The Seraphic System
Chapter: 121
(The Sealed Titan)
-{Kai}-
So….
Mark Of Kronos, huh.
With a single thought of mine, the notifications popped up.
You have sealed Κρόνος
Mark of Kronos (♄) formed.
[Mark Of Kronos (♄)]
A seal containing a powerful piece of the Immortal Titan Lord Kronos.
The description certainly got to the point.
The grading was slightly more confusing. I wasn't good at sealing in the slightest. The seal I had made was just a mimic, patched together with multiple copies that included Kronos' infinite seal.
At least it was confusing right up until I remembered just who I had summoned with the Rinnegan. The being I was almost certain was my predecessor. Who had helped me at the cost of damaging my own soul.
It was a worthy sacrifice considering I had somehow summoned… a remnant? An avatar? Of the Biblical God, somehow allowing him to aid me in what had been a failed sealing process.
Not that I'd admit that to Gabriel or anyone else.
The question remained: how was that even possible? Was it the shard? Had I literally gained some part of his soul? Was I absorbing it? And how had the shard even come from the spear in the first place?
That would have to wait for now, as an added section at the bottom of the system's interface caught my attention.
Skill Acquired
[Perception Shift]
An ability gained as a side effect of the sealed Titan. The mark of Kronos can serve as a conduit to channel energy into the eyes, allowing the user to drastically slow time perception in controlled bursts. Duration and intensity scale with energy investment.
I stared at the notification for a solid ten seconds.
Then I read it again.
A time-based ability?!
It wasn't something I had remotely planned for. The seal hadn't even really been intended for Kronos, it had been more of a general 'seal the powerful being that was kicking my ass' seal.
The sealing of the Titan King with myself as the container was also purely because there was no other option, given the minimal control I had over the seal in the first place.
My mouth opened.
I nearly found myself cheering, right up until I caught sight of the two women sleeping just a short distance away.
Gabriel's golden hair spilt across the grass, her features relaxed in a way I rarely saw when she was awake. The worry and the fierce protectiveness had all but faded away from its smooth perfection.
Hestia lay curled against my other side, her dark hair messy and her breathing slow and even.
For some reason, they had both been tired.
Seeing their peaceful faces, I clamped my mouth shut.
Obviously, the excitement didn't fade.
The possibilities were already spinning through my mind faster than I could process them. One of the key things about stronger enemies was their ability to perceive quicker.
It wasn't going to allow me to move faster or anything like that, but against those who were close to my level of power? It would give me a further advantage against them.
This also explains why Kronos was such a bitch to fight. There wasn't a single honest bone in that dilapidated immortal corpse. Well, it would have been rather insulting if he didn't abuse his powers.
All is well, anyway. Since, now they are mine!
I reached for the skill, feeling up the new addition to my arsenal. I activated it curiously.
The small mark on my chest glowed slightly, and I felt it burn slightly, not enough to hurt but as if I was touching a rather hot sword's tip.
The world around me slowed.
The gentle breeze that had been rustling through the sub-dimension froze mid-motion. The leaves on the nearby trees hung suspended. Countless particles of dirt were stuck in the air, as if not knowing if they should move or not.
I looked down at my hands, flexing my fingers. At first, they looked like they were stuck as well, but with just some more will, I was able to move them at a normal speed.
Of course, it just looks normal to me right now. Otherwise, that has to be me moving my hand rather fast.
As expected, me moving my hand so 'fast' caused the surrounding dust particles to disperse and the hair of Gabriel and Hestia flew up a bit and draped over their eyes.
Oops.
Well, I am not seeing any signs of stirring, so it's fine.
Anyway, this is a big boost. And I wasn't even pushing this thing to its limits. Well that's intentional. I don't want to risk even minor eye pain, cause otherwise I am very likely to get grounded for an extended period.
Deciding to push my luck instead of my limits, I strained my perception just a teeny tiny bit and watched the world slow down even further; this time, however, the difference was noticeable. My gaze went down to my fist, this time clenching it, revealing a delay as it closed.
It wasn't absurdly slow, but the boost was evident. It was only after three seconds (at least according to my current perception) that I was able to see my fist clenched.
Was this the capacity of the seal? No. I imagine if I worked on the seal, I could probably find ways to gain even more from Kronos. No wonder Yahweh went around sealing everyone...
Then I felt the drain.
Angelic magic poured out of me at a rate that made my eyes widen. A flood of power poured from my reserves with every second the skill remained active.
It was sustainable despite that, my God-class power making the flood more bearable.
I released the skill while I kept my perception strained. The world sped up slightly, further giving me an insight into just how much of a boost this would provide.
After some consideration, I suspected the boost was around 30%. Roughly at least.
No wonder that old fossil was playing around with me.
I relaxed my perception, and time snapped back to normal. The breeze resumed. The leaves rustled once more. I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding.
That was incredible.
The applications were endless. In combat, even a microsecond of slowed time could mean the difference between life and death. I could reposition, analyse, strike at openings that would be impossible to exploit otherwise.
The energy cost was brutal, but my angelic magic could handle it, and I had ways to bypass that particular setback. I could use it in short bursts instead of prolonged periods.
A grin spread across my face.
Kronos had tried to kill me. Now, a piece of his power served me instead. There was a certain satisfaction that bubbled inside me at the thought. It almost gave me a deeper insight into Yahweh.
Was it really mercy that made him seal his opponents rather than end them? I mean, having your power serve your enemy was brutal.
My grin became larger.
I could get on board with this way of doing things. I just needed to find a way to learn, through either downloading or just straight up nerding this shit out.
Then my attention once more shifted to the other reward I hadn't properly examined yet.
The Golem of Eden.
I had read through its abilities, but I hadn't actually tried using it.
No time like the present.
I focused on the item, willing it to activate in its armoured form.
I had expected something organic. Some wooden armour, perhaps, given Eden's nature as a forest. I expected Bark and vines, with leaves woven into some protective plating.
Something that matched the garden's aesthetic.
What I got was entirely different.
The armour that materialised around my body practically shimmered under the golden and silver canopy.
Pure white plates trimmed with gold settled over my frame, fitting perfectly as if they had been forged specifically for me. It was light, far lighter than I had thought it would be, and I meant that in the sense that it almost didn't feel like I had armour on.
I looked down at myself in surprise.
This wasn't wooden armour at all. It was something else entirely. The metal wasn't something I recognised, a glittering white metal that shone at the edges with white light.
I flexed my arm experimentally, observing the way the joints moved smoothly. There was no restriction on my mobility. I turned my attention to the sub-dimension around me.
The Two Trees loomed in the distance, their golden and silver light casting long shadows across the landscape. The grass beneath my feet was lush and green, fed by the ambient energy that permeated this place.
I reached out with my chakra, with it pouring out into my hand and flowing through my armour. I focused on transforming the nature of my chakra to wood as it flowed through the metallic armour.
This was a simple test of how well my powers synergised.
I attempted to do it quietly, aiming for a singular tree to form at my desired location.
I blinked; the chakra moved through the armour with ease. The ground vibrated slightly, then through it, something burst out.
Up from the cracked ground, three trees sprang forth. All of them vibrating with chakra.
Individually, each tree grew larger than I had intended, with branches curling out and large trunks jutting from the ground.
What?
I had meant to create just one.
The energy I had used was barely enough for one. But somehow, the output had gotten more than tripled.
I inspected the gauntlet with a raised eyebrow. Just like that, it seems Mokuton has become a lot more dangerous. This alone was a significant boost, not to mention the other things.
I tried again, even shorter this time. A single wooden spike, the kind I might use in combat. Five spikes exploded up from the ground, all pointed with sharp points arranged in a tight cluster.
This isn't just armour, huh. It also works as an amplifier. More specifically, an amplifier for any chakra or nature-based move like Mokuton, at least from my observations so far. An expected side effect really, but vastly more potent than I had suspected.
I created a wooden construct, nothing complex, just a simple humanoid shape. It formed perfectly. Then its height expanded, and more arms formed from its frame, leaving a much larger-than-intended humanoid.
I laughed lightly.
This was absurd. To think this wasn't even its main ability, was this what that transcendent rank encompassed?
I spent the next several minutes experimenting and creating barriers that were three times as thick as intended. Growing vines that spread four times as far. I generated wooden weapons that multiplied in my hands.
Overall, I played around with my wood like a possessed teenager.
It was akin to my sword's ability to preserve angelic magic by channelling attacks through it, except it was amped up multiple times over. Unfortunately, my Rinnegan didn't seem compatible with it.
Had my Rinnegan gained the same treatment, I'd have been able to create attacks above my weight class without crippling myself. Having two energies had already allowed me to do so, but I am God, and I say one should always push for more.
With Gabriel and Hestia lying not too far away, I wasn't able to test out everything I could think of. But perhaps that was for the best, because eventually, the exhaustion caught up with me.
The adrenaline from the battle had long since faded. The excitement from my new abilities had kept me going, but my body was demanding rest. My soul still ached from the damage it had taken.
I dismissed the armour, watching as it dissolved into motes of golden light that faded into nothingness.
A flicker of movement caught my attention.
I turned to see Gabriel watching me carefully. A singular emerald eye was open, observing from beneath a curtain of golden hair. She hadn't moved from her position on the grass, but there was enough awareness in that gaze for me to know that she wasn't asleep.
She had been watching for who knows how long.
I walked back over and sat down beside her.
Yep.
My limbs were going numb, and this sub-dimension was too damn peaceful. I knew that some changes had taken place, but Sariel had asked to take care of it herself...
I'd have to see what she did.
For now, though? We sleep.
I felt my heart lighten at the sight of Gabriel. Her lone emerald eye shone mysteriously, and I wrapped an arm around my Angel, pulling her closer. She made a soft sound of contentment and settled against me, her eyes closed once more.
Hestia shifted on my other side, unconsciously moving closer to the new source of warmth that was me.
I pressed a kiss to Gabriel's forehead.
She smiled without opening her eyes.
The thought occurred to me then, as I lay on the grass with the two beautiful women tucked against either side, that this was a strange place to sleep.
The mansion was right there.
A room with an actual bed was currently vacant. Getting there would have taken all but one second.
So... why were we sleeping on the ground?
Ah.
I couldn't bring myself to care.
-{Percy Jackson}-
The path ahead was silent, an odd contrast to the chaos that had taken place just hours ago. Titans fighting Archangels, the literal King of Time attempting to reform himself fully, a typical weekend.
Percy scratched the back of his neck and kept walking.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to jump out of the imaginary bushes and claw at him.
A monster probably, or maybe even Kai coming back and telling him that Kronos had a sister, who was also recently unsealed, ten times more powerful than him, and as if to cement the fact this wasn't a good day, she was also on her period.
He paused.
Do Titans... No, do Goddesses, fuck does any Supernatural species have the concept of periods?
Something told him that he really didn't want to know the answer.
"You're making that face again," Annabeth chimed from beside him.
"What face?" Percy retorted.
Annabeth smirked. "The brooding face. The one where you're convinced everything is about to go wrong."
"That's not a face. That's just my normal aesthetic. Guess you are the best figure in regards to knowing what a brooding face looks like." Percy squinted his eyes.
Annabeth rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. A genuine smile, not the tight one she'd worn for most of the quest. "Relax. We made it back. Quest complete, somehow..."
"Yeah." Percy didn't sound convinced. "Until the next one."
"I thought you'd feel better after fighting that Titan?" Annabeth raised an eyebrow.
"I got my ass handed to me. Then the scary Angel came in and destroyed him."
"Percy..." Annabeth said, looking at him as if he were an idiot. "You pushed back a Titan?"
"Yeah?" Percy asked.
"Which other Demigod has ever done that?" Annabeth said incredulously.
"Kai-"
"Kai is... well, you know whose successor he is. Don't compare yourself to him." Annabeth shook her head. "He's just as crazy."
"I know that... I mean, how the hell did he manage to start dating an Archangel? And I thought Gabriel was going to be a dude, not whatever ethereal creature that was." Percy said with a huff, though he was mostly using it to change the subject.
Annabeth tilted her head. "Gabriel's gender was never mentioned... Though I did feel your shock when I saw her, I wonder what she uses to wash her hair."
"Not exactly the comment I was making," Percy replied flatly. He glanced back over his shoulder for the third time in as many minutes.
He should be relieved. They'd won. Kai had literally sealed the Titan King inside his own body, which was both incredibly cool and mildly terrifying.
Michael had taken down Atlas and apparently some guy who was the child of Lucifer. The actual Devil's kid.
That was a thing now.
Percy remembered when his biggest problem was Nancy Bobofit trying to shove his head into a fountain.
Good times.
Finally, without sight or sound from any monsters in the vicinity, Camp Half-Blood came into view.
"Guess we made it back; Grover will be happy." Percy chimed in, observing the demigods that had already spotted them.
Annabeth paused, the reply on the edge of her lips abandoned as her grey eyes caught sight of something.
"Something wrong?" Percy asked.
Percy followed her gaze.
An unfamiliar Demigod stood, staring back with an equal amount of shock and relief.
"Thalia?" Annabeth asked.
"Annabeth?"
Then Annabeth ran forward, reaching the girl in no time and impacting her with enough force that she was forced to dig her feet into the ground, lest she tumble down the hillside.
Percy watched the reunion with confusion.
He turned to Greg. "I don't guess you know what's going on?"
Greg remained motionless.
Soon, another figure approached, drawing his attention as Grover quickly ran up the hill with a bright smile. The two hooves that served as the half-satyrs' legs drew him to Percy rapidly.
"Percy!"
"Grover." Percy grinned, pulling him into a hug. "How have you been?"
"How have I been?" Grover giggled. "I should be the one asking that."
Percy scratched the back of his head. "I mean, I'm alive."
Grover chuckled nervously.
"Where's Annabeth?"
Percy pointed at the scene still taking place.
"Oh that reminds me, who is that girl?" Percy asked.
Grover's face changed.
"Thalia Grace. Daughter of Zeus." Grover's voice was shaky.
Percy's mind came to a swift halt, confusion overriding his senses. "Um... I think I'd remember someone like that, Grover, especially considering I was roped into the title of 'Child of One of The Big Three.'"
"That's because she was thought to be dead." Grover said. "She was the tree, Percy. Years ago, Lord Zeus turned her into the pine tree to save her life. The Fleece must have healed her completely."
Percy stared in confusion.
"What?"
"When Annabeth first came to camp, she wasn't alone. There were four of us. Me, Luke, Thalia, and her. We were being chased by monsters" Grover paused. "Thalia stayed back to buy us time, and her father... he turned her into the tree rather than let her die. That's what powers the barrier."
Percy blinked, then frowned. "A pine tree? He couldn't come up with anything better?"
"Percy." Grover sighed.
"I'm just saying, he couldn't have made her an oak tree or something they grow pretty large."
Grover sent him an exasperated look.
"Alright, fine." Percy huffed. "How didn't I know about this?"
"It's not something people talk about anymore." Grover replied somberly, his ears twitching. "But the Golden Fleece... when it was found on the tree, so was Thalia a day later."
By now, campers were running up the hill, drawn by the commotion or maybe just spotting them on the path.
Grover nervously shifted at the sight of Greg's lumbering frame.
What followed was a large reunion, mostly children of Athena greeting Annabeth with enthusiasm.
What followed was a large reunion, mostly children of Athena crowding around their sister with questions about the quest.
Percy let Annabeth handle the attention, hanging back with Grover.
Eventually, Annabeth managed to extract herself and dragged Thalia over.
"Percy, this is Thalia Grace. Daughter of Zeus." Annabeth gestured between them.
"Thalia, Percy Jackson. Son of Poseidon."
Thalia's electric blue eyes looked him over.
"Hey." Percy raised his hand awkwardly.
"The Son of Poseidon." Thalia said, her eyes raking over him. "I've heard quite a bit about you."
"Nice to meet you," Percy said dryly.
Thalia turned to Annabeth. "I'm going to need to be filled with everything that's been happening rather than the careful soft version everyone enjoys giving me."
Annabeth beamed. "I'd love to, though a warning, a lot has changed."
Thalia turned back. "Are there any more of you?"
"Uh, no." Percy trailed. "Unless daddy dearest has been busier than I know of."
Thalia snorted.
Annabeth fell into step with Thalia, speaking quietly. Percy caught pieces of it. Names he recognized. Events he'd lived through. Luke came up more than once, and each time Thalia's expression shifted.
Grover stuck close to Percy, giving Greg a wide berth.
"Is he always that..."
"Quiet?" Percy offered.
"Terrifying."
"What? You can't blame him for just standing around Grover." Percy chided the bewildered Satyr.
At some point Thalia went ahead, leaving Annabeth behind with them and it was when they were halfway down the hill that Annabeth abruptly stopped. Causing Percy to almost walk into her back.
"What?"
Annabeth didn't answer. Her face had gone pale, grey eyes locked on the tree-line to their left.
A woman stood among the trees.
She was beautiful in a sharp, severe way. Dark hair pulled back tight, grey eyes identical to Annabeth's. Her expression was cold, distant, like she was observing something mildly interesting rather than her own daughter.
Percy blinked at the sight of her, his senses tingling with what he knew to be the presence of a God and it didn't take a genius to see the resemblance.
"Mother?" Annabeth asked, confusion heavily tinting her tone.
Percy looked at the goddess, then glanced back at the stunned and confused Annabeth.
Naturally, in the face of the awkward silence and the stunning revelation that Athena had showed up to camp for some unknown reason, Percy's ability to remain serious diminished.
"Well, I guess now we know." Percy commented snarkily. "It only takes two divine quests to gain her attention. Perhaps if I do another one, dad might come back with the milk."
The way the Goddess' eyes snapped to him didn't bode well for his immediate health.
Annabeth's eyes flashed at him.
Percy raised his hands defensively. "Shutting up."
The Goddess walked back into the forest, an obvious invitation for them to follow. Annabeth began walking and Percy followed, earning himself a surprised look.
"I'm not letting you meet a Goddess alone Annabeth." Percy said in a rare display of seriousness.
"She's my mother." Annabeth responded weakly.
"She also cursed a woman for being assaulted and then convinced her that it was her fault, as if she couldn't have stopped it herself. 'Hey you, random priestess, stop Poseidon'." Percy replied blandly. "And not to rub it in, but you've never met her."
Annabeth remained silent and continued walking.
"Thank you."
She turned away.
Athena examined something in front of them that they couldn't see or didn't exist. Then her eyes flickered up to Annabeth.
"Daughter." She acknowledged. "You did well in the Labyrinth. Your navigation skills were adequate."
That was it.
No hello. No 'I've been watching you'. No 'I'm proud of you'.
Percy internally cringed. Gods were indeed not cool. No offence to Kai or Hestia, of course.
Annabeth didn't outwardly react.
"Ok." Annabeth replied, her voice flat.
Athena's expression changed minutely, brows creasing in displeasure.
"Is there a reason you're here, Lady Athena?"
Despite how it was asked, it wasn't Percy who had said this rather Annabeth herself.
"I'd like to offer you my blessing." Athena stated calmly. "I was impressed by your navigation and ability in the face of superior foes. Even if you had quite the amount of combative assistance."
"I must politely decline." Annabeth replied lightly.
"What?" Athena said, the composure surrounding her practically cracking.
"While your offer is kind, I graciously wish to decline." Annabeth replied, her tone still respectful.
"This is about the Angel, isn't it?" Athena's tone became annoyed. "You've been spending time with him, an outsider to our world."
Annabeth didn't respond.
"He is a bad influence. Stop this foolishness and drop all contact with him." Athena calmly ordered. "Perhaps a blessing can be received when you have matured further."
Annabeth clenched her fists, but remained composed. "I will not. My friendship with Kai is none of your concern and not the reason I've rejected your blessing."
"Annabeth." Athena sighed. "Now is not the time for such squabbles, you are my daughter."
"You don't get to do this." Annabeth's voice was steady, but Percy could see her hands shaking at her sides. "You show up for the first time in my entire life and your first real conversation with me is an order?"
Athena's jaw tightened. "I'm your mother."
"Yeah." Annabeth nodded slowly. "You are."
She turned and walked away.
Athena stood there. For a moment, something crossed her face. Perhaps surprise or confusion, or maybe something else entirely.
Then it was gone, replaced by a cold composure.
Percy lingered for a second, caught between them.
"Damn Annabeth." He commented besides her once more.
She turned towards him with a frown.
"Was that too much?" She asked softly.
"No, your mother is a total dick." Percy wrapped her in a half hug. "They can't just drop down every time we do something impressive and expect us to worship them when they have just been away the entire time."
Annabeth smirked, leaning forward and kissing his cheek.
"Thought so."
"Still, I missed the opportunity to ask the Goddess of Wisdom about Supernatural women having periods. Oh well."
"What?"
Annabeth's sputtering response was music to his ears.
-{Kai}-
I woke to the scent of clean air and golden light filtering through my closed eyelids.
The ache in my soul had dulled, while the exhaustion that had clung to my bones was gone; Gabriel had already healed the damage I had sustained physically.
So all in all, I felt pretty good.
I opened my eyes.
Gabriel sat beside me, her legs folded beneath her on the grass, watching me with those emerald eyes that held more warmth than they had shown when I had first returned.
That was to say, the subtle, dark, and annoyed look had faded slightly, but I knew she was still deeply affected by it, which was fair considering what I had done.
I stared at her for a moment. The gentle curve of her jaw and the slight parting of her lips, the way her thick lashes framed those bright emerald eyes and that divine face.
She was still the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
"Where's Hestia?" I questioned, my voice sounding tired to my own ears.
"She had some urgent matters to attend to, apparently Olympus and Aphrodite have found themselves in a bit of a pickle." Gabriel softly replied, her hands resting on my cheeks.
I smiled bashfully. "That probably does make sense."
"I imagine so."
"How long was I asleep?"
"You needed rest. From what I can sense, you pushed your body beyond its limits…" She pauses, as if counting how many times she had said that, "..again… As if that wasn't enough, then you went and expended most of your magic and some more. Further damaging your soul and proceeding to push yourself off the cliff known as caring about limits."
"A full day," I repeated, sitting up. "I guess it isn't surprising. The sub-dimension is as comfortable as Eden."
She pushed me back down gently, a hint of annoyance at my attempt of switching the conversation.
"Indeed. Enjoy its comfort." Gabriel advised blankly.
"I'm pretty sure I should be checking on everyone," I suggested.
"It can wait." Gabriel smiled coldly.
We both stared at each other.
"You understand why I am acting like this, correct?" Gabriel finally said, as if it was bothering her.
"I think we might have gone over the subject," I responded bashfully.
The difference was that we were alone. She didn't say anything, but her eyes became colder.
We spent another hour together.
"I think I'm able to move around. All the damage is healed, right? And I've slept enough." I offered awkwardly. "I want to go check up on everybody."
"And who do you intend on visiting first?" Gabriel asked, her eyes softening.
"Uhh, Uriel?"
She finally let me get up.
I stretched, rolling my shoulders and feeling the satisfying pop of joints that had been still too long.
The sub-dimension was quiet and peaceful. Laurelin and Telperion swayed overhead, their intertwined branches casting patterns of gold and silver across the grass.
Gabriel hadn't moved. She was still watching me with that gaze, protective and tender. It was rare for her to show it so openly.
I reached out and tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, my fingers lingering against the warmth of her skin.
We walked through Heaven together through the clean white hallways of the palace that resided on the sixth layer of Heaven. It was as quiet as ever with none of the Seraphim around.
An occurrence linked to Heaven's recent burst of activity. No one seemed to mind it though. In fact, they welcomed it with open arms. Gabriel walked beside me, close enough that our arms brushed with each step. She had pulled her hair back, twelve white wings folded neatly against her back.
It was comfortable.
She leaned forward and kissed me deeply, her soft lips pressing against mine with urgency. Her hands moved to my shoulders, fingers gripping the fabric of my shirt, pulling me closer.
My surprise was quickly overtaken by the beautiful Archangel in front of me. Her breath quickened, mixing with mine as our mouths opened, tongues brushing together.
I took her gently by her thin waist and guided her into one of the arches in the hallway.
I lifted her onto the windowsill, her legs wrapping around my waist in a display that surprised even me as I practically melted at the feeling of her soft thighs pressing against my sides.
I kissed her calmly at first, my hands sliding up her back, fingers tracing the line of her spine through her clothes. Her blonde hair fell loose over her shoulders as she tilted her head, deepening the kiss again.
She nipped at my lower lip gently, while her hands cupped my face and thumbs stroked my cheeks. I pressed my body against hers. And felt the warmth of her through the fabric, my hands gripping her hips to hold her steady on the windowsill.
She moaned softly into my mouth, her fingers threading into my hair, tugging lightly.
"I've missed you greatly," Gabriel admitted, her breath warm against my mouth as she pulled back slightly, then kissed me again, slower this time, her lips lingering on mine.
D-damn.
She had become better at kissing. I almost felt wrong knowing I had had that sort of effect on her, with all our 'healing' sessions. Before, there had been an innocence in her inexperience. She had never done anything like this with anyone before, but me.
Even with all the attempts by others that Uriel had told me about.
We stayed like that for several minutes, kissing deeply, our bodies close, hands exploring each other's backs and sides. Finally, she rested her forehead against mine, her breathing steadying.
"How about I make it up to you?" I offered.
She tilted her head. "You don't need to do anything of the sort."
"Not even if I proposed taking you out on a date?" I offered cheekily.
She paused.
"A date?" Her eyes sparkled.
"Yep."
"On second thought, mayhaps I am." Gabriel replied, giggling into the kiss that she received.
We began walking again albeit with much reluctance, surprisingly from Gabriel who was content to stay there, in the middle of the hallway, pressed against the window in a small alcove.
She stayed close to me, her hands in mine, and that coldness in her eyes nowhere to be seen.
Soon Uriel's forge came into view.
We stepped down, that familiar feeling of pressure building up as we descended.
Heat rippled the air above the building's open roof, and the rhythmic sound of hammering carried across the distance.
I hadn't been here in a while.
Gabriel noticed my pace quickening, and the corner of her mouth turned upward.
"You missed the forge."
"I missed the forge," I admitted without shame. "And Uriel, along with Briares."
We stepped through the wide entrance, and the heat washed over us, warm but not uncomfortable.
Rows of workbenches stretched across the main floor, each one covered in various stages of projects. Metals gleamed under the forge light. Unfinished weapons sat in clamps. Blueprints were pinned to boards along the walls.
The place had changed a bit with Briares being here practically every day.
When he had said he loved making weapons, he hadn't been joking around.
And there, bent over a workbench near the central furnace, was Uriel.
He looked up the moment we entered. His eyes went wide.
"Father!" Uriel exclaimed.
Before I could get a word out, Uriel crossed the distance and wrapped me in a hug that lifted my feet an inch off the ground.
I was as tall as he was.
So the scene made for a laughable sight as Gabriel giggled at the scene, covering her mouth.
"You're back!" He set me down, grinning with an infectious energy, though the hint of worry in his eyes couldn't be ignored. "I heard about the fight. All of it. Kronos? You fought the Titan King? Michael told me about the whole thing. The sealing, the way Michael handled Atlas. Why didn't you invite me to this fun gatheri-"
The temperature beside me dropped several degrees. Gabriel's gaze had fixed on Uriel with a quiet intensity that could have frozen the forge itself.
Apparently, she didn't like the energy in his tone. Go figure.
Uriel caught it and his attitude shifted immediately.
He coughed. "I mean. Of course, it sounded very dangerous and reckless. Terrifyingly reckless, I am only relaxed about it now I know you're safe, and Gabriel must have talked about why you shouldn't have done that."
His voice was serious, but I could see the nervous glances he was throwing at Gabriel, who just sighed at his antics.
He cleared his throat again. "I'm glad you're safe."
"Me too." I chuckled. "I definitely took on more than I had any right to in that case."
A deep rumble echoed from the back of the forge.
As usual, heavy footsteps preceded the arrival of Briares.
The giant ducked through the reinforced archway that connected the main forge to the secondary workshop, his enormous frame filling the space. Multiple eyes, dozens of them arranged across his head and shoulders, blinked in sequence as they registered my presence.
"My Lord." Briares's voice was deep enough to vibrate my chest. He inclined his massive head, the gesture respectful but warm. "It is good to see you well."
"Briares." I looked up at him, and up, and further up.
The gentle giant's eyes shifted. "Is it true? Did you fend off the Titan King?"
His hesitance in the name wasn't missed.
It made sense. Kronos had been the one to imprison him.
"I did, and he's been partially dealt with," I reassured. "The rest of him is still trapped in his seal."
Briares gave me a thankful nod.
The gentle giant hadn't gotten any smaller since I'd last been here. "Enough of that. How are you? I hear you've been single-handedly filling Heaven's ranks with weapons."
Uriel smirked. "I still remember his face when he learnt Heaven's force had lost a lot of their weapons."
The Ophanim coughed politely, a blush forming on his face. "It has been productive, I still find myself recovering from years of… captivity. I'm afraid I only find my prowess going up, so I may need to remake many weapons so Heaven can be as defended as possible
I had heard Briares had gone down to the first realm of Heaven with Uriel's very insistent request, and Heaven had done what it did best, my Angels smothering the Ophanim with love.
I really needed to go down there.
I'd be swarmed, but oh well. That was my duty, and Gabriel would love it.
"It sounds like you're already doing well. Having seen your work, I know it's already at an incredible level. I doubt many others are doing this for their whole faction, let alone if they are capable of such a feat." I replied comfortingly.
"None would," Uriel commented.
The giant looked away.
"I can't be the only one to boast, though. Lord Uriel's flames have improved our output significantly." Several of his eyes swivelled toward the ongoing projects along the far wall. "We've made progress on the secondary Sentinel, and I've been upgrading the defensive armaments for the outer walls."
"He's been incredible," Uriel added, having recovered from Gabriel's glare. "If only he would take a break."
Briares smiled. "I've had a break longer than I would have liked away from my craft. I am only getting warmed up."
Uriel sighed. "You're making me feel competitive now."
I listened to Briares retort and the pair began to bicker. At the same time, Gabriel found a spot near the entrance where she could observe from, without being in the way.
Right up until I pointed to the spot next to me.
She shot me a confused look.
I had been hesitant to show any affection in front of my other angels, mostly because I wasn't sure how they would react to their sister, who had been actively pursued for thousands of years, finally becoming my girlfriend. Specifically, my girlfriend.
It was stupid. My Angels can never see any action of mine as wrong, unless it had to do with my safety.
I knew that, and Gabriel probably thought about it, but right now, that no longer mattered.
She sat beside me, her cheeks rosy as I idly put an arm around her.
On the other hand, I pulled the Zanpakuto Spirit Infusion Orb from my inventory and set it on the central workbench. The orb caught the forge light, its surface swirling with deep violet energy that pulsed in a clear, distinct pattern.
Both Uriel and Briares leaned in, completely ignoring Gabriel in my arms.
"What is that?" Uriel asked, his earlier excitement returning.
"I was going to ask you," I replied curiously.
I knew what it was, but what would Uriel think it was?
He inspected it curiously. "Some sort of unawakened sword spirit?"
"Interesting." I nodded.
Uriel sent a questioning look.
"It was created with Kaiel's power." Gabriel helpfully informed him.
Uriel's curious gaze became a lot sharper.
"Truly? I can see that this orb can merge with a weapon, almost combining with it. That should provide additional effects." Uriel stated, squinting his eyes. "What do you intend to use it for?"
"I was thinking about giving it to Michael."
Gabriel looked at me with surprise.
"I think his sword would gain more from it than mine as of now. And he has found himself doing a lot of fighting for me." I said with a hint of annoyance.
Uriel smirked. "I imagine it could, Michael's sword is one of the creations in Heaven that even I've truly not been able to improve in the slightest."
"Are you sure you wish to give something like this to Michael?" Gabriel asked.
"Yeah, it's not like it's the only thing I got." I winked at her.
Uriel blinked. "What else did you get?"
I summoned my armour and enjoyed the look of astonishment from Uriel. The Archangel didn't waste time as he began looking over the metal with focused interest.
"Where did you obtain such armour?" Uriel asked curiously. "The Titan? Though it feels like it was made in Heavens, I'd have known if such a piece of armour had been forged into creation on our soils. Hmm, the alloy is also made of a number of unknown metals…"
And just like that, the Archangel who had taken charge of Heaven's forge and the Fire of God was fanboying over the piece of Transcendent tier armour…
"Once more, it was a product of Kaiel's power," Gabriel explained.
Uriel's eyes shone. He stared at the armour and then at me. Then back at the armour. "Just like that?"
"It took a rather variable amount of danger, Uri. I wouldn't say 'just like that' is an apt description." Gabriel interjected flatly.
Uriel returned a bashful smile.
Brias had moved closer, his many eyes analysing the armour's construction with open fascination.
"An amplifier of natural energy?" The giant muttered. "So potent as well, it could very well surpass many divine weapons."
Uriel nodded. "That's the first thing I noticed, along with the many twists of unique abilities ingrained into the armour. It almost feels familiar to Eden in a sense."
They all simultaneously leaned in, even Gabriel, who sat beside me.
"It's got a connection to Eden from what I know. I'm discovering the rest of its abilities." I said, appraising the gleaming armour while sending a look towards Gabriel. "But I decided to wait until I went straight back into training."
Gabriel's eyes gleamed at the mention of Eden, which reminded me I needed to visit it once more. I imagined Gabriel wouldn't mind accompanying me since she had told me it was her favourite place in Heaven.
"I look forward to seeing what it can do, though I must admit I had been waiting for you to ask me for a set of armour," Uriel said in a dignified manner.
Well, dignified if one disregarded the way he crossed his arms and how his mouth almost seemed like it was about to turn towards the ancient tsundere art of pouting.
"You can work on this if you wish? While this armour is powerful, it has no holy power attributes or abilities." I replied easily. "And beyond that, I imagine you could do a lot with it."
Uriel grinned, excitement flashing in his eyes before it became subdued. "I would love to take part in such a creation."
"Then that's settled."
We spent some time furthering our talks in the forge as I took a moment to chill out.
Though, I did want to continue one with the creation of artefacts and rings.
I looked at Gabriel.
Perhaps taking a break for today wasn't a bad idea.
It wasn't like I didn't have other things in motion.
[Download Completed!]
Oh?
It was about damn time.
-{Gilgamesh}-
Gilgamesh floated in the sky, and stared down at the people who seemed to be under some delusion that they were worthy to be his enemies.
The sky shared his amusement perhaps, as the sounds of the wind were quite similar to very soft chuckles. Despite that, it remained peaceful, and a breeze tickled his face and caused his cloak to float with a mind of its own.
He stretched his senses, feeling for the tingle of concentrated magic across the wide-spread area below.
Gilgamesh took this moment to think while he surveyed the scene below.
He detested Gods. That much was known to any who knew of his past, and dealings with the beings who fancied themselves to be at the top of the food chain, the ineffable immortals.
That hadn't been any different for Ishtar. In fact, he hated Ishtar the most.
Yet for the first time in a very long time, he hadn't outright attempted to kill her in the few seconds he had come across the wench's disgusting visage. That hadn't been due to any sort of change of heart or an attempt to let bygones be bygones.
No.
It had simply been due to the offer she proposed as soon as she arrived.
Even if it was an offer she had made a great many times before, it had been this time that he had looked past his pride and rage.
Which would have left many wondering why.
Why had he seemingly ignored the acrid Goddess before, and now was ready to accept?
She was the one who had bent the very soul of his closest friend and used it for her nefarious and selfish motives. Why had he agreed to anything that came out of her whorish mouth?
The answer was rather simple. Simpler than one may imagine. It was that he was old.
He was over four thousand years old. The oldest of those spawned by the abhorrent beings called Gods.
He was a Demigod who managed to grow out of the ever-dominant hand of the God who had spawned him. A very niche sort of grouping, if one were to ask him.
His rage had in no way diminished, but his pride had shifted. It had given a chance to transform his current lonesome self. Which was why he had bided his time as he let those foul words enter his ears, and even agreed to her words.
Gilgamesh would allow Ishtar to have this small win. He would allow her to revive his friend. After that, he would take endless joy in piercing her through the heart.
His perfect ending.
And if she went back on her words, well… let's just say that four thousand years had taught him a lot and given him a long time to prepare.
All these plans of his had come to an abrupt halt with the advent of this new emerging force. He had known when he gazed upon them that Ishtar wouldn't win.
A Dragon, two Gods and one Angel. A part of him had enjoyed her plans going awry. Another part of him was mildly annoyed.
That annoyance had led him to this moment.
Now he floated lazily above the location he had been given.
A Khaos Brigade stronghold.
A stronghold, hidden in the mountains of some forgotten region.
The base sprawled across the landscape below, dozens of buildings connected by covered walkways and underground tunnels. Warded against detection and protected by layers of magical barriers that would have stopped most intruders.
Gilgamesh regarded it with the same interest one might give a bug acting strangely on the window of a boring train ride.
The deal had been simple enough. In exchange for information on other methods to break the seal on Enkidu, he would eliminate this particular thorn in someone's side.
A mutual enemy.
He would admit it was well-hidden, but what caught his interest the most was the fact that he had any interest at all.
Not because of its defences. Those were laughable. Multiple layered barriers that he punched through with a pulse of energy rather than waste a weapon on.
It was the feeling.
Gilgamesh stopped mid-air, his eyes narrowing at the structure below. The main compound was built into the side of a cliff face, half-natural cave and half-constructed fortress.
Surrounding it were barracks, training grounds, armouries, and what appeared to be research facilities. Standard Khaos Brigade architecture, if such a thing existed, which was to say the buildings were obviously transformed rather than built like proper structures.
But something was… wrong.
The mana signature was off.
Not in the way that indicated powerful defenders or exotic weaponry. It felt sick. Twisted in a way that reminded him of something he hadn't encountered in a very long time.
He considered it.
A new weapon maybe or some other such thing?
Gilgamesh descended.
He didn't obliterate the base from above.
More out of curiosity than anything.
The corridors were empty.
The lights still functioned, humming with a low magical current. Food sat half-eaten on tables in what passed for a mess hall. Personal effects were scattered in the barracks. Equipment lay untouched in the armouries.
Everyone was dead.
He found the bodies in clusters.
Groups of three or four collapsed where they had stood.
The strange thing about all of them was the lack of any wounds or blood, adding to that, their faces were frozen in expressions that he could only describe as hollow. Hundreds of them throughout the compound.
A few Devils, a lot of Yokai, and some Fallen, along with a variety of monsters that had been tamed. All dead without a mark on them. Gilgamesh stepped over them without concern, a look of contempt thrown down at them.
Someone had done his job for him, it would appear.
He rose through the roof once more.
He supposed it wasn't his concern.
The Gate of Babylon opened behind him.
Gilgamesh raised a golden eyebrow at the new figure that stood atop the roof top, staring at him silently.
"Am I to presume this is your work?" Gilgamesh asked lazily.
The figure didn't respond, wind blowing between them as he stood silently. The figure's head tilted, two green eyes staring up towards him. The sickly feeling intensified tenfold, pressing against him, probing, searching for purchase.
"I'll take that as a yes." Gilgamesh considered. "Are you with or not with these people? My thoughts are leaning to no and yet I can't be too careful. Doing a job half-assed is an offence against my capabilities."
Golden light tinted green formed behind the figure just as Gilgamesh was about to launch, taking the Demigod off guard. His golden light. An imitation of the Gate of Babylon, rendered in sickly green-gold, flickered into existence behind the host. Weapons formed in the ripples, familiar weapons wobbling into reality.
They were his weapons.
Gilgamesh blinked, then scowled light. "Insolent worm."
The copied weapons fired.
He watched with bemusement as the weapons streaked towards him, coming to meet his own weapons in a large clash that sent shockwaves throughout the area.
Gilgamesh remained still.
The Gate of Babylon opened behind him as the true treasury responded to the insult with equal force. Gold clashed against green-gold in the space separating them. Every copied weapon shattered upon contact with the originals.
The figure continued its advance, a slow walk.
The green eye glowed brightly, and fresh copies appeared.
Not only were his weapons formed this time, but also his mind.
His armour materialised in duplicate. His stance was replicated exactly.
The manner in which he positioned himself in the air was copied with precision. The entity absorbed everything and imitated it with urgent accuracy, without conscious effort.
Gilgamesh looked at the copy with disdain. "A copycat. How quaint."
Gilgamesh expanded the Gate further. Hundreds of weapons emerged from the portal and launched in a relentless barrage designed to conclude the confrontation.
The figure shifted position instantly.
It occupied one spot, then moved 10 feet to the left while a green trail lingered in its previous location. His weapons struck the stone surface below. The trail faded away and reappeared behind him as the figure swung a replicated sword toward his back.
He intercepted the blade with two fingers and shattered it completely.
A second duplicate emerged from beneath him. A spear composed of green-gold thrust upward, aiming for his ribs. He rotated, and the spear grazed his side, leaving a shallow cut. A shockwave pushed him back, and Gilgamesh inspected the cut with a hint of disbelief.
The figure approached, only to be sent flying back with a swing of his sword, accompanied by a massive wave of burning orange energy that shredded everything apart.
Chunks of flesh exploded and blood sprayed, only to turn into sludge as the figure, which had shifted once more to crouch twenty feet away, its head inclined at an unnatural angle. Green-black outlines began to take shape around it.
Dozens of silhouettes were developed, each adopting its exact posture. They launched simultaneous assaults from all directions. Most silhouettes proved fragile and disintegrated when his weapons pierced them.
Yet they manoeuvred in his precise style and the power behind them wasn't to be underestimated. They targeted vulnerabilities using his own preferred angles of attack. Three bodies synchronised their movements to execute a technique he had employed earlier in the battle, and they adapted it against him directly.
One silhouette penetrated his defences. A replicated blade sliced across his forearm and produced a deep wound that released blood steadily.
Gilgamesh lifted his hand, and Ea appeared within his grasp. He slashed, and the world split open for a brief moment, the multiple finding themselves privy to a devastating attack that wiped out everything in a ball of flames.
They were all destroyed, except one that the flames parted around.
The original.
Gilgamesh inspected the being closely.
This felt off.
"Who are you?" Gilgamesh asked. "You've proven yourself sufficient entertainment, but I have had enough of you,"
The figure's hand extended, and green-black energy condensed into a shape.
It held together.
The outcome defied possibility.
Ea existed beyond conventional weaponry. It embodied a concept that had been shaped into tangible form. The essence of the world condensed into an object capable of being grasped.
Yet the imitation persisted. The rotation faltered, with sluggish, irregular motion, while the energy amounted to only a fraction of the original output.
The replica endured.
Alarm bells rang in his mind and in that instant he became fully serious. Gilgamesh directed Ea in a sweeping motion. The figure mirrored the action with its duplicate.
The two forces collided.
The imitation warped upon impact, fractures spreading across its exterior. It maintained integrity for a complete second before exploding, and during that interval, it drew in sufficient energy from Ea to diminish the assault.
The residual power struck with immense force equivalent to a massive landmass descending from above. The being was suddenly miles away, a path of ruin in his wake. His left arm vanished below the elbow joint. His ribs collapsed inward.
Blood flowed from his mouth and ears.
The black eye remained intact. It was fixed on Gilgamesh with unrelenting and vacant desire. The entity extended its reach once more. The copying process resumed.
Green-black energy surged, and the injuries started to seal.
The flesh merged into distorted patterns with uneven, altered colouration, yet retained utility. The ribs realigned, accompanied by moist fracturing noises.
Gilgamesh remained unphased.
It rose to its feet once again. It replicated his posture once again. The form resembled a fractured reflection, infused with decay, as it lacked an arm and displayed bloodstains on its own skin while adopting the posture of the King of Heroes.
Weapons exploded out of a golden rift in flashes of light, forcing it to shift position.
Explosion lit up, the ground shattering under the assault as it vanished and materialised immediately before him. The relocation occurred at an accelerated speed compared to prior shifts.
Its surviving hand thrust forward, gripping a replicated sword enveloped in concentrated green-black energy, as the entirety of its appropriated strength focused into a single precise location.
Just what manner of creature was this?
Gilgamesh intercepted the blade with Ea's shaft.
The collision propelled him backwards three feet while his boots scraped deep furrows into the stone floor. The green energy sparked against the sword of rupture, and the cavern trembled for several seconds.
His arms tensed under the pressure.
Then he exerted force in return.
The figure hurtled backwards through the air. Ea pursued the motion.
He delivered two swings in rapid succession. The initial strike severed the remaining arm. The subsequent strike split the host from shoulder to hip. The body collided with the ground and rebounded once, leaving a crimson trail across the stone surface.
It attempted to rise.
The flesh merged together already. The wounds are already sealed.
The green eye burned intensely as the body reconstructed itself through unyielding demonic determination, and the torso fused closed along a ridge of darkened scar tissue.
Chains burst forth from the Gate of Babylon. Enkidu's chains extended outward.
They encircled the man's neck to ankle and forced it downward onto the surface. The body convulsed violently. Green-black energy shimmered around the chains, attempting to duplicate their structure.
The replication failed.
Yet the attempt fractured two links before the remaining chains held.
Gilgamesh directed his gaze downward to his forearm.
The gash continued to release blood. The scratch on his side had ceased bleeding already, but the arm injury proved deeper than he had assessed initially.
The wound posed no threat.
He shifted his attention to the entity restrained in the chains.
Ea swung, piercing the air and closing into behead the strange entity.
Gilgamesh knew all sorts of weird creatures lay in the supernatural world, but this definitely topped what he had experienced.
A green light detonated outward. The demonic energy surged from the beings body in all directions at once, forming a burst that compelled his eyes to contract.
Gilgamesh pushed back, avoiding the crackles of green that burned the air.
Ea pointed, light bursting from the point of the sharp blade as the body turned into a large avatar of green energy, not attacking but rather retreating as it zipped away in flashes.
Gilgamesh scowled, a beam of condensed energy shooting out to impact the mass of green energy, burning into the energy. To which the energy split outwards in four directions.
The King Of Heros slashed four times, three of the orbs exploded into massive streams of black blood while the last one barely managed to slip by and out of the immediate area.
A breath escaped his mouth.
The area around him, a ruined mess of destruction.
The thought of giving chase passed through his mind before he decided it wasn't his duty.
He had destroyed the base.
-END-
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