Bonded Summoner

Interlude 3 - Nessa - Serpent of the Frigid Lake

The Cinder Colossus punched out, several Norse men and women taking its blow using [Shield Wall]. The magical auras surrounding the warrior’s shields held the monster’s momentum back, allowing each warrior to stab into the massive creature’s knuckles and arm.

Valkyries swarmed the large humanoid, piercing spears of holy flames and lightning into the monster’s ashen flesh. Attacks from all directions rained down on the immense giant, the Battlegroup poised to defeat this Greater Rift together.

Nessa’s water spread out beneath the enemy, expending large quantities of her heavenly energy to produce the frigid lake in the large, flat arena. The stage generated was little more than a large coliseum, which she was thankful for. It made it easier to make her lake useful.

The heavenly energy of her bloodline didn’t even steam as it made contact with the ashen monster’s volcanic flesh, reducing the monster’s heat and turning the bottom of its feet to stone. Her waters were well below freezing, only their mystical powers keeping them fluid.

Astalder, one of the strongest Norse warriors aiding Nessa in reclaiming Vanirland, cleaved into the creature’s thigh with his large hand axes. A true norseman decked in armor, his rage-enhanced magical aura billowed off him in waves as he roared, and swung his other axe into the demon’s knee.

She grimaced as the reflections of all the warriors present in her lake entered her view. Her divine trait, [Heart’s Reflection], showed the truth of these supposed allies.

Most of the valkyries present looked just as beautiful as they appeared, but many of the men they were attached to looked more grotesque and terrible than the same monster they were fighting.

Astalder was a warrior known for his strength, valiance, and talent. Like many maidens, Nessa had been excited to meet the stalwart warrior after hearing of his greatness. But the sight of his reflection in her water’s bore the truth: his heart was tarnished.

Through his reflection, she could see it through even his armor. Envy marred his skin like painful scars along his body, while his excessive pride manifested a sickly color. His wrath billowed off him just like his rage energy, and his greed twisted and altered his face into that like a demon.

The manifestations on him were not actually that bad and far from the worst she’d seen, but it was enough to turn her stomach.

Water rose from her forming lake, creating blades of water and ice and crashing them into the enemy. The water pierced the flaming demon’s flesh, reducing his health along with her allies.

A chuckle entered her ears, followed by a motherly voice. [You shouldn’t be so picky, descendant of mine. To err is human, and to love a man requires you embrace their imperfections just as you do their strengths. Surely, you don’t believe that you yourself are without flaws?]

Nessa sighed. Her bloodline familiar, her ancestor present in her spiritual sea never hesitated to point out those flaws. The woman, or creature’s presence was entirely new, her father shoving Nessa into this strange new vessel.

She was originally born a Norse Cleric of her father, Tyr, but she had died during a war games just before a world was outright lost. Her father paid a price to rescue her, and for a change, she was meant to become a partner of a great warrior and fight to win a young Frontier Sector.

According to her father, that somehow fell through, and she was forced to start again from level one in that same Sector.

For some strange reason, her father wanted her to become a cultivator this time, despite being a strong proponent of the Framework itself. Sure, her mother was one, but born in a Core Sector as a Norse, Nessa originally had a mana core.

When Nessa awoke, she had no idea how to use this heavenly energy at all, and had to infuriatingly collect her first credits killing lowly creatures with a crude mace to buy her first cultivation manual.

Her father hadn’t even left a note, and she was more than a little confused.

Thankfully, she received a not-so-subtle hint from a cultivator passerby that her father likely had her meet through machinations. Because of this, she picked up a bloodline unlocking pill, and that did wonders for her ability to level up.

Dusky Sky Sect? She never heard a name of a guild that sounded more ridiculous. Still, she couldn’t help but be glad for it.

While her bloodline familiar was sometimes like a nagging mother, her wisdom and experience was tremendously helpful in mastering…well, everything that she needed to be successful. She’d be utterly stuck without her, and forced to use that first crummy manual she purchased.

Nessa shuddered. She would have been stuck sitting in a ridiculous cave for months and years if she had used that thing!

[Aw, that was almost like a compliment! You know, I am your Nana after all. If you just listened to my wisdom, then there would be no need to nag. That you see me as a nag is not my fault, but yours. When looking for fault between us, you should peer at your reflection a little more. Well, perhaps you do that a little too much already. I get that your appearance has changed, but just how much time should a girl spend in front of a mirror?]

She couldn’t help but look in her mirror, seeing her changed state. Her hair and eyes were blue now, and her skin was a pale white. Now, she was the spitting image of her mother, and she couldn’t help but look in a mirror fondly.

Groaning at her nag’s recrimination, Nessa began creating mirrors of ice, and creating a mist surrounding the boss. Her allies continued to pummel the enemy, holding him in place as she prepared her most powerful attack.

Her katana was ready to be drawn, as she gathered her Qi into it, and they reduced the boss’s health further.

It was still a shock that the Framework aided her by connecting to her dead grandmother. Her mother had become a spirit of an ancient frigid lake before meeting her traveling father. She rolled her eyes every time her mother told the story of meeting her father, the Norse gods really were sluts that would have sex with anything.

Nessa’s ancestor, the one speaking in her mind, was a sort of water serpent. How one could become a spirit of a lake from that was beyond Nessa.

Her ancestor chuckled, [With much time and much effort, I assure you. That said, do you think this warrior your father is setting you up with will be any different from these you see here? You should lower your expectations a tad, and just let your bestial instincts take over. When I met your grandfather, I wouldn’t say he was exactly good-looking, but when he swept me away in his powerful, unending coils–]

Nessa mentally groaned, “I don’t need to hear about two snakes getting it on! It’s not just looks, but the feeling I get, and you know that. Then, ever since I was reborn in this body…”

Her ancestor paused. [It is true. Us serpents of the frigid lake seek and value purity. Both for ourselves, and our partners. Still, this warrior your father seeks to set you up with, how can he be any different? Didn’t he tell you he already has several mates? Just how pure could he be?]

Nessa felt a mental smirk coming from her serpent familiar. [Surely, you’ve met other warriors pure of heart? Well, once we’ve won this world, we should be able to communicate with your father’s contact once more. I’m curious, what does my son-in-law, Tyr, look like in the reflection?]

“Father looks like most Divine that allow me to see–an embodiment of his Eternal Essence. He is the personification of truth and justice, of strength and war. Divine’s forms are perfection, or just as they choose them to be. The rest obscure themselves, but father and his allies are all the same. Regarding warriors pure of heart, they do exist. But they are either too weak or already taken and monogamous, or otherwise…incompatible with me. Father assured me this child of the void would be passable under my gaze, and properly strong and heroic to match his number of wives.”

[Passable like that odd fellow in the Battlegroup that likes to position himself behind you, like that somehow obscures him? He won’t even stand in your lake, his distrust of you is obvious. That one feels dangerous.]

Nessa was well aware of the interloper. As a daughter of Tyr who inherited a portion of his essence, a permanent War Games from his enemies made her ever-wary. Her first death was a stark reminder, and now she was ever careful.

It was clear this man wore an artifact, which blocked her trait and made him seem without flaw. However, the artifact wasn’t perfect, and she could feel something about him was wrong.

She knew that the man had positioned himself and his allies to take her Merit for this Greater Rift, otherwise, he wouldn’t bother joining.

Rising through Foundation Establishment rapidly thanks to her ancestor, her Guild had paced itself to take ownership of this Contested Fringe World.

However, Loki, Ares, and their allies had a vendetta against Tyr for never backing down on their wrongdoings. They would doubly move against any of his actions and interests, denying him any resources within the Sector.

After all, each world obtained was a part of the grand game’s war chest. Recruits, research on equipment and magical technology, resources for crafting, and most importantly: planets for leverage in War Trials brought guilds and alliances to higher stages of the conflict.

Without many worlds or more powerful ones, Nobles would be relegated to following under another’s banner. Then, they would not be able to obtain the main prize, ownership of the Sector itself.

The man’s presence bothered Nessa. Even if he somehow could slay her and take credit for the Greater Rift, it was against the accords. If any of her people survived, they could call for judgement from the council.

[Looks like you have some turncoats in your midsts, or perhaps you might call them fence sitters. If the interloper slays you, they will side with him and murder the rest. It appears that your allies aren’t as trustworthy as you once thought.]

Nessa grimaced, as her mirrors finished forming underwater. Could Loki and Ares really be holding something over enough of the people present?

She had carefully selected warriors to join her Guild from among the Norse here on Vanirland, and the idea that enough would go along with an attack so blatant was more than a little concerning.

Unfortunately, even doing so, she couldn’t come up with enough strong warriors for the Greater Rift, and this was why he had to take the extra party.

Ready to launch her attack, Nessa smirked. While she was wary from her previous death, she had some pride in her strength now. If she faced her previous self, she would have no difficulties defeating her easily. This child of Loki or Ares would underestimate her, and–

Her ancestor chuckled, [Be careful, child. You have grown, and you have every reason to be proud of your strength. But betrayers are cowards, and only attack when they are sure of victory. You have held back and hid your strength, but you are not the only one with special means. If you’ll listen to this old nag, pretend any opening is a trap.]

Properly chastised, Nessa finished channeling her frigid energy into her blade. Despite the ground being only a thin layer of water around their feet, her body began sinking into the water.

Within a moment, her entire body was submerged within her lake, a separate space. Feeling at home and as one with her lake, she closed her eyes and took one breath of time to gather her focus.

Ever since awakening her bloodline, she had felt truly at home within the water. Nessa knew it was some water serpent thing, but it being a part of her felt truly special. Something about it resonated with her, and she desired to explore the feeling further.

Before, she had lived only for justice as her father desired and ordered, and her lake she cultivated was like a sliver of heaven she carved for herself.

Opening her eyes and stirring her Qi, her mirrors rose from the water. She used the mirrors of ice to gaze on the battlefield. The many Norse warriors and their support slashed deep into the Colossi’s tendon, bringing the monster down to one knee.

Its neck dipped below the mirror’s height, and that was just what she needed. Several serpents of water erupted from her still lake, only one containing herself with her blade. Only those watching her mirrors could know her true position, but the Colossi’s mind was incapable of understanding.

The serpents of water moved at a rapid speed, and the giant swatted at one of them. However, she was safe in another, and she drew her blade and slashed deeply into the monster’s neck, sending a shower of lava blood in her wake. The wound quickly turned to stone, as the power of her frigid lake invaded and froze even the creature’s hot blood.

Her body within the serpent landed in the lake, her other water serpents merely sending more cold energy into the monster’s body. Only one was capable of dealing significant damage, the one that held her true self inside.

Nessa’s icy heavenly energy had now deeply infiltrated the monster, the water the creature crouched in now invading it further as well. The monster’s strength was powered by its heat, and it was now significantly weakened.

However, it roared with rage, and the heat within its chest burned brighter. It fought against her invading energies, despite the reduction in heat, and the loss of blood.

It punched out at Astalder as it attempted to stand. The fist sent him flying through the air, his body shattering one of her mirrors. Astalder’s blood, and shards of frigid ice fell into her lake, a wave of frustration entering her as her lake was tarnished.

The lava blood had filled the monster’s leg, healing its wound enough to stand, and fight at nearly its full strength once more.

“It still won’t go down! We need one more, child of Tyr!” Astalder’s Valkyrie entreated, her face filled with worry. The many Battlegroup members rained more attacks onto the creature, but its tough ashen flesh was difficult to deal a significant wound.

They fought while keeping themselves safe, an unguarded single blow from the Colossi enough to nearly kill them.

Astalder’s rib cage had shattered, much of his bones piercing into his own flesh. Receiving healing from his Rune Priest, he was out of the fight for now.

Nessa had used much of the energy contained within her blade for that strike. To do another would leave her weak–according to what they understood of her.

The bloodline ancestor chuckled, [Such bad acting, that Astalder is definitely in on this. I’ve picked out who have no idea what’s going on, so just focus on defeating your enemy–and I don’t mean the Colossi.]

Once again, she sent several serpents of water. This time, all were focused on the back of the creature’s wounded leg, allowing her to strike the same point from any one of them. Nessa also invested some Qi in her reflection, an illusionary clone that those standing within her lake would be unable to ignore.

Her slash cut deeply into the back of the monster’s leg, but from a challenging angle. Those watching her reflections would see what she wanted them to see, her illusion or clone being the one to cut.

Frigid energies pierced deeply into the monster’s leg, spreading up and toward the monster’s core. Its leg turned to stone, cracking and falling apart below the knee.

The monster was forced to its other knee as attacks rained upon it, needing a hand to balance itself and keep it from falling face first onto the ground. Now, it would scarcely be able to defend itself, the Battlegroup whittling it down safely.

Golden hexagons of the Framework appeared, surrounding the battlefield as a black energy held it back. Space locked down around her clone, and a spear pierced through its shoulder from behind, the spear’s head protruding from the front of its chest.

Nessa’s visage was revealed, her watery reflection unable to maintain the form of water. She tried to move her clone, but truly found it trapped as the man held her in the air with his spear.

Had she been there, she would be in this predicament as well, skewered by his spear 3 meters in the air.

The man with a blurred appearance laughed. “Where are you going, child of Tyr? You know, for a beacon of truth, your attacks sure are duplicitous.”

One of her trusted valkyries entreated, “What is the meaning of this? You can’t do this, we are still fighting the boss!”

Normally, it would be impossible to go against the Framework and attack an ally within a Greater Rift on purpose. War Games were only allowed to be fought within the cities and headquarters, to never give an advantage to Tartarus.

But the man must have used some special means, a highly illegal item which would cause him great trouble if it was reported. Tartarus’s involvement in creating this item was clear, as it was even helping prevent the Framework from interfering.

Odds were, the man was the only one able to attack her directly. The rest would only be able to aid him, indirectly. Thankfully, they’d be fair game if they did, but the man was a challenge enough on his own.

Nessa’s real body had returned to the lake, and using her remaining mirror, she once again observed the battlefield. Two groups quickly formed, those that were either loyal to her or otherwise didn’t know what was going on, and those that stood on the side of the man with the blurred face.

The boss fought against those loyal with renewed purpose, as the several allies had let up. Various norse warriors kept it at bay with a Shield Wall once more, but even weakened, its punches were pushing them apart.

The man removed his mask, revealing it to be Avaron, son of Loki. Nessa nearly exploded from the water at that moment, as she was filled with rage–

[Keep your calm if you want to find victory. Remember what I said. He would want nothing more for you to reveal yourself now. It looks like he wants to talk first, bide your time and make your best strike.]

It was the man who killed her before, that sent her to be reborn into this vessel in the first place. They had lost that world as a result of his tampering, as countless civilians were lost forever.

His terrible looks were shown in her lake’s reflection, and her stomach roiled at the man’s sins revealed. Like a monster living in a man’s flesh, Avaron looked more grotesque than any demon she’d seen.

His four allies gathered behind him, and they were mostly who she expected from their reflections. Even the valkyrie that chose him’s heart was tarnished, looking more like a succubus than she did a nordic angel under Nessa’s gaze.

However, five more joined, looking guilty. While none of them were clergy of Tyr, they were all known as honorable and strong. Not only that, each had many reasons to be loyal to the Einherjar. It was why she picked them in the first place to join her.

Nessa’s clone scowled at them. “How could you?” josei

Avaron laughed. “You shouldn’t hold it against them, child of Tyr. All have been properly motivated, if you catch my drift. The rest of you–we all know this fight is as good as won. Those fighting here will be given a choice. Either join my guild Radiant Glory, or become an enemy of it and all of its subguilds, joining its black list instead.”

The remaining warriors on her side were all so stunned by the proclamation, that they almost forgot the lava giant was still alive. Sending their more powerful attacks at the creature, they blasted into it hard enough to make it fall on its back, sending a large splash of her frozen water.

Nessa frowned at the promise. The Einherjar was also a Tier 3 guild in this Sector, but its membership was coveted. She doubted this Avaron would actually allow these people to join it directly.

After all, all members must participate in certain challenges. Having weak Tier 1 members would be a tremendous waste–it was why she was forced to find people and begin a subguild of the Einherjar, the others too busy on other worlds.

One of the warriors responded, “But that’s a Tier 3 guild! Why that–”

“You’d spend more time dead than you would alive. Everywhere you go, you will be slain, unable to progress. Or, you can join the winning team, where resources and opportunities are many. Which will it be?”

After pretending to mull it over for a moment, to Nessa’s dismay, Astalder’s group of five moved to join Avaron’s. Her clone showed the shock that mirrored her expression.

Astalder chuckled. “Sorry about that, princess. Nothing personal, it’s just business.”

Avaron’s side now held fifteen of the twenty-five within the Greater Rift, and there was also the boss to consider. Those that defended against the monster were being weakened by the moment. Astalder and Avaron were clearly the strongest among the groups, besides.

Nessa scowled at him through her clone over her shoulder. “You won’t get away with this. As soon as I go to the council–”

Avaron laughed. “Whatever. We’ll have won this world by the time you’ve even respawned. You can submit your complaint of wrongdoing to the planetary lord of this world, which will be–Me. I suppose you can go a bit higher, but you’ll have to be prepared for a full-on dispute. It’s your word against mine here, and you know what happens in a Greater Rift–stays in the Greater Rift. I’ll tell you what, though. Beat me in a one-on-one, and my people will back down. My people won’t interfere if yours don’t.”

[It appears he’s pretty vain, huh? He’s lying, but the appearance of compliance will likely serve you better, given the situation. Just expect he might go back on his word, and be aided by his allies instead.]

During his treachery, Nessa had not been idle. Shards of her shattered mirror drifted toward her enemies, floating on the surface of the lake beneath them. Not only Avaron, but his allies besides. Gathering much of her Qi, she followed her ancestor's advice.

Creating another clone would be expensive, but it would likely pay off.

Her clone held aloft grabbed onto Avaron’s spear, flicking frigid water from her sword onto him. “I accept. I’ll crush you, and justice will be served.”

Two serpents of water leapt from the water and converged toward him as his chest froze somewhat, but from the sneer on his face, Nessa could tell he was expecting this.

Infusing his spear with light magic, his light burned through her clone’s hand as he tugged sharply–sending a shower of gore as it was removed from her shoulder. She froze her fake wound over as Avaron jumped and twisted, dodging the two serpents and sending a beam of light out of his spear toward her retreating clone.

Her clone blocked with an ice filled katana, but came dangerously close to coming undone as it landed in the water, merging with it. The man looked around the mist and then straight into the mirror, as he landed just above the water, standing on air.

“I already know your trick, so come out with it.”

She smirked. He hardly knew anything she was capable of. Three larger serpents of ice congealed and rose from the surrounding lake, enhanced by her bloodline. Surprised, he dashed in one direction to retreat, but she already had him surrounded.

One shifted into that of her, the clone she invested in.

“Got you,” he said with a sneer as he planted his feet. With a flick of his spear, the spear of light pierced her clone right through her chest, where her heart would be.

But her form was still connected to the water, to the lake. It shifted, its body still fluid like water. The serpent continued, even as his leg and shoulder were bitten by the other frozen serpents. He had a look of shock on his face, as she swung her Qi-infused katana to behead him.

Just as her strike was about to land, reality appeared to twist. Something changed as if by his will, and a woman appeared in his place. It was one of his girls that was just as shocked as Nessa was, and the teleported woman was beheaded instead.

A beam of light from Avaron’s spear collided with her other mirror, shattering it. Her clone started losing its form, falling into the water.

Astalder looked over doubtfully at the dead valkyrie, then to Avaron. He looked more than a little unimpressed. “Wow, that was close, huh boss?”

Avaron looked pissed, likely having to activate either a divine trait, or an artifact to accomplish his feat. If it were the former, he would likely be unable to use it again for weeks or months at this tier, with something so active. The latter, she doubted he had more than one, the item likely being single use.

Frost was spreading on him, but her lake was about to fall apart. From her space with no mirrors, she could not see well–but she had prepared. Her scattered mirror shards allowed her to watch from underneath his allies, which he appeared to have swapped places to arrive at.

He was now standing in her water, and something within her stirred. She wanted to bring him to justice. Just as much, if not more than that feeling, was wanting his tainted body out of her pristine lake.

Nessa would defend her home tooth and nail against her enemy, for disturbing the purity of it.

She gathered the last of her Qi, a serpent of water coming at him from the front. Unsurprisingly, his allies moved to block, while one healed him and removed the frost digging into his body. Additionally, a layer of light covered his body from Avaron’s magic, as if protecting him.

Nessa infused the power welling up inside her into her weapon, her will to purge this evil weighing against reality, altering it. She stabbed her blade out with a jet of water from one of the shards beneath him, piercing through his barrier and into his heart from behind.

His face twisted in shock and hatred, and despite a blade through his heart with frost spreading, he still managed to speak. “You! I will have you slain at every turn, you will suffer for–”

He scattered into motes of light, and she could tell that she was successful. Other blades pierced from her mirror shards at his original party members, not waiting to find out if they would honor their part of the deal.

It would tax her heavily, but her blade moved with conviction. They tarnished her lake, her home with their treachery, and she would bring them to justice. Their actions defending Avaron made them viable targets for her.

She sneered. “So, nothing will have changed. Got it.”

Her lake congealed around her, as she exited her space. While her blade had pierced and froze the remaining three allies, they were far from actually dead. The archer, warrior, and priestess still remained, though they were exhausted–just not as tired as Nessa.

“Huh, the kid actually lost. Not bad, princess–I had no idea you had it in you.” Astalder seemed impressed, but he raised his axe.

Then struck out at the archer’s head with his axe, killing him. Nessa was just as shocked as Avaron’s party members. “You won’t–”

Astalder’s valkyrie lashed out with a strong thrust of her spear, killing the other man. Finally, the two warriors quickly bested Avaron’s warrior, sending him away in motes of light.

The other party which had switched sides frowned, put in a precarious position. They had done what he had bidden, but now he was dead.

Nessa looked at him in question. He chuckled. “What? He lost. I’m not going to follow some weakling.”

She frowned. Something still wasn’t quite right. “He didn’t send you a guild invite before he died, did he?”

“Ah, shit. Hoped you wouldn’t notice.”

Her face twisted in disgust. A true opportunist, he only switched sides once he knew that the greater rift would be hers no matter what he did–and once she won it, she would have the rights to the Prime Instance for the Raid.

Astalder clicked his tongue. “Look, my choices weren’t great here. Believe it or not, miss truth and justice, not everything is in black and white. Betrayal is shitty, but I knew you’d have bounced back. This world would have been saved just the same, and at least I’d have known my kids would be safe from his stupid shithead guild.”

“And you’d have benefitted.”

“… And that. But I still have my own lines I won’t cross. I’ll make you a deal. Bring me to the Prime Instance, and you’ll have a loyal warrior at your side. I don’t expect you to forgive me right away, but I’ll even sign a contract, and work hard to earn it.”

The boss was still fighting back, though her loyal allies had managed to wound it even further. It was nearly dead.

Nessa was angry at Astalder, and she didn’t just want to sweep his crime under the rug. She wanted him to be punished, for justice to be served–

[It would be prudent to be flexible here. You could use more powerful allies, even if less trustworthy ones. As it stands, you barely scrounged up enough talent to fill this greater rift, what more of the Prime Instance? Law and justice may be unbending, but what happens in a greater rift stays in a greater rift, right? He hadn’t actually committed his crime yet, even if he was willing.]

Frowning, Nessa didn’t like this one bit. She responded to both at the same time. “I will… think on it, I give you my word as a daughter of Tyr that I will properly consider it. Let us finish this first.”

“Sure thing boss.”

Astalder’s rune priest cast a runic enhancement spell onto him, empowering him slightly. Red energy began to billow off of him once more, as he roared before throwing both axes, one after the other, into the cinder colossi’s chest. The two axes slammed into the boss heavily, sending the boss stumbling back.

Astalder’s valkyrie and rune mage each then cast lightning spells, which struck down onto the embedded axes.

The monster was stunned, and a coordinated offense was mounted against it from her Norse men and women. The creature died shortly after, the greater rift completed. She had won, and against that son of Loki. She was proud, but she was exhausted.

Dealing with the five party members that swapped sides, she learned their children and relatives were all but held hostage through various means. Blackmail, threats, general extortion, Avaron was definitely a sickness that needed to be purged.

They had been compromised, so they were out of the party, but she decided she wouldn’t punish them. Instead, she tried her best to aid them, with what little resources she had. They’d be out of the fight until she succeeded, but she hoped she could earn their loyalty instead.

Returning to her cultivation chamber in her Refuge, she entered her private lake within. It would likely take an entire day or more to recover from how she stressed herself, but she gave out a relieved sigh as she submerged most of her body in the dense frigid lake Qi.

She cycled her Frostlake Purification technique, as she drew in the lake Qi, but also the Framework’s rewarded heavenly energy from the Greater Rift.

Then, she used the Sinbane Frost Sanctification Scripture, which rewarded her for defeating such terrible sinners. The bloodied ice within her lake held the sinner’s taint, and it was refined away with her purity, as if burned by the frost. Somehow, this process resulted in a greater purity than when she began, a cleansing of her own soul by ridding the world of other’s sins.

It brought her immense satisfaction, defeating that horrible monster.

[You did well, child. I know you wanted to punish those betrayers, but it seems they were put in a bad spot. To bring that scum to justice, you may have to get your hands dirty.]

Nessa sighed. If she only took those she trusted, she wouldn’t have enough to win ownership of the Prime Instance. Even with having won the Greater Rift, Loki’s Guild was close enough that they could snatch it from her if she waited until she had more reliable allies.

“What would father do?”

Her ancestor snorted. [That rigid old man would punish those people even if it killed him. But you are not your father, and you are not Eternal. You are your mother’s daughter as well, and like the water, you must be fluid. To be unyielding like steel would have you shattering under your enemy’s blows. Flexibility and adaptability will allow you to bend without breaking. Fluidity will lead to fairer outcomes, as sometimes justice blinds us to the nuances.]

“Well, he would say that it sets a precedent, that each avoidance of righteousness allows chaos to breed. The beacon of justice is meant to drive back the shadows–”

[Yes, and that’s wonderful for him, standing at the top of his ivory tower. But those of us on the ground among the mud and the shit can see that not all is black and white, it’s a muddy, disgusting brown. Be fluid like the water, and you’ll leave the world a little cleaner in your river’s wake.]

She sighed. “Fine. I’ll contact Astalder, and we’ll get ready for the Prime Instance.”

[Good. Now, you touched on something during that battle. I think it best if we foster that feeling…]