74 United family (2/2)
”But if I become a champion, South can bless me with the purification ability, and we can save Ashley!!”
”Yes but-”
”Not only that! If we get Ashley back, she can come up with a plan to defeat Xadi so we can wake up Evlin!!”
”Still, you will be-”
Auren was about to say something, but this time South was the one who interrupted him.
”Also, Evlin is the only one that can defeat East.”
”!!!??” x 5
South captured the attention of the whole room with that line. Gustav was the first one to talk.
”What are you talking about...?”
”Evlin. She's the only one who can defeat East.”
”Evlin?? Evlin can defeat East??”
”Of course! She has the power of recreation! She's the only one who can combine the three powers that rule over all others in this word!”
”The three powers that rule this world?”
”Yes! Magical, cursed and blessed. The three strongest forces on the planet. If Evlin can use her power to combine all three in one weapon she will be even stronger than a champion!”
The group was starting to recover a bit of light on their eyes. They finally received the small glimpse of hope that they needed so much. Recover Ashley, recover Evlin, and finally, defeat East. It would be difficult, but they had a clear goal in mind now.
Gustav looked at the rest of the team. Auren looked like he was still worried about Gustav becoming a servant as well while Ria had sparkles in her eyes, probably thinking about the image of Evlin holding some giant superweapon that can kill even a god. Daren was still in his monster form so it was a bit difficult to read the expressions of his lion face. Lilith was looking a little better while resting her chin on her finger as if thinking of something.
”South... Can you bless Gustav without making him a champion?”
”Aaaargghh!! Harpy monster!!! Stay awa- Ughh!!”
Before South could change Lilith back to her human form as well, Ria whacked his head so he would calm down a bit.
”Would you stop screaming already!!!???”
”S- Sorry...”
Lilith was surprised by seeing a god being hurt so easily by a human. The south god really must be very weak right now. It seems like Ria was also really angry about not being a dragon anymore. Honestly, Lilith kinda wanted to return back to normal. She was the one who enjoyed being a monster the least in the group.
”I was blessed by West with eyes that could see into the future, but she never made me a champion. She only did that so that I would have the means to avoid danger.”
”S- Sure... It's not like I care about the competition anymore... I just want my kingdom back... But are you sure you are ok with a purification as your blessing?”
Gustav pondered for a bit. This was his chance to finally get some offensive ability and join the front-lines with the rest of the team. But after the talk with Evlin and especially after seeing Ashley's behavior, he realized that offense may not be as crucial as he imagined. Evlin was powerful because she could do a bit of everything, this made him realize that there were more ways to help the team than just getting more attack options.
”I'm sure! Right now, this power is what we need the most!”
”Very well, but since you won't become my champion you won't receive an immortal body, so try not to risk yourself too much.”
”Really!!?? Thank you so much!!”
Gustav showed an expression of relief after finding out he wouldn't need to be a slave of the south.
”No problem! Anything for friends of Evlin! Now hold still.”
South raised his arms and started to gather a bit of energy on his hands. This energy was similar to the power of the other gods, but while Marcus's blessing looked like a silver light, and Auren and Ria's blessing looked like a golden light, this energy looked like a blue light.
”Gustav the human... I shall now bestow upon you the blessing of the south god. May you use it to purge the evil from the souls of the innocents and rescue their hearts from the claws of all evil...”
Gustav assumed his stance and prepared himself to receive the blessing.
”I give you... The power of purification!!”
The blue energy was released from South's hands and started to cover Gustav's entire body. He was now glowing with some kind of blue light from head-to-toe.
He was looking at his own hands trying to see if he could feel any difference. Ria approached him with a curious look.
”Did it work?”
”I'm not sure... I don't feel that different...”
”Oh! Try bringing Sphinx back!!”
”Oh! That's a good idea! Sphinx can help us defeat the dryad!
Gustav went towards Evlin who was still on her combined state with Sphinx, her pet griffin and was now looking like a woman covered in golden hair with two wings and a tail on her back. She was still sleeping peacefully due to the effect of Xadi's spell.
Gustav looked at her face and was filled with a sense of guilt.
”I'm so sorry... I'll definitely get your sister back... I promise!!”
He tried to focus the energy on his hand and released on Evlin the same way he saw South doing a while ago. A bright light filled the room and before they noticed, Evlin was back in her human form sleeping on the chair with Sphinx by her feet.
”Sphiiiiiinx!!! Oh!! How I missed you!!!”
Ria pounced on top of the golden griffin and started to bury her face on his fur. The griffin was sleeping as well so he didn't show any reaction.
”Now we just need to find the dryad.”
Gustav shifted his focus at South and tried to bring up something he said earlier.
”Do you have any clues as to where she might be?”
”Mmmm... probably inside the castle, hiding...”
”The castle?”
”The one where the king of this land used to live before the demon invasion. The castle is surrounded by a demonic barrier... The demons like to rest inside it to recover their energy because humans can't get through the barrier.”
”What?? So, she's out of our reach?”
”Ugh!! Sorry!”
”... But... Wait...!”
Gustav glanced at Daren and Lilith, the only two who were still looking like monsters. Daren in his black lion form and Lilith in her red harpy form. But the moment he did so, he realized the idea he just had was a bad one and changed his mind.
”... No... It's too risky...”
”I'll do it!”
Daren seemed to have realized what Gustav was thinking and stepped forward to accept the mission.
”Daren, we cant! We don't know anything about that place! You going in alone is suicide!!”
”And waiting for Marcus to come and kill us is not?”
”...”
”We enter the castle, find Ashley, bring her out and you purify her! No problem!”
”But... What if-”
”Lilith will have her silver armor and I will have my monster body. We will be fine, we are the fastest members of the team. We'll go in and out before anyone notice us!”
”I still don't want you two going in there alone...”
Daren looked behind Gustav's back and realized something.
”Maybe we don't have to...”
”Huh...?”
”Look!”
Daren pointed with his arm and Gustav noticed that all the monsters that were fused with the team had woken up and were now cuddling with the ones they had combined with.
Ria was jumping with joy yelling ”Yes!! Yes!!! I have a pet dragon!!!” as the green lizard continued to cuddle her.
Auren was being sniffed by the minotaur as well but he was starting to shake wondering if the beast was going to attack him.
Even Gustav was looking at the winged white horse that was staring at him as if they were long-time friends.
All of the monsters had inherited the memories of the team and were now acting docile towards them.
The only one who seemed depressed was Sphinx noticing that his owner was not waking up.
Daren place his hand on Gustav's shoulder and reassured him that he could count on them.
”We will bring Ashley back! Trust us!”
Gustav accepted his feelings and with that, the team had now a new mission.