Gabriel couldn't have been more direct and sincere when talking to the woman, but it was clear she was a war-hardened warrior. Being blunt wasn't enough. She probably needed proof.

"You are weak, but your abilities are unnatural. You are the Herald, are you not?" The woman called Jiao Liu asked.

"They call me as such. But I sincerely have no idea what that should mean," he confided.

"You don't? You are the shaper of worlds. Come here to change the rules, shatter them, and reestablish a new reality. Or at least that's what the Book says." she answered, stern.

Gabriel emitted a scoff, "That's rich… I wouldn't even be able to run my family's restaurant if it wasn't for my best friend's help!"

Jiao did not laugh. "Given your titles, how can I know you won't destroy everything I- we stand for? What should stop me from taking your heart out this very moment?"

Gabriel's blood froze.

At the same time, he could feel a massive amount of what felt like water-tainted Mana amass where Not-Olivia and the others stood.

It was the first time someone had been so directed to him, and effectively could act upon their words.

Yes, the mayor could have pulverized him with but a thought, but he was in need of him. Gabriel was never in real, immediate danger with him. But now?

He felt his life slipping away from him. He started sweating cold, his teeth started clacking, until… he felt Liz.

She was near him, always had been, she touched him, licking his hand, and reappeared.

Gabriel exhaled the breath he had been holding, calming himself.

"Yes," he said after a few seconds that to him felt like hours, "you could effortlessly and uselessly take my life even right now. But you wouldn't solve your own problems. Over there, Gaia would hate you for life, and you seem to hold her in very high esteem. Before I was forced to leave The Cradle with Olive, she wanted to meet me, even left me a note. She probably tucked me to bet more than once, too," he added, ashamed he hadn't made that connection before.

"I'd bear her hate if it meant saving all that we have built, saving my family, saving my people, saving my home," the woman was unwavering.

Gabriel sighed, "What about the people over in Kanceldom, then? Shouldn't we go there to help them instead of fighting a useless battle amid friends?"

"The same excuse your companion was using, it won't work on me." Jiao inhaled. She seemed to have taken a decision, "As long as you are with the Witch of the Depths, you are my enemy. Not only has she driven Gaia in these conditions, but she has also stolen Darte's mind." She shook her head. "I cannot tolerate such an attack. Mind-bending is the vilest thing there is."

Fuck… Gabriel said, forcing himself not to launch a weirded out look at Not-Olivia. If Mind-bending was in play, then, of course, things would get heated. He knew first hand the dread of it.

"Alright, I admit I did not know that. However, if you propose some way to check if that is what is actually going on, maybe we could clear the misunderstanding," Gabriel proposed.

Jiao shook her head, "It's clear. Darte would never place himself in someone's servitude, not even to a Transcendent existence. That is not Darte. And no one could check for it, no one I trust at least."

Gabriel knew what he was about to say could be a double-edged sword, but he had to try, "Well… what do you think of me if I said that I could do Mind-bending?"

Jiao looked at him straight in the eyes, almost burning him alive. He could actually feel the, already too hot for his own good air, became scalding. "I would believe you, that Dark Magic Skill of yours seems really vast. I do not know of it… But I don't trust you, even if you checked, it would mean nothing to me."

"Then what can I do to gain your trust?" Gabe asked, expecting that answer.

"My trust? You can't gain my trust." She looked taken aback for the first time. "And even if you could, how would you ever be able to face the might of someone with a transcended level of it. You can be a novice at best."

Gabriel answered as sternly as he could muster, his eyes turned cold as ice. "I'm immune to Mind-bending, or Spirit-bending for what matters. I've trained by bearing the mind-rapes of the Glory of Kings."

Once again, the woman was shaken by one of his statements.

"You are lying to me. Where would you even find a Glory of Kings around these here? They inhabit the deepest tunnels of the Core. Liar."

"I am not. Give me a Mana potion, and I'll show you," he answered.

"Enough with your lies!" A burst of flame shot out from the ground under her foot when she smashed the ground with it. "I don't trust, and I will never!"

Fuck! Negotiations had blown.

The woman raised her hand, which Gabriel had just noticed was clad in armored claws and readied for an attack. Simultaneously, he felt the movement behind his back, the boy in black appeared in front of him, in his defense.

Then a voice broke the moment.

"Enough!"

It was the girl, Gaia; her weak voice resounded weirdly strong for a moment.

Everybody stopped.

The woman dropped Gaia from her shoulder, gently placing her on the ground, her hand behind her head.

"-et him be…The Witch is with us… for now…" Gaia said.

Jiao looked taken aback, just like Gabriel. It was the first time he heard her voice.

It was sweet, gentle, strong. Gabe remembered his best friend and colleague's voice, Raina. Only that of Gaia was much, much more profound. She sounded almost ethereal.

"Gabriel Walker…" she called.

Gabriel couldn't help but get near her, he launched a look at the woman as if to ask for permission, but she didn't even look back. Too intent on looking at Gaia with compassion and concern.

"Hey, we finally met," Big-G said, kneeling by her, "how are you feeling? Need another helping… hand?" He smiled.

Gaia smiled too, weakly but somehow sincerely.

"If-" she coughed, "If the coming of another Herald has corrupted the prophecy… then, please. Please don't go to Kanceldom; it’s too dangerous… We need you!" She tried to say forcefully but ended up coughing once again.

Gabriel turned toward Not-Olivia for some confirmation or anything, really. He received nothing. He had no idea about any prophecy, but sure as hell, he didn't want to die.

"Gaia… what are you saying? We can't trust them, Darte is-" Started the Jiao, but Gaia did not let her finish.

"My brother is fine, Jiao… look at his stupid smug face. Yes, the Witch had… bewitched my Crystal, but it was only to drive a message, to enact the fading prophecy."

"I've been trying to tell her for half the morning… but she's more stubborn than you, or mom was. Our father tastes, right?" He asked shrugging.

"Darte! It's not like that…" Jiao tried.

Darte and Gaia scoffed together.

Where the hell did I end up in? A soap opera? Gabriel shook his head.

"Jiao… you need to go help Kanceldom. If the Seer of Carnage is worth half what she makes as believe, then she will have sent someone to back us up. But Olivia is right. There is a coalition of Priests of Lore and Dragons fighting over Kanceldom; I saw it when I got here. Dad is there alone. He needs your help."

Jiao's look changed. She had accepted it. Gabriel guessed that she completely trusted Gaia.

"Alright," Jiao Liu said, "I'll bring you to a safe place first, though." But Gaia slowly shook her head, "I need to go with the Herald. I'm his tide. Even though right now I'm not even much of a wave…" She added, smiling.

"Gaia! What are you saying? I would never leave you alone with tha-" Jiao said, pointing at Not-Olivia, but the girl on the ground raised her voice.

"Jiao! It's an order. You shall leave me here, and you better protect Yggdrasil while I'm gone because I don't know when we'll meet again."

The woman's face grew pale. Yet, surprisingly, she nodded.

"Yes, Guardian," she said, getting up but leaving a few potions on the ground for her.

Gaia raised her hand, asking to be helped in getting up. Jiao helped her.

"Take Dustille with you. She needs to be protected, she will be the first seer of the Giants after an era, and she will-" Gaia let Jiao get closer to whisper in her ear..

Moving apart after Gaia had finished whispering, Jiao looked at Dustille, surprised, confused.

Then Gaia turned, signaling the Giantess over and instructing her to go with Jiao. Thing, which she accepted right away.

Gabriel wondered what kind of connection had been created among the two for Dustille to accept so promptly after having been directly attacked by the woman. But what could he know? He had known Dustille for barely a few hours, and Gaia Waterfront, she had just met. The only person he could really trust among those was Olivia, but that wasn't the Olivia he had come to know either. It was a complex situation from which he just felt he wanted to escape and yet couldn't. He had to roll with it.

Jiao collected Dustille, which had a look of despair on her face. Seeing the Giantess be scooped up by somebody the size of a human and carried on a shoulder, again, was just comedy material for Gabriel.

"Why are you laughing!?" the Giantess shouted at Gabriel before Jiao said her goodbyes to Gaia and Darte, then launched a hateful look at Not-Olivia. The woman didn't even deign Gabe of a stare, instead and left before the other could answer her.

Gabriel watched her go, then intervened as Gaia let herself fall on the ground.

Damn, what has happened to her? I thought Recovery could fix pretty much everything.

Gaia had fainted, and he took her in his arms, like a princess.

"Come on, we need to leave this place," Darte said, heading toward Not-Olivia.

"Is it okay if it is me, the one carrying her? Are you not her brother?" Gabriel asked him.

"So?"

"So, aren't you jealous of your sister or something?"

Darte actually stopped and turned around, an expression of disbelief plastered on his face. Then he turned toward Not-Olivia as if to check for something.

"Is he actually that dumb? I remembered him as a bit of an air-head but not at this level," Darte said, referring to him, Gabriel.

"Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?" God, I hate kids. So much… Why do they exist? Oh, why?

"Let's make things clear before we leave, okay? Listen, I'm twelve, yes. But I am not like you or your school companions or whatever you are imagining. I have an I.Q. of 192. I have seen more fight and death than any average warrior, and I've been trained in the art of ruling, conquest, tactic, and killing. I am not a kid. You could be fucking my sister in front of me, and I wouldn't give a fuck about it. I am a Tier 4 Shadow of the Death. The strongest Assassin Class in the history of Alter, and you're being older than me or having been chosen by N'arr as his Herald, does not allow you to think of me as a kid. In short, I would appreciate it if our relationship would be purely a working relationship and nothing more. I will show you the respect you deserve, and you will treat me as an extremely well-oiled cog of our society."

Darte ended with a smile. It was fake but so tried and tested that it left Gabriel speechless.

The boy did not wait for an answer. He took his silence in kind and continued toward Not-Olivia.

When a speechless Gabriel reached her, he asked, "What the hell did just happen?"

Not-Olivia limited herself to giggle.

"Give it here," Darte said after a couple of seconds. He sounded annoyed. A massive panther appeared from behind Gabriel's back.

"Holy mother fucker!" He shouted, almost dropping Gaia.

Darte chuckled, turning toward Not-Olivia, "It always works." Then he referred to Gabriel again, "Place her on Death. She'll take good care of her."

"Death? Your Bond Spirit is called Death?" he asked.

Darte shrugged, "Not my problem if you haven't got imagination."

"Why wouldn't I have imagination?" Gabriel asked, feeling hit where it hurt.

"Dude, your lizard Spirit is called Liz, really?"

"I-" Gabriel opened his mouth only to shut up once more, "That's unexpectedly… true."

Why the hell did I never think about it?

"Liz, did you know?" The lizard shook her head, "Do you want to change your name?" The lizard got up, menacing, and yapped angrily at him. No, she liked her name.

Damn, she's grown again!

Gabriel placed the girl on the panther's back. She managed to keep her up perfectly balanced.

"So, he said," scratching the back of his head… "what do we do now? But most importantly… have you gotten anything to eat?"

Olivia, her hair falling back on her shoulders, as it should be, her eyes returning brown, gave him a wide smile, then took him in a big hug.

It's her. Gabriel knew.

***

 

A projectile, so powerful that it could have been shot by a massive railgun, held by a violet humanoid-robot, pierced through the throat of the ninth Dragon. It sealed his neck's muscles in an eternal clasp, which shortly led him to its death.

Simultaneously, a clearly inhuman roar erased the clouds that had been gathering over the sky-island, a humanoid figure with wings of a dragonfly was sent flying toward the center of the city.

The collision exploded a couple of buildings, debris flew everywhere, interrupting nearby fights, and raising a big cloud of dust, which slowly started setting over the city as the creature responsible descended through the sky to perch upon a still functional building.

The Dragon was hurt, it had been rid free of a fore-leg, but that would heal. However, the fairy prince was not coming out from the remains of the building.

Sigmund was immobile. He could do nothing at all at that moment. That was a battle among titans. He could only stare.

Near him, a team of healers was trying its best to recover their Champion, to fighting condition, and they were almost done. The Champion's arms were almost entirely regenerated, but she still lacked hands. She couldn't do much without those.

Come on! Come on! Come on! He strongly hoped the Fairy would come out from the ruins. But there was not a chance in he-

There it is!

A figure raised itself from the dust. The Fairy is up and ready! And yet, that gait couldn't possibly be one of a person ready for combat.

As the dust around him settled, the Fairy revealed, haggard, consumed, beaten up. His thin golden armor was messed up, he had lost two of his wings, and its violet hair was few and sparse.

He has lost… no… Sigmund realized.

Decay was a tough element to battle.

The Fairy prince stopped, but before he did, he launched a look at something. Up in the air, toward Turtle Island. Then with a smile, he let himself fall forward.

Though Lorad's battle had changed its course, and he was doing much better now. He had yet to deliver a decisive blow against the slippery red-eyed Priest.

Even taking that into consideration, Sigmund had no idea if his pops, though he had seen him rise various ranks into Tier 5 territory while killing all those Dragons' by himself', he greatly doubted he could be a decisive pawn in taking down the Decay Dragon.

They needed something immediate, or they would be entirely wiped out.

There were still two Dragons alive apart from the two vastly more dangerous enemies, and the people not actively supporting Larry were fighting the remaining Priests.

For some reason, support from the other Giant people, which lived everywhere around the nearby sky-island, had yet to come. It was possible that the same coalition had attacked the other Giants or that the safety nets used for communication had been sealed or jammed by the Priests, but it didn't matter. There was no help coming, not before they had dealt with the problems at hand. Because certainly, the ones who had managed to escape had gone to call for help, but not only by the time they returned but ty the time they arrived at their destination, Kanceldom could have as well fallen.

Why am I here? Sigmund started thinking. Why am I acting like a damn loser? What would Dikez have done in my way? He would have acted! For Odin's sake, I've joined the rankings! And I'm hiding like a ratfish!

His fist trembled as he squeezed tight.

Sigmund's stare wandered to a figure about to venture in the middle of the battle. It headed where the Fairy had fallen. He knew that dress; he knew that figure.

Nastia!

The human girl, the one he so strongly wished joined his party, was about to throw her life away. To try and save the Fairy prince. The Dragons hated weakness. They hate the ones they defeated. The Fairy's destiny was signed.

And yet, the girl was not stopping.

Sigmund was up before he knew it.

Carla stopped him by the wrists, "Where the hell do you think you're going!?" But he was not planning to be stopped tonight.

The Dragon advanced toward the downed Fairy, as the girl, uncaring, kneeled by him.

Sigmund ran at her. He was close enough to hear her whisper, "Dad....?"

Her voice was broken by fear and grief.

The Giant caught on fire. He knew that voice and he knew those words as well. Though not the same, they were what Grace had said when they saw their mother dead and their father kneeling by her, unable to even shed a single tear.

"What is this? Family reunion?" Said the Dragon, now barely a few dozen yards from them. But before he could continue, a shout covered his deep voice. It was Sigmund's.

Tears evaporating in the heat he emitted, the young Giant called for what would undoubtedly become his companion. "NASTIA! SWORD! NOW!"

The strength and conviction in his voice were such that it awoke Nastia out of her stupor. She turned toward him and immediately understood.

A gigantic mirage sword made of violet energy and ethereal metal, a handle covered in roses and thorns manifested in Sigmund's grip.

The very next moment, he, which had been charging until the moment before, shot at the monster's throat.

A violent explosion sent the monster tumbling on the ground. Sigmund dropped close by, his arms singed, no remains of the sword.

"AGAIN!" He shouted.

Another sword manifested in his hands. Sigmund drank all the potions he had remaining on him. There wasn't much power left, but it was better than nothing.

"Lucky, shot. Young Giant! I like your attitude!" The Dragon said, getting up, but he was not enough to prepare a counter-attack.

BOOM!

The Dragon received the blast on his remaining fore-leg, making him fall forward this time.

Sigmund found himself under the Dragon's belly. "SWORD!" He shouted to Nastia, which moved toward him a little to clear vision. She could not create constructs without a view of her target location.

With a sword tight in his iron grip, Sigmund shot upwards.

This time it wasn't enough, though. The Dragon had grown tired of him. Moving away from the Giant's attack's unchangeable direction, the overgrown lizard whipped his tail at him. Hitting him square-on and sending him through a nearby building.

“Sigmund!” Nastia screamed.

But the Giant was already up.

His body hissing with vapors, his already thin frame had gotten considerably thinner.

Blind from an eye, an arm dangling by the side, uselessly, Sigmund raised his functioning hand up, signaling for another sword.

Seeing the state of the Giant, Nastia brought her hands to her mouth, crying, his unwavering conviction breaking through her shield. She gave in, materializing another sword on his outstretched hand.

"YOU ARE NO AGONXSTREZZ, DRAGON! WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF YOU!" Sigmund screamed at him.

The Dragon took those words rather badly. His lizardly eyes spread wide-open, "Say bye, little boy, I've had it with useless creatures today!"

Phellingetorim was his name, readied his breath. His thorax swelling like a balloon.

Then spew, at the same time a blow, so violent, that it perforated right through the belly of the monster, interrupting his dragon breath. The ethereal projectile bursting through the Dragon sent him in a state of overdrive; something broke in him. Making him cough violet looking blood, then Sigmund shot forward, pointing right where the projectile had hit.

Bullseye.

But it was not enough. The Dragon, squirming about, kicked him away. Sending him toppling over in Nastia's direction.

Sigmund's gaze took in the enormity of the sky. Was his death close? He did not care anymore. Unwavering, the boy got up again. But only to be stopped, but a big hand placed on his shoulder, "It's alright, boy. You've done more than enough. You bought us all the time we needed. Now you can rest like knowing what an amazing warrior you are."

It was Theor, he was in front of him, at his side, a one-handed Giantess, huge and burly like the strongest of them, spun her massive bat, grinning.

At their right, in the distance, his father, with his ruined umbrella-rifle still raised at the Dragon, came toward him. Expressionless as ever, but Sigmund knew; what he could see in his eyes was pride.