Oh God. It's been wayyy too long! I apologize for dying for so long. No excuses on that part. I just want to let you all know right now that it's summertime and ya boi is back on his grind. You can expect story updates regularly and even new stories on the way. I won't fall back into my old ways as long as I can help it, and if I do. Just send me some PM's. They really get me feeling bad for leaving all of you for so long and motivate me to keep it up. Thank you all for your messages and support and I won't let you down! This is gonna be a short chapter just to kinda let yall know that I'm back so I apologize if you were looking forward to something long.
Disclaimer: I own only what is mine. Which in this case would be the MC's character and any other OCs that belong in the story.
Chapter 8: Bad News and The Divine
Catherine POV
"Catherine, Michael!?" Rudeus shouted after getting over his initial shock. He scooped up Michael and spun around in utter relief and joy.
Sylphy was holding me tightly, as if a gust of wind would separate us forever. I didn't mind. In fact. This is exactly what I've been longing for.
The room was quiet. The only thing that could be heard was our soft whimpers and the crackling fire that warmed the room. The elder, the blue haired man and woman, and the green haired man all sat in silence as we enjoyed each other's embrace.
"I'm hungry." Michael said as his stomach growled once more. It left Rudy a bit stunned but he wasted no time in running over to his plate of uneaten food and handing it to Michael.
"Eat it slow, Mike. If you rush you're gonna have a stomach ache." I warned with a tired smile. Three days without food has left us hungry, and I'll be damned if I kept my little brother safe all this time just for him to die!
"Mhm." Michael hummed as he took slow bites of the food. Each bite made his smile grow wider to the point I could see the smile I grew to love to see over the years.
"You must be hungry too Catherine?" Sylphy asked as she moved to grab her plate. I didn't even think about stopping her as I took her plate and slowly engaged in my own meal.
"...Thank you" I said with a small smile.
"You look like shit." Rudeus blatantly pointed out. No doubt trying to raise the mood. It worked.
"Yeah, you don't look much better yourself." I shot back.
"Language Rudeus." The green haired man spoke up.
Rudy smiled wryly as he turned back and looked at the man. "Ruijerd. Read the room."
Ruijerd blinked a couple of times before looking at Michael and I and smiling warmly. "You have lost yourself in the excitement of reunion. I will excuse your language."
I couldn't help but giggle at the scene playing out before me. "Looks like you got yourself a babysitter Rudy."
Sylphy joined me in laughing at Rudy's expense.
"Yeah whatever. I'll let you have that. I'm just happy you two are okay." Rudy shrugged with a grin.
I nodded before my face turned bitter. Recalling everything that happened in the last four days. From the bright light consuming us to escaping the Heaven Continent and all that came after.
"Since you two gave up your plates, let's get you some new ones." The blue haired woman said with a motherly smile that brought about memories too painful to remember right now.
"Thank you, Mrs. Rokari." Sylphy said, matching the older woman's smile.
Once they both got their plates, we all fell into silence as we ate quietly. Only once we finished did Rudy decide to speak again.
"Sylphy and I got teleported not too far away from here. We were surrounded by wolves but managed to fight them off. After we met this guy." Rudy pointed at the green haired man before continuing. "Ruijerd Superdia." Rudy paused to gauge my reaction but when my expression didn't change he raised an eyebrow.
"Are you not scared of the Superd?"
"The hell is a Superd?" I asked. Seriously, did this guy think I should know a random demon's name?
"You don't know about the stories of my people?" Ruijerd asked with obvious disbelief.
"Nope. Guess you're not as famous as you thought you are." I shrugged. To my surprise Ruijerd smiled widely at my words before closing his eyes and returning to himself.
"So gonna tell me who he is?" I asked.
"Later for sure, but right now it's not the most important thing we need to discuss." Rudy said, adopting a serious expression. "After we decided to travel with Ruijerd we fought our way to this village. The Migurd Village. Surprisingly it's the same village that my Master Roxy Migurdia was born in so getting along with everyone has been smooth. I'm sure you met the elder already. This man and woman are Rowin, and Rokari Migurdia. They are my Master's father and mother."
"That's a surprise for sure. I mean what are the odds that you end up in your Master's home village." I said with a not so small amount of shock.
"Yeah, tell me about it. Maybe my special ability is amazing luck." Rudy joked.
"That would suck."
Rudy started tapping on his leg a bit uncomfortably. Taking glances at me before looking towards Sylphy. Apparently they were having a silent conversation or something I didn't understand.
"Catherine, do you have any idea what happened?" Sylphy asked with hesitance.
"I don't know anything for sure, but I think it was the orb that did this."
Rudy narrowed his eyes and Sylphy's eyes widened in shock.
"You think the orb teleported us?" Rudy asked no doubt, trying to gather as much information as possible.
"Not just us, but I think it teleported all of Roa at the very least…When the light came down we saw the whole city get consumed. Thanks to Lei, Mike and I made it a good distance from the city but the light still caught us."
Rudy grimaced. "You think it went even further than Roa?"
"Yes." I answered honestly.
"Then this is way worse of a situation then I thought."
Everyone sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Sylphy spoke up.
"You said Lei helped you? How did he do that?"
I froze. I hadn't even thought about how I was going to explain this to them. I didn't even want to think about such a recent wound, much less talk about it. How do I tell them that their brother and friend died protecting us from one of the seven great powers? How do I tell them that I forced him to make a promise he couldn't possibly keep? How do I tell them that I ran away knowing he'd die?
I started sweating and I could hear my heart pounding in my chest.
"Cathy? You alright!?" Rudy asked. He quickly stood up and rushed to my side as he started using his healing magic to calm me down.
Micheal came to my side and wrapped me in a hug. This little action was all I needed to know that he didn't quite understand why I was so upset.
"...He carried us as the light consumed us."
Rudy and Sylphy raised their eyebrows at that.
"That's weird. I don't know if it would work the same for everyone, but when Sylphy and I got teleported we were holding hands." Rudy explained and Sylphy nodded.
"...We did get teleported together."
My words seemed to only further confuse everyone in the room.
"I don't get what you're saying, Catherine. If you, Lei, and Mikey were all teleported together, where is Lei?" Sylphy asked. She asked the question everybody wanted to know, but I didn't know how to answer it.
"..."
Everyone seemed to understand what exactly was stopping me from telling them. Grief. It was the elder Rokkus that ripped off the bandaid.
"He's dead, isn't he young one?"
His words brought silence upon the room yet minds were racing faster than words ever could.
"Bullshit! Lei? Dead? I call complete bullshit! Tell us what happened now Cathy!" Rudy shouted no longer easing me into talking.
Sylphy for her part wiped the tears that had been forming in her eyes and nodded her head determinedly and looked at me expectantly. All eyes were on me and I knew I had to explain everything.
"...When the light consumed us we were teleported to a strange land…The Heaven Continent."
"The Heaven Continent!?" Rowen shouted in surprise and disbelief.
"How do you know it was the Heaven Continent?" Rokkus asked.
"That's not important, don't interrupt her!" Rudy shouted with unrestrained anger at the two grown men. Rudy's scowl never left as he looked at me to continue.
"The first night we rested, and when we woke up Lei was gone. We knew he must have just gone to scout so we waited and sure enough he came back." I looked towards Rudy and Sylphy, silently pleading that they don't force me to relive that moment, but Rudy's cold eyes and Sylphy's determined eyes didn't give me a chance.
"When he came back he looked completely different. Not only did he look it, he was different. I didn't even think it was him at first until he made a reference only you and I would understand Rudy."
"Different how?" Rudy asked.
"His hair was white. His eyes were blue and orange and had a weird pattern in them. His ears were gone and replaced with human ones, and he had four wings that could only be that of an angels."
"How is that possible?" Sylphy asked, her face consumed with shock.
"...Lei explained everything to me. His body was covered in injuries and I didn't believe it when he told me how he got them…"
"What did he say Catherine?" Rokari asked.
"He said the one who hurt him…was the Demon God Laplace."
"..."
No one moved or breathed. I couldn't blame them. Such a thing sounded absolutely impossible to believe. The name was one that every single competent soul in the world knew.
Ruijerd shot up from his sitting position and got real close to me. My body froze as I looked at him. The killing intent he was leaking was too much.
"Did you see this Laplace!?" He asked in a wrathful tone. I couldn't even manage to speak a word. I barely even managed to shake my head in denial. When he saw this he calmed a bit and got further away from me. "Please continue." His face remained angered and serious but he seemed to have calmed a bit.
"Apparently Lei was exploring the continent and found a castle. The castle belonged to Laplace. He ended up talking to Lei and Laplace gave him an axe that made Lei change. Something about being an immortal divine bud." I explained to the best of my ability hoping not to piss off Ruijerd or Rudy.
"Tell us everything Catherine." Sylphy said quietly.
I nodded slowly before taking a deep breath.
"Lei said he barely survived Laplace's attack and that we had to leave the continent fast. So we went on the run. Just when we passed the castle and I thought we were home free, Lei stopped…He said Laplace was stalking us. He told me to take Micheal and run…"
"And you did?" Rowen asked.
It took me everything I had to not break down into tears as I nodded my head. I didn't even dare look at Rudy, but from Sylphy's sobs it was obvious she couldn't hold on anymore.
"...Stop crying, Sylphy, Cathy." Rudy said in a confident voice much to my surprise.
I looked up at Rudy and was utterly shocked when I saw him smiling slightly. He wrapped both Sylphy and I into a hug as he continued. "He's alive. I know it."
I looked at him in disbelief. The confidence in which he said that shook me. Instead of feeling calm, or sad, or even slightly relieved I felt angry.
"How can you say that!? How can you claim to know when there should be no chance he survived!? We're talking about Laplace! One of the Seven Great Powers!" I shouted. How could he have hope when I have completely given up? The odds were too impossible.
Rudy looked at me and his smile grew wider. "Because it's Lei…Or have you forgotten who he is?"
I was speechless. I knew exactly what kind of man Lei is, and it's because of that very reason that I fell in love with him. That doesn't explain how he could have possibly lived through such a horrible situation…But seeing Rudy's smile, it gave me hope. Hope that perhaps the impossible was possible if it was Lei.
Sylphy managed a small smile and squeezed us tighter. She rubbed her face on Rudy's shirt to dry her tears. "You're an idiot Rudy."
"Only when I have to be." He replied as he squeezed her back.
I didn't know if Rudy was simply talking out of his ass, but the look on his face made me want to believe him. Regardless we needed to get back to the Central Continent and find the others. Those are the only things that are important right now. I won't mourn. Not until I see the Demon God himself and learn of Lei's fate.
—
Demon God Laplace (3rd POV)
Sitting on a throne in the rubble of his castle was the very same Demon God who was the cause of so much heartache and pain throughout the millennia of his life. A small smile adorned on his face as he seemed to be watching something…or someone.
'That boy is quite the catch. I wonder if he will be anything like Saphina.' He thought to himself as he patted the dirt off of his body. It was clear now that he was watching Lei who was currently swimming to the Central Continent.
'He's smarter than I gave him credit. Instead of blindly searching for the boy and girl he parted from, he is returning back home to gather his thoughts and make plans to rescue the other victims.'
"I wonder what it is you're watching." A new voice made their presence known. Laplace didn't even bother looking up. He recognized the voice as he had heard it plenty of times over the many millenia.
"To what do I owe the honor of this visit, Brother?" Laplace chuckled, never taking his eyes off of the bud who seemed to grow more and more interesting by the second.
"Don't call me that." The new arrival said with an obvious scowl upon his handsome face. His cold yellow eyes bore into the Demon God. Beside him was a black haired girl with a mask who was very clearly shivering in fear as she looked upon the incarnation of anarchy.
"We were raised by the same man…Would it be wrong to say we are brothers?" Laplace asked, but it was obvious he didn't care for an answer. He would continue to call him whatever he liked and the man in front of him would do nothing to stop him.
The man sported mid length gray hair, yellow eyes, white yellow scales that drifted just off of the side of his eyes. His features seemingly forever stuck in a scowl. He currently ranked second of the Seven Great Powers and was none other than the Dragon God Orsted.
"So what brings you to my castle…? Or what's left of it."
Orsted managed to give a small smirk as he looked around the remains of the castle. That smirk quickly disappeared when he suddenly felt an energy he had not noticed and had not felt in a very long time.
"The Heaven God has returned?" Orsted asked in disbelief.
"Not necessarily, but his Bud seems to have awakened. He is the one who blew up my castle and the one who has given me more entertainment than I've had in centuries." Laplace announced with a shit-eating grin. Seeing the look of shock on his brother in all but blood's face brought great amusement to him.
"His bud was able to use ARK?" Orsted asked clearly not believing what he was hearing. Only the Four Sky Gods and the Heaven God himself could use that spell, and the one that was used on Laplace's castle no doubt resembled the Heaven God's own pure white energy.
"Indeed quite incredible isn't it? I initially thought him to be just a Sky God bud, and was planning to kill him, but when he used the full power of ARK, I couldn't just kill him. Who knows how long it will be before the next Heaven God will be born. We can use him to finally end this battle of ours."
Orsed went into deep thought. He knew well that Laplace had killed many others bearing divine energy. At least a thousand over the millenia fell to him, but only about half a dozen of them had managed to become Divine Buds. All of them had only ever been Lesser God candidates like the Sky Gods, Magic Gods, Wyrm Gods, Lake Gods, and Forest Gods. These Lesser Gods only served their main Gods.
Forest Gods served the Beast God. Lake Gods served the Sea God. Wyrm Gods served the Dragon God. Magic Gods served the Demon God, and Sky God's served the Heaven God. The Humans who attained God level in magic, or swordsmanship would serve the Human God.
"Hitogami will not stand for his existence, he will no doubt gather the doubt and strength of the humans and other divine humans who have not yet awakened, and he will try his best to end this young one. So why did you let him leave this continent knowing it was the safest place for him to grow." Orsted asked calmly. He knew Laplace a long time and he knew well that he wasn't stupid if only a little impulsive. He no doubt had a reason for this.
"It was a risky move. The Heaven Race that resides on this continent would no doubt have treated and nurtured the next coming of their main deity. However his life has been quite interesting thus far and you wouldn't believe who he was with when we battled."
Orsted's curiosity was thoroughly peaked. His silence urged Laplace to continue.
"There was a girl he was with. A human with the divine ability of teleportation. Ring any bells brother?"
In all Laplace's years of life, very few times did he see Orsted wear such a look of surprise. A wild grin formed on his lips as he started cackling like a mad man.
"Yes it is true Brother! The boy was traveling with none other than 'his' bud." Laplace couldn't control his excitement. What are the odds two of the buds born within such a close time period would be the buds of two of the six main gods.
"The true Human God." Orsted whispered in disbelief. Never in a thousand years had he expected two God candidates to be traveling together, much less the Heaven and Human God.
"Yes, quite the surprise isn't it? Not only that but to my surprise it seems his brother is also one of the humans with divinity in them. However I haven't been able to see him. No doubt the work of the False God Hitogami." Laplace scowled, recalling the name of the man he wanted dead more than anything.
"I see now why you let him leave. Him staying here would have been a waste and would have no doubt given Hitogami time to plan. You're smarter than you look." Orsted said as he turned around. The girl next to him quickly looked between the Demon God and Dragon God before following the latter.
"Leaving so soon, Brother?" Laplace chuckled.
"It seems these recent events have given me hope for our eventual victory, and I'll be damned if I let that bastard take it away."
"Then may I ask what you plan to do?"
Orsted stopped before turning back to the giant demon behind him.
"I'll get the girl and the Heaven God's brother before that bastard can make a move."
"The girl and her little brother are on the Demon Continent. Even with the ability to teleport they shouldn't have gotten far yet. After all she's not a fully awakened bud yet."
Orsted nodded as he turned back around and started walking his way towards the Demon Continent. All the while the masked girl made sure to stay right beside him.
—
Leighton POV
I…Really…Hate…Water.
For the past three days I have been non-stop swimming or flying. Whenever I would try to rest, I would be attacked by sea monsters. Luckily they weren't strong…well not strong when compared to Laplace. Not to mention I had a weird feeling, like I was being watched the entire time. Something tells me it's the kraken who's limb I cut off, but I'm not too worried about a baby kraken. I just hope it doesn't remember me when it grows up.
Initially I was gonna swim to the Demon Continent, but then I remembered that Cathy can literally teleport and I doubt she would have waited around for me. She's definitely seen more than enough movies to know that I probably died.
That sucks.
I finally got a girlfriend that isn't a complete bitch and just when I think all is good she thinks I went off and died like those old tragic love stories.
No matter. I need to focus on what's important right now, and that's finding a way to reunite everyone. If I'm right this teleportation incident was bigger than just Roa. Which means it could have possibly affected the whole region, maybe even the whole country!
Which would mean, Aisha, Norn, Lilia, Zenith, and Paul also might have gotten teleported. They should be my first priority over everyone else. Paul and Zenith were S rank adventurers, but Aisha, Norn, and Lilia aren't very strong. At least not from what I read from their letters. I need to find a way to reach the others.
As I kept swimming I finally saw land in the very far distance. Based on the sun's positioning, I'd say it was about 4 P.M. So I wasted no time in powering up and flying towards the mainland as fast as I could. Once I reached land I didn't even think about stopping to rest. I was gonna fly and keep flying until I reached my destination. Buena Village.
—
It took around twelve hours of flying and by the time I reached the village it was almost morning of the next day. When I arrived at what used to be my home…I froze.
It was gone.
Everything was gone.
Some buildings seemed to have disappeared like they never existed.
I walked slowly through the empty village unable to believe this was my reality. I felt ready to drop to the ground and curl into a ball. To cry my eyes out. Then I remembered the job I had given myself. I would bring them all home. Or die trying.
Wasting no more time I used the new energy I had acquired from becoming a bud and made bright white lights around the entire village. Then I illuminated the ground with lights that led to the fields. In the middle of the fields I left a message to all those who had been teleported away.
'Stay here for here you are safe.'
It wasn't much but for now it would have to do. I needed to leave to start searching for my family, but I wanted to make sure people knew this was a safe place. A future haven for those who have lost their way.
I went over to our old house, or what was left of it and left a message in front of it.
'We will reunite again. Stay positive and stay alive. - Lei'
I didn't know if anyone would be able to return on their own, but if they did they would no doubt wait here for me to return.
I quickly took to the sky and made a huge ball of white light that spanned about ten meters. Leaving it in the center of the village. It easily illuminated the night sky and could be seen from miles away.
I smiled as I went back to the sky and started searching around the outskirts of the village. It wouldn't be easy, but I'd find everyone.
Chapter End. Really short chapter this time around but hey…I'm back. I'll be writing at least one chapter a week for each of my stories and may even start another story while I'm at it. This one was pretty easy to write and everything seemed to flow well. Except for the Catherine talk. That was a headache. Anyways hope you enjoyed.
Random Question: Saitama vs Goku who wins? I personally got Goku just because we have actually seen where he is in strength and can scale him unlike Saitama who apparently 'can match his strength to that of his opponent.' Just sounds like a bullshit coping mechanism to me.
