Chapter 7 - Shadows of the Past, Flames of the Future.
"Brother, when you are going to the Purple Valley Academy that you were invited to, would you take me with you? I would love to come with you." Nailah, who was in Vhelgarr's room, asked with a begging look on her face.
Once Vhelgarr heard that, he quickly scanned his memory for such an invite. When he found it, he smiled and said to his sister, "Sure. Why not? I would even love that we go to most places together. So yea, you are coming with me."
"Really?" Nailah's voice immediately became full of excitement and joy. She could almost jump to the ceiling.
"Thank you big brother." She said while Vhelgarr nodded his head.
Initially, she had thought he would decline her request, as he had done many times in the past. But now, saying that he would in fact love that they went to many grand occasions together, caused her heart to flutter with joy.
Her excitement surged and she lunged forward to embrace him.
Vhelgarr simply smiled, embracing his sister back with love filling the depth of his eyes. But when he abruptly recalled her death in his past life, his eyes steeled and immediately filled with wrath.
After having his eyes shine with intense murderous and savage light for a few seconds, he detached from the affectionate embrace with his younger sister and said with sincerity in his tone, "I have not treated you well before, like refusing some of your requests which made you sad. But I have to correct that."
"So, starting today, every occasion, whether small or great that I would be invited to, you will come along with me to witness the whole thing for yourself."
"Also, when I leave for adventures, you will accompany me. But that's to places that are not too dangerous, where I would be able to keep an eye on you as I fight with others for hidden or buried resources."
Hearing what Vhelgarr said made Nailah's heart full of gladness, then she nodded her head, her twinkling eyes full of unbounded joy and excitement.
But what she didn't know was that Vhelgarr absolutely regretted not developing her strength to incredible levels in his past life.
However, now that he was graced with that opportunity again, he wouldn't miss it.
He had figured that even if he was to become a supreme-deity-killing warrior—a fighter capable of dominating a battle with large armies or hordes of lower and higher gods, he still needed to massively improve the strength of those around him.
So, he was going to start such a thing very early. He wouldn't rely on himself to do it all.
...
Seated in a large, incomparably majestic hall before a towering man with eyes that emitted wisps of violet-black flame was Thegarroth.
He had been summoned because of the letter that he sent to the Red Envoy Empire.
Then seated around this man, who was the Chadnezzar, were his Envoys, emitting palpable waves of power from their bodies.
"The Chadnezzar has received your letter, but he wants to know the reason why you won't accept the Staff of Garryshem." One of the Envoys asked, his voice deep and intimidating.
"Look, am I the only king around? Why not find some other king to give? Why me? That's what I would like to understand." Thegarroth fired back fearlessly.
The Chadnezzar's brows immediately furrowed. Then he broke a smile on his face.
"If you don't respect yourself, respect the Chadnezzar." Another Envoy said angrily.
"Yea, I have the utmost respect for the Chadnezzar. But it isn't him I am talking to at the moment. It's you guys." Thegarroth said calmly, while the Envoys simply shook their heads, visibly frustrated.
"Your son, how did he know about the Staff of Garryshem?" The Chadnezzar suddenly asked, his eyes becoming something really dreadful to look at. But Thegarroth met his gaze anyway, unflinching.
"Great Chadnezzar, I am sure my boy must have overheard it when my wife was probably discussing it with me. That boy is one excellent eavesdropper."
"If you had that bastard as a son, he would definitely know all your secrets. Every single one of them." Thegarroth replied, shaking his head like he was helpless to the special eavesdropping ability of his son.
Though he didn't know how Vhelgarr knew about it, he was absolutely sure that he wasn't eavesdropping. He could only come up with that answer at the spot, to protect his son from the probe of the Chadnezzar.
"Hmm." The Chadnezzar muttered.
"Why did your wife write us the letter and not you?" One of the Envoys, who seemed to not be happy with the development, suddenly asked. It was like he wanted the Chadnezzar to be angry at Thegarroth.
Then he asked further, fury amplifying the loudness of his voice, "Do you not respect the Chadnezzar? Don't you know wives of kings aren't supposed to write to the Chadnezzar, except the kings of those kingdoms?"
"Oh really? Is that like an unspoken rule or something? Well, I didn't know that. So, don't put that blame on me, envoy."
"If you don't want that to happen next time by some other king, then it should be made into a law. As simple as that. Don't sit there and try to blame me for what I know nothing about."
"Also, I vividly recall my wife saying "we would write a letter to the Chadnezzar." Why didn't you correct her then, that it should be me who should write the letter instead? Assuming you informed us that only kings could write to the Chadnezzar, none of this misunderstanding would occur. Well, I have taken note of that and it won't happen next time."
"By the way, if I may ask, why bring up such a thing? How does it relate to what we are discussing here? Or you have the intention of exchanging a few blows with me? Because I don't know where this is coming from."
"Lastly, to inform you. I don't know about your wife, but my wife is equally as capable as me." Thegarroth said confidently, looking at the Envoy in the eyes who stared back at him with great displeasure rocking the depth of his sharply gazing eyes.
"Gentlemen, it's okay." The Chadnezzar suddenly said, breaking the palpable tension crackling in the atmosphere around them.
Then he said to Thegarroth, "You can take your leave now. The meeting we summoned you for is over."
Thegarroth stood to his feet and clasped his fist in front of him, saying with great reverence in his tone, "The Great Chadnezzar, do pardon my excesses."
"This humble servant will take his leave now."
Once he said that, he bowed at the waist and turned around to leave the massive, extravagantly decorated hall they were in.
As he walked into the distance, towards the large, gleaming door of the palatial hall to leave, the Chadnezzar stared at him with eyes that had a certain cryptic light flickering in them.