He was back.
The realm of the divine, where Celestials lived and strange structures sat atop on each other.
Today, they were on top of a tall tower like the one in Venudum. Though, its shapes were delicately carved, squares and circles to match up the design as the base of the tower was a simple but large mansion of the Family of Harmony.
He enjoyed the view from the top, watching the city he hasn't seen for thousands of years. Structures built like a nightmare for an engineer and some looked insane that you wondered how they were even standing in the first place.
Some Celestials never cared much for design, their nature and powers would shape how they live. And the Family of Harmony where Order and Innovation belonged, were more understandable to the mortal mind.
The house moved, strange like mechanical spider legs at the bottom as it crossed a sea of infinite colors. Some houses could move and some could not.
"So," Liana took his hand, "do you wanna see how much has changed?"
He pulled his hand back, still afraid of that encounter she might pull on him again. She didn't Express any hint of concern whatsoever, just casual.
"I want to see if you're lying." He noted.
"And if I am?" She challenged.
"Then Cassier is mine, her city, the continent are mine. She will be my Champion."
She shrugged, "fair for me, but what if I'm not lying?"
She approached him dangerously, her black hair spilled to her shoulders, eyes glowing as she studied his face. She took the form of a human woman now.
"Will you surrender to me then? Be part of the Harmony Family?"
Aronesis frowned.
"Is this why you want me here? To corner me?" He said.
"Are you giving up?" She didn't reply.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, he expected her to lie, but they haven't formed a formal agreement, yet.
"That's not your terms," he said, "is it?"
She snickered, running a hand through her hair. She was a glowing form of galaxy as a human. Stars moved in her skin, comets passed and her smile widened.
"Of course not, you're too predictable, love." She moved back, which gave him a breather, "my terms are simple, if I speak the truth, you will not wage war any longer as I say so. That way, no more chaos or death happens again."
Aronesis was silent for a moment, then he summoned his scepter and rested it in the middle.
"Agreed."
===
Pov: Cassier Crown IIV
She was back in the room again, the double door was open to reveal the hallway and the window at the end.
Order had told her everything would be taken care of as they would bring Celestial Goons to the divine realm to talk.
It was a realm of the Deities, where other lesser and greater Celestials reside. She always wondered what they looked like, but mortals rarely have the privilege to enter that place unless you were brought in for a very good reason.
She strode through the hallway, sword in hand as she watched through the window of the current situation. There, the giant loomed over the city, Its mountainous torso blocking the Sun with its massive figure.
He saw its eyes staring into the two flying figures with golden wings. Arbitrators of Order.
A knock on the door, she spun on her heel and commanded them to enter.
"Lady Cassier," it was general Lu, dressed in white military uniform and knots on his shoulders, "the Arbitrators have allowed citizens to return to their home and says everything will be alright."
She paused, unsure if she could allow anyone outside to return. The Celestial Goons might come back, maybe their wrath would fall upon them. Worse, she would be one of his champions to lead a war against Order.
She had read from her books during her youth with the tutors, that Aronesis, The Lord of Gooning chose his champions which... Uncharacteristically has touched themselves a lot.
She considered herself to be pure, sure. Everyone did it, but nonetheless she never did it much. Once a month she could count.
"I have faith in our Arbitrators," she finally said, "let them return to their homes, but if they wish to stay, let them."
The general saluted, then left the hallway.
Cassier soon joined the soldiers on top of the walls, her commanders and Golden Guards which always protected her, followed behind.
The spearmen, archers were in position, but rather than being alert, they were resting. As if they knew full well what everything went swimmingly with the Arbitrators present.
One of the two Arbitrators have flown down upon seeing her.
He had golden wings, a round but sharp face that sparkled. He greeted her as he landed, the soldiers around her bowed, she did the same.
"Cassier!" He joyfully said, "There's no need to greet me with such humbleness, perhaps it is I who should now, instead."
Indeed he did.
Being a Champion of Order meant she had the status of someone being able to speak on their behalf as their voice. She was one of the twelve Champions on Ulthamrix, chosen on her 16th birthday by Order itself.
"Arbitrator Vans," she said, "thank you for coming to defend the city. My people and I are grateful."
He waved a dismissive hand.
"Order has instructed us to keep watch on the Golem, if it attacks we'll have to retaliate and you need to evacuate as soon as possible..." He looked at the Giant head from above, square and flat, "though, we did spot three men sitting on top of the Golem."
She blinked.
"What? How is that possible?"
"We suspect that they might be the ones responsible for freeing the old Celestial," he said, his feet inches off the ground as he used his wings to hover, "Right now my team is investigating, I'm not sure if the Golem would attack either way. But Order promised us."
Right, when Order made a promise, it meant they were going to fulfill it no matter what. They would get it eventually and triumphant against their former Celestial.
"Can't you just hover near them?" She asked.
"No can do," Vans said, "The Golem is sending us warning not to get close, telepathic you see. And we can't breach that, until Order and Goon decided on something."
"Thank you, I'll be handling things smoothly down here, I need to see for myself what exactly happened to the land it stepped foot on."
The Arbitrator cocked his head.
"Are you sure you need to check?" He said, "oh well, do what you want. I've already got reports that it didn't damage any fields or crops in its way."
The Arbitrator soared into the air, leaving a gust of wind as her long dress fluttered. She was wearing full steel armor with a dress as a decoration. Not a divine grade unfortunately, as they had no wars to participate anyway, mostly just a show off.
===
Pov. Order and Goon.
The sky was blue this time, sometimes it shifted into white or mixed colors. No one knows why it does that, some suspected it could be the emotions of the Celestial One Ruler. The one that ruled higher than the Divine Council but rarely showed itself.
Others think it could be the influence of Celestial Earth, Gaia. Where the land and Sky were affected because of her powerful nature as a Primal Celestial.
Him? Well, he was only sensation incarnate, a gate to pure overload of emotions, he was merely a speck of dust compared to other Celestials that can influence even the Divine Realm.
Order had a higher influence, since all creations, even Celestials itself needed the basics of order to make a functioning life or system.
So, if that was the case. Why would she, out of all the people, hold his arm as if they were both united.
"So, do you like it?" She asked.
They were walking in the streets of the Divine realm, markets to the side of other Celestials selling things. Some wanted to borrow from other Concepts to help build their first race. And others just wanted to know what a single emotion felt like or a taste of a foreign fruit.
"The market? No, it's noisy." He tried to pry her hands off, but it gripped more harshly, "also what are you doing?"
She hummed to herself, pointing to an old Celestial with a beard haggling with... The Celestial of Lust.
He turned his eyes away from her before Lust could look at him.
Order snickered to his side.
"What's wrong? You can tell me, I'm not a jealous type."
This woman, it was getting to him pretty well with how casual she was.
"We're not together, Order," he whispered, "not anymore."
"Is that so? I find it hard to believe."
He sighed through his nose, they passed the market and soon a church was in the distance. It was resided by the Devotion Family. It had a simple Bell as the symbol, and painted with Violet as the main color for the church.
"Why do you even persist." He said, "it's been so long, Order. Sure a part of me wishes to connect with you again, but we're at war—"
"—That ended"
They looked at each other. She held it, grinning. Then he groaned as he looked away, she was being persistent somehow.
"Which, still hasn't been proven." He said, taking mental note of the small Celestial smiling like a child as they walked past them.
He was glad Liana dropped the subject, or even continue the conversation as they arrived at the place where, protestors and officers of Ronix would stand on top of the statue of Gaia.
Except, he found no such protesting. Only a peaceful Park with Gaia's statue and a bunch of small children that are Celestials having fun and talking. It was uncannily bright here, he expected the area to be dimmer, full of all kinds of Celestial blotting the bright sky.
Except, it was peaceful. He ran a hand through his face, jaw wide as if locked.
"This can't be real," he muttered, shaking his eyes, "where's Ronix? The three headed Dragons?"
"There." Order pointed to a dragon.
Albeit a baby dragon, that looked absurdly cute and friendly than what he had mind. Those weren't the same fire breathing maniacs he'd known, that's a different Celestial!
He spun around, Order had disappeared.
'what? And where had she gone off to this time—'
"Mister?" A voice from behind.
He turned to find the small Dragon, a comrade he was expecting it was the child. Though, deep down he was scared of the truth.
The Dragon has three heads, all blinked and looked him with the same expression.
The middle one spoke first, "You smell familiar, do we know you?"
"We're Argonux," the left head said, grinning, "but you can call one of us by directions, Lefty, middle and righty."
"Hey!" Righty said, "we haven't "decided if that's proper!"
The two heads started bickering at each other. Aronesis just watched, this couldn't be the same Argonux couldn't it? Sure, he'd seen the Three headed Dragons had quarrels sometimes with its head, own personal individuals, but he's never seen such absurdity of them being a child.
They were practically a new born Celestial.
Aronesis started saying something, but someone to the side joined.
"Argonux," it was Ronix, "You guys join RA, he's heading for the fountains."
The heads turned towards him, looking shocked and... Sparkling in their eyes? They hummed in agreement and then flew off into the sky eastward.
Aronesis met his leader's eyes, hoping he wasn't being tricked. By his mind... By... By Order.
Because, goodness. Those eyes of his, it looked like an endless black hole that consumed everything in its wake, he saw smoke rise, Celestials dying, and then his tiredness.
He could relate to that, everyone who participated in the Campaign did.