The icy wind strikes past her hair as she tightly holds onto his hairy neck, long and inhuman it is, ghastly to the touch. His long hands, no claws attached to his fingers, are holding her tight by her back and below her knees, safe in his grasp. With the cold wind's lick, her body shivered as she glanced down and around the land below her, so far away from her feet. So much she could see, so tiny and insignificant all seems above, the way this world looks through the eyes of a god, fragile and weak.

This must be how a god feels...A thought passed her head and her eyes laid themselves upon Ulbert's calm features. She was no longer scared of him, no longer feeling frightened by his menacing presence and chaotic power. Why did those fears disappear she does not know, but right now is not the time to question it, not until all this madness has been settled.

"Lord Ulbert?" She spoke to him as she stared down at the ground below, at the empty clouds surrounding her and the green trees making up the vast forests, staring at anything but his face.

"Yes Anna?" He swiftly replied, glancing at her ever so slightly.

"Why...Why have you spared me."

And so, the question that has been wandering in her mind for a long time has finally escaped her lips. Why is she is alive and well in his hands and not among those below, among those that will soon cease to exist. Why is she wearing the maid's outfit that he so generously gave her, why is it that she is treated so differently. A question she hopes will be answered.

"You remind me of someone. Someone who I held dear to my heart, perhaps that is the reason why I want you to stay close." He said in a sharp but uncertain voice. For the first time, Anna could feel the doubt in him, something she did not expect from the god-like creature before her.

"Oh...I see." And a moment later the two fell into silence once again, neither speaking until both descended at crossroads where Xavius stands, eagerly awaiting his lord. Beside him, the tavern owner and a couple of patrons, lay with their hands and feet tightly tied up with rope, gagged and helpless.

"Lord Ulbert!" Xavius dropped to his knee. "I have done as you asked."

"Good." He said as he let go of Anna who stood on her two feet next to him.

"That was quick Xavius, I am impressed." Ulbert continued, making Xavius's tail wag around in excitement.

"It pleasssesss me greatly to hear that my lord."

"I assume Noura is in the middle of casting the spell?"

"Yesss, asss we speak."

Ulbert shifted his gaze to the captured humans in front of him, who squeal as soon as they feel the pressure of his terrifying stare upon them.

"Which one of them is the tavern owner?"

"Thisss one." Xavius pointed at an old man dressed in plain, dirty clothes.

"Untie him."

"Please, please don't hurt me! I beg of you." The man said as soon as the gag was removed.

"Don't you dare raise your voice, human." Xavius said as he pointed his sharp nail near the man's neck, ready to be sliced as if a hot knife through butter.

"I have a few questions, and if you give me the answer I seek, I may spare your life."

With sweat running down his neck and swift breaths that release in puffs, the man looked at Xavius and then at Ulbert, his heart beating like a drum and his body refusing to even lift a finger.

There is only one choice to be made here, and he knows it. The two that stand in front of him do not bargain, they take what they want without questions, he has heard of them before in tales, but to see a beastmen in person is a rarity by itself.

Why are they here? There are no beastmen tribes near here, are they special unit? Yes, that is i-

And his eyes were laid on Anna. Not only a face belonging to a human but a face he recognizes well. She is not in chains and she does not look frightened. There is no way she is a prisoner, so what is she doing here? He thought before a deep voice awoke him.

"Do you know of a dwarf by the name of Tristan? I know he is not in the village, so I need to know where he was heading." Ulbert spoke with his hands behind his back.

The man thought for a moment and a frown of thought that was so visible on his face a second ago disappeared into excitement and relief.

"Yes!" He shouted before sharp pain struck his neck. Blood, red and vibrant escaped onto Xavisus's long nail, soon to be tasted by the long tongue that wiggled out of his mouth.

"Raise your voice again and you will die."

"P-Please forgive me!" He said as he averted his eyes from Xavius to Ulbert.

"I-I know of the dwarf you speak, he came to my tavern last night with a woman."

"How long did he stay for?"

"O-Only for a night."

"I assume you know where he was headed?"

"Y-yes, I have heard him and a woman deciding where to go, he wanted to go to the Kami Miyako while she wanted to head north towards E-Rantel."

"Where is Kami Miyako?" Ulbert asked as he turned to Anna.

"It is the capital of Slane Theocracy down in South, a month journey by foot."

"Slane Theocracy you say..." Ulbert thought for a long moment.

That name again...I am sure they are behind all of this. It would be worth chasing them.

"What do you think we should do Xavius? Give me your opinion."

"They know too much about you my lord, it would be wise to silence both of them as soon as possible. I believe the dwarf should be our priority."

Slane Theocracy must already know of our presence, hence why assassins were sent to aid Andras. A better question would be, how much more do they know?

"W-w-what i-is that?" The man struggled to speak as he looked up to the sky, seeing a meteor of great size make it way down onto the village. The light from it, so intense, blinded the man and Anna as they turned their heads away to try and shield their eyes, while Ulbert and Xavius stood unphased by the scenery in the distance.

It was a moment later after the blinding flash that the ground began to shake as the meteor made contact with the village, while debris forming of large rocks and trees have been sent flying at everything including Ulbert and the group.

"Shield wall!" A spell was cast by Xavius with his arms wide open and around the group, an invisible barrier appeared, shielding Anna, Ulbert and the prisoner from the deadly projectiles rushing at them with unbelievable speed.

"It seems Noura was successful," Ulbert said with a smile.

"She would never fail you my lord." Xavius replied as he turned and looked at the man whose face has lost all its colour.

"You are not beastmen." The man spoke with a silent chuckle. "You are far more horrifying...Evil Deities...Have returned to this world." He spoke as he looked into Ulbert's eyes, tears running down his cheeks.

"May Alah Alaf welcome me with open arms." He spoke and a moment later the head that was on his shoulders rolled across the mud, as Xavius took it off with a sharp, single swing.

"Evil Deities? What was he talking about?"

Ulbert glanced at Anna in search for an answer but instead, he saw her look at the fiery inferno raging on in the distance, her hands resting on her chest.

"Something on your mind?" He said as he approached her.

She let out a smile.

"No my lord..."

Hmm, I wonder if Anna thinks that this was a mistake. I do not see this as something more than a nuisance, my mind changed and no longer do I feel remorse. I know some did not deserve to die in there, children and those who did no wrong, yet I do not care.

"Lord Ulbert what ssshould I do with the ressst?" Xavius asked as he stood next to tavern patrons, his tongue wiggling about and his claw eager to cut.

"I do not see any use in them, do as you please." Ulbert replied as he pulled himself away from the thoughts.

"With pleasssure."

"Wait," Ulbert halted Xavius before reaching his hand out to where a small black portal appeared. Out of the black void, he pulled out a small simple backpack and out of the backpack a basic scroll from YGRDASSIL.

"Do you know what this is?" He said as held the scroll out to one of the patrons, who nodded as soon as Ulbert asked the question.

"Interesting."

More similarities with YGGDRASIL.

"Keep this one alive Xavius, I need to question him."

"Of courssse my lord," Xavius said as one by one the souls of those who were left squirmed out their bodies as their lives ended, while with a wide smile he fulfilled his orders.

Ulbert looked away for a moment, towards to sky and fire shining in the distance, wherefrom above, Noura began descending towards him and the rest. Her body falling to the knees as soon as her feet touched the mud.

With a satisfied face she looked up at her lord, Ulbert, awaiting his praise.

"You have done well Noura, I am happy with the results," Ulbert said with her tail wiggling around uncontrollably, easing down only a moment later as she regained control over her emotional body. The approval from the supreme one is all she desires, and but a fraction of it is enough to drive her mad, such pleasure and delight.

"Thank you my lord."

"Juz," Ulbert called out the goblin's name, and the small green creature appeared out of the shadows.

"Have you done as I asked?"

"Yes boss."

"Good. I want you to take this prisoner, and get as much information about this world as you can, and when you have done so, report back to me."

"You got it," Juz said as he approached the prisoner and put his hand on top of the man's head, and a moment later the two vanished in into thin air, leaving only black mist behind that would soon be cleared away by the wind.

"Now," Ulbert spoke as he faced all three of his followers, who now kneel before him.

"Xavius and Noura, you two will travel to Kami Miyako and find that dwarf, while I and Anna will head towards E-rantel and find the woman that attacked me during the summoning."

"Forgive me my lord, but it is too dangerous for you to travel alone. What if something were to happen to you?" Unsettled by Ulbert's words, Noura questioned while Xavius kept silent, although not saying a word, Ulbert knew he was against the idea.

"My well-being is something you should not worry about. Hunting the dwarf is not the only reason I want you to travel there, but also to gather intel. I have learned that it was the Slane Theocracy who helped with my summoning"

It will not cost me much if they die. Ulbert thought. After all, I can summon new minions again.

Ulbert has a job class of a Summoner, allowing him to summon high tier minions at the cost of his maximum mana. With two high levelled minions by his side, his total mana pool has been reduced by 30%, meaning that if he were to engage in a PvP without his summons, he would be in a disadvantage. A risk he is willing to take for intel.

"But my lord, please."

"You refuse my command?" Ulbert looked into Noura's eyes, his threatening gaze and pressure clenched her stomach while her throat refused to swallow.

"N-no my lord, I will do as I ask."

"Good, we head out immediately."

Note:

The chapter took a long a$$ time to be released, I know. But cs go/laziness kinda took over, couldn't help it.