Chapter 115: Zola-Prime
***
"It all happened so fast that I could not even properly react." Usami sat next to Eris explaining what she had seen after chasing behind the others to help them get rid of Sitri.
"One moment they were there, I saw them when I entered the hole, but then I blinked, and they were gone, just gone!"
"They just disappeared into thin air?" Morn asked skeptically, but ignoring him she kept her eyes on Renia and Dr'ul who had sat her down and requested she explain.
"The system foresaw a future we were too narrow-visioned to even think about, that is why Sol Vestic has disappeared without a trace.
If what it recalls is correct: which it no doubt is, then Ikaris was pulled through a portal with the mage hero Dina Levina by the newly resurrected demon-god at the last moment before it closed, leaving him behind." Adonai explained after Usami had finished speaking, also ignoring morn who had lost standing with just about everyone by this point.
"Where on Arkadia did they-"
"No, not Arkadia." Dr'ul spoke up with visible dread and disappointment in her furrowed brows.
"Neither Sol, Dina, or Ikaris are anywhere in this dimension, they are truly gone; if I am to guess correctly, Sitri tried nabbing Ikaris back to the her home dimension where it is speculated that those of divine origins may be powerless in our entirety, Dina was caught up in that, and be it hell or heaven, wherever Ikaris goes, Sol would as well."
"How will we save them?" Eris asked, but Adonai scoffed at her question and shook his head.
"Would you mind checking your status, little hero?" The god of creation spoke casually to Eris, and she gave the mental command, but then nothing happened, just an empty blue panel without a single letter or response other than appearing.
"Nothing, it's empty...?"
"Yes, in the last moment before he left, the system; which if you were unaware is actually sentient and self-aware, transferred its ownership to Sol Vestic, for whatever reason it deemed necessary, the system left us to accompany him, maybe to never return, it is after all a grey divination that can take any shape or form of intelligence it deems necessary regardless of what race or magic you are and can use."
"Truly?" Dr'ul asked surprised.
"Indeed, when I created the system, I broke many rules which I never mentioned, that is why I gave it freedom, otherwise I could have even usurped your throne; the system is more powerful than we all are, only Ikaris was able to manipulate it as she pleased, just think about it...
An entity that can manipulate the thoughts of god's into actions and share power between them casually, it is my greatest creation, even more than Arkadia in all its glory ever was."
"Was, your greatest, right?" Renia stood with her hands gestured to him.
"No, I am able to recreate the consciousness easily, within a year a new system will take the place of the old system."
"What does that leave us to do?" Usami asked, staring up at the large beings that had converged. "If the system is offline for a year then how are we going to return back to earth, I mean, with Sitri gone the demonkin all vanished as well, technically this is a victory, right?"
"I am sorry, I have paid attention to you in recent times so I am aware of the sibling that you were taken from and desire to return to.
As my brother stated, the system's power is what brought you over to our world, so we need access to similar power to return you back to earth, until then you have to assimilate and wait like the rest of us." Dr'ul answered, standing and staring through the entrance of the tent they spoke under at Arkadia which was being purged with a great storm that covered every inch of it by S'mael; the god of destruction while Adonai's power of creation worked in tandem to mend all which was broken.
"Only a few million survived, from all the people whom I promised an end to the war only a few million..." Queen Vermon who had quietly listened to the proceedings next to Eris sighed and rested her forehead in her palm.
"Thank you, heroes, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the sacrifices you have made in our name, I will not hesitate, as soon as the system is functional I will send you back-"
"I don't want to go back to earth." Eris sat straight clearing her throat. "I knew from the moment I came here that I didn't want to return, nothing awaits me back home, an abusive family that I was adopted into, and a useless life where I was sinking in perpetual selfishness; I don't want to return to that wasted life when I have a purpose here."
"Then...
I'm going back by myself?" Usami looked over at her, she at least wanted to have one person with knowledge of Arkadia with her back on earth, even if they were not super close this was an experience that formed bonds for lifetimes, something impossible to share without sounding like a crazy person she thought of how alien she would feel returning to her former life without someone to share it with, she would never feel human again, she'd be alone.
"I'm sorry." Eris smiled sadly at Usami. "I made this decision the same day I came here, I won't change my mind now, originally it was supposed to be you Han and the others returning together... But," Eris lowered her gaze.
Han and Bruce were killed, Dina disappeared with Ikaris, and Sol left chasing after them. Usami and her were the only ones left. "I'm sorry." She repeated again.
***
The air stung, and his sense of balance was as stable as that of a baby, travelling through to this strange reality had disoriented him Beyonce what he had expected, given the strength he possessed it was strange how it still troubled him when even the summons to Arkadia was a casual experience.
"He is waking up, get ready, take your places, do not offend him!" Sol heard an elderly man's voice while his eyes were slowly adjusting and he let out a groan, sitting up and cradling his pounding head.
"What the hell," Sol's voice distorted as he spoke resulting in him covering his mouth while a small multitude of obvious looking demons who were kneeling around him gasped and lowered their heads to the floor. "Where am I?" He sat up looking around. "Ikaris?"
[Ikaris is not here.]
[System?] Sol responded shocked when he saw the popup. [How-]
[I gave you ownership of myself in the last moment before you were taken by [path] it was a split decision of logic]
The system responded, and Sol rested his face in his palm and growled, he could tell very clearly from the whispers of violence pounding at his mind; he was currently locked in demonification.
[You said that [path] would take me to wherever I desired to be the most, so why are you telling me that Ikaris isn't here, are you picking a fight?]
[I have no physical body to fight you, Sol]
The system responded causing him to growl again and then stare at the pure demons before him, aside from slightly varying appearances in terms of size and some with small horns, these all looked like regular people, and another thing that caught his attention rather quickly was a ceiling fan above them.
[Explain, what's going on]
[Upon arrival, you plummeted from the sky and crashed in an unidentified mountain range, at the time, Ikaris was being transported by a flying craft I have come to learn is called a plane, the mage hero Dina was with her, but your trajectory was off and you missed it]
[Upon arrival?] Sol rested his hand on his knee staring at his black nails. [How long have I been unconscious?]
[A week in this world's time, which is nine days]
"Ikaris..." Sol growled immediately upon hearing this, a scowl crossed his face and his entire demeanor shifted to hostility as he thought about what could have happened in such a long time. "I have to find Ikaris." He stood, stumbling to the side only to be caught by a small demon woman who wore some kind of kimono-like traditional dress and smiled at him with a clearly terrified expression.
Without thinking Sol snapped at her, sending her flying through the thin paper wall of the room when he pushed her off himself. "How dare you-" Sol's eyes burned with hatred at what he was seeing:
Demons, bowing to him as if... As if.
MVLEmPyR-your-story-source
" What's my status."
[Races: Demi-god (inactive)/Demon-god (active)]
"Please forgive the girl your lordship, she meant no disrespect!" The old man at the front of the dozens of people bowing pressed his forehead against the floor so hard the wood under his face creaked, this for Sol was unimportant, his demonic magic began flaring wildly as his teeth gnashed and the wings that had lazily dragged along the floor started shaking in tandem with his rapidly rising discomfort and agitation.
"I need to find Ikaris; I don't have time for-"
"Please reconsider doing anything immediately rash, Master Vestic, there is a lot you need to know about what is happening here on Zola-Prime."
At the sound of a familiar voice in a new world filled with new sensations and a sense of urgency so great it made him want to lash out at everything that breathed...
Sol paused and looked at the door, watching the familiar light brunette half-elf with long ears and light blue eyes help the girl he had attacked to her feet and brushing her off with an apologetic smile.
"Arla?"
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