Finale 2: Helios, Helena and George Helios (2024)

King Helios[]

For Neoplatonists, the Demiurge acts as a metaphor for how reason shapes the world. In the Gnostic religious traditions, the Demiurge is treated as a literal God that shapes the material universe.

Zidine’s mother, Helena, the once Queen and now Grand Princess stood coldly in her throne room, sitting in the throne that once belonged to her beloved husband… and that which should have belonged to her true bloodline. “Why isn’t my beloved son, George, not the true King?! If Zidine wasn’t Helios’ favourite child, none of this would have happened! Getting rid of him will never work even with him knowing since he will inevitably come and return with an iron fist! Just because Helios loved him with true care and empathy gave him the inevitable reign of King whereas his despising of me forced nothing more than hatred and vitriol on both sides. If only George was older… then maybe he would have become King.” She thought to herself with rage and sadness clashing in her hardened and rock-hard eyes and heart only to see a passenger pigeon flying into her castle with a letter in its talons, dropping it in her cold-blooded hands and then flying away faster than she could react as the seal had a familiar crest of two smaller snakes and one big snake behind them, resembling the staff of Asclepius. Opening the letter frantically, she saw its contents where it read: “The Great Serpents have authorised your request of Zidine falling in the shortest of time. George shall be King of Hesperia soon, and in return, Hesperia will meet every desire of the Great Serpents.' and upon reading this, tears dripped down her face and cheeks, warming her cold-blooded heart briefly as she smiled calmly, finally realising that her dreams of seeing Zidine falling and grovelling to her knees would be real. “Your Majesty, what is the news concerning?” Hadeil, her favourite general who bore a Roman-esque helmet, asked as she smiled. “Nothing more than a confirmation of George’s inevitable ascendance. What must I do to speed this up?” She asked to which Hadeil scratched his chin. “Write the boy a letter of confidence and confirmation henceforth to make George the Minister of Defence, that way, the army will swear loyalty to George due to a loophole in the law which cannot be reprimanded or changed and upon even stepping foot into Hesperia… he will find himself murdered or castrated by the way of our spears.” He casually suggested, knowing that she would willingly agree to do so, sacrificing her “son” for her “first-born”. 1 hour later, Zidine found himself sitting at his table, witnessing a letter that said: “Dear Zidine, please may you make a suggestion of the highest order? Make George, your beloved brother, the Minister of Defence henceforth and give him the rightful rank he is verily willing to deserve and adapt to his mind of growing temperament?” to which he read and smiled, responding with a simple “Yes”, sending this back to her to which she smiled peacefully upon hearing this. “It is done.” She spoke to a voice on the other side which had no visible caller ID and was simply listed as Unknown Number with a mystical snake with purple eyes as its profile picture.

The Chat with the Man Long Since Gone[]

The statue that Zidine once saw became animated. “Zidine?” The statue spoke to his horror, immediately recognising the voice, did he. “Father?” Zidine asked as the sun shone on the two, for King Helios stood over his dear boy and climbed down. “Zidine, how are you?” King Helios asked as he looked deeply saddened, his feelings ruminating with deep confusion. “Mother betrayed me and hath-!” Zidine was about to say only for Helios to smile. “I know. She broke our vow when married. There is more I must give, boy. What was at the very beginning cannot be explained or understood; it can only be spoken of indirectly because there is no way to comprehend something in which its points of differentiation have yet to be expressed. It is called the Beginning Which Cannot Be Spoken (Ἄρρητος Ἀρχή). It is not created; it did not come to be; it has always been. It is there before anything else; it is there at the beginning; it is now and will always be. Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς), the founder of Mysteries (Τελετάρχης), tells us that within this undifferentiated mixture are Earth and Water and it is from the dance of these two that everything which is comes to be. For Ageless (ἀγήραος) Time (Χρόνος) was moved by Necessity (Ἀνάγκη) and gave birth to Aithír (Αἰθήρ) and a limitless chasm (χάσμα) which extended in every direction, and everything was in tumult. In the Aithír, Time formed a silvery egg (ὠεόν or ᾠόν), the offspring of Aithír and Kháos (Χάος). And the egg began to move in an enormous and wondrous circle and from the egg Phánis (Φάνης) emerged, and as he was born, the Aithír and the Chasm were torn apart (ἐρράγη). Behold the son of Aithír! The First-Born (Πρωτογόνος)! The Shining One (Φαέθων)! Who by his nature illumines everything and was the first to appear in the Aithír! Witness his four eyes looking everywhere and marvel at his four horns! Behold his golden wings which flutter all about! He bellows like a massive bull and roars like a lion! He is Irikæpaios (Ἠριϰεπαῖος), both male and female , who harbors in his heart blind and swift Ǽrohs (Ἔρως)! He is Mítis (Μῆτις), the progenitor of the Gods, who call him the Revealer and First-born! He is the one with the mighty voice (Βρόμιος); he is all-seeing (πανόπτης) Zefs (Ζεύς)! He can be seen only by his daughter, but his effulgent light shining in the Aithír draws wonder for those who behold it, illuminating the world with great brilliance. Now Phánis caused many things to occur. He built an everlasting dwelling for the Immortal Gods. He brought forth the Moon, which Gods call Sælíni (Σελήνη) and mortals call Míni (Μήνη), with mountains, cities, and mansions. And for the ephemeral beings he made a world separate from the Immortals], with natural laws and a sun as their lord , neither too cold nor too hot, but appropriate for their needs. These things he, Irikæpaios the first king, made from his seat in the misty darkness of the Cave (Ἄντρον) of his daughter Nyx (Νύξ). Oh glorious Phánis! You are Justice (Δικαιοσύνη), Prudence (Σωφροσύνη), and Truth (Ἐπιστήμη), begotten of Night who shines with stars (ἀστεροφεγγής)! And thus did he divide the world between Gods and mortals. Nyx, the nurse of the Gods, made obvious those who were previously concealed: she gave birth to Yaia (Γαῖα), whose name means “earth,” and to Ouranós (Οὐρανός), the limits of the mind (ὅρια νοός), whose name means “sky,” and she gave the scepter of Phánis to Ouranós and thereby gave him the kingship. Ouranós and Yaia united and this is the first marriage. Now the royal couple produced children. Yaia gave birth to the three Cyclopes (Κύκλωπες) and the three giant Hundred-Handers (Ἑκατόγχειρες), but these were an unruly bunch and Ouranós cast them into the bowels of the earth (Τάρταρος), for he had received an oracle that his own children would overthrow him. But when Ouranós imprisoned her sons, Yaia was greatly distressed, so she then gave birth to seven lovely daughters and seven kingly sons, indeed, the great Titánæs (Τιτᾶνες) who are the powers of the natural world, they who drag or stretch. The seven Titanic daughters are law-giving (θεμιστοσύνη) Thǽmis (Θέμις) and gentle Tithýs (Τηθύς, the Sea) the mother of Kýpris (Κύπρις, O.H. 22.7), Mnimosýni (Μνημοσύνη) the mother of the fair-haired (καλλίκομοι) Mousai, and happy Theia (Θεία) the mother of light (εὐρυφάεσσα). And Yaia bore beautiful Dióhnî (Διώνη) the mother of procreation, radiant Phívi (Φοίβη) who held the seat at Dælphí (Δελφοί), and glorious Rǽa (Ῥέα) the mother of the aiyís-bearing Olympian king of all. The seven Titanic sons are querying Kíos (Κοῖος) the father of Litóh (Λητώ) and Astæría (Ἀστερία), Kreios (Κρεῖος) the lord of the vast constellations, mighty Phórkys (Φόρκυς) who rules the great depths of the Sea, light-giving Ypæríohn (Ὑπερίων) the father of the Sun and the Moon, genial Iapætós (Ἰαπετός) the father of the race of men, Okæanós (Ὠκεανός) who encircles and envelops the earth with his many streams, and greatest of all, kingly Krónos (Κρόνος), he who strikes (awakens) the mind (κρούων τον νοῦν), father of glorious children. Of all these mighty sons and daughters of Earth it was Krónos who Nyx cherished and cultivated. Yaia pleaded with the Titánæs to overthrow their father for having cast her progeny into Tártaros (Τάρταρος). All the siblings rallied to her supplication with the exception of Okæanós who brooded darkly in the halls of his palace trying to decide what to do. The plot angered the mighty God against his mother and even more so against his siblings, so he declined to join them. Yaia gave Krónos an adamantine sickle (δρεπάνη) and when Ouranós came to lie with her, the Titánæs overtook and bound him while Krónos cut off his genitals. The members of Ouranós flew through the air into the wine-dark (οἶνοψ) sea and swirled about in the restless blue waters forming a wondrous foam out of which emerged beautiful Heavenly Aphrodíti (Ουρανíα Ἀφροδίτη), the mother of Harmony (Ἁρμονία), and as she was born, Zílos (Ζῆλος) and Apáti (Ἀπάτη) took her into their care. These things having been accomplished, Krónos assumed the kingship; he deserved this by his very nature and for having borne the greatest weight of the deed done to his father. He married his sister Rǽa, and the other siblings married one another, Tithýs and Okæanós, Phívi and Kíos, Theia and Ypæríohn, Thǽmis and Iapætós, and the others. Krónos and Rǽa now produced glorious children: Æstía (Ἑστία) and Íra (Ήρα), as well as Ploutôn (Πλούτων) and Poseidóhn (Ποσειδῶν). But Krónos also had been given an oracle that his rule would be usurped by one of his children, so he swallowed them, one by one, as they came into the world, but Rǽa despised this and contrived a plan. The next child came forth, glorious Zefs (Ζεύς), and at the birth of Zefs, Rǽa became the Earth-Mother (Δημήτηρ). She deceived Krónos by presenting him with a rock around which she wrapped swaddling clothes. Krónos promptly swallowed the rock, thinking it was his newborn son. This caused him to vomit up all the Titanic children. Ploutôn now took his seat on Earth wielding his Cap of Invisibility (Ἄϊδος κυνέην), the symbol of his power. Poseidóhn took residence in the Sea, wielding the Trident (Τρίαινα). The other son of Krónos too was destined for great things, but the time was not yet ripe. Zefs was rushed to the cave of starry-eyed (ἀστεροόμματος) Nyx in great secrecy and placed under the care of Adrásteia (Ἀδράστεια) and her sister Ídi (Ἴδῃ), the daughters of Mælliséfs (Μελλισεύς) and Amáltheia (Ἀμάλθεια). To prevent Krónos from hearing the cries of the child, Adrásteia stood in front of the cave and loudly clashed brazen cymbals and beat a goat-skin drum (τύμπανον) while the bronze-rattling (χαλκόκροτοι) Kourítæs (Κουρῆτες), the three handsome sons of Rǽa, shared in this clamorous labor and protected them all. Meanwhile, Zefs grew in strength and when the time was ripe, blessed Nyx instructed him, “When your father is in the oaken wood and drunk with the fruit of bees, then bind him!” Zefs told his mother all that which the Goddess decreed and, acting upon her advice, Rǽa threw a magnificent banquet and, along with course after course of delicious amvrosía (ἀμβροσία), she gave Krónos great drafts of golden honey. Soon the powerful Titan became inebriated; the room of the great hall began spin all around him and he longed for the open air. Krónos left the banquet and wandered about; at last he laid down and fell asleep, snoring loudly. Zefs and his confidants went in search of him, and, just as Nyx had foretold, they found him in the oaken wood, oblivious to their actions. They bound the God and Zefs castrated him, just as Krónos had previously castrated his own father. And then Zefs went to the Sacred Cave and asked, “Mother, supreme of all the Gods, immortal Nyx, how am I to proceed? How can I inaugurate my rule with the immortal Gods? How can I keep all things as one, yet separate?” And blessed (μάκαιρα) Nyx, gleaming with the blue of dawn (κυαναυγής), answered him saying, “Surround everything in the Aithír …the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the stars… and bind them all with a golden aithirial chain.” Thus mighty Zefs engulfed and swallowed Irikæpaios, employing all of his power, and drew everything that existed into the hollow of his belly. And now all things in Zefs were created anew: the sky, the sea, the earth, and all the blessed and immortal Gods and Goddesses, all that was then, and all that will be, all mingled in the belly of Zefs. Zefs is the first and the last, the lord of lightning. 1 Zefs is the head and center, for all things are from Zefs. Zefs is born male; immortal Zefs comes forth a nýmphi (νύμφη/female). Zefs is the foundation of earth and starry heaven. Zefs is sovereign of all for he is the first cause of all things. In one divine power, emerging one divinity, the commander of the world. One regal body in which everything revolves: Fire and Water and Earth and Aithír, and both Night and Day, and Mítis (Μήτις), the first-begotten one and lovely Ǽrohs (Ἔρως). For these are all in the mighty body of Zefs. Behold his head and handsome countenance, the radiant sky. Around his golden hair are the gleaming stars twinkling beautifully. And there are great golden bull’s horns on either side of his head, the rising and setting (sun), the heavenly pathway of the Gods. His eyes are Ílios (Helios), reflected in the Moon. His mind is kingly truth itself, the immortal Aithír, hearing and considering all: nothing which is, no word nor cry nor noise nor voice, escapes the ear of the mightiest son of Krónos. Thus indeed his immortal head and mind, now then his radiant body, boundless, undisturbed. His fearless, strong limbs, exceedingly mighty are formed thus:the shoulders and chest and broad back of the God, formed of the air all surrounding. He generates wings whereupon he flies everywhere. His divine belly is Earth, the mother of all, with her imposing hills and mountain peaks. The belt about his middle is a wave of the deep-voiced sea and ocean! His feet, the foundation of earth, are dank Tártaros and earth's furthermost limit! Hiding all things yet causing them to newly emerge into delightful light, he brings them forth again from his heart, acting in divine wonderment!

I repeat what I spoke: "Phanes, or Protogonus, who subsists at the extremity of the intelligible triad, and is therefore νοῦς νοητός, or intelligible intellect, and the exemplar of the universe, is denominated by Plato in the Timæus (Τίμαιος) τό αὐτοζῷον, animal itself, as being the primordial cause of all animal life, and was symbolically represented by Orpheus as adorned with the heads of a ram, a bull, a serpent, and a lion. But Jupiter (Ζεὺς), or the Demiurgus (Δημιουργός) of the universe, is in the intellectual what Phanes is in the intelligible order of Gods; and hence he is said by Orpheus to have absorbed Phanes prior to his fabrication of the world; the Theologist (Orpheus) indicating by this his participation of all the primary paradigmatic causes of things which subsist in Phanes. As Porphyry, therefore, in his treatise De Antro Nympharum, informs us, 'that the Persian deity Mithra, as well as the bull, is the Demiurgus and lord of generation,' the reason is obvious why Protogonus is called in this hymn bull-roarer, the roaring signifying the procession of ideas to the formation of the world. And this is conformable to what is asserted respecting ideas in the Chaldæan Oracles, viz. Νοῦς πατρός ἐρροίζησε νοήσας ἀκμάδι βουλή Παμμορϕοῦς ἰδέας = "The intellect of the father made a crashing noise, understanding with unwearied counsel omniform ideas." ...for the crashing noise indicates the same thing as the roaring of Protogonus." Phánîs is the first constituent of the evolutionary progression of Aithír known as the dynasty of the Six Vasileis (Basileis = Kings, Βασιλεῖς [Βασιλεύς is singular]): Phánîs, Nyx, Ouranós, Krónos, Zefs, and Diónysos. From Phánis comes Nyx, then Ouranós, Krónos, and Zefs. Zefs enters the Cave (Ántron, Ἄντρον) of Nyx, "swallows" (utilizes, controls) Phánîs, and renews or re-orders the universe: And then Zefs went to the Sacred Cave and asked, “Good mother, highest of the Gods, immortal Nyx, show me this, how am I to set up my stout-hearted rule among the Deathless Ones? How can I have all things one yet each one apart?” And blessed (μάκαιρα) Nyx, gleaming with the blue of dawn (κυαναυγής), answered him saying, “Take hold round about all things with the unutterable Aithír, and in its midst place the vault of heaven, the immense earth, the sea, and all the constellations crowning heaven… and bind them all with a golden aithirial chain.” Thus then taking hold of the power of first-born Irikæpaios (Ἠρικεπαῖος) He carried the form of all things in the hollow of his own belly, He mingled his own limbs with the power and strength of the God, for that reason with him all things within Zefs were made new. I suspect Helena is scheming against ye by using George as a medium.

Nyx is one of the greatest deities of mystical Orphism and Ællînismόs (Hellênismos, Ἑλληνισμός), the ancient Greek religion. Nyx is a field of reality, a field in the Kózmos (Cosmos, Κόσμος), which cannot be understood. Therefore in mythology, Nyx is called Night. The "darkness" of Night has nothing to do with anything sinister, but, rather, refers to her character as being unknown or hidden. It is generally said of the divine that "there is nothing dark" in the Gods...they are beings of great light...so, we do not use darkness to symbolize them, but Nyx is an exception. In this case, darkness does not symbolize "evil" or delusion, but here darkness simply means "unknown." Similarly, the Goddess Ækáti (Hecate, Ἑκάτη) is also associated with darkness, and this is often misunderstood to mean evil, but Ækáti, like all the Gods, is a being of great light. Her parents are stars, which are actually suns, great bodies of light. She abounds in virtue, and her darkness, like that of Nyx, refers to a field of reality which is unknown or hidden, not evil. Similarly, Nyx is known by the epithet astæroómmatos (asteroömmatus, ἀστεροόμματος), "with eyes of stars," for there is light within her "darkness" as the evening sky is filled with stars.

Like Phánîs (Phanês, Φάνης), Nyx is not a personal deity; in other words, she has no consciousness. The mythology describes her dwelling in a dark Cave (ἄντρον or σπέος). You cannot see in the dark. The darkness of the Cave of Nyx is symbolic of a field of reality in which the potential of everything exists, but has yet to become manifest.

Nyx is called the nurse (τροφός) of the Gods for she holds a significant position in nurturing the Six Kings, of which she is the second. Although there is not a great deal of mythology concerning her reign as one of these Kings, Nyx plays pivotal roles in the mythology of those who follow her.

Zefs is the source of all prophecy and Apóllôn (Apollô, Ἀπόλλων) speaks his oracles.

Zefs rules the sky, lightning and thunder and tempest, which he produces by shaking his mighty Aiyís (Aegis, Αἰγίς). Zefs cares for all the affairs and sufferings of man and punishes those who commit injustice. He presides over the entire state and every family and person. His dominion is that of Justice, Law and Order. Zefs is God of hosts and God of guests who protects travelers and strangers and presides over hospitality (Xænía, Ξενία) and the rights and sanctity of suppliants. Zefs presides over oaths, which are sworn to his name. Zefs is accompanied by the Goddesses Vía (Βία, Power) and Níkî (Nike, Νίκη, Victory), along with their brothers Krátos (Cratus, Κράτος, Authority) and Zílos (Zêlos, Ζῆλος, Competition); these four siblings all being progeny of the Titánæs (Titans, Τῑτᾶνες) Styx (Στύξ) and Pállas (Πάλλας), this according to Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 383-388. According to the same source, they fought beside him in the Titanomakhía (Battle of the Titans, Τιτανομαχία) in which Zefs ascended to the throne of Gods and men forever and ever, and they never leave his side (Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 389-405. Cf. above The Mythology of Zef's Rise to Supremacy). There is no mention of the Titanomakhía in the Orphic fragments as the mythological defeat of Krónos is told differently.” Helios explained as Zidine was genuinely amazed, only for him to reveal something else. “I believe what Athena said to you. It is correct in truth. “He (Olympian Zefs) is also the summit of the three, has the same name with the fontal (he who is the source) Jupiter (Ζεύς), is united to him, and is monadically called Jupiter. But the second is called dyadically, marine Jupiter and Neptune (Ποσειδῶν). And the third is triadically denominated, terrestrial Jupiter, Pluto (Πλούτων) and Hades (Ἅιδης). The first of these also preserves, fabricates, and vivifies summits, but the second, things of a second rank, and the third those of a third order. Hence this last is said to have ravished Proserpine (Περσεφόνη), that together with her he might animate the extremities of the universe." Zefs wields the Keravnós (Thunderbolt, Κεραυνός); Poseidóhn wields the Tríaina (Trident, Τρίαινα); Ploutohn possesses the Áïdos kynǽin (Dog-skin Cap, Ἄϊδος κυνέην), which renders the wearer invisible. All these weapons and symbols of power were created by the Kýklôpæs (Cyclôpes, Κύκλωπες).”

The concept of a Creator-God within Ællînismόs (Hellênismos, Ἑλληνισμός), the ancient Greek religion, is one of some debate. What is this debate? It involves questions concerning the primordial state of the Kόzmos (Cosmos, Κόσμος). In particular, was the universe created, or did it emerge spontaneously? If the universe was created by a God, did this deity always exist? If not, what came before and how did he or she come to be? If this deity “came to be,” then the idea of a creator has one meaning; if this deity always existed, the idea of a creator has another meaning. These are the questions we will be considering here, but actually there are a great host of questions brewing underneath these ideas. The purpose of this too brief essay is to simply introduce the ideas.

Creator-God in Greek is Piitís-Thæόs (Ποιητής Θεός). The word ποιητής means “maker, author,” or “workman.” More commonly we use the word Dîmiourgόs (Dêmiurge, Δημιουργός), a word which means “worker” or “artisan” but in the context of religion, it is the God who creates everything. The word Dîmiourgόs is often associated with Tímaios (Timaeus, Τίμαιος), the dialogue of Plátôn (Plato, Πλάτων), and the Platonists generally. It has the connotation of a craftsman-deity who creates or puts the Kόzmos in order. The word Dîmiourgόs has been given other meanings by Christian and Gnostic theologians, meanings which are, for the most part, unrelated to this discussion. Ancient Greek religion talks about creation primarily through the use of theogony, stories of the genesis of the Gods. Although there are others worthy of consideration, we are only going to discuss the three most prominent theogonies, and these only briefly and, for the most part, in their very earliest sections. First we will consider the beginning of the Theogony (Θεογονία) of Isíodos (Hesiod, Ἡσίοδος), after this we will examine more deeply the Orphic view, and finally the Tímaios (Timaeus, Τίμαιος) of Plátôn (Plato, Πλάτων).

From the perspective of Orphéfs (Orpheus, Ὀρφεύς), the universe originates from the Ineffable or Unutterable Beginning (Ἄρρητος Ἀρχή), a primordial undifferentiated state from which its constituent parts are yet to be expressed. From this pregnant circ*mstance, the Gods, in reality everything, are born. What are they born from? They are born from the interaction of its constituent parts. What are the constituent parts?

Pre-existent within the Unutterable Beginning are the two cosmogonic material substances. Orphéfs calls them Earth and Water. Earth is a divisible or particulate substance. Water is not divisible and is continuous. There are other fundamental elements discussed in ancient philosophy, Aithír and Fire, but these two are also continuous substances like Water. According to Plátôn, the cosmogonic Water, Fire, and Aithír can transform into each other. From this perspective, there are only two basic cosmogonic substances: Earth and Water-Fire-Aithír. Earth is receptive to the formative nature of Aithír, which draws the particles of Earth and unites with them, creating, or rather, revealing forms, creating souls, creating the universe. Since these forms derive from pre-existent material, this genitive action, revealed by the light of Phánis, is not a creation from nothing. The Aithír cannot "create" without Earth. A universe comes about of its own accord, by Necessity (Ἀνάγκη) through Time (Χρόνος), and develops through natural processes, natural laws. This is told mythologically in the theogony with the emergence of the Golden Age [4] of Phánis (Φάνης) and Nyx (Νύξ) and then continuing with the birth of Ouranós (Οὐρανός) and Yaia (Γαῖα), and then progressing to the Silver Age of Krónos (Κρόνος) and Rǽa (Ῥέα).

The Titanic Age begins when Zefs takes control with Íra (Ἥρα). This is the age we are now living in. But next the theogony describes something extraordinary. With the ascendancy of Zefs, the God uses the power of Phánis (Φάνης), his own essence. Phánis is a more evolved form of Aithír. The fully evolved form of Aithír is Zefs. Thus, Zefs is the Aithír. He then swallows everything, and creates the Kόzmos anew. Therefore, Zefs is the Dîmiourgόs who puts the universe in order.

"And then Zefs went to the Sacred Cave and asked, ‘Mother, supreme of all the Gods, immortal Nyx, how am I to proceed? How can I inaugurate my rule with the immortal Gods? How can I keep all things as one yet separate?’ And blessed Nyx, gleaming with the blue of dawn, answered him saying, ‘Surround everything in the Aithír …the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the stars… and bind them all with a golden aithirial chain.’

“Thus mighty Zefs engulfed and swallowed Irikæpaios (Φάνης), employing all of his power, and drew everything that existed into the hollow of his belly. And now all things in Zefs were created anew, the sky, the sea, the earth, and all the blessed and immortal Gods and Goddesses, all that was then and all that will be, all mingled in the belly of Zefs.”

Hence, Zefs is the creator, or as is commonly said, the "Father of Gods and Men" (Πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε Θεῶν τε). Yet something predates Zefs and the forms before him. Zefs is the Father, but he is the natural progression of Aithír, a form of Water or in Greek, Ýdohr (Hydor, Ὕδωρ). Ýdohr "pre-dates" the more complex form who is the God Zefs, so therefore Zefs cannot be a creator that always existed from time immemorial, only in that the Aithír has existed since time immemorial, as well as the Water. But all of creation consists of Earth and Water, not just Zefs. The Orphic Materialism is the view that the Kόzmos consists of material substances. This material is primordial and does not arise out of "nothing." As is said in the Dærvǽni Papyrus (Δερβένι βύβλος), that what is now, comes from existing (ὄντα) things. Thus, the Orphic position is creatio ex materia, i.e. creation from (existing) material. There is no creation from nothing (creatio ex nihilo).

In the dialogue Tímaios, Plátôn speaks extensively of a creator. He puts these words, not in the mouth of Sôkrátis (Socrates, Σωκράτης), but in that of the Pythagorean, Tímaios of Lokrós (Timaeus of Locri, Τίμαιος ὁ Λοκρός).

"… I am asking a question which has to be asked at the beginning of an enquiry about anything---was the world, I say, always in existence and without beginning? or created, and had it a beginning? Created, I reply, being visible and tangible and having a body, and therefore sensible; and all sensible things are apprehended by opinion and sense and are in a process of creation and created. Now that which is created must, as we affirm, of necessity be created by a cause. But the father and maker of all this universe is past finding out; and even if we found him, to tell of him to all men would be impossible. And there is still a question to be asked about him: Which of the patterns had the artificer in view when he made the world---the pattern of the unchangeable, or of that which is created? If the world be indeed fair and the artificer good, it is manifest that he must have looked to that which is eternal; but if what cannot be said without blasphemy is true, then to the created pattern. Every one will see that he must have looked to, the eternal; for the world is the fairest of creations and he is the best of causes. And having been created in this way, the world has been framed in the likeness of that which is apprehended by reason and mind and is unchangeable, and must therefore of necessity, if this is admitted, be a copy of something."

According to the Neoplatonist Próklos (Proclus, Πρόκλος), the Dîmiourgόs of the Tímaios is Zefs (Ζεύς):

"Very properly therefore do we say that the Demiurgus in the Timæus is the mighty Jupiter (Ζεύς). For he it is who produces mundane intellects and souls, who adorns all bodies with figures and numbers, and inserts in them one union, and an indissoluble friendship and bond." [9]

But why then did this Creator-God, this kozmic craftsman, create or order the universe? The Tímaios says:

"Let me tell you then why the creator made this world of generation. He was good, and the good can never have any jealousy of anything. And being free from jealousy, he desired that all things should be as like himself as they could be. This is in the truest sense the origin of creation and of the world, as we shall do well in believing on the testimony of wise men: God desired that all things should be good and nothing bad, so far as this was attainable. Wherefore also finding the whole visible sphere not at rest, but moving in an irregular and disorderly fashion, out of disorder he brought order, considering that this was in every way better than the other.” [10]

The Tímaios calls this creator intelligence, but also describes the role of Anángi (Ananke, Ἀνάγκη), the force of Necessity or Need:

"Thus far in what we have been saying, with small exception, the works of intelligence have been set forth; and now we must place by the side of them in our discourse the things which come into being through necessity---for the creation is mixed, being made up of necessity and mind. Mind, the ruling power, persuaded necessity to bring the greater part of created things to perfection and thus and after this manner in the beginning, when the influence of reason got the better of necessity, the universe was created. But if a person will truly tell of the way in which the work was accomplished, he must include the other influence of the variable cause as well."

The view of Isíodos seems to imply that the universe emerges spontaneously from something which, for whatever reason, he does not explain, with Kháos the first to arise.

The Orphic view presents a universe emerging spontaneously, due to natural forces, emerging from something which cannot be described (Ἄρρητος Ἀρχή), but which consists of material substances. Gods and worlds come forth which are later put in order by Zefs, who, at that point, plays the role of creator, not creatio ex nihilo, but, rather, he re-creates the universe from pre-existent things. The Platonic view is that the universe is created, or that it has an origin, and that this creation is a copy of something. So we have here an expression which the later so-called Neoplatonists developed and refer to as “the One” (Τὸ Ἕν). What is unclear is the relationship of the Dîmiourgόs to that which the universe is a copy of. Is he himself a copy of this? In any case, the Dîmiourgόs is part of the Tímaios, whether he be a sentient being or whether the dialogue is using such a figure as a teaching tool. From this perspective, the universe originates as a copy of a form which is unchangeable (while the universe is changeable). This concept is, in a way, similar to monotheistic ideas about God, that the Creator has always existed and is perfect and unchangeable. Also, this idea which is perfect and unchangeable, of which the universe is a copy of, predates the creation. The dialogue represents the Dîmiourgόs as ordering this process, so, if the dialogue is to be taken literally on this point, creation, or the emergence of the universe, is not entirely spontaneous, yet the dialogue acknowledges the role of necessity or spontaneity. This author is inclined to the Orphic view. The idea of a creator-God who has existed eternally and never changes is rejected. Something which does not change must be a concept or an abstraction. The universe, it would seem, arises spontaneously, created by necessity through time, from the interaction of pre-existent material. The tradition, the mythology, gives us a creator-God, the Dîmiourgόs, who plays a role in the emergence of this universe, for he is the Aithír which causes its characteristics to be revealed, interact, and progress. And that once this universe has arisen, the Aithír has evolved into a sentient divine being who plays a role in putting the universe in order as a creative act.

Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 116 says that Kháos comes to be (γένετ'), not that it pre-exists everything else. It is clear in his choice of the word:

Ἦ τοι μὲν πρώτιστα Χάος γένετ' "Verily first of all chaos came to be...." (trans. by the author)

ὁ λόγος σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Κρατύλου Πλάτωνος (trans. Thomas Taylor): "That Orpheus greatly availed himself of the licence of fables, and manifests every thing prior to Heaven (Οὐρανός) by names, as far as to the first cause. He also denominates the ineffable, who transcends the intelligible unities, Time; whether because Time pre-subsists as the cause of all generation, or because, as delivering the generation of true beings, he thus denominates the ineffable, that he may indicate the order of true beings, and the transcendency of the more total to the more partial; that a subsistence according to Time may be the same with a subsistence according to cause; in the same manner as generation with an arranged progression. But Hesiod venerates many of the divine natures in silence, and does not in short name the first. For that what is posterior to the first proceeds from something else, is evident from the verse, 'Chaos of all things was the first produced.' For it is perfectly impossible that it could be produced without a cause; but he does not say what that is which gave subsistence to Chaos. He is silent indeed with respect to both the fathers of intelligibles, the exempt, and the co-ordinate; for they are perfectly ineffable. And with respect to the two co-ordinations, the natures which are co-ordinate with the one, he passes by in silence, but those alone which are co-ordinate with the indefinite duad, he unfolds through genealogy. And of this account Plato now thinks Hesiod deserves to be mentioned, for passing by the natures prior to Heaven, as being ineffable. For this also is indicated concerning them by the (Chaldean) Oracles, which likewise add "they possess mystic silence," σῖγ᾽ ἔχε μύστα. And Socrates himself in the Phædrus, calls the intellectual perception of them μύησις (initiation) and ἐποπτεία (highest grade of initiation), in which nearly the whole business is ineffable and unknown."

My own power is beyond the traditional part of Zeus-Helios and infinitely beyond the Platonic variation of it. It is that you will inherit, in the form of the Demiurgos.

And let the separate be understood as what is not mixed with any matter, and (which is) entangled with none of the corporeal things, and which has no share in the passivity of nature.

The other divine things are intelligible (noētà) offspring of this father and maker. They are the so-called intelligible cosmos <and the ideas>, and they are the models (paradeígmata) of the visible cosmos. In addition to these, there are certain powers (called gods) in the ether (enaithérioi) – but lógoi are incorporeal – and in the air (enaérioi) and in the water (énydroi). And the visible (gods) are Sun, Moon, Stars, Earth, and the cosmos which contains all things.

“The principle (arkhē) and the first of all beings is unmoved, both essentially and accidentally, and it brings about the first eternal and unitary movement; for it is necessary that what is moved is moved by something, and that the first mover is essentially unmoved, and also that eternal motion is moved by something eternal, and what is unitary (or ‘one’) by some one thing. “But we see that, beside the unitary (or ‘simple’) movement of the universe, of which we say that the first and unmoved substance moves it, there are other eternal movements, namely those of the planets […] and it is necessary that each of these movements is also moved by a substance that is essentially unmoved and eternal. For the eternal nature of the stars is a certain substance, and that which moves is eternal and prior to that which is moved, and it is also necessary that what is prior to substance is a substance. So, it is evident that there necessarily substances which by their nature are eternal, essentially unmoved and without extension […]. “That (these Movers) are substances, and that there is a certain first and second one (and so on), according to the same orders of the motions (phorai) of the stars, is evident” (Metaphysics 10723ab). Here we see that, while the Movers are ordered hierarchically, the First Mover is commensurate with the others; and when Aristotle goes on to argue for the unity of the cosmos (or ‘heaven’, ouranos, which here refers especially to the outermost sphere), and for the unity of its First Mover, he immediately follows this by arguing that all the Movers are gods: “That there is only one heaven is evident. For if there were many heavens, like there are humans, the principle of each would be one in species, but many in number. But whenever there are many in number (of something), they have matter; […] but the first essence (ti ēn einai) does not have matter; for it is an actuality (or ‘entelechy’). So, since the First Mover, which is unmoved, is one in pattern (logos) and in number, that which is eternally and continuously moved is likewise; and so, there is only one heaven. “It has been handed down, in the form of a myth, as a tradition from the ancients and those of the oldest times to those after them, that these (Movers) are gods, and that the divine encompasses all of nature. The rest has been added later, in a mythical manner so as to persuade the masses, and because of the usefulness (of mythical narratives) for the laws and expedience (eis tous nomous kai to sympheron); for they say that that they are human-shaped (anthrōpoeideis) and like certain other animals, and other things that follow from these things or are related to the aforementioned. “If, setting all these things aside, one takes only this first (opinion), that the first substances are gods, one should regard it as divinely said, and that – since in all probability, every art and philosophy has been fully explored and lost in turn many times over – these opinions have survived as a kind of remnant of them until now. And it is to this extent only that the view of our ancestors and the earliest (writers?) is clear to us” (Metaphysics 1074ab). This does not necessary entail that the Movers are the only gods (although it might), but it certainly does entail that all of them are gods. And this provides the crucial context for interpreting the more famous passage, slightly earlier in the Metaphysics, where Aristotle discusses the nature of ho theos, ‘the god’. This not “God”, as Christian readers would have it, but ‘the god’ in the sense of ‘the gods as a genus’, just as ho anthrōpos means both ‘the human being’ and, in an abstract sense, ‘humankind’. (Compare the obsolete English ‘man’ for ‘mankind’, i.e., ‘human’ for ‘humanity’.) So, let us see how Aristotle understands ‘godkind’: The First Mover (or the god more generally?) “is life; for the actualization (energeia) of mind (nous) is life, and he is actuality (energeia); but his the essential actuality is a most excellent and eternal life. For of course we call the god an eternal and most excellent living being (zōion aïdion ariston), so that life and aiōn (‘lifetime; eternity’) are continuous and eternal for the god; for that is the god” (Metaphysics 1072b). (Note that I have omitted the preceding, more famous passage about “thought thinking itself” or “intellect cognizing the intelligible”, since it is about the First Mover, not ‘the god’.) According to the conventional, monotheistic reading of this passage, Aristotle is supposed to have introduced the radical opinion that there is only one god by nothing more than the phrase “that is is the god”, while presupposing it elsewhere. But from context, it is much more natural to read this as meaning “this is what the gods are like”. Firstly, we know from 1074b that Aristotle believes there to be many gods; secondly, the definition of gods as eternal and most excellent living beings accords perfectly with Greek tradition; and thirdly, Aristotle introduces this definition with the particle dē, which I translate “of course”: this can only mean that he is relying on a view that is already shared by his audience, and is now being applied to one god in particular, the First Mover. "Zeus, therefore, is the whole world, animal of animals, and God of Gods; but Zeus, that is, inasmuch as he is the mind from which he brings forth all things, and by his thoughts creates them. When the theologians had explained the nature of God in this manner, to make an image such as their description indicated was neither possible, nor, if any one thought of it, could he show the look of life, and intelligence, and forethought by the figure of a sphere. But they have made the representation of Zeus in human form, because mind was that according to which he wrought, and by generative laws brought all things to completion; and he is seated, as indicating the steadfastness of his power: and his upper parts are bare, because he is manifested in the intellectual and the heavenly parts of the world; but his feet are clothed, because he is invisible in the things that lie hidden below. And he holds his sceptre in his left hand, because most close to that side of the body dwells the heart, the most commanding and intelligent organ: for the creative mind is the sovereign of the world. And in his right hand he holds forth either an eagle, because he is master of the Gods who traverse the air, as the eagle is master of the birds that fly aloft - or a victory, because he is himself victorious over all things.”

Thus, I must speak about the Hellenic version of myself and a mingling arm of my power.

Helios (also named Zeus, Iuppiter, and Iovis) is the King of Heaven and the All, fathering our existence as we know it. He is the Celestial Demiurge, and as the Supreme Sovereign He is set over the whole order; singular in highest divinity; He is both the progenitor and the highest creator of all. His act of creation took place prior to the creation of time, and therefore creation is beyond the limits of time and is ultimately eternal; meaning the universe has no beginning or end in time. As our universe was created by Him, who is perfect, it was created perfect, and nothing may be added to it as that would be excess.

All the cosmos, Intelligible, Intellective and Generation, are ruled by a sun represented in three Hypostases respectively, starting with Aion as the Transcendent Sun (Intelligible), Zeus-Helios as the invisible Celestial Sun (Intellective), and finally, the Visible Helios which acts as the Celestial Demiurge’s material body (Encosmic). Zeus is not merely the highest divinity of Hellenism, but He is the highest and most supreme divinity in the entire Cosmos. Underneath Zeus-Helios are other individual Gods, also created by Him, who aid in the ontological hierarchy of the universe by participating in His divine essence, not being His competitors but rather His assistants.

Zeus-Helios is the God of creation and generation, the immaterial and material, the soldier and mystic, the simple and wise, the peasant and king, the mortals and Gods below Him. He is King of Olympus, Father of Gods and men, averter of evil. He is both a personal and impersonal God: a universal God who can still listen to and answer individual needs. Without the King of the Gods, practice and worship is not complete, for He is the one whom we naturally stretch out our hands towards when we turn to the heavens when we pray. If we have any notion at all of the divine, we turn heavenward. And it was very natural that men should feel this. Without Him, Hellenism is not complete. Hellenism is not Hellenism without the King of the Gods. The One is the cause of beauty, existence, perfection, and oneness among the Intelligible Gods, also called the henads, which is the highest essence of the Gods’. The One connects these gifts and illuminates the Gods with a power which works for good (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 361). Through Aion, the One gives rise to the Celestial Demiurge, Zeus-Helios, who came into Being (Ousia, meaning “Substance” or “Essence”) along with the rest of the Gods (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 361). He is the principle of Intellect, where Intelligible reality is grasped by Him, the divine mind, also called Nous, meaning “Mind” or “Intellect.” He is the God behind our visible sun. He is a divine mean, connecting the Intelligible and Physical Realms. Zeus-Helios is appointed by Aion as ruler of the Gods (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 361), and illuminates the same gifts that Aion grants the henads upon the Intellective Gods. This bestows upon them the faculty of thought and being comprehended by thought (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 397). This was done so the cause which resembles the Good may guide the Intellective Gods “to blessings for them all, and may regulate all things according to pure reason” (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 361). He is described as “creator of the cosmos.” Prior to Him, there was chaos, and everything was disorganized. It was only through Zeus-Helios, who received through Aion the creative power to shape the cosmos, that the cosmos were properly crafted. As such, He is a God of order and formation, being the one who fashions the World Soul (the literal soul of our Realm which connects all living beings) and the one who mixes the souls of the Phenomenal Gods, the Greater Kinds and humanity while also (through the divine Athene) ordering the Gods to place the physical realm in its proper order. Furthermore, while it is the One who creates matter (hylē), it is the Demiurge who directs the Logoi (lower manifestations of the Forms as the Demiurge’s thoughts) to inform and give shape to the hylē, an empty receptive substance which forms into matter as we know once engage with the logoi, hence forming the cosmos.. There was no creatio ex nihilo (“creation from nothing”), but rather the ordering of the cosmos was creatio ex materia (“creation from [pre-existent] matter”) since the universe is infinite and there cannot be nothing. Zeus reigns as the King of the Gods and Heavens, and though there are a plethora of deities who partake in the divine act of creation, it is all under His direction.

The visible disc in our own skies is known as the “Eye of Zeus,” “Visible Helios,” “Encosmic Demiurge,” and the “Seven Rayed God.” Here the Celestial Demiurge acts through His pneumatic vehicle in the Intellective Realm and appears visible in the Encosmic Realm, our material universe, as our visible sun. The status and functions of the Visible Sun here in the Sensible Realm is analogous to those of the Celestial Demiurge in the Intellective Realm: this is the expression of Helios that is visible and known for His centrality among the planets, giving us sustained life with His warmth, giving us sight which grants us clearance and mirrors goodness, and governs our Encosmic Realm by embracing matter within Himself to impose order on it. Through His radiance He blesses the Encosmic Gods with the same Intelligible gifts as He does the Intellective Gods, perfecting them and allowing them to be made visible in the universe (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 367). His divine rays, undefiled incarnations of pure Nous (Flavius Claudius Iulianis, I 363), illuminate the universe and bring the souls of those who achieve henosis into union with the One. He is described by Hesiod as Zeus’ eye whose vision is divine (Hesiod, Work and Days, 267), and it is this aspect of the Demiurge who we pray to when we turn towards the heavens. He produces for us “rain and wind and the clouds in the skies, by employing, as though it were matter, the two kinds of vapour,” for when He “heats the earth he draws up steam and smoke, and from these there arise not only the clouds but also all the physical changes on our earth, both great and small” (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 415-417).

Epithets[]

Iovis has many epithets under many names, though His most notable are:

• Pater, meaning Father
• Invictus, meaning Unconquerable
• Basileus, meaning King

Continuing on, The One (Greek: Hen), which is also the Good (Greek: tou agathon), is the ultimate and true unknowable Godhead and reality. It has an utterly singularly unitary nature (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2-3) as one of its most defining characteristics is the sum of all things in existence.

Continuing on, The One (Greek: Hen), which is also the Good (Greek: tou agathon), is the ultimate and true unknowable Godhead and reality. It has an utterly singularly unitary nature (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2-3) as one of its most defining characteristics is the sum of all things in existence. The One is utterly immovable, abiding in the solitude of its own unity. Plato tells us that even to give it a name or speak of it places limiting labels and definitions, writing that “you cannot say that it ‘has’ anything or that there is anything ‘of’ it. Consequently, it cannot have a name or be spoken of, nor can there be any knowledge or perception or opinion of it. It is not named or spoken of, not an object of opinion or of knowledge, not perceived by any creature” (Plato Parmenides, 142a). This is because the One is not only the sum of everything, but transcends and lays beyond each thing as the ultimate source of the all, manifesting multiplicity through the overflowing emanation of its superabundant goodness (Uždavinys 2009, 27). It is without beginning or end, and is even beyond the Gods which manifest from it. It is also infrequently called God (Greek: Theos, Latin: Deus), but it is important to stress that the One is an apophatic God, existing wholly supra-essentially (Hyparxis) and completely beyond Being or Substance (hyperousios), thus existing completely within in a negative reality; and because of this it is not directly knowable. It can only really be understood, as little as it can, by negation, where one only speaks in terms of what may not be said about its perfectness. Damascius calls it the Unutterable Principle, or Árritos Arkhí (Ἄρρητος Ἀρχή), made out of the words árritos, meaning “that which cannot be expressed” or “not to be divulged,” and arkhí, meaning “beginning” (Damascius, De Princ., 123.2). Though the One is singular, it may paradoxically be best understood (as best as we can understand it, that is) triadically, “all contained within itself transcendentally and immanently throughout the realms and cosmos” (Theourgia.org Catechism, 2). These three moments of the One are the Ineffable One, the Simply One and the One-Being. Here the One in all of its ways exists beyond Being (On), beyond Life (Zoe), and beyond Mind (Noesis) (Theourgia.org Catechism, 2). These all derive from the One but the One is simultaneously beyond them, for “as the senses of the physical body cannot grasp nor even perceive the realities of the mind, as image cannot take hold in what is absolutely simple and shapeless, and as the bodily cannot approach the incorporeal so too is the mind incapable of gazing upon that which is beyond intellect and beings are to be found inferior to that which is infinitely prior to being” (Theourgia.org Catechism, 2). The Ineffable One, also called the Absolute One, is the unparticipated One (Finamore 1985, 41). The Ineffable One has a singular nature, encompassing but laying beyond all things. It is eternal, existing ungenerated and without Being (Ousia). The One does not exist as we understand existence, instead existing in a negative reality outside of Being (Ontas). As such, the Ineffable One is none and is found nowhere at all, with Plato writing that it “neither is, nor is one” (Plato Parmenides, 141e), but simultaneously it is also the first of a series of things which are different from, but dependent upon, the One for their Being. It is the principle beyond all Being, beyond all participation, totally imparticipable and transcendent, beyond all knowledge, and “unmoved in the singularity of its own unity” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2-3) for “no object of intellection is linked to him, nor anything else” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2-3). It not only transcends physical reality, but transcends the mind. It is passive, laying in ultimate repose. All things exist because of the Ineffable One, though the Ineffable One is beyond all things. The Ineffable One is the ultimate and true reality, participating in nothing, prior and superior to everything else. The Ineffable One is simply the One in-and-of itself, being unconnected to anything after it. It is the first principle from which everything else (i.e., the Many) proceeds. The One can be identified as the First Cause. This is because:

If the First Cause were Mind, then all things would possess mind…

If the First Cause were Soul, then all things would possess soul…

If the First Cause were Being, then all things would partake in Being…

Some people may come to think that the First Cause is Being, as they see this quality in all things. Now if things had nothing but Being, and did not also possess goodness, this assertion would be true; but if beings subsist through goodness, and participate in the Good, it is necessary that the First Cause should be the supra-essential Good (Sallustius, V).

If there isn’t a One, there is nothing; however there is clearly something. You, me, whatever you’re reading this from, etc. These things are, and they are because the Simply One is. What Iamblichus conveys is that at this level things that must be are. If something must logically follow from a proposition such as the Simply One, then that something exists. Not only does it exist, but it exists ontologically posterior to that which it must follow. The Dyad must exist, and it must exist after the Simply One, and following the Dyad is the One-Being. Finally, following the Dyad is the One-Being (alternatively called One-Extant), the final moment of the One. The One-Being sits at the lowest point of the realm of the One, and as the lowest the One-Being acts as a bridge between the realm of the One and the Intelligible realm, simultaneously existing in both as a mediate (this is part of an Iamblichean axiom: the lowest principle of one realm is also the highest principle of the next). The One-Being is prior to both oneness and Being, existing in all its ways beyond being, beyond life, and beyond mind; though it is the source of it all, giving it all to the Intelligible Realm, the highest realm directly below the non-realm of the One. Because of this, the One-Being can be identified with the cosmic egg from Khronos created after Duality that births Phanes. This is explained by Meisner as such (Meisner 2018, 189-190): “In its initial creation, the cosmic egg allegorically represents the Mixture that results from Limit (Aither) and Unlimited (Chaos). Limit and Unlimited, occupying the next level of the Neoplatonic metaphysical scheme after the One, correspond to Chronos creating the cosmic egg after the birth of Aither and Chaos. . . Damascius quotes Orpheus narrating that “great Chronos fashioned with the divine Aither / a silver- shining egg” in order to demonstrate that “everything that is unified is mixed.” He adds that “the word ‘fashioned’ shows that the egg is an artifact and not naturally conceived,” which means that it “is mixed from two things at least, matter [Unlimited] and form [Limited].” Likewise, Proclus argues that “if the first thing [to issue] from Limit and the Unlimited is primal Being, Plato’s Being and the Orphic egg will be the same thing.” The cosmic egg was a particularly useful allegorical image of the One and the Many. An egg has a simple shape and one simple colour, so it is unified but

it contains potential multiplicity within itself. Olympiodorus explains how the

egg can be used as a metaphor for Intelligible Being: “for as in [the egg] every

part is undifferentiated and not the head or the foot, so also in the Intelligible

all Forms that are united are undiffentiated from one another.” . . . This image of the egg was attractive to commentators as a simple object containing the potential diversity of the entire creation inside its shell. The image of multiplicity within unity was useful for illuminating the concept that the first level of Intelligible Being contains the (Platonic) Forms of all subsequent levels, but these Forms are not yet differentiated from one another.” Imagine something beautiful, such as a breathtaking waterfall. Now, instead of pausing and focusing on that experience alone, lift your mind higher and consider that this sight is not the only beautiful thing. There are many other experiences equally or more beautiful as this one. Now, we must consider that there is something in common amongst all these experiences — in exactly the same way that there is something in common for all circles, all homes, or all dogs. That is, each of these things has some defining principle or principles: some unchangeable, transcendent, universal essence. However, this universal essence is not the only essence. We may conceive of the abstract “Form” of a circle, which would exist even if somehow we were able to remove all physical circles from the world. There are also things such as Truth, Excellence, and Virtue— which we also consider to be good and beautiful without even giving it a second thought. And thus we may suppose that there is some Form for each of these other things: a Form of Truth, of Virtue, of Excellence, of Justice, etc. With these universal essences in mind, we may also deduce that there is some Form of Beauty, which is the principle that all beautiful things have in common, and that this may potentially exist independently of all beautiful things. And connected to this Form of Beauty, we may consider an overarching principle or essence which all these different Forms of good things have in common. Something beyond these things closely connected to the Form of Beauty which all can ultimately trace their source from. This essential and primordial good would be the Form of the Good, (tou agathou idean), which is that “which just things and all the rest become useful and beneficial” (Plato Republic, 505a). The ultimate source of this Form is the Good itself, also known as the One. But why are the One and the Good the same, and what exactly is the Good? The Good is that “which every soul pursues” for the sake of all that it does (Plato Republic, 505e). It’s not possible to describe it in any useful way, because not only is it beyond the mind, but it’s beyond Being and essence themselves, and thus there isn’t any singular thing we can point to so that one may describe it. Hence, Plato turns to analogy to describe the Good (Plato Republic, 507c-509a). In the Republic, Socrates discusses the nature of one of the five senses, sight. Sight isn’t possible if there is merely eyes and an object to be seen, as “vision will see nothing and the colors will remain invisible” (Plato Republic, 507e). For us to have sight, we require the thing “that you call light” (Plato Republic, 507e), and the source of light is ultimately linked to a divine source, the sun (Plato Republic, 507d-e). In Platonism, the planets and stars are the bodies of the Encosmic Gods. Particularly, the sun is the body of Zeus-Helios, the Divine Mind and Creator (myself). When our sights look upon objects fully illuminated by the benevolent sun, we have full, sharp, clear vision. The Form of the Good is akin to the sun, which is itself “a visible reflection of the invisible Good” (Kupperman 2014, 97). When the soul looks upon the Intelligible Realm, “where truth and reality shine resplendent” (Plato Republic, 508d), it can grasp knowledge of those things “and attain to reason” (Kupperman 2014, 97). However, if the soul should avert their eyes from the Intelligible Realm and towards our realm of generation, its vision of truth will be dulled, “just as though the eye were turned away from illuminated objects” (Kupperman 2014, 97). It’s important to note, however, that while light and vision are like the sun that they are not the all-ruling sun itself, rather the sun is the cause of vision (Plato Republic, 508b). Likewise, this is also true for the Good. The Good is “beyond that which it allows us to know” (Kupperman 2014, 97), and like the One, while we may never know it, we may know of it. This is because the Good is the One (Kupperman 2014, 97). The Good being synonymous with the One is fundamental to Platonism. Proclus writes that “all things desire the Good” (Dodds 1963, 35, C Prop. 31), and hence the Good must be beyond everything since “all appetite implies a lack of, and a severance from, the object craved” (Dodds 1963, 11, B Prop. 8). As such, because the Good illuminates the entirety of the Intelligible Realm, it consequently must exist before that realm, and hence it isn’t merely beyond entities but beyond Being (Ousia) (Kupperman 2014, 97). Furthermore, the Good is wholly self-contained. Nothing can be added to it that would make it better, because “if something can be added to the Good to improve it, then that thing would be the Good all things desire” (Kupperman 2014, 97). All things derive from the One, and the One is the Good because the Good is the best thing possible; for if something else were superior to the Good, the soul would turn to that instead. Additionally, the nature of the Good is to “unify things and perfect them,” (Kupperman 2014, 98) which is illustrated in the Republic where the Good makes all things beneficial and useful, and hence beautiful. However, the principle of unity belongs to the One-Being as Aion, the Monad above the Intelligible Realm. This ultimately means that anything which fails to participate the Good also “ceases having the power of unity, and anything that ceases to have the power of union ceases participating the Good” (Kupperman 2014, 98). “Goodness, then, is unification, and unification goodness; the Good is one, and the One is primal good” (Dodds 1963, 17, C Prop. 13). The One is the highest divinity, but in all of its modes, it is not directly knowable. Just like the analogy of the sun in Plato’s Republic, we’re able to see truth by the One’s divine light, but we should not mistake the truth for “that which illuminates it” (Kupperman 2014, 98). And without the One, there is no truth. The use of this knowledge regarding this unknowable One is practical. The One is the foundation of all things, existing beyond everything and, but at the same time, existing “in or to all things” (Kupperman 2014, 98). The divine Iamblichus writes of this principle that “in the highest levels of beings, the abundance of power has this additional advantage over all others, in being present to all equally in the same manner without hindrance; according to this principle then, the primary beings illuminate even the lowest levels, and the immaterial are present immaterially to the material” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, V.23, 267). The One is always with us. The unity and goodness which it brings are what we all strive for, even if we don’t always succeed in our goals. All acts of love (eros) are imitations of the Good, for Eros is “the perpetrator of unions” (Kupperman 2014, 98). And finally, as the source of unions, the presence of the Good in the material cosmos is what allows us for the practice of virtue, theourgia, theosis, and ultimately henosis (Kupperman 2014, 98). Bursting forth from the cosmic egg is who Orpheus calls Protogonos or Phanes. Protogonos is depicted as both male and female, whose name means “to bring light” or “to shine,” as it is from Him all life emanates. However, the Supreme God is both nameless and many-named. To the divine Iamblichus He is called Aion, meaning Eternity. Iamblichus also calls Him the “Pre-Essential” (proousios), “Father of Himself” (autopater), “Principle of Himself” (autarchis), “God of Gods” (theos theon), “Father of Essence” (ousiopator), “Principle of Intellection” (noetarchis prosagoreoetai), and “Monad springing from the One” (monas ek tou enos) (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2). To the blessed Julian He is called Hyperion, meaning “The High-One” or “He who Watches from Above.” Julian also calls Him the “Supra-Intelligible” (epekeina tou nou) and “Idea of Being” (idean ton onton) (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 359). To the inspired Hesiod, Aion is called Metis, who Zeus must swallow to gain the intellect to become supreme Lord of the Kosmos. Aion can be understood as the One-Being once it’s reflected into the Intelligible Realm (i.e., the first realm of Being which is immediately after the non-realm of the One), autonomously shining forth from it (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2). For this Iamblichus calls Him “the self-sufficient God, for which reason He is termed “father of Himself” and “principle of Himself”; for He is first principle and “God of Gods” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2), and Julian calls Him the “first and greatest” (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 361). Plato writes that “eternity [aion] remains in the One” (Plato Timaeus, 37d5), which tells us that Aion is a horizontal extension of the One, i.e., existing within the same level and occupying the same ontological place as the One-Being; however, as He exists at the top of the Intelligible Realm as its first principle and cause, rather than at the bottom of the non-realm of the One, He is functionally different, and acts as a medium between the two realms. He is called the “Monad . . . from the One” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2), being pre-essential and the first principle of essence and source of essentiality and essence (i.e., ousia), for which reason he is termed “father of essence” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2). He is thus the supreme genus who allows for all levels of the ontological hierarchy to participate in His divine essence. As the Monad from the One who is the pre-essential first principle of the Intelligible Realm He is the “Principle of Intellection” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2), the source of that which is thought, who thinks the Gods under Him (out of the pre-essential henads He pluralizes from Himself as the One-Being, who are unfolded into His unity, monoeides), and Being itself, into existence, springing forth the entirety of the Intelligible Cosmos, the Intelligible Gods, and His vertical emanation the Celestial Demiurge (the Nous, i.e., Zeus-Helios), all of whom surround Him (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 377). As the Good made manifest as a God, Aion is the source of Being, Life, and Intellect who unifies and rules over Them (Iamblichus In Timaeus, fr. 54). He also holds the role of organizing His domain, the Intelligible Realm, and all its inhabitants (i.e., the Gods) according to the impulses given by the One, bestowing upon the Intelligible Gods the life-light which sustains and nourishes Them, granting Them their beauty, existence, perfection, and oneness (Flavius Claudius Iulianus Augustus, I 361) and allowing Them to think in a unitary mode. As the One-Being, Aion’s existence is beyond all things and prior to the Gods under Him, being alone in the singularity of the highest divinity, governing apart over the universe. He is so sublime and transcendental that even the Gods intimately connected and inseperable from Him are simultaneously under Him, unable to know Him, as admitted by Clarian Apollo at His oracle (Smith 1995, 98): “There exists a fire (phlogmos) which has occupied a vessel above the heavens – a fire infinitely in motion, a boundless eternity. It is not within the grasp of the blessed Gods, unless the mighty Father should plan His purposes so that He Himself might be looked upon: in that place the ether does not bear the radiant stars; nor is the luminous moon raised up there. No God meets Him [the Father, who is fire] on His path, nor am I myself [solar Apollo] spread out so far as to reach Him, though I whirl through the ether in company with my light-rays. God is fire, a vast channel moving in a spinning motion with a whirring sound. But if someone touched that ethereal fire, he would not feel fear in his heart, for it has not power to burn. Through an unceasing care that derives from God Himself, eternity mingles with eternities. Self-begotten, untaught, without a mother, unshakeable, nameless, many-named, and dwelling in fire – that is God; we are messengers (angeloi), only a small part of God.” Aion is the creative power the Celestial Demiurge draws from to create and shape the cosmos. Matter (hylē) is also created by Aion, and is thus eternal. Hylē is initially vacant though, being an empty receptive substance which forms into matter as we know it once the Celestial Demiurge directs the Logoi to give hylē shape. This informs matter and gives it shape, turning it from an empty substance into the matter we understand. Aion is also the model upon which the Cosmos are based on, for which reason He is called “the Paradigm” (Iamblichus, De Mysteriis VIII.2) and the “the Essence of Being” (Iamblichus In Timaeus, fr. 35) from which all Being stems. Here, the divine Zeus, Demiurge of the Kosmos, “unpacks” a paradigm for the cosmos (i.e., a soul-formula) from all the Kings of the Kosmos before Him, who are His pre-forms. It is described in Orphic fragments that Zeus does so by swallowing Phanes (Orphic Fragments (Kern) 58, 164, 165, and 167. Loosely trans. by HellenicGods.org, Edited): “Thus mighty Zeus engulfed and swallowed Erikapaios [Phanes], employing all of His power, and drew everything that existed into the hollow of His belly. And now all things in Zeus were created anew, the sky, the sea, the earth, and all the blessed and immortal Gods and Goddesses, all that was then and all that will be, all mingled in the belly of Zeus.” The philosopher Damascius tells us there there is a distinctly tripartite quality of power from Aion that Zeus attains by engulfing Him (Damascius, De Principiis 123):

By swallowing Phanes, the Father, Zeus gains the generative capacity needed to create and shape the kosmos.

By swallowing Metis, Zeus attains the intellect to create the kosmos by design and manage it.

By swallowing Erikpaios, Zeus attains the very power to rule.

In Platonism, Aion is identified as the Third Intelligible Triad/Intelligible Intellect/The Paradigm/The Living-Thing-Itself/Animal Itself. Phanes is also identified as Eros in the Orphic Rhapsodies (Meisner 2018, 193). This can be taken as a way to understand how the Form of Beauty is formed within Aion. “This form is contained within the higher sub- levels of the metaphysical system, but Phanes is the first god to “participate” or “to have been filled with” Beauty. Phanes, the god who appears and makes things appear, becomes the first god in whom Beauty appears, both in the Rhapsodic narrative and in the Neoplatonic allegory, and thus he is assimilated to Eros” (Meisner 2018, 193). Aion being the cosmic model Zeus draws from the shape creation is important, because it tells us that the kosmos and its nature are modeled by the Celestial Demiurge based upon something that is eternal, unchangeable, good, and beyond generation, as Plato writes: “Everyone will see that [the Celestial Demiurge] must have looked to the eternal, for the world is the fairest of creations, and He is the best of causes” (Plato Timaeus, 29a). The Demiurge gives order to the disorderly motion of the cosmos by creating Soul as an image of Phanes, the paradigm, who is Animal Itself. Iamblichus states that the Gods are monoeides, meaning “in the form of singularity” (Clark 2010, 56-57), a term which Plato uses for the Good. This means that the Gods share a single unity as emanatory manifestations within Their singular divine source, the One Supra-Essential Godhead (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 379), as unity precedes the existence of multiplicity (Sallustius, V). They derive from the One through simple multiplication of itself into a multitude (and thus preserving most of its attributes, as everything is multiplied oneness) and functioning as horizontal extensions of the same power, which leads back to that unity. In doing so, the Godhead provides access to all His capabilities to all Gods via Himself and doesn’t ask for a exclusive pedestal of superiority, because all manifestations are treated as equal to Him. It allows Himself to be accessed by one manifestation via another manifestation indirectly. This is all-pervasiveness. Each God is not “separate from the first cause, or from one each other” (Sallustius, II), and as such the One “neither is, nor is one” (Plato Parmenides, 141e). Each God, as a multiplication of the Good, is the center of all. This provides a case for a plurality of worship, as it means there are many ways to approach and worship God. While the Gods are united within the One as monoeides, each of the Gods, insofar as They are a God, are henads (meaning “unities”), supra-essential ineffable unities. Though They are beyond Being (hyperousios), the bottom level of one hypostasis is considered to be the top level of the next, and thus the Gods are simultaneously understood to possess substance (Ousia) at the summits of Being, in which through Aion They are illuminated from the One and communicated into Being as its first principles. Existing in the Intelligible Realm, They hold no need to strive upwards, for as the first principles of Being They are already at the summit of existence and fully participate in the One. The Gods concern themselves with things of this world and perform activities, however They do not perform these activities out of need because They are perfect and thus are without needs. This nature links back to the One and Plotinus’ description of its activity as an overflow of its superabundance. It gains nothing from this overflowing, nor has any need to overflow. Rather, it is simply its nature. Hence in turn, it is also simply in the nature of the divine. Need/necessity isn’t to be confused with want and nature.

“Every good tends to unify what participates it; and all unification is a good; and the Good is identical with the One.” -Proclus (Dodds 1963, 15, B Prop. 13.)

“Everything comes to be out of One and is resolved into One.” -Musaios (Guthrie 1935, 74-75)

“Prior to the true beings and to the universal principles [or principles that rank as wholes] there is the one God, prior cause even of [that deity who is generally believed to be] the first God and King, remaining unmoved in the singularity of His own unity. For no object of intellection is linked to Him, nor anything else. He is established as a paradigm for the self-fathering, self-generating and only-fathered God who is true Good; for it is something greater, and primary, and fount of all things, and basic root of all the first objects of intellection, which are the forms. From this One there has autonomously shone forth the self-sufficient God, for which reason He is termed “father of himself” and “principle of himself”; for He is first principle and God of Gods, a monad springing from the One, pre-essential and first principle of essence. For from Him springs essentiality and essence, for which reason He is termed “father of essence”; He Himself is pre-essential being, the first principle of the intelligible realm, for which reason He is termed “principle of intellection.” -Iamblichus, De Mysteriis VIII.2

“[The] first and greatest, namely, [is] the Idea of the Good.” -Flavius Claudius Iulianus Augustus (I 361)

“This divine and wholly beautiful universe, from the highest vault of heaven to the lowest limit of the earth, is held together by the continuous providence of the God, has existed from eternity ungenerated, is imperishable for all time to come, and is guarded immediately by nothing else than the Fifth Substance [Aithir] whose culmination is the beams of the sun; and in the second and higher degree, so to speak, by the intelligible world; but in a still loftier sense it is guarded by the King of the whole universe, who is the centre of all things that exist. He, therefore, whether it is right to call Him the Supra-Intelligible, or the Idea of Being, and by Being I mean the whole intelligible region, or the One, since the One seems somehow to be prior to all the rest, or, to use Plato’s name for Him, the Good; at any rate this uncompounded cause of the whole reveals to all existence beauty, and perfection, and oneness, and irresistible power” -Flavius Claudius Iulianus Augustus (I 359)

Your mother was the embodiment of beauty once, Helena of Troy. Thus, I speak:

Beauty & Love are two concepts that are frequently tied together in the dialogues as the basis of much of Platonism. They serve as important, driving theological and theurgic factors. Beauty and Love are ultimately a gateway & key respectively, which when combined leads us on the path of achieving union with the divine.

Beauty

The Greek word usually translated as “beautiful” is kalon, but they don’t mean precisely the same thing. While there are times in the dialogues where there’s congruence between the words, it’s not a constant. Plato is more likely to describe a work of art or the beauty of a face as kalon than the stuff found in nature. There are many possible translations of kalon, from “fine,” to “delightful,” to “loveliest,” etc. Generally, broadly translating kalon as “beautiful” is problematic. Sometimes kalon has the translation of “commendable” or “noble.” In Plato’s Symposium, wisdom is described as kalon (Plato Symposium, 204b), which gives the word a meaning beyond mere conceptions of material beauty by assigning it to a virtue.

Thus, we speak on the Form of Beauty:

In the dialogue, the Greater Hippias (also appropriately named “What is Beauty?“), the divine Plato puts forward the idea of Beauty being an Intelligible Form.

The Forms are an integral part of metaphysics, representing elements of idealized, archetypal, or divine reality. For instance, there is a Form of Virtue, Wisdom, and Justice, and these Forms are these things in their truest form. Human virtue, wisdom, and justice as seen in our material realm are but mere shadows of the Forms, instead participating in them to varying degrees. For example, if someone is Just, it is because they participate in the Form of Justice; when someone is Wise, it is because they participate in the form of Wisdom, etc. The Forms, while ultimately originating from the Intelligible Realm, are only realized and found by the Celestial Demiurge in the Intellective Realm, who as the Divine Mind (Nous) realizes the Forms and brings them to life. The Forms are, in short, truly real and existent things (Plato Greater Hippias, 287d), rather than merely metaphorical or psychological constructs.

As a Form, Beauty is understood as having an existence outside of any beautiful thing. Instead, everything that has beauty (which is to say everything to some degree) participates the Form of Beauty, and it is this way we know what things are ugly and which things are beautiful (Plato Greater Hippias, 286d). However, the Form of Beauty holds a unique position. Plato’s Symposium describes wisdom, which is itself the product of a Form, as beautiful. This explicitly implies that Beauty is somehow greater than, or ontological prior to, Wisdom; otherwise, Wisdom would have no need to participate in Beauty as it apparently does. Furthermore, Plato writes that unlike all the other Forms, “only the Form of Beauty is sensibly revealed, and therefore it is Beauty that instigates man’s anamnesis [memory] of the Gods” (Shaw 2014, 185) (Plato Phaedrus, 250 b-d). The reason Beauty is superior is due to its connection to the Good. This connection is found in the nature of beautiful things also being beneficial or good (Plato Greater Hippias, 286d):

Socrates: So we reach the conclusion that beautiful bodies and beautiful rules of life, and wisdom, and all the things we mentioned just now, are beautiful because they are beneficial?

Hippias: Evidently.

Socrates: Then it looks as if beauty is the beneficial, Hippias.

Hippias: Undoubtedly.

In essence, would the powerful and the useful be beautiful? Sort of. While they certainly hold that potential, in and of themselves they aren’t beautiful. Only when they are also beneficial or good are they beautiful. Because Beauty is connected to the Good, which in its lowest extreme is located at the height of the Intelligible Realm as Aion, Beauty is superior to all other Forms.

Symmetry’s connection to the Form of Beauty

Although beauty’s cause is the Form of Beauty, Plato provides another, though unusual, definition of beauty, in his dialogue the Philebus: “The beauty of figures which I am now trying to indicate is not what most people would understand as such, not the beauty of a living creature or a picture; what I mean, what the argument points to, is something straight, or round, and the surfaces and solids which a lathe, or a carpenter’s rule and square, produces from the straight and the round. . . . Things like that, I maintain, are beautiful not, like most things, in a relative sense; they are always beautiful in their very nature, and they carry pleasures peculiar to themselves which are quite unlike the pleasures of scratching. And there are colours too which have this characteristic” (Plato Philebus, 51c-d).

From this, Socrates’ examples of beautiful things include (Plato Philebus, 51c-d):

Plane figures, which have high levels of symmetry.

The Platonic solids (the elements fire, air, water, earth, and aether), which have high levels of symmetry.

The round object a lathe produces, which implies cylindrical symmetry.

This is all reflected in Plato’s Greater Hippias, where beauty is described to be that which is “appropriate” (Plato Greater Hippias, 290c-d). Appropriateness’ relation to symmetry is an element that’s common to Hellenic aesthetics, and is itself inherent with the Greek language:

The most common word used for describing the world or universe is kosmos, which holds a meaning of organization or arrangement. This indicates that the universe has a particular arrangement to it.

Furthermore, the kosmos are ordered by the Celestial Demiurge through logoi. Logos has several meanings, including “word,” “reason,” “intelligence,” and “proportion.” These words, especially the last, suggest a kind of symmetry or harmony (harmonia).

Harmonia comes from a root word that means “to join,” which suggests an intelligent and proportional joining of parts into an appropriately arranged whole: the kosmos. The use of proportion and harmony are also found, in detail, in the Demiurge’s creative powers through the logoi. Ultimately, we receive an idea of beauty as appropriate from Plato’s Greater Hippias (Plato Greater Hippias, 290c-d).

This view on Beauty being a Form also being symmetry or proportion might initially seem contradictory to Beauty being a Form; based on these two assertions:

A Form has no dependency on anything physical for its existence. Whether or not a physical window is made, the Form of Windows would exist regardless. After all, a window is merely an imperfect image of the Form of Window.

Proportion or symmetry, however, typically requires physical things.

This seeming issue is quickly addressed, however, once Platonism’s inherent ties to Pythagoreanism are realized. Pythagoreanism is notable for its use of numbers to understand reality, most notably the decads. As already noted, Plato’s application of geometric figures relates to the five Platonic solids. However, by using geometric figures, Plato connects the ideas of harmony and symmetry inherent in the Platonic solids to numbers, the basis of geometry (O’Meara 1990, 46). In addition, according to Iamblichus, there are several kinds of numbers, one of which are “idea numbers,” which explicitly means the decads are the Forms (O’Meara 1990, 78). While symmetry and proportion are properties of physical things, their bases, where they ultimately originate from, are in the world of Forms. The essence of what is beautiful, which is proportion and harmony, trace their source in the Form of Beauty.

Beauty in the Sensible Realm

It’s now been established that beauty ultimately has its origins from the Form of Beauty, and that which is beautiful is that which has harmony, proportion, and symmetry. However, this doesn’t give us an understanding on beauty in the material world. Things such as wealth, health, fame, to reach old age, etc., is of the physical beauty that will now be discussed. It is important to note that these are not Beauty itself, as that is the Form of Beauty, but they are, however, beautiful; for they participate in Beauty, as do all things. In Plato’s Symposium, a discussion is had where Diotima discusses a “hierarchy of beauty” regarding the beauty of bodies (Plato Symposium, 210a-b), in relation to the role of poets and artists in their search for beauty:

First is the beauty of a particular body

Further up is the beauty within all bodies.

This cultivates when the love of the beauty in all bodies becomes expressed as a beautiful verse (Plato Symposium, 209b-c).

However, although poetry and art are related to beauty in Plato’s Greater Hippias, it isn’t noted as such in the divine Plato’s other writings. Instead, it’s near-fully reversed. In Plato’s Republic, poetry and all mimetic (imitative) art are outright banned from Kalliopolis, the ideal city thought of by Plato. The reasoning is because mimetic art is deceptive, appearing to be something that it’s not. Such creations not only fall beneath the Form employed by the Demiurge, but they also fall beneath an object based on the Form created by a craftsman. They are shadows of a shadow; or an image of an image. For example:

A drawing of a table is not a real table, it simply looks like a real table, which is itself based on the Form of Table (Plato Republic, 597d-598d).

Likewise, tragedies and comedies don’t honestly present the actual people involved, but rather “surface versions” of them, taken out of context and with their natures blown up, acting contrary to reason (Take the horrible Troy movie from 2004, for example). Worst of all is when these performances present themselves as being the actual activities and words of real people in such a way that they may be emulated, bringing their irrationality (Plato Republic, 603e-605e), which opposes philosophy and wisdom, into an individual’s daily life.

Appealing to the Irrational Soul and so far removed from the truth, these things don’t carry any real beauty… Right? Wrong. It’s outright impossible for these things, or anything really, to be absolutely ugly. While mimetic art may be further removed from the beautiful and good work of the benevolent Celestial Demiurge (Plato Timaeus, 29e), it’s still something based on a Form. It’s clear from people’s reaction to various beautiful artworks, such as songs, poems, films, sculptures, and paintings, that Beauty is present in these things (e.g., when I saw the 1997 adaption of Homer’s Odyssey, I saw beauty). Plato can, at most, just point out ways where there’s a greater privation of Beauty in mimetic art. We can, at the very least, make a provisional statement as to what is beautiful: The Forms, which participate the Form of Beauty, are beautiful, and as such anything and everything posterior to (after) the Forms also contains some amount of beauty. Plato’s Timaeus gives us a clue as to what is the most beautiful: In describing the creation of the physical world, the Timaeus says the Demiurge, intending “to make this world like the fairest and most perfect of intelligible beings” (Plato Timaeus, 30d), creates the “Essential Living Being” (Iamblichus In Timaeus, fr. 43), or the Whole Soul, in the likeness of the beings of the Intelligible Realm. The Whole Soul, as an image of the beauty of the Intelligible Realm, and as a direct creation of the Demiurge, is the most beautiful of things, as well as everything contained within it, which is “all the other living beings” (Iamblichus In Timaeus, fr. 43). This means that the most beautiful of all things in creation are us, living beings. Returning to the topic of art and beauty, Plato provides plenty of examples where he thinks mimetic art does harm:

Poems cause emotional outbursts, with their strings over your heart,

Plays cause people to imitate irrational activities, as people present themselves repeating the words and actions of heroes,

Songs encourage one’s emotions to take control from their rationality,

Paintings pretend to be what they aren’t,

Etcetera. In essence, Plato describes imitative art as bad because he believes no good can come from it. This is because it pretends to be something other than what it is, and because of this deception it capitalizes on and strengthens the Irrational Soul while weakening and suspending the Rational Soul.

This might be problematic since we find examples of imitation that don’t have derision heaped upon them. For example:

The carpenter fails to reproduce the Form of Chair in the creation of their particular chair. A particular chair is merely an imitation, or an image of the Form of Chair (Plato Republic, 596b). It isn’t the Chair we’re looking for, although it may pretend to be so.

However, there is a difference. The carpenter, in this case, is an imitator of the forms, while someone merely engaging in the mimetic art is an imitator of an imitator. Understand the difference:

Imitator of the Forms: The carpenter in the previous example is an imitator of the Forms. They have their eyes “fixed” on the Form, (Plato Republic, 596a) and through producing imitations on the Form, can be said to have a more intimate knowledge or relation with the Form from which the chair is derived. Their practice is anagogic; as in ascends us upwards, because it is based on something universal and eternal.

Imitator of the Imitator: None of this is true of the imitator of the imitator, however, who only knows the surface of a particular imitation and never the universal Form (Plato Republic, 601e-602b). This form of imitation allows for no knowledge or experience of the Forms, instead affecting the irrational souls of its audience, because it is based solely on the material realm. These are images of an image; and while these things contain a beauty, their beauty is greatly hindered by the accretions of the irrational. Corrupted by irrationality, this sensible beauty has a negative effect. While outwardly alluring, the attraction is katagogic, meaning it binds us down to generation because it’s solely based on the sensible realm.

However, certain kinds of poetry, such as hymns to the Gods or praise poems to heroes, are allowed by Plato (Plato Republic, 607a) (Plato Ion, 533d-534e). Why these forms of poetry differ from the other prohibited types lie beyond Plato:

Philostratus, a Sophist, provides the reasoning that fine art is not the product of mimesis (imitation), but rather of phantasia (imagination) (Finberg 1926, 150).

Plotinus expands on this, explaining that phantasia, in its intelligible aspect, connects the artist to the Forms instead of the material realm, and thus allows art to make a connection to the Forms. He also provides a few more reasons why we shouldn’t condemn art when referring to fine art:

Firstly, fine art works with the Forms or logoi, and is thus beautiful, and therefore by extension, good (Plotinus The Enneads, V.8, 410-11).

Secondly, Plotinus says we shouldn’t condemn mimetic (imitative) art for all that art imitates is itself an imitation of the Forms.

It is with this reasoning that imaginative art, even if it engages in imitation, becomes the basis for saving art; though not entirely. Art such as pseudo-historical media can still be considered distasteful (I’m still looking at you, Troy 2004), unless it is engaged in praise or hymnody, which has an inspired and imaginative nature (Such as 2000’s Gladiator, which praises virtue) (Kupperman 2014, 75). The emphasis on divinely located imagination and imaginative art becomes highly influential in theurgy. By engaging with the Forms and their logoi, fine art and poetry become a kind of token or symbol (symbolon) of the divine realm. Examples are:

Eikons, which aren’t merely pieces of art; a participating essence of a deity is understood to be within the image they represent. They are Forms in matter, literal manifestations of the logoi of the Forms. It is because of this eikons are said to be “written” rather than painted, as they’re seen as forms of divine scripture. They are also unsigned by the artist, as the writer is understood to merely transmit the holy reality that is at the heart of the eikon (Stern-Gillet 2008, 44).

Talismancy (the creation of talismans), which not only use astrological timing to empower the talismans they describe, but also fantastic imagery representing the powers of the planetary powers and stars. When all taken together, such talismans become microcosmic tokens or material signatures of the divine realm (Kupperman 2014, 76).

Beauty is, overall, of obvious great importance. After all, it’s directly connected to the Good, and therefore can be understood to be connected to achieving the highest goal: henosis. Reaching the Form of Beauty ultimately means reaching the divine realm where the virtues originate, or at least as far as we can. However, individually, beauty is disconnected from us, and without a way to obtain it beauty, ultimately, serves no function. How, then, does one obtain it? The answer is eros, or love. Only when kalon is connected to eros, which binds everything together, can beauty be obtained, and only when beauty is obtained through love are we led upwards to the divine realm where the virtues lie.

The Form of Love

Love, or “eros,” (called “philia” by the divine Julian) is discussed in Plato’s Symposium, and is the key to Beauty. There are no distinct “types” of Eros. Eros is one thing with many degrees. Much like thy mother’s beauty, she was once the embodiment of love. The Platonic Form of Love if you will. Perfect until we had you… for your original mother, a human woman left from Oshu to England whereas Selene was thy true mother of primordiality.

Love is always just love, but comes in a variety of degrees. According to Diotima there are three degrees of love (Kupperman 2014, 78):

The love of a particular person

Further up, the love of all people

Even further up, the love of the Intelligible Realm.

Plato dismisses romantic ideas of Eros. Diotima even denies that Eros is a God, and says that Eros is neither beautiful nor good (though later Platonists assert that Eros is a God). Instead Eros, as the offspring of Penia (Resource) and Poros (Need), is a Daimon, holding a median position between the realms of the divine and materiality (Plato Symposium, 203b-204a). The Erotic urge is always provocative; with two roles:

Procreative/Generative: Eros has a procreative function; a longing “for the conception and generation that the beautiful effects” (Plato Symposium, 206e-207a). This is the type of Eros that is tied with romantic ideas and has an urge for sex, which Plato rejects. He rejects it because it is katagogic; meaning it binds us towards generation, and thus a lesser degree of Eros.

Intelligible/Theurgic: Eros has a secondary function: its desire for beauty and goodness, which in turn leads people to them. This desire implies that Eros lacks beauty and good to some extent. This is because nothing desires what it already has, only that which it lacks. Eros desires, and thus lacks. This means that when Eros is centered on the spirit, it thus has a love of beauty (As said before, living things, which have souls, are the most beautiful things), and with that the soul will be directed towards the virtues (Plato Symposium, 207d-209d), the highest forms of beauty, and thus rise upwards to a vision of the Form of Beauty itself (Plato Symposium, 211c-d) (Kupperman 2014, 79).

This allows us to achieve henosis. To understand this, we must understand that Eros is love, and naturally, we want to hold on to the object of our love for as long as we can. To grasp the Good (as in, to achieve henosis), which is beyond time itself, is to render the soul immortal (Plato Symposium, 206e-207a). Intelligible Eros, as the love of spirit, is ultimately anagogic, meaning it lifts us up towards the divine.

(Again, it’s important to remember that these roles are just that; roles, not distinct types of Eros. There are no “types.” Eros is one thing with many degrees. Love is love; this is merely based on orientation.) Some might object to this being the nature of love on the false assumption that it is “selfish,” with an egocentric treatment of people that merely uses them as a means to an end. “It isn’t to love a beautiful person”, one may mistakenly complain, “but rather to love the beauty in a person as a means of an end; to just get a better understanding of beauty and the Form of Beauty and leave the person behind when a new level of beauty is attained” (Kupperman 2014, 79). However, this is simply false. Ultimately, through Love, what one ultimately desires is virtue, which is of the higher aspect of beauty. Most importantly, among the virtues is the virtue of Justice, the most important of them. Its importance lies in its nature: It’s a synthesis of the other virtues that are based around bringing the Good to others. After all, only people who cultivate virtue (Wisdom, Courage, Temperance) and self-control can bring positive change to others. It doesn’t merely bring benefits to you, but rather benefits everyone. At its highest levels, love is incapable of being selfish. Love adores both its immediate inspiration (the beautiful thing) and the ultimate source of beauty, the Form of Beauty (Kupperman 2014, 79).

The force behind the drive upwards towards henosis is Eros. Behind Eros is the harmonizing activity of Aphrodite, who Herself imitates the unifying activity of the One by filling those below Her with harmony. The strive for henosis, which is ultimately pointing towards the Good/the One (or at least as far as possible), is only accomplished through Eros and the highest Intelligible Love, Aphrodite, thanks to Eros’ necessity in theurgy (Kupperman 2014, 84-85).

Like the virtue of Justice, which is itself a synthesis of the virtues, Aphrodite is Herself a synthesis of the Gods; and while Athene fills the Gods with wisdom, it is Aphrodite who fills the divine with harmony. And with the Gods being harmonized by Love, it is obvious that Love exists within all the virtues, and furthermore, Love, like wisdom, fills all things (Kupperman 2014, 84-85).

It is thus that I speak on the Five Solids:

There is a sphere and you have to make numerous different three-dimensional forms with these rules:

You can only use straight lines.

All these lines must touch the surface of the sphere

All the lines must be of equal length

All the shapes made have to be the same

You could make an infinite amount, however since every square has to be of equal length, and all the shapes made had to be the same, you could only produce 5 different “perfect solids”. These are the Five Elements, which consist of:

Fire, which is sharp, subtle, and mobile. It is equated with the Tetrahedron.

Air, which is blunt, subtle, and mobile. It is equated with the Octahedon.

Water, which is blunt, dense, and mobile. It is equated with the Icosahedron.

Earth, which is joined with its opposite, Fire, through the intermediate elements of Air and Water. As fire’s opposite it is blunt, dense, and immobile. It is equated with the Hexahedron.

Aither (Spirit/World Soul) is the element which makes up the heavens. It is equated with the Dodekahedron, the most complex solid.

The Pentacle: The divine Pythagoras was fascinated by the Pentacle. He recognized in its geometry a division of lines which resulted in the “golden ratio,” an emblem of perfection that was incorporated into art and architecture. Pythagoreans ascribed the points of the pentacle to the five elements.

The Five Solids, also called the Platonic Solids or the Pythagorean Solids, are directly associated as particles of the elements, are seen as the building blocks of reality. By using geometric figures, Pythagoras (and later Plato) implicitly connects the 5 solids to ideas of harmony and symmetry, and as such offer insights into the nature of the cosmos.

Tetrahedron = We can connect three equilateral triangles together to make a point. One more is required to fill in the other side for a total of 4 triangles. This is called the tetrahedron, with Tetra meaning “4” and “hedron” meaning sided, and is the first perfect solid. Plato associated this solid with Fire because of its pointy ends, which he explained mimic the stabbing sensation of a flame. Furthermore, it’s the simplest and lightest solid. This is the element that is linked to the soul and creates change.

Octahedron – Air = The octahedron symbolizes Air, according the Plato and the other Pythagoreans. The Octahedron, as the name suggests, has 8 triangular sides. Air particles acts as an intermediate between water-particles and air-particles.

Hexahedron – Earth = The Hexahedron, or the Cube, is the shape of Earth-particles, as the cube is a regular solid that possesses greatest stability, being firmly rooted to its spot. It has 6 square sides.

Icosahedron – Water = While fire-particles are tetrahedral due to being light and simple, the opposite is true for water-particles, which are icosahedral for being heavy and complex. After all, it is something able to easily squash and extinguish a flame. This has 20 triangular sides.

The dodekahedron is the most mysterious of the solids. It’s by far the most difficult to construct; accurate drawing of the regular pentagon requiring a rather elaborate application of Pythagoras’ great theorem, with its 12 pentagonal sides, which leads Plato to conclude that the Dodekahedron is what “the Deity employed in tracing the plan of the Universe,” meaning the Demiurge used this element for arranging the heavens.

“Numbers are the Highest Degree of knowledge. They are knowledge themselves”

The Forms vs. the Cosmos

The world of Forms

The world of being; everything in this world “always is,” “has no becoming,” and “does not change”(28a).

It is apprehended by the understanding, not by the senses.

The physical world (= the Cosmos)

The world of becoming; everything in this world “comes to be and passes away, but never really is” (28a).

It is grasped by opinion and sense-perception.

The cosmos itself came into being, created using as its model the world of Forms.

The Demiurge (Creator)

Literally, “craftsman.” The creator of Plato’s physical world is not a divine intelligence or a personal ruler, but (as it were) a manual laborer. Cf. Vlastos, Plato’s Universe (pp. 26-27):

That the supreme god of Plato’s cosmos should wear the mask of a manual worker is a triumph of the philosophical imagination over ingrained social prejudice. ... But this divine mechanic is not a drudge. He is an artist or, more precisely, what an artist would have to be in Plato’s conception of art: not the inventor of new form, but the imposer of pre-existing form on as yet formless material.

The Elements

The physical world must have bodily form; it must be visible and tangible (31b).

Hence, its ingredients must include fire and earth.

Since fire and earth will have to be combined, there must be at least one other ingredient that serves to combine them.

But since fire and earth are solids, we require two intermediates to combine them.

Hence, the demiurge created air and water, and arranged all four elements proportionally: as fire is to air, air is to water; as air is to water, water is to earth.

As we will see below, we have not reached the bottom with these four elements: there are (geometrical) atoms of which these elements are composed.

Features of the Cosmos

A living being

Because it is based on the Form of living being (= Animal)

Unique

Because it is based on a unique model (the Form of living being), and the Demiurge makes it as much like its model as he can (subject, of course, to the limitations imposed by the fact that it’s made of matter).

It has a soul

Because it is a living being

Spherical

Because that is the most perfect and most beautiful shape

Temporal

That is, there is time in the cosmos - it is characterized by temporal predicates. This is because it is modeled on a Form, an eternal being.

The cosmos cannot be eternal, as a Form is, since it comes into being. But it is as much like a Form, as close to being eternal, as it can be (37d). When the Demiurge created the universe, he also created time. But what is Plato’s definition of time?

Plato's text at 37d reads:

[the Demiurge] began to think of making a moving image of eternity: at the same time as he brought order to the universe, he would make an eternal image, moving according to number, of eternity remaining in unity. This, of course, is what we call “time.”

But what is ‘this’? It is sometimes thought that it refers to ‘number’, which would make the definition be that time is the number according to which the image of eternity moves. This would bring Plato's definition close to Aristotle’s (“time is the number of motion (change) in respect of before and after” [Physics 219b2]). On this reading, it is the cosmos that is the “moving image of eternity,” and time is the number that measures the change in the cosmos.

But ‘this’ has been traditionally taken to refer to ‘image’, and on this reading, Plato’s definition is that time is a moving image of eternity. Even if Plato’s text is grammatically ambiguous, the most plausible way to understand the definition is the traditional one. Other passages in the Timaeus make it clear that Plato thought of time as a kind of celestial clockwork - that is, a certain kind of motion, rather than a measure of motion. Consider 38d and 39d:

[The Demiurge] brought into being the Sun, the Moon, and five other stars, for the begetting of time. These are called “wanderers” [planêta], and they stand guard over the numbers of time. … And so people are all but ignorant of the fact that time really is the wanderings of these bodies.

Plato clearly says that time is the wanderings of these bodies - their movement - and not a kind of number that measures such movement. Abstracting time from motion was an innovation of Aristotle’s. For Plato, time just is celestial motion.

Note that time applies, strictly speaking, only to the realm of becoming. About the Forms, which are everlasting, we say “is, and was, and will be,” but, strictly speaking, only “is” is appropriate (38a). That is, the ‘is’ we use about the Forms is a tenseless ‘is’; the Forms themselves are, strictly speaking, outside of time.

The Heavenly Bodies

Plato’s account includes the origin of the stars and planets - “to set limits to and stand guard over the numbers of time” (38c) - which we will skip over here.

Human Beings: Souls, Bodies, and their Parts

Four kinds of living creature (39e-40b)

Heavenly gods

Winged things

Water creatures

Land creatures

Human soul (40d-44d)

Creation and destruction of the gods (40d-41a)

Demiurge instructs gods to make mortals (41a-d)

Human souls manufactured

Made of leftovers from manufacture of world-soul, but of a lower grade of purity (41d).

Each soul assigned to a star (41e).

Death: a just soul returns to its companion star, an unjust soul is reincarnated for a second try (42b-c).

Human body (44d-47e)

Head and limbs (44d-45b)

Eyes and vision (45b-46a)

Purposes of seeing and hearing (46c-47e)

The Structure of Matter

At this point Plato ends his discussion of the “works of intellect (nous)” and begins discussing the “works of necessity”. The difference seems to be that the former, but not the latter, directs its creation with an eye toward what is best.

Here Plato turns to the old Presocratic question: what is the world made of? His answer both combines and transcends theirs. It mentions the traditional Earth, Air, Fire, and Water (of Empedocles), but goes beyond them, analyzing them in terms of mathematical objects (shades of the Pythagoreans) and empty space (the invention of the atomists).

The four elements

The intrinsic nature of fire, water, air, and earth (48b), and how they came into being.

The receptacle

A new concept is introduced, in addition to the model (= the Forms) and the imitation of the model (= the world of becoming): “the receptacle of all becoming” (49a).

The receptacle is that in which all becoming takes place. The fires that you see coming into being and being extinguished are just appearances, in the receptacle, of the Fire Itself (the Form).

At 52b ff, Plato describes the receptacle as “space.”

The coming to be of the elements

The four elements are “the most excellent four bodies that can come into being” (53e). But how do they come into being? What are they made of? Plato’s answer is that they are all made of triangles, and constructed in such a way as to explain how the transmutation of elements is possible.

Overview

Each kind of matter (earth, air, fire, water) is made up of particles (“primary bodies”). Each particle is a regular geometrical solid. There are four kinds of particles, one for each of the four kinds of matter. Each particle is composed of elementary right triangles. The particles are like the molecules of the theory; the triangles are its atoms.

The argument that all bodies are ultimately composed of elementary right triangles is given at 53c-d: all bodies are 3-dimensional (“have depth”) and hence are bounded by surfaces. Every surface bounded by straight lines is divisible into triangles. Every triangle is divisible into right triangles. Every right triangle is either isosceles (with two 45° angles) or scalene. So all bodies can be constructed out of isosceles and scalene right triangles.

The details

The two atomic triangles

Plato notes (54a1) that there is only one kind of isosceles right triangle--namely, the 45°/45°/90° triangle--whereas there are “infinitely many” kinds of scalene. But of these, he tells us, “we posit one as the most excellent” (54a7), one “whose longer side squared is always triple its shorter side” (54b5-6). Plato describes the same scalene triangle, equivalently, as “one whose hypotenuse is twice the length of its shorter side” (54d6-7)

A theory of ontology attempts to answer, in the most general possible terms, the question what is there? A theory of predication attempts to answer the question what is it to say something about something? This is a book about ontology and predication.

Ontology: The Ten Categories

In the Categories, we get this list (1b25):

Substance

Quality

Quantity

Relation

Where

When

Position

Having

Action

Passion

This is presumably a list of the ten fundamentally different kinds of things that there are. The first category—substance—is the most important in Aristotle’s ontology. Substances are, for Aristotle, the fundamental entities. To see why this is so, we will have to understand what Aristotle says about predication.

Predication

A subject (hupokeimenon) is what a statement is about.

A predicate (katêgoroumenon) is what a statement says about its subject.

Examples:

This (particular animal) is a man.

Man is an animal.

This (particular color) is white.

White is a color.

The same thing may be both a subject and a predicate, e.g., man and white above. Some things are subjects but are never predicates, e.g., this (particular) animal, or this (particular) color.

Two kinds of predication

Consider the following pair of simple (atomic) sentences:

“Socrates is a human being”

“Socrates is wise”

Do both of these atomic sentences have the same kind of ontological underpinning? I.e., is the structure of the fact that Socrates is a man the same as the structure of the fact that Socrates is wise? Plato’s account suggests that it is.

For Plato: “x is F” means that x partakes of the Form, F-ness.

According to Plato, predication, in general, is explicated in terms of the notion of participating in a Form. In response, Aristotle thinks this oversimplifies. On Aristotle’s account:

“Socrates is a human being” tells us something fundamental about what kind of a thing Socrates is: it is an essential predication.

“Socrates is wise” tells us something less fundamental, something that merely happens to be the case: it is an accidental predication.

This idea emerges in the Categories distinction between what is said of a subject and what is in a subject, introduced as part of the four-fold distinction drawn at 1a20. Since Aristotle is using the terms ‘said of’ and ‘in’ in a somewhat technical way, we will write them, from now on, in SMALL CAPS in order to indicate this technical use.

Two fundamental relations

Aristotle distinguishes two fundamental relations: being SAID OF a subject and being PRESENT IN a subject. These correspond, respectively, to the notions (that Aristotle later develops) of essential and accidental predication, and they cut across all ten categories.

Although Aristotle does not use these terms in the Categories, it is clear that he intends to capture the notions of universal and particular with his SAID OF locution:

A universal is what is SAID OF some subject

A particular is what is not SAID OF any subject.

Note that there are universals and particulars in all the categories:

Man and animal are universal substances (Aristotle calls them “secondary substances.”)

Callias and “this horse” are particular substances. (Aristotle calls them “primary substances.”)

White and color are universal qualities.

“This white” is a particular quality.

Category Trees

Each category can be thought of as having a tree structure. The category itself can be divided into its fundamental kinds (e.g., substance can be divided into plants and animals). Each of these kinds can in turn be divided (e.g., animal can be divided into the various broad genera of animals). Each of these can in turn be divided into the fundamental species of the category in questions (e.g., into such basic kinds as tiger, and horse, and human being). (All of these kinds—animal, tiger, horse—are what Aristotle calls “secondary substances”.) Finally, we can divide these lowest-level kinds into the basic individuals in the category (e.g., human being can be divided into Socrates, Callias, Coriscus, etc.).

Similarly, the category of quality can be divided into subcategories such as color, which can in turn be divided into red, green, etc. Aristotle thinks that these specific qualities can be further divided into individuals (analogous to individual substances) such as this individual bit of white.

Thus, each category is ultimately divisible into the individual members of that category.

Here’s a useful chart that illustrates the tree structure of the categories.

The fourfold division

This can be found in Categories, Ch. 2.

The SAID OF relation divides entities into universals and particulars; the PRESENT IN relation divides them into non-substances and substances. Hence, the fourfold division at 1a20ff produces (in Aristotle’s order of presentation):

Universal substances (“secondary substances”)

Particular non-substances

Universal non-substances

Particular substances (“primary substances”)

Thus, you surpass all of the Greek’s mathematics, views of infinity, duality and all such in due time. All maths and the like wilt be beneath you… after your final battle with thy mother.

I speak this:

The Gods are eternal Beings, their origins being prior to the creation of time. They are unchanging, unbegotten, eternal, incorporeal, and not in space. The Gods and Their Ousia are ungenerated as “eternal natures are without generation; and those beings are eternal who possess a first power, and are naturally void of passivity. Nor are their essences [ousia] composed from bodies; for even the powers of bodies are incorporeal: nor are they comprehended in place; for this is the property of bodies: nor are they separated from the first cause, or from each other; in the same manner as intellections are not separated from intellect, nor sciences from the soul” (Sallustius, II). They are living immortals who surround and permeating unhindered the entire material universe and act on it. The Gods are not subject to Fate, but rather lay above it and overlook Providence (Sallustius, IX). Their wisdom sees the whole, and so their light puts us on the right path and brings to pass what is best (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, II 261-263). They are the causes of all that is now and all that shall be, and though They are not seen by us, They can direct their divine gaze, which is more powerful than any light, towards us– even as far as our hidden thoughts (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, II 323). They are wholly beyond our physical universe and by directing the Logoi (Logic), thoughts that are lower manifestations of the higher principle (e.g., the Forms), and Anagne (Necessity), the moral and natural cause which compels nature, They create the Kosmos and produce its laws (Plato Timaeus, 48a). The divine are Beings (Ónta/Όντα), not Persons (Prosopon/Πρόσωπα), as persons denotates human limits which the Gods lack because They are so beyond us. They do not intervene in the realms of actions of other Gods, cease to exist, or combine into one. Because each God is not separated “from the first cause [i.e., the One/the Godhead/the Good], or from one each other” (Sallustius, II), They thus share an infinity of attributes as each of Them are in eachother and are treated as equal to the One. As such, each God, as a multiplication of the One, is the center of all, and are each omnipotent (infinite in power), omniscient (complete, unlimited knowledge, awareness and understanding of everything), omnibenevolent (possessing perfect and unlimited goodness), omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time), omnitemporal (knowing the future equally as well as the past), eternal and immutable, and without any flaws. Each God is a full-spectrum deity; and while They may have areas of special focus, They are each far more than some limited function (e.g., “Goddess of Love” or “God of War”). The soul of a God can be understood in three parts: Essence, Powers, and Activity:

A God’s Existence (Hyparxis) is their inner-most and most fundamental independent self which is beyond any essence, substance or Being (hyperousios). However, this is pre-essential axiomatic existence is completely beyond the Kosmos, and hence beyond what we can interact with and beyond any sort of intellection (noeta). So instead we interact with Their Essence/Substance (Ousia), which lies at the summit of Being and are objects of intellection (noeta). Their essence is “at the summit [of existence], and transcendent and perfect” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.6-7). Their essence is wholly intelligible and beyond our material realm, and their bodies present in the material Kosmos, such as the stars and the planets, are merely ruled from the outside. They do not have either gender or any other characteristic of mortal beings, as their substance is entirely alien to us. Their movements are spherical, and thus perfect. The Gods share a divine genus that is “dominant in them throughout, [which] establishes one and the same essence [(i.e., ousia)] throughout the whole” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.17). This essence is “simple, as it is without parts, so also it is indivisible, and as it is invariable, so also is it not subject to change” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.17), and thus the Gods are “hom*ogeneous in all respects, entirely united among themselves, uniform and non-composite” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.17).

Their Power (Greek: Dunamis, Latin: Potentia, Numen) is Their potential expression of Their essence. A God’s power “can achieve all things simultaneously, in the present instant, unitarily” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.6-7).

Their Activity (Greek: Energeia, Latin: Actus) is Their powers in action. The activities of the Gods are uniform (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.17). A God’s activities “generates and governs all things without inclining towards them” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.6-7). The Gods concern Themselves with things of this world and perform activities, however They do not perform these activities out of need since They are perfect and thus without need. This nature links back to the One. Plotinus’ description of the activity of the One is that it overflows of its superabundance (Uždavinys 2009, 27). It gains nothing from this overflowing, nor has any need to overflow. Rather, it is simply its nature, and hence in turn it is also simply in the nature of the divine. The Gods are above Necessity (Plato Timaeus, 45a), which isn’t to be confused with want or nature.

It is important to note that these “parts” are inseparable, for as the divine Julian writes, “For it cannot be that a God’s substance is one thing, and His power another, and His activity, by Zeus, a third thing besides these. For all that He wills he is, and can do, and puts into action. For He does not will what is not, nor does He lack power to do what He wills, nor does He desire to put into action what He cannot” (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 389). This is contrary to human beings, who has a “two-fold contending nature of soul and body compounded into one, the former divine, the latter dark and clouded. Naturally, therefore, there is a battle and a feud between them. And Aristotle also says that this is why neither the pleasures nor the pains in us harmonise with one another. For he says that what is pleasant to one of the natures within us is painful to the nature which is its opposite” (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 389). Among the Gods, however, “there is nothing of this sort. For from their very nature what is good belongs to them, and perpetually, not intermittently” (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, I 389). Knowledge of the divine is not attainable in mere belief [doxa], but rather, it is a natural tendency which is innate in all people (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.2-3), because whether in private or public, whether as individuals or as peoples, there exists a universal striving towards divinity, for we all believe, even without being taught, in the existence of something divine (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, III 321), for there is no one who does not raise their hands to heaven in prayer when they swear by the Gods; if they have any notion at all of the divine, they will turn heavenward, and it was very natural that people should feel thus (Flavius Claudius Iulianus, III 323). It in this innate understanding that we can find true knowledge of the divine, which is not easily comprehended, nor is it able to be easily communicated, for no one in the world can adequately describe the true greatness of the divine without failing to a certain extent in their attempt (Flavius Claudius Iulianis, I 357). The Gods are beyond us and need nothing, and we worship Them because They are beings worthy of worship, being so beyond us and responsible for all kinds of good and no evil. As a result of this it can be understood that worship, prayer, and sacrifice aren’t given to the Gods to “appease” Them. The Gods are not angry with sinners, for to be angry would be to passion. The Gods do not rejoice- for what rejoices also grieves. Nor are They appeased by gifts – for if They were, They would also be conquered by pleasure. The Gods are always good, always do good and never do injustice, instead always being in the same state and like Themselves. Rather, when we are good, we are joined and cling to the Gods when we show likeness to Them by living according to virtue, and when we become evil we make the Gods our enemies – not because They are angered against us, but because our sins prevent the light of the Gods from shining upon us, and thus putting us in communion with spirits of punishment (Sallustius, XIV). If by prayers and sacrifices we find forgiveness of sins, we do not appease or change the Gods, but instead, by turning toward the divine, we heal our own badness and so again enjoy the eternal and infinite goodness of the Gods (Sallustius, XIV). To say that the Gods turn away from evil is like saying that the Sun hides Himself from the blind. Because of this, it is to be correctly understood that we provide the Gods with worship ultimately for our own benefit, since the Gods need nothing; and worship is done by exposing ourselves to Their divine radiance (Sallustius, XIV).

Divine Perfection, Individuality, and Myths

Some non-Hellenes might object to the axiomatic perfectness of the Gods, putting forward that if all the Gods are perfect and good, then They cannot still be individuals with different personalities and goals. However, both the Moon and the Sun are each perfect, beautiful, and good in Themselves, but no one would ever look at Them and conclude that, because of these qualities, They must not be distinct. All of the Gods can be perfect, beautiful, and good and simultaneously still remain Themselves individually as we know Them. They work together in their own unique goodness and perfection to influence the Kosmos and make it work. The fact that the Gods are perfect and thus are not subject to any needs, wrath, jealousy, or any other immorality, who also do not come into any conflict with eachother, does not contradict in any way with Them being distinct individuals with Their own unique and distinct experiences. Several individuals can share common goals, priorities, and desires, but can still express these commonalities very differently from another person. And further, people can have different wants and desires as individuals which do not come into conflict with eachother.

Another thing non-Hellenes might do so they can object to divine perfection is misinterpret the myths so they can come to the conclusion that the Gods must be able to commit sin or come into conflict with eachother. However, myths are lessons that must receive interpretation to truly be understood; not taken at face value with no further reasoning. We must search for what a myth means, not merely look to what it says at the shallow surface. For example, in myths Gods can sometimes come into conflict with eachother. However, crucial to understanding such apparent hostilities is that they are not mere anthropomorphic emotionality. Gods in conflict in myth represent joint creative Activity (Energeia). Ostensibly, They express an apparent conflict between Gods’ projects in the Kosmos; however, conflict is a form of relation, and hence a form of cooperation. Gods in conflict in a myth are thus in truth cooperating far more than Gods who have no mythic interaction with eachother at all. This is overwhelmingly reflected in worship, such as with Pan and the Nymphes. In myth Pan has a hostile relationship with the Nymphes– however, in ritual worship, They are worshiped together frequently. A further thing people might use to object to the Gods’ perfection is based on what they conclude based on personal religious experiences they have with the divine. However, much like myths, what we are often presented are not the end of it. We must look at what a religious experience could mean rather than merely just what they say.

The Dodekatheon, also variously called the Olympians or the Dii Consentes, are the twelve divine Hypercosmic powers of Hellenism. The Olympians are comprised of six Gods and six Goddesses. The concept of twelve Gods is ancient and sacred, being older than any extant Greek or Roman source, though truly coming to fruition in ancient Athens. It is understood to have been present among the Etruscans as well. In Rome, the statues of the Olympians stood in the Forum and later the Porticus Deorum Consentium, one of the last public Hellenic shrines that were still functional in Late Antiquity. The word “Olympus” comes from the primary verb λαμπο, “lampo,” meaning “to shine,” and as such the Twelve Olympians are the “Shining Ones.”

The Hypercosmic Gods are offspring of Zeus-Helios, being made up of twelve powers. Hypercosmic Gods hold the function of Perfection. This pantheon of twelve divinities expresses the complete and perfect divine fifth element which fulfils and binds the Kosmos together, aither, which is symbolised by the dodekahedron. According to Sallustius, the Olympians and Their functions are (Sallustius, VI):

• The Demiurgic Triad, who make the Kosmos:
  • Zeus (Iuppiter)
  • Poseidon (Neptunus)
  • Hephaistos (Vulcanus)
• The Life-Bearing Triad, who animate the Kosmos:
  • Demeter (Ceres)
  • Hera (Juno)
  • Artemis (Diana)
• The Elevating Triad, who harmonize the Kosmos:
  • Apollon (Apollo)
  • Aphrodite (Venus)
  • Hermes (Mercurius)
• The Untainted Protective Triad, who watch over the Kosmos:
  • Hestia (Vesta)
  • Athene (Minerva)
  • Ares (Mars)

For the purposes of this list, if something is not explicitly called a God, and it has no cultus or special role in relation to a God, it will not be given a page. Abstract concepts merely spoken of poetically as a Daimōn does not give it theological weight. These can merely be forces in the soul or nature that are purely descriptive. And further, in Julian Hellenism, it is understood that vices have no positive existence within the soul.

Since Emperor Julian writes that the Romans are Greeks, Roman divinities will be included in this list.

• Abeona: Goddess who protects children leaving the home.
• Abundantia: Goddess of luck, abundance and prosperity. She distributed food and money from a cornucopia.
• Acca Larentia: Adoptive mother of Romulus and Remus who is worshipped during the festival of Larentalia.
• Adeona: Goddess who guides children back home.
• Achelous: God of the Achelous River.
• Acis: Daimon of the Acis River in Sicily.
• Adêphagia: Goddess of agricultural bounty worshipped in Sicily.
• Adonis: God of beauty, desire, and vegetation.
• Adrasteia: A Nymph who in secret nurtured the infant Zeus in the Dictaean cave.
• Aeolos: God of the wind.
• Aequitas: God of fair trade and honest merchants.
• Aera Cura: Goddess associated with the underworld.
• Afrika (Africa): Goddess of the African continent. According to Pliny the Elder, the Libyans worshiped Her as Ifri, and was considered a protector of Her worshipers. She was represented in diverse ways, such as Numidian and Roman coins, or Roman sculptures.
• Agathos Daimon: Daimon of the vineyards and grainfields.
• Agdistis: Hermaphroditic Goddess associated with the Meter Theon.
• Agon: Daimon of contest who had an altar at Olympia, the site of the Olympic Games.
• Aius Locutius: God associated with saving Rome from Gallic invasion.
• Alemonia: Goddess who feeds unborn children.
• Amphitrite (Latin: Salacia): Goddess of the Sea and wife of Poseidon.
• Ananke (Latin: Necessitas): The Goddess of necessity.
• Anemoi (Latin: Venti): Gods of the wind.
• Angerona: Protective Goddess who relieves people from pain and sorrow.
• Angitia: Goddess of healing and patron of snake-charmers.
• Anna Perenna: Nymph of the New Year and provider of food.
• Anteros: Daimon of reciprocated love and the avenger of the unrequited.
• Anthousai: Nymphs of flowers.
• Aphaia: A Goddess worshiped almost exclusively at a single sanctuary on the island of Aigina.
• Aphrodite (Latin: Venus): Goddess of love.
  • Astarte: Goddess of war & beauty.
  • Cloacina: A ferility Goddess who also presides over sewers.
• Apollon (Latin: Apollo): God of the arts, oracles, knowledge, medicine, light, and plague.
  • Borvo: Lusitanian-Celtic manifestation of Apollon.
• Arete (Virtus): A Daimon of bravery and military strength, often worshiped alongside Honos within Rome at a temple in the Porta Capena.
• Ares (Latin: Mars): God of destruction, war, courage, soldiers, farmers, and agriculture.
  • Katorix (Caturix): Helvetii manifestation of Ares.
  • Ares Lusitani: Lusitanian manifestation of Ares.
  • Smertrios: Gaulish manifestation of Ares.
• Ariadne (Arianna): Goddess of the labyrinths, mazes, paths, vegetation, fertility, wine, and snakes.
• Aristaios (Latin: Aristaeus): Rustic God of beekeeping worshiped in many parts of Greece.
• Artemis (Latin: Diana): Goddess of the hunt, forests and hills, the moon, and archery.
  • Artemis Ephesia: Mother Goddess of Ephesus.
  • Bendis: Thracian cult of Artemis associated with the moon and the hunt.
• Asklepios (Latin: Aesculapius, Vejovis): God of healing, resurrection, and salvation.
• Asteria (Asterie): The Titaness of nocturnal oracles and falling stars. She is also known as Brizo on the island of Delos, where She is venerated as a protector of mariners, sailors, and fishermen.
• Athene (Latin: Minerva): Goddess of wisdom, civilization, law and justice, inspiration, courage, strength, strategic warfare, strategy, mathematics, the arts, crafts, and skill
  • Anath: Northwestern Semitic manifestation of Athene.
  • Athena-Allāt: Athene of the Near East.
• Ataegina: Widely worshiped Lusitanian Goddess.
• Attis: Phrygian solar God of vegetation, fertility, and rebirth.
• Aura: Goddess of breezes.
• Aurai: Nymphs of the breeze.
• Averrounkos (Latin: Averruncus): A God of avoiding calamity.
• Bona Dea: Goddess of chastity and fertility in women, healing, and the protection of the Romans; solely worshiped by women.
• Britomartis: Also called Diktynna, She is Goddess of mountains and hunting.
• Bubona: Goddess of cattle. It’s possible that the festival of cattle (ludi boum causa) mentioned by Pliny was dedicated to Her. Those who celebrated the rites were called Bubetii.
• Caca: A hearth Goddess who had a shrine which was likely somewhere in Rome.
• Camenae: Four Nymphs of wells and springs, whose place of worship was the sacred grove of Carmentis at the Port Capena. These Nymphs are:
  • Carmenta: Nymph of childbirth and prophecy.
  • Egeria: Nymph who was consort to King Numa.
  • Antevorta: Also called Porrima, She is a Nymph of the future.
  • Postverta: Nymph of the past.
• Candelifera: Goddess of childbirth.
• Cardea: Goddess of thresholds and door hinges.
• Carmentes: Also called the Carmentae, they are companions of the Goddess Carmenta. During childbirth, prayers are offered to summon the Carmentes to preside over the labor.
  • Antevorta: Also called Porrima, She is a Nymph of the future. She is present when the feet of the baby come first.
  • Postvorta: She is Nymph of the past, and is present at the birth when the baby is born head-first.
• Carnea: A Nymph of the door handles, the heart, and other organs. Her festival is on the Kalends of June.
• Chloris (Flora): Nymph associated with spring, flowers and new growth.
• Clementia: Goddess of mercy and clemency.
• Coelus: God of the sky.
• Collatina: Goddess of hills.
• Conditor: God of the harvest.
• Consus: God of grain storage.
• Convector: God of bringing in of the crops from the fields.
• Copia: Goddess of wealth and plenty.
• Cunina: Goddess who watcher over and protects infants in their cradles.
• Dea Dia: Goddess of growth worshiped during Ambarvalia.
• Dea Tacita: Goddess of the dead whose worship was established by King Numa.
• Deo (Ceres): Goddess of agriculture, fertility, harvest, and sacred law.
• Despoina: Daughter of Deo worshiped in Arcadia.
• Deverra: A Goddess who protects midwives and women in labour. She is symbolized by a broom which is used to sweep away evil influences, and as such is associated with the brooms which are used to purify temples in preparation for various worship services, sacrifices and celebrations.
• Dike (Jus, Justitia): Goddess of justice.
• Dionysos (Liber): God of ecstasy, liberation, and salvation.
  • Iacchos (Iacchus): A minor deity worshiped at Athens and Eleusis in connection with the Eleusinian mysteries.
• Dioskouroi (Dioscuri): The twins Castor and Pollux, who were transformed into the constellation Gemini.
• Disciplina: Goddess of discipline worshiped by soldiers.
• Dius Fidus: God of oaths.
• Domiduca & Domitius: Marriage divinities who accompanies the bridal procession as the couple arrives at their new home together on the wedding night.
• Dryades: Tree Nymphs.
  • Hamadryades: Dryad nymphs who are bounded to a specific tree.
• Durius: The Daimon of the river Douro in modern day Portugal and Spain, depicted bearing a fishing net.
• Eileithyia (Latin: Lucina): Goddess of childbirth.
• Eirene (Latin: Pax): Goddess of peace.
• Ekekheiria (Latin: Ececheiria): Daimon of truce and armistice. She was honoured at Olympia when a general armistice was declared among the states.
• Electryone: Also called Alectrona in Dorian Greek, She is the daughter of Helios and Rhode who died a virgin and came to be worshiped as a heroine on the island of Rhodes.
• Eleos (Misericordia, Clementia): Daimon of mercy, pity and compassion who had an altar in Athens.
• Eleutheria (Libertas): Goddess of liberty.
• Elpis (Spes): Goddess of hope.
• Empanda: Goddess of openness, friendliness and generosity. She had a sanctuary near the gate which led to the capitol.
• Endovelicus: Chthonic God of medicine.
• Enyalios: War God who is the son of Ares and Enyo.
• Enyo (Bellona): Goddess of war.
• Eos (Aurora): Goddess of the dawn.
  • Matuta: Latin Goddess of the dawn, harbors and the Sea. Patron deity of newborn babies.
• Epimelides: Nymphs of meadows and pastures who nourish and protect the herds and flocks of cattle, goats and sheep which graze their lands. Guardians of fruit-trees.
• Epidotes: Daimon of ritual purification worshiped in Sparta.
• Epona: Protector of equines.
• Erecura: Chthonic Gallo-Roman Goddess.
• Erinyes (Dirae): Also called the Furies, Goddesses of vengeance.
• Eris (Discordia): Goddess of discord and strife.
• Eros (Cupid): God of attraction.
• Ésous (Esus): Gaulish deity.
• Euboulos: God of ploughing and sowing of seed.
• Eukleia (Eucleia): Daimon of good repute and glory who is worshiped in Boiotia, Lokris, and Makedonia.
• Eunomia: One of the Horai, She is a Goddess of good order, civil order, good laws, lawful behaviour.
• Eurynome: Oceanid Nymph worshiped at a sanctuary near the confluence of rivers called the Neda and the Lymax in the Peloponnese.
• Eventus Bonus: God of success both in commerce and in agriculture.
• Fabulinus: God who taught children to speak and receives an offering when a child speaks their first words.
• Falacer: God of the grove.
• Fauna: Female counterpart to Pan.
• Faustitas: Goddess who is the protector of herds of livestock.
• Febris: Goddess who protected people against fevers.
• Felicitas: Goddess of good luck.
• Feronia: Goddess of health, fertility, abundance, wildlife, and freedom. She was often worshiped by ex-slaves who attained freedom.
• Flora: Goddess of spring and the blooming flowers.
• Fontus: Also named Fons, He is a God of wells and springs whose religious festival, the Fontinalia, is held on October 13
• Fornax: Goddess of bread baking and ovens.
• Fulgora: Goddess of lightning.
• Furrina: Goddess of springs.
• Glaukos (Glaucus): Prophetic Purified Soul associated with the seas.
• Glykon (Glycon): Serpentine God.
• Gobannos (Gobbanus): Gallo-Roman smithing God.
• Harmonia (Concordia): Also called hom*onoia, She is the Goddess of harmony, agreement, and understanding.
• Harpocrates: Mystical God of silence.
• Hebe (Juventas): Goddess of youth.
• Hedone (Volupta): Goddess of delight and daughter born from the union of Cupid and Psyche.
• Hekaterides: Goddess of rustic dance.
• Hekateros: God of dance and handwork.
• Hephaistos (Vulcanus): God of the forge, metallurgy, and volcanoes.
• Hera (Juno): Queen of the Gods; Goddess of marriage and protector of women
  • Caelestis (Tanit): Carthaginian Hera.
  • Cinxia: Goddess of marriage.
  • Quiritis: Goddess of motherhood.
• Herakles (Hercules): God of strength, gatekeeper of Olympus, and the saviour and protector of mankind.
  • Melkarth: Carthaginian Heracles.
• Hermaphroditos: Also called Aphroditos, He is a God of unions, androgyny, marriage, sexuality and fertility.
• Hermes (Mercurius): Messenger of the Gods and God of commerce, travel, and shepherds.
  • Hermanubis: Graeco-Egyptian God of the Priests in the search for truth.
  • Hermes Trismegistus: God of mysteries and author of the Hermetic Corpus.
• Heron: The Thracian rider God, who is worshiped as a saviour deity.
• Hestia (Vesta): Goddess of the hearth.
• Hippolytus (Virbius): A forest God whose worship was associated with the cult of Aphrodite.
• Honos: A Daimon of chivalry, honor and military justice often worshiped alongside the deity Arete.
• Hora: The Pure Soul of Hersilia, the wife of Romulus.
• Horai: Goddesses of seasons and the natural portions of time.
• Hormes: Daimon of effort and eagerness who is worshiped in Athens.
• Hygieia (Salus): Goddess of good health and sanitation.
• Hymen: God of weddings, reception, marriage
• Hypnos (Somnus, Sopor): God of sleep.
• Iacchos: God who is understood as founder of the Eleusinian mysteries.
• Iana: Goddess of arches and the moon.
• Ianos (Latin: Janus): God of time, beginnings, and ends.
• Indiges: Deified soul of Aineías (Latin: Aeneas), the leader of the Trojan refugees and ancestor of Romulus. Like Quirinus, Indiges is a fatherly figure to all Latin peoples.
• Intercidona: A Goddess who protects midwives and women in labour.
• Iris (Latin: Arcus): Goddess of rainbows and messenger of the Gods. She is worshiped by Delians and offered cakes made of dried figs, wheat, and honey.
• Jugatinus: A conjugal God.
• Juturna: Goddess of lakes, wells and springs.
• Kabiri: Group of chthonic deities.
• Karme: Goddess of the harvest.
• Kekropidai: Three sister-Goddesses who were the daughters of Cecrops I, usually worshiped by Athenians.
  • Aglaurus
  • Herse
  • Pandrosus
• Kernoúnos (Latin: Cernunnos): Gaulish horned deity.
• Kharites (Latin: Gratiae): Also called the Graces, they are Daimons of beauty, human creativity, charm, nature, and fertility.
  • Aglaia: Also named Kharis and Kale, She is a Daimon of beauty, splendour, glory, magnificence, adornment
  • Euphrosyne: Also named Euthymia, She is a Daimon of joy and mirth.
  • Thalia: A Daimon of festivity and rich banquets.
• Kheiron (Latin: Chiron): Kentaur divinity.
• Kore (Latin: Proserpina): Goddess of the underworld, springtime, flowers and vegetation.
  • Isis: Goddess of motherhood.
• Korymbos (Latin: Corymbus): Rustic Daimon of the fruit of the ivy.
• Kronos (Latin: Saturnus): God of agriculture, the harvest, generation, time, dissolution, plenty, wealth, periodic renewal, and liberation.
• Kyrínos (Latin: Quirinus): A Pure Soul sent to our world as Romulus, He is the national tutelary divinity of the Romans.
• Lacturnus: A deity who infuses crops with “milk” (juice or sap).
• Lares, Penates & Genii: Gods of the domestic space.
• Laverna: Chthonic Goddess of gain.
• Leto (Latona): Goddess of womanly modesty and motherhood.
• Leucothea: A Nymph of the Sea.
• Libera: Goddess of liberation and female fertility.
• Libertas: Goddess of freedom.
• Libitina: Goddess of funerals whose grove was located on the Esquiline Hill.
• Lima: Roman Goddess of thresholds.
• Litavis: Gallo-Roman Goddess who is consort of Ares (Mars).
• Lubentina: A Goddess of funerals and burial.
• Manes: Similar to the Lares, Genii and Di Penates. They were the souls of deceased loved ones.
• Mania: Goddess of the dead.
• Manturna: A conjugal Goddess who lets a couple remain together.
• Meditrina: Goddess of wine and health whose festival, the Meditrinalia, is observed on October 11.
• Mefitas: Goddess of poisonous vapors which emit from the ground in swamps and volcanic vapors who protects people from malaria.
• Melinoë: Chthonic Nymph.
• Mellona: Goddess and protector of bees.
• Mena: Roman Goddess of menstruation.
• Mens: Roman Goddess of mind and consciousness whose festival was May 8.
• Messia: Agricultural Goddess. She, along with other harvesting Goddesses Secia and Tutelina, had three pillars with altars before them in the Circus Maximus.
• Messor: God of agriculture and mowing.
• Meter Theon: Goddess of theurgy, mother of the Gods, and wife of Zeus-Helios.
  • Rhea (Latin: Ops): Agricultural mother Goddess.
  • Ge (Latin: Terra): Goddess of the Earth.
  • Hekate (Latin: Trivia): Goddess of theurgy, crossroads, the magian science, and guardian of roads.
• Mithras: Solar God of light and salvation.
• Moirai (Latin: Parcae): Also called the Fates, three Goddesses of fate.
• Mogounos: God of righteousness.
• Moneta: Goddess of prosperity.
• Mousai (Latin: Musae): Also called the Muses, they are Goddesses of the literature, science, and the arts.
• Mutunus Tutunus: Fertility God associated with marriage with a shrine at the Velian Hill.
• Naiades: Also called Hydriades, they are Nymphs of streams, brooks, fountains, wells, springs, and other bodies of fresh water. Some are among the Okeanids, daughters of the earth-encircling river Okeanos, while others are born of local River divinities.
• Nehalennia: Goddess of trading, shipping, and possibly horticulture and fertility.
• Nemestrinus: God of groves and the woods.
• Nemesis (Latin: Invidia, Rivalitas): Also named Adrasteia, She is the Goddess of retribution.
• Nenia: Goddess of funerals who had a sanctuary beyond the Porta Viminalis.
• Nereides: Nymphs of the Sea and daughters of the God Nereos. They were worshiped in parts of Greece.
• Nereos: God of the Sea and father of the Nereids, worshiped at Gythium in Laconia.
• Nikaia: A Nymph and daughter of the Great Mother who is worshiped in the Bithynian town of Nikaia.
• Nike (Latin: Victoria): Goddess of victory.
  • Vica Pota: Another form of the Goddess Nike who is worshiped in early Rome. Her shrine was located at the foot of the Velian Hill.
• Nodutus: The divinity who causes the “knot” (nodus in Latin) or node to form.
• Nundina: Goddess of the ninth day, on which the newborn child was given a name.
• Nymphai: Also called Nymphs, they are a class of worldly spirits in our realm of generation.
• Nysos: Daimon of Mount Nysa.
• Nyx (Latin: Nox): Goddess of the night. She is often associated in the worship of other Gods, however had an oracle on the acropolis at Megara.
• Obarator: God of ploughing.
• Occator: God of harrowing.
• Okeanos (Latin: Oceanus): Primordial Titan of the earth-encircling river
• Okeanids: Nymphs who are three thousand daughters of Okeanos and Tethys. Their numbers include some of the Anthousai, Aurai, Dryades, Epimelides, Leimonides, Naiades, and Nephelai.
• Oneiroi: Gods and Daimons who rule over dreams, nightmares, and oneiromancy.
• Orbona: Goddess of parents who lost their children.
• Oreiades: Nymphs of mountains. Their members include some of the Epimelides, Hamadryades, and Naiades.
• Ourea: God of mountains.
• Paean: Physician of the Gods.
• Palaimon (Latin: Portunus): Sea God associated with keys, doors, livestock and ports. He is the guardian of storehouses and locked doors.
• Palatua: Goddess who guards the Palatine Hill.
• Pales: God of shepherds, flocks and livestock whose festival, the Parilia, is celebrated on April 21.
• Pan (Latin: Faunus, Lupercus): God of shepherds and flocks, rustic music, the wilds, and the nature of mountain wilds. He is the companion of the nymphs and protector of cattle.
  • Inuus: A deity associated with the Lupercalia festival.
• Patelana: The Goddess who opens up the grain.
• Peitho (Latin: Suadela): Goddess of persuasion in romance, seduction and love. She is worshiped in conjunction with Aphrodite.
• Phales: God of phallic processions.
• Phorkys: Primordial God of the Sea.
• Picmunus & Pilumnus: Picmunus is a rustic God of agriculture, fertility, matrimony, infants and children. His brother Pilumnus is a rustic God who protects midwives and women in labour who ensures children grow properly and remain healthy.
• Pistis (Latin: Fides): Goddess of good faith and trust.
• Plouton (Latin: Dis Pater, Orcus): God of the underworld and the riches of the earth. Also a God of oaths and punisher of perjurers.
  • Sarapis (Latin: Serapis): Alexandrian Plutoun.
• Ploutos (Latin: Plutus): God of wealth apparently important to the Eleusinian Mysteries.
• Poseidon (Latin: Neptunus): Lord of the Sea, storms, earthquakes, soil, and horses.
• Pomona: Goddess of fruitful abundance.
• Pontus: Primordial God of the Sea.
• Porus: God of plenty.
• Potamoi (Latin: Flumina): Gods of rivers and streams worshiped all throughout the Hellenic world.
• Potina: Goddess of children’s drinks.
• Priapus: Rustic God of garden fertility.
• Prometheus: Trickster God and benefactor of mankind.
• Proteus: Primordial seer of the Sea.
• Providentia: Goddess of forethought.
• Pudicitia: Goddess of modesty and chastity.
• Puta: Goddess of the pruning of vines and trees.
• Robigus: Also called in feminine Robigo, they are a divinity who averts overwhelming heat and blight from young cornfields.
• Roma: Goddess of Rome.
• Rosmerta: Goddess of fertility and abundance.
• Rumina: Goddess of nursing mothers.
• Runcina: A Goddess of weeding and mowing.
• Rusina: Goddess of the fields.
• Sancus: God of oaths and good faith.
• Saritor: God of weeding and hoeing.
• Secia: An agricultural Goddess. She, along with other harvesting Goddesses Tutelina and Messia, had three pillars with altars before them in the Circus Maximus.
• Seia: Goddess who protects the seed once it’s sewn into the earth.
• Selene (Latin: Luna): Goddess of the Moon.
  • Mín (Latin: Lunus): God of lunar months.
• Semonia, Setia, and Segetia: Agricultural deities who are Goddesses of sowing.
• Silenos: Companion and tutor to Dionysos.
• Silouanós (Latin: Silvanus): God of the forests.
• Sirona: Celtic Goddess associated with healing springs whose attributes are eggs and snakes.
• Stata Mater: Goddess who guards against fires.
• Sterquilinus: God of fertilizer.
• Stimula: Goddess who incites passion in women.
• Strenua: Goddess of strength and vigor.
• Suadela: Goddess of persuasion, especially in matters of love.
• Subigus: Tutelary God of the wedding night.
• Subrincinator: God of weeding.
• Soukélous (Latin: Sucellus): Khthonic deity and the ancestor and protector of mankind.
• Summanus: God of nocturnal thunder whose temple was west of the Circus Maximus.
• Telephos: Son of Herakles and Auge. He is worshiped in Arcadia.
• Telete: Daimon of the Bacchic initiation rites.
• Tempestes: Goddesses of storms and sudden weather who had a temple dedicated to Her near the Porta Capena by Lucius Cornelius Scipio, a consul during the First Punic War.
• Terminus: God who protects boundary markers.
• Thalassa: Primordial Goddess of the Sea.
• Theisoa: A Nymph worshiped at Theisoa in Arcadia.
• Themis: Titan Goddess of divine law and order.
• Thryiai: Goddess of divination by pebbles and bird omens.
• Tiberinus: Daimon of the Tiber River.
• Tityroi: Daimons under the Lord Dionysos.
• Triptolemos: God of the wheat mill and sowing of the grain.
• Triton: Messenger God of the Sea.
• Trophonios: Chthonic God who built the site of the Oracle of Delphi.
• Tutelina: A Goddess who watches over stored grain and is responsible for protecting crops brought in during harvest time. She, along with other harvesting Goddesses Secia and Messia, had three pillars with altars dedicated for them in the Circus Maximus.
• Tyche (Latin: Fortuna): Usually worshipped more frequently as Eutykhia, She is a Goddess of good fortune, luck, prosperity, and success.
• Vacuna: Goddess of agriculture worshipped throughout parts of central Italia.
• Vallonia: Goddess of valleys.
• Vaticanus: The God who opens a newborn’s mouth to wail.
• Veritas: Goddess of truth.
• Vertumnes: God of seasons, change, vegetative growth, gardens and fruit trees.
• Viduus: God who separated the soul and the body after death.
• Viriplacaa: Goddess of marital strife who protected women. She had a sanctuary on the Palatine Hill.
• Vitumnus: God who gave life to children in the womb.
• Volturnus: God of the waters.
• Volupia: A divinity whose name appears to signify “willingness.” She had a temple, the Sacellum Volupiae, on the Via Nova by the Porta Romana, where sacrifices were offered to the Angerona.
• Volutina: A Goddess who induces “envelopes” (Latin involumenta), or leaf sheaths, to form.
• Volumna: Goddess who protects the nursery.
• Zeus-Helios (Latin: Iuppiter, Iovis, Sol): The Nous, Demiurge, King of Heaven and the All
  • Anxurus: Italian deity understood as a youthful Iuppiter.
  • Sabazios: Phrygian Zeus associated with horses and snakes.
  • Tinia: Etruscan Zeus.
  • Zeus-Ammon: Graeco-Egyptian Zeus.
  • Zeus Brontios (Iuppiter Tonans): Zeus the Thunderer.
  • Zeus Dolikhenos (Iuppiter Dolichenus): Canaanite Zeus.
  • Zeus Kapitolinos (Iuppiter Optimus Maximus Capitolinus): Zeus the Best and the Greatest, as He was traditionally worshipped in Rome.
  • Zeus Ktêsios (Zeus Ctesius): Zeus who protects the household.

And such are the requisites for an auditor of the gods. But the necessary discourses proceed as follows: the essences of the gods are neither generated; for eternal natures are without generation; and those beings are eternal who possess a first power, and are naturally void of passivity. Nor are their essences composed from bodies; for even the powers of bodies are incorporeal: nor are they comprehended in place; for this is the property of bodies: nor are they separated from the first cause, or from each other; in the same manner as intellections are not separated from intellect, nor sciences from the soul. On what account then the ancients, neglecting such discourses as these, employed fables, is a question not unworthy our investigation. And this indeed is the first utility arising from fables, that they excite us to inquiry, and do not suffer our cognitive power to remain in indolent rest. It will not be difficult therefore to show that fables are divine, from those by whom they are employed: for they are used by poets agitated by divinity, by the best of philosophers, and by such as disclose initiatory rites. In oracles also fables are employed by the gods; but why fables are divine is the part of philosophy to investigate. Since therefore all beings rejoice in similitude, and are averse from dissimilitude, it is necessary that discourses concerning the gods should be as similar to them as possible, that they may become worthy of their essence, and that they may render the gods propitious to those who discourse concerning them; all which can only be effected by fables. Fables therefore imitate the gods, according to effable and ineffable, unapparent and apparent, wise and ignorant; and this likewise extends to the goodness of the gods; for as the gods impart the goods of sensible natures in common to all things, but the goods resulting from intelligibles to the wise alone, so fables assert to all men that there are gods; but who they are, and of what kind, they alone manifest to such as are capable of so exalted a knowledge. In fables too, the energies of the gods are imitated; for the world may very properly be called a fable, since bodies, and the corporeal possessions which it contains, are apparent, but souls and intellects are occult and invisible. Besides, to inform all men of the truth concerning the gods, produces contempt in the unwise, from their incapacity of learning, and negligence in the studious; but concealing truth in fables, prevents the contempt of the former, and compels the latter to philosophize. But you will ask why adulteries, thefts, paternal bonds, and other unworthy actions are celebrated in fables? Nor is this unworthy of admiration, that where there is an apparent absurdity, the soul immediately conceiving these discourses to be concealments, may understand that the truth which they contain is to be involved in profound and occult silence. Of fables, some are theological, others physical, others animastic, (or belonging to soul,) others material, and lastly, others mixed from these. Fables are theological which employ nothing corporeal, but speculate the very essences of the gods; such as the fable which asserts that Saturn devoured his children: for it obscurely intimates the nature of an intellectual god, since every intellect returns into itself. But we speculate fables physically when we speak concerning the energies of the gods about the world; as when considering Saturn the same as Time, and calling the parts of time the children of the universe, we assert that the children are devoured by their parents. But we employ fables in an animastic mode when we contemplate the energies of the soul; because the intellections of our souls, though by a discursive energy they proceed into other things, yet abide in their parents. Lastly, fables are material, such as the Egyptians ignorantly employ, considering and calling corporeal natures divinities; such as Isis, earth; Osiris, humidity; Typhon, heat: or again, denominating Saturn, water; Adonis, fruits; and Bacchus, wine. And, indeed, to assert that these are dedicated to the gods, in the same manner as herbs, stones, and animals, is the part of wise men; but to call them gods is alone the province of mad men; unless we speak in the same manner as when, from established custom, we call the orb of the Sun and its rays the Sun itself. But we may perceive the mixed kind of fables, as well in many other particulars, as in the fable which relates, that Discord at a banquet of the gods threw a golden apple, and that a dispute about it arising among the goddesses, they were sent by Jupiter to take the judgement of Paris, who, charmed with the beauty of Venus, gave her the apple in preference to the rest. For in this fable the banquet denotes the supermundane powers of the gods; and on this account they subsist in conjunction with each other: but the golden apple denotes the world, which, on account of its composition from contrary natures, is not improperly said to be thrown by Discord, or strife. But again, since different gifts are imparted to the world by different gods, they appear to contest with each other for the apple. And a soul living according to sense, (for this is Paris) not perceiving other powers in the universe, asserts that the contended apple subsists alone through the beauty of Venus. But of these species of fables, such as are theological belong to philosophers; the physical and animastic rites (teleteïs:) since the intention of all mystic ceremonies is, to conjoin us with the world and the gods. But if it be requisite to relate another fable, we may emply the following with advantage. It is said that the mother of the gods perceiving Attis by the river Gallus, became in love with him, and having placed on him a starry had, lived afterwards with him in intimate familiarity; but Attis falling in love with a Nymph, deserted the mother of the gods, and entered into association with the Nymph. Through this the mother of the gods caused Attis to become insane, who cutting off his genital parts, left them with the nymph, and then returning again to his pristine connection with the Goddess. The mother of the gods then is the vivific goddess, and on this account is called mother: but Attis is the Demiurgus of natures conversant with generation and corruption; and hence his is said to be found by the river Gallus; for Gallus denotes the Galaxy, or milky circle, from which a passive body descends to the earth. But since primary gods perfect such as are secondary, the mother of the gods falling in love with Attis imparts to him celestial powers; for this is the meaning of the starry hat. But Attis loves a nymph, and nymphs preside over generation; for every thing in generation flows. But because it is necessary that the flowing nature of generation should be stopped, lest something worse than things last should be produced; in order to accomplish this, the Demiurgus of generable and corruptible natures, sending prolific powers into the realms of generation, is again conjoined with the gods. But these things indeed never took place at any particular time, because they have a perpetuity of subsistence: and intellect contemplates all things as subsisting together; but discourse considers this thing as first, and that as second, in the order of existence. Hence, since a fable most aptly corresponds to the world, how is it possible that we, who are imitators of the world, can be more gracefully ornamented than by the assistance of fable? For through this we observe a festive Day. And, in the first place, we ourselves falling from the celestial regions, and associating with a nymph, the symbol of generation, live immersed in sorrow, abstaining from corn and other gross and sordid aliment; since every thing of this kind is contrary to the soul: afterwards, the incisions of a tree and fasting succeed, as if we would amputate from our nature all farther progress of generation: at length we employ the nutriment of milk, as if passing by this means into a state of regeneration: and lastly, festivity and crowns, and a re-ascent, as it were, to the gods succeed. But the truth of all this is confirmed by the time in which these ceremonies take place; for they are performed about spring and the equinoctial period, when natures in generation cease to be any longer generated, and the days are more extended than the nights, because this period is accommodated to ascending souls. But the rape of Proserpine is fable to have taken place about the opposite equinoctial; and this rape alludes to the descent of souls. And thus much concerning the mode of considering fables; to our discourse on which subject, may both the gods and the souls of the writers of fables be propitious. After this, it is requisite that we should know the first cause, and the orders of gods posterior to the first, together with the nature of the world, of intellect, soul, and essence; likewise that we should speculate providence, fate, and fortune, virtue and vice, and the good and evil forms of republics produced from these; and lastly, that we should consider from whence evil crept into the world. And though each of these requires many and very extended discourses, yet there is no reason why we may not discuss these subjects with brevity, lest mankind should be totally destitute of the knowledge they contain. It is necessary, then, that the first cause should be one; for the monad presides over all multitude, excelling all things in power and goodness, and on this account it is necessary that all things should participate of its nature; for nothing can hinder its energies through power, and it will not separate itself from any thing on account of the goodness which it possesses. But if the first cause were soul, all things would be animated; if intellect, all things would be intellectual; if essence, all things would participate of essence; which [concerning this] last [one] some perceiving to subsist in all things, have taken occasion to denominate him essence. If then things had nothing besides being, and did not also possess goodness, this assertion would be true; but if beings subsist through goodness, and participate of the good, it is necessary that the first cause should be super-essential, and the good: but the truth of this is most eminently evinced in souls endued with virtue, and through good neglecting the care of their being, when they expose themselves to the most imminent dangers for their country or friends, or in the cause of virtue. But after this ineffable power the orders of the gods succeed. But of the gods some are mundane and others super-mundane. I call those mundane who fabricate the world: but of the super-mundane, some produce essences, others intellect, and others soul; and on this account they are distinguished into three orders, in discourses concerning which orders, it is easy to discover all the gods. But of the mundane gods, some are the causes of the world’s existence, other animate the world; others again harmonize it, thus composed from different natures; and others, lastly, guard and preserve it when harmonically arranged. And since these orders are four, and each consists from things first, middle, and last, it is necessary that the disposers of these should be twelve: hence Jupiter, Neptune, and Vulcan, fabricate the world; Ceres, Juno, and Diana, animate it; Mercury, Venus, and Apollo, harmonize it; and, lastly, Vesta, Minerva, and Mars, preside over it with a guarding power. But the truth of this may be seen in statues as in ænigmas: for Apollo harmonizes the lyre, Pallas is invested with arms, and Venus is naked; since harmony generates beauty, and beauty is not concealed in objects of sensible inspection. But since these gods primarily possess the world, it is necessary to consider the other gods as subsisting in these; as Bacchus in Jupiter, Esculapius in Apollo, and the Graces in Venus. We may likewise behold the orbs with which they are connected; i.e. Vesta with earth, Neptune with water, Juno with air, and Vulcan with fire. But the six superior gods we denominate from general custom; for we assume Apollo and Diana for the sun and moon; but we attribute the orb of Saturn to Ceres, æther to Pallas; and we assert that heaven is common to them all. The orders, therefore, powers, and spheres of the twelve gods, are thus unfolded by us, and celebrated as in a sacred hymn.

The Elder and Younger Titans

The Elder Titans are all members of the Ouranídai, that is, progeny of Ouranós and Yaia. The most important are six of the Seven Pairs of Titans, but there are others. In some lists of Titánæs, you may find names such as Phórkys (Phorcys, Φόρκυς), and less familiar deities such as Óstasos (Ostasus, Ὄστασος), Ádanos (Adanus, Ἄδανος), Ándîs (Andês, Ἄνδης), Ólymvros (Olymbrus, Ὄλυμβρος), and Ánytos (Anytus, Ἄνυτος)...but we will not be discussing most of these.

The descendants of the Elder Titánæs are called the Younger Titánæs, deities such as Dióhnî and Promithéfs, Litóh, and Astæría, to name just a few. Even Zefs and Íra are Younger Titans. And the children of the Younger Titans are also given the name Titanic, deities such as Ækáti, because she descends in the genealogy from the Titans.

THE SEVEN PAIRS OF TITANS

The first six pairs of Titans in this list are members of the Ouranídai (Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου134. The last pair, Dióhni (Διώνη) and Promithéfs (Προμηθεύς), are younger Titans. Taken together, they are known as the Seven Pairs of Titans. There are other lists of pairs of Titans, but the below list is what was given to this author in this lineage.

1. Rǽa and Krónos

Krónos (Κρόνος) is the youngest (last-born) of the Titánæs (Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 137) and the greatest. Krónos deposed his father Ouranós by castrating him, thus becoming the fourth in the progression of Aithír (Αἰθήρ) known as the Six Kings. He had dominion over the Kózmos in the Silver Age (Orphic frag. 140. σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Πολιτείας Πλάτωνος II 74, 26 Kr. Hesiod calls this the Golden Age.) Ouranós is a pre-form of Krónos as Krónos is a pre-form of Zefs, his son. Rǽa (Rhea, Ῥέα, meaning "easily" or "effortlessly." Etym. ῥέω "to flow, stream." [Κρατύλος Πλάτωνος 402] Also, ῥᾶ "easily."), according to Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 133, is the daughter of Ouranós (Οὐρανός) and Yî (Gê, Γῆ), like her brother and husband Krónos. To Krónos she bore Æstía (Ἑστία), Íra (Ήρα), Ploutôn (Πλούτων), Poseidóhn (Ποσειδῶν), and Zefs (Ζεύς). There was an oracle warning Krónos that one of his children would usurp him, so he devoured them as each was born, and would have done so to Zefs as well, but for a trick of Rǽa. When Zefs was born, Rǽa became Dîmítîr (Δημήτηρ) (Orphic frag. 145 σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Κρατύλου Πλάτωνος 403e). She deceived Krónos by wrapping a rock in swaddling clothes. He swallowed the rock and vomited up all the children. When Zefs grew sufficiently in strength, he deposed and castrated Krónos (Orphic frag. 154: ὃ καὶ πάσχει ὁ Κρόνος καὶ δεθεὶς ἐκτέμνεται ὡς ὁ Οὐρανός). The Olympians, under the rule of Zefs, have assumed power over the Kózmos forever. Rǽa is equated with the Mother of the Gods, the Phrygian Kyvǽlî (Κυβέλη), who taught Diónysos the Mysteries (Βιβλιοθήκη Ἀπολλοδώρου Book 3.5.1). Diónysos imparted the Mystíria to Khárôps (Χάρωψ), to whom he gave the kingdom of Thrákî (Θράκη). Khárôps gave them to his son Íagros (Οἴαγρος), who in turn taught them to his son, Orphéfs (Ὀρφεύς). Orphéfs disseminated the Mysteries throughout the world and thereby provides the means to be freed from the sorrowful circle of births (κύκλος γενέσεως). Rǽa is the second in the progression of Earth known as the Three Vasíleiai (βασίλειαι), the Three Queens: Yaia, Rǽa, and Íra. Rǽa is, therefore, a pre-form of Íra.

2. Tîthýs and Okæanós

Okæanós (Oceanus or Ocean, Ὠκεανός) is the God of the great river which surrounds the earth; Tîthýs (Tethys, Τηθύς. Etym. τήθη "grandmother."), his sister and wife, is its Goddess. By Okæanós, Tîthýs gave birth to the mighty fresh-water rivers (Ποταμοί). She gave birth to her daughters the Nýmphai (Νύμφαι) of the streams, springs, and fountains who are called the Okæanídæs (Ὠκεανίδες) [Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 337-370]; and she gave birth to the Clouds (Νεφέλαι) [Orphic Hymn 22, line 7]. Okæanós, according to the mythology, is the first-born of the Titánæs, as said in Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου. The opening of the Orphic Hymn to Okæanós attributes to him an intimate connection to the birth of the Gods: "Ocean I call, whose nature ever flows, From whom at first both Gods and men arose." (Trans. Thomas Taylor, 1792.) This same thought occurs in Ἰλιάς as Íra (Ἥρα) speaks (line 200): "I am going to the world's end, to visit Oceanus, from whom all we Gods proceed..." (Ἰλιὰς Ὁμήρου 14.200, trans. Samuel Butler 1898.) Amongst many other children of these Gods, Okæanós bore by Tîthýs the river Styx (Στύξ) by which the Gods swear oaths which may not be broken.

3. Phívî and Kíos

Phívî (Phoebê, Φοίβη, "the bright one.") is the great deity by whose means oracular ability is passed down. To her husband Kíos (Κοῖος), Phívî bore Astæría (Ἀστερία, the "starry one") who, in turn, bore Ækátî (Ἑκάτη) [Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 409-412], the great Goddess of Virtue who gives oracles concerning areas which are hidden to us, as though in darkness. And Phívî and Kíos also brought forth Lîtóh (Λητώ) [Ἡσίοδος Θεογονία 404-406], who coupled with Zefs and gave birth to Ártæmis (Ἄρτεμις) and Apóllôn (Ἀπόλλων). Apóllôn is the mighty God of light, who speaks the oracles of his father. Phívî had possession of the oracle at Dælphí (Δελφοί). Yaia (Γαῖα) held it first, but Yaia gave it to Thǽmis (Θέμις), who in turn gave it to Phívî. Finally, Phívî made a present of the Dælphic Oracle to Apóllôn (Ὀρέστεια Εὐμενίδες Αἰσχύλου opening verse), who, thereby, is in possession of the oracle of both Earth (through Phívî) and Heaven (through Zefs). Κοῖος is the Ionic spelling of ποῖος, which is a word of querying; hence, Kíos is thought of as a God of the intellect, the questioning mind. The Latin mythographer Hyginus calls him Polus, after the Greek Pólos (Πόλος), which is the axis of the celestial sphere. His wife, Phívî (Φοίβη), had dominion over Dælphí (Δελφοί); Dælphí is the axis of the earth, corresponding to the celestial axis of her husband Kíos.

4. Theia Evrypháæssa and Ypæríohn

Theia (Theia Euryphaessa, Θεία Εὐρυφάεσσα. Etym. θεία means "aunt," or from θειάζω, which means “inspired” or “oracular,” also θέα, “sight.” Εὐρυφάεσσα is an epithet of the Goddess meaning "far-shining.") Theia is the Titan Goddess of light and is associated with glittering gold, the colour most associated with the Gods. Her light illuminates not only the precious metals of gold and silver, but it shines through and glorifies the precious gems of the world. Theia is bound in love to her husband, Ypæríôn, by whom she bore illustrious children of light: Sælínî (Σελήνη), the Goddess of the Moon; Ióhs (Ἠώς), the Goddess of the Dawn; and Ílios (Ἥλιος), the God of the Sun [Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 371]. Ypæríôn: (Hyperiôn, Ὑπερίων. Etym. ὑπέρ “above,” “the high one.”) As stated above, Ypæríôn and Theia are the parents of the Sun, the Moon, and Dawn. Ypæríôn is the source of these heavenly bodies, admirable not only for their light, but also for how they assist mankind in the measurement of time, in particular, the months and days.

5. Thǽmis and Iapætós

Thǽmis (Themis, Θέμις. Etym. θέμις is "law and justice as established by custom.") was the wife of Zefs before Íra (Ἥρα). By him she bore the Órai (Ὧραι): Evnomía (Good Order, Εὐνομία), Díki (Justice, Δίκη), and Eiríni (Peace, Εἰρήνη), which is indicative of the nature of Thǽmis as being the great Goddess of divine Law. Thǽmis also bore by Zefs the Mírai (Μοῖραι): Klôthóh (Κλωθώ), Lákhæsis (Λάχεσις), and Átropos (Ἄτροπος). All this can be found in Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου at 901-906. After these events, Thǽmis is bound in marriage to Iapætós. Thǽmis reveals the will of the Gods and divine law and justice to mankind by means of her oracular ability (Βιβλιοθήκη ἱστορικὴ Διοδώρου Σικελιώτου Book V. 67. 4). Yaia (Γαῖα) held the oracle at Dælphí (Δελφοί) and gave it to Thǽmis; Thǽmis gave the oracle to Phívî, who then made a present of it to Apóllôn (Ὀρέστεια Εὐμενίδες Αἰσχύλου opening verse). Iapætós (Iapetus or Japetus, Ἰαπετός. Etym. ἰάπτω meaning “to wound,” “pierce,” “spear”) is a great benefactor and ancestor of mankind and all things mortal, for his son, Promîthéfs is said to have created the race of men (Βιβλιοθήκη Ἀπολλοδώρου 1.7.1). The sons of Iapætós are all by Klymǽni (Κλυμένη) [Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 371] who is always listed as his wife. Nonetheless, there is an interesting confusion with this mythology where, for instance, in Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης Αἰσχύλου (8, 211, and 873) it says that Thǽmis or Yaia is the mother of Promîthéfs. This author was taught that the pair of Iapætós is Thǽmis, whom he loved, but that she rejected him for Zefs. My teacher also taught me the more common view of Klymǽni being the wife of Iapætós, so perhaps the idea of Thǽmis as the pair of Iapætós is more the view of the Mystíria. The sons of Iapætós are:

Átlas (Ἄτλας,"endurance")

Promîthéfs (Προμηθεύς, “forethought”)

Æpimîthéfs (Ἐπιμηθεύς, “hindsight”)

Mænítios (Μενοίτιος, "doomed might")

6. Mnimosýni and Kriós

Mnîmosýnî (Mnêmosynê, Μνημοσύνη) is the great Goddess of Memory, by which we can understand the past, with even the possibility of remembering past lives. "...everything is worn and withered away by time, whereas time itself never ages, but remains immortal because of memory." (Τὰ ἐς τὸν Τυανέα Ἀπολλώνιον Φιλοστράτου 1.14, trans. F. C. Conybeare, 1912.)

Kriós (Crius, Κριός; "ram.") loved Mnîmosýnî but she rejected him and accepted Zefs by whom she is the mother of the Mousai (Μοῦσαι) (Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 53). She is the great Titanís who discovered the use of reason and the power of using names, thereby enabling us to use speech (Βιβλιοθήκη ἱστορικὴ Διοδώρου Σικελιώτου 5. 67. 3). Kriós is the father by Evryvía (Εὐρυβία) of Astraios (Ἀστραῖος), Pállas (Πάλλας), and Pǽrsîs (Πέρσης). Kriós is connected with the constellation which bears his name (Κριός/Aries), which is associated with the beginning of spring and the agricultural year, and standing at the beginning, he is thought of as representing and conducting all the great constellations of the heavens and the measurement of the temporal portions of the year.

7. Dióhnî and Promithéfs

Dióhnî (Dione, Διώνη; feminine of Διός, the genitive of Ζεύς) is not one of the Ouranídai (although Hyginus in the preface to his book of mythology and Βιβλιοθήκη Ἀπολλοδώρου 1.2 disagrees), for she is the daughter of Okæanós and Tithýs (Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 353).

Ἰλιὰς Ὁμήρου Book 5.370 says that Dióhnî is the mother of Aphrodítî by Zefs (also Orphic frag. 183 σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Κρατύλου Πλάτωνος 406c), who Plátôn calls Pándîmos (Πάνδημος) Aphrodítî, the common or popular Aphrodítî of sexual union (Συμπόσιον 180 d-e). Dióhnî accompanies Zefs in his oracular ability (Γεωγραφικὰ Στράβωνος 7.7.12) as his temple-associate. Dióhnî is a pre-form of Dîmítîr.

Promîthéfs (Prometheus, Προμηθεύς. Etym. from προμήθεια “foresight,” “forethought.”) is actually a Younger Titán, being a son of Iapætós and Klymǽnî (Κλυμένη), according to Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 507 (As stated above, Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης Αἰσχύλου [8, 211, and 873] says that Thǽmis or Yaia is the mother of Promîthéfs). There are various stories about Promîthéfs but they can be summarized thus: he is said to have created the human race out of Earth and Water (Βιβλιοθήκη Ἀπολλοδώρου 1.7.1 [Frazer]). He is the father of Defkalíôn (Δευκαλίων) (Βιβλιοθήκη Ἀπολλοδώρου 1.7.2 [Frazer]), and, thus, is a direct ancestor of the human race. Following this, Promîthéfs proved to be a great friend to mankind, bestowing great benefits on us while often suffering greatly for his efforts on our behalf.

Aiskhýlos (Αἰσχύλος), the tragedian, describes the importance of Promîthéfs to mankind:

Promîthéfs: Through me mankind ceased to foresee death.

Leader of Chorus: What remedy could heal that sad disease?

Promîthéfs: Blind hopes I made to dwell in them.

Leader of Chorus: O merciful boon for mortals.

Promîthéfs: And more than all I gave them fire.

Leader of Chorus: And so in their brief life they are lords of flaming fire

Promîthéfs: Through it they will learn many arts. (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης Αἰσχύλου 250-256, trans. Paul Elmer More, 1899.)

And in a passage commonly referred to as the Catalog of the Arts: Promîthéfs speaks: "...listen to the sad story of mankind, who like children lived until I gave them understanding and a portion of reason; yet not in disparagement of men I speak, but meaning to set forth the greatness of my charity. For seeing they saw not, and hearing they understood not, but like as shapes in a dream they wrought all the days of their life in confusion. No houses of brick raised in the warmth of the sun they had, nor fabrics of wood, but like the little ants they dwelt underground in the sunless depth of caverns. No certain sign of approaching winter they knew, no harbinger of flowering spring or fruitful summer; ever they labored at random, till I taught them to discern the seasons by the rising and the obscure setting of the stars. Numbers I invented for them, the chiefest of all discoveries; I taught them the grouping of letters, to be a memorial and record of the past, the mistress of the arts and mother of the Muses. I first brought under the yoke beasts of burden, who by draft and carrying relieved men of their hardest labors; I yoked the proud horse to the chariot, teaching him obedience to the reins, to be the adornment of wealth and luxury. I too contrived for sailors sea-faring vessels with their flaxen wings. Alas for me! such inventions I devised for mankind, but for myself I have no cunning to escape disaster.... (Προμηθεὺς Δεσμώτης Αἰσχύλου 444-471, trans. Paul Elmer More, 1899.)

ONE MORE PAIR OF TITÁNÆS

Phórkys and Kîtóh

Phórkys (Phorcys, Φόρκυς) is the son of Póndos (Πόντος) and Yaia (Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 237). He is a great God of the Sea who fathered many giant sea-monsters by Kîtóh (Cêtô, Κητώ). In Orphic fragment 114 (σχόλιον Πρόκλου επὶ Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος) he is included in the list of Titánæs rather than Promithéfs (as in our list of the seven above). This author was taught that Promîthéfs holds the seventh seat.

THE YOUNGER TITÁNÆS

The following list does not pretend to be complete.

Ækáti - (Hecate, Ἑκάτη) Ækátî is the daughter of Astæría (Ἀστερία) and Pǽrsîs (Πέρσης). Her mother Astæría is the daughter of the Elder Titans Phívî and Kíos. Her father Pǽrsîs was the son of Evryvía (Εὐρυβία) and the Elder Titan Kriós.

Astæría - (Asteria, Ἀστερία; “of the stars”) Astæría is one of the Younger Titanídæs (Τιτανίδες), the daughter of Kíos and Phívi. Astæría is the sister of Litóh (Λητώ) and the mother of Ækáti (Ἑκάτη). With these close relationships to Phívi, Apóllôn (Ἀπόλλων), and Ækáti, Astæría is connected with oracular power.

Following the battle of the Titánæs, Astæría was pursued by Zefs (Ζεύς) and avoided him by transforming herself into a quail, falling into the sea and becoming the island Astæría, later called Ortiyía (Ορτυγία. Etym. ὄρτυξ "quail."), and finally called Dílos (Δήλος "famous"), where she agreed to be the birthplace of Apóllôn, but there is confusion regarding the island, whether there were two islands (Ortiyía and Dílos) with Ártæmis (Ἄρτεμις) born on Ortiyía previous to her brother.

Átlas - (Ἄτλας) Átlas is the son of Iapætós and Klymǽni, according to Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου 507. He led the Titánæs in their war against Zefs, thereby being condemned to carry the heavens on his shoulders. According to Ὀδύσσεια Ὁμήρου I.51-54: νῆσος δενδρήεσσα, θεὰ δ᾽ ἐν δώματα ναίει, Ἄτλαντος θυγάτηρ ὀλοόφρονος, ὅς τε θαλάσσης πάσης βένθεα οἶδεν, ἔχει δέ τε κίονας αὐτὸς μακράς, αἳ γαῖάν τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχουσιν.

“Tis a wooded isle (the island of Ὠγυγίη), and therein dwells a Goddess (Καλυψώ), daughter of Atlas of baneful mind, who knows the depths of every sea, and himself holds the tall pillars which keep earth and heaven apart.” (trans. A. T. Murray, 1919.)

Díki – See Órai.

Dióhnî - (Διώνη) the daughter of Okæanós and Tithýs

Eiríni – See Órai.

Evnomía – See Órai.

Ílios - (Hêlios, Ἥλιος) Ílios is the God of the Sun, the daughter of Theia and Ypæríôn.

Ióhs - (Eôs, Ἠώς) Ióhs is the Goddess of Dawn, the daughter of Theia and Ypæríôn.

Kalypsó – (Calypsô, Καλυψώ) daughter of Átlas and Pleiónî (Pleionê, Πλειόνη), who delayed the journey of Odysséfs (Ὀδυσσεύς) on his way back home.

Kourítæs - (Curêtes, Κουρῆτες) According the Orphic theogony, the Kourítæs are sons of Rhǽa (Ῥέα) (Orphic fragment 150 ἀπορίαι καὶ λύσεις περὶ τῶν πρώτων ἀρχῶν Δαμασκίου 278): μόνη δὲ ἡ Ῥέα τους Κούρητας ἀπογεννᾶι = "where Rǽa alone generated the Kourítæs" (trans. by the author)

Thus, being progeny of an Elder Titanís, they are members of the Younger Titánæs.

Mírai - (Moirae, Μοῖραι): The Mírai or the Fates are daughters of Thǽmis and Zefs. They are: Klôthóh (Κλωθώ), Lákhæsis (Λάχεσις), and Átropos (Ἄτροπος).

Mousai - (Muses, Μοῦσαι) The Mousai, nine great Goddesses of the arts, are daughters of Mnimosýnî and Zefs. They are the companions of Apóllôn, who is their leader. The Mousai are: Kleióh (Κλειώ), Eftǽrpî (Εὐτέρπη), Tháleia (Θάλεια), Mælpomǽnî (Μελπομένη), Tærpsikhóra (Τερψιχόρα), Æratóh (Ἐρατώ), Polýmnia (Πολύμνια), Ouranía (Οὐρανία), and Kalliópî (Καλλιόπη).

Lîtóh - (Lêtô, Λητώ) The daughter of Phívî and Kíos. Lîtóh is the mother of twins: Ártæmis and Apóllôn.

Næphǽlai - (Nephelae, Νεφέλαι) The water-Nýmphai of the clouds, daughters of Tîthýs and Okæanós.

Okeanídæs – (Oceanides, Ὠκεανίδες) The three-thousand water Nýmphai daughters of Tîthýs and Okæanós.

Olympians - Because they are the progeny of the Elder Titánæs Rǽa and Krónos, the following Olympians are Younger Titánæs: Æstía, Dîmítîr, Íra, Ploutôn, Poseidóhn, and Zefs. Because they are the progeny of the Younger Titánæs Íra and Zefs, the following Olympians are also Younger Titánæs: Árîs and Íphaistos. Because they are the progeny of the Younger Titán Zefs, the following Olympians are also Younger Titánæs: Athîná and Ærmís, Ártæmis, and Apóllôn.

Órai - (Horae, Ὧραι) The Órai are daughters of Thǽmis and Zefs. They are: Evnomía (Good Order, Εὐνομία), Díkî (Justice, Δίκη), and Eirínî (Peace, Εἰρήνη).

Potamí – (Potamoi, Ποταμοί) The Gods of the rivers and streams, children of Tîthýs and Okæanós.

Promîthéfs - (Promêtheus, Προμηθεύς) Promîthéfs is the son of Klymǽnî and Iapætós. Aiskhýlos says he is the son of Thǽmis or Yaia.

Sælínî - (Selênê, Σελήνη) Sælínî is the Goddess of the Moon, the daughter of Theia and Ypæríôn.

THE ORPHIC HYMN TO THE TITÁNÆS (trans. by Thomas Taylor, 1792.)

37. Titánæs [Titans, Τιτᾶνες] The Fumigation from Frankincense.

O Mighty Titans, who from heav'n and earth

Derive your noble and illustrious birth,

Our fathers sires, in Tartarus profound

Who dwell, deep merg'd beneath the solid ground:

Fountains and principles, from whom began

Th' afflicted, miserable, race of man:

Who not alone in earth's retreats abide,

But in the ocean and the air reside;

Since ev'ry species from your nature flows,

Which all prolific, nothing barren knows:

Avert your rage, if from th' infernal seats

One of your tribe should visit our retreats.

37. Τιτάνων, θυμίαμα λίβανον.

Τιτῆνες, Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀγλαὰ τέκνα, ἡμετέρων πρόγονοι πατέρων, γαίης ὑπένερθεν

οἴκοις Ταρταρίοισι μυχῶι χθονὸς ἐνναίοντες, ἀρχαὶ καὶ πηγαὶ πάντων θνητῶν πολυμόχθων, εἰναλίων, πτηνῶν τε καὶ οἳ χθόνα ναιετάουσιν· ἐξ ὑμέων γὰρ πᾶσα πέλει γενεὰ κατὰ κόσμον. ὑμᾶς κικλήσκω μῆνιν χαλεπὴν ἀποπέμπειν, εἴ τις ἀπὸ χθονίων προγόνων οἴκοις επελάσθη.

GLOSSARY OF THE TITÁNÆS

Ouranídai - (Uranidae; Gr. Οὐρανίδαι, ΟΥΡΑΝΙΔΑΙ. Noun. Οὐρανίδης is singular.) Ouranídai is another name for the Ouraníônæs (Οὐρανίωνες), the children of Ouranós.

Ouraníônæs - (Uraniônes; Gr. Οὐρανίωνες, ΟΥΡΑΝΙΩΝΕΣ. Noun. Fem. is θεαὶ Οὐρανιῶναι.) Ouraníônæs is another name for the Ouranídai, the children of Ouranós; it can also be used as a general term for the Gods.

Titán - (Gr. Τιτάν, ΤΙΤΑΝ. Noun. Plural is Τιτᾶνες. Etym. τιταίνω "to stretch," as in stretching the string of a bow, also it can be the act of gathering one's energy to put something into action; the Titánæs "stretch" and thereby open the centers of the soul and help us gather energy to do so.) Titan. Cf. Titánæs.

Titánæs - (Titans; Gr. Τιτᾶνες, ΤΙΤΑΝΕΣ. Noun. Plural) Titans. Cf. Titán.

Titánia - (Gr. Τιτάνια, ΤΙΤΑΝΙΑ. Noun.) Titánia is a festival of the Titánæs.

Titanídæs - (Gr. Τιτάνιδες, ΤΙΤΑΝΙΔΕΣ. Noun. Feminine plural.) Titan Goddesses. Cf. Titanís.

Titanís - (Gr. Τιτανίς, ΤΙΤΑΝΙΣ. Noun. Feminine singular.) Titan Goddess. Cf. Titanídæs.

Titanographía - (Gr. Τιτανογραφία, ΤΙΤΑΝΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ. Noun.) Titanographía is a history of the Titánæs.

Titanomakhía - (Titanomachia, Gr. Τιτανομαχία, ΤΙΤΑΝΟΜΑΧΙΑ. Noun.) Titanomakhía is the battle of Titánæs. This is a story which can be found in the Θεογονία Ἡσιόδου but is absent from the Orphic fragments. This does not mean that a similar story was not originally present in the Orphic theogony, simply that there are no extant fragments which support it, but there are some scholars (such as M. L. West) who think that it would be illogical for the Τιτανομαχία to have been included because the Titans would need to have been condemned to Tartaros (Τάρταρος) and then restored again in order to participate in the sacrifice of Zagréfs (Ζαγρεύς).

Titanóömai - (Gr. τιτανόομαι, ΤΙΤΑΝΟΟΜΑ. Verb. Etym. τίτανος, a white earth, likely gypsum) Titanóömai is to be whitened or plastered. The Titánæs whitened their faces with chalk and offered the basket of toys to Diónysos.

Poseidóhn is described as holding the earth, because his dominion, the Sea, is thought to surround the earth, and, therefore, he has the ability to shake the earth, i.e. to produce earthquakes. Poseidóhn is Zefs of the Sea and the Middle Sky. His dominion begins above the surface of the Earth (perhaps about 60 feet) and just above the sea-floor. Ploutôn, however, has dominion of the sea-floor and the Earth (and about 60 feet above), but beyond this is the domain of Poseidóhn. The area which includes the Sea, extending above the Sea and above the Earth up to the yposælínia (hyposelênia, ὑποσελήνια), the area just below the moon, is the domain of Poseidóhn. The Middle Sky, the area from the Earth up to the moon, is where the souls are said to float between lives; it is here where also dwell particular deities, the Gods and Goddesses of the Middle Sky, such as Ækátî (Hecatê, Ἑκάτη). According to Dioyǽnîs Laǽrtios (Diogenês Laërtius, Διογένης Λαέρτιος) in his biography of the ancient philosopher Pythagóras (Πυθαγόρας): "When cast out upon the earth, it (ed. the soul) wanders in the air like the body. Hermes (Ἑρμῆς) is the steward of souls, and for that reason is called Hermes the Escorter, Hermes the Keeper of the Gate, and Hermes of the Underworld, since it is he who brings in the souls from their bodies both by land and sea; and the pure are taken into the uppermost region, but the impure are not permitted to approach the pure or each other, but are bound by the Furies in bonds unbreakable. The whole air is full of souls ..." Poseidóhn has dominion over all the souls in the Sea; he also has dominion over all the souls of those who are between lives who dwell in the Middle Sky, and also, he has dominion over the deities who bide there. "He (Ζεὺς Ὀλυμπικός) is also the summit of the three, has the same name with the fontal Jupiter, is united to him, and is monadically called Jupiter. But the second is called dyadically, marine Jupiter (Ζεὺς), and Neptune (Ποσειδῶν). And the third is triadically denominated, terrestrial (χθόνιος) Jupiter, Pluto, and Hades (Ἅιδης-Πλούτων). The first of these also preserves, fabricates, and vivifies summits, but the second, things of a second rank, and the third those of a third order. Hence this last is said to have ravished Proserpine (Περσεφόνη), that together with her he might animate the extremities of the universe." Zefs wields the thunderbolt. Ploutôn possesses the Áïdos kynǽîn (Aïdos kuneên, Ἄϊδος κυνέην), the dog-skin cap which renders the wearer invisible. All these weapons, which are symbols of the power of the Three Zefs, were created by the Kýklôpæs (Cyclopes, Κύκλωπες). Poseidóhn wields the Tríaina (Trident, Τρίαινα), which has the power to cause earthquakes, sea-storms, crack rocks, and even to cause springs of sea-water to flow when struck on the ground. It indicates his power over the sea. According to Ploutarkhos (Plutarch, Πλούταρχος), the three prongs of the Tríaina are representative of his dominion over the third region (Ἠθικὰ Πλουτάρχου· Περὶ Ἴσιδος καὶ Ὀσίριδος 75.381f), while Zefs and Ploutôn have dominion over the other two, as described above.

Come, Phívos Apóllôn, Apóllôn Phosphoros, God of Immeasurable Light! Apóllôn Patroos my Father! Apóllôn, the Healer! Be with me today, tomorrow, and forever, closer than my own heart. You who are dearest to me, you who are first in my life: the most beloved of my

Heart. Oh, mighty slayer of the Python, my handsome, lovable God: bless me, bring me good things, bring me happiness, and guide my life. And may I please you in every way, for I love you, my golden-haired Father, with all my heart.

Τριπλῆ Καρδία

Ἔλθὲ Φοίβε Ἀπόλλων, Ἀπόλλων φωσφόρε, Θεὲ ἀπεράτου φωτός! Ἀπόλλων πάτερ! Ἀπόλλων ἰητρέ!Ἕσο μεθ' ἐμοῦ σήμερον, αὔριον, ἔς χρόνον πάντα, ἐγγὺς τῆς καρδίας ἐμοῦ.

Ο πρὸς ἐμὲ ϕίλτατος, του βίου ἐμοῦ πρῶτος· τῆς καρδίας ἐμοῦ ϕίλτατος.

Ω, ἰσχυρὲ Πυθοκτόνε, κάλλιστε ἐμοί, ϕίλτατε Θεέ· εὐλόγησον με, κόμισον μοι ἀγαθά,

ϕέρε ἐμοὶ τύχην ἀγαθὴν καὶ τὸν ἐμοῦ βίον ὁδήγησον.

Καὶ εὐχομένου ἴνα εὐχαριστῶ σε παντὶ τρόπω, ὡς γάρ ϕιλῶ σε, χρυσοκώμα πάτερ, μεθ'

οὔλης τῆς καρδίας ἐμοῦ.

Apóllôn is the ambassador of the Solar Powers, the higher Olympian Gods and, as such, he is at the same level as Zefs of this, our system, and thus truly merits the title Ánax (Ἄναξ), the Great King. Apóllôn is sympárædros (symparedros, συμπάρεδρος) to Zefs of our system, meaning that they hold the throne jointly [1]. (See Thomas Taylor's notes to the Orphic Hymn to the Sun.) The Solar Powers are represented by the two intertwined snakes of the Kîrýkeion (Caduceus or Cêryceion, Κηρύκειον, one of the major symbols of Zefs) which Apóllôn gives to Ærmís (Hermês, Ἑρμῆς).

Apóllôn is the voice of Zefs on Earth

Apóllôn speaks out the unfailing testament of his father Zefs (Ζεύς), at whose right hand he sits. Apóllôn is the voice of Zefs on Earth for which he is called the Orthós Lógos (Ὀρθός Λόγος), the True Word, for Apóllôn does not lie:

"For he (the Dælphic Oracle, i.e. Apóllôn) does not lie, since this is not lawful to him."

As Diónysos (Dionysus, Διόνυσος) is the action of Zefs on Earth, Apóllôn is the voice of Zefs on Earth, who declares his will.

εἴη μοι κίθαρίς τε φίλη καὶ καμπύλα τόξα,

χρήσω δ᾽ ἀνθρώποισι Διὸς νημερτέα βουλήν.

“The lyre and the curved bow shall ever be dear to me,

and I will declare to men the unfailing will of Zeus.”

(Ὁμηρικὸς Ὕμνος 3.131-132 Εις Ἀπόλλωνα [Δήλιον] , trans. Hugh G. Evelyn-White, 1914)

Zefs is the source of all prophecy, articulated by Apóllôn

Zefs (Ζεύς) is the source of all prophecy:

"The eagle dropped the fawn by the altar on which the Achaeans sacrificed to Zeus the lord of omens (πανομφαῖος)." [3]

"For he (ed. the Dimiourgós = Demiurge, Δημιουργός) divides the soul into parts, harmonizes the divided parts, and renders them concordant with each other. But in effecting these things, he energizes at one and the same time Dionysiacally [i.e. Bacchically] and Apolloniacally. For to divide, and produce wholes into parts, and to preside over the distribution of forms, is Dionysiacal; but to perfect all things harmonically, is Apolloniacal. As the Demiurgus, therefore, comprehends in himself the cause of both these Gods, he both divides and harmonizes the soul. For the hebdomad (= seven, ἑβδομάς) is a number common to both these divinities, since theologists (Orphic) also say that Bacchus (Βἀκχος) was divided into seven parts.

You will inevitably grow, Zidine.

Gaea’s Orphic Hymn:

Nature, all parent, ancient, and divine,

O Much-mechanic mother, art is thine;

Heav'nly, abundant, venerable queen,

In ev'ry part of thy dominions seen.

Untam'd, all-taming, ever splendid light,

All ruling, honor'd, and supremly bright.

Immortal, first-born, ever still the same,

Nocturnal, starry, shining, glorious dame.

Thy feet's still traces in a circling course,

By thee are turn'd, with unremitting force.

Pure ornament of all the pow'rs divine,

Finite and infinite alike you shine;

To all things common and in all things known,

Yet incommunicable and alone.

Without a father of thy wond'rous frame,

Thyself the father whence thy essence came.

All-flourishing, connecting, mingling soul,

Leader and ruler of this mighty whole.

Life-bearer, all-sustaining, various nam'd,

And for commanding grace and beauty fam'd.

Justice, supreme in might, whose general sway

The waters of the restless deep obey.

Ætherial, earthly, for the pious glad,

Sweet to the good, but bitter to the bad.

All-wife, all bounteous, provident, divine,

A rich increase of nutriment is thine;

Father of all, great nurse, and mother kind,

Abundant, blessed, all-spermatic mind:

Mature, impetuous, from whose fertile seeds

And plastic hand, this changing scene proceeds.

All-parent pow'r, to mortal eyes unseen,

Eternal, moving, all-sagacious queen.

By thee the world, whose parts in rapid flow,

Like swift descending streams, no respite know,

On an eternal hinge, with steady course

Is whirl'd, with matchless, unremitting force.

Thron'd on a circling car, thy mighty hand

Holds and directs, the reins of wide command.

Various thy essence, honor'd, and the best,

Of judgement too, the general end and test.

Intrepid, fatal, all-subduing dame,

Life-everlasting, Parca, breathing flame.

Immortal, Providence, the world is thine,

And thou art all things, architect divine.

O blessed Goddess, hear thy suppliant's pray'r,

And make my future life, thy constant care;

Give plenteous seasons, and sufficient wealth,

And crown my days with lasting, peace and health.

σχόλιον Πρόκλου επί Τιμαίου Πλάτωνος 28c (I 312, 26 Diehl):

αἰθέρος εὐρείης ἠδ' οὐρανοῦ άγλαὸν ὕψος,

πόντου τ' ἀτρυγέτου γαίης τ' ἐρικυδέος ἕδρη,

Ὠκεανός τε μέγας καὶ νείατα Τάρταρα γαίης

καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ πόντος ἀπείριτος ἄλλα τε πάντα

πάντες τ' ἀθάνατοι μάκαρες θεοί ἠδὲ θέαιναι,

ὅσσα τ' ἔην γεγαῶτα καὶ ὕστερον ὁππός' ἔμελλεν, ἐνγένετο, Ζηνὸς δ' ἐνὶ γαστέρι σύρρα πεφύκει. (v. fr. 169)

"the luminous summit of immense aithír and heaven, the seat of the barren sea and illustrious earth, great Ocean and deep Tártaros (Τάρταρος) beneath the earth, and rivers and the limitless sea and all other, all the deathless happy Gods and Goddesses, all that existed and all that will to come to be, all come about and bestrewn in the belly of Zefs (Ζεὺς).”

Is the Kózmos (Κόσμος) good? Is the Kózmos evil? At its most fundamental level, the Kózmos is neither good nor evil, these ideas being a point of view only, a perspective. The Universe IS. There is no evil nor good in Nature. From another perspective, the natural state can be defined as Good. That which deviates from Natural Law strays into false concepts of reality which could be defined as delusion or ignorance. A sentient being who has erroneous views of reality has the potential to act based on such views. Gross acts that violate natural law, acts such as enslaving others, murder, torture etc. are acts of a deviant mind, acts of stupidity and ignorance. Such acts could be defined as 'evil' and are symbolically represented by darkness, because in darkness we cannot see. As darkness is the absence of light, so 'evil' is the manifestation of the absence of an accurate perception of reality, ignorance.

Iamblichus writes that the human soul comes after Nous (the Celestial Demiurge). A soul is separate from all the greater kinds and is the mean between fully immaterial, indivisible beings and fully material, divisible ones. Further, the soul descends completely into a body upon incarnation, with none of it remaining outside of generation.

This tells us significant information about the nature of the soul.

• Firstly, the soul depends from the level of Nous as it extends into the Psychic Cosmos. This makes the soul distinct from, inferior to, and dependent upon the rest of the greater kinds.
• Although the human soul is connected to Nous it also exists on its own, separated from Nous beneath the World Soul, and so must participate in Nous in order to experience Intellect in its fullest. In this lower position, human souls are the mediators between the divine and physical realms and their inhabitants.
• This recalls the divine Julian’s descriptions of King Helios as Celestial Demiurge as a mean between the Intelligible and sensible realms, leading and uniting these two otherwise separate levels. Just as the Celestial Demiurge leads the celestial realm, so too does the human soul participating Nous through demiurgic theurgy.

The soul descends by the will of the Gods for two reasons:

• The soul’s descent is to complete creation in a uniform manner, as in accordance with Plato’s Timaeus.
• The soul descends in order to manifest the life of the Gods in creation.

In both cases the will of the Gods is carried out by the soul in generation. Since the nature of the Gods is ultimately good, the descent of the soul is likewise good.

II. Power[]

Power (Dunamis) is an entity’s potential expression of its essence. Essentially, it’s what it can do. Human souls lack the power to “do all things, neither at one time, nor in an instant, nor uniformly” (Shaw 2014, 87) (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.6-7).

The easiest way to understand an entity’s essence is through its powers and activities. Although the human soul eventually falls into generation and becomes incarnated into a physical body, the soul’s power only reside in the soul, and not the body and soul together. Some powers are expressed when the soul exists away from the body while others are expressed only when soul and body are conjoined. Further, incarnation causes some of the soul’s disincarnate powers to express differently while incarnate. This is in line with Plato’s Phaedo’s view of the soul’s ability to comprehend truth being lessened while incarnate.

Iamblichus’ De Mysteriis makes it clear that a human has two souls, one rational and one irrational.

• The rational soul “Partak[es] of the power of the Demiurge” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.6, 321). In Plato’s Timaeus, the Celestial Demiurge creates what is immortal. Meaning that it is He is responsible for the creation of the rational soul.
• The irrational soul, “is contributed to us from the circuit of the heavenly bodies” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.6, 321). Going back to Plato’s Timaeus: while the Celestial Demiurge creates what is immortal, it is the Gods under Him who create everything that is mortal in the soul, i.e., the irrational soul. Through the irrational soul our irrational powers become active, either stemming from irrational powers found in the rational soul itself or originating in the irrational soul. The Irrational Soul is the same thing as the Shade, as like the Irrational Soul the Shade lacks cognizance until it is empowered by offerings, and thus we can deduce that these faculties are not native to it.

Plato gives a metaphorical tripirate division of the rational soul. This is not to be taken literally; as the rational soul is only one part. However, it is convenient to divide the soul into three to better understand the soul’s relation to the virtues:

• Reason: Which allows us to learn
• Spirited: Which allows us to feel strong emotions such as anger
• Appetitive: Which allows us to desire physical things

The soul’s actual powers, though, are different from the parts, and include:

• Growth
• Imagination
• Perception
• Opinion
• Thought that moves the body
• Desire for good and evil
• Intellection
• Memory or the mental retention of images

Just as the soul has a life alone and a life with the body, some of the soul’s powers are connected to one or the other of the soul’s modes of existence.

III. Activity[]

Activity (Energeia) is a soul’s power in action. Human souls have the nature to “incline and turn itself towards the things generated and governed by it” (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, I.6-7) (Shaw 2014, 87).

and can arise either from:

• The soul itself
• From the passions of the body
• A combination of the two

All the causes of activities are the soul. We can’t attribute any activity to the body alone, even those that arise from bodily passions, because bodies are incapable of self-movement. We can think of the soul as the batteries of the body.

Iamblichus likens the One of the soul, the soul’s principle of unity and Intellect, to a ship’s helmsman, and a ship to a body:

• The helmsman controls the ship and sets its course, even if wind and other factors influence the ship’s response to the helmsman’s command.
• The ship has movements proper to it when controlled by the helmsman, but the helmsman (the One of the soul) has activities proper to it when separate from its ship. These include divine possession, immaterial thinking, and union with the divine.

Unlike the activities of the Gods and Archangels, human activities, which only occur when soul and body are conjoined, are disconnected from the essence and life of the soul. Specifically, these activities include “change, divisibility, corporeality dimensionality, and extension.” (Iamblichus De Anima, III.16, 43) Such activities cannot belong to the non-physical soul as it exists by itself, as they are immortal, unchanging and unextended.

Orphica, Theogonies Fragment 54 (from Damascius) (trans. West) (Greek hymns C3rd - C2nd B.C.):

"Originally there was Hydros (Water), he [Orpheus] says, and Mud, from which Ge (Gaea, the Earth) solidified: he posits these two as first principles, water and earth . . . The one before the two [Thesis, Creation], however, he leaves unexpressed, his very silence being anintimation of its ineffable nature. The third principle [Khronos (Chronos), Time] after the two was engendered by these--Ge (Earth) and Hydros (Water), that is--and was a Serpent (Drakon) with extra heads growing upon it of a bull and a lion, and a god's countenance in the middle; it had wings upon its shoulders, and its name was Khronos (Chronos, Unaging Time) and also Herakles (Heracles). United with it was Ananke (Inevitability, Compulsion), being of the same nature, or Adrastea, incorporeal, her arms extended throughout the universe and touching its extremities. I think this stands for the third principle, occuping the place of essence, only he [Orpheus] made it bisexual [as Phanes] to symbolize the universal generative cause. And I assume that the theology of the [Orphic] Rhapsodies discarded the two first principles (together with the one before the two, that was left unspoken) [i.e., the Orphics discarded the concepts of Thesis, Khronos and Ananke], and began from this third principle [Phanes] after the two, because this was the first that was expressible and acceptable to human ears. For this is the great Khronos (Unaging Time) that we found in it [the Rhapsodies], the father of Aither (Aether, Light) [upper air] and Khaos (Chaos, the Chasm) [lower air]. Indeed, in this theology too [the Hieronyman Rhapsodies], this Khronos (Time), the serpent has offspring, three in number: moist Aither (Aether, Light)--I quote--, unbounded Khaos (Chaos), and as a third, misty Erebos (Darkness) . . . Among these, he says, Khronos (Chronos, Time) generated an egg--this tradition too making it generated by Khronos, and born ‘among’ these because it is from these that the third Intelligible triad is produced [Protogonos-Phanes]. What is this triad, then? The egg; the dyad of the two natures inside it--male and female--[Ouranos (Uranus) and Gaia (Gaea), Heaven and Earth], and the plurality of the various seeds between; and thirdly an incorporeal god [Phanes] with golden wings on his shoulders, bulls' heads growing upon his flanks, and on his head a monstrous serpent, presenting the appearance of all kinds of animal forms . . . And the third god of the third triad this theology too celebrates as Protogonos (First-Born) [Phanes], and it calls him Zeus the order of all and of the whole world, wherefore he is also called Pan (All). So much this second genealogy supplies concerning the Intelligible principles."

Orphica, Theogonies Fragment 57 (from Athenogoras):

"The gods, as they [the Greeks] say, did not exist from the beginning, but each of them was born just as we are born . . . and Orpheus--who was the original inventor of the gods' names and recounted their births and said what they have all done, and who enjoys some credit among them as a true theologian, and is generally followed by Homer, above all about the gods--also making their first genesis from water: ‘Okeanos (Oceanus), who is the genesis of the all.’ For Hydros (Water) was according to him the origin of everything, and from Hydros (the Water) mud formed, and from the pair of them a living creature was generated with an extra head growing upon it of a lion, and another of a bull, and in the middle of them a god's countenance; its name was Herakles (Heracles) and Khronos (Chronos, Time). This Herakles generated a huge egg, which, being filled full, by the force of its engenderer was broken in two from friction. Its crown became Ouranos (Uranus, Heaven), and what had sunk downwards, Gaia (Gaea, Earth). There also came forth an incorporeal god [Protogonos-Phanes]."

[N.B. Athenogoras afterwards goes on to describe the birth of the Hekatonkheires (Hecatoncheires), the Kyklopes (Cyclopes) and the Titanes, the castration of Ouranos (Uranus), etc.]

Orphic, Theogonies Fragments 101 - 102 (from Proclus):

"[Phanes] placed his distinguished sceptre [the rulership of the universe] in the hands of goddess Nyx (Night), that she hold royalty . . . [Nyx] holding in her hands the glorious sceptre of Erikepaios (Ericepaeus) [Phanes]."

Orphica, Theogonies Fragment (from the Deveni Papyrus):

"Zeus, when from his father the prophesied rule and strength in his hands he took and the glorious daimon . . . the god [Phanes] who first sprang forth into the Aither (Light).

Kronos (Cronus, Time) who did a mighty deed to Ouranos (Uranus, Sky), son of Nyx (Night), who became king first of all; following him again Kronos, and then Zeus the contriver. Zeus when, from his father the prophecy having heard, strength in his hands he took, and the glorious daimon [Phanes], the reverend one, he swallowed, who first sprang forth into the Aither.

[So Zeus swallowed the body] of the Firstborn king [Phanes], the reverend one. And with him all the immortals became one, the blessed gods and goddesses and rivers and lovely springs and everything else that then existed: he became the only one."

Orphica, Rhapsodies Fragment 66:

"This Khronos (Chronos, Unaging Time), of immortal resource, begot Aither (Aether, Light) [upper air] and great Khaos (Chaos, the Chasm) [lower air], vast this way and that, no limit below it, no base, no place to settle. Then great Khronos fashioned from (or in) divine Aither (Aether) a bright white egg [from which Phanes was born]."

Orphica, Rhapsodies Fragment 167:

"So then, [Zeus] by engulfing Erikepaios (Ericepaeus) the Firstborn [Phanes], he had the body of all things in his belly, and he mixed into his own limbs the god's power and strength. Because of this, together with him, everything came to be again inside Zeus, the broad air and the lofty splendour of heaven, the undraining sea and earth's glorious seat, great Okeanos (Oceanus) and the lowest Tartara of the earth, rivers and boundless sea and everything else, and all the immortal blessed gods and goddesses, all that had existed and all that was to exist afterwards became one and grew together in the belly of Zeus. After he had hidden them all away, again into the glad light from his holy heart he brought them up, performing mighty acts."

Orphica, Epicuras Fragment (from Epiphanius):

"And he [Epicurus] says that the world began in the likeness of an egg, and the Wind [Khronos (Time) and Ananke (Inevitability) entwined?] encircling the egg serpent-fashion like a wreath or a belt then began to constrict nature. As it tried to squeeze all the matter with greater force, it divided the world into the two hemispheres [Ouranos and Gaia, heaven and earth]."

Orphica, Epicuras Fragment (from Epiphanius):

"And he [Epicurus] says that the world began in the likeness of an egg, and the Wind [the entwined forms of Khronos (Chronos, Time) and Ananke (Inevitability)] encircling the egg serpent-fashion like a wreath or a belt then began to constrict nature. As it tried to squeeze all the matter with greater force, it divided the world into the two hemispheres, and after that the atoms sorted themselves out, the lighter and finer ones in the universe floating above and becoming the Bright Air [Aither (Aether)] and the most rarefied Wind [probably Khaos (Chaos, Air)], while the heaviest and dirtiest have veered down, become the Earth (Ge) [Gaia], both the dry land and the fluid waters [Pontos the Sea]. And the atoms move by themselves and through themselves within the revolution of the Sky and the Stars, everything still being driven round by the serpentiform wind [of Khronos and Ananke]."

Orphica, Argonautica 12 ff (trans. West) (Greek epic C4th to C6th A.D.):

"Firstly, ancient Khaos's (Chaos') stern Ananke (Inevitability), and Khronos (Chronos, Time), who bred within his boundless coils Aither (Aether, Light) and two-sexed, two-faced, glorious Eros [the primordial Eros], ever-born Nyx's (Night's) father, whom latter men call Phanes, for he first was manifested."

Ovid, Metamorphoses 1. 1 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.):

"Ere land and sea and the all-covering sky were made, in the whole world the countenance of nature was the same, all one, well named Chaos, a raw and undivided mass, naught but a lifeless bulk, with warring seeds of ill-joined elements compressed together. No Titan [Helios the Sun] as yet poured light upon the world, no waxing Phoebe [Selene the Moon] her crescent filled anew, nor in the ambient air yet hung the earth, self-balanced, equipoised, nor Amphitrite's [the Sea's] arms embraced the long far margin of the land. Though there were land and sea and air, the land no foot could tread, no creature swim the sea, the air was lightless; nothing kept its form, all objects were at odds, since in one mass cold essence fought with hot, and moist with dry, and hard with soft and light with things of weight. This strife a God (Deus) [probably Phanes], with nature's blessing, solved; who severed land from sky and sea from land, and from the denser vapours set apart the ethereal sky; and, each from the blind heap resolved and freed, he fastened in its place appropriate in peace and harmony. The fiery weightless force of heaven's vault flashed up and claimed the topmost citadel; next came the air in lightness and in place; the thicker earth with grosser elements sank burdened by its weight; lowest and last the girdling waters pent the solid globe. So into shape whatever god it was reduced the primal matter and prescribed its several parts. Then first, to make the earth even on every side, he rounded it into a mighty disc, then bade the sea extend and rise under the rushing winds, and gird the shores of the encircled earth. Springs too he made and boundless fens and lakes, and rivers hemmed in winding banks to flow, which, in their diverse journeyings, sometimes the earth absorbs, sometimes they reach the sea and in its broad domain, instead of banks, with new-found freedom beat upon the shores. He bade the plains spread wide, the valleys sink, the craggy mountains rise, the forest trees don their green leaves; and as the vault of heaven has five divisions, two zones on the right, two on the left, and hottest burns the fifth, with that same number Providence divine parcelled in zones the solid earth below. The midmost uninhabitable heat claims for its own; two lie clothed deep in snow; two, in between, were given a temperate clime where warmth and cold combine in harmony. The air hangs high above them, weightier than the empyrean in the same degree as earth than water. There he bade the mists and there the clouds to have their dwelling-place, and thunder that should shake the hearts of men, and lightning flashing through the freezing gales. The World's Creator (Fabricator Mundi) [probably Phanes] did not grant the Venti (Winds) [Anemoi] full freedom of the sky; who, even so, though each in separate regions rules his blasts, can well nigh tear the world apart, so fierce is brother's strife . . .

Scarce had he thus all things in finite bounds divided when the Sidera (Stars) [Astra], in darkness blind long buried, over all the spangled sky began to gleam; and, that no part or place should lack fit forms of life, the firmament he made the home of gods and goddesses and the bright constellations; in the sea he set the shining fish to swim; the land received the beasts, the gusty air the birds. A holier creature, of a loftier mind, fit master of the rest, was lacking still. Then man was made, perhaps from seed divine formed by the great World's Creator (Origo Mundi) [probably Phanes], so to found a better world, perhaps the new-made earth, so lately parted from the ethereal heavens, kept still some essence of the kindred sky--earth that son of Iapetus [Prometheus] moulded, mixed with water, in likeness of the gods that govern the world."

ORPHIC HYMN TO PHANES

Orphic Hymn 6 to Protogonus (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.):

"To Protogonos [i.e. Phanes], Fumigation from Myrrh. O mighty Protogonos (First-Begotten), hear my prayer, twofold, egg-born, and wandering through the air; bull-roarer, glorying in thy golden wings, from whom the race of Gods and mortal springs. Erikapaios (Ericapaeus), celebrated power, ineffable, occult, all-shining flower. 'Tis thine from darksome mists to pure the sight, all-spreading splendour, pure and holy light; hence, Phanes, called the glory of the sky, on waving pinions through the world you fly. Priepos (Priapus), dark-eyed splendour, thee I sing, genial, all-prudent, ever blessed king. With joyful aspect on these rites divine and holy consecration (telete) propitious shine."

Alcman, Fragment 5 (from Scholia) (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric II) (Greek lyric C7th B.C.):

"‘[First came] Thetis (Creation). After that, ancient Poros (Contriver) [perhaps Khronos (Chronos)] and Tekmor (Tecmor, Ordinance) [perhaps Ananke]’: Tekmor came into being after Poros . . . thereupon . . . called him Poros (Contriver) since the beginning provided all things; for when the matter began to be set in order, a certain Poros came into being as a beginning. So Alkman (Alcman) represents the matter of all things as confused and unformed.

Then he says that one came into being who set all things in order, then that Poros came into being, and that when Poros had passed by Tekmor followed. And Poros is as a beginning, Tekmor like an end. When Thetis (Creation) had come into being, a beginning and end of all things came into being simultaneously, and all things have their nature resembling the matter of bronze, while Thetis has hers resembling that of a craftsman, Poros and Tekmor resembling a beginning and the end.

He uses the word ancient for old. ‘And the third, Skotos' (Scotus, Darkness) [Erebos]’: since neither sun nor moorn had come into being yet, but matter was still undifferentiated. So at the same moment there came into being Poros and Tekmor and Skotos. ‘Amar (Day) [Hemera] and Melana (Moon) [Selene] and third, Skotos (Darkness) as far as Marmarugas (Flashings)’: days does not mean simply day, but contains the idea of the sun. Previously there was only darkness, and afterwards, when it had been differentiated, light came into being."

II. THE ORPHIC COSMOGONY

Orphica, Theogonies Fragment 54 (from Damascius) (trans. West) (Greek hymns C3rd - C2nd B.C.):

"Originally there was Hydros (Water), he [Orpheus] says, and Mud, from which Ge (Gaea, the Earth) solidified: he posits these two as first principles, water and earth . . . The one before the two [Thesis, Creation], however, he leaves unexpressed, his very silence being anintimation of its ineffable nature. The third principle [Khronos (Chronos), Time] after the two was engendered by these--Ge (Earth) and Hydros (Water), that is--and was a Serpent (Drakon) with extra heads growing upon it of a bull and a lion, and a god's countenance in the middle; it had wings upon its shoulders, and its name was Khronos (Chronos, Unaging Time) and also Herakles (Heracles). United with it was Ananke (Inevitability, Compulsion), being of the same nature, or Adrastea, incorporeal, her arms extended throughout the universe and touching its extremities. I think this stands for the third principle, occuping the place of essence, only he [Orpheus] made it bisexual [as Phanes] to symbolize the universal generative cause. And I assume that the theology of the [Orphic] Rhapsodies discarded the two first principles (together with the one before the two, that was left unspoken) [i.e., the Orphics discarded the concepts of Thesis, Khronos and Ananke], and began from this third principle [Phanes] after the two, because this was the first that was expressible and acceptable to human ears. For this is the great Khronos (Unaging Time) that we found in it [the Rhapsodies], the father of Aither (Aether, Light) [upper air] and Khaos (Chaos, the Chasm) [lower air]. Indeed, in this theology too [the Hieronyman Rhapsodies], this Khronos (Time), the serpent has offspring, three in number: moist Aither (Aether, Light)--I quote--, unbounded Khaos (Chaos), and as a third, misty Erebos (Darkness) . . . Among these, he says, Khronos (Chronos, Time) generated an egg--this tradition too making it generated by Khronos, and born ‘among’ these because it is from these that the third Intelligible triad is produced [Protogonos-Phanes]. What is this triad, then? The egg; the dyad of the two natures inside it--male and female--[Ouranos (Uranus) and Gaia (Gaea), Heaven and Earth], and the plurality of the various seeds between; and thirdly an incorporeal god [Phanes] with golden wings on his shoulders, bulls' heads growing upon his flanks, and on his head a monstrous serpent, presenting the appearance of all kinds of animal forms . . . And the third god of the third triad this theology too celebrates as Protogonos (First-Born) [Phanes], and it calls him Zeus the order of all and of the whole world, wherefore he is also called Pan (All). So much this second genealogy supplies concerning the Intelligible principles."

"A mirror was a symbol of... the intellectual completion of the universe. Hence they say, Vulcan (Ἥφαιστος) made a mirror for Dionysus, into which the God looking, and beholding the image of himself, proceeded into the whole particible fabrication of things." In other words, the moment at which Dionysus perceives himself in the mirror, the moment at which the Titans snatch him, is the moment at which he descends into the incarnate realm to become its master, as the incarnate realm is a mirror through which the divine perceives itself. Semele is representative of the entirety of human contact with the divine. She demonstrates both the possibility of intimacy with divine reality and the inaccessibility of that reality's infinite entirety to a human's bodily mind. Her death is an apotheosis. For the Greeks, there is no better way to go. Death at the pinnacle is preferable to slow decay, a mindset that is much easier to grasp when you accept that death is only a transformation. Dionysus heightens & sharpens our experience of the physical world because he wants us to confront & surpass it. As a God he is actually closer to an ascetic than a hedonist; all that he does & moves in us is towards the ends of peace and freedom from discursive fear and desire. As such, he is not a patient God. He is irrepressible, he is undeniable, and he is already working in all of your lives tirelessly. At every moment when you encounter something beyond yourself, something that strikes you and forces you to commit yourself fully to an experience, That is the God reaching through the mirror to grab you by the collar & pull you as close as you will let him. At every point at which your life changes forever, at which you slide between entire modes of being, that is Dionysus pouring you a new cup & reminding you of one thing: Your body, your environment, your people, even your mind, these are all extensions of you but they are not your entirety. You are not the seven toys, you are not the reflection in the mirror, you are the child. It is through Dionysus from his throne atop this world that we approach Zeus' throne atop Heaven. Only once Dionysus teaches us that we *are our souls* do we become able to understand that our souls are expressions of the Gods themselves refracting through the prism of forms. Like Hermes, Dionysus is often paired with Aphrodite; Love requires recognition, a clear vision of the Other. Dionysus as the great revealer helps us to recognize our true selves, selves whose division and alienation from each other is actually ultimately temporary and illusory. Dionysian Love is the self-love of an egoless self sprawling itself out to its true size, encompassing all around it like the explosive shoots of ivy that sprout wherever the God steps. It was those shoots of ivy that destroyed his prison in Thebes and overthrew the rapacious pirates that threatened him on his journey westward. The irrepressible bloom of life is the God's weapon. Jupiter is the source of all things and instills the inborn strength of a soul. He is the model of total selfhood, strength, and virtue. He is the Father, and he is One-ness. Now we come to Juno. She's the most underappreciated and sparsely understood of the three Gods, but She is the lynchpin of the triad. Juno, Goddess of Births and Queen of Heaven, is responsible for the refinement of one-ful "Being" into the multitude of Beings in the cosmos. She is the beginning of all Identity that is not simply Zeus. In a Campbellian sense, She rends us from the cozy, idyllic home. Zeus carelessly creates life, and Hera offers the opposition which forges that life into something powerful & independent once it has. Her blessing of wisdom and understanding is what enables the Hero to finally become a synthesized, complete, independent soul, which was the design of Jupiter in the first place for he is perfect.

One: In Jupiter, a connection to their source, their ideal, and their goal of perfection and sovereignty.

Hermes, as you can all guess, is extremely active in the modern world, seemingly to our detriment when we examine the empty, psychopathic chatter of liberal corporate capitalism. Our societies have become inept at balancing and properly channelling Mercurial energies; This is nothing to blame the God and shrink from him for, but all the more reason to engage him and to look for what parts of his teachings we may be neglecting. A glaring example is his relationship with death, which our society has grown dangerously childish about. Like magnifies like; no wonder a culture so unreceptive to Hermes' all-important work preparing us for death would be unable to receive him well in other ways. Another lesson we may be neglecting is a lot more obvious; our connections have become faster and faster and more and more voluminous, but have they become more *connective*? The loneliness epidemic in the youth suggests not. The other end of the line is just as important to Hermes' work. Cultivating more respect for it, more intimacy even when that entails vulnerability, and more truth-telling even when that entails stubbed toes, is necessary. Moreover, it's an act of devotion to Hermes, the swiftest and gentlest of all the Gods, the friend of mankind, the Evangelos. As with any deity, we connect by sharing in their activities. For Artemis & Hekate this can mean babysitting, diving deep into a subject you're interested in, or exercising as much intention & control in your life as you can - even extending into "magical" practice if you want to. Real hunting may not be possible for most of us anymore, but there are lots of activities that share its essence. Exercise, especially running, sprinting, and high-impact workouts. Chasing goals, career or otherwise. Even chasing mates - courtship is supposed to be intense! And as with all deities, Artemis is also pleased when we connect with the gods she is connected to, Zeus and Apollo being the foremost of these. She is also dear to Dionysus and to her fellow animators, Hera and Demeter.” Helios explained as Zidine was still amazed, but readied himself for what would happen. “You must humble thy brother… redeem him. If you don’t kill him, then you have done me proud. Truthfully, no matter my power, I was unable to see the darkness that Helena had. No matter how perfect her beauty was, she had truly miserable intentions and as such, got pregnant with George as the second-born child. As a result, she was deeply hating of me and you, by extension and because of this, she never forgave you for your sheer existence. Thus, killing her could be a goal but redemption of one of them is genuinely necessary.” Helios said as Zidine glanced at him. “So I really do have no choice, huh?” Zidine asked as Helios nodded disapprovingly. “Yea. I shalt train thee with no regrets.” Helios said as he laughed, creating a huge boom that shattered the entirety of Greece. “What is Hesperia?” Zidine asked to which Helios calmly responded with “Hesperia is a kingdom… that of Norway mixed with Greece… Greco-Roman architecture and capacities, hence the Roman soldiers within the Royals’ ranks. It was thus formed away from Akaria’s control some thousands of years ago in the early 10th century since Akaria is thus older.” Helios explained, teleporting Abram, himself and Zidine onto Olympus. Zidine instinctively grabbed Mjolnir and fought Helios who barely lifted a finger, sending him flying back. “You beat Typhon but ye cannot even graze a finger of mine?” Helios asked as sunlight shot from his finger, leading to Zidine to use Mjolnir to dodge it. “I am the bearer of Tablets of Phanes: Oracular tablets written by the primordial god Phanes that describe the fate of the cosmos and the movements of the universe, kept by Helios and the Aureole: The shining crown which you were going to inherit.” Helios explained as he summoned an egg so bright that neither Zidine nor Abram could bear witness to it only for Zidine to howl, summoning Fenrir and his children. “A pet wolf? How mighty.” Helios said, laughing softly, ultimately grabbing Fenrir’s back and burning him up with one hit, ultimately having his light-based attack reflected by the Aegis.

"Ere land and sea and the all-covering sky were made, in the whole world the countenance of nature was the same, all one, well named Chaos, a raw and undivided mass, naught but a lifeless bulk, with warring seeds of ill-joined elements compressed together. No Titan [Helios the Sun] as yet poured light upon the world, no waxing Phoebe [Selene the Moon] her crescent filled anew, nor in the ambient air yet hung the earth, self-balanced, equipoised, nor Amphitrite's [the Sea's] arms embraced the long far margin of the land. Though there were land and sea and air, the land no foot could tread, no creature swim the sea, the air was lightless; nothing kept its form, all objects were at odds, since in one mass cold essence fought with hot, and moist with dry, and hard with soft and light with things of weight. This strife a God (Deus) [probably Phanes], with nature's blessing, solved; who severed land from sky and sea from land, and from the denser vapours set apart the ethereal sky; and, each from the blind heap resolved and freed, he fastened in its place appropriate in peace and harmony. The fiery weightless force of heaven's vault flashed up and claimed the topmost citadel; next came the air in lightness and in place; the thicker earth with grosser elements sank burdened by its weight; lowest and last the girdling waters pent the solid globe. So into shape whatever god it was reduced the primal matter and prescribed its several parts. Then first, to make the earth even on every side, he rounded it into a mighty disc, then bade the sea extend and rise under the rushing winds, and gird the shores of the encircled earth. Springs too he made and boundless fens and lakes, and rivers hemmed in winding banks to flow, which, in their diverse journeyings, sometimes the earth absorbs, sometimes they reach the sea and in its broad domain, instead of banks, with new-found freedom beat upon the shores. He bade the plains spread wide, the valleys sink, the craggy mountains rise, the forest trees don their green leaves; and as the vault of heaven has five divisions, two zones on the right, two on the left, and hottest burns the fifth, with that same number Providence divine parcelled in zones the solid earth below. The midmost uninhabitable heat claims for its own; two lie clothed deep in snow; two, in between, were given a temperate clime where warmth and cold combine in harmony. The air hangs high above them, weightier than the empyrean in the same degree as earth than water. There he bade the mists and there the clouds to have their dwelling-place, and thunder that should shake the hearts of men, and lightning flashing through the freezing gales. The World's Creator (Fabricator Mundi) [probably Phanes] did not grant the Venti (Winds) [Anemoi] full freedom of the sky; who, even so, though each in separate regions rules his blasts, can well nigh tear the world apart, so fierce is brother's strife . . . Scarce had he thus all things in finite bounds divided when the Sidera (Stars) [Astra], in darkness blind long buried, over all the spangled sky began to gleam; and, that no part or place should lack fit forms of life, the firmament he made the home of gods and goddesses and the bright constellations; in the sea he set the shining fish to swim; the land received the beasts, the gusty air the birds. A holier creature, of a loftier mind, fit master of the rest, was lacking still. Then man was made, perhaps from seed divine formed by the great World's Creator (Origo Mundi) [probably Phanes], so to found a better world, perhaps the new-made earth, so lately parted from the ethereal heavens, kept still some essence of the kindred sky--earth that son of Iapetus [Prometheus] moulded, mixed with water, in likeness of the gods that govern the world, to which Zidine could do nothing but watch in sheer awe. The entirety of Olympus shook and shuddered in sheer terror as its true King showed his power. “You are not bad but you are lacking.” Helios said as Zidine instinctively used Berserker Mode alongside Fenrir literally bumrushing Helios. “Come, Abram.” Helios said to Abram who was literally too fear-struck to do anything only for Zidine to fire a red thunderbolt as Helios’ chest. “Cloak of the Sun.” Helios thought to himself, immediately summoning the power of the cosmos itself to heal from the attack. “So you still have the Berserker Mode, eh? The form that amplifies your power by hundreds to thousands of times? It thus appears that you need the second-to-last form of it.” Helios expressed, allowing Zidine to even have time to summon the breast-plated Aegis only for him to be sent flying away with one attack from Helios’ pinky finger. “Solaris.” Helios then said, immediately forcing a cancer-like effect onto Zidine’s body, which was clearly a spiritual or conceptual disease. “Did he use solar radiation on me?” Zidine asked himself, only to be blitzed by an invisible attack. “Given that he has a Staff-like ability to control the sun, I suspect he has the power to create weapons from solar energy.” Zidine thought to himself, instinctively using his Eye to see the future and tried to dodge Helios’ next attack; and despite failing, he managed to somehow teleport behind his father and use Mjolnir only for him to turn into sunlight and fire a huge beam of sunlight from the sky. “That Staff your brother has was the Sceptre of Phanes. I crafted it for your “mother”. She misuses it even now.” Helios said with a grave expression as the sun continually blinded Zidine. “You destroyed this place before, eh?” Helios asked, recreating the entirety of Olympos with a finger snap as well as summoning a thunderbolt to which Zidine swiftly used his Runes. Then Zeus no longer held back his might; but straight his heart was filled with fury and he showed forth all his strength. From Heaven and from Olympos he came forthwith, hurling his lightning: the bold flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder and lightning, whirling an awesome flame. The life-giving earth crashed around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about. All the land seethed, and Okeanos' streams and the unfruitful sea. The hot vapour lapped round the Titenes Khthonios (Earthly): flame unspeakable rose to the bright upper air (aither): the flashing glare of the thunder-stone and lightning blinded their eyes for all that there were strong. Astounding heat seized air (khaos): and to see with eyes and to hear the sound with ears it seemed even as if Earth (Gaia) and wide Heaven (Ouranos) above came together; for such a mighty crash would have arisen if Earth (Gaia) were being hurled to ruin, and Heaven (Ouranos) from on high were hurling her down; so great a crash was there while the gods were meeting together in strife. Also the winds brought rumbling earthquake and duststorm, thunder and lightning and the lurid thunderbolt, which are the shafts of great Zeus, and carried the clangour and the warcry into the midst of the two hosts. An horrible uproar of terrible strife arose: mighty deeds were shown and the battle inclined. But until then, they kept at one another and fought continually in cruel war, to which Zidine smiled, only for Helios to appear behind him and in front of him all the same. “Titanfall.” He said, grabbing Zidine’s face, sending him upwards and stabbing him with his Sword. “You were a universal King? That’s why all the Olympians revered you?” Zidine asked as the sword somehow bypassed his rune related to it. “Indeed. I am the strongest. Zeus is a mere fraction of my power after all. Think of it like the State of the One compared to thy brother, Satoshi.” Helios calmly said, sending Zidine into Olympus head-first, seemingly cracking his skull as Berserker Mode was clearly not working. “The boy whose name was sunlight. My son…” Helios said with regret in his words. “Your son… is alive.” Zidine said, an illusion surely wast he before only for Helios to smile. “All you must do is cut me down, releasing ichor.” Helios said as Zidine immediately summoned the Harpe. “I have to touch his heart once and then this battle will be over. His cancer will spread once more. That lung cancer back then… that was due to solar radiation.” Zidine thought to himself as he realised that, whilst his father was a God, he can’t have been the most powerful. This fight continued for a month by a way of time stopping within Olympus as time itself became Helios’ finger. “I shalt throw Chaos at thee.” Helios spoke, carrying the entirety of the “sky” on one hand and throwing it straight at Zidine. “He’s throwing Chaos?!” Zidine thought to himself, only to use the full power of his 8th form of the Lightning of Elding, using the lightning of Jove’s full power to end Chaos for good, removing the very concept of the Void from all of existence, only for Helios to smile. “He destroyed the very void of this Omniverse? He is slowly becoming the hero of Hope that was predicted and doing so without the amplification of permanency in relation to Prometheus… his growth is incredible. He really will one day get the Gift.” Helios thought to himself, only to rethink Chaos into existence casually as Zidine used his full speed, using red orbs to surround Helios (who was the Sun) and destroy it… only for him to teleport directly in front of Helios and just as he teleported it, Zidine used the full power of the Berserker Mode’s 8th form in the form of his Keravnós (Thunderbolt, Κεραυνός) which was on the tip of the Harpe, firing his thunderbolt into Helios’ chest, causing him to vomit golden blood. “He reinflicted my lung cancer caused thus by my solar radiation in life?!” Helios thought to himself with actual fear. “In the beginning, there was nothing, nothing but a swirling primordial chaos. Powerful embodiments of cosmic forces sprung forth from the void and from them descended a race of divine beings. Thus begins the story of a line of fathers and sons, ultimate rulers of all of creation. First, there was Uranus, the representation of the vast starry sky. He was born from Gaia, the primordial Earth, and with his own mother he had many children. First there were the twelve Titans, then the one-eyed Cyclopes, and finally the hundred-handed Hecatoncheires. Uranus despised the latter two groups for their monstrous appearances and had them all locked away in the Underworld. Sickened at the treatment of her children, Gaia created a jagged sickle and rallied the Titans against their father. Only Cronos, the wiliest of the twelve, was willing to take up the blade. He attacked Uranus, slicing off his genitals and casting them into the sea. And so Cronos claimed his father’s place as highest of all. Exulting in his newfound power, he took his own sister Rhea as a wife. She bore him children, but learning nothing from the fate of his father, Cronos treated his sons and daughters cruelly. He swallowed each one as they were born so that none could overthrow him someday. By the time she gave birth to their sixth child, Rhea had grown sick of Cronos’s deranged, abusive behavior. Instead of handing the baby over to Cronos, she swaddled a rock in infant’s clothing and gave him that instead. The stout-hearted young god was passed on to his grandmother Gaia, who whisked him away to a faraway cave. This child was Zeus, destined king of god and man… but for now he was just a boy, being raised in secrecy. Attended by nymphs and nursed by the goat Amaltheia, the young prince grew up fast. Soon, the time came for him to continue the family tradition and challenge his father. Zeus allied himself with his cousin Metis, who slipped Cronos an emetic that caused him to vomit up all of his kids he had swallowed. Being immortals, they had survived inside his stomach for all those years, and the five quickly teamed up with their brother Zeus. Together, the young gods clashed against the Titans in an epic series of battles that would be recorded in legend as the Titanomachy. The war stretched on for ten long years, the shockwaves of their combat felt through all of existence. Zeus managed to get the upper hand by freeing his imprisoned uncles, the Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires. With their assistance, the Titans were swiftly defeated and imprisoned in the darkest pit of the Underworld, Tartarus. After ascending to the throne, Zeus had a few orders of business to attend to. First was divvying up the universe. He and his brothers Hades and Poseidon drew lots to decide who would reign over what. Hades got the Underworld, Poseidon got the oceans, and Zeus got the sky… pretty much the best out of the three. It fit him well, as the Cyclopes had armed him with an arsenal of powerful thunderbolts, with which he could swiftly smite just about any being he wished. Next was finding himself a queen. He first married Metis, but this didn’t last for long. Zeus’s grandparents told him of a prophecy which said his second child with Metis would be a son even stronger than he was. Not wanting history to repeat itself yet again, Zeus did the only rational thing he could and ate his own wife. She was pregnant at the time with their first child, and eventually Zeus gave birth to that baby through his own head – this was Athena, goddess of war and wisdom. This was his first child of what would be many. And I mean many, as in, triple digits. After Metis, Zeus bounced from lover to lover, more than a few of them being his relatives. He eventually settled on his sister Hera as his queen, though he wasn’t exactly the most faithful husband. Even after tying the knot with Hera, he basically just kept doing whatever (and whoever) he pleased. These dalliances would lead to various conflicts with his wife, most notably over his bastard son Heracles. But you probably know all about him already. Zeus’s life as the king of everything wasn’t all sunshine and incest. More cosmos-quaking battles were on the horizon. There was the Gigantomachy, a battle between gods and giants that nearly reached the scale of their first war with the Titans. Then came Typhon, a monstrous, hundred-headed serpentine being so enormous he brushed against the stars. Zeus took him on alone while the other gods fled, and after a hard-fought battle, the king of the Olympians managed to imprison him beneath a mountain. No matter what threat besieged Olympus, Zeus was always there to take it down. When the other gods stepped out of line, he was quick to put them back in their place. And if an uppity mortal ever dared to defy him, things never ended happily for them. Uranus and Cronos may have reigned before him, but Zeus was the true ruler of the endless universe, and he was never ashamed to let that immeasurable power go to his head. Plato (427-348/47) was born into a distinguished Athenian family, active in affairs of state; he was undoubtedly a close observer of the political events that led up to Socrates’ execution. After Socrates’ death, Plato left Athens and visited Italy and Sicily, where he seems to have come into contact with Pythagorean philosophers. In 388 Plato returned to Athens and founded a school of his own, the Academy, where young men could pursue advanced studies. He spoke:

C. The carpenter replicates the mental idea as closely as possible in each table he makes, but always imperfectly.

D. There is a divine craftsman who bears the same relationship to the cosmos as the carpenter bears to his tables. The divine craftsman (the Demiurge) constructed the cosmos according to an idea or plan, so that the cosmos and everything in it are replicas of eternal ideas or forms—but always imperfect replicas because of limitations inherent in the materials available to the Demiurge. In short, there are two realms: a realm of forms or ideas, containing the perfect form of everything; and the material realm in which these forms or ideas are imperfectly replicated.

E. Plato illustrated this conception of reality in his famous “allegory of the cave,” found in book VII of the Republic. Men are imprisoned within a deep cave, chained so as to be incapable of moving their heads. Behind them is a wall, and beyond that a fire. People walk back and forth behind the wall, holding above it various objects, including statues of humans and animals; the objects cast shadows on the wall that is visible to he prisoners. The prisoners see only the shadows cast by these objects; and, having lived in the cave from childhood, they no longer recall any other reality. They do not suspect that these shadows are but imperfect images of objects that they cannot see; and consequently they mistake the shadows for the real.

F. One of its most striking characteristics is Plato’s vehement opposition to certain features of pre-Socratic thought. According to these philosophers, things behave according to their inherent natures, and this alone accounts for the order and regularity of the cosmos. Order, then, is intrinsic, rather than extrinsic; it is not imposed by an outside agent but arises form within.

G. Now Plato found such an opinion not only foolish but dangerous. He had no intention of restoring the gods of Mount Olympus, who interfered in the day-to-day operation of the universe, but he was convinced that the order and rationality of the cosmos could be explained only as the imposition of an outside mind. If the physikoi found the source of order in physis (nature), he would locate it in psyche (mind). Plato depicted the cosmos as the handiwork of a divine craftsman, the Demiurge.

H. Besides being a rational craftsman, the Demiurge is a mathematician, for he constructed the cosmos on geometrical principles. Plato’s account borrowed the four roots or elements of Empedocles: earth, water, air, and fire. But (probably under Pythagorean influence) he reduced them to mathematical ingredients or components. Plato made these the basis of a “geometrical atomism”—associating each of the elements with one of the geometrical solids. Fire is the tetrahedron, air is the octahedron, water the icosahedron, and earth the cube. Plato also found a function for the docedahedron by identifying it with the cosmos as a whole.” He explained as Zidine was visibly exhausted, with the end of the month coming. Abram sat in the blood of the dragon he slew, giving him complete invulnerability to all dragons outside of this World and the ability to fully damage Dragons yet thus he could lose to those of ancient times, including Typhon and his ancestors therein! “The thing I wanted to say earlier… is that I… am your brother… and Helena’s son.” Abram said, to Zidine’s visible shock, however they steadied themselves. “No matter.” Zidine said bluntly as Helios laughed, causing the entirety of Chaos to tremble.

“Now then… it is time for you two to leave and complete thy destiny.” Helios said. Zidine remembered his school days, having thought about his own personal values. He thought about himself. He admired his father, King Helio the most. He remembered his words. 'In life, everything is about honour. When a man loses his honour, he is nothing. And honour comes from success. We must be successful, so we can provide honour for our family'. Zidine wrote this down. "Uh... what? You're King Helios' son?" Asked Satoshi. Zidine nodded, "Yes I am. So I should be treated with a certain level of respect, do you not think?" He said, arrogantly. Masaru then laughed, "You'll be treated exactly equally to the rest of us. King or not, I don't give a damn, we're all brothers after all." Xiaoyu nodded in agreement, while Satoshi was still stunned. Zidine glared into Masaru's eyes, with anger, "I am the son of King Helios! I demand respect from you peasants!" Masaru stared straight back at Zidine, "I hope this school isn't full of people like you! Anyway, who are you kidding, you're adopted! Don't you think we know!? King Helios picked you up out of pity!" As they embraced, the heavens shook. The guards of heaven blew their trumpets in relief. "THE BROTHER'S HAVE RETURNED! THE SONS SHALL SAVE US!" They cheered. Back on Earth, the four brothers no longer felt they were alone. They felt unstoppable. A new energy had emerged from their reunion. Zidine looked around, slightly frustrated. "I cannot believe that they are my brothers. They're all... Common!" He thought. Masaru then interrupted Zidine's thoughts, and with a smiling face asked "Hey uh Zidine? Were you and Xiaoyu living together since birth? You two seem to have met before. I just met Satoshi about an hour ago." Zidine jumped and impulsively said, "No no no, of course we haven't met! Look at him and me! I'm a royal! I'm King Helios' son. He then remembered his father’s death. Upon hearing the commotion, the rest of the family came upstairs to the room, and they were shocked to see Zidine and the King dancing about. But, just as the family came in, the King felt a piercing pain in his stomach, as he immediately dropped to the ground, unconscious. In the next hours, the King was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. He was dead. However, Zidine was not upset, he knew what he had to do to make his father proud. He had to become a hero. Outside the room where the father lay to rest. The Queen and Zidine embraced each other, tearfully. “I understand what he told you then” said the Queen. “Yes, mother. Father did tell me” Zidine said solemnly. “Well then son. What are you here for? Go! Go be the Hero you were destined to be! Make your father proud!” the Queen exclaimed. “But my brother and sister, what about them? And the kingdom?” Zidine questioned. “I will rule the kingdom now. Do not worry, I will be as great a ruler as your father,” she smiled, “and your siblings, well, what are you waiting for? Go say goodbye to them!” as well as remembering his past actions, staring down at his bloodied hand. "Who killed King Helios?" Himari asked suddenly in a sharp attempt to change the subject. "He wasn't killed. He was-" Zidine was about to say, before he was cut off as Himari said, "Yeah yeah, he had cancer or something, but cancer doesn't progress or take lives that fast. The papers said he had a lung cancer or something, but he wasn't a smoker, nor did his servants recognise any pain. And also, one of his maids let loose that 4 weeks before his death, he had a meeting with a dark and brooding figure. My question is, was the late great Helios of Hesperia, a corrupt scumbag connected to organised crime? Or other nefarious organisations?" As she said that a large fist connected with her cheek, as Zidine recoiled his hand and angrily shouted, "YOU KNOW NOTHING OF ME, PEASANT!" Zidine would then leave the classroom, as Kage ignored this and continued the class. Masaru was about to chase after Zidine but Kage told him to return to his place, as he said, "Give him some time, he'll return" Masaru then turned back towards his partner, Hajime as he readied himself into a fighting stance.

“Be the very best hero you can be! The very best! Be a beacon of hope, when people in the darkness see you, be like the light, guiding them to safety, guiding them forward. If ever you find yourself stuck, believe in yourself. Remember who you are. YOU ARE ZIDINE! ZIDINE HELIO LUMIERE! SON OF KING HELIO! WIELDER OF LIGHTNING! BRINGER OF STORMS! BEACON OF HOPE! THE LIGHT IN THE DARK! THE FURY OF THE SKIES! THE WRATH OF UTOPIA! YOU ARE ZIDINE! YOU ARE MY SON! YOU ARE THE HERO OF HOPE!” the King exclaimed with all his strength . Zidine’s veins were filled with energy, filled with a new power. A new belief in himself. He was the Hero of Hope. “Thank you father! I promise, the people will be singing your name when me and my brothers will save the Omniverse, ‘there he goes, there he is! The Pride of Helio’ they will say!” Zidine exclaimed with a loud cheer, as he embraced his father. “Thy family may not be the best… but thy final form, that of the 9th form… could’ve killed me for it is transcendent… bypassing all obstacles and powers. God-negating properties… it is the most powerful form of lightning and power ever. In comparison, thy universal power with physicality and Mjolnir are irrelevant in comparison to it… you could destroy the entire Omniverse. Your mother will likely curse thee… but thy brother is the goal. Go, my child.” Helios said as he hugged Zidine, his true successor. “I never hated thee… love be thy name… boy of Sunlight. My boy.” He spoke as Zidine walked away, now taking the Helm of Invisibility and becoming fully invisible. “He truly has surpassed me.” Helios thought to himself.

George’s Palace in the Present

“George, it will be time. Pandora’s Box hath been released and thus… your fate will be yours. You will gain the ultimate, transcendent power your father had. You will become Zagreus! The King of the Universe, no, of Chaos, Heaven and Tartaros!” Helena said, as she smiled. “Close thy eyes. This is your gift.” Helena said as she smiled menacingly. Her eyes grew redder as the Palace shook; its sandstone formation visibly shuddered in true fear. She grabbed two sickles and sliced her wrists. “In Heimskringla, Ynglinga Saga, Chapter 7: Óðinn knew, and practised himself, the art which is accompanied by greatest power, called seiðr (‘black magic’), and from it he could predict the fates of men and things that had not yet happened, and also cause men death or disaster or disease, and also take wit or strength from some and give it to others. But this magic, when it is practised, is accompanied by such great perversion that it was not considered without shame for a man to perform it, and the skill was taught to the goddesses. Óðinn knew about all the treasure of the earth, where it was hidden, and he knew songs which would make the earth and cliffs and rocks and grave-mounds open up before him, and with words alone he would bind those who were in them and go in and take from there whatever he wanted. He became very famous because of these powers. His enemies feared him, but his friends trusted him and believed in his power and in him. And he taught most of his skills to his sacrificial priests. They were next to him in all lore and magic. And yet many others learned much of it, and from there heathendom spread widely and lasted for a long time. And people worshipped Óðinn and the twelve rulers and called them their gods and believed in them long afterwards. The name Auðunn comes from Óðinn, and people called their sons this, and from Þórr’s name come the names Þórir and Þórarinn, or it is combined with other elements, as in Steinþórr or Hafþórr, or changed further in other ways." Let the Lord of Hell and Fire come and bless my child with the power needed to slay his ultimate enemy. Even if he bears his father’s stave and youthful form, bless him with his true power and potential. Let Zidine Helios’ end come. Replenish my beloved with the skill of the Asura even if he is powerful enough to upturn trees and countries through the power of the Staff of the Cosmos and the Bow of Apollo.

O Powerful Victory [Nike], by men desir'd, with adverse breasts to dreadful fury fir'd,

Thee I invoke, whose might alone can quell contending rage, and molestation fell:

'Tis thine in battle to confer the crown, the victor's prize, the mark of sweet renown;

For thou rul'st all things, Victory [Nike] divine! And glorious strife, and joyful shouts are thine.

Come, mighty Goddess, and thy suppliant bless, with sparkling eye, elated with success;

May deeds illustrious thy protection claim, and find, led on by thee immortal Fame.

O Father Jove [Zeus], who shak'st with fiery light the world deep-sounding from thy lofty height:

From thee, proceeds th' ætherial lightning's blaze, flashing around intolerable rays.

Thy sacred thunders shake the blest abodes, the shining regions of th' immortal Gods:

Thy pow'r divine, the flaming lightning shrouds, with dark investiture, in fluid clouds.

'Tis thine to brandish thunders strong and dire, to scatter storms, and dreadful darts of fire;

With roaring flames involving all around, and bolts of thunder of tremendous sound.

Thy rapid dart can raise the hair upright, and shake the heart of man with wild afright.

Sudden, unconquer'd, holy, thund'ring God, 'with noise unbounded, flying all abroad;

With all-devouring force, entire and strong, horrid, untam'd, thou roll'st the flames along.

Rapid, ætherial bolt, descending fire, the earth all-parent, trembles at thy ire;

The sea all-shining; and each beast that hears the sound terrific, with dread horror fears:

When Nature's face is bright with flashing fire, and in the heavens resound thy thunders dire.

Thy thunders white, the azure garments tear, and burst the veil of all surrounding air.

O Jove [Zeus], all-blessed, may thy wrath severe, hurl'd in the bosom of the deep appear,

And on the tops of mountains be reveal'd, for thy strong arm is not from us conceal'd.

Propitious to these sacred rites incline, and crown my wishes with a life divine:

Add royal health, and gentle peace beside, with equal reason, for my constant guide.

The Fumigation from Frankincense and Manna.

I Call the mighty, holy, splendid light, aerial, dreadful-sounding, fiery-bright;

Flaming, aerial-light, with angry voice, lightning thro' lucid clouds with horrid noise.

Untam'd, to whom resentments dire belong, pure, holy pow'r, all-parent, great and strong:

Come, and benevolent these rites attend, and grant my days a peaceful, blessed end.

O Jove much-honor'd, Jove [Zeus] supremely great, to thee our holy rites we consecrate,

Our pray'rs and expiations, king divine, for all things round thy head exalted shine.

The earth is thine, and mountains swelling high, the sea profound, and all within the sky.

Saturnian [Kronion] king, descending from above, magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Jove [Zeus];

All-parent, principle and end of all, whose pow'r almighty, shakes this earthly ball;

Ev'n Nature trembles at thy mighty nod, loud-sounding, arm'd with light'ning, thund'ring God.

Source of abundance, purifying king, O various-form'd from whom all natures spring;

Propitious hear my pray'r, give blameless health, with peace divine, and necessary wealth.

Blest Pæan, come, propitious to my pray'r, illustrious pow'r, whom Memphian tribes revere,

Slayer of Tityus, and the God of health, Lycorian Phœbus, fruitful source of wealth .

Spermatic, golden-lyr'd, the field from thee receives it's constant, rich fertility.

Titanic, Grunian, Smynthian, thee I sing, Python-destroying, hallow'd, Delphian king:

Rural, light-bearer, and the Muse's head, noble and lovely, arm'd with arrows dread:

Far-darting, Bacchian, two-fold, and divine, pow'r far diffused, and course oblique is thine.

O, Delian king, whose light-producing eye views all within, and all beneath the sky:

Whose locks are gold, whose oracles are sure, who, omens good reveal'st, and precepts pure:

Hear me entreating for the human kind, hear, and be present with benignant mind;

For thou survey'st this boundless æther all, and ev'ry part of this terrestrial ball

Abundant, blessed; and thy piercing sight, extends beneath the gloomy, silent night;

Beyond the darkness, starry-ey'd, profound, the stable roots, deep fix'd by thee are found.

The world's wide bounds, all-flourishing are thine, thyself all the source and end divine:

'Tis thine all Nature's music to inspire, with various-sounding, harmonising lyre;

Now the last string thou tun'ft to sweet accord, divinely warbling now the highest chord;

Th' immortal golden lyre, now touch'd by thee, responsive yields a Dorian melody.

All Nature's tribes to thee their diff'rence owe, and changing seasons from thy music flow

Hence, mix'd by thee in equal parts, advance Summer and Winter in alternate dance;

This claims the highest, that the lowest string, the Dorian measure tunes the lovely spring .

Hence by mankind, Pan-royal, two-horn'd nam'd, emitting whistling winds thro' Syrinx fam'd;

Since to thy care, the figur'd seal's consign'd, which stamps the world with forms of ev'ry kind.

Hear me, blest pow'r, and in these rites rejoice, and save thy mystics with a suppliant voice.

The King of All. In Orphic Hymn 37: "From Jove [Zeus] descended;

whose immortal breath sustains the soul,

and wafts her back from death;

Aerial-form'd, much-fam'd, in heav'n ye shine two-fold,

in heav'n all-lucid and divine:

Blowing, serene, from whom abundance springs, nurses of seasons, fruit-producing kings."

I bless thee with the fullest of power your father bore with my magic therein… in thy arrows and flames… and then, my lord… the ferocity of the Asuras: O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you. Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought by any being other than those created by you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal. Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time. Neither the deva-s, nor the demons, gandharva-s, yakSha-s, serpents, rAkShasa-s, nor the men, demons who prefer flesh, shall never ever kill me. O the grandfather of all the worlds! The sages shall never get angry with me and curse me. This is the boon I want, suitable for my penance. No one shall never ever kill me with a weapon, arrow, mountain or tree, dry or wet or any other things. No one shall never ever kill me in heaven, netherworld, sky, any place on earth, inside, outside, night or day. The one who is capable of killing me, along with my servants, army and vehicles with a single strike of hand, may become my death. I shall be the sun, moon, wind, fire and water, atmosphere, stars, all the ten directions. This the first boon I choose. I should not be killed by any of these things—weapons, missiles, mountains, trees whether dry or wet. I should not be killed above or below. He who is able to kill me at one blow of his band along with my servants, armies and vehicles shall cause my death. I shall be all these: sun, moon, wind, fire, water, atmosphere, firmament, everything. I must be anger, love, Varuṇa, Indra, Yama, Kubera, the presiding deity of riches as well as the over-lord of Yakṣas and Kimpuruṣas. Bless him with the power of true Runic nullification. He beareth the arrows of harm and healing; bless him with the ultimate power of Viking-slayer!” Helena thought to herself, using the Devil’s power and her own seiðr (‘black magic’)’s powers to bless her son with the accuracy of Apollo, the wits of Athena and ultimately eternal luck thanks to her ritual as a voice appeared in her mind. “Very well, girl… I shall bless him with the powers you seek… in the end, all will return to Chaos…Form of the Queen; as he be thy sacred Virgin-bound Son. Cursed be he in goodness for himself with undue love as he beareth his Chaos-bound strength which goeth above the Boundless Earth.” The Devil spoke as she smiled with a bright light devouring all of Hesperia. “Open your eyes, my beloved. Your true power has awakened.” Helena said, quickly healing her wound as George peacefully smiled with an egg in his hand that came from his sceptre. “Mother, I feel something in the air… it is time for the final showdown. The fight that was always to be.” George spoke as Helena cried.

“So… Zidine is back… and has somehow murdered his father.” Helena said to George who smiled without mercy; as she ignored memories of her love with Helios. “My boy… I love you so.” She said to her son, with happiness and fear clashing in her hardened and rock-hard eyes and heart only to look out to the outskirts of the city as she saw two goats flying in the sky above with her noticing the goats landing in the castle ground with no captain. “So he has truly returned. That bastardised Berserker. No matter… when I am through with him… he will learn who the rightful monarch of this damned place is.” George said, who now bore his father’s crown and sceptre fully manifested. Tears dripped down Helena’s face and cheeks, warming her cold-blooded heart as she smiled calmly, finally realising that her dreams of seeing Zidine falling and grovelling to her knees would be real. “Your Majesty, what is the news concerning?” Hadeil, her favourite general who bore a Roman-esque helmet, asked as she smiled. “This is the end.” Helena said, as she knew things would be good. However… by this, she would be sacrificing her “son” for her “first-born”. George then left the Staff with his mother, relieving the flow of time; unaware this would lead to his downfall in the long run.

Battle of Brothers[]

“Goats?” George asked as he immediately summoned Apollo’s bow and destroyed them as he saw Abram Willis with a black suit and red bowtie alongside neatly combed hair and a short stubble that befit his age. “Who are you?” Zidine asked with a slight air of arrogance. “Your brother.” Abram said in quick retort with a sly look on his face as George looked absolutely disgusted and repulsed. “Where is Zidine, the traitor?” George asked as he readied his bow. “Where is he?” He asked once again only for Abram to glare at him. “Stop asking, you sly little-!” Abram was about to say as an arrow fired into his throat… only for no damage to be incurred. “You want to know where he is? I am right here.” Zidine said, taking off his Helm of Invisibility. “Zidine, you traitor to the kingdom. Mother and I have been waiting for this for 3 years!” George said, with a clear sense of pomp being derived from his every word as they immediately readied themselves. The two combatants used their respective powers, firing one arrow and using the Drigo Axe respectively, to which the arrow mysteriously bypassed the Axe and struck Zidine in the throat, seemingly stripping him of his ability to speak. “Thou art a loser of the highest form, gratuitous twit.” George spoke as Zidine swiftly ripped out the arrow and then immediately summoned a beautiful mist, combining that with red lightning that went from his bosom to his hands and fired it at George who swiftly summoned fire from the ground to counter the red lightning in a beautiful display of the elements, to which his fire spread around the entirety of the Palace grounds without much, if any, effort as Zidine remained emotionless, remembering his father’s words and twisting his foot, warping the direction of the flames away from himself and Abram, causing the flames to surround him alone only for thunder itself to roar violently and shatter the sky itself, clouds parting their ways to witness the battle of the brothers; his fingers twisting with sadness and firing the red thunderbolts straight at George who swiftly responded by turning the fire he summoned out of the ground into a limestone-like substance, creating a wall of ashen lava to stop the thunderbolts from striking his very bosom and adding a huge moon of flame from his bitter mouth. Cracked lips strewn themselves unto his youthful face as Zidine swiftly blew a stream of wind, but as we all know, wind only amplifies fire’s stroke and intensity and with that, he ripped out the arrow from his throat, using it as a tool ‘gainst the flames of revenge and vengeance, ultimately snapping his fingers to turn that into a cube, countering the flames utterly that were a moon in amount; the Sun itself watched as disease spread into the air thanks to the flames. Geysers of fire erupted from the solemn and sorrowful ground below, causing devastation yet a sense of warmth to those who deserved them both; fanning themselves to create valleys of molten lava, the watchers of history and fate itself were these very fanners of the flaming valleys with people looking horrified as the elements themselves were battling against them. “Are the gods cursing us?!” Many a villager remarked with absolute fear in their human eyes, for their eyes could not, or perhaps did not want to perceive the battle of the gods playing out in the castle ahead. Flames continued to rip apart the area as Zidine knew he had no choice to not hold back, but at the same time, he promised his father redemption for his brother. “I don’t want to fight you, brother!” Zidine spoke as George simply ignored it, launching a volleys of disease-ridden arrows at Zidine who turned himself into the wind but the arrow still struck its target regardless and thus George stomped his foot into the ground, controlling a small piece of the ground of the castle, setting it alight with enough fury to cause eruptions of the highest calibre without doubt; although what George failed to realise is that Zidine… was not unwilling to use meagre options of attacking to kill with George glancing at Abram and breathing fire from his mouth to attack him, causing Abram to swiftly run away as Zidine then shut this down by using his runes although George turned that into an arrow and attacked him straight in the stomach. “You cannot kill me!” George spoke with slight arrogance in his heart, ultimately firing a plume of solar energy from his right eye and then setting Zidine alight with it via using his left however Zidine swiftly turned the flames into lightning and let the flames douse themselves in the form of an armoured body with his hand taking the full brunt of the solar flames to which George was shocked but maintained his cool, switching to let the “sky do the firing”, pointing his hand in the air to force arrows down at such a speed where the villagers and all those in Hesperia called it “faster than speeding bullets… faster than a jet!” only for Zidine to be forced to constantly use his armour to handle the arrows, stopping their motion; yet George countered this by stopping Zidine’s motion and pushing him away as he got up and used Mjolnir to push himself forward and fired it at George however he simply tanked it and threw it back, increasing its motion and speed to such a degree where Zidine could only react by using his body to survive the throw as George then fired one more arrow at Abram but as Zidine caught it, it exploded in his face in a pool of blood with which George used that timing to inflict the disease of welts on Zidine’s body and added blood poisoning to the list too and then kicked the ground, causing a tile to fire at his elder brother which was immediately set alight, but a mere wimp was heard with him punching the ground, releasing diseases and flames in sync with one another. “Shalt I heal you, Brother?” George asked mockingly as Zidine remained silent, instead allowing the fire to consume him only to then use that split-second to call down lightning in one straight stream of bolts. “What on earth?” George thought to himself as Zidine coldly smiled. “I didn’t want to fight you, but alas, you and our beloved Mother left me no other choice.” Zidine simply said, punching George so hard that he was sent flying back but no damage was dealt. “Does your arrogance know no bounds?” George asked as he used his bow and continually fired a volley of arrows from the sky although this time, Zidine used his physical force and not his runes to counter the flight of the arrows to stagnate them. “So he can bypass my runic protections.” Zidine thought to himself as George smiled, appearing as though he read his brother’s thoughts, continuing to use disease-based powers to kill Zidine, combining that near-constantly with flames which Zidine used by firing the flames into the air, unironically ionising the sky. “Your thunderous nature really will be your undoing, brother.” George spoke as he knew he would be alright by way of the gifts his Mother bestowed unto his very being, mind and soul, continually firing what would appear to be legions of arrows at Zidine who could do nothing but dodge them since redirecting them would yield hardly any results with all villagers of Hesperia watching in sheer awe as the skies parted themselves. “WHY DID YOU BETRAY AND KILL FATHER, NO, KING HELIOS?!” George asked in rage as Zidine continued to remain silent, treating this as a play of court where all the world was a stage, with him ultimately being forced to use Mjolnir to smash the ground, therefore causing the arrows to careen downwards into oblivion as George was visibly stunned, clapping his hands as fire still erupted without mercy, now in the form of a defensive wall. “Art of Apollo: Law of Giving Land.” George spoke, decreeing the entire country as his singular domain as beams of light surrounded Zidine and Abram in the form of a cage. “What is he doing?” Abram asked, to which Zidine could not answer. Was it fear? The unending silence mawed at them both however George simply laughed, remaining emotional and gleeful, summoning the Egg in hand as the very stars began to align above him and thereby causing the entire country to shake in fear however the Sun shone ‘pon the villagers of Hesperia, summoning a barrier that could protect against the mightiest of men and beings alike. “Your idea of reigning was false. Me giving my position to you was a sham!” Zidine said in pure disgust, questioning just what George’s idea of “protection” consisted of, be it absolute or incomplete in nature. “Oh? You gave it to me because you and I knew that I would be better than you as King! With my power as King of the Cosmos, I can rule all of Creation. The Omniverse is already mine to behold! I have surpassed even Father in terms of power.” George spoke; as though drunk with power, the Egg he beheld in hand was simply an artefact of some wild renown to his hand. “You have become arrogant!” Zidine screamed in utter sadness as he knew or sensed that whilst George was correct in terms of what he could do… he failed to observe the fact that his boons… had an exploitable weakness, to which Odin’s Eye revealed itself. “Thus… his power can likely be taken down at the form of twilight thus but fighting him until Morning in Berserker Mode is dangerous since it is eternally day here thanks to the effects of the Scepter although time itself is passing by, so through attacking him until twilight or even the sunset and dusk therein should allow me the chance to attack him. Because of my eye’s absolute sight, it is perhaps clear that he may need to set off-world [above the ground] and he should attacked with my hands and with enough force to rue even the biggest of trees. Abram will likely lose given George’s maximisation of his full power and potential and given Father’s performance against me, I will inevitably lose. But… Mother is the catalyst behind all this action of an invasive nature.” Zidine thought to himself, clearly questioning himself as he knew that fighting him until Twilight would be pointless and just as the blood devoured his sight, he summoned Mjolnir and forced the entirety of the Sky to bow to his command. “I have no choice. Even if I am bleeding… this fight has to end now… otherwise the entire country, no, this boundless earth would likely end. Because he has Father’s power as though he is in a youthful and perfect body.” Zidine thought to himself, since his Runes would not be effective whatsoever. “Let’s end this, Brother. Why don’t we end this and take down Mother together?” Zidine asked George, to which his eyes dilated in sheer, unadulterated rage. “Why would I take down the one who gave me these gifts? And especially with you!?” George screamed in glee and disgust as Helena watched, holding the Sceptre tightly. “DIE!” George screamed, using the full power of Apollo’s bow to strike Zidine with enough power to end the Sun, with Zidine forcing Time itself to move forward to Twilight, ultimately sending the makeshift Sun flying back at George who had no choice but to become sunlight and dodge as disease spread throughout the Kingdom thanks to George. “Forgive me, brother.” Zidine said, holding onto George as if for dear life. Second Form of the Lightning of Elding: Vortex of Death” Zidine whispered, forcing a vortex to rise around the two, sending George into the air as Zidine then punched him in the face briefly before stopping and smiling. “Why did you sto-?!” George’s bloodied face spoke, only to see just how far they were above ground (above many hills) and then sent him headfirst, making sure to take most of the damage instead by keeping Mjolnir secretly invisible behind George’s head and next to his cheek. George looked so horrified as he felt himself being crushed into the ground. “A second I know, which the son of men must sing, who would heal the sick. Or I know a second that the sons of men” Zidine thought to himself, only for George to smile, realising that he was still immune… only to be kicked in the stomach and sent flying and then… stabbed… to both of their shock. “You failed me.” Helena said, her hands trembling as with fear and shock, she had just stabbed her favourite son. “George. You failed me… even with my gift.” Helena said as Zidine glared at her. “You wretched murderer.” He simply said as she began laughing, with George beginning to lose blood and sight of the situation, remembering when his mother pampered him to no end. When his mother crowned him king and Zidine gave him literally everything he wanted. “Why would you do this, Mother?” George asked, to which Helena’s hands still trembled. “Because… you failed. You failed me. Even with your full power, you would lose to the traitor.” Helena said as George tried to remove the sceptre. “By doing this… you condemn the entire kingdom, as well as myself and thee to suicide.” George said, realising his time was short, ultimately smashed the Egg once in his hand, causing a huge amount of energy to devour the entirety of Hesperia. “You’re making a black hole?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR BELOVED MOTHER?!” Helena screamed as this was a black hole… but… instead… a worldwide disaster as the Sun started to suffer from solar flares and firing raw energy beams at the world, damaging significant parts of it as the Solar Barrier that protected the country meant nothing. “Die, bitch Zidine… was right.” George said as his eyes softened upon looking at Zidine. “I am sorry, brother… forgive me, Father.” He said as tears streamed down his eyes, sacrificing himself for Zidine as Helena’s scream was drowned by the end of George’s life. “How sad… George… your sacrifice meant naught.” Abram said as he felt his neck twisting itself in inhumane ways to which Zidine tried to protect him by using Mjolnir… however, upon hearing Helena laughing, he realised just how bad this situation was. “Indeed it had. That is unfortunate. Die.” Helena said as Abram’s neck snapped immediately, killing him, only for him to be turned into a pool of blood. “What the-?!” Zidine thought to himself, hearing nothing for he was too late to prevent anything bad from happening. He had failed. “Yes. Abram, your brother is dead. Let’s just say… getting on with Fenrir… was a truly interesting time. But… now that he is dead, you leave me no choice.” Helena said, only for Zidine to respond by throwing Mjolnir into her at full speed, sending her flying into the throne that she so desired, killing her. “Gullveig.” She said, appearing exactly where she was a mere moment ago. “You see… you haven’t met Heimdallr, have you?” She asked as Zidine still observed her, holding Mjolnir with enough of a grip strength to shatter it. “You see… I have the power of Gullveig which is to reincarnate thrice and upon me reincarnating three times, I become completely invincible. That power was given to me by the Devil and Haakon; moreso the latter as I invoked myself in rituals of the satanic type, hence the power and boon that you noticed with much intelligence. However… it is also thus that George’s power came from Helios himself, who I am sure you had met and murdered. But still… I have no choice but to summon my ultimate pawn.” Helena said as she fully let Pandora’s Box go into her, only for Hadeil to appear in front of her. A sly smile appeared on her face, etched.on it as Hadeil’s fate was now in her hands. “Lady Helena, I shall-!” Hadeil spoke… only to be beaten to death by crushing his helmet whilst it was still on his head. Inevitably, he became a pile of flesh. “You do not get in my way.” Helena coldly said, stomping over her most loyal soldier’s dead body, to Zidine’s absolute disgust. “Never forget this was your fault.” Helena spoke, still holding the Sceptre in her left hand as she was thus at her full power. “You bore Pandora’s Box?” Zidine asked to Helena merely nodding. “Trapped inside that box there is a stronger power than us two. It has been missing from the world. It all began when Zeus triumphed over the titans in the great war. Zeus understood that the evils born from that battle, if left free would destroy the world of man and gods. To contain these evils, Zeus commissioned Hephaestus to build a vessel strong enough to hold them. Fear. Greed. He locked them all away in the box in hopes that they would never again infect his reign. When you opened the box to kill Ares. You drew from the forbidden powers. After witnessing your victory, fear gripped Zeus.” Helena explained as she felt herself becoming the Platonic concept of the ultimate being as well as the ultimate entity. With that, she teleported a mountain called Eldgjá which appeared behind her, summoning a massive flaming giant. “See, Surtr is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Surtr is foretold as being a major figure during the events of Ragnarök; carrying his bright sword, he will go to battle against the Æsir, he will battle the major god Freyr, and afterward the flames that he brings forth will engulf the Earth. I wish you all the best.” Helena said mockingly as Zidine immediately summoned his two “goats” and Fenrir. “Die.” Fenrir said, firing the star-level once again but as this was about to occur, Helena used her sceptre to fully counter the wolf. “Betrayer! SCUM!” Fenrir screamed as he immediately ran towards Surtur at full speed; the two giants clashing in the fight that would determine the fate of the world as Heimdall’s horn, the Gjallarhorn could be heard from Valhalla, heralding the beginning of Ragnarök, the sound of which will be heard in all corners of the World. “In Norse mythology, Sköll (Old Norse: Skǫll, "Treachery" or "Mockery") is a wolf that, according to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, chases the Sun (personified as a goddess, Sól) riding her chariot across the sky. Hati Hróðvitnisson chases the Moon (personified, as Máni) during the night. Skӧll and Hati are the sons of the wolf Fenrir, and an unnamed giantess. It is foretold the wolves will chase the Sun and Moon across the skies until Ragnarök, at which point the wolves catch up and devour the celestial beings. In Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, the mention of Sköll appears when describing the story of Sol, who drives the chariot of the Sun in Norse Mythology. The wolf is seen chasing her after she receives her chariot to carry the Sun. "[Sun] goes at a great pace; her pursuer is close behind her and there is nothing she can do but flee. … There are two wolves and the one pursuing her is called Skoll [Treachery] is the one she fears; he will catch her [at the end of the world]." Hati Hróðvitnisson (first name meaning "He Who Hates", or "Enemy") is also my child. You will suffer, miserable imp. Even if you have ripped me from thy sinews, I hath gained such control over this situation that your loss is inevitable.” Fenrir said as Helena did not look terrified in the slightest, only for Zidine to immediately attack her with Mjolnir, knowing that he could use his Blades of Demphaus to fight off Surtur when that time came. “You betrayed me, Fenrir. KILL HIM!” Helena immediately screamed, only for her true power to make itself casually manifest, sending the entire kingdom into a frenzy. “Do you want me to succeed in what I should’ve back then?” Zidine asked as Helena smiled, knowing he wouldn’t… or at least this is what she thought of him. “You’ve’nt the mercilessness.” Helena said as red lightning devoured from the skies above, threatening all life and when combined with Helena’s usage of Pandora’s Box… the entirety of Hesperia became a barren landscape. “Your sister will rule upon thy death. She is your father’s greatest treasure. A box. Once opened, she will reign well.” Helena whispered into Zidine’s very soul, searing it but also scarring it with great relief and undue peace as he felt his sister’s spirit moving beside him. “I saw you do it. Unless… Of course. When you opened the box you released the evils to the gods. Infected them. Changed them. Zeus himself fell prey to the dark evils. This is why he became so enraged and obsessed with your death. He was consumed by the evil, fear. I thought the power I placed in the box was never released all these years I assumed you drew from the evils inside to destroy Ares. But I was wrong… the power you took from the box is mine. From it you gained the strength that Zeus could never destroy. A strength great enough to overcome fear. Locked deep inside of you Kratos, is hope. It has remained buried, trapped by your guilt and the failures of your past. When you kill Zeus, you must have allowed something to awaken it. What was it, Brother? Remember, as Father spoke before his death: Hope is what makes us strong. This is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.” She spoke for her name was Pandora of Helios. “Has the realisation come, Zidine? The gods you fought betrayed you, cursed you and swore oaths against you. They loved me. My beauty…. Was so much that even Aphrodite, the embodiment of love… couldn’t help but fawn over me. Your father even fell for me with his power to affect Chaos and Olympus. You see… when I came here, after its construction several thousands of years ago… I was a mere lady and thy father, a man of immense stature in the world of politics and power, swooned me from great Olympus. He was a good man. That was who I thought Helios was… but then, I realised he wanted me to continue a legacy. His own and that of his Olympians. He had complete control of existence. Even surpassing that of the Jade Emperor’s of the Red Lane [that which I know of, surely], which was many years older than Hesperia… America… California and its brothels and the like came into being, we annexed it. Time was good… until 19 years ago, we had you. Your original mother… a woman of the English… your soul was reincarnated from a sarcophagus in the form of a baby. You were Helios’ beauty, such that he named you Lumiere. And then, not even 1 year after, I went behind thy father’s back and sired a child with Fenrir in the land of California. That being… Abram. And then, a few years later, I had George with Helios himself. Apollo blessed him with his bow. Things were good as Pandora came before George, 2 years after Abram himself, bearing her with Hephaestus… as I sealed her into a box to prevent. Pandora (Greek: Πανδώρα, derived from πᾶν, pān, i.e. "all" and δῶρον, dōron, i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving". Your father knew this but maintained an air of kindness. Power swallowed me up as the marriage before thy birth became nothing more than words to the freshest air. And so… I won… at the cost of everything.” Helena said as she began to laugh maniacally, releasing her pent-up tears. “BUT YOU… YOU… WERE THE BIGGEST FAILURE I HAVE EVER SEEN! YOU MURDERED YOUR OWN FATHER, BROTHERS AND SISTER BY YOUR EXISTENCE!” Helena said to Zidine who remained emotionless on the surface. “Compared to you who murdered your sons and daughter? A whor*?” Zidine asked, holding his thunderbolt, ready to just be done with her however his sister’s spirit saved him. In the darkness the fires of hope will set us free. You can see the light. It is changing you.” She spoke as Zidine knew he was to blame. She was right. Helena… was right. Reality struck him as he realised he had to kill the one he called Mother and at least that way, redeem his father’s torn legacy as the Moon shone above them. It was night. “NO! Do not kill her. It is time to lay your fears to rest. The light reveals the truth. The power of forgiveness comes from within. To be forgiven, you must find the power to forgive yourself.” Pandora spoke to Zidine, a warm light in the darkness that was the current situation. The storm of the Berserker was brewing from within and out… the Moon’s luminous, crystalline shine became dark. Fury ripped through its every part, every crack exuded a sense of primal fear. Fear and anger that ripped Zidine’s very concept and soul apart. She hugs him. Know that fear drove Zeus to kill his father, Cronos. The same fear that brought the great war. A fear that drove Zeus to kill you, his own son. Zeus uses fear to keep you in the dark. Confront your demons and lay them to rest.” Pandora spake with wisdom that was of her father but the beauty of her mother constantly shone through her. “You are… a worthy Queen, sister. Indeed, if she be right on one thing, that is the truth of absolutism. Verily, it is to be said. If I live to see the end of this day… become thy birthright.” Zidine spoke with an intense calmness as Pandora looked frightened for her eldest brother. “ The gods of Olympus have abandoned me. Now there is…” Zidine thought to himself, reminding himself of words that weren’t spoken, at least by mouth. Was this trickery?

BARBARIAN: Do you remember that day Spartan?

HEPHAESTUS: I won’t allow you to hurt her.

HERA: Good luck with that little whor* you call Pandora!

SISTER OF FATE: You cannot change your destiny, mortal!

SPIRIT: I gave you everything!

SPIRIT: Please don’t do it Spartan!

CRONOS: You have what you came for! Let me be!

SPIRIT: Die, Spartan!

HERMES: Today you may defeat me, but in the end, Zidine, in the end you’ll betray only yourself.

One eagle flew over the land and spoke one phrase: “Valour is better than might of sword, when foes embittered fight; for a brave man I have ever seen gain victory with a dull sword. For the brave 'tis better than for the timid to join in the game of war; for the joyous it is better than for the sad, let come whatever may. There lies Regin communing with himself; he will beguile the youth, who in him trusts: in rage he brings malicious words together, the framer of evil will avenge his brother. By the head shorter, let him the hoary babbler send hence to Hel; then can he all the gold possess alone, the mass that under Fafnir lay.” Helena then spoke: Don’t listen to her, Zidine. For once in your pathetic life, don’t fail. Don’t fail her like you failed your family.” to which Pandora herself swiftly retorted with “It’s alright, Brother. You know this is the only way. As the fear in the gods rose, mine was replaced by hope.” As Zidine’s eye, the Eye of Odin, shone with a great blue energy whereas his right eye was glowing darker by the second. Remember Father’s final Maxim: Hope is what makes us strong. This is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.” as Zidine manifested two crimson thunderbolts in his hands. “You, Helena, will not see the end of this day!” as she immediately knew exactly what was going to happen. “YOU CAN’T KILL A PLATONIC FORM, WRETCHED BOY!” She screamed as he combined his thunderbolts with the Blades of Demphaus, mercilessly attacking her only for the blades to “break”. “How foppish.” Zidine then said as he teleported in front of her and smiled. “I killed Heracles’ Platonic form. What makes you think… you… a betrayer of sons… can’t die?” He whispered as she looked rightfully terrified and choked him out. “Why won’t you die! Die! Tremble in fear. I AM THE FORM OF THE GOOD!” She screamed. “I grew weary of you, my son. I’ll put an end to this chaos. Die! Insolent fool! I will break you! Helios should have chosen wisely.” She spoke with absolute arrogance as Zidine felt his power draining itself as Pandora tried to fight her off… failing miserably as she was crushed. “Your eye… is unique.” She spoke to Zidine as he felt himself dying. Blood spilled down his throat. “ Empty? After all you have sought. After all you have sacrificed. It ends in another stunning failure. Such chaos… I will have much to do after I kill you. Nothing but darkness lies ahead.” She spoke as Zidine grabbed her arm but it was no use. “LIGHTNING OF JOVE! FULL POWER!!” Zidine screamed, summoning the full power of his thunderbolts in tandem with all the runes he knew… “I created you and I will be your end! Let the fear inside!” She continued to scream with blood-curdling as the skies finally made themselves. “BERSERKER HAMUR (MODE) - ACTIVATE!” Zidine screamed as Helena’s beautiful hand burned. “This construction of Hephaestus with your own flesh and blood. But perhaps you already have, Spartan. Your quest for Pandora, your pathetic attempt for atonement from the family you slaughtered has caused nothing but havoc on Olympus. Look around at what you have done! Taking pity on you has been my greatest mistake, Kratos. Just as taking pity on this thing will prove to be your greatest mistake.” Helena screamed as Zidine finally felt himself dying, for his eyes dilated. “He felt the spirit of George, Abram and Pandora moving his tarnished and shattered soul forward. The hands of his actions guiding him to his future. “Die not!” They all said as he knew that living had to occur. But… as he died… Berserker Mode’s power knocked him back into life as red lightning devoured his mother’s body. “DIE!” Zidine screamed as he used the full power of his thunderbolts, aiming it straight at her face. Zidine simply said “9th form of the Lightning of Elding!”, fully manifesting the true power of the Algiz rune in tandem with Thusarz alongside his true power [in tandem with all other runes] for the briefest of moments… causing Helena to look so fearful that she felt she could not fight anymore as Zidine used the full power of his thunderbolts and struck Heracles’ form, shattering and annihilating it fully. “You have won… let Typhon lose.” Heracles said to Zidine, smiling as Zidine looked genuinely amazed, only to hear a mountain shatter as a massive beast showed itself.

"Firstly, ancient Khaos's (Chaos') stern Ananke (Inevitability), and Khronos (Chronos, Time), who bred within his boundless coils Aither (Aether, Light) and two-sexed, two-faced, glorious Eros [the primordial Eros], ever-born Nyx's (Night's) father, whom latter men call Phanes, for he first was manifested."

Thus, I give thee all of mine power and thine potential inside of thy blades, body and hammer however not even I, as a manifestation of the One is superior to the Evil King, Molgotha, Naar or the Devil (whatsoever ye call him). Your journey is at an end. Humility hath been attained and thy sister wilt rule for eternity long after you. Peace may just be attained, Zidine. I believe that even in thy death… peace is at the edge.” Helios spoke as he vomited all of his power out in the form of an egg and light with every single being Zidine had ever fought being a fraction, to which Zidine was given a knife and fork from the light and… devoured the egg for it was scrambled and salted. This was the end as his father finally disappeared. “Father… don’t go! I NEED YOU!” Zidine asked as Helios’ eyes softened. “You no longer need me, boy. Your journey will be alright without me, child. Let it be so.” Helios said as he had faith in Zidine. An explosion then devoured Iceland, Norway and Finland and Denmark… (killing Fenrir for his power was already absorbed) only for Zidine to absorb it… and thus his father’s essence and power as promised. “I have one more stop.” Zidine thought to herself, teleporting the Well of Urðarbrunnr in its fullest form… as all three Norns and the Fates appeared. “Your debt will be paid in death.” Skuld said as they each laughed in unison but did not dare to physically touch Zidine out of fear of his next move. “As ye have once already learned of our existence as the ones who weave fate of all creation, we grant you permission to touch thyself in the river known as the Well of Urðarbrunnr. Because thy gift hath come, thy fate is nearing its date of completion.” All of them said in unison as Zidine laughed to himself. “Yours first, old bags.” Zidine said, using Mjolnir and the following runes: ᚠ Fehu - (Wealth, possessions or luck) ᛇ Eihwaz - (Endings and transformation) and ᛜ Inguz (New Beginnings) as all of the Fates looked horrified. “We control thy divine fate-!” They said as Zidine laughed. “I am neither a god nor King… I am Zidine. Now farewell.” Zidine said, devouring all of them into himself thanks to his hammer as he used his pre-existing power and revived all of Valhalla, the Nine Worlds and Olympus with a thought (by way of his hammer), knowing this would be the end, staring out into the cold, bitter night as his Berserker Mode turned off, revealing a beautiful blue river as he dipped himself fully and just absorbed all of these rivers into himself alongside Yggdrasil Maxima and Minora passively.

The Final Battle - The Runic Master of Thunder vs the King of Hell[]

Zidine glared at the Devil and immediately summoned Mjolnir to his side, slamming the Devil with its front as he looked amazed. “This is all you can do?” The Devil asked mockingly, to which Zidine’s left eye itched for battle, using the Blades of Demphaus to attack, spinning them around whilst maintaining the structure of his wrists as he combined this with the Drigo Axe, creating a huge explosion that could have shattered the world. “NOT BAD, YOU SON OF A BITCH!” The Devil said, laughing away as he used Enchantment to summon a flaming arrow from his hand which split off into a volley of blue fireballs. Zidine tried to move out the way but it was no use for his body held him back. The fireballs collided with Zidine's body toppling him over, as they scorched his body. The pain was unbearable, as if he was dipped into a cauldron of lava. The pain dissipated after a few moments as he was still on the ground. The teachers were just about to give the fight to Hiroshi when suddenly Zidine rose from the fire, with a malevolent aura. His left eye was ice blue, with many runes around the blue pupil – the Eye of Odin. His right eye was strange. It was just red, an unearthly red, a beastly red. In his right hand was a weapon, a hammer, made of pure red energy, it crackled with red lightning. Another rune appeared on his head, a dark bloody red rune. For those who are experts in runology, that cursed rune was the Old Norse rune for Rage. When everyone saw it, they felt a deep sense of evil in their hearts. Like what they saw was something born of such hate. “Of the Shield of Hesiod, I speak of lines 77-472: From him Zeus took away sense, so that he left his home and his parents and went to do honour to the wicked Eurystheus – unhappy man! Deeply indeed did he grieve afterwards in bearing the burden of his own mad folly; but that cannot be taken back. But on me fate laid heavy tasks. Yet, come, friend, quickly take the red-dyed reins of the swift horses and raise high courage in your heart and guide the swift chariot and strong fleet-footed horses straight on. Have no secret fear at the noise of man-slaying Ares who now rages shouting about the holy grove of Phoebus Apollo, the lord who shoots form afar. Surely, strong though he be, he shall have enough of war.”

[102] And blameless Iolaus answered him again: “Good friend, truly the father of men and gods greatly honours your head and the bull-like Earth-Shaker also, who keeps Thebe's veil of walls and guards the city, -- so great and strong is this fellow they bring into your hands that you may win great glory. But come, put on your arms of war that with all speed we may bring the car of Ares and our own together and fight; for he shall not frighten the dauntless son of Zeus, nor yet the son of Iphiclus: rather, I think he will flee before the two sons of blameless Alcides who are near him and eager to raise the war cry for battle; for this they love better than a feast.”

[115] So he said. And mighty Heracles was glad in heart and smiled, for the other's words pleased him well, and he answered him with winged words: “O hero Iolaus, heaven-sprung, now is rough battle hard at hand. But, as you have shown your skill at other-times, so now also wheel the great black-maned horse Arion about every way, and help me as you may be able.”

[122] So he said, and put upon his legs greaves of shining bronze, the splendid gift of Hephaestus. Next he fastened about his breast a fine golden breast-plate, curiously wrought, which Pallas Athene the daughter of Zeus had given him when first he was about to set out upon his grievous labours. Over his shoulders the fierce warrior put the steel that saves men from doom, and across his breast he slung behind him a hollow quiver. Within it were many chilling arrows, dealers of death which makes speech forgotten: in front they had death, and trickled with tears; their shafts were smooth and very long; and their butts were covered with feathers of a brown eagle. And he took his strong spear, pointed with shining bronze, and on his valiant head set a well-made helm of adamant, cunningly wrought, which fitted closely on the temples; and that guarded the head of god-like Heracles.

[139] In his hands he took his shield, all glittering: no one ever broke it with a blow or crushed it. And a wonder it was to see; for its whole orb was a-shimmer with enamel and white ivory and electrum, and it glowed with shining gold; and there were zones of cyanus drawn upon it. In the centre was Fear worked in adamant, unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon his grim brow hovered frightful Strife who arrays the throng of men: pitiless she, for she took away the mind and senses of poor wretches who made war against the son of Zeus. Their souls passed beneath the earth and went down into the house of Hades; but their bones, when the skin is rotted about them, crumble away on the dark earth under parching Sirius.

[154] Upon the shield Pursuit and Flight were wrought, and Tumult, and Panic, and Slaughter. Strife also, and Uproar were hurrying about, and deadly Fate was there holding one man newly wounded, and another unwounded; and one, who was dead, she was dragging by the feet through the tumult. She had on her shoulders a garment red with the blood of men, and terribly she glared and gnashed her teeth.

[160] And there were heads of snakes unspeakably frightful, twelve of them; and they used to frighten the tribes of men on earth whosoever made war against the son of Zeus; for they would clash their teeth when Amphitryon's son was fighting: and brightly shone these wonderful works. And it was as though there were spots upon the frightful snakes: and their backs were dark blue and their jaws were black.

[168] Also there were upon the shield droves of boars and lions who glared at each other, being furious and eager: the rows of them moved on together, and neither side trembled but both bristled up their manes. For already a great lion lay between them and two boars, one on either side, bereft of life, and their dark blood was dripping down upon the ground; they lay dead with necks outstretched beneath the grim lions. And both sides were roused still more to fight because they were angry, the fierce boars and the bright-eyed lions.

[178] And there was the strife of the Lapith spearmen gathered round the prince Caeneus and Dryas and Peirithous, with Hopleus, Exadius, Phalereus, and Prolochus, Mopsus the son of Ampyce of Titaresia, a scion of Ares, and Theseus, the son of Aegeus, like unto the deathless gods. These were of silver, and had armour of gold upon their bodies. And the Centaurs were gathered against them on the other side with Petraeus and Asbolus the diviner, Arctus, and Ureus, and black-haired Mimas, and the two sons of silver, and they had pinetrees of gold in their hands, and they were rushing together as though they were alive and striking at one another hand to hand with spears and with pines.

[191] And on the shield stood the fleet-footed horses of grim Ares made gold, and deadly Ares the spoil-winner himself. He held a spear in his hands and was urging on the footmen: he was red with blood as if he were slaying living men, and he stood in his chariot. Beside him stood Fear and Flight, eager to plunge amidst the fighting men. There, too, was the daughter of Zeus, Tritogeneia who drives the spoil.3 She was like as if she would array a battle, with a spear in her hand, and a golden helmet, and the aegis about her shoulders. And she was going towards the awful strife.

[201] And there was the holy company of the deathless gods: and in the midst the son of Zeus and Leto played sweetly on a golden lyre. There also was the abode of the gods, pure Olympus, and their assembly, and infinite riches were spread around in the gathering, the Muses of Pieria were beginning a song like clear-voiced singers.

[207] And on the shield was a harbour with a safe haven from the irresistible sea, made of refined tin wrought in a circle, and it seemed to heave with waves. In the middle of it were many dolphins rushing this way and that, fishing: and they seemed to be swimming. Two dolphins of silver were spouting and devouring the mute fishes. And beneath them fishes or bronze were trembling. And on the shore sat a fisherman watching: in his hands he held a casting net for fish, and seemed as if about to cast it forth.

[216] There, too, was the son of rich-haired Danae, the horseman Perseus: his feet did not touch the shield and yet were not far from it -- very marvellous to remark, since he was not supported anywhere; for so did the famous Lame One fashion him of gold with his hands. On his feet he had winged sandals, and his black-sheathed sword was slung across his shoulders by a cross-belt of bronze. He was flying swift as thought. The head of a dreadful monster, the Gorgon, covered the broad of his back, and a bag of silver -- a marvel to see -- contained it: and from the bag bright tassels of gold hung down. Upon the head of the hero lay the dread cap4 of Hades which had the awful gloom of night. Perseus himself, the son of Danae, was at full stretch, like one who hurries and shudders with horror. And after him rushed the Gorgons, unapproachable and unspeakable, longing to seize him: as they trod upon the pale adamant, the shield rang sharp and clear with a loud clanging. Two serpents hung down at their girdles with heads curved forward: their tongues were flickering, and their teeth gnashing with fury, and their eyes glaring fiercely. And upon the awful heads of the Gorgons great Fear was quaking.

[237] And beyond these there were men fighting in warlike harness, some defending their own town and parents from destruction, and others eager to sack it; many lay dead, but the greater number still strove and fought. The women on well-built towers of bronze were crying shrilly and tearing their cheeks like living beings -- the work of famous Hephaestus. And the men who were elders and on whom age had laid hold were all together outside the gates, and were holding up their hands to the blessed gods, fearing for their own sons. But these again were engaged in battle: and behind them the dusky Fates, gnashing their white fangs, lowering, grim, bloody, and unapproachable, struggled for those who were falling, for they all were longing to drink dark blood. So soon as they caught a man overthrown or falling newly wounded, one of them would clasp her great claws about him, and his soul would go down to Hades to chilly Tartarus. And when they had satisfied their souls with human blood, they would cast that one behind them, and rush back again into the tumult and the fray. Clotho and Lachesis were over them and Atropos less tall than they, a goddess of no great frame, yet superior to the others and the eldest of them. And they all made a fierce fight over one poor wretch, glaring evilly at one another with furious eyes and fighting equally with claws and hands. By them stood Darkness of Death, mournful and fearful, pale, shrivelled, shrunk with hunger, swollen-kneed. Long nails tipped her hands, and she dribbled at the nose, and from her cheeks blood dripped down to the ground. She stood leering hideously, and much dust sodden with tears lay upon her shoulders.

[270] Next, there was a city of men with goodly towers; and seven gates of gold, fitted to the lintels, guarded it. The men were making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car, while the bridal-song swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens rolled in waves afar. And these maidens went before, delighting in the festival; and after them came frolicsome choirs, the youths singing soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes, while the echo was shivered around them, and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of lyres. Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling, with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and others were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing. The whole town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity.

[285] Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soul, clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight of the cars -- as if they were reaping Demeter's grain: others were binding the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor. And some held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while others were taking from the reapers into baskets white and black clusters from the long rows of vines which were heavy with leaves and tendrils of silver. Others again were gathering them into baskets. Beside them was a row of vines in gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus: it had shivering leaves and stakes of silver and was laden with grapes which turned black.5 And there were men treading out the grapes and others drawing off liquor. Also there were men boxing and wrestling, and huntsmen chasing swift hares with a leash of sharp-toothed dogs before them, they eager to catch the hares, and the hares eager to escape.

[305] Next to them were horsem*n hard set, and they contended and laboured for a prize. The charioteers standing on their well-woven cars, urged on their swift horses with loose rein; the jointed cars flew along clattering and the naves of the wheels shrieked loudly. So they were engaged in an unending toil, and the end with victory came never to them, and the contest was ever unwon. And there was set out for them within the course a great tripod of gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus.

[314] And round the rim Ocean was flowing, with a full stream as it seemed, and enclosed all the cunning work of the shield. Over it swans were soaring and calling loudly, and many others were swimming upon the surface of the water; and near them were shoals of fish.

[318] A wonderful thing the great strong shield was to see -- even for Zeus the loud-thunderer, by whose will Hephaestus made it and fitted it with his hands. This shield the valiant son of Zeus wielded masterly, and leaped upon his horse-chariot like the lightning of his father Zeus who holds the aegis, moving lithely. And his charioteer, strong Iolaus, standing upon the car, guided the curved chariot.

[327] Then the goddess grey-eyed Athene came near them and spoke winged words, encouraging them: “Hail, offspring of far-famed Lynceus! Even now Zeus who reigns over the blessed gods gives you power to slay Cycnus and to strip off his splendid armour. Yet I will tell you something besides, mightiest of the people. When you have robbed Cycnus of sweet life, then leave him there and his armour also, and you yourself watch man-slaying Ares narrowly as he attacks, and wherever you shall see him uncovered below his cunningly-wrought shield, there wound him with your sharp spear. Then draw back; for it is not ordained that you should take his horses or his splendid armour.”

[338] So said the bright-eyed goddess and swiftly got up into the car with victory and renown in her hands. Then heaven-nurtured Iolaus called terribly to the horses, and at his cry they swiftly whirled the fleet chariot along, raising dust from the plain; for the goddess bright-eyed Athene put mettle into them by shaking her aegis. And the earth groaned all round them. And they, horse-taming Cycnus and Ares, insatiable in war, came on together like fire or whirlwind. Then their horses neighed shrilly, face to face; and the echo was shivered all round them.

[349] And mighty Heracles spoke first and said to that other: “Cycnus, good sir! Why, pray, do you set your swift horses at us, men who are tried in labour and pain? Nay, guide your fleet car aside and yield and go out of the path. It is to Trachis I am driving on, to Ceyx the king, who is the first in Trachis for power and for honour, and that you yourself know well, for you have his daughter dark-eyed Themistinoe to wife. Fool! For Ares shall not deliver you from the end of death, if we two meet together in battle. Another time ere this I declare he has made trial of my spear, when he defended sandy Pylos and stood against me, fiercely longing for fight. Thrice was he stricken by my spear and dashed to earth, and his shield was pierced; but the fourth time I struck his thigh, laying on with all my strength, and tare deep into his flesh. And he fell headlong in the dust upon the ground through the force of my spear-thrust; then truly he would have been disgraced among the deathless gods, if by my hands he had left behind his bloody spoils.”

[368] So said he. But Cycnus the stout spearman cared not to obey him and to pull up the horses that drew his chariot. Then it was that from their well-woven cars they both leaped straight to the ground, the son of Zeus and the son of the Lord of War. The charioteers drove near by their horses with beautiful manes, and the wide earth rang with the beat of their hoofs as they rushed along. As when rocks leap forth from the high peak of a great mountain, and fall on one another, and many towering oaks and pines and long-rooted poplars are broken by them as they whirl swiftly down until they reach the plain; so did they fall on one another with a great shout: and all the town of the Myrmidons, and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice, and grassy Anthea echoed loudly at the voice of the two. With an awful cry they closed: and wise Zeus thundered loudly and rained down drops of blood, giving the signal for battle to his dauntless son.

[386] As a tusked boar, that is fearful for a man to see before him in the glens of a mountain, resolves to fight with the huntsmen and white tusks, turning sideways, while foam flows all round his mouth as he gnashes, and his eyes are like glowing fire, and he bristles the hair on his mane and around his neck -- like him the son of Zeus leaped from his horse-chariot. And when the dark-winged whirring grasshopper, perched on a green shoot, begins to sing of summer to men -- his food and drink is the dainty dew -- and all day long from dawn pours forth his voice in the deadliest heat, when Sirius scorches the flesh (then the beard grows upon the millet which men sow in summer), when the crude grapes which Dionysus gave to men -- a joy and a sorrow both -- begin to colour, in that season they fought and loud rose the clamour.

[402] As two lions on either side of a slain deer spring at one another in fury, and there is a fearful snarling and a clashing also of teeth -- like vultures with crooked talons and hooked beak that fight and scream aloud on a high rock over a mountain goat or fat wild-deer which some active man has shot with an arrow from the string, and himself has wandered away elsewhere, not knowing the place; but they quickly mark it and vehemently do keen battle about it -- like these they two rushed upon one another with a shout.

[413] Then Cycnus, eager to kill the son of almighty Zeus, struck upon his shield with a brazen spear, but did not break the bronze; and the gift of the god saved his foe. But the son of Amphitryon, mighty Heracles, with his long spear struck Cycnus violently in the neck beneath the chin, where it was unguarded between helm and shield. And the deadly spear cut through the two sinews; for the hero's full strength lighted on his foe. And Cycnus fell as an oak falls or a lofty pine that is stricken by the lurid thunderbolt of Zeus; even so he fell, and his armour adorned with bronze clashed about him.

[424] Then the stout hearted son of Zeus let him be, and himself watched for the onset of manslaying Ares: fiercely he stared, like a lion who has come upon a body and full eagerly rips the hide with his strong claws and takes away the sweet life with all speed: his dark heart is filled with rage and his eyes glare fiercely, while he tears up the earth with his paws and lashes his flanks and shoulders with his tail so that no one dares to face him and go near to give battle. Even so, the son of Amphitryon, unsated of battle, stood eagerly face to face with Ares, nursing courage in his heart. And Ares drew near him with grief in his heart; and they both sprang at one another with a cry. As it is when a rock shoots out from a great cliff and whirls down with long bounds, careering eagerly with a roar, and a high crag clashes with it and keeps it there where they strike together; with no less clamour did deadly Ares, the chariot- borne, rush shouting at Heracles. And he quickly received the attack.

[443] But Athene the daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus came to meet Ares, wearing the dark aegis, and she looked at him with an angry frown and spoke winged words to him. “Ares, check your fierce anger and matchless hands; for it is not ordained that you should kill Heracles, the bold-hearted son of Zeus, and strip off his rich armour. Come, then, cease fighting and do not withstand me.”

[450] So said she, but did not move the courageous spirit of Ares. But he uttered a great shout and waving his spears like fire, he rushed headlong at strong Heracles, longing to kill him, and hurled a brazen spear upon the great shield, for he was furiously angry because of his dead son; but bright-eyed Athene reached out from the car and turned aside the force of the spear. Then bitter grief seized Ares and he drew his keen sword and leaped upon bold-hearted Heracles. But as he came on, the son of Amphitryon, unsated of fierce battle, shrewdly wounded his thigh where it was exposed under his richly-wrought shield, and tare deep into his flesh with the spear-thrust and cast him flat upon the ground. And Panic and Dread quickly drove his smooth-wheeled chariot and horses near him and lifted him from the wide-pathed earth into his richly-wrought car, and then straight lashed the horses and came to high Olympus.

[467] But the son of Alemena and glorious Iolaus stripped the fine armour off Cycnus' shoulders and went, and their swift horses carried them straight to the city of Trachis. And bright-eyed Athene went thence to great Olympus and her father's house.

[472] As for Cycnus, Ceyx buried him and the countless people who lived near the city of the glorious king, in Anthe and the city of the Myrmidons, and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice: and much people were gathered doing honour to Ceyx, the friend of the blessed gods. But Anaurus, swelled by a rain-storm, blotted out the grave and memorial of Cycnus; for so Apollo, Leto's son, commanded him, because he used to watch for and violently despoil the rich hecatombs that any might bring to Pytho.” Zidine said, summoning a shield in hand which he then turned off, making it invisible. “You possess Runic magic, do you not?” The Devil asked coldly, to receive nothing but a cricket’s whisper. “This should be fun.” The Devil said as Zidine coldly laughed. “Very well, Naar. Don’t embarrass yourself. Let’s f*cking end this.” Zidine said, reminding himself as to what he just witnessed with Satoshi, knowing he had to end things quickly or else. “Those songs I know, which nor sons of men nor queen in a king’s court knows; the first is Help which will bring thee help in all woes and in sorrow and strife.” Zidine quickly said, as his eye glowed slightly, relieving him of one of the runes to which the Devil was genuinely taken aback and then countered by using Enchantment: Mass Change to change the environment around himself, summoning a field of lava underneath himself as Zidine then flew upwards, firing the Axe and Hammer simultaneously at him to which the Devil grabbed the axe with his finger and threw it back at the hammer whilst it was in mid-flight, causing both to clash. “This is the man who beat Fenrir, Surtr and saved Iceland and Denmark? How paltry.” The Devil said as Zidine countered with “The man who slit his wife’s throat and let his daughter die for no reason? How pathetic” as the Devil smiled and forced Danjong to appear who created two universes in hand… only for Zidine to glare at him. “Do you want to die, boy?” Zidine asked as he smashed his hammer into the ground of Hell, causing the world above to tremble in fear. As Danjong went close, Zidine grabbed him from the scruff of his neck and calmly tore his eyes out whilst keeping his fingers entrenched in the 18 year old’s face, but not digging them too deeply into his sockets. “Become the stars like Thjazzi. Consider this a warning, boy.” Zidine said to him as lightning struck him; with Danjong screaming as he was turned to stone… his eyes now having become the very universes he fired at Zidine, reflected back with no rage. “Arrogant whor*.” The Devil said as Zidine called back his axe and forced the entire ground to become asunder with primordial electricity as the Devil noticed even the lava he summoned quivering in fear as Zidine stepped onto the ground. “Enchantment: Alchemic Chain!” The Devil said, also combining with Soul Magic to try and control Zidine’s soul only for Zidine to throw his hammer at the Devil to which it hit him square in the face, leaving a scratch of blood on him. “A fourth I know: if men make fast in chains the joints of my limbs, when I sing that song which shall set me free, spring the fetters from hands and feet. Or A fourth I know, | if men shall fasten Bonds on my bended legs; So great is the charm | that forth I may go, The fetters spring from my feet, Broken the bonds from my hands.” Zidine said upon noticing flaming blue chains surrounding him from every inch of Hell. “Did you honestly think such a contraption could harm me?” Zidine asked as his fourth rune turned off, deleting itself from his eye, much like the first as it turned dark, to which the Devil noticed. “Arrogant ass.” The Devil said coldly as he then immediately summoned the Sword of Sigil’s Destruction, immediately deciding to weigh his options. “Fighting him will leave me vulnerable.” The Devil fully acknowledged as he smiled, allowing the blood drop to become water. “Deus Varuna… Moon o’ Wotan: Odins tredje rune: Beskyttelse mot alle våpen (Third Rune of Odin: protection from all weapons)!” Zidine said calmly as white light surrounded him from head to toe as the water hardly even touched him. “Your arrogance is limitless!” The Devil said as Zidine coldly laughed. “And mine is no feeble imitation of thy own? What makes you say culpable words, Naar?” He asked as he felt his energy mysteriously being absorbed. “Deus Zero.” The Devil thought to himself only for him to blitz Zidine; however he knew that damaging him conventionally wouldn’t truly work due to his Runic magic. Upon teleporting in front of him, the Drigo axe slashed itself into the back of his skull. “15 runes left. All I need to do is outlast the count.” The Devil said as he smiled. “You know, by harming me, you are only damaging your beloved brother’s Sakura?” The Devil said, as Zidine glanced at her for the briefest of moments but in that split-second, he failed to notice the Devil’s hand plummeting into his chest and grabbing his heart from within and coldly tearing it out. “f*cking coward.” Zidine said as he smiled coldly, to which Mjolnir smashed the Devil in the side of the head, allowing the Drigo Axe to tear itself out of his head and return back to sender. “Not bad.” The Devil said as he got up, ready for more as he simply pressed the heart and crushed it, unleashing its blood unto his face. “Perfect.” The Devil said as he laughed calmly, knowing that things were getting much better. “If I aim for that eye of his, he will stagger and do the same to me.” The Devil thought to himself as he was sent hurtling into the air. “He’s fast!” The Devil thought to himself, but this slight shock was never translated unto his blood-ridden face. “Your heart tastes disgusting, killer of kings. Its arteries and veins were just like your mother, Queen of Hesperia. Remember her?” The Devil asked and upon being asked this, Zidine glared at him, using his hammer and axe simultaneously alongside his blades, wrapping him up as he used Mjolnir on the Devil’s front, intending to crush his armoured chest and using the Drigo Axe in his back, telekinetically plunging it into the Devil’s back. “You’re defending your degenerate mother long after she betrayed you and made your brother, George, king? How holier than thou.” The Devil said coldly as Zidine still remained silent, as Zidine forced him to bear the weight of Mjolnir… the weight that could shatter the universe. “Not bad. As heavy as this is… it pales in comparison… to…” The Devil thought to himself, using the energy of Enchantment from his feet as scarlet energy emanated from his toenails, switching himself with Sakura and appearing in front of Satoshi, stomping on the back of his head. “... hurting your beloved brother’s ally.” The Devil said as he smiled, to which Zidine momentarily glanced at Sakura. “f*cking coward…” He thought to himself, barely saving her… but he was too slow to save himself as a red laser beam fired itself from the Devil’s hand and into Zidine’s right eye, to which he fell to the ground, clutching Sakura for dear life as he did so, noticing just how bad her injuries were. Her face and body were caved in and her once luminous white eyes were mere dots that looked as though they were glued on by some demented child. Her beauty was marred but by who? “You coward!” Zidine spoke as the Devil stomped on Satoshi’s head coldly, leaving blood stains on it, effectively pointing to Sakura’s attacker. “Her beloved over here did it and then Damien sacrificed himself for her… for Satoshi tried and failed to save her from herself and me.” The Devil said as he calmly walked away. “Stop levying accusations left and right. You humans know no bounds with verbal and emotional abuse. And that axe…” The Devil said as he tore the axe out of his back only for it and Mjolnir to return to Zidine’s clearly grief-stricken hands. “... was fun.” The Devil said as Zidine gently put Sakura down, seeing that she truly was dead. “Reviving her and fighting me will only lead to her suffering. You don’t want that, do you?” The Devil said as thunder rocketed past him as he was punched so hard that he was sent flying back. “Good. This is the Greek Berserker side I wanted.” He said to Zidine whose right eye was devoured by blood, leaving a reddened and empty socket. “Are you crying? What a babe.” The Devil said as Zidine stared at him with a horrifyingly cold expression. “Know the wrath of a gentle man. Even a demon runs when good men come.” Zidine said coldly. “Oh really? And why would I run when this ‘gentleman’ is in front of me?” The Devil asked coldly himself, mocking Zidine’s ideals as he smashed Mjolnir into the Devil’s face with such force and speed that it appeared that the Devil couldn’t react. “THAT’S IT! LET YOUR HUMANITY WRITHE THROUGH YOU, BALDR! YOU WILL LOSE BECAUSE OF IT! YOU WILL PAY YOUR DEBT IN DEATH!” The Devil screamed as Zidine stopped himself, remembering the Norns’ words to him before he left them for the final time as his right eye’s bleeding fell into his hand. “WHY STOP?! ARE YOU AFRAID THAT FATE HAS HAD ITS COURSE?!” The Devil screamed as he smashed his sword into the back of Zidine’s skull and stabbed his chest, causing more blood to drop from Zidine. “f*cking idiot.” The Devil said as Zidine still smiled, remaining resolute in his promise. “Bout time you did something fatal.” Zidine said coldly, smashing the Devil’s skull in with the force of his hammer and axe, sending him flying. “REMEMBER MY WORDS! YOU HARM ME, YOU HARM SAKURA!” The Devil screamed as he backflipped, barely keeping himself steady. “Keravnós (Thunderbolt, Κεραυνός).” Zidine said, as a seal appeared underneath the Devil, unleashing his thunderous rage unto the ultimate enemy. Then Zeus no longer held back his might; but straight his heart was filled with fury and he showed forth all his strength. This was the effect upon the world itself as well as the wider universe and far beyond: The bold flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder and lightning, whirling an awesome flame. The life-giving earth crashed around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about. All the land seethed, and Ocean's streams and the unfruitful sea. The hot vapour lapped round the earth: flame unspeakable rose to the bright upper air: the flashing glare of the thunder- stone and lightning blinded their eyes for all that there were strong. Astounding heat seized Chaos: and to see with eyes and to hear the sound with ears it seemed even as if Earth and wide Heaven above came together; for such a mighty crash would have arisen if Earth were being hurled to ruin, and Heaven from on high were hurling her down; so great a crash was there while the gods were meeting together in strife. Also the winds brought rumbling earthquake and duststorm, thunder and lightning and the lurid thunderbolt, which are the shafts of great Zeus, and carried the clangour and the warcry into the midst of the two hosts. An horrible uproar of terrible strife arose: mighty deeds were shown and the battle inclined. But until then, they kept at one another and fought continually in cruel war. And now his thunder bolts would Jove wide scatter, but he feared the flames, unnumbered, sacred ether might ignite and burn the axle of the universe: and he remembered in the scroll of fate, there is a time appointed when the sea and earth and Heavens shall melt, and fire destroy the universe of mighty labour wrought. Such weapons by the skill of Cyclops forged, for different punishment he laid aside—for straightway he preferred to overwhelm the mortal race beneath deep waves and storms from every raining sky. “You make me sick. That was quite hot. Comparable to a microwave.” The Devil said as Zidine was absolutely amazed. “You’ve destroyed the entire universe in rage, Zeus. Earth is likely gone. Too bad.” The Devil said mockingly only for Zidine to switch his Drigo Axe with one of the Blades of Demphaus. “Not using both, what’s wrong? Can’t keep up?” The Devil said as Zidine fell to the floor in shock as he finally realised just how severe his injuries were. “I can't taste. I can't smell. I can't even feel the temperature of this... this room. Feasting... drinking... It's all gone.” Zidine said to himself as he clutched the hole in his chest. “Am I supposed to empathise with you? But you will never have to feel pain again. Death has no power over you now. Would you rather die?” The Devil said as he laughed at him, walking ever closer to him. “I feel nothing. Not the wind on my face nor the spray of the sea. Nor the warmth of a woman's flesh… A mother’s love… Than never feel again? Yes. YES! I would rather die!” Zidine screamed as he flew at full speed, slashing at the Devil who used Enchant: Molecular Teleportation to teleport himself away, appearing behind Zidine and sending him crashing into the ground of Hell, as his head pummelling itself repeatedly. “Stop hitting yourself.” The Devil said as Zidine looked pissed more so than anything. “I wonder… will a kick in the balls hurt you?” The Devil said as he did exactly that, and kicked them so hard that they were sent flying, only for him to set them on fire and turn them into a branch of mistletoe as he kicked Zidine away from him, not wanting to touch him. “You really need a doctor.” The Devil said to him as Zidine’s legs and groin were now heavily bleeding. “Too bad the only doctor who could heal that… died… by my hand.” The Devil said coldly as he then said “You are truly ballsy. Or a lack thereof.” as Zidine glared at him in disgust. “You f*cking ballistic pile of sh*t.” Zidine said as the Devil smiled. “Looks like the real War of the Penis begins. And unlike Damian… let’s hope you don’t die trying to redeem yourself for the loss of such a vital point.” The Devil said as Zidine glared at him. “I’ve lost my chest, my eye, my rectum and my anus. Anything more… and I will likely suffer fatally.” Zidine thought to himself as the Devil laughed. “You should be careful.” He spoke as he saw two orbs firing at him, only to slash the two orbs away, leading to an implosion of light as Zidine then used his hammer to smash the Devil in the side of the head, sending him flying away as he smashed the ground, causing it to dance in fear with electricity only for lava to burn Zidine’s feet from underneath, only for nothing to occur. “A seventh I know: if I see a hall high o’er the bench-mates blazing, flame it ne’er so fiercely I still can save it, — I know how to sing that song.” Zidine thought to himself as his seventh rune deactivated itself around his eye. “14 runes left.” The Devil thought to himself patiently as he threw Mjolnir aside only for Zidine to teleport behind him, wrapping him up with the Blade of Demphaus. “Did he… see the future?” The Devil thought to himself as Mjolnir smashed itself into his chest, unleashing scores of lightning bolts from its tempestuous side as Zidine commanded his Drigo Axe to slice the Devil’s head clean through as it instead bisected him… however Enchantment: Molecular Regeneration manifested, healing him. “How embarrassing.” The Devil said, firing a laser beam from his toe into Zidine’s skull, intending to aim into his brain which succeeded as Zidine glared at him. “You really are a gentleman.” The Devil said mockingly as he was then sent crushing into the ground below, smashed into it by the power of Mjolnir as Zidine then stomped on his head, unleashing lightning bolts from his hand as the Devil laughed. “Sword of Sigil’s Destruction.” The Devil thought to himself, calling his sword from miles away as it appeared so quickly that Zidine was barely able to react to his neck being sliced ever so slightly as the Devil then disappeared into the ground and appeared behind Zidine, only for Zidine to barely turn around fast enough. “Mistletoe… end this boy.” The Devil said, as he asked the same question he asked earlier on “I wonder… will a kick in the balls hurt you?” and fired the mistletoe sword that was indeed his balls into Zidine’s left eye… but upon it barely getting inches away from his face, Zidine then stated “A third I know: if sore need should come of a spell to stay my foes; when I sing that song, which shall blunt their swords, nor their weapons nor staves can wound”, as the Devil was stunned. “Another rune?!” He thought to himself in sheer shock and horror as the Drigo Axe immediately appeared underneath him and sliced his legs, causing him to be bound in both Blades of Demphaus, allowing Zidine the chance to backflip, summon the Keravnos in his right hand and drag the Devil towards himself with his fingers and plunge the thunderbolt into his face… only for the Devil to switch places with him as a brief scream could be heard and then a laugh followed. “Fool.” Zidine said, releasing himself from his own fetters. “You never fail to impress. But it is sad your own balls were thrown off of you and used against you.” The Devil said as Zidine smiled menacingly, blood dripping from his mouth. “f*cking turd.” Zidine coldly responded with, grateful that his left eye, the Eye of Odin, wasn’t damaged, or otherwise things would have become dire. “Enchantment: Materialise Fantasy.” The Devil said, altering reality however Zidine then wrapped his blades around the Devil to restrict his speech. “Second Form of the Lightning of Elding: Vortex of Death.” Zidine then said, summoning a huge tornado around the Devil’s throat and from his mouth as the Devil used his fingers to sever his own throat, healing it shortly thereafter as he spat drops of his own blood like a projectile at Zidine who dodged them casually. “You sickening boy.” The Devil then coldly said, ready to take things up a notch. “Devil Art: Death Gaze.” The Devil said, summoning small orbs of blood around himself to which Zidine smiled and fired electric orbs around himself and shot them at the Devil who coldly smiled. “Let’s use the powers of an old host. Art of the Moon - Chakram.” The Devil said, firing a chakram that immediately blitzed Zidine’s very perception however he used his eye to see the future and dodge it in time, immediately grabbing it and turning it into electricity, teleporting before the Devil and intending them to fire the Keravnos at point-blank range but as he did, a pool of blood appeared from the ground below. “Demon Art - Red Blood Hell.” The Devil then said, summoning a huge wave of red blood-like water to devour his every part, defending him from virtually all attacks only to then see a large pool of dark blood surrounding his feet as Zidine felt his lifeforce disappearing with each small expansion of the pool. “This technique alloweth me to control space and time as well as controlling time, space and all other things and it can especially allow me to decelerate thy ageing to the point of true non-existence.” The Devil explained as Zidine then remained calm. “Sun and Moon.” Zidine then said, summoning the sun and moon to surround the Devil who remained and snapped his fingers. “A pathetic attempt to damage me. But… I laud it. Seal of the Blood King: Genesis of the Forest of Creation.” He then said, summoning the blood pool underneath himself to create a vast forest. The trees emerge from underground to form a vast, dense forest of trees with rather large buds around the top. The trees then intake vast quantities of air from their lower buds before expelling the air through the main bud towards the target. Due to the power of these trees, they are capable of expelling soundwaves at speeds faster than light as Zidine was unaffected as he then used Mjolnir to smash the tree without too much effort. “Dost thou really think such was enough?” Zidine asked while the Devil looked truly annoyed. “Blood Art - Sovereignty of the New World Order!” He then said, as Zidine then felt himself fall to the ground surrounding Zidine in a blood net that could bind a ravaged continent without any effort, with nuclear particles maintaining the entire structure as the tree he summoned beforehand sprouting petals from its orifice which then gave way for huge orbs of blood to come out. “This technique uses both the net and the tree, causing ye to blow to complete cinders without any true effort!” The Devil said only for his eyes to briefly glow, causing him to use all the blood Zidine dropped onto the ground before. “You see, because of your grave injuries… you will die. Paralysis… and then blindness and then death…” The Devil coldly explained as Zidine felt himself blowing up from the inside as he finally exploded… leaving a trail of blood in his wake, only to hear a loud clapping sound. “You used illusory powers? But you are still injured.” The Devil said as Zidine then channelled the power of the Keravnos into his hands, and punched the Devil who laughed. “Bastard!” The Devil said, grabbing and twisting Zidine’s wrist, sending him onto the ground. “Do you want your other eye to go too?” He asked, kicking his face coldly with his boot. “I do wonder, can your other eye pop out of its socket? How big does it get?” The Devil asked mockingly as he noticed that Mjolnir was no longer in Zidine’s possession, only to be smashed straight in the face with it once more as he felt himself being electrocuted. “Damn bastard, your death will come shortly.” He said to Zidine who got up as his injuries were only exacerbated, with blood spilling everywhere breathing heavily, ready to fight on. "Your arrogance know no bounds, ballsy one?" The Devil asked mockingly as Zidine retorted with "Doesn't yours?" as the Devil scoffed. “Third form of the Lightning of Elding: Thunderous Fusion.” Zidine thought to himself as the Devil felt his body being damaged on the cellular level, with electricity shooting from every single orifice of his being. “You really think that can damage me-?!” The Devil asked as he felt his eyeballs wanting to pop out, only to scoff as he let this happen as Zidine saw this. The Devil laughed as he then forcibly tore his own eyeballs out of his sockets and turned them into swords. “My eyes and your balls as swords. This will be fun!” The Devil screamed with amazement as Zidine immediately fired orbs out of his hand, and touched the ground with his electrified hands, causing wires of thunder and lightning to race from all angles at the Devil who responded by using Enchantment: Flax Nurture to make the impossible possible and trap Zidine in the ground of Hell, to which lightning surrounded the Devil on all sides. “Have you considered that your death along with mine is inevitable?” Zidine asked as he ionised the thunderous orbs around the Devil and caused them to burn up and try and seal him. “Enchantment: Colourless Void!” The Devil said, surrounding Zidine in his own seal, binding him in a orb that was chained from all sides. “You can’t defy Fate, Jupiter. Let this be something you cannot defy.” The Devil said as he casually began rewriting the very fabric of Hell itself in order to replace it with a world that would be advantageous to himself as Zidine was quite surprised.“This space… is no universe… its infinitely bigger. He likely has complete dominance over the concepts of space, time and any other for they are mere ideas in this little space.” Zidine thought to himself as ‘War Battalion: Seal’ as he saw an endless world of swords within this space… that went on forever and ever, for no world could be contained here. “I am left with no choice but to end this.” The Devil said as he broke out of the seal Zidine ensnared him with slight difficulty only for Zidine to smile. “A third I know: if sore need should come of a spell to stay my foes; when I sing that song, which shall blunt their swords, nor their weapons nor staves can wound” as he clutched his left eye, realising that he could no longer use his third rune anymore. The swords then struck him from all sides, forcing even his own Blades of Demphaus against him, being ensnared even in this place. “This world…” Zidine thought to himself as he forced Mjolnir to smash into the ground and shatter the blades conceptually. “My grip…” Zidine thought to himself as the Devil’s chaotic laughter rued throughout the world as a blood pool devoured the ground and absorbed his stamina. “Fool.” The Devil said as he still laughed, with Zidine still seemingly trapped in an eternity of pain and hatred. “You cannot escape even if you were to kill yourself. You have lost. Your humanity cannot save you now.” The Devil said mockingly to which Zidine smiled as a golden thunderbolt mysteriously appeared. “4th form of the Lightning Of Elding: Thunderous Rune of the Old Sorcerer.” Zidine thought to himself with Mjölnir beginning to glow with a mysteriously blue hue. “He is managing to do something unique to the structure?” The Devil thought to himself, patiently watching to determine the next course of action as golden lightning shot out of the Chained Orb which was internally far bigger than a universe therein, allowing Zidine to slowly shatter it. “What restraints could hurt me, wretched Devil?” Zidine asked to which the Devil scoffed and then coldly said “The same ones that ensnared your mother into loving your father and having George for the sake of monarchical reigning. Sex is a powerful drug.” and upon the Devil saying such a thing, golden lightning and energy spluttered everywhere from Mjolnir and upon him being touched by it, the Devil felt his very soul being damaged on the spiritual and conceptual level as he felt blood finally spilling down his mouth in sheer shock. “You actually managed to damage me? Now I shall you true non-mercy.” The Devil said as Zidine’s left eye shot gold, however his right eye was still oozing with blood. As though he was crying a river of blood for the sacrifices of those he loved. Seeing people die. “You will die.” Zidine coldly said and with a resolute glare in his eye as the Devil heard this, he laughed maliciously only to use Enchantment to alter reality and use Deus Varuna, only for Zidine to fly upwards in the air and throw his hammer at the Devil who used his eyeball-swords and deflected it however he failed to notice that the hammer throw had actually ruptured the sword that the Devil had made out of Zidine’s balls that he had kicked off of him. “Come on, Naar… you can’t let your reign end so carelessly.” Zidine said mockingly, staring at him. “Runic Art: Ansuz (Mouth).” Zidine said as a green portal surrounded itself underneath his feet, allowing the Devil to analyse the situation. “You took my testicl*s, chest, eye, loved ones and what should have been love and a life of good from me. Suffer the price.” Zidine said as he teleported behind and in front of Naar who still laughed. “That was all you, so why do all people blame the Devil when times are tough?” The Devil coldly asked as he kicked Zidine and instinctively grabbed his neck with enough strength to rip his head. “When you will realise the futility of what they, even the Author of this story calleth humanity, is the day you win. Why do they blame me for all their little failings? They use my name as if I spent my entire day sitting on their shoulders, forcing them to commit acts they would otherwise find repulsive. 'The Devil made me do it.' I have never made any one of them do anything. Never. They live their own tiny lives. I do not live their lives for them.” He then said, spitting in Zidine’s face who took it on the chin by attempting to smite the Devil with his hammer and slashing his chest open with the Drigo Axe, only for the Devil to feel nothing but a scratch. “Enchantment: Explode. Do you want me to do the same to your intestines too?” The Devil said as Zidine smiled, knowing that he would be able to survive, for the sake of his sacrifice only for the Devil to hear thunder rumble from the “sky” above Hell as thunder fired from above, erupting in golden light to which Zidine smiled, allowing his hammer to shatter unto the ground, destroying the entirety of Hell to the Devil’s slight amazement. “That hammer really does have limitless potency, eh?” The Devil asked as Zidine kicked himself out of the Devil’s grip, moving himself away and allowing himself to shower the Devil with lightning. “Enchantment: Elemental Five!” The Devil then said, summoning a ball in hand as he sent Zidine to the ground, coldly staring down at him from above. “So that 4th form of his familial lightning allows him to control all of the runes that exist?” The Devil asked himself with surprise, only to smile as he stared on at his opponent, who was clearly suffering from the effects of gravity manipulation. “Did you truly think such an attack could take me down, Naar?” Zidine asked, moving his face upwards to stare at his wretched nemesis. “Runic Art: ᛗ Mannaz (Human).” Zidine said as the green portal that once encoded his feet wrapped itself around him in an almost motherly way and brought him back to his feet to the Devil’s slight shock and horror. “You damn fiend.” The Devil thought to himself, immediately using Enchantment and Blood Manipulation to end the fight, poisoning Zidine’s bloodstream once more, however the Runes that he thus manifested protected him. “He gained invisible armour?” The Devil asked him as he used Enchantment: Fantasy Creation to summon 4 clones of George and the other Brothers, slitting their throat to elicit a reaction as Zidine remained unfazed and cold-hearted, at least on the surface as his hand trembled in rage and slight annoyance. “Wretched scum, thou art!” Zidine said as he manifested golden lightning around the Devil, causing a huge explosion only for the Devil to smile and scream “YOU NEEDN’T SCREAM WHEN I AM IN FRONT OF YOU, HOE!” as Zidine forced Mjolnir to aim straight at the skull of the Devil who retorted by using Enchantment: Flax Nurture, allowing himself to survive this impossible situation without any effort. “That magic of his… it can likely cancel out my Enchantment meaning I will have to use my physicality to overpower him, but that may be fruitless.” The Devil thought to himself as he then heard “Runic Art: ᚾ Nauthiz (Survival)”, allowing Zidine to casually amplify his power by a hundred times only for the Devil to use Enchantment: Reaction Force to create a sun in hand and throw it at Zidine who deflected it with his hand, instead teleporting it back at the Devil, who looked stunned only for a huge explosion to manifest as he smiled. “Mass Enchantment: Change of the World.” The Devil said, countering this and forcing scarlet energy to rush at Zidine who used his rune to make himself completely immune as the Devil smiled. “Deus Zero - Runic Removal.” He said, laughing as he said so to which Zidine looked visibly amazed, only for the Devil to swap places with Zidine’s back, pointing his hand at the young man’s back in the form of a finger gun to which a rune appeared. “Electro!” Zidine said, pushing him away from the Devil, only for a laser beam to penetrate Zidine’s spine. “Son of a bitch.” Zidine thought to himself, immediately forcing Mjolnir to fire at the Devil who arrogantly laughed only for it to mysteriously disappear whilst in movement as he saw his hand being removed to his shock. “I can’t heal?” The Devil thought to himself, however, upon thinking this, he saw Zidine summon five orbs around his own hands and clenched his hands together, clapping them. “You leave me no choice. 5th form of the Lightning of Elding: Mind-Mode of Thunderous Rune! Berserkur Hamur - Mikros Keraunos (Berserk Mode: Small Thunderbolt)!” He said as he summoned the thunderbolt at its apparent full strength, only for the Devil to counter by using “Flamebolt”, turning them into fire. “Your attack that could erase existence was quite sloppy-!” The Devil said confidently, failing to see that Mjolnir was invisible, smashing straight in the face, and doing some damage thanks to the effect of Berserker Mode. “He used the effects of Berserker Mode, which has devil-negating properties to damage me effectively by using Mjolnir as a medium?! Tactful whor*.” The Devil thought to himself as he glared at Zidine with a cold expression. “You’re going to die.” Zidine thought to himself as he used the Drigo Axe, only for it to clash with Mjolnir. “What the-?!” Zidine asked himself only for the Devil’s clone to appear behind him and force Zidine’s left eye open as the veins that surrounded the eye began to pop violently. “An eleventh I know: if haply I lead my old comrades out to war, I sing ‘neath the shields, and they fare forth mightily safe into battle, safe out of battle, and safe return from the strife”, forcing the eye to return back to its original form and disappear from the Devil’s Gaze. “He used another rune? 13 left.” The Devil thought to himself as he immediately saw particles surrounding him despite lacking eyeballs however he sensed his mind being toyed with by Zidine, as he heard and saw a man with a glowing white eye staring at him and condemning him. “Where is that hammer?!” The Devil thought to himself with fear. He immediately used his full power (as in got serious, not actually using his full power) for the briefest of seconds and then spoke “Enchant: Saffron Slasher” to warp space and the laws of reality itself, unleashing a single god-speed slash with such power that the laws of time and space are subject to its superiority, rending the progression of the dimension asunder and revealing the truth of the world for all to see, affecting everything on a dimensional scale with Zidine looking quite amazed. “He’s using space manipulation? No… he’s warping space and since my Runes related to such have run out… this will be dangerous since he will likely bisect me on the spiritual level however thanks to my eye, I can see the future indefinitely.” Zidine thought to himself in actual fear, as he felt himself being bisected nigh-immediately. “From what I can see… his skill in Enchantment infinitely surpasses Sakura.” Zidine thought to himself as he was stunned; his lower half (or what was left) split itself from his body’s upper half. “How interesting. My final fight and like a child, after being caught and facing punishment, you offer your apologies too late. I come as your doom!" The Devil said as he took a breath and smiled as his clone stood there, unleashing torrents of red energy into him. “Your death was sad.” The Devil said, stomping on his face and holding his face and skin beneath and above Zidine’s eye. “This is revenge for Danjong.” The Devil said as he used his thumb, pointer, and middle finger into the eye that was white, gripping, twisting and pulling out the sclerae until it became bigger than the actual socket itself and scooped it out, ultimately crushing the eye coldly and drinking its remains. “Too bad you are crying a river of blood. Of regret.” The Devil said as he stood over him, now the final victor as he stared at Sakura’s body, realising that he had won as a red thunder bolt shot throughout the world in mourning. The destroyed world released rain, winds and snow that destroyed all the world. The heavens themselves cried. “Tragedy always strikes you wretched humans at the worst time. That eye tasted nice and chewy.” The Devil said mockingly, to which he smiled at Zidine’s deceased body, once more stomping on his chest.

“And lo, in the darkness...there was thunder. And racing behind it, the roaring voice of a god made king. “Hear me,” his testament begins... “The old king...the old king is gone.” His words soar across the heavens of Vanaheim. For the Vanir, the sisters of Asgard, it is a humming sound of peace. And here too, in the skies of Alfheim, a rumbling decree of a war well fought. The Light Elves cheer and weep that darkness may never touch their bright shores again. In the dark fields of Nidavellir...the dwarves sing and drink as Mjolnir the smasher rumbles for them as well. And in Jotunheim, the Frost Giants feel, for the first time in a long time...a biting chill run down their backs. The message is the same for all to hear. Even in the hottest pit of damnation, in Muspelheim, the demons hear it over the wail of eternal flames… “We have, all of us, warred enough for a thousand lifetimes,” the hammer speaks. Its voice resounds across Svartalfheim. Across the beaten ears of wound-licking Dark Elves. “Enough blood has spilled across the Ten Realms. Enough death. From the rose-scented rainstorms of Heaven...to the deepest hollows of Niflheim. It ends now. It ends forever. It ends with me. So hear this, realms of the World Ash...for I shall say it only once. Let there be peace...or let there be thunder.” The universe itself spoke as Zidine’s injuries mysteriously healed to the Devil’s horror, allowing his body to return to its non-bisected state. “Bout damn time.” Zidine said, as Mjolnir shot with sparks of red lightning. “6th form of the Lightning of Elding: Gust of Ragnarok!” Zidine said as Mjolnir sent the Devil on its lonesome to his horror, causing wind to shatter his armour slowly. “IMPOSSIBLE!” He screamed as Zidine laughed and screamed. “Now… you will not see the end of this day!” Zidine said, releasing both Blades of Demphaus, electrocuting them and allowing the fire of Muspelheim to manifest itself within. “Let Yggdrasil run through me. The Tree of Life is bound to the fate of the world, just as we are bound to it. The tree nourishes our soils. The dew from its leaves feeds our valleys and rivers. The tree's very existence supports all of creation among its boughs, its life energy interwoven into the tapestry of life... birth, growth, death, and rebirth... every strand, transcending time, transcending space. Everything comes back to the tree.” Zidine said coldly as the Devil looked annoyed. “I now realise… you will die.” Zidine said menacingly as the Devil looked angry and horrified simultaneously as Mjolnir fired lightning as this battle had now taken a turn… for the darkest. “Devil Art - Eternal Form.” The Devil himself said, allowing his to return to its peak as all this technique does is extend his life span. The use of this technique also grants him a youthful appearance as the transfer of life force from his victim returns his body to the state it was in at his peak. “I am truly awakened with my power as I am the Devil! The Pure Eyes are either awakened by a pure fusion of a great Angel and a devil’s blood… or by birth-inducing circ*mstances for even one eye is enough to upturn all levels of fate. But two allow one to witness That Which Is Not Seen. Also in the beginning… existed the Pure Eye and the Eye of Origin… bore within Azraphael who had the power of healing and true death inducement, wherein he were fused by Lucifer, my Leader and King by willing it so. The Brothers were thus… raised by the Father, an angel named Falteran who was fallen and became devil-like, fulfilling the requirement to awaken the Eye… whereas the Eye of Origin can copy all eyes and their techniques, bestowing them unto the user at their maximum level including thy eyes… however… it cannot copy the Pure Eye or the Eye of Dharma. That is because two Pure Eye users cannot appear together at the same time however because the Pure Eye is also transcendent… the Origan can never copy it. I also can’t be affected by fate, karma, magic, time, space or the like and as the general of Lucifer… you have to use angelic techniques to kill me which you lack. All devils… especially those of a high rank are immune to conventional damage. You can’t kill a devil unless you have the State of Brahman… or… are an angel… which you are or have neither. Throughout all Stories… killing me is borderline impossible.” The Devil stared at him with Zidine looking absolutely horrified, now knowing the entire universe, if not every other universe (the remaining 8 that were infinitely larger in terms of structures, containing an infinite amount of planets, etc, etc) would be threatened if he even moved a step. “Issaikaiku (All Existence is Suffering): Trait - Defense and Kingly Techniques… Curse - Non-Speed.” The Devil said as Zidine felt his speed and power replaced for an elder’s, being lower than Haakon at his worst, only for Zidine to smile, using Mjolnir as his speed.

“And now… Demon Art: Flax Nurture.” The Devil then said, because Sakura was the original Enchantment user, being its creator… he could use the original form of Enchantment through his demonic powers as he made the impossible situation of everything surviving despite the infinite amount of destruction he would cause.

“Yomotsu Magatsuhi (Underworld Calamity God)!” The Devil then said, summoning a humongous blood-based dragon that bound Zidine within its grip only for Mjolnir to fire a huge wave of lightning as the Devil was unsurprised, using his clone to fire streams of blood at Zidine who couldn’t dodge it but tanked it physically. “His body has lost its vigour but he hath maintained his insane durability!” The Devil thought to himself as Zidine smiled, thanking him for the explanation of existence itself as Zidine’s full power made itself clear. “Stop yapping!” Zidine screamed, to which Mjolnir shot red thunderbolts at the Devil who responded by absorbing the thunderbolts. “Ass.” Zidine said as the Drigo Axe flew about and sliced the Dragon’s head, allowing Zidine to wrap the Devil in his two swords, ensnaring him in the flames of Ragnarok. “COME, JORMUNGANDR! BE NOT AFRAID, POISONOUS TURD!” Zidine screamed as the Devil countered by opening his mouth and firing a blast of orange energy however this was deflected by the Drigo Axe. “ᚦ Thurisaz - Overcome my obstacle of annihilation.” Zidine said, flicking his wrist a little as Mjolnir had this rune on it and immediately responded by smashing into the Devil’s face at full power, unleashing the true power of Zeus’ Thunderbolts along with what appeared to be the very power of the Cosmos itself, finally causing the clone to bleed extremely heavily as he smiled, to Zidine's visible chagrin. "You actually hurt me. Like how your mother always did." The clone said to Zidine's annoyance, calling his hammer to his side. “Let’s end this. Even though I know you are a clone.” Zidine said coldly, deciding that the time for games was up, as he used himself to send the clone flying upwards and kill him. “You are a curse to your loved ones, bloodline and all the world, wrecker of lives.” The Devil’s clone said as Zidine smiled. “Speak for yourself, serpentine beginner of curses.” He retorted back as Zidine then grabbed the Devil’s head and sent him headfirst into the ground, stepping on his head using Mjolnir as added force, unleashing enough power to shatter all of the universes into his skull, to which the Devil vomited blood only for the actual Devil to respond by using Enchantment and sacrifice his clone to turn Zidine into a false suicide bomb. “That man that you saw… did you recognise it?” Zidine asked as the Devil’s face scrunched in horror (as he had no eyes after tearing them out earlier), responding by also firing several arrows of blood at him, at their full power with him dodging the attacks casually, slapping a few back at the Devil who snarled at him. “Your silver tongue really needs to be burned.” The Devil said coldly. “Coming from the one whose tongue wrapped itself around and ensnared the naked Eve into eating the fruit which she fed to her man? How human.” Zidine then said as he snapped his fingers, as he then said Seiðr (‘black magic’) to which the Devil glared in rage. "Óðinn knew, and practised himself, the art which is accompanied by greatest power, called seiðr (‘black magic’), and from it he could predict the fates of men and things that had not yet happened, and also cause men death or disaster or disease, and also take wit or strength from some and give it to others. But this magic, when it is practised, is accompanied by such great perversion that it was not considered without shame for a man to perform it, and the skill was taught to the goddesses. Óðinn knew about all the treasure of the earth, where it was hidden, and he knew songs which would make the earth and cliffs and rocks and grave-mounds open up before him, and with words alone he would bind those who were in them and go in and take from there whatever he wanted. He became very famous because of these powers. His enemies feared him, but his friends trusted him and believed in his power and in him. And he taught most of his skills to his sacrificial priests. They were next to him in all lore and magic. And yet many others learned much of it, and from there heathendom spread widely and lasted for a long time. And people worshipped Óðinn and the twelve rulers and called them their gods and believed in them long afterwards.” Zidine explained mockingly to which the Devil felt his injuries that were once on the clone now on himself. “You leave me no choice… this power is something that my daughter, Sakura couldst have used had she lived… Final Devil Art: Chishuken (Blood Sovereignty). This technique rivals the transformation of the Moon Sage. If Satoshi had this… he would easily transcend even you.” Naar explained to Zidine’s slight amazement. “Your sins will return to you, Naar. As your name entails… my fire will erupt from within you.” Zidine said menacingly. “Oh? Go on and try.” The Devil said coldly as Zidine held the crushed clone’s eyes. “These look delightful.” Zidine said, setting them ablaze, turning them into stars and firing them at the actual Devil who slapped them away without any effort. “He’s grown infinitely stronger. This will be challenging.” Zidine thought to himself as he knew he was left with no choice. “Seventh and Eighth Form of the Lightning of Elding: Lightning of Jove - Aegis of Hesiod.” Zidine spoke with an immense amount of gravitas. “Of the Shield of Hesiod, I speak of lines 77-318: From him Zeus took away sense, so that he left his home and his parents and went to do honour to the wicked Eurystheus – unhappy man! Deeply indeed did he grieve afterwards in bearing the burden of his own mad folly; but that cannot be taken back. But on me fate laid heavy tasks. Yet, come, friend, quickly take the red-dyed reins of the swift horses and raise high courage in your heart and guide the swift chariot and strong fleet-footed horses straight on. Have no secret fear at the noise of man-slaying Ares who now rages shouting about the holy grove of Phoebus Apollo, the lord who shoots form afar. Surely, strong though he be, he shall have enough of war.”

[102] And blameless Iolaus answered him again: “Good friend, truly the father of men and gods greatly honours your head and the bull-like Earth-Shaker also, who keeps Thebe's veil of walls and guards the city, -- so great and strong is this fellow they bring into your hands that you may win great glory. But come, put on your arms of war that with all speed we may bring the car of Ares and our own together and fight; for he shall not frighten the dauntless son of Zeus, nor yet the son of Iphiclus: rather, I think he will flee before the two sons of blameless Alcides who are near him and eager to raise the war cry for battle; for this they love better than a feast.”

[115] So he said. And mighty Heracles was glad in heart and smiled, for the other's words pleased him well, and he answered him with winged words: “O hero Iolaus, heaven-sprung, now is rough battle hard at hand. But, as you have shown your skill at other-times, so now also wheel the great black-maned horse Arion about every way, and help me as you may be able.”

[122] So he said, and put upon his legs greaves of shining bronze, the splendid gift of Hephaestus. Next he fastened about his breast a fine golden breast-plate, curiously wrought, which Pallas Athene the daughter of Zeus had given him when first he was about to set out upon his grievous labours. Over his shoulders the fierce warrior put the steel that saves men from doom, and across his breast he slung behind him a hollow quiver. Within it were many chilling arrows, dealers of death which makes speech forgotten: in front they had death, and trickled with tears; their shafts were smooth and very long; and their butts were covered with feathers of a brown eagle. And he took his strong spear, pointed with shining bronze, and on his valiant head set a well-made helm of adamant, cunningly wrought, which fitted closely on the temples; and that guarded the head of god-like Heracles.

[139] In his hands he took his shield, all glittering: no one ever broke it with a blow or crushed it. And a wonder it was to see; for its whole orb was a-shimmer with enamel and white ivory and electrum, and it glowed with shining gold; and there were zones of cyanus2 drawn upon it. In the centre was Fear worked in adamant, unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon his grim brow hovered frightful Strife who arrays the throng of men: pitiless she, for she took away the mind and senses of poor wretches who made war against the son of Zeus. Their souls passed beneath the earth and went down into the house of Hades; but their bones, when the skin is rotted about them, crumble away on the dark earth under parching Sirius.

[154] Upon the shield Pursuit and Flight were wrought, and Tumult, and Panic, and Slaughter. Strife also, and Uproar were hurrying about, and deadly Fate was there holding one man newly wounded, and another unwounded; and one, who was dead, she was dragging by the feet through the tumult. She had on her shoulders a garment red with the blood of men, and terribly she glared and gnashed her teeth.

[160] And there were heads of snakes unspeakably frightful, twelve of them; and they used to frighten the tribes of men on earth whosoever made war against the son of Zeus; for they would clash their teeth when Amphitryon's son was fighting: and brightly shone these wonderful works. And it was as though there were spots upon the frightful snakes: and their backs were dark blue and their jaws were black.

[168] Also there were upon the shield droves of boars and lions who glared at each other, being furious and eager: the rows of them moved on together, and neither side trembled but both bristled up their manes. For already a great lion lay between them and two boars, one on either side, bereft of life, and their dark blood was dripping down upon the ground; they lay dead with necks outstretched beneath the grim lions. And both sides were roused still more to fight because they were angry, the fierce boars and the bright-eyed lions.

[178] And there was the strife of the Lapith spearmen gathered round the prince Caeneus and Dryas and Peirithous, with Hopleus, Exadius, Phalereus, and Prolochus, Mopsus the son of Ampyce of Titaresia, a scion of Ares, and Theseus, the son of Aegeus, like unto the deathless gods. These were of silver, and had armour of gold upon their bodies. And the Centaurs were gathered against them on the other side with Petraeus and Asbolus the diviner, Arctus, and Ureus, and black-haired Mimas, and the two sons of silver, and they had pinetrees of gold in their hands, and they were rushing together as though they were alive and striking at one another hand to hand with spears and with pines.

[191] And on the shield stood the fleet-footed horses of grim Ares made gold, and deadly Ares the spoil-winner himself. He held a spear in his hands and was urging on the footmen: he was red with blood as if he were slaying living men, and he stood in his chariot. Beside him stood Fear and Flight, eager to plunge amidst the fighting men. There, too, was the daughter of Zeus, Tritogeneia who drives the spoil.3 She was like as if she would array a battle, with a spear in her hand, and a golden helmet, and the aegis about her shoulders. And she was going towards the awful strife.

[201] And there was the holy company of the deathless gods: and in the midst the son of Zeus and Leto played sweetly on a golden lyre. There also was the abode of the gods, pure Olympus, and their assembly, and infinite riches were spread around in the gathering, the Muses of Pieria were beginning a song like clear-voiced singers.

[207] And on the shield was a harbour with a safe haven from the irresistible sea, made of refined tin wrought in a circle, and it seemed to heave with waves. In the middle of it were many dolphins rushing this way and that, fishing: and they seemed to be swimming. Two dolphins of silver were spouting and devouring the mute fishes. And beneath them fishes or bronze were trembling. And on the shore sat a fisherman watching: in his hands he held a casting net for fish, and seemed as if about to cast it forth.

[216] There, too, was the son of rich-haired Danae, the horseman Perseus: his feet did not touch the shield and yet were not far from it -- very marvellous to remark, since he was not supported anywhere; for so did the famous Lame One fashion him of gold with his hands. On his feet he had winged sandals, and his black-sheathed sword was slung across his shoulders by a cross-belt of bronze. He was flying swift as thought. The head of a dreadful monster, the Gorgon, covered the broad of his back, and a bag of silver -- a marvel to see -- contained it: and from the bag bright tassels of gold hung down. Upon the head of the hero lay the dread cap of Hades which had the awful gloom of night. Perseus himself, the son of Danae, was at full stretch, like one who hurries and shudders with horror. And after him rushed the Gorgons, unapproachable and unspeakable, longing to seize him: as they trod upon the pale adamant, the shield rang sharp and clear with a loud clanging. Two serpents hung down at their girdles with heads curved forward: their tongues were flickering, and their teeth gnashing with fury, and their eyes glaring fiercely. And upon the awful heads of the Gorgons great Fear was quaking.

[237] And beyond these there were men fighting in warlike harness, some defending their own town and parents from destruction, and others eager to sack it; many lay dead, but the greater number still strove and fought. The women on well-built towers of bronze were crying shrilly and tearing their cheeks like living beings -- the work of famous Hephaestus. And the men who were elders and on whom age had laid hold were all together outside the gates, and were holding up their hands to the blessed gods, fearing for their own sons. But these again were engaged in battle: and behind them the dusky Fates, gnashing their white fangs, lowering, grim, bloody, and unapproachable, struggled for those who were falling, for they all were longing to drink dark blood. So soon as they caught a man overthrown or falling newly wounded, one of them would clasp her great claws about him, and his soul would go down to Hades to chilly Tartarus. And when they had satisfied their souls with human blood, they would cast that one behind them, and rush back again into the tumult and the fray. Clotho and Lachesis were over them and Atropos less tall than they, a goddess of no great frame, yet superior to the others and the eldest of them. And they all made a fierce fight over one poor wretch, glaring evilly at one another with furious eyes and fighting equally with claws and hands. By them stood Darkness of Death, mournful and fearful, pale, shrivelled, shrunk with hunger, swollen-kneed. Long nails tipped her hands, and she dribbled at the nose, and from her cheeks blood dripped down to the ground. She stood leering hideously, and much dust sodden with tears lay upon her shoulders.

[270] Next, there was a city of men with goodly towers; and seven gates of gold, fitted to the lintels, guarded it. The men were making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car, while the bridal-song swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens rolled in waves afar. And these maidens went before, delighting in the festival; and after them came frolicsome choirs, the youths singing soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes, while the echo was shivered around them, and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of lyres. Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling, with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and others were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing. The whole town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity.

[285] Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soul, clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight of the cars -- as if they were reaping Demeter's grain: others were binding the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor. And some held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while others were taking from the reapers into baskets white and black clusters from the long rows of vines which were heavy with leaves and tendrils of silver. Others again were gathering them into baskets. Beside them was a row of vines in gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus: it had shivering leaves and stakes of silver and was laden with grapes which turned black.5 And there were men treading out the grapes and others drawing off liquor. Also there were men boxing and wrestling, and huntsmen chasing swift hares with a leash of sharp-toothed dogs before them, they eager to catch the hares, and the hares eager to escape.

[305] Next to them were horsem*n hard set, and they contended and laboured for a prize. The charioteers standing on their well-woven cars, urged on their swift horses with loose rein; the jointed cars flew along clattering and the naves of the wheels shrieked loudly. So they were engaged in an unending toil, and the end with victory came never to them, and the contest was ever unwon. And there was set out for them within the course a great tripod of gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus.

[314] And round the rim Ocean was flowing, with a full stream as it seemed, and enclosed all the cunning work of the shield. Over it swans were soaring and calling loudly, and many others were swimming upon the surface of the water; and near them were shoals of fish.

[318] A wonderful thing the great strong shield was to see -- even for Zeus the loud-thunderer, by whose will Hephaestus made it and fitted it with his hands. This shield the valiant son of Zeus wielded masterly, and leaped upon his horse-chariot like the lightning of his father Zeus who holds the aegis, moving lithely. And his charioteer, strong Iolaus, standing upon the car, guided the curved chariot.” He said, turning on the shield he turned off at the start of the fight, whilst also summoning the Aegis in its shielded form. “Now, you are getting serious and releasing thy Greek side… come Jove.” The Devil said as Zidine screamed in rage and slight… madness. Red lightning surrounded his every being. “Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?” He felt himself screaming in his head that was now clouded with thoughts of nothing but rage and the thirst for blood. “Mikros Keraunos!” He then screamed from his throat as the Devil smiled and caused the thunderbolt to dance round his wretched fingers and fire it back to which Zidine absorbed it by way of his shield. “You stole my line, mad Berserker!” The Devil screamed in glee. “Immortality for the cost of sanity? How ironically poetic.” The Devil thought to himself, releasing the grip of the Blades of Demphaus from himself and allowing himself to now fully get serious. "Give it everything you've got." The Devil said arrogantly with an air of superiority in his voice, unaware that this would lead to his downfall. "Very well, Jormungandr." Zidine said, noticing the utter venomous bullsh*t the Devil spoke with his serpentine tongue, to which the Devil then immediately used Separation Enchantment to conceptually separate Zidine from the power of his runes however the power of the Aegis activated itself throughout his body by way of the shield, using the lightning of Jove to damage the Devil who looked genuinely annoyed as his Separation Enchantment was disabled as a result. “Aegis: Gorgon’s Eye.” Zidine said as the Devil coldly laughed, feeling his hand turning to stone however golden lightning shot through him, further electrocuting him to which Zidine butted him with the shield, snapping his fingers, allowing the snake heads from Medusa to manifest themselves in reality only for the Devil to use Enchantment: Sea-Moss Gate serving as an absolute defence spell which can even defend against time by acting as a stasis chamber, a place in which time stops, thus allowing the Devil to maintain himself in a timeless state. “You froze yourself in time? Dumbass.” Zidine said, forcing the shield in hand to unfreeze time by turning the barrier itself to stone on the conceptual level however the Devil smiled, using Darkout Spear in the form of a binding chain to ensnare Zidine in the form of a beam. “He’s not using it in the form of a chain or sword, knowing that my runes related to those can counter it?” Zidine thought to himself as the Devil took advantage of this and just as Zidine deflected the beam, he rammed Zidine, sending him back slightly, creating a staff to send the shield flying, leaving Zidine vulnerable for the briefest. “Runic Art…” Zidine thought to himself as the Devil smiled menacingly. “No, you don’t! Master Enchant: Deus Sema!” The Devil thought to himself in amazement, using the red energy that comprised Enchantment underneath his feet, summoning the meteor in an invisible form, to which Zidine barely noticed it to his shock.

“Through invoking the power of stars, self-luminous celestial bodies consisting of a mass of gas held together by their own gravity with the inward-directed gravitational forces are balanced by the outward-directed gas and radiation pressures – this flawlessly replicates the activation sequence of Heavenly Body Magic. At this point, the wielder of Deus Sema bows down and points their hands downwards, with all the fingers closed except the index and middle fingers, transfixing their magical energies upon the heavens and the space above, far beyond the planet, enthralling their very souls – their magical energies unleash a powerful gravitational pull that affects space, dragging a rocky/metallic body which travels through outer space known as a meteor under its thrall. Emitting immense gravitational forces, the caster begins to drag the meteor downwards – in the process, coating it with a layer of magical energy as to prevent it from suffering from a reduction in size while descending, falling quickly to earth from the upper atmosphere down towards a specific location on the ground. As it descends along a linear trajectory, it moves at such a speed that evasion is near impossible; as even though it is extremely telegraphed, the meteor is so large that it is extremely difficult to dodge it. As the meteoroid descends upon the vicinity, it very quickly picks up speed until it reaches terminal velocity, which is the highest velocity attainable by an object as it falls through the air – thanks to the capabilities of Master Enchantment, as the meteorite descends, the magical energies which coats the meteor rapidly expands air particles, causing those in the vicinity to have difficulty breathing. As well, due to the decrease in the scalar pressure of the air, all forms of matter held together by that pressure (which includes living bodies) begin to break apart. telegraphed, the meteor is so large that it is extremely difficult to dodge it. The user can also summon another meteor which will then collide with the first, ensuring that they crash into their intended destination. When the meteor manifested by the power of Deus Sema hits, the force is strong enough to create a large explosion, which engulfs a wide area and releases a strong hurricane of air, also leaving a large impact crater in its wake while obliterating an enormous battlefield and killing everyone upon impact; the impact forces millions upon millions of rubble debris to hit the ground, in a method not dissimilar to an actual meteor shower; with the resulting tremors being felt as far as an entire town away… or in my case, this meteor’s bare impact can end the world… or entire planetary systems (in their trillions) however even in their meteoroid form, entire countries can be devastated. Deus Sema is also called as "Sealed Space Magic: Meteorite Shower" (宇宙印の魔法・流星雨, Uchūin no Mahō: Ryūseiu), said to possess the power to control the heavens themselves.” The Devil thought to himself as Zidine looked stunned with a huge explosion devouring the entirety of Hell to which Zidine was stunned, nearly losing his arm in the process. “I am impressed. You actually managed to survive that.” The Devil said mockingly as Zidine’s already-injured right eye glowed red with thunder pouring out slowly. “Madness… Death…” Zidine thought to himself as he then muttered to himself “An eighth I know: which all can sing for their weal if they learn it well; where hate shall wax ‘mid the warrior sons, I can calm it soon with that song” however this rune shut itself down immediately, doing nothing as he felt Berserker Mode fully manifest itself within his soul as he began laughing like a lunatic. “I haven’t felt like this in so long!” Zidine said as the Devil coldly glanced at him and then at his hand, realising that Zidine will die shortly. “GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU GOT, FOOLISH VIKING!” The Devil said, going underground and allowing himself to get the better of Zidine, knowing that his immortality would eventually run out. “All I need is one touch to his chest… and then… game over.” The Devil thought to himself, to which Zidine’s face twitched slightly with the Devil using his eyeball swords only for them to be doused and devoured in golden lightning, using the ground as his tool instead however Mjolnir counterbalanced by crushing the Devil’s toe, causing him to briefly falter as he sensed something horrifying, only for Zidine’s Drigo Axe to fly away from him, causing the slightest moment of shock to both fighters to which Zidine’s berserker instincts kicked in, forcing him to fight on. “Satoshi’s getting up?!” The Devil asked himself as his crimson red eyes stared into Satoshi’s. “Yeah, got a problem with that?” Satoshi said as he immediately activated the State of Brahman and instinctively used the Shadow Sword at its full power, using the Ritual Circle to teleport next to Zidine. “Relax… you’re not dying yet.” Satoshi said as Zidine grimaced, knowing that Satoshi would inevitably die, given just how powerful the Devil was. “You two against me? Remember that your fatal attacks are killing Sakura’s dead and emaciated bosom.” The Devil said as Zidine felt thunder racing through his heart and body, still able to fight on, blitzing the Devil with immense speed only for his hand to be grabbed. “I need to be careful. Satoshi’s Sword can do damage thanks to control of Mana. His State of Brahman can do damage… unless this is but a clone. Even so, a paltry display of power is still a display. That sex pest Damien is likely dead, or at least nearing it. Time to finally ramp things up.” The Devil said, now fully unable to heal his eyes, using Berserker Enchantment to revive the dead who Satoshi slayed before. “Have fun.” The Devil said mockingly with Satoshi looking in sheer annoyance, forcing him to turn back and cause Zidine to finally reveal his darkest side as red lightning shot out from every orifice. “I will deal with them.” Satoshi said, his voice laced with clear annoyance. “SHOW ME EVERYTHI-!” The Devil said as he looked happy, only for Zidine to summon several orbs of red lightning and golden sparks that clearly resembled stars around the Devil who was now barely fazed. “Good thing my form surpasses Zidine’s since it is equal or perhaps superior to even the transformation or God/Moon Sage… enlightenment with Nirvana and Moksha with the latter being the most it is. In essence… he will lose whether he likes it or not however once Satoshi sees that, his mind wilt shatter. But to think: sanity’s loss for absolute immortality and effective true invincibility. That is a price worth paying for. He has a few minutes left, let’s put it at 10. But still… can I defeat this f*cking beast?” The Devil thought to himself with absolute arrogance as Zidine calmly read this and responded by clapping his hands, blowing up the orbs to the Devil’s slight horror as he never noticed that they contained some form of cosmic energy with the Berserker Mode’s true power, causing his blood cloak to seep away slowly to his chagrin. “Damn ass. Verily his death will come.” Naar thought to himself, immediately using his Sword of Sigil’s Destruction to combat Zidine who was mute, becoming one with the ground itself and upon it touching his skin, he simply used Mjolnir, casually shattering the sword with a full power strike. “He defiled the concept of reason?!” The Devil asked himself as Zidine pointed his fingers straight at the Devil’s face, only for the runes of ᛊ Sowilo (Success and Life Force) and ᛏ Tiwaz (Justice and Warrior) to appear on Mjolnir’s surface and then in the air itself briefly, to which he sent the Devil flying back, leaving a trail of blood in his wake, to his horror. “He damaged me truly?” The Devil thought to himself with actual and tangible fear in his eyes as he steadied his mind, knowing that Zidine, despite being in his Berserker Mode, even at its fullest form, still had the very concept of cognition and thought to think rationally. “I have only a few uses of Enchantment, especially on the Master level and above before it runs out of efficacy.” The Devil thought to himself, to which Zidine obviously responded by slamming his hammer straight into the Devil’s face, leaving no traces of himself left however the Devil used Enchantment: Arms to sense him with extreme efficacy and effectiveness as he then said “Enchantment: Elemental Five!”, causing the very ground of Hell to sink and expand in an attempt to slice Zidine in multiple parts of his body. “That Berserker Mode…” The Devil thought to himself as he suddenly saw a man with a glowing white eye staring at him and condemning him. This time though, it spoke some unintelligible words. “What are you saying, wretched bastard?!” The Devil thought to himself as he was sent back with the power of Mjolnir to which Zidine then combined that with his fists. “Catch these hands.” Zidine then said, mimicking Satoshi’s Asura Manus in such a way that even Satoshi was amazed by this display, focusing his efforts once more on his former allies only to see and hear a huge explosion as the Devil’s left eye shut with raw force. “That lightning…. It can damage devils truly likely because of an innate property.” The Devil thought to himself as he saw the man with the glowing white eye split apart into several. Some were taller than the man and others short. “That man is illusory. A mind-made imp.” The Devil thought as he heard Zidine growling with a cold smile dripping with blood, salivating and clapping his hands, switching places with one of the orbs that appeared behind, to which the Devil was too late to notice himself being slashed by the flames that consisted themselves within the Blades of Demphaus. “DAMN YOU, HAAKON!” The Devil screamed as Zidine smiled, reminding himself when he cut down Haakon a year prior. “Die, Naar. Rue the day you locked eyes with this berserker.” Zidine said with a menacing stare, to which the Devil lost composure still, holding his left eye that was dangling on his cheek, only for it to be cut down and stomped on by Zidine, as Mjolnir then flew straight into the Devil’s back just as he was being slashed relentlessly by the Blades of Demphaus’ endless onslaught. “For a Devil, your arrogance is eternal.” Zidine then said, to which the Devil glared at him in absolute disgust. “You continue to mention my name without consequence. Your consequence will come soon. Worry not, Zidine, the bitch of the whor* that was your betrayer of a mother.” Naar continued to say, to which his attempt to rile up Zidine in a way of meaningfulness was short-sighted and short lived because in that moment, Zidine took a deep breath and fired it out at the Devil who slapped it away, thinking nothing of the attack… only for his hand to sever itself on the conceptual level. “He severed the very concept of my hand? No matter… it-!” The Devil thought to himself but in mere seconds, the hand turned into Mjolnir itself. “I wonder… will a kick in the balls hurt?!” Zidine asked as Naar looked deeply angered already as Zidine then used the chance to bite his shoulder, only for Naar to wince in clear pain. “Now I have you!” The Devil thought to himself, using his remaining hand to touch Zidine’s chest where he ripped out his heart, whispering “Having once taken your wretched heart that contained thy humanity and false sense of humility… I will take your soul too.” however this would either be his biggest mistake yet… or… his victory, to which he didn’t look down at his own chest, blissfully unaware of his own wound that Damian caused earlier, the “sex pest” which he denigrated earlier on as nothing more than a scratch, which Zidine having Mjolnir pressed directly into the Devil’s chest yet lowering its weight to such a degree where it could not be felt or sensed. “One shot ends this fight.” They both thought of each other, unaware of the other’s intent or next move. “DIE!” The Devil screamed as he then said “Demon Art: Soul Spark.” as he then combined this with “Devil Art: Death Gaze.”, ultimately shattering Zidine’s soul and annihilating his right arm, the very same one that held one of his Blades of Demphaus and Mjolnir, to which Zidine responded by unleashing Mjolnir straight into the Devil’s chest at full speed as Satoshi’s eye briefly caught glimpse of a Big Bang-like explosion coming from Zidine, only to continue fighting his devil-possessed allies. Zidine coughed up blood, much like the Devil who responded by kicking him away as Zidine puked up blood, as his soul had gone, much like how the Devil’s armour had now completely turned to cinders as his blood cloak had now been reduced to goop. “You damn bastard. You nearly killed me… but also ended all of Creation with that last strike of yours. Your hammer… is on the floor, a wretched tool.” The Devil said coldly to which he knew he had no choice but to resort to desperate measures, immediately activating Enchantment in a bodily form, with Satoshi sensing this and looking horrified, only for Zidine to then use the Drigo Axe with his remaining left hand at its full strength however upon doing so, it dropped onto the ground, realising that he could no longer carry it despite his immortality. “Your insanity has killed you.” The Devil said with an air of absolute mockery in his voice as he then kicked Zidine away with enough force to split mountains only for Zidine himself to merely spit out more blood, only to then force his shield to fly back to him and as he ran forth, the Devil was surprised, simply laughing as the shield hit him straight in the back of the head, only for the Mjolnir on the Devil’s hand to continually electrocute him. “Damned brat!” The Devil thought to himself as he was ready to use his final two Enchantments. “This battle will end here! Master Enchant: Clamator Aethereus!” The Devil then spoke, "Under the shining name of my power, may the light of judgement fall as rain upon these impure souls!" (輝く御名の許　地を這う穢れし魂に　裁きの光を雨と降らせん。, Kagayaku mina no moto, chi o hau kegareta tamashii ni sabaki no hikari o ame to furasen), as Zidine instinctively sensed something was up. “AEGIS - CASTER OF FEAR!” Zidine immediately screamed from his blood-stained mouth, banging the shield with his now-damaged remaining hand to cause an amazing amount of fear rush through the Devil’s body, but this never stopped him, allowing him to wield the full power of the Final Enchantment, wielding a orb in his right and left hand which he simply condensed into his hand as one attack. “Do you want me to bisect you and Satoshi with this final slash?!” The Devil said, his arrogance having taken over him, to which Zidine felt humility, true humility. “The right sphere is a blazing crimson with a deep orange in the middle, burning like solar flares. These two orbs of ultimate power release truly impossible amounts of [magical] power, with freezing and incinerating properties respectively, the dual spheres, both of opposing elements, simulate a paradox and inflict that impossibility upon the enemy. The energies released by the frozen sphere and the blazing orb compress completely while they smash against each other unendingly, simulating the rending of space and creating an artificial dislocation of the space-time continuum, allowing their power to act as a crushing torrent of pure power that extends from the heavens and the earth while annihilating both, affecting everything caught in-between these spheres while pulverising anything unfortunate enough to be in the way of the spell, swallowing and crushing all in its path, with the dual spheres releasing a dazzling light that does naught but intensify as the spell continues. Space, time, all laws, physics and all things bound in the name of science or mathematics is ruptured conceptually and torn asunder. The power of Clamator Aethereus is said to reveal the "Original World" (原始の世界, Genshi no Sekai) , the state of existence before life came into existence upon its foundation, tearing apart the azurite skies and brown earth in order to display naught but grey. Once the spell ends, the orbs displaying the truth of the world; though the state of the world remains fragmented and broken, Clamator Aethereus' impact is made all too clear. In any case, in terms of statistics, Clamator Aethereus attacks an enormous area for non-elemental damage, ignoring defence, reflect and any other protections, meaning that no matter what, the enemy will receive the full brunt of the attack. The immense amount of damage that the opponent is dealt, alongside catching a brief glimpse of the truth of the world when exposed to Clamator Aethereus, ensures that if the caster deems it fit, the power of this spell can remove their very being from both the physical and astral planes of existence, destroying them until naught remains except the yin and yang of Clamator Aethereus, even vaporising their essence and removing their souls from the cycle of reincarnation.” The Devil said coldly, basking in his true power, attempting to ignore the fear as he saw the man with the glowing white eye that split apart into several, now splitting into two, as the second resembled Zidine himself but the first was an angel who bore lightning around his very bosom and manifested even a lightning halo above. “Barachiel?!” The Devil thought to himself with absolute fear in his eyes as ‘Zidine’ in his mind finally spoke words of legible intelligence. “Your sins will be paid in glorious fire!”, to which the Devil saw Zidine’s present form glaring at him in sheer disgust and using the Shield to tank the damage that would have incurred, this attack ending the entire universe surely with even one of the orbs, as the stone face of Medusa on the Aegis was completely destroyed. “I have no choice… looks like our final moves are needed.” They both thought to themselves, realising that this would be their last move. “Final Enchant: Cardinal Nova - BRAHMASHIRA ASTRA!” The Devil screamed, summoning and holding an arrow of raw flames in hand, to Satoshi’s horror, however, once again, he was too preoccupied with his fights to help Zidine. “Once this step of the spell has been completed, the caster induces nuclear fission, releasing a quantity of energy unheard of in any day and age in the form of an enormous explosion that echoes outwards for several thousand kilometres or more, the impact of the powerful surge causes a large mushroom cloud to quickly rise upwards at the point of casting the spell. The casting of Cardinal Nova, as mentioned above, produces an enormous amount of energy and radiation that possesses the ability to reduce everything in its area-of-effect to nothingness, leaving naught but scorched earth and darkened skies in its wake. The radiation released by the explosion is that of countless x-rays which superheat the oxygen, producing a gigantic nuclear fireball, the expansion of which unleashes a wave that travels faster than the speed of sound for the briefest of moments that transfigures into a shockwave- a wave of pure concussive force that can propagate through a medium, characterised by an abrupt, nearly discontinuous change in pressure, temperature and density of the medium. Upon releasing the shockwave, the projectile of sorts more often than not damages the surrounding environment, blasting through the air at astounding speeds upon release; these shockwaves ripple through the ground or in the atmosphere, bringing mass destruction to anything that they come into contact with- they can push targets over, repulse them away, shatter them, destroy houses and building several kilometres away, and even cause earthquakes by shaking the ground or dislodging underground tectonic plates, thus causing earthquakes. Over time the radiation released by the spell can potentially kill people farther away how much radiation was released- it can also cause radiation poisoning that can make people extremely ill as well as radioactive debris. The activation of Cardinal Nova additionally releases fallout, a nuclear material and dust that has been irradiated and becomes radioactive, being blown away by the wind large distances from where the explosion occurred, and can remain dangerous for long periods of time. However, for all of its amazing power (and the fact that Cardinal Nova was the spell that ended a war), it can only be utilised once per year due to its massive drainage upon the caster's magical energy, but the strategic value of that single shot is not to be underestimated, and it must be used carefully, for a defensive spell can only protect the caster from the edges of a nuclear explosion.” The Devil thought to himself as Zidine had no choice. “You are truly superior, Naar. But this… this will end it.” Zidine said, as he let go of the Aegis, deactivating the Eighth form of the Lightning of Elding. “Ninth Form of the Lightning of Elding - Final Art: Spirit of Ragnarok!” Zidine screamed, reimbursing his arm in a score of beautiful silver lightning as Barachiel and Zidine in the Devil’s mind fused into one to his horror. “YOU!” The Devil screamed as Zidine’s entire body regenerated, feeling his own soul return thanks to the true power of the 9th form of the Lightning of Elding. The 9th form channels all the users of the elding form in a powerful and spiritual way. The family of Elding… there is only himself and Barachiel. This is it. “Even if the entirety of existence with all its universes goes away… they will return by my will… you will die at the cost of my life. Make no mistake. You are a true spewer of venom. The truest.” Zidine said as the Devil smiled, knowing this final attack would end everything. Hell… the World of Darkness, and all of existence. “A sacrificial gambit to win the war.” The Devil said, trivialising Zidine’s ultimate sacrifice. “I have only five minutes… This power was handed to me from Barachiel in a way of non-earning. I failed in many a things. As a son. A king. A brother. A traitor to my kingdom. But as long as I die smiting you… my goal is accomplished. I had these powers to defend my brothers… and in death… I will finally please my father, King Helios! The good shall prevail… at your end.” Zidine said as the Devil laughed and simply held his arrow in hand, ready to complete his goal. “Even if Sakura goes… I will win.” The Devil thought to himself, still with arrogance whereas Zidine smiled. “You may be stronger… but that is the humility in it all. Power corrupts absolutely. And I learnt that too late. DIE!” Zidine screamed as the Devil smiled coldly and fired the arrow at full power to which Satoshi turned around, seeing a huge explosion that befell everything: him, Sakura’s body, Damien, the devil-possessed allies he was fighting… all of Creation, the Overworld and all dimensions. This was a Big Crunch in the form of the fires of Surtur and the ultimate effects of Ragnarok. “ZIDINE!!!!” Satoshi screamed as his neck and throat was slashed by Minamoto no Yorimitsu and Empress Wu Zetian, unable to speak any more of the grief and fear that he bore; his true emotions and self. As the explosion finally subsided in a torrent of ice, fire, thunder, wind, earth and water, Zidine’s body staggered and fell to the ground, a burnt corpse of a being as the Devil stared down at him from above, himself incredibly damaged. “Zidine Helios… I will never forget you for as long as I live.” He said mockingly, doing a final kick to the head and then to the balls as Satoshi’s eyes glared at him, using his full power Okami to mercilessly end his enemies in front of him, sealing their souls as they stood in place, smiling at him, understanding that they couldn’t end the battle: This had to be Satoshi to do so. “Satoshi…” Zidine said as Satoshi released himself from the Perfect Okami, unable to take the strain as the Devil looked at him in visible annoyance. “Damn it… I am out of options. I have one more shot of Brahmashira Astra… but…” The Devil thought to himself as he readied the arrow at its full strength and potential once more, firing it as a bright light devoured everything. “NO YOU DON’T!!!” Satoshi said as Damian stretched his hand. “Enchantment: Demonic Killer - Equip.” He said, holding Sakura’s hand tightly, knowing this was it as Zidine used the last of his strength to hand Mjolnir to Satoshi’s right hand as his left had the Shadow Sword, to which he sliced the Devil’s neck. “YOU f*ckING COWARD! BITCH!” The Devil screamed as Satoshi screamed in pain, ultimately switching the Shadow Sword with the Sword of Miracles, releasing its mystical blue-flamed blade to the Devil’s horror. “HE USED THE STATE OF BRAHMA TO NULLIFY IT?! WHAT A BASTARD!” The Devil thought to himself as Satoshi maintained his grip. “THIS IS FOR SAKURA! KULANA AND AKARIA! BURN IN THE FIRES OF HELL!” Satoshi screamed as he used the State of Brahman’s true power in tandem with the Shadow Sword, using Mjolnir and the Sword of Miracles with the mana of the Shadow Sword to slice the neck of the Devil as he hung on for dear life with the Devil coldly glaring at him, and mustering what strength he had to defy this final move from Sakura as he saw his wife and daughter, before sending Sakura away all those years ago. “Now isn’t the time for pity. This is your last chance at victory.” He said to himself as his eyes stared into the face of true vengeance in front of him as Satoshi never gave up wanting to kill him and upon landing the final slash, Satoshi smiled. “You, user of Kouyate’s weapon… are a true wretch.” The Devil said mockingly, to which Satoshi never relented. “Return… my daughter.” The Devil thought to himself as Satoshi used the full potency of the Sword of Miracles in this final blow, simultaneously killing the Devil, restoring all of Existence (by way of the Sword’s nature, causing all ten suns to shut down) and finally erasing his body from existence as he took a breath, realising that the Devil… was finally dead. “Die. Bastard.” Satoshi said as he fell to the ground in sadness. He had finally won… at the cost of everything, as Damian saw Sakura’s body waking up. “Sakura… thank you for loving me… farewell… my dear…” Damian said as that was his last… but as this occurred, he saw a phantom of his grandfather. A ghost? “Did… I do you proud? Have I lived to your expectations?” He asked as Sakura’s eyes turned to him and widened in sheer horror and shock. “Despite thy actions, you hath done me proud. Come, my boy… let redemption follow you home.” Anlawd said to his grandson as their souls held each other’s hands, disappearing into the realm above, flying together as Death took him like an old friend, to which Damien’s eyes flooded the last bit of tears before death as Sakura sensed him finally dying. “Goodbye and… I forgive you… Damian. I loved you as a friend.” Sakura’s final words were to him, barely able to get up as Satoshi himself got up, observing his surroundings. “Zidine!” Satoshi said as he was too late, Zidine’s body was now burned up… burned away as the final remnant of him that remained… was Mjolnir. Satoshi then held it as he sensed something was off about it, as his Shadow Sword had finally shattered itself, teleporting to the World of Darkness. “Sakura!” Satoshi said as Mjolnir’s last vestige of power, it appeared, was thus used to heal Sakura’s body whole by the full power of ᚢ Uruz as he hugged Sakura tightly, only to notice his Devil-bound allies were no longer devil-possessed. “Satoshi. Sakura. Thy mission is complete.” The Man (Minamoto no Yorimitsu) said as Wu looked at Sakura, realising that their time was finally up. “You have surpassed me. I do acknowledge that your master, Kouyate, was the ultimate Samurai and indeed my superior in his prime. But his death was inevitable due to old age and the fact that the Ponawan mayor betrayed him. Indeed if he was here… he would agree with my sentiment that you have finally, after all this time, surpassed me, that Damien and every swordsman of the past including Ferdinand in his ‘Transcendent Swordsman’ form. That is now undeniable. But know this. Even I failed Amane by not living to help him at his worst. Death will come to you at your worst and tragically… your doctor friend has likely long since died.” The Man said as Satoshi looked down in sadness. “So Damien is dead. The serial killer-rapist finally had justice catch up to him… but… at least his redemption in death is there.” Ferdinand said to Sakura who smiled reticently upon this being said, as they all sensed Danjong finally returning to life, unfreezing from the stone. “MY EYES!” Danjong screamed as Mjolnir also healed his eyes passively, and then stopped working as though it finally ran out of power to which Danjong ran over to his former allies, slightly blind in his right eye and having a literal universe in his left eye. “Your brother was insanely powerful. Even stronger than you.” Danjong said as Satoshi vehemently agreed. “Out of everyone here [living and dead]… he could likely beat us all especially in the 4th form of Elding and up. In the 7th, 8th and 9th form of Elding… all of us die in 2-3 hits.” Satoshi said calmly, as he stared at the remains of the Devil which was a few metres away from him. “Death will take you but as long as you die happy, then that is all.” Wu Zetian said as she turned to her granddaughter and grandson with regret in her eyes. ”Now then… its time we deal with him for good.” Satoshi said as Sakura used Alchemical Chain to bind the Devil’s body that Satoshi intentionally left behind as he walked over to it, using his full power genjutsu for the time as Satoshi saw the Devil’s soul; a chained and fake King, devoured in thunder and stalactites . "Now then... let's end this for Sakura and for Zidine. Akaria is already watching you burn... in the very domain you made your own. Your army lost thanks to the efforts of Zidine and the others. Just so you know... this is not your domain. I am now the King of Hell and Sakura... will be my Queen.” Satoshi calmly said, to which the Devil smiled. “Yea… even if she will die later.” The Devil said to him, smiling to himself. “You will die anyway too, boy.” He then said as Satoshi glared at him as he lit a cigarette and smiled, knowing this was the end of things, teleporting Sakura there. “Why don’t you speak to him?” Satoshi asked as she looked down and stared at her father.

"Now then... burn in the very fires you stoked." Satoshi coldly said as he walked away, puffing the cigarette and throwing it behind him as he walked away. The Devil looked annoyed as Sakura stared at him. “You know… I questioned why you murdered my mother in that illusion and helped me learn Enchantment. It was all to slay you at the end by riling me up emotionally, wasn’t it?” Sakura asked as the Devil nodded in slight disappointment. “You make me sick.” Sakura said as she slapped him with immense force. “Good. You’ve finally won.” The Devil said, laughing coldly to himself. “Akaria falls with me gone so good luck trying to salvage what is left. You truly are my successor even if for a short while. It also thus appears that thy necklace that I made for you will be… meaningless.” Sakura said as she summoned the Sword of Sigil’s Destruction. “Goodbye… Father. May we meet again.” Sakura said as she held the sword above her. “You really are just like your mother… a devil of kindness.” The Devil said as Sakura cut his head off, burning his soul as the flames from Satoshi’s cigarette engulfed his glowing red eyes. “Farewell… Queen of Hell.” The Devil said to himself as a tear fell down his wretched face, as Sakura walked away, forever changed and as the new Queen of Hell. "If you excuse me... I have your daughter to marry." Satoshi said coldly as he teleported away never to be seen again. With that, a white light devoured every one of the Devil-Possessed allies, only for Samantha to be teleported miraculously to Ferdinand, still holding her baby as she stared at Damien’s dead body. “Thanks, you serial killer-rapist… at least I can finally forgive you for giving me the chance to be a mother for these 3 months. I still don’t forgive you for what you did to Ferdinand but consider it a small act of kindness.” Samantha thought to herself as Ferdinand smiled at her softly. “You know, Gary Stu… I am glad we met even if it was under suspicious circ*mstances.” Samantha said to Ferdinand as she smiled at him, to which he shrugged his shoulders. “This isn’t goodbye. This is simply the end of our journey here.” Ferdinand said softly as Alfonso (their child) was also devoured in a white light of sorts. “I didn’t want to see you go. But now that I do… I loved you.” Samantha said as Ferdinand burst out laughing. “Te amo por todo la tiempo. Es eternal. Farewell… my Queen.” Ferdinand said as Satoshi and Sakura looked in sadness, realising that Ferdinand was right, deep down. “Yi Jing…I must say you produced two splendid… shinobi.” Ferdinand said as the Man stared at him, nodding peacefully alongside Wu. “HA! THE INTROVERT FINALLY SPEAKS!” Danjong sarcastically commented as everyone (literally) glared at him in disgust. “Satoshi… you have effectively surpassed us all. All us Emperors. Even the Man. But, I do have to ask… where is the Jade Emperor?” Xuanye asked as Emperor Wu stared at Satoshi with a peaceful smile. “Inside me. I… ate him.” Satoshi commented as Danjong quipped “We have a cannibal!” to which Sakura giggled slightly. “You ate him?!” Wu Zetian asked as Satoshi’s mouth forcibly opened, vomiting out a ball of light which became the Jade Emperor. “Now then… let us go up.” He said, snapping his fingers and forcing everyone to the World (where Akaria, etc was) to which Kulana’s bloodied body remained, sitting patiently as everyone felt absolute guilt, with Satoshi kneeling beside him. “Why?” Satoshi asked with clear self-hatred in his eyes… as his eyes glowed, time freezing completely as his Gem of Gabriel appeared in hand, revealing a far taller man, adorned with technology meeting a doctor who resembled Kulana, as Satoshi used his full strength to shatter the Gem, allowing its energies to simply go into the dust… only for it to return to his soul in an attempt to heal him. “At least he died fighting for what was right. Sacrifice is better than having the capacity to do the right thing but not doing it out of the satisfaction of self-induced eternality.” The Jade Emperor said as Satoshi got up and then stood up. “Looks like this is it.” Satoshi said, but unbeknownst to him, Ferdinand and Samantha locked lips, with their tears adorning their vision and to that Ferdinand disappeared in a beautiful white light as Samantha broke down crying, her hands on the ground as Sakura comforted her alongside Wu Zetian to which the Man smiled. “You did your Master proud there. As much as I despise you for killing me and being an international terrorist… the good has outshone the bad in a clear and true fashion of absolutist belief. But that is also the consequence of the war. Billions have died… along with those you love. It is the sacrifice of war.” The Man said as Sakura sat down with Sakura. “Remember what Kulana said. You still have my children. They are growing up. You can help raise them as if they were your own.” Sakura said as Samantha raised her body up from the ground slightly. “Ferdinand wouldn’t want this for you either. While I understand your trauma… we should get up and look to a brighter future and you must have faith that you will meet Ferdinand again.” Sakura said as Samantha said “BULLsh*t!” only for Wu Zetian to intervene. “You know… when I had Xuanye and Yi Jing’s mother, I was to have another child but he died in childbirth. I was deeply traumatised but my husband at the time (who later died in conflict) spoke a few words of wisdom: The loss of one thing will inevitably lead to the birth and finding of something new - and to that was my daughter. Just because you lost your child in death does not mean you cannot live. Live with a sense of pride that you got the chance to be a mother for a time of shortness. Not all babies get to live to see such a long time. I am grateful that I have my grandchildren here anyway. Live on and do not let ten-thousand things rue thy life in misfortune.” Wu herself spoke as Samantha looked guilty, as did Wu’s own grandchildren. “Really? Can I live on? Suicide isn’t something I should do?” She asked as Wu nodded in genuine disapprovement. “Think of what Kulana would want.” Wu herself spoke softly as Samantha’s tears were already devouring the ground, finally getting up and deciding to have funerals for Damien, Kulana, Ferdinand and Zidine in a short period of time. “Anyhow… it is time.” Yi Jing said to Satoshi and Sakura as they both smiled at her. “I am sorry for taking my own life back then. But you guys have truly shown yourselves as Black Crows. I am no longer needed. Farewell… my dear friends.” Yi Jing said as Xuanye snapped his fingers, healing Satoshi’s Cheng Ying as he smiled. “Where is Hajime?!” Yi Jing asked as the Jade Emperor pointed upwards, confirming that he disappeared on his own terms. “Now then… get the ultimate Sword, boy. It is time your ultimate self comes through.” The Jade Emperor said as all 10 Emperors (those who bore swords being 6 of them) allowing their swords’ full power, potential and traits to fuse into Satoshi’s “Cheng Ying” for good as the power of the Shadow Sword fused itself into Satoshi’s ring for good that was already completely annihilated. “Now then… let us go.” Minamoto no Yorimitsu said, shaking his former enemy’s hand with conviction as they all went away, finally at peace as Samantha accepted that she would live on for a while to see Sakura’s children grow. “Come. Danjong, Gyeongyhe and Gyeongsuk, back to the Purple Lane.” Sejong said as he bowed to the Jade Emperor, Sakura and Satoshi. “Wait. I have one more shot to use this. World Reconstruction Enchantment: Universe One!” Sakura thought to herself as she felt her soul being damaged, but still allowing herself to do this for the sake of Sejong and his family, releasing a bright light to burst forth from the earth and engulf all caught in its area of effect as the Purple Lane was restored with them hearing Baba Yaga’s familiar laughter from above. “COME!” She screamed, forcing her house to grab Sejong and his family, taking them away to their homes. “Now then… for the funerals.” Samantha said, wiping away her tears as Damien’s body was buried a day later alongside Kulana, Zidine and Ferdinand’s funerals. Every single person that knew Zidine best came: the Kingdom of Hesperia, the Brothers and all those who knew Zidine buried him with full honours as his hammer lay in front of his grave to which Satoshi simply spoke: “Stories. In the end, that’s all we’ll ever be. That’s all we’ll leave behind. Some tales told and retold down through time. The greatest of these are the ones that never die. The stories that stand immortal. Enthroned. The worthiest of all our many imaginings. These are the stories...of which gods are made. This has been the saga of King Thor. Long may he reign.” and as they said this, a black raven, Muminn (Memory) shat out a feather from its orifice with two wolves howling from separate mountains; as they all went, having mourned him therein as Peace was resolved at the cost of the entire Akarian continent being annihilated. Ferdinand’s funeral came with Satoshi, Sakura and the Jade Emperor comforting Samantha for hours; whereas Damien’s funeral was quiet as his shattered glasses lay in place of a wreath. As Satoshi went home and FINALLY SLEPT… he felt a mysterious presence befall him as though it was a dream. He appeared in a village, only to feel snow devouring his head as he felt cold, only to slowly shrug it off, as the lights looked at him and led him to a small village that was not nomadic, but seemingly… ancient. “Is this the original place where the Viking ship came from and where Zidine went back then?” Satoshi asked himself as the lights disappeared fully upon reaching a large hall where Satoshi saw tables full of drunken women and men, where the men bore big bellies, holding Zidine’s hammer as it was placed on his back. He then saw a mystical silver room, called Valaskjálf ("the Shelf of the Slain") which is one of Odin's Halls; a great dwelling built and roofed with pure silver, as he saw a man who tapped a beautiful staff which was golden in form with a tip in the middle, silencing all the ruckus. “Satoshi of Akaria and the former son of Thomas Harimatsu, come here.” The voice spoke with a booming roar as Satoshi immediately identified it as Zidine’s own. “Zidine?!” Satoshi asked, with actual amazement in his eyes as he saw Zidine who was a lot more aged. “This here throne of mine is the Hliðskjálf (literally meaning the high seat with an expansive view) that allows me to see into all realms as well as listen to them. This essentially grants me omniscience. I can see into all of existence.” Zidine said as he manifested the rune of Life in the form of ᛗ Mannaz (Human), which inevitably spread from this Dreamscape to the outskirts of Creation, casually remaking everything. “How did you die?” Satoshi asked as he fell to his knee in respect. “I died by using all the time stored within the power of Berserker Mode (30 minutes) and sacrificed it all in the form of the Lightning of Elding’s final form. But it got the job done.” Zidine casually explained as he commanded Satoshi to get up non-verbally. “I am no god. Nor am I a King of high renown from this moment henceforth. I am simply ruler of Valhalla… no… a King in Heaven.” Zidine said calmly and kindly… finally showing true humility. “Your fate is short. Time, zapped away from you. But you musn’t fret. Even in the darkest of moments… pray that thy fate is one of beauty and submission to the Most High. HE truly, above this and all stories thenceforth, is Most-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Zidine said as Satoshi smiled. “Thank you for being my Brother. Also… you dropped this.” Satoshi said, throwing Mjolnir at Zidine only for him to send it back flying at him. “Nay. It is yours in physicality. The gift. I also bear you with this.” Zidine said as he held a statue in his hand, resembling an entity with a locket around its neck. “Ice?” Satoshi asked to which Zidine laughed, causing every single universe to shake in fear. “No! Like I how read all myths, tales, legends and stories with mine eyes… this ice is the Severest Cold. I found it whilst fighting the Devil. It is ice that can freeze all things in existence which I gave to thy wife, and verily did she adore it so such that she kept it in her necklace. A gift from her Brother in-Law to thy wife of highest regard and sure renown in a place of mercy and guilt. I am not God, though. HE is superior. The one and only, unique. Incomparable. There is none like unto HIM. God. Allah. Shangdi in thy words. Even though I bear my true power as Alfadur, the supreme and unseen being in Norse mythology, Father of all, in Norse mythology, was the supreme god of Norse antiquity. But I am not God. HE is simply above me, you, and all beings even if I bear such omnipotence, it is contained to here alone [in the name of Heaven, Jannah, Valhalla, Fólkvangr, whatever you may ascribe. You wilt be my equal, no doubt in thy last transformation of the Enlightened Sage, as wilt Xiaoyu and Masaru. Platonism nor anything bound in language [such as Neoplatonism, philosophy or what have you] describeth me now but I have faith thy State of Brahman is a superior and wilt allow you, perhaps in thy form of base sure equality. Equality therein.” Zidine said as Satoshi held his gloves Járngreipr (Old Norse: [ˈjɑːrnˌɡrɛipz̠], "iron grippers") or Járnglófar ([ˈjɑːrnˌɡloːvɑz̠], "iron gauntlets" and Megingjörð (Old Norse: megingjǫrð [ˈmeɣenˌɡjɔrð], meaning "power-belt" only for Zidine to simply turn them to dust, knowing that he had no need for the hammer. “They are yours. Bless thyself with the highest heavenly equipment.” Zidine said as Satoshi was amazed. “Your wife is on the phone. It is time we cut our chat short.” Zidine said as he held a phone which had Hinata’s face as Sakura’s profile picture. “Too advanced. Anyhow, I shall spake my last: Those of Alfadur’s powers are the same attributes which the Mosaic economy ascribes to the "unspeakable," and which the Christian ascribes to the "only God," are found here also. He is creator and preserver of the universe; his breath is felt in all ages; his greatness is unsearchable; he has never shown himself to a mortal; and when his spirit comes upon the earth, he dwells in the shade of quiet, sacred woods. His will is over all, and everything is subject to his might. This supreme being, who existed before the world, and will exist eternally AND to end with the Prose Edda: "Gangleri began his questioning thus: ‘Who is the highest and most ancient of all gods?’ High said: ‘He is called All-father in our language, but in Old Asgard he had twelve names. One is All-father, the second Herran or Herian, the third Nikar or Hnikar, the fourth Nikuz or Hnikud, the fifth Fiolnir, the sixth Oski, the seventh Omi, the eighth Biflidi or Biflindi, the ninth Svidar, the tenth Svidrir, the eleventh Vidrir, the twelfth lalg or Ialk.’ Then Gangleri asked: ‘Where is this god, what power has he, and what great works has he performed?’ High said: ‘He lives throughout all ages and rules all his kingdom and governs all things great and small.’ Then spoke Just-as-high: ‘He made heaven and earth and the skies and everything in them.’ Then spoke Third: ‘But his greatest work is that he made man and gave him a soul that shall live and never perish though the body decay to dust or burn to ashes. And all men who are righteous shall live and dwell with him himself in the place called Gimle or Vingolf, but wicked men go to Hel and on to Niflhel; that is down in the ninth world.’ Then spoke Gangleri: ‘What was he doing before heaven and earth were made?’ Then High replied: ‘Then he was among the frost-giants.’" he spoke to which Satoshi smiled and shed a tear. “Also, become thy truest self as a Sage. You will indeed surpass me. I know it.” Zidine said with true humility in heart. “Power is not all. REMEMBER THAT!” Zidine spoke, laughing away to himself as he put on reading glasses to use his phone. “Farewell, Fawad. May our paths cross once more in the World Beyond Worlds.” Satoshi said as he disappeared. “Farewell, Abbas. May thy life be one of goodness and despite failure… it is often good to ne’er dwell on the past. Focus on the present thenceforth. Goodbye, boy.” Zidine said as Satoshi then woke up with a smile on his face. “Sakura… how are we?” Zidine asked as she bowed down quietly. “I hear you are having a child soon. Give me thy necklace.” Zidine said as Sakura genuinely looked astonished. “How the-?” to which he interrupted with “Its magic. I ain’t gotta explain sh*t” to her clear astonishment. “How did you even die considering your godlike powers?” Sakura asked as Zidine took a deep breath, which froze the entire universe. “I am no god. I am not a deity. I gained these powers through death. My destiny, if you will. I hath given thy husband the powers Mjolnir, Aegis and all the rest since his last Gift will come to him in the form of the Deva Path or the sixth realm. It is good to see you alive though. Who knew a devil like yourself would be so kind?” Zidine asked in a gravelly, elder-like voice despite clearly being 20. “Thank you for your kindness. But I do ask… what gift will you give me?” Sakura asked as Zidine smiled and held a statue in his hand, resembling an entity with a locket around its neck. “Now, this ice is the Severest Cold. I found it whilst fighting the Devil. It is ice that can freeze all things in existence. It wilt be locked within thy necklace’s front. Once ye have your final child… then the finale will ensue. Much like how your eyes can see the entire world and even this very universe whilst being that of the Moon. Your sacrifice will not go undone. The ice wilt be of all levels of Hell and thus thy end wilt be tragic but complete.” Zidine said as Sakura looked amazed. “Satoshi’s final Gifts will also reveal themselves fully. I am indeed powerful but can be surpassed.” Zidine said as Sakura smiled. “I am sorry for trapping you unknowingly.” Sakura said as Zidine simply laughed this off. “Yes. Thy children are cursed by way of the Shadow Sword and they shalt die young barring the first. However, they will be good.” Zidine said as Sakura looked sad, only to have a rune placed above her that calmed her emotions. “Go… and live for the year that you have left.” Zidine said, as he was now a transcendent entity who had surpassed the Devil fully, allowing Sakura to wake up and live the year she had left to live.

Powers and Abilities[]

Overall Skill Level: Whilst little is seen and known of his actual skill, according to those who lived long after him, he was regarded as a myth; and a legend in China and Japan. Even Kenjaku called him a truly immortal entity who had even surpassed Tengen herself in this aspect.

That said, back more than 2000 years ago, Tatsuryuu was the strongest sorcerer in all of China. More than living up to his title, Tatsuryuu himself possessed immeasurable amounts of cursed energy within his body due to the nature of the Soul Flame.

Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: While immensely powerful as a jujutsu sorcerer, Tatsuryuu could beat up an older Dhruv and fight somewhat on par in terms of hand-to-hand with Ashoka who was 71 years old.

Immense Strength: He, like Ashoka, was physically strong to destroy one of Dhruv's shikigami with his raw strength, something which no-one barring Yuta Okkotsu himself could do thousands of years later.

Immeasurable Speed: Whilst little is known of his speed, Tatsuryuu was said to be almost as fast as Ashoka himself by the man in question. He could also dodge Narakan Knives, a technique that both Ashoka himself and Dhruv described as beyond dodging entirely.

Immense Reflexes: He was also able to reflexively dodge each of an older Dhruv's attacks with minimal effort.

Immeasurable Durability: He was durable enough to tank both of Dhruv's Shikigami attacks with somewhat minimal effort, and could even survive attacks from the Vajra of Indra whilst Ashoka was using it, a weapon capable of easily annihilating an entire country as thunder poured from its every orifice. Kenjaku also described him as someone so durable that it would take a millennia in order to truly defeat him. He was also able to survive an encounter from Ashoka and live past the Heian era without any real damage to speak of.

Great Tactical Intellect: Tatsuryuu was an extremely intelligent man, being able to use his techniques and vision to see right through most opponents and adapt to them correspondingly.

He was also intelligent enough to see right through Dhruv's Shikigami, determining their actual purpose and then using that against Dhruv himself.

Jujutsu[]

Immeasurable Cursed Energy: Whilst his actual amount of cursed energy is unknown, according to Qin Shi Huang, it was though "Heaven and Earth had coursed through his very being".

Innate Technique 1

Zeus-Helios (Δίας-Ήλιος木星と太陽, Mokusei to taiyō) is Helios' innate technique. Helios (also named Zeus, Iuppiter, and Iovis) is the King of Heaven and the All, fathering our existence as we know it. He is the Celestial Demiurge, and as the Supreme Sovereign He is set over the whole order; singular in highest divinity; He is both the progenitor and the highest creator of all. His act of creation took place prior to the creation of time, and therefore creation is beyond the limits of time and is ultimately eternal; meaning the universe has no beginning or end in time. As our universe was created by Him, who is perfect, it was created perfect, and nothing may be added to it as that would be excess. All the cosmos, Intelligible, Intellective and Generation, are ruled by a sun represented in three Hypostases respectively, starting with Aion as the Transcendent Sun (Intelligible), Zeus-Helios as the invisible Celestial Sun (Intellective), and finally, the Visible Helios which acts as the Celestial Demiurge’s material body (Encosmic). Zeus is not merely the highest divinity of Hellenism, but He is the highest and most supreme divinity in the entire Cosmos. Underneath Zeus-Helios are other individual Gods, also created by Him, who aid in the ontological hierarchy of the universe by participating in His divine essence, not being His competitors but rather His assistants. Zeus-Helios is the God of creation and generation, the immaterial and material, the soldier and mystic, the simple and wise, the peasant and king, the mortals and Gods below Him. He is King of Olympus, Father of Gods and men, averter of evil. He is both a personal and impersonal God: a universal God who can still listen to and answer individual needs. Without the King of the Gods, practice and worship is not complete, for He is the one whom we naturally stretch out our hands towards when we turn to the heavens when we pray. If we have any notion at all of the divine, we turn heavenward. And it was very natural that men should feel this. Without Him, Hellenism is not complete. Hellenism is not Hellenism without the King of the Gods.

Light Manipulation (光の操作Χειρισμός φωτός, Cheirismós fotós) is Helios' innate technique. He can control light in the form of teleportation, spatial control or even time manipulation

True Form

The One (それ, Sore) is his true form. The One (Greek: Hen), which is also the Good (Greek: tou agathon), is the ultimate and true unknowable Godhead and reality. It has an utterly singularly unitary nature (Iamblichus De Mysteriis, VIII.2-3) as one of its most defining characteristics is the sum of all things in existence. The One is utterly immovable, abiding in the solitude of its own unity. Plato tells us that even to give it a name or speak of it places limiting labels and definitions, writing that “you cannot say that it ‘has’ anything or that there is anything ‘of’ it. Consequently, it cannot have a name or be spoken of, nor can there be any knowledge or perception or opinion of it. It is not named or spoken of, not an object of opinion or of knowledge, not perceived by any creature” (Plato Parmenides, 142a). This is because the One is not only the sum of everything, but transcends and lays beyond each thing as the ultimate source of the all, manifesting multiplicity through the overflowing emanation of its superabundant goodness (Uždavinys 2009, 27). It is without beginning or end, and is even beyond the Gods which manifest from it. It is also infrequently called God (Greek: Theos, Latin: Deus), but it is important to stress that the One is an apophatic God, existing wholly supra-essentially (Hyparxis) and completely beyond Being or Substance (hyperousios), thus existing completely within in a negative reality; and because of this it is not directly knowable. It can only really be understood, as little as it can, by negation, where one only speaks in terms of what may not be said about its perfectness. Damascius calls it the Unutterable Principle, or Árritos Arkhí (Ἄρρητος Ἀρχή), made out of the words árritos, meaning “that which cannot be expressed” or “not to be divulged,” and arkhí, meaning “beginning” (Damascius, De Princ., 123.2). Though the One is singular, it may paradoxically be best understood (as best as we can understand it, that is) triadically, “all contained within itself transcendentally and immanently throughout the realms and cosmos” (Theourgia.org Catechism, 2). These three moments of the One are the Ineffable One, the Simply One and the One-Being. Here the One in all of its ways exists beyond Being (On), beyond Life (Zoe), and beyond Mind (Noesis) (Theourgia.org Catechism, 2). These all derive from the One but the One is simultaneously beyond them, for “as the senses of the physical body cannot grasp nor even perceive the realities of the mind, as image cannot take hold in what is absolutely simple and shapeless, and as the bodily cannot approach the incorporeal so too is the mind incapable of gazing upon that which is beyond intellect and beings are to be found inferior to that which is infinitely prior to being” (Theourgia.org Catechism, 2).

Equipment[]

Cursed Tool
Sun Scepter is a sceptre that grants authority over the universe. It can also freeze time, alter reality and control the seasons.

Helena[]

"Why isn’t my beloved son, George, not the true King?! If Zidine wasn’t Helios’ favourite child, none of this would have happened! Getting rid of him will never work even with him knowing since he will inevitably come and return with an iron fist! Just because Helios loved him with true care and empathy gave him the inevitable reign of King whereas his despising of me forced nothing more than hatred and vitriol on both sides. If only George was older… then maybe he would have become King."

— Helena regarding Zidine

Brotherhood of Serpents[]

Zidine’s mother, Helena, the once Queen and now Grand Princess stood coldly in her throne room, sitting in the throne that once belonged to her beloved husband… and that which should have belonged to her true bloodline. “Why isn’t my beloved son, George, not the true King?! If Zidine wasn’t Helios’ favourite child, none of this would have happened! Getting rid of him will never work even with him knowing since he will inevitably come and return with an iron fist! Just because Helios loved him with true care and empathy gave him the inevitable reign of King whereas his despising of me forced nothing more than hatred and vitriol on both sides. If only George was older… then maybe he would have become King.” She thought to herself with rage and sadness clashing in her hardened and rock-hard eyes and heart only to see a passenger pigeon flying into her castle with a letter in its talons, dropping it in her cold-blooded hands and then flying away faster than she could react as the seal had a familiar crest of two smaller snakes and one big snake behind them, resembling the staff of Asclepius. Opening the letter frantically, she saw its contents where it read: “The Great Serpents have authorised your request of Zidine falling in the shortest of time. George shall be King of Hesperia soon, and in return, Hesperia will meet every desire of the Great Serpents.' and upon reading this, tears dripped down her face and cheeks, warming her cold-blooded heart briefly as she smiled calmly, finally realising that her dreams of seeing Zidine falling and grovelling to her knees would be real. “Your Majesty, what is the news concerning?” Hadeil, her favourite general who bore a Roman-esque helmet, asked as she smiled. “Nothing more than a confirmation of George’s inevitable ascendance. What must I do to speed this up?” She asked to which Hadeil scratched his chin. “Write the boy a letter of confidence and confirmation henceforth to make George the Minister of Defence, that way, the army will swear loyalty to George due to a loophole in the law which cannot be reprimanded or changed and upon even stepping foot into Hesperia… he will find himself murdered or castrated by the way of our spears.” He casually suggested, knowing that she would willingly agree to do so, sacrificing her “son” for her “first-born”. 1 hour later, Zidine found himself sitting at his table, witnessing a letter that said: “Dear Zidine, please may you make a suggestion of the highest order? Make George, your beloved brother, the Minister of Defence henceforth and give him the rightful rank he is verily willing to deserve and adapt to his mind of growing temperament?” to which he read and smiled, responding with a simple “Yes”, sending this back to her to which she smiled peacefully upon hearing this. “It is done.” She spoke to a voice on the other side which had no visible caller ID and was simply listed as Unknown Number with a mystical snake with purple eyes as its profile picture.

“Ok. I need to go now.” Zidine said bluntly, walking out of the room for the briefest of moments, only to see a letter outside the room which was written by Helena: “Please, can our beloved George become the Lord of the Realm as Minister of Defence and thus Controller of the National Bank? It will be a great opportunity for him to gather kingly wisdom as your beloved Father did want.

Yours faithfully,

Helena, Grand Princess of Hesperia” to which Zidine signed back with “Yes, under the condition that he gains the highest tutelage”, with him now being on guard.

Helena watched from her kingdom, letting George sit on his father’s throne with a golden sceptre in his hand. “This here staff will allow you to control the ways of the Sun [in its warmth and heat]! You resemble your father in every way!” Helena said, doting cheerfully on her son as she heard a thunderbolt grace the kingdom. “Remember, this is not my last.” It spoke to her, and to her alone as her terror was covered by her love for her son.

Now in the morning, Zidine’s mother, Helena, the once Queen and now Grand Princess stood coldly in her throne room, watching greedily as George, her beloved son, was going to become King. She thought she was going to win everything. As she was about to land the crown on her son… a red thunderbolt could be seen in the distance. She knew her worst nightmare was coming. This was Fate itself coming and giving a huge middle finger. “RELEASE ALL OF THE ARMY!” Helena screamed as Hadeil was himself disheartened, questioning just how bad things were going to become. If only he knew…

Zidine had appeared in the form of a thunderbolt as dark shadows surrounded his vision. “Is this the thanks you give for me being so kind?” Zidine asked to which the shadows were silent, unnervingly so as they had their spears out with some even having revolvers ready for this threat. “You will die, Zidine, son of Helios!” Many soldiers as he released two blades from his hands which moved on the ground, causing a huge sound, the clanging doing some slight damage. “I warn you… this will be your undoing.” Zidine said coldly as each of the soldiers were absolutely terrified of even going near him but they had no choice. Their loyalty to the Queen and their lives were at stake as they had no choice but to attack. “DIE!” One soldier screamed as Zidine quickly used the Blades of Demphaus to grab his arms and forcibly pull him towards himself as the soldier couldn’t even scream. Upon getting near Zidine’s presence, he saw the demon that was; that demon Zidine became because of the woman that was Helena. “Look into my eyes.” Zidine asked as his glowing red eye stared into the soldier’s soul, to which the soldier screamed, ultimately having his arms snapped and crushed into the ground allowing him to then fight without mercy as every single soldier knew that they had to summon what appeared to be shields in order to protect themselves. “How regrettable.” Zidine said as he knew this wouldn’t end well whatsoever with her then spinning around using the Blades, causing numerous shields to be sent flying upwards as all the soldiers a glowing red spark of lightning. Screams devoured their ranks as Zidine smiled menacingly; laughter boomed through the entire area with him using the Blades of Demphaus to grab soldiers’ legs, dodging a few of their attacks, using his elbows, legs and hands to do far more damage than anyone was expecting with the soldiers continuing to attack. “Chaotic Spin.” Zidine said, using the Blades to damage the ground and attacking several soldiers simultaneously as one of the soldiers had one of the blades within their mouths with this being used against them, being sent flying towards Zidine as his other blade was used to send another flying away, combining that with red lightning being used to utterly incinerate other soldiers. As their own comrades observed their fellow soldiers being utterly erased, they were themselves too late to prevent their own demise since they had their necks snapped, suffering from being choked by way of the chains. “Leaving you alive will be good but… sending a message to our beloved Mother is needed.” Zidine said to them all with them all continuing to attack him only for Zidine to summon a red orb above him. “Second Form of the Lightning Of Elding: Vortex of Death.” Zidine said, causing wind to slowly erupt like a volcano from underground as the soldiers slowly felt their lives whisk away; causing some of the soldiers who weren't affected to look horrified. “This is the Queen's boy? Why is he a demon?!” One of the soldiers asked, seeing just how terrifying this being was. Zidine's eyes continued to glow. “I often find that death… is not often the best recourse.” Zidine thought to himself as the red orb exploded, causing lightning to devour every single soldier in the nearest vicinity as their eyes were beginning to fire out of their faces; nerves and neurons simply began no longer firing. Death became the norm here… with Zidine simply moving forward. Having no empathy for anyone who supported his mother. He knew that she would inevitably rue the day she would make his younger brother queen over his kindness. He knew that he had no choice but to allow blood to devour the countryside of Hesperia as he continued to use his Blades as a means of attack and defence. “FIRE THE REVOLVERS!” A burlesque soldier spoke as though he came from the American Civil War as multiple soldiers now began to ensnare and surround him. “Forgive me…” Zidine said as he immediately began to go ballistic and start to ionise the very air, touching it with his fingers, causing many a soldier’s head to explode as their eye sockets were visible, allowing him to wrap the Blades of Demphaus around one; ensnare a second with his godlike grip and then elbow a third whilst pulling them all in, flying them about and then crushing them into the floor. “You children are weak.” Zidine then said, catching a bullet in his hand from some of the soldiers, electrocuting it, twisting it around his hands and sending it back to the soldier that initially fired it, allowing him to run through the rest of the soldiers like butter, firing thunder at all of them. “RUN! RETREAT! REPORT BACK TO LORD HADEIL!” The soldier Hadrian screamed, causing the remaining few hundred who weren’t yet targeted by Zidine’s demonic eyes to begin. “Let’s-!” One of the surviving soldiers screamed who was crawling in absolute fear only to be grabbed from the scruff of his neck. “Run? No… I think its time we send Helena a message. Don’t you? ” Zidine said, retracting his blades and summoning Mjolnir which appeared from the sky. “W-what are you doing?!” The soldier screamed as Zidine coldly smiled. “Sending a message. Just not by letter or animal.” He said, using the Second Form of the Lightning of Elding to send the frightened soldier upwards, allowing him to jump up and slam his hammer into the soldier’s chest. “PLEASE! DON-!” The soldier screamed as Helena herself saw a bloodied helmet appearing on the red carpet of the Palace. “Who did this?” Helena asked Hadeil who looked genuinely annoyed. “Madam…. I suggest you take a good look outside.” Hadeil said, with which she saw an absolute nightmare. Red thunderbolts, skeletons, bones and a sea of blood devoured the entirety of the countryside as she saw numerous soldiers being ensnared in golden chains. “Request George to use the Scepter to annihilate Zidine from long range!” Helena screamed as Hadeil immediately made this request. “Why is Brother always so prudent in his revenge-based desire?” George asked his mother, still naive and completely under his mother’s thumb; with him using the sceptre to force the sky to become golden. Zidine, on the other hand, looked quite amazed as the soldiers that tried to run away (50 in total) were ensnared as Helena saw. “Why are you doing this?! I thought you were the mighty Helios’ son! The most powerful man in the West!” A soldier asked, who was clearly Zidine’s own age with a revolver on his side, holstered with what appeared to be bullets that had a sun symbol on them. “Well, you see… when you have a mother who is controlling, conniving, manipulative and an outright ass… you tend not to see things in the brightest way. And even with such power… not all forms of darkness can be quelled with ability alone.” Zidine said, sensing something was awry, with him looking at the sky which turned a beautiful golden hue. “What is that?!” The same soldier screamed as Zidine looked down at them. “My apologies… but it appears that you are going to be sacrificed…” Zidine said; his own Berserker Mode eating away at his soul with red lightning coursing out of every orifice of his being. “... like pigs for slaughter. That is what my mother saw you as… but alas… you were blind to a woman who was never loyal to you in the first place.” Zidine said as he turned around, seemingly unable to watch as the soldiers begged him for mercy with the beams of light from the sky eviscerating their mortal shells, leaving only ash and solar bullets which inevitably dissolved into dust. In an instant, Zidine’s neck snapped sidewards, his eyes locked on to his former castle, staring eye-to-eye with Helena for the first time in years. His eyes narrowed briefly as a red lightning bolt was heard within the castle.

He appeared within the domain of King George for the first time in years as he reminded himself of Helios' death. "Zidine, you come? Why must be your first appearance so shallow and cold?" Helena said as Zidine remained silent. "If I were you, I wouldn't talk so casually." Hadeil said, stopping any words from Zidine's mouth. "Why ask such a foolish question, Mother? Be struck with a sure semblance of kindness and respect that I even bestow thee with such a title of renown." Zidine spoke as Helena's once beautiful eyes became marred with scorn. "Why did you come and storm your way through the country?" Helena asked as Zidine turned to look at her. "I merely did so to send a message. But it appears that... it came loud and clear." Zidine said, staring at the helmet that once belonged to a soldier he had "slain". "You murdered thousands of my soldiers!" Hadeil screamed in utter outrage as he pointed his spear to Zidines throat, only for him to point a finger directly at the tip of the spear, as if to provoke him with unspoken threats. "Yes. I do apologise for doing such a thing, Lord Hadeil. But we both know that the only reason why you are in such a high position is simply because of corruption related to the Brotherhood of the Serpent before this damn debacle happened with King George for you were crowned as his protector, bound by a lifelong vow of servitude. Am I incorrect in my truths? Or is that simply a false narrative shoved down my throat by the one who you call Queen? Irrespective of such facts, your loyalty is more misplaced than a babe's lost pacifier." Zidine spoke. As this was being said by the lips of the traitor, the general's eyes narrowed with slight concern and visible outrage. It appeared that his words had great effect. Paralysis stung his heart and soul. "Damn traitor. How dare you refer to me as a baby." Hadeil said with disgust as Zidine smiled. "Considering your misplaced loyalty towards her... and your apparent desire to constantly be near her... then it is clear my assumptions are correct." Zidine said to which Hadeil gritted his teeth. "How dare ye speak so callously against me and the Queen!" He spoke with outrage in his words, immediately readying himself in a fighting stance. "So I am correct?" Zidine asked to which Hadeil knew he was right as Helena was visibly annoyed by this. "A third I know: if sore need should come of a spell to stay my foes; when I sing that song, which shall blunt their swords, nor their weapons nor staves can wound." Zidine spoke as Helena was horrified. "As much as I would like to deal with you further... I wouldn't want Mother over there to be traumatised would I?" Zidine asked as Hadeil looked absolutely terrified with Zidine then turning to look at George. "I won't let you control him any furth-! GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!" George screamed, holding onto his sceptre for dear life as Zidine’s eyes softened ever so slightly as though he stretched a hand out of Mercy and kindness. "Please, George... do not attack me." Zidine spoke to him to which George's eyes looked at him with visible rage. "MOTHER, GET HIM AWAY FROM ME AT ONCE!" George continued to scream as Zidine continued to walk towards him and as soon as he got close enough for the sceptre to do damage, he stood there and let the sceptre stab him. "I don't want to fight you George. You are under Mother's control. While I cannot forgive you for banishing me once last year... I will allow you the chance to kill me if you so desire. Right here. Right now." Zidine said; his hubris thus having become deceased. "Leave at once, Zidine." Helena said as Zidine turned to look at the woman he once called Mother. "Very well. I will leave. But, I warn you, Princess of the Serpents... if you dare think of harming me or my brethren in any way... your death will be swifter and slower than the wind and an elder lady. Your suffering will be magnified. I will show you true abuse. We have learned of Śatanika. He is a wretched king. We will watch him squirm. This will not be my last." He then continued to say as Helena's eyes widened slightly in shock, as if to question how he knew the leader of the Brotherhood. "You don't know? Does betrayal run in the clandestine family or something?" Zidine asked as Helena coldly retorted with "If you run your mouth any longer, I wilt have you fully eviscerated out of this kingdom and blood spayed from your slicèd tongue and feed it to the cows. I suggest you leave at once." as Zidine remained calm. He knew that everything had went accordingly. "Make me, loathsome mother." He coldly spoke as Helena looked aghast. This was not something she expected at all. This wasn't... something she predicted. "You wretched boy. The Brotherhood of the Serpent has won anyhow. Time is up." She spoke as Helena had Hadeil stab her hands briefly with the spear, releasing a small amount of blood, ultimately revealing... Two snake eyes. "Even so... I will be back. And when the time, I will restore the title which you besmirched. This will not be my last." Zidine said coldly, finally disappearing in a flash of red lightning as George's eyes looked terrified only for Helena and Hadeil to calm the boy down.

1 year later[]

“So… Zidine is back… and has murdered Fenrir.” Helena said to George who stared at her in deep shock. “My boy… I love you so.” She said to her son, with rage and sadness clashing in her hardened and rock-hard eyes and heart only to look out to the outskirts of the city as she saw two goats flying in the sky above. “So he has truly returned. That bastardised Berserker. No matter… when I am through with him… he will learn who the rightful monarch of this damned place is.” She thought to herself, staring at George who had now had his father’s crown and sceptre fully manifested. Tears dripped down her face and cheeks, warming her cold-blooded heart briefly as she smiled calmly, finally realising that her dreams of seeing Zidine falling and grovelling to her knees would be real. “Your Majesty, what is the news concerning?” Hadeil, her favourite general who bore a Roman-esque helmet, asked as she smiled. “To speed this up, upon even stepping foot into Hesperia… he will find himself murdered or castrated by the way of our spears.” He casually suggested, knowing that she would willingly agree to do so, sacrificing her “son” for her “first-born”. Little did Zidine know however… that the next creature he would face… would test his strength absolutely.

Zidine flew into Greece and upon riding there, he saw an old man who had a very shaggy beard and looked as ugly as sin, whilst also seeing a statue of a man who was heavily clad and well-built. Was this a god? “There is a beast you must slay. He is Typhon. Typhoeus was a winged giant, said to be so huge that his head brushed the stars. He was man-shaped from the waist up with two coiled serpents in place of legs. He had a hundred serpent-heads for fingers, a filthy, matted beard, pointed ears, and eyes flashing fire. According to some he had two hundred hands consisting of fifty serpent-headed fingers on each hands and a hundred heads proper--one was human, the other ninety-nine bestial (of bulls, boars, serpents, lions and leopards). As a volcano-demon Typhoeus hurled red-hot rocks at heaven and fire boiled forth from his mouth. TYPHON or TYPHOEUS (Tuphaôn, Tuphôeus, Tuphôs), a monster of the primitive world, is described sometimes as a destructive hurricane, and sometimes as a fire-breathing giant. According to Homer (Il. ii. 782; comp. Strab. xiii. p. 929) he was concealed in the country of the Arimi in the earth, which was lashed by Zeus with flashes of lightning. In Hesiod Typhaon and Typhoeus are two distinct beings. Typhaon there is a son of Typhoeus (Theog. 869), and a fearful hurricane, who by Echidna became the father of the dog Orthus, Cerberus, the Lernaean hydra, Chimaera, and the Sphynx. (Theog. 306; comp. Apollod. ii. 3. § 1, iii. 5. § 8.) Notwithstanding the confusion of the two beings in later writers, the original meaning of Typhaon was preserved in ordinary life. (Aristoph. Ran. 845; Plin. H. N. ii. 48.) Typhoeus, on the other hand, is described as the youngest son of Tartarus and Gaea, or of Hera alone, because she was indignant at Zeus having given birth to Athena. Typhoeus is described as a monster with a hundred heads, fearful eyes, and terrible voices (Pind. Pyth. i. 31, viii. 21, Ol. iv. 12); he wanted to acquire the sovereignty of gods and men, but was subdued, after a fearful struggle, by Zeus, with a thunderbolt. (Hes. Theog. 821, &c.) He begot the winds, whence he is also called the father of the Harpies (Val. Flacc. iv. 428), but the beneficent winds Notus, Boreas, Argestes, and Zephyrus, were not his sons. (Hes. Theog. 869, &c.) Aeschylus and Pindar describe him as living in a Cilician cave. (Pind. Pyth. viii. 21; comp. the different ideas in Apollon. Rhod. ii. 1210, &c., and Herod. iii. 5.) He is further said to have at one time been engaged in a struggle with all the immortals, and to have been killed by Zeus with a flash of lightning; he was buried in Tartarus under Mount Aetna, the workshop of Hephaestus. (Ov. Her. xv. 11, Fast. iv. 491; Aeschyl. Prom. 351, &c.; Pind. Pyth. i. 29, &c.) The later poets frequently connect Typhoeus with Egypt, and the gods, it is said, when unable to hold out against him, fled to Egypt, where, from fear, they metamorphosed themselves into animals, with the exception of Zeus and Athena. (Anton. Lib. 28; Hygin. Poet. Astr. ii. 28; Ov. Met. v. 321, &c.; comp. Apollod. i. 6. § 3; Ov. Fast. ii. 461; Horat. Carm. iii. 4. 53.)” The man explained as Zidine looked sceptical only for his eye to activate; seeing an event from the Past and the Future in the same form. “You bear the power of Zeus, no?” The man asked as Zidine nodded in response, yet he was beckoned to walk with him. Upon doing so silently for a few minutes, they were in a mysterious building that was simply called the Acropolis. “We are in Athens?” Zidine asked to which the man simply nodded. “No, we are in the Acropolis. An ancient marvel where, here, the past meets the future.” The man simply said, to which many beings appeared. The entire Greek Pantheon barring Zeus himself. “Thy father is perched and frozen, for he is not thus petrified in any form of a non-redemptive or glory-bound status therein and at the behest of thy mother of madness in any form of sacrificial love that was false betwixt the two; laypersons called it love but it was glory.” The elder explained as every single Greek God appeared. “Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Poseidon, Zeus, Amphitrite, Hades, Hebe, Heracles, Hestia, Pan, Persephone, Hermathena, Talos” The man spoke as they all looked at Zidine with no hint of malice. “You are our rightful successor, boy.” Ares said, blood and guts sported upon his very bosom as Zidine stared at him. “Here are creatures… Echidna… and the groups of Algea, Anemoi, Charities, Dioscuri, Erinyes, Erotes, Horae, Muses, Oneiroi, Moirai, the Amphillogiai, the Androktasiai, the Arai, the Hysminai, the Keres, the Korybantes/Kouretes, the Litae, the Maniae, the Machai/Machae/Makhai, the Neikea, the Palici, the Phonoi, the Pleyades and finally the Telchines.” The elder explained, to which Zidine was slightly surprised. “There is still one more I mentioned earlier. Typhon.” The man said as Hera glared at him. She was a majestic woman at a mature age, with a beautiful forehead, large and widely opened eyes, and with a grave expression commanding reverence. Her hair was adorned with a crown or a diadem. A veil frequently hangs down the back of her head, to characterise her as the bride of Zeus, and, in fact, the diadem, veil, sceptre, and peaco*ck are her ordinary attributes. “Your mother broke the vow she made with your father, Helios. She defiled the vow by having you murder him.” Hera explained as Zidine looked in sheer terror. “SHE DID WHAT?!” Zidine screamed in outrage, to which Hera calmly smiled; perhaps a nod to her true allegiance. “Yes. She had your father murdered by you fighting him. A wretched whor* even in comparison to myself.” Hera explained to which Zidine glared at her in absolute disgust. “That fiend.” Zidine said to which Ares said “All is fair is love and war”. Yet still, this was not enough to quell the young man’s rage. “Art thou Zidine of Helios? The warrior who murdered him at a young age? Helios, the strongest of us all. He could move the sun with a wave of his hand.” Heracles stated boldly as Zidine stared at his father’s statue in disdain towards himself. He stared at his hands. “Am I worthy of completing the final Labour?” Zidine asked with sadness, touching his head with his hands, only for Heracles to see Mjolnir within Zidine’s side. “Thou art a bearer of Jove. Helios spoke of the Orphic Hymns. All the stars in the sky bowed to him, much like how Hera made a galaxy by her breast milk. You are his son. You must kill your mother.” Heracles said as Zidine looked deeply conflicted. Yes, on the one hand, he wanted her dead for the sake of manipulation and lies… but at the same time, he didn’t want to leave George an orphan who bore power over many nations. “I can’t. Killing her would only make George a desperate power-hungry fiend. I need to find some way to do it without conflict.” Zidine said as the gods stared at him in visible disbelief. “You have to end her physically! Leaving her alive is a bad idea… if she gets wind of this… she shall release the mother of all evils unto this world once more.” Heracles stated, glaring at Hera as he said this, reminding himself of when he murdered his family because of her. “You blame me even though it was you who fell into a bout of insanity.” Hera said coldly, to which Zidine stared at her. He felt Berserker Mode coursing through him in that moment but he didn’t, because he knew that he would likely be outmatched even with Zeus’ thunderbolts. “HOW COULD YOU TELL ME THAT MY “DEAR MOTHER” ORCHESTRATED ALL TH-!” Zidine screamed as Hera also made an infinite noise resound through the air, to restrain the wrath of Zidine’s fiery power, to which he stared at his hands. “You have a choice, boy. You and I both know that your mother sits on a throne of lies.” Hera then explained from her mighty throne, all prevail’d as one who could end the universe with her control of the wind. “Mother is right.” Hephaestus said regrettably, his anvil bearing unquenching fire. “You must kill your mother. She took everything from you. Controlled you. Manipulated you. Your brother is likely her servant. But even so… before you defeat her… there is something you must do.” He said, pointing to a mountain a few metres away from them. “Destroy thy illusion.” Poseidon spoke, slamming his trident and submerging the entirety of Greece in a flood that was thus contained to the Acropolis alone as Zidine felt himself drowning. “Thy runes see not the truth, even if your eye is all-seeing boy.” Poseidon said menacingly as thunder struck the Acropolis. “Ay. Your brother has my bow. And Artemis’ hunting wits. As fast as Helios he is too. Speed means nothing. He can cause disease, hit accurately. He even hit a bull three cities away whilst staring at a needle. Don’t forget the Scepter of Helios, that can cast a blanket of solar sparks across the heavens.” Apollo said as Zidine looked at them all, realising what this meant. “You must fight us before you fight Typhon. What you stand on is Olympos. Mount Olympus in Roman sources is not only a mountain, but also a place or a realm of Jupiter, which exists somewhere outside and beyond the physical (or immanent) universe. That said, Typhon is far too powerful for your current state. Think of it like a video game. Your current base self wilt be amplified considerably. But it is still your base. I think and can say with certainty, that you can perhaps destroy mountains and even the boundless earth and boundless sea with the power of your hammer, physicality and thy thunderbolts. Even Chaos feels your might. For a month, you will train… but in truth, a mere hour will pass by. Time will stop. You will fight in zero time where we are outside of the universe, so you can hold back no longer as the concept of space, time or whatever you may say has no sway. But… anything resembling your thunderbolts or hammer in a physical clash wilt cause earthly reverberations such as earthquakes or splitting the sky. Understood?” Apollo asked as Zidine readied himself. “Orphic Hymns wilt be sung alongside the Homeric counterparts, as both an amplifier of boundless magnitude and strength as well as a way for you to gain thy knowledge in a non-oracular manner. With the base of mathematical institution: 12 in 30 is 2 and a half days each.” Apollo said as Zidine smiled, ready to give it everything he had.

Now the Forms have a couple of distinct properties.

1. Perfect: Forms are always the ultimate instantiation of goodness, there's a Form of Justice, but not a Form of Injustice. Injustice in the physical world is a result of people's failure to adhere to the Form of Justice.
2. Immutable: Forms are eternal and can't be created, changed or destroyed.
3. Transcendent: Forms are aspatial and atemporal, so it's impossible for anything in the physical world to interact with them.

Thinking a bit about these properties, you'll realize that they're rather inflexible. A Form can't be destroyed. This is not a matter of "we're just not powerful enough, but maybe something in fiction is." No, they're absolutely indestructible, in the same sense an omnipotent would be indestructible. If something can be destroyed, then it's by definition not a Form. There also exists another type of Form called Jungian Archetypes: Jungian Archetypes is an explanation for what he classified as the 12 different archetypes found across all cultures and hence attributed to a universal (human) unconscious. These are supposedly unlearned and hereditary ideas that inspires us and gives us purpose. These are the: Ruler, Artist, Sage, Innocent, Explorer, Rebel, Hero, Magician, Jester, Everyman, Lover, and Caregiver. By not beating me, you will lose any true chance of doing anything to Typhon.” Athena explained only for the power of Berserker Mode to spur him on. “Silence yourself.” She spoke, shutting down the power on the conceptual level to Zidine’s horror as Demeter came and froze him in ice only for a rune to appear in the air and unfreeze Mjolnir, allowing Zidine the chance to strike Demeter, to which she fell, thus causing Hesperia’s crops to desist and cease, forcing Helena into a terrible decision. “We must use the Scepter.” She said to George who did so, pointing it at the sky and stopping the temporal flow of the elements, reverting them to a state of peace with Helena looking on in sheer anger and annoyance at the fact that Zidine caused this. Upon Demeter’s “death”... Zidine spoke “ I know an eighth spell; it would be useful for anyone to learn it. When hate arises between any two people, I can cool their tempers” and beat Dionysus without any effort. “Know that thy mother is likely controlling Hesperia by way of the staff that thy Father left behind for his future reigning monarch who was to be you.” Demeter explained as Hephaestus finally appeared from his forge of Olympus (despite it being destroyed) and readied himself for battle.

“Farewell.” Zidine coldly said as he bashed the mountain, crushing Typhon’s very soul and concept. “RELEASE PANDORA’S BOX!” Helena screamed, to which she smiled, realising everything was going to plan, even if Typhon and Gaea died.

With that, Zidine, heavily injured, used Mjolnir’s full power to heal himself and then teleported himself over to Abram.

The present

“Let us go to Hesperia…” Zidine spake as Abram looked down. “There’s something I must tell you. I suggest we take a month off… so the truth can consume you well and good.” Abram said as Zidine glanced at him, teleporting Sköll (Old Norse: Skǫll, "Treachery" or "Mockery") and Hati Hróðvitnisson over to himself, turned them into goats with his thoughts. “What?!” Abram asked with clear shock, if not a fraction of disdain sprinkled within his voice.

"Thor has two goats, by name Tangnjost and Tangrisner, and a chariot, wherein he drives. The goats draw the chariot; wherefore he is called Oku-Thor." In the Prose Edda's Gylfa*ginning - "Thor tarried there overnight; and in the interval before day he rose up and clothed himself, took the hammer Mjöllnir, swung it up, and hallowed the goat-hides; straightway the he-goats rose up, and then one of them was lame in a hind leg. Thor discovered this, and declared that the husbandman or his household could not have dealt wisely with the bones of the goat: be knew that the thighbone was broken.” Zidine asked as he was taken upon a chariot. “To Greece we go… Hesperia is ours for the taking soon.” Abram said as they flew. Unbeknownst to them, Helena, their mother of blood, watched them from below. In a day, Zidine and Abram flew into Greece and upon riding there, he saw an old man who had a very shaggy beard and looked as ugly as sin, whilst also seeing a statue of a man who was heavily clad and well-built. “Who is that?!” Abram as the elder man smiled at Zidine. “Thank you for saving me. I will take him. Speak to the statue and all wilt be revealed.” The old man said kindly, as there were several burn marks on his clothing, arms, legs, hands and face, taking Abram into the Acropolis.

The Chat with the Man Long Since Gone[]

The statue that Zidine once saw became animated. “Zidine?” The statue spoke to his horror, immediately recognising the voice, did he. “Father?” Zidine asked as the sun shone on the two, for King Helios stood over his dear boy and climbed down. “Zidine, how are you?” King Helios asked as he looked deeply saddened, his feelings ruminating with deep confusion. “Mother betrayed me and hath-!” Zidine was about to say only for Helios to smile. “I know. She broke our vow when married. There is more I must give, boy. I suspect Helena is scheming against ye by using George as a medium.

Your mother was the embodiment of beauty once, Helena of Troy. Thus, I speak:

Beauty & Love are two concepts that are frequently tied together in the dialogues as the basis of much of Platonism. They serve as important, driving theological and theurgic factors. Beauty and Love are ultimately a gateway & key respectively, which when combined leads us on the path of achieving union with the divine.

“You must humble thy brother… redeem him. If you don’t kill him, then you have done me proud. Truthfully, no matter my power, I was unable to see the darkness that Helena had. No matter how perfect her beauty was, she had truly miserable intentions and as such, got pregnant with George as the second-born child. As a result, she was deeply hating of me and you, by extension and because of this, she never forgave you for your sheer existence. Thus, killing her could be a goal but redemption of one of them is genuinely necessary.” Helios said as Zidine glanced at him. “So I really do have no choice, huh?” Zidine asked as Helios nodded disapprovingly. “Yea. I shalt train thee with no regrets.” Helios said as he laughed, creating a huge boom that shattered the entirety of Greece. “What is Hesperia?” Zidine asked to which Helios calmly responded with “Hesperia is a kingdom… that of Norway mixed with Greece… Greco-Roman architecture and capacities, hence the Roman soldiers within the Royals’ ranks. It was thus formed away from Akaria’s control some thousands of years ago in the early 10th century since Akaria is thus older.” Helios explained, teleporting Abram, himself and Zidine onto Olympus. Zidine instinctively grabbed Mjolnir and fought Helios who barely lifted a finger, sending him flying back. “You beat Typhon but ye cannot even graze a finger of mine?” Helios asked as sunlight shot from his finger, leading to Zidine to use Mjolnir to dodge it. “I am the bearer of Tablets of Phanes: Oracular tablets written by the primordial god Phanes that describe the fate of the cosmos and the movements of the universe, kept by Helios and the Aureole: The shining crown which you were going to inherit.” Helios explained as he summoned an egg so bright that neither Zidine nor Abram could bear witness to it only for Zidine to howl, summoning Fenrir and his children. “A pet wolf? How mighty.” Helios said, laughing softly, ultimately grabbing Fenrir’s back and burning him up with one hit, ultimately having his light-based attack reflected by the Aegis.

Abram sat in the blood of the dragon he slew, giving him complete invulnerability to all dragons outside of this World and the ability to fully damage Dragons yet thus he could lose to those of ancient times, including Typhon and his ancestors therein! “The thing I wanted to say earlier… is that I… am your brother… and Helena’s son.” Abram said, to Zidine’s visible shock, however they steadied themselves. “No matter.” Zidine said bluntly as Helios laughed, causing the entirety of Chaos to tremble.

“Now then… it is time for you two to leave and complete thy destiny.” Helios said. Zidine remembered his school days, having thought about his own personal values. He thought about himself. He admired his father, King Helio the most. He remembered his words. 'In life, everything is about honour. When a man loses his honour, he is nothing. And honour comes from success. We must be successful, so we can provide honour for our family'. Zidine wrote this down. "Uh... what? You're King Helios' son?" Asked Satoshi. Zidine nodded, "Yes I am. So I should be treated with a certain level of respect, do you not think?" He said, arrogantly. Masaru then laughed, "You'll be treated exactly equally to the rest of us. King or not, I don't give a damn, we're all brothers after all." Xiaoyu nodded in agreement, while Satoshi was still stunned. Zidine glared into Masaru's eyes, with anger, "I am the son of King Helios! I demand respect from you peasants!" Masaru stared straight back at Zidine, "I hope this school isn't full of people like you! Anyway, who are you kidding, you're adopted! Don't you think we know!? King Helios picked you up out of pity!" As they embraced, the heavens shook. The guards of heaven blew their trumpets in relief. "THE BROTHER'S HAVE RETURNED! THE SONS SHALL SAVE US!" They cheered. Back on Earth, the four brothers no longer felt they were alone. They felt unstoppable. A new energy had emerged from their reunion. Zidine looked around, slightly frustrated. "I cannot believe that they are my brothers. They're all... Common!" He thought. Masaru then interrupted Zidine's thoughts, and with a smiling face asked "Hey uh Zidine? Were you and Xiaoyu living together since birth? You two seem to have met before. I just met Satoshi about an hour ago." Zidine jumped and impulsively said, "No no no, of course we haven't met! Look at him and me! I'm a royal! I'm King Helios' son. He then remembered his father’s death. Upon hearing the commotion, the rest of the family came upstairs to the room, and they were shocked to see Zidine and the King dancing about. But, just as the family came in, the King felt a piercing pain in his stomach, as he immediately dropped to the ground, unconscious. In the next hours, the King was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. He was dead. However, Zidine was not upset, he knew what he had to do to make his father proud. He had to become a hero. Outside the room where the father lay to rest. The Queen and Zidine embraced each other, tearfully. “I understand what he told you then” said the Queen. “Yes, mother. Father did tell me” Zidine said solemnly. “Well then son. What are you here for? Go! Go be the Hero you were destined to be! Make your father proud!” the Queen exclaimed. “But my brother and sister, what about them? And the kingdom?” Zidine questioned. “I will rule the kingdom now. Do not worry, I will be as great a ruler as your father,” she smiled, “and your siblings, well, what are you waiting for? Go say goodbye to them!” as well as remembering his past actions, staring down at his bloodied hand. "Who killed King Helios?" Himari asked suddenly in a sharp attempt to change the subject. "He wasn't killed. He was-" Zidine was about to say, before he was cut off as Himari said, "Yeah yeah, he had cancer or something, but cancer doesn't progress or take lives that fast. The papers said he had a lung cancer or something, but he wasn't a smoker, nor did his servants recognise any pain. And also, one of his maids let loose that 4 weeks before his death, he had a meeting with a dark and brooding figure. My question is, was the late great Helios of Hesperia, a corrupt scumbag connected to organised crime? Or other nefarious organisations?" As she said that a large fist connected with her cheek, as Zidine recoiled his hand and angrily shouted, "YOU KNOW NOTHING OF ME, PEASANT!" Zidine would then leave the classroom, as Kage ignored this and continued the class. Masaru was about to chase after Zidine but Kage told him to return to his place, as he said, "Give him some time, he'll return" Masaru then turned back towards his partner, Hajime as he readied himself into a fighting stance.

“Be the very best hero you can be! The very best! Be a beacon of hope, when people in the darkness see you, be like the light, guiding them to safety, guiding them forward. If ever you find yourself stuck, believe in yourself. Remember who you are. YOU ARE ZIDINE! ZIDINE HELIO LUMIERE! SON OF KING HELIO! WIELDER OF LIGHTNING! BRINGER OF STORMS! BEACON OF HOPE! THE LIGHT IN THE DARK! THE FURY OF THE SKIES! THE WRATH OF UTOPIA! YOU ARE ZIDINE! YOU ARE MY SON! YOU ARE THE HERO OF HOPE!” the King exclaimed with all his strength . Zidine’s veins were filled with energy, filled with a new power. A new belief in himself. He was the Hero of Hope. “Thank you father! I promise, the people will be singing your name when me and my brothers will save the Omniverse, ‘there he goes, there he is! The Pride of Helio’ they will say!” Zidine exclaimed with a loud cheer, as he embraced his father. “Thy family may not be the best… but thy final form, that of the 9th form… could’ve killed me for it is transcendent… bypassing all obstacles and powers. God-negating properties… it is the most powerful form of lightning and power ever. In comparison, thy universal power with physicality and Mjolnir are irrelevant in comparison to it… you could destroy the entire Omniverse. Your mother will likely curse thee… but thy brother is the goal. Go, my child.” Helios said as he hugged Zidine, his true successor. “I never hated thee… love be thy name… boy of Sunlight. My boy.” He spoke as Zidine walked away, now taking the Helm of Invisibility and becoming fully invisible. “He truly has surpassed me.” Helios thought to himself.

George’s Palace in the Present

“George, it will be time. Pandora’s Box hath been released and thus… your fate will be yours. You will gain the ultimate, transcendent power your father had. You will become Zagreus! The King of the Universe, no, of Chaos, Heaven and Tartaros!” Helena said, as she smiled. “Close thy eyes. This is your gift.” Helena said as she smiled menacingly. Her eyes grew redder as the Palace shook; its sandstone formation visibly shuddered in true fear. She grabbed two sickles and sliced her wrists. “In Heimskringla, Ynglinga Saga, Chapter 7: Óðinn knew, and practised himself, the art which is accompanied by greatest power, called seiðr (‘black magic’), and from it he could predict the fates of men and things that had not yet happened, and also cause men death or disaster or disease, and also take wit or strength from some and give it to others. But this magic, when it is practised, is accompanied by such great perversion that it was not considered without shame for a man to perform it, and the skill was taught to the goddesses. Óðinn knew about all the treasure of the earth, where it was hidden, and he knew songs which would make the earth and cliffs and rocks and grave-mounds open up before him, and with words alone he would bind those who were in them and go in and take from there whatever he wanted. He became very famous because of these powers. His enemies feared him, but his friends trusted him and believed in his power and in him. And he taught most of his skills to his sacrificial priests. They were next to him in all lore and magic. And yet many others learned much of it, and from there heathendom spread widely and lasted for a long time. And people worshipped Óðinn and the twelve rulers and called them their gods and believed in them long afterwards. The name Auðunn comes from Óðinn, and people called their sons this, and from Þórr’s name come the names Þórir and Þórarinn, or it is combined with other elements, as in Steinþórr or Hafþórr, or changed further in other ways." Let the Lord of Hell and Fire come and bless my child with the power needed to slay his ultimate enemy. Even if he bears his father’s stave and youthful form, bless him with his true power and potential. Let Zidine Helios’ end come. Replenish my beloved with the skill of the Asura even if he is powerful enough to upturn trees and countries through the power of the Staff of the Cosmos and the Bow of Apollo.

O Powerful Victory [Nike], by men desir'd, with adverse breasts to dreadful fury fir'd,

Thee I invoke, whose might alone can quell contending rage, and molestation fell:

'Tis thine in battle to confer the crown, the victor's prize, the mark of sweet renown;

For thou rul'st all things, Victory [Nike] divine! And glorious strife, and joyful shouts are thine.

Come, mighty Goddess, and thy suppliant bless, with sparkling eye, elated with success;

May deeds illustrious thy protection claim, and find, led on by thee immortal Fame.

O Father Jove [Zeus], who shak'st with fiery light the world deep-sounding from thy lofty height:

From thee, proceeds th' ætherial lightning's blaze, flashing around intolerable rays.

Thy sacred thunders shake the blest abodes, the shining regions of th' immortal Gods:

Thy pow'r divine, the flaming lightning shrouds, with dark investiture, in fluid clouds.

'Tis thine to brandish thunders strong and dire, to scatter storms, and dreadful darts of fire;

With roaring flames involving all around, and bolts of thunder of tremendous sound.

Thy rapid dart can raise the hair upright, and shake the heart of man with wild afright.

Sudden, unconquer'd, holy, thund'ring God, 'with noise unbounded, flying all abroad;

With all-devouring force, entire and strong, horrid, untam'd, thou roll'st the flames along.

Rapid, ætherial bolt, descending fire, the earth all-parent, trembles at thy ire;

The sea all-shining; and each beast that hears the sound terrific, with dread horror fears:

When Nature's face is bright with flashing fire, and in the heavens resound thy thunders dire.

Thy thunders white, the azure garments tear, and burst the veil of all surrounding air.

O Jove [Zeus], all-blessed, may thy wrath severe, hurl'd in the bosom of the deep appear,

And on the tops of mountains be reveal'd, for thy strong arm is not from us conceal'd.

Propitious to these sacred rites incline, and crown my wishes with a life divine:

Add royal health, and gentle peace beside, with equal reason, for my constant guide.

The Fumigation from Frankincense and Manna.

I Call the mighty, holy, splendid light, aerial, dreadful-sounding, fiery-bright;

Flaming, aerial-light, with angry voice, lightning thro' lucid clouds with horrid noise.

Untam'd, to whom resentments dire belong, pure, holy pow'r, all-parent, great and strong:

Come, and benevolent these rites attend, and grant my days a peaceful, blessed end.

O Jove much-honor'd, Jove [Zeus] supremely great, to thee our holy rites we consecrate,

Our pray'rs and expiations, king divine, for all things round thy head exalted shine.

The earth is thine, and mountains swelling high, the sea profound, and all within the sky.

Saturnian [Kronion] king, descending from above, magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Jove [Zeus];

All-parent, principle and end of all, whose pow'r almighty, shakes this earthly ball;

Ev'n Nature trembles at thy mighty nod, loud-sounding, arm'd with light'ning, thund'ring God.

Source of abundance, purifying king, O various-form'd from whom all natures spring;

Propitious hear my pray'r, give blameless health, with peace divine, and necessary wealth.

Blest Pæan, come, propitious to my pray'r, illustrious pow'r, whom Memphian tribes revere,

Slayer of Tityus, and the God of health, Lycorian Phœbus, fruitful source of wealth .

Spermatic, golden-lyr'd, the field from thee receives it's constant, rich fertility.

Titanic, Grunian, Smynthian, thee I sing, Python-destroying, hallow'd, Delphian king:

Rural, light-bearer, and the Muse's head, noble and lovely, arm'd with arrows dread:

Far-darting, Bacchian, two-fold, and divine, pow'r far diffused, and course oblique is thine.

O, Delian king, whose light-producing eye views all within, and all beneath the sky:

Whose locks are gold, whose oracles are sure, who, omens good reveal'st, and precepts pure:

Hear me entreating for the human kind, hear, and be present with benignant mind;

For thou survey'st this boundless æther all, and ev'ry part of this terrestrial ball

Abundant, blessed; and thy piercing sight, extends beneath the gloomy, silent night;

Beyond the darkness, starry-ey'd, profound, the stable roots, deep fix'd by thee are found.

The world's wide bounds, all-flourishing are thine, thyself all the source and end divine:

'Tis thine all Nature's music to inspire, with various-sounding, harmonising lyre;

Now the last string thou tun'ft to sweet accord, divinely warbling now the highest chord;

Th' immortal golden lyre, now touch'd by thee, responsive yields a Dorian melody.

All Nature's tribes to thee their diff'rence owe, and changing seasons from thy music flow

Hence, mix'd by thee in equal parts, advance Summer and Winter in alternate dance;

This claims the highest, that the lowest string, the Dorian measure tunes the lovely spring .

Hence by mankind, Pan-royal, two-horn'd nam'd, emitting whistling winds thro' Syrinx fam'd;

Since to thy care, the figur'd seal's consign'd, which stamps the world with forms of ev'ry kind.

Hear me, blest pow'r, and in these rites rejoice, and save thy mystics with a suppliant voice.

The King of All. In Orphic Hymn 37: "From Jove [Zeus] descended;

whose immortal breath sustains the soul,

and wafts her back from death;

Aerial-form'd, much-fam'd, in heav'n ye shine two-fold,

in heav'n all-lucid and divine:

Blowing, serene, from whom abundance springs, nurses of seasons, fruit-producing kings."

I bless thee with the fullest of power your father bore with my magic therein… in thy arrows and flames… and then, my lord… the ferocity of the Asuras: O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you. Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought by any being other than those created by you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal. Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time. Neither the deva-s, nor the demons, gandharva-s, yakSha-s, serpents, rAkShasa-s, nor the men, demons who prefer flesh, shall never ever kill me. O the grandfather of all the worlds! The sages shall never get angry with me and curse me. This is the boon I want, suitable for my penance. No one shall never ever kill me with a weapon, arrow, mountain or tree, dry or wet or any other things. No one shall never ever kill me in heaven, netherworld, sky, any place on earth, inside, outside, night or day. The one who is capable of killing me, along with my servants, army and vehicles with a single strike of hand, may become my death. I shall be the sun, moon, wind, fire and water, atmosphere, stars, all the ten directions. This the first boon I choose. I should not be killed by any of these things—weapons, missiles, mountains, trees whether dry or wet. I should not be killed above or below. He who is able to kill me at one blow of his band along with my servants, armies and vehicles shall cause my death. I shall be all these: sun, moon, wind, fire, water, atmosphere, firmament, everything. I must be anger, love, Varuṇa, Indra, Yama, Kubera, the presiding deity of riches as well as the over-lord of Yakṣas and Kimpuruṣas. Bless him with the power of true Runic nullification. He beareth the arrows of harm and healing; bless him with the ultimate power of Viking-slayer!” Helena thought to herself, using the Devil’s power and her own seiðr (‘black magic’)’s powers to bless her son with the accuracy of Apollo, the wits of Athena and ultimately eternal luck thanks to her ritual as a voice appeared in her mind. “Very well, girl… I shall bless him with the powers you seek… in the end, all will return to Chaos…Form of the Queen; as he be thy sacred Virgin-bound Son. Cursed be he in goodness for himself with undue love as he beareth his Chaos-bound strength which goeth above the Boundless Earth.” The Devil spoke as she smiled with a bright light devouring all of Hesperia. “Open your eyes, my beloved. Your true power has awakened.” Helena said, quickly healing her wound as George peacefully smiled with an egg in his hand that came from his sceptre. “Mother, I feel something in the air… it is time for the final showdown. The fight that was always to be.” George spoke as Helena cried.

“So… Zidine is back… and has somehow murdered his father.” Helena said to George who smiled without mercy; as she ignored memories of her love with Helios. “My boy… I love you so.” She said to her son, with happiness and fear clashing in her hardened and rock-hard eyes and heart only to look out to the outskirts of the city as she saw two goats flying in the sky above with her noticing the goats landing in the castle ground with no captain. “So he has truly returned. That bastardised Berserker. No matter… when I am through with him… he will learn who the rightful monarch of this damned place is.” George said, who now bore his father’s crown and sceptre fully manifested. Tears dripped down Helena’s face and cheeks, warming her cold-blooded heart as she smiled calmly, finally realising that her dreams of seeing Zidine falling and grovelling to her knees would be real. “Your Majesty, what is the news concerning?” Hadeil, her favourite general who bore a Roman-esque helmet, asked as she smiled. “This is the end.” Helena said, as she knew things would be good. However… by this, she would be sacrificing her “son” for her “first-born”. George then left the Staff with his mother, relieving the flow of time; unaware this would lead to his downfall in the long run.

Battle of Brothers[]

“Goats?” George asked as he immediately summoned Apollo’s bow and destroyed them as he saw Abram Willis with a black suit and red bowtie alongside neatly combed hair and a short stubble that befit his age. “Who are you?” Zidine asked with a slight air of arrogance. “Your brother.” Abram said in quick retort with a sly look on his face as George looked absolutely disgusted and repulsed. “Where is Zidine, the traitor?” George asked as he readied his bow. “Where is he?” He asked once again only for Abram to glare at him. “Stop asking, you sly little-!” Abram was about to say as an arrow fired into his throat… only for no damage to be incurred. “You want to know where he is? I am right here.” Zidine said, taking off his Helm of Invisibility. “Zidine, you traitor to the kingdom. Mother and I have been waiting for this for 3 years!” George said, with a clear sense of pomp being derived from his every word as they immediately readied themselves. The two combatants used their respective powers, firing one arrow and using the Drigo Axe respectively, to which the arrow mysteriously bypassed the Axe and struck Zidine in the throat, seemingly stripping him of his ability to speak. “Thou art a loser of the highest form, gratuitous twit.” George spoke as Zidine swiftly ripped out the arrow and then immediately summoned a beautiful mist, combining that with red lightning that went from his bosom to his hands and fired it at George who swiftly summoned fire from the ground to counter the red lightning in a beautiful display of the elements, to which his fire spread around the entirety of the Palace grounds without much, if any, effort as Zidine remained emotionless, remembering his father’s words and twisting his foot, warping the direction of the flames away from himself and Abram, causing the flames to surround him alone only for thunder itself to roar violently and shatter the sky itself, clouds parting their ways to witness the battle of the brothers; his fingers twisting with sadness and firing the red thunderbolts straight at George who swiftly responded by turning the fire he summoned out of the ground into a limestone-like substance, creating a wall of ashen lava to stop the thunderbolts from striking his very bosom and adding a huge moon of flame from his bitter mouth. Cracked lips strewn themselves unto his youthful face as Zidine swiftly blew a stream of wind, but as we all know, wind only amplifies fire’s stroke and intensity and with that, he ripped out the arrow from his throat, using it as a tool ‘gainst the flames of revenge and vengeance, ultimately snapping his fingers to turn that into a cube, countering the flames utterly that were a moon in amount; the Sun itself watched as disease spread into the air thanks to the flames. Geysers of fire erupted from the solemn and sorrowful ground below, causing devastation yet a sense of warmth to those who deserved them both; fanning themselves to create valleys of molten lava, the watchers of history and fate itself were these very fanners of the flaming valleys with people looking horrified as the elements themselves were battling against them. “Are the gods cursing us?!” Many a villager remarked with absolute fear in their human eyes, for their eyes could not, or perhaps did not want to perceive the battle of the gods playing out in the castle ahead. Flames continued to rip apart the area as Zidine knew he had no choice to not hold back, but at the same time, he promised his father redemption for his brother. “I don’t want to fight you, brother!” Zidine spoke as George simply ignored it, launching a volleys of disease-ridden arrows at Zidine who turned himself into the wind but the arrow still struck its target regardless and thus George stomped his foot into the ground, controlling a small piece of the ground of the castle, setting it alight with enough fury to cause eruptions of the highest calibre without doubt; although what George failed to realise is that Zidine… was not unwilling to use meagre options of attacking to kill with George glancing at Abram and breathing fire from his mouth to attack him, causing Abram to swiftly run away as Zidine then shut this down by using his runes although George turned that into an arrow and attacked him straight in the stomach. “You cannot kill me!” George spoke with slight arrogance in his heart, ultimately firing a plume of solar energy from his right eye and then setting Zidine alight with it via using his left however Zidine swiftly turned the flames into lightning and let the flames douse themselves in the form of an armoured body with his hand taking the full brunt of the solar flames to which George was shocked but maintained his cool, switching to let the “sky do the firing”, pointing his hand in the air to force arrows down at such a speed where the villagers and all those in Hesperia called it “faster than speeding bullets… faster than a jet!” only for Zidine to be forced to constantly use his armour to handle the arrows, stopping their motion; yet George countered this by stopping Zidine’s motion and pushing him away as he got up and used Mjolnir to push himself forward and fired it at George however he simply tanked it and threw it back, increasing its motion and speed to such a degree where Zidine could only react by using his body to survive the throw as George then fired one more arrow at Abram but as Zidine caught it, it exploded in his face in a pool of blood with which George used that timing to inflict the disease of welts on Zidine’s body and added blood poisoning to the list too and then kicked the ground, causing a tile to fire at his elder brother which was immediately set alight, but a mere wimp was heard with him punching the ground, releasing diseases and flames in sync with one another. “Shalt I heal you, Brother?” George asked mockingly as Zidine remained silent, instead allowing the fire to consume him only to then use that split-second to call down lightning in one straight stream of bolts. “What on earth?” George thought to himself as Zidine coldly smiled. “I didn’t want to fight you, but alas, you and our beloved Mother left me no other choice.” Zidine simply said, punching George so hard that he was sent flying back but no damage was dealt. “Does your arrogance know no bounds?” George asked as he used his bow and continually fired a volley of arrows from the sky although this time, Zidine used his physical force and not his runes to counter the flight of the arrows to stagnate them. “So he can bypass my runic protections.” Zidine thought to himself as George smiled, appearing as though he read his brother’s thoughts, continuing to use disease-based powers to kill Zidine, combining that near-constantly with flames which Zidine used by firing the flames into the air, unironically ionising the sky. “Your thunderous nature really will be your undoing, brother.” George spoke as he knew he would be alright by way of the gifts his Mother bestowed unto his very being, mind and soul, continually firing what would appear to be legions of arrows at Zidine who could do nothing but dodge them since redirecting them would yield hardly any results with all villagers of Hesperia watching in sheer awe as the skies parted themselves. “WHY DID YOU BETRAY AND KILL FATHER, NO, KING HELIOS?!” George asked in rage as Zidine continued to remain silent, treating this as a play of court where all the world was a stage, with him ultimately being forced to use Mjolnir to smash the ground, therefore causing the arrows to careen downwards into oblivion as George was visibly stunned, clapping his hands as fire still erupted without mercy, now in the form of a defensive wall. “Art of Apollo: Law of Giving Land.” George spoke, decreeing the entire country as his singular domain as beams of light surrounded Zidine and Abram in the form of a cage. “What is he doing?” Abram asked, to which Zidine could not answer. Was it fear? The unending silence mawed at them both however George simply laughed, remaining emotional and gleeful, summoning the Egg in hand as the very stars began to align above him and thereby causing the entire country to shake in fear however the Sun shone ‘pon the villagers of Hesperia, summoning a barrier that could protect against the mightiest of men and beings alike. “Your idea of reigning was false. Me giving my position to you was a sham!” Zidine said in pure disgust, questioning just what George’s idea of “protection” consisted of, be it absolute or incomplete in nature. “Oh? You gave it to me because you and I knew that I would be better than you as King! With my power as King of the Cosmos, I can rule all of Creation. The Omniverse is already mine to behold! I have surpassed even Father in terms of power.” George spoke; as though drunk with power, the Egg he beheld in hand was simply an artefact of some wild renown to his hand. “You have become arrogant!” Zidine screamed in utter sadness as he knew or sensed that whilst George was correct in terms of what he could do… he failed to observe the fact that his boons… had an exploitable weakness, to which Odin’s Eye revealed itself. “Thus… his power can likely be taken down at the form of twilight thus but fighting him until Morning in Berserker Mode is dangerous since it is eternally day here thanks to the effects of the Scepter although time itself is passing by, so through attacking him until twilight or even the sunset and dusk therein should allow me the chance to attack him. Because of my eye’s absolute sight, it is perhaps clear that he may need to set off-world [above the ground] and he should attacked with my hands and with enough force to rue even the biggest of trees. Abram will likely lose given George’s maximisation of his full power and potential and given Father’s performance against me, I will inevitably lose. But… Mother is the catalyst behind all this action of an invasive nature.” Zidine thought to himself, clearly questioning himself as he knew that fighting him until Twilight would be pointless and just as the blood devoured his sight, he summoned Mjolnir and forced the entirety of the Sky to bow to his command. “I have no choice. Even if I am bleeding… this fight has to end now… otherwise the entire country, no, this boundless earth would likely end. Because he has Father’s power as though he is in a youthful and perfect body.” Zidine thought to himself, since his Runes would not be effective whatsoever. “Let’s end this, Brother. Why don’t we end this and take down Mother together?” Zidine asked George, to which his eyes dilated in sheer, unadulterated rage. “Why would I take down the one who gave me these gifts? And especially with you!?” George screamed in glee and disgust as Helena watched, holding the Sceptre tightly. “DIE!” George screamed, using the full power of Apollo’s bow to strike Zidine with enough power to end the Sun, with Zidine forcing Time itself to move forward to Twilight, ultimately sending the makeshift Sun flying back at George who had no choice but to become sunlight and dodge as disease spread throughout the Kingdom thanks to George. “Forgive me, brother.” Zidine said, holding onto George as if for dear life. Second Form of the Lightning of Elding: Vortex of Death” Zidine whispered, forcing a vortex to rise around the two, sending George into the air as Zidine then punched him in the face briefly before stopping and smiling. “Why did you sto-?!” George’s bloodied face spoke, only to see just how far they were above ground (above many hills) and then sent him headfirst, making sure to take most of the damage instead by keeping Mjolnir secretly invisible behind George’s head and next to his cheek. George looked so horrified as he felt himself being crushed into the ground. “A second I know, which the son of men must sing, who would heal the sick. Or I know a second that the sons of men” Zidine thought to himself, only for George to smile, realising that he was still immune… only to be kicked in the stomach and sent flying and then… stabbed… to both of their shock. “You failed me.” Helena said, her hands trembling as with fear and shock, she had just stabbed her favourite son. “George. You failed me… even with my gift.” Helena said as Zidine glared at her. “You wretched murderer.” He simply said as she began laughing, with George beginning to lose blood and sight of the situation, remembering when his mother pampered him to no end. When his mother crowned him king and Zidine gave him literally everything he wanted. “Why would you do this, Mother?” George asked, to which Helena’s hands still trembled. “Because… you failed. You failed me. Even with your full power, you would lose to the traitor.” Helena said as George tried to remove the sceptre. “By doing this… you condemn the entire kingdom, as well as myself and thee to suicide.” George said, realising his time was short, ultimately smashed the Egg once in his hand, causing a huge amount of energy to devour the entirety of Hesperia. “You’re making a black hole?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR BELOVED MOTHER?!” Helena screamed as this was a black hole… but… instead… a worldwide disaster as the Sun started to suffer from solar flares and firing raw energy beams at the world, damaging significant parts of it as the Solar Barrier that protected the country meant nothing. “Die, bitch Zidine… was right.” George said as his eyes softened upon looking at Zidine. “I am sorry, brother… forgive me, Father.” He said as tears streamed down his eyes, sacrificing himself for Zidine as Helena’s scream was drowned by the end of George’s life. “How sad… George… your sacrifice meant naught.” Abram said as he felt his neck twisting itself in inhumane ways to which Zidine tried to protect him by using Mjolnir… however, upon hearing Helena laughing, he realised just how bad this situation was. “Indeed it had. That is unfortunate. Die.” Helena said as Abram’s neck snapped immediately, killing him, only for him to be turned into a pool of blood. “What the-?!” Zidine thought to himself, hearing nothing for he was too late to prevent anything bad from happening. He had failed. “Yes. Abram, your brother is dead. Let’s just say… getting on with Fenrir… was a truly interesting time. But… now that he is dead, you leave me no choice.” Helena said, only for Zidine to respond by throwing Mjolnir into her at full speed, sending her flying into the throne that she so desired, killing her. “Gullveig.” She said, appearing exactly where she was a mere moment ago. “You see… you haven’t met Heimdallr, have you?” She asked as Zidine still observed her, holding Mjolnir with enough of a grip strength to shatter it. “You see… I have the power of Gullveig which is to reincarnate thrice and upon me reincarnating three times, I become completely invincible. That power was given to me by the Devil and Haakon; moreso the latter as I invoked myself in rituals of the satanic type, hence the power and boon that you noticed with much intelligence. However… it is also thus that George’s power came from Helios himself, who I am sure you had met and murdered. But still… I have no choice but to summon my ultimate pawn.” Helena said as she fully let Pandora’s Box go into her, only for Hadeil to appear in front of her. A sly smile appeared on her face, etched.on it as Hadeil’s fate was now in her hands. “Lady Helena, I shall-!” Hadeil spoke… only to be beaten to death by crushing his helmet whilst it was still on his head. Inevitably, he became a pile of flesh. “You do not get in my way.” Helena coldly said, stomping over her most loyal soldier’s dead body, to Zidine’s absolute disgust. “Never forget this was your fault.” Helena spoke, still holding the Sceptre in her left hand as she was thus at her full power. “You bore Pandora’s Box?” Zidine asked to Helena merely nodding. “Trapped inside that box there is a stronger power than us two. It has been missing from the world. It all began when Zeus triumphed over the titans in the great war. Zeus understood that the evils born from that battle, if left free would destroy the world of man and gods. To contain these evils, Zeus commissioned Hephaestus to build a vessel strong enough to hold them. Fear. Greed. He locked them all away in the box in hopes that they would never again infect his reign. When you opened the box to kill Ares. You drew from the forbidden powers. After witnessing your victory, fear gripped Zeus.” Helena explained as she felt herself becoming the Platonic concept of the ultimate being as well as the ultimate entity. With that, she teleported a mountain called Eldgjá which appeared behind her, summoning a massive flaming giant. “See, Surtr is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Surtr is foretold as being a major figure during the events of Ragnarök; carrying his bright sword, he will go to battle against the Æsir, he will battle the major god Freyr, and afterward the flames that he brings forth will engulf the Earth. I wish you all the best.” Helena said mockingly as Zidine immediately summoned his two “goats” and Fenrir. “Die.” Fenrir said, firing the star-level once again but as this was about to occur, Helena used her sceptre to fully counter the wolf. “Betrayer! SCUM!” Fenrir screamed as he immediately ran towards Surtur at full speed; the two giants clashing in the fight that would determine the fate of the world as Heimdall’s horn, the Gjallarhorn could be heard from Valhalla, heralding the beginning of Ragnarök, the sound of which will be heard in all corners of the World. “In Norse mythology, Sköll (Old Norse: Skǫll, "Treachery" or "Mockery") is a wolf that, according to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, chases the Sun (personified as a goddess, Sól) riding her chariot across the sky. Hati Hróðvitnisson chases the Moon (personified, as Máni) during the night. Skӧll and Hati are the sons of the wolf Fenrir, and an unnamed giantess. It is foretold the wolves will chase the Sun and Moon across the skies until Ragnarök, at which point the wolves catch up and devour the celestial beings. In Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, the mention of Sköll appears when describing the story of Sol, who drives the chariot of the Sun in Norse Mythology. The wolf is seen chasing her after she receives her chariot to carry the Sun. "[Sun] goes at a great pace; her pursuer is close behind her and there is nothing she can do but flee. … There are two wolves and the one pursuing her is called Skoll [Treachery] is the one she fears; he will catch her [at the end of the world]." Hati Hróðvitnisson (first name meaning "He Who Hates", or "Enemy") is also my child. You will suffer, miserable imp. Even if you have ripped me from thy sinews, I hath gained such control over this situation that your loss is inevitable.” Fenrir said as Helena did not look terrified in the slightest, only for Zidine to immediately attack her with Mjolnir, knowing that he could use his Blades of Demphaus to fight off Surtur when that time came. “You betrayed me, Fenrir. KILL HIM!” Helena immediately screamed, only for her true power to make itself casually manifest, sending the entire kingdom into a frenzy. “Do you want me to succeed in what I should’ve back then?” Zidine asked as Helena smiled, knowing he wouldn’t… or at least this is what she thought of him. “You’ve’nt the mercilessness.” Helena said as red lightning devoured from the skies above, threatening all life and when combined with Helena’s usage of Pandora’s Box… the entirety of Hesperia became a barren landscape. “Your sister will rule upon thy death. She is your father’s greatest treasure. A box. Once opened, she will reign well.” Helena whispered into Zidine’s very soul, searing it but also scarring it with great relief and undue peace as he felt his sister’s spirit moving beside him. “I saw you do it. Unless… Of course. When you opened the box you released the evils to the gods. Infected them. Changed them. Zeus himself fell prey to the dark evils. This is why he became so enraged and obsessed with your death. He was consumed by the evil, fear. I thought the power I placed in the box was never released all these years I assumed you drew from the evils inside to destroy Ares. But I was wrong… the power you took from the box is mine. From it you gained the strength that Zeus could never destroy. A strength great enough to overcome fear. Locked deep inside of you Kratos, is hope. It has remained buried, trapped by your guilt and the failures of your past. When you kill Zeus, you must have allowed something to awaken it. What was it, Brother? Remember, as Father spoke before his death: Hope is what makes us strong. This is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.” She spoke for her name was Pandora of Helios. “Has the realisation come, Zidine? The gods you fought betrayed you, cursed you and swore oaths against you. They loved me. My beauty…. Was so much that even Aphrodite, the embodiment of love… couldn’t help but fawn over me. Your father even fell for me with his power to affect Chaos and Olympus. You see… when I came here, after its construction several thousands of years ago… I was a mere lady and thy father, a man of immense stature in the world of politics and power, swooned me from great Olympus. He was a good man. That was who I thought Helios was… but then, I realised he wanted me to continue a legacy. His own and that of his Olympians. He had complete control of existence. Even surpassing that of the Jade Emperor’s of the Red Lane [that which I know of, surely], which was many years older than Hesperia… America… California and its brothels and the like came into being, we annexed it. Time was good… until 19 years ago, we had you. Your original mother… a woman of the English… your soul was reincarnated from a sarcophagus in the form of a baby. You were Helios’ beauty, such that he named you Lumiere. And then, not even 1 year after, I went behind thy father’s back and sired a child with Fenrir in the land of California. That being… Abram. And then, a few years later, I had George with Helios himself. Apollo blessed him with his bow. Things were good as Pandora came before George, 2 years after Abram himself, bearing her with Hephaestus… as I sealed her into a box to prevent. Pandora (Greek: Πανδώρα, derived from πᾶν, pān, i.e. "all" and δῶρον, dōron, i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving". Your father knew this but maintained an air of kindness. Power swallowed me up as the marriage before thy birth became nothing more than words to the freshest air. And so… I won… at the cost of everything.” Helena said as she began to laugh maniacally, releasing her pent-up tears. “BUT YOU… YOU… WERE THE BIGGEST FAILURE I HAVE EVER SEEN! YOU MURDERED YOUR OWN FATHER, BROTHERS AND SISTER BY YOUR EXISTENCE!” Helena said to Zidine who remained emotionless on the surface. “Compared to you who murdered your sons and daughter? A whor*?” Zidine asked, holding his thunderbolt, ready to just be done with her however his sister’s spirit saved him. In the darkness the fires of hope will set us free. You can see the light. It is changing you.” She spoke as Zidine knew he was to blame. She was right. Helena… was right. Reality struck him as he realised he had to kill the one he called Mother and at least that way, redeem his father’s torn legacy as the Moon shone above them. It was night. “NO! Do not kill her. It is time to lay your fears to rest. The light reveals the truth. The power of forgiveness comes from within. To be forgiven, you must find the power to forgive yourself.” Pandora spoke to Zidine, a warm light in the darkness that was the current situation. The storm of the Berserker was brewing from within and out… the Moon’s luminous, crystalline shine became dark. Fury ripped through its every part, every crack exuded a sense of primal fear. Fear and anger that ripped Zidine’s very concept and soul apart. She hugs him. Know that fear drove Zeus to kill his father, Cronos. The same fear that brought the great war. A fear that drove Zeus to kill you, his own son. Zeus uses fear to keep you in the dark. Confront your demons and lay them to rest.” Pandora spake with wisdom that was of her father but the beauty of her mother constantly shone through her. “You are… a worthy Queen, sister. Indeed, if she be right on one thing, that is the truth of absolutism. Verily, it is to be said. If I live to see the end of this day… become thy birthright.” Zidine spoke with an intense calmness as Pandora looked frightened for her eldest brother. “ The gods of Olympus have abandoned me. Now there is…” Zidine thought to himself, reminding himself of words that weren’t spoken, at least by mouth. Was this trickery?

BARBARIAN: Do you remember that day Spartan?

HEPHAESTUS: I won’t allow you to hurt her.

HERA: Good luck with that little whor* you call Pandora!

SISTER OF FATE: You cannot change your destiny, mortal!

SPIRIT: I gave you everything!

SPIRIT: Please don’t do it Spartan!

CRONOS: You have what you came for! Let me be!

SPIRIT: Die, Spartan!

HERMES: Today you may defeat me, but in the end, Zidine, in the end you’ll betray only yourself.

One eagle flew over the land and spoke one phrase: “Valour is better than might of sword, when foes embittered fight; for a brave man I have ever seen gain victory with a dull sword. For the brave 'tis better than for the timid to join in the game of war; for the joyous it is better than for the sad, let come whatever may. There lies Regin communing with himself; he will beguile the youth, who in him trusts: in rage he brings malicious words together, the framer of evil will avenge his brother. By the head shorter, let him the hoary babbler send hence to Hel; then can he all the gold possess alone, the mass that under Fafnir lay.”

Helena then spoke: Don’t listen to her, Zidine. For once in your pathetic life, don’t fail. Don’t fail her like you failed your family.” to which Pandora herself swiftly retorted with “It’s alright, Brother. You know this is the only way. As the fear in the gods rose, mine was replaced by hope.” As Zidine’s eye, the Eye of Odin, shone with a great blue energy whereas his right eye was glowing darker by the second. Remember Father’s final Maxim: Hope is what makes us strong. This is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.” as Zidine manifested two crimson thunderbolts in his hands. “You, Helena, will not see the end of this day!” as she immediately knew exactly what was going to happen. “YOU CAN’T KILL A PLATONIC FORM, WRETCHED BOY!” She screamed as he combined his thunderbolts with the Blades of Demphaus, mercilessly attacking her only for the blades to “break”. “How foppish.” Zidine then said as he teleported in front of her and smiled. “I killed Heracles’ Platonic form. What makes you think… you… a betrayer of sons… can’t die?” He whispered as she looked rightfully terrified and choked him out. “Why won’t you die! Die! Tremble in fear. I AM THE FORM OF THE GOOD!” She screamed. “I grew weary of you, my son. I’ll put an end to this chaos. Die! Insolent fool! I will break you! Helios should have chosen wisely.” She spoke with absolute arrogance as Zidine felt his power draining itself as Pandora tried to fight her off… failing miserably as she was crushed. “Your eye… is unique.” She spoke to Zidine as he felt himself dying. Blood spilled down his throat. “ Empty? After all you have sought. After all you have sacrificed. It ends in another stunning failure. Such chaos… I will have much to do after I kill you. Nothing but darkness lies ahead.” She spoke as Zidine grabbed her arm but it was no use. “LIGHTNING OF JOVE! FULL POWER!!” Zidine screamed, summoning the full power of his thunderbolts in tandem with all the runes he knew… “I created you and I will be your end! Let the fear inside!” She continued to scream with blood-curdling as the skies finally made themselves. “BERSERKER HAMUR (MODE) - ACTIVATE!” Zidine screamed as Helena’s beautiful hand burned. “This construction of Hephaestus with your own flesh and blood. But perhaps you already have, Spartan. Your quest for Pandora, your pathetic attempt for atonement from the family you slaughtered has caused nothing but havoc on Olympus. Look around at what you have done! Taking pity on you has been my greatest mistake, Kratos. Just as taking pity on this thing will prove to be your greatest mistake.” Helena screamed as Zidine finally felt himself dying, for his eyes dilated. “He felt the spirit of George, Abram and Pandora moving his tarnished and shattered soul forward. The hands of his actions guiding him to his future. “Die not!” They all said as he knew that living had to occur. But… as he died… Berserker Mode’s power knocked him back into life as red lightning devoured his mother’s body. “DIE!” Zidine screamed as he used the full power of his thunderbolts, aiming it straight at her face. Zidine simply said “9th form of the Lightning of Elding!”, fully manifesting the true power of the Algiz rune in tandem with Thusarz alongside his true power [in tandem with all other runes] for the briefest of moments… causing Helena to look so fearful that she felt she could not fight anymore as Zidine used the full power of his thunderbolts and struck Heracles’ form, shattering and annihilating it fully. “You have won… let Typhon lose.” Heracles said to Zidine, smiling as Zidine looked genuinely amazed, only to hear a mountain shatter as a massive beast showed itself. “Little do I care for Zeus, with only a few lightnings to arm him! Ah, but my swords are the maddened waves of the sea, the tors of the land, the island glens; my shields are the hills, the cliffs are my breastplates unbreakable, my halberts are the rocks, and the rivers which will quench the contemptible thunderbolt. I will keep the chains of Iapetos (Iapetus) for Poseidon; and the soaring round Kaukasos (Caucasus), another and better eagle shall tear the bleeding liver, growing for ever anew, of Hephaistos the fiery: since fire was the for which Prometheus has been suffering the ravages of his self-growing liver. I will take a shape the counterpart of the sons [the Aloadai giants] of Iphimedeia, and I will shut up the intriguing son of Maia [Hermes] in a brazen jar, prisoned with galling bonds, that people may say, "Hermes freed Ares from prison, and he was put in prison himself!" Let Artemis break the untouched seal of her maidenhood, and become enforced consort of [the giant] Orion; Leto shall spread her old bedding for [the giant] Tityos, dragged to wedlock by force. I will make more weapons of fire; for I need many thunderbolts, because I have two hundred hands to fight with, not only a pair like Kronides [Zeus]. I will forge a newer and better brand of lightning, with more fire and flashes. I will build another heaven up aloft, the eight, broader and higher than the rest, and furnish it with brighter stars; for the vault which we see so close beside us is not enough to cover the whole of Typhon. And after those girl children and the male progeny of prolific Zeus, I will beget another multiparous generation of new Blessed Ones with multitudinous necks. I will not leave the company of the stars useless and unwedded, but I will join male to female, that the winged Virgin [constellation Virgo] may sleep with the Oxherd [Bootes] and breed me slave-children.” Kronides [Zeus] heard, and laughed aloud, causing much damage to the wider Chaos and Tartaros alike, only for him to fire thunderbolt after thunderbolt. Helena felt herself dying as her soul parted itself in absolute fear as thunderstorms could be heard around the boundless world and earth itself. The whole circuit of the universe with its four sides was buffeted. The four Winds, allied with Kronion, raised in their air columns of sombre dust; they swelled the arching waves, they flogged the sea until Sikelia (Sicily) quaked; the Pelorid shores resounded and the ridges of Aitna (Etna), the Lilybaian rocks bellowed prophetic things to come, the Pakhynian (Pachynian) promontory crashed under the western wave. Near the Bear, the Nymphe of Athos wailed about her Thrakian glen, the forest of Makedon (Macedonia) roared on the Pierian ridge; the foundations of the east were shaken, there was crashing in the fragrant valleys of Assyrian Libanos (Lebanon). Aye, and from Typhaon's hands were showered volleys against the unwearied thunderbolts of Zeus. Some shots went past Selene's (the Moon's) car, and scored through the invisible footprints of her moving bulls; others whirling through the air with sharp whiz, the Winds blew away by counterblast. Many a stray shot from the invulnerable thunderbolts of Zeus fell into the welcoming hand of Poseidon, unsparing of his earthpiercing trident's point; old Nereus brought the brine-soaked bolts to the ford of the Kronion Sea, and dedicated them as an offering to Zeus.

Now Zeus armed the two grim sons of Enyalios [Ares], his own grandsons, Phobos (Rout) and Deimos (Terror) his servant, the inseparable guardsmen of the sky: Phobos he set up with the lightning, Deimos he made strong with the thunderbolt, terrifying Typhon. Nike (Victory) lifted her shield and held it before Zeus: Enyo [the war-goddess] countered with a shout, and Ares made a din. Zeus breasting the tempests with his aigis-breastplate swooped down from the air on high, seated in Khronos's (Time's) chariot with four winged steeds, for the horses that drew Kronion were the team of the Winds. “COME!” Zidine screamed in his Berserker Mode, having now fully activated the true power of his 8th Lightning of Elding, summoning the Aegis fully. Now he battled with lightnings, now with Levin; now he attacked with thunders, now poured out petrified masses of frozen hail in volleying showers. Waterspouts burst thick upon the Gigante's head with sharp blows, and hands were cut off from the monster by the frozen volleys of the air as by a knife. One hand rolled in the dust, struck off by the icy cut of the hail; it did not drop the crag which it held, but fought on even while it fell, and shot rolling over the ground in self-propelled leaps, a hand gone mad! As if it still wished to strike the vault of Olympos. She knew not that the fire-flaming thunderbolts and lightnings are the offspring of the clouds from whence the rain-showers come! “You can never harm me, wretched one!” Zidine screamed as his roar caused huge natural disasters on a universal scale as even the Olympus was being shattered. Again, he cut straight off sections of the torrent-beds, and designed to crush the breast of Zeus which no iron can wound; the mass of rock came hurtling at Zeus, but Zeus blew a light puff from the edge of his lips, and that gentle breath turned the whirling rock aside with all its towering crags. The monster with his hand broke off a rounded promontory from an island, and rising for the attack circled it round his head again and again, and cast it at the invincible face of Zeus; then Zeus moved his head aside, and dodged the jagged rock which came at him; but Typhon hit the lightning as it passed on its hot zigzag path, and at once the rock was white-patched at the tip and blackened with smoke--there was no mistake about it. A third rock he cast; but Kronion caught it in full career with the flat of his infinite open hand, and by a playful turn of the wrist sent it back like a bouncing ball to Typhon. The crag returned with many an airy twist along its homeward path, and of itself shot the shooter. A fourth shot he sent, higher than before: the rock touched the tassel-tips of the aigis-cape, and split asunder. Another he let fly: storm-swift the rock flew, but a thunderbolt struck it, and half-consumed, it blazed. The crags could not pierce the raincloud; but the stricken hills were broken to pieces by the rainclouds. Thus impartial Enyo held equal balance between the two sides, between Zeus and Typhon, while the thunderbolts with booming shots revel like dancers in the sky. Kronides fought fully armed: in the fray, the thunder was his shield, the cloud his breastplate, he cast the lightning for a spear; Zeus let fly his thunderbolts from the air, his arrows barbed with fire. For already from the underground abyss a dry vapour diffused around rose from the earth on high, and compressed within the cloud was stifled in the fiery gullet, heating the pregnant cloud. For the lurking flame crushed within rushed about struggling to find a passage through; over the smoke the fire-breeding clouds rumble in their agony seeking the middle path; the fire dares not go upwards; for the lightning leaping up is kept back by the moist air bathed in rainy drops, which condenses the seething cloud above, but the lower part is parched and gapes and the fire runs through with a bound. As the female stone is struck by the male stone, one stone on another brings lame to birth, while crushed and beaten it produces from itself a shower of sparks: so the heavenly fire is kindled in clouds and murk crushed and beaten, but from earthly smoke, which is naturally thin, the winds are brought forth. There is another floating vapour, drawn form the waters, which the sun shining full on them with fiery rays milks out and draws up dewy through the boiling track of air. This thickens and produces the cloudy veil; then shaking the thick mass by means of the thinner vapour, it dissolves the fine cloud again into a fall of rain, and returns to its natural condition of water. Such is the character of the fiery clouds, with their twin birth of lightnings and thunders together. Now his thunder bolts would Jove wide scatter, but he feared the flames, unnumbered, sacred ether might ignite and burn the axle of the universe: and he remembered in the scroll of fate, there is a time appointed when the sea and earth and Heavens shall melt, and fire destroy the universe of mighty labour wrought. Such weapons by the skill of Cyclops forged, for different punishment he laid aside—for straightway he preferred to overwhelm the mortal race beneath deep waves and storms from every raining sky. As is said in Hesiod’s Theogony lines 630-820: "The hot vapour lapped round the Titenes Khthonios (Earthly): flame unspeakable rose to the bright upper air (aither): the flashing glare of the thunder-stone and lightning blinded their eyes for all that there were strong. Astounding heat seized air (khaos): and to see with eyes and to hear the sound with ears it seemed even as if Earth (Gaia) and wide Heaven (Ouranos) above came together; for such a mighty crash would have arisen if Earth (Gaia) were being hurled to ruin, and Heaven (Ouranos) from on high were hurling her down; so great a crash was there while the gods were meeting together in strife. Also the winds brought rumbling earthquake and duststorm, thunder and lightning and the lurid thunderbolt, which are the shafts of great Zeus, and carried the clangour and the warcry into the midst of the two hosts. An horrible uproar of terrible strife arose: mighty deeds were shown and the battle inclined. But until then, they kept at one another and fought continually in cruel war... And great Olympos was shaken under the immortal feet of the master as he moved, and the earth groaned beneath him, and the heat and blaze from both of them was on the dark-faced sea, from the thunder and lightning of Zeus and from the flame of the monster, from his blazing bolts and from the scorch and breath of his stormwinds, and all the ground and the sky and the sea boiled, and towering waves were tossing and beating all up and down the promontories in the wind of these immortals, and a great shaking of the earth. The life-giving earth crashed around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about. All the land seethed, and Okeanos' streams and the unfruitful sea and even in Ovid's Metamorphoses, Book 8, Fable 2-3 and lines 229-264: “The everlasting universe contains four elementary bodies. Two of these, namely, earth and water, are heavy, and are borne downwards by their weight; and as many are devoid of weight, and air, and fire still purer than air, nothing pressing them, seek the higher regions. Although these are separated in space, yet all things are made from them, and are resolved into them. Both the earth dissolving distils into flowing water; the water, too, evaporating, departs in the breezes and the air; its weight being removed again, the most subtle air shoots upwards into the fires of the æther on high. Thence do they return back again, and the same order is unravelled; for fire becoming gross, passes into dense air; this changes into water, and earth is formed of the water made dense. Nor does its own form remain to each; and nature, the renewer of all things, re-forms one shape from another. And, believe me, in this universe so vast, nothing perishes; but it varies and changes its appearance; and to begin to be something different from what it was before, is called being born; and to cease to be the same thing, is to be said to die. Whereas, perhaps, those things are transferred hither, and these things thither; yet, in the whole, all things ever exist." as Helena was horrified, realising her plan would fail. Her Platonic Form and full power over the Omniverse was reduced to dust as Zidine stood over her. “You will suffer… woman.” Zidine said as he noticed Fenrir and Surtur’s battle had clearly wiped away stars and mountains alike, with the Aegis ringing in her ears. “Please… spare me.” Helena said as Zidine smiled coldly. “As for Eros (Love), who bewitched your mind by delusive hopes of victory, chain him with golden Aphrodite in chains of gold, and clamp with chains of bronze Ares the governor or iron!” Helena spake to which Zidine swiftly said “f*ck thee!” as he then stated and gloated “the lightnings try to escape, and will now abide Enyo! How was it you could not escape a harmless little flash of lightning? How was it with all those innumerable ears you were afraid to hear a little rainy thud of thunder? Who made you so big a coward? Where are your weapons? Where are your puppyheads? Where are those gaping lions, where is the heavy bellowing of your throats like a rumbling earthquake? Where is the far-flung poison of your snaky mane? Do not you hiss any more with that coronet of serpentine bristles? Where are the bellowings of your bull-mouths? Where are your hands and their volleys of precipitous crags? Do you flog no longer the mazy circles of the stars? Do the jutting tusks of your boards no longer whiten their chins, wet with a frill of foamy drippings? Come now, where are the bristling grinning jaws of the mad bear?” with him summoning Helios himself to deal with her; her bosom ensnared in chains of gold; the very same chains that Hephaestus used to ensnare Hera. “Forgive me, Mother… whilst you were stronger than I in the power of rawness… your punishment is deserved.” as he immediately saw Surtur himself, teleporting Fenrir away and roaring, using the Blades of Demphaus. “Ragnarok will be thy end!” Surtur screamed as the entirety of the universe and all of Creation (the Omniverse) was being consumed by flames… however this was contained by Helios’ mere existence in the country (even if in its primordiality, the entirety of the universe and that which were Olympos was, surely an otherworldly space) to the courtyard alone as the two raging beasts fought. “You think you can stop the end of Existence?” Surtur asked as all the Nine Worlds were already smouldering to ash. Valhalla was all that remained. Haakon watched as he knew just how bad things were. “I am something of an Existence stopper myself.” Zidine said (:D) as he used his Blades of Demphaus’ full power to stab into Surtur who laughed. Zidine used the full power of Berserker Mode (including some, say, anywhere from 5 or 20% to 50% of the 9th Form’s power) to end Surtur, causing a huge explosion that destroyed the entirety of Existence which only destroyed Hesperia with Surtur’s body becoming stone by way of the Aegis, finally allowing Zidine to end him conceptually by way of his thunderbolts. All logic, space, time and existence was annihilated in Hesperia thenceforth as Surtur’s screams ripped everything apart barring the castle thanks to Helios.

“BURN IN HELL, SON OF A BITCH!” Zidine screamed as he noticed all of Surtur and Ragnarok’s flames, destructive power and intensity going into both his blades in that instant, ultimately causing him to jump down in a bowing position to his father. “You erased him from all of time-space, boy. Good on you. Thou hast removed the concept of absolute annihilation and true Armageddon. A concept is an abstract or law that is superior to all aspects of a particular notion. It is what makes a thing that it is about even possible. Say, for example, the concept of a tree would be superior to all possible trees. It is the very thing that makes those trees "being" even possible. Should someone or something, in this case a very powerful God were to remove that (conceptually erase it), then it wouldn't be possible for trees to even "be".” Helios said to Zidine, visibly impressed with him as Helios then unsealed Pandora, hugging her tightly. “Indeed, I sense he is stronger than a Spanish man of his senior year [by 3] in his school and perhaps an Englishman is weaker than he in physicality and power therein. Yet in terms of tools, he is superior to my boy but Satoshi himself… is indeed strong but weaker than Zidine in physicality and raw power however in his transcendent State of the One… he is superior in all formations as his sword of the Night and Day and all such powers are relative in strength to Mjolnir. This Flaming Sword is superior to all of the universe as a power of flame. I know my boy shalt be superior to him and all of us in this world in perhaps a year.” Helios said to his wife who knelt and cried at his feet. “SPARE ME! PLEASE! I LOVE THEE!” Helena screamed as he saw her actions. “Thou art a killer of children and a sealer of my daughter.” Helios said as a beam of sunlight devoured itself from his Sceptre. Time briefly stopped throughout all of Creation except Zidine and Surtur casually fought. “Farewell, wife. May Tartaros be the hell which awaits thee. You are a true wretch and my mercy was much my downfall.” He swiftly said, judging her. Now as the earth was scourged with frozen volleys of jagged hailstones, her mother dry Gaia (the Earth) was beaten too; and seeing the stone bullets and icy points embedded in the Gigante's flesh, the witness of his fate, she prayed to Titan Helios with submissive voice: she begged of him one red hot ray, that with its heating fire she might melt the petrified water of Zeus as he gave no sway and teleported her to Tartaros where all of the Olympians were waiting. “End her.” They all said as Hera glared at her. “Your vow broke, celibate whor*.” Hera swiftly said as she drowned her insides and soul with water, releasing her cloth, body, mind, soul, concept, heart, story, life, death, name, meaning and existence infinitely as she screamed for repentance but this was no time for mercy. She was drowned in water, burned alive, snakes ripped her apart, Heracles tore her up, Artemis burned her with moonlight, every punishment in existence was hers, to which Zidine walked away. The entire land he once called home was gone as everyone in Tartaros heard a finger snap. “Even in defeat… your son calleth for mercy.” Helios spoke as Zidine appeared in Tartaros. “Goodbye, Mother. I feel nothing but empathy for you… but… this is it. Farewell. Tell George… his death was not in vain. And also… Abram is laughing at you.” Zidine spoke as he grabbed Mjolnir and simply pressed its head unto his mother’s forehead and knocked her out. “True humility cometh from the heart… of which thy son has attained.” Athena spoke as Zidine coldly touched her with his fingers, gently… erasing her from existence. “Let death be her end… she is forever erased from history.” Zidine spoke, glaring at everyone as he teleported away as he sensed Demeter willing back into existence the land of Hesperia. “Come… Pandora.” Helios said as he took her to the throne room with Zidine watching on peacefully as he was gestured in. “I bless thee with the Crown of Night.” Helios said, as from his fingers, sprouted a crown that was the literal idea and ideal form of the Night; black in colour yet utterly beautiful. Her clothing was the Sky, her feet were the Moon and Sun. Platonic Forms couldn’t even be a fraction of her. Aphrodite and the other deities blessed with a bow, swords, flaming beasts, water, earth, air, true beauty. The Form of the Good was she yet still these all held a candle in the wind to the final gift. “This… is yours.” Helios said, imbuing the Staff of Phánîs with the full power of Aether, as well as forcing the staff to resemble a beautiful moon and sun all the same; as Olympus was a mere iota of her being and power anyhow. “Thus, you are Dîmiourgόs of this land for I shalt bless you with my power [all or not, infinite is it].” Helios spoke as Zidine watched on with no anger but sadness and grief which tormented his heart. “It is thus: The Aithír cannot "create" without Earth. A universe comes about of its own accord, by Necessity (Ἀνάγκη) through Time (Χρόνος), and develops through natural processes, natural laws. This is told mythologically in the theogony with the emergence of the Golden Age [4] of Phánis (Φάνης) and Nyx (Νύξ) and then continuing with the birth of Ouranós (Οὐρανός) and Yaia (Γαῖα), and then progressing to the Silver Age of Krónos (Κρόνος) and Rǽa (Ῥέα). Like Phanes (or perhaps it is Phanes) it is a primordial entity that personifies the act of creation and the ultimate state of perfection. The gods and goddesses as we know them still exist in this model, and still deserve worship. To put it in my own terms, “God” in the singular is the Absolute, and gods and goddesses — while they are all divine, and none inferior — are too limited in their scope to be the Absolute.” I’d say to thee in a simplified form that Khronos is the fabric of Space-Time, Ananke is Force (all/any force), Phanes is Heat and Light (or all/any energy), and Nyx and Erebus are the corresponding lack thereof (the cold and dark vacuum of space). In Orphic theogonies, the Orphic Egg is a cosmic egg from which hatched the primordial hermaphroditic deity Phanes/Protogonos.” Helios explained as Zidine kindly and genuinely smiled in what seemed like forever. “Zidine, my boy… Do you want to take the position as King instead?” Helios asked as Zidine’s hands wrung with guilt. He closed his eyes and simply said “No… I am not worthy of it. She is truly your right successor. I have one more task to complete for I hath bathed in my arrogance for too long. It is now time I cleanse myself of the Final Sins.” Zidine said; his left eye itching for its final goal. He then gave his sister Poseidon’s trident and Hades’ dog-skin cap (Helm of Invisibility). “Always remember: A true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.” Helios said as Zidine bowed down to Helios and his sister, ultimately walking away. “Zidine… please stay.” Pandora asked, practically begging him only for him to say “I cannot stay. Burdening thee, I will not. Instead I shall focus on my innards and chaos-bound sinews, letting myself ruminate in perhaps true calmness. He then teleported over to Greece and sat in the Acropolis, allowing himself to do exactly as he said, meditating for a year. He felt a sense of peace with Helios sitting down with him. “Boy… eventually, time itself will run thee dry and yet must let thyself be at peace. Both Berserker and human.” Helios spoke from within Zidine’s mind. He saw Heimdall, Loki, Thor, Frigga, Odin, Tyr, Freyr and all the other Norse gods appearing in the Acropolis; with Tyr, Freyr and Thor fighting him at the same time, immediately using their respective powers only for Zidine to match Thor in lightning with extreme difficulty; the former’s Berserker Mode’s power being more than enough to counter Thor’s runic power. “Thy family is a lie, boy.” Heimdall said, smiling, knowing that Zidine stopped Ragnarok. “How?” Zidine asked to which Thor simply said “Thy mother bore intimacy with Father too, brother… in order to have thy Berserker Mode.” as Zidine’s eyes glared at him, sending him flying back with one kick only for Tyr to casually restrain him with his hand. “Heimdall keeps watch for invaders and the onset of Ragnarök from his dwelling Himinbjörg, where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets the sky. He is attested as possessing foreknowledge and keen senses, particularly eyesight and hearing. The god and his possessions are described in enigmatic manners. For example, Heimdall is emerald-toothed, "the head is called his sword," and he is "the whitest of the gods." Heimdall possesses the resounding horn Gjallarhorn and the golden-maned horse Gulltoppr, along with a store of mead at his dwelling. He is the son of Nine Mothers, and he is said to be the originator of social classes among humanity. Other notable stories include the recovery of Freyja's treasured possession Brísingamen while doing battle in the shape of a seal with Loki. The antagonistic relationship between Heimdall and Loki is notable, as they are foretold to kill one another during the events of Ragnarök. Heimdallr is also known as Rig, Hallinskiði, Gullintanni, and Vindlér or Vindhlér. The etymology of the name is obscure, but 'the one who illuminates the world' has been proposed. Heimdallr may be connected to Mardöll, one of Freyja's names. Heimdallr and its variants are usually anglicized as Heimdall (/ˈheɪmdɑːl/; with the nominative -r dropped). Heimdall is attested as having three other names; Hallinskiði, Gullintanni, and Vindlér or Vindhlér. The name Hallinskiði is obscure, but has resulted in a series of attempts at deciphering it. Gullintanni literally means 'the one with the golden teeth'. Vindlér (or Vindhlér) translates as either 'the one protecting against the wind' or 'wind-sea'. All three have resulted in numerous theories about the god.” Tyr explained only for Zidine to walk away as he then saw a man of ashen skin. He is very tall, being 7 feet 8 inches (2.34 metres). Due to his long lifetime as a warrior, he is in peak physical condition of a large, athletic frame with a well-defined and muscular build. Since adulthood, he sported a red tattoo going down the majority of his upper body and up to his face, a tattoo he wore in honour of his brother, Deimos. On his face, besides the aforementioned tattoo, he has a scar on his right eye and a black goatee and hazel brown eyes. With him being older, middle-aged, he has some wrinkles on his face looking to be in his mid to late-50's. His goatee has grown into a bushy, full beard which covers half his face and has several grey hairs. His skin is still pale and covered with the ashes of his Spartan family, and his tattoos have faded slightly.. Also from the same wound, he now has a long scar covering almost all of his lower back. He wears black leather pants and shoes, also present are faded scars from where the chains from the blades were attached to his forearms, which he prefers to keep covered beneath with what appears to be fur-lined leather, secured with thongs of leather. “Who are yo-?!” Zidine asked as his soul was sent flying back, only for him to use Mjolnir to fight against the man, silent he was, as he used an axe similar to the Drigo Axe with Zidine then immediately using his Runic powers to stop this man from reaching him and then adding his thunderbolts whilst further using his 8th form, sending the man flying away. “Who are you?!” Zidine asked as the man simply stated “Cratus” to which Zidine coldly smiled, using the power of the Aegis to freeze him in stasis. “Very well, god of strength… goodbye.” Zidine said, using the power of Jove to end him for good with Tyr and the others looking amazed. Needless to say, they fought for a year (Zidine against the Norse pantheon) as Haakon watched from Valhalla in slight amazement and perhaps… fear. As the year passed in the Acropolis… his attacks both alone and with the deities, helped annihilate the otherworldly and extradimensional Olympus, surely transcendent of time, space and all such words [for he thus attacked and destroyed solar systems or galaxies therein, holding back against the Norse deities with the exclusion of Thor and Tyr however this was perhaps illusory] only for Zidine’s physical body to finally be done with that… now finally tired as the deities bowed down to him. “It it time…” Thor said to Zidine himself as he had already accepted that his family were liars. “Thus, my lineage may be full of glory-hunters… but I will be his end. Farewell.” Zidine said, finally teleporting to Iceland.

Overall Skill Level: Whilst little is seen and known of his actual skill, according to those who lived long after him, he was regarded as a myth; and a legend in China and Japan. Even Kenjaku called him a truly immortal entity who had even surpassed Tengen herself in this aspect.

That said, back more than 2000 years ago, Tatsuryuu was the strongest sorcerer in all of China. More than living up to his title, Tatsuryuu himself possessed immeasurable amounts of cursed energy within his body due to the nature of the Soul Flame.

Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: While immensely powerful as a jujutsu sorcerer, Tatsuryuu could beat up an older Dhruv and fight somewhat on par in terms of hand-to-hand with Ashoka who was 71 years old.

Immense Strength: He, like Ashoka, was physically strong to destroy one of Dhruv's shikigami with his raw strength, something which no-one barring Yuta Okkotsu himself could do thousands of years later.

Immeasurable Speed: Whilst little is known of his speed, Tatsuryuu was said to be almost as fast as Ashoka himself by the man in question. He could also dodge Narakan Knives, a technique that both Ashoka himself and Dhruv described as beyond dodging entirely.

Immense Reflexes: He was also able to reflexively dodge each of an older Dhruv's attacks with minimal effort.

Immeasurable Durability: He was durable enough to tank both of Dhruv's Shikigami attacks with somewhat minimal effort, and could even survive attacks from the Vajra of Indra whilst Ashoka was using it, a weapon capable of easily annihilating an entire country as thunder poured from its every orifice. Kenjaku also described him as someone so durable that it would take a millennia in order to truly defeat him. He was also able to survive an encounter from Ashoka and live past the Heian era without any real damage to speak of.

Great Tactical Intellect: Tatsuryuu was an extremely intelligent man, being able to use his techniques and vision to see right through most opponents and adapt to them correspondingly.

He was also intelligent enough to see right through Dhruv's Shikigami, determining their actual purpose and then using that against Dhruv himself.

Jujutsu[]

Immeasurable Cursed Energy: Whilst his actual amount of cursed energy is unknown, according to Qin Shi Huang, it was though "Heaven and Earth had coursed through his very being".

Dragon King Eyes
The Dragon Eyes (ドラゴンの目火眼金睛, Ryū no Me) are eyes that the Dragon Kings and those who are possessed by the Naga Kings can attain. Furthermore, the Dragon Princes have it in a more limited form.

(2) Tennitsu: "the divine ears" capable of hearing any sound at any distance. The second type is the power of celestial hearing: able to hear all the sounds in the world, without obstacles. A person who has the power of celestial hearing can hear all sounds clearly, can hear the sound behind obstacles, no matter how far away. Of course, this has to be distinguished from auditory hallucinations. Auditory hallucinations are a mental illness, while the power of celestial hearing mentioned here is a real supernatural power, which is completely different. This is the second type. "If he wants, he hears — by means of the divine ear-element, purified and surpassing the human — both kinds of sounds: divine and human, whether near or far. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.

(3) Tashintsu: the ability to know others' mind and thoughts. The third type, the power of mind reading: able to know the thoughts of the beings in the three worlds and six realms, and able to know what sentient beings are thinking and thinking of. Therefore, a person who has the power of mind reading will not worry about being plotted by others. For example, what's called telepathy today belongs to the category of the power of mind reading. This is the third type. "If he wants, he knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion. He discerns a restricted mind as a restricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind. He discerns an enlarged mind as an enlarged mind, and an unenlarged mind as an unenlarged mind. He discerns an excelled mind [one that is not at the most excellent level] as an excelled mind, and an unexcelled mind as an unexcelled mind. He discerns a concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an unconcentrated mind as an unconcentrated mind. He discerns a released mind as a released mind, and an unreleased mind as an unreleased mind. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening."

(4) Shukumytotsu: the ability to know former lives of oneself and others. The fourth type, the power of knowing past lives: able to know the past karma of oneself and the beings in the three worlds and six realms, and to know the causes of present and future retributions. Therefore, people who have the power of knowing past lives can remember things in their past lives clearly and know them like the back of their hands. This is the fourth type. "If he wants, he recollects his manifold past lives (lit: previous homes), i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many aeons of cosmic contraction, many aeons of cosmic expansion, many aeons of cosmic contraction and expansion, [recollecting], 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus he remembers his manifold past lives in their modes and details. He can witness this for himself whenever there is an opening.

Equipment[]

Cursed Tool

Sun Scepter is a sceptre that grants authority over the universe. It can also freeze time, alter reality and control the seasons. Helena describes it as: “This here staff will allow you to control the ways of the Sun [in its warmth and heat]! You resemble your father in every way!” “Why is Brother always so prudent in his revenge-based desire?” George asked his mother, still naive and completely under his mother’s thumb; with him using the sceptre to force the sky to become golden."

George Helios[]

Zidine’s mother, Helena, the once Queen and now Grand Princess stood coldly in her throne room, sitting in the throne that once belonged to her beloved husband… and that which should have belonged to her true bloodline. “Why isn’t my beloved son, George, not the true King?! If Zidine wasn’t Helios’ favourite child, none of this would have happened! Getting rid of him will never work even with him knowing since he will inevitably come and return with an iron fist! Just because Helios loved him with true care and empathy gave him the inevitable reign of King whereas his despising of me forced nothing more than hatred and vitriol on both sides. If only George was older… then maybe he would have become King.” She thought to herself with rage and sadness clashing in her hardened and rock-hard eyes and heart only to see a passenger pigeon flying into her castle with a letter in its talons, dropping it in her cold-blooded hands and then flying away faster than she could react as the seal had a familiar crest of two smaller snakes and one big snake behind them, resembling the staff of Asclepius. Opening the letter frantically, she saw its contents where it read: “The Great Serpents have authorised your request of Zidine falling in the shortest of time. George shall be King of Hesperia soon, and in return, Hesperia will meet every desire of the Great Serpents.' and upon reading this, tears dripped down her face and cheeks, warming her cold-blooded heart briefly as she smiled calmly, finally realising that her dreams of seeing Zidine falling and grovelling to her knees would be real. “Your Majesty, what is the news concerning?” Hadeil, her favourite general who bore a Roman-esque helmet, asked as she smiled. “Nothing more than a confirmation of George’s inevitable ascendance. What must I do to speed this up?” She asked to which Hadeil scratched his chin. “Write the boy a letter of confidence and confirmation henceforth to make George the Minister of Defence, that way, the army will swear loyalty to George due to a loophole in the law which cannot be reprimanded or changed and upon even stepping foot into Hesperia… he will find himself murdered or castrated by the way of our spears.” He casually suggested, knowing that she would willingly agree to do so, sacrificing her “son” for her “first-born”. 1 hour later, Zidine found himself sitting at his table, witnessing a letter that said: “Dear Zidine, please may you make a suggestion of the highest order? Make George, your beloved brother, the Minister of Defence henceforth and give him the rightful rank he is verily willing to deserve and adapt to his mind of growing temperament?” to which he read and smiled, responding with a simple “Yes”, sending this back to her to which she smiled peacefully upon hearing this. “It is done.” She spoke to a voice on the other side which had no visible caller ID and was simply listed as Unknown Number with a mystical snake with purple eyes as its profile picture.

Satoshi was frantic, immediately teleporting her to Kulana as he looked shocked. “Satoshi boy! What-?!” Kulana asked as he looked absolutely horrified himself. “Who did this? Satoshi, calm down!” Kulana said, immediately removing his goggles as his eyes darted around Sakura’s now-uncovered body where she was now dressed with a hospital gown out of respect as he was also shown the letter Satoshi had. “They did this.” Kulana explained as Satoshi’s face was littered in stress and tears. “Who?” Satoshi asked bluntly. “I am sorry, Satoshi. She was likely raped. You need to be careful. Do you have any evidence of who likely did this?” Kulana explained as Satoshi vomited blood in front of him and handed him their bedsheets and duvet and tissues and any possible cleaning devices. “Thank you. I will check the DNA samples on this for you. Give me about 2 to 3 hours. But I warn you, sexual assault is not a fun thing. It is dangerous and life-changing.” Kulana explained with wisdom in his heart as his eyes looked at Satoshi with care and sadness. “She will be here for a while.” Kulana explained calmly. “You have to remain calm. Find the perpetrator and relax yourself.” Kulana explained as Satoshi did so, wiping away his tears and looking ahead to his daunting mission ahead, teleporting away to the School, determined to find the perpetrators responsible. He asked the girls and boys alike, only to have no real response of value… until he saw Muro. “Hello, Satoshi. I was wondering when we’d meet. I was so worried about Sakura after she had Hinata that I went to see her. I thought I saw Damien take your beloved daughter somewhere. I tried to stop him but he adamantly refused, stating he had your permission. A stubborn yet emotional one, that Damian.” Muro explained, still with deceit in his eyes and mouth. “Have you heard of the Brotherhood of Serpents?” Satoshi then asked to which Muro shouted “NO!” with Satoshi somewhat trusting him. “How’s Sakura now? I heard that she is in hospital.” Muro asked with visible concern as Satoshi’s eyes narrowed; questioning how he knew such information. “She’s good. Thanks for helping. You might be what the Black Crows need.” Satoshi said bluntly, teleporting away to find Damien. Damien sat on a bench near the Blue Lane brothel with him sucking or biting his thumb to which he found him easily on a park bench, whispering something in his ear with Damien’s face blushing with shock and embarrassment, only to be injected in the arm and knocked out cold, eventually taken to Room B of the Akarian state where the Thought Police usually interrogated their prisoners, strapped to an extremely advanced chair that bound his hands, and eyes with his glasses in Satoshi’s hands as a sticky fake explosive device was stuck to the back of the chair. “Where is Hinata?” Satoshi calmly asked as the screen showed Damien with Sakura, talking and engaging in fun activities with her as his blushing couldn’t stop. “Please… I don’t know… I am telling the truth.” Damien said, his blushing seemingly being eternal. “What happened to her?!” Damien asked as Satoshi’s eyes looked visibly furious. “You don’t know?” Satoshi asked as Damien was clearly telling the truth. “You see… I took Hinata to the dorms after I went to her house to see how she was and then when I returned to the dorms… she was missing.” He explained with Satoshi realising this was consistent with Muro’s telling of events although alarm bells rang in his mind upon hearing “she was missing”. “Where is she?” He asked, continuing to prod further as Damian couldn’t move. “The Party is beyond such humane ignorance. Nothing will come of nothing. Loyalty to the Party is loyalty to the true Royalty. Freedom is Ignorance and Strength is Emptiness except for the Party. The Party is the true helper of the State, for all shall return to the Party once they perish. You included, Damian Alanis.” The screen said as Damian was terrified. “I DON’T KNOW! BUT IT WAS MUR-!” Damian was about to say as Satoshi injected him once more, clearly traumatised over his daughter’s disappearance as he put Damian’s glasses back on his face, teleporting him back with him being hospitalised in the Akarian State Hospital where only those with connections to the former Royalty, Government, Ministry or those with severe injuries were helped. With that, Satoshi teleported back to Kulana to ask whose DNA was found on the objects given. “Well… there is no match on this Earth. It is unmatched. I am truly sorry. It appears that whoever did this may run unchecked.” Kulana said as Satoshi looked extremely annoyed upon learning this, immediately teleporting away to speak to his Brothers, ignoring his personal health and welfare. “I must tell you everything. Sakura was assaulted by someone and Hinata was kidnapped. I also had a dream sent by Ashoka, revealing the Brotherhood of the Serpents to me and me alone. You must listen!” Satoshi said to all of them, fully pleading with them as they looked saddened. “I… give my condolences to Sakura.” Masaru said, airing his grievances as Satoshi also showed Xiaoyu his letter who read it with shock. “The Asar’ii?” Xiaoyu asked, taking out a scroll from a pocket, the same stone scroll that Akari gave him. “The Flames gave me the power I desired but this scroll is from the Asareen themselves where it gave me secret knowledge. My teacher, Akari explained that they were a feared and secret order of highly intelligent and skilled assassins, experts in their line of work. They were first devised by Ashoka, as he appointed Nine Unknown Men to lead this secret army of his. They were greatly useful in the war against the Brotherhood of the Serpent and I think that it would be great if you three could learn some Asareen techniques.” Xiaoyu explained as Muro slyly knocked on the door, with it seeming that he was there the entire time and upon entering, everyone barring Satoshi was on guard. “How can we trust you?” They all asked, apprehensive of his very existence. “He gave me the information that Damien kidnapped Hinata.” Satoshi explained with this brief explanation seemingly being satisfactory enough as Masaru was wary of this. “If I may, I would be a great ally against the Brotherhood. After they killed my parents, I desperately desired some form of revenge against them but they were too strong. They mocked my existence. Hence why, I trained like the maddest of men to use Hebijutsu (Snake techniques), eventually gaining connection to a mysterious snake-dragon egg I found where a man who I would later call Father adopted me at the age of 4, stating that this was important for reasons I still do not understand. This is why I believe that my powers will be of use against the Brotherhood’s techniques which are primarily snake-based. Can we work together?” Muro asked politely, weakly smiling to avoid any form of suspicion as Masaru agreed. “This snake is Vasuki, the one who hatched from the aforementioned Dragon egg. He has great powers of deception and most of all, detection. His detection skills even rival the eyes of Sakura and Damien themselves!” He said with great cheer in his voice. “Ok. I need to go now.” Zidine said bluntly, walking out of the room for the briefest of moments, only to see a letter outside the room which was written by Helena: “Please, can our beloved George become the Lord of the Realm as Minister of Defence and thus Controller of the National Bank? It will be a great opportunity for him to gather kingly wisdom as your beloved Father did want.

Yours faithfully,

Helena, Grand Princess of Hesperia” to which Zidine signed back with “Yes, under the condition that he gains the highest tutelage”, with him now being on guard.

Helena watched from her kingdom, letting George sit on his father’s throne with a golden sceptre in his hand. “This here staff will allow you to control the ways of the Sun [in its warmth and heat]! You resemble your father in every way!” Helena said, doting cheerfully on her son as she heard a thunderbolt grace the kingdom. “Remember, this is not my last.” It spoke to her, and to her alone as her terror was covered by her love for her son.

Now in the morning, Zidine’s mother, Helena, the once Queen and now Grand Princess stood coldly in her throne room, watching greedily as George, her beloved son, was going to become King. She thought she was going to win everything. As she was about to land the crown on her son… a red thunderbolt could be seen in the distance. She knew her worst nightmare was coming. This was Fate itself coming and giving a huge middle finger. “RELEASE ALL OF THE ARMY!” Helena screamed as Hadeil was himself disheartened, questioning just how bad things were going to become. If only he knew…

Zidine had appeared in the form of a thunderbolt as dark shadows surrounded his vision. “Is this the thanks you give for me being so kind?” Zidine asked to which the shadows were silent, unnervingly so as they had their spears out with some even having revolvers ready for this threat. “You will die, Zidine, son of Helios!” Many soldiers as he released two blades from his hands which moved on the ground, causing a huge sound, the clanging doing some slight damage. “I warn you… this will be your undoing.” Zidine said coldly as each of the soldiers were absolutely terrified of even going near him but they had no choice. Their loyalty to the Queen and their lives were at stake as they had no choice but to attack. “DIE!” One soldier screamed as Zidine quickly used the Blades of Demphaus to grab his arms and forcibly pull him towards himself as the soldier couldn’t even scream. Upon getting near Zidine’s presence, he saw the demon that was; that demon Zidine became because of the woman that was Helena. “Look into my eyes.” Zidine asked as his glowing red eye stared into the soldier’s soul, to which the soldier screamed, ultimately having his arms snapped and crushed into the ground allowing him to then fight without mercy as every single soldier knew that they had to summon what appeared to be shields in order to protect themselves. “How regrettable.” Zidine said as he knew this wouldn’t end well whatsoever with her then spinning around using the Blades, causing numerous shields to be sent flying upwards as all the soldiers a glowing red spark of lightning. Screams devoured their ranks as Zidine smiled menacingly; laughter boomed through the entire area with him using the Blades of Demphaus to grab soldiers’ legs, dodging a few of their attacks, using his elbows, legs and hands to do far more damage than anyone was expecting with the soldiers continuing to attack. “Chaotic Spin.” Zidine said, using the Blades to damage the ground and attacking several soldiers simultaneously as one of the soldiers had one of the blades within their mouths with this being used against them, being sent flying towards Zidine as his other blade was used to send another flying away, combining that with red lightning being used to utterly incinerate other soldiers. As their own comrades observed their fellow soldiers being utterly erased, they were themselves too late to prevent their own demise since they had their necks snapped, suffering from being choked by way of the chains. “Leaving you alive will be good but… sending a message to our beloved Mother is needed.” Zidine said to them all with them all continuing to attack him only for Zidine to summon a red orb above him. “Second Form of the Lightning Of Elding: Vortex of Death.” Zidine said, causing wind to slowly erupt like a volcano from underground as the soldiers slowly felt their lives whisk away; causing some of the soldiers who weren't affected to look horrified. “This is the Queen's boy? Why is he a demon?!” One of the soldiers asked, seeing just how terrifying this being was. Zidine's eyes continued to glow. “I often find that death… is not often the best recourse.” Zidine thought to himself as the red orb exploded, causing lightning to devour every single soldier in the nearest vicinity as their eyes were beginning to fire out of their faces; nerves and neurons simply began no longer firing. Death became the norm here… with Zidine simply moving forward. Having no empathy for anyone who supported his mother. He knew that she would inevitably rue the day she would make his younger brother queen over his kindness. He knew that he had no choice but to allow blood to devour the countryside of Hesperia as he continued to use his Blades as a means of attack and defence. “FIRE THE REVOLVERS!” A burlesque soldier spoke as though he came from the American Civil War as multiple soldiers now began to ensnare and surround him. “Forgive me…” Zidine said as he immediately began to go ballistic and start to ionise the very air, touching it with his fingers, causing many a soldier’s head to explode as their eye sockets were visible, allowing him to wrap the Blades of Demphaus around one; ensnare a second with his godlike grip and then elbow a third whilst pulling them all in, flying them about and then crushing them into the floor. “You children are weak.” Zidine then said, catching a bullet in his hand from some of the soldiers, electrocuting it, twisting it around his hands and sending it back to the soldier that initially fired it, allowing him to run through the rest of the soldiers like butter, firing thunder at all of them. “RUN! RETREAT! REPORT BACK TO LORD HADEIL!” The soldier Hadrian screamed, causing the remaining few hundred who weren’t yet targeted by Zidine’s demonic eyes to begin. “Let’s-!” One of the surviving soldiers screamed who was crawling in absolute fear only to be grabbed from the scruff of his neck. “Run? No… I think its time we send Helena a message. Don’t you? ” Zidine said, retracting his blades and summoning Mjolnir which appeared from the sky. “W-what are you doing?!” The soldier screamed as Zidine coldly smiled. “Sending a message. Just not by letter or animal.” He said, using the Second Form of the Lightning of Elding to send the frightened soldier upwards, allowing him to jump up and slam his hammer into the soldier’s chest. “PLEASE! DON-!” The soldier screamed as Helena herself saw a bloodied helmet appearing on the red carpet of the Palace. “Who did this?” Helena asked Hadeil who looked genuinely annoyed. “Madam…. I suggest you take a good look outside.” Hadeil said, with which she saw an absolute nightmare. Red thunderbolts, skeletons, bones and a sea of blood devoured the entirety of the countryside as she saw numerous soldiers being ensnared in golden chains. “Request George to use the Scepter to annihilate Zidine from long range!” Helena screamed as Hadeil immediately made this request. “Why is Brother always so prudent in his revenge-based desire?” George asked his mother, still naive and completely under his mother’s thumb; with him using the sceptre to force the sky to become golden. Zidine, on the other hand, looked quite amazed as the soldiers that tried to run away (50 in total) were ensnared as Helena saw. “Why are you doing this?! I thought you were the mighty Helios’ son! The most powerful man in the West!” A soldier asked, who was clearly Zidine’s own age with a revolver on his side, holstered with what appeared to be bullets that had a sun symbol on them. “Well, you see… when you have a mother who is controlling, conniving, manipulative and an outright ass… you tend not to see things in the brightest way. And even with such power… not all forms of darkness can be quelled with ability alone.” Zidine said, sensing something was awry, with him looking at the sky which turned a beautiful golden hue. “What is that?!” The same soldier screamed as Zidine looked down at them. “My apologies… but it appears that you are going to be sacrificed…” Zidine said; his own Berserker Mode eating away at his soul with red lightning coursing out of every orifice of his being. “... like pigs for slaughter. That is what my mother saw you as… but alas… you were blind to a woman who was never loyal to you in the first place.” Zidine said as he turned around, seemingly unable to watch as the soldiers begged him for mercy with the beams of light from the sky eviscerating their mortal shells, leaving only ash and solar bullets which inevitably dissolved into dust. In an instant, Zidine’s neck snapped sidewards, his eyes locked on to his former castle, staring eye-to-eye with Helena for the first time in years. His eyes narrowed briefly as a red lightning bolt was heard within the castle.

He appeared within the domain of King George for the first time in years as he reminded himself of Helios' death. "Zidine, you come? Why must be your first appearance so shallow and cold?" Helena said as Zidine remained silent. "If I were you, I wouldn't talk so casually." Hadeil said, stopping any words from Zidine's mouth. "Why ask such a foolish question, Mother? Be struck with a sure semblance of kindness and respect that I even bestow thee with such a title of renown." Zidine spoke as Helena's once beautiful eyes became marred with scorn. "Why did you come and storm your way through the country?" Helena asked as Zidine turned to look at her. "I merely did so to send a message. But it appears that... it came loud and clear." Zidine said, staring at the helmet that once belonged to a soldier he had "slain". "You murdered thousands of my soldiers!" Hadeil screamed in utter outrage as he pointed his spear to Zidines throat, only for him to point a finger directly at the tip of the spear, as if to provoke him with unspoken threats. "Yes. I do apologise for doing such a thing, Lord Hadeil. But we both know that the only reason why you are in such a high position is simply because of corruption related to the Brotherhood of the Serpent before this damn debacle happened with King George for you were crowned as his protector, bound by a lifelong vow of servitude. Am I incorrect in my truths? Or is that simply a false narrative shoved down my throat by the one who you call Queen? Irrespective of such facts, your loyalty is more misplaced than a babe's lost pacifier." Zidine spoke. As this was being said by the lips of the traitor, the general's eyes narrowed with slight concern and visible outrage. It appeared that his words had great effect. Paralysis stung his heart and soul. "Damn traitor. How dare you refer to me as a baby." Hadeil said with disgust as Zidine smiled. "Considering your misplaced loyalty towards her... and your apparent desire to constantly be near her... then it is clear my assumptions are correct." Zidine said to which Hadeil gritted his teeth. "How dare ye speak so callously against me and the Queen!" He spoke with outrage in his words, immediately readying himself in a fighting stance. "So I am correct?" Zidine asked to which Hadeil knew he was right as Helena was visibly annoyed by this. "A third I know: if sore need should come of a spell to stay my foes; when I sing that song, which shall blunt their swords, nor their weapons nor staves can wound." Zidine spoke as Helena was horrified. "As much as I would like to deal with you further... I wouldn't want Mother over there to be traumatised would I?" Zidine asked as Hadeil looked absolutely terrified with Zidine then turning to look at George. "I won't let you control him any furth-! GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!" George screamed, holding onto his sceptre for dear life as Zidine’s eyes softened ever so slightly as though he stretched a hand out of Mercy and kindness. "Please, George... do not attack me." Zidine spoke to him to which George's eyes looked at him with visible rage. "MOTHER, GET HIM AWAY FROM ME AT ONCE!" George continued to scream as Zidine continued to walk towards him and as soon as he got close enough for the sceptre to do damage, he stood there and let the sceptre stab him. "I don't want to fight you George. You are under Mother's control. While I cannot forgive you for banishing me once last year... I will allow you the chance to kill me if you so desire. Right here. Right now." Zidine said; his hubris thus having become deceased. "Leave at once, Zidine." Helena said as Zidine turned to look at the woman he once called Mother. "Very well. I will leave. But, I warn you, Princess of the Serpents... if you dare think of harming me or my brethren in any way... your death will be swifter and slower than the wind and an elder lady. Your suffering will be magnified. I will show you true abuse. We have learned of Śatanika. He is a wretched king. We will watch him squirm. This will not be my last." He then continued to say as Helena's eyes widened slightly in shock, as if to question how he knew the leader of the Brotherhood. "You don't know? Does betrayal run in the clandestine family or something?" Zidine asked as Helena coldly retorted with "If you run your mouth any longer, I wilt have you fully eviscerated out of this kingdom and blood spayed from your slicèd tongue and feed it to the cows. I suggest you leave at once." as Zidine remained calm. He knew that everything had went accordingly. "Make me, loathsome mother." He coldly spoke as Helena looked aghast. This was not something she expected at all. This wasn't... something she predicted. "You wretched boy. The Brotherhood of the Serpent has won anyhow. Time is up." She spoke as Helena had Hadeil stab her hands briefly with the spear, releasing a small amount of blood, ultimately revealing... Two snake eyes. "Even so... I will be back. And when the time, I will restore the title which you besmirched. This will not be my last." Zidine said coldly, finally disappearing in a flash of red lightning as George's eyes looked terrified only for Helena and Hadeil to calm the boy down.

One year later[]

“So… Zidine is back… and has murdered Fenrir.” Helena said to George who stared at her in deep shock. “My boy… I love you so.” She said to her son, with rage and sadness clashing in her hardened and rock-hard eyes and heart only to look out to the outskirts of the city as she saw two goats flying in the sky above. “So he has truly returned. That bastardised Berserker. No matter… when I am through with him… he will learn who the rightful monarch of this damned place is.” She thought to herself, staring at George who had now had his father’s crown and sceptre fully manifested. Tears dripped down her face and cheeks, warming her cold-blooded heart briefly as she smiled calmly, finally realising that her dreams of seeing Zidine falling and grovelling to her knees would be real. “Your Majesty, what is the news concerning?” Hadeil, her favourite general who bore a Roman-esque helmet, asked as she smiled. “To speed this up, upon even stepping foot into Hesperia… he will find himself murdered or castrated by the way of our spears.” He casually suggested, knowing that she would willingly agree to do so, sacrificing her “son” for her “first-born”. Little did Zidine know however… that the next creature he would face… would test his strength absolutely.

“Thou art a bearer of Jove. Helios spoke of the Orphic Hymns. All the stars in the sky bowed to him, much like how Hera made a galaxy by her breast milk. You are his son. You must kill your mother.” Heracles said as Zidine looked deeply conflicted. Yes, on the one hand, he wanted her dead for the sake of manipulation and lies… but at the same time, he didn’t want to leave George an orphan who bore power over many nations. “I can’t. Killing her would only make George a desperate power-hungry fiend. I need to find some way to do it without conflict.” Zidine said as the gods stared at him in visible disbelief. “You have to end her physically! Leaving her alive is a bad idea… if she gets wind of this… she shall release the mother of all evils unto this world once more.” Heracles stated, glaring at Hera as he said this, reminding himself of when he murdered his family because of her. “You blame me even though it was you who fell into a bout of insanity.” Hera said coldly, to which Zidine stared at her. He felt Berserker Mode coursing through him in that moment but he didn’t, because he knew that he would likely be outmatched even with Zeus’ thunderbolts. “HOW COULD YOU TELL ME THAT MY “DEAR MOTHER” ORCHESTRATED ALL TH-!” Zidine screamed as Hera also made an infinite noise resound through the air, to restrain the wrath of Zidine’s fiery power, to which he stared at his hands. “You have a choice, boy. You and I both know that your mother sits on a throne of lies.” Hera then explained from her mighty throne, all prevail’d as one who could end the universe with her control of the wind. “Mother is right.” Hephaestus said regrettably, his anvil bearing unquenching fire. “You must kill your mother. She took everything from you. Controlled you. Manipulated you. Your brother is likely her servant. But even so… before you defeat her… there is something you must do.” He said, pointing to a mountain a few metres away from them. “Destroy thy illusion.” Poseidon spoke, slamming his trident and submerging the entirety of Greece in a flood that was thus contained to the Acropolis alone as Zidine felt himself drowning. “Thy runes see not the truth, even if your eye is all-seeing boy.” Poseidon said menacingly as thunder struck the Acropolis. “Ay. Your brother has my bow. And Artemis’ hunting wits. As fast as Helios he is too. Speed means nothing. He can cause disease, hit accurately. He even hit a bull three cities away whilst staring at a needle. Don’t forget the Scepter of Helios, that can cast a blanket of solar sparks across the heavens.” Apollo said as Zidine looked at them all, realising what this meant. “You must fight us before you fight Typhon. What you stand on is Olympos. Mount Olympus in Roman sources is not only a mountain, but also a place or a realm of Jupiter, which exists somewhere outside and beyond the physical (or immanent) universe. That said, Typhon is far too powerful for your current state. Think of it like a video game. Your current base self wilt be amplified considerably. But it is still your base. I think and can say with certainty, that you can perhaps destroy mountains and even the boundless earth and boundless sea with the power of your hammer, physicality and thy thunderbolts. Even Chaos feels your might. For a month, you will train… but in truth, a mere hour will pass by. Time will stop. You will fight in zero time where we are outside of the universe, so you can hold back no longer as the concept of space, time or whatever you may say has no sway. But… anything resembling your thunderbolts or hammer in a physical clash wilt cause earthly reverberations such as earthquakes or splitting the sky. Understood?” Apollo asked as Zidine readied himself. “Orphic Hymns wilt be sung alongside the Homeric counterparts, as both an amplifier of boundless magnitude and strength as well as a way for you to gain thy knowledge in a non-oracular manner. With the base of mathematical institution: 12 in 30 is 2 and a half days each.” Apollo said as Zidine smiled, ready to give it everything he had. “Aphrodite: Come.” Apollo said as a third girl entered, her beauty visibly unsurpassed. Her charming, ambrosia-like complexion intimated that she represented the earlier Venus [Aphrodite] when that goddess was still a maiden. She vaunted her unblemished beauty by appearing naked and unclothed except for a thin silken garment veiling her entrancing lower parts. An inquisitive gust of air would at one moment with quite lubricous affection blow this garment aside, so that when wafted away it revealed her virgin bloom; at another moment it would wantonly breathe directly upon it, clinging tightly and vividly outlining the pleasurable prospect of her lower limbs. The goddess's appearance offered contrasting colours to the eye, for her body was dazzling white, intimating her descent from heaven and her robe was dark blue, denoting her emergence from the sea . . . Each maiden representing a goddess was accompanied by her own escort . . . Venus [Aphrodite] was surrounded by a throng of the happiest children; you would have sworn that those little boys whose skins were smooth and milk-white were genuine Cupides [Erotes] who had just flown in from sky or sea. They looked just he part with their tiny wings, miniature arrows, and the rest of their get-up, as with gleaming torches they lit the way for their mistress as though she were en route to a wedding-banquet. Next floated in charming children, unmarried girls, representing on one side the Gratiae [Charites, Graces] at their most graceful, and on the other the Horae [Horai] in all their beauty. They were appeasing the goddess by strewing wreaths and single blossoms before her, and they formed a most elegant chorus-line as they sought to please the Mistress of pleasures with the foliage of spring. The flutes with their many stops were now rendering in sweet harmony melodies in the Lydian mode. As they affectingly softened the hearts of onlookers, Venus [Aphrodite] still more affectingly began to gently stir herself; with gradual, lingering steps, restrained swaying of the hips, and slow inclination of the head she began to advance, her refined movements matching the soft wounds of the flutes. Occasionally her eyes alone would dance, as at one moment she gently lowered her lids, and at another imperiously signalled with threatening glances. She [Aphrodite] clothed herself with garments which the Kharites (Charites, Graces) and Horai (Hours) had made for her and dyed in flowers of spring--such flowers as the Horai (Horae, Seasons) wear--in crocus and hyacinth and flourishing violet and the rose's lovely bloom, so sweet and delicious, and heavenly buds, the flowers of the narcissus and lily. In such perfumed garments is Aphrodite clothed at all seasons.

“Silence yourself.” She spoke, shutting down the power on the conceptual level to Zidine’s horror as Demeter came and froze him in ice only for a rune to appear in the air and unfreeze Mjolnir, allowing Zidine the chance to strike Demeter, to which she fell, thus causing Hesperia’s crops to desist and cease, forcing Helena into a terrible decision. “We must use the Scepter.” She said to George who did so, pointing it at the sky and stopping the temporal flow of the elements, reverting them to a state of peace with Helena looking on in sheer anger and annoyance at the fact that Zidine caused this. Upon Demeter’s “death”... Zidine spoke “ I know an eighth spell; it would be useful for anyone to learn it. When hate arises between any two people, I can cool their tempers” and beat Dionysus without any effort. “Know that thy mother is likely controlling Hesperia by way of the staff that thy Father left behind for his future reigning monarch who was to be you.” Demeter explained as Hephaestus finally appeared from his forge of Olympus (despite it being destroyed) and readied himself for battle.

A great part of huge earth was scorched by the terrible vapour and melted as tin melts when heated by men's art in channelled crucibles; or as iron, which is hardest of all things, is softened by glowing fire in mountain glens and melts in the divine earth through the strength of Hephaestus as Hephaistos took the huge blower off from the block of the anvil limping; and yet his shrunken legs moved lightly beneath him. He set the bellows away from the fire, and gathered and put away all the tools with which he worked in a silver strongbox. Then with a sponge he wiped clean his forehead, and both hands, and his massive neck and hairy chest, and put on a tunic, and took up a heavy stick in his hand, and went to the doorway limping. And in support of their master moved his attendants. These are golden, and in appearance like living young women. There is intelligence in their hearts, and there is speech in them and strength, and from the immortal gods they have learned how to do things. These stirred nimbly in support of their master.

"I suspect Helena is scheming against ye by using George as a medium." Helios said. “You must humble thy brother… redeem him. If you don’t kill him, then you have done me proud. Truthfully, no matter my power, I was unable to see the darkness that Helena had. No matter how perfect her beauty was, she had truly miserable intentions and as such, got pregnant with George as the second-born child. As a result, she was deeply hating of me and you, by extension and because of this, she never forgave you for your sheer existence. Thus, killing her could be a goal but redemption of one of them is genuinely necessary.” Helios said as Zidine glanced at him. “So I really do have no choice, huh?” Zidine asked as Helios nodded disapprovingly. “Yea. I shalt train thee with no regrets.” Helios said as he laughed, creating a huge boom that shattered the entirety of Greece. “What is Hesperia?” Zidine asked to which Helios calmly responded with “Hesperia is a kingdom… that of Norway mixed with Greece… Greco-Roman architecture and capacities, hence the Roman soldiers within the Royals’ ranks. It was thus formed away from Akaria’s control some thousands of years ago in the early 10th century since Akaria is thus older.” Helios explained, teleporting Abram, himself and Zidine onto Olympus. Zidine instinctively grabbed Mjolnir and fought Helios who barely lifted a finger, sending him flying back. “You beat Typhon but ye cannot even graze a finger of mine?” Helios asked as sunlight shot from his finger, leading to Zidine to use Mjolnir to dodge it. “I am the bearer of Tablets of Phanes: Oracular tablets written by the primordial god Phanes that describe the fate of the cosmos and the movements of the universe, kept by Helios and the Aureole: The shining crown which you were going to inherit.” Helios explained as he summoned an egg so bright that neither Zidine nor Abram could bear witness to it only for Zidine to howl, summoning Fenrir and his children. “A pet wolf? How mighty.” Helios said, laughing softly, ultimately grabbing Fenrir’s back and burning him up with one hit, ultimately having his light-based attack reflected by the Aegis.

George’s Palace in the Present

“George, it will be time. Pandora’s Box hath been released and thus… your fate will be yours. You will gain the ultimate, transcendent power your father had. You will become Zagreus! The King of the Universe, no, of Chaos, Heaven and Tartaros!” Helena said, as she smiled. “Close thy eyes. This is your gift.” Helena said as she smiled menacingly. Her eyes grew redder as the Palace shook; its sandstone formation visibly shuddered in true fear. She grabbed two sickles and sliced her wrists. “In Heimskringla, Ynglinga Saga, Chapter 7: Óðinn knew, and practised himself, the art which is accompanied by greatest power, called seiðr (‘black magic’), and from it he could predict the fates of men and things that had not yet happened, and also cause men death or disaster or disease, and also take wit or strength from some and give it to others. But this magic, when it is practised, is accompanied by such great perversion that it was not considered without shame for a man to perform it, and the skill was taught to the goddesses. Óðinn knew about all the treasure of the earth, where it was hidden, and he knew songs which would make the earth and cliffs and rocks and grave-mounds open up before him, and with words alone he would bind those who were in them and go in and take from there whatever he wanted. He became very famous because of these powers. His enemies feared him, but his friends trusted him and believed in his power and in him. And he taught most of his skills to his sacrificial priests. They were next to him in all lore and magic. And yet many others learned much of it, and from there heathendom spread widely and lasted for a long time. And people worshipped Óðinn and the twelve rulers and called them their gods and believed in them long afterwards. The name Auðunn comes from Óðinn, and people called their sons this, and from Þórr’s name come the names Þórir and Þórarinn, or it is combined with other elements, as in Steinþórr or Hafþórr, or changed further in other ways." Let the Lord of Hell and Fire come and bless my child with the power needed to slay his ultimate enemy. Even if he bears his father’s stave and youthful form, bless him with his true power and potential. Let Zidine Helios’ end come. Replenish my beloved with the skill of the Asura even if he is powerful enough to upturn trees and countries through the power of the Staff of the Cosmos and the Bow of Apollo.

O Powerful Victory [Nike], by men desir'd, with adverse breasts to dreadful fury fir'd,

Thee I invoke, whose might alone can quell contending rage, and molestation fell:

'Tis thine in battle to confer the crown, the victor's prize, the mark of sweet renown;

For thou rul'st all things, Victory [Nike] divine! And glorious strife, and joyful shouts are thine.

Come, mighty Goddess, and thy suppliant bless, with sparkling eye, elated with success;

May deeds illustrious thy protection claim, and find, led on by thee immortal Fame.

O Father Jove [Zeus], who shak'st with fiery light the world deep-sounding from thy lofty height:

From thee, proceeds th' ætherial lightning's blaze, flashing around intolerable rays.

Thy sacred thunders shake the blest abodes, the shining regions of th' immortal Gods:

Thy pow'r divine, the flaming lightning shrouds, with dark investiture, in fluid clouds.

'Tis thine to brandish thunders strong and dire, to scatter storms, and dreadful darts of fire;

With roaring flames involving all around, and bolts of thunder of tremendous sound.

Thy rapid dart can raise the hair upright, and shake the heart of man with wild afright.

Sudden, unconquer'd, holy, thund'ring God, 'with noise unbounded, flying all abroad;

With all-devouring force, entire and strong, horrid, untam'd, thou roll'st the flames along.

Rapid, ætherial bolt, descending fire, the earth all-parent, trembles at thy ire;

The sea all-shining; and each beast that hears the sound terrific, with dread horror fears:

When Nature's face is bright with flashing fire, and in the heavens resound thy thunders dire.

Thy thunders white, the azure garments tear, and burst the veil of all surrounding air.

O Jove [Zeus], all-blessed, may thy wrath severe, hurl'd in the bosom of the deep appear,

And on the tops of mountains be reveal'd, for thy strong arm is not from us conceal'd.

Propitious to these sacred rites incline, and crown my wishes with a life divine:

Add royal health, and gentle peace beside, with equal reason, for my constant guide.

The Fumigation from Frankincense and Manna.

I Call the mighty, holy, splendid light, aerial, dreadful-sounding, fiery-bright;

Flaming, aerial-light, with angry voice, lightning thro' lucid clouds with horrid noise.

Untam'd, to whom resentments dire belong, pure, holy pow'r, all-parent, great and strong:

Come, and benevolent these rites attend, and grant my days a peaceful, blessed end.

O Jove much-honor'd, Jove [Zeus] supremely great, to thee our holy rites we consecrate,

Our pray'rs and expiations, king divine, for all things round thy head exalted shine.

The earth is thine, and mountains swelling high, the sea profound, and all within the sky.

Saturnian [Kronion] king, descending from above, magnanimous, commanding, sceptred Jove [Zeus];

All-parent, principle and end of all, whose pow'r almighty, shakes this earthly ball;

Ev'n Nature trembles at thy mighty nod, loud-sounding, arm'd with light'ning, thund'ring God.

Source of abundance, purifying king, O various-form'd from whom all natures spring;

Propitious hear my pray'r, give blameless health, with peace divine, and necessary wealth.

Blest Pæan, come, propitious to my pray'r, illustrious pow'r, whom Memphian tribes revere,

Slayer of Tityus, and the God of health, Lycorian Phœbus, fruitful source of wealth .

Spermatic, golden-lyr'd, the field from thee receives it's constant, rich fertility.

Titanic, Grunian, Smynthian, thee I sing, Python-destroying, hallow'd, Delphian king:

Rural, light-bearer, and the Muse's head, noble and lovely, arm'd with arrows dread:

Far-darting, Bacchian, two-fold, and divine, pow'r far diffused, and course oblique is thine.

O, Delian king, whose light-producing eye views all within, and all beneath the sky:

Whose locks are gold, whose oracles are sure, who, omens good reveal'st, and precepts pure:

Hear me entreating for the human kind, hear, and be present with benignant mind;

For thou survey'st this boundless æther all, and ev'ry part of this terrestrial ball

Abundant, blessed; and thy piercing sight, extends beneath the gloomy, silent night;

Beyond the darkness, starry-ey'd, profound, the stable roots, deep fix'd by thee are found.

The world's wide bounds, all-flourishing are thine, thyself all the source and end divine:

'Tis thine all Nature's music to inspire, with various-sounding, harmonising lyre;

Now the last string thou tun'ft to sweet accord, divinely warbling now the highest chord;

Th' immortal golden lyre, now touch'd by thee, responsive yields a Dorian melody.

All Nature's tribes to thee their diff'rence owe, and changing seasons from thy music flow

Hence, mix'd by thee in equal parts, advance Summer and Winter in alternate dance;

This claims the highest, that the lowest string, the Dorian measure tunes the lovely spring .

Hence by mankind, Pan-royal, two-horn'd nam'd, emitting whistling winds thro' Syrinx fam'd;

Since to thy care, the figur'd seal's consign'd, which stamps the world with forms of ev'ry kind.

Hear me, blest pow'r, and in these rites rejoice, and save thy mystics with a suppliant voice.

The King of All. In Orphic Hymn 37: "From Jove [Zeus] descended;

whose immortal breath sustains the soul,

and wafts her back from death;

Aerial-form'd, much-fam'd, in heav'n ye shine two-fold,

in heav'n all-lucid and divine:

Blowing, serene, from whom abundance springs, nurses of seasons, fruit-producing kings."

I bless thee with the fullest of power your father bore with my magic therein… in thy arrows and flames… and then, my lord… the ferocity of the Asuras: O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you. Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought by any being other than those created by you, nor by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal. Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time. Neither the deva-s, nor the demons, gandharva-s, yakSha-s, serpents, rAkShasa-s, nor the men, demons who prefer flesh, shall never ever kill me. O the grandfather of all the worlds! The sages shall never get angry with me and curse me. This is the boon I want, suitable for my penance. No one shall never ever kill me with a weapon, arrow, mountain or tree, dry or wet or any other things. No one shall never ever kill me in heaven, netherworld, sky, any place on earth, inside, outside, night or day. The one who is capable of killing me, along with my servants, army and vehicles with a single strike of hand, may become my death. I shall be the sun, moon, wind, fire and water, atmosphere, stars, all the ten directions. This the first boon I choose. I should not be killed by any of these things—weapons, missiles, mountains, trees whether dry or wet. I should not be killed above or below. He who is able to kill me at one blow of his band along with my servants, armies and vehicles shall cause my death. I shall be all these: sun, moon, wind, fire, water, atmosphere, firmament, everything. I must be anger, love, Varuṇa, Indra, Yama, Kubera, the presiding deity of riches as well as the over-lord of Yakṣas and Kimpuruṣas. Bless him with the power of true Runic nullification. He beareth the arrows of harm and healing; bless him with the ultimate power of Viking-slayer!” Helena thought to herself, using the Devil’s power and her own seiðr (‘black magic’)’s powers to bless her son with the accuracy of Apollo, the wits of Athena and ultimately eternal luck thanks to her ritual as a voice appeared in her mind. “Very well, girl… I shall bless him with the powers you seek… in the end, all will return to Chaos…Form of the Queen; as he be thy sacred Virgin-bound Son. Cursed be he in goodness for himself with undue love as he beareth his Chaos-bound strength which goeth above the Boundless Earth.” The Devil spoke as she smiled with a bright light devouring all of Hesperia. “Open your eyes, my beloved. Your true power has awakened.” Helena said, quickly healing her wound as George peacefully smiled with an egg in his hand that came from his sceptre. “Mother, I feel something in the air… it is time for the final showdown. The fight that was always to be.” George spoke as Helena cried.

“So… Zidine is back… and has somehow murdered his father.” Helena said to George who smiled without mercy; as she ignored memories of her love with Helios. “My boy… I love you so.” She said to her son, with happiness and fear clashing in her hardened and rock-hard eyes and heart only to look out to the outskirts of the city as she saw two goats flying in the sky above with her noticing the goats landing in the castle ground with no captain. “So he has truly returned. That bastardised Berserker. No matter… when I am through with him… he will learn who the rightful monarch of this damned place is.” George said, who now bore his father’s crown and sceptre fully manifested. Tears dripped down Helena’s face and cheeks, warming her cold-blooded heart as she smiled calmly, finally realising that her dreams of seeing Zidine falling and grovelling to her knees would be real. “Your Majesty, what is the news concerning?” Hadeil, her favourite general who bore a Roman-esque helmet, asked as she smiled. “This is the end.” Helena said, as she knew things would be good. However… by this, she would be sacrificing her “son” for her “first-born”. George then left the Staff with his mother, relieving the flow of time; unaware this would lead to his downfall in the long run.

Battle of Brothers[]

“Goats?” George asked as he immediately summoned Apollo’s bow and destroyed them as he saw Abram Willis with a black suit and red bowtie alongside neatly combed hair and a short stubble that befit his age. “Who are you?” Zidine asked with a slight air of arrogance. “Your brother.” Abram said in quick retort with a sly look on his face as George looked absolutely disgusted and repulsed. “Where is Zidine, the traitor?” George asked as he readied his bow. “Where is he?” He asked once again only for Abram to glare at him. “Stop asking, you sly little-!” Abram was about to say as an arrow fired into his throat… only for no damage to be incurred. “You want to know where he is? I am right here.” Zidine said, taking off his Helm of Invisibility. “Zidine, you traitor to the kingdom. Mother and I have been waiting for this for 3 years!” George said, with a clear sense of pomp being derived from his every word as they immediately readied themselves. The two combatants used their respective powers, firing one arrow and using the Drigo Axe respectively, to which the arrow mysteriously bypassed the Axe and struck Zidine in the throat, seemingly stripping him of his ability to speak. “Thou art a loser of the highest form, gratuitous twit.” George spoke as Zidine swiftly ripped out the arrow and then immediately summoned a beautiful mist, combining that with red lightning that went from his bosom to his hands and fired it at George who swiftly summoned fire from the ground to counter the red lightning in a beautiful display of the elements, to which his fire spread around the entirety of the Palace grounds without much, if any, effort as Zidine remained emotionless, remembering his father’s words and twisting his foot, warping the direction of the flames away from himself and Abram, causing the flames to surround him alone only for thunder itself to roar violently and shatter the sky itself, clouds parting their ways to witness the battle of the brothers; his fingers twisting with sadness and firing the red thunderbolts straight at George who swiftly responded by turning the fire he summoned out of the ground into a limestone-like substance, creating a wall of ashen lava to stop the thunderbolts from striking his very bosom and adding a huge moon of flame from his bitter mouth. Cracked lips strewn themselves unto his youthful face as Zidine swiftly blew a stream of wind, but as we all know, wind only amplifies fire’s stroke and intensity and with that, he ripped out the arrow from his throat, using it as a tool ‘gainst the flames of revenge and vengeance, ultimately snapping his fingers to turn that into a cube, countering the flames utterly that were a moon in amount; the Sun itself watched as disease spread into the air thanks to the flames. Geysers of fire erupted from the solemn and sorrowful ground below, causing devastation yet a sense of warmth to those who deserved them both; fanning themselves to create valleys of molten lava, the watchers of history and fate itself were these very fanners of the flaming valleys with people looking horrified as the elements themselves were battling against them. “Are the gods cursing us?!” Many a villager remarked with absolute fear in their human eyes, for their eyes could not, or perhaps did not want to perceive the battle of the gods playing out in the castle ahead. Flames continued to rip apart the area as Zidine knew he had no choice to not hold back, but at the same time, he promised his father redemption for his brother. “I don’t want to fight you, brother!” Zidine spoke as George simply ignored it, launching a volleys of disease-ridden arrows at Zidine who turned himself into the wind but the arrow still struck its target regardless and thus George stomped his foot into the ground, controlling a small piece of the ground of the castle, setting it alight with enough fury to cause eruptions of the highest calibre without doubt; although what George failed to realise is that Zidine… was not unwilling to use meagre options of attacking to kill with George glancing at Abram and breathing fire from his mouth to attack him, causing Abram to swiftly run away as Zidine then shut this down by using his runes although George turned that into an arrow and attacked him straight in the stomach. “You cannot kill me!” George spoke with slight arrogance in his heart, ultimately firing a plume of solar energy from his right eye and then setting Zidine alight with it via using his left however Zidine swiftly turned the flames into lightning and let the flames douse themselves in the form of an armoured body with his hand taking the full brunt of the solar flames to which George was shocked but maintained his cool, switching to let the “sky do the firing”, pointing his hand in the air to force arrows down at such a speed where the villagers and all those in Hesperia called it “faster than speeding bullets… faster than a jet!” only for Zidine to be forced to constantly use his armour to handle the arrows, stopping their motion; yet George countered this by stopping Zidine’s motion and pushing him away as he got up and used Mjolnir to push himself forward and fired it at George however he simply tanked it and threw it back, increasing its motion and speed to such a degree where Zidine could only react by using his body to survive the throw as George then fired one more arrow at Abram but as Zidine caught it, it exploded in his face in a pool of blood with which George used that timing to inflict the disease of welts on Zidine’s body and added blood poisoning to the list too and then kicked the ground, causing a tile to fire at his elder brother which was immediately set alight, but a mere wimp was heard with him punching the ground, releasing diseases and flames in sync with one another. “Shalt I heal you, Brother?” George asked mockingly as Zidine remained silent, instead allowing the fire to consume him only to then use that split-second to call down lightning in one straight stream of bolts. “What on earth?” George thought to himself as Zidine coldly smiled. “I didn’t want to fight you, but alas, you and our beloved Mother left me no other choice.” Zidine simply said, punching George so hard that he was sent flying back but no damage was dealt. “Does your arrogance know no bounds?” George asked as he used his bow and continually fired a volley of arrows from the sky although this time, Zidine used his physical force and not his runes to counter the flight of the arrows to stagnate them. “So he can bypass my runic protections.” Zidine thought to himself as George smiled, appearing as though he read his brother’s thoughts, continuing to use disease-based powers to kill Zidine, combining that near-constantly with flames which Zidine used by firing the flames into the air, unironically ionising the sky. “Your thunderous nature really will be your undoing, brother.” George spoke as he knew he would be alright by way of the gifts his Mother bestowed unto his very being, mind and soul, continually firing what would appear to be legions of arrows at Zidine who could do nothing but dodge them since redirecting them would yield hardly any results with all villagers of Hesperia watching in sheer awe as the skies parted themselves. “WHY DID YOU BETRAY AND KILL FATHER, NO, KING HELIOS?!” George asked in rage as Zidine continued to remain silent, treating this as a play of court where all the world was a stage, with him ultimately being forced to use Mjolnir to smash the ground, therefore causing the arrows to careen downwards into oblivion as George was visibly stunned, clapping his hands as fire still erupted without mercy, now in the form of a defensive wall. “Art of Apollo: Law of Giving Land.” George spoke, decreeing the entire country as his singular domain as beams of light surrounded Zidine and Abram in the form of a cage. “What is he doing?” Abram asked, to which Zidine could not answer. Was it fear? The unending silence mawed at them both however George simply laughed, remaining emotional and gleeful, summoning the Egg in hand as the very stars began to align above him and thereby causing the entire country to shake in fear however the Sun shone ‘pon the villagers of Hesperia, summoning a barrier that could protect against the mightiest of men and beings alike. “Your idea of reigning was false. Me giving my position to you was a sham!” Zidine said in pure disgust, questioning just what George’s idea of “protection” consisted of, be it absolute or incomplete in nature. “Oh? You gave it to me because you and I knew that I would be better than you as King! With my power as King of the Cosmos, I can rule all of Creation. The Omniverse is already mine to behold! I have surpassed even Father in terms of power.” George spoke; as though drunk with power, the Egg he beheld in hand was simply an artefact of some wild renown to his hand. “You have become arrogant!” Zidine screamed in utter sadness as he knew or sensed that whilst George was correct in terms of what he could do… he failed to observe the fact that his boons… had an exploitable weakness, to which Odin’s Eye revealed itself. “Thus… his power can likely be taken down at the form of twilight thus but fighting him until Morning in Berserker Mode is dangerous since it is eternally day here thanks to the effects of the Scepter although time itself is passing by, so through attacking him until twilight or even the sunset and dusk therein should allow me the chance to attack him. Because of my eye’s absolute sight, it is perhaps clear that he may need to set off-world [above the ground] and he should attacked with my hands and with enough force to rue even the biggest of trees. Abram will likely lose given George’s maximisation of his full power and potential and given Father’s performance against me, I will inevitably lose. But… Mother is the catalyst behind all this action of an invasive nature.” Zidine thought to himself, clearly questioning himself as he knew that fighting him until Twilight would be pointless and just as the blood devoured his sight, he summoned Mjolnir and forced the entirety of the Sky to bow to his command. “I have no choice. Even if I am bleeding… this fight has to end now… otherwise the entire country, no, this boundless earth would likely end. Because he has Father’s power as though he is in a youthful and perfect body.” Zidine thought to himself, since his Runes would not be effective whatsoever. “Let’s end this, Brother. Why don’t we end this and take down Mother together?” Zidine asked George, to which his eyes dilated in sheer, unadulterated rage. “Why would I take down the one who gave me these gifts? And especially with you!?” George screamed in glee and disgust as Helena watched, holding the Sceptre tightly. “DIE!” George screamed, using the full power of Apollo’s bow to strike Zidine with enough power to end the Sun, with Zidine forcing Time itself to move forward to Twilight, ultimately sending the makeshift Sun flying back at George who had no choice but to become sunlight and dodge as disease spread throughout the Kingdom thanks to George. “Forgive me, brother.” Zidine said, holding onto George as if for dear life. Second Form of the Lightning of Elding: Vortex of Death” Zidine whispered, forcing a vortex to rise around the two, sending George into the air as Zidine then punched him in the face briefly before stopping and smiling. “Why did you sto-?!” George’s bloodied face spoke, only to see just how far they were above ground (above many hills) and then sent him headfirst, making sure to take most of the damage instead by keeping Mjolnir secretly invisible behind George’s head and next to his cheek. George looked so horrified as he felt himself being crushed into the ground. “A second I know, which the son of men must sing, who would heal the sick. Or I know a second that the sons of men” Zidine thought to himself, only for George to smile, realising that he was still immune… only to be kicked in the stomach and sent flying and then… stabbed… to both of their shock. “You failed me.” Helena said, her hands trembling as with fear and shock, she had just stabbed her favourite son. “George. You failed me… even with my gift.” Helena said as Zidine glared at her. “You wretched murderer.” He simply said as she began laughing, with George beginning to lose blood and sight of the situation, remembering when his mother pampered him to no end. When his mother crowned him king and Zidine gave him literally everything he wanted. “Why would you do this, Mother?” George asked, to which Helena’s hands still trembled. “Because… you failed. You failed me. Even with your full power, you would lose to the traitor.” Helena said as George tried to remove the sceptre. “By doing this… you condemn the entire kingdom, as well as myself and thee to suicide.” George said, realising his time was short, ultimately smashed the Egg once in his hand, causing a huge amount of energy to devour the entirety of Hesperia. “You’re making a black hole?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR BELOVED MOTHER?!” Helena screamed as this was a black hole… but… instead… a worldwide disaster as the Sun started to suffer from solar flares and firing raw energy beams at the world, damaging significant parts of it as the Solar Barrier that protected the country meant nothing. “Die, bitch Zidine… was right.” George said as his eyes softened upon looking at Zidine. “I am sorry, brother… forgive me, Father.” He said as tears streamed down his eyes, sacrificing himself for Zidine as Helena’s scream was drowned by the end of George’s life. “How sad… George… your sacrifice meant naught.” Abram said as he felt his neck twisting itself in inhumane ways to which Zidine tried to protect him by using Mjolnir… however, upon hearing Helena laughing, he realised just how bad this situation was. “Indeed it had. That is unfortunate. Die.” Helena said as Abram’s neck snapped immediately, killing him, only for him to be turned into a pool of blood. “What the-?!” Zidine thought to himself, hearing nothing for he was too late to prevent anything bad from happening. He had failed. “Yes. Abram, your brother is dead. Let’s just say… getting on with Fenrir… was a truly interesting time. But… now that he is dead, you leave me no choice.” Helena said, only for Zidine to respond by throwing Mjolnir into her at full speed, sending her flying into the throne that she so desired, killing her. “Gullveig.” She said, appearing exactly where she was a mere moment ago. “You see… you haven’t met Heimdallr, have you?” She asked as Zidine still observed her, holding Mjolnir with enough of a grip strength to shatter it. “You see… I have the power of Gullveig which is to reincarnate thrice and upon me reincarnating three times, I become completely invincible. That power was given to me by the Devil and Haakon; moreso the latter as I invoked myself in rituals of the satanic type, hence the power and boon that you noticed with much intelligence. However… it is also thus that George’s power came from Helios himself, who I am sure you had met and murdered. But still… I have no choice but to summon my ultimate pawn.” Helena said as she fully let Pandora’s Box go into her, only for Hadeil to appear in front of her. A sly smile appeared on her face, etched.on it as Hadeil’s fate was now in her hands. “Lady Helena, I shall-!” Hadeil spoke… only to be beaten to death by crushing his helmet whilst it was still on his head. Inevitably, he became a pile of flesh. “You do not get in my way.” Helena coldly said, stomping over her most loyal soldier’s dead body, to Zidine’s absolute disgust. “Never forget this was your fault.” Helena spoke, still holding the Sceptre in her left hand as she was thus at her full power. “You bore Pandora’s Box?” Zidine asked to Helena merely nodding. “Trapped inside that box there is a stronger power than us two. It has been missing from the world. It all began when Zeus triumphed over the titans in the great war. Zeus understood that the evils born from that battle, if left free would destroy the world of man and gods. To contain these evils, Zeus commissioned Hephaestus to build a vessel strong enough to hold them. Fear. Greed. He locked them all away in the box in hopes that they would never again infect his reign. When you opened the box to kill Ares. You drew from the forbidden powers. After witnessing your victory, fear gripped Zeus.” Helena explained as she felt herself becoming the Platonic concept of the ultimate being as well as the ultimate entity. With that, she teleported a mountain called Eldgjá which appeared behind her, summoning a massive flaming giant. “See, Surtr is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Surtr is foretold as being a major figure during the events of Ragnarök; carrying his bright sword, he will go to battle against the Æsir, he will battle the major god Freyr, and afterward the flames that he brings forth will engulf the Earth. I wish you all the best.” Helena said mockingly as Zidine immediately summoned his two “goats” and Fenrir. “Die.” Fenrir said, firing the star-level once again but as this was about to occur, Helena used her sceptre to fully counter the wolf. “Betrayer! SCUM!” Fenrir screamed as he immediately ran towards Surtur at full speed; the two giants clashing in the fight that would determine the fate of the world as Heimdall’s horn, the Gjallarhorn could be heard from Valhalla, heralding the beginning of Ragnarök, the sound of which will be heard in all corners of the World. “In Norse mythology, Sköll (Old Norse: Skǫll, "Treachery" or "Mockery") is a wolf that, according to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, chases the Sun (personified as a goddess, Sól) riding her chariot across the sky. Hati Hróðvitnisson chases the Moon (personified, as Máni) during the night. Skӧll and Hati are the sons of the wolf Fenrir, and an unnamed giantess. It is foretold the wolves will chase the Sun and Moon across the skies until Ragnarök, at which point the wolves catch up and devour the celestial beings. In Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, the mention of Sköll appears when describing the story of Sol, who drives the chariot of the Sun in Norse Mythology. The wolf is seen chasing her after she receives her chariot to carry the Sun. "[Sun] goes at a great pace; her pursuer is close behind her and there is nothing she can do but flee. … There are two wolves and the one pursuing her is called Skoll [Treachery] is the one she fears; he will catch her [at the end of the world]." Hati Hróðvitnisson (first name meaning "He Who Hates", or "Enemy") is also my child. You will suffer, miserable imp. Even if you have ripped me from thy sinews, I hath gained such control over this situation that your loss is inevitable.” Fenrir said as Helena did not look terrified in the slightest, only for Zidine to immediately attack her with Mjolnir, knowing that he could use his Blades of Demphaus to fight off Surtur when that time came. “You betrayed me, Fenrir. KILL HIM!” Helena immediately screamed, only for her true power to make itself casually manifest, sending the entire kingdom into a frenzy. “Do you want me to succeed in what I should’ve back then?” Zidine asked as Helena smiled, knowing he wouldn’t… or at least this is what she thought of him. “You’ve’nt the mercilessness.” Helena said as red lightning devoured from the skies above, threatening all life and when combined with Helena’s usage of Pandora’s Box… the entirety of Hesperia became a barren landscape. “Your sister will rule upon thy death. She is your father’s greatest treasure. A box. Once opened, she will reign well.” Helena whispered into Zidine’s very soul, searing it but also scarring it with great relief and undue peace as he felt his sister’s spirit moving beside him. “I saw you do it. Unless… Of course. When you opened the box you released the evils to the gods. Infected them. Changed them. Zeus himself fell prey to the dark evils. This is why he became so enraged and obsessed with your death. He was consumed by the evil, fear. I thought the power I placed in the box was never released all these years I assumed you drew from the evils inside to destroy Ares. But I was wrong… the power you took from the box is mine. From it you gained the strength that Zeus could never destroy. A strength great enough to overcome fear. Locked deep inside of you Kratos, is hope. It has remained buried, trapped by your guilt and the failures of your past. When you kill Zeus, you must have allowed something to awaken it. What was it, Brother? Remember, as Father spoke before his death: Hope is what makes us strong. This is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.” She spoke for her name was Pandora of Helios. “Has the realisation come, Zidine? The gods you fought betrayed you, cursed you and swore oaths against you. They loved me. My beauty…. Was so much that even Aphrodite, the embodiment of love… couldn’t help but fawn over me. Your father even fell for me with his power to affect Chaos and Olympus. You see… when I came here, after its construction several thousands of years ago… I was a mere lady and thy father, a man of immense stature in the world of politics and power, swooned me from great Olympus. He was a good man. That was who I thought Helios was… but then, I realised he wanted me to continue a legacy. His own and that of his Olympians. He had complete control of existence. Even surpassing that of the Jade Emperor’s of the Red Lane [that which I know of, surely], which was many years older than Hesperia… America… California and its brothels and the like came into being, we annexed it. Time was good… until 19 years ago, we had you. Your original mother… a woman of the English… your soul was reincarnated from a sarcophagus in the form of a baby. You were Helios’ beauty, such that he named you Lumiere. And then, not even 1 year after, I went behind thy father’s back and sired a child with Fenrir in the land of California. That being… Abram. And then, a few years later, I had George with Helios himself. Apollo blessed him with his bow. Things were good as Pandora came before George, 2 years after Abram himself, bearing her with Hephaestus… as I sealed her into a box to prevent. Pandora (Greek: Πανδώρα, derived from πᾶν, pān, i.e. "all" and δῶρον, dōron, i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving". Your father knew this but maintained an air of kindness. Power swallowed me up as the marriage before thy birth became nothing more than words to the freshest air. And so… I won… at the cost of everything.” Helena said as she began to laugh maniacally, releasing her pent-up tears. “BUT YOU… YOU… WERE THE BIGGEST FAILURE I HAVE EVER SEEN! YOU MURDERED YOUR OWN FATHER, BROTHERS AND SISTER BY YOUR EXISTENCE!” Helena said to Zidine who remained emotionless on the surface. “Compared to you who murdered your sons and daughter? A whor*?” Zidine asked, holding his thunderbolt, ready to just be done with her however his sister’s spirit saved him. In the darkness the fires of hope will set us free. You can see the light. It is changing you.” She spoke as Zidine knew he was to blame. She was right. Helena… was right. Reality struck him as he realised he had to kill the one he called Mother and at least that way, redeem his father’s torn legacy as the Moon shone above them. It was night. “NO! Do not kill her. It is time to lay your fears to rest. The light reveals the truth. The power of forgiveness comes from within. To be forgiven, you must find the power to forgive yourself.” Pandora spoke to Zidine, a warm light in the darkness that was the current situation. The storm of the Berserker was brewing from within and out… the Moon’s luminous, crystalline shine became dark. Fury ripped through its every part, every crack exuded a sense of primal fear. Fear and anger that ripped Zidine’s very concept and soul apart. She hugs him. Know that fear drove Zeus to kill his father, Cronos. The same fear that brought the great war. A fear that drove Zeus to kill you, his own son. Zeus uses fear to keep you in the dark. Confront your demons and lay them to rest.” Pandora spake with wisdom that was of her father but the beauty of her mother constantly shone through her. “You are… a worthy Queen, sister. Indeed, if she be right on one thing, that is the truth of absolutism. Verily, it is to be said. If I live to see the end of this day… become thy birthright.” Zidine spoke with an intense calmness as Pandora looked frightened for her eldest brother. “ The gods of Olympus have abandoned me. Now there is…” Zidine thought to himself, reminding himself of words that weren’t spoken, at least by mouth. Was this trickery?

BARBARIAN: Do you remember that day Spartan?

HEPHAESTUS: I won’t allow you to hurt her.

HERA: Good luck with that little whor* you call Pandora!

SISTER OF FATE: You cannot change your destiny, mortal!

SPIRIT: I gave you everything!

SPIRIT: Please don’t do it Spartan!

CRONOS: You have what you came for! Let me be!

SPIRIT: Die, Spartan!

HERMES: Today you may defeat me, but in the end, Zidine, in the end you’ll betray only yourself.

One eagle flew over the land and spoke one phrase: “Valour is better than might of sword, when foes embittered fight; for a brave man I have ever seen gain victory with a dull sword. For the brave 'tis better than for the timid to join in the game of war; for the joyous it is better than for the sad, let come whatever may. There lies Regin communing with himself; he will beguile the youth, who in him trusts: in rage he brings malicious words together, the framer of evil will avenge his brother. By the head shorter, let him the hoary babbler send hence to Hel; then can he all the gold possess alone, the mass that under Fafnir lay.”

Helena then spoke: Don’t listen to her, Zidine. For once in your pathetic life, don’t fail. Don’t fail her like you failed your family.” to which Pandora herself swiftly retorted with “It’s alright, Brother. You know this is the only way. As the fear in the gods rose, mine was replaced by hope.” As Zidine’s eye, the Eye of Odin, shone with a great blue energy whereas his right eye was glowing darker by the second. Remember Father’s final Maxim: Hope is what makes us strong. This is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.” as Zidine manifested two crimson thunderbolts in his hands. “You, Helena, will not see the end of this day!” as she immediately knew exactly what was going to happen. “YOU CAN’T KILL A PLATONIC FORM, WRETCHED BOY!” She screamed as he combined his thunderbolts with the Blades of Demphaus, mercilessly attacking her only for the blades to “break”. “How foppish.” Zidine then said as he teleported in front of her and smiled. “I killed Heracles’ Platonic form. What makes you think… you… a betrayer of sons… can’t die?” He whispered as she looked rightfully terrified and choked him out. “Why won’t you die! Die! Tremble in fear. I AM THE FORM OF THE GOOD!” She screamed. “I grew weary of you, my son. I’ll put an end to this chaos. Die! Insolent fool! I will break you! Helios should have chosen wisely.” She spoke with absolute arrogance as Zidine felt his power draining itself as Pandora tried to fight her off… failing miserably as she was crushed. “Your eye… is unique.” She spoke to Zidine as he felt himself dying. Blood spilled down his throat. “ Empty? After all you have sought. After all you have sacrificed. It ends in another stunning failure. Such chaos… I will have much to do after I kill you. Nothing but darkness lies ahead.” She spoke as Zidine grabbed her arm but it was no use. “LIGHTNING OF JOVE! FULL POWER!!” Zidine screamed, summoning the full power of his thunderbolts in tandem with all the runes he knew… “I created you and I will be your end! Let the fear inside!” She continued to scream with blood-curdling as the skies finally made themselves. “BERSERKER HAMUR (MODE) - ACTIVATE!” Zidine screamed as Helena’s beautiful hand burned. “This construction of Hephaestus with your own flesh and blood. But perhaps you already have, Spartan. Your quest for Pandora, your pathetic attempt for atonement from the family you slaughtered has caused nothing but havoc on Olympus. Look around at what you have done! Taking pity on you has been my greatest mistake, Kratos. Just as taking pity on this thing will prove to be your greatest mistake.” Helena screamed as Zidine finally felt himself dying, for his eyes dilated. “He felt the spirit of George, Abram and Pandora moving his tarnished and shattered soul forward. The hands of his actions guiding him to his future. “Die not!” They all said as he knew that living had to occur. But… as he died… Berserker Mode’s power knocked him back into life as red lightning devoured his mother’s body. “DIE!” Zidine screamed as he used the full power of his thunderbolts, aiming it straight at her face. Zidine simply said “9th form of the Lightning of Elding!”, fully manifesting the true power of the Algiz rune in tandem with Thusarz alongside his true power [in tandem with all other runes] for the briefest of moments… causing Helena to look so fearful that she felt she could not fight anymore as Zidine used the full power of his thunderbolts and struck Heracles’ form, shattering and annihilating it fully. “You have won… let Typhon lose.” Heracles said to Zidine, smiling as Zidine looked genuinely amazed, only to hear a mountain shatter as a massive beast showed itself. “Little do I care for Zeus, with only a few lightnings to arm him! Ah, but my swords are the maddened waves of the sea, the tors of the land, the island glens; my shields are the hills, the cliffs are my breastplates unbreakable, my halberts are the rocks, and the rivers which will quench the contemptible thunderbolt. I will keep the chains of Iapetos (Iapetus) for Poseidon; and the soaring round Kaukasos (Caucasus), another and better eagle shall tear the bleeding liver, growing for ever anew, of Hephaistos the fiery: since fire was the for which Prometheus has been suffering the ravages of his self-growing liver. I will take a shape the counterpart of the sons [the Aloadai giants] of Iphimedeia, and I will shut up the intriguing son of Maia [Hermes] in a brazen jar, prisoned with galling bonds, that people may say, "Hermes freed Ares from prison, and he was put in prison himself!" Let Artemis break the untouched seal of her maidenhood, and become enforced consort of [the giant] Orion; Leto shall spread her old bedding for [the giant] Tityos, dragged to wedlock by force. I will make more weapons of fire; for I need many thunderbolts, because I have two hundred hands to fight with, not only a pair like Kronides [Zeus]. I will forge a newer and better brand of lightning, with more fire and flashes. I will build another heaven up aloft, the eight, broader and higher than the rest, and furnish it with brighter stars; for the vault which we see so close beside us is not enough to cover the whole of Typhon. And after those girl children and the male progeny of prolific Zeus, I will beget another multiparous generation of new Blessed Ones with multitudinous necks. I will not leave the company of the stars useless and unwedded, but I will join male to female, that the winged Virgin [constellation Virgo] may sleep with the Oxherd [Bootes] and breed me slave-children.” Kronides [Zeus] heard, and laughed aloud, causing much damage to the wider Chaos and Tartaros alike, only for him to fire thunderbolt after thunderbolt. Helena felt herself dying as her soul parted itself in absolute fear as thunderstorms could be heard around the boundless world and earth itself. The whole circuit of the universe with its four sides was buffeted. The four Winds, allied with Kronion, raised in their air columns of sombre dust; they swelled the arching waves, they flogged the sea until Sikelia (Sicily) quaked; the Pelorid shores resounded and the ridges of Aitna (Etna), the Lilybaian rocks bellowed prophetic things to come, the Pakhynian (Pachynian) promontory crashed under the western wave. Near the Bear, the Nymphe of Athos wailed about her Thrakian glen, the forest of Makedon (Macedonia) roared on the Pierian ridge; the foundations of the east were shaken, there was crashing in the fragrant valleys of Assyrian Libanos (Lebanon). Aye, and from Typhaon's hands were showered volleys against the unwearied thunderbolts of Zeus. Some shots went past Selene's (the Moon's) car, and scored through the invisible footprints of her moving bulls; others whirling through the air with sharp whiz, the Winds blew away by counterblast. Many a stray shot from the invulnerable thunderbolts of Zeus fell into the welcoming hand of Poseidon, unsparing of his earthpiercing trident's point; old Nereus brought the brine-soaked bolts to the ford of the Kronion Sea, and dedicated them as an offering to Zeus.

Now Zeus armed the two grim sons of Enyalios [Ares], his own grandsons, Phobos (Rout) and Deimos (Terror) his servant, the inseparable guardsmen of the sky: Phobos he set up with the lightning, Deimos he made strong with the thunderbolt, terrifying Typhon. Nike (Victory) lifted her shield and held it before Zeus: Enyo [the war-goddess] countered with a shout, and Ares made a din. Zeus breasting the tempests with his aigis-breastplate swooped down from the air on high, seated in Khronos's (Time's) chariot with four winged steeds, for the horses that drew Kronion were the team of the Winds. “COME!” Zidine screamed in his Berserker Mode, having now fully activated the true power of his 8th Lightning of Elding, summoning the Aegis fully. Now he battled with lightnings, now with Levin; now he attacked with thunders, now poured out petrified masses of frozen hail in volleying showers. Waterspouts burst thick upon the Gigante's head with sharp blows, and hands were cut off from the monster by the frozen volleys of the air as by a knife. One hand rolled in the dust, struck off by the icy cut of the hail; it did not drop the crag which it held, but fought on even while it fell, and shot rolling over the ground in self-propelled leaps, a hand gone mad! As if it still wished to strike the vault of Olympos. She knew not that the fire-flaming thunderbolts and lightnings are the offspring of the clouds from whence the rain-showers come! “You can never harm me, wretched one!” Zidine screamed as his roar caused huge natural disasters on a universal scale as even the Olympus was being shattered. Again, he cut straight off sections of the torrent-beds, and designed to crush the breast of Zeus which no iron can wound; the mass of rock came hurtling at Zeus, but Zeus blew a light puff from the edge of his lips, and that gentle breath turned the whirling rock aside with all its towering crags. The monster with his hand broke off a rounded promontory from an island, and rising for the attack circled it round his head again and again, and cast it at the invincible face of Zeus; then Zeus moved his head aside, and dodged the jagged rock which came at him; but Typhon hit the lightning as it passed on its hot zigzag path, and at once the rock was white-patched at the tip and blackened with smoke--there was no mistake about it. A third rock he cast; but Kronion caught it in full career with the flat of his infinite open hand, and by a playful turn of the wrist sent it back like a bouncing ball to Typhon. The crag returned with many an airy twist along its homeward path, and of itself shot the shooter. A fourth shot he sent, higher than before: the rock touched the tassel-tips of the aigis-cape, and split asunder. Another he let fly: storm-swift the rock flew, but a thunderbolt struck it, and half-consumed, it blazed. The crags could not pierce the raincloud; but the stricken hills were broken to pieces by the rainclouds. Thus impartial Enyo held equal balance between the two sides, between Zeus and Typhon, while the thunderbolts with booming shots revel like dancers in the sky. Kronides fought fully armed: in the fray, the thunder was his shield, the cloud his breastplate, he cast the lightning for a spear; Zeus let fly his thunderbolts from the air, his arrows barbed with fire. For already from the underground abyss a dry vapour diffused around rose from the earth on high, and compressed within the cloud was stifled in the fiery gullet, heating the pregnant cloud. For the lurking flame crushed within rushed about struggling to find a passage through; over the smoke the fire-breeding clouds rumble in their agony seeking the middle path; the fire dares not go upwards; for the lightning leaping up is kept back by the moist air bathed in rainy drops, which condenses the seething cloud above, but the lower part is parched and gapes and the fire runs through with a bound. As the female stone is struck by the male stone, one stone on another brings lame to birth, while crushed and beaten it produces from itself a shower of sparks: so the heavenly fire is kindled in clouds and murk crushed and beaten, but from earthly smoke, which is naturally thin, the winds are brought forth. There is another floating vapour, drawn form the waters, which the sun shining full on them with fiery rays milks out and draws up dewy through the boiling track of air. This thickens and produces the cloudy veil; then shaking the thick mass by means of the thinner vapour, it dissolves the fine cloud again into a fall of rain, and returns to its natural condition of water. Such is the character of the fiery clouds, with their twin birth of lightnings and thunders together. Now his thunder bolts would Jove wide scatter, but he feared the flames, unnumbered, sacred ether might ignite and burn the axle of the universe: and he remembered in the scroll of fate, there is a time appointed when the sea and earth and Heavens shall melt, and fire destroy the universe of mighty labour wrought. Such weapons by the skill of Cyclops forged, for different punishment he laid aside—for straightway he preferred to overwhelm the mortal race beneath deep waves and storms from every raining sky. As is said in Hesiod’s Theogony lines 630-820: "The hot vapour lapped round the Titenes Khthonios (Earthly): flame unspeakable rose to the bright upper air (aither): the flashing glare of the thunder-stone and lightning blinded their eyes for all that there were strong. Astounding heat seized air (khaos): and to see with eyes and to hear the sound with ears it seemed even as if Earth (Gaia) and wide Heaven (Ouranos) above came together; for such a mighty crash would have arisen if Earth (Gaia) were being hurled to ruin, and Heaven (Ouranos) from on high were hurling her down; so great a crash was there while the gods were meeting together in strife. Also the winds brought rumbling earthquake and duststorm, thunder and lightning and the lurid thunderbolt, which are the shafts of great Zeus, and carried the clangour and the warcry into the midst of the two hosts. An horrible uproar of terrible strife arose: mighty deeds were shown and the battle inclined. But until then, they kept at one another and fought continually in cruel war... And great Olympos was shaken under the immortal feet of the master as he moved, and the earth groaned beneath him, and the heat and blaze from both of them was on the dark-faced sea, from the thunder and lightning of Zeus and from the flame of the monster, from his blazing bolts and from the scorch and breath of his stormwinds, and all the ground and the sky and the sea boiled, and towering waves were tossing and beating all up and down the promontories in the wind of these immortals, and a great shaking of the earth. The life-giving earth crashed around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about. All the land seethed, and Okeanos' streams and the unfruitful sea and even in Ovid's Metamorphoses, Book 8, Fable 2-3 and lines 229-264: “The everlasting universe contains four elementary bodies. Two of these, namely, earth and water, are heavy, and are borne downwards by their weight; and as many are devoid of weight, and air, and fire still purer than air, nothing pressing them, seek the higher regions. Although these are separated in space, yet all things are made from them, and are resolved into them. Both the earth dissolving distils into flowing water; the water, too, evaporating, departs in the breezes and the air; its weight being removed again, the most subtle air shoots upwards into the fires of the æther on high. Thence do they return back again, and the same order is unravelled; for fire becoming gross, passes into dense air; this changes into water, and earth is formed of the water made dense. Nor does its own form remain to each; and nature, the renewer of all things, re-forms one shape from another. And, believe me, in this universe so vast, nothing perishes; but it varies and changes its appearance; and to begin to be something different from what it was before, is called being born; and to cease to be the same thing, is to be said to die. Whereas, perhaps, those things are transferred hither, and these things thither; yet, in the whole, all things ever exist." as Helena was horrified, realising her plan would fail. Her Platonic Form and full power over the Omniverse was reduced to dust as Zidine stood over her. “You will suffer… woman.” Zidine said as he noticed Fenrir and Surtur’s battle had clearly wiped away stars and mountains alike, with the Aegis ringing in her ears. “Please… spare me.” Helena said as Zidine smiled coldly. “As for Eros (Love), who bewitched your mind by delusive hopes of victory, chain him with golden Aphrodite in chains of gold, and clamp with chains of bronze Ares the governor or iron!” Helena spake to which Zidine swiftly said “f*ck thee!” as he then stated and gloated “the lightnings try to escape, and will now abide Enyo! How was it you could not escape a harmless little flash of lightning? How was it with all those innumerable ears you were afraid to hear a little rainy thud of thunder? Who made you so big a coward? Where are your weapons? Where are your puppyheads? Where are those gaping lions, where is the heavy bellowing of your throats like a rumbling earthquake? Where is the far-flung poison of your snaky mane? Do not you hiss any more with that coronet of serpentine bristles? Where are the bellowings of your bull-mouths? Where are your hands and their volleys of precipitous crags? Do you flog no longer the mazy circles of the stars? Do the jutting tusks of your boards no longer whiten their chins, wet with a frill of foamy drippings? Come now, where are the bristling grinning jaws of the mad bear?” with him summoning Helios himself to deal with her; her bosom ensnared in chains of gold; the very same chains that Hephaestus used to ensnare Hera. “Forgive me, Mother… whilst you were stronger than I in the power of rawness… your punishment is deserved.” as he immediately saw Surtur himself, teleporting Fenrir away and roaring, using the Blades of Demphaus. “Ragnarok will be thy end!” Surtur screamed as the entirety of the universe and all of Creation (the Omniverse) was being consumed by flames… however this was contained by Helios’ mere existence in the country (even if in its primordiality, the entirety of the universe and that which were Olympos was, surely an otherworldly space) to the courtyard alone as the two raging beasts fought. “You think you can stop the end of Existence?” Surtur asked as all the Nine Worlds were already smouldering to ash. Valhalla was all that remained. Haakon watched as he knew just how bad things were. “I am something of an Existence stopper myself.” Zidine said (:D) as he used his Blades of Demphaus’ full power to stab into Surtur who laughed.

Surtur’s screams ripped everything apart barring the castle thanks to Helios. “BURN IN HELL, SON OF A BITCH!” Zidine screamed as he noticed all of Surtur and Ragnarok’s flames, destructive power and intensity going into both his blades in that instant, ultimately causing him to jump down in a bowing position to his father. “You erased him from all of time-space, boy. Good on you. Thou hast removed the concept of absolute annihilation and true Armageddon. A concept is an abstract or law that is superior to all aspects of a particular notion. It is what makes a thing that it is about even possible. Say, for example, the concept of a tree would be superior to all possible trees. It is the very thing that makes those trees "being" even possible. Should someone or something, in this case a very powerful God were to remove that (conceptually erase it), then it wouldn't be possible for trees to even "be".” Helios said to Zidine, visibly impressed with him as Helios then unsealed Pandora, hugging her tightly. “Indeed, I sense he is stronger than a Spanish man of his senior year [by 3] in his school and perhaps an Englishman is weaker than he in physicality and power therein. Yet in terms of tools, he is superior to my boy but Satoshi himself… is indeed strong but weaker than Zidine in physicality and raw power however in his transcendent State of the One… he is superior in all formations as his sword of the Night and Day and all such powers are relative in strength to Mjolnir. This Flaming Sword is superior to all of the universe as a power of flame. I know my boy shalt be superior to him and all of us in this world in perhaps a year.” Helios said to his wife who knelt and cried at his feet. “SPARE ME! PLEASE! I LOVE THEE!” Helena screamed as he saw her actions. “Thou art a killer of children and a sealer of my daughter.” Helios said as a beam of sunlight devoured itself from his Sceptre. Time briefly stopped throughout all of Creation except Zidine and Surtur casually fought. “Farewell, wife. May Tartaros be the hell which awaits thee. You are a true wretch and my mercy was much my downfall.” He swiftly said, judging her. Now as the earth was scourged with frozen volleys of jagged hailstones, her mother dry Gaia (the Earth) was beaten too; and seeing the stone bullets and icy points embedded in the Gigante's flesh, the witness of his fate, she prayed to Titan Helios with submissive voice: she begged of him one red hot ray, that with its heating fire she might melt the petrified water of Zeus as he gave no sway and teleported her to Tartaros where all of the Olympians were waiting. “End her.” They all said as Hera glared at her. “Your vow broke, celibate whor*.” Hera swiftly said as she drowned her insides and soul with water, releasing her cloth, body, mind, soul, concept, heart, story, life, death, name, meaning and existence infinitely as she screamed for repentance but this was no time for mercy. She was drowned in water, burned alive, snakes ripped her apart, Heracles tore her up, Artemis burned her with moonlight, every punishment in existence was hers, to which Zidine walked away. The entire land he once called home was gone as everyone in Tartaros heard a finger snap. “Even in defeat… your son calleth for mercy.” Helios spoke as Zidine appeared in Tartaros. “Goodbye, Mother. I feel nothing but empathy for you… but… this is it. Farewell. Tell George… his death was not in vain. And also… Abram is laughing at you.” Zidine spoke as he grabbed Mjolnir and simply pressed its head unto his mother’s forehead and knocked her out. “True humility cometh from the heart… of which thy son has attained.” Athena spoke as Zidine coldly touched her with his fingers, gently… erasing her from existence. “Let death be her end… she is forever erased from history.” Zidine spoke, glaring at everyone as he teleported away as he sensed Demeter willing back into existence the land of Hesperia. “Come… Pandora.” Helios said as he took her to the throne room with Zidine watching on peacefully as he was gestured in. “I bless thee with the Crown of Night.” Helios said, as from his fingers, sprouted a crown that was the literal idea and ideal form of the Night; black in colour yet utterly beautiful. Her clothing was the Sky, her feet were the Moon and Sun. Platonic Forms couldn’t even be a fraction of her. Aphrodite and the other deities blessed with a bow, swords, flaming beasts, water, earth, air, true beauty. The Form of the Good was she yet still these all held a candle in the wind to the final gift. “This… is yours.” Helios said, imbuing the Staff of Phánîs with the full power of Aether, as well as forcing the staff to resemble a beautiful moon and sun all the same; as Olympus was a mere iota of her being and power anyhow. “Thus, you are Dîmiourgόs of this land for I shalt bless you with my power [all or not, infinite is it].” Helios spoke as Zidine watched on with no anger but sadness and grief which tormented his heart. “It is thus: The Aithír cannot "create" without Earth. A universe comes about of its own accord, by Necessity (Ἀνάγκη) through Time (Χρόνος), and develops through natural processes, natural laws. This is told mythologically in the theogony with the emergence of the Golden Age [4] of Phánis (Φάνης) and Nyx (Νύξ) and then continuing with the birth of Ouranós (Οὐρανός) and Yaia (Γαῖα), and then progressing to the Silver Age of Krónos (Κρόνος) and Rǽa (Ῥέα). Like Phanes (or perhaps it is Phanes) it is a primordial entity that personifies the act of creation and the ultimate state of perfection. The gods and goddesses as we know them still exist in this model, and still deserve worship. To put it in my own terms, “God” in the singular is the Absolute, and gods and goddesses — while they are all divine, and none inferior — are too limited in their scope to be the Absolute.” I’d say to thee in a simplified form that Khronos is the fabric of Space-Time, Ananke is Force (all/any force), Phanes is Heat and Light (or all/any energy), and Nyx and Erebus are the corresponding lack thereof (the cold and dark vacuum of space). In Orphic theogonies, the Orphic Egg is a cosmic egg from which hatched the primordial hermaphroditic deity Phanes/Protogonos.” Helios explained as Zidine kindly and genuinely smiled in what seemed like forever. “Zidine, my boy… Do you want to take the position as King instead?” Helios asked as Zidine’s hands wrung with guilt. He closed his eyes and simply said “No… I am not worthy of it. She is truly your right successor. I have one more task to complete for I hath bathed in my arrogance for too long. It is now time I cleanse myself of the Final Sins.” Zidine said; his left eye itching for its final goal. He then gave his sister Poseidon’s trident and Hades’ dog-skin cap (Helm of Invisibility). “Always remember: A true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.” Helios said as Zidine bowed down to Helios and his sister, ultimately walking away. “Zidine… please stay.” Pandora asked, practically begging him only for him to say “I cannot stay. Burdening thee, I will not. Instead I shall focus on my innards and chaos-bound sinews, letting myself ruminate in perhaps true calmness. He then teleported over to Greece and sat in the Acropolis, allowing himself to do exactly as he said, meditating for a year. He felt a sense of peace with Helios sitting down with him. “Boy… eventually, time itself will run thee dry and yet must let thyself be at peace. Both Berserker and human.” Helios spoke from within Zidine’s mind. He saw Heimdall, Loki, Thor, Frigga, Odin, Tyr, Freyr and all the other Norse gods appearing in the Acropolis; with Tyr, Freyr and Thor fighting him at the same time, immediately using their respective powers only for Zidine to match Thor in lightning with extreme difficulty; the former’s Berserker Mode’s power being more than enough to counter Thor’s runic power. “Thy family is a lie, boy.” Heimdall said, smiling, knowing that Zidine stopped Ragnarok. “How?” Zidine asked to which Thor simply said “Thy mother bore intimacy with Father too, brother… in order to have thy Berserker Mode.” as Zidine’s eyes glared at him, sending him flying back with one kick only for Tyr to casually restrain him with his hand. “Heimdall keeps watch for invaders and the onset of Ragnarök from his dwelling Himinbjörg, where the burning rainbow bridge Bifröst meets the sky. He is attested as possessing foreknowledge and keen senses, particularly eyesight and hearing. The god and his possessions are described in enigmatic manners. For example, Heimdall is emerald-toothed, "the head is called his sword," and he is "the whitest of the gods." Heimdall possesses the resounding horn Gjallarhorn and the golden-maned horse Gulltoppr, along with a store of mead at his dwelling. He is the son of Nine Mothers, and he is said to be the originator of social classes among humanity. Other notable stories include the recovery of Freyja's treasured possession Brísingamen while doing battle in the shape of a seal with Loki. The antagonistic relationship between Heimdall and Loki is notable, as they are foretold to kill one another during the events of Ragnarök. Heimdallr is also known as Rig, Hallinskiði, Gullintanni, and Vindlér or Vindhlér. The etymology of the name is obscure, but 'the one who illuminates the world' has been proposed. Heimdallr may be connected to Mardöll, one of Freyja's names. Heimdallr and its variants are usually anglicized as Heimdall (/ˈheɪmdɑːl/; with the nominative -r dropped). Heimdall is attested as having three other names; Hallinskiði, Gullintanni, and Vindlér or Vindhlér. The name Hallinskiði is obscure, but has resulted in a series of attempts at deciphering it. Gullintanni literally means 'the one with the golden teeth'. Vindlér (or Vindhlér) translates as either 'the one protecting against the wind' or 'wind-sea'. All three have resulted in numerous theories about the god.” Tyr explained only for Zidine to walk away as he then saw a man of ashen skin. He is very tall, being 7 feet 8 inches (2.34 metres). Due to his long lifetime as a warrior, he is in peak physical condition of a large, athletic frame with a well-defined and muscular build. Since adulthood, he sported a red tattoo going down the majority of his upper body and up to his face, a tattoo he wore in honour of his brother, Deimos. On his face, besides the aforementioned tattoo, he has a scar on his right eye and a black goatee and hazel brown eyes. With him being older, middle-aged, he has some wrinkles on his face looking to be in his mid to late-50's. His goatee has grown into a bushy, full beard which covers half his face and has several grey hairs. His skin is still pale and covered with the ashes of his Spartan family, and his tattoos have faded slightly.. Also from the same wound, he now has a long scar covering almost all of his lower back. He wears black leather pants and shoes, also present are faded scars from where the chains from the blades were attached to his forearms, which he prefers to keep covered beneath with what appears to be fur-lined leather, secured with thongs of leather. “Who are yo-?!” Zidine asked as his soul was sent flying back, only for him to use Mjolnir to fight against the man, silent he was, as he used an axe similar to the Drigo Axe with Zidine then immediately using his Runic powers to stop this man from reaching him and then adding his thunderbolts whilst further using his 8th form, sending the man flying away. “Who are you?!” Zidine asked as the man simply stated “Cratus” to which Zidine coldly smiled, using the power of the Aegis to freeze him in stasis. “Very well, god of strength… goodbye.” Zidine said, using the power of Jove to end him for good with Tyr and the others looking amazed. Needless to say, they fought for a year (Zidine against the Norse pantheon) as Haakon watched from Valhalla in slight amazement and perhaps… fear. As the year passed in the Acropolis… his attacks both alone and with the deities, helped annihilate the otherworldly and extradimensional Olympus, surely transcendent of time, space and all such words [for he thus attacked and destroyed solar systems or galaxies therein, holding back against the Norse deities with the exclusion of Thor and Tyr however this was perhaps illusory] only for Zidine’s physical body to finally be done with that… now finally tired as the deities bowed down to him. “It is time…” Thor said to Zidine himself as he had already accepted that his family were liars. “Thus, my lineage may be full of glory-hunters… but I will be his end. Farewell.” Zidine said, finally teleporting to Iceland.

The War[]

The Final Battle - The Runic Master of Thunder vs the King of Hell[]

Zidine glared at the Devil and immediately summoned Mjolnir to his side, slamming the Devil with its front as he looked amazed. “This is all you can do?” The Devil asked mockingly, to which Zidine’s left eye itched for battle, using the Blades of Demphaus to attack, spinning them around whilst maintaining the structure of his wrists as he combined this with the Drigo Axe, creating a huge explosion that could have shattered the world. “NOT BAD, YOU SON OF A BITCH!” The Devil said, laughing away as he used Enchantment to summon a flaming arrow from his hand which split off into a volley of blue fireballs. Zidine tried to move out the way but it was no use for his body held him back. The fireballs collided with Zidine's body toppling him over, as they scorched his body. The pain was unbearable, as if he was dipped into a cauldron of lava. The pain dissipated after a few moments as he was still on the ground. The teachers were just about to give the fight to Hiroshi when suddenly Zidine rose from the fire, with a malevolent aura. His left eye was ice blue, with many runes around the blue pupil – the Eye of Odin. His right eye was strange. It was just red, an unearthly red, a beastly red. In his right hand was a weapon, a hammer, made of pure red energy, it crackled with red lightning. Another rune appeared on his head, a dark bloody red rune. For those who are experts in runology, that cursed rune was the Old Norse rune for Rage. When everyone saw it, they felt a deep sense of evil in their hearts. Like what they saw was something born of such hate. “Of the Shield of Hesiod, I speak of lines 77-472: From him Zeus took away sense, so that he left his home and his parents and went to do honour to the wicked Eurystheus – unhappy man! Deeply indeed did he grieve afterwards in bearing the burden of his own mad folly; but that cannot be taken back. But on me fate laid heavy tasks. Yet, come, friend, quickly take the red-dyed reins of the swift horses and raise high courage in your heart and guide the swift chariot and strong fleet-footed horses straight on. Have no secret fear at the noise of man-slaying Ares who now rages shouting about the holy grove of Phoebus Apollo, the lord who shoots form afar. Surely, strong though he be, he shall have enough of war.”

[102] And blameless Iolaus answered him again: “Good friend, truly the father of men and gods greatly honours your head and the bull-like Earth-Shaker also, who keeps Thebe's veil of walls and guards the city, -- so great and strong is this fellow they bring into your hands that you may win great glory. But come, put on your arms of war that with all speed we may bring the car of Ares and our own together and fight; for he shall not frighten the dauntless son of Zeus, nor yet the son of Iphiclus: rather, I think he will flee before the two sons of blameless Alcides who are near him and eager to raise the war cry for battle; for this they love better than a feast.”

[115] So he said. And mighty Heracles was glad in heart and smiled, for the other's words pleased him well, and he answered him with winged words: “O hero Iolaus, heaven-sprung, now is rough battle hard at hand. But, as you have shown your skill at other-times, so now also wheel the great black-maned horse Arion about every way, and help me as you may be able.”

[122] So he said, and put upon his legs greaves of shining bronze, the splendid gift of Hephaestus. Next he fastened about his breast a fine golden breast-plate, curiously wrought, which Pallas Athene the daughter of Zeus had given him when first he was about to set out upon his grievous labours. Over his shoulders the fierce warrior put the steel that saves men from doom, and across his breast he slung behind him a hollow quiver. Within it were many chilling arrows, dealers of death which makes speech forgotten: in front they had death, and trickled with tears; their shafts were smooth and very long; and their butts were covered with feathers of a brown eagle. And he took his strong spear, pointed with shining bronze, and on his valiant head set a well-made helm of adamant, cunningly wrought, which fitted closely on the temples; and that guarded the head of god-like Heracles.

[139] In his hands he took his shield, all glittering: no one ever broke it with a blow or crushed it. And a wonder it was to see; for its whole orb was a-shimmer with enamel and white ivory and electrum, and it glowed with shining gold; and there were zones of cyanus drawn upon it. In the centre was Fear worked in adamant, unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon his grim brow hovered frightful Strife who arrays the throng of men: pitiless she, for she took away the mind and senses of poor wretches who made war against the son of Zeus. Their souls passed beneath the earth and went down into the house of Hades; but their bones, when the skin is rotted about them, crumble away on the dark earth under parching Sirius.

[154] Upon the shield Pursuit and Flight were wrought, and Tumult, and Panic, and Slaughter. Strife also, and Uproar were hurrying about, and deadly Fate was there holding one man newly wounded, and another unwounded; and one, who was dead, she was dragging by the feet through the tumult. She had on her shoulders a garment red with the blood of men, and terribly she glared and gnashed her teeth.

[160] And there were heads of snakes unspeakably frightful, twelve of them; and they used to frighten the tribes of men on earth whosoever made war against the son of Zeus; for they would clash their teeth when Amphitryon's son was fighting: and brightly shone these wonderful works. And it was as though there were spots upon the frightful snakes: and their backs were dark blue and their jaws were black.

[168] Also there were upon the shield droves of boars and lions who glared at each other, being furious and eager: the rows of them moved on together, and neither side trembled but both bristled up their manes. For already a great lion lay between them and two boars, one on either side, bereft of life, and their dark blood was dripping down upon the ground; they lay dead with necks outstretched beneath the grim lions. And both sides were roused still more to fight because they were angry, the fierce boars and the bright-eyed lions.

[178] And there was the strife of the Lapith spearmen gathered round the prince Caeneus and Dryas and Peirithous, with Hopleus, Exadius, Phalereus, and Prolochus, Mopsus the son of Ampyce of Titaresia, a scion of Ares, and Theseus, the son of Aegeus, like unto the deathless gods. These were of silver, and had armour of gold upon their bodies. And the Centaurs were gathered against them on the other side with Petraeus and Asbolus the diviner, Arctus, and Ureus, and black-haired Mimas, and the two sons of silver, and they had pinetrees of gold in their hands, and they were rushing together as though they were alive and striking at one another hand to hand with spears and with pines.

[191] And on the shield stood the fleet-footed horses of grim Ares made gold, and deadly Ares the spoil-winner himself. He held a spear in his hands and was urging on the footmen: he was red with blood as if he were slaying living men, and he stood in his chariot. Beside him stood Fear and Flight, eager to plunge amidst the fighting men. There, too, was the daughter of Zeus, Tritogeneia who drives the spoil.3 She was like as if she would array a battle, with a spear in her hand, and a golden helmet, and the aegis about her shoulders. And she was going towards the awful strife.

[201] And there was the holy company of the deathless gods: and in the midst the son of Zeus and Leto played sweetly on a golden lyre. There also was the abode of the gods, pure Olympus, and their assembly, and infinite riches were spread around in the gathering, the Muses of Pieria were beginning a song like clear-voiced singers.

[207] And on the shield was a harbour with a safe haven from the irresistible sea, made of refined tin wrought in a circle, and it seemed to heave with waves. In the middle of it were many dolphins rushing this way and that, fishing: and they seemed to be swimming. Two dolphins of silver were spouting and devouring the mute fishes. And beneath them fishes or bronze were trembling. And on the shore sat a fisherman watching: in his hands he held a casting net for fish, and seemed as if about to cast it forth.

[216] There, too, was the son of rich-haired Danae, the horseman Perseus: his feet did not touch the shield and yet were not far from it -- very marvellous to remark, since he was not supported anywhere; for so did the famous Lame One fashion him of gold with his hands. On his feet he had winged sandals, and his black-sheathed sword was slung across his shoulders by a cross-belt of bronze. He was flying swift as thought. The head of a dreadful monster, the Gorgon, covered the broad of his back, and a bag of silver -- a marvel to see -- contained it: and from the bag bright tassels of gold hung down. Upon the head of the hero lay the dread cap4 of Hades which had the awful gloom of night. Perseus himself, the son of Danae, was at full stretch, like one who hurries and shudders with horror. And after him rushed the Gorgons, unapproachable and unspeakable, longing to seize him: as they trod upon the pale adamant, the shield rang sharp and clear with a loud clanging. Two serpents hung down at their girdles with heads curved forward: their tongues were flickering, and their teeth gnashing with fury, and their eyes glaring fiercely. And upon the awful heads of the Gorgons great Fear was quaking.

[237] And beyond these there were men fighting in warlike harness, some defending their own town and parents from destruction, and others eager to sack it; many lay dead, but the greater number still strove and fought. The women on well-built towers of bronze were crying shrilly and tearing their cheeks like living beings -- the work of famous Hephaestus. And the men who were elders and on whom age had laid hold were all together outside the gates, and were holding up their hands to the blessed gods, fearing for their own sons. But these again were engaged in battle: and behind them the dusky Fates, gnashing their white fangs, lowering, grim, bloody, and unapproachable, struggled for those who were falling, for they all were longing to drink dark blood. So soon as they caught a man overthrown or falling newly wounded, one of them would clasp her great claws about him, and his soul would go down to Hades to chilly Tartarus. And when they had satisfied their souls with human blood, they would cast that one behind them, and rush back again into the tumult and the fray. Clotho and Lachesis were over them and Atropos less tall than they, a goddess of no great frame, yet superior to the others and the eldest of them. And they all made a fierce fight over one poor wretch, glaring evilly at one another with furious eyes and fighting equally with claws and hands. By them stood Darkness of Death, mournful and fearful, pale, shrivelled, shrunk with hunger, swollen-kneed. Long nails tipped her hands, and she dribbled at the nose, and from her cheeks blood dripped down to the ground. She stood leering hideously, and much dust sodden with tears lay upon her shoulders.

[270] Next, there was a city of men with goodly towers; and seven gates of gold, fitted to the lintels, guarded it. The men were making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car, while the bridal-song swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens rolled in waves afar. And these maidens went before, delighting in the festival; and after them came frolicsome choirs, the youths singing soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes, while the echo was shivered around them, and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of lyres. Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling, with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and others were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing. The whole town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity.

[285] Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soul, clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight of the cars -- as if they were reaping Demeter's grain: others were binding the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor. And some held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while others were taking from the reapers into baskets white and black clusters from the long rows of vines which were heavy with leaves and tendrils of silver. Others again were gathering them into baskets. Beside them was a row of vines in gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus: it had shivering leaves and stakes of silver and was laden with grapes which turned black.5 And there were men treading out the grapes and others drawing off liquor. Also there were men boxing and wrestling, and huntsmen chasing swift hares with a leash of sharp-toothed dogs before them, they eager to catch the hares, and the hares eager to escape.

[305] Next to them were horsem*n hard set, and they contended and laboured for a prize. The charioteers standing on their well-woven cars, urged on their swift horses with loose rein; the jointed cars flew along clattering and the naves of the wheels shrieked loudly. So they were engaged in an unending toil, and the end with victory came never to them, and the contest was ever unwon. And there was set out for them within the course a great tripod of gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus.

[314] And round the rim Ocean was flowing, with a full stream as it seemed, and enclosed all the cunning work of the shield. Over it swans were soaring and calling loudly, and many others were swimming upon the surface of the water; and near them were shoals of fish.

[318] A wonderful thing the great strong shield was to see -- even for Zeus the loud-thunderer, by whose will Hephaestus made it and fitted it with his hands. This shield the valiant son of Zeus wielded masterly, and leaped upon his horse-chariot like the lightning of his father Zeus who holds the aegis, moving lithely. And his charioteer, strong Iolaus, standing upon the car, guided the curved chariot.

[327] Then the goddess grey-eyed Athene came near them and spoke winged words, encouraging them: “Hail, offspring of far-famed Lynceus! Even now Zeus who reigns over the blessed gods gives you power to slay Cycnus and to strip off his splendid armour. Yet I will tell you something besides, mightiest of the people. When you have robbed Cycnus of sweet life, then leave him there and his armour also, and you yourself watch man-slaying Ares narrowly as he attacks, and wherever you shall see him uncovered below his cunningly-wrought shield, there wound him with your sharp spear. Then draw back; for it is not ordained that you should take his horses or his splendid armour.”

[338] So said the bright-eyed goddess and swiftly got up into the car with victory and renown in her hands. Then heaven-nurtured Iolaus called terribly to the horses, and at his cry they swiftly whirled the fleet chariot along, raising dust from the plain; for the goddess bright-eyed Athene put mettle into them by shaking her aegis. And the earth groaned all round them. And they, horse-taming Cycnus and Ares, insatiable in war, came on together like fire or whirlwind. Then their horses neighed shrilly, face to face; and the echo was shivered all round them.

[349] And mighty Heracles spoke first and said to that other: “Cycnus, good sir! Why, pray, do you set your swift horses at us, men who are tried in labour and pain? Nay, guide your fleet car aside and yield and go out of the path. It is to Trachis I am driving on, to Ceyx the king, who is the first in Trachis for power and for honour, and that you yourself know well, for you have his daughter dark-eyed Themistinoe to wife. Fool! For Ares shall not deliver you from the end of death, if we two meet together in battle. Another time ere this I declare he has made trial of my spear, when he defended sandy Pylos and stood against me, fiercely longing for fight. Thrice was he stricken by my spear and dashed to earth, and his shield was pierced; but the fourth time I struck his thigh, laying on with all my strength, and tare deep into his flesh. And he fell headlong in the dust upon the ground through the force of my spear-thrust; then truly he would have been disgraced among the deathless gods, if by my hands he had left behind his bloody spoils.”

[368] So said he. But Cycnus the stout spearman cared not to obey him and to pull up the horses that drew his chariot. Then it was that from their well-woven cars they both leaped straight to the ground, the son of Zeus and the son of the Lord of War. The charioteers drove near by their horses with beautiful manes, and the wide earth rang with the beat of their hoofs as they rushed along. As when rocks leap forth from the high peak of a great mountain, and fall on one another, and many towering oaks and pines and long-rooted poplars are broken by them as they whirl swiftly down until they reach the plain; so did they fall on one another with a great shout: and all the town of the Myrmidons, and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice, and grassy Anthea echoed loudly at the voice of the two. With an awful cry they closed: and wise Zeus thundered loudly and rained down drops of blood, giving the signal for battle to his dauntless son.

[386] As a tusked boar, that is fearful for a man to see before him in the glens of a mountain, resolves to fight with the huntsmen and white tusks, turning sideways, while foam flows all round his mouth as he gnashes, and his eyes are like glowing fire, and he bristles the hair on his mane and around his neck -- like him the son of Zeus leaped from his horse-chariot. And when the dark-winged whirring grasshopper, perched on a green shoot, begins to sing of summer to men -- his food and drink is the dainty dew -- and all day long from dawn pours forth his voice in the deadliest heat, when Sirius scorches the flesh (then the beard grows upon the millet which men sow in summer), when the crude grapes which Dionysus gave to men -- a joy and a sorrow both -- begin to colour, in that season they fought and loud rose the clamour.

[402] As two lions on either side of a slain deer spring at one another in fury, and there is a fearful snarling and a clashing also of teeth -- like vultures with crooked talons and hooked beak that fight and scream aloud on a high rock over a mountain goat or fat wild-deer which some active man has shot with an arrow from the string, and himself has wandered away elsewhere, not knowing the place; but they quickly mark it and vehemently do keen battle about it -- like these they two rushed upon one another with a shout.

[413] Then Cycnus, eager to kill the son of almighty Zeus, struck upon his shield with a brazen spear, but did not break the bronze; and the gift of the god saved his foe. But the son of Amphitryon, mighty Heracles, with his long spear struck Cycnus violently in the neck beneath the chin, where it was unguarded between helm and shield. And the deadly spear cut through the two sinews; for the hero's full strength lighted on his foe. And Cycnus fell as an oak falls or a lofty pine that is stricken by the lurid thunderbolt of Zeus; even so he fell, and his armour adorned with bronze clashed about him.

[424] Then the stout hearted son of Zeus let him be, and himself watched for the onset of manslaying Ares: fiercely he stared, like a lion who has come upon a body and full eagerly rips the hide with his strong claws and takes away the sweet life with all speed: his dark heart is filled with rage and his eyes glare fiercely, while he tears up the earth with his paws and lashes his flanks and shoulders with his tail so that no one dares to face him and go near to give battle. Even so, the son of Amphitryon, unsated of battle, stood eagerly face to face with Ares, nursing courage in his heart. And Ares drew near him with grief in his heart; and they both sprang at one another with a cry. As it is when a rock shoots out from a great cliff and whirls down with long bounds, careering eagerly with a roar, and a high crag clashes with it and keeps it there where they strike together; with no less clamour did deadly Ares, the chariot- borne, rush shouting at Heracles. And he quickly received the attack.

[443] But Athene the daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus came to meet Ares, wearing the dark aegis, and she looked at him with an angry frown and spoke winged words to him. “Ares, check your fierce anger and matchless hands; for it is not ordained that you should kill Heracles, the bold-hearted son of Zeus, and strip off his rich armour. Come, then, cease fighting and do not withstand me.”

[450] So said she, but did not move the courageous spirit of Ares. But he uttered a great shout and waving his spears like fire, he rushed headlong at strong Heracles, longing to kill him, and hurled a brazen spear upon the great shield, for he was furiously angry because of his dead son; but bright-eyed Athene reached out from the car and turned aside the force of the spear. Then bitter grief seized Ares and he drew his keen sword and leaped upon bold-hearted Heracles. But as he came on, the son of Amphitryon, unsated of fierce battle, shrewdly wounded his thigh where it was exposed under his richly-wrought shield, and tare deep into his flesh with the spear-thrust and cast him flat upon the ground. And Panic and Dread quickly drove his smooth-wheeled chariot and horses near him and lifted him from the wide-pathed earth into his richly-wrought car, and then straight lashed the horses and came to high Olympus.

[467] But the son of Alemena and glorious Iolaus stripped the fine armour off Cycnus' shoulders and went, and their swift horses carried them straight to the city of Trachis. And bright-eyed Athene went thence to great Olympus and her father's house.

[472] As for Cycnus, Ceyx buried him and the countless people who lived near the city of the glorious king, in Anthe and the city of the Myrmidons, and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice: and much people were gathered doing honour to Ceyx, the friend of the blessed gods. But Anaurus, swelled by a rain-storm, blotted out the grave and memorial of Cycnus; for so Apollo, Leto's son, commanded him, because he used to watch for and violently despoil the rich hecatombs that any might bring to Pytho.” Zidine said, summoning a shield in hand which he then turned off, making it invisible. “You possess Runic magic, do you not?” The Devil asked coldly, to receive nothing but a cricket’s whisper. “This should be fun.” The Devil said as Zidine coldly laughed. “Very well, Naar. Don’t embarrass yourself. Let’s f*cking end this.” Zidine said, reminding himself as to what he just witnessed with Satoshi, knowing he had to end things quickly or else. “Those songs I know, which nor sons of men nor queen in a king’s court knows; the first is Help which will bring thee help in all woes and in sorrow and strife.” Zidine quickly said, as his eye glowed slightly, relieving him of one of the runes to which the Devil was genuinely taken aback and then countered by using Enchantment: Mass Change to change the environment around himself, summoning a field of lava underneath himself as Zidine then flew upwards, firing the Axe and Hammer simultaneously at him to which the Devil grabbed the axe with his finger and threw it back at the hammer whilst it was in mid-flight, causing both to clash. “This is the man who beat Fenrir, Surtr and saved Iceland and Denmark? How paltry.” The Devil said as Zidine countered with “The man who slit his wife’s throat and let his daughter die for no reason? How pathetic” as the Devil smiled and forced Danjong to appear who created two universes in hand… only for Zidine to glare at him. “Do you want to die, boy?” Zidine asked as he smashed his hammer into the ground of Hell, causing the world above to tremble in fear. As Danjong went close, Zidine grabbed him from the scruff of his neck and calmly tore his eyes out whilst keeping his fingers entrenched in the 18 year old’s face, but not digging them too deeply into his sockets. “Become the stars like Thjazzi. Consider this a warning, boy.” Zidine said to him as lightning struck him; with Danjong screaming as he was turned to stone… his eyes now having become the very universes he fired at Zidine, reflected back with no rage. “Arrogant whor*.” The Devil said as Zidine called back his axe and forced the entire ground to become asunder with primordial electricity as the Devil noticed even the lava he summoned quivering in fear as Zidine stepped onto the ground. “Enchantment: Alchemic Chain!” The Devil said, also combining with Soul Magic to try and control Zidine’s soul only for Zidine to throw his hammer at the Devil to which it hit him square in the face, leaving a scratch of blood on him. “A fourth I know: if men make fast in chains the joints of my limbs, when I sing that song which shall set me free, spring the fetters from hands and feet. Or A fourth I know, | if men shall fasten Bonds on my bended legs; So great is the charm | that forth I may go, The fetters spring from my feet, Broken the bonds from my hands.” Zidine said upon noticing flaming blue chains surrounding him from every inch of Hell. “Did you honestly think such a contraption could harm me?” Zidine asked as his fourth rune turned off, deleting itself from his eye, much like the first as it turned dark, to which the Devil noticed. “Arrogant ass.” The Devil said coldly as he then immediately summoned the Sword of Sigil’s Destruction, immediately deciding to weigh his options. “Fighting him will leave me vulnerable.” The Devil fully acknowledged as he smiled, allowing the blood drop to become water. “Deus Varuna… Moon o’ Wotan: Odins tredje rune: Beskyttelse mot alle våpen (Third Rune of Odin: protection from all weapons)!” Zidine said calmly as white light surrounded him from head to toe as the water hardly even touched him. “Your arrogance is limitless!” The Devil said as Zidine coldly laughed. “And mine is no feeble imitation of thy own? What makes you say culpable words, Naar?” He asked as he felt his energy mysteriously being absorbed. “Deus Zero.” The Devil thought to himself only for him to blitz Zidine; however he knew that damaging him conventionally wouldn’t truly work due to his Runic magic. Upon teleporting in front of him, the Drigo axe slashed itself into the back of his skull. “15 runes left. All I need to do is outlast the count.” The Devil said as he smiled. “You know, by harming me, you are only damaging your beloved brother’s Sakura?” The Devil said, as Zidine glanced at her for the briefest of moments but in that split-second, he failed to notice the Devil’s hand plummeting into his chest and grabbing his heart from within and coldly tearing it out. “f*cking coward.” Zidine said as he smiled coldly, to which Mjolnir smashed the Devil in the side of the head, allowing the Drigo Axe to tear itself out of his head and return back to sender. “Not bad.” The Devil said as he got up, ready for more as he simply pressed the heart and crushed it, unleashing its blood unto his face. “Perfect.” The Devil said as he laughed calmly, knowing that things were getting much better. “If I aim for that eye of his, he will stagger and do the same to me.” The Devil thought to himself as he was sent hurtling into the air. “He’s fast!” The Devil thought to himself, but this slight shock was never translated unto his blood-ridden face. “Your heart tastes disgusting, killer of kings. Its arteries and veins were just like your mother, Queen of Hesperia. Remember her?” The Devil asked and upon being asked this, Zidine glared at him, using his hammer and axe simultaneously alongside his blades, wrapping him up as he used Mjolnir on the Devil’s front, intending to crush his armoured chest and using the Drigo Axe in his back, telekinetically plunging it into the Devil’s back. “You’re defending your degenerate mother long after she betrayed you and made your brother, George, king? How holier than thou.” The Devil said coldly as Zidine still remained silent, as Zidine forced him to bear the weight of Mjolnir… the weight that could shatter the universe. “Not bad. As heavy as this is… it pales in comparison… to…” The Devil thought to himself, using the energy of Enchantment from his feet as scarlet energy emanated from his toenails, switching himself with Sakura and appearing in front of Satoshi, stomping on the back of his head. “... hurting your beloved brother’s ally.” The Devil said as he smiled, to which Zidine momentarily glanced at Sakura. “f*cking coward…” He thought to himself, barely saving her… but he was too slow to save himself as a red laser beam fired itself from the Devil’s hand and into Zidine’s right eye, to which he fell to the ground, clutching Sakura for dear life as he did so, noticing just how bad her injuries were. Her face and body were caved in and her once luminous white eyes were mere dots that looked as though they were glued on by some demented child. Her beauty was marred but by who? “You coward!” Zidine spoke as the Devil stomped on Satoshi’s head coldly, leaving blood stains on it, effectively pointing to Sakura’s attacker. “Her beloved over here did it and then Damien sacrificed himself for her… for Satoshi tried and failed to save her from herself and me.” The Devil said as he calmly walked away. “Stop levying accusations left and right. You humans know no bounds with verbal and emotional abuse. And that axe…” The Devil said as he tore the axe out of his back only for it and Mjolnir to return to Zidine’s clearly grief-stricken hands. “... was fun.” The Devil said as Zidine gently put Sakura down, seeing that she truly was dead. “Reviving her and fighting me will only lead to her suffering. You don’t want that, do you?” The Devil said as thunder rocketed past him as he was punched so hard that he was sent flying back. “Good. This is the Greek Berserker side I wanted.” He said to Zidine whose right eye was devoured by blood, leaving a reddened and empty socket. “Are you crying? What a babe.” The Devil said as Zidine stared at him with a horrifyingly cold expression. “Know the wrath of a gentle man. Even a demon runs when good men come.” Zidine said coldly. “Oh really? And why would I run when this ‘gentleman’ is in front of me?” The Devil asked coldly himself, mocking Zidine’s ideals as he smashed Mjolnir into the Devil’s face with such force and speed that it appeared that the Devil couldn’t react. “THAT’S IT! LET YOUR HUMANITY WRITHE THROUGH YOU, BALDR! YOU WILL LOSE BECAUSE OF IT! YOU WILL PAY YOUR DEBT IN DEATH!” The Devil screamed as Zidine stopped himself, remembering the Norns’ words to him before he left them for the final time as his right eye’s bleeding fell into his hand. “WHY STOP?! ARE YOU AFRAID THAT FATE HAS HAD ITS COURSE?!” The Devil screamed as he smashed his sword into the back of Zidine’s skull and stabbed his chest, causing more blood to drop from Zidine. “f*cking idiot.” The Devil said as Zidine still smiled, remaining resolute in his promise. “Bout time you did something fatal.” Zidine said coldly, smashing the Devil’s skull in with the force of his hammer and axe, sending him flying. “REMEMBER MY WORDS! YOU HARM ME, YOU HARM SAKURA!” The Devil screamed as he backflipped, barely keeping himself steady. “Keravnós (Thunderbolt, Κεραυνός).” Zidine said, as a seal appeared underneath the Devil, unleashing his thunderous rage unto the ultimate enemy. Then Zeus no longer held back his might; but straight his heart was filled with fury and he showed forth all his strength. This was the effect upon the world itself as well as the wider universe and far beyond: The bold flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder and lightning, whirling an awesome flame. The life-giving earth crashed around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about. All the land seethed, and Ocean's streams and the unfruitful sea. The hot vapour lapped round the earth: flame unspeakable rose to the bright upper air: the flashing glare of the thunder- stone and lightning blinded their eyes for all that there were strong. Astounding heat seized Chaos: and to see with eyes and to hear the sound with ears it seemed even as if Earth and wide Heaven above came together; for such a mighty crash would have arisen if Earth were being hurled to ruin, and Heaven from on high were hurling her down; so great a crash was there while the gods were meeting together in strife. Also the winds brought rumbling earthquake and duststorm, thunder and lightning and the lurid thunderbolt, which are the shafts of great Zeus, and carried the clangour and the warcry into the midst of the two hosts. An horrible uproar of terrible strife arose: mighty deeds were shown and the battle inclined. But until then, they kept at one another and fought continually in cruel war. And now his thunder bolts would Jove wide scatter, but he feared the flames, unnumbered, sacred ether might ignite and burn the axle of the universe: and he remembered in the scroll of fate, there is a time appointed when the sea and earth and Heavens shall melt, and fire destroy the universe of mighty labour wrought. Such weapons by the skill of Cyclops forged, for different punishment he laid aside—for straightway he preferred to overwhelm the mortal race beneath deep waves and storms from every raining sky. “You make me sick. That was quite hot. Comparable to a microwave.” The Devil said as Zidine was absolutely amazed. “You’ve destroyed the entire universe in rage, Zeus. Earth is likely gone. Too bad.” The Devil said mockingly only for Zidine to switch his Drigo Axe with one of the Blades of Demphaus. “Not using both, what’s wrong? Can’t keep up?” The Devil said as Zidine fell to the floor in shock as he finally realised just how severe his injuries were. “I can't taste. I can't smell. I can't even feel the temperature of this... this room. Feasting... drinking... It's all gone.” Zidine said to himself as he clutched the hole in his chest. “Am I supposed to empathise with you? But you will never have to feel pain again. Death has no power over you now. Would you rather die?” The Devil said as he laughed at him, walking ever closer to him. “I feel nothing. Not the wind on my face nor the spray of the sea. Nor the warmth of a woman's flesh… A mother’s love… Than never feel again? Yes. YES! I would rather die!” Zidine screamed as he flew at full speed, slashing at the Devil who used Enchant: Molecular Teleportation to teleport himself away, appearing behind Zidine and sending him crashing into the ground of Hell, as his head pummelling itself repeatedly. “Stop hitting yourself.” The Devil said as Zidine looked pissed more so than anything. “I wonder… will a kick in the balls hurt you?” The Devil said as he did exactly that, and kicked them so hard that they were sent flying, only for him to set them on fire and turn them into a branch of mistletoe as he kicked Zidine away from him, not wanting to touch him. “You really need a doctor.” The Devil said to him as Zidine’s legs and groin were now heavily bleeding. “Too bad the only doctor who could heal that… died… by my hand.” The Devil said coldly as he then said “You are truly ballsy. Or a lack thereof.” as Zidine glared at him in disgust. “You f*cking ballistic pile of sh*t.” Zidine said as the Devil smiled. “Looks like the real War of the Penis begins. And unlike Damian… let’s hope you don’t die trying to redeem yourself for the loss of such a vital point.” The Devil said as Zidine glared at him. “I’ve lost my chest, my eye, my rectum and my anus. Anything more… and I will likely suffer fatally.” Zidine thought to himself as the Devil laughed. “You should be careful.” He spoke as he saw two orbs firing at him, only to slash the two orbs away, leading to an implosion of light as Zidine then used his hammer to smash the Devil in the side of the head, sending him flying away as he smashed the ground, causing it to dance in fear with electricity only for lava to burn Zidine’s feet from underneath, only for nothing to occur. “A seventh I know: if I see a hall high o’er the bench-mates blazing, flame it ne’er so fiercely I still can save it, — I know how to sing that song.” Zidine thought to himself as his seventh rune deactivated itself around his eye. “14 runes left.” The Devil thought to himself patiently as he threw Mjolnir aside only for Zidine to teleport behind him, wrapping him up with the Blade of Demphaus. “Did he… see the future?” The Devil thought to himself as Mjolnir smashed itself into his chest, unleashing scores of lightning bolts from its tempestuous side as Zidine commanded his Drigo Axe to slice the Devil’s head clean through as it instead bisected him… however Enchantment: Molecular Regeneration manifested, healing him. “How embarrassing.” The Devil said, firing a laser beam from his toe into Zidine’s skull, intending to aim into his brain which succeeded as Zidine glared at him. “You really are a gentleman.” The Devil said mockingly as he was then sent crushing into the ground below, smashed into it by the power of Mjolnir as Zidine then stomped on his head, unleashing lightning bolts from his hand as the Devil laughed. “Sword of Sigil’s Destruction.” The Devil thought to himself, calling his sword from miles away as it appeared so quickly that Zidine was barely able to react to his neck being sliced ever so slightly as the Devil then disappeared into the ground and appeared behind Zidine, only for Zidine to barely turn around fast enough. “Mistletoe… end this boy.” The Devil said, as he asked the same question he asked earlier on “I wonder… will a kick in the balls hurt you?” and fired the mistletoe sword that was indeed his balls into Zidine’s left eye… but upon it barely getting inches away from his face, Zidine then stated “A third I know: if sore need should come of a spell to stay my foes; when I sing that song, which shall blunt their swords, nor their weapons nor staves can wound”, as the Devil was stunned. “Another rune?!” He thought to himself in sheer shock and horror as the Drigo Axe immediately appeared underneath him and sliced his legs, causing him to be bound in both Blades of Demphaus, allowing Zidine the chance to backflip, summon the Keravnos in his right hand and drag the Devil towards himself with his fingers and plunge the thunderbolt into his face… only for the Devil to switch places with him as a brief scream could be heard and then a laugh followed. “Fool.” Zidine said, releasing himself from his own fetters. “You never fail to impress. But it is sad your own balls were thrown off of you and used against you.” The Devil said as Zidine smiled menacingly, blood dripping from his mouth. “f*cking turd.” Zidine coldly responded with, grateful that his left eye, the Eye of Odin, wasn’t damaged, or otherwise things would have become dire. “Enchantment: Materialise Fantasy.” The Devil said, altering reality however Zidine then wrapped his blades around the Devil to restrict his speech. “Second Form of the Lightning of Elding: Vortex of Death.” Zidine then said, summoning a huge tornado around the Devil’s throat and from his mouth as the Devil used his fingers to sever his own throat, healing it shortly thereafter as he spat drops of his own blood like a projectile at Zidine who dodged them casually. “You sickening boy.” The Devil then coldly said, ready to take things up a notch. “Devil Art: Death Gaze.” The Devil said, summoning small orbs of blood around himself to which Zidine smiled and fired electric orbs around himself and shot them at the Devil who coldly smiled. “Let’s use the powers of an old host. Art of the Moon - Chakram.” The Devil said, firing a chakram that immediately blitzed Zidine’s very perception however he used his eye to see the future and dodge it in time, immediately grabbing it and turning it into electricity, teleporting before the Devil and intending them to fire the Keravnos at point-blank range but as he did, a pool of blood appeared from the ground below. “Demon Art - Red Blood Hell.” The Devil then said, summoning a huge wave of red blood-like water to devour his every part, defending him from virtually all attacks only to then see a large pool of dark blood surrounding his feet as Zidine felt his lifeforce disappearing with each small expansion of the pool. “This technique alloweth me to control space and time as well as controlling time, space and all other things and it can especially allow me to decelerate thy ageing to the point of true non-existence.” The Devil explained as Zidine then remained calm. “Sun and Moon.” Zidine then said, summoning the sun and moon to surround the Devil who remained and snapped his fingers. “A pathetic attempt to damage me. But… I laud it. Seal of the Blood King: Genesis of the Forest of Creation.” He then said, summoning the blood pool underneath himself to create a vast forest. The trees emerge from underground to form a vast, dense forest of trees with rather large buds around the top. The trees then intake vast quantities of air from their lower buds before expelling the air through the main bud towards the target. Due to the power of these trees, they are capable of expelling soundwaves at speeds faster than light as Zidine was unaffected as he then used Mjolnir to smash the tree without too much effort. “Dost thou really think such was enough?” Zidine asked while the Devil looked truly annoyed. “Blood Art - Sovereignty of the New World Order!” He then said, as Zidine then felt himself fall to the ground surrounding Zidine in a blood net that could bind a ravaged continent without any effort, with nuclear particles maintaining the entire structure as the tree he summoned beforehand sprouting petals from its orifice which then gave way for huge orbs of blood to come out. “This technique uses both the net and the tree, causing ye to blow to complete cinders without any true effort!” The Devil said only for his eyes to briefly glow, causing him to use all the blood Zidine dropped onto the ground before. “You see, because of your grave injuries… you will die. Paralysis… and then blindness and then death…” The Devil coldly explained as Zidine felt himself blowing up from the inside as he finally exploded… leaving a trail of blood in his wake, only to hear a loud clapping sound. “You used illusory powers? But you are still injured.” The Devil said as Zidine then channelled the power of the Keravnos into his hands, and punched the Devil who laughed. “Bastard!” The Devil said, grabbing and twisting Zidine’s wrist, sending him onto the ground. “Do you want your other eye to go too?” He asked, kicking his face coldly with his boot. “I do wonder, can your other eye pop out of its socket? How big does it get?” The Devil asked mockingly as he noticed that Mjolnir was no longer in Zidine’s possession, only to be smashed straight in the face with it once more as he felt himself being electrocuted. “Damn bastard, your death will come shortly.” He said to Zidine who got up as his injuries were only exacerbated, with blood spilling everywhere breathing heavily, ready to fight on. "Your arrogance know no bounds, ballsy one?" The Devil asked mockingly as Zidine retorted with "Doesn't yours?" as the Devil scoffed. “Third form of the Lightning of Elding: Thunderous Fusion.” Zidine thought to himself as the Devil felt his body being damaged on the cellular level, with electricity shooting from every single orifice of his being. “You really think that can damage me-?!” The Devil asked as he felt his eyeballs wanting to pop out, only to scoff as he let this happen as Zidine saw this. The Devil laughed as he then forcibly tore his own eyeballs out of his sockets and turned them into swords. “My eyes and your balls as swords. This will be fun!” The Devil screamed with amazement as Zidine immediately fired orbs out of his hand, and touched the ground with his electrified hands, causing wires of thunder and lightning to race from all angles at the Devil who responded by using Enchantment: Flax Nurture to make the impossible possible and trap Zidine in the ground of Hell, to which lightning surrounded the Devil on all sides. “Have you considered that your death along with mine is inevitable?” Zidine asked as he ionised the thunderous orbs around the Devil and caused them to burn up and try and seal him. “Enchantment: Colourless Void!” The Devil said, surrounding Zidine in his own seal, binding him in a orb that was chained from all sides. “You can’t defy Fate, Jupiter. Let this be something you cannot defy.” The Devil said as he casually began rewriting the very fabric of Hell itself in order to replace it with a world that would be advantageous to himself as Zidine was quite surprised.“This space… is no universe… its infinitely bigger. He likely has complete dominance over the concepts of space, time and any other for they are mere ideas in this little space.” Zidine thought to himself as ‘War Battalion: Seal’ as he saw an endless world of swords within this space… that went on forever and ever, for no world could be contained here. “I am left with no choice but to end this.” The Devil said as he broke out of the seal Zidine ensnared him with slight difficulty only for Zidine to smile. “A third I know: if sore need should come of a spell to stay my foes; when I sing that song, which shall blunt their swords, nor their weapons nor staves can wound” as he clutched his left eye, realising that he could no longer use his third rune anymore. The swords then struck him from all sides, forcing even his own Blades of Demphaus against him, being ensnared even in this place. “This world…” Zidine thought to himself as he forced Mjolnir to smash into the ground and shatter the blades conceptually. “My grip…” Zidine thought to himself as the Devil’s chaotic laughter rued throughout the world as a blood pool devoured the ground and absorbed his stamina. “Fool.” The Devil said as he still laughed, with Zidine still seemingly trapped in an eternity of pain and hatred. “You cannot escape even if you were to kill yourself. You have lost. Your humanity cannot save you now.” The Devil said mockingly to which Zidine smiled as a golden thunderbolt mysteriously appeared. “4th form of the Lightning Of Elding: Thunderous Rune of the Old Sorcerer.” Zidine thought to himself with Mjölnir beginning to glow with a mysteriously blue hue. “He is managing to do something unique to the structure?” The Devil thought to himself, patiently watching to determine the next course of action as golden lightning shot out of the Chained Orb which was internally far bigger than a universe therein, allowing Zidine to slowly shatter it. “What restraints could hurt me, wretched Devil?” Zidine asked to which the Devil scoffed and then coldly said “The same ones that ensnared your mother into loving your father and having George for the sake of monarchical reigning. Sex is a powerful drug.” and upon the Devil saying such a thing, golden lightning and energy spluttered everywhere from Mjolnir and upon him being touched by it, the Devil felt his very soul being damaged on the spiritual and conceptual level as he felt blood finally spilling down his mouth in sheer shock. “You actually managed to damage me? Now I shall you true non-mercy.” The Devil said as Zidine’s left eye shot gold, however his right eye was still oozing with blood. As though he was crying a river of blood for the sacrifices of those he loved. Seeing people die. “You will die.” Zidine coldly said and with a resolute glare in his eye as the Devil heard this, he laughed maliciously only to use Enchantment to alter reality and use Deus Varuna, only for Zidine to fly upwards in the air and throw his hammer at the Devil who used his eyeball-swords and deflected it however he failed to notice that the hammer throw had actually ruptured the sword that the Devil had made out of Zidine’s balls that he had kicked off of him. “Come on, Naar… you can’t let your reign end so carelessly.” Zidine said mockingly, staring at him. “Runic Art: Ansuz (Mouth).” Zidine said as a green portal surrounded itself underneath his feet, allowing the Devil to analyse the situation. “You took my testicl*s, chest, eye, loved ones and what should have been love and a life of good from me. Suffer the price.” Zidine said as he teleported behind and in front of Naar who still laughed. “That was all you, so why do all people blame the Devil when times are tough?” The Devil coldly asked as he kicked Zidine and instinctively grabbed his neck with enough strength to rip his head. “When you will realise the futility of what they, even the Author of this story calleth humanity, is the day you win. Why do they blame me for all their little failings? They use my name as if I spent my entire day sitting on their shoulders, forcing them to commit acts they would otherwise find repulsive. 'The Devil made me do it.' I have never made any one of them do anything. Never. They live their own tiny lives. I do not live their lives for them.” He then said, spitting in Zidine’s face who took it on the chin by attempting to smite the Devil with his hammer and slashing his chest open with the Drigo Axe, only for the Devil to feel nothing but a scratch. “Enchantment: Explode. Do you want me to do the same to your intestines too?” The Devil said as Zidine smiled, knowing that he would be able to survive, for the sake of his sacrifice only for the Devil to hear thunder rumble from the “sky” above Hell as thunder fired from above, erupting in golden light to which Zidine smiled, allowing his hammer to shatter unto the ground, destroying the entirety of Hell to the Devil’s slight amazement. “That hammer really does have limitless potency, eh?” The Devil asked as Zidine kicked himself out of the Devil’s grip, moving himself away and allowing himself to shower the Devil with lightning. “Enchantment: Elemental Five!” The Devil then said, summoning a ball in hand as he sent Zidine to the ground, coldly staring down at him from above. “So that 4th form of his familial lightning allows him to control all of the runes that exist?” The Devil asked himself with surprise, only to smile as he stared on at his opponent, who was clearly suffering from the effects of gravity manipulation. “Did you truly think such an attack could take me down, Naar?” Zidine asked, moving his face upwards to stare at his wretched nemesis. “Runic Art: ᛗ Mannaz (Human).” Zidine said as the green portal that once encoded his feet wrapped itself around him in an almost motherly way and brought him back to his feet to the Devil’s slight shock and horror. “You damn fiend.” The Devil thought to himself, immediately using Enchantment and Blood Manipulation to end the fight, poisoning Zidine’s bloodstream once more, however the Runes that he thus manifested protected him. “He gained invisible armour?” The Devil asked him as he used Enchantment: Fantasy Creation to summon 4 clones of George and the other Brothers, slitting their throat to elicit a reaction as Zidine remained unfazed and cold-hearted, at least on the surface as his hand trembled in rage and slight annoyance. “Wretched scum, thou art!” Zidine said as he manifested golden lightning around the Devil, causing a huge explosion only for the Devil to smile and scream “YOU NEEDN’T SCREAM WHEN I AM IN FRONT OF YOU, HOE!” as Zidine forced Mjolnir to aim straight at the skull of the Devil who retorted by using Enchantment: Flax Nurture, allowing himself to survive this impossible situation without any effort. “That magic of his… it can likely cancel out my Enchantment meaning I will have to use my physicality to overpower him, but that may be fruitless.” The Devil thought to himself as he then heard “Runic Art: ᚾ Nauthiz (Survival)”, allowing Zidine to casually amplify his power by a hundred times only for the Devil to use Enchantment: Reaction Force to create a sun in hand and throw it at Zidine who deflected it with his hand, instead teleporting it back at the Devil, who looked stunned only for a huge explosion to manifest as he smiled. “Mass Enchantment: Change of the World.” The Devil said, countering this and forcing scarlet energy to rush at Zidine who used his rune to make himself completely immune as the Devil smiled. “Deus Zero - Runic Removal.” He said, laughing as he said so to which Zidine looked visibly amazed, only for the Devil to swap places with Zidine’s back, pointing his hand at the young man’s back in the form of a finger gun to which a rune appeared. “Electro!” Zidine said, pushing him away from the Devil, only for a laser beam to penetrate Zidine’s spine. “Son of a bitch.” Zidine thought to himself, immediately forcing Mjolnir to fire at the Devil who arrogantly laughed only for it to mysteriously disappear whilst in movement as he saw his hand being removed to his shock. “I can’t heal?” The Devil thought to himself, however, upon thinking this, he saw Zidine summon five orbs around his own hands and clenched his hands together, clapping them. “You leave me no choice. 5th form of the Lightning of Elding: Mind-Mode of Thunderous Rune! Berserkur Hamur - Mikros Keraunos (Berserk Mode: Small Thunderbolt)!” He said as he summoned the thunderbolt at its apparent full strength, only for the Devil to counter by using “Flamebolt”, turning them into fire. “Your attack that could erase existence was quite sloppy-!” The Devil said confidently, failing to see that Mjolnir was invisible, smashing straight in the face, and doing some damage thanks to the effect of Berserker Mode. “He used the effects of Berserker Mode, which has devil-negating properties to damage me effectively by using Mjolnir as a medium?! Tactful whor*.” The Devil thought to himself as he glared at Zidine with a cold expression. “You’re going to die.” Zidine thought to himself as he used the Drigo Axe, only for it to clash with Mjolnir. “What the-?!” Zidine asked himself only for the Devil’s clone to appear behind him and force Zidine’s left eye open as the veins that surrounded the eye began to pop violently. “An eleventh I know: if haply I lead my old comrades out to war, I sing ‘neath the shields, and they fare forth mightily safe into battle, safe out of battle, and safe return from the strife”, forcing the eye to return back to its original form and disappear from the Devil’s Gaze. “He used another rune? 13 left.” The Devil thought to himself as he immediately saw particles surrounding him despite lacking eyeballs however he sensed his mind being toyed with by Zidine, as he heard and saw a man with a glowing white eye staring at him and condemning him. “Where is that hammer?!” The Devil thought to himself with fear. He immediately used his full power (as in got serious, not actually using his full power) for the briefest of seconds and then spoke “Enchant: Saffron Slasher” to warp space and the laws of reality itself, unleashing a single god-speed slash with such power that the laws of time and space are subject to its superiority, rending the progression of the dimension asunder and revealing the truth of the world for all to see, affecting everything on a dimensional scale with Zidine looking quite amazed. “He’s using space manipulation? No… he’s warping space and since my Runes related to such have run out… this will be dangerous since he will likely bisect me on the spiritual level however thanks to my eye, I can see the future indefinitely.” Zidine thought to himself in actual fear, as he felt himself being bisected nigh-immediately. “From what I can see… his skill in Enchantment infinitely surpasses Sakura.” Zidine thought to himself as he was stunned; his lower half (or what was left) split itself from his body’s upper half. “How interesting. My final fight and like a child, after being caught and facing punishment, you offer your apologies too late. I come as your doom!" The Devil said as he took a breath and smiled as his clone stood there, unleashing torrents of red energy into him. “Your death was sad.” The Devil said, stomping on his face and holding his face and skin beneath and above Zidine’s eye. “This is revenge for Danjong.” The Devil said as he used his thumb, pointer, and middle finger into the eye that was white, gripping, twisting and pulling out the sclerae until it became bigger than the actual socket itself and scooped it out, ultimately crushing the eye coldly and drinking its remains. “Too bad you are crying a river of blood. Of regret.” The Devil said as he stood over him, now the final victor as he stared at Sakura’s body, realising that he had won as a red thunder bolt shot throughout the world in mourning. The destroyed world released rain, winds and snow that destroyed all the world. The heavens themselves cried. “Tragedy always strikes you wretched humans at the worst time. That eye tasted nice and chewy.” The Devil said mockingly, to which he smiled at Zidine’s deceased body, once more stomping on his chest.

“And lo, in the darkness...there was thunder. And racing behind it, the roaring voice of a god made king. “Hear me,” his testament begins... “The old king...the old king is gone.” His words soar across the heavens of Vanaheim. For the Vanir, the sisters of Asgard, it is a humming sound of peace. And here too, in the skies of Alfheim, a rumbling decree of a war well fought. The Light Elves cheer and weep that darkness may never touch their bright shores again. In the dark fields of Nidavellir...the dwarves sing and drink as Mjolnir the smasher rumbles for them as well. And in Jotunheim, the Frost Giants feel, for the first time in a long time...a biting chill run down their backs. The message is the same for all to hear. Even in the hottest pit of damnation, in Muspelheim, the demons hear it over the wail of eternal flames… “We have, all of us, warred enough for a thousand lifetimes,” the hammer speaks. Its voice resounds across Svartalfheim. Across the beaten ears of wound-licking Dark Elves. “Enough blood has spilled across the Ten Realms. Enough death. From the rose-scented rainstorms of Heaven...to the deepest hollows of Niflheim. It ends now. It ends forever. It ends with me. So hear this, realms of the World Ash...for I shall say it only once. Let there be peace...or let there be thunder.” The universe itself spoke as Zidine’s injuries mysteriously healed to the Devil’s horror, allowing his body to return to its non-bisected state. “Bout damn time.” Zidine said, as Mjolnir shot with sparks of red lightning. “6th form of the Lightning of Elding: Gust of Ragnarok!” Zidine said as Mjolnir sent the Devil on its lonesome to his horror, causing wind to shatter his armour slowly. “IMPOSSIBLE!” He screamed as Zidine laughed and screamed. “Now… you will not see the end of this day!” Zidine said, releasing both Blades of Demphaus, electrocuting them and allowing the fire of Muspelheim to manifest itself within. “Let Yggdrasil run through me. The Tree of Life is bound to the fate of the world, just as we are bound to it. The tree nourishes our soils. The dew from its leaves feeds our valleys and rivers. The tree's very existence supports all of creation among its boughs, its life energy interwoven into the tapestry of life... birth, growth, death, and rebirth... every strand, transcending time, transcending space. Everything comes back to the tree.” Zidine said coldly as the Devil looked annoyed. “I now realise… you will die.” Zidine said menacingly as the Devil looked angry and horrified simultaneously as Mjolnir fired lightning as this battle had now taken a turn… for the darkest. “Devil Art - Eternal Form.” The Devil himself said, allowing his to return to its peak as all this technique does is extend his life span. The use of this technique also grants him a youthful appearance as the transfer of life force from his victim returns his body to the state it was in at his peak. “I am truly awakened with my power as I am the Devil! The Pure Eyes are either awakened by a pure fusion of a great Angel and a devil’s blood… or by birth-inducing circ*mstances for even one eye is enough to upturn all levels of fate. But two allow one to witness That Which Is Not Seen. Also in the beginning… existed the Pure Eye and the Eye of Origin… bore within Azraphael who had the power of healing and true death inducement, wherein he were fused by Lucifer, my Leader and King by willing it so. The Brothers were thus… raised by the Father, an angel named Falteran who was fallen and became devil-like, fulfilling the requirement to awaken the Eye… whereas the Eye of Origin can copy all eyes and their techniques, bestowing them unto the user at their maximum level including thy eyes… however… it cannot copy the Pure Eye or the Eye of Dharma. That is because two Pure Eye users cannot appear together at the same time however because the Pure Eye is also transcendent… the Origan can never copy it. I also can’t be affected by fate, karma, magic, time, space or the like and as the general of Lucifer… you have to use angelic techniques to kill me which you lack. All devils… especially those of a high rank are immune to conventional damage. You can’t kill a devil unless you have the State of Brahman… or… are an angel… which you are or have neither. Throughout all Stories… killing me is borderline impossible.” The Devil stared at him with Zidine looking absolutely horrified, now knowing the entire universe, if not every other universe (the remaining 8 that were infinitely larger in terms of structures, containing an infinite amount of planets, etc, etc) would be threatened if he even moved a step. “Issaikaiku (All Existence is Suffering): Trait - Defense and Kingly Techniques… Curse - Non-Speed.” The Devil said as Zidine felt his speed and power replaced for an elder’s, being lower than Haakon at his worst, only for Zidine to smile, using Mjolnir as his speed.

Personality[]

A petulant brat who was spoiled, George was seen as a New King but ultimately had it all squandered in favour of control. Due to his sheltered existence, he never got to see the outside world for it truly was as he was instead raised within a castle and not ostracised like his older brother. It is clear to assume that he adored his father but because of his mother's manipulation, he failed to see that his father's love was true. As seen in his interaction with Zidine, he is hesistant when talking to him, overtly wanting him punished and hating him. In their battle, he still demonstrates this childish and mental instability, ultimately culminating in his death at the hands of his mother, the one he trusted most. Despite this, in death, he finally realised that Zidine was right, ultimately trying to help him in the smallest ways.

Powers and Abilities[]

Overall Skill Level: Whilst little is seen and known of his actual skill, according to those who lived long after him, he was regarded as a myth; and a legend in China and Japan. Even Kenjaku called him a truly immortal entity who had even surpassed Tengen herself in this aspect.

That said, back more than 2000 years ago, Tatsuryuu was the strongest sorcerer in all of China. More than living up to his title, Tatsuryuu himself possessed immeasurable amounts of cursed energy within his body due to the nature of the Soul Flame.

Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: While immensely powerful as a jujutsu sorcerer, Tatsuryuu could beat up an older Dhruv and fight somewhat on par in terms of hand-to-hand with Ashoka who was 71 years old.

Immense Strength: He, like Ashoka, was physically strong to destroy one of Dhruv's shikigami with his raw strength, something which no-one barring Yuta Okkotsu himself could do thousands of years later.

Immeasurable Speed: Whilst little is known of his speed, Tatsuryuu was said to be almost as fast as Ashoka himself by the man in question. He could also dodge Narakan Knives, a technique that both Ashoka himself and Dhruv described as beyond dodging entirely.

Immense Reflexes: He was also able to reflexively dodge each of an older Dhruv's attacks with minimal effort.

Immeasurable Durability: He was durable enough to tank both of Dhruv's Shikigami attacks with somewhat minimal effort, and could even survive attacks from the Vajra of Indra whilst Ashoka was using it, a weapon capable of easily annihilating an entire country as thunder poured from its every orifice. Kenjaku also described him as someone so durable that it would take a millennia in order to truly defeat him. He was also able to survive an encounter from Ashoka and live past the Heian era without any real damage to speak of.

Great Tactical Intellect: Tatsuryuu was an extremely intelligent man, being able to use his techniques and vision to see right through most opponents and adapt to them correspondingly.

He was also intelligent enough to see right through Dhruv's Shikigami, determining their actual purpose and then using that against Dhruv himself.

Jujutsu[]

Immeasurable Cursed Energy: Whilst his actual amount of cursed energy is unknown, according to Qin Shi Huang, it was though "Heaven and Earth had coursed through his very being".

Equipment[]

Cursed Tool

Sun Scepter is a sceptre that grants authority over the universe. It can also freeze time, alter reality and control the seasons. Helena describes it as: “This here staff will allow you to control the ways of the Sun [in its warmth and heat]! You resemble your father in every way!” “Why is Brother always so prudent in his revenge-based desire?” George asked his mother, still naive and completely under his mother’s thumb; with him using the sceptre to force the sky to become golden."

Apollo's bow The magical silver bow and arrows of Apollo, which cause plague or sudden death when shot.

Bow and Arrows of Eros: A magical bow and magic arrows that strike anyone they hit with powerful infatuatio

Artemis' Bow: The magical golden bow and arrows of Artemis, which cause plague or sudden death when shot.

The Caduceus Hermes’ magic wand, a golden herald’s staff (kerykeion) entwined with two serpents and crowned with wings. It can heal people, bring peace, turn things to gold, awaken people or put them to sleep.

Helm of Darkness The helmet of Hades, Lord of the Underworld, which turns its wearer invisible.

Lyre of Apollo Apollo’s lyre, either golden or made from a turtle shell (invented by Hermes).

Tablets of the Cosmos Oracular tablets written by the primordial god Phanes that describe the fate of the cosmos and the movements of the universe, kept by Helios