Chapter 3

---Back a few hours, right before Calgar’s resurrection---

In a grand looking temple, sitting on an altar, was a young woman.

With half closed eyes she said. “I’m bored…”

The woman had long black hair, within it shone the starry night sky. In her blackish red pupils one could see the galaxy. On the side of her head were a total of four long fluffy, deer-like ears that lazily drooped down. She wore a black dress that covered her neck and cutoff at the knees. Two slits on the sides allowed ease of movement while still hiding what’s underneath. On both arms was shoulder-less sleeves that became a little baggy at the wrists. Belts tightly wrapped around her upper arms and in a cross shape at her waist, keeping everything in place.

The doors to the temple opened and in entered another woman who could be said to be the complete opposite of the first. She wore the same clothes, but instead of black, they were white. Her hair was a mixture of a golden sheen and a soft blue, as if looking at the sun in the sky. Her eyes shined a golden orange as she looked upon the woman lazing at the altar.

“Luna I know you’re bored but at least sit up straight like a proper woman.”

“You’re annoying Sol.” Said Luna, as she lay down on her side.

These twins were the servants of a God. Or at least they were until he died in the last war. They had served Calgar as both his faithful servants and his greatest weapons. The two of them had the unique ability to transform into swords that could only be wielded by their master. They were living weapons.

With the end of the war and the signing of the Pact of the Gods, they too were taken from the planet to live in the Celestial Realm. Out of all the Gods, Calgar only had them as his servants that he created.

“Hey Sol…”

“Yes?”

“Is a life without Master worth living?”

Sol visibly stiffened at her sister’s words. Both of them were created for the sake of their Master. They loved and respected him more than life itself. When he had died, they were devastated. For a few hundred years they lived in denial that he died, believing that he would one day come back. After a thousand years they had lost hope. They kept to themselves in the Celestial Realm and the other Gods and servants respected their space.

Sol answered Luna’s question honestly. “No, it isn’t.”

“I thought so.”

The two looked at each other.

Then Luna asked. “Should we just end it? Maybe we will end up wherever Master has gone.”

“I would never advocate suicide. We must treasure the life Master bestowed upon us.” Sol said with no conviction.

Luna sighed and rolled on her back. “… I’m bored…”

“Luna, I said it before sit up like a proper-?!”

Sol stopped her sentence short. Her ears twitched as she stared off into space. Luna looked over to her with a confused face.

“Hey Sol, what’s wron-?!”

Luna’s ears also perked up as she sat up straight. Finally the two looked at each other and showed the brightest smiles in over a million years.

“Hey Sol…” “Hey Luna…”

““You felt that right?””

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In another temple, there was a figure that sat a behind a desk. Adorning his head were four vicious looking horns, two pointing forward and two pointing behind. His face was covered with a sinister mask made from bone. Behind that mask were two unholy green orbs for eyes. He was dressed in a robe as dark as night.

Currently he was looking over piles of documents. “So many prayers, so little time…” He muttered to himself.

Suddenly the door burst open and a figure came rushing in. “Nighorum, my liege, there is urgent news!”

Nighorum, God of Death and Hate, looked up from the papers. “To come now of all times… Can’t you see I’m busy here?”

The servant took a deep breath to calm him down and then reported the news. “Sol and Luna have returned to the planet.”

The pen Nighorum was writing with dropped from his hand and rolled onto the floor.

He then stood up and in a loud voice, shouted. “WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!”

The servant, door, and wall behind him, was blown away with that shout. The servant crawled out from the rubble and continued to talk.

“We didn’t think much of it since the pact stated that we couldn’t interfere with the planet, but they were somehow able to leave.”

Nighorum smashed his desk into pieces, sending papers flying everywhere. “Damn! Since the Gods signed the Pact, their servants were bound by default as well, but we overlooked those two!”

He started pacing back and forth. “But why would they leave now? Surely they didn’t only think of this now of all times… There must be another reason…”

“About that my liege…”

“What you’re still here? If you have more to say, then spit it out already!”

“Before they left they said, ‘Our Master is waiting for us.’”

Nighorum froze upon his servant’s words. Their Master was Calgar, but he was dead. Nighorum painfully recalled the past. He of all people knew that Calgar was gone. It shouldn’t have been possible to survive a strike from his soul reaping scythe, even if they were a God.

He rubbed his brow. Thinking about this by myself is pointless. There is only one thing to do right now.

“Summon the Gods to the round table. Tell them it’s of the utmost importance.”

The servant nodded vigorously and ran off. Nighorum walked over the broken wall and through the entrance to his temple, heading for the Sky Dome. It was there, where the Gods made decisions that would affect everyone.

He was the first to arrive. In the center of the room was a large marble table. Around it were six luxurious chairs. Why six? Because the other Gods agreed that while Calgar was no longer with them physically, that doesn’t mean he should be forgotten.

"Even though the damn mortals have." He muttered to himself.

Nighorum sat at his chair, folded his hands and waited for the others. It wasn’t long before a woman with peerless beauty and gorgeous silver hair entered the room. It was Auromi. She was wrapped in a soft pink and semi-transparent dress. Her purple eyes scanned the room and fixed on Nighorum.

“What is it this time? For you of all people to call it urgent…”

“I’ll explain when the rest arrive.”

She sighed and took the seat opposite from him. “Fine. Guess I’ll have to wait.”

Next to enter was a creature one might mistake for a plant. Her body resembled a human woman, but her skin was made of a smooth bark. Wrapped around her chest were huge leaves and around her waist, a grass skirt. She brushed her long leafy hair, which resembled Lamb’s ear to the side, revealing her muddy brown eyes.

Auromi said. “Good to see you Raylen.”

“Mm, you too.” She replied lazily as she took her seat.

“And with us arriving that makes everyone present.” A man and woman entered together.

The man had brown hair with bangs that covered his eyes. He had a slim build, but by no means looked to be weak. He was dressed in a grey suit with a black tie.

The woman had blonde hair and green eyes. While she could be considered pretty, she paled in comparison to Auromi. She was the tallest among everyone here, the next being Nighorum, who was still a good two feet shorter.

“Laanex, Measha, take a seat and I’ll get started.” Once everyone was seated they all turned to Nighorum, who had called this meeting.

“A little while ago, one of my servants reported to me that Sol and Luna have returned to the planet.”

“Oh my…” “How could that be?” “Troublesome.”

The Gods had been surprised by this news.

Measha exclaimed. “This is bad; we have to bring them back immediately!”

Nighorum stopped her. “I’m not finished yet. While they left, they also said something along the lines of ‘Our Master is waiting for us.’ I’m sure I don’t have to explain what this means.”

The Gods immediately became quiet. Suddenly Auromi stood up in her chair.

“Is Calgar still Alive?! Is he? Answer me Nighorum!” She shouted.

Laanex interjected. “Calm down Auromi, and let him explain. We are all curious after all.”

Auromi stared at Nighorum for a while, and then sat back down and let him continue.

“At this point I can’t confirm, nor deny if he is alive, but… If anyone would be the first to know, it would be those two.”

Raylen spoke up. “Need a plan.”

Laanex added. “Right, that’s the real problem here. The Pact ties our hands in this case. We swore not to interfere with the planet after all.”

“Bigger problem.” Raylen said.

Measha asked. “And what would that be Raylen?”

“Calgar.”

Everyone understood what she meant by that. If Calgar was indeed somehow alive, he would be the only God on the planet. If left unchecked, he would be unopposed to do whatever he wanted, and while those here didn’t believe that Calgar would do something like that, it was better to be safe than sorry.

The Gods wracked their brains for a plan. Then Auromi suggested something.

“What if we named some mortal champions and have them act as a go between for us? Once we find them, then we can figure out how to bring them back. How does that sound?”

The Gods debated and reached a conclusion.

“It really looks like we have no other choice here. We will go with Auromi’s plan. Each of us will name a champion in a different continent and search for Luna, Sol, and if he’s alive, Calgar as well. They should stand out like sore thumbs. Once we find them immediately tell the others. With that this discussion is closed.” Nighorum said.

Laanex, Raylen and Measha left the room. Only Nighorum and Auromi were left sitting at the table.

“Nighorum… do you really think he’s alive?”

“… I don’t know…”

While all the Gods had been affected by Calgar’s death, it was these two that had it the hardest. They were the one whose life was saved and the one who took the savior’s life.

Nighorum shifted in his seat. “Auromi you don’t still… have feelings for him do you?”

“Of course I do. That day he not only saved my life, but snatched away my heart.” It was an immediate answer.

Auromi had fallen deeply in love with Calgar after he died. Even though she was the Goddess of Life and Love, she had never truly experienced love for herself. His final act of valor and his dignified appearance even on death’s door was burned brightly into her memories. Whenever she thought of him, it felt as if her heart was aflame.

She stood up from her seat. “If my wish has come true and he has returned, I will do all in my power to bring him home. And when I finally have him within my grasp…” She put her hands on her redden cheeks and closed her eyes. “I will share every bit of this built up passion with him.”

Nighorum covered his face with his hands. “This Goddess…”

Auromi gave a small cough. “Oh my, how embarrassing of me. Well, then I shall take my leave and begin the search immediately. Until next time Nighorum.”

“Yeah.” Nighorum watched her leave, and then stood up himself. “Calgar, if you’re out there… watch your back brother. She’s got you in her sights.” He said to himself and left the building.

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As the sun was setting in the sky, the surroundings of a lone statue on a plain grew dark, when suddenly at its base shone a bright light. A bright circle seven meters tall appeared and illuminated the surroundings. It was a portal from the Celestial Realm, and the two figures emerging from it were the twin sisters Luna and Sol.

Luna shouted as she exited. “Master I’m here!”

“Luna, don’t shout so loud.” Sol said as she exited.

But there was no one around.

Luna looked around. “Where is he? I can’t find him anywhere.”

Sol knelt and touched the soft grass. “He was definitely here though. I can feel the residual energy.”

Luna imitated her sister. “You’re right. Ah, if only our link was stronger, we could immediately tell where he is.”

The sisters shared a link with Calgar that connected their souls together. It had vanished when he died, but the sister had felt it weakly re-establish itself back in the temple.

It was proof to them that he had come back.

But right now it was too weak to tell them anything other than he was alive.

“Sol, use that nose you’re so proud of and sniff him out.”

Sol glared at Luna. “Do I look like a hunting dog to you?! Besides we need to track his magic, not his smell. Geez.”

Luna nudged her sister. “So you admit you could track him by smell?”

“Luna!”

The two quarreled for a while. Finally they settled down and got serious.

They closed their eyes and searched for their Master’s magic trace.

Sol’s ears twitched in response to her find. “I have it. It seems he went in that direction.” She pointed off in the direction of Torben.

“Alright, let’s head out then. The sooner we find him the better.”

Sol grabbed Luna’s shoulder. “Where do you think you are going looking like that? We need to be prudent here and not cause any unnecessary trouble for Master.”

Luna grimaced in response. “That’s a pain in the rear. Why do we have to do that?”

Sol covered her eyes with her free hand. “Did you forget about the Pact of the Gods? Technically we shouldn’t even be here! In fact they are probably really mad at us right about now…”

Luna shrugged. “Not our problem Sis. But alright, I get it. No trouble for Master is the best. We just don’t have to stand out right?”

Luna changed her hair to a plain black color and her eyes to a ruby red.

“Good enough?”

Sol changed her hair to a solid blonde and her eyes to a bright blue.

“Yes, with that we should be good.”

They were about to set off when the sight of the statue caught their eyes. Both stared at it for a while before heading to Torben.

Luna turned to Sol while they walked. “Brings back memories, doesn’t it?”

Sol softly closed her eyes. “Yes. Back then I thought we would always be by his side.”

Luna smiled. “Cheer up, now we can all be together again, just like it should be.”

Sol smiled back. “You’re right, together as a family once more. Well, maybe Master could do without a troublemaker like you though.”

Luna feigned despair. “How horrible! At least say it when my back is turned!”

The twins laughed as the sun fully set and the moon peaked over the mountains.