Chapter 48
Tearing Through Heaven
Walking through the portal, I found myself in a massive golden realm. All around me was golden clockwork and many impossible shapes, as if the entire realm had been engineered by something truly extraterrestrial. The atmosphere was also very different too, with the air being very thin and eldritch. Taking a moment to steel myself, I walked forward ready for anything. As I walked through the realm, I noticed how eerily quiet it was- the only sound being from my footsteps. Off in the distance, I noticed a strange silver mountain that seemed to be distorting time and space itself. I also noticed that the sky was also this strange perpetual sunset too, as if concepts like day and night didn't exist. Guarding the silver mountain were twisted angelic versions of the Titans- instead of a dark grey and black colour, they instead had white and golden colours and a cyan glow throughout their bodies. The angelic version of Knight was also holding a gold and cyan version of the normal Knight's red sword, not to mention how all four of them seemed to be made from a strange eldritch metal. "So you've arrived. Wonderful.", said a voice behind me. I turned around, seeing a small old man with a large nose. He was wearing a smart suit as well. "Who are you?", I asked. "My name is Igor. My, aren't you far from home?", the man replied. "Well, Igor, I'm here to destroy YHVH and end the War of the Worlds.", I said. "Oh, that being who defiled multiple worlds because not everyone was worshipping him, eh?", Igor asked curiously. "Yeah, that.", I said. "You know, YHVH had no business with invading multiple worlds and starting seven highly destructive multiversal crusades simply because not everyone was worshipping him, not to mention the crusades being significantly more destructive than the last. And that's not even getting into what he did to you as well, actively going out of his way to torment, torture and traumatise you simply for being different- in this case being autistic, being delivered through c-section even though you would have died otherwise had you been born normally and your Sovereign powers not awakening how YHVH wanted them to.", Igor continued. Looking around, I asked, "Where are we anyway?". "Ah yes. This is Purgatorium, domain of YHVH and the HQ of not only the Forces of Law but also the Hierarchy of Laguna, the Maykrs and the Sin Eaters, though it seems the last one has seen their ranks greatly drop. Indeed, one may call this place Heaven.", Igor replied. "Well, I had to in order to protect the Multiverse from destruction. They needed to be destroyed.", I said. "And anyone who disagrees with you is wrong. I don't even know myself what came over them too.", Igor replied before suddenly vanishing. Having no time to wonder why, I turned back around and continued walking.
As I trekked through Purgatorium, I felt a strange sensation of pain come over me, shooting through my left arm. I looked at it, noticing that it was expelling a large amount of energy from the Anchor causing the red glow to turn green. Powering through the pain, I then came across a notable coterie of Acceptances, Kinships, Beloveds, Gloriouses, Graciouses and Maykr Drones. As they noticed me, they promptly rushed in to attack as I formed Zantetsuken in my right hand and slashed through, killing them all and carving through them easily. This was then followed by an equally large amount of Forgiven Dissonances and Forgiven Violences which I also easily carved through. I wondered given my massacre of the Sin Eaters where the Forgiven Dissonances and Forgiven Violences were coming from but I then easily realised that they were the Cyber Space recreations of said Sin Eaters, drawn from YHVH's memories. I walked forward, finding myself at a shrine with four marble statues and an equally suspicious larger statue with the form of a Guardian from Ouranos Island – the Ghost – carved into it. Ignoring the statue, I walked past it under the rationale that it wasn't my target only for the statue to suddenly come to life, freeing the Ghost and forcing me to fight it. "Alright, let's-a-go. I ain't afraid of no ghost.", I said to myself reservedly. To my surprise, however, I then watched the Ghost mysteriously vanish, only to replaced by an even larger Beloved that screamed at me. Gripping Zantetsuken tight, I rushed at the angel, making sure to dodge the countless beams of light it shot at me. Suddenly, the Beloved then rose the golden ground I was standing on, revealing a strange sort of path partly broken up. I feverishly ran across the ground, even running across the Beloved's beams of light, enraging it. Getting close in range to the Beloved, I then slashed forward with Zantetsuken only for the blow to be deflected; not missing a beat, I fired a blast of razor sharp wind from my left hand whilst unleashing a giant blast of darkness from Zantetsuken. The two bursts of energy combined into a gust of razor sharp darkness that absolutely vapourised the Beloved only for Zantetsuken to be dispelled in order to "recharge" as it were. Noticing a cavity near to where me and the Beloved fought, I then descended into it, wondering what it held.
Landing in the cavity, I noticed a strange linear path carved from white marble. "Wonder this will lead me.", I said to myself before walking forward, noticing how I seemed to be doing that a lot here in Purgatorium. I looked at the walls as I walked forth, noticing strange murals depicting some sort of ancient battle between YHVH and the 8 Eikons, seeing that Ifrit was strangely absent. Leading the charge in the picture was Odin with Titan and Bahamut by his side with Shiva, Garuda, Phoenix, Ramuh and a giant sea monster following behind them; I figured that this sea monster was Leviathan the Lost. This was followed by yet another mural; this time of Odin being trapped in a crystalline prison by the other Eikons after they apparently betrayed him for YHVH, followed by another mural depicting Odin locked in battle with the other Eikons after breaking out with Odin in particular having a familiar-looking demonic red arm. "Oddly prophetic murals. Just what are they trying to tell me, though?", I thought. I then came across another mural, now depicting Alphen and Shionne together with Alphen standing up and Shionne sitting on a chair. I then felt a very strange feeling from the mural, only for me to see another vision, this time of Alphen, Law and Dohalim entering a strange chamber. "Alphen, are you sure you want to do this?", Law asked. "Well, if it's the only way to force Jack into becoming the next Sovereign after me, then yes. I really don't know of any other way to make him see that he is supposed to become my successor and become Aionios' next Sovereign.", Alphen replied, the Crest of the Sovereign glowing in his right eye. "And if he still refuses?", Dohalim asked. "Then it seems that I really will have no choice but to crown Yuito as the Sovereign instead.", Alphen said picking up a strange mechanical sword before transferring his powers into it. This then led to another vision, this time of Alphen addressing a crowd consisting of Haseo, Lindow, Yuito, Lloyd, Luke, Yuri, Asbel, Sorey, Noah, Byleth, Noctis, Jin, Dante and several others. "As you see, this kingsmoot between us is not to elect a new Sovereign of Aionios but to force Jack into succeeding me as the Sovereign. Under no circumstances whatsoever are you ever allowed to sit on the Throne of Light; that throne is reserved purely for Jack alone. Let me be clear; it is Jack who is to be my successor and no-one else.", Alphen said. "Don't worry, I'm sure he will succeed you. All we need to do is find a way to force him to do so.", Lindow said.
Returning to the area where I saw the mural, I was then overcome by a sudden outburst of rage. "That bastard.", I said, black and dark red energy leaking out of me. "Do you finally get it now?", Alvis asked behind me. "Yeah, I do. I get that Alphen saw fit to delegitimise me as the Sovereign and assign utter ingrates to defile my throne.", I said, barely managing to conceal my rage. "What's more, he even sided with YHVH to assist that thing in destroying everything in the Multiverse, ensuring that I wouldn't even have a kingdom to rule over.", I said, not noticing the large amount of dark energy around me. As I then walked on, I suddenly found myself facing a large golden cup- the Holy Grail. I noticed a strange dark red glow billowing out from the top; not only that, but I also sensed a dark and sinister presence within the Grail itself. "You do know what you have to do, don't you?", Sage asked whilst flying into the chamber. "Yeah. I just need to destroy the Grail and continue on to the Silver Mountain.", I replied. Looking at the Grail with a sad look on her face, Sage sighed. "You OK?", I asked. "Sorry, I just can't help but wonder what might happen if YHVH wins.", Sage replied. "You worry too much.", I said, forming Zantetsuken in my right hand whilst walking forward. As it sensed danger, the Grail then spawned in a collection of robotic angels, all glowing silver as if to match their metallic silver bodies. Looking at the claw that was my left hand, Sage said, "Yes, he has awakened. So why doesn't it feel like it?".
As the angels charged forward, I then felt a surge of dark energy burst forth from my body. Watching intently, Sage then felt a strange sensation of fear come over her. "No, there's no way!", she said as I easily cut through and destroyed the robotic angels. I then unleashed a giant beam of darkness from Zantetsuken, the black and crimson energy cutting through the Grail and erasing it. Turning to face Sage, I then asked her, "Pretty good, right?". "I guess so.", she replied. I then jumped down the giant hole created by the Grail's destruction as Sage continued to observe intently. Descending down the chasm, I noticed that the "earth" of Purgatorium as it were was covered in a sterile white material with turquoise veins supplementing it. "Weird.", I thought. Landing at the bottom, I then found myself facing the silver mountain again (which seemed much closer than normal but still so far away) but oddly also above ground yet again. "OK, just how strange is this realm anyway?", I asked myself. "Well, that is an answer only you know, Odin.", Z said behind me. Turning around to face him, I then asked him, "Why did you just call me Odin?". "That will be answered in time. Right now, your priority is destroying YHVH.", Z said before disappearing suddenly. Turning back around to face the Silver Mountain, I then ran towards it, with no time to waste.
The story continues in the next chapter.