A sudden waft of a sweet fragrance passing by startled Asura, causing him to jolt upwards from the ground.
"Where am I? Agh!"
Asura closed his eyes and gripped his head with two of his hands as a massive headache erupted due to the abrupt, quick movement.
"Shit, this hurts..."
Although his eyes were closed, the bright atmosphere left no darkness. The light pierced through his eyelids as if they were open the entire time. An easy solution the ogre found was to cover his eyes with his lower two hands to prevent his headache from worsening.
"Come on! I don't have time to be sitting here!"
Asura tried to open his eyes, but the light slammed into his eyes, causing a scream to escape and him to fall backward.
"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"
Asura pounded at the dirt.
"The longer I sit here, the more likely all my friends die..."
A voice the ogre had never heard before called out.
"Cease the vile language. I am sorry to have caused you such pain in this holy place. Open your eyes, witness his glory."
Asura tried to stand, pushing himself off the ground. As his hands pressed against the ground, Asura felt a prickle on his palms. Opening his eyes, he found beautiful green grass between his fingers. It was far greener than any type of grass he had ever seen, almost ethereal, like it shouldn't exist in this world.
"What is this place?"
Asura spun in place to try to locate the source of the voice but found himself alone. He appeared to be standing in a well-kept garden. Surrounding the ogre stood giant trees that loomed above like massive pillars that towered up into the sky.
"Holy shit, those are some big trees... Sorry, voice in my head... My bad. Guess that old man is getting to me even in death."
Although incredibly far from where Asura stood, the trees were unparalleled in height, putting the skyscrapers in the human city to shame. The unbelievably long branches at the top of the giant trees were covered in gorgeous fall-colored leaves. The mix of red, yellow, and orange shimmering in a slight breeze was astonishing.
Asura was breathless at the sight of how far the roof of leaves spread out. They covered the entire sky, creating a canopy that provided gentle shade. However, this perplexed Asura as he looked for a sun or any source that produced the once-blinding light. There was nothing. The blue sky above, filled with beautiful large clouds, showed no signs of any source.
The flowers on the ground were just as breathtaking. Roses, sunflowers, tulips, dahlias, snapdragons, and so many other uncountable types littered the soil. The vibrant colors shone brilliantly in the natural light that somehow peaked into the room through the roof of leaves.
Asura began to walk through the flower field but stopped as he passed a singular lily. It was dead... "Hm. Why are you the only one dead?" He thought as he looked around the area.
"How come this one lily was dead while the others were perfectly fine? Where was the keeper of this garden? Is this heaven? Surely, I am dead if I am in a place like this..."
As Asura walked, he never found an answer.
"Am I trapped in here?"
Somehow, in the distance, Asura hadn't taken notice of the towering bushes forming the walls around the land that created a tall fence that encompassed the garden as if created to prevent any intruders. All along the shrubbery, flowers were present and scattered throughout in an unpredictable manner. Blue and white flowers high up on the tall bushes swayed from the wind due to their height.
"Those flowers must be huge if I can see them from here."
Lost in thought, Asura completely forgot about the situation back in the human realm. The scenery affected his mind, causing him to get lost in the beautiful atmosphere. All his worries faded, and all that was left within was a growing warmth that erased his pain.
Normally, Asura was constantly in pain, partially the reason he loved to fight was because the pain ceased when he was hit but here, it simply faded away. It felt like he was back home eating his mother's homecooked meal, a feeling he had longed for since the day she died...
"Wait, I don't have a mother... What is happening?"
Asura shook his head as if it could shake off the luring effect that took root in his soul. It became increasingly difficult to shake off the charm of this place as the time he spent grew longer and longer.
"Where am I supposed to go? I drank a cup, but, now what, Wain?"
"So, it was Wain who let you in..."
Asura jumped from his skin as a loud, thunderous voice shook the earth. The voice felt comforting in a strange way, with a serious tone, but it felt as if it came from a loving figure. It reminded him of a father who is stern but loving with his child. He looked for the cause of the voice and found a large throne on the other side of a tree that blocked his vision earlier.
"Where did the tree go?"
Sitting on the throne sat an enormous being. Although sitting down upon the throne, the being was far taller than Jormungandr by an immeasurable margin. The being wore beautiful golden armor with black leather strapping it to its ethereal body.
Resting upon his head was a golden helmet that glimmered. In the middle of the golden helmet, it was open in the shape of the letter T, allowing for vision and breathing. However, Asura saw nothing inside the helmet. Only a void remained where a head should be.
The black emptiness within the helmet was eerie, but for some reason, he also felt as if it were normal. On top of the helmet was a crest made of a tree that grew from the helmet. The olive-green green leaves that grew from the tree branches were thick and shaved into a crest like a mohawk.
To Asura's surprise, the tree upon his head was alive and well. The sight was astonishing, leaving Asura in awe. Its golden armor was complimented by segments of silver armor accenting the gold and black. Six beautiful white wings stretched across the room from the being's back. Their pure white feathers were flawless, showing the purity of such a being.
In its right hand, it held a silver spear, and with his other, he gestured towards its visitor. A beautiful, loud voice rang through the giant hall of trees once again. It stated,
"Why are you here, child?"
Asura could feel the holy mana radiating from its body. The mana was so pure that it made the captains and the other priests feel like a poor imitation of what truly can be considered holy mana. If the being wanted to it could kill Asura at any moment, not even all the monster kings combined could live before such an existence if it rejected their presence. Responding respectfully, Asura replied,
"I didn't mean to come here! I was told to drink a cup and ended up here. I guess I am dead. Sorry for intruding in this part of heaven. If you could lead me to the staircase or room I am supposed to be in, I would appreciate it. Don't kill me, please... And thank you."
He fell to his knees, putting his head to the ground. The booming voice roared in anger,
"Do not bow to me! I am not Judex Divinum but his servant. I do not wish to be praised, nor do I deserve it."
Asura jumped up from the ground with a sigh of relief. The voice continued,
"If Judex Divinum stood before you, you would die in his presence, little one. For his beauty would blind the eyes of a mortal that gaze upon him. Do not mistake me for the Lord Judex Divinum again, or there shall be consequences."
Asura stood up and asked,
"Then who the hell are you?"
Surprised by Asura's sudden use of vulgar language, the being laughed. He replied,
"To think you would gain such confidence after being given the knowledge that I am not the creator. Surely, you do not believe you can fight me just because I am not the Lord Judex Divinum."
"Well, I have done dumber crap in the past. Choosing to fight something way more powerful than I am is one of them, but fighting God is not on my bucket list. If you ain't Judex Divinum, then what are you?"
"I am Uriel, Archangel of War and Wisdom."
The Archangel stood up, and Asura realized the monstrosity that Uriel was. The Archangel's presence towered over Asura, making him feel like a rat on the ground. Standing up straight, Uriel was about three times the size of Jormungandr.
It asked Asura,
"To think a monster would drink from my chalice. I gifted the humans it to provide them protection. Yet, no human soul could withstand and wield my power after their acts. Their sins took hold of their heart, devoured them."
Asura thought to himself, "Their acts?"
"But a mere monster entered my halls and now stands before me with my power. This must be Judex Divinum's will. You were once great. Once a proud servant. But, now you are broken. I can see why the Lord seeks to use you. Why have you come, oh mad one? Why seek the light now?"
Asura rubbed his neck with one hand and put two hands on his hips. He replied,
"Look, I don't know why I'm here, but I'm missing a hell of a fight. Can you send me back so I can fuck up a giant snake? He is killing those humans you protect as we speak."
Asura could tell Uriel became irritated even though he had no face. Waving his hand without a word, the Angel wrote a law within Asura's soul, binding him to the rule.
"That foul mouth is abhorrent."
Asura angrily replied,
"What the hell-"
Inside Asura's mouth, the air burst into a white holy fire that burnt violently within. The fire flowed like liquid inside as he moved his tongue around to put it out. However, his attempts were worthless as it remained unextinguished.
The fire was mildly painful as if he had eaten spicy food. Otherwise, it was just an annoying presence, like pop rocks in his mouth. Taking a different approach, Asura began spitting the liquid fire onto the ground. Scooping out what he could with his fingers, he removed it from his mouth.
"What the hell did you do to me!"
Returning to his throne, Uriel rested his helmet against his propped-up arm as it took a seat, watching the Ogre struggle as more fire exploded forth in Asura's mouth. Ignoring his question, Uriel asked,
"It is because of your foul mouth that you shall be punished. For it is said, guard thine mouth and tongue so thou may keep thyself from calamity. It is a door to your heart."
"What?"
"Heed my words, little one, for what I say next will determine your fate. Will you accept my blessing and let it take your heart and your soul, gifting you the strength you need to defeat Jormungandr? Or will you deny my gift and be killed for invading Judex Divinum's Garden?"
Asura, spitting fire from his mouth, perked up because of Uriel's words. His irritation from the fire burning his mouth disappeared instantly. Asura stood like a child, staring eagerly at the Archangel as if he were offered candy. With wide eyes and anticipation, he asked,
"Wait, are you giving me holy mana?"
Uriel wanted to refuse but could not think of any legitimate reason to. Although a monster and an ill-mannered one, the Archangel noticed his compatibility with holy mana. Time was of the essence here, and they were running out. Grumpily, Uriel replied,
"It appears so."
"Won't it kill me?"
"If Judex Divinum wishes it, it will be done."
A wicked grin spread across Asura's face; he could no longer contain his excitement. Bubbling with joy, he bounced where he stood.
"Totally give me that crap. Uh, I mean, yes, I accept the blessing. Is there a clause, though? Like fine print, I need to read?"
"Alongside the power, you shall inherit a request from the Lord. A command carved upon thy heart, and you shall never forget it. From this point onward, your path shall be one that no one else can walk. A path that many would call damned."
Uriel studied the ogre for a moment.
"You shall have my blessing; use it wisely and protect the innocent. If you shall ever become corrupt, I will extinguish the flame within your heart. Brother Death will collect your life on that day. Walk a path of light and love, and lead those back to the light who have left its presence. Asura, you are to be the new sun that gives guidance to those who have lost Judex Divinum's path."
Asura scratched his head and asked,
"Is this like the Paladin's vow?"
As Uriel waved his hand, Asura's vision became blurry once again.
"Your legacy is known throughout the realm's Asura. Good luck to you, for I hope Brother Gabriel was right. Do not disappoint me."
Asura smiled and replied,
"That's rad that an Archangel knows of me! See ya-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Asura lost control of his body, and a wave of tiredness swept over him. He expected pain to flare once he smacked the hard ground but was surprised as he fell into a group of flowers that padded his fall.
Asura was certain no flowers were next to him a moment ago... "Was this Uriel's doing?" However, he did not have time to ponder such a thought for long as his eyes grew heavy. As his eyes closed again, the sight of the dead lily returned far out in the distance.
In the beautiful field of flowers, lingering in the midst of it all, it stood like a warning or symbol of death. Maybe it simply meant that even in a place like this, death is inevitable...
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Damn, that hurts."
Upon cursing, his mouth burst into flames again, and he pushed himself off the cold stone floor. Burning viciously in his mouth, he spat out as much as he could. The fire continued to burn on the ground as the liquid splattered on the cold surface.
"Shit, it even transfers here?"
Cursing internally, Asura groaned as more fire erupted in his mouth. "As... Wait, what if I think it and it still happens... what a jerk, I bet it does... Whatever, he's an asshole." Asura thought. More fire erupted, confirming his suspicions. Uriel had cursed him so that the fire would form inside his mouth to punish him whenever he cursed.
Asura looked around to confirm that he had returned exactly where he had left off. He was back in the armory, and nothing had changed. The broken glass from the shattered displays still littered the floor.
Asura tried to take a step forward, but the sound of clattering metal stopped him in his tracks. His foot kicked an object that rolled across the floor. It was the copper chalice...
"How did you get over here... I definitely threw you..."
Asura figured it must have been Uriel's doing. A wicked thought emerged in Asura's mind, causing him to chuckle.
"What if I?..."
Bending down to grab the cup,, Asura studied it briefly before dropping it. While it fell through the air towards the ground, Asura kicked it with all his might. The chalice flew into the ceiling at high speed, causing it to get lodged in the stone above.
"That's what you get for cursing me!"
Asura exclaimed as he ran through the entrance to return to his allies.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Staring into the jaws of the Apocalypse, Lydia stood firm as Jormungandr charged towards her, ready to devour her whole. Heavily breathing, she tried to catch her breath, but after running from its pursuit for so long, the exhaustion took its toll on her body. Now, all she could do was watch as Jormungandr approached her. She prepared to snap her fingers, raising her hand up to her side.
Before she could put pressure on her fingers, a large tyrannosaurus rex created from condensed smoke slammed into Jormungandr's side, sending him into a nearby building. The large beast clamped its large jaws down onto Jormugandr's armored body. As Jormungandr whipped around to free itself, the dinosaur showed no signs of letting go, and his teeth began to tear into his flesh.
Jormugandr screamed in agony as the dinosaur thrashed around, tearing chunks of armor and flesh off. On the back of the dinosaur sat a saddle with a man clinging on to it for dear life. Lydia screamed at him, exclaiming,
"GET AWAY WAIN ITS COMING DOWN!"
Wain desperately pulled on the reins and tried to get the T-rex to pull away from the Apocalypse. Seconds before the building collapsed, he managed to free himself and watched as the structure came slamming down onto Jormungandr's long body.
Rubble and dust shot in all directions, blocking their vision. Lydia prepared herself as the cloud of dust swirled around her. Channeling mana into her fist, she decided whatever emerged from the void would be blasted with lightning.
To her left, a shadow grew larger as the source approached. She began to pull her fist back but stopped as rumbling footsteps became louder. "If it produced footsteps, it must be Wain." Lydia let out a sigh of relief. Lydia ran towards the approaching steps, and her assumptions were proven correct as the large Tyrannosaurus Rex came into view.
Lydia was rather impressed with Wain when he created such a beast. She knew he could create animals from the smoke, but one this size was impressive. It was astonishing how muscular and realistic it was. She would have mistakenly believed it was authentic if it were not for the body being made from smoke.
"Wain!"
"I'm good! Are you fine, Lydia?"
"Yeah! Where's Rose and Ash?"
"Rose has Ash a little far back. I came to help."
'Okay, well-"
Jormungandr's massive head emerged from the dust and rushed towards the two of them with his jaws opened wide. Wain's heart stopped as he watched the dragon approach the two of them at tremendous speed. There was no time to react and have the T-rex move or turn in his direction. With no options, Wain closed his eyes, preparing himself for the worst.
"This was it... this is where he dies..." Or so he thought momentarily before he heard Lydia snap her fingers. Wain's eyes flew open to watch as, in mere seconds, a large transparent angel appeared from thin air.
The angel was slightly taller than Jormungandr's head, but not by a large margin. At first, Wain thought its attack would be useless due to its size, but it wielded a two-handed war hammer in the angel's hand.
As it finished forming, the angel was already mid-swing, carrying the momentum as if it had already begun the motion even before it was created. The summoned angel brought down the large weapon onto Jormungandr's head before he could reach the priests.
Wain's jaw dropped as he watched in awe as Jormungandr's head slid across the ground, tearing through the earth. The momentum from his charge carried his body forward, only stopping a few feet short of where they stood. Surprised and stunned, Wain sat quietly, waiting for Jormungandr to move, but Lydia snapped him out of his trance.
"MOVE WAIN! GO FOR THE EYES!"
Coming to his senses, Wain commanded the Tyrannosaurus rex to charge forward towards Jormungnadr's eyes. "This was it!" Wain thought as his heart pounded inside his chest. If he could gouge out one of his eyes, they would have a huge advantage against him. There was a chance of even killing him...
Before Wain could reach his eye, Jormungandr recovered enough to raise his head off the ground. However, Wain was determined, and his unwavering will remained. "If he could get this eye!" He shouted in his head to himself.
Charging around the side of Jormungandr's head, Wain's heart stopped as Jormungnadr's eyes were wide open, staring directly at him. "No! I have to do this!" Wain shouted in his mind as he commanded the dinosaur to charge faster. Picking up speed, the dinosaur roared as it bent its knees.
Lydia watched as Wain charged towards the side. She believed it was too late, but the dinosaur leaped from the ground before she could call out. Seeing such a large beast jumping high into the air was astonishing, leaving her dumbstruck. Never in her wildest dreams could she imagine a dinosaur of such size jumping fifteen feet in the air.
The large tyrannosaurus rex opened its jaws and bit into Jormungandr's soft, massive eye. Ripping through the outside layer, Jormungandr roared in agony as it thrashed its head from side to side.
Slamming into the rubble left from the corpses of buildings, its large body came close to crushing Wain and the Tyrannosaurus rex under his weight, but they barely escaped from underneath.
As Wain fled away from the enraged serpent, he grabbed Lydia's outstretched arm and pulled her onto the back alongside him. The two retreated to regroup with Ash and Rose, speeding off with the wind blowing violently around them.
Wain could not help but let out a laugh as they raced away with the wind blowing against his face.
"We did it! We hurt him!"
It was a small victory but a needed one. Their morale plummeted after struggling to fight Jormungandr for several minutes without even a sign of hurting him. Before Wain was desperate, clinging onto any hope he could muster, but now it was possible. The spilled blood showed he was mortal—"Jormungandr could die!" However, Lydia's pat on the shoulder and declaration made Wain's stomach twist.
"He's coming!"
Turning around, Wain caught a glimpse of Jormungandr slamming into a building on the street they ran down. He was already pursuing them... Lydia cursed as Jormungandr turned his head slightly, revealing the wound had already healed in his eye. No signs of it ever existing either made Lydia's stomach sink. Fear washed over the two of them as Jormungandr began to catch up to the Tyrannosaurus rex in their intense race.
"Come on, Asura... Please hurry up!"
Lydia turned to look at Wain's face, a portrait of desperation. Wain knew Asura would return, but the timing was unknown.
"He abandoned us, Wain! You watched him run!"
"He's coming back! I sent him away!"
"Why did you-?"
"Because! It's the only chance we have!"
"What do you-"
A loud, thunderous roar from Jormungandr interrupted her question. The ear-piercing scream was far louder than any they had heard in the past, causing the two to cover their ears.
Lydia looked towards Jormungandr. Her hands began to tremble, and terror filled her entire body as she watched a purple flame form in the back of Jormungandr's throat for a third time.