The Grand Castle of Elpahel, in the Spirit World.
Leonard Mitchell was searching through the Archive Room, checking all sorts of ancient records that have been kept like treasures. Suddenly he frowned.
I can't find anything here.
As he continued frantically, his shadow shifted to the corner of his view, issuing a warning.
"He's coming."
Dammit!
An old man, who almost seemed buff under all of those clothes and heavy coat, entered the enormous space.
He held a chain with a dark pendant which's crystal faded into vermillion, a small gold inlaid cane and a stack of papers.
As he reached the main desk, the papers flew from his hand, each one taking their rightful place in their respective location on the shelves.
"What are you doing here?" He turned to the young man who got rid of what he was reading earlier by putting it randomly on the shelf next to him.
"I'm just here to search for some information about the past, does the Archive Room contain records about the Second Epoch?"
The keeper was surprised. "You want to know about the Second Epoch? Well, we do. But they're not for the likes of you to touch."
Leonard had a stiff expression. "And why's that?"
The keeper scoffed. "If you were to try and understand them, you might lose control on the spot! No one would bother keeping information from the Second Epoch if it didn't involve the old deities and the current ones."
Damn it!
"At least some speculations or general knowledge? I'm really curious!" He tried to instigate the old man into telling him.
"No. I'm not going to repeat myself. Just do your work like a pliable Arcanist and don't bother with grown-up stuff. Children shouldn't shove their noses into the matters of adults."
The old man's expression changed to a more aggressive one. "You're here without permission from the reception. Leave before I report your ass!"
Leonard didn't stand the ceremony, he immediately left the immense warehouse-like room in a heartbeat, almost running off.
Behind him, the keeper scoffed again and the book that Leonard was reading ended up in his hand.
The title cover read the following. "Missing deities and their leftover churches".
It was a book that spoke about deities that have perished randomly, whether by ending up on the wrong side of the war between the Ancient Sun God or completely unexplainable ones.
The book flew back into its rightful place on the shelf. "Kids these days, they have no desire to conceal their actions."
It seemed that the old keeper knew exactly what Leonard wanted to search for.
***
"Well that completely failed, old man!"
"I didn't say it was going to succeed."
"Ugh!" The shadow under his feet shifted as if mimicking laughter.
"Don't worry, there's another way to find out about Him."
"How?"
"The notebook."
"Notebook? You mean THAT notebook?"
He couldn't see the old man, but he could feel him nodding his head in clarification.
"That's right. If I'm not wrong it might belong to Him."
"Is that why she's here too? Everything is for that notebook?"
"I don't know."
Leonard tsked internally as he passed through the wall beyond the main 'gate' of the castle, ending up in the Spirit Domain.
He stopped by the captain's office, looking for Dunn Smith.
The man wasn't usually found in his office in the early hours of the afternoon, however this time, as luck would have it, he was really there.
"Captain, I have a question if you don't mind."
Dunn Smith looked up from his paperwork, silently signaling for Leonard to pose his question.
"Have the Machinery Hivemind found the missing notebook?"
Dunn shook his head.
"They haven't yet. From what I'm aware, the Church of Steam is looking for it with utmost attention."
"I see." He responded back.
"Don't worry about it too much, the victims will be avenged once we find out who was the one that sold the notebook."
"But don't we already know? Wasn't it Hannass Vincent and Sirius Arapis? They're already dead."
"There must be more to that. There's no way the Aurora Order would be so careless as to lose such an artifact with no plan."
Leonard straightened. "You think that there is more that we don't know?"
"Of course."
Could the Aurora Order know the actual owner of that notebook?
Could I find the one that's behind this and figure out the deity that Evelyn worships?
Old man has been going crazy ever since finding out about The Fool. Even if he doesn't talk about it, I can feel his inner tremors each time we're near her or The Fool is brought up.
Leonard didn't know anything about the old voice he keeps hearing, if finding out about The Fool was a way to know more about the old man too, then he was ready to search until his eyes left his sockets.
I'm so close to finding out! I feel like it's right there!
By this point, Leonard would rather communicate with The Fool Himself! Unfortunately, there was no known honorific name for Him, and that charm that Evelyn kept couldn't be activated by simple desire.
Stumped for information, Leonard bid farewell to the captain and left the Spirit Domain.
***
Wearing a puffy Gothic dress, large fishnet hat with dangling silver bells and black lace gloves, Amanises returned to Lanevus' former residence, bringing with her Royale and Daly.
A woman with half tied brown hair and soft features entered their view.
"Are you the expert?" She pointed at Daly with slightly wide eyes.
Without waiting for her to speak, Amanises opened her mouth instead, "Yes, that's her. Please let us make our way through."
The woman shifted her attention to Evelyn for a second, slight jealousy was apparent in her eyes once she gazed at the expensive dress and even more expensive accessories.
Not to mention the slim waist.
The woman sighed and shifted to the side.
"Please come in."
Without waiting for any guidance, Amanises walked forward in a direction, still remembering the way to the secret ritual chamber.
Once there, Amansies took out a piece of paper and scribbled something.
'What happened during the ritual.'
She folded the note and closed her eyes while standing.
The woman fell asleep in that very second, images of the ritual flashed in her mind one by one.
Daly and Royale found it strange how, despite being asleep, Evelyn stood on her feet as if she were completely awake.
They exchanged a look with each other and waited patiently for the results.
***
Tingen Divination Club.
Although Kenley, an actual Seer, purchased membership here for acting and digestion, he found it hard to stop coming.
The people here were nice and welcoming, not to mention the welcomed additional funds that came with his accurate Divination.
As he finished divining the state of a young man, who was searching for his lost bottle of expensive wine, which was accidentally broken a while ago by his youngest son, he got up to leave.
Suddenly, the receptionist entered his room and stopped him in his tracks. "Uhm, Mr White, there's someone here for another Divination."
He wasn't surprised as his skills were often sought by many, especially reoccurring clients.
"Sure." He nodded. "Let them come in."
He took his seat once again and watched as a familiar woman made her way in.
Kenley knew her because of her aunt of course, and knew she was Lanevus' fiancé.
She's here again. Could it be that they found something that belonged to him and is now asking me to find him?
But the others are already seeking an expert demigod. It would be funny if a mere Seer like me was able to take the job of an actual demigod.
Although he wasn't sure if the divination would even succeed, he allowed himself to entertain the thought for a little.
"Lady Megose, what brings you here."
The blonde woman stroked her stomach tenderly.
"I found something my fiancé used to keep for a while." From her handbag, she took a black leather cover notebook.
"Please do a divination."
***
Some time earlier.
"The child."
"Huh?" Daky and Royale snapped back to Amanises, who already woke up.
Amanises slowly turned her head back, in an almost creepy way.
Her eyes were wide in shock and her lips trembling.
"W-where is Megose."
Daly was confused for a second, but then realization hit her.
"Damn it!"
***
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Heavy boots ran down the streets, nearly falling behind the other two sets of shoes.
Although Amanises was strong and fast as a Midnight Poet, the heavy dress and constricting corset made running incredibly harder, almost impossible.
"Faster!" Daly, who was far ahead, shouted to the two women that were getting further behind.
"I-I'm trying!" Amanises gritted her teeth and picked up the speed a little, her feet going numb.
Before leaving, they asked the woman who greeted them where Megose went. She only replied that the lady went to get a divination done with an expert, unable to wait anymore.
Daly remembered how Kenley mentioned that Megose and her aunt had once asked for a divination, but due to the absence of a closely related object he was unable to provide help.
Luckily, she recalled where the Divination Club was on Howes Street, so without waiting for the other two to gather their thoughts she dashed out of the house, making them run after her in confusion.
By now, Amanises was almost completely out of breath trying to catch up to the speeding Spirit Medium.
Goddammit!!
She pushed forward, nearly bumping into countless passers-by.
It didn't take more than ten minutes for the leading woman to reach the club. Since all three were powerful Beyonders they were able to exert all their spiritual power into running.
Entering said Club, Daly slunched over to catch her breath, making the brownish-yellow haired woman at the front desk troubled.
"Miss, may I help you with something?"
"W-where's Kenley?!"
Angelica, the receptionist, was confused at first but then remembered one of the best diviners at the Club.
"Mr White? He's in the Topaz room behind the door over there!" She pointed in the direction with her pointer finger.
"Thank you, now evacuate everyone here!"
"E-evacuate?! Wha—"
"Get the fuck out of here and take everyone with you!" She shouted.
"O-okay!" The poor woman instantly left the front desk, checking the rooms and alerting everyone except for the Topaz room.
Meanwhile, Daly pushed the door the room where Kenley was about to perform the divination.
Fortunately he hasn't started yet, he only picked up the notebook, not even opening it to take a better look.
"Kenley! I need you for a second." She stopped shouting and lowered her voice, giving the sense of an angered woman who just calmed down.
"Miss Daly? What?" The man was beyond confused.
"I can't explain, just come with me here. My lady, please wait."
Megose turned back sharply, but forced herself to remain normal. "What about the divination?"
"Don't worry, this won't take long."
The pregnant lady started tapping her foot nervously while her eyes narrowed. "Okay, I can wait a little more time."
Daly pulled Kenley back and started explaining everything, snatching away the notebook.
"I don't know what this is, but don't even try to divine anything."
By now, the Seer already got the memo. He nodded repeatedly, signaling that he was aware.
"You need to leave this place. Go alert Dunn and the rest!"
He didn't say anything and simply dashed out the door along with the retreating people that were previously at the club.
By this point, Amanises and Royale also arrived at the entrance, watching as the other people retreated out of the building.
Phew! Thank you Daly for your quick thinking! Amanises sincerely praised in her heart.
Pant! Pant!
She, too, needed to catch her breath.
Daly entered her view once more as she straightened her back. "We need to wait here for reinforcements. Perhaps even calling for the police will do."
"I don't want to risk it, this is far too dangerous!" Royale shouted frantically.
She wasn't used to such lousy missions and panic, so she was naturally more alarmed than the others.
"What's dangerous?" Megose stepped outside of the room and spoke in a mellow voice. She scanned the club, only seeing the three women instead of the usual personnel.
"Why do you have that notebook? Where's Mr White?" She pointed at the black leather cover notebook in Daly's hand.
Daly opened her mouth for a second, unsure of what nonsense to give. Soon after, she came up with an excuse that barely seemed plausible.
"Don't worry, I only sent him to a shop nearby, he will come back any minute now. He left the notebook to me so that he wouldn't lose it."
Unfortunately, Megose wasn't believing it this time.
"Why? Couldn't you wait a few minutes until he was done? Or go to the shop yourself?"
Daly forced herself to calm down and opened her mouth to speak, but Megose cut her off as she turned her gaze to glare sharply at Evelyn.
"And you? Aren't you that inspector that said she will come with an expert? Why is it taking so long? Why aren't you helping me?!"
She started spouting out questions frantically. "Why is no one helping me?!!"
The woman started pulling out clusters of her blonde hair one after another as more unanswered questions left her mouth. "Why don't you want to help me? Why don't you want to help my poor child?!"
Her muscles started spasming, convulsing and shifting grotesquely under her skin. "My child! My child! How can you not help this kind child!"
Amanises forced out a few words by swallowing back a stammer. "My lady, I already found out where he is."
She lied through gritted teeth.
"You have? Where is he?" Megose stopped for a second, not even batting an eye at her lost strands of hair.
"He contacted the police saying he wasn't in his right mind, and that he will come back in four hours. He already booked the train from Backlund to Tingen. He will be back for you and your child."
"R-really?" This seemed to have made her calm down a little bit.
But suddenly, her arm involuntarily convulsed forward, making Royale flinch and take a step back. This somehow agitated Megose despite the small relief she received before.
"Why? Why are you afraid of me?"
This time, her voice started shifting too, along with the colour of her skin— turning black and muddy. "Why are you afraid of my child?!"
"N-no I'm not afraid, I swear!" Royale tried to explain, but it was already too late, Megose dashed forward to her, but was cut off by a dark claw that slashed her through.
While Amanises was talking, Daly used the opportunity to take out her designated Sealed Artifact—Bloodbound Core!
It belonged to a Sequence 7 Vampire of the Rose School of Thought from the Southern Continent that had been killed by her on a rogue mission.
She decided to choose this Artifact since it complimented her lack of physical means of attacking.
Not only that, but the shadow manipulation was incredibly useful!
Megose's shadow turned into a handful of chains, wrapping around the woman and constricting her movement.
They wouldn't be able to hold on for much, but it should be enough for the other two to retreat.
Just like that, Amanises recited a poem of tranquility, making Megose relax for a second too.
That way, all three managed to gather some distance in between them.
Royale took out her gun from the thigh holster under her black skirt, while Daly manifested an ice scythe for Amanises to use.
Meanwhile, she herself relied on the claws, putting the blood orb in her chest cavity that had merged with it. Stark blue veins were protruding from her bust but she paid no mind to them anymore.
Royale pointed her gun at the—now monstrous creature-like Megose, not being afraid to shoot.
Bang! Bang! Two bullets pierced her head, but it wasn't enough force to actually cause any damage.
This only seemed to anger Megose even further.
Royale opened her mouth to cite a poem too, but in the flash of a second, Megose appeared in front of her, flesh mutating into countless squirming tentacles.
Daly and Amanises had no time to react as Royale was pierced by one of them straight in the heart, not having any chance to flee.
SHHKT!
The monster-like Megose pinned Royale to the wall as her breathing rained down on the woman's round face.
Her shocked eyes moved to Daly then to Evelyn for a second, before her muscles moved on their own, contracting and retracting.
Before anything else could register, she exploded in a powerful red mist, not even bones being left; impact causing the three to scatter around the club like a bunch of bowling pins after a successful strike.
Shit! Only now did it dawn upon her. Royale Reideen exploded!
Amanises held the scythe in a tight grip and dashed towards Megose, while the Spirit Medium called forward one of her contracted spirits.
What? She stopped in shock.
None of them responded, as if the abundant Spirit World had been cut—no, it had actually been cut!
Outside, day turned to night as a veil of darkness enveloped the area, leaving them trapped with no chance to escape its confines.
Daly's heart stilled in her chest, she knew who those powers belonged to.
She gritted her teeth, cursing herself for not making it out earlier, but it was too late to have any regrets.
She too, dashed forward, manipulating shadows and the frost spirit that managed to sneak inside the barrier before it was lowered.
Megose didn't stay still, she too continued to contort and lash out at the both of them, aiming to swatter them like flies.
Amanises did her best to dodge the incoming attacks, jumping forward and slashing continuously with the scythe.
Slash! Slash!
Unfortunately, her attacks failed to do any damage. Just as Amanises was about to hit again, the scythe shattered in countless icicles—causing her to fall forward from inertia.
Just before she was about to be pierced by a stray tentacle, Daly used the Shadow Bindings to drag her back in the split of a second.
However, there was no time to feel any relief. Another of Megose's gross tentacles swiped forward once more, breaking the Bindings and hitting Amanises right across her chest!
Amanises flew backwards with an incredible force towards a wall. The impact shattered all of her ribs and caused her heart to be pierced by a bone.
Blergh!
She spat out a mouthful of blood but the rush of adrenaline didn't let her feel any pain.
The moment she hit the wall, Amanises lost consciousness for a few seconds. Only Daly remained to fight away the monster.
"My child! My child!" Megose continued to scream frantically, moving and contorting in place as her meaty tentacles started forming a vortex.
The cries of a newborn baby filled the area, echoing under the empty veiled sky, assaulting Daly's eardrums.
The Spirit Medium used Frost Shadow to change the environment, making it ice cold, and manifested flying icicles trying to pierce Megose's flesh.
They were all swatted away in a few movements, failing to do any damage, but Daly didn't give up.
Waa! Waaaaa!
The child continued to cry, its voice turning grotesque and eerie as if echoing through an empty palace that was filled with decay.
Just when Daly was about to dash forward with her claw of corrosion, she saw a small hexagonal charm fly towards the monster, followed by a few words in Hermes.
"Miracle!
"My wish is: For the monster to be killed!"
A snap resounded in the nearly elevated Divination Club. And—
BAM!
Megose and her child were instantly obliterated, reduced to nothing as a large hole was all that was left of them and that part of the club's wall.
It looked as if they had been blown away by a gigantic steam rifle!
Daly Simone was frozen in place as small snowflakes and bits of ash danced around one another in the air, slowly falling on the ground underneath.
She looked at the hole with an absent mind, barely even breathing.
Creak, break!
Sounds of creaking bones rattled in Amanises' chest as she straightened up, turning towards Daly.
Daly turned her head back and smiled, relief coating her eyes as Amanises' mouth moved, wanting to shout something but failing to make any sound.
SHLK!
A large hand pierced through Daly Simone's chest, holding her heart out for the world to see.
Badump! Badump! The heart continued to beat for a few moments.
Badu—