Chapter 732: True Demonlord [63] [Finale: Part 4]

"I may be little, whimsical, and powerless, however, before us stands four guardians and a whole realm ready to take on a supreme being's territory."

Intherna shot a curious glance backward, met Igna's gaze, smiled, and faced forth. Purest flames ever seen or felt manifested in the shape of a dragon's wing, the outline, closely matched that of the phoenix, in more ways than one, her power had grown exponentially. Beside her stood the proud Gophy, a resting melancholic expression simmered into faint splashes of sadistic pleasure. The noble visage, the true epitome of dignity in strength and mannerism, altered to match the situation. Chaotic waves of energy(bearing cackles of lightning) flashed along her arms and legs, the presence around her core sunk the realm itself. A few steps back stood Miira and the lusciously posed Lilith. The former chose a recluse position at Igna's side, not too close nor too far, her arms grew scales of emerald green, a shimmering glee torched her lips red, her blond hair, lighter to the point of being white, swam in the sea of her aura. Thus arrive Lilith cradling Beelzebub, veins of dark hue dug into the very ground, expanding forward to create a wall of thorns. Lastly, the devoted residents of the Shadow Realm, a step outside shifted the persona into a mindless straight-faced line. Weapons at the ready and mind on the task at hand – the armies stood strongly against one another. Each sensing the other's power, boss class monsters, rating beyond the ranking of Tier-1 Platinum, scanned thoroughly, their opposition, a squadron of Valkyries straddling winged horses. 

"Amusing, Igna Haggard, very amusing," fired Zagreus, bold-faced and annoyed, "-calling onto help won't achieve much."

"Silence, damned brat," fired Gophy, "-you address us now," the four generals shuffled to the vanguard, "-I've stood by and watched for the longest time."

"We itch to fight," added Intherna maliciously, "-what semblance of pride thee have shall be burnt to ash."

"I'll try to make the death pleasant," said Lilith coyly, "-though I'd much prefer lord Hades' himself, you lack a certain sense of masculinity."

"Whatever they said," returned Miira.

"Well, well," the squared forehead, a placeholder of the boldly thick eyebrows, crinkled, the straightness of the lines jarred into sharp-edged waves, "-aren't thee confident."

'With them here, there's no need to worry,' a boulder summoned, '-good luck my companions, I wish thee well.'

"Igna Haggard," flew over the tropes, "-move thy stead into the fray," she commanded, "-this war is retribution for thy humiliation."

"Not so fast," a secondary portal opened at Zagreus's side, among the guests Voraum, Kazalon, pawns under the guidance of Cimi, a demi-god, "-I have allies too." Beside Cimi rose three; Pols, Squil, and Dral, each with the strength of a demi-god, "-what say you," the horse galloped to a soft landing, "-shall we begin?"

"Very well," replied Igna stood in the middle of the four generals, "-let's begin." *Woosh,* they blinked, a sharp flash blinded the burnt scenery grey – leaders clashed and so did the respective armies. Angels took to the skies, the Valkyries, led by Brvya, gave chase. Soldiers subconsciously took advantageous positions and fired; the advancing opposition scarcely made progress.

"Gophy, Intherna, Miira, please make short work of the demi-gods," shrugged Lilith, "-I'll summon the World Tree and enhance our strengths."

"I'll cast Phoenix's Rize, the hotter it gets, the stronger our forces will become," winked Intherna.

"Leave the frontal attacks to me," said Miira tapping her closed fists.

"Allow me to sow the seed of chaos," Gophy seductively bit her lips, "-witness the reason why I'm called the Goddess of Chaos," a mere point of the finger, not even strenuous, summoned a tiny speck of white. A moment's confusion went through the trio's mind, expectation of a cacophonous explosion fell short, to say the least. A fluffy ball of white, innocent and cuddly, glided to the concentrated forces. Goblins laughed; the battle momentarily stopped to shun the spell. Alas, never to judge a book by its cover, before comments were made, the innocent orb made contact, the screech of a thousand banshee boomed, shaking the very foundation of the platforms. Monsters, fighters? No, the goddess tore through the ground they stood, efficiently wiping out 30 percent of the forces, "-any comments?" asked she throwing a smug wink. 

"My turn," said Lilith – the fight moved further forward, those abled of physical attacks went close, the barrier of thorns perked up in a skeletal spiral, casting a massive shadow, the skeletal soon flourished into a majestic tree. Hefty foliage birthed tiny specks of white. Snow in the underworld, a preposterous idea made true. Above Lilith's creation flapped the vague outline of the legendary Phoenix – it alone stumped morale, the wings fluttered, dropping specks of flame to warmly lit the advancing forces.

"I'll be off," said Miira.

"Will she be fine?"

*CRASH,* the bludgeoned visage of Pols crashed beside Lilith, "-I take my worry back," she tiptoed away from the vestige, "-go on Beelzebub, summon a few friends to play along."

"Really mother?" the toddler's eyes lit, "-can summon them?"

"I'll go fight over there," said Intherna hastily, "-the boy's going to use magic, we better."

"I agree," firmed Gophy, "-the stench alone will make me pass out," her comment caught his ear, the puppy dog eyes watered, "-I meant strength," returned in a panic, "-strength, strength, not stench." 

Herein the second coming of Lord Death's invasion, proxied by Igna, fought against Hades, proxied by Zagreus. Miira tore through demi-gods without breaking a sweat; the composed demeanor halting at instances to slyly grin at the next opponent. Fear installed; a tsunamic tide of battle crashed without care for mercy. 

*Clash, clash, clash,* a cartwheel to the side barely avoided Zagreus's spear, "-I'm stronger still," he proclaimed.

"Much said for the horse," *spat,* "-the steed mingles in the company of the lost head."

"Enough chitchat," he gritted, "-I'll end the battle in a single stroke."

"Pause," exhaled Igna, "-look behind us, the war is near its end."

"What?" he spun, the spear dropped, "-what happened?" 

"Does the sight not explain the outcome?" the various injuries healed, "-look above," angels so proudly displayed earlier crashed onto the central platform, "-my companions won the invasion. I forgot to mention, the four ladies you so easily dismissed earlier are, Gophy, high Goddess of Chaos. Intherna, heir to Rah, high Goddess of Fire. Miira, high Goddess of Kiant, Eternal protector of time. Lilith, Queen of Demons. The demi-gods in thy army had no chance, forget it, not even the army combined could have stood to one of them." 

"No," confidence crashed spectacularly, he dropped onto his knees, "-why would they serve…"

"Not serving," he smiled, "-they're my companions, unlike cliches where the leader needs to be stronger, they're far stronger than I. See, if ever someone dares to attack, the goddess will bring death. The pawns in thy army, well, nothing in comparison to those born in a distinctly firmer realm. My being stuck in an endless loop of death and rebirth spawned something truly frightening, the Shadow Realm's power. I willingly abandoned the will to grow strong, at my level, and if I push it, I'll only be able to reach a Mid-level god, in exchange, I've gained greater strength, a realm unshackled by-laws, abled to alter reality in inferior domains."

"Who are you, really, the heir to death or what?"

"Part of it, for you see, I'm a Watcher, they who stand in the shadows, they who protect and fight, they who wield strength beyond comprehension to the gods, tis who thou face, the Watcher of the Shadow Realm," he brandished Orenmir, "-we can continue – alas, thy forces have been ruined. What of Lord Hades, has he no clue of the invasion?"

"Fool, the forces may have been utterly destroyed," he glared in desperation, "-my father will not take the insolence lightly." A beckoning boom drew the fighter's survival instincts, from valkyrie to goddess, "-someone bad approaches."

"What of this transgression," thundered, "-Zagreus," the land churned and shifted, the platforms joined into one singular floating entity, "-tell me, child, what has happened?" volcanos rose at the back, the essence of suffocation deepened.

"They've invaded the Underworld," eruption bellowed loudly, clouds of skull-shaped visages rose.

"-And for what reason must they have done so?" 

"To shame thee, father."

"Fool," a flash of pure yellow lit the chubbily colored ground, "-three goddesses and the queen of demons. Quite the party," the mass turned human, "-how am I going to deal with the matter?" it waited at the center. 

"Lord Hades, my name's Igna Haggard, I have come to rescue my lady mother, Persephone, who was wrongly abducted by thy son."

"Persephone is here?" without a face to study, the tone gave much to be desired, judging the underlying emotions strained, "-very interesting, looks like my son has been up to a few deeds. I see quite the trouble has been sown," a shrug of the hand dispelled Lilith's World Tree, another simple blew out Intherna's beast. 

"Enough is enough. Lord Hades, will you or will you not return the lady to us?" 

"Goddess Gophy, here I thought you to be dead?" a suspicious glance crawled up her legs to the face, "-why should I bother?"

"Your son lost," added Miira, "-surely tis reason enough. They fought admirably."

"Alas, guardian, bias is part of one's strength. My son does what he wishes, right or wrong, I'll seldom correct. You sure have guts to lay siege to a demon god's castle," the arms crossed, "-how about this," monstrous proportioned castle walls rose in tandem, a castle tower ascended Hades to greater heights, "-what about this, Igna Haggard, fight, be a hero, and save the princess."

"No thank you," returned curtly, "-no interest in playing the father and son game. Demon God, am I the type to care?"

"INSOLENCE BOY!" screamed Zagreus, "-WHERE WAS ALL THE BRAVADO WHEN THEE SLEPT WEAKLY INSIDE MY TOWER."

"He has a good point there," shuffled Gophy and the rest.

"Seriously?" chin to the chest

"I mean, the boy is right," shrugged Miira, "-you did die for a year."

"NOT AGAIN," he facepalmed.

"Ahem," the throat cleared, "-has the bickering finished?"

"My, my," a transient voice spoke omnidirectionally, "-am I late to the party?" a classily vested gentleman dropped from a portal, "-Lord Hades, excuse the visit," a top hat bore the insignia of Hermes. He slyly, under the cover of the haut-de-forme, gave a reassuring grin, "-I bear a message of great importance from Lixbin." The parcel delivered to which the man drew on a reading-glasses, spreading the note on a newly conjured table, "-I see," the uncaring face veered in anger, "-Zagreus, my son, care to explain this?" the cheeks sunk in fury.

"What?" he shuffled close, "-oh…" 

"BRAT," the head slammed and shattered the table, "-Igna, forgive my son's actions," the boy bled, "-history doesn't need to repeat, Persephone, albeit, had my fancy so long ago, led a humble life. I won't pursue the battle," the walls crumbled, the prisoner reappeared in a cocoon before which they hesitantly peeped, "-she's gone through a lot, the torturers spared no mercy, I'll see to it this trouble maker here is disciplined. If only I had known of the greater picture. There's no healing her, I'm sorry."

"Is that so," he grasped her cold hands, interlocking fingers, "-I beg to differ." 

*Knowledge known to only the watcher, I, master and inheritor of Origin, beckon thee; Mantia, Library of the all-knowing. Reality or fantasy, rules of the mortal realm, laws governing the all-encompassing universe, cower before he who holds the key to the truth, he who's able to unwind the very fabric of reality, what I summon is my to rule, and what is rule by I shall obey, god, demons, spirits, angels, thou art helpless. Realm Expansion – Aronot; World Breaker.* 

"Heal, revive, grow stronger. Injuries inflicted, pain experienced, emotional turmoil art henceforth nulled," the words altered the domain's laws, "-wake," the wounds disappeared, time seemed to backtrack, Courtney's exaltedly pressed lips eased.

*Conjured from the powers of which rules the law of nature, summoned to aid, mine quest art be left alone. Reality is as I dictate, matters affected by my words ought be reflected in the outside world. Realm Retraction Shadow Realm Variant – Aronot.*