Mortal Deities

The atmosphere surrounding the mountainside changes due to Kayin’s unexpected return; not only from the thunder and lightning roaring through the sky, but also from the exclamations made from all the attendees that stayed behind to witness the initial fight. Most of them scream in fright, some boo in disapproval, and a few ‘tyrant apologists’ actually cheer, thrilled to see their king alive and well.

Narada shuffles over and practically rubs his face along Kayin’s lower right thigh.

“You’re alive! You’re alive! Praise Vishnu, you’re actually alive!”

A vein pops across Kayin’s temple, as Narada unknowingly etches closer and closer to his nether regions.

“Yes, yes, now get a hold of yourself, Narada!”

Kimiko slowly turns around, clearly unsure of what to make of the situation.

“...Kayin?”

Kayin knocks Narada away, and also turns around in order to lock eyes with Kimiko.

“...yes?”

“It’s really you, right? Or have I already died?”

“Aww, so you would think of seeing me when you rise to the heavens? That’s so sweet of you,”

“I’m the avatar wielder of Izanami. I’ve never once thought I would be going anywhere but hell.”

“Whether in the heavens or in hell, you’re still thinking of me,” Kayin replies while puckering his lips towards her.

“Just answer the question!!” Kimiko furiously responds, while holding the edge of her katana towards him.

Kayin turns around and returns his attention to Reze, who is already slowly rising back to his feet.

“You’re not dead just yet, priestess.”

“And neither am I,”

Kimiko lowers her katana, “But how?...I saw it…I saw him carrying your head out of that town.”

“Hmph…and you thought that would be enough to stop me?”

“That doesn’t make any sense!!”

“I told you remember,”

Kayin’s head turns and smiles confidently towards Kimiko.

“No matter how bad things get for me…it will always work out in the end.”

Kimiko remains speechless, and stares deep into Kayin’s hazel eyes.

But those same eyes shift over towards the woman standing behind Kimiko, as the former princess and former prince of the Eydo empire lock eyes for the first time in over a year.

Both harboring cold expressions, they refuse to speak to each other, and instead shift their focus to their respective opponents.

“I’ll deal with the creator god’s wielder,” Kayin says as he turns back to Reze, “The queen’s head is yours,”

Kimiko grins, as she turns around to face Temi.

“That won’t be easy. Izanami’s demons were all killed by that guy, and I’m going to need some new souls to revive them,”

“No need,”

Kimiko pauses.

“Temi…she may be quicker than you, but she’s all alone.”

“What?” Kimiko asks as she stares towards the god standing beside Temi, “Don’t tell me you’ve gone blind again?”

Kayin begins to walk away.

“Trust me…”

“Ogun is already dead.”

Kimiko freezes in place, as Izanami nods in the distance to approve Kayin’s message. Fragments of the truth all start to swirl into her mind, as she replays the moments since her fight with the queen began. From her swarm of oni, to Reze’s otherworldly abilities, and even Narada’s spacial warp interferences…

Something is clearly missing.

Wait…

This is supposed to be one of the five great war gods.

And yet…

Kimiko stares towards the empty shell of a god that is working to guard the queen.

He hasn’t shown a single one of his abilities?

Kayin walks towards Reze, and stops once the distance reaches a few meters difference. Tiny cuts are spread across Reze’s toned back and abs, proving Kayin’s counter attack to have been successful.

“So you’re back from the dead, are you?” Reze asks as he cracks his neck, “I thought humans aren’t supposed to be able to do that,”

“Well, I guess that makes two of us,”

Reze pauses, before he laughs.

“Seriously, you really are a lot more clever than I made you out to be,”

“And once again, the same can be said for you.”

Kayin points Oshé towards Reze.

“You admitted it yourself. You aren’t an ordinary avatar wielder.”

“You’re the former king of Gondwana, the world’s first empire. The same one that merged with the creator god, Tezcatlipoca, and became a mortal deity.”

Gasps of shock flood the scene from the spectators.

Reze sighs, “Looking back, it seems exposing my story was an oversight. I was so sure you were already dead, so it wouldn’t come back to bite me.”

Reze waves his hand across his hair, and finishes with a smile.

“Ah, what the hell. Since you’ve already done me the favor of reintroducing me, it’s only fair that I do the same for you,”

Kayin holds his hand out in the air towards Reze, “Please do.”

“There is only one way a man like you could have survived our previous encounter, even after having your head severed for days, and the rest of your body rotting in the dirt.”

“And that…is that you and I are now equal.”

Reze glances around Kayin’s newfound appearance, noticing the massive red cloth covering his lower half, while he remains uncovered in his upper half. The hole that had been blasted into the right side of his chest no longer exists, but the half-circular scar of it still remains.

“You have now merged with your avatar holder, as well…

“Meaning Shango sacrificed his divine soul to save your mortal one,”

Narada’s jaw falls to the floor, and a large set of noise erupts from the rest of the viewers.

Temi’s expression hardens, while Kimiko turns to look at Kayin.

Kayin remains frozen in place, and his eyes appear to have darkened upon hearing Reze’s analysis.

“You really are a pathetic child, till the end.”

“Yet somehow…I can’t help wanting to see how badly you will fall.”

“Or even…how great you may rise.”

“But what I can’t come to understand, is how such a thing could be allowed,” Reze continues with a concerned look, “Last I checked, only creator gods are capable of doing such a thing,”

After a brief pause, Kayin returns his gaze towards Reze.

“You’re right. It wasn’t just Shango’s doing. Ra had a part in it as well,”

Reze grinds his teeth.

Of course.

“So Ra sacrificed half of his soul in order for the ritual to begin, allowing Shango to sacrifice the entire of his to fulfill the ritual…” Reze spits out furiously, “Color me impressed. The gods must love you dearly,”

A cheeky grin escapes Kayin.

“Why, thank you,”

Izanami chuckles.

However, Reze’s demeanor changes.

“And what of it?”

Kayin’s smile fades.

Reze holds out his hand, and a black mirror suddenly appears to grant him a divine club sword, carefully crafted with obsidian metal and embedded with the edges of jaguar teeth.

“We may both have become mortal deities…but you are merely merged with one of the major pantheons. While I carry the soul of a creator god itself! The son of a primordial!”

“So what makes you think this fight will turn out any different from the last?”

“He’s right,” Temi interjects, “You may have survived death once little brother…but this time, Shango won’t be able to save you again.”

“Hey, prickly bitch.”

Temi’s haughty glare finds its way back towards Kimiko, as veins pop across her temples.

“What did you just say?!”

“Your fight’s still with me. So stay focused, before I end it too quickly.”

Kimiko’s expression exudes determination.

“I want to savor this…for as long as I can,”

Temi sneers, and waves Ogun away from her side. She then takes out two golden rods that were strapped to her thigh underneath her dress, and sticks them together to reveal its true form as a spear.

“Funny…” she grits out, “I was thinking the same thing,”

Narada glances at his missing hand, and curses out in frustration.

I’m so sorry…but the both of you will have to fight your own.

Kimiko and Temi dash towards each other with their weapons, and Kayin and Reze do the same.

Narada places his left hand over the area of his missing hand, as if faithfully praying to the gods for the first time in his life.

Please!...

Tears stream down his face, as the clashing of weapons begins.

WIN!...