Chapter 174: The Price of Power
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It could be said that the moment the Dance of Ninon didn’t subdue the remaining enemy, the people of the City of Nimrod took measures immediately. Within the area of the tower were magic circles that surrounded the tower. Each of these multi-color circles produces chains that started wrapping the tower.
 
Two men who rode on their mounts watched the chains wrapped the tower.
 
“Wayne, are you sure about the threat?”
 
“I am, I haven’t seen such monstrosity from before. No, we should wrap the doors of our tower with chains. If that thing gets out then even if manage to take care of that beast. Then this tower will certainly fall and our cities will burn.”
 
“You speak so lightly of us.”
 
“No,” Wayne shook his head. “I do not dare to underestimate the prowess of the cities of warriors. But what that thing that sleeps under our cities is nothing but a monster. I propose that we gather the Guardians of Gaia to fight the monster. We cannot allow that invader to enter this world. To do so is the same as offering this world to that monster.”
 
“Is that so…?”
 
 
***
 
Down the valley where the corpses fell was a figure standing in front of a transparent barrier. Behind this figure were a pile of monster corpses that flooded the landscape with gore and blood.
 
The being that stood there had no injuries. The being didn’t have anything on her that might be called a wound. After all, how can the being not win when every kill feeds the being’s ancient soul?
 
How can the being who had wandered into this world lose to creatures such as these?”
 
“Where are you? Anyone, anyone? I can’t see you, ah, where are you, my children? I removed all the monsters from the place, my children, my grandchildren, it's okay, Grandma removed all of the scary monsters, please come out, grandma is lonely, where are you? Please don’t worry, grandma is strong, she’s strong and we will make it out of this place, okay? Don’t worry, grandma will, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, where are you all? Where are you?”
 
 
The being lashes out with its sword tearing the corpses around. She strikes the transparent barrier but none of her strikes budge it. The being cleaves the barrier but yet the shell was instantly replaced by another. The Tower of Nimrod gathers its power by absorbing the energy of the world and turning it into a shield that would allow the tower to endure the winds and storms.
 
“Why are you in my way?” the being said, tilting its head. “My family, my grandchildren, they might be waiting beyond this place. No, I can’t let those bad people kill them, no, those monsters will die now!”
 
The being gathers power around its strange sword. The strange energy that clads the body of this being slowly transferred into the sword, revealing a woman with long white hair, ruby eyes, and figure that could match a goddess. This woman pulls her sword back and shatters layers upon layers of the transparent barrier, however, the layers were instantly restored.
 
“Why!?” The woman shouted. “My grandchildren need me! I…AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
 
The woman wailed with despair written all over her face. She lashes out against the barrier but there was no technique or grace in her strikes. Her attacks were clumsy, and she was using the energy around her so violently, that sparks were exploding around her like gunpowder lit randomly that became exploding stars.
 
The corpses behind her were fried and smoke rises from their evaporated remains. The full strikes of the woman had caused all of the corpses behind her to become incinerated by the sheer power of her clumsy strikes. The sword that this woman has tempered was nowhere to be found. It was a sword that a woman of her caliber should not have.
 
“Take this! Take me to my children! Take me to them! Why are you in my way? Why are you blocking my way when those wraiths could be after them? Break so I might save my family!”
 
She strikes with despair filling her voice. Her sword connects with the barrier but yet her strikes only reduced the barrier temporarily. The Tower responds by assisting the labyrinth against this woman. The tower and the labyrinth were two sides of a coin. One cannot exist without the other and through the monsters that the tower can protect the city of nimrod and its sister cities.
 
Like a beehive opening up, portals came out of and spat out monsters that flocked instantly towards the woman. The woman swings her sword and they all perished within a single strike. As she finishes off the monsters that came at her without end. The glow that surrounded her slowly dwindled. The barrier that stood before her remained stalwart and impenetrable.
 
The woman was on the fiftieth floor of the labyrinth that lies below the Tower of Nimrod.
 
“Why? Are you blocking my away…I must save them, no, I must keep the monsters away.”
 
“Grandmother, please run away! We can’t hold on them! Please, at least you must survive!”
 
Memories rampaged inside her head. The scene of carnage of those who called this woman ‘grandmother distraught her. She crumpled, held her head and shouted.
 
“No! I am strong! Don’t show me such a scene! This is all lie! No! No! It can’t be! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Ah, please this must be a lie, no, no, I can’t lose them, no, I am strong, there’s no way that I lose them………”
 
She hugged her knees and took a fetal position, her eyes staring blankly, and muttering empty words.
 
“No, no, no, this must be surely a dream, no, I just need to find him again, I’m sure that he’ll know what…where are you, husband? How many worlds do I have to look for you? I need you…my family…they might need my help and I cannot do it alone…please…ah, no, this can’t be happening, no, no, no, I am strong, this can’t be happening, no, I should be strong, right?”
 
Once upon a time, a woman dared to cross worlds and shepherd her family out of danger, hoping that they would be safe from a cruel cycle, and be freed from a cruel loop, not knowing what may come to her and her family, while secretly hoping.
 
Now that same woman mutters alone, refusing, dismissing her own memories as delusion, for she believed that she was strong.

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