"My creation is slowly becoming perfected!"
A man with ominous-looking eyes with star-spangled pupils started to stare intensely at a table covered with randomly strewn written documents, analyses and measures. Around him was a workshop, or more so a cauldron lab, where he tempered and created a masterpiece of destruction.
He wore a thin black cloak imbued with Mana, to not reveal his weak self to the flames of tempering.
"…"
He breathed heavily, thinking and pondering as he worked.
Meanwhile, a thick, purplish-black goop erratically split from the burning hot cauldrons spread randomly across the lab, and it seemed as if something solid was causing bubbles and fizzing within every one of them.
However, this man paid all of the sounds around him no mind. He was only focused on his current work. He didn't even pay any mind to the footsteps swiftly approaching.
As the door opened, the footsteps were revealed to be a tall man with long, dark hair, wearing a luxurious embroidered suit. This strange man grinned, with sly-looking eyes.
"Heh… so here you are, Cauldron Master. I didn't think you would find yourself a hidden lab within the cellars underneath the unfinished city."
"…Who are you?"
The long-haired man stepped forward.
"I am here on behalf of those who need you and your creations."
"Firstly, you can call me Sir Neewhol, and I introduce myself as an "envoy" of the Lesser Kings."
"If you can do one simple thing for us, we will be able to give you what you've wanted. All the materials and products from another world that you could ever want!"
The man chuckled.
"Yeah, right? What insane task would you want me to do for that kind of reward?"
Sir Neewhol smiled and then laughed.
"You're quite the stoic one… well, I only want you to do one thing for me, Cauldron Master…"
Sir Neewhol's eyes drifted off towards something peculiar underneath the strange goop in one of the cauldrons.
"Your ability to refine materials… you've been using it to create "Miasma" from Karmic Debt, haven't you?" Sir Neewhol asked, "No wonder there's been a growing concentration of Karmic Debt under the earth. I would've thought The Bewitched were behind this—"
The Cauldron Master quickly pointed a dagger at Sir Neewhol, who put his hands up with a smirk.
"What do you want from me?"
"Haha… we know you've been planning vengeance against the Knights of Conquest. So, we were wondering if you needed some help."
"We have some excellent new allies, after all, and the Miasma you've been developing is the perfect tool for them."
The Cauldron Master's eyes widened as Sir Neewhol snapped his fingers, seemingly causing a Rift to form in an instant. A great blackish-purple eye stared through this Rift, and its echoing voice imprinted deeply on the Cauldron Master.
"An alliance between humans and werewolves of cursed blood. We are both using each other to get what we both want."
"They will be able to anchor themselves back to the real world, and we will create the capital of our new kingdom, right here!" He declared.
…
"…We're here again."
"Yep. It's this swampy place."
The Sewers. Where Sarah, Shard, Sir Arthur and five other selected knights dropped down to get some information from a trustworthy source. These words came from Shard, who did think she was trustworthy in her collection of information, despite having often butted heads with her.
However, unlike before, Sarah noticed that the sewers were occupied by about a thousandfold more people than before.
"That sly… did she create a whole underground kingdom?!" Shard groaned aloud.
"It looks like it. Everyone here looks surprisingly comfortable for what kind of place they're in. And, some of these people don't even look like they're in any need of financial aid…" Sarah replied.
Sir Arthur examined everyone and everything around them.
"…Interesting. I didn't know someone other than the "Dirty King" or the leaders of Beggar Tribes could rally so many people in the underground sewers. This lady must be quite an interesting character."
Shard nodded.
"Oh, she certainly is. Let me lead the way to her."
Shard and the others walked on, while Sarah stopped for a moment to admire the place, despite it being the dirtiest place in the city.
It was a forgettable memory, but she was reminded of the time she and William headed down here for the first time. It had already been a few days since he was pushed down, and the five hunters, as well as the bishop and the Brilliance Church's priests, decided to go their way.
Barrow was obviously berated with insults by the others for doing such a thing, but since it was recognised that he was possessed, no one really blamed him and instead placed it all on the Angel of Delusion.
"…There are so many bad people in this world… the sinners… the ones that the Eleven Visionaries told me to watch out for from the very beginning."
"If I had enough power, I would put an end to them all."
Sarah shivered. She walked on ahead and eventually caught up with the others, who were slowly making their way through the crowds of people conversing and sitting amidst the horrible stench, unfazed.
Even the knights couldn't help but make sounds of disgust as they walked.
"Keep yourself calm, my knights. Don't end up tarnishing my honour just because the vice-captains aren't here." Sir Arthur said, receiving the knights' instant reply.
Even Shard was slightly amazed at both how strong he was and how loyal his knights were as well. But, since he had no time to gawk, he spent that time searching for Lady Celine, whom they found in the sewer's vertical shaft, resting with her leg out on one of the many pipes above them.
"That's 100% her," Shard said, "Should I call her out?"
"…No need." Sir Arthur replied.
"Knights, escort her down."
The knights nodded and did as they were told, leaping forth and wall-jumping from pipe to pipe until they reached Lady Celine and woke her up.
The two men guarding her were startled, and even more so once they recognised the knights. They brought her down and in front of Sarah, Shard and Sir Arthur.
"Ugh… you two again?" Lady Celine said, nodding her head at Sarah and Shard.
"And…"
Lady Celine's eyes widened instantly, and she got herself up and off the floor.
"The Golden Gatekeeper of the Skies…?? Interesting, Brewer! I didn't know you had such talent for making acquaintances!"
Sir Arthur shook his head.
"It's not like that, Celine. We're here to find quick information on the Angel of Delusion." Shard said.
Lady Celine laughed aloud.
"Ah, so you've found yourself in a real predicament, eh? Then, let me see the money before we talk…"
…
In the verdant forest of Shepherd's Grove, there was nothing but peaceful serenity.
Until a hand burst out of the earth. Followed by an arm, and the rest of the human body. William was a little exhausted, after having finished his arrival to the surface by clawing his way out.
"That old Naga should've told me before that he could use other types of sorcery… he etched a magic circle on the ground and I half-thought he was performing a blood ritual!"
"And then, I just ended up stuck in dirt, and having to claw myself out for around five minutes!"
He sighed.
"…That whole underground experience was unusual. I'm glad I'm finally able to breathe real air again. And, I'm not even gonna question how I was even able to breathe down there either. I'll just chalk it up to magic shenanigans."
"But, another thing on my mind is what the barbarian who called himself the King of the Mountains said."
"I don't know why or how I know, but I think there was a strange hidden meaning behind the reason he sent me into the underground depths."
"…I even get the feeling he wanted me to see whatever was in that Rift. For some reason, he apparently couldn't say why. But, I'm sure I'll find out eventually. I just need to keep on pushing towards my current goals."
"Finding Sarah and kicking the ass of that bastard Chief General who killed my mom. I'll kill him, and the rest of those Generals eventually."