Chapter 107

Chapter 107

A/N: So we come to the last chapter. I will post the epilogue in few minutes, so keep an eye for that. I couldve put this along with the epilogue, but I thought Id better leave it as it is, a clean finish. Its been a long road, eleven months, and much funzies have been had. I tried to avoid asking for ratings and stuff along the way, but seeing as you managed to hold on to the end, now might be a good time to throw a rating my way. The story was worth a read since we got this far, so it should be worth a rating.

Beyond that, I want to thank all my readers that managed to tolerate my meanderings this far. I enjoyed writing this story. It started off as a kind of lets see what happens kind of thing, and during the journey I wanted to bring the journey of Neleh to a proper conclusion just as much as readers might have wanted to read that conclusion. To those that are asking, yes Ive got a new story in the works, which I hope will be better and more refined as this one. I hope Ive learned something on the way after all. The link to that will eventually be in my signature, so if you think you might like another story crafted by me, then itll be easy to find. I hope to see many of you there. When will I start posting it? I dont know yet.

Well, without a further ado, I hope youll enjoy!

----------

The Blood God suddenly felt something penetrating through his back, and could see a clawed and bloodied hand coming out of his chest. The hand was holding something that looked suspiciously like his heart. He managed a feeble cough, as blood flowed from the side of his mouth. He tried to look behind him, but failed pathetically. His neck refused to move.

Well how about that? At least you got to feel the sweet taste of victory for a moment. The voice of Asariel calmly said from behind his back.

The headless body of the celestial suddenly disappeared from the ground. The blood that had spurted from the corpses neck also vanished. The demon fell to the ground as Asariel loomed over him, holding the demons heart still in her hand. The celestials other gauntleted hand showed that it wasnt actually her hand that was clawed, but the gauntlet itself was formed into a shape that could tear her enemies to pieces. Her real weapon was not in fact the sword she had used, but those gauntlets on her hands.

Howlong..? The Blood God managed to sputter out part of a question.

Hmm, how long have I had you on the palm of my hand? Well, Ill give you a hint. Suddenly the devastated surroundings disappeared, and the demon could see they were in fact standing on a rock jutting out from the ocean.

They were nowhere close to land, and he had in fact never even used the burst of power he had thought would bring him the advantage. Everything that happened after he had felt Asariel attacking his mental defenses had been in his head. He couldnt even figure out how much time had passed, as his memories were all false.

How? He managed to ask.

I learned long ago that a soft touch is much better when invading someones mind, rather than trying to force my way in. You mind will bring me in all by itself if I just aimlessly drift nearby. The defenses only work if they detect hostile intention, while Ive learned to clear those thoughts away. Asariel explained feeling that there was no harm in giving honor to the dying. However, it was time to finish this for good.

At least now youll get to join your brothers in death. She said quietly, as her hands slashed down, glowing with psionic power, looking like the claws of a bird of prey that had found its mark.

-----

Her enemy was pacing in front of the city shield, trying to figure the best way to get inside to strike at Khali. She was trying to figure a way forward as well, as her sword was still stuck in the metallic chest of her enemy. Suddenly she felt a signal in her head, advising her on how to proceed. A group of fifth Order assassins suddenly jumped at her enemy while several magical spells attacked him from the walls at the same time.

The assassins werent actually really trying to attack a target they had no chance against. They were only a distraction. The spells from the walls avoided hitting the assassins, and were also there as a simple distraction in an attempt to keep their enemy of balance and not thinking. During this, Khali charged her ki into a burst of power, which she shot towards what she now realized to be a hollow armor controlled by a separate will. This attack was not something he could ignore, and he layered his two shields in front of him.

The two shields shattered under the pressure of the attack, but he managed to slash the ki with his blades. However, this too was just a distraction. While he was busy dealing with the attack from Khali, Shiori slipped behind him, masquerading as just one of the assassins, no different from the rest. Except there were two important differences.

First was her white dagger that sunk into the back of the magical helmet like into butter, revealing the shining core inside the helmet. The second difference was the skill taught to her by Neleh and refined by her and Asariel. A skill she had learned as something she could use to kill a lost-deity if given the chance and something happened top Neleh. Warp. She muttered the activation phrase of the power, and leapt back from her target.

A small grey orb of power exploded inside the helmet, twisting and rending the space around the point of impact. The space inside the small effected area shattered as gravitational fields tore the space in opposing direction twisting and turning. This was a horribly effective skill, but the affected area wasnt too large, and the effective range was small. The small grey orb could be launched at a distant enemy, but it moved so slowly that a sleeping sloth would be able to avoid it beyond a limited range.

No, that wasnt it. You shouldve figured by now that we were just trying to waste your power. We were doing it for one purpose. Neleh replied with a small chuckle. She saw from the corner of her eye as the Enemy suddenly dove straight at her, trying to prevent whatever was about to happen. He was too late though.

Final Flame of the Phoenix. Neleh activated the final spell her current body would be able to cast as the spell burnt away her ability to use mana. For a short moment she returned to the glorious form of her old life, as she took the form of the white hot phoenix of cosmic flame. For this moment the heat of the sun was present within this pocket dimension, but that wasnt the end of it. Otherwise she wouldve lost her ability to use mana when her sister died. No the real attack was to come next as the form of the phoenix burst with the energy and heat of a supernova, incinerating everything.

There was a reason Neleh had prepared this pocket dimension beforehand, even though she wasnt aware of the Enemys ability to turn people against each other like that. This was the reason. The explosion was even more magnificent because she used Surtrs power to draw on the elemental plane of fire to enhance her flames. She could now let go of that connection as well, as it had served its final purpose. The only connection left was for Abyss, as that spirit was responsible for keeping Asheara alive during the inferno.

As the raging inferno passed, all that was left of the pocket dimension had turned to nuclear glass. The landscape could even be described as somewhat beautiful. Neleh found herself reclining against some slag, which wouldve burnt anyone else, but heat and fire held no risk to her. The heat slowly dissipated into the emptiness surrounding the dimension, and a semblance of normalcy returned, although the whole pocket dimension was still a hellscape almost too hot for breathing without searing your lungs.

Unsurprisingly, the Enemy was still there although his charred feature told a clear story of how his protective powers had finally buckled. Yet, he was still alive, just as Neleh had feared he would be. Well, that certainly surprised me. Though I suppose it shouldnt have considering what you used to be. I didnt think that power had carried over to this life. Too bad you fell a little short though. The charred skin was dropping away as new skin healthy appeared on his face and body, as his regenerative powers did their job.

Well, I suppose it always had to come to this. Neleh said sadly. She had one last card to play with her broken body.

The deities of this world had promised to give their own power as recompense for Nelehs power as a Destroyer. She could not designate the source her power used as fuel, but something like the deities could choose to feed into her powers. It was time to collect on that promise, and hope that the power they provided was enough. She gathered all the holy power she could hold for one final attack, and flung it at the Enemy.

Someone of the Enemys level could use his own strength to resist the power of a Destroyer, which had been the reason so many worlds had disappeared the last time. She could feel the holy power draining from within her as the Enemy slowed the progress of destruction. His arms were the first to go, turning into black dust, ever so slowly. Next came his feet, as he struggled against the destruction with a pained grimace.

Neleh could feel the power within her drying up, and knew that if she went further, the price would be paid by someone else. Then she felt the presence of several beings behind her. She could feel a hand on both of her shoulders, although the hands felt insubstantial. The deities had come to do their part. The power of the gods flowed into her, and she channeled it into the power annihilating the enemy. It was working, but would it be enough?

She could feel a silent discussion that went on within her mind. The gods knew that some of them would have to be sacrificed to feed the power, and they were deciding who would go. Neleh was shocked that Alarae and Loki were fed to the power inside her forcibly. She had not thought the gods capable of punishing the two like that. The two would almost certainly come back as lost-deities if her plan didnt work. But it was still barely not enough.

Finally their eldest, Satai stepped forward. I think my time has passed. My race has reunited with their lost cousins and doesnt need my protection. If she can give herself to the cycle to defeat the Enemy, so can I. May the Destroyer take wing once again, and may her power save us all from the clutches of Death. The god recited the cryptic line of his blessing seen during Nelehs Awakening ceremony.

As the Protector God of the Dragons disappeared, Neleh felt a burst of power and could feel the Enemy finally giving up, as his body disappeared. Now came the moment of truth. They had won, but will it be a temporary victory, or will the threat be gone for good? As the spirit of the Enemy searched for another body to take over and continue his conquest, the only one available was Neleh. Normally the heroes that came after him were the best new hosts, as they were the most powerful beings in the universe. Some managed to resist, some didnt. Neleh had resisted easily last time. However what did he have to lose? If he failed, hed just come back in a millennia or two anyway.

When the Enemy reached for Neleh, he expected hate, resentment and other negative emotions to give him power. What he found was acceptance. That made him weak and vulnerable. Neleh allowed the Enemy to freely start taking over her body, only slowing the progress a little. Usually the bodies of the heroes were great, even if they were exhausted or wounded. Not this time.

What the Enemy found this time was a body that was worn and about to collapse. It had no ability to use mana, it had severed the spirit connections, which had left the body weak and with no ability to become stronger. The power of the gods would not be available to the Enemy, no matter how he asked. Worst of all, the body was corrupted and dying. It was nothing but a husk. That had been Nelehs plan.

With no power left in the body, the Enemy was unable to resist and it was vulnerable while taking over. While in the middle of taking over, it could not escape. Instead of a new body, the Enemy found a trap and a prison. When Neleh sensed that the Enemy was committed, she latched on with all the power in her shining soul. If Im going back to the cycle, Im taking you with me. Neleh sent the thought to the other soul struggling for the control of the body.

Struggle while you can. Once Ive taken over completely, I can just escape again. The Enemy replied, clear hate clear in his voice. No other being had given him such problems before.

Unfortunately, you wont get the chance. Neleh said with glee, as the white blade of a sword she had helped create went through the heart of the body the two inhabited.

Thank you, mother. The voice of their body managed to say, as it looked into the tearful eyes of Asheara, who had been waiting for this moment. It was not easy for a mother to bury their child, and it was much harder to end the childs life with their own hands. She managed it only by thinking that she was ending her childs suffering. It was Nelehs wish to die for a reason, and her body wouldve collapsed soon enough anyway.

Neleh had always said that she was not a hero, but she would die as one. Asheara wanted to make sure of that. She idly wondered what awaited her as the slayer of the Golden Goddess, but told herself that she would be gone with Shiori and Gabriel soon anyway. As Neleh had said goodbye to them earlier, she had told them that she would be reborn, although she didnt know when and where. She had told them to find her.

With her last strength, Neleh sent the message to the people waiting. Remember, find me!