Chapter 457 – A Strong Finish

*** Alzi, Main Body ***

The light is blinding when it comes back into the world. I don't think the Goddesses have the same problem with the light, given the continuing sounds of whips, screams, and scraping metal blaring out in front of me. At least they're no longer all around me.

I blink like crazy, hoping that I can eventually start seeing again. Justice has to be about to fall over by now, and I would like to watch her hit the ground. Her Champion is almost gone, turned into food for my babies.

My eyes start to adjust again, faint shapes coming into focus. One is stumbling around in circles. Ok, that is Justice about to fall, finally. Sex and Malralloz are still in their strange fight. Is a blade not able to cut through a whip? Is it metal?

Malralloz darts past Sex and gives a Justice another slash with her blade, splitting her in half.

That's one bitch gone.

Sex's whip strikes out, wrapping around Malralloz's waist, and snakes up to pin an arm in place.

"All that work, just to kill Justice," Sex says. "So much work and wasted time. You got greedy calling me here. Couldn't you all just be happy with killing Justice? Maybe bring Nature here instead of me? Alzi, dear, can you come closer? We can have fun with this bitch together. You wanted me to carry a bunch of kids for you. Fertility saw through that little plan, but I would've loved those kids. Oh, the fun of being the pregnant Mistress. We can have a pregnant bitch to share instead."

"You think pinning a single arm is enough to make me your slave?" Malralloz asks.

"You're heating up right now," Sex says. "You have been for this entire time. You're stronger than this, but you're distracted by me. You want me. You want this nice whip across your ass. You want to have my Champion ravish you. Don't worry. All in due time. I know you're already wet and ready. I'll love seeing what you look like as my Champion's breeding bitch. My guiding hand will turn you into the perfect toy for her. You'll be there to show her how to destroy the world that abandoned us. Us. Yes, you're just like me. We could've worked together. The world kills your daughters. Traps them. Abuses them. They wish to rid the lower realms of your spawn, just as they rid the world of my temples. Together, we can change that."

"Sorry, but I made a promise," Malralloz says.

Justice's limp body bursts into blood and swarms around Sex, her screams ringing out. Sadly, I couldn't hear Justice's screams before she died. I'll have to live with the memory of Auntie's screams.

But Sex isn't done yet. The blood falls down to the ground and reveals the first ugly goddess I've ever seen. Even Justice had a strange glow to her cut-up body.

Sex is missing all her skin. I'll say that Lottie looked a lot better skinned alive than Sex does. It's probably the smile. Lottie was willing to endure the pain, while Sex just looks deranged. Her white teeth stand out against all the red of the blood and muscles of her flesh.

Sex's whip falls to the ground. Maybe her hands don't work anymore?

I feel the air vibrate around me, and the sky starts dancing all around. Then I feel my sex heating up, a deep desire mounting in my core.

'Sex. Come here. I'll make you feel good,' worms its way into my mind. 'Let it all go. Do as your body wants.'

Sex starts to look appealing again, yet her body remains unchanged. Malralloz is standing still, holding her sword out in front of her.

Why are they getting bigger? Wouldn't it be so good to bend them over? Breed the beautiful Goddess and Demoness. Yes. NO! My babies. I can't risk them.

Malralloz lunges forward, and Sex doesn't even try to stop the blade. Its arc is so beautiful in this hazy air. One swift cut, from top to bottom.

Sex bursts like a balloon, her blood spraying all over the ground.

The haze in the air slowly fades, but the hunger in my loins is still present. Teasing the woman during the ritual is working against me right now.

Malralloz falls to her knees, and I notice the runes marked into the floor for the first time. I knew they were here, I just never looked at them. Now, they have a dim glow. Malralloz's arm hangs limp by her side, with chunks of flesh missing. She's covered in blood, a mix of her own, Sex's, and Justice's, with steam slowly rising from her body. Is Sex's blood boiling on her skin?

It would be so easy to bend her over and have my way with her... I just have to crawl forward. Yes, just like this. To heal her, of course. I can wash her off and put her back together, and I was promised kids.

"FUCKING BITCH!" Nature yells. Well, I'm guessing that it's Nature. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! DEMON GARBAGE! BROKEN PART OF THE WORLD!"

It takes a few moments for Nature to come into view. Her hair is green, a slight change from the other Goddesses. I wonder if the elder Goddesses have more differences in their appearance.

Malralloz doesn't turn to see Nature. Instead, she falls over, grasping for her blade. Nature is sprinting towards her, her own blade raised high over her head.

But then her head is gone, and her arms fall to the ground as well. Her body takes another step, then falls over. Malralloz looks around for a few seconds, then darts off by herself.

Just behind where Nature collapsed is Fertility, staring at her own sword.

When did she get here?

'Sorry, dear, but you need to leave.' Space says. 'Everyone's safe, but Death is a little cranky, so if you could spend some time with Geta, that would be great. It comforts them both.'

I don't get to respond before Space moves me away.

*** Sea ***

Well, shit. It looks like I was a little late. But I don't have a daughter to teleport me around, so you can't blame me for not making it in time. Plus, I'm still pregnant. I shouldn't really be in a fight anyway.

But I'm perfect for aftercare.

"How are you feeling?" I ask. I slowly work the blade out of Fertility's hands, pulling her into my arms as I direct us out of the scary ritual. Malralloz may have been doing us all a favor and working with Future, but we can't trust her with these. It was smart of her to run off.

"I- I did," Fertility whispers. "I did it."

"Yes," I say. "Yes, you did. How about we go back home? The first kill can take a bit to hit. Sometimes it takes until morning."

"Hit? Hit? Haha," Fertility chuckles. "I've done this so many times in my dreams. Over and over. Some days, I even believed I truly did kill her. I'm happy."

"Dear, you may be happy now, but we both know your mind is going to struggle with this," I say. "Please, let me stay with you. Just for a few days, to make sure. Ok? We can celebrate together."

"Your womb," Fertility says.

"It's yours," I say. I finally got to say it! She was so cute when I freed her from Nature's grasp. She's turned into a beautiful woman, but she's been so distant. Will she really let us grow together?

"You won't be able to move," Fertility says.

"I'm a Goddess," I say. "I'll make it work. Just promise that we can visit the beach sometimes."

"Ok," Fertility says. "We can try that."

"We'll take it slow," I say. "How about we leave this grim scene? Is Space around?"

It seems she is.

*** Death ***

THREE! It was supposed to be two Goddesses or a demoness. What is going on?

"You fucks are in for a damn rough time," I spit out. "I was already busy, and now I have to deal with you shits. Most of my business is your fault, Nature. I thought you were smarter than this. What were you trying to do? Were you hoping to ruin the world on your way out or something?"

I can't get an answer. Just like with Poison, she's just a whisp of a soul. Women so powerful they could change the landscape, yet they've been reduced to floating lights in my realm. I know they show their feelings through the light the motes give off. Deeper colors for pain, and lighter colors for joy. But if I go far enough, they can start to cry out.

What colors should I make these three give off?

Justice really did give us Goddesses a bad name. How many died before their time, never to be served Justice when they walked into her halls? Gaining her status through sheer will and stupidity rather than embracing her affinity... Is that enough to be punished? She was Justice; it would be right to give all the ones she failed some justice now.

Nature, what do you deserve? How much pain did you bring into my realm earlier? For what reason? Sea is at least upfront about her waters. You brought destruction just because you could. For Alzi and Fertility, I'll have you be red for a while.

Sex. You put your own Champion on a path of destruction. Not of the world, but herself. If you just asked Future a single question, she would've told you how shortsighted your plan was. You hardly got anywhere with it. Alzi would not burn the world to the ground. She would've burned herself before the world ever caught up. For the one my favorite Valkyrie loves, you'll have to be red for a bit.

*** Elora ***

Trust Geta. Listen to Alzi's wives, just as I should've months, no, a year ago. Geta says she's fine. And she will be. She has so many Goddesses favoring her. They'll protect her better than I ever did.

But this fire is scary. The entire world has to know that this ritual is happening, given how high it reaches into the sky. How many Goddesses are getting drawn into this? Alzi never really explained what exactly was going on. Who all is involved in this?

"Geta?" I ask. I just have to.

"It should be over," Geta says. "Death has their souls now. Alzi should be coming back down. I'm not sure why the fire is still here. We would have to ask Future about that."

"You said..."

"Alzi is still safe," Geta says. "She's fine, and her enemies are dead. We just need to watch the rest of the ritual play out."

Mai, Ilka, and Akhae are close to Armirynth. They can keep her calm. "Kou!" I say. "Her second or third body. Have they said anything?"

"They're just playing with the kids," Kou says. "Nothing about her main body, Your Highness."

That's the best we're going to get, it seems. Is that a good sign or a bad one?

*** Future ***

No. No, no, no. Where are they? I saw them just a minute ago. They were coming to me! Where are they!?

Did it fail? It couldn't have. It all went as it should've. I didn't have a single role in this besides having Malralloz write it all out. I didn't miss anything! I know I didn't. For months- It was months, right? I saw them. I know I did. How could I not have? Why would I have? Did I?

Please, Past, Present. I need you. What did I do wrong? What did I miss?

*** Alzi, Main Body ***

This isn't my room.

"No, it isn't," a woman says.

Wood planks make up the room's walls, floor, and ceiling. There's no doorway, just a bed for furniture. A naked woman is lying on the bed. Her hair is spread in a halo around her. Her skin is milk white, but her veins are black, tracing along her skin. Her eyes have no pupils, just perfect marbles of a slightly different shade of white compared to her skin, and there's a small smile on her face.

*** Armirynth ***

Thank the Goddesses that Alzi has more than one body that we can check in with. She says she's fine, but who knows how time works between her bodies?

"Geta promises that she's doing fine," Akhae says.

"I know," I say. "I'm just worried about my baby. She's been so busy and working so hard, and now we can't see her. Everything she does makes me worry."

"She'll be alright," Mai says. "She's strong now."

"Well, shit!" Geta says.