-Deicide. Part 1-

"Bravo. The pests really crawled all the way here… On s'en fout." Renault slowly stepped off the throne, slipping off his gloves and clapping barehanded one last time.

"Alas," he sneered, "It is simply too late. As we are already… COMPLETE."

His shoulders shuddered on the last word, body collapsing like a dropped puppet, as an aura of deep purple magick shrouded him like a second skin.

Renault stepped forward with an unnatural jerk.

"SUCH DIFFICULTY… TO FOCUS…"

The air reverberated as he spoke. One hand shakily reached toward his head, missing it at first.

"ODD… TO HAVE BUT ONE HEAD."

DANGER SENSE was once again ringing in my mind.

Ahead of me, Ikuye tensed up. Her hands trembled, scarlet sword locked in a ready position.

"Betrayer," she hissed, "I'll take great joy in splitting your head, even if that's only an ava—"

Ikuye's body stiffened with a wave of Renault's unsteady hand.

"LOUD… AND BRIGHT. WE CANNOT FOCUS."

The magi-tools that were lighting up the room were all snuffed out, plunging the chamber into a dimly lit crimson.

"Ah, that's better." Renault's voice had stabilized. It was tinged with a deep rumble, but no longer threatened to rupture my ears. "Now We can finally think straight."

Renault's face glowed brightly in the dark, with violet energy radiating out from his eyes.

His gaze flitted to me, "Ahhh, and there you are. Our cousin's little experiment gone wrong—or right, who's to judge a mistake when it comes to cosmic powers."

Magick sigils sprang to life around the two of us. A pane of light appeared before Renault, covered in runic language.

I felt a discomfort spread all over my body, eventually spilling into my mind.

GET OUT.

Atë's voice growled, and the sigils flickered. Renault's spell sputtered out.

"Gemini, I suppose? Like what you saw?" I sneered.

"Yes. We took a nice peek inside that subconscious of yours. You have some… troubles. Your mother—the divine one, not the mortal one—certainly did a number on you. Some inheritance. So many copies of yourself all bounding around, biting for the reins. We understand that sort of struggle."

COPIES? HE UNDERSTANDS NOTHING.

Yes, yes. I'm aware the ancient evil god might be telling lies to cause us grief.

I waved Atë's concerns away and glanced at Ikuye, still seemingly locked in place ahead of me. "What have you done to my companion?"

"I. Am. Fine. Sword. Sister!" Ikuye seethed, her arms twitching ever so.

"Indeed, the berserking gnat is unharmed. For now. It has been so long since We last had a real chat with another being."

Gemini poked at his—Renault's—forehead, "This minion and We have an odd connection. Fleeting. However, between the few uninteresting moments where We were watching his goings on, We did catch glimpses of you. Pre-divinity, of course. Oooh, he hated you and your bloodline. We suppose We told him to, but it became such a deep hatred, beyond Our initial influence. So much time of his was spent fixated on your family. We didn't care much either way if you died or continued to run—until you stumbled your way through the archival frame and gained a ruler privilege, that is."

Gemini's annoyance took over Renault's face.

I could sense the raid members behind me moving around, likely preparing something risky on Julius' orders.

In no way was I confident we could kill Gemini outright, but the mortal body it was possessing? Maybe.

"What makes you so interested in that? As a Celestial yourself, shouldn't you have a ruler title as well? Why even involve yourself in humanity's issues?"

What is there to even gain from all this?

My curiosity spilled over into my thoughts—while I was trying to bide time, I did want to know the reason for this nightmare.

Gemini remained still, but a low murmur formed in the air. Aetherial mists formed images of humans, in varying stages of mutation between normal and void-beast.

"All these noisy creatures in the lower planes have a certain value, as tokens to be exchanged in summoning forth those waiting beyond the veil. This puppet of Ours did… well, We wouldn't say good. But, it certainly herded these lowly beasts as We commanded."

"What's the point in it? We've bested your monsters already."

"Why did We bother with all the effort to call forth those from beyond, you mean? It's simple. There shouldn't have been a gnat at your side. You shouldn't have been able to channel Her powers. You should not have survived!"

Gemini's voice raced, coming close to a scream as it continued on, "Over and over this pest has avoided the boot, scurrying just out of sight time and time again! Beyond the plane, back to the plane, then beyond again. How tiresome it has been. Now that We finally see you for what you are, it all makes sense. The final throes of a dead God!"

Gemini glared, violet light around its eyes seething.

"Are you finished with your weird ramblings?" I taunted while channeling magicka down my arms to prepare for an opening volley.

"Oh. This is weird, was it? We are just rambling on, yes. Manifesting on the mortal plane is never without its risks and quirks. If playing the part of a babbling fool for a brief moment was all it took to rid the world of you, then We would have accepted it with dignity."

A blinding streak of magick dazzled my vision.

Pain splintered its way up my right arm, and I looked down to see my armor had been vaporized. The skin was split and melted, with bone exposed.

FUCK!

"Fuck!"

What in the Aether was that!? Magick? No. There was no spell activation. No coalescing of aethermist at all.

Blazing magick encased me in a shell a moment too late. I dispersed the magicka I was gathering throughout my body, fueling PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT.

With a rallying cry, my sides were flanked by a mash of figures under iridescent barriers.

Shields and blades obscured my vision.

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Julius stepped in front of me, and the silvery bubble of his SILVER BULWARK surrounded Akari's fiery barrier.

Hikita bared both her blades on my left, while Flik's sword sparked with lightning on the right.

I felt a soft tug on my sleeve, finding Akari and Aeko tending to my arm—already in the process of stitching itself back together under the effects of BLESSED RECOVERY.

"FUTILE."

Gemini's voice sent a shock wave through the air, and Renault's body spasmed. His head reeled back, and his torso continued to contort.

SNAP. CRACK.

His limbs split down the center, creating a second pair of arms and legs as they were infused with void magick.

POP.

A sickening burst of fluids splattered the floor as his head was torn in half—each half folding over itself with a grotesque squelch. The two flat-planed triangular "faces" turned toward me, missing any defining features other than having a massive mouth set with row on row of sharp teeth.

"FINALLY YOU WILL DIE."

Gemini rushed forward, its four triple-jointed legs giving it a terrifying speed.

"Shields up!" Julius shouted.

The Celestial's gangly arms slammed down on us, splintering lightning-like void magick in wild directions.

My divine barrier held, and our forces began counterattacking. A barrage of various spells lit up the chamber. Tatsuko's PYROSTORM quickly formed into a raging vortex of flame, swirling around Gemini, searing its grayish flesh.

On a whim, I cast an inspection spell using OMNISIGHT.

- - - - - -TARGET- - - - - -

[AVATAR OF GEMINI] <Echo of a Fallen God>

HEALTH: (666598 / 666666) STAMINA: (666664 / 666666) ANIMA: (640026 / 666666)

» [STATUS DETAILS ARE HIDDEN]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

WE'RE SO DEAD.

Atë's voice had lost any trace of emotion, and I didn't blame her. My steps faltered as I took in the insurmountable statistic values displayed.

Something shifted in my pocket, and a blast of silvery-white light blinded me.

I reeled back, slowly opening my eyes to find a familiar crystal going crazy before me. The Shard of Ascendance, my lifeline to Virgo, spun like mad. Thick mists were pulled toward it, and with a sudden burst of light a portal formed.

Two beads of amethyst pierced my gaze. Virgo's expression was one of scorn and disappointment.

"Are you a fool? Has the guidance given by my sister and me fallen on deaf ears? You may have obtained a sliver of divinity, but rushing to do battle with a Celestial's avatar is suicide."

Virgo turned away, her wings flapped and the gust they formed nearly sent me tumbling back.

A firm hand held me in place.

Vita stood behind me, her golden armor radiant in the darkened palace chamber.

"This'll be over quick. It's been a while since I've seen her this angry."

Vita's gaze was not on me, nor was it on Virgo. She stared at the blue-haired Ikuye, who was still struggling to move under the effects of Gemini's spell.

A grotesque scene unfolded beyond Ikuye.

Talons cut through flesh and rended bone asunder.

Virgo sent out a volley of spells in a single moment and then flicked her wings forward, sending a barrage of shadowy feathers at Gemini.

The circle of feathers formed a barrier-like shape, and the shadowy mist within ate away at the Avatar like acid.

"damn you, harpy bitch…"

Gemini's monstrous form disappeared.

Covered in gore and viscera, Virgo floated toward us.

Her expression remained stern, her violet eyes glaring down at me.

Virgo's form shimmered. Her body now looked hazy, transparent, as I'd seen Capricorn's before in Tolin.

"Are you…?" I started.

"Celestial Gods don't involve themselves with the plane of mortals for a reason. We'll have words once I wake."

Virgo fell forward into Vita's arms, who ducked into the portal without a word.

The Shard of Ascendance stopped midair as the portal closed and clattered to the ground.

"Ah, dammit! What's with that!?" Ikuye's boisterous shout brought me back to the battlefield, "I was gonna pound the betrayer's face in once I figured out that entrapping spell!"

None of our soldiers dared to move, having just witnessed the absurdity that was a God's power.

Julius was quick to recover and rallied his troops.

I approached the dissolved marble where Gemini's avatar met its end. A human figure stirred from the hole.

Metallic footsteps echoed behind as Ikuye joined me. Her scarlet-bladed sword vanished from her hand, "All that's left is this shitty guy? Ugh! I'm over it. Do your thing and let's go home."

Renault's battered body stood, his legs half submerged in a nasty void-sludge left behind in the aftermath of the Celestial struggle.

"You—!"

Dáinsleif's ebony blade pierced Renault's heart, flaring with iridescent flames and consuming the corpse until all that remained was nothing more than a blackened husk.

"Die with your regrets, you filth. Let that festering hatred drag your soul to the depths of Aver'teria."

Silver motes of light sprang to life all around me, causing alarmed cries to echo from the back-line with a clear shout of 'Airis!' from Julius.

Only Ikuye remained calm, her reaction to the event was only a concerning grin plastered on her face.

The runic tattoo on my wrist was shining brightly. A solid emittance rather than the usual panicky pulse.

SOMETHING CHANGED. WE FEEL WEIRD.

What…?

I motioned over the rune, and an ornately decorated display sprang to life in the mists.

» YOU HAVE UNLEASHED A DIVINE SEAL ON YOUR SOUL AND GAINED IN POWER

» YOUR ITERIA LEVEL HAS INCREASED TO 12

» YOU ARE AFFECTED BY A SPELL [AURA OF ST■■F■]

» YOU ARE AFFECTED BY A SPELL [AURA OF D■■C■■■]

» ATTENTION: A {SEAL OF CONQUEST} HAS BEEN BROKEN

» DIVINITY SOURCE IN THE LOCAL RULER ARCHIVAL FRAME IS SUFFERING EXTREME PRESSURE FROM RULER IDENTITY FOURTEEN: GODDESS OF VANIXIA

» REQUESTING IMMEDIATE RULER SYSTEM INTERVENTION

» FORWARDING REQUEST FROM LOCAL RULER ARCHIVAL FRAME TO ALL ARCHDEITY ORIGINATORS

» INITIALIZING REQUEST:

» FORWARDING—STANDBY

» FORWARDING—STANDBY

» FORWARDING—STANDBY

» REQUEST ACCEPTED: RULER SYSTEM ORIGINATOR EN-ROUTE

» NOTICE: REMAIN AT YOUR POSITION UNTIL ORIGINATOR ARRIVES

The air stirred uncomfortably and orange rifts formed around us.

Space tore as the rifts became portals.

Hundreds of angelic warriors spilled from the openings, clad in gleaming armor. They formed a circular formation around me. Wielding golden spearheads wrapped in chaotic magick, the army of Alaetüs brandished their weapons at my forces.

"Wait! Stop!" I shouted.

The many portals closed, with only a single one remaining next to me.

Capricorn slithered out of it, glanced around the chamber, huffed, and then snapped her fingers.

My vision warped, and the background changed. The crimson sky and dark storm vanished, replaced with a white nothingness as far as I could see.

The Alaetüs remained on guard, appearing motionless.

"What happened to—"

"Returned to the lower plane," Capricorn cut me off, "Where they belong. Now, it's time to explain what you've been doing. Let's start with why the ruler system just about imploded on itself."

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