NOVPUB
Chapter 367: 367
The option of informing the humans has been thought of but knowledge of the gods’ counterparts would plant dangerous seeds in mortal minds. The very idea of knowing such beings existing means they would fall into the sight of their counterpart who will take root in them. With the demigods’ ascension approaching, the gods had to tread carefully, considering the consequences of their actions.
After a council with Nana, the gods reached a decision: they would wait. If their counterparts dared to descend into this world, it would constitute an act of intrusion according to the law, granting the gods the right to retaliate. Until then, they would keep watch.
As the gods monitored the movements of the tainted, their collective attention shifted toward the vast expanse of the ocean, where there was movement among man tainted.
On a small island in the ocean, a ship could be seen in the distance, steadily making its way toward the shore. The figures aboard were shrouded in dark robes, their hoods concealing their faces. On the backs of their robes was an ominous depiction: a mass of water with countless eyes peering from beneath the surface.
On the island, a massive sea beast lay in a deep, peaceful slumber. This was the demon Leviathan, Aska, who had retreated here to escape the maddening whispers of the deep. Leaving the sea had brought him much-needed relief; the whispers had grown faint, their torment dulled to the point of endurance.
Recently, the whispers had ceased entirely. This unexpected silence had lulled Aska into a deep, restorative sleep.
As the ship drew nearer to the island, its robed occupants murmured a spell that shimmered over their forms, cloaking them further.
Meanwhile, far away, the three gods who had turned their attention to the scene observed closely. Every figure aboard the ship carried traces of the same tainted divinity, but the Leviathan was the most saturated with this corruption—a level unlike anything the gods had ever encountered, which was why the creature was one of their most observed subjects.
The gods were not alone in their vigil. Beneath the waves, the mermen who guarded the island were also watching.
Deep under the ocean, a shark-like merman knelt before the shimmering projection of two figures: another sharkman and a mermaid. These were Flowua and Tide, the demigod siblings of the sea.
As the children of the ocean, their connection to its vast depths was unbreakable. When a revered resident of the deep—a creature as powerful as the Leviathan—abandoned its domain for the surface, it did not escape their notice. Flowua and Tide immediately sought to understand the Leviathan’s motives.
Although they didn’t recognize that this creature was no ordinary Leviathan, the siblings refrained from acting rashly. Instead, they dispatched scouts and soldiers to observe and guard it from a distance. When Aska chose this island as his resting place, it baffled the demigods, but they maintained their vigilance.
Today, those vigilant guards spotted the approaching ship and relayed the information to Flowua and Tide, whose projections now loomed over the sharkman messenger.
Tide turned to the kneeling merman, his tone measured but firm. "Stay hidden and remain observant. We need to understand their purpose before taking action."
Flowua nodded, her gaze sharp as she focused on the distant ship. Both demigods watched intently, their unease growing with every passing moment.
The gods continued observing the ship’s approach toward the island. Their divine presence stayed attuned to every movement of the tainted individuals aboard. This wasn’t the first time they had dealt with mortals tainted by divine corruption, but the concentration of taint in these figures was unsettling and growing.
Mahu spoke, her tone sharp and questioning as she continued scanning.
"Their spell is meant to keep them hidden and silent?."
Jaws gave a low growl of agreement.
"Their spell is purposeful, masking their presence not to the naked eyes but to the creature. It only proves they aren’t ordinary mortals. What worries me most is that they dare approach the Leviathan so boldly."
Crepuscular’s faintly glowing eyes narrowed as he shifted his focus to the Leviathan’s resting form on the island.
"He slumbers, unaware of the web closing in around him. Their goal is clear, but the why eludes me. What purpose do they serve?"
Mahu’s gaze hardened. "They serve none but the whispers that tainted them, and now the silence has emboldened them. These fools believe they are acting of their own will, instead they are but pawns in a game far beyond their comprehension."
As their conversation continued, they turned their focus to the mermen sent by Tide and Flowua.
Down beneath the waves, the sharkman who had alerted the demigods remained hidden but watchful, his powerful tail keeping him steady against the currents. He turned to his comrades, whispering a command.
"Hold your positions. Do not reveal yourselves until the demigods give the order."
Back in the depths of their respective kingdom, Tide and Flowua discussed their next move.
"Do we act now, brother?" Flowua’s voice carried a note of uncertainty, though her resolve remained strong. "Or do we continue to watch and wait?"
Tide’s expression remained unreadable as his gaze stayed fixed on the ship nearing the island. "We wait. They must reveal their purpose before we act. Sending soldiers now would risk escalating this situation before we understand what we’re dealing with."
Flowua nodded but cast a wary glance toward the Leviathan. "If their purpose involves harm to the Leviathan, we may have little time to intervene. His fall would not go unnoticed—or unpunished by those in the deep "
The ship docked on the island, and the robed figures disembarked, their movements deliberate and synchronized. This time, additional captives accompanied them, tied up and struggling with bags over their heads. The captives’ muffled cries and frantic movements were futile against the sheer strength of their captors. The robed figures, unyielding, kept their pace steady as they approached the sleeping Leviathan.
When they were close enough, the captives were forced to their knees. The bags were ripped from their heads, revealing faces twisted in fear and streaked with tears. The robed figures paid no heed to their terror. They drew curved knives and began carving sigils into the captives’ flesh, their cries of pain reduced to muffled screams by the gags binding their mouths.
As the blood flowed freely from the captives’ bodies, the robed figures knelt and began murmuring a ritual incantation. The blood darkened unnaturally, pooling into intricate shapes as the air grew heavy with malevolence.
On the island, Aska stirred. His massive tail twitched, causing tremors that rippled through the ground. Though the Leviathan remained in a deep sleep, his subconscious sensed the growing danger. The whispers that had tormented him before had ceased, but this new presence carried a weight far more sinister. He struggled to wake, but an unseen force held him bound to his slumber.
The robed figures, trembling from the tremors caused by Aska’s restless movements, did not falter in their chanting. Their incantation reached its climax as the blood pooled together, taking on a life of its own. From the darkened blood, a clawed hand emerged, followed by the rest of a towering figure formed of pure shadow.
The gods observing the scene frowned in unison. They recognized the creature that emerged, but its appearance was unlike the shadowy, semi-corporeal entities they had encountered before. This being was more solid, compact, and disturbingly real, its form molded from darkness yet anchored in this reality.
The creature’s gaze fell upon the sleeping Aska. Its voice, familiar yet subtly altered, echoed with mockery. "I told you—you belong to us. There is no escape."
The gods exchanged tense glances. Jaus frowned deeply as he realized the speaker was his counterpart from beyond the veil. The creature, sensing the gods’ presence, tilted its head upward and smiled.
"Fancy meeting you all here," it said with a grin, its voice dripping with dark amusement. Without another word, it turned its attention back to Aska and strode forward confidently, stepping over the lifeless bodies of the sacrificed captives.
"He was confident because he knew as long as his true body doesn’t descend here the gods are not allowed to take action and besides it wasn’t like he came unrequested, he was very much seeked out and he responded" Jaws counterpart thought to himself.
Mahu’s voice broke the grim silence. "This is different. The barrier between worlds grows weaker. If they can manifest in this form, it’s only a matter of time before their full presence forces its way into our realm."
Crepuscular’s shimmering, ethereal form flickered slightly as he focused on the creature. "They’ve found a way to anchor themselves—blood rites. And those captives... they were marked before the ritual began. This was well thought out."
Jaus clenched his fists, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. "My counterpart," he muttered. "Always so bold. Always so sure of himself."
Beneath the waves, Flowua and Tide observed the unfolding events from their palace, their unease clear and visible. Tide, the more perceptive of the two, turned to the sharkman messenger, who knelt before their projections.
