Chapter 69. Conflict and Division

With a flash Ash was out. Though there were only about a couple dozen left surviving, there were the factions, religions, parents, uncles, and whoever else tied to the kids that entered. 

They all stood behind a line that a tamer with a Burgendy mastiff stood in front of, a couple of dead bodies torn in two. 'Presumably from trying to cross the line.' Ash could taste it: the tension, the desperation, the anger. Once he and Kaz came out, the realm shut automatically with no one else alive. It was the straw that broke the camal's back. 

"This can't be right, almost a thousand went in and only a couple dozen exit." 

"That's right, where is my son?!"

"Where is my daughter?!!"

"My entire sect is missing!!" 

The comments from the crowd went on and on until the tamer's mastiff let out a grrrr loud enough that it silenced the crowd. 

The only ones having not spoken were those of a certain status, they observed but even their faces weren't particularly pleased. 

"Everyone shuddup. I'm getting a headache already. Those who have left the realm may not leave because clearly something has happened. Usually half the people that go in are dead. I dare say it looks like 90+% are gone."

"Would one of you care to explain."

Hector approached the tamer with a pendant signifying his status. "I am Hector Goldbringer, the third prince. All information on this subject matter is hence forth categorized as umbral. An official investigation will be launched immediately. Those involved have already been noted. Please detain Zamma of the school of the Clown Gods. He is a key suspect in this investigation."

"The Goldbringer family, I can't believe that the royal family is investigating what has happened in the realm. Something must be fishy."

"That still gives us no answers as to where our children are." 

"Please, just let me see my boy!!" 

"Where are the nobles, shouldn't they step forward. How many peasant class children have died?? Even some of their children have died." This was true, though the nobles hadn't spoken, it was as clear as day that they wanted answers too. Yet the prince declaring an investigation had immediately pushed that notion to the back of their throats. 

 The man with the mastiff kneeled to the prince. The mastiff sprang into action and charged at zamma, seemingly fine along with his group.

Next to them stood a tall man with the entirety of his face bandaged. Though the mouth was available for all to see. Clown's makeup of pitch black along his lips popping out against his snow like skin. 

"Has the royal family forgotten their agreement?" The man's voice sounded slow, as if he had trouble catching up with the entirety of his sentence. However there was a subtle lingering that he did with some of his words that made him sound truly unhinged. The mastiff running forward shook, piss running down it's leg as it stopped abruptly.

Claws dug into the cobblestone floor as it looked at the man in fear. The tamer flashing and appearing next to his bond. He retreated with his bond underneath his arms, a gloomy tinge now found in his eyes. The bond still shaking, Ash couldn't tell clearly but something about the bond's mental state was declining. A pill was inserted in the dog's mouth as the tamer tersely looked at the clown god member.

'I need the other royal guards, I alone am not enough.' Using a flare the royal guardsman shot it into the sky. A pop of a firework and a purple ball lingered in the air. Neither Zamma or the man reacting, a sense of strangeness in the atmosphere. 

"He is a traitor who did not abide by his word when the time for battle came. Everyone stood together to fight monsters and demons for our lives. Only your sapling injured and killed the already defeated combatants from those fights." Hector immediately launched into a verbal scolding, show casing a united front with everyone. Zamma having gone against his word and raised his weapon against fellow tamers. 

"Zamma, speak for yourself." The man smiled not an ounce of sweat dropping from his body at the crowd's penetrating gaze. 

"You know something papa. This realm has been used all of three times and each one has had a catastrophic survival rate. It is just like the royals to use us as cannon fodder and declare a victim the executioner. Why don't you tell them why we were really sent into a known sacrifice. Does the king think it is right to deny his subjects rightful information that would've prevented mass slaughter?"

"Do not try sophistry with me jester. You may have a strong standing in this kingdom but it is just that, a standing. My family are the rightful and long tried rulers of this nation." Ash could feel something completely off. The Clown Gods were a group at least loosely known to most due to their contentious history. 

'They're agents of chaos. Why is this guy standing here? If I were him, I'd already have left, it doesn't seem like anyone could take Zamma with his father standing behind him.'

Just then a large silhouette flew overhead as a figure dropped down. "Sir Gilmore it is a pleasure to see you. Why have you come?" Hector addressed a short man with slick back black hair. His mouth puffing on a joint as he walked about almost disorderly.

"New rules prince. Sir Ponzi is an (Huck), (Burp), esteemed guest. MMMMMMMM he is no longer under in....." The man just stopped talking, drinking some liquor and taking a puff of his joint. He didn't even say anything to anymore, but everyone got the gist of it. Hector deeply frowned and he slowly started to examine those involved as well as the more silent members of the crowd. 

Gilmore started up again, "Those uninvolved have no need to stay. (Puff) (Puff) Haaaaa, good shit." Ash watched the nobles, religions, and sects. Barbo, Alvin, Bertha, Artemis, Kraven, Helena, and Baika all walked to their respective locations. 

"Wait what about-----" A few people had merely opened their mouths when Gilmore's Triple Clawed Pigeon moved. Blood flew everywhere as a claw strikes decimated two areas in the crowd. Blood, limbs, and organs splattered. It happened too fast for people to react to. 

'What the fuck is going on.' Ash was no stranger to displays of power to achieve obedience, but the man acted like he truly didn't care. Like.... He planned to kill people.

'Oh fuck, we need to get out of here.' Ash looked at Kaz who looked back with similar grimness. Hector at this point crushed an orb as a sword lopped off one of his arms. "Ahhhhhhhhhh."

Suprise in his face but as the portal gem he crushed was about to transport him Sir Ponzi acted. 

The transportation field became chaotic. Hector hugged his shoulder as his bond healed his gushing stump of a shoulder. Zamma smiling wide while the others having left had various reactions. 

Barbo muttered to himself but left with the larger wild man next to him. No surprise alight in his eyes. Alvin and the well hooded figure with a prominent hump, said nothing at all. Cold calculation in their eyes as they left. Artemis kneeled next to her master as they vanished into the shadows, a playful gleam in her eyes. Bertha looked genuinely surprised as she looked at the situation unfolding. Opening her mouth, her sect master waved his sleeve and her mouth closed. She bit her lip slightly and the two set out quickly. Helena stood with a woman who's frigid expression seemed like it could ruin the mood at even a drug fueled party. 

"Is it starting?" 

"Mmmmmm." With but a couple sentences the disinterested faces of the woman and girl left. 

Kraven stood next to his mentor with absolute glee in his eyes. The man wore a red robe embroidered with scenes of battle, carnage, and war. The elderly man took a sniff in the air towards Hector's position. "Noble's blood. No better blood to fill up on then the blood of a dying king."

Kraven smiled, "I knew it would happen, but this soon?"

"Aaa, some other events have happened that have stirred into motion things that were supposed to happen later."

"I assume we ally with the clowns. Yet does it really have to be them?" Kraven did not forget what happened once he and the others finished fighting one of the disasters. Zamma's smile was a lot more sinister knowing what he'd done to everyone, to him. 'And for that you are on my list of must kill.'

The figure was silent and Kraven could feel a yank in his heart as a foreign blood entered his body. The process exploding his pain receptors as though every fiber of his being was torn and sown back together. He healed completely, no longer shriveled or limping. His state of deprivation extending to his bonds no longer worsening. 

"Speak ill of our allies and you will be next." Kraven knew that his mentor could've healed him without the pain. It was a reminder among many to shut the fuck up and deal with it. 

'Didn't even show killing intent, old bastard thinks he can lord over me? In due time.' Various lights flashed below Kraven's eyes as he planned, schemed. Another look around and he found a target he was going to kill today.

'The other will have to wait, that fuck Hector is already dead meat. Zamma you prick, I'd drink your blood but I know it's the foulest shit anyone's every experienced. Clowns.'

"I want that Southern boy, teacher." His teacher hardly looked at Ash and nodded. 

"They would probably be fine with additional loose ends being cut. Handle it."

An alarming red aura was emitted. Hector had tried to escape but Gilmore dragged him like a rag doll to God knows where. Hector could only lip to his two new friends to escape.

Kaz and Ash shivered slightly. Zamma looked at Ash with his blind folded eyes. The bandage on his face tightening as his smile elongated. 

"One who is chosen. You will provide endless entertainment." Hearing the description of Ash, Ponzi didn't smile. In fact, he hadn't smiled at all. 

'What the fuck are they staring at?' Ash looked around nervously and saw Kraven along with his master. Their attentions now on him.

Cussing underneath his breath, Ash crushed the talisman that Baika had given him. Immediately the previously leaving figure of Baika and his master paused. 

'I'm gonna need that favor.'