Pandora, John POV

With a slight breeze gently caressing my face, I watch Amaterasu as she slowly opened her eyes.

With the sleep still on her face, she slowly sits up as she stifles a yawn.

“John? How long were you staring at me?” She asked coquettishly.

I smirked at her question, “Mm? Says the one sleeping on my lap? You have your own room you know? I replied” as I gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

She closed her eyes at that, seemingly taking in the smell of our garden. The scenery around her paled in comparison to the serene look on her face. Remembering our positions, I quickly averted my eyes as I stood up.

Patting off the dust off my clothes, I turned around and looked at her earnestly.

“I have to go.” I told her.

She kept silent at that. I notice her eyes were showing a plethora of emotion – and finally, after a while her eyes were filled with a renewed sense of vigor, as though she realized something.

“Mmm. I’ve known for a while that you’d leave eventually.” She looked me in the eyes and smiled. “So do you want me to come with you?”

As I opened my mouth to reply, looking at that sharp glint in her eyes, I felt a slight tinge of danger. It’s definitely a loaded question. I have to answer carefully.

I started observing her demeanor – and obviously, she knew that I was thinking of what to say. Despite her sweet disposition, Amatarasu is first and foremost a warrior. In order for me to give her a pleasing answer, I would have to appeal to her dominant side.

In short, I have to give her an answer befitting that of a warrior.

I smiled at her as I opened my fan across my lips, as though I intended to hide my mouth.

“I’d love for you to come with me – I really do. But the reason that I am leaving is because I want to become stronger.” I closed my fan with a snap. “Do you understand? I can’t become stronger if you are with me.”

I smiled haughtily inside, knowing that I had successfully tricked err I meant convinced her. After all, don’t warriors respect the weak who strive to be strong? That’s precisely what I am.

I’m not an idiot, I know that I am somewhat stronger than most of the mortals in Elysium but I am nothing but a frog staring at the sky from the bottom of a well. See, I’m surrounded by Gods who are literal avatars of war, death and the like.

In front of such personalities, I can’t even think of farting in their presence. I’m strong, but I know my limits! Yup.

As I was giving myself the (self-proclaimed) best pep talk ever, Amatarasu was staring at me as though she was looking at an idiot. I can confidently count myself as one of the wisest existences in the universe, given that I’m a shut-in who did nothing but read and learn so what is with this degrading feeling?

*Snrk* “Haha…hahaha!”

Contrary to what I was thinking, she simply started laughing! How rude.

After a few moments laughing, she looked at me. “Dear, for the wisest being in the cosmos you sure are quite stupid you know? If Ares heard you call yourself weak he’d probably cry you know?” She playfully replied.

What? What did that guy have to do with this? Ares is one of the most powerful combat oriented Gods. He’s a part of Zeus’ Pantheon and he’s also an avatar of war. So that’s it, huh.

I looked at her with a slightly annoyed face as I slipped my fan between my belt.

“What does Ares have to do with this eh? You’re missing the point. I’m going down to live amongst the mortals to live a care-free, er I meant to train myself. Yup. That’s it.”

At this, Amatarasu simply smiled as she rolled her eyes.

“Fine, I won’t say anything anymore but you HAVE to bring your equipment with you. Kimono, a weapon and all, ok?”

Looking at her earnest eyes made me waver for a bit but I have to be strong. She’s just being nice to you, just play along – I thought to myself.

I smiled at her as if I was looking at my own mother (though I don’t have one) and I quickly pulled out my fan as I handed it to her.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not a child but I want you to know that I can forget anything else in the world but I will never forget this Red String (the fan) of yours.”

After saying so, I looked her in the eyes while I patiently waited for her reply. To my bewilderment, however, her reply never came. Instead, she simply stared at me. I would have mistaken her for a statue if her silver hair wasn’t moving to the whims of the wind.

What’s happening to her? Her face is as red as a rose and I can almost feel her heartrate rising. No, I can really feel her heart beating fast due to my enhanced senses. What’s going with her? I mean, this is textbook [A woman in love] but it can’t be. I’m just her childhood friend.

She started walking towards me with that crazed(?) look in her face. I felt my heart quicken but I endured. Time seemed to slow in my perception as my brain went into overdrive.

What did I say? I only told her that I’d bring Red String with me and that I wouldn’t lose it. Red String is the fan that she gave me a few thousand years back. Though I have equipment that were given to me by my friends, Red String is my favorite. It isn’t anything special, really. It’s a simple wooden fan with a red string tied to it.

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A sudden light of realization hit me. She’s simply touched that I value her gift. That’s definitely it!

As time resumed to its normal speed, at least in my perception, Amaterasu came closer to me. A sweet scent permeated my nose. Mm. She smells good.

I took the initiative and I took her in my arms. I gave her a tight hug as I burrowed my head into her hair. Amaterasu and I used to be as tall as one another but I am clearly taller than her now.

She was taken aback by my sudden action but as if she woke up from a dream, she burrowed her head in my chest as she hugged me in return. Her well-developed chest as well as her soft body made the experience more pleasurable.

“Amaterasu..” I softly whispered.

As if she was shaken to her core, Amaterasu fidgeted like a small animal but she quickly regained her composure.

“Yes, dear?” She replied as a matter-of-factly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“I’m really thankful that you’re my childhood friend”, I replied in earnest, “of course I would treasure your gifts.” I said as caressed her hair.

As I said that, her body fidgeted but this time, it was more rigid compared to last time’s gentleness but I didn’t mind. She seemed to hesitate before hugging me again, but her hug was even tighter now than it was before.

“I already know that, dear. I also know how stupid you are but that’s part of your charm.” She said as she raised her head to look me in the eyes. Damn, she’s really beautiful. I just want to kiss her – but obviously, that won’t end well.

I controlled my emotions again. I seem to be doing that a lot more now than before, by the way.

“Ah my precious childhood friend, I’ll be careful. I can always talk to you through Red String you know?”

“True,” she said as she gently pushed me away. “But don’t forget to visit, ok? Once a year is fine but if you forget, I’ll rain down the full might of the sun on your location ok?” She said with a smile – but her eyes weren’t smiling. Scary.

“I won’t forget! Rather isn’t that too extreme? That’s crazy, only a forsaken lover would do that!” I retorted as a joke.

Amaterasu gave me a knowing smile.

She pulled my collar close and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. She pushed me away with slightly more force than before and she licked her lips, with eyes glowing dangerously.

“You have no idea, dear. You have no idea.” She said, “Oh well. You take care. I will miss you terribly.”

I activated my transmigration spell and targeted it towards Elysium.

I smiled at her as the light from the spell started to surround my body.

“And I will miss you, my friend. Try to get a boyfriend by the time I get back ok?” I lightly quipped as the light finally took me away.

“..idiot..”

Just before I disappeared, however, I heard a whisper. Must have been my imagination, but whatever.

Somewhere in Elysium, John POV

After disappearing from my garden in Pandora, I opened my eyes to a whole new world – literally. I immediately felt that my magic had succeeded because the effect of God’s Fragment here is infinitesimally more perverse than in my home. It’s not enough to harm me but apparently, this much is fatal to even some of the Gods. Maybe I’m just immune or something.

Before starting on my journey, I decided to check my equipment. Though I can always go back to my home instantly, it isn’t wise or prudent to do so. I am on a journey after all. I have to do it right, by camping and going through hard times!

I’m currently equipped with Tennin, a present from Izanagi. Tennin is essentially my kimono crafted from Izanami’s hair. Apparently it has a “special meaning” to it but what’s really wonderful about it is that it regulates the temperature around me making me comfortable no matter the humidity.

Another awesome feature is that it apparently nullifies damage, both physical and magical. Curses are also negated. This is an extremely precious piece of equipment that even Zeus is jealous of but I wonder why Izanami forced her brother Izanagi to give it to me? Oh well.

Moving forward, I also brought my sword, “Noble Air”. It is made up of two parts, namely: Anima the sword and Valefor the sheathe. Anima was forged in Asgard by Vulcan, Tvastar and Ilmarinen and it can cut through anything. It is also impervious to the elements and it will never rust or get dull.

Valefor, the sheathe is apparently more special than Anima. According to Odin, it is connected to Yggdrasil the World Tree which allows instantaneous healing on a cellular level. He said something about “being vaporized is ok too” but whatever.

I understand that my equipment is extremely precious but I really didn’t lie when I said that Red String was my favorite – as well as my most hated possession. It is both a reminder of Amaterasu’s love for me as well as the extent of what that love is – that of merely one between two childhood friends. (Author: Yes, he’s stupid.)

Ah no good. I got myself depressed again, that’s definitely no good. That’s why I started on my journey right? It’s time to live a carefree life and find myself a wife – or something to that effect!

While my head was filled with amazing thoughts, I never stopped to take a careful look at my surroundings. Realizing my folly, I sharpened my senses but the sight before my eyes was too terrible to look at.

In front of me are numerous naked bodies, majority of them were women and some of them were pretty men. They were covered in white stuff and some of them had broken bodies. The more fortunate ones were only suffering from losing an appendage.

One of the more unfortunate ones, a man, had a whole the size of an orange for an anus. What happened here? Well there’s no need to ask. It seems as though a mass rape happened here – but this is too terrible. I never expected my first problem here on Elysium to be this big.

I saw a woman who was more beautiful than the rest, but that too meant she experienced more hardships than the others. One of her breasts was brutally sliced off. She was bleeding profusely from this wound but it couldn’t compare to her other wounds.

It seems her womanhood was mutilated with an explosive. She lost her right leg, most of her left arm and half of her face – and yet, she still had a pained but resolute look on her face that mesmerized me.

Some of the broken bodies around me were moaning in pain – I believe those are the fortunate ones. The others are choking on their own blood while some were probably close to death. They were raped not too long ago, I thought.

With my heart tightening in my chest, I felt disgusted. If I had a mirror directed to my face, I’m sure I’d see my face distorted in anger.

As I was lost in my thoughts, I realized that my leg was being pulled – but the pull didn’t contain force.

“(whispers)*

I realized that the beautiful woman was calling my attention. I turned to look at her, quickly replacing the look on my face with that of concern.

“Are you….God?” She asked, “Will you…give me my vengeance?”

I smiled at her and…

…

 John POV End

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Author's Corner

I really appreciate the comments everyone, both private and public and please do know that I'm more than happy just to be back with you all. So anyway, did you expect that little twist in the end? 

Anyway, right now I don't really have an editor and I'm not good at editing my own work so if you notice any error or whatever, please feel free to point 'em out! But please be nice haha! My heart can only handle so much. Just kidding. 

Anyway I'd love it if you could share your reactions or comments  with me and I'd really love it if you could rate my my novel - though it might be a little early for that. But for now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Cheers!

Alizoned