The Other Side: Part III

"How fitting," A handsome green-eyed man dressed in a beautiful white robe gazed at the huge trees that blocked his path. Countless roars resounded from behind the trees. These roars were filled with power and strength. The auras of several Heaven Realm Beasts could be felt from within those roars. And one could even make out the aura of a few Noble Beasts, yet the handsome gentleman in white didn't seem fazed by them.

The man ignored the warning growls of the beasts within the forest, and instead of moving away from the forest – a task that would have been all too simple considering that he was only standing on the outskirts of it – he crossed the boundary and entered it.

Once he did several threatening auras locked on to him. Like a tsunami of power beasts of varying sizes and strengths rushed towards the man. There were large cats, dog-like creatures, and even Winged Serpents of varying sizes in this great assembly of beasts. The eyes of every single beast reflected deep hunger and desire – the desire to possess the core of the man walking towards his supposed doom. Each beast was as large as a small hill, and their movements caused the earth beneath them to tremble and creak in protest. But they heeded not the pleas of the ground they trod upon. Like crazed maniacs they were only focused on one thing – the man small enough to do nothing but fill the gaps between their huge teeth.

"One would think that beasts of this level would have just a little bit of sanity," the white robed man smiled and let himself go. The aura that had been restrained from the Battle Beasts rushing at him was revealed, and the unbridled power of one way past the realm of Nobles was suffocating.

Every Heavenly Beast collapsed to the ground, each foaming at their mouths. Their eyes were dilated and their spirits crushed. With just his aura, this man had incapacitated all he deemed unworthy to come close to him. The Noble Beasts who were formerly rushing towards the man in reckless abandon stopped in their tracks. It didn't matter what species they belonged to, or whether they had their own colonies. Every Noble Beast – the ones who showed the hunger of a starving giant – didn't dare take a step forward. Their eyes were filled with fear; their large bodies shaking at the pressure that threatened to crush them to the ground.

*Boom*

*Boom*

*Boom*

In only a few seconds, each Noble Beast was pressed to the ground as the man's powerful aura forced them to kiss the earth they had so nonchalantly disregarded only moments earlier. Like pancakes flattened by a skillet, they remained in this humiliating posture as the man walked through their vast numbers. Yet they dared not be angry or dismayed. For they had no right to be. The man who was within their midst was a god! They may be kings on this small planet; beings who could kill any of the measly humans who dared to come in here in what could only be described as utter foolishness; but they hadn't forgotten who it was that trapped them here. It was a god who had confined them to this forest, never to set foot outside again. And though this god was weaker, he was still a god. And his authority was not to be challenged. The fact that they were alive after trying to consume him was mercy. And none of them wanted to despise this grace.

"He is really here – or he had been here not long ago," the man in white frowned and said. He had been to the Forest of Gloom before. Although it was a forbidden zone in Zandor, it was forbidden to only mortals too weak to survive the countless beasts and dangers this forest held. And it was because he had been here before that he was able to recognise the changes in the actions of the beasts.

The outskirts of the Forest of Gloom were occupied by weaker creatures, creatures at the mortal and above-mortal realm. One only encountered more powerful creatures when they went even deeper. Yet he had been faced with Heavenly and Noble Beasts right at the off. He had barely crossed into forest when he was besieged by them.

Heavenly and Noble Beasts weren't fools. Once a beast became a Beast of the Earth, it was filled with wisdom and intuitive knowledge; much less Heavenly and Noble Beasts. They weren't mindless creatures who attacked on sight. And they were too lazy to be focusing on the humans who intruded on their territories. And that was why there were people who had survived the Forest of Gloom. If they were this violent; this anxious; this crazy for blood, no one would have made it out of here alive. But now that was exactly what they were. Even with his aura concealed their senses as beasts should have warned them to stay far away. They shouldn't have even come looking for him, much less try to attack him. Yet they had. These beasts who were supposed to possess high intellect were nothing but fools now. They only knew hunger, anger and fear.

As the white robed man moved, he heard a powerful shriek. He gazed into the clouds, for he felt the aura of an approaching Noble from there. And soon he saw the beast.

*Scree*

With another powerful screech the beast descended from above – a peak Noble it was. It was a large black hawk comparable to a small mountain, and it easily eclipsed every other creature here in terms of size. The god ignored the beast upon sensing its energy level. Well, he didn't ignore it entirely.

*Crackle*

*Boom*

*Scree*

The large hawk screeched in pain as several large bolts of lightning – each as thick as a thousand year oak tree – descended from the clouds above and completely obliterated it. When the lightning barrage was over, even the remains of this powerful creature were nowhere to be seen. A large Noble Lion gulped nervously upon witnessing this sight. And it hastily bowed its head when it saw the lightning god staring at it. Slowly the lightning god moved past them, and soon he was several meters away from them.

"For their natures to grow increasingly towards the dark side, it means that the Dark One resides here," the lightning god stated with a look of concern on his face. He had caused quite the commotion when he entered the forest, and dispatching the bird surely didn't help hide his presence either.

"I must be cautious," the lightning god extended his hand, and a long spear that was whiter than snow appeared within his grasp.

*Crackle*

Along with its appearance were several dark clouds which concealed the gaze of the sun and stole its home for themselves. Thunderous roars accompanied by the numerous bolts of lightning that danced across the sky were the god's personal orchestra. And oh how they sang gloriously.

The white robe the man wore developed golden patterns so intricate that they were dazzling, and a powerful presence far more superior to the aura he had first revealed to the beasts forced them deeper into the ground. Although the god whose presence was like a vice around their neck was at least a hundred meters away now, they still couldn't muster the courage to get up. And the recent development had made them even more nervous. Was this god going to change his mind? No, he wasn't.

This god was only cautious because of something entirely different. He had released his domain simply because he felt a humanoid presence approaching him from within the forest. Although the aura of this being was only at the Noble Realm, he didn't dare show any signs of carelessness. For gods could reveal whatever aura they felt to reveal. So more often than not, a god's aura mattered little.

"Please Great Indra, I am of no threat to you," a beautiful woman dressed in nothing but scanty clothes revealed herself before the lightning clad god. Her back bent slightly as she bowed in subservience, but she didn't go down any further. She didn't perform a full bow. And though her forehead was wet with sweat and her body trembled ever so slightly at the threatening bolts of lightning that struck the ground a few inches away from her seductive frame, her eyes were focused on the god called Indra.

"I can smell his presence on you," Indra sniffed slightly like a dog. And his eyes narrowed into slits as a dangerous light flickered deep within those beautiful emerald pupils. He had found what he was looking for.

"That is embarrassing, Great Indra," the woman's eyes grew limpid as a shy blush crossed her face from seeing Indra's actions. She started to radiate a seductive aura that crept steadily towards Indra.

"You are brave. To dare use a Charm Technique on a God is worthy of admiration." Indra stated warmly, yet the woman's expression only grew panicked at his words.

"-And death," Indra added as he lifted his hands to the heavens. Several rumbling sounds were heard as a huge bolt of lightning took shape in the clouds.

"Please, wait Great Indra; Master of a thousand kings; and Emperor of Lightning! I am nothing but a divine servant of the Dark God; one unworthy of your bolts!" The woman stated hurriedly and bowed her head. She didn't dare make eye contact with Indra anymore.

"And why would I wait?" Indra still had his hand raised, with no intention of stopping. "Not only have you confessed to being the servant of a god I am eagerly searching for, you have also offended me. Why should you be spared?"

"Great Indra, I am nothing of worth to a god like you. So you can do with me as you please, but please spare me. For I have a message from my Master – the Dark God Seth. Would you smite down one unworthy of your presence even before you listen to her plea?" the beautiful woman pleaded.

"Introduce yourself," Indra finally dispersed the gathering lightning and brought his hand back to his side.

"Thank you Great Indra," the woman expressed her gratitude and then curtsied elegantly as she introduced herself.

"I am Lina, a divine servant of the great God of Darkness, Seth."

"What message does Seth have for me," Indra asked plainly.

When he heard Lina's name he frowned slightly, but recovered his wits soon after. Lina also frowned when she heard Indra's nonchalant way of addressing her master. After all, Seth was several generations older – and greater – than Indra. But she kept her silence on the matter. Indra may be younger than Seth, but he was a vastly talented god who was almost on the same pedestal as her master. In fact, if Indra and her master fought as they were now, even if Seth was to win, he would pay a huge price. The only advantage that Seth really had was that he was a Spiritualist and could track Indra's Godhead. If not for that great detail, he wouldn't even be confident of winning a battle against this battle maniac!

"My Master – the Dark God Seth – knows that you seek his presence. And he is willing to grant you an audience." Lina explained the purpose for her coming.

"He wants to meet me?" Indra frowned as a bad premonition filled his heart. Seth knew why Indra was looking for him. And he knew that once he was found Butler Fin and Ray would be informed as well. With those two and himself, even Seth would be done for if a battle was to erupt. So why was he being so cooperative? There was no way that this wasn't a trap.

"My Master indeed does, Great Indra," Lina nodded her head.

"I see," Indra rubbed his chin in thought. "Are you to lead me?" Indra asked.

"If that is your wish, Great Indra," Lina smiled and said.

"And if it is not?" Indra probed.

"Then please permit me to hand over this address to you," Lina reached into her fair and plentiful bosom to retrieve a map before approaching Indra and handing it over to him.

"Hmm," Indra hummed when he saw the place marked out on the map. "Smart," he thought to himself.

"You are a High Level Servant right?" Indra asked.

"Yes Great Indra. Why do you ask?" Lina was puzzled by the question.

"I just want to make sure that you can meet Seth in time and tell him that I am coming right now," Indra stated, before flashing a gorgeous smile at Lina. Lina was utterly confused, but soon she understood why. As a High Level Servant she had 'spare lives'. She was in no way faster than Indra. So what faster way could she inform her master of Indra's coming than for her to be sent directly to her master? The answer lay in her death.

"Plea-" Lina hardly said a word when a large bolt of lightning descended upon her and reduced her to nothing.

*Boom*

"You may just be a divine servant, but I have heard of your foul means," Indra spoke to himself. His spear disappeared, and his robe became ordinary once more.

"There was no way I was going to give up the chance to take one of your lives," Indra smiled before reaching into his robe to retrieve a small medallion and speaking into it.

"The Dark God is in The Deep. I am heading there right now."

Once he was done, he positioned himself and turned to face the direction of the Kingdom of Neces. Then he tossed the medallion towards the large kingdom, hoping that it would reach the Sensor God who resided there in time.