Bro, I'm not an Undead!

...!!!r

Within the Governor\'s manor, everyone except the Governor and his son grew tense, their eyes shooting towards the same direction. Even Rearren wore a look of surprise as he felt it.r

At the gates to the city...r

Six outrageously powerful existences had suddenly appeared outside Genhuis!r

Ornamont, Gillewart and Ruhrees shot up from their seats, the shield carrying woman looking out the window to see if there was already conflict brewing but from the looks of it, it seemed that wasn\'t the case.r

Thank goodness!r

"We can continue this later. Something is wrong. We have to get to the gate," the velvet haired woman declared.r

"You go and stop whatever it is that\'s coming," Gillewart said with a grim expression. "Something else rushed into the city just now. If it weren\'t for my surveillance, I would have missed it."r

"Very well," Ornamont nodded and bolted out of the room for the gates immediately. r

"I\'ll deal with evacuations near the gate. With what we just sensed, this is sure to get messy," Ruhrees said to which Gillewart nodded before watching him leave.r

"And you?" the City Guardian asked Rearren who remained seated somewhat relaxedly. "Won\'t you help?"r

The EverSword House head smiled calmly.r

"The six Houses do not respond to threats that people of your calibre can handle. Besides, I don\'t have a tag that says \'Guardian\' now, do I?" he said, hints of mockery smothering his words.r

Gillewart scoffed and vanished from sight, choosing not to waste any more time with the bastard.r

The Governor rose and went to the window overlooking the city with a tense face.r

What kind of threat could garner the attention of four Incandescent Stage experts like this?r

A matter of this severity... It had never happened under his governance.r

Rearren who remained seated was wondering the same thing.r

He remained idle but whatever those six presences were... they were no trifling matter.r

On the other hand though...r

\'What an unexpected turn of events. I had plans of my own for getting out of this but this could work as well...\' he sank in sly thought.r

*r

Aurolio was resting on his bed while drinking a hot beverage, the cover of a white fluffy blanket giving him warmth enough to combat his shivering.r

...!r

Suddenly, his senses flared, having detected something particularly nasty from the far distance to the gates of the city.r

With a single step, he appeared downstairs where Idline was reading a book as she sat on the couch and yanked her outside the mansion.r

The woman was used to being dragged around like this and whenever Aurolio did so, more often than not, it was something serious.r

"What is it?" she asked.r

"My answer is here," the white haired young man with a naturally pale face said nonchalantly.r

"What answer?"r

"Why I came here. What the old creep said," Aurolio explained in the most vague of ways possible.r

His body shuddered a little and he turned in the direction of the Bryne Family Residence, his face hardening a bit.r

\'That confirms it then. But first...\' r

"Let\'s go," he said to Idline, his and her figures turning into blurs that streaked towards the gates.r

Along the way, the two passed another speeding individual headed in the opposite direction.r

*r

"Ah, kin. So you are the one settled in this rich land..." an authoritative voice sounded with selective immensity.r

Skullius collapsed from his seat, the strength in his body seemingly struggling against an unseen dominion!r

Still, Silrat and Stylla couldn\'t see what he was seeing for some reason and had even rushed to him with concern as he laid on the floor, struggling to muster the strength to rise.r

The Hybrid Luman groaned in frustration.r

He watched as this mysterious being, the Null Devil King, approach Silrat and Stylla from behind with an eerie smile, its tenebrous eyes then focusing on Stylla with intrigue.r

"Curious..."r

In the Null Devil King\'s sight which still saw humans as hazy outlines with flames within them, Stylla appeared with a brutish blue fire buried within her. It was large but not nearly as large as Dionas\' yet at the same time, it seemed almost equally as eager. r

The BoneTender in the Null Devil King\'s body could still recognise emotion very well as an entity well versed in the art of manipulation. From Stylla, it could feel the fire burning within her screaming with confusion, rage, depression and most of all... a yearning for strength and clarity!r

"Truly curious... a different brand of ambition..." the Bone Tender said as its touch fell on Stylla\'s cheek. It just couldn\'t resist. What fate would befall such a cretin?r

Instantly, the red head who had been showing concern towards Skullius relaxed. She wore a smile and drowned in a state where she was very receptive.r

She then felt a harmless intent vibrate through her body.r

"Do you wish to gamble on it? Glorious, empty bliss that may last for all undone time?"r

The question was posed, requesting Stylla\'s decision.r

Bliss?r

Stylla only wished she could taste it.r

Her apprehension towards the direction she had decided to go with for the Bryne Family, her father\'s curse and the treacherous brother of hers who had brought down the waning light of the Family...r

Indeed, she wished it could be dealt with. If that was what bliss was supposed to be then so be it!r

Who cared if the bliss was empty, whatever that meant?r

Despite her hesitation and critical thought, Stylla affirmed.r

She wanted this bliss.r

A deck of cards unfurled itself before her, giving her options for a different fate.r

Skullius\' eyes widened.r

What the flesh was happening? What was this creature and what were all these cards for?r

What was it doing with Stylla?!r

Silrat turned to the red head, surprised by her sudden shift in behaviour. He didn\'t know what to make of both Skullius and Stylla behaving so strangely.r

"Damn it!" Skullius cursed. "I don\'t have time to be cautious now!"r

Instantly, several luminous golden white bones tore violently from his arm, at their ends giant skulls with different numbers of sockets!r

The Precept of Light was being summoned, but only partially as it merely touched the ceiling, the mouths of the skulls on it hissing out bountiful white mist!r

The Null Devil King watched in surprise.r

"Curious, dear kin..." it said while turning from Stylla who was reaching out to grab a card.r

Skullius frowned and inserted mana into his storage, a slender suit of red armour appearing – the Conforming Trickerteer – the symbol of a half a skull on it. It immediately took on Skullius\' appearance and raced towards Stylla while the original Hybrid Luman tried to stand.r

"Ah..." the Null Devil King expressed his amusement, a look of recognition shining in its dark eyes when it saw the rushing, transformed armour.r

At the same time, the roof to the house burst into small chunks, a blinding, pristine light shining inside the lounge where all was taking place from a massive sun that sat directly over the Bryne Family Residence!r