Scry used the link the page had created to pass through the Realm of Remains and travel toward Sacra, but before they emerged into the realm, he used Arthraxius to break open a side exit and emerge into the space between realms.
“Na’Far, was it? Use Pale Harvest to open a passage to the Nine Realms of Hell,” Scry said coldly.
“What do you mean? How could I even do that?” Na’Far asked, confused.
“Brother, he hasn’t fully mastered his ability. Let me guide him,” Arthraxius said in his enormous dragon form.
“Demon, come here. I’ll show you how your predecessors wielded that power,” Arthraxius commanded and pressed his claw against Na’Far’s forehead.
A flash of red enveloped the demon, and his eyes ignited with pure pale light.
He floated there for a moment too long, making Scry huff in frustration.
“Hurry it up. I don’t know how long this egg will last,” Scry cried out while Viridya held the pitch-black egg and fed it life mana.
Kai’s other spirits sat upon Arthraxius’ back, looking somber and deflated.
Na’Far finally opened his eyes after a while and poured his mana into the scythe that emerged in his palm.
Swish
The scythe cut through space, and a large tear opened up, death mana pouring outward like a river.
“Let us move. I thank you for the gift, Dragon,” Na’Far bowed before leading them through.
***
“Umbra, what is it?!” Milis, the daughter of the Goddess of Death, screamed as Umbra fell to the ground, unmoving.
Her death mana burst outward like an abyssal flame, and black spectral ravens formed around her, screeching and flying in circles.
Milis couldn’t even approach her due to the vortex of death spiraling around her.
Even Umbra’s body reverted into her beast form as large black wings covered her body.
“How is this possible? I’m also a Goddess of Death, yet I cannot approach her, who should only be at King level,” Milis muttered as she rushed off to call Mortia.
“Mother! Come quick!” she screamed.
“What is it now?” Mortia yawned.
“It’s Umbra. She suddenly collapsed, and enormous amounts of death mana have been flowing outward. Even Hollows have appeared in their pure raven forms,” Milis explained.
Hollows, for Gods of Death, were manifestations of their power, the signs of the Laws they represented.
Mortia the Primordial represented Death itself, and that manifested as a crow.
Her daughter, for example, represented the Law of Decay, so her Hollows were worms.
But for a mortal being who had not even manifested a single Law to call forth ravens, her deathly mana should have been close to Mortia’s, and that was impossible.
Mortia gasped and rushed alongside Milis.
***
Mortia lunged through the vortex and spiraling ravens and knelt next to Umbra.
She laid her hand over Umbra’s black body and poured her divine senses into her soul.
“She is experiencing true death, but her soul and body are fine. For some reason, she is both alive and dead,” Mortia muttered.
“The Deathless State?” Milis gasped.
“Indeed, but what is even more interesting, she is absorbing enormous amounts of darkness mana, and from a High God at that, and by the looks of things, a god that has died and been revived countless times. Just what the hell is going on?!” Mortia frowned. This all happening so suddenly made no sense at all.
“Mother, could it be her soulbound brother?” Milis asked.
“How could that be? Do you know how strong that link would have to be? They would need to share souls, to be one on an existential level. Unless her brother is a God of Souls, this is not possible,” Mortia shook her head.
“Well, whatever it is, if she survives this... She might catch up to you, daughter. Or we will have another funeral for my last student.”
Mortia sat next to Umbra and tried to guide the deathly mana properly in hopes of saving her.
Suddenly, a black-haired man wearing black plate armor engraved with skulls upon the pauldrons and chestplate, with large bony wings on his back, rushed in.
“Mistress, an enormous fire dragon is approaching the realm. It seems to be at least at the Low God level, but our senses cannot properly penetrate its body. Also, we detect the presence of a Primordial being alongside it,” the man said as he knelt.
“Oh, what in the Nine Hells is going on today? Milis, go! Summon your brother as well, and ask him to come. I must stay here. Find out what they want!” Mortia commanded.
Milis nodded and rushed away with the winged man.
“Umbra, dear. It has been a pleasure teaching you all this time. Don’t you dare let it all go to waste,” Mortia whispered, her lips trembling.
***
“Brother Orcus, I need you. Come to the front gardens and bring our guest with you, it’s time for him to pay his dues,” Milis contacted her brother telepathically and ordered.
It would seem she was the leader of her brothers and sisters.
A pale, white-haired man, wearing black silk pajamas, yawned and sighed.
“Can’t you let your poor brother rest? I’ve been guiding the souls of the dead for the whole month. I need rest, sister!” he complained.
“Orcus, you lazy bum, get up or I’ll make you!” Milis screamed through the link.
“Fine! So be it, sister! But I’m not getting dressed up. In your face!” he screamed back and stood.
He grabbed a simple-looking elmwood staff and dragged it behind him as he went to pick up their guest.
***
A squadron of winged warriors in full plate armor awaited orders as Milis walked out, her long black dress trailing behind her as a blood-red orb floated around her.
Her black hair flowed like water around her.
“Men, at ease. Do not strike until I give the order. I want to see what they want first!” she said coldly as a bright light emerged on the horizon like a newborn sun.
“Sister!”
Orcus walked out from the side entrance in his pajamas, dragging his staff like a dead branch, while beside him walked a pale-looking white-haired man in bright white plate armor.
A crescent moon adorned the chestplate, his gaze as cold as his appearance.
“Really, Orcus? In your pajamas?!” Milis raised her voice.
“I told you, didn’t I?! I’m not wearing shit, and I can reap lives in the nude if necessary,” he scoffed.
Milis pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled.
“Just stand here, both of you. Why do I even bother?” she sighed and rose into the air to meet the dragon head-on.
***
“Uhm, are you sure we can just barge in like this? They’ve got an army down there.” Na’Far panicked as he cowered behind Arthraxius’ head.
“Don’t worry. I know Mortia well. She just likes theatrics,” Arthraxius chuckled.
“Did she fight alongside us?” Scry asked.
“She did. She was one of the fiercest fighters on our side. A true death-bringer,” Arthraxius replied.
“Stop right there! May I know the purpose of your invasion of our realm?!” Milis shouted as she approached.
“Invasion? What a harsh word to say to a friend.” Arthraxius laughed loudly.
“Friend? We didn’t invite anyone. So, at best, you are an uninvited guest,” Milis countered.
Arthraxius exhaled, a hot breath hitting Milis in the face.
“Listen, child, I’ve been alive longer than your realm has existed. Go fetch your mother. She will know of her old friend Arthraxius. I came in need of her help,” Arthraxius explained, annoyed.
“Arthraxius?! I know of you, but as far as I am aware, you are not a god.” She furrowed her brow.
“Things change when you live eternally. You should know that, child. Now help me, the brother of your new student has died. We need help,” Arthraxius explained, his voice growing heavy.
“What?! Silver died?”
She froze. I knew it. They were linked more deeply than Mother thought.
“Why didn’t you say so sooner? Come, hurry up!” she shouted and flew down.
***
“Everyone, at ease, they are friends!” she shouted as she landed.
Arthraxius descended amidst a storm of blazing winds, and the spirits, alongside Na’Far, jumped off as he morphed into his humanoid form.
“Follow me!” Milis commanded, and they rushed after her, Viridya carrying the egg and still crying.
Orcus yawned. “I knew I should’ve stayed in bed...” he complained.
The man next to him suddenly froze. “SISTER!” he shouted.
Viridya stopped for a moment at the sound of the melodic voice.
“Brother?!” She turned, crying even harder.
“How are you alive? And smaller?” he muttered, tears streaming down his face.
“Brother, I’m sorry, but I need to go. Can we talk later? My last child is dying,” she cried and ran after Milis, cradling the black egg.
“Seleneth, didn’t your sister die back then?” Orcus asked.
“She did. I don’t know what is going on anymore,” he muttered, shaking.
“Come, let’s go see what all the rush is about.” Orcus grabbed him by the arm and ran into the black castle.
***
“Mother, I bring guests and news,” Milis shouted as she opened the large doors, and a wave of death struck them all, Arthraxius raising a crimson barrier to protect the spirits and the demon.
“Mortia, old friend. What is going on?” Arthraxius asked as he noticed the storm of death surrounding the kneeling woman.
“I should be the one asking you that, lizard. Why did you feed the Tigerhawk the remains of a divine spark?” she asked coldly.
“Wait, is that Umbra?!” Scry flew into the room, panicking. “What happened?!”
“Scryus?! You are alive?” Mortia gasped. “You are connected to all this as well?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t quite have all my memories yet. Is there anything I can do to help?!” Scry pleaded.
“She needs to fight it and adapt to it. There is nothing any of us can do, I am afraid. So, what is going on?” she asked.
Scry sighed and retold the story of the battle and what had happened to Kai.
Mortia trembled. “So, the war is going to resume in the near future…” she said and stepped toward them. “May I see?” she asked Viridya, who cradled the egg.
Viridya nodded heavily and handed her the egg.
Mortia poured her divine senses into it and frowned.
“There are multiple souls here, all part of one whole. Currently, the human soul is being erased and replaced by pure soulforce. There is also a draconic soul, but it seems to be just a part of the human soul. I cannot understand this. It’s a mess,” she muttered, confused.
“It would seem that as the human is dying, something is replacing the parts that are being erased, as if reforging a blade into a spear, if you can understand that logic,” she explained.
Arthraxius and the rest frowned.
“Will he still be Kai after this?” Sol asked.
Mortia turned and gasped. “Solivus, is that you? How in the Nine Hells are you here?”
She lunged forward and hugged him.
“Oh, hey Mortia. Sorry, I forgot to say hi with all this stress,” he muttered as she squeezed his plump, feathery body.
“I won’t ask why you look like this, but I am uncertain what will happen to the soul. Currently, this is beyond even what I can do, and I handle the souls of the dead. So, can someone explain all of this to me? Who is this boy, and what is going on?” she muttered.
***
Somewhere, in pitch darkness, Kai opened his eyes.
Before him stood a red-haired, handsome older man, a black-haired, pale goddess, and a young man.
All three were smiling and waiting for him.
“What the hell?!” Kai gasped as he noticed that only his head remained, floating in the void.