Shake It Off

30 advance chapters in my Patreon. Patreon.com/Saintbarbido.

Please gimme 🙏 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Your Powerstones People!!!!!!

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Things will pick up speed soon guys...

(General P.O.V) (In The Endless Garden Overarching All)

"Another fork in the road. You know what this means, Destiny."

Dream told the cloaked figure walking besides him. The figure had a book chained to his right hand. Whether to show that neither could escape the other, irony reigned supreme that the keeper of the authority over Fate could be shackled to something.

"Your power was never absolute. None except the presence can boast of such a thing. I ask again, my sibling, do you know what it means?"

Dream insisted, finally stopping. Destiny copied his actions, the multiverse he held in his hands, flapping open. Indistinguishable noises, whispers of reality under the cracks of stone, shifting winds that heralded the coming storm. Centuries in the past and millenia in the future. All something he had encountered and knew intimately. Almost too intimately.

"The Morningstar kept him invisible to others. That cloak has been cast away. Our younger immature sibling wisely hid from everyone for 3 months. But now...now he can hide no longer and 'They' move."

The page was blank, only showing the insignia of authority, a symbol Aden knew very well. After all, it was branded in his soul. One side black and red the other side white and blue. The true Avatar symbol.

"An enigma at its very core."

Dream was inwardly surprised. This was the most Destiny had ever spoke.

"I find myself, most excited."

Destiny stated with his gravely voice. The sound of a book being closed snapped Lord Morpheus from his musings.

He smiled at Destiny's back.

"Matthew, inform Lucienne I will be running rather late."

The crow perched on his shoulder cawed.

"By your leave Lord Morpheus."

(Elsewhere) (Spools of The Strings Of Reality) (Caverns Of The Fates)

"Arrogant." A voice announced.

"Prideful." Another added.

"Contradiction." The last one pitched in.

"""Punishable.""" Three voices sounded out in unison.

The Kindly ones hovered over the end of a string that could not attach, hence could not weave. Fate was a fickle thing. How dare anything less than an outerversal entity not be under her providence? It was intriguingly upsetting.

"The Morningstar hid him from us."

Clotho sneered.

"Not just us sister. From everyone, including 'his' own gaze."

Atropos added, her gaze spearing through veils known and unknown to look into the walking void, snapping the threads of those closest to him with every significant action.

"It's gets harder and harder to knit dear sisters. The strings do not braid as easily as before, where he is concerned."

Lachesis complained solemnly.

"His existence is blasphemous. An insult to mother Ananke!"

Atropos raged.

"Then I suggest you help me."

A whisper in the wind.

"Who?!"

Lachesis looked around in surprise.

"The"

"Time"

"Emperor."

The norns announced in succession as to the possible identity of their uninvited guest.

"""Chronos!"""

"Nothing escapes your gaze." Whispered the last dregs of will from the disgraced Titan Lord.

"I have a proposal. While holding no true enmity with the boy, he alone can unravel reality, you recognize the threat he poses. Give him to me..."

"An interesting proposal, sisters."

Clotho spoke up.

"Indeed."

Lachesis agreed.

"It's a no... disgraced king."

Atropos announced, contrary to what the source of the whisper was expecting. A brief silence reigned supreme.

"You shall regret your shortsightedness..."

And with that, the kindly ones were left alone. Plotting once more.

"Fool! He is the one who does not understand."

Atropos spat out.

"So eager for a true demise. Associating with the boy at this stage is fool hardy."

Lachesis said.

""Fool hardy.""

Her sisters echoed.

Lachesis' fingers danced in the air above a spool of golden string.

"However what are pawns for if not to be sacrificed?"

Clotho started laughing.

"Devious, dear sister. Devious and necessary."

Atropos complimented.

"I believe The Time Emperor's proposal to be of merit in part. Send a king to kill the peasant."

Lachesis smiled.

"Poetic. A few whispers through the ornate halls of Olympus and Fate gets her way."

(Aden's P.O.V)

"Kai, I expected better from you." I chided the small dragon, hiding behind Kori. Infact everyone of them was doing so. Match looked around at his siblings and copied what they were doing, which was hiding behind Kori's long legs and peaking out sneakily.

Breeze stuck out her tongue from a top Star's head, a gust of wind ruffled the sheets on the bed, making them fall on me comically. I heard giggling sounds from all of them and sighed.

"Ha ha very funny."

I swiped out a hand and sent the sheets off me.

"They're just having fun Aden. No need to get angry at them."

Kori admonished me, rubbing Match's head affectionately. On the outside I kept a smile on my face.

"Having fun huh? You're all grounded once we get back home."

It was a punishment I copied from my parents. And trust me it worked wonders despite the cliche' nature of the whole affair.

"Dad no!"

"Noo!"

"Take that back!" (Who else but Breeze)

Match once again listened to what Sai had said and repeated it.

"Dad no!"

Star and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Sooo adorable!"

She said, pinching the little Kryptonian's face.

"Me! Me! Me too!"

Breeze interjected, ballooning in size to a green haired little girl with mischievous light green eyes and a cowlick on a bang at the left side of her hair.

"Alright alright." Star patiently turned her attention to each of the kids, giving them hair rubs. I noticed she was really good with kids. It didn't escape my notice that Sai and Match called her mom... A soft smile appeared on my face. She was so beau...

The door opened with a hiss and I instantly covered the kids with a cloak of air rendering them invisible.

"Star...oh Aden, you're up."

Robin's face fell upon seeing me. I cocked my head to the side.

"Yeah, but you don't sound too happy, Boy Wonder. Still salty that you've never broken my obstacle record?"

I joked.

"Yeah, that's it."

Robin dryly stated before turning around.

"The other squads were deployed. We're on standby duty. You missed the briefing but I'll fill you in on the way to the console."

He said while leaving.

"Thank you Robin. We'll be there in a minute."

Kori responded with a smile.

Instead of leaving though, Robin stuck to the door indecisively before his lips settled in a thin line.

"I am not going to leave you here alone with him."

Kori and I both frowned, for different reasons. Robin was making the mood tense and awkward.

"Robin, it's fine. We just have a few things to discuss and then..."

"I'm sorry Star but I can't risk it."

That little shit. I mean I know we weren't the best of friends but still, bruh what the fuck.

"Are you suggesting I cannot handle myself? Are you calling me weak?"

A little bit of anger escaped me once I saw Kori's pissed off face. Her wrists were charged with green energy as well as embers sparking across the length of her hair. Damn...how the fuck did her hotness factor go to a 10?

Props to Robin that he didn't have a change in his expression.

"You wanna tell her or should I?"

He directed the question towards me, leaving me caught between a weird place. My annoyance and my confusion.

"What in the hell are you talking about Robin?"

I finally asked.

"Iroh told us everything." His sights went back to Kori.

"Aden is the reason for the, as Iroh called them, 'Chaos vortexes'. Can't say I'm surprised..."

That threw me out of loop. A foreboding feeling overcame me. I was still struggling to find out what had happened though.

"Ok, clearly I'm missing something here."

I turned to Kori, ignoring Boy Wonder because he was testing whatever little patience I had these days.

"Star, what is going on?"

Starfire looked between us and sighed.

"Robin, excuse us." They entered a brief staring match before the Boy Wonder gave up and turned to leave. I tapped my ears and Star understood what I meant.

"And no listening in. I mean it."

The Boy Wonder snorted but pressed a key on his wrist computer. The slight hum detectable to my superior senses went off and I knew we could talk without anyone eavesdropping.

"You might want to sit down for this."

I frowned but did as she said. Then she told me everything.

About how swirling pockets of energy had appeared in 17 locations on the planet. About how 6 of those were termed as priority A, something which I remembered from my team days to mean, civilian life endangerment. About how the League had marshalled up to go and deal with the 6 priority A pockets and save people. Despite Star missing the debrief, we were able to make conjectures based on what I told her to realize that Robin was right. This was my fault.

I fucked up again.

After the five minutes of ruminating on my mistakes, I got up, not even that aware of Star's closeness when she sat next to me on the bed. Okay, I lied, I felt her warmth like the comfortable heat of a burning fireplace.

"I need a glass of water." Without waiting for any input, I left for the bathroom, closing the door gently behind me.

I sighed looking at myself in the mirror. What's that old story about the donkey that saved itself from being buried alive? Oh yeah. Shake it off and step on the soil, using it as a foothold. Eventually... I'll make it out of the pit I dug myself in.

A blinking icon appeared in the corner of my vision. No not appeared. It had been there even when I was back in my dimension. I had just ignored it for more important things.

I maximized it immediately.

(Alert! Urgent Mission!)

You just sent a being of order to deal with chaos energy...good plan on paper. But shit is about to hit the fan. Due to your broad instructions, the Order Avatar State had decided to save the realm in the most effective way it can... expelling all the unstable chaos energy out of the realm. What this means for the realm's the energy ends up at? Well that's your mission. Find out and stop it or at least mitigate any negative effects (or not. Chaos is fun)

Mission objectives:-

Get rid of the chaos pockets.

Survive the machinations from the Kindly ones.

Mission Parameters:-

Time limit: Before the world is consumed by chaos you dolt. Or don't.

Mission difficulty: N/A

Mission Rewards:-

50 training points for each chaos pocket dealt with.

50 training points for each opponent you prevail against.

Training points:- 386.

P.S:- This mission could go either way. Remember, trust in your power.

Okaaaay. What the fuck.

I splashed water on my face. This world is determined to drive me crazy huh? At least I got to see Star...though there's a lot of awkward tension between us.

But maybe I could use this to my advantage. If I completed this urgent mission, I could stack my team with some valuable players, taking the burden off saving the world from my shoulders as I concentrated on getting stronger. I had already decided that the first chance I got I was doing the Fire bending advancement trial.

The inklings of a plan started forming in my mind. Maybe this wasn't so bad? A swirl of light escaped me as I activated a perk. My connection with the Homunculi puppet slotted itself and I instantly acquired another field of vision.

A boom tube opened and I stepped through as the White Shadow. Back in the bathroom, Equity appeared in my hands and I opened myself to the energy I had been wary to access. My heart instantly fell into the same wavelength as it's pulse. I could feel it, chaos brimming inside. I could also feel multiple beacons calling out to me in the direction of the planet.

Following the mission parameters, I knew something was going to happen.

"In 1...2...3."

"Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!"

The p.a system started going crazy.

At the drop of the third number, vast energy of almost the same tier as the angel's made itself known. I exercised my own inner energy to stave of the effects while stepping out of the bathroom. Star had a worried look in her face as the kids looked scared. She couldn't feel it but the spirits could.

A boom tube manifested by our sides.

"Get in."

I ordered. Kori looked ready to object.

"What is happening?"

"Get. In." I said curtly before adding.

"I'll explain later. Right now the kids shouldn't be here."

Starfire chose to trust me and ushered them through the portal. The last gaze she threw at me, told me I had a lot of explaining to do on why I relegated her to a babysitter.

The announcement coming through the p.a system went silent and a second later, an enchanting voice spoke through it.

"I am Phoebus Apollo, and by the authority of Zeus, my father and the King of The Gods, I seek out Aden Strong!"

Oh Fuck. These fucks?