Chapter 948 Mugashuku’s Ultimatum
During Michael and Gaya's time in hell, time moved differently. One hour in hell was equivalent to a month in the real world. Thus, while only six hours had passed for them, six months had gone by in the outside world. During that time, much had changed, especially in the Guardian Guild. It had become divided into several factions, each vying for power, and the Alpha Guardians were struggling to maintain control and prevent the guild from falling apart. The once-united front of the guild had shattered, and the members were now more focused on their personal goals and ambitions than the greater good of protecting the realm.
Meanwhile, Big Bertha sailed fiercely under the wrathful sky, with the clouds thundering and the waves crashing against the sturdy ship. The wind howled with such intensity that it was almost deafening, as if nature itself was warning the crew of impending danger. The dark clouds cast a shadow over the ship, and flashes of lightning illuminated the restless sea.
In the captain's cabin, the atmosphere was vastly different. It was a cozy and warm space, filled with rich wooden furnishings and soft candlelight. The walls were adorned with maps and charts depicting different areas of the sea, and a large desk was placed in the center of the room, piled high with books and scrolls. The captain's chair was made of leather and positioned so that the captain could look out of the window, which offered a breathtaking view of the tumultuous sea outside. The cabin was scented with the sweet aroma of spiced rum, and the gentle crackling of the fireplace added to the coziness of the space.
Eve Voldiguard stood sternly behind the grand table, her long black hair cascading down her back. She wore black armor that accentuated her warrior's arms, with only her hands exposed. Her armor had a black cape that fluttered behind her with the gusts of wind that rocked the ship. Despite her beauty, she exuded a commanding and intimidating aura, a testament to her strength and experience as a warrior.
"How much longer until we reach our destination?" she asked in a collected tone, her eyes piercing through Corey, Gibson and Saber who were standing at the opposite end of the table.
"This storm is delaying our journey, Lady Eve. If it persists, it may take us several more days to reach the island," Corey replied, his voice struggling to be heard above the thundering sounds of the storm. be𝚍𝚗𝚘ve𝚕.c𝚘𝚖
Eve's hand slammed onto the table, causing the entire cabin to tremble. "And what about your airships, Gibson? Can they withstand this storm and get us there any faster?" she demanded, her patience wearing thin.
Gibson hesitated before answering. "I'm afraid not, my lady. Big Bertha is the only ship that can survive in these treacherous conditions."
"Damn it!" Eve swore under her breath, slamming her fists on the table again, causing everyone in the cabin to tremble in fear. Everyone except Saber, who remained cool and collected.
The storm outside raged on, mirroring the turmoil within Eve, who knew that time was running out for her.
Eve's voice echoed through the captain's cabin as she reminded Corey, Gibson, and Saber of their mission's urgency. "We cannot afford any delays. Remember that we only have three weeks to retrieve the crystal for Mugashuku. If we fail, the consequences will be catastrophic. Our army and everything Ghost has built will be destroyed," she said, her voice quivering with fear. Eve had experienced the terror of Mugashuku firsthand, having ventured deep into the pit of the Stormville mountain and catching a glimpse of the four-headed hydra that lurked there.
As the memory of Mugashuku flooded Eve's mind, she shuddered with fear. The memory of the four-headed hydra was etched into her mind, each of its heads with glowing red eyes that seemed to bore into her soul. She remembered the deafening roar that shook the mountain and the feeling of dread that gripped her heart. As she spoke of Mugashuku, her voice trembled with fear, and her hands shook uncontrollably.
To Eve, Mugashuku was the epitome of terror. The darkness in the pit cloaked his terrifying body, making it difficult to see him clearly. But the glowing pair of eyes in each head had burned an image in her mind that she could never forget. Mugashuku's size and strength had been overwhelming, and the mere thought of facing him again sent a chill down her spine.
Eve was still haunted by the memory of being in close proximity to the abomination that was Mugashuku. The mere thought of the godly beast lying dormant beneath the southern continent and absorbing the arch energy, resulting in the energy void that plagued the land, sent shivers down her spine. She was terrified that a monstrosity of that magnitude could exist in the same world as her. But what terrified her more was the knowledge that her best friend, Ghost, had struck a deal with this monstrosity. It was something only he would dare to do, and it left Eve wondering just how far he would go to achieve his goals.
As she thought about Mugashuku, Eve couldn't help but shudder at the memory of the shocking scene where she was suddenly teleported into his lair. The overwhelming sense of fear had left her barely able to recall the conversation she had with the godly beast. All she could remember were fragments of the encounter - the blinding darkness that surrounded her, the glowing pair of eyes in each of Mugashuku's four heads, and the overwhelming feeling of being completely helpless in the face of such an immense and terrifying entity.
Eve had been transported to the lair of Mugashuku without warning or explanation. She was surrounded by darkness and the only light came from the glowing pair of eyes in each of the four heads of Mugashuku. The air was thick with tension and Eve could feel Mugashuku's gaze boring into her.
"You are the one called Eve," Mugashuku rumbled, his voice deep and ominous.
Eve nodded, unable to find her voice.
"I have a message for Ghost," Mugashuku continued. "He has failed to deliver the crystal to me in a timely manner. If it is not delivered to me on the island of Isendar within three weeks, I will destroy everything he has built and bring an end to this world."
Eve felt her heart drop at Mugashuku's threat. She knew how important the crystal was to Ghost, and she knew that he would stop at nothing to protect it. She took a deep breath and tried to gather her courage.
"What do you want?" she asked.
Mugashuku turned his gaze to her, his eyes boring into her soul. "You can deliver the crystal to me yourself," he said. "I will give you a map of the island of Isendar. If you deliver the crystal to me within three weeks, I will spare Ghost and his world."
Eve nodded, knowing she had no other choice. She took the map from Mugashuku and prepared to leave.
"One more thing," Mugashuku said, his voice low and menacing. "If you fail to deliver the crystal to me, I will destroy everything you hold dear."
Eve shuddered at the threat, knowing that Mugashuku was not one to make idle promises. She took a deep breath and prepared to face the daunting task ahead of her.
Eve shook her head to clear her mind and snapped back to reality. Then she raised her hand towards a corner of the room. Suddenly, the room trembled slightly as a gust of wind picked up and her hammer flew through the air, landing firmly in her outstretched arm. The weapon was a sight to behold, with its black metal and silver engravings glistening in the dim light of the cabin. The center of the hammer was adorned with a skull that seemed to glare at anyone who dared to challenge Eve's might. As the hammer landed in her grasp, the room trembled slightly, emphasizing her immense strength.
After creating a portal to his forge, Michael was short on time to forge Eve a new hammer. Instead, he made some adjustments to her current hammer and gave it as a gift to her through Azazel, while she was in seclusion. It was Michael who asked her to go into seclusion in the pocket dimension attached to abyss in the dark forest. The reason being he knew that the dark army needed a leader other than him and Gaya, and as much as Michael knew about Azazel's strength, he believed that the demon butler was not fit to be a leader, whereas Eve was. Thus, Michael made the decision to send her into seclusion, where she recently broke through to the Half Immortal stage. This achievement was made possible during the crisis of the guardian guild. It was a decision made by Michael, relying on his instincts, which ultimately saved the dark army from being without a leader when he and Gaya were teleported to the realm of hell.
With her hammer in hand, Eve made the decision to fly through the storm and reach the island of Isendar as quickly as possible. Saber offered to accompany her, but Eve declined.
Eve's voice was firm and resolute as she spoke to Saber. The howling winds outside the cabin made her words almost inaudible, but the seriousness in her voice was unmistakable.
"Listen to me, Saber. I need you to head back to the castle and find a way to avenge Caius. If we let the Skyhall succeed in taking over Gisel and hang our people without retaliation, it will be a huge blow to our cause. I don't even want to imagine how Gaya would react to that news. Trust me, Gaya is like a raging storm when she's angry, and you don't want to be on the receiving end of that,"
The mere mention of Gaya's name was enough to strike fear in the hearts of many. She was known as the Dark Queen for a reason, and her ruthless nature was infamous throughout the land. Those who had crossed her or defied her orders lived to regret it, and some didn't even live at all.
Despite the Dark Lord's fearsome reputation and the terror he struck into the hearts of his enemies, many believed that he could be reasoned with, that there was a flicker of humanity buried somewhere deep within him. However, when it came to the Dark Queen, no such sentiment existed. She was known to have committed ruthless acts, including killing her own father and breaking her sister's meridians without showing mercy. Her cruelty was unmatched, and those who had witnessed her wrath knew better than to cross her. She had a heart of ice, unyielding and unforgiving, and would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. After the war of Nagaland, even some in the dark army itself whispered that a dark force possessed her, as no human could possess such a level of darkness within them.
In simple terms, when she was angry, it was like a storm descended upon them, and no one was safe from her wrath.
Eve paused for a moment before continuing,
"I want you to work with Elidyr to find a way to break through their barrier and make them pay for their crimes. Can I count on you to do this for us?"
Eve's words were like a call to arms, and Saber could sense the urgency in her tone. He nodded resolutely and replied, "You can count on me, my lady. I won't let you down."
Eve nodded at them, her eyes burning with determination as she left the room without giving any room for negotiation.
Stepping outside the cabin, Eve was immediately hit with the full force of the storm. The wind howled around her and the rain pelted her armor, making it hard to see. But she had her mission in mind and wasn't about to let the storm stop her.
With her powerful arms, she raised her hammer above her head and took to the sky. The wind whipped through her long black hair and cape as she soared through the storm, determined to reach the island of Isendar and complete her mission.