"INVICTUS!!"
The battle cry of both my mother and Rufus's mother homelands.
'And it was the last thing they shouted before they died.'
I rushed forward running towards the black and white dragon tinged with gold and silver.
"Tenma!!" I shouted then the dragon turned towards me its head cracked in many places then it shattered into nothingness its job done.
'So they decided to dig beneath the gods crazy!' I thought dumbfounded.
As the remains of the constructed beast fully shattered it revealed the forms of the friends that I had to split from.
'So both the paths were safe.' I thought relived that my friends went for the warms.
"Alpha? You alive you..."
"There's no time Arthur we have to run towards that!!" I barked while pointing at the dark cross fifty feet away from us.
I run pass spiky-haired Tenma and give him a nod. He returns it.
I looked around and found that the grey Abyssal one had vanished from its previous spot.
Arthur taps my. I turned to look at him and he smiled.
"The abyssal one had grey skin because of my magic silly." I'm stunned into silence at the sheer power of Arthur's arcane ice magic.
'So he froze it from the inside out.' I grimaced truly being arcane made one invincible for example Rufus's black water doesn't rely on his mana reserves to expend its actually expending right behind us devouring the white sands of the last shore.
'So there's no turning back for us.'
I hear footsteps to my right glance at who it might be and smile.
"So you made reckless savage." I say with a bit of surprise at my black-haired friend.
"Agh....you're so dumb Atreus." This voice its. "Tatiana is that you?" I Asked even more surprised. "Yep and as for the reckless savage she's on Aether's back after trying to another reckless thing." She answered while matching my paise.
The wind sang in my ear clearly saying freedom awaits us because the is nothing in our path now the large mana signature I sensed before does not worry me anymore because the is no powerful abyssal creature.
'So it must've belonged to the red dragon.'
We continue to run until I finally see it a large circular stone bellow the black cross. This is it this the last step after seeing my mother being eaten alive, to seeing one my friends get corrupted by miasma and journeying inside the skull of a dead god it was finally over.
As my feet touch the cold grey stone I smile because I know this is the end of my suffering.
We all stand in a circle on the stone platform holding hands eye all of my friend and say their names their true name no nicknames.
"Arthur, Aether, Adrius, Ben, Caera, Eunbin, Issei, Lin, Subaru, Tenma, Tatiana, Rufus, Rachel and Zeke this is a new beginning for all of us." I say with full heart as the sixteen of us began the ritual that will send us to our mothers... 'No our homeland.' My mother told me to embrace the life I will have so I will do so no matter what.
We all ignited the stars in our body which are responsible for our manipulation of the elements arcane or other wise. We've all formed five stars each which is something Mr World was impressed by and something our parents found impossible for our age group.
I ignited both my elements causing dawn fire and the far wind to swirl above my head all my friends did the same as the platform began to be filled by different hues. I began to feel drained so I began to say the words Mr World had told us to recite when we felt drained while standing on the platform.
"Together." Lin barked.
Then we all recited.
"The Goat that doesn't belong to this cosmos the Mysterious Conqueror above the red sands the king of Drip and Swag who wields chaos."
We wait for something to happen for a few moments. Rufus sneezes.
I continue to hold Zeke and Subaru's hand and shift my gaze to the black cross to find that.
'Its gone.'
How can something so large just disappear without making a sound the was no change in the mana around us its still as thick as always. I see the black water no its now the black sea rush at us with great speed.
"Well thanks a lot!!" Ben said glaring at the sky. Rufus regarded his monstrous creation and shrugged as if he always expected this to happen.
I am dead inside. 'The gods aren't real.' I thought with heart full of Ire but I know I am right because Mr World had said by us reciting that rubbish we would be saved.
I just stand the looking up at the sky ready for the end the world is painfully slow then.
I see it a giant with onyx skin and an accountable number of arms. My eyes burn from just glimpsing the onyx I gasped and my knees nearly buckled from under me but I tried to stand tall but then I realised something. 'Its gone.' A creature that was as large as one of the red dragons legs was gone just like that.
"What was that?" Lin asked while scratching the back of his head with Issei's hand. I have no answer for him I just stare at the sky waiting for oblivion.
Then.
'Radiance.' That's the only word I could use to describe what I was looking at. For the first time in my life I see true light not my own dawn fire not Issei or Rachel's divine light but true radiance like nothing I've ever seen before the golden radiant light is long and reaches far into the crimson sky and empaled on that light is the onyx Abyssal one.
"Well boys and girls its been nice knowing you."
"Shut up Aether!." I snapped not knowing what to say.
Then a strange ethereal voice began to speak to me.
[Coursed children be still and humble for you are in the presence of: The all seeing, First light, Divine Son, Golden Born, Bringer of peace *******: Light Bringer, Edmund Gracious Abraham]
My ears pop and everything goes black I cant see anything the only thing I take comfort in is that I am still holding my friends hands.
I try to open my eyes but its no use I cannot see and I cannot hear I am in a nightmare of pure darkness I can no longer hear the far wind.
'What can I do?'
My friend and I going to die I can feel it in my soul.
"Damn the world." I mutter but I cannot even hear my words.
Then a big gentle hand touches my bandaged face and begin slowly removing the bandages. I flinch and shout at the person. Although I cannot hear myself I know what words I am saying. "Don't!! you'll get corrupted!!" The mysterious person does something I cant tell what though.
[Can you hear me now child] An ancient voice says to me. I am relieved I can hear again I open my mouth to speak and then I nearly bolt because the old man's voice isn't coming from anywhere around because I cannot hear the far wind whistle.
'This Abyssal monster is speaking from...'
[Inside your head?} The old man finsihed for me with a chuckle. [Don't worry child I am whom the voice of the world just introduced]
But that does not matter to me I don't know this....being who descended from beyond the sky wielding frightening power.
'Where did this creature come from?' Then I nearly scream because I am an idiot who has forgotten that I am facing a terror that can read minds.
[Well aren't you a rude one you remind me of ****]
'Who now?'
[Nothing never mind I'm sure you have many questions hmm....well first and for most my name is Edmund people call me light bringer or Father oh and I am human]
'Why are you removing my bandages?' I asked softly.
[Ah that! you see young Atreus I am a healer and yes I know your name and everything about you and the rest of your friends] I takes all my might not to flee toward the black water.
Wait?
'How come we haven drowned yet?'
[Never mind that] He said dismissively. [As for your erlire question I am going to heal all your bodies from this.....ah course] I give up I will let this creature do as he wishes after all we're all for the worms.
'Fine I wont ask anymore questions.'
[Ok suite yourself]
Still blind and deaf I feel the bandages on my face being fully removed and I truly feel everything. For the first time in my life I feel the far wind on my face I breath it into my coursed skin which I have never seen.
Then I feel a strange sensation as if my body is no longer on the stone platform but somewhere else. I feel lord Edmunds big hands on my forehead and sigh.
'Well its been..'
[Open your eyes boy] The ancient voice says gently. I don't know why but I feel the need to trust him so I obey.
"Wow!" Is all I could manage while looking at Edmund he is the oldest person I've seen with grey hair and bronze skin his face is gentle looking with glasses on the bridge of his nose but his eyes are the most stunning they are gold and look upon the world with compassion and wisdom.
"You're a god." Murmured. But the old man shakes his head. "No boy I am no god but I am but a humble priest."
I look him over he is dressed in a pure white robe embroidered with a golden cross on his chest around his neck hung a golden crucifix. Yes this is what Rachel's mother had described priests of the Lord of Light to dress like.
"Where are you taking us?" A stern voice asked. I looked to my left to see Subaru? At least I think its him for starters he has skin just like our parents and Mr World. I shake his hand which is still around mine he looks at me and his red eyes go wide.
"At-Atreus your face." I raise an eyebrow at him oh my lord it feels so satisfying to do that without the bandages around my face. 'I think this is gonna be my favourite thing to do.'
I smiled happy to know that I have a future. I turned to look at everyone unbandaged faces. Zeke has smooth dark skin that make his golden curly hair stand out, Subaru has pale skin and for the love of hope he wont stop gawking around I look to Caera and Rufus and frown which also feels satisfying.
Rufus has the same bronze skin as lord Edmund and Caera looks the same as her mother with the acception of her golden eyes.
We all look unique after all our parent are from different continents and nations which were all things I was looking forward to learning about.
Lord Edmund cleared his throat. "Ahem if I could have all your attention please...." Then a scream grabbed all of our attention from what Edmund was about to say I looked at direction the sound came from it was Eunbin who screamed. She was pointing at the ground accept the was no ground because we float in a field of reflectionless black and far bellow it is a giant red hand reaching for something.
"What is that thing?" I asked not knowing what to think of the situation the gods head was the biggest thing I've ever seen but now to think it was just in some beings hand all along.
"I cant tell you that children because it will cause great strain on your....young minds." Lord Edmund consoled in a gentle voice.
"Thanks grandpa." Eunbin said wiping her brow with a hand.
"His a powerful being you fool!" Zeke hissed while burly supressing his own fear after his hand which was around mine still was shaking.
"None of you belong here I will send you back home to Pangea." Lord Edmund said while brushing away some red sand from the sleeves of his white robe.
As I look at the see trough sphere that we are currently in I sighed I wonder what I will be when I get there.
'Hm it doesn't matter after all I'm only eight.'