Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Shortly after Vahn's departure from Ariadne, located deep within the most secretive region of the entirety of Mundus Magicus, a group of people dressed in flowing black robes had gathered near the base of an empty throne. Each had their expressions shrouded by habit-like hoods, and, further increasing their resemblance to members of the clergy, every member wore a crimson-red chasuble with gold trim. The front of the garment roughly formed the shape of a keyhole near the bottom, while, flowing behind them, the garment split into four distinct blade-like points.Near the center of the group of seven, standing less than two-thirds the height of every other member, a child-like woman with golden eyes that shone through the shadows cast over her face turned to the tallest member of the group, a dark-skinned man with similar golden eyes, asking, "Were you able to ascertain where the irregularity is heading? Our Revered Mother is eager to reclaim the Key of Twilight. If we miss this opportunity, it will take hundreds of years to create another Key. Failure is not an option."Meeting the gaze of the child-like woman, the inordinately tall man had a fierce yet stoic expression on his face as he answered, "That monster possesses the Power of the Gods and never rests. He has never once taken his eyes off the Key. Unless we reveal ourselves and seize the key by force, there is no practical way to recover it. To further complicate matters, he possesses the ability to manifest in multiple locations, and, from what my shadows have been able to discover, he can freely change his appearance and magical signature. His transformation is no simple illusion, either. Even with the Eye of Veritas, it was impossible to see through his disguise..."Rather than show any sign of perturbation, the child-like woman raised her head in response to the man's words, an intrigued smile on her face as she mused, "It seems Our Revered Mother is correct in her assessment. This irregularity seems to have crossed through the Abyss. Based on his actions thus far, it seems he has some knowledge of future events. How curious..."Hearing the musings of the young girl, every other member present showed expressions ranging from consternation to vehement disdain. They had been pursuing 'world peace' for hundreds of years, but, the moment they were on the brink of achieving their objective, several anomalies had emerged. Not only had one of their most senior members defected, rearing a humanoid weapon that threatened to undermine all their plans, but, to make matters even worse, an Ancient Dragon, apparently from the Abyss itself, had emerged out of thin air...Unable to restrain his anger any longer, a burly man with heterochromatic eyes, one green, and one blue, shouted, "This is ridiculous! Let me deal with that bastard! I'd like to see how that damn lizard is able to survive my Rupturing Fist...!"Losing her intrigued smile, the young girl glared back at the man, her eyes blazing like suns within the shadow of her hood as she plainly stated, "For that man to have passed through the Abyss, he must have come into contact with the Witch of the Abyss. Since the time of his arrival, however, the Abyss has become nigh-impossible to access. We can still send things through it, but trying to store and retrieve objects has become impossible. If that man has enough power to seal the Abyss, he is not an opponent we can afford to underestimate. Would you undermine twenty-six-hundred-years of effort and planning for the sake of your pride alone...?"Though the girl held the greatest status amongst them, the burly man didn't seem to particularly care as he immediately exclaimed, "It's a hell of a lot better than just standing around! Are we just going to keep waiting for our enemies to grow stronger and stronger!? They're already calling that brat created by the traitor 'invincible'. If he is that strong as a snot-nosed brat, how powerful do you think he'll be by the time he matures!?"Undaunted by the man's shouting, the young girl continued glaring at him, a sly smile spreading across her face as she mused, "Hooo~? Is Archon of Might, Adonaios, afraid a snot-nosed brat will surpass him in power? Are you sure you aren't just eager for a rematch against Iao?"Hearing the name of the traitor casually uttered by the young girl, everyone, including Adonaios, had dour expressions. Then, discarding propriety completely, Adonaios' massive fist smashed into the young girl's head. This caused the upper half of her body to dissolve into pale-pink mist, but, as if she had suffered no damage whatsoever, the girl reappeared a few meters away, a dull expression on her face as she ordered, "If you wish to compromise everything Our Revered Mother has tried to accomplish, then go. Know, however, that you will also be considered a traitor the moment you act as you please..."Following the eruption of a golden aura, the burly man's robes disintegrated into nothingness. His expression was filled with vengeful fury, but, without the covering of the robe, his peerless physique came into view. It was like every muscle on his body was sculpted to perfection, while, flowing from his head, a wild mane of reddish-brown hair began to writhe about against the pull of gravity as his phenomenal magic power surged through the vast stone chamber...Before Adonaios could take action, the dark-skinned man pulled apart the sleeves of his robe to reveal unnaturally large, clawed, hands. At the same time, his figure seemed to melt into the void before reappearing between Adonaios, his robes swirling around his feet as if they had merged with the shadows. His magic power couldn't compete against the burly adonis, but, as one of the Shadow Apostles of the Mage of the Beginning, his power could tear through virtually any kind of barrier at near-light speeds.Rather than immediately attack, Adonaios slowly walked until he was standing right in front of the dark-skinned man. His height increased from 193cm to 250cm over the course of his relatively short journey, and, rather than plateau, his power continued to increase with each passing moment as he stared down at the undaunted man and said, "Get out of my way, Dynamis. Do you think a puppet has any right to block the passage of an Archon? If our Master won't discipline her brat, I'll have to do it for her..."Hearing Adonaios' words, two of the remaining four hooded members flickered next to Dynamis, their expressions severe as the shorter one, a man with spikey white hair, red eyes, and silvery-white gauntlets said, "You're going too far, Adonaios. Master placed Amateru in charge while she is away. If you continue like this, you really will become a traitor..."Without backing down, Adonaios snorted through his nose, his magic power continuing to surge as he said, "It's not like that brat can die. I'm just going to teach her a lesson. If she thinks she can just insult me as she pleases, she is in desperate need of a reality check. Now, get out of my way before I teach you a lesson as well..."With Adonaios refusing to back down, the trio guarding Amateru continued to release their auras, their power creating glass-like fractures within the void. Though these healed in an instant, Space was gradually beginning to destabilize around them. Despite this, none of the men backed down until a figure, occupying the once-empty throne, stated in a ghostly voice, "Enough..."Even before the single word had fallen, nearly all of the magical energy within the room vanished in an instant. The only exception to this was the man named Dynamis, but, immediately after hearing the voice, he quickly retracted his magic power as he kneeled reverently towards the figure seated on the throne.With the exception of Amateru, who now appeared similar to a mature woman in her early thirties, every other member present within the stone chamber emulated Dynamis' actions. This included Adonaios, who, after calming down, began to realize just how much he had erred. He considered himself one of the most devoted followers of their Master, but, after hearing Amateru compare him to the traitor, he had completely forgotten him...Without looking, Adonaios could feel the gaze of his Master linger on him for several seconds. He could feel a pressure akin to a mountain pressing down on him, but, rather than offer any kind of resistance, he kept his head lowered in subservience. Even if he wanted to, there was absolutely no way he could stand against his Master, as, if she wanted to, she could strip away his power or even erase his existence itself with a singular thought...Fortunately, after several seconds of tense silence, the cloaked figure, which seemed to be formed from the same shadowy fabric as Dynamis' cloak, turned to the woman named Amateru, its ghostly voice carrying a gentle undertone as it said, "It has been some time, Amateru...are you well?"Unlike everyone else present, acting as if their lives were on the line, Amateru continued acting in a casual manner, a natural smile spreading across her beautiful face as she answered, "My days have been relatively peaceful since my appointment as the Master of the Gravekeeper's Palace. Though it seems like things are beginning to develop in an interesting direction, I am perfectly content. Thank you for your consideration, Mother..."Waiting until her daughter raised her head, the cloaked figure, known to many as the Lifemaker or the Mage of the Beginning, gave a curt nod before saying, "I have failed to make contact with the Root of Apocrypha. Ever since that man's arrival, the past, present, and future have shifted in ways even I cannot see. I do not know the full extent of the shift, but, as more time passes, I can feel the tapestry of fate slowly coalescing into a single stable thread..."While others might not be able to notice it, the Mage of the Beginning, Ialda Baoth, had become increasingly aware of Vahn's influence. She was not able to influence the past, but she had always been able to peer into it. Ever since Vahn's arrival, however, this ability had become more restricted, and, much to her surprise, several events that were supposed to have taken place had now ceased to be. It was like history was rewriting itself to allow for the man's existence in the present, almost as if he had become the lynchpin of reality...Though it was an admittedly terrifying thought to imagine an existence that could 'rewrite' reality just by virtue of its existence, Ialda was not particularly concerned. Rather, while it did not rekindle her faith in man, knowing there were truths yet unrevealed gave her hope. She had even sensed the World Soul shift in response to Vahn, elevating him to Apotheosis and allowing him to overwrite the Master Program without the Code of the Lifemaker. This was something incomprehensible since the time of the Great Severance, the Absolution of Man, and the end of the Age of Gods.From the moment of the Great Severance, it became impossible for Gods to manifest for any great length of time. It took a considerable amount of Belief, numerous sacrifices, and a Grand Ritual just to create an Altar upon which they could use their power. Even then, there were various restrictions in place, restrictions, which, if violated, would result in the True Death of the Manifested God. It was for this reason the Code of the Lifemaker had been created, and, without it, it shouldn't be possible to exercise the Authority of the Gods within Mundus Magicus.Ialda was extremely interested in Vahn's existence, not just because of its anomalous qualities, but because it represented the removal of the restrictions that had directly contributed to the downfall of Man. Ever since the Great Severance, an event that was supposed to absolve Man of all sin, past, present, and future, the balance of World had been destroyed in favor of stabilizing the other eight Realms. As a result, the World became a breeding ground for Sin, a playground for the corrupt who believed all their actions, no matter how heinous, were already forgiven.Following the Great Severance, Ialda had led countless innocents who became victims in the World that had been forsaken by the Gods. She had tried to create a paradise for them by converting the entirety of Inverse Mars, the Reverse Side of Mars, into one massive Altar. This allowed her to have unlimited Authority within Mundus Magicus, and, over time, she used that power to ensure peace and prosperity by creating a Phantasmagoria that overlapped reality. This power had given form to all the various magical and demihuman creatures that populated Mundus Magicus, creatures who, originally, were meant to dutifully serve Man.Unfortunately, the plague of Sin gradually spread from Mundus Ventus, the Old World, to Mundus Magicus, the New World she had created. Even in a 'perfect' world, where they wanted for nothing, Man had been led astray by their errant wants and desires. Some began to see the creatures meant to serve them as equals, and, over time, this gave rise to rebellious thoughts. People quickly forgot the truth, and, in pursuit of their own interests, ideologies, and greed, they began warring amongst themselves, avariciously seeking 'more'.In hindsight, Ialda realized she had been deluded to 'believe' in a version of Man that had already been forsaken by the Gods. She had felt guilty about 'suppressing' them with her absolute power, so, after providing them everything they needed to prosper, she placed a seal upon the Code of the Lifemaker. This effectively sealed her own power, and, seemingly out of spite for trying to succeed where it had failed, the Root of Creation cursed her with an ability only it was supposed to possess, The Resonance.The Resonance allows and forces its wielded to feel the emotions of everyone and everything within the physical World. As a result, she was burdened with infinite empathy, a state which quickly drove her to madness. It was such a heavy burden on her mind that her physical body had been destroyed in its entirety, and, if not for the spiritual immortality she had obtained after combining the White of Mars and the Black of Venus, she would have been erased after being forced to experience the pain, suffering, and death of everything in an instant.Despite experiencing incomprehensible suffering, Ialda had felt vindicated by the Root of Creation's attempt to punish her transgression into its domain. This allowed her to gradually recover her sense of self, and, though it was impossible to stave off the insanity that perpetually encroached upon her mind, it became the fuel that allowed her to endure into the present. The experience had also given her several ideas regarding 'permanant solutions', and, until she could bring all suffering to an end, Ialda was wholly committed to her cause.Now that Vahn had appeared, Ialda couldn't help but take an interest in his anomalous power. His ability to wield the Authority of the Gods with apparent impunity was reason enough to secure and study him, but, more than anything else, it was his ability to alter reality without directly influencing the past that drew her attention. If she could understand the principle behind his power, she might even be able to completely erase the memory of the past. This would allow her to complete most of her objectives with relative ease, as, if they didn't remember why they were fighting, most people would accept the paradise she offered without resistance...As that thought crossed her mind, a crazed smile spread across Ialda's face as she raised her head, her ghostly voice akin to the whispers of Death itself as she said, "The time for war has come..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's rarely a good thing when people are dressed like priests in a fantasy novel...','Plato be like, *heavy breathing*','Ialda is actually a very tragic existence...kinda similar to Olga from Fate Grand Order...')(A/N: There are A LOT of similarities between the Akamtsuverse and Nasuverse when you research them o_o...)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though it wasn't exactly difficult, heading to Megalomesembria early was the same as inviting a considerable amount of trouble for themselves. The Megalomesembrian Senate wasn't known for being reasonable, so, unless they intended to get wrapped up in politics and bureaucracy, there was no particular reason to rush over. At best, they would be able to get in contact with Ala Rubra, but, at this point in time, convincing them without revealing the truth would be difficult.As Arika had pointed out numerous times, it was very likely that the people supporting Ala Rubra were either directly related to Cosmo Entelecheia or the Mage of the Beginning personally. At this point, she was thoroughly convinced they were the ones who had motivated her to basically turn her son into a weapon. After all, people like Nagi didn't just spontaneously appear out of nowhere. Megalomesembria had a nigh-absolute monopoly on the rearing of young mages back on Mundus Ventus; yet, despite Nagi having attended one of their schools, they were unaware of his monstrous talent?Reaching the pinnacle through one's own efforts wasn't impossible, but, far more often than not, it required you to have capable teachers. More importantly, you needed a strong network of support to prevent your talent from being quashed early on. Even Vahn hadn't been able to get around this, and, without people like Tsubaki, Hephaestus, and Scathach, it would have taken him a considerable amount of time to reach his current level.The only way to reasonably increase your strength over a short period of time without support was if you were simply 'fated' to become that strong. Even then, you would need to either be a machine or a literal sociopath, as, unless you had the mentality that sacrificed everything for power, even the most talented individuals would be limited by their connections and bonds. These very same things were the key to obtaining 'true' power, but, until you had experienced hardship and overcome your natural limits, most bonds were a burden to progress.For someone like Nagi, who had literally dropped out of school due to his airheaded nature and apparent 'lack' of talent, the only way he could have become so powerful while remaining hidden was if monstrously powerful individuals protected and guided him. He would have needed a place to train in absolute secrecy, as, with his type of character, it was impossible for him not to stand out. Not only was he supposed to be relatively handsome, but, rather than hold himself back in at all, he was known to, quite literally, do whatever he wanted...The penultimate reasons behind Vahn's decision not to approach Megalomesembria, other than his own self-awareness, was due to the fact that Eva actually knew Albireo Imma. Though they had very few interactions in the past, he had apparently been around for thousands of years as a few of Eva's associates were also familiar with the mysterious mage. This made him even older than the Mage of the Beginning, as, according to Eva's oldest associate, a Vampire Noble who had lived for more than twelve-thousand-years, Albireo Imma had been present prior to the collapse of the Venus' ancient civilization, a time when mankind had still been living in caves back on Earth.Vahn wasn't particularly worried about the true power of Albireo Imma, as he had ultimately failed to defeat the Mage of the Beginning, but, as he had learned several times in the past, it was better to overestimate people, rather than underestimate them. Thus, during the discussion regarding their next course of action, he agreed to go with their original plan of visiting the various sacred lands. Before that, however, he wanted to visit Elfenhof, as, during the early stages of the war, they were one of the first places that had been razed to the ground.Though the Elves were protected by one of the four Sacred Dragons, a Wood-Elemental Dragon named Yggdrillia, they were constantly victimized by other nations. The reason for this was rather simple, as, despite all of her power, Yggdrillia was largely immobile. She was similar to Terra in that regard, so, if you targetted the periphery of her territory and ravaged the land, her only real option was to shore up her defenses and protect those closest to her.Despite being four of the most powerful beings in Mundus Magicus, the Sacred Dragons suffered from a pretty major weakness. Not only were they relatively slow, but, the moment they moved to the frontlines, they would leave their territory completely exposed. They were also relatively massive creatures in their true forms, so, even if their resistances made them immune to most physical and magical attacks, they could still be overwhelmed and temporarily pinned down. During the previous war, Vrixho had even been sealed away for nearly six months, forcing Hellas into a defensive battle until they were finally able to free him...Vahn had already decided to protect the Elves, so, before they could become victims in the early stages of the war, he intended to move them into the Diorama. This would undoubtedly garner a great amount of attention, but, when it ultimately came down to it, Vahn didn't particularly care. He still intended to become a deterrent, so, rather than hide away, he would continue to act in an open and above-board manner. The conspiracies of his enemies didn't matter in the slightest. Rather, the moment they tried to slander him or place a bounty on his head, Vahn wouldn't hesitate to expose, punish, or outright eliminate them...---Though it would have been possible for the Custos Rosea to fly directly to Elfenhof from Ariadne, it was better to keep the capabilities of Arika's modified Airfish a secret. Thus, rather than fly through Empire controlled airspace, they decided to head North towards Zephyria, a nation that served as a central trading hub between the Empire, Ariadne, Sirenum, and Granicus. It was strategically located in a region that served as a land bridge between the continents of Elysium and Noachis Terra, two of the four major continents of Mundus Magicus.While not nearly as famous as Granicus to the North, Zephyria's location made it a gathering place for Merchants, Scholars, and Mercenaries. It was considered the third wealthiest nation in the entire world, and, as the name 'Zephyria' implied, it was also one of the nine sacred grounds. As for how it was able to maintain its sovereignty in such close proximity to Hellas, this was largely attributed to the Great Spirit of Wind, the self-proclaimed 'Great Spirit of Freedom', Brave Enlil.As the most whimsical and 'vindictive' of the Great Spirits, very few people were willing to make an enemy out of Brave Enlil. He had even flown all the way to Megalomesembria before, teaming up with the Great Spirit of Water to create a series of massive hurricanes that devasted the continent of Tempe Terra. If not for the intervention of the other Great Spirits, primarily the Great Spirits of Light and Fire, the nations surrounding Megalomesembria might have been completely wiped out in the wake of Brave Enlil's vengeance.Though Megalomesembria had prepared several countermeasures to deal with Great Spirits since then, the event served as an effective deterrence against all nations. This was one of the reasons so many people gathered in Zephyria, but, perhaps even more important than Brave Enlil's presence, it was the unique geography and the mentality of the people that kept them there.While it wasn't nearly as impressive as Ostia, a nation that floated gracefully through the sky, the 'Free-Nation' of Zephyria was located high atop a unique mountain range. It was a region heavily populated with 'finger mountains', and, while thousands of bridges had been created to connect the unique structures, the most popular methods to get around included Airfish, Air Bikes, and, as could be expected, Magical Brooms. It was the only nation built in the center of an Air Stream, and, as a result, it was possible to fly around with considerable ease.Over time, Zephyria had literally become known as the 'City of Freedom', and, as a result of nearly every resident having the means to fly around, it had become the central gathering hub for those aspiring to become Sky Pirates or Skyfarers. It was also the birthplace of competitive Airfish racing, so, if you wandered to the edge of one of the finger mountains, it was all but guaranteed that you would find a race in progress. There were even night races, and, though crashes were common, it didn't deter hundreds-of-thousands of adrenaline junkies from flocking to the legendary city above the clouds...---Though she did her best to conceal it, everyone aboard the Custos Rosea could tell that Arika was excited to visit Zephyria. It was one of the places she wanted to visit the most prior to starting her journey, and, while it wasn't at the top spot, it was still her number two. The only place she wanted to visit even more was the Noctis Labyrinthus, as, despite people exploring it for hundreds of years, there were always new Artifacts emerging from within its depths. Some of these items even seemed to originate from other worlds, or, at the very least, originated from civilizations that predated the creation of Mundus Magicus.Even though her family had records that dated back to the origin of Mundus Magicus, there were absolutely no records related to the origins of the Noctis Labyrinthus. It was simply discovered at some point, and, since then, those aspiring to make a name for themselves and test their fortunes had probed its seemingly boundless depths.What made the Noctis Labyrinthus truly mysterious was the fact that it seemed to be 'growing' at a slow but perceptible rate. This made some people believe it was alive, but, after tens-of-thousands of expeditions and hundreds of years of exploration, this had largely been proven false. Rather, by some unknown means, the Noctis Labyrinthus seemed to subsume the ruins of various civilizations all over Mundus Magicus. It seemed like the expansion of the mysterious region was the same as the natural encroachment of nature, and, after an uncertain amount of time had passed, ruins that had vanished from the surface would simply reappear inside or around the Noctis Labyrinthus...Arika was eager to explore the Noctis Labyrinthus, but, knowing there were more important things to attend, she wasn't in a particular hurry to probe its depths. She was more concerned about the state of Mundus Magicus and its peoples, so, unless it somehow became necessary to explore the Labyrinth, the odds she would ever enter it were slim. There were a number of better places to train, and, with Vahn able to produce and create virtually any kind of Artifact, the strange region lost a lot of its appeal...---As the Custos Rosea drew ever-closer to Zephyria, the number of Airfish traversing the Air Stream gradually increased. This marked a notable increase in the number of Sky Pirates targetting them, but, even without support, Arika was more than capable of outmaneuvering even the most skilled pilots. Her strength and focus had increased by a rather ridiculous amount of the last four years, so, even without Fenrir manning the weapons terminal, she was able to eliminate entire squadrons of Sky Pirates without any assistance whatsoever.While Arika was enjoying the thrill of piloting the Custos Rosea, Vahn was reclining against the base of its dorsal fin with Eva nestled next to him. A few meters ahead of them, Asuna, who seemed to be searching for her 'identity' these days, was now wearing a grey tunic with a dark-blue haori. It was a rather casual look that loosely resembled the clothes Vahn wore, and, if not for her decision to wear beige hot pants, she would have given off the impression of a rather adorable swordsman from the Orient.Despite her age, Asuna was able to stand atop the Custos Rosea without being affected by the wind pressure in the slightest. Even when Arika performed ridiculous maneuvers like barrel rolls or flying upside down, she was able to remain stable without any discernible difficulty. Rather, as a result of her aura and burgeoning mastery over the state of Nothingness, Asuna could outright 'ignore' the effects of the tempestuous wind. Though her hair was still buffetted, it flowed gracefully at its own pace, and, though her clothes weren't particularly thick, they only lightly rustled as she wielded the pitch-black Kyo, cutting down enemies hundreds of meters away without moving from her starting position.Asuna wasn't able to freely use her Zanpakuto's ability just yet, but, if it was within three-hundred meters, she could create pressure waves and sword beams capable of slicing through reinforced magical metals. She had already reached the rank of Swordmaster, and, though she had a long way to go before reaching Grandmaster, the only thing holding her back was a lack of opponents. She was unable to go all-out against the people she cared about, so, despite being surrounded by some of the strongest people in the Record, Asuna had reached a slight bottleneck.As part of her current training, Asuna was tasked with disabling any enemy ships that managed to approach within her effective range. She was prohibited from killing anyone directly, but, if the Sky Pirates ended up crashing after losing control over their Airfish, that was their own fault. It was their own bad Karma that pitted them against one of the Record's Protagonists, but, unless it was a 'real' threat, Vahn didn't want Asuna killing anyone directly. Instead, she was tasked with cutting specific cables or disabling the Airfish by severing one of its wings. This left the destiny of the pilots in their own hands, and, unless they made a serious of grievous mistakes, even a novice would be able to guide a partially disabled craft into a safe landing...With her degree of skill, Asuna had no problem accurately hitting her targets. Thus, to kick things up a notch, Vahn had asked Arika to disable the Custos Rosea's shields. This meant any stray attack could cause serious damage to the hull, but, despite some of the attacks moving close to the speed of lightning, Asuna was able to accurately predict them. Her spatial awareness was amazing, so, the moment she noticed an enemy Airfish lining up to try and fire its weapons, Asuna's [Shunpo] would leave behind a perfect after-image as she appeared within the attack vector. This was generally all it took to prevent the attack, as, even without proactively deflecting it, her [Magic-Cancel] was able to harmlessly disperse the magical energy just by being in proximity to the attack.Without needing to block the attack, Asuna focused on her counter, her pitch-black Tanto cutting through the void to disable the enemy vessel as pillars of lightning harmlessly smashed into the invisible membrane that surrounded her body. Then, before her afterimage began to disperse, she would reappear in her original location with a neutral expression on her face. Despite this, Vahn and Eva could both tell that Asuna was trying to show off, knowing smiles appearing on their faces as they continued to leisurely observe the aerial battle until its conclusion...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Colonel Sanders is a sneaky old fart (UwU)...','Don't fuck with the Great Spirit of Wind xD...','Asuna takes after her Master (o 3 o)...')(A/N: Airfish don't rely on lift and drag forces to fly through the air. It would be more accurate to say they 'float', so, even if they lose an engine, they would gradually list through the air like a boat that lost its propulsion.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the sun having long set over the horizon, Vahn found himself standing on the bow of Arika's Airfish, the aptly-named 'Custos Rosea', literally translating to 'Pink Guardian'. He was enjoying the feeling of the evening air running through his hair, while, back on the deck, Fenrir and Eva leaned against the guardrail, silently watching him.Eva wanted to admonish Vahn for fretting over nothing, but, whenever she mustered her courage to try and approach him, she would ultimately get cold feet. She didn't really know what to say, but, seeing him like this made her feel uncomfortable. His relationship with Theo wasn't 'that' close, so it was a bit disconcerting to see how much their separation had affected him. It actually made her feel a considerable amount of guilt, as, on several occasions, she had wondered whether or not it would be for the 'best' if she just disappeared...Fortunately, after idling for a little over an hour, Vahn turned around with his usual smile. There was still a melancholic gleam in his eyes, but, compared to how he was behaving earlier, it was a marked improvement. This allowed Eva to breathe a sigh of relief, her concerned expression relaxing into an uncharacteristically sympathetic look as she said, "It's good that you came back to your senses. Your behavior directly affects everyone onboard...if you need to talk..."Remembering Vahn could simply retreat into his Realm to recuperate for as long as he wanted, Eva was ultimately unable to finish her statement. She wanted him to rely on her more, but, as that was a two-way street, it was hard to give advice when she often bottled up everything. Vahn didn't need her coddling, and, unless she was willing to be more honest, it would be hypocritical of her to force him to-Unable to finish her train of thought, Eva found herself being embraced by a familiar warmth, her face buried into Vahn's chest as he softly stated, "Thank you, Eva. Now that we're finally engaged, I'll be sure to rely on you more often..."Though she was slightly startled by Vahn's words, Eva was even more surprised when Vahn stopped her from replying with a kiss. Then, under the light of the twin moons, he continued kissing her for several minutes before finally letting her stand on her own two feet. By the end of it, her face was a deep shade of crimson, and, as a result of the chaotic state of her mind, the only reaction she could manage was 'glaring' at him with upturned eyes and a slight pout...---Having calmed down a bit, Vahn returned to the interior of the Custos Rosea to put everyone else's minds at ease. There, he found a rather heartwarming sight, as, despite their age difference, Asuna had quickly become friends with Euryale. They were playing a card game that was even popular in a place like Mundus Magicus, as, unlike traditional trading cards, the monsters and heroes were able to level up and grow over time. Rare and high-level cards could actually sell for tens-of-thousands of Drachma, but, despite the costs involved, it was still 'very' popular...Noticing Vahn's arrival, Asuna and Euryale, without needing to say anything, simultaneously came to the conclusion of suspending their match. They helped each other pick up their respective cards while Stheno, who had been lazily lying on the sofa with a fashion magazine, readily tossed it to the side as she pounced over with a radiant smile. Her maroon-red hair, which now extended well past her feet, became suffused with a violet hue, the tips morphing into rather vicious-looking snakes as she constricted Vahn hard enough to pop his back...Rather than showing any discomfort, Vahn just chuckled lightly as he wrapped up the adorable little Gorgon in his arms. Her hair had always been very honest, similar to her mother's, so, whenever she got excited, it was easy for her to lose control. Fortunately, after the preliminary crushing force, the tension in her hair would quickly reduce to a more tolerable level. Head pats sped this process up, so, after a few seconds had passed, Vahn managed to transition Stheno to his left arm, bringing her face close enough that she could sneak a peck on his cheek before tightly hugging his neck.By the time Vahn was preparing to take a seat, Asuna and Euryale had finished cleaning up their card game. As a result, he ended up having to produce two extra bodies, one to accommodate the two girls while the other sat between Fenrir and Eva. Around the same time, Arika, having noticed the gathering due to the interior surveillance system, emerged from the bridge. She occupied the remaining sofa on her own, lightly shaking her head in response to the questioning look that had briefly flashed across Vahn's countenance.With the exception of Xiao Bai and Medusa, everyone currently onboard the Custos Rosea had gathered together within the common area. As for Zhuque and Qinglong, they had been tasked with the protection of the Ariadne and Theo, respectively.Vahn's intuition told him that 'something' might happen in Ariadne following his departure, so, for the time being, he had Zhuque watching over the Grandmaster and her daughter. As for Qinglong, Vahn trusted him a lot more than Vrixho, so, until Cosmo Entelecheia had been exposed, he wanted the former to protect Theo. She was more than strong enough to fight her own battles, but, due to her character and lack of experience, Vahn couldn't help but worry about her.Prior to their separation, Vahn had entrusted Theo with the [Tri-Force of Power], so, unless she was in mortal peril, Qinglong's primary responsibilities would be shadowing her from the void, helping gather information, and assisting in her training. Theo was descended from Vrixho, so, while it was currently sealed, she had the potential of awakening her draconic heritage.Theo was already capable of performing a weakened version of a Dragon's Roar, so, with the proper guidance, she was bound to reach her full potential even without her Diorama. The only thing she really needed was powerful opponents and sufficient external pressure, so, even if it made him very nervous, Vahn wouldn't interfere with the internal affairs of the Empire unless she directly asked for help...---With everyone gathered, Vahn spent a few moments to allay their concerns about his mental state before reiterating their current objectives. They had already discussed them at length over the last few years, but, now that they were officially underway, it felt like a good idea to reaffirm everything from scratch. Thus, after quickly preparing tea and snacks, he explained, "According to the reports I have received from Fairy Xuan, Ala Rubra has already made quite a name for itself over the last half a year. They have even managed to win the favor of a few Senators, elevating them to the status of 'Special War Power' within the Confederacy. Though there are several indicators showing they don't actually sympathize with the Megalomesembrian Senate, it seems like they are already determined to fight against the Hellas Empire in the coming war..."In the original timeline, Megalomesembria had been the ones to instigate the war, but, due to a few internal conflicts, the Hellas Empire had managed to win a number of key battles pretty early on. As a result, Megalomesembrai had been forced on the back foot almost immediately after the onset of war, losing all westward momentum. This caused a few of the greedier Nobles in the Hellas Empire to petition for a reverse invasion, shifting the objective from protecting territory to conquering and seizing Confederate lands.While it wasn't uncommon for the tides of battle to shift in the wake of an attempted invasion, the majority of historians and scholars heavily criticized the Hellas Empire for their actions. After all, the lands occupied by the Confederacy weren't exactly prosperous, so, other than Megalomsembrian technology, there was very little to gain from a reverse invasion. To make matters worse, they had to occupy several other countries just to establish an extended supply line, forcing them to shift a considerable amount of resources to support the frontline. This left the Capital largely unprotected, and, due to rampant conscription, famine and economic instability quickly followed after a number of water sources had been poisoned.As a result of their desire to monopolize and seize Megalomesembrian technology for themselves, rather than try to negotiate for it, the Hellas Empire ended up grossly overextending their forces. It became progressively more difficult to protect their supply lines, and, after a climactic battle near the Argyrian frontier territories, they ended up suffering a major defeat at the hands of none other than Ala Rubra.Prior to the battle near the Argyrian Sea, Nagi's party had primarily focused on aiding the people affected by the war. Though they had conducted a few raids on supply lines, becoming known as 'The Great Nagi Guerrilla Knights', they hadn't proactively participated in the war. It wasn't until the Empire began razing fishing villages to try and starve out the Confederacy that they became fed up with the state of affairs, pushing back with extreme prejudice. From that moment onward, Nagi had become known as the 'Red-Haired Demon of the Confederation', as, without any help from the rest of his party, he managed to wipe out three battalions of Imperial soldiers, sinking seven Air Whales in the process...After realizing how terribly they had erred, the Hellas Empire attempted to remedy the situation by hiring Jack to hunt down Nagi's party. They had originally tried to conscript him, but, as the leader of the most powerful band of Mercenaries, that hadn't gone over too well. His troupe had taken up the responsibility of protecting various towns and villages, so, compared to the Aristocrats who had caused them to suffer great hardships, his popularity, for lack of a better term, was extreme.In the end, it took the Emperor agreeing to shift a large number of forces away from the frontlines to convince Jack to mobilize. This ended up saving countless lives, as, shortly following the shift in the war's momentum, an especially harsh winter swept across the Empire. This would have made it even harder to maintain the already dwindling supply lines, so, even after a number of Nobles had attempted to label Jack as a traitor for joining Ala Rubra, many within the Hellas Empire considered him a Hero. He was so well-liked, in fact, that, following the abduction of Theo, the attempted coup of the Second Prince, and the exposure of Cosmo Entelecheia, many within the Empire began to vie for Jack's claim to the throne...Ideally, the war could be prevented in its entirety, but, unless he was willing to deal crippling blows to both the Empire and the Confederacy, resulting in tens-of-millions of deaths, it was impossible to stop. Both sides were simply too eager for the conflict, and, as a result of decades of propaganda, a majority of the public fully supported the idea of going to war. For many, it was their only chance to distinguish themselves and earn promotions for meritorious deeds and dutiful service.If not for the tides shifting twice in a relatively short period of time, coinciding with famines and economic instability on both sides, the Great Magic War likely would have lasted for several years. Thus, when it was revealed that the 'true masterminds' behind the war were Cosmos Entelecheia, a group with the penultimate goal of 'destroying the world', the Empire and the Confederacy didn't hesitate to lay all blame upon them. In the end, the Great Magic War hadn't even lasted an entire year in Mundus Magicus before the destruction of Ostia.Following the destruction of Mundus Magicus' oldest Kingdom, both sides formed a loose alliance to battle against the forces of Cosmo Entelecheia, but, other than supporting Ala Alba, they actually contributed very little. Rather, Megalomesembria was still under the influence of Cosmo Entelecheia for years following the completion of the war, and, if not for the timely efforts of Nagi and his party, Arika would have been executed as part of a conspiracy they had propagated...As it stood, the best course of action was to bring the war to an end as quickly as possible. In order to accomplish that, Arika would need to forge alliances with influential figures and both sides. Theo was already the best possible ally they could hope for within the Empire, so, if they could meet with Ala Rubra before the onset of war, they would have a lot more options moving forward. Nagi might be an idiot, but, as this was often the case when it came to 'protagonists', allying with him wouldn't be a detriment to their cause. Rather, unlike a burgeoning protagonist like Bell or a fallen Hero like Shirou, Nagi possessed a truly phenomenal amount of power, to the point of compelling Fairy Xuan to express her concern...In hindsight, Vahn realized it would have saved him a lot of problems if he sought out Nagi's group early on, but, despite a fair amount of headache, he didn't particularly regret how things had turned out. Not only had he encountered Eva early on, but, despite his initial inhibitions, Vahn had come to respect and love both Arika and Theo. They had grown on him over the last four years, and, though it might have been more 'convenient' if they had ended up with someone else, he would now fight for them if it really came down to it...Though it was bound to create some awkward tensions, Vahn was looking forward to meeting the party that, at least for the time being, was entirely comprised of men. He had made friends in both the Nasuverse and Danmachi, but, as a result of his empathic nature and 'bad habits', Vahn found it very difficult to forge genuine relationships with other males. This issue was further exacerbated by the number of beautiful women who accompanied him, as, even if their intentions were pure, it was hard not to admire a beauty when they were right in front of you...Vahn was often surrounded by some of the most beautiful women in the entire Record, and, as a result, it was very awkward for other males to hang around him. Though not impossible, it wasn't easy for members of the opposite sex to maintain platonic relationships. There was a reason Envy and Lust were two of the cardinal sins, as, after prolonged exposure, it was virtually impossible to prevent positive emotions from turning into covetous desire.Once the seed of attraction had been sewn, even if it was completely one-sided, it was hard to stop your imagination from running wild. As a result, you would begin to interpret things like kindness and familiarity as interest and physical attraction. Eventually, you would even convince yourself that the other party was having the same kinds of thoughts that had started to develop within your own mind, forcing you to confront them in the hopes of confirming your suspicions. From that moment onward, it was no longer possible to maintain a platonic relationship, as, once desire had taken root in a person's heart, it would either blossom or begin to fester...Fortunately, while he had dealt with a fair amount of drama, Vahn had never had to contend against another for the affections of someone he loved. More often than not, he was actually the one being pursued by a member of the opposite sex, so, for the most part, there was no real competition. As a result, he had missed out on the opportunity to forge lasting bonds with other men. Though he was able to befriend them relatively easily, it was only a matter of time before things turned awkward as a result of his many relationships. Even dauntless characters like Alexander had gradually distanced themselves from the members of the Inner Sanctum, pointing out that men could never thrive in an environment where the 'competition' was already decided...While it was probably too late to ensure a seamless integration of their two groups, Vahn was still looking forward to meeting the members of Ala Rubra. Even if Jack had yet to join, he believed he would be able to get along with people like Nagi relatively well. There was also a skilled swordsman in the group, so, while the difference in their skill had likely created an unbridgeable gap, Vahn was looking forward to seeing the legendary Shinmei-ryū techniques for himself. Even their most basic techniques were effective against Ghosts, Spirits, and Immortals, and, by the time they reached the level of Swordmaster, they could even cut through concepts. Since the technique scroll was listed at 300,000,000OP in the shop, Vahn had high expectations for the man rumored to slay Dragons and cut through lightning with a wooden sword...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Eva on the defensive...!','The corrupt Nobles be like, "Yes, it was all the fault of Cosmos Entelecheia! They are so vile and greedy! Absolutely shameless!"','Alexander is very wise...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1596: Echoes in the Shadows