Bro, I'm not an Undead!

"So many strong, scary people…"

"And they're huge!"

"I haven't felt that insignificant in a long time."

"Try feeling like an insignificant gnat. I couldn't even breathe, and I haven't needed air in decades!"

The Stars and Troops were finally unwinding, expelling their stress and fear as complaints after Fortus bowed and took his leave. The Troops had the greater bulk of remarks and comments. Timmit and Gerriey were especially vocal about how they'd felt upon reaching the Quadrosphere.

"I could have sliced my wings off – the feathers were being pulled off by that monstrous gravitational force."

"And it only got worse. Heck, it's still bad for us. If not for Master…" Gerriey sulked. "That would have been a miserable way to die."

"It's no use crying about that now," Baddan said, garnering everyone's attention. He scanned the living room. "At least we don't have to worry about those adverse conditions while we're in here. I don't know if I could stomach continuing to be a burden on master like that."

Savast concurred with a nod and a grunt.

"But we won't be able to leave this place even for the simplest reasons without master exerting himself for our sake," said Yuyui, still hugging a pale Kintar.

"Unless we improve ourselves, that is." Grim sighed. He turned to Skullius, who was sitting on a giant couch, talking to Elita and Uyuniya, both of whom had decided it was less demeaning to remain standing rather than sit in a chair several times their size.

"Boss!" he cried to get the Hybrid Warmoth's attention. "You could have moved us to the Bosom instead of flaunting our weakness in that long walk of shame. Are you punishing us for Kintar's reckless suggestion from earlier?"

When Kintar flinched at that, Savast and Yuyui hissed, "GRIM!" – outraged – Yuyui moreso. Grim looked back at her and shrugged, saying something with his eyes that only she understood.

Skullius gave an exasperated sigh.

"No."

The prompt reply made Grim pout, but Skullius was unconcerned, already back to his conversation with the Void Users.

"You're right. I don't believe the mechanism they use to connect the guidance field to the Tors Gate is a mere trick either. It must have something to do with Patronage Ranks. As for what rank you'd need to accomplish that… It's probably much higher than mine," said Skullius.

"Goes without saying, but mine too," said Uyuniya, hands on her waist. She snorted. "I got an upgrade when I ascended, but it was immediately rendered useless."

"Skullius…" said Elita, tension carving wrinkles on her forehead, "…this must mean there's at least one person with a Patronage Rank so high that they can see through all of us. We should be careful."

"I did consider that. I suspected Subossais, in fact," said the Hybrid, thinning his [Avant Atelier]. "But I bet he was assigned to us only because that Cosmic Andori he used before is a better fit against me. I've taken a more pessimistic approach. There's probably a greater number of people with high Patronage Ranks than we can imagine. We don't even know what perks they get access to."

Uyuniya grimaced. That was terrifying reality. Just imagining several enemies with a working knowledge about her Voided Death Aspect made her grit her teeth.

"So, what do we do?"

Skullius took a moment to think it over.

He could imagine Subossais sharing everything he knew about his abilities so far to everyone who would listen. The Hybrid Warmoth's main concern was that if the virulent nature of his Numinous Ichor was revealed, measures would undoubtedly be taken to render it moot in an altercation.

But was that possible? Skullius was unsure. Before entering Breaking Chasm #59, he might have contested the idea, but now…?

"Leave that to my Order and me," he finally said. "You two are leaving for Zelozeld as soon as possible."

Elita and Uyuniya's reactions almost made Skullius chuckle.

"Don't act so surprised. Have you already forgotten that you were in a hurry to leave?"

"It's not that," said Uyuniya, sounding offended. "I don't think they have enough goodwill to allow us to leave. You heard them – especially that Gylliard. I could sense the thinly veiled malice in each word he said. The deception."

"Do you think they really brushed off the fact that you broke into this place with a Retucent?" said Elita.

"No. It's not that I trust their goodwill at all." Skullius folded his arms beneath the [Avant Atelier]. "The Stellars are here for a reason. They were invited. Some sort of grand event is about to happen, but Gylliard said he's going to organize slots for an audience with Thyrgga for each of us – the Stellars and us. That probably precedes whatever this event is."

"I didn't prod Gylliard about what the event could be, but if I can find out, I can make a good enough impression during my meeting with Thyrgga to earn you two a way out."

"That's a lot of faith and ifs," said Uyuniya, frowning.

"Please don't go so low as to negotiate with them for our sake, Skullius."

The Hybrid chuckled at the pleading look on Elita's face.

"Don't worry. I don't plan to negotiate with anyone – not for something like this anyway," he said. "Something Gylliard said makes me suspect I can probably add value to this event in a way no one expects. I'll buy my way into it. Leave that to me. Soon enough, you'll be riding Amanas home."

Elita jerked. "Amanas? You're giving us Amanas?"

Skullius grinned.

"Of course. Do I need to remind you that the deal we made with Suzamete was that in exchange for saving Aigas she would give us Amanas? You had a hand in that as much as I did. Besides, I can't stand knowing that Amanas is trapped in the Quadrosphere. Better you use it."

"You overstate just how much we contributed," said Elita, donning a weary smile.

Uyuniya laughed. She had the same sentiment as the former Paladin Champion.

"Can't say I wouldn't appreciate having a vessel I'm familiar with for the trip," she said, turning to Elita, who still seemed uncertain if it was right to accept the Hybrid's offer.

Skullius smiled.

He meant every word he said to Elita, but a part of him did feel more uneasy about leaving Amanas somewhere so far than he let on.

It didn't help that he could still remember – rather crisply – the cold ash which had been falling from the sky in the Quadrosphere; apparently, the work of one of the two Grand Generals, Navvexr.

What purpose it served was as good as a guess to Skullius.

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