Before, deep within Stagnant Space...
"...Ti is of the essence, though. Your prompt intervention is required."
Unlike Savast, Baddan, and the tad beasts around them, however, Eaniss refused to move on as though nothing had happened. The sa was true for Em-Sul and the Mad Bishop. For this man, Aingor, to suddenly appear after the Cluster collapsed was not only suspicious but infuriating.
"You are who we are assuming you are?" Eaniss said sharply.
Aingor nodded. "Indeed. I am the one whom you call the Immortals, the hidden powers behind the Severed Union. I am, sadly, only one man. I imagine you realized my identity because of my companion here." He gestured towards the faceless man. "I had imagined you would still be sour about the manner in which I sent him with the directive to pursue the masked man to Edagon."
"You’re damn right!" cried the Mad Bishop. "He was rude. I would never invite him into my cathedral, much less offer him bread!"
When Aingor donned a small smile, Eaniss scoffed. "You couldn’t have revealed yourself sooner? Was it worth it, creating so legend around you for mystique? Everyone involved with the Severed Union would feel much better about serving if they knew it was headed by a Herald of the Deities."
"Right. So then thieves, murderers, and rapists – all the scum that gathered under the umbrella of the Severed Union – would feel even more justified doing what they do?" said Aingor, and he eyed Em-Sul.
"Isn’t that the objective of the Severed Union? To use all that scum to keep the commonfolk and combatants active? The hidden reason why the Severed Union exists is not lost on . It wasn’t all about creating a secret force that responds to Clusters and monsters that everyone on the mainlands couldn’t see," Eaniss hissed. "You made it so that criminals could be given a free ticket to rampage across Feinheath and Opungale." She paused, having realized sothing. "Hold on. This wasn’t sothing that the Deities decided, was it? It was your own idea."
"It was," admitted Aingor. "And it served its purpose well enough. Humans and Sif are still vastly weaker than they were 4,000 years ago, but they would have been frail if complete peace was allowed to reign since the Second Grand War." He sighed. "But on the flip side, so of the many calamities that could have risen and lurched towards Opungale and Feinheath would have killed too many, causing a regression. That balance – the Severed Union – was my answer to the disasters left behind the departure of Quintess and Listafelle."
"A flawed balance, don’t you think?" Em-Sul interjected. "You were the one responsible for tempering with history after the Second Grand War. Maqi launched an assault on Opungale days ago because of you."
"Indeed. I made it so that the records said Opungale refused to lend Maqi – and Feinheath – assistance during the war. Maqi would have assaulted Opungale on account of that centuries earlier, but Erlton kept them at bay until he couldn’t anymore. Bigger problems at hand."
"Sounds like that was an error in judgnt to ," Eaniss said, crossing her arms. "But that isn’t really relevant now, is it?"
"That’s right. I hardly followed any of that," Savast chid in. "What dire circumstances did you speak of before?" He turned to Aingor.
Aingor looked glad to be done explaining himself for his actions over millennia. "That’s right. As I also said before, your sense of ti was warped while you were in that Cluster. Aigas is slowly unravelling. A much greater stretch of ti has passed since you entered. Right now, Divines and Deities are clashing against each other – Fulgardt, Skullius, Quintess, Listafelle, Boron..."
The nas of the Deities baffled the group, but also...
Savast cursed. "It’s already begun? Master is already fighting Fulgardt?"
"What about everyone else?" Baddan asked Aingor.
"I’m not sure. Things are moving rapidly, and I cannot ascertain many futures like a Deity. I was only told when and where to be upon leaving this space."
"Then let’s go," said Savast hurriedly.
"Not yet." Aingor pushed his palm in front of him. "We have a hefty task ahead of us. There are a few more allies we can gain from here. But they have to be rescued first."
"Rescued?" Eaniss said, as puzzled as everyone else.
"The Reacher Academy," began Aingor, and he faced Savast. "When your master was fighting... himself earlier, their battle forced the Arch-Mages from that Academy to flee through ti until they got stuck in Stagnant Space. Trust , they will be invaluable allies."
(A/N: Refer to Ch.1199-1200.)
***
Present ti...
Arch-Mage Ryte was still quite salty about his encounter with Festos from earlier. He could hardly get rid of the chilling sensation that madman’s smile had left him with. He (Festos) had been determined to turn all the Mages from the Academy into his Masterpieces to be used against Replicus.
Ryte had been familiar with Festos, as a master of fact. The Hybrid Luman had once co to the Academy seeking answers about how to make his skills stronger, and Ryte, after learning that Festos was acquainted with the Bryne Family, had given those answers. He had also interacted with Festos during the event caused by the monstrous, inconceivable beings in Genhuis City (Null Badubs); he (Festos), along with Aurolio, had ultimately dealt with the creatures.
(A/N: Refer to Ch.569-571.)
(A/N: Refer to Ch.690-691.)
Why then Festos had antagonized him and his Academy, was beyond Ryte. If he’d known that Festos’ subordinates were standing near him, he would have asked this depressing question. Instead, however, as soon as the Arch-Mage joined the group consisting of Aingor, Savast, Baddan, Eaniss, and the two Faction Leaders, his first inquiry was...
"Are you seriously intending on fighting those things?"
"Apparently, you are invaluable resources in this battle," said Savast, eyeing Aingor. "If you’re even a hundredth of what Kintar is, I’ll believe it."
"Who’s Kintar?" Ryte asked.
"A dear friend of his. Probably more," answered Baddan, who looked away when Savast turned to him with disgust.
The Mind Caster smacked his lips and snapped his fingers.
All at once, information he’d absorbed from Kenno about the Liches rushed into everyone’s heads. He did it so intricately, seamlessly rging the mories with precise attention to the contours and finer notes of how everyone’s mind worked.
Everyone other than him and Kenno was baffled by what they saw.
"Are you seriously intending on having us fight those things?!" Ryte cried.
"Yep," said Savast, and he pointed three fingers in the direction of the Liches and their Knights. "But first, let’s test the waters."
His Granted Star Armant clunked; for what was to co, it needed to optimize its integrity.
"Ko Aggrante..." the Mind Caster called.
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