PHASE 15 - THE FROZEN SOUL’S MELTDOWN

I can’t believe it! Aeternos just pummeled the God of the Underworld in one slam dunk as if he’s Sakuragi! And he did that on Hades’ own domain! Just how powerful this armored guy can be?

“Come on, let’s go!” Aeternos shouted.

Slowly, the boney hands of the fallen god crawled on Aeternos’ left boot. He held it so tight so that he won’t be able to go away. Hades’ skull helmet is now full of cracks, and there is blood oozing from the gaps. This man is still alive even though he sustained a heavy fatal blow. Well, he’s a god after all.

“I won’t let you… get... away…” Hades weakly muttered.

The crawling God of the Underworld tapped his other hand on the floor, and suddenly, the ground became covered with rotten flesh. Bloody hands started to spawn from the ground that held Jeanne’s, Aeternos’, and my feet, preventing us from taking any step.

“Wh-What the-!!!” Jeanne cried like a bitch. “What the heck are these!”

Aeternos charged prana on his right hand and materialized an ice sword. He stabbed the very sword towards Hades’ hand that has been holding his foot.

“Argh!” The God of the Underworld cried.

“” Aeternos shouted.

The fleshy ground was immediately reconverted into grasslands full of flowers. The hands that have been pulling us disintegrated to dust immediately.

I was awed that this blurry man knows a lot of spells that I know how to use. He knows how to cast and , as displayed during the Christmas Raid. Now, he showed that he can use and too. Talk about copyright violations.

“Let’s go.” Aeternos’ cybernetic voice echoed from behind me. I never noticed that he already made his way to my back when I was busy thinking. And this armory guy is already carrying the runt Jeanne on his armpits.

“Wh-Whoah!” I was surprised when this guy grabbed me on the collar.

“Erylle, try to catch up with me!” Aeternos ordered.

“R-Right!” Erylle unleashed her and spawned eight wings from her back. She must be surprised that this mere prisoner is now ordering us around.

“”

Aeternos charged prana on his armored legs, curled his knees, and made a powerful jump upwards, straight to the ceiling. His soles unleashed rocket flames. A bubble shield covered us whole. Wings also spawned from Aeternos’ steel liger helmet.

Using Ra’s flames as boosters and using Mercury’s speed, our launch was so fast that we crashed the ceiling!

Bam! The ceiling shattered. The of the God Fragment of Vishnu’s powers shielded us from the debris that exploded above our head.

Using the excessive divine force of his jump, Aeternos dug upwards until he made a tunnel to the surface. We flew with long airtime outwards the Underworld Prison as I and Jeanne cherished the wonderful view from above.

The Prison Tower that has thousands of stories had their windows lit with crimson light. I just realized that the whole Underworld Prison is a small island at the center of a volcanic crater.

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We continue to fly upwards. The Prison Tower slowly became smaller as we flew away from it. From this distance, I can see hell entirely.

The Underworld is a world with only one island, and the other parts are just pure lava. There are wicked souls floating around those melting fluids, like ants drowning in a basin full of water. I can’t believe that there are trillions of people who are trapped in this wicked place.

“I’m going to open a Gate now!” Erylle shouted as she overtook and got the lead. She spread her hands and muttered a spell that I couldn't hear.

Then, a golden Gate appeared. It pulsed, making a blinding light.

<>

We are finally here, in a world full of ice.

“W-Where are we?” Jeanne asked. Nobody answered. Only Erylle is kind enough to reply with a smile at her.

This is the Realm of the Frozen Soul, where my lover; Tiara Hikari, has been sealed. It seems that we have been safely transported back. That trip in the Underworld is one hell of a ride. I’m so tired of so many battles. And finally, it’s about to pay off.

I slowly walked on the crystalized floor, my eyes focus on the gigantic crystal that contains the Frozen Soul. As the distance between us decreases, the beating of my heart became faster. I’m so happy and excited that my lover will wake up again.

I touch the ice crystal. It’s still warm as before. I can still feel and hear her beating heart, shouting my name repeatedly with joy.

“So you needed the Fragment of the Frozen Soul and the Curse of the Brightmore Witch to awaken the Frozen Soul?” A cybernetic voice muttered. It was Aeternos.

“That’s right.” Erylle butted in with a smile. She held her hips arrogantly “If you’re not going to obey Alaric, then we’ll rip those things we needed from you, and we’ll kick you back to the Underworld.”

Erylle must be acting high and mighty again because this is her domain. She can do whatever she wanted in this realm, and her Outsider powers are not limited. Erylle is much more powerful than Hades, in fact, she is absolutely omnipotent in this realm. Aeternos wouldn’t have a chance in defeating her.

“Fine, fine.” Aeternos mocked. “I don’t have the slightest chance of betraying you guys, especially that I am here.”

“And why is that?” I turned to the armored man.

“It’s because our goals are one and the same.” He said.

Whatever this guy is planning is certainly evil. I activated my to see what he will do in the next twelve seconds…

But…

I can’t get a reading from this guy. Of course. I can’t read his moves back during the Christmas Raid too. There are only two people whom I can’t read the futures; one is Aeternos and the second is the Fake Outsider.

I focused my on the Frozen Soul, and I saw it melting. Tiara will certainly be free once the tribute is over. There’s no doubt about it.

“Shall we do it now?” Aeternos asked.

“Yes.” I nodded.

There’s no time to hesitate. The goal is right in front of my eyes. Tiara will be freed from the shackles of this responsibility. Tiara's soul will be free from singing in all eternity. My wish will finally be granted.

I reached out for the Frozen Soul, and a rainbow portal opened. The hilt of a platinum sword peeked out, and I pulled it with my right hand.

“Ah! The !” Aeternos had this relieved tone on his voice. “It’s so brilliant and magnificent.”

“You’re not getting it,” I said.

“I never had the intention of robbing it from you,” Aeternos said.

Aeternos slowly reached the diamond edge of the Heavenly Blade and muttered these words:

“Curse of the Brightmore Witch, Fragment of the Frozen Soul, Twelve God Core Fragments: Installed.”

The shined bright, and it became filled with rainbow light. Limitless energy flowed through its blades, capable of shattering universes in a single swing. It’s the same power I held when I destroyed the Corrupted Frozen Soul.

I raised the blade up and slowly inserted the to the Frozen Soul’s heart. The brightest light rays exploded from the Frozen Soul’s chest.

And ice shards that have been covering my lover started to flow. Little by little, the ice converted to water, and shard chunks fell on the floor.

Even this Realm is on the verge of melting. The crystallized floor transformed into a lake that we can step into without getting soaked. A colorful garden of flowers spawned at the corners of the lake.

Even Erylle and Jeanne couldn’t hide their astounded faces. This place perfection, the thing that defines beauty and serenity itself.

The Frozen Soul’s top already melted, and now its revealing Tiara’s face. She has yet to open her eyes.

Suddenly, Aeternos muttered things that I couldn’t comprehend.

“At last… My long wait is over. I have finally freed you, my love.” Aeternos gave out a relaxed cybernetic voice.

“Dude…” I stared angrily at him. “She’s my girlfriend.”

“Well, that makes her my girlfriend too.”

Suddenly, Aeternos’ helmet opened and revealed his computer-buggy face. The blur on his head slowly faded as he revealed his true form.

“It… It can’t be!!!” I cried.