Morgrave grumbled as it went down the stairs. I had to avoid guiding it into the walls; even the slightest touch could bury us in a mountain of rubble.
It was convenient that Morgrave wasn't too large, so it could fit in the staircase, although it wasn't the most comfortable fit. I could tell Morgrave was becoming more and more panicked with each step.
The chain in my hand was shivering violently until it eventually stopped as we reached the bottom of the staircase.
The warmth of the torchlight hit my body as soon as we set foot in the Underworld. It appeared we were at some sort of makeshift border, a plethora of guards in leather and steel, all now glaring at us.
We were masked strangers holding the chain to a forsaken beast; their suspicion was only natural. But it didn't diminish the caution building up in my veins.
"Oi! You, masked wingless, stop right there!" barked an unknown man.
The man unholstered the dagger from his belt, holding it up towards me. His appearance wasn't anything special; a classic brutish ruffian was the only two words that fit him.
He was littered with scars and even a few fresh cuts.
The man had seen more than just a single defeat; it was frankly embarrassing that he was acting so brazen while wearing marks of defeat.
The surrounding ruffians surrounded us, cutting off all entrances to the Underworld. From the corner of my eye, I could see multiple crossbows peaking from the slits in the roof.
"So, what's your business here, little bunnies? Do you have a death wish?"
"Bahaha! What makes you think that a two-winged worm has the right to order us around? Get on your knees and beg for forgiveness, lowly worm!" exclaimed Liliana.
Even in the face of overwhelming numbers, Liliana still had the gall to antagonize a clearly feeble man. It was just her natural response to make everything worse; there would be no way that he'd let us pass now.
"You wingless bitch! I'll make you bow!"
The man swiftly launched his fist directly at Liliana's face. I effortlessly caught the blow, holding his hand in my grasp before throwing him away a few steps.
Much to my displeasure, he didn't fall over.
"Could you please forgive my companion's tasteless attitude?"
"We'd like passage into the Underworld, please move aside."
"You dare to give me commands after insulting me?! You think I'm some kind of dog who will back down by a mere command. Don't insult me, wingless!"
The man's face twisted with rage, becoming an unsightly image of the consequences of inbreeding.
I'd seen this many times before; he wouldn't back down until he was rotting in the grave. Even if by some miracle he moved aside, he'd never stop meddling with me to try and restore his pride.
"Masked Rabbit One, you remember what I told you, right? Violence is the only currency in this Underworld; you can only gain respect through proving you're the biggest fish," said Liliana.
Apparently, we had planned ahead, knowing that a simple name drop of either of us would only invite suspicion into these ruffians. Liliana's name was as widespread as my own; she was, after all, the same as me.
"Ugh, I wanted to avoid bloodshed, Masked Rabbit Two. But it appears I have no option."
The ruffian got closer to my face, shouting and raving about his superiority and that wingless are nothing but vermin.
"Could you stop that? You are spitting all over my cloak."
"Silence! Wingless Vermin don't deserve such precious cloaks. Where do you get this from? Some dead Servant of Order, I know no wingless would ever be accepted into the Servants!"
"Umm, actually—"
"Silence!"
One of the surrounding ruffians tried to voice his concerns to the man, but his attempt was in vain. It appeared the ruffian was as uneducated as he looked.
My patience was all but nonexistent now. I couldn't stand to hear other malicious words ooze from the man's mouth. Liliana stood there impatiently tapping her feet, and her fist clenched.
I hadn't seen Liliana look so displeased with another person apart from me before. While her face didn't express her anger, I could sense that she was seething.
"I'll give you a single chance to back down, brute." I declared.
I channeled my divinity into my right arm, clenching my fist, and I glared at the man, focusing a small sliver of my hostility on him.
"You! Little piece of—"
Before the ruffian even had a chance to finish whatever vile words were next, I swung my fist out, exploding the man's skull, painting the room scarlet. My fist was left unscathed, hovering where the angel's life once was.
All of the ruffians around us took a single step back, their gazes switching from boredom to blatant fear. As the man's corpse thudded against the floor, another man stepped forward.
The one who had been silenced before.
He was in much better condition in all departments than the previous mongrel. His blonde hair was perfectly tied back into a bun, and his brown eyes gleamed through the torchlight.
"Hello, Masked Friends. I appreciate your removal of such a pest; do know that no one holds this against you. After all, the law of the Underworld is to devour or be devoured."
The man held out his hand, and I returned the gesture. Liliana did the same, managing to contain whatever insult was swirling in her mind.
"I'm Lionel Goldtouch. It's nice to make your acquaintance."
Lionel's four golden wings shook, letting fly a few stray feathers.
Just before I opened my mouth to return Lionel's greetings. I felt Liliana's hand stop me. She stepped forward, making a valiant effort to appear bigger than she actually was.
"We are the Rabbits of Calamity, the strongest warriors in this whole world. If you dare, you can test our power for yourself!" declared Liliana.
I don't know Liliana used 'our' as I hadn't even seen her fight once, let alone her Edict. The only time, apparently, was a trick of my own mind; I didn't even know if Liliana had an Edict.
I certainly didn't think she held calamity-level power.
"Yes. That's right, we are the Rabbits of Calamity. We've come to the Underworld to meet with Silas Thorne." I said.
The murmurs around us suddenly stopped dead. Lionel's jaw tightened, his mouth opened slightly, but nothing came out.
"I'm sorry. But not everyone can just meet with the Prized Star, even if you are an interesting angel."
"Oh, I see. What exactly do we need to do to earn a meeting?"
"Work, establish your reputation with the locals. If you do that, you may be able to meet with the Prized Star. However, it's not guaranteed."
"Hey! Don't you see the scary doggy? We demand a meeting right now before things get ugly!"
"Masked Rabbit Number Two, stop it. Being rude isn't helping."
Liliana lowered her head and stepped back from us, standing next to Morgrave, subtly ruffling its fur. Although she tried to escape my gaze, she failed horrifically. I saw the half smile forming while petting Morgrave.
"If I may, Rabbits of Calamity. What exactly is that?" asked Lional, his face was strained while looking at Morgrave.
Morgrave snarled at Lionel, causing him to stumble backwards slightly. I couldn't blame his fright. Morgrave was an intense creature, even if it was currently being petted like some dog.
"It's the Sixth Primordial Terror, Morgrave. One of the Horsemen of War's creations."
Lionel's face sank into surprise mixed with confusion.
"What? But I thought only the Horsemen of War could command the beasts, don't tell me. Are you?"
"No. I'm not the Horsemen of War, do you not see the chains wrapped around its body?"
"Oh, that's good. I might have had a heart attack if you said yes. Anyway, why do you bring that thing down here? It'll bring unwanted attention to the Underworld."
"That's information for Silas' ears only. I can't tell you. Now, if you would let us pass."
"Of course, I understand. Come this way."
Lionel led us out of the border between Order and Decay, revealing an expansive network of buildings, markets, and homes. All confined underground, the air was thick with dirt and dust.
I couldn't believe that such a place existed disconnected from Ickni's tyranny. It was easily as large as Grandheart, stretching until my eyes could no longer recognize building from building.
"You'll find the Guild of Assassins just around the corner; you can't miss it. Build up your reputation, and Silas will meet with you."
"Thank you for the information."
I waved at the man before walking off with Morgrave and Liliana in tow. They both trailed behind me. There seemed to be something on Liliana's mind as she nervously scratched her cheek repeatedly.
"Evernight, what if we don't meet with Silas before Lilia's execution?"
"Then we'd just have to force his hand. We are the Rabbits of Calamity, remember?"