Chapter 40 - Revelations and Bounties (Patreon)

The two monsters glanced at each other quizzically before looking back up at the obvious Goddess above them.

“What I mean is…I’m not the original Umbra. I was once a demon – a servant of the original Dark Lady. I usurped her with the help of a group of New Gods. The Destined Pantheon, whom I count as allies.”

She quickly tallied off their names: Vythin, Isaac, Slate, Kalinor, Selena, Meir.

“So that’s how you know him,” Fumi commented quietly.

Umbra nodded. “They replaced the original Umbra because she was…shall we say…not aligned with their interests.” She smirked. “I took over. Her body – made purely of Aether Shards – and therefore her power and domains are mine to hold. I am Umbra now. A more rational version.”

Echo nodded solemnly, “Why this meeting? Why tell us all this?”

“Because there is a flaw with the Artificial Gods. The Destined Pantheon knows of this flaw. It is starting to emerge. Other New Gods either do not care or have no noticed.”

She explained that the Artificial Gods were made for several purposes. The primary one was to hold back The Void and – if possible – defeat it. That task was successful.

But after that, they were restless. “There is a reason,” She continued, “Why Lux hates you two so much. Her primary function now that The Void is no more is to maintain the purity of Heimfold.” She gestured between the two, “And you two are not pure. Tainted by Malvir’s influence through his stolen artifact.”

Fumi crossed her arms and frowned, “Not by choice.”

Umbra nodded, “Undead and aberrations originated from The Void, but monsters are just a change to the natural order. Lux sees this as a perversion. The other Artificial Gods don’t care as much as she does in that regard.”

“But they’re going to lose their minds in their own way,” Echo commented.

“Correct. Caeli has already begun. The others will follow suit. Save for Aqua.” Umbra crossed her fingers, interlacing them as she rested her chin. “What will you two do?”

“Get stronger. Find my Clan. Kill Tiberius. Get his cube. Give it to Malvir. Kill Lux.” Fumi stated very plainly her goals.

Echo grabbed her hand and held it tight. “If that’s what Fumi wants, then that’s what I want.”

Umbra grinned, “Then our goals are aligned. If Lux topples, then another God with the domain of light can take over her role in Heimfold…one who already has ties.” Her grin stretched ear to ear. “A God who has already Blessed you both.”

“Is this a power play?” Echo asked. “Just a way for Vythin take over?”

Umbra shrugged, “I’m sure that crossed his mind. But let me ask you, Echo, what happens when a program fulfills its primary function and is left aimless?”

Is she implying that the Artificial Gods are just powerful computers?

Given the name, it made some sense. That, and that they were made fully from Aether Shards – not originally people like the New Gods.

Echo shook his head, “I’m not a computer whiz, but I’d guess it either stays stagnant or goes mad.”

“Precisely. Eventually, with The Void defeated, some of the Artificial Gods will descend into madness. That would be very, very bad.”

“And you want us to help you topple them all? Starting with Lux?” Echo asked to clarify.

Umbra nodded, “Exactly. Gods cannot go against each other directly on Heimfold due to many, many divine pacts. But…you two are unique variables. Lux is the only one who wants you dead – the other Artificial Gods aren’t aware you two exist.”

Fumi grinned, “The hidden blade is the deadliest.”

“Yes.” Umbra sat upright and waved her hand over the two. “I cannot give my Blessing. That would be too obvious. But I can give you something else. To you, Echo, I give the Affinity of shadow. And to you, Fumi, the Unseen Predator Ability.”

She waved her hand over the two and warmth suffused their bodies as her Heat seeped into them. She explained that Fumi’s new Ability would allow her to effectively become invisible as long as she only moved – once she attacked, used an offensive Active Ability, or used a spell, it would fade and be unusable for a short time.

Echo bowed slightly, “Thank you for the knowledge and gifts.”

Umbra waved a hand, “I must ask you to depart. Again, do not speak of what you now know. You may inform White Rose, as she has an inkling of what is going on, and keeping an ally in the dark would not serve our joint purpose.”

A spectral, black hand lowered the two monsters to the ground before Umbra sat upright, her face becoming an impossible-to-read mask once more.

It was at this moment that Echo looked around and saw that no one was looking at them. Despite them being raised to her armrest and having a direct conversation with her, which surely must be a unique occurrence.

She can have multiple conversations at once and keep them veiled.

Satisfied with the answer he had inferred, the duo went back to the rope, climbing up quickly as they emerged on the roof.

Fumi grinned, “Ready to fly again?” Echo nodded and held onto her as she cast the spell, “Flight.”

The vortex surrounded the two, and Fumi once more flew them straight up before drifting them over the arrayed Lightbringers, and gently depositing them on the roof. The two ran, jumped, and dashed across the buildings until they arrived back at the Guild Hall.

The interior space was quiet – no sounds of revelry, but a few somber folks were at the bar and various tables. Fumi dragged Echo towards their apartment.

The two entered their private space and Fumi pushed Echo towards the restroom, “Come on. We’re going to bathe together.”

Echo didn’t resist, but did feel compelled to ask, “Why? We’ve never done that.”

“In my culture, it’s one of the last things a married couple does…You’re at your most vulnerable without weapons or armor.”

Echo let her push him into their spacious restroom and strip him down, pushing him into the tub before turning on the faucet to boil. Thanks to their Damage Resistance (All) Ability, both were easily able to survive extreme heat. Fumi could have bathed in lava with her Damage Immunity (Fire) if she chose.

Fumi jumped in with him, and they both lay in the boiling water, sinking into each other’s embrace.

The ever-lingering Evolution Instinct tugged at both of them. Sharing a glance, the two felt the ever-present - but more subtle - reminder of their monstrous side.

Breed…

Evolve...

locked lips and engaged in a passionate embrace.

And then the claws came out.

And the water quickly turned red.

The next day came swiftly and the four of them – Echo, Fumi, White Rose, and Narya – went through their daily routine. After getting equipped and geared up, The Undying company set off and visited Isaac’s Office/apartment.

Willow opened the door to greet them. The New God’s dryad/Ayshor wife smiled as she saw them. “Oh, good to see you.” Her rabbit ears twitched slightly - seemingly unnerved - at seeing Rose, but she maintained her expression.

Echo nodded, “Good morning. Is Isaac in?”

Willow frowned and shook her head, “No, he’s off on business. But!” She left the open door for a moment and went to a large, mahogany desk, retrieved a pair of documents, and returned to the trio. “There was a monster sighting. Liam believes they are some of Tiberius’ creations.”

Echo and Fumi’s eyes narrowed at this as Fumi gently grabbed the job posting. Echo glanced down at the form. The slip depicted a fantasy creature he was quite familiar with; a monstrous form that had several heads.

Monster sighted – The Serpent Woods.

Description: Hydra (twenty-headed)

Reward: 100,000 dreks

Echo looked at Willow and gestured for the other slip, which the beast-folk handed over quickly. “And this is another sighting in the mountains next to that forest – Reachview. My husband believes this is where one of Tiberius’ lairs is located, given the proximity of the two sighted monsters.”

Echo glanced down at this new slip. There was no drawing of the creature, unlike the previous one.

Monster sighted – Reachview

Description: Colossus-class entity (unidentified)

Reward: Ten kilograms of Blightsteel

“What’s a Colossus class?” Echo asked.

Rose’s eyes went wide as she looked down at the slip, “That’s the largest type of creature that is seen on Heimfold.” She looked up and met Echo’s eyes.

Holding up her hands a short distance, she explained, “This is the size of a Wyvern. About the size of a horse.”

She pulled her hands further apart, “And this would be a Leviathan.”

Echo recalled the size of that and felt a small amount of dread.

She held her hands to their furthest extent, “This would be a Colossus-sized creature.”

Double or triple the size of that Leviathan?

Echo looked up at Willow and dipped his head in respect, “Thank you very much. Please pass our regards to the Guildmaster.”

Willow bowed in reply and shut the door as the trio descended the main stairs.

The Guild Hall was as full as ever, and the trio nodded as they passed by several familiar faces whom they nodded to. “How are we going to find this Colossus class?” Echo asked.

Rose smirked, “Just look for something akin to a small hill moving across the landscape.” She grinned, “If we kill that, I will be able to empower myself quite handily.” Her eyes shifted to the two monsters, “Ready to go?”

Echo nodded, “Right. The fastest way would be…” he unfurled a fold-out map from his hip pouch. “Going south of Saint’s Hold, following the main road, and then across the plains and a river.” He put the map away and opened the double doors to Saint’s Hold. Before exiting, he glanced at Fumi, “You’re okay with this, right? This delay before we go see if your Clan is still around?”

Fumi nodded, “I want to be stronger before we go back.” Her eyes glinted with an eagerness he only saw when they were preparing to fight or fornicate. “I don’t want someone else getting the kill.”

The Capital city of The Holy Empire of Drekfen was abuzz with movement. People going to and fro. Primarily humans resided here, but with sharp eyes, one could see Pixies going about their errands.

The trio made their way to the southern exit of the Capital and were stymied from leaving out of the main gates by an enormous battalion of Imperial Legionnaires. There was a crowd that had gathered on either side of the boulevard as the soldiers formed ranks alongside either side of the main pathway.

“…What’s this?” Fumi asked a random observer.

The older woman looked back at Fumi, scoffed, and replied in a haughty tone. “Well, if you must, know, you filthy Ogo; The Rune Saint is coming.”

Fumi’s grip on her katana hilt tightened, and Echo put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Glancing back at Rose, he raised a quizzical eyebrow.

The Lich Queen took the hint and explained. The Rune Saint was an individual with the Blessings of all six Artificial Gods. The de facto ruler of The Holy Empire.

Echo sighed, “I don’t want to wait. Rose, we’re going to be traveling at our usual speed. Do you want to sit in the pocket dimension?”

She nodded, “I don’t mind.”

Echo channeled Quintessence into his ring, and Rose stepped into the pocket dimension before he let it shut behind her.

“Ready, Fumi?” He asked.

Fumi nodded and led the way leaping vertically to the tops of the roofs near the walls. Echo followed shortly after, as shocked shouts called after them.

The two dashed across the rooftops at their top speed without activating Abilities – and blitzed their way to the walls guarding the city. They slipped over the side, landed, and began South.

The trade road to their side was packed with a procession – hundreds of soldiers were escorting an enormous, two-story carriage.

Fumi grunted in displeasure, “An Overlord of a Clan would not travel in such safety. This Rune Saint is weak.”

Echo chuckled as the two picked up the pace. But a noise caught Echo’s ear as he twisted his head sideways. A detachment of cavalry had split off and were approaching on horseback.

Echo tapped Fumi’s shoulder. “Let’s go. I don’t want to get caught up in bureaucracy.” The two monsters activated Alacrity and vanished in a gust of air as the grassland split open before them.

The chasing horsemen faded off into the distance as the deadly duo raced towards the horizon.

Tiberius grinned as his monsters overwhelmed the city of Soju. The Great Clan was captured down to the last man, woman, and child. Dragged into the labyrinth below the city that had not existed until a few weeks prior.

He was busy transmuting more shackles from raw metal when a thought occurred to him.

What am I going to do about her?

He was thinking of White Rose. He knew she was traveling with them.

She knows how I think.

They had spent years together as he slowly improved upon her Deathroot farms whilst making monsters from her intelligent undead under her citadel – the ones already devoured by Echo and Fumi. She was a factor that he had not taken into account when first crafting his plan.

There is nothing for it. I will have to improvise.

Even without Alacrity, the two could easily traverse distances at forty kilometers per hour. They cleared the full distance from Saint’s Hold to the river separating the plains and The Serpent Woods just as The Sun and Inferno began to descend in the West.

They leaped over the river with ease – despite the twenty-meter gap – and slowed down as they approached the forest’s edge, stopping a few meters from the tree line. Echo reactivated his ring and helped Rose out.

She cracked her neck as she stepped out, “I appreciate you putting art supplies in there, Fumi. Very thoughtful.”

Fumi grinned, “You’re welcome.”

“That was for you, wasn’t it?” He asked Fumi.

She nodded, “Both of us.”

Rose stood in front of the two and pulled her stone scepter from the cord that attached it to her waist. “I’ll see if I can find the monster.”

Her eyes glowed light-blue as she scanned the area like a lighthouse – slowly rotating her head back and forth.

After several minutes, she shook her head. “Well, they don’t call it The Serpent Woods for nothing.”

“Did you find it?” Fumi asked, anticipation in her voice.

Rose nodded, “I believe so.” She gestured at the forest, “We’re going to need to travel deep into the forest. A good thirty-five kilometers. It’s far off, so it could just be a bundle of snakes all coiled together. I won’t know until we get closer.

Echo nodded, “Then we better get going.” He pulled his blade as Fumi did the same, and using his larger weapon, chopped through the foliage as they began their trespass into the forest.

The trees pressed in from all sides, leaving scant room for a person to shuffle in between. Snakes of all types wound around the branches and trunks; hissing, rattling, and posing to try and scare off the invaders.

A few even attacked, only to be slapped aside by Echo or Fumi. The few that dared begin to close distance with Rose instantly recoiled away as a sheen of frost covered her form. Wading through the ocean of trees was time-consuming, and Echo felt impatient.

We could be going so much faster.

“Hey, do you mind cutting a clear path?”

Fumi grinned and unsheathed her blade, and with a swift movement, yelled “Spatial Sever!”

The Ability raced across the landscape as the horizontal blade of ripped reality slashed out in front of them. The neat schlick sound was followed by an enormous crash, as thousands of trees collapsed, bisected at the center.

The path in front of them was clear, and the trio sped up their travel across the now-ruined landscape, with Fumi repeating the skill when they reached the tree line once more.

As The Sun and Inferno began to set, and after Fumi performed another one of her uses of the ability, the trio heard an immense roaring noise.

“That would be it,” Rose quipped as she drew her stone scepter.

Echo and Fumi stood, tense with weapons at the ready, as they waited for the creature to reveal itself.

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