[Salvos] 698. Insanity (Patreon)

698. Insanity

***

“The Archangel has declared war on the Spirit Lord.”

Druma repeated himself as Edithe blinked a few times. She tried to work her jaw, processing what was said. And after a moment passed, Willy spoke up, aghast.

“Ridiculous! Stupid! Thats suicide!”

“Indeed.”

Druma nodded in agreement. He raised his head, tilting it back as he closed his eyes.

“And yet, that’s what the Archangel has sought out to do. I do not know why. But it happened only a few years back.” 

“But why?!”

Willy exclaimed. Drums shrugged, and Edithe pursed her lips. She was at a loss for words— she didn’t know what to do. The Archangel was their only hope. But now, she was being told that he… she… it was insane.

That the Archangel would not aid her.

And she wasn’t sure if this gambit was worth it any longer. Glancing back, the redhead looked in the direction she came from. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since she arrived in the Spirit Plane. However, she knew it hadn’t been more than a few hours. Perhaps there was still time for her to turn back— to return through the portal back into the Mortal Realm.

But before the redhead could consider this for a moment longer, Centina just spoke up causally.

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

That drew the attention of everyone else who was there. Edithe frowned as she looked back at the Centinel.

Centina explained what she meant causally.

“If the Archangel is alone, then it would want allies. This is the perfect opportunity for us.” 

Druma lowered his head when he heard that.

“I would not advise you to partner with the Archangel. You would be making an enemy of the Spirit Lord.”

Centina waved a hand dismissively as she gestured at their surroundings.

“We have already made ourselves the Spirit Lord’s enemy by being here. Besides, we can’t pass up on this opportunity.”

She replied, and Druma hesitated. The Centinel’s gaze bore into him.

“And as long as the Spirit Lord doesn’t know about this, it’s not a problem, right?”

He didn’t answer. Centina just grinned. And after a few seconds passed, Willy flitted in between them as he piped up.

“But none of this matters if we can’t find the Archangel in time.”

“That won’t be a problem either.”

Centina scoffed, and Edithe blinked. The redhead stepped forward.

“What do you mean by that, Centina?”

“If the Archangel is the enemy of the Spirit Lord, then surely there would be at least some intel on where the Archangel’s currently located, right? I mean, even as another mindless Centinel in the Bloodied Gulf, I always generally knew where an outsider entered from.” 

The Centinel eyed the [Ancient Yaksha]. In response, Druma nodded slowly.

“While I am not privy to the exact whereabouts of the Archangel, there is indeed a region we have been told to avoid due to the Archangel’s activities there.”

Willy paused when he heard that. Edithe’s brows snapped together. She stepped forward as she opened her mouth.

“Wait, that means you know where to find the Archangel?”

“Not the exact location, no. It is a vast region we have been warned to avoid. So it will still take time to locate the Archangel even with my guidance.”

Druma explained as he looked at the redhead uncertainly. Edithe placed a hand on her chin, considering this. And he lowered his head.

“Are you sure you want to do this, master?”

He asked as he regarded her with worry. Blinking, she looked back up at him.

“If this is what you desire, I shall help you with this. But I must warn you that this is a dangerous endeavor. Not only do you risk endangering yourself by approaching the Archangel, you also risk calling forth the wrath of the Spirit Lord.”

“I...”

Edithe looked towards her two companions. Willy and Centina both looked resolute in following-through with this. Especially Centina, because she considered herself responsible for what was going on in Mavos Academy.

The redhead closed her eyes, trying to figure out what to do. Then she sighed as her shoulders sagged.

“We have already come this far, we might as well see what the Archangel has in store for us. Even if we ultimately decide against allying ourselves with it.”

She answered as she faced Druma. He nodded understandingly, drawing back.

“Very well. If you follow me, I will guide you to you destination…”

It didn’t seem like he was pleased with her decision. But at the very least, he was not displeased that she came to an immediate decisive answer. And she was grateful for that.

Because she understood the concerns he shared with her. And she did wonder what kind of a lunatic would rebel against the Spirit Lord. After all, the entirety of the Spirit Plane was on his side. That would be as crazy as waging war on the entirety of the Mortal Realm… or the Netherworld!

That was an utterly insane move. Edithe knew she would have to think twice before allying herself with someone like that.

***

“You dare?!”

Duke Fatso or whatever his name was, leader of the Sixteenth or Seventy-Third or Twenty-Sixth Legion of the Demon King or something, bellowed as he flew up in the air, giving chase to me. 

I didn’t actually know his name— he introduced himself earlier, but I didn’t pay attention to what he said in the slightest. All I knew was that he was a [Hellduke], and he was fat. Like a rotund bat with a face and spindly hands. So I called him Duke Fatso.

“By making an enemy of the Demon King, you are making an enemy of the Netherworld in its entirety! Don’t think you can win this war you have waged!”

He continued as he flew up after me, sending blasts of green flames my way. I just dodged between his attacks as I rolled my eyes.

“Why would I think I’d lose a war if I started it? Are you stupid? Who does that?”

I raised my hand, creating a ball of flames. His eyes went wide as he watched it explode— [The Call of Armageddon] raining down onto him. He screamed angrily, unleashing his own flames back my way. But my Skill overpowered him. He couldn’t repel the deluge of my flames. His own fire was too weak to fight back. And I watched as my attack burned him until he was nothing but ash.

Defeated [Hellduke - Lvl. 159]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

“That was easier than the last.”

I scoffed, dusting my hands off. I flew past his falling ashes as I returned down to the white landscape below. There, over ten thousand Demons were waiting for me, staring at me in awe.

“Another legion liberated.”

I whispered to myself, before clearing my throat. I was just about to instruct them to head in the direction of where Haec’s group was, so that I could continue onward to free the next legion, when I frowned.

“That’s…”

I heard Haec’s voice echoing in my head— coming from one of my clones. He was telling my clone to tell me to return to him. 

“But why?”

I wondered to myself. I had already freed so many legions on my own, so what was going on? 

I didn’t know, but it was urgent, so I simply swapped places with my clone, leaving my clone to deal with the confused legion below me, while going to speak with Haec to figure out what was going on.

Author's Notes:

What thonk?