Resurrection Arc 11

Author's note :

So I realized that there are 'questionable' things in my book. Mainly because I did not portray enough details in the story. So anyway, here are some details that I didn't manage to put in (or convey properly) in the book.

The Obsidian Crown.

So the crown, in a way, is an item that can connect a person to the underworld. When Kaizo wears the crown, his consciousness is pulled to the Underworld. So his body is still in the real world. But his mind/soul is brought to the Underworld.

The reason why it pains him to wear the crown is that the crown is too powerful for him to wear. And to top it off, only a person who is 'close to death' (be it witnessing traumatic death or experienced death) can wear the crown with less pain.

This hinted at how Axion is actually half dead (since she's a half-demon) which makes her able to wear the crown leisurely.

The place with a black fountain where Axion is seen talking with Lucifer is a town square close to the door/border between the land of the living and the Underworld.

Axion saw Kaizo come to the Underworld. But because Kaizo is still alive, the Underworld rejected his arrival. This results in Kaizo being unable to fully communicate with Axion.

Axion and Lucifer's connection.

I don't think this is important to note. But I'll leave it here just in case.

So Axion has existed for 3000 years. She spent a few hundred years in hell. Which is why she knows Lucifer.

She has a history with Lucifer.

While she escorts/delivers the souls of the dead, Lucifer punishes the souls of sinners. So in a way, their jobs are somewhat related.

During her stay in hell, Lucifer and Axion DID go on a date. She was the closest to being the empress of hell. But Axion never loved him. She just used him to rise to the throne of hell and secure her title as a "Hell lord". Lucifer, however, somewhat took interest in her.

In terms of partying all night, Lucifer and Axion are pretty much party buddies. They're the kind of best friends that would do crazy stuff together.

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The Heavenly Court of The Order of Verchiel.

"By the order of the Heavenly court, I declare the special session of the open-world resumed," said Verchiel.

The hammer of the court was hit 3 times to mark its opening.

"As you all know, I was invited to join an intergalactic alliance meeting recently. And I must say they were not too happy about the undoing of the Dark Queen. The intergalactic alliance held us responsible for releasing the beast confined on the dark planet and bringing chaos to many parts of the Galaxy. Our proposal to join the Alliance is… difficult to attain. However, our appeal as a community has made them reconsider not putting us on trial or charging us with imprisonment. Or even worse, declaring a war against us."

"That's ridiculous," said an angel. "We are angels sent by the Gods! Who would dare to judge us?"

"One thing we must acknowledge is these people have no faith in Gods and that they are unknown to our faith," said Verchiel. "I see this as an opportunity to spread our wings and share the words of the Gods beyond."

"But spreading the grace of the Gods will be hard to do," said Adnachiel.

"So far, we've been sending aid across the galaxy. Some in which… not well taken by the local community," Adnachiel began. "Many planets see the Dark Queen as a guardian who protects them from the monster's raid. They don't see us, who bring down the Dark Queen, as allies. This results in many planets not only refusing our aid but also seeing us as the enemy."

"Nonsense!," said an angel. "These people have been brainwashed. The Queen is no Guardian. She's a killer! A demon that has taken so many lives."

Some angels nod in agreement.

"And what if these people are actually part of the Queen's followers?"

"Then we must be the one who punishes them," another angel answered. "It is our duty to help those who are lost. We must guide them back to the path of God."

"You do realize what you've said will offend the entire galaxy and start a war?"

"Oh, we're already in the middle of a war. A war that is created by the Queen of Death."

Verchiel raises his hand. Trying to calm the courtroom.

"Regardless, I will lead several bands of angels and continue sending aid across the galaxy despite the rejections of the people," said Adnachiel.

Verchiel nods in approval. "Please do. Moving on."

Valerius rises from his seat. "As per your request, I have been investigating the Umbran Society in our neighboring world, Earth. I have confirmed that a piece of lost darkness has escaped Terra and made its way to Earth."

"Have you found what darkness has escaped Terra?" Verchiel asked.

"It was a book of resurrection, Necromantia," said Valerius.

The court begins to murmur with uneasiness.

"If the book is used, a plague would spread on Earth," said an angel.

"How did that book end up on Earth?"

"We suspect that Alastor the demon brought it there. The Umbran believed him as the Lord of Death. They are expanding their influence as we speak," said Valerius.

"Then it's clear enough. We must raid the Umbran."

"There is… slight inconvenience," said Valerius. "Someone from the intergalactic alliance has involved himself with the Umbran."

"Who?"

"It's Captain Kaizo. He was there at the castle on the day we raided TrEs-2b," said Valerius.

"Better yet! We get rid of him too," said an angel. "He's friends with the Dark Queen. He must be evil."

Verchiel raises his hand to stop the angels from speaking further.

"What is the Captain doing with the Umbran?" Verchiel asked.

"I'm afraid he joined the Umbran under the pretense of raising the Dark Queen back to the land of the living."

"Then it's settled! We must stop him and raid the Umbran Mages at all costs. We can't let them bring back the Dark Queen. Not when we finally hunted her down after 3000 long years of pursuit!"

"If we make a move on the Captain, we will make more enemies in the intergalactic alliance."

"From what I heard, Captain Kaizo has left the Astraeus station and led a small group of his own accord."

"But that doesn't mean he has no support from his former allies."

The courtroom is filled with various opinions.

"I will bring down the Umbrans myself and deal with Kaizo," Valerius said firmly. Taking all attention to him. "After all, it's still related to my sister."

"Then I will provide aid!" said Adnachiel.

Verchiel raised his hand once again and the courtroom went silent. He leaned forward and looked at Valerius.

"If you fight him, the Intergalactic alliance will see you in a bad way," said Verchiel. "The Intergalactic alliance demanded to at least put you on trial for being the one who killed the Dark Queen. Do consider giving this task to someone else."

"No!" said Valerius abruptly. "I took an oath to stop my sister with my very own hand. I will see this through myself," he said with determination.

"Very well. Do as you wish. We will support you however we can," said Verchiel.

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Kaizo throws away his jacket and falls to his chair. Now not only is his head throbbing. But his entire body is sore. The pain from using the crown still haunts his body.

The thing with a pain immunity spell is that it only stops your sense of pain. But the wound would still remain. You can stab a person with a pain immunity spell, and he won't feel pain. But the blood would still come out and eventually, a person can still die.

Kaizo pulls out a small camera and connects it to his computer. While he was reading through the Necromantia, he had recorded every page of the book with a hidden camera. He breaks down the recording into pictures and has them thoroughly checked.

There is a spell written in the Necromantia. The Apostle misinterprets it as the spell to summon the Lord. But Kaizo saw something else. It was in fact, a necromancy spell, the art of raising the dead.

Kaizo remembered Adamalech's words.

"We tried many times to use this spell. But to no avail. We think there is something missing in the way we cast it. Maybe we don't have enough magic. Maybe we don't know the right time to use it," said Adamalech.

Kaizo looks closely at the spell. The pattern, the words. He notices what the Apostles are lacking. Sacrifices.

The spell doesn't make of just magic. There are signs of alchemy in the spell. As a man of science, Kaizo can see it.

Equivalent Exchange is the principle that limits alchemy's infinite potential. It's a simple concept: something cannot be created from nothing, and so in order to obtain something, something else of equal value must be lost.

To raise the dead, something of equal value must be sacrificed. If someone is trying to raise one person, another person must die. But how can one judge the value of a person? If you sacrifice a child to raise an old man or sacrifice a bad man to raise a good man, surely the value cannot be called 'equal'.

Kaizo racks his brain.

"What sacrifice would be equal… to raise a Queen of darkness?" he thought to himself.

On what basis can a person's value be judged? Their deeds? Their age? Their character?

Suddenly a voice unknowingly whispered. It comes to him like an idea.

"...their strength," Kaizo mumbled.

He rummages through his past research. Looking for more details on alchemy.

To raise someone with Axion's caliber, someone with powerful magic, Kaizo must also sacrifice someone or something powerful. Or maybe not just someone. It could be a hundred mages or a thousand sinners. She has a history of destroying a kingdom once. Would killing an entire country be enough?. What about an entire planet?

Would he be brazen enough to kill many just to bring back his love who wasn't even a living to begin with?

He glanced at the window of his ship and saw Fang with Suhani outside. He opened all files related to Suhani. Everything he knows about her is based on the reports Fang sent him. From the time when they both first met to all the missions they went through. He slowly rises from his seat and steps closer to the window.

"Yes… You can get her back…" said the demonic whispers. "With the power that we give you. Succumb to the darkness and be with your loved one."

The dwarf demon Kaizo met has been watching him without Kaizo realizing it all this time.

"Someone powerful…Powerful enough to replace a thousand sacrifices. Powerful enough to adapt. Smart enough to use magic…" Kaizo mumbled.

A living of flesh and metal with the capability of understanding magic. A half-robot that can withstand harsh conditions and a half-human that can harbor a living soul. A being with the potential to be as powerful as a power sphere. A perfect sacrifice… for a Goddess.

"Will she be enough?" he wondered.

Kaizo clenched his fist.

If she's not enough, he'd use every Umbran, every power sphere, every Terrans in his sight to make up for the lack.