#igis

Within Hotland, beneath the bubbling pits of infernal lava, the machine created by Oliver resided in stasis, having undergone all the necessary repairs thanks to a kind donation of raw materials.

At the end of the winding, gargantuan tunnel born of metal and magic, a theatrically massive room awaited where a pillar of light radiated from the base of the floor to the swirling lights on the ceiling. In the center of this pillar...

The Soul of Igis, the very same one that had saved him from another’s wrath.

And the same one that he had secured thanks to the meddling of timelines from a certain Prince.

It floated within the bubble as it had grown much larger than it had ever been, as a result of the energy being channeled into the machination it supplied its seemingly boundless energy to.

Beside the towering monument to Oliver’s hubris stood a hooded figure, idly observing the spectacle.

“...”

‘Now that the repairs have finally finished, the plan can finally resume. He will be free yet. I must go inform Oliver immediat--’

The brightly-colored-robed one’s thoughts would be immediately cut off as he began to hear the sound of scraping metal, snarls, and screeches echo out from the tunnel behind him.

“... I just finished fixing this forsaken machine, how annoying.”

Grudge could sense the same energy as Oliver had sensed before, but the difference was the readings were MUCH stronger, and denser in numbers... Whatever had found their way into this place seemed to be dead set on retrieving the Soul behind the figure, given they were all moving in his direction.

Traveling with Ardyn (6/?)