Chapter 136: On hold

Intrigued, she thought that feeling would be fleeting in this era. Yet here she was provided with a new plaything. Someone who dispatched ten thousand of her creatures in mere minutes, someone who could counter her semi-serious attack, someone interesting. With that helmet, his visage was all the more mysterious. Using her clairvoyance, she could discern his identity, but there was no fun in that. She rather liked the thrill of the unknown and asked herself, who was this boy whose mana she could not detect?

"So have you come to combat me, boy?" Rhiannon inquired, almost casually. "Hmm, you may have worth." She glanced at the slumped-over Isabella and kneeled over Agatha as well as the unconscious form of Reynard some ways away. "More so than those few. Though the one who was directing them also has my attention."

"I'm so 'honored' you think so," Mikoto spat out with sarcasm, planting Sabre in the grass-covered ground while resting his hands atop the hilt.

"Be on guard, Mikoto," Agatha advised with a grave tone. "She's strong, immensely so, she's just been toying with us with naught but physical abilities."

["She's right, Mikoto."] Victoria's voice resounded inside his head as it continued, ["I foresaw no strategies to win, all I could do was direct everyone on the best course of action to survive longer. I'm not sure even you could win against her."]

"Talking amongst yourselves and ignoring me, my, my, now that makes me sad," Rhiannon said mockingly. "But do take all the time you need, it may be all you have left."

"Big words, hag, I intend to win," Mikoto stated with full confidence. "I've nothing to fear from someone who has to attack the helpless to prove something."

Rhiannon merely quirked up a brow at his words. "What? Fancy yourself a hero, darling?" She chuckled. "That would be adorable, but my goals lie further than simply proving something."

"What, your oh so glorious goal of finding who's worthy of walking this planet?" Mikoto gauged with an undertone of annoyance. Rhiannon furrowed her brows at his words.

"Hmm, now who could have told you that," she seemed to ponder momentarily but could not voice her conclusion as it took form by someone leisurely walking through the obscene sight of a vibrant forestry of green plaguing the usual snowy landscape of Verdantis. Lyra drew a confused look from Agatha and one of familiarity from Isabella.

"Lady Lyra?" The spawn of the songstress Goddess noted.

"Apologies for not stepping in, Isabella," Lyra curtly said before leveling her ruby eyes towards her brethren who broke out into a grin.

"Lyra!" The Ancestor of chaos gave a laugh in amusement. "You actually deigned to step out of your hiding place? My, my, now this is the most surprising thing I've learned."

"Tactless as always, Rhiannon," Lyra frowned, but her gaze remained steady. "As always it seems you pursue your whims despite the consequence."

"I do not pursue mere whims," Rhiannon scoffed out. "Only goals of certainty. I venture you have been in this new dawn for much longer than I. Despite my short time, I know of the dawn of this new realm's history, from start to present. And you must have taken note of it as well, no? How unworthy these new denizens are, how they take this realm for granted and plunder it with insensible squabbles."

"You wish to judge all denizens of the realm based on the actions of a few?" Lyra shook her head at the prospect.

"Not the few, the majority," Rhiannon corrected with a flourish of her hair. "Even the Fate Walkers served as better denizens."

Mikoto took note of the name; Telluris had mentioned it when they were busy fighting. ("That was what the Chaosmaw's were known as.")

"And so you judge yourself worthy to judge the new denizens?" Lyra inquired as she crossed her arms under her chest.

"But of course I do," Rhiannon replied almost instantly and with unshakable conviction that seemed misplaced. "The weak who have not earned their place in this world are not worthy of walking it. They take what was easily given to them for granted and merely whine at misfortunes that are rightfully placed. This era is unworthy, the denizens weak, the squabbles meaningless, and their conviction unfounded. What use is the realm to them if they are not worthy of it?"

"And so you decided to side with the Fate Walkers because of your beliefs?" Lyra scoffed. "I admit despite this era of peace, any war waged in the past was meaningless. Many have grown fond of the brief peace in this era, and I admit that has made many complacent and weak. But this era can be beautiful, its people liberating. But you are too stuck in your views to even see that."

Rhiannon scoffed, "Gibberish, one cannot simply change without effort. Once more the majority are found unworthy, and they will in time infect those that are." Rhiannon reasoned but then her ruby eyes turned to Mikoto. "To one I find strong, tell me what are your thoughts, boy?"

"My thoughts?" Mikoto hummed; he was not one for debates if he were being honest. Were Rhiannon spouting her beliefs in his world, then he would have been inclined to agree, but he could not give a concrete answer of this realm. He had only been here for a few months and only to two major nations. There was too much to see and too many people to judge and meet. ("This world is vast and filled with the wildest of things; one is free to wander and wonder and learn and grow. The people here...") He thought of someone like Selwyn, scum who would kill for amusement. But there were people like Mirabella with simple aspirations. Someone like Agatha who simply wanted her freedom. Someone like Lucinda who simply wanted to be more than the spawn of Octavia. Everyone was unique in their goals and aspirations, but in such a vast world, if the majority were irredeemable, did that mean those few that are should also perish?

"To that I say...." Agatha and Isabella looked at him questionably for his large pause while Rhiannon seemed to wait in anticipation for his answer. "Genocide is kind of dumb, not gonna lie." Agatha knitted her brows at the blunt answer while Isabella looked at him incredulously, "I mean, why do you want to kill so many people? Are you stupid?"

Lyra, meanwhile, seemed to stifle a laugh but quickly calmed herself down via clearing her throat, "There's an answer from one you found worthy, Rhiannon. As he said, killing on such a large scale merely to fulfill your own beliefs is selfish-"

"I said stupid."

"At any rate," Lyra continued, "What will your next move be? Fighting Mikoto will take a toll on you as you emerge victorious-"

"Uh, what, I'll totally win."

"Powerful as you are, Rhiannon, even you have your limits," Lyra stared ahead defiantly. "And a weakened Rhiannon I can beat."

Rhiannon merely chuckled, "My, my, where has the rat Lyra gone? Who is this confident girl standing before me?" Rhiannon remarked. "I must say you've changed, dear. You were never one to put yourself on the front line. I've no idea what has changed, but I must say I do like this new Lyra." With a gesture of her hand, Radiant Dior dissipated into gold particles. She snapped her fingers, and in the air, a large red tear tore through reality, illuminating the vast expanse of green. "Rather amusing, I must say, do keep it up. And you, Mikoto, was it? I'll remember you." She merely stated as she stepped into the red tear, it closing and disappearing as if it were never there to begin with.

Lyra released a breath she did not know she was holding, "I...I did not think she would leave so easily."

"I would not call anything about this easy," Agatha breathed out as she slumped into a sitting position, not mindful of the ground.

"I have to agree," Isabella sighed, "I've never been that terrified in my entire life!"

"Eh, she didn't seem all that tough," Mikoto muttered as Sabre disassembled itself into red particles. "Anyway, are you okay, Agatha? You look like shit."

The aforementioned girl could only level a weak glare at the boy, "Thanks to mana exhaustion, now stop being an idiot and lend me a shoulder." Mikoto merely shrugged as he hefted her up from the ground by her arm, wrapping it around his neck and supporting her. "Thanks, Mikoto," Agatha sighed. "Had you not arrived when you did, then it would have been..."

"Don't mention it and don't reminisce about it either," Mikoto waved off.

"Still, I owe you. Should you require anything, then feel free to ask," Agatha offered. "Still, this all served to show me how lacking I am with Arcane Ascendance."

"You and me both," Isabella sighed out. "To think someone like her existed, but you seemed to know her, Lady Lyra."

"It's too long a story, one of no importance," Lyra muttered as she gestured to the still unconscious form of Reynard. "Isabella, I'll drop you and Reynard off at your abodes. You've both expended too much mana and require rest."

"I guess that's the end of this whole ordeal, oh and uh sorry, Agatha, Victoria. You two kind of got involved in this cause you tagged along with me on my errand," Mikoto realized.

["Think nothing of it, Mikoto."] Victoria voiced without worry, ["Though I will take a favor for compensation."] Agatha perked up at that.

"Maybe I will take a favor also," the blonde girl mused.

"Uh, didn't you say you owed me one?" Mikoto questioned.

"Hmm, I've changed my mind," Agatha merely muttered with a dry gaze to the side. "At any rate, we must return to Galadriel and proceed with the preparations."

["Indeed, we've been gone for much too long, and who knows they might think the three of us are off to pursue lecherous activities."] Victoria chuckled.

Isabella grew slightly red at that, "Uhm, I can still hear you, Lady Victoria."

["I know."]

"Anyway," Mikoto cut in before that line of conversation could escalate. "What will you do now, Lyra?"

"A meeting is currently underway with the rest of the Inheritors, I am required to attend. I'll do so after seeing to Isabella and Reynard," she clarified. "And once the two are ready, they'll join me, but for you, Mikoto, I would urge caution. Rhiannon has no doubt taken an interest in you, and that's not something to take lightly," Lyra smiled slightly. "And I would hate for anything to happen to you, you're just so cute."

"What?"

["What?"]

"You'll make me blush with that talk," Mikoto snarked, "Then I'm off-"

"Just a moment if you will," Lyra quickly stopped him; he glanced back at her. "The court mage of Galadriel, Guinevere, do you know of her?"

"I do, saw her a couple of times," he confirmed.

"I see, how is she? Still healthy?" Lyra inquired; Mikoto knitted his brows in confusion beneath his helmet at the random question.

"She looked fine, I guess, pretty healthy."

Lyra seemed relieved at that, "Good, then I shall not keep you any longer, Mikoto. Go forth." Mikoto gave a last nod as both he and Agatha warped from their place, a screeching noise in the air as he teleported.

--------------------

Aegraxes hummed as he skimmed through a simple book while seated on a chair in his expansive room. There was little to do to pass the time when he was not scheming, and enjoying a good book was his pastime. He was always at the edge of his seat while reading through any book, having no knowledge of what could happen next was quite exciting. The fantasy novels with the heroes were ironically his favorite.

How the heroes' motivations differ was an interesting thing he would admit. Even if the concept became dull over time. He could admire someone who would always stick to their ideals. And this particular book was quite the interesting one. A hero driven mad when all he knew was lost forever, turning on those he sought to protect. It was amusing as it was overdone; however, he could not enjoy his book further as in the next instance a tear of red ripped through air in the room.

And then the familiar figure of Rhiannon stepped out as the tear closed behind her.

"You know there is a thing called privacy," Aegraxes muttered, closing his book as he placed it on his lap.

"Oh hush, no place is private to me," she merely stated, placing her hands on her hips.

"You seem rather happy, the trip to Verdantis was fruitful then?" Aegraxes surmised.

Rhiannon smiled slightly, "More so than what I was expecting. The Inheritors I encountered were novices, but they were interesting all the same. Though I held back, they lasted much longer than what I was expecting."

"Hm, is that so?" Aegraxes quirked up a brow at her words. "Well, it seems you're having fun. So have you found any worthy there?"

"But one, the three Inheritors were close but not quite there," Rhiannon answered with a grin etched onto her face. "Mikoto, that was his name." Aegraxes perked up at the mention of the familiar name.

"Ah, him? What on earth was he doing in Verdantis?" Aegraxes wondered.

"You know of him?" Rhiannon questioned.

"Yes, he's the other spawn of Octavia," he bluntly revealed, and he got a dry stare from the Ancestor. "What is it?"

"You've spoiled the mystery, fool," she huffed as she folded her arms in annoyance; he almost stared at her incredulously. "But this is interesting all the same, a spawn of hers is sure to be fun. Now there are two," she smiled at the prospect.

"I see, well, to each their own, I suppose," Aegraxes muttered.

"Beatrice and Ezerald, I will see them now. To gauge their worth, is there a large remote area in this kingdom?" Rhiannon inquired.

"Barring cities, it is a large wasteland all around; you should find an area large enough just outside of the capital." Aegraxes informed, Rhiannon quirked up a brow at that.

"A wasteland, eh? Why is that."

"You've no doubt noticed the advanced technology of Vel'ryr; they fuel their machinery via harnessing mana, from the leylines of the land mostly. And because of that, you get barren land," Aegraxes chuckled at the prospect.

Rhiannon frowned at that before giving a scoff, "And yet another reason."