Valeria slams her clubs into the doors to no avail, before moving her dress back in place and turning to look at me. “Looks like we’re trapped.” She tells me, and I internally deadpan. “I won't lie, Val. If this extension of your family couldn’t do it, I can’t see why you could.” I tell her as I gesture to them with a bit of my mass. She folds her arms, and gives them a momentary glance before walking over to me.
“Well- What do YOU suggest?”
“Lol, no.” I chuckle- “I admit I’m strong, but if you can’t bust that shit down, then I doubt I can either. We should probably just check if anyone ELSE might know what’s going on.” She places her hands on her hips, then leads the way further into the house.
“Hey-” I began halfway down an empty hall, after we had split up from the rest of the group at the front door. They had decided to assist Val and I with my idea. “Do you think anyone in Ryleth will rat my family and I out?” I asked her, surprising her before she shook her head. “No.” She tells me. “Actually-” She continued more curiously. “Now that I think about it… The idea hasn’t even crossed my mind. I’m fully aware of what Arigold is willing to pay for information about you guys, but nobody I have spoken to back in Ryleth has even brought up the idea.” What the hell? “Seriously? Shouldn’t there be SOME sleazy bastard in Ryleth looking for easy money?” I asked her, and she immediately nodded. “Yes. There are many-” That’s nice to hear about such a beautiful place… “-but now that you mention it… Millions live in Ryleth, the statistics are impossible, there must be some kind of manipulation going on.”
“You think it might be Liyoxis again?”
“What?” She asked, stopping us. “Oh- Right. I guess you don’t know about that.” I realize, and she sits down on her knees to get closer to my level. “So you know how the old Queen of Ryleth was evil and stuff, and was killed by Arigold as a kid? Yeah, turns out, there was much more to it than that.” I continue to explain the actual conspiracy to her, and the look of shock is honestly refreshing. For me, at least. I like being the one who has the shocking info to give, heheh.
“Wow… I had no idea…” She realized as she stood up again. “Yeah! Crazy. Huh? I forget that most of Ryleth doesn’t even know about this. I learned it from a psychic ability I acquired, then a little later gave to Sirius with the help of Demistar. It was the ability to see visions, which I don’t know how allowed me to see into the past, but then I actually got an ability to look into the past from this other place called Everessence- So uh- I guess it works?” I now ask myself, again having realized yet ANOTHER thing I haven’t actually put a lot of thought into. Actually, there are a LOT of things I haven’t quite considered.
Anyways, musings aside, after asking around, we meet up with the man of the house: Galdritch! “I know you’re the one responsible for this, Mr. Galdritch.” I say, surprising him and everyone else in the room just as Val and I enter- Valeria looks at me in shock, and everyone looks at Galdritch again, who’s quick to look around and retort with- “I don’t know who told you such a thing, but I can assure you this situation is NOT my doing!”
“Damn. I was hoping I could psyche you out with an accusation if it actually WAS you.” I quickly replied. I wonder if I wasn’t confident enough in my accusation. “I have no actual clue, though. You were just my immediate suspect based on my tiny amount of information.” Or maybe that’s just a terrible method of investigation. I like to think it was worth a shot either way. “O-Oh…” Galdritch mutters as his arms go slack, and everyone else gives me a mixed look. Valeria has deadpanned again.
“Anyways.” Galdritch begins, grabbing his hat and drawing everyone’s eyes to him again. We’re in a large hall, by the way. “I apologize, but I have not found a fix for the situation. From what I can tell, the house has been transported to a pocket dimension by an unknown entity. I’ve tried transporting it back, or finding some way of getting everyone out, but my best methods fail me. Whatever is doing this, they’re most certainly more powerful than I.” Oh… That’s right, he’s over thirty thousand years old… Which would lead you to assume that he MUST know something or other about magic…
“Is there anything we can do? Are we seriously at this guy’s mercy?” I ask, and everyone looks around anxiously as Galdritch looks at the ceiling. “I suppose, yes. I just wish I knew more.” He then sighs and places his hands on his hips. “If you’re there- Whoever you are! Please cease this, we have done nothing to you! We are good people just trying to enjoy our afterlife!” He calls out as loud as he can, making everyone plug their ears-
Suddenly two doors at the end of the hallway swing open, and everyone looks over to find that there is nobody standing on the other end. “Um?” I ask. Galdritch suddenly teleports away in a cloud of green wispy energy-flame-things. He appears at the end of the hall, and looks around, lights and lasers shining from his eyes as he scans the halls. “ANYTHING?!” One of the guests calls out to him, and his laser eyes shut off before he looks back at us. “Nothing-” He looks down the right hall- “Correction! Another set of doors has opened, I think this is our captor’s method of toying with us!” He explained as we all walked over as quickly as we could.
“Looks like we’ve got no choice but to follow these doors.” I tell him as I approach him in front of everyone else. “Assuming this guy has it out for us- Anyone willing to risk dying for some information?” I ask, and everyone quickly looks between each other before shaking their heads. “Looks like it’s Galdritch, Val, and I.” I say, before Valeria takes an involuntary step back. “I apologize, Demi, but I’m not insane. I will not stop you, but I don’t see how risking your life like this is going to achieve anything.” She tells me, and I stare at her in surprise. “Really?” She simply nods. “Mr. Galdritch? Are you good with me coming with you?” I asked her Grandfather, and he immediately nodded. “I certainly wouldn’t mind. I promise to do my best to keep you safe.” And with that we’re off!
-√F-
Celest has been different lately.
“Are you sure this isn’t-” She interrupts me with a mean look, and I lean back a little in reaction- “No, for the fifth time, this isn’t because of the mask, Sirius. I’m just a little stressed lately. Okay? I love you too, Sirius, but please…” The worst part is she’s been hiding her memories from me. We like to share all of our memories nowadays. I mean, I did a lot of things I’m not proud of in my Father’s name, and… Well- She still chose me, in spite of learning all of that. It means something. Ya’ know? “I’m sorry, Celest.” I say, and she gives me a look I can’t quite read, before hugging me and saying: “No- It’s not your fault. I know you’re just trying to help, Sirius.”
After that she stands up and takes a few steps away. “I’ve got things I need to do. I’ll see you later?” She smiles, and I simply nod and smile back at her before she leaves me in this room alone…
Once I’m sure she’s out of sight, I sigh and sit back down before rubbing my face. I had asked to have this room alone so her and I could spend some time together. That really sucks. You know? It sucks a lot and nobody understands.
I stand up and leave the room after a moment of contemplation. After that I kind of just explored the halls of The Core Chateau, before I eventually met up with Vilstrous and Lex. I found them training. Specifically Vilstrous training, while Lex watched.
“Yo.” I say, making them stop. “Sirius-” Lex says as he looks at me in surprise, and Vilstrous drops the weight he was lifting before looking at me. The thing sank like, half a foot into the ground. “What are you doing here?” Vilstrous asked as I walked over to sit on the bench Lex is sitting on.
“Celest has gotten distant lately.” Lex raises an eyebrow, but Vilstrous just shrugs and picks up his weight again to continue his reps. Specifically he is doing bicep curls. “Do you two normally work out like this?” I decide to ask as I let my elbows rest on my knees, prompting Lex to lift a foot onto the bench and lean away with a sidelong glance at the suddenly very interesting wall. “I found Vilstrous here working out, so I figured I would see if I can get some tips.” He admitted, and I looked at Vilstrous, who had a look on his face that told me everything I needed to know to answer THAT. “I wouldn’t know anything either, sadly. I was just born with all of this strength.” I tell them, and they give me a look worse than Celest’s…
“Listen. Some of us have to work for our power, Sirius.” Vilstrous tells me, before he grabs his shirt and rips it off to reveal his staggeringly well built form. Lex and I lean away awkwardly- “This is what they did to me, to make me into the perfect soldier. Do you have any idea how many children are killed by their HDR? How many descended to the Fallen? I was one of the lucky ones. I survived in a system that would have gladly taken any of my many other brothers one way or another.” He explained as I looked at the scars from what I can only assume are countless lacerations. The only thing not horribly scarred is his face…
“Jeez. I’m sorry, man. You don’t have to prove yourself to me. I mean, I might be strong, but I was never a big fan of fighting in the first place.” I tell him, and the mean look in his face softens a tad before he looks down. He sighs and looks away as he continues his workout. His muscles are jarringly large for skin that pale… “Yeah, well… Whatever.” He says. “Unlike you two, I actually have a reason to get strong. So if you could leave me alone, I would appreciate it.” Lex stands up and places his hands in his pockets before leaving. Well I guess this went about as well as it was going to… I’ll probably just follow Lex, since Vilstrous seems to be dealing with his own shit.
“Well that was mean.” I tell him, and he sighs before stopping and looking at me. “Yeah, I guess. You got any idea what he was talking about?” He asks me, and I kind of just shrug. “I’m going to assume he’s just feeling self conscious because of Demitallis’s faster growth rate. I mean, I imagine I would too, if my muscles defined me.” I tell Lex as I catch up to him and walk next to him. “Masculinity and all that. Yeah?” He asked, and I agreed.
“So how’s Celest been doing anyways?” He asked me, and I kind of just shrugged with a confused look on my face. “I can’t get a good read on her nowadays. She’s closed her memories off, and I think something’s getting to her.” I tell him, and he rubs his chin as he looks down in thought. “You don’t suppose it was that run in with Arigold? Apparently he faced her down, and I mean- That fucked ME and my little sister up, so I can only imagine what that did to her.” I scratch my head and think more on it, the two of walking in silence until we hear a crash, and I look over to see the wall coming down on us-
I grab Lex, and throw tentacles around us to catch the debris, before immediately climbing back off of him once I’m certain we won’t be hit- “Thanks…” He says as I look around to find a surprisingly large open space, with multiple Helveticas walking around… “What…?” I ask, and one of them looks over at us before walking over-
“Are you alright?” She asked as she helped us up. “Y-Yeah…” I say as I look around at the massive torn up area. “I’m clearing out a large space for your family. I figured all of them would want to be here for when your mother is brought back.” Oh. Right. They were doing that. I know a lot about her from Celest’s memories- But I mean, she’s not MY mom… You know? I guess it will be nice to get to meet her, though. I definitely need to get her blessing to marry her daughter some day. “I… see… “ I say…
“How long until you find her?” I ask, and she kind of just shrugs. “Right around the corner, or so Luna tells me every time I ask. So I assume it could either be any minute now, or a few hours from now.” Lex and I nod along curiously. “Isn’t Luna a legendary creature?” Lex asks, surprising her. Her mood seems to lighten as she speaks about her. “Luna’s probably the sweetest girl I’ve ever met. If you stick around, you two might get a chance to speak to her.” Lex and I looked at each other in shock, then nodded quicker this time before we walked away and found a bit of rubble to sit on.
-√A-
“Yes, my wife sadly was not the kindest mistress, but I loved her all the same.” Galdritch tells me as we walk through yet another set of double doors. “I just can’t imagine what would have drawn her to such animosity.” I replied, and he kind of just shrugged and shook his head. “I have no rightly idea. She always hated our yearly tradition. As though forcing us all to live down here for eternity was somehow better.” Right… I don’t agree with forcing people to do things they don’t wanna do… but it’s so hard to imagine someone just being willing to give up their existence so easily. I mean- Is it really THAT horrible to live that long? “I guess I get what you’re saying.” I tell him, remembering when I personally died. How it affected me…
We arrived at a large open room- “Ah, the Ballroom.” He says, and I look around. The room is round, with a circular dip in the middle leading to a marble dance floor. There’s tables and chairs set up and covered in white cloth beyond tall pillars that lead into a domed roof. A giant gorgeous chandelier hanging over our heads in the middle. “Well…” I begin as I jump out into the middle of the dance floor. “You’ve dragged us all the way in here, and we’re far away from any of the other guests. So you might as well show yourself.” I tell them, and suddenly the room begins to shake again-
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
As soon as it finishes, a wind sweeps through the room, picking up all of the furniture as Galdritch ducks and stands over me, guarding me as the furniture is drawn into a single point… It forms vaguely into a face, and roars at us, before forming gathering some pieces to throw at us- I dodge out of the way, and so does Galdritch before it breathes fire at him, making him run along the inner dome while I make myself larger and prepare an explosive bearing shot!
Eventually I let it rip, and immediately began charging up the next one as this THING’S body is torn apart! It looks at me, but the fire spreads across its body, engulfing it in flames as I dodge flaming pieces of furniture and slide around the room- Galdritch swaps places with me, and I begin charging a shot properly as it focuses on him. I fire, yet again, and take out another large chunk! “Any idea what this thing is?!” I ask Galdritch as I try hiding behind a Pillar- “It must be a spirit inhabiting the room! But why in the world is a spirit here?!” He asks me as the room begins shaking- The spirit roars and fires a laser from its mouth into the ceiling- The room is awash with a wave of heat, and I feel my body begin to boil before I cover myself in that heat resistant material again!
I look over at Galdritch, and notice how he is staring up at the ceiling, where it has been digging what looks to be a… strange tunnel…? “Child- You must leave immediately! This thing is trying to tear its way through the dimensions, it’ll eventually break into The Pandemonium-” He’s interrupted by a streak of lightning, hitting a pillar and transforming it into a fucking horse??? “Wh-What-” I try to say, before another two strike, turning another pilar into a strange amalgamation of fleshy tendrils, and one of the tables the spirit had been using into a cake- “What the fuck?!” I ask as what can only be described as a monster tears through the opening in the ceiling, and latches onto the room before dragging it and us down with it-
Things only grow more chaotic as we’re dragged into this next dimension- this place known as the Pandemonium, and reality breaks down in front of me, I can’t help but feel my stress amplify exponentially due to my fear of the unknown, until finally reason turns to insanity, and I…
Lash out.
…
“So what did you say happened?” Valeria asks me as we sit outside on theis bench.
”I don’t want to talk about it.” I had told her.
“Really?” She asked, leaning over me curiously. “I don’t know what happened!” I shout at her! “How do I look like I got the answers to your question?! Alright?!” She was leaning away in shock as soon as I started shouting.
“I apologize for raising my voice.” She seems to calm down. “I don’t know what that thing was, Valeria, but it was horrible. Can we just go find something fun to do?” She stares at me for a moment, then simply nods and like that we’re off.
In case you’re curious- Upon entering the Pandemonium, reality had broken down to the point that there was no way to describe what I had witnessed. Reality turned to unreality, and what was left of determinable sense was thrown out the window. Once the monster had consumed whatever that spirit was, it turned on us, and Galdritch had barely managed to get us out of there alive. Then the mansion turned back to normal, I met up with Valeria, and here we are.
There is no way to describe that place other than utter chaos…
“It must have been a powerful spirit if it could create dimensions.” Valeria said as she guided me down the street, past many undead aquatic demihumans of every shape and size, alive ones scattered about few and far between, but most certainly there if you look hard enough. “YEAH… It… It was crazy. Any thoughts on where we should go?” I ask her, and she looks around leisurely before leaning back a little and letting her head rest in her hands. “I was thinking we could just go to the park. You’ll be heading back to the chateau sometime soon. Yes?”
“Yeah- I guess I could just head back now, I’ll just look for my Recall-Box, and… I left it with Celest.” I deadpan with realization, and Valeria giggles evenly to herself as I mentally berate myself for yet ANOTHER damn blunder. “There’s an amusement park we can go to. We have a couple hours until I have to go anyway.”
And then we proceeded to go do that.
The Amusement Park was to say the least… Weird… I mean, it makes sense that these people would come up with some of the craziest concepts to entertain others. You’re trying to entertain people who can simply CHOOSE to fly, in a world where adventures await you around every corner. The people who make these games must be super passionate about it.
A simpler game I had found was something akin to mini-golf. But instead you’re supposed to bounce the ball of stuff, like walls and platforms. Those things. I managed to impress Valeria with the help of HDR. Praise from another will always be something that makes me feel better.
ALWAYS…
After that we tried out what I assume is this world’s equivalent to a haunted house maze thing. Right? Instead it’s a dark maze made up of portals, with different rooms you can explore while avoiding these harmless apparitions. There were apparently these prizes you could find, but I never found any.
Later Valeria and I find ourselves riding a ferris wheel. Because yes the big wheel is a thing here too. You can see all the way to the edge of the island, and you really get an idea for a thirty square mile island. Or I guess circular. That doesn’t matter- It’s massive. I mean, it’s three times larger than my maximum size… All of the islands are around this size, it really gives you a sense of scale for what this world is actually like.
Upon our arrival to the apex of the Ferris Wheel, Valeria and I sit in silence for a moment to look out at the starry night sky of the Underworld- “So are you really that afraid of death, Demitallis?” She surprisingly asked me, just as the Ferris Wheel came to a brief stop. It’s been doing this the whole trip up. “Oh- Nah. I mean, it affected me, yeah- But I won’t let my fear control me. I didn’t then, and I won’t now. Call me crazy, but I have a heart for adventure, and if I’m not fit to survive, then I suppose I just don’t deserve to. That’s my two-cent on the matter.” I tell her as the Ferris Wheel begins moving again, and she crosses her legs and rests an arm on the back of her chair. “Fair enough. It’s a big world out there, Demitallis. So much to do, so much to see. So many people to meet, love, hate…”
“I wonder what the world was like a hundred thousand years ago, before Helvetica became the Master of Doom. Was it similar to now, or was the world unrecognizable? What would the people then say about us now? Is there anything left of them? Will there be anything left of us, when our end comes? I suppose only the Ancients could tell you that, apparently they’re said to be older than even Orion itself.”
“Seriously?” I asked her- I mean, they’re definitely big! Incomprehensibly big! But how does that make sense? That they’re older than Orion itself? “That’s just what I’ve heard. People predict that when Orion’s planet dies, and it can no longer hold them, they’ll just get up and go find a new place to stay. Taking us with them, of course. Provided we’re still all on their backs.” The Ferris Wheel came to another stop, and I questioned everything I thought I already knew about Orion. “Has Liyoxis not said anything about this? I would have assumed he’d update everyone on stuff like this.” She mulls it over for a moment, then just kind of shrugs. “I don’t personally keep up with whatever the World Powers are talking about every day. Though I really should if it’s Liyoxis himself speaking.” She looked away contemplatively as she finished…
“You know, Demitallis, you’re lucky to be this apparent destiny child chosen by Liyoxis. I mean, nobody really cares about me all that much, so ultimately it’s up to me to make myself matter. I guess that leaves it up to me to assert myself and stand against fate itself, to make sure that what I do matters, and that the things I want to change really do change.”
“What DO you want to change?” She looked at me again, and smiled. “The Underworld would be a nice starting point. Though I don’t think I’m quite strong enough yet.” She says as she adjusts her tail, then does a little stretch to make sure her joints don’t go stiff. “You know, I spoke to Helvetica when I got here.” I tell her as the Ferris Wheel comes to its second to last stop. “She told me a lot of things I didn't quite understand. I think I get some of it now. To an extent, at least. She told me some of her history with Liyoxis, and I think she was trying to tell me that in spite of his secrecy, for whatever reason, SHE decided to tell me the truth, that I am not meant to rise to their level, but to incur a certain change. Whatever this change is? I couldn’t tell you, but I personally hope it’s for the better.” The Ferris Wheel comes to the next stop, giving whoever is now at the top a similar view to what we got. Valeria simply looks up at the roof of our carriage, and takes a breath. “Well, while you fight to make that world, I’ll be fighting to find the power to make the world I want.”
“I think I’d like to hear about that world someday, Valeria.”
After the Ferris Wheel came to its final stop, and Valeria and I climbed out of our carriage, we parted ways at the entrance to the amusement park, and I began making my way back down to the Core Chateau. Climbing the cool ropes between islands again, because of course I’m doing that, it’s just so cool!
When I arrived at the Chateau itself, I smashed a window.
Then I went through the opening I made in the window, and landed in one of the halls, where I found Veloura- “Demi!” She cheers with a little jump before running up to me! “There you are! Mom’ll be back any moment, and you almost missed it!” She tells me as I shrink down further and further, until I’m small enough to jump into her arms. “Well you better take us to wherever it’s going down, so WE don’t miss it!” She immediately nods, and leans forward before kicking into a MAD FUCKING DASH!
Doors swing open, and Veloura bounces off each foot as it hits the ground! We glide through the Chateau until finally we come upon a massive… open room… full of a sea of heads, all of my brothers and sisters…! “We’re here!” Veloura announces as she holds me to the sky! Everyone looks over, and she quickly begins making her way to the front until we find an open space with Helvetica and Demistar, standing there with her arms folded and awaiting that special moment!
-√F-
“They’re really all here…” Vilstrous says as he folds his arms, and I take a glance at him. “Yeah, all twenty thousand of them. How the hell does Demitallis keep them all together?” I asked rhetorically as I watched the growing excitement of the children, some older, many younger than I myself. Some were still so young, they had to be held and tended to by the others, as they all sat around waiting for this special moment of theirs.
“I assume they all care about each other to some extent, and being so close to one another, they all managed to get the message passed around. Everyone one of them probably knows at least a few members of their family, and that connection eventually leads back to Demitallis, who they would all know. Because SHE took center stage in their lives, the prophesied child of destiny hand picked by Liyoxis HIMSELF. They have every reason to be here.”
“Jeez. Is that how famous the World Powers are these days? Second-Hand street-cred just DRAW people to like that?” I ask him, and he looks at me before nodding. “Yep. Get in good with a World Power, and you could very well end up being one of them. Or that’s what most people believe nowadays. Demitallis here has been given a one in a trillion chance, something us lowly royals and nobles could only dream of, Sirius.” I chuckle at that, and so does he as I spot Celest walking around searching for something-
I raise my hand, and call out to her! She comes running over, and smiles as she comes to a stop in front of me and Vilstrous. “Are you two excited to meet my mother?” She asks, and I place my hands in my pockets before rocking back and forth on my heels. “Yeah, I guess. I mostly just have the memories you’ve shared with me of her, but I’m glad you’ll still have your mother.”
We then sat down, and Vilstrous looked away as Celest leaned back on her hands. “I can’t wait to see her again. I wish we could do the same for your parents too, Sirius. I know how much you still miss them.” I simply nod and lay back against the wall. “I’ve learned to live with it. Besides, my dad wanted me to be part of the whole family business, he made me promise to fulfill his dream of taking back Orion. But it’s not my dream, Celest. So I think I’ll be able to live without them just fine.”
“I can’t imagine living without my mom, Sirius. She taught me so much stuff- How to sing, dance, and crack such great jokes.” I chuckled weakly at that. “I remember when she would take me outside, to see the world, and when I met you. I spent so much time out and about. Not as much as Vascula, but I would be gone for almost months at a time. I always made sure to make time to come see you, of course.” She explained to me, and Vilstrous out of the corner of my eye looked like he was about ready to leave.
“I imagine this isn’t as nice for you, Vilstrous.” I mention, and Celest looks at him curiously as she remembers how he was apparently raised. “Uh- Yeah.” He began, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. “I mean, I’m happy for you guys, but hearing you talk about it just reminds me of my dad. Which doesn’t really bother me as much as maybe it should, but I guess I’m just kind of dealing with the fact that you guys have people who actually care about who you are as a person, instead of how useful you can be to them as a soldier.” Celest and I simply nodded along as he spoke.
Celest then rubbed her chin, before saying: “I wonder what she was so afraid of…”
-√A-
“It sounded so… FINAL when our mother said goodbye to me.” Lexis told us as we all sat in a circle and stared at him.
“I guess her final words aren’t going to be so final anymore.” Flare tells him as I remember what he had said her final words were: “There’s nothing left for me to do for you, promise me you’ll make them happy again, and that maybe we’ll have better luck the next go around.” I wonder if she was aware the whole time of my reincarnation. “Yeah- When’s Calvin getting here?” Flare frowned, and Veloura folded her arms as she looked away. “He got upset because he lost to this guy named Moth, so he’s given himself this personal mission to defeat the guy. I guess seeing our mother for the first time in months isn’t worth more to him than his pride…” She grumbled, and yeah, jeez, that is kinda’ sucky…
“I have so much to talk to Mother about.” Veloura said, grabbing everyone’s attention, and hopefully dragging the topic away from that sad place for what will hopefully be the rest of the day. “It’ll take forever to catch her up on what everyone has been doing. And don’t feel too bad, Flare, my actual blood brother, Harry, he practically doesn’t want anything to do with any of us, so I’m hoping Mother might be able to shed some light on what’s going on with him.”
I was going to ask her what she was talking about, but before I spoke up, I heard a voice- “Who are you?” I and everyone else turn to look, and to our shock, we find none other than Luna of the World Powers there, staring at ME curiously.
End of Chapter: 62√AF “Neo-Genesis.”
Thank you for reading.