Maggots and worms wriggled and bit. They consumed and gnashed; flesh eaten and torn as they burrowed inside and beneath the surface. Then they vanished and, in their place, came roaring fires of brimstone that melted the flesh and burnt it to a crisp. Then so too did the flame dissipate, before in its place formed endless blades that cut and needles that pierced every oraphis. Then they too vanished and then came whips of nine tails that left endless lashes, and then walls that squished bone and meat, and then teeth that ripped apart, and then sinking suffocation from waters, and then a hand that grinded the face across the floor like chalk as it smeared the face's blood, and then something else, then another thing, and another, and other, and another until... It all stopped, and a gloved hand removed itself from another's forehead.
A withered, hairless, dark pygmy coughed and wheezed as he hung by chains, naked in his dark cellar. His fists were clenched with one holding tight to something hidden yet dear. At the entrance of the cell, stood four figures adorned in white robes and wielding white branches. Three were female, but one was male. One of the females held an empty golden scroll and was inscribing arcane writings into it; each letter written staining the gilded paper black. Meanwhile, the male, who stood closest, wore a crown that went upward before curving outward in the shape of a plant. The man stared intently at the Pygmy. In the man's hand was a tiny spark of humanity that had been just ripped from its owner.
"With this scroll, a new spell is made for others. And with this piece of humanity, another mage of Oolacile shall be made mightier," Spoke the man.
One of the women interjected, "The subject is near his breaking point. Perhaps we have twisted his mind enough, my king."
The Pygmy looked up at the king weakly, his chains being the only thing which kept him from falling to the ground. With the pleading eyes of a child who could suffer no more pain, the Pygmy whimpered pathetically, "Please, stop."
"Perhaps..." Spoke the King, seemingly ignoring the pleading thing. The Lord eyed the Pygmy up and down, looking for something. Without tearing his gaze away, the King gave the spirit of humanity to one of the two other females who took it and left hurriedly. The King then stared at the Pygmy's hands, "I've always figured you were tightening your hands to handle the pain. But then I've begun to notice that you never stop clenching this specific hand of yours."
The King reached over and grasped the pygmy's left hand. The small humanoid shivered and quaked as the Pygmy desperately pleaded, "Please, don't."
The King's grip hardened on the Pygmy's hand. Yet the Pygmy would not relent, concentrating all its frail strength into not letting this man take what they held. The King became frustrated and with his wooden branch struck and broke the Pygmy's left arm with ease. But still the Pygmy did not release, and so the King began to break more and more sections of the Frail One's arm. The pain was eventually too great, and the left hand released, dropping to the floor a small red stone pendant.
The King smiled as he reached over and grabbed it. "NO!" shouted the Pygmy, his tears long since dry yet still he cried.
"My my, I sense strange and powerful magic in this. You must have been spending much power to hide its presence till now. Ah," The King examined it and chuckled, "Oh my my my. The power I sense from this... I see. You enchanted it to allow your mind to travel to the past, to see a happy memory of someone. What a waste." The King threw it to the ground, "Ironic, your own humanity and love for others is your weakness. This pendant could've been so much more. Oh well."
With his foot the King grinded on the amulet; cracking it like shattered glass, though it still remained in one piece. The Pygmy shouted and cried for the King to stop, and for once the King seemed to listen. The lord picked up the pendant and thought for a moment, "Hmm, actually, please give this to my dear daughter. I am sure she will enjoy such a… interesting trinket."
Immediately another woman grabbed the pendant and left. All the while the Pygmy continued to shout. The King looked back, "Oh don't worry, you'll never see it again. I figured that would hurt more. Knowing it still worked and was in one piece, but always out of sight for you. "
Everything froze for the frail humanoid as his mouth slowly dropped. His heart sank and despair filled him. And so slowly, the Small One sank and stared at the ground. He was broken. The only good thing he had left, the one thing that kept him together, the last memory of his closest friend, was gone from him. Now forever out of his reach.
"To think!" Shouted the King as he grabbed the pygmy by the forehead, extracting more humanity as he flooded the pygmy's senses with more torturous illusions, "You are primeval man! And yet, you are so weak! I, however, am not weak! We will rise as a great power with your knowledge and raw untouched potential! And I will be remembered forever as the greatest of kings! I WILL BE THE LORD OF DARK THAT YOU REFUSED TO BE!" The king began to laugh now that the pygmy was broken, power and knowledge flowing into the King like water, "Quickly record the words I shall now utter!"
Nightmares filled the pygmy's vision once more. Agonizing illusion after agonizing illusion, the pygmy saw and felt and smelled and heard. Death after death the pygmy felt and saw through twisted light. His mind cracked more and more. He saw and felt his skin get peeled off like an apple. He saw and felt his bones being grinded to powder. And he saw and felt a knife in his forehead that sucked life out of him with a constant, sharp, fuzzy, and throbbing pain. And more and more and more terrible images and sensations of the Oolacile light flood his heart and soul.
But then, for brief flashes, his old memories of more peaceful times blinked before the pygmy. And slowly he looked up at the King through the twisted light.
Gael saw brief flashes of the Pygmy's past memories as he looked up at the running god and the metallic syringe that tried to steal his soul.
The pygmy clenched his fists and for the first time in his life,his heart darkened with a great and terrible rage. No more, he would end this and reclaim what was his! That amulet…. That memory …. Would be his again! His body began to grow larger and larger. His skinless form became covered with hair as dark as his skin, and his broken arm began to grow teeth and a mouth on its palm as it began to bloat in thickness. The King's eyes widened in fear and Manus grabbed the king.
Gael clenched his fists, a strange yet familiar rage filling his heart as he grabbed the metallic syringe within his chest and ripped it apart. A red glow glowing smoke grew around Gael All the while Hepheastus stared in fear and began shouting words Gael could not hear.
The King shouted in pain as Manus ripped off the Lord's arm. The room shook and crumbled as the abyss formed outward of Manus and pulsated outward like a throbbing ooze. The king tried to cast spells, but Manus had none of it and Manus overwhelmed the king with his pure abyssal might; overwhelming the man's senses like he did with Manus. The king's last words were of him shouting for his mages and guards to stop Manus.
Hepheastus shouted as a large machine burst from the walls. The god then shouted commands for more machines to come to his aid as the machine slid in front of Gael. Gael tore free from his bindings, the voices returning like a quire that filled him with more rage. Hephaestus planned to stop Gael.
But it was too late.
But it was too late.
The Dark in its truest form had been awoken.
The Dark in its truest form had been re-awoken.
Manus was free.
Gael was free.
(-)
Alone, Poseidon sat in the empty chamber, her throat dry and hoarse with not even sweat to cool her in the hot room. She could barely move; her skin red from the restraints. She dared not to speak as she still pondered the choice Hephaestus had given her. Would she bring an end to multiple races of people? Or would she allow her twin to live to cause more deaths until the end of time?
Suddenly the dimly lit room turned red as the voice of Hephaestus echoed and reverberated throughout the realm, "ALL DEFENSES ACTIVATE, CODE: INVADING AGE. THE RED HOOD HAS BROKEN CONTAINMENT!"
Poseidon gasped weakly as she heard that. The Red Hood... was still alive. She was confused. How, when, why was this Red Hood still alive? Did she fail to kill them? Why was Hepheastus containing him here of all places!? It didn't make sense to her, but if it's true, all that bloodshed to stop the Red Hood was now pointless.
The goddess sank into her metal chair. She had failed, and she couldn't do anything now. She should've done things differently with the Red Hood. She didn't know how, but it was her fault for all this death. The task was hers. She was a failure of a goddess, of a protector.
"Pathetic," Spoke Neptune in Poseidon's head.
Poseidon stammered, confused as to how Poseidon could still speak despite all the methods Hephaestus made to keep her at bay, "What?"
"The Red Hood has broken free, and all you can do is snivel here of your own self-proclaimed misery."
"There isn't anything we can do," the bound goddess whispered, her mind racing for any form of reassurance in the situation, "Hepheastus might have a way to stop him still."
"Might? Hah!" Roared Neptune with a hard grunt, "That jealous maggot has nothing left up his sleeves. He can't stop the Red Hood on his own. You know this."
"The others can stop hi-"
"No, they won't. And even if they could pull it off, by then... just think about how many lives would be lost."
"But... How can we stop him? Clearly we failed before!"
"True. But, the future isn't set in stone nor does history always repeat itself. That was of you last time, on your own. But, if we work together, things will be different," Poseidon said nothing, for she knew Neptune did not lie about this. For once, Poseidon truly listened as Neptune continued, "We are the mightiest of the gods in the physical realm, there are few who can match us. Think about it, with both of us together, we would have the best chance at stopping him before it's too late. Our bloodshed would be a mercy for the mortals."
"But then... we would kill others as well. We'd be returning to our old ways before the war with the other chaos gods. I cannot go back to that past. I am for love and peace! It is why I chose to ally with the mamono lord!"
"We wouldn't be returning to our past per se," replied Neptune calmly. "I have in mind something different, something new, yet in a way something older."
Poseidon looked up, as if expected to see Neptune standing in front of her as Poseidon uttered, "What do you mean?"
"When we were made, we were made as a coin, with you and I as its two sides. And yet, our failure came in us seeing each other as our own separate being, when in reality we are still both the same coin; the good, the bad, and everything in between. And this will never change no matter how long we deny it. So, what if we stop denying it, and become truly one? What if we gave up our own individuality and became what we were made to be? What if we became a newer yet older god? What if we reached that potential we were made for? What if we became who we were supposed to be-"
Neptune then stopped and scoffed, "But that's fine. Go ahead. Be rid of me and try to save lives for a short while before all life is wiped out. Just know that I gave you an alternative path, a different future."
The voice of Neptune disappeared, leaving Poseidon alone once more. The distant sound of a terrible battle echoed from beyond her chamber.
"I'm not you... You're not me... We aren't the same."
(-)
Talos placed its left palm face up on the ground as Hephaestus leapt onto it. Quickly Talos raised it and carried Hephaestus near its head as one of its eyes opened like a door. Hephaestus leapt into it and closed it. Gael growled as he threw the scrapped remains of the syringe to the side before roaring into the sky; a darkshock wave spreading throughout the realm as all the power within the land flickered off for a second before returning to normal.
Gael's mind was filled with only an incomprehensible honorary rage and a desire to reach Petre, the memories rushing in his head confusing him for an amulet. Gael hunched over like a beast more than a man as the red aura around him grew larger and fiercer like a flame; screaming skulls forming in and out of it for brief moments.
Thrusters appeared on the legs of Talos, shooting backwards to cause Talos to slide backwards towards the opposite end of the room where Petre was being transported. Then the giant machine aimed its fists and eyes at Gael and unleashed a torrent of rockets and bullets and beams of energy.
Gael leapt in between each attack like a monkey rushing through a forest, before leaping on a rocket and then jumping off it as he raised his fist. A dark crimson aura formed around his hands as the rocket exploded behind him, and then, with an animalistic cry, Gael sucker punched Talos, catching Hephaestus off guard as he tried to maintain control.
Talos stumbled backwards, a large dent visible on its face. But then it quickly regained its footing as Gael rushed in for another strike. "NO. YOU. DON'T!" Shouted Hephaestus as Talos closed its arms together before spreading them out as it unleashed its own shockwave, causing Gael to slide back to his side of the room.
Gael raised his arms and growled like a mad dog. Ring after ring of light formed with his palms before he shot out thousands of rings of light at once. Gael did not notice even the pain of what he did; his rage blinding him from it.
It was like a sea of energy that shot towards Talos, but Hepheastus still had his composure. "SEEN IT BEFORE!" Grunted Hephaestus as he pressed a button, causing a twisting light to form around Talos that seemed to grab each and every ring before sending it straight back at Gael.
Gael ran towards the lights, unafraid of any harm that they would cause. Then right before the rings struck, Gael bent himself backwards as he slid beneath them all. Then when there was an opening amongst the rings, Gael leapt again and threw another bunch.
Talos raised its arm to block, forming an energy shield that stopped the blow, the sound of cracking metal and hissing energy booming through the air. Then, before Gael could make another attack, Hepheastus had Talos form a blade of energy and swing back. Gael raised his other arm and formed a shield of dark blood that blocked the blow.
Gael's hands were full, his right still rammed onto the shield, and his left was blocking the blade that tried to sink into his hand.
Talos's eyes began to glow a bright red before shooting out beams of energy; but before the beams could hit, Gael disappeared. Meanwhile, right on the arm that blocked Gael, an ancient summoning sign had formed and from it, Gael appeared and drop-kicked Talos in the chest. The giant lost more footing, its feet forced to the edge of the tower.
Hepheastus had Talos send another shock wave and once again Gael was sent back to his side of the room. Then Hephaestus had Talos unleash everything it had to fire at Gael. Gael snarled like a hungry lion and constantly deformed and reformed everywhere; avoiding every blow. Then, suddenly, another summoning sign appeared beneath Talos's feet.
Then, right when Gael leapt upward with his fist raised, Gael disappeared and reappeared flying up from the sign. Hephaestus saw this and tried to block and move out of the way; but he got the timing wrong to avoid it. With a mighty thunderous uppercut, Talos was sent tumbling off the tower.
Hepheastus scrambled as he fought against gravity and his spinning environment to regain control of Talos. This did not make sense to the god. Never before had the Red Hood fought like this in his records without collapsing in pain. Not only that, the Red Hood had none of its equipment. Was the Red Hood holding back until now!? Was the fight at Zipangu just a ruse!? It certainly felt like it!
The god at last managed to have the thrusters come back out to push the giant just enough to make it fall upright. All the while, Gael leapt over the edge and began sliding down the tower and straight towards Hephaestus; Gael's eyes were completely impossible to see from the raging red fog around him. Hepheastus then shook his head as he saw on his hud that more of the special machines he requested were finished. With a chuckle he activated their controls so he could pilot them as well, "No matter! You're mine!"
Talos then grabbed the side of the tower and slid on it, its face looking straight up at Gael as three flying dainty machines, with layers upon layers of barriers surrounding them, intercepted Gael.
Gael growled once more as he could see below Talos was Petre being carried by metallic heads and gilded chains, and in front of Petre, Gael's own equipment carried by the same. Gael raised his arms and fired more rings of light. Both Hephaestus and the machines assumed Gael was targeting them, but in reality, Gael was aiming somewhere else.
As the dainty machines dodged the rings, the rings then began to curve and speed towards Petre. Hepheastus attempted to send them back, but the rings were too far out of reach. The chains to both Petre and Gael's equipment were severed by the rings, causing both to fall on their own downwards.
Gael then roared again, and a faint red glow formed around all of Gael's equipment before each piece flew towards their master. All the while both Hephaestus and the machines tried to keep them away from Gael; attacking Gael who dodged or blocked their blows.
Hephaestus slammed his fist on the counter of his controls. It was as if the monster was ten steps ahead of everything they were doing.
The armor resewed itself into Gael's flesh, his crossbow and belongings flew back around his belt. His cloak sank its teeth back into Gael's body, and Gael's sword flew straight back into his hands.
At last, Gael was on an equal footing. The voices said, "YES, YES, YES! LET US KILL THEM! AT LAST YOU SEE IT OUR WAY!"
Then, in his rage, Gael was so attuned to the darkness within him, that he fought and utilized his powers better than ever. Both clock and blade swung and parried and blocked the machines and Talos in perfect rhythm, as if an unknown song played in Gael's head.
One by one the machines fell in two as Gael foresaw, and was told, the perfect moment to strike between each of their barriers; eventually leaving it just to Gael and Talos once more.
Sweat fell on the gods forehead as he cracked his head and knuckles, "Activate the dissertation relic and send every machine asap here. We will win this war of attrition!"
Gael and Talos clashed blades and blocked each other's blows. Each dodged and deflected their ranged attacks. But, Gael quickly gained the upper hand; chopping off pieces of the machine. For a brief moment, Hepheastus wished he had Talos running on the core and not his divine blood, but he knew what would happen then.
Meanwhile, the relic activated and the tower stretched further and further, longer than it should have been and delayed the time till they crashed. All the while, mechanical heads and dainty shielded machines flew in and tried to aid Hephaestus. But it was for all for not as it caused nothing more than a rain of metal and sparks that flew past Talos. All the while, Gael still fought in that perfect rhythm and timing, as if he was an old soul that fought this same fight for thousands of life times.
Gael then reared back his blade and threw it. Hepheastus blocked it, but the blade cut through and sunk into Talos's head, almost hitting Hepheastus who screamed as it grazed his beard. Then, Gael disappeared and reformed on the hilt of his blade.
Then before Hepheastus could move Talos anymore, Gael's cloak began cutting and slashing wildly at Talos and Gael began to punch and kick and throw discs of light at Talos. "WARNING: STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY DECLINING. FIFTY PERCENT. TWENTY PERCENT." were the words that appeared on the hud for Hephaestus.
With a carnivorous scream, Gael then slammed both his fists down on the head of Talos, causing it to sink into the dead center of its body; destroying it as it began to fall downward lifelessly.
Gael didn't even take a second to think. He appeared as close to Petre as he could and grabbed him before reforming at the bottom and starting effortlessly using his wings to fly towards the portal of Hephaestus' realm. Talos crashed to the earth in a fiery explosion right where they were a moment ago.
Meanwhile, a bloodied Hephaestus still had consciousness and crawled towards the remains of the control panel, which now ran on emergency power. He didn't wish to use this, but he had to stop the Red Hood! He pulled out a key and pressed it on the counter; a lock formed right before he pressed the key. Quickly he unlocked it, and out came a button with a metal container beneath it with a small glass window. Inside was an ancient and withered gilded scroll.
Hehpeastus slammed the button, and instantly Talos glowed a bright white light as it reformed and repaired itself in a second; as if time was reversed on the metal. When it was fully finished, Hepheastus had Talos get up and rush towards Gael, activating all thrusters to not only catch up, but get in front of the flying Red Hood. The restoration took up all but one percent of Talos's remaining energy, giving him minutes to take the Red Hood down, but it would do.
Talos reformed its blade and swung at Gael who blocked it with his one free hand.
(-)
"WARNING: MACHINES REMAINING: TEN PERCENT. TALOS: CRITICAL CONDITION." Echoed mechanical words through the realm, the sounds of battle and explosions even louder now.
With every sound of clashing steel, Poseidon shook and quaked and fear as she began to realize that Hepheastus was failing. With every explosion, the power to the realm flickered. And in between those moments when the power was out, Poseidon could hear whispers in her ears. They told her of what would happen if she stayed. They made her think and imagine the lives that were ruined by the Red Hood, and the lives that would be ruined.
She could imagine the gods being too weak to stop the Red Hood and she feared a future devoid of life and love. And it was all because she, the goddess Poseidon, was too weak.
There was nothing she could do.
But, there was another choice.
Poseidon looked at her shriveled hands as she forced herself to keep breathing in the dry room. She could stop the Red Hood, she had the power. She was the strongest of the she could be stronger, strong enough to defeat the Red Hood for good without failure. She could already imagine how she would do it.
All she had to do was give everything up to save the lives of all those people. She gulped as she began to croak, "I… You," Poseidon paused, hesitating briefly before forcing out her next word, "win."
There was silence for a moment, before a warm peaceful feeling filled Poseidon's heart, as if she had done the right thing, "Good," spoke Neptune, "I'm glad you see what I see. Once we become one, we will need to be quick and claim our trident to face the Red Hood when we are our strongest. But first, close your eyes, Poseidon." Poseidon slowly closed her eyes, "let go of everything, and let us become the one we were made to be."
With their combined might, the two caused a cut to form on their finger and a small trickle of blood under their control began to move towards their chains.
Meanwhile, right outside the chamber where numerous mechanical warriors stood guard, the iron walls to Poseidon's room burst. Smoke filled the room, and each and every machine was crushed into the shape of a crumpled piece of paper.
The new god walked, their form hidden by smoke and fog as they destroyed every machine and chamber they walked by until they stood at the portal of the realm. The god spotted the trident right before it was sent through the portal, and the god reached out and caused the chains and the machines nearby to turn to dust as they were compacted into nothing by water molecules. Then, water formed and carried the trident to its new and old owner.
The god then looked at the portal and willed it to open to the shore of the remains of Zipangu. The god looked over to the distance where the Red Hood and Talos still clashed and spoke in a voice like running water, "See you soon, Red Hood."
The god then went through the portal but willed it to stay open till another went through.
(-)
Hepheastus shouted like a mad man in frustration as he clashed with the Red Hood. His sensors detected Poseidon somehow breaking out, but not only that, but destroying many of his machines and leaving with the trident AND the portal was stuck towards the mortal world. It could only mean her and Neptune were working together!
He felt overwhelmed but first thing was first. He knew he couldn't let the Red Hood get past him!
The two foes' weapons and tools screamed as Hepheastus slowly became more and more adapted to the Red Hood's movement. All the while Hepheastus had any nearby machines to rush nearby to take a hit for him or intercept the Red Hood when he tried to fly past.
Suddenly, the machines pulled out their hands and began to grab at Gael all at once, forming into a sphere of metal with Gael inside. All the while Hepheastus began to aim and charge the weapon in his arsenal. Talos had only seconds left now! So he had to make this count!
He fired Rockets and Ion beams and energy spheres and lasers from every bit of Talos's body. The attacks made contact right as Gael broke free and destroyed all the machines surrounding him; the projectiles slamming into him as he quickly formed a blood shield to protect Petre.
Shot after shot Talos unleashed, not even waiting for smoke to clear as the realm shook uncontrollably from the blasts.
But then, forming beneath the feet of the giant and unbeknownst to Hephaestus, a summoning sign formed. And out from the sign came Gael; his body gravely burnt save for where Petre was. Hepheastus saw it in the corner of his eye at the last moment and leapt back, but Gael mid forming had created another sign nearby and quickly severed the legs of Talos with one swing from a different location.
The metal colossus fell and with it, its energy fully depleted. Then without hesitation, Gael flew into the portal.
...
...
...
A portal had formed in Zipangu's ruined lifeless corpse, and Gael leapt out from it onto the ocean shore. The portal closed the moment his armored feet grazed the sand.
Slowly, Gael looked down at the man he had carried and was silent. Petre was older now, with most of his hair gone; any left was bright white. He was so wrinkled and withered that he looked almost like a hollow. The man's limbs were gone, with all that remained being part of a torso and a head. Gael struggled for words as he heard Petre's rasped breathing and croaking, lacking the strength to even utter a word.
The Knight's mind raced for a solution to this as he uttered, "I... There must be a way I can help you. Surely-"
At last, Petre could only manage to shake his head, croaking something akin to a no. Gael shook his head as well as he replied, "No, you can't die. Not yet. Not now. Not after all this-"
Petre shook his head as he struggled to tilt his head up, his eyes pleading for Gael to let go. The man's head then slowly sank back, any remaining strength dissipating as he at last managed to speak; his words forced, "No matter what happens... you..." Petre stopped for a few seconds, "You always have... a choice, Gael."
Gael did not move as he watched Petre become silent and his breathing ceasing. All that remained of Petre's body turned to ash, and Gael had nothing in his arms anymore; save for Petre's soul and the chalice he once held. It was a small, tiny thing, that soul. It drifted towards him, naturally being tugged towards Gael. But Gael stopped it and then stared at it.
He never peered into a soul before, let alone a soul of this world. But he did now. And as he looked into the soul, he could see something. He could see brief memories, memories of happiness and sadness, of laughter and hate, forming in and out as if looking through a fog. And he saw the moments of their journey and when they first met. But, it made Gael feel no better. Petre was gone, and with him a friend, something he rarely had.
The Slave did not know what to do. Would he absorb Petre's soul? Or would he have the soul drift away? He learned through overhearing others that this world had reincarnation, but... Would Petre's new life be any better? What if he caused Petre to die again? But on the other hand, if he absorbed Petre's soul, then that would be that. However, if Petre was still conscious…. Would he be at peace within Gael? Whose soul was a torrent of spiteful spirits?
Then Gael remembered that Petre had a family of his own that long since passed. His father was certainly waiting for him. What right did Gael have to deny Petre that?
And so, with great pain, Gael discarded the soul and used all his effort to not draw it back to himself. He watched as Petre's spirit faded away as it moved to the next life.
Slowly Gael looked down at the chalice, the skull seeming to grin at Gael; as if pleased. Gael could sense this was made of the dark. This is what he was after, wasn't it? A piece of the dark soul to absorb.
The voices returned and whispered in his ears, "This world was torn because of the gods here. If it were not for the gods, Petre would not have been like this. If it were not for the gods, Petre would still be alive! Let us have revenge! Absorb it!"
Gael tightened his grip on the chalice, runes appearing on it that shuttered to reveal a cup made of a slimy black texture that moved like oil. The dark liquid then lost shape and slid around Gael's arm before sinking into his flesh.
Gael screamed as he fell hunched over, the power flowing into him overwhelming his senses as his body healed.
Meanwhile, as the Dark gained complete dominion over Bacchus's realm of reality, wine and beer and ale lost their flavor; replaced by a burning yet freezing poisonous flavor that made those who drank it fall ill, unable to move for months. Healers and caretakers found that the alcohol and herbs they used didn't just no longer work but had opposite effects; poisons becoming healing herbs, and healing herbs becoming poisonous. Countless died as they vomited their insides out. Creatures that followed Bacchus became blind and mute as their eyes and vocal cords were boiled out by the wine within them.
Meanwhile any alcohol, or medicinal herb, whether brewed or yet to be harvested grew bad and withered. Parties turned into fights and families were torn asunder.
Then, as Gael rose with new power, the ocean before him began to rise.
The water levels around the entire world sank as a wall of dark water rose around all of Zipangu. Spears of ice formed the surface of the water and from above thunder clouds began to appear as the earth shook. One by one, giant watery forms of horses, tentacles, starfish and sea creatures appeared within the walls of liquid.
Meanwhile, a great and terrible hurricane began to form and almost graze the other continents, Zipangu sitting lonely within the storm's eye.
A feminine head then began to rise from waters like a bubble before it slowly took a humanoid shape. Its hair was long and flowing as if in water. It looked like blue seaweed and yet its tips were white as if made of sea foam. Upon their head were both dark horns and a dark crown made of pointed bones, sharp rocks, coral, and pieces of crustaceans. Its mouth had multiple layers of teeth, with each layer being of a different creature. Its eyes were like simmering bright lakes surrounded by whirlpools and its tongue was like a spear of rocks.
Its flesh was slimy and divided into chaotic sections of different scales and skins and gills. A dainty yet rough voice that roared like rushing water echoed, "I am the storm; I am the waves."
The head began to rise further up, revealing its feminine body. From the neck down water and fog could be seen in between her skin like cracks, with drops of blood and bits of ice within the water. Its hands frozen solid, yet shaped and wiggled like tentacles. And from the water and ice on her body, the same creatures as on the wall would form briefly upon her.
She wore a long gown that constantly shifted and moved like a running river, the lower part of her body being nothing but a waterfall with watery horses and tentacles that stuck out from it. Meanwhile, in her hand she held a black sinister trident. Slowly she and the trident grew in size as she continued, "I am the order and chaos of the waters; I am it's tranquilities and dangers," The waters of the world began to boil, yet ice did not freeze but instead harden and become colder, "I am the oceans, the lakes, the earthquakes, and the rivers in all their crushing power," every body of water beyond the oceans began to spill and drift towards where Gael was, even if they were thousands of miles away, tearing lands apart. Ripples became tidal waves and ships at sea struggled to say afloat, "No more am I Poseidon or Neptune, neither do they share this body," She still grew taller, her crown now almost grazing the clouds; looming over Gael like a waterspout, "They have died and become one, giving rise to me, PONTUS! And upon this night, your evil deeds will be brought to an end!"
Then, black rigid chitin formed around the shoulders and arms of the god like armor and layer upon layer of ice formed around the trident. Hail and rain fell from above. The dark clouds roared in rage. And Pontus pointed their trident at Gael.
Gael looked back up, the same rage as before forming in his heart as the red mist covered him once more. The voices in his head cheered him on with glee as he pointed his sword in defiance towards the god.
Meanwhile the other gods desperately tried to descend and intervene, but the dark clouds prevented their interruption, blocking their ability to arrive in the mortal world.
This fight was between the newborn god and the ancient darkness. And for that, the realms grew silent. For nothing would ever be the same again.