Ascension of the Dark Seraph-Chapter 309: Sunfall (2)

Gods and Goddesses are separated into two sides.

Good and bad? No.

It was a lot simpler than that.

Dictated only by how these Gods came to be, the dark or the light.

Came from the void ink that wrote the first truths or woven through silk from sunlit thread.

Each side doesn't like the other, believing itself to be worthy of a lot more influence in the great scheme of things. Naturally, this could result in a bad way, separating the whole cosmic existence into two different sides, governed by their own brutal side.

It has always been a constant struggle between these two sides.

Stealing worlds from the other side while simultaneously protecting their own side from being stolen.

But there are priorities.

There are worlds that are invaluable, more important than the others.

One being a fortress world located at the border between the dark and light.

Governed by the trusted overseer of each side from countless origins.

One of them is the Archangels.

Loki's arrival here was an attempt to poach the world in a peaceful way, a battle between their avatars to determine which side would rule the world. But this scent, capturing Seraphiel herself, is not a peaceful act.

No.

It was a declaration of war.

"Seraphiel…? Seraphiel?!"

Sunna turned to Loki, her eyes flashing with murderous intent that even cracked the reality around her.

All things around her cracked and warped, and the place beyond the park blurred—the air thinned, the colors drained, and the world erased, turned into nothing more than a blinding void of sunlight. Only the park, Loki, and her wrath remained.

Loki remained silent, unfazed.

His body was straight, and his power maintained the space around them from Sunna's oppressive wrath.

"I am not going to leave this world, Sunna. And neither will you."

"Do you think you alone can stop me?!"

CRASH!

Her power surged in reflection of her wrath, burning everything around with her sunlight.

Even so, Loki was still unresponsive.

All he did was protect himself, Lucivar, and the others.

It was as if he had this under control.

Loki looked up to meet her gaze, a devilish smirk crossed his lips.

"But I'm not alone…"

PSHH!

As soon as he said that, Sunna's eyes darted to the sides, and she felt another energy present in the space.

Powerful and prideful.

One that was even more prideful than she was.

Her ears caught it first—the faint, rhythmic hiss of building and shifting sand beyond the park's edge, unnatural and deliberate, like a desert stirring to life. The sound deepened, resonating with a power that Sunna couldn't quite tell until countless grains of blood-red sand surged in from every direction.

Like having a sentient being, they spiraled, weaving into four towering spires that encircled the park.

Akin to the hiss of a God's breath, they pierced through the radiant sunlight with ease.

Easily, unbothered, unburned.

Announcing the presence of another than Loki, another God.

Seeing this, Sunna's body exploded with more flames, exploding like a supernova. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

But that did little to nothing other than pushing away a few chunks of the sand spires.

Out of nowhere, these sand spires latched onto Sunna, restraining all her limbs.

She fought back without pulling back, using her divine sunlight to free herself.

But it was rendered almost helpless by the sands.

'Strong… Who is it? Another demigod helped him? A divine creature? Who?!' She wailed inside.

As she continued to struggle, burning as hot as the sun's core, she noticed Aurel was on the ground.

Alive, but unconscious.

'Her memories are erased. Loki, he's planning something… I need to leave!'

Realizing that a contest of strength would get her nowhere, as the sands were a lot stronger than her, she decided to change tactics. Brimming with more sunlight, her body began to turn translucent. She was trying to escape the domain.

Before she could do that, tree roots with an emerald hue burst from underneath.

All of them spiraled around her, turning into a makeshift Great Tree with her body trapped inside.

"Oh, no, no, no…" Loki shook her head as a horned helmet came to be on his head. "You are immune to illusions, your sunlight could see through all, and that made you stronger than me. But… I'm still a lot superior in the arcana compared to you."

"Loki! How dare you attack me like this!" Sunna roared. "I will not let this go! Both of you!"

Just as she shouted, a baritone, arrogant chuckle echoed.

One that was filled with immense power.

It was then that Sunna's gaze snapped toward the entrance of the park.

Steps away from the entrance, the ground trembled softly as red grains began to stir.

It was a whisper first, then a murmur, slithering toward one another with purpose.

Sand coalesced in a slow, deliberate rise, climbing as if savoring the tension in the air, swelling in height until it reached the park's entrance sign—eight feet tall and still growing. The air thickened. Then, with no warning, two glowing bronze eyes blinked open within the shifting pillar, burning orbs like molten pears pulled from the deepest pit of Hell.

Sunna's breath caught.

Now she realized that Loki wasn't helped by a demigod or some beasts.

No, this was something greater, stronger.

Once the sand collapsed at once, a figure remained standing from its dispersal.

Monstrous is one word to describe him, monstrously divine.

His jackal-like head bore a dark bone-shaded mask streaked with crimson, framed by a collar of black feathers and midnight plumage. Gleaming golden rings adorned his arms and legs, bands ancient and pitted with age, yet seemed significant to the eyes.

All of his limbs were long and robust, his posture straight but animalistic somehow.

It was as if he were too ancient to bother mimicking man, mortal.

Just the tattered white wrappings along with the jackal-face should've been enough for Sunna to realize who this figure was, but the ankh crossed on his back like a weapon made it very clear. He stepped into the park, into the sunlight that dared to touch him.

Each step made the gold on his body chime with a hollow, metallic clank.

More like iron bars slamming shut than jewelry, a death knell.

Sunna's eyes gradually widened in complete and utter shock.

Her breath was caught in her throat as this shouldn't be possible.

From when time was still a toddler, nothing like this has ever happened.

In fact, this was beyond her oversight—she never expected this to even be possible.

"Seth…"

A soft murmur escaped her lips.

"I've met several Sun Gods, Ra was one of them," Seth said with deep arrogance in his voice, looking at Sunna as if he were looking at nothing. "But among them, especially compared to Ra, you were kind of underwhelming, Sunna…"

"Please… You're the absolute rock. Of course, you find her underwhelming." Loki shook his head.

Not a lot of Gods could match Seth's raw strength.

Like how not a lot of Gods could match Loki's sophisticated arcana.

"W-Why…? How? What…?"

Sunna was at a loss for words, questions kept bombarding her mind.

She couldn't accept that this was happening.

Recovering from her daze, she quickly regained her composure, one she desperately needs right now.

"Chaos was detected in this world… it was mild, very mild, but the Architects sent four avatars to be a lot safer, so how are you here, Seth?" Sunna's eyes narrowed, keeping a strong front despite being tied helplessly. "How did your avatar avoid our senses? What did Loki have over you?"

Seth remained silent, giving nothing in return.

On the other hand, Loki was eager to answer.

"Seth and I have an agreement, one that doesn't concern you."

"Doesn't concern me? Are you blind?!"

"As much as I admire your high self-esteem, you're nothing but a side piece. One that wasn't necessary, but pleasant to deal with. As for your other question, connect the dots, Sunna. You're smarter than this. Don't make me look bad in front of Sutekh."

Hearing this for the second time, Sunna gritted her teeth.

Her mind was riled, but then, she noticed Loki signaling with his eyes to look to the side.

It was then that Sunna's gaze landed on Lucivar.

"Seraphiel… This is her home world, and her holy scent is strong enough to cover both of your scents, which is how you avoided our senses. But still…" Sunna's frown grew deeper in thought. "How can Sutekh be here? I didn't sense his avatar any-"

Abruptly, Sunna stopped mid-sentence as shock struck her like a lightning strike, paralyzing her.

She realized what was happening here.

"Oh, no… no, no, no, this can't be."

"Oh, it can… be."

With a pale expression, Sunna turned to Loki again.

"He, this mortal, is the avatar of you both…?"

"Bingo."

Seth crossed his arms and sneered, glancing at Loki with disdain.

He couldn't believe that Loki, the absolute arcana, could lose to this kind of lowly Goddess.

"You were bested… by this pitiful excuse for a Goddess? Even Anubis is smarter—and he only talked with the dead."

"In my defense, her only talent is seeing through my illusions—beyond that, she's a complete idiot."

Despite the mockeries, Sunna was too caught up in her realization.

"No mortal can withstand two Gods at the same time, especially not the two of you. His body and mind would break from both your arrogance and evil intent! This is another trick! You're lying! I will not believe this!"

"And yet, it's the truth."

Swallowing hard, containing the shock she was experiencing, Sunna bit down on her tongue.

She remained silent for a moment, and then spoke again.

Unlike earlier, this time she has a mocking smile on her face.

"Even if that mortal somehow withstood both of you, what then? There are only two of you. The Architects sent four, and one of them is your match," Her gaze shifted to Seth, catching the flicker of surprise that crossed his face. "Horus is in this world… alongside two others. Even with both of your powers combined, your chances of victory are negligible, a fleeting illusion at best."

She raised her chin, voice calm yet final, "Once I'm released… it becomes two against four."

It was an intimidation.

But when it reached Loki and Seth, it fell short.

Hearing her acting menacing made Seth laugh condescendingly, not taking her seriously at all.

Sunna's expression changed.

"What's so funny?" She asked.

"You think Horus scares me? Ra asked me to fight alongside him. Why did he ask me instead of Horus if Horus was my match?" He asked humorously—finding her claim to be hilarious. "Besides, who are you to threaten me?"

"No escaping this, Sunna," Loki added. "You die here…"

Just then, a voice rang, but this time, it didn't come from any of them.

"Besides, who said there are only two of them inside me?"

Lucivar's voice rang like thunder.

Sunna glanced at him, shocked.

"What?"

"There's more..."