Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Even as the number of winged seahorses continued to pile on in Opungale from the channel that was the Abyss – Stagnant Space – opened by the forty and some Emeradis Summoners, two figures continued to leisurely walk towards their destination as though they were crossing the lovely wet sands of the beach. 

The Ode had on a cool smile as he looked up at the millions of flying menaces, some of which were tempted to dive down, but desisted because of the presence of the ancient-looking woman walking beside the crimson-haired young man.

Her presence was too dark, and too vicious. It was much like a scalding vapor, the kind that one couldn't see when water was boiled but could only feel and draw back hastily.

Even these creatures which mostly existed outside the cycle of the regular beasts of Aigas knew danger when they felt it.

"It's working well, isn't it?" the Ode said.

"Yes. If only there wasn't a bargain involved. Emeradis… Bargaining and harvesting are their two most distinct traits. I have a feeling they are getting much more from this than we are," Umbett, the Shamanic Mage said with a lick of her chapped lips that seemed close to falling apart because of her age.

"How so? They may not be our equals, as they often try to assert themselves, but I believe its only right for them to take this much in return for their cooperation. They didn't ask for a portion of what we are after at least," the Ode said.

Umbett shot the young man an appraising glance. 

"You're quite like your father. You both see Emeradis as a potential ally…"

"Is that such a bad thing? I believe in creating relationships. Its better than risking our entire livelihood for pride and unrealistic ideals. We can remain the dominant force of the world that we are while being smart about it at the same time."

Umbett harrumphed.

"Was calling for Summoners from Emeradis, even with me by your side also smart? I think not. If its alliances you and the First Horn want, you can forge them with less self-deprecating means. Since when does Maqi need such a huge force to take on mere Sif, hm? I can practically feel the vibrance of the reputation and weight I used to have fade away."

The Ode sighed.

He chose not to argue further. At the end of the day, a clean victory was already close to being reached. Whether his ideology or Umbett's was right didn't truly matter. Not today.

The crimson-haired young man would have preferred a bloody victory, though, and he saw an opportunity for it.

Despite how easy everything had been so far, there was no chance that the Sif didn't have something up their sleeve. Perhaps it was an old trump card made to repel their forces or maybe to kill him or Umbett.

Whatever it was, the young Ode had already prepared for it, so had Umbett.

The two had been tailed by a group of fine Maqian combatants, but they had to stay behind minutes ago because unlike him who had the exclusive protection of a revered Shamanic Mage, they didn't. They had to use the Shadowing Technique to hide themselves from the preying eyes of the winged seahorses.

Well, it wasn't like the two really needed a protective entourage.

"We're here," the Ode said as he grinned at what was ahead.

The colossal image of a particular Aurora stood before them, partly blocked out by great swarms of the millions of summoned creatures. 

They darted around the sky as though without direction, with some drawing clear arcs in the air, teasing a dive and then flying up.

None of the mutant seahorses actually invaded the great Aurora.

It seemed, much like how they behaved with Umbett, they were fearful of something within the great settlement.

Where the Aurora began, neat rows of archers, some standing and some crouching in perfect display, could be seen, their arrows nocked on high quality bows. 

Rows of other Arma Users, Form Users and Energy Formers could be seen behind the formation, their faces strained and stern.

They all recognized who… what they were up against. Their numbers – close to a million – didn't really matter.

Most of them were at the Master Stage, but a little less than a dozen Incandescent Stagers were among them, letting their presence known for morale and futile attempts at deterrence. 

"My dear Queen, if you wish for your men to keep their lives, I advise that you tell them to point their loose weapons elsewhere," the Ode declared in an offended voice, his eyes sparking green. "I do have a very creative way for them to die so, if you don't play nice, I might just indulge myself."

The Sif soldiers shivered.

There was something unnerving about the Ode's voice.

It made their skin crawl, seeming to run through their bones and perhaps even deeper, despite it being mellow at best.

It didn't help that what the Ode said became etched into them like hammered nails, echoing through their flesh until they believed that he, the Ode alone, could kill them all.

Some began quivering in fright instantly as a result. Perhaps all the forces of Opungale should have been called here instead of being ordered to remain their various regions.

"Stand down."

A strong female voice came from behind the ranks of the large force.

The soldiers followed the order and cast away their weapons from the Ode's path.

The crimson-haired young man scoffed and walked forward, with Umbett following behind him.

The combatants before him parted like a sea, making a straight path to the end of the entire formation where Queen Embrell stood alongside Darwel, encircled by a group of the same aloof Incandescent Stagers that had defended the royals back when the gong was still a threat.

The Ode quickly reached the Queen and looked straight at her with nothing but lazy condescension. 

"I had heard you weren't so barbaric anymore, that a new regime had taken the reins to Maqi. Was my source wrong?" the Queen asked with a placid face.

"No, of course not. How could anyone possibly view this as barbaric? This is simply…controlled chaos with a dash of justice," the Ode spread his arms wide as he declared rather jovially. 

"Why unleash it upon us without reason then? Have you any idea how many of mine died tonight?" the Queen looked rather composed, her presence was quite calm as well, and yet her voice was drowned in boiling sorrow and hate.

The Ode chuckled and took a step towards her.

"For no reason?!" he roared.

At once, one of the Incandescent Stagers around the Queen stepped up to bar the crimson-haired man from proceeding any further.

The latter… was not pleased by this.

He frowned deeply, his face becoming marked in ugly shadows.

…And the protective guard burst into flame.

It was a scorching, green flame that swallowed her, twice as tall as her full height.

It was bright, and it was also short-lived.

It vanished as soon as it appeared, leaving behind its victim as she had been a moment prior; eyes sharp, guarded stance up, lips taut tensely.

However, deep within, the lively ghost that made the Sif whole, had been burned away like paper, leaving behind a hollow vessel that was yet to even realize it.