CHAPTER 65

Shunya held Otorine's hands and looked at her straight,

"Sorry Ori but, I kinda lured you here, so that he would stop destroying everything I hold dear. Since, he wanted to talk to another hero like him...".

Otorine was utterly shocked,

"What?!".

"I see...",

Nassus didn't react that much when he heard the Goddesses conversation. Instead, he just went up-front to the spectre and unsheathed his weapon, pointing its sharp tip to the shadowed soul. There after, the spectre wrought out a burst of black miasma that decayed the plants even more,

"So you're the new hero of hers huh? Another puppet of the Goddesses! Just like me! HAHAHAAHAHA!".

Though, Nassus just ignored the spectre who had a twisted grudge. Suddenly, a dome-like barrier had surrounded Nassus and the spectre, as their duel was approved by the Celestia Heavens. Otorine and Shunya felt nervous as the two heroes were about to clash without any interference. The air was starting to warm-up as the rage of battle was nearly at hand. The spectre brought out its razor-sharp dagger like he was a trained assasin. The menace from the abyss cracked a grin from hell,

"Don't let her innocent looks fool you. She's a slave-driver who just uses her heroes. Then, she disposes them when they've fullfilled their duties...".

Shunya denied expressively,

"That's not true! I cared for you!".

The spectre just scoffed at her,

"Tch!".

In a split second, the spectre vanished into the shadows. Then, he brought out fast moving strikes from almost all directions. He was ambushing Nassus from different corners. Thankfully Nassus were able to block the swift strikes of his enemy with his huge blade. Sadly, he can't maneuver a counter, since his opponent was too fast with his hit-and-run tactic. Otorine was getting worried, as Nassus couldn't fight back. The next moment, the shadowy spectre vanished. Strange thing is, Nassus felt that his enemy's onslaught had stopped. He closed his eyes and maximized his other senses, especially his sense of hearing. That moment, the spectre emerged behind and tried to backstab Nassus. Although, Nassus was able to block it thanks to his heightened senses. Their grinding blades, letting out sparks of hellfire made the battle even more intense. Soon, the shaded figure blurted out in agony,

"Tell me Goddess, if you cared for me, then how come I died!".

Shunya was at a loss for words when she heard the spectre's desperate statement. While for Nassus he just made a poker-face to his opponent,

"Foolish...".

The spectre was furious,

"What was that?".

Nassus just replied again, while their blades were still clashing in the sparks of flames,

"Blaming his own failures onto others is a fool...".

The spectre fumed once more,

"How dare you!".

Nassus was able to throw away his enemy's attempted strike, making his foe to lose his balance as well. As the spectre lost his balance, Nassus punched his foe's stomach and cast out,

"LIGHTNING IMPULSE!".

Afterwards, his enemy was blown away by the outburst of electrical discharge. Even though, the spectral shadow took severe damage and near paralysis, he still stood on his two feet. The shade from the abyss concealed his presence once more. This time, he was throwing different sharp and pointed objects at Nassus from all directions again. As usual, Nassus parried them yet, some were able to pass through. Later, the spectre started a conversation with Nassus, while he was dishing out swift throws,

"You're a hero right? Then do you abide by the traditions and morals of dying to save others?".

Nassus replied while he was blocking some of the projectiles,

"I may be a hero. Sadly...I am a hero from another world. So I do not know your so called practices and traditions in your place. Though, I am also against what you said. Instead, I believe that you should live on and save the others you hope to dear, until your last breath...".

Shunya held her hands together, as she was inspired by Nassus's words. Otorine made a motivated smile as well. As the spectre noticed that Nassus took lots of wounds and cuts from the sharp objects. The spectre moved-in and tried to strike up-front. Though, Nassus did the same and the two of them clashed with their might and speed. The two fighters were side-by-side. As both of them did a lethal blow to each other. Nassus sighed and just looked down as his opponent from behind had fallen to the ground with a severed wound. Nassus sheathed his blade and went to the nearly disintegrating shadow from the abyss. He noticed that the spectre was laughing like a crazy guy while looking at him,

"GAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You are one strange hero! But you know what! You're no different than me, as I could feel that deep darkness swelling inside of you!".

Then, the spectre laughed once more,

"GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!".

There after, it breathed out its last words,

"Soon, you shall eat your own words...hero...".

The next moment, the spectre burst into nothingness and didn't leave any organic evidence but a white and red bandana. When the shadowy menace was gone, the deathly air dispersed as well. The trees were in full autumn bloom as well as the sunset grass. Even the vultures had vanished too. More so, the barrier around Nassus had shattered. Shunya was totally happy as everything was filled with life,

"Yay! Everything's back to normal!".

Though, Shunya had stopped being too happy and held Otorine's hands again,

"Oh and Ori? Could you give me a sec?".

Otorine responded,

"Sure Shunya.".

Shunya grabbed the bandana left by the spectre. Then, she made a small grave for the deceased hero in her world. She placed the red and white bandana on top of the grave stone. After that, she prayed for his safe travels. In her current appearance, she was very solemn and her energetic vibes weren't appearing. As soon as she was done giving respects to the dead. She went back to Otorine and Nassus. There after, her playful behavior was back,

"Now let's go back to my place! To give you your reward hero!".

Although, Nassus had some kind of doubts for a second. Sooner or later, the three of them returned to the brilliant autumn elder tree that was in an uphill area.

Shunya was tiliting her head sideways, while her index finger was touching her lips, as she was guessing,

"Hmmmm, now what kind of reward do you want hero? Is it a dragon egg? Magic sword? A flying airship? Floating pink tortoise? A cool shield! Game console from another world! Or—!".

Nassus just walked away for some reason.

"Na-Nassus?",

Otorine was widely surprised. She tried to follow Nassus who looked hesitant, while he was walking away. Shunya was dumbfounded for a second as well. As soon as Otorine caught up with Nassus, she asked him,

"What's wrong?".

Nassus looked-like he was filled with deep guilt and hatred for himself,

"It's just, I can't...she's too soft...I can't turn her into a—.".

"Goddess slave right?",

Shunya interrupted. Nassus turned around and noticed that the Goddess Shunya was already in front of him. Thereupon, he was utterly shocked as the Goddess already knew,

"How did you—?!".

Shunya interrupted him once again,

"I could read it in your pulse...".

It appeared Shunya has the power to see people's auras and intent through the pulses she senses beneath the ground. Then, Shunya made a joyful smile,

"Though don't worry! I'll accept that offer of yours. Since you wanted to save someone dear right?".

Nassus responded,

"Yes...".

Shunya replied back cheerfully,

"Mmmmmhhh okay! Not only that, I kinda tricked you too...".

Otorine held Nassus's shoulders, making Nassus to look at her. At that moment, he witnessed that Otorine's face was telling him that it's okay. He returned to look at Shunya yet, he was still hesitant. Though, Shunya just spread out her hands and closed her eyes as she had truly accepted his request. Nassus grit his teeth and stabbed Shunya's left chest with his sharp white dagger,

"GODDESS ENSLAVEMENT REVERZIA!".

Shunya felt the immense pain in her chest but, she resisted the crushing thorns as she was a strong little girl. A crest of a white lotus emerged on her left chest afterwards. Nassus removed the dagger and looked-like he depleted all of his reserved mana. Shunya opened her eyes. Her hands touched her chest while she was looking at Nassus with an evangelistic smile,

"At the bottom of your heart...I know your intentions aren't evil. So I'm okay with this, master Nassus...".

That moment, everything flashed before his eyes. He was in a different place, where the prismatic white lights could be seen and the floor was crystal glass. Although, he was already exhausted for some reason. There, a shaded gray figure was right in front of him. That moment, the male visage slashed him and Nassus's end was met. The last thing he saw was the Goddess Ru embracing the gray figure of a man. It seemed that was the last memory of Nassus before he met his end. As his eyes were shut, he had seen a glimpse of flashing light shimmering like sapphire gemstones. Everything turned white a while later. In front of him was his shining beloved Goddess Otorine who was hugging him and relaxing his tensions. Not only that, she had an endearing smile but, she was pouring out tears somehow,

"You can rest now. You've done what you can, my dear hero Nassus...".

Soon enough, little Nassus had stopped swimming in his deep scarred past. He was back to his kid-like form although, he looked-like he was about to weep for some reason. Miro noticed that the young boy was on the verge of crying,

"Nassus what's wrong? C'mon tell your big bro Miro here...".

Suddenly, little Nassus burst into tears,

"UUUUWWWWAAAAAAAHHHH!".

He ran to Otorine like a pitiful crying child. Otorine was surprised that her little hero went to her out of the blue. Thereon, she asked him with her caring voice of the calming winds,

"What's the matter Nassus?".

Nassus looked at the different Goddesses alongside Otorine who were looking at him with dumbstruck faces, namely: Yumine, Ru, Shunya, Ru, Mai, and Amora,

"I'm sorry Yumine onee-chan, Amowa, Shunya, Ru, Mai, Ori onee-chan...Uwaaahh!".

After that, young Nassus poured more tears, as he was guilty of himself. When Otorine felt that little Nassus confessed out of the blue, she was absorbed in her thoughts,

"D-don't tell me Nassus has?!".

Otorine caressed Nassus's adorable head to soothe his guilt. Soon, Yumine responded to the little Nassus who was still crying unto Otorine's heavenly thighs,

"Ummm, don't worry about that Nassus...we're safe now and that's all that matters...".

Shunya joined-in as well,

"Yeah!".

As the youthful Nassus heard the two Goddesses response, he had stopped crying and looked at them. There, he saw that the Goddesses weren't angry at him. Rather, they looked-like they accepted his apology with giddy and relieved smiles on their faces. More so, Goddess Otorine's heartwarming smile shone the most for him. Thereon, little Nassus cried some more. Although, Otorine and her Goddess friends sensed that Nassus doesn't hate himself anymore. Through the short distance, Weissia was eating cheese ice cream. Though, she was glancing at the adorable weeping little Nassus unnoticeably. In turn, Weissia closed her eyes as she was convinced inside her mind,

"So most of his memories came back huh? It seems there is no going back now, as the CALLS OF OMEGA shall now begin...".

She opened her eyes filled with a mix of fiery determination, sorrow, and anger,

"Yet, I don't like it...I'm sorry Fallen Hero Nassus, and Hero God Senku...".