The portal opened up with a thunderous roar. Bright swirls of light orbited around a pale portal.
"Well, here we are…" His cheeks or whatever part of his skin was visible under his curse was flushed red. "Phew that took a lot out of me!"
Calliope crinkled her snout. "Weakling."
"It has nothing to do with me being weak…" Atlas signed.
Claudina stopped before looking confused. "Don't you rank higher than the Inquisitor?"
"Hm? Oh yes. Yes I am. I hold the sixth position as the Ringmaster."
'Sixth? If the Inquisitor was the eleventh and he was already so strong, just how strong is Atlas?' Anatole grimly thought. 'No just how strong are these Vessels of Ri'sh? If I can win then my ruined family will stand up again. I need to try harder than ever now.'
'...Even more work…but after this I would like to rest and take a vacation,' Sylvester thought numbly.
'I won't live long to see how this will play out,' Sullivan smiled. 'but for once I want to see the good side win in this battle…For me to think like this, Lord Nyx is finally rubbing off me.'
Shulia angrily looked down at the ground. 'Come at me then. I will protect everyone back home! All those orphans are dependent on me. I promised I would kill all the demons. I can't back down.'
Claudina's face was expressionless. 'I could care less how strong these Vessels of Ri'sh are. As long as they don't bother my sweet life with dear Ophelia the world can go to hell.'
"Hah! Do you see now how inferior you are to him?! Kneel and don't come for him!" Calliope screeched at Claudina.
She blinked. "Pardon?"
Atlas grabbed her and stuffed her inside his top hat. "I am sorry about her manners. She's the jealous type. I hope you don't take any offense."
She smiled. "None taken!"
"...Then we shall get going," Sylvester said.
Anatole nodded and stepped forward. "Finish up whatever you two have to say. Then move it."
"I don't have anything to say to anyone~" Sullivan chimed.
Atlas sheepishly smiled looking down.
Claudina on the other side grasped Atlas' hands. "Truly I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have done what no one has ever done for me."
Atlas returned her grip smiling. "I have done nothing. Rather you helped me unlock something I didn't even know was possible."
"If you ever come to Chronostis and visit any guild simple give the name Spade and you will be treated with the utmost hospitality."
Atlas laughed quietly. "Yes. Alright. I shall do so. But I would like it more if you yourself can give a tour of Chronostis."
"If you can live for 20 or so years I will."
"Then I must take care of myself then." Atlas grinned shark teeth flashing. "Take care now, milady." He bent down and kissed both her cheeks as farewell.
"May we meet again, Princess Claudina."
"And I you, Sir Atlas."
She followed after Sylvester.
Sullivan was the last one to climb inside the portal when…
"Sullivan."
He stopped to look back.
"...That day…when the explosion happened was it your plan?" Calliope finally wriggleed her way out. As retaliation she bit Atlas' neck but he didn't react.
He stayed silent for a long time before replying, "...You are not trying to kill me after all these years are you?"
"...That depends on how you answer your next question. Did the choices you made so far…have they really made you as happy as you used to pretend to be?"
Sullivan looked towards the other saints. He eyed each of them, something warm blooming in his chest seeing their eyes shining bright. His gaze lingered the longest on Shulia. Confused, she smiled at him tilting her head.
He grinned wide and looked over his shoulder. "You bet!"
Atlas had a similar smile as him. "Then their deaths weren't in vain…Go on…let's meet again when Fate allows us…"
"...By the way Atlas," Sullivan snickered.
"Hm?"
"Your bat is a terrible poet!"
"Take back those clammy words lest I compose a blistering response of outrage!" Calliope screamed.
Atlas chuckled. "Well she learned it from me."
Sullivan's laugh reverberated against the portal.
"Wow…this place looks like…" Shulia spun around slowly.
"Absolute shit," Anatole ended for her.
For it truly looked like shit.
The curse of the Void Maze had completely changed the island's trajectory.
The forest ground was dead and littered with wildlife carcasses. The corpses themselves were mutilated, covered with blue-yellow tendrils soaking up whatever life they had. The Void Gate that previously took them to the Void Maze had shriveled up and flew into the air like ash.
"The islanders!" Shulia suddenly said before rushing off.
"Hey, Shulia!!" The others called but she was already out of sight.
Claudina glanced at Anatole. "What do we do now, leader?"
Anatole groaned. "We go after her obviously."
And so they did.
Everywhere they looked the tendrils had taken over. Some of them were so thick it almost looked as if there was a person underneath. Fleeing birds were taken straight from the sky and pinned to the ground as for the animals their legs were bound before their lifeforce was sucked out. Trees withered and fell down with the lightest of wind while grass and small flowers turned gray and black.
'I wouldn't be surprised if the entirety of the island is like this,' Anatole thought. 'Flu'er Island is done for.'
"AAAAHHHHH!!!" Screams echoed in the dead forest.
They halted only for a moment before running as fast as they could. The scream didn't belong to Shulia but it doesn't mean that she may be in trouble.
They came barreling through the gaps. Looking around wildly, Anatole quickly spotted Shulia fighting off what appeared to be a humanoid monster. It had no face, just long gangly limbs. Behind her was a small child quivering in fear.
Taking out a dagger he embed into an amount of Holy mana. Then he threw it like a dart aimed at the monster's head. It hit just as it brought down a crushing punch at Shulia who shielded the child.
It twitched, jolted its head open before turning into dust. Shulia peeked out to see Anatole's dagger lying among the dust and sand grains.
She sighed in relief seeing them running towards her. "Um…" She looked down at her arms. The little girl was safe. "I am sorry. Was my grip too tight?" she gently asked, letting her go.
The girl shook her head. "No, no. You saved me. Thank you." The girl had soft brown hair in delicate waves and bright pink eyes. She also had a very sweet smile.
Shulia smiled and pointed behind her. "Then, thank him. He saved both of us."
The girl turned around and saw the other saints. She held up her dress from the sides and gave a low curtsy. "Thank you for saving my life."
Sylvester smiled lightly. 'She reminds me of someone I know…but who?' Then he frowned. 'What's up with that dark aura coiled around her?...'
Anatole raised a brow in surprise before quickly going back to his poker face. He looked around. "Lass, where are your parents?" The girl flinched at his tone.
Sullivan slapped him in the ribs. "Ow! What was that for?"
"That's no way to treat kids! Here, let the pro show you~" Sullivan kneeled down and smiled. "Hello there~ Mind telling us your name?"
She breathed heavily as she glanced from one saint to another. "...Are you all saints?"
"That is correct. We would like to help you."
"Well you see…" her voice cracked.
"Yes?" Sullivan encouraged her to speak.
The child looked down at her feet, her face full of confusion. "Um…the thing is…"
Just then Claudina popped her head from the back. Her eyes widened in recognition. "...Esme…"
The girl looked up almost instantly. "...Saintess Claudina…"
Now Sullivan was the one surprised. "How do yo-"But the girl named Esme had already run into Claudina's arms and started to sob.
"Oooooh it was horrible Saintess Claudina!" she wept loudly.
Claudina couldn't believe her eyes. "Esme! How on earth did you get her?!"
But Esme kept crying.
"Saintess…" Claudina snapped her head up.
Anatole walked past her. "...You have some explaining to do."
She frowned. 'Why must I explain myself? You are not my parent...' But she held her tongue and temper in front of the sniveling child. "I will but I need to pacify the child first."
"Then do so by the time we get back."
Biting down her tongue again, Claudina picked her up. "Where are you all going?"
"To search for survivors…" Shulia said, squeezing her shoulder.
"And hopefully a boat to get off this island!" With that all three of them left, leaving her to fend for herself and Esme.
Claudina signed before turning to the weeping child in her arms. "Alright, Esme. Stop your crying."
"But it was terrible! I was all alone!" she blubbered.
She held Esme closer and stroked her head. "Shh, there, there…everything's fine…I am here now aren't I?" She started to hum tunes and sang lullabies to soothe her.
After some long minutes Esme finally stopped crying. Though her bottom lip still quivered as if the slightest thing will send her back to a crying fit.
"Are you ready to talk now?" she asked, voice soft and low so as to not frighten her. She took out her handkerchief and wiped her face.
Esme nodded her eyes all puffy. "Can you stand on her own?"
Again a sleepy nod.
Smiling, she started to set her down when Sylvester yelled at her. Alarmed, she saw them running towards her. Closely behind their heels were a series of those humanoid monsters. Anatole threw knives, daggers, darts at them but more just came running back. Shulia was carrying a boat over her.
"Cover me!" she yelled out as she took to the side.
"σπечwert!"
Baron came out and rolled his eyes around the area hungrily. "Baron, go help Shulia," her retreating figure said. Baron leaped over, took the boat from Shulia and kicked it straight at sea. Then he jumped up in front of the monsters, letting the saints escape. All of them huddled into the boat with Anatole taking out the oars to start rowing.
"Baron, come back!"
"yEs DucHesS." However he didn't come back at that very moment. He wanted to have just the slightest bit of fun before leaving the island for good.
Killing the humans that turned into monsters…
'whAt thE dUChesS doEsn'T kNOw, DoeSn't hUrt HeR…'
The monsters all stopped, confused. Lifting one giant claw he slashed at the front instantly killing a whole horde of them. They all gazed down at their twitching brethren.
Finally Baron kicked up the sand as a momentary distraction while he ran to the boat and kicked it off the shore.
As he started to paddle the boat he didn't notice Claudina staring right at him, her expression unreadable...