Nexus stepped forward, holding his arm out in protection, separating Aram from Ruby. "Don't you dare talk to her. If you understand what this is, then step aside. We both know the lengths to which deities will go to protect their mortal unions. This doesn't have to end in bloodshed. Once we get past Serina's defence, we'll sever the connection to Ruby and Safire's souls." Jasher, Vatic and Odeen came barrelling toward the destruction.
Aram merely grinned, stepping closer. Nexus snarled, squeezing his fists shut. Genis stepped forward, holding his arm between the two. "This is wrong, and you know it. What Nexus did was wrong, but merging them is still messing with mortals."
Aram scoffed, shoving Genis back. "You're one to talk when your actions caused your brother's sentence. You deserve to be judged as much as you judge. Not to mention, I know the real reason that you're travelling with the mortals. Should I share that with your little pack?"
Genis's eyes narrowed in defence. While the deities were distracted, Nexus caught Odeen's eye. He gave a swift jerk of his head back toward the girls, and Odeen needed no other prompting. He circled around the deities slowly, coming before Safire and Ruby to take their hands. "Wait for Nexus's signal. Then we run."
Ruby clenched her jaw, furrowing her brows. "You're kidding me, right? I'm not going to leave them here to deal with this by themselves. I'm staying right here." Nexus took a shuddered breath before digging his heel down into the dirt.
Odeen grabbed Ruby by the waist, hoisting her over his shoulder to break away without warning. Jasher, Safire, and Vatic followed along behind him while Nexus broke into a sprint, throwing Aram back with the force of his body.
Ruby pounded against Odeen's back, watching Nexus fade behind the trees. She let out a pained cry, her eyes widened in fear. "Odeen! Let me go, you asshole! They can't handle this threat alone! Genis is weak, and Nexus doesn't have his body!"
Odeen squeezed Ruby's hips, fighting to keep her stable. "I'm sorry, Ruby. But Nexus will be able to take care of himself. By the sounds of it, he's a force to be reckoned with. Our only job is to keep you and Safire safe. They'll find us."
Ruby hissed, staring at Safire in pleading. She reached her hand out toward the other. "He's not the only force to be reckoned with. We can take him on together! We have a strange but powerful gift! We shouldn't leave anyone behind."
Safire wore a pained expression before turning her gaze away. "Odeen is right. We can't get ourselves in the middle of such a violent battle. Genis will find us once he's done. For now, we can't get involved."
Ruby felt her heart pound with every thumping footstep that Odeen sprinted. The further she got from Nexus, the more anxious she felt. Soon, her fists clenched so tight that her knuckles turned white. "This is exactly what you wanted. Nexus dead."
Safire and Jasher both seemed stunned by her cold words. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as her tone came out strangled and pained. "I won't leave him to just die!" A soft light began to flicker in front of her eyes with the peaking of her rage.
"I don't care what Nexus has done! He spent all this time trying to protect us! He went against his leader to ensure that you and I would remain separate! He's the reason that I exist in the first place!" The light began to glow brighter as her tears spilled endlessly. Odeen held her tighter, yet he began to slow, feeling as though she had grown heavier.
"I don't care how you feel about him! I like him! He's made some mistakes, but he's actively trying to repair them! If Nexus dies, I will spend the rest of my life hating you all!" The power grew so uncontrolled that it tore through into reality.
Odeen nearly dropped Ruby, collapsing to his knees from the weight as the others halted in their tracks with the dark orb of magic that sat in front of Ruby. She peeled herself away from Odeen, taking hold of the power. Safire held her shaky hand up, muttering to herself. "But we're not touching..."
The force of the black hole began to pull Ruby's hair forward as she collected herself, feeling her determination peak inside her. She had nothing to gift the orb, but enough to ask for. Her eyes closed before she pressed her forehead to the magic, making a silent vow.
Odeen felt light suddenly, whipping back around to find that Ruby had vanished. Safire felt her knees give out from underneath her, collapsing to the ground from shock. "She isn't supposed to be able to use that without me."
Odeen didn't wait, pulling himself back to his feet to begin sprinting back. Jasher stayed back with Safire, comforting her confusion. Vatic clenched his fists, inhaling deeply. "Don't go far, you two. I'm going back." Jasher nodded his head weakly, rubbing Safire's back.
Nexus was struggling to hold Aram back; the two locked arm in arm. Arm took a step forward, pushing Nexus back. He jerked his elbow to the side suddenly, cracking Nexus across the face. He collapsed back, leaving Arm free to continue toward the mortals. Genis leapt onto his back, summoning a divine dagger. He raised it above his head, only halting when he realised that Aram had stopped. "Do you feel that?"
Genis shuddered, the air seemed electric suddenly, leaving the hairs on the back of his neck to stand. Genis and Aram looked around cautiously while Nexus dragged himself to his hands and knees. "She wouldn't..."
Genis and Nexus shared a concerned glance before Genis leapt from Aram's back, rushing to Nexus's side. Aram stumbled forward a few steps before turning back to find the deities opening a portal to the Inbetween. "Where are you going? Cowards!"
Genis snarled as Nexus entered, staying back for a split moment. "Next time, mind your own fucking business. Or else you'll find out exactly how two-faced I can be." A sinister grin pried against his lips before he stepped into the Inbetween, closing the portal just as Odeen arrived.
Nexus hit the platform, whipping his head around wildly. "Serina! Your signal is distressed! If you're here, let us know!" The tingling static sensation increased around Nexus, leading him through the complex maze of constellations toward Serina.
She stood, unmoving, with her hands raised. Ruby stood before her, holding the black orb out in warning. "I'm sick of this. I never asked to be torn in two! I never asked to be ripped from my world! This isn't my battle! Stay out of this Nexus! All of this began with you and her."
Nexus felt his heart rate increase as he stepped forward cautiously. "Ruby, I know that you're going through a lot right now. But threatening such a powerful deity will do nothing to help our case."
Ruby scoffed coldly. "Powerful deity he says. She's quaking at my power. You hold more power in your pinky finger than she does in her entire body. Telling me that I have to be cautious around her is almost laughable."
Serina exhaled weakly, shaking her head in disappointment. "This is why we don't mess with mortals. I know that you're confused as to why your life must be sacrificed, but in retrospect, you should see yourself in this moment."
Ruby's eyes held a crazed expression as deities began to surround them. "Stay back! We're going to survive this, or I'll do something far worse!" Her hand turned toward the portals, aiming her destruction toward the worlds. "If you want the danger to be wiped out so badly, perhaps I should eradicate it entirely."
Safire's eyes widened, taking a step back. "That would kill us all. Everybody that you've come to love. It's stupid to bring the three worlds into a dispute about two lives! Just take a breath and think through this clearly."
"Clearly?! I haven't had a moment to think about anything but the threat that you pose to our lives! I don't see how it's fair that you can make decisions about our lives while hiding behind the veil that separates us."
"It has never been about you, Ruby!" Serina yelped, successfully pulling Ruby's attention back to the moment. Serina took a small step forward. "It's about who you're travelling with. You have entrusted your lives and power to a traitor who will use you all!"
Ruby clenched her jaw, looking around at the shocked, terrified faces around her. "If we're talking about Genis, then you have some nerve. From what I remember, you're the aggressor in this situation. You wanted to absorb Nexus just to create another dimension, yet he still came running to your aid."
Serina took a step back, clearly in shock. "Who told you that?" Nexus's brows furrowed when Serina didn't immediately refute Ruby's accusation. "Regardless, the mortals you've surrounded yourself with are not as kind-hearted as you are. And Genis will only fan that flame of betrayal. You are setting yourself up for failure. He will take your gift and destroy you with it."
Ruby hesitated before Genis approached swiftly. "If it isn't the traitor himself." Serina turned toward Genis with cold eyes, causing him to take a step back. "You came to my call? I must say that I'm surprised."
Genis huffed, averting his gaze. "I came for her. A distress signal from you was enough to tell me exactly where she was. Don't do this, Serina. Your lies are catching up to you, and it's time that you just admit the mortals are not our place to mess with."
Serina let out a cruel chuckle, pointing an accusatory finger toward Genis. "The only one who has ever tried to overthrow me, now telling me how I should be acting toward the mortals? It would be laughable if it weren't so deplorable. The mortals must be extinguished to keep them from your clutches."
Genis sucked in a harsh breath, brushing back his hair. "Yeah, I'm an asshole. I'm backwards in my beliefs. I want the deities to actively engage with humanity again, and I want to see the three worlds come together. I played dirty to get my own way. But can you blame me when this is how you act towards mortals?" Genis approached Nexus, throwing his arm around his brother with an odd tightness to his hold. "I want the worlds to go back to the way they were before your mortal union died. What else can I say about myself? I'm a bad boy. Do it, Ruby."
Nexus's eyes widened as he was pulled back into the open portal to Teralu. Ruby keeled back, throwing the black hole toward the portals. Deities from every angle rushed down to protect the portals as Ruby turned to run. Serina shifted her gaze, raising a brow. "I wouldn't trust him, Ruby."
She scoffed, leaping through the sealing portals. Before the power ever reached the dimensions, it fizzled out. Serina chuckled in veiled amusement, holding her head high. "Why would they escape if all three worlds were coming to an end? It was an empty threat. I must admit, she's quite the brazen mortal. I'm having more fun than I thought. Alright, Ruby. Shock me. I'll be entering the playing field from now on."
-End of chapter 31-