The two of them began to set up their camp between the roots of one of the massive trees. When they finished setting up the camp they sat down in front of the tent, their campfire lighting up the area with a warm light.
Zane stared up at the moon, he could see very little of it through the thick leaf canopy far above them, but he could still see that a chunk of the moon was missing, as if some massive creature had taken a bite out of it. Mira watched him as he observed the moon.
"How come you're so interested in the moon?" she asked.
"So I know what month it is," Zane answered.
"What month it is? What does that have to do with the moon?" Mir asked with confusion in her voice.
"Don't you know, there's a different moon each month," Zane explained.
"What? Really?" Mira asked, surprise written all across her face. "How do you even know that?"
"Vin told me, apparently that's something that the church deleted from all history books in Ion, but that they even managed to do so in Velva is strange, I thought they had no power there?" Zane said.
"I don't know either, but what I know is that we barely have any books," Mira stated.
"Wouldn't surprise me if the church is involved in that," Zane said.
"Anyway, why did they delete that from history books?" Mira asked.
"Used to be that each month was dedicated to one of the twelve, at least that's what Vin told me. And since all they want is their Holy Lord they of course went against that custom."
"So what month is it now?" Mira asked.
"The month of the broken moon as I call it, the seventh month, and the month that used to be dedicated to Argider, according to Vin," Zane said.
"So why is such a large part of that moon missing?" Mira asked.
"Oh that, that's a pretty funny story, but it is a bit long so . . ." Zane said.
"Please, tell me!" Mira said.
Zane just continued staring up at the moon. "Alright then, let me tell you the story about the battle between Argider, the god of light and Vindictus, the thirteenth god!" Zane said.
The air blew against his pale skin and he felt his long braid hit against his waist as it went up and down. He looked down at the ocean beneath with his red eyes as he raced through the sky, every so often leaving a feather behind to slowly fall down into the water.
In the distance he could see his goal, a large stone pillar sticking out of the ocean in the middle of nowhere. Symbols for each of the twelve were placed around it. A large skeletalized wing for Akash, a massive tree for Yggdrasil, a large stone spike for Bohumir, a large, dark crack reaching almost all the way to the top of the pillar for Erebus, a gate with tusks all around it for Amaia, a hatching egg for Asier, a large sphere that emitted light for Argider, a massive crackling flame for Abaddon, a huge waterfall for Darya, a moon for Aynur, a sun for Nou, and the image of a humanoid figure for Enid.
On top of the pillar were twelve thrones in a circle, each of them specially made for one of the gods.
Vindictus landed in the middle of them, feeling the stares of the twelve hooded figures on him. He pulled his wings close to his body and crossed his arms in front of his bare chest.
"Oh my Vindictus, how nice of you to come, and without a shirt on as well," one of the twelve said, with a seductive voice.
"Oh Amaia, you flatter me," Vindictus responded. "But I didn't come here for you, not this time."
He looked around, but he couldn't see the faces of any of the twelve.
"Why clad in your robes guys? Is this so serious?" Vindictus asked, suppressing a chuckle.
"It seems to be serious enough for one of us to call for a council," one of them said with a calm, deep voice.
"Yes, Bohumir, do tell me, who called for this council?" Vindictus asked.
"I did," another of the twelve said with a snarky voice.
"Oh, you did, Argider," Vindictus said. "What a pleasant surprise." Vindictus' sarcasm was so obvious that some of the twelve could not help but laugh.
"So, what's this all about? I was busy right now," Vindictus said while staring at Argider in his white and gold robe.
"Oh I am sure you were busy, surely fucking some poor whore," the god said.
"You know me so well," Vindictus said.
"Are you cheating on me?" Amaia asked, her voice still as seductive as before.
"Silence Amaia, this has nothing to do with you," Argider said angrily.
"Oh, but how I wish it would," Vindictus said quietly so that no one could hear him.
"I am sure you know what this is about!" Argider said, his words directed at Vindictus.
"No clue, or wait, are you actually mad about me killing a few of your champions and removing a few of your churches from this world?" Vindictus said, mocking the god with his words.
"Indeed. I had so much fun getting these people to go so far for me. I don't want you ruining it," Argider said, hitting on the armrest of his throne, creating a bright light on impact.
"Uh, I'm oh so scared!" Vindictus said.
"I shall now ask, which of you eleven is on my side in this. Should Vindictus, the one often called the thirteenth god, be allowed to interfere with humans for any longer? Those against it shall raise their hands now!" Argider said loudly.
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Vindictus looked around the circle, waiting for anyone to raise their hands besides Argider. But none did.
"Well, wouldn't want you to be so alone in this," Vindictus said as he raised his hand.
All the gods but Argider began laughing.
"Let me make you an offer, Argider," Vindictus said calmly.
"An offer?" the god asked.
"Yes, if you can kill me once, I shall never interfere with humanity and such again."
"Easy enough," the god said.
"Now, now wait. But if I can harm you in any way, then I shall forever be allowed to interfere with humanity! Oh, and you can't take your power away from me."
Argider began laughing, a few others joined him.
"You think you can harm a god?" Argider asked, trying to suppress his laughter. "Fine, I accept."
"Great," Vindictus said with a sinister undertone.
Argider stood up from his throne, making the pillar shake in the process.
"Well then, I hope for a fair fight!" Argider said.
"I hope you won't regret this decision later," Vindictus said.
Argider's robe disappeared, revealing a tall man with long blond hair, a trimmed beard and four arms. A ring made of pure light appeared behind him and in his four hands appeared lanterns connected to his arms with chains.
"Shall we, Vindictus?" Argider asked mockingly.
But Vindictus ignored him. He created a purple liquid above his mouth and let it fall in. It was as if his entire body was filled with energy the second it went down his throat. Vindictus then let Aura rush throughout his body and pushed it out in the form of lightning. The ground around him cracked, a few stones flying upwards past his face, as a beam of condensed lightning pierced the sky.
"Let's dance," Vindictus said.
In an instant, he was in front of Argider, already in a position to kick him. When his feet touched the god's bare chest it felt as if he was trying to move a mountain, but Vindictus could do things like that. He let Aura rush to his feet and created a gravitational field at the bottom of them, pushing Argider to the edge of the pillar.
A few of the gods began clapping. But Argider seemed completely unfazed as if a wind had just blown against him.
"You really think you can harm me with that?" he asked as his body suddenly appeared next to Vindictus.
Argider began swinging the four lanterns and swung them at Vindictus. But he managed to dodge them partially by turning into lightning. Argider had still managed to hit his left arm.
"Nearly broke my arm there," Vindictus said. "Guess I might actually have to try hard in this fight!"
"Why don't you use that little sword there," Argider said as he pointed to the sword on Vindictus' hip.
Its hilt and blade were black with cracks in it and the hilt and pommel were silver.
"Ah, but I want this fight to last, this should be a special occasion for the both of us. Also, I want to give you an actual chance to kill me," Vindictus said.
He could feel the stare of Abaddon on his sword, shortly after the god of destruction began laughing.
"So he gave that to you huh?" Abaddon said eventually.
Vindictus nodded with a smile on his face.
"He?" Argider asked.
"Not telling," Vindictus answered, again mocking the god with his words.
"Well, it does not matter," Argider said as he raised the four lanterns up and began to swing them like pendulums.
Light began emitting from them, nearly blinding Vindictus. But the light disappeared as Vindictus raised his hand and let Aura course trough it, emitting from his palm as darkness, darkness that devoured the light in an instant.
"Weren't you going to try harder?" Argider asked, now standing behind him.
"Fast fuck," Vindictus said before he felt huge amounts of pain in his back as Argider kicked him away.
Vindictus nearly fell off the edge of the pillar but turned into lightning before he fell and flew straight back into the middle of the throne circle. The other gods were watching patiently, all elven of them had their eyes fixed on Vindictus, waiting for something.
"How much longer do you plan do drag this out, Vindictus?" Abaddon asked.
"Dunno, until I have had my fun," Vindictus answered, not taking his eyes of Argider.
"You seem awfully sure that you will win this fight, but let me prove to you that you are mistaken!" Argider said.
It suddenly felt like the world around Vindictus had ended, it was an oppressive feeling, nearly forcing him to his knees.
"Well then, Vindictus? Make your move," Argider said.
His body seemed to change, the ring behind him became much larger, just like his entire body. Vindictus just laughed as he let Aura race throughout his entire body. The lightning that surrounded him became stronger, lashing out in all directions and the ground beneath Argider seemed to shatter and slowly crumble as the god sank deeper into the ground with each step.
"Impressive, Vindictus!" he said, his voice had changed into one sounding out of this world.
Vindictus disappeared from the spot where he had just stood and reappeared right next to Argider, but the god was already blocking. Vindictus followed through with his attack, speeding up his fist with both lightning and explosions. Once his fist touched the now massive arm of the god he created another explosion, blasting both of them in opposite directions.
"How well he is using all the powers he has, even combining them. Hard to believe it has only been about a millennium since he got all of them," one of the gods said.
"He barely ever uses mine," another said.
"Same here makes me a bit disappointed."
"Well I apologize, but using suns and moons is just not that useful all the time," Vindictus said as he got up from the ground. "But thanks for the idea."
He began concentrating and suddenly a small sun, no larger than a bear appeared above him.
"Well Argider, let's see how you like this!" Vindictus yelled as he threw the sun at the god.
But Argider simply caught it and crushed it in his massive hand.
"You think something like that is enough?" Argider said angrily.
"Of course not," Vindictus said, now standing right beneath the god. "But I do think it is time to end this."
"Oh we finally agree on something," Argider said.
The god stomped down on Vindictus but was stopped by a gravitational push, throwing him into the air. For a second the god was completely still, and in that second Vindictus grabbed the hilt of his sword and jumped up at the speed of lightning itself. Once he had reached up to Argider's lower left arm he swung the sword, cutting trough the gods flesh, removing the arm. Vindictus landed gracefully as Argider and his now missing arm crashed into the pillar.
"W-What, how?" he asked with shock in his voice.
"This weapon is called Harbinger, it was made with the Aura of a demi-god," Vindictus said as he put the sword back in its place on his hip.
"This is your fault, you gave that stupid son of yours to much free space to act," Argider said to Abaddon.
"I may have, but-" Abaddon stood up, and without him doing much more the air became much hotter and the pillar began cracking. "do not insult a son of mine!" Abaddon's voice was loud and forceful, small flames breaking out of his hood.
"Well then, this concludes the council! Argider has lost the duel and thus Vindictus is allowed eternal involvement with humanity and such, on top of that Argider, has lost the right to revoke his Aura from him!" Amaia said quickly, now sounding quite serious.
She turned to Vindictus.
"Now then, how about you show me that . . . sword . . . of yours," she said, her voice returned to the way it was before.
"Why are you like this?" Vindictus asked as he walked towards her.
"I just like strong men, anything wrong with that?" Amaia asked as she grabbed his arm.
Vindictus shook his head.
"Wait, where do you think you are going?" Argider screamed.
Vindictus looked back at the god whose arm he had just cut off.
"Underworld," he said. "Oh wait, before we go."
Vindictus turned to one of the gods that still sat on their thrones.
"Aynur, would you please call his moon?" he asked the goddess.
"His moon huh? Sure, but why?" she asked.
"You'll see."
It was quiet, the only noises coming from Argider who tried to stop the blood from gushing out of his wound. After a few minutes, a massive moon appeared above them even though it was the middle of the day. Vindictus raised one of his hands and summoned a massive lightning strike, ripping a hole into the moon.
"Now we can go," he said as the gods began laughing.
"You little sh-" Argider began but Vindictus couldn't hear the rest of it as his body became lighter and the world around him changed into another.
Zane looked over at Mira who seemed a bit embarrassed by the end of the story.
"D-Did he really tell you the story like this?" she asked, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"What? I'm not even at the halfway point yet, although it is true that the rest of the story has little to do with how the moon became like that." Zane explained.
Mire cleared her throat loudly. "But I can't believe how powerful he is, I mean he may not be a human but going against one of the gods and even winning, that's just crazy," Mira said.
"Yeah, there is a saying Vindictus has. You know that you've reached the hight of strength when even the immortal gods fear your threats," Zane said.
Mira chuckled.
"Well, we should sleep now," she said.