War is Coming

"How did he permenantly kill God's?" Celine asked in fear.

"Nobody knows," Ellen said with an eerie gaze. That was the only truth everybody had known so that was all there was to believe.

Celine slumped back in thought. She now understood why all the other gods would rather let his name explode their people rather than just be cautious of him. It was because while their kingdoms could come back after the tower reset the world, Cronos could give them a true death.

Even more so, Cronos was one of the few gods who passed the 10 trials twice somehow. Meaning that he was also the 19th God and he had killed other gods. This meant that there weren't actually 73 Gods and the number could be lower, way lower.

"What else did you want to tell me," Celine said while still thinking of the previous answers.

"Hmm," Ellen wondered. "I would like to warn you about what you truly are now. You are a God, one of only many dozen, us existences are tricky and working for our own goal. I'll put it in a way my husband once told me when I became God."

"Mortal lives are nothing but pieces in a game. They are used, destroyed, manipulated, and killed without mercy by us divine. Gods on the other hand, we are players in this game all wanting a different outcome. Every player is fighting for their lives to get what they want so you, a new player, must find and stand your ground. If you can't do that you will be destroyed by other players."

Celine nodded at the lecture. She hadn't seen a fight between gods in her whole life and she didn't want to. "Thanks, can I ask why you told me this?"

"It's because of Ken. You are going to take him and he will leave because he doesn't wish to stay here. I've seen how unhappy he is here for a few lifetimes, so the moment he knows your offer he will leave. He seeks thrills, nothing else. So I told you this to keep him safe for me, he is my foolhardy son."

Celine nodded and said nothing else. Ellen knew Celine wasn't an enemy to Ken so they reached mutual understanding in that Celine would protect Ken the best she could.

"I've abandoned my post for too long now. Just keep your promise and keep him safe, it's all I ask for as his mother." Ellen began to transform into a huge red dragon that slumbered within the center of the academy she swore to protect. It was the same red dragon Celine had met when she first arrived here.

"I always keep my promises," Celine smirked.

A violet aura spread hundreds of fields outwards as a small trio sat on a log inside the forest. Celine was using her magic to sense any small vibrations in the forest.

"We aren't being followed and there is nothing too dangerous nearby," she confirmed but nobody was listening to her.

Ken and Aria were having an intense discussion on war beside Celine. Aria talked about plans and team formations she would use to save lives while Ken was mostly discussing strong opponents he had heard of. Seeing this, Celine looked happy and content.

"I'm creating a new future for me, one where both me and the world has changed and I'm appreciating the small things this time." Celine was greatly satisfied with her progress.

Celine's determination hardened. "Someday, I will have everybody I've loved and failed to save beside me like these two as well."

She thought of the dead she had left behind on her long journey. Celine remembered a time when she had abandoned another for the sake of power. "Never again" was the only words she could think of when she recalled that moment.

"What do you think, Celine?" Aria's words snapped her out of her reverie. "Should Ken be put on the dangerous frontlines or should he be used as an ace when things get dangerous? You already know what I think."

Aria believed that, despite Ken's strength and will, he should be placed in the back as an ace. She had theorized that things never went as planned in war and accidents could always occur so the only way to truly minimize the deaths was to have a safety mechanism in the form of Ken.

Of course Ken didn't agree because he just wanted to fight but he was going to reluctantly agree to Aria until he thought of Celine. "Perhaps she can help me!" He exclaimed. His new intellect in this life was clearly being misused.

That led to the current situation.

Celine scratched the back of her head in nervousness. "Let's just ask your father, Arthur, for his professional opinion. He will surely have the right answer!" Celine skillfully dodged and made this problem somebody else's, not hers.

Aria's eyes narrowed. "I thought we would've met another one of your friends from the 7th trial?"

Celine glanced at the sun and took in a breath of air. "You wouldn't understand because you haven't been in enough wars yet, but I can feel it."

"The smell of war. The looming death and despair. The feeling of agony deep within my bones."

Celine's expression hardened like a war veteran. "We are going back to the Valerian Kingdom instead of recruiting another friend. The effect of the tower is finally setting in."

"The first war is beginning."