Protectors- Consequence

Chapter Thirty Two: Grief

'It could not be true.'

'It was not true.'

'Denial is pointless.'

Adam's body, once so powerful, so reliable. It was now nothing more than vapour. He had been killed, he had died. It felt so wrong to even consider such a thing. Simon stepped into the living room, his teleporter glowing as he turned back on the television, playing the video that Noctum had left them. Then the screen imploded, Spirit's Aura pouring from it as she levitated upward, hands cloaked in shining energy,

"I'm going to go and kill Anubis!" She bellowed, tearing the entire building down with a single thought, 

"You're going to want to watch the rest of the video," Simon shot back as Calvin arrived, Damien and Red Riding Hood behind him, "we're going to have to deal with the aftermath now because those gods are going to attack us and we don't have a plan to deal with them right now,"

"He's not really dead, right?" Damien asked desperately, his hands twisting his coin faster and faster, 

"Unfortunately yes," Spirit held back her rage at her friend's death, "and that's why I'm going to avenge him,"

"First we should watch his video," Calvin interrupted, "and while you guys do that, I'm going to work with Simon to figure out a way to put an end to it all. Good luck,"

He teleported away, and Simon gave the group one last glance, setting down his camera before speaking with intent, 

"Ask Draedon about project Genesis," he said, "it might be our last hope,"

Then he was gone as well, leaving the three to watch the video. But just before they started, Draedon arrived with a bang, his robotic body landing in the ruins of the house. It was just all happening so quickly, but as a screen on his chest began to play the final part of the footage, it was all they could do to be still and silent, witnessing their friend's last words to them,

"The Goddess has a prophecy," Adam spoke clearly, tears in his eyes, "so this is probably the last time you are going to see my face, because if I don't die, the entire multiverse will meet a terrible fate,"

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Shaine demanded, shouting at the screen, but Noctum's teary smile did not falter. He was in another place now, and he would never react to their words again,

"Hopefully I can take a few of them down with me," Adam said, his smile still sadder than the deepest frown, "but if I can't, my plan is to make them think I am the only one with the Chrysalis,"

"Anubis already knew I had a part," Spirit gasped, "he... might've lived if I'd told him,"

Nobody spoke for a moment, not even the image of the dead man on the screen, his final moments of peace recorded. Noctum gazed towards his friends, as if he was still alive, just waiting to jump out of the television and tell them how he was going to stop the invading gods. Instead he spoke about something darker,

"There still might be a threat to the multiverse," Noctum began, breathing deeply, "and I know I have no right to ask this of you, but I need you guys to protect the multiverse. I need you to keep our home safe. I do not want to see you in the afterlife until another seventy happy years have passed,"

"I just wanted to say goodbye, really. Sorry for being such a sentimental idiot,"

Then the screen cut to black, his final words echoing through the darkness,

"Make a world that doesn't need Noctum,"

Somewhere, out there in the planet Earth, a violent soul was finally put to rest.

Adam stepped out into purgatory, his face sullen and his expression darkening,

"You died." The Goddess said, it wasn't a conversation starter or a question, it was a statement,

"I did." Adam responded with a similar statement,

"You are ready to move on now."

Adam considered it, moving on to the next life, being with his family and Lune. He was so incredibly tempted by it, and the blissful relaxation of purgatory did not help the case, as he felt like nothing could ever happen. But Adam Oughton had never given into bliss before, and he was not about to do it now. He pushed his presence out into purgatory, creating a small house before him, a television inside showing him his mourning friends,

"I'd like to stay."

He sat on the couch, allowing himself to finally relax, to be at peace. It may take nearly a century, but Adam was willing to wait for his friends before moving on together. He even allowed his anger at being killed to fade, and as he did, the scars on his skin began to fade, smoothing out as he let go,

"As would I," The Goddess soothed, gently sitting on the couch next to Adam, "it could be a long time waiting, Adam,"

"I'm willing to endure," Adam responded, his eyes fixed on the television,

"And going without human contact for that long could be very dangerous,"

"I'll wait."

"As will I," The Goddess smiled sadly, "I owe you so much for your sacrifices, Noctum," 

"I'm not Noctum anymore," Adam replied, "and I would appreciate the company."

Shu's body convulsed and he threw up what little was left in his stomach. He was the good guy, right? Killing an unarmed hero like that was worth it because it saved the Chrysalis from humanity, right? He kneeled there, the acidic taste of pure sickness lingering as Anubis began to cast healing spells on him,

"You did it, Shu," Ra congratulated, "You've stopped one of the things that was going to destroy humanity,"

Anubis, rather than being upfront, noticed how Shu was looking,

"Shu," He comforted, "you didn't have a choice. He wouldn't have hesitated to kill you,"

"I thought you said you wouldn't read our minds," Shu shot at him, his face flushed with angry sadness, "so stop it,"

"I didn't need to read your mind," Anubis said calmly, his green Aura healing the younger God's wounds, "The expression on your face gives it all away. You had no choice,"

Shu looked up angrily, "I did have a choice. I shouldn't have killed him when he had no way to fight back. And he held back the entire fight and I just took his life,"

Anubis held back his own tears. Killing would never become something part of their way of life, so even this small instance of change was enough to shatter the god, who slumped to the ground next to Shu as Ra looked on, stifling his own pain. It had not been easy, even when they had seen Noctum's full power and how much damage it had the potential to do to the planet. He had willingly taken over a hundred thousand lives, and they had been unable to kill him without issue,

"We must be strong," Ra noted, "once the three of us are finished, we must return to the remains of our planet and stay far away from human affairs forever more,"

The other two agreed, and all three of them took off to where Anubis could sense Spirit's Aura. They had a mission to complete.

THANK YOU FOR READING

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE: PROJECT GENESIS

RELEASES OCTOBER