Chapter 27: Division547Please respect copyright.PENANAlY5nO1ImLE
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The cloud of dust began to clear and showed an irritated Ginsu standing tall with Alura passed out in his arms, her wings gone as they had disappeared back into her. He glared at the boy, frowning and shook his head in disappointment. “Talon, wake yourself from the misguided Goddess. You can’t truly want to hurt or kill your only living family member, do you?”547Please respect copyright.PENANAvSgKM9c6Ri
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Talon tensed as he locked eyes with the Water God. “What do you mean? I have other family, you stupid god!” he snapped sharply.547Please respect copyright.PENANAu5qjIt53rf
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Marenzo bit his cheek once he managed to sit up and stumbled to his feet. He knew Ginsu wasn’t lying and as he laid eyes on Alura, he couldn’t stop himself despite his tired state. “Alura!” he rushed up as quickly as he could to the Water God and the young woman in his arms. “Is she okay? Please tell me sh-whoa!” he jumped back from a sudden swipe by her claws that left a thin cut on his cheek, along with a few strains of his bangs getting a trim.547Please respect copyright.PENANA8fKxyJ0xGm
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Ginsu used water that was an odd mix between light and dark blue. He had it gently come to rest over her eyes like glasses and slowly her reddened demon eyes closed, and she went limp in his arms once more. “It would be wise to keep your distance. You hurt her and her demon blood does not take kindly to that.” He turned his attention back to Talon who shifted a foot back. “Make your choice now, stand down and give up what Kisa has given you or you’ll end up being alone without family.”547Please respect copyright.PENANAObi3pcaNkx
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Talon tightened his jaw as he tensed his shoulders and got closer to his dragon as it landed as gently as it could. Kisa never said he would be here. She said he was indisposed of. He mounted his beast, dispersing the weapon from his hand. “I won’t listen to you or believe you.” He stated coldly. “You stole my sister from me and I’ll never forget that. You are a thief, a liar, and you along with her and anyone else will suffer for it.” He looked to the dragon. “Fly, now!” he barked roughly.547Please respect copyright.PENANANw6S6niNG1
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The dragon took a deep breath and exhaled while nodding and braced itself as it shot up into the air. As you wish, my master. He had a calm enough tone to its voice in their link but he also sounded like he was growing tired. After two mighty flaps, he was up and vanishing from sight into the night sky.547Please respect copyright.PENANAP6AwRFLhya
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Marenzo turned his attention to Ginsu and as the Water God also looked to the wizard, it was easy to see the confusion twisting his mortal face. “What’s wrong with him? Who’s Kisa?”547Please respect copyright.PENANAUCiPzEPfFZ
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“Kisa is the Goddess of the Wind and I thought you would remember that given how tonight was to honor her.” Ginsu replied sternly, causing Marenzo to blush as that had slipped his mind. “She is the Goddess of the Wind yet has a dark desire for power. That desire is granted strength by a dragon witch we cannot find.”547Please respect copyright.PENANAC2pQa26bX0
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“Dragon witch?” he asked while tilting his head to one side.547Please respect copyright.PENANAO6PWshPcGS
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Ginsu nodded as he looked up at the sky. “She wanted power and we Gods and Goddesses are made so none is stronger than the others, we are balanced among each other magic wise. She hated this and after she was given her region, this one, she tried to get stronger than the rest of us.” He looked to Marenzo who was listening attentively. “She sought dark magic and found it with a dragon witch. We have not found this beast yet and my theory is she is helping to hide the beast.”547Please respect copyright.PENANAg695wna7ro
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“But what would she want with Talon? Why go after Alura’s brother?”547Please respect copyright.PENANABmto4wG4pM
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“Only she knows that answer and I doubt she’s going to tell us, if we could find her.” He started to step away from Marenzo.547Please respect copyright.PENANABfOchS2R53
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“Where are you going with Alura?” he began to follow the Water God.547Please respect copyright.PENANAmg73hbj5hf
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“We are going to be somewhere so she may rest and recover.” Marenzo opened his mouth to speak but closed it as Ginsu continued. “You will know where to find her later when I tell you where we are. As I said, I want you away from her for a couple months, then you may come and be near her again if she so chooses.” A blue light began to surround Ginsu and Alura.547Please respect copyright.PENANAkZNW3T4t5M
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“Wait! Let me try explaining!” Marenzo moved and tried to grab the Water God only to miss and grab nothing but air as Ginsu vanished. “Damn it.” He muttered and gripped his fist tightly in the quiet before looking over to see the damage done. It was minimal but enough to be frustrating because of how long repairs could take. If I need to help then I need to find him first. He made his way back into the city without another look back, frustration on his face as he began his searching for Quartz.547Please respect copyright.PENANAqwZAIQ0QA5
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It would take several minutes before he found the right tavern. There weren’t many inside since most were out taking care of the injured, the dead, and the damage. He approached the bar and took a seat beside the demon. “Ah, I was wondering what was taking you so long.” Quartz commented before taking a sip of his sake mixed drink. Marenzo didn’t answer as he glared at the marble countertop. Quartz glanced down to Marenzo and set his drink down. “I feel you are upset about something. Did you manage to tell her your little trick?” his voice had fallen quiet as he inquired with his question.547Please respect copyright.PENANArn3EeG26Lx
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Marenzo held his silence as his hands slowly curled into fists with his gaze narrowing. His jaw tightened then without warning he whipped around and slammed a tightly balled fist square into Quart’s jaw, a solid right hook. “You made me lose her, bastard!” he shouted in anger.547Please respect copyright.PENANAcLuREGfHAW
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“Whoa!” Quartz caught himself before he fell fully off the bar chair. “Hey I didn’t think she’d dump you because you lack any real power.”547Please respect copyright.PENANARLdFDM7ZYZ
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“It wasn’t that!” Marenzo took and exhaled a rough breath while closing his eyes. “Because of you taking my rings, I didn’t have the enhancers or flexibility to prevent a woman who followed us from Meldano from causing a huge misunderstanding.” He got out in a heated breath, almost mumbling.547Please respect copyright.PENANAeJqxv7juRe
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Quartz sat up in his seat and rubbed his cheek and jaw area before shaking his head upon hearing this. “You don’t get it, do you?” he closed his eyes and released a sigh. “You are relying on those too much. You need to build your stamina without them for once.”547Please respect copyright.PENANAsogP5lUrJy
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“You’re one to talk, brother. You’re using one right now to hide yourself.” Marenzo grumbled flatly.547Please respect copyright.PENANAC1Y1dDHXn9
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Quartz chuckled softly before letting a semi-heavy breath out. “Was I that obvious?” he questioned while he let the masquerade fall. There sat a taller young man, roughly twenty-nine years old, with short pale blue hair that covered one eye bright copper colored eye.547Please respect copyright.PENANAXzy1HyP2EX
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“A random baries coming up, greeting us and just happens to know I had a bag of enchanted rings on me? Kind of hard to think that was purely by chance.”547Please respect copyright.PENANA9bpkzf8ubx
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“I guess you’re right.” He took a sip of his sake as his body was relaxed to try showing Marenzo to cool it.547Please respect copyright.PENANArGiMlCEtUb
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“What are you even doing here, Junizotz?”547Please respect copyright.PENANA8M419NbQnp
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“Getting a break from mom,” he answered dry as he closed his eyes and lifted his glass to his lips. “Seems Emperor Amoxious decided to pay her a visit a while back.” Junizotz sipped his drink then finished it.547Please respect copyright.PENANAcq6KARPn9W
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Marenzo frowned with concern in his eyes. “What happened with mom?”547Please respect copyright.PENANAK4sd1pUtDH
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Junizotz shrugged as he set his glass down, leaning forwards a bit to rest one elbow on the counter and motioned for a refill. “He put some curse on her and it’s a doozy. I can’t even break it so I came here to further train my magical ability.”547Please respect copyright.PENANAkZlfSjD4or
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“What kind of curse?”547Please respect copyright.PENANAP80XLo57JC
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“A blood curse, if I remember her words.” He nodded to the bartender and took a drink of his refilled sake mix. “So she sent me to find someone strong enough to break it.” He took another drink. “Sounded like there wasn’t a sage strong enough on Zento to do it.”547Please respect copyright.PENANAdVFMnGu3pK
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Marenzo was silent, turning his gaze to the counter where he began drawing shapes absent-mindedly. “Want anything to drink?” the barkeep questioned as he made his way back over to the pair. He frowned and scrunched up his brow when Marenzo ignored him.547Please respect copyright.PENANAsaMsRuupel
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“He’ll have some water. Alcohol and him don’t do well together.” The barkeep nodded and left, returning with a glass filled with water before going about other business. Junizotz sipped his drink and looked to his brother who had begun to slouch while his finger continued its random pattern. “…I know you want your pouch to go off and play hero but you are going to strengthen your stamina first.” Marenzo frowned hearing this as the tracing stopped. “I know you hate studying and practicing but you gotta do it or you’re going to get your ass handed to you, again.”547Please respect copyright.PENANAsoRyxWxjWn
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“…I’m strong enough…” Marenzo grumbled.547Please respect copyright.PENANA65PTOr3Gh3
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Junizotz pondered for a moment. “Okay,” he began slowly, “counter.”547Please respect copyright.PENANA1vlilScUIa
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“Huh?” he looked up before his eyes widened. “Gah!” he teleported to a table then to another and another, growing tired the more he did it. Junizotz was aiming and firing off ice crystals from his finger like a gun at his little brother and keeping up with his teleporting locations. When the crystal would strike a surface it simply turned into snow that melted away without leaving any residue.547Please respect copyright.PENANANwEF9YKB43
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Eventually, out of breath, Marenzo was struck and fell over from the strike. He sat on the ground panting as Junizotz stood and made his way over with his drink, looking down at the tired out Marenzo. “So…” he took a sip, “still think you don’t need to practice and train without using modifiers?”547Please respect copyright.PENANASUcNvJsqWG
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“Sh-sh-shut up!” he panted with his blue eyes closing as strains of his loose silver hair fell around his eyes, his head falling forwards some. He’s such a show off. Marenzo thought with a seething tone. But he’s not wrong. If I want to be able to help Alura then I need to be able to stand on my own. He opened his eyes some as his breathing evened out. If I lost my rings when facing Amoxious or someone else working for that dictator then… he shook his head, not wanting to think of the outcome.547Please respect copyright.PENANATy4RJlc4HI
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“Well?”547Please respect copyright.PENANARKhSwvSTsR
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“…Fine, you win.” Slowly Marenzo stood and dusted himself off as his brother finished his drink. “How do we start?”547Please respect copyright.PENANAX1obuEQkvX
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Junizotz nodded, walking over and set the glass down on the counter as he set some coin beside it. “We will first help the people repair what was damaged. After that,” he turned to Marenzo then proceeded out the door. “We will head out of town, set up camp and begin working on your stamina. You’ve let it slack and fall since we were kids.” He lead the way out with Marenzo following up behind as the barkeep took the empty and partially empty glasses.547Please respect copyright.PENANALezXgjK0WW