Chapter 2088

Chapter 2088

Randidly just looked at the Nether King for several seconds after that bloodthirsty announcement. Similar to being in the upper part of the Sonara, just being near this powerful figure felt like standing in the current of a river. It pressed against you constantly, threatening to unmoor you and drag you away. The force of his will tugged even at Randidly Ghosthound.

The Nether King’s leering grimace vanished, but only because he brought his small hands and covered up his twisted mouth. Behind the fingers, Randidly could occasionally still see teeth. “Apologies. I’ve... had a lot of time to consider this, from when I was imprisoned within the patterns. About this opportunity to escape, I have too much intensity. Even my patterns begin to warp before that much emotion. Ahem... but I do have two other gifts for you before you go.

“The first is a pattern I’ve been working on.” The Nether King extended a small and dirty hand. A dazzling, prismatic crystal spun slowly above his palm. As Randidly watched, The various extensions gleamed and drew new connections to each other, the previous positions gradually fading. It shifted near constantly, becoming a new, even more complex crystal with each shift. The stark and harsh shape drew the eye. “I was attempting to condense a second Penance, to increase my power beyond my current limit. I had hoped... I had hoped that my own suffering would have been enough to rival our opponent’s understanding of the Pinnacle. But I did not have the space inside of myself to host another Penance.”

Randidly watched the shifts in the crystal. “What would this have sacrificed?”

The Nether King blinked at Randidly’s question. Then he revealed the childish version of his smile, dropping his hands away. “Ah, you know of Penances, eh? This particular one would have given up my emotions. Perhaps it would have crippled me, but-”

The Nether King refocused on the crystal. “Obviously, treat it with care, isolate it, however you feel necessary to be safe. Even I would not easily trust such an arrangement of significance. But I promise you this does contain some of my more recent and profound insights into Nether. I believe it will be valuable to your growth.”

Randidly remembered the actions of Solomon Rex, giving him a Penance where he would pay the price and the other man would secretly receive a benefit. Yet still, even looking at the crystal, he could see the gleaming secrets it held. Releasing a long breath, Randidly extended a hand and took the powerful object.

“The second gift is a bit of information I remember from my childhood.” The Nether King continued. He gestured at his small body. “Obviously, I was too young and weak to be allowed near any of these important events. And later, I was too poor to be in the locations that received reprisals from the Aether forces... but you want to find a way to a city called Malloon in the memories. And in the next few layers. It was one of the greatest seats of Aether power. A center of commerce and culture, home of the most powerful Aether Council in existence. And it would be the sacking of Malloon, the war that followed, the slaughter at Wyndaos... those would reveal the spirit of the age. And create your predecessor, who Elhume would need to slay.”

Randidly frowned. “My predecessor?”

The Nether King shrugged. “It is a slightly morbid truth, but I will offer it. Once one has reached the Pinnacle, there is drag for others to join you. Like calls to like. Strange, cosmic forces begin to push for others. Some would call it karma, but I believe it is... more like a breeze from a rip in a tent. Others will feel the force and find the way. I believe very strongly that you have brushed against this Pinnacle-seeking breath.

“Anyway, your predecessor. The early years were rough for Elhume, due to his incomplete ascension. Which is why the First and Second Cohorts were such chaos, when individuals saw the alternate universe as a second chance, and not the slowly collapsing tomb it has turned out to be. Soon, within these memories, you will meet the great ‘villain’ of the Second Cohort. The one who so warped the world the Hierarchy of Karma needed to be found and used to slay them. A being of Aether and Nether in equal measure. You could learn much from them, I’m sure. But it is also dangerous.

”Our enemy is distracted currently, with his own plans and the chaos of the Sonara’s fall. But this being will not be. If you attract their attention, you will most likely encounter them.”Visitt novelbin(.)co/m for the latest updates

“And there is a chunk of this individual, held below in the Sonara.” Randidly licked his lips and refocused. It was good to be warned about that danger ahead of time. “But...you are saying that... I have an inherent connection to Elhume just like this individual? One pulling me toward him?”

“Ha! No, child,” The Nether King shook his head. The patterns around his body began to fade. The depth receded from his eyes, his consciousness departing. “Never Elhume. Remember, your foe is simply the one who currently occupies the incomplete throne.

“No, the like that calls to you, the one pulling you, the one who created the monster of the Second Cohort... is Pine’s corpse. The breath is from the child, a dead remnant seeking to restore the universe to its rightful wholeness.”

“Being restricted to not possessing a Class while they play professional Hobfootie obviously shortens their lives, but when you consider the money they can bring to their families, I think it’s not such-”

“What do you mean, ‘I’m always making you out as the villain’ Shit, Lylla, can we not do this here? Let’s wait until we get home.”

“Okay, but emphasizing Classlessness clearly enforces socioeconomic differences, does it not?”

“Just the pageantry of it all-”

“No. No, I’m not going to wait. Your blood brother said right to my face that I wasn’t very nice-”

“Not at all! If they wanted to change their economic situation, they should train harder. Or pledge themselves to a larger affiliation with growth potential. Many of the more dominant races are searching for valued subordinates. Take the Peregrine Serpents or the Many-Tailed Foxes-”

“- yet you didn’t even defend me! All you say every time I bring it up-”

“You and he just have different definitions of ‘nice’.”

“Now you sound like a fool. Obviously these subordinate affiliations are predatory contracts. Any wandering warriors who sign on will be used as fodder and then cast aside.”

“Exactly. Different definitions of ‘nice’. And you know what, Iyork? You know what I’m hearing? That you and your brother have a definition of nice doesn’t apply to me. Right?! Is that right? What about me isn’t nice?!? Just fucking say it to me, if you think so. At least your brother had the balls.”

Randidly pursed his lips; almost all of the conversation on this side of the hall became dominated by the fight between the arguing couple. Both had scaled arms and feathers sticking out of their elbows and shoulders. She glared at him with dark eyes, daring him to say anything. The man stood with his mouth open, eyes bulging. He had started the process of responding, but couldn’t find a safe way to proceed.

The silence doomed him just as surely as speaking would have.

“Hmph,” The woman finally snorted and turned away, heading for one of the side passages. On her way, she stomped up to a gathering of two servants, swiped five flutes of champagne off their trays, finished them all, and tossed them to the ground so they loudly shattered into pieces. Everyone in the surroundings, even Randidly, very pointedly did not look at her or the man she left behind as she walked away.

Randidly politely took a sip of his own flute. To his surprise, it was much better than he had had previously; the liquid bubbled and fizzed to nothing on his tongue, leaving a vaguely pleasant taste in its wake.

A few minutes later, filled with more meaningless discussion about Hobfootie, a man brought a small fork against his glass on the opposite side of the hall. He strode out onto the dance floor with a wide smile on his face. “Ahem, ahem, may I have everyone’s attention. I think it’s time for me to introduce the man of the hour, for whom this party is being held. Malloon’s new Under Secretary... Drane Swacc!”