Disclaimer: Campione! was written by Taketsuki Jou, I get nothing out of writing this fanfic save personal satisfaction (and possibly reviews).
Author's Notes: Minor corrections have been done on prologue. Please give it another once over before reading this chapter. Note that all chapters will be revised again later, possibly without notice. This is mostly for grammar and maybe an idea(or two) that I accidentally forget to put in- yes it happens, or when inspiration strikes fix some details or polish the chapter here and there.
This was last Updated/Corrected Dec 24, 2012.
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Pet na Campione-sama!
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Chapter Two: Athena: "Kusanagi Godou,"
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Many moons, many seasons, hath long gone, yet little one hast changed. One's search hast remained unsuccessful. One's efforts had been for naught. Whether tis for the snake or for an enemy.
That had been so... until the season changed this recently.
This heretic goddess had sensed the snake, and followed its wake back into these familiar lands.
One had not expected to find the presence of the snake so close to the presence of a sun deity.
The god of ever-changing forms. The one who smites resistance. The hypostasis of victory. The one who hast not tasted defeat. The invincible hero. The Ancient Persian War God.
"Verethragna"
His name tasted like poison in this goddess' lips.
What a troublesome enemy.
Had one possesseth one's true form, this goddess wouldst not hesitate and seek a confrontation with such a fine adversary. But as one is now, that one would not use his full strength, and still there will be only one result... mine in utter defeat.
Yet one does not feel his will for conflict directed at this goddess.
What could that one wisheth to do with my Gorgoneion?
Athena wisheth not to be found by that one. This one shalt watch thou from afar for now, god of victory.
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Many hours and days have passed. Verethragna hast shown some semblance of his motives. His desire was battle. But not one with this goddess... not yet for the time. He hast moved from land to land. And hast summoned, revived, and awakened god after god, deity after deity, seeking battle.
Why doesth that one not seek this goddess out? Or does that one knowest that this goddess hath already long revived?
Should one consider this an insult? Or should one be thankful?
As one watched Verethragna through the eyes of one's familiars. One discerned the identity of the next god Verethragna wishest to call out of his myth.
From the relics and the ancient lithographs hath gathered and the location that hath chosen, the god that will cometh forth is none other than the divine king. The god of storms, lighting and the sky. The god of sea. The god of the harvest. And the god of the underworld.
"Melqart"
One triest not to choke the newly awakened god's name. What are thou plotting, Verethragna. To summon a god even more powerful than thyself. Hast thou gone mad? Or does thou not seekest battle, but defeat?
With great prudence. This goddess used one's divine sight. A weakness must be found. Opportunity shall be made. Victory is a luxury that I do not require. However! Humiliation must be served. Defeat wilt be given to the one who seeketh it.
One senses it!
The Thief. The Trickster. The Titan of Knowledge. Prometheus!
His legacy is on its way here.
Just thee wait, god of victory.
If thee suriveth thy encounter with the divine king.
This goddess of wisdom shalt giveth thee what thy seeketh.
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Verethragna and Melqart battled. One could not believeth the result. A mortal wound onto the divine king, Verethragna hath dealt. But not without a price. Melqart's powers shattered the god of victory. His forms scattered and departed from the battlefield.
The divine king hath seeketh a refuge to recuperate.
The god of victory is but a fragment of his true self, barely even a god.
Yet, this goddess still senses danger. Even in this state, the god of victory was dangerous.
One must find the legacy of Prometheus before Verethragna regains too many of his forms.
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This goddess senses the legacy of Prometheus cometh on a steel bird. Just this once, this goddess shall applaud human invention. There shouldest not be any difficulty in taking the tome of ancient knowledge.
However these lands are full of magicians and witches. One shall shroud oneself from their eyes; as one wishest not to be discovered.
It is one's custom and one hast prided oneself for not resorting to theft. Tactics, strategy and personal might was preferred. Still one shalst makest an exception this time. After all, the thing one seekest to take once belonged to that traitorous thief.
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One hast not needed to wait long. One sensed the tome leaving one of the steel birds. An instant is all one needeth to-
"Ah!"
This goddess hast been seen! One's divine sight hast told this goddess that one hath been exposed.
Wait... these eyes!
One turneth with anticipation and saw... that child.
"Kusanagi Godou,"
How is it that a child of man's name could taste like ambrosia?
This goddess hast waited so long for thine to age. But what is thine venture in these lands?
The tome! Why does thou possesseth the tome of that thief?!
Time is limited. One of Verethragna's forms hast cometh this way.
"Do not die, Kusanagi Godou."
For one wilst not forgivest thee.
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Hidden form even the sight of other gods, one resumeth observation of Verethragna.
This goddess hath failed in retrieving the tome. Victory cannot be achieved.
A new tactic must be employed. But what can defeat that annoying hero? Even the king of kings could only shatter that one into his ten forms. Some of them might have less intellect compared to common mortal animals, but they are still pieces of the god of victory. Rather increase the odds of victory, hast trouble not multiplied instead?
Curseth thee divine king. Thee hast refused him victory, but defeat thy had not served.
Without warning, that one hast appeared.
One senses; the wind, the bull, the youth, and the sword, hast cometh to suppress the boar.
"What is this?"
One could hardly believe one's eyes. That child had wandered into the divine space.
Do not be foolish, Kusanagi Godou. Wilst that tome is in thine hands, the world thy not knoweth will treat thee not like regular mortal anymore.
Perchance, the child does not know. That child of man hast not one drop of magic in that mortal body. Tis logical to assumeth so, since the age of the gods hast long passed. One knowest not how that child sees, but that tome does not choose masters... nor does it teach.
Perchance... this is the opportunity one seekest?
Forsooth! Two required elements are here. A sacrifice and a sacrificer.
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As one had divined, Verethragna too found interest in that child.
The youth diverted his attention from the boar to the child; when he sensed the child's eyes.
The boar released a loud roar as it stomped angrily onto the earth. Glass shattered. Rocks cracked. Wood broke. Steel distorted. The earth shook.
The child of man stumbled; and the items he carried spread out into the earth, including the tome.
Verethragna's fragment, picketh the tome up and spoke a question.
"Is this yours?"
"Yes."
This one is surprised. The child answered quickly. Whereth be the pauses in his response? The lag in his words? The delay in his action? Hast he been healed of his affliction? Or hast time alloweth he to adapt?
"How fortunate. Wilst thy lend it to one for immediate use?" the youth asked the child of man.
"Okay." Kusanagi Godou noddeth with his answer.
"This one thanks thy generosity."
The youth raiseth the tablet towards the boar. As if seeing through the intentions of its other self, the boar started to flee. But it was meaningless resistance. The power sealed in the tome was awakened and released. Dark clouds gathered instantly gathered in the sky and shot numerous bolts lightning onto the beast.
The boar roared first in anger, then once more in pain, after that there was silence.
Verethragna's avatar turned into light and merged with the youth.
So far events have unfolded favorably. Kusanagi Godou was still alive. One hath not intended to lead him here, but it hath worked out well for one. Because the tome wilst only work if the user and target haveth a connection, even the tiniest social contact must be met. It is regretable that the divine authority sealed within the tome hath been expended, but since it would not have been enough to slay the god of victory one shall let it go.
With this, all that is needeth is for Verethragna to resume his hunt for his other forms. However...
"Holdest tis. Perchance it will be useful to thee."
The Sword! That one hath sealed his own incarnation and freely gaveth it up?!
Art thou sayest that one's scheme is needless? That shouldest one send that child to battle with thee, you wouldst welcome him?
The arrogance! Such conceit!
How far wilst thy go, god of victory?
Very well... If thee desirest a defeat so much. Let Heretic Athena providest thee with abet.
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After the youth had handest the tome to its owner, he walketh away without words parting, this Heretic Athena hast to make one's move.
"Kusanagi Godou." One calleth the child's attention. "One feels elation towards our reunion. Although, one doubts thee remembers one."
"Athena." He speakest one's name with ease and warmth.
"Oh! It pleases one that thy had kept one's name in memory."
One approacheth the child... yes, he is a still a child... for now.
"I bringeth thee a gift to celebrate our reunion."
"A gift?"
One had holdest the sides of his face and caught his lips with one's own. Ah! The immorality! For this virgin goddess to initiate such intimacy, one cannot help but feelest one becoming deprave. But one's feelings shall cometh later. One's purpose in osculation was to numb his mind forcefully.
'Cease resistance.'
Wilst surprised, this goddess embedeth the knowledge of Verethragna onto his being. Every tale, and every hymm shalt become a part of him. With this the use of the sword sealed within the tome wilst be possible even in the child's sleep.
But wilst he useth it? Wilst the opportunity cometh to him?
Sadly this goddess cannot interferest anymore than this.
One releases the child... only for him to collapse like a lifeless puppet. This goddess hath forgotten how fragile the human brain was. But he wilst live. Although, one shouldest remember to impart knowledge more gently. But this encumbrance, perchance Pandora wilst ignore the meddling of this goddess.
One shalt not tarry nor linger, for the divine space made by the boar begineth to collapse.
This goddess laid one's eyes onto the child sleeping form a last time.
"Fare thee well, Kusanagi Godou. One wisheth that our next encounter shall be as enemies."
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Chapter Two: End
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Chapter End Notes: This chapter is longer than the prologue, but shorter compared to chapter one... sorry. . I'll be honest, trying to sound archaic or like a ancient god is more difficult than it looks... even though there is less words. But! Know that I had to pretend to be a being that has a different set of priorities and does not see some details as something of interest. Due to the length I had considered inserting Erica, but personally I find having two or more povs in a chapter a bit over used in fanfiction. I'll settle for one pov per chapter regardless of length.
