"I asked," he repeated, "who you think you are, dismissing soone in a eting of family heads."
Upon hearing his words, Himl shifted his gaze around.
The demigods looked away except Mortis and Coretta.
But from the looks of it both of them weren't interested in silencing Zavien.
'…They all are interested in how I will react, huh?'
Considering the fact that almost all of them were unaware of the depth of his power, it was understandable to let Zavien be the bait.
'….They all are really getting on my nerves.'
Himl rubbed his temples, ignoring the pest for now.
With a tired sigh, he glanced back at the priest. "You can go, Panta."
The priest, however, had other plans. He refused to take a single step.
"You must understand the severity of the situation." He warned, his voice grim. "You will regret sending away in just a few days."
Himl kept his eyes on him. "Is that a threat?"
"Think what you may." He replied firmly. "But I cannot let you co in between my goddess plans to save Akasha."
Himl let out a chuckle as he looked at him. "I couldn't care less priest, leave."
"He will not." Zavien interrupted, his voice echoing in the silence. "You are no one to tell him what to do."
Himl kept on staring at the young man who still had a smile on his face like it was a ga.
His gaze however had clear malice in it.
"I do not like being interrupted." Himl gave him the last warning. "Priest, you should—."
"The priest will stay." Zavien cut him off again. "Though if you want, you can leave on your own."
Himl silently shifted his gaze back to Zavien.
He had given enough warning.
Slowly, Himl stood up from his seat and grabbed the stone table.
Crack!
With one hand, he picked up the table and raised it above his head and threw it aside.
It broke into pieces on the impact, silencing every one of them.
Himl walked on the clear path that was made between them.
Mortis tried to stand up—.
"If you interrupted now." Himl said without looking. "Then every Asura will regret your decision."
Mortis remained half standing for a long second before he slowly sat back down.
He kept on walking towards the now tensed Zavien, who hid behind his grandma.
Coretta didn't look much concerned. She was confident in her strength to stop him.
And so she tried, standing up to confront him.
"My child made a mistak—."
"Arawn."
Himl said, his voice echoed within the hall.
Coretta blinked in confusion but her instinct scread the next second.
"Huh?"
A startled voice escaped her lips as the world tilted for her.
Before she could understand what happened, she was pinned on the ground with a katana blade hanging close to her neck.
Coretta Kurai Uzu…. A demigod who had slaughtered her own blood to sit at the top… was face down on the stone floor.
A pressure veiled her… so imnse it suppressed her mana.
In Arawn's presence no demigod dared to speak a word.
"…Grandma." Zavien's voice ca out small.
For the first ti since entering the hall, his arrogance cracked.
Step! Step!
Himl didn't even look at them.
He kept walking until he stood right in front of Zavien.
Now the boy could feel it fully. The pressure that Himl was emitting was like standing at the bottom of the ocean.
"You talk too much," Himl said calmly.
Zavien clenched his fists, trying to pull his mana together, but it scattered the mont it ford.
His body understood before his pride did.
He was not in control here.
"You wanted to see my limit," Himl continued. "This isn't even close."
In the mont of flight and fight, Zavien chose to fight.
"Ahhhh!!!"
With a scream he swung his fist like a barbaric orc.
Himl grabbed his fist in his palm.
And with a horrible clarity, Zavien saw his other hand move at the joint of elbow and…
Crack!!!
"Urghhhh!!!"
Zavien cried in pain with his hand bent in an abnormal way.
He dropped to his knees, clutching his twisted arm.
His scream turned into ragged breathing as sweat poured down his face.
Himl still held his wrist, not letting him go.
"Pain," Himl said calmly, "is a very fast teacher."
Himl pulled him up and grabbed his other arm.
"Neplh."
"Huh?"
A chillness crept under Zavien's hand as he looked at his hand slowly losing its colour.
"W–what did you—"
"Relax," Himl said, voice flat. "I am just making sure you won't be a nucence to ."
The chill spread, covering half of his arm into a thin layer of frost.
Himl let go of his hand and he imdiately fell down, trembling in cold.
He turned away like Zavien had already stopped mattering.
Behind him, Arawn still held Coretta down.
Her face was pressed to stone, white hair spread around her like spilled silk.
Her eyes were open, and they were filled with hatred.
Himl smiled at her. "You should have kept him under control."
She struggled to break free as a tear trickled down her hate filled eyes.
"Release her," Himl said calmly.
Arawn followed his words and let go of her.
Coretta slowly rose to her knees, then to her feet.
Before she rushed towards her grandson who was trembling in pain.
Without a word, she picked her grandson and rushed out of the hall room.
Himl walked back towards his seat while Arawn vanished once again.
He pulled a chair with his foot, turned it, and sat.
"Zavien is impotent and paralysis for life." Himl said, looking at Mortis. "I don't think he is a good match for Epione."
Mortis didn't say a word but he understood him.
"Now," he said, resting his chin on his knuckles.
"Unless soone else wants to demonstrate their stupidity…"
No one spoke this ti.
Himl shifted his gaze towards Panta who trembled under his gaze.
"You have one minute," Himl said. "Convince you're not another problem."
Panta swallowed.
For the first ti since entering the hall, the calm smile on his face was gone.
"I… am not your enemy," he said carefully. "If I were, I would not co here alone."
Drake leaned back slightly. "You picked a bad day to test that."
The priest didn't look at him. His eyes stayed on Himl.
"The seal beneath Akasha is weakening faster than expected," Panta continued. "We have re months before the Entity wake up."
Himl remained silent for a long second before he looked at the other heads.
"Let's just say, your thod does works." He said, rubbing his chin. "But how can I trust you and be assured you won't betray us."
"I will not." Panta said honestly. "You can verify and You can also supervise. I can even provide you with all the ritual circles."
"…..Fine." I mumbled softly. "Bring the ritual circles as soon as possible. Bring more than one copies."
Panta finally let out a sigh of relief as he bowed deeply. "Thank you for trusting ."
Himl didn't respond to the thanks.
"Don't misunderstand," he said flatly. "I really don't trust you."
Panta nodded quickly.
"That… is fair." he said. "I will bring the ritual cricles in three days."
Saying so, he left the hall room without any more words.
A clear silence lingered within the room as the rest of the demigods remained seated.
Himl was the first to stand up as he walked out of the room as well.
It didn't take long for the other demigods to disperse, getting back to their work.
But as Himl walked down the hallway, he felt another presence.
Turning around, he found Mortis catching up with him.
"Himl."
Himl didn't turn fully. "What."
Mortis exhaled slowly. "You went too far."
Himl's eyes shifted to him, calm and cold. "Did I?"
"He is a child," Mortis said. "Arrogant, Stupid but still a child."
"He was a weapon pointed at ," Himl replied. "I broke the weapon."
Mortis' jaw tightened. "You humiliated Coretta in front of everyone."
"She brought him to provoke ," Himl said flatly. "She knew exactly what she was doing."
That… Mortis couldn't deny.
They stood in silence for a mont, footsteps of distant servants echoing sowhere far away.
Mortis finally spoke again, quieter. "About Epione."
Himl's gaze sharpened slightly.
"The engagent," Mortis continued. "It will be dissolved."
"Don't throw her away in a political marriage." Himl warned him. "I won't like it."
Mortis studied him. "Do you perhaps….like her?"
"No." Himl shook his head. "I don't think I do."
"Then why—?"
"What actually happened?" Himl asked, cutting him off. "Why are you so eager to form an alliance."
Mortis didn't answer right away.
He seed to consider if he should tell Himl about it or not.
Finally, Mortis spoke.
"The Asura were weakening," he said.
Himl's expression didn't change. "And?"
"And we are being hunted." Mortis replied. "By the families of Kandam Continent."
Himl's steps slowed.
"The Kandam families?" he asked. "All of them?"
"I am not sure." He spoke grimly. "But just in the last quarter more than a thousand Asura have died in Lumina."
He drew in a deep breath before he spoke. "With all thier horns being stolen."
Himl abruptly stopped walking. "What?"
Mortis nodded. "They are harvesting our horns as terials."
They stood facing each other in the empty corridor.
Himl closed his eyes before he let out a sigh. "…You need more demigod to stand against them."
"Himl." Mortis said politely. "Would you like to stay at our household for a while?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers