156. All life weighs the same

Fluff watched as the Chick regained some of its prowess. Its two pair of wings was proof of its strength, and the raging fire and lacerating lightning was proof of its arrival.

It rejoiced as it screeched, and every Aviary beast responded as they lowered their heads. Whether it be a Pegasus, a Griffin, everything that could fly bowed before the Sovereign.

Every Beast that could fly were not beings of the past who knew the Sovereign, however, in their very genes, in their very soul, all of them were aware that none of them would be able to soar through the skies if not for him.

Without the Sovereign, the skies would be nothing but a chaotic swirl of fire and lightning. It was because of the Sovereign that the skies were blue and free.

They lowered their head, not daring to look directly into the Chicks majesty. The Sovereign may not have its proper form, but none of them managed to say anything otherwise.

However, there was something that did not like this screeching oversized chicken. It was not Fluff, it was not Colt, neither was it the Goddesses.

It was the single existence that caused even the beings of Myth to tremble. It was the thing that existed after the Goddesses came to be—Law!

There was a reason why Fluff and the Chick had different domains. Their level of Order was the same; every being respected them; however, there was one rule they followed that had been lost in time.

None of them could slay any of the other’s children.

Like Fluff could not slay any aviary beast, the Chick could not touch a land-dwelling creature.

Though this law did not extend to their children, as that would restrict them too much, the Mythical Beasts followed it. Though with the existence of Dragons and Pegasus that blurred the line of this law, the consensus was that none of them could kill another’s child.

This was an uncontested law. However, the Sovereign of the Skies just broke this law and killed someone from the Lord of Earth’s domain.

Fluff may have let it happen as it could not summon any strength, and only the Chick could draw out its former blood with the help of the leaf… however, this law was approved by the Goddesses. As such, punishment must be given.

Only one thing existed to punish the beings of Myth.

Colt’s left hand suddenly ached; it was a pain he expected but was still too much for him.

Fluff was by his side, trying to ease his pain with its White Light. However, even that was not enough.

The World Devouring Mark swirled and spread all over Colt’s left side. As it finally reached his left shoulder, neck, and temple, it was then that it eventually extended out of Colt’s body.

The black swirl of a shadow became dozens of shadowy tendrils that sped up towards the screeching Sovereign.

Seeing these tendrils, the Chick gathered the clouds and was about to attack when it saw Colt and Fluff.

The Sovereign halted the black clouds and let the tendrils wrap itself around it. Starting from its talons, it then reached its body. The Chick felt choked.

The power it held was sapped away, slowly. Even its blood, its lightning, and flames were stripped away. Soon, the Chick’s body was enveloped by darkness.

The writhing darkness that encased the Chick descended, and as the World Devouring Mark retreated to Colt’s body, what used to be Sovereign had reverted to an Egg.

The Egg was the same Colt found with the World Tree. Colt approached this as the World Devouring Mark receded to nothing but a tattoo.

He did not know where the power of the Sovereign went. It might have disappeared as it couldn’t be used by Mortals or something like that, but he didn’t really care.

“Meow…” Fluff worryingly called for Colt. It didn’t want him to move any longer as his body took the full brunt of a Sovereign’s energy with the veins of a Rank-7 Warrior…that was not normal.

“I’m…fine… I’m…not, going…to die… don’t worry.”

Colt, Fluff, and the Chick talked about this before it became Sovereign.

Colt had one last thing it must do before he could collapse. He stood before the egg and then coughed up blood, which splattered all over the Egg.

The Egg’s shell reacted to his blood and disappeared. The Chick then appeared.

Colt looked at the little bastard, and he smiled, “You took, your…sweet time… didn’t you…? Now…heal me…please.”

Colt collapsed on his face with a thud.

On his back, the forming crimson wing tattoo disappeared. The Chick got out of its shell and weakly wobbled towards Colt.

It sat atop Colt’s head and whispered before losing consciousness, “You’re really tenacious, my Partner.”

Fluff watched as the two glowed with a red light. He could see that their bond and connection had grown tremendously. He reckoned that Colt was now close to becoming something inhuman.

“Nyaaa!” Fluff looked at the skies as it remembered a distant memory of destroying the world. It was an experience it did not appreciate.

While Fluff protected Colt and the Chick, Fluff turned to the direction where the Gargantusk came from and spoke in human tongue, [Don’t try anything stupid…]

Krisa heard Fluff’s voice. She wanted to come out, but Ellaine stopped her. Krisa understood why Ellaine didn’t want her to face Fluff. She decided to abide by her warnings. She spoke while hiding.

“I apologize for this incident, Lord of Earth I–“

[It’s Lord Phat Fluff]

“What?”

[That’s my name now. I gave it to myself. If it’s too much of a mouthful, you can refer to me as Fluff.]

“…Sir Fluff, why are you with a Heretic like Colt Edgeworth? Not only you but even the Sovereign is with you…why? I thought you were our Deity who provided us the land. Why have you forsaken us?”

Krisa’s question was innocent. She simply wanted to know what was true and what was not. They were taught one thing in the Eastern Continent: the land they trod upon was pulled out by the Lord of Earth.

The Lord of Earth was their protector. It was the companions of their Savior. So, why?!?!

The answer she got, however, was not what she expected. Instead, what she received was a sense of danger, a dense, almost tangible bloodlust spread out. It enveloped everyone in the vicinity, suffocating those who felt it.

Fluff could not draw out the power of its blood, its natural energy, or even its divinity. However, its cultivated presence, bloodlust, and innate majesty were something that was etched on its bones.

Fluff was angered, so angered that it almost wanted to go on a rampage.

[Don’t speak such words to me! I have not abandoned anyone, I was the one who was abandoned, your people betrayed our trust, we were—]

Its temper was being tested, but then, a hand was gently placed over its head. Its anger disappeared, and the bloodlust it had receded, “Can you please…stop screaming? My head hurts.”

Colt was still lying on the ground, trying to grasp his breath. He managed to regain his consciousness but could not move. The only thing he could do was gently pat the head of the flabby cat whose anger was immeasurable.

This…was the first time Krisa heard Colt’s voice. Emotions, most of hatred and anger surfaced. Her mind was enveloped with light, and if not for Ellaine pinning her down, she would have already rushed to try and kill Colt.

The only thing she could do was scream in anger, “You murderer! You killed my brother! You killed my family! We only want to save this Continent! We only want to help. If you don’t want to be saved…do not drag others!!”

Emotions…are not easy to understand. It makes one act as if they have nothing to call a brain and become so narrow-minded, they miss what’s right from wrong. Krisa knew of Olivier’s mistakes.

He tormented someone and almost caused them to die. She knows this, but…failed to accept the death of someone dear to her. It was completely irrational.

However, Colt could still understand her rage. Listening to this lady, Olivier must have

Colt sighed as he spoke, “Hey, I don’t know who you are, but I see that you are angry with me. Do you want me to apologize? If so, then I am sorry for killing Olivier.”

His words caught Krisa off-guard that irrationality was destroyed…she failed to respond.

“I can feel your anger, and despite how much I hate Olivier…he was once alive and had a life of his own, and yet I took his life. I don’t have the right to say fuck you to his family because I how much you are hurting. I don’t know many things, why you are doing this, what’s your goal, what I will name my child, what I’ll have for dinner …but I do know one thing, I don’t regret killing him to save Mina and Filla.

“Also, can I ask you to please stop this? If you’re from the East, then you must know who spread the disease. Thousands have died, and all of those deaths are like Olivier. Their lives are as important as Olivier’s…”

“NO! Brother had a mission; he only—” Krisa, who listened to Colt, finally had something to say; however, she was cut off.

“YOU’RE WRONG!” Colt shouted and then coughed out blood. It took a while, but he managed to get himself back together, “… I’m sorry about that…but, you’re wrong. Olivier’s life does not hold a greater weight than anyone. Like my life weighs the same as a slave, no one is above anyone. In the end,…all of us are alive. The only difference is…that you’re…in the… wrong.”

Colt slipped away, leaving the messy situation to Fluff. No one would be able to touch him because Ellaine was fearful of Fluff, and Krisa was being stopped by Ellaine.

Ellaine did not want to cross Fluff; something within her was telling her that it was blasphemous. She also had memories that span for millennia, and she could recall some vague images of the past.

Fluff turned to their direction and said one last thing, [He didn’t quite finish his words, so I’ll tell you what he meant…every life holds the same weight, and to those who upsets the balance to serve their purpose, he will stop them without fail.]

Fluff was half correct, but no one knew that...not even Fluff.

“…Sir Fluff, we shall take our leave for now. But please know that what we are doing is for the best of everyone, and our goal had never strayed since past.”

Krisa escaped, and with her was a trembling Ellaine. They gained nothing here, other than learn the Lord of Earth, and Sovereign of the Skies was alive.

However, Fluff knew another thing…the Magical Beast Forest might just be more dangerous than it had ever been.

Minutes later, Risa and Mary arrived to get Colt.

They were worried about Colt and brought him back to the Wing City to be healed. That day was simply chaotic, and they would have gained nothing except for one surprising achievement.

Earth and Fire General managed to capture the Infernal Umbra Pegasus.