After hearing what Lisa said, Bagus started crying for real, and tears scattered to the mist.
“Thus,” Lisa made a dramatic pause and looked at Murai. “Epilogue of this Gate will more or less start for you there. The Sector representing your goal should be more intense than the rest, but perhaps I am all wrong about it. You see, Hunt and this Gate were all weird so far and Sector 45 surrounds Ip'ur Mountain in its center.”
“No surprises,” Murai said and calmed down, “I am glad that you go along with your promise and speak up.”
Lisa looked at him with incredulity. “Never expected that from you, but I don't know what to trust. Me, or... your task, what does trust matter when rules are ignored or changed in a heartbeat or toss of a coin? Portal...well, with the Hunt and the surrounding mess, I think getting ahead is crucial before turning away. There is no away by the way. We go or we leave, and if we leave, we won't go anywhere.” Lisa declared her will, turning, and sounding mysterious for some reason. Murai noted some bits of helplessness in her tone for sure.
He kind of earned how she was feeling. Having clarity over one's Fate was something that many beings cherished, and often took for granted. That was very wrong, for there were no grants, let alone hope in something like Fate. One has to grab or create it instead.
“What?” Bagus said, startled. “Start? This is the start of this hell? So... late? Wait.. this is a joke, right?”
“Oh... Sorry Bagus,” Lisa said to him, smiling as if she did mean it. “I don't think the simplicity of our purpose is right. I said it long ago. Ip'ur has no known portal, so we are going to ask around and look for it ourselves. David hadn't helped in the slightest besides giving me a single point of interest. There is some shop that might be helpful. Then, we have a Token and word of a Guide that might be a joke or a truth. That is all. We go there as ignorant hunters or miners. That's it. Fear or concerns are the least of your problems and what you've found has been an appetizer all along. Ozeki is nowhere to be seen, so we might have overran them. For how long, though? Time is...”
“That goes without saying. When I flew over most problems, we hadn't fought. Most dangers befall the ground team, I bet. I mean, where is our whole team?” Bagus tried and pretended to be in the middle of glaciers. It didn't work and shedding his feathers wasn't possible either.
“The stronger team, you mean?” She glared at him, firm in he beliefs.
Bagus winced his head, looking somewhere else. “You are mistaken about something.” Bagus laughed, got over his depressing heat, and spread his wings. “I am still a Helper. I am already taking part in your schemes anyway, even if it involves Murai or not, my End, or dangers. Intercepting foes is part of my goal, or anything, really. Use us. We got that long ago. No one complained, right, Itrosh?” He turned to the figure shrouded by a scaly coat, hiding and crouching in the desert.
“Be my guess. Hate heat.” Itrosh mumbled and hated this place.
Murai chuckled at how both of them spoke and sounded afraid of the heat. Considering how Bagus butchered hundreds of beasts and even some lawful fools, it was laughable. As for Itrosh, Murai wasn't sure how she even fought, or why she hated heat. Sure, she had some fur and feathers, but she wasn't that big or in heat.
Lisa was scheming fewer things for this path. She couldn't scheme how she wanted when there was so little to see or guess.
The journey and goal were simple in theory, yet far or nowhere in her calculations. Then, she had to think of this lawless zone and there were almost no tricks for it than strength, luck, or fleeting.
These lands were quite detached from the rest of the Hellscape; they were full of gangs and most were independent and devoid of military order. Some of the mines had some military management coming from some powerful Extremes who were under some Overlords, who were all under Levandis in this place. But for Lisa, they were ways to silence, blackmail, or pay off anyone.
The next big issue of this place was not entirely an issue. To her shock, it was mana. It turned into a more heated element, which changed Lisa slightly. She looked more like a water or steam, and less like a wind spirit. The communication constructs also lost significant efficiency and range, but not as if they needed it. David ignored her regardless of this place.
She knew that David was aware of this, so she decided to let him die off if that's what he wanted. Lisa figured thinking should be her forte, yet it wasn't all that fair.
“Nothing is fine if I am honest. I've got the overview of this desert's changes and paths, so perhaps expecting to get lost is good. We should take a straight road ahead, or switch it up from time to time.” Lisa glanced around the Scorching Light and moved up.
The physical look shouldn't hurt her, and for once, she appreciated her ghostly properties. This place had zero effects on her ability to think, see, or speak, and some change of looks was none of her concern. She could even walk into the flames or ice, as long as their level of destruction wasn't high, or some Laws weren't far too significant. For example, getting too close to that sun might not be possible even if she was the race she assumed could survive even in Outer Sectors of Endless Skies.
Bagus wasn't here for the first time, even though it appeared like he was with the amount of whimpering he had done.
If he disliked something, he showed it. After all, David forced him to go through this hell dozens of times, if not more. If one wanted to travel further and deeper, visit some mines, or get some wealth, a physical touch was fitting. Portals were ideal, though very expensive because of this place, heat, and general appeal of this Province. Some businesses couldn't even afford it. Nothing here was free besides sand, dust, and heat. Considering the vastness and dangers, portals were a luxury.
In hindsight of Bagus's mood and truths about this place, there were other deserts in the other half of Hellscape. It was an unavoidable part of the artificial suns that provide heat and light for vegetation and living. The downside was its placement which created a strange environment if the sun was too big, qualitative, or intentionally heated. Caves weren't the greatest places for lives to flourish.
However, it had some benefits like many places or Hells, unknown to the living demons of this Gate. Most got used to living here because it was like this for considerable generations.
“All right, Murai.” Lisa said to him, “We wait for ten minutes. I will take this for now... and let's all hope.”
Lisa took David's construct out of his pouch and used it to contact him again just in case. “For now, Bagus will keep his eyes and ears and feelings sharp. I don't like this situation, nor the fools of this desert. You get me, I hope.”
Bagus agreed with anything as long as it meant not coming further into the desert. It was wishful thinking that was full of lies.
“Enemies could've fled. Considering Ultium, it wouldn't be surprising or too far-fetched that your strategy of scaring off some fools worked.” Murai gave her his opinion.
“Is that overgrown kid that big of a deal? Didn't seem right to me, but we hadn't seen him in hours since that chasm. Isn't that weird? Is he that strong? David's boy?” She had some trouble with some ideas. Murai could tell that but why did she even care they were gone and working for her cause?
“You can't tell it from yourself, and our brief time with him, but that devil is different from the normal ones.”
“What? Do you think I am stupid? Royalty, you mean?” Lisa said mockingly, waving her hands as if her words carried no weight. “Devils are notorious for unreliability. Especially those that carry their hearts like a tome of laws.”
“You don't know him,” Bagus said, glancing around and noticing Itrosh was too busy crouching and pretending to be a rock in heat. “Well, I wonder about it sometimes myself. Worked with David for years. He cares for Ultium while Ultium works and lives under his wings. And he... Ultium, I mean. He isn't dangerous, but he is dangerous.”
“Unstable, you mean?” Lisa corrected him.
“I mean the fact. What devil isn't a weirdo?”
Lisa agreed with that statement without hesitation. She ignored how devils and succubus were very similar in nature. “But he is still a weirdo that puts our heights too far. Ignoring my words and rules is way too arrogant. I detest them both.”
“But the other party has it the same. They got Ozeki and Razmund got and fought like him. Two big shots are big deals. Could we defeat them? I doubt that.”
“Shut up. Ultium allowed that by his Helper status.” Lisa argued something that was long useless. If she knew that Ultium was Level 80, perhaps she wouldn't take him at all. But what if it didn't matter? What if the world no longer spinning was a blessing instead? What if any of her worries came off as useless and she could've used some Extremes or Overlords instead? How? Well, her current frowning face hid some secretive doubts. Ultium should be fine.
Helper status worked for everyone, yet messages and their stakes were weird like the task of this Gate, or... well, everything. Lisa glanced at Murai and saw no reason in that laughable duck, whose spirit might be bigger than the Sky.
What if Ultium didn't matter? What if Razmund had already planted his Helpers who were stronger than everyone? Where? How? If she couldn't know it, seizing the upper hand was hard, or it was already seized. Weird thoughts rose in her head. And disappeared when she couldn't change them.
“Why are you shouting at this time?” Murai quacked at them both. Bagus didn't understand him, but he didn't need to hear his scrutiny and quacks. His face was enough for a whole page of answers.
Neither of them knew about the Hell Party that essentially put Murai's Helpers to a much higher potential. It went against the norm, yet it happened anyway. Razmund had not even one such Helper as them. He had a bunch. Ultium or Ozeki, they didn't matter. They didn't even need to know about it, because their use was even more questionable than their acceptance.
“I hate this situation!” Lisa said to Murai. “You and all. Everything goes to shit the further it goes,”
“I hate this heat,” Bagus repeated himself, no longer willing to argue with Lisa.
Itrosh scrapped past Bagus, hiding under his wing. “Stop arguing and move on.”
Murai took shelter under Bagus's standing position, directly shading himself under his chest. He liked this big fella. He was cheerful and didn't ask unnecessary questions unless he had some reason for it. In light of that, he argued how he often argued with Lisa. It put him in a great mood that he wasn't alone who was looking at that ghost weirdly. He was the kind of soul Murai liked very often.
“So?” Murai asked. “We got the journey ahead, regardless if we hate it or love it. Can we wait like sitting ducks? Sure. Is it a good idea? No idea. I say we go.”
“Screw the wait then...” Lisa shook her head and went ahead according to her plans.
***
Far behind, Sector 37 was dozens of kilometers away from the Scorching Light and Murai's current position.
David and Ultium formed a duo team ever since they separated after that battle in a chasm. It wasn't because both of them wanted it, of course. One of them needed it! Ultium simply felt it was better and David accepted this inevitable change.
It wasn't out of spite for plans or anything. It wasn't even part of David's ideas or hopes. He wanted to give Lisa what she wanted and there was a great way how to solve it. That was the truth, even if it hurt her in the process.
A truth that became a mangled mess when Ultium decided to go ahead, before stumbling and fighting. No matter what, David was unable to change his heart. By now, they were no longer ahead but far behind. It couldn't be helped.
Dozens of kilometers weren't that big distance; David knew exactly where he was, and how to proceed if some things became messy. So he repeatedly told himself to not worry about his constructs and let Lisa chill off in that desert.
They ran past the trees made of rock, looking thick like a pillar made of granite. The inner wood was sturdy like steel, holding vitality that forced small sprouts and little flowers to bloom in a good light. Those went from shady-looking sticks of the outer crust. It was a tree that was good for making bricks and it was dense enough to build temples and castles.
They were yet to enter the Scorching Light and run through a sector right before its entrance to that hell. Ultium couldn't even count how much blood he seized or longed for. His arms and face were bloody and David let him have his fun for the past hours.
Someone had it worse than him in this run. David's face was faltering between pain, grief, and suffering. His belly was completely gone by now, and his face and cheeks were thinner than ever. He was almost handsome since even his pores and skin tightened and his age almost became a myth. He was still far from being fit, and the more he sped towards the hot sun on the horizon, the more he despised it. Running while eating was not feasible, and some masks or hats were silly. But he figured it should no longer matter, for there was no running away anymore. He had Ultium off his leash. Lisa was back. His targets were closer than ever.
It wasn't because of heat that he went with Ultium back. Though, he would lie if he said it wasn't a part of it. It showed on his face. No regrets though.
Ultium remained by his side, glaring forward, and occasionally behind his back or sideway, feeling threat and something weird for a while.
He didn't know what. It wasn't smell, yet he kept sniffing the air, sensing something intense and everything was becoming more and more brighter and weird.
It wasn't the Named Devil Blood. Lisa never felt the need to use it; she was just annoyed they weren't following her orders, so she tossed that vial into the depths of Murai's pockets.
If no danger was too threatening, David obeyed what Ultium desired. It was neither good nor bad. He just hoped that nothing terrible would happen if Bagus and Itrosh were at Murai's side. They were reliable, while Ultium was much stronger. And they were close. There could be a chance to encounter Razmund before the entrance to the Scorching Light.
That was his hope. Both of their hopes.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Enemies,” Ultium said, shining his eyes and cracking his fingers in weird unnatural stretches as he ran. His suit was spotless, neat, and clear, looking as if it hadn't endured any fight. Even the cuts from the previous wounds were all gone, indicating that his Blood Suit could repair itself.
“Is that so? Enemies or just travelers?” David asked.
“Who travels in the middle of this Hunt? All is in shambles. Blood carries and reeks of Vitality. Devil Hunters, or someone who...”
“Let's see them then first before butchering on the go, or diving straight to sudden conclusions.” David ordered, “Taught you some manners myself. We also started to meet fewer enemies as well, you see. Perhaps it is who we might expect. The other party that some of our previous pigs described in fear yet not words. It might be some Extreme playing tricks. Are you ready?”
“Ozeki, is it?” Ultium asked expectedly.
“Who knows? Things might've changed or something, but Mindarch hadn't made any turns. Everything remains what Levandis allowed, but what worries me is the lack of any feedback from my construct. Not from Lisa by the way,” David mumbled, having trouble speaking while running.
He wasn't that fast, so Ultium took this the easiest by going with his pace. At least, thanks to this running pace, he observed blood and his senses were much sharper.
If he wanted to, Ultium could be faster than most land animals, and even faster than flying Bagus. Ultium followed the scent for a couple of minutes in the right direction, and not forward. They arrived at the intersection of a mountain range that went to the Sector beside the one they traveled through a while ago. This mountain range went further into the Scorching Light that was still a couple of kilometers away.
What made their current location were rocky and flat plains, filled with lifeless ground, clusters of minerals, lacking greenery, and sturdy ground. Many hills were aside, resembling cliffs that surrounded these plains.
Ultium stopped running aside some corner, and so did David. There was no blood, yet Ultium could feel it in the air. Something Divine! It felt like a sparkling sight of the stars he had never seen but imagined. He kind of liked it how it felt without seeing it. It was about setting up expectations.
It might blind him. Change him.
And there, amidst the shade of some cliff, a group of Divine Paladins surrounded a priest, standing for brief rest or planning. They were quite hidden in the shade, surrounded by some technique that made their aura concealed.
Without proper scent or awareness of their presence, few would notice them.
Of course, Ultium did, whereas David couldn't even notice whether there was someone or not. But from the looks of Ultium's face, arms, and eyes, he got there was someone.
“Hiding constructs again? Why are they so popular in this nonsense?” David complained and kicked a rocked. Sensing Divinity was hard if it tried to hide.
Until one of the Paladins spoke, he had no clue what Ultium was about to see, say, or do.
“We have some nasty new customers,” a male voice said, carrying quite a hefty amount of power, dry voice, and age. “Here I thought everyone ran away. Is that what Lady wanted? Scare the opposition, yet the opposition wants to scare us too? A curious Adolescent Devil... eh?”
“No. Orders. No. Enemies. Calm. And. Steady.” Another raspy voice said, telling each word on its own.
“Wait for a second,” the priestess called next, charming the Paladins with her powerful voice that was nice to the ears, “Running into conclusions is no word of our Lady. Visitors can come and go as they please. We have priorities. No shops, though. First, let's see them.”
She was the tallest of them, but it was a wonder if she carried most power, or if it was because of her stature or authority that followed most churches. She felt most impressive.
And all over Ultium's eyes.
He felt in awe and seldom saw or heard anything to do with any church, let alone a freaking priest that was extremely close to some God. He had doubts he was who she thought he was and became mumbling out loud, unaware of what to act like.
“No. She does look that. Knights... Radiants?” He squished his eyes, feeling their power through his senses alone, which followed the rules of blood, rather than mana alone. But he felt it all regardless of his overturned Blood Core.
Instincts were calling. His heart was turning like an animal coming from a new flame, or breathless slumber.
It couldn't be helped. His Mana Core was no longer the kind that followed pure mana alone. It was a Blood Core. At Level 80, his core truly mended his whole life, turning his whole heart into something else than a heart.
Were those Paladins enemies? Could he kill them the same as he did with those demons and military? A pair of questions carried some easy answers, and for the first time in forever, he was hesitant to seek the answers to one of them.
He didn't want to kill them. They were far too interesting—especially that priestess.
She was looking at him weirdly, squinting her long brows, glaring at his red eyes, but one couldn't tell if that was a smile on her face or if she was taunting him. It was far too cold, yet radiant at the same time. Like a warrior, she glowed in authority and power, and her dazzling armor was like nothing this place could bear. Her stance was elegant yet natural, looking as if she was quenching a mountain together by her existence.
Ultium felt every emotion and his idea was exaggerating the other. By now, David noticed their voice, and sooner, he saw and felt them when the Paladins ceased their technique and stepped from the wavering Temporar Space.
Then, Ultium turned to David, who was still catching his breath and wondered if his eyes and senses were gagging his mind, or if his breath carried some diseases to his eyes.
Church from the Surface?! Storm the Hell. This is what has been happening? Encounter? This is yet another mess that Lisa caused, isn't it? And she never said a word about it.
He didn't even consider Murai as a troublemaker, let alone the cause for everything. It was a weird superstition or a very good idea.
The priestess left their cliff and formation—looking like a globe of light—lessened the distance between them by a couple of leaps. She left the Paladins behind, where they rested before yet another course of her plans and desires. She was yet to know her every plan. Half of them changed as they entered this temple.
And now, leaving smooth plans in rough spots behind, a certain roughness was ahead or overlapped them. Or Levandis planned to send a punishment team at her because she wasn't soft-hearted enough to not take her with contempt or at ease.
Landing before the pair's sudden appearance, the priestess overwhelmed them by height and aura alone. “Name' Ceila. I presume the one with lacking breath is David of the Lost Brothers, correct?” Ceila pointed her finger at speechless David, before turning to stunned Ultium who found a sun closer than the ceiling.
“You must be one son of a devil if you are eyeing me like a fool. A prime manager Ultium. Some voices told me that you are already part of the Encounter as Helpers. Is that correct?” She demanded, which in turn, sounded like the highest class order.
She spoke through no Authority, for she had no such haughty thing. Alas, her voice carried power and something that needed attention, and her Laws and the touch of her Lady created the rest. Ultium never heard of someone like her before. It wasn't overbearing, filled with madness, but light, warm confidence, and intensity that was coming to his bones. He found most of it unfamiliar to put into words, let alone acts. He stood still, hands in his pocket and back straight.
“Hm?” Ultium released his eyes at full wideness, watching the flattering close sight before him with shock. It was beautiful. She stepped closer and looked at him even closer. If he wanted, he could touch the untouchable.
This human woman was mesmerizing to him in every notion of that word, ranging from her armor and neat curves that carried elegance and power, to her voice, aura, the way she carried herself, and so on. He noticed details he never saw in any woman: light yellow eyes, puffy lips pressing together, and blond long hair that went over her shoulders and back. She forgot her helmet, or she didn't need it anymore.
He stared so much that he blushed, but it blended with to rest of his face and eyes that remained crisp in bloody redness. But his mouth was open for an untold amount of seconds when Ceila watched the sudden visitors.
She hadn't expected them in the slightest. She just wanted to catch Murai or deal with Centralis Kingdom on her own terms and savagery. For her Lady, she would do anything.
Ultium wasn't all that important in her eyes. She dealt with Thar, so some young devil was nothing in her eyes.
Ultium stopped thinking. David finally caught his breath, noticing that the situation turned in the strangest direction possible. Vermillion Church was the least possible party that he considered. It must be something weird with the Surface and some Gods. How did a Church in the Hellscape go unnoticed for this long? How come no one even expressed them?
Unbeknown to him, some did, but none of that was for David to see and for Lisa or Murai to know. Calming his breathing, David spoke. “Well, who do we have here? A priestess in the starting line of Hell. I don't recognize... Oh, Vermillion symbol? Thousand swords and tails. What is this pleasure, or is this a curse? Invasion?” David instantly recognized what this meeting could mean.
A Vermillion Church shouldn't be powerful enough to walk here with impunity and disregard any sets of rules. Religions were prohibited from entering. That was something Levandis had not forged into these Gates for nothing. She didn't want to touch problems from the Sky-influenced churches. That involved even those from other Hells, but those had some specific benefits that disregarded that rule if certain preparations went ahead.
And this was neither.
However, Levandis accepted it anyway and that was something that David couldn't understand.
Adventurers? Mercenaries? People serving the Battleworld in many capacities? Powers ranging from Tier A, B, or even S had many instances of powerhouses and talents. They could all enter as long as they could stay and not die under Mindarch's personalized touches and challenges.
Seeing foreign personnel of a Sky Goddess, David knew the rules and remembered the norms by heart.
Ceila seemed to realize there was no idiot before her face. “Some changes occurred and Levandis let us in. That is all you need to know.” She said her stakes, leaving behind her companions and some details without further mentions.
“Some further details wouldn't hurt,” David inquired. “It isn't every day this sort of meeting happens.”
“Forceful entry isn't enough? What about Clash of Kingdoms, Authority, or a true bold invasion?”
“Eh? Oh.. That. That...is,” David hesitated, “a bit high picture for me to think about, let alone hear. Do you know about Murai and Lisa, perhaps? Are you an ally as you sought this Encounter? This isn't about Centralis Kingdom, isn't it?” David spoke with almost no stops and even uttered details he wanted to omit.
After feeling his chances, he comprehended some truth. If this priestess wanted him dead, it would be possible even with Ultium a distance away.
Ceila paused for a second, shifting her arm toward her face and touching her chin. “I do know them. I can't find him though. The news is all messed up. No one wanted to back us, obviously, We looked, so we know how to reach Ip'ur Mountain and Scorching Light, yet what to do is various and unknown. The road there is an ordeal like the rest. I hoped to catch someone familiar with the path. It seems I succeeded.”
“Why?” David asked as if possessed, uttering a confusing word he didn't want to say. “You... Do you know about that mountain? Target...” David backed away but stopped in a couple of steps after realizing this might be a very terrific person before him.
“Why not? My sources are great. The main worry was replaced by something else though.” Ceila said with an ashen expression and folded her arms before her breastplate. She wasn't able to inquire anything about Iris, or Timmy. It wasn't right in her place.
Finding Razmund wasn't impossible, however. That guy was moving unpredictably and with a small army under his belt and a great Artifact that was capable of touching and reading into Fate. It knew Vermillion. It knew them. So far, they hadn't met.
Ceila wanted to change it if Murai was further away than Razmund and their steps and choices weren't as wide.
The answer to that question was right before her. She heard of Ultium and David. They might be great sets of solutions.
For half a day, moving around the Hellscape proved to be a massive hindrance. Not only did everyone want them dead, but many disregarded any restrictions. Extremes went at them out of nothing but spite, protecting the dignity of their Lady and this place.
They died for nothing, for there was not much dignity to begin with.
So Ceila decided to play the hard card and slaughtered some fools. Ever since then, the Hellscape changed when she began hunting against odds or no reason.
As an aftermath, the Hunt changed, and her time for information gathering turned to ice. No one wanted anything to do with her. Slowly, they were going forward, hoping to seek the end of their journey in Murai's steps or his flat feet on top of Ceila's hands.
Ceila knew more or less where he was, and she surely knew his final destination. Vermillion made sure of it.
“What about this fella? Is he gazing at my heart or what? Who did he see?” Ceila frowned, pointing at Ultium who seemed frozen in time.
“That?” David scratched his head, stepped forward, and looked at him. “Oh? Haven't seen something like that before. A truly rare sight. A devil whose heart skipped a beat against the odds of Bloodline. Means something big, I reckon.”
David kept scratching his head until he got some idea. Waving his hands, he struck his back with his palm, jolting nerves, heart, and Ultium up, stumbling him forward and almost into Ceila. She caught and seized his head, almost grasping those horns of his at first.
David chuckled, finding this more than funny. Ultium possessed by a priestess of all people? Lost? David would cry if he wanted to call it a joke.