Chapter 142 - Awkward Cheeses
"A boy who wields both light and darkness in his hands. A boy who can rule over all of the Realms. The fourth person to be able to surpass the limit."
That was the prophecy hidden by Malice in her innermost chamber. It was a prophecy that she did not want anyone else to know. For it will destroy her one day.
She sat on a round table with the elites, her throne was higher than the others, showing her supremacy over her people. Twelve more people sat around the table, each possess a vast amount of magic and experience within them.
"Are you positive that it's the Prince Lance?" One of her Vassals asked. Malice turned to the Vassal, eyes glowing in anger. This man is named Blithe, with his title as Hell's Flames, he has the hottest flames among their realm.
"Your majesty," another Vassal called. This vassal is Shina, the Great Banshee. Her voice is as serene as the calmest lake but can turn to the deadliest ocean waves in a matter of seconds. "What he meant was that Terra is large, the largest Realm among Six Realms. With hundreds of thousands of people living in it, is he really the one? And there are still other realms. Adding all people, there are millions of people, even dragons."
"Yeah, why not we look into the dragons more closer? They possess the basic affinities more than other Realms' people," another Vassal said. This Vassal is Appetite, the Hell's Chef. He can consume large amounts of food and converts them into magic.
"Do you know any other person who wields the Dualism within all Six Realms?" Malice asked, sitting back and clutching he arm rest of her throne. "Does anyone know anyone who has both light and dark affinities?! Do you? It's only that Terran, so why do you all keep questioning me?!"
"I-It's not like that your majesty," another Vassal said. A man named Void, the Ever Changing. He can manipulate shape of matter itself. It was rumored that he was a thousand years old but he often changes his form, enjoying his youth back.
"Then why are you all asking these silly questions?" Malice quirked her brow up. "I am Malice, the Queen of Hell. And it won't be long before I become queen of every realm. Eternals will bow before me and all the people from all the realms will worship me as their God."
"Your majesty…"
All of the Vassals stood as a woman with a brown wavy hair walked in. Her eyes were droopy and her movements were sluggish, as though she had so little energy within her.
"My child," Malice called and left her throne. She walked towards the woman and hugged her in her arms. "You may all leave. Prepare to attack Terra in a month. Prepare your men. This is the battle before the end. If we can kill the Prophesized Boy, we will have the Advantage over Heaven."
"But your majesty–" another Vassal was about to interrupt but Void pulled him away.
"Just nod," Void said.
"The Heaven has a Surpasser. We cannot let our guards down," the Vassal said.
"That is why the Queen or any one of us should kill the boy," Void muttered. "If one of us can kill him, we can Surpass Level 100. And the Queen will take our life so she too can surpass."
"The Prophesized Boy is one of the Eight Keys to Surpass the Limit," Appetite said. "Three had previously appeared and he is the fourth one. If we can kill him, we will battle Heaven and rule over all creation."
"So, we're just pawns?" the younger Vassal asked.
The two older ones looked at each other before nodding.
"Essentially, yes. We're nothing but stepping stones for the supremacy of Hell," Void said. "And you cannot change that. You're young, so it will be hard for you to understand everything."
"But you will soon enough," Appetite added.
The younger boy held the pendant hanging around his neck. He looked at it, a symbol engraved on the pendant, a symbol of someone who had saved him once.
"I'm sorry sir, but I don't think I will be meeting your child," the Vassal said to the pendant and sighed. He looked at the open door of the throne room where they just exited from, looking at the mother and child. "Princess…"
–
"It has been quite a number of times since this had happened," Connor grunted, peeling an apple while talking to a newly woken up Elliot. "You in bed, us waiting. Except…"
"Dad still haven't returned," Hope finished. "But he must be doing something right now. Something royal."
"If he's doing something like that, then we can't bother him," Elliot said. Connor handed him the apples, to which he devoured one by one.
"We need a break," Ed groaned. He was sitting on a chair by the bed and he leaped to the soft feathery bed, laying there and sighing. "But every time we go on a vacation, something would happen. Can't we just take a break?"
"Tell me about it," Connor sighed, also flopping on the bed. "We can go to the Gray Lake. The water there is cold, just enough to–"
"No," Ed said, shutting the idea completely. "Do you even know how cold that place is? It's like, there're floating specks of ice in ever air particle there. It's freezing cold but you're not being frozen. It's like that."
"But the lake is cool," Connor said. "I've been there before. W-With my previous guild. The calm waters helped me hold on to life. And I want to go there."
"Plus there's a bunch of gems on the island. We can get one of those," Hope said. "I saw. When I was a dragon."
"So, we've all been there," Ed pouted. "What about you, Elliot? Have you been there?"
Elliot was busy tweaking his Console that he couldn't hear his friend ask him.
<< The Creator's >>
'Forge?'
"Yes."
"Elliot!" Ed called, snapping Elliot from his thoughts. "Oh, what?"
"Have you been to the Gray Lake?" Ed asked. "We were just talking about it."
"Yeah," Elliot found himself smiling. "It's the first area I went to after becoming an Adventurer."
"But that's a place for higher Levels than 1," Connor said. "Why would you go there, and how did you even survive? As far as I know, you're always alone."
"Well, I had a pretty decent Equipment back then," Elliot said, smiling again. "You know that, right? The Freshwater Merman spear I used to make your staff was taken from there."
"Oh," Connor nodded slowly. "Now I remember. Along with the Ember Heart, right?"
"Ember Heart?" Ed gasped. "You have a Heart?"
Connor shrugged proudly. "Why, yes. As a matter of fact, I do."
"Why didn't I know that?" Ed pouted. "You didn't say anything."
"No one asked," Connor snickered. "Besides, it's still at level 1. I need to upgrade it."
"I know!" Hope gasped and clapped his hands. "We'll find the Heart seller here."
The others looked at him in confusion?
"Heart seller?" the three chorused.
"They say a man in Solaguer sells Affinity Hearts. If we could find him, then we would have our Hearts," Hope said. "Wouldn't that be amazing?"
"It is."
The group snapped their heads behind them, seeing Lance there, smirking while scratching the back of his head.
"Hey, guys," Lance greeted.
"Dad!" Hope was the one to run to him and engulf him with a hug. "Where were you?"
"Well, I just settled on some businesses," Lance replied, opening his arms for his other friends.
They all looked at Elliot who was still in his bed, arms crossed and lips pouting.
"Let me in on that," Elliot muttered.
Ed laugher and dragged all of them in the bed, crashing and making loud noises that made the other patients look over.
"What business did you take care of Lance?" Elliot asked.
"About the line for the throne," Lance replied that made the mood serious.
They let go of their hug and sat on the seats. Lance also got up and stood by the end of the bed, the mood escalating as the moments pass.
"Well, turns out–"
"You're gonna be the king," Connor sighed.
"Yeah, and then you're going to leave the guild," Ed added, also sighing.
"We had a fun journey, but then this is the end," it was Elliot who added this time.
"No, idiots," Lance smacked their heads one by one. "Turns out, my dad had a relationship with another woman shortly after my mother's death. They kind of made another prince, a bastard, but then there's no one else to ascend the throne so my father will be giving him his name."
"W-What?" Elliot gasped. "You mean there's anothet heir?"
"Three, actually," Lance scratched the back of his head. "But he'll be awarding his name to the oldest, so yeah. That's that–"
"Lance!" The three chorused and threw themselves at him. They were laughing, feeling happy about their friend's freedom.
"This sounds fruity but we're all gonna be together forever, right?" Elliot pouted. "Or at least until we're settled with our own lives."
"Yeah," Lance agreed. "Let's do that."
Connor brandished his sword and pointed it front of him. "Awkward Cheeses?"
The others chuckled, also brandishing their swords and meeting the points.
"Awkward Cheeses."