Chapter 272 Distress Call (2/2)

”... probably not,” Lino replied. ”I'm a softie like that, which, apparently, only tells the rest of the world that you consent yourself to being fucked over time and again.”

”... I won't ask what happened to your friend, because I'm fairly certain it is well above my pay-grade,” she said. ”But, I can offer an ear if you wish to talk about it.”

”... what happened to him, huh?” Lino chuckled bitterly. ”I did, I suppose. I happen to a lot of people. You should be careful; people around me tend to drop like flies. Poof, gone. Just like that.”

”... I'd met him just a few times,” she said. ”As I've Annar and Scarlet, but I can tell they weren't here against their wills. People that shadow the light tend to lag behind, and eventually flicker out. At least that's what my Mother used to say.”

”... I hope you'll do better than your Father did,” Lino turned around, beginning to walk away. ”And lead your people to a better place. They truly believe, Annabelle. However that faith was achieved is irrelevant; their faith in you is nigh impossible to shake. Don't abuse that.”

”... likewise, Lino.”

Lino's chuckle faded softly in the wind as he vanished into the Palace, leaving behind Annabelle to stare strangely at his fading back.

He aimlessly traced the massive hallways of the Palace, admiring the painted walls and chiseled stones sticking out of them, and hand-woven carpets beneath his feet, and golden chandeliers burning away the darkness. All of this grandeur, he mused, was beyond vain -- yet, even he was not averse to decorating himself in splendor. Image of oneself is a fickle thing, he realized, prone to a quick change depending on how others see you.

He eventually found himself inside a basement room, one he'd visited quite often over the past few days. There, beneath the ceiling of crystals, three translucent, crystal coffins were lain at an angle. Two were stacked with crimson gems, and the one in the middle with pure silver. He approached them and leaned over, the still faces beckoning back expressionless.

Each time he'd look at him, it felt as though he was being given a punch in the gut; though he very much wanted to give him a burial of Kings, Lino knew he couldn't. Across the vast ocean, he had a family -- a family who deserved to bury him, to mourn him, and to let go of him. Just then, a peculiar sensation escaped through the void world and shook him; furrowing his brows, he reached into the vast emptiness and took out a flickering talisman. As he'd handed out far too many, he couldn't exactly pinpoint to whom it belonged so he simply answered it.

The screen flickered brightly for a moment as a familiar face popped out; to his surprise, it was none other than Evelyn's. Her usual beauty seemed marred, her expression exhausted, eyes tired-looking and dull, a massive scar running down the left side of her face.

”... hello.” she smiled weakly and bitterly, seemingly short of breath.

”... hello.” Lino replied.

”... your promised favor still valid?” she asked, surprising him. Though he very much wished to say no, seeing her like that, he couldn't.

”Of course,” he said, smiling lightly. ”Who needs to get beaten up?”

”... I don't know,” she said, anger present in her voice. ”A group of ten just came out of nowhere a few days ago and started bombing the Sun City with... well, let's just say we stood absolutely no chance. I can't even count the number of soldiers that threw their lives away so I and a few others could escape. I don't know how much longer we can hide, though.”

”... where are you?” Lino asked, frowning.

”We're, uh, we're approaching the border of the Demonic Battlefield,” she replied. ”We figured we'd stand a better chance over there.”

”... look for Kvalend tribe and Valkyria,” Lino said after a short thought. ”Tell her I sent you. She should be able to keep you safe until I get there. Can you at least describe anything unique about them?”

”... uh,” Evelyn frowned for a moment, thinking deeply about something. ”They all, uh, wore same coats, inscribed with same insignia. I can't recall the exact shape, but it was like a circle, I think with only two colors. That's about it. I'm sorry, I--”

”It's fine,” Lino sighed inwardly, smiling on the surface. ”Don't worry about it. I should be able to get there in a few days tops. If the situation changes, Val has ability to contact me. Try and avoid fighting at all costs though, okay? We wouldn't want that beautiful face scarred any more, would we?”

”... heh, ply-tongued as always. Thank you.”

”No problem. See you soon.”

Putting away the talisman, Lino quickly rubbed his temples in frustration; he very much hoped his assumptions were way off the mark, but doubted they were twice as much as he hoped. From what he recalled, there was only one Clan in the entire world who donned that sigil as no one else dared to -- the undisputed leader of all the Holy Grounds practically since their inception, Heaven's Chosen Clan.