[212] Plans Messed Up, More Gods?!

Chapter 212: Plans Messed Up, More Gods?!

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The midnight moon bathed Thalindra in a cool blue glow, casting long shadows through the narrow alleys and bustling streets. Despite it being nighttime, the city was alive with activity, more than usual, its inhabitants moved with a sense of hope and well-hidden nervousness. 

People who have stopped doing business due to excessive loss, returned with their stores reopened. The scent of freshly baked bread mingled with the earthy aroma of spices from the bazaar, and the sounds of haggling merchants, clinking coins, and lively chatter filled the air. It seemed like a usual day before the Outer Gods had attacked. 

However, that was only on the surface.

The alleys were being upturned, new houses were built, and starving people were having a feast. The Duchy was using its wealth to improve their lives already. The people were smiling, they were filled with hope and they were happy. However, deep in their hearts, there were worms of fear.

Inside a cozy, dimly lit bar tucked away in a corner of the market district, where customers gathered around wooden tables, murmuring to one another. A group of men, their faces lined with the weariness of recent hardships, clinked their mugs together in a toast.

"To the Hero's return!" one of them declared, his voice filled with fervor. "He'll save us all, you'll see."

"Aye," another chimed in, nodding vigorously. "Didn't you hear? He defeated the Phoenix God's Avatar with one blow. If anyone can turn the tide, it's him."

At a nearby table, a young woman, daughter of the inn owner, cleaned a table and wowed, "I heard he's planning to confront the demons at the poles. Imagine that, facing those monsters head-on! Even Hero Jasmine was only defending Erebia, not daring to head to the poles."

A merchant's daughter smiled wistfully. "He's our only hope. With him and his allies, we might finally see an end to this nightmare," she said. Someone like her used to dine in the finest restaurant, not in a bar, but the recent loss in her company was too deep. "Everything will go back to how it was, I'm sure."

The night was filled with chatters like that, as the morning sun began to peek at the eastern sky. The city was bathed in a warm golden glow, and the few people who were asleep also woke up.

In the bustling bazaar outside, vendors hawking their wares with renewed vigor. "Fresh fruits! Fresh fruits! Blessed by the Hero's presence!" one of them shouted, holding up a basket of ripe apples. Obviously, the last line was bullshit, Aqua's presence cast no blessing, but people still swarmed the shop like crazy.

A customer, examining a bolt of fabric, glanced up and commented to the vendor, "It's a good sign, isn't it? The Hero is here. Means we'll be safe."

"Ah, you must not be from around here," the vendor replied. Although the Hero was famous all across the world, his home city's people were more aware of his feats. A smile spread across his face. "I got elf blood, my grandmother was a dark elf, so she was alive during the hero's time. She used to tell me stories, that when the hero was alive, all remaining demons hid underground. Even ten years after his death, no demon peeked its head out in fear that the Hero's ghost would cut it into pieces!"

"Oh…"

"So yes, we will be safe. For sure."

The vendor laughed, while the customer rubbed the back of his head. Amid the sea of hopeful faces, he wasn't the only one doubtful. An older man, his face shadowed by a wide-brimmed hat, leaned against a wooden post and muttered, "But will it be alright? Can one man, even with all his power and allies, truly make a difference against such overwhelming odds?"

"Hey, watch what you say old man, he-"

"…I was nearby when the Goddess fought the Outer Gods," the man raised his head, the nearby people paused seeing his gold-rimmed eyes. He was from the Empire, his eyes said he had the blood of the Golden Boar Duke. Since he was such an old man, he must be the former duke.

"You…?"

Someone tried to guess who he was, but he spoke over them, "The Goddess was defeated. How can the Hero match the enemy when the Goddess is defeated? This is not even heresy, I'm sure many of you have heard the news and chose to not believe it. I thought she had died, but somehow she survived."

"...."

"I wish to be proved wrong, but the Hero might not be enough…"

After a short silence, the murmurs of praise slowed, a ripple of uncertainty spreading through the crowd. A woman clutching her child's hand close to her chest whispered, "C-can you guys stop saying this stuff? It's a bad omen. Isn't he supposed to leave this morning?"

A heavy silence fell over the bar and the market alike. People exchanged worried glances, their earlier enthusiasm dampened by the harsh reality of their situation. The weight of their fears hung in the air, starkly contrasting the earlier optimism.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves clattering against cobblestones drew everyone's attention. The crowd turned to see the Hero and his group, mounted on majestic horses, making their way towards the main gate. 

"There they are," the same mother said. Hero Seriphoth, at the forefront, rode a majestic white horse with a calm determination that seemed to radiate reassurance. Their earlier doubt calmed down a little, although the fear remained.

As he and his line of horses led outside, the people of Thalindra followed, their footsteps echoing off the buildings as they trailed behind the Hero's entourage. As they approached the main gate, a different part of the crowd began to cheer.

"Hero! Hero!" they chanted, their voices rising in unison. "Save us!"

Seriphoth and his companions dismounted outside the gate, the horses merely a show of grandeur for the send-off. The Hero turned to face the crowd, his eyes scanning the sea of anxious faces. He raised a hand in a silent farewell, nodding at them. Then, with a powerful leap, he took to the air. 

Quetzalcoatl, in her majestic dragon form, followed closely, her wings unfurling in a display of raw power. Mem, Shoko, Yuzuru, and the others rode atop the feathered dragon. The crowd watched in awe as the Hero and his allies soared higher, their figures growing smaller against the horizon of the morning sky.

A sense of collective resolve settled over the people of Thalindra. They were hopeful indeed, but the fear that he'd fail, and everything would be destroyed lingered in their hearts.

They just prayed to the Goddess that the Hero would bring victory once again.

****

[First Person Point of View]

The wind caressed my face, ruffling my black hair, as I flew towards the south. Quetzalcoatl's massive form flew beside mine, and little Yuzuru was accompanying it.

Mem was looking at me from atop her dragon ride. She leaned beside Shoko to whisper, although my ears still picked on her ears, "Isn't he uncharacteristically silent?" 

Shoko agreed with a nod. Of course she did, she had a power similar to Seraphina in that regard. However, in her case, she could sense a man's emotion based on his voice.

I guess I've been quite silent and serious these past few months in comparison to the fifteen years before. It was a personality change, one that would probably revert to normal when I'm done saving this world. Yet, even compared to this change, they thought it was uncharacteristic for me to be this silent. 

It made sense to me why though. Nobody would have liked hearing those words. I'll need a good fight at the frontlines to feel better.

"The South Pole is taken by the Dark Phoenix, from what I hear, yes?" said Quetzalcoatl out of the blue, crackling to herself. "Ah, such good luck. I've been wanting to beat up a phoenix for a while now. The wheel of fate is on my side."

Newspapers must be flying around the world by now saying, the Hero and his foreign allies have flown towards the South Pole, on a mission to defeat the Demonic Phoenix. Another group, led by the Goddess and more foreign allies, will soon be headed towards the North Pole to defeat the Chaotic Clown.

Everyone would expect the news of victory in a few days, if not by tomorrow.

"...Don't underestimate the enemy, and don't play with them. Go all out from the get-go," I reminded her. "My Goddess said these enemies can tap into higher power, their true form, unobscured by whatever restriction they are under. In such a case, they surpass entities like Durga and Vishnu with ease. We ought to be careful."

Quetzalcoatl let out a peal of laughter but didn't say anything. Seraphina, atop the dragon, perked her ears up at those names she had never heard. She leaned to Mem-Cho, asking her about the two names mentioned, and we continued on our way. If the two imperial kids were here, they would have shown interest too, but I've left them back at Thalindra since they were too weak.

This meant that currently, six people were heading towards the South Pole. Once again, teams have changed. Without realizing it has already changed thrice. In this team, Team 1, only two of us were Chief God class—Quetzalcoatl and I—the others would be there to take care of any distractions. It should be fine since the Phoenix Avatar was already dead, so only small fries would remain as distractions.

That's why the other team, led by my Goddess, had more members. They also had three Chief God class entities, Ai, Galaxara, and Ranefer. Ruby was there too, as was Jasmine. Although the Clown God wasn't alone, since his Avatar was still alive, that team shouldn't have any trouble dealing with them.

"Let's speed up," I said as the clouds passed by us faster than a second ago.

"H-hey, not you too! I can't keep up!" Yuzuru shouted from behind, having focused more on firepower training than flight.

****

[Third Person Point of View]

Galaxara and the rest of Group 1 soared through the skies, a streak of light carrying them. Hours earlier, she had received an orb of light – a message sealed within – sent by Sieran. Of course, the message itself was from Aqua. 

He instructed them to leave Khormavia and regroup with Group 3 in Erebia. As they flew, a streak of light against the darkening sky, their eyes scanned the land below, vigilant for any signs of trouble. It was a bizarre sight. 

The roads were infested with demons, dread beasts running around just days ago. Demonic creatures fought for ownership over the land, as they'd own it after the planet's essence had been absorbed. And any starving humans who had no choice but to leave their shelter for food would meet their end in minutes, the demons would relish.

Now the same roads were unusually quiet. Many of the larger infestations had been cleared, and swirling gates stood open in the air, yet no monsters emerged. The lands that were once overflowing with dark creatures were now oddly peaceful.

Not that desserts were green again, not that ruined cities were repaired, but there were little to no demons in sight.

The refugee camps they saw from the air, which had previously fallen and destroyed, were now brimmed with people. Scattered humans have regrouped together, someone must have given them enough hope to dare do that. 

There were no demons within hundreds of kilometers of these camps, a stark contrast to the chaos they had expected. There were, however, a lot of broken demonic statues. As in, demons who were turned into stone and then shattered. What an odd sight.

"I sense the use of Light Divinity near most of the refugee camps," Galaxara noted, her eyes narrowing. "It was likely Ai's doing. On the other hand, the energies of the others are also in other places. They've fought a lot, most lesser demons fled the scene by their mere presence."

Galaxara's words hung in the air, gratitude in her heart. Excluding Aqua, whose true strength remained a mystery even to her, Galaxara had to admit that Ai might be among the top three strongest. Though Ai's base power wasn't extraordinary, her accumulated cheats and familiarity with them made her a formidable force.

As they traveled further, after half an hour, their path took them to the largest refugee camp in Erebia. The camp was bustling with activity, not only from humans but also from Djinn and other creatures seeking refuge.

From the sky, they could see everything clearly. The camp was quite large, and at the center of it, was a massive tent with multiple strong energies inside. The two exorcist girls, who were now more than that, stood before the tent as guards.

"Let's go down," Galaxara covered her and her subordinates with a simple light-reflecting command, causing an effect of invisibility. Then, the streak of light began to lower toward the ground. She didn't want to garner attention from the crowd just yet, she wanted to meet her friends first.

"Hello, may we go in?" Once she touched the ground in front of the tent, she spoke to Xenovia who blinked in surprise. Galaxara's body became slightly visible, and the exorcist girl recognized her.

"Ah, yes, you guys are here. We've been expecting you after receiving the message from my lord," Irina said, bowing slightly.

"Please head inside," Xenovia said, stepping aside, "I think they need your assistance. Especially Asia."

"…?"

Galaxara and the others stepped inside, their body growing fully visible. Inside, a sight stopped them in their tracks. The culprit behind clearing all the demons in the area, Ai Hoshino, lay excessively injured, her body battered and bruised. 

Blood trickled from the corners of her mouth, staining her once pristine clothes. Her clothes weren't an outfit of [Wardrobe], but a casual wear instead. Did she perhaps not even have enough stamina to keep the ability active? Her clothes were tattered and torn in places. She looked to be in a bad state.

"Aunty Ai?! W-what happened?!" Asia exclaimed in shock, rushing to Ai's side. Galaxara quickly followed, as did Kalawarna and Auriel. Among them, Kalawarna looked scared, rather than worried.

"I- I don't know! She just crashed into the camp about half an hour ago like this," Ruby answered instead.

Tsubasa, Ranefer, and Jasmine were there too. Ranefer was in a corner of the room, a small bottle in her hand as she forced herself to shed tears, collecting them in the bottle. Ruby held Ai's hand and sobbed, casting healing spells. Nearby, Tsubasa stood with a rare, enraged frown, her arms crossed.

When Ai ran to her and grabbed her other hand, Ai coughed, more blood splattering onto the ground, "There are… unaccounted-for enemies here."

"No, please stay silent," Galaxara said, putting a hand on Asia's shoulder. "I'll lend you divinity, use your power to heal her."

"Right away," Asia nodded, closing her eyes and murmuring something. Ruby stepped back to let them take over. A green aura exploded out of Asia, while a golden aura steeped into her through Galaxara's touch. Seconds passed, and Ai's complexion grew healthier. She wasn't that serious of a condition earlier, but now she began to look almost healthy.

A minute later, she heaved out a soft sigh and nodded at Asia. Asia stopped her healing, and Galaxara stepped closer to help Ai sit up on the bed.

"Mmgh," she managed to groan, her voice weak but determined. "It's dangerous. Odd, powerful enemies are littering the North Pole."

"More than the Clown? But how?" Jasmine asked with a frown.

Ai sighed, resting against the bed frame. "Let me start from the get-go. I've been clearing demons as far as my sight went. I turned them into stone with my gaze and shattered them with a blast of laser. It was as easy as flying over an area while looking down at the streets." She said, "It didn't take hours to clear country-sized areas, and I began to focus on refugees I could sense. Once I gathered a bunch of their location, I carried them back to refugee bases, large fortified mansions that still stood, and placed them there. It was going alright. All demons ran from my presence, no problem arose for most of the day. Then… I came across this guy who claimed to be the Avatar of the Chaotic Clown."

"I don't think that jester bastard is strong enough to push you to this state, though," Jasmine said, "I've fought him in his true form, and I would say you're much stronger."

 "That I indeed am," Ai admitted, rubbing her shoulder. "At first he tried to play with me instead of properly fighting, I took that chance to try and take him out in a single blow. I succeeded," she said, "The Avatar of the Clown God is dead. I got too excited by that little achievement and failed to notice a stronger presence that rushed at me."

"The Clown God himself," Auriel guessed.

"No, it wasn't him," Ai looked at the Archangel and said. "It was someone else…. a different Outer God. He introduced himself as Vortigern, the Abyssal Warlord, God of Despair and Conquest." She let that sink in for a moment, before adding, "Yes, the Outer Gods received reinforcements from their home world."

Asia gasped, while Jasmine groaned in frustration. Galaxara's eyes widened, and she exchanged worried glances with the others. Her words brought a new level of urgency to the people in this tent. Two Outer Gods were enough to drive Galaxara away, how many more did come as reinforcement?! 

"After an all-out fight, both of us were injured, but my Super Vision saw others coming this way. I had no choice but to flee. If I had delayed, they could have chased me, which would lead them to this camp. So I didn't take that risk." She coughed, "That's why I got this injured. He was a powerful entity."

"He surely is, if he pushed you to this state," Ranefer said, stepping towards the crowd with a vial in her hand. "But at least he won't be able to heal himself, while you will be back to top condition in no time," as if to make a point, she reached out the vial filled with Phoenix Tears. "Here. This should get you back to top condition immediately."

Ai accepted, sighing, "Thanks, but I don't think you're right. If you're able to heal me like this," she drank the tears, watching the last of her wounds heal, and felt her strength return. "The Dark Phoenix should be able to heal him too."

"Isn't he on the South Pole though?"

"No," Ai said, surprising the crowd, "I said I saw other Gods coming to aid Vortigern in the end, right? I caught a glimpse of the Dark Phoenix there. He looked similar to the Avatar that Aqua defeated when we were in heaven."

Ranefer frowned. "Oh."

"Then is our information incorrect?" Kalawarna asked.

"I don't think so," Tsubasa said. "We have been reported by the locals too precisely for it to be incorrect. Also, Aqua fought the Phoenix Avatar in the Elven Forest, which is near the South Pole, not the North, while Miss Jasmine fought the Clown's Avatar before here in Erebia, as did Ai herself."

"Then? Why is the phoenix here?" Asia asked.

"It's likely that they switched places. Right after the Clown's Avatar died, most likely. Maybe the Clown lost his senses and fell into an enraged spite, so the Phoenix decided to switch places. I'm assuming the inside of the Towers can teleport people from one tower to the other. That's why they switched spots to not only confuse us, since each of our group is going there prepared to fight a specific enemy but also sent the berserk Clown to the side where our strongest person, Aqua, is." With a calm voice, Tsubasa explained.

Auriel looked impressed at that. She leaned near Kalawarna to whisper something about Tsubasa, while Ai nodded at the girl with a soft smile.

"Good point, I think the same," perhaps this girl would make a good wife for her son. "Anyways, I noticed two Gods coming from the North I fled. So, in total, there are three Outer Gods here. If we assume the number is the same in the South, Aqua has to go against three Outer Gods as well, with just Quetzalcoatl's help. That would be dangerous."

"We... We need to inform Aqua then." Asia said, "It's too dangerous for him and Quetzalcoatl alone, we should focus on each side first and then go to the others!"

"Asia, don't be hasty," Ai shook her head.

Of course, something like that wouldn't work. If they just focused on one side, the three Gods on the other side might go on a rampage and destroy half of the world. It would be a stupid choice to make.

"I don't see why we're getting so worked up over nothing," Ruby stood up. "It's just three enemies. Since Mom has already defeated one of them, even if he is healed, she can defeat him again. There is the Dark Phoenix there, Ranefer can take care of him. As for the last God, whoever it is, goddess Galaxara can take care of him. I'll aid her."

"...." Galaxara listened to her with a nod of acknowledgment.

"After we are done defeating them, we can enter that blood tower and teleport to the other one. Then we can aid Onii-chan in defeating his enemies," she said. "Does that sound good?"

"It does," Jasmine said, grinning. "As expected of the Hero's twin, you're brave and calm even in the face of danger. We should get moving."

"We should," Galaxara said, raising a finger to form a bubble of light. It shot out of her and flew towards the other side of the world to tell Aqua about the situation. 

"Let's get ready to drive those outsiders away from our world," she said, shimmering with a soft aura of anger.

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Author Note: Long chapter, hope you liked it. Goal for tomorrow is two. If we touch 500 words, I post 2 chapters, if we touch 400, I post 1. Otherwise none, sorry busy week 😕

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