Chapter 19 - Arrival of the outlawed Immortals (I)
"Ten billion Gold Immortal Crystals just to kill the Holy Daughter of the Scarlet God Hall? Heck! I am in." One of the outlawed Immortals called Ubre, said loudly and excitedly.
Then not quite long, a few seconds later to be precise, the rest also began to scream out their unbounded enthusiasms in going for the mission that was mentioned to them by Ljourne.
While Ljourne who could notice their hugely soaring zeal for the task that he told them about, nodded his head in glee and prepared to return with the group of outlawed Immortals to the Fire God Hall where they would make use of the massive teleportation machine built there to cross astronomically massive distances very quickly and arrive in the World of Mortals.
...
- Fire God Hall -
"Lord Master Alcheus, I have secretively brought you fine men from a particular desert that is the base of their ceaseless operation in our part of the Immortal World."
"These men, who are basically outlaws and are actually, vastly talented in battle and have astonishing powers and abilities, are capable of going after Ethena and returning with her head." Ljourne said respectfully to Lord Alcheus who was seated on his throne that seemed to be formed from solidified molten magma, and had his tall and powerful body entirely wrapped up by numerous thick layers of a towering and violent flame that burned excessively bright and incomparably hot around it.
"I see." Lord Alcheus said.
He then said further, now gazing at the eight physically strong and hefty men that stood far behind Ljourne with great fear and veneration in their seemingly clouded eyes, "Great men of chaos, please come forward."
The moment he said that, the outlawed Immortals immediately scurried like ants that had seen danger to the front of Lord Alcheus who struck nothing but great and unmatched fear in each of their hearts.
"Good!" Lord Alcheus said with the pleased nod of his head. His nod however, couldn't be noticed by anyone present in the large, oval-shaped hall, as he was concealed by dozens of layers of a flame that burned brightly and in a raging manner around his tall body that constantly radiated blood-churning and spine-tingling ripples of an imposing and unbridled magnificent power.
He then said further, "The bounty placed on the head of Princess Ethena from the Scarlet God Hall is ten billion Gold Immortal Crystals, which is a whole lot of money that I can effortlessly afford infinite number of times over. So, anyone of you that can bring me her corpse or just her head, will get the massive bounty placed on her, and also the opportunity to become a superior vassal force under me. What do you say, great men?"
"Great Lord Alcheus...", Ubre said as he immediately went down on both knees before Lord Alcheus who had his attention instantly drawn towards him.
"...I am ready to do anything and everything for you. This Ethena that you speak about, I promise that you will get her head soon. That's my promise to you, Lord Alcheus." Ubre said further and clasped his fist right in front of Lord Alcheus to show his utmost admiration and respect.
"Good! That's what I want to hear." Lord Alcheus said with the pleased nod of his head that could however be seen by no one.
"What about the rest of you?" Lord Alcheus asked, looking at the remaining outlawed Immortals that stood with both amazed and horrified expressions in their faces beside Ubre.
Actually, why they didn't say anything ever since Lord Alcheus finished speaking, was earnestly because they were too frightened to say anything that could end up being out of line and in turn, anger or upset Lord Alcheus that will definitely not bat an eye in instantly wiping out every single one of them using the incomparably hot flame that burned unendingly and in a seemingly wrathful manner around his body in many layers.
"We are with Ubre on this, Lord Alcheus." Another called Fyroki, immediately said and went on his knees to show his respect. And as soon as he did that, the other astounded but terrified outcast Immortals immediately knelt too.
"Good!" Lord Alcheus said again with a pleased tone in his majestic voice that seemed to affect the body, mind and soul.
He then said while looking at Ljourne, "Ljourne, take the men to the chamber where our teleportation machine is kept."
"Alright, Lord Alcheus." Ljourne said and reverently bowed.
Then when he straightened himself a moment later, he gazed at the men still kneeling in serious awe and terror before Lord Alcheus and said, "Men, please come with me."
Very quickly, the outcast Immortals immediately stood to their feet as they could no longer withstand the blood-chilling ripples of great might and power emitting unceasingly from the towering body of Lord Alcheus who had ended discussion with them and had closed his eyes to meditate and attain a quasi-nirvanic state.
Then they walked behind Ljourne to the chamber where the teleportation machine was kept.
...
"Aerracles, now that more Immortals from the Fire God Hall will come for us soon, with the sole intent of destroying me, don't you think that we should leave this village and head to a place, like probably the desert or a valley where no human life will be lost and property destroyed?" Ethena who was seated close to Aerracles and watched the beautiful sunset with him on an open field, asked as she looked at him with a rather loving and caring gaze in her eyes.
"I have always thought of that too, ever since our first battle that we annihilated that company of Blaze Immortals who arrived in this world from your Immortal World to search for you." Aerracles answered as he looked at the sun that slowly set in the sky.
Then he continued, still looking at the beautiful sunset, which was actually a nonexistent phenomenon in his Angel World, as there was no evening or night there, only day.
"But you know these people, I mean your people, if they are able to catch a whiff of you, or perceive as little as a trace of you to this village, they will simply arrive here and slaughter all the humans in cold blood. They won't bat an eye in viciously tearing apart the adults and severing the younglings and the babies. Therefore, because of that, I definitely can't leave knowing what will happen to them." Aerracles said while Ethena nodded her head in reasoning.
"I understand, dear Aerracles." Ethena said and exhaled.
She then looked at Aerracles with an expression of intense gratitude in her face and said, "Thank you for all that you do, Aerracles. If you weren't in this world and have been keeping watch over me, I would have long died or taken away as a miserable captive to the sinister Fire God Hall where I would be constantly abused and heavily tormented to my death."
Aerracles heard that and only smiled.
'Finally, she is beginning to warm up to me on her own. Aiiii.' He uttered within himself and sighed in boundless joy and relief.
"It's fine, Ethena. No need to be so appreciative. Besides, now that I am your proud and lucky lover, it's earnestly my duty and obligation to keep you safe. And this I will do till the very last ounce of strength that I can possibly muster." Aerracles spoke with great and unbreakable resolve in his voice. While Ethena upon hearing that, only smiled gleefully and wrapped her soft but powerful arms around his waist. She then gently rested her head on his bulky and muscular left shoulder.
Just like that, in that intimate position, they continued to watch the sun set with marveled eyes and calmness of the heart.