Chapter 84 - Unknown Magic Source

---Avatar World, Mael POV---

Going back to the Avatar World, after confirming my Shadow Demon located the House Elf, I found that the women were just now waking up. It was nearly noon now, and they hadn't budged an inch since I left earlier in the morning.

"Good Morning.", I chuckled with a playful smile.

"Yes it is...for one of us.", Azula groaned with a smirk, "You didn't go easy on us."

"If we need to stay another day, I can go book the room again.", I offered, "When you are able to move better, you can go down and soak in the hot springs."

Immediately accepting my offer with relieved expressions, I said I had something I needed to take care of. Saying that I would have breakfast sent up to them, I promised to be back by midafternoon at the latest. Asking me where I was off too, I said that I had gotten word that some ancient Airbending Scrolls had come up for purchase a few hundred miles from here. Stating that I wanted to get my hands on them before they vanished, they said to bring them some back too.

Giving them a kiss before heading downstairs, I walked up to the counter to extend our stay another night. Putting us down for another and taking my money, the woman made an offhand comment about needing to chase those women out of my room. Glaring at her, I wanted to smite her on the spot for referring to them as if they were whores.

"Ma'am...those are my fiancées, I don't want to ever hear you refer to them that way again.", I said as the counter started to crack, "I am not one of your usual nobleman clients, I am Prince Mael of the Fire Nation, also known as Avatar Mael."

Showing her my Royal Fire Nation seal, her expression went from annoyed to full on panic. Dropping to her knees she apologized profusely for saying such things about them. Sliding her a small bag of coins, I told her to have a nice meal sent up to my fiancées. Swearing she'd make sure it was done well, she took the coins and ran bag into the kitchen in a hurry. Leaving the inn, I headed around back and took off on Barry.

Having him fly me several hundred miles south through the mountains, I followed the energy signature that my Magic Radar was picking up. Leading me to a small trade town on the crossroads between several major cities, I set Barry down outside the city to graze while I walked in. Letting me without any hesitation, I used magic to obscure the radar so I could continue using it without drawing attention to myself. Ending up outside an antique shop, I double checked the radar to confirm this was the right spot.

'Is it a person or an item that I am looking for?', I thought entering the store.

Seeing an older man and his wife behind the counter, I quickly confirmed they weren't mages at all. They weren't even benders, they were merchants with a rather...eccentric collection of items from all over the globe. Seeing items from all four nations, they even had items from the swamps to the southwest. Watching me looking around at everything, the man got up to do his usual sales pitch.

"Welcome to Bu's Antique Shop, what brings you in today?", he said quickly looking me over, "You appear to be from the Fire Nation, are you interested in some relics from your homeland?"

"I am from the Fire Nation, I am looking for unusual items you may have.", I stated as I glanced around looking for anything that was giving off a magical signature.

Telling me to give him a moment, he started placing things on the counter for me to look at. Seeing various swords, knives, armor, and scrolls...most of what he was trying to sell was fake items. It was clear he was used to ripping people off as he made up really convincing stories about each item. Not fooled by him, I tuned him out and looked everything over carefully. Stopping at a small wooden box, I sensed magic radiating from it in high quantities. Popping it open to see what was inside, I was shocked by what I found.

'Why are Celestial Keys here?', I thought with a confused look, 'There are three Gold Keys and...a Platinum Key? Was there one in the series that I wasn't aware of?'

Noticing my interest in the keys, he stopped talking about the other items and talked about them.

"Ah, I see you have a eye for truly exotic items. Rumor has it these keys are able to summon powerful spirits from the Spirit World, but no one knows how to use them.", he told me, "A great battle lasting nearly a week was fought down at the South Pole."

"Spirits fought down there?", I questioned, 'I don't remember that part of the story...'

"Yes, they say there was a great battle between a giant man with a large white mustache and a giant flying eyeball.", he replied with a perplexed look, "Not many people believe it happened, but the Southern Water Tribe remembered it for thousands of years. The Avatar of that time supposedly sealed off Spirit World, and these keys fell from the sky afterwards. That is why rumor has it they can summon spirits."

Nodding my head, I wiped the dirt off the keys. Finding the Gold Keys to be the ones for Sagittarius, Leo, and Virgo I wasn't sure whose the Platinum Key was for. Knowing that one of the three Celestial Mages I knew would know, I haggled down the price as much as I could before paying for them. Since I knew Azula, Ty Lee, Katara, and Yue wouldn't have an interest in anything else here I thanked the couple and left the store.

'Lucy, Sorano, and Yukino are going to be thrilled to have these. Still though, why was the Celestial Spirit King here in this world and who was he fighting?', I thought as I walked out the door, 'Alright, baked goods or sweets would probably be best for the four women. I wonder if ice cream is something I can find here.'

---Mid-Afternoon, Earthland---

Once I returned to the inn, I moved back to Earthland to handover the keys. Find the women out on the back deck sunbathing, I walked out with a smile on my face.

"Sorano, Lucy, and Yukino do you ladies have a moment? I came across something that you may be interested in.", I stated.

"What's up?", Sorano questioned.

"I found something pretty interesting while I was out shopping.", I replied flashing the keys, "You want them?"

"Celestial Keys!?", Lucy shouted in shock as she got up from her spot, "Where did you find those!? My mother and Grammi looked all over the place for these, but couldn't ever find them!"

Noticing the Platinum Key as well, the three of them examined it closely trying to figure out whose key it was. Stating that they didn't recognize the symbol on the key, they suggested using the Golden Keys to ask the spirits for their input. Agreeing to that, I let the three of them decide which key they wanted. Lucy took Leo, Sorano took Virgo, and Yukino took Sagittarius though she was unsure if she should really take it.

"Am I really allowed to take it? I mean...I am not one of them.", Yukino stated.

"You are Sorano's sister, that's more than enough in my mind.", I chuckled as I patted her head, "Besides, you need a Celestial Gate Key to use your magic. Just don't lose it."

Telling her that she was overthinking things, Sorano told her just accept my kind gesture. Doing as her sister said, she thanked me and stood next to the two of them. Chanting their spell, they opened the gates for their respective spirits. Appearing in front of us, the spirits seemed to be surprised that they had been summoned.

"Hello Lady...I am sorry what is your name?", Virgo asked.

"It's Sorano, it's a pleasure to meet you Virgo.", Sorano stated.

"Ah Lady Sorano, I am happy to be of service to you. Would you like to make a contract?", Virgo questioned tilting her head.

"Of course, before we do would you happen to know whose key this is?", Sorano remarked motioning to the key in my hand.

"That's the Celestial Spirit King's Key.", the Spirits instantly replied.

Almost dropping their keys in shock, the three women looked at it like they had seen a ghost. Knowing that in the normal storyline that he could only be summoned by breaking a Golden Key, I was surprised he actually had a key himself. Returning their attention to their Celestial Spirits, the three of them negotiated their contracts with the spirits till both parties were satisfied.

"Still though...I didn't think he actually had a key.", Leo said scratching his head, "I don't think anyone has ever held his key."

"Well...have you ever fought an enemy in another world before?", I questioned.

Looking at each other, they admitted to having done so several thousand years ago. Stating that spirits from another world started trying to get into the Celestial Realm, several of them ended up getting into a fight with them to stop the invasion.

"It happened a really long time ago.", Sagittarius told me, "We almost succeeded in finishing them, but suddenly were were pushed back into the Celestial Realm by an unknown force and our keys got left behind. How did you manage to get them?"

"You can't tell?", I asked changing into my Angelic Form.

"Ah, your one of those annoying, perverted deities.", Virgo stated.

"Not from this world, I am a Seraphim.", I remarked.

Nodding her head like I was a moron, I explained that I was in charge of several worlds and the one where they fought was where I found them. Thanking me for bringing their keys back here, they were happy to be able to freely come here again. Staying around for a few more minutes, they returned to the Celestial Realm once they were ready.

Deciding to place the Spirit King's key in my storage, I would use it if I ever needed anything from him. Getting changed into my swimwear, I jumped into the pool and relaxed with the women for the rest of the day. Tomorrow Kratos and I would begin the search for the Dark Slime fragments and put it behind us.

---Next Day---

"Morning.", I said walking into the Guild Hall, "Glad to see you haven't knocked anyone out the back of the building again."

"It only takes one time.", Kratos chuckled as he finished mug of mead, "I assume we are ready to hunt the Dark Slime?"

Giving him a thumbs up, he nodded his head before rising up from his seat. Pulling the radar up, I toggled it to lock onto the closest location to us. Once we were locked on, I opened a portal to between the World Barriers and walked through with Kratos. Closing it behind us, the entire Omniverse was before us now. Marking the location of the world we just came from, I flew the two of us towards the world we were needed on.

"Do we have any intelligence on what the world is like?", Kratos asked.

"None, I haven't scouted them out yet. We should be ready for anything.", I told him.

Agreeing with that, we gradually drew closer to the world till the radar indicated we reached our destination. Opening a portal into the world in question, we walked into a completely different world than I expected.

"Where did you come from?!", a Hero in full steel plate armor asked.

"Uh...", I responded, "My name is Mael...you wouldn't happen to be the Hero Seiya, would you?"

"Ristarte, we are leaving. They know my identity.", he said basically confirming her was.

"Wait Seiya!", Ristarte stated as she be dragged away by him.

Watching her open a portal and vanish, I started chuckling at what just happened. I didn't expect that I would seen an alternate version of Ristarte, but I was happy to see she was still with Seiya. Flicking the radar on to find where the Dark Slime was precisely, I was about to head out when one of the Demon Lord's Generals showed up.