Chapter 170: Familiar Faces.
"An end to your beginning, what a horrid thing to imagine." Ikaris appeared next to them in a flash of light with her divinity on full display and her wings hugging her body.
"Ikaris," Sol greeted her with a smile. "How was your meeting with the gods?" He asked.
"Boring, I never used to do such things while I was on Atla, I am not accustomed to dealing with others and sharing responsibility like this, maybe as a hero, but most definitely not as a god, and with discovering that Dr'ul, Gadriel and Gabriell are my fragments I feel a certain level of responsibility toward them, I want to make sure they are okay."
"You think of them as little sisters, but I would argue you treat them more like a mother would." Sol scoffed, and she leaned over his shoulder and kissed Dina's exposed cheek, and then Arla's forehead before turning to him and placing a tender kiss on his lips.
"Nonsense; I will only become a mother after I have given birth to your child, darling." She whispered in his ear, causing Sol, Arla and Dina to blush.
"I wonder how she would react if she knew Darla was..." Eris thought, but quickly dismissed it when she saw Sol kiss ikaris again. "Well, it might bother her, but I don't think it would change a thing other than make them dislike me."
"Anyways, there is Light, and under light there exists Creation, Destruction, Balance and the Beginning which is capable of tearing them all down, all of whom are governed by the Godslayer; allies all, right?" Sol went back to his original theory while the two in his lap went to his sides and Ikaris sat across his legs, leaning against him as he hugged her.
"That is accurate." Ikaris answered, purring against him.
"But contrasting that dynamic there is Darkness, and under darkness there was only Void." Sol held Dina with his free hand while Arla comfortably leaned her back against Ikaris's and brought her knees to her chest, listening intently to Sol's words. "The balance of power has always been uneven..."
"There needed to be no more though." Ikaris agreed with a nod while contradicting with her words. "Darkness is strong, She below all has always been stronger than Him, The Beginning sought to adjust that struggle, but ended up favouring light because it held no Ill intent or animosity and simply wished to be." She explained.
"My powers worked against Void, as did my brothers' but he was simply unimaginable, we could not defeat him, and we had to shatter ourselves to escape, the act of taking control of Origin is not something as easy as it sounds, even for him it probably took thousands or tens of thousands of years."
"While they died because they were weaker than I was, I was able to keep my first consciousness whole; this all happened because of one entity, the Godslayer was born from that explosion of consciousness, like a pseudo-beginning being born within the presence of dark and light.
He seized control of the beginning and merged with it banishing them both into origin, if there was another entity there the fight would not have gone smoothly." Ikaris nuzzled against him.
"If something alternate to the beginning existed it would be an entity of equilibrium destruction to the beginning's grey nature, we would have been killed leaving that entity and the Godslayer in an eternal struggle, merely thinking about something like "The End" is terrifying." She concluded, and Sol nodded in agreement.
Whenever he used Godslayer, he felt a certain sovereign over all, control over everything, limitless and unmatched power; if something of mal-intent existed with the same powers it would have surely killed every last one of the gods already.
"That's a heavy topic..." Eris stared out in space.
"I thought I knew a lot before, but the information you guys came back with has left me stumped at every turn, the scale of power you speak on is unfathomable to me, just as that fight with Dr'ul was, even though I know and understand what you're saying to a certain degree I can't grasp it at all." She admitted, and they all looked at her silently.
"On a heavier note..." Ikaris sat up in Sol's lap and pressed her hand against his chest. "You chose to do the Arkadian wedding traditionally," she pouted at Sol. "I am being forced to spend an entire ten days apart from you, it is not fair."
"Ten days isn't a lot though..." Eris chuckled nervously. "I also had to be apart from my husband for ten days, but it passed by so quickly!" She clapped.
"Not the same." Sol looked up at Eris. "For us, it's been a bad experience every time we spent time apart from each other, even I can't help but be nervous despite knowing that she'll be within the care of the other gods, which by the way I dont all trust."
"I see, yes, that's a valid point." The healer nodded and sighed. "I was foolish to think I could host it here too, then again, Ikaris's full identity was never revealed to me, so I was none the wiser."
"Apologies." Ikaris smiled at her. "I would have liked it to be held here, but that crazy redhead went and invited the entire population." Ikaris laughed, as did they all.
"So, how do you intend to handle the separation then?" Eris stared at the four of them.
"In shifts." Dina answered while they all nodded in agreement.
"Sol and I will remain separated for the ten days learning all the customs, but Dina and Arla will trade places on the five day mark." Ikaris explained and then stood from his lap. "In fact, that is why I am here."
"To get Dina?" Eris raised a brow.
"No, I came for Arla," Ikaris smiled. "Next to yesterday, we have spent no real time bonding so I have been a little impatient to get to spend time alone with her, I would love to thoroughly know the heart of the woman who affectionately filled the gap in my husband's heart where even I was unable to reach." Ikaris looked down at Arla who blushed and slightly lowered her head in reverence.
"Is this okay, dear?" Ikaris turned to Sol for his blessing, and he smiled and stood resting his hand on Arla's head.
"I don't see any issues." He answered. "This also means no peeking." Sol smirked at her, and the goddes flinched when she realised she had been caught observing him again.
"None?"
"Absolutely no peeking." Sol crossed his hands.
"But you get into all kinds of trouble when I am not around!" She huffed.
"I will take... c-care of him." Dina blushed as soon as she realised what she was saying.
"Goodness I feel sympathy for you." Ikaris chuckled.
"Sympathy!?" Dina snapped with rounded eyes. "What is that supposed to mean, I'm not some weakling y'know!" She pointed accusingly.
"I am well aware." Ikaris grabbed her in a childish hug and then released her onto Sol.
"The two of you be nice to each other, you quarrel a lot sometimes.
"Not in recent memory, she's been obedient lately." Sol chuckled as the cosmic mage in his grasp shrunk and squirmed.
"Haa~ I am stalling again." Ikaris clapped her cheeks several times and took Sol's extended hand.
"Then, until we see each other again, Wife." He kissed her fingers.
"I will humble myself before you, Husband." She guided his hand to another headpat again and then stepped away.
A portal opened up next to them, exuding chaotic energy as a familiar redhead along with a blonde emerged."
"Ah!" Eris stepped forward going into full hospitality mode as she greeted her sudden guests. "Goddess of Chaos, Renia, Goddess of the Sun, Sorath, I welcome you both to my humble abode!" Eris greeted them cordially bending and curtseying while her maids and servants seemingly appeared out of nowhere and did the same.
"Greetings!" Sara appeared next to Sol from his shadow and curtseyed as well.
"You two." Sol smiled at them, watching Ikaris and Arla walk toward the portal which had heavenly mana radiating from within it. "If anyone causes trouble, especially that goat, give them a good ass-kicking on my behalf." He smiled and waved while they did the same before leaving.
"Are you well?" Renia smiled at Dina, and the mage nodded and greeted her with a hug. "Not now, we can talk after I have taken care of some more affairs." Renia released Dina and then looked at Sol. "Master Vestic, I am thrilled to once again be in your presence." She smiled brightly at him. And then looked at his side.
"It is good to see you out and about again, Sara." She smiled at the maid, and Sara reacted with a nervous smile and a bow.
"Of course, likewise." Sol nodded at one of the only gods he had managed to develop a natural relationship with after she had taken the initiative and reached out to him first, and then looked at Sorath with a different kind of smile.
"It is wonderful seeing you in person once more." Sorath extended her hand casually, but by the time her and Sol's hands met and formed a shake their heads were both blazing and the room felt like it was about to catch fire.
"Wh- hah- my house! Don't burn down my house!" Eris exclaimed, and Sorath laughed out and conceded.
"It was merely a greeting Eris." Sorath laughed some more while her appearance returned to normal, as did Sol's. "I cannot do that, after all I am the one responsible for teaching the customs of the Divine Union to our esteemed and honoured guest, so I too will be in your care."