Chapter 140: Prophetic Dream
"Daphne..."
"Cassandra?"
Up on the fortress wall, dimly illuminated by magic stone lamps that had replaced torches, Cassandra Illion called out Daphne's name in a trembling voice. The lamplight highlighted the pale profile of the long-haired girl, who was hugging herself tightly.
"It's no good... we need to run away from here quickly," she said.
"Huh?" Daphne shot her a complicated look that was an equal mix of What nonsense are you spouting now? and Please spare me.
"The castle... the castle is going to be destroyed..."
Hearing Cassandra's completely baseless warning, Daphne put on a look of utter exasperation. "Are you dreaming again? We've already come this far; how could we possibly run away? Seriously, could you please stop throwing up death flags for everyone?"
"Please, I'm begging you, you have to believe me this time...!" Cassandra desperately tried to explain her completely unbelievable "prophetic dream," her voice thick with tears.
"What ridiculous dream did you have this time?" Daphne let out a heavy sigh, truly at her wit's end with her best friend. "I've told you a million times, it's just a dream. Stop being so unreasonable."
"No, it's not!" Cassandra grabbed Daphne's arm, her green eyes wide with terror. "I dreamed... I dreamed that the sun fell from the sky and ignited everything. I dreamed of a bell tolling, ringing the echoes of the end." Her voice grew fainter, and her body shook like a leaf in the wind.
"Alright, alright." Daphne reached out and patted Cassandra's back with a helpless sigh, trying to comfort her. "I get it, I'll be careful. Now, go drink a cup of hot milk and get a good night's sleep. Stop letting your imagination run wild. I still have work to do, so I can't keep you company tonight."
With that, Daphne turned and walked away. Watching the girl's retreating figure, Cassandra lamented in despair.
.....
Under the cover of darkness, Aiden gazed at the silhouette of the ancient castle standing on the distant plain and sighed softly.
"Sigh... I really didn't want to be this high-profile, but why does someone always have to force my hand?"
Tomorrow, he was going to deliver an unprecedented shock to all of Orario. His initially formulated developmental policy of "lay low, gather strength, and don't take risks" would definitively come to an end when the sun rose tomorrow. Not only was that thrill-seeking god Hermes pushing him, but the perverted peacock Apollo who had jumped out halfway was also forcing the issue.
Since that was the case, he was done pretending. Cards on the table.
Caution, hiding, biding his time—none of these were needed anymore. He was going to cause a massive uproar and unleash his power to his heart's content.
By this time, they had already pitched their tents and lit a campfire on the plains at a safe distance from the ancient castle. Tifa was currently preparing a lavish dinner for everyone, the aroma of food wafting through the cold night wind, bringing a trace of warm comfort.
"After tomorrow, everything will be different," Robin said softly as she walked up to Aiden. Her lake-green eyes shone exceptionally bright in the firelight.
"Yeah." Aiden turned to look at his most reliable Vice-Captain, a gentle smile spreading across his face. "Are you ready, Robin?"
"Of course." Robin gently placed a hand over her chest, her expression incredibly serious. "From the moment I was summoned by you, I was already prepared. No matter what scenery lies ahead, I will accompany you to see it."
"Alright!" Aiden's heroic spirit was thoroughly ignited. "Then let's go all out and officially announce our arrival to this world!"
.....
On the highly anticipated day of the War Game, the entirety of Orario had accumulated an extraordinary level of passion and excitement.
Every tavern threw open its doors first thing in the morning, and countless makeshift stalls set up shop on every street corner, their hawking cries rising and falling in waves. Leading up to today, the myriad of parchment posters adding color to the streets were all the handiwork of those overly excited deities campaigning everywhere. The posters depicted the Apollo Familia's glittering sun emblem on one side, and the Focalors Familia's minimalist, mysterious emblem of a scale and water drop on the other.
On this specific day alone, nearly all adventurers took a day off, squeezing into their favorite taverns in droves, ready to enjoy this once-in-a-century spectacle. Laborers who had finally managed to score a day off, alongside ordinary citizens, arrived early at the main avenues or the central plaza, eagerly craning their necks for that thrilling moment to arrive.
"Ah—ah—! Ahem— Good morning, dear audience members! I am a member of the Ganesha Familia in charge of the live broadcast for this War Game, the man known as the 'Talking Fire Magic,' Ibri Achwal! Also known by the alias 'Fire Burst Fire'! I look forward to your continued support!"
At some point, a ludicrously exaggerated stage had been set up without authorization in the front courtyard of the Guild Headquarters. The brown-skinned youth who styled himself as the live broadcaster held a megaphone made of magic stone, shouting his resonant opening remarks to the dense crowd below.
"And, we are honored to invite our special guest commentator, our great patron deity, Lord Ganesha! Lord Ganesha, please say a few words to everyone!" Ibri handed another megaphone to his side.
"—I AM GANESHA!!" The male god Ganesha, wearing his massive elephant head mask, roared into the megaphone with all his might, the sound deafening.
"Excellent, thank you, Lord Ganesha!" Ibri retrieved the megaphone with a look of intense excitement, acting as if he had just heard some profound truth.
The audience below cooperatively unleashed a landslide of cheers in response.
A War Game, which actively collaborated with merchants to enliven the city's atmosphere, was fundamentally an entertainment spectacle. To watch these battles, residents from other regions would often travel specifically to the city—and naturally, admission fees were charged accordingly. The Guild also used these events as a flex of their muscles, demonstrating Orario's strength to the world. Beyond that, it served to attract talented, promising youths, inspiring them to enter the Labyrinth City harboring the dream of "I want to be an adventurer too."
But most importantly, the War Game was an ultimate form of entertainment pursued by the gods.
"Oh, the atmosphere's finally getting heated up."
Pressing her face against the window, Loki looked down at the scene below, a massive grin splitting her face.
The thirtieth floor of the white-walled giant tower, Babel.
Most of the gods, who were looking forward to the War Game more than anyone else, had gathered here. Naturally, the two patron deities fighting this proxy war, Focalors and Apollo, were also present, awaiting the moment the battle began. Of course, there were also a few deities who chose to mingle with their children in the taverns or watch the game from their own Familia headquarters with their members.
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