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ultramagicalternate · 23 days ago

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UMAE - Chaos Angel

Master Post - Patreon

Suggested Reading (but not mandatory):

ULTRAMagic Interlude: Shadowland

ULTRAMagic Interlude (Bonus Chapters)

UMAE - Schwarzes Biest

It was going to be a fairly interesting day at the Pari Mansion. Valentina had been expecting her friend, the angel Achasiah, as he had something important to tell her. It related to everything she had been going through in regards to Heaven’s armies, Inferno, and the conflicts within The Unlight. Valentina’s daughter, Gabriella, already knew what he was going to say. The conversation was not going to be pretty, so she planned to nap through the whole thing. Just as she began to fall asleep, she felt something slam up against a wall…

“WHAT ARE YOU EVEN SAYING!?!” her mother could be faintly heard shouting.

Gabriella knew this would happen and tried to plug her ears while hiding her head under a pillow. All of it was incredibly distressing for her. Being an angel herself, she could have easily just left right then and there until Valentina calmed down. Something kept her there though, most likely concern for her mother. Taking an uneasy breath, Gabriella left her room and crept downstairs. What she saw was an utter mess, in more ways than one.

“YOU LIED TO ME!!” Valentina screamed at Achasiah.

“Well yes, but we had to be mindful of the cult…”

“HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY THIS BEFORE YOU GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD!?!” Valentina threw another vase. “WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST TELL THE TRUTH!?”

“Well hey, sometimes we lie because we care, Zozena…” Achasiah could see her eyeing something else to throw. “And hey, we saved the Unlight! You should be grateful…”

“EXCUSE ME!?!”

If Achasiah had not struck a nerve before, he certainly had now. “NO NO, it wasn’t supposed to come out like that!!” he pleaded.

“I WENT THROUGH A WAR AND UP AGAINST THAT STUPID CULT AND I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL!?!”

“Zozena, please!”

“YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL I DON’T RUN MY GREATLANCE THROUGH THAT FIRE PLANET YOU’VE BEEN OBSESSING OVER!!!”

“Look, I’ll make it up to you, somehow…”

Valentina had had enough. She picked up Achasiah by the scruff of his clothes, hauled him to the door, and chucked him outside. “GET LOST!!!” She screamed as she slammed the door as hard as she could, shaking the entire mansion.

Gabriella watched from the window as Achasiah began to cry and fly off. “MOTHER!”

She glared at her daughter. “You knew this entire time AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME!?”

That made her daughter recoil. “M-mother, that tantrum was uncouth of you…” Gabriella was trying her best not to have a mental breakdown.

“Don’t talk back to me!” Valentina snapped. “Not after everything I’ve gone through!” Seeing Gabriella shaking frustrated her to no end. “Don’t look at me like that. He lied to me, there’s no getting around that.”

“Ye-yes, but was it really that bad? Surely you don’t regret everything?”

“Of course not! Blood’s like a son to me…” Valentina groaned loudly and stomped her foot. “Nearly everyone’s been treating me like a little girl since day one!” She then remembered something crucial. “Huh, maybe I should take his majesty up on his offer then…”

“Mom, no!” Come on, you have no idea what The Vermilion King even has in mind!”

Valentina snapped her fingers, summoning her dark armor. She went right for the door, with nothing being able to change her mind. “I don’t care what it is, it’s time for this nonsense to end! Don’t worry, dear, I will be back. Until then, you have free reign of the house.”

Gabriella nearly broke down into tears, but maintained her composure long enough to fumble for her phone and dial a number. “Weaver? I’m sorry if you’re busy, but I need you here right now…”

That fiasco with Achasiah was the final straw. Valentina was done being a puppet and was going to take matters into her own hands. She looked all over the Cosmos for The Vermilion King, realm to realm and universe to universe. Eventually she returned to her Inferno to rest for a bit. Stopping in a forest near her mansion, Valentina thought about how angry she had become while eating an apple. Hopefully Gabriella had not been too disturbed by her… of course, the thought of Achasiah reignited her rage. Just what in the Cosmos had gotten into him?

“Blast it all, he wasn’t like this before becoming a constraining angel…” Valentina grumbled.

“Really now?” A male voice questioned. “He seems like such a cheery chap though…” Standing behind Valentina was a tall man with crystalline skin and glowing red eyes. He was wearing a crimson cloak over his obsidian armor and crown of black and orange metal adorned his head.

“Excuse me, but where were you just now, your majesty? I went and scoured the whole Cosmos looking for you!”

The King chuckled. “Just helping Mr. Schwarzes Biest get to where he needed to be and starting to get my kingdom back in order.”

Valentina studied him for a moment. “Is it just me or do you seem different from the last time we met? It wasn’t that long ago, was it?”

“I’ve been recovering from past battles.”

“Right. Your majesty, I’m up for that task you need taken care of. Let’s go!” Valentina said as she got up and began walking…somewhere.

The King was surprised and followed. “That’s great, but don’t you want to hear the full details first?”

“No need, let’s roll!” She declared before stopping. “Well, actually, where are we heading again?”

The King rubbed his hands together. “Let’s not be so hasty. This is going to be fairly difficult as we will be heading to the remains of my realm, The Vermilion Kingdom.”

Valentina unfurled her shadowy wings, with both of them flying up into the sky. “And what will we be doing there exactly?”

“To put it plainly, we’re taking my kingdom back.”

As the pair flew amongst the colossal nebula and great streams of energy of the void of the Cosmos, the king explained what had happened to The Vermilion Kingdom. It had long since fallen in his defeat at the hands of Ignatius and The Madman of Old, but one of the king’s generals had continued the wars the king had foolishly started so long ago. The Scarlet God had long since been defeated by his majesty and The Arbiters of Droom, but a revenant of the god had persisted and was causing chaos across the Cosmos.

“...the poor boy can’t be allowed to continue on like this, so it’s our duty to put him out of his misery” The King lamented.

“Goodness, is there any other way to solve this?” Valentina asked.

“Well actually it’s not as simple as I’m implying. We can’t just defeat him as that repugnant Sepulchre God is after his power. He’s going to give it to one of his lackeys and I firmly believe that Sepulchre is considering either The Crimson God or a degenerate calling himself ‘Despot.’ The latter is a high ranking member of Anne Vozenilek’s side of The Eternal Cult, so I shouldn’t have to reiterate why he can’t obtain The Scarlet God’s power.”

“Adonai help me, I’m never getting away from this nonsense with the cult…” Valentina groaned. “So what’s the solution you have in mind?”

“Hold on, we’re crossing over into the Dream Realm, Brace yourself!”

The Cosmos had thinned greatly at this point, opening up into a wild space of churning energy and matter. This was well beyond anywhere Valentina had ever been in the Cosmos. The Dream Realm was before them, with the portion they were crossing through manifesting as colossal, billowing thunder clouds with the color of sunset. Transitioning into the realm was rough, as it almost felt like Valentina was being torn apart and rebuilt. With a mighty flap of her wings, she rocketed past the barrier of clouds.

Wherever in the Dream Realm Valentina was, it was truly beyond beauty. She beheld what looked like a universe that had been meticulously crafted by the most skilled artisans possible. There was also a noticeable tranquility, like the realm had not been tainted by the turmoil of the Cosmos. A tear rolled down Valentina’s cheek, as she was witnessing a true paradise.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” The King asked. “This is Somnium, a transitional realm within the Dream Realm that serves as a bridge between the Cosmos and the Outer Void. And to think I almost forsook this glorious place… Come, The Vermilion Kingdom isn’t far from here.”

The two resumed their journey. “So how do I play into all of this, if you don’t mind me asking, your majesty?”

“I need to find a new vessel for my boy’s power, and I think you are the dark angel for the job.”

“Wait, really? I mean, I’m honored, but I had no idea we were going to go that far…”

The King was silent for a second. “I’ve been thinking about it for some time, Zozena. Either way, I need to free the Scarlet God from his bondage so he can move on and my kingdom can heal from the wounds I inflicted so long ago. You’ve got the strength and bravery to inherit this power, I can feel it…”

“Hold up, are you getting at what I think you’re getting at?”

“Zozena, would you do me the honor of becoming one of my new generals? I have no plans to ever declare war on God or the Cosmos again, but I know I’ll have to fight tooth and nail to maintain our freedom and peace.”

“Oh my…” Valentina thought about it for a moment, as it was an unbelievable responsibility. On the other hand, it was the perfect opportunity to gain what she wanted. “If it’ll help me keep the ones I love safe, I happily accept.”

“Thank you, Zozena. I promise I won’t let you down…” Valentina laughed a bit. “What’s so funny?”

“Haha, you’re being upfront, unlike a certain blacksmith angel I know…”

“Ah, I see. My Kingdom is up ahead, right over there…”

The two then touched down in a dead field of dried out brush. The sky was a dying red, gloomy towers of scorched iron loomed in the distance, and an eerie wind whistled past them. An aging castle could be seen far away and before them was a withering township. Valentina was overwhelmed by a feeling of sorrow as she witnessed beggars and the forlorn gather around The Vermilion King, expecting help. He had nothing to give at the moment, but promised them he would set things right.

A young girl in ragged clothes walked up to Valentina. “Are you here to help us?”

Valentina noticed a large, infected gash on the girl’s arm. It tugged at her heartstrings as the girl looked just like Gabriella when she was young. “You poor thing… come here, sweetie.”

As Valentina healed the girl, a man who shared a passing resemblance to Achasiah stepped over. He picked up the girl once Valentina was done. “Thank you for healing my daughter, kind angel.”

“You’re welcome.” Valentina then looked at the girl. “And don’t worry, dear. Me and your king are going to fix everything up…”

The conversation was interrupted by a loud, menacing horn in the distance. What looked like a pair of great machines were slowly making their way towards them. They were far off, but the villagers cowered in fear regardless. The Vermilion King clenched his fists, ready to fight.

“Well, it looks like someone knows we’re here…”

Valentina summoned her majestic greatlance, gleaming against the decayed realm. “Your majesty, protect your people. I’ll deal with our little welcoming party…” she expanded her wings, rose into the air, and took off towards the machines as fast as she could.

“Just who is that, your majesty?” The father asked.

The King Chuckled in confidence. “That is Zozena, one of my new generals…”

“Your majesty? You’re not considering…”

He shook his head. “No. The days of us attacking the Cosmos have long since ended” The King replied as he crossed his arms in a relaxed manner. “Should everything go according to plan, we’ll be protecting the Cosmos.”

Both of the colossal machines trudged their way towards the village, shaking the earth beneath them with every step. Each were bipedal automatons that looked like they were also designed to be mobile fortresses. Although their metal frames were greatly tarnished, one could still observe their gothic-esque architecture, with their bodies being impossible to construct within the constraints of the Cosmos. As much as Valentina wanted to marvel at their terrifying magnificence, she had to deal with them as they were after her and The Vermilion King.

Despite being hulking, lumbering machines, they were surprisingly nimble. While not winning any medals for dexterity, Valentina had a few close calls with their hands just narrowly missing her. The angel responded by summoning a star that appeared to be the size of a ball. She held it up, then clenched her fist. It imploded, sending a shower of exploding star matter at the first machine. The impacts had no effect as it continued onwards. Next Valentina created another star, but this time she punched it. An immensely powerful, gamma ray burst shot forth, stunning the first machine.

The second machine then began an onslaught from an uncountable amount of cannons. Valentina tried to evade in a way to cause friendly fire, but the first machine proved impervious to the accidental assault. While dodging the cannonfire, Valentina had noticed an opening in the second machine. Destroying it from the inside out was a gamble as she had no idea what their interiors were like. A near miss from a devastating laser from the recovered first machine prompted her to make up her mind, however.

Flying through the second machine was a herculean task for Valentina. Both were the size of two mountains stacked on top of each other and the interior was a labyrinthian expanse of cogs, gears, and furnaces that erupted with smoke and steam. The cacophony of mechanical sounds all of it created would have permanently deafened any mortal foolish enough to enter. Making things worse, getting lost in the maze of metal was easier than finding what one needed. Fortunately the persistent dark angel had a hunch that led her to a giant, metal sphere the size of an asteroid. It was clearly the core of the colossus.

At first Valentina tried to punch the sphere to no avail. Next she attempted to use her alchemy to transmute part of the hull into a door, but nothing happened. This was incredibly confusing as that implied the material was something other than prima materia at its root. Valentina was sixth dimensional, meaning she could perceive the material at the smallest particle possible. This glimpse confirmed her suspicions, forcing her to think outside the box.

Looking at her weapon, Valentina considered using it to pierce through the hull to the core. The metal was physical enough and her lance could easily destroy an entire planet, so it was worth a shot. After making sure she was off just by a little bit in case she hit something that could detonate, Valentina reared up and rocketed forward with a mighty wing flap. She broke through the outer shell of the core, finding a strange crystal on what appeared to be an altar. Taking the crystal caused her ears to be assaulted by the thunderous sounds of the machine shutting down.

Making her way outside, Valentina saw two things. One was that the second machine had locked up, standing completely still. The other was that both of them were closer to the village. Acting fast, Valentina lined herself up with where she assumed the core of the first machine was and did another charge with her lance. She quickly emerged with the other crystal, causing the first machine to also shut down. After doing a quick victory flight over the village, Valentina flew to a hill where The Vermilion King was. He was waiting patiently, looking at his castle.

“Well done, Valentina,” The King commended. “Very few have the fortitude to take on a Death Engine all by themselves, let alone two at once.”

“There isn’t anymore, is there?”

“No, those were the last of their ilk. All the others shut down a long time ago. It’s sad to see those two go as they were brothers and the first two ever made…”

“Wait, hold on a second…” Valentina reached into her wing and handed the king the two crystals. “I was concerned about them detonating, so I kept them intact.”

“Haha, my goodness! Well, it looks like these two will get a second chance after all,” The King remarked as he gingerly tucked them away in his cloak. “How about we take a quick rest before we head to my castle?” Mind if I ask about Achasiah?”

Valentina groaned. “What about him?”

“What’s the matter between you two? I could sense it when I entered your Inferno.” Valentina looked away and rolled her eyes. “Is it really that bad? I’ve been around the bend with turmoil before, so perhaps I can help…”

After an exasperated sigh, Valentina relented. “He LIED to me! My best friend lied to me. I joined Heaven’s armies thinking he wanted to further my honors when in reality he was doing this stupid little ‘I have to mastermind everything’ nonsense. He has all these delusions of grandeur from becoming a constraining angel and I can’t stand it!”

“Does this all center around The Iron City and Shadowland?”

“Yeah…”

“Ah, Ignatius and Schwarzes told me about that recently. Apparently Achasiah was being very secretive about the whole matter when he didn’t need to be.”

“Exactly!” Valentina exclaimed. “He just had to be the clever hero who solved everything and saved the day! Had I known the biggest threat at the time was Dunja and her blades, I would’ve just gone and punched Milosh in the face until he stopped moving!”

“Assuming Anne didn’t deploy a rogue god…” The King pointed out.

“Ah…” Valentina paused. “Fair point, but still! Did you know that Hasiel was supposed to handle the Shadowland situation? He is fantastic at subterfuge and strategy. Why didn’t Achasiah just listen to him!?” She then kicked a boulder, cracking it in half. “I remember when we were young. He worked his wings off for his honors, but now the fame’s gone to his head…”

“Well it sounds like he felt he was under pressure to produce results. I know for a fact that God, or Adonai in this case, expects the best from his children. I have the battle scars to show for it, ha!”

“Are you implying he was afraid of looking like a fool? Because it’s a little late for that.”

The King chuckled. “If Achasiah got into a ‘success no matter what’ mindset, then he was most likely afraid of failure. And that would be compounded in his current role, given the responsibilities he now has.”

“He didn’t fail Heaven, he failed me…”

“Failure is inevitable, no matter how high or powerful we are. Everything around us wouldn’t exist without it. And of course, the possibility of failure provokes fear, which leads to irrational decisions. Just look at me: I was afraid the Cosmos would give way to evil and degeneracy, leading to me having the bone headed idea to challenge God for his throne. Like I could have done a better job…”

“What are you getting at?”

“Achasiah feared failure and hit his lowest point possible. In trying to avoid our destiny we often hasten our journey towards it. He will either learn from this or run from it. And with a little help, I feel he’ll make the right choice…”

Valentina gave the king an incredulous look. “Are you saying I should just go and forgive him like it’s nothing at all?”

“I’m saying you should look at the big picture here. What Achasiah did was insensitive, but his heart was in the right place. It’s obvious he wanted all of you to live happily ever after at the end of the day. When something falls over, you rebuild it, not kick it to the winds.”

“Well, we are arguably in a better place now. And I suppose slamming the door on him was a little too harsh…”

“And isn’t Gabriella looking forward to a father? Perhaps in Achasiah?”

“Excuse me, how do you know that?”

The King chuckled again. “Whispers in the wind and whatnot…”

Valentina sighed. “I suppose I should let it go then. No use dwelling on it forever because forever is a long time after all.”

“Don’t abandon him, Zozena. Loneliness kills.”

That hit Valentina directly in her emotions, pushing her to the verge of crying “You know what? When I become stronger, I’m going to make sure he never has to pull a thing like this ever again.”

“That’s the spirit. Come, The Scarlet God is bound to send my old soldiers after us eventually.”

The Vermilion King’s castle was a brutalist-gothic masterpiece, made of black steel and red obsidian. Despite the ages of wear and tear, it stood proudly above all in the realm. Even the ruined city that surrounded it still retained some of its old glory. Upon touching down, Valentina observed the sad state of things. The skeletal remains of citizenry and soldiers sat there in silence, waiting even in death for their king to return. The Vermilion King felt a pain in his chest as it was heartbreaking to see his once grand kingdom in rack and ruin like this.

Reaching the city square, the two were confronted by a group of knights in fearsome, black armor. They were led by Commander Haedan, a stoic knight who stood tall and proud, despite being ravaged by eons of decay. He was greatly upset at his king for abandoning them, but remained professional and honorable. Haedan declared that The Vermilion Kind had to prove himself in order to pass.

Valentina stepped forward in the name of Heaven, Inferno, and the honor of the king himself. She was going to finish her quest to become stronger, stating her desire to protect the ones she loved. Haedan could see the determination in her eyes and respected that. The two went silent for a moment before a great vortex of intense energy surrounded them.

A contest of wills was commencing as the knights marveled at the sights and sounds of the bout. Flashes of light, bolts of lighting, intense auroras, and great storms erupted all around them. All of this was accompanied by a heavenly choir and an eldritch orchestra, from no identifiable source, performing a truly grand symphony beyond comprehension that ended in a crescendo that dispelled the vortex.

After a moment of silence, Haedan bent the knee. “I concede. Go forth and reclaim your throne, my king.”

The Vermilion King stepped forward to address him. “Arise, Commander Haedan.”

“Your majesty?”

“We’re not out of the woods yet and we will need your help. The Scarlet God won’t go down without a fight.”

“I shall fight alongside you with utmost pride, your majesty. You have my blade.”

“Thank you, Haedan. It is the dawn of a new era, in which we will protect and elevate the Cosmos, not burn and conquer it. Your suffering is at an end and shall not be in vain.”

Feeling overwhelming joy flow into his withered body, Haedan turned to his men and raised his sword. “Our king has returned!” he proudly declared. “Even though our bones ache and our blood is dust, we shall reclaim Castle Vermilion, even if it’s the last thing we do!!”

Headen’s men roared and cheered with a fervor that the realm had not seen in a very long time. They hollered and charged through the dusty streets, rallying anyone who remained. Even the ghosts of citizens who had long since turned to dust rose from their graves to join the march. The Vermilion King nearly cried seeing his subjects stand by his side. Even after all of his missteps, they still believed in him.

Heading to the castle was not as simple as it seemed. The soldiers still loyal to The Scarlet God stood in the way and their numbers were great. Haedan and the king stood strong, pushing forward even though they were outnumbered. In truth, Valentina had never wanted to be a warrior. She had only joined Heaven’s armies so she could explore the Cosmos. The desire of the king’s subjects to restore their home filled her with the will to fight, however. She truly understood it now, that sometimes one had to take a stand and fight for what was right. Valentina was fully on board at this point, lending all of her abilities as they entered the castle courtyard.

While Haedan and his men distracted the opposing soldiers, The Vermilion King and Valentina made their way to the throne room. “It feels surreal to be here again,” The King admitted. He then noticed Valentina looked fairly nervous. “What’s the matter, Zozena?”

“Oh, nothing much, just the fact that we’re about to confront a rogue god…”

“You took on two Death Engines at the same time single handedly, didn’t you?”

“That’s a bit apples to oranges, don’t you think?” After a moment of psyching herself up, she faced the ornate, double doors. “Alright, I’m ready…”

The king snapped his fingers, causing a series of gear-powered locks to disengage. It was most likely a fairly complex means of keeping them out, but it was the king’s castle, so it did what he commanded. The once grand throne room was in disarray, with the throne itself on the far end. Sitting there was the corpse of The Scarlet God. Being nothing more than a skeleton in a set of black armor, it was fairly unassuming. An uninformed onlooker would have thought that it was the king himself.

Valentina felt a wave of great sadness hit her, like that of a lost child. Before she could ask the king what she was supposed to do, the dark angel was pulled into a distorted, crumbling realm in the image of The Vermilion Kingdom. Standing before her was the withered husk of the god. He looked hollow and defeated, yet vainly clung to a hope he had nearly given up on.

“Who are you?” The Scarlet God asked. “Why are you here?” His words sounded bitter, like he did not want the angel to be there.

“I’m here to help you…”

He laughed. “Help? HELP? I don’t need help, fool! You and all of your ilk are the ones that need help! The whole Cosmos needs help! It needs to be reset so we can return…”

“Return to what?”

“The past!” The god snapped. “There will be no conflict if we go back to what things once were, casting off the shackles of modernity and progress!”

“You don’t actually believe all of that, do you? Modernity is subjective and things progress naturally. All of it is inevitable.”

“A lie will remain a lie!”

Valentina wanted more than just that, but she had to dodge a storm of crimson lightning. She then countered with a hail of exploding stars. The Scarlet God shrugged off most of it, only staggered by a few stray bursts. He could tell his opponent was holding back, and he knew what she was after.

“So you’re just here for my power, is that it?!”

“No!” Valentina felt her conscience kick in at the worst possible moment. “Err, yes, but it’s not like that” she stated as she avoided another flurry of attacks.

“It would be hypocritical of me to criticize your want. I wanted someone to look up to so long ago…” After summoning a storm of comets, he resumed his thoughts. “But then he left me with that heathen of a god…”

“Are you referring to his majesty and The Crimson God?”

The Scarlet God seemed fairly angry over that, increasing the intensity of his attacks for a brief moment. “WHO DO YOU THINK I’M TALKING ABOUT!? The Vermilion King… a king of cowardice! All that bravado about rebuilding the Cosmos and he just abandons it?!”

Valentina’s endurance was starting to falter, so she needed to do something about it quickly. “But he legitimately wants to protect the Cosmos now! He’s done being a conqueror…”

“Protect?” The Scarlet God felt a rage building up that had long since been absent. “PROTECT WHAT HE FEARED!? WHY!!!?” he screamed at the top of his lungs, tears streaming down his face. His attacks reached a fever pitch, the barrage of magic and fury pushing Valentina to her absolute limit. He then fell to his knees as the attacks began to weaken. “I can’t take this anymore!! HELP ME! SOMEONE! ANYONE!” The Scarlet God paused. “Oh what am I saying? I’m too pathetic to help…”

“What are you talking about!?” Valentina demanded to know. “Of course you’re worthy of help!”

“After the sins I’ve committed? War is sin, stranger. And I have my share of blood on my hands…”

Valentina summoned her remaining might and created a shield around her to hold off what was left of The Scarlet God’s attacks. “By the authority of Heaven and the mercy of God, I HEREBY GRANT YOU ABSOLUTION!” Her voice rumbled with immense power as the god was enwreathed in golden light.

He was beside himself, utterly speechless. “You can’t just…” in his amazement, he had not realized that the dark angel had charged forward and plunged her hand into his chest. “You… you clever girl… Did you really mean it?”

She gave him a warm smile. “Of course I did.”

The Vermilion King had been waiting in nervous anticipation. While he was usually a confident man, this had him legitimately concerned. Then it happened… Valentina was shot back from the corpse, her form having turned into a shining mass of red energy. She then flew out of the castle and high into the sky, resembling an exploding star. Everyone watched as the great transformation began, in awe of its beauty.

Valentina felt her life end, only for a new one to begin right then and there. Untamed power ripped her a sunder only to rebuild her into something truly magnificent. Her pitch black armor turned into fierce, black and red armor, and six, shadowy wings of fire emerged from her back. Valentina had become Chaos Angel Zozena.

Of course Valentina did not have long to relish her newfound power, as a gruesome dragon came flying towards her. “Ah, that awful Crimson God, I presume.”

“GIVE ME THAT POWER!!!” it bellowed, albeit sounding like it struggled to speak, forcing air through its throat.

“How about no,” Valentina rebuked as she began forming a sphere of immense energy in her hand.

What the citizenry witnessed was creation itself. Once enough energy had been collected, the sphere shrunk into seeming nothingness until it reappeared as an entire universe in the palm of her hand. It was not perfect, far from it, but it would have to do. Valentina had to be careful, or her attack would spell disaster for the whole kingdom. She threw the universe at the dragon, causing it to be absorbed like it had come into contact with a black hole. Valentina then threw it again with all of her might, casting it into an unknown region of the Cosmos.

The Vermilion King applauded as Valentina returned to the throne room. “Well done, General Zozena! A fantastic showing indeed. Alas, I regret to inform you that that was most likely just an aspect of The Crimson God…”

“That’s what I figured. Still, I like to think I handled that fairly well.”

“Absolutely. Even the smallest fragment of a rogue god can cause great turmoil.”

Valentina then noticed the king looked normal, like a man, despite his eldritch nature. “Your majesty, you look different…”

He chuckled. “Well, it looks like God kept his promise.”

The two then noticed something pushing its way out of the corpse of The Scarlet God. A boy dressed in regal, emerald-colored attire emerged, causing the old body to fade away into dust. He brushed himself off, looking around to get his bearings.

The boy coughed a bit. “Oh my, dusty! Very dusty…” he then sneezed.

“Bless you,” The King replied.

“Thank you…” he then realized who said that. “Dad!”

“Come here, my Verdant Prince” The King said as the prince ran to him for the biggest hug.

Once done, The Vermilion King led the two to the balcony, which oversaw the whole city. The once sickly, dying red sky was turning a rich, lively shade of bright azure. As this happened, a wave of light washed over the realm, breathing life into it once again. With the citizenry emerging from their dormancy and making their way to the castle, the king addressed his subjects. He declared that it was the beginning of a new era for the kingdom, one focused on learning, progress, and the light. His subjects cheered for and celebrated the long awaited rebirth of their home.

Heading back inside, the king took a seat on his throne for the first time in eons. He gave a sigh of relief as all of it was finally over. “It feels amazing to be here with all of you like this…”

The Verdant Prince conjured up his own throne. “Thank you for giving me a chance, General Zozena. If you had listened to me… erm, Let’s not think about that…”

Valentina chuckled. “You’re welcome, your highness. Just remember that you matter no matter what. Everyone deserves a second chance…” The King then chuckled. “What? Oh, right, Achasiah…”

“Are you still mad at him, Zozena?” The King inquired.

She sighed. “Honestly? I’m over it. He made a mistake, but I shouldn’t beat him up over it.”

“Oh, Zozena!” The Prince interjected. “I am feeling a lot better now, but I stand by what I said about modernity. Many kingdoms in the sphere of man will use it as a distraction to control people. I understand that technically this here is ‘modernity,’ but don’t let others use that to hide the nefarious deeds they are committing.”

Valentina took a second to process that and nodded. “Ah, I see what you were getting at now. It’s certainly an issue, but it’s a bit of an unavoidable one. That’s just how man is until they finally wake up to the light.”

“Good lord, on a regular basis? Aye yai yai… Dad? Is there anything meaningful we can do about this dilemma?”

“Off the top of my head? No. I do have some ideas in mind though.”

“Well either way I think everyone should take a moment to return to simpler times and appreciate what they have instead of what they don’t have” The Verdant Prince concluded.

Valentina smiled. “Agreed, a simple walk through the woods does one a lot of good…”

Just then, three men burst into the room, followed by Haedan. One of the men was a giant, brutalist stone man who looked very happy. The second was a youthful, brown-haired man in a space-age bodysuit and the last was a tall, strong man, wearing dark gray armor. The last two looked fairly concerned.

Haedan took a second to catch his breath, then introduced the three. “Your majesty, The Madman of Old, Ignatius Ford, and Eadlhelm the Destroyer wish to speak with you. My apologies for how sudden this is.”

“It’s alright, Haeden. I was expecting them. Gentlemen! Haha, welcome back to my kingdom!”

“King, just what in the blue blazes are you even up to!?” Ignatius demanded to know.

“Let’s not get too heated, Ignatius,” Ealdhelm cautioned. “Obviously the king has a good explanation for this turn of events.”

The Madman gave a joyful laugh. “Most certainly, as this was all a part of a deal his majesty made with God.”

The Vermilion King nodded. “Correct, venerable primordial. If I got things all straightened out with The Scarlet God, God promised to help me get my realm back in order.”

Ignatius then realized something and put two and two together. “Wait, so when you showed up to help me and Schwarzes, you were serious about getting your act together?”

“Indeed, Ignatius.”

Ealdhelm gave a slight chuckle. “Well then, good on you, your majesty. I knew you could turn things around.”

The Madman nodded, his stone body scraping up against itself. “Same here. The Chronomaton was unsure, so we put it to a bet. Guess who has to pay up now?” he asked with a quick laugh.

“Shall I go fetch the rest of the Arbiters of Droom then?” Ealdhelm inquired.

“Absolutely, as The Cerulean Queen will be here very soon,” The King replied.

“Wait, Queen?” The Prince wondered. “As in my mother?”

“Yes indeed, my son.”

“Fantastic! Hold on, I need to go clean my regalia real quickly!” The Prince said as he rushed out of the throne room.

As Ealdhelm left, Valentina went up to the Madman. “It’s an honor to finally meet you, Madman of Old.”

“Likewise, General Zozena,” he said as he shook her hand. “You’ve done your old man, Belymoht, proud.”

She then turned to Ignatius. “Hello, young man. You seem familiar to me. Have we met before?”

Ignatius smiled and shook her hand. “You don’t know me yet, but we’ll get to meet through the ULTRAMagic Guild. I’m Ultimatum’s older brother, by the way.”

“How wonderful. And it’s nice to meet you, Ignatius, even if we're not supposed to meet yet.”

“Zozena,” The King cut in. “Would you like to go talk to Achasiah while we wait for everyone to get here?”

“Oh yes, I was just about to ask about that! Mind if I bring him along if he’s up to it?”

“Go on right ahead, my queen is a massive people person.”

Valentina snapped her fingers, opening up a portal. “Alright, I’ll be back in a flash!”

Returning to Inferno was incredibly easy now, and it was even easier to find Achasiah. He was at The Rumbling Barrel, drowning his sorrow in pints. Valentina shook her head and strode down the street, making her way towards the pub. Many demons and angels were surprised by Valentina’s new power, wondering what had happened in the time she was gone. Valentina did not want to show it, but she was proud to be marveled at.

The Rumbling Barrel was fairly active, with people eating, chatting, and having a drink. Everyone was fairly cheerful, baring Ahcasiah, who was sulking at the far end of the countertop. Valentina quietly went over and sat next to him. She then gestured for one of the employees.

“Bartender? One mead and one rainwater, please.”

Achasiah jumped a little. “Zozena!?”

She smiled. “Hey, how are you doing?”

He quickly wiped his cheeks dry and straightened out his hair. “Look, I am sor…”

“Ah, I should be the one apologizing at the moment. I’m sorry for throwing you out and slamming the door. That was a bit uncalled for.”

Achasiah took a quick breath. “Zozena, I’m going to apologize regardless. I’m sorry for lying to you. I got so caught up with Sten and Blood-Wraith that I failed to realize that I could trust you. Shoot, we probably could have cleaned up things a lot quicker with your might involved.”

The bartender brought over their drinks, with Valentina taking a sip of hers. “What happened, Achasiah?”

He took a sip of his water. “I don’t know. I guess I felt so much pressure that I started overworking myself. It doesn’t help that that stupid cult is working with rogue gods… Going forward, I’m going to take it easy. We have so many great friends and allies that they can easily help us if things get out of hand.”

Valentina patted him on the back. “There’s the Achasiah I know. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.”

Achasiah nodded, then finally noticed the elephant in the room. He studied Valentina for a moment, drank some of his water, then looked at her again. “Zozena, what happened to you? You seem more…powerful.”

She gave him a big smile. “I went from sixth dimensional to eighth dimensional with The Vermilion King’s help. Don’t worry, I’ve got everything under control.”

“Wow… have I got a lot to strive for or what?” Achasiah remarked as he took another sip.

“It’s not that big of a deal. What matters is that I can finally protect all of you now.” She then finished her drink. “Come, let’s go check on Gabriella, as I was a bit short with her after our spat…”

Achasiah finished his water, got up, and left a tip. “I’m sure she called Weaver over after that.”

“Yeah, but we still need to go tell her everything is okay. And then we’ll all head to the Vermilion Kingdom as The Cerulean Queen is due soon.”

“Hey, maybe the king can hook me up with some honors too, ha,” Achasiah jokingly pointed out as they left the pub.

Valentina laughed. “Hey, maybe. He’s the closest thing to a miracle worker I’ve ever seen.”

Next: Eon 1

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