Chapter 110 - Dirge of Progress

I'm unable to sleep. Frustration, annoyance and anger swirls in my head. I keep revisiting last night, pondering, analyzing. Was there anything we could have done differently? Should I have been more aggressive? Was there a Skill or Spell I should have used instead?

The Body Double I'm fighting loses its cohesion as I lash out a bit too hard. It's the safest thing to take my anger out on, but if my focus isn't on point... I sigh before melding my body with the gelatinous residue, reabsorbing the mass into myself.

I don't feel like making another one...

Millibelle is still sleeping. The moment the Control Diadem was off Argon's head, she completely lost it. It was just luck I was able to keep her from leveling the castle. Once again, trauma has made the safest choice to just sleep. I don't think either of us can take much more.

Once the Demigods are revived, the goal will be to Evolve. Once we're Evolved, we can take care of our brother... And then we'll shut ourselves away from the World. That's the plan, anyway. The less interaction with the World, the better.

I'm so tired of this...

I- We. Millibelle and I. We just want to live in peace... Play house with our Servants... Those two weeks waiting for the snow to thaw, those were some of the nicest times we'd had since before becoming the Little Monarch. Even despite the looming anxiety about the conflict ahead.

I sense Matron Kantarra enter the room I'm in. I stole into a training room within the barrack section of the castle. It would be open, but not at this hour of the night. The Ayvin woman pauses as she sees me standing in the middle of the room, glaring a hole into the ground.

"Great Monarch- Millibelle. I sensed a fierce aura coming from here, and I was worried, but it was just you..." Her voice is calm.

"I couldn't sleep. I'm..." I sigh. Do I really want to tell her how I feel?

"Are you nervous about tomorrow? I know I am. This plan of yours, to revive the Demigods of Heat, Cold and Lightning... Are you sure it's a good idea?" Her voice wavers.

"They were once a part of this World. Perhaps not intentionally created, but a part of it nevertheless. And they were all wiped out by what we now know as the Malice." I look at her, fighting the desire to make her mind mine, to make it just a bit easier to control what happens next.

"D-do you know what the Malice... What it once was?" She sounds almost afraid to ask. I would probably be too. This malignant, diffuse yet ever-present threat that everyone fears. There's a reason abusing a monster carries a higher penalty than even murder of a fellow humanoid. You're exposing everyone around you to the risk of the Malice making an appearance.

"It was a Demigod of a now dead Element." I state bluntly. "I'm sure news of what's happening in Illomen has reached Eyslef by now. A Dungeon Heart has been infected with Malice, and it's creating abominations as we speak. The Divine have even gone as far as to call upon their Champions."

Kantarra's expression becomes complicated. "One of my... I mean. An Ayvin that hails from my tribe is among them, yes? Do you think they have a chance?"

"I doubt it. Humanoids are so much weaker than monsters... And no monster can safely aid them in the fight, unless I revive the Demigods. With their combined power, I'll be able to avoid becoming tainted by the Malice." I feel my anxiety loosen its grip. A determination is building in my chest.

Kantarra's eyes go wide. "So, you're saying, unless the Demigods are revived..."

"Then this World is done for." I sigh. "I'm going to try to get some sleep. And know, I was going to tell you all this at the meeting tomorrow. Too much is at stake to play cloak-and-dagger." I leave Kantarra to her pondering.

"... And that is why I've convened this meeting between nations." I take in the expressions of the people present. Matron Kantarra has already heard this before, yet her face is contorted in grim worry. It matches that of Chief Argon.

Foreign Minister Seul is wiping a cold sweat from his forehead, glancing nervously between Grand-Priestess Sakaya and Yggdrasil. Dervix remains expressionless, though I can sense Maybel's distress, even when hiding behind the Garbling Mask.

Prime Minister Kalim's face is serene despite the chaotic swirl of thoughts he has in his head at the time.

"The rebirth requires a few things, most of which I am able to supply for you. What is needed, though, is a host. Yggdrasil was reborn from the Elder Oak which I made my nest beneath. I'm sure you all know, but the Elder Oak is a species of tree that has a highly elevated affinity for the Plant Element, even when compared to similar species." I explain.

"So, the host needs to have a high natural affinity to the Element of choice?" Kalim asks.

"Yes. In addition, it cannot be a life-form that naturally possesses a Soul. By their very nature, Demigods are beings born when a Soul-less life gains a Soul. This eliminates monsters and humanoids as possible hosts, leaving plants, fungi and single-celled life." All present furrow their brows at the mention of single-celled life.

"Single... cell? Like, Celluloid monsters?" Argon asks, having a hard time wrapping his head around it.

"Celluloids are called so due to their resemblance to some kinds of single celled life. Technically, you're all composed of hundreds and hundreds of millions of such cells. They're just too small to see." I can see this is going to take a bit...

"No matter, we can discuss that later. What's important to know is that we cannot proceed without hosts." I shake my head, deciding to push the whole biology lesson to a date further along.

"So, other than a suitable host, what else is needed?" Sakaya asks.

"Magic, and a Divine Spring. As I've said, I can provide both of those things, so there's no need to worry about that." I answer, wanting so badly to just skip this whole thing and ask World Knowledge.

But I can't. We need the leaders of these nations to feel like they've contributed, to let them feel like I'm taking their wishes into consideration. Otherwise I fear there might be trouble further down the line.

"I'm not sure if this would help, Millibelle, but in the southern reach of Harmek, there's a strange mountain where lightning-storms rage at much greater frequency than normal. From what our researchers have been able to find out, it is caused by something in the soil there." Seul pipes up.

"We haven't been able to explore the region thoroughly, as the mountain seems to be home to some sort of monster that feeds on a kind of crystal that grows there, and it's incredibly territorial." He sighs.

A growing crystal? If it's generated at a speed observable to the humanoids, then perhaps there's a biological process behind it. "That sounds promising. Afterwards, could you point the place out to me on a map, and I'll go investigate. In fact, if anyone else can think of places to investigate, I'll visit each in turn to see if what we need is there." I look to the others present.

"Don't worry, I'm a fast flyer. It shouldn't take more than a few days. Once I've examined what you've suggested, we can reconvene the meeting to discuss further action?" I suggest.

Some, particularly Kalim seem a bit hesitant to stay here much longer. But, after a moment, it seems they've all come to terms with that this is necessary. After all, if the Demigods aren't revived, this World's chance of survival is very small.

Kalim sighs. "Well, there's a few areas of the more dangerous kind in Yo'ud where an odd phenomenon occurs. In particular, one area has been designated as forbidden because of it. Mirages are a common enough thing in the desert, but in this place its more like full blown hallucinations. From what little exploring we've been able to do, it seems the area is infested with some sort of root-system." He pauses to take a drink.

"Now, this place is in one of the driest areas of the entire desert, so whatever it is, it has a very high affinity to Heat." Kalim frowns before continuing. "Though I somewhat hope that it won't be a suitable host. My country doesn't need more heat, that's for sure."

"Nonsense. If anything, you getting the reborn Demigod of Heat is the only possible option. Not only do the Demigod of an Element promote the presence of it, it's also able to grant protection against it." Yggdrasil breaks her silence.

"If what I've heard is correct, you chased away the remaining followers of the previous Demigod of Heat? Even though having Faith in it let them more easily brave the desert, even beyond its death?" She casts a loathing glance towards Kalim, who shrinks slightly under her gaze. I reach out a hand towards her, gently patting her on the shoulder to let her know to relent.

A root system of sorts... Perhaps a giant colony of fungus? It would possibly align with the hallucinations, considering the people there might be inhaling spores unknowingly.

"Lastly, I believe you might find something with an affinity with Cold on Crimsnow Glacier. It's dangerous there, since the only time it isn't snowing is at the height of summer, but even the freshest snowfall there is quickly tinged red. Even the glacier itself is a deep crimson, and the melt-water is like a lake of blood." Kantarra informs.

"You know, I think those locations you mention might have something to do with the previous Demigods... Judging by your descriptions, they should be close to where the marks on the oldest Grand-Acolyte were." Sakaya ponders out loud.

"Marks?" Argon asks. He really does give the image of a brawn over brains type of guy.

Sakaya lifts her blouse just slightly, exposing a modest amount of skin on her back. Everyone leans in to look closely. There's a faint blue line, looking like a river drawn on a map, and close by it, a glowing rune is etched onto her skin. "Like this. All Grand-Acolytes have these. They chronicle the locations of sites of Divinity; larger Churches and Temples for example. This one is the city of Rivenport's Church."

"When I die, the locations of all active sites of Divinity will be recorded onto my body, and my skin will be preserved and stored in the Grand Temple's Hall of Remembrance. The first Grand Acolyte to have their skin preserved like this had the marks of five giant sites of Divinity. Their successor had no such marks." She absentmindedly caresses the rune on her skin as she explains.

"Five? I thought there only were four Demigods?" Kalim asks, a creeping worry in his heart.

"The fifth one was the Demigod that became the Malice." I remind him before getting an idea. "Sakaya, do you remember where the fifth mark was located?" I ask with urgency.

"Ah- It's in the southern Suchwallow Marches, in Feyloche territory. I'll show you on the map, but please, be careful. If it really is the site of the old Demigod Malice... I shudder to think what lives there now." Sakaya is reluctant, but she trusts me to be careful. I better not betray that trust.

"Why would you want to investigate that site? It sounds like a fools errand that wastes precious time we don't really have." Seul asks, a tinge of frustration in his voice.

"I... I just want to check something. That's all. And I won't go there now. I'll wait until after we've revived the Demigods." As much as I want to go there right now, I can't. I can sense Millibelle's half awake desire to go there too...

"Well, if there isn't anything else to discuss beyond the showing of maps and such, I'll take my leave. I can only maintain my presence here for so long. It was an honor meeting you all, and I look forward to our continued good relations." Yggdrasil says, wearily. She curtsies shortly to us before her Avatar disperses into a quickly fading cloud of light.

As she leaves, the mood lightens a bit. "Ah, her presence is something, all right. It's almost more overbearing than Millibelle's." Kantarra sighs with a joking smile.

"Is it that bad? I'm sure I'm not using any Presence Skills..." I mutter, quickly glancing at our Stats to make sure.

"Forgive her jokes, Millibelle. Kantarra is just sensitive to the auras of powerful people." Argon gives his ruling partner a look.

"It's useful for detecting snakes." She mutters before changing the subject. "Now, about that map..."

*Four locations added to map: Mount Fulgurite, Wanderer's End, Crimsnow Glacier and Vasyugan's Sorrow.*