Chapter 270: Life Realm

When night fell, Nirani finally awoke.

She had passed out after I finished using her. Luckily, I soundproofed the room before we started. If I hadn't, someone probably would have come running.

"Ah...th-that...was amazing...! So that was what it's like to love someone... Hnn...I want more..." Nirani said.

"Perhaps later. You'll have to report to Isabella and get permission for that from now on. But the first one is free. You're my third mistress now, Nirani. Get dressed, get your things together, and let's go," I said.

"Y-yes! I will obey!" Nirani said with a smile.

She happily put her things away...including the entire bed...and got ready. The room was mostly barren by the time she finished. Soon after, I teleported us back to the ship using one of the anchor crystals onboard.

Isabella and Cassandra were standing nearby when we arrived. Their faces lit up with happiness as soon as they saw me.

"Mizik!" 

"Darling!"

The two ran forward and hugged me. Relief washed over my body as I felt them close.

Isabella pulled away and sniffed me. Cassandra did the same.

Then...they looked at Nirani.

"What is the meaning of this?" Isabella said.

"Have you laid hands on my darling...?" Cassandra said as she raised an eyebrow.

"U-uh...I-"

"Relax, you two. I gave her the gift of status magic and she replied in kind, offering herself to me. I decided to allow it. I told her that from now on, she has to ask permission from you, Isabella," I said.

"Hm...very well..." Isabella said.

She seemed greatly disappointed.

"And later, I'll give you the same treatment. Alone. Is that alright?" I said.

She perked up and smiled. 

"Looking forward to it!" She said.

"What about me, darling...?" Cassandra said hopefully.

"And you as well, Cassandra. As long as the first wife allows it," I said.

"I approve, but it will be on a separate night. I desire time alone with my beloved Mizik," Isabella said.

"As you wish, sister... I will not disobey... Darling told me to always listen to you, so I will...even if it is unpleasant..." Cassandra said.

"Great. Now you three, we have work to do. Nirani, can you take us to the Life realm?" I said.

"I cannot... I...I need to attune the gateway first. Then your ship may pass through to the Life realm..." Nirani said.

She seemed to still be in a daze from earlier.

"Do what you have to do. But try to be quick about it. I don't want to stay in one place for too long because Eris is likely to try something soon."

"Y-yes... It shouldn't take long!" 

We went to the bridge and I looked at Nirani again.

"Do you need to be on the ground to do this?" I asked.

"I'll be fine. I can reattune the gateway from here," she said.

She held out her hands and the gateway flared to life. It flashed a color of magenta, then green. Finally, Nirani smiled at me.

"The way to the Life realm is open! We may proceed at your leisure, Master Mizik!"

"Good work. Rastair, take us through. Nirani, can you get rid of the golems surrounding the ship so we don't crash into them? That would be nice..."

"Ahn...to be commanded in such a way..."

"Don't start, Nirani."

A noise escaped her mouth and I rolled my eyes.

"Some of the crew members are way too lewd..." Virtus said.

"Copy that, captain! Sailing into unknown territory! Here we go!" Rastair said.

The golems surrounding the ship disappeared and the Cursebreaker turned around. Finally, we flew into the portal.

I felt the ship shake quite a bit and finally, we flew into another realm.

This one was far different.

I looked out of the ship's viewing window down at the landscape in front of us.

There was lush vegetation surrounding the platform which looked to be made of a beautiful white stone. There was a massive tree in the center with what appeared to be a castle built into and around it.

Further up ahead, I saw a glorious city made of the same type of material as the platform. The sky was much different, too...

The Peace realm had a relatively normal looking sky. The same as any other world or realm...for the most part, of course...

But this realm seemed to have a gigantic swirling gray vortex in the sky. A stream of white energy flowed down into the tree at the center of the city beyond.

Still, it wasn't the most bizarre thing I had ever seen. Twenty years fighting across creation tended to let one see quite a few oddities. Especially when you've been to thousands of worlds.

"Nirani, this is the Life realm, right?" I said.

"It is...unfortunately. Ranis should be at the life stream, checking for signs of Kestel as usual. It's the only thing that's kept him from bothering me, really..."

"Would you recommend anyone in particular for dealing with him?" 

"Hmm...might I recommend Aldaril? It might make Ranis angry, but Aldaril's power will nullify Ranis if he decides to be uncooperative."

I looked at Virtus and she nodded. Then she tapped the side of her head.

Her voice echoed over the speaker system.

"Aldaril, please meet the captain, my friend and certainly nothing more, in the lift bay and prepare for deployment."

"Virtus for the LAST TIME, I don't think anyone is assuming there's anything between us," I said angrily.

"I only wanted to be sure people don't get the wrong idea, my wonderful captain and superior that I have no romantic interest in whatsoever!" Virtus said with a smile.

"Uh...captain...? I think this is a losing battle..." Rastair said.

"It makes no difference... Isabella, Cassandra, and Nirani. Follow me to the surface. Rastair, move the ship to an area above the city. Preferably the center," I said.

"Aye aye, handsome!" 

"Without the sexual harassment..." I mumbled as we got moving.

After a few minutes, we arrived in the lift bay and saw Aldaril looking rather uncomfortable. Nasuria was gently straightening his robe.

But before I could speak...

"Good luck down there, Mizik. You'll need it. Ranis is an asshole..." He said.

"Great. You'll have plenty of time to talk things out with him on the surface...with the rest of us," I said.

"Can you please allow him a break? He has already had enough trauma lately!" Nasuria said.

"I need his help, Nasuria. I don't have a choice."

She frowned and looked at Aldaril. He slumped his shoulders and looked hopelessly at me.

"Will Ranis take kindly to you being around?" Isabella said.

"Absolutely not. Even the sight of me is enough to enrage him. Ugh...let's get this over with..." Aldaril said.

We descended to the entrance of the massive tree sitting in the center of the city and found that several guards were understandably glaring at us.

They all wore a set of immaculate golden armor, painted with green and decorated with symbols of trees.

"What's going on here!?" One of them said.

"I don't know, but we should alert Lord Ranis..." Another said.

Immediately, Nirani approached them and smiled.

"Greetings, we would like an audience with Ranis if that's not too much trouble...or rather, they do. I would prefer not to be anywhere near him, personally..." She said.

Does she have some kind of grudge against him or something...?

"Lady...Nirani...? Lady Nirani is here!?" 

"Lord Ranis will be pleased!"

"Ah...of course... Can you take us to Ranis?" Nirani said.

"Will your servants be joining you?" One of the guards asked her.

"How dare-...mmph!"

I placed a hand over Cassandra's mouth before she could cause a scene.

"Not another word. Roll with it," I said quietly.

I couldn't tell if she heard me, but she seemed quite content with my hand over her mouth. She started smelling it.

I forget how weird you are sometimes...

I retracted my hand and Cassandra looked disappointed. I decided to ignore it.

"Eh...y-yes. My...servants..." Nirani said, seeming to quickly understand the situation.

"Very well, right this way, Lady Nirani," the guard said.

We followed him into the palace surrounding the tree and I couldn't help but admire it. It was just as beautiful as it was on the outside.

Although, there were pictures of Nirani hanging from the walls on occasion.

I looked at her and she seemed quite uncomfortable.

I'm starting to get a bad feeling...

We continued walking for a while, going up several floors and circling the tree at the same time.

Finally, we arrived before a set of large double doors.

"We will take our leave. Lady Nirani, you may leave your servants out here if you desire," the guard said.

"I will take my allies in with me, thank you. I'd rather not be alone with Ranis..."

"Suit yourself."

The guards left and Nirani opened the doors.

Within, I could already hear music. It was a gentle song sung by a woman. A love song.

And the voice sounded eerily familiar...

On the walls, I saw many pictures and posters of Nirani. Even an image of her on the nearby bed and pillows.

Oh no...an obsessed fan...?

The man in the room turned to us as soon as he heard the doors open and seemed confused.

He wore a set of immaculate golden armor similar to the guards. Only, he didn't have a helmet. His hair was golden blonde and well-groomed. His right eye was a normal shade of blue. In his left socket, the Eye of Life blazed dark green.

He was the sort of handsome man that girls would probably adore.

"Lady Nirani! My love!" He said suddenly.

He ran forward to hug her and was stopped by a mage golem.

"Please do not touch me, Ranis..." Nirani said.

"Ah, as prickly as ever, my dear. What good deed did I preform to earn a visit from your gorgeous, lovely, radiant, wonderfully kind-"

"Where is Kestel!?" She said angrily.

"Now that is quite the question... I haven't found an answer yet. My next lead pointed to the Order realm, but there were some complications with that..." 

"What kind of complications?" I asked.

Ranis eyed me suspiciously.

"And who might you be?"

"You can call me Mizik. I don't need to tell you my full identity. Let's just say that I'm a friend and leave it at that, okay?"

"Very well. And the complications I spoke of include the current resident of that properly destroyed realm... Oh the Order realm...it was beautiful in its prime..." 

"You mean the Demon Queen, Estelyn?" I asked.

"How do you know that name? Are you acquainted with her?"

"No...not anymore, at least... Or maybe I should say not yet? It's complicated." 

"Hm...well, if you must know, Estelyn isn't the real problem. The Warden is," Ranis said as he raised his hands in a shrug.

I looked at Nirani and she seemed confused.

"Warden...? What do you mean, Ranis?" She said.

"Oh, my lovely Nirani! How I adore that radiant beauty and sweet voice! I mean that the Warden is currently dwelling there due to the lack of the Order realm's Avatar. Ever since Hikari was killed, the Warden has been protecting her realm instead. As the Warden does, of course. That is his job, after all..." Ranis said happily.

I looked at Aldaril and he shrugged.

"I see... Who or what is the Warden?" I asked.

"We...well, we aren't exactly sure. We almost never have contact with them and establishing such a thing is impossible. Now then, allow me to ask you a question, sir Mizik. What is your relationship with my beautiful Nirani? And why do you want to know these things? You expect me to simply accept your presence? I will have you know that I am the resident Avatar of this realm. The Avatar of Life!"

"I really don't feel like explaining myself to every asshole I come across. I'm trying to help you people and get something out of it. I need Kestel's help to kill something. That's all."

"Likely story! But my first and most important question requires an answer!"

"I'm her...uh...friend? Yeah, I guess we could be considered friends..." I said.

"Ahn...to have my undying loyalty disrespected as such...truly amazing...!" Nirani whispered.

By the gods, why am I surrounded by crazy women!?

"Hm? Did you say something, my delicate flower?" Ranis said.

"Uwaa...I was so close... Now it's gone... Shut up, Ranis..." Nirani said.

Not even going to ask...

"Very well. Any friend of Lady Nirani is a friend of mine. You need the help of Kestel to accomplish something? That's all well and good, but Kestel likely wont aid you unless you give him the item he's been looking for...wherever he is..." Ranis said.

"And what might that be?" I asked.

"Well, I've been spearheading the operation to find him. I sort of read his journals and asked everyone close to him in the Creation realm about it... Kestel is trying to locate the Eye of Order. He wants to put the Light Avatars back at full strength and rebuild the Order realm. To do that, we require the Eye of Order."

I looked at Aldaril and he sighed.

"We have it...but if it's alright, I'll hold onto it for a little while longer..." Aldaril said.

"See? Impossible-...wait, what...? YOU HAVE IT!?!?" Ranis shouted.

He walked close to Aldaril and immediately drew back.

"You...YOU!!!! AVATAR OF DEATH!!! IT'S YOU!!! BASTARD!!!" 

Ranis' Eye of Life flared up and a golden quarterstaff appeared in his hand. It had heavy blunt ends on either side and was decorated with symbols of trees. Lines of dark green crossed it up and down.

He slammed Aldaril in the chest with it, but he didn't so much as flinch.

Actually...Aldaril didn't even seem to acknowledge the attack even having impacted him. Not even a blink.

"How many times have we done this, Ranis...?" Aldaril said.

"DIE!!! DIE DIE DIE!!! DAMN YOU!!! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!" Ranis screamed as he hit Aldaril with the staff over and over.

"Could you, perhaps, stop trying to kill my crewmate? He's kind of important," I said.

"Kind of...?" Aldaril mumbled.

"How rude! Stop trying to hurt Aldaril, you perverse buffoon!" Nasuria said angrily.

"Eh...? A fox maiden? Well hello there, my dear! I'm sorry if I offended you in some way. Could you please forgive-"

Nasuria slashed him twice with her claws, leaving red marks across his face.

"YEEOOOOOWWWCH!!!!! OW OW OW!!!! WHYYYYY!?!?" Ranis screamed.

"Huh...I didn't expect to hurt him that badly," Nasuria said. 

"Your bead is part of me. Since I'm back on Tanavol, it's only natural that you'd get a significant power boost," Aldaril said.

I wasn't aware of it at the time it happened, but nine-tailed foxes were supposedly divine beings of incredible power. Nasuria was no exception. Her power was drawn from a core called a fox bead. On top of being created as a weapon, that is.

Since she adored Aldaril so much, she gave this bead to him as a symbol of her love. This, in turn, caused a type of feedback from Aldaril's power. 

Nasuria was supercharged as a result and Aldaril got a significant boost to his own power.

Aldaril and Nasuria had earned their place on the Cursebreaker as the Vanguard unit.

Together, they were a terror on the field of battle.

Eventually, Ranis stopped screaming and calmed down.

"Ahhh...why did you do that to me, my sweet fox maiden!? I have never done you wrong..." Ranis whined.

"You will not disrespect my Aldaril. Is that clear!? He is my husband-to-be!" She declared.

"I never agreed to-"

Nasuria smiled as she placed a hand over his mouth.

Aldaril looked defeatedly at her and she turned back to Ranis.

"Ah...you've chosen the undead as a mate...? How...crude..." 

Nasuria bared her fangs and Isabella stepped in front of her.

"Can you please just help us? This charade has gone on long enough. I would be more than happy to give you the Eye of Order as soon as you-"

Ranis took Isabella's hand in both of his as he started adoringly into her eyes.

"By the gods of Tanavol! You are a divine beauty beyond-"

Isabella took her other hand and punched him square in the chest. Ranis went flying into a wall and Isabella signed angrily.

"Enough! Help us or don't! But stop wasting our time with your nonsense!" She said.

"Good job, Isabella," I said.

"Hmph...a common pervert, this man. He may have a smooth way of speaking, but I won't be swayed. I already have my King, after all..." She said with a smile.

I felt my face heat up a little and averted my eyes. It never ceased to amaze me that Isabella still had the power to make me feel this way.

Regardless, Ranis eventually returned while clutching his chest. He looked hopefully at Nirani and she crossed her arms angrily. She turned away from him, immediately.

"Hmph!"

"Another time, perhaps... Very well! I will join your group and aid in the search for Kestel! Now then, shall we go to the Order realm?" Ranis said with a smile.

"Before that, we should-"

The doors of the room burst open, cutting me off.

A guard ran inside, seeming to be in a panic.

"L-lord Ranis!!! The gateway...THE AVATAR OF WAR HAS INVADED THE LIFE REALM THROUGH THE GATEWAY!!!" 

"Oh. That doesn't bode well... Wait, that's an emergency, right? OH BY THE GODS, WHY!? Mizik! Please aid me in the defense of my realm! Do this, and I will forever be in your debt!" Ranis said.

"Sure...I guess I can help you out. It'll give me a chance to test the power of these Avatars," I said.

At once, the seven of us left the room and made our way back to the ship.