Chapter 4.2: Meeting in Athens

CRACK!

The portal collapsed like a house of cards beneath Tenzak’s solitary gaze.

Even the beasts of the Underworld seemed dejected beneath the overwhelming silence that now ruled the area.

The smiles were gone.

The noise and sarcasm had vanished, giving way to a strange silence that had always been there…

But now felt heavier than ever.

…

—Good luck… Edén.

A blinding light instantly overwhelmed Edén’s vision.

—Damn it…

…

The cries of seagulls filled the air, accompanied by the peaceful sound of waves breaking against the shore.

The sun shone with a beauty unlike anything he had ever seen.

Edén stood frozen in disbelief at the sight before him.

A beautiful coastal city stretched out beyond his eyes.

The streets were lively and filled with noise.

Even the breeze carried a strange sense of nostalgia that the boy could not understand.

—It’s beautiful…

—Welcome to Athens, Edén.

—This place… It feels like everything I learned in history class has been preserved in time.

Shun noticed the uncontrollable excitement shining within Edén’s eyes and asked:

—Would you like to take a walk?

—Seriously? —Edén asked with an innocent smile.

—Yes. There’s still some time before the trials begin.

—But first, there’s something I need to warn you about…

Fwoooosh!

The wind echoed through the silence that followed.

—You have to be kidding me… —Shun murmured with a nervous smile as he watched Edén rush down the mountain without the slightest hesitation.

—Well…

—I suppose he’ll figure it out on his own —he added with a shrug.

…

At that very moment, Shun’s expression hardened.

—You’d better come out of hiding —he warned, gripping the hilt of his sword.

—Come now, Shun —an imposing voice replied—. There’s no need to be so aggressive.

Shun glanced sideways.

Standing there was an androgynous being of incomparable beauty.

His hair appeared to be woven from silk, and his gaze was as commanding as it was warm.

—What the hell is someone like you doing here? —Shun asked without turning around.

—Don’t play dumb, Shun. You know perfectly well why I’m here.

—Please, enlighten me with your wisdom —he murmured sarcastically.

—You’ve done plenty of foolish things over the years, but this is by far the greatest of them all.

—What exactly are you trying to prove by bringing a demon like that into a holy place such as this?

—That’s none of your business, you worthless archangel.

—Perhaps you’re right, but I didn’t come here because I like you.

—They asked me to stop you peacefully.

—Peacefully? —Shun repeated with a mocking smile—. Since when do they pretend to be the good guys?

—Tell those damned bags of bones that if they want something, they should come and say it to my face instead of sending their rabid pet.

WHOOSH!

Shun felt the freezing edge of a blade press against his back.

Even so, his expression did not change.

He remained perfectly calm.

—They told me not to kill you, but there shouldn’t be any problem with cutting out that tongue of yours, right? —the archangel growled irritably.

—What’s wrong? Did I wound what little pride you have left?

—Speak again, and your tongue won’t be the only thing I cut off, you piece of filth.

Shun smiled without the slightest concern.

—I always thought angels were supposed to work for the good of the world…

—Or at least follow the orders of their creator.

—But ever since your brother died, all of you have only gotten worse.

The archangel drove the tip of his sword into Shun’s back.

Yet Shun did not so much as flinch.

—Shut your damn mouth already!

—I still cannot understand why he chose to entrust his sword to someone as despicable as you.

—A weapon of that caliber should never have fallen into the hands of someone like you —he said before spitting contemptuously in Shun’s face.

…

Shun calmly wiped his face before speaking.

—You talk far too much for someone who is nothing more than a tool of those old men.

—I thought beings whom people considered perfect would possess at least a little more self-respect.

—And yet, all I see before me is a frightened child who lost his way the moment his brother’s light disappeared.

Those words struck the celestial being’s pride with brutal force.

—Shut your mouth! —Gabriel snapped, clenching his fists in fury.

—I want you to return and make one thing perfectly clear to them.

The earth began to tremble beneath Shun’s words.

A glorious aura erupted from his body, so majestic that even the surrounding animals lowered themselves before him.

—It doesn’t matter how many people they send.

—An army.

—An entire nation.

—Or filth like you…

—None of you will be able to stop me.

…

—And if you—or anyone else—dares to lay a single finger on my student…

CRACK!

The imposing sword shattered into a thousand fragments, like a fragile flower petal.

—…you will die —Shun declared, his gaze unwavering.

Gabriel instinctively took a step back.

“What is this power…?” he wondered, his pupils dilated in shock.

The aura flowing from Shun’s body was not overwhelmingly vast.

And yet, it moved with an incomprehensible sense of peace and harmony.

It shone as brilliantly as gold.

Its energy was so concentrated that it resembled an impenetrable wall of power.

Shun looked down upon the celestial being.

Not with contempt…

But with pity.

—Even if you cannot understand it now, that boy may one day change this world.

—I want you to watch him carefully.

—And if I turn out to be wrong, you may spit upon my grave as many times as you wish…

—Gabriel.

…

—The world will never accept him.

—He is cursed!

—He belongs to the same filth that destroyed our creator! —Gabriel spat in fury.

—This world has drowned itself in hatred…

—Even through its own laws.

—A demon cannot be good.

—An angel cannot be wrong.

—Fire and water cannot coexist.

—But…

—I am certain that, someday, they will.

Shun extended his hand toward the archangel.

—I’m certain your brother would have seen beyond the label of a mere demon.

…

BAM!

Gabriel contemptuously slapped Shun’s hand away.

—Do not compare me to him.

—His humanity was what got him killed.

—If he had continued acting as what he truly was, I’m certain he would still be alive today.

Gabriel rose to his feet and sheathed what remained of his sword.

—You need to stop being so stubborn, you damn human.

—You will never win this war.

—Not against them.

—You would be wise to surrender soon.

—Next time, I will not be so merciful —he warned before disappearing into a rift in space and time.

…

—You’ve got some nerve saying that after making such a stupid face —Shun said with a laugh.

Slowly, he stood upright and gazed upon the enormous capital from atop the mountain.

Its streets were filled with people, laughter, and celebration.

The sight brought a bitter smile to his face.

“It seems fate has decided that your path will not be an easy one, Edén.”

“From the very beginning, you have been forced to face adversities far beyond you.”

“But ever since that night, you made one thing perfectly clear to me…”

“You will never surrender, no matter how cruel the circumstances become.”

“You will doubt yourself.”

“You may even stray from your path many times.”

“Even so, you will always return stronger than before.”

“And today…”

“You will have to prove it.”

“What will you do when all those eyes that once admired you begin looking upon you with contempt?”

“You are the only one who can decide that, Edén.”

…

Amid the crowds and bustling streets of Athens, an unexpected collision took place.

Edén lay sprawled upon the ground, his gaze filled with frustration and rage.

Standing before him with unmistakable arrogance was a young woman with piercing green eyes.

She looked down upon him with overwhelming superiority.

Even before entering the trials…

Edén was already facing his first challenge.