Chapter 40: True Fear
"Every action has consequences, and the strength of the action determines the magnitude of the consequence."
— Mahatma Gandhi
_ _ _
After the third attack by the Beast hordes on Uthean, the duke has stationed his personal forces close to the county. The Gods appeared, but not the Triune or the Lucienne. We have seen the Black Flash, The White flash and the Eminence in this battle Lord Sard still refuses to give any update on the situation. More and more utheani were migrating towards the newly formed Haven city as it is believed the gods reside there. Uthean county news department signing out.
_ _ _
Adrian turned off his excel then turned to Eloise.
"To answer your question," He begun. "It was a favor."
"For what?" Eloise asked.
He moved closer to her, she turned to face him
"Don't act like you weren't worried when I was unconscious." He said, bending his head so their lips almost met.
"I was," She pushed his face away. "But, not because of what's on your mind." She said.
<< You still can't swallow rejection? >>
"You still honestly prefer Birdie to me?" Adrian asked, turning and heading to take a seat. Eloise followed.
_Knock_
"Who is it?" Adrian asked without turning.
"Sir Nero and Lord Ravon are here to see you." Karis said, from the other side.
He paused, wondering what those two would like to discuss with him.
"Let them in." He finally said.
_Creak_
The door opened.
His presence filled the room,
Lord Ravon, The Unyielding Chain,
Undoubtedly one of the most powerful men in all of the Westerian Empire.
Behind him, Nero followed.
His eyes moved first, then his posture, then everything else—like he was mapping threats before acknowledging people.
Ravon stopped a few steps inside.
He didn't sit.
He didn't greet.
He looked at Adrian.
A long pause.
"… This should be our first official meeting," Ravon said finally.
Adrian leaned back slightly in his seat.
"If you don't count the trial, yes."
A faint silence followed.
Eloise remained near the side, watching both of them.
Ravon's gaze shifted briefly to her.
Then back to Adrian.
"What was that spell."
Adrian blinked once.
"Just something I cooked up."
"Not only were you one of the causes of the battle," he continued. "You introduced an anomaly into Uthean."
Adrian processed that quietly.
Then spoke.
"So this is a complaint."
Nero exhaled slightly. "It's an assessment."
Adrian nodded once.
"I see."
A pause.
Eloise finally spoke. "You two didn't come here just to label what happened."
Ravon's eyes shifted to her again.
"You're involved," he said simply.
"I was unconscious," she replied.
"That is not the same as uninvolved."
Silence tightened.
Adrian stood slowly.
Not aggressively.
Just enough to reset the room's hierarchy.
"You want something," he said.
Ravon met his gaze.
"Yes."
Nero added, "Who exactly are the crimson peak?"
Eloise's head jerked, surprised. "How do you know about them?"
"Isn't it obvious with Lord Ravon's strength?" Adrian asked.
"The Crimson Peak is more secretive than Vacia, not because they fear people like Ravon, but due to the powers above this world." She dismissed Adrian's claim.
"Care to explain?" Ravon asked, not offended in the least.
"I've said more than I ought to." She shook her head.
Ravon simply nodded, turning to Nero
"I met Uriel and Raphael Vaciem, they gave me a book on the Hidden races." Nero explained.
"Now, answer his question." Ravon said, folding his arms.
"They are a group of the hidden society that prefers the eradication of the rest of the world as opposed to Vaciem." Eloise answered. "They are far up the ladder."
A pause.
"Would we be seeing them again?" Nero asked.
"Soon." Adrian answered.
A beat.
"During the attack, the civilians vanished… were you behind it." Nero asked, after a thoughtful pause.
"Maybe." Adrian smiled.
Pause
"We'll take our leave now." Ravon turned, Nero following closely behind him.
They had realized they wouldn't be getting anything else out of them.
Adrian just watched their departing backs, reorganizing his plans.
"I'm going to." Eloise rose and left.
"Have you finished sending all the flyers around?" Adrian picked up a telecom.
"Yes." Tobey responded.
"hmm?" Adrian turned to the balcony, confused –
She stood there
"Eloise?" He asked, putting off his telecom. "No.. Who are?"
"Yggdrasil." She spoke, walking forward.
Adrian's eyes widened, he rose alarmed.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you." She said, stopping before him.
"I'm not here for what is within you either… not that parasite."
<
A translucent dragon-man burst out from Adrian, his hands outstretched towards her neck.
"Isn't that what you are?" Xiao Long never actually reached her, she just walked past him, confused.
"Well, I came to deliver a favor." She said.
"I'll keep your father for you until you are strong enough to redeem his soul… The gods of this world aren't what decide death." She said.
"Why?" Adrian asked, his breathing pace rapidly increasing.
"I didn't exist in the living plane until you summoned me back from that of the dead… Don't bother, because your dad doesn't have a strong enough canon thread."
Then from the gem atop Eloise's head, a gust of life energy burst into the sky.
<< Which Fucking Novel did you pull that thing out of? >> Xiao said, frightened.
"Several." His breathing pace still didn't return to normal… He hadn't even dared to peer into the nature of Yggdrasil.
This was a cosmic being.