A few days of training had already passed. Odysseus joined me for morning and evening exercise while spending the rest of the day researching on rituals and whatnot. It seemed Arthur had been more generous than I thought, but the fact that Merlin couldn't show up in this dimension was somewhat troubling. I was completely unaware about anything happening in our world and although that would generally be the case for all time fissures, Merlin had always been able to appear in my limited experiences.
Illusion fighting was the complete opposite of my family stealth technique and its training method proved to be absolutely unnerving for me. While Wukong would take any chance he had to beat me up, he still was a good teacher, it was me that was at a loss.
Everything I had ever learned about stealth revolved around becoming one with nature and you surrounding, effectively erasing yourself. Illusion fighting worked on the opposite principle. I had to interfere with nature, make my presence the center of everything and shift back to non-existence in the blink of an eye.
Something like that would normally be impossible. The Damocles stealth technique was based mostly on biological changes, something that couldn't shift too violently like the monkey King wanted. That's when Archana made its mark.
But the level of Archana manipulation required was something absurd; even with my elven king circuits it was proving to be a challenge, so most of my training with the great Sage was actually meditation, at least until I'd reach an acceptable level of Archana manipulation.
Days continued to pass with this newfound routine, everything was going smoothly when Yudher and Juna appeared at our camp and everything shattered.
"Sarah and Maria are being held captive in the temple of time."
A single sentence stopped everything, but something was unsettling. Usually had I gotten to know a member of my family was in danger, I'd jump into action without a second thought, but now I felt rather calm.
Odysseus was the first to break the silence.
"No, mr. And mrs. Damocles, that's a misconception."
"What do you mean? Of course this is a trap, but our daughters are in danger."
Yudher was seething with anger, not by the fact that Odysseus didn't seem to care, but by the fact that none of us seemed to care and indeed we didn't, as Aaron made immediately clear.
"Father, I think Maria is already dead."
Hali didn't miss the beat to plunge the dagger deeper in their hearts.
"That bitch clearly wants Dimitris dead, I wouldn't be surprised if she switched sides."
"Nonetheless, we will go. If they have indeed just been captured all the better, but let's not be complete idiots and go in blindly."
I may have not been fond of any of them except for Aaron, but that didn't meat I'd let anyone rot. Either way the temple of time was our objective.
_______________________
-the Temple of Time-
Tension was palpable in the temple. All members of the brotherhood were anticipating with exitement what was bound to happen.
On the marble table in the middle of the hall lay the dismembered body of a young woman arranged as if it was the most delectable dish and at the end of the table, in front od the decapitated head of the lady lay on a golden dish with the figures of a man and a woman passionately kissing above her.
"Are you sure he will come alone? Our revelation says that he is righteous, but not stupid."
"You don't have to worry my dear Basil, he will not, under any circumstances put his dear ones in danger, he is that foolish."
The man smirked, remembering how he jumped right in front of Odysseus to protect him from whatever he could do.
"That is right, but one thing is still concerning me."
"…"
"Why is it that you can't tell me anything about his prowess? During the tournament there was very little we could analyse."
"I told you everything I know."
Basil's eye glinted with an eerie shine.
Useless bitch, after I kill Dimitris you'll be the next to go, and finally all the Damocles will be gone.
"Of course baby, sorry for doubting you."
The previously still air grew calmer by the second. The fragment of their God pulsing energy on the altar behind them was slowly starting to take root in this dimension.
It just needed more time and finally, the true GodKing would come back, finding this dimension, out of Basil's original nebula influence was hard enough, but as soon as the divine body was formed, they could get back to their original world and have their divinity eat his own fragments to rebuild his strength.
Ecstasy was clear in his eyes and when the scouts came to announce Dimitris' presence, alone, just like Sarah had predicted, he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore.
"You know the plan right?"
"Of course my love. I use my skill, you kill."
He kissed the naive girl violently and his pants bulged in excitement, this woman was to stupid for her own good.
The air around everyone was suddenly filled with electricity and flowers bloomed everywhere, they were enchanting in their beauty, but this was a clear sign.
He was here.
The doors of the temple exploded revealing the figure of a tall man, black hair with a blue shadow at their ends cascaded on his neck while his bangs were secured in a bun, glowing green eye, like emeralds in the night were greedily looking everywhere with a bored impression, as if everything was beneath him.
As fucking annoying as his father, luckily he dies today.
Those were the thoughts Basil entertained behind is never ending smirk.
While looking around with that aloof expression, he took notice of Maria's corpse and how Sarah was hugging Basil with a deep blush on her cheeks. The redhead was equally exited, but for a whole other reason.
His lord, his king, his God, was just a step away from being reborn, only this man, who foolishly and recklessly came alone stood in the midst of his plans.
"Are you trying to emulate Tantalus, Sarah?"
The melodious voice rang into the hall, like an angel's choir, it seemed to purify the very air, but there was nothing he could do anymore.
Sarah took a stance and brought her hands together in a triangle shape, putting Dimitris at its center and then shouted at the top of her lungs.
"SKILL ACTIVATE! SSS RANK TIME ZONE!!!"
Basil, although completely flabbergasted by the embarrassing show Sarah displayed didn't miss his chance.
This was possibly the only opportunity to kill this man. Seeing how easily he played with that girl from Poseidon, it was clear he was stronger than he let on, not that he let on the feeling of being weak to begin with.
Dimitris figure seemed paralysed in time, the effect of the skill clearly on display and Basil was happy he didn't waste a perfectly useful mana breathing technique and mana pill to make this woman's 2nd circle in less then a week.
With her newfound mana, she was able to stop time for 3 second. More then enough to kill the bastard.
Basil charged his sword with all his fiery aura and so did his brothers, it was time, time to end it all.
As all the weapons of his brothers made contact with the statuesque figure of Dimitris causing a huge explosion and debris to fly everywhere, Sarah found a sword piercing her guts.
Panic possessed her and turning to see the culprit, her eyes shook violently at the sight of Basil licking her blood off his sword.
"The Damocles must be extinguished for our plan to succeed, sorry baby."
She fell to the ground helplessly, her heart filled with regret. However, there was no peace awaiting her, the last thing she saw was a white butterfly, but as soon as the creature touched her, unbearable pain ensued and she quickly lost consciousness, liflessly stranded on the flower covered floor.
The maniacal laughter erupted again in the temple. Not even a speck of dust remained of Dimitris after the combined attack or Basil's brother, and even the bitch he so painstakingly tolerated for the plan to work was dead.
"Finally, no more fucking Damocles. OUR KING WILL RETURN!"
"ALL HAIL THE KING OF TIME!"
"ALL HAIL THE KING OF TIME!"
"ALL HAIL THE KING OF TIME!"
The chant continued for a full minute, after which the 13 brothers seated around the table, ready to feast on Maria's corpse.
That would have been the original plan, but then one of the brother stood up.
"Why aren't these fucking flowers disappearing? We killed the caster and this surely isn't an incantation."
Silence fell again on the room until Basil stood up and hurriedly turned to the altar with an ashen face.
The fragment was gone.
WHAT? WHEN?
He didn't dwell on the details and the details and issues his orders immediately.
"LOCATE THE FRAGMENT!"
But just as his order was given, the angelic voice that previously questioned them sounded one again.
"Oh no, you found it."
And just as those words left his mouth, he clenched his aura infused fist with an unbelievable amount of lightning, almost resembling his father holding Astrape.
What happened next, left everyone paralysed in disbelief.
[the fragment of the king of titans has been destroyed.]
[time remaining before the resolution of the time fissure: 10 hours]
[sub-quest activated: kill the members of the brotherhood.]
"Oh well, it seems I can't let you live. Not that o was going to anyway."
The angelic smile of his face was now their symbol of doom.
_____________________
-Dimitris' POV-
"Well, I haven't mastered the illusion fighting techniques, but I can hold an illusion for a minute or two."
Odysseus was issuing orders on how to appt the incoming fight, and I was once again reminded of his genius.
"That's perfect. We will assume that Sarah is against us. Dimitris will act as bait and throw himself in the lion den."
He hated this plan, it was clear in the way his eyes were trembling at the thought of putting me in danger, but it was the only option and it also was the option I was the most comfortable with.
"You will blast through the temple and make a huge explosion, they might have a restricting fomation of artefact, so you'll send your illusion in the fray. If it's a formation: remove your spell and come back, we attack after 3 hours, that will give them the belief you were effectively slain and lower their guard thinking that Hali and I won't be able to fight because of your loss. If it's an artefact of something else, blink to the fragment, seeing how they are so sure of themselves to blatantly set up a trap, it will surely be on sight; release the Paragon as a sign and we will take action. Leave your spell active and when they notice it destroy the fragment."
I was honestly mesmerised by his commands, clean and to the point. Yudher then decided to inquire.
"What about Sarah and Maria?"
Odysseus was silent, he didn't believe for one second that Maria was alive nor that Sarah didn't betray them, I shared his thoughts, but I needed to smooth things over, after all whatever happened, we still needed them to fight with us so I spoke up.
"Of course if they are still… safe, I will save them easily, that's not a problem at all. I can just teleport all of us away repeatedly."
That put Yudher and Juna at ease, but I couldn't let them live in delusion.
"However, if Sarah betrayed us and Maria is already… well, in that case I will kill her personally."
A slight fear took seed in my parents bodies, but it was necessary for them to know the full spectrum of things.
Odysseus however didn't feel the slightest sympathy for them.
"I don't think you'll need to do anything."
Yudher was looking at him expectantly, but Aaron shattered their hopes instantly.
"Yeah, I think they'll kill Sarah the second Dimitris is dead."