't know what's worse, the lying or the sabotage," Crow mumbled, careful to make sure his lips didn't move as he spoke.
"Tch, so what? There's no way he can come up with something after listening to the song twice. Even if he does come up with something, it'll be rough and unfinished. They won't be able to release the song tomorrow, even if they worked all night," Amelia muttered, glaring at Cyrus.
"Ehh, still though… You are technically his servant. I don't even want to think of the kind of punishment he's going to stick you with," Crow whispered.
"I don't care; I'll just go and speak to Countess Mirellia, and she'll make sure Cyrus does nothing to me," Amelia shrugged.
"Alright Conrad, I should be ready to go now…" Cyrus stated.
"As you wish, young Master. The track is yours," Conrad nodded. "You two had better remain silent, otherwise there'll be hell to pay."
"Yep, got it," Crow nodded, saluting to Conrad.
As the track played, Crow actually found himself nodding along to the beat. What surprised him more was the fact this was a song from his favourite genre; Crossbellan rap. Out of all the genres of music that existed, Crossbellan rap would have been the last thing that Crow would have assumed Cyrus would have listened to, let alone performed. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Amelia tense up slightly, which meant that the part Cyrus was supposed to do was about to come up.
As the verse before Cyrus' ended, it was bridged by what sounded like a recorded conversation. Crow wasn't sure where the conversation was recorded, but it sounded like some kind of pre-operational briefing for a covert military mission.
'If you are caught by the Guerillas, you must remember one thing…
What's that?
Never to speak
Huh, what the hell would I have to say to a Guerilla?'
Yo
Whenever I say so we full court pressing 'em
Handle the rock and cross over like the rest of 'em
Who got the ratchet? I crack the pendulum
My adrenaline race the pace you trembling
My regiment take shots of bad medicine
Extinguish the game like distinguished gentlemen
Severus so far the best with the pen again
Venomous ink, pain the picture so elegant
Elevate my state, I'm high like a pelican
Powerful punchlines puncture through your skeleton
Space bitches erase bitches irrelevant
Post-up prevalent, in my development
I make the case, so the dope can settle in
"Paz, there's no goose!" so we threw the kettle in
Pharaohs amongst the king of this tenement
You demand sin, and get the pen, and Cryp, "Send 'em in!"
Crow stood and watched in awe as Cyrus added his piece to the song. The fact he had only listened to the track two times before he decided he was ready was mind-blowing to him. Crow liked to think he was pretty good at rapping, and had practiced for years when he was growing up, but watching Cyrus deliver what was essentially a freestyle rap left Crow at a loss for words.
"I know Countess Mirellia doesn't approve of such base music, but that was a fine showing, Master Cyrus. Very well done indeed," Conrad smiled as he finished the recording.
"Well, Crossbellan Rap has only gotten popular in the last ten years or so, and given I spent a good amount of time in Crossbell whilst away from home, I decided picking up on their music would only be of a benefit to me," Cyrus shrugged as he left the booth.
"Dude, that was tight! Damn!" Crow laughed. "I don't think I could ever do something as wild as that!"
"Eh, it's not a big deal. Though, Amelia thought she could sabotage my efforts by delaying me and lying to me. If you think that's going to stop me, you're a bigger idiot than Oscar. Ah, but I suppose that's why your family now belong to me," Cyrus snorted. "Actually, that reminds me… Hold on."
Using his Flying Raijin, Cyrus left the studio. A few moments passed, and Crow was starting to grow curious. Where did Cyrus go, and what was he up to? It didn't take long for Crow to get his answer.
Almost a minute had passed since Cyrus left, and when he finally returned, he was standing behind Amelia, with something odd in his hands. Before Crow or Amelia could reach, Cyrus lunged for Amelia's neck.
The moment Amelia felt something come into contact with her neck, she tensed up, which made Cyrus' job all the more easier. A clicking sound was heard and when Cyrus removed his hands, Crow blinked in astonishment at what Cyrus had done.
"Wh-What the hell is this?!" Amelia yelled, placing her hands on the object that was now locked around her neck.
The object was a large, thick iron collar with a broken chain hanging off the front of it. At the back was a lock, which was where the clicking sound everyone in the room had heard moments ago came from.
"It's a slave collar. Yes, I know such things are archaic and haven't been used in centuries, but I've decided that this is your punishment. You can thank your father for that little trinket, as it comes from his… Ahem, I mean my collection of artefacts. You will wear that until such time as I have decided you have learned your lesson, and no… Only I have the ability to unlock and remove that collar, so no matter how much you go and cry and beg to my mother, my grandmother, or even Duke Cayenne, none of them will be able remove it for you," Cyrus stated, a cold look of indifference on his face as Amelia struggled pointlessly to try and break the wrought iron collar.
"Get this disgusting thing off me, this instant!" Amelia cried, still struggling.
"Not a chance. If you sought to embarrass me with your little stunt, I can safely say it has backfired. Now, you can no longer hide your position as a servant to anyone. No matter where you go, or who you speak to, they will all know you are nothing more than a slave. There is no hiding this embarrassment," Cyrus responded as he shoved his hand into the pocket on Amelia's dress and pulled out a scrap of paper.
On the paper was a crudely drawn Raijin Mark. Cyrus had slipped it into Amelia's pocket when they were still back in Trista. It dawned on Crow right there and then, that Cyrus had planned this from the beginning, even going so far as to keep a set of paper Raijin Marks on him for just such an occasion. It was then that Crow made a mental note to ensure he always checked his pockets whenever Cyrus was around him.
"Damn… That's ice cold…" Crow whispered.
"Conrad, please take this girl back to my mother. I apologise to you in advance if she causes a fuss about this situation. Mother has such a pure heart, and it's a shame I have to break it by disciplining this errant brat in such a manner," Cyrus stated. "Crow. Head to the casino. Reginald will be expecting you."
"Yes, young Master," Conrad bowed as he escorted Amelia out of the room, who was still struggling against the collar and screaming.
Crow had no chance to respond before Cyrus left, so he decided it was best to do as he was told, and go to the casino.
###
"I demand to know what I am doing here, this instant!" Oscar shouted as he was dragged to the Florald Manor by Ophelia.
"He wants to speak with you. Now, shut up and follow me," Ophelia snapped.
Despite her apprehension about siding with a criminal, Ophelia quickly realised that the Concierge was a man who protected his allies. As such, parasites like Oscar could no longer touch her, or her family, meaning she could drop the subservient act she always had to put on, in fear of Oscar retaliating against her.
With all pretences dropped, Ophelia dragged Oscar through the foyer of her home, and down the corridor that led to her husband's office. There, waiting in the chair behind the desk, was the shadow of Zemuria's criminal overlord.
"Here. I've brought the boy," Ophelia declared, flinging Oscar to the floor in front of the desk.
"Thank you, Countess. You may leave us," the Concierge stated, his amber eyes fixed on Oscar as Ophelia left the room and locked the door.
"What am I doing here?" Oscar asked, all semblance of whatever authority he thought he had evaporating the moment Ophelia left the room.
"I'm going to ask you something, young man, and keep in mind that I already know the answer to the question, so don't even think about lying to me," the Concierge began. "Why have you been shooting your mouth off about working with me? I don't recall ever entering into a partnership with you."
"I don't–" Oscar began, before he heard a soft clicking sound coming from the shadows, and realised he now had a loaded gun pointed at him.
"Allow me to jog your memory before you attempt to insult me with your lies," the Concierge muttered. "Cyrus Le Guin. You told him that you and I had 'come to an understanding', did you not? Ah, what am I saying, of course you did; half the patrons in the young man's casino heard you say as much."
"How did you–?" Oscar gasped, which just made the man behind the desk laugh.
"Do you take me for a fool, boy? Do you think I got to where I am today by dumb luck?" the Concierge asked. "No, I got to where I am today by having an army at my back. An army that you cannot see, nor cannot fathom the reach of. I have men and women all over the continent who work for me. Did you honestly think you could make up lies involving me and I wouldn't hear about it?"
"It… It wasn't a lie though, was it? I told you what you needed to know about some thing you were looking for," Oscar protested. "Was that not an understanding?"
"The manner in which you spoke would allude to something else, especially given how you said we have an 'established relationship' already. I had to try very hard to convince Tengri not to shoot you for such a bold-faced lie," the Concierge muttered, letting out a small laugh.
"So… So what am I doing here? Do you want an apology from me?" Oscar asked, feeling very small and very weak in the presence of this shadowy man.
"An apology? I'd sooner wash my hands with horse piss than listen to you spew another lie from your mouth. No, I'm here to collect from you," the Concierge stated.
"Collect? I don't understand…" Oscar mumbled.
"Your actions have caused me a great deal of trouble. Because of you, House Gainsborough no longer exists as a sole entity within Ordisian Nobility. It now belongs firmly under the control of Cyrus Le Guin, which includes Lord Rupert's vast collection of artefacts. Do you see where I'm going with this?" the Concierge began.
"No? Who cares about some stupid antiques?" Oscar asked dumbly.
"It truly amazes me how you've managed to coast through life without getting your teeth knocked out of your mouth…" the Concierge sighed, angling the gun in his hand so it glistened in the moonlight that was streaming in from the windows behind him. "Now that Lord Rupert's belongings are under the control of Cyrus Le Guin, I can no longer negotiate a deal with the Gainsborough Patriarch. Do you see where I'm going with this?"
"Uhh… You can't get stuff from him anymore?" Oscar shrugged.
"Circle gets the square. Now, why do you think that's a problem for you?" the Concierge queried.
"Why the hell is it my problem? Go deal with that arsehole and take whatever the fuck you want. I'm not going to stop you," Oscar snapped.
"Wrong answer," the Concierge muttered.
A second later, a loud bang echoed throughout the Florald family's manor. All the servants who had no knowledge of the Concierge's presence all cried out in a panic, as they recognised the sound to be a gunshot. The Countess was quick to calm everyone down and ensure everyone that they were in no danger, but was inwardly furious as she knew what had happened.
Screaming, Oscar collapsed to the ground, clutching his shoulder, a pool of blood pouring out onto the floor from the bullet wound he had sustained.
"YOU SHOT ME?! HOW DARE YOU SHOOT ME!" Oscar wailed, rolling around in pain.
A second click caused Oscar to shut up, as he looked up and saw the shadowy figure standing over him, the gun pointed directly at his skull.
"That arrogance and the foolish idea that you are untouchable is going to get you killed one day. Remember that well," the Concierge growled. "A final warning to you; think very carefully about how you use my name in the future. You have no idea who serves me, or where they work. I could have agents in your family's home; their businesses. I could even have agents working for me from within House Cayenne, and the other Noble families of this country. Heed these words, boy; never underestimate the reach of my Bratva."
###
After Vita's banishment from the domain of the Hexen Clan's guardian, the Immortal Dragon saw fit to summon the Clan's Elder, as he deemed that words needed to be broken with her. From her atelier within Eryn Village, Roselia felt the call of the Immortal Dragon, and immediately teleported to Fyxestroll Garden.
"Immortal One, what is it you require of me?" Roselia asked as she walked into the Dragon's cave.
"Crimson Roselia… Am I a joke to you?" the Immortal Dragon asked, his ghostly back facing Roselia.
"Certainly not, my Lord! How could you ask such a thing? I have been your faithful servant for more than a thousand years!" Roselia stated, bowing to the spectre.
"Then explain to me why Vita still roams free," the Immortal Dragon demanded.
"She is using an artefact that allows her presence to be masked from me; an artefact that violates the Divergent Laws," Roselia explained.
"How disappointing… To think my own artefacts would be used in an attempt to rebel against me…" the Immortal Dragon muttered. "Fortunately, she cannot hide herself from my sight. She is currently playing her games in Trista, frequently crossing paths with Isola's child."
"Emma?! What is her endgame then? If Emma had seen her, she would have contacted me, so she must not know Vita is nearby. Shall I send a familiar to investigate the town?" Roselia asked.
"No need… I already have one watching the town… As well as Valimar's resting place," the Immortal Dragon stated.
"How is the progress of the Awakener's Trial coming along, my Lord?" Roselia queried.
"Slow. Ordine's Awakener did it much faster than these whelps… Though, I suppose the Gnomes are to blame for that… Tricky little ground-dwellers," the Immortal Dragon growled. "However, there is one who is proving to be fascinating…"
"You mean Rean Schwarzer, my Lord? Emma has been keeping an eye on him, and has mentioned him in some of her letters," Roselia replied.
"The child with the Curse afflicted heart… His inability to control the Curse is disappointing, however…" the Immortal Dragon stated.
"Perhaps with time, he will come to control it, and I know Emma will be there to help him suppress the side-effects of the Curse," Roselia nodded.
"Perhaps indeed… Almost all the pieces are on the board, and almost all my Priests have been awakened. The time has almost come for my return to this world, and Project Nemesis can continue," the Immortal Dragon muttered.
"Rest assured, my Lord, Vita will not be able to meddle in your affairs; Lianne is keeping a close watch on her, and will move to subdue Vita if she threatens your return," Roselia declared.
"Lianne… It has been centuries since I last heard that name… I have foreseen her fate, Roselia… I wonder, how will they choose to act when the time comes?" the Immortal Dragon mused.
"My Lord?" Roselia responded, cocking her head to the side.
"Do not concern yourself with my musings, Roselia. All I ask of you is that you follow Project Nemesis to the letter. Do that, and everything will go exactly as I have foreseen," the Immortal Dragon stated.
"I have been your faithful servant for more than a thousand years, Almighty One. I will ensure your will is done until you are ready to return to this world," Roselia said, bowing to her master.
###
A/N; Christmas present for you guys; a new chapter. Plenty of pop-culture references here, including Swords Drawn by Army of the Pharaohs. It's been a while since I added music to a chapter, so I thought I'd do it here. You don't have to listen to it, of course; I just like adding stuff that influences my work.
Ok, now something I can answer that's basically spoiler-free; the Immortal Dragon. So, his domain of Fyxestroll Garden is situated on top of a massive septium vein, and is a wellspring of incredible magical power, which allows his soul to exist within the domain without a corporeal form, and the Hexen Clan do his bidding, which is something that should be obvious, based on how Emma, Vita, and Rose all speak to him. It shouldn't come as a surprise that he is going to have a big role in the future of the story, but that's all I'm going to say about him.
Hope you all enjoy, and keep coming back for more.