Aisha POV

What happened when we were gone? 

Valarie and I appeared in front of my mansion. We should be entering through the front doors. Or that was the original plans. 

Apparently, General X and some of the guards are fighting against some... Valkyries?

These beings should not be here unless some important figure was in the area. Valkyries are elite guards who sworn their undying loyalty to their master. I don't know how someone can become a Valkyrie, but I am fairly sure that they have to be on the light side. It should be common knowledge that Valkyries are also known for their beauty. Adorned in majestic silver armor and a white cape flowing behind them, they have their weapons pointed at General X and... I did not expect Valarie to have some Dark Valkyries with her. Actually, this is Valarie. Unpredictable and crazy. Still, Dark Valkyries are Valkyries counterparts. They, too, are beautiful and deadly. There's a couple differences between the Dark and Light Valkyrie, but the main one that caught my attention were the winged helmets covering the Dark Valkyries. Usually they would reveal their face or have winged hair ornaments on their heads. 

"What the hell are you guys doing?" Valarie place her hands on her hips, staring at her soldiers.

"Valarie!" they all exclaim.

"Where did you poof off to?" ask General X, "Amelia went into panic mode, and Brynhild is here." 

"Yeah, where did you take Aisha to?" Brynhild appears before the two of us. She still has her same outfit from the first time I met her. She seems mad though. Actually, I think she is mad. "Valarie, what happened exactly? Aisha is a rank one. She shouldn't be a rank one. What did you do?"

"Do you have to blab out the obvious?" Valarie shakes her head. "I can explain... if you kiss me."

"How dare you suggest such an action to her!" shouted one of the Valkyries. Ignoring her, Brynhild shakes her own head.

"Still the same. Valarie you-" Grasping her wrist, Valarie pulls Brynhild in for a kiss. It's not like I don't like the front row seat or anything, but why am I watching this upclose? I can see everything from here. It's like the time Brynhild and Amelia met for the first time. And the very scene before me is so awe-inspiring that I am dumbfounded once again. Well, I think everyone is speechless at Valarie's bold move. Their lips lock against one another as Valarie wraps her arms around Brynhild's body. Brynhild tries to show some restraint, but Valarie tempts her with a bit of foreplay. I guess Valarie is using her tongue really well. Their eyes are locked onto one another, lost in their own little world. Brynhild, unconsciously, has her hands touch Valarie's right breast and her left ass cheek. Valarie's robes form around these hands, shaping Valarie's round assets. Wait a second, why is Brynhild touching those areas?! Isn't it suppose to be just a simple kiss. How did it progress to such foreplay?! Once again, is it bad that I got front row seats to this. Yep. I'm blushing at this. 

"AHEM!" General X fires her pistol in the air. This snapped everyone out of their trance, eyeing at the small child. Brynhild and Valarie backed away from one another. Valarie has a smile plastered on her face while Brynhild was puffing her cheeks. Folding her arms, she looks away from the mad genius. "No more fighting since Valarie is here. As you can see, Aisha is safe. I advise you three to meet up with Amelia ASAP."

"Right. She's in her room?" General X nods her head. Valarie snaps her finger and teleports us to her room. Activating the soundproof device, it morphs itself around Amelia's room. 

"How did you get a hold of my device? I left it for Amelia..."

"Once again, long story." Valarie said softly.

"Aisha?!" I heard my mom's voice. Turning around, I see her in a miserable state. Her strong composure she had before was gone. She stands before me in tears, grasping her chest. Her hair was a mess. She hiccups a bit, breathing heavily as she tries to look me in the eye. As I stare into hers, she turns her head. She was shaking. It looked like she was going to collapse onto the ground. Valarie and Brynhild kept quiet, watching us. "I'm sorry... I am so sorry..." She lets her legs give way, falling onto her knees. I rush to her, afraid that she would hurt herself. She covers her face with her own hands, tears falling down her cheeks still. "I... I just... Everything is my fault!"

"It isn't..." I hugged her. "You wanted me to be stronger and ready for my own adventures. I should have... listened to you." I was shaking. Hell, I was crying as well. Seeing my mom in this miserable state was too much for me. I cannot hate her. I will never hate her. Everyone makes mistakes, and I am no exception to this rule. My mom cries harder into my chest, wrapping her arms tightly around me. "And I don't hate you. I can never hate you mom. I love you..."

We didn't say much afterwards. It took ten minutes for Amelia to calm herself. Once she was ready, Valarie informed Amelia and Brynhild about our sudden disappearance.

"I had to take Aisha away. She was in a broken state that lead to the frenzy state." Amelia did not understand this. Brynhild's face twist into a frown.

"How did that happen? It does not explain how Aisha became a rank one warrior. She also lost her mage rank..."

"That's because you didn't know of the plot Amelia laid out." Valarie sighs. "Aisha has chaos magic due to your [Defeat Inheritor] and my curse. Since Amelia has prior knowledge over chaos magic, she was the one who unlocked it for Aisha." Brynhild's face goes pale. I never seen this expression before. It was shock and anger at the same time. Her eyes are wide open, teeth grinding against each other.

"So... I was used?! I understand how Valarie's scheming and nefarious deeds, but you Amelia? You planned this? For your own daughter-" She stops herself, slapping her hand onto her head. "I can't be mad at you. I should have realized your little plot beforehand. There were several plot holes I could have pointed out. I am going to blame myself for this. You know, Aisha could have learned it the regular way? Why didn't you consider that? She will be going to the Pillars of Gluttony eventually. She would have met up with our old master."

Amelia said nothing. She was seated next to me on her bed. If there were other methods, why didn't we use them? Like I said, I won't hate my mom for this, and I think she did it for my overall benefit. Even if she hid these motives, I don't care anymore. I love my mom. 

"Answer me this. Do you think Aisha would be capable of fighting against an actually demon if she stumble against one of them? Do you think she will ignore the enemies that might threaten the innocent? Or would she show some restraint against a champion who might misuse their power towards the weak? She has her pride. You know this." Valarie stated. Brynhild was going to say something till she stops herself. 

"You have a point..." she whispers. "Still, why did you use this method?"

"Why are you beating at it when its already done and over with?!" Valarie retorted, the two glaring at each other. "Aren't you being absent-minded? Inconsiderate of Amelia's feelings right now?! She gets it. Why are you the one bitching about it?! You weren't here to give your input!"

"Because you never told me!" Brynhild shouted.

"Enough." I stood up from my spot, "What the hell is wrong with you two? Earlier, you kissed each other like you were long lost lovers, and now you're at each other's throats! Enough with this topic! I don't care about the safe method. Like Valarie said, what's done is done. I get that you're pissed Brynhild, but I don't care about it anymore. I got over it. If I am not making a huge fuss about it, then please, drop it."

"Alright then. Moving on, fill us in on how you saved Aisha from her frenzied state. And how did she get to that state in the first place?" 

"Aisha killed one of her knights, I cursed her, then Amelia told the truth. Bombarded with all this information, and the extreme pain of being betrayed, she descended into darkness. Seeing the symptoms, I took Aisha with me and snapped her out of it. Wasn't easy though." Brynhild remained silent. Amelia asks this though.

"What is the frenzy state?"

"You have not seen a true demon before, Amelia. You also don't know the actually process on how one can become an actually demon. There was a time where Valarie and I had to team up against a group of true demons. They corrupted an entire village using this method. We annihilated the frenzied beings and the true demons." 

"Wait... Aisha was going to turn into an actually demon?" Fright took over my mom. 

"Yes. Due to the built up frustration, Aisha lost herself." Valarie answers, "I had to take her away from this place. Frenzied beings can run amok. Her powers were slightly below our master. I bet Aisha would have kicked your ass Brynhild." I wrap my arm around my mom. I hope she doesn't blame herself for this.

Brynhild was giving me a strange look though. Tilting her head, she asked me, "Are you okay?"

"...I am?" I said with confusion in my voice. "Why? Is something wrong with me?"

"Usually those who enter the frenzied state do not regain their sanity back. Only a few beings snap out of it with their sanity intact. There is a slight benefit for those who exit out of the frenzied state, however, one should not practice the act of going in and out of the frenzied state." Valarie stated.

"And how would you know this?" Brynhild asks.

"Cause I did this as well. I entered and exited the frenzied state." Brynhild and Amelia were speechless. Concerned about Valarie's simple response, Valarie fills them in. "Since my two best friends left me all by myself, I went insane."

"Right..." Amelia whispers.

"Same old Valarie..." Brynhild muttered. 

Disrupting the awkward silence, I press onward.

"What is this benefit?"

"The benefit increases your mentality. It improves on your thinking behavior. You can rationalize better under stress, certain scenes that might faze someone will not faze you, and et cetera. It may vary person to person and depends on the situation. If Amelia or Brynhild died, for example, I doubt I can contain my rage. Let me ask you this, when you exit out of the frenzied state, didn't you feel a change in yourself?"

I know I did. Nodding, Valarie continues on with her explanation.

"From what I gathered, you can compare this mentality to a high undead being. Think of a lich or elder lich. Most undead will have a natural perk that can control their negative emotions. If they get too angry, this perk will kick in and return the undead to a normal state. Fear cannot be used against the undead. They either have too much pride, or they don't give two shits about it. Some mortal beings would gladly turn themselves into an undead for this perk alone. Anyways, I digress. Surviving this ordeal allows you to have a mentality of a true demon... to an extent. This does not make you invincible. Your emotions can still spiral out of control. Even though you survive the frenzied state once, entering it again might be unhealthy and extremely dangerous. Every time you go into that state, the closer you are to turning into an actually demon. If it takes two hours for someone to transform into a demon on their first try, it might take an hour if they enter the frenzied state again on their second try. Their third try might become thirty minutes, then fifteen minutes, then seven... The other side effect might be their state of mind. Even if you are able to come back after the second or third time, their mind could be shattered. I never experienced this before, so I am just stating this off of... a reliable source."    

Using that comparison, I guess Valarie is talking about the [Undead Suppression Check]. All of the undead have this racial perk. Although I understand why Valarie would use this as a comparison, the undead perk is stronger than the mentality I received from this ordeal. I was fazed by Valarie's love confession and Chaos sudden appearance before me. I bet the undead would not be fazed by such a thing. Then again, it depends on the situation I guess. I calmly took in the information about Logan for example. On the flip side, I felt some anger at the fact that my mom was used for Logan's expierment.     

"What else happened during that time? I feel like you are not telling me something important." Brynhild pointed out.

"I can fill you in on that." Chaos appears before us, holding her teddy bear. "Hello Brynhild and Amelia."

"Chaos?!" Amelia hops in place. Brynhild almost unsheathed her sword. The name quickly registers in her head, dropping her hand to her side again. She raise an eyebrow at Chaos' appearance though. I still question why this divine being is in her pajamas. Shaking her head, Valarie says, "I am slightly jealous about your attitude and actions Chaos."

"Oh? That's a first. Is it due to my carefree nature or my outfit?"

"Don't tell me..." Brynhild was able to connect the dots. "You... made Aisha your champion?! She's so young! This-"

"There are no rules on when you can become a champion. Divine beings do what they want as long as it benefits them. Like you geniuses, we have the same sort of mindset. Aisha has my magic, so she is my champion now. Besides, I have no other champions under my name. My other reason for my presence is to inform you about certain things. Because of your little device, I can talk about certain topics without any sort of consequence. Let me indulge your previous inquiries about the method you used on Aisha though. If I can." Chaos wants my permission? 

"Sure." I replied.

"It is true that your old master, Nox, could teach Aisha chaos magic through books and teachings. However, chaos magic differs from person to person. It isn't that simple. The magic, itself, is self-aware. It will decide on if this method will unlock the magic for this person. If the method was not appropriate, the being will not unlock this magic. For Aisha, I can say that your method was the best one for her. I know this because my magic inside of Aisha told me so. Yes, it was extreme, but chaos magic is my chaos. I defy logic." Hearing this, everyone was confused at this. I understand what Chaos said. But really? The magic is self-aware? It choose to reveal itself? Seriously?

"Hold on. So if Amelia had her powers, there was a slim chance for her to obtain chaos magic?" Brynhild asks.

"Not really. Amelia would have unlocked it. There are other factors that play into obtaining chaos magic. I cannot reveal Nox's rank and her former reputation, but she will automatically allow one person under her teaching to obtain it. Although it was wasted because of the curse. With that being said, Nox cannot gurantee another person with chaos magic ever again." 

"Why is your magic so complicated?" Valarie rubs her forehead, "From what I am getting at, even if the methods on obtaining chaos magic were leaked out to the public, not everyone will receive such a blessing."

"I can also tamper around with the final decision. I can choose if the person is worthy of obtaining my magic or not." Chaos added.

"I can see why your magic is somewhat extinct." I muttered. "Were you watching over me then?"

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"Nope. My aid found you by sheer accident. I did not influence your chances of obtaining chaos magic. Oh, I forgot about that. Amelia, tell Aisha about that." Chaos looks at my mom, pointing at me. Huh? Amelia looks at me for a second. Understanding what 'that' is, my mom speaks up.

"Chaos essence. You were born with this unique essence. I have no clue on how or why, but you have it. Essence is a special boost towards your understanding to magic. It will feel natural to you. Those without an essence will have a harder time grasping higher laws or theories in their elements. Understanding theories and laws will aid in their skills and techniques. The closer you are to your element, the better. One can tamper around with a spell and twist it to their liking. The mana cost, the cast time, and other factors can change. Having chaos essence will allow you to get a better understanding about dark and light spells as well."

"There's another thing. Chaos essence will give more willpower. It will boost your soul and your stats. Like my magic, chaos essence is self-aware. It will grant benefits depending on your progress. I have a vague idea on how Aisha got this essence inside of her." Chaos added.

"Thanks for the info. I am sorry about my earlier blunder then." Brynhild bows her head towards us. 

"What else do you want to chat about?" Valarie shifts her stance with her hands on her hips. 

"Some world events that caught my attention. I know I, a divine being, should not ask this of you two, but I don't want any future disasters... or calamities stirring up so soon." The word 'calamities' grabbed the two geniuses' attention. They gaze at Chaos. "Up north, the true demons are creating a ruckuss. They are making something. I have cannot state what it is, but I don't like it. I will tell you, Brynhild, to attend to this issue. There is a dark presence oozing through the air. Not the regular type either. All in all, it is your call." A few seconds past by before Chaos continued on. Brynhild seems conflicted. As if she was arguing with herself. Speaking to Valarie, "Your faction is spread throughout this entire world. There's an undead threat towards the west. Can you do something about the demihuman rebellions and the humans of that region? The dead bodies are fueling this secret undead army. Give it one or two months, the undead army will reveal themselves and wreck havoc through the west."

"I already knew about this threat. Never had a reason to interfere till now. Since you're bringing this up, I can only assume there's more to it. I won't ask what, but I think I got a good idea. I'll have one of my general take care of the mess in a few days. "

"Why are you asking them for help?" I asked.

"Cause of the fights amongst the divine beings and their champions." Brynhild stated.

"More like fighting from the champions while the divine beings are just watching like emperors or rulers in a gladiator fight. The winning champion will earn favor and reputation for their divine overlord. Pretty much, it's to see who can get to the top and whose champion is better. It's dumb." Valarie elaborated.

"Yeah. It is. I am NOT tossing you in their pathetic games. You need to rank up. But yeah, due to their stupid games, they neglected these series of events. There are a few divine beings that are aware of these events..."

"But they're not strong enough." Brynhild finished. "I heard one of the champions complain about it. I shrugged it off since it wasn't my issue. With you appearing before us, I will help you out on one condition." Chaos tilts her head. 

"And that would be?"

"As a divine being, you know who cursed Amelia. I want their name." Valarie immediately eyes at Brynhild in shock. Is this bad? I glance over to my right. My mom seems a bit conflicted with this. But along with Valarie, she was surprised. 

"Oh? Do you plan to do something about it?" Chaos flash a sly smirk.

"Enough with the funny business. Name or no help." 

"Logan. Ascended Creator Logan." Chaos usher out the man's name. There was no hesitation or delay.        

Brynhild showed a fearsome expression. Her eyes turn to daggers. Amelia raise a question mark above her head as Valarie and I feign ignorance. 

"Are you sure? Ascended Creator Logan?"

"Why would I lie to you? I need your help, I gave you your answer." Chaos shrugs her shoulder. "Your call to believe me or not." I sneaked a glance towards Valarie. Her eyes are focused on Brynhild. Is she worried about this revealment? Valarie said Brynhild would do nothing about this due to Logan's alignment, but I guess she is trying to read Brynhild's motives. Or figure out what Brynhild would do this information. Amelia was lost. 

"Ascended Creator Logan? Who is he?"

"Ascended Creator is the rank above the normal system. The ranking that makes someone into a divine being. Logan, on the other hand, is one of the popular beings aligned to the light side. You can guess why I am ... confused at Chaos' response." Brynhild explains.

"And what do you plan to do?" Valarie asked.

"Something. We'll see..." Brynhild gave a vague answer. Valarie frowns at her response.

"Y-You don't have to bother him about it. There must be a reason to why he placed it in the Pillars of Gluttony." My mom chuckled lightly, "B-Besides, I don't think I can go back to the old days anyways. I have a family now." We said nothing at her response. I know that everyone of us, excluding Chaos and Amelia, wanted Amelia free from her stupid curse. I don't care if my mom want to retire from her adventuring days. The fact that my mom was unjustly tested on urges me to fight against Ascended Creator Logan. Along with Valarie's curiosity, I wonder what Brynhild will do. Will she kill Logan or dive into a full scale investigation?

"Thank you for the information Chaos." Brynhild gives a slight bow towards her.  

"No problem. Now, Aisha, I will give you some advice. As you travel around the nearby area, rank up. Once you get to rank six, head towards the Pillar of Gluttony. There, you will steel yourself and prepare for the future." 

"""" What?! """"

All of us said this at once.

"Are you mad!?" Brynhild takes a defensive stance on this. "Even though the minimal requirement is a rank six warrior or mage, Aisha is not ready for that yet! Aren't you worried about the earlier incident with your champion?"

"And?" Chaos was not moved by this. "This is just a suggestion. I will state this, you gave her power for a reason. She'll use it and become stronger at a very fast rate than normal warriors. No, she'll get a head state compared to you lot."

"Chaos, aren't you putting high expectations on my daughter?" 

"High expectations? Please, Amelia, I have full confidence in Aisha's abilities. Give it a few weeks, Aisha will be a deadly warrior that can stand up to a lesser god." Amelia and Brynhild stare at each other in disbelief. Valarie nods her head at Chaos' suggestion.

"I can see that."

"Valarie, you- wait. Is it because of chaos magic and my [Defeat Inheritor]? No. You know something. Spill it." Brynild realized the odd behavior behind Chaos' tone.

"Maybe~ I said too much now. I will take my leave. Ciao."  Unable to stop the carefree divine being, she disappeared before us. Once again, Valarie says, "She is so laxed."

"You're on the same boat. Although you tend to make the trouble then prevent it. Chaos has a better control of things. Especially when it comes to your faction..." Brynhild shakes her head.

"My girls can do whatever they want. I lead by example. I will not force them to change their ways. At the least, give some credit to those that are behaving themselves." Valarie retorted.

"Fine, I guess. With the disappearance of Chaos, I will be taking my leave soon. I came here to check up on Aisha and Amelia, but knowing you, I am going to guess that you will be staying here?"

"Yes. I am not leaving Amelia's side from now on." Watching Valarie and Brynhild chat amongst themselves, I scratched my head.

Pillars of Gluttony? Really? I doubt I can enter such a place in a few weeks. The Pillar of Gluttony is a place where warriors and mages obtain high rank loot, equipment, and other sorts. The place is filled with dangerous creatures and attract powerful beings from all over the world. The place is rather brutal. I have read many stories about the Pillars of Gluttony. It can be compared to a dungeon, but the horror stories about this place is rather high. Those who venture into that place will be fighting for their life. The weakest creature's rank in the Pillar of Glutton is eight. The higher you go, the difficulty increases. Creatures that are never seen in this world will exist in this place. Relationships will be tested. Survival instincts may take over. The place will test your mentality. Sometimes it will eat away at your soul. The rewards are great, but the cost maybe one's life. Not only that, other participates in the Pillar of Gluttony can kill you. Of course you can make alliances and plans beforehand, however, trust is a fragile thing. One mistake can lead to death. The minimal requirement is being a rank six warrior or mage. It is advised, by most people, to enter the place at a higher rank. It is open twenty-four seven. Ah, I forgot to mention this important key fact. There are four pillars that make up "Pillars of Gluttony." 

The one I was referring to earlier fits the bill for the first pillar. Most of the things I stated for the first pillar can be applied towards the second pillar with the exception that one's rank must be ten or higher. The third pillar follows the same requirements as the first pillar, but it is open during a specific time and year. The last pillar has strict requirements. I have no clue what they are. Regardless of what pillar it is, the place is extremely dangerous. The higher the number for the pillar, their chances for success is rather low, if they are are not prepared. I guess Chaos wants me to venture through the first pillar. I have to rank up though. 

"Glad Chaos didn't declare it as a mission. I don't want you to venture in the pillars just yet." Amelia softly said.

"I know. I don't plan to go there anytime soon." I assured.

"I guess this ends our discussion for today?" With no objections, Valarie lift the blue shield around Amelia's room.

"Good. I need to get back. Too many issues need my attention. I will be heading back-" Brynhild was cut off by the mad genius.

"And I thought we could spend some quality time again. Just the three of us, like back in the old days." Valarie whined.

"I rushed over here because of Amelia. You just had to say that in your message..."

"Message?" I asked.

As we exit Amelia's room, we were greeted by the Valkyries (light and dark), General X, Gallant, and Chrisitan. Brynhild rubs her forehead.

"Valarie sent me a letter about her presence in... No, I cannot say. Nevermind. Forget about it." Amelia shift her gaze to Valarie.

"Did you say something... indecent?"

"Me? I would never." I feel like that was a lie. Valarie has a bit of sarcasm in her voice. Her sarcastic voice fades away once Valarie says, "But really, you should stay for a bit. I want to confirm something with you."

"Couldn't we-" She notice something from the red hair girl, silencing herself. "Alright."

"Wait, we are extending our stay?" asked one of the Valkyries.

"Yes, another private chat apparently." replied Brynhild. "Do not object to this! I came here for a reason. If I hear one more complaint out of you lot, I will leave you to Valarie's..." She never finished her sentence. From the Valkyrie's expressions, it was some sort of punishment? Or something really bad. Actually, I think it was some sort of punishment. I notice how some of the Dark Valkyries were... shaking. I doubt its from fear. "Jeez, I was worried about you two though." This was directed at my mom and I.

"As long as I'm around, you shouldn't worry about their safety." Valarie scoffed. "Anyways, I have something for you Aisha." Raising an eyebrow at the mad genius, she gives me a simple circular device. It has a grey color to it with a large red button on top. "You can use this device to call me. If you have any questions about something, just push this button. I pray that you have a safe journey till we meet again."

"Thank you." I said. I store the device in my storage ring. 

"Eh? She's leaving?" Brynhild asked with some hint of disappointment?

"Oh? What, you wanted to talk to Aisha a bit more? So you do have..."

"Shut up! Aisha, don't do anything too rash. Even if you have your pride, know when to control yourself. I guess I will see you again when the time comes." Pulling me to her, Brynhild hugs me. Blushing at this action, I can hear some slight mutters coming from the light valkyries. On the other hand, I can hear some 'awwwww' coming fromt he dark valkyries.

As I back away form Brynhild, I give her a smile and say, "I still have to thank you for the [Defeat Inheritor]. Without it, I doubt I would be-"

"Don't sweat it. Think of it as a late birthday gift. Now, you can start your own life."

Amelia takes me by my hand, leaving the two geniuses and their soldiers...

Valarie POV

Watching the young princess leave our sights with Amelia, Gallant, and Christian, I lead Brynhild back into Amelia's quarters. Closing the doors and activating the barrier, I stared at my other lover. Brynhild... she changed. 

I was wrong about my previous statement. She WILL do something about Ascended Creator Logan. I need to know what her plans are. Before I ask Brynhild about her intentions, she asked this, "You knew about it, right?"

"What?" 

"You knew about Ascended Creator Logan." Planning to feign ignorance, I was going to object to her statement, yet she gives me a... gentle smile. "I know you're lying. Even if we haven't seen each other, you haven't changed as much. You will always do something drastic for our sake. The curse you have is the same curse Amelia was inflicted with, right? The difference is that you bend the curse to your will. After our last encounter, I asked a certain individual at the Pillars of Gluttony about you. They told me about your plans. I knew you were up to something. If you want to act innocent, you should have covered your tracks. Cut loose ends. You're insane, you know? Inflicting yourself with so many curses... are you trying to pain me? Amelia does not know about your grand deed. It's best that she does not learn about it."

"Man, you two have changed." I couldn't help but give up. She got me. There was no way around it. I lean against the door, admitting my defeat. "Amelia is acting like a loving mother while you are being... I don't know, better than before. An upgraded version of Brynhild the old?"

"I'm not that old-"

"We already reach past god rank way back then. We should be in our fifties or something." I pointed out.

"Whatever the case, I knew you would have gone to such extremes for Amelia's sake. And I bet, you were going to carry out your plans all by yourself. I had a feeling that the person in question was on the light side. If the person wasn't on the light side, you would have brought this up already. You would have told me about the bastard who did this to our Amelia. The fact that you didn't tell me shit for many years got me thinking. With Chaos' help, I was able to piece everything together. And the fact that you brought this topic up again only supports my claim."

"Still, the question remains. What do you plan to do?"

"Find the names of the champions under his name. Once I do that, I will start my investigation."

"isn't that a taboo? To doubt your fellow comrades?"

"I already done my time and service towards the light." Brynhild started, "I will give up my position to help out my lovers. You are not the only one who wants to justify the wrongs done on Amelia. Besides, I am going to enact my own agenda soon enough. I am tired of these pathetic beings. Especially with the ranking up system... It's flawed. If I want change, or if I want to destroy it, I must take drastic measures of my own." Oh? 

"Heh. Interesting. You wanted to start a rebellion of your own? Aren't you a being a naughty girl."

"Maybe you two are rubbing it onto me." Brynhild jokes.

"I guess I should mention this. Aisha has a mission to kill Ascended Creator Logan." I think I should have kept that under the table. Brynhild's calm manner broke into shock and fear. 

"What?! How did this happen!?" Brynhild walks towards me, shaking me.

"Stop that!" I escape her grasp. "Jeez... This happened right after I freed her from her frenzy state. Chaos appeared before us. She made Aisha her champion, but at the same time, she brought up the need to kill Ascended Creator Logan. You can guess why Aisha accepted this mission..."

"No... No, no, no, no, no... FUCK!" Brynhild paces across the room. "Why!? Why did you let her do this?!"

"She wanted to." I kept my mouth shut about the part where Aisha could have killed me. Brynhild lets out a slight screech, grabbing her head.    

 "Ugh! Why is Aisha like her mom! This is our problem, not hers!"

"If I knew you were going to help, I would have stopped her." I whispered. A moment of silence pass between us. Brynhild shakes her head in frustration.

"I pray that when the time comes, she will be ready to fight against Ascended Creator Logan. In the meanwhile, we will have to thin the herd. I will come back in a few months to give you the names." Nodding my head, I decide to move onto my next question. When Chaos told us about the upcoming calamities, I noticed the brief pause she had with Brynhild. I am a hundred percent sure that Chaos used telepathy. Divine beings can invade and read anyone's mind who is below their own rank. 

"What did Chaos say earlier? When she talked to you telepathically."

"The true demons have several beings close to their next rank up. Usually, the high ranking demons are killed before they even reach the pinnacle rank up above the norm. Chaos informed me about the actually numbers and plans of these true demons. The forces up north do not know about it cause the demons are ... smart. I mean, given the nature of any true demon, they have some sort of intelligence, but this one exceeds that of a master strategist or a general. They are purposely diverting most of the forces away from their true hideout. Within this true hideout, several true demons are about to become the first stages of a new divine being. With that-"

"They will be able to wipe out a lot of lives. They will obviously decline the offer to enter the divine realm. Once they do that, they will overwhelm the frontlines and ravage the nearby cities." I finished. This was bad. This is the definition of a calamity. The abnormal events that will create disorder, chaos, and annihilation in this world. There are only a few strong beings that can stop a calamity. Right off the bat, Brynhild and I are fit for the job. Although, ironically enough, some people call me a calamity due to my overwhelming strength, and the chaos that happens here and there. Not my fault. "Why did she ask you to do this? Shouldn't she asked me? I know a lot more about the true demons compared to you."

"True." Brynhild replied, "Yet she hinted at my need to make more pills. Despite the race or being, their soul can be used in my formula. Even though it is a tad higher than Lucifer, Leviathan, and/or Satan rank, it fulfills the requirement. Hopefully." There's a bit of doubt there.

"More pills? Is this how you make the [Defeat Inheritor]?"

"You have your secrets, I have mine." Brynhild sticks her tongue at me. 

"You did a lot on your end as well, huh? You made the [Defeat Inheritor] for Amelia. It's sad that the perk cannot undo her curse though. It can grant her some other abilities, but I doubt that she cares much about it. Her entire life was revolved around magic. Especially in light and dark elements. The fact that there was a way to combine the two made her estatic..." I did not finish my sentence. Like a trigger, the two of us reminisced about the past...

Aisha's POV

"Did you agree to this Gallant?" I asked my knight.

"What do you mean?" As the four of us walked down the familiar hallways I used to call home, Gallant tilts his head at my inquiry.

"All of you were in on this. By nature, you guys would sacrifice your life for me no matter what. If it benefits me, you will do it with no hestitation. If I give a command, you will carry it out till it is done. If I am about to die, you will do whatever it takes to protect me... You idiots... Why?"

"I..."

"No need to play dumb." My mom says, "She changed a bit. Can't you tell?" Gallant looks at me. Slumping his shoulders, Gallant shakes his head. 

"I feel like you won't need me as much sooner or later. Yes, we were in on this. Gale and the other two knights sacrificed themselves for your sake. Even though you burst out of your cage, we want you to be ready for the real world. There are a lot of secrets we could not tell you because you were weak."

"You see, the Black Knights cannot tell anyone their story. If one could feel a sense of dread creeping up on them, this is a self-defense mechanism for the weak. The tale of the Black Knights is a sacred one. Only the strong can listen to their tale, and if one does, they are subjected to being allies or enemies." Amelia explains. Ah, that explains that.

"Subjected? There's no choice in the matter?" I asked.

"The tale cannot be shared publicly. This is our safeguard against our enemies. They will try to pinpoint our whereabouts by finding these certain individuals who talked with us. We cannot have that happen. We make them swear into an oath." The other knight, Christian, answers my question. "Amelia met with an older group when she was in the Pillars of Gluttony. Upon defeating our former brothers, she accepted the oath to aid us in our endeavors."

"I see... What would happen if a group decline the offer but succeeded in killing the knights? Wouldn't that be a loophole?"

"No. They have to gain our trust. Usually this takes ten or twenty years. During that time, they would have revealed their true colors or they would have gain our trust. There is a loophole in this as well, but no one has revealed our history to the public." 

"Then what about me? Will you do the same with me?"

"Yes and no." Gallant answered. "You..." Entering the grand entrance hall and the flight of stairs, he says, "We shall discuss this later."

"Always delaying the truth. You better tell me later." I warned. Turning towards my mom, I asked her, "What about you? Are you going ot stay here?"

"Yes... Valarie plans to occupy this region. She will watch over me while you do your own thing. I was hoping to have you stay for the night, but I worry about your little brother and sisters."

"Ah... Right. Shit." I forgot about them. I do hope they're okay. Who was with them again...? "W-Where are they?"

"They are in some village near Zezrious." Gallant stated, "We will head there right away. Christian, what do you plan to do?" 

"I will stay with Amelia. I will protect her as long as I am alive. This is my job now." Gallant nods at his declaration. "Aisha, I will get Melantha and Alice. Meet us outside once you are done." Giving a quick bow, he exits through the front door.

Looking around for one last time, I am bombarded with many memories. The time I walked down those flight of stairs, the time I played in this grand hallway, the moments where I fought against my parents and some of my siblings, the stupid banquets taking place... A bitter smile spread across my face. The feeling of joy and sadness fills me. I will cherish these memories. I know that my mom is safe, but I will miss her. I will not be able to see her face as much or feel her warmth when I need it the most. Once I start my journey, I will be faced with many trials. Good or bad. Wrapping one arm across my chest, I will miss the old days.

Coming from behind, my mom embraces me in her arms once more. 

"You're a big girl now. You can't stay under this roof for the rest of your life. If you want to talk to me, just use that device Valarie gave you. I love you Aisha...  Now go, before I cry my eyes out again."

Shoving me forward, I hold back my own tears. Jesus, how many times must I cry? Walking out the front entrance, I see Gallant at the front of the wooden farm wagon. Two brown horses are at the front, pulling the wagon. Melantha and Alice sat at the back, giving me a weak smile. I approach the group, eyeing at the wooden transportation. 

"Sorry if it's not too fancy, but you know, can't ride around with the expensive stuff now."

"That's fine." I shrug my shoulders at his remark, "Let's go." I climbed my way up to the seat beside Gallant. Whipping the reins, the horses start to move forward. As we went by the gardens, hedges, and the familiar buildings, I could not stop the flashing memories playing before me.

"You know, we could stay the night at the mansion. You don't have to leave." Gallant suggested.

"Please... It'll be harder to leave if we prolonged our stay. Let us meet up with the others. I am a bit worried about Ethan, Olivia, Jessica, and Jennifer."

"As you command." As we move through the settlement, we finally reach the gateway. So much has happened in the last few days. I can recall all of it so vividly. Meeting Valarie and Brynhild, knowing the truth, getting chaos magic, obtaining [Defeat Inheritor], meeting a deity, becoming free- all of these things. It happened so fast. And yet, I know I haven't recovered as much. Even though I was calm and collective, even though I got over the betrayal and the pain, I am still recovering. I feel like if something big were to happen right away, I will surely lose myself in my anguish. 

The sun was setting before us as we head straight towards the hills. The chilly air breeze through my face, my hair dancing in the wind. The new sense of freedom from my holed up home consumes me. The beautiful scene before me is forever engraved in my mind. Even though I have seen the sun many times, I am fascinated at the different colors as the sun sets. The orange hue that blends in with the yellow and maybe a bit of red intrigues me. The clouds were thin and wispy, moving away from the sun itself. I wonder if I can see more scenes like this?

This is where I will start my new life. My own adventure.