Mystic Center

Chapter 5

Athens

Athens, just like many other great cities of Hella, became a mere shadow of the previous might from the times of the bronze age. Or perhaps, it was still a small echo of what that city was yet to come?

It mattered not for the lonely one, for he was not here to observe the past. He moved past all the people next to him as if they were nothing more than ghosts. Ironically, from his perspective, all the people around him might as well be dead. Hundreds if not thousands of unnamed people will sooner or later turn into dust, without a trace or memory of them. Time had no mercy for anyone.

It was perhaps the most ridiculous thing he had done so far in the lands of Hella. He knew that once he answered the call from destiny, he would become the target of all the Olympian gods. But the call was his only way home. The universe has given him a choice – stay low, and live the rest of his life in the most forgotten period of human history, or rise to the challenge of destiny, and follow the path he was meant to have.

Not much of a choice for anyone.

Thus, the lonely one followed the path, passing the native Athenians on his path. He was now in a place which many historians would kill to even have a glimpse of. And perhaps if the circumstances were different, he would also try to absorb as much of the past as possible. Sadly, destiny decided otherwise. The lonely one was one of those who had a death warrant from the gods of these lands. He was forced to take every step carefully unless he wanted to fight against the mystical might of ancient Greece.

But how can one be careful, while marching straight into the city watched by a goddess, all the while trying to release someone from slavery? It was this moment, a single moment that would decide his fate in the land of Hella.

Just like in Argos, the moment he entered the city, he could feel the watchful gaze of Athena. Her might was omniscient in the city. Her presence in Athens was so powerful, that if the lonely one decided to visit this city in any other period of time, he would have been obliterated within seconds.

Alas, he was very thankful that destiny had brought him here almost half a thousand years before the existence of Athena Polias... or any other historical temple for that matter. Fighting against Athena usually meant fighting against Zeus… and fighting against the lord of Olympus meant fighting the entire Olympian Pantheon.

The lonely one slowly traversed the Athens of the Dark Age of ancient Greece, almost like a ghost or a shadow. Most people just casually avoided him, as if he was another traveller coming from afar. It would seem that no matter the age or century, humans will always avoid in their thoughts those who are not directed with their daily matters.

The lonely one continued his journey through Athens. He found himself in the worst period for the city, for which Athens was still remembering the once great glory of being part of the Mycenaean empire. And Athens had yet to experience their true golden age in the centuries to come. As of now, the future capital city of Greece was barely recognizable from any other city or village in Hella.

After a long walk, the lonely one slowly walked from the lower parts of the city to the Acropolis of Athens. The entire panorama – both for the hill and for the rest of the city – was rather stark. And while until the end days of ancient Greece, Athenians will always deny that their city was touched by either the fall of the Bronze Age or the Dorian invasion, the lonely one could see with his own eyes, the pure remnants of the devastation that came ages ago.

He could still feel the echoes of the ancient battles in the area, the roar of upcoming armies, and the power of city patrons, sending blessings and protections against invaders. Even after all those years, the blessings of Nike and Athena were easy to notice in the ether.

As the day was still early, the lonely one moved again, this time to the area of the acropolis that would later be known as Kerameikos. Later - now it was just another place still not urbanized by the hand of man in reshaping Acropolis Hill. Then, after finding a well-shadowed spot, he sat down, and let his thoughts flow freely.

He was so close. Near where his destiny was about to begin in those cursed times. The lonely one suspected that he would not receive an answer forthwith, and he would have to earn his key back home through his journey with Diantha… such cunning should always be suspected from the universe. For fate always had a twisted sense of humor.

The lonely one was slowly drifting away. The nymphs of the acropolis have yet to discover his presence – not that the lonely one had any desire for them to realize who was sitting between them. Their panic would only raise the attention of the celestial ones.

And thus, the lonely warrior drifted away, with his mind slowly falling into the domain of Hypnos…

He was there again. He could once again see the great city of New York, Manhattan and all the familiar polluted sky. How long had it been since he saw this city? Decades, maybe ages? Or perhaps even more?

But he was not himself at that moment. He was but a spectator inside his own young body. He, and people like him – young demigods – were preparing for the final battle of the Second Tytanomachy, awaiting the main forces of the Crooked One to attack Olympus. All the while gods were occupied with their fight against Typhon.

They were outnumbered. Even if the Ares cabin would get over themselves and help with the fight, the number of people and monsters marching down in Kronos' name was overwhelming. For all they knew, it could be the last fight in their life. For all they knew, it could be the last day of Western civilization.

He recalled how the grey-eyed daughter of Athena and the son of Poseidon came together to activate their plan. Something about Daedalus automatons hidden all around New York. For the first time in many years, he recalled their names. Annabeth Chase and Perseus Jackson.

How long had it been since he recalled those names? How much time has passed since he saw their faces?

Now, when he thought about it from the perspective of time, he almost laughed. A bunch of children, barely knowing how to fight, trying to protect their parents' sacred ground from the army of evil titans. All the while, one of the busiest cities in the whole world, laid down, asleep and unaware of the clash of destinies.

Soon more faces appeared. Faces that brought so many memories and emotions. His friends from Camp Half-Blood. Faces of his closest friends, with whom he would always find the best kind of troubles. Faces of his sisters.

And the face that would make his heart ache. Her delicate yet confident smile. Her reflection of the sky in her eyes.

But he dared not to utter their names. That is a privilege he had lost in time due to his sins. He had torn apart their names from his heart, in order to become stronger. In order to defeat his strongest opponent at the time.

It was supposed to be their hour of victory. His group was responsible for securing the Lincoln Tunnel. A quick battle with monsters and forces of the Titans. They were just supposed to win there and nothing more. But of course, the universe had different plans for him. His victory was paid with him never seeing his friends ever again.

The Battle of New York was the last time he saw all those he cherished. Did they believe he died? Or perhaps he flipped sides? Have they even won that battle? Were the Olympians able to defeat both their father and Typhon?

Countless questions plagued his mind, ever since he returned to the Gaia. It was his home, but not his time. For he had to find the key to his future.

A key named:

Diantha

"…Diantha! Yes, Princess Diantha, the flower of Argos! She is now within the hands of the just people of Athens! It is a sign, that the gods are on our side!"

"Hail the gods!"

Loud screams and yells have woken up the lonely one from his slumber. The sun was slowly setting down, preparing the world for the inevitable evening. The sky turned from majestic blue into reddish orange, closely resembling the colors of the flames of Hestia. The time had come. Destiny was about to begin here.

The lonely one slowly went towards the crowd, carefully observing the entire situation. The crowd gathered for one purpose only – to buy the young Princess of Argos, and to declare itself a new ruler of the Polis.

The warrior took a closer look at the Princes. She was now wearing nothing more than a dirty chiton of a slave, with a purple scarf around her neck, as if to mock her status as the daughter of Argos' ruler. Her eyes were red from tears, and her body was trembling from discomfort. With all the people around her, yelling about how much she was worth and what they would do to her, she felt no better than cattle on a market.

The lonely one moved slowly through the crowd while trying to blend in as much as he could with all the buyers – or, potential husband candidates, as they would most likely call themselves. He looked at the girl once again, and soon their eyes locked. At that moment, the call came and the lonely one saw himself torn apart in space and time.

He was in countless places throughout centuries, both on Earth and beyond. He could not comprehend his vision, at least not beyond saying that he was meant to go through many adventures with her. She was his key to an immeasurable number of paths, to unlimited numbers of futures. And the further he looked, the more branches appeared on his road.

It took him a while to understand. It was not just his future – it was the future of every person that had yet to be born throughout history. Diantha was meant to start a great future for humanity – and he was supposed to make sure that she would do it.

The revelation was astonishing. Whatever this child was destined for, she was meant to usher humanity into a new age. And destiny decided that he was supposed to be her protector.

All the while his mind was receiving a vision, and his body moved on its own. He passed through the entire crowd, only to be stopped by one of the city guards. At that moment the lonely one was fully back to his own consciousness, ready to decide the fate of the entire world. The guard ordered him to back off and return to the crowd.

In a desperate attempt, the guard tried to push the lonely one off with his shield. When the pure strength of the lonely warrior proved to be too much for the guard, he attacked with his spear, hoping for a clean kill.

The lonely one only moved slightly to the left, to avoid the spear. Then, the lonely one grabbed the spear and forcefully snatched the weapon from the guard's hand. And before the guard could even realize what just happened, the lonely one struck the guard in his Adam's apple with the blunt end of the spear. Then, he swung the spear around, to have the deadly and sharp end aimed once again into his opponent Adam's apple.

The lonely one did not even wait for the guard to regain his posture or breathing. He pushed the spear, and the guard began to choke with his own blood.

As soon as the guard fell onto his knees, chaos erupted on the entire hill. Dozens of men have drawn out their swords or daggers, ready to strike the fool who attacked on their sacred ground. Only the man on the podium, previously speaking in the confidence of how they were all now in the gods favour, in panic grabbed the princess Diantha and put a dagger near her throat. His eyes were wide, full of fear and disbelief.

"Abomination! Abomination! Only one of his kind would dare to attack an innocent in the sacred ground of our patron goddess! He is trying to defile a gift from Demeter!"

With those words, the crowd erupted in holy anger, ready to dismember everyone standing in their way – the fury of at least a few dozen men against one man. But the lonely one did not care, for he had no interest in dealing with the hypocrisy of man. One man or a few dozen, mattered not to the lonely warrior, for the call came and the path was clear to him.

Save Diantha from the Athenians, was his only task.

The lonely one broke off the small metal blade from the spear and then threw the blade right into the left eye of the man holding Dianthe. His lifeless body had slowly sunk to the ground, while the princess was left speechless and in shock. She was shaking from pure dread. The lonely warrior could feel countless emotions turning into fear.

Her main captor was now dead. A few dozen people were now marching towards her, with only terrible intentions in their hearts. On top of that, her fate was sealed by an unknown warrior, from whom she could only shiver just from looking at him.

The lonely one smiled underneath his mask. It was not unusual for people to fear him. He would be more surprised if Diantha would feel anything else other than fear in just his presence. But that was to be expected. His presence in the world was known to him. It was his stigma to live with.

Out of fear, Dianthe started to run, away from both her captors and the lonely one. Some men gathered and decided to catch the princess, while most stayed on, with their swords in their hands, ready to fight against the newcomer. Their eyes were filled with bloodlust as they awaited any move from their opponent.

On the other hand, the lonely one was just annoyed. He really hoped to just grab the princess and vanish from Athens as soon as it was possible. Sadly, his time of working only in the shadow came to an end. There was just one thing left for him to do.

He took out his sword and readied himself for a fight. His blade once again illuminated in both silver and light blue, and hummed, as if saying to its wielder that it was ready for another bloodshed. And before anyone opposing him could react, he jumped off the podium. His sword struck the nearest man, by cutting open his belly and exposing his bowels in the process.

But he was not finished. The lonely one fought far better than any of his opponents. Each and every strike ended at least one life. From the outside point of view, his slaughter could be considered an art. Not even Ixion, the so-called father and creator of murder could fight like this. He was beyond fighting like a mortal, he became Death personified.

Sadly, all the while he was on his path to becoming a new Athenian reaper, the few people holding Princess Dianthe with them were already making their escape from the Acropolis.

The lonely warrior had to act fast. His bloody endeavour had to end, otherwise, he would lose the trail. But then, something changed. He felt the shift in the air, almost as if an unknown power decided to act. The opponents around him suddenly started to bleed from their eyes, while the spit was falling like a waterfall from their mouths.

The lonely one could almost hear the scream of insanity raging in the crowd. The fury that demanded blood – any and all blood they could spill. In the last moment, just for the sake of slowing the lonely warrior down, someone turned those people into bloodthirsty monsters. And thus, the lonely one had no choice – he would spill the blood of cursed Athenians onto the sacred ground of Athens.

Just as his enemies no longer behaved like humans, the lonely one no longer fought like a human. His deadly strikes were not losing any tempo nor precision, no matter how many people before him he slew. He did not bother with just disarming them – he could feel that the curse would force his opponents to fight him till the last breath, despite all the pain.

All the dead bodies piled around the lonely warrior, looking almost like a flesh carpet. All the while the blood from their bodies made a deep puddle, slowly drenching the warrior's shoes.

"Hey! Stop this at once, murderer!"

To the Acropolis, slowly more soldiers were marching from the city onto the sacred ground. The lonely one just realized how complicated his day had become.

The lonely one quickly grabbed the closest of the berserkers and forced his mind upon his enemy. He quickly noticed the connection between the infuriated crowd and the one who cast the insanity upon them. In an instant, he forced himself upon the curse. At that moment, he could feel how the caster's insanity tried to take over his mind, only to be met with a resistance unknown to even the caster.

And as the insanity tried to claim the lonely one as it had its other victim, he pushed back with his own mental attack. A strike of pure and intense fear, that immediately forced the hearts of the Berserker crowd to fall down into the deathly embrace. Dozen of people around the lonely one, just dropping down like a domino.

Just as death claimed those who were connected with the curse, the lonely one now could feel the location of those who dared to try to stop the lonely one. They were already on their path to the town, almost down the Acropolis.

The lonely one cursed himself, for acting so slow. He should have predicted that something would go wrong from the beginning. But there was no time to cry about what could have been done better.

The lonely warrior quickly moved towards the edge of the hill, gaining speed with every step. As soon as the hill's ground ended with a massive chasm, the lonely one jumped, in what looked like a leap of faith.

Miraculously, instead of falling down like a rock, the lonely one started to glide towards the direction of his next opponent. While still in the air, the lonely one could not help but smirk underneath his mask. It had been a while since he used to glide. It was one of the first things he learned amongst his people, in the times of the order.

Even back then, gliding was believed to be nothing more than a cheap trick for children, redundant after learning countless other secrets of the possibilities that the cosmos could provide. Indeed, when one could lift giant rocks with just a thought, produce lightning from fingers or teleport by will, gliding seemed to be anything but a useless trick to entertain children. And yet, as with everything in the universe, it had its uses from time to time.

Just like at that moment, as the lonely one soared through the air into the city below him. As he was trying to detect where into which of the houses his kidnapped princess was taken, a single arrow quickly moved towards him.

It was a foolish move, at least, according to the warrior. He was far more than capable of deflecting an arrow with his hand. And now, he knew where the captors of his target had fled.

The lonely one stopped gliding and let gravity guide him down, right into the storm of another skirmish. The archer standing on top of the building was constantly shooting at the falling warrior, but he was miserably losing against the power and speed of gravity. And as the archer was searching for another arrow in his quiver, the lonely one fell down onto him, with all the might of earth's gravity.

The entire roof fell apart, and the archer's body turned into a bloody pulp, that soon fell onto everyone inside the building like a rain of blood. Time seemed to slow down for the lonely warrior, as – when he landed – he found himself in a small room with two people. Both of them, unable to react, as the lonely warrior unsheathed his sword, and slashed the nearest person in the chest.

The second opponent had only a little bit more luck. He was just fast enough to grab his Xiphos, only to feel the full wrath of the lonely warrior upon him just a moment later. The Xiphos' upper half fell onto the floor, and the remaining energy from the swing created a swirl of wind inside the now-ruined building.

The man with just half of the sword looked terrified at the lonely warrior. His body was shaking uncontrollably, and his bladder could no longer hold its liquid content. His head started to slowly move from left to right, begging the lonely warrior to spare him. But in the warrior's eyes, he found no hope, no sympathy or compassion. Only the cold-hearted stare of the void.

Soon, he found himself falling down. The world turned upside-down. He could see the merciless lonely warrior and the now-headless torso that was once his body. All the while being under the ever-watchful gaze of the lonely one.

On the other hand, for the lonely one, it was far from over. The rest of the kidnappers were still free. They were still moving with his target. But where could they be now?

The only thing left remaining in the house was a heavy lid on the ground. And as the lonely warrior grabbed the lid's ropes, his senses detected something. It was almost on the edge of his mind. The sound of hissing echoed around. He received a sign. He knew what would await him next.

He pushed the lid up, and jumped off the floor, down to what seemed to be an underground tunnel. As soon as he safely landed, he touched the tunnel's wall with the palm of his left hand. In an instant, in his mind appeared a sonar-like image of the underground tunnels, as well as the warning of all the natural inhabitants of this place.

This place was home to the Gemini tribe. Why would anyone try to even enter the territory of those snake-legged monsters was something beyond the lonely one's understanding.

The darkness around him was overwhelming. Even with an enhanced vision, he could not see anything. His eyes became completely useless. And yet he moved on, with every step walking faster and faster, running into the darkness without fear.

His feet were recognizing every inch of ground, instantly telling him where to go, when to turn or avoid a trap. Proprioception was indeed handy.

Soon, the hisses of the first Gemini warriors were echoing around the walls, warning that any human fool who will be noticed, will be killed in an instant. The Gemini warriors were indeed trying to warn the lonely warrior. Tried to, but sadly, the lonely one was not too bothered to listen. He moved through them, slicing every Gemini that dared to stand in his path. The lonely one was like a howling wind of death to the snake people.

At the end of his rampage, the lonely one found himself at the edge of what seemed to be an entrance to a great and empty hall. Countless Gemini were already awaiting whatever was supposed to happen, circling around the center of the hall, surrounding a few humans and a lonely Gemini person.

All the Gemini inside the hall were entranced, behaving no different from puppets controlled by a puppet master. Even the Gemini inside, a snake person who wore the crown of the underground Athenians, seemed no different.

"They were right. The artifact seems to be working. The Gemini tribe is under our command!"

A voice in old Greek echoed through the hall. The last remaining people from the Acropolis were now standing in the center of the hall, holding the terrified princess. Soon, they forced her to lie down on the cold ground.

Another echo traversed through the underground walls. One of the humans had unsheathed their weapon.

"Your sacrifice and your blood will give us enough power to break through any nature's magic seal. We will receive powers and blessings capable of defeating gods!"

"Fools."

The lonely one's harsh voice dominated the entire hall, leaving only deafening silence behind. The remaining people – three of them to be exact – started to carefully look around the underground room, hoping to spot any enemy.

"Look around all you want, you won't notice me anyway… Unless I decide otherwise…"

The trio of Athenians halted and visibly calmed. The one holding a knife even smiled, almost as if he believed that he had the situation under control.

"I have heard many things about you. There is no place in Hella where some version of your legend would not surface. Whispered by both mortal and immortal kind. From being a boogeyman to actually many witnesses. Warrior of many names… Something in the way, the lurking shadow, the lonely warrior… It is almost an honor to meet you…"

The lonely one waited, leaving the trio halted in their words. Traditionally, men in ancient Greece would greet each other and go through useless wordy pleasantries, in which they would both empathize on how great they were in each other's eyes. Sadly, the lonely warrior was not interested in pleasantries, especially not towards soon-to-be-dead people.

"Oh, well, and here I believe that you will be more talkative. But you seem to be rather a disappointment. You stick to the shadows, you don't answer the call, like a real man… I would have never thought that the mysterious warrior is actually a coward!"

A harsh laughter dominated the entire hall, causing the trio of men to shift in their place. While they could taunt all they wanted previously, all the men knew that they had gained the attention of someone mythical.

Or have they?

The lonely one concentrated and opened his mind to the world. Within a moment, his mystic gaze turned onto his enemies, as if trying to decipher their true intentions. One of them was completely harmless, having only a mortal sword on his hip, ready to be unsheathed. The second one was holding a knife, one that had a mystic stench of blood.

As soon as the mystic gaze was set upon the knife, countless maleficent voices surrounded the lonely warrior. The knife was responsible for countless sacrifices, made in the name of obtaining dark powers.

And then, there was the eye.

The third person in the room had an object of a very dark origin and purpose. The eye was capable of controlling the mind of any mortal, monster or even celestial – at least for some time. The power of that particular artifact was beyond measure for many. Those without the gift could replicate with it the blessings of the gifted ones, while those who were already gifted could amplify their powers to an insane level.

All for a small price of a heart of a blessed one, or of someone of celestial blood.

And unknowingly to the three conspirators, the power of the eye was slowly bleeding out. It was just about to run out within seconds.

The knife for sacrifices. The eye to control. The lonely one smiled. All the cards were set and visible to him. It was time to play the main game.

"A single child of Demeter is nowhere near enough to break through the seal made of nature magic. You would need to have at least an entire legion of Demeter's children ready to be sacrificed for that knife to do the job."

The trio were now shivering in their places. The lonely one could feel it – the tension of having someone's secret plan uncovered, right before their own eyes. The thrill of exposing the enemy.

"You could have used any monster to fuel that eye. Any demigod or a legacy even, for a better effect. But it is not about the eye, isn't it? No, the eye is just a tool to help the plan move along. It's all about the knife."

The lonely warrior's voice was traversing through the darkness, jumping from one direction to another, almost, as if the owner of the voice was suddenly appearing in many different places of the cave. If the trio of men could be more terrified, they would not be able to show it, for their hearts would stop.

"A knife capable of slashing through any protective seal… Even the one made by gods… Plenty of people would kill for such a thing… Oh, I see. Eye to catch a victim, knife to complete the ceremony, yes… Yes! But it's too slow. You will never sacrifice enough in your lifetime, not like this."

The voice switched again. This time, it was almost as if it was coming from everywhere.

"I can tell you how I would do it. I would boost the power of the eye with my own. Then, I would use it on both Demeter and Pan – just think about it. Their children would be like walking beacons of natural magic. So, with the power of the eye, you brainwash Demeter and Pan to do what most gods naturally do – which is to fuck and reproduce like rabbits. Then, as soon as the cereal goddess popped out her first bastards, we would do exactly what the Dark King did during his time of reign, which is to sacrifice newborn babies in the most blasphemous ritual possible, and there you have it – a knife capable of destroying every seal of protection… Hades be damned, this knife would be capable of killing even a god with just a touch!"

The leader of the group, as if jolted awake by the lonely one's words, quickly looked around, only to see his man still under the influence of fear.

"What are you waiting for, fools?! Kill this girl and finish this ceremony!"

The leader's words jolted the rest of the company to action, as one of the trio quickly aimed the cursed dagger at the girl's heart.

Just as the man was about to strike his victim's heart, the knife in his hand suddenly found resistance in a metallic object, standing between its jagged and sharp end and the soft and bloody flesh. And just as the man looked up, his eyes met almost inhuman silver-black orbs, illuminating in the dark like two small moons.

"Of course…" Now, the owner of the inhuman orbs spoke with an almost equally inhuman voice. "Such an action would put you in a lot of trouble… After all, gods don't like it when someone is trying to dig up the unwanted past. And they really don't like it, when mortals make them look like fools."

Suddenly, right before the very eyes of all three men, the mysterious stranger disappeared, and with him – the princess that was meant for sacrifice.

The trio looked baffled. They have just encountered something that came straight out of a fairy tale. They have truly encountered the lonely one, whose name was carried like a whisper in the wind, due to fear.

"But that was not your plan, was it?"

The leader heard a faint whisper, just right behind his left ear. In a rather panicked response, he quickly turned around, with his weapon unsheathed and striking into empty dark space. Sweat was dripping from his face, and the eyes of the leader were slowly showing signs of losing the grip on reality.

"Even with a hint of the gift."

"You would not be able to make such a plan."

Two voices came from different angles of the cave. And soon, a dozen more followed, almost as if their opponent just multiplied. But the trio soon realized that the truth was far worse. It was not their opponent. Those were Geminis speaking with the voice of the lonely one. All of them, were almost as if they were possessed by one horrible being.

"It was someone else."

"Someone who told you exactly what to look for."

"And how to use it."

"And for whom to look for."

"All so that any god would not realize what is being done right under their nose."

"TELL ME. WHO IS TRULY STANDING BEHIND ALL OF THIS."

The order. Their opponent, the lonely warrior, has given them the order. And not just through one Gemini, but through them all. With all the barren rocks around the culprits, the sound bent into something akin to a demonic choir.

"It was an abomination! He… he told us that he could give us the power to rule the city, but only if we agreed to his terms!"

The demonic choir of Geminis were still looking at the trio, with the same hateful gaze. Their eyes were slowly becoming bloody as if they could not contain their instincts to kill. And they uttered a few words to me in an inhuman voice.

"Name! Give me a name!"

"It was Da-e-e…aAA!"

At that moment, whatever one of the trio wanted to say, his words turned into unintelligible screams. It was as if suddenly he found himself swimming in the acid. And as the Lonely One probed his mind, he found himself suddenly engulfed in flames. His skin was carbonating and his muscles were boiling. It was an easy trick, a manipulation of mind. Someone powerful enough had put a trap inside the conspirators' minds. If they would ever utter the name of their master, they would burn to death.

But the lonely one saw through the pitiful mind trick. The flames were nothing more than the imagination of the terrified mind – and the Lonely One's mind was anything but terrified. He marched through, letting the flames burn all around him. Long in the past, he knew someone who specialized in mind tricks, just like this one. Someone who could trick into fear even the most experienced warriors.

Someone who he even once thought of as a friend.

"Is that you, Daegen Lok?"

Momentarily, all the flames evaporated, leaving nothing more than emptiness around the lonely one. He knew, that the connection was severed, that whoever was messing with the conspirators' minds was already gone. The lonely one could feel the echoes of fear and dread. The puppet master quickly left his puppets in fear, afraid that he would be discovered.

The lonely warrior let out a small sigh. It would seem that his past has found him way sooner than he expected. The echoes of his past life came to life, and brought pure havoc on the land where the gods still were considering ending humanity, for the transgressions of the cursed ones.

As the lonely one pondered on his past, one of the conspirators – the one who believed he was burning alive – fell onto the ground, dead. The remaining two conspirators, witnessing the horrible fate of their colleagues, quickly tried to grab their artifacts and use them for self-defense. Only a moment later they realized that their precious possession was no longer in their hands.

"I am afraid that I cannot let you have those. They are way too dangerous for you. Not that it would change anything, as the eye needs the recharge… As for the knife… I don't think you would last long enough to even use it."

And just as he uttered those words, the lonely one turned away, leaving the last two conspirators at the mercy of the Geminis. As he no longer controlled those monsters, they soon turned to the closest prey they could find. And as the lonely one was vanishing from the cave, the last thing he heard, was the echoes of the two terrified souls, and a disgusting splat of flesh being torn off and eaten.

The lonely one now found himself on the edge of the forest, on a small hill. The entire city of Argos was now illuminated by the setting sun, coloring every house and street in a gold and orange palette of colors. A scene worthy of a painting made by a master of the craft.

One could even almost believe that the Argos was now being blessed by the gods.

The lonely one turned to his left side and noticed a small girl, heavily pretending to be asleep. To her own surprise, her saviour was not fooled. And as she opened her eyes, her gaze met the most inhuman eyes in the world.

At that moment, two giant moons were suspended in the void, gazing upon her, with each of them having a hole leading straight into pure darkness.

And for some unknown reason, Diantha could not help but fall right into the rabbit hole…

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

And now, time for the comment section!

Pedro Alonso Buby Huayanay Zam - Well, he is not exactly from space, but he indeed spent some time there. As you can tell from this chapter, he will have some interaction with other gods and their children. As for the second part of your comment, no, I do not plan on making any Hollow Knight or Warframe fanfics.

Go and visit my discord sever if you want to know the current status of all my projects: discord . gg/ pghekDe

See ya next time!