Chase turned his head toward Lithica, slightly caught off guard, and wanting his reason for agreement.
Lithica shrugged.
"My lord... If I may... You are strong, and carry with you various high potential evolution paths, but you do not have access to these abilities, and probably wont for a long while. As you have said... You do not have time for a long while... So I advise that you become this goddess's champion, and you will gain a new affinity with it as well I'd assume... There is one more reason though..."
Chase tilted his head.
"Go on..."
He interlocked his fingers and rested them on the table, preparing to continue.
"My lord... I have told you before that without religion you simply cannot go on in this world..."
He looked around at everyone, his golden eyes glowing in the tavern light.
"You all follow a religion..."
Everyone in the group nodded slowly, unsure of what Lithica was getting at.
"There are countless gods in this world, and even they follow a hierarchy, we call the strongest of them, the ones above all... And they naturally spread forces similar to what Rider was using as his affinity... It is called corruption, and it can even kill gods..."
The table was silent, and Luke decided to speak up.
"He is correct... We follow religions because inside of a god's domain, we are protected from these natural forces... Not completely, but enough to keep us alive..."
Lithica nodded slowly, then turned his gaze towards Chase.
"I understand your complexion with the gods... But I fear that no matter how strong you get, and how many seals you break... You will simply crumble under the weight of the world..."
Chase exhaled with a shaky breath, then looked around at his friends.
Michael closed his eyes and nodded.
Gabriel grit his teeth and shook his head.
"Also... I do not think that this contract will be a normal one... In the old days a champion was referred to as a slave of the gods... But the goddess that chose you is very similar to you in many ways... She is the youngest of the lesser gods and probably has a very high potential to climb up the rankings... She also told me that she wanted to make a name for yourself and to do so... And I quote... "Called dibs on you before the other gods could...".
Chase reached his hand out, and slowly collected the necklace.
"So I just put it on?"
Luke nodded.
"Not here though... Tonight would be wisest, once she has a way to contact you without your seals interfering, you two can discuss the terms..."
Chase sighed, and put the necklace in his pocket, making sure that he kept his hand over it so he wouldn't drop it accidentally.
"Anyway... Onto the reason we are all here..."
Chase looked at Leo.
"To kill Rider..."
Michael grinned, and Equan nodded maturely.
"How do we kill him?"
Leo asked.
Chase looked around and took another shaky breath.
"His castle... We need to destroy it... That is where his catalyst of corruption lies, once we break it... We will weaken the king, and we will kill him as he killed Leander..."
Neveah smiled and set her sword on the table.
"I am with you... Leander was the only real father of mine... We were not blood but he treated me like his own child... I will not stand by and let others take the pleasure of avenging the man that cared for me since I was little..."
"Well said..."
Leo agreed, setting his battle axe in front of him.
"What was it? United we stand and together we shall never fall?"
Michael grinned, putting a small dagger made of ice in front of him, knowing full well his scythe wouldn't fit on the table.
Gabriel nodded, setting his own dagger on the table.
Equan shook his head.
"Chase... We need a roadmap, we cannot go in blind..."
Chase nodded.
"I know that... We will gather forces, I am sure that many students are angered by Leander's death... Which means many will jump on our side at a heartbeat... And I know a man who would happily join our forces, and maybe two others if I can find them."
Chase looked at Gideon, who he had completely forgotten about.
He just walked over to the table with a mug in his hands, and comfortable pajamas equipped.
"Don't tell me you are late to the meeting because you wanted to buy pajamas?"
Onyx groaned, snatching the mug out of Gideon's hands.
"Too young..."
He growled, scowling at the boy.
"Can you get in contact with Skylar and Hans?"
Chase asked Gideon, as he pulled over a napkin and a pen in front of him.
Gideon hesitated.
"I- I think so..."
Chase stroked his chin hairs that had started to come in during his time in the forest.
"If we gather what we can in the next two weeks... I think... We should try to retake Phoenix Academy..."
He said quietly, more so thinking aloud to himself.
Luke nodded.
"I agree, if we retake the academy, we will put ourselves on the map. We will show everyone that we aren't done yet and that we prove ourselves as the winning side..."
Chase frowned.
"I will have to contact Poppy and Neo..."
"That won't be a problem..."
A familiar voice called out from the tavern entrance.
The boy with spikey blue hair and a set of armor, kicked his boots on the welcome mat, and walking over to the table.
"Poppy is waiting outside, we got a carriage ready to head toward another town south of the city of the sun... Also, we may or may not have been stalking you for quite a while!"
Neo grinned, snatching a mug out of Leo's hands and chugging down whatever liquid was in it.
Chase was in shock, he wasn't angry about Neo and Poppy following him, but was kind of confused that they hadn't just helped out when the raid had taken place.
Neo shook his head.
"I get it, but we only showed up when Rider did... And Poppy demanded me that I do not interfere... Probably a good thing as well. That guy whooped you guys, and would have put me six feet under."
He laughed, looking around at everyone.
"Never mind, basically Poppy wants you guys to split up. Some of you stay here and continue to heal and plan out the next stages of this- Well plan. But anyway the healthiest of you will come with me, Poppy will stay here and help gather soldiers... Me and my team are going to head west and try to intercept Rider's recourses, should weaken their army and give us more equipment..."
Chase couldn't speak.
They were all so prepared to jump on the train as soon as he agreed to kill Rider... They were going to go against one of the eleven kingdoms... And with no real army or even a paladin in their ranks...
"I- Thank you all..."
Chase said, rubbing the side of his neck.
Luke stood.
"Neo of House Cobra, I would like to offer me, Gideon, Kaylynn, Leo, and Gabriel in your mission..."
Neo shook his head and grinned.
"Dude... You aint got no hand..."
Luke shook his head.
"I will come with you, and I will find a blacksmith who can craft me a replacement... And..."
He turned toward Chase.
"Gideon will be able to contact Hans and Skylar if we go with Neo..."
Chase nodded.
"I agree..."
Everyone looked around at each other, a strange sense of purpose resting in the atmosphere of the tavern room.
"We calling ourselves Unity?"
Neo asked, looking at Chase with a plotting glint in his eyes.
Chase nodded.
"Why not?"