B1 — 25. The Black Moon
Rachel’s smile fell as she watched Dionysus make a showy display of altering the world in the ring, creating a dimensionally separated battle realm for Conner to fight the fifty hobgoblins. He introduced the alien race and explained their culture, setting the stage for the conflict.
Hobgoblins were the lowest rank of field leaders within the goblin race, and they prided themselves on their brutality and strength. Rachel figured this was just the warm-up match to show what Conner was about since, in a real scenario, the hobgoblins would more or less kneel to the strength of the Legend and become his subordinates.
She didn’t plan on observing the full fight; she had other priorities. Conner seemed like the pompous type of guy to take his time and make it entertaining. Wrestling was that type of sport.
Muay Thai, on the other hand, was a martial art crafted for war and murder. Sure, a sporty aspect of it had crept into it to some extent, but she was always more interested in the brutality of the art. Rachel was only focused on the win, whatever the conditions.
The arena bowed and lifted to show an aerial view of the new world Dionysus created, the earth rising out of the ground with elements raging in a cyclone. Rachel’s interest lifted from the rocky stage to the darkening heavens; the moon would overshadow Conner and the audience.
Eostre tucked in her bottom lip as Dionysus lifted his hands. “Now, let the Keeper of Nightmares rise… The Black Moon arrives!”
Dark clouds began to swirl around the stadium, causing Dionysus’ smile to crack with a nervous chuckle; murky bolts of lightning streaked across the overcast heavens, cycling to reveal a giant black hole in reality.
Rachel didn’t blink as its dense mist isolated the entire coliseum; a cold wind carrying madness gently pulled her braid to the left in its rotation, and a familiar wave coursed through her veins in a chilling song. A twitch lifted her lips as Eostre’s explanation linked with something she’d learned only just after becoming a Lunar Hare.
The Black Moon, the embodiment of living nightmares… This is the Herald of Cerridwen. Does Dionysus know about her? Probably not. He only knows about Eostre because she’s interacted with me. He shouldn’t be able to perceive the blessing of a higher being, like Cerridwen, or… is he mocking the 6th-dimensional goddess behind the veil?
Eostre’s hushed words whispered into her mind. “Among celestial objects, there are those that are unique. Even lesser deities are afraid of such cosmic anomalies… The Black Moon is one of those. Dionysus is only confident due to the power he’s gained from the other lesser gods he’s captured and the power granted him by this Greater Seed.”
The lesser god spoke with gusto as the building smog brought horrific shrieks and growls from nightmares unseen, causing the audience of lesser deities to tremble.
“Not only will my champion fight these hobgoblins, but the nightmares of hobgoblins, made reality by the Black Moon!”
Conner appeared on the battlefield, the darkness seeping into the dimension below to form heroes from these goblins’ minds; several fully plated men and women emerged, blue light shimmering off the symbols they wore of some powerful nation on these hobgoblins’ planet.
The Legend slammed his gauntleted hands against his chest as it became a three-way battle between the nightmares, Conner, and hobgoblins. He shouted and threw off his weapons.
“Haha! Why don’t we make this fun and impose self-restrictions? I won’t even use my gauntlets for this match. Let’s go!”
He charged forward to meet one of the nightmares, the other knights taking a slow, methodical approach by moving to corral the agitated goblins.
Rachel’s attention wasn’t on the contest as they met; the audience heard horrific sounds of veiled figures in the dark mist, but something else stood in the air, far above them, that took Dionysus’ tight smile—his nightmare.
There stood a bronze-skinned elder of a god, rippling with bright lightning dancing around him. The old god’s muscular bare chest flexed with his judging, illuminated eyes on the lesser god. In his hand was a golden bolt of energy that created rumbles that shook reality.
“Zeus… How pathetic you are when I wield this kind of power.”
[Grade Advancement - Mental Acceleration II Unlocked]
[Grade Advancement - Strategic Mind II Unlocked]
[Grade Advancement - Beastial Instincts II Unlocked]
[Lunar Pool I - Advanced to C-tier]
[Divine Lunar Surge I - Advanced to D-tier]
[Divine Beast Empowerment I - Advanced to A-tier]
[Lunar Cap I - Advanced to C-tier]
[Bringer of Misfortune I - Advanced to B-tier]
Rachel could hardly see whatever image of the elder god that Dionysus sneered at; through the infernal power filling her, the true visage of what embodied the Black Moon took Zeus’ place. Overlayed on the golden shape of a man was shimmering garnet hair, flowing like flames behind a woman with burning, coal-like eyes, which lingered on the lesser god.
Instead of howls and shrieks, a gentle, pulling whisper caressed Rachel’s ears from the harrowing nightmare.
“Bring me your soul,
“Bring me your fear,
“In my name, you will create;
“Bring me your hate,
“Bring me your pain,
“You destroy, in my name;
“I am that nightmare which you cannot face,
“Hope, your road to ruin;
“I am your undoing…”
Cerridwen’s baleful smile drifted to Rachel with the eye-like ruby gem attached to her chest as Rachel’s body began to morph; the world faded in the sadistic mist that surrounded her.
Darkness welled within Rachel’s heart as she tasted the hope of those around her, veins rushing with their need for survival and filling her with strength. She was drawn into her inner world without her notice, where Cerridwen’s cold, maroon-lipped smile met her among the swirl of infernal flames, bubbling out of a night-black cauldron.
“As I told you,” she spoke, words like the smooth tingle of fingers across fine silk as the goddess glided around her. “The Mythickin fairy and unicorn would guide you to me, and here you are…”
Rachel looked down at her white skin, painted black with a smoky substance, fur spreading across her figure. She resonated with the pulsing lunar waves radiating out of the goddess, awakening suppressed a cruel, sadistic subtlety and cold rational vibe that reflected a piece of the two Feats the woman had blessed her with at the start of her journey: misfortune linked with nightmares, stoic resolve, and cunning design.
While Conner fought for glory outside in the sight of the lesser god that supported him, she met with the sadistic goddess of eternal rebirth, death, and transformation that had provided the opportunity for this very Legend Quest to exist in the first place.
Holding up a hand to observe her darkening skin and bristling fur, Rachel created a mirror in the void to observe her own transformation that this unique celestial object brought. Her features shifted without form, taking on horrific visages from deep nightmares that twisted her now partial-hare figure.
The previous lunar waves Rachel had experienced were nothing like the kind of strength and cold joy she felt from this ominous infernal sphere, and perhaps that was the right term for it; she had become the misfortune that personified the living nightmare of transformation: the Reaper of Hope.
“And what is it that you want?” Rachel asked, voice shifting octaves with her aberrant changes. “I can see why Eostre would be too terrified to refuse you.”
Cerridwen brushed back her flowing locks, revealing the black crescent moon on her brow, and she stopped in front of her, holding eye contact.
“What is my purpose in blessing you with insight and wisdom? To hasten our meeting and gather hope to provide you a way forward. I do not have much time, but enough to give you an option. Certainly, there will be lesser moon deities that will try to reach out to you, hoping to eat off the scraps on the floor you’ll toss them, but what these short-sighted fools can provide is fleeting… and you will pay the price of their greed.”
“Hehe.” Rachel’s frigid, horrific smirk widened beyond normal, showing rows of fangs. “And you are better than these fearful lesser deities scrambling for this… mysterious Seed? You can give me answers where they cannot?”
Daggers gleamed in the nightmarish underworld goddesses’ burning vision as she pulled away to gesture around them, the ruby eye on her chest widening; Rachel’s vision broadened with a sight that opened inside, revealing cosmic destruction on a scale she couldn’t comprehend.
Nightmares, mortals, immortals, and deities beyond anything she’d imagined, were swallowed in an infinite and vast flood of blood and gore.
“You will see I have already set you on that path for us both. Many moons, I’ve lingered lonely, lost in the maddening void that separates our dimensional lines, descending into the Red Sea to seek an answer to the lost dreams I had overseen… And I ascended beyond The Real to be granted the Curse of the Wise… I was given the sight to see The End… and your next potential patron that will help us prevent this calamity.”
Rachel’s wide jaw twitched as the flashing palm of the Scarlet Hand imploded within the bloody destruction. “A patron… I can do just fine on my own without your help.”
Cerridwen turned to the side, smoky dress pressing against her figure in the universal wave of gore that absorbed eternity. “You are not wrong, Bringer of Misfortune… Karma’s Gift. But you could accomplish so much more by accepting my offer.”
Placing a clawed hand on her hip, Rachel’s toothy grin stretched with her barbed ears, mirroring her smile. “An offer that I have yet to hear; your respect is noted, though. You are as limited as the lesser gods since there are those stronger than you within the 7th dimension and those beyond that, whatever they may be.”
“Indeed, you are correct again,” Cerridwen whispered, still showing a knowing half-smile. “If I were to offer merely my own services, it would be quite the lopsided partnership… but, as I mentioned, what if I could offer you the support of much more powerful deities than I?”
The woman’s flaming eyes peered through her before meeting her gaze again. “There are things I long to teach you; nonetheless, I do not expect you to make your decision now. I have already given you my resume in this very show, and a glimpse into the services I have already provided as an introduction.”
She glanced toward Nike’s pinned figure that appeared above them, dripping golden blood. “Moongmor will be selected during your first round; I suggest you think carefully about how to complete the item he is most assuredly going to select… I hope I am right about you, and you will use the opportunities to walk down these roads I have paved in this Legend’s Quest.”
Cerridwen dispersed into black smoke with a few parting words as the ominous sight of the Black Moon returned to Rachel’s view. “I hope you live up to everything I was told. Enjoy.”
She’d exited her inner world, and several minutes seemed to have passed, considering the battle raging below. Eostre’s fervent gaze was shifting from Rachel’s nightmarish, shifting form to the dark moon and darkness that cycled the stadium. Dionysus sat above the arena, engaged in observing the combat while drinking wine and laughing at Conner’s showmanship.
Rachel’s clawed fingers tapped against the stone, her features taking on a more monstrous hare form with black, spiky fur and a grizzly smile. It didn’t take long for dark thoughts to turn her focus to the 4th-dimensional tulpa.
In essence, Cerridwen had used this Legend’s Quest opportunity to allow another trapped higher entity a chance to see if they wanted to join this potential council of deities that would stand behind her. She made it clear who had the power in this relationship; the goddess had certainly left a memorable impression on how valuable their partnership could be.
Eostre was terrified of Cerridwen, and for a good reason, since they both came from the same general pantheon of deities, but the goddess wanted to bring many others to her flag. The tulpa would be the intermediary between this council and her, seemingly not of her own free will.
Cerridwen wasn’t your typical goodie-two-shoes goddess that only wanted the betterment of everyone; she was a chaotic entity of madness, wisdom, and nightmares. She wanted something more than simply power to fill some inferiority complex, such as Dionysus, and that interested Rachel.
Her glinting, hare-like eyes centered on the trembling little bunny in the stands that would apparently provide her an item. Cerridwen didn’t say to micromanage him but use what he gave her wisely; things had really taken a fun turn.
If these higher deities can give me answers, then why not use them? she internally reasoned, scanning the frightened lower deities that made her laugh at how pathetic they were in the sight of something more powerful that could kill them. They don’t have what it takes to push beyond the wall; Cerridwen is right… I should keep my options open.
Eostre yelped and jumped back as Dionysus appeared between them, holding grapes and sitting on the stone railing, drunk on his borrowed power.
“Hmm. Quite more animalistic, my darling hare. And look at that smile… Why not ditch this spoiled flower, and become my champion?”
Rachel’s teeth clicked against each other as she chuckled, leaning against the pillar and looking past him to the uncomfortable autumn-haired woman. “I’ll take my chances.”
“Pity,” he sighed, showing a controlled smirk while looking at Conner’s one-sided slaughter of the hobgoblins; he had more of a challenging time with the nightmare knights. “How much of an impression have you made on the audience with this showcase? Hmm-hmm-hmm. Good luck with your wilted spring flower!”
He disappeared to continue hyping up the crowd.
Eostre’s cheeks were colored with embarrassment and agitation. “I am not some wilted flower… Why are you laughing? I get enough disrespect from the other lesser deities that push me around,” she grumbled, glaring at a high-class area where radiant figures observed the battle and chatted with one another.
Rachel’s claws scraped at her stone seat in rhythm with the choirs of nightmares circling within the dark fog like a magical symphony; she found an odd beauty in the black sphere looming over the shivering lower deities, their fear mixing into the chorus and hope that Dionysus kept them safe, further feeding the ominous celestial orb.
“What merit is there in giving thought to those that are already trapped in a slow, strangling death? This nightmare is only the precursor to what is to come.”
In reality, Conner could never win this nightmare that sought to pull him into its orbit; the more hope he had in defeating each creature, the stronger the Black Moon’s connection was solidified.
It brought a dark grin to her corrupted heart, knowing that without Dionysus’ rules and the power granted him as the Arbiter that provided the means to maintain this barrier preventing the full manifestation of the Black Moon, everyone here would be swallowed within the madness; the only way to defeat the lunar sphere was for all trapped within to give up hope and join the choir of the damned, preventing more from being pulled inside to fuel the engine.
Eostre’s beautiful face creased with concern while staring at her monstrous hare face. “I’m included in that, aren’t I… Haaa. I am supposed to be the lucky one, but… I suppose Nike was supposed to be the victorious one as well, and look where she is. Damn this ruined Existence.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Rachel mused, head tilting with the shrieks and cries inside the darkness while pondering on the changes that would come from this Legend’s Quest; it wasn’t just Cerridwen’s lingering echoes in the Black Moon but something that had tainted it.
“A hymn of what still echoes in the prayers of your nightmares will bring about your salvation. Something lingers beyond sight that these nightmares sing of.”
“Meaning?” Eostre shivered, hugging herself and shrinking away a bit with her shifting form.
Rachel’s head moved to look at her, teeth thinning and voice twisting with her elongating hare face, repeating what was whispered from the nightmare of nightmares. “Look inside to break the seal. You are far more important and lucky than you or I know. Hehe. Isn’t the Black Moon wonderful?”
“Like an itch behind my eye,” Eostre swallowed, turning away from her to see Conner finishing his battle.
Bathed in the blood of the hobgoblins, their broken corpses painted the rocky cliff as he managed to take out the last knight by tackling him to the ground and pounding the armor in before another could form from the mist.
“Haha-haaa,” chest heaving, he flipped upright to display the gore. “I have conquered the nightmare and army! And look! Not a scratch on my flesh. Unmarked by blade, nail, or fist! Who can offer me a challenge… You, my monstrous rabbit rival?!”
The repulsed spur Rachel typically felt due to her pride didn’t scratch the same with the insult as she casually leaned against the pillar, leg dangling off the side of the platform as the Black Moon filled her with a malicious, cruel force. The ruthless strings of misfortune guided her heart as she chuckled at his words.
“By all means, let’s skip this little game and end this mediocrity. Do you think people are entertained by such one-sided displays of boastful fights? No, these gods want blood, torture… fear. They didn’t come here to see you prance around in your short-shorts, heh, no matter how fine you look in them.”
Dionysus’ scowl at her insult to his games turned into a confused smirk at her last comment. “Hehe. How does it feel being hit on by a nightmare hare?”
Conner rubbed his blood-stained chin. “Off… in a good kind of way.”
Laughter came from the crowd, breaking the tension as the Black Moon faded away. Rachel’s transformation slowly reverted; her Lunar Pool was slightly tainted, but it wasn’t enough to maintain the nightmarish form.
Rotating her stiff neck and working around her jaw, Rachel cleared her throat. She plucked at her ripped and stretched sports bra and running shorts, punctured by the barb-like fur she’d grown when shapeshifting. “Can I get some help, Eostre?”
The disgruntled woman waved her hand, causing a fragrant scent to blow on the wind, encircling her and restoring the fabric. “Maybe you should consider getting stronger clothes…”
“Maybe you should pass the thought along. Is it finally my turn, Dionysus? I’m getting bored with how fast that battle was; I couldn’t even check out the level I got before coming here,” she complained. “What do all of you think? You want stakes, a real challenge! Am I right?!”
Conner frowned as she downplayed his battle; due to his powerful defenses while connected to the earth, he was all but invincible to their attacks. Even if given the answers on how to defeat him from Rachel’s imposed restriction, they hadn’t managed to stop his rampage with his slippery, water-like nature. It was an impressive offense and defense.
The lesser god clapped his hands, bringing Conner and her to center stage as the dimensional bubble he’d created vanished with the mangled corpses. “Are you trying to increase the Challenge Rating, Rachel?”
Rachel’s lips twisted into a smirking leer. “Am I right to assume the rewards and items available increase by Challenge Rating?”
“They do,” Dionysus confirmed, walking around them and gesturing at the mumbling crowd. “Has the Black Moon awakened some masochistic urges, my long-eared gladiator? Are you sure you want to increase the difficulty after Conner obtained such an easy victory; could you have done as well as my champion?”
Squaring up to the taller Legend with the muscular body of a god, Rachel gave him a testing look. “Absolutely. Why don’t we make this fun?”
“What do you suggest?” Conner mused, returning her stare with a crooked smile while holding up one of his solar gauntlets, shimmering with an inner light. “If you roll wrong, I could really penalize you.”
“Isn’t that the fun of the game?” she returned, crimson eclipse-like eyes holding his gaze. “You all saw how a unique moon affects me. But how would a unique type of earth or water affect you? Why not test things out against some of the more powerful monster options? Wouldn’t it be fun to roll the dice and see the options?”
“Ho-ho!” Dionysus turned to the crowd. “An interesting proposal! Chance and danger around every corner; the essence of this game! I can already feel the tension! Do we agree that in each location, a potential unique moon will show up at random, while a unique land and sea is given to my champion? Their effects will also be strengthened due to the higher Challenge Rating! What do you say?!”
Roars and chants filled the arena; she had the better deal in this proposal since Conner’s item would be at a lower Challenge Rating. Of course, she had to prove she was capable of surviving at this unknown tier, and Dionysus already had a bone to pick with her rejecting him.
“You have spoken!” Dionysus laughed, directing their attention to a numbered pointer from one to three, currently at the lowest tier. “You wanted this, Rachel!” The thunderous shifting of gears moving brought the pointer to the middle. “Challenge Rating 2 has been selected! Now, we let fate decide the ord—what a twist?!”
A dice fell out of the sky into Rachel’s expectant hand as a colorful pink, orange, and white tie-dye bunny popped up in the crowd selection seat.
“Huh?! Am I chosen? I’m the chosen one! I’m so lucky! Ahhh! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Rachel turned to her side to chuckle at the cheering and dancing rabbit, kicking his feet and showing just what kind of an unusual guy he was.
“First, first—I’d like to show my thanks and gratitude to my most beloved, beautiful, and kind mistress, Lady Eostre! You’re so beautiful! Lady Eostre! Ahhh! I’m chosen!”
The autumn-haired woman showed a soft, entertained smile at her servant’s excitement, which became strained as he went on.
“Oh! Oh! And the anime overlords that teach me so many essential life lessons from the satellite dishes the Earth bunnies send to the moon—glory to thighs and ‘absolute territory’—and, and all the pretty cosplayers across the multiverses that bless me with their powerful energies! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
Of course, he’s an anime fan, Rachel internally groaned a laugh before a heartstopping realization hit her upon hearing the word ‘cosplay.’ Wait…
Dionysus stared around at the many anime, cosplay, and images of Eostre the bunny projected throughout the stadium. Rachel could hear most of the crowd degrading or laughing at the rabbit, but he didn’t seem to care at all what they thought of him or his interests; he was secure in himself, at least in this.
“Roll your dice!” the host yelled.
She turned back to Conner, holding his gaze while tossing it to the side as he mirrored her in the opposite direction.
Conner: 19
Rachel: 2
Entertained laughter came from the crowd as Dionysus held his die while staring at Moongmor, who hopped forward and was having trouble picking up his die with his paws.
“I got—oops, uh-heh, let me try with my back feet—heh, it keeps slipping, uh…”
Rachel giggled and walked toward him, tiles of light appearing where she strode. “Having a bit of bad luck, Moongmor?”
The bunny’s ears pulled back as he looked up at her with his big eyes. “Yes! Can you help me, pretty hare girl? My paws are so slippery; I’m so nervous! My mistress is watching, and I don’t want to disappoint her—she’s so kind to me, even though I mess up and slack off watching anime or reading manga…”
“Unbelievable,” Dionysus sighed before bringing his cup to his mouth. “Haaa. This… embarrassment is your servant, Eostre? Tulpa truly are low-class. And is that your second two in a row, Rachel? Haha. Quite unluck…”
Dionysus: 1
Rachel scratched Moongmor’s neck, lifting an eyebrow as Dionysus’ casually tossed die landed. “Who… was unlucky again? Heheh. That comment kind of bit you in the ass there, didn’t it?”
“I suppose it did,” he said with a sheepish laugh and playing it off. “Is this your influence? You cannot roll for him.”
“Alright,” she said with a grin and wink at the curious and flustered rabbit as she held the dice in the palm of her hand. “I’ll just hold it for him then. Give it a good kick!”
“Oh! Oh! Blow on it for bad luck,” he giggled, twisting in circles as he hopped up and down, excitement building again.
“Okay,” she snickered, puffing out a soft breath.
Dionysus held up a hand in confusion as all the other deities cried out with laughter; Rachel couldn’t even see his kick, punting the die so fast that it bounced off the walls several times, ping-ponging around before hitting the dull-eyed Dionysus between the eyes, and dropping to the ground.
Crowd: 20
“And… Haha! Hey, you deserved that for your comments about Eostre,” she laughed.
“Perfect score!” Moongmor cheered. “Item! Item! Anime sailor outfi—”
“Moongmor,” Rachel hissed, her glare making the moon rabbit jump back and Conner double over with laughter.
“Hey, I think you’d look great in that!”
“Eh-hehe. Uh, military sailor outfit?” Moongmor tentatively asked.
Rachel’s gaze lifted to the giant display overhead as the one-minute timer counted down; the images that showed weren’t the worst. Cerridwen told her to trust him.
“Just… something that I wouldn’t be embarrassed in,” she groaned, rubbing between her eyes. “Please…”
“Okay! Okay!” He jumped up and down. “Count on MoonMoon, Captain!”
The timer continued to count down as he spun through options like a madman with a fever, laughing and cheering as he went so fast Rachel couldn’t follow it with [Mental Acceleration].
“Gloves—fighters like gloves… Super-fitted military sailor outfits look so badass on light-pink-haired girls! Black—black and red themes are cool! Yes! Medals are gained when defeating strong opponents. Awesome! No-no on cute pink earmuffs… Yes! Captain hat, and can’t forget absolute territory! White formal undershirt and black tie—overcoat and black square heels… A bunny spirit living denier for infinite growth!”
Five seconds remained, making Rachel nervous as he hadn’t even gotten to the attributes besides this living denier part; from her mother’s obsession with clothes, she knew denier had something to do with the quality of clothing and guessed it had something to do with fabric.
“Can store Lunar Energy in multiple pools—oh, that’s all I can do… Complete!”
Rachel breathed out a heavy sigh as half a second showed on the clock, and a shimmering light came on around her frame, adding the items; a warmth wrapped around her from invisible arms hugging her tight.
A red glow made her breath catch in her lungs as it separated to reveal a smiling, adult bunny girl, having slightly shorter ears than her. “Hello, Rachel. I’m Nia.”
Moongmor gasped, left foot rapidly tapping the platform as he looked her up and down, marveling at their twin outfits. “Nia! Nia! Yes! Rachel, she’s the best Living Denier; she’s like you—tough and cool and intense—”
“Okay, okay,” Nia laughed. “Calm down, soldier.”
“Ma’am!” Moongmor chimed, stiffening to attention.
“Like me, huh?” Rachel hummed, examining the young woman; she had a similar build as her, if a little less curved; she saw a reflected look in her appraising stare, and it then hit her how useful Nia could be if she could store multiple lunar energy types for her to use. “Having a second pair of fists might not be so bad… If you can follow orders.”
Nia’s head tilted to the side with her ears and smirk. “In terms of rank, you’re the captain, and I’m the lieutenant. I’ll respect your lead… if you can keep my respect.”
Rachel grinned. “And just like that, I already like you.”
Dionysus studied their exchange as it became Conner’s turn, Moongmor dancing around them and admiring his handiwork; it didn’t take a second for Conner to grin and make his choice, causing Nia and her smile to vanish.
“Penalty, Item: Living Denier.”
Nia hissed, scratching her neck and glaring at him. “Well, shit.”
“You’ll become friends, and—n-no!” Moongmor cried in horror. “You can’t—you…”
A pressure embraced Rachel as Dionysus appeared behind Nia, a black sword plunging into her chest. “Too bad… In rare circumstances, a penalty to an item can cause some real damage, such as a crippling disease, and there are such illnesses that can strike Living Denier.”
“Bastard,” Nia grunted, showing a strained smile as she started to sparkle and fade away. “That scared of me, huh? Well, I’m luckier than you know.”
“I hope so, bun… I don’t see you surviving this bug for long.”
Rachel winced, her hand going to her chest as the warmth hugging her slackened; a cold chill ran down her spine as tears came to Moongmor’s eyes.
“Y-You’re killing her slowly… T-That’s not fair…”
Dionysus bent down to pick up the crying bunny. “Too bad. A soul item is really such a powerful tool, and to think you’d go straight for it. Well, you had your chance to have a good time. Off you go.”
He tossed the sniffling rabbit away. “Rachel, it seems you’re now wearing a deathly sick soul item. What are the chances? Yikes! Hehe. So, what is your choice?”
Rachel frowned, running her hand down the military overcoat to the short skirt; damage was starting to show.
Nia’s strained laughter resonated within her mind. “He infected me with a rare virus that affects living cloth… I’ll probably be mostly dead by the end of this next round. Kind of pathetic, huh? Got any bright ideas?”
Nia’s presence was drifting further away by the second, but the cold, calculating energy from the Black Moon drew Rachel’s gaze from Nia to the tortured, practically dead figure of Nike. Actually… I do have a plan.
“I’ll do what I can to get us there. What’s the plan, Cap?”
Level and surpass expectations.
“That virus is unfortunate…” Rachel muttered aloud, studying the display that popped up in front of her. “Monster: A Challenge.”
Her gaze drifted between the many options that cycled in front of her until she landed on an image that made her pause. A bloody-clawed, white-eyed werewolf-like figure snarled a laugh from the picture; it wore a leather-like vest, where a stuffed bunny hung by its neck.
“Mmm-hehe.” Dionysus’ teeth flashed. “The Dyalitha; there is a rabbit-like race on the planet that they torment—vicious hunters, necromantic in culture, and quite powerful—if you wanted a challenge… this might prove too difficult.”
Nia’s sickly voice held confidence it shouldn’t. “Puppies? C’mon, give me a challenge.”
Rachel’s smile widened at the feelings rising in her chest that told her these fiends needed to be punished. “The Dyalitha, it is.”
Dionysus flipped through destinations to land on a frozen hellscape. “Then the best stage would be their home territory; the frozen wastelands of Nylthera, filled with the corpses of the Kulina they hunt. Let the battle begin…”
Her vision lingered on Nike’s torn wings, hanging beside her body, Rachel’s mind in motion with her plan, before finding the sniffling, colorful rabbit in the stands, already mourning the living denier’s loss; he probably blamed himself for putting her in this position. Instead of focusing on the loss, Rachel flexed her black-gloved hand, testing its elasticity; Nia’s dimensions were perfect.
Misfortune and karma can go hand-in-hand, Nia; I’ll get your vengeance.
“Captain,” Nia grumbled in a dull tone. “Why are you talking like I’m already dead; I’m still here…”
Haha! My bad. Let’s exploit some pride.
B1 — 25. The Black Moon
Rachel’s smile fell as she watched Dionysus make a showy display of altering the world in the ring, creating a dimensionally separated battle realm for Conner to fight the fifty hobgoblins. He introduced the alien race and explained their culture, setting the stage for the conflict.
Hobgoblins were the lowest rank of field leaders within the goblin race, and they prided themselves on their brutality and strength. Rachel figured this was just the warm-up match to show what Conner was about since, in a real scenario, the hobgoblins would more or less kneel to the strength of the Legend and become his subordinates.
She didn’t plan on observing the full fight; she had other priorities. Conner seemed like the pompous type of guy to take his time and make it entertaining. Wrestling was that type of sport.
Muay Thai, on the other hand, was a martial art crafted for war and murder. Sure, a sporty aspect of it had crept into it to some extent, but she was always more interested in the brutality of the art. Rachel was only focused on the win, whatever the conditions.
The arena bowed and lifted to show an aerial view of the new world Dionysus created, the earth rising out of the ground with elements raging in a cyclone. Rachel’s interest lifted from the rocky stage to the darkening heavens; the moon would overshadow Conner and the audience.
Eostre tucked in her bottom lip as Dionysus lifted his hands. “Now, let the Keeper of Nightmares rise… The Black Moon arrives!”
Dark clouds began to swirl around the stadium, causing Dionysus’ smile to crack with a nervous chuckle; murky bolts of lightning streaked across the overcast heavens, cycling to reveal a giant black hole in reality.
Rachel didn’t blink as its dense mist isolated the entire coliseum; a cold wind carrying madness gently pulled her braid to the left in its rotation, and a familiar wave coursed through her veins in a chilling song. A twitch lifted her lips as Eostre’s explanation linked with something she’d learned only just after becoming a Lunar Hare.
The Black Moon, the embodiment of living nightmares… This is the Herald of Cerridwen. Does Dionysus know about her? Probably not. He only knows about Eostre because she’s interacted with me. He shouldn’t be able to perceive the blessing of a higher being, like Cerridwen, or… is he mocking the 6th-dimensional goddess behind the veil?
Eostre’s hushed words whispered into her mind. “Among celestial objects, there are those that are unique. Even lesser deities are afraid of such cosmic anomalies… The Black Moon is one of those. Dionysus is only confident due to the power he’s gained from the other lesser gods he’s captured and the power granted him by this Greater Seed.”
The lesser god spoke with gusto as the building smog brought horrific shrieks and growls from nightmares unseen, causing the audience of lesser deities to tremble.
“Not only will my champion fight these hobgoblins, but the nightmares of hobgoblins, made reality by the Black Moon!”
Conner appeared on the battlefield, the darkness seeping into the dimension below to form heroes from these goblins’ minds; several fully plated men and women emerged, blue light shimmering off the symbols they wore of some powerful nation on these hobgoblins’ planet.
The Legend slammed his gauntleted hands against his chest as it became a three-way battle between the nightmares, Conner, and hobgoblins. He shouted and threw off his weapons.
“Haha! Why don’t we make this fun and impose self-restrictions? I won’t even use my gauntlets for this match. Let’s go!”
He charged forward to meet one of the nightmares, the other knights taking a slow, methodical approach by moving to corral the agitated goblins.
Rachel’s attention wasn’t on the contest as they met; the audience heard horrific sounds of veiled figures in the dark mist, but something else stood in the air, far above them, that took Dionysus’ tight smile—his nightmare.
There stood a bronze-skinned elder of a god, rippling with bright lightning dancing around him. The old god’s muscular bare chest flexed with his judging, illuminated eyes on the lesser god. In his hand was a golden bolt of energy that created rumbles that shook reality.
“Zeus… How pathetic you are when I wield this kind of power.”
[Grade Advancement - Mental Acceleration II Unlocked]
[Grade Advancement - Strategic Mind II Unlocked]
[Grade Advancement - Beastial Instincts II Unlocked]
[Lunar Pool I - Advanced to C-tier]
[Divine Lunar Surge I - Advanced to D-tier]
[Divine Beast Empowerment I - Advanced to A-tier]
[Lunar Cap I - Advanced to C-tier]
[Bringer of Misfortune I - Advanced to B-tier]
Rachel could hardly see whatever image of the elder god that Dionysus sneered at; through the infernal power filling her, the true visage of what embodied the Black Moon took Zeus’ place. Overlayed on the golden shape of a man was shimmering garnet hair, flowing like flames behind a woman with burning, coal-like eyes, which lingered on the lesser god.
Instead of howls and shrieks, a gentle, pulling whisper caressed Rachel’s ears from the harrowing nightmare.
“Bring me your soul,
“Bring me your fear,
“In my name, you will create;
“Bring me your hate,
“Bring me your pain,
“You destroy, in my name;
“I am that nightmare which you cannot face,
“Hope, your road to ruin;
“I am your undoing…”
Cerridwen’s baleful smile drifted to Rachel with the eye-like ruby gem attached to her chest as Rachel’s body began to morph; the world faded in the sadistic mist that surrounded her.
Darkness welled within Rachel’s heart as she tasted the hope of those around her, veins rushing with their need for survival and filling her with strength. She was drawn into her inner world without her notice, where Cerridwen’s cold, maroon-lipped smile met her among the swirl of infernal flames, bubbling out of a night-black cauldron.
“As I told you,” she spoke, words like the smooth tingle of fingers across fine silk as the goddess glided around her. “The Mythickin fairy and unicorn would guide you to me, and here you are…”
Rachel looked down at her white skin, painted black with a smoky substance, fur spreading across her figure. She resonated with the pulsing lunar waves radiating out of the goddess, awakening suppressed a cruel, sadistic subtlety and cold rational vibe that reflected a piece of the two Feats the woman had blessed her with at the start of her journey: misfortune linked with nightmares, stoic resolve, and cunning design.
While Conner fought for glory outside in the sight of the lesser god that supported him, she met with the sadistic goddess of eternal rebirth, death, and transformation that had provided the opportunity for this very Legend Quest to exist in the first place.
Holding up a hand to observe her darkening skin and bristling fur, Rachel created a mirror in the void to observe her own transformation that this unique celestial object brought. Her features shifted without form, taking on horrific visages from deep nightmares that twisted her now partial-hare figure.
The previous lunar waves Rachel had experienced were nothing like the kind of strength and cold joy she felt from this ominous infernal sphere, and perhaps that was the right term for it; she had become the misfortune that personified the living nightmare of transformation: the Reaper of Hope.
“And what is it that you want?” Rachel asked, voice shifting octaves with her aberrant changes. “I can see why Eostre would be too terrified to refuse you.”
Cerridwen brushed back her flowing locks, revealing the black crescent moon on her brow, and she stopped in front of her, holding eye contact.
“What is my purpose in blessing you with insight and wisdom? To hasten our meeting and gather hope to provide you a way forward. I do not have much time, but enough to give you an option. Certainly, there will be lesser moon deities that will try to reach out to you, hoping to eat off the scraps on the floor you’ll toss them, but what these short-sighted fools can provide is fleeting… and you will pay the price of their greed.”
“Hehe.” Rachel’s frigid, horrific smirk widened beyond normal, showing rows of fangs. “And you are better than these fearful lesser deities scrambling for this… mysterious Seed? You can give me answers where they cannot?”
Daggers gleamed in the nightmarish underworld goddesses’ burning vision as she pulled away to gesture around them, the ruby eye on her chest widening; Rachel’s vision broadened with a sight that opened inside, revealing cosmic destruction on a scale she couldn’t comprehend.
Nightmares, mortals, immortals, and deities beyond anything she’d imagined, were swallowed in an infinite and vast flood of blood and gore.
“You will see I have already set you on that path for us both. Many moons, I’ve lingered lonely, lost in the maddening void that separates our dimensional lines, descending into the Red Sea to seek an answer to the lost dreams I had overseen… And I ascended beyond The Real to be granted the Curse of the Wise… I was given the sight to see The End… and your next potential patron that will help us prevent this calamity.”
Rachel’s wide jaw twitched as the flashing palm of the Scarlet Hand imploded within the bloody destruction. “A patron… I can do just fine on my own without your help.”
Cerridwen turned to the side, smoky dress pressing against her figure in the universal wave of gore that absorbed eternity. “You are not wrong, Bringer of Misfortune… Karma’s Gift. But you could accomplish so much more by accepting my offer.”
Placing a clawed hand on her hip, Rachel’s toothy grin stretched with her barbed ears, mirroring her smile. “An offer that I have yet to hear; your respect is noted, though. You are as limited as the lesser gods since there are those stronger than you within the 7th dimension and those beyond that, whatever they may be.”
“Indeed, you are correct again,” Cerridwen whispered, still showing a knowing half-smile. “If I were to offer merely my own services, it would be quite the lopsided partnership… but, as I mentioned, what if I could offer you the support of much more powerful deities than I?”
The woman’s flaming eyes peered through her before meeting her gaze again. “There are things I long to teach you; nonetheless, I do not expect you to make your decision now. I have already given you my resume in this very show, and a glimpse into the services I have already provided as an introduction.”
She glanced toward Nike’s pinned figure that appeared above them, dripping golden blood. “Moongmor will be selected during your first round; I suggest you think carefully about how to complete the item he is most assuredly going to select… I hope I am right about you, and you will use the opportunities to walk down these roads I have paved in this Legend’s Quest.”
Cerridwen dispersed into black smoke with a few parting words as the ominous sight of the Black Moon returned to Rachel’s view. “I hope you live up to everything I was told. Enjoy.”
She’d exited her inner world, and several minutes seemed to have passed, considering the battle raging below. Eostre’s fervent gaze was shifting from Rachel’s nightmarish, shifting form to the dark moon and darkness that cycled the stadium. Dionysus sat above the arena, engaged in observing the combat while drinking wine and laughing at Conner’s showmanship.
Rachel’s clawed fingers tapped against the stone, her features taking on a more monstrous hare form with black, spiky fur and a grizzly smile. It didn’t take long for dark thoughts to turn her focus to the 4th-dimensional tulpa.
In essence, Cerridwen had used this Legend’s Quest opportunity to allow another trapped higher entity a chance to see if they wanted to join this potential council of deities that would stand behind her. She made it clear who had the power in this relationship; the goddess had certainly left a memorable impression on how valuable their partnership could be.
Eostre was terrified of Cerridwen, and for a good reason, since they both came from the same general pantheon of deities, but the goddess wanted to bring many others to her flag. The tulpa would be the intermediary between this council and her, seemingly not of her own free will.
Cerridwen wasn’t your typical goodie-two-shoes goddess that only wanted the betterment of everyone; she was a chaotic entity of madness, wisdom, and nightmares. She wanted something more than simply power to fill some inferiority complex, such as Dionysus, and that interested Rachel.
Her glinting, hare-like eyes centered on the trembling little bunny in the stands that would apparently provide her an item. Cerridwen didn’t say to micromanage him but use what he gave her wisely; things had really taken a fun turn.
If these higher deities can give me answers, then why not use them? she internally reasoned, scanning the frightened lower deities that made her laugh at how pathetic they were in the sight of something more powerful that could kill them. They don’t have what it takes to push beyond the wall; Cerridwen is right… I should keep my options open.
Eostre yelped and jumped back as Dionysus appeared between them, holding grapes and sitting on the stone railing, drunk on his borrowed power.
“Hmm. Quite more animalistic, my darling hare. And look at that smile… Why not ditch this spoiled flower, and become my champion?”
Rachel’s teeth clicked against each other as she chuckled, leaning against the pillar and looking past him to the uncomfortable autumn-haired woman. “I’ll take my chances.”
“Pity,” he sighed, showing a controlled smirk while looking at Conner’s one-sided slaughter of the hobgoblins; he had more of a challenging time with the nightmare knights. “How much of an impression have you made on the audience with this showcase? Hmm-hmm-hmm. Good luck with your wilted spring flower!”
He disappeared to continue hyping up the crowd.
Eostre’s cheeks were colored with embarrassment and agitation. “I am not some wilted flower… Why are you laughing? I get enough disrespect from the other lesser deities that push me around,” she grumbled, glaring at a high-class area where radiant figures observed the battle and chatted with one another.
Rachel’s claws scraped at her stone seat in rhythm with the choirs of nightmares circling within the dark fog like a magical symphony; she found an odd beauty in the black sphere looming over the shivering lower deities, their fear mixing into the chorus and hope that Dionysus kept them safe, further feeding the ominous celestial orb.
“What merit is there in giving thought to those that are already trapped in a slow, strangling death? This nightmare is only the precursor to what is to come.”
In reality, Conner could never win this nightmare that sought to pull him into its orbit; the more hope he had in defeating each creature, the stronger the Black Moon’s connection was solidified.
It brought a dark grin to her corrupted heart, knowing that without Dionysus’ rules and the power granted him as the Arbiter that provided the means to maintain this barrier preventing the full manifestation of the Black Moon, everyone here would be swallowed within the madness; the only way to defeat the lunar sphere was for all trapped within to give up hope and join the choir of the damned, preventing more from being pulled inside to fuel the engine.
Eostre’s beautiful face creased with concern while staring at her monstrous hare face. “I’m included in that, aren’t I… Haaa. I am supposed to be the lucky one, but… I suppose Nike was supposed to be the victorious one as well, and look where she is. Damn this ruined Existence.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Rachel mused, head tilting with the shrieks and cries inside the darkness while pondering on the changes that would come from this Legend’s Quest; it wasn’t just Cerridwen’s lingering echoes in the Black Moon but something that had tainted it.
“A hymn of what still echoes in the prayers of your nightmares will bring about your salvation. Something lingers beyond sight that these nightmares sing of.”
“Meaning?” Eostre shivered, hugging herself and shrinking away a bit with her shifting form.
Rachel’s head moved to look at her, teeth thinning and voice twisting with her elongating hare face, repeating what was whispered from the nightmare of nightmares. “Look inside to break the seal. You are far more important and lucky than you or I know. Hehe. Isn’t the Black Moon wonderful?”
“Like an itch behind my eye,” Eostre swallowed, turning away from her to see Conner finishing his battle.
Bathed in the blood of the hobgoblins, their broken corpses painted the rocky cliff as he managed to take out the last knight by tackling him to the ground and pounding the armor in before another could form from the mist.
“Haha-haaa,” chest heaving, he flipped upright to display the gore. “I have conquered the nightmare and army! And look! Not a scratch on my flesh. Unmarked by blade, nail, or fist! Who can offer me a challenge… You, my monstrous rabbit rival?!”
The repulsed spur Rachel typically felt due to her pride didn’t scratch the same with the insult as she casually leaned against the pillar, leg dangling off the side of the platform as the Black Moon filled her with a malicious, cruel force. The ruthless strings of misfortune guided her heart as she chuckled at his words.
“By all means, let’s skip this little game and end this mediocrity. Do you think people are entertained by such one-sided displays of boastful fights? No, these gods want blood, torture… fear. They didn’t come here to see you prance around in your short-shorts, heh, no matter how fine you look in them.”
Dionysus’ scowl at her insult to his games turned into a confused smirk at her last comment. “Hehe. How does it feel being hit on by a nightmare hare?”
Conner rubbed his blood-stained chin. “Off… in a good kind of way.”
Laughter came from the crowd, breaking the tension as the Black Moon faded away. Rachel’s transformation slowly reverted; her Lunar Pool was slightly tainted, but it wasn’t enough to maintain the nightmarish form.
Rotating her stiff neck and working around her jaw, Rachel cleared her throat. She plucked at her ripped and stretched sports bra and running shorts, punctured by the barb-like fur she’d grown when shapeshifting. “Can I get some help, Eostre?”
The disgruntled woman waved her hand, causing a fragrant scent to blow on the wind, encircling her and restoring the fabric. “Maybe you should consider getting stronger clothes…”
“Maybe you should pass the thought along. Is it finally my turn, Dionysus? I’m getting bored with how fast that battle was; I couldn’t even check out the level I got before coming here,” she complained. “What do all of you think? You want stakes, a real challenge! Am I right?!”
Conner frowned as she downplayed his battle; due to his powerful defenses while connected to the earth, he was all but invincible to their attacks. Even if given the answers on how to defeat him from Rachel’s imposed restriction, they hadn’t managed to stop his rampage with his slippery, water-like nature. It was an impressive offense and defense.
The lesser god clapped his hands, bringing Conner and her to center stage as the dimensional bubble he’d created vanished with the mangled corpses. “Are you trying to increase the Challenge Rating, Rachel?”
Rachel’s lips twisted into a smirking leer. “Am I right to assume the rewards and items available increase by Challenge Rating?”
“They do,” Dionysus confirmed, walking around them and gesturing at the mumbling crowd. “Has the Black Moon awakened some masochistic urges, my long-eared gladiator? Are you sure you want to increase the difficulty after Conner obtained such an easy victory; could you have done as well as my champion?”
Squaring up to the taller Legend with the muscular body of a god, Rachel gave him a testing look. “Absolutely. Why don’t we make this fun?”
“What do you suggest?” Conner mused, returning her stare with a crooked smile while holding up one of his solar gauntlets, shimmering with an inner light. “If you roll wrong, I could really penalize you.”
“Isn’t that the fun of the game?” she returned, crimson eclipse-like eyes holding his gaze. “You all saw how a unique moon affects me. But how would a unique type of earth or water affect you? Why not test things out against some of the more powerful monster options? Wouldn’t it be fun to roll the dice and see the options?”
“Ho-ho!” Dionysus turned to the crowd. “An interesting proposal! Chance and danger around every corner; the essence of this game! I can already feel the tension! Do we agree that in each location, a potential unique moon will show up at random, while a unique land and sea is given to my champion? Their effects will also be strengthened due to the higher Challenge Rating! What do you say?!”
Roars and chants filled the arena; she had the better deal in this proposal since Conner’s item would be at a lower Challenge Rating. Of course, she had to prove she was capable of surviving at this unknown tier, and Dionysus already had a bone to pick with her rejecting him.
“You have spoken!” Dionysus laughed, directing their attention to a numbered pointer from one to three, currently at the lowest tier. “You wanted this, Rachel!” The thunderous shifting of gears moving brought the pointer to the middle. “Challenge Rating 2 has been selected! Now, we let fate decide the ord—what a twist?!”
A dice fell out of the sky into Rachel’s expectant hand as a colorful pink, orange, and white tie-dye bunny popped up in the crowd selection seat.
“Huh?! Am I chosen? I’m the chosen one! I’m so lucky! Ahhh! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Rachel turned to her side to chuckle at the cheering and dancing rabbit, kicking his feet and showing just what kind of an unusual guy he was.
“First, first—I’d like to show my thanks and gratitude to my most beloved, beautiful, and kind mistress, Lady Eostre! You’re so beautiful! Lady Eostre! Ahhh! I’m chosen!”
The autumn-haired woman showed a soft, entertained smile at her servant’s excitement, which became strained as he went on.
“Oh! Oh! And the anime overlords that teach me so many essential life lessons from the satellite dishes the Earth bunnies send to the moon—glory to thighs and ‘absolute territory’—and, and all the pretty cosplayers across the multiverses that bless me with their powerful energies! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
Of course, he’s an anime fan, Rachel internally groaned a laugh before a heartstopping realization hit her upon hearing the word ‘cosplay.’ Wait…
Dionysus stared around at the many anime, cosplay, and images of Eostre the bunny projected throughout the stadium. Rachel could hear most of the crowd degrading or laughing at the rabbit, but he didn’t seem to care at all what they thought of him or his interests; he was secure in himself, at least in this.
“Roll your dice!” the host yelled.
She turned back to Conner, holding his gaze while tossing it to the side as he mirrored her in the opposite direction.
Conner: 19
Rachel: 2
Entertained laughter came from the crowd as Dionysus held his die while staring at Moongmor, who hopped forward and was having trouble picking up his die with his paws.
“I got—oops, uh-heh, let me try with my back feet—heh, it keeps slipping, uh…”
Rachel giggled and walked toward him, tiles of light appearing where she strode. “Having a bit of bad luck, Moongmor?”
The bunny’s ears pulled back as he looked up at her with his big eyes. “Yes! Can you help me, pretty hare girl? My paws are so slippery; I’m so nervous! My mistress is watching, and I don’t want to disappoint her—she’s so kind to me, even though I mess up and slack off watching anime or reading manga…”
“Unbelievable,” Dionysus sighed before bringing his cup to his mouth. “Haaa. This… embarrassment is your servant, Eostre? Tulpa truly are low-class. And is that your second two in a row, Rachel? Haha. Quite unluck…”
Dionysus: 1
Rachel scratched Moongmor’s neck, lifting an eyebrow as Dionysus’ casually tossed die landed. “Who… was unlucky again? Heheh. That comment kind of bit you in the ass there, didn’t it?”
“I suppose it did,” he said with a sheepish laugh and playing it off. “Is this your influence? You cannot roll for him.”
“Alright,” she said with a grin and wink at the curious and flustered rabbit as she held the dice in the palm of her hand. “I’ll just hold it for him then. Give it a good kick!”
“Oh! Oh! Blow on it for bad luck,” he giggled, twisting in circles as he hopped up and down, excitement building again.
“Okay,” she snickered, puffing out a soft breath.
Dionysus held up a hand in confusion as all the other deities cried out with laughter; Rachel couldn’t even see his kick, punting the die so fast that it bounced off the walls several times, ping-ponging around before hitting the dull-eyed Dionysus between the eyes, and dropping to the ground.
Crowd: 20
“And… Haha! Hey, you deserved that for your comments about Eostre,” she laughed.
“Perfect score!” Moongmor cheered. “Item! Item! Anime sailor outfi—”
“Moongmor,” Rachel hissed, her glare making the moon rabbit jump back and Conner double over with laughter.
“Hey, I think you’d look great in that!”
“Eh-hehe. Uh, military sailor outfit?” Moongmor tentatively asked.
Rachel’s gaze lifted to the giant display overhead as the one-minute timer counted down; the images that showed weren’t the worst. Cerridwen told her to trust him.
“Just… something that I wouldn’t be embarrassed in,” she groaned, rubbing between her eyes. “Please…”
“Okay! Okay!” He jumped up and down. “Count on MoonMoon, Captain!”
The timer continued to count down as he spun through options like a madman with a fever, laughing and cheering as he went so fast Rachel couldn’t follow it with [Mental Acceleration].
“Gloves—fighters like gloves… Super-fitted military sailor outfits look so badass on light-pink-haired girls! Black—black and red themes are cool! Yes! Medals are gained when defeating strong opponents. Awesome! No-no on cute pink earmuffs… Yes! Captain hat, and can’t forget absolute territory! White formal undershirt and black tie—overcoat and black square heels… A bunny spirit living denier for infinite growth!”
Five seconds remained, making Rachel nervous as he hadn’t even gotten to the attributes besides this living denier part; from her mother’s obsession with clothes, she knew denier had something to do with the quality of clothing and guessed it had something to do with fabric.
“Can store Lunar Energy in multiple pools—oh, that’s all I can do… Complete!”
Rachel breathed out a heavy sigh as half a second showed on the clock, and a shimmering light came on around her frame, adding the items; a warmth wrapped around her from invisible arms hugging her tight.
A red glow made her breath catch in her lungs as it separated to reveal a smiling, adult bunny girl, having slightly shorter ears than her. “Hello, Rachel. I’m Nia.”
Moongmor gasped, left foot rapidly tapping the platform as he looked her up and down, marveling at their twin outfits. “Nia! Nia! Yes! Rachel, she’s the best Living Denier; she’s like you—tough and cool and intense—”
“Okay, okay,” Nia laughed. “Calm down, soldier.”
“Ma’am!” Moongmor chimed, stiffening to attention.
“Like me, huh?” Rachel hummed, examining the young woman; she had a similar build as her, if a little less curved; she saw a reflected look in her appraising stare, and it then hit her how useful Nia could be if she could store multiple lunar energy types for her to use. “Having a second pair of fists might not be so bad… If you can follow orders.”
Nia’s head tilted to the side with her ears and smirk. “In terms of rank, you’re the captain, and I’m the lieutenant. I’ll respect your lead… if you can keep my respect.”
Rachel grinned. “And just like that, I already like you.”
Dionysus studied their exchange as it became Conner’s turn, Moongmor dancing around them and admiring his handiwork; it didn’t take a second for Conner to grin and make his choice, causing Nia and her smile to vanish.
“Penalty, Item: Living Denier.”
Nia hissed, scratching her neck and glaring at him. “Well, shit.”
“You’ll become friends, and—n-no!” Moongmor cried in horror. “You can’t—you…”
A pressure embraced Rachel as Dionysus appeared behind Nia, a black sword plunging into her chest. “Too bad… In rare circumstances, a penalty to an item can cause some real damage, such as a crippling disease, and there are such illnesses that can strike Living Denier.”
“Bastard,” Nia grunted, showing a strained smile as she started to sparkle and fade away. “That scared of me, huh? Well, I’m luckier than you know.”
“I hope so, bun… I don’t see you surviving this bug for long.”
Rachel winced, her hand going to her chest as the warmth hugging her slackened; a cold chill ran down her spine as tears came to Moongmor’s eyes.
“Y-You’re killing her slowly… T-That’s not fair…”
Dionysus bent down to pick up the crying bunny. “Too bad. A soul item is really such a powerful tool, and to think you’d go straight for it. Well, you had your chance to have a good time. Off you go.”
He tossed the sniffling rabbit away. “Rachel, it seems you’re now wearing a deathly sick soul item. What are the chances? Yikes! Hehe. So, what is your choice?”
Rachel frowned, running her hand down the military overcoat to the short skirt; damage was starting to show.
Nia’s strained laughter resonated within her mind. “He infected me with a rare virus that affects living cloth… I’ll probably be mostly dead by the end of this next round. Kind of pathetic, huh? Got any bright ideas?”
Nia’s presence was drifting further away by the second, but the cold, calculating energy from the Black Moon drew Rachel’s gaze from Nia to the tortured, practically dead figure of Nike. Actually… I do have a plan.
“I’ll do what I can to get us there. What’s the plan, Cap?”
Level and surpass expectations.
“That virus is unfortunate…” Rachel muttered aloud, studying the display that popped up in front of her. “Monster: A Challenge.”
Her gaze drifted between the many options that cycled in front of her until she landed on an image that made her pause. A bloody-clawed, white-eyed werewolf-like figure snarled a laugh from the picture; it wore a leather-like vest, where a stuffed bunny hung by its neck.
“Mmm-hehe.” Dionysus’ teeth flashed. “The Dyalitha; there is a rabbit-like race on the planet that they torment—vicious hunters, necromantic in culture, and quite powerful—if you wanted a challenge… this might prove too difficult.”
Nia’s sickly voice held confidence it shouldn’t. “Puppies? C’mon, give me a challenge.”
Rachel’s smile widened at the feelings rising in her chest that told her these fiends needed to be punished. “The Dyalitha, it is.”
Dionysus flipped through destinations to land on a frozen hellscape. “Then the best stage would be their home territory; the frozen wastelands of Nylthera, filled with the corpses of the Kulina they hunt. Let the battle begin…”
Her vision lingered on Nike’s torn wings, hanging beside her body, Rachel’s mind in motion with her plan, before finding the sniffling, colorful rabbit in the stands, already mourning the living denier’s loss; he probably blamed himself for putting her in this position. Instead of focusing on the loss, Rachel flexed her black-gloved hand, testing its elasticity; Nia’s dimensions were perfect.
Misfortune and karma can go hand-in-hand, Nia; I’ll get your vengeance.
“Captain,” Nia grumbled in a dull tone. “Why are you talking like I’m already dead; I’m still here…”
Haha! My bad. Let’s exploit some pride.
