Chapter 96: Chorus of the Damned

She exited her inner world, and several minutes seemed to have passed, considering the battle raging below. Eostre’s fervent gaze was shifting from Rachel’s nightmarish, shifting form to the dark moon and darkness that cycled the stadium. Dionysus sat above the arena, engaged in observing the combat while drinking wine and laughing at Conner’s showmanship.

Rachel’s clawed fingers tapped against the stone, her features taking on a more monstrous hare form with black, spiky fur and a grizzly smile. It didn’t take long for dark thoughts to turn her focus to the 4th-dimensional tulpa.

In essence, Cerridwen had used this Legend Quest opportunity to allow another trapped higher entity a chance to see if they wanted to join this potential council of deities that would stand behind her. She made it clear who had the power in this relationship; the goddess had undoubtedly left a memorable impression on how valuable their partnership could be.

Eostre was terrified of Cerridwen, and for a good reason. Although they both came from the same general pantheon of deities, the goddess wanted to bring many others to her flag. The tulpa would be the intermediary between this council and her, seemingly not of her own free will.

Cerridwen wasn’t your typical goodie-two-shoes goddess who only wanted the betterment of everyone; she was a chaotic entity of madness, wisdom, and nightmares. She wanted more than power to fill an inferiority complex like Dionysus’s, and that interested Rachel.

Her glinting, hare-like eyes centered on the trembling little bunny in the stands that would apparently provide her with an item. Cerridwen didn’t say to micromanage him but to use what he gave her wisely; things had really taken a fun turn.

If these higher deities can give me answers, then why not use them? she internally reasoned, scanning the frightened lower deities that made her laugh at how pathetic they were in the sight of something more powerful that could kill them. They don’t have what it takes to push beyond the wall; Cerridwen is right...I should keep my options open.

Eostre yelped and jumped back as Dionysus appeared between them, holding grapes and sitting on the stone railing, drunk on his borrowed power.

"Hmm. Quite more animalistic, my darling hare. And look at that smile... Why not ditch this spoiled flower and become my champion?"

Rachel’s teeth clicked against each other as she chuckled, leaning against the pillar and looking past him to the uncomfortable autumn-haired woman. "I’ll take my chances."

"Pity," he sighed, showing a controlled smirk while looking at Conner’s one-sided slaughter of the hobgoblins; he had more of a challenging time with the nightmare knights. "How much of an impression have you made on the audience with this showcase? Hmm-hmm-hmm. Good luck with your wilted spring flower!"

He disappeared to continue hyping up the crowd.

Eostre’s cheeks were colored with embarrassment and agitation. "I am not some wilted flower... Why are you laughing? I get enough disrespect from the other lesser deities that push me around," she grumbled, glaring at a high-class area where radiant figures observed the battle and chatted with one another.

Rachel’s claws scraped at her stone seat in rhythm with the choirs of nightmares circling within the dark fog like a magical symphony; she found an odd beauty in the black sphere looming over the shivering lower deities, their fear mixing into the chorus and hope that Dionysus kept them safe, further feeding the ominous celestial orb.

"What merit is there in giving thought to those who are already trapped in a slow, strangling death? This nightmare is only the precursor to what is to come."

In reality, Conner could never win this nightmare that sought to pull him into its orbit; the more hope he had in defeating each creature, the stronger the Black Moon’s connection was solidified.

It brought a dark grin to her corrupted heart, knowing that without Dionysus’ rules and the power granted him as the Arbiter that provided the means to maintain this barrier preventing the full manifestation of the Black Moon, everyone here would be swallowed within the madness; the only way to defeat the lunar sphere was for all trapped within to give up hope and join the choir of the damned, preventing more from being pulled inside to fuel the engine.

Eostre’s beautiful face creased with concern while staring at her monstrous hare face. "I’m included in that, aren’t I... Haaa. I am supposed to be the lucky one, but...I suppose Nike was supposed to be the victorious one, as well, and look where she is. Damn, this ruined Existence."

"I wouldn’t be so sure," Rachel mused, head tilting at the shrieks and cries inside the darkness while pondering the changes that would come from this Legend Quest; it wasn’t just Cerridwen’s lingering echoes in the Black Moon but something that had tainted it.

"A hymn of what still echoes in the prayers of your nightmares will bring about your salvation. Something lingers beyond sight that these nightmares sing of."

"Meaning?" Eostre shivered, hugging herself and shrinking away a bit with her shifting form.

Rachel’s head moved to look at her, teeth thinning and voice twisting with her elongating hare face, repeating what was whispered from the nightmare of nightmares. "Look inside to break the seal. You are far more important and lucky than you or I know." She let out a laugh she knew would be unnerving. "Isn’t the Black Moon wonderful?"

"Like an itch behind my eye," Eostre swallowed, turning away from her to see Conner finishing his battle.

Bathed in the blood of the hobgoblins, their broken corpses painted the rocky cliff as he managed to take out the last knight by tackling him to the ground and pounding the armor in before another could form from the mist.

"Haha-haaa," chest heaving, he flipped upright to display the gore. "I have conquered the nightmare and army! And look! Not a scratch on my flesh. Unmarked by blade, nail, or fist! Who can offer me a challenge... You, my monstrous rabbit rival?!"