Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 1009: Starfall

The sky fell and erupted into fireworks for the rest of Atlaris. Burning bright and in different hues, the plateau of the capital stood no chance and was reduced to dust and smoke that rose high up into the skies. At the very base, the earth was scorched and concave, with stone cracking and bursting from the residual heat of the starfall.

No signs of Hamleth remained, neither that of Raven nor the other mortals. As the dust began to settle and the heat from the blazing earth reached the goddesses, they dropped to the ground at once, bringing Moeria with them. Ash and cinder clung to the fabrics, attempting to burn the goddesses, but with a violent wave of her arm, Elenaria returned the essence of the stars back into the hem of her dress.

The flames abated right after. With another wave of her hand, the goddess pushed the ashes away, clearing a straight path to those buried under the rubble of what used to be an immense landmark. Raven was the first they noticed, stirring on the ground with his eyes barely open.

Approaching him as quickly as possible, they noticed the extent of the damage that had been done to his body. A gleam of different hues was closing his wounds and healing him-the mothers, no doubt–but his left hand was holding something tight within; burned to a char, with his veins glowing a golden-silver light.

”Is that?” Getting on her knees, Elenaria reached for Raven’s hand but was halted by Athenia’s hand on her shoulder. Looking up at her, she narrowed her eyebrows and questioned. ”The kid did well, but we have to take Hamleth’s soul out of his hands before it burns the rest of his body. God rot isn’t easy on mortals; the longer we wait, the worse his condition will be.”

”He will lose his hand forever if you touch it,” Athenia replied, pulling on Elenaria’s arm to get her away from Raven.

”And how do you plan to save it?” A bruised arm tore through the ashen earth as the goddess questioned Athenia. All eyes turned towards its owner, and she did not come quiet.

”Use your godly powers and that damned soul to give him his reward! All of you gods owe us more than a slice of divinity, but you’re just too scared that we won’t need you, idiots, the moment we achieve it, aren’t you?” Rising from the dark ash, her body covered in it, Helga wiped the soot from her lips before running her hand over her bare body to dust herself off. ”You need us for the war. Even before that, you need us to kill the demon lord for the heavenly law–or what remains of it–set by the so-called Creator, won’t allow you to interfere in that regard directly, yeah? Then heal him! Show that it’s more about saving your followers rather than hoarding power and souls like some treasure-hungry dragon!”

Glancing at Moeria, Helga gestured for her to return to her at once. The spirit disappeared from the goddess’s side and wrapped her arms around the valkyrie’s neck as she reappeared behind her.

”She plans to do just that,” she whispered into her ear, her mind still connected with Athenia.

Noticing the spirit prying in her thoughts, the goddess of mockery grimaced before cutting their mental link. Then, with a finger pointed at her, she declared.

”Try that again, and I won’t shelter your feeble mind from the true extent of a god’s perception,” she snapped, placing her hand back at her side before turning around to face Raven once more.

Without pause, she knelt by him, her hand waving over the charred flesh. Her eyelids curtained with grace and thus began the process of creating a demigod. Waving her fingers over his closed fist, she made him open his fingers and reveal the blindly golden soul of Authority. Pressing but one finger against it, she forced it into the hero’s flesh and quickly pressed her palm against him.

His ashen flesh threatened to crumble, but Athenia let her own blood bleed through her palm and be soaked by his ashen flesh. The first step to godhood was over; the blood of a god was consumed thoroughly. On came the next: the usurpation of authority, but instead of Athenia, it was Hamleth’s power that Raven’s body had begun to absorb. Although, considering most of Hamleth’s strength was sapped and burned as light that had illuminated the skies of Atlaris oceans over, what remained for the hero to soak in was the ability to command and bend the mortals. In its imperfection, however, the authority, the power, would be deadly inefficient, especially considering the strain on Raven’s soul already, as he housed numerous fae spirits as well as a part of Nightsilver.

”As I promised to you once-” Closing Raven’s fist as it slowly recovered its living tissues, Athenia opened her eyes and watched the mortal arm take on an immortal form. ”I will make you a demigod as your reward, and you will watch over the people you love. You will help me shape this world and be its shepherd as much as I will be.”

What was once mere red flesh now turned to living ash with golden veins coursing through it. His hand burned with the power of Hamleth–the power to command mortals however he saw fit. Confined to that dead hand–now living and just as alive as the rest of him–the divine essence of a god was now a part of the hero’s body. Perhaps his soul wasn’t strained, but it would be a while before he was used to his new darkened arm.

Just as the process of healing was over and he stirred around, another sound was heard behind the group. All eyes and ears focused on it, only to find out that it was none other than the last missing mortal who had arrived with the goddesses.

”Ahhh...I should’ve come here in a battle model body...” Mono groaned, wiping the dust off of her mechanical dress.

Seeing her, however, all that everyone could think was but one thought.

’So that’s where she was this whole time?’