The Calling of Wrath - Book 2 - Chapter 5.2 - Catching Up Part II (Patreon)

                                                       Cassandra
                                     Year 820 | Month 4 | Day 19

“So let me get this straight,” dad says, an expression filled with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment after I finish going over everything that’d happened since that ball. “You were taken by the invaders known as the New Earth Alliance after the Heart of Sin chose you to become Wrath thereby leading the Alliance to you in the process, then you managed to escape thanks to the help of one of the invaders who sent you straight to the center of the Dark Forest. You then survived there before also managing to escape, only to find yourself in the Duchy of Viette, where you attempted to cross the border after reaching a high enough Tier, just to end up being portaled to Aulta. So you became a hunter in Aulta, defeated a Guardian, maxed out your attunement, and met an undead lich at Tier 4 before taking jobs until it was time to come here.”

I blink at the rather long explanation, only to nod my head.

“That should be all,” I answer, briefly glancing at Rodrick to find his eyes swelling up with pride as he rushes forward to hug me. But this time I sidestep him, not wanting to make his bearhugs a regular thing even if I am stronger than him now.

Dad stares at me for several seconds, ignoring my idiot of a brother who is regaining his balance and turning around. Then he finally smiles and says, “You did well. I’m glad you’re home.”

I can’t help but smile at that.

“Well, technically she’s not home just ye-” Rodrick begins only to shut up when dad, Charles, and I all give him a look. “I’d say this is close enough. Yeah, welcome home, Little Cass!”

My eyes narrow slightly at that nickname. One he refuses to stop calling me no matter how many times I complain.

“I’m glad you’re okay, little sis,” Charles says with a smile, having turned his attention away from the idiot to address me again.

“And I’m glad to be back,” I tell them with a grin. Although I can’t help but wonder if my eerie glowing red eyes creep them out or not.

If they do though, none of them say anything. So that’s good at least.

The four of us then begin talking all the way past the arrival of the Ardene King and his people, all the way till we’re expected to all gather for supper.

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           High in the Trees above the Kingdoms’ Temporary Residences

Sylvester val Ruth stares down at the buildings far below without a single shred of emotion visible on his skeletal face, the lich having followed the Aultan ship all the way here through the air. But despite the lack of emotions visible, he can’t help but feel something as he peers through the building itself to watch the family reuniting.

Family. Such a foreign thing to me now.

He continues watching for a period of time he himself is unsure of before glancing up and asking, “Are you just going to stand there watching me, or will you speak?”

A few seconds pass in silence. Then a voice thick with power descends upon him, along with two glowing eyes shining in the dark of the night, “Sylvester. What brings you to Yggdrasil?”

“You should be able to tell just from what I’ve been doing since before you started watching me,” the lich says with a light scoff while returning his attention to Wrath.

Nidhogg doesn’t say anything for a moment before transforming into his humanoid form; a human with a crown of horns on his head, two glowing red and black eyes, and a sleek and seemingly thin layer of black scales barely visible on his skin as he lowers himself down on the same branch the lich is on.

Silence fills the forest for a while, the only noise being that of the humans far below and the occasional chirping of birds.

Eventually the Protector asks, “So this is your new form? Your punishment?”

Sylvester doesn’t say anything, instead just lightly nodding his head.

“A pity,” Nidhogg states with a light shake of his head. “For the Irregular to be taken down from godhood to your current state. Just a pity, nothing more, nothing less.”

The lich just nods again, not taking his gaze off of Wrath despite the various trees and the walls of the building in the way.

“I take it you plan on tutoring Wrath?” Nidhogg asks, the dragon curious over the source of the Irregular’s attention.

“Yes,” Sylvester answers, finally taking his gaze away from the girl to focus on the dragon standing next to him. “I will take her as my apprentice when she’s ready.”

Nidhogg blinks once at that in surprise but shows now other visible reactions.

Yes, I know it’s probably not what you expected. Especially from me.

Sylvester turns his gaze back to the girl again as the royal family begins to head out to have supper with the rest of the royal families.

But it’s what I must do. And what I want to do.

He didn’t, after all, bring down the Protector of the Realm of Hell just to have the remaining ninety-nine realms fall apart thanks to Fafnir. Because that would mean his work was meaningless. His struggle. His pain. And his punishment.

Although the main reason, he admits, is because he finds himself interested in the girl herself.

For someone who represents the Sin of Wrath, she sure doesn’t show much anger… which means she hides it. Buries it until it overflows. Smothers it with indifference and a laidback mentality until it blows up in her opponent’s face.

Sylvester laughs a little at that, making Nidhogg send him a sideways glance before the dragon begins to leave.

“Just don’t break her,” Nidhogg says as his form transforms into a dragon again. “She is needed.”

The lich doesn’t stop laughing, but despite his volume, none of the humans down below manage to hear it. Instead they just feel a cold chill running down their spines.

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