BXBX NOVEL Chapter 122: The Old General
Ty, still trying to make sense of the unfolding situation, pressed for more information. "So, how about you run me down what you were expecting to see?" he asked, eager for clarity.
As the video began to play, Erebos\'s voice filled the room. His accent was deeper than Ty remembered, but unmistakably it was him. Ty focused intently on the screen, trying to piece together Erebos\'s words and actions in the recording.
The video played, revealing a dialogue between Erebos and King Griswald that shed light on their clandestine agreement and hinted at deeper, more ominous plans:
Erebos: "So, now that you are fully ingrained as King, do you plan to go for the ultimate power source finally?"
King Griswald, turning to face Erebos, replied, "If you truly believe this will lead to fixing this broken world, I will gladly take all the power to rule with an iron fist, but only for the benefit of the people."
Erebos, appearing somewhat nonchalant, responded, "Of course, of course." Then, turning towards the camera, he instructed, "Go ahead and stare at this lens, and this will seal our official partnership after you gained the crown over Legato."
The King did as instructed, and Erebos prompted him, "Repeat after me. \'I will destroy the evils of this world by reuniting the 7 Blades and releasing the 3 Hells onto the world to defeat them.\'"
King Griswald repeated the words, his voice tinged with worry, "Once they are killed, the taint they have on this world will be finished."
Erebos then spoke about their next move, "Before we continue discussing how we\'re going to release the Dragoon, we first need to determine how to beat the creature." He then turned back to the camera and said, "Sorry, my soon-to-be skeleton friend, but for now, you will have a bit of a way to go before you see the rest."
King Griswald, confused, began to ask, "What are you—" but the video abruptly cut off with Erebos raising his hand at the King, leaving the rest to the imagination.
The old General settled into a seat next to the monitor, his expression thoughtful, as Thunder Clap entered the room. The scars of recent battles were evident, marked by the eye patch he wore. "Do you think this was placed on purpose?" he mused, his hands clasped under his chin as he fell into deep contemplation.
Ty, still trying to make sense of the shocking revelation from the video, asked, "Are you sure this was over 3 years ago? Time can work in funny ways."
Thunder Clap, speaking on behalf of the old General who remained deep in thought, clarified the timeline. "Yes, King Griswald went blind in his right eye about two years ago while fighting a wilder beast during a calamity event, where one of the three almost broke free.
In this video, his eye was still intact, so it had to be at least over two and a half years ago, and judging by the context, it was probably 3-4 years ago."
Ty\'s confusion was evident as he tried to understand the significance of the timeline. "But why 3-4 years ago?" he asked.
The old General, with a hint of solemnity in his voice, began to unravel the past. "That\'s roughly when Legato was banished, and a host of other issues were arising. King Griswald\'s brutality rose, and he began to lose interest in his usual activities. General Orlong and I broke away from the kingdom\'s military once rumors of sacrificing dead men and women surfaced."
He paused, reflecting on the gravity of their actions. "Until you and your group showed up, we had been laying low to avoid being killed instantly. We were planning to retrieve the chip from the Cathedral that held secrets to overthrowing King Griswald, who we assumed had begun diving into dark magic or was just going genuinely insane."
The revelation of King Griswald\'s descent into potential madness or dark magic practices added a layer of urgency and danger to the narrative. "But this," the General continued, his tone growing graver, "this might be much worse."
As the General spoke, Ty\'s patience began to wane, his primary concern being his current predicament. "Can you all let me go now?" he interjected, indicating his desire to be freed from the chains.
The old General, finally opening his eye, made a request that carried the weight of urgency and necessity. "I would like to request your assistance once more, not to join us. We can\'t allow even one of those creatures to surface on our planet. In the event of such, it could destroy the entire planet, let alone freeing them all.
Even with King Griswald\'s abilities, I don\'t see them doing much against those creatures."
Ty, contemplating the gravity of the situation, responded with a sense of duty and determination. "If it\'s to take down Erebos, I don\'t mind being of assistance. But for now, I believe it\'s best I return back." As he spoke, he mustered his strength and finally snapped a few of the chains, revealing his skeletal hand marked by the council.
The old General\'s face registered shock at the sight. "And how long did you agree?" he inquired.
"It was three months to assist the kingdom in whatever it needs, with General Mattison sort of overseeing me," Ty explained.
Understanding the implications, the General nodded solemnly. "I see. It is best not to have that effect go off. Even someone with regeneration and your unique stature would With a deft snap of his fingers, the chains that bound Ty clattered to the floor, their grip on him released.
He leaped up with ease, his skeletal form now unencumbered. Standing tall in the dimly lit room, he raised his hands high above his head. The walls around them shuddered as Ty\'s blade burst through, shards of concrete scattering. He looked around, his eye sockets glowing faintly in the darkness.
"Things could have gotten very messy," Ty said, his voice echoing slightly in the enclosed space. The blade, now embedded in the wall, served as a stark reminder of his power. "But I think it\'s better if we stay on good terms for now," he added, his tone implying a truce but with an undercurrent of warning.
He then turned his gaze to Thunder Clap, a sly grin forming on his bony face. "Don\'t want to give your dear friend Thunder any more PTSD," he jested, adding a touch of lightness to the tense atmosphere. His smirk, though lacking flesh and muscle, was unmistakable in its intent, revealing a glimpse of Ty\'s personality beneath his skeletal exterior.