chapter 301

chapter 301

Chapter 301:

– Layla –

Having my entire harem in the penthouse made me a lot happier than I thought it would have. I could already imagine a future where we all lived together permanently.

At the moment, I was on the couch with Serafall, my legs draped lazily over hers. Her lips were on mine as we made out, and her hands wandered all over my body just enough to keep things interesting. We’d been at it for a while, and I wasn’t in any hurry to stop. After spending an entire day and night with Sif, it felt good to be with Serafall next.

Someone cleared their throat. I groaned internally as I pulled away from Serafall’s now swollen lips, glancing toward the doorway. Artemis stood there, looking as composed as ever, except for the faint blush creeping up her neck.

Serafall giggled, clearly amused by the interruption. “I still can’t get over how much you look like Grayfia,” she teased, leaning back into the couch. “Are you sure you’re not secretly related?” Artemis rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, Serafall grinned mischievously. “So, is it your turn next with Layla?”

“Well, yes,” Artemis admitted. Her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, but she didn’t flinch under Serafall’s teasing. “...But that’s not the point.”

Serafall giggled again, clearly loving the reaction. “Fine, fine. I’ll share. For now.” She gave me a quick peck on the cheek before standing and giving Artemis a playful bow. “She’s all yours, Goddess of the moon.”

I watched Serafall saunter out of the room, and then turned my attention to Artemis. She was standing stiffly, arms still crossed, and clearly trying not to look flustered. I patted the spot next to me on the couch. “Alright, what’s up? You didn’t come here just to rescue me from Serafall.”

Artemis sat down but kept a bit of distance between us, as if she was still debating something. “The stars are wrong.”

I frowned. “What do you mean, wrong?”

“They’re unrecognizable,” she said. “The convergence will happen later tonight.”

I ran a hand through my hair, letting that sink in. So, the two worlds were finally about to merge. It had been building for weeks, and now it was here. I wasn’t sure how to feel—excited, nervous, maybe a bit of both. It wasn’t just the convergence that was a problem, though. “Oh, great,” I muttered. “Guess the dark elves will be showing up too.”

Artemis stiffened slightly. “You’re expecting them to attack immediately?”

“They’ll want the Aether,” I said. “But honestly, they’re more of an afterthought at this point. Compared to everything else, they’re just an annoying speed bump.”

“You’re too casual about this,” Artemis said. “This isn’t something you can brush off. The convergence isn’t just another challenge. It’s going to change everything.”

“I know,” I said, meeting her eyes. “But freaking out won’t help, will it? We’ve got plans in place. I’ve got you, and everyone else. I trust all of you to handle whatever comes our way. And, you know, I’m not exactly useless myself.”

Artemis let out a startled yelp as I grabbed her waist and pulled her onto my lap. She tried to squirm away, her cheeks burning red, but I wasn’t having it. If she was going to interrupt my fun with Serafall, then she owed me a little something in return.

“Layla!” she protested, her hands lightly pushing against my shoulders.

“You owe me,” I said flatly, smirking as I tightened my grip around her waist. “Interrupting me like that? You knew exactly what you were doing.”

Before she could respond, I leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were soft, and despite the way she tensed at first, she quickly melted against me. She let out a quiet moan, her arms wrapping around my back as I deepened the kiss. Her usual stoic demeanor slipped away, replaced by raw, unfiltered passion. We made out like that on the couch, the world outside forgotten, at least for a little while.

...

A few hours later, I stood on the roof of my penthouse. The city was calmer than usual, and the stars above looked unfamiliar, scattered like pieces of a puzzle that didn't go together. Lady Death stood beside me silently. The rest of my harem was inside, giving us the space we needed.

“Death is coming for many humans tonight,” she said after a long stretch of silence. It wasn’t a prediction. It was a certainty.

“You think so...?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

She nodded. “The convergence won’t be as simple as you’ve imagined it to be. When the Earth was separated into two, it was guided by the careful hands of your father. An immense delicate ritual ensured no lives were lost in the process.”

[Now it’s being violently shoved back together with no one steering the ship.]

Lady Death turned toward me with her black eyes gleaming faintly under the starlight. “I need to ask something of you...” She sounded a bit hesitant.

I smiled, reaching out to take her hand. It was cold, as always, but so soft that it almost didn’t seem real. I squeezed it gently. “Of course. I’m your champion, aren’t I?”

Her lips curved into a small smile as her thumb traced circles over my hand. “That you are. And I have never regretted my decision, my champion. But I must ask that you not revive any of the people who will die tonight... unless you know them personally.”

I blinked, surprised at that request. “Why not?”

Her smile faded just slightly. “You’ve been cavalier with the number of lives you’ve resurrected, Layla. Other forces have begun to notice. Particularly when you commit to mass resurrections. They believe I am playing favorites. And, in truth, they are not wrong.”

I bit my lip, the weight of her words sinking in. I’d always been quick to use my powers to fix things when I could, especially when it came to death. But I hadn’t thought about the larger implications—or how it might reflect on Lady Death herself.

I nodded slowly. “Alright. I won’t. I don’t want to put you at odds with the other powers. Especially not... him.”

She smiled again, softer this time, and squeezed my hand. “Thank you, my champion.”

[Don’t worry, host! One day, it won’t matter! You’ll be able to do anything you want, with no repercussions.]

I didn’t respond to the System. I wasn’t sure if having that much freedom was a good thing, but I wasn’t in the mood to argue. Instead, I stayed quiet, holding Lady Death’s hand as we both looked up at the strange stars in the sky.

...

An hour later...

I floated in orbit, staring down at the planet with Lady Death by my side. My children, along with Vali, had been sent to Asgard earlier that day. Frigga and Hestia were with them, ensuring they would be safe no matter what happened here. After giving it some thought, I decided to send Heather and Asia along with them. They were eighteen now, technically adults, but I didn’t want them here to witness the chaos that was about to unfold. They’d be better off with their little sisters, far from the devastation.

“It’s starting,” Lady Death said, her gaze fixed on Earth.

I nodded, gripping my hands into fists as I focused. Tony and Andrea had done their part, putting a genetic delay in the serum distributed worldwide. The serum would activate once the increase in gravity was felt in a person or animal’s body. I could only hope it was kicking in now, sparing as many lives as possible.

The view from orbit was surreal. The Earth started to wobble beneath us, shifting in ways that were impossible to describe. My stomach twisted as I realized what was happening on the surface. “Tsunamis,” I muttered. “Earthquakes. It’s all starting.”

Lady Death didn’t respond, but she didn’t need to. The planet below began to swell, growing slowly at first, then picking up pace. More surface area, more volume—Earth was merging with its twin. New cities appeared, materializing in flashes of energy that disrupted the land and people already there. My enhanced vision caught horrifying details: buildings erupting inside other buildings, collapsing into each other, taking everyone inside with them.

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to watch. I could see everything if I focused hard enough, and it was devastating. People screaming, entire blocks crumbling, entire regions swallowed by chaos. My heart pounded as I gulped, trying to process it all. None of this was on me directly, but I’d taken responsibility for the convergence. This was my mess to manage.

“The death toll has passed 500 million,” Lady Death said. Her tone was calm, detached. “I estimate it will reach 1.2 billion when all is said and done.”

I exhaled sharply. “That’s... horrible. But it’s not as bad as it could’ve been.” I forced myself to think logically. “The global population will still be around 15 billion once this is over.”

As I approached, I got a better look at the ship. It was just as intimidating as I’d expected—its surface gleamed under the faint light, and smaller fighter ships swarmed around it like gnats. They spotted me almost immediately, and I could feel their weapons locking onto me.

“Alright, let’s get this over with,” I muttered.

The first ship fired, a streak of red energy slicing through the void. I twisted out of the way easily, my wings propelling me forward with sharp precision. More ships joined in, launching a barrage of missiles and lasers. I threw up a glowing purple shield, letting their attacks fizzle harmlessly against it.

“Cute,” I said, smirking. I extended a hand, channeling a burst of Light Energy , and fired. The nearest ship exploded in an instant, its debris scattering through space. The others hesitated, clearly rethinking their life choices.

I didn’t give them time to regroup. I darted between them, unleashing blasts of Light Energy that tore through their defenses. Within moments, the space around me was littered with wreckage. The path to the mothership was clear.

I landed on the ship’s surface with a heavy thud, the metal beneath my feet groaning under the impact. I slammed my fist into the hull, sending a shockwave through the metal. A section of the ship tore open, revealing a dark, cavernous interior.

The moment I entered, I felt them. Dozens—no, hundreds—of dark elves, their presences were cold and dark like the energy surrounding the ship. I could hear them moving through the corridors.

“There's an intruder!”

“Kill her!”

“She has the Aether!”

“Bring it on,” I muttered. And started unleasing a barrage of Light Spears.

I stepped over the bodies of the first few elves I’d cut down. Their black armor was no match for my Lightspears, and their weapons might as well have been squirt guns with how harmless they were.

Another group of soldiers rounded the corner, their black and red helmets hiding their expressions, but I could feel their fear as they charged at me. I was surrounded by dozens of their friends after all.

I conjured another Lightspear. “You really should’ve just stayed on your shit hole of a planet,” I said, twirling the spear before throwing it with precision. It tore through the first row of elves, pinning two of them to the wall. The rest hesitated for a split second before screaming and charging me in a last ditch suicide attack.

I ducked under one’s swing, grabbed his arm, and twisted. The crack of bone echoed as I kicked him into another elf.

“Almighty Push!” A quick blast of gravity from my hand sent the rest sprawling. They barely had time to scream before I finished them off.

By the time I reached the bridge, I was annoyed. My wings flared as I pushed open the large doors, stepping into the wide, circular room. Screens displayed the view of Earth growing larger with every second, but my eyes were on the figure standing in the center. Malekith. The guy was as pale and menacing as I remembered from the movies, with his angular face and piercing red eyes. Beside him stood a massive dark elf, easily twice my size, armed with a glowing red warhammer.

Malekith smirked when he saw me. “Ah, there you are,” he said, spreading his arms like he was welcoming me to a party. “You save me the trouble of hunting you down. Delivering the Aether directly to me... how thoughtful.”

“Uh-huh...”

Please don't start monologuing...

“Once I have possession of the aether, this universe will once again tremble before my might...” And he started monologuing.

“Wow... That's so cool.” I said blandly.

“I see you too recognize the brilliance of my plan! Are you here to serve me? Do you understand the folly of those who live in the light?”

“Totally...”

“Excellent! We shall bath the universe in eternal darkness together. You are a fine beauty, and you might make a fine Queen as well!”

“Nope...”

“And in return, I promise to make the deaths of your people—quick. I am not without mercy, after all.”

I yawned. “Are you done yet?”

“Sire, I don't think she's going to hand over the aether.” The large dark elf whispered in Malekith’s ear. “I think that she has been mocking you this whole time...”

“You dare, wench!?” Malekith snarled at me.

“Yeah, yeah, I dare,” I cut him off. “Listen up, I’m all out of mercy today, so I’ll make this simple. Surrender now, and I won’t kill you.” I summoned another Lightspear. “You’ve got one chance.”

[Obviously he won’t take it.]

‘I know,’ I thought back. When do they ever?

Malekith glared at me, his hand tightening around the black blade he’d been holding. “I think not. I shall rip the Aether from your corpse!”

“You'll certainly try.”

With a roar, Malekith charged, the giant elf beside him lumbering forward like a tank as well. I spun the Lightspear in my hand. If they wanted to die in combat, I’d grant them that much. It was probably more than they deserved to be honest.

The giant elf reached me first, swinging his warhammer with enough force to level a building. I sidestepped easily, jabbing the spear into his side. He let out a guttural growl, twisting to face me, but I was already moving. I leapt onto his back, yanking the spear free and plunging it into his neck. He crumpled to the ground, lifeless, as I flipped off him and landed gracefully.

“Next,” I said, turning to Malekith.

He lunged at me with his blade, aiming for my throat. I parried with the spear, the clash of energy and steel ringing through the room. His movements were fast, but I was so much faster. I could’ve ended it in seconds, but I held back, giving him the illusion of a fight.

“You’re strong,” he said, gritting his teeth as our weapons locked.

I smirked. “Far stronger than you,” I replied, shoving him back easily.

He stumbled, recovering quickly and charging again. This time, I didn't bother to hold back as much. I ducked under his swing, spinning the spear and slicing across his chest. He gasped, blood staining his armor, but he didn’t stop trying to attack me.

I admired the persistence, even if it was stupid.

With a final thrust, I drove the spear through his heart, pinning him to the ground. His red eyes widened, and he let out a choked gasp before going still.

I yanked the spear free, watching as his lifeless body finally slumped. “And that’s a wrap,” I muttered, letting the spear dissolve. The room fell silent, save for the hum of the ship’s systems.

I sighed, glancing at the screens showing Earth. The planet was still intact and had finally finished merging. Although the fallout and disasters to come would probably last for months.

XXX