For a heartbeat, Gaya simply stared at him. He always had a knack for dramatic entrances. And usually, those entrances meant she was in deep shit. She wasn't sure if he did it on purpose, if he enjoyed finding her at her most vulnerable, or if he just had impeccable timing.
But seeing him now, after almost two months of being alone in this strange, new world it was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed his presence, his strength, the sense of safety he brought with him.
Without a word, she ran towards the edge of the rooftop and leaped.
She didn't think about the fact that she couldn't fly in this realm. Didn't think about the fall, the impact, the potential for broken bones. All she knew was he'd catch her.
And he did.
Michael, moving with a speed that blurred his form, appeared beneath her, his arms wrapping around her waist, catching her effortlessly before she could even scream. He held her close, his body a solid, reassuring presence against hers.
They hovered there, suspended in mid-air, for a long moment, the silence broken only by the crackling of the frost and the distant sounds of the city.
Watching the reunion with a curious tilt of his head, Phoenix couldn't help but marvel at the raw power that radiated from them.
"The aura around these two gods," he murmured, his voice barely audible, "it's intense. Fascinating."
Then, he spread his fiery wings and took to the sky, his gaze drawn towards the spot where the hunter lay impaled on the wooden stake. Gaya had taught him well.
"Always check the bodies. You never knew what kind of treasures, or information, you might find," Gaya's words echoed through his mind.
He landed beside the corpse, his wings folding gracefully behind him, and began to inspect the body, his movements a strange mix of childlike curiosity and macabre efficiency.
And he struck gold.
Well, not literally gold. But close enough.
He found the wrist-mounted mirror, its surface still flickering with a thermal image of the surrounding area. He found a pouch filled with things. Little metal gadgets, glowing stones, a vial of something that smelled interesting.
Phoenix grinned, his fiery eyes gleaming with delight. The other hunters Gaya had convinced him to liberate hadn't been nearly as well-equipped. He was getting tired of finding only spoons and rusty knives. This this was more like it! He was eager to impress Gaya, to show her that he was a valuable partner.
Meanwhile, Michael had landed softly on the ground, Gaya still in his arms. He held her close, his gaze meeting hers, and then, unable to resist any longer, he lowered his head and kissed her.
It was a long, passionate kiss, filled with a mix of relief, longing, and a desperate need to reconnect. To reassure himself that she was real, that she was safe, that he hadn't lost her.
A single tear, a shimmering pearl of pure emotion, escaped Gaya's eye, tracing a path down her cheek, melting the frost that still clung to her skin. Then, with a sigh, she broke the kiss, leaning back to gaze up at him, her eyes shining with a happiness that he hadn't seen in well, far too long.
And then, Phoenix arrived, his wings beating excitedly, his hands overflowing with gadgets and the wrist-mounted mirror.
"Look what I found!" he exclaimed, thrusting his treasures towards Gaya. "I liberated all of them!"
Gaya, realizing how incriminating that sounded, gave Michael a sheepish grin.
"He picks up things quickly," she mumbled, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Michael, watching the exchange, couldn't help but chuckle.
"Gaya," he sighed, shaking his head. "You're a bad influence on him."
Michael chuckled, and with a casual wave of his hand, collected the gadgets from Phoenix's outstretched palms. They vanished into his System storage, leaving the Phoenix with only a handful of shimmering red stones and the wrist-mounted mirror.
"Let me see that," he said, taking the mirror from the Phoenix. He held it up, examining it with a critical eye. It was impressive, for a mortal artifact. Not nearly as advanced as his own X-ray vision, of course, but still interesting.
He could see faint ripples of energy emanating from the mirror's surface, pulsating outwards, searching for heat signatures. The range, however, was limited, confined to a small radius. Which explained why the hunters hadn't been able to detect him.
"And don't go playing around with that spider lair. No setting them on fire, no trying to ride them like well, you know. If I have to go back and make peace with that idiot spider because of you I'm kicking your ass."
Phoenix, his brow furrowed in confusion, instinctively grabbed his backside.
"Why does everyone keep talking about kicking my rear?"
Malina, who'd been watching the exchange with a barely concealed smile, stepped forward.
"I'm sure Phoenix will be just fine, Goddess Gaya," she said reassuringly. "Now, if you'll both come with me"
She closed her eyes, her hand glowing with a faint, white light, and with a flick of her wrist, activated the teleportation spell. Michael and Gaya felt a familiar tug, a sense of displacement, as the space around them distorted, the world blurring into a kaleidoscope of colors and swirling energy.
Then, just as quickly, it was over.
They were standing in a garden.
A small, peaceful oasis amidst the chaos of the realm of the Gods. A waterfall cascaded down a moss-covered cliff, its waters feeding a clear, tranquil pond. Maple trees, their leaves a vibrant shade of crimson and gold, lined the banks of the pond, their branches swaying gently in the breeze.
And beneath one of those trees, a woman sat, her silver hair flowing like liquid moonlight, her hands scattering seeds to a flock of cooing pigeons.
Seshat, the Goddess of Wisdom.
She turned, her gaze meeting Michael's, a warm smile gracing her lips.
"Welcome back to the realm of the Gods, God of Darkness,"
"It's good to be back," Michael replied, returning her smile. "You look serene, as always."
"How's the civil war treating you, Seshat?" Gaya asked with a sardonic amusement.
Michael frowned. Civil war? What civil war? He hadn't heard anything about
Seshat, ignoring Gaya's jab, simply smiled again, her gaze meeting Michael's.
"Malina, you are dismissed." The angel bowed her head respectfully and retreated, her wings vanishing as she blended back into the shadows of the garden.
"The war is escalating, Gaya," Seshat said, her voice quiet, thoughtful. "New players are emerging. As always, chaos breeds opportunity."
She paused, her gaze turning distant.
"The true cost of war...It is not the gods who suffer. It is the mortals. The ones who fight our battles. The ones who pay the price for our ambitions."
Gaya sighed. She was getting used to Seshat's cryptic wisdom.
"You're going to have to be a little more specific, Seshat," Michael chuckled. "I'd love to hear all about this civil war. But perhaps you could tell us why you summoned us here?" He pulled one of the rubies from his pocket, holding it up for Seshat to see.
"We found these on some visitors. In the Distillery District."
Seshat's lips twitched, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"Ah, yes," she said, taking the ruby from Michael, and examining it with a knowing smile.
"These belong to my sister. Seraphene. They're infused with a diluted sliver of her grace. She grants them to her spies. Her soldiers. It amplifies their power and powers their weapons, armor, and various gadgets," She chuckled softly as she continued.
"Seraphene has always had a flair for the dramatic. These rubies they're just like her. Beautiful. Powerful. And a little bit dangerous. But as for the reason why i summed you here is related to self-proclaimed God of Chaos..."