Chapter 330 - Wake! (1/2)
”This is impossible,” walked the Sage in anger, ”-is that how royalty is supposed to act?”
”What's the matter?” stood with a tablet atop Roth, Serene held a smile of which was suspicious.
”Tis our queen,” sighed the Sage as he gently sat to have his feet dangling off to one side of the building. ”Something is very wrong with her.”
”Heart trouble?” asked Serene who came closer. Below, the people seemed as if ants wandering from point A to point B. With a bit of effort, one could also see the training of the guilds. Carriages filled with items guarded by armored men headed to Town Eden. Mild and lesser hot, the sun calmly kept watch over till the horizon.
”I've been with Shanna since her arrival onto this plane. Her heart has always been cold and shut to the world. Today, I saw a side that was never meant to be. A visage filled with sadness and regret, it's as if she's forcing herself to act as the worst person,” turned to Serene, ”-thus my visit. I've come to ask the help of the Nightwalkers, especially you, Serene. I know how loyal you are to our King. I'll do what I can on my side to stop any winds of trouble.”
”If it's for my King, then I'll do what is needed,” earnestly staring, the sage had shivers down the spine.
”Keep an eye Ryul, I'll have a few of my disciples on the lookout to any malicious plots. Queen Shanna is planning something big, I've no idea what it may be. The likely target is the king.”
”Before everything,” stood with an enigmatic face, ”-I'll assist with one condition. How does her majesty feel about her husband.”
”You dare doubt her vows of which she has sworn to him?” angered, he stood with a spark.
”There's no need for being belligerent,” she said with a finger touching his heart, ”-the world around isn't that good a place. Arda is the same, no one is safe. I thought that for a while until I came to meet our King. To this day I have no idea what he thinks. A bloody murderer to then a merciful hero – I've absolutely no clue.”
”That's a simple matter,” smiled the sage, ”-they're made for one another. Our Queen reads people's mind and he reads people's emotions. Together, they could take over the world if so wanted. Yet, if apart, they're one another's weakness. Imagine two stone-cold individuals slowly growing love for one another, have you seen it?” paused to give a moment for her to reply, she shrugged unknowingly. ”I have, a bond of proportions I've no words to speak of.”
”I suppose so,” she smiled, ”-what is this plan around, care to go into more details?” Heavy and loud breeze served to muffle what was spoken. The sage knew but one thing, Arda could stand to suffer if not careful whilst Serene had another thought in mind, the safety of her ruler.
”Adete,” walked through the portal into the mansion, Staxius glanced blankly with dulled eyes.
”What is it, vampire?” she hovered waiting for what was to be said.
”The first progenitor, I know that it might be overstepping if I say a thing, however, could thee grant thy heir a favor?” asked in the humblest way possible, she found it hard to refute.
”Tis a dire situation I suppose, what is it you want?”
”I want but one thing, information. In return, I'll have an assortment of blood as recompensating for thy trouble.”
”Blood,” watered, she wiped the growing thirst, ”-thou know the way to mine heart.”
”Thank you,” caressing her cheeks with a cold index finger, she gasped for it froze.
”Careful.”
Ignoring her yelp, ”-I'd like for you to go as a spy. Monitor and investigate the ins and outs of the palace. Blood-arts should allow thee to become one with the environment. The All-seeing eye, now evolved into one that has the mana of a god flowing through, will be more powerful. I'm sure I don't have to explain the possibilities.”
”Yeah, I know,” rolling her eyes to the portal, ”-not only is it undetected; the user can now control the mind and body of the victim. An undercover operation with blood as a reward. Count on me, Vampire,” hovered till his shoulder, *bite.*
”Again?” he said without much interest.
”Tis good luck,” after a wink, she disappeared into Arda.
”Well then,” *click,* lit brightly, Courtney stood beside the switch behind which stood the ladder to the first floor. ”The attic isn't that dusty as I thought.”
”Compliment?” said in dismissal, she frowned.
*Ding,* a notification had her jumped in embarrassment, ”-my bad.”
”What is it?” they stared at one another.
”Job request from Phantom,” she grinned nervously with raised eyebrows, Staxius shrugged.
”Go,” he gestured, ”-I'll be fine from here, see you later.”
”See you,” jumped onto the ladder, she climbed with her upper body still, one could have mistaken it for her sinking.
Alone in a rather large attic, Staxius sat with legs crossed in the middle of a circle. 'Arda's dark side,' the thought kept on pestering. 'Find allies, what will come of this.' Paused at few intervals, '-focus, this isn't time to think of things out of my control. Intherna, Gophy, and the soul of a nameless god. Limited to one every six months, the transmutation of a goddess into a puppet will be delicate. A miss placement and…'
*Summon forth, Box of Souls,* materialized in a blackish glow, a chest with a massive skull on top.
*Summon forth, Box of Alche,* in a similar fashion, two Relic-class items hovered shy of his head. Stood with the puppet placed inside a convoluted circle mixed with pentagons and hexagons; the writings took most of the floor-space. A total of four hours was spent in settling the prerequisites.