The coming of a New Era


Say what you will about Asura-he's hot-headed, stubborn to a fault, and violent as all hell. But know one thing: never stand between him and his family. He would never let harm come to them, and god have mercy for whoever even tries-just know Asura won't. For the past millenniums, he has been kept from his daughter. But now that was no longer the case. Mithra's right here, in his arms.

There was no mistaking it for Asura, the girl he held in his arms was Mithra, there was no doubt. So she looked slightly different, Asura just attributed it to her aging and the filth that still caked her. There wasn't much different than what he actually remembered. Her hair may have been brown now, she felt smaller than he last knew, and the clothes she wore were bizarre at best. But her Mantra's still the same...

While Mantra acted strangely at the best of times, there was one thing that defined it. It was the source of all life. And with that, came a person's soul. And while souls could be remarkably similar, they would never be quite the same. Even when a Priestess manipulates it, Mantra will always be intrinsically the same. This, Asura knew. And he knew with certainty that the girl in his arms held the Mantra of his daughter-he could feel it within her.

Lost in the excitement as he was, Asura missed one crucial detail. It was so far away in his mind, that to even think about it would crush him. He's already lost Durga...

People dived out of his way, understandable when Asura snarled at anyone too close. While their clothes were just as bizarre as Mithra's, Asura paid it little mind. What a strange fashion, thought the shirtless demigod, attire still dirty and mangled from his previous fights. And the city wasn't much better in that regard. He was used to the human cities being small villages, made of wood and stones. They never seemed to make it past that stage, so now it was strange to see their tall pillars, little humans going in and out. It was good to see that they finally started their own inspiration, not relying on the shining metals and marbles of Shinkoku.

Mithra stirred but didn't wake. She was wounded. She needed medical attention. Why didn't he ever practice that? At this point, it seemed that any sort of treatment would be beneficial. She could heal the rest with her Mantra later-his wrathful energy would only do her more harm.

So he started his search.


The sun was starting to set and he had no clue on where to go. He felt like he's been walking in circles for an eternity, coming no closer to finding the elusive healer than when he started. Where would he even start? Argh! Where is this place? No, he didn't need help. He was Asura! He didn't need anyone's help!

Mithra stirred once more.

But Mithra was so small and fragile. She needed help. She needed to be healed. He couldn't do either of those things. She needed some help. Something-anything! He looked around. All these buildings are the same!

He stood in the middle of the blackened ground. The humans kept away from him, walking by on the whitish-gray road closer to the buildings. Those that looked at him had fear or caution in their eyes, the rest just ignore him. There were even a few that pointed strange black boxes at him, some of those boxes even flashed a light at him. Maybe those were primitive cameras? He let those people be, it wasn't like those photos would ever harm Mithra.

Then a roar interrupted his thoughts. He turned, and charging towards him was a sight that made his blood boil. It was a large, metal creature. Its eyes shone down at him, and it left smoke in its wake. But its roar was unmistakably that of a Gohma. It may have been metal this time around, but in thousands of years nothing had changed! It would have been easier to just jump over the monstrosity-Mithra wouldn't have been in any danger that way-but he couldn't let it attack these helpless humans. He couldn't possibly fight it in close quarters, not with Mithra still in his arms, where she's safe. So he did something he hadn't tried in a long while. He kicked at the Gohma.

A furious wave of red engulfed everything in its path. His wrathful Mantra tore apart the very ground, rent it asunder. When it matched the charge of the Gohma, it was obvious the Gohma stood no chance. He covered Mithra from the resulting explosion, it wouldn't do to let her be caught in it. She didn't wake.

The humans only just now realized the danger they were in and started fleeing in fear. Where there is one, more will follow. He quickly scanned his surrounding, looking for a place that Mithra would be safe. Finding none, he growled and just stood his ground. Any fight from here on will be done with extra care. So he prepared and waited for any signs of more Gohma. But there was nothing. The only sounds he could hear were those of the running humans, but there were no more Gohma.

When he turned to look back in the direction it came from, he was surprised. Its corpse was still there. Why? Gohma disappear, returning back to Vlitra, when they die. Why was this metal one so different? And then it hit him like Augus' fist. That Gohma was artificially made. It didn't come from Vlitra. Someone else is trying to make Gohma!

An unbidden growl rose from his throat. The humans were already suffering from Vlitra's Gohma, they didn't need this... asshole's pale imitations to suffer from as well! Who would dare add to the suffering?

"Deus!" Asura growled. "It was you!" He was the one that framed him for Emperor Strada's death. He was the one to kill Durga. He was the one that kidnapped Mithra!

Deus was unaffected by Asura's wrath. So pitiful and weak in the arrogant demigod's eyes. "Yes..." It was like a purr, he took so much pleasure from what he did. "I did what was necessary for the cause."

"Cause...?" What cause? What could be so important, so absurd, that it required all of this?!

"I have decided to save this world." As if that wasn't already his duty as a Guardian General. "I will create a new civilization..." he said, making a grand gesture with his arms, "a great rebirth!"

Asura didn't understand. "Save the world?! What 'great rebirth'?!" This was all too much to take in. Framed for the emperor's death. Durga dead in his own home. And Mithra taken away! "You're insane!"

Deus laughed as if he heard the best joke in his life. "I will bear the burden of your wrath Asura," he said, calming down from his high. "And your life as well."

Then all Asura knew was pain. Deus' black lightning struck him, and he learned the definition of pain and anguish. He knew not how long had passed. He became blind from the electrifying sensation. And then he was thrown back when the lighting was cut off. Asura didn't feel it when he skipped against the ground, nor did he when his back hit the railing.

When he finally regained his senses, Asura saw the man in white approach him. He tried to get up, to stand and fight. He couldn't sit there and let death overcome him! Not without a fight! But his body couldn't respond. He stumbled, almost fell if it weren't for the railing behind him.

Deus didn't let Asura try for too long either. His hand constricted around Asura's throat. With his new handle, Deus lifted Asura with the effort one would lift an apple. With a single sentence, Deus would have chilled the bones of most warriors. "Your death shall be the foundation of my new world!" It wasn't a yell. It wasn't a demand. It was so simply said with just the amount of conviction to make even the gods of creation yield to his rule.

Before Asure could do anything, still defiant as ever, black lightning struck once again. It was so much more than before. It didn't just teach him pain this time. It turned him into pain. Into anguish!

When he knew himself as Asura once more, he saw one last thing upon the platform as gravity took hold of him. He saw Mithra struggling against her gilded cage. "No! Father!" he heard her yell.

"Let her go!" he demanded of them. "I said let her go!" She was all he had left. He would not let her suffered! His form ignited in fire and pain as he entered the atmosphere. "I will have my vengeance!" he swore. But they couldn't hear him. By now he was but a streak in the night sky.

"Deus," Asura growled. Of course it was Deus! The mad man. The arrogant, prideful fool! His Mantra rose up around him in a shroud of fury. It scorched the very ground he stood on. He didn't notice it.

But then Mithra flinched.

No, he couldn't lose himself now. Not with Mithra still there. He couldn't harm her. He forcibly reigned in his aura. All of his Mantra was still there, simmering under the surface of his metallic skin. He tried to hold her gently, to imitate Durga from years ago. There was no need to let her experience his wrath, he would never let her experience his wrath. He could never hurt her.

As calm as he was, his rage still simmered and burned within him, waiting for a target. And as soon as Asura could heal Mithra and find a place for her to be safe, there will be hell to pay! The world has suffered enough! Deus still has more to suffer for what he's done. Mercy won't come for him.

And then he was shot.

It was such a pitiful thing that the glass arrow just bounced off of him and shattered upon the ground, green liquid splashing everywhere. He didn't even stumble. But it hit him. It hit him a hand's width away from Mithra's head! How dare you! His rage threatened to come forth. To burn and destroy the attacker. But he kept it in check, kept it boiling inside of him.

The patterns in his skin started to glow.

Wrathful eyes turned up to the attacker. She, if the stern carving on her mask was to be believed, could have been no taller than Mithra. She wore a dark cloak and dark armor. None of her body was left to be seen. But none of that mattered to Asura, only one thing did at that moment. She was aiming her crossbow straight for him. Another arrow notched back.

She fired.