Rise

The morning sunlight slowly roused us from sleep, and quickly we got ready to head to the laboratory. My injured foot was feeling better, but the wound on my hand from last night was festering, so I had to amputate it. Our journey wasn't far, and within an hour, we arrived.

The laboratory was enormous, vastly different from the one I used to work in.

"Yuki, wait here. I'll break in and bring the kids here," Snow said.

"But Snow, I want to help too."

"No, it's too dangerous in there. I can't let you go in."

I walked casually towards the group of guards, easily attacking them with sharp ice spears. All the outer guards died instantly. Now, all that was left to do was...

"Come out, you scum! Bring all your troops! This time, I'm ready to face you!"

Hundreds of soldiers emerged, and among them, I saw him. He was the one who had stolen others' happiness!

"Hahaha, do you think you can face me?"

"Shut up and come down here to fight me!"

"Alright, I'll come down if you can handle all my troops. General, order them to advance."

"All troops, attack!"

Did he think all these soldiers were enough to defeat me? He truly underestimated me.

"Fire!"

"Too slow!"

I deflected all the shots with a thick wall of ice. Luckily, it was winter, so my powers were much stronger than before.

"It's impossible! Where did that thick ice wall come from?"

"Now it's my turn, feel this!"

I shot hundreds of ice spears directly at them, wiping out the entire army in an instant. Now, only the two of them remained.

"You're amazing! Impressive! I've never seen another human wield godlike powers besides myself! This is truly surprising!"

"Huh? God? What do you mean?!"

"I mean like this, young one."

Suddenly, the area around him was engulfed in golden mud, slowly swallowing all his dead soldiers. What shocked me was that the mud had countless sharp teeth, resembling it was chewing all those soldiers.

"Professor, feel free to use my body as you wish."

"Alright, thank you, General. Your sacrifice for the god is truly appropriate."

He pierced the heart of his general. He didn't even use any weapon, just his bare hands.

"What is this?!"

"Look, young one, this is the true power of the gods!"

He took and swallowed the general's heart whole, then the golden mud slowly swallowed the general's body too. All that mud slowly entered his shadow, and I began to feel immense pressure from him, even stronger than Night.

"Darn, this pressure. My chest... feels tight."

"What's wrong, young one? Is this all you've got? Weren't you the one challenging me?"

"If you think I'll give up just like that, you're wrong! I will kill you!"

"Hmm, interesting. Alright, let's get serious."

He began stretching out both his hands, his face staring at the sky, taking a deep breath. I began hearing very unfamiliar words in my ears, and slowly, the pressure lessened.

"I'm the destruction, I'm the end, no one can escape my cruelty. With the power of the goddess of the salt sea, Tiamat, I will destroy everything that comes my way. Here comes the son of Tiamat, the prince with the Tablet of Destinies as his true power, Kingu!"

A large golden portal opened with a strong, fragrant smell. The portal slowly consumed his left hand. When the portal disappeared, his left arm changed; it was no longer a human arm. It was scaly and golden, with claws that looked very sharp.

"Young one, this is what I call the power of the gods. This is dragon armor, made from deep affection and overflowing love. So, don't expect to live after seeing it. Sinner!"

"Affection?! Love?! All that you say is nonsense! I will never retreat! I will bring those children out! No matter what!"

"Fool, this is why I despise humans like you."

He suddenly snapped his fingers, and my body started to bleed profusely. What is this? As I looked at him, all the blood flowing out of my body slowly flowed into his shadow.

"Hah... what was that?"

"Didn't I tell you? This is the power of the gods."

He slowly approached me, standing right in front of me. He started stepping on my face.

"What's wrong? Where did all your courage go?"

Is this it? Am I this weak? Damn! Just because of a snap of his fingers, I'm this weak!

"Stop!"

This voice? Yuki!

"No, Yuki! Don't come closer!"

"Miss Yuki, what are you doing here?"

"Let Snow go! I beg you."

"I can't. He has challenged a god, and he is a sinner. I can't just let him go."

"Then... let me take his place."

Yuki! What is she thinking?!

"Yuki! Don't! Don't do it! Argh!"

My heart! What's happening? It feels like it's being squeezed slowly. It hurts so much!

"Don't talk too much, I'm trying to crush your filthy heart."

"Please! Don't kill him. Let me take his place."

My heart stopped being squeezed, and the pain started to diminish. This person also lifted her foot from my head.

"Alright, I'll grant your request. But you must kneel and kiss my feet while begging. Because when a servant asks for something impossible, they must sincerely beg to the god if they want their request to be granted."

"You scoundrel! What are you..."

Before I could finish my sentence, he kicked me. I was thrown until I hit the laboratory wall, cracking the concrete wall. My whole body felt an incredible pain; I could feel many of my bones were broken. It hurt.

"Fine."

I couldn't believe what I saw; Yuki kneeled and kissed his feet. This feeling... I'm so angry!

"Please, sir, release Snow. And make me his replacement."

"You're a good woman, Miss Yuki. I will grant any request from a good person like you. Of course, before you die with dignity in the hands of the god."

"If possible, sir, I want to meet one of my children. And after you kill me, I beg you... don't devour my body."

"What do you mean?"

"I want my body to be buried next to my house, so that... if someday my children want to see their mother, they can easily find me."

"Very well, I will grant all your requests. Then, the first one is..."

This person, he began snapping his fingers again. Instantly, there was a pile of golden mud, and when it burst, there was Yuki's son inside. I couldn't believe it; how did he do it?

"This is your son, I'll give you one minute to talk to him."

"Thank you... thank you so much."

Yuki walked slowly, her face a mix of happiness and sadness. The closer she got to her son, the more tears flowed from her joyful face.

"Yama

... forgive me, forgive me!"

"Mother?"

"Yama, I just want to tell you this. Please, take care of your sibling, always be a good child, make friends with many people, and..."

"I'm sorry... but, I'm not Yama."

Her words left us speechless. Could it be... his memories have been erased?!

"Moreover... who is this lady? I never had a mother, and I don't have a sibling."

"Scoundrel! What have you done?!"

"What? I just erased his memories. I even did it before you came here."

Yuki... she's been silent all this time, her gaze starting to empty. Damn it! Stand up, damn it!

"Oh, you can stand up now. You better stay there quietly, or I'll kill both of them."

Damn! What kind of god is he?! He's more like a demon!

"It's okay."

Yuki started talking. What hurt me even more was that she smiled while continuously caressing her son's face.

"It doesn't matter if you don't know who this lady is, but can you tell her your name?"

"Sure, my name is Snow."

"W... what?!"

Wait a minute, his name is the same as mine. What... what is this?

"I knew it would end up like this. Your time is up, Miss Yuki."

Without saying anything more, he immediately swallowed Yuki's son into his golden mud again.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"Relax, young one, I'm just sending Snow back to his cell."

After that, he immediately stabbed Yuki, and blood flowed from her hand. I could only watch in silence.

"As per your request, I'll bury you next to your house, but after I deal with this young man."

In an instant, my body was thrown towards him, and he immediately choked my neck.

"You... I will never forgive you."

"Hey, young one, do you know why that child was named Snow?"

"Damn it! Right now... I just want to kill you!"

"Listen to me, young one. That child was you. And that woman is your mother."

"What... do you mean?"

"I can tell from my god-given eyes, you have the same life essence. And when I took your blood and her blood, your blood matched perfectly. I can conclude here that you are experiencing a time paradox."

"Time... paradox?"

"In short, you shouldn't be here at this time. And if you are here, there's only one cause, which I know is that your body is being possessed by one of the gods. And you were sent here to pass a test, and if you pass the test, you can regain your body and gain greater power. But it seems you failed; you couldn't protect that woman and her child. In other words, you couldn't protect your mother and yourself in the past. How sad."

My... mother? Myself in the past? A test?

"So... Yuki is..."

"Yes, she is Snow's mother."

Yuki is my mother? And I just failed to protect her?

"Will... I will always be saved like this... throughout my life? Am I useless?"

"Yes, you're trash, Snow. I can feel it, even though I seem cruel to humans, I am still a god. And gods never lie."

After getting a second chance, I couldn't save her... my mother.

"Professor... kill me... I... am tired of all this."

"Are you sure?"

I could only nod, there was... nothing... else I could do.

"No!"

This voice? Yuki? I couldn't see her clearly, my vision was blurred with blood.

"You... can't die..."

She... is still alive?!

"I... mom?"

"I couldn't understand it very well... but... I'm sure... that you... are my son... from the future..."

Mom, she crawled over here. Even though her body was pierced, and blood kept flowing from her mouth, she still crawled over here, and her face looked so happy. Mom!

"Miss Yuki, I thought you were dead."

"Listen to me, Snow... don't give up, no matter what happens... you can do it... because you are my son... now rise! Snow!"

***

Damn! This Soul is so fast! Shin and I are overwhelmed by truly terrifying power.

"Tree, what should we do now? We can't do anything if he can withstand all our attacks."

Think! Think! At a time like this...

"Tree! Watch out!"

Damn! I'm about to be slashed!

"Barrier!"

This voice! Night!

"Sorry to keep you waiting, old friend."

"You slept for so long, idiot! We almost died earlier!"

"Hahaha sorry, I dozed off."

"YOU DARE FALL ASLEEP IN SUCH A CRITICAL MOMENT LIKE THIS!"

I can't understand his attitude. Especially now that my emotions are at their peak, I'm so angry!

"Enough, Tree, stop complaining. What's most important now is that we have to stop this soul."

"Well, you're right, let's do it, Night! Shin!"

"Yes!"

"Let's start the party, Tree!"

Now the tables have turned; Soul is the one overwhelmed. As long as we attack simultaneously, he won't be able to win.

"Damn! I'm cornered! Disgusting creatures!"

"What's wrong? Are you no longer fighting?"

"I have no other choice."

Soul suddenly turned his spear and aimed it at Snow's heart. Damn! Is he planning to commit suicide?!

"What are you doing?!"

"If you come closer again! I will stab this child's heart! If I can't control his body, then I'd rather die with his body!"

"This soul, he's so cunning!"

"What should we do, Tree?! Night!"

Damn it, when it's like this...

"When it's like this, there's no hope left."

"You're right, Night, we have to kill them both."

"Let's do it, Tree!"

Night and I hate doing this, but there's no other choice. If we let them go, it will endanger many people.

"Wait! Night! Tree! Look! His body is glowing!"

"No way! This kid... did he succeed?! Damn!"

His body is glowing, and Soul looks in pain. What's happening here?!

***

Mom was right, I must not give up. There are still many people I need to protect, I can't end it here.

"His body is glowing?!"

"That... is my son..."

My body feels very light, I can sense a tremendous amount of energy flowing into my body. The professor begins to release his grip from my neck and keeps his distance.

"Come forth, my faithful servant, Y-MIRai!"

I managed to summon my spear back into my hand. Now I can! I can!

"Now, this is interesting. Attack me with all your might!"

"No need to ask, I will do it! Get ready!"

We fought fiercely, our weapons clashed, producing powerful gusts of wind, causing many trees to fall, and even the concrete walls of the laboratory were almost destroyed.

Just when I thought I could win, my body slowly faded away. Could this be...

"It's time."

"What does this mean?!"

"You have passed your test, now the time paradox will send you back to your time."

"My time now? Wait, where is my mother?"

"She's over there."

Mom! She lies on the ground. Her body is very cold, and blood keeps flowing from her body.

"Mom..."

"Snow... I'm glad you're okay... I'm very happy."

I couldn't hold back my tears. My tears fell and vanished, I don't have much time left.

"It seems... it's time..."

"Mom..."

I could only cry and call her name repeatedly.

"Even though this is my second chance to save you... why... why... why?!"

"It's okay, dear..."

Mom gently wiped away my tears.

"I'm very happy... knowing... you in the future... are healthy... and become a very strong man..."

"But... but..."

"You're very kind... you're just like your father..."

Mom... she stopped wiping my face.

"Hah... my body is getting weaker. Snow, I want to ask you one thing, my son..."

"Not just one, I will answer all your questions... Mom!"

"In the future... will you meet your sister?"

"Yes... we are together, at first, we lived a hard life, but now we live happily... we have a decent place to live... we can now eat delicious food every day... we have friends... we have... we have... been very happy now..."

"I'm relieved to hear that."

"But... we will be much... much happier if you are with us... that's why... that's why... mom... please hold on... hold on!"

"I can't, my child... my time is almost up... and your time here is also about to end... look... your feet... are slowly disappearing."

My feet? Mom is right, my feet are slowly disappearing. What should I do?! What should I do?! Right! I can carry Mom to the nearest hospital before my body disappears.

"You can't do that, young man."

"Why not?!"

"Because you will defy the will of time, and if you keep doing it, your body will disappear faster."

"I don't care! I will take Mom to the hospital right now!"

As I tried to lift her body, suddenly my palms disappeared.

"I told you, it's impossible. It's the decision of time, you can't defy it."

Damn! Damn! I can do it if I try again! Again! Again!

"Son... stop it... look at your hands... they have all disappeared now."

My hands?! No! No! No!

"Son... it's time for me to sleep peacefully... thank you, my child... take care of your sister... goodbye..."

"Mom? Mom! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, mom!"

My body quickly disappears! Why?! Why?! Why?!

"Hey, professor..."

"What's wrong, young man?"

"You will grant my mother's last wish, right?"

"Yes, I will bury her near your house."

"I hate to say it, but... thank you."

"A god must fulfill his promise to his servant."

"If we meet again in the future, I will definitely... I will definitely... kill you!"

"A god is never afraid of sinners like you, it should be you who is afraid of god."

"Shut up... You devil!"

My body has completely disappeared, and now I feel like I'm floating. Aimlessly, parts of my body can only follow the flow of the wind.

All the paths I pass are black, but... there is a glimmer of light ahead. I must go there! To where Lilith and my friends are!

***

"Night, what should we do?"

"I don't know; the pressure of his energy is too great!"

As we were enduring this energy pressure, we saw Snow's body lying on the ground. Immediately, we rushed to him.

"Night..."

"Snow! Are you Snow?! Answer me!"

"Yes... I am Snow... I'm back."

"Thank goodness... we thought we were going to lose you."

Amid our relief, Snow's tears suddenly flowed very heavily.

"Snow! Are you okay?! Why are you crying?!"

"I... I'm okay, I just want... to shed the remaining tears."

He smiled, but his tears didn't stop. We immediately took him to the office's health room for examination. Throughout the journey, he always smiled, although I knew his heart was broken, and we didn't know why. But truly, this is a miracle; we are very grateful.

***

"Meeting with Snow again is truly a miracle."