Deep in the night, Third POV:
-"So we're here again." Testa said as she recognized the uncanny landscape of Rimuru's soul. She noticed Ultima and Carrera also appeared next to her.
-"It seems so. I feel conflicted in intruding on Sir Rimuru's soul, but if it allows us to find a hint about his condition, then it's good." Carrera showed an unusual level of seriousness compared to her reputation.
-"At least we know how to get out if things get dangerous." Ultima shivered as she remembered the eeriness of their last incursion.
The trio traveled in the fog for an hour before finding the first traces of the slime's memory bubbles. As they know about the wall separating the two halves of soul, they decided to scan some memories and see if they could find anything of use.
They remembered Mithra's depressed face from a few days ago, and it alighted a new flame of determination inside their heart. If that unshakable mountain of power and confidence got reduced to such a state, then the situation must be dire, more than they could imagine.
The girls found a cluster of memories, and began their research. Today, they won't find any clue, but they'll see their lord and Mithra in a new light, as they stumbled upon some silly and happy memories.
***
The Lost World, Third POV.
All of the following events are scattered between a few weeks after Veldanava's reveal (D-130 years) and D-90 years.
-"Alestar, stop. Please. It's getting annoying." Veldanava massaged his temps, as he and Alesar were having their first quarrel.
-"I'll stop when I fuckin' want to, Veldabanana." The human replied unfazed, not bothering to look at the ghost. Instead he kept traducing a stone slab about Soul magic.
-"Look, it's easy. You have the first half right, you can do it. Repeat after me: Vel…"
-"...Vel."
-"Da…"
-"Da."
-"Nava."
-"Veldachihuahua."
-"NOOO! For fuck's sake, what is wrong in your head?" The dead dragon almost tore off his hair in frustration. "Why did you even start doing that? It's disrespectful."
-"Oh, it is? From my point of view, it would be fitting to give third-rate nicknames to such a disappointment of a Creator." Alestar said without a care.
-"Bwaahh? Disappointment, me? I dunno what you smoke, but I want it."
-"Oh, keep it down, dumbass. I'm working here." Alestar swept his hand through Veldanava's phantomatic body without any effect. "And yes, you are. Should I bring out the list of the stupid deeds you told me about?"
-"Hah, you're exaggerating. I'm sure you have nothing to-"
-"First, your current state. Pretty impressive for a god to fall so low."
-"Urk…" The ghost felt like an arrow struck his heart. "Okay, but that's just one blunder-"
-"Having conceded to Feldway's tantrum about creating him an op body based on your appearance." Alestar brought out a notebook and began reading it. "Not educating your sisters enough, especially the chillin' one. Letting them go overboard with your poor young brother. Naming a fucking outer lizard of destruction, because 'what could go wrong, lol?'. The whole disaster about you having fucked and impregnated a human, with the consequences we know of. Also, being hypocritical in forbidding your siblings to do the same, AFTER having fucked up, and FULLY KNOWING it would happen. Asking Twilight to release humanity in all the multiverse, without having let him finish the product-"
-"Hey, what are you rambling about? Humans are such lovely creatures… Well, except for the ones who killed me and Lucia of course." Veldanava felt outraged about it. He restrained from telling Alestar he's kinda alive thanks to his decision.
-"Lovely? If you want. But unpolished, that's the truth. I bet your wife would have insulted you atop of her lungs if she didn't have magic to help her eject Milim from her womb without pain. I think I don't have to explain that further." Alestar didn't pay attention to his disgusted face, caused by the crudeness of his wording. Instead, he coated his hand with a Soul spell to search for any hidden knowledge on the slab.
-"...Okay, I admit I might have missed a thing or two. But who doesn't make mistakes? I'm only a True Dragon, not an omni-able god." He poked his forefingers, pouting a little.
-"...I won't say anything about this, I don't have time for your stupidity anymore today. Now, lemme finish this in silence, I need to focus." He swept his hand again, but this time he got a reaction.
-"Oww! Hey, careful with that, it hurt- Hmmffh…" Veldanava shut his mouth, but too late.
There were a few seconds of deafening silence, where no one moved. Then, Alestar looked at his coated hand…
Before turning his head toward the ghost. Slowly. It did a full 180°, by successive moves, like a clock hand. The dead dragon started to tremble, as he'll understand why Alestar can be terrifying. His last sight was the deranged, murderous smile, full teeth out of his newfound tormentor.
***
In the back of the Gates of Hell, where Rodin also created a workshop
-"Hi Rodin. I heard you can restore broken equipment. I got a cool-looking find for you, straight from my last trip." Invidia laid down on a shelf a huge mace-bell which had seen better days. Rodin approached to analyze it.
-"Mmmmh. Seems quite good indeed, there's even remnants of a dark blessing on it. Could become a Legendary Grade if I restore it well. You'll have to wait, tho. Alestar already brought me something else not long ago." The shining baldie went to the other side of the workshop, where a huge spear rested near a forge.
-"Damnit, he was faster again. Hmm? Hey, aren't these…" She picked a pair of weapons, a hybrid between tonfas and small grenade launchers, inspecting them with interest. "I thought I would never see this kind of babies again."
-"I see you like what's making loud booms. I picked the concept from a few discarded old tools I found in an abandoned warehouse. These toys use magic instead of common bullets, but I haven't tested their potency yet." Rodin explained while he lighted a cigar with his thumb.
-"I can do that if it's good with you. I'm kinda nostalgic about firearms, I won't say no to reliving memories of the old days in camp."
Invidia charged the modified grenade launchers with a little bit of her magic. At least, that was the plan, as she got too excited in testing it on a dummy, she overdid it. The wall didn't like meeting with a flare of Nuclear magic.
Behind it, an unfortunate Alestar got caught by the blast. He expected a calm day, strolling in the streets, and got his whole back fuming, with a charcoal texture. If he turned his head to the left, he would see Veldanava rolling in the air, trying to choke on his laugh even as a ghost.
Embarrassed, Invidia discarded the weapons and looked away. Rodin remained composed. He took some notes about the weapon's test, and wrote an order for stronger materials, as he has to rebuild a wall. He also took a mental note to send the bill to Invidia afterward.
***
On the terrace of Rodin's bar
-"Yo Midir. It's quite rare to see you sitting on the terrace instead of being inside with the baldie." Invidia greeted the dandy dragon while taking a seat for herself.
-"Good day. You seem more energetic than usual…" He peeked from behind his newspapers, holding back a grin. "Got a new living toy in your bed I presume, that would make it the fifth. What is it this time, a man or a girl?"
-"Both, and twins on top of that. It creates funny situations, I can't get enough of their embarrassed faces. Anyways." She sent a paper plane inside the bar, with her order written on it, before turning back to Midir. "What did you want to show me?"
-"This."
He showed her a spot on the road, where a hidden pit leading to a sealed tunnel lies. Then, he pointed at a woman wearing a skirt passing nearby. At last, he activated a concealed wind trap from below, making air flow through gaps in the pavement. As the gust lifted the girl's skirt, Invidia raised an eyebrow, not forgetting to note she was wearing striped panties. Rodin brought her order without giving a fuck about his colleague's antics.
"That's a game I came up with when I found out about this tunnel. You bet on what someone's wearing before we get the revelation from the wind. Don't worry about getting caught, it's a mechanic system that I revamped. No risk of classic magic detection with that."
-"...Cool. But, what the hell are you doing with your time? Not that I complain, of course." She took a sip of Cosmopolitan, thinking that girl had a fine ass.
-"I suppose 'Our Mighty Lord Of All This Shit' created me that way… That's the last moniker Alestar found if you're asking."
-"Not his best." She took another sip, rolling her eyes. "And the true reason?"
-"I was bored." Midir admitted shamelessly, caressing his mustache. "I can't stay in the library all the time. Researching is fun, but kept in moderation. So, you're on board?"
-"Three rounds, the loser pays for both. Deal?"
-"Deal."
On these words, their pervy game started. Invidia won the first round with a bold bet on black lingerie, while Midir caught up thanks to white panties. The third round started when a beastwoman came close.
"I'd say… Boxers. She seems tomboyish." Midir said while eating onion rings.
-"Heh, too bad. I'm sure she's going commando." Invidia grinned as she thought she was victorious.
-"You serious? What kind of woman would go-"
He got interrupted when the trap activated, making the dress float. And the result was…
-"Told you. Thanks, I can keep my money." Invidia finished her drink while ogling hard at the beastwoman.
-"..." Midir stayed frozen, speechless for a while. "...Did she had a-"
-"She's a spotted hyena. They avoid keeping it cloistered under underwear when they can. Learned that one thanks to Alestar, that guy knows a few weird things too."
-"...I have more research to do for our next game, or you'll squeeze my account dry."
***
Another time, in the Gates of Hell (yeah, this place really is the rendezvous point for everyone, deal with it)
-"Do you think she will like it?" Oryos asked, showing a finely ornamented bracelet he bought for Beryl's birthday. "Shouldn't I have taken the necklace instead? This thing could hinder her while fighting. And what if she loses it because it detaches, and she starts rampaging in the wild to find it? And what if-"
-"DUDE! Stop, you're stressing me. I told you it will be okay, she'll like receiving a gift from her dad, calm down and wait, fuck." Alestar replied with a harsher tone than expected, before taking a deep breath and covering his face.
Since Oryos adopted the mantis girl, he became a doting father and kind of a worrywart, fearing he wasn't doing enough for her. It amused everyone, even if he could sometimes annoy the hell out of them by overreacting. After all, this girl can take care of herself, as she's working as a ranger, protecting nature. And she's pretty strong too, Alestar can vouch for it unfortunately.
About him, he's getting more and more tense each time he meets with Beryl. From the day she was introduced to the party, she decided he was on her bad side, never elaborating further. He tried to ask her what's wrong, to unlock the situation. Alas, she pushed him away almost each time, playing tricks on him. Alestar tried to bear with it, but it got on his nerves after a while. What worsened the situation was the fact that it happens only between them, the girl never treated the others in such a harsh way.
-"Yeheaah, guuuuys! I got da booze- hic I tasted it myself, cheaaal of qualit-ty and aaaalll…" Invidia barged in, already half wasted, with a bag full of bottles, minus a few corpses.
Rodin apparently rolled his eyes as he took the bag and prepared the drinks. It's hard to tell since he's wearing sunglasses indoors. Midir enchanted a few decorations, bolstering the ambiance of the room, and snatched a few toasts.
-"That's the old hag for you, starting the festivities before everyone." Alestar stated without looking at her. He was occupied in preparing other toasts and preventing Midir from stealing more.
-"Seriously dude, will you explain one day why you started calling her 'old hag'? Did something happen?" Oryos got nervous, not wanting any trouble during the party.
-"I told you, don't worry about it."
Alestar dismissed it, not wanting to reveal to him the reason behind this sudden name yet. The truth was unimpressive, an usual occurrence of mild brainrot due to boredom. Once, the two idiotic humans thought 'hey, why wouldn't we insult each other once in a while as a form of greeting? Just to confuse the others.' A habit kept until the present days.
A few minutes later…
-"I'm here." Beryl entered with a few packages she put aside before jumping at Oryos, giving him a hug. "Missed me, dad?"
-"You bet I have, didn't see you for two weeks." He stroked her head, smiling like an idiot. "Happy birthday, my little nymph."
The party started, and it devolved quite fast into a fun chaos that only those six could pull off. Alestar and Rodin had a drinking race, while Midir tried a magic trick way too outrageous. Oryos smacked him with a pie before anything disastrous happened. Invidia made the mantis girl laugh her ass off thanks to an imitation of the Insectar Hero when he's away from his 'little nymph'.
Anyone who could see ghosts would notice the absence of a certain useless Creator. Indeed, Veldanava stayed inside Alestar's soul, not wanting to suffer from frustration. Indeed, seeing all those salivating foods and drinks while being unable to taste anything is quite hurtful. He bided his time by imagining how he would organize his own daughter's birthday party when he'll live again.
-"Here, I got something for you." Oryos put the bracelet on Beryl's left arm, where it wouldn't hinder her arm-blade. He got nervous at the sight of her widened eyes. "I-I can exchange it if you don't like it."
-"Are you crazy? Of course I like it, it's so lovely. Thanks a lot, dad." She gave him another bear hug, almost slicing a chair by accident with her swift moves. "Oh, I got a few things for you too, and everyone."
She took the packages from earlier, and gave them to the band. They were accessories, fitting to everyone's liking. For Oryos, it was a cyan and black bandana with tribal symbols. He found it cool when he saw it in a bazaar, ignoring Alestar and Invidia's mockeries about his out of this world's tastes.
Even Alestar got a package, catching him off-guard. After a short period of puzzlement, he accepted it without further inquiries, thinking she might finally try to open up to him. He should have stayed suspicious, still.
*SLLLUUURRP*
-"Mmmff? MMHHHMMFF!" He couldn't articulate, as a humongous leech-like creature stuck to his face after jumping out of the box.
-"Hah, gotcha. Don't worry, this kid isn't harmful for humanoids, but reeeeeaaaallly clingy." Beryl grinned as she succeeded in pranking him again. "You can practice kissing with it, to be ready for when you'll get a girl. Well, if you can ever get one, of course."
-"Hmmmm. Must be quite sticky." Invidia dug in a fraisier, unfazed by the sight.
-"Its texture resembles the skin of a lamia in heat, if what I heard is correct. Don't ask me how I know that, I don't remember." Midir displayed his extensive, unorthodox knowledge between two sips of tea.
-"You heard it here, when said lamia couldn't stop blabbering nonsense after a few glasses." Rodin lighted a cigar, not bothered by the liquid dripping from the creature he'll have to clean afterwards.
While the trio reacted to this piece of trivia, Alestar escaped the leech's clutch by ripping it in two. His gaze stopped on Beryl, rolling on the floor with tears in her eyes from her mischief. Then, Alestar snapped and decided he had enough of being on the receiving end all the time. Now, the prank war would start.
***
New Majula (the name of the city where they're living), a lounge in the central office
-"Wow, you look tired, aren't you?" Oryos said, witnessing Alestar sprawling on a table, a newspaper hiding his head.
-"Grrrrooohh…"
This guttural groan is the only answer he would get. Oryos decided to leave the human alone and sat at another table, waiting for Invidia to arrive. They're supposed to have a reunion concerning diplomacy. Indeed, relationships are tense between the alliance and a peculiar mantis tribe that resides far East.
-"I hope I'm not late. Why did half of the officers fall sick at the same time? It's a pain to learn how to do their jobs in panic, just because we lack reinforcement." Invidia stormed in, throwing a pile of paperwork and her bag without a care. She looked at Alestar, sighing and massaging her temps. "He's looking like a carpet, dealing with accountancy almost alone. Good grief."
-"Yeah, it's a true epidemic out there, and it touches the Beastmens too. Midir is still locked in his lab to perfect the cure quickly, he said it would be good for the end of the week. " Oryos brought the good news, while picking up the paperwork she scattered.
-"Fuckin' finally. It would've been faster if a certain spirit we cannot see helped with it instead of fooling around. And for fuck's sake, why is this goddamn lock so hard?" Invidia fumed. She struggled to open her closet reinforced with rare materials, and decided to tear the door out in an excess of rage.
-"Of course it's hard. It's Beryl's, not yours." Oryos explained, but too late, as Invidia already opened it by force.
Embarrassed by such a idiotic blunder, she tried to unfold the door, but to no avail. Her brute strength, unrestrained by her emotional rush, only managed to rip it further. Scratching her cheek, she thought about the money she'll lose by asking to repair it.
-"Welp, sorry. I'm kinda losing my head these days- HYYAAAAAAA!"
Invidia let out a high-pitched scream, and fell flat on the floor. Foam in her mouth, paler than a corpse and spasming, her pathetic look worried Oryos. As he went to help her, he heard a familiar voice coming from the closet.
-"Oh man, here goes my prank. Too bad."
-"...Bwaaa?" The Insectar was astounded, as he saw a head, talking inside the closet. Alestar's head.
-"Well, surprise. I planned to scare the life out of Beryl with that trick. Not bad, heh?"
While the head spoke, the body stood up. Now nothing hides it, it's clear something's lacking above the neck. Oryos took notice of a few organic strings linking the two parts. They traversed the floor, hidden under the carpet, and entered the closet from a hole in the back.
"Took me so long to find a way to do it. I had to grow secondary brains in my body to lower the strain on the main one, reorganize my nervous and bloodstream systems, a hassle. But hey, now I have unlocked one of the best tricks ever for Halloween." Alestar's body picked up the head and reattached it back. Then, he approached the exit, sweating. "I'll be on my way. I know the old hag will mangle me for that joke if she catches me. See ya."
-'You brought it upon yourself. I warned you it was too creepy and hazardous, but nooo. I'm Alestar, I'm too much of a genius to listen to the voice of reason in my head. All that gore with your experiments just for a prank. Such wonderful priorities I tell you.' Veldanava spat, and hoped for the human to get his ass handed by the volcano on legs once she woke up.
-"Shut up, Pepito, and help me find a good hideout instead."
As Alestar fled, Oryos waited for Invidia to emerge from her slumber, desperately keeping in check his urge to laugh.
-"Such epic timing. 'I'm losing my head', no shit. *Pfft*"
***
At the foot of a mountain, far in the badlands
-"Ah, here it is. The rumors were true, we would have missed the entrance if we weren't searching for it. It will be time to blow some steam, hehe." Rodin cracked his knuckles, ready to joyously slaughter monsters during today's adventure. "It's been so long since I last ventured in the wild… You good, Alestar?"
-"Mmhhh. It's just… This place reminds me of something, but I can't put my finger on it." Alestar scrutinized the landscape with a deep, thoughtful expression, his spear on his shoulder. "Nevermind. What kind of treasures are you searching for? Materials for your smithcraft again?"
-"Yup. According to that old man, there's a Full Arch-Hydra nesting deep in that cave. Imagine all the toys I could forge with what I'll find on its corpse." Rodin laughed like a maniac, imagining how he would extend his weaponry.
-"... A Full Arch-Hydra?! Goddammit, you're kidding?" Alestar dropped his weapon by the shock.
-"Nope. I never met one myself, only simple Arch-Hydras, but I heard it's a wonderful beast to prey on. Exactly what I need to have some fun. There aren't many monsters out there that would bring me a fun time."
-"Heh, I met such a beast once."
-"Ah? How did it go?"
-"Almost died." Alestar replied with a heavy tone, shuddering at the bad memory. "And we were six."
-"I see. Skill issues, it appears." Rodin mocked him, not being impressed the slightest, as no wild beast could threaten someone like him.
-"Tch. Freakin' battle maniacs, all the same. Well, it was decades ago, it won't happen the same way now."
He was right. When he encountered that fierce beast, he wasn't in the same realm as Oryos and the others yet. Now, he would be able to best it single-handedly, and treat it as a heavy workout.
Entering the vast caves network, they progressed fast as nothing opposed them, to Rodin's annoyance. On his side, Alestar couldn't help but to wonder why he got a weird feeling in his guts since they arrived in this part of the world.
"You know, I really have the impression I know this place… There! That crumbled stone bridge, after a steep slide, I knew it. Rodin, do you remember if that grandpa told you a name for this place?"
-"Well, he called it the Elusive Water-something-"
-"Elusive Waterpit, huh?" Alestar sighed and turned back, searching for a sandwich in his bag.
-"What?" Rodin asked, confused and wondering if his colleague suddenly chickened out.
-"That's the place. It's there I almost was a goner against the Hydra."
-"...Ah. Shit, that means I won't get to have fun. But we can at least retrieve its remains."
-"..." Alestar looked deadpan while munching on his sandwich. "You don't think I traveled 2500 kms and faced death to return empty-handed. We took everything, and now I remember the old hag snatched the body when I bragged about it."
-"WHAT?! Are you fucking kidding me?"
-"I think your intel might be a little outdated." Alestar emphasized on 'little', and grumbled as they traveled all the way for nothing. "I'm sure your gramps heard about our achievement at the time, and his memories got hazy with old age."
The unfortunate adventurers had no other choice but to return empty-handed. Rodin flew at full speed, almost leaving Alestar in the dust. Thankfully, the human had learned how to modify his body to grow wings of his own, since he couldn't control space or gravity.
They stormed into New Majula, deep in the night. When he heard about Invidia being out of the city for a mission, Rodin broke into a secret vault she possessed, hidden in the outskirts. As he searched for the Hydra's remains, Alestar got on his trail, trying to bring the baldie out. He was about to tell him it's not polite to intrude in others' places, when a golden light attracted his attention.
-"...Now I understand why our official budgets seemed a bit light. She took a bonus directly from the bank without anyone noticing." He grabbed a few coins from a large pile of treasures. By analyzing them, he remarked they're all unique. It seems Invidia 'visited' the central bank's vault a few times to exchange faulty coins with the best one she could find. "I feel like borrowing some for an infinite amount of time, all of sudden."
***
A snowy winter in the streets of the city
-"Oryos, leave the chocolate alone for the kids and find another way to calm your nerves." Rodin exclaimed. He hid his exasperation behind a professional facade, as he threw flyers for his bar at the passersby, disguised as Santa.
-"Yeah, yeah I know. I can't help but anticipate what will happen once they return. It's getting worse by the day between these two." Oryos grumbled, his face painted dark from the melted treats he devoured. "Why did Beryl go to find Alestar by herself in this blizzard? It's not his first, he would've found the way back."
-"That's no ideal weather to play pranks in the wild. Maybe she finally took our warning seriously and decided to act like an adult with him for once. Not that this guy is better himself."
-"...I hope so."
Oryos stayed silent for the rest of the day, reminiscing about the tense relation between his daughter and his best friend he calls a brother. From the day he introduced her to the band, she never showed any real appreciation toward the human. No one knows why the girl acts like that, and Oryos himself only has a faint suspicion.
When Alestar decided to retaliate to her pranks, it escalated, slowly but surely. One day, the girl would switch the text of a speech with a paper full of dubious jokes, embarrassing him in front of several diplomats of external tribes. Another day, the human would trap her meal with the strongest and most wicked pepper available. A plant that worked even on people who possess only resistances and no immunity to heat. A dose that could have threatened the life of a lesser being.
Their pranks grew quite extreme to still be called like this, and one day, they went too far. After having almost blown up the Gates of Hell with their immature war, the others snapped. They scolded the duo, and pressured them to cease with their foolishness before someone gets hurt beyond repair.
Trying to release the tension and clear his mind, Alestar ventured outside. Unfortunately, winter came sooner and harsher than usual. A massive blizzard appeared where he was directed to. That wicked storm had a specificity: it had magic jamming properties, making it even more dangerous for anyone stuck inside it.
Of course, Alestar wasn't weak enough to be life-threatened by such weather, and it wasn't his first experience with it either. Nonetheless, this raging tempest would slow down his return, forcing him to seek a hideout. When she noticed he got stuck outside, Beryl decided to search for him, helped by her talents as the best ranger in the world. Maybe it's to help him after the warning they got. Or perhaps it's to get another chance to annoy him in peace, with no one in the vicinity, only she knows.
A few days after the blizzard first appeared, Alestar found refuge in an isolated cave, waiting for the weather to clear. He knew this kind of meteorological event wouldn't last more than another three days at worst. Having nothing better to do, he talked with his freeloading ghost for a while, about many things and nothing. After a few hours, he went to sleep, until he noticed a shadow outside his lair, moving in the snow.
-"Shit, it's freaking cold. I should have taken a better coat." A familiar voice echoed through the cave.
-"Beryl?"
-"Ah, I was sure I found your trace, but you traveled more than I anticipated . You're moving quite fast despite not having the best suited body for trekking in deep forests." The mantis girl swept the snow glued to her exoskeleton and approached.
-"Oh great, the 'best' company I could ask for." Alestar rolled his eyes but didn't go further than a sarcasm, not having the will to continue their usual quarrels today. "You know I can take care of myself, this kind of hindrance isn't problematic for me."
-"That's what all the idiots say, until we find their bodies years later, dismembered and rotten. Even if it's you, I can't bring myself to let someone alone in the wild with this shitty weather and take the risk. That's my job."
-"...Mmmph."
She sat at the opposite side of the cave, and silence fell. Alestar remarked she wouldn't do anything stupid in their situation, and went back to sleep. A few minutes passed, but he couldn't let his mind go, as he heard annoying noises coming from Beryl's side. Sighing loudly, he was going to tell her to be quiet, but reconsidered.
Beryl tried to lighten a fire with a few runes to keep herself warm and get some light, but they went inoperative due to the storm earlier. Grumbling from frustration, she threw them away after many unsuccessful attempts. She curled in her cape, shivering from the low temperature. Unlike her adoptive father, she wasn't fully resistant to natural phenomenons yet.
-'What an idiot. Way to go for the supposed best ranger in the world to make such a blunder. Or that's another way she found to bother me. If I don't help her, she'll try to blame me in front of Oryos, I'm sure it will be something so underhanded.'
-'Cut her some slack, you dimwit, and stop seeing evil in all of her actions.' Veldanava appeared, floating above them and doing barrel rolls due to boredom. 'From what I saw about her, I know she's being honest in saying she's doing her job. Knowing the others, they would have warned her it was useless to come pick you up, and she came anyway. Also, she isn't dumb enough to risk getting another earful after your prior admonition.'
-'Oh, really? You're giving her too much credit, being the hopeless softie I know of.'
-'This is not me being a softie, this is you being a bullhead. She searched all the way here, having rushed into the wild without proper planning from her lack of equipment. Now she's here, not even trying to pick a fight with you, unlike basically every goddamn day prior, and is minding her own buisness. It's already a miracle in itself, so don't you think she might have trustful motives?
One last thing. Watching from the side, her actions toward you always seemed off. It's not fueled by hatred or anything of the sort, but more like by confusion and wariness. If you were to ask for her side of the story, I'm sure you might find a way to unlock the situation. Do not forget that all misunderstandings originate from a lack of communication, so try to lift it now you have time and nothing better to do.'
-'...' Alestar looked at him dumbfounded, not finding anything to retort for the first time in ages. The ghost, surprised at the human's silence, became stunned in return.
-'...Am I dreaming or did I finally make you shut up?'
Alestar shifted his focus toward Beryl, ignoring the smug ghost, and moved toward her. Noticing him, the mantis raised an eyebrow and tensed, but didn't do anything and let him sit next to her. She gasped when Alestar's hand caught fire, wondering what's going on in his mind, and when did he learn to wield Fire magic himself.
-"Controlled spontaneous combustion. It's not real Fire magic if you're wondering, but I can make a torch of my body if needed."
-"I see. With it, you might lose the fat you're accumulating in winter after feasting in excess."
Beryl couldn't help but send him a nasty remark by habit, which of course didn't please him at all. Alestar immediately cut off the fire, letting the bitter cold and darkness take back their place.
"Wait, wait. No-no-no, I'm sorry, I didn't want to be hurtful. I'm an idiot, a shitty brat, all you want, but please. I beg you, bring back the light, please!"
Hearing Beryl's implore shocked Alestar, and he fueled his combustion again on the spot. He couldn't believe what he saw, the fierce young girl that always pissed him looked pitiful. Shaking hard, protecting her head with her arms and breathing with an irregular motion, it became clear she wasn't only suffering from the cold.
-"You're afraid of the dark?"
-"Not dark itself, but tenebrous caves. It brings back somber memories."
Intrigued, Alestar waited for her to continue but without pressing her. She took a minute to gather the courage she needed to finally open herself to her rival.
"I was born in the Mantis Tribe located in the fungal wastes, far East. Y'know, the one that refuses to have anything to do with the alliance of races. It is because of me, kind of." She took a deep breath, fiddling with her cape. "I'm the daughter of the Mantis Lord, raised to become a literal war machine. To be honest, the supposed goal of my existence was to one day become an existence capable of surpassing Oryos- dad. And I was supposed to bring to my tribe the leadership of the Insectoids.
The Mantis Lord is a bitter and cruel creature. Being one of the original trespassers, a few centuries ago, he was always under dad's orders, until he fled to create his own nest. As all the lesser Insects gained sentience, he fell for one of the worst emotions: envy. He was jealous of dad, being the only true Insectar, and not someone who had to take an devious path for evolution, like us. His resentment forged a warmongering society, where all seek to become the strongest. Except me, and that's the problem.
He forced me to train all the time, finding more and more brutal ideas to mold me into the merciless warrior he envisioned. And when he wasn't satisfied with my results, or about my reluctance, he could be imaginative."
Beryl interrupted herself, as she began to panic, recalling her nightmarish youth. Then, Alestar, in an act that surprised both of them, casted a miracle to appease her mind and bring her warmth. Taken aback by his action, as she heard how sour he was about this kind of magic, she realized she forgot about her distress. Now she recovered her confidence, she continued her story.
"Being thrown in a dark cave, all alone, was almost an everyday occurrence. And because of the cries I could hear coming from the outside, I always feared that something might try to sneak up when I was the most vulnerable. No matter the race, kids are easy to impress and traumatize.
It ceased when the Lord's wives, the one called the Sisters of Battle, took pity on me. When Oryos came to visit his old subordinate, they freed me from my jail and guided me outside of the nest. The bastard found I was gone, but never knew who was the culprit. He couldn't imagine the sisters doing it, as they're known to be as ruthless as him. Then, dad, after hearing about my situation, decided to take me in. And that's when I finally got to be happy.
But there was one thing that bugged me. When I asked him to tell me some stories, he couldn't help but to always blurt silly and nonsensical trivia about Invidia, and mostly you. He couldn't keep quiet about the one he called his bro. So much that I feared he might get tired of me soon because you were more fun to hang with. So, when I got to meet you…"
She blushed, poking her fingers and looking away. "I reacted on the spot. I tried to, how could we say, mark my territory? I wanted you to get lost, so I wouldn't have to fear losing my dad, and my newfound happiness. But over time, when I realized I was mistaken, I got too deep to turn back. Over my shitty pride, I continued bothering you, rather than admit I was being an idiot. In fact, over time I kinda started to look forward to the next pranks we would exchange, as I didn't know how to approach you otherwise. Now, you know the truth."
Having finished telling her story, Beryl rolled herself in her cape to avoid Alestar's gaze. She's gotten embarrassed from having explained her previous problem with him, and feared he would mock her for her stupidity. When she felt his hand pat her head, she stuck her face out, and became baffled in seeing her rival smiling tenderly.
-"It was silly alright, but I won't blame you. I'm glad I got to hear you're not hating me anymore." He stopped patting her, and presented his hand for a shake. "How about continuing to prank each other, but just for silly fun now?"
-"You don't mind?"
-"Well, it kinda became a habit for me too. And when we'll explain what happened to the others, I'm sure they would like to see it continue for the shit and giggles."
Beryl thought for a few seconds, then shook his hand, confirming their new and appeased relationship. "I can't wait to work with you to make this world a fun place."
-"Same here. I bet your dad will cry of relief when he'll know about it." They both laughed, knowing it wouldn't be far fetched for it to happen. "Now come closer if you want more warmth, I can't burn myself too hard or I'll dry up."
She did as he said, and hummed with satisfaction. For the next three days, they passed the time by plotting their next prank for when they'll return to the city. They planned to give the party one last big scare before telling them about their new start. After that, nothing would trouble their daily life for quite a long time.
Back to reality, third POV
-"That was… Interesting. Why am I not more surprised?" Testa shook her head, realizing her lord and Invidia/Mithra were always such merry idiots. Yet, she couldn't help but grin. "I might get used to it, if I'm not reacting more."
-"Bwahahahaha! The way he punched him, and broke all his ghostly bones, that was epic." Carrera got stuck laughing, witnessing how the Creator got pummeled to near oblivion a few times. "That was almost better than that time we got to use the old hag as a dress-up doll."
-"It would be great if they could stay so easygoing in this life too." Ultima smiled, with a tint of sadness. "I want to do what I can to make sure it will be the case."
-"Me too." The blondie finally calmed herself and clenched her fist. "Tomorrow I'll ask the old hag to train us for what's coming. She may have a curse, preventing her from explaining to anyone, but she can still give us hints on what to do, I think."
-"You're right, we must do everything in our power to prevent a disaster." Testa raised her chin with resolve, then looked toward the horizon, in the direction of the wall. "We promise you, Lord Alestar. We promise we'll find a way to bring you here safely."