Two days had passed since the incident with Avalon.
Klaus lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His expression had been far from his usual self since that day. He glanced at his phone as it vibrated, signaling an incoming message.
It was from Avalon.
In the days following the incident, he had received twenty-five missed calls and numerous texts from her. Avalon was desperately seeking answers, wanting to know what had caused him to storm out and if it was her fault. However, Klaus wasn't ready to provide any answers just yet.
Klaus got up from his bed and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. It was a new day, and he needed to get ready. This was also the day he was supposed to meet with Halo and Horns as his reward for the Divine Tournament, even though he didn't deserve or win it.
After a quick shower and getting dressed, he made his way downstairs. His mother, Natalie, was watching television, as it was a Sunday, and she didn't have to work. Hearing Klaus's footsteps, Natalie turned her attention to him and lowered the volume of the television to talk to her son.
"Morning, Klaus," she greeted him with a smile.
"Morning," Klaus replied, his depressed expression remained unchanged as he continued towards the door.
Natalie had noticed her son's unusual demeanor over the past few days and was genuinely concerned.
"Klaus," she began, her smile fading as she expressed her worry, "Is something wrong, dear?"
Klaus paused for a moment before responding.
"You don't have to worry about me," he said, his voice devoid of its usual warmth and his body still facing the door.
He took another pause before disclosing the reason for his departure.
"I'll be heading to Higher World, so I won't be around for a while."
"O-Okay," Natalie responded, forcing a crooked smile. "Be safe."
And without looking back even once during the interaction, Klaus opened the door and left for Higher World.
Klaus retrieved his skateboard and made his way to the alleyway, the familiar path that transported him to Higher World. Despite the turmoil in his mind, Klaus found it difficult to form coherent thoughts. It was as if his mind was blank, and he was merely moving forward, staring straight ahead, and allowing his instincts to guide him.
Upon reaching his intended location in the alley, Klaus placed his hand where it belonged, triggering the transition to Higher World.
When he arrived in Higher World, he found himself at the Golden Gate. After walking a few meters, he suddenly noticed Sage, the God of Mind, standing to his right.
"Welcome back, Klaus Walker," Sage greeted him with a warm smile.
Klaus acknowledged Sage with a slight nod, his depression still apparent.
"You're here to take me to them, right?" Klaus inquired, his voice tinged with sadness.
"Correct," Sage replied, maintaining his friendly demeanor.
Sage understood the reasons behind Klaus's current mood and was aware of everything that had transpired, including the incident that led Klaus to leave Avalon's home. However, he knew that saying too much could potentially worsen Klaus's emotional state, so he decided to stick to his duty and guide the demigod.
As Sage accompanied Klaus to the domain of the Gods, they eventually reached the room with the logo of two ghosts on the door, reminiscent of Klaus's first encounter with the Gods of Order. Sage remained outside, allowing Klaus to enter the room on his own, as was customary.
Klaus entered the room and continued walking until he stood before the Gods, Halo and Horns.
"This guy again," Halo commented, noting Klaus's presence.
"No need for aggression, Halo," Horns exclaimed after. "You were aware of his presence already."
Horns turned his attention to Klaus, his smile genuine. "Welcome back, Klaus Walker. Let me begin by congratulating you on your outstanding performance in the Divine Tournament. Your passion and determination to win were truly impressive."
Klaus's expression remained hollow as he nodded in response to Horns's compliment. Halo, observing Klaus's demeanor, grew irritated at what he perceived as an insolent attitude.
"Just because you do not bow does not excuse your blasphemy," Halo remarked as he leaned forward menacingly.
"Relax, Halo," Horns said with a straight face. "You know the reasons behind his current state, so let's not be ignorant."
A moment of silence followed before Halo leaned back and turned his face away. Horns then redirected his attention to Klaus, returning his warm smile and continuing the conversation.
"For your remarkable efforts in the Divine Tournament, Klaus Walker, you have earned the privilege of asking us any question. So what would you like to know?"
Klaus took a moment to gather his thoughts, which had been absent all day. His despondent state had made him feel disconnected from himself, but he recognized the need to ask a significant question.
After some contemplation, Klaus posed his question to Horns.
"Last time I was here," Klaus began, shifting his gaze to the God. "You mentioned something the Gods possess."
"You've forgotten the name, haven't you?" Halo remarked.
"Halo," Horns interjected. "The least you can do is aid him with a response."
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Halo, though frustrated, decided to indulge Klaus and provided an answer.
"Dominion-over-Creation," Halo stated, conveying the name Klaus had forgotten. "Every knee must bow, every tongue must confess. It is the inherent power that places 'creator' over 'creation'.
Klaus found this explanation logical. It meant that no matter how powerful a creation of the Gods was, it would always obey its creators. However, this wasn't the question Klaus had in mind. After a moment of reflection, Klaus finally decided to ask.
"Then here's my question," Klaus initiated before pausing and finally inquiring. "Is there a possibility that I have inherited Dominion-over-Creation from my father?"
Klaus's question left both Halo and Horns in astonishment. The Gods hadn't anticipated this question, but their gaze softened upon recognizing the sincerity of his inquiry. It became evident why Klaus had the expression he did. Hesitating, Horns chose to answer Klaus's question after analyzing him with a gaze.
"Yes... you have."
Klaus's life flashed before his eyes. He couldn't believe it. His eyes widened as he stared ahead in shock. Everything felt surreal, yet deep down, he knew it all made sense.
This revelation explained everything in his life. Why his classmates in school tolerated his attitude and still considered him a friend. Why the girls around him were unusually attracted to him. It all clicked, and then there was Avalon.
Klaus couldn't believe it. He had been right that day. The day he had pulled back from kissing Avalon, he had felt like she was compelled to have feelings for him. Why did she like him so much?
Klaus's eyes widened further as he realized that this power had always been there; he just hadn't recognized it.
During the chase with Wallpaper, he had used his power to help them escape, and when he told Avalon to shut her eyes before activating it, she obeyed. She also never questioned how he reached her the day he saved her life. And every time he said something to her, she accepted it, always telling him the truth in return as well.
But her words still echoed in his mind, "I can't help but have feelings for you too."
Klaus felt like his entire life had been a lie. He questioned his existence, wondering if anyone in his life genuinely cared for him or if it was just the constant presence of this power.
"Does this also apply to Shade and Mom?"
Halo and Horns observed Klaus's expression and couldn't ignore the pain he was experiencing. Klaus was so clearly hurt that even Halo chose not to say anything that might further wound him.
The two Gods decided to give Klaus some time to process the weight of his question. After moments of astonishment, Klaus finally broke the silence and spoke.
"Why me?" Klaus softly said, his voice breaking slightly. "Why does it seem to exist in just me and not the others?"
Klaus was genuinely puzzled about why this power appeared to be exclusive to him. If other demigods possessed it as well, why didn't it feel that way? He acknowledged that Quinn had been correct when she questioned why the female demigods had a moment of admiration for him. This led to a deeper investigation into the extent of the ability, especially since it appeared to affect other demigods as well.
Upon hearing Klaus's question, Halo and Horns believed they owed him an explanation, despite not being obligated to answer further questions. Leaving Klaus in the dark could potentially lead him away from the path of a demigod, and both Gods understood this.
"There might be an answer to that," Halo said, choosing to respond to Klaus. "It is possibly because you are the son of a first-generation God."
Klaus's confusion deepened upon hearing this answer. Both Halo and Horns knew that this response would lead to further explanation, but they felt they owed him that much.
"There are facts that the Gods have chosen not to reveal to you demigods," Halo began. "One of those facts is that the Gods came into existence in batches, not all at once."
This revelation caught Klaus completely off guard, and he hadn't expected it. He remained silent as Halo continued to provide information.
"The universe can only exist in two states," Halo began. "Light or Darkness. These are the first-generation Gods. Following that came the existence of natural elements, which brought the second generation of Gods."
Halo paused his explanation momentarily before deciding his next words to Klaus.
"By now, you've only met one of them, Zenith, since the rest do not reside in Higher World."
Klaus recalled that during his initial encounter with the Gods, other than Flage, two of them were notably absent, and it was mentioned that they resided in other realms. It became evident to him that these were the Gods to whom Halo was alluding.
"The third generation of Gods are those that are left, consisting of concepts and various other roles," Halo added.
Hearing this response reminded Klaus of his first meeting with IV who had addressed him as unique among the demigods. He also remembered that his father had said that his abilities were unique from the rest as well, which began to make sense to him why they were more in-depth than the other demigods.
Klaus took a second after Halo concluded his disclosure of information. His life felt meaningless after hearing all the statements made to him and he was unsure of what to do next.
"I know your world feels upside down, Klaus Walker..." Horns began, breaking the seconds of silence. "But I can assure you that things will be okay."
Klaus knew that the God felt like he had to say what he did to Klaus, but there was no point in going any further on the topic anymore.
After a brief moment of reflection, Halo redirected the conversation toward the next reason for Klaus's visit.
"If that is all, then let us move to the next reason for your presence," Halo stated, alluding to their role in enhancing Klaus's abilities by five percent, one of the benefits Klaus had gained.
Following Halo's instruction, Klaus took a step forward. Halo extended his right hand with his fingers together and pointing upward, while Horns stretched his left hand, his fingers pointing downward. They aligned their palms side by side before pointing them toward Klaus.
Klaus sensed a fleeting surge enveloping his body for a moment, but otherwise, he felt unchanged. The two Gods then withdrew their hands, and Halo turned away from the demigod.
"That's it, you can leave," Halo said to Klaus.
Horns remained silent for a while before bidding Klaus farewell, reminding him to take care of himself. After that, Klaus left the room, concluding his meeting with the Gods.
"Do you think disclosing everything to him at this moment was the right decision?" Horns questioned Halo, wondering if it was the right decision for the demigod.
"I don't care what the mortal thinks," Halo responded before a brief pause. "But he deserved to know the truth, even if the Gods disagree."
Once Klaus exited the room, Sage accompanied him back to the Exalted City. Throughout their journey, Klaus remained silent, lost in a sea of thoughts. Sage understood that Klaus's mind was filled with a multitude of thoughts, both good and less than good. However, he was well aware that it wasn't his place to sway the demigod's decisions, so he chose to remain silent. After their trip, Sage wore a reassuring smile as he bid Klaus farewell and returned to the domain of the Gods.
Alone at the entrance of the Golden Gate, Klaus sank into deep contemplation. He realized that the Gods had used Dominion-over-Creation to compel all the demigods to accept their roles without a real choice of declining, as they couldn't disobey their creators' wishes.
This revelation left Klaus questioning whether he truly wanted to be a demigod and protect others. His entire perspective on reality had shifted drastically, leaving him unsure of his next move.
Klaus grappled with the idea of returning to Main World where his connections with others might be the result of other influences, making him wonder if he even had any genuine relationships.
He felt conflicted, torn between the poison of returning to Main World, where he was surrounded by those who had no choice but to care for him, or staying in Higher World, the realm of those who had stripped him of a normal life against his will.
Ultimately, Klaus believed that, for the time being, the lesser evil was to stay in the Higher World. Being left alone with his thoughts seemed preferable to confronting the people he called his loved ones.
Picking up his skateboard, Klaus made his way to the apartment building. Navigating the familiar path, he reached his room, entered, and locked the door behind him. He placed his skateboard by the entrance and proceeded further into the room.
He reclined on his bed, shutting the windows and drawing the blinds, with the room plunged into darkness after he turned off the lights. In the ensuing silence, Klaus gazed at the ceiling, his future uncertain from this point onward.