Chapter 62: Hunt the God

Various reports were coming through the town of Lunden that day. The police and firefighters had their work cut out for them. According to locals, several gunshots had been heard in the area and some even heard explosions. In the residential area near the river that runs through the town, a fire had just broken out. The police had rushed to the scene to secure the area while the firefighters battled the flames as best they could. However, no firefighter was prepared to battle flames of this nature.

-But... But what is it?

-Is it really... Fire?

Barely half an hour ago when Zell and his group arrived on the scene, Qincy and the reserve team had cordoned off the area with the help of police officers at their beck and call. Gunshots could be heard sporadically but nothing alarming. Upon arriving on the scene, Zell took off his coat and vest to lighten his load, keeping only his shirt, the sleeves of which he had rolled up. While he was discussing with his men the best way to proceed, an unprecedented explosion rang out on the top floor. Zell and his men watched the building burn while no smoke was coming out. The fire broke out one floor after another and no one could approach it.

-Lord C we lost contact with Chief Quincy's team.

Alfar ordered his men to stay back and himself entered the building equipped with Arsenal.

30 minutes later the firefighters were faced with the nightmare that was this supernatural fire. Indeed the flames emanating from this building had a green, dark color but rather than flames it looked like smoke. Moreover it was not really burning. Anyone who approached it and was enveloped suddenly screamed to death and fell into a traumatic state. It was like experiencing the most total terror.

-God help us. Said the fire captain.

Inside the building however, blades tints high-pitched noises and explosions. Two individuals were fighting in the middle of these smokeless flames. On one side Zell Cailum wielding "Arsenal" in its base form and on the other Hypnos the god of sleep, wielding a steel bar that seemed to have the durability of a mountain. The divine had seized the weapon and imbued it with a boreal aura that manifested itself in the form of these absurd flames. The aura around the stick was shaped like a sword while the stick itself served as a handle. Each swing made by the god of sleep caused this fire of extraordinary nature. Zell who had barely recovered from his fight against Agiko found himself once again cornered on his knees using his blade to hold on. Hypnos then looked at him with a dark air reflecting his anger.

-Haaa. I didn't want to get to this point. Believe me when I tell you that I really didn't want to get to this point. He repeated. You are probably one of my favorite humans in Midgard, but seeing you show up like that at my house and disrespect me, I find it frankly deplorable.

-Ha... Ha... Your favorite human? You think i am figurine on your shelf? Note that it makes sense you gods view humans as a means of distraction.

-You really think you know me, don't you? Of all the old gods, I was probably the one considered the most peaceful. I wasn't particularly fond of conflict and I preferred to keep my distance.

Zell gave an amused smile.

-I'm sure poor Alectryon agrees with you. The blond retorted.

Hypnos arched an eyebrow.

-Who is that?

-Ha. You don't remember I guess. Said Zell smiling. When Ares and Aphrodite had their secret lovemaking a guard was in charge of warning them of the arrival of Helios. You put the poor man to sleep who then couldn't warn his master in time. As a result, poor Alectryon was cursed by Ares and changed into a ROOSTER. That's also why the Rooster crows when the sun comes*.

NDT: Thats actually the real Greek Myth

Hypnos stared at Cailum in confusion as green flames shot out of his eyes. Then he pinched his nose.

-Aaah... Ah but yes. Listen this story happened so long ago I don't remember all the details. He explained. On the other hand I'm sure you understand my gesture. Aphrodite was an adulterous and unfaithful woman it was my duty to shed light on this infamy.

-Oh there was light. Zell said ironically. The literal sun was the witness.

-And as for the guard, he was just as guilty as his master by being an accomplice to this infamy, he only got what he deserved. But I can understand that this goes beyond your sense of values, after all, you found comfort in the arms of another woman as soon as the one you claim to love kicked the bucket.

Zell suddenly leapt at him and struck a blow so brutal that the air emanating from the shock scattered the flames around him. He stared at Hypnos with a surprisingly straight gaze that betrayed the silent anger that coursed through him. The veins around his eyes spread even more and he entered a state of frenzy.

-You gods definitely have no compassion for the human race. He said in an icy voice. Poor Alectryon would surely have suffered a fate worse than death if he had denounced the loves of Venus and Mars. He was doomed from the beginning.

Zell continued to press his blade against the divine causing it to sink into the ground.

-Thats Mars chosen one for you, you benefit from an irreproachable physique from birth. Moreover the flames of tartar do not even affect you.

Zell thrust the blade once more and the ground cracked as Hypnos' hands grew shaky.

-As for the woman I love I will not hide behind lame excuses. I had my moment of weakness I admit it, I will confess to her everything I did. The good, the bad and even the horrible. And if she does not want me after that then so be it. He yelled. But I promise you that Ares, Athena, Thanatos and even you Hypnos...

The ground cracked for good and Zell blasted the sleep god out in a powerful burst of Aura that propelled him through the building. Honestly, it was a miracle the building hadn't collapsed yet.

-I'll make you regret messing with Me. 

Hypnos stood up despite the blow Zell had just given him. He was coughing up blood, his body was about to reach its limits. And his little chat with Zell had revolted him. He had to finish this as quickly as possible and slip away.

-Ares definitely chooses a human who looks a lot like him. He thought. To think that the world revolves around them and that they can bend it to their will just by using violence. Arrogant little human if I hadn't taken this coward's body he would already be six feet under.

He put himself on guard again and Zell did the same. The two opponents exchanged a glance for a brief moment, then leapt at each other at lightning speed. Hypnos was using a vehicle. A Human body specially designed to house deities. They are more durable and much more powerful than standard human bodies but not all of them are suited for combat especially this one. Opposite Zell was a chosen one of Ares. He was much stronger than the ordinary human being and was at the peak of his physical condition. Added to this is the fact that Athena had granted him a physical blessing for this fight and the fact that she had also improved his gift of reading brainwaves. A god using a human body against a human benefiting from their protection. The exchange of blows that was taking place in this building was nothing ordinary.

The two individuals crossed the wooden walls like paper, fighting in the living rooms, the corridors and other corners of the building. Zell hit Hypnos which made him go down two floors lower. He joined him but the god changed the shape of his aura into a giant hammer. Alfar protected himself by changing the shape of his weapon into a shield but he was thrown into the apartment next door, crashing into a bathroom. As he got back on his feet he saw a young teenage girl and two little boys who had taken refuge there. Obviously the big sister had the reflex to hide in the bathroom. At the sight of Zell's look, all 3 of them were terrified.

-You let your guard down.

Zell turned around and using his Spartan shield to block Hypnos' blow, he then changed his weapon into a Halberd and threw Hypnos into the living room in a circular motion. Although the girl was terrified the young boys watched him with admiring eyes.

-Cooooool.

-Don't worry. i'm taking care of the bad guy..

The fight continued in the living room. The reason Zell couldn't use a firearm was of course the floating shield that blocked almost everything. The best way for him to win was to get close enough, but even with his many active blessings Zell couldn't take the Tartarus' flames head on. So he tried to stay as close as possible to his opponent.

-Well what's wrong? Are you concerned about the fate of these humans? Hypnos asked, parrying his attack. Don't tell me you just realized that this building is not inhabited?

-Shut up.

The blades crossed and their gazes drew closer.

-I like how Hippocrite you are. You are the champion of Ares, your actions have caused death and destruction in a dozen countries. You have probably already broken hundreds of families like theirs.

-I don't see how it's wrong to want to limit collateral damage. People die in war, that's a fact, but deliberately killing civilians under the pretext that they're in a war zone, I find that abject. And say what you want, but the real hypocrites are those who use excessive violence knowing full well the damage it can cause.

Hypnos was surprised by his answer. He burst out laughing for a moment.

-No way, do you actaually hear yourself speaking? Come on be real. You have the same eyes as him. Death, destruction, chaos. All that. He said, pointing to the flames around them.

Hypnos put pressure on Zell's blade, forcing him to take a step back.

-I'm not like Ares.

Zell's eyes turned blue and a halo of the same color covered him. Hypnos did the same by covering himself with a greenish halo and the two men exchanged blows at an absurd speed. Hypnos wielded a scythe while Zell used a claymore. The two men seemed neck and neck but Hypnos glanced at the bathroom where the siblings were. Zell immediately noticed his mean smile.

-NON.

-Too late.

Hynpos sent a burst of aura but Zell intervened by blocking the blow with a Spartan shield. Hypnos grabbed his leg with an aura rope and threw him into the air, making him go up to the top floor, crossing several apartments. The god of sleep jumped up to his level ready to exercise his wrath on the impudent young human. He didn't particularly hate Zell, on the contrary, he appreciated him enormously. But an affront remains an affront and he had to make him understand that. Zell was lying on the ground half-conscious. Hypnos approached ready to give him the fatal blow..... But Helios sent him a sign. Indeed, the sun flashed a glow in the building opposite. It was a sniper rifle scope, normally he wouldn't have dodged, but this time again like the previous one he felt the aura of his brother Thanatos it could only be a bad sign.

-who is this? He wondered.

He moved to get out of the way of the firing line but he felt a pain in his hip.

-What... What... That...

Diomedes' sword. The weapon of the hero of the Trojan War with which he had wounded the gods Aphordite, Apollo and even Ares the god of war. Hypnos came in turn to complete the list. That said, he quickly freed himself and turned to strike down his assailant. It was the same hooded man who had inflicted so many injuries on him that day. He grabbed the wrist wielding the sword and lifted it by the throat.

-YOU. He growled in anger. The tartar didn't take you away, how is that possible?

A shot rang out and a bullet went through his throat.

-Shit. The sniper.

He fell to his knees and noticed that Zell was gone. He then looked away when he saw a punch coming his way.

-A... boxing glove?

Zell gave him a Jab so devastating that his brain moved in his skull.

-You... mongrel.

That was enough. Hypnos had finally succumbed and he had just collapsed to the ground. After using all the resources at his disposal Hypnos the god of sleep had finally been contain. The mystery assailant removed his hood revealing Quincy who himself was bleeding a lot.

-A boxing glove? He said out of breath. But... What... Is this weapon?

-Where I come from Mike Tyson's fists are considered Weapons.

Quincy blinked several times.

-Mike who?

Zell laughed as he realized he didn't have the reference which made him briefly think of his original world. After the madman he stared at Hypnos lying on the ground with a dark look.

-And you are wrong about one thing. I like war. Not Chaos. War should be a controlled chaos, not a blind slaughter.

This incident will remain etched in Lunden's history as the one of the crazy flames. Flames that were not flames. There were only 4 survivors that day. A blond man was seen coming out of the front door holding two young boys aged 7 and 8. The 14 year old girl was holding on to him tightly, keeping her eyes closed. The photo taken by the press that day had gone around Inglesia and people were talking about a miracle. After all, 12 years ago Alfar Cailum, having survived the bombing of his own house, had also been called a miracle child. The building collapsed on itself shortly after they left. There were no other survivors. In truth, Quincy had managed to get out by going out the back which was guarded only by their men in cop uniforms. There they extradited themselves with Hypnos unconscious in the back of a police van. The rest of the CSS combed through the store and emptied the stock. What the world didn't know that day was that a human had managed to get the upper hand on a deity.

To be continued