Emerging from Outworld's Jinsei with their wounds fully healed and feeling more rejuvenated than ever, the Deadly Alliance looked at each other, their mouths mirroring each other with large grins. They let go of each other's hands, an aura of magic whispering past as they separated their grip. Shang Tsung and Quan Chi could already sense that their evergrowing powers had just achieved a new level of greatness.
"Your eyes," Quan Chi noticed as they met each other's gaze. "They're emitting soul magic."
"What do you mean?" Shang Tsung inquired. Quan Chi dug into a small portal and retrieved a small mirror surrounded by a frame made of bones. Handing it to Tsung, he gasped. "Oh my…"
"All the magic we've been improving upon, all the magic we've gained," Quan Chi began to list as he tossed the mirror into the sizable gap beneath the fortress' bridge.
"I've harvested powerful souls," Shang Tsung recalled. "How have you been enhancing your magic?"
"I've relied on my powers since the day I learnt them," Quan Chi explained as he began walking across the bridge, Tsung following behind closely. "It is my right to do so."
"Of course," Tsung replied. "Your sorcery is rivalled by… only me."
"That is why you chose me," Quan Chi nodded. "I sat in that cell in the depths of that spire for years. During that time, I thought I was merely languishing."
"And now?"
"I was recharging," Quan Chi laughed as they stepped outside of his fortress. "I'm hoarding two decades worth of untouched magic that is just waiting to be unleashed."
"Paired with the lifeforce of this realm…" Shang Tsung began to realise the endless extent of his ally's powers.
"I've never felt better."
Green particles oozing from his hands, Quan Chi reached out into the air. A portal began to form in the valley of rocks ahead of the fortress. Shang Tsung gasped and skeleton workers literally dropped their jaws as they noticed the portal growing progressively larger. Soon, the portal towered over all and was so large that the other side could be seen without even entering. A large door to the Netherrealm fit for an Oni Warlord. The giant soon stepped into the portal and looked around his surroundings, confused but somewhat relieved to have found a sudden escape from Hell.
"Down here!" Quan Chi made a smaller portal that fit his hand, allowing him to smack the Oni Warlord on their shoulder to get their attention.
"Huh?" The voice of the Oni Warlord echoed as he peered down to face the Deadly Alliance.
"I just delivered you from the Netherrealm!" Quan Chi declared. "Now you must serve me!"
"Are you mad?!" The Oni Warlord laughed as he crouched down to get a closer look at the sorcerer. "I'll do no such thing!"
"Clearly you don't realise who we are!" Shang Tsung spoke up.
"Clearly I couldn't care less!" The Oni Warlord remarked. "I am free to do as I please!"
"About that…" Quan Chi smirked as he summoned a portal from the sky above the Oni Warlord's head.
Panes of glass began to rain down from the sky portal, some rotating in the air and shattering over the Oni Warlord's head whilst others remained perfectly vertical and paired with the pull of gravity, they sliced into the Oni Warlord's flesh with ease. In mere moments, the giant let out a dying groan before falling back, causing an enormous splash as their body fell into the ocean.
"I gave it a chance," Quan Chi shrugged, Shang Tsung left speechless as his jaw was even slightly agape.
"How did you do that?!" Tsung questioned.
"You know all these skeletons?" Quan Chi gestured to the many busy undead workers surrounding them. "Marinella and Vanesella also use them to stockpile resources… I ordered some rearrangements so I can weaponise certain materials if I so choose."
"Most impressive," Shang Tsung applauded. "We truly are unstoppable."
"Almost," Quan Chi partially agreed. "We still need that army completed."
"Patience," Shang Tsung requested. "I will not expend so much power to restore the full army."
"That is why it's time for my planning," Quan Chi reminded his partner, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder. A wicked smile stretched across the Netherrealm sorcerer's face as he uttered his next question: "Do you remember your… Soulnado?"
Awakening in the Heavens, Fujin found himself surrounded by the Elder Gods in the Senate, a spacious building for the council of Elder Gods to meet in person as opposed to the usual enchanted altars that could summon their apparitions. First approaching from his regal chair was the massive Zeus, Fujin's creator. His legend grew so tall that even the Greek Earthrealmers had a degree of knowledge of him that was interpreted into their own mythology.
"Are you awake, my child?" Zeus asked softly, waving a hand in front of Fujin.
"Yes…" Fujin confirmed weakly, still dazed from what had happened.
Past Zeus' muscular body and wide shoulders, Fujin could make out the distinct figures of Wu, Vutix, Zeraura and Ametus. They all glared at Fujin stoically, apart from Ametus who looked concerned with a well defined frown on her face.
"I…" Fujin suddenly realised he had no body. "Where is my body?"
"I brought life to your soul before you'd reform," Zeus explained. "We can hear your thoughts."
"Thanks?" Fujin's thoughts were jumbled and confused. "Why though?"
"Would you like your old body restored?" Zeus asked, knowing that doing so wasn't always Fujin's desire. "Or are you looking to change your appearance whilst your… life changes too?"
"Life changes?" Fujin's mind echoed. "Albeit, yes, I have been meaning to shake things up… but I was busy with the Temple of Elements."
"Do you wish to return to your female body?" Zeus asked politely but bluntly. "Or perhaps you wish to try something more unique?"
"The former," Fujin confirmed. "I doubt I'm in the right mind to be experimenting with everything that's been going on lately."
"As you wish," Zeus complied and with a swift motion from his hand, he cast a spell that immediately began to reform Fujin in an alternative body. "Welcome back, my daughter."
"Thank you," she spoke now, staring at her now smaller but softer hands. "It's a welcome change, brings some joy in such… unfortunate times."
"Hopefully you'll find far more joy here," Zeus said as he held a firm grip on Fujin's shoulder.
"What do you mean?" Fujin's eyes, still the same pair of glowing white lights, narrowed as her face dropped.
"You've done us a great service," Zeus complimented as the other Elder Gods nodded in approval. "You've earned your retirement."
"No," she shook her head. "Not me."
"It is the rules!" Vutix's voice boomed as she stepped forth, towering over Fujin. "Death leads to the afterlife, it is the natural order of things."
"For mortals," Fujin agreed.
"For you as well," Vutix reminded her. "How else would you stand before us now?"
"You're very aware of what I mean!" Fujin raised her voice. "We all know that those who are born native to the afterlife realms can return from death endlessly!"
"An ability we shan't abuse," Wu argued, standing beside Vutix.
"You talk of this being natural yet you go against how our kind nature works," Fujin pointed out. "What disturbance would my return to Earthrealm bring exactly?"
"Nobody mentioned any disturbance," Zeus stated, placing a hand on his creation's shoulder only for it to be brushed aside.
"I understand your hesitation to get involved," Fujin clarified. "I know of the-"
"Do not even utter its name," Zeus demanded.
"Very well, Father," Fujin obliged. "My point is that I'm not powerful enough to disturb… it."
Wu folded his arms, his eyes narrowing as he regarded Fujin. "Disturbance is not the only measure. Balance must be preserved, Fujin," he explained. "You have fought valiantly and served with honour, but you must also honour this decision."
Fujin clenched her fists, her glowing eyes narrowing further. "Balance? You speak of balance, yet our existence itself tilts the scales! If a mortal soul can rise anew, reincarnated or reforged, why deny me the same path?"
"What do you mean?" Wu raised a bushy eyebrow.
"Angels, Demons, and whatever else spawns in the Netherrealm," Fujin elaborated. "You aren't so restrictive on their actions."
"They have no means to escape their realm!" Vutix snapped.
"Then what about those who are resurrected?" Fujin questioned. "Spectres and Wraiths can't form naturally to my understanding."
"And we never approved of their existence," Wu argued as Vutix nodded in agreement. "Do you expect us to take action on all the infractions that come from the Netherrealm?"
"You don't enforce keeping people down there as much as you keep people in the Heavens," Fujin boldly claimed.
"We have an active presence here!" Vutix yelled.
"And the ability to watch all the realms," Fujin continued, further angering Vutix and Wu.
"You have no understanding of how great of a task that truly is," Wu told her and Fujin rolled her eyes in disbelief.
"I've served under you all for millions of years," Fujin reminded them. "I think I've developed an understanding."
"Come here," Wu gestured for her to approach as he shifted his large frame towards a balcony that watched over the bright clouds of the Heavens. "Look below… take a good look."
Looking down from the tower the Senate of the Elder Gods was built on, Fujin gasped at the sight below. Armoured Angels moved with synchronised precision, their shining wings carrying them gracefully as they escorted newly arrived souls through the endless expanse of light.
The gateway to the afterlife loomed in the distance, an immense archway of radiant energy that pulsed with life. This was the spot where pure souls would travel upon a good person's death. Souls flowed through it in a near-endless stream, creating a dense crowd at the gate. The bundles of lifeforce pressed together, eager to be granted passage past the pearly gates as its magic enchantments prevented souls from passing through it by themselves.
Some of the souls near the center of the throng had already begun to change. Their vague, formless light grew denser, coalescing into shapes that hinted at their new forms. Arms, legs, and torsos began to take shape as the wait had gone on so long that the souls had already reached the point of reforming their bodies. The Angels moved with stoic diligence among them, going as fast as they could to continue moving the souls which was something that Fujin couldn't help but notice. It all seemed so mechanical to her with the Angels working without hesitation, and their movements both calculated and unyielding.
Fujin's gaze lingered on the gateway, her heart heavy. The sight was magnificent, but there was no peace in it for her. The sheer volume of souls pressed against the gateway, the relentless cycle of death and rebirth—it all felt suffocating, overwhelming. She clenched the railing of the balcony, the cold metal grounding her as she wrestled with her thoughts.
The souls, most unaware of the process unfolding around them, were swept along like leaves in a stream. It was efficient, orderly, and yet, to Fujin, it felt hollow. A system designed for eternity but devoid of compassion for those trapped within its flow. There was no decision for the deceased, they awoke in this same spot and now had to go to their new and allegedly perfect afterlife.
Wu noted the look on Fujin's face. "You're disturbed," he realised. "Why?"
"I may be a God," Fujin sighed, "but this is not where I belong."
"This isn't how we normally handle this," Wu clarified as he put his hands behind his back and straightened himself. "Well… it is, but the gates are rarely so populated."
"Why is that?" Fujin asked, nervously leaning against the railing in a slouched posture.
"You're missing the detail I was trying to show you," Wu sighed. "Look at the bodies forming from the souls." He pointed directly to one peculiar figure. "What species do you think they are?"
Wu watched as Fujin's face immediately let off a look of confusion as she examined the figure. The more she looked, the more she saw others bearing a similar appearance. Their towering forms quickly became recognisable, they seemed like they had been carved from the very night itself, their dark, stone-like skin streaked with faint patterns of silver that pulsed and shimmered like the far-off glow of galaxies, contrasting the colour palette of the Heavens whilst matching its mysticalness.
Black and silver hair mixed together in a spiky mess that spread over to behind their ears, one of their most notable features. They were large, rounded, and swept backward in a way that reflected that of a monkey, much like Wu's own form albeit he had mixed such features with more human ones. Fujin soon realised where the inspiration for Wu's chosen form came from.
"What are they?" Fujin asked, having never seen anything like them before.
"Astrasimii'kaar," Wu revealed, pronouncing the peculiar name flawlessly.
"What realm do they come from?"
"Seido," Wu elaborated, "and yet they're alien to modern Sedans."
"I don't understand."
"Do you seriously believe that with all of the planets housed by billions of galaxies per realm couldn't spawn additional life?"
"So they'd be considered…"
"Alien," Wu nodded. "So many have arrived today as a result of an interplanetary conflict with the Eirian, another alien species."
"And this is an occurrence in all the realms?"
"Indeed," Wu confirmed. "Including Earthrealm."
"My job is to protect Earthrealm and you never thought to tell me this?" Fujin continued to ask questions. "How have I never seen these other species before?"
"We believe that interrealm communication is beneficial, despite Earthrealm struggling to embrace it, but we must keep things condensed to an extent… or else we'd rename everything to the Realm of Chaos."
"And you achieve that how?"
Wu cleared his throat before continuing to explain. "We thought about keeping things condensed to one realm and all its galaxies can meet, but we realised just how many galaxies there truly are. The true solution was to allow interrealm communication, but at layers. We named the realms directly after the key planets from each original galaxy: Earthrealm, Seido, Edenia, Zaterran, Outworld, all the other realms Shao Kahn merged into it. Those are all amongst the first galaxies of their respective realms, the original layer."
"And everything else came after," Fujin began to understand. "That is… a lot."
"Do you think of us as lazy now?" Vutix asked as he approached the two from behind.
"I never said that!" Fujin protested.
"Many more continue to be discovered, in need of our observation," Wu continued. "The original names we gave the realms are frankly outdated considering how much more we have found beyond the first layer."
"How do you keep this a secret from those from the Heavens, or the Netherrealm?" Fujin wondered, knowing that the afterlife realms lacked galaxies.
"They're infinite spaces," Wu reminded her. "The Netherrealm contains so many bizarre creatures as is, so much warped by its evil energies. The extent of the universe goes unnoticed there."
"And here?"
"Segregation," Wu revealed. "As we would for the galaxies themselves."
"That doesn't sit right with me," Fujin admitted.
"They have no attachment to any of the other galaxies, what would they be missing by mixing in with the others?"
"I suppose nothing," Fujin acknowledged, "but it still feels overly controlling."
"This structure is one of few to actually last… once we had a solution, nobody has managed to migrate to another galaxy," he revealed with a sense of proudness in his voice. "That includes even those enamoured by exploring foreign realms, they never consider going beyond the layers we designed."
"Congratulations, I guess," Fujin shrugged.
"I led such a project to keep the realms safe," Wu tried to reassure Fujin. "Think of what would happen if all galaxies collided, billions per realm and most having their own forms of intelligent life."
"Chaos," Vutix concluded.
"Wait," Fujin had another sudden realisation. "What of Chaosrealm?"
"The nature of that realm is inexplicable," Wu sighed. "Impossible to control."
"So that's one realm we want separated," Vutix stated, standing over Fujin. "A necessary wasteland for chaos to reign whilst we help to enforce balance throughout the realms that matter."
"Problems emerged when the Realm of Order and Chaos came to discover each other's existence," Wu sighed, scratching his furry ears. "Chaosrealmers were the one kind of species we wanted to keep to themselves."
"Now they terrorise Seidans and even Outworlders," Vutix recalled. "We can only hope the Seidan Guard can tame them."
"Fascinating information," Fujin commented. "Can we get back to the point though?" The Wind God requested. "Why should I have to remain here?"
"Well the fact I've told you all this is now another reason," Wu claimed. "Very few know of such a secret."
"You know that I wouldn't share this information to anybody who could abuse it," Fujin promised.
"What will it take for you to accept this fate?" Zeus asked as he came forth, tightly grabbing Fujin's shoulder this time to prevent her from pulling away. "This is not punishment, mu child. It is reward. Rest. Peace. The weight of Earthrealm's struggles is no longer yours to bear."
"But they are mine to bear," Fujin snapped, her voice cracking like her brother's thunder. "You can't pluck me from the battlefield and call it mercy. Earthrealm still needs me. I can die a thousand times more and that fact will not change!"
"No," Zeus refused bluntly. "Our decision is final."
"I haven't even heard from all of you!" Fujin stormed back into the main room, turning to Zeraura and Ametus as they had been busy whispering at their stands. "Zeraura! Ametus! What do you think?!"
"I…" Ametus went to speak up, but clutched her arm nervously.
"Perhaps we should make an exception," Zeraura considered. "I did say before that Fujin would be an excellent replacement as Earthrealm's main Protector God over their brother."
"Raiden's been having a tough time," Fujin defended him. "Give him a break maybe, don't force him to retire too!"
"He's tainted," Zeraura warned. "I've detected it around his entire soul."
"How do you think he'll react when he finds out I'm dead too then?!"
"First Raiden makes these ridiculous arguments against us," Vutix complained, "then Bo' Rai Cho… and now you, Fujin? I expected better."
"I expected better from you too," Fujin echoed the sentiment. "How many of us will it take to say it before you all realise that things must change?!"
"I think we've had enough of-" Wu went to make a verdict, but the sounds of shouting and screaming outside drew his attention. "Excuse me."
Fujin followed Wu to the balcony once again, and there was another surprise at the Heavens highway. One reformed soul had broken out of an Angels grasp, falling to the soft cloud surface below. She raised her fists, ready to defend herself.
"Alyssa…" Fujin muttered.
"You weren't the only one to die at that battle," Wu remarked.
"She's terrified, Wu, call them off!" Fujin demanded.
"Like you, she will have to accept her fate," Wu said before calmly turning his back to the commotion.
"Let go of me!" Alyssa begged as she began kicking at one Angel whilst another tried to grab her.
The Angels suddenly paused their efforts, focus shifting to the presence of someone greater, a key individual who was both feared and revered in equal measure. A shadow fell over Alyssa as a tall figure descended gracefully from the skies, her wings unfurled in a display of power and dominance. The figure was the commander of the angelic guards.
She landed with poise, her bare feet touching the ground soundlessly. She was a sight to behold, an image of strength draped in ethereal beauty. Her massive white wings, feathered to perfection, framed her like a divine shield. They contrasted with her dark skin, as did her attire. She wore a flowing white dress trimmed with gold armour. Around her waist, a black sash and golden belts gave her the presence of a warrior and a proud leader.
Her face was completely obscured by a golden mask, carved with elegant, ancient patterns, leaving only her piercing gaze visible through narrow eye slits. The golden glow of the halo hovering above her head cast her in an otherworldly light, a constant reminder of her status as the Angels' supreme commander. Her dark, braided hair tumbled down her shoulders, shifting with her movements like a mane of a lioness.
What concerned Alyssa most was what was in the commander's hands, she gripped a magnificent weapon: a double-edged battle axe, its blade ornate with intricate filigree and glowing faintly with energy, as if alive. The mere sight of her was enough to make lesser beings falter.
"Enough," her voice boomed, calm yet sharp as her axe. The Angels immediately released Alyssa, falling back into disciplined formation. The commander stepped forward, each motion deliberate, her gaze fixed on Alyssa, who still trembled with desperation.
"You fight against inevitability," the commander said, her tone unwavering. "Do not make this harder than it must be."
Alyssa looked up, meeting the masked gaze of her captor, terror flickering in her eyes. The commander extended a hand, not out of kindness, but as an unspoken demand for compliance. The weight of her authority was inescapable, like gravity itself. Her arm trembling, Alyssa reluctantly accepted the commander's open hand.
"You shall be taken to a place of peace," the commander promised as she gently lifted Alyssa off her feet, her wings flapping.
"Wait!" Fujin yelled. "Commander Seraphina!"
"Do not interrupt her, child!" Zeus demanded. "The Elder Sentinels have important work to do!"
"Sir… Madam Fujin," Seraphina addressed the Wind God respectfully as she flew up to the balcony, Alyssa in her hands. "Apologies."
"Please release her," Fujin pleaded.
"Fujin!" Wu's voice boomed angrily.
"Fujin?!" Alyssa repeated, not recognising Fujin by her new form. "I uh… I like the new look."
"Ignore my child," Zeus requested. "She has been embraced by retirement and is struggling to accept the fact."
"There is no chance that we make exceptions for mere mortals!" Vutix shouted. "Commander, take her away!"
"No!" Alyssa shrieked, letting out a burst of water that pushed Seraphina away, the Hydromancer tumbling into the Senate of the Elder Gods.
"How dare you!" Vutix approached Alyssa with her fists clenched. Before either woman could act, they turned to the grand pair of doors leading to the main room being opened as the newest addition to the Elder Gods' sextet.
"Argus," Fujin greeted.
"I'm sorry for my tardiness," Argus apologised. "Delia and I were engrossed in our search for Blaze."
"Any results?" Ametus asked with Argus shaking his head. "A pity."
"You…" Alyssa stared daggers at Argus. "How convenient we'd meet like this."
"Rain's student…" Argus recognised her from his time watching the realms from the Heavens.
"So you've just been stalking him since abandoning him, huh?"
"I assumed he'd have found out from Daegon," Argus sighed.
"And now I know too," Alyssa revealed. "Last thing we got to talk about was you."
"Did Daegon also kill you?" Fujin asked.
"Red Dragon… I think…" Alyssa said with uncertainty. "I didn't see anything really."
"I'm sorry," Fujin apologised.
"I'm the one who owes you both an apology," Argus admitted. "Daegon wasn't always the villain he is now."
"What happened?" Fujin asked. "Your family seemed perfect whenever we'd visit, how-"
"I cannot explain fully," Argus claimed. "Try to understand."
"More secrets!" Alyssa exclaimed. "Like that helps!"
"I never abandoned Rain!" Argus claimed. "I fell for two Edenian women, one agreed to take Rain and live out a peaceful life away from protecting Edenia."
"So you're a cheater?" Alyssa clenched her fists.
"It was a mutual relationship between all three of us," Argus defended himself.
"Then why'd she leave?" Alyssa asked.
"Everything was… perfect for a time," Argus recalled fondly. "Rain was our third son, the first one to be carried by Amara."
"Rain's Mother," Alyssa recalled and Argus nodded.
"But things changed, a calling we had to act upon," Argus spoke vaguely. "I cannot explain further, it is not for your ears."
"Come on, Argus," Fujin tried to convince him. "What harm would come from us knowing?"
Alyssa began pacing the room, Seraphina keeping her eyes locked onto her the entire time. She then paused and raised a finger with a sudden realisation. "Armageddon!" Alyssa yelled.
"How?!" Argus was taken aback. "Who told you?"
"Rain," Alyssa recalled. "Daegon mentioned it to him, also vaguely."
"You know more than enough then," Argus claimed. "It is a foretold event that my family was tasked with having to deal with. Any actions that followed were for the greater good!"
"But not for the good of your family," Alyssa shook her head. "You disgust me."
"I'm sorry," Argus apologised again. "A task I had… placed… on my sons seemed to have put too much pressure on Daegon, leading to the dark path he finds himself on now."
"So it is your fault!" Alyssa realised. "Both of our deaths were caused by YOU!"
"Alyssa, wait!" Fujin went to hold her back but Alyssa charged in with a fist that struck the Elder God.
The other Elder Gods watching on let out shocked faces and gasps as Seraphina was quick to charge at Alyssa.
"How dare you!" Seraphina bellowed, swinging her axe at the Hydromancer.
"No!" Fujin stood between them, grabbing Seraphina's axe by its polished handles.
"This intolerance has gone on long enough!" Zeus yelled as the Elder Gods began to surround Alyssa, Fujin hiding her behind her arms. "I thought a mortal striking an Elder God was inconceivable!"
"Zeus, it is quite-" Argus tries to defuse the situation, only to be spoken over.
"Never in all of time have I seen such a display of disrespect!" Wu expressed his own anger.
"You shall be imprisoned!" Vutix threatened Alyssa. "Stand with her and you shall be too, Fujin!"
"I can't let you do that," Fujin shook his head.
"For the last time, child, you have no say in this!" Zeus scolded as he began summoning a bolt of lightning in a rare display of the Elder Gods' hostile magic. "Stand aside!"
"Please calm down, everybody!" Ametus requested, her own shouting being drowned out by a strange sound of… barking.
Before Zeus could hurl his crackling bolt of divine lightning, a sharp, high-pitched bark pierced through the tense air. The Elder Gods froze, their gazes snapping upward as a small figure hurtled toward them.
A blur of black, white, and tan fur shot through the glass dome of the senate ceiling, shattering it with a shower of glittering shards. The sound of breaking glass echoed across the chamber, drowned only by a series of frantic barks and a yelp of exhilaration.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, impossibly nimble for such a small Earthrealm creature, sailed through the air, its ears flapping like banners in the wind. The Angels above, still mid-flight, reached out to snatch it, but the determined dog twisted free of their grip with surprising agility, its paws stretched forward like a warrior on a mission.
The room stood in stunned silence as the dog landed squarely atop Zeus' broad shoulders, sending the Elder God stumbling a step forward. The lightning dissipated instantly from his grasp as the dog, with his tongue lolling out and tail wagging with innocent excitement, began enthusiastically barking into his ear.
Zeus, for all his divine power and eternal composure, flailed in disbelief. "Good Heavens! Get this beast off of me!" he bellowed, spinning around in a futile attempt to shake the tiny intruder. The other Elder Gods stared in stunned silence, a mix of shock and bafflement on their faces. Even Vutix, towering and imposing, seemed unsure of how to react as the tiny Earthrealm dog refused to relent, yipping at the Elder God as though he were a common intruder in its yard. The Angels who had lost hold of such an innocent soul apologised profusely, whilst an embarrassed Seraphina approached the Cavi, prepared to deal with it using her axe.
With a high pitched bark, the Cavalier leapt from Zeus and landed on Seraphina's head, knocking her over. The dog then rushed towards Fujin and Alyssa. Realising there was no possible chance of calming the room and talking out of retirement, Fujin knew he had to take advantage of this opportunity. With a powerful gust of wind, Fujin blew down the nearest wall behind her and Alyssa.
"Take my hand!" Fujin requested. "I'll fly us out of here!"
"You're coming with us, little guy!" Alyssa scooped the dog up before her hand was snatched by Fujin, the two rushing towards the hole blown in the tower.
"Stop right there!" Zeus demanded. "This is your final warning!"
"I'm sorry, Father," Fujin apologised, turning back to face him one last time. "If none of you are willing to listen, then you've left me no choice!"
Leaping off the building together, Fujin quickly gained control of the air to keep them both afloat, speeding up as Fujin carried them through the endless skies, Alyssa clinging tightly to both the Wind God's hand and the wriggling Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in her arms. The rush of air swept past them in roaring waves, but Alfie barked gleefully, seemingly unbothered by the chaos.
"We must go after them!" Vutix's voice could be heard booming loudly as she yelled. Her form suddenly began shifting, her shape turning more animal-like whilst scales began to grow over her skin. The true form of the Elder God was about to be unveiled… until Ametus stood in her way.
"Taking action ourselves is crossing a line, Vutix," Ametus tried to calm her down and make her see reason. "Think of the commotion we'd needlessly stir up by chasing after them."
"Fine!" Vutix reluctantly agreed, her chosen form returning. "Then we send as many of the Elder Sentinels as possible to deal with those three, yes the dog is included!"
"I have to agree," Zeus said as he turned to Seraphina. "You know what to do, Commander."
"Of course, Lord Zeus," Seraphina bowed before turning to the Angel couple who had accidentally released the dog. "Gather the others!"
Whilst the Elder Sentinels prepared to hunt down the new fugitives, Fujin, Alyssa, and their new furry companion continued flying through the clouds. Adjusting her grip on the dog, Alyssa caught a glint of light reflecting off a brown and green checkered collar. She frowned slightly, brushing back his flapping ears to get a better look. The small metal nameplate was engraved with 'ALFIE' in clear, bold letters. Below it, finer text revealed a phone number and an address of an Earthrealm home.
"He has a collar with an address!" Alyssa shouted over the howling winds. "He's named Alfie!"
Fujin glanced back for a brief moment, his glowing eyes narrowing with curiosity. "That means he belongs to someone. Earthrealm is calling him back too."
Alyssa couldn't help but smile as Alfie gave her a quick, slobbery lick on the cheek, his tail wagging wildly as though he understood. "You're not just a runaway, are you, Alfie?" she murmured softly, clutching him closer. "Say, Fujin, what's the plan exactly?"
"Get far, far away first," Fujin groaned as she turned back, seeing countless figures in the distance flapping their large wings. She knew they had to get as far away from the Senate of the Elder Gods as possible.
"Then how do we leave this place?"
"I have a couple ideas," Fujin revealed, although he was unsure about them both. "Ametus hardly spoke, but she seemed to actually be against all this. Zeraura explicitly wants me to take my brother's place."
"I still wouldn't trust them to help," Alyssa spoke nervously.
"Alternatively we can visit a former Elder God," Fujin considered. "I've never really met her, but Kronika has been known to help us at pivotal moments."
"I like that plan better," Alyssa agreed to it. "Don't worry, Alfie," she whispered into his fur, calming the hyper pooch. "We'll get you home."
"Hold on," Fujin warned her. "Things are going to get bumpy!"
With that, they surged forward once more, the small Earthrealm dog cradled in Alyssa's arms, his collar glinting in the bright light as they ventured further into the Heavens…