Chapter 100 - An Unexpected Advantage

"V-Valena, your eyes-" I stammer forth without thinking.

"What of them?" She asks, looking around at the worried faces of her companions, fear slowly edging into her features.

"They- they're purple!" The human woman gasps as she gets a look at them. I notice one of the others, a female Minars, fishing something out of a pouch at her hip.

"Here, dear, see for yourself." The large-eyed woman hands Valena a small handheld mirror. Its backside is intricately engraved with some sort of insignia. Valena accepts the item and glances into the mirror.

"T-They really are! W-What's happened?!" She cries out before her face contorts in pain as she grabs at her temples. "Ah- No- No!" She opens her eyes, staring straight at me. "Millibelle, we need to leave right now! He- He's coming here!"

"Who is?" I ask, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Leicher is! He- He's done something to himself, but when I looked at my eyes, I could almost hear his thoughts. He's happy- but, but, he's also beside himself with anger. Millibelle, I'm scared, what's happened to me?" Tears are streaming down her cheeks now, confusion and fear clear to see on her face.

"I- I don't know, Valena. But let's take one thing at a time. You all need to get to safety. Let me."

*Warning: User will be using all their MP and SP to send ten targets to desired location. Eleven targets will cause permanent damage to the User. It is highly advised to send the humanoids plus the companion monster to safety before recovering your strength and then Teleporting yourself.*

I grit my teeth. Damn the high cost of this Spell! "I'll send you ahead, I'm still weakened from being summoned here by Valena. Don't worry, I'm sending you to a completely safe place, so don't be afraid of the monsters there." I inform Valena and her companions before using Teleport on them, not letting them get a word of protest in.

A wave of nausea hits me as soon as the last Wide Cast Teleport is done.

*Warning: User HP halved due to Starving.*

I collapse to the ground, my legs unable to support my weight in the time it takes for my HP to drain to refill my SP. I decide to stay lying down, closing my eyes and calming myself. Using my Skills, I detect something moving fast this way.

If this truly is Leicher Fogbottom, the cult leader that tried to make Millibelle Evolve into a Tyrant and force her into killing our friends, then I have a score to settle. Even so, I sense a great unease from Her. Are we in danger from him? Perhaps. I just need some more time to regenerate our MP before we flee.

Besides, perhaps I could trick him into monologuing. Hah, wouldn't that be great. Him laying his plans bare for us. I smile bitterly as I open my eyes.

He's here.

I force back a gasp when I see his figure. Hovering mid-air is what Millibelle would only describe as a demon. A lithe, almost feminine, humanoid body, though his legs are digitigrade and end in sharp points rather than anything resembling feet. A thick, long tail is endlessly coiling and uncoiling, wrapping itself around his feet before unfurling and then wrapping itself around the other way again.

There are two pairs of arms, one small, with delicate hands, the other pair is massive and muscular. On his back, a pair of wings rhythmically beat to keep him airborne. Most of his body is a soft pastel purple that darkens at the extremities, becoming almost black as it nears his hands and 'feet'.

"Hm~ Is it only you here? I swear those Champions were here too~." His voice is lilting, uncomfortable to listen to, it even has a slight distortion to it. Leicher looks around, his face unreadable as his pure black eyes seem to scan the area for something. "Too bad~ I was sure I'd gotten a fine catch with that newest adjustment, but then our bond broke." He shrugs, as if it isn't that important.

"Did you save her, perhaps? Save your dear Namer who is so unable to appreciate the power she'd obtained when she gave you your Name~?" His face contorts into a scowl, utterly breaking the uncanny beauty it had before when it was expressionless. "What did you see in her, anyway? Why did you let her give you a Name, when there are so many more that are much more suited for such power?" He scowls.

I remain silent. I know better than to check his Stats, but he doesn't seem to notice me draining his HP with Vitaephagy. Indeed, I suspect that his HP is regenerating so quickly that I'm not even really doing damage to him.

"Don't you look at me with eyes like that! You hate and fear me, don't you? Even though I've sacrificed so much to aid you!" He shouts, his volume causing my ears to ring and the ground to shake with the force of it.

"What in the World do you mean, help me? You've allied yourself with the greatest threat to the World's Balance, tried to make me kill my friends, and done whatever you did to turn the inhabitants into that!" I shake with anger as I point towards the charred remains lying next to the debris of what used to be a house. It's hard to tell, but it looks somewhat like what Blue looked like before he was killed by Grim. A mangled mess of limbs.

Smoke issues from my mouth in puffs as I restrain myself as best I can. This explosive rage, the only emotion I had before, this intense desire to undo whoever causes it... I feel our various organs used for Breath-type Skills heat up, the source of the smoke currently billowing from my mouth.

"My studies into monsters made one thing astoundingly clear; Humanoids are the source of most of the woes of this World. Greed, ignorance, stupidity, all contributing factors to the decline of the natural state of things." Despite the heat of my anger, I feel a cold shiver down our back as Leicher goes from shouting mad to calm in an instant.

Something's wrong with his mind, and I'm fairly sure he wasn't like this before his transformation.

"Indeed~ Even the act of creating this Kingdom brought with it the complete eradication of no less than thirty different species from this area that were unable to live in the now wetter climate. Humanoids don't care though, because now they have more land to corrupt!" His voice raises slightly before he takes a breath to calm himself.

"My goal became simple. To try to lessen the damage humanoids cause to the environment. At first, I tried educating. I naively thought that if they knew that what they were doing was going to harm them down the road, they'd stop!" He pauses before losing himself in a self-mocking laughter.

"Oh~ How wrong I was! Ignored at best, ostracised at worst! So, I started studying history. Surely there must be something in the World that keeps the balance? That's when I learned of the Tyrant. The blessed ender of humanoids." His tone becomes dark.

"So, I set out to bring about the rebirth of the True Tyrant. It seems I've failed in that regard, what with your botched Evolution, but I still have need for your power." His face becomes grim, and I can feel the danger radiating off of him like a thick stench.

Now that I know his reasoning, I can't help but guffaw. Leicher's bravado falters as confusion at my reaction sets in instead.

"You fool. Didn't the legends and tales of the True Tyrant tell you why it was killed in the end?" I hiss through gritted teeth. "Humanoids are the source of Balance in this World. Without Humanoids, there'd be no progress. This World would be doomed to be a stagnant paradise for Monsters. The Divine would lose their power, and they'd leave. Monsters don't provide the energy they need to act in this World, after all."

A wicked smile spreads across his face, making me squirm inside in discomfort. "You forget the Malice. It's wondrous gift has ascended me from my tainted past, into a pure being. Even as we speak, more are granted this gift. Those that submit to the Malice will be granted eternal life and be spared the culling." He makes a small pirouette in the air, as if to show off his entire form to me.

*User MP sufficient for Teleport to target location*

Leicher's face becomes solemn once again. "Now you know the hows and whys. Isn't it obvious to you what's the correct choice? Join us." A tiny smirk, as if he's taking great pleasure in revealing this; "After all, your brother misses you so~"

I feel Her stirring within me, fighting to the surface. Using my power as the dominant side, I quell her actions. "Never. But tell my brother that I miss him too." I hiss before casting Teleport to get away from there.

Leicher's POV

Tch, this is no doubt because of that whelps influence. After all, the only purpose of the Monarch is to keep Balance.

I absentmindedly raze a few building to take my mind off my anger. Oh~ If only the Monarch hadn't saved her. I was so close. Imagine! Having one of the Champions, and the Namer of the Monarch, under my sway?

Everything would have been just fine if that happened. I know she still lives, after all, there wasn't any pain, like there normally is. It's like the Monarch just cut the thread between us. What a wicked ability. Perhaps that newest innovation of mine needs a few more tweaks...

Valena's POV

I'm dizzy. It felt like something grabbed a hold of something just behind my heart and yanked, and now we're here.

Where here is, I'm uncertain of. It's a cave? Though the walls are odd. They seem to be covered in a thick layer of webbing. At the far end, there's a statue of the All-Mother overseeing a pool of crystal clear water, behind the statue, a curtain of roots snake down and into the water.

Feeding on the roots are five Quartz Deer, though they look off with that green glow emanating from their antlers and eyes.

We all startle slightly when a woman suddenly materializes in front of us, standing between us and the statue. She... She looks almost like Millibelle's human form?

"Ah, you must be the Champions. Please be at ease. Nothing will harm you here. This is the Monarch's abode at the center of her Domain. The monsters here are her Servants and are under orders to not harm humanoids." Her voice is calm and pleasant, though it carries an odd pressure to it.

She then turns to me, her eyes threatening to burn a hole in my Soul it feels like. "I see. How fortunate. Please, Valena, come with me."

I hesitate before stammering "H-How did you know my name?". The woman seems amused, a small smile playing across her lips before she answers.

"I am Yggdrasil, the Demigod of Plant. The statue behind me is in actuality a Divine Spring. It, combined with Millibelle's potent magic let me be reborn in the form of the Elder Oak that stands above this cave. This form is merely my Avatar." She curtsies to us as a hushed whisper of awe rushes through the group.

"Valena, it's important. I can sense a trace of the Malice in you. I don't know what happened to you before Millibelle sent you here, but for the safety of all present, I implore you to cleanse yourself in the Divine Spring." Her words carry differently now. I get the distinct feeling that I don't have a choice in this matter.

I nod before staggering to my feet. Peony is busy tending to her Guard, but the others seem to be in a daze of sorts, standing around and absentmindedly taking in the surroundings. As I follow Yggdrasil to the Spring, a curtain of roots emerge from both the ceiling and floor of the cave to completely block me in.

"You'll need to undress for this. The roots are just for your privacy." Yggdrasil explains with a pleasant smile.

I hesitate slightly before shakily undressing myself. It takes a bit to get the armor off, but with Yggdrasils help I'm quickly free of it. Finally, I kick off my undergarments. As I stand before the almost lifelike statue of the All-Mother, an urge overtakes me.

I kneel in front of the spring, clasping my hands together. Closing my eyes, I feel the presence of Yggdrasil beside me. She seems hesitant, as if she wishes to interrupt me, but decides against it. I feel my lips move on their own accord, but rather than fear, I feel completely safe. As if whatever's taken hold of my body just wishes to do this one thing, then release me from its grasp.

"D̷̢̠̈́̅̌͒ͅȇ̷̹̀̚a̴̡͙̣̥̕r̸̨̝̒͒ ̶̟̠͍́M̶̨̱̼̋̉̀̆ǫ̵̳͍̫̑͑t̴̛̤͇̊̅̕h̴̤̲̬͋̔ȅ̶̬͓̱̝̌̍͝r̸̡̪͕̻̉̋͐͝,̸̯̮̰̞̆̀̍̕ ̵̤̒f̶̪̼̘͋o̶̬͑͝ŕ̴̨̟͈̲̈̍̚g̵̲͒į̷͎̳͆̓v̶̲͙̰̦̈́e̸̡̛̥̻͔͛̆ ̶̛͍̘̰̍m̵̤̩̳̈́͗̑ẹ̸̹̦͎̆̆͝͝,̶̱͕̗̂͒̔̓ ̵̛̩͋͠͝f̸̡͕̑͗̊o̷̧͌͆͑r̴̡̗̖̭̚ ̵͓͇͋͂́̈ͅI̷̯̳̍ ̴͚̘̏̑͑͋h̴̫͎̏͝ä̴̢͔̹́̐̾͜͠v̵͙͔͓̻̂̕ë̸̝͎́̒ ̸̟̘͊s̶̝͗͗t̶͕̽̾͂̅ṙ̵̟̞͎́a̷̼̲̓͝y̴̢̭̺̖͂e̷̡̙̟̠̾͠d̴̻̩̪͊̔͌ ̸̟̰̎͠f̸̬̽̌́͆r̵͙̲̺̬̎̇̽̐o̷͇̎͗̕͠m̷̟̮͙̣̍ ̴̛̣͈͍̤̿y̷̲͓̆͜͠o̷̠͔͖̰͑͝͝͝ư̸̲͝r̸͇̎̿̓ ̸̮̄P̴̗̉̈́a̷̻̲̩̋t̸̟̘́͌ͅh̵͎̘̐.̵̰̒̃̕͝ ̷̛͍̤̮͋M̶̧͍̀ḁ̶̗̪̯̋̅y̶͎̯͌͘ ̴͇͕̌͘͘w̸͉̬͓͇̕h̶̼̀͑͊a̸͔͒͑t̸̻̲͖͋̾̌e̷͇̓̾̕v̷̖̻̣͝e̴̠̓r̶̤̙̘̥̔̃͋͝ ̸̨̎̇p̷̨̎ụ̵͎̭̈́̕ṇ̷̢̗̽͗i̵̛̭̝͖̔̀̑s̶͉̎͐̎ḥ̶̛͑̋́͜m̵͈̘̑̈́ĕ̸̛̮̙͓̯n̴̪̬̑͌̍t̸̼̀ ̶̨̱̃̈͝y̷͖͆̓̕͝ò̶̡̳͠ǔ̶͓̯͎͋̔̅'̵͕͉͉̍̎ṽ̷̨̛̮͙e̶̢̛̘̜̯͌͛ ̵̡͍͈̅͌d̶̰̪̙͋̌ĕ̷̻̰̀͝ś̴̿̈́͑͜į̶̓̕r̵̥͍̘̹̀ē̸̦̽d̵͖̲̯͕̔͊͗͂ ̶̡̨̡͇̎f̶̨͕̻̀̈́o̵̞̺͠ṙ̵̢̯̖ ̴̳͛̒͝m̶̺̗̜̤̋͑̅ȩ̵̘̩̣͑̈́̓ ̴͔̺̲̖̾c̶͈̘̹̄̃͝o̷̟̯͓̽̄m̷̡͙̝͚̀ę̶͇͍͐̈̊͜ ̸͍͕̞͐̚t̵̩͈̅͒͘͝ŏ̵͔̉̆ ̷͈͕̫̱͐̓p̴̫͔̦̑͐͜a̶̳̬͕̾ș̴̣̐̈s̵̢͍̠̋͊̓͝ͅ,̸̧̟͚͘ ̷͎͋͆̕s̶̰͚̦̒͝ͅo̶͎͙͔͐̑ ̶̯̃̄̀Í̸̖ ̸̗́̌m̶̬̣̃̔̂̂a̷̤͌y̶̧͖̋͛̕ ̶̨̭̯͑ͅb̴̘̹̫̥̚͝e̷̫͉̙̅̐̇̾ ̴͉̙̫̃͂̀̕f̸̗̥̙͗̍͊́͜o̵͈̙̒̐͊ŗ̵̩̾ͅg̵̟͓̏í̴̟͗́v̶͇́́ë̵̼̻̝́̔͐n̴̜̼̑ ̴̛̺͙͆̀̉f̴̳͝ǒ̸͇̗̈́͘ŗ̵̻̞̫̾ ̶̬̬̐m̵̡̯̳͐̾̇͜y̴̝̚ ̴͍̣̈s̷̡̖̪̯̓i̷̬̿͗͘n̷̳̪̺̂s̷͓͖̄͊̄͝.̶̙͖̣̝̏͐͝͝"

I recoil inwardly, that voice isn't mine! My mouth feels filthy, my entire being, my very Soul, feels tainted by whatever presence used me to deliver that prayer to the All-Mother.

My limbs regain feeling again, they'd become number and number the longer I was controlled by that thing. Forgoing any sort of grace, I shuffle myself forwards, plunging headfirst into the Divine Spring.

As I resurface, I notice the water has changed slightly. Instead of the crystal clear azure, it's a dull lavender color. Also, some undetected tension seems to have lifted from me. That horrible sensation from before is also gone.

I look over to Yggdrasil, who is standing next to where I put my clothes and armor. The pile is gone, though. Her expression seems distant, as if she's lost in thought, but it also seems sorrowful.

"Honored Demigod, what's the matter?" I paddle over to the edge of the pool, there's a small lip there I can sit on whilst still having my shoulders under water.

"That voice... The one that spoke through you. It was the last remnant of an Other Will, irreversibly shredded apart by the Malice. I suspect that Will belonged to one of the people behind this. I was just informing the Monarch of this, and she shares my suspicion." Yggdrasil makes a motion with her hand, and the floor of the cave opens up.

A knot of roots emerge, depositing my armor and clothes. They're... dripping wet with some sort of liquid...

"I've cleansed your equipment. Just remain in the Spring for a few more minutes." She explains. "Millibelle has some other tasks to perform before she can rejoin you, but don't worry, she's perfectly safe. She just had a chat with this... Leicher fellow before returning to the Domain." Her expression turns sour and she seems to almost want to spit when she says Leicher's name.

A few minutes pass, and I emerge from the Spring. A small slot opens in the wall of roots, and a strange hand passes two bundles of cloth to Yggdrasil. "I apologize, but your clothes are still wet... Here, use this to dry off, and this one is a length of Octopus Cloth. It'll have to do for now." She hands me a plant-fiber towel. It's rougher on the skin than normal cloth towels, normally only the poor use these...

I frown slightly as I dry myself off, the sensation of the rough fabric foreign to my skin. I then wrap the Octopus Cloth around myself, imagining my standard attire. Once I'm changed, the curtain of roots recede, revealing a large gathering of monsters curiously interacting with the others.

So these are Millibelle's Servants...