Chapter 322: Let's Fight.
"Behold," Dr'ul remained in place staring up into the sky after Alpha had cut the feed to the fight, night had become day many times and visa versa since Ikaris challenged the Emporium's eighth General, and finally there seemed to be peace in the cosmos as the fighting had come to a stop. "Behold, the might of your leader, never before has there been one as her, and never will there be another."
Dr'ul smiled and extended her hand in gesture, lowering her head as Ikaris righted herself from her crash through the system and stopped just short of the ground before them, spreading her arms wide while a crater opened up beneath her from the force of her re-entry into the nearly shattered atmosphere, she lingered above the ground, staring at them all for several seconds as they lowered their heads in reverence, and then with a deep sigh the goddess finally relaxed her raging mana and landed, leaving the ground steaming after contact with her divine self.
"Ikaris," Dina approached her first but stopped several feet away and scrunched her nose; Ikaris was unapproachable; she sensed danger where the goddess stood; enough danger to warrant caution as her mana acted like a deterrent.
"Are you okay?" Dina raised the question with a soft tone, and Ikaris in response looked her way and smiled with an assuring nod, she just stood there though, staring without saying a word.
"Are you sure?" Arla queried, also slightly concerned when she remained mute.
"My words in this body carry power, speaking directly to you might cause harm, approaching me carelessly might also harm you, so stay at hand, I am waiting for Master's return," Ikaris relayed a mental note directly into Dina, Arla and Dr'ul's heads causing the three to share glances with each other and then look around at everyone else who had no idea what was happening, but was too afraid to approach for various reasons, stemming from reverence, to fearing that her presence might harm them, they had not been made privy to Ikaris's true evolution...
a Celestial God is not something they previously believed existed, and they had no idea what that actually meant, but they were sure that she was far more dangerous than they first believed, even with all the feats she had previously accomplished.
"Well done, Ikaris," Sol appeared once more almost on queue with her message to the three. "That was brilliant," He carelessly approached and stood before her, watching as her mana began quieting and her glow began to subside. "You seem to have already healed," He smiled, resting his hand on her head and slowly rubbing it.
"He was stronger than I anticipated," Ikaris looked at her hands, sucking in a breath while the corners of her eyes stung with tears that began floating upwards; falling in reverse.
"I have cherished my body, I placed all my trust in its durability, but I had no choice, the power needed to thwart that level of madness was beyond what it could hold, even if I won, I have failed!" Ikaris leaned onto Sol and began sobbing. "Master, I am sorry."
Her sigils were gone, the memories her vessel had stored within itself had left when it broke, now holding Sol, he felt unfamiliar in her grasp, it was unsettling how much a body depended on memory, and it broke her heart that she had shattered her vessel created for the sole purpose of serving him, which to her was the tether that held him and the others so close.
"Ikaris," Sol held her tightly, kissing her forehead softly and smiling when she locked her hands around his torso and continued to shake.
"I have already told you, your body is not what I fell in love with, if you are worried about old memories then we will have to replace them with new and more beautiful ones, I understand that the sensations might be a little different now, but it does not change the fact that you are still the same person; you should view this as a rebirth, while in your concealed vessel you were weaker, merely Celestial, you stood out, but not to any notable degree," He raised his thumb to her cheeks and wiped her eyes, then like a child he pinched her flushed nose and smiled at her again.
"You are Celestial Divine, mortals are not allowed to approach you, remember?"
"But," She objected glancing athwart him at Dr'ul who was nodding to his sentiments. "What about what you said on Arkadia, about getting along and blending in?" She asked with a sniffle.
"That was when you belonged to the cause of Arkadia, when you refused to lead and refused to show your true self, that is a time past, Ikaris, you are no longer on Arkadia, you are not hiding yourself to protect anyone now, you lead a great number of powerful beings who look to you for guidance and protection, you are not just Ikaris the Hero anymore."
Sol turned with her and held her hand, gesturing to the mass that had yet to arise from their position on the ground. "You are the saviour of your people, a god among them; their shepherd, so raise your head and keep it raised," He looked at her again and then at Dr'ul who smiled and bowed a second time when hers and Ikaris's eyes made four.
"Calm your heart and still your mana," Sol tapped her head and she pouted like a child and closed her eyes, suppressing her mana until there laid no more danger in approaching her, and as soon as she did, in her usual fashion, Arla tackled them both, making the most noise as she immediately began complaining.
"That was so scary~" The elf sobbed and nuzzled her face in Ikaris's chest hugging and squeezing her. "Milady is amazing, I lost my nerve so many times, I kept worrying what-if-something-happaned-to-you-"
"Arla, that's enough," Dina peeled her off Ikaris who had been taken aback and remained still from shock. "How are you feeling?" She turned to the goddess, and Ikaris raised her hand and stared at it for a few seconds before lowering it and sighing.
"I am tired, it was not a long fight but it was a stressful and taxing one, I exhausted a lot of mana and it has yet to come crashing because of the high I suspect I am still riding from consecutively casting [Unknown Tiers], more than anything else I wish to sleep a little, and just hold my daughter" She looked at Sol and he nodded and looked to Dina, who also nodded, passing her glance to Dr'ul who huffed and crossed her arms.
"Very well, I will remain as a placeholder until your return," If any enemy rears his face I will dispose of him with extreme prejudice, take your rest; all of you," She looked at them and then turned to Cecelia and the others who held gazes of distrust and reservation toward her who they were meeting for the first time.
"You there, you seem pretty strong," Drul stared at the Vatui commander with a smirk as soon as Sol took Ikaris, Arla and Dina away.
"Let's fight to pass the time."