Chapter 16: Eribas — Three Bald Heads, One Act
Page 1/3
Logan frowned. “Achilles? Another unfamiliar name. If you can’t be of any help, it’s better you step aside.”
Seeing that his younger brother was not seriously hurt, just a minor wound, Aaron relaxed. His words echoed his father’s unpredictable nature as he remarked casually:
“Help? Let me think. Since ordinary weapons are useless, my dear brother, why not try tearing the flesh off with your teeth?”
“Or maybe check if those worshippers have some kind of positive, focused energy that can be forged into a sword.”
Logan sat up; the restraints had never truly held him.
He stared directly at Aaron, displeased by the blasphemy in his words:
“That’s exactly the problem. We worship the One True God, yet all we receive is endless hardship.”
“No response whatsoever.”
“And the followers of the dark gods, they either revel in the thrill of battle or the cunning of their schemes. Their power is visible to the naked eye and affects reality.”
“We, on the other hand, can only cling to our faith and endure.”
Aaron turned and sat beside his brother on the platform, once again unknowingly testing Logan’s patience.
He teased,
“I heard from Mother that in the old days, people stopped coming to sacrifices when they saw no results. Like hunting prayers—the male god busy singing hymns, the virgin goddess, and then turning to the love god’s son, since they all shoot arrows anyway. Now, you all believe in just one god, and yet there’s no help at all.”
Logan clenched his fingers until the joints cracked but refrained from crushing Aaron into pieces despite the throbbing at his temples.
“Perhaps the One True God is testing me. I’ve said before, I have a premonition that when I unify Colchis, the One True God will descend.”
Aaron opened his mouth, cutting in precisely, “’Perhaps’? Ha! You’re not that devout. People always find reasons to justify suffering before things even happen, calling it a test from the gods.”
“If the god was truly omniscient and omnipotent, wouldn’t a single thought solve all problems?”
Logan snapped, “Enough! Stop talking about this. Tell me why you came to find me again.”
Aaron shook his head with a sigh. “I don’t really know. It seems I appear whenever you’re in danger. Last time it was those wolves with tentacles in their mouths; this time, you’re hurt.”
Logan shook his head. “No, no, that’s not right. The first time, I wasn’t in any danger.”
Aaron stuck out his tongue, making a face, treating Logan like a younger brother.
“Maybe it was some hidden danger. Anyway, think about it—you need a knife to cut your wound, right?”
“Wait, I’ll figure something out.”
Aaron jumped down from the metal platform, deep in thought.
Logan had no expectations and said, “You only meet me every few months and can’t help much. Maybe I should consider Aeribas’s method—using my own faith to wield that venomous dagger, suppress the evil thoughts, and cut away the corrupted flesh.”
“That would also prove my faith is genuine.”
Aaron raised an eyebrow. “Who? Aeribas? Is he your friend?”
Page 2/3
“Wait, using poison to fight poison sounds too dangerous. Wait for me, I’m coming!” Aaron took a deep breath and charged headfirst at the metal platform.
With a loud clang, he vanished.
He guessed right—being jolted in a dream or waking up quickly from reality would bring him back to the real world.
He scrambled off the bed and rolled onto the floor.
Then he rushed to Marum, who pretended to be asleep but, as a celestial guardian, never actually needed rest.
He called out, “Marum, I need to borrow your sword—the one that buzzes when you press a button.”
Marum opened his eyes and extended his hand; a blue-painted chainsaw sword appeared.
It was the Emperor’s mighty power, allowing Marum to switch between mortal and Astartes forms at will.
“Are you planning to break out from here? The master said we’ll only find clues about that war demon’s provocations tomorrow.”
Aaron gave a look that said, “Don’t ask.” He struggled to take hold of the chainsaw sword—remarkably, he could lift it!
Then, clutching this towering, dangerous weapon, he lay down on the bed.
Seconds later, the efficient sleep that even extreme warriors envied kicked in.
In Colchis, Logan closed his eyes and called for Aeribas, the much-praised young man, to enter.
“Let’s do it your way. This will truly prove my faith.”
The handsome, bald young man wearing the robe of a devotee held a pure gold platter on which rested the venomous dagger.
It still radiated an ominous aura.
Yes, this was it, Logan—thinking you could control the power of chaos.
Unaware, the gods had long arranged your fate’s binding, ha ha ha!
Before Logan reached out to grasp the dagger, a tremendous crashing sound came from behind.
A human youth struggled to support a large, strange saw-edged weapon, as if wielded by a deity.
“Hey, I got it! Logan, stay away from that bastard!”
When Logan turned, Aaron finally saw Aeribas holding the platter with the dagger.
Embarrassed, Aaron apologized, “Uh, didn’t see you just now. That bastard wasn’t referring to you.”
(Because calling Aeribas a bastard was the greatest insult to canines ever.)
Aeribas looked baffled and startled by the sudden appearance of another bald human.
He had already replaced the real, beloved Aeribas, successfully switching allegiance from a Chaos worshipper to a follower of the One True God—the trusted friend of Logan.
Page 3/3
Who is this guy?
And he’s bald too.
Is he the phantom rumored to have appeared to Logan?
Aeribas could not tolerate another bald head showing up, especially one more handsome than his own.
He pointed at Aaron, scolding loudly:
“Logan, saint! This creature must be a phantom sent by the dark gods to shake your faith!”
“This is a test from the One True God. Make your choice quickly!”
He strode forward, shouting for Aaron to leave.
Aaron’s expression twisted; he was in a bad mood:
“I get that your faith makes you see heresy everywhere. But you’re seriously asking for it now, Aeribas, right?”
“Logan, hold out your hand! Listen to your brother!”
Aeribas cursed vehemently:
“Demon! Get out! You won’t shake the resolve of us saints!”
Logan stood still, hesitating for the first time.
His consciousness told him he should take Aeribas’s dagger and prove through faith that he could conquer the dark gods’ malevolent thoughts embedded within.
But… should he really do that?
No matter what, Aeribas sounded more genuine; the self-proclaimed brother Aaron was probably just an illusion.
Seeing Logan hesitate, Aaron wiped his nose and charged at Aeribas, snatching the dagger and instinctively breaking it in two.
Strangely, the moment Aaron touched the dagger, all the dark gods’ auras vanished.
No, it was more like decay and annihilation!
“What a piece of junk. I can snap it with one hand.”
He then tossed it aside and looked back at Logan:
“Now, listen to your brother. Lie back down quietly, and I’ll operate. When Father accidentally dropped me from a tree, Mother taught me how to treat wounds.”
Behind them, Aeribas stood dumbfounded.
No, no, the three of us are bald. Why should you have the upper hand?
Whether as a devotee or in approaching Logan, I came first!
Why is Logan’s expression hesitant? How could he possibly listen to you!