Chapter Twenty-Two: Gary. A Goddess Insults Me In Another World



Here is Chapter Twenty-Two of Evils: The Other Four.

A Goddess Insults Me In Another World
So, Taylor's plan had Shé and I try and close the Khaos vortex, whatever that was. I didn't really understand it. By my logic, Sabina and I would be better off switching positions. But I remembered the voice who helped me fight the frost giants in California: ''Don't be logical. Be you.''

The snake followed Taylor's orders and jumped from Sabina's shoulder to mine. I ran up to the Khaos vortex and looked around. It was dark indigo, with swirling bits of red. The vortex was growing larger, slowly, but definitely.

Beside me, Hailley grabbed a couple kappas while Kyūri barked at them in Kappa-nese. Taylor and Falinn Verkfall were slashing at trolls like an ancient Greek warrior, while Sabina trapped some of their heads in Yǒng de chìbǎng. Maybe choosing Sabina for this mission wasn't such a bad idea, after all.

I picked up Hijōshikina and looked for a small opening. When I found one, I gestured to it. Shé got the idea and went inside the opening.

I aimed for the Khaos vortex carefully before shouting, "Hijōshikina!"

Shé was launched out, a chain wrapped around him. How I knew the chain was in there? Because that's what I would have done.

Shé went inside the Khaos vortex, never all the way, though, thanks to Hijōshikina and the chain.

A troll clammered toward me, but didn't get close enough before Falinn Verkfall took it down.

"Hailley, Kyūri," I called. They were just seven kappas away from getting all the kappas out of here, but Shé and I needed them now. "Can you two hold Hijōshikina for a moment?"

"Sure," Hailley called, ducking under a troll's blow. She grabbed onto Hijōshikina and without another glance, I grabbed the chain and entered the Khaos vortex.

Shé was inside, snapping at mists that came at him. I looked around for anything solid and failed to find it. I tugged at the chain and gave one more shout of "Hijōshikina!" and saw the blast come right at us.

Boy, take control of your power, a voice said. Get your serpent out of there this INSTANT!

I tore at the void around us until I remembered the chain. I grabbed it in my right hand and grabbed further with my left. Climbing across the chain until my hand was out of the Khaos vortex.

When I was all the way out, I pulled until Shé was out as well.

I ripped the chain out of the Khaos vortex and watched it seal before my eyes.

"How the Tartarus did you do that?" Hailley asked, wide-eyed.

Shé hissed a few words at the same time that I said them in English.

"I have absolutely no idea."