Once, it was all darkness all around, but then there was light. After light existed, countless centuries passed by without anything happening in the vast expanse of the universe.
Powerful beings came to life, born from the power of an omnipotent creator. Gods and goddesses, mythologies, and legendary stories spread around as the universe itself grows without stopping.
Along those deities came other creations.
Life enveloped the entirety of creation. Concepts came to being and planted themselves into reality. Fire, shadows, beliefs, and many more emerged and etched themselves in the annals of time.
A myriad of emotions were born as the years went by without a stop, and one goddess came to life from one of them.
Durga, a Hindu warrior goddess was once locked into a seemingly unending battle against the demon in buffalo form, Mahishasura. Their combat lasted for an incredibly long time. None dared to count for how long for they will definitely be lost halfway there.
The battle did not do Durga any good as her emotions got the better of her, or that is what Mahishasura thought.
Durga's burning rage served as a turning point for the battle. Her anger was so intense that flames manifested from it, covering her entire body with violent purple flames that consumed anything it touched. Her flow of movements was akin to a dance, thus giving way to the Rudra Tandava, the dance of anger.
But along with her victory against Mahishasura, her rage gave birth to another being. The thoughts of Durga at that moment to defeat evil have given birth to a goddess that contradicts her goal due to the intense rage she has given. The roars of burning wrath have given life to a being, emerging from Durga's forehead, from Durga's bellowing rage, and from Durga's thoughts and mind.
That being named herself Kālī.
Fueled by the rage of Durga, the newly created goddess went on a rampage that did not cease for centuries. She destroyed countless things as her mindless berserk carried on, her not being aware of her current state.
Worlds crumbled beneath her rage, creatures perished with her growls and snarls, and reality fractures due to her fire that burns hotter the angrier she gets, and angrier she gets as she becomes consumed by her wrath.
Seeing the force she is wielding, no deity dared to cross paths with her, fearing that they would get hurt, or possibly lose themselves in her anger, or lose their lives. Some did not even bother, for what does not affect them is something they should not be busy with.
Well, none have tried for years, until one finally stepped in.
...
"Geez, the dust is taking so long to settle," Heimdall grumbles under his breath, making sure the audience does not hear his voice as he wipes his goggles after the dust covers their lenses. "A commentator and referee has to do his thing, you know. This is unacceptable," he went on before something clicked into his mind.
'Oh! This builds suspense! Wait, I take back what I have said! This is really good!' The god then looks around, giggling to himself when he sees the anxious faces of his mixed audience. 'Magnificent! This dust is really doing a great job of keeping my people on the edge of their seats! It's time to capitalize on this moment!'
"Well-"
Heimdall was about to comment when a loud roar reverberated and cut him off before he could even get two words out.
The intensity of the roar was accompanied by gusts of wind that pushed the cloud of dust away, making the spectators shield their eyes and cover their noses to avoid discomfort.
"W-what was that?!" Heimdall screeches as he swipes his hand to the left, blowing away some of the dust and giving him a better view of the decimated arena.
The people got a better view of what was left of the arena and humanity cursed under their breath whilst the collection of mythologies roared with renewed vigor.
...
Mulan lands near humanity's side, her eyes tracing the rising figure of Kālī.
Kālī's body has been covered by raging flames once again after the first couple of hits landed on her. She can feel her anger rising as she gets to her feet, her expression growing wilder with every second passing.
The goddess' eyes visibly turn white for Mulan, along with the third eye. Kālī growls, her breaths hitching as one of her hands rises before resting in front of her heart, placed right on the left of her chest.
With labored breathing, her fire loses some of its wildness as her eyes return to their original color of orange while her red third eye settles down and loses its shaking. Her eyes then found Mulan standing on the other side of the battlefield, waiting.
Soon, Kālī's senses returned and she could hear the cheers of the deities but she couldn't care less about them. Her daughter's cheers were the only thing that mattered in the ocean of cheers that surrounded her.
"YES! YOU TAKE THOSE HITS LIKE A CHAMP, MOM!" Bhadrakali shouts with pride that overshadows those that come from others. "SHOW HER JUST HOW STRONG YOU ARE! BEAT HER TO THE GROUND!"
Hearing the cheerful and prideful cries of her daughter, Kālī could not help but chuckle lightly as the hand on her chest started gripping her skin. With a cough, her fire wavered ever so slightly, making the Hindu goddess frown before letting it slowly die down.
'She ain't even attacking me while I'm calming down,' that was the goddess' amused thought, appreciating Mulan's gesture. 'She said something about my family and yet she is endangering her own and many more with her stunt. I don't know what she's doing.'
Energy started flowing back into Kālī's form, smoke beginning to rise once again from her black skin. No flame appeared this time but she radiated heat nonetheless, turning the ground around her semi-solid.
"Girl, you are confusing me right now," Kālī spoke, her voice loud enough for Mulan to hear. "You're endangering your family with your actions. Are you aware of that at all?" Kālī asked as she circulated the energy around her body.
"I know, it's just..." a pause came from Mulan, her face blooming into a frown as she cursed under her breath. "...I am confused as well. I just can't see myself being the reason why a family cannot be complete," Mulan admits, her hand tightening around her weapon. "On the other hand, I've killed people, but they were bad people. I know that they won't be missed by anyone at all, so that's why I had the strength and will to end their lives, but I can't seem to find the strength to end you after hearing your daughter."
Kālī's mouth hung slightly open at the mortal's words. Mulan could not help but sigh sadly at the sight of Kālī's reaction.
"Listen, it's complicated," Mulan added before stepping forward, walking towards Kālī as the mortal twirls her weapons. "Besides, we should be focusing on killing each other," she said with a hollow chuckle.
"Girl-"
Before Kālī could even get a word out, she had to lean back, her body bending in such a way that it would be impossible for anyone. Her body almost reached a 90° angle just to avoid Mulan's attack.
A jian swung above Kālī, making the goddess growl in frustration.
Without any words, ten arms wrapped around Mulan's body.
Kālī roars before bringing Mulan up and then down behind her in a German suplex, driving the mortal's head into the melting ground.
Not wasting time, Kālī kicks and flips back before landing in a crouched position. With a heave, she brought Mulan up once again, her arms stopping the mortal from escaping as she suplexed Mulan once again.
Mulan's translucent arm began flickering as Kālī did the same move again.
'The heat... It's really messing up my chi,' Mulan grumbles in her mind, pain searing her body as she feels Kālī's heat melting her skin. 'I can't pour my chi out for attacks unless I get out of her grasp.'
Then, Mulan was picked up once again, and before Kālī could even suplex her once more, the woman reared her head back before driving it forward.
A sickening crunch filled the two fighters' ears as the sound of Kālī's nose breaking was heard.
Kālī, stunned by the move, loosened her arms as she stumbles backward, giving Mulan enough wiggle room to lean back and kick Kālī's abdomen.
This made the goddess let go of Mulan, letting the human flip back and land not too far away. Mulan landed but wobbled back as the heat radiated by the goddess took its toll.
'So... her heat and fire can burn souls, huh?' Mulan thought, groggy and struggling to keep her conscious state. 'That is quite dangerous, but I feel like it's hurting her as well. It's taxing to use, her moves have been getting sluggish the more she uses it. Sure, she becomes explosive, but after getting knocked out of it, she becomes too tired and takes time to breathe.'
Whilst composing herself, Mulan watches Kālī stagger back a few feet before coming back to his senses. The goddess blows blood out of her broken nose, making her wince at the feeling.
"When I thought I understood you, you surprised me with another thing," Kālī chuckles, walking forward, her eyes narrowing down at Mulan as steam escapes her body. "You have no damn idea about what to do, or that's what I'm able to deduce from your behavior. You're fighting but can't win, you're having second thoughts."
Hearing Kālī's words, Mulan could not help but sigh in defeat.
"Yes, you're quite on the spot," Mulan chuckles, a sad tone lacing her voice as she too starts walking forward, not even bothering to conjure another arm of chi for her to use. "I never expected that I had to kill a mother with a loving daughter when I signed up for this battle. It was a terrible surprise for me."
"You shouldn't have accepted, Mulan," Kālī said, licks of flames flickering to life ever so slightly.
"And letting my family possibly die while I sit around when I have the power to help?" Mulan raises an eyebrow.
"Are you helping right now?" Kālī asked with a scoff.
Mulan's walk halted, her black eyes staring at Kālī who continued to walk towards her. A frown formed on Mulan's face for another time and for a moment, her nostrils flared and her eyes glared.
"Struck a nerve, didn't I?" Kālī asked with a small laugh.
"I just don't want to break a good family," Mulan says weakly, barely audible to Kālī who scoffs at the mortal's words. "If it were my father fighting, or my mother, or my siblings, I'd cheer just like your daughter, maybe even louder. Seeing a family break in front of me just... doesn't sit well with me."
"Then you shouldn't have accepted," Kālī says once again, stopping a few meters away from Mulan. "You're a fool for not considering your opponent not having families. But you also said you know some former enemies had families and yet you killed them, what's so different here?"
"You're not evil-"
"Oh, I bloody am," Kālī cackles, making Mulan flinch at the sudden interruption. "Cutie, you have no idea what I've done over the years of my existence," a scoff accompanied the reveal. "I've destroyed countless lives, more than how many times you've breathed in and out in your entire life. I've destroyed worlds! I've annihilated countless families that you oh so cherish!" Kālī grins, violet fire erupting from her body. "So, am I not evil yet for your liking-"
Kālī found her jaw dislocated, her vision was of the sky, her feet no longer planted on the ground as she sailed back a few meters away.
Mulan, with a smoking and charred fist, stood where Kālī used to be, chest heaving up and down as her eyes threatened to bore holes through the goddess. Her chi then flows to her hand and heals the wound.
Catching herself in a handstand, Kālī was then back to her feet, using one hand to fix her jaw with a sickening pop.
"Took you long enough," Kālī whispers before slapping a hand to her chest whilst the others gestured for Mulan to come and get her. "Now that's what I call a proper punch! Is that all you got? Did my massacre piss you off, huh?" The goddess taunts Mulan who starts growling. "Not so good now, am I? You better come and kill me or else I'll continue destroying lives-"
Three sets of arms shot up and caught Mulan's jian, the force behind the swing was enough to drive Kālī down, forming a crater and breaking the ground even more.
Mortal bloodshot eyes glare at the goddess who grins and laughs, goading Mulan to attack.
Chi escapes Mulan's exposed back and three serpentine creatures form before rushing at Kālī.
The constructs sizzled as they were near the goddess, ultimately stopping them in their tracks as they melted due to the heat.
"You're a monster! You're not even lying about it!" Mulan roared as she used her chi to pull her body back, her hand swung back and forcefully ripped Randgriz out of Kālī's grasp.
A pained moan came from the jian but it fell on Mulan's deafened ears. The things that Mulan can only hear are Kālī, her own heartbeat, and the sizzling deep inside her soul, a sign of her growing anger.
"Hah! What are you going to do about it, huh?" Kālī taunts Mulan once again, her flames visibly shaking and faltering as she exerts some energy to keep it on. 'Damn, not enough rage to passively keep this thing going. This is bad,' Kālī thought with a grim expression in her mind.
The goddess merely braced herself as Mulan launched herself towards Kālī with a loud battle cry.
...
"Her flames are flickering in and out, that's unusual," Shiva said with a frown as his wife battled the angered Mulan. "And her attacks are not as devastating as normal. She normally would destroy places like this in one blow when she's in that state."
"May I ask, Shiva?" Amaterasu spoke from behind Shiva who gave her a thumbs up whilst not looking. "She is fueled by rage, correct? The form requires her to be in a deep state of rage for it to work."
"Yes, that is correct," Shiva nods.
"Then, have you seen Kālī angry at all?" Amaterasu hums, making Shiva frown.
"Now that you have mentioned it, no, it's been years since I last saw her get angry," Shiva admits before lightly slamming a fist onto the railings of their platform. "Damn it, she's not angry enough to keep her form active. Is it because it's been such a long time since she has activated her dance? Has anger died down that much? But she said that it's been the same since I knocked her out of it."
"Or, she simply doesn't feel angry with anything lately, Mister Shiva. She most likely lied about her anger being the same as before," Hermes chimes from the side with a smile.
"I know that you're aware that her first few centuries were just her being lost and not aware of what she is doing, consumed by the anger given to her by Durga," Amaterasu said with a sad smile.
"And after you have helped her escape the grasp of wrath, she finally felt a myriad of new emotions," the Jade Emperor joined the conversation, grunting as he continued. "One of those foreign emotions is love."
"And her love for you and your daughter has diminished her rage over the years. How could she be angry when all of the things that are happening are making her life better?" Amaterasu giggles as she finishes her sentence. "And of course, she adores you and Bhadrakali, maybe enough that it is much stronger than whatever rage she has left and used up earlier."
"Through my eyes, I sense no more wrath deep within her soul for she has let go of it long ago," the Jade Emperor says with a nod. "Shiva, your consort might not be fit to enter her raged dance. I'm afraid that Hermes is correct that she has lied about her strength."
Knowing it was one thing but hearing it coming from others formed a pit in Shiva's stomach. He does not like seeing his wife getting forced to play defensively by a mortal woman. That is not how Kālī fights but without the sufficient energy to feed her firepower, she would stay in that position for a much longer time until she finds a way to attack.
"Damn it," Shiva growls lowly, barely audible to some. With eyes glued to the fight, the Hindu god could only think, 'You got this Kālī, you're much stronger than that. Come on, push through it! We're going to have a serious talk after this!'
...
"You're losing your grace, cutie," Kālī stated as she stepped back, avoiding a wide slash to the chest. "You're that angry, huh?"
"Shut up!" Mulan shouts, her voice is laced with venom.
The goddess then felt her chest burn in pain, making her flinch as she took a split second to see a horizontal gash that was barely cauterized by her flames. The familiar sound of chi sizzling was barely audible to the goddess.
'I can't even properly stop the bleeding with my flames. I'm going to die if this continues,' Kālī thought with a chuckle, finding her situation quite ironic. 'Damn, the Hindu goddess that destroyed countless things is getting forced down by a mortal woman. If only I had more rage left within me,' she mentally sighs as she braces herself for another exchange.
'I shouldn't have spared this... this... monster!' Mulan cursed herself deep within her mind, her very soul shaking as her anger began dictating her actions. "No more! Just when I thought you could feel compassion and love! I couldn't be more wrong!" Her roars only earned a growl from Kālī.
"W-what?!" Flabbergasted by the insulting words, Kālī rears her head back to avoid the jian trying to sever her head.
Sets of arms gripped Mulan's arm and body before Kālī delivered a staggering headbutt right onto the mortal's face.
Mulan's nose broke on impact, sending drops of blood away and making her vision black out for a second only for her chi to fix the damage.
"I'll have you know, woman, you haven't been more wrong in your entire existence!" Kālī bellows before driving her forehead onto Mulan's face again and again.
The cycle repeated for a couple more seconds before Mulan finally got her bearings together.
Kālī rears her head back once again, her grip on Mulan's arm threatening to rip the limb out of its socket. A strike was about to be delivered by the goddess but Mulan beat her to it.
Summoning all her strength, Mulan bashed her head onto Kālī's face with no hesitation.
Teeth were dislodged from Kālī's mouth and they all fell down her throat, making her choke on them. The goddess, however, did not let her grip falter as she could not risk letting her speedy opponent get another opportunity when she could not access her full power.
Heads met halfway and the sickening crunch of bones reverberated as their forehead struck one another, sending them in a dazed state.
Kālī beats Mulan to it and recovers first, her eyes getting their usual light back as her sheer will to fight beats Mulan's healing factor.
"I am capable of those emotions, girl! What do you think caused me to fight in this fucking tournament?!" Kālī roars before tugging on the arm of the recovering Mulan.
Mulan heard the goddess roar at her but she did not get a second to respond as her vocal cords produced a shrill scream as her arm was ripped out of their sockets.
"How could I let Shiva fight?" Kālī growls, throwing Mulan's arm and jian out of the arena, away from Mulan's reach. "That god would not let anyone from his pantheon die. Let alone his wife and daughter," a pause came as Kālī's flames died. "I had to lie to his face about my anger. I had to lie that it was just as strong as before. I had to lie just to keep him away from this damn tournament," a growl was forced out to drown the choke that threatened to escape Kali's throat. "I'm selfish and couldn't find myself seeing someone I love possibly die when I could've been the one to catch the responsibility that they have to carry."
Mulan snaps back to her senses after hearing those words, remembering why she even conquered her enemies and trained for power.
'Family...' the thought echoed in Mulan's mind, the pain being nulled by her chi as the wound closed within seconds. 'So... that's what makes her tick...' With hazy vision, Mulan rears her head as far as she can. "Apologies," she groans before using chi to cover her whole body.
Kālī never noticed her flames were gone, startling her when Mulan was able to use her chi.
'Wait! Chi?! My flames... they're gone?! No, no, no!' Panic ran through Kālī's entire being as her power dwindled even more, her rage becoming nothing in the heat of the moment.
"You won't need to rely on your anger anymore," Mulan reveals as chi enters Kālī's body.
In milliseconds, the goddess' body shivered violently, her soul and entire being now invaded by a foreign force that is Mulan's chi. Without her wrathful flames, she is completely defenseless against Mulan's chi.
The task of entering Kālī's soul became much easier for Mulan without the flames messing up her chi. Unlike before when Mulan calmed Kālī down, there were no hindrances now, making quick work on Kālī's soul.
Kālī's eyes turn white, her mouth hanging open whilst her soul gets rewired. Her arms started to loosen up, letting Mulan rear back even more as she completed her part.
Life returned to Kālī's eyes but her chest met Mulan's forehead upon coming back.
Kālī lets go of Mulan and soon finds herself crashing onto the ground, Mulan's headbutt having enough force to snap a rib or two.
'What is happening?' Those were the only words running through Kālī's mind as she felt a strange sensation overcoming her. 'What did she do to my soul? I feel... I feel... I feel my flames coming back!' She thought, her mind racing as a grin formed on her face. "She's crazy, crazy, and confused about what to do. She's really throwing her chances out the window," she rasped out as she felt her body heal itself. "Woah, that's new," she whispered in awe as her body slowly healed to a perfect shape.
Kālī then took a moment to breathe before sitting up, a grin plastered on her face as she eyed down Mulan who stood not so far from her with two translucent arms now holding the jian and gada that Mulan fetched.
Standing up, Kālī could not help but chuckle at the mortal woman, a set of index fingers pointing at Mulan.
"You're utterly stupid," was the first thing Kālī said to Mulan. 'But your stupidity is something I'm grateful for, so, thank you.'
"I recall not doing anything considered to be stupid if you ask me, that is," Mulan responds with a small smirk.
"I'll save you from the yapping of humanity, cutie. Let's continue this so I can finally rest back home," Kālī said with confidence, her grin flaring up.
Mulan did not answer verbally, but she smiled nonetheless whilst Randgriz shook in her hand. "I'm sorry, Randgriz," the words left her mouth, making the jian stop vibrating. "You got partnered with someone with unbearable stupidity."
Kālī then steps forward, cracking her knuckles, her grin now being mirrored by Mulan.
Golden hands formed around Mulan as they flew everywhere, retrieving the discarded weapons of Kālī. The trident, the discus, the conch shell, the noose, and everything else, all came flying to Mulan with a golden glow.
Kālī's next step has set herself on fire but this time, it was not her usual violet flames, surprising her for a moment. No, it was not violet. It was burning light red and she did not feel even a slight drop of rage. No, she is feeling something quite different.
She feels quite lovely.
...
Kālī's chest heaves up and down, her white eyes starting to revert to their original colors for the first time. Her third eye snaps shut as she takes in more air, her anger finally halting for a moment.
Her body was covered in bruises and her ten arms were shaking as she supported herself with them.
Under her is Shiva, lying down with a bloody head and a wounded body.
"Are you finally done?" Shiva asked with a chuckle, startling Kālī. "Because I'm really tired right now. Do you know how hard you hit? I had to pull out my Tandava Karma just to keep up with you."
Kālī stared, her orange eyes looking deeply into Shiva's golden ones.
"This is kinda awkward, you know?" Shiva spoke with a light laugh before continuing. "One moment you were wiping the floor with me, and next I headbutt you, and now we're kinda staring at each other's souls-"
Something onto Shiva's face, followed by another, and another, until Shiva finally decided to keep quiet.
Kālī's eyes let out streams of tears as she started sobbing, finally letting herself fall onto Shiva with her head landing on the god's chest, her arms snaking around his form.
"T-thank you..." was all she said in her broken voice as she sobbed on Shiva's chest.
Hearing her let her heart out for the first time, Shiva decided to let her do it as long as she needed it. Using one of his upper arms, he pats her head and uses it to comb her hair, gently caressing her head in an attempt to comfort her.
"It's over now, you can rest now," Shiva said with a comforting voice. "There, there, let it all out. Must've been tough keeping all of that bottled up, eh? Being aware of what you're doing but not being able to stop it. Don't worry, it's all over now with me here."
Hearing Shiva say those words, Kālī cries louder, her arms tightening around Shiva who felt his bones creak under her strength. Although, he did not comment on it. How could he ruin her moment?
At this moment, it is her time to be herself for once and her alone. Shiva will damn himself if he takes that away from her after what she has been through.
...
One after another, Kālī's fists made contact with the weapons she once used. The impacts were enough to break them completely into heaps of materials.
Kālī rears all of her fists back before bringing them down on Mulan.
The mortal woman steps back.
The ground shattered upon Kālī's attacks. Another crater formed deepening the arena once more.
Kālī's red flames roared and surged forward in a magnificent display of renewed power, threatening to eat Mulan alive.
'It's now or never!' Mulan shouts deep within her mind, but deep within, she is not so confident.
An immense amount of chi poured out of Mulan as a shockwave from her pushed Kālī back along with her surging flames.
The audience stares in absolute awe as the massive quantity of chi slowly takes shape. Its body was serpentine, horns protruded from its head and it dons a set of limbs that is much shorter than its body length.
"Mulan just summoned a dragon! No, correction! She created a dragon!" Heimdall shouts with an energetic tone that prompts humanity to cheer loudly while the deities scoff at her attempt.
Not paying attention to Heimdall, Mulan looks at the platform on humanity's side. Her eyes located Freya who watched her with gritted teeth and shaking eyes.
Without any words, Mulan rushes at Kālī with her jian ready. As she moves, the gigantic golden eastern dragon of chi follows the tip of her blade, completely decimating whatever it passes through.
Seeing this, Kālī grinned as all of her flames traveled to her uppermost right fist. She rears it back, the force behind it enough to break whatever is behind her as she plants her foot deep into the ground.
Her third eye pulses for the last time in this fight, signifying that her eyes have seen the future.
Her eyes locked with Mulan's and so the goddess mouthed the words "thank you" which earned her a sad smile from the mortal.
Then, Mulan was in front of Kālī in an instant, her jian swinging down diagonally from her right. As she swings down, the dragon comes crashing down with a mighty roar that shakes the colosseum.
Kālī brings her fist forward, and the sound of roaring fire surges forward as her fist flies toward Mulan at blinding speed.
The dragon made contact with Kālī but she stood her ground as the massive amounts of chi began disintegrating her body.
Her other hands have caught Mulan's jian, but the mortal refused to let go of the weapon.
Soon enough, Kālī's fist found its way through Mulan's chest.
Red flames roar behind Mulan whilst the golden chi swiftly bursts into nothingness as Mulan's body falls limp, her golden arms now vanishing, leaving Randgriz in Kālī's hands.
"You were stupid," Kālī said before pulling her arm out of Mulan's chest.
The mortal was then gently placed onto the ground, her eyes now looking at the clear sky.
"I know... I know..." Mulan rasped out with a weak, trembling smile.
Kālī stared at Mulan before placing Randgriz beside the dying mortal. Soon, the valkyrie manifested beside Mulan with a sad smile, on her two knees whilst gently caressing Mulan's head.
"Let me go!"
Kālī snaps her head towards the wail of a man and finds someone jumping out of humanity's seats.
Zhou stabs his staff into the wall to ease out his fall. His feet made contact with the ground making him stumble forward and fall.
Kālī watched the man stand up with a shaking body before trying his best to run to their location. He would trip and fall but he never stopped even if he had to crawl just to stand up.
The goddess decided that it was for the best to leave and let them have their moment. So, she turns around before walking towards the deities' gate but not before looking back to Mulan.
"Know that I won't forget you," it left Kālī's mouth before continuing her walk.
When Kālī was near the gate, Zhou finally reached Mulan's location and he immediately kneeled just like Randgriz before using his strength to let Mulan's head rest on his thighs.
"I'm s-sorry, f-father," Mulan coughs out. "I couldn't k-kill a mother in f-front of her c-child. It's going to b-be my fault if h-humanity loses," she added, her eyes watering as she did so.
"It's okay, you did your best, Mulan," Zhou said with a comforting tone as he shakily caressed his daughter's head. "You stayed true to your beliefs and morals. No one is going to blame you for staying true, for being yourself."
"But they w-will, I k-know that y-you are aware of t-that, father," Mulan chokes out. "P-please don't h-hate Kālī, father. S-she's not to b-blame for t-this," the daughter added weakly.
Hearing her words, Zhou merely nods, understanding Mulan's plea.
"Don't fret now, Mulan. Rest for n-now," Zhou said, his voice cracking at the end. "Remember when I was dying and I said that I wished that I could be there for you when your time comes? I didn't expect it to become a reality, Mulan."
"H-heh, m-me too, father... m-me... t-too..."
Mulan's words were uttered like a whisper as her eyes lost their light. Her chest stopped heaving up and down as her heart finally stopped.
Seeing this, Zhou finally lets out streams of tears that he quickly wipes away before looking at Randgriz who watched with a small yet gentle smile.
"Thank you for accompanying my daughter," Zhou said, tilting his head down in a small bow. "And I ask for forgiveness, for my daughter was never the one to break her beliefs and values."
"Oh? It's quite okay, your daughter was a good partner," Randgriz said with a warm tone. "It was never her fault to follow her moral code. Sister Freya merely overlooked that possibility. In the end, it is sister Freya's fault for not considering such a possibility. All you need to know is that Mulan is a good daughter."
Zhou then looks at Mulan after hearing Randgriz's words. "That she is. That she is."
Seconds later, Mulan's body began cracking, startling Zhou.
"W-what-"
"This is a battle of souls," Randgriz cuts Zhou off, smiling sadly. "The ones who are defeated are sentenced to Niflhel, or complete oblivion, thus destroying them completely and erasing them from reality."
As Randgriz explains, her body began shattering just like Mulan's.
"And because our souls are connected and essentially one with another, both of us and future defeated fighters of humanity will cease to exist with their partners," after that, Randgriz began turning into green particles that get lost in the wind. "So, farewell to you, mister. Farewell to you and Mulan. It was a great fight."
Zhou never responded and Randgriz understood. He merely embraced his daughter's body, shedding some tears as her body turned to particles that ended up turning into nothing.
It did not take even a minute before Zhou was the only one left in the arena.
"AND THAT IS IT, FOLKS!" Heimdall screams at the top of his lungs. "Round one of Ragnarok goes to the deities' side! I repeat! Kālī has won over Hua Mulan!"
And just like that, the gods and goddesses erupted as they cheered loudly, mocking humanity as they did so.
"Everyone! Rest for a bit while we wait for the next round to be decided!" Heimdall announces before helping Zhou back to the seats.
Seeing the defeat, humanity could not help but falter but only time will tell if they really have a chance against the deities.
{•===Round One Ends===•}
{•===17 minutes, 19 seconds===•}
{•===To Be Continued===•}
Hello! Thoughts? :)