Chapter 746: Homecomings
Delgasso Estate
Alpha Continent
Prime World Aidos
Omicron Star System
Valmone Universe
December 31st
Year 1054 of the 50th General Calendar.
Two teenage goddesses stepped out of a Spatial Gate and into the courtyard of a grand mansion. The air was crisp with the fragrance of well-manicured gardens, the soft trickling of water from an ornate fountain adding a serene undertone to the morning.
Towering hedges framed the marble pathways, and a series of perfectly trimmed topiaries lined the way to the main entrance.
Beatrix stretched her arms overhead and turned toward the goddess who’d brought them here, Mei, and then spoke.
"Give us a few minutes to get our stuff."
Before any response could be given, she grabbed Artemisia’s wrist and dragged her forward, striding into the mansion as if she owned the place.
Which, for the record, she didn’t. This was Artemisia’s house, not hers.
Yet, as they moved through the grand halls, Beatrix navigated effortlessly, responding to the greetings of every passing servant with familiarity.
Artemisia, in contrast, responded with her usual composed nods, accustomed to Beatrix’s unabashed presence in her home.
Once they reached Artemisia’s room, Beatrix finally let go of her as she spoke.
"I left something here last time..."
With that mutter, she dove into Artemisia’s closet, rummaging through it like it was her own.
Artemisia barely spared her a glance, instead focusing on the stack of photos in her hands. Naturally, these were the snapshots they had printed out using Arthur’s Instant Camera back on Aramis.
She thumbed through them until she found one in particular, one of those taken when Sigesi had stepped away to handle something important.
From left to right, Alvey stood with a wry smile on his face as he gazed at the camera. Beside him, Arthur smiled brightly, his hand resting on Artemisia’s shoulder.
Artemisia, in turn, had her right arm draped over Beatrix’s shoulder, and though Beatrix wore a radiant, photogenic smile, her gaze wasn’t on the camera—it was fixed on Alvey to the left, and it was rather intense.
Squatting in front, Jamie was caught mid-laugh at something Arthur had said just before the photo was taken, while Evan was beside him, holding the remote controlling the camera that captured the shot.
The photo was pure chaos.
Beatrix wasn’t even facing the camera, Jamie looked like he was about to fall over from laughter, and Evan had worn his mask back for some reason.
But this one—this one, Artemisia liked best.
Just then, Beatrix’s head popped over her shoulder.
"What are you looking at? Oh, this picture, it looks nice."
Artemisia silently nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it does. This is my favourite."
She picked up an empty picture frame from her desk and carefully slid the photo inside. Holding it up, she gave it another look before murmuring, "Yeah, definitely my favourite."
Just then, a voice echoed from the distance, calling their names. "Artemisia! Beatrix!"
They answered in unison. ""We’re coming!""
Artemisia turned to set the framed photo down, but she hesitated. After a moment, she decided to take it along with her as she and Beatrix left the room.
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Blue Moon Castle
Ancient City Estudiam
’Neutral’ Continent
Apex World Estea
Zanerth Universe
August 25th
Year 8063 of the 50th General Calendar.
The Blue Moon Castle stood tall and magnificent, a breathtaking sight against the night sky.
Its blue-themed architecture shimmered under the glow of the many moons orbiting this massive planet, their light reflecting off its crystalline towers.
As one of the most renowned landmarks on the Apex Planet, the castle was a marvel of grandeur, drawing countless visitors eager to bask in its beauty.
Surrounding it was a vast estate, its gardens overflowing with predominantly blue flowers, their delicate petals swaying gently beneath the soft whisper of the night breeze.
On this fateful night, a streak of light tore across the sky like a shooting star, plummeting into the heart of the castle.
The impact, though silent, sent a pulse of cosmic energy rippling outward, touching every stone and petal in its path.
Deep within the castle, past intricately carved hallways and countless rooms, lay a grand chamber.
And in the centre of that chamber rested a coffin.
Inside the open coffin was a man lying still. His devilishly handsome face was untouched by age, though his silver hair, dulled and overgrown from centuries of neglect, framed his features in a wild, unkempt manner.
Despite the steady rise and fall of his chest indicating he was breathing, a closer inspection would reveal something unnatural—his heart, though intact, did not beat.
As the streak of light made contact with his body, a faint pulse of cosmic energy rippled outward from him.
Moments later, his lips slowly curled into a smile.
Beside the open coffin sat a woman—the one who had lifted its cover.
She was a strikingly beautiful woman with flowing, below-waist-length purple-accented silver hair. Her hair was tied into a half ponytail, adorned with a small, purple flower-shaped fascinator that matched the floral pattern of her white sundress.
She idly twirled a drop of crimson blood around her left index finger, watching it dance in the dim glow of the chamber. Then, upon noticing Jamie’s smile, she scoffed and muttered,
"Just what the hell are you smiling about? Idiot Jay."
She watched him in silence before shifting her gaze to the drop of blood hovering around her finger. Instead of using it on him, she tossed it into her mouth, deciding to let him sleep a while longer rather than waking him.
With that choice made, she slowly slid the lid back over the coffin. Then, without another glance, she turned and left the room—leaving the Hybrid to continue his slumber.
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Kreah Trade City
Desert Country of Tarse
Alpha Continent
Prime World Aidos
Valmone Universe
September 12th
Year 1055 of the 51st General Calendar.
The landscape was in ruins, with broken buildings laying in heaps of rubble, and shattered monuments littering the ground.
It looked like the remnants of a battlefield long past, its ruins sealed within a powerful magic barrier that enclosed the area.
Then, without warning, the space at the centre of the ruined city distorted. A jagged crack tore through the empty space, stretching wider and wider until it became a full-fledged rift.
From its depths, a figure tumbled out, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Evan let out a deep sigh, staring up at the night sky for a moment before pushing himself up into a sitting position.
"I’m really back..."
A smile crept onto Evan’s face, one he couldn’t quite suppress. Pushing himself to his feet, he dusted off his clothes—an outfit starkly different from the one he had worn when he was dragged into the rift back on Aramis.
But the reason for that was a topic for a different book.
"Looks like I got sent back to Tarse."
His gaze swept across the ruined city, eventually settling on the barrier encasing it.
"I guess they kept everything as is."
Just as he took his first step forward, a familiar sensation pricked at his senses. His brows raised as he caught the faint ripple of a spatial distortion up ahead.
"Huh? Someone’s teleporting i—?"
He hadn’t even finished the question when he sensed something within him reconnecting to a familiar presence, and his eyes widened in realization.
Simultaneously, a streak of green light shot toward him, faster than sound, closing the distance in an instant. It slammed into him with enough force to knock him clean off his feet and send him crashing to the ground.
Evan could have dodged it. He could have stopped it. But he didn’t.
The glowing light faded to reveal the body of a young woman, with golden-blonde hair cascading down her back, and blue eyes glistening with unshed tears. She clung to him, arms wrapped tightly around his body, refusing to let go.
Evan silently lifted his arms, resting them gently on her back before pulling her into an embrace of his own.
Neither of them cared that they were still on the ground as they simply held onto each other, lost in the overwhelming relief of reunion.
Between quiet sniffles, the young woman forced out two words in a trembling voice.
"...welcome... back."
Tightening his hold on her, as if afraid she would vanish if he let go, Evan leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before murmuring,
"Yeah... I’m back."
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Devildom Royal Academy Regional Office
Urin Continent
High-Level World Cecriri
Varona Realm
Hell Universe
April 5th
Year 718 of the 50th General Calendar.
The building stood tall and imposing, its simple and practical design marking it as an administrative centre. Large windows reflected the golden afternoon light, and a wide entrance bustled with activity as uniformed teenagers streamed in and out, their chatter filling the air.
The compound was vast, lined with long, well-paved roads flanked by neatly trimmed trees. The trees stood in perfect rows, their branches casting dappled shadows on the ground, providing ample shade. Between their trunks, park benches were mounted at even intervals, offering spots for rest and conversation.
From the building’s entrance, four teenagers stepped out together, their presence immediately noticeable amidst the flowing crowd.
On the far left was a girl with long, waist-length black hair that swayed with every step she took. Her almond-shaped green eyes were striking, but her pupils were anything but ordinary—rather than the typical circular shape, they formed a small gear symbol encased within a serrated ring.
Next to her walked another girl of average height, with straight black hair that held faint purple undertones. She wore it in a rough high ponytail, with bangs cut perfectly straight across her forehead, covering her eyebrows just above a pair of large, indigo-purple eyes that shimmered in the sunlight.
As the group stepped forward, she flipped through a set of papers in her hands, her focus entirely on them while the other two conversed beside her.
The third in line was a girl with black hair styled into twin tails and pretty jewel-red eyes. Unlike the first two, her features were softer, retaining a trace of childish roundness. Her eyes, however, held a sharpness that contrasted with her delicate features.
Lastly, on the far right, was a guy with rather long brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Unlike the others, who wore their uniforms casually, he was the only one dressed more formally. A blazer rested neatly over his shoulders, giving him a more refined and professional look.
The four of them were unmistakably popular, evident from the numerous gazes that followed their every move. However, they were accustomed to the attention and remained unfazed, going about their business as usual.
The purple-eyed girl finally finished scanning the contents of the file in her hand. As she closed it, she looked up and cast a casual glance at their surroundings, inadvertently catching sight of something shiny.
"?!"
Her eyes widened, and she abruptly turned her head in that direction, her steps halting mid-stride.
Without a word, she broke away from the group, immediately drawing the attention of the other three, who looked on in confusion.
"Nicole?"
She didn’t answer. Instead, she swiftly made her way toward one of the park benches facing away from them, where someone with silver hair sat.
Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around them from behind and murmured, "Welcome back."
Though the sudden embrace had momentarily distracted them from the game they were playing, they didn’t seem to mind. Pausing the game, they simply reached up, ruffled her hair, and with a warm smile, replied.
"Mhmm... I’m back."
Indeed, Progenitor godslayer Arthur Vaughn had returned home to the Hell Universe.
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THE END!
Godslayer’s Legend: V̵o̸l̵u̸m̵e̶ PART 2: Exodus, FINALLY Completed. 🎆🎇
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I’d take a ten-day break to get the interludes in order before I start them. In the meantime, I’d be accepting suggestions for V̵o̸l̵u̸m̵e̶ PART 3’s title. Preferably one or two-word titles.
Please make sure to read the upcoming Interludes.
There’d be lore drops and questions answered.
