Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Chapter 1230: A Trickier Bit



"At least she didn't throw us back into that dreadful pit," Replicus said as soon as he, Elita Red Rage, Yuyui and his Hybrid Luman body had exited Suzamete's domain. They had all been transported to a run-down village with no signs of life.

Yuyui breathed a sigh of relief. She was glad to be far from the dreadfully powerful presence of the Deitess of the Skies.

Elita turned to Replicus who still needed the support of Red Rage to stand.

"I remember you having a wanton tongue, but I didn't think it would be the same even in the presence of Deities," she said. Before Replicus could argue against her point, however, she clarified. "Don't get me wrong. I don't think too highly of Deities either, well, anymore, but I didn't think you would be so careless in front of one who made the world you currently dwell in."

Replicus scoffed.

"You'd be unsavoury to Suzamete too if you knew what she's done in your absence," he said, once again recalling the time when Actuass dragged him into the Deitess' domain. He didn't take kindly to that memory.

"I'd like to hear all about it," Elita said with her hands on her waist.

"I'm sure you would."

Replicus then looked up and around him. He focused far into the distance, trying to determine something beyond Feinheath.

'I guess she must have used those servants of hers to fix them,' he thought. He was, of course, talking about the vast, gaping dark spaces Skullius had made on Aigas using the Spirit of Drowning where the Rules were eaten away. He turned his gaze away.

Now he was looking at the two other timelines plastered like stiff drapes onto the current Aigas. There was no activity from them as of yet, which was a relief, but it probably wouldn't remain like this for long.

Even though Suzamete had emphasised haste, Replicus had asked her a few crucial questions regarding the predicament she wanted him and Elita to solve. The Deitess had given adequate answers.

Replicus had wanted to know what kind of experts could break through from their timelines to begin with. He had gathered on his own that experts with time-related affinities and abilities could probably move around the timelines freely, but he was sure that even those that didn't could perhaps have other means to do so.

<It's as you say.> Suzamete had answered. <Those with affinities with time will likely be free to wander, but Transcendent and Beyond the Veil Stagers will also be able to come through. Both have the ability to imbue their bodies with their Territories, and that is all they really need to shatter through the complex obstacles that bar time travel. Nitros is a form of Divine energy, and refining it into an Imaginary GeoScape and donning it like a second skin - as Transcendents and beyond can do - is not too different to what you are capable of using your unusual concept. The one that renders you immune to change, I mean.>

By unusual concept, Suzamete had been referring to Replicus' Maximum Catalyst - well, [Neutral Maximum] to be exact. Apparently, Transcendent Stagers and Beyond the Veil Stagers could bypass their natural inability to travel through different times simply by cloaking themselves in their Territories.

Replicus imagined that these Territories had to have extremely high outputs for this to work though. They had to be Territories with Tertiary capabilities.

Of course, considering that individuals from the Second Grand War, most likely Aigas' most impressive time for humanoid experts, were the sort that would be coming through, it wasn't hard to imagine that they would be extremely competent.

Replicus had also inquired something that frightened him the most from the Deitess of the Sky. As it so happened, she too was wary of the possibility.

Since Replicus and Skullius had interrupted Jiggorrhax from repairing the Rules from a past Aigas, would the creatures the dragon sought to keep out also be able to pass through into the current Aigas?

<I can't be too sure.> Suzamete had said with a sigh. <The Rules Quintess and Listafelle set in place to prevent time from being mangled for too long aren't working to counteract Boron's influence. I assume they won't have a direct effect on these malicious beings either. However, for those that are past the Divine, things might get even trickier. Anything beyond Divine cannot exist in separate times. The concept of time cannot handle them. This means there's no chance of a second me existing in the previous Aigas' timelines, for instance. However, entities of my level can detect it when their underlings are forced into situations like this. They will be drawn here and in Aigas' current state, there is no stopping them. That is why you need to hurry. I am left with no choice but to count on you.>

The last bit Suzamete had said had annoyed Replicus almost as much as it inflicted urgency within him.

Fighting Divine-level opponents in some of the stronger Cavern Boron was releasing was one thing. Replicus was already on a similar level despite not formally being a Divine being. But fighting Deity-level opponents?

Perhaps his fusion with Skullius could solve that, but for now, the best bet was probably Elita's Broodweiler.

'I'm really going to have to let Pherdanta and the others handle most of the work. There're way too many enemies,' Replicus thought.

"I wonder," Elita suddenly said, a thoughtful expression on her face, "Do you think now that Boron has suffered a severe injury, he might choose to ally with some of the foreign enemies, if they break through? I mean, he is probably preparing to move into a different vessel as we speak, but I doubt it's going to be as strong as the old one. When the Deities of Aigas used normal human vessels... there were always some complications and consequences. I could tell that the one Boron was inhabiting was supposed to be perfect."

Replicus turned to the former Paladin Champion. He felt as though she had exposed an odd sense of melancholy just now.

"I don't even want to think about what that might look like," he said, shaking his head. His tendons twitched. Strength was slowly returning to them. "But Suzamete was right. We need to make haste."

He patted Red Rage and beckoned Yuyui. The latter took over for Red Rage in supporting

Replicus.

"Go and find out if Theurien and Silrat survived. All the survivors I teleported away shouldn't be too far from each other," the Progeny said heavily. "Regardless of what you find, come back here within two minutes."

"At once!" Red Rage declared with a salute and took off into the skies.

Elita didn't ask about the Apostle's destination or mission. She knew she'd be filled in soon

enough.

"Where are we going to go after he returns? Do you have some kind of headquarters?" she

asked.

"You could call it that. Though I'm not sure I can confidently call it mine yet," Replicus

replied.

Right then, there was a flash of light in front of the two and a curious pair appeared.

One was a blonde man of average height with a lute strapped behind his back and the other was a tall, dashing man with long dark hair.

Yuyui's eyes immediately sparkled at the sight of them, though the same couldn't be said about Replicus and Elita. They both stacked their guard.

"Please, be at ease. We are not your enemies," Erlton said while raising his hands. Soidon beside him did the same, though he gave the Warmoth's Progeny a deeply wary look.

"Who are you?" Replicus asked.

Erlton gave him a sharp, appraising gaze.

"Someone who had the wrong idea while watching you fight," he answered.