Chapter 41 Aftermath, Echoes, and A prophecy.

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Long chapter today, you can pretty much view this as a double chapter since I'm too lazy to actually write two separate chapters.

Anyway enjoy the read.

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*Narration*

"GÁE BULG... BEOWULF!!!" August unleashed his attack, an original spell, a completely new magic created by him using all his experience, knowledge, and talent. August had finally begun to tap at the true potential of a Theïkó Óplo. And August had only got a drop of the spear's power, a drop in the vast ocean that is Beowulf.

The spear traveled true as it beamed straight into Goliath's core, the impact did not just shatter it, it disintegrated it to nothing, destroying the core up to its very atoms.

The spear landed to the ground, it passed through the monster like it was nothing, the spear encountered no resistance from Goliath's tough skin.

As the spear landed, it buried halfway to the ground and created a massive crater half the size of the adventurers guild.

Denki who was close to the attack was sent flying by the force of impact, a part of his skin charred at the heat generated by the spear, yet aside from that he was relatively unharmed. August had so much control over his mana that only the residual magic and the shockwave managed to touch Denki even though he was so near the epicenter.

He tried to balance himself mid air but failed to do so as the force sent him all the way towards the wall. He hit it with a thud as the air inside his body was forcefully expelled by the impact. Still he was conscious as he was able to protect himself with his mana. He slid down the wall and fell on his knees.

Froke on the other hand was knocked out cold, her level one body couldn't stand up to the force behind that attack as well as August's endless battle enhanced aura. She was lying face down on the ground as her mouth foamed. Denki saw this and breathed a sigh of relief. Froke right now may not look graceful but at least she was alive and stable.

Denki looked at the devastation of August's attack, his eyes widened in disbelief, the boss room dungeon floor, deemed as unbreakable had a massive crater in it and in the middle was the spear radiating with still so much magic.

"Holy shit..." Denki cursed under his breath, his eyes were glued at the weapon. At his peripheral vision he saw his captain, his body full of wounds and charred skin, his armor was gone from his right arm all the way down his torso. His body was full of scars, both old and new which he received when he unleashed that attack. "CAPTAIN!!!" Denki called out and ran towards his captain.

August stood tall as he watched his beloved spear that's stuck on the ground, his whole body ached and his vision was getting blurry. His right hand which he used when he throwed Beowulf was damaged as all the bone in it was broken, the skin was black as it was burned by a large amount of residual magic. "This is what I get for using an unfinished magic." he muttered as his body falls to the ground like a puppet that was cut off its strings.

Denki was fast enough to catch him though, not letting his captain hit the ground hard he held August at his left side making sure not to touch the heavily damaged side of his body.

"Captain what the hell was that?" Denki asked, his voice a mixture of outrage and excitement. Angry because of the effect it had on August, and excited because of the power behind that unknown attack.

"Oh Denki, that's you right?" August looked at his side and continued. "It seems that I can't see well right now and my body is entering mind zero... Be a dear and carry me for the rest of the trip." August spoke with his voice strained, he then passed out not long after.

"..." Denki didn't know what to say, his captain is out cold, Froke their supporter and third member is with August in dream land. "FUCK!!!" He can do nothing but curse at his predicament. Unable to do anything else he willed his aching body to carry both August and Froke towards the 18th floor safe zone. "Fucking slave driver, fucking lazy ass woman, I'll get you both for this fucking fuck fuck fuck." but not without releasing a torrent of colorful words as he did so.

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The gods all over the lower world felt a deep sense of fear all at the same time, they didn't know why but they all felt like their immortality is in jeopardy.

Something in their system is telling them, screaming at them that something is coming, this sensation of primal fear was etched inside their body, something that they had long forgotten in the past crept into their skins, crawling and gnawing at their mind.

That was the fear of true death, of oblivion, of nothingness.

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Freya at the top of the tower of babel shook uncontrollably as she held her body tightly, she felt like someone or something was looking at her very soul, something primal in nature, ancient and powerful. "W-What is this?" she asked herself unable to explain the sensation she was feeling.

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Loki who was at the middle of a meeting with her familia feel on her knees as her mind was filled with dread.

"My lady!" Finn the ever loyal captain of her familia was quick on her aid, he practically teleported at her side in order to catch his falling goddess. "My lady is everything ok? What are you feeling right now?" he asked rapidly.

"I-I don't know... It felt like something was clasping my heart..." Loki was sweating bullets as he looked at Finn with her eyes filled with fear. "It felt like death was coming for me..." her voice was filled with fear as she shivered in the hands of Finn.

All of Loki's familia looked at their goddess with a worried expression, they aren't used to seeing her like this, in fact it was the first time they ever saw Loki in that state.

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Hades was reading a report regarding Anna, the missing member of his familia. He was deep in thought when suddenly he was attacked by fear that was gripping the gods. He clutches his heart as it beats rapidly as he stares at the empty space in his office.

"A Theïkó Óplo has an owner." he spoke as he calmed himself down, a smile slowly creeping up his face. "Brother is this still part of your plan?"

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Thor slammed his hammer to the ground as he screamed in anger. "FUCK!!!" He cursed loudly getting the attention of everyone in his familia. He ignored it, he let his aura loose making everyone who felt it step back in fear of his furry. "Who? WHO IS THE FOOL WHO DARED TO WIELD SUCH AN ACCURSED WEAPON?!!"

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Hermes laughed uncontrollably holding his stomach as Asfi Al Andromeda stared at him confusedly. Hermes wiped the tear in his eyes as he held himself back from laughing.

"My lord, why are you laughing like a fool? Can you please stop, it's getting creepy."

Hermes laughter died down as he smiled towards his captain and confidant. "Oh Asfi, interesting things are coming for us. We might witness a rise of a new hero or a malignant tyrant. Either way the age of heroes will rise once again like the old man predicted."

Asfi sighs as she shakes her head back and forth. "If you say so my lord." she then slammed a large amount of paper in front of Hermes. "Now can you do your duty and sign all this paperwork."

"Asfi you're no fun at all."

"less fun more work. Now get to work lord Hermes, the paper work won't sign themselves."

Hermes sighed and unwillingly returned back to his job, but his heart was still trembling by the event and what it would mean in the future. 'Lord Zues, it seemed like you are right once again.' he thought to himself as he buried himself back to work.

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Ganesha dropped his tea as he paled, he tried desperately to calm himself as the sensation of fear crept and crawled inside his skin. "Siegfried..." he called out to his deceased child, the son he never had, and the one whom he'd forced to carry such a heavy burden. "I'm so sorry..." he felt guilt deep in his gut, he was the reason why this happened. If only he'd never found that accursed weapon, none of this would have ever happened. "Heracles I do not envy you right now..."

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Heracles who was sitting inside his office closed his eyes and took a deep long breath, the moment that he feared, that he hoped would never come, had finally arrived. His skin felt tingly as the sensation of hundreds of needles pricking him ran all around his body. He remembered his time as a mortal, he remembered the war that he fought in the past.

"August..." He called the name of his child, the child that he took as a boy, who had grown into a fine man, a child that he groomed to be a hero, someone who'd surpass him in the future. The boy who he came to love as his own son.

The door to his office slammed open as Hestia barged inside, sweating profusely with her skin as pale as snow.

She was about to open her mouth but Heracles beat her to it. "Yes Hestia... I felt it too."

"How? I thought every one of those things were sealed!" Hestia asked, her voice laced with fear as she got closer towards Heracles, hoping that he would have answers for her.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Heracles looked at her in the eyes, his face stoic, he had no trace of fear in his face. "They should be sealed, yet somehow one of them had found an owner."

"Is it y-"

"No. Trust me, it is not. And we will not talk of this here." Heracles's voice was firm, only a few gods knew about his pass, and there was an unspoken rule that it will not be mentioned ever again.

"Fine..." Hestia looked down on the ground as she clenched her chest. It was becoming harder to breathe as the sensation of fear took hold of her body. "What will happen now?"

He looked at the quivering goddess and sigh as he stood and walked near her. He raised his hand and rested it above her head as he pats it with care. "Only time will tell..." he answered and gave her a reassuring smile. "But do not fear... For I am here."

"..." Hestia silently rested her head in Heracles chest. She trusted her friend and she knew that he always kept his words towards his friends. "That's a corny line" she said chuckling in his chest.

"Shut up peep-squeak." Heracles also let a chuckle out. He then turned serious as he looked out the window in the direction of the dungeon. 'August, your path has taken a massive leap now... But as your god I promise I'll do everything in my power to help and guide you.' he thought to himself.

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-Somewhere outside Orario in a rural village in the mountains.

An old man who was tending to his farm felt chills all over his body, he stopped and stood still like a statue as he started wide eye into the far distance in the direction towards Orario.

"The primal spear has an owner..." he muttered under his breath. "One of the five had found its master."

He looked back towards his hut, where a boy, 14 years of age was reading a book about heroes.

The boy felt a gaze as he looked up to see the old man looking at him. "Is everything ok gramps?" he asked innocently.

The old man smiled and nodded his head. "Everything is fine Bell." he answered reassuringly.

The boy beams a smile as well and goes back to reading his favorite book. A book about the story of Argonaut and his merits.

'It is still too early.' The old man thought to himself as he turned and looked back towards the direction of Orario. He had been keeping track of everything thanks to Hermes, and he knew of the one who wielded the primal spear. "What will you do now Alcides?" he asked no one in particular and went back to tending his crops.

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-At the royal palace in the heart of the empire.

Athena was pacing back and forth as she bit the ends of her thumb. She was awoken in her sleep in cold sweat as the sensation of death passed by her skin.

She quickly ran towards the chamber of the emperor without minding that she was only wearing her night gown, she has more things to worry about than her appearance.

The soldiers guarding the door stopped her from barging in hence her situation where she was pacing back and forth waiting for an audience with the emperor.

"Lady Athena." a servant called out towards the goddess making her stop. She looked towards the servant expectantly. "The Emperor will see you now."

Without missing a beat she barged inside the room where the Emperor of the empire was waiting for her.

"Lady Athena. You are welcome into my home and are a guest in my country, but do remember the basic courtesy of one such as yourself." The Emperor spoke with a regal tone.

"I'm sorry, but basic courtesy flew out the window as of this moment." Athena, wasting no time brought the topic forward for the emperor to hear. "I'm afraid I need the assistance of the princess Daliah and request that you allow your daughter to use her magic."

"Lady Athena must I remind you where you are currently at?" The emperor asked. Angry by the request of the goddess to use his daughter. "You may be a God but you hold no power over me."

"I know that. But something bigger than the two of us, bigger than mortals or god alike is boiling and threatening this world into a deep and long war." Athena answered the emperor with no fear. She knew that no matter what happened, even if she couldn't use her arcanum the emperor couldn't do anything to her. She took a step closer as she stood eye to eye with the emperor. "Your daughter may hold the answer for what is to come."

The emperor looked at the goddess with an angry glare. "You know the cost of her using such magic, your her goddess and she's your child. Even knowing of the consequences you will still push for it? For my daughter to pay such a heavy price for a glimpse of an uncertain future, for a prophecy that may not even come to pass?" his voice carried the anger of a father.

"It is a necessary sacrifice for the greater good." Athena answered solemnly, she knew the price of using magic to get a glimpse in the branches of time, she knew that she would only get an uncertain prophecy for such a heavy price. But she must be ready for what is to come. "We are heading to uncertain times, your daughter is the only chance we have to prepare."

"I WILL NOT ALLO-"

"Father it's ok." The emperor was cut off as his daughter Daliah jumped in to join their conversation. "I am willing to pay the price."

The emperor widened his eyes as he looked at his only daughter, he did not expect her to come here and hear this conversation. "Daliah what are you doing here?" he asked furiously.

"Making a choice father." Daliah answered firmly, she stood her ground as she stared determined fire brimming in her eyes. "I am willing to pay the price."

"But I am not!" The emperor voice raised a few octaves higher as he reprimanded his daughter's choice. "You have no say in this matter, as your father and as emperor you will follow what I say you would do! And I say that you will not partake in this endeavor!" he was walking closer and closer towards Daliah.

"David, your daughter had made her choice." Athena got in between them, her aura was leaking as she stared at the emperor's eyes. "As her father you have to respect her choice."

The emperor held his ground, he was unfazed by the godly aura that was leaking out of Athena, he had been in his fair share of battles and wars. "Move, or I will move you." his voice becomes dangerously low as his eyes turn cold towards the goddess. The emperor was no pushover, he was the strongest adventurer empire outside the knights of knights. Boasting a level of 6, he was unafraid of the goddess in front of him.

"..." Athena was silent, yet her eyes had a fire in it, her aura that was leaking burst forth as the room shook with her might.

The emperor let his mana loose as he stood unafraid of the godly aura of Athena.

"ENOUGH!!!" Daliah screamed and got in between them making the two halt. She had tears threatening to leave her eyes as she looked at her father and at her goddess. "This is my life, this is my choice. I want this."

"...Daliah." The emperor called out to her, his voice filled with sadness as he looked at his daughter pleading at him. "Please..."

"Father it's ok. I have to do this, I need to do this." Daliah looked at her father's eyes as he spoke with great determination. "I felt something earlier... Something dark and ancient." her words made Athena shock, no mortal should have felt that, yet the princess did. She was convinced further that Daliah was really has the answer to this.

"You know the price..." The emperor's voice became soft as he held his daughter's hand. "It's too much... I... I..."

"It is a price I am willing to pay."

The emperor closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He then opened it and looked towards the goddess Athena. "Why is this so important? If you can tell me why then I'll allow it."

"A weapon from the age of heroes had found a new master." Athena spoke the words clearly.

"A weapon? You're willing to use my daughter for a weapon?" the emperor asked, his voice becoming agitated by what he heard.

"It's not just any weapon, it's a Theïkó Óplo, a weapon that holds overwhelming power, a weapon that in the wrong hands may lead to the destruction of all the realm. A weapon capable of killing us gods and destroying our very existence."

Athena took a deep breath and continued her explanation. "There are five such weapons, any one of them has the potential to destroy the world, they hold that much power." Her words made the king swallow as he listened intently at the goddess's every word. "These weapons are, The Primal spear, The Heroic bow, The Arcane Codex, The Holy sword, and its sibling the Demonic sword. These five weapons cannot be destroyed by any power even by themselves, we gods can only seal them, keep them away from mortal hands for those of us who have divinity may not wield them."

"And you're telling me that one of these weapons had been found?" The emperor paled as he received this information. He quickly asked for confirmation.

"You got it all wrong, a Theïkó Óplo chooses its master, even if you found one you may use it but unless it acknowledged you wholeheartedly you cannot use its full potential." Athena's voice echoes inside the room. "We gods can feel when a Theïkó Óplo fully acknowledged its user, it serves as a warning for us, that our time in this world and the next will come to an end."

""..."" Both the emperor and Daliah became quiet as they processed the information. It was too much for them. A god-killing weapon was something they didn't even know existed until today.

"Now that a Theïkó Óplo had chosen a master. Understand that I'm desperate to find out what the future may hold for us." Athena looked at the emperor with pleading eyes. "This involves you and your people as much as it involves me and the other gods. We need to have a clue to what may come for us all."

The Emperor looked at Athena then his daughter Daliah, he took a deep breath as he massaged the bridge of his nose. "under no circumstances she will do it again. I'll allow it only once and after that no matter what happens Daliah will not use that accursed magic ever again."

"Thank you David." Athena gave a respectful bow towards the emperor. She then looked towards the princess, she knew that she would pay such a heavy price but she must know what the future may hold. 'For the greater good.' She thought to herself.

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The three of them moved into the room where Daliah can perform her magic, it was a circular room and at the middle a pentagram full of runes and other magical symbols.

Daliah prepared the necessity required when performing her magic. She was a born prophet and has the ability to give prophecies for a price. A time for a time, as the price for using her magic is a chunk out of her lifespan.

She took a deep breath and looked at the two most important people in her life, her father who after the death of her mother became overly protective of her, and her goddess Athena, she had become a mother figure for her as she took her in her familia. She gave them a quick nod of assurance as she prepared herself.

She held a knife in her hand as she sliced her palm with it, drawing blood. In front of him is a piece of parchment and a quill. As blood pools in her palm she began to circulate her mana inside her body. And she chanted a quick chant. "a time for a time, I called upon the spirits, grant unto me knowledge of times to come and I will pay you back time of my own." as she finished her eyes turned white as she dived deep into a trance.

Her hand started to move as she picked up the quill and dipped it into her blood, she began to write into the parchment, a prophecy of what may come, a branch in the ever changing time.

The emperor watched as he clinched his fist turning white with his force. He grits his teeth as he knows that her daughter is losing time in her life for an uncertain prophecy that may lead to nothing or may lead to everything.

Athena placed her hands on top of the emperor's shoulder. "This must be done... For the greater good."

The emperor ignored her and watched on as her daughter was finishing up her magic.

Daliah was now breathing heavily as the magic took a toll on her body, she was sweating bullets as her hands continued to move on their own. And with a final wave she stopped and fell as her body entered mind zero.

The emperor quickly moved to catch her daughter before falling completely. She wiped the sweat on her forehead as he tore a fabric of his clothes to cover the wound and stop it from bleeding. He looked at the paper full of words, he then spoke coldly. "There's your prophecy... I hope you're fucking happy now." he then carried her daughter out and into her room.

Athena watched the back of the emperor as he made his exit with her daughter in his arms. She bit her lips at the sight of her long time friend leaving her without even looking back at her. "Be strong Athena, this is for the greater good." she tells herself before walking towards the paper in the middle of the room.

She picked it up and read the content of it, Daliah's prophecy.

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The flow of time had been disturbed, chaos spread unto the world, someone who should have died lived and created a disturbance in the flow of time.

The world will be plunged in darkness, the age of heroes will come again, as mortals, gods, and monsters, will battle for the faith of the realm.

Mother night will come for all, she will bring with her an army to cleanse the world, all will fall under her wrath, unless four heroes will come to pass.

A man who lived, a white rabbit, a mortal not of this realm, and a daughter not of this time. These four heroes must rise and bring the day to chase away mother night.

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Athena was beyond confused, she expected something, anything that may involve the Theïkó Óplos. But what she got was something more sinister.

"This can't be... This must not come to pass." her hand shook as her throat dried up. What she read was a prophecy towards the end of days.

With her wisdom she was able to decipher one part of the prophecy, Nyx will come and kill them all.

And now she must do everything in order to find the four heroes in the prophecy in order to avoid the endless night.

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Chapter 41 is done now, how do you guys like the story so far?

Please leave a comment, a review and feedback so I can improve on writing this fanfic. every little thing helps as it allows me to see your preference on things and would help me write a better fanfic for you all to enjoy.

thanks for picking up this fanfic. hope you guys like it.

good day, love y'all.