The Inglorium (Version CEDRUS, PT. 1) [FINISHED, UNDER EDIT]

Part Nine: Hourglass

I humbly apologize for how long it took for this chapter to get out. Thank you all so much for your patience~!

Amalia

We say goodbye to Ananta, who stays behind.

"I just think it's safer for me here," Ananta says, looking fairly alarmed.

If only I had known why she had looked so alarmed....

It's only been a few hours since then, and we've already reached Ecaflip's domain. We don't get a greeting from Ecaflip himself, but there are bow-meows everywhere giving us strange looks. They're cute, but I know from experience not to mess with them. Besides, we have to catch up to Yugo! He's waiting for us. The domain looks like a paradise for bow-meows; there's yarn just about everywhere, sweet smelling plants they seem to be attracted to, and the only water here is for drinking. It isn't nearly enough to bathe in, and thinking of both bow-meows and Ecaflip, it makes a lot of sense. We pass through without incident, and just after, Ush scoffs in disappointment. When Eva gives him a questioning look, he just says, "I would've liked to see the look on my old man's face." He smirks for a while after that, lost in his thoughts. After we cross yet another flimsy-looking bridge, we're at Enripsa's domain. "Hello there!" A loud, sparkly voice greets us the moment Ruel, who was leading the group, stepped foot on the ground. She pops up out of the ground, scaring the life out of Ruel, Flopin, and Coqueline, which makes Arpagone, Eva, and Black Bump look at them with amusement, respectively. She buzzes around every which way, a great big smile on her face. "Hello, hello! Cra told me you'd be coming. It's so great to meet all of you!" Her eyes scan us through once, then once more. Her smile falters a bit. "Er, where is my daughter, Echo?" I freeze. She doesn't know? Dathura steps forward, looking uncomfortable. "Lady Echo is.... well...." Dathura closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. "....she's dead, Goddess Enripsa." Her voice cracks slightly, and when she opens her eyes, she looks a lot like a child bracing herself for a severe scolding. Enripsa drops to the ground. She falls to her knees, staring off into space. Her smile is gone, and sadness seems to be radiating from her. The flowers all around begin to wilt and die, and the leaves begin to fall off the trees. Enripsa drops her gaze to the ground and silently weeps. Arpagone walks up and sits down next to her, offering silent support. Enripsa doesn't seem to notice her, though. Kalinka sits on the other side of her and does the same. "What do you mean, she's dead?" She asks, her voice cracking several times. Adamaï looks uncomfortable. "The Eliabomb... it went off in the dimension that held the Tower of Dreams.... Echo was there when it did... I... I'm sorry." Enripsa shakes her head. "It wasn't your fault. Everything that happened to Echo was mine. I set her up to her demise. I was the one who lead her to that strange boy. I was the one who made her hate me, forcing her to seek asylum with him. Echo's death..... was because of me." I've had enough of this. I close my eyes and reach into the ground with my essence. I give life to the plants once again, making them blossom. I open my eyes, stomp over to Enripsa, and glare at her. "Blaming yourself for Echo's death is an insult to her! You should be celebrating the life she lived, not grieving how it ended! You're a Goddess, yes, but that doesn't mean you aren't entitled to making mistakes." I feel my gaze soften. "We have the right to make as many mistakes as we wish, as long as we learn from them." Enripsa wipes her eyes, sniffs loudly, and stands up. "You're right. You're absolutely right. I just...." Her eyes glisten with tears again. "I just wish that I could've apologized to her. I-" Enripsa freezes. Whoa, I think, startled. It's like Enripsa's been frozen in ice, except.... without the ice. Kali looks tense. Coqueline 'oohs' and pokes her. Enripsa doesn't move. Arpagone looks pretty weirded out, basically exactly how I feel. "Uh, Enripsa....?" I trail off. It's like she isn't even breathing. "Well, well, well...." A deep voice resounds. "Who are you?" We spin around, away from Enripsa. A figure with a long, dark blue cloak and horns on his head asks.  "I could ask the same question," I mutter. The figure laughs, then scans us. "Where is the Eliatrope?" He asks, the hint of a threat in his voice. Adamaï flicks his tail dismissively. "Not here, obviously." The figure laughs. "A sense of humour, eh?" I blink, and the figure is standing in from of Adamaï, towering over him. Adamaï starts, then narrows his eyes. "I'll ask you again, Dragon. Where is the Eliatrope?" Adamaï's only response is a smirk. The figure steps back. "Very well. Just know this-

As of this moment in Time,

you have made an enemy

of the God known as Xelor."

You (probably): Wow, another Xelor, how creative, TGM.

Me: okay shut up you have no idea where i'm going with this okay

You (probably): are you sure about that

Me: .....uh, er, YES

You (probably): are you SURE about that

Me: NO BUT SHUUSHUSHUSHUSHUSHUSHUSHUHH