'I can't imagine facing this before I reached Divinity. Somehow, they both give the word Deity a better impression than that Doom Knight,' Skullius thought while looking up.
His gathered Apostles did the same, as did Kenno. Unlike his master, however, the Unlimited Star was trembling. Earlier, he had been feeling quite proud of himself for surviving a bout against a Deity, even if he hadn't landed a single meaningful blow. Now, he was reconsidering his feats.
'No. It can't just be a difference in size…' he thought, his eyes reflecting the gargantuan beings over him.
And gargantuan they were indeed.
The knobs of both their knees stood over the surface of the sea. Quintess was especially tall. The first clumps of clouds in the sky would have been around his shoulders, if they had dared to stick around in his presence. Most of them had evacuated ever since Fulgardt had broken down the atmosphere around Edagon, inviting the great void into Aigas.
Quintess was akin to a lanky statue of a youth made of silver granite. His limbs were rather long and delicate, as were his facial features. Whiskers danced below his slender nose, whipping about every now and then like serpents. Their yellow glow matched the wreathe of fire that masqueraded as his hair, and the jarring sparks in his eyes – star-like. The mighty Deity dressed himself in his own stark white Amras; it forged the shape of a strange, futuristic armour set with ample space for extra limbs.
Listafelle, on the other hand, while shorter, looked much more imposing. In stark contrast to Quintess, she had a muscular build and bombastic features. The fact that her body looked like sculpted brimstone only helped her stalwart image, as did the mysterious look of her eyes…of which there were none. Her empty sockets were occupied by swarms of leaves that constantly bounded around and within them. Listafelle was adorned in a battle dress forged from many violet vines, barbed, rope-like and tight-fitting. The way her arms crossed in front of her protruding chest gave the impression that she wasn't quite affable.
The power rippling from both Deities was striking. There was a reason Deities normally wouldn't appear in their worlds in forms like these. They could effortlessly kill all life on a world just by being.
Indeed, they were powers worthy of awe.
But Fulgardt so no reason to be wary of them. In fact, he smirked at their appearance. Future Skullius had unsettled him more than these folks.
'As it turns out, Sause wasn't lying,' he thought before looking at Skullius, who immediately stared back. 'I got too engrossed in playing with him. Now I'm forced to accelerate my plans. One. Two. Three Deities.'
BOOM!
And right then. Boron destroyed the barrier splitting Aigas in two with his halberd.
Because he had increased his size, he was effortlessly visible for the Divine eye and sense even from thousands of kilometers away. His face might have molten with anticipation. He spun his halberd and roared.
<Welcome back, my dear friends!>
Everyone turned in the Deity's direction. His voice was immensity incarnate, perfectly advertising his dark desire.
<Parrhaya! Rorsetta! Why do you not look as thrilled to be back home? Hmm? Where are your smiles?>
And Boron raised his halberd, swung it once, twice, thrice and then struck the water. A bizarre shockwave raced through the ocean in a blink and made it evacuate for dozens of kilometers along with all ungodly monsters, Clusters and treasures it might have stowed. Only dry land remained for Boron to pass, and he marched ever so majestically towards his foes.
But neither Quintess (Parrhaya) nor Listafelle (Rorsetta) was impressed.
The former was about to grace Boron with a greeting, when a flash of red brimmed from Edagon.
…!!!
Everyone except Boron turned to the glow.
'What the…!' Skullius thought, scowling. What was this? He recognized the signature flames of Undeath belonging to the masked man, but couldn't guess their purpose.
Yet, Fulgardt grinned. He knew.
'That was quick,' he thought. 'You've already been pushed to use it?'
A portion of the Edagon flared with Undeath energy at once. The continent was the home for dragons and Giants, but also a storage space for the souls of the Eternal Drakkens, the anchors of Aigas. They were what made it a Rich World. This was why Edagon was also reforged in the case it was damaged or destroyed.
…And that was also the reason why the Existential Parallels hunted down Rich Worlds.
As such, when the flames of Undeath erupted in greenish-black and immediately marked the territory on Edagon where the souls of the Eternal Drakkens were hidden, Quintess frowned.
<Keep him busy for a moment, will you? I doubt he'd pause even for this.> he said to Listafelle while gesturing towards the approaching Boron. Indeed, he didn't seem to be interested in what was happening on Edagon.
<Sure.> said Listafelle and she slowly began approaching to Boron. She gave a sigh that amounted to a twister. <You're as lively as ever, Ciumin. And vengeful, as expected. All over a woman, I suspect?>
White Amras blasted from Boron instantly.
<You always were good at fanning Parrhaya's flames. Glad that hasn't changed. It makes my spite all the more easier to bear against you.>
<How unattractive.>
Meanwhile, Quintess hunched over Edagon, his frame pouring through the great void leaking through Aigas. With a wave of his hand, he fixed the damage the world had endured due to Fulgardt's aggressively powerful punch and restored clarity.
His eyes bore through barriers and illusions and focused on the writhing flames circling the souls of the Eternal Drakkens swimming in a pool deep under Edagon. They expanded as he watched, drowning the souls. A moment later, the souls of the Drakkens vanished.
….
VWOOOOOO!
Only a second passed before something in the far horizon expelled a dreadful pressure of Undeath and dyed the skies greenish-black.
A transaction had been made.
Existential Parallels fed on the essence of Rich Worlds for different reasons.
For Serenity, that was to feed something that would allow her to escape this reality.
Void had her own goals. As did Emmae.
They breached worlds for gains using those who wielded their powers.
As it were, Rias had traded Aigas' Richness with Emmae, in exchange for becoming a genuine bearer of Undeath!
Skullius only realised right then, as the presence of the Undeath brimmed.
'That's not good. What will happen to Aigas?' he thought with concern.
Quintess, on the other hand, was hardly concerned or surprised even as he looked upon the development. If anything, he looked… disappointed.
<Abominable. How many forces have to be invited onto this little world?> he said, and slowly turned to Fulgardt with his star-like eyes. They impressed a mighty pressure on the Immoral, but he stood his ground. <Your doing?>
Fulgardt heard and laughed. "Come now. Do I look that well-versed in Undeath? All I did was give a little bit of guidance. That brat had to get creative if he was going to steal Aigas' anchors without you being able to stop you."
Quintess' gaze lingered on the Immoral and the Immoral in turn continued to express his glee through his stare.
<The irony. You mentoring others? I expected something shallower from you. And yet, it seems as though your influence has spread more than even you can imagine.>
At first, Fulgardt didn't understand what Quintess meant, but when a certain Giant suddenly materialized high upon one of Edagon's many mountain cities, it all became clear.
Quintess turned to Sause and donned a smile.
<Eager for judgment are you, Dragonsson?>
"Perhaps…" said Sause.