The method that Yggdrasil had developed to assist images in healing was a rather complex application of Glittering Leaves of Yggdrasil, Golden Roots of Yggdrasil, and Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil in conjunction. Energy from the roots, run through the leaves to add mental clarity and healing. Condense all that potent energy into sap, or the image of sap, and then rub it like a salve over the wounded image. Now, as Randidly set about Lady Iellaya’s requested healing, he was largely out of gas for his images. But the weight of his Skill Levels was more than enough to accomplish what he wanted.

Or at least Randidly hoped that was the case.

Congratulations! Your Skill Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil (L) has grown to Level 193!

And to add a little extra oomph, Randidly used one of the three wishes from Sam’s Sun’s Teardrop Belt. The warmth and energy of the sun synergized extremely well with the Yggdrasil Skills, and Randidly noticed a difference almost immediately to Lady Iellaya as he applied the Skill to her.

Her image, even wounded as it was, was a frightfully powerful midnight blackbird. Yet the darkness of Nether had eaten large holes into the image, hollowing out some of its power. As best he could, Randidly fed the warm energy of the salve into those large wounds and watched as the supple fabric of her image began to knit itself together.

That was what impressed most of all. For all its potent weight, Lady Iellaya’s image was as supple and flexible as the wind. With Randidly’s assistance, she began to fold the image over the wounds as though they were never even there.

Still, Randidly didn’t relax. He was still very close to his limits in terms of Willpower, and he didn’t want to inflict any damage to Lady Iellaya due to a mistake. After all, it was clear from the fact that she was willing to show this extremely pale and wane version of herself to him that he was becoming increasingly trusted.

Apparently working myself to the bone today had an effect, Randidly thought tiredly. But then he shook his head and continued about his work.

It was only after he had used a second of the Sun’s Teardrop Belt’s wishes and Lady Iellaya looked markedly better that Randidly sat back on his haunches and asked the question that had been bothering him. “So why is the Nether Prince so important?”

When he had arrived, Lady Iellaya had also given a short explanation of why it was necessary that Randidly continue to push himself to heal her, which Randidly appreciated. Yet what Randidly wondered was why Lord Miln would risk offending the Commanders for the Nether Prince.

Lady Iellaya stood tentatively up from her chair with Abiodun hovering protectively at her side. But after grimacing in obvious discomfort at the state of the remaining physical wound, Lady Iellaya waved Abiodun away and stood on her own. “Nether… well, if I had to compare it… a Nether Prince is like an egg.”

While listening, Randidly eyed the wound on Lady Iellaya’s shoulder, inwardly torn. He could clearly sense the lingering dense Nether that continued to nag at her. Due to its presence, Lady Iellaya would need to expend a bit more energy before she could heal her physical body cleanly. It was possible for him to remove it. And yet…

Randidly’s gaze was heavy as he looked up at Lady Iellaya. We might be starting to trust each other… but I hope to get my Fate and Level 50 before I tell you everything I can manage.

Seeing Randidly’s look and probably taking it for confusion, Abiodun smoothly continued to explain. “The Nether is composed of great systems of connections. Energy and things like memories, sensations, and desires flow along these connections… and when enough of… any of these things are gathered, a Nether Prince is born.

“Those memories or powerful emotions start to cling to each other… then the develop their own sort of gravity as the gathered forces mutate. If given sufficient time… that node of ‘something’ will develop sentience: that is the awakened Nether King that comes from a Nether Prince. And it is the most fearsome of all of the Nether’s soldiers. Because those desires or memories the beings are based upon are often extremely powerful. That’s why the Nether Prince formed in the first place.”

“In addition,” Lady Iellaya said quietly as she began to slip back into her armor. “It is widely recognized that when you crack open a Nether Prince early… you have a few moments to view those powerful memories that created it. To us who seek to sharpen our images… it is very beneficial. Likely Lord Miln wishes to break open the Nether Prince and empower himself with the memories within.”

“So its a bit of a gamble, that something good will be within,” Randidly said thoughtfully. But inwardly his brain was frantically surging forward, so fueled by the excitement that the weariness of the day seemed to be finally shaken. This could be exactly the thing that Randidly was looking to in order to condense a Nether focus for the Grim Chimera. Plus, if what he needed was memories, Randidly had the Alpha Cosmos to draw from-

“Honestly, no.” Lady Iellaya sighed. “It isn’t a gamble, truly. After all… although it is impossible to predict the formation of a Nether Prince, the fact that it did form guarantees that there is a powerful memory at the core of it. But what is shocking is that the personal power he could gain from the Nether Prince is more important than the goodwill of his Commanders. That speaks… volumes toward his predicted tenure here.”

Before Randidly could ask another question, Lady Iellaya straightened sharply and looked to the South. Then she turned to him. “Thank you again for managing to heal me, even the slightest bit… but I’m afraid that is all the time we have. I believe I must now meet with my fellow Commanders. Get some rest, Ghosthound… this is just the beginning. We survived today… but this was just the vanguard. One river that flows outward from a vast sea.”

Biting his cheek, Randidly nodded and turned away. For a couple of meters the curiosity about the Nether Prince sustained him in walking quickly and directly, but by the time he reached the bottom of the staircase to the command platform, Randidly’s vision was swimming. With a grimace on his face, Randidly paused to lean his forehead against the cool stone of the fortification.

Heh, probably a good thing Lady Iellaya sent me away when she did, Randidly thought rather wryly. I’m almost at my limit-

“Are you alright?”

Recognizing the voice, Randidly straightened. Soot stained and bloody, Vualla stood behind Randidly while looking at him with concern crinkling the corners of her eyes. Both her hands were behind her back and her hair was peaking wildly from its tight braid. But Randidly’s vision locked onto one singular detail.

Tucked behind her ear was the azure lily that Randidly cracked open the ground in front of her to give her after she faced the Nether Gatekeeper.

“Heh,” Randidly smiled widely, or as wide as he could manage. But he could tell by the fact the tight lines in the corner of Vualla’s eyes remained that she could tell how exhausted he was. “Give me a few hours and I’ll be back to normal. I’m just… glad. That you got my flower, I mean. It was for you so-”

Vualla giggled. “Well, I’m glad that I didn’t accidentally intercept a flower that you were sending to someone else… and, ah, thank you. I don’t know… I’ve probably never been… just like… given something. From someone who… from anyone. So… thanks. I honestly love it.”

“Yea,” Randidly said tiredly. And honestly, he was glad that he was so exhausted that he didn’t have any energy left to be embarrassed at the warm affection in her voice.

“I brought you something, as repayment.” Vualla produced a glass flask from behind her back and popped off the cork. “I figured it was only fair… and I bet it will really hit the spot after the battle.”

Randidly grinned despite himself as he took the flask. She brought him… liquor? Could they even get drunk with their high Stats? Well, if the Nexus made alcohol tailor-made to affected them even through their Stats… Yet with how tired Randidly already was, a sip or two would likely ensure that she needed to carry him back to his tent.

...or was that exactly what she was aiming for…?

But all it took was a single sniff of the flask to stop Randidly’s thoughts dead. He looked at Vualla in shock, then drank from the bottle. His adam’s apple bobbed twice as the refreshing and tart juice slid down his throat.

Randidly wiped his mouth. “That’s fucking orange juice.”

Laughing, Vualla nodded. “Yea. It’s my favorite. And honestly, I don’t know much about you, so I just thought…”

After taking another drink, Randidly asked. “How did you get orange juice… out here? With Nether trying to kill us constantly…”

“It helps to know someone in the supply train.” Vualla winked. But then Vualla looked somewhat guiltily over at the bottle. “Ah… It’s only…”

Randidly tipped the bottle up and finished off the rest of the orange juice in a huge gulp. “God that’s amazing. But are you alright? I watched, you know. As you fought against the Nether Gatekeeper… and crushed it. Congratulations.”

After shaking herself, Vualla smiled a tight smile at Randidly. She scanned his face for several seconds, then relaxed into a nod. “Yes. I did. And… I wish I could cut off its head and take it back to my father’s grave. It obviously wasn’t the Nether Gatekeeper that killed him, but… its proof. Proof that I’ve become powerful enough to make him proud.”

“I’m sure he was always proud of you,” Randidly said quietly.

Vualla shook her head, but she didn’t reply. Instead, she turned away and looked up at the Great Rift above them. “There is one good thing about this war, you know. It will spur us onward. Force us to find our own Paths. I can feel it already. I don’t think… I don’t think I could have managed this in my past life. Without… you know...”

Randidly nodded. “We will keep getting stronger without having to sacrifice ourselves. We can grasp power while still caring about things other than power.”

“One fist at a time. One step at a time further down our Path,” Vualla’s eyes began to release a soft azure light.

As Randidly’s eyes grew emerald to mirror her intensity, he showed his teeth. “Using the walls in front of us to climb higher and higher. Until that day finally comes…”

Pirouetting on her heel, Vualla twisted until she faced not toward the Great Rift, but the high rocky outcropping of headquarters. “...that we can tear down this Nexus that has exploited us.”

“Brick by brick,” Randidly turned to follow her gaze. The embers of heat in his chest from the Nether RItual began to stir inside of him. He wondered if she could feel them too.

“Pound of owed flesh by pound of owed flesh.” Vualla hissed. “There will be a reckoning. A debt is owed to us, Randidly Ghosthound. It is not the head of a Nether Beast that I want to lay on my father’s grave.”

Randidly licked his lips. “And we will collect, won’t we, Vualla Meteo?”

Then the two shared a smile, but there was not soft emotions or kind fondness in their expressions. For a split second, the Grim Chimera faced the specter of the first Heretic in the System’s existence, both anticipating the price they would exact as vengeance. Their eyes reflected the rivers of blood they would traverse to reach their goal.

Their mouths were slightly open, revealing an almost mirror perfect pair of hungry ambitions. The fire between them swirled higher, carrying them along with its momentum.

"Or we will die," Vualla said lightly. Her hand reached sideways and took his.

"All things die," Randidly's chest burned with heat.

"All things?" Vualla asked, and now Randidly was sure that she felt it too. The ritual passing between them. The promise.

The Path and the beginnings of a Fate.

The heat had become so intense that Randidly could barely speak. The words came out in a whisper. "All things… Even the Nexus."