In the midst of the unexpected turn of events, Michael saw an opportunity to transform the situation into something advantageous, as he had always done. After explaining his plan to Elidyr and Gaya, he led them into an empty cabin where Elidyr had been kept upon his arrival. As Gaya entered the dimly lit room, her eyes widened in shock and surprise at the sight that greeted her – two majestic suits of armor standing before her.
"I had hoped to present this to you under different circumstances, but now you need it more than ever," Michael said, his voice steady and determined. Stepping closer to the armor he had specifically crafted for Gaya, Michael gently took her hand and guided it to rest upon the chestplate. The moment her hand made contact with the armor, she felt a faint vibration coursing through it. Gradually, the individual pieces of the armor began to shift and separate, creating an opening for Gaya to step inside.
With a simple flick of her hand, Gaya's clothing transformed into sleek black robes, perfectly matching the armor. Stepping into the waiting armor, she felt a peculiar sensation as the pieces enveloped her, fitting snugly against her form. Gaya couldn't help but be amazed at how the armor seemed to meld seamlessly with her body, granting her an extraordinary sense of connection. With a mere thought, she commanded the armor to encompass her head, and in an instant, the helmet formed, concealing her face behind an imposing black skull visage.
Eager to explore the capabilities of her newfound armor, Gaya took a confident step forward, mentally urging the armor to unveil its hidden attributes. Responding to her intentions, the once billowing black cape attached to her robes disappeared from sight, seamlessly integrating into the armor. Then, to Gaya's astonishment, magnificent metal wings sprouted from her back, their surfaces gleaming in the soft candlelight of the cabin.
"This armor...wow...its just...perfect..."
Overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of her armor, Gaya found herself at a loss for words, standing in awe as Michael, too, stepped into his own suit. The armor embraced him seamlessly, fitting him perfectly as he moved forward, testing its functionality with clenched fists.
With a swift motion of his hand, Michael summoned his dark swords, which effortlessly slid into the scabbards integrated into the back of his armor. Satisfied with the smoothness of the sheathing, Michael cracked his neck and turned his gaze back to Gaya, ready to embark on their impending journey.
"Let's go. We'll be setting off soon," Michael announced. With Gaya trailing behind him in her newfound armor, Michael exited the cabin with a plan to become the god he was meant to be.
Michael stood at the center of the clearing, his voice resonating like thunder as he called out for Thilve and Tazkin. The two wood elves swiftly made their way to him, their eyes widening in astonishment at the sight of Michael and Gaya donned in their magnificent black armor. Gaya received the map containing energy deposits, while Michael held the map containing the seeds of darkness.
"My lord," Thilve and Tazkin bowed respectfully upon reaching him, still captivated by the regal presence of Michael and Gaya.
"Tazkin, Thilve, I'd like you to meet Gaya. My wife," Michael introduced Gaya, the wood elves quickly surmising the connection between the two.
"It is our utmost honor and blessing to be in your presence, my lady," Tazkin and Thilve expressed their reverence.
"As long as you serve us with loyalty, prosperity shall be your constant companion," Gaya responded graciously.
Michael then opened the map, directing their attention to a specific area in Itonys. Thilve and Tazkin leaned in, studying the map intently before returning their gaze to Michael, awaiting further instruction.
"My lord, if you permit, we have something to show you," Tazkin spoke, to which Michael nodded in agreement. The two wood elves hurried to their houses and returned with a large leaf, serving as a makeshift parchment. They presented a map drawn on the dried blue leaf, which surprised Michael.
"After your departure, my lord, we expanded our scouting range and meticulously mapped the surroundings. The location you mentioned houses a Skyhall outpost, and according to messengers from the mountain tribe," Tazkin began explaining.
"Fucking assholes," Gaya interjected, her disdain for the Skyhall soldiers evident.
"Do you have any knowledge of their activities in that area?" Elidyr inquired.
"No, my lord. The place is heavily fortified, and any attempt to infiltrate would result in certain slaughter," Tazkin confessed.
Michael had hoped to obtain a seed of darkness without engaging in combat against the Skyhall soldiers. However, with the realization that Skyhall forces surrounded the nearest seed of darkness, he had no alternative but to confront them head-on.
"How many of these outposts have you discovered in your world?" Gaya asked.
"To date, we have encountered fifteen outposts, my lady. However, we suspect there are more concealed within the forest and uncharted territories of our world," Tazkin revealed.
"Elidyr, remain here with them and fortify the village to the best of your abilities. Use the arch crystals if necessary," Michael issued his instructions to Elidyr, placing emphasis on the importance of protecting the village. He then stored the map back in his system storage.
"These Skyhall soldiers possess something that belongs to me, and I must retrieve it," Michael stated with a grave tone, conveying the seriousness of the situation.
Turning his attention to Thilve and Tazkin, Michael continued, "You two remain here and continue scouting. But refrain from engaging the Skyhall soldiers directly. If they are establishing an outpost, they must have ulterior motives, and I want to know their plans."
"Yes, my lord," Thilve and Tazkin acknowledged in unison. As Michael unfurled his wings, he and Gaya took to the sky, ascending with a single powerful flap. Another flap propelled them forward, soaring towards the Skyhall outpost.
During the flight, Michael's thoughts were consumed by Nithroel's words, particularly the mention of Andohr, the god of time and space. It was apparent that Andohr harbored a deep-seated grudge against Michael, likely due to the previous Dark Lord's grievous actions. Michael couldn't help but question why Andohr had yet to launch a direct attack against him. Perhaps Andohr had already struck, but Michael had failed to recognize it. The presence of the shadow force working against him further fueled his suspicion of Andohr's involvement. Regardless, Michael understood the importance of familiarizing himself with the gods, especially Andohr, as it was a vital first step towards defeating his adversaries.
*************************************ραпdαs `n?ν?| сom
( Back on Andohr's castle)
Resting upon his throne in deep contemplation, a profound frown etched upon his face, Andohr observed the events unfolding on the island where the God of Darkness, his sworn enemy, had held his wedding, only to be interrupted by Rudra, the God of War, his another enemy.
"Damn it!" Andohr's hand struck the armrest of his throne in an outburst of anger. As he pondered the motives behind Rudra's actions, the ethereal form of Seraphine materialized before him, her appearance seemingly too coincidental to be unrelated to the events that had transpired. The air in the castle turned icy, and Andohr's gaze grew colder, radiating a palpable sense of murderous intent.
"What have you done, Seraphine?" Andohr's voice reverberated throughout the castle walls, laced with a chilling disdain.
"We have done what should have been done long ago, Andohr. The barrier has weakened, allowing the pantheon to send their armies to confront Dagon in his realm of hell, where he holds dominion," Andohr's voice resonated with a frigid and merciless tone, tinged with bitter sarcasm and anger towards the pantheon's perceived foolishness.
"Your Skyhall army shall face the hell walkers in the realm in-between, while the Pantheon's forces confront Dagon in hell. Although we had not anticipated Dagon unleashing the graces, it has inadvertently worked in our favor. With the aid of the fallen gods, we can crush the hell walkers and eradicate any remaining influence of the Dark Lord in the mortal realm," Seraphine explained. However, as the goddess of information, a sense of unease gnawed at her, for everything seemed unnaturally smooth and advantageous, raising suspicions deep within her.
"And have you ever questioned why Dagon released the graces, despite knowing the consequences it would bring upon him?" Andohr's voice grew colder still, his desire to remain seated upon his throne waning as he fought against the urge to obliterate everything in his sight.
"Do you comprehend why I have not commanded my minions to gather all the seal bearers and forced the Dark Lord to slay them? Did you truly believe that the Dark Lord had not considered the possibility of us amassing the seal bearers, allowing his own reincarnation to eliminate them and shatter the barrier? Do you believe it to be that simple?"
Seraphine offered no response as Andohr pounded the throne once more before rising to his feet, his anger and frustration simmering beneath the surface.
"Tell me Serpahine, did you know Rudra was going to crash the wedding and make the Dark Lord kill the three seal bearers on the same time?" Andohr's question hung in the air, punctuated by a heavy silence that enveloped them. After a brief moment, Seraphine nodded, confirming his suspicion.
"Yes," she responded softly.
"Then you doomed yourselves and the pantheon," Andohr's laughter echoed through the chamber, tinged with a mix of anger and frustration.
"What do you mean? Enough with the secrecy, Andohr. If you possess additional knowledge regarding the barrier, you must share it with us," Seraphine growled, her own frustration boiling over from being kept in the dark by Andohr.
"I remained secretive because I know that you and the rest of the pantheon would only interfere with my plans. However, I never expected you to be so foolish as to seek the assistance of Rudra, a mindless brute," Andohr shouted, his voice reverberating through the halls as the castle trembled beneath his fury.
"He must have orchestrated it all, foreseeing this outcome," Andohr muttered, his fists clenched tightly as he brooded upon the God of Darkness and his intricate schemes.
"I established the Skyhall to serve as his primary adversary, the ultimate nemesis in his life. Prior to your imbecilic revelation of the gods' existence, he believed that the Skyhall was his sole enemy. He would have annihilated them and lived blissfully ignorant of the realm of gods. During that time, we could have sought a permanent means to eliminate him, or better yet, allowed Noah, his own brother, to be his executioner. And if Noah had failed, we could have struck him down when he was weakened. The opportunities were limitless when he believed he had no adversaries. A lion is most vulnerable when its hunger is sated,"
Andohr's voice reverberated with anger as he explained the intricacies of his thwarted plans. The Pantheon and Seraphine had underestimated the God of Darkness and their shortsightedness had ruined everything. In their eyes, Dagon posed the greatest threat, unaware of the imminent danger the God of Darkness represented to the Pantheon.
"But now, he is once again on the prowl. He now knows that there exists a realm beyond mortals, a realm of gods. He is aware of the existence of other gods apart from his own brother. And thanks to Rudra's assault on his wedding, he now sees the gods and the Pantheon as his enemies. If you believe Dagon to be a formidable adversary, think again when the God of Darkness aligns himself with Dagon, decimating the Pantheon's army without mercy," Andohr's fury grew as he still couldn't fathom the Pantheon's foolishness in revealing themselves and engaging in conflict with the God of Darkness.
"And by slaying the three seal bearers on the same day, you have inadvertently created a breach in the barrier, allowing him to traverse between the realm of gods and retain his immense power," Andohr bellowed.
Typically, when a mortal attains the Celestial stage, they are drawn into the realm of gods and transformed into worshippers, devoid of their own power. The barrier erected by the previous Dark Lord prevented mortals from reaching this stage. However, Andohr knew that the previous Dark Lord had orchestrated this to ensure his own reincarnation would be the first to ascend to the Celestial stage, exploring the realm of gods and safeguarding mortals from becoming mindless devotees of the Pantheon. For centuries, Andohr meticulously crafted the facade of the Skyhall as the arch-nemesis of the current Dark Lord, keeping him blissfully unaware while Andohr plotted his revenge in the shadows. He had diligently concealed the existence of the realm of gods from the Dark Lord, but his plan had now crumbled.
Through the simultaneous slaying of the three seal bearers, a fissure in the barrier emerged, preventing the realm of gods from stripping the Dark Lord of his power. AS a last resort, if the Dark Lord were to discover the realm of gods and embark on a journey driven by curiosity, he would have entered as a humble divine being, void of his powers. However, due to the recent turn of events, he would now step into the realm of gods as a fully-fledged god.
"How do you possess this knowledge?" Seraphine inquired, her curiosity piqued. As the Goddess of Information, even she had limited understanding of the barrier and its intricacies. And yet, Andohr, who had been confined to his castle for the past five millennia, seemed to have acquired a greater understanding of the barrier than any other god in the Pantheon.
"I am the fucking god of time and space," Andohr declared with emphasis. "For the past five thousand years, I have devoted every moment to studying the barrier and delving into the mind of the God of Darkness."
Suddenly, Andohr burst into boisterous laughter, a sudden shift from his previous demeanor that caught Seraphine off guard.
"Why are you laughing?" Seraphine inquired, perplexed by his sudden change in behavior.
"Because now, the Pantheon must work their assess off to find a means to free me from this castle," Andohr chuckled. "As I am your only hope in saving the Pantheon from his impending wrath."
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