I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
M for mature topics. No children allowed. *
The Broken Boosted Gear
By Try Another Time
Moments before the fight.
Within the desert of Gautama's endless dream, a former human continues to walk a path that few could endure. The beads of his rosary had grown bigger and heavier with each death.
At that point, he had experienced so many deaths that he could match the highest death tolls of any major war in the human world.
"Each soul is precious, Issei. No matter how many sins they possess or their race in a previous life. Each one is worth fighting for. That rosary should remind you what you will protect by fighting Trihexa. Each time you fall means that another soul is destined to perish at the hands of the beast." Gautama said as he watched the Welsh Dragon advance through the endless desert.
"I know," Issei said, continuing forward with his weapons in hand without looking back or trying to find a way out.
His goal had been defined long ago. With each death, he had reaffirmed his determination to fight the beast prophesied to destroy every realm. He felt hunger, and often his eyes were drawn toward the illusion of rest, but every time he had stopped himself from falling victim to any form of weakness.
"I must fight for them. I can't give up because Ddraig wouldn't give up either." The same phrases repeat themselves in his mind as the memories of those dear to him push him to continue.
His feet left a burning mark on its wake as his path of the burning Buddha continued.
Gautama had grown to respect the former human as he increased the challenge with each cycle, and Issei stood up each time without offering excuses.
*Rockman Zero Mythos- 02 Departure*
"Although this is a dream, its effects are real. After a few cycles, anyone would have lost their mind, yet you continue, young Buddha. Just amazing." Gautama thought before he summoned several sand warriors around Issei.
Each one wields different weapons, and in seconds they attack Issei with coordinated attacks which were trying to use his blind spots against him.
Issei showed no fear as he twisted his body in ways no human could under normal conditions. He countered and blocked each of his assailants with ease while also using the original projectiles directed at him against them.
Usually, he would grab an arrow and use it to stab the neck of an enemy.
He was also using the fake Ascalon to cut straight to the weapon of his adversaries.
He also took a bite out of their necks like a wild beast.
Sometimes he even kicked the chest of his opponents with such strength that not even armor could save them from the damage.
And on other occasions, he would throw the fake Ouros with the strength to open the sky.
It took barely a few seconds for each to be slain by the young Buddha.
Thus was the training of this young Buddha. The training to affirm his choice to leave his humanity behind. The training to reshape his very soul into a force for the sake of the future—the training for he who would face the curse of the gods, Trihexa.
This was the path he had accepted and one he couldn't walk away from.
Too much was at risk.
Too many souls to protect.
Too many hopes that he was now carrying on his back alongside Ddraig.
Some called it destiny, fate in some cases, but to Issei was the path he accepted and embraced. Maybe deep within him, he hoped to prove that his past sacrifices were meant for this, or perhaps he wanted to pay tribute to those he couldn't remember by using his life for a bigger purpose.
Regardless of the reasons, now he was here, and once more, he set out to finally defeat the fake Trihexa for once.
"We can do it. We can slay the beast. Nobody will fall as long as we stand together, Ddraig." Even alone, in this lonely dream, he felt the presence of his partner by his side. Although he couldn't talk to him, he felt the heat of the crimson flames still supporting him like always.
Even now, he could still feel his partner fighting against the odds, further pushing him to improve. To be the equal of Ddraig and the partner, he needed to face the future.
As Issei continued on his path, the remains of his previous battles became much more abundant—the limbs of his failed previous "attempts" and the "trophies" of his improvements. Each one was a reminder of his progress and a sign of where he had fallen.
Sooner than later, he arrived at the destined place where he was supposed to face his challenge again, yet fate had other plans.
As Issei took a view of the area, his chest began to ache. A burning sensation was taking root deep within him.
"Infinity."
He heard Ddraig's voice deep within him. "He needs me—this pain is a sign that something is wrong. Gautama, I must return."
"This was not in our accord, child, but I figure these kinds of exceptions must be made. That power is dragging you away from my grasp. I don't want to interfere with the whims of the Ouroboros dragon. Depart for now and return once it is done. I'll be waiting." Gautama said as Issei slowly vanished from the dream. "The Welsh Dragon never gets a break from his accursed luck. Be safe, young Buddha. We haven't touched on a lot yet, and my hopes keep rising with your improvements."
Back to the present, General POV.
A golden flash and a crimson one clashed against each other within the endless night sky of Asgard.
"Judgment Rain!" Odin invoked his power, and millions of beams of light descended toward the position of the Welsh Dragon.
The Welsh Dragon didn't fear his opponents' attacks as he pushed on and dodged them with incredible precision before cutting the distance between them. His speed had tripled, and Odin could tell as he appeared before him before he knocked him towards the ground with a tail slam.
"Curse you, Welsh Dragon!" Odin watched in fear as the Welsh Dragon spread his wings before several humanoid fire clones arose from within them and opened fire against him.
"It's time for you to fall! Crimson Shrapnel." A series of explosions engulfed Odin as he fell to the ground, but what could have finished off another opponent just injured Odin. The god escaped the crash at the last moment and quickly used his magic to attack the Welsh Dragon.
Several whips blades of water and ice were directed at the Welsh Dragon. Their speed was impressive, but the Welsh Dragon did not even care to evade them as each dissolved in milliseconds as they approached him.
"Open this new gate."
"You who walk the path that nobody else dares to."
"As we take this rosary, hear our prayers and push the limits!"
The husks reached for the rosary beads, and each bead ignited one by one. Pillars of pure crimson flames erupted from all corners of Asgard as the power of the Welsh Dragon took a new shape.
"Pray in the name of thy burning holiness."
"Pray for the age that your efforts will bring."
"Pray for the souls thou hopes to save and protect."
The Welsh Dragon lifts his spear and throws it at the ground with all his myth. "Awake now, Age of the New Fire! Ouros, Spear of the Endless Spiral, heard my call and awakened to your new form."
The ground shakes within Odin for several moments before he is forced to fly away as a massive fire serpent erupts from the ground beneath. The serpent is fast and stretches out for miles to no end. Ddraig drops on top of the head of the serpent before he summons his bloody blade.
"Alright, old friend. It is time to teach you some new tricks." The Welsh Dragon said as he directed his eyes to Odin. Both of his eyes started to cry tears of boiling blood as some kind of omen of what was to come due to this display of power. Ascalon growled with enjoyment as the prospect of a new challenge was presented to him.
Odin's eyes couldn't believe what he was seeing. "This has to be a lie. This is nothing like before. Just what is this power?" The god was sweating like crazy as the temperature all around Asgard reached new heights. No amount of water was able to survive in such an environment under normal conditions.
Yet even with all the bets against him now, Odin chooses not to back away or run from this one-sided battle.
"Ddraig!" The god lifted his spear once more and charged head-on to meet his fate.
Ouros, Ascalon, and Ddraig do the same, which leads to a spectacle that Asgard had never witnessed.
Meanwhile, with Serafall and the rest, General POV.
The girls had no time to enjoy the main event as with the massive fire serpent moving all around, they were forced to act to prevent the worst.
"Take those Asgardians over there and put them inside a cube," Serafall told Aurora. The devilish young beauty was working at full speed as she created an area with her ice spells that could try to counter the high temperatures. "I'm happy for him, but this is a bit overkill. Since when has he had access to such an ability?"
"I have no idea," Gabriel said as she brought even more, unconscious Asgardians. "I doubt those pillars killed anyone, and the serpent is only after Odin. He might be doing what is necessary to win. Odin won't give up that easily."
"True. Hopefully, he doesn't hurt Odin too much." Grayfia said as she filled one of the cubes. Several cubes were already filled, and most were being shielded from the heat thanks to Serafall and Behemoth. The sacred beast used one of his terraforming abilities to redirect water from the area toward their position while Serafall did her best to decrease the temperature to bearable levels.
"At least fire is not raining from the sky. Thank Lilith's blessing that none of us are Odin now." Roygun said as she took a look at the fight taking place not too far from them.
"How can all of you be so at ease?" A masculine voice asked.
The girls turned their eyes to Vidar. The god lay shackled and beaten near one of the cubes. Gabriel had demolished the god with her strength and skills. Out of all of the Asgardian forces that had faced the girls, only he remained conscious.
"At ease? We're just confident about the Welsh Dragon's victory. He defeats Odin, and we're out of this realm." Grayfia says.
"That's it? He defeats Father, and you get to walk away? Is all of this just a joke to all of you?" Vidar asks the group.
Serafall shakes her head. "You might not realize it now, but we got what we wanted. You and your forces fell for the trap, and we achieved our real goals. Now we're only waiting on our enforcer to win so that we can leave this realm. This was never a mission of war."
"So, what was your mission?" Vidar asks.
Gabriel takes a deep breath. "Rescuing our allies."
At that same time, Shiva's POV.
"We only came here to rescue our allies." The god said as he stood on top of Tyr's defeated body. "It was all a rescue mission."
"A rescue mission?" Tyr asks with visible pain.
"Once we're gone, you will realize what you have lost. What did Odin let all of you lose? You'll realize it once we're gone. A lot is happening, and a king that can't see his mistakes won't lead a realm to salvation. Tell me, can Odin be your leader in an era of peace? Can he see beyond the past? Can he put the needs of his people before his own ambition and grudges? These are all questions you and your people will need to ask yourselves in the following weeks." Shiva says as he steps away from Tyr.
Around him, Tyr's troops weren't doing any better, as most were unconscious and wholly defeated. At this point, the alliance had achieved complete victory as all the forces within the capital had been defeated, and all teams had regrouped within a common area for pickup.
"We're ready for departure. The train should be here at any second." Uriel said as he stood beside Shiva.
"Good. I hope to leave this realm now before something else gets in our way." His eyes looked around and noticed the infiltration groups standing on the ceiling of buildings on opposite sides of his. Thor and his family seemed to be trying to go unnoticed. Shiva decided he wouldn't drop the bombshell on Tyr and the others.
Soon they will notice that they have lost their hero, two legendary hammers, two dragons, and much more.
As Shiva took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, the train entered the city again. Like before, it wouldn't stop, so everyone needed to go aboard by jumping or flying.
"Everyone get on the train!" Shiva ordered as he jumped on top of the train.
The others followed his orders except for one single Valkyrie.
Liv's POV.
The former 12th Brunhild looked around his former home for one last time as she came to terms with the possibility of never putting a foot in the realm ever again. She held many good memories of the capital but deep inside her; she knew that she couldn't stay. Like her cousin and her fellow Valkyries, she knew it was time to say goodbye to Asgard, yet she hoped for one last miracle.
As she looked around, she began to whistle as loud as she could, hoping to reach the ears of a particular being.
She would leave this place with one last gift if she had any luck. A gift that was likely going to make Odin even angrier than before.
Liv continued to whistle for several moments but saw no signs of her awaited partner. With visible regret, Liv followed the others as she jumped on top of the train.
Her cousin saw her expression and was ready to comfort her when suddenly they heard the galloping sound of a wild beast approaching the train.
Liv turned around and looked around for it until her eyes met the angry eyes of her mount.
A legendary beast only comparable to its father. One that was picky about its rider, and even then, it held a rebellious attitude as it ruled itself. One didn't just ride him; he allowed you to do so, for he was free no matter what.
The large multi-legged beast quickly catches up with the train and lands near Liv. Its body resembled a black diamond, and its hair was red like a ruby. Its silver eyes were filled with rebellious energy that few could connect with.
Their eyes meet, and Liv can barely contain her laughter. "So you're coming with me?"
The beast huffs as it approaches Liv and kicks her leg playfully.
"Hey, I'm sorry. I have been imprisoned for all of this time. Sorry that I couldn't brush your hair or get you some of your favorite treats, Mr. I'm fancy, and you'll obey my every whim." Liv argues with the horse.
The horse kicks her again, adding more strength to show his seriousness.
"Yeah, I missed you, Sieg. I'm glad that you weren't imprisoned like us. Sorry that it took so long for us to meet." Liv says as she continues conversing with the horse.
The others turned to Rossweisse with visible concern.
Rossweisse scratches her head as she takes a deep breath. "He is Sieg, Sleipnir's only offspring. Sleipnir died during the last war but left an offspring behind. Sieg is basically a wilder version of his father. While Odin easily made Sleipnir into his mount, Sieg rejected him and everyone else for centuries. It became practically a challenge within Asgard to see who would become its rider. Liv tried from an early age and got rejected at least 88 times before he allowed her to ride him. He's really picky about many things."
"So she has a legendary horse as her mount?" Sirzechs asks.
"Pretty much. Just don't try to ride Sieg without Liv. He will make you regret it as he is an omnivorous beast." Rossweisse says.
"Wait, that horse eats meat?" Azazel asks with concern on his face.
"He does. I saw him eat someone's hand after they tried to chain him. Sieg is quite the dangerous mount. To be expected from Loki's descendants. Anyways, let's go inside." Thor said.
Everyone was left static at such a dangerous beast's revelations, but nobody dared to oppose him.
A few moments later, inside the train.
Shiva, Thor, and most of the prominent figures of the whole mission met inside one of the train's cars as it moved toward its next pickup point.
"What is the situation with the Welsh Dragon and his team?" Shiva asks.
"He's currently fighting Odin, and his teammates are keeping an eye on the sidelines. They have said that it is likely that the fight won't take much time to end. Although he might need emergency aid as he has activated Infinity to finish the fight." Eury explains through the speakers.
"In the end, he did what was necessary. We can't blame him for this. He has played his paper to the best of his ability. Thanks to him, the mission was a success." Michael says.
"I'm the one to blame. I asked him to come home alive. He was likely pushed to the edge by my words." Tiamat says.
Athena shakes her head. "Thou shouldn't blame thyself. Thy mate is doing what seems necessary to return alive. Nobody is to blame for this."
Tosca holds her mother's hand with care to show her that she didn't blame her for it. "Is ok, mom. Everything will be fine."
"Sorry, can someone care to explain what is happening?" Thor asks. His family seemed as confused as him.
"The Welsh Dragon has a few problems with using the full extent of his powers. Using them pushes him closer to death's door. He's currently doing that to defeat Odin and give an end to this mission as we speak." Raphael explains.
"I see…. Should I get involved?" Thor asks.
"No. None of you are joining the battlefield. We shall leave this to the Welsh Dragon and pay attention in case an emergency arises. If any of you got involved, who knows what could happen." Azazel says. "We got lucky since Odin didn't realize what we were doing inside the capital. If he knows any of you are here, he might ignore Ddraig and shoot down the train."
"'It sucks, but we need to trust the Welsh Dragon with this. If anyone can defeat Odin besides Shiva in a one-on-one fight is Ddraig. Not that you're not strong either, Athena." Sirzechs says.
"Thou hasn't brought shame to my name by saying that. Odin is indeed a strong opponent with troublesome spells. We shall watch and put our hopes in his skills." As Athena finished talking, several monitors dropped from the ceiling; live coverage of the fight between the Enforcer of the Alliance and the Asgardian leader was shown to everyone on the train.
It was indeed a sight to behold.
Back on the battlefield, General POV.
Odin didn't have the easiest time as he faced the Welsh Dragon. His opponent moved faster with each second while the massive fire snake countered his spear. The snake was as fast as its owner, and its attacks were brutal as it tackled and smacked Odin with its tail.
The Welsh Dragon was closely behind as with each opening Ouros provided, he used it to strike Odin and cut him down. With each new cut, his golden armor weakened, and pieces flew in all directions.
The snake and its owner coordinated their movements to the minor details, as no openings were offered to the Asgardian leader. Each attack was followed by the next one with less time in between as Ouros moved faster to keep up with the increasing speed of the Welsh Dragon.
Odin was overwhelmed by such an assault. Several cracks began to appear along the length of his spear as if Ouros was slowly eating away at the durability of his beloved Gungnir. "This can't be possible! How can someone like you reach such a level? Why is that damn snake so powerful? Why?"
"You have stopped growing and changing, Odin. I had not." The Welsh Dragon said after he reappeared in Odin's blind side before connecting another blow with Ascalon.
"I have grown and changed. I learned to grow past my former self in more ways than ever imagined."
"My path is one you can't hope to understand as your view of the bigger picture is limited."
"Your past grudges had prevented you from leading Asgard to a new era."
"You and I are completely different."
The dragon said as he continued to disappear from Odin's sight. The assault became much more brutal with each second as Odin's armor became nothing more than broken pieces.
Odin coughs blood after a large cut appears on his chest. Seeing such an injury awakens the fear of unavoidable death inside the god. Imagines of his deceased siblings flash through his mind as he is pushed against the ropes.
"I can't fall here. I must protect Asgard!" Several obscure spells activate as mysterious runes cover Odin's body.
Ddraig's next attack is blocked as Odin creates three new barriers that prevent his advance. "That won't help you against me!" The Welsh Dragon increases the blood he's offering to his sword before he releases a new technique against the barriers. "True Formless Style: Infinity Blade Dance."
*Infinity Blade Dance: Evolved form of Myriad of Blades. The Welsh Dragon multiplies his blade and uses it to overwhelm any opponent. Tracking each blade is barely possible as their number is practically endless. Each copy is as strong as the original Ascalon. Requires blood and infusing power into Ascalon.*
A red aura engulfs the blade before it multiplies itself countless times. An unknown number of Ascalons aim and start to cut the barriers with ease. Each seemed to be held by flaming hands, which swung the blades with the same technique as the original Ascalon.
Odin smirks as he sees his barriers being broken. The blades aim their sights at Odin and try to cut him down, but the god evades them with newfound speed—his remaining eye twitches erratically as his body seems to become older. "Critical Time Sacrifice."
To Ddraig's surprise, Odin disappears and reappears before him with a speed that matches his. With the spear in hand, he tries to pierce Ddraig's chest, but Ouros quickly counters the spear by shifting reality around. Odin is displaced around space and placed before Ouros's head. Both spears meet again, but Ouros is pushed away this time and crashes to the ground.
"How?" The Welsh Dragon asks as his eyes meet Odin's.
"I'm determined to win and kill you. Even if it means sacrificing my remaining youth." Odin says.
*Critical Time Sacrifice: Curse spell combination, which involves the user sacrificing their body's time (Current state, age, physical status, health) to increase powers that can match those of the opponent. The stronger the opponent, the higher the sacrifice as the user will become older and much more unhealthy the longer the spell is used. Once the user cannot pay the price, the spell will be deactivated, and the user will be left in the worst state possible. Its effects can't be reversed or undone. Be advised not to use unless one is willing to become a husk of their previous self.*
"You insane bastard." As he recalls Ouros to his side, the spear decreases in size and returns to its previous form. The Welsh Dragon stretches its extra limbs and uses them to hold the spear while its other hands have Ascalon. "You shall taste defeat tonight."
"You shall die by my hand," Odin says.
Both opponents rush forward and clash once more. Impact waves shake the land as Odin and the Welsh Dragon take their battle to a new level. A dragon risking his souls by using infinity and a god sacrificing his body for the chance to match infinity. It was bound to be a fight for the ages.
The duo destroyed large pieces of land as they knocked each other across the land, and their attacks weren't helping either. Be it with the dragon's fireballs or the spells of Odin, nobody was truly safe as the fight continued.
At one point, large chunks of minerals started to levitate around Odin. Then several spells were attached to each one before Odin began to use the mystery mineral chunks as ammunition to take Ddraig down.
Some blew into pieces and released bolts of electricity in several directions; others released clouds of poisonous gasses that could kill those stupid enough to fall for the trap. Each one was a bomb of surprises that the Welsh Dragon evaded so as not to fall victim to Odin's schemes. As he kept evading and attacking Odin, the dragon noticed how much of an effect the spell was having on Odin.
His body was already old, but each minute the fight continued, his body status worsened. His limbs started to resemble the limbs of a mummy, and his face was much worse. Although he countered with strong attacks, he fought a losing battle as his body succumbed to the spell's effects.
"Issei, Odin might die if this continues. He can't keep this up for too long." Ddraig told his partner.
"I know. You only want to defeat Odin, but he won't give up. We need to crush him and destroy that damn spear. We need to go beyond our limits once more. If you're ready for it, I might have a way to end this."
"What do you have in mind?"
"Follow my lead. I have been polishing all of our skills and techniques to new heights."
The Welsh Dragon engulfs his body in flames as he advances, but as he does, his body lets go of his spear. The spear falls towards the ground with nobody trying to stop it.
"You let go of the one thing that could have helped you? You have given up!"
"We'll see about that." The Welsh Dragon rushed forward, and his blade met Gungnir. Sparks fly in every direction as Ascalon's teeth try to cut through the spear.
Odin smiled as he saw the perfect time to use the ability of his spear. The god reflected the blade and took the chance to pierce his opponent's chest. His spear pierces "Ddraig," and the god smiles as the flame body drops the sword.
"This is the end!" Odin claims.
*Metal Gear Revenangeance Ost- It has to be this way*
"Are you sure about that?" A voice asks as Odin receives a kick to the face.
A pair of blazing hands recover Ascalon and go on the offensive again.
"How?" Odin questions his burning opponent. The god receives a cut across his face from another flaming copy.
"Won't tell." The flaming swordsman goes on the offensive, and a similar result occurs as Odin finds an opening and ends up playing like a fool. Copies come and go as the Welsh Dragon keeps fooling the god into falling for his copies. The same thing happens on repeated occasions as Odin tries to find out the real Welsh Dragon.
*Flame switch: Issei learned how to switch positions with flame copies of himself. Flame copies can be created from any crimson flames within the area, even flames engulfing enemies or weapons.*
His eye looks around in distress for the real Ddraig until he sees him.
A blazing spiral was spinning uncontrollably within the grasp of the Welsh Dragon, which was aiming the spear at him. His face seemed calm, although he had been found out. The nerves and blood vessels around his right arm were tense as he prepared himself for the next technique. Much of his power was being infused into the spear to increase its destructive power.
"Split the heavens and beyond, Ouros. True Formless Style: Galaxy Destroying Serpent."
The Welsh Dragon throws the spear with impressive speed in search of its target. The ground beneath him shatters as the spear flies away.
Odin lifts his spear to counter Ouros, but the result is one he wasn't expecting. Both spears clash, but Ouros is coming on top this time. The strength difference was visible as Odin tried his best not to let Ouros win.
"Your Gungnir can't defeat a spear imbued with the power of infinity. This is the end, Odin. Go, Ouros!" The Welsh Dragon calls out to his spear.
The spear increases its rotation, and slowly but surely, the cracks alongside Gungnir increase until it shatters into millions of pieces.
Odin's eyes widen in complete surprise as Ouros destroy his beloved spear.
Ouros continues forward and takes Odin's right arm alongside Gungnir as its rotatory strength destroys it. Blood gets splattered everywhere as Odin screams in pain.
The final victim of such a destructive attack is the Asgardian moon which gets split into four pieces as Ouros pierces it with ease.
"We're not done yet!" Ddraig switches places with the copy that was holding the real Ascalon and reappears on top of Odin. The dragon grabs the sword with his tail instead of his hand before he sinks his fists into the head of the god, which sends him downwards. He follows Odin and continues to punch Odin while holding nothing back. His punches ignite Odin into flames.
Odin screams in anguish as he is burned alive by the Welsh Dragon. The assault is brutal, and Odin is unable to counter it as the pain increases and his remaining limbs become unusable.
"Take this, you one eye-bastard. Dragonic Burning Burial!" The head of Odin meets the ground with one last punch, and a large explosion occurs. The whole continent is shaken to its core as the punch of the Welsh Dragon pierces the ground and destroys a decent piece of the lower part of the continent. A large flame burst is visible from the lower side of the flying continent for several moments until it disappears.
Serafall's POV.
The diva of the devils uncovered her eyes as the ashes and dust settled down. Her eyes couldn't believe the spectacle she had just witnessed. Her boyfriend had destroyed Gungnir, split the Asgardian moon, and punched the Asgardian leader into defeat, or that's what she wanted to believe as she looked around the crash area.
"Wait for us," Gabriel says.
The whole team was looking for Ddraig and Odin, as the mission's goal didn't involve killing the god.
It took them a few moments until they saw the brightness of the crimson flames.
Ddraig was standing on top of a broken Odin. The flames, the effects of the spell, the damage received, all of it let up to a god that couldn't lift a finger to fight back anymore. Ddraig reabsorbed his flames so as not to kill Odin with them.
His body was nothing more than bones and barely any skin.
"Ddraig?" Serafall called out to him, as he didn't seem to move.
"... I'm tired. Hold me." The Welsh Dragon started to fall backward, but Serafall rushed to catch him. "Thanks."
"Is the least I can do as your girlfriend," Serafall says as she kisses his cheek. "Issei, you gave us a surprise."
"How?" The Welsh Dragon questions her.
"A girlfriend should know. The moment your movements became more fluid and you screamed the name of your attack, I knew it was you. Nice to have you back." Serafall said as she kissed him on the lips. "We missed you."
"I told you that we shouldn't give our attacks names." -Ddraig
"Blame the husks. Also, so we're in a relationship with Sera?" -Issei
"Yes."
"Nice. I hoped we would move on with that for some time."
"She's cute."
"Too cute for our own good."
"And charming."
"And sex- let's stop for now. Not the right moment."
Serafall deepens the kiss as she lets herself go while the Welsh Dragon allows it to continue for a while. She was happy to have the complete Welsh Dragon even if it was for just a few moments.
The remaining team members arrive and start to congratulate the dragon, but Ddraig stops them.
"Gabriel, use the tears. Odin might die if he doesn't get some aid." The dragon says.
"What? But he was determined to kill you." Roygun argues.
"He's needed here. Healing him just a bit is more than enough. Once we heal him, we can depart. I don't want to power down until everyone is out of this realm, so let's move fast." The Welsh Dragon said.
Nobody wanted to argue as they saw the tire expression on his face. It was taking a lot for him to keep Infinity active.
Knowing this, Gabriel approaches the unconscious god and takes out the tears. Yet before she even got the chance to use them, something appeared on Odin's chest.
Several green arrows pierced his chest. A green liquid spilled out as it ate away his flesh.
"What in Lilith's name is happening?" Grayfia asks as she sees the arrows.
Odin opens his eye as the pain brings him back to consciousness. "B…al..dur!" He can barely call out his son's name, and although his body doesn't have the strength, he reaches out, trying to grasp something.
Nobody understands what's happening at that moment, but Ddraig feels something terrible is happening as he detects the scent of the dead around the arrows.
"Gabriel, Grayfia, aid him. Take those arrows out before they kill him." Ddraig forces himself to stand up as he touches his ear. Serafall stands beside him to make sure he doesn't fall. "Michael, can you hear me?"
It takes a few moments, but Michael replies. "Yes, what's happening?"
"Get out and aim your guns at the castle. Search for Baldur within the castle. Analyze the whole castle if needed but find his holy energy. We might have an assassination in progress. If Baldur dies while we're here, it will become a problem for us." Ddraig says.
Everyone seems distressed at what Ddraig has said, but seeing the arrows sticking from Odin's chest and calling out his name must mean that he has created something to protect the god in case such a possibility arises.
"Understood!" Michael cuts the communication.
Meanwhile, Baldur's POV.
The god kept running at full speed through the castle halls as Hel and Loki chased him down.
"Stop running, you pest. I need you dead, and escape is not an option. That miracles with the arrows won't work twice." Loki said.
Baldur didn't reply as he felt his life hanging from a threat. "Bastard, you kill all of them. All of our allies."
His eyes couldn't forget the faces of his deceased security team, which were all slain by Hel's forces. They did their best to keep him safe, but none could oppose Hel's forces.
Now he was all alone as he found no way to escape. Hel's shadows spread to every corner he ran into, and he lacked the power to push through said shadows.
He was a mouse, and right now, he was within the cat's grasp.
His running suddenly stopped as a wall of supernatural warriors blocked his path.
"Nowhere to run to. This is the end of the line for you. Finish Baldur off!" Loki orders Hel.
The monstrous half-dead chimera lifts its claws and goes for the kill. Baldur gulps as he faces his end at Hel's hands, but luck is on his side this time.
Suddenly a beam of holy light pierces the shadows and hits Hel's chest area. The sacred energy implodes inside Hel and causes her a large amount of damage.
The chimera screams in pain while Loki looks confused.
A second round of shots pierces similar areas before they hit other parts of Hel's body. Each one caused even more damage to Hel while one reached Loki's arm. Then several arrows follow the shots and impact Loki's limbs and chest area.
"We're under attack! Shit, get us out of here, Hel." Loki says as he feels threatened.
Hel growls as she turns into a shadow and escapes through the holes in the wall.
"You might get away from my grasp, but you're dying either way tonight! Destroy the seals. Bring the end to this damn era of peace. Asgard is falling one way or another." Loki screams as he disappears with Hel.
Asgard grows silent before several explosions shake it to its core. What had protected it once disappeared as Asgard was left at the mercy of its past sins. Baldur's eyes widen in fear as he realizes what has just happened.
Michael's POV.
The Seraph was released from the chest of his golem as the buster mode was disengaged. Steam covered the area as Michael finally the process. Several electronic components were attached to his skin, and some kind of visor was sitting on top of his eyes. Cables that were once connected to his vertebrae detached themselves one by one as the seraph stood up. Like Gabriel, he had fused with his golem, but his fusion focused on long-range combat. Three large railgun barrels extended from the robust body of the golem as it kneeled on top of the train.
"Are you alright?" Artemis asked the seraph as he stumbled out of the machine.
"I'm a bit dizzy. I don't enjoy that mode at all, but I do what I must. Did you two get Loki?" Michael asks.
"We did, but he got away. Your blast gave us a clear path to hit him, but he wasn't dumb enough to stay around for long. Nonetheless, Baldur seems to be alive. The mission is over. We can go home." Apollon says.
"... Hopefully, you're right," Michael says as he removes his visor.
None expected what was coming to Asgard.
Far away, in Muspelheim.
A primordial fire giant felt a disturbance in the air. His hand grasps his molten blade as he follows this disturbance. His grudge against Odin was endless, and Asgard was bound to pay for the sins of the one-eye bastard.
Surtr was going to Asgard after so long.
His army of fire giants arose from the lava of the realm, ready to bring doom into the land that betrayed Ymir.
The scenario of this fake Ragnarok was almost complete.
*Hibana- The Six Lie*
Author's notes: One more chapter and the arc is done. Michael's booster mode can be described as a death ray tank. Its mobility decreases, but its destructive power drastically increases, making Michael one of the deadliest long-range fighters in the alliance. It has a barrier that protects Michael while fusion is active as the power source of the golem is inside of Michael like the other golems. If the golems were destroyed, they could be remade from zero with the right materials and Raphael's talent, but if Michael or his siblings were to die, there is nothing to be done. We will see Uriel's and Raphael's booster modes in later chapters.