It had been unfortunate that she had been too interested in Gunter's presence to have not noticed Erebus his presence, leading the man to be able to sneak up to her.
The sudden words spoken made Esperia frown. It was true that no matter the power she wielded, she wasn't able to protect the people the way she was right now. Then again, she wasn't delusional to think that only light could prosper, after all there where there is light, so shall be darkness. One needed the order, and Esperia thought Kon's approach worked for that. 'Controlled Darkness', but it also made her wonder, what about those that suffered the consequences of that controlled darkness?
Wasn't that just a lesser form of the system that was making Baska suffer before? Corruption within the Rune Knights, the inaction of those who held seats of power... Yet was the Eternal Nightmare their answer truly the correct one?
She shook her head, the Eternal Nightmare was worse: They would be totally in control, and if you didn't bend the knee, you'd be put down like a rabid dog. There was no future or prosperity for those who didn't serve Nacht or its servants.
Then what was the right choice? The words that followed were like a specter haunting her thoughts, just barely higher than a whisper as she finally started to get slowly notice the presence of the phantom haunting her.
At the same time that Erebus lunged at her back, the scarf wrapped around her spread slightly to the side, a subtle wave when the moment it seemed that Erebus his daggers would reach her backside, they started to phase straight through her as a masculine voice exclaimed in a mocking tone: "Why are people obsessed with your ass Esperia?!"
Meanwhile, Esperia was quick to stir into motion, her Elder Sage prosthetic pulsing with mana as she watched the mysterious assailant likely slip through her, her body shifting as she casually slid sideways, her hand raised toward the thrusting dagger while her Dimensional Power started to form, a warping field coiling around the man's dagger as she attempted to pull it into her personal dimension.
Still, as her body finally turned solid behind Gunter she sighed audibly. "If people would finally acknowledge the fact that I'm as gay as you are crazy..." Esperia declared in annoyance when her body had finally turned solid again and she prepared to act should any sign of hostility be made.
"So dominating all and crushing any who don't bend the knee is your answer? If you consider that salvation then you're even more of a hypocrite than I am."
Esperia went quiet for a moment, a hand reaching for her chest to tap it lightly, feeling the power of her self-buff hardening the scales on her body.
"Just because you stand beside the people and share their bread doesn't make you their savior! Does your Eternal Nightmare save EVERYONE? Also, those that don't agree with your views? No, for that isn't Nacht's way. Either you serve or you burn."
She shook her head in frustration. "The only way to save this world is to burn down the corruption in its roots and reshape it entirely, a world where everyone is judged under the same rules, and offered the same opportunities. And yet what your prophet offers is neither a new beginning nor a utopia, he would watch the world burn merely to amuse his masters!"
She gestured at the corpses of the Eternal Nightmare thugs. "Unless those ideas become reality, that is what this will remain: Make-believe Heroism."
Her healthy eye narrowed as she eyed for Erebus to make any possible movement, seemingly not opening up an attack from her side just yet.
"So tell me... Are you truly trying to be the hero the innocent need, the judge and executioner of the guilty? Or are you merely using it as an excuse to turn a blind eye to your ignorant servitude of your true enemy?"
She sighed softly, as she spoke the last part in a softer tone. "If you don't plan to sheathe your violence for now so I can have a civilized conversation with Gunter here, I will not tolerate a second attempt to put a dagger up my backdoor."
With that said and done she couldn't help but muse softly: "First a crazy lich, now an angry cultist, you really are a magnet for interruptions Gunter."
Meanwhile, on the outskirts, Kratos would possibly be able to see a giant white wyvern perched on a nearby hill, munching on a bag of popcorn as Kratos had his adventure with the deer
----
Mana: 17,400-200-200-200= 16,800 Mana left
Name: Dimensional Dragon's Quick Phasing
Rank: S
Mana Cost: 500
Requirements: Dimensional Dragon Slayer Magic
Type: Supplementary
Element: Arcane
Range: -
Cooldown: 5 Posts
Duration: Instant
Effect: The user can quickly turn their body "intangible", automatically transferring body parts that otherwise would have been in contact with the overlapping matter into their personal dimension. Everything they are touching, including their clothes, weapons, and even other people will become intangible too. The spell can be used defensively, making all attacks pass through the user harmlessly.
Name: Dimensional Dragon's Heavy Warping Teleportation
Rank: S
Mana Cost: 500
Requirements: Dimensional Dragon Magic
Type: Supplementary
Element: Arcane
Range: 25 Meters
Cooldown: 5 Posts
Duration: Sustain
Effect: The user aims their hand towards a target and distorts the space around it turning it into a warp field, while collapsing matter within the field through a spatial distortion into a dimensional void, instantly teleporting the target to their Personal Domain. The target can be an individual, spell, or equipment. Even the general environment within the 16-meter AoE is acceptable. The warping is limited to a spell in S-rank damage or a single piece of equipment up to Legendary rarity if the target is a non-mage and Mythic if the target is a mage. The user must sustain this spell if anything is placed within their Personal Domain. The target can, however, break out of the Personal Domain if they pay the mana cost of the spell. Should the item of a target be in the Personal Domain, they can pay double the mana cost of the spell to force their item to return.
Name: Protection of Yarghast
Rank: S
Mana Cost: 500
Requirements: Dimensional Dragon Slayer
Type: self-buff - Constitution
Element: Arcane
Range: self
Cooldown: 5 Posts
Duration: Sustain
Effect:
The user raises a hand toward their torso and taps it lightly. A 4-Meter Diameter magical circle will appear underneath the user while the scales on their body seem to grow further, covering their body similar to a carapace. This provides a S-rank constitution self-buff