In the dim cathedral, Erus was silently working on the text on his arm. He poked his arm one final time and all the candles went out.
"It's done."
From outside the building, Iyseuss questioned.
"So now we just need to wait for him to get the ring, correct?"
"Yes." Erus confirmed with a low voice.
"Excellent."
"What if someone else grabs it?" Remis butted in.
"Nothing because I'm not that foolish. I've also added an incentive for him utilizing his current system."
"And that would be?" Iyseuss asked.
"Well, I'm blocking a few significant memories. Once he sees the ring up close, he'll know it'll get them back." Erus answered.
"I see. But they're not memories that'll get us killed if he finds out that you're responsible for taking them away, are they?" Iyseuss asked with a frown.
"You mean any memory of his." Remis laughed.
"Well, maybe one memory. But that isn't the important one, although I have no doubt it has sentimental value for him."
"So what're you blocking that's so important then?"
"He can't remember his Ego at all."
"What?!" Iyseuss stood up, spilling tea all over his robe. He ignored it however and walked to the cathedral door.
"Open it Remis."
"It's locked."
"Don't lie to me." He pointed at her in anger.
"You're no fun." Remis pouted as she waved her hand.
There was a click and Iyseuss slammed the doors open, flooding in natural light.
He saw a frail god wrapped in bandages, but he had no sympathy for him. The large stained glass windows had been boarded up from the inside and there were candles stacked on mountains of wax.
Erus covered his strained eyes as the light flooded in.
"That's against the rules." Iyseuss spoke coldly.
"Its an incentive. He won't wear the ring otherwise, he'd just take it. You think he'd be stupid enough to wear a normal Memory? If he knows stuff is being taken from him, you think that crazy bastard would lie still? Remember the last time something was taken from him? Half the universe was eaten!"
"That's different and you know it."
"Who cares. They were just puny little-"
"I may be the god of life Erus, but if you finish that statement, you'll find out just how similar I can be to my brother."
Erus shut his mouth.
"You're going to stand trial."
"They'll all agree with me."
"I know, but you'll be in pain outside your cathedral. So suck it up like a good little god." Iyseuss harshly grabbed Erus' arm.
"Even I think you went too far this time brother." Remis giggled while sticking out her tongue.
"When I said don't lie to me, it was more of a 'don't lie in my presence.' I know you agree with your brother." Iyseuss snapped at Remis.
He found his mood had quickly soured.
'Disgusting little gods.'
Iyseuss silently thought to himself.
Gwen and Vincent were currently confronting the red, giant soldier. Unlike the giant guard Auclair had fought, this one had no shield. Instead they carried a fencing sword in their hand and stabbed it lightning fast.
Any time the giant struck, Vincent would use his ability to block him.
He could summon a bright shield of light that blocked nearly anything. He didn't have any offensive capabilities, but the shield made up for it in its shocking defensive capabilities.
The giant would generally have to deal with his recoiling arm when it struck the shield, it was the effect the shield cursed any attackers with.
In those moments, Gwen would quickly send out her chains of fire and wrap them around the giant's legs, trying to topple him.
However the giant proved to be rather sturdy.
It looked towards Gwen who had just done that and snatched it leg back. She stumbled forward and quickly disconnected the chain from her palm while the giant struck towards her chest. Vincent jumped forward and took the blow with his shield.
At least that's what he expected to happen, instead the giant withdrew his sword and his hand flew out.
The giant had feigned.
He grabbed the shield and lifted it as well as Vincent into the air. He threw them to the side and stabbed at Gwen once more.
"Shi-!"
Gwen quickly made chains and wrapped them around the blade, forcing it just barely away from her body. Her brother got up and ran to the two of them.
He drew a small blade he had taken from a guard and stabbed it into a gap in the giant's armor. They grunted in pain before backhanding Vincent.
Vincent fell to the ground with a cough as the giant lifted a leg to prepare to stomp on his chest. Gwen saw her opportunity and threw another chain around the giant's other leg.
It was the only leg currently supporting his body so he finally fell.
The ground cracked from the sheer weight behind the soldier. They quickly tried standing, but Gwen ran behind the soldier and wrapped a chain around his neck. The giant started getting choked but he threw his hand at the fiery chain.
Despite the burning pain that began rising through his gauntlet, he refused to budge. He kept the chain just barely far enough away to prevent his airway from being blocked.
The faint smell of burning flesh began to resonate within the hall, but the giant still refused to move. Instead, the giant retaliated by ramming his elbow into Gwen's side.
"Help me, you little shit!" Gwen yelled in frustration to her brother in between her pained grunts.
"How?!"
"Just stab him in the crotch for the sake of the gods!"
Hearing that, the soldier quickly squeezed his legs together in panic and started hitting Gwen harder and faster.
"He blocked it-"
"Do I reeeeally need to think for you right now?! Just stab the fucker!" Her voice was getting incredibly desperate.
Vincent rushed forward only to get kicked away by the soldier.
"You seriously are f-ack!" She got got hit exceptionally hard but still continued, "Useless!"
Vincent got up and ran forward once more. However he anticipated the giant attack and when the giant kicked again, he blocked with his shield.
Unfortunately, the giant also expected it, so he just swiped Vincent's legs.
Vincent fell to the ground once more.
"Just die!" Gwen yelled in frustration. Whether she was saying it to her brother, the giant, or both, no one could say.
The guard slowly started pulling the chain away from his neck as Gwen's arm strength got weaker and weaker. Her stamina had long since run out.
'Oh screw this.'
She let the chain go prompting the soldier's arm to launched itself away from his body due to the force he was exerting. He realized what Gwen was going to do and tried to bring his arm back.
However, Gwen was just barely faster as she tossed off his helmet and brought a small dagger down into the giant's head, killing him instantly.
The giant's hand fell and Gwen looked at it and saw raw bone. Her lip curled in digust.
As the giant's body slumped to the side, she looked towards her useless brother.
"What…" she huffed in exhaustion as sweat dripped down her face, "the actual… hell man."
Vincent waved his hand at her and fell to the ground as he took deep breaths.
"Did Mr. Legs kick you too? Because you definitely have brain damage."
Vincent gracefully raised his middle finger.
"God I love this family." Gwen mumbled with a smile as she shoved the giant away and spit on his face.
She slowly raised herself off the ground and her elbows popped and cracked as a result. Her muscles were incredibly sore from the chokehold she put the guard into.
"Where are the keys at?" She said with blank stare.
"I dunno."
"Then search him. Do something for once in your life."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Vincent slowly lifted himself with a groan and started looting the giants corpse.
"Ah." He exclaimed without a shred of excitement.
Vincent lifted his finger and on it was a small key ring. On the key ring were at least two dozen keys, ranging from dull keys to the fanciest keys imaginable.
"Which one do you think it is?"
Gwen looked behind her at the large vault that was twice their size with a scrutinizing gaze.
"I don't know, but you should get started with it."
"Ugh…"
Auclair was inspecting the threads all around him and was still following the king's. He expected to have to go all the way to the top of the tower, but rather unexpectedly, the king only went up about half of the tower's total height.
He looked at the fancy doors on this floor. They were the most fancy he had seen so far so the floor must've had some significance to the king.
"Hey, you don't seem to have a team, you want to join us?"
"Huh?" Auclair heard some people talking to him but wasn't paying any attention.
To his left, there was a group of people all sweating with a few dead guards and soldiers scattered about. They were cleaning up their gear and someone was healing the others.
"I asked if you wanted to join our team."
"Oh. No, I've been managing just fine."
"Well, you're kind of- well." He motioned towards Auclair's incredibly bloody body.
"Do you at least want our healer to check you out?" The man smiled.
Auclair's brows furrowed in confusion.
Then it clicked.
"Oh! This isn't mine. I'm fine, thank you though."
Although he now knew what the man was talking about, his brows stayed furrowed. Were there really people this altruistic?
Fate told him yes, but Auclair's experience told him no. Their threads continued and fate clearly said they were good people.
"Goodness, it seems you've been busy then! You must be rather skilled!" The man laughed causing Auclair to blink.
"I'm- I'm going to go now." Auclair pointed to the fancy doors.
"Well, we were going to explore this floor to look for the king or any treasure. So, we'll head with you. Might as well right? The more numbers the better!"
The man looked towards his party.
"Everyone ready?"
"Yep!"
"All set here."
After giving their confirmation, the man opened the door to the floor. Auclair was going to voice concern but couldn't come up with an adequate excuse, so his jaw was left slightly agape as the party walked past him.
'I don't get this universe anymore.' He thought grumpily as he followed the group.
They fought some guards and a few soldiers as they made their way into the floor. They didn't make it that far before the man leading the party told everyone to stop.
"Hey! You two over there!"
"Keep trying the door Vincent, I'll stall them." Gwen whispered to her brother who gave her a slight nod.
"What?"
"Would you like to join our party?"
"What?"
"I said-"
"I know what you said! I'm just confused, are you asking that to everyone you stumble upon?"
"Well, yeah!"
"What the f-"
Click!
"I got it." Vincent said excitedly.
Gwen turned and smiled at her brother. However when turning back around, her face quickly froze.
Standing there like a demon from hell, absolutely covered in blood with a wide grin etched on his face was Auclair.
"Hey you two."
Gwen threw out an accusatory point.
"Mr. Legs!"
Vincent quickly whipped his head around with wide eyes.
"Mr. Legs?"
"Mr. Legs?"
Both Auclair and the party leader mumbled in utter confusion as the brother and sister ran quickly into what looked like a vault.
Exactly where the king's thread of fate led.
Auclair let out a giddy chuckle.