Chapter 1677: The Heart Wants what the Hearth Wants
’Look alive guys, looks like we’re in stage two.’
After having blown away Zhen Liu and the kaijin, Infernola began to undergo a subtle metamorphosis.
Physically speaking, he looked the same as he did this entire battle.
Spiritually speaking, though, the change was more noticeable.
It hadn’t dawned on them until this exact moment, but Infernola’s aura was actually quite unstable and weaker than what Zhen Liu and Kaijin had anticipated.
They had initially assumed this was a result of Copper’s affinities being incompatible with the invading [Flame of Ambition], but now they knew that wasn’t the case.
The instability and weakness was due to the motherfucker still being in the process of digesting their ill-gotten gains.
[You know, I was actually quite ecstatic when I performed my first aether art in this new form,] Infernola began to monologue as the kaijin readied to defend themselves. [But now I’m curious to see if I can do it again.]
As soon as that ominous sentence left his mouth, the area around the shiny metal fucker began to feel noticeably hotter.
[Ember Storm!]
’Scramble or block! Scramble or block!’ Zhen Liu commanded as repositioned his [Taboo] so that Hurricroak wouldn’t get hit.
[Whoa!]
[Incoming!]
With a wave of their hands, Infernola released a storm of burning embers that rapidly flew towards Zhen Liu and the kaijin in an aggressive manner.
If this was a normal aether art, neither the kaijin nor Zhen Liu would react in this defensive manner. Their innate [Chaos] would’ve simply negated and destroyed such an attack with contemptuous ease.
However, Infernola wasn’t a normal aether warrior and this attack wasn’t a normal aether art.
Every single ember was infused with the [Flame of Ambition], which Logos and Pathos established had just enough [Chaos] in it to actually cause some damage to the kaijin.
And unlike the wild lashes from earlier, these attacks were actually fired with purpose and significantly more concentrated power.
So much so that the kaijin were forced to use actual defensive techniques as opposed to just using their limbs.
The result of doing the latter were...painful.
[Ow! Son of a bitch!]
[Razorstella, what’s wrong?] Nepherage asked as she threw up a stone shield to block the embers.
[My leg is getting burned from coming into contact with those embers,] Razorstella explained. [That fucker is actually getting stronger.]
[Fuck.]
This frantic sentiment was shared with all of the kaijin currently fighting as independent beings.
They knew that wrong move and they would end up perforated with enough burning holes to
On the flip side, the kaijin currently fused with Zhen Liu were significantly calmer.
Why?
Because one of the kaijin currently fused with the man was explicitly designed to fight fire-aligned opponents.
’Frosttusk?’
[On it.]
Instead of dodging or using fancy aether arts to defend against the embers, Zhen Liu relied on Frosttusk’s innate abilities in tandem with his own [Stigma] to block the embers.
The results were...kind of mixed.
Frosttusk’s innate abilities allowed Zhen Liu to mitigate most of the heat and flames coming off the embers, but there was a weird secondary component to these flames that still managed to sneak through.
Zhen Liu wasn’t entirely sure what this secondary component was exactly, but it definitely stung.
...
’Ow. Ow! What the fuck is causing that stinging sensation?!’
[I’m not entirely sure,] Frosttusk answered. [But it’s stinging my ass too.]
[Wait...I think I know what this is,] Blazejudicator answered. [Executor, use the Flame of Humility.]
’Got it.’
...
Eventually getting annoyed by the constant stinging, Zhen Liu finally lashed out with a blast of light green flames that seemed to instill a sense of [Humility] in all who saw it.
The flames, unexpectedly, immediately snuffed out the embers that were being thrown his way.
...
’What the fuck?’
[I was right,] Blazejudicator snorted with a sense of pride. [That asshole’s flames is kind of like Flames of Vice and Virtue, except his is focused on Ambition, which is like an offshoot of Pride. I don’t think I need to explain how you’ll be able to deal with him from here on out?]
’No, you do not.’
...
Seeing the success of this little attack of his, Zhen Liu immediately followed it up with an even bigger blast of flames.
[Flames of Humility!]
Light green fireballs began to manifest around Zhen Liu in a halo formation until he threw his hand forward and sent the balls flying towards Infernola.
[Whoa there!]
Infernola expected retaliation, but not at this very moment. As such, a couple of the fireballs managed to impact Infernola and force the burning man of copper to stop his attack early and take several steps back to avoid further injuries.
This should’ve been the moment where the other Kaijin would swoop in and jump on Infernola like the bitch he was, but they didn’t.
They could all sense that this act of retreating wasn’t that simple, as they could feel the building of aether and something else inside of Infernola.
[You know, I just remembered something funny about you monsters,] Infernola said as soon he realized that the kaijin weren’t actively pursuing. [It’s that the lot of you have rather sensitive ears. Sorrow Note!]
’Oh fuck!’
Infernola slammed a metal fist against his chest, releasing a ringing sound that caused everyone in the room to double over with tears in their eyes and sobs in their throats.
[Sorrow Note], however, didn’t cause any physical damage.
It’s main effect was to force any who heard to either become overwhelmed with sorrow, or forced to live through a memory that would then fill them with sorrow...usually.
For the kaijin, it was an extreme case of the former.
For Zhen Liu, it was a bit of a mix of both.
For Serena the Hearth Tender, the girl who had yet to fight, it was a bad case of the latter.
Although, it should be noted that this particular aether art has a chance of backfiring if the target of the art happens to be reminded of a memory that illicited more than sorrow.
...Uh Oh...
As soon as the [Sorrow Note] hit Serena’s ears, a very recent memory of hers had decided to resurface.
It was the last conversation she had with her sister before she had ultimately died.
...
"Sister, are you sure it’s still safe for us to be here in the city? The council itself said that—"
"Oh, when did you start to care about what the council thought? You’re the one who often said that they were nothing more than a bunch of old bastards who did nothing but wax poetic and took hard-earned money away from honest folks."
"Yes, but that was when we weren’t at war with an empire led by a bloodthirsty psychopath. And now they’re sending undead soldiers to our walls! I’m just saying that—"
"I know, Serena. I know you’re just worried...tell you what? If we can find a lull in the fighting, you and I can go to the beach."
"Really?"
"I’ll just say it’s for a religious retreat. In reality, we’ll be swimming, fishing, and enjoying tropical fruit as the breeze blows through our hair. It’ll be a grand old time."
"That does sound nice...are you sure the [Sacred Flame] will approve though?"
"Who do you think gave me the idea to lie about the retreat?"
"Ha!"
"Now, with that out of the way. I still have...wait...someone has arrived this late at night? Why are they..."
... Memories of a better time, always feel bitter...
"Alfina..."
After that little conversation, Serena remembered the rest of the memory.
Later that night, a group of the Erupting Dawn Emperor’s sons had appeared and came to beg for help in curing their father of his injuries.
They promised that if she did, then they would end the war and pay reparations.
Serena had doubts, which she had shared, but it was ultimately up to Alfina in that situation.
She had agreed and Serena was forced to wait in the room next door with the princes while Alfina did her best in tending to the Emperor’s wounds.
And then...and then...
"It happened. She sacrificed herself to save me" Serena said to herself, as wisps of [Sacred Flame] left her mouth. "And I had failed..."
...Wait, what happened?...
Serena memory of that evening wasn’t wrong, just jumbled.
The intruder had actually kicked down the door and attack the princes, that was true.
They had been defeated before they even had a chance to do anything, that was true too.
But Serena wasn’t injured in that moment.
In fact, she had actually hidden herself away until the intruder had rip open the door and went on to attack Alfina and the injured Erupting Dawn Emperor.
Once she had seen that the intruder had gone on the attack, though, something in Serena compelled her to move.
She didn’t know why she did it, she just knew that if she didn’t then her sister was going to be in trouble.
In reality, though, she was the one who was going to be in trouble.