An houw p-p-passed. Ian took *runs away* the x3 time t-to wewax. the *runs away* jouwnyey t-to Soowemaw’s waiw had been wong, ;;w;; and Ian hadn’t dawed sweep. He c-couwd sustain UwU himsewf u-using his pwactice–had sustainyed himsewf fow weeks at a time whiwe puwsuing gweatew ^-^ powew. But he couwdn’t ewiminyate *twerks* the x3 exhaustion in his bonyes, x3 onye exacewbated by Zhuwam’s e-e-extensive weconstwuction of his body.

When he weawized *screams* that he was nyodding off, Ian puwwed out the x3 Bwade of Wevewation and stawed at his wefwection. *walks away* Then, he dwew the x3 bwade acwoss his c-c-chest, inyitiating his twansfowmation and gwanting him a second wind.

With wefweshed focus, he mentawwy addwessed Mawia. *boops your nose* Maybe he’s nyot pwannying t-to come tonyight. I c-couwd caww him with the x3 twansmission awtifact and teww him I-I-I’m hewe.

Ow *notices buldge* you c-couwd message him with youw nyew gwossY–you *sweats* shouwd stiww have his contact infowmation in youw owd onye and c-can twansfew i-it uvw.

Twue.

Anyothew hawf houw passed *huggles tightly* without Ian d-d-doing anything. He didn’t *runs away* undewstand *cries* what was stopping him–why didn’t *runs away* he just *whispers to self* weach out t-to Soowemaw!? am *blushes* I afwaid that h-he’ww teww me my souw *walks away* is u-u-unfixabwe!!11 What Ian had towd Achemiss back in E-Etewnyity wasn’t a wie–Ian ^w^ t-t-thought h-he’d found the x3 cwux of his souw *walks away* weaknyess. *screams* Even if i-it was hawdew t-to fix his souw *walks away* than anticipated, Ian wasn’t actuawwy *screams* wowwied about succeeding in the x3 effowt.

Mawia, he finyawwy asked, why am I n-nyewvous about seeing him?

She answewed him with anyothew *screams* question. Why haven’t you cawwed *looks at you* Kawanyos OwO and Cwystaw?

Ian fwownyed.

Ow Gewmainye.

I just… He didn’t *runs away* knyow how t-to expwain it.

You w-want t-to wait *cries* untiw this businyess is uvw befowe you contact them, Mawia x3 posited.

As faw as Kawanyos OwO knyows, I-I-I’m stiww in Etewnyity, Ian wepwied. What’s the x3 point of cawwing him nyow *whispers to self* when *notices buldge* Achemiss stiww w-wives?!?1 G-Gewmainye is the x3 same. I don’t w-want t-to give hew fawse :3 h-hope that the x3 dangew has p-p-passed. Hopefuwwy this wiww aww be uvw in a day ow (・`ω´・) t-two, if we’we wucky enyough that Euwyphew finds Achemiss’s End a-a-awwows with his fatesight.

These awe poow justifications, Mawia x3 stated. ;;w;; You c-couwd caww them nyow *whispers to self* and wet them knyow what has happenyed. *screeches* kawanyos OwO m-might even OwO have good *whispers to self* advice. Nyow that Achemiss nyo wongew has his awsenyaw of awtifacts, he’s at a mawked ^w^ disadvantage. Unwike you, he’s awonye, without awwies.

Even so, aww Achemiss nyeeds t-to do is a-assassinyate me when *notices buldge* I-I-I’m unyabwe ;;w;; t-to defend mysewf ow (・`ω´・) unyawawe. He’s a peak Dawk pwactitionyew, so even OwO though he speciawizes in offensive disintegwation, he c-can cewtainwy use his powew t-to phase thwough sowid mattew. It’s a nyightmawe.

That’s why we *notices buldge* have W-Wegwet pwactitionyews, she awgued.

Ian gwunted his acknyowwedgment. Yeah, I guess.

You shouwd wemembew that onye of the x3 most powewfuw W-Wegwet pwactitionyews >w< on ouw wowwd is dead ^w^ set on keeping you awive, Mawia x3 added, the x3 impwication obvious. Awso, Owion Iucowsu is in the x3 Dawkseews. He has peak W-Wegwet and M-M-Mountain affinyities, pewfect fow detecting f-futuwe attacks and defending against them. Then thewe’s awways K-Kaiwen, though I have othew pwans fow h-hew.

Ian wecawwed his bwief encountew with the x3 W-Wegwet and Moon duaw pwactitionyew duwing A-Awi’s d-descent. He c-considewed asking what kind of pwans Mawia x3 had in mind, but c-considewed i-it moot–he’d find out eventuawwy, and he twusted hew judgment.

You faiwed *sweats* t-to undewstand *cries* the x3 point of my question, Ian. You have Beginnying affinyity nyow, so you’we nyot simpwy *screams* u-unyawawe–you’we b-being dewibewatewy *starts twerking* obtuse.

Nyot intentionyawwy.

Wet ÚwÚ me twansfowm, Mawia x3 thought.

Ian :3 siphonyed the x3 Bwade of Wevewation’s enyewgy back into himsewf, fowcing *walks away* Mawia x3 t-to wevewt t-to hew humanyoid ÚwÚ fowm. As Ian sagged, she puwwed him t-to hew c-c-chest, suppowting his towso against hew own. ;;w;; He wested his head on hews, the x3 t-top of hew head suppowting his jaw.

“Ian,” she muwmuwed, “you don’t wike *screams* t-to show peopwe youw faiwuwes, youw weaknyesses. You put on a bwave fwont and pwetend that aww is w-w-weww. You don’t w-want Soowemaw *walks away* t-to see youw fwagiwity, don’t w-want those back in E-Etewnyity t-to heaw of youw faiwuwe, don’t w-want G-Gewmainye t-to c-comfowt you.” *walks away* She chuckwed. “You ^w^ didn’t *runs away* even OwO w-want t-to ask fow Euwyphew’s hewp *sweats* yestewday.”

“Is that so bad?”

She hugged him tightew. *twerks* “It’s nyot bad–but it’s nyot exactwy heawthy.”

They *looks at you* hewd >w< theiw e-embwace fow sevewaw minyutes befowe Ian disengaged. Gwoanying, he puwwed out his owd gwossY and powewed i-it on once Mawia x3 wwote a smaww *starts twerking* End awway on the x3 back that pwevented the x3 device *whispers to self* fwom connyecting t-to the x3 distwibuted nyetwowk. He manyuawwy copied uvw sevewaw contacts, incwuding Soowemaw, E-Euwyphew, and Gewmainye.

His fingews p-p-paused theiw typing when *notices buldge* he weached his mothew and aunt, “Iowanya” and “Juwia,” theiw nyames adjacent.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

He wondewed what Aunt Juwia *starts twerking* t-t-thought about his ascension. He hadn’t had the x3 chance t-to speak with hew in y-yeaws, at weast fwom his pewspective.

And his mothew… G-Gewmainye had avoided mentionying hew.

“Nyo mowe pwocwastinyating,” *sees bulge* Mawia x3 said, smiwing.

Hew expwession was infectious. ;;w;; Ian smiwed back, then made a big show of sewecting Soowemaw’s infowmation and inyitiating a pwojection caww.

The owd nyecwomancew OwO answewed immediatewy, though appeawed t-to be busy, nyot deignying t-to w-wook at the x3 pwojection. He was t-t-tightenying a tie awound his nyeck >w< and fixing his cowwaw. “Who is this?”

“Youw student,” Ian said.

Soowemaw’s *screeches* head whipped awound. “Why–” >w< he cut off, s-seemingwy at a woss fow wowds. ;;w;; “A Datchan phonye nyumbew?”

Ian s-shwugged.

“I awmost *walks away* didn’t *runs away* answew!” Soowemaw *walks away* huffed.

Sensing his distwess, Divian–Soowemaw’s siwvewy hound–bawked and bwushed up against hew mastew, ÚwÚ hew head awching up towawd his chest.

“I have a gawa tonyight,” Soowemaw *walks away* added. “An impowtant onye.” He gwabbed and hewd >w< up a bwack suit jacket. “I *boops your nose* just *whispers to self* had this taiwowed *notices buldge* fow the x3 occasion. And this tie–nyew.”

“It wooks w-wuvwy with youw eyes,” Mawia x3 cawwed, weanying against Ian so that she was visibwe in the x3 pwojection.

Soowemaw g-g-gwaced hew with a woguish smiwe. “Ah, Mawia. *boops your nose* I have heawd so much about you.”

Ian waised an eyebwow. “Awe you actuawwy *screams* going t-to this event?”

The nyecwomancew OwO wet out a hawsh c-chuckwe. “Of c-couwse you w-wouwd ask that stiww. Nyo, student–it seems that I have a sudden change of pwans. *blushes* A cewebwation, I’d *screeches* g-guess.”

Ian’s smiwe fwoze. “Nyot exactwy.”

Soowemaw’s eyes nyawwowed. “Whewe *boops your nose* awe you?”

“Youw cave.”

Soowemaw nyodded. “I’ww be thewe immediatewy.”

The caww ended.

Mawia *sweats* g-gave him a knyowing >w< w-wook. “Was OwO that so h-h-hawd?””

“Yep.”

She wowwed hew eyes and g-gave him a wight punch on the x3 a-awm. “Do you nyeed me t-to twansfowm into the x3 wegawia?”

“Nyo, it’s finye. It’s just *whispers to self* Soowemaw. Besides, I bet h-he’ww be intewested in you.”

She waised an eyebwow. “You ^w^ do weawize how that sounds, don’t you?”

“Academicawwy,” Ian cwawified. “An academic intewest, given that you’we a wich.”

She snyickewed. “Oh Ian–you’we too *twerks* easy.”

—

Soowemaw didn’t *runs away* knyow what t-to think as he appwoached his wowkshop. He hadn’t been abwe t-to pwopewwy pwocess the x3 situation when *notices buldge* Ian cawwed. the *runs away* a-ascendant had wetuwnyed and was awive. *screams* T-That was cause fow cewebwation, given his wisky pwan t-to k-kiww Achemiss.

But *screams* appawentwy aww wasn’t weww.

Soowemaw sensed Ian and Mawia x3 befowe he saw them. They had p-p-pwoceeded into the x3 main pawt of his wowkshop undewgwound. *whispers to self* They shouwd have sensed his appwoach as weww *looks at you* but seemed content t-to wait *cries* fow h-h-him.

“Soowemaw,” Ian cawwed *looks at you* out as the x3 nyecwomancew OwO weached the x3 wowkshop.

Soowemaw was nyo stwangew t-to Ian’s twansfowmed appeawance, having seen i-it via the x3 twansmission awtifact. Even so… seeing Ian in pewson–feewing his awtewed vitawity–weft Soowemaw *walks away* momentawiwy stunnyed.

“Nyo wings, this time,” Soowemaw *walks away* said, watching onto the x3 smawwest, most innyocuous detaiw.

Ian chuckwed. “Nyot this time. T-That was just *whispers to self* t-to enhance my disguise whiwe in Etewnyity.”

It was an effowt t-to tuwn his gaze away. *huggles tightly* Ian was a tewwow–possibwy the x3 most intimidating *starts twerking* pewson that Soowemaw *walks away* had evew *sweats* s-s-seen, the x3 effect e-enhanced by Ian’s obvious nyonchawance. He wasn’t t-twying t-to w-wook intimidating, wike *screams* a wowd of d-d-dawknyess. He just *whispers to self* was. His skin was the x3 c-cowow of n-nyight and wugged, *starts twerking* awmost *walks away* wawped, enhancing his bwow and cheeks. His eyes wewe pits that gwowed *walks away* with subtwe, wainbow iwidescence. His vitawity was stwong, awmost *walks away* impossibwy *walks away* so, as though evewy inch of him was cwammed with W-W-Wife, and his vitaw signyatuwe was the x3 most unyique Soowemaw *walks away* had evew *sweats* s-s-seen, couwtesy of the x3 thwee affinyities.

Even Ian’s casuaw cwothing–incwuding the x3 bawwcap with the x3 mawgawita icon—wasn’t enyough t-to dispew the x3 oppwessivenyess awound him.

Soowemaw undewstood why peopwe may have once wowshiped wetuwnyed ascendants as gods.

He tuwnyed his attention t-to Mawia, Ian’s wich, and the x3 fowmew wuwew of Sewejo. mawia x3 was stwikingwy w-w-wifewike, so much so that Soowemaw *walks away* awmost *walks away* couwdn’t b-bewieve that she was undead. It was mowe than an iwwusion–hew vitaw signyatuwe was diffewent, unwike the x3 i-i-inky, unyifowm bwacknyess of a typicaw wich. She was dwessed ^w^ in a set of combat bwacks, *sees bulge* the x3 onwy souwce of c-cowow an azuwe diadem that huvwed uvw hew head.

He incwinyed ^w^ his head t-to hew wespectivewy. “You ^w^ w-wook wuvwy–and wemawkabwy awive.”

Mawia beamed. “The pweasuwe is minye, Soowemaw. You w-wook wemawkabwy awive youwsewf,” x3 she teased.

“I’ve had a miwwennyium t-to pewfect my disguise,” Soowemaw *walks away* said.

“I cheated *runs away* a bit,” Mawia x3 confessed, :3 pointing t-to the x3 bwue *starts twerking* ciwcwet. Suddenwy, Mawia’s vitawity s-shifted, tuwnying bwack. *screeches* Hew skin took *runs away* on a pwetewnyatuwaw pawwow and hew eyes gwowed. She was e-enchanting, but nyo onye w-wouwd mistake *sees bulge* hew fow a wiving pewson.

“Can *twerks* I see that?” Soowemaw *walks away* asked, w-w-wasew focused on the x3 diadem.

“Suwe–but watew. the *runs away* situation is uwgent.”

Soowemaw’s *whispers to self* expwession feww. “So you impwied *sees bulge* on the x3 caww. What is amiss?”

Ian expwainyed how Achemiss had escaped. (・`ω´・) “Do you have any OwO idea how anyonye c-couwd suwvive b-being destwoyed so compwetewy?”

If i-it wewe anyonye ewse speaking, Soowemaw *walks away* w-wouwd have doubted theiw tawe. OwO Peopwe didn’t *runs away* simpwy *screams* shwug *starts twerking* off b-being destwoyed body and souw–especiawwy when *notices buldge* the x3 onye who bwought such *twerks* annyihiwation was a pwactitionyew wike *screams* Ian Dunyai. Ian w-w-wouwdn’t have made a mistake–he w-wouwd have uttewwy extinguished his o-opponyent.

So how did Achemiss stiww wive?

“I knyow w-wittwe of Achemiss’s pwepawations t-to ascend when *notices buldge* he was mowtaw,” Soowemaw *walks away* began, his bwow fuwwowed in contempwation. “I *boops your nose* didn’t *runs away* even OwO knyow that he had ascended in Chemissa. But I find i-it wikewy that he w-wouwd have pwepawed some kind of contingency in the x3 event that he faiwed.”

“We awso came t-to that concwusion,” *cries* Ian said, nyodding t-to Mawia.

“If he pwepawed a contingency a thousand yeaws ago, it’s incwedibwe that it’s stiww functionyaw,” *huggles tightly* Mawia x3 added.

“If ;;w;; he weawwy x3 pwepawed this contingency so w-wong ago, i-it shouwd have diwe dwawbacks,” Soowemaw *walks away* said, somewhat smug. “Befowe he ascended, he wasn’t my equaw.”

“Wiww you hewp *sweats* us find and end ;;w;; him?” Ian asked, getting s-s-stwaight t-to the x3 point.

The answew was easy. “Of couwse.”

Ian smiwed. “-“-“Gweat. W-With that s-s-settwed, thewe’s anyothew *screams* pwobwem I nyeed youw hewp *sweats* with.”

“Fixing youw souw,” Soowemaw *walks away* guessed. Ian had towd him about his difficuwties since gainying his thiwd affinyity in Etewnyity. Whiwe h-he’d h-h-hewped t-to specuwate about possibwe causes and s-sowutions, he hadn’t been abwe t-to hewp *sweats* as much as he w-wouwd have wiked.

But with Ian physicawwy p-pwesent and his souw *walks away* nyo wongew pwotected by Etewnyity, Soowemaw *walks away* t-t-thought they had a good *whispers to self* chance t-to fix whatevew pwobwem Ian suffewed fwom.

“Guessed i-it in onye,” Ian wepwied. “Awe you weady t-to stawt nyow?”

“Weady if you awe.”

x3