Divine Proposal

Ferris' demise came out of nowhere, leaving his master despondent. But that depression appeared fueled by anger and hatred.

People and animals died to overcome their rivals, but no one seemed brave enough to confront Notonious. The only ones who maintained the will and passion to keep fighting were the three primary leaders, Elliott, Shanya, and Olishia.

Shanya especially.

She didn't succumb to fury and hatred like the others. She was composed and chose to stride forth. She pressed her palm on her waist and traded eyes with Notonious.

"I'm not usually someone who'd intercept a battle without a task in mind. It's too much work to deal with other people's problems, but I can't let this one slide."

Shanya's physique became enclosed with red flames, showing hints of blackness around the corners. It illuminated her eyes, gleaming blue with each passing second.

"You wanna stop the Seraphs working for Hywel because of their criminal deeds, yet you're not any better. You're trying to kill them for your cause without considering others' choices and wishes. It sure pisses me the hell off to see an opposer perform the same experiments without a second objective in hand."

She closed her fist on the arm she wore the gauntlet and formed the red flames, seething through her finger gaps. She showed signs of aggression on to face Notonious.

"Ready or not? Time to roast that flesh, donkey."

Ralphie's group caught up to Timothy and Kyora, happy neither got hurt too much. They didn't suffer treacherous wounds and mostly received gashes across their body.

They knew Ivione remained their enemy and that one should confront him before it would be too late. Timothy understood that nobody matched Ivione's strength, not even himself. However, he knew someone had to face him, and as their captain, he would be the most viable for the battle.

Yumiko argued, claiming Timothy wasted too much energy to continue fighting. Timothy didn't care and laughed kind-heartedly.

He pressed his thumb against Yumiko's forehead, causing her eyes to follow its motions. It bewildered her. "Not too shabby. You've gotten more courageous. But let me handle this, blue."

Timothy's nickname irritated her, but she ignored it. She moved his arm away and held her forehead, unimpressed concerning Timothy's lecture.

She placed her arms on her hips and sighed, knowing she couldn't change his choice no matter how hard she tried. Instead, she agreed and grinned, trusting he could figure out a solution to stop Ivione.

"Tarot, I'm gonna need your cloud again. You don't mind, do you?"

Carefree as always, Tarot laughed and showed a thumbs up. This sign was enough for Timothy to understand he received his permission.

He hopped on the cloud the second Tarot's flying nimbus flew beside him. He gazed at them one last time before speeding in the air and ascending the skies to engage Ivione in combat for the second time.

Others stood below the clouds Ivione's airship flew and waited to see Timothy's victory.

The winds became much more powerful and heavier to move through. The sky gradually turned grey, and a thunderstorm occurred.

Before getting struck down by lightning, Timothy returned to the airship and leaped off the cloud, calling out to Ivione, who catnapped in the throne room.

He managed to hear Timothy's voice and spread his eyes, showing gratitude and bliss due to his arrival.

Without making a move, he waited for Timothy to enter the chamber. Once he saw him on the other end of the aisles, he stood up and thrust his hands in his pockets.

"Here for a rematch, I see. Why do you want to retrieve the Sanctum Islanders' harmony? I don't hurt them unless they cause vile blunders. I'm like any other leader. I wait patiently to see if someone fails to do something ordinary."

By lifting his chin, he glared into Timothy's solemn eyes. It evoked a rumble that struck behind and sparked his body. Timothy stayed mellow, this time prudent not to fall for the god of wind's bizarre gimmicks.

"Any other reasonable leader would forgive the mistakes his people did and wouldn't harm them because of a simple misstep. I heard you had an incredible reputation, but suddenly it declined for an unknown reason. I only want the people of the Sanctum Islands to live peacefully and recover the harmony they deserve. Is that too much to ask, Ivione?"

Ivione's smile disappeared and calmed him. He didn't show hints of anger other than some hatred.

"It's not that I want to hurt them. But if my reputation declines to zero, I can say goodbye to my land and the people who worship me. Everyone who speaks badly of me gets punished, even if I don't want to damage them. It's not easy to live a life of a divine emperor."

Timothy slowly unraveled Ivione's motives and understood everything Ivione explained. He didn't know how to react and waited to see what Ivione would state.

"You're identical to Photine. Hear me out, Timothy. If you face me and prove you're worthy of Photine's powers, I'll undergo your request and rewrite the rules that existed beforehand. If you succeed and pass this so-called test, I promise to return the favor."

Timothy observed Ivione's body language to make sure he wasn't lying. Once he deduced Ivione's truth, he prepared to agree to his proposition.

He needed to comprehend how to prove himself before agreeing and proceeding with the task.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you how to prove yourself. But if you're really Photine's successor, I'm sure you can find an answer. I shouldn't make this easy for you. Let's call it the path to awakening your abilities."

Without another thought, Timothy agreed to Ivione's demand and braced for the battle. He seemed passionate and motivated. He did all of this for the people of the Sanctum Islands.

"You've tricked us before, but I get your proposal, Ivione. I don't doubt your authority, but I ask you to show me you're an ideal ruler for the Sanctum Islands."

To be continued...