Jessica and Kevin spent the rest of the day wandering around the town with many people offering them gifts and prayers for saving them. It was odd to go from nobodies wandering around to celebrities even being called Lord and Lady. Still they didn’t mind the attention since everyone was kind and just showing their appreciation. As they were getting ready to leave the town now that it was getting late they were stopped by Silvia and Albert.
“Wait! Please stop.” Silvia stated as she ran up to them. “I know you both are leaving. I just wanted to say something.”
Kevin and Jessica turned to her and prepared to accept her gift and be on their way as had happened with so many other people. However, Kevin recognized Silvia as the girl that stood up to the hellhound as he arrived. She was not covered head to toe in hellhound blood and he could get a good look at her.
“Ah, I remember you.” Kevin stated. “You look different, did you do something with your hair?”
“What? No… I-I just wanted to thank you, my Lord!” Silvia stated as tears started to well up in her puffy eyes. “I would not be here if not for you two. The entire village owes you both.”
“I wanted to thank you too, Lord!” Albert said with a bow.
Jessica stepped up to her and wiped Silvia’s face with her sleeve. Jessica could finally feel something towards Silvia that she didn’t towards anyone else in the village. She is not sure why she felt a connection to Silvia this being the first conversation they have had.
“I saw what you did to protect your village, both of us did.” Jessica responded with a gesture towards Kevin. “It was extremely brave of you. I am not sure I would have had that kind of courage.”
“What… no? All I did was stand there like an idiot, my Lady.” Silvia said as she averted her eyes from Jessica. “You two actually killed them.”
“We were confident in our abilities, but were not ready to face death. Had things gone differently we would have run.” Jessica stated with a wye smile. “Not you though. You have more strength than you realize.”
“So, what are you all’s names or should we call you village girl and village boy?” Kevin asked.
“My name is Silvia of Kilverstead, this is Albert Horner.”
“It is an honor to meet you.” Albert stated.
“I am sure you have heard our names a few times by now but just in case, my name is Kevin and this beautiful elf here is my fiancee Jessica.” Kevin said with a smile. “So, hands off Albert she is taken.”
“What? No… I wouldn’t.” Albert stated as his eyes shot over to Silvia.
“Wait…” Jessica said while looking over to Albert. “You wouldn’t happen to be Cena’s assistant would you?”
“Yes, you two know Cena?” Albert inquired.
“We met him briefly.” Jessica said as he showed her babble stone necklace. “He’s pretty hard to forget but we haven’t seen him. Was he…”
“From what I heard his pracked were spooked and they ended up running the carriage out of town right before the hellhounds showed up.” Albert stated. “Some of the villagers ended up telling him that the hellhounds were in the town and he left to alert the military.”
“I see. I am happy he is alright.” Jessica said, actually relieved that her contact was still alive. “We must be off though, we will be back in a few days.”
“Silvia is a good woman for what she did, Albert.” Kevin said as he and Jessica turned around. “Don’t let someone like her go. Be sure that you are the one protecting her next time I don’t know if I will be there if something like this happens again.”
Silvia and Albert both bow their heads as Kevin and Jessica turn to walk off. Jessica uses her skills [Open: 11 Rules of Earth] II and [Greater Teleportation] [Awakened] which caused the thorny obsidian archway to rise from the ground and with a crackle of energy it snapped on. Kevin and Jessica walked through the archway and disappeared. They almost instantaneously appeared back in the Guild Hall. As soon as they appeared they undid the [Conceal Race] and [Conceal Level] changing their form back into the angelic and demonic forms.
As soon as Kevin and Jessica arrived back at the Guild Hall they contacted the avatars in the guild chat to get an update on the situation. Hyperion reported that the vast majority of the homes had been found and there had been no further incidents with bandits. It appeared that all of them had been killed. No further buildings had appeared and soon they would finally have all of the Blinked.
Kevin was surprised that many of the avatars were asleep but it was expected since many of them were mortals. Typically celestials did not have to sleep according to the lore of Deicide it was a mortal weakness. Only Kevin as Harahel, Kokou and Hyperion didn’t have to sleep. Even demons like Jessica were cursed to require sleep to prevent them from being able to overthrow Enthroned. Jessica could prevent herself from needing to sleep by using the spell [Deal with the Devil] S which will restore everyone in its radius but decided that it would be best to let people sleep.
Since things seemed to be winding down at the Guild Hall Jessica decided she would get sleep as well but not before they had some real alone time. She then used her skill Lesser Teleport to get them to her room. It had been a long few days and she was starting to feel the strain and they both needed the relief. They were happy to find out how real this new world was.
Late into the night Kevin shifted his body from around Jessica’s nude form careful not to wake her as she slept. He redressed his underarmour and left her room. As an angel he didn’t sleep anymore and used was going to use the time to walk around the Guild Hall. Even with all of the movement and dysfunction the hallways were kept spotless by the servants. Kevin thought it was surreal to see every room in the hall occupied. Since the massive guild was full of life as families situated themselves into their assigned rooms. People would stop everything they were doing and bow as he walked by their eyes full of admiration and respect. Kevin thought it was weird that he knew everyone's name that had the guild seal despite having never met them.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“Master Harahel,” an inhuman and slightly off putting voice clicked.
Kevin turned around and saw Murder walking towards him.
“Murder Lord Death Kill, I am surprised you are awake.” Kevin responded.
“Who could sleep when there is sooo much work to be done. I have discovered so many new flora here around the camp.” Murder responded excitedly with a series of clicks. “I have discovered several plant species that are edible for most of the races we have with us. I am putting together a catalog to ease the food storage situation. I am sure that is why you had me stay around the camp.”
Kevin was impressed that Murder had been so thoughtful as to find new food options. He did know that Murder only wanted to help with the construction of tents to find new flora but didn’t realize his utility.
“That is excellent work.” Kevin stated with surprise. “I actually have a couple of grains I want you to analyze. We will have Awen grow some of them when she wakes up.”
“You brought me a gift?” Murder said as his antennae twitched with excitement. “What is it?”
Kevin reached into his magic inventory and pulled out several stalks of pale moon wheat. Murder’s head waved from side to side as his insect eyes focused on the new produce in front of him. He reached out and Kevin placed the stalks in his clawed hand.
“It is called pale moon wheat, apparently it does not spoil, and grows to follow the moon, not the sun.” Kevin explained. “I want to know everything about these plants and if we can grow them. Apparently they are difficult to properly farm.”
“What a treat! I will discover every secret this plant has to offer!” Murder yelled in excitement. “I will get started right now!” He said as he ran down the hall.
“Be sure to get some rest! Or ask Lilitu to rejuvenate you tomorrow!” Kevin yelled after the insectoid man.
Kevin shrugged and continued his walk down the endless corridors until he finally reached the cafeteria. The massive room had enough tables and chairs to comfortably fit a thousand people at one time. The large space was being used as a breakroom for the night shift guards. Kevin was surprised to see Liminal and Hyperion sitting and laughing at one of the tables with seventeen other celestial guards of various races. Hyperion called out to him and motioned him to come over. Kevin walked over to the group and everyone quieted down as he approached. They were the guards that were off duty at night.
“Master Harahel,” Liminal stated as he stood.
The other guards stood up as well and saluted. Hyperion remained seated and happily took another swig of his drink which boiled in his mouth with a sizzle.
“Liminal, no reason to stand this is the breakroom. Take a note from Hyberion there.” Kevin stated with a smile. “Yolonda,” He called a maidservant knowing her name because of the guild chat. “Bring me a drink.”
A young woman in the distance bowed and ran into another room to get his drink. Liminal and the other guards sat back down.
“Harahel, I was just telling them about that time in the Leviathan’s dungeon.” Hyperion said with a chuckle and a smile. “It got crazy out there.”
“Oh, you mean the first time we took Eraká to Enthroned?” Kevin asked intrigued as to what the avatar remembered. “Good thing Lilitu was with us to get her down.”
Yolanda returned with Kevin’s drink and refilled everyone's glasses. They were all drinking fruit juices since celestials could not get drunk. Kevin took a swig and was delighted at the taste. It was so vibrant and different from the highly processed foods and drinks that he was used to on the Celestial Rings.
“Yeah!” Hyperion exclaimed while laughing. “Don’t spoil the story, I got it. Okay, so this happened before she got ridiculously strong. We told her about the difference in the gravity in the Leviathan’s domain but she swore she could handle it…”
Kevin ended up spending hours sitting and laughing with Hyperion, Liminal and the other guards. The stories Hyperion told weren’t too far off from what Kevin remembered. The difference came mainly from the conversations that he said happened. Hyperion’s stories were more like an expounded version of the events from the game. Hyperion recalled conversations that never happened in the between the avatars but would have made since in the situation. Kevin even found himself recalling the abridged versions of the memories from the fragments of Harahel’s memories in his head.
Time seemed to fly by for the group as they drank and shared stories of their times traveling around both Enthroned and Tomantzin only to now experience another mortal realm. Apparently, all of the celestials at the table were tens of thousands of years old, having lived long enough to be the direct creations of their respective Gods. Unlike the mortals that made up the majority of the Blinked by far the celestials were unfazed by the turn of events. They were confident they would get home and time was no issue since they were unaging.
The Celestials being so old also meant that Harahel and Lilitu would have been directly responsible for the deaths of many of the pantheons that created them and possibly fought them on the battlefield. The Butcher of Gods created the angels according to the game lore and their army killed all of the Gods. Kevin worried that this might lead to some animosity but it seemed that no one held the Upper Celestials in any particular regard. It has been thousands of years ago for them so maybe things have just changed.
As the morning sun began a new day the group dispersed into their individual duties. This seemed to be the nightly routine for the small number of unsleeping celestials. Kevin retired to his room which was in the executive suite across the hall from Jessica’s room. His room looked more like an armory since angels had no reason to have a bed instead there were racks of swords and shields each just as magnificently crafted as the next. Along the far wall were manikins covered in his trophy armors each meant for a different encounter and all the highest rank called [God Craft].
Kevin walked to the cheval floor mirror between the wardrobes and dresser on his right. He was still in his armor which he had been since he arrived. He decided that while he was at the Guild Hall he would dress down. If every time people saw him he was fully suited up and ready for combat it might put people on edge. He then realized that he also hadn’t bathed since he arrived in the new world either. He smelled himself but there was no odor. He thought about Jessica and she had no smell either, in fact both of them were spotless without a spec of dirt anywhere.
“Maybe celestials don’t have body odor or get dirty,” Kevin thought to himself. “I would still feel better with at least a bath.”
Kevin walked out of his room into the hallway where he turned to walk to the executive suite bath. He had never used the bath in the game since it was pointless as characters could not get dirty. He had already forgotten what it looked like. He opened the grand doorway to the executive bath house and was surprised at what he saw. The bath house was a dimensional space meaning the inside was far larger than what the building would normally allow. Inside of the dimensional space it looked like he was outside in a serene clearing. A stone path led to what could only be described as a mini royal palace lined in white marble. Kevin walked the path and entered the structure. Inside were several wash stations and the largest single bath Kevin had ever seen.