The following day, I left the girls sleeping and opened a portal to Tallia's house, where she sat with Nemoria and Fate. They were all drinking Tea, and they looked up when I arrived, looking drained but in a more peaceful way.
"You look like you've been through an emotional wringer! But that good kind of wringer," Tallia said.
"It was a strange night. We chased Grace around the room for an hour before bed, after she discovered how to fly... or I guess she already knew how to... she can't speak with words, but she talks in our minds. To top it all off, she really wasn't that interested in going to sleep, and I ended up getting talked to sleep by my daughter, who is less than a day old. It was bizarre. Now, the matter at hand is Lexi and her situation by the portal. She will have every beast known coming for her soon unless we intervene."
Nemoria nodded in agreement before standing. "We go now! Your daughter seems to have given us all a new vigor, and I want to use it!" She declared before opening a portal back to Eliza's backyard and stepping through.
Fate and Tallia both followed, leaving me behind as I gathered myself before crossing over. We didn't have much time if we were going to help Lexi, but she was strong and capable. If anyone could handle this, it would be her.
When I arrived, I ripped open the portal and could feel the Primal Magic being flung around, but I turned back to the four women... four?
"Eliza, what are you doing here?!" I asked, and she shrugged.
"Coming on an adventure with you guys! Looks like things are going to get pretty crazy, so I will come and help!" She laughed, and I groaned, but Tallia put up her hand.
"Let her come; we do not have time for this!" She ordered, and I sighed.
"Fine, but there are going to be strong foes on the other side. You are all my chosen goddesses, so I know that you will be able to handle this. One thing. If a Zodiac appears, back off, and let me face it," I said, but Tallia stepped forward and then shoved me through the portal, and I was hit with the smell of ash and brimstone.
"You do not need to protect us, Galio! We are your goddesses!" Tallia snapped and burst through the portal, with the others following her.
"Galio! I was just about to call you! I think we are about to have a lot of trouble!" Lexi called, and I turned to see most of the walls and all of the barriers I had created to be destroyed, and then girls had been pushed back.
Then the Goddesses slammed into the demon horde with a roar that shook the world. I felt energy racing through me as the goddess of Fate began to make her presence known, pushing forward and crushing anything that dared to stand in their way.
A wave of fear swept over the demon army, and they all stopped dead in their tracks. In shock, they watched as Tallia called upon the Primal Magic to rip apart the ground at their feet, making them sink into quicksand. She had them trapped! The demons tried to fight their way out but were quickly overwhelmed by the Goddesses.
I joined in the battle, pushing my astral coating around me for extra protection and clothing as I threw myself into the fray. My fists moved like lightning as I punched, kicked, and shoved away every enemy that came close.
Then suddenly, one of the Zodiacs appeared, and I knew instantly who it was, but the chaotic energy that was covering him in place of his Galactic coating.
"Piccolo?!" I shouted, and he hissed in surprise.
"Galio? You are still alive?" He asked, stepping closer before being grabbed by Fate, who flung him at Tallia, who roundhouse kicked him back into the crowd of demons.
"You will not touch him!" She snapped as Piccolo got up, and Aries landed beside him, her Astral coating infected with chaos like her mate.
"You dare put hands on my man?! You whores are just as bad as your master!" Aries roared but then was forced into the ground as Nemoria made a massive black fist of shadow slam down on her, but she could not stop it.
"Mother! Leave Aries to me! You and Fate take care of Piccolo! Galio! Your friend is here!" Tallia called out, but I could already smell his blood lust and hers.
"Galio! Buddy, old pal! I think that we need to have a little game! Just like old times, don't ya think?!" Scorpio roared as he walked out of the trees with Cesta at his side, the chaos pouring off them in waves.
The rest of the regular demons had stopped coming now. Even though they seemed to not like being around what they called Aether Demons, I was still curious about why and how they were here.
"Somehow, I don't really think you see me as your friend anymore, right?" I asked, and Scorpio burst out laughing.
"What gave you that impression?! We just want to play a game with a person that we all care so much about! You know, the one that stole my wife! The one that ABANDONED US! You were never happy! You were the only one that was ever allowed to LEAVE!" Scorpio screamed, and his words dug deep.
That had always been a concern of mine, but it was something I had permanently shelved as a part of things. It was just the way that things were. Even though I knew that Kadeon had corrupted them, Scorpio's words hurt because they were true. The only way I could fix this was to kill them and send them all back to Yaggisdral so I could go there and break Kadeon's hold. That was the least I owed the people who had all given their lives to protect me long ago.
"If you want a game, I am more than willing to play. I owe it to the people that have stood by my side for so long," I said as I knelt down and put both hands on the ground, feeling the energy of the Primal Magic pouring through me.
Scorpio's eyes widened in shock before he burst out laughing. "You really think that you can beat all of us? We are Aether Demons now! All thanks to the True God, Kadeon!" He laughed, but I just smiled and nodded.
"I believe I can beat you, and then we will see who is the better man. Now let's see what you got!" I declared before pushing both hands down to the ground as primal energy raced up from it into my body, taking on a form of black fire around me. Then I sucked in a breath as they rushed me and activated my Umbrakinesis and my Nightmare Cat Negative energy form. Everything stopped, but I and all the energies snapped to my skin, covering my body with an ultra back coating with red cracks forming.
Scorpio raised his eyebrows in surprise before he snapped out of it and yelled. "Let's go then! I knew you were never happy here anyways, but that is okay. We are going to have fun!" He roared as the others stepped forward, ready to fight.
And so the battle began. The ground shook as I attacked with my physical form and a Nightmare Cat Negative energy version enhanced by Primal Magic. I was an unstoppable force as I ripped through the battlefield, smashing and bashing my way through the demons, many more falling than standing each time we clashed.
Then finally, it came down to Piccolo and me, and I felt something inside of me break. He had been my friend for a long time, and seeing him like this made me cry. Yet still, I forced myself onward, knowing that if he was anything like Matthias, Kadeon would keep controlling them until one of us died.
My fists moved quickly, almost faster than the eye could see, as I punched and kicked with all my strength, yet Piccolo seemed to move just as fast. Then suddenly, he charged at me, and I caught him mid-air, throwing him onto the ground, where I pinned him down using my Umbrakinetic blast.
"Piccolo...you need to stop fighting," I said softly as tears started flowing. He looked up at me with rage, and I knew these were my friends, not in these bodies.
"You betrayed us all!" Piccolo screamed and then was ripped from my arms into the air. Other Zodiacs were being pulled toward one person who floated above us all.
"Galio! Is that Leo?! What is he doing with the others?!" Tallia asked as everyone ran over, and I wiped my face.
"Just get everyone to the Mortal Realm, and then I am going to close the portal," I said, then Tallia slapped me hard.
"Like hell, I will! We are staying here, and then you are coming home and putting a bun in this oven! Do you understand me, or do I have to grab your tail to make it clearer?!" Tallia snapped as I stared at her, and then I was forced to grin.
"I supposed I could help with this," Nemoria said from back over by the portal entrance.
"Oh, so now you want to help?!" Tallia snapped. "You have been sitting there the entire time!"
"Standing, my daughter, and I were preparing something. More of getting in contact with the right people. Don't worry about it love, I have this completely under control!" Nemoria said with a slur as she walked over, stumbling a bit.
"Are you drunk?!" Tallia snapped.
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