Chapter 116: The First City of Yomi

She glanced up to see him frown; he looked off to the side at the tulpa and fallen Nephilim, going over all sorts of loopholes the woman was trying to impose with how much she could get from her ’location’ choice.

"What’s on your mind, having a face like that?" Rachel asked, spotting Moongmor observing them. "Having second thoughts because I’m so cool?"

"The opposite, actually," he whispered. "I’ve never really felt...respect for anyone. You know, eventually, I think I’m supposed to die anyway... Antaeus is killed by Heracles in the stories. I expected to go out in a match like that, which is whatever, so long as it is a good show... Instead, I got you."

Rachel’s ears drifted to the left, an eye narrowing as she studied the reflective legend. "You’d rather fight me than the legend of Heracles?"

"Why not?" He flashed his handsome grin and pointed up at the moons filling her with energy. "I’ve seen you battle armies, turn into nightmares, and put the fear of death in monsters of hate... In the battles leading up to our stage, I’ve fought the nightmares of hobgoblins, a baby Kraken, and had an epic battle, might I add, with a bleeding magma dragon... This is everything I ever wanted."

He paused as his dolphin drew near, and he reached over to pet his smooth skin. "I guess what I’m saying is... It’s an honor to have met you, Rachel. It’s not often I find badass women who can make me want to box—well, you’re actually the first," he laughed, rubbing his neck.

"Well, thanks," she said, chuckling as Nia growled and threw a handful of sand at him. "When you were fighting that dragon, yeah, I thought it was badass, but you have to work on your selection of deities in the next life..." Her hard, glowing clover eyes fixated on him. "Because I’m winning this competition. It just sucks I didn’t gain any EXP from what I did to a lesser god, but I guess all I did was piss him off enough to distract him from the real threats."

Interest sparked in his face. "Huh... Your misfortune telling you that?"

She shook her head, seeing Eostre getting fed up with the exploitative Fallen Nephilim. "No. Right now, the flip of the coin could decide where we both land at the end of this."

He slowly nodded. "Good. And I’ve been wondering what you think about all those changes you go through during the different moons? Is it you or something else possessing you?"

Rachel got to her feet and brushed off the sand, a smirk lifting her mouth as the world began to shift into a dreary wasteland instead of the burning Hellscape, and the System Message announced her next stage.

[Location - 7th Circle, 2nd Layer - The First City of Yomi]

"I am who I am. I’m the Bringer of Misfortune. Just because I’m feeling a certain vibe doesn’t mean it’s not me acting on it."

"Excellently said."

Rachel’s stomach squirmed as the soft caress of Izanami’s voice touched her mind, but instead of the horrific corruption of beauty that had faced Dionysus, a gorgeous woman dressed in an extravagant, blood-red kimono walked off of an old wooden boat that just touched the shore. Yseress was by her side, the picture of a princess and poise.

"Lady Izanami," Rachel said with a nod, Nia hiding behind her as the elegant fallen goddess’ gaze drifted to her. "So, are you going to go on the conquest now that you’re free from the higher realms? Can I get an answer as to what this plan is that you and Cerridwen have cooked up?"

Conner hung back, listening intently as a soft smile moved the powerful Hell Lady’s eyes, and her focus returned to her.

"A mere illusion, I am afraid. By no means does this Seed have the power to actually allow me entry into your reality. I can enter this universe when called, since it is separated from the maelstrom we are all trapped in. Dionysus simply didn’t have the sight to understand what I was doing, despite having the power."

She looked out across the polluted land of dead trees and a neglected ancient city of the dead, where blue distortions flickered across the gloomy scene, ghostly figures dressed in old Japanese ceremonial robes passing between buildings or floating along the dirty river. In the distance was a massive black torii gate.

"As for Cerridwen and I, we are merely acquaintances, but she tantalized me with the idea of meeting a mortal who would catch my interest. In fact, I have a suggestion, Eostre. Would you give me your ear?"

Rachel stood straighter as the autumn-haired woman appeared from a flash of light, looking somewhat nervous again. "What kind of suggestion, Izanami? You don’t seem like the kind of woman to make suggestions."

The cunning, wolf-like gleam in the woman’s red eyes. "Why don’t you make me the Arbiter of this contest, Eostre? Allow me to set right this Balance that you are meticulously studying in fear of following Dionysus’ fate."

"Sketch," Conner hissed, muscles tightening and looking away at Yseress’ machete-like smile. "I can’t think of anything going wrong with this."

Rachel studied the cool-faced fallen creation deity and her agitated Divine intermediary. "Eostre, if you really are worried you cannot fix The Balance, then give it to her."

Izanami turned her head to Eostre with a thoughtful tilt to her lips, the struggling tulpa debating on what decision to make, and took a needle to the tension. "Why not make me an Assistant Arbiter and allow me to guide you through it? This way, I can stay, you remain in control, and this event can continue without further blunders."

A strained smile brightened the tulpa’s face. "I...would appreciate that, Lady Izanami."

"Wonderful."

[Legend Quest Secondary Authority Granted: Izanami]

Conner crossed his arms across his chest, looking between Yseress and Izanami. "What’s the first order of business, then?"

The dead goddess glanced at the empty stands, a stone throne appearing behind her as she took a seat and leaned against the side. "What a delicious mess..."

Lifting her hand into the air, she snapped her fingers, the sharp sound sending a ghostly blue flame through everything; Eostre went stiff as a board, looking up at some unseen thing in the cloudy heavens.

[System Audit - Rules in Review]

[System Audit Concluded - New Rules Sustained]

"It was...that easy? You...got rid of two matches."

Izanami twisted her finger in the air. "Consolidate energy, shift the power draw, and optimize the resonance...opening the gate to invite all that will come."