"Father... Why have thou done that ?"
Raya and her former foe watched the figure retreating in the unconscious body of Liz'a de Wandermer as a wisp of fire whipped at her chest.
"... Emperor. Was your daughter affected by Pride too ?"
"She was not... Not that I am aware of... That was something I couldn't bring myself to do. Why ?"
"Because my Fire has taken smalls bits of sins she accumuted." the Wyvern answered and the man sighed. "I do not... see you daughter anymore. I can only see white from her, now. A good sign for your progeny."
"Fa- ther..." a weak voice reached the pair's ears. "Why have thou... intervened ? I was trying to stop her from leaving..." Liz'a de Wandermer, the real one, groaned as she stood up, still disoriented by everything that had happened.
"Li- Liz'a ? You were here ? The whole time ? You... you weren't gone ? Oh dear !" the aged man trembled, but the Sin stepped forward, cutting off the reunion.
"... So you were still around. You weren't erased by that otherworlder... I assume that you know who I am then."
"You are Wrath... She lied about your identity in the meeting. She knew you were... more than some Avatar. She... provoked the death of countless of our soldiers, right father ? All of that could have been avoided... if only us would have faced... this enemy."
The fallen ruler nodded as exhaustion started kicking in."... I would have faced you alone, Sin of Wrath... If I knew of your identity before that. That was Pride... My Pride as an emperor, who faces death in the stead of his subjects. Even if you were the one in control, I wouldn't have... allowed you to follow me, daughter."
"I tried... to take back control. Several times. When you and others showed me hobbies and activities. But she was mad. Her madness was too powerful. She always managed to suppress me..." the true daughter of the Empire looked at the Wyvern's scaleless body, slight hesitation showing in her pupils.
"Speak up. We don't have all time in the world."
"... The... outworlder was holding a grudge against you. Hatred even. Her thoughts were confusing but she believed you had failed to protect the lover of her past life..."
"... And why would I have protected this person ? Expin, girl."
"..."
"Actually, no. Stay silent. I will ask about this to the Hero Ramiel instead. Enjoy your st moments with your father.... Before I free my brother. No doubt Pride will want to crush his jailer. You do understand that, right ?"
Father and daughter kept silent but looked at the Wyvern hopping off the window, only for a loud crash to resonate from below. Then, the walls of the Tower shook and the sounds of stone being crushed reached the mourning duo's ears. Fumes and warm air rose from the crash site as the Sin of Wrath dug and gouged at the ground.
"... So she already knows where the Sin of Pride is. Maybe that was why she flew over the Empire... No. It must be the reason." Gram de Wandermer stated, impassive but tired. Then he felt a tug on his half-scorched sleeve. He turned around to look at his daughter's cold face, and her eyes that betrayed profound sadness and acceptance of what would come.
"Liz'a... I am sorry to burden you with this. Sorry to burden you with the sins of a father. Sorry to pass on only a defeated Empire. Sorry to let you deal with the consequences of... everything. I- cannot find the right words. I am still... despairing about our foolishness. We were... mislead. Terribly so. I-"
"I will lead the Empire, father. I will build it again. In the name of humanity. To walk and fight alongside the ones who will save us this time. I will hunt down the one who controlled me, and her kind. All of them ! They will pay !"
"The Empire will not be kind to our change of heart. Nor will the world be. And today's defeat must have... weakened our reputation. You will have to fight countless battles to formally cim a power that has been chipped away. And now that Pride... will be released... Our armies will never be the same..."
The castle trembled again. Wooden beams creaked, dust fell out of the ceilings and gss windows shattered.
For an instant, all fell silent in the world. Beastfolks looked up, ears and tails perked-up, snouts high-up and heads proudly reaching for the skies. Monsters and wildlife stopped their instinct-driven activities to let themselves be filled with... Reverence. With... Humility.
And then, Marka heard a roar. A silent roar that resonated in the hearts and minds. A roar of defiance. A Roar of Pride. A roar that imposed Respect and commanded the world to bow down.
And so, bow down the world did, under the watchful eyes of gold and the mane of violet.
The ones native to this world knew. The Beastly Sin of Pride was free.
"Go, Liz'a. It is my sin I have to atone for. Not yours."
...
Soon after, as Liz'a de Wandermer gathered her father's aids, the magus of ice faced the Beastly Pride. With fangs bared at the former jailer, maw dripping with saliva and a hissing snake-tail, Pride advanced threateningly, taking back more and more of its power with each step.
And with a cw swipe-
ROAR-
- A head was sliced and a crown fell.
BANG- BANG- BANG-
The portable ram smmed again in the entrance of the building, bouncing off the metal door-frame for a mysterious reason.
"Chris Topher ! What the fuck are you pying ?! Open the door ! Now ! Hands in the air !"
BANG- BANG-
"Fucking bastard... Fucking cyber criminal scum... Open the door ! Or we'll send the S.C.U.M units !"
Fuck you, mortals... This world is now my domain. You don't realize how fucked you are.
"Oh no, no, no... you don't understand. You are powerless now. Haven't you heard ? Listen to my demands and only then I will listen to yours."
"As if !" the policeman in metallic ptes roared back. "We don't listen to madmen like you ! Fucking lunatic ! Again boys !"
The men in exoskeleton picked up the ram once again and sent it colliding with the door once again.
BANG-BANG- BANG-
"Chief ! It's not working ! The door is like welded into the wall ! We can't move it at all !"
"DAMMIT !"
The world was still in shock from yesterday's global broadcast. Even in the twenty-third century, no-one had imagined that someone would manage to simultaneously hack into the tens of billions of devices, old and new, that were connected to the internet.
No-one had expected the hacker to cim to be a god from another realm. Even less to be a god from a niche video-game world... But here they had done, crashed the global lunar market, erased stocks and data from servers, incapacitated billions to access their life on the net...
And now, holed up in a building they had turned into an entry-less fortress, they were controlling this Sins of Marka game, having trapped half a million pyers in the virtual world.
At first, nor the press, nor the politicians, nor the world of science understood... But as reports and testimonies came in... The three spheres of power shifted in worry.
Viewers were reporting to see their streamers unable to exit the game. Family members starting called in police stations over the pnet as virtual pods opened to reveal dried out, charcoal bck corpses of loved-ones...
How to deal with this situation ? Who to rely on ? Could that person have accomplices ? Was this individual truly a god, as he cimed to be ?
There were so many questions that had to be answered... and the world wanted answers. Fast.
The demands of that entity were... big. Too big. The videogame industry of the twenty-third century was one of the most profitable one. If the world bent to the demands... countless would be affected, and people would not be happy. On the other hand... if the hacker truly possessed the power of life and death over the pyers... Half a million of people was no small number, and public opinion would not take too kindly the decision of abandoning them.
The authorities were praying for the success of the special lunar forces' operation, that aimed to subdue the individual. They should be trying to do so at this very moment...
-
"You really pulled it off. I am speechless. Bravo Akram. Bravo... You... achieved in days what we didn't even manage to see after millennia."
"But what now ? Is that what you're asking yourself ? Don't worry Hercules, don't worry... everyone ! I don't pn on stealing your realm. I just need to stay here for a while, to... adjust my Divine paths in Earth's location."
"About that, we've talked about this among ourselves. When you'll put our pnet under tutege... your realm's energy will leak. Not only your Divine energy... but also..."
"Absolutely. My mortals, my creatures, my magic... But it's a one-way passage. The remaining... uh... ?"
"What's happening ?"
"She is wonderful. Truly wonderful... Raya. You freed Manticore. How marvelous."
The reunion of gods of over the world let their companion in Their musings. The tone They were using was one of pride and joy. Something good had happened in Marka.
"Ahem. Sorry. As... As I was saying, the link between our worlds will be a one-way passage. My realm's influence will penetrate yours, but not the other way around. I do not desire to weaken Marka's Divinity. Understand that." then the god paused, deep in thought.
"Another... funny thing... will be that your mortals I have trapped in Marka will be able to cross worlds too. The ones my daughter won't have the time to purge, that is... The best part will be that they will not be able to maintain their existences on Earth ! Remember ! I have taken control of everything here ! I have revoked their... origins in this world. They hold your otherworldly souls, but their flesh is now bound to Marka ! They will suffer in my Hells !"
"No... Not another Sin..." despaired the Grand Shaman in her council tree.
The elves and semi-humans of Elfort too, had felt the roar that defied all that existed. The forest-dwellers stopped their war preparations in fear and disbelief.
"Wrath... And Pride... Why did it have to be them ?" a shaman muttered.
The two Sins who opposed humanity in every way. Why did it have to be these two ? The Beast fractured nations and weakened alliances before the Drake destroyed existence to turn it into nothingness.
The citizens and armed forces of Elfort watched helplessly as the followers of Gluttony among them chanted and rejoiced at the event. Of course they would. One of the masters they served was back after eons...
Most had started partaking in feasts and dispying their debauchery as soon as they felt that the Sin of Pride was free. A tiny part still helped to erect fortifications and defenses against the Demons that would come soon.
The young shaman Frea frowned at the spectacle and teleported with a gust of wind. Somewhere, far away from the chaotic central forests of Elfort.
"This is worrisome... I don't like this at all." she let out between two breaths and frowned again.
The elf recalled the events of about a week ago. The cult of Gluttony had barged in Elfort's central forests, startling the locals and causing a mayhem everywhere they went.
These cultists, all robed in orange, with pendants of teeth hanging from their necks, clothes, hair... and basically everywhere on their bodies, were a nightmare to deal with. While they had agreed to cooperate with Elfort's forces to fight the Demons, they wanted independence from the elven chain of command. And... food. Lots of food during their stay.
Thankfully, Elfort was producing much more than it could consume. But the nation would not keep up the pace indefinitely.
Frea stopped in a small clearing. and took out a scroll where she had noted down various memories from her past life."Two steps in the pond... Feel the sharp stone under your feet... ACK-" she yelped as a pointed rock drew blood from one of her toes. "Well here goes that rock... And the waterfall. Let's see if that item's here."
Frea flipped the scroll around and began making small steps around the stone that pierced her foot."Then, turn left... deeper in the pond. Then... Up, up, down, down, left right, left right... B, A and Start... That should do it..."
The ground rumbled as a coffin-shaped log rose from the soil. It opened to reveal an elf's body. In perfect condition, completely untouched by time and decay.
Rustle.Animals began gathering around the hidden pond, at a distance from the elf and the corpse. Their eyes were fixated on the body, as if in a trance.
Then the eyes opened and the elf's body moved. Her lips trembled, letting out a whisper as soft as wind itself."Who... has awakened me ?" she inquired, looking at the surroundings.
"M-me ?" Frea answered, unsure of the corpse's reaction. "I- I am... the next Grand Shaman of the nation you founded, First Shaman."
"..."
The dead elf inspected the small one before her and nodded."Tell me, young one. What era is is ? Has Elfort prospered once again ? Has it recovered from the Heavenly BckFire ?"
"I... Yes ? This is... the Age of Peace. I do not remember the date but... I can say that Elfort is standing strong. We rule over-"
"The... Age of Peace ? Then you must have awakened me... three millennia after my passing. The Wandering Prophet saw an oracle that spoke about someone who would wake me during that age."
The other elf kept silent. She had no idea of what the First Shaman was talking about. Her game knowledge wasn't ringing any bells at the name of that Wandering Prophet. Or any BckFire either.
"... I doubt you have awakened me for such trivial matters. Young Shaman. Tell me, before the cradle of the soil cims me forever this time."
"Ah- Yes ! First Shaman ! Elfort is in danger once again ! Threats are menacing our nation ! The Demons have begun their march, they will arrive at our borders in about a month ! But more importantly, the Sins have awakened ! The god of this world has left the realm !" Frea began.
She was caught off-guard as the First Shaman practically unched herself at her junior, with eyes reflecting shock and... fear ?
"Which ones ?! The Gluttony we sealed ? Greed ? Who ? Which ones ?!"
"N-no... It's... Pride and Wrath."
"Oh. Oh... Oh... I-I see. That was... in none of Prophet's prophecies... So he wasn't lying when he said he couldn't glimpse at the future anymore..."
"First Shaman ? What shall we do ?" Frea questioned in a small voice.
"I- I don't know. I can... bless you, little elf. And I can give you my staff. That will empower you and your fellow elves to fight against the Demons... But against the Sins... I cannot act. They are forces of this world after all. It would be foolish to go against camities like these. Only by not sinning, could Elfort be at peace..."
"But that's... a fever dream. We can't do that."
"That's the problem." the corpse replied back in a deadpan tone. "As long as we sin, Sins will go against us. And we'll be fucked..."
"..."What the fuck was that speech ?
"Alright. Enough chit-chatting. Come closer. I don't have much time and I still need to give you what I promised. C'mon, faster. I don't have all time in the world."
...
Well that was anticlimactic. How the fuck did she switch out from that gentle speech to... whatever that was ?Sigh...No matters. I've got what I needed. The damned overpowered easter egg. Yggdrasil's Root and Voice of Arbres. Nice, nice and nice.
... Now I only need to worry about the council's reaction. Man, they're going to scold me so much...That was worth it though.
"Status..."
Frea, Voice of Arbre.
Future Grand Shaman of Elfort.
Master of Earth magic and exceptional tamer, she is the embodiment of living with nature.
We borrow from the Soil and one day, we shall give back what we owe.
? LV: 23?
HP: 1 020 [1500]ATK + Magic: 125 [170] + 260 [530]Stamina: 200 [300]Mana : 320 [590]Defense: 45 [100]Magic Dispersion : 17%
Titles:- [Voice of Arbre].- Shaman.
Very good.Exceptional even.
Those were exceptional mid-game stats thanks to that elf's blessings.Yet again, searching for easter eggs had proved to be extremely profitable. The hidden blessing Voice of Arbre had buffed the next Shaman's stats tremendously to the point she could rival an elven duelist, purely stat-wise.Plus, she could now form deeper bonds with creatures she tamed now. Lots of benefits had been reaped from this trip.
In addition, Yggdrasil's Root, a secret endgame weapon for elves, had greatly enhanced her magic. It had increased her magic attack by 2 times and almost doubled her mana flow rate too. Frea would be of help against the Demons, and that was a relief.
The elf jumped from branch to branch, calling in beasts and creatures that could be useful when the csh would come.
'Follow. But stay out of cities. I'll call you when the time will come.' the whistles the many beasts heard.
"Alright. That should be enough."Time for the scolding of my life... again.In a poof of leaves, Frea disappeared from where she had stopped, teleporting to her chambers in Elfort's main forest.
...
"What were you thinking ?! For the love of trees ! Imagine of a Demon assassin had followed you ! Please ! Frea ! Stop doing that ! It's dangerous !" the current Grand Shaman excimed in worry and exasperation.
Frea stayed silent at the dark elf's words. Trying to argue back would be useless for now. Letting the storm pass by was the best course of action the young elf could have at this moment.
Frea gnced at Van Goth, the messenger of the Grand Shaman, who winked at her. Like before, the tall vampire would try to persuade his master to lower any sanction. He had been a precious aid since Frea came back to the elven nation. She owed him a lot for covering her traces up and saving her ass while she was artifact hunting.
She looked at the sky. Dark clouds would gather very soon.
...A mess. Just as father said. I am ruling over a broken empire.
Liz'a passed by the corridor where the imperial suites were situated. She examined the Magic Tower of FrostCitadel, a broken mess of wood, stones, mana wiring and tiles. The Beastly Sin of Pride had wrecked the Tower, devoured her father, leaving not even a drop of blood. As vengeance for the countless years of imprisonment it had endured.
Liz'a de Wandermer sighed, remembering the crisis meeting herself and her father's closest advisors just came from. During this reunion, Liz'a and the sages of the Empire had unanimously agreed that trying to make amends and showing goodwill towards the States of Her Holiness Pope Kari was the better choice to make.
Reports had just started to come in when the meeting had started. The defeat was as crushing as it could be. Despite the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Empire's forces, the religious country had won. Mainly because of the Sin of Wrath, but also...
No-one in the council was on the battlefield when it happened but what did the messengers mean by 'the soldiers were not following directives' ? That was a basic principle of any army, why had they chosen to...
Anyway. I doubt her Holiness would appreciate military aid for her future crusades against the otherworlders. We did enough bad on our own. And now they have... Two Sins backing them up. The elders talked about monetary compensation and... that's pretty much everything we can do.
Lock-
Liz'a de Wandermer looked around in her room after locking the door. No-one was here. The Shadows of the Empire were nowhere to be found and no traces of mana were in her suite. She was alone.
"... Now. What was that whole thing about. This... Status thing. From a... Videogame. Something I will have to speak to... The Sin of Wrath."
The unofficial empress cpped her pale cheeks and breathed in slowly and deeply to lower her stress levels.
"Alright. Sta- Status ?"
She flinched as some kind of translucent blue gss with text on it appeared before her.
"Li- Liz'a de Wandermer. What the hell is that magic ? What the hell are those numbers ? They're... completely different from before. And thet description..."
Liz'a de Wandermer, the Snow Maiden.
Soon-to-be Empress of the Akwa Empire.
The prodigial maiden who inherited her control over frost from her beloved father. She honed her skills and sharpened her magic bde at a tender age to shoulder the nation that reached the peak of humanity
In the name of father, my bde.Against the outworlders, my ice.
? LV: 43?
HP: 3 900ATK + Magic: 360 + 1 000Stamina: 570Mana : 1200Defense: 165Magic Dispersion : 41%
Titles:- Snow maiden.- Frigid destructor.
"The change... Was this because it wasn't truly... me ?"
Something else I will have to speak to... The Sin of Wrath.
-
"Why am I... My stats... All at one... No, no, no, no... Why must I pay for that ? I just want to avenge my... Why is this so difficult ?"Uh ? voices ?
"-It's... fine Ruia. It's fine... We did our best. But it's beyond us. I wouldn't have thought that... I only had one vial of God Blood to cure you..."
"Ma- ster... You can't leave me... What will I do ? The elves of this world hate me. I can't... go anywhere. You sacrificed yourself for... I can't accept that !"
... Who the hell are these two ? A demon and an elf ? What are they doing here in there ?Why are they in a hut ?
"Ruia... You're still an existence beyond this world? You are a lv 100 NPC. You will manage. You will live. You will-"
This body's mine !
"?! Ruia ! Watch out !" the demon shouted as a grey ethereal form lunged at the elf.
"Kya-! Master ! Something is-!"
"A ghost ! It's trying to possess you !" Dispel ! Dispel !"
"NO ! I won't let you ! Your elf is mine !" the feminine voice of the specter spat back in a venomous tone.
The elf in maid attire thrashed around trying to pry off the entity that was the otherworldly soul inhabiting Liz'a, trying to cast magic and using her skills but-
"Ah!... Ah... Ah... Ah- cough cough..."
"Ruia ? You okay ?" the demonic man inquired in a worried tone.
She didn't answer.
"Rui- ?! UGH-"
A gurgling sound came out of the demon's throat as he tried to close off the ssh that just appeared across his whole neck. Dark red blood sprayed in every direction on the hut's wall, on the elf's outfit, on her dagger and on the ptes of meal...
The demon, who seemed to be a reincarnated individual too, spasmed under the eyes of the phantom who took the body of his maid. He tried reaching out for something but received a mace in the face, ending his suffering in an instant.
After a moment of silence, a soft yet cold ughter echoed from the hidden dwelling and overjoyed cries of victory scared off the surrounding fauna.
"Ahahahahah ! I hit the jackpot ! Thanks for this opportunity ! Thanks for the body you two, I'll use it well. For revenge ! For my boyfriend ! I'll kill you Raya, I'll kill you !"
