Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Vahn couldn't be entirely sure it was the case, but seeing Ash's 'Demigod' race and the fact he had the [Blessing of Ares] made it seem like he was one of Ares' children. He wasn't sure if Ash, or Ares for that matter, was even aware of this since his pursuit had been as an assassin instead of an actual warrior. There were many things Vahn didn't know about Demigods just yet and he wasn't sure exactly how Divinity manifested itself in people. One thing he knew was that the children sired by gods only had a small chance of being an actual Demigod and, judging by the (sealed) state of Ash's bloodline, it seemed he had gotten the short straw.He had originally intended to execute Ash after investigating his Status Board, but now Vahn had a few inhibitions about it since he could potentially be used as leverage against the Rakia Kingdom. However, after considering the information he already had regarding Ares and the cruelty of the Empire, Vahn simply shook his head and placed his hand against Ash's back. After exhaling a deep breath, Vahn said, "I pray that your next life will be a happy one...please do not walk down such a dark path..." However, even after staying in the same position for several minutes, Vahn couldn't bring himself to go through with it...Though he had killed people in the past, there had never been a moment when he took the life of someone while they were defenseless like this. Even though they were enemies, Ash had never actually brought harm to him...though he had certainly tried. If Vahn had been weaker, he would have died in the tunnels after first pursuing Ash, likely even taking Arnya and Chloe along with him. Thinking this, Vahn hardened his expression and said, "I'm sorry..." as he sent a shockwave into Ash's chest and collapsed the assassin's heart. Other than a muted thump, there was nothing to mark Ashe's passing because Vahn had already numbed his senses completely, resulting in a painless death in the man's sleep.Vahn released a long sigh and felt strangely cold until a surprisingly warm presence embraced him from behind and completely enveloped him along with a flash of vibrant green. Terra leaned her weight against him and hugged around his chest as she wrapped her wings around his body as if trying to protect him from the coldness of the world. Soon after that, Fenrir wiggled her way into the 'canopy' and cupped his face as she asked in a very worried tone, "Master, why are you sad? Be happy, be happy...the bad man is gone..." Fenrir had wanted to kill Ash so badly, not just because of her own hatred but because of the negative emotions she felt from her Master. She couldn't understand why he was so upset at having 'won' but she could tell he was hurting inside because her own heart throbbed painfully in her chest.Terra continued to hold Vahn's body and said, "Fenrir...our Master doesn't like killing people. He kills if it is necessary, but that doesn't mean he can't empathize with his enemies. Though that man over there was a 'bad' man, he still had people he cared about and even had children. It is a very sad thing to lose someone you care about, and sometimes 'good' and 'bad' don't make dealing with that loss any easier. Master is worried about the woman and child left behind, because he can imagine what it is like to lose the people he cares about...can you imagine how you would feel if we lost Master?" Fenrir had a difficult expression on her face at first but it quickly changed into a look of panic and frustration as she shouted, "Fenrir will never lose Master! Master will never abandon Fenrir..."This time, Vahn answered by hugging the anxious Fenrir strongly as he stroked the back of her head and said, "Shhh, there is no need to be upset...Terra was just giving you an example...but you can understand what she meant, right? Just imagine that this feeling is the same thing that his wife and son will feel...it is a very sad thing, isn't it?" Fenrir's body trembled slightly, though Vahn couldn't tell if it was out of sadness or frustration because she had buried her face into his chest. After a few seconds, however, she nodded her head and said, "Fenrir's heart hurts...please don't leave Fenrir. She will be a good girl, always...gnuuuu..." Though he still felt a bit at a loss as to what he should do about the Rakia Kingdom right now, Vahn's priorities immediately shifted closer to home and his focus turned to Fenrir and Terra, the only two things that mattered here, at this moment.Vahn pulled Fenrir away from his chest so he could see her face, surprised to find her eyes were watering slightly, and said in a firm voice, "Long after the stars in the sky burn out, I will still be with you, Fenrir...the same goes for you, Terra...we may be apart at times, but I will never abandon anyone that has chosen to follow at my side. After I gave you your names, you both became important parts of my family...please don't leave me, even if there are times when I do strange things or break down..." Terra's wings pulled tightly around them as her arms squeezed Vahn's body, clearly showing her answer with her actions since she couldn't seem to find the words. As for Fenrir, she nuzzled up against his chest and squeezed him with a surprising amount of strength. It was almost like she was trying to fuse with his body and it made Vahn feel very comfortable to have the warmth of the two girls here in this dark room...After cremating Ash's body, Vahn put the remains into a jar that he intended to take back to the Rakia Kingdom and scatter one day. If possible, he'd like to hand the vase over to Ash's family, but Vahn imagined he wouldn't be well liked by the two people even if they didn't end up as victims of this event. A part of him wanted to rush over to the Kingdom and attempt to save them, but that type of mentality was a never-ending loop that would require him to take responsibility for everyone. Just as Ash had made decisions about his life, Liris had done the same and Vahn had no idea what kind of person she had been to fall in love with a career killer. Their son, Alexander, would likely experience the most hardship from this event but there were countless such children in Rakia that Vahn hadn't even thought about before now...Looking around at the devastated chamber, Vahn looked over the various documents Ash had kept out and found a few potentially useful diagrams. The most interesting thing was a large formation that could cover several City blocks, like the same as the one destroyed by Terra. It took an incredible amount of resources to set up, however, so Ash must have used the majority of his funds just attempting to create it. Vahn felt a bit of pity knowing that the man's hard work had been undone on a whim by Terra, but he couldn't help but feel grateful to her at the same time. Deciding it was best to act on his thoughts, Vahn reached out and pat the happy dragon's head for a few minutes and expressed his gratitude.Once he had looked over everything, Vahn gave the room one last glance before he said, "Bury this place, Terra..." and made his way out of the corridor. He was feeling a little melancholic and wanted to 'help' someone so Vahn scanned around the various underground corridors and dropped off food and supplies in the areas where people congregated. The previously busy tunnels were now completely quiet as he walked through them, but Vahn could still sense the various people watching their progress through the maze-like structure of the Daedelus Street underground. After a few minutes, they reached the surface and exited out from an abandoned looking building. Vahn looked over his shoulder and saw a few faces peeking at him through the darkness, many belonging to children that had been interested in him ever since he gave them food.Because it wasn't that uncommon for some children to get snatched up and whisked away to become slaves, they all stayed very far away even after receiving various goods from him. Shaking his head with a slightly melancholic expression, Vahn showed a small smile and set out some additional offerings in the building before turning away and deciding it was almost time to head home. Before that, however, Vahn decided to stop over at Maria's Orphanage since he was already in the area. He hadn't visited since the last time he accompanied Syr, so Vahn was interested in how the children were doing. His mood made him feel a desire to be charitable and seeing the lively orphans would ease his heart a little.So as not to draw attention to themselves, Vahn had Terra return to the Manor and entrusted her to explain the situation to Hestia and the others. She was somewhat reluctant to leave him behind, but eventually 'relented' after he rubbed her ears with his thumbs and promised to return home shortly. Her ears were somewhat abnormal and were completely covered in emerald-colored green scales. However, instead of being very hard and resistant to stimulus, they were actually full of nerves that connected to each individual scale and this made it one of Terra's big weak spots. Vahn was starting to enjoy seeing her wings flutter about when she was happy and was looking forward to pampering her properly in the future.After sending Terra off, which caused a bit of a stir in the relatively empty streets, Vahn picked up Fenrir in a princess carry and vanished from the streets with [Shundo]. He didn't mind Terra meeting the children at Maria's Orphanage, as she would likely be very popular with them, but Vahn didn't want to draw unnecessary attention and cause trouble for Maria. Syr often visited the place wearing a cloak that concealed her head and face so Vahn gave Fenrir a mantle before they approached it from the front. He made sure there weren't any eyes snooping around beforehand so there shouldn't be any trouble, at least nothing beyond Maria's capacity to handle.Around the front of the Orphanage, there were a few children lingering about that instantly noticed his arrival with curious expressions on their faces before one of them recognized who he was. Without any hesitation, the children ran over and began crowding around him while Fenrir stayed close to his back and tried to avoid them. Though they were all smaller than she was, Fenrir had never really been good at dealing with strangers and, even though she didn't feel threatened, she didn't like to be surrounded. Vahn held out his hands to calm the children down and said, "Let's go inside where we can talk and play in peace. As for this adorable little one, she is Fenrir, my very important companion. Be nice to her and don't try to horseplay since her paws can be very dangerous..."As if to emphasize his words, Fenrir held up her paws and showed off her claws which, instead of scaring away the children, made them show starry-eyed expressions of awe. At this age, especially when they were in this kind of environment, the kids didn't have a lot of common fears and, considering that Fenrir wasn't hostile towards them, she was more interesting than 'dangerous'. Vahn allowed Fenrir to climb up onto his back to avoid the small children as she cutely tucked her tail in to avoid having anyone pull on it. Vahn then led the way into the Orphanage though some of the children got ahead of him to go tell the others and inform Maria.Not long after he entered the abandoned church, which hadn't changed much since his last visit, a 'bolt' of red came flying at him from over one of the pews. Fenrir gave the young Rye a stink eye but didn't react since she could tell he posed no actual danger at all. As for Vahn, he stepped back and turned his body to the side as he caught the young boy up in one arm as Fenrir clung tightly to his body like a little monkey. Rye wormed about in his arms and said, "Unhand me, you villain~! Arrrgh!" Vahn felt Rye's forward behavior was very entertaining so he asked, "And what makes me a villain this time, Rye?" In response, Rye tried to reach out and grab at Fenrir but Vahn flipped him over and disoriented the young boy before setting him down on the floor with dizzied eyes.Vahn placed his palm on Rye's head and said, "Don't tease Fenrir since she isn't good at such things. You wouldn't want people you've never met to grab you or your friends suddenly, right?" Rye furrowed his brows slightly before nodding his head and saying, "I'm sorry, Fenrir...but you, Vahn! I can't forgive you so easily after what you did! Aaaah, just thinking about it makes my blood boil!" Before Vahn could ask what he meant once again, Maria's stern voiced sounded out as she said, "Rye, you know well enough that Vahn didn't actually betray our Syr at all. She is happy within the Hearth Manor, and Vahn is a capable young man that works hard to take care of everyone around him. I imagine he is here today to make a donation and spend time with everyone here, isn't that right Mr. Mason~?"Though he realized she had entrapped him a bit with her words, Vahn didn't mind since it was actually his intent to make a donation of food and toys for the orphans. With a smile on his face, Vahn nodded and said, "Yes, I figured it had been a while since I stopped by and I happened to be in the area. If there is anything troubling you, or any of the children here, I'll be more than happy to help out." Maria covered her mouth and let out a peal of playful laughter that wasn't suitable for her age as she said, "My, it's good to have a strong and reliable man around the Orphanage on occasion. If you're not too busy, there are a few handyman tasks you can take care of before you go."Considering that he was a [Master Smith], with very high parameters, Vahn wouldn't have any trouble with such tasks so he said, "Sure, Maria, I'll just play with the kids for a bit first." Maria nodded her head with a pleased look on her face as Vahn once again found himself surrounded by more than twenty children. He noticed there were some faces missing since his last visit while new ones had popped up. However, one thing that hadn't changed was the stand-out trio of Rye, Fina, and Roux and they were something like the heart of the entire Orphanage.Rye couldn't get adopted easily because he was somewhat rambunctious while Fina was like the big sister of everyone and didn't want to get adopted. As for Roux, she was very quiet and docile as she hung around Rye and Fina while trying not to draw too much attention to herself. She was still pretending to be a boy, which made Vahn feel a little sad for her, but he couldn't easily help her move forward unless she was willing to take the steps on her own. Vahn had been very tempted to adopt her himself, or at least find her a home in one of the other Familia if that wasn't possible, but she was very attached to the other children and would likely refuse even if he offered...Vahn had frowned deeply, interrupting the conversation he was having with the other children so Fina asked, "Vahn, Vahn, is everything okay?" while lightly slapping his face. She had 'claimed' his lap as her territory after he sat down so Vahn had been pampering the young Chienthrope girl as he listened to the worries, concerns, complaints, and desires of the various children. With her small slaps breaking him from his reverie, Vahn almost instinctively hugged her but compromised by just patting her head and saying, "I was thinking about how I could help everyone at the Orphanage even if I couldn't adopt them. What would you all think about attending a school that I plan to open in the future...?"Rye immediately shouted out, "No way, school is for saps that want to work for the Guild or become public servants! I want to become an Adventurer in the future, so I can't waste time sitting in a classroom!" He didn't admit it, but Rye actually thought going to school would be pretty fun. However, unless they had a scholarship by agreeing to work for the guild or becoming workers, it would be very expensive. There was also the fact that he was feeling a little riled up seeing Fina snuggled up in Vahn's lap since he felt like Vahn would end up 'corrupting' her like he did Syr. She was usually a very lively a boisterous girl, but Fina turned completely docile under Vahn's hand and had a silly look on her face with squinted eyes that bothered him.Vahn nodded his head and looked around to the other children, each ranging between the ages of 4 and 9, before saying, "The school I want to open has no requirements for after you graduate, meaning you can do whatever you want with your life as long as you work hard and try your best to be a good person. There aren't any fees that you would have to pay, as I would be waving them for children that come from difficult situations. It wouldn't be a real home, but it would be a place you can stay until you reach fourteen...since it is affiliated with the Alliance, you can even join one of the related Familia after you complete your training, as we intend to teach everything from basic swordsmanship to magic..."Rye looked like he wanted to say something, but the person to respond first happened to be Roux as she asked, "Can I...learn how to use magic...?" in a quiet voice that caused everyone in the room to turn silent. She didn't often speak out, so even the children had learned to be silent to hear what she was saying since Maria had taught them to be considerate of others. Though many people would have shaken their head in response to Roux's question, Vahn confidently nodded and said, "Yes, I have absolute confidence in being able to teach anyone how to use magic. I even work alongside Riveria, the Nine Hells, the High Elf touted as one of the greatest Mages in the entire continent of Eden."Hearing Riveria's name, Roux's eyes opened wide because she actually looked up to the famous High Elf quite a bit. Riveria was an inspiration to many people because she was a High Elf that went against general conventions and had created a great deal of fame for herself. Instead of shunning Half-Elves, she was known to treat them with kindness and proactively reproached Elves that acted arrogantly within the City. If she would be the one to teach them magic, Roux believed that even a 'useless' Half-Elf like her might be able to have some value to her life, other than monetary gain for cruel and despicable people. With an uncommon face of resolution for the typically silent Half-Elf, Roux furrowed her brows with a serious look and said, "I want to go to school...!"As if she had set off a chain reaction, Fina leaned against Vahn's chest and said, "I want to go to school too~! Ah, but I don't want to leave the Orphanage, gnuuu, hard decisions~!" Immediately after Fina's words fell, the other children seemed to get excited about it with the exception of Rye and a young purple-haired girl who didn't seem to understand what was happening at all. She just looked around with her big gem-like eyes and stared at everyone with a clearly confused expression on her face as she yanked on a young boy's tunic and asked, "Wats is skoohl?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Ash's ashes...feel very heavy','Eternal Comfort','The Prolific Godhand...')(A/N: For my lovely patron's, I posted a 'teaser' of my original novel on ******* if you wanted to check it out :). Let me know what you think &lt;3)https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Vahn spent a bit of time explaining the concept of school to everyone present, eventually even winning Rye over to his side after explaining the martial arts aspects and how useful information about monster ecology was to become a successful Adventurer. Though the red-haired boy was a little rambunctious, he wasn't an idiot and knew it was better to get a strong start than it was to simply try and wing it. Many Adventurers that started out 'fresh', without any help, received a small stipend from the Guild, including a pouch for items, a dagger to aide them in combat, and a single smoke ball so they could escape from danger. This was a far cry compared to what they would receive by working their way up through the school, as Vahn guaranteed they would be able to 'earn' equipment based on their performance without having to pay a single Valis.After humoring the children for more than two hours, including snack and story time, it was starting to get late in the day so Vahn did a few tasks for Maria as they talked about the school he wanted to create. She didn't mind Vahn's idea much, as it would help the children become better people by giving them the opportunity to work hard for their future, but she didn't want him to do it half-heartedly. Opening a dorm for the kids wasn't the same as adopting them, but he would still become responsible for their well-being and, lacking a parental figure in their lives, many of the children would look up to him and the teachers as if they would their actual parents. It wasn't that dissimilar from how other Familia, and many countries, indoctrinated the youth to sculpt them into 'useful' tools for the future. Because the children would become reliant on the structure that they found in their lives, many of them would shape their lives around the structure further into the future much like how those that attended the Guild sponsored School did.Vahn understood what Maria was trying to say since he had been considering such matters for a long time in preparation for opening up their school one day. He knew he would be subtly manipulating the children but it was better to set them on a path where they worked hard to decide their own futures than it was to simply do nothing. If he wanted to bring about real change in the future, Vahn needed a generation to set the example and it couldn't be his own children since many would see them as 'special' and 'privileged'. Since he didn't truly plan to take advantage of the kids that attended his school, Vahn believed things would go well because the teachers he plans to have watching over them were all trustworthy and kindhearted.After considering the matter for a short while, Vahn turned to Maria and asked in a calm tone, "Ms. Maria, would you like to become the caretaker of the dormitory? It would be hard work, but I believe you are well suited for the position and would be able to help out greatly." Maria shook her head without considering the offer and said, "No, Vahn, my place is here at the Orphanage...even if you start up that school of your's, there is no way you would be able to take in all the children within the City. As long as there are those that need a place to call home, my Orphanage will remain here to help them..." Vahn nodded his head and had a thoughtful expression on his face for a while before pulling out a set of communication scrolls for Maria.Seeing what Vahn pulled out, Maria began laughing as she shook her head and said, "That darling Syr already gave me a scroll a long time ago. Don't worry, if there is ever any trouble at the Orphanage, such as a shortage of supplies, I will certainly reach out for assistance. I don't do this for my pride, so I'll not let the children suffer just because I'm unwilling to ask for charitable donations." Vahn smiled before keeping away the materials and set out a few bags of fresh produce and a pile of new blankets that would be useful if any new children showed up at the Orphanage. Marina squinted her eyes with a gentle smile on her face and said, "You are a kind boy, Vahn...the children are fortunate someone as magnanimous as you came to this City. Keep doing your best as I'm quite interested to see the future you want to create...fufufu~."Vahn fixed up a few holes in the ceiling that had simply been covered up previously to keep out the cold before preparing for his return to the Manor. He expected there would be a lecture waiting for him upon his return but this actually made him feel warm inside just thinking about the concern others had for him. On his way out, Vahn picked up Fenrir, who had been sitting and talking with Roux and Fina, before preparing to depart. He didn't get too far, however, before Fina shot up and said, "Ah, wait, Vahn~! Don't leave so quickly~!" Roux also stood up with Fina and trailed behind her as the young Chienthrope girl ran up and grabbed around his waist and nuzzled against him in a somewhat affectionate manner.Fina continued her playful actions for a few seconds before showing a frowning face as she said, "Pet me you dummy~!" Vahn's mind blanked for a moment as he reached out and began stroking pale cream-colored hair of Fina as her short curved tail beat back and forth happily. Unlike most of the Chienthrope girls he had seen, Fina's tail was somewhat short and drew an upward crescent that was actually quite fluffy. As for her ears, they were pointed like a Cat Person's but drooped slightly at the tips. Vahn realized that he probably shouldn't pet her 'seriously' like he did the other girls or she would likely become somewhat attached to him with time. He was already several concerns regarding girls like Nanu, Tina, and Shizune, so he wanted to avoid having small children falling in love with him unless they simply saw him as a guardian or mentor.From the side, Vahn could see Rye give him a big-eyed look with a small frown on his face so Vahn chuckled slightly and said, "Fina, I have to return to my home. Look after everyone else and I'll try to get the school prepared as soon as possible. Be a good girl and take care of your friends properly, okay?" Fina nodded her head with squinted eyes as she loosely held Vahn's wrist with her hands as if she didn't want to pull away from his hand. Vahn realized he needed to get a better understanding of the influence of his [Hands of Nirvana] with his [Petting] Development Ability unless he wanted a pack of Beast Humans following him around in the future.After finally extricating himself from the clingy little Chienthrope, Vahn carried Fenrir and they quickly made their way towards the Hearth Manor without dallying further. Fenrir didn't seem to mind the children too much, but she was in a much better mood after leaving. Perhaps it was because he had her look after Preasia in the past, or perhaps due to the influence of Tina and Milan, but Fenrir expressed a bit of 'concern' for the damaged children at the Orphanage. Though she didn't open up at first, Fenrir quickly realized the children were something that needed 'protecting' and she gravitated toward the traumatized Roux out of concern. Vahn was very proud she had this kind of nature because he was worried she would always be distant when it came to dealing with strangers. It seemed like that was an unnecessary concern, however, since her instincts allowed her to sense if someone had any ill will while also letting her have some insights into people that were 'hurting'.There were exceptions to this, of course, as Fenrir didn't seem too fond of little Fina because she didn't want even more people around Vahn that ate up his time. She could also probably sense his inhibitions towards the small Chienthrope girl and, though she didn't show any open hostility towards he, Vahn hadn't missed the glimmer in her scarlet eyes when she stared at Fina's back. It was this same glance that caused Fina to tremble slightly as she looked around in confusion and released Vahn's hand. Like most Beast Humans, she had a bit of a natural instinct towards danger and also possessed an Innate fear of more 'dangerous' creatures. Fenrir could even unnerve Vahn, gods, and True Dragons, so a Chienthrope child wasn't beyond her scope of intimidation.Vahn carried Fenrir the full way to the Manor on his back before they jumped over the gate and slowly approached the front door. He could sense the movement of several people inside in response to his arrival and released a small sigh in preparation before stepping into the foyer. Almost immediately after he crossed over the threshold of the door, Hestia appeared with an uncharacteristically serious expression on her face as she said, "Vahn, everyone is waiting for you in the study. Dinner will be ready shortly, so don't tarry..." Nodding his head, Vahn set Fenrir down and said, "Run along and get ready for dinner..." before following behind Hestia and towards the gathered goddesses nearby.Within the study, Vahn could see Hephaestus and Loki sitting next to each other with Syr and Eina present on the opposite sofa. Riveria was also present, but she stood at the side with her staff and had a stoic appearance. The only person that seemed to not care about the atmosphere too much was Tsubaki, who was sitting in a smaller chair with her legs crossed on the cushion as she absentmindedly stroked her belly with a smile on her face. When they all saw Vahn enter the room, Loki beat everyone to the punch and released a loud and exasperated sigh as she asked, "How is it that, just after I lecture you about relaxing more, your immediate response is to go off and fight unknown enemies within the City and even make promises to the children at Maria's Orphanage to open up a school? Can you explain this to me, Vaaaaaaahn~!?"Vahn remained standing, somewhat surprised that Hestia remained by his side, as he nodded his head and said, "The only way I could really relax is if I eliminated the main worry that had been bothering me since before I went on the expedition. I want to treat your words seriously, but that also means I need to resolve other matters in order to do so. We now have a better understanding of the situation and, as far as the children in the Orphanage are concerned, that is...something I had to do for myself as a penance of sorts. I won't accept responsibility for the assassin's family, but I will continue to do my best to help the people around me. The school needed to be opened in the future, so telling them they will be allowed to attend will give them a small amount of hope that makes their daily lives easier. Even if I have to fund it myself, I want to start construction on the school and the dormitory in preparation for the future. After all...our own children, and the young kids within the Alliance Familias, benefit greatly from its completion."It was a bit of a 'cheap' shot, but Vahn dragged his future children into the mix knowing that it would give him the edge in any potential arguments. They could always raise their children in the safety and security of the Manor, but this wouldn't allow them to become 'complete' people that functioned properly in society. Even if it is only for a relatively short period of time, they need to interact with people from various age groups to shape the people they will become in the future. Vahn was especially concerned about the Vanir, because they would grow up exceptionally quickly and only had a small window of opportunity to interact with other children.Loki had opened her eyes slightly during Vahn's explanation, clearly seeing through his thoughts before she sat back down next to the smiling Hephaestus and said, "We have already come to a decision to declare the Rakia Kingdom as the enemy of the Alliance. An announcement won't be made, but the leadership within the Alliance is aware of their assassination attempt and we will begin to make preparations for an all-out war if necessary. I expect you'll eventually take action to open dialogue with them in the future but focus on other things for now. Don't go starting wars just as your children are about to be born, Vahn..."Vahn nodded his head and said, "I want to wait until Eva's orb awakens before I start taking action against the other countries. I may even put things off for the next 2-3 years since the more pertinent matter that needs to be dealt with are our enemies within the Dungeon. There won't be many specialists like the 'earth mage' that can infiltrate the territory of the Alliance so easily, so I'm not worried that they will be an issue in the interim. If necessary, I'll take Fafnir into their territory and give them a 'warning' by destroying some of their outposts near the border. This would give many refugees the ability to escape the Kingdom's territory and it would force them to invest time and resources into securing their borders once again."After Vahn's words fell, the entire room was silent for several seconds until Syr and Loki both began laughing in their own characteristic manners. Syr quickly stopped her laughter when she got some looks from the other girls, but Loki continued to 'cackle' without concern before she said, "That is actually a very good idea, Vahn~! I almost didn't think you had it in you...kukuku~." Hephaestus sent Loki a sideline glance and remarked, "Hmph...I've always believed Vahn is a very intelligent boy. After all, some of the innovations he has made in the last few months would have taken decades, or even centuries, for other people to think of..." Tsubaki nodded her head from the side but continued to a avoid the conversation since it didn't really concern her that much. Eina was much the same, though she had a bit of a sad expression in her eyes when she thought about Vahn potentially going to war against other nations.Riveria used the opportunity to speak out as she said in an especially serious tone, "If you plan to do something like that, you should delay it until the delegation returns to the Elven Kingdom. They will likely be machinating things behind the scenes in preparation for future events so it would be a good time to take action. The Rakia Kingdom and the Elven Kingdom have been at war for many years at this point, so it will be an effective strategy that forces both sides to take a step back. It'll give us a bit of leverage against the Elven Kingdom as potential 'allies', and it'll put pressure on the Rakia Kingdom to fortify their borders and increase security. It would likely give us far more than a simple 2-3 years to make preparations of our own..."Before anyone could respond to Riveria's words, Eina stood up from the sofa with a slightly melancholic smile and said, "I believe this conversation is going beyond my boundaries a bit. I'll always support Vahn's decisions, but I don't think it would be good for me to be part of a 'war council' while I'm still working for the Guild." Loki waved her hand dismissively and sent a glance at Riveria before saying, "Eh, it isn't anything so serious, Eina. We'll put that conversation aside for now so please stay since your insights into Vahn are likely deeper than anyone else's, even our little Syr here~."Syr's eyes squinted slightly when she heard Loki's words, but her smile didn't show any signs of change while even her aura was relatively calm. She focused more on what Vahn 'wanted' to do more than his inner turmoils because that had been a job delegated to Eina in the past. Even if he walked down the rather 'lonely' road of an Emperor, she would continue supporting his decisions so it was the responsibility of the other women to reign him in. She had the large responsibility of reigning in almost everyone else, so it was a simple matter of assigning the proper personnel in her mind. Besides, she didn't think Vahn was so 'weak' that he needed someone like her to 'manipulate' his heart and mind in order to make him happy.Eina sat back down after Loki's insistence and the conversation really did take a shift as they began discussing the matters that had been brought up the previous night, and this morning. They also refined the schedule a bit so that Vahn spent the weekend nights with Eina and Hephaestus while the other girls had a month-long rotation. At the end of every month, Vahn would have a counseling session with Eina, Syr, Loki, Hephaestus, and Hestia so that they could have a better understanding of his mental state and how to better his life. If necessary, based on the discretion of Eina, this could be done almost every weekend if she believed it would help him. This would continue until Vahn's mind stabilized more and the orb containing Eva once again reawakened. Things would have to be shuffled around a bit when the children were being born, but that was something everyone understood intrinsically...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Godhand receives a new follower?','Sometimes a display of power helps','Eina's Responsibilities Are Heavy')https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After passing through a number of underground corridors, which were just smaller parts of a larger 'underground city', Vahn was near the closest wall separating him from the earth mage. Along the way, they had spooked numerous people by their unexpected appearance but many of them simply ran away without sticking around to see how things would play out. Much like the streets above, the network of tunnels directly beneath Daedelus Street was home to tens-of-thousands of impoverished residents that had sought solace and security in the dark after failing to live a normal life on the surface. There were even large groups of children that were covered in muck and grime, many of which Vahn realized were Pallums and Beast Humans. It made him sad seeing the almost 'feral' children with slightly glowing eyes as they were more adapted to the darkness than the light...Vahn knew he couldn't bring about the change he wanted to see in the City by just helping everyone he came across, but he still set out bags of fresh vegetables in the areas where they were hiding before moving on. He had heard from Hestia that the 'ruler' of Daedelus Street was a goddess by the name of Penia and he made plans to discuss the state of the community in the future. She was apparently a goddess of Poverty, People, and Penance, and had been ruling over Daedalus Street for nearly six-hundred years as a 'safe haven' to the beaten and downtrodden. Though there were still criminals that parasitized upon the people in the area, she was the main reason organized crime had been almost completely weeded out from Daedelus Street. Her influence was so great that, even though her Familia was still merely I-Rank, she had a seat at the table with Ouranos amongst the other top 10 influential gods, apparently only showing up when there was trouble in Daedelus Street.Terra reached out to the wall that obstructed them and placed her palm against it as a pulse of energy flowed into the earthen wall. Almost immediately thereafter, an opening appeared as the earth compressed and solidified, forming a corridor that extended the 13m between them and the earth mage's secret chamber. They could hear screaming from the other side that immediately turned to silence after the earth settled. Vahn's face hardened and he led the way with the scarlet-eyed Fenrir and the azure-eyed Terra following closely behind him. Fenrir looked like she was ready to pounce at a moment's notice, but Terra's expression was 'calm' and 'cool', even though Vahn could sense the fluctuations in her source energy.The moment they stepped into the chamber, a shrill and icy voice seethed the words, "Vahn Mason!" through clenched teeth. Vahn looked over to see the gaunt face of the earth mage and said, "That is correct...but the question is, who are you?" Vahn waved his hands and rearranged the chains so that the mage was held upright instead of being pinned down to the ground as he had been previously. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, though the stress lines and gaunt face made him appear much older, with pale brown hair and dull-looking yellow eyes. There were dark rings around his eye-sockets, appearing as though he hadn't been sleeping well for a very long time, and he had even started to bald at the temples with a few scabs and abrasions visible around his face and hands.Instead of answering, the earth mage began laughing madly with his head turned toward the ceiling at the trap formation that had long been broken by Vahn. There were tears streaming down his face as he mumbled, "This is it...I've failed...I'm sorry..." toward the void, likely wishing his words could travel the distance to whomever they had been intended. The chill in Vahn's mind didn't fade, but he felt like the man was very pitiful with his current appearance and words. However, he simply shook his head and said, "You have people you care about...that means you aren't a complete monster. However, the fact you do monstrous things is inexcusable regardless of the reason behind your actions. Unless you can honestly say you wouldn't fault the people that target your loved ones, you have no claim to my empathy at all..."Vahn's words grabbed the attention of the man who looked at him with a fierce resentment and a deep hatred as he said, "I did what I had to in order to survive! You don't know anything at all; you're just a spoiled little brat that grows up surrounded by endless comforts, indulging in pleasures and enjoying the results of other people's hard work!" Before they could lash out at the man, Vahn held up his hand to stop Terra and Fenrir as he walked forward and said, "It's really interesting, you claim I know nothing about you, but in the same breath make accusations against me? What do you know about me, other than what other people have fed you? Other than recognizing me as a target, have you truly made an attempt to understand the life I've lived? Do you think you are the only one that has suffered in the world? That gives you the right to kill whomever you please, just to make money?"As Vahn spoke, he converged his aura on the man with enough intensity that the mage's hair was pressed down by the force and the only thing keeping him upright were the glowing chains of [Enkidu]. Vahn shook his head and released the pressure, saying, "You know absolutely nothing about me other than what you have gleaned through your own bias and hatred. I will give you a chance to come clean...give me your name, the name of your client, the organization you work for, and a good reason why I shouldn't kill you. If you can answer these questions, I will release you on the condition you take a vow to never return to Orario for the purpose of completing a mission."The man had a fierce scowl on his face, but he couldn't hide the wavering in his eyes as a small ember of hope appeared deep within their depths. There were few people that wanted to die and, even if he didn't understand Vahn's life, he knew of the many rumors and accomplishments credited to the seemingly young man. He had a 'foolishly righteous' disposition and there was a fair chance he would be given leniency if he could convince him. However, the mage could feel an incredible pressure coming from Vahn's 'blue' eyes and it felt like all of his secrets were completely exposed. If he tried to lie, his instincts were screaming he would likely end up dying here and there would be no hope remaining for him...After several minutes of silence, with Vahn staring down at the man who was obviously lost in his own thought, the mage looked up and said, "You should know that I can't speak about my client, nor the organization I work for. There are vows I have been forced to take that prevent me from disclosing such things...." Seeing Vahn's eyes squint in annoyance, the man gnashed his teeth in frustration before saying, "M-my name is Ash...code-name 'Entomber'...I hail from the Rakia Kingdom and I have a lover and a son of four-years..." Then, as if realizing something, Ash's face became very dark and he looked at Vahn with the blackest aura he had ever seen, "Know the names of the people that will die because of you, Vahn Mason...Ash, Liris, and Alexander!" As if he had gone mad, Ash futilely tried to pull against [Enkidu] in an effort to lurch forward and attack Vahn.Vahn released a small sigh and shook his head before saying, "Bullshit...you're completely out of your mind if you think you can pin such things on me. How can I be responsible for the lives of people I've never met, just because I didn't let someone kill me? Absolutely ridiculous..." Walking forward, Vahn stood over Ash with a cold look and forced him to kneel on the ground before saying, "Your circumstances may have forced you into this kind of life, but the only one that can be held responsible for how things turned out is you yourself...even though you walked such a path, one covered in the blood of your enemies, likely even several innocents, you have the audacity to put the blame on someone else? Are you an idiot?"Ash wanted to spit, snarl, and scream accusations at Vahn but he couldn't move a single muscle in his body, not even being allowed to take a breath as he was forced to listen to his hated enemy's words. The pressure had increased to the point that the only thing he could hear was his heartbeats throbbing in his ears as his brain buzzed with a hatred deeper than the depths of the Dungeon. Regardless of what Vahn said, Ash only saw the boy before him as the murderer of his lover and son, instead of the boy that he had once eagerly accepted a commission to murder for benefits. When he returned home, Ash had planned to only take a few more jobs to save up some money to become a Tier 3 citizen. He wanted to buy citizenship for his family so that his son would have a better life than his own, something that was being 'taken' away from him by Vahn.Feeling the hatred radiating off of Ash, Vahn felt an incredible sense of exasperation and incredulity at the 'unjust' label that had been pinned on him. He had absolutely nothing to do with Ash and his family before the assassin had 'forced' his way into the lives of everyone at the Hearth Manor. This interaction reminded him a lot of his 'negotiation' with Alosrin and it was very annoying to have someone so deeply rooted in their own bias they couldn't see through to the truth of the matter. Though his 'Liris' and 'Alexander' may end up dying, it was a result of the life Ash had lived and had nothing to do with him at all. He couldn't be blamed for what was happening more than six-thousand kilometers away in a country he had never even been to...simply ridiculous.Vahn stared down at Ash before easing up the pressure he had been exerting, just enough so the gaunt man can breathe. Turning to Terra, who had a somewhat sad smile on her face, Vahn asked, "What do you think I should do, Terra? This man blames me for the future deaths of people I've never even associated with. Other than my death, I don't even think he had considered any alternatives to 'saving' his family at all..." Terra was also very annoyed by Ash's 'accusations' because they were so illogical that it was like he was saying their Master was at fault for the actions of every other person that barged into his life, including all their family members and friends? This made absolutely no sense to her at all and she saw the kneeling man as something 'less' than a sentient and intelligent creature...After thinking about her Master's questions, Terra looked to him and said, "Though compromises can be reached between creatures in order to share burdens and happiness, it is solely the responsibility of the people living to walk the path they have selected for themselves. Even if he was 'forced' into this kind of life, he could have simply killed himself if he truly disliked it. Instead, I imagine he had killed many people for personal gain, all so that he could secure happiness for other people without having to pay a price? This makes no sense to me, thus I conclude he should have prepared himself for this outcome before he ever accepted such a mission. As for what to do about this 'fool'...he is like a weed, so simply killing him won't solve the problem. Unless it is rooted out entirely, it will continue to grow and parasitize the happiness of everyone living in the Manor..."Vahn nodded his head slowly and looked back to Ash with an 'unnervingly' calm look on his face as he asked, "What do you think I should do with you, Ash? You have already blamed me for the deaths of your family, so should I send you ahead to receive them?" Though he wanted to reach some compromise with Ash, Vahn could see the 'madness' contained within the man's expression and knew he wasn't truly a good person. He had likely used his Innate ability to build a career for himself as a mage assassin, taking the lives of any potential enemies of the Empire and Rakia Kingdom. It seemed like their doctrine was deeply embedded in the man's mind and he simply 'couldn't' realize the error of his ways as a result of his clouded mindset and the ego he had developed over many years.Ash's expression had grown even darker and he had been putting so much effort into trying to move that [Enkidu] had started to tear into the skin and muscle along his arms. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself and Vahn, praying that the Kingdom would learn of his sacrifice and reward his family instead of killing them for his failure. Unfortunately, he couldn't use his power at all and it had been causing what little 'restraint' remained in his mind to break down. His vision had already turned dark at the edges and there was a metallic taste in his mouth as he glared up into the face of the boy he hated more than anything else in the entire world.Vahn saw Ash's reaction and it made him feel very cold inside because he had never experienced such resentment that had been 'forced' on him one-sidedly. Though his aura wasn't that large, it had turned into wispy black tendrils that seemed to be following Ash's intent as they tried to squeeze around his neck. Vahn couldn't actually feel anything from the black aura, but just knowing how much resentment Ash had for him made Vahn feel very sick. Since it didn't seem like Ash was willing to answer his questions at all, likely already having given up on life completely. Vahn reached out his hand and placed it against the man's head. Ash jerked his neck and tried to bite at his hand, but there was no way a Level 2 mage bound by [Enkidu] had enough physical strength to resist Vahn's actions. The only thing he got for his trouble was an extra strain in his neck as his face turned red for the exertion.Though he knew the man didn't deserve it, Vahn felt pity for the tragic life he had lived as a result of the path he had decided for himself. After pressing his palm against Ash's head, Vahn began channeling a warm and calming energy into the man's mind to help him relax and slowly lull him into a deep sleep. Ash tried to resist against the energy but, as his mind became increasingly calm, the only resistance he put up were the tears that began to fall from his eyes. He seemed to realize what was going to happen and knew that Vahn, the man he hated more than anything, had given him some small mercy by making things painless for him. Though it was only for a brief moment, Ash felt like he could have gotten along well with the boy if the circumstances had been a little different...Vahn looked down into the pale yellow eyes of Ash and said, "I have no control over what goes on in the Rakia Kingdom, but I will one day bring change to that country in the hopes that such misfortune never befalls anyone else. You have faced a grave injustice in your life, but its a fact you became a patsy that benefitted from taking the lives of others. If I have the opportunity to save them, I will see that your 'wife' and 'son' are able to live a free and happy life. However, their fate has been forced to a head based on the decisions you have made, something you must accept this before you die. I will not bear your resentment, as your path reached this point without any action on my part..."Even though he felt a great deal of indignation, Ash found himself simply unable to get mad as his mind started to become very cloudy. He hadn't been sleeping well in more than a month at this point and now it was like all his fatigue had compounded and was about to claim him. In his entire twenty-six years of existence, he had never felt as tired and 'calm' as he did right now. The image of his lover appeared in his mind alongside a small boy that looked up to him as if he were a great hero. It broke his heart knowing they would suffer, not because of Vahn, but because he hadn't been truthful to them and had endangered their lives by association with him. He knew better than anyone that it was his fault they would likely die, but he couldn't help but resent Vahn because the young boy had been able to live such a happy life, blessed to be associated with amazing people with great authority...it was unfair...After several minutes, Ash had a blank expression in his eyes as he mumbled, "Please...destroy...that hellhole..." with tears streaming down his gaunt face. With those final few words, Ash's eyelids began to droop low until they came to a complete close. Even with the warm and comforting energy coming from Vahn's hand, Ash didn't show a smile on his face and his expression was a deeply set frown of indignation. Vahn released a sigh before letting Ash come to rest face down on the ground of his secret chamber. He then removed the dirty brown robe covering his body and dragged his finger along Ash's spine to see if he had belonged to a Familia.As soon as his blood began to 'evaporate', the image of a lion's head, a spear, and an ax appeared on his back showing that he indeed belonged to the Ares Familia and was likely one of their dark operatives that performed espionage, assassination, or simply caused general upheaval in countries they wanted to conquer in the future. Since there were few organizations that were allowed to exist without the influence of the Ares Familia, this meant his 'client' was likely one of the executives of the Familia itself. The curious thing that Vahn noticed about Ash's Status Board, however, was the fact he actually had more than one Innate and, though he was Human, he was also much more...-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------[[STATUS]]Name: AshRace: Human, Demigod(sealed)LV. 2POW: H118-&gt;H119END: F335-&gt;F338DEX: G241-&gt;G242AGI: D583-&gt;D590MAG: B739-&gt;B751Skill: [Blessing of Ares:Innate(sealed)], [Gnome:Innate(D)], [Rock Skin:C]Magic: [Quagmire:E]Development Skill: [Abnormal Resistance:C]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Subterranean City','Cycle of Hatred','Legacy of Ares...')https://www.*******.com/user?u=14397149paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 560: Life Goes On...