"Nirvana."
"Yes, master."
"I'm leaving you in charge. There's a lot you have to take care of."
"But master..."
"I'll be gone for a very long time. Any time you have troubles, I won't be here to help solve them. The demons, that sword, the humans, that hero, or any other threat that comes your way or has already been there. The responsibility has now fallen on you."
She was worried. "I... I can't do it." Her voice was trembling while she said this. She had knelt down on the ground and never looked up. I crouched in front of her then reached out and touched her face.
"Does it hurt?"
"No."
"... It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could've done. Don't let it dwell on you." Her emotions softened. It looked like she was holding back tears.
I continued. "You're strong. Why would you let something like that take over your mind? You have the power to destroy entire nations in a matter of days. You're a dragon, the most powerful of them all. So act like one."
Then her emotions stiffened with a look of determination. "What should I do?"
I stood up then answered her question. "Make them strong. All of them. Stronger than ever before. You have the time to do so. Make them scared but don't attack unless provoked. Once I officially go, make a contract."
"With the humans?"
"Correct. We're weak right now. And so will they. Both sides will benefit. You can adjust it as you see fit."
"Yes, master."
"Prepare everyone, for when I return, I'll turn the entire world upside down." I began walking away. "Great things are coming, Nirvana. Do as I told you, and I'll bring you a gift. I have a feeling that you'll really like it."
"Is that all he told you?" Nephilim asked.
"That's right."
"Were you told anything?" Cassius asked Nephilim.
He remembered the conversation that we had.
"Nephilim."
"What can I do for you?"
"Have you ever heard of 'The True Giants'? I heard that they went extinct during The Falling. I believe I was told that there were seven of them, one being your original master, the Monarch Beast."
"Yes. I knew about them. But I've only ever seen one, Lord Aarhnehz Brime."
"Aarhnehz Brime. That's his name?"
"Yes."
"Your lying. You've seen two, haven't you?"
"I don't understand where you got that idea."
"Yes you do. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Nephilim's face said it all. His secret had been found. "There's no need for the others to know."
"I had a feeling that you had your reasons. That's not what I mean though." Nephilim wondered what I could've possibly meant. "If you identify as one of those, I get the feeling that it means you're strong."
Nephilim's expression turned stone cold. "That's correct."
"You've never used your power to even half its full capability, have you?"
He didn't answer.
"I'll be gone for sometime. I need you to help Nirvana in every possible way you could. Even if it means that you have to use more power than usual. Anything it takes."
"...Is... That all?"
"Yes. That's all."
"He only told me to help Nirvana." Nephilim told the others. "But the way he said it was a little weird."
"And you, Cassius?" Grendel asked."
"Lets see..." He remembered the conversation.
"Huh?"
"Yeah, your pretty dumb."
The memory made him sob while Nephilim was patting him on the back to comfort him.
"Wait." Grendel started. "Am I the only one who..." He looked at the others who were staring at him. Then he joined Cassius and both were comforted by Nephilim sitting between them.
"Lets focus everyone." Nirvana got their attention. "Pay attention to what's important."
"Right." Nephilim agreed. "But the thing is..."
"Where do we start?" Cassius asked seriously. Silence was embraced for the brief moment they were contemplating. The recent unforeseen event took them by quite the shock. The news they got from their master was just adding to the stress and pile of questions.
Word about the failure of the attack reached the nations that were involved.
"You mean to tell me that none of our mages returned?! Not a single one?" King Abrupolis of Vraris couldn't believe it. "How? Explain it to me!"
"Didn't that priest say that victory is guaranteed?" King Roshar of Lumar said. "How could this have happened?"
"Two thousand. We gave, two thousand!" King Andronicus of Nectaris shouted. "All that armor, all that man power."
"All those weapons!" King Ellion of Gristaigon was pissed. "The mithril. The money." He swept the things from his table and smacked it with both hands at the same time as the emperor.
"Dammit!" The emperor shouted. "What happened to his plan?! I thought it was an all powerful attack. Then how?! How did only ONE soldier return?!!"
Then they all shouted in unison.
"WHERE IS HE!"
The man they were talking about was currently in a prison underneath Lenora. He still wore his priestly robes that were below his armor. But something was off.
He looked completely fine. A little dirty, but overall, healthy. Even he wondered what he was still doing there. But he was always afraid of something.
"Wouldn't you like immortality?"
He didn't know what to feel about it. What he heard. He couldn't have been given immortality right.? It should be impossible. No worldly being possesses immortality. It would be even more difficult to give it to someone else.
So there's no way that he was given immortality. I must've just been taunting him. There's no way, right?
The sun was setting over the mountains. The darkness was rising over the city. A beautiful city with beautiful lights, beautiful people with beautiful clothes. Peace and order were practically radiating from it. And the view from the hill I was standing on, it was spectacular.
This is the capital of the Holy Kingdom. Where the grand temple is. Where the High Priest and other people who consider themselves holy live. The city of the goddess. Where it'll all begin. Or rather, it began.
What's the easiest way of beating a god? Some might say its impossible. Others will say to destroy their supporters. Others will say they don't exist. What do you think the answer is.
A god is supposed to be infinite in all ways. Intellect, power, presence, age. They bring joy to those who worship them, and suffering to the enemies of their followers.
Infinite in all ways they are. But not the goddess. She has a specific age. If she's missing one, she's missing them all.
She's not infinite.
She hasn't been there since the dawn of time. Which means that she got to be a goddess somehow.
What's the easiest way of beating a god? By becoming a god myself.
And how do I accomplish this? Tell me, Clara.
"The process is long. It takes years, even decades."
Let it.
"...By completing the Heavenly Trials."
Heavenly Trials? What's that?
"A series of tests put together by Heaven to see if one is worthy of becoming a deity."
It sounds rather straight forward. What's the catch?
"When one becomes a deity, the Laws of Heaven prevent them from leaving the Heaven's domain. Where the gods reside."
That's quite the predicament. I wouldn't want to be stuck there forever. There has to be a way of bypassing that law, right?
Of course there is. In this world, everything is possible. There's no such thing as impossible. That's only an idea that people gave themselves when they weren't able to do something on they're first try.
A world of magic and magical creatures. A world where humans and monsters live on the same land. A world where demons roam around freely in the physical reality. Everything has to be possible.
And it all begins here. In this city. Where all is beautiful and holy.
This is where I'll begin my journey, of becoming a deity.