New World New Life 166 Audience With The Lady

The blood splattered all over the wall and onto Dygo's clothes and onto the guards as well. None of them moved an inch. With the doors opened, no sound was heard from within the room for a few seconds. 

"I don't have time to waste with any of you. So please, do the tasks you've been a.s.signed. If not, pack up and leave. Dismissed." a female voice rang out from within the room, followed by two claps of her hands. 

As soon as she finished speaking, mercenaries started pouring out of the throne room. Most of their expressions were hollow. No one exchanged any words, they simply left. Once they had cleared out, Dygo stepped into the throne room. 

"Ah, you're back. Welcome back, Dygo," said the lady who sat on the throne. 

Dygo knelt down on the carpet with his head tilted downwards. 

"Lady Lilith, I have returned as requested,"

Lilith nodded as she s.h.i.+fted in her seat. 

"How's the scouting?" she asked nonchalantly as she toyed with a lock of her hair. 

Dygo gave his report. He remembered to keep it short, prattling on for too long would make her annoyed. Lord Minos and his wild cat Katuk were also present in the room. They stood guard on Lady Lilith's right side. 

At the end of his report, Lady Lilith did not say much. She merely asked Lord Minos to reward Dygo accordingly for his efforts. 

"How are the hounds?" she continued to ask.

"Ready, milady," Dygo replied. 

"Good, then relinquish them to Minos. He will put them to good use. As for you, I have a mission for you."

Lilith stood up from her throne and walked down the steps just as Dygo stood back up. She materialised a scroll in her hands and handed it over to him. 

"Open it," she said. 

Dygo did as he was told and realised it was a map that pinpointed two distinct locations. Lilith explained the missions she had for him. She needed him to go to the marked locations, to retrieve an artifact from each of them and bring it back to her. 

"And this would help to lift the curse?" Dygo asked. 

"How dare you question Lady Lilith!" Lord Minos's voice boomed throughout the hall. 

"Minos, it's alright," Lilith commented as she waved him off, "Yes. Based on the information we have so far these are part of the 12 that we need in total."

"May I request for a.s.sistance, Lady Lilith?" Dygo asked. 

"a.s.sistance?" Lilith asked.

"Has Dygo grown weak in recent years? Do you need to be replaced?" Minos's words cut through the air.

Dygo remained expressionless as always. He had merely asked for some company on a long journey. Judging from the locations on the map, it seems like he would not be able to return for quite some time. 

Lilith simply shook her head, "I'm afraid we can't spare any more of us, Dygo. You will have to fly solo for this mission."

Dygo bowed respectfully to her and replied, "Very well, my lady. I hope to bring you good news."

Lilith placed her hand on Dygo's right shoulder, "Have a safe trip. We will see you when you get back."

Dygo took his leave from the throne room. With his new mission, he headed straight to the supply room to collect his supplies for the upcoming trip. While he waited for the supplies to be brought out to him, Dygo thought about the question he had asked in the throne room. 

-Why did I ask for a.s.sistance?- he asked himself. 

The past few days since he had last met Vy, something felt missing. He could not get a good night's rest and he even felt cold when he slept next to a crackling fire covered in blankets. Looking back at the map he had been given, the two locations were clearly marked in red ink. 

The two locations were namely Abyssal Trench and Frost Tundra. He needed to complete the trials of the Narwhals and Snow Elephant Tribe in order to obtain special artefacts that would help to lift the curse that plagued many here in Hexakite Stronghold. 

Many of them, just like Dygo were cursed for as long as he could remember. He had woken up one day with a skull head, looking like a nightmarish monster. He had no recollection of what he was before. 

Roaming from place to place, he was found by Lady Lilith and her guards while they were travelling. It was there that Dygo found out that he was not the only one in this situation. There were many like him. 

Lady Lilith did not ostracize them, she accepted them and they became her followers, willing to fight for her cause. It was then that she had informed them of a potential cure to their curse based on some old scriptures that were uncovered. 

12 artefacts, each from a specific location, must be gathered together, combined with the unbound blood and souls would allow for the curse to be lifted. Ever since then, everyone had been working tirelessly towards that cause. 

"So, you've been tasked with dealing with the winter trials?" a voice asked, drawing Dygo out of his thoughts and back to the present. 

It was Malimus. He was wearing plated armour while carrying a heavy bag of supplies. 

"Our lady has tasked me with a heavy burden," Dygo replied. 

Malimus bellowed in laughter as he smacked Dygo on the back. If he had not been careful, Dygo would have fallen headfirst onto the ground. 

"You bear a heavy burden indeed. No back up?" Malimus continued to ask. 

Dygo shook his head, "Just me," 

"Well at least you'll have your hounds with you," Malimus sighed. 

Dygo shook his head. 

"Dang, she ain't making it easy for ya. But I'm sure you'll do fine, just like always," Malimus replied swiftly. 

Not many had seen Dygo in a real fight. But based on what Malimus had heard, his comrade does not go down easy. Some say he truly was a monster from h.e.l.l but that was because they had never seen his other side.