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Chapter 97 - The Savior of Adanak
🕑 Added 2018-05-23 22:02:16 +0000 UTC It's over.Actually, nothing is over, and things have only begun. Mataku's explanations have raised more questions than they answered, but for now, I understand that he has been alive for a very long time and that he's definitely far more powerful than any other being on this planet. It seems that rather than the sorcerers, he's the real evil in this world. While the sorcerers killed my mother, their goal isn't to turn this planet into a barren wasteland devoid of any life. I'll make sure to get my revenge on them, but it will all come down to a final confrontation with Mataku no matter what.
I need to learn how to utilize the powers granted to all sentient beings by this Imagination Engine. I'm sure it's not as simple as it sounds since otherwise, this world would be in a lot of chaos; animals and children that never learned any limitations through common sense would be flying through the skies all the time - at the very least. There must be some rules to it, but they must be lenient enough that those who don't even know about the technology can unconsciously use it, just like those being called gods in this kingdom do.
"[What's going on here?]" Awhina heard Korenga call Mataku by name, so she understands that we just had a brush with the Primordial Terror. And she also witnessed the battle with him, which went in anything but our favor from start to finish. But I think she might be more interested in hearing what we were talking about in this language foreign to her.
"[Mataku just told me that he's going to end the world.]" That's all I can say. I have no idea when or where he'll start with it, but I'm sure we'll all know when the time comes.
Awhina remains silent upon hearing this, and so does Kouratua next to her. I'm wondering about his presence here, but considering Aurelia came out of his belly just now, it must mean he's collaborating with her in some way.
In the end, we didn't get to meet all members of the Six Arms, and the God Fist wasn't around either. Still, Mataku alone was more than enough to deal with all of us, even though we had the power to take down a being like Roamukao together. But that explains why the massive God of Destruction followed his orders; fighting the Primordial Terror seems like a bad idea.
I walk over to the hole left by Korenga and look inside. It seems to go all the way through the pyramid, and I can see daylight on the other side. This strength must either stem from an impossibly huge mass inside Mataku's body, or some kind of magic utilizing the Imagination Engine. In either case, the Black God has been sent flying a huge distance, and I don't feel like following her to see how she's doing.
"Go find Korenga and bring her back. If she attacks you, just fly away." I turn to Uten and Saten, who nod in response and immediately walk through the hole to do as they're told.
"Who are they?" Aurelia suddenly asks and looks at the twins with a raised eyebrow.
"They're my children." I reply without thinking, but I immediately regret it; the golden girl stares at me dumbfounded. Oh boy, if she reacts this way, what will Hestia say? I feel like her head would explode, thinking I had children with someone while she wasn't around. "Alright, let me explain-"
"There is nothing to be explained." Turning away from me with an expression that I can only describe as a jealous one, Aurelia ends the conversation. A part of me is happy that she feels that way, but another part realizes that she may be quite difficult to deal with. If she can't accept that I'm not made to be with a single person for life, she won't be able to stay with me. I'll have to work it out with her eventually.
"[What happened here?]" Tokomaha - or one of her clones - enters the throne room through the busted door and calls out to me.
"[We fought Mataku. Where's Mereana?]" I casually mention that we just tussled with the Primordial Terror that even the most powerful gods fear, and immediately steer the conversation away from it.
"[She went up to the king's cham- wait...]" For a second, the little goddess seems to have missed the bit about Mataku, but then her mind catches up to it. "[You did what?]"
"[Why did she go up there?]" I mutter to myself and turn to Awhina, whose hands are still bound by golden shackles, then address the golden god. "[Would you be so kind to undo her bindings?]"
I emphasize my request by aiming my plasma cannon at him; even though he seems to have been a mode of transportation for Aurelia, I won't trust him too readily.
"[Oh, I'm sorry.]" Kouratua has closed up his open stomach again, and without a hint of having to spend any effort on it, has the shackles around Awhina's hands melt away with a thought.
"[Stop ignoring me!]" Tokomaha walks up to me and punches my side, but since I'm still clad in dragon armor, she might as well have punched a stone wall. Holding her hurting hand, she glares up at me.
"[I'll explain later, for now, let's gather everyone back here and think about what we should do.]" Petting the little goddess' head with all the affection I can muster under the circumstances I deflect the question. I know that Mataku said he would be waiting to meet me again at the end of the world, but he could change his mind and come back right away, to finish us off. "[Why did Mereana go to the king's chambers even though the battle was taking place here?]"
"[Because there was this bandaged guy who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and told her if she wanted to fulfill the prophecy, she should go there.]" She explains while casting a glance at Tahiri.
"[... what happened?]" Something seems off about the God of Storm, and it's not just because we couldn't defeat Mataku here.
"[Rapania is dead.]" Tahiri speaks quietly and avoids eye contact with me. I had already expected that these two meeting would lead to such an end, but hearing her say it still puts a bitter taste in my mouth. It was clear that she cared for that sea witch, despite all that happened.
"[She used Tahiri's power to create a creature similar to you.]" Tokomaha suddenly seems to remember and looks up to me with an expression of worry.
"[Thank you for calling me a creature.]" I ruffle her leaf hair, although it's not as easily done as with actual hair. What did she mean by that, though? Did Rapania crack the code of how to create a Crawling Chaos from scratch? But if she's dead, then I'm sure she took that technique to the grave with her. If she required Tahiri's power, then she couldn't have done it before just earlier, which means she wouldn't have had the time to teach anybody else...
Wait, is that what Mithra meant by 'it is done' when he first appeared? Mataku's attitude towards me changed completely afterward, so maybe it's true that Rapania created a companion for him. I doubt any of the people here understand just what exactly the Primordial Terror and I are - including myself - so it's possible that Tokomaha made a mistake, though.
In either case, they are gone, and I have no idea where they could be now. The fact that Mataku, in his human transformation, can hide from my Chaos senses doesn't help the matter either. I need to find a way to detect him as quickly as possible, or he could surprise me by transforming into just about anyone in the world.
"[I'll go get Mereana, you stay here and wait for Korenga and the twins.]" I need a little time to myself, to think about what to do next. Turning into Chaos Warhead lite version, I fly through the hole Pakangaroa left when he crashed through the side of the pyramid, and fly up to the topmost balcony.
On the way up, I notice that soldiers have begun surrounding the palace on all sides, and beyond the encirclement are civilians, here to see what's going on. I'm sure the God King announced that there would be rebels attacking this city soon, but that the army would deal with them. The fact that these so-called rebels made it all the way into the palace must have made the citizens of Kairaki curious. After all, nobody is pillaging the city and, aside from those incurred in Korenga's battle with the God of War, there haven't been any civilian casualties.
Without making a sound, I step inside the king's chambers, where Mereana is standing over the dead king with her bloodied sword drawn. If I didn't know better, I'd say that it looks like she was the one who killed him. The concubines who had been sleeping earlier are awake now and are huddled together on the bed, staring at the lifeless king. They're most definitely getting the wrong idea about the situation, though.
Then I have an epiphany.
"[Mereana.]" I call out to the former slave, and she turns around in shock, bracing herself for an attack.
"[Oh, it is you, Chaos...]" Her surprise is overshadowed by her tiredness, as she lowers her sword. "[What ha-]"
"[Help me with this.]" I produce a rope from inside my body - part of a collection of things I keep in there at all times in case I need it - and point at the king.
"[Hear me, citizens of Kairaki!]" Mereana announces at the top of her lungs while standing on the balcony.
I would have doubted that anybody can hear her from down there, but apparently this place was built in a way that makes sound carry farther. Many people among the crowd tilt their heads up to see who's talking. The former slave girl repeats herself two more times, waiting for everybody's attention, before continuing.
"[The God King is no more!]" As she says this, I push his body over the edge of the wide stone railings. He rolls down the pyramid and comes to a stop with the sound of bones breaking; we attached a rope to his neck and bound the other end to one of the pillars of the balcony so that he's now strung up on the side of the pyramid for all to see.
"[The era of repression is over! Your savior is here!]" The former slave turns to point at me, but I shake my head. "[... what do you mean?]"
"[I'm not from this nation. The people will never accept a foreign usurper.]" I speak to her with a smile.
"[Are you serious?]" She looks at me dumbfounded.
"[This is your place.]" I gesture at the gathered people below, who are eagerly awaiting the continuation of the announcement. "[Claim your throne.]"
With these words, I walk away, and Mereana stares at me with her mouth open. Then she musters her courage and addresses the masses below again. The moment she does I quickly turn around and stand a few steps behind her, applying Hestia's black wings to my back and spreading them all the way for everybody to see.
A murmur runs through the crowd as many point up to the pale-skinned former slave girl in surprise and awe. Not realizing what I'm doing, Mereana continues to wave at the people below, to whom it must seem like she is the one with the wings.
I guess her prophecy came true after all.
"[So, what now?]" I ask into the room, directed at nobody in particular. I'm sitting on the king's throne sideways and gazing up at the ceiling high above. No matter how you look at it, this room is just way too big, even bigger than the throne room in the demon castle.
Awhina is sitting on the stairs leading up to the elevated platform the throne stands on and is looking down with a thoughtful expression. Tahiri has returned to her normal form and is sitting on a cloud while floating right next to me. My children found Korenga unconscious and embedded deep inside the city wall, and carried her back; they're sitting to the left and right of my feet, looking up at me curiously. Tokomaha has already scattered her clones and has placed herself on the advisor's seat demonstratively as if to say that she's my number one. Korenga is back in her normal form as well, and lying halfway down the stairs while staring into the air with a vacant expression.
The two golden figures, Kouratua and Aurelia, are standing behind the throne. I already know that the latter will be coming with me, but I still don't know what the former is doing among the gathered here. Mereana is waiting at the very bottom of the stairs, a distance away from the Black God, nervous to be in the presence of so many powerful beings.
"[I mean, I know my next move, but what about you guys?]" I look down at the gathered people. According to Mataku, these are all humans - except for Aurelia, whom I would classify as a lich. My unofficial policy has always been to not associate with those and to favor demi-humans like Kamii and Hestia.
Though, when I look at Tokomaha, I can't really see it; she has furry pointy ears and leaves for hair. There must be something else mixed into her blood for her to grow into such an appearance. The same is true for Tahiri, who can turn into literal lightning, and the indestructibility of Korenga is - though affected by Mataku - something I would never associate with a human.
"[What's your next move?]" Tokomaha is the first to reply, doing so with a question of her own. I have a feeling she'll go along with whatever I'll do.
"[I'm going home.]" At my words, Awhina turns her head to look at me, but I quickly continue so that she doesn't get the wrong idea. "[I've been gone for too long, my people need me.]"
When I left the Demon Continent, my mother had just been killed. While Mithra was the one who made the decision for me, it was my own decision to stay in Adanak for such a long time. I could have asked Tahiri to show me to a city soon after meeting her, and tried to find my way back. Then again, I was in a slump after everything and just wanted to get away from the world.
But the world caught up to me.
"[Then I'll come with you.]" The little goddess says with her nose raised high, just as expected. "[What would you do without me?]"
"[I'd be free of a girl who can't be honest with her feelings.]" I tease her, and the grin freezes on her face before she turns away with her cheeks puffed up.
"[Where did Mataku go, I wonder...]" Korenga, defeated but not broken, mutters this question. Who knows how long she's been searching for him, and after this short encounter, he has disappeared from her sight again. I know that her purpose in life is to seek revenge for what he did to her, so I should just take her along.
"[Come with me. I know that he'll come to see me again before long, and at that time we fight him together.]" Standing up from the throne and talking forward a few steps, I address the Black God. She sits up and gazes at me vacantly before light returns to her eyes. Then she nods with a hint of a smile.
"[That sounds like a plan.]" With these words, she lies back down, feeling less lost than she did moments ago.
"[Hey, you promised that you would help me find my Golden Shawl!]" An androgynous voice calls out to me from above, and I look up. Aorutihaua is standing on top of the needlessly tall backrest of the throne, wearing their full helmet with their glowing eyes trained on me. I completely forgot about them.
"[I haven't forgotten about you, I just wanted to know what everybody here would do after this is over.]" I lie with a straight face and look up to the Child of the Sun. "[Once we conclude this meeting, I'll help you find it, alright?]"
I'm actually quite interested in seeing where they'll go after getting this Golden Shawl. If they jump straight up towards the sun, I'll be very surprised after Mataku's revelations made it clear that they're all humans. No matter how technologically advanced humanity of this world became, I still can't believe that they're able to create anything capable of surviving the heat of a star.
Then again, maybe that's just a limiter I'm involuntarily placing on the power of my imagination based on the common sense drilled into me during my previous life. I've seen so many things in this world that defied everything I've ever known, so I should open my perspective on things more.
"[What about you, Tahiri?]" I address the third goddess whom I would like to take along with me. "[In which direction does the wind blow next?]"
"[It seems the wind is following the path of history.]" She replies with a knowing smile. I don't really understand what she means, and it must have shown on my face since she continues right away. "[You're one of the key people that are defining that history. The wind has been redirected just this once, I suppose.]"
"[Thank you.]" It's all I can say to her now. She has decided to join me on this journey that will most likely take me to the end of this world - not in the geographical but the metaphorical sense of the phrase.
"Will you not ask me?" Aurelia comes forward from behind the throne and places herself on it. Her regal bearings, despite the fact that she seems to have embraced a nudist lifestyle ever since her time with me on the moon, make it obvious to all that she's of royal birth; it's as if every throne in the world was made for her to sit on.
"I..." Wait, I feel like saying that I assumed she would be coming with me from the get-go might sound a little presumptuous of me, especially for someone with so much pride. "... wanted to wait for you to make your own decision, your highness."
Still, our relationship should go beyond this, so I can give myself some room to address her ironically. The golden girl's response is an ironically raised eyebrow before she switches her crossed legs and gives me a glimpse of the treasure between them in a move I'm sure is intentional. Then she finally smiles.
"Clever. Indeed, I will not be leaving your side this time." She states with conviction and leans on an armrest in a gesture most befitting of a monarch. Her charisma is so overwhelmingly sexy that I make a mental note: When I sit on the throne of the Dominion, I'll have a seat next to me prepared for her.
"[Awhina, are you returning home?]" She's the last one of the gathered people that I need to ask. This is a fork in the road that we have been walking on together so far, and I'm sure that she'll take the other way. Her goal was to bring peace to her village by overthrowing the God King, and we achieved that today; she shouldn't get involved in the wars of another nation before stability returns to this one.
"[Yeah, I'll be going back to Aoranam.]" It's the answer I expected. Her expression does look a little lonely when she says this, though. Maybe she was hoping that I'd tell her to come with me, but I remember my promise to Rangi and Ruiha; that I would bring her back home safely. It's a pretty long journey back though, even with the Chaos carrier.
"We'll be going with her then, mama." Uten and Saten suddenly stand up and state without a doubt in their minds.
That leaves me completely dumbfounded. I didn't ask them all this time because I had assumed that they would come with me no matter what. But now they're deciding otherwise without having consulted with me before.
"Don't you want to stay with me?" I try not to sound desperate, but it doesn't come out in any other tone than that. Even though I didn't give birth to them directly, I still have the feelings of a mother for her children. Seeing them walk their own paths in life so soon hurts my heart - especially since I've only been with them for a little over a year. At least they're not alone and have each other.
"We do... but we have all the time in the world." They sound much more mature than I feel right now when they say these words. Our kind seems to have an infinite lifespan, so as long as we're alive, we'll be able to meet again - even if it's a thousand years into the future. Still, I would have wanted to teach them many more things.
"What happens if Mataku attacks you?" It's a legitimate concern, but it's not like staying with me is safer for them. For now, I don't have an answer to his overwhelming power, and it's more likely that he'll come to find me rather than these two.
"Then we'll run away and find you." Speaking in unison, they say exactly what I would have recommended them to do. It seems every Crawling Chaos has self-preservation deeply ingrained into their bodies. For these two, who don't have anybody they love from the depths of their hearts, saving themselves is still the absolute priority. I would hesitate to run away because I have people I want to protect.
"Yes, you'll always be welcome by my side." I stretch my arms out towards them in an inviting gesture, and they immediately jump into my embrace. Pressing a kiss onto each of their foreheads, they bury their faces in my chest. I'm fairly certain they're actually enjoying the sensation, but I don't really mind; they're charging up on mama-tonium for the time ahead when I won't be around anymore - albeit only temporarily, I hope.
"[Then it's decided.]" I prepare to make an announcement, but my eyes fall on Mereana, who seems like she wants to say something. "[Yes, Mereana?]"
"[Are you going to leave, without the people ever knowing of what you did here?]" She asks with a doubtful expression. In her eyes, I must seem very selfless, to just give the glory to her. After all, because of my actions, she's the one who is officially recognized as the person that has slain the God King and fulfilled the prophecy foretold by the Oracle of Kairaki. Since the entire military brass in the palace has been wiped out, there should be nobody who stands in her way now.
"[What did I do here?]" I play dumb, even though it's obvious that everyone here knows better. "[You led a group of gods into Kairaki and cut down the God King.]"
"[But you-]" She tries to object, but I interrupt her.
"[Yes, but without you, I wouldn't have moved. And neither would the others.]" I don't really have to humor her lack of self-confidence and ambition, but I do so anyway. "[We're gods, we can't govern the world of man.]"
I casually included myself since Mereana doesn't know that I'm actually something completely different. Among the gathered people, only Aurelia is aware of that fact, and she raises an eyebrow at my words but doesn't say anything.
"[Now go, your people are calling for you.]" I can hear the voices of the civilians outside. They've been calling nonstop since the former slave girl revealed herself before them. I'm sure she has friends among them whom she can work together to rebuild this nation.
"[You go, too. Watch over her.]" Aurelia suddenly says in the language of this nation, speaking very fluently, albeit in the dialect of the capital rather than the boondocks version I learned. The person she's addressing is Kouratua, who has been listening silently so far.
"[As you wish.]" With a bow, the rotund man walks down the stairs. I still don't understand his role in all this, but I'll ask Aurelia later when we have the time to talk. Also, I'd love to ask why he keeps using that outward appearance even though his body is made of gold and he can just shape it however he wants it to look like. Maybe it's his sense of aesthetics.
But I think having a member of the Six Arms standing by her side will give Mereana more credibility and sway over those who may still be loyal to the now deceased God King. I wish her all the best in either case.
"[Now I'll be helping you out, Aorutihaua.]" Looking up to the Child of the Sun, I speak with a smile. I can't see their expression under the helmet, but I'm sure it's a happy one.
I really hope I'm right with my hunch, though.
I was right.
Inside the palace's treasure room there was one sealed box that looked like it would contain some important secrets. When I broke the lock and opened it, there were many documents and trinkets, and stuffed between them was a glowing shawl that Aorutihaua immediately recognized.
It turns out, the advisor was deceiving them, and it was right under their nose all this time. What a surprise!
We're standing on the middle balcony of the palace, while gathered around the Child of the Sun. I peek down to watch Mereana standing on the lowermost terrace with Kouratua, addressing the people pushing up all the way to the palace's inner gates - since the front gate was broken down by me earlier. Next to the former slave girl are several other people that seem to be army commanders who have long hoped to overthrow the God King's rule.
"[So, are you going to go home to your mother?]" I turn around and ask the androgynous child, who's hugging the Golden Shawl like it's a long-lost lover.
"[Yes, I haven't seen her in a long time.]" They reply and wrap the shawl around their shoulders, upon which it floats up into a circle behind their back. That looks exactly like the depictions of Buddhist deities with the ribbons that seem to indicate their godhood.
Then Aorutihaua lifts off from the ground. So, that shawl actually lets them fly? I seriously hope they won't fly straight up at the sun next, because that would mess with my head.
"[Mama, I'm here!]" They call out towards the sky.
There's silence, as everybody looks around in anticipation. But when a minute passes and nothing happens, I find myself wondering.
"[Umm...]" I start, but the Child of the Sun preempts me with an explanation.
"[It always takes a while until mother arrives.]" Floating in midair, they don't seem to be alarmed. So, this is standard procedure then? Don't tell me she's really coming down from the sun. Even for light, that takes over eight minutes.
"[She's coming!]" After around eight minutes, Aorutihaua points up at the sun. I put a filter over my eye lenses and look up, but aside from the burning circle in the sky, I don't see anything.
Then, a bright orb separates from the sun and comes down towards us. A murmur goes through the crowd below when they see this, but my attention is completely focused on this phenomenon happening right before my eyes.
The blinding rays of the orb fade away to reveal a woman with pearl skin, dressed in radiant white robes with a giant halo behind her back. If this isn't a real goddess, I don't know what is. Her tranquil expression seems to suggest that nothing can make her lose her composure, and considering she seems to have just come from the sun itself, I doubt anything worldly could harm her.
Also, her almost completely visible breasts, due to her very low neckline, are truly the bounty that Mother Sun provides to the world. They're an order above even my mother's...
Wait, what's the point of the shawl allowing Aorutihaua to fly, if their mother just comes down to pick them up anyway? I mean, it seems like the shawl lets them communicate over long distances, or I wouldn't see any reason why they didn't call her before.
"[My child, how I have missed you.]" The God of the Sun speaks with a voice that melts my insides. Her motherly stats are way off the charts, and I feel myself relaxing in her presence as if being held in the gentle arms of my own mother. Not good, I need to stay in control.
"[Mama!]" Flying straight into her chest, the Child of the Sun hugs their mother while still keeping their helmet on. I would have thought they would remove it for this long sought-after reunion, but I guess it's somewhat part of their body. "[These people helped me find the Golden Shawl again.]"
"[Thank you! How can I ever repay this debt?]" Areteniha nods her head and speaks with her all-encompassing voice.
I have to hold myself back from asking her to let me hug her, too. I'd love to bury my face between those breasts, but that would feel like a betrayal against my mother, who isn't in this world anymore. No, I'm sure this booby-goddess can be of help to me in another way.
"Do you understand me?" I test her with the language from the Dominion. There's no way that a goddess that represents an even more universal concept than Tahiri, the God of Storm, doesn't know the rest of the world. I can understand that the latter only stayed around this continent because they never got a look at the planet as a whole. But someone who seems to have literally come from the sun just now must know more.
"I do." She doesn't seem surprised at all and replies with a gracious smile.
"Then I have a request for you." I make up my mind and look straight into her glowing white eyes. "Can you show me the way to the Demon Continent?"
