Disclaimer: I do not own Campione or any of its characters. I only own my OC's

Chapter 27

Fausto, the Fortunate King of Dragons, the man responsible for dragging the Drago Familia back from the brink of collapse, and one of Italy's most influential individuals on the magic side of the world, was currently stumped. A lot of different events had happened lately, all of which he couldn't help but feel were connected to one another in some way.

Less than an hour ago, he had gotten a call from his daughter, telling him that it would appear that several high security criminals had escaped captivity earlier today, each extremely dangerous towards both the mundane and magical side. And apparently had they all managed to disappear without a trace. Somehow, had all of them been able to get out of a scorching desert in a matter of minutes. Of course, anything was possible with a strong enough spell caster, but there was no way of tracking them, something their captors seemed to pride themselves with in any other circumstance.

Then there had been the sudden surge of a new cult all over, only referred to as the cult of the Princess. At first it appeared to be a rather small cult, but once you started to look closer, it became clear how far their influence actually spread. And while they were still considered a cult, would it seem they have an amount of members equivalent to some larger organisations, or were they incredibly effective in replenishing their numbers, as every time one of their gatherings were exterminated, would three more make themselves known. As well as the fact that he had heard their name being brought up in other countries outside of Europe even.

It also didn't help that whomever this so called Princess was extremely ambiguous, as it could be anything from a Heretic god to just a normal person. Whoever they are, seems to be very influential on people, as shown with their global reach and size.

For now it would be best to keep an eye on them to make sure they aren't causing any trouble, and respond accordingly if they do get out of line.

But the fact that there seemed to be a connection between these two apparently unrelated events made the current leader of the Drago Familia pause. His second oldest grandchild and ever loyal 'cleaner' Fernando had come across credible evidence that the Princess was responsible for the breakout one way or another, even being suspected of having been at the scene of the crime herself, or at the very least nearby when it took place.

Surely something he had gotten from his girlfriend, all things considered. Dante didn't want him to get his hands on one of his resources, something which he respected and therefore backed away from. He couldn't help that his cousin had hit it off with Ebony, which, thankfully his oldest grandchild wasn't against.

"I need a smoke" he said into the empty air, reaching out for a mostly untouched oak box lying hidden away in one of his desk's drawers. Inside were several cigars, each giving off a strong, pleasant fragrance. Each cigar looked like it could cost a fortune, combined with the lavish, hand-made decorations inside the box, might it be one of the most expensive cigar boxes in all of Italy, if not the entirety of Europe.

He walked out the door leading to the balcony directly from his office, its elevated location allowing him to overlook the entirety of the mansion's backyard, the city of Rome visible in the distance. He raised the expensive, thick container of tobacco to his lips with one hand, while he looked for his cutter and lighter with the other.

He lit the cigar, smoke filling his mouth as it burned on the other end. It wasn't common for him to smoke, only being something that he did when he needed to clear his thoughts. Didn't hinder his wife and daughter from hounding him about it regardless. Not that he allowed them to take it away from him, being one of the few moments of peace and quiet that he could properly enjoy. Just standing there with a good cigar and being able to overlook the beauty of his home country.

Letting out a large puff of smoke, looked he up towards the sky, taking note of the visible moon up above in the azure sky as it was still visible. It was ever so close to being full, that without a closer look would he have believed it to be so already. He thought for a moment, before a chuckle shook his body ever so slightly.

"I wouldn't be against trying it, even if it is nothing more than an old childrens' story in the family." he said, seemingly referring to the celestial body in some form of manner. Before continuing his cigar, letting his thoughts drift away from work and towards life itself.

""Fausto!/Dad!""

A sigh of smoke escaped moments later as he heard those loud cries ring out from the garden.

…

Godou was ready for a lot of things to happen when their guests arrived at their house. They ranged between everything from them arriving as normal, to them even arriving being hunted by a Heretic God. Wouldn't have surprised him if he were to be honest. He had even expected Erica to tag along, or at least appear by now, as he hadn't seen or heard from her all day. Which felt weird in its own right by this point, her presence having become something of normality in the household as of late.

What he hadn't expected was to see Dante being wheeled in on a wheelchair, much less almost lying down on it as it appeared to be adjustable. The Italian Campione looked beaten, battered and tired. Each small movement he tried making appeared to take a lot of effort and energy, leaving him not completing the motion and dropping the limb in the end. Godou had never seen his fellow god slayer like this before, which made him quite curious about what had happened, while at the same time getting the feeling that asking about it might come off as rude or insensitive. It was however something he felt was bound to be brought up at some point, or it might not, as it was hard to foresee how this gathering would actually go.

He also took notice of a new addition to their small group. A girl around his and Dante's age, with a complexion bordering towards rather pale, which made her bright red hair and eyes stand out even more than they already did. He could tell she was a foreigner, just couldn't put his finger on her country of origin, but guessed to at least be European of some kind.

"Hello, Godou. It's nice to see you again, especially after the kind of day I have had." The wheelchair bound blonde greeted him with a smile, Godou could however tell that there was more to his smile than met the eye. Exactly what he was trying to tell him he couldn't discern, but he got the feeling that he was just given a warning of some kind. "I would also like to introduce you to a very dear individual of mine."

The red haired waved with a large smile. "Hello, my name's Brenda. It is nice to finally meet you, Godou. Dante has been talking about you a bit, but not too much. Hope we can get along."

The Japanese Campione couldn't help but feel warm all of the sudden, enough so that each and every exposed pore suddenly opened as if ready to start sweating. It was a strange sensation, it felt unnatural in a sense, despite how natural all symptoms actually were. The only thing weird about them was their sudden appearance.

"Nice to meet you. I sadly can't say the same, as I believe this is the first time I have heard about you." he greeted in kind, bowing slightly.

The smile didn't disappear from her face, as she moved forward, hand outstretched in search of a physical greeting. "Well, it is nice to make your acquaintance"

Godou, a bit taken aback by Brenda's forwardness, took her hand mostly as a reaction rather than anything else, instantly becoming aware of where the wave of heat was emanating from. Her hand was warm, uncomfortably so, almost to the point of burning even it felt like. And yet, wasn't his hand affected any more than the increasing build up of sweat on his grasped palm.

Brenda didn't seem to notice, her expression remaining the same even as she let go of his hand, the temperature of his skin instantly cooling back down to normal, non burning temperatures. The air, however, still felt just as warm as before upon her arrival. The red haired woman responsible for the increase in temperature turned her attention to their host, looking down at the somewhat nervous Shizuka that stood just behind her older brother.

"Hello, who might you be?" the redhead asked as she crouched down to the younger girl's level, even if she wasn't a lot shorter than Brenda, was she still quite a bit shorter.

"Shizuka Kusanagi…" she responded meekly, Brenda being someone she had never met before, making it hard to respond properly in her opinion.

"Nice to meet you, Shizuka" she greeted, reaching out her hand as part of her greeting once more. The younger girl looked at the common initiation for the equally common western greeting for a moment, before, hesitantly taking her hand. And as odd as it might sound, could she have sworn that it got way hotter for a moment. Except it seemed to be around the temperature she was used to.

"Nice to meet you"

The silver haired woman wheeling in Dante bowed in greeting. "I believe we have meet before, but in case you've forgotten, I am Liliana Krancjar-"

The last part of her name got caught in her throat for a moment as her eyes caught movement a bit further into the house, immediately focusing in on the somewhat shocked visage of Mariya Yuri. An unavoidable encounter she would have wished to at least postpone for a little longer.

Godou, noticing how the two women were staring at one another, couldn't help but feel that there was some sort of history between them. "I take it you two know one another."

Both ladies grimaced, the memories surrounding their first encounter being anything but pleasant or fond. The younger Campione quickly took notice of their shared discomfort, understanding almost immediately that he had unintentionally brought up a sour topic, immediately seeking to defuse the situation he had caused.

"How about we talk about something else? Or would you two like to maybe catch up?" the words flew out of his mouth in such a hurry that it was a wonder that everyone managed to hear what he actually said, as well as the fact that he didn't stumble over any of his words.

Liliana turned her gaze away, almost turning it down to the floor, not wanting to meet the shrine maiden's gaze. "There's no need for tha-"

"No, I believe Kusanagi is right. It is about time we caught up."

Liliana could barely believe the amount of determination and conviction that Mariya's words carried as she spoke, almost making her look back up at the Japanese girl. But only almost, her gaze remained focused at the corner of the hallway, where the floor and wall meet.

For a moment it seemed like the knight wouldn't give an answer. Until she gave a single, somewhat stiff nod in response. Not that Mariya looked any happier by the response she was given, as she just turned around and walked further into the building without saying anything.

The others standing in the hall couldn help but feel out of place as they witnessed the interaction. Most of them had turned their attention away, except Dante who lacked the ability to turn his neck that far at the moment, and had to settle for closing his eyes instead.

"So… how about we begin partaking in the food?" Shizuka recommended, hoping to get rid of the awkward silence that had settled over the remaining group.

Her brother quickly followed up in agreement, hoping for the same. "Yeah, I agree. I hope it will be to you guys' liking"

Brenda smiled as she looked at the younger girl. "I am sure it will be"

…

Hideyoshi had begun understanding what Heracles was referring to. The feeling of being constantly watched had suddenly creeped up on him as he moved towards the Kusanagi household. And yet, no matter where or when he looked for his pursuer, he didn't manage to find a single trace of them. Even Heracles, a god with strong ties to the art of hunting, didn't have much input to where they might be located.

However, was there a constant nagging in the back of his mind as he began noticing some differences, most of them subconsciously at first. His sudden ability to notice that someone was watching him being one of them, but there were other changes as well. His hearing and sight had sharpened for example, easily picking up things he would previously have had to focus on in order to even notice. It would seem his body was preparing itself for the switch it would seem.

The pursuer in question, a largely inconspicuous spider whose only odd trait was its slightly larger than common size, continued watching the blonde boy at a distance. Its gaze never seemed to leave its target. Even as it moved towards the edge of a building that would impede its path, didn't it turn its attention anywhere but on the boy as it shot its web at a nearby building. Even as a building got in the way momentarily, stayed its eyes trained on his location with precise precision, never straying off course even for a moment.

This single minded determination almost cost it, as the spider barely managed to get out of the way of the spear that saw to impale it. For the first time turned its beady eyes away from its designated target, to instead look towards its assailant.

"I was a bit skeptical when my mistress told me that she felt something out of place." A young boy, with shock white hair that draped down over one eye said as he rose to his feet. In his hands, held he the spear that had almost struck the spider, its sharp head having sunk a good bit into the roof of the building from his attack. "But this raises some questions."

Diomedes, even weakened as he was, could still see the divinity that originated from the spider, informing him of its origin. As well as its master, or rather, the fact that its origin and current owner didn't match.

'The power of a Campione then' he thought as he lined up his spear, his one remaining eye never leaving the now unmoving manifestation in the guise of a spider. Both seeming to size up one another, waiting for the other to make the first move. A stalemate that eventually broke as the spider began moving.

In response dashed the wounded god forward, spear moving in a blur as it closed in on the spider. A perfect execution of movement and decision making, being aware of the fact that it would try to escape. And now it had nowhere to go as his weapon descended upon it.

Which is why he was so surprised when his strike was batted away with such force that keeping his grip on the spear almost cost him both his arms, almost breaking as he was sent flying a great distance across the roof, only barely staying on the roof through nothing but sheer luck.

His instincts saved him against the follow up attack however, as he managed to roll out of the way at the last second. Quickly springing back up to his feet, spear aimed towards the thing that had struck him.

'I should have considered the possibility of it having backup'

Standing where the spider had been previously was what looked like something out of a zombie movie or dark themed video game. A large, quadrupedal skeleton, distinctly that of a form of dog with narrow snout. Patches of flesh and even fur were visible on several parts of its body, but the vast majority of it was that of bone. Its legs seemed unnaturally long for any breed of dog that actually existed, the fact they ended with far longer than normal bone structure for its paws also spoke to its unnatural nature, looking like a misformed mix of claws and bone.

It met his gaze, or he believed it was meeting his gaze, as it was hard to tell with both of its sockets being fully empty. A low, hollow rumble reminding of a growl sounded from the skeletal beast, in all likelihood a warning for the former god.

Not that Diomedes decided to back down, keeping the sharp end of his spear between himself and the three legged beast to give him some room to work with if it decides to- 'Wait three?!'

Just as he realised its sudden loss of one leg, felt he racking pain along his entire back, almost making him fall to his knees from the sudden blow from behind. He jumped away, turning as he retreated in order to see what had struck him. And just managed to catch as the missing leg disappeared into empty space where he had been standing previously. 'Wait where's the dog?!'

He moved away quickly, his gut telling him to not stand still. Which appeared to pay off, as he avoided having his head separated from his shoulders by the set of jaws that shoot out of empty space just before his very eyes. It tried to snap at him, more of its body reappearing as it tried to catch him. Diomedes, seeing his opportunity, gave it a quick whack with the blunt end of his spear, and was rewarded with a yelp of surprise and pain. Quickly moving once more, barely avoiding its clawed paw as it swiped at him from the side suddenly.

Only for its other paw to strike him from behind, seemingly having appeared behind him suddenly. The pain distracted him long enough that the skeleton's head could close the distance, something only took a fraction of an instance with how it could seemingly warp space. The white haired boy was barely able to move in response, just managing to put his arm between its jaws and his head.

As the teeth clamped down, puncturing his skin, and just barely missing scratching his face, he felt as if his body was pulled in all directions simultaneously, while also feeling the forces of being both flung and stopping with such intensity that he began blacking out. Then, just as suddenly, was he no longer on the rooftop, in fact, couldn't he claim that he was anywhere on Earth any more.

It was a barren wasteland, stretching for forever in all directions to the best of his knowledge. The clouded sky was colored in all manner of orange, purple, dark blue, and red, signs of dawn or dusk. But worst of all, was how every speck of this space gave off divine energy, forcing the Champion of Athena to squint to not be blinded by the intense light that only he could see. Wherever he was would he be stuck here a while. Black flames barely started to flicker along the head of the spear, as he tried to gather his diminished powers with little results.

Back in the real world on the rooftop, was the beast responsible for Diomedes disappearance making sure that the spider had gotten away, taking deep whiffs to get an idea of where it and its target had gone. Each inhale sounded like the howling wind as it drew breath. Space then folded around the beast's undead form, disappearing without any tracks as it returned to normal.

While all of this had been going on, Hideyoshi, completely oblivious to the battle that had taken place a little more than two hundred meters from him, continued moving. The spider, not far behind, scuttled as fast as its legs would allow it. Even its simple mind understood that it wouldn't take long before it was hindered by someone or something else once the white haired boy was noted as being missing.

…

"Is something the matter?" Fadil asked, having noticed that the green haired beauty had suddenly stopped moving as they walked down the hall of the large ship they were currently on. Apparently something that one of the other prisoner's had acquired while he had followed the Princess on her hunting trip.

"No, nothing is wrong. It just happens that my hunting dog had to intervene, it would seem." Her smile was unwavering, not changing once as she spoke in what he could only call matter of factly. Her clothes had been changed into an elegant dress that hugged her curves, while still being loose enough to not reveal too much of her figure.

"Did Lancelot decide to go against your demand?" he inquired, being the only possibility that came to mind.

"No. Not yet, at least. But it shouldn't be too long before she cracks now." she replied with a wave of her hand, seemingly not finding it to be a big deal.

"You seem quite sure about that. How come?" The Egyptian male was honestly curious about her thought process, as he was sure that the woman had terrified the Knight of the Round into semi-servitude with the promise of a slow and despairing death.

"Nothing more than a gut feeling to be honest. I have known Lancelot long enough to know that she isn't one to let herself be oppressed for too long, and would rather die fighting than die a coward. Just feels like it is about time that she decides to fight back against my influence, at least in one way or another."

Fadil was quite fascinated with the way his leader was talking, her honey smooth voice speaking about such incomprehensible ideas was like a drug he couldn't stop listening to. It reminded him of when he was exposed to the contents of the Book of Thoth, so much forbidden knowledge at the tip of his fingers, just waiting for him to indulge as much as he could manage. And while the search for such taboo had rendered his sanity cracked and damaged, was there a demented pleasure all the while as every word, each sentance, down to the very letters drove him to madness as he sat there in his cell.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He craved to experience that which was dangerous, that which was seen as forbidden to all others. But it didn't control him like something similar did to a certain blonde Campione, only lowering his inhibitions so that he might take the risk no one else would attempt. Such as now, when he had pushed the Princess up against the wall, holding her hands above her head as he looked down at her, their faces so close to one another. His heart was beating so hard in his chest, knowing fully well that this woman had so many ways she could snap his very existence like a brittle twig. And even so, he kept pushing.

"Sitanada"

The way her eyes narrowed ever so slightly told him that he had struck something, being fully aware that not once had she spoken that name in front of him, or anyone for that matter. He felt like he was truly in danger now, her eyes watching him intently, waiting for him to do something that would give her a reason to get rid of him.

Her intent gaze didn't perturb him however, feeling egged along to keep going, while simultaneously having his survival instincts shouting at him to stop whatever it was he was doing. This left him there, gazing into her pools of emerald green, his own reflection staring back at him in her entrancing eyes. However, the fact that she made no move to escape his grasp, something which would be quite the easy feat for her if she so wished.

"Say that again"

He was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard her voice, just staring at her dumbfounded, his brain having trouble understanding what she said. "What?"

"Say my name again"

It was an odd request, but not something he was about to deny her. "Sitanada"

Before he could blink or react in any way, was he the one suddenly up against the wall, his hands above his head as the green haired woman stood close to him, almost uncomfortably so. Sitanada was close to pressing herself against him, unlike him who had kept some distance between them, she seemed to make sure that there was as little space as possible while not completely touching one another.

"To think that someone would come to say my name, something that no one should be aware of. Tell me, how come you are able to know it?"

Her words were calm and collected, sounding genuinely curious. And yet, Fadil felt as if he was in more danger now than he was ten seconds ago, as both his mind and body came to fully appreciate the danger she truly was. It was just too bad for him that he was obsessed with danger.

"Well, I thought you were aware of the fact that the Book of Thoth essentially gives me Spirit Vision." he squirmed against her grip slightly, leaning slightly forward to close what little distance remained between their faces ever so slightly. "If it is born and ever bound to life's mortal coil, is it recorded in its pages, free for us to gather later on."

"Well for your information, I know plenty about the Book's powers, it is just that the finer details are ultimately lost." she smirked a little, before quickly leaning in and planting a kiss on his cheek, close enough to his mouth to brush against the corner of his lips. He was taken aback for a moment, the sudden forwardness catching him off guard momentarily, even if he was already somewhat tempered to her sudden and unpredictable mood shifts.

His eyes stayed glued to her as she backed away from him, but his mind remained empty, still incapable of fully processing any thoughts at the moment. Yet, he understood how fast his heart was currently beating. Each beat thumped hard in his chest, almost painfully so. He couldn't tell whether it was due to excitement or fear however, both being equally possible at the moment.

Sitanada meanwhile walked towards the large double doors at the end of the hall without paying his current behavior much mind. Calling towards him before throwing them open. "Come on Fadil, the show is just about to start!"

Behind the doors was what could only be described as a great hall, stretching at the very least half the boat's length, before ending in large windows going from floor to ceiling, allowing one to see the vast ocean that sprawled out before them. Several individuals were running back and forth, placing glasses and plates on the long table that waited in the middle of the large room, in preparation for the feast their leader had in mind.

He knew that it was meant as a celebration of some kind, but he couldn't tell what exactly they were supposed to be celebrating. He knew it had something to do with her father, but it wasn't ever made clear what difference one more Campione would actually make, as there didn't exist any ritual that required any particular number of Kings to be performed. It also didn't help that even with his connection to the Book of Thoth, he couldn't determine Sitanada's heritage. It was something that shouldn't be possible as far as he was aware, even when he had already gleaned plenty of information about her back at their first meeting, was it something that continued to elude him. To such a degree that he couldn't even tell from which part of the world she hailed.

All he could do was to wait and see what happened, while enjoying his freedom to the best of his ability.

…

The feast had kicked off without much of a hitch, after having gotten through the somewhat awkward greetings. Everyone was partaking in the food with delight, conversing with one another about all manner of topics, be they about the mundane or more magical parts of their lives.

Brenda was staying by Dante's side, as the blonde was incapable of moving his arms close enough to the table to grab any of the items, even having trouble just moving his fingers. Therefore had the redhead made it her duty to make sure that he got something in him, feeding him small bits of food periodically, giving him enough time to chew and swallow before moving another piece forward. In the meantime were the two of them also taking the time to converse with Godou, as he had some questions for the newest addition, as well as just wanting to talk in general.

The younger siblings, Maria and Shizuka, had begun talking about the food they were all partaking in, as well as discussing what other foods they liked or found interesting in general. However, neither of them were fully there in the conversation, both having other thoughts taking part of their attention.

As for the other two guests, one an outsider besides being an acquaintance, while the other was a part of the guest group. Mariya and Liliana were further away from the others, having moved back to the entrance of the Kusanagi household. Both of them were silent, Mariya staring straight at the knight, while Liliana tried and failed to meet the shrine maiden's gaze. Neither seemed to be about to start up the conversation, both seemingly waiting for the other to make the first move.

"It has been a while, hasn't it, Liliana?" Mariya was the first one to speak, seemingly done waiting for Liliana to start the conversation, instead taking it into her own hands.

The knight in question flinched a little, as she couldn't help but feel that there was a bit of an edge to the way she had said her name, and yet was there no other response than that involuntary physical reaction out of her. For some reason, she decided to keep quiet rather than respond.

"You know, it really was a surprise to see you again after all these years during the Athena attack. I honestly couldn't believe it in the beginning…" she also got quiet for a moment, as if to gather herself, or hold herself back. Her inhale was shaky however. "To see you fall all of the sudden, after you tried to save us. To see you and Erica both turn to stone right before my eyes, I didn't know what to do. All I knew was that I had to try saving the both of you… and yet I failed"

Hearing her words, turned Liliana her eyes up towards Yuri, truly looking at her since she had seen her earlier. And she had trouble connecting the girl before her with the one she had had in her mind for a while now. She saw the tears that had begun gathering at the corner of her eyes, and the slight, occasional quivering of her lower lip. It was an image that heavily clashed against the mental image that had conjured up in her mind.

Her mouth opened, but no words managed to come out, seemingly caught in her throat or never there to begin with. Thinking about it for a moment, didn't Liliana really know what to actually say. There were many words she could say, but non felt truly appropriate in her mind-

Cruel, emerald eyes looking down at her made themselves known as memories of once serving their owner entered her mind.

-for she also felt her own guilt bearing down upon her. An oppressive shadow that made itself known when she laid her eyes upon Mariya Yuri, as memories from a time best forgotten forced their way to the surface.

While the knight lacked the ability to reciprocate the other girl's words, pushed the Shrine Maiden on as she continued to speak. "I wanted to thank you, as well as tell you I am sorry."

Something about those words shook Liliana out of her stupor. "You have nothing to apologize for!"

Both women seemed equally shocked by her voice. One for how loud she had objected, the other by the fact that she had spoken at all. Liliana's eyes once more shot down towards the floor, away from Mariya's gaze. For a moment, feared Yuri that they had gone back to the start, a feeling that was alleviated as Liliana spoke. Her gaze remained downwards.

"If one of us had to apologise, would it certainly be me. You have done nothing wrong, Mariya Yuri." The Croatian girl couldn't fully explain it, but it somehow felt as if the shadow that hung over her receded somewhat. It was without doubt still there, and yet felt it not as heavy as it had before. "I have made decisions I both wish to change, while also wanting them to happen, as I fear I wouldn't end up here otherwise."

Once more her blue eyes meet the brown orbs of the Shrine maiden, who looked perplexed by her words and sudden conviction. Liliana couldn't blame her, as she lacked any real context for her own guilt, as Yuri had no idea about her former service under Voban.

"What-!"

Whatever sound permeated the house suddenly ceased. A wave of magic, powerful magic, divine magic had washed over them, triggering several alarms inside their head about what it most likely entailed. Everyone was aware of what was approaching, having already been present for a similar phenomena not long ago.

The appearance of a Heretic god.

…

'How did it come to this?'

Hideyoshi wasn't really sure if his mind had actually managed to create those thoughts, as his mind was overwhelmed by all manner of thoughts and feelings. Anger and confusion were the most prevalent, as his head felt like a jumbled mess without any real cohesion. It would have been maddening in any other circumstance, in Hideyoshi's case however it seemed only to be fueling his anger.

Cutting through all that, much worse than whatever was going through his head, was the cries and screams he both heard and felt resonate from deep inside his soul. Heracles was not having a great time, as he roared in rage and anguish loud enough to rattle his very soul. Whatever barrier kept them as separate entities was quickly crumbling away to nothing by the lack of restraint Heracles currently displayed, overwhelming Hideyoshi physically on top of the mental strain he already felt.

Divinity poured out from him like a broken faucet, a beacon for all that could feel it that a rogue deity was about to make its descent.

And someone had answered its siren call. He couldn't see them, his eyes closed in pain as he tried to fight back against whatever was overtaking him and Heracles, no matter how futile it might be. But he could hear them, felt how their movements disturbed the air ever so slightly with every breath, and noticed their scent as it blew towards him. The enhanced senses of a hunter that didn't need their eyes to spot their target.

His body reacted to their presence almost immediately upon noticing them, flying towards them in a leap. For a moment was Hideyoshi horrified by what was about to happen, knowing that he was going to attack them, surely killing them in the process-

Right up until his jaw received a devastating blow from underneath, his entire body sailing over whoever just struck him thanks to the extra lift the blow had granted him. But with it was there a moment of clarity, as if he had suddenly had his head submerged in ice water. As for a moment, was everything quiet once more. And yet, it still lingered.

It felt like a burning itch just past his neck, covering his whole body except his head. At least for now, as he could feel it begin to creep back up along his throat, albeit not as quickly as when it had gotten it initially, as he did his best to keep it back now when given the chance. He could feel the two small punctures on his calf now for the first time, as they burned intensely with wave after wave of whatever it was that had entered his body. However, with his head momentarily free, he managed to open his eyes to see who it was he had tried to attack.

Chizue wasn't too taken aback by the state Hideyoshi was currently in, the high divinity that he gave off like heat from a radiator on full blast being of little surprise after his stunt earlier today. What was a surprise to her would have to be his mental state. She had been prepared to be attacked, but not in the manner she had been just moments ago, her saving grace being her razor sharp reflexes that had allowed her to react in the first place. She had purely on instinct activated her Disaster Purification as she punched him square in the jaw, an ingrained habit that had been trained into her to almost be second nature.

She kept her widened eyes trained on the blonde boy as he struggled to get back up, her fists up as she took a stance. Chizue hoped that her accidental application of Disaster Purification had helped knock some sense into him, considering the divinity coming off him having subsided by a noticeable degree. However, it seemed to be temporary at best, as she could already feel it increasing.

Hideyoshi tried to speak, but his throat closed up in response, not just robbing him of the ability to speak, but to breath as well. The momentary panic that set in because of the shock broke his concentration in keeping his body under his control.

Hideyoshi suddenly rose up from the ground, as if a puppet pulled up by its strings, before throwing himself towards Chizue once more. However, was the older woman ready for him, easily sid stepping his initial swipes as he swung his arms wildly towards her. As he turned to continue his pursuit, answered she with a quick jab to his chin, her Disaster Purification carrying through her fist as she got in a clean hit-

Only to feel her legs leaving solid ground, as she was sent flying by the boy's retaliative throw. He had managed to wrap his hands around her arm just before her fist made proper contact, greatly reducing the amount of physical and magical force that his face took, before throwing her in the same direction as her punch had been going. Which sent her crashing into one of the nearby buildings hard enough to crack it.

As she opened her eyes was the world upside down, but she could identify the fact that Hideyoshi was approaching her, his punch telegraphed a mile away for her to see as he pushed his advantage.

'Seems like I can't afford to hold myself back after all'

Energy coursed through her once more, similar, yet different from that of her Disaster Purification. It built up within moments within her, before being unleashed in waves from her, their divinities clashing against one another. Her leg shot out from its imprint in the wall, striking her opponent in the shoulder he was winding up his punch, killing any momentum he had attempted to build up as he went to strike. Once more he moved to grab her, the difference being that she was ready for him now.

She retracted her leg, avoiding letting Hideyoshi get a grip on her, before pushing off the wall with both legs. Both legs struck his shoulders, and soon her legs closed in around his throat, as she twisted her body midair, turning her back up.

The sudden weight that pulled the blonde boy forwards, which would have quickly turned downwards, had Chizue not pulled herself up towards Hideyoshi, her hands clamping around his face. She felt some significant resistance from the blonde boy's magic as she once again attempted to dispel whatever it was that was influencing him, but even with a fully conscious effort at point blank range to negate all magic flowing through him, was there no sign of it giving way.

She met his eyes of rage and madness, gaze hardening as she gave it everything she possibly got, as her gifts for a moment went from two to one. Her Divine Possession became fuel for her Disaster Purification, as Chizue pushed her gift to its very limits. As if displaced by an explosion, all forms of magic, not only around them, as it stretched out along the entire street, washed away into nothing in a flash of white light.

Hideyoshi was still in her hands, his gaze vacant, staring unfocused upwards towards her. Chizue meanwhile wanted nothing more than to collapse in exhaustion, but couldn't allow herself to do so just yet, as she still had no idea whether she had been successful or not. While she had the power to fully negate even the strongest of magics, was there no guarantee that it would be as effective as she hoped against whatever it was that sent Hideyoshi out of control. All she could do was hope that it succeeded.

…

A house, empty except for the man on his knees, his back facing Hideyoshi as he cradled something. He was shaking, silent cries that didn't reach the boy's ears as he took in the scene. This was all he could see, unable to get around the man to see what he was holding, but even so felt it as if he knew what it was.

'My greatest accomplishment was a consequence for my greatest regret.'

It wasn't his fault, Hera had driven him to madness, amplifying his temper to the point he lashed out at everything in an uncontrollable rage. And once he had unknowingly performed the crime, she freed his mind. All because he was the offspring of Zeus.

'I was punished to serve my cousin for 10 years, who had been crowned king through another one of her schemes.'

But the anger that she had spurned that day would never be fully quenched, it was what drove him forward through his famous labors. He knew that she was behind every task that Eurystheus gave him while in his service, and that completing them would drive her mad. This anger fueled him, became his strength, his motivation to keep on going.

A beast whose hide ignored any weapon he threw at it went still as his arms closed around its throat. He looked over the downed beast as it slowly succumbed in his arms, contemplating its hide.

A dragon with hundreds of heads fell as its stumps burned shut around him from the flames, the final head hissing at him as he approached it with his blade.

A sacred deer ran in front, with him barely keeping pace with it, hoping to tire it out eventually.

For 10 long years, he laid the foundation for what would make him the most famous of all the world's heroes. His deeds became recognised all over the world, with few understanding why he was required to complete them initially.

He jumped out of the boar's path, barely avoiding having his stomach cut open by its tusk as it charged into the snow piled behind him.

His hands tore the ground of the river bank asunder, the rushing water diverting towards the nearby building as a result of his effort.

His hands flew between his quiver and bow, as arrow after arrow struck the birds overhead, each hitting the ground in a rain of bronze feathers.

A figure whose identity spans not only far throughout the world, but long through the ages as well. His identity as the embodiment of strength and unfaltering bravery, a trait that many connected to other characters or whose identity was directly linked to him. Egypt, Persia, India, the Roman Empire, Scandinavia, England and more connected him to their tales and gods.

He caught the horns of the rampaging bull, at last stopping its ferocious charge. In a great display of strength, he brought its head to the ground with such speed and force that it lost consciousness upon hitting the ground.

The horses stared him down with barely restrained hunger, currently content with having fed on their former master at the moment, blood dripping from their muzzle.

The honey blonde woman took off her belt, the price he was supposed to be after, but her sky blue eyes made him momentarily forget his quest.

But his tales spanned further than the accomplishment of his famous labors. He fought against the Giants in the Gigantomachia, sacked several cities, wrestled with death, freed Prometheus from his imprisonment, and many other adventures. But with little doubt, was the tale of his labors his most famous.

The three bodies giant swung his spears in a flurry of strikes, while his shields raised to meet his weapons, proving a far more difficult foe than his guard dog and herder. He might turn out to be tougher than the desert if things kept up.

He dodged out of the way of the ends of the dragon's many jaws, batting away the ones approaching him with his club and sword. He threw a quick glance back, for a moment contemplating taking up the Titan's offer.

His arms closed around one of the three headed beast's thick necks, his strength having some effect on it, but not as much as he was used to. The giant guard dog tried to reach him, but the angle was too awkward for its other heads to reach him properly.

This looped through Hideyoshi's mind over and over again, all while looking at the image of Heracles at his absolute lowest. Punished for having been born, a common practice for the goddess of marriage in response to Zeus' adultery. He couldn't help but feel that it was somewhat true for him as well. In the great scheme of things it felt as if he was punished for something outside of his control, for the innocent crime of simply existing and living his life, the difference being that the god somewhat responsible didn't want this as well.

But now there was some other force that had decided to take control over his fate, having cursed him with the same form of madness as Hera had oh so long ago. And just like last time, was there nothing they could do to fight against it.

Or maybe there was.

The Heracles from back then wasn't the same as the one Hera had targeted before he had ascended to godhood. He had lacked any real substantial fame, any of his godly Authorities that he would acquire later. All he had back then was his physical might and training from Chiron.

But Heracles seemed incapable of calling upon his godly powers, bearing the brunt of the magic that coursed through them at the moment. Which left him as the only one that could do anything. A thought that made him pause momentarily, as he couldn't help but feel that unleashing those powers in this state would mean no turning back in this state, now when the line was as blurred as it currently was.

That thought was quickly tossed to the side, as leaving himself in this state for too long would no doubt leave things worse than it could be otherwise.

And therefore, he spoke.

"Your very own greed shall become your downfall. Golden Apples of Immortality, the gift to the Queen of the gods, tempt these mortals and let their greed be their doom. Let them know that the sky is always looking over us, ready to deliver its judgement!"

…

Just moments later, returned all magic to the area in a violent explosion, throwing Chizue back. It was as if a bolt had struck from clear sky, unexpected and sudden, with enough force that she couldn't help but wonder that it would have been completely unaffected by her anti-magic explosion.

She looked up in a panic as she looked towards her sworn brother, having the feeling that the bolt wasn't intended for her, getting the slightest inkling that if it had been, she wouldn't be as unscathed as she currently was.

A crater had formed at the epicenter of the explosion, it wasn't very deep nor wide, but had kicked up plenty of dust, drastically decreasing the visibility of the area. Leaving Chizue no other option but to wait, not sure for what, just that she had to wait.

As the dust settled, was Hideyoshi's unscathed form revealed, but while it was clear to tell that the individual in the crater was Hideyoshi, were there still some major changes to his form. His physique had been altered, his already ripped body having grown more toned as well as having bulked, not to the level where he looked like a bodybuilder, but still a noticeable difference nevertheless. He had also grown noticeably taller, having at the very least gained a foot in height. But the most striking difference that told to his changed nature, was his hair, as it had gone from a natural blonde, to an inhumane golden color.

Which just so happened to match the lion's belt that tied over his shoulders like a cape. An image that spoke to who was currently in charge.

She gritted her teeth, the words carrying more venom than she had wanted to give off. "I hoped this wouldn't come to pass. But, I have to reluctantly welcome you to the mortal world, Heracles.

Now please, fuck off."

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