"Why?" was all Tyler asked in exasperation. Now, even the gods had turned against him? He was speechless. What would Quetzalcoatl gain from destroying Kat's corpse?The dragon sigil blinked continuously, reflecting the god's irate mood. "We will furnish three reasons, Tyler Grant.""First, your intentions are pure, no doubt. However, the attempts to revive the dead would only have disturbed the goddess' destined life cycles.""Second, you may have ended up preventing Tezcatlipoca's reincarnation in a new vessel.""Finally, the sacred pool was infected because of the heinous act of murder. The ritualistic cremation purified the water and reconnected its supply to mystical energy."Indeed, the pool water turned crystal clear within seconds and rippled with mystical energy. "You have three reasons to be thankful to us, Tyler Grant.""Traitor!" the young man barked. "You tricked me by promising a revival, and instead cremated Kat's body without my permission!""You are still ignorant, Tyl
Tyler could see Kat was reluctant to share her final moments. She shivered slightly at the request as if a chilly breeze were blowing inside the cave. Her eyes darted to the astral mirror hovering over the pool like a monolithic gravestone."Do I have to…?" she murmured in apprehension.Tyler realized the girl was scared if they talked about the monster, it would come back to hunt her again. How terrifying a creature could it be? It was absurd that the entity struck fear into the heart of an immortal goddess whose own natural form was a ferocious beast."I've sealed the mirror's surface," the young man said in a reassuring voice. "Even if something breaks in, I am vigilant enough to defend us. You need not worry."Kat nodded and slowly lowered herself into the pool. Even though the water was warm, she trembled as if running a cold fever."Come to me," Tyler offered, holding out his hand invitingly. The offer surprised the girl. She blushed around the cheeks but took his hand, nonethel
Tyler turned Kat around and looked into her eyes. "I don't understand. Even though the mercenaries are quite seasoned and possess a few cursed weapons, that doesn't make them powerful enough. How could they control a god-like beast like the Kraken? The one you call GOD EATER, previously subdued only by the mighty Poseidon?"Kat shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea. But this attack had a mercenary stink on it. My instincts are never wrong."The young man nodded and pulled her closer. "I trust you. Let us not waste time then. Do the ritual with me."Tyler's mystical energy recharge took over thirty minutes. This time, he made sure to fill his stocks enough to last a month. After they were done, he asked Kat to step out of the cave for some time."Come back in an hour," Tyler instructed her. "I need some time for battle preparation. But don't venture very far. The Red Marauders may attack again."After the goddess was gone, he held his breath and immersed himself entirely in the pool.
Natalie's eyes fluttered open, and she got up with a start. "What is this? Where am I?" she babbled in panic. The young woman's eyes were so dry she could barely open them.Her memories flooded in suddenly, making her heart race even faster. "Oh, no…" Natalie mouthed. The last thing she remembered was pandemonium and destruction.***The Douglas roundtable members were safe and secure inside their UNIMOG military truck. They were confident of victory against the progressing Cooper army. After all, they had a rocket launcher vehicle that had already demolished the enemy's vanguard.Suddenly, a tall, old man in green robes appeared from the forest side. The stranger had an uncanny vibe about him. His eyes focused on the UNIMOG as if he could see its owners from afar through the thick armored walls.Silas was about to instruct the old man to escape the battlefield. However, Malcolm stopped him, claiming the stranger was the mythical Green Monk.On the one hand, the royal army's soldiers
"Mmmmm…." the trio mumbled. Their mouths were sealed to their utter surprise, and even a word could not escape. "Pathetic insects!" the Green Monk thundered. "Do you think I would let you chitter in my presence? Be grateful that I haven't killed you yet!" The trio also found their limbs paralyzed. How could the stranger perform such supernatural feats casually? The group's only hopeless hope was for Tyler Grant to arrive and rescue them. However, that was rather unlikely. "I will leave survivors behind so that at least someone remembers today's lesson!" the Green Monk declared. "However, in exchange for your meaningless lives, I will accept these three beautiful damsels as sweet offerings!" "Rarely have I seen such opulent skin, lustrous hair, and sensuous bodies in El Abyssium! These women will be my concubines, slaves, and sacrificial lambs, depending on their talents. Be grateful for being chosen by the Great Goliath!" Natalie, Britta, and Gina stumbled back instinctively,
Natalie looked like she had seen a ghost. “What did you just say? Gina will be sacrificed? What do you mean by that?”Britta looked away so that her cellmate would not see the pain etched on her face. She considered herself a hard-boiled, self-dependent woman who never wept in the face of trouble or loss. In fact, the young woman had no recollection of the last time she cried.Britta’s parents were killed in battle when she was little. She was raised by her grandfather, Butch Salvatore, the previous Seraphim King.Butch was loving and caring until she was ten, after which he grew cold, distant, and harsh. The old man forced his granddaughter to learn martial arts and live a high-octane life in which she was constantly challenged.One day, little Britta returned from school crying because boys bullied her. Butch made her skip dinner and the next day’s breakfast. The girl gave the boys a taste of their own medicine during recess. Only then was she allowed to sit at the Salvatore table a
Montserrat Prison was located in a desert an hour away from Sapphire City. Most of the cells were underground, and prisoners saw sunlight only for thirty minutes a day.It was late at night, and the establishment was as cold as ever. To be fair, the criminals incarcerated within its walls were colder and heinous. It wouldn’t be a repetition to emphasize that it was an especially freezing night.Most prisoners were grateful for the moldy but thick blankets provided by the jailer. However, one of them refused the supplies.The anomaly was an old man serving a life sentence. People called him Sal. He was considered senile and kept in a solitary cell.Sal was in his seventies, yet the most dangerous criminals in Montserrat prison feared him. The old man was built like a giant at six feet four inches. Even though he barely ever worked out, his muscles bulged like those of a professional wrestler.“How does Sal stay so ripped when he barely eats anything or lifts weights?” one of the patrol
“It’s pointless!” Tyler declared with exasperation, lying down on the lush grass. “I give up!”He had been toiling at the borders of El Abyssium over the past hour, trying to find a way in. However, all attempts had turned out to be futile.“If it were a physical barrier, I could try breaking it down with Indra’s Vajra. If a magical barrier were blocking the path, I’d manipulate it with Hephaestus’ Touch. But if the path itself is invisible, how can I overcome it?”Kat shrugged nonchalantly. “There must be another way…” The goddess had been watching her husband silently, a playful smirk lurking on her lips as if she knew something he didn’t.Tyler whipped out the map parchment again. “The map categorically says the path to El Abyssium opens only during a full moon,” he added. “On other days and nights, maybe only the Green Monk can grant access. So I’m completely helpless!”Kat walked over to her supine husband and crouched beside him. “Show me the map.”Tyler raised an eyebrow at her