Chapter 264 - Tyr II (2/2)

But Signi did. She always knew what to do while he knew how to fight. It had always been that way, ever since the times they were young and rebelled against their families, leaving home to try and become adventurers.

And now, even with the years putting youthful adventure and energy behind them and giving way to responsibility and duty, she had no trouble becoming his other half, working as his head advisor and doing all that was not fighting in his stead.

”Look,” said Signi as she grasped his hand firmly and shook it, rattling his armor. ”I will not twist my words with needless succor. You are lacking in many areas. I know that well from laying by your side for forty year-cycles.

But you can fight, and you have fought. More so than anyone else. And it is that drive to fight, to do what you are best at, that gives the people hope. You may not see it, but the people do believe in you.

Tinkering with golems or maintaining the Veinheld or listening to the squabbles of nobles are all important parts of being a king, yes, but at a fundamental level, the king protects his people and there is not a single soul that has done that better than you.”

”I…I know,” said Tyr. He looked down again. ”I fight because I can close my heart and mind to all my other worries when I do so. But every time I am back here, away from the front lines, I cannot help but fear for the people. All their hopes rest upon me. Every single one of their futures, whether they be noble or common or elderly or young depends upon me. The pressure, it is so very much. Too much, many times I ponder.”

He took in a breath. ”Tell me, Signi, is there no other way to halt the advance of the demons? Two Heralds now do war upon our ancestral home, and only I am capable of fending against them. Should this ritual fail and I perish, there will only be but failure.

Did not our envoys to the city state alliance bear fruit? Will not the platinum adventurer Lira come to us? Perhaps the elves with their newfound weapon that slays all manner of demonkind?”

Signi took her hand from Tyr's and instead placed it on his shoulder plate. She shook her head curtly, but her eyes were understanding of his plight. She had known him for so long, after all, and she knew how deeply he could become wrapped up in his thoughts, how years and years of internalizing that he was a worthless abomination could still surface now even when he was king.

”The six city states of the Alliance are reeling from attacks to their own territory,” said Signi. ”Never were they capable of rising above their own bickering, and that holds true even now. Our envoys to them have been left unanswered.

Lirannaven the Golden instead must spend her time defending the humans. Last I heard, she was far south in Duvin, doing battle with the herald of envy along with the legions of blood.

As for the elves, though their newfound weapon certainly brings great hope with its defeat of both herald sins of greed and pride, it will be much time before they can ever reach our mountains for we are on opposite ends of the continent.

The swarms of Gluttony and Wrath will end us before the elves have made even half their way to us.”

Signi rapped Tyr's helm to rouse him and continued, ”But you should not fear, my husband, for the very power that the elves used to bring forth their demon purging weapon is that which we utilize now for this ritual.

Using the power of the Veinheld, we may forge a path into the realm of the gods, and though we may not be able to wake them from their slumber, it is certain that you shall at the least be able to tap into the vast well of their divine might. Certainly enough to fend against the demons.”

”But what guarantee is there?” said Tyr.

Signi had told him of this ritual beforehand, and though he had zero understanding of the magical theory and concepts behind it, the effects, he understood and now grappled with. The ritual would use the throne, the master control of the Veinheld, and siphon off the vast majority of the Veinheld's power, draining the World Vein in order to tap into a previously never before seen power using Tyr's immensely durable and earth connected body as a conduit,

Thus, Tyr would receive any power the ritual tapped into, which in this case would be a connection forged with the slumbering gods. With the might of the gods, demons would be of little issue. The matter was simply that should the ritual fail, then the Veinheld, the main power source that fueled the war golems and mountain defenses that kept the Triforge from falling to Wrath and Gluttony would shut down, and that would doom his people to extinction.

Though, in a way, it would still be one last message against the demons, for the only reason they besieged the mountains so was to tap into the Veinheld themselves.

”I myself did not believe the ritual's efficacy. After all, the gods have slumbered since the very first Darkening, and though we may practice their magic, it is precious rare that any have ever heard their voices,” said Signi. ”You know how much of a skeptic I am. I believe only that which mine eyes see. But I have seen, and I believe.

This ritual is formula of the Chronicler, the very being who allowed the elves themselves to find their own salvation.”