Trial at the Church of Nyx

Sometime later after the Home Debut Party, the church of Aether and Nyx was completed.

Unlike the gigantic churches of Aether and Gaia, the Church of Nyx was smaller and more open.

The two most notable features of The Church of Nyx were its absent roof and a large pond with a mirror at the bottom of the basin. The open-air temple was built to collect rainwater, water was sacred to the believers of Nyx because they believe the dead were ushered to Tartus on the river Styx. That's why the Church of Nyx could only be placed near bodies of water.

Only in the churches of Nyx and Pontus were believers baptized in water, to wash away their sins to purify their souls.

Thaddeus Ming, the man entitled Demon King, who terrorized the continent in his youth, felt uncomfortable walking into churches.

To immortals, mortals were toys and pets. The goddess Demeter's command to visit this temple and be tried by the gods was both an honor and purgatory.

Thaddeus had been responsible for thousands of deaths, how could the gods let that go?

Thaddeus walked passed the large Corinthian columns and greeted the priest.

"I am here to speak with the goddess," Thaddeus said nervously. He reprimanded himself for showing the slightest bit of weakness.

"Yes, we were told to expect you. I will lead you to Bishop vont Simon," the priest said leading him inside.

The temple was not huge, but it had fourteen massive columns on each side. In front of the large rectangular pool, sat a massive statue of a seated Nyx. In her right hand she held the scales of judgment, if her other hand, he held the cup of salvation.

Those who are judged unworthy were sent straight to Tartus to be tormented eternally. Those who judge to be worthy, could drink from the cup of salvation and live in peace in Elysium.

"Greetings Grandmaster Thaddeus, I am Bishop Simon," said a happy slender man interrupting Thaddeus gazing at the statue of Nyx.

"Well met, Bishop," Thaddeus said.

"The goddess called to me last night in a dream and told me to expect you. She asked you to get baptized while wearing this ring," Bishop Simon said, unwrapping a cloth to display a golden ring.

The light coming from the ring was blinding, it took a moment for his eyes to adjust. Thaddeus could feel the ring had an impressive aura.

After his eyes adjusted, he saw the ring was plain, with a simple unread inscription.

This was not Thaddeus' first time seeing the language of the gods. As Master Librarian, he devoted his time there to studying and translating the language of the gods.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? When the goddess made this ring appear, I was too afraid to observe it. I immediately wrapped it in this cloth. Do you mind if I keep the cloth? It's become a holy artifact for the church?" Bishop vont Simon said happily.

"Of course," Thaddeus said no longer paying attention to the bishop.

Slowly Thaddeus put the ring on his finger, he was curious. The ring had a magnetic effect, the more Thaddeus stares at the ring, the harder it became to look away.

He tried to break his connection, but the further the ring slid down his finger the more powerful the magnetism became.

Thaddeus used all his mana to break the connection but to no avail.

Slowly, his hand slides the ring into place, before BOOM! Thaddeus felt the pain he had never felt. Veins appeared all over his body. The pain was so terrible, his jaw locked.

"Did you close the doors? Hurry undress him," Bishop vont Simon's smile was gone replaced by a frown of urgency.

Thaddeus felt the adepts undressing, this was embarrassing. He had not faced so much disrespect since he was a child. He would fucking kill these pigs later.

As his anger and killing intent grew, Thaddeus realized his mana pool was blocked. This ring blocked his access to mana. He couldn't use his air, fire, space, or magma.

'Argh!' that was the only thing Thaddeus thought.

Naked and in tremendous pain, Thaddeus was pushed into the temple's pool.

Falling deeper and deeper into the pool until he was three meters underwater. Looking up the only thing he saw was a blurry image is Nyx looking down judgmentally on him, holding her scales and bowl.

If the pain on land was enough to drive a man, crazy, the pain underwater could drive a man to suicide. Underwater, it felt like Thaddeus was being cut by millions of paper cuts. The water lacerated his flesh. He bled from every part of his body. The only thing that felt comforting was to curl up in the fetal position and curse that blurry image of the judgmental goddess.

Seconds later…Thaddeus' mind…went blank.

"Welcome mortal," said a vixen in a sultry voice.

Thaddeus looked around, he stood chained, his arms and legs bound, dressed in the attire he wore to the Church of Nyx.

Before him sat three judges behind a long regular table, seated on benches. The judge in the middle was dressed in a sexy sleeveless dress. Her dress just barely covered the largest breast Thaddeus had ever seen. The middle judge was the only goddess dressed in black, and with black hair. The black hair, contrasted with her flawless white skin and crimson eyes.

To her right sat Themis the blindfolded goddess of law. On the left sat Thanatos, Nyx's son.

Thaddeus looked around some more and saw thousands of gods sitting in stands observing the trial. The gods and goddesses were of different races, their skin and hair varied in color, and their height also varied.

"Goddess Nyx, I have come as commanded," Thaddeus said obediently. He was a proud man, he would not bow his head to god.

Thaddeus believes to show respect in kind, if the gods would not respect him, then he would not respect them.

"You do not kowtow or offer a bow in submission?" Thanatos said angrily.

"You share much in common with my son, except he is a god and you are not," Nyx chuckled.

"You come before this court sullied in sin! You have killed thousands of innocent lives, you killed with mercy, you killed indiscriminately, you killed recklessly, what saw you for your crimes?" Themis asked.

"I killed because my mother was disrespected. I was killed when I was disrespected. Many of those killed were killed because they attempted first to take my life. I killed for glory and honor!" Thaddeus said.

"Kill him! He killed my believers!" shouted a tan god in the audience.

"Mine too!" Shouted more.

"Make him suffer for eternity," shouted others!

"I am the protagonist of my life! I apologize to know one god or mortal!" Thaddeus shouted back.

"You are a mere footnote in antiquity," Thanatos laughed in derision.

"Who speaks in favor of the defendant?" Themis asked.

"I do," said the goddess Demeter. She wore a tasteful floor-length white dress and a golden belt, that matched her golden wheat hair.

"Why are you in support?" Themis asked.

"I speak on behalf of my mother," Themis said.

Immediately, the courtroom became so quiet a whisper could be heard.

"You speak on behalf of my sister?" Nyx said leaning in, interested to learn why.

"Yes, this mortal man mentors a boy who earned my mother's favor," Demeter said.

"Surely, there is more to the story!" Nyx said in her sultry voice.

"Dearest Aunt, I am not at liberty to say more," Demeter said.

Now, the other gods were interested. Usually, primordial deities like Nyx and Gaia rarely made appearances.

In the past millennia, Nyx had not appeared in the trial. Usually, Themis alone judged the dead.

When the gods heard, Nyx would preside over this trial, it drew the interest of all the gods.

Now, that Demeter invoked the name of another primordial goddess, this trial grew in popularity. Even more, gods began appearing in the stands.

Nyx closed her eyes and said, "he mentors a boy with reincarnated soul. What is so special about him? Reincarnated souls are a regular occurrence on thousands of our planets?"

"I cannot speak out loud, for fear of changing fates," Demeter said.

"The Fates? Those three eccentric coots are one eyeball away from blindness, no offense Themis," Nyx scoffed.

"Dear cousin, the bowls of Tartus clamor for his soul. The souls of his enemies demand his souls' descent," Thanatos sneered.

"Half-Sister, this man is guilty of countless crimes against humanity.

If we were to release him, the gods would ask, 'Will there be attacks from this demon in the future?'

How would our mother answer such a question?" Themis asked.

"Mother and father, have agreed to give to aunt, for his release," Demeter said to the courtroom's surprise.

Mortal concubines were outlawed, after the last Great War. The description by demigods and goddesses made the primordial Gods to forbade gods from entering the mortal realm and taking concubines.

For Pontus and Gaia to offer up Nyx such a prize meant the Thaddeus mentee was very important.

Although Nyx hated her siblings, such a treasure to warm her bed was appetizing.

"Still my father, Aether has yet to give his blessing," Themis said discontent with the proceedings.

"Yes, the King of Gods, has yet to decide?" Thanatos said mockingly.

He hated the other primordial gods as much as his mother. Thanatos wanted to live in Elysium like the other gods.

For more than a hundred thousand years, he had planes in his coup. Unknown to anyone, he impregnated a disgraced half-Wood Elf woman in the shadows of the cave.

His membrane corrupted the elf, turning her into his Drow queen. Her white skin turned brown and her brown hair turned white.

Right now, she lay in his bed in Tartarus waiting to please him again and again.

All Thanatos needed was for this so-called Demon King to die. Without him, the Fates said his son, the True Demon King, would destroy the world.

Aether would come down from Tartarus to have his precious creations. It would be at that point Thanatos killed him, then he would rule Elysium.

Suddenly an old man with a plain tunic and king beard appeared in the courtroom.

Thaddeus began blind. His eyebrows and eyelashes were signed. His facial hair began to put away.

Seeing the man, all the gods bowed but Nyx.

"Long time brother?" Nyx said.

"Do you forget to bow to your king?" Aether chucked.

"Greetings your majesty," Nyx nodded her head.

"It seems this trial is quite well attended. The last time, this courtroom, was this crowded was when I tried your son. Hello nephew, I do hope you're staying out of trouble?" Aether said.

Thanatos' mouth of razor-sharp canine teeth grinder. He hated being submissive.

"Yes, uncle," was all Thanatos could say without cursing.

Suddenly Gaia and Pontus also appeared. Gaia wore a long green dress that hugged her voluminous waistline and curvy hips. Gaia's hair was an okay brown.

Pontus wore a white tunic and blue belt. His hair was golden, but his eyes were a deep blue. He held a trident in his right arm.

"Well now. I was not expecting a family reunion so soon after our last," Nyx joked.

"Hello sister," Gaia said in a motherly voice.

"Hurry up and try this trash, so we can meet in private," Pontus said.

"May, I wonder what could be so important.

Thaddeus Ming, you are hereby sentenced to an eternity as my sex slave after your death.

Furthermore, for your past crimes, you shall be stripped of your power. Your mana pool shall be removed painfully, and lifetime diminished.

Until your death, you bear the responsibility of being William Ballard's guardian.

I shall also give you the power to pass along two of your elemental powers to your guarantee.

I declare this case closed. Please leave," Nyx said dispassionately.

Immediately, Thaddeus woke up at the bottom of the pool. He kicked his legs and swam to surface out of breath.

"Sorry about stripping you, I was following the goddess orders. You were down there very long. Are you okay?" Bishop vont Simon asked.

"I'll kill you for that disrespect," Thaddeus roared.

As soon as he tried to cast [inferno], Thaddeus felt a deep burning in his chest. It felt like someone dug a cavity in chest using melon baller.

"Argh!" Thaddeus screamed in pain!

At the same time he felt his flesh being carved out of his body, he saw his skin become loose, pale, and more wrinkly, his white hair grew longer.

There was no greater punishment than being forced to live out the rest of life as a non-magical human.

"Curse you Nyx!" Thaddeus shouted.