For what it means to be a god
The next day we didn't see Aktor nowhere, so we decided to not wait for him. I had a chat with Lex and Siel'Kel in case this was the last time I talked to them. Siel'Kel didn't seem too happy about me potentially dying, so they tried to stop me from going. With some convinsing they let me go and send me to the realm of Judi.
There I was greeted by the same town as last time with a tower in my view. Kecanduan, you city of tricks. At least it's the place where I was tricked twice. I go to the gate and call Bell and we go on to our three week trip to Palsu. At least this time we had Rin flying ahead and making sure we don't run into trouble.
Three weeks later we reach the town Palsu in it's blasing glory. The castle looked as goofy as it did last time and I bet that it still looks like nonsense on the inside.
I get to the entrancec of the castle and I'm stoped by two same guards as last time.
- I need to get through.
- Sorry, but lord Kiat has ordered us to not let anyone pass untill he says otherwise.
- Do you think that he would give orders like that and not expect people to ignore them?
- That's true, but this time he seemed quite serrious. Like the smile that gives you the creeps.
- I still need to get inside. If you will not let me pass, then I have to use force.
The guards think for a second and say.
- You know what? Go ahead inside. He doesn't give us much free time anyways.
- Thanks.
I go inside the castle and then to the throne room. Then I see the pupet on the middle of the room with magic circles around it and Kiat doing something on the throne. He noticed me and says.
- So it's you. I thought that I told them to not let anyone disturb me. I better discipline them about the importance of being guards. Then again, I am a demon prince of lies and tricks so thay might not trust my instructions. Oh well.
- I came to stop you.
- Oh, like I didn't know. Honestly thought that your friend wouldn't come, but would you know it, he didn't actually come. Friendships are so fragile sometimes that they might as well bring the end of the world to our hands.
- I'm serrious on stoping you.
- Sure you are. Why else would you be here. Oh, I know! How about just witnessing my grand ascension. That sounds like something that might be of interest to you.
- I refuse.
- Is that so? Such a bore comes in my realm and tries to stop me. You think that you can stop me? Tell you what, I play along and let you fight the pupet.
The pupet starts moving. The pupet looks like a young man with pretty face and a long black hair with few silvery stripes. It's eyes were deep purple and lacked emotion along with its face. It was bit shorter than me and had a black robes.
Then it starts heading towards and attacks. I barely dodge a devestating puch and I saw the wall crack a bit.
- How is he?! He is the body that I will inhabit when I'm a god and he will work as my anchor. I named him Low.
Low starts charging at me with enormous speeds. I activate my circuits to keep up the pase. I keep dodging with no chance of attacking. Though I'm thankfull that he fights like an amateur, so I can predict most of his attacks bit easier. This goes on for a while with some close calls from time to time.
I finally saw my chance to attack and I go for the neck. I put all my power to it but it only made a small wound that healed in seconds. Then Kiat starts babling.
- Hah! Do you think that your measly sword can penetrate the skin of a god vessel. A thing build from the strongest form of power in the world and a blood of a god. Hah! I don't expect much from you but still this is something else. Do go on. I will wait for your, oh so firm success.
Low starts to move even faster than before and I barely manage to dodge any of the attacks. I keep flying to the wall with no time to rest since Low would come right at me and try to crush me with his fists.
I try to heal but there is no time. I'm running out of options and my defeat seems close. Then I got an idea of placing parts of my soul to the circuits and even more than I did before to the sword. My speed increased tremendously. I now could go even faster than Low could and I found an easy opening to attack. I put even more strengththan I did on the last attack and I manage to cut his head off. I did it.
Then Kiat starts to clap his hands and says.
- Well done, well done. Like a frog in a well, you only saw a small portion of the world and decided to expand it. Didn't think that you would give me such entertaning experience.
I still try to catch my breath. Kiat starts walking towards me.
- You know, I have need for a champion of my own. Since you tricked my guards twice to let you in, you tricked the pope himself by masquerading as John and you managed to turn the tables on your favor in this battle, I see no better champion to call my own. How about it?
He now stands infront of me and extends his right hand to me as in to trying to make a deal with me.
- And why would I do that?
He takes back his hand and starts walking around the room.
- You see, this would be great opportunity for you to serve under one of the greatest demon princes there is. Not only that, but you would receive some of my power to aid you in battles in the future and you can have all that you want in my realm. Money, food, land, castles, servants, women, men, power and all that you want. You could even treat people in a way that you so decire. Do whatever your soul decires in my realm. How about it?
He extends his right hand once more with a smile.
- Will you stop trying to be a god?
- If that is your decire.
His eyes are full of expectation. It sounds tempting, but he is a demon prince of lies.
- I refuse the offer.
- Is that so? Hmph, oh well.
He raises his hands upwards as to sign that he gives up. Then he heads to teleports back to his throne and says.
- You think this is over?
I have a feeling like I'm about to die and I try to dodge. But I'm too late. A hand comes out of my chest and blood starts to spill everywhere. It was Low's hand. Then the hand goes back and I fall to the ground. I look around and I see Low with his head back on. Just like with Joshua. Kiat starts to talk.
- I didn't anticipate your refusal so I'm bit disapointed. You realy think that measly cut would make god vessel inoperational? Such a shame. Perhaps in your next life, we'll meet again and I shall offer you the same choice like this time. Only then, I'm a god and you are mere mortal. Perhaps I could even bring you back to life and watch as you're in awe of my godhood. We'll see.
Then my vision turns to black and I can't see. I'm cold and weak and I can barely think. I feel... tired.
...
Then I see a glimpse of light. A flower in the middle about to bloom. Then I hear two voices.
- You forgot about me.
- And me.
- Get up, it's not over yet.
- We still havent helped them, remember?
- My power that I planted in you will eventually make you invinsible. But now, a measly pupet can penetrate you. Now since you will addapt, you will not be able to be killed by that measly pupet.
- And do remember to use the soul transfer ability. Since I'm with you, you will never me able to run out of power when it comes to your soul. Just do your best!
I grab the flower and I wake up. I make a sudden deep breath and get to a sitting position. I can see the surprise in Kiat's face as he says.
- What? How is this...? What sort of trick have you played to revive yourself? Now it's truly a shame for you that you didn't take up my offer. Low, attack!
I get puched pretty hard and I fly to the wall. The walls are at this point in shambles. Even when I took that hit head on, I could barely feel a thing. Now that I think anout it, it started to feel less and less each time I flyed to the wall during our first match. But there is no time to wait, since Low is comming straingt at me and about to hit me. I don't trust that my body will withstand his attacks that much. At least for now.
I activate my circuits and place parts of my soul in them and I start to move. I dodge Low's attack and run to my sword. I grab it and charge at Low while he is charging at me. We collide and I manage to wound him severly. His wounds still heal as fast as last time.
We keep fighting for a while untill Low starts to show signs of being tired. Then Kiat starts standing and casts a spell on me. I can no longer move.
- I need you to stay still for a while.
Low starts to walk towards me and I can't move. I don't think that I can survive a second death so I start to strugle.
- It's useless. I'm the demon prince of this realm so I can restrict your movements as much as I like with my authority.
Low keeps getting closer. I keep trying to move with no prevail. I keep moving as much as I can. Still nothing. I just keep trying untill I notice I can now move a bit. Then little by little I can move again and at the last second, I dodge the attack from Low. All Kiat says is.
- Impossible. That should be impossible. How can you...? It has to be some ability that I don't know of.
- It's apparently called adaptation. Got it from Sa'at.
- Sa'at. I see. Well then I guess I should start my ascension then.
- You think I will let you?
- No, but...
I'm then teleported to some place that I don't know of. Some sort of cave. I must move forwards.
I saw many beasts around but they were no issue for me so I just pushed through. I then found my way out of the cave and I had no idea where I was. After thinking for a while, I decided to summon Rin and she could tell me where to go. I do that and I'm soon on the way back to Palsu.
A week later I found myself again in Palsu. I get to the castle and I just run past the guards there because they seemed willing to fight this time. I only casted slow on them, so that they wouldn't catch me.
I then ran to the throneroom. There I saw the same sight as before but it seemed closer to being finished. I ran towards Low and tried to cut his head of, but because Kiat casted some kind of protection on it, I couldn't do it. Then Kiat says.
- Great, you're back. Now would you mind being a power source.
- What?
Then I feel sudden pain in my body.
- What did you do?
- I simply started to drain your soul to the pupet so that I can do the ascension faster. It took me a while to do it.
- You bast...
Sudden surge of pain comes and I can barely stay conscious.
- No that kind of language here. We're better than that.
I can't do anything. A while passes and little by little the pain starts to lessen and I start to stand up. I hear Kiat say.
- So this is the so called adaptation at work. No worries, we're just about done.
Then the pain returns as if he made the draining faster. Then the pain just stops and I rise again. Kiat starts speaking.
- Finaly. All this planning and I'm finaly here. Let's not wait any longer so let's become a god!
A sudden flash of light comes to the room. Just like when we got the god's blood. Then it disapears. I hear Kiat saying.
- What is this? I should be... What?
Then I hear Low speaking.
- You failed because I became sentient.
- What? How did you...? Carbon.
- That is correct. Creator made sure that I would become a person when you place the proper amount of power in me.
Kiat starts laughing for a while.
- Hahahahahahaa... HAHAHAHAHA!
- How do you feel father?
- HAaah, just fine. My plan got ruined by plasing my trust on one of my siblings. Years worth of planing gone out from the window. Haah, haven't been tricked myself in a long while.
- Are you disapointed?
- No. After all, I still got my plan B.
- Plan B?
Suddenly the room starts to shake, no, the whole realm starts to shake.
- If I can't make a seperate anchor for my godhood, then I just make my realm act as the anchor and throw it into the overworld!
I start to shout in panic.
- You can't do this!
- I sure can! I'm a demon prince of lies and tricks! I will trick the whole system to suit my needs!
- Stop it!
A flash of light comes to the room yet again. Is it realy going to happen? Then the light stops and I hear few familiar voices.
Null: You realy made me... do something like this.
Rahasia: We had to so that our brother didn't do anything stupid.
Carbon: What a troublesome brother. I even told him he was going to get himself killed if he did it.
Jeger: He is still our dear brother. When each of us are in trouble, we should help one another.
Oblew: That is just how you view things. Rest of us aren't so eager to sacrifice themselfs for betterment of another. Then again, I would have missed the fact that our Kiat isn't here doing his tricks again. I guess we are like our father.
Aíma: *sigh* I realy wished he would succeed though.
I'm surprised. All these demon princes have gathered here.
Nor: What are you doing here? What did you do?
Rahasia: Oh, we are just here to stop our brother from disapearing. As his twin, I had responsibility to make sure that he doesn't make a crucial mistake. Good thing that you were here. If not for you, we wouldn't have made it in time since Null is so stuborn.
Oblew: It took us all to convince him to go make him use his ability to put people in stasis and never wake up. Such a powerfull ability he has.
Nor: Kiat is going to stay like that forever?
Jeger: Of course not forever. We simply make him be like this for couple of days and then free him. After that, we give him a talking to so he understands the folly of his ways.
Null: And you wake me up... just for that. ...And I have to... do it again... to wake him up later. ... What a bother.
Carbon: I just hope that when he wakes up that he will also listen to us.
Oblew: To think that he would miss such a crucial thing in his plan.
Rahasia: I think he just ignored it or thought that he would be able to trick the system somehow.
Jeger: Such is a way of a foolish child.
Oblew: Honestly, you say that to everybody.
Jeger: For such I have been made.
Rahasia: Back to the topic. We can handle the rest Nor. You just go back to the overworld and talk to Lex. I bet he has something waiting for you.
Nor: I will trust you on that. Then I will be going now.
Carbon: Just what do you think that overlord is doing?
Rahasia: It's a surprise. Now what to do with this little... well... girl.
Then I leave and I find myself near the base of the soultree. There I see Siel'Kel being a bit anxious.
- What is it?
- It's Lex. He is going to do something risky.
- What do you mean?
- He is about to summon Destruction to this place and I don't know what will happen.
- He is doing what now?! And can't you see the future with your ability?
- I can, but with the nature of Destruction, I don't trust what I'm seeing.
- Then I will head where Lex is. Where is he?
- Right there.
They point me towards down the hill, so I start going there. After running for a while, I see Lex doing something with the gems that he collected from the purifier.
- Hey! What are you doing?!
- I need silence, or this might not work.
I do as he asks with reluctance. Then a flash of light appears for a minute.
- This is it.
Then I hear loud crashing sound when I fall back from the shockwave and my ears are probably bleeding. When I can see again I see a Lex with a naked man with demon markings on his body and a long thin tail. The man has red eyes and is staring right at Lex. Then I hear him speak in a echoing voice.
- You dare make me come back after what you put me through! I swear I will make sure your body will me turned to ash before I'm done.
- Calm down. We bouth know that you were unstable back then and needed to put out some steam without harming anyone.
- While I do agree with you, it doesn't mean I aprove of your method.
- And I'm sorry for that. We couldn't come up with any other options back then and the time was running short. Also could you make some clothes
- Sure.
A black coat, pants and boots come out of nowhere and he even doesn't need to put them on.
- So have you come up with any other ways in the mean time?
- We could have made you lose your powers, but we didn't think that you would come to peace with that back then. We were afraid that you might die.
- Well that would have been a better option than being a fucking sun!
- And you still are. Well, at least most of your power is currently working as the sun. Sun back then needed much more attension when before we made your power into a sun.
- So I'm no only consciousness of myself. Do you think I still lack the power to destroy you?
- No, I'm positive that you could anihilate me if you got serious. But that is not why I called you here.
- Then do tell me, brother, what reason do you have for calling me here?
- I need you to witness him.
- What, this guy? What is the big deal about...
He looks at me with surprised look on his face. His voice stops echoing.
- Sister?
- No, I'm...
- No, you bear the same soul as her. That means that she did something before she died. Do you remember me?
- I do, but...
He cries and hugs me.
- You have no idea how much I missed you.
- No, I'm saying I'm not...
- Yes you are, while being someone else also. You're still her.
- If that is what makes you happy then...
He hugs me with even more strength.
- Oh the lengths that I went to get you back.
- That's bit too much force.
He hugs me even tighter.
- Nonsense, you're more sturdier than Magic, so you ought to withstand this much.
- I'm saying I'm dying.
He hugs me even more tightly.
- You can bear this much, you're my sister after all.
- That's it, lights are turning off.
I pass out.
Later I wake up while being shaken by the same person who put me out. He was crying.
- Please wake up! I can't bear to lose you a second time!
- I'm awake so can you stop!
He stops for a while and then began to hug me again with a huge force.
- Thank goodness! I thought we lost you again!
- I will soon if you keep this up!
He stops huggin and keeps his hands on my shoulders and looks at me.
- Are you sure this is fine?
- This is quite fine, thanks.
He looks me in the eyes for a while untill Lex speaks up.
- I think you can let him go brother.
- But...
- I understand. You missed her too. Now that she is here you feel like never letting go. But she is fine without you, so you can let him go.
He let's go slowly and starts standing again. Then Lex extends his hand to me.
- Need help?
- Thanks.
I rise up and ask.
- What now?
- That all depends on what he likes to do.
We look at him.
- I still feel like beating you to a pulp, but you presented me with such a wonderfull thing that I'm willing to let it go.
- Then about you being here.
- What about it?
- Unfortunately, you can't exist here for long. Couple days at best.
- I see. Then can I ever come back.
- In due time, yes. But it has to be when I do it.
- So I don't expect you to let me roam around for long then.
- On the contrary. I plan to let you out as much as I can.
- You will? But why?
- I owe you that much. And now that most of your powers are sealed in the sun, I can rest in peace knowing you can't destroy absolutely everything.
- I take that as a challenge!
- Of course you would.
I see them bouth smiling until I hear Aktor's voice right next to me.
- So who is this demon dude?
- Shit! Don't do that to me!
- Sorry, just had to let you talk it out for a while and then I spoke.
- Wait! Now that you're here, where the hell were you?
- I was just out and about.
- Seriously!? I faced a fucking demon prince by myself while you were gone!
- I just had to investigate some golem activity in the region. Back to the topic, who is this demon guy?
- Oh, he's...
I look at him for a while and say.
- We didn't got your name.
Then Lex says.
- What name will you choose this time?
- Let's see. ... How about Relse.
- Relse... a fine name.
- Relse it is! Now who is this guy who appeared out of nowhere?
We look at Aktor.
- Aktor Vån is my name and I'm a traveler.
- Traveler you say? Hhm... I want to have a duel with you sometimes.
- What a coinsidence, so do I.
They look at each other smiling for a while. Then Relse asks.
- Now what is this about you fighting a demon prince?
I explain the situation to Relse.
- I see. So you collected all these to lessen my shades from appearing. And what is this about Kiat trying to become a god? Does he have any idea how much energy it will take to create one?
- The other demon princes are going to have a talking with him when he wakes up from Null's ability.
- Good thing me and Time gave him that ability.
- Wait, Time did it?
- Yes, when creating the first one, I asked Magic to help me and then Time came out at some point and helped me with where we left of.
- So where is Time anyways?
- She is inside Magic. She comes out extremely rarely.
Lex says.
- Call me Lex and Time Xel. That are the names we agreed to together.
- Right, right. Lex and Xel, got it. Now what do I call Soul?
- He isn't technicaly Soul but... His name is Nor.
- Nor you say. From Norbul?
Aktor says.
- I named him myself and that is correct.
- You did? What made you name him?
- He was found lying on a tree with no memory of his past.
- That sounds like it was troublesome.
- It was. Now what do we do with that boy over there?
We all look behind Aktor and we see Low. I then say.
- Low, what are you doing here?
- Uncles, aunts and creator decided that I can do whatever I want, so I chose to come where the one who fought me was.
- To do what exactly?
- Nothing, just wanted be with you.
- Why though.
He looks at me confused and tilts his head.
- So you just want to be with me? No fighting, just be with me?
- Correct.
- Fine then, I guess you are bit like me then. A young man who has no past and chooses to follow the first person he sees.
- That sounds like my situation, but with one exeption.
- What is it?
- I'm a woman.
We all collectively say.
- What?!
She tilts her head with confused look on her face. Then Relse asks Lex.
- You mean this man is actually a woman?
- Sounds like it to me.
Then I ask Low.
- You serious.
- I'm build with a grown woman's reproductive organs. Do you need to see?
She starts to take of her robes until I stop her.
- Wait, wait! I believe you, so you don't have to show it to me.
- If that's what you say.
Then Relse says to Lex.
- No, I think that you should show us. Just in case Kiat is trying to trick us again. She is his daughter after all.
- I agree. This is possible to be one of his traps.
I say to Lex.
- Then what do you think?
- I think it is in our best interest to find out.
Then I had an idea.
- Then we will go to Siel'Kel. They can figure this one out.
- He is still around? Oh yeah, I had a dream of fighting them before.
- Wait, are you talking about the shade's memories.
- They are fussy, but I can remember them a bit.
Lex says.
- Interesting.
Then we go to Siel'Kel and explain everything and let them confirm Low's gender. Then Siel'Kel comes and tells us.
- She is most definitely a female.
- So she is, huh. Well good thing we let Siel'Kel do it.
Then Lex and Relse start speaking.
Lex: I don't see what the big deal was. All we would have seen is some genitalia.
Relse: I agree, there shouldn't be such a big fuss anout it.
Aktor: I also agree.
Nor: Don't any of you have any common decency!? What are you, children?!
Relse: He starts to sound just like our sister. If only Creation was with us, we would have the whole gang.
Lex: I agree with you on that one.
Aktor: I suddenly feel like an outsider.
Relse: No, you fill the role of Creation just enough.
Nor: You three.
Low just looks at us with tilted head and confused look on her face. Then she says.
- Why isn't grandfather talking to uncles and aunts?
- That's... A good point, I should get on that.
Then the night comes and we go to sleep. Low tries to sleep with me but I refused. Eventually she took my bed and I slept on the ground. When I woke up she was right next to me sleeping soundly. This is going to take a while to get used to.
And so ended my journey to other realms. At least for now.