Chapter 24: The Soul They Wanted... Returned

The battlefield descended into absolute confusion.

Not because of Heaven or because of the colossal entity staring through the fractured sky.

But because one sentence had shifted the attention of every living person present directly onto Mason.

"Return my brother’s soul, Goddess."

The woman in crimson armor lowered her glowing spear slowly as the Western Coalition army spread across the plains behind her like a rising tide.

Mason stood completely still.

Internally panicking.

Externally trying very hard to look divine.

Unfortunately, he had absolutely no idea what soul she was talking about.

But Athlian did.

He felt her emotions instantly; guilt twisting painfully through their shared consciousness.

"Mason..." she whispered quietly.

"Oh no," he thought immediately. "That tone means ancient emotional disaster."

Draca stepped slightly closer to him again, sword still drawn, eyes fixed on the approaching army.

"The Coalition should not even be near the capital yet," he said grimly. "They crossed three border territories to reach this battlefield."

"So they committed several political crimes before breakfast," Mason muttered.

Despite everything happening above them, the woman’s attention never left Athlian’s body.

Her crimson armor was battle-worn, scratched by years of combat. Dark hair whipped violently behind her in the storm winds created by the fractured heavens.

And her eyes...Mason noticed immediately that they were filled with hatred and grief.

The kind that never healed properly.

The Tribunal remained suspended above the battlefield, silver light dimming slightly as Heaven reevaluated the situation.

Apparently even cosmic judges became uncomfortable when mortal armies unexpectedly joined divine executions.

Assura folded his hands calmly behind his back.

"This becomes complicated."

Mason stared at him incredulously.

"It became complicated when the giant eye called me illegal!"

Assura considered that briefly. "...Fair."

The colossal entity above the clouds shifted again.

Its massive voice rolled across the battlefield.

"THE MORTALS STILL SEEK VENGEANCE."

The woman in crimson armor raised her spear toward the sky immediately.

"We seek justice."

The giant eye laughed softly.

A terrifying sound.

"THOSE WORDS OFTEN MEAN THE SAME THING."

Mason really hated that the cosmic horrors were making philosophical observations now.

The Coalition army continued advancing until Draca suddenly stepped forward.

"Hold position!"

His voice cut across the battlefield sharply enough that even the approaching soldiers slowed.

Authority radiated naturally from him.

Mason noticed something strange immediately.

The Coalition soldiers looked uneasy facing Draca.

Not fearful exactly but respectful.

The woman at the front narrowed her eyes slightly upon seeing him.

"...Commander Draca."

Draca’s expression remained calm. "Lady Seraphine."

Okay...so they knew each other.

Another relationship complication added to the growing collection.

Mason glanced between them carefully.

Athlian stirred uneasily inside him. ’She fought beside him once.’

"Beside him?" Mason repeated internally.

’Long ago.’

That somehow sounded emotionally dangerous.

The woman...Seraphine apparently kept her spear lowered now, though glowing energy still pulsed around its blade.

"You protect her even now?" she asked

Draca quietly.

Draca did not hesitate. "Yes."

That simple answer hit harder than shouting would have.

Seraphine’s jaw tightened faintly. "She destroyed my family."

Silence spread briefly across the battlefield.

Mason felt Athlian recoil painfully inside him.

Draca finally spoke. "The truth is more complicated."

Seraphine released a cold laugh. "Of course you would say that."

Mason immediately wanted details.

Unfortunately, Heaven chose that exact moment to become aggressive again.

The leading Tribunal figure raised one glowing hand.

"Political disputes are irrelevant. Correction proceeds."

Silver light gathered overhead once more.

The Coalition army instantly reacted.

Thousands of weapons rose toward the heavens.

Mason blinked. "Oh my God, the humans are threatening Heaven."

Assura sounded mildly impressed.

"Ambitious mortals."

Draca moved closer to Mason again, lowering his voice slightly.

"If battle begins between Heaven and the Coalition, the kingdom will become the center of war."

"Believe me," Mason replied, "I am aware my day keeps getting worse."

Athlian suddenly spoke internally.

’Seraphine cannot know the full truth.’

"Obviously," Mason replied. "I barely know the full truth."

Another pulse of divine pressure rolled across the plains.

The giant entity within the storm clouds watched everything silently now. And somehow that felt more dangerous than the Tribunal.

Seraphine suddenly pointed her spear directly toward Mason again.

"You owe the dead answers."

Every soldier behind her slammed their weapons against their shields once.

The sound thundered across the plains.

Draca’s expression darkened. "This is not the place for accusations."

"Then where was the proper place?" Seraphine demanded sharply. "When temples erased records? When witnesses disappeared? When Heaven remained silent?"

That sounded significantly worse than normal political rebellion.

Mason glanced toward Athlian internally.

"...What exactly happened?"

She hesitated too long. Which was absolutely not reassuring.

’Mason...’

"No," he replied immediately. "Whenever conversations start with my name like that, disaster follows."

Assura suddenly looked amused again.

"You truly do not remember."

Mason spun toward him. "Stop saying mysterious things!"

Assura ignored the complaint completely.

His ancient gaze shifted toward Seraphine thoughtfully.

"The mortal seeks the soul of her brother because she believes Athlian condemned him."

The battlefield quieted again.

Even the Coalition soldiers listened now.

Seraphine’s grip tightened around her spear. "She took him."

Athlian’s emotions twisted painfully.

Mason felt it sharply enough to nearly flinch.

Draca spoke carefully. "Athlian never destroys souls."

Seraphine looked at him with something dangerously close to heartbreak.

"You still believe that?."

Oh no. Mason immediately sensed emotional history here.

Complicated emotional history.

Wonderful.

The Tribunal interrupted coldly.

"This discussion changes nothing. The unstable existence must be separated."

Silver chains began forming again overhead.

This time larger and stronger.

Mason looked upward in disbelief.

"Seriously?! You people are obsessed!"

The giant eye suddenly moved.

Reality shook violently. "ENOUGH."

The single word shattered several of the forming chains instantly.

The Tribunal turned sharply toward the colossal entity. "Interference continues."

"YOUR JUDGMENT IS FLAWED."

Heaven’s silver light intensified dangerously.

Assura sighed softly beside Mason. "They are about to argue again."

"You say that like divorced parents fighting at dinner," Mason whispered.

Assura looked thoughtful. "...Surprisingly accurate."

Despite the cosmic tension, Mason nearly laughed.

Athlian actually snorted internally.

Even Draca looked briefly confused by whatever expression crossed Mason’s face.

Then suddenly...a new voice echoed across the battlefield.

"Oh good. I’m not late."

Mason froze instantly.

Athlian groaned internally.

"No," Mason whispered aloud. "Absolutely not."

Several shadows twisted unnaturally near the battlefield edge before Zereth casually stepped out onto the plains like this entire situation was mildly entertaining.

The dark-haired former lover adjusted his cloak dramatically while surveying the heavens, the giant eye, the Coalition army, and Heaven’s full host.

"...Athlian," he said slowly. "Why does this keep happening around you?"

Mason pointed at him immediately. "You are not helping my stress levels either."

Zereth blinked.

Then narrowed his eyes. "...You’re doing the strange talking thing again."

Draca visibly stiffened upon Zereth’s arrival.

Seraphine looked openly disgusted.

"Oh perfect," she muttered. "The leech arrived."

Zereth placed one hand over his chest.

"Hurtful."

"You drank a priest once."

"He was rude."

Mason stared between them rapidly.

"...Why does everybody know everybody?!"

Athlian sounded deeply unhelpful inside his head.

’Divine immortality creates social overlap.’

"That is the worst explanation I’ve ever heard."

Meanwhile Heaven had become increasingly irritated by the complete collapse of battlefield order.

The Tribunal’s leading figure spoke again, louder this time.

"All lower entities will withdraw."

Zereth looked upward. "No."

The Coalition army raised weapons higher.

Seraphine spoke coldly. "No."

Draca remained standing beside Mason.

"No."

Mason blinked slowly. "...Why am I surrounded by people who argue with gods?"

Assura folded his arms calmly. "Because they are emotionally attached to the situation."

"That somehow makes it worse."

The giant entity above the storm clouds laughed again.

This time louder. "THEY GATHER AROUND THE IMPOSSIBLE ONE."

Mason’s stomach dropped immediately...he didn’t like that wording at all.

The Tribunal clearly disliked it even more.

Silver light exploded across the heavens.

"Containment authorized."

Assura’s expression finally sharpened dangerously. "Careful."

Too late...the silver chains descended again.

Faster this time as dozens of them ripping downward through the sky directly toward Mason.

Everything happened at once afterward.

Draca moved instantly.

So did Zereth.

Seraphine raised her glowing spear.

The Coalition army unleashed magical artillery toward the heavens.

Assura lifted one hand calmly...and the battlefield exploded into chaos.

Divine chains collided against crimson energy.

Silver light shattered across the plains.

The Coalition soldiers screamed battle cries while Heaven retaliated with blinding radiance.

Mason barely had time to react before Draca grabbed him firmly around the waist and pulled him backward away from the impact zone.

The ground behind them exploded.

"Oh this is bad!" Mason shouted.

"This is extremely bad," Draca agreed calmly.

"How are you calm right now?!"

"I trained for crisis situations."

"This is not a normal crisis situation!"

Another explosion rocked the battlefield.

Zereth appeared beside them suddenly, shadows twisting around his body.

"You really attract dramatic problems." Mason pointed furiously.

"You literally appeared during divine warfare to flirt with a goddess!" he added.

Zereth considered that. "...Fair."

Athlian laughed internally despite the chaos, which honestly felt insane.

Seraphine’s voice suddenly echoed across the battlefield.

"Protect the civilians!"

Mason looked sharply toward her.

The Coalition soldiers were not advancing toward the capital.

They were redirecting.

Moving defensively between the city and Heaven’s descending attacks.

That changed things immediately.

Draca noticed too. "They came prepared for divine retaliation."

Assura calmly stepped through exploding silver light nearby like reality itself refused to harm him.

"The Coalition expected Heaven to intervene."

Mason frowned. "Why?"

Assura looked toward Seraphine thoughtfully.

"Because they have been investigating missing souls."

The words hit hard.

Athlian went silent inside him.

Mason noticed instantly. "...Athlian."

She hesitated.

Then finally answered quietly. ’There were disappearances centuries ago.’

"That is not enough information."

’I know.’

Another divine explosion shook the plains.

The giant eye within the sky suddenly shifted again.

Not toward Heaven but toward Mason.

Completely toward him...the pressure intensified instantly.

Every instinct in Mason’s body screamed danger.

The colossal voice rolled downward slowly.

"YOU CARRY BOTH MEMORY AND ABSENCE."

Mason stared upward. "I genuinely have no idea what that means."

The entity continued anyway. "ONE SOUL DIED."

Athlian froze.

"ONE SOUL REMAINED."

The battlefield grew quieter again despite the ongoing conflict.

Even Heaven seemed to pause.

Mason felt cold dread spread through him slowly.

Because suddenly...everybody was listening.

Assura’s eyes narrowed sharply.

Draca looked toward Mason again...searching.

Athlian spoke urgently inside him. ’Do not let it continue.’

Mason swallowed hard.

Unfortunately, the giant entity clearly had other plans.

"THE GODDESS CHANGED THE MOMENT THE HUMAN ARRIVED."

Absolute silence followed.

Mason’s heartbeat pounded painfully.

The Tribunal’s silver light intensified instantly.

Seraphine stared at Athlian’s body in shock.

Zereth slowly lowered his joking expression for the first time since arriving.

And Draca...he looked directly at Mason.

Not at Athlian but Mason himself.

As though something inside him had finally aligned incorrectly.

Dangerous realization flickered behind his calm eyes.

Not full understanding but enough to hurt.

Athlian’s emotions surged anxiously. ’He cannot know yet.’

"I KNOW," Mason thought frantically.

Before anyone could speak...Assura suddenly stepped forward.

Reality distorted around him violently.

"No further."

For the first time since arriving...the ancient being sounded genuinely serious.

The colossal eye narrowed. "YOU WOULD HIDE THE TRUTH?"

"I would protect the possibility."

The Tribunal reacted immediately.

"Concealment confirms corruption."

Silver light erupted across the battlefield again.

This time stronger than before.

The fractured heavens widened violently overhead.

And from within the expanding silver fracture, Something enormous began descending.

Not another Tribunal host but a floating gate of silver stone slowly emerged from Heaven itself, covered in glowing symbols that hurt Mason’s eyes if he looked too long.

Every divine presence on the battlefield went still.

Even the giant entity above the clouds stopped speaking.

Athlian’s fear slammed through Mason hard enough to nearly knock the breath from him.

’No...’

Mason grabbed his chest instinctively.

"What is that?"

Nobody answered immediately.

Then Assura spoke quietly. And somehow his calm voice sounded worse than panic.

"The Judgment Gate."

The enormous structure continued descending slowly through the fractured sky.

Silver chains spread outward from it like roots.

The Tribunal bowed their heads.

The Coalition army visibly faltered.

Even Zereth stopped smiling entirely.

Mason looked around rapidly.

Draca stepped closer to him again.

Protective instinct returning immediately despite the impossible situation.

"What does it do?" Mason asked quietly.

This time...Athlian answered.

And her voice shook. ’It separates truth from existence.’

Mason’s blood ran cold. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Because suddenly he understood exactly why Heaven brought it.

And for the first time since arriving in this world...He realized Heaven might actually succeed in tearing him away from Athlian completely.

Then the massive gate slowly began opening. And something inside it... looked back.