The door creaked open, and Grinex's massive frame filled the doorway. "Grutix," he said, his voice a low rumble.
"Hey, big guy," Grutix replied, smiling up at him. "I saw the new barriers you built, they look like the perfect bear trap." Grinex said
"Somebody's gotta make sure this place is safe and our army is capable," she said with a shrug. "We'll be going to war against the King in just two week, so I'm on overtime. I have to do my best."
"There's no bear like Grutix" Grinex said, a note of deep respect in his voice. Grutix blushed, her furry cheeks turning a faint shade of red.
"Why, thank you. Now, how can I help you?"
"I need a new axe," Grinex said, his tone sheepish.
Grutix's eyes widened in shock. "What happened to the one I made you? It was nearly unbreakable!"
"It broke," Grinex sighed. "Some snobby kid escaped from the Zoner Knights and ended up in Berryville. We clashed, and in the process, my axe broke."
"Berryvilles grown popular with children these days?" Grutix asked, her brows furrowed in concern.
"He's the son of Zoner Knight Naggi. He has a hate for artists, animals." Grinex explained. "He even rubbed Braxill the wrong way."
"But you said he uses Abi," Grutix said, confused. "So he's not an artist?"
"His mother is, but apparently his father is an Artimancer. I've never heard of such a thing," Grinex admitted.
Grutix leaned against her workbench, a thoughtful expression on her face. "In the ancient world, Artimancers were called tradesmen. They were deemed the more respectable of human society. They say tradesmen and artists were always at odds due to their fundamental differences in life's purpose."
"Humans are so strange," Grinex mused.
"Indeed they are, but they are still the Demigods," she said with a sigh. "I'll have your new axe ready in two days. I'll make sure this next one is nearly unbreakable. Till then, you can take whichever axe in this shop. It's on the house."
Grinex smirked, his spirits lifted by her generosity.
Meanwhile, Braxill was in the library, his small body hunched over a shelf of books. His eyes scanned the spines in a frantic search: "Ninja... ninja... ninja..." His breathing grew heavy, a sign of his deep emotional turmoil. The hurtful words from Givie, from the voice in his head—they all centered around the one thing he loved most. He was on a mission, and a serious one at that.
Suddenly, a shimmering black figure appeared behind him, the Black Angel.
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Her presence was so subtle, so spiritual, that even Braxill couldn't detect her. She placed a book right beside him, its cover a muted, dark green. Braxill, still lost in his search, felt a nudge of something unseen and looked to his right.
However, just then, the angel Rasby appeared, her presence heralded by a ripple of radiant energy that startled Braxill. He turned to his right, eyes going wide in awe.
There, shimmering in the ether, stood the legendary surface animal, Polar.
Braxill gasped, nearly breathless. "WOOOOOAAAAAH! What is that? A white-furred bear! It's like Grax, but covered in snow, hehehe!"
Braxill's eye glows green and he stores the image of the polar bear into his memory. He rushes over to a daesk and inputs into the library computer "White bear"
The great polar bear smiled warmly at him.
A gentle chime rang from the computer screen.
The computer's voice chimed, "Polar Bear: A legendary surface animal known for its thick, white fur and immense strength. Native to frozen northern lands, polar bears are the largest bears on the planet and can swim for miles across icy seas. Their fur isn't actually white, it's transparent and reflects light, helping them blend into snowy environments. Fun fact: a polar bear's sense of smell is so powerful, it can detect prey nearly a mile away!"
Braxill's jaw dropped, eyes sparkling with wonder. "WOAH! They're like super-bears, almost as cool as grizzlys! I wanna see one for real, I can't wait to go to the surafce!"
Suddenly, the air shifted, growing cold and heavy. Rasby's wings flared as she fixed his gaze on the new arrival.
"Demon. Why are you here?" Rasby's voice rang with authority.
This was no ordinary visitor. The figure before them, wreathed in dark, ethereal energy, was a fallen angel of celestial legend, a Black Angel. A Demon.
Omhiell's eyes glittered with mischief. "I was only trying to help the boy remember his history."
Rasby's voice hardened. "The child is not your concern. Leave, demon. Your time here is short."
Omhiell tilted her head, grinning wickedly. "You were always so gentle, Rasby, erasing his memory like that. A child without the weight of the world on his shoulders can become anything. But you know he can't run from Mama and Mr. Roach forever. Sooner or later, he'll learn just how cruel this world is, and when he does, he'll have no choice but to awaken his true self. Assimilation! HIPHOP!"
She burst out in a wild, maniacal laugh, the sound echoing through the chamber.
"So, what do you say, Rasby? Give him his memory back, let's see how much he really cares about Joy."
Rasby's eyes narrowed, her voice filled with divine conviction. "Demon, you have no love for Joy. You seek only to corrupt children, while Joy exists to protect and save them."
Omhiell flexed her ethereal, dark force, shadows curling around her. The room filled with oppressive, suffocating energy. But Rasby simply lifted her hand, and an overwhelming surge of heavenly light flooded the space.
The power was so intense that even Omhiell flinched, hesitating. With a frustrated growl, she melted back into the darkness, vowing to return, next time, when Braxill was truly alone.
As for Braxill he continued to be mesmerized by the polar bear unaware of the fight that took place in a realm he isn't from.