Losing It

--- Vale's Encampment

"What was that?"

Everyone in the camp besides Vale asked the same question. Was that really the Goddess of Evil's voice?

While everyone was chattering and asking each other what was it all about, Vale had her own set of thoughts.

"If it really the Goddess of Evil, then this summoning of hers is really strange. Instead of only calling out to practitioners under the influence of evil, she called out to every daughter of Ashnakara. Not only that, she asked for the daughters of Ashnakara to kill the blasphemers at Cinder Hell Mountain. There aren't any wars happening around that area due to its extreme environment and secluded location... so why?"

...

--- Scarlet Witches' Hideout

Everyone in the village was gathered at the village center, where a tattered old flag was standing. While every of the Scarlet Witches formed a circle around it including the Chicken Lord and Nuggets, the leader of the Scarlet Witches went to the center.

The leader of the Scarlet Witches was Sylvie, a teenage-looking girl with dark red hair and wore a black gown. She also had a fire-shaped tattoo on her right shoulder that reached her palm.

"Everyone! The time has come for us to do our duty! All of you go back to your homes and gather everything you need! Once the moon shows itself, we will all set out towards Cinder Hell Mountain!"

The Scarlet Witches immediately did as what they were asked. No one was nervous or happy. They all knew that this day would come sooner or later.

"Uncle, I'm sorry for this sudden course of action, but I hope you understand." Sylvie said as she approached the Chicken Lord.

"It's fine Sylvie. In fact, I am also going with you."

When Sylvie heard this, she was surprised. During the time the Chicken Lord came to their hideout with a couple of people and some wolves, he looked really depressed and she almost did not recognize him and almost attacked him.

"But uncle, you're our guest. My mother... my ancestors will haunt me if I let you join us." Sylvie said as she bowed her head apologetically.

"It's fine. I don't know what my sisters did together with your ancestors, but I am still going with you." The Chicken Lord did not even wait for Sylvie's answer before he left and went towards the only passageway that allowed entry and exit to the hideout.

"Big bro! Wait for me!" Nuggets shouted as she followed after the Chicken Lord.

Then suddenly, a hunchbacked old woman approached Sylvie as she looked at the Chicken Lord and Nuggets walking away.

"He's slowly losing it. I spied on the ones he brought to our village, and I managed to figure out what their arguments and fights had in common."

"Please enlighten me great sage. Maybe I can help uncle in some way if I knew what is causing his depression."

"A man named Jay, whom I believe is to be the only other family member he has besides the golden chick. They all said that this 'Jay' killed himself in front of their eyes." After saying this, the old woman turned into a black smoke and vanished.

"Uncle..." Sylvie started to worrying about the Chicken Lord. She heard of the tragic story of the Divine Chickens from her grandmother when she was still a kid. And now that the Chicken Lord saw someone whom he treated as his own killed himself right in front of him, Sylvie was not sure if she could maintain her sanity if she was in the same position.

...

At the hideout's passageway

"Big bro?" Nuggets tried her best to ask the Chicken Lord what was going on, especially with the thundering shout they heard earlier. But for some reason, every time she looked at the Chicken Lord, she saw him muttering softly to himself. It even looked as if he was not saying anything since she couldn't even hear anything from his mumbling even with her enhanced hearing senses.

"Why couldn't it just be me? Why does everyone around me leaves? Why do I always have this twisted fate? Why can't I just live in peace? Why is everyone who is precious to me dies ahead of me? Can I just kill myself just like Jay? Why did it have to be me to shoulder the hatred of the Divine Chickens?"

The Chicken Lord mumbled question after question to himself in his own made up language. If there was one or two things that kept him going and caused him not to end his life was the hatred the Divine Chickens placed upon him, and the promise he made to himself to make sure the legacy of the Divine Chickens lives on through Nuggets even after his death.

Seeing the Chicken Lord losing it, Nuggets transformed into her human form and hugged him. The Chicken Lord did not even stop mumbling to himself but patted Nuggets' head with his feathery arms.

...

--- Redmist Valley

Roasted Boar and Yale were currently hidden underground due to Roasted Boar's spell. The hole they were in was spacious enough for two bedrolls to fit in and was brightly lit by a talisman that Yale had with him. The two of them were currently lying down and completely ignored the thundering shout.

"So you now have a cheat tool called the Dark Star System?" Roasted Boar asked the second time since he was still in disbelief when Yale filled him in while they were running away.

"Yup."

"And you killed a Fatelord with the cheat tool she gave you?"

"Yup."

"And you poisoned her by kissing her?"

"Yup."

Just as the two were having this simple question and answer, Yale got a bit annoyed and asked Roasted Boar why they were not taking part in any of the events happening.

"Dude, tell me honestly. Just what are you planning and why do you keep on chickening out? I know you are strong enough to blast a whole mountain to smithereens if you want, but why? You said you wanted to be the strongest sorcerer, but you do know that you should at least take part in some events right?"

"Fine. I'll be honest with you. Even with all of the spells I have, I can only unleash a hundred or so no matter how simple or complex the spell is. As for blasting a whole mountain, I need a few minutes or even an hour to complete one of my spells."

"I can always hide you using my 'Dark Avatar' if you want. Take as long as you want if that's what it will take for you to get out there." Yale said and yawned afterwards.

"Relax. The reason why I am hiding at the moment is because I reached my spell limit for the day. Once I recover, which is probably by tomorrow, we're going to go to this Cinder Hell Mountain."

"There's the sorcerer I know of!" Yale said excitedly and pretended that he went to sleep as he closed his eyes and turned the other way.

"If what Yale said is true, then my plan might really work. I will bring a change that will shake the foundations of this plane and have their power for my own." Roasted Boar thought to himself as he grinned evilly before going to sleep.

"He's losing it." Yale thought to himself as he saw that grin on Roasted Boar's face which crept him out a lot.