Chapter 140 - The Return

Somewhere in the distant future. 

In another galaxy, meant only for the souls of the passing, Khalid was standing in front of an old man, laying on the ground, and gasping for air. The old man was the oldest amongst the guardians of hell, and he was taking his last breaths.

He gazed up to the gates of hell, watching more of Hades' soldiers of evil souls come out from their lair. 

Khalid had successfully killed each and every one of the guardians of inferno, thanks to his accumulated powers and Hades' knowledge of their weaknesses. Of course, Khalid died several times in the process, but it was thanks to his form of immortality that he came back to life each and every time. 

Finally, Hades had come back for his followers. It had been decades since Hades escaped hell, fleeing after a guardian fell into his scheme and granted him passage back to earth.

For many years since Hades roamed the earth as an evil soul, he meant to find a way to take his followers with him, and he only found that opportunity with Khalid. 

Hades found Khalid was easy to persuade and cloud his character with the greed of eternal youth. Despite the crystal living inside of him, evil prevailed in Khalid that Hades took possession of his body. 

"Come to me, my fellow evil souls! We will return to earth and rule its lands!" Hades declared, raising his hands welcoming his brothers. 

The sight of the dreadful souls coming about gave Khalid chills, and the miasma of hell further ignited the corruption that had slowly formed in his heart. 

Khalid was pleased that he came with Hades through this journey. He saw the horrific place that was meant to be a prison for someone like him; a place of penance or perpetual punishment.

Fortunately, he had a few lives left in him. He never wanted to live in this hell!

The walking path to the gates of inferno formed like ribcages of a giant animal. Its door was vast; a ten-meter thick made of metal, carved with each soul that came across it. The gate of hell stood two hundred feet high and eighty feet wide. 

While Khalid stood away from the pit before the gates, he could see its eternal flame reaching for the fleeing souls! It meant not to let them escape, further reinforcing the shrieks of the crying souls. 

"Angels! Angels are coming from heaven!" Warned one evil soul, looking up the sky in horror. "We need to leave! We need to leave!"

Hades, alarmed at the approaching light from the sky. It signified that more from the heavens have come to slaughter their souls for good!

He immediately ordered Khalid, "Prepare the gate back to the world, Khalid!"

Hell itself had a gate for each world, conveniently accessed outside the door to hell. It was there that Khalid reactivated the entrance to earth, using the powers that he already had. 

Meanwhile, Hades was searching from amongst the dead guardians. His soul, like the spirits, was in translucent form, but his frame was in a black cloak, and only his red eyes differentiated him from the rest of the exiting souls. 

Seeing the old man, the last guardian to be taken down by Khalid, Hades walked towards him and sought, "Where is the soul slayer?! Where?!"

The old man coughed out blood as he said, "I knew you would come back, Hades! I gave the soul slayer to two masters of the earth who came here, seeking for power."

The guardian struggled through his remarks as he said his very last words, "They will come for you and your soldiers! And when that happens! You will be gone forever! Not even hell can be a home to the likes of you!"

"No! No!" Hades thrust the old man to the ground. His red eyes looked even more monstrous than it was before!

In his human form, Hades was killed multiple times by the spirits of the earth. Now, it would seem like the same force still found the secret to killing him even in the afterlife!

How he despised the spirits of the earth! 

Hades did not care for The Venusian Sword, for it can only kill an immortal. It was Khalid's fear for his death that made him seek out the golden sword, but aside from the angels of heaven, the Soul Slayer blade could kill any forms of soul permanently!

There will no longer be a choice between heaven and hell. 

Hades could only think of one generation who would seek power to this extreme. It was the masters before Khalid, the same who now held The Venusian Sword!

Khalid saw that the angels from heaven have now reached the passage of hell. With their powers and their blades, the escaping souls were forced to retreat!

"Hades! Let's go!" Called Khalid. 

Seeing at least a hundred of his evil soul soldiers have followed Khalid to the earth's entrance, Hades rushed to leave the old man and said, "Go now! Go!"

Hades and Khalid, along with one hundred evil souls, escaped hell. As they traveled to the wormhole, Hades only had this to say, "Let's go back to the past and find the wielder of the Venusian Sword."

***

Back to the present time.

Two years had passed since Christopher and Abasi left to seek the power of cosmic.

Amanda was looking at the night skies of Pelagy from her window. She earnestly gazed into the stars and hoped that Christopher was okay.

It had been a very painful two years. Amanda never expected Abasi and Christopher to take this long. 

For the entire time, they were away. It was Agatha who aided the masters of the earth shift from one space to another as necessary. 

It was about over a year ago since they had lost contact with him and Abasi. The last time they spoke, Christopher mentioned they had to change a route, for they felt a strange power coming from the tenth galaxy. 

She already feared it would happen. The distance that Abasi covered may have affected the power of the crystals. They were not able to connect to them. Not any more.

So far, however, Akurra had recently been summoned by Christopher. This happened a month ago. Akurra mentioned that Christopher and Abasi fought a guardian of an unknown gate, seemingly a passage to hell. 

It was meant to be a test of Christopher's will and strength before being granted another powerful blade. 

Fortunately, Khalid had not come for them. It would seem like Abasi's estimate of his arrival was incorrect or at that time, he was really able to move through time faster than the last. 

"My love. I hope you are alright," said Amanda. "Why are you taking so long?"

As she pondered on these thoughts, she felt a touch on her hand. She looked back and found Orion holding her hand, standing behind her. 

Amanda forced a smile said, "Baby - "

"Mother, I am not a baby anymore," the little boy objected. "Don't worry, mother. Father is alright. I can feel it. He is coming home."

Orion, while at two years old, had grown and developed to be a ten-year-old boy; a strong one at that. He started training a little over five months old, progressing a body of a two-year-old. 

It wasn't only his body that grew rapidly, his brain seemed to be that of an adolescent!

The power of the Venusian sword never ceased to amaze Amanda. Orion became the wielder of the golden sword just a week ago. Only then did Amanda notice the slow in his growth. She earnestly hoped her son would stop growing. 

Just as the two were speaking, Agatha appeared before them in her wormhole. She said, "Sorry I am late, Amanda. It's time."

"Grandma," called Orion. 

"Hello, Orion. Grandma misses you. I came to kiss my grandson before going to your grandfather," revealed Agatha. 

Nothing changed with Agatha. She still looked like she was in her thirties. She was able to achieve, however, the sympathy of her people, that they wished for Theo to have the same essence coming from the moon serpent. In that way, she and Theo could live longer together, as the rulers of the white witch's clan. 

While it was promising, this can only happen upon Theo's full relocation to the moon. 

Thus, Christopher's return was imperative as he needed to take over the rule of Aeros. 

Mwah! Mwah!" Orion received two pecks on his cheek, making him sneer. 

"Why are you all treating me like a baby?!" He questioned. "I am the red dragon star warrior and a wielder of the Venusian Sword! Please, grandma and mother, stop treating me like a child."

Agatha laughed while Amanda's eyes grew wide. She shook her head and said, "Okay. Whatever."

"Come on, sweetheart. I'll take you to your room," suggested Agatha, holding Orion's hand. 

"Hey, buddy! Aren't you going to sleep with Momma?" Amanda said to her son. 

Orion merely rolled his eyes and said, "I am a grown man."

"Oh, I'm sorry to burst your bubbles, little man, but you have not grown in a week! Since you got the sword in you, I think it's already satisfied with your growth," told Amanda. 

After seeing her son go, Amanda gazed at the skies again and spoke, "Chris? Can you hear me? I hope to see you soon."

Out of the blue, she heard a familiar voice, "My love, I'm coming.. Prepare for unity."