Chapter 264: Peace Realm

We descended using the gravity lift and landed on the ground below the ship.

All around, I could see knights wielding spears and halberds, nervously looking up at the ship and us.

Behind the ship, I saw a massive portal reaching fifty feet into the air. The Cursebreaker had likely arrived from it.

"What the hell is going on...? Are we being invaded!?" One of the knights said.

I approached him with Isabella and ahe bowed her head.

"Greetings, citizens of the Peace realm in Tanavol. I am Queen Isabella Iratus of the Cursebreaker. First wife of the Destroyer, King Mizik Iratus. Where is the Avatar of Creation? We desire an audience with him," she said.

"Eh...you're not here to kill us all...?" The man said.

"Certainly not. Rather, until we have just cause to do so, we will remain friendly. Where is Kestel?" Isabella asked.

"Kestel...? He should be in the Creation realm. But I think he went missing, recently... How can you understand us and speak our language?" He said.

"Magic. And thank you for your cooperation. I am grateful that-"

Suddenly, Isabella stopped as we felt a tremendous power nearby.

The large platform that we were standing on had a series of steps leading down to the main street. This street led straight to the castle at the center of the city.

I looked at Aldaril and he was doing everything he could to hide his power. He seemed nervous.

"Ugh...gods damn it all... She's here...that monster is here..." Aldaril said.

"Who's here...?" I said.

"Oh...thank goodness! Lady Nirani has arrived to restore order. Sorry all of you, we mean no disrespect. But you could never hope to overcome the Avatar of Peace," the Knight said.

"Oh hell...that's a lot of power..." I said.

At that moment, two golems slammed into the ground glowing with a magenta-colored energy. 

They looked to be made of some kind of silver metal and were well over ten feet tall. They were hulking and massive. Both of them wielded halberds. Lastly, every part of their metallic bodies was covered in glowing, magenta-colored lines.

A third one flew down nearby and levitated off of the ground. It had some kind of ranged weapons attached to its arms and shoulders. It didn't have legs. It had the same build as the halberd-wielding golems.

Finally, a fourth golem arrived with a woman on its back. This one looked skinnier than the other three, but what it lacked in strength, it made up for with its speed and the intense magic radiating off of it.

This one also didn't have legs. And when it flew close to the ground, the woman got off of its back.

She landed and dusted herself off.

This woman was, by every definition, stunningly beautiful. The first I had ever seen that could compare to Isabella and Cassandra. 

She was a tad smaller than them, but not by much. Her hair was very long and well-kept. It covered her left eye and reached down past her waist. It was the color of deep magenta. Same as her eyes.

She wore a strange outfit that looked like a black and white school uniform with a skirt. She had a white and magenta coat on over it with matching shoes. She had stockings on and a gentle smile crossed her face.

She sort of looked like...an idol.

The woman turned to us and placed her hand over her right eye. It flared out with a magenta-colored light, and another golem appeared like the one she flew in on. The two slender golems hovered next to her.

She walked forward and the other golems got into positions around her.

"Who is the owner of this ship?" She said.

"That would be me," I said.

I walked forward to meet her and one of the larger golems moved its halberd to block me.

"My apologies. But until I verify your intentions, I would prefer to keep my distance. The Peace realm is the entry point of Tanavol. This is a routine thing. I'm sure you understand!" She said.

Her right eye flared out again and I felt myself overcome with a calming sensation.

I no longer had any will or desire to fight.

"Oh, good. You'll remain that way until I say otherwise. Okay? My name is...Nirani Tirenyl!" She said while posing surely and placing her fingers over her left eye...presumably. It was obscured by her hair. "Nirani Tirenyl of house Tirenyl! I have served as the Avatar of Peace for three thousand years. And you are?"

"King Mizik Iratus, the Destroyer of worlds. Captain of the Cursebreaker and chosen to fight the Corruption. Your world is infected and we need an audience with Kestel. Could you kindly release us?" I said.

"Destroyer of worlds...? With a title like that, I think I should just go ahead and deal with you... So sorry! We can handle any threats to our world just fine~! We don't need a destroyer of worlds bothering us..."

At that moment, Aldaril stepped forward. He looked pissed.

"Listen, you two-faced bitch of an Avatar! We are here to HELP you! Let us go and we'll be out of your ridiculously long hair!" He said.

She looked over at him curiously and seemed to stare. Her entire demeanor shifted.

"You...Aldaril? Is that you?" Nirani said.

"Yeah...I'm back. I found my place on their ship. I'm using my power to help people. The exact thing you believed I could never do."

"...The Avatar of Death has invaded the Peace realm...huh... I never thought I'd see such a thing ever again, but here you are," Nirani said.

"Dammit... LISTEN TO ME!!! I NEVER WANTED THIS POWER!!! AND YOU BASTARDS EXILED ME FROM MY HOME!!! WHY!? WHY DID I HAVE TO BE SEPARATED FROM MY FAMILY!? WHY DID HIKARI HAVE TO DIE!?" 

Nirani was taken back by this and her eye flared out again.

This time...Aldaril's did as well. Two opposing energies impacted each other and exploded violently between them. I was blown back and Isabella stepped in front of me with her shield raised.

"Mizik...I can't lift my sword, but I can still raise my shield. Stay behind me!" Isabella said.

"Darling...I can't attack, either... Whatever her power is, it's preventing me from doing anything!" Cassandra said.

"I'm working on it..." I said.

I was currently trying to dismantle the energies surrounding us. They were immense. Reminicent of the mansion Aldaril lived in back on Delvandal. As if he had used his remnant power from here to make it.

I looked over and saw Aldaril pull out his lantern. Nasuria stood nearby, unable to lift a finger.

"Back off, Nirani!" Aldaril growled.

"Against you? You're a threat to us all! I won't stand by while you get set to slit our throats, undead fiend! I may not have my weapon, but it won't take much to deal with you!" Nirani said.

Her right eye flared again and the two golems with halberds stepped forward.

"Fine then... I'm not the same stupid kid who looked up to you in the past, Nirani. I AM ALDARIL SANO, THE AVATAR OF DEATH!!!" 

His lantern flashed and his power exploded outward. Aldaril's form changed into a lich and the lantern morphed into a spear.

The two golems lunged forward and Aldaril took the attacks head-on. 

He was blown back and slowly got up.

"Ugh...damned peace aura... MIZIK! FIND A WORKAROUND TO THIS MAGIC! I'LL TRY TO KEEP HER BUSY!!!" Aldaril said.

"Already way ahead of you..." I said.

The magic was immense, but I was already making headway in cutting through and dismantling it.

It was a similar to a type of illusion magic, yet different altogether...which explained why it affected Cassandra... It was made of sound waves and seemed to pacify anything and everything in her immediate area. That, and her golems felt the same as Aldaril's undead.

Aldaril began summoning skeletal titans to block the attacks of the golems and protect him.

Soon after they were summoned, Nirani pacified them. All they could do was block. Meanwhile, the ranged and magic golems took aim.

"MIZIK!!!" Aldaril roared.

"Got it!" I said.

I lunged forward at Nirani and her eye flared again. She dodged to the side, thinking I would attempt to attack her.

But an attack wasn't what I had in mind...

My reflexes allowed me to place my hand over her face.

"Say goodbye. And hello to your new god," I said.

"Wha-!?"

I blasted Nirani's mind with the same magic I used on Masina so long ago.

It was much harder to do since Nirani's magic was far more intense, but...

I managed to implant myself as someone of great importance to her. 

When I finished, her golems stepped back and she put her hands on her head.

Then she looked at me and blinked several times.

"Ah...what was I... OH!!! MASTER MIZIK!!! MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES!!!" Nirani shouted.

She dropped down to her knees and held her hands up. They were curled over her chest as if they were paws... She was panting like a dog.

"What the fuck did you just do to her!?" Aldaril said as he approached.

"I don't know. All I did was place myself in her mind as someone of great importance. The rest...I can't say," I said.

How the hell was I supposed to know why she was acting like a dog?

Nirani was panting and looking lustfully at me.

Some of the knights saw this and started panicking.

"Cassandra, take care of those knights. Nirani, release us from your aura of peace...or whatever it's called..." I said.

"Yes Master! Right away! Woof!" Nirani said.

The magic dispersed immediately.

Oh gods, I need her to stop that right now...

"Yes, darling! I'll deal with them quickly!" Cassandra said.

The knights on the portal platform attempted to defend themselves to no avail. Cassandra executed them all as if she were stepping on bugs.

When she finished, she returned and bowed her head. 

"My apologies, your Majesty... I couldn't attack because of her..." Cassandra said.

"I know. That much was obvious. Isabella, Cassandra, stay by my side. I don't know what's wrong with her right now..." I said.

"You mean to say that you didn't force her to act like a dog and call you Master, my love?" Isabella said with a smile.

It appeared to be a gentle smile. But truthfully, I knew she was supressing her annoyance with our situation.

"Isabella...please. I need you to believe me here. I didn't do that to her on purpose..." I said.

"Considering your past actions...hmm..."

Now I was panicking. I didn't want them to see me as some kind of depraved degenerate...but...

Nirani looked up at me with her tongue hanging out of her mouth, still panting like a dog.

"Woof! I'm a good girl, right, Master?" Nirani said.

"Please stop acting like a dog!" I said.

"Yes, Master! What would you have me do? Are you planning to degrade me in public? Please do! I want you to satisfy yourself by using me! You may force others to stare and call me names as well!" Nirani said.

At that moment, Aldaril burst out laughing.

He went back to his human form and doubled over as he began having trouble breathing.

"What the hell is wrong with her!? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I CAN'T BREATHE!!!" Aldaril howled.

"Darling? Is she okay?" Cassandra said.

"No...I don't think she is..." I said.

"And you swear this wasn't your fault...?" Isabella said.

"I swear! It wasn't me! All I did was make myself someone important to her! Someone she wouldn't attack! It was all I could do since that damned eye of hers was interfering so much! If she's acting like this...then it can only mean-"

"I've always held the desire to be publicly humiliated, Master. And Master Mizik should be the one to hold my leash!" Nirani said.

"I hate my life..." I said.

It had happened again. Somehow another wierdo found their way into my circle.

"There there, my love. It's alright. If need be, I'll simply add her to the list of concubines. She'll be useful to have around, being as powerful as she is," Isabella said.

I turned to her and frowned.

"I miss the days where you would never have considered uttering such words..."

"As do I, but we've evolved, Mizik. Things change. We couldn't afford to stay the same forever. Now then, I should probably get a place ready for her on the ship, yes?" Isabella said.

"No...she's weird... I don't want this..." I said.

Isabella smiled sweetly. The type of smile that sent shivers down my spine.

"That didn't stop you from being so nice to my sister, did it?" 

"We're doing this now...? Can we please just-"

"Nirani Tir...something or other...hmm..." Isabella said.

"My name is Nirani Tirenyl. But please, having my name mistaken by someone in power above me is so exciting! I feel insulted! I adore it!" 

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! WHO KNEW!? WHO COULD HAVE GUESSED THAT THE IDOL CELEBRITY PRINCESS NIRANI WAS SO FUCKED IN THE HEAD!?!? AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! HELP ME! I'M DYING OF LAUGHTER!!!" Aldaril roared.

"Oooooh...I'm being laughed at and mocked by the man I exiled so long ago! Even the Avatar of Death is laughing at me! How insulting...hnnn..." 

"NIRANI, CAN YOU PLEASE ACT NORMAL FOR FIVE MINUTES!?!?" I yelled.

"Haaah...your voice is so brutal... I will do my best..." Nirani said.

Aldaril was still laughing his ass off.

"Nirani Iratus. That will be your new name. I'll ignore the eye color since it seems to be impossible to change it right now. What say you, hm?" Isabella said.

"I am Nirani Iratus! Slave of Master Mizik! I am unworthy of being his concubine!"

"Splendid. You'll answer to me, the head wife. I am Isabella Iratus. And I am ordering you, from now on, to use every ounce of your power to protect Mizik. Is that understood?"

"Yes! Very understood! I will protect Master Mizik!" Nirani said gleefully.

"Why...why could't she just be normal...? Why did another one have to join... It wasn't my fault..." I said despairingly.

"Darling, it's okay! I'm sure she'll be a good doggie!" Cassandra said.

"Not helping..."

"My goodness, this woman is stong... Even my dear Aldaril struggled at his full power. I shudder to think of what might await us further down the line..." Nasuria said.

"Yeah. This isn't going to be fun. But it's only the beginning. Ugh..."

"Master Mizik, if you'd like, I can station my golems at the base of the platform to prevent anyone from bothering us. Or would you prefer to go to my castle?" Nirani said.

"We should board the ship for now. I have a lot of questions I want to ask. Can you send a message to the people of this realm saying that you're talking with us? And please...by the gods, act normal about it..." I said.

Nirani smiled and finally stood to her feet. 

"I will endeavor to serve with everything that I am! Please leave it to me!" She said.

The Eye of Peace flared out and several more golems appeared. Some were placed at the bottom of the steps to the platform, and many hovered in the air surrounding the ship. 

Then...she placed her hands together over her mouth.

Her voice was magnified from the golems.

"PEOPLE OF THE WONDERFUL PEACE REALM! THE SHIP IS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM! I AM HANDLING THE SITUATION AND CONVERSING WITH OUR NEW ALLIES! PLEASE LEAVE EVERYTHING TO ME! YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON NIRANI TO SAVE THE DAY!" Nirani said.

I heard cheering below and she turned to me.

"Let us depart at once, Master Mizik!" 

"Ugh...fine..."

The six of us stood in the gravity lift and I tapped a button on my watch. Just to let Rastair know that we needed to board, of course.

Soon after, we rose into the belly of the Cursebreaker.