Exactly at the same time that Aleatha’s name appeared in a set of hieroglyphics… did the woman turn fear – stricken. She was very confident in her ability to weather danger for the sake of her family – for the sake of her ideals! But that was against mortals. Most mortals chosen to be a God or Goddess’s incarnation were given a superpower in ways similar to a bestowal. They were also granted the appropriate knowledge regarding how to take advantage of what mortals refer to as ‘divine energy’ albeit slightly, and properly infuse it with their attacks: whether that be in utilizing their superpower more effectively thanks to the higher source of energy, or by imbuing divine energy into artifacts and everyday objects, thereby enhancing their everyday properties and durability, far beyond what most mortals are capable of.
During the acceptance of a bestowed power, a ‘connection’ with said deity is formed and they can sometimes vaguely or clearly, depending on the person, time and place, hear said deity’s ‘divine message’. At very rare instances, that God or Goddess may even be capable of overturning their connected mortal’s misfortune… or fortune, depending on how one has affected them: positively or negatively…
But that was it! Usually, such beings were the only ones accepted by society as having a ‘divine connection’ with the divine beings residing in higher planes of existence. Everybody knew the details over the slight difference with such folk and an incarnation, but nobody has ever had the privilege of seeing such differences with their own eyes. Such a difference is simple: for an incarnation, rather than simply intervening in said mortal’s destined destruction and reversing it… they may even make use of the connected mortal’s body and summon a fraction of their own power for the sake of aiding their chosen vessel. They may also ‘descend’ if the situation ever truly calls for it, directly channeling their host and turning the host’s body into their own...for a specific duration.
Finally, the said God or Goddess may actually use their host’s body after confirming with him or her, in order to communicate with their other followers or mortals that share a connection to them. Overall, they have many special benefits that normally go unnoticed. Only the term ‘Incarnation for a God or Goddess’ is widespread. Everyone knows they can channel a deity, but not many know about the process. Even for Aleatha, she may know about it and even experienced it quite a few times like this one, but she has certainly never experienced anything like this one!
Directly passing Judgment on their incarnation’s enemies!
Usually they’d only help out and not exert too much energy, for fear of breaking their host; a fragile human mortal. But this one is so…
So domineering! Can she weather this in any way, if it isn’t even scared of pressing its host into a cripple, in order to effectively punish her?
No! She has to! There isn’t any room for ifs, ands or buts!
The energy she uses, it clearly couldn’t slip past the watchful eyes of the High Priestess Wea brought over to aid her childhood friend, Luxor. In fact, she was worried that the once careless ‘eyes’ around the entire stadium dome by security, by teaching Heroes that weren’t yet under her group’s control and by students with gifted powers in the form of ‘special sight’ would be able to recognize something if she tried slipping her energy out to defend herself. IF somebody takes notice, puts things together and uses the energy fluctuations in the air to lock down her location… well, she couldn’t be certain if she’d need to bring ot the principal to save her skin. That may put her into the principal’s clever and keen hands however, and the more opportunities he had to make contact with the outside world, the worse her chances at keeping him subdued, became.
After all, he was a man well-known for creating miracles.
Regardless, if she didn’t act now and erect a barrier, then her only other choice was to share Mile’s fate…
And besides, there was no guarantee she could withstand this specific God’s attack. He was acting different from the norm – he wasn’t afraid to wound or pressure his host, if it meant cleaning up their mess for them!
Without another option left for her to rely on, Aleatha could only grit her teeth and bear the divine assault heading her way, after erecting her own defensive barrier!
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
She may be able to avoid detection if she follows Miles and does nothing to defend against this ‘Judgment’, but how badly would she suffer?? Would she ever wake up? Is she going to suffer worse than Miles, considering she directly attacked this boy, while Miles was merely responsible for the biased commentary and ridicule over the course of these 4 matches?
No. She couldn’t take such a risk.
She could never let that happen!
Even if it meant exposing herself, she just needed to resist it once, then take Miles and escape! Nobody would notice if she dismisses the guards stationed close by the commentary booth now, and then effectively used a colleague’s teleportation powers to get out!
Aleatha: “...Report! Grunt, I require your assistance. Get me a teleporter and make sure they arrive within 4 minutes and 38 seconds… also dismiss the security somehow! I don’t care how it gets done, just do it!”
*Beep*
Grunt: “…”
Aleatha: “I… have to much to do in these coming days! I… will not fall here!
.
.
.
Come! See if you can break my barrier with your pitiful meager amounts of energy which can’t be properly kept inside of that 13 year old’s bod-”
*Crack*
Aleatha: “…
...What?”
*Crack*
Aleatha: “How… How is this possible?! My barrier… My barrier could never be broken by the likes of this paltry amount of ener...gy? Hahah… wait a moment… are they… are they actually planning on over-burning their host’s body? Just to-”
*Crack*
*Crack*
*Crack*
*Cra—TSSS!*
At first, the energy attacking Miles and her was invisible and senseless. Almost completely undetectable by ordinary means. It was an even greater method of attack than Aleatha’s. The problem came after Aleatha erected a barrier. Although she couldn’t see or detect it, she witnessed Miles’s demise first hand, after noticing it was his own name written on the scale to the left. Now that hers was written there, the moment it settled on her name, instead of the beautiful feather resting in the opposite end, she could no longer waste time thinking.
But this once invisible energy actually manifested itself in contrast to her barrier – it was the human sized Khopesh
Every swing by this blade equaled to a crack in her barrier – as if this Egyptian sword was toying with her, and could cut her down at any moment.
At least, this was the distressing thought that ran through Aleatha’s mind. Not even 4 minutes passed by, when she could no longer endure the pain and found her barrier shatter completely. The blade then struck at her chest, and although no blood was spilled… she directly collapsed to the floor unmoving and seemingly lifeless.
Only now, did Grunt walk in. Having waited until she fell, he simply sighed. Lifted her body up and over his left shoulder. Grabbed Miles by the neck, and pressed a button on his right wrist’s watch. With a *VWOOSH, they vacated from the commentator’s booth before Blaire Ericson managed to break the door Grunt had locked, down in one kick.
But after a careful glance… she saw nothing.
Blair: “Houdini, you sensed them as well, right?”
Mr. Abrams: “…Naturally. It would seem, our aged adversary has angered one of the various Gods watching over this school during their incarnation’s stay. At least, the strange activities within this school are probably all related to her.
Be careful, Blair.”
Blair: “...Humph!”
…
And down below…
The scales finally changed hieroglyphics once again. This time… it spelled out the name: Tetra.
Tetra didn’t know about the fates that befell his boss and her lackey. But one thing definitely caught his eye. The Khopesh disappeared! That massive, gigantic and scary sword that looked like a scythe or a sickle… like a bladed question mark capable of directly chopping somebody in two… by the time he noticed it, the blade was already missing. So then, how long ago was it moved? Has it already fallen into that Luxor’s hands, or did it disappear?
No. Impossible. First he disappears, and then the blade follows suit. Even if he doesn’t actually kill Tetra… it will no doubt still hurt very badly!
Moreover… it wasn’t him who did anything! He just stood there and smiled! Did… did Luxor find out? Should… should he apologize? Would apologizing even help?!
What to do… what to do!
As Tetra fought with himself and thought such muddled and troubled thoughts regarding Luxor’s anger, and his own survival…
He finally came to a decision.
Tetra surrendered the match, screaming it loudly so that Dome could distinctly pick it up. Immediately afterward, he apologized in front of the crowd. And right as the scales were heading towards his name, spelled out in hieroglyphics… they switched to the other side instead, bending the beautiful and pure feather low, showing it was actually heavier than Tetra’s name. His soul. And his crimes.
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