"[Explain yourself!]" I tap my foot in impatience and lightly poke Makanui's chest with my spike arm. He inches back with a nervous smile as he holds up his hands and shrugs.
"[Well... you could say I'm a figurehead.]" The man begins, clearly not happy with describing himself the way he just did. "[I don't hold real power, and only need to show my handsome face to the people.]"
Striking a pose, Makanui winks at me. I'm sure he would be considered handsome in this nation, but I'm obviously not swayed by that kind of behavior. I've spent a while with a flirty man who has a charming aura towards women, and my love for girls was reinforced by that experience instead.
"[So, who's the one deciding everything?]" My voice changes to a low and menacing tone, suggesting that he better hurry up before I lose my patience.
"[Oh, my advisor Hunapori runs the state.]" Even when I'm threatening him like this, he doesn't seem fazed to the point of true fear. I can't have that from a mere human like him.
Yes, to my Chaos senses, Makanui is just a plain human. I can tell the difference between them and the gods through their life signatures on my radar. He may still be a powerful mage who learned things from Rapania or something, so I won't let my guard down. I'll never let my guard down around humans again, after all the things I've gone through because of that.
"[What does this Hunapori look like and where is he right now?]" I think after he answers, I'll just kill him. There's no point in keeping him alive if he's been sitting by and watching free people getting enslaved for the system that is feeding him, just so that he can secure his position in this world - even if he's just a figurehead.
"[He has long and straight black hair, white skin, and eyes that seem to have had their light sucked out from them. I really don't like that guy, but what can I say, he's the boss.]" Makanui explains in a half-joking manner. Then he looks at the open balcony door and back to me. "[Considering you came in through the window, you must have passed him on your way up.]"
I think I saw a person matching that description on the lowermost balcony, among the gathered military brass. All of them had some unique characteristics, as people near the top always seem to do, so I couldn't single him out as someone special. In other words, I passed by the most important person because I thought dealing with all those was a waste of time. Instead, I got held up by this useless puppet of a human.
My spike pierces through Makanui's chest and embeds itself into the wall behind him. For a moment, the nervous but somewhat carefree smile on his lips freezes in place, before he looks down on himself. His expression crumbles and surprise appears on his features. I pull my arm back, and his lifeless body falls to the floor.
"Come with me now. You'll have more than enough time for those later." I turn around to my children, who have been continuously eyeing the women on the bed. They're still asleep and completely missed everything that happened just now.
"Aww..." The twins make in unison, but listen to me and follow me out onto the balcony. It's good that they're so obedient, or it'd cause me a lot of trouble; I'm not ready to leave them to their own devices in this world just yet, and my protective instincts are still very strong.
I still can't believe my mother just sent me off like that so soon after my birth...
Makanui's life signs disappear completely, and I jump down from the pyramid. So, this is how a king dies, huh? Like any other human. What a disappointing end.
On the balcony outside, I notice that the clouds above have calmed down and are in the process of dispersing. The battle in the sky is over, then. I have not a shred of a doubt that Tahiri won, and judging by the fact that the weather is clearing, I should be right. If the three children had won, they would have kept the storm up and come after me.
Raging through the residential districts to the left of the pyramid is the duel between Korenga and Pakangaroa. I have no idea how long they'll keep going, but it feels like neither will ever yield, and they're both nigh indestructible. Everything could be long over before a victor is decided between those two.
The Tokomaha corps has pushed through the little resistance that remained in the courtyard and seems to have broken through the front gate of the palace. Some clones are staying down there and cleaning up the few that are still trying to offer resistance, while the majority has already flooded into the pyramid. They'll come up here in due time.
Spreading my wings, I float down the side of the pyramid on Hestia's template instead of using the much louder Chaos Warhead lite version. I doubt the strategy meeting downstairs returned to normalcy after we passed by, but in case it did, I don't want to scare them away now. Uten and Saten are following my example, and three angels of death swoop down onto the first balcony.
I land on the ledge and look at the empty space before me. The table and everything on it has been left there in a hurry, and even the remains of the archer who shot at me are still there.
"Of course, it's not going to be that convenient, huh?" I sigh and pull the wings back into my body. "Stay close to me. There are still four of the Six Arms somewhere in this pyramid. If you see Rapania, you're authorized to instantly use the plasma breath on her. Don't let her use any magic."
While instructing my children, I clad myself in dragon armor and create a plasma cannon from my left forearm and a spike from my right. These should make me ready for long and short range engagements, depending on the situation.
"Anyone who doesn't instantly run away is a potential enemy god." I finish up the briefing. "When I warn you, listen immediately."
"Understood, mama." Uten and Saten cover their bodies in a magic-resistant carapace. They still can't figure out how to recreate the dragon's plasma-breathing throat in a smaller and more compact way to fit it into an arm cannon as I do, so for now, they have their entire torso region in the shape of a large dragon head.
With these preparations, we go into the depths of the pyramid, to find this advisor named Hunapori.
Others Side
"[... I'm sorry...]" Tahiri mutters with a sad and distant look, standing on the ground once again and overlooking the battered forms of her three children lying around her.
The battle on the plains outside the gate has concluded, and Chaos has already infiltrated the palace with her two children. Tokomaha and Mereana have followed her inside as well.
A large dome of dirt is covering Awhina and the golden god, and there is no way for the God of Storm to know what is going on inside it. The victor will be the one to emerge eventually; for now, she can only hope that it will be Rangi's daughter.
The Black God and the God of War are still fighting, paying no regard to the destruction they are causing to their surroundings. While the former used to be a village god, Mataku has stripped her of such feelings over time. And Pakangaroa has never cared for human lives in his pursuit of the greatest battlefields worthy of song and lore.
"[... I didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice.]" With a sigh, the God of Storm sits down on thin air and looks at Tewira, Aratio, and Aopori.
They are still alive, albeit only barely. Just like how a creator god can give power to aspects and take it away again, a parent god can do the same with their children. But Tahiri never wanted to treat them like mere aspects, which are only lower beings spawned from the elements rather than carried and birthed by a mother.
However, their powers made it impossible for her to stop them in another way. Without them, they are now just normal humans. She will have a stern talking to with them when they wake up before she decides whether to return those powers or not.
"[It seems my battle is over, Chaos.]" Looking at the clearing sky, Tahiri slouches her shoulders in a rare display of resignation, as she closes her eyes.
Then they flap open again as she remembers something important; Rapania is most likely in that pyramid, and if whatever magic she tried to use to destroy the God of Storm was utilized against any of the others, they would most likely die.
Taking off in a lightning bolt, Tahiri immediately springs into action once again.
Mereana and the Tokomaha army have fought their way into the palace and overwhelmed the royal guard along the way. Only human opposition has stood against them so far, but gods are bound to appear soon enough. Even though Tokomaha's ability allows her to fight entire armies, her strength isn't much greater than that of the most powerful human warriors. If they encountered someone with abilities like the God of Gold or overwhelming strength like Pakangaroa, they would stand no chance.
"[Rapania is here.]" The Tokomaha clones mutter in unison as they sniff audibly with their noses. "[Be wary.]"
It was what Mereana had feared. She clutches the hilt of her sword tightly and looks around nervously, knowing that in this battle of gods and monsters, a mere human armed with only a sword has no chance of survival. However, she still wishes to be there to witness Chaos change the fate of this nation, even if that resolution might cost her life.
"[Perceptive little one.]" The alluring voice of the sea witch echoes through the palace halls. It's enough to drive humans mad with desire, and Mereana finds herself staggering towards where she believes it to originate from. "[Come to me, I will give you peace.]"
Rapania's voice grows even more intense and all the humans in the palace, regardless of gender, begin to walk in the same direction.
"[... no.]" Resisting the irresistible, Mereana slashes her left palm on the blade of her sword, to focus on the pain and regain control over herself. She had fallen under the influence of this sea witch before, so she knows the way it works, and understands that it isn't absolute.
"[Impressive. Then keep your mind and come to me.]" Despite the fact that Mereana was able to shake off her influence, Rapania sounds amused rather than worried. "[Just follow the puppets, and you will find me.]"
Soldiers and slaves alike are walking through the corridors, all mindlessly drawn towards the origin of the sea witch's voice like moths to a flame. Exchanging a glance with some of the Tokomaha clones, the former slave commander gathers her courage and follows the puppets.
Exhaustion was a foreign concept to Pakangaroa, the God of War. He has fought on countless battlefields throughout the ages, never learning what it meant to grow weary from exertion.
But his former wife, Korenga the Black God, is teaching him the meaning of that word today. The last time they faced each other, he sustained an injury to his left arm, but she regained her senses and ceased the battle just in time before he could discover that the feeling in his body was the onset of fatigue. This time, she isn't fighting him filled with uncontrollable rage; she's fighting with purpose.
This time, she would not cease until a victor is decided.
The Black God's fist impacts the side of his face, and the force sends him flying backward through several houses before he crashes through half a dozen wooden stalls of the abandoned marketplace and skids to a stop on the paved street. Righting himself immediately, just in time to avoid her follow-up charge, the God of War counters with an uppercut into Korenga's side that takes her off her feet ever so slightly. She shrugs it off instantly and continues her assault.
He understands that he's going to lose. It's the first time in his long life of constant battles that this feeling was overcoming him. And for some reason, he doesn't dread the thought of tasting defeat at the hands of his former wife.
It had taken Pakangaroa a long time to come to terms with the loss of many of his children, including his newborn son, and longer still to find understanding for the actions of the one who killed them. Korenga was not to blame for the rage that caused the tragedy that day - it was Mataku's curse.
The only reason he aligned himself with the God King was that he possessed far-reaching influence and a gigantic base of manpower. With only eyes for battle, Pakangaroa could never hope to find someone hiding in the shadows, so he needed to rely on outside help, even if he didn't like to admit it.
He has always been bad at communicating his feelings to others. Even now, upon finally meeting Korenga again after such a long time, he couldn't convey what he wanted to say, and they clashed head-on instead. But he believed that through their fists, they would be able to come to an understanding eventually.
No, he knew that his opponent already understood. Tears are glistening on her face, as she twists her body and slams her fist into the God of War's stomach from above. The ground under his feet trembles under the impact and gives way, causing their entire surroundings to cave in by half a meter. While the blow is blocked by his wall of steel-like muscles, he can feel it reverberating through his whole body.
He returns the gesture with a haymaker to Korenga's left flank. A shockwave travels through her black body and exits on the other side of where his fist connected. The building to her right is blown away by the excessive force of his blow, but she's standing her ground without a hint of fatigue.
Yes, he would lose. No, he doesn't feel like he would regret it.
"[Oh no, I cannot have you lose here.]" A familiar voice mutters into Pakangaroa's ear, and he spins his head around in shock. In this moment of inattention, Korenga's punch connects to his solar plexus and takes him off his feet. Since he didn't brace himself, all of the force is transferred into his body, and he flies backward at an incredible speed, soon crashing into the royal palace in the distance.
"[We're... friends.]" Awhina is sitting on her wave of dirt, and nervously glances down at the golden necklace floating around her neck, before redirecting her eyes back to the girl made of the same, looming overhead.
"[Why does it sound like you are more than just friends?]" Speaking in a disapproving tone, Aurelia raises an eyebrow.
"[It's compli-... what do you care?]" Impatiently, the half-goddess snaps up at her opponent with little regard for the noose around her neck. "[What's your relationship with Chaos, huh?]"
"[M-mine?]" Taken aback by the sudden counter-question, the golden girl stutters in embarrassment - to the surprise of Awhina. "[We are... friends.]"
"[Right back at you!]" Jumping up from her sitting position, she points at Aurelia's nose. "[Why are you, a friend standing against her here then?]"
"[Do not get ahead of yourself, mutt. You are on my leash.]" Regaining her composure, the golden girl tugs on the golden necklace demonstratively without even moving a finger. "[I was told that Chaos would come here eventually, so I waited.]"
"[Who told you that?]"
"[A man calling himself Mithra.]"
Chaos Side
The guards inside the palace either have all run away or gathered wherever this Hunapori and the other military brass are hiding. I don't really care either way since that means they're not trying to stop us along the way and I can round them all up in one go.
My Chaos senses are guiding me towards the largest collection of human life signatures inside the palace. Among them are two stronger energy readings, which most likely belong to gods. I'm almost certain that those must be members of the Six Arms, then.
I can feel that Mereana and the army of Tokomaha clones are somewhere below us, making their way through the pyramid as well. Maybe we'll meet up at the same place eventually, but I'm not worried that they won't find the way; I'd rather deal with this alone, without endangering either of them.
We come upon a double-winged bronze door richly ornamented with a relief depicting a giant version of the God King towering above people from all walks of life bowing before him. After knowing how disappointing the real deal is, this thing is just annoying to look at. Since the many humans I've been homing in on are behind this door, I'll kill two birds with one stone.
With a plasma blast that rips and melts through the bronze door, I open the path before us and announce our arrival with a bang. If that doesn't turn some heads, I'll be disappointed.
On the other side is a large throne room befitting of a palace as big as this one; it rivals the demon castle's in size, and the ceiling is even higher up. There are a few dozen people here, the majority of them royal guards. The empty throne stands on an elevated platform, flanked by two men in full armor uncharacteristic for this nation's military tradition, one with a red and the other with a blue cape. They remind me of the guardian statues in front of Buddhist temples, with their masked helmets displaying wrathful grimaces.
Those two are the ones I feel the godlike power emanating from, so I assume the two bodyguards are the Six Arms members Aorutihaua talked about, which leaves only Rapania and another one unaccounted for.
Next to the empty throne sits a man that matches the description of Hunapori. He's the only person who doesn't look at least a little nervous among those whose faces I can see.
So, this is the advisor of the God King, the actual string-puller behind everything. If we take him out now, everything should be over. Of course, I have no idea what happens afterward, but at least that should stop this kingdom's current agenda of enslaving all gods.
"[Such temperament.]" Hunapori speaks up, and his voice echoes through the halls.
"[Let's go.]" I mutter to my children, and we walk forward together. The guards charge at us with their spears and swords but are swatted aside or swallowed whole effortlessly, while we advance without slowing down even a little.
"[What have you come to accomplish?]" Even now, the advisor doesn't break his smile. He must be really confident about those guards of his. "[Do you want this nation? Do you want fame, fortune?]"
Those are the stereotypical words of a cornered villain who can't see another way out other than to offer what he most desires himself in exchange for his life. But he doesn't sound desperate at all; he's chatting in a friendly manner, still wearing that dark and empty smile of his.
"[I'll wipe that expression off your face.]" I cut the soldier coming at me in half and rush forward. At the same time, the two bodyguards, who have remained completely motionless so far, spring into action like statues gaining life. "[Uten, Saten.]"
"[Yes, mama!]" Without question, my children finish up their respective human soldiers and charge up their plasma cannons.
Without paying attention to the twin guards, I continue onward with my cannon raised and pointed at Hunapori. I promised Aorutihaua to find out where their Golden Shawl went, and I'm sure this guy is hiding it somewhere, so I can't kill him straight away. But if he does make a wrong move, I won't hesitate to melt his entire body away, along with half the throne room. Better explain everything and help the Child of the Sun myself, than to risk losing this battle.
On both sides, plasma breaths catch the red and blue caped guards, and they disappear completely. Their life signs have disappeared as well, but I don't doubt for one second that they're still alive.
"Be careful, that can't be the end of them." I call out to my children while beginning to ascend the steps towards the advisor's seat. He still doesn't look intimidated and keeps on his smile, so it's obvious that he has an ace up his sleeve.
Then, the wall to my right explodes into dust and rocks, and something flies through the throne room into the wall on the other side. Not taking my eyes off of Hunapori, I create another set of eyes on the side of my head to look at what just came in like a wrecking ball.
When the dust settles, a large figure with crimson skin lifts himself up onto unsteady feet among the rubble. It's Pakangaroa, who must have been sent flying by Korenga. He looks quite shaken, and I don't think he's in any state to put up a fight against the current me.
This guy can't be the backup Hunapori was hoping for, right? I can't help but think this because the expression on his face hasn't changed even after witnessing one of his star players in this sorry state.
"[We are missing just a few more.]" He suddenly states with a smile that causes a shiver to run down my spine.
Huh? Am I... scared?
This guy is bad news, so I won't give him the chance to do anything. Without warning, I stab him in the eye and through the head with my spike arm. If he's still alive after this, I'll be using the plasma cannon to disintegrate his entire body on the spot.
"[My, how impatient.]" His good eye turns to me, and he speaks without a care in the world, despite having had his brains pierced just now. "[Why not see what I have prepared for you... sister?]"
These words stop me from making good of my promise to myself to obliterate him immediately in case he survived the spike to the head. It catches me completely off guard, and my mind becomes jumbled in an instant.
Sister?
"[Explain yourself!]" I tap my foot in impatience and lightly poke Makanui's chest with my spike arm. He inches back with a nervous smile as he holds up his hands and shrugs.
"[Well... you could say I'm a figurehead.]" The man begins, clearly not happy with describing himself the way he just did. "[I don't hold real power, and only need to show my handsome face to the people.]"
Striking a pose, Makanui winks at me. I'm sure he would be considered handsome in this nation, but I'm obviously not swayed by that kind of behavior. I've spent a while with a flirty man who has a charming aura towards women, and my love for girls was reinforced by that experience instead.
"[So, who's the one deciding everything?]" My voice changes to a low and menacing tone, suggesting that he better hurry up before I lose my patience.
"[Oh, my advisor Hunapori runs the state.]" Even when I'm threatening him like this, he doesn't seem fazed to the point of true fear. I can't have that from a mere human like him.
Yes, to my Chaos senses, Makanui is just a plain human. I can tell the difference between them and the gods through their life signatures on my radar. He may still be a powerful mage who learned things from Rapania or something, so I won't let my guard down. I'll never let my guard down around humans again, after all the things I've gone through because of that.
"[What does this Hunapori look like and where is he right now?]" I think after he answers, I'll just kill him. There's no point in keeping him alive if he's been sitting by and watching free people getting enslaved for the system that is feeding him, just so that he can secure his position in this world - even if he's just a figurehead.
"[He has long and straight black hair, white skin, and eyes that seem to have had their light sucked out from them. I really don't like that guy, but what can I say, he's the boss.]" Makanui explains in a half-joking manner. Then he looks at the open balcony door and back to me. "[Considering you came in through the window, you must have passed him on your way up.]"
I think I saw a person matching that description on the lowermost balcony, among the gathered military brass. All of them had some unique characteristics, as people near the top always seem to do, so I couldn't single him out as someone special. In other words, I passed by the most important person because I thought dealing with all those was a waste of time. Instead, I got held up by this useless puppet of a human.
My spike pierces through Makanui's chest and embeds itself into the wall behind him. For a moment, the nervous but somewhat carefree smile on his lips freezes in place, before he looks down on himself. His expression crumbles and surprise appears on his features. I pull my arm back, and his lifeless body falls to the floor.
"Come with me now. You'll have more than enough time for those later." I turn around to my children, who have been continuously eyeing the women on the bed. They're still asleep and completely missed everything that happened just now.
"Aww..." The twins make in unison, but listen to me and follow me out onto the balcony. It's good that they're so obedient, or it'd cause me a lot of trouble; I'm not ready to leave them to their own devices in this world just yet, and my protective instincts are still very strong.
I still can't believe my mother just sent me off like that so soon after my birth...
Makanui's life signs disappear completely, and I jump down from the pyramid. So, this is how a king dies, huh? Like any other human. What a disappointing end.
On the balcony outside, I notice that the clouds above have calmed down and are in the process of dispersing. The battle in the sky is over, then. I have not a shred of a doubt that Tahiri won, and judging by the fact that the weather is clearing, I should be right. If the three children had won, they would have kept the storm up and come after me.
Raging through the residential districts to the left of the pyramid is the duel between Korenga and Pakangaroa. I have no idea how long they'll keep going, but it feels like neither will ever yield, and they're both nigh indestructible. Everything could be long over before a victor is decided between those two.
The Tokomaha corps has pushed through the little resistance that remained in the courtyard and seems to have broken through the front gate of the palace. Some clones are staying down there and cleaning up the few that are still trying to offer resistance, while the majority has already flooded into the pyramid. They'll come up here in due time.
Spreading my wings, I float down the side of the pyramid on Hestia's template instead of using the much louder Chaos Warhead lite version. I doubt the strategy meeting downstairs returned to normalcy after we passed by, but in case it did, I don't want to scare them away now. Uten and Saten are following my example, and three angels of death swoop down onto the first balcony.
I land on the ledge and look at the empty space before me. The table and everything on it has been left there in a hurry, and even the remains of the archer who shot at me are still there.
"Of course, it's not going to be that convenient, huh?" I sigh and pull the wings back into my body. "Stay close to me. There are still four of the Six Arms somewhere in this pyramid. If you see Rapania, you're authorized to instantly use the plasma breath on her. Don't let her use any magic."
While instructing my children, I clad myself in dragon armor and create a plasma cannon from my left forearm and a spike from my right. These should make me ready for long and short range engagements, depending on the situation.
"Anyone who doesn't instantly run away is a potential enemy god." I finish up the briefing. "When I warn you, listen immediately."
"Understood, mama." Uten and Saten cover their bodies in a magic-resistant carapace. They still can't figure out how to recreate the dragon's plasma-breathing throat in a smaller and more compact way to fit it into an arm cannon as I do, so for now, they have their entire torso region in the shape of a large dragon head.
With these preparations, we go into the depths of the pyramid, to find this advisor named Hunapori.
Others Side
"[... I'm sorry...]" Tahiri mutters with a sad and distant look, standing on the ground once again and overlooking the battered forms of her three children lying around her.
The battle on the plains outside the gate has concluded, and Chaos has already infiltrated the palace with her two children. Tokomaha and Mereana have followed her inside as well.
A large dome of dirt is covering Awhina and the golden god, and there is no way for the God of Storm to know what is going on inside it. The victor will be the one to emerge eventually; for now, she can only hope that it will be Rangi's daughter.
The Black God and the God of War are still fighting, paying no regard to the destruction they are causing to their surroundings. While the former used to be a village god, Mataku has stripped her of such feelings over time. And Pakangaroa has never cared for human lives in his pursuit of the greatest battlefields worthy of song and lore.
"[... I didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice.]" With a sigh, the God of Storm sits down on thin air and looks at Tewira, Aratio, and Aopori.
They are still alive, albeit only barely. Just like how a creator god can give power to aspects and take it away again, a parent god can do the same with their children. But Tahiri never wanted to treat them like mere aspects, which are only lower beings spawned from the elements rather than carried and birthed by a mother.
However, their powers made it impossible for her to stop them in another way. Without them, they are now just normal humans. She will have a stern talking to with them when they wake up before she decides whether to return those powers or not.
"[It seems my battle is over, Chaos.]" Looking at the clearing sky, Tahiri slouches her shoulders in a rare display of resignation, as she closes her eyes.
Then they flap open again as she remembers something important; Rapania is most likely in that pyramid, and if whatever magic she tried to use to destroy the God of Storm was utilized against any of the others, they would most likely die.
Taking off in a lightning bolt, Tahiri immediately springs into action once again.
Mereana and the Tokomaha army have fought their way into the palace and overwhelmed the royal guard along the way. Only human opposition has stood against them so far, but gods are bound to appear soon enough. Even though Tokomaha's ability allows her to fight entire armies, her strength isn't much greater than that of the most powerful human warriors. If they encountered someone with abilities like the God of Gold or overwhelming strength like Pakangaroa, they would stand no chance.
"[Rapania is here.]" The Tokomaha clones mutter in unison as they sniff audibly with their noses. "[Be wary.]"
It was what Mereana had feared. She clutches the hilt of her sword tightly and looks around nervously, knowing that in this battle of gods and monsters, a mere human armed with only a sword has no chance of survival. However, she still wishes to be there to witness Chaos change the fate of this nation, even if that resolution might cost her life.
"[Perceptive little one.]" The alluring voice of the sea witch echoes through the palace halls. It's enough to drive humans mad with desire, and Mereana finds herself staggering towards where she believes it to originate from. "[Come to me, I will give you peace.]"
Rapania's voice grows even more intense and all the humans in the palace, regardless of gender, begin to walk in the same direction.
"[... no.]" Resisting the irresistible, Mereana slashes her left palm on the blade of her sword, to focus on the pain and regain control over herself. She had fallen under the influence of this sea witch before, so she knows the way it works, and understands that it isn't absolute.
"[Impressive. Then keep your mind and come to me.]" Despite the fact that Mereana was able to shake off her influence, Rapania sounds amused rather than worried. "[Just follow the puppets, and you will find me.]"
Soldiers and slaves alike are walking through the corridors, all mindlessly drawn towards the origin of the sea witch's voice like moths to a flame. Exchanging a glance with some of the Tokomaha clones, the former slave commander gathers her courage and follows the puppets.
Exhaustion was a foreign concept to Pakangaroa, the God of War. He has fought on countless battlefields throughout the ages, never learning what it meant to grow weary from exertion.
But his former wife, Korenga the Black God, is teaching him the meaning of that word today. The last time they faced each other, he sustained an injury to his left arm, but she regained her senses and ceased the battle just in time before he could discover that the feeling in his body was the onset of fatigue. This time, she isn't fighting him filled with uncontrollable rage; she's fighting with purpose.
This time, she would not cease until a victor is decided.
The Black God's fist impacts the side of his face, and the force sends him flying backward through several houses before he crashes through half a dozen wooden stalls of the abandoned marketplace and skids to a stop on the paved street. Righting himself immediately, just in time to avoid her follow-up charge, the God of War counters with an uppercut into Korenga's side that takes her off her feet ever so slightly. She shrugs it off instantly and continues her assault.
He understands that he's going to lose. It's the first time in his long life of constant battles that this feeling was overcoming him. And for some reason, he doesn't dread the thought of tasting defeat at the hands of his former wife.
It had taken Pakangaroa a long time to come to terms with the loss of many of his children, including his newborn son, and longer still to find understanding for the actions of the one who killed them. Korenga was not to blame for the rage that caused the tragedy that day - it was Mataku's curse.
The only reason he aligned himself with the God King was that he possessed far-reaching influence and a gigantic base of manpower. With only eyes for battle, Pakangaroa could never hope to find someone hiding in the shadows, so he needed to rely on outside help, even if he didn't like to admit it.
He has always been bad at communicating his feelings to others. Even now, upon finally meeting Korenga again after such a long time, he couldn't convey what he wanted to say, and they clashed head-on instead. But he believed that through their fists, they would be able to come to an understanding eventually.
No, he knew that his opponent already understood. Tears are glistening on her face, as she twists her body and slams her fist into the God of War's stomach from above. The ground under his feet trembles under the impact and gives way, causing their entire surroundings to cave in by half a meter. While the blow is blocked by his wall of steel-like muscles, he can feel it reverberating through his whole body.
He returns the gesture with a haymaker to Korenga's left flank. A shockwave travels through her black body and exits on the other side of where his fist connected. The building to her right is blown away by the excessive force of his blow, but she's standing her ground without a hint of fatigue.
Yes, he would lose. No, he doesn't feel like he would regret it.
"[Oh no, I cannot have you lose here.]" A familiar voice mutters into Pakangaroa's ear, and he spins his head around in shock. In this moment of inattention, Korenga's punch connects to his solar plexus and takes him off his feet. Since he didn't brace himself, all of the force is transferred into his body, and he flies backward at an incredible speed, soon crashing into the royal palace in the distance.
"[We're... friends.]" Awhina is sitting on her wave of dirt, and nervously glances down at the golden necklace floating around her neck, before redirecting her eyes back to the girl made of the same, looming overhead.
"[Why does it sound like you are more than just friends?]" Speaking in a disapproving tone, Aurelia raises an eyebrow.
"[It's compli-... what do you care?]" Impatiently, the half-goddess snaps up at her opponent with little regard for the noose around her neck. "[What's your relationship with Chaos, huh?]"
"[M-mine?]" Taken aback by the sudden counter-question, the golden girl stutters in embarrassment - to the surprise of Awhina. "[We are... friends.]"
"[Right back at you!]" Jumping up from her sitting position, she points at Aurelia's nose. "[Why are you, a friend standing against her here then?]"
"[Do not get ahead of yourself, mutt. You are on my leash.]" Regaining her composure, the golden girl tugs on the golden necklace demonstratively without even moving a finger. "[I was told that Chaos would come here eventually, so I waited.]"
"[Who told you that?]"
"[A man calling himself Mithra.]"
Chaos Side
The guards inside the palace either have all run away or gathered wherever this Hunapori and the other military brass are hiding. I don't really care either way since that means they're not trying to stop us along the way and I can round them all up in one go.
My Chaos senses are guiding me towards the largest collection of human life signatures inside the palace. Among them are two stronger energy readings, which most likely belong to gods. I'm almost certain that those must be members of the Six Arms, then.
I can feel that Mereana and the army of Tokomaha clones are somewhere below us, making their way through the pyramid as well. Maybe we'll meet up at the same place eventually, but I'm not worried that they won't find the way; I'd rather deal with this alone, without endangering either of them.
We come upon a double-winged bronze door richly ornamented with a relief depicting a giant version of the God King towering above people from all walks of life bowing before him. After knowing how disappointing the real deal is, this thing is just annoying to look at. Since the many humans I've been homing in on are behind this door, I'll kill two birds with one stone.
With a plasma blast that rips and melts through the bronze door, I open the path before us and announce our arrival with a bang. If that doesn't turn some heads, I'll be disappointed.
On the other side is a large throne room befitting of a palace as big as this one; it rivals the demon castle's in size, and the ceiling is even higher up. There are a few dozen people here, the majority of them royal guards. The empty throne stands on an elevated platform, flanked by two men in full armor uncharacteristic for this nation's military tradition, one with a red and the other with a blue cape. They remind me of the guardian statues in front of Buddhist temples, with their masked helmets displaying wrathful grimaces.
Those two are the ones I feel the godlike power emanating from, so I assume the two bodyguards are the Six Arms members Aorutihaua talked about, which leaves only Rapania and another one unaccounted for.
Next to the empty throne sits a man that matches the description of Hunapori. He's the only person who doesn't look at least a little nervous among those whose faces I can see.
So, this is the advisor of the God King, the actual string-puller behind everything. If we take him out now, everything should be over. Of course, I have no idea what happens afterward, but at least that should stop this kingdom's current agenda of enslaving all gods.
"[Such temperament.]" Hunapori speaks up, and his voice echoes through the halls.
"[Let's go.]" I mutter to my children, and we walk forward together. The guards charge at us with their spears and swords but are swatted aside or swallowed whole effortlessly, while we advance without slowing down even a little.
"[What have you come to accomplish?]" Even now, the advisor doesn't break his smile. He must be really confident about those guards of his. "[Do you want this nation? Do you want fame, fortune?]"
Those are the stereotypical words of a cornered villain who can't see another way out other than to offer what he most desires himself in exchange for his life. But he doesn't sound desperate at all; he's chatting in a friendly manner, still wearing that dark and empty smile of his.
"[I'll wipe that expression off your face.]" I cut the soldier coming at me in half and rush forward. At the same time, the two bodyguards, who have remained completely motionless so far, spring into action like statues gaining life. "[Uten, Saten.]"
"[Yes, mama!]" Without question, my children finish up their respective human soldiers and charge up their plasma cannons.
Without paying attention to the twin guards, I continue onward with my cannon raised and pointed at Hunapori. I promised Aorutihaua to find out where their Golden Shawl went, and I'm sure this guy is hiding it somewhere, so I can't kill him straight away. But if he does make a wrong move, I won't hesitate to melt his entire body away, along with half the throne room. Better explain everything and help the Child of the Sun myself, than to risk losing this battle.
On both sides, plasma breaths catch the red and blue caped guards, and they disappear completely. Their life signs have disappeared as well, but I don't doubt for one second that they're still alive.
"Be careful, that can't be the end of them." I call out to my children while beginning to ascend the steps towards the advisor's seat. He still doesn't look intimidated and keeps on his smile, so it's obvious that he has an ace up his sleeve.
Then, the wall to my right explodes into dust and rocks, and something flies through the throne room into the wall on the other side. Not taking my eyes off of Hunapori, I create another set of eyes on the side of my head to look at what just came in like a wrecking ball.
When the dust settles, a large figure with crimson skin lifts himself up onto unsteady feet among the rubble. It's Pakangaroa, who must have been sent flying by Korenga. He looks quite shaken, and I don't think he's in any state to put up a fight against the current me.
This guy can't be the backup Hunapori was hoping for, right? I can't help but think this because the expression on his face hasn't changed even after witnessing one of his star players in this sorry state.
"[We are missing just a few more.]" He suddenly states with a smile that causes a shiver to run down my spine.
Huh? Am I... scared?
This guy is bad news, so I won't give him the chance to do anything. Without warning, I stab him in the eye and through the head with my spike arm. If he's still alive after this, I'll be using the plasma cannon to disintegrate his entire body on the spot.
"[My, how impatient.]" His good eye turns to me, and he speaks without a care in the world, despite having had his brains pierced just now. "[Why not see what I have prepared for you... sister?]"
These words stop me from making good of my promise to myself to obliterate him immediately in case he survived the spike to the head. It catches me completely off guard, and my mind becomes jumbled in an instant.
Sister?
