CHAPTER 391: WORRIED

Discordia looked positively amused seeing the wholesome(?) Family drama. However there was still much that needed to be done.

She cleared her throat to grab everyones attention before turning her head slightly, her sightless gaze locking onto Lily, Rachel and Crystal.

"I suggest you all return to whence you came from for now. Your blood related families are going mad with worry about your disappearances. You should rest for a bit and assure them of your wellbeing."

Her words hung in the air before anyone spoke.

Crystal’s brows furrowed beneath the blindfold. "My parents? Looking for me?" Her voice carried disbelief, almost a hint of bitterness. "That’s... hard to believe."

"They are," Discordia said simply, as though stating a fact carved into the very bones of the world. "Even those you think care nothing for you often react... unpredictably when absence stretches too long."

Crystal shook her head slowly, clearly unconvinced but silent.

Rachel on the other hand was showing concern for another reason. Her smirk was gone as she remembered why her grandfather was freaking out.

He had sent out his daughter on a mission before and she never came back. After many years of living with that guilt, he had chosen to respect his granddaughters wish and sent her out on a mission of her own.

If she was gone, he would feel entirely responsible for it. He had lost his daughter and the last vestige he had of her.

She needed to go find him as soon as she possibly could to reassure him.

While the last of the trio, Lily seemed to be a bit different in her mindset. She knew her dad’s mentality and was well aware that he had absolute faith in her.

The only possible thing that could convince him that she was dead was if he saw her corpse himself. Something else must have happened.

Discordia stood quietly as the three girls processed her words. There was no rush in her posture, no demand in her expression, only that faint amusement that clung to her as if she was a spectator rather than a participant.

The silence stretched. It was Rachel who moved first.

She stepped forward abruptly, tail flicking with agitation, not the usual carefree energy she carried like armor. "Where is he?" she asked, voice tight but not trembling. "My grandfather. Where is he right now?"

Discordia tilted her head slightly as though listening to something distant before answering. "He remains at the place you know all too well but he is searching. He has left no stone unturned in his panic, though the threads of fate pull him closer to despair with each passing hour."

Rachel scowled and turned on her heel. "Then I’m going to him. Right now."

Before anyone could respond, Leo spoke up from where he leaned against the wall. "You are not walking into whatever mess this world has become by yourself," he said, voice calm but carrying a note of finality. "At least take someone with you. Things are different out there now."

Rachel shot him a look. "I can handle myself."

"That’s not the point," Leo replied evenly. "It is chaos out there. What if your grandfather isn’t the only one looking for you?"

Rachel opened her mouth to argue but stopped. She hated to admit it, but he was right. The way the game had twisted things, the way the world was now more chaotic than ever before, nothing could be assumed safe anymore.

Rachel stood still for a long moment, tail twitching as her thoughts spun. The moment Discordia had confirmed what was happening with her grandfather, she knew she had to go. The old man had already lost too much. She could not let him drown in that guilt again.

She looked over at Aria. "Come with me, please." Rachel asked bluntly. It was not a request but a plea for help as her voice carried none of the usual teasing smirk she wore like armor. It was sharp with urgency, maybe even worry.

Aria nodded almost instantly. "Of course," she said softly. "You will not have to ask twice."

Rachel gave a short nod of thanks, though the tension in her shoulders did not ease.

Vivian pushed herself off the wall and cracked her knuckles. "I’m coming too. You will need someone levelheaded in case things get ugly."

Ethan, who had been quiet until then, turned his head slowly to look at her. "Levelheaded?" he repeated, voice flat. "Is that the new word for violent alcoholic?"

Vivian’s eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?"

He did not flinch. "You heard me."

The crack of her fist slamming into his ribs echoed in the room before anyone could react.

Ethan stumbled a half step, his own tail twitching as he held the spot he was hit with a wince. "Point proven," he wheezed in agony.

Vivian cracked her knuckles again, eyes daring him to say something else.

Rachel sighed loudly, her long prehensile tail lashing. "Are you both done?"

Ethan gave a short nod, still wincing as he recovered his breath. "Fine. I will come too," he said. "Someone has to keep her from punching every problem until it falls over."

Vivian smirked faintly like she had already won the argument.

Across the room, Crystal shifted slightly, blindfold hiding her expression as she opened her mouth to speak. Before she could say anything, Luna’s quiet voice cut through the noise.

"I will go with her," Luna said simply, nodding toward Crystal.

Crystal tilted her head slightly. "You do not need to," she said slowly.

"I want to," Luna replied.

Before Crystal could argue, Greg stood and stretched with a grin. "I am going too. You will probably run into trouble, and three is better than two, yeah?"

Crystal sighed softly but said nothing, quietly grateful for the companionship.

On the other side of the room, Lily raised her head. "I will be fine," she said. Her voice was steady, though quieter than usual.

"No," Leo said, shaking his head. "I am going with you."

"You do not have to," Lily replied.

"I know," Leo said, "but I am going anyway."

Morgan spoke next, voice calm but certain. "I will come too. It feels like the right decision."

Lily nodded slightly, accepting it. While Morgan was someone her dad knew, this was technically going to be the first time that she brought a boy home to meet her dad.

Leo had no idea that nonsensical thought was running through her head nor did he have any clue just how much danger he was putting himself in by volunteering to go along with her.

Adam, who had been silent until now as he recovered from the beating Luna gave him, rose to his feet and brushed himself off.

"I am sorry but I will be going back to check in on the company," he said. "It has probably descended back into chaos without me."

"Good," Penny said immediately, arms crossing. "Because I am going with you. Someone has to keep you from scaring everyone with your permanent scowl and bad attitude!"

Adam frowned. "I do not scowl."

"You do," Penny shot back. "Even now you look like you would rather eat a buffet of bugs instead of talk with any of them!"

Adam looked like he wanted to argue but gave up with a long sigh. He couldn’t exactly say that wasn’t the truth, his niece did know him very well after all.

Arachne took a step closer to Adam as well and remarked "I am going too. Without my divinity, I can join you in your world." She remarked casually as if it wss a matter of fact.

She then turned her head and locked her eyes on Discordia, sharp with barely concealed anger. "I dont want to stay here any longer than I have to." she said coldly. " I don’t want to. Not with her."

Discordia smiled faintly, tilting her head. "How warm," she murmured.

"You will live," Arachne snapped before turning away.

The groups were clear now.

Rachel would leave with Aria, Vivian, and Ethan.

Crystal would leave with Luna and Greg.

Lily would leave with Leo and Morgan.

Adam would leave with Penny and Arachne.

The rest would stay behind to prepare for what was coming.

Rachel looked around the room one last time. "Alright," she said. "Let’s go. We are wasting time."

"Agreed," Ethan said, still keeping his distance from Vivian’s fists.

Together, as if following some unspoken signal, they all said the words at the same time.

"Log Out."

Light spread from their feet upward, shimmering until edges of bodies blurred like reflections in water.

Rachel vanished first, Aria right behind her, Vivian crossing her arms as she disappeared, and Ethan fading last with a muttered complaint about violent traveling companions.

Crystal’s figure dissolved next, Luna close behind her while Greg smirked faintly like this was all some kind of game.

Lily faded from sight with Leo at her side and Morgan following silently after them.

Adam vanished like a shadow slipping away, Penny right behind him with a roll of her eyes, and Arachne last, her many limbs the final thing to fade before the room fell silent.

Only Discordia remained.

"I will help you all one more time," she whispered softly. "For now."

She lifted one hand and flicked her finger lightly against the air. The void rippled like water at her touch before she too vanished, leaving nothing behind but silence.