Chapter Seventeen: Ocean Manor (2)
*Huff* *huff* *huff*.
My body was in a very critical condition. Blood continued to drip from my lips, my breathing was ragged and rushed; every breath was torture.
I felt like dying. Well, I was dying since one of my broken ribs had pierced my heart.
I looked at what had saved me from the wolf; it was another wolf, only that this one had a patch of white that went from its forehead to its back, alongside a weird symbol. It was the little wolf that had followed me out of the trial. It was now three feet tall.
My vision was blurring, and my consciousness was fading.
At that moment, I heard Helios' voice.
"Use that spell, 'Inra's Blessings'; it will help," he said.
I was weak, but I did as he suggested. I used that last of my strength to spin the spirit essence pool in my spirit world and then to think of the spell.
Once all this was done, I looked at the little wolf and said,
"Protect me and Kevin."
And then I fell asleep.
On Nicholas' body, wisps of silver energy flowed out from his chest and wrapped around his body.
*****
In a faraway place, on a blue-colored planet, a huge silver Chinese dragon was sleeping, wrapped around a mountain range that spanned for 5 km.
The dragon suddenly opened its huge black eye with a vertically split silver pupil and said,
"Hmm? Someone has used my Ω, but how did they even get it? Now that's interesting."
The dragon was talking to himself when a loud booming voice suddenly resounded all over the place.
"Inra, you damned lizard, get out here now!"
"Get off my door, you damned fox," the dragon responded in its own equally loud voice.
As he said that, something broke through the atmosphere of the planet and landed in front of the dragon.
It was a fox whose body spanned hundreds of meters; it had purple and blue fur and a very long mane. Sparks of light fell wherever it went.
"Tsk tsk, you never change," the fox said.
"What do you want, Vena?"
"I have a message from the Pantheon."
"The Pantheon?"
"Yes, they want you to participate in this millennium's WAR OF WORLDS competition."
"Me? Why?"
"Yes, as for the reason, I didn't know."
"Nope, tell them I said..."
The dragon paused for a bit as the memory of someone using his Ω flashed in his head. He let out a breath, then said,
"Tell them I said yes, that I'll participate."
"You will!" The wolf said with much surprise.
"Yes, I will. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Wow, so what changed? Why are you participating?"
"Get off my planet, you sly fox."
"Tsk tsk, it was just a question,"
the fox said as its body was wrapped by a blue light and then shot into space, disappearing among the stars.
The dragon watched as the fox left, then turned its head to look at the other stars while muttering with a slight smile,
"If the prediction is right and Helios is coming back, then this competition is going to be really interesting."
*****
In the top floor of a tower that was floating in space, a huge throne is seen and behind it is a mural of a large grey bird.
On the throne was a woman who had long golden hair and sharp grey eyes. She wore a long white gown that had gold embroidery on it. She was scrolling through a hologram when a knock was heard on the door.
She glanced at the door and said,
"Come in."
The door opened, and a man with short raven-black hair and electric blue eyes walked in. He moved over to the throne and knelt down.
The woman looked at him and asked,
"What is it?"
"Your Highness, it's a matter concerning the cage child."
"The cage child?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Our Intel tells us that he had escaped the trial."
"What?!"
The woman shouted with surprise, and the whole tower shook.
The man continued,
"He came out four days after entry. It seems like he was lucky enough to find a gateway."
"Dammit, I'm sure one of those assholes from the Pantheon had helped him." She was enraged. The woman touched her chin, then asked, "Are the diviners still in the garden?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Good, dispatch them. Tell them to find the child and bring him to me. At any cost." The woman said with clenched fists.
"Of course, Your Highness," the man said as he stood up without raising his head and left the room.
The woman stood up and went to one side of the room that had a large window. Staring at the endless expanse of darkness and twinkling stars, she said to herself in a dark tone,
"I'm sure it was Anansi who helped him. That bitch has been getting on my nerves lately. I need to meet the three sisters and the lord of curses, that cage child must die." And with that, she vanished.
*****
Back in the garden.
In a room that looked like a mix between a study and a library, two women are seen sitting opposite each other. One had long black hair and crimson eyes, while the other had long white hair and light blue eyes.
"So let me get this straight, you saw a vision and in that vision someone other than the seven had a class," the woman with long white hair spoke with a thoughtful expression.
"Yes," the other woman affirmed.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm certain."
"Do you know who the person is? Did you see their face?"
"No, the vision ended before I could see his face."
"So the person is male."
"Yes."
"So how can we identify him? Because if Dominic finds him, we know that the person is as good as dead."
"Yes, I know. And there's a way I can identify him."
"Okay, so how?"
"This person had a very powerful killing intent and a very unique presence. Whenever he moved, it seemed like the space around him distorted."
"Okay, so we have no way of identifying this man," the white-haired lady said while shaking her head.
"You might not understand, but when you meet him, you will know."
*********
Back in Nicholas' area.
In his spirit world, Helios was seated in a huge golden throne while reading a book. Suddenly, he looked up from his book while muttering, "The stars are moving, Nicholas. I hope I will be of great help in this time."