Sorry about the spaces. If actual spaces were provided, then no one would need zeros now would they?
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Disclaimer/Claimer: See previous chapter
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"What the heck is -" began most of the Gods and Goddesses.
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"IT'S A BIG BANG!" Roared Kazul, Dekos, and a few others, "EVERYONE RUN!"
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The only ones whose sixth senses had prompted them beforehand - Yuugioh, Athena, and Minerva - were already well out of harms way. As many of the others that could tried to flee, before the beam of golden light from the sky touched ground.
It wasn't so much as an attack as it was a total slaughter. Those who couldn't get out of the way tried raising Miracle Shields to block the damage, but the blast of primal energy popped those Shields as if they really were just the bubbles they resembled.
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Fifteen gods and goddesses died instantly, when their Temples were erased off the face of Eden. Almost all the others suffered damage. Creatures that didn't escape were also brutally destroyed.
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When the dust cleared and the blinding light died down, Yuugioh was personally very surprised to be alive.
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His Temple was one of the few completely undamaged. Being one of the last to arrive, his had been stuck very much off to the side. And much to his relief, Laurel was in the yard. She was seriously frazzled, but not hurt.
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"What WAS that terrible thing?" Yuugioh demanded of Kazul the second the remaining gods and goddess regrouped.
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Aside from himself and Kazul, the only ones still there were Dekos, Athena, Minerva, Oralldor, Layweh, and an even-more-tramatized-than-before Katha. Their Creatures - except, of course, for Katha's - had all managed to survive, and they were joined by the now ownerless Creatures of Scilla and Amarra - a rainbow sheep and a gleaming polar bear.
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"That thing was one of the most dangerous Miracles there are," Dekos explained, envy coloring his voice, "The Big Bang Miracle. Total obliteration of whatever's dumb enough to stand in the way."
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"And this was no ordinary Big Bang," Kazul added, "This had Creed-power behind it…"
"And a Creed-Master was wielding that power, Old Fool," sneered a new voice, out of the darkness.
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The remnants of the forces of good turned to face their latest challenge - and found themselves facing a swarm of floating lights. Those lights were all a god or a goddess who served the Deathgod, and leading them was one who had to be the mysterious Deathgod himself.
The Deathgod's symbol was, ironically, a grinning human skull set on top of a circle. His color was silver, but unlike Kazul's brightness, the Deathgod's color was dirty and tarnished.
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"It's the Deathgod!" Katha screamed, diving to hide behind the nearest safe person - that being Oralldor.
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Kazul, on the other hand, gasped in shock.
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"Wrartz!"
"SILENCE!" bellowed the Deathgod, "Do you dare to mention that name in my presence, Old Fool?"
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"It is you, Wrartz," Kazul said, totally ignoring the threat, "So this is what you decided to do after you finished sulking?"
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"Is it just me, or do dey know each other?" Luster wondered.
"I think they might be related somehow," Lupine offered as his opinion.
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"Kazul," Yuugioh announced, deciding to play Lupine's hunch, "Is this really a good place for your little reunion?"
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"Unfortunately, Cousin Wrartz has not given me much of a choice," Kazul replied loudly, enjoying the Deathgod's frustrated cries of 'Shut up! I command you to shut up! Shut up me-damn-it!'
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A blast of lightning cut off the laughter that was starting to break out - especially amongst the Deathgod's/Wrartz's own supporters.
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"Well then, Old Fool," Wrartz said next, "It appears you and your little friends have failed. Now hand over the Creeds quietly like good inferior beings and I might consider letting you live on as Cassaka's slaves."
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"Already tried that, no thanks," Dekos snorted.
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"Ditto on the no she-witch idea," Yuugioh added.
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"VERY WELL," Wrartz roared, "Then we'll just have to kill you…I so love it when plans go an entertaining way…"
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God-versus-God fighting, from an outsider's perspective anyway, as a rule looks very weird. Brightly colored balls of light buzz through the air like a swarm of bees, all with the intent of ramming into another ball as hard as possible. Its sort of like bumper cars.
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For those participating in said combat, it is much more intense. And being hit hurts a lot more than it looks like it should.
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Ignoring the pain coming from his side - a light hit from some screaming orange banshee he didn't recognize - Yuugioh plowed ahead, trying to force his way past the mob of enemy gods and goddesses to where Wrartz the Deathgod was watching the carnage.
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Over to the side, he could see Dekos focused on smashing someone gray into the ground below. Oralldor was doing his best to fend off attacks, but having to defend the very-much-still-hysterical Latha as well as himself was taking its toll.
Layweh was knocking gods and goddesses to where the waiting, angry group of Creatures could pound the living hoo-haw out of them. Five so far had been beaten into submission by the Creatures, and Yuugioh's aches and pains were secretly thrilled to see the orange banshee had just been sent down, to make it an even six.
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That almost brought them halfway to meeting Athena and Minerva's total of twelve and counting. The twin Goddesses were staying together and fighting with almost delicate precision. And they weren't double-teaming their opponents, either - they were just taking the Deathgod's forces out two at a time.
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God-Versus-God combat looks VERY weird.
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Yuugioh was almost to Wrartz when a flash of lurid pink light signaled Cassaka's jumping to float directly in the way.
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"Now now, that's very naughty! You'd better stop right here, I think you should!" Cassaka giggled.
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Yuugioh jerked in midair, and Cassaka laughed, thinking that he was under her power once again.
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But in reality, Yuugioh was just startled at how Lupine and Luster had lunged to block up his ears before Cassaka could open her mouth to speak. Now his ears were ringing, but Yuugioh's head remained clear.
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"C'mon dearie, lets go smash your little annoying friends together now," Cassaka crooned.
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"I have a better idea," Yuugioh replied, before swinging around to smack Cassaka down to the ground.
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Right where the Creatures were waiting for her.
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((DIBS ON THE HEAD!)) Ripclaw howled, as the lurid pink Goddess vanished screaming under the attacking Creatures.
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Yuugioh floated away from the main battle, closer to where Wrartz was watching everything with interest. The tarnished god sneered when he saw his approaching opponent.
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"Well well, if it isn't Kazul's little golden child," Wrartz sneered, "You might as well go back to playing tag, boy. You're no match for me."
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"We'll see about that," Yuugioh shot back, charging in for an attack.
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Less than three seconds later, Yuugioh was soaring sideways. He was aimed at the ground almost before he figured out that Wrartz had raised some sort of powerful repelling force shield around himself.
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Then the crimson god was in a little too much pain to think about anything else for couple of minutes.
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"…Okay…" Yuugioh told himself when he could think straight again, "…For the new plan…don't do that again."
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"I'd say Amen ta dat, Boss," Luster groaned, "We still on Da Continent?"
"Oh my!" Lupine piped up, "Will you look at that!"
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"…What now?"
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"We've been knocked all the way to the other side of The Continent!" Lupine gasped.
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"Which is bad, why?" Luster said, "Uh…Oh, damn! We're neck-deep in bad-guy Temples! I guess dat is bad news."
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Something else that was just now beginning to register in Yuugioh's ringing brain…he was in what looked like the only clear spot in the tightly packed forest of Evil Temples on the 'Deathgod Supporters' side of The Continent. When he regained his balance enough to try and fly again, Yuugioh was treated to a horrible sight.
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Unlike Kazul's allies, who had spaces for their worshipers to build houses for resting, and sometimes even a field for them to grow themselves their own food, on Wrartz's side there was more often than not no room for any humans to move outside of their worshiping site! Without even the slightest chance of escape, the poor mortals had to put all their energy into providing their god with power.
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If one died - and they were dropping like flies - the remaining living humans would toss the bodies on the altar, something that gave the evil gods and goddesses even more power.
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"This is so barbaric," Yuugioh growled.
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"Villagers so broken with fear dat dey don't need no more encouragement or watchin'," Luster mentioned, "Pretty handy, if ya ask me…"
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Lupine glared fiercely at his counterpart.
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"If only there was some way we could help them," the Good Conscious sighed.
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Was there, Yuugioh wondered to himself. Then it hit him.
"And the best part is, its good and evil at the same time," Yuugioh made a point of mentioning aloud.
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"What?"
"Yeah, what?"
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Instead of answering, he floated down to the closest group of worshipers. The emblems on the Temple were the same as those of a sky-blue god who had been attacking Oralldor and Latha particularly harshly.
Calling out to the people did nothing. And when Yuugioh dared reach down and pick up one of the younger men, the human screamed hysterically, certain that his god was here to sacrifice a living human for an extra boost of power.
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"Calm down! Please, I am not here to harm you," Yuugioh kept saying, until the human finally dared peek at who was holding him aloft.
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"Yo-you're not Our Lord Hallfar," the man stammered.
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"No, I am not," Yuugioh replied, "I am not on the side of Hallfar or the Deathgod. And I am here because I wish to help you."
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"…Help us?"
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"Hallfar needs the power you provide him, yet clearly he abuses you and keeps you as unwilling slaves. All I wish to do is provide you and your people the opportunity to escape, a chance to govern yourselves in a rightful and just manner - or, if you still wish to serve, be governed under a fair and far more kindly god."
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It didn't take long for the human to see things Yuugioh's way. Soon enough, Yuugioh's success included four more other Temples, and a large gang of freed humans was gathering at the beach.
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Since having them walk to the other end of The Continent was out of the question under any circumstances, a Teleportation Miracle was the obvious answer. Filled with promises of a better life, the enslaved worshipers brought to The Continent by the Deathgod's allies were diving into the vortex in droves.
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It didn't take too much longer before Yuugioh was the only person left among the completely undefended Temples of his enemies.
