SSS Frost Sovereign: Rewinding The Apocalypse!-Chapter 26: An avarice

Still, they were skeptical.

"I don’t think I can take this" Matt said. "Just look at that! It’s a talking cat"

"I love kitties, but after what happened to Eric last time, I’m not sure about this one" Alia said.

"They’re right. It could even be one of those spawns, who knows?" Reya added.

"After trying to kill us last time, I just want to return the favour" Eric added as well.

Icard sighed.

"Just trust me this time. This is the best thing that has happened to us so far" Icard said.

They peeped at him again. Katar yawned then, exposing long fangs that looked quite more dangerous than normal cats.

"Let’s just try to get used to him. And try not to crowd him"

It would be difficult but they decided to give it a try.

And so, later that night, they hung about still. Even Katar couldn’t help but feel the weight of their curious stares on him. It irked him but he ignored them.

They even pretended to walk around the house just to take a better look at him.

And the next morning, they were all outside again.

"He’s not doing anything" Alia said. "He’s been under that table since yesterday"

"Yeah. I don’t think he really cares" Matt added.

Icard then walked into the lawn and began to stretch.

"Well. It can’t be helped. He does seem like he prefers to be alone" Icard said.

"It shouldn’t stop us from practicing though"

Soon enough, they were busy with their practice, each training with their ability when Katar finally stepped out and stood at the doorway, watching them.

They all paused, staring at him.

"What? Do you have a problem?" Katar asked, glaring at them.

"N--no" Matt mumbled awkwardly, continuing his practice and the other followed.

"Can I really get used to this?" Eric muttered.

"Yeah. He’s not gonna bother anyone" Icard said.

And so they continued. Although, his presence made them move a bit more ineptly.

"Tch. I knew it. You all are crap" Katar blurted. "You can’t even do anything properly"

His words interrupted them and silence followed, with them gawking at him.

"What do you mean by that?" Eric finally asked, coolly.

"Are you a retard? You can’t understand my words too?"

Katar’s glare on Eric damped the boy’s boldness.

Icard chuckled awkwardly.

"Uhh. Can I ask you a question though?" Icard asked.

"What? Are you a retard too?"

"Not really. I just wanted to know why you came back here" Icard said.

Katar clicked his tongue.

"Don’t get the wrong idea. That porcupine just told me you had a little talent. If he said so, then it’s believable for me"

"The porcupine?!" Eric whispered and it dawned on him then.

Icard’s finishing move on the chieftain must have been it.

’They did say Icard took care of a lot of strong opponents inside that gate. And then, his last skill. That’s the craziest skill I’d ever seen’ Eric thought to himself.

Since it was another major change for their good, Icard couldn’t help but curve his lips in a faint smile.

Just as he intended, they were going to get stronger much earlier and rapidly.

"How did you do it?" Katar asked Icard, taking a seat just before the front door. "He said the skill you used was too much for the chieftain"

Icard had to watch what he said now since Katar was quite intuitive.

"My keeper just happened to show me" Icard said, hoping Katar wouldn’t ask more on that.

"It’s a strenuous skill though since I got knocked out from using it" Icard added.

"I see" Katar said. "Tell me...did he give you a special assignment as well?"

The question caused most of their expressions to sharpen.

"A special assignment?" Matt asked.

"I wasn’t asking you" Katar said, glaring at Matt who fell silent immediately.

Icard already knew what Katar meant by that question but before he could answer, Katar waved it off.

"Well, it doesn’t matter to me. All I need is potential, strength!" he said, clenching his right paw.

"But what did you mean by that question" Reya asked. "What do you mean by a special assignment?"

"Hmph. Well, I guess I should tell you now. There are keepers out there who use their incarnations for their selfish gains" Katar began.

"Normally, they seek to make their incarnations as powerful as possible through any possible means, so they can use them more efficiently to influence the celestial events. We call such an incarnation an Avarice"

"Woah" Matt muttered.

"Hmph. Like I said, you are lucky to have me" Katar said with a huff.

"But one thing with an avarice is that their keepers often give them certain information and quests to make them get stronger quickly. And so, they tend to be ahead of other incarnations knowledge-wise" Katar explained before yawning.

"Wait. Doesn’t that mean Icard’s an avarice? That’s what the cat’s saying" Matt said.

"What? When did I ever say that?" Katar said with another glare and Matt fell silent again before looking at Icard again.

"Hmph. If he was one, then he wouldn’t want me here. Avarices tend to seek certain types of Erwald species with similar goals" he said.

Icard exhaled in relief.

’That was close’

"So, what kind of quests do avarices have?" Alia asked.

"I don’t know. It depends. But one thing is, they tend to seek power ravenously. And they’ll do just anything to get it. Steal core stones, kill other incarnations. They could even sacrifice a whole vicinity"

Icard listened quietly.

’He’s probably somewhere now’ Icard said in his thoughts.

’Wester’

And at that same time, atop a different building a few blocks from the warehouse where the Maire was a dark-haired, young man with a pale skin and a sly smirk on his face.

His eyes were fixed on that warehouse, like it was a prize he came to claim. Like it was prey.

"Wester" a voice called out to him.

He puffed.

"I know. He’ll get angry if I get this close too" he said then laughed quietly.

"Come on, Seban, let’s go"