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(A/N: Thanks for sticking so long, Rockstars <3)
The parchment containing Achilles fused seamlessly with Akira's body. His hair grew longer, cascading down his back, and his height increased slightly. A new aura surrounded him—menacing yet oddly serene. His eyes turned half-lidded, dark sleep bags forming underneath, giving him an otherworldly, almost haunting appearance.
When time resumed, the Outer Gods immediately noticed the shift. They glanced at one another before their gazes settled on Akira. The change in him was undeniable.
"It wasn't much of a fight," Akira said casually, brushing invisible dust off his shoulder. "I just used what I learned from the last time I fought Outer Gods to seal Achilles once and for all. He's gone now."
The Outer Gods stirred uneasily. Akira hadn't just won; he had taken something. Something that tipped the scales. His tone was calm, but his presence carried a weight that hadn't been there before.
He turned slightly, a sly grin fixed on his face. Without needing to be asked, he continued, "And yes, before you all think of questioning me—this newfound presence? Let's just say I borrowed a little something from him. Advanced omniscience, if you will." His grin widened. "Enough to know what you're all about to say."
Yog-Sothoth, the quiet, blonde Outer God, floated forward, her emotionless gaze narrowing slightly. "...Something's odd." Her voice, as always, was calm yet disconcertingly sharp.
She drifted closer to Akira, her golden eyes studying him intently. The unchanging grin on his face, the confidence radiating from his entire being—it unsettled even her. Her suspicion was palpable.
"Mom…" Roxanne tugged at Alice's dress, pointing nervously toward her father. Alice's expression shifted, worry shadowing her face as she finally looked at Akira.
"Darling..." Alice's voice trembled as she approached him. Her eyes searched his face, his aura, for any sign of the man she once knew.
"You still… have to explain to me about all this," she said softly, her tone a mix of love and demand.
Akira's grin softened ever so slightly as he turned to Alice, his voice calm and affectionate. "And I will, my love. All of it. But first, we need to prepare. Things are about to get much… bigger."
"First of all, are there any beings on this plane that got close to you and you want to keep alive? I can guarantee the death of everyone here in the next minute," he said, his voice calm yet heavy with authority. His sleepy, half-lidded eyes glimmered with an unsettling mix of lethargy and menace.
Roxanne's face flushed with panic as she jumped at the chance to respond. "YES, Dad! There's… um… I–I mean there's this person… a–a b–b–boy…" Her voice trembled, the words stumbling out.
The female Outer Gods turned to her, their reactions varying wildly.
"Maaaa~," Shub-Niggurath chimed smugly, a sly smile stretching across her face. "The little girl already has a secret crush~."
"A HUSBAND AT TWO MONTHS OLD?!?!" Nyarlathotep bellowed, her voice booming and chaotic. She twirled maniacally, her excitement radiating like waves of insanity. "YOU SURE ARE AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW, GIRL! JUST WHAT I'D EXPECT FROM MY LOVE'S DAUGHTER~!"
Cathulhu chuckled softly, her tentacles swaying gently. "Looks like she's grown a heart already," she said, amused.
Yog-Sothoth remained silent, her golden eyes fixed on Akira, dissecting him with an intensity that made even the other Outer Gods uneasy.
Akira finally turned to Roxanne, his grin softening ever so slightly. "A boy, huh?" His tone was teasing but carried a protective edge. "I'll spare him. For now."
Akira tilted his head slightly, grinning, he said "Go ahead, Roxy. Bring that boy here." His tone was calm but carried an undertone of curiosity and authority that couldn't be ignored.
Roxanne hesitated for a moment, then nodded, scurrying off to fetch whoever it was.
Akira turned his sleepy eyes toward Alice, who stood quietly, watching him. Knowing his wife, Akira had always believed she wouldn't care for any mortal. Yet, her expression told a different story. He smirked knowingly.
"Alice?" He turns to his wife.
Alice's usual confidence faltered ever so slightly, but she didn't hesitate to respond. "There is one." Her voice was calm but firm. "Jessie."
"Jessie?" Akira raised a brow, intrigued.
"Yes," Alice continued. "A mortal who didn't hesitate to give up everything to serve me. Her loyalty is… absolute. Unwavering, even beyond that of immortals."
Akira's grin widened. "A mortal with loyalty that rivals immortals? Well, now you've piqued my interest," he said, chuckling softly.
"Bring her too."
...
As Roxanne soared through the sky, the rush of the wind only amplified the realization that her powers were evolving. Each flap of her ethereal wings felt stronger, more precise. She arrived the destination, her mother's mannor.
Soarinf around the innombrable chambers, lookng for her soul mate, she finally found the boy in the guest room, sitting upright on the couch, his hands neatly clasped as if he were expecting someone. The TV played softly in the background. Even when alone, Dany carried himself with an unshakable politeness that was rare for his age.
"Oh hey, Roxanne!" he greeted cheerfully, clicking off the television as soon as he saw her.
But Roxanne didn't have the time for pleasantries. Her expression was serious, her tone urgent. "No time to explain, Dany! I need to take you with me, now!" she said, tugging at his arm.
She braced herself for the usual questions—the why, the where, the what. Yet, to her surprise, Dany didn't hesitate. Instead, he stood up with a look of pure determination and said, "I'll go wherever you want me to, Roxanne!" His words carried a sincerity that caught her off guard.
For a moment, Roxanne paused, staring at him. "Thank you," she whispered, before whisking him away into the skies.
Dany didn't expect anything out of the ordinary as Roxanne grabbed his arm, but the next moment, they were in the air, soaring through the sky. His jaw dropped as he clutched onto her tightly, eyes wide with shock.
"Wha–WHAT IS GOING ON?! YOU CAN FLY?!" he shouted, glancing down at the rapidly shrinking manor below them. His mind raced, struggling to process what was happening.
Roxanne didn't look at him, her expression set with determination. "I need to get you to safety," she said firmly.
"Safety?! From what? What's happening?" Dany demanded, his voice trembling as he clung to her even tighter.
"My dad is here," she replied, her voice serious.
"WHA—" Dany nearly choked on his words, eyes widening even further. He had heard bits and pieces about Roxanne's family, but the way she said it sent a chill down his spine.
"Things are about to escalate quickly," she said, her tone softening slightly as she glanced at him. "I need you safe and sound, Dany."
He stared at her in disbelief, trying to wrap his head around everything, but her urgency was undeniable. "O-okay," he stammered, deciding to trust her despite the madness surrounding him.
As they soared higher into the sky, Dany glanced at Roxanne, her face calm yet burdened with the weight of her words.
"I can't believe the entire world I lived in all this time is going to collapse…" she said softly, more to herself than to Dany. Her tone carried an eerie acceptance. "I guess there are really consequences to every act. The coming of my dad implies the disappearance of my natal city…"
Dany's heart sank. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Roxanne, you can't be serious! Your city? Everyone in it?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
She nodded, her expression unchanging. "Oh well, sacrifices must be made."
Dany stared at her, stunned by her calm demeanor. "How can you be so... so okay with this?" he asked, his voice cracking. "That's your home! Your people!"
Roxanne looked at him, her gaze steady. "Dany, you don't understand. My dad's presence... it's more than just a reunion. It's power beyond anything you can imagine. The world as you know it was always temporary."
Dany didn't know how to respond, his grip tightening on her arm as he wrestled with her chilling nonchalance.
...
Meanwhile, Yog-Sothoth floated close to Akira, her expression as unreadable as ever. Her calm voice broke the silence. "What exactly did you do earlier, Akira?"
Akira's grin widened, his sleepy eyes barely concealing the dark amusement behind them. "Consumed a delicious meal," he said casually, running a hand through his longer hair. "And you know what? I'm still hungry. I want more."
Yog-Sothoth's stare lingered on him, her usual neutrality cracking just slightly in her mind. 'This can't be good…' she thought, piecing together his growing power and the unsettling calm in his voice.
Suddenly, Akira's grin turned sharper, and he looked up to the sky, his aura flaring momentarily. "Oh well," he said, almost whimsically, "I think it's about time I joined Azathoth. Poor guy might need a helping hand against his father."
Yog-Sothoth's gaze narrowed. "...You intend to face Howard?"
Akira shrugged, a low chuckle escaping his lips.
"Why not?"
...
Meanwhile, amidst the chaos shaking the planes of existence, Noxinyargan—the last Cathulic Deity with free will—remained in his usual isolated spot within the crumbling dimensional gap. The void was vast and cold, a place that once gave him solace now felt suffocating.
His towering, serpentine form slumped against the shimmering walls of the gap, his glowing eyes dimmed with melancholy. The weight of recent events bore down on him. Nihila, the one being he trusted to hold the balance, was now fused with Howard, her influence erased. Achilles, a former ally, had become nothing more than fuel for Akira's growing power.
"What am I supposed to do…?" Noxinyargan muttered to himself, his voice reverberating through the emptiness. His tentacles writhed weakly, showing his frustration and helplessness. "Every move I make, every plan I've conceived… useless. I'm powerless."
He glanced into the fractured void, watching glimpses of the Nexus and Athena merge, the chaos spreading like wildfire. His claws clenched into fists as he whispered, "Was I just a pawn in all this? A piece on a board I never understood?"
Yet even in his despair, a faint flicker of resolve sparked within him. The Cathulic Deity shifted slightly, his glowing eyes narrowing.
If I can't restore balance… perhaps I can destroy what's left.