Chapter 1659 (2/2)
RUMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEE!
The Frost Matriarch raised her gaze and gestured again to create another ice wall to block the reverberations from the Ghosthound’s training. Then she turned back to the discussion with a sense of urgency. “You fear that none of the more established Sculptors will agree to assist with your image refinement, either because they risk offending your father or because they wish to dominate you themselves… so you gamble. This I can understand. But it would still be better to choose someone with a more powerful image to be your Sculptor.”
Claudette, still with that empty expression on her face, shrugged. “Is it not you who told me that image potency and Sculpting talent are not correlated? There are many powerful Pinnacle Seekers who would be a disaster in an image refinement. Would you allow Seeker Dusk Jackal to go mucking around in my head?”
“But all of the truly revered Sculptors possess powerful images,” The Frost Matriarch countered.
“Which is why it’s a gamble,” Claudette agreed. Then some of her cheer crept back into the expression. “Honestly, the thought of using him hadn’t even occurred to me… but you know, the strangest thing happened yesterday. That viper Neshamah sent me a message. Very discretely, tucked inside other distracting tidbits, she was inquiring about the current location of Randidly Ghosthound and whether I could facilitate communication between the two of them. How queer, yes? That this man caught the eyes of the Rex Family.”
The Frost Matriarch coughed lightly. “Well, we cannot deny that his body shape seems efficient in action. All beings have needs. Perhaps you have… misinterpreted the nature of Neshamah Rex’s interest.”
Claudette simply rolled her eyes; she didn’t dignify that comment with a response.
A few seconds later, Claudette grinned again, but now the expression was genuine. “Besides, that strangeness is a double-edged sword. Who knows? He might even refuse to help.”
*****
“ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!”
Helen stumbled backward and Randidly lowered his spear, breathing out two thin streams of steam from his nose. The remnant particles of Helen’s shattered new Domain drifted toward the ground and disintegrated in the next moment. The shuddering ice beneath their feet gradually calmed down after they ceased their violent movements.
Helen managed to regain her balance and opened her mouth to snap off something waspish at Randidly but blanched as she did so. She turned away from him and vomited out her breakfast very visibly on the white ground. Small chunks slid with rather grotesque permanence across the slippery surface.
Randidly rolled his shoulders, trying to appear empathetic to her plight while also relishing his newly acquired comfort in his body. Behind him, his elongated tail flicked back and forth, tasting the surrounding air currents. His bare feet on the ice felt grounded and powerful.
After realizing both Expira and the Alpha Cosmos had experienced time dilation, Randidly had spent a few hours investigating the phenomenon. He talked to both Wendy and Tatiana, both discretely, but honestly, the worlds were managing well enough without his interference. Relieved, Randidly went back and contacted the whole of the Alpha Cosmos Pantheon.
Compared to the time dilation, he was more concerned about the delay and shift in the Calamity. Randidly almost wanted to call the whole thing off to try and prevent any more loss of life but had taken the time to sample the emotions and images of Expira. Even after only five years, he could feel soft spots of complacency beginning to emerge, even in his personally crafted Kharon.
With a heavy heart, Randidly decided to allow the Pantheon to proceed as they saw fit; he washed his hands of the matter and returned to his own concerns. Right now, that meant getting used to his body.
Helen finally managed to control her stomach and twisted around to gaze hatefully at him. “You fucking did that on purpose!”
“Well obviously,” Randidly couldn’t resist a chuckle. “Aren’t we sparring? Why would I just let you empower your Domain?”
“You-!!!” Helen hissed. She was clenching her fists so tightly on her spear shaft that her arms were trembling and her shoulders heaved. Her eyes were slightly red-rimmed as she struggled to find the words to express her dissatisfaction.
Randidly smiled blandly. It had taken him a few hours to get used to fighting with the tail, but apparently, the Grim Chimera had adjusted his instincts when it had made the physical changes to his person; contrary to his assumptions, the adjustment process was entirely natural. After he felt confident, he accepted Helen’s demands to spar as a way to raise the stakes of his acclimation.
Randidly fought without using any images or Skills, but it still quickly became more about training Helen than testing his own limits. And from experience, Randidly knew that the best way to encourage her to develop was to crush her, over and over again. That lit the enviable kind of stubborn fire in Helen’s chest that Randidly had seen in few people other than himself.
“Grrr….” Helen snarled at his unapologetic expression, but then visibly controlled herself and sucked in a deep breath. When she spoke again, it was through gritted teeth. “Well… one more time then…”
Randidly shook his head. “I’d like to, but you should take some time to recover first. I need to go see about stealing away a planet.”