Chapter 122: Gehenna
#Please let me know if you find some error.#
The eternal bond that Athena and Fotiá had, initially was something that just linked their fate into one and allowed them to feel what was each other's situation. From the moment Athena started accumulating power, the eternal bond began to change and became something like a bridge between their souls. And this bridge allowed Fotiá to use Athena's mana however she wanted in addition to it's previous functions.
This started after Athena and Michael's fight. Athena was already at a godly power level and became even stronger after absorbing Michael's powers. This makes the bond between Fotiá and her expand and become stronger.
As Athena was much more powerful than Fotiá, the bond became something one-sided. Fotiá was the one who felt everything Athena felt and all of Athena's power was available to her.
At first it was subtle, but after Athena took Nirsa's divinity and his purpose to herself, the intensity of what Fotiá felt and the power she received increased several times over. This to the point that when Athena and Anemus kissed moments ago, Fotiá could clearly feel when Anemus sucked Athena's tongue.
Well, with the bond becoming a one-sided bridge, Fotiá was plunged into power the moment Athena started absorbing mana not only from the world, but from the universe itself.
However, for Fotiá, who could barely sustain her own power, that was too much power and she began to lose control, falling into despair, afraid of hurting innocent people around her. So Fotiá ran away from people who were too scared to realize what was happening to her and suppressed her powers as much as she could until she heard her mother's voice.
Meanwhile, everyone who was considerably strong was fighting the winged beings that suddenly appeared and just like they appeared, they started attacking everything that moved.
The Valkyries and the rest of the adventurers scattered among the people, along with the soldiers and knights, gave their best to protect the people who were paralyzed in fear and giving up, making their service even more difficult if it weren't for Mifa, Lucifer and Oliana, who swung a club as big as herself and struck down dozens of angels who underestimated her strength.
When the night sky split in half and those beings that radiated golden lights appeared scattered across the sky like stars, the people who were already exhausted from so much tragedy happening in such a short time, sank into despair and giving up.
They were ordinary people who had never picked up a sword or used magic before. People who only lived each day for the survival of their families. They didn't have the slightest chance of victory against soldiers or adventurers, let alone those beings who emanated terrifying power.
The only choice left to them was to wait for a quick and painless death.
Seeing the state of the people's morale, Serien raised her voice to the limit using magic and raged against her people's lack of spirit.
"This is no time to be sitting with your head down, hoping for a quick death!"
Serien's voice was filled with fury and hot feelings that went straight to the people's shattered hearts.
"If you don't have the power to fight, then die protecting those who will be the future!"
As the people rose, doing their best to protect the children and pregnant women, a column of fire rose into the sky and exploded, painting the night red with fire and blood.
Of course, that didn't solve everything, there were too many enemies and even in her current state of power, Fotiá could not subdue the millions at the same time as Uran had done in another part of the world.
Many of the enemies, who fell to the ground after being hit by Fotiá's attack, began to attack the common people as if seeking for something.
The state they were in while doing this was miserable. Their wings, which until then had gleamed like stars, were fading as if something had taken the light from them. Well, it wasn't something, but someone.
Lucifer, the morning star, the bringer of light, the beacon of grace... These and others were the names that Lucifer carried. The archangel who was responsible for administering the power distribution of lower-ranking angels.
When she was still in heaven and even after suffering from what Michael and Raphael did to her, Lucifer never thought to wield that power against her brothers and sisters.
She loved them and even though she had killed thousands of them during her rebellion, she didn't want to take away something that could destroy their existence.
Angels were children of Asherah with Yahweh and despite being gods, they were different. Like every god, they too had purpose, but their divinity came from something called "Heavenly Grace".
Heavenly Grace was something that resembled the mortal soul, but more powerful, more bright, more divine...
The truth was that angels were just mortal souls with purpose and divinity artificially provided by Yahweh. This differentiated them from real gods like seraphim, cherubs, archangels, Nirsa, Naph and others, who had their existence sustained by their purposes and not by divinity.
To their misfortune, Lucifer's purpose was to be the guide of these divine souls and therefore, she had the power to give her grace to her brothers or take their grace for herself if she wished.
"It's time you paid for everything my brothers and I suffered in hell." Lucifer said as rivers of golden energy flowed into her hands. "Live in this world and die like mortals!"
While suffering from their graces being taken from them, the angels took an action that was not worthy of mighty gods.
Desperate to continue existing, the angels who were dropped from the sky by Fotiá, Mifa and Oliana and had their graces taken by Lucifer, began to hunt, tear and take the souls of mortals around.
It wouldn't give them the power they originally had, but they thought it would still be enough to at least resist Lucifer. They could not have been more wrong. Because even though it contained immense power, the souls of mortals did not contain divinity and would not last long.
Besides, they didn't have that much opportunity to kill the mortals scattered all over that place, because among the helpless crowd, there were people who were willing to fight and die to protect those who could do nothing for theirselves.
However, the fallen angels were still stronger than the mortals who confronted them and a battle on land for survival began as angels in droves died in the smoldering sky.
One of the mortal warriors that stood out from the rest was Sahari, who at no time strayed too far from where Serien was protecting her servants and kids like Faena, her children, Malana and her younger brothers, with her magic.
"What are you doing?" Sahari complained when she was able to approach Serien after the angel she was fighting crumbled to ashes. "Take the kids and get out of here!"
"Run away? That's not going to happen!" Serien said with a serious expression. "While the people are fighting, I will stay and protect as many people as I can!"
As Serien said that, an angel fell close to them, then looked straight at Serien and started moving towards her with a fanatical gaze. He could feel the holy energy, almost akin to heavenly grace, in the queen's soul and now that he had lost his, he wanted Serien's soul.
Sahari immediately took Serien's fronts, getting into battle stance, imbuing her swords with his skills and making a bitter expression.
She could feel that this one was different from the one she had just fought and with a bitter smile, Sahari said. "... At least I'll die for you."
"Then we will die together..." Serien replied in a voice almost too calm for the situation. "If you die today, I will follow you."
"Well then, I guess I can't die."
Serien smiled and prepared to cast her spells any time Sahari needed to. As for Sahari, she relaxed her tense expression at having Serien with her and with eyes intent on every movement of the enemy ahead of her, she advanced.
Angels kept falling like moths attracted by the flames of a bonfire and Mifa, and the others, did their best to kill them as if they were pests to be avoided and protect the people.
With that, Mifa gradually became stronger. This new strength that Mifa acquired came from the remnants of existence they maintained after being drained by Lucifer. If Mifa killed just one, it wouldn't make any difference, but before long, she had already killed hundreds of them and the number only increased.
The change in Mifa's powers soon became noticeable in her appearance, which until then was that of a giant wolf with grayish brown fur, then, little by little, it became an orange-brown and shiny in the sun.
In addition to the color of her fur, intense red marks spread all over her body like roots and an arc of light began to float along the rib of his neck.
She was like the wolf whose story was told in an ancient story in the countries on the far east of the continent. A deity in the form of the most majestic beast that existed who represented the sun itself to the world.
This made the people, who were already struggling with everything they could, get inspired and fight with more courage, hope and determination. This could also be considered faith and that faith was being directed towards the queen who fought for them, making Mifa even more powerful.
That evolution of Mifa was something amazing for anyone, even for Lucifer, who now also had a slightly different appearance than she had until recently.
"What you are?" Lucifer asked Mifa as she hovered lower. "Everyone who has any connection with Athena has only gotten more and more powerful in the last few days..."
"Does that not include you?" Mifa asked in a guttural voice and with her paw, she crushed one of the angels that was trying to approach the children under her. "You're much stronger than you were earlier..."
"But nothing compared to that."
In the sky, where Lucifer pointed, Fotiá was the incarnation of flames, brimming with suffocating power. She was doing what Athena had told her telepathically and letting her power flow and burn everything she touched.
The fact that that cute and joyful creature that Fotiá was, was now a symbol of violence and death for the invading gods didn't seem real to Mifa, who had in a short time won the friendship of her lover's daughter.
In any case, at that moment, Fotiá was a terrible monster that overpowered enemies with overwhelmingly destructive power and that sent chills even to her allies.
"How did she get that way?"
"I don't know, I was fighting and keeping the angels away from her, but suddenly she was flying and killing them."
"I'm glad she's on our side..."
***
At the same time that the battle began in the makeshift camp of the Empire of Basilica, in the north Ella and Ytria witnessed something that had never been seen before.
Ella and Ytria were amazed at what they saw as they landed near where lightning rained down on the crater where Theikós seemed to be sleeping.
Theikos looked like a completely different dragon than the two of them remembered. The dragon emanated a power comparable to that of an ancient dragon and Ella, feeling her fighting instincts throb, couldn't stop smiling.
This is because although Theikós' power was comparable to that of an ancient dragon, it was still a different power and Ella, who always wanted to fight with all her might against someone strong, could feel it.
Lying at the bottom of the crater lit by thousands of lightning bolts, Theikós had her scales being practically forged by the heat of the rays that hit her and ran through her immense body with speed as they strengthened each of the scales, now silvery blue, that contracted as they repeated an adsorption in divergence between them.
Theikós' scales looked alive. This was because as she breathed, the scales moved ghostly in an almost smoky way. In addition, every time the air came out of Theikós's nostrils and mouth, lightning bolts exploded and ascended to the sky, which blazed with more lightning.
In addition to its scales, Theikós' horns were constantly being hit by endless lightning, making it look like the dragon was linked to the storm clouds of lightning.
For Ytria and Ella, it was as if Theikós was being crowned by the lightning storm itself.
"She's becoming a deity..." Ytria stated open-mouthed. "That's impressive..."
The only dragon who had become a god did not meddle in the world and since his ascension to godhood, no other dragon or mortal had achieved that feat in that world.
Well, no mortals except Athena. Athena was an oddity, a singularity that made no sense in the world that from the beginning had a kind of deity without "color" or purpose.
Anyway, when Ella was about to enter the crater and wake up Theikós, Theikós opened her eyes and took flight, opening her immense wings that were constantly baptized by lightning.
(Athena needs us!) Theikos said.
Ella and Ytria looked at the majestic appearance of Theikos without being able to look away. They couldn't think of a word other than "beautiful" to define Theikós and could barely react when a great bolt of lightning slashed across the sky and Theikós disappeared.
"Eh?"
***
Sahari moved with mastery and grace as the orange-haired, gray-winged angel moved like a hungry, desperate beast with a sword in his hand.
However, even if he was behaving like that, he was still a divine being and his strength, speed and stamina were far greater than that of a mere mortal.
In the beginning, Sahari even managed to have an advantage over the angel, but that was only because he had no experience in fighting depending only on his physique.
After a few exchanges of non-fatal blows and clashes of swords, Sahari was beginning to be overwhelmed by the angel who had no interest in her and wanted Serien's soul.
Sahari was tired, her arms and legs trembled and throbbed as her lungs swelled for oxygen even after Serien enchants her with various booster spells and heals her of even minor scratches.
As for the angel, he was still steady, even though his wings had begun to appear to be decomposing. His expression showed that he wouldn't give up Serien's soul until he died. That made Sahari and Serien start to get apprehensive.
"If you continue in my way, I will kill you too, mortal!"
Sahari smirked and stepped to the side, standing in front of Serien. "That...if I...don't kill you first..."
"Ha~ Do you think I'll die if you kill me?" The angel bluffed.
Author's Note: I couldn't resist! :v
The angel knew that his time was running out, but if with that he managed to break Sahari's fighting spirit and take Serien's soul, he could buy time to fly to Yahweh, who could give him a new heavenly grace.
Sahari made a confused expression and frowned. "Isn't it.... how.... works? I kill you... and you die..."
"Usually yes, but I'm a god, you ridiculous creature!"
As soon as the angel finished saying that, Mifa appeared and snapped it, shook it until it shattered, causing blood and feathers to rain everywhere.
Being overwhelmed by sudden relief, Sahari dropped her swords and sank to the ground, feeling her legs give out.
Seeing Sahari in that state, Serien made six knights, who were passing by, protect the children and servants, and ran towards the fencer who was breathing heavily.
"Are you okay?!" Serien asked as she knelt beside the armored woman.
"I am..." Replied Sahari in a breath.
"It's not time to rest yet, Sahari..." Mifa said while looking up at the sky. "Those that can still fly are fleeing to the west, where Athena is, but those that were dropped are still alive and some are using shapeshifting to blend in with the people."
"What will we do?" Serien made a sour expression.
"We will keep fighting..." Sahari replied. "We have no other choice."
Hearing this, Mifa smiled with her eyes and reverted to her humanoid form, having only her long, and now red, hair covering her breasts.
"That's good to hear... I'll make sure that at least the Valkyries have the power to fight the fallen." Mifa said as she pulled out several strands of hair. "It is nothing compared to what Athena could do, but it will help."
"Strands of hair?" Serien asked in disbelief.
"Not just any hairs..." Mifa grumbled. "Remember I spent months studying magic? Each of these fuos are enchanted with physical and magical strengthening magic. As long as it's in contact with your skin, they will work, try it."
Sahari and Serien each took a thread and soon felt the difference in their powers. Sahari felt that she could take down even a small giant with all that power and Serien felt flooded with mana.
"Wow!" Sahari and Serien exclaimed their wonder. "This is amazing!"
"Yes, there's nothing wrong with that." Mifa said with her bare chest puffed out and returned to her wolf form. "Give one to Nimo, Eun and Neu, they will also be of great help."
After that, Mifa, Fotiá and Lucifer followed the angels who fled in fear of confronting Fotiá.
***
Athena and Anemus were getting stronger and stronger while the angels were at an impasse on how to deal with it, 'cause there, within that apocalyptic mana tornado, Athena and Anemus were untouchable.
"Gabriel, there's nothing we can do while they're inside that thing!" Shouted one of the angels.
"No, we have an option. Where's Idriel?"
"Why Idriel?"
"He can manipulate energies. If he opens even a small rift in that mana maelstrom, I can kill them from here. Find him!"
"Right!"
The angel flew somewhere amidst all that mess of magical explosions from the battle between Uran, Asherah and Yahweh, the mana tribulation caused by Athena and Anemus, and angels desperate to carry out their father's will, leaving Gabriel, the last archangel still at Yahweh's side, with a worried expression as he faced the desolation of mana that surrounded his targets.
'Be quick, before it's too late…' Gabriel muttered to no one.
However, when Idriel was found and brought to Gabriel, millions of other angels appeared and with them, a force none of them expected, who killed angels straight across as if it were nothing.
This force was formed by a white dragon, who had a human woman on it's back, who cast strange spells everywhere, a blue dragon that gave Gabriel a bad omen, a being made of pure fire that painted the sky red with blood and fire and who they least expected, Lucifer.
"You will all die today." Lucifer said, manifesting her magnificence.
Lucifer appeared to be in her prime as an archangel. Her wings glowed brightly with a white aura, her eyes glowed gold and red menacingly, causing the angels who knew her to shiver and around her, a sinister black aura rippled violently as if it were thousands of tormented souls.
"Lucy!?"
Gabriel couldn't believe his own eyes that saw the person he loved and respected the most. As well as the one he turned his back on when she needed him the most, out of fear.
"Oh!" Lucifer smiled wickedly. "Hello, Gaby."
That smile sent hideous shivers down Gabriel's back, who only remembered the kind smile directed at him by Lucifer, and it made him realize that that Lucifer from the past no longer existed.
"What are you doing here?"
"Didn't I just say it?" Lucifer looked at everything else with eyes blazing with hatred, but then those eyes turned cold as they found her father. "I came to kill you all."
Suddenly, one of the angels around, upon hearing what Lucifer had just said, attacked in a courageous howl.
"No!"
Gabriel screamed, trying to warn his brother, but the angel was no longer there after being hit by a sinister black, red and white energy that Lucifer had released.
"Where's Raphael? I don't see him anywhere."
Gabriel made a sour expression and his face turned away, not wanting to face the truth about his beloved sister, he growled the answer, leaving Lucifer uncharacteristically quiet.
On the other hand, while Lucifer remained silent, guttural howls, roars, explosions and death screams continued to occur everywhere.
Gabriel, no, the angels always imagined that the apocalypse would be something where they would be the ones to subdue and not the other way around. Now they were like prey being hunted in droves by a pack of violent, hungry lions, and Gabriel, the last archangel, didn't know what to do.
Suddenly, as Gabriel thought about how to deal with all that and waited for an action from the person he thought was the most dangerous, an outrageous laugh burst from Lucifer's throat, who was stomping her feet in the air.
"He died with just one move!!!!" Lucifer laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. "I would give anything to see the face he made when he was simply erased from existence!!!"
Gabriel was stunned by this sudden reaction. The way Lucifer laughed sterically at her older brother's death while also shedding tears, it was something the archangel did not expect to see such sweet Lucifer do.
He never understood the reason for Lucifer's rebellion and when he asked, all he was told was that she was trying to take their father's place and so was banished to the worst place Yahweh could find.
(What the hell must it be like to twist someone so much?)
All Gabriel knew about the so-called "hell" dimension was that it was where souls tainted with negative feelings ended up. He didn't imagine that hell was a twisted place of pure suffering and eternal torment. A place where those who weren't strong enough would be consumed until they became part of hell forever.
Seeing Lucifer like that, he wanted to bring her back. Give her peace and love until she goes back to the way she was before. He wanted to have his beloved sister back.
"Lucifer, stop! I know you're not like that!" Gabriel yelled.
"I'm not like that? Like how? You all made me like this!" Lucifer responded and stopped with his arms bathed in blood. "Ah! I had an idea!"
"???"
"Why don't we have a family reunion with everyone together?"
Lucifer lowered her hands, pointing to the ground, and a sinister energy traveled from her hands to the ground where an abyss appeared. It was so dark that no light came out or enter.
"That's..." Gabriel's eyes widened and he looked desperately at Lucifer. "Stop Lucifer, if you do this, what will become of this world?!"
"Gyahahaga!" Lucifer chuckled at the sight of dark figures fleeing the hole. "It's gonna be okay." She said while looking at her brother. "See that person in that thing made of mana? She's going to be the new goddess of this world and she'll rule even the demons!"
"You're crazy! I can't let you do this!"
"Stop me then." Lucifer responded with a smirk that broke into a crooked grin as she saw Gabriel draw his bowstring. "Shoot!"
With Lucifer's scream, Gabriel released the radiant arrow that flew at an infamous speed towards Lucifer, who could not move due to the opening of Hell's gates. But then, before the arrow hit Lucifer, a wall of fire rose between Lucifer and Gabriel, swallowing the arrow.
"Fotiá!!" Lucifer smiled.
They weren't that close, but Lucifer's mental state was obviously compromised by so much hatred and bloodlust. At that moment, for Lucifer, Fotiá was a lifelong friend.
"What are you doing?" Fotiá asked in a voice that she looked like she had come out of the fifth of hell. "What's that hole in the floor?"
"Is that a demon? Mammon?" Gabriel asked, startled.
"I'm getting more soldiers!" Lucifer said with a smile drunk with madness.
"Hm..." Fotia shrugged and flew off without giving Gabriel any importance.
However, Gabriel could not ignore the existence of such a powerful demon, at least what he thought was a demon, at that moment, when there were so many problems to solve and powerful enemies to face, and aimed his bow at Fotiá's back.
Gabriel's hands were steady and his eyes were intent on every movement the existence of fire in front of him. However in his mind, something was screaming for him not to release that arrow. It was like if something really bad could happen if he targeted that being. But for him it was too dangerous to live on.
Gabriel thought that if he didn't kill what he saw almost as a demonic god, his father might be in danger. Because the power that thing carried in it was almost greater than his own and was increasing by the second.
The threat that the archangel saw in Fotiá was enough for him to make his decision. Gabriel put all his power into the arrow and then a light flooded the world with white.
"What?!"
This was not the power of the archangel or the gods who fought, much less the power of dragons or some demon that Lucifer had released, but of the two people who were absent from all that chaos.
Athena and Anemus emerged from a luminous blast of energy that spread and destabilized all type of power in all directions, whether it were from a little monster or from the gods there.
That blast of energy destroyed the door of hell that Lucifer had opened and created cracks in the rift in heaven, making Yahweh feel anxious.
That also destroyed Gabriel's magic and undid the transformation of Fotiá, who lost consciousness and collapsed in a free fall. As for Mifa, who resisted the momentary disturbance of mana, looked at Athena with frightened eyes, because the woman didn't even move when saw Fotiá collapsed.
"That..." Ytria's eyes widened as she made a complicated expression. "Ella, we need to get everyone and team up with Serien!"
(Tsk! I already know that! Theikos!)
(I felt it, but I'll stay.)
"You know your things!" Ytria said and looked at Fotiá, who fell unconscious. "We have to get her!"
(Would you stop ordering me around?) Ella complained.
"Fast-!!!"
Ytria's concern for Fotiá was unnecessary. As soon as she was hit by the energy that destroyed her magic, Lucifer saw things clearly again and dove, saving Fotiá from her death.
(See? You're in too much of a hurry!)
"Of course I am..." Ytria looked at Athena and Anemus. "Nothing good will happen if we stay here."
Anyone could feel the pressure Athena and Anemus caused as they levitated through the air, surrounded by a tempestuous and yet calm flow of colorless mana.
Power was something Athena sought and should have, and now she had terribly immense power. The problem was the expressions on their faces, or rather the lack of expressions.
Athena didn't even turn her face away when Fotiá was falling, the same was true for Anemus with her cold eyes. They were different and Ytria, Ella, Theikós, Lucifer and Mifa could tell with just one look.
"Mifa, let's go!" Lucifer yelled as reach out to the woman. "There's nothing we can do here!"
"Go without me."
"Huh?"
"I understand what you're feeling, I'm scared too..." Mifa hardened her expression and looked at Lucifer with steady eyes. "But I'll stick with them until the end."
Lucifer frowned, clicked her tongue and with Fotia in her arms, she flew away using all her strength, followed by Ella and Ytria.
***
When Athena and Anemus resurfaced, Uran was starting to have trouble fighting Yahweh while trying to kill Asherah.
Unlike Yahweh, who was constantly being fueled by the faith power of mortals beyond the dimensional rift, Uran was still recovering. Her power, while immense, was in a limited state.
She even could be the most powerful being in the world if she was at her best, but not right now. The moment she was freed, her powers began to regenerate at an astonishing speed, but to stay at her fullest power, she needed time.
Aside from her still reduced powers, Uran had no experience in fighting. The last time she fought, she lost and was sealed. And there also had the fact that she had only one goal in mind, to kill Asherah.
During the entire fight against Yahweh, Uran aimed all her attacks at her mother. The moment she got careless in an unsuccessful attempt to finally kill Asherah, Yahweh took this chance to end the fight and seal Uran again, but... That was when the power disappeared as if it were a lie and the world fell silent.
So to Uran, Athena's arrival had been more than welcome. She didn't care how different Athena was, because Athena would never lose importance to her even if she changed.
"We..." Suddenly Athena and Anemus started talking in chorus. "We slept too long..."
"???"
Asherah looked scared and confused, but that wasn't unique to her. All there, the angels, Mifa, Yahweh and Theikos were scared and confused.
Happiness was something exclusive to Uran, who smiled a childish smile, full of joy to see that Athena got what she wanted.
"Now we're going to fix everything wrong."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
All_J
All_J The next chapter will likely be the last.
It's been a long way to get here, but it's been a lot of fun to write and to see that so many people have enjoyed this story so much.
The extras I'll write when my new PC arrives, as well as I'll write the new version that is already partly written and stored on the PC's SSD that decided to turn a fire.
Well, thanks for reading.
See ya!
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