The gods all went silent and watched each other with wary gazes, it was a strange feeling that surrounded the gods, just moments ago they were all getting along just fine but suddenly it felt like they couldn't show their backs to each other without being attacked even by those who they had known for trillions of years, it was especially so when they looked at Adolin the eldest god.
They could hardly believe the hostility that came from him, he was the god that all gods even if they hated his guts they still respected him, yet right now, he seemed like a monster, they tried to rationalize and recall all that they were told about the curse, but it was like the curse was pushing aside their common sense.
They were all looking around at each other with unease when suddenly Anuka shot out in the direction of Adolin, everyone looked on with fright unsure of whether they should join her or not but, just as they thought they were about to see a blood bath she came to a stop, her golden hair that resembled a river of molten gold flowed gracefully down her back and seemed to become a part of her armour trembled.
She bent down on a knee and looked down at her feet in shame, "My mind, my body and my soul belong to my lord, it has been my greatest pride to always serve my lord, and yet on this day I wavered I ask my lord to serve punishment."
Anuka lowered her head even further as she trembled in shame, she pledged on her pride to always serve faithfully and yet today she almost went against her pledge she even doubted him for a second, the curse was no excuse for such a shameful act, as a god of pride how could she allow such a thing to control her and shake her resolve.
Adolin had spent a lot of time coming up with methods to suppress the effects of the curse when he looked at Anuka he couldn't help but feel moved by the strength of her pride.
He bent down and cupping her delicate chin, raising her head to meet his eyes, "Punishment my dear is what I should be given for having doubted you, it is my greatest honour to have had you by my side all this time little Anuka, your act today should be rewarded if nothing else."
Anuka eyes seemed to swell with pride when she heard her lords' words and when the word reward was said she seemed to glow with radiance, "My lord if you must reward me, I would gladly bear you a child.", her whole body squirmed in delight as she spoke.
The space seemed to echo continuously as all the gods heard the words ringing in their ears, even the tense situation seemed to disappear. Lusty was the first to start laughing and her melodious voice caused all the others to calm down and retract their auras.
"I'll have to teach you my techniques to suppress the feeling the curse gives you, we are lucky that the curse won't intensify, with my suppressing technique it should be easier to handle.", said Adolin as he strode over to his son who had fallen unconscious after the ceremony.
"For now, we need to head to the portal to send my son to the mortal realms, we only have a few hours before it closes." He spoke resolutely and lifted his son who had passed out after the curse was extracted.
As much as he wished to keep Samsara with him he knew that the life they were about to experience was something no child should have to face.
He looks so much like his mother he thought with a melancholic expression. His mother had hair like the fairest of snow although his hair was silver it still resembled hers in all honesty it was easy to mistake him for a girl, Adolin chuckled softly as he secretly hoped that Samsara would live a good life in the mortal realm and return home, but secretly he also feared the day he would see his son again.
Prophecies were cruel things that left so much out, and only the facts that made one act, he let the gods know about the prophecy, well some of it, so they could prepare for their potential end but he did keep a bit of it to himself, in particular, the last words.
---
IN THE FINAL HOUR SHALL THE ELDEST GOD FALL
NOT BY HIS ENEMIES
NOR HIS FRIENDS
RATHER
SHALL IT BE BY HIS BLOOD
---
There were so many ways to interpret the words and if it should happen that his son would take his life he held no qualms with it, he only feared that his son would somehow come to hate him, he had devoted his life to his son, he didn't know if he could bear the hatred of the one, he would do anything for.
"My lord," Anuka interrupted his thoughts bringing him out of his stupor, ", when can I receive my reward?", her eyes sparkled in anticipation.
Adolin sighed inwardly, and placed Samsara in her hands, as she wrapped the unconscious child in her embrace, he whispered in her ear a secret that he shared with only three others, "My son was born cursed and his mother gave her life to buy a chance for him to live, I couldn't bear to have such a thing happen again little Anuka never again."
As he joined the others Anuka's eyes flashed with pride, she didn't know how much he told the others about his past, but that last part was for her alone, he shared with her his fear. A bright smile that could outshine the radiance of a sun blossomed on her face as she shelved her thoughts of having a child, for now anyway, she found a direction for herself to wipe away that fear of her lords before bearing him a child, yes that was most certainly her path forward.
---
Anuka appeared before a vast colosseum, it was designed for the battles of immortals and some lesser gods so naturally, it was the size of a world. She wore her armour that wrapped itself tightly around her curvy body, although it looked like fine silk on her body the material was incomparably tough while also flexible with detailed images moving across the clothing, it depicted her rise from a lowly mortal who was whore serving noble lords and here rise to godhood. Some would feel pity for her mortal days, but she held only pride for her past.
In her arms a golden cradle was shut tightly making it impossible for anyone to see the child inside directly, dozens of concealment spells were tightly wrapped around the two of them as they made their way through the colosseum, only a few of the gods remained, the most important of them were watching the portal carefully.
The portal was one of 15 universal treasures, devices born at the creation of a plain the universal treasures are indestructible objects that can be used by anyone even an ordinary human it just becomes limited in its ability based on the evolution of its wielder.
The World Splicer is useless in combat, but it enables the god's realm to open channels for communication to lower realms, whilst gods cannot descend to the immortal or mortal realms without their cultivation being removed it still allows for communication between the realms.
Due to the prophecy of the god's war, most of the gods began taking measures against the upcoming war, by creating legacy grounds to guide new generations the legacy grounds were being placed throughout the five universes and at the same time the gods decide to send their new-born children into the lower realms to grow properly.
In the gods and immortal realms, progression was much too easy and with the million years before the war ends it was enough time for fifth-grade immortals to be born, with a slight hope for new gods, but the gods weren't too optimistic about new gods being born it had been over 30 trillion of years since the last god was born and no one knew the reason.
The gods had a habit of creating trial grounds, in the lower realms and sending their children down, while it appeared impossible for new gods to be born, the gods were still happy to have apostles, they would grant them a little bit of power and in return, they would serve the god, the apostles would be able to break the immortal boundary and become a lesser-god, their power would forever be stuck, and they would never be able to beat a new-born true god, but they would gain eternal life.
Almost all cultivators that reached the limit of the immortal realm were happy to become apostles since it appeared impossible to become a god.
As Anuka moved forward she could make out several of the gods factions that still remained, the Imperial forces were closest to the portal which left a frown on her beautiful face but it didn't hinder her and she continued moving without a pause in her step, other than the Imperial forces several other factions were still close by, The Olympian Council, The Norse Tide lead by Odin, The Fallen Angels with the devilishly handsome Lucifer at its helm, in one corner the Akashic Snake was curled up watching idly as if bored by the current affairs when one of the gods made an announcement that caught everyone's attention.
"A void tear has been formed in the god realm!", the gods were calm in the face of this news it was only a matter of time before it occurred, and due to their communication with the lower realms that had already received many void tears, they had all the relevant information they could need.
The void tears were brought about due to the instability of the plain, but the truly horrifying thing about the void tears were the beings and creatures that would come out.
The beings that would appear held energy that was different compared to those from this heaven even their centres of power were usually completely different making it hard to judge the combat strength of enemies but the same went for the enemies, also the invaders would be unable to replenish their energy naturally while they were in this plain.
Many of the gods however were happy to see war again, under Adolins rule wars amongst the gods were forbidden, and the first time in forever they would have the opportunity to do battle again, but above all else, it was said that occasionally the energy of the invaders was compatible with the cultivators.