Descent of a God

Next Steps

[A/N: The long-awaited chapter is finally here, enjoy! This chapter has been cut short, but the next chapter coming in a few days will be one of the concluding chapters of the Hyperion Empire arc and will be much longer.]

|Jude|

Asmodeus, a god. The feeling of insignificance washed over me as I realized that I was not even close to her level of power. Asmodeus surpassed all other beings in Dicathen, Alacarya, and Epheotus.

My mind raced as I thought about how I could possibly defeat her. The Ninth Door held the key to unlocking the power of Fate, which was the only way to defeat her. However, even the Eighth Door had been a difficult challenge. I knew I needed to unlock the Ninth Door quickly, but I also knew that it was not an easy task.

Mordain had informed me that the old Goddess had sealed Asmodeus away, but the seal was not complete. She could still manipulate the asuras in Epheotus to attack Dicathen. My first task was to defeat Agrona and take over Alacarya to free my people.

I exhaled deeply as I realized that I had a long way to go before I could defeat Asmodeus. I had to return home to Dicathen, defeat Epheotus, and unlock the power of Fate. The last relictomb was in Dicathen, which made it easier for me to achieve my goal.

As I was lost in my thoughts, Cordelia hugged me from behind, comforting me. I took a deep breath and felt reassured by her contact. She was right, there was no need to hurry.

I turned to the Emperor and suggested that we return to the Palace. I was ready to take the first step towards my ultimate goal. I knew I had a long journey ahead of me, but I was determined to do whatever it takes to save my people and defeat Asmodeus.

We returned to the Palace, and Angelina kept giving me concerned looks, but I was too lost in my thoughts to pay attention. I knew that with the Eighth Door unlocked, defeating the other Asuras would be easy. However, unlocking the power of Fate was my biggest challenge, and I couldn't afford to fail.

Despite having lived as three different people and hundreds of same lives, I knew that this didn't guarantee success. Agrona had some control over the power of Fate, as he had brought Arthur's soul to this world. However, he couldn't bring Cordelia and me here, as that was likely done by the Goddess herself.

But before I could focus on unlocking the power of Fate, there was something else I needed to take care of. I couldn't move forward without addressing someone's feelings.

'Calm down, Jude Leywin. You have time,' I reminded myself, trying to push aside my overwhelming thoughts.

However, my mind couldn't help but drift towards my family in Dicathen, especially Kathyln. I needed to return home soon and meet them again.

"I'll be back soon," I muttered as we finally reached the Palace.

The Emperor turned to us and spoke with a genuine tone, "Heroes Jude and Cordelia, your contributions to our Empire are immeasurable. We cannot repay you even if we were to empty our treasury. Please, tell us what you desire."

I appreciated his sincerity, and I knew exactly what I wanted.

"Firstly, I would like to keep this sword," I said as I pulled out the grey blade from my spatial ring. "I obtained it from a secret pathway that Angelina led me to."

The Emperor didn't seem surprised, but instead, he smiled and nodded in approval.

"Secondly," I continued, "I would like the support of the Empire in my fight against the Asuras."

It wasn't necessary, as I was confident in my abilities to defeat the Asuras alone. However, having the support of powerful mages and warriors could make a difference in the battle to come.

The Emperor smiled, before dipping his head and bowing to me. A startled expression appeared on my face alongside everyone as the Emperor said, "I am not sure how much our Empire can aid you in your endeavours, but we would not hesitate to do so if necessary."

"Thank you for your generosity," I replied with a grateful smile. "We would appreciate staying for a few days to rest and plan our next move. Additionally, I would like to discuss the Empire's potential involvement in my fight against the Asuras."

Cordelia whispered to me, "What happened to the quest?"

"It seems to have disappeared, likely caused by Asmodeus," I explained. "But it doesn't matter. I can use my spatium Godrune to teleport us back to our planet."

Cordelia hugged me tightly, and I held her close. Being able to protect my loved ones and spend time with them was all I wanted.

'This time,' I thought to myself, 'I won't stop until I defeat Asmodeus and even the all the other Gods of the Universe if that is what proves to be necessary to find peace.'