Chương 71: Chapter 71: Phoenix and the Madman's Missiles
The Ancient One is the true ruler of Earth. This title wasn't earned through attention-grabbing elections or empty political promises, but rather through the throne pieced together from the corpses of extradimensional beings by the sorcerer supreme's own magic. The stench of blood from that throne was one that everyone could smell. As the sorcerer supreme, the Ancient One held the unquestionable authority over every life on Earth. Although the Ancient One had not interfered with human civilization nor exercised direct rule, when certain decisions were made, they were as unquestionable as those of a king. Or rather, it was that others' objections had no effect on the sorcerer supreme. Concepts like democracy and human rights lost their meaning before this throne of bones, for seated upon it was the embodiment of the most brutal competition in the universe.
It was the preservation of humanity, the most basic right to survive.
Solomon didn't know what possibilities the Ancient One saw through the Eye of Agamotto or the arrangement concerning Cereza, but he still wanted to persuade his teacher to keep Cereza away. She was innocent. He could coldly kill a werewolf pup without batting an eye, but when it came to a human child, Solomon couldn't bear to push her into the depths of fire and blood.
"Master," Solomon said, "I don't know what role Cereza will play in this plan, but it's too dangerous. She can't protect herself, and one mistake could cost her her life."
"Cereza must reach Vigrid for Bayonetta to kill Balder," the sorcerer supreme said calmly in response to Solomon's concerns. "And Cereza will be fine. Balder won't harm her, and no angel will either."
"Even if Cereza is Balder's daughter, we both know that won't make angels treat her any better. We all know how extradimensional beings view humans," Solomon replied urgently, his pace quickening. "To them, humans are like ants. Do you think they'll go out of their way to protect her during a battle? Even a Lumen Sage is still just a human in their eyes."
The Ancient One glanced at Cereza, who was whispering to her doll, and sighed. "Cereza is the key for Lumen Sage Balder to awaken Jubileus," the sorcerer supreme said. "No matter what, he won't allow her to be harmed. In fact, all angels will protect her, even at the cost of their lives."
"Master, I don't know which parts of this are your calculations and which parts are Balder's," Solomon frowned, casting a glance at Cereza and then back at the sorcerer supreme. "But can you guarantee Cereza's safety?"
"I guarantee it," the Ancient One promised with a mixture of relief and sadness. She knew how deeply this young man trusted her, and she wouldn't squander that trust here. Solomon's compassion for humanity and hatred for extradimensional entities were consistent with the teachings of Kamar-Taj, but in some ways, his heart was too soft.
Just like Odin adopting Loki, Solomon was part of the Ancient One's long-term plans for the Seventh Throne. If her calculations proved correct, Solomon would eventually lose everything he cared for. Yet the Ancient One also knew that Solomon had no real desire for the sorcerer supreme's position. His laid-back nature meant he preferred being holed up in his little room studying magic, something the Ancient One was grateful for. And before she left Earth to follow Eternity and achieve spiritual materialization, she had already prepared a reward for Solomon.
Solomon contemplated for a moment, and the Ancient One didn't rush him. She knew he was at a crossroads in his thinking. Speaking the truth aloud was easy, but truly acting on it was another matter.
The Ancient One had always felt a certain contradiction in her expectations for Solomon. On one hand, she wanted him to value the survival of humanity; on the other, she wished for him to be decisive, able to sacrifice lives when necessary. These two conflicting ideas inevitably clashed after being instilled in him. Even the Ancient One had found it difficult to strike a balance, but she hoped Solomon could find it on his own. Reasoning discovered through personal reflection was always more valuable than that handed down by others. If he couldn't find it, madness was a real possibility.
The Ancient One's demeanor might have seemed out of touch with humanity to some. Solomon was aware of this but didn't say much. He understood that the Ancient One bore the pressure of preserving human existence, and it was a wonder she hadn't broken under it after a millennium. A few quirks were only to be expected. Yet she still imparted all the wisdom she could to Solomon, leaving the choice of whether to accept it up to him.
"I understand," Solomon said after a while. Since the Ancient One promised that Cereza would be unharmed, then she would be safe. The Ancient One had no reason to deceive him. However, he was still worried about Cereza's safety, and so he devised a compromise.
His magical pet wouldn't be of any help, as the chubby gray tabby cat was only good for being cute. So, Solomon decided to summon a demon to protect Cereza. After getting the Ancient One's approval, Solomon began drawing a summoning circle in the meditation chamber.
This summoning circle was different from the one used for the "Monster Summoning" spell. It allowed the demon to stay in the material plane for an extended period, a spell from the Conjuration school's Calling subschool. The summoning circle was square, with two concentric circles nested in each corner. Each corner bore runes, while inside the square were three concentric circles. The outermost circle had four names inscribed—EHEIIE, ELIION, ELOA, and IEOVA—representing "Crown, Beauty, Foundation, and Understanding," respectively. Additionally, there were four pentagrams, and Solomon stood at the very center.
Solomon mixed his own blood into the ink, as his blood was the best material for summoning one of the 72 demon lords. In addition to his blood, four incense burners filled with frankincense and myrrh were placed at the four corners.
Once he lit the incense and finished the incantation, the other side responded eagerly. Accompanied by a beautiful melody, a giant eagle with golden and crimson feathers burst forth from the circle. It spread its dazzling wings, floating in mid-air, its long feathers moving on their own as if by magic. The golden-red glow radiating from its wings illuminated the dim meditation room. Cereza watched this stunning scene, wide-eyed in amazement. She cautiously reached out to touch one of the glowing orbs drifting toward her. The orb wasn't hot and disappeared immediately upon contact.
"My lord," the giant eagle opened its beak, its voice youthful like a child's. A chorus of sweet notes overlapped with its speech, making its voice sound like poetry. "Have you begun a new cycle? My legion will serve you and await your return to the Seventh Throne."
This was Phoenix (Phenex), the 37th demon lord of the 72, ranked as a marquis and commander of 20 legions. Gentle and kind by nature, he was the perfect protector for children. The only one unhappy about this was Cheshire, the plump gray tabby cat, who flattened its ears and hissed.
"I didn't summon you for that," Solomon replied stiffly, though he had no idea why these demon lords believed him to be Solomon, the king. That didn't stop him from commanding them, though. "I need you to protect someone."
"I am at your service," Phoenix gently flapped its wings, landing before Solomon and lightly touching the ring on his left hand with its beak. "I will obey any order you give, as I have in the past, and as I will in the future."
"Protect her," Solomon pointed at Cereza. "She's going into danger, but I don't want her to lose her life."
"She is both adorable and strong," Phoenix walked over to Cereza, bowing slightly to the sorcerer supreme, then tilting its head like a bird inspecting the little girl staring at it with wide eyes. "My lord, I believe she may be far stronger than you imagine."
"But she knows nothing yet," Solomon said, "and she cries a lot."
"Don't worry, my lord. I love children," Phoenix purred contentedly as Cereza hugged it. "I will carry out your orders."
---
Solomon dialed back the reporter's phone, and it was answered quickly.
Before Solomon could speak, Luca immediately launched into a rant. From the lava rivers and earthquakes in Vigrid's old district, to the winds and torrential rains sweeping through the entire city, and the strange ocean currents surging toward Vigrid, not to mention the sky that seemed to shatter like glass, Luca had never seen anything like it.
Several times, Solomon tried to interrupt, but Luca's constant stream of complaints left him no room to speak. Luca continued rambling about his near-death experiences and the devastation of Vigrid. The city was now sealed off by storms and waves, with no way in or out. Solomon waited patiently for Luca to finish, curious to know what had happened during his absence.
The truth was likely worse than what Luca described. The sky above was dark gray, heavy clouds hanging so low they nearly touched the tops of the skyscrapers. Lightning crackled wildly within the clouds like distant headlights in the fog. Torrential rain swept from the ocean into the city, and the icy gray seawater formed massive whirlpools that surrounded Vigrid, isolating it completely. Tornadoes
sucked up seawater and spat it back into the city, turning Vigrid into a true island encased in a storm. In such conditions, neither planes nor ships stood a chance; survival alone was a miracle.
Solomon stood on the black rocks near Vigrid, the waves crashing against them and soaking the hem of his robe. With him were other Kamar-Taj sorcerers, their hands glowing with magic. They were reinforcing the final barrier around Vigrid, completely isolating the place from the rest of the world. Soon, Cereza would be sent to Bayonetta, a decision Solomon could no longer dispute.
"Where are you, Luca? And where is Bayonetta?" Solomon asked when Luca finally finished his rant. He looked up at the arc of the slowly closing Mirror Dimension in the sky. "You'd better answer quickly. In a moment, satellites will be useless, and no one's phone will work."
"What? You're saying all this is your doing?" Luca shouted. "Whatever! I'm on Sun Island. You need to get here, Solomon. I know the Ragna Church followers are crazy, but this is beyond anything I imagined. You won't believe what I saw—a row of missile launchers! I don't know what the warheads are, but anyone with half a brain can see they're planning to launch missiles!"
"What's their target?" Solomon asked, unconcerned. Once the Mirror Dimension closed, no missile would leave Vigrid. Missiles detonating within the Mirror Dimension wouldn't cause any real harm.
"Wait a minute, I'm looking at the data... hold on!" Luca said hurriedly.
"I'm not rushing you..." Solomon muttered, stifling a yawn. He was exhausted today.
"Found it! Holy shit! Their target... is themselves!" Luca gasped.
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