Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

For an additional three hours, Vahn and Artemis sat together as Fafnir continued toward the location of the Elsos ruins. Though she didn't need to eat in her current state, Vahn set out a variety of different foods for Artemis to sample while he sent threads of Source Energy into her body. So long as he was careful with the flow, it was beyond the detection ability of almost any other entity as Source was a concept far beyond their understanding. If he used it normally, people would misunderstand it as the highest form of energy within the record, this case being Divine. Vahn, however, unable to manifest his energy easily in the world, had instead focused on developing subtlety after becoming a little too accustomed to touching the bodies of other people.Ever since he had learned about Petting Laws, Vahn had actually harbored a slight impulse to reach the pinnacle of petting, as the amount of comfort he could bring to others would constantly increase. Since he didn't want to bother people too much, Vahn had endeavored to try and make the influence of his skills almost undetectable. Though it could be misconstrued as trying to manipulate people, Vahn was confident that anyone bearing such thoughts would never be able to develop petting laws to the same extent. His only desire was to help bring comfort to people, even though he was also prone to fusing his Petting Laws with skills like [Hands of Nirvana] to achieve very different effects on occasion...As a result of what could equate to decades of consistent effort, Vahn's ability to manipulate the Source Energy in his body and keep it in a state that others could detect had greatly increased. Now, he was using it to stabilize this faux-avatar of Artemis since it may be necessary when he freed her main body from Antares. Vahn now understood why she and Hermes thought death was the only solution, as Artemis had essentially fused together with Antares. Though her ego was untouched, the Divinity that comprised Artemis was now linked with Antares, giving them a very similar relationship as Hephaestus and the Eternal Flame.Even if Vahn separated Artemis from Antares, it would still be able to use her Arcanum to wreak havoc upon the mortal world, all while Artemis would be sealed away. Antares was currently siphoning as much of her power as possible, making her essentially a battery that would power its rampage indefinitely, all while it was wholly indestructible. Even Artemis' body, after fully manifesting her Arcanum, was impervious to damage so long as the entity trying to harm her didn't exceed Tier 4. Other gods would be able to activate their Arcanum to damage her, but it wouldn't be enough before their body was returned to Heaven, resulting in Artemis healing almost instantly...Under normal circumstances, the only possible solution was to destroy Artemis' body using the [Arrow of the Orion], as her Arcanum had no defense against itself. Vahn, however, was so far removed from normalcy that he actually had several possible solutions. If it truly came down to destroying her body, the number of methods he could make use of were functionally infinite. It was marginally more difficult to save her but, with an item like the [Fate Severing Knife] collecting dust within his Inventory, Vahn had at least one guaranteed method. Though he would look into other solutions, he had resolved himself to using this inarguably 'broken' item to severe the connection between Artemis and Antares...Vahn had no idea what would happen to Artemis when the link between her an Antares was broken so he was strengthening her faux-avatar as much as possible before then. Hopefully, he would be able to recover her main body and fuse the two of them together before severing their fate. At the same time, he hoped that their fate wasn't intrinsically tied to their Divinity, even though logic told him this was undoubtedly the case. Artemis may very well lose her Divinity in the process but, so long as she had an indestructible body and maintained her ego, Vahn was certain everything would resolve in a positive manner...even if things became troublesome within the godly community.As they approached the location of the Elsos Ruins, Vahn understood why Artemis said it would become obvious they were nearing their destination. There was a very oppressive and malevolent aura spreading through the land, even though it also contained the purity and radiance of a god. Though Artemis had sealed as much of her Arcanum as possible, Antares was slowly siphoning more of her power and even the ambient aura was tremendous. The Mortal World simply wasn't suited to withstanding the existence of a Tier 4 entity and Vahn could feel the Elemental Energy in the world breaking down as the void itself became chaotic...Artemis had risen to her feet to look at the landscape below, currently appearing no different than it had in the past, commenting, "It may truly be a blessing that we have arrived much earlier than planned...the number of innocent lives my power would have claimed will be greatly mitigated..." The number of small villages around the Elsos Ruins numbered less than three as the increased mana density caused the strength of monsters to increase exponentially. Though some brave souls would venture into the various ruins and temples located around the Dark Continent, no one was foolish enough to live within close proximity. Since it had been less than three days since the incident, the influence of her Arcanum on the world wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been if they had waited...Vahn walked behind Artemis, wrapping his hands around her waist and kissing the back of her head before saying, "Don't worry about such things...from this point onward, it is not my duty to bring about a happy ending, not just for you, but for everyone affected by this event...in the future, let's send an expedition to the Dark Continent to help build a real community in this inhospitable place. For those that want to return to Eden, we will make a world that is more willing to accept their differences..." When she heard this, Artemis' body tensed up for a moment before she entrusted her back against Vahn's chest and simply intoned a complacent 'Nn'.Once they had picked up the trail, locating the Elsos Ruins had taken less than five minutes, bringing into view a large palatial temple. This was one of the few places in history where a Great Spirit had resided, making it a home for High Spirits and a now extinct species known as the Disir. They were a people that had never numbered more than a thousand, possessing an affinity with time and sealing that earned them the attention of many gods in the Ancient Times. Though they were incapable of reproducing, members of their species would simply 'appear' one day, already possessing great knowledge and wisdom. They were a race of Scholars who, much like the Ancient Elves, created several powerful magic, mostly related to sealing. When Antares had burrowed up from the heart of the Dark Continent, the leader of the Disir, the Great Spirit of Time, Osma, worked alongside his people to perform a powerful sealing art that had held the monstrous entity for more than six-thousand years...Seeing the ancient spires and the timeless city that had withstood the millennia in silence, Vahn couldn't help but admire the now-extinct people for their determination and sacrifice. If not for the oppressive atmosphere that forced him to activate his [Will of the Emperor], he would have liked to explore the Ruins for a bit. Now, however, he had business with the monstrosity beneath the City and intended to bring a proper resolution to these events. He gave Artemis another long embrace, whispering, "Let me show you the result of placing your trust in me, Artemis..."After releasing her body, Vahn levitated away from Fafnir and began chanting, "Come from the void, oh thunder, and cut down my enemy! Axe of God~! Fixate, Seize, Load Magic, Thunder Emperor~!" A massive amount of Lightning Elemental energy had condensed in Vahn's hand before he reabsorbed it into his body with [Magia Erebea]. This was still his most powerful form and, with his main body meditating and feeding his energy reserves, Vahn could maintain it for a few hours if he didn't do anything flashy.Artemis was shocked by Vahn's sudden transformation, feeling the energy radiating from his body as his [Will of the Emperor] began rapidly converging the external energy in the atmosphere toward him. Even the ambient energy of her Arcanum wasn't spared, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by her as she absentmindedly muttered, "How...?" Vahn, unaware of the true question on Artemis' mind, just winked toward her and said, "There is no such thing as 'impossible', especially when concerning love..." This caused her eyes to widen as her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest; she had taken Vahn's words a little too seriously and genuinely believed it was 'love' that gave him the ability to absorb her Arcanum...Since he couldn't exactly hold onto her in this form, Vahn used telekinesis to help Artemis descend to the ground as Fafnir assumed its human form and dove into her shadow. Even before they had reached the entrance to the underground sealing array, Vahn had sensed hundreds of presences skulking about in the ruins that had started to converge toward them. Artemis had detected them as well, pulling out her bow and preparing for battle until Vahn shook his head and said, "That isn't necessary...you entrusted this matter to me so I will deal with them, Artemis..."Shortly after his words fell, a 3m long crystalline black scorpion that was covered in strange red runes broke through the nearby wall, launching towards them with murderous intent. Vahn lifted his index finger, sending an arc of electricity through the air that caused the monster to turn into dust. Lightning was a natural counter to most malevolent energies and had a purification effect on creatures that had been corrupted by Divinity. These monsters were wholly unprepared for an existence like Vahn, unable to even approach within a kilometer of their position after he began infusing Lightning Elemental energy directly into his domain.Artemis, bow in hand, continued to follow behind Vahn was a dull expression that slowly turned into a gratified smile. Things weren't going as she had expected, almost to the point that this 'threat' seemed negligible with Vahn around. This made her feel a great deal of relief, the bonfire in her heart having long become an inferno after being exposed to this peculiar boy for less than a day. Though part of her questioned why she had waited so long to fall in love, another part of Artemis was grateful she had been 'patient' enough to hold out until meeting Vahn...Though he could have reached Antares in an instant, Vahn made slow progress through the catacombs since he didn't want to accidentally destroy the Ruins and potentially harm the bodies of Artemis' Familia. They had plenty of time to deal with Antares and it shouldn't even be able to move while trying to wrest Artemis' Arcanum from her sealed body. Vahn had already peeked at it with his [Eyes of Truth], finding a massive four-armed scorpion-like monster. It was ten meters tall and had a body that was nearly 15m in length that was comprised of six segmented legs and a long tail with a very lethal looking stinger. Its offensive weapons were a pair of six pincers, including two pairs on its four segmented arms that allowed it to have a greater reach.All over its crystalline black body, it had the same red runes as the monsters obstructing their path. However, at the very center of its chest, there was a very different energy that emanated from one of the largest magical cores that Vahn had ever seen. The size of a magic/monster core depending on the amount of mana contained within and, being comprised of the Arcanum of a goddess, this particular core was more than 2m tall, 1.5m in diameter, and comprised of a pure blue that was unlike any core in existence...it was actually very beautiful, though this was largely in part due to the naked Artemis contained within...Antares seemed to be aware of their presence as well, though it wasn't reacting to being peaked at by Vahn's [Eyes of Truth]. Instead, it was sending out tendrils of black crystal from its body that burrowed into the surrounding walls, floor, and ceiling. Vahn could see the tendrils branching out, stabbing into various animals and converting them into the monster scorpions that had been sent to attack them. Fortunately, it wasn't trying to target the bodies of the Artemis Familia members, which were strangely preserved without any signs of rot. When Vahn had seen the state of their bodies, he felt a powerful melancholy for a brief moment but it was quickly replaced by a slight bit of expectation...Though it had been more than three days since they had died, some of the girls still had signs of blood that hadn't even dried yet. It seemed that that same sealing effect that had been preserving the Elsos Ruins themselves was affecting the bodies of the girls as well. Either that, or the flow of time within this place was completely different than the outside world, even though he hadn't noticed it with the influence of Antares' aura. The fact that these stone structures had stood for more than six-thousand years without breaking down, even with the extreme weather of the Dark Continent, showed that there was certainly something going on that he would need to look into after this matter was resolved...He didn't want to get her hopes up, but Vahn's feet slowed to a stop as he explained, "There is a strange phenomenon going on here...it may not be impossible to save some of your children, Artemis..." This caused the smile that Artemis had developed to melt away as an expression of abject shock emerged to replace it, followed by her exclaiming, "Is that true, Vahn!? Please, if it's possible...I...!" Since she had tried to get close to him, Vahn had to side-step to avoid Artemis as he held up his hands and said, "Artemis, you need to remain calm...my body can't be touched in this state without causing harm to others. For now, just listen to me very closely..."Artemis didn't even consider for a moment that Vahn was trying to trick her, relief and excitement welling up inside her as she said, "Please, tell me what I need to do...I will do anything..." Hearing this, Vahn allowed a natural smile to spread across his lips as he said, "It may not make sense right now...but you just need to love me even more..." Vahn was about to explain the effect of the [Tears of the Moon Goddess] but, as soon as Artemis heard the first part of his explanation, a system notification had appeared in his mind that caused him to swallow on instinct...----------------------------------------------------------------------//[Hearts Desire: Artemis] Quest Requirements Have Been Voided////[Artemis] Affection Has Broken Through Restrictions. Extra Parameter 'Love' Unlocked.//[Artemis]: Love: 439,109,779(Eternal Love)//Bond Established with [Artemis]////Optional Quest(s) Triggered////[Hearts Desire: Artemis] Evolved into [Salvation of the Moon Goddess]//[Quest: Salvation of the Moon Goddess]Rank: SSSObjective: Liberate [Artemis] from Antares(0/1), Restore the Bodies of Artemis Familia Members To A Complete State(0/19), Perform 'Nirvana Rebirth' on Artemis Familia Members(0/19)Optional Objectives: Save Lante(0/1)Rewards: 10,000,000OP, 3x[Unique Gacha Coupon]Failure Condition(s): Death, Artemis' Death, Antares' Complete AwakeningPenalty: 30,000 Karma, Curse: [Moon's Mourning] In Effect Until Leaving Record[Moon's Mourning]Effect: So long as the moon is present in the night sky, suffer a status debuff equivalent to the phase of the moon. During a full moon, those under the effect of this curse have their parameters completely sealed.[Quest: Origin of Heroes]Rank: SS-SSSObjective: Impregnate Artemis (0). Ensure a safe deliveryRewards: 1,000,000 OP, 1x [Guardian:(Nameless)], 1x [Heroic Tale]Failure Condition(s): Death, Artemis' Death, (Nameless) Child's DeathPenalty: 439,108,779 Karma (0)----------------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn wants to become the God of Petting~!','The Emperor Descends...','Is this the power of love!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though he had been surprised by the system notifications at first, Vahn felt the urge to laugh out when he read the information contained within. He knew The Path would give him a way forward and, as his highest priority right now was 'saving' Artemis, the quests had changed to meet the circumstances. After this event came to an end, Vahn was determined to get a better grasp of his 'Quest' function and see if he couldn't use it to gain more benefits, specifically those that would grant him more Unique items. They often had effects that ran contrary to the restrictions of the record itself and Vahn wanted to get a better understanding of how he may one day make his own Unique items...Artemis was aware of the 'bond' she now shared with Vahn, causing her to tilt her head to the side before a loving smile spread across her face. Vahn felt his heart flutter upon witnessing this, earning him a small laugh from Artemis as she placed her hand above her own heart, saying, "This feeling...is this the power of love...?" Though she was detached from her main body, Artemis could feel a very powerful bond between her and Vahn that had embedded itself within her very soul. It was like a part of him was now inside of her, filling a hole she had never known existed and making her feel more complete in this one moment than the 349 million preceding years...Vahn felt like Artemis' words had hit the nail on the head, nodding as he said, "Love is an amazing thing. Now, let's go save your children..." Artemis' eyes widened slightly when she heard this before the most beautiful smile he had ever seen upon her face revealed itself. Vahn found it hard to look at such a radiant smile but couldn't avert his eyes even a single micrometer as she said, "I believe in you, Vahn...when all of this is over...I..." At this point, Vahn's heart felt like a drum that was being beaten by an entire battalion of Amazonesses as Artemis stepped towards him, hands together as if she were praying. She stopped right outside the minimum range of Lightning Energy shrouding his body, a natural blush on her cheeks as she said, "I want to try and have a real family next time..."Even without willing himself to do so, Vahn found his head nodding in response to Artemis as he uttered an affirmative 'Nn'. Though she didn't actually use any kind of compulsion against him, Vahn found himself fundamentally unable to refuse such words from someone possessing the 'Eternal Love' parameter. Ten thousand years was already a long time but, now that Artemis obtained that particular parameter, Vahn knew their relationship would continue for an incomprehensibly long period of time. Even if he had been a normal mortal that went through the cycle of reincarnation, Artemis would have certainly followed each of his incarnations, no matter how much time passed...Now, fired up even more than he had been previously, Vahn entered into the massive stone chamber where Antares had been sealed. Rethusa's body had been impaled on the other side of the door so Vahn had to make an entrance of his own since he couldn't store their bodies into his Inventory without their soul and ego leaving. The fact that he could still use 'Nirvana Rebirth' on them meant that they actually hadn't been 'dead' for very long. Though he wasn't sure if it was related to the seal, the flow of time in these Ruins was vastly different than the outside world, growing progressively more stagnant as they approached Antares...His guess was that the Disir had incorporated some form of temporal distortion to give themselves more time to come up with solutions to deal with Antares. He even started to suspect that the surrounding structures were built after Antares was 'trapped' within the formation as the seal was part of the architecture itself. There was no way they would have been able to come up with an underground seal that would have allowed them to lure and trap Antares, meaning they must have used a very powerful time magic to buy time before putting the seal into place...it was honestly quite terrifying since his connection with his real body would have been completely severed if not for the fact that he was in a very deep meditation...From the moment they entered into the room, the aura around Antares increased greatly as crystalline black tendrils shot towards them. It wasn't able to move right now but that didn't stop it from using the strange tendrils from its body as a defensive mechanism. Fortunately, unlike its main body, these tendrils didn't possess the indestructible quality so Vahn simply held out his hand and sent Lightning Elemental energy racing through them. They immediately broke down into dust fragments as Vahn inspected Antares more closely with his [Eyes of Truth]. Though the power it possessed was unlike anything he had ever seen, Antares' current state meant it wouldn't even be a threat to a decently strong Level 3...Feeling that he had 'overprepared' for this fight, Vahn sighed within his mind as the surrounding air became suffused with a golden hue. Artemis felt her skin crawl as an instinctual fear welled up inside of her heart but, compared to the trust and faith she had in Vahn, this was nothing. She watched with intrigue as several resplendent gold chains emerged from the void and began entwining around the immobile Antares. For a brief moment, it actually stopped absorbing her Arcanum and tried to resist the chains but it was already far too late. By the moment [Enkidu] had entwined around its body, the oppressive aura in the air had completely vanished, the ambient Arcanum now restrained completely.Vahn released a sigh and allowed his 'Thunder Emperor' to fade away since he needed to keep his focus and conserve his Source Energy reserves. To make sure he wasn't in danger of running low, Vahn ingested a few mana potions before turning to Artemis and saying, "We need to deal with your Familia before trying to recover your main body. Time flows differently within these ruins so the girls aren't beyond hope of a full recovery. I'll heal their bodies and then restart their hearts using one of my unique abilities..." Even as he was speaking, Vahn was sending energy through his domain, revitalizing the damaged tissue of the girls and gingerly moving them over with his telekinesis.Artemis was very confused by the situation but she could feel the confidence coming from Vahn, helping her remain calm as she eyed Antares while asking, "Is there anything I can do...?" Seeing her 'dead' Familia members floating through the air caused Artemis' heart to twinge in pain and regret, at least until Vahn said, "Make sure their 'Falna' is still present and, if it is weakening, strengthen it with your remaining Arcanum." Vahn pulled out the [Arrow of Orion], handing it over to Artemis since it was the source of her power, minus his own Source Energy supplements.Though Artemis was worried that using up the power in the arrow might make this an unwinnable fight, the chains Vahn had brought out gave her the confidence to convert the remnant Arcanum into her own energy. Antares released a shrill growl but it couldn't even move a single millimeter under the influence of [Enkidu]. It couldn't even send any signals out to the monsters it had converted since Vahn had destroyed all of the tendrils it had produced beforehand. Other than screaming while trying to resist against the chains with its physical might, Antares was stuck watching the procedures. Unfortunately for it, as Vahn had created a soundproof barrier around the girls, even this was an ultimately futile action...He had seen them all within Artemis' [Hearts Desire], but Vahn couldn't help but note that she had a knack for finding beautiful women to recruit into her Familia. Though they all had athletic and mature figures, honed over years of hunting and fighting in the wilderness, Vahn found their physical appearances very appealing. Given the circumstances, he was certain many of them would follow after Artemis when they returned to Eden and, unless he actively tried to avoid such a development, it was almost as probable that they would become attached to him...well, having more retainers wasn't exactly a bad thing...After healing their bodies, most of the girls looked like they were simply sleeping, so long as you ignored the tattered clothes, blood, and grime. Vahn turned to Artemis at this point, saying, "I'm going to have to undress them for this next part...don't think less of me, this is purely a..." Artemis had giggled lightly, causing Vahn's words to trail off as she said, "You know, I can sense your thoughts and the stirring of your heart, Vahn...it's fine, I'm certain these girls wouldn't mind at all..." During the moment when Vahn was thinking about 'inevitabilities', Artemis had been able to sense the change in his thought process and joined him in thinking about how the girls might react once they discovered their lives had been saved by such a handsome and capable man...To make sure they wouldn't be disturbed, Vahn began to set up some semi-permanant barriers but was interrupted when Artemis asked, "Vahn...what about Lante...?" There was a tremble in Artemis' voice as she asked this since she could still vividly remember the explosion that had been set off before she had tried to seal her Arcanum. Only nineteen of her Familia were present within the barrier Vahn was setting up and it caused her legs to feel weak as she waited for his answer. When he was quiet for several seconds, Artemis' legs nearly gave out, only to find herself falling into Vahn's arms as he said, "It seems that I almost did things out of order...thank you for speaking out when you did, Artemis..."Artemis was a little confused as Vahn set out a cushion and guided her to sit upon it before brushing her hair with his fingers as he said, "I'm going to separate your main body from Antares. I do not know exactly what will happen, but never stop believing...understand...?" Feeling the soothing energy entering into her mind, Artemis absentmindedly nodded her head and said, "I believe..." in an almost inaudible voice. Moments later, though sleep impossible in this form, Artemis found herself fading into unconsciousness. She knew this would normally be a terrible development but didn't resist at all, placing her full trust in Vahn...The moment Artemis' consciousness faded, Vahn felt the energy in her body try to dissipate but he instantly prevented this by placing her into his Inventory. She had only been able to keep her faux-avatar active by 'willing' herself to exist so, after removing her consciousness, it was impossible to keep her form. Now, the only Artemis remaining was the one sealed away within the massive crystal located within Antares' chest cavity. Vahn could see her eyelids flicker slightly as the bond between them persisted, allowing them to feel the love each had for the other...Deciding Artemis had suffered far too long already, Vahn pulled out the barrier artifact that Terra had given to him. Normally, he would power it on his own but, with so many unknown variables to deal with, Vahn pulled out a blood-red crystal and embedded it into the 'battery' slot. Since his blood was one of the most powerful sources of energy available, Vahn had a few painfully constructed [Source Energy Crystals] that could power formations for up to 24 hours. It was one of the greatest exploits he had discovered, even if they could only remain outside of his Inventory for 24 hours and would shatter after a single use...After the emerald green barrier came into existence, capable of blocking even the Tier 5 Eva's spells for a short while, Vahn popped his neck and stepped outside. Antares couldn't put up any resistance right now but there was also no guarantee it would die after he severed its connection with Artemis. If it was still a Tier 4 entity, he would have to do something about it since it wasn't practical to keep it ensnared with [Enkidu]. He was also hoping to be able to release some of the pent up frustrations he had right now and wanted to 'break' the massive monstrosity with his bare hands if the opportunity presented itself...Without wasting any time, Vahn blinked near Antares' chest and placed his palm against the vibrant blue crystal that encased Artemis. Since he was no longer in the soundproof barrier, Vahn got to hear the incredibly loud and shrill howl of Antares in close proximity. He countered this by creating a thin film of energy around his body, blocking out external sounds as his hand slowly turned a rainbow hue.Though it shouldn't be possible to use the skill like this, Vahn had experienced having his body changes an incalculable number of times and had absolute confidence he could completely ignore common sense in this case. He was using his [Hands of Nirvana] while at the same time allowing the energy to feed back into his body, almost as if he were absorbing it with [Magia Erebea]. Vahn knew it was possible to match the energy wavelength of a person's body to allow him to safely maneuver his hands through physical matter without any obstruction. Since Source Energy comprised up all other forms of energy, Vahn was confident he could match the wavelength of the surrounding crystal and pass through it, indestructible or not...Over the course of twenty minutes, Vahn made absolutely no progress other than having his entire right arm now suffused with a rainbow hue. His hand was now so bright that it was nearly white but he didn't relent for even a single moment. Then, though it was almost indiscernible, Vahn felt his hand 'sink' into the crystal slightly as a system notification sounded in his mind. His [Hands of Nirvana], which had long since reached the peak of mortality, just upgraded to the SSS-Rank. For the first time, Vahn had raised a skill to the very peak of the record through his own effort and perseverance...!As if he had overcome some major threshold, Vahn's hand now sunk into the crystal as if he were submerging into water. When it somewhat amusingly tried to siphon off his Source Energy, just as it had been doing to Artemis' Arcanum, Vahn nearly burst out laughing. It couldn't even drain the Arcanum of a goddess without a serious effort yet it wanted to try and siphon away a form of energy that exceeded, not just the record of Danmachi, but all records. Since this was an energy that belonged solely to him through his union with The Path, Vahn couldn't help but feel a bit of pride for his current accomplishment, accompanied by a great deal of scorn for Antares...Seemingly without any obstruction, Vahn's hand continued forward until it came to rest in the center of Artemis' chest. He could feel her body heat through his palm and noticed her eyelids had twitched slightly as the edges of her mouth curled into a smile. It was impossible to remove her body from the crystal under normal means, as she was still wholly physical, but Vahn didn't care about 'normal' means at all. His hand began to deform like a film that slowly spread across Artemis' body like a thin membrane. It was objectively a little creepy, as he was essentially shaping his own body into a caccoon around Artemis' body, but it was the best method he could think of for the time being...Though it seemed to be trying to break free from [Enkidu], Antares couldn't do anything as Vahn completely surrounded Artemis' body and extracted it from the crystal. As expected, this didn't actually sever the connection between Artemis and Antares, but it allowed her to open her eyes slightly as she weakly clung to his arm and said, "You're...full of surprise...haaa..." Vahn smiled in response, pulling out an ornate knife with his left hand as he said, "This next part is where things get interesting...remember, Artemis, never stop believing in me..." To punctuate his words, Vahn leaned in and gave Artemis a kiss, enjoying the uncommon sweetness of her saliva as he swiped the [Fate Severing Knife] towards Antares...(A/N: Someone pointed this out so, if you're not too busy, feel free to add the 'NoNetorare', 'TrollsMakingTags', and 'NoYaoi' tags. A friend of mine actually had the idea of just flooding the novel with tags so people wouldn't treat them seriously at all. After that, I can just add them to the synopsis until QI learns how to make a functional system o3o...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Path Forward Has Been Set...','I Believe In A Thing Called Love~!','RIP Antares-chan...getting bullied really hard')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After what felt like an unbelievably long period of time, the darkness clouding Vahn's mind faded away, replaced by the appearance of the curious Artemis looking back at him. She was still wearing only the cloak he had wrapped around her body, causing Vahn to blink a few times to collect himself before saying, "You have gone through a lot, Artemis...I..." It was always very difficult to experience the [Hearts Desire] of a goddess and Vahn could still feel the echoes of her pain and anxiety. He was accustomed to the feeling of loneliness that gods would experience but this was the first time, even from his own perspective, where he had felt genuine loss...it was one of the most painful things he had ever experienced...Just as he lowered his head in thought, Vahn found a pair of pristine white arms wrap around his head before two inordinately soft and warm cushions enveloped his face. He didn't need to open he eyes to know that Artemis had hugged him into her breasts and, though he had tried to keep a sense of propriety between them earlier, Vahn didn't care about that right now. For the time being, the comfort of another person was almost enough to bring him to tears and, knowing that Artemis had been experiencing the same thing, Vahn tightly wrapped his arms around her in return...Back in the Dungeon, Vahn had been sitting in the area above the encampment, watching over the construction efforts with Fenrir sitting in his lap. Her ears had twitched the moment he exited the [Hearts Desire] and he was now hugging her body as well, wanting to ease the feeling of intense loss that still existed within his mind. She didn't offer any complaints and instead altered her body to be fluffier as she began lightly patting his head, saying, "There, there, everything will be okay, Master..." Vahn nodded his head, knowing this to be the truth but still saying, "For now, I just want to stay like this..." In response, Fenrir released a quiet 'Nn' before whispering, "As long as it takes...Fenrir will be here with Master..."For the better part of an hour, Vahn found comfort in the two girls and did his best to return that same comfort to them. This was especially the case for Artemis, who he knew must be suffering a great deal since it was her pain that had influenced him so greatly. Their positions slowly reversed as the time had passed, now with Artemis resting her head on his shoulder as Vahn slowly and gently combed his fingers through her hair while lightly stroking her back. At one point, she had started crying very silently so Vahn had started humming the same tune that Tiona often hummed in the past. He had 'stolen' the tune from her, often using it when he was cradling his children and spending time within the maternity ward...Vahn always felt the tune had a calming effect and, combined with his [Grooming], hoped it was enough to ease the burden on Artemis' heart, at least a little. At the same time, he wondered what exactly he could do to make her 'desire' a reality. There were obvious things, such as defeating Antares and freeing her, but Vahn felt like the thing she genuinely sought, at least for the time being, was salvation for her children. With the [Tears of the Moon Goddess], it might be possible to resurrect one of them...if so much time hadn't already passed. The soul in a person's body, and the attached ego, wouldn't linger for long around their corpse. Though there could be something anchoring them there for a few hours, it was extremely unlikely that any soul's attachment to the world would persist for several days...Since he couldn't save her former family, Vahn felt that incorporating Artemis into his own would be the next best thing. Even if he couldn't heal her heart on his own, existences like Hestia and Hephaestus would undoubtedly help Artemis regain her happiness. As a goddess, Artemis knew how the cycle of souls worked and she would eventually be able to move on from the loss she had suffered. By interacting with the children around the Manor, or perhaps having one of her own, Vahn believed her smile would return in full one day...as they already had a promise of 10,000 years of love, Vahn swore to make those years happy...As if she could feel his resolve, Artemis raised her face, crystalline green eyes still moist with her tears as she said, "Hestia was right...it is a very liberating thing, knowing there is at least one person in the world that can truly empathize with you...thank you, Vahn, for being sad on my behalf..." Artemis wasn't sure exactly how much Vahn had seen in the [Hearts Desire], but she knew it was supposed to be all of the significant events from her past. There weren't many memories she kept close at heart but those that left the deepest impression were undoubtedly very lonely. Knowing that he had shared those painful memories with her, fully understanding of what she had gone through, Artemis suddenly felt much closer to him...Without putting much thought into the action, Artemis brought her left hand to the side of Vahn's face and leaned in, overlapping their lips once again. This time, she wasn't as flustered as before so they ended up in a gentle and loving embrace with Vahn slowly taking the lead and guiding her tongue with his own. Artemis' heart began to beat very rapidly but, at the same time, there was a sense of peace with her heart that hadn't been present before. She felt incredible comfort in Vahn's arms as the inhibitions that had been present within her mind for eons slowly faded away...replaced by feelings of warmth and security. Artemis knew that Vahn would never hurt her, nor would he take advantage of the memories they now shared...it was a very freeing realization.Vahn knew that, though she would likely agree if he asked, Artemis wasn't ready for something like sex. Until he could make her happy naturally, Vahn swore he wouldn't push Artemis to do something she wasn't wholly prepared for. At the same time, however, he knew that she sought a greater sense of closeness and, perhaps for the first time in her life, genuinely wanted to be desired by another person. As a result, Vahn let his hands roam while gently peppering her neck collarbone, and shoulders with his kisses. He made sure to moderate his actions but, until the time that Fafnir sent a small whisper into his mind, Vahn continued to shorten the distance between himself and Artemis...When Fafnir gently touched down on the ground, Artemis didn't seem to notice they had arrived at all, neck craned to the side as she released a hot sigh. Her left hand was clutching Vahn's hair as he kissed around the connective tissue between her left breast and shoulder. Their intimate act had gone on for well over four hours and Artemis' aura was now a deep red that clung to his body like a shroud. During that entire time, Vahn never did anything more than holding her in his embrace, touching her back and sides without once deviating to attend her breasts and the sacred wellspring below. Now, when he brought his head up, peering into her dazed expression, Vahn saw a very different kind of hope in Artemis' eyes that brought a smile to his face as he said, "We've arrived..."Artemis blinked slowly, clearly confused as she looked around at the surroundings and saw wild trees and various other types of flora in the surroundings. Realizing where they were, she released a long and hot sigh before resting her head against Vahn's chest and saying, "I never knew...is this why people are so drawn to love...?" Though she wasn't looking at his face, Vahn shook his head and tightly embraced Artemis' body as he said, "This is intimacy...something that you should only share with those you love and have a physical attraction to. As for 'love' itself...it is a very complex emotion that can have as many different forms as there are people and gods in the world...only you can answer the question of what love means to you...for me, love is the sincere desire to protect others and ensure they can live happy lives. Even if I had to shoulder the weight of Heaven itself, I would do so if it could make the lives of my loved ones easier..."Vahn knew that Artemis' form of love actually matched his own a great deal, as she had always lived to protect others and had always been drawn to the close kinship of Beast People. He had experienced the long periods of time when she watched over the ancient beast tribes, longing for the same closeness members of the same tribe generally shared with each other. Gods in Heaven didn't have this same level of closeness and the only true companion she had ever found within Heaven was Hestia, a Goddess of Family...in a way, Artemis was very similar to him, desiring a family of her own and simply lacking an understanding of how to obtain it after the trauma she had experienced during her creation...For several minutes, Artemis rested against Vahn's chest as her aura slowly stabilized, becoming a sunny yellow with small strands of purple and dark blue mixed in. She knew that Vahn's fight with Antares was going to take place much sooner than expected and, though her trust in him had already reached an extreme, Artemis was still worried. If possible, she would like to spend the next week with him so they could become even closer...then, even if he wasn't able to save her, the feelings they shared may be strong enough to significantly reduce the amount of time it takes her to reform...Though he wasn't trying to rush Artemis, Vahn knew he needed time to come up with a solution so he gently separated her from his body, a soft smile on his face as he whispered, "We must go, Artemis...your children are still waiting for us...I don't want to leave them there with that monster for even a moment longer..." Because of how important they were to her, Vahn had experienced several years worth of Artemis' memories with her Familia. He felt close with all twenty members, knowing each of their quirks and names by heart. Knowing they were laying on that cold stone floor, surrounded by darkness without having a proper burial...it was unacceptable.His words were enough to make Artemis' aura flare up, a light of conviction within her eyes as she nodded in agreement, saying, "You're right, Vahn. We can't leave them with that monster...!" In an effort to increase the bond between her and Vahn, Artemis had been trying her best not to think about anything other than the present moment. However, Vahn's words had reminded her of the reality of the situation and, imagining her children laying on the ground within the presence of that monster filled her with indignation. They were all great girls who deserved much better than how they had been treated...they should have been able to live free and happy lives, just as Vahn wanted for everyone...she should have supported their love and allowed them to stretch their wings...Sensing that Artemis was starting to lose herself in negativity, Vahn plopped his hand onto her head and reminded, "Change into your raiment, Artemis...you'll need to direct Fafnir towards the location of the Elsos Ruins..." Though Vahn had a map of the Dark Continent, the Elsos Ruins simply weren't listed anywhere, even after purchasing one-hundred different maps. It was possible that maps were an advancement that hadn't existed during the time of its construction and, considering that it would probably be destroyed after Antares' awakening, not being listed on generic maps wasn't that difficult to rationalize...Artemis looked down at her figure, noticing several red marks where Vahn had kissed her bare skin. Her face immediately felt hot and she quickly brought her hands together, manifesting her raiment as Vahn watched with unconcealed intrigue. The raiment of a god was something he still hadn't been able to comprehend as each goddess had a different way of manifesting theirs. Hestia's took on the form of petals, Hephaestus' would have flames snake across her body before taking shape, and Loki's had an inky liquid that would cover her body before solidifying. Though there were examples like Freya, who had a very similar mechanism to Hestia, the ways in which a raiment would manifest were distinct and, for the moment, indecipherable...Once Artemis was fully clothed, it was as if the atmosphere around her body had changed entirely. While naked, though she was incredibly mature and alluring, Artemis felt very frail and stirred up Vahn's desire to protect. Now that she was wearing her raiment, Artemis had the aura of a warrior and her disposition turned calm and stoic. Vahn knew that clothes could really change a person, as he had experienced it himself multiple times in the past, so this wasn't too surprising. He did, however, wonder what kind of 'feeling' Artemis would give off if she were to wear elegant or cute clothing...both seemed very suitable for her.Unaware of what Vahn was thinking, Artemis walked over to where her dagger was located and gingerly picked it up after Fafnir's scales moved aside. After fixing it to her belt, she smiled gently and stroked Fafnir's back, saying, "Thank you for keeping it safe...this dagger is very precious to me..." A thunderous rumble emerged from Fafnir's throat as it was very pleased by Artemis' praise, telepathically exclaiming, "You are very welcome, Artemis~!" These words caused Artemis' smile to broaden but Vahn hadn't missed the fluctuation in her aura that indicated she was a little embarrassed. As for the reason, Artemis had turned her head to the side where she and Vahn had been sitting previously...Having already arrived at her side, Vahn placed his hand naturally around Artemis' waist and said, "You'll have to guide Fafnir from here onwards...you know the way, correct...?" Though there was a very subtle blush on her cheeks, Artemis leaned into Vahn and said, "Yes...it is on the north-western end of the Dark Continent...as we get closer, I'm certain the route will become clear..." Vahn nodded his head and put a bit of strength in the hand around Artemis' waist as he said, "Do not waver, Artemis...remember Lante's words and believe in the power of love...as for everything else...you can leave that to me..."(A/N: The sad little trolls with nothing better to do with their lives have added even more tags to the novel xD. It's always interesting to see how willingly people undermine their own integrity over such petty things on the internet. Also, 2 hours between chapters today. I got a 4.5-hour late start because of rolling blackouts that have been happening near me in the early hours of the morning.)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Loss...','Intimacy...','The Power of Love...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 855: Hope