Chapter 20-492: Epilogue VI, Part Two (1/2)

What Legion said next threw me for a moment. “Would you like to meet your grandchildren?”

I couldn’t blink, but I did in my head. “My wah?” I replied, startled, adjusting my dark glasses reflexively.

“Could not Our Lady be considered your daughter in soul?” I opened my mouth, closed it, and thought about that. It was not a topic I’d taken too seriously. I considered them more clones, but legally clones were considered children, too, as they had a progenitor.

“I suppose? Although I’m not sure how you’d explain that to the children...”

“You are her instructor.” They held out a hand, and I grasped it without having to think. “Shadow us.”

They wings snapped out and dragged me away effortlessly as I just stood there on the air, very impressed at their speed. It took literally seconds to exit the area of the Interdiction, and then they Teleported away.

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Hooking into the Teleport and coming along with them was simplicity itself, and I tagged along as we zipped around the world, the spell flitting along above a Lived-Line on the water and depositing us in Glendalough, Ireland.

It was hill country, replete with green forests, on the shores of a pristine lake. We arrived down the road from a walled estate of some size, tucked back into the trees, and with an Interdiction that did not allow us to materialize any closer.

There weren’t any sapients around in range save for the estate itself, which also seemed to be ringed by a Stillflight field, one hollowed out within the walls of the estate itself.

Thus, we both walked up to the gates with our respective lightfoot Techniques shuttling us along without changing our gaits, their every hooved step like a high-heeled, long-legged model on a catwalk: effortless, graceful, poised, powerful, and dangerous.

“You have the most eclectic set of Racial mixes I’ve ever seen,” I had to admit. “How did you do it?”

“We have a Hungry Kiss Pact, and they were all Pact Patrons. We Consumed them all.”

My eyebrows headed for my lack of a hairline. And they had kept a Heavenbound Pact? “A celestial?” I had to ask, and the Aura I had noticed swelled instantly to full and daunting Heavenly strength.

“Fallen devas accompanying the titan who had lured them from Heaven. They were given leave to grant Warlocks her Goldfinger Pact.”

There was no mistaking the irritation in their voice, but I supposed that made sense. “And so, you did not have to release them.”

“That is correct,” they confirmed. “Nor does he wish to be released. His priorities have changed once again.”

Their tails swished suggestively, and I coughed. “Can’t imagine why. And the titan?”

“I Was Consumed As Well.”

That was definitely a woman’s voice, definitely annoyed, and definitely very strong without being overly loud.

I found myself revising a few things about Warlock Legion. Revising them up! “You may color me impressed, Lady Titan. To whom am I speaking?”

“I Am Auruma, The Titan Of Gold.” She seemed pleased with my courtesy. “You Seem To Be Almost As Startled As Was I, Master Aelryinth.”

“What’d they do, take away your Maul and brain you with it?” I asked fatalistically, and they sighed like someone much, much larger.

“They Are Unseemly Strong,” the titan admitted with a sigh. “There Are Many Gods Who Are Not So Powerful.”

“Forgive me for noticing, but there’s not much gold on them, Lady Auruma,” I pointed out. As in, a Diadem of sorts interlaced along their frill and horns, and one Ring.

“They Do Not Value My Titan Gift, Beyond Seeking Out Precious Metal To Sell For Minor Funds.” She was annoyed, haughty, accusing, disappointed, and confused about that.

“Mmm. And, I have to wonder, what would bring a Titan down to this world, of all places?”

“Ah.” The one word held So Much Greed. “The Tear of Guiogg. It holds more nihaltin than a dozen worlds combined, and that is only one of the gold-types it has!”

E-Void Gold?! “Impressive.” Beat. “And so you learned of it, got lured out, and Consumed.”

Given the nature of things, I was pretty sure a certain Silver Someone had made an off-handed move, to punish her for Tempting two angels successfully.

Legion gestured, and I understood the titan was done. “I imagine Refining a titan would be difficult?” I asked, understanding why they’d let her speak.

“We will not be able to do it until we are Eternal,” they confirmed as they reached the gate. Multi-hued Wrath crackled over it, and it opened inwards. Seconds after we passed it, it closed silently. “We initially intended to drive for Twenty-One in Melee, but we were distracted after reaching Fifteen,” they admitted.

“Ran out of Skill Ranks, eh?” I asked knowingly.

“Yes,” they admitted calmly. “If we wish all of us to access the Skills, they must be based on our Core Levels, not our side ones. We can reach twenty-one Ranks, and thus we are falling behind.”

“A horrible problem so many people wish they had,” I consoled them.

“And a massive Karmic Sink.”