Nikushimi
Chapter 72:
Into the Marsh
(Elizabeth's POV)
Her finger tapped impatiently on the table as she waited. Elizabeth had arrived in Sweden a couple days ago, but they were stalling. Asgard.
"Fucking bastards..." Elizabeth grumbled through clenched teeth.
Asgard. They were the authority here in Sweden, and most of Northern Europe. They worked closely with the New United Nations in order to monitor this part of the world. A rge Guild that kept the peace...or as much of the peace as they could.
Right now, Elizabeth was sitting in a small waiting room with only a table, small couch, and a little television in the corner. It was currently on, turned to the news. Upon the screen were depictions of the reason she was here.
"They're wasting time..." she muttered, cool eyes assessing the screen.
The news depicted fields upon fields flooded with red water. Crops were dying. Farmers were losing livestock. The nd was dying...and Asgard was dragging their feet.
A flicker of fme danced across Elizabeth's eye in annoyance. She was tempted to burn this building down and simply go out there herself, but...she would restrain herself, but only for so long. She didn't have time to be sitting around.
From the moment she nded in Sweden, Asgard was running interference. Unlike Legion in Italy, Asgard had not asked for help. Elizabeth had simply told them that she would be investigating this herself. Unable to outright refuse her, they instead elected to pcate her long enough to give them time to figure out what was happening.
That time, however, was being wasted. The only reason she was even humoring them was because Lucas would admonish her if she simply did whatever she wanted, but...this was for him, so her patience only went so far. Even if it meant she had to be scolded ter, though...she didn't hate the thought of it.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, continuing to watch the news. They showed aerial footage of the wetnds and surrounding farms. It was all flooded with death and decay. Red water. Blood.
All of that was coming from one pce. There, in the center of the wetnds, hidden deep within dark crimson mist, was a rge gateway. A fifteen-foot-tall dark stone archway of gothic design. Within the center of this archway swirled an ominous crimson energy.
It was there that Elizabeth intended to go. The Gate to The Moor of the Damned.
It had been hidden in the mists that had been gathering until recently. Only now had it been uncovered, because only now had it finally opened. This was why they had been stalling Elizabeth. She had threatened to break through the mists herself, and they panicked.
She didn't care for their fear. Though, caution was wise. Still...
"If I don't get Vitaer's Blood..." Elizabeth bit her lip, the taste of iron filling her mouth.
"Damn it..." she cursed, realizing what she had done, "Bad habits die hard..."
She chuckled, licking her lip clean of the blood. Lucas would have berated her for sure, but she couldn't help it. She was anxious. How long did she have? More importantly, how long did he have?
She didn't know. She never knew. Everything that she's done has been to prolong his life as much as possible in order to give her the time to find the ingredients she needed, and to prepare the world for what was to come. If they weren't ready...if she wasn't ready, then all of her lives would have been for nothing. Everything she's done...worthless.
Just as she was thinking of breaking out of here, there was a knock on the door and a moment ter it opened. Her sharp gaze turned towards those who had entered. The Guild Leaders of Asgard.
"You're te," Elizabeth said coldly, "If you had wasted any more of my time..."
She left unsaid the rest, leaving it for their interpretation. The man who entered first was perhaps in his te forties. Not a rge man, but not small either with weathered, pale skin. He had blue eyes like that of the sky, and hair so blond that it was almost white. Styled in nordic braids, with a well-kept, bushy beard upon his face which moved as he smiled apologetically.
"My apologies," he spoke with a slightly thick accent, "There were some preparations we had to do. I'm sure you understand."
He stood with a sense of authority, yet before Elizabeth, he didn't try to exercise it. It was almost as if he was deferring to her. It was a smart move, considering how annoyed she was at the moment. If he had tried to look down on her, the st of her patience would have snapped.
The man before her wore robes of intricate, nordic design. Interwoven fabric of grey and dark blue, with the hem of the outer yer stitched with silver and gold runes. Said to be a wise man who has led the Guild of Asgard since its founding five years ago. He was a Mage of some renown, and one of the few SS-Ranked Pyers in the world. Oliver Lange, The Raven Sage.
"Let's drop the formalities," Elizabeth stood from the table and stared him down, "My patience is wearing thin."
Oliver's smile turned nervous, for he knew what she was capable of. However, there were some among them that thought their bite was stronger than their bark. A young man, perhaps only twenty years old, stepped forward. He had a rugged looking face with hazel-green eyes and dark blonde hair. He wore armor like a warrior, but styled in a more dexterous fashion.
It was yered with leather underneath and a minimal, yet practically pced dark metal ptes over top. As he stepped forward, Elizabeth could smell the arrogance in the air. A young pup who knew nothing of this world, let alone who he barked at.
"Show respect," he told her firmly, "You stand before Odin, King of Asgard, and...ow! What was that for!?"
As he was talking, Oliver had produced a gnarled looking club, and hit him over the head with it...and not softly either. The young man turned to gre at Oliver as if he had done nothing wrong, and yet it was at the moment that Oliver stood to his full height and the pressure of his authority was brought to bear upon the young man.
"Sven, you foolish boy," Oliver's voice, deep and filled with power, admonished him, "Do you have any idea who it is that you speak to? And what is this Odin nonsense? I am no god, but you shall feel the fear of one if you do not back down."
Sven, looking rather cowed, silently retreated. The others who were with them, all various individuals from Asgard, looked upon Sven with sympathy. Some even whispering to him that he should have known better. Taking a deep breath, Oliver turned his attention back towards Elizabeth, releasing the pressure of his aura and smiled apologetically once more.
"I apologize for the boy," he said graciously, "He has delusions of grandeur because of the name of our guild."
"It's fine," Elizabeth dismissed it, having no time for something so petty, "I have more important matters to attend, and I'm sure you understand that."
"...Yes," Oliver nodded, "You have been overly patient with us, and for that, I thank you."
Elizabeth put some of her weight on one leg, leaning slightly upon it as she crossed her arms, assessing him closely. Oliver was nervous. He had to tell her something she wouldn't like to hear, or at the very least...he believed she wouldn't like to hear, but it didn't matter so long as she was able to do what she wanted, and that was to enter The Moor of the Damned.
As long as he didn't deny her that, there would be no issues.
"Alright, what is it?" she asked coolly, "You're not about to tell me that I wasted my time by coming here, are you?"
Oliver flinched slightly, eyes widening as if the suggestion was horrific.
"Absolutely not!" he stated firmly, "I would never waste your time like that. It was you who helped Asgard get its bearings, and you who helped me become what I am today. Without your help...well, most of Europe would probably be a Wild Zone by now."
Elizabeth smiled for the first time in their meeting, but not out of happiness. It was a devilish, small smile filled with contentment. It was good that Oliver knew where his power came from. After all, it wasn't the first time they had met in this life, and it was far from the first time Elizabeth has met him in all of hers.
Like with Charlotte, Elizabeth had given Oliver hints as to where he could improve his strength. She made trade deals with many of the countries under Asgard's protection long before the Gates had appeared, and it was through that which they had been acquainted. She hadn't been pying around all this time, after all. She had been pnning it from the start.
She needed strong individuals to fight for this world, and much of her many lives were used in assessing those who were worthy. Those who could lead this world in a better direction, and Oliver had proven that. It was why she set up connections with him early, and how she helped through subtle means to get him into positions of power.
Of course, he didn't know everything that she had done. What he knew is that she had led Falcrest Corp. in trade deals with many countries, which allowed them to be prepared for when the Gates had appeared. Once they had renamed themselves to Aegis Unlimited, he knew her as someone who had provided resources to Asgard in order for them to get their bearings. She also provided valuable information when it came to what Gates he should try and clear.
He was awed at her foresight, but because she had made positive connections before, he didn't question it. In his eyes, she was a savior that allowed many to survive. That is why he showed her respect. Not only that, but he's seen her fight before. He respects her skill and strength.
"Get to the point, Oliver," Elizabeth sighed, getting annoyed.
"Right, well..." Oliver let out a heavy breath before speaking again, "I can't give permission for you to enter the gate."
"Permission?" Elizabeth tilted her head, eyes glinting, "Do you really think I need permission?"
He flinched, as did everyone else as she exuded just a little bit of her pressure. She knew there was more to it, but that had touched a nerve. She didn't need permission. This was a simple courtesy. One that was quickly being tested.
"That's not..." Oliver held up his hands in a calming motion, "I've been practicing my English, but...what I mean to say, is that I'd like Asgard to clear this Gate. Not you."
Elizabeth smirked, a chilling sight as Oliver almost reactively went into a defensive stance while the others from Asgard all backed up several steps.
"So, you're saying I can't go in?" she asked, stepping forward, "Or, are you saying that I should just watch?"
Oliver swallowed hard, doing his best not to back down.
"I did not mean to offend," he expined as calmly as he could, "I simply ask that you let us handle this, but...I would appreciate if you'd look after us."
"I see..." Elizabeth rexed, stepping back a bit, "Why didn't you just say that?"
"You know my English isn't the best..." Oliver said, a little defeated and embarrassed, "You don't know how scary you are, even for me. Words are already hard as it is."
"You speak it rather well," Elizabeth replied off-handedly, "Besides, I do know how scary I can be, but you can bme yourself for wasting my time. I've been sitting here for days not hearing anything but unnecessary pleasantries."
Oliver shrunk back like a admonished child, looking like Sven just moments ago.
"You do have my apologies for that," he repeated himself, sounding genuine, "I simply didn't know what else to do. This is our issue, and so when you just showed up..."
He shrugged, unsure what else to say.
"I know that my arrival was unpnned, but this effects everyone," she told him, her tone this time a little gentler, "So, this isn't just your issue. It's the entire worlds."
"You're right," Oliver stood tall as he acknowledged her words, "I simply wish to do our duty as protectors of this nd. Our home."
"I understand, but..." Elizabeth stepped up next to him, so close that he could feel the edge in her words, "Don't let the greed of others cloud you to that. We all benefit, if I benefit. Understand?"
Oliver stood there, frozen for a moment. Elizabeth had known since the beginning that NUN was pressuring him to keep her away from the Gate so that they could hoard the rewards, but it would only st for so long. Besides...
[Covenant Member, Oliver Lange, Acknowledges And Defers To You]
They wouldn't have been able to stop her if they tried.
"Of course," he nodded, the look in his eyes stronger than before; more determined as he whispered so only she heard, "Those bastards are a pain in the ass, Miss. I truly do apologize for the dey."
Taking a step back, Elizabeth gave a small nod.
"Then let's not dey any longer," she told him, motioning towards the door, "Lead the way."
-----
(Elizabeth's POV, Cont.)
"I'm sorry again, Miss," Oliver whispered as they made their way through the marsh of blood water towards the Gate.
"Enough," Elizabeth told him, "They know they can't stop me, so they deyed me."
She turned her gaze over to a sectioned off area of the nd where armed guards in powder blue military armor stood watch. The armor covered them head to toe and was accented in bck. They carried heavy rifles which were currently at rest. There were a few whose armor was more knight-like than the rest, and some with robes of the very same color. These were the Sentinels of NUN.
For those who wore armor, they had the emblem of NUN embzoned upon their chest, while those in robes had them stitched into the fabric. It was almost adorable how they watched her as she passed by with Oliver and his group of Asgard Guild Members. She could almost taste their fear. The unease behind their eyes was difficult to hide, made even more so by the disdain of those they guarded.
A small group of men and women in neatly pressed bck suits. Each had a nyard with their identifications upon it, and all sat at the makeshift command base set up in conjunction with Asgard. It was just a simple ptform upon which a bunch of equipment along with a table had been pced. They gred at Elizabeth as she walked past, knowing they couldn't stop her, and upset that they had only deyed her entrance into the Gate.
It was always the same, no matter the life. It was something that Elizabeth learned early on. When one loses power, they do everything to try and retain it. Some so desperate for the taste of it that they would do anything to get it, but over her many lives, Elizabeth has learned how to deal with it, and the answer was simpler than one might think.
You just had to be stronger than them, and Aegis, along with Elizabeth, was far stronger than any other. You had to threaten their power in order for them to act cautiously. One little slip, and it would all be gone. NUN, like many others, were greedy for power and the resources of the Gates. They tried their best to regain some sembnce of their past glory, but this world was changed.
They had to change with it, or they would die, and honestly...Elizabeth didn't care which. In the long run, it would be better if they fell in line, but if they stood in her way then them, like many others, would just be another addition in the mound of corpses that has built up beneath her. A stepping stone to get her closer to the heights she wishes to achieve.
"They still have yet to cut out the rot," Elizabeth muttered, smiling devilishly as she passed them, and even giving them a pleasantly venomous little wave of her hand, "Ignore them, and clear this dungeon. Show me what you've learned."
"With pleasure," Oliver also smiled towards the ambassadors of NUN, though his was a lot friendlier than hers, "Fucking bastards."
Elizabeth scoffed as he muttered under his breath. Almost no one in this world liked NUN. They were a product of a bygone era still trying so desperately to hold on. The only reason anyone even paid them attention was because of The Sentinels, along with the fact that this world needed stability, and it was Elizabeth who had helped bridge that gap.
It was a fact that those of NUN knew all too well. She was a thorn in their side that they would never be free of. In order to stop an all-out war when tensions rose, she was one of the first to come forward. Leading the world of Pyers, she helped broker peace before camity could strike.
She learned well from her past lives and the devastation such a war would have on this world. She knew just who to talk to, what words to say, and who to eliminate in order to ensure that a war between the Government and Pyers never began, let alone a war between the Pyers themselves for what was left over.
It was a precarious bance, but one that Elizabeth had expertly perfected.
"If it wasn't for you, they-" Oliver began, but Elizabeth shut him down immediately.
"They may be bastards, but they help keep order for civilians," she said firmly, "Don't antagonize them more than necessary. Understood?"
"...Right," Oliver appeared bashful, "A sense of normalcy has given people peace of mind. Still, they are annoying to deal with."
"Annoying as they are, you must deal with it," she told him, "Leave all the animosity to me. If they want someone to fight, they have their target."
Oliver was silent at that, for he knew very well what she has been doing. While the New United Nations had authority in this world, it was little more than glorified government Guild. It was only by the grace of Elizabeth that they even existed. One word from her, and everything would crumble. Thus, their ire was constantly turned on her, rather than other Pyers.
They were afraid of her, but still deluded themselves into believing they had any real power. That's how she wanted it. They kept the people feeling safe so they wouldn't panic, but they were like any other organization. Constantly vying for control. Control that they would never truly have again.
"Let them py their politics," Elizabeth continued rather nonplussed, "It's what they're good at. They have their use, and we have ours. Let's get this done."
"Remember!" one of them finally shouted, "She's only to be an observer!"
Elizabeth gnced over her shoulder at the man who spoke. A man in his mid-fifties with a well-worn face. He was a career politician for sure, but a single cold eye from Elizabeth silenced him as he flinched and slunk back into his chair. The Sentinels, along with their normal guards, shifted uncomfortably, but all knew better than to draw weapons over a single look.
They wanted to keep her from getting any of the credit for clearing this Gate, but this was bigger than all of them. Even if it wasn't for Vitaer's Blood that she was after, these Critical Dungeons were a threat. She's seen it too many times to not understand the danger, and how ignorant of it the people of this world were, especially NUN.
"By the way..." Elizabeth asked as she turned her attention back to Oliver, "Are you sure you only need this many?"
Elizabeth gnced at the group walking with them. Ten individuals from Asgard, all appearing to be rather competent. It wasn't that Elizabeth was worried, but she was actually amused with their confidence. Oliver alone should be enough to handle most of the threats in this particur Critical Dungeon, but the rest of them she wasn't sure about. However, Oliver wasn't known as The Raven Sage for no reason.
"I appreciate the concern," Oliver smiled warmly, "Nothing against Legion, but we won't need the help."
"Well, you aren't facing one of my fragments..." Elizabeth mused to herself, but said nothing.
"They rely on team tactics, which is admirable," he praised them with a glint of pride in his eye, "I've seen them in action before, and they are formidable, but those I chose from Asgard are each strong in their own way, and while our teamwork isn't anything like Legion's, it's also nothing to scoff at."
"I don't doubt you," Elizabeth assured, "I was just making sure you were ready, just in case."
"I understand," Oliver's expression grew grim, "I know this won't be like any dungeon we've faced before, and in fact..."
Elizabeth was pleased to see that he had noticed it as well. The moment they had passed by the perimeter of the command center and entered the dying wetnds, there was an ominous aura that hung in the air. It was thick like the very mists surrounding them. She had noticed the moment she arrived on sight, but it was only when they were half-way to the gate that Oliver had said something.
With every step, the water had gotten deep till it was about knee high on almost everyone. Walking was made difficult, though Elizabeth wasn't nearly as impacted as she made it seem. The air around them had grown so cold that everyone's breath could be seen. Immediately, with a single raised hand from Oliver, Asgard leapt into action.
"This is the first time monsters have left a dungeon without it breaking..." Oliver whispered, his eyes suddenly completely bck, like that of a Raven, "I see at least fifty of them...maybe more."
"Try around three hundred," Elizabeth told him.
"I'll take your word for it," he replied quietly, eyes hardening, "Leif, Viggo, Noel."
He made swift motions with his hands and three individuals, two men and one women, moved forward. The man named Leif with dark brown hair and blue eyes took the lead wielding twin axes and fur armor that barely contained his muscur form. Viggo and Noel each took one side of the group. Viggo wielded a spear and shield, while Noel used a singur great sword. Neither were as rge as Leif, but they were far from being small.
"What are we looking at, Sir?" one of the remaining members asked, "Do we need vision?"
The one who spoke was a young man with sandy, wild hair and what appeared to be pin, simple brown robes. Blue eyes were hidden behind well-worn gsses and he wielded a gnarled staff. Upon closer inspection, his robes were simir to Oliver's in that they had stitched runes along the hem.
"Wait for my signal, Anders," Oliver told him, "Stel, set up with Anders and be ready."
A young woman with blond hair tied in braids and green eyes nodded. She wore simir robes to Anders, except hers were a dark green and lined with fur.
"We'll keep the vanguard," another woman in fur-lined leather and metal armor stated.
This woman had nordic braids in her dark blond hair. Her vibrant hazel-blue eyes looked experienced and calm. Elizabeth saw no weapons, save spiked fingerless gauntlets as the woman cracked her knuckles. A pugilist. Not unheard of, but Elizabeth was impressed.
The way the woman moved was fluid and practiced. Her lean build was deceptively muscur. With her were four others, two of them archers and the others appearing to be more like scouts or thieves. They were evenly split between men and women. All of them bore vibrant eyes typical of these countries.
"Who is that?" Elizabeth asked, curious about the woman, "I've not met her, nor heard of her before. Have you been keeping secrets from me?"
"Heh, I would never," Oliver assured her, gncing back at the woman, "Though, she has changed, but that's Evy."
"That's Evy?" Elizabeth was genuinely shocked as she looked at Oliver bewildered, "Your daughter?"
"I'm not surprised you're shocked," Oliver chuckled, "The st time you saw her, she was a scrawny thing, but since then has grown into a strong woman and an even better fighter."
Evelina, or Evy for short, was Oliver's daughter who wasn't much older than Hannah. When Elizabeth had first met her before the Gates appeared. She had been a bookish, shy girl and like Oliver said, had been rather scrawny. She had barely come up to Elizabeth's chest, but now was as tall, if not taller than Elizabeth in her current form. There was nothing scrawny about her anymore.
"A lot's changed in the st five years," Oliver expined, those his attention was still on the crimson mist, "Though, that st you saw her was ten years ago. You were just a kid then as well. Just six years older than her. She's twenty-one now."
Before they could saw any more, the air changed as it suddenly became incredibly humid. The cold still persisted, but the change was like something just...exhaled. That hot breath upon your neck, and within the mist came shambling shadows. The sound of bones upon wet, squelching earth.
"We'll catch up ter," Elizabeth told him, taking a step back, "I'm eager to see how you've grown."
Oliver smirked, flourishing his hand as that gnarled club from before appeared within it. The air suddenly shifted once more as the signal was sent to Anders and Stel. Together, they began a soft chant.
"O' Spirits of Air, gather and hear our plea," their voices synced perfectly, "Reveal thy path and [Disperse]."
Swirling around them was a myriad of light green and blue energy as it coalesced into a banishing wind that swept across the field and pushed the crimson mist back. It formed a protective circle for at least a few dozen yards, and it gave everyone a clear view of what they were facing.
No more were shadows shambling behind the curtain of mist but now were in full view. Blood-red bones beneath rotting flesh. Pulsing pustules of rot that bled dark, sickly blood.
"...Well, that's certainly something," Oliver muttered, brandishing his club as the air around him began to grow heavy, "Ravens, it's time to feast!"
All around them were not just a couple of undead, but hundreds of them. They were completely surrounded in a sea of death and decay, but as Oliver spoke, a dark violet mist gathered at the edge of his staff. His eyes glowing darker than ever before. An endless abyss of night.
From above, they all heard the croaking and cawing of thousands of birds. Ravens, to be precise. Coalescing from a dark cloud that Oliver had summoned overhead, they obscured the sky and swirled in a chorus of death. Ravens were many things, but of them they were the eaters of dead, and this was quite the feast.
With a single motion, Oliver aimed his staff at the shambling horde, and dark clouds descended upon them. A wave of ravens squawking with hunger swept through them, leaving nothing but shattered bones behind. A rge swathe of undead fell to his Ravens, and like a conductor in a musical, he pyed them like a master. Orchestrating a banquet for his beloved birds.
"I know we're winning, but..." Stel spoke from the center of their group, looking a little curious as she stood next to Anders, "What exactly are they? They aren't undead that I've seen."
"Rot Kin," Elizabeth answered, gncing at the girl, "Shambling corpses of rot. More simply, they are Zombies of Rot. They will not be the only Rot Kin you face, and not all of them will be the same."
"How do you know?" Anders inquired, "Have you faced such creatures before?"
Elizabeth smiled knowingly, remembering days long past. They weren't pleasant memories, but they were memories nonetheless.
"A few times, yes," she answered softly, though didn't reveal the full truth, "When I was first starting, I ran into a dungeon that had them. I thought they were regur undead as well, but..."
She motioned towards where what remained of the bones of the undead had fallen back into the water after Oliver's Ravens had finished with them.
"They're quite resilient," she expined as the water began to shift and move, "Probably even more so than when I faced them."
It wasn't too hard to believe that she faced such creatures in other dungeons, as most monsters weren't exclusive to only one dungeon, and so Stel and the rest took this answer without suspicion.
"What did you do?" Stel inquired, readying her staff.
"I burned everything, including the bones," Elizabeth stated darkly as the corpses once again rose from the water with fresh flesh and pustules oozing that sickly substance.
"Well...fuck," Anders muttered and Elizabeth couldn't help but chuckle.
That was the reaction that Lucas would have had as well in this situation. It made her miss him dearly, thinking about him fondly as she smiled. She would be back with him soon, and perhaps he would be in a better mood as well. After all, she had heard from Maya the other day with a pn to give him a gift.
Avington's Shelter Organization.
Lately, Elizabeth had been worried about Lucas more than just the unknown timer ticking down on his life. Lucas was kind. Too kind for his own good. Not that this was a bad thing, as it was one of the main reasons she loved him.
It also didn't mean that he was naive, though he may act it at times. No, he knew that there were parasites which fed off of others, needing to be cut off for the rest to thrive, but he also knew that there were people who just needed help. He grew up learning to be kind. To help those he could, but when he couldn't...it tore him up.
So, what this mean is that it ate away at him until it was all he could think about. A guilt that sat heavy in his chest.
It wasn't his responsibility to help everyone, and he knew this, but if he could, he would. He knew that life wasn't easy, and he never understood why some people always made it harder for others. To him, it wasn't even a question. How could anyone look at someone suffering and not offer to help? Of course, there were always obstacles for him.
If it wasn't his own anxiety and autism, it was the ck of any financial support. Even so, he always did what he could. If someone needed money for gas, food, clothing, or anything that they desperately needed, he'd give them his st dolr or whatever else he had. If someone needed to talk, even though he wasn't great at it, he'd still be there to listen. He'd let them vent and try and offer a kind word.
It was this unfiltered kindness that Elizabeth loved so dearly about him. He was a precious existence that she coveted and would protect no matter the cost. Especially his gentle heart. Something so precious shouldn't have to worry about anything. She'd not let anyone take advantage of him, not even himself. That's why she did all she could to ensure that he lived an easy life.
Right now, he was stuck in the mire of his own mind. So worried about being unable to help Elizabeth fight and help save him that he loses track of everything else. Maya finally understood this, having witnessed it firsthand. He gave his entire old apartment to someone in need, but he was still worried about being unable to do anything else.
He truly forgot just who he was now. Maya had reminded him of that, and Elizabeth was grateful. If she hadn't, Elizabeth would have. The only true fw that Lucas had in Elizabeth's eyes, is that he was too humble. The world was at his feet, and it was time he learned to utilize it.
That's why she was doing everything she could to ensure he would have the chance to.
"Oliver..." Elizabeth called to him, "You heard me, right?"
"Yeah," he nodded, a wicked smirk upon his lips, "Bones and all, huh?"
Right now, he was keeping the Zombies of Rot back with his Ravens, but it would be futile and endless if they didn't get rid of them in their entirety. Flourishing his staff in one hand, a rge gathering of aether condensed around him. Throwing his arms up, he called forth a giant, ethereal tree that overpped with him. It rose high above everyone, its roots forming a protective wall around the group.
Its branches were bare until his ravens took roost upon them, becoming a canopy of night. This was Oliver's skill, [Yggdrasil]. Fitting for the leader of the guild, Asgard.
Though ghostly and ethereal, this tree had physical substance. Enough to block the encroaching undeads approach with a wall of gnarled roots. Even upon the roots, Ravens took to rest. The undead cwed upon the tree, but to no avail.
"You have fouled my home, not fit to be fertilizer" Oliver spoke, his voice reverberating, "By my will, this ground is [Sacred Territory]."
In a sudden burst, his dark, dense aura changed into a golden warmth. This resonated within the Ravens, their feathers changing to reflect him. The tree began to glow, and as he channeled his power, brought his arms low and released it.
All the Ravens upon the tree ignited into a wave of feathers that cascaded outwards in a wave of destruction that ate away only that which is undead. Bones and all.
Even the red of the water receded and became clear once more, if only for a while. As it all settled, Oliver stumbled a bit but caught himself.
"Damn..." Oliver let out a heavy sigh as he rexed, "It's been a while since I've done that..."
"You might have to again," Elizabeth told him, cpping him on the shoulder, "Will you be able to?"
He gave her a look that said she was driving a hard bargain but nodded.
"I got a few more in me," he assured her, motioning for the others to gather up, "Alright, we're going to enter the Gate now. No telling what's on the other side. Remember, Evy leads the vanguard, I'll take the front."
"What about Miss Falcrest?" Stel inquired, "I was really hoping to see her in action. I've seen the videos, but..."
Elizabeth gave an appreciative smile towards the girl.
"I'm apparently only going to watch," she said sarcastically.
Oliver chuckled as Stel pouted.
"Don't worry, once we're in the gate, NUN can't say shit," Evy nudged Stel pyfully, "I'd also like to see...if you don't mind."
Evy turned a little sheepishly towards Elizabeth as she finished speaking.
"It's been a while," Elizabeth said, "We'll see how things go, but I'd actually love to see how you've grown."
The light in Evy's eyes lit up, which was like a chain reaction as everyone seemed to become excited at hearing that the Hades, the War Goddess, wanted to see them in action.
With renewed vigor, the Asgard Guild and Elizabeth entered the gate.
-----
Nikushimi
