The God of Gravity part 3: Apocalypse

A King Arrives

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A little boy strays from the group of Olympus and Asgard survivors. He does not know where to go. He is in the middle of the tundra, crying, hoping that someone could hear him. But such little voice could not reach a mile away. His oversized mask is not helping him that much. The neck is not air-tight so some of the ashes come in. The cold is also punishing, it is only a matter of minutes until he freezes to death.

Shivering so hard, he looks down to the ground. Then a gentle hand touches his head. He sobs looking up to see the face of a goddess.

“It's gonna be alright, little one,” says Danae. Her voice is as soothing as the oceans she commands. Enzo is behind him, carrying Leo.

“Where's Momma?” sobs the boy.

“Hang on, we'll help you find her.”

She carries him in her arms and they went onward again on her water. He hides his face on her shoulder but his eyes over it to look at Enzo behind her. He looks uncomfortable like he does not know what to say or do to occupy the boy. He just looks at the side, not daring to make things more awkward. As he does that, the boy narrows his eyes slightly at Leo. Finally, they arrive at where the survivors stay. They are met with explosive cheers and welcome.

“It's Lady Danae and Lord Enzo!”

“We're saved!”

“Those Masked Men are dead now!”

“Welcome back, my lady, my lord,” bows Santos in front of them. He is quite startled seeing Leo.

They are surrounded by the crowd. But some of them are terrified of seeing Leo in Enzo's arms. Murmurs about questioning his decision in bringing the boy who's responsible for the destruction is invading the whole place. Even so, he is not affected by it. Nothing they could say can change it.

“Lord Santos,” she bows back, putting the little boy on the ground.

“We need your help to heal the injured, my lady!”

“Alright,” she nods. “In the meantime, help this bo-” The boy has already disappeared among the crowd. She wonders where he went. “Where is the-”

“Your sisters are injured too, my lady.”

Her attention is pulled away from the disappearance of the boy to worrying about her sisters. “Bring me to them!”

“Right this way, my lady,” he gestures his hand.

“Damn, that Enzo is so lucky to have her!” screams the boy in his mind, sneaking through the crowd. “Those boobs are genuine. I felt it with my stomach, alright… Damn. Setting that aside, I need to find Juliet. It's a miracle that I'm acting like a caring brother for once.”

The people give way for her and Enzo. Her pace is getting faster and faster. Her feelings pull her towards them. The beat of her heart is getting rapidly getting faster, imagining things that could have happened to both of her sisters. Then she sees them, side by side on the stretchers on the floor.

Aurelia is sitting with her left leg wrapped with bandages. Her lips are bleeding and her armor is worn off. Mila's head is wrapped and her blood is staining it. She is unconscious.

“Danae, Enzo!” exclaims Aurelia.

Sobbing, Danae kneels and embraces her sisters. “I missed both of you!”

“Yes, of course. Now, heal Mila! Quick!”

She lets go of her and looks at Mila's peaceful face. She looks peaceful but she is suffering. Her injuries are grave. With unmatched grace and glowing blue eyes, Danae stoops down and kisses her sister's forehead. And wherever she touches her, her injuries heal. Everyone focuses their prayers on her and Santos, trying to heal as many people as they can. Then when she is done, she stays with her sisters. Aurelia falls asleep on her lap. Mila is still unconscious. Leo is unconscious too, lying beside her. Everyone brought her gifts and paid their gratitude. Then they stop as they know she needs space for now.

Sitting, Enzo holds a bowl of soup for Danae while she caresses Aurelia's head. Her hand is trembling with exhaustion. Using a spoon, he gives her soup. Other demigodesses and goddesses are jealous. They want a man as great as him.

“Thank goodness, we're in time,” says Danae after she swallows.

“Thank goodness, indeed,” he nods, giving her a spoonful.

“I can't believe that this is happening. Why many innocent people had to die?”

“Whatever reason, I say it's for something evil. But don't worry. I'm here and I'm not gonna let them take anyone.”

“I'll help you.”

“No,” he says with a casual voice.

She is startled when she asks, “Why?”

“Earth needs a leader. And right now, you're the ruler of Earth until King Rai returns. They need you to lead them. I'll go around the world to wipe them out. You stay here and protect everyone.”

“Oh… right…” She looks at his eyes, telling him to answer sincerely for what she is about to ask. “But can I?”

He stops feeding her and just puts the spoon in the bowl. He holds her hand before saying, “You can.”

“I don't know about that.” Her eyes avert from him.

His grip on her hand become firmer. “You can,” he says.

She could not resist but to look at his eyes once more. His sincerity reaches her heart and blows away the doubt in herself. Letting out a sigh, she smiles, feeling her chest getting warmer. She opens her mouth to tell him she wants to eat the soup. He gives him that.

“You know…,” he speaks. “I don't wanna waste time. I want to marry you as soon as we can.”

“Me too, but-”

“But not now since we are in a crisis.” All she could do is nod. He nods back and continues, “That's why I want to resolve everything as fast as I can. I will find their leader and take him out.”

“Santos said that it was Dragunov all along. Are you sure you can handle him alone? Even my father had a hard time defeating him.”

“That was before when he was in his prime. Now, he's old and that gives me an advantage. But his experience in fighting is what's dangerous.”

“Let's just wait until Father gets here.”

“It would take so long before he can. We can't wait that long, my love.”

“But… I don't want to lose you.” She looks to the side, flustered about what she said.

“You're not gonna lose me—I promise you that. I'm doing this for both of us and the Realm. But,” He leans forward to whisper near her ear. “I'm doing this for you the most.” He sits back and asks, “Am I too selfish?”

Smiling, she answers, “Yes, but I don't hate you.”

Enzo could not help but smile. Her heart jumps when he did. To the side, she looks, afraid to know what will happen to her if she gazes at him for long.

On the other side of the world, in the rebuilt fortress of Telemotu Aiga, Xue lands on the ground with a loud thud. Ashes and snow spread throughout the place. Hilde is there not far away, seeing her arrive.

“Lady Xue,” she bows with her hands behind her back. “I'm glad that you arrived safely.”

With a single wave of her hand, the ashes and snow clear up. “The same goes for you. Now that I know that you're doing fine.”

“Well, not that fine, my lady. I'm still waiting for my right arm to fully heal.”

“Honest as ever,” she remarks walking to her and shakes her hand. “Would you be kind to brief me with the whole situation, Lady Hilde?”

“I'd be glad to do so, my lady.” She gestures to follow her. “Please, this way.”

It is at the same time the troops under Xue's command arrive. Humans land using jetpacks and demigods land straight on the ground.

They walk a couple of meters to the bunker made out of steel. The airlock is opened so they come in along with Xue's troops. After that, they proceed to the operating room for visuals. A hologram is usable. Hilde nods to the operators to do their thing. The hologram of the globe appears in the middle.

“May I start now, my lady?” asks Hilde at Xue.

Sitting on a chair with her troops behind her taking notes, she nods and says, “You may, Lady Hilde.”

Nodding one last time, Hilde starts the briefing. “It happened on December the 3rd, 2043 at around 11 pm, Olympus time. Thousands of nuclear bombs exploded throughout the world. Annihilating populous cities and especially the Demigod Strongholds.” The hologram shows the pictures of the destruction. “With no leads as to how they put the bombs under the strongholds, we are still finding some clues.”

“We might have something to add to it, Lady Hilde,” says Xue. “Lady Silva sent us a message that the bombs come from the god named, Tsar, the God of Chaos.”

Raising her eyebrows disturbingly, Hilde says, “But that is impossible, my lady. The last God of Chaos that the Realm has encountered fled two thousand years ago. Unless…”

“That's right,” Xue nods. “They happen to have acquired it accidentally from a death of a God of Chaos from another Realm far from us.”

“What about Lady Silva? Is she alright?”

“Her last message was, ‘Olympus Mons is destroyed’.”

“They timed everything very well,” growls Hilde. “Oh, I'm sorry, my lady,” she apologizes after realizing she is losing her temper.

“Don't mind. Please continue.”

She clears her throat and continues, “The Earth's human population dropped from around 10 billion to 1.5 billion in estimates. Demigods drop from 100 million to 4 million. Deities drop from 600 to around 200. Most of them even forming their factions away from the demigod clans, believing that they will stay safe away from us. Their usual composition is 1 or 2 deities, a hundred demigods, and thousands of humans. This is evident as my sources tell me that they even pay taxes to the enemy to leave them alone as well as involved selling them information. This hindered Seok's progress in rebuilding the fortifications but eventually, he is successful with the help of the two fastest goddesses. Eleanna, the Goddess of Speed, proven candidate for the title, Queen of Olympus Mons and Aurelia, the Goddess of Lightning. However, this is not to say that all is well since I just received a message that Asgard has been destroyed again recently.”

“How?”

“They said it was because of Leonide, the God of Gravity. Something awakened in him that they could not understand and he began to attack the survivors. Even Aiko lost to him. Thank goodness Enzo arrived just in time. Moving on to the details about the enemy, I was there finding it out myself that Dragunov is the mastermind behind all of this.”

The men behind Xue murmur about it. “Dragunov?” she asks. “Did I hear it right?”

“Yes, my lady. He's alive all this time.”

“Did he spit out why?”

“Yes, he said that the ‘God of All’ saved him and gave him a new purpose. But I don't believe what's coming out of his mouth.”

“Rai might have to clear things up when he arrives. You were there when they fought. Are you sure he fell into Jupiter with nothing or no one stopping him?”

“I'm sure, my lady. I've seen it with my own eyes as well as our allies at that time.”

“But then he is not that clever to come up with this plan.”

“That's what we thought too—that's what I really think. He has to have someone making plans for him from behind. Me, Narada, and Seok spread out to find clues about it, on the way, checking the strongholds. But rest assured. Soon, we will meet and discuss it.”

Xue narrows her eyes. “You already suspect someone, do you?” she asks. The men are speechless and even trying to breathe as quietly as possible.

“Yes, my lady and it's best if I keep it to myself.”

“Right. We shall wait for what's to come. Just be careful, Hilde.”

“I will, my lady,” Hilde nods.

Breathing slowly, Mila wakes up feeling a warm hand holding hers. At her left, is Danae sitting with Aurelia lying on her lap.

“Danae?” she speaks in a cracked voice.

“Mila!” she exclaims, kissing her cheek. “I'm glad you're okay!”

“Is Enzo with you?”

“‘Was’, but he had to leave with Aiko to handle things around the world.”

“Thank goodness…,” she sighs with a smile. But then changes into seriousness as she remembers someone. “Where's Leo?”

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