“Ryo. Wait.” Vivian mentioned, her voice low and even. Vivian Lex was not a lady to provide in to her feelings simply, nor was she a coward. But, she felt it essential to be prudent given the issues she’d simply seen.

*He is simply toying with us. And he simply killed a Grimlock that may have given us infinite hassle.* She thought inwardly. She forged a look in the direction of Ryo, solely to understand he was nonetheless contemplating a transfer in opposition to their mysterious foe.

She made eye contact with him, shaking her head in disapproval earlier than sheathing her personal weapon.

*This is likely to be a big gamble however, if this particular person selected to struggle significantly it would not matter.*

Ryo sighed, as if cursing his personal luck earlier than he allowed his personal aura of mana power to cool down considerably.

“Nice. It looks like you are able to pay attention.” The darkish skinned man mentioned as he stepped ahead, right away he was standing simply lower than a meter earlier than the 2 bewildered adventurers.

Ryo gritted his tooth, clenching his fist concurrently as a way of unease grew within the pit of his abdomen. The concept of another person standing earlier than him that possessed unfathomable energy was a extreme blow to Ryo’s ego. He moved to toss out a swing of defiance, however a single wave of the hand from the hooded stranger was sufficient to halt Ryo in his tracks.

“The kitsune is sensible. The behemoth–not a lot. Ha ha.” The person chuckled. It was the primary time Vivian had gotten shut sufficient to see the person’s face beneath the hood. He regarded very like an adventurer you’ll discover anyplace else. Easy fabric pants and shirt, and a effectively made hooded cloak — inexperienced in shade with gold trim alongside the wrist, inlays and edges of the material.

Ryo’s eyes bulged as he realized that he was being managed by gravity magic, which in flip made him much more offended.

“Who’re you?” Vivian mentioned, reducing straight to the chase. Though she could not really feel a way of animosity or sick intent from this particular person, she additionally felt unnerved.

*I ought to be capable of gauge this particular person’s skill. I .. I can not really feel something. Is he simply that weak or..no that is unattainable.* She glanced over in the direction of Ryo who, regardless of his greatest efforts continued to battle in opposition to the oppressive gravity management method.

“You two are fairly fascinating. A mid rank third and a excessive rank second. Not unhealthy.” The golden eyed man regarded them each over, seemingly assessing their situation. Ryo’s eyes narrowed upon listening to his phrases, this was partially as a result of Ryo made it a behavior of concealing his energy from others.

“What? You are not the one ones who can conceal their true energy. Or look.” The person mused with a smile as he glanced between the 2 adventurers.

“Ah. I meant no hurt. Your secrets and techniques are secure with me.” He mentioned, upon seeing a sudden shift in Vivian’s temper.

“I haven’t got a whole lot of time. I’ve quite a bit to maintain observe of and I can not be gone too lengthy. I additionally must seek out the remainder of these Grimlock earlier than they trigger an excessive amount of hassle.” The person mentioned as he reached into his cloak with a free hand and produced an accessory– a necklace.

He glanced at it for a number of moments earlier than extending his hand in the direction of Vivian, the gesture was meant to provide the item to her.

——————————-

“Bracha..” Oliver mentioned as he discovered ahead in his chair.

“Hmm?” Bracha replied as she continued to fill her abdomen.

“Are you simply going to fake that what you probably did again within the shard was regular?” Oliver requested.

“Mhm.” Bracha agreed with out lacking a beat.

“I am an Archmage. I research magic, or every type. What you used..that was positively world power. Am I unsuitable?” Oliver requested, he fully ignored Bracha’s makes an attempt to feign ignorance — his curiosity had been piqued and he aimed to know the reality of the matter.

Bracha put aside the picket bowl, empty because it have been, and known as forth her spectacles with a wave of her hand. She smiled, an apparent rebuff to Oliver’s questions which she apparently had no intention to reply.

Oliver did not even have the time to press the problem, for Vivian and Ryo returned at that second.

“Oh, converse of the devils.” Oliver mentioned, although in actuality nobody had been discussing the 2 of them in any respect. The elf instantly observed one thing off — about each of them. Ryo appeared agitated, although additionally down not directly. Vivian alternatively appeared rattled, as if she was struggling to collect her ideas.

“Not even thirty minutes handed. Is every part okay?” Oliver requested.

“Sure.” Vivian replied. And that phrase alone, leaving Oliver to surprise precisely what was taking place. He discovered it puzzling, but uncared for to push additional — in spite of everything his true pursuits lay with Bracha.

“Have you ever found out why we won’t use the teleport?” Oliver requested subsequent, deciding to vary the topic completely.

“Sure. We’ll be leaving in a bit. First, I would like you to collect everybody outdoors so we will talk about the conclusion of this expedition.” Vivian’s eyes wandered from Oliver to Bracha after which again once more as she spoke.

“Hmph. I is likely to be second in command, however I am not your gopher. Effectively..effective.” Oliver bought to his ft and did as requested. Moments after Oliver left the room it was Ryo’s second to chime in.

“The contract is fulfilled. The place is my cost?” He requested. His phrases have been bitter, but there was a curious tinge of frustration mingled inside.

“Right here. Thanks.” Vivian mentioned as she produced a jet black coin from her stock and positioned it into Ryo’s open palm. The agitated younger man checked out it for a number of moments, earlier than clenching his fist.

The kitsune watched as Ryo took his depart, he exited the room solely to cease briefly within the hallway.

“C-can I provide help to?” Agni mentioned upon being confronted with Ryo blocking her path. Internally her physique was going haywire.

*I-I’d just like the unhealthy boy kind..* She thought as she struggled to regulate her respiration.

Ryo, alternatively, merely stood earlier than her, his piercing eyes gazing down upon her.

“What?” Agni requested, rising barely aggravated on the results his gaze have been now having on her.

“I assume you are not a completely ineffective demon. Simply do not go loopy like the opposite one. I might hate to place you down too.” And with that Ryo turned and left with out one other phrase.

“What does that even imply?” Katrin requested as she sidled up subsequent to Agni.

“I don’t know.” The vermillion haired succubus replied as she watched Ryo exit the home. Below regular circumstances she would have stopped him and demanded a solution…

*My clit is throbbing. Fml.* She thought inwardly as she slapped her cheeks to focus herself.

Shula walked by with out saying a phrase, simply as she made it to the entrance door of the home she turned and provided a smug smile.

Agni might solely really feel her face redden as she and Katrin moved to hitch the others in entrance of the home. Exterior Vivian was busy thanking the inhabitants of the city who have been variety sufficient to accommodate them. The group of natives bowed to her a number of occasions earlier than accepting the satchel of Gols given by the Doyenne. After the group of individuals gave them area to wrap up issues, Vivian started the debrief of their mission in earnest.

“The place … the place did you get that?” Dealla requested as she glanced up, shifting in the direction of the entrance of the group. She did so upon being attentive to the item in Vivian’s possession, a gold pendant with a cerulean gem set inside.

Vivian thought for a second as she ready to talk. Her thoughts flashed again to her encounter with the mysterious man throughout the forest almost an hour in the past.

“The villagers discovered us after the explosion within the shard world. Apparently, when shards fuse they will emit robust power. This power was liable for the phenomena that rendered us all unconscious because the shard realm collapsed. One of many objects they discovered together with us…was this.” Vivian mentioned as she prolonged the pendant to Dealla’s gently cupped arms.

The second that Dealla felt the chilly steel, the load of the accent upon her arms — she knew.

“Chloe.”

“Apart from this, there was nothing else the villagers discovered.” Vivian continued. She allowed the dragon-kin a while to course of the information. In a method, Vivian suspected that Dealla already knew the destiny of her fellow chapel members. But, having one thing bodily was extra finite. Extra actual.

Dealla reigned in her tears lengthy sufficient to return to her place close to the again of the group, permitting Vivian to proceed her rationalization.

“This mission…was a failure. Everybody who entered these shards earlier than us have been killed by the creatures we encountered most certainly.” Vivian mentioned as she started her rationalization of the present scenario.

She took management of the narrative and defined as greatest she might whereas sticking to the reality. For she discovered that one of the best lies have been disguised as such. Nonetheless, as her thoughts reeled, she recalled among the revelations gifted to her. Ultimately, Vivian selected to inform an alternate model of the reality that may immediate much less questions and considerations. In her model, she and Ryo encountered a weakened Grimlock and made brief work of it.

She ended the speech by stating this:

“Now that everybody is rested we are going to return to the chapel. You have bought fifteen minutes. Meet again right here at the moment.” Vivian defined. Most everybody listening gave the impression to be content material with the reason, that’s , besides Oliver.

His keenly observant thoughts felt one thing was amiss. His suspicions have been revealed to be greater than that when Bracha and himself have been known as to talk to Vivian Lex other than the others.

“Sure Vivi-chan?” Bracha requested as she drew a bit nearer to Vivian than she would have preferred. She groaned a bit earlier than pulling a small black orb from her stock, no bigger than the scale of a big marble.

“I used to be instructed you may know what that is. And find out how to use it.” Vivian’s expression morphed from disgust to seriousness as she prolonged the orb in the direction of Bracha. Bracha glanced down on the orb, her smile by no means fading as she reached to seize the merchandise from Vivian’s grasp. The pitch black orb started to glow with a faint power, altering its shade from black to gentle blue. This power shaped first within the middle of the orb, then expanded to fill everything of the merchandise.

Then, small black wisps started to filter outwards from Bracha’s physique, lots of of tiny black particles which moved like a stream. This circulate of blackness moved into the orb and disappeared, Vivian might solely assume the power had been consumed or destroyed. After a number of seconds the quantity of black particles decreased till lastly none remained.

The blue orb then fell dormant as soon as extra, the colour fading because it turned to black as soon as once more.

“So, when did you meet him?” Bracha requested as she provided a real smile for the primary time in a protracted whereas.