If ever there had been any indication of summer’s return to Earthland, there were no more unfortunate of a place for them to have experienced it than there within Seven. Their expedition had arrived in short manner, having undergone all manner of preparation and strategizing whilst enjoying the temporary security of the Merchant’s Guild of Myras. From Oak Town came what supplies would have been needed for the group, the political savant Sia, the Sevenese Goddess returning home after so long in Noir, and their master in Astrid Venier, the one as much blessed and condemned to serve on behalf of the fourth, The Divine of Fiore herself.

A most unexpected party, they had traveled in secret, progress restricted to the limited hours of night’s darkness provided. Given just who all were present in their band, a religious paragon, a literal God, and a political powerhouse, as they further progressed through and pushed into towards the borders of the foreign nation of Seven it became all the more clear that the protections they would often have within Fiore were few and fleeting.

In fact, only Noir was the one of any potential safety, from the surface level at least, attributed to her God-like power, her return to her homeland coming with it the maximum efficacy of her own power. A power seldom utilized, but having been there, kept sealed behind the absolute authority by that of Astrid, who had been as much intrigued by the power of a Goddess, having become more enthralled by the prospects of controlling the Goddess outright. But in reality, Noir was hardly the only one with actual protection; Astrid having no shortage of tricks within her arsenal – her journey along the Path of All-Consuming Power having set her up better than what most could have hoped to imagine – and per The Divine, there was no shortage of capabilities and powers that she may have possessed.

All that stood at risk in reality was Sia, but even her presence was not in significant worry, having loose enough understanding of forbidden hexes under the tutelage of Astrid to be an asset, at worst having to swallow her pride and seek shelter behind the more capable defenders in Astrid and The Divine.

The concern proved to be more be for naught, because while the trip was lengthy – longer than what any of them may have first expected it to have been – it was hardly a challenging one. Nor were there any actual situations that arose that put them in actual danger. It did not devalue the need for precaution though, as that careful behavior had to last, even past them venturing through the border. It was simply how their trip would have to be carried out until they reached the Siren Sea, so The Divine claimed. Even hearing of such a demand, Astrid struggled to comprehend the rational behind it; Despite being a foreign nation, the tales that came of Seven, particularly those of the Siren Sea were far from welcoming, however exaggerated they may have been. She struggled to believe it would be in a place such as there that they were required to bring Noir.

A place of worship like that of a temple would have made much more sense, she figured.

But no, that was shot down adamantly by The Divine, her understanding of Seven seeming to be far beyond that of what Astrid, Sia, or even Noir seemed to have towards the foreign nation. A strange thing in particular, especially given Noir having come from Seven unlike the presumably Fiore-born Divine. But it was not something that Astrid found herself in a position to argue or challenge; this whole endeavor had been one from which The Divine had pulled the strings. She had coordinated every step taken, every action committed, had everything figured out seemingly. For Astrid to suddenly try to go against that structure at the final act, it was all too believable that that alone would have been enough for The Divine to look at it as a betrayal.

The only choice was to follow The Divine’s lead as they ventured along the nondescript pier, isolated with nothing in sight for as far as the eye can reasonably. Ideal for a place to depart in secret and not fear being ambushed.

Despite that, walking along the pier, listening as the wood creaked beneath their feet, Astrid could not help but wonder how things would play out.

There was an uneasiness to it all.

Them venturing into waters prophesied and possessing no shortage of tales spun of creatures and other beasts that infested them. Yet, this stood as their main road to travel upon, so to speak. It would be the route to the conclusion of their journey; the accursed task that their mistress Lady Astrid had been forced into at the hands of the woman whom sat with a sense of piety and righteousness that seemed to run in stark contrast against the horrid landscape that surrounded them. The woman, The Divine of Fiore, had set forth a path that they all had been ordained to follow, her in service to Lady Astrid, Noir in her own upbringing and existence as a Sevenese Goddess, and Astrid being the one that seemed to tie all of this together. Somehow, anyway.

That Sia could not decipher or read through the plans of The Divine did little but to assuade her concerns, nor did the prospects of venturing in such a simple boat through waters that may have been home to an infinite number of horrid creatures. Surprisingly though, such an outcome seemed in the moment to be the more ideal of the two options, the notion of going against The Divine filling her with a sense of utter dread and futility. It was not so much what may have happened to her – Sia knowing all too well that against someone like The Divine that she would stand no chance, neither surviving nor likely being able to do much.

But it was not her own well-being that left her with a sense of uneasiness. It was the possibility that someone may have come to Astrid, the one who ultimately was the one truly in the crosshairs of whatever The Divine had schemed, both as a potential threat as well as a liability.

A shaking came from the side of the ship near her, enough of a suddenness to it that she could not help but jump slightly in surprise, generating a response from that of both Noir and Astrid, the former who could not help but giggle at her fellow companion’s reaction, whilst Astrid barely reacted; her mind no doubt elsewhere focused, likely on the woman who seemed to be at the center of everyone’s attention.

Noir was no exception.

She did not seem to as much dread the travel along the water, her life as a Goddess upon these very lands having been enough to leave her with a sense of omnipotence and safety. The threats that existed, perhaps those that may have stood to affect the heavenly sent like her, she hardly was concerned. Her own inherent immunity aside, it was the presence of both Astrid and The Divine who likewise gave her reason to worry. She knew all too much of her master, the power that she possessed, the capability to force even a Goddess into eternal subjugation. That was enough to take away from with confidence. But it was also that of the other figure, the new face to the name that was not so much known in any sort of polite accord, but rather that of like an opposing master, like one seeking to impose their own will upon Lady Astrid, and by extension Noir herself.

It was the horrid truth that she preferred to simply ignore, feigning ignorance and dismissing that fact with the aim to enjoy a bit of the trip in her home again. It was a mixed sentiment that lingered within her. To be home again in Seven, there was a part of her that was resigned to believing that she would never be here again, if not as a lover to the conqueror Astrid that would claim Seven as her own. If such a scenario were to have ever played out. The greater reality simply was that she was content with her life as it was since meeting the Phantom Lord Guild Master. She had the luxury of being a beloved Goddess just as she was before, but now adored not by insignificant people, but instead by a woman to whom she would do anything and everything for.

It was perfect.

But having to play the role as the assistant while even her beloved master found herself subservient to this Divine was hard to stomach. If it had not been for her required role within this intricate web that had been spun, Noir was not quite sure just how she may have reacted. But the reality was that she was needed. Astrid needed her. If failure to comply may have meant punishment to the woman, then it would be something that Noir doubted she could ever hope to accept and live with the consequences of.

So, the only option she had were to comply. She were to be in the ship just like that of Astrid, Sia, and The Divine. And when the moment was right, when The Divine had them right where she wanted them, at the seat of the Heavens themselves, then Noir would open the door once again no doubt to the Heavens, but not for her to return.

But instead, to extend the way for The Divine to do whatever it was that she had planned next.

There was a roughness to the sea. One that only seemed to become worse and more noticeable the further they ventured into the sightless mire. It took but a single glance back in the direction they came from to see the poorly-maintained dock from which they departed from becoming less and less clear, consumed equally by the growing distance but also by that of a fog of sorts that seemed to get deeper in their venture. They continued along nonetheless, The Divine having made it clear that their destination would reveal it to them within the center, their path being a simple case of venturing forward and nothing more.

And so they proceeded in that direction, the roughness growing, the waves seeming to be angrier and angrier as they splashed against their vessel. Yet their trip itself seemed unaffected by it all. For however long they had been at sea, it did not seem that their voyage was any worse now than it had been at the start or anywhere in between. Was it that the voracity of the waves was but an illusion? Perhaps the ship – despite its poor appearance – was more of a capable vessel than it appeared? Astrid looked forward, her eyes focusing upon the woman who sat at the helm of the ship, The Divine herself, wondering perhaps that it was her own capabilities that made the trip so simple. She doubted that any answer of that sort would be provided, the woman undoubtedly preferring instead to leave her wondering than give any clear answer.

Clarity had up to this point been far from clear. The only bit of it that had been was the directive of it all: what Astrid had been commanded to do and what would happen if she did not.

No, it was apparent, as much now as it had been throughout this venture, that consulting with her would have been a foolhardy endeavor. Their first interaction was nothing but an illusioned sense of balance between the two of them only to be shattered for the actual reality. This dynamic between them now, this was the true reality. The true sort of relationship that they had.

Astrid was the subservient pawn to The Divine.

Rather than play to that sort of dynamic more than required, Astrid instead looked to the other divine figure within their ship, showing some overdue attention to her companion Noir, whom seemed to be less and less easy the longer the ship traveled on. It wasn’t so much seasickness of any sort, but a sort of fear, perhaps a fear of returning home, perhaps of encountering the Gods and Goddesses of Seven once again. Whatever it may have been, it showed within the Goddess’ face; what would normally be confidence and intrigue instead being apprehensiveness and worry.

Footsteps along the wooden frame were muffled by the sounds of waves crashing against the ship’s outer layer, none of which seemed to impede their movement. As she got closer, the fear she thought she saw in Noir’s face seemed to be all the more true, Astrid unable to hide her own dismay at the situation. She hated the idea of seeing either Noir or Sia in distress, whether it be out of superficial reason or genuine. All the more so when it was something that Astrid were to blame for, just as this happened to be. Figuring there little she could do to resolve the matter, she did what she could to try to provide some comfort to the Sevenese Goddess, both hands reaching out and taking hold of one of Noir’s, her flesh delicately suspended within the warm hands of the Phantom Lord Guild Leader.

As Noir registered the touch of flesh upon her hand, she looked up from whatever half-daze she had found herself in a moment before, now looking at the intense eyes of Astrid Venier, her master and lover, standing just before her. Seeing this, the emotions raced upon her face, first out of some embarrassment of being seen in such a state then to that of appreciation then shifting back into a state of pity. It did not seem to phase Astrid though, who simply stood there, fingers gently caressing the inner and outer palm of Noir’s hand.

A fleeting effort of comfort amidst a sense of uncertainty. Noir smiled at the gesture, a look of genuine care and love being told through the eyes that looked into Astrid’s for a time, then seeming to trail off at the sight of something ahead of them.

It was with such an intensity that her focus shifted that Astrid could not help but turn her head as well, being as much stunned by what she was seeing. The intense fog that had progressively become thicker and thicker as they ventured deeper at sea had seemed to utterly fade away, the area before them now being one that seemed to have been showered in bright light. It was something that was completely invisible to the naked eye from any sort of distance prior, no doubt no soul – regardless of the potential Magic that they may have had at their disposal to witness it themselves – could have known of this without venturing through here themselves.

There wasn’t a word spoken as they looked on, Sia having joined in in admiring the heavy light that surrounded them, while The Divine did not seem to convey any apparent reactions that the trio could tell, at least. No doubt that though that she was as much excited for what they were seeing. As surprised? That was very much doubtful. Even Astrid though surprised by what was going on around her, at least had a sense of what this was.

This was the seat of the Gods within Seven.

It would be from here, from the Seat of Divinity shielded by the heaviest of fogs, impenetrable to the unworthy and shielded by fable and the most heinous of creatures to grace the seas, that presumably The Divine would come to claim a spot within the Heavens.

The same spot that the woman whose hand she held had forsaken so long ago.

There was almost a sense of tranquility here. An unsettling one at that though. The four of them stood within the flimsy ship, most of them simply wondering what was to happen next, Astrid almost inclined to reach out to The Divine and figure out the next move when there suddenly came a massive crackling of sound. Not that of thunder or anything like that, but rather something different. Foreign, yet natural all the same.

Power manifested in a single eruptive roar.

It shook everyone, even causing the water that was otherwise calm and peaceful to become unsteady and restless. Not enough to put the ship or its occupants at risk of being capsized, but certainly enough to cause them to take notice and be alert if nothing else.

Then came the voice, the one that seemed to boom all around them, yet having no clear direction at all.

“So, the fallen daughter has returned home once again…”

Astrid tensed up, knowing all too well whoever it was that had spoken was referring to. The words reeked in indignation. Of disgust. Towards Noir, certainly, but no doubt also extending to that of Astrid, and she would suspect likely that of humanity as a whole too. It was the same disdain that Noir carried with herself when they had first met, before Astrid had used the Eye of Makima to possess her. It almost caused her a bit of disappointment, knowing that that artifact no longer was within her control.

“And you bring these humans with you? And one of the ones who forced you into servitude?”

There was another crackle of power as there suddenly appeared a figure descending down from the sky, floating down peacefully like that of a balloon with the air slowly leaking it. As it furthered closer and closer to them, its full presence and appearance came into view, basked in the golden glow around them all. It was that of a man, his physical presence towering over that of any of them, perhaps closer to seven, if not even eight feet tall, having a face and body that as much showed incredible signs of aging whilst also being immaculately fit, having a body that most soldiers and fighters would spend their lives trying for only to never realize it themselves. An unassuming clothe robe seemed the majority of whatever outfit it was that he wore, save for some few ornaments adorned along his arms.

From just behind her, she could hear Noir whisper out, loudly enough so that only she could hear, “Chronos, the God of Time and King of Gods…”

“I would not have imagined that you, slaver of the Gods, would be so foolhardy and arrogant as to come here.” Astrid’s demeanor shifted immediately, her face showing a clear and apparent scowl in response to Chronos’ obvious remark towards her. “I allowed you to leave Seven with my kin due to her own refusal to return to the Heavens. Do not think that I will so easily allow you a second chance to return to whatever human realm you hailed from before.”

Within Chronos’ hand there appeared suddenly a massive scythe, its dimensions arguably as long, if not longer than his overall height. Imbued by whatever sort of power that Chronos may have had, Astrid had little reason to doubt the lethality of it and the seriousness of the threat given.

“But, as you have brought my kin here, I will allow a brief boon. Tell me, for what reason have you come seeking the Pantheon of the Ancient Seven? Why have you reopened the gateway that the Heavens had sought sealed?”

It felt almost like a situation that she found herself powerless within. Little more than spectator witnessing a confrontation between a pair of actors on stage, able only to see how the script may have played out. There certainly was something to be said of Chronos, the imposing nature by which he carried himself, demanded of her and those aboard the ship. Often times, confrontations of this sort were limited to fables, to glamorous retellings of tales that seldom every happened. Yet here before her was exactly that, a true confrontation between a God and a human who was perhaps as close to a God as anyone could have imagined them being.

A confrontation between the Heavens themselves and the voice of a religious deity. An encounter, truly, for the century.

Hardly a soul moved upon their ship; everyone’s focus simply invested in what was developing before them. What Astrid did feel though was the weaving of fingers upon her own hand, Noir having enwrapped her own hand with Astrid’s, tightening them. A warranted response as far as the Phantom Lord Guild Master were concerned, and almost an envious one at that. The nature of their dynamic, it fell upon Astrid to be the one to inspire the others, yet before a God, no less the King of Gods, it was hard not to feel inadequate all the same. The thought even seemed to occur to her, should she have been worried? Chronos’ demeanor was hardly one of a welcoming one, and to hear The Divine so brazenly declare her intentions, even she could not imagine how one would react. Particularly one as brazenly hostile as Chronos seemed to have been.

“HA!” The God bellowed out, it seeming to have a reverberating effect almost like that of an earthquake. Astrid was certain that the ship would have capsized, but it stunningly seemed unaffected by it. Although the water around them seemed to paint an entirely different story, it erupting outwards in all directions like that of a blast being dropped in the center of all of them. “You wish to become a god? Have you humans truly fallen so far as to believe that even in such perilous times that you can become greater than what your existence ought to limit you to?”

She felt her blood boil. Chronos’ remarks, there was not simply disdain laced within them. There was no test that he was gifting to The Divine to prove her worth or anything of the sort. These were his honest feelings.

Chronos, and likely many other of the Gods, whether in Seven or elsewhere within Earthland, viewed humans simply as disposable creatures. As inferior beings. Even in the face of a threat like the Void, he would rather see the world end than one of them rise to their level.

“You humans are all alike. You believe yourselves special. A waste. And what a true tragedy that one of my kin find themselves under the thrall of one.” Chronos turned his attention away from The Divine, if only for a moment to stare directly at Noir. At the same time, Astrid could feel the grip on her hand further tightening. “Then again, perhaps I should not be surprised. You never quite-“

Chronos paused, as if realizing something. There was a tense moment where not a word was said, nothing was uttered while the God deliberated, as if heavily contemplating. Then he erupted in a fury.

“YOU TRAITOR!”

The water shot in all directions, whatever protection the ship had been guarded before having now waned, it being turned around in all directions, by a miracle seeming to remain upright, as well as the occupants  upon it too. Yet the violent nature of the waves continued on, whatever bright light may have occupied the space as much not contending with a sort of thunder and crackle of power that launched out similarly.

“YOU WOULD BRING THE VOID HERE!? YOU WOULD THREATEN THE PANTHEON ITSELF BY INTRODUCING THAT… THAT FILTH!? HERE!?”

Astrid said nothing, her tongue disappearing within her throat. How could Chronos have known of her involvement with the Void? Had it been obvious? A million scenarios ran through her head, her mind racing, panicked. That The Divine had been able to tell of her past involvement with the Void was a terrifying enough prospect as far as what it could have meant for her. But for one of the most powerful Gods to seemingly understand this immediately?

What was she to do? What could she had hoped to do?

Had it been in The Divine’s scheme all along? Had Astrid all along been a sacrificial pawn in the grand scheme of things?

As her mind raced, she swore at The Divine for all of this. Swore at herself for falling prey to such a trap. Swore at Chronos, perhaps more than all. A million alternative ways that this could have happened, and seemingly it would end with a God preparing to cast her down…

It all took place in a sequence that even she could not fully comprehend until it had long been over. Her mind had been consumed, utterly enthralled at the notion of her inevitable death at the hands of Chronos, only for that to not happen. Not at all. Rather, it had become clear that the trap that she feared she had walked into had in fact existed, albeit set for the God who had come down to demean and condescend to the unexpected group. Even more stunning to Astrid, something that even after everything had happened she still struggled to fully comprehend and realize, it had all been by The Divine.

The images flashed within her mind constantly, the suddenness of everything; the manifestation of the Void energies engulfing The Divine, then suddenly around Chronos. And then within an instant, the God of Time, the King of Gods, was gone. Erased and turned into little more than some manifested essence; all the power of the God eroded away into nothing more than pure power infused with Void energy.

To anyone that carried themselves like her, those who walked the path of all-consuming power, there was little a thing more precious or envious to them than that. Such to the utter disbelief with what came next; the surge of force that rushed into her, the sensation she felt as the power of Chronos became one with her. It was all too much, but felt all so good too. It was hard to sufficiently describe what she was undergoing. Astrid certainly was becoming something more, but for all the power she felt coursing through her body, so too did she feel a sensation of agony. Agony as her body struggled to accept the power of the God, the power of the Void’s vessel, and vice versa the same opposition delivered towards her own body.

It was almost too much.

She struggled just to maintain any sense of composure, almost losing herself to such power.

But then there came another sensation. One of calming. Accompanied by the hand placed upon her shoulder, her head looking up to see The Divine standing before her, a heavy hue of Void energy enveloped all around her. With seldom little discussed between them further, The Divine turned and proceeded towards the massive pillar of light that surprisingly seemed to have remained despite the fall of Chronos. She could not help wonder if this was something she should have done, but that concern washed away with the a pair of harsh realities. The first was that she could do nothing to stop The Divine. Even with the power that she now had through Chronos, the effortlessness that she witnessed from The Divine in harnessing the Void, it was unlikely that she would ever stand a chance.

The second was a more pragmatic thought. Why should she have tried to stop The Divine? It was becoming clear to her now that from the beginning, this was always the plan that The Divine had set forth. It was never about stopping the Void. It was always about seeing it ascend to the Heavens. Astrid simply provided a situation that was all too perfect, one that none could ever have hoped to have more properly align. And it made sense. It was not through Illumin or some other sort of clairvoyance that Her Holiness had come to know of what Astrid had done, but rather it was through the Void. The same entity that they had briefly shared had been enough to create the link that would be exploited to set this incredible stage.

And there was a part of Astrid that was looking forward to see it play out. Whether it was the power that now radiated within her, the essence of Chronos existing within her along with that of the Nine-Tailed Fox of legend that too remained entrapped within her, she was far stronger than where she was prior to this entire venture. And based on what The Divine said, there was no reason to think that the power granted would not become greater even still.

And if what The Divine said was true, that the Void would end up consuming all of Earthland, then so be it. Her own aspirations would not be impeded, and if there were anyone who stood to benefit from the erasing of the current world in favor of one twisted utterly by the Void, this whole adventure with The Divine was as much a guarantee that she would be the one to take the Void-tainted throne whenever it should have appeared.

With that knowledge, she could not help but have her mind wander as she watched The Divine beginning to ascend the same pillar, the dark Void-colored hues enveloping around her, tainting the pillar as she rose. What was to come would be inevitable.

The Void threat was going to grow now.

It would expand and consume everything.

And for Fiore, Astrid would be the one to allow such tragedy to take place. Because in the end, the aspirations that she once had for herself had changed. She had not waivered in her pursuit of power, but simply the endgame was different.

Astrid would not so much see herself upon the Throne of Fiore, but rather on a throne that oversaw the Void-tainted world of Earthland entirely.

And every move that she could set in motion to further that goal along, she was ready to see that play out accordingly.

[Exit]