Chapter 147: Chapter 217 – God Amongst Men

After taking a quick dip in the spacious, golden bathroom, Asterios and the girls hastily got themselves ready to rejoin their friends. They gave the residence Bryn had assigned to them a brief lookover since it was obviously nothing short of perfect, and left the small mansion together. He located the others through the bond all of them shared and picked Miria up into his arms while bringing his wings out. Confirming with Selene that she was ready too, they soared into the air.

Grea, Silvia, Tina, and Bryn rested on the edge of a fountain placed in the middle of a beautiful plaza. They dipped their fingers in the crystal-clear water while the Valkyrie explained how a special magical formation supplied with an artifact from the past era constantly created the heavenly liquid without the need for them to risk fetching it from the surface. Supposedly, the device was able to condense water from the atmosphere and then spread it all around the flying ARK through brass piping.

Then, they noticed that a few valkyrjas began pointing at the sky and directed their gazes toward the source of their actions. Two figures flew towards them and slowly descended to the ground near the fountain. Asterios let Miria hop out of his arms right after their landing.

“We are here! The house is so nice, Bryn! I’m sure everyone is going to love it!” The panthergirl beamed at the other women.

“What took you so long? Did you lose your way?” Grea smirked at her knowingly.

Miria blushed heavily and glanced aside. Asterios chuckled softly and plopped a hand on her black hair to ruffle through it gently.

“We ran into some issues we had to take care of immediately, and met one of the patrolling valkyrjas for a little chat. I hope you weren’t too bored waiting for us,” he explained.

Bryn shook her head while standing up. “It’s alright, Master. I took them to a few spots we have already visited before. We can now continue all together. I believe there’s a lot we might have to talk about.”

“Right. We didn’t want to have Bryn explain things twice so we withheld the questions about the War Games and everything connected to the Council meeting we took part in,” Silvia added.

“Well, then shall we go? I’m very curious about this too,” Asterios admitted.

Bryn nodded with a warm smile and gestured at them to follow her. Asterios and the girls surrounded her from all sides, keeping close to their winged friend while glancing around at the impressive flying fortress. Their group was subjected to as many gazes coming from the angelic women living in it as they directed at them.

“So, let’s start with the War Games.” Bryn looked between all of them. “It’s an event hosted by our ARK more or less annually. Depending on the circumstances, we invite willing participants from other cities, announcing the tournament with a few weeks of spare time for everyone to reach us. But, this time, we will limit it just to our people since the main goal will be for us to gain approval of the military.”

“You said something like that before too. Will your warrior friends help us after we win these War Games?” Miria asked.

“As one of my fellow Councilors mentioned, it’s going to be plain impossible to convince everyone to risk their lives for a fairy tale and a dream. The military is of course under our orders, but you can imagine what would happen after we tried to force people to participate in a mission with non-existent chances of success.”

“They could rebel,” Selene stated.

“Most likely.” Bryn nodded. “But, hope still burns hot in the hearts of us all. The only thing stopping us from making any bold moves such as retaking our sacred Descending Spire is the lack of power. Something that I know well Master and you all don’t lack. On the contrary, your individual strength is overwhelming already, but when paired with Master’s techniques and mana, you become almost unstoppable forces of calamity.”

“I think you are exaggerating a little.” Tina blushed faintly.

“No. I’m sure. I’ve experienced many battles by your side already.” The Valkyrie smiled at her. “And I believe that if we successfully showcase that power to the people, the small candle flames flickering inside everyone will turn into blazing infernos pushing them to action. To do that, I hoped that Master could show us his true form at some point in the contest. Your draconic might is certainly something awe-inspiring.”

“What about us, then?” Silvia wondered.

“Our teachings always say that the best way to know someone’s true nature and become comrades with them is to compete against them in a fair environment. While Master’s display of power makes people realize that we might actually have a good chance of doing it, I would like for you to become someone respected, treated as one of us too, so that we can fight side by side and trust each other with our lives. Plus, I’m sure you will take the spots right after him anyway.” Bryn chuckled quietly.

“How do we even compete in this tournament? Is this some grand fight to the last person standing? The name War Games is quite broad.” Selene rubbed her chin.

“War Games are divided into different Divisions. It would be unfair to pit a designated healer against a fighter or defender. Therefore, you can register for one of the available routes, which are Care, Power, Endurance, Arcana, and Precision.” Bryn counted on her fingers. “The first one tests various Healing and Recovery Magic, the second is a one-on-one battle tournament, the third shows who can withstand the most damage, the fourth displays the plentiful magical effects enhancing the individual or their target, and the last one is for any ranged fighters using bows, spears, javelins, and such.”

“And all of us would most likely enter the Power Division, right?” Grea tapped her lips. “Well, except for me. I don’t really see any category for me there. But, I’m content with cheering you guys on.”

“We can always help you out with summoning and see what we end up with. If Tina is anything to go by, you might gain a great deal of power from your new companion,” Asterios suggested while poking the demon lady with his elbow.

“I guess we could but I still wouldn’t be too confident in my performance.” She shook her head and then grinned at him impishly. “Though, I wouldn’t mind some practice rituals, you know?”

Asterios rolled his eyes with a smirk as Tina and Miria grew redder at Grea’s hungry gaze.

“But will your friends truly let us in? Some of them seemed quite appalled by the very thought of involving outsiders in your traditions,” Selene asked to break the sudden silence.

“Oh, don’t worry about that.” Bryn waved her hand at the fox lady. “In the first place, our laws or code have no definition of an outsider. As you already know, only our race inhabits the part of our realm known to us. The Scourge isn’t counted as such for obvious reasons and is defined as the Scourge. They can’t exclude you from any contests or festivities. They would have to change the ancient rules and that wouldn’t pass quietly amongst the people.”

“Great! I can’t wait to test myself against your warriors!” Miria jumped excitedly.

“Is the reward always a seat in the Council? Are you not afraid that I will lose? Honestly, I know nothing about the people here so anything can happen,” Asterios pondered out loud.

Bryn stopped near a tall statue of a mighty warrior with a round shield and a spear. “No, the rewards are usually nothing major. People participate for fun and fame most of the time. It’s more of a show for our residents and valkyrjas from the other ARKs where we display the strength of our army.”

She ran her palm over the shiny plaque while looking up at the depiction of the winged woman.

“The main goal is to reassure them that the soldiers protecting everyone, the shipments between the cities, and taking part in various military operations on the surface are competent and dependable. They are the hope of the people that keeps everyone going, and surviving. They are the heroes standing between the civilians and the Scourge. Alongside all the scholars and engineers, of course.”

She then sighed softly and turned to them again.

“What I called for wouldn’t be the annual War Games but a smaller, more internal version. I needed an incentive for people to participate at least in the Power Division so that you had actual opponents to fight. I will figure out some rewards for the other competitions with the Council too, but they aren’t the focus. Even if we don’t get enough registrations for them to be something worthy of spectating, their usual participants will surely come to watch the fights since they would be happening anyway and often garner the most attention.”

“We better give your friends a good show, then.” Asterios smiled at her and everyone nodded eagerly.

“Thank you. I promise to do my best in organizing this iteration of War Games. I’m sure we will have no trouble gaining everyone’s trust.” She made a respectful bow.

He stepped closer and brought Bryn back up. “No, I should be thanking you, Bryn. You are going out of your way and even risking your hard-earned position to help me. I really appreciate it. I honestly didn’t expect you to come up with an entire plan on how to gain access to the Descending Spire. All I initially wanted from you was to lead us there. You are an incredible person.”

A faint tinge of rosiness surfaced on Bryn’s light cheeks as she smiled back at Asterios beautifully. She delicately shook her head and looked him deep in the eyes.

“You don’t need to thank me, Master. You were the first one to reach out to me and my people. All I wanted from you was just a bit of food and water. Yet, we’ve established trade with multiple contractors, all with your assistance and initiative.”

She took his hand into hers and squeezed it tenderly.

“The Descending Spire is our mutual goal. I truly believe that we have a chance of taking it back from the claws of the Scourge if you are the one participating in the operation. My actions aren’t going to benefit only you. If we truly succeed, the morale of all the ARKs will soar into the sky and we might gain a safe spot on the desolated surface. Can you imagine what it would mean for people to be able to go down even if just for a short visit? To see one of our race’s wonders back in our hands?”

Finishing her speech, Bryn noticed how close she had gotten to Ast’s face and blushed a much deeper shade of crimson before hastily withdrawing back herself and her grip on his hand. Asterios placed it on her shoulder and kept smiling gently as she tried to look at him properly.

“I can’t say that I truly understand that specific feeling but I certainly can imagine it after I started chasing the pieces of my own past. Just as you said, we share a mutual goal here, wanting to recover something that was always rightfully ours. Let’s make sure that we achieve it together, relying on each other without holding back, alright?”

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“I don’t think it’s right to compare your valuable memories with some building.” She chuckled wryly.

Asterios shook his head. “Both are our respective histories, hiding secrets of the past. So, will you agree with me?”

Bryn observed his face for a brief moment before nodding confidently. “Yes, I will. Thank you, Master. Let’s do our best to help each other as much as we can. We can do it together.”

Suddenly, all the other women came closer and surrounded Asterios and Bryn with a group hug, pushing the two into each other. She smiled a little awkwardly while pressed into him but neither of the two minded their position too much. Instead of fighting against it, they joined the joint efforts and everyone laughed together quietly.

“Speaking of Bryn’s plan, the part about the thing called Tyr’s Aegis seemed to evoke quite a reaction from the other valkyrjas,” Silvia said after they finally parted. “What is it and why is it so controversial?”

Bryn cleared her throat and invited everyone to keep following her through the streets.

“Because just as it was mentioned, Tyr’s Aegis is believed to be just a legend. None of the current generations have seen it with their eyes and the old texts and chronicles don’t talk about its activation ever,” she began explaining. “Tyr’s Aegis was a defensive formation, a powerful force field which was created to protect the Descending Spire and the city constructed around it. Parts of that city later became Odin, the first ARK.”

“Looks like it didn’t do its job properly,” Miria mused.

“Maybe it would have if it was activated,” Selene commented.

“We can’t know that now. At least until we actually find and turn it on,” Bryn replied.

“Are you sure that it will turn on or even exists?” Asterios asked. “I’m not intending to doubt you but your friends were really roused by the idea.”

She sighed softly and showed a gentle smile at him. “I don’t blame you, Master. But, I’m confident in this. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have suggested this plan. I have a close friend who is a scholar. We meet now and then. She’s obsessed with Tyr’s Aegis and knows everything that can be found about it. Easy to imagine, it’s one of the main topics between us. Want or not, I remember an incredible number of details and stories after hearing them countless times.”

“How does it work then if you can share that information with us?” Tina asked.

“Past the deepest floor of the Descending Spire, there exists one more, hidden level. It’s guarded even stricter, with the entire stage being riddled with the best mechanical and magical traps our precursors could employ. Amongst the plentiful chambers, there is one of an insurmountable size. That’s where the mountain-sized spiritual reactor is located. It can power the mana shield for centuries if not eons,” Bryn answered.

“Woaaaaahhhh… It must be a super powerful thing then!” Miria’s eyes sparkled from excitement. “I can’t wait to see it!”

The Valkyrie smiled at her sweetly. “It is. From what I’ve been told, it uses the heart of the World Serpent as its core and fuel. The Allfather Odin had a vision of great calamity befalling the city with the Descending Spire and ordered the construction of an impenetrable spiritual barrier. He saw it activated in the future and caught a glimpse of the most important part, which was the World Serpent’s heart. The God of War Tyr was the one who succeeded in bringing it to him after decades of effort from all the gods, thus receiving the privilege of having the artifact named after him.”

Asterios frowned deeply and Bryn paused for a moment.

“But… If your entire race is unfamiliar with the concept of a man… How come you call that Odin an All-Father? Do you even know what father means?” he asked in confusion.

She froze momentarily with her mouth open agape. Bryn closed it after a moment and blinked a few times, frowning too.

“I… Don’t know…” she admitted with some visible concern. “I’m just recounting parts of the story about the gods that my friend shared with me. These are extremely ancient chronicles from ages ago. We know that the gods existed in the past and their names sometimes surface in the texts, and were also used for the ARKs. They supposedly disappeared long before the Scourge plagued our world.”

“It’s alright. It was just a thought,” Asterios comforted her. “Father is a term that in our realms is used to describe a man who has produced offspring with his partner, who usually is a woman, the mother. That’s why I was surprised since that title kind of points out the fact that this Odin could have been a man.”

Bryn’s eyes widened in shock. “Then… Does that mean… Are you a god, Master?”

It was Ast’s turn to appear shocked after her unexpected question. 

Grea snickered behind him and smacked his back a few times. “He certainly is a god in bed, that’s for sure.”

“Professor! We are having a serious conversation here!” Tina berated her with a pout.

“Well, I don’t think I’m a god, to be honest, but it’s not impossible for powerful entities to be called that by those they rule over,” Asterios answered after a moment of thinking. “I’m pretty sure we are all aware that some beings have powers that defy logic and control the unimaginable. Just look at the True Dragons, or the entity that locked Umbra’s realm. The latter can very well be considered a god, no?”

“So, instead of becoming a Dragon King, will Master become a Dragon God?” Miria tilted her head cutely.

Asterios almost choked on empty air after hearing that. 

Selene chuckled with a mischievous smile. “I can see that happening. And we would then become his harem of goddesses.”

“In any way, do you not have any depictions of those gods? Though, I guess you wouldn’t be that surprised by my appearance if Odin truly was a man,” Asterios swiftly changed the topic.

“No, we unfortunately don’t. It’s possible that the old ruins contain some but the ARKs were brought up in a haste and focused on survival. There’s a chance that Brage’s archives have something. I planned to make it our next stop anyway since it is on the way to Odin. The scholars should be able to give us more information about the Descending Spire and its structure. I could try to use my connection with my friend to convince them to help. Having the entire military on board would be a huge incentive too. The lore keepers dream about reclaiming the Spire even harder than we do.”

“That’s what we will do, then.” Asterios nodded. “I apologize for suddenly throwing you into confusion with my words.”

“It’s okay, Master. This might actually help us. If it’s true that some of the ancient gods were men, then that fact can prove extremely useful in convincing more people to our cause. The majority might be doubtful after centuries of living in ignorance but at least the scholars might give it a thought,” she replied.

He chuckled wryly. “Let’s maybe not try to con your entire race into thinking that I’m one, alright?”

“Just the scholars, then.” She winked at him.

Everyone laughed together while Asterios already began imagining the entire situation spiraling out of control.

“I think we can slowly head back to the Council. They should be done with their discussion. I hope you enjoyed our little tour even though I talked mostly about our plans instead of architecture and other things,” Bryn said after they calmed down.

“I love every part of this flying city,” Silvia replied with a delicate smile. “Perhaps because it’s something unlikely to witness in our realm.”

“I agree. We could admire the view while talking about our next steps and your world. That’s very enjoyable,” Tina chimed in.

“Besides, who doesn’t want to hear about more lore behind the unknown-before realm!” Grea threw her arms into the air with a chaotic giggle. “Keep it coming, girl! I personally am just dying to meet all those eggheads from the other ARK, and especially your friend!”

“I’m glad to hear that.” The corners of Bryn’s lips curled up just a little as she kept looking ahead. “Let us return to the meeting hall and see if my petition has been accepted.”

 

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