Seeds of Discordia

The first thing Liam noticed right after he flared his Hubris Aura was the four disguised Beast-kins standing on the ground level had swiftly dropped the illusion magic keeping their Beast-kin forms up.

Fazil’s Wolf-folk form had turned into a smoothed reddish golden goblin-like creature. It wasn’t similar to the goblins he had seen previously. Not only was the color of its skin different, this form was more feral. His ears were slightly longer and pointy, horns arced and ran down in a single file down the center of its skull like a mohawk. Even its gear was completely golden. To Laim, Fazil was only missing a giant sack full of items and gold. If he had that he would have thought the creature to be a Treasure Goblin of sorts.

As for the other three beings. The Lion-folk had turned into an Oni. He wore plate armor and carried a long sword. The Tiger-folk had transformed into one of the blue skinned four armed creatures he had seen outside of the dungeon. As for the Weasel-folk, it had changed into a purple skinned imp. The same one as he had seen the two female Weasel-folks change into outside.

“Go!” Liam shouted as all four and Calythtis sprinted for him.

Artem, Blair, and Roman started running. They didn’t need any coaxing, but they were confused as to what Liam had done to get their enemies attention on him so thoroughly. Knowing now wasn’t the time to ask they took action, heading for the stairs located at the far right end of the stoned building.

Liam noticed that the four armed blue skinned demon-kin, who was the farthest away from him slowly turn his head to look at the other three. Liam flared his Hubris Aura once more to regain his attention as he jumped back a few times.

After jumping backwards enough he activated his Spirit Weave while gripping his Shadow Moon blades. He felt the familiar cold sensation wrap around him as the cat eared cloak appeared over his head and the shadowy mask covered his mouth. The moment he did this, Calythtis and Fazil had appeared within reaching distance.

 Both Demon-kins had slashed down with their hands outreached. The nails on their hands were sharp and stretched out looking like claws. However, instead of raking flesh, their claw tipped hands swiped through black smoke. He reappeared behind them, created a Shadow Double, and disappeared again. Both Calythtis and Fazil turned and started to attack the Shadowy version of Liam that defended itself and countered back.

When Liam reappeared this time in front of the imp that wasn’t too far, a blinding pale light suddenly flashed in his eyes. The imp screamed in pain as the pale light from his Lunar Step blinded him. Liam activated another Shadow Double before activating Lunar Step two more times and created two more Shadow Doubles to fight against them.

After he successfully turned their attention onto his Shadow Doubles, he swiftly used Shadow Step to disappear from the chaotic mess he had created and appeared in the shadows of the small building to his left. After appearing there he quickly activated Veil of Shadows. To his surprise and luck, each Demon-kin focused on the Shadow Doubles. After arriving to it, he looked up at the second floor and saw Romand and Blair at the top of the stairs looking down at Artem who was almost the top.

He felt bad making Artem go with them knowing he was the slowest out of the three. However, he didn’t want him to stick around here where he could get hurt. That and he didn’t want to worry him if things didn’t go so well with what he had planned to do. If he was being honest, he was a bit afraid of what might happen. It hadn’t been that long since the last incident and it was still fresh in his mind.

Even though Eri had told him that the effects of her nature would be lessened this time round, he still would be getting the blunt end of it all since he didn’t set it up to allow the others to receive it. They would know he accepted it since they were now her Apostles or whatever they were. He needed to talk to them about that to see what it was they were now and how it affects them.

However, the last time he accepted the Level One gifts, they came with the heavy price of him almost losing his mind. He knew it was also thanks to him using his Zodiac ability and taking the full effects of that as well, but the fact still remained that his mind had been lost for some time.

Even though that had happened he couldn’t say the payoff wasn’t good. He was able to receive a few nice things from that. That was what he was gambling on. He didn’t know what he would receive as the level of the Chaos Gifts reached new heights, but he was hoping that maybe he would receive something that could help him out in this fight.

As he warred with himself inside his own mind about whether he should and could or shouldn’t and couldn’t, he didn’t realize his Shadow Doubles were slowly losing their fights. When all four had suddenly disappeared, that was when he finally snapped his attention on to the Demon-kins.

They looked around to see if they could find Liam. They couldn’t locate him since he wasn’t flaring his Hubris Aura and was a bit out of range for them to be able to feel him. His Veil of Shadows also kept him cloaked and out of sight as he stood still in the building’s shadow.

He watched them scan the area and after a few seconds they looked at the opening on the second floor that Artem, Blair, and Roman had made their way to. Liam gave a quick glance at the area where he had last seen his three companions and noticed they weren’t in sight. They must have entered while he was lost in his thoughts. He understood what the Demon-kins were thinking and knew if he didn’t intervene in some way then they would chase after them. That was the last thing he wanted them to do.

Liam looked to the roof of the building next to him. He noticed there were some places he could use to scale the wall and did it as fast as he could. His Veil of Shadows dissipated, revealing his locations, but it had seemed the Demon-kins hadn’t noticed. Instead they started to move towards the stairs as Calythtis spread her wings out and was about to fly.

Before they could get any farther than they would, Liam shouted out, “Where the hell are you guys going? Are you bored of me already?”

The Imp, Oni, and the blue skinned four armed demon swiftly turned their heads and locked eyes with Liam as they snarled. Calythtis and Fazil, who now looked a bit calmer than earlier, looked at him with some disdain.

Calythtis noticed the new cloak on Liam’s body and the mask over his face. She was curious if it was some gear, but as she stared at him she felt a strange power coming from him. It ignited her curiosity even more than before he used the strange Immoral Vice of Pride ability.

  “While you are filth that needs to be killed, we know you’re trying to buy time,” Fazil said. His voice had changed after he transformed back into his real form. He sounded a bit high pitched, but at the same time it was sharper and harsher. He looked at the other three Demon-kins and ordered, “Go and stop those three from interfering with those Crafters.

The four armed Demon-kin, Oni, and Imp didn’t respond to Fazil. Their focus was still on Liam. He could see the ire brewing inside them as their fanged mouths were wide open in a snarl.

“Oi! Fuck shits!” Fazil shouted, finally catching their attention. “I said go stop those three!”

As the three Demon-kins started to move, Calythtis shook her head with a mixture of disappointment and embarrassment as she muttered, “Capable help is so hard to find.”

“Are you sure you want them to do that?” Liam asked as he straightened his posture. “I mean, without them I could probably wipe the floor with the both of you.”

Calythtis and Fazil let out a laugh as the other three Demon-kins turned back around and stared at him.

“You’re a riot man,” Fazil finally said after a few seconds. “You can’t seriously think that right? Our levels are in the mid-twenties while you’re what…ten, eleven?”

“Right now I’m level nine,” Liam corrected.

Fazil let out another laugh as Calythtis started at him. A look of disappointment and confusion was evident on her face as she stated, “How did you survive these past few days with such a low level, let alone make it past the sixth floor of the Tutorial Dungeon?”

“Do you really want to know?” Liam started. “I can show you a glimpse of what I did to survive that hellish floor.”

Curiosity filled Calythtis as Fazil replied, “It’s futile, but sure. Humor us if you will.”

Liam grinned. Although he was grinning and trying to exude confidence on the outside, inside he was starting to panic. Must like his worries of accepting the Level Two Chaos gifts, he was afraid to use his Zodiac power once again. However, he knew this wasn’t the time to be picky. If he received that nasty Debuff again after this was over then that was a price he was willing to pay.

“Alright…but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Liam stated as he took in a deep breath. He closed his eyes while making sure his goggles were safely snug over them before slowly releasing the air he sucked in. After he let it all out, he announced with a serious tone, “Gemini Zodiac Ability…”

The four armed Demon-kin, Oni, and Imp looked at Liam with confusion as Calythtis and Fazil stared at Liam with wide eyes. While the hunt for Geminis wasn’t something they really cared about, they had still heard about how desperate the other races were in searching them out. They didn’t know why, nor did they care to understand. However, at this moment Fazil joined Calythtis in sating their curiosity as to what a Gemini could do.

“Class Fusion…”

Those two words widened their eyes even more. Those two words made them understand why the other races were so adamant on hunting them down. No one should have two classes. Having two classes just seemed too powerful. Could they receive more points to raise their Sub-stats than the other Zodiacs? Did they have some overpowered skills or abilities? They didn’t know. However, it was what he said next that made them understand they didn’t want to find out. Instead, they had a strong urging to kill him right then and there.

“Harbinger of Chaos.”

The five demon-kins watched as his appearance started to change. A mixture of raven black, ghastly green, red, and grey colors outlined his body. The roof was suddenly engulfed in what looked like quivering shadows as parts of that shadow started to run up his legs, covering them entirely. The cloak that was covering his chest, arms, and head disappeared along with the black mask and the tail that seemed to be attached to the bottom end of the cloak. Two shadowy cat ears suddenly appeared on top of his head as a similar colored tail formed behind him. While they looked whole, Calythtis and Fazil noticed they appeared more smoky than solid.

While they took in his new appearance, they realized something else. Besides his new appearance he had suddenly grown in strength. They knew he was a lower level before, but now…He was closer to their level now. Not only that, but a strange and powerful force surrounded them from all over. It had exploded away from him the moment his transformation finished. They weren’t sure what the power was, but they did understand one very distinct thing about it. It was a Deity’s nature. A nature that none of them knew about.

“What the hell is this?!” Fazil demanded as he looked around. His skin started to form bumps as he stared at Liam. “What manner of tricks are you using?!”

Liam took in his current form. Last time he didn’t get to truly feel how this ability changed him. Sure this time he was weaker than last, but as he stood right now with a temporary higher sub-stats and level…he understood the difference.

“No tricks,” Liam stated. “I am using one of the powers I received.” He looked at Calythtis and stated, “You wondered how I was able to survive the sixth floor? This is how. Well this and something else.”

“Bullshi…,” Fazil began to protest, but was stopped as Calythtis threw a hand out to stop him. Fazil snarled at her. “What do you think you are doing?”

“Stopping you from interfering with me getting answers,” the succubus answered. A sneer on her face slowly formed. “You’re just playing the cat and mouse game if you argue with what’s in front of you.”

Fazil was about to argue again, but was cut off once more as Calythtis stated, “I know you felt it too. That force. That was a Deity’s Nature.”

“I know what a Deity’s Natures feels like,” Fazil argued. “I know what all those betraying scum’s natures feel like. But that one…That belongs to no Deity I know. It can’t be a real Deity’s Nature.”

“Are you sure about that?” Liam questioned as he grinned at that them. “I have a way to verify that what you felt earlier was my Matron’s Nature.”

Fazil narrowed his eyes at Liam as Calythtis stared at him with some suspicion.

“The only way you can prove that what we felt was a real Deities Nature is if you were a Champion or an Apostle of said Deity. And for someone who is both weak and a Gemini…I don’t think there is a Deity stupid enough to take on the risk,” Fazil protested.

“Oh my Goddess isn’t stupid, you’re right about that,” Liam agreed. “However, taking on risk…” Liam waved his head back and forth trying to find the right thing to say. “You can say that her nature revolves around taking risks.”

“You make no sense,” Fazil stated as he started getting annoyed. “For a Deity to have their nature revolve around taking risk…There’s no sense no order. All that would be is one jumbled…”

“Chaotic mess?” Liam filled in as he nodded his head. “I agree. However, that is her nature.”

Calythtis thought about what he was saying. At first she didn’t understand anything he was going on about. However, after thinking more about it the more it made sense. But there was a problem. If what he was saying was true then… “Are you saying that you’re a Champion of someone claiming to be the Deity of Chaos?”

Liam let out a sigh. “I guess it’s just better to do it this way.”

Fazil and Calythtis stared at Liam, unsure of what he was talking about. However, what he said next confirmed the very thing Fazil was trying to deny.

“I accept the Level Two Gifts of Chaos.”

The second after he mentally accepted and said it out loud, another wave of Chaotic Nature washed over the land around them. This time, the Nature sank into their very being filling them with uncertainty and a form of discord deep within their hearts and minds.