[Wait…what? Is that-Are you-]
[Hey, hey! Don’t get distracted just yet. You still have to push just a little harder,] a mischievous sounding voice echoed in Tort___’s head.[‘Sides, I can’t be the only one to give you a pep talk.]
[What do you mean by…oh.]
As Torta___’s mind tried to readjust at the new voice in his head, he began to feel more and more presences.
…Turning back the clock for a few moments…
High above the clash between Tor____ and the [Shadow Sovereign], a rather strange event was occurring.
From all over the battlefield, various bits and pieces that looked to be the remains of sea creatures began to appear one after the other and converge to a single spot directly above Tor____’s head.
The appearances of these pieces ranged from the teeth of sharks, to the remnants of a molted shell to full-on severed limbs. However, despite these radically different details, the remnants all carried the distinctive feeling of [Chaos] to them.
As to why they were gathering…well…the owners of these pieces did promise to be there for each other, come hell or high water.
…
[Oh it looks like our stop is coming up.]
[Get ready, princess.]
“Get ready for wha-bwah!”
Seconds ago, Jin Fang found herself being kidnapped by a hairpin and ball that was given to her by an old man on the street.
During those seconds, she learned that those two little items were actually items that carried little tiny pieces of the Storm Knight kaijin, Medusina and Puffer, respectively.
Which threw her for a loop for two reasons.
The aforementioned kaijin had been dead for centuries, and from what Logos and Pathos told her, that should’ve been impossible. When a kaijin dies, regardless of the circumstances, they usually leave nothing behind as their remains don’t even crumble to dust or ash, just… nothingness.
Then again, she had just recently witnessed mortal warriors that had grafted on kaijin parts, so maybe Logos and Pathos needed to update their information.
Additionally, and disorientingly, the aforementioned remnants kept talking to her and treating her like a grandchild that hadn’t been seen in years by a pair of doting grandparents.
Granted, she didn’t even know her grandparents so this was a strange experience.
Thankfully, that weirdness came to an end when they arrived…to wherever these remnants wanted to go.
Unfortunately, it came with the added bonus of almost causing Jin Fang to plunge to her death as the energy bubble containing her had popped with very little warning.
“I got you!”
“Huh? Oh!”
However, this moment also allowed Zhen Liu to perform an act of chivalry by catching Jin Fang before she fell or started flying again.
At this point in time, Zhen Liu had actually dismissed his [Stigma] so he was able to lock eyes with his girlfriend and enjoy
“When did you get up here?”
“About the same time as you,” Zhen Liu answered while still holding Jin Fang like a princess. “Remember that Marlancer guy? He possessed me a couple seconds ago and deposited me up here before flying over there in the center.”
“Really? He’s alive?”
“Apparently.”
“Huh…”
“Ya know…I keep forgetting how nice your eyes are. Your new outfit really brings them out more.”
“Right back at ya, my lord,” Jin Fang laughed.”Though, I wish your armor would expose your face more.”
If they weren’t in the middle of an active warzone, this would’ve been rather romantic.
<<Well ain’t that cute. Reminds me of when I met my darling. Of course, I was the one doing the carrying at the time. He was also surprisingly shy.>>
“Eh?”
Then again, it would’ve also helped if there wasn’t another person nearby making color commentary.
No more than five or so feet away, Zhen Xun Tian was floating in the air while cross-legged, without her [Regalia] active. Not only that, but Zhen Liu could sense that something was off about her.
“Wait a minute…”
Of course, he made sure to put Jin Fang back on her feet before pointing out this incongruity.
As an Aether Emperor, Zhen Xun Tian’s energy should’ve been nigh imperceivable by all except warriors with equal or greater cultivation. However, when it came to the matters of [Chaos], such obfuscation was meaningless.
“Grandauntie…why does it feel like you’re missing a good chunk of your [Chaos]? Like you’re still producing it, but…”
“Oh shit, you noticed? I guess that’s [Chaos] cultivation for ya…anyways, turns out the tattoo on me was a bit more sentient than I gave it credit for, because it’s now over there for some reason.”
“Over-oh.”
“How did we not notice that first? Especially when there’s a severed arm involved.”
Floating only a couple feet above their heads, a rather eclectic group of items were present that seemed to have nothing in common with each other in the slightest, even when viewed through one’s aether senses. However, when viewed through the lens of [Chaos], one would notice that all of them carried a distinctive marker that belonged to one of the Storm Knights.
And now, after centuries of being apart from one another, all of the Storm Knights had gathered once more. In a spiritual manner at least.
The remnants of the Storm Knights continued to float in the air, orbiting in a mildly ominous manner, until the new Storm Knights had arrived.
[Captain!]
[Princess!]*2
“Oh, hey guys!”
[Finally!]*11
“What the fuck?!”
“The original Storm Knights?!”
Once they had arrived, the remnants began to surge with [Chaos], moments before exploding into ten spectral looking versions of the supposedly dead Storm Knights that proceeded kneel before Zhen Liu and Jin Fang with their heads bowed.
[We Storm Knights pay respects to the new Storm Queen and the new Kaijin Lord.]
[Well, it might be more accurate to say, this is our first and last respects, ha!,] a jellyfish-like Storm Knight joked.
[I thought you were going to comment on the fact that the daughter of our lord is now dating the current one,] a pufferfish-like Kaijin retorted.
[That’s unspoken!]
“Huh…a Hurricroak and Razorstella in every generation, I guess…”
Zhen Liu immediately recognized the visages of Marlancer, Krakelios and Grand Blue due to prior interactions with the people who owned their bits and bobs, and having personally slain one of them.
As for Jin Fang though, these kaijin were technically strangers to her….and yet…they felt incredibly familiar.
As she watches these warriors of old kneel before her, a memory that she could only recall in bits and pieces popped into her head.
She began to remember being in the arms of someone warm. As this memory played out though, it was soon interrupted by Grand Blue speaking up.
[In honor of the one who created us, and the ones who now carry our will, we Storm Knights of Old will now clear the way.]
Once he had made this declaration, all of the knights got to their feet.
[As we do, please use the time to fully digest your rightfully owed inheritance.]
“Eh?”
“What inheritance?”
[Bleh!]
[Whoa!]
[I got it.]
Without saying anything further, one of the Storm Knights that resembled a shark suddenly spat out a glowing blue ball of [Chaos] that was caught by the Neo Storm Knights.
Once this ball of light was handed off, the Old Storm Knights transformed into spiritual balls that flew downwards towards the gigantic Tor____.
The monstrous kaijin didn’t even notice as these spiritual balls of light made contact with it, as he was too busy being pushed against the rock formation that used to be the petrified remains of one of the Storm Knights.
[Haha! Looks like I’ll be the first to give the old bastard a pep talk!]
…Now back to the present…
Torta___’s physical being was being absolutely hammered by the beam of dragon force coming out of the [Shadow Sovereign]’s mouth.
But despite the sheer amount of pain he was experiencing from this moment, he didn’t pay attention to it in the slightest.
Instead, he was focusing on the fact that his old friends had somehow started talking in his head again, despite knowing that they were rendered into nothingness ages ago.
To say he was confused, relieved and pissed all at once was an understatement.
[How the fuck are you bastards even alive?! I saw your remains, I know that-]
[Okay, spoiler alert,] Medusina interjected, [we’re still dead! We’re a little more than echoes of the real things due to most of existences being erased. We still have some power left in these ghostly bodies, but it ain’t enough to fight back against big, bad and bony over there.]
[O-oh…]
[But it is enough for us to give you a little boost.]
[What?]
Before Tortall___ could get a clear explanation, Medusina’s visage began to turn into particles that began to suffuse across his body.
[Now let’s see…I think I should place myself…here!]
As this suffusion took place on a spiritual level, a minute yet noticeable change occurred on the physical…
