878. Desert and Decay

"Oh, fuck me..." Cade mumbled and legged it. She activated all her skills, from invisibility to illusion, anything that would help her escape as quickly as possible. She didn't need to see whatever just happened on top of the skyscraper.

The presence the rakshasi could feel from this distance was enough to tell her, that she had no chance in a fight. Even if she was in a better condition, she needed to be lucky to get away with her life. She was not lucky today. A white flash zipped past her.

"Where do you think you are going?" a buff man in a suit, glowing with a bright aura stood in her way.

"...I wanted to go home? I really liked Y-City and the scenery is great, but I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to go back home. If you would excuse me now-"

"What did you do to Charles?" he interrupted her as if he was not even listening.

"Who? I don't know Charles."

"Do you think you can lie in front of me,  Milton, the God of War?" he asked quick-tempered.

"M-Milton?" Cade couldn't help asking.

"How dare you disrespect a god and his followers. I will give you divine punishment!"

A tremendous pain suddenly spread through her chest, followed by a wave of agony as the crashed into a wall. Slumping over, she could only feel pain in her back and chest, her legs were completely numb.

After hearing her utter his name almost mockingly, the "god of war" started attacking. A light jab at the speed of sound broke every rib in Cade's body and lodged her firmly into the nearby ruins. She had not even seen the punch, much less have time to react.

She only realized what happened after her ribs and back were broken. The last shards of her Polyarkanate armor had crumbled to the ground. Saving her life was the last accomplishment of the torn chest plate.

"You are still alive, after receiving a jab from me. I compliment your resilience," he spoke pretentiously, as he stepped toward the crippled woman, stuck in the wall. His intention was clearly to finish her off.

He towered over her, blocking out the sun, illuminating her face in his faint white aura. At this moment she accepted that this was probably her end. She had always thought she had a lot of regrets, but nothing came to her mind in this moment. The only thing on her mind was the unadulterated fear of death. Who would have taught she had such a strong attachment to her fucked up life?

She didn't look away as Milton was about to end her life, staring him right in the eyes. They were full of fear but didn't look away.  When his fist came barreling down to crush her skull, he suddenly stopped.

"Bring her here. I want to see her," a charming voice echoed through the city. It clearly originated from the top of the building, but it sounded from everywhere as if spoken by an omnipresent being. Before she could even realize what happened, Milton had already grabbed her and vanished from the street.

…

Atop the building, in the throne room surrounded by jagged walls and the clear sky above, Milton gave her a petty shove. Unable to even stand on her own, Cade simply plopped to the ground, forced to look up to the throne. She was now face to face with the group of immortals.

There were exactly seven, three on each side with the leader of the scene sitting on the throne. He was shining so brightly that he almost looked like a figure made of pure light. This light had nothing to do with the sun or the divine, or physical power. Cade knew this light, this was the light of souls, concentrated to the point it became visible even to people without a specific skill.

"Your tenacity is commendable, Cade Albright. I granted you this audience because I wanted to give you a choice. The once-in-a-lifetime chance to join us."

"Join you?" she asked, wheezing as she tried to laugh, only for blood to fill her mouth.

"Oh, not as an ally. I know you wouldn't be a good ally. I meant as an adversary. We still need a god of death. Every Pantheon needs its opposition. I'm offering you a chance to continue opposing us;" he said producing orbs of soul power. It was filled with dim darkness and an aura of fear and despair.

"All you need to do is take the serum and absorb this," he said mysteriously.

"W-What is that?" she asked confused by the sudden offer.

"These are all the experiences and parts of souls we collected that are connected to death, suffering, and decay, whether it is their own, their skills, or in general. With this you will attain all the knowledge and skill one needs, to be called a god of death," he explained with an alluring smile.

Becoming an immortal and gaining skills and memories that would make her a god of death? The offer itself sounded awfully stupid. It was clear there was a catch. But with the background of having a chance to survive now and keep working against the Scene in the future...she was almost tempted. Almost.

"Every Pantheon needs their adversary, doesn't that just mean you will blame all your evil deeds on me? What you want is a scapegoat to make yourself look better," she concluded and laughed in derision. She ignored the fresh blood shooting in her mouth with every laugh.

"You are right. But nothing I said is a lie. You would still gain incredible power and could try to stop us."

"Haha, sorry, but I still have trust issues. Also, what's the point of agreeing, when Seth is going to kill all of you."

"Who? OH! Do you mean the Tower Master of Minas Mar? Don't get your hopes up. After my apotheosis, even the "great" Tower Master will have no choice but to bow to me, Ozymandias, King of Kings!"

"Pff-! " Cade stared at him for a moment but couldn't help but guffaw at his self-given name in a fountain of blood. Ozymandias looked at her, confused by her reaction.

"Did- Did you even read that poem, or did you just steal that line because it sounded cool?" she asked in between laughs and trying to catch his breath as blood flowed from her mouth. Her laughter abruptly stopped when Milton kicked her across the throne room.

"Stop your disrespect in front of the king, vermin! Nobody in this world can save you now," he exclaimed.

Tremendous pain filled her mind, but Cade desperately clung to her life as she stared at the sky above and watched as it turned crimson.

"What are you smiling about? Disrespecting the Allfather even in your last moments. I will end you now."

He was about to crush her head under his boot when the district was filled by an agitated, almost jovial tune.

"See I had promised I was coming back to kick your ass!" someone sang in an incomprehensible language, but they all understood the meaning and felt the power in the words.

"Coming back to kick a~ass!"A demonic choir was added to the first line.

"Who?" Ozymandias exclaimed.

"You don't know me by my face, or by the weapon on my waist, but I came back to burn your business to the ground."

Fire fell from the crimson sky and smoke rose to the clouds. Hordes of demons descended onto the city. However, they did not care for the survivors but jumped at the beasts, the monsters, and the immortals The Scene had let loose. They charged in with a force, that had them beg on their knees.

Riding on the shoulder of a giant demon, with bat wings and ram horns was a man, lifting his fist to the burning sky.

"… I am the righteous hand of God

And I am the devil that you forgot

And I told you,"One day you will see

That I'll be back, and I guarantee

That hell's coming! Hell's coming~ Hell's coming with me."

"There is your desert and decay, Ozymandias..." Cade thought as she lost consciousness.