"Did you hear that rumor?"
"Are you talking about that rumor about Zion Leventis? The one others say can solve any kind of problem for free?"
"That’s right. I bumped into so rchants and heard them also discussing the rumor. One of them even said that it was true."
"Really? Then where can we find this Zion kid? I have a lot of problems that need solving."
"That’s the only catch. His help is free, but no one knows where he is. Only those who are lucky enough can co across him or find him can receive his aid."
"The Order of Raziel confird it too. They even attested that this kid nad Zion Leventis defeated a Majin Prince when he was only seven years old!"
"Oh, co on! Who would believe such a story? Defeating a Majin Prince when he was seven years old? Bro, I defeated a Majin King when I was ten!"
The rowdy drunkards at the tavern were noisier than usual, and their talks revolved around the teenage boy called Zion Leventis.
This rumor was not only being talked about in this particular bar but spread like wildfire across the many cities in the center of the main continent.
Everyone, including their grandpa and grandma, were talking about Zion, making people wonder who this person really was.
The Wanderers who recognized the na shared so of Zion’s accomplishnts to the locals, which made them question their validity.
As these rumors continued to spread from one city to another, it also grew more and more exaggerated.
"Fools, don’t you know? Zion even defeated one of the Fiends!" a drunkard stated. "He flicked Mammon’s head and sent him flying!"
"Oi! Stop with the nonsense, you old fool!"
"What will you do if this reaches Mammon’s ears? You’re a dead man!"
Bards, whose main profession was spreading stories and songs of heroism, were quick to join the bandwagon, weaving impossible tales that made people wonder if there was so truth behind the stories about Zion Leventis.
The Order of Raziel supported this movent since they had ford a partnership with Zion in the past.
Not to ntion, Anwir was allied with their organization, so they decided to help propagate this news far and wide.
They had also received a letter from Zion, telling them about the movents of the Celestials and Fiends, which might lead to a great war that would match the great battles that happened thousands of years ago.
Of course, the City of Wanderers that once belonged to the Monarchs were also helping to spread the news through various channels.
None of them knew the true purpose of spreading this rumor, but since it was an order from the higher ups, they obeyed without questions.
This was the only ti when a massive campaign was launched, and it revolved around a single individual.
And after more than a week of operation, the news finally reached the ears of one of the Fiends, who was tied up to the economy of Solterra.
This fiend was none other than Mammon!
"What? A kid flicked my forehead and sent flying?" Mammon frowned. "And his na is Zion Leventis?"
"Yes, My Lord," a chubby rchant replied. "This news has been spreading within the cities of the rchant Alliance. I have co to inform you about it."
"Zion..." Mammon muttered. "I think I have heard of that na before."
After thinking long and hard, he rembered that one of his vassals, the Majin Princess, Kamrusepa, had once ntioned an extrely talented and resourceful individual that goes by the na Zion Leventis.
"Go and investigate who this person is," Mammon ordered his subordinate. "Also, send a ssage to Kamrusepa. Tell her that I want to talk to her."
"Yes, My Lord." A Jinn bowed respectfully before leaving the room to carry out his orders.
Mammon drumd his fingers over the armrest of his golden throne before glancing in the distance.
For so reason, the mory of him flicking a young human in the past appeared inside his head.
He never learned of that child’s na. At that ti, he decided to punish him for forcefully summoning him without permission.
’That should be enough to kill such a frail creature,’ Mammon thought. ’If that child is really Zion Leventis, then those rumors about him might not be all lies.’
The Fiend of Greed and Money smiled faintly after rembering this mory. Very few dared to challenge the Celestials and the Fiends.
And fewer still lived to tell the tale.
———
In the Death Valley of Solterra...
Apollyon smiled faintly as a black snake whispered sothing in his ear.
"Thank you for telling this," Apollyon said to the black snake. "But now is not the ti to leave this place. When the ti is right, I will co to look for her."
The black snake nodded in understanding before slithering away.
The Fallen Angel once again closed his eyes and looked at the scenery through Tiona’s eyes.
He was the creator of the Domini Mortis, and he had the power to share their senses wherever they may be.
Apollyon was already aware that the teenage boy was heading to the Fortunate Isles.
In fact, Zion would often talk to Tiona as if he was speaking to Apollyon directly.
The Fallen Angel didn’t know if the teenage boy was just trying to check if he could talk to a Fiend directly through the black snake.
However, Apollyon had no intention of talking to Zion in this manner. For now, he decided to remain as a spectator and see what the teenage boy was planning to do.
Apollyon had witnessed all of Zion’s battles through Tiona’s eyes, and frankly, he was very impressed by his performance.
The battle in Artem also allowed the Fallen Angel to learn sothing that no other Fiends or Celestials knew about—that Zion Leventis beca a Pseudo-God, albeit temporarily. It made him wonder if Zion could do it again when his life was on the line.
"I wonder if this is part of Pandora’s prophecy," Apollyon muttered before glancing over the horizon. "If it is... then this boy will be at the center of a raging storm once more. I hope he and Dantanian et soon. If they work together, they might be able to thwart Zaphiel’s plan before he does sothing irreversible."
The Fallen Angel sighed internally before glancing at the eastern horizon. He stared at a particular spot for nearly a minute, then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"So you also plan to wake up at this ti, huh?" Apollyon smirked. "Looks like things are really going to be chaotic this ti around."
———
Eastern Part of Solterra
A tree that looked like a corrupted Treant silently walked through a corrupted forest.
Yellow fus oozed out of its body, and the trail it left behind seethed with white smoke, as if it had been drenched by so kind of powerful acid.
Based on the direction it followed, one could assu that it was headed to the Southwestern part of the continent.
This treant was actually one of the Seven Fiends of Solterra, The Plague Bearer, Wormwood.
It had been hibernating for a few decades, but after sensing that sothing was happening to the world, it decided to leave its forest and travel to the location it believed would be the center of a conflict that might affect the fate of the world.
One by one, the sleeping Celestials and Fiends of Solterra started to stir.
Usually, they stayed away from the affairs of the world and would only co out when there was an event that needed their intervention, just like the Jinn Invasion that happened hundreds of years ago.
Wormwood sensed the location of one of the Keys of Pandora, which seed to be calling out to the Fiend to protect it.
These keys were divine artifacts, so they had a bit of sentience as well.
Just like babies crying to call out to their parents, these keys that had been sleeping peacefully for thousands of years were starting to awaken, calling out to their respective protectors.
As to whether their guardians would arrive before they were taken by others, only ti would be able to tell.
———
High above the Southern Seas of Soltera, Camazotz and Thirteen continued their travel.
It had been nearly two weeks since they parted ways with the Wanderers in the Samara Desert.
"I can see an island," Camazotz said. "Is that our destination?"
"Yes," Thirteen replied. "That is the Fortunate Isles."
"Well, I do hope we will be fortunate enough to get the key that you are looking for without trouble." Camazotz grinned. "Flying for days is not fun."
Thirteen nodded in agreent. Indeed, this journey was truly too long for his taste.
However, if given a second choice, he would still do the sa, for this was the only way to prevent Zaphiel and his army from getting all the keys unchallenged.
What he didn’t know was that the rumors about him had reached the ears of Celestials and Fiends alike. So of them were even actively looking for more information about him, which would have made an ordinary Wanderer shudder from fright.
—----
A/N: Only one long Chapter tonight.
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