Kami-Sama No Ai {BL}

Chapter 83 - The Dragon's embrace

He stood apart from his body, not at all forgetting his formless state. The change in position didn't help clue together the current situation. Only a person or thing, shaped like a person cloaked in black smoke held his soul-less body.

Mikage didn't have any impression of it, so with no purpose, no more motivation he stared spiritlessly as life kept moving before him.

"I keep wondering if this is simply a dream because not even reality is so cruel, so how could I extend my imagination for it to produce such a thing. Perhaps it was my fault for allowing you insufferable sort to lead us. Condemning him to only condemn yourselves. I'll allow you to understand how the world tastes without light"
He then very gently nuzzled what seemed to be his face at Mikage's own neck. The being then angled his head up in a position that would portray his voice's intensity and stifling anger.

"The pain you've caused my heart won't allow any of you to remain alive. You must understand, I'm a plague to Gods." His voice then quietened as he gently lay Mikage's body down. "And therefore, as a plague, as a disaster I will carry my duties to the best of my abilities."

In the next instant the figure of smoke rose high in the air, he dispersed and expanded. Cloaking the permanent bright sky entirely with his own darkness.
The dark smog filled the air, darkening the heavens more than it was ever allowed. Within the smog a figure became apparent and prominent, a dragon large enough to fill the sky; roamed silently.

Very few recognised this bodily manifestation of a catastrophe, Mikage was especially familiar with the individual. After all, he'd personally spent many decades fighting for the freedom of his nameless friend; to no avail. Which apparently no longer seemed to be the case.

Those very few who were more familiar with this being than Mikage were also aware of his purpose. Which only brought one of two things, that was the beginning or the end of the Gods. With the beginning already assumed. A fair and logically calculated reasoning for the latter resulted in the eventual, fear-driven imprisonment of the dragon.

What had been forgotten or not at all known by those Gods including Mikage. Was that in order to keep someone as power-brimming as the only Dragon at bay, was not just the sacrificial sealing, provided by the corpses of many powerful Gods. But it rested mainly in the dragon's own choice.

The nameless one twisted and spun in a powerful demonstration until the smog thickened and darkened. Soon a type of thunder crashed down, it's purple-white form struck down all in fury. Burning and breaking whatever lay beneath its strikes, the thunder hit different directions each strike after the other. This instant was repeated throughout the entire heavens.

Seeing the bright destruction before him, Mikage felt nothing. There wasn't a sense of happiness, relief, fear nor misery he simply saw the sight as something that didn't concern him. His heart was already consumed by so much pain; rendering him empty. His eyes stuck in the same spot they'd been placed in.

Some of the older Gods present the ones elsewhere within the heavens, directly knew of their fate, which was in fact in the hands of this Dragon who was completely hostile to them. Before him, they were rendered powerless.

Those unfortunate enough to lay beneath its wake were victims of the power and force contained in each strike. As nothing but a broken floor lay where they were. The individuals who were struck by this power were those who had singled themselves out in the proud robes executioners donned.

From the sky, a voice resounded chillingly.

"Now I'll make this simple...not that there is a choice in the matter. Those oppositional to Mikage, or what you believed he stood for, will stay. On the other hand, those otherwise will leave immediately".

As indicated this Mikage observed was not a choice at all but an order, similar to those he himself would command. The entity's words forced absolute obedience into those he addressed and therefore were exposed to. Their will was not important, as it was hypnotism that had affected the soul.

The voice continued "The Yokai realm won't feel my anger".

The Gods knew what he had suggested and some Gods even heard schadenfreude hidden in the dragon's voice. He was kicking them out, their fate was now at the complete mercy of the Yokai, those who had the choice anyway. And the entire order of things was entirely flipped. The future that Mikage may have wanted, was to be established. But now the idea of it, without Mikage's presence left the Gods uneasy.

Not a moment was wasted when the very few Gods scattered. Still leaving behind a stadium of Gods. Interesting enough, although each obedient their face betrayed dread.

"Good, now you may remain still, remember your place as the spot you died in..."

Died was right, as he wasted no time when those words left his mouth. The gods did exactly that, in one moment each individual God was enveloped by a separate flash of lightning, and in the next nothing remained in the spot where they stood.

Mikage had long wilted to where his original body lay, the destruction of the heavens or its residents were not a concern of his. There was this absence within that couldn't allow him to feel anything but emptiness. Not even his old friend managed to restore what felt to be a corroding emptiness. It felt unreal, he couldn't even truly mourn properly yet his pain was a constant cycle in his mind. Everything was so slow the future he'd imagined had shaded with what was no longer

Eventually, the entity of smoke returned to his body's side, it held him as if he were the most precious thing. Like Mikage he remained almost in a lifeless state as if his reason for living was no longer.

Mikage felt only the smallest relief he wasn't alone and was even grateful. Though those feelings he couldn't recognise nor acknowledge at the moment. But when he finally did it might've been too late.

In time many years passed, and the smog stayed but nothing else changed. But how much time that passed exactly was unaccounted for, because the only two existing entities in the heavens rejected the concept of time. Since it no longer had its value, in the end, it moved in a single direction pointless to any vacant desires.

Nothing within the nameless Dragon's range he allowed to change. Not Mikage nor himself though what exactly was himself was indistinct within the smoke he embodied.

Only this particular moment was to bring change 'Mikage's body' which had remained still upon his death convulsed so strongly, to the degree it pushed against the entity holding him.

Both Mikage and the nameless one were immediately alerted, Mikage even stood from his practised position that was within the Dragon's embrace mirroring his body.

He could see even the dragon was unhinged though it was more obscure, the little changing flickers of smoke were indication enough for Mikage to tell that a massive turmoil was occurring.

The convulsions, though very powerful were brief. The suspension didn't last as not a moment after what came next had shaken everything left within Mikage.

His Shiroimono had exited his chest in its purest form, it hovered over Mikage's body for a moment and following were a dozen shards of pink crystal surrounding the blade. They quickly broke into pieces of light.

Mikage watched the scene his mouth agape. The shards, he'd recognised as remnants he held belonging to the souls of his oldest familiars who had died. He stored them within himself in the past whilst he was still living. Their shards he salvaged, it served as proof of their existence and a reminder of his failure.

They each moved as if they contained life. Mikage was truly shaken, everyone knew when a God or Yokai reaches the stage where your soul solidified, it was true death. The solidified souls would only eventually return the heaven's atmosphere.

Mikage knew of the possibilities and he was more than hopeful but it was slowly replaced with loss when each of them flew off into the distance, with Shiroimono leading ahead. His heart grew uneasy and what he thought was slowly unravelling. He attempted to seize the dragon in an embrace but was undoubtedly left with anguish as the action was deluded. Mikage only needed to see him step forward to pass through him, the rest he didn't want to open his eyes to.

He was now alone. Truly.