PHASE 25 - AETHERNUS

“I won’t let you get away!” Hades followed as he jumped from the rooftop.

The God of the Underworld revealed his tattered dragon wings for his slow descent, and his better control at aerodynamics made it possible for him to land faster than me.

Right when I was able to touch the ground, Hades is already blocking the entrance of the ten-story building. He stomped his hell fork and shouted at me.

“You shall not pass!”

If I have to go inside the building, I should defeat him. The Greek God Hades is said to be on par with the primal god Zeus, and considering the fact that I don’t have any God Core or even the with me, I have a slim to no chance in winning. Even if I win, I would end up half-dead and it will consume so much time.

Suddenly, I remembered something. Back in Book 1, Heushac and Kristoff once made it to the Underground Laboratory without entering the building. They took the long road, which is the hangar of the airfield. There seem to be some passageways of some sort to that place.

I jumped back, away from the God of Underworld, and coated my body with electricity. “!!!”

“Ohoho…” Hades chuckled. Then his crimson eyes glowed. “Are you going to outrun me? It won’t happen. You’re just a puny Gate Guardian, and I’m a god.”

I kicked the floor and bolted forward to my enemy. Hades positioned the edges of his fork towards me, thinking that I will take him head-on. But he’s completely wrong.

I used my right foot as a pivot, stepped on my brakes and clutch. Then, I change my direction towards the west, aiming to go away from the enemy. It was an ankle-breaking crossover U-turn!

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Hades shouted. “Did you get scared that you need to go to the bathroom?”

When I have already gained a thirty-meter distance from him, I decided to reply. “Yeah. Does your hangar have restrooms leading to Underground Laboratory?”

“What the-!!!” Hades was stunned. “What the hell! How did you know that!? Just… who are you!?”

I didn’t reply. I focused on evading the obstacles on my way while speeding up. I did not spend any of my energy looking back. I just focused on running away.

<>

After five minutes, I finally made it to the airfield. There are still war noises around, but the place has been occupied by Black Cross Gate Guardians. They have converted it as a temporary medical center where the wounded allies take refuge.

The hangar is filled with injured people. There are Gate Guardians who lost an arm or a leg, and some lost their eyes. I’ve seen enough pitiful scene back then, so I didn’t pay much attention. Anyway, there are cool airplanes here!

Finding the underground path is not hard. The Gate Guardians have already scouted this place, and I just took one asks a person to lead me to my destination. At the mouth of the underground entrance, two Gate Guardians who are equipped with a rifle-type Weapon Gem halted me.

“Proceed no further. This place is yet to be scouted.”

“I’m from the infiltration team. I have received orders from Lord Freya to scout the underground path.” I said.

And as easy as that, they let me go. I used my again to run inside the underground tunnel. It’s full of left and right turns but it’s just a one-way path.

Finally, I found myself at the entrance of the Stasis Chambers. Being in front of this place brings back memories. I can still remember Amy, Heushac, Key, Kristoff, Tiara, and me arguing who will be partners in our exploration.

And now I’m back here… alone.

Just when I made my first step, my vision went static. My went haywire again as it gave me visions and voices that I wanted to be removed from my brain.

I can see my own crimson eyes staring back at me.

I AM YOU AND YOU ARE ME.

ALARIC EISENHOWER IS AETERNOS.

“Fine! Fine!” I cried in pain. I don’t want to accept it, but acknowledging that Aeternos is indeed me is a thing that will and must happen.

I’m finally back in reality after a second. I made a step to the gigantic room full of human-sized glass jars. Inside that stasis, cells are embryos of unborn artificial Gate Guardians. This is the same as your regular biology lab in school which is filled with preserved organs and dead rats.

It makes me sick.

I’m used to seeing such things, and this is not my first time entering the chamber either.

No. Something else is making me sick.

It’s just that… someone… or something is calling me.

ACCEPT ME AND YOU SHALL ATTAIN POWER

My brain sensed a telepathic voice. I am well aware that the voice is Aeternos trying to pull me to temptation.

I can see a faint light behind those infinite rows of stasis cells. I walked forward, unaware that my feet are moving on their own. My mind is glued to my vision and dream.

“Tiara… Tiara… I’ll do whatever it takes to get back to you.” My mouth whispered to myself. My brain didn’t issue the command to talk. It was my heart.

Fifty-seven steps were made until I finally reached my goal. In front of me is a gigantic laboratory shelf of some sort. There are racks of glass tubes containing special types of Weapon Gems. This is a real armory for Gate Guardians, and I’m sure any of these will help a lot in fighting the Cursed Gods and snatching the God Core of Chronos.

However, my heart and soul commanded my eyes to look at the ultimate weapon of all. A glass cube that contains a white Weapon Gem filled with beauty amazed me. It is named the Aether Weapon.

I crunched the cube with my right hand, and the glass splinters tore my skin and veins. Warm blood flows from my hand.

I felt the power of the gem. This is not just a Weapon Gem… This is a fragment of the ice that is used to encase the Frozen Soul. It emits the same warmth that melts my heart. I can hear Tiara singing an endless wonderful ballad inside my head.

Hundreds of glass jars shattered behind me. I heard a powerful swing before that, and I know that it came from the God of the Underworld’s fork. He finally caught up to me.

“Give me the Aether Weapon,” Hades said as he pointed his fork to the nape of my neck.

I bravely turned around slowly and stared at the enemy with my blazing eyes. The tip of the fork scratched through the skin of my neck, which inflicted a shallow wound.

I showed him my bloody hand that has the Aether Weapon on top.

“This Weapon Gem can only be used by people who are connected to the Frozen Soul. You can’t use it. No one can use it. Why keep it?” I asked the god in front of me.

“We have to protect it from someone who will attain the power of the ultimate evil,” Hades said, his voice toned down.

Suddenly, the Aether Weapon Gem melted like an ice cube and fused on my blood. I felt an unbelievable surge of power in each and every cell on my body. I had the illusion that my soul has been electrocuted.

“What the hell did you do to the weapon?” Hades hanged his jaw in surprise.

“This power… belongs to me.”

Once more, Aeternos’ cybernetic voice entered my mind. But now, I don’t feel pain on my head. Instead, I’m feeling a pleasure that can only be achieved by the one who holds power.

JUST SHOUT THE NAME, AND YOU SHALL ACTIVATE THE ULTIMATE WEAPON.

…

I inhaled lots of air and unleashed all my energy in one warcry!

“!!!”

A golden lightning bolt blasted from my body which made a strong shockwave. It launched the God of Underworld away from me, which forced him to land on his back. He looked up and saw me on my ultimate power.

My body… is coated with a white knight’s armor that is mixed with silver and platinum metals. Blue linings glowed through the gaps of my armor. My long blue cape danced as the gust of wind echoes back and forth in this chamber. I felt that I’m wearing a white furry mane on my collar.

My face was covered by a cybernetic helmet that has the face of a liger. My helmet’s eyes glowed green as I introduced myself once more.

“I AM AETERNOS!!!”