Leading the trio to a more private area, away from the growing crowd and impending authorities. Mary, Simon, and Bard, were still recovering from the recent battle. Were hardly given a time of respite as Sidgroth soon after asked them a series of questions. However, neither of them had the energy to argue and only simply comply.
"Y-you're Sidgroth of the Victorious Ten, right?" Bard asked as he clutched his head, feeling the lingering effects of the possession.
"Yes, that's Mister Sidgroth, one of my father's friends of the Victorious Ten..." Mary narrowed her eyes.
"Miss Wildflower... Today has certainly been eventful. First, the Forbidden, and now someone from the royal family from Magnolia." Sidgroth sighed.
"Now, I know you don't want to stay here any longer than necessary, and I don't wish to keep you here. From the gist of things, you three fought Forbidden Lust, and you even managed to hold your own against her. That alone is impressive, you know," Sidgroth complimented.
"But what intrigues me most, young man," Sidgroth looked at Simon, "I didn't see much considering I arrived late, but there's a Forbidden within you, isn't there?"
Simon let out a sigh, "No point in lying to a member of the Victorious Ten. Yeah, there's this British 'bloke', who goes by 'Forbidden Blood,' I only started to hear his voice about a hour ago. Just as those Forbidden arrived."
"Forbidden Blood? I don't remember any Forbidden like that during the war," Sidgroth thought to himself, his eyes narrowing. "More importantly, can you make Blood come out at will?"
"I ain't coming out like some damn party trick!" Blood's shout echoed within Simon's head.
Simon scratched his head, "I only started to hear Blood's voice like I just said. So I'm not sure if it'll be exactly as simple as that. From what it seems like now, I can't fully control my body when he takes over, and he'll only talk when it happens in tight situations. I can hear his thoughts in my head, and I'm still figuring out this whole situation myself, to be honest."
"I see, you're lucky I'm not The White Crusader; he would've cut you down without a doubt, and I'm assuming he's going to be here soon. Take these healing trinkets; they're one-time use, but they should provide enough energy for you to leave Calla Lily. After that, I recommend seeking a proper doctor." Sidgroth handed them the healing trinkets.
"Thank you, Mister Sidgroth..." Mary said.
"You should call your father, Miss Wildflower. I'm sure he's worried about you, especially after this. It won't take long for news about this incident to spread, assuming it already hasn't," Sidgroth suggested.
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind, Mister Sidgroth," Mary narrowed her eyes.
"Before you leave, Forbidden Blood, I'm going to assume you've heard of me!" Sidgroth shouted. "And you must know very well about the Victorious Ten!"
"Hear my words and remember them very well! The moment I hear you use that young man's body for your own malicious doings, I will personally hunt you down myself!" Sidgroth warned.
"You hear, Blood? You better not get on the Victorious Ten's bad side," Simon chuckled.
"Pipe down, that weirdo is an odd one," Blood remarked.
As they walked back to the supermarket where their car was parked, an awkward silence hung in the air. From the Forbidden within Simon, the recent battle, and what Lust said about secrets. Each step they took seemingly grew loudly.
"Sooo, this Forbidden Blood in my head, huh? I saw that he was quite the help against Lust," Simon said, trying to break the silence.
Bard sighed, "Simon, there's a lot to discuss. This Forbidden Blood situation is no joke, and we need to figure out what it means for you. Let's just get back to the car, and we can continue in private."
Moments before, The White Crusader spoke with Eve, Vulcan, and Eliza. He asked them questions, seeking details about their battle against Wrath. Nevertheless, a common theme was each in their narratives – the overwhelming strength of Wrath proved too much for any of them to handle.
"I see, he's given you the opportunity to strengthen yourselves, shaping you into more formidable foes. Vulcan, your proposal with him may seem foolish, but perhaps it was your only chance for survival, given the circumstances," The White Crusader said.
"But now, what do we do? We can't just sit around not knowing when Wrath might come back," Vulcan said, looking at The White Crusader for guidance.
"We call Vaos, we've clearly stepped out of line," Eliza said, her brow furrowed. "This is going far beyond what I expected. We need to let him know before things spiral out of control; he might at least guide us on the next steps."
"You're right, Eliza," Eve acknowledged, surprising Eliza. She hadn't expected her sister to agree so easily.
"However, I can't afford waiting for Vaos. I'm pressing on to Legis." Eve said, a determined look on her eyes.
"Eve, you can't be that stupid..." Eliza's glared at Eve, filled with a mix of concern and frustration.
"Hmph, I have no part in your disputes. Hurry up and make your decision, I'll be right back." The White Crusader's using his Spirit Technique his form dissipated into ethereal wisps.
"I should stay out of this, but I think Eliza is right this time. For all we know, that Forbidden could come in two days, and we'll be screwed," Vulcan added.
"That may be so, but I'll take my chances," Eve responded with a determined look in her eyes. "I can't afford to wait for Vaos, and I won't let Wrath catch us off guard again."
"Eve, even now you're still underestimating the danger ahead?" Eliza sighed. "We've faced a Forbidden once and you saw how strong they are. Legis or not, we have to approach everything with caution."
"You two can wait, but I'm going to go on ahead." Eve declared, as she rose from her seat.
"Is that so, Little Eve?" A familiar stern voice echoed throughout the room, causing a shiver to run down Eve's spine.
"You see, Vaos? She just doesn't listen," Eliza sighed as she held out her phone, revealing Vaos on the other end of a video call.
"Huh, when did you—?" Eve's words were cut short.
"Eve, I have much to say," Vaos said. "First and foremost, I'm deeply disappointed in all of you. Eve, the Forbidden are not to be taken lightly. To think you still seem so intent in going, more so, going alone. Nothing more than a damn fool." Eve looked down as Vaos glared at her.
"Whatever you might think, I'm still going, and I'm not going to wait around here for any longer!" Eve declared defiantly as she left the room.
Vaos sighed, "Vulcan, what happened to the summoning orb I gave you?" He asked, his gaze piercing as he awaited an explanation from Vulcan.
"It was destroyed in the battle against Wrath," Vulcan admitted, a hint of remorse in his voice.
Vaos sighed, frustration in his voice. "Eliza, the incident on the highway. Were all of you involved in that..?" Eliza hesitated, choosing her words carefully, aware that the truth held the potential for further disappointment from Vaos.
Eliza hesitated, choosing her words carefully, "y-yes, you see there was this—" Vaos interrupted Eliza.
"Don't waste your breath, damn fools, all of you. We'll discuss this when I arrive. Go with Eve; she must be leaving now," he ordered, ending the call, and leaving no room for further discussion.
"Weren't we supposed to wait for The White Crusader?" Vulcan asked.
"I don't know, but we have to catch up with Eve..." Eliza sighed as both of them stood up and left to catch up with Eve.
Deep within the labyrinth of the WWP headquarters, Alexander and Edward were engaged in conversation, going into the intricate details of the events that unfolded in Calla Lily. The ambient hum of technology surrounding them.
Edward shared his observations he gathered from the spy drones that tracked the unfolding events. "So, from what I saw from my spy drones, it looks like The White Crusader and Sidgroth of the Victorious Ten are now involved. Surprisingly enough, it looks like they haven't gotten weaker. They easily defeated that 'Forbidden Power,'" Edward commented.
Alexander's eyes narrowed as he looked the screen, "What about Wrath and Lust?" he asked.
Edward leaned back in his chair, "Hmm, my drone only captured the end of it, but it appears Wrath allowed them to escape. It seems he's aiming for a more satisfying battle and has chosen to let them grow stronger before confronting them again."
"However, this is most interesting. Lust lost her battle against group B. That's because that Simon kid has a Forbidden within him. Using 'Forbidden Blood,' he defeated her. It seems things are getting more unpredictable." Edward added.
"So that's where the traitor is..." Alexander muttered to himself.
Edward leaned forward, "And if they maintain the same pace they had between Alyssum and Golden Amaranth, they should arrive at Legis in approximately two days."
Alexander clenched his fist. "Just keep working on the portal. I'll find a way to deal with this problem," he said before leaving the room.
"Hmm, those words Lust said, 'a pawn in this game.' However, you seem to remain ignorant of that, Alexander. Nothing more than a pawn for the Forbidden," Edward said as he stood up.
Edward let out a sigh, "I suppose that applies to me as well. However, I've already have an extermination plan for the Forbidden, should they ever dare to cross me."
"I better start working on that portal again..."