Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 907: The Means Of Intimidation

A mansion made of midnight blue quartz was a bewildering sight to the envoy and her companions. Every step felt heavy inside the monotone mansion, and with every step, the click of heel to stone echoed in the back of their skulls. Servants of Klesimeth, with their senses dulled, felt nothing in response to the echo, but for the Red Madam and even the Mistress, the sound was as piercing as a nail being hammered into their skulls.

"This way." Walking in front of the guests, a pair of twin maids motioned the group to follow them. Wearing the same umbrella-like veil with their bodies laid bare underneath, the girls walked the group upstairs while the sharp echoes instilled a migraine in everyone’s head. "The oracles are just beyond this door. Please make your own way in."

Stopping in front of a massive open door with nothing but darkness oozing from within, the maids gave way for the group to venture in. Taking a step forward, Seraphim the djinn fueled her burning blue dress to burn brighter and lit the way forward. Her little sister Riyanzah was the first to walk up front, not because she wanted to be the first but for a different reason entirely.

Clasping her hands, the djinn dropped to her knees with her hands pressed together in prayer. Parting her pale lips and closing her pearly eyes, she began to sing the song of a siren to draw out any potential ambushers that may have been hidden within. Allowing her to sing for a while, Valentina decided to walk into the room after all.

Following the burning torch of a woman that was Seraphim’s whole body, the Red Madam kept her hands at her teleporting ring and her mind attuned to the monster holding jewel, in case she required a quick exit from the dark. Quickly surrounded by the rest of her bodyguards, including Aradin, Frazer, Elana, and the rest, she felt at ease but refused to let her guard down nonetheless.

Robin and the Mistress, one being blessed by Athenia and the other being a primordial devil, could see as clearly in the darkness as in the bright of day. The rest, however, could barely see anything–guided only by Seraphim’s blue flames acting as their torch. Eventually, however, as the group arrived at the end of the room, a small tent made of many fine fabrics emerged before them with numerous candles lighting its interior and the outside.

From within, a pale hand gestured them in. But the moment Valentina, Robin, and the Mistress got close to the entrance, the oracle twins spoke up in unison.

"Only you three must enter. The rest can wait outside."

"And who decided that?" Clicking a commanding step forward, Valentina pressed her lips in a flat smile. "I have come in place of the general, but if you think you can command me about–then, you are severely mistaken. He is but one servant of Athenia, her choking arm, and I the quill that shall bear the burden of words–both between you and Athenia’s chosen."

The arms quickly retreated into the tent and drew the curtains shut. A moment passed in silence, making everyone wonder if the Red Madam had pushed their luck. However, just after a few seconds, the curtains opened without a single word.

"It seems they’ve changed their mind, after all," Valentina whispered, gesturing to Aradin to take the lead and clear the inside of the tent of any possible threats before the rest walked inside.

With a simple nod, Aradin led Frazer and Josare into the tent to help him check the interior. Shuffling about inside the tent for a good while, the three emerged from within and gestured to the Madam to walk in. Placing her trust in their assessment, Valentina made her way in, accompanied by Linkle, Robin, The Mistress, Choux, Hayley, and Hilma. The rest stood sentry right outside the tent.

Walking into the dainty tent, Valentina was quite surprised by how deceptive its appearance had been. From the outside, it appeared small, but inside, the place was big enough to house everyone in her convoy comfortably.

"Take a seat," gesturing to the chairs across from them on a small oval table with a deep blue table cover, the twins stared at Valentina. "We must talk. There is little time to waste, mother’s true sight abhors needless wait."

"So we do have something in common then," pulling herself a chair, Valentina sat down in front of the twins. Staring at their faces, still stabbed by ceremonial blades, she felt a little disturbed but tried not to show it on her face. "What is it that you wished to consult with the chosen? A cursory glance at your kingdom would object it is a coup in the alliance, or has your ’Mother’ already taken care of her rival god?"

"Quite astute of you to note the subtleties of our kingdom," wearing a faint smile, the twins pressed their hands against the end of the blade’s handles. "But this conversation is not ours to have, so allow the divine mother to grace you with her golden self!"

Pressing her palms against the daggers, the twins, without so much as a wince, started pushing the dagger deeper and deeper into their skulls. Blood gushed out of their blackened socket, and the wet sound of the blade cutting through their flesh echoed loudly in the silence. Freezing up at the sight, Robin’s heart began to race, and her breath grew loud and panting. Covering her eyes with the back of her hand, Valentina shielded the young girl from the worst of it.

Stabbing themselves through their skulls, the twins killed themselves while standing upright. Their arms dangled lifelessly by their side, and yet for some reason their bodies refused to fall.

"I don’t like this one bit," Linkle whispered, her hand dangling by her teleportation necklace.

Hayely and Hilma were just as anxious, however, being assigned as bodyguards to Valentina, the two couldn’t do much but stand ready to repel any threats towards the Madam. Then there were Choux and the Mistress, neither of whom had so much as flinched at what happened. Not even as the darkened sockets on the girls began to glow a blinding golden.

"Is that you, God-Mistress Klesimeth?" Valentina asked, sensing an aura of divinity oozing from the now dead twins.

And sure enough, with a vapid smile on the twins’ faces, the goddess confirmed her doubts.

"You shouldn’t have come..." She groaned, her voice tinged with anger.

"Then you shouldn’t have sent an invite," Valentina shot right back.

Wasting not another second, the Red Madam took out the red devil’s potion and downed it before the goddess. The twins’ faces contorted with a look of confusion at the strange act, but not knowing what the vial had held, Kleismeth could only guess, and right now was not the time for guessing.

"You’ve ruined my plan, and for that you will pay!" In the blink of an eye, the goddess held her arms forward, and great golden light emerged from within her palms. Directed right at Valentina, the light was enough to burn her to a cinder, but thankfully for her and everyone who’d arrived with her, the goddess of Foresight and Ambition couldn’t predict her past–a past that involved an elder god who’s long since been dead.

"Teleport!" Valentina commanded, right as the burning lights were flung at her face.

A flash of blue erupted in and outside the tents, and the next thing everyone knew, they were back on the flying ships. However, not all of them escaped uninjured...