Chapter 155 Arti's Play
"Are you crazy? I'd rather do it myself than ask help from that traitor," Just like Zenda expected, Lydia sounded her displeasure at her words.
"She's the only person that is strong enough to at least put up a decent fight against them," Zenda's words made sense to Lydia, but Alva, Eva and Emily, who were listening to it looked displeased by her idea.
"You can beg her if you want, none of us will accept your idea of bending before her, even Nikol wouldn't like her help," Eva came forward strong this time, even overpowering Lydia's voice showing that she wasn't going to let this happen.
"You're free to do whatever you want, but us humans won't support this, even if one by one died, we won't bend before her and we will support Nikol in our own way," She even disregarded their alliance because of how much she hated depending on Arti.
Even though conflicted in her own way Zenda realised one thing,
'Why did she bring this other army if she knew Leviathan is this powerful? and Why would she watch without helping Nikol? What is she waiting for?'
She questioned herself hoping she would get some answers, but no matter how she tried she had no idea what fairy or the goddess was planning with Nikol.
Zenda decided to act on her own. She wasn't displeased with Eva's decision to act in a different way, in fact, she was grateful that someone trying something different but she wanted to try Arti for one last time. For one last time, she wanted to confirm that the goddess isn't on their side, so she got close to the beastkin army and Arti.
Zenda dropped to her knees in front of Arti, her eyes pleading with desperation after struggling to meet her because beastkin girls kept blocking her on the way.
"Please, you have to help Nikol. He needs someone like you by his side. His sister is a formidable opponent, and he can't face her alone."
Arti shook her head, a pained expression etched on her face.
"I'm sorry, Zenda. I wish I could help, but I'm not skilled in combat. I'm not the right person for this task."
Zenda felt her heart sink at Arti's response. She had hoped that Arti, with her grace and intelligence, would be the perfect ally in Nikol's fight.
"What should we do then? Nikol is in danger, and we can't just stand by and watch."
Zenda muttered but the next words of Arti caught Zenda by surprise.
"You girls won't understand, but this turn of events is important for Nikol, for his growth and to make him understand, who he really is," Arti said almost like she was looking at them in a trance.
Arti placed a hand on Zenda's shoulder, her eyes gentle but firm.
"I'm sorry for what I did to your race, but I don't regret anything because, to me, he is more important than all of you,"
Hearing Arti's selfish words, Zenda didn't feel angry instead she felt the same way as Arti, so she wanted to see what Arti was talking about and witness the truth.
"Can I believe you this time? Don't deceive me, just tell me the truth," Zenda questioned looking at Arti showing her sincere feeling.
"I wish no harm for anyone, I just want Nikol to achieve greater heights," Arti started talking looking at Zenda.
"Why do you think he got so much stronger to hold his ground even though Leviathan isn't serious about this fight, it's because of what we did, it's because of the previous fight and how he got betrayed by you, emotions like anger, happiness, sadness and lust, everything is a key to his seal, once it's broke, heaven will once again fear him and there's one thing he must accomplish no matter what," Arti's words caught Zenda's interest because her words came as totally new information for them.
"I wish I'm free and bold just like humans," Zenda muttered to herself wondering, why she couldn't hate the goddess or Arti, no matter what awful thing they do to her.
Arti's words echoed through Zenda's mind. She couldn't believe what she had just heard and while she was thinking, Nikol and Leviathan kept engaging in a deadly fight that would have far-reaching consequences for their world.
Zenda had always been fiercely loyal to Nikol and the humans since the day they met, and the thought of betraying them was unthinkable. And yet, here she was, caught in a web of deceit and lies that threatened to consume her as she didn't even know what is truth and what is a lie.
As she stood there, watching Arti who was proudly looking at Nikol on Leona's shoulder, Zenda knew she had the decision to make. She could either ignore Arti's warning and remain loyal to her people, or she could risk everything and help Nikol in his fight against Leviathan.
The weight of her decision bore down on her heavily, and she found herself torn between her duty to her race and her loyalty to Nikol. For a long time, she stood there in silence, weighing her options and considering the consequences of her actions.
Finally, she made up her mind.
"I will wait, for the last time, I will believe in you,"
She decided to wait and see what Arti was talking about, without immediately jumping to Nikol's aid. It was a difficult decision, but she knew it might be the right one. So she went back to her unit, which is full of elves and ordered them to stand back causing some of them to even argue against her, but she stood there like a rock without swaying and Tisha also didn't have any idea to object to her since she believed Zenda.
"I thought it might be because of our race, but why can they hate goddess like normal and I can't," She thought with jealousy and remembered another person, who had the same reaction just like her.
"Tisha, do you know why we can't hate that fairy or the goddess?" Zenda questioned to which she just smiled and nodded her head left and right showing just like Zenda, she had no idea why.
Meanwhile, Leviathan watched as her brother, Nikol, launched another attack at her with his overgrown purple claws. She deftly dodged it and countered with a blow of her own. Nikol grunted in frustration as he stumbled back, clearly outmatched by his sister's superior skills and battle experience.
"Come on, Nikol," Leviathan taunted playfully.
"Is that the best you can do? You know I'm just going to keep countering your attacks until you wear yourself out and when you do I'm going to kill those girls, why don't you understand they don't care about you as I do, they just want you for sperms, you don't have to do anything just stay with me and everything will be all right, I won't let that weak goddess separate us again."
Nikol scowled hearing her voice and charged at her again shouting,
"You're not the Viola, I knew, she was a kind girl who took care of me, I will beat you and make you vomit everything you know about me, even if you're my real sister, I can't stay like a livestock to anyone, I won't stay ignorant," He started thinking logically.
"That's right! I was too ignorant, why didn't I question when you developed our bankrupted company into a multi-national co-operation within a few years, I thought my sister was amazing at that time, but now I know you're not normal, until you tell me everything I will keep rebelling."
But Leviathan simply sidestepped and tripped him, sending him crashing to the ground. She grinned down at him as he groaned in defeat.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, little brother," she said, extending a hand to help him up.
"I know you're still learning, but you'll get there eventually and I will tell you everything when the time is correct, until then stay with me."
Nikol refused her hand and pulled himself up doing a smooth jump, looking at Leviathan slightly frustrated. Leviathan could sense his irritation, but she didn't want to push him too hard. After all, she loved him and didn't want to hurt him or injure him but she didn't know this was her mistake against her hot-blooded brother, who won't hold back even though she was his real sister.
While he was contemplating about how to win, Nikol remembered one thing.
The taste of the power he felt the other day when fighting in the war of the cursed duchess.
He knew what he had to do, but he wasn't sure if he was ready for it or if it will be effective. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing on the sealing power within him and trying to remember the same feeling he felt previously. He called out to it, hoping that it would answer his call.
"Please, help me," Nikol said in his mind.
"I need your strength to fight Leviathan, I need to know the truth, I don't want to stay the same ignorant little brother."
There was a long pause, and the voice within Nikol stayed silent. He could feel its reluctance, its hesitation. He knew that it was weighing his request carefully, considering the implications of what he was asking.
"I understand that it's not an easy task," Nikol said, his voice firm.
"But I have to do this. Leviathan is my sister, but she's also a danger to everyone around her. I can't let her continue to cause destruction."
Again, there was no response, and Nikol's heart sank. He wondered if he had pushed too hard if he had asked too much of the sealing power within him. But he knew that he couldn't give up, not now.
"I need your help," Nikol said, his voice low and urgent.
"Please, I'm begging you, didn't you say we are one, so prove it to me now."
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the voice within Nikol spoke. It was soft and hesitant, but there was a hint of resolve in its tone.