Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 824: The Scars Of Knowledge

The streets of Inktaus were flooded with dissent. People had finally learned about the murders of the judges, and each being the head of a different church, they’d taken to the streets with crude words and violence. The two sides of the kingdom were separated by a lone street that stretched from one end to the other, and so, positioning their soldiers there, Ironheart and Eren were trying to keep the infighting to a minimum.

The churches were no different; they’d turned into a base for spreading violent gospel. And while both Fortuna and Mesmerazia had selected their chosen as the head of their church, neither Eren nor Ditsy was ready to take that seat during such violence.

Watching the protest from the tower of elects, Raven and his companions were almost ready to leave the kingdom. Waiting on Ditsy and Garcia to pack some of their belongings, they stared out of the windows in his room at the chaos that spurred at the tower’s feet.

"While we’re here, should we take another look at those clones in the basement?" Mel’s question broke the silence in the room. Turning to her, Raven looked her in the eyes as she continued. "We never really figured out how those things work, this place’s invisibility barrier, right? Maybe we can learn something if we head down there and inspect it?"

Taking a moment to consider her suggestion, Raven tried to remember everything that he’d learned. The facilities in the basement were set up by the survivors of the last holy war, and from the technology that lay there, it was obviously a group of otherworlders. They’d isolated themselves in this city until all of them perished only leaving behind their blood along with whatever deal that they’d struck with the goddess of luck and commerce.

Hiding the rest of the world from the king’s men and whatever secret weapon they possessed, the union was meant to keep it all invisible, but since the king’s guard had already made their way to Elenaria, the barrier had, of course, failed to fulfil its intended purpose.

"I would love to know, but I think we’ve done enough damage for the time being." Turning his head back to the window, Raven looked down at the rioting people on the streets. "These guys have enough on their hands for now, and even if we wanted to know more, we don’t have anyone who can actually figure out how those things work anyway."

Seeing sense in his advice, Mel let the topic go. But she wasn’t the only one still thinking about everything that had happened. Everyone’s mind was consumed by what they’d seen, what they’d heard, and most of all by the thought of the dead goddess Nerva. She’d been a part of their lives more closely than they could’ve ever known, and from what they knew, it seemed as though she wouldn’t be leaving them alone anytime soon.

"What’s left then? Let’s be off, might actually be the last chance for us to get some rest in Athenia..." Even as he said it, the words felt ominous to Amedith. The rest could feel the same unease, after all, how could they rest when they knew that a rival goddess was watching. Perhaps not inside the invisibility barrier, but beyond that, she must have open rein. After all, the whole world was hers; in fact, it was her!

To step out of this barrier would expose them to her gaze; perhaps they were already exposed, but stepping out would confirm it. For once, they understood why the otherworlders who settled here sheltered this place in such a way. The people may have grown too sheltered from the outside world here, but at least they didn’t have to feel the weight of a looming presence over them always.

"Hmm, I have an idea, but we’re gonna need Linkle as well as Mono to be here for that." Bringing his attention back to his party, Raven leaned back against the window frame. "If they can figure out how this barrier works, then perhaps they can replicate it on a smaller scale, like the teleportation ring and the necklace. That way, we might have a chance of escaping the eyes of the gods, clad in the same barrier wherever we went."

The idea felt sound, but would it work? That question roamed in everyone’s head, and the uncertainty wrought by it only made them more uneasy. If it did, then great, but if it did not, then how could they even tell? Even now, they weren’t sure if Nerva could see and hear them.

"Better than nothing if it’s possible, and if it isn’t, it’s not like not doing anything will get us anywhere." Erika’s reasoning finally brought some rest to the group.

"That’s settled then," standing straight, Raven glanced around his group with a faint smile. "Now, it’s gonna get worse from here on out, but let’s try to cherish what few moments of calm that we have left. I’m planning to reach the end as soon as possible. I doubt we’re ready, but if our adventure this far is anything to go by, then we’re gonna meet enough challenges on the way to prepare us for whatever comes next."

Briefly nodding at his words, everyone awaited his next sentence.

"Time to rest up, we have a long way ahead, and after this, there’s no turning back," he concluded with a downed tone, for he knew that there would be a great deal of sacrifice, and amongst them, who knows, would be the first or the last? The only thing that he could do, really, was hope for the best outcome and plan to fight the worst.

"Alright," as soon as the party was done talking about their next step, Garcia and Disty came through the room’s entrance. The elf rolled the vampire along in her wheelchair, and the vampiress herself was dozing off with a suitcase on her lap. "We’re ready when you’re ready."

Looking at Raven with a faint smile, Garcia was ready to follow along, no matter where this adventure takes her. The group had helped her plenty, and with Ditsy’s situation taking some time, there was nothing better that she wanted to do than leave this place and venture out into the open world.

"Let’s see what’s so great about the rest of the world," she said, hoping it would be anything but like the riots on the streets or the chaotic situation in Inktaus.