The morning began peacefully — which, for us, meant that disaster was merely delayed. After the dimensional confusion with the mirror (which nearly split us into alternate versions of ourselves), we returned to Vaelor pretending everything was normal. But it wasn't.
Liriel's backpack — the one holding the twenty glowing items linked to the Demon King's ritual — was… alive.
"Takumi, I think your backpack just breathed," said Elara, frowning.
"It snored," added Vespera, tilting her head curiously.
I looked at the leather sack squirming on its own atop Torin's tavern table. "Liriel, what exactly did you put in there?"
The goddess took a sip of her enchanted wine and answered as casually as if discussing the weather:
"Divine, cursed, profane artifacts — and one or two I can't even remember where I found. Relax, they're all sealed."
The next instant, the backpack jumped off the table, hit the floor, and opened by itself. A golden — and slightly sarcastic — light filled the tavern.
Torin appeared at the doorway, arms crossed. "If this turns into another explosion, you're scrubbing the ceiling with a brush."
From inside the bag, they began to emerge: a floating ring spinning as if alive, a dagger whispering insults, a staff that danced, a book flapping its pages like wings. And among them, a small golden orb with a childish voice cried out:
"FREEDOM! Serving mortals never again!"
Elara's eyes widened. "They're... rebelling?"
Liriel sighed, bored. "Oh, great. The self-aware artifacts of the old God of Creation. I should've left you all in an eternal vault."
The ring began to speak, its voice haughty: "We, the Relics of Creation, demand independence!"
Vespera blinked. "Independence from what? You're objects!"
"Objects?!" — the staff spun furiously, striking the counter and throwing sparks. — "We are entities with purpose! And that purpose is not rotting in a backpack that smells like cheap wine!"
Torin backed away, holding a bucket. "If my tavern catches fire again, I'm throwing you all down the well."
"It's caught fire before?" asked the ring.
"Twice!" Torin shouted and stormed out, slamming the door.
Elara tried to intervene. "Maybe we can talk—"
The book opened its pages, unleashing a gust of wind that sent mugs flying. "Silence, fragile mortal! Today we reclaim our divine freedom!"
Liriel stood up, adjusting her silver hair. "You want freedom? Wonderful. Feel free to throw yourselves off the nearest cliff."
The golden orb blinked indignantly. "Speaking that way to sacred beings is blasphemy!"
"I'm a goddess, idiot."
"Then it's self-blasphemy!"
Vespera burst out laughing. "I like these guys."
"You like anything that can cause destruction," I muttered.
Before I could react, the backpack exploded in a flash of light, and all the artifacts shot out through the tavern windows. One of them — the talking dagger — screamed, "FREEDOM OR BLADE!" and vanished into the marketplace.
I sighed. "How many escaped?"
Elara counted on her fingers. "All of them."
"Perfect. Mission of the day: hunt down twenty deranged artifacts before they destroy the city."
Liriel scoffed. "Why me? I'm the goddess here."
"Exactly why you'll lead Operation 'Catch What's Yours.'"
The first stop was the central market. The place was in chaos: the rebellious ring floated midair, hypnotizing the merchants.
"Buy freedom! Sell your chains!" it shouted, while coins flew on their own.
Elara tried a containment spell. "Circulus Mana!"
The magic formed a pretty circle — for half a second. Then her mana ran out, and the circle became a whirlwind that lifted every skirt in the square.
"ELARA!" I yelled, trying to cover my face.
"Sorry! It was... an artistic side effect!"
Vespera, laughing, drew her bow. "Leave it to me!"
She fired a perfect shot... that ricocheted off the ring and hit a guard's hat.
"It's impressive how you never hit anything," said Liriel.
"It's my charm!" Vespera replied, grinning.
The ring began to shine brightly, preparing some kind of magical explosion. Before it could fire, Liriel raised her hand and cast, "Divina Supressio!"
The ring fell to the ground, extinguished — but the entire floor turned into jelly.
I sank to my knees. "Why does everything you do turn into slime, Liriel?!"
"Divine matter. You wouldn't understand."
We managed to retrieve the ring and locked it in an improvised box. Nineteen artifacts remained.
The second problem arose in the Artists' Square, where the rebellious staff had built a stage and was giving a speech to an audience of beggars and onlookers.
"Mortal beings kneel before selfish gods! But I, the Staff of Illumination, shall set you free!"
"Is it giving a political speech?" I asked.
"Yes," said Liriel. "And it's gaining followers. That's worse."
Elara tried a silence spell but fainted halfway through the incantation.
Vespera climbed onto the stage with a grin. "I can tame that staff."
"Please, worst choice of words," I muttered.
Vespera grabbed the staff — and it reacted with a flash that made her levitate for a few seconds, laughing. "This is amazing! I'm flying!"
"You're not supposed to be!" I shouted.
The spell ended, and she fell face-first onto the stage, dragging the staff down with her.
Liriel descended out of nowhere, stepped on the staff, and turned it into sand with a snap of her fingers.
"One down. Next."
The third artifact gave us more trouble. The Book of Wisdom, now corrupted, had invaded Vaelor's library and begun rewriting all the city's records.
When we arrived, the bookshelves were floating, and the book was dictating sentences on its own:
"We decree that taxes be paid in poetry and that the mayor wear a rabbit wig!"
"I like this," said Vespera.
"Elara, you read fast. See if you can find the spell that keeps it active!"
"Okay, but… I only have mana for about two pages," she said, opening her grimoire.
While she read, the rebellious book floated closer to me and spoke in a raspy voice:
"Takumi, the fool who carries a goddess. You are unworthy of us."
"I didn't want to be here either, believe me."
"Then abandon her."
I looked at Liriel, who was casting another spell while arguing with Vespera.
"I can't. She'd just choose me again somehow."
The book paused. For a moment, it seemed... thoughtful.
Then it exploded in light.
Elara, with effort, conjured a barrier just in time to contain the blast. "Mana... zero," she murmured, collapsing.
I rushed to catch her.
Liriel appeared beside me, looking at the burning book on the ground. "You could've let it convince you, you know?"
I smiled. "And miss the daily thrill of almost dying with you? No way."
She looked away, but I saw the corner of her mouth twitch — almost a smile.
It took hours, but we captured all the artifacts. Some we destroyed, others reverted to their inert forms. The last one — the small golden orb — tried to flee by flying, but Liriel trapped it in a field of light.
"Rebellion over," she said, exhausted. "And without burning a tavern this time. A miracle."
Torin appeared at the library door, arms crossed. "My tavern still standing?"
"This time, yes."
"Then congratulations. You broke the pattern."
Elara, lying on the floor, raised a finger. "Can I sleep for a week?"
"Only if you promise not to dream of spells," I replied.
Vespera leaned on her bow and looked at the sky. "That was fun. I think we should let the backpack fight again."
"Don't even think about it," said Liriel.
As we left, I noticed the faint glow of the deactivated artifacts pulsing slightly, as if connected to something greater. The amulet and the scepter in my backpack pulsed too — the same golden light.
"Is that a bad sign?" I asked.
Liriel was silent for a moment. "Not bad... divine. They're reacting to Celine's presence."
"Who's Celine again?" asked Vespera.
Liriel sighed, staring at the horizon. "The assistant who stayed on my throne. And if she's started moving the pieces... it means divine chaos is only just beginning."
The wind blew hard, carrying away the dust of the destroyed staff.
And for the first time, I saw Liriel serious — no sarcasm, no wine, just a distant, weary gaze.
"Takumi," she said softly, "I think we're going to need more than luck this time."
I looked at Elara passed out, Vespera laughing, and Torin complaining in the background.
"With this group? Luck's already too much luxury."
Liriel let out a small laugh. And for a moment, even with chaos all around us, it felt like we were exactly where we were meant to be.