Lord of Myths: I Can Summon and Fuse Divine Powers.-Chapter 68: Releasing the Seal in the Golden City. (3)
Epimetheus smiled.
His smile was the same as always, wide, too wide, and excessively large and twisted, almost unnatural.
In his hands, an artifact shaped like a cube, which contained the echo of an Ashura’s essence.
The Ashura are the antithesis of the gods, or at least that’s what they say.
Others call them demon kings or demon gods, though Epimetheus didn’t entirely agree with that.
The demonic is the antithesis of the angelic, not the divine.
The divine is above the angel-demon duality, therefore, you can’t name the antithesis of a god as "demonic."
At the same time, it was incorrect to call them "demon gods," since they definitely weren’t.
There were both good and evil gods, so saying a demon god is simply another divine category.
The antithesis to the gods were the outer creatures.
While the gods were agents of order, creators and designers of laws.
Demiurges in every sense.
The outsiders were the complete opposite, agents of chaos, destroyers of laws and realities.
Though, like the gods, their pure form couldn’t manifest in a plane of reality, as they transcend it.
They need avatars, just like the gods.
Thus the Ashura were born.
While the abominations of Xoth are simple fragments of an outsider, the Ashura are avatars of one.
People who accept their chaotic essence to obtain something. Puppets of chaos.
Therefore, an Ashura was equivalent to an avatar of the gods.
"Mmm, well ’Caligo,’ come here," the man ordered with a smile.
The girl hesitated.
Caligo wasn’t a normal creature, she was an artificial entity.
A chimera between Fairy, Vanir and Demon.
She had been created specifically to be a container for the Ashura of tyranny.
The essence of the Ashura of tyranny was very slight, but sufficient to inhabit a body.
Besides, as soon as she entered Caligo’s body she could begin to cultivate the power of chaos by feeding on the disorder that would be in the city.
So yes, Caligo had always been a piece for a plan.
A marionette with a purpose.
Until she gained will.
At that instant, there was a slight turn in her story.
She could decide for herself for the first time.
But it was really something new for her, it wasn’t easy to make decisions really.
So she decided to simply do what she was told.
But this time was different, this time, Caligo didn’t want to obey.
"Mmm, how strange, didn’t you hear me? Well, it doesn’t matter," Epimetheus said with indifference. "I don’t need you to come closer anyway."
Then, the man turned, taking a few steps toward Caligo.
The girl took a few steps backward, with fear.
Her normally gray eyes turned a yellowish green.
She knew it, as soon as she completed her "mission," she would stop being free forever.
She didn’t want that, she was afraid of becoming a prisoner of her own body again.
However, deep down she knew it.
There was no choice.
"Just stay still," the priest indicated, as he squeezed the artifact with his fingers, breaking it with his own hands.
Upon doing so, a shrill and unpleasant sound was emitted that traveled throughout the "room."
Caligo covered her ears by reflex, but the sound was heard even through her hands.
Then, an ominous essence began to manifest. Like a distortion in space and matter, which traveled to Caligo, striking her chest.
The girl fell to the ground startled.
She was scared, her breathing was irregular and her eyes teary.
Something had entered inside her.
"Perfect, it seems to have worked," the man added pleased, as his smile twisted more.
Caligo’s body began to convulse and twist forcefully, as she emitted whimpers and muffled screams of pain.
Her limbs began to stretch, reptile scales began to grow on her arms and legs.
Horns began to emerge from her skull, these were black and dark as obsidian.
The horns began to protrude until forming a kind of crown on her head.
Caligo’s back curved in pain as one last muffled scream of pain escaped from her throat.
Then Caligo’s consciousness vanished, to give way to that of the Ashura of tyranny.
Blue flames began to surround her body, like a flaming veil.
The shackles and chains holding the girl were broken, as the flames kept spreading.
Little by little the room began to deform, large amounts of Azoth were distorting the reality surrounding them, to alter the scenario.
Then, space began to enlarge, as if the walls were moving away from each other.
Stone rubble began to appear that began to pile up on each other.
Caligo’s flame-wrapped figure began to rise in the sky, as an altar began to form.
Stone columns rose, while stairs were piling up until reaching a rock throne.
"HAHAHAHA! YES! IT’S WORKING! SHE’S RETURNING!" the man exclaimed as he fell to his knees and raised his arms, in an epiphany.
It seemed his objectives had been fulfilled.
Soon the walls were so far apart from each other that the darkness seemed to belong to the ominous night, a veil of eternal darkness that extended in that space.
Finally, Caligo’s flaming body landed on the throne, as that same fire began to diminish.
When the flames stopped crackling, a great silence was established in the room.
"Well, so the traitor has returned," a female voice said, which resonated throughout the scenario.
It was imposing, serious and annoyed.
It was the Ashura’s voice.
Caligo had changed quite a bit, her eyes now looked like two blue flames that burned eternally, her gaze was confident and severe, and her pose was arrogant, worthy of a queen.
Even her clothes had changed, now, Caligo wore an ostentatious blue dress, much more dignified than the rags the girl wore before.
"Huh? I don’t know what your majesty is referring to! I’m a simple servant who has come to serve you," Epimetheus affirmed as he prostrated himself in front of the stairs, showing complete devotion to the woman.
Caligo raised an eyebrow, her white hair waved elegantly while the tips seemed to burn with a bluish fire.
Caligo’s gaze was severe, and calculating, as if analyzing Epimetheus.
In an instant, the woman relaxed, leaning on the throne’s backrest, looking at Epimetheus condescendingly.
"What kind of story is that? What are you playing at, To—"
"So you discovered it!" Epimetheus interrupted with emotion, as if that thrilled him. "As expected of you, you really are too intelligent."
Caligo only made a grimace at those words, as if that praise bothered her.
"Uh-huh, yes, I’m not one who lets herself be deceived twice by the same wretch," the girl declared with annoyance. "You already tried to deceive me once, that was enough for me."
Epimetheus emitted a nervous laugh at those words.
Being discovered so soon was bad for his plans, too bad.
But it could still be salvaged.
"I suppose I can’t beat you, hehe," the man responded with a twisted and somewhat annoyed smile. "May I ask what gave me away?"
The old man asked, almost like a plea. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
Caligo just rolled her eyes, as if that game wouldn’t work with her.
"Your eyes, those soulless black eyes stand out too much, it was obvious it was you," Caligo explained condescendingly. "Besides, my feminine instinct alerted me."
Epimetheus raised an eyebrow, very amused by the woman’s response.
"Feminine instinct? Does that really exist? HAHAHA how funny," the man exclaimed with an amused smile.
However, Caligo didn’t seem to find that conversation funny at all, as if it were something unpleasant for her to talk with that old priest.
"Uh-huh, enough stupid chatter," the Ashura of tyranny ordered with a snort. "Why the hell are you pretending to be an old man? And why the hell have you given me a body? Hadn’t you already finished with the gods? You didn’t need me anymore."
Epimetheus’s smile began to vanish from his face, his expression became increasingly serious.
He began to stand up, to then look the demon queen in the eyes.
His gaze was so deep it seemed to be enough to drown the blue flames in the Ashura of tyranny’s eyes.
"Yes, or at least that’s what I thought," the man affirmed with a serious expression, his gaze was hard to describe. "But I suppose I was wrong."
At those words, Caligo sketched a long smile, as she gave the old priest a mocking and arrogant look.
"Pfft, HAHAHA! Of course you were wrong, not only did you cut the connection with the gods, you also let Azoth enter the planet ruining this world," Caligo mocked cruelly, but then, her gaze became more serious. "Though I don’t think you’re referring to that, I suppose you see that atrocity you caused as a ’greater good.’"
Epimetheus shook his head, his expression was no longer arrogant or amused, he was very serious.
"No, I’m aware of that mistake too, I suppose I should have planned that part better," the old boy affirmed with a lost gaze. "But that’s not really the error I’m referring to, after all I managed to solve it with Od’Zohar."
Caligo sighed upon hearing those words.
"Well, if solving means rescuing 0.05% of a planet’s life forms I suppose you’re right," Caligo answered condescendingly. "But well, I suppose now... you’re going to exterminate what’s left alive, right?"
