Chapter 41: A Shower of Hope

Sometimes, for something new to bloom, the old must burn—down to its roots.

When the pillars of the world collapse, when fire consumes all without distinguishing ally from enemy, only one question lingers in the souls of those who remain: is it worth going on?

High above, on the tallest mountain of a dying world, the eyes of the last witnesses lift toward a wounded sky.
No kingdoms are left to defend, no gods to worship, no laws to obey.
Only themselves… and the memory of who they once were.

Yet among the ashes—amid the smoking remains of the tree that once connected the Nine Worlds—an unexpected rain begins to fall.
It is not cold, nor scorching.
It is gentle. Steady.
As if the universe itself wished to soothe the tears of the survivors.

Not everyone will understand its meaning.
Some will see it as a farewell.
Others, as a blessing.
But there are those who will look beyond the pain, beyond the chaos, beyond the silence… and see in every drop the promise of a new beginning.

Because even after the most devastating fire, hope always finds a way to fall—
like rain.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Loki!”

Elsif’s voice cut through the chaos like an arrow to the heart. The Bifröst cracked beneath her feet, but she didn’t stop. She fell to her knees beside the god’s bleeding body.

“Damn it…” she muttered, taking his hand. “I told you not to do anything stupid.”

Loki turned his head slightly. His smile was weak, but genuine.
“What are you doing here, stubborn elf?”

“I came to help you, you idiot.”

A bitter laugh escaped his lips.
“That’s impossible… there’s no way I’ll survive this.”

“Shut up. There has to be a way—there’s always a way,” Elsif insisted, trembling.

“My heart’s already absorbed all the poison from his blade… there’s no turning back.”

Elsif lowered his head. His voice cracked.
“Are you really going to die like this? After everything you’ve done?”

“Looks like I won’t see the world he promised me… not with these eyes.”

The god’s trembling hand touched the elf’s chest. When he opened it, a small stone lay between them—covered in ancient runes.

“But you will,” said Loki.

Elsif held it carefully, as if it burned.
“What is this?”

“A key. With it, you can restore the Nine Worlds… and merge them into one.”

“Restore? Merge them? What are you talking about?”

“You’ll understand once you reach the trunk of Yggdrasil…”

With his last strength, Loki raised his free hand and opened a portal. Energy crackled, as if the universe itself protested in silence.

“You have to go. This place won’t hold much longer.”

“But—”

“Thank you… for everything,” he whispered, lowering his gaze. “And I’m sorry… for not being able to do more.”

Elsif struck his chest in anger, but his eyes were already full of tears.
“You did more than enough, idiot. Thank you… Loki.”

The god smiled. For the first time, he cried without pride.

I don’t want to die… please… someone help me.

Elsif stepped through the portal. The vortex sealed behind him.

The Bifröst trembled.
And then—silence.

Loki fell onto his back, weak. But he was no longer alone.

Warm arms wrapped around him.
“Welcome home, my love,” said Sigyn, her voice overflowing with tenderness.

His eyes widened—not with fear, but with wonder.
“Do I really… deserve this? To be happy?”

“More than anyone,” she replied, caressing his face.

The god of lies smiled—no masks, no tricks.
“I’m… home.”

The Bifröst split apart. Loki and Heimdall plunged into the void.

Below, the world was shattering in chaos.
Surt raised his flaming sword to the sky and brought it down upon the earth. The ground split open like ancient scars, and from them poured rivers of molten fire, devouring the last of the warriors one by one.

The war burned.
The age of the gods… was ending.

The cracks in the ground kept spreading like a disease.
Hades, still breathless from the chaos before, watched in tense silence as a group of mutated elves tore through the very fabric of space itself.

“What the hell…?” he muttered, stepping back.

The interdimensional fissures expanded, violently fusing the boundaries between the Nine Worlds.
There was no transition—only a collision without return.
One single plane. One single, twisted land.

One of the elves—so deformed it was barely recognizable—emerged with a roar and lunged toward the god of the underworld.

Hades didn’t move.
But before the creature could strike, the ground beneath it collapsed, swallowing it whole. It happened as swiftly as it was unexpected.

“So that’s what they meant…?” Hades thought, frowning. “Just how far was Odin willing to go?”

The question didn’t linger long—another, far more dangerous one took its place.
“But there’s a much bigger problem… Who funded all this?”

The ground beneath his feet began to groan. Lava seeped through the cracks like open veins of a dying world. He had to decide.

“If I keep going… I’ll probably die,” he said to himself. “I need to turn back.”

As Hades stepped away, the scene shifted.

Amid a sea of fire, Frey’s body lay motionless—consumed by the infernal glow, yet still intact.

From the heavens descended Freyja’s chariot, drawn by cats with shimmering fur. Her voice trembled the moment she recognized him.

“Frey!”

She dismounted clumsily, as if speed could somehow stop time. Falling to her knees beside her brother, she touched him gently.
Nothing.

“No… it can’t be…” she whispered. But her expression softened when she noticed the faint smile still resting on the fallen god’s lips.

“Looks like you don’t regret anything, little brother… good.”

Freyja closed her eyes for a brief moment, holding back her tears. Then she looked around.

“This wasn’t luck…” she thought. “Surt… that damned Jötun has an incredible control over his flames. This wasn’t violence—it was respect. Thank you… king of Muspelheim.”

Without another word, she lifted her brother’s body and returned to her chariot, taking off just as the ground gave way—swallowing the last trace of Frey.

From the top of a distant mountain, Surt’s figure loomed.
With his sword raised, he gazed toward the blackened sky.

“Seems you’re in good hands now, my rival,” his distant but resolute voice echoed. “But you’re not the only one. They’re all safe… It’s time for the final step.”

The giant’s blade began to change. The flames dimmed, giving way to a deep, ethereal blue light—something beyond comprehension.

“For a better world… World Destroyer.”

The strike fell.
And with it—the end.

The earth split apart with an indescribable roar.
Magma poured forth indiscriminately, devouring what had once been fields, mountains, cities.
All of it erased. All of it gone.

And so, the Nine Worlds vanished under a single fire—finally united… in destruction.

From the heights of Midgard, the survivors watched in silence.

Shun pressed his lips together.
“What a shame… I never got to fight that guy. He must’ve been incredibly powerful.”

Beside him, Sara murmured faintly,
“There’s nothing left… What now?”

And behind them, Nai could only think of his roots.
“Father… Grandfather… Is it really… all over?”

Before them, the eternal symbol—the Yggdrasil—groaned with an ancient wail.
Its base split apart.
Its roots were swallowed by lava.

Nai stepped forward, frozen in disbelief.
“No… it can’t be…”

The flames reached him.
The World Tree burned.

And amid that silence, broken only by fire, Hades appeared—his silhouette emerging through smoke and ash, standing right before Shun.

“It’s been a while, king of the underworld,” said the pink-haired man, his tone unchanged.

“Shun…” Hades replied, meeting his eyes with gravity.

Both stood still—knowing that after this rain of fire…
nothing would ever be the same again.

Darkness swallows everything.
Again.

Edén takes a trembling step into the void, as if his feet only touch the ground out of habit.

“What…?” he whispers, glancing around. “Am I here again?”

A familiar, raspy, ethereal voice drifts through the empty hall.
“Well, well… so it’s you again. Didn’t expect to see you here.”

The young man narrows his eyes, irritated.
“Didn’t expect it? Weren’t you the one who brought me here?”

“No. When I bring someone, I do it by their will. I don’t like being dragged into a place like this… just because.”

“Well, you’ve got a point.” Edén folds his arms. “Then, do you at least know why I’m here?”

“No idea.”

A short, bitter laugh escapes Edén’s lips.
“Some god you are… Aren’t you supposed to know everything?”

“And where’s the fun in that?” the voice replies, calm but teasing. “If I knew everything, don’t you think it’d be boring?”

For the first time in a long while, Edén smiles.
“I think this is the first time I actually agree with you.”

The room flickers faintly, and with cautious steps, the boy approaches the central table.
The orbs that once danced in chaotic rhythm now pulse in strange harmony… all except one.

A single orb, marked with the word Fire, has stopped flickering. It remains still. Lit. Absolute.

“What does that mean?” asks Edén, eyes fixed on it.

“Who knows,” the voice answers.

“Are you really a god?”

“So they say. But maybe it’s better if you find that out for yourself.”

The young man blinks a few times, thoughtful. Then his brow furrows.
“I’ve got one more question.”

“Go on.”

“Do you know someone named Shun? Pink hair. Incredibly strong. I’ve never seen him use a single technique… and yet…”

Silence.

“Shun? Hmm… Shun, Shun… doesn’t ring a bell. But don’t be surprised—thousands come here every day.”

Edén nods quietly.

And then, the voices return.
Whispers, distant screams, lost laughter—fragments of the real world tearing him away from that plane.

His body starts to fade.
“What’s happening?”

“Looks like we’ve run out of time,” the voice says, sounding almost regretful.

“Will we meet again?”

“Who knows… if destiny wills it, then yes.”

“I hope so,” murmurs Edén, just before the darkness disappears.

The world rebuilds itself in a flash of pain.

His eyes open.

“Edén!” cries Sara, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

A groan escapes his lips.
“That… hurts…”

“Sorry,” she replies, pulling back slightly, relief washing over her face.

Confusion.
Pain.
A fogged mind.

What happened after that? Did I do it? Where’s Iss?

“I see you’ve finally woken up,” says a deep, calm voice.

Edén slowly turns his head toward the man standing beside him. The face is unfamiliar—but the presence, overwhelming.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Hades… I’m your father.”

The shock freezes him. The words of Iss resurface violently in his mind.

“Bastard…”

The god of the underworld remains silent.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me… I only hope you’ll understand me someday.”

“I have nothing to say to you. You’re a coward. You should leave.”

“Edén…” Sara interjects gently.

“It’s all right,” says Hades, without resentment. “I’m just glad you’re alive. That’s enough… for now.”

Sara quickly stands.
“I’ll go tell the others.”

Both walk away in silence.

I can’t even move… everything hurts… Did I win? Where are you, Mother…?

“Well, well,” interrupts another voice, mocking and familiar. “Looks like Sleeping Beauty finally woke up.”

Edén turns his head.
In the window frame, relaxed as always, Shun smiles at him.

“Shun…?” his voice comes out as a faint whisper.

“The truth is…” said Shun, crossing his arms, “I didn’t expect you to meet your father before you talked to me.”

Edén frowned. His hands were still trembling.
“You knew… all of this?”

“Yeah,” Shun replied casually. “It wasn’t exactly a secret among the special forces. Most of us knew what happened years ago.”

The young man pushed himself upright with effort.
“Damn pink-haired bastard… why didn’t you tell me?”

Shun let out a soft laugh—one that carried no joy.
“Are you seriously asking me that? Do you think that if I had told you, anything would’ve changed? That they would’ve run to hug you?”

“No… but at least—”

“Edén,” Shun interrupted, his tone turning firm, “your mother was one of the most wanted women on the continent. And your father… well, he’s one of the most powerful gods in existence. If they’d been with you, they would’ve only put you in greater danger.”

Silence pressed down on them for a moment.

“What do you mean was?”

Shun hesitated, as if measuring the weight of the words before letting them fall.
“Looks like no one’s told you… She died in battle.”

Edén’s world stopped. But there was no time to process it.

A sharp blade pressed against Shun’s neck.
“I told you he wasn’t ready,” growled Hades, gripping the hilt tightly.

“Come on, king of the underworld,” Shun replied calmly. “Do you really think he’s still a child?”

“No—but that doesn’t give you the right to say it so cruelly.”

“Parents and their overprotectiveness,” sighed the pink-haired man. “That moment was long gone—this isn’t it.”

“Damn you…”

A female voice sliced through the tension like a clean blade.
“You two, that’s enough.”

Edén turned toward the approaching figure. The face was familiar, but something was missing.
“Afrodita…”

She smiled softly, though her expression carried an invisible weight.
“It’s good to see you awake, Edén.”

He stared, disbelief in his eyes.
“Your arm…”

The goddess raised her stump with resigned calm.
“This? Long story. But first—both of you,” she said sharply, glancing at Hades and Shun, “stop acting like children and let the boy breathe.”

Shun lifted his hands in mock surrender.
“Yeah, yeah… whatever you say, old lady.”

The two men stepped back with steady strides and sharp looks.

“What’s wrong with them? Do they hate each other?”

“Another long story,” said Afrodita as she sat beside him. “I’ll tell you someday.”

Edén took a deep breath. The pain wasn’t just physical anymore.
“What happened while I was asleep? And your arm…?”

“I lost it fighting one of the members of Black Lights.”

The young man tensed.
“Did he have… a disturbing gaze?”

“Yes. I only saw him for a few seconds… and then I was already on the ground. Luckily, Shun arrived in time.”

“That guy… he was really strong. When he got serious, I didn’t even stand a chance.”

“I’d say he’s around Emerald Rank level… though honestly, I doubt that was his true power.”

Edén swallowed hard. Something heavy pressed against his chest.
“And the others? Are they okay?”

Afrodita looked away.
“Yes. Though… Isaac…”

The boy closed his eyes for a moment.
“I figured…”

In the distance, a chained silhouette flickered faintly among the shadows.

“Can you tell me what happened after the war?”

Afrodita nodded.
“Of course. No problem.”

And as the first drops of an unusual rain began to fall from the sky, the story continued.

Flashback

The sound of the wind barely managed to mask the low hum vibrating through the air.

“How did they get this far?” asked Afrodita, her face beaded with sweat—though the heat was no longer to blame.

“We lost contact with Nork after the last battle,” replied Shun, his expression grave. “Something didn’t add up, so I called in a few members of the Special Forces and came to investigate… It was worse than we thought.”

Before them, an enormous barrier stretched like a dome over the entire city. Its surface rippled like a membrane—almost ethereal.

“What the hell is this…?” murmured the pink-haired man.

The figure of Sun Wukong approached with light steps, planting his staff firmly into the ground.
“It looks like it was activated from the inside. From the outside, the barrier offers little resistance… but from within, I couldn’t say.”

Hades, arms crossed, watched in silence. Then he motioned with his eyes toward a point at the base of the dome.
“There,” he said. “Someone’s already gone in. There’s a hole—it looks recent.”

Shun nodded, his frown deepening.
“This is bad… really bad.”

Without hesitation, the group crossed the perimeter, slipping through the smoking remains of what had once been a city.

“After we entered, we split into three groups,” continued Shun as they moved through a collapsed corridor. “Each one took a zone to cover. Lucky me, I got paired with you.”

Afrodita glanced around cautiously.
“So we’re alone…”

“Yes—but not for long. Some of the Special Forces captains are already on their way.”

She stopped abruptly.
“Captains? Why involve them?”

Shun turned toward her.
“Because the situation demands it. Not only has a member of the Divine Council fallen… several Special Forces operatives have too—and many gods. This isn’t a war anymore. It’s a collapse.”

Afrodita exhaled deeply.
“I see…”

“Our biggest problem now is figuring out what caused it.”

A voice rose from the shadows, cutting through the silence like a sharp bell.
“I can help you with that…”

Both turned at once.

In the frame of a half-destroyed doorway, hands bound in chains and face covered in wounds, stood Isaac.

His eyes—dim, yet lucid—locked onto Shun’s.

At that exact moment, a drop fell from the sky. Then another. And another.

Rain began to pour, washing away the blood, the dust… and perhaps, something else.

Afrodita narrowed her eyes, gazing up at the leaden sky.
Shun never looked away from Isaac.

“Then talk,” he said. “Tell us everything.”