XLI

The night descended. Kzel did not even noticed it. He had been communing with the chaos planes but could not rise his chaos cultivation to stage 5. 49 chaos eyes was all he could open. That sums up to 4900 Chaos Energy.

Kzel's eyes snapped open. It's about time.

Sulic, the leader of the hall sent three Vigilants to recruit in the nearby villages, towns and to the City of Pelis. Come morning, they'd return with new bloods.

Mornen was uneasy that day. He kept pacing around in deep thoughts. In that very night, he found the most opportunate moment to approach Sulic.

"We must consider about the Chaos Cultists!" Mornen started while keeping his distance.

"What should we consider? There's nothing to consider. They're guests until they decided to leave the hall." Sulic answered, pretending to commune with Threndal.

"Don't pretend to be ignorant!" Mornen snarled, "We have never been in good terms with the Light and Order! They may as well be the one behind the assaults of the people against us!"

Sulic shoot up on his feet and sprinted towards Mornen with ill intent. He grabbed Mornen by the collar with gritted teeth, "Are you implying that we should be in good terms with those murderers?! Those Chaos Cultists that can easily slaughter innocents? Are we not men of Justice?"

"Where's the justice of our brothers and sisters? Where's the justice in us dying? When the will of Threndal is extinguished in this world..." Mornen stayed resolute but did not dare finish his last sentence.

The arms of Sulic suddenly felt lifeless and he released Mornen. A silence ensued without the right words to utter.

"Indeed." A voice made the two wary. They immediately grabbed the maces strapped on their waist and transferred Brilliant Auras. The owner of the voice was none other than Kzel who left a mark on Mornen's chaotic mind. "The only reason that Light and Order looked down on the Vigilants is because you are all weak! Justice must have absolute power!"

Sulic and Mornen lowered their guards a bit after seeing the young man leaning on a corner. They then started contemplating the words after sensing that the young man did not have any hostile intent.

'What justice? What law?' Kzel scratched his chin. He did not understand this faction. The Vigilants punished the eleven sins, but the law that must never be broken was Threndal's Judgement. Anyone opposing it will be executed on the spot.

Of course, Kzel needed this Vigilants on the side of Chaos. Within a chaos based society, justice is law. And justice is chaos itself.

"If we allied with Chaos.. The people will become our enemy. We will be the one to be put to the hammer!" Sulic said after a long thought.

"Then make it secret until Chaos rises in this world!" Kzel assured with arms spread, "We will not only become allies. We will share with you chaos by opening the Eyes of Chaos in your soul and you will become chaos. Without the Mark of Chaos, you can enact justice without being detected. You will be more powerful and no one will oppose the Will of Threndal!"

"This.." Sulic's face twisted into anger, "This conversation is over!"

-----

Kzel exited the room with a smirk. He had hidden his intent and would not hesitate to kill the two if they ever slightly shown the opposite of his expectation. However, Sulic did not kick him out of the hall and was obviously considering his offer even with the furious expression.

A figure in the shadows made a move. Kzel detected it but did not react as the figure shoved him into the wooden walls with a dagger ready to pierce his throat.

"You are from the chaos faction! I did not know why Sulic let you into our hall but I'm going to collect the rewards for killing a Chaos Player." The figure was undeniably eavesdropping on the conversation earlier. This figure was Carl, the player who was content to watch under a tree while others do the digging.

A ball of chaos essence converged above Kzel's hand, concealed behind his back. He then flicked it to the man's chest.

Carl couldn't even react in time. It happened so fast. He wanted to brag and scare the low level player even more. His eyes shone bright red before his body dropped on the floor.

Kzel observed the man with uninterested eyes. This Carl guy, reeked of lust. Lust for power. And Kzel just gave him that. With this chaotic emotions, he can easily open the Eye of Chaos in the soul of a man with just the Essence of Chaos.

"W-What's this?" Carl read the popped up window and burst into laughter. "Now this is what I call a Power Up! You're a fool! Now I'm going to kill you and that meddling Masvi!"

Kzel restrained himself from bursting into laughter too. The fool just became a chaos servant and must obey to his every whim. He is of course, a Chaos Bringer.

Brilliant Aura shone on Carl's dagger while a chaos ball appeared on his other hand. He was about to charge and hurl the chaos ball but stopped after another notification.

>>Warning! You are in the presence of a Chaos Bringer!

Offending such entity will result into death!<<

A sinister smile appeared on Kzel's face. "Grovel before me!"

Carl hesitated. The dagger fell from his grasp while the chaos ball dissipated. They were both players. How come that he needed to obey another player because he had a higher title than him. Should he put his pride aside? He did not want to lose his avatar. There's nothing he can do anymore but drop on his knees. His face twisted into an ugly one.

"Good! You have what it takes." Kzel hurriedly left before Sulic and Mornen arrived to investigate the commotion.

-----

"This way, my lady!" A Lvl. 125 Knight of Order guided Lessi into a magnificent hallway.

Out of the 20 players, Lessi was personally approached by the knight, telling her that the Grand Knight was interested in a gleaming power within her.

Lessi motioned Glen and Mika by her side that she is going in alone.

"Be careful!" Mika leaned closer and whispered.

Glen only nodded. He knew Lessi long enough and she can handle herself. If there's trouble, they might just get in the way.

After five minutes of walking while adoring the 10 meters statues depicting the knights of old, Lessi and the knight entered a wide oval room. There, ten knights exceeding Lvl.150 waited.

"We are honored that you graced us with your presence, lady Lessi." Greeted the knight in the middle. He was not wearing his helmet and his handsome face was revealed unlike the rest. "I am Lewin, the commander of the 7th Knights of Order."

Lewin motion the other knights and they all poured out of the room in an orderly manner.

Lessi's wariness diminished a bit, "The honor is mine, lord Lewin."

"Just call me sir or commander." Lewin revealed a bitter smile, "I've thrown away my lordship after disobeying my father."

"I'm sorry to hear--"

"Don't be," Before Lessi could finish, Lewin offered his arm and Lessi hesitantly took it, "Walk with me."

Lessi frowned. She hated these formalities. The two went out of the room and headed to a balcony that overlooked a dazzling garden.

"Do you want to join the Order?" Lewin went straight to the point of the meeting, "Do you have any patrons?"

The two stopped and amazed at the sight. Lessi then firmly stated, "I served the 8th goddess of Light and the 12th goddess of the Hunt."

Lessi didn't mention the 33rd goddess of the Hunt within her who is the daughter of the 12th. It might stir some trouble. Most NPCs would view her as a vessel and might start worshiping her while others would see her as a tool.

"Oh?" Lewin revealed a disappointed look. Since they are both from the Righteous Factions, he cannot swindle her into the Order except if she accepted wholeheartedly.

"Tell me, sir Lewin." Lessi slowly spoke, "The knight that welcomed us mentioned something about a crisis. What exactly is this crisis?"

Lewin was a bit taken aback by the question, "Yes. A new threat from another world. We should have known that after centuries, Chaos would come knocking at our doors once again."

'A threat from another world?' Lessi repeated in her head.

"Also," Lewin added, "The portal between the twelve worlds is opening. Our sworn enemies will try to invade our lands. Can we count on you, lady Lessi?"

Lessi considered this for a moment. She do not have anything to do with the Gaians and now they are trying to somehow involve her with their troubles. They might see her as a heroic adventurer that would appear and save the day but she is cold and calculating. The profit must be worth it .

"Tomorrow," Lewin smiled as if reading Lessi's mind, "We will bestow you the Staff of Gueda, wielded by a Paladin of Light from the 3rd Era and the Mark of Mirath."

"I assure you that the Mark of Mirath will not offend the goddess within you." Lewin finished with a stifled smile.