"Alright, here's the plan one last time..." Axiom began.
"We already know, small-one... But if you must explain it, do so quickly," Kelvastiol said.
Currently, the six stood at the entrance to the castle ship in the Death realm.
Axiom, Valak, Jack, Naomi, Kelvastiol, and Nautilankt.
"We're going forward with our plans since Valtheim helpfully informed us that Eris has broken out of the Destruction realm. I believe Mizik is still in the Peace realm since Valtheim didn't say that he moved... So hopefully, we can move to the Order realm and kill the Demon Queen before he shows up," Axiom said.
"Remind me...why do we need to kill her again?" Valak said.
"For Kelvastiol. Lord Difar made her able to grow by feeding off of individuals of great power. That includes demonic royalty. Nautilankt also believes there may be information on how to get to the Central realm stored in the Order realm's archives. On top of desiring power from Estelyn as well to become a demon god. Once we have that info, we can just come back here."
"Fair enough," Valak said.
"Trust me, love...it will be well worth the efforts..." Kelvastiol said as she seductively licked her lips.
"Damn, you're creepy, lady..." Valak said.
"Kekekeke! This is going to be awesome! The Elder Core will be ours! And if everything plays out the way I want it to, I could become a demon god!" Nautilankt said.
"At the very least, you would have the power of one. Something like that would be comparable to our master. Our deal still stands, right?" Axiom said.
"Certainly. Help me get what I want and I'll help you. What are friends for?" Nautilankt said with a wide and menacing smile.
"Yes...of course..." Axiom said.
Nautilankt was a fool as far as Axiom was concerned.
As far as Demon Kings went, he was stronger than most...definitely strong enough to attempt to rise even higher.
But the differences between a demon King and a demon god were staggering...
Right now, Nautilankt would be unable to fend off one of Tanavol's Avatars. In fact, he would most likely die horribly.
But a Demon god could hold his own against even Lord Difar. Such an ally would be great to have if properly controlled...
And that was what Axiom planned to do.
If Nautilankt obtained the title of Demon god, Lord Difar would devour him whole. His power would rise and Nautilankt might even be made into a new type of General.
Likely an Exo-General like Axiom and the other Corrupted Deus Arms holders. They were warriors without equal implanted with Lord Difar's own essence.
With his sword, Hatred, Axiom would be more than capable of killing Nautilankt where he stood, should the contract be broken. Although facing an Avatar was still impossible.
And Mizik would be a different story altogether...
As Axiom looked out at the edge of the stagnant lake that Nautilankt's castle ship, the Kraken, sat on, he sighed.
It was only thanks to Mizik and his meddling that they were forced to use such tactics...
After all, the last time they were made aware of it, Mizik Iratus had reached a level of nearly 70,000.
As far as Lord Difar was concerned...the Destroyer had evolved into a real threat. One that he wanted to be rid of as soon as possible.
And the likelihood that Valtheim could do the job was decreasing by the day due to the presence of one of his Conquerors.
A woman named Stella...wielding the Deus Arma called Faith. That sword could apparently use creation magic. Just enough to repel Valtheim.
A more direct approach would have to be taken. One not involving Lord Difar.
After all, his life would now be in danger. This was due to the simple fact that the curse he inflicted on Mizik wasn't strong enough to completely seal Mizik's passive ability, Blessing of the Creator.
In Axiom's opinion, it was a foolish idea of pride and overconfidence that led to this outcome... The deal Lord Difar had made with Mizik as a result of the events of the Reset Incident caused this.
And now...the 'hero' had become a monster. An enemy too strong for the 'villain' to deal with...
Axiom turned his attention to Kelvastiol as she stepped forward.
"Are we quite ready? I would prefer to get started. This realm smells terrible," she said.
"Yes, we're ready. Move forward, everyone!" Axiom said.
Nautilankt tapped the ground with his trident and a bridge of ice formed at the entrance to the Kraken. It extended all the way to the edge of the lake.
The group moved forward and stopped at the shore as several undead creatures began appearing.
They were simple death knights. Axiom almost laughed as he summoned a squad of Corrupted warriors and watched them obliterate the skeletons.
"Our goal is the castle in the distance. Get to the gateway and we'll escape this realm," Axiom said.
Axiom had been to several of the 'light realms' recently. He noted that one of the key differences was the placement of the gateways.
Light realms had their gateways further away from the residence of the Avatar in that realm. Dark realms kept the gateway well within walking distance of the Avatar's residence. As if it were a challenge...
The Death realm was no different.
And so, the group began pushing forward.
"Should we deploy a Corruption zone?" Jack asked.
"Not necessary. We aren't trying to spread the Corruption," Valak said.
"Good point..."
After Jack spoke, more undead began appearing. This time, a small army had risen from the ground.
Valak calmly unsheathed his sword and it changed into a hand cannon. Several turrets appeared in front of him and began mowing down the enemies.
The Corrupted soldiers also joined in and smashed as many as they could.
Axiom summoned two Corrupted dragons that towered behind them. They fired black energy blasts from their many mouths.
"Humph...if this keeps up, we may tire long before the fortress is within our sight..." Kelvastiol said.
"Got any better ideas? None of us can exactly fly, you know..." Naomi chimed in.
"Seriously? Do you know who I am, love? I am the shadow dragon. The mightiest of all world dragons! Just watch and learn..." Kelvastiol said.
A pulse of Corrupted energy rose out of her body and everyone began stepping away.
An explosion of power radiated outward and once it cleared, a gigantic black dragon stood with a terrifying smile on its face.
She looked somewhat larger than the last time Axiom saw her take that form. Her claws were now webbed and her tail ended in a fin. There were also two additional fins on the sides of her head accompanied by several larger horns.
At first, she didn't appear to be much as far as water dragons went...but now, she looked the part.
Her eyes glowed with purple fury as she glanced at the rest of the group.
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE GASPING IN AWE, YOU MORSELS! GET ON OR BE LEFT BEHIND!"
"I forgot how terrifying that thing was... Ugh...is this trauma...?" Valak said.
"Could be, considering what you went through before Valtheim got hold of you. But that isn't my problem. Get on her back," Axiom said.
"Now THAT is a dragon! BY THE HELL LORDS! AHHHKEKEKEKEKE!!! I WANT ONE SO BADLY!!!" Nautilankt said with a wide smile.
"Stop shouting! Get on her back!" Axiom said.
"Very well..."
The group jumped onto Kelvastiol's back and she immediately flew up into the air.
They shot across the sky at incredible speed until they had flown just above the castle.
Unfortunately, several glowing spheres of cyan light manifested in the air. They formed into skeletal dragons that glared at the group with pure rage.
Nautilankt was the first to act. He waved his trident and a storm began swirling around the group. Blasts of wind mixed with ice slammed into the dragons and completely onliterated them.
"AHHHKEKEKEKE!!! CHILD'S PLAY!!!" He laughed.
"Good work. Kelvastiol, let's descend to the gateway," Axiom said.
"DO NOT PRESUME TO COMMAND ME, MORSEL. I WILL DO AS I PLEASE!"
Axiom rolled his eyes behind his mask and Kelvastiol descended to the ground.
She landed with a loud crash and the group lept off of her back. She changed back into her humanoid form afterward.
They now stood in a massive courtyard on the side of the castle with the gateway close by.
"Now then...all we have to do is corrupt the gateway and it should take us wherever we please, yes?" Axiom said.
"Uh...I guess so? Why are you asking me?" Valak said.
"I wasn't asking you, moron..."
Nautilankt approached with a smile.
"To answer your question, Axiom, yes. If you corrupt the gateway, you should be able to control it without need of an Avatar's interference. That little Void girlie can't touch the central realm for certain reasons...but you can use the gateways to move about easier," he said.
"Why can't we just use the portal thingy to go straight to the central realm? Why do we need to go to the Order realm?" Valak said.
"Doing a fine job paying attention as usual, I see..." Axiom mumbled.
"Good question... And that's because the central realm doesn't have a gateway. We aren't meant to reach it by traditional means and it redirects anyone who tries," Nautilankt said.
"How could you possibly know that?" Jack said.
"I've lived here for a hundred years. I've had plenty of time to gather information using my underlings. Even the Death realm has citizens and they will speak when spoken to... They are surprisingly up to date with current events...including the disappearance of the Creation realm's Avatar."
"We can talk about that later..." Axiom said.
A sudden wave of pressure fell over everyone as a cyan portal opened on the ground in front of the gateway.
A figure rose out of it.
He was well-built and wore a set of heavy black armor. Beneath his horned helmet, a cyan light shone. A black cloak with a strange pattern on it fluttered on his back. He had his hands crossed over the pommel of a large greatsword stuck in the ground at his front.
"I was hoping not to run into this guy again..." Axiom said.
He had fought this man once after first arriving here.
This knight was the single reason it had taken them such a long time to try and escape.
The Warden.
"Begone. Leave this place. You are unworthy," the Warden said.
"Everyone, get ready! This guy is seriously strong!" Nautilankt said angrily.
The Exo-Generals all drew their swords and prepared for battle.
"If you will fight, then prepare to meet your doom."
There was a flash of light from his helm and several undead knights began appearing.
These were different, however...
They were skeletons, sure... But they looked to be made of something more than bone. Their bodies were put together with stone fragments and then covered in silver armor befitting royal knights.
Their eyes burned with cyan light and each of them held weapons in their hands.
Some held swords and shields, others greatswords, some held battle axes, and there were several dual-wielding longswords.
Each one of the skeletal golems towered at ten feet tall.
"SENTINELS!!! GET READY!!!" Axiom shouted.
Kelvastiol breathed deeply and unleashed a breath attack of purple flames. The shield golems stepped forward and tried to block the flames by casting magical barriers.
They were severely damaged, but remained standing.
Axiom knew well that the only person here capable of fighting the Warden was Kelvastiol. And so...he enacted his plan.
"Kelvastiol, get in closer and attack him! We'll support you from the rear!"
Kelvastiol smiled.
"Don't tell me what to do, morsel. I already planned to kill him myself. Hahaha...YOU'LL MAKE A FINE MEAL!"
She shot forward and obliterated the sentinels standing in front of the Warden with her claws.
The Warden caught her claw on his blade as she drew close.
"Begone. Leave this place at once," the Warden said.
"Why do you think we're here, pal!?" Valak said.
The Warden lifted his sword and brought it down on Kelvastiol.
She smiled as she saw the sword move... To her, it was slow. She caught it with her claws.
"Oh? Did you intend to harm me with this? Don't you know that dragonhide is one of the strongest substances known to man...? I may look like this, but I am still a dragon."
The sword in her hands began to glow fiercely for a moment and Kelvastiol jumped back as pale blue flames began to erupt from it.
"Begone. Leave this place at once. Intruder...interloper..."
"How boring..."
"Looks like we can win this one. Good work, Kel!" Axiom said.
"If you really want to thank me, get me something to eat. Or...volunteer yourself..." She said.
"Er..."
"Is she just hungry all the time or something...?" Naomi said.
"I'm famished... With a body as big as mine, I rarely get enough to eat. And my true form is quite large."
"Ugh...everyone, attack the Warden!" Axiom said.
Naomi readied her sword, a black khopesh called Greed, as Jack and Valak readied Brutality and Damnation respectively.
Naomi's sword dispersed into a group of floating shuriken and flew at the Warden.
At the same time, Valak's sword changed into a hand cannon and he began summoning turrets to fire.
The Warden took a defensive stance and summoned two more shield sentinels to block.
Kelvastiol took her chance and lunged forward to obliterate them.
Once she had closed the gap, she opened her mouth and blasted him point-blank with her corrupted flames.
The Warden evaded the attack and punched her in the chest. Kevastiol was sent flying into one of the courtyard's dead trees. It exploded as she impacted it.
She stood up and wiped her mouth. She had been salivating.
"I can't wait to sink my teeth into you, Warden... You smell metallic...like blood and death."
"Begone... Leave this place. Stop resisting."
Just then, he turned his gaze back at the Gateway and a man stepped through.
As soon as he saw who the man was, he stabbed his sword back into the ground and resumed his original position.
"Dark Avatar detected. Departing..."
A portal appeared at his feet and he disappeared.
"Huh..." The man who had just entered through the portal said.
Axiom took the opportunity to change Hatred into a scepter.
"State your identity or die!!!" Axiom shouted.
"Hmm...this one looks so much tastier than the last... Far less crunchy..." Kelvastiol said.
"Name's Castra, Avatar of Chaos. I'm here to help you. Ahahaha...she sounds like she wants to eat me!"
"Uh...she kinda does...?" Valak said.
"It's about damn time one of you realized the value of joining us," Naomi said angrily.
"Yes...of course... Hahahaha... So, why are you here, exactly?" Castra asked.
"We're not here by choice. And can we trust you to not attack us? I mean...unless you want to be food for her, that is..."
Kelvastol stepped forward with a wide smile as soon as Axiom spoke.
"She really does want to eat me...? Oh yes...I think I would like that very much... B-but first, I need to know why Aldaril's realm is being inhabited by the likes of you," Castra said.
"This guy seems like he has a few screws loose..." Valak said.
"We normally present an impending danger to a world. We are Corruption. In service to the King of the Abyss. But this world has been spared for now as long as we can acquire a certain item called the 'Elder Core'," Axiom said.
"Y-you want the core!? Oh...that might be a bit difficult... But it would probably be fun to watch. You might destroy Tanavol with a desire like that. I-it sounds like a blast!"
"He's definitely off his rocker," Valak said.
"Putting your questionable loyalties aside, we are willing to recruit someone of your position and power for our cause. You will likely be converted into an Exo-General. One of those serving directly beneath Lord-"
"Hahahahahahahaha!!! I don't care about that at all! But sure, I'll help you. It looks like it'll be fun. Then when this is all over, I'll go my own way."
"Eh...are you sure? You would be spared unimaginable agony and treated like a King. That isn't an offer most would pass up..." Axiom said.
"Agony...as in...lots of pain...? That sounds wonderful... Y-yes, I like that very much! Oh...I need to go get my favorite shirt for such an occasion! Eris is going to be pissed!" Castra said
"Pardon, did you say Eris?" Axiom said, now feeling defensive.
No way in hell did he ever want to meet that insane woman ever again.
"She's the d-dark Avatar's leader. Strong mommy, as I like to call her when no one else is around...oops. I've gone and embarrassed myself! Ha! I'm shaking with excitement! She'll find out eventually, of course. I'll probably die to her big strong paws...I mean claws! Yes...I can help you. You need to get to the central realm, right? Gotta retrace those steps that ol' Kestel made. I helped him, so that's gonna be important."
"You are completely insane. But this might help us... Kestel is the Avatar of Creation, yes? Is anyone else aware of your assistance to Kestel?" Axiom said.
"Not a soul. He needed my power as a catalyst to his. And said to keep quiet so that he could work in peace. But...I forgot to tell him how to get back without the full use of his mask, so he's probably either dead or still down there... up there? Is the central realm up or down from here? A-ahn...who cares!?"
"Creepy weirdo..." Naomi said.
"Right...can you take us to the central realm?" Axiom said.
"Sure can! But Kestel used the Order realm, his mask, and my power to do that. Gotta go there first. Maybe we'll find some of those delicious scraps? Those will help."
"Then our plan hasn't changed. The Destroyer is still in the peace realm, right?" Jack said.
Castra gave a sinister smile.
"Oh yes... He's still in the Peace realm. Biding his time and awaiting for the perfect opportunity to strike...hahahaha..."
"Good. If we ran into him, he wouldn't stop until we were dead. There would be mass destruction everywhere..." Axiom said.
"I am...well aware..." Castra said.
"Can we stop standing around with our thumbs up our asses? Let's get moving! Mizik isn't going to just hang out and do nothing forever!" Valak said.
"Awesomeness! This is going to be so much fun! I'm helping! I can't wait to see what happens when...heh..." Castra raised his hand to the gateway and it changed color from orange to dark blue. "Beep boop. Destination changed to...Order realm! Thank you for choosing our services!"
"Will you be coming along?" Axiom said.
"Shortly, yes. I need to go retrieve my favorite shirt. Go on in! You'll have lots of fun, I'm certain of it!"
Axiom eyed him strangely, then shook his head. He motioned for the group to follow him and they entered the gateway.