Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 967: URGENT TO THE LAIR! - Part 2

Two hours had passed since Athenia had left the confines of her prison. Being on Atlaris on mortal feet was a surreal experience to her, especially with no other voice trapped within her head. It was her and her alone, not some avatar of her descending on another’s body. Soon she would have to return, but walking on her own two feet in the dark castle, a faint smile was plastered on her face.

Flesh and iron as well as dragon scale made up her mortal body. The pistons and iron core were caked in a layer of flexing muscle and dragon steel joints, allowing full range of motion, even in ways that should otherwise be impossible for a human person. Yet clad in a dress of pure white threads conjured by her divine light, Athenia walked freely as an angelic sight with a golden crown floating above her head.

"This is enough for a trial." Lifting her hand, she glanced down at Mono. "I need to get this done in the coming hour. My sincere thanks to you, chosen O’Elenaria, but here’s where we go our separate ways for now."

"As you say, your resplendent majesty~," a dramatic bow later, Mono glanced up at the goddess and waved. "The second god I got to meet, why are you all so gigantic?"

A brief chuckle escaped Athenia’s lips as she prepared to teleport herself to her chosen’s side. Clad in a shower of golden light, she placed one of her massive fingers on Mono’s head before answering her question.

"You stand atop the corpse of a dead god and my stature surprises you, how...humanly curious."

"Curiosity helped me escape the death of my flesh; I wouldn’t take human curiosity so lightly."

"My father thought the same; you probably would’ve loved to meet him. Alas, his end was final, and now, our meeting too comes to an end."

Within a blink of an eye, the goddess’s presence shimmered into a thousand dancing wisps of light. Leaving behind but a slight burn on the tiles and the odour of lavender in that stretch of the castle passage.

On the other end, appearing not in flesh but in the dreams of her chosen, Athenia reached out to their souls while their bodies were in deep slumber. To invade the nest of horror, nightmare shall open the path. No other way was there to reach the void that was Nerva’s heart. Following the scent of their goddess, the chosen met her halfway. Baffled and confused, for there was still time before the infiltration was meant to take place.

"We have to infiltrate the lair NOW!" Moeria’s voice echoed in the shared, dark expanse of their subconscious minds. And the next thing they knew, Athenia’s mortal form burst into a clash of golden white light that drove away the darkness, leaving just a singular dark string that went right up to Nerva’s heart.

"We have to move," she said, her hand outstretched to the souls of her chosen.

Giving them form much like their real bodies, she shared her memories of her plans and the imprisonment of Nerva for the next hour. At once, the group’s eyes widened, and a look of urgency spread through their mask. Looking around in the blinding place, they quickly rounded up everyone at the base of the dark string.

Aradin and his group were present as well, and while not ideal, Athenia wanted the mother to be there in case her daughter refused to come with them. Setting foot in the shared subconsciousness of all minds on Atlaris, Athenia beckoned her chosen to follow her to the lair. This garden forever draped in darkness was the roadmap that connected the mother faes to the people of this world. Corrupted by Nerva’s rancid breath, its innumerable lights had faded long ago, only to be freed if the mothers could be freed of their binds.

"Your new body–when did you plan all of this?" Placing a hand on Athenia’s shoulder as they walked, Raven couldn’t help but try to sate his curiosity. "Why did you never tell us before? None of us are ready for this right now."

Glancing at him from over her shoulder, Athenia closed her eyes before she spoke.

"The gods think that the raid is two days from now, so does Nerva. Doing it on that very day would’ve been foolish, and despite my protection, all who live on this world are like open books to the goddess of calamity. Telling you would’ve been a risk I wasn’t willing to take, not when the weight of the world is at stake."

"The fucking world," he repeated; its weight had been crumbling over his shoulders for years at this point. Turning his head towards June and Aradin, both of whom seemed in their best form given Athenia had given them their form in this dream, Raven wondered. "How long will it always be about the damned world?"

"We’re rescuing their daughter, don’t get discouraged now."

"An hour, eh?" Stopping for a moment, Raven glanced up ahead at the string reaching far into the distance before it went down a declining hill. "What are we waiting for then? Time to run! STRAP UP YOUR BOOTS AND GET TO THAT WITCH’S LAIR!"

Clicking his boots, Raven connected everyone’s mind with the mana-fused eye and set off. Athenia followed swiftly in an instant, not missing a beat, although running on two feet was never her strongest suit. Her steps were heavy with command and a touch of uncertainty; the light under her feet flashed like sparks for a few seconds before she decided to use golden wings to avoid blinding everyone.

"This isn’t too bad..." Running was a new sensation, and the thrill of doing something with her champions filled her with a violet shot of adrenaline. Her senses were tingling, and the dragonic automaton body was quivering with its attempt to contain the whole of her soul and body. "Ha...ahaha...HAHAHA~!!"

Her eccentric laughter echoed through the lit path. Both fear and a sense of empowerment swirled within the air around her followers, urging them to run and get this heist done before Nerva had a clue what the hell even happened.