Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After the unexpected orbital attack, many of the people that had gathered to hear Vahn speak promptly cleared the area. There was still a sizeable crowd, but it was comprised of the more powerful members of various 4-Digit Communities, individuals who were confident in their ability to evade or outright counter the previous attack.
As tensions far surpassed a palpable level, Vahn abruptly appeared at the podium that had been prepared for him, a relaxed smile on his face as he said, "First and foremost, allow me to apologize for the previous incident. I had no hand in its implementation, but that doesn't change the fact that several Communities were affected by the attack perpetrated against me. To that end, please send a representative from the affected Communities to the Sage Dragon's Hearth. We will discuss any potential remunerations in private."
Though he didn't mind taking on the entire Little Garden, Vahn wanted to make it clear that his designation as a Last Embryo didn't change how he or the Empire would interact with other Communities. A lot of people were going to try and vilify him in the days to come, so he intended to sabotage their efforts by being amenable to those who sought his aid, sympathetic to those who sought his mercy, and accommodating to those who sought his protection.
With his apology out of the way, Vahn delved into the subject everyone was most interested in, stating, "I understand everyone tuning into this broadcast is eager to know the reason for my classification as the Demon Lord of Excess and Stagnation. Simply put, I was 'invited' to Mt. Olympus for a chat with their Leader, Zeus. Rather than explaining what happened, allow me to show you."
Interfacing with the system that allowed Gift Games to be broadcast, something that should have been impossible under normal circumstances, Vahn allowed everyone in the Little Garden to witness precisely what had occurred between him and Zeus. When they heard the latter offer Athena up on a silver platter, many were astonished, while others felt more than a little envious. Athena was renowned for her 'virtue,' so she was among the most coveted beauties in the entire Little Garden.
Contrasting the expectations of nearly everyone bearing witness to the playback, Vahn hardly acknowledged Zeus's offer. Instead, he shut down the proposition before immediately attacking the moment Zeus attempted to threaten him with the lives of the innocent.
While few were surprised to see Vahn take exception to Zeus's words, the ease with which he defeated the infamous God and the method employed left them thoroughly spooked. Only the most ancient and knowledgeable denizens of the Little Garden truly understood what the ashen grey spear was, but the rest only needed to see the effects on Zeus to understand it wasn't something they could oppose.
Though he could have stopped the playback the instant he extinguished Zeus's life, Vahn allowed it to continue further. He wanted people to hear him reiterate his point about targeting the lives of the innocent, and, as it had yet to become public knowledge, he also broadcasted the incredibly short, completely one-sided battle between himself and the other forces of Olympus.
Seeing Vahn casually countering the combined assault of more than a hundred Gods, many of which were legends in their own right, an eerie silence descended upon the Little Garden. Powerhouses like Poseidon, Hades, and Ares failed to make an appearance, but many assumed their presence wouldn't have made much difference. After all, even Hera and Apollo were utterly helpless in the face of Vahn's oppressive might.
As the battle neared its end, culminating in the deaths of several Gods and Goddesses, Vahn left the already stunned crowd at a complete loss for words as he casually reversed the order of entropy, restoring all but Zeus to their original state. Then, like Sisyphus pushing his boulder up a hill, the futile fight began anew...
Since there were a few things he wanted to keep a secret, specifically his conversations with Hermes and Hestia, Vahn ceased the playback shortly after the second onslaught began. Instead, he showed the final outcome of the battle, Mt. Olympus reduced to an empty crater and clear skies as far as the eye could see.
Providing relief to the question that had spontaneously appeared in the minds of innumerable people, Vahn calmly revealed, "I know what you're thinking. Rest assured that Mt. Olympus still exists. I merely had it moved to a more discreet location. I also spared the remaining Olympians, so feel free to consult with them if you'd like to hear the specifics. For now, there are other, more important matters to address."
Pointing to the sky, Vahn's expression hardened as he revealed, "Several minutes ago, an unsolicited attack was perpetrated against Communities in the surrounding region by the Ragnarok Alliance. I have absolutely no qualms about any Community targetting me directly. If you'd like to give it a go, I'll gladly accept your challenge any day. However, should you do so at the expense of the innocent...know that the only mercy I will afford you is a swift death."
Waving his right hand, Vahn surprised both the crowd and the person in question by manifesting Hel next to him. Her singular eye then widened to the point it matched the diameter of her empty eye socket as Vahn went on to say, "Though I prefer to settle things diplomatically, I will be using the members of the Ragnarok Alliance to set an example for those of you inclined to ignore civility and warnings. Actions have consequences, even for the Gods. As such, the majority of their members will be participating in a Gift Game with their lives on the line. As for Lady Hel here, she will be gambling her very existence."
Exhibiting genuine fear for the first time since the original Ragnarok event, Hel backed away from Vahn, her voice and body shaky as she replied, "I'll never accept such conditions..."
Narrowing his now golden eyes, Vahn's voice resonated throughout the Little Garden as he declared, "You made your decision when you failed to consider the consequences of your actions. Now, you get to deal with me, the penultimate consequence."
Without waiting for Hel's response, Vahn's figure reappeared behind her, stunning the crowd as he unhesitantly stabbed through her chest with his hand. However, instead of rending flesh and bone, his hand emerged from her chest with a luminous green crystal in hand, shimmering with a light that left even the most seasoned Gods experiencing a peculiar sense of awe.
Retracting his hand, Vahn allowed Hel to collapse to the ground as he turned to the crowd, a severe expression on his face as he stated, "I am not a malicious entity. I do not go out of my way to pursue or persecute those others regard as evil. I'll even work alongside such entities so long as they resolve never to target children or prey upon the innocent..."
Directing his gaze to Hel, Vahn's eyes narrowed as he added, "Those that ignore this rule are not needed in a place like the Little Garden. Now that I have been appointed as a Last Embryo, this is the fate that awaits all who spurn my warnings..."
As Vahn tightened his grip around the peculiar green crystal, creating several small cracks, a scream comparable to a banshee's emanated from Hel's throat. Damage to the Ego completely transcended the physical. It was an attack on the mental, spiritual, and physical energies comprising a person's very existence, so not only was it painful, it compelled a feeling of existential dread that dwarfed comprehension.
Interrupting Vahn's demonstration, a handsome figure with bronzed skin and dark hair appeared next to him, a wry smile on his face as he grabbed the former's wrist and said, "You said you were going to compete against them in a Gift Game. I believe this is what they call putting the cart before the horse..."
Though he could have easily evaded the man's grasp, Vahn permitted the interruption as he returned a smile and warmly replied, "Ah, Lord Indra. It's good to see you. I was wondering when and if you would be making an appearance..."
Releasing his hold on Vahn's wrist, Indra's expression visibly relaxed as he abruptly stopped the flow of time around them, questioning, "Did you have to take things his far? I understand your desire to deter others from following in Hel's footsteps, but this is more than a little extreme..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Vahn replied, "You're not wrong. However, even though I condemn everything I'm currently doing, I'm prepared to follow through to the end. If you'd like to organize a Garden-wide Gift Game to oppose me, I'll happily accept just about any terms. Until then, I intend to do things my own way. And that means preventing monsters such as Hel and Zeus from doing as they please."
Exhaling a sigh, Indra wanted to offer Vahn his counsel and guidance but ultimately decided against it. He has been observing the latter from the moment Shiroyasha summoned him to the Little Garden, so he knew Vahn wouldn't listen to 'reason.' At least not when that 'reason' was grounded in sentiments bordering on nepotism.
Adopting a fairly fierce expression, Indra formed his resolve as he asked, "If I were to organize such an event, can I trust you not to 'erase' any of the participants? I'm not sure how that technique works, but I can tell it's dangerous. It will be difficult to persuade even your fiercest detractors to participate if there's a chance you'll use it against them..."
Shrugging a second time, Vahn replied, "As I stated previously, I'm willing to accept just about any rules and restrictions you can imagine. So long as the competition is fair, I'll inevitably come out on top. If it's not, well, don't blame me for 'bending' the rules..."
Shaking his head, Indra adopted an even more severe expression as he stated, "As one of the entities involved in the Little Garden's conception, I can assure you the rules will be fair. The question is, what are you willing to-"
Interrupting before Indra could finish, Vahn manifested a crystal similar in structure to the one he had pulled from Hel's chest. However, instead of a peculiar shade of green, it exuded a rainbow hue and a strange humming sound that vaguely resembled countless people speaking in the distance, just outside of audible comprehension.
Holding up the luminous crystal, Vahn's expression became just as severe as Indra's as he said, "During the destruction of the original Little Garden, one of the Principal Axes of Reality was lost. If your side is able to endure, I will surrender a piece of myself to serve as a replacement. I believe that is enough to incentivize even those monsters slumbering within the Inner Gates..."
Understanding the meaning of Vahn's words, an expression of unbridled shock marred Indra's face as he asked, "Are you sure about this? If you permit those within the 1-3-Digit Gates to participate, there may as well not be any rules. I understand your desire to complete your objective as quickly as possible, but such conditions wouldn't exactly be 'fair' to those in the Outer Gates..."
Closing his hand around the crystal, Vahn absorbed it back into himself as he replied, "Very well. To even things out, those hailing from the 1-3-Digit Gates will need to employ Avataras. However, as I'm putting something of utmost value on the line, I expect my prize to be unobstructed access to the Inner Gates. If you can arrange that, I'm willing to yield the fragment, regardless of the outcome."
Though he generally excelled at concealing his emotions, Indra felt his throat tighten in response to Vahn's proposition. There was no such thing as 'absolute infinity,' so, even though the Divine Realm had a functionally infinite supply, enough to sustain countless Lesser Realms, it was only a matter of time before everything collapsed. The current Order of Creation had been on the verge of collapse since the destruction of the original Little Garden, so Vahn's offer was beyond tempting. Thus, before Indra could find the words to respond, a deep, reality-shaking voice took the liberty to speak...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You're done when Vahn decides you're done...','RIP Hel...','Mysterious voice be like, "Gimme gimme..."')

As one of the Gods holding the Little Garden together, Indra could not separate himself from the Principal Axes of Space, Time, and Reality like Vahn. Because of this, any sufficiently powerful being could spy on what he was doing, even when the flow of time had stagnated to the point of appearing frozen.
"Vahn Aldrnari Mason. We have heard your proposition and accept it at the behest of our Venerable Father, Vishnu."
Immediately following the authoritative voice, a woman with features remarkably similar to Shiroyasha appeared, complete with silvery-white hair and pointed ears. She also had horns growing from her head, but, unlike Shiroyasha, hers more closely resembled the antlers of an Eastern Dragon.
Making the woman's identity known, Indra adopted a wry smile as he said, "It's been a while, Lord Kurma. I never expected someone of your caliber to appear outside the Inner Gates."
Crossing her arms under her fairly modest breasts, hidden beneath a fur-lined, predominately golden coat, Kurma replied, "You're one to talk, Lord Indra. I can't even recall the last time you made an appearance at one of the Inner Community's social gatherings."
Borrowing a page out of Vahn's book, Indra shrugged his shoulders, his expression bordering on a deadpan as he remarked, "The residents of the Inner Gates are too uptight. I came up with the idea of the Little Garden to make things interesting. I see no reason in gathering just to praise and celebrate people who refuse to change."
Snorting through her nose, Kurma uttered, "How foolish..." before turning her attention to Vahn, amethyst eyes glistening as she questioned, "Can that fragment of yours truly serve as a Principal Axis?"
Nodding his head, Vahn replied, "Indeed. Ever since Shiroyasha warned me of the possibility that the rulers of the Little Garden could flee, I have been researching methods to create my own. Since then, I have created a number of self-contained realities with structures comparable to the Little Garden. The fragment I exhibited previously has been stress-tested with a metaversal structure comprising a googol of multiversal realities, several of which containing beings that could give your Venerable Father a run for his money."
Though she was a little irked by Vahn's comparison, Kurma didn't doubt his words. There were already rumors circulating among the Inner Gated Communities about Vahn being the New Dawn. If that were even remotely true, it suggested he was on par with the 'Big Three' that presided over all of Creation. As powerful as her father was, he would toil in vain to defeat Indra, much less one of those three 'monsters.'
Returning a nod of her own, Kurma decreed, "Then we shall accept your conditions. I can't say with certainty when the Gift Game will occur, but we will do our best to organize it as soon as possible. Until then, we will place a hold on your status as a Last Embryo."
While he didn't exactly have an attachment to his status as a Last Embryo, a frown marred Vahn's face as he stated, "That is somewhat inconvenient, given the present situation."
Waving her hand in an informal, dismissive manner, Kurma replied, "Such matters are a trifle. We can place a gag on the information and make it so that the incident with Zeus, as far as the residents of the Outer Gates are concerned, never happened. It's a bit unorthodox, but you have exhibited more than enough power to receive preferential treatment. The conditions specified by Laplace during your designation as a Last Embryo have made that very clear."
As if the matter was already decided, Kurma pulled up what appeared to be a digital display before pressing a runic icon. At that exact moment, the venue prepared by Katana, Dagger, and their staff abruptly flickered out of existence like some sort of graphical glitch. All of the people that had been gathered to listen to Vahn's statement were returned to their original positions as time within the Little Garden had effectively been 'reset' a full twenty-four hours.
Seemingly oblivious to Vahn's chagrin, Kurma adopted a radiant smile as she playfully mused, "And that's that. There will be some anomalies, such as Zeus disappearing, but this wouldn't be the first time he unexpectedly vanished. Hera will likely kick up a storm, but the details of the Gift Game will be decided long before she completely loses her temper."
Though he wasn't nearly as annoyed as Vahn, Indra made his disproval known with an exasperated sigh, roughly massaging his forehead as he said, "This is the problem with people from the Inner Gates. They barely even consider those 'outside' as people..."
Furrowing her brows, Kurma crossed her arms in defiance as she asked, "Do you not approve of my actions, Lord Indra? Given what's at stake, I would have assumed you would be lobbying to ensure the Sage Dragon Emperor receives special treatment. I doubt I need to explain to you the significance of acquiring a second Axis of Reality."
Interrupting before Indra could reply, Vahn pointed out, "You do realize that if I'm allowed to enter the Inner Gates, there's a good chance I will take over the entire Little Garden, right? I don't 'need' special treatment, not from you or anyone else."
Unbothered by Vahn's words, Kurma just shrugged her shoulders and stated, "Even if we don't give it to you, your very existence affords you certain privileges. If you're that bothered by my actions, feel free to pop over to Mt. Olympus and give those spoiled brats another thrashing. It's not like anyone could stop you. Rather, so long as Creation continues to endure, it doesn't matter if you conquer the Little Garden or not. The form or reality is significantly less important than the fact it continues to exist."
In an attempt to allay Vahn's frustrations, Indra chimed in to explain, "I'm sure you're aware, but this one's true identity is the World Dragon, Kurma Vaishnava. Her Origin is that of the Turtle that supports the world itself, so she only cares that life endures, unconcerned with the form it takes."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Kurma replied, "That's correct. I am one of the beings that represent the foundation of reality. You're free to hate or resent me, but I do what I must to ensure life endures into perpetuity."
"You're a brat, that's what."
Startled by the familiar yet unexpected voice, Kurma spun around to find the mature form of Shiroyasha standing behind her. She would usually be excited by the latter's appearance, but the disproving expression on the infamous Demon Lord's face caused numerous beads of sweat to form on the slightly shorter woman's face.
Inching away ever so slightly, Kurma's smile twitched at the edges as she stammered, "W-Well, if it isn't my ane-san. How have you been these past three hundred years? I see your seal has been removed...?"
Balling her hand into a fist, Shiroyasha gave Kurma a weak-looking knock to the head. Instead of lightly flinching, however, Kurma was planted into the ground, steam rising from Shiroyasha's fist as she revealed, "Actually, my seal is still firmly in place. My not-so-little lover here just happened to provide me with enough Spiritual Energy to offset what I lost."
Turning her attention to Vahn and Indra, Shiroyasha's cat-like eyes briefly met with the latter before focusing squarely on the former as she adopted an apologetic smile and revealed, "Sorry, I never expected that Kuu-chan would show up and cause problems. However, you're also at fault for not telling me about that little Reality Axis you're carrying around. You know I can't keep track of what you do in your Actualized Worlds, right?"
Adopting an apologetic smile of his own, Vahn habitually replied, "You're right. I should have informed you of my intentions. I just wasn't sure how things would develop, so I kept it as one of my many trump cards."
As she didn't really blame Vahn for not telling her 'everything,' Shiroyasha just nodded her head and replied, "Well, everything worked out in the end. I'll coordinate with the Inner Gates to ensure they don't try anything sneaky during the Garden-wide Gift Game. For now, why don't you return to your family and continue celebrating? Kuu-chan may have turned back the Little Garden's clock twenty-four hours, but she had enough sense to leave the Sage Dragon's Hearth untouched."
Shaking his head, Vahn looked down at the unconscious Avatara's body and remarked, "More like she couldn't influence it if she tried..."
Spreading her hands in a gesture of helplessness, Shiroyasha replied, "Either way, the end result is pretty much the same. I can also say with certainty that there's no way to return things to the way they were, so there's no sense in harping over events that have effectively been erased from history. Just do what you always do and relish the present."
With Shiroyasha essentially using his own words against him, Vahn found himself unable to retort. He was the one consistently advising people to continue moving forward, so while his Draconic nature compelled him to 'punish' Kurma for her brazen disregard, he promptly suppressed the urge and replied, "Very well. It's a little inconvenient, but anything worth doing once is worth doing twice. I'm sure Merry, at the very least, wouldn't mind repeating the day a few times..."
Finished with what he had to say, Vahn was about to dematerialize when Shiroyasha abruptly pointed out, "You know, there are at least nine others who could have delivered this message to you. Kuu-chan being the one to descend carries with it a number of implications..."
Though he understood what Shiroyasha was trying to say, Vahn shook his head and answered, "I may have considered it if this was her true self. I'm not so desperate that I need to vent on a casually crafted Avatara..."
Looking down at Kurma, Vahn took note of the fact that her intent was still lingering despite her apparent unconsciousness. She was listening closely to everything they were discussing, so he made it clear he had no interest in simply sating her curiosity.
Understanding Vahn's nature, Shiroyasha didn't attempt to press the matter further. She was somewhat indebted to Kurma, but not to the point she would go out of her way to arrange things. If Kurma really wanted to see what all the fuss surrounding Vahn was, she would need to muster up the courage to approach him directly. Borrowing her appearance gave her an advantage over others, but it didn't matter unless she could exhibit at least a hint of 'sincerity.'
With nothing else to discuss, Vahn disappeared from the frozen reality, leaving behind Indra, Shiroyasha, and the abruptly conscious Kurma. The latter rose with a somewhat pouty expression on her face, but Shiroyasha had no compassion for her self-proclaimed imouto, stating, "Just consider yourself lucky he didn't give you a spanking..."
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As his other selves set about repeating several of his actions from the previous day, Vahn 'prime' sought shelter and comfort in the nursery of the Sage Dragon's Hearth. He was somewhat relieved by the notion that people wouldn't randomly bombard him if he decided to walk around the Little Garden, but he was simultaneously overwhelmed by the reality he would soon be squaring off against powerhouses in the Inner Gates.
Though he was long past the point of worrying about how he measured up against the entities ruling the Little Garden, Vahn felt a strange mixture of anxiety and excitement knowing it wouldn't be much longer before he reached the pinnacle of the current Record. He was so close to reuniting with his original 'family' that, even surrounded by his children, he felt an overwhelming, indescribable sense of longing...
"It won't be much longer now...just stay focused...there's nothing that can get in our way...only ourselves..."
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'What's with this sassy lost child...?','Happy birthday to the ground...!','Ain't no stoppin' us now~!')

After briefly considering his approach, Vahn brought his hands together before spreading them as if opening a book. As he did so, the ground unfolded away from itself in a non-destructive manner, almost like the pages of a pop-up book.
Interrupting Vahn's actions, at least for a short moment, a massive wolf comprised of darkness and flames lurched toward him, its maw opening to reveal a magmous interior framed by glowing, white-hot teeth.
Though it started off around the size of a large dog, the wolf was nearly the size of a small mountain by the time it reached Vahn. Several spears, swords, and other piercing weapons adorned its back like the quills of a porcupine, and, due to the intense heat contained within its body, most of its fiery, fur-covered frame appeared translucent.
Recognizing the beast as the legendary Garm, guardian of Hel, Vahn took a moment to admire it before raising his right hand, smiling as he made a grasping motion.
Just as Garm was close enough to snap its maw around Vahn's frame, an invisible source surged into its body. 0.02 seconds later, its colossal frame had been reduced to the size of a wolf pup.
Catching the startled and confused pup out of the air, Vahn cradled it in his left arm like an infant, gently scratching its chin as he said, "Behave. I'll return you to your original form once I've disciplined your master."
Though it was tempted to bite Vahn's finger, Garm immediately became docile. It was widely regarded as one of the most prideful and malicious creatures in the Nine Realms, but it was intelligent enough to know things wouldn't end well if it attempted to oppose someone that could restrict its power with a casual wave of their hand.
Seeing Garm rotate their head to the side in an obvious attempt to appear cute, a soft chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat. He was half-tempted to tease the fiery-breasted beast further but promptly decided against it as a dreadful aura emanated from the depths of the parted ground, followed by the appearance of a rather frightening woman surrounded by several demonic-looking individuals and a veritable horde of hellish beasts.
With half her body resembling a breathtakingly beautiful woman and the other half a rune-covered skeleton, Hel, the Norse Goddess of Death, was a scary sight for anyone unaccustomed to the macabre. Odin had cursed her after a failed attempt to conquer Midgard and the Nine Realms, so her outer appearance, once considered the most beautiful in the Nine Realms, perennially reflected her innermost qualities.
Glaring at Vahn with her singular, pitch-black eye, Hel practically growled, "Vahn Aldrnari Mason...why have you invaded my Helheim? I do not recall extending you an invitation."
Adopting an impassive gaze, Vahn replied, "I am capable of knowing your most private, innermost thoughts. Don't think you can talk your way out of this, Hel. I promised consequences to anyone who wantonly targeted the innocent, and I'm here to make good on my word."
Narrowing her eye, Hel retorted, "Am I supposed to be intimidated? I have suffered all forms of punishment ten-thousand times over and have been cursed to watch over this Realm of death and corrosion for eternity. Even if you were to tear me apart and erase my existence, you would simply be freeing me from my suffering, dooming another to take my place."
Halfway through her retort, Hel manifested an eerie black claymore that exuded an abyssal black, highly corrosive ooze. She might be a prisoner within her own Realm, but that didn't detract from her status as a Principal Goddess of Death. Even Odin dared not face her directly.
Though he was half-tempted to remove Hel's curse, allowing her a moment of reprieve before her death, Vahn concluded that would be a little too extreme. Instead, he shifted his gaze to the androgynous figure hovering in the air next to Hel, earning a disgusted look from the ghostly-haired individual as he asked, "How do you suppose I should handle this, Loki...?"
"Ugh...seriously, man? You know I was against this from the start. Why'd you have to draw attention to me? Couldn't you have just let me slip away without saying anything...?"
"You despic-"
Angered by Loki's words, Hel brandished her eerie black claymore with the clear intention of cutting her father/brother/sister down. Loki was the type of entity that never stayed dead for long, so Hel felt no qualms about killing them whenever she was angry or upset.
Shifting their attention to Hel's blade, Loki showed no signs of fear or panic as they raised their hand to grasp the edge directly. The flesh of their palm sizzled as their hand and forearm visibly decayed, but they showed no indications of discomfort as they exhaled a weary sigh and muttered, "How troublesome..."
As it was rare for Loki to offer any meaningful resistance, a surprised look marred the faces of Hel and her subordinates. Ever since their initial death at the hands of Heimdall, Loki had made minimal effort in their day-to-day life. They still plotted and schemed, but, understanding the 'system' was rigged against them, they rarely exerted themselves.
Taking advantage of Hel's stupefaction, Loki returned their gaze to Vahn and replied, "Killing us has no meaning. Unless you can completely erase our legend, wiping all iterations of us from existence, other versions of us would inevitably pop up. If you want my advice, you should defeat us in a Gift Game, broadcasting it to the entire Little Garden as a deterrent."
Though she recovered her senses long before Loki was finished speaking, Hel waited until the very end before hissing, "You despicable piece of shit! How dare you try to curry favor with the enemy...!"
Rolling their eyes, Loki dryly retorted, "I know your brain is half-rotted, but even a complete dullard would understand the futility of scheming against a guy capable of taming those three tree-hugging giantesses. So long as we're affiliated with the Nine Realms, he knows everything about our past, present, and future. Believing we could trick him into attacking the Nine Realms was beyond stupid."
Sidestepping Hel's attempt to cut them in half, Loki adopted one of their characteristic expressions of disgust before dissolving away, reappearing next to Vahn. They knew attempting to teleport away was pointless since Vahn could pull them across Realms, so Loki determined that the 'safest' place was at his side.
With Loi-chan revealing that Loki had absolutely no intention of trying to backstab him, Vahn just gave the ghostly-haired Jotun a sidelong glance before returning his attention to Hel and asking, "How about it? It doesn't matter to me, so the question is whether or not you want to die fighting or if you want to die a dog's death."
Though it might seem contrary to publicize their defeat/death to the Little Garden, it was far more beneficial than dying in obscurity. Going out with a bang, even if you suffered a crushing defeat, left a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of others. This strengthened the Fragment of Origin possessed by many Gods and Goddesses, so, even if they were killed, they would eventually be revived or replaced by a version of themselves with comparable power and purpose.
Gritting her teeth, Hel didn't need to consider Vahn's proposal for very long before answering, "The denizens of the Nine Realms are no cowards. We shall fight and die with glory...!"
Hearing their leader/mother's response, several of the demonic-looking individuals hovering around her showed reluctant expressions. They were willing to fight and die for their cause, but they failed to see how fighting Vahn benefitted their penultimate aim. If anything, it would set them back millennia...
Sensing the reluctance from some of her children, Hel adopted a hateful glower as she turned to them and said, "If you wish to flee, then flee. Just know that if you do, each of my incarnations will seek vengeance against you without fail."
Imagining being haunted by Hel's vengeful spirit for all eternity, the looks of reluctance faded from her subordinate's faces. Vahn was half-tempted to point out he could completely annul any curses she might inflict upon them, but, understanding they weren't exactly innocent in Hel's schemes, he allowed them to be cowed into the conflict.
Releasing Garm from his grasp, allowing it to return to its original form, Vahn said, "We already have a venue set up outside the Aldrnari Empire's primary Gate. I will explain the situation and give you until then to make a formal request for a Gift Game. If you fail to do so before then...well, let's just say, even my patience has its limits."
Finished with what he had to say, Vahn vanished into thin air alongside Loki. He didn't teleport with them, but, understanding Hel would give them grief, Loki timed their departure alongside Vahn's, making it appear as though they had been abducted. Their actions wouldn't let them avoid the Gift Game, but they would at least be able to enjoy some peace and quiet before their inevitable death.
Seeing Loki disappear, black miasma began to exude from Hel's body as she trembled with rage. If not for the precarious predicament they had found themselves in, she would have immediately recalled Loki to teach them a lesson. Instead, she bottled up her anger, turning to one of her subordinates and saying, "Inform Surtr. We will have our Ragnarok, one way or another..."
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Contrasting the increasingly chaotic atmosphere outside, the interior of the Sage Dragon's Hearth was comparably tranquil. Most of Vahn's wives and lovers had returned to hear the explanation regarding his designation as a Last Embryo, but none were particularly concerned about it. After all, it was Vahn they were gathering to discuss. Even if he suddenly replaced the Demon Dragon God as the 'Absolute Evil,' they knew it was ultimately just a title thrust upon him by others.
Demonstrating just how little they were concerned by the events taking place outside, the atmosphere within the Sage Dragon's Hearth was like an impromptu reunion. Some of the girls hadn't seen each other for years due to time shenaniganry, so it was an excellent opportunity for them to catch up while Vahn discussed the specifics with the Council of Wives.
Fortunately, while girls like Eva gave Vahn a rather severe chiding, even she couldn't blame him for taking out someone like Zeus. The main reason she and many others were upset was that the rules and restrictions of the Gift Game made it so that they couldn't help him. They were accustomed to Vahn handling things independently, but it was frustrating to know they couldn't help him in any overt manner.
Though he understood the girls' concerns, Vahn was secretly happy with the way things had turned out. Sure, there were a ton of easily exploitable loopholes within the rules established by the Central Network, but a bit of diligence was all it took to counteract them. He still needed to be careful when transitioning into the Inner Gates, but he already had thousands of countermeasures against everything from identity acquisition to existence erasure.
As an extra precaution, Vahn convened with Da Vinci and Will to discuss additional measures while the impromptu reunion took place. He might be supremely confident in his strength, but every single Master he had been blessed with had taught him the importance of never underestimating his foes. Three years of due diligence was a small price to pay for a veritable eternity of security, so Vahn didn't mind putting his nose to the grindstone and focusing on his objectives...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'They're good dogs, Brent...','Hel hath no fury like a woman scorned...','Vahn activated the Cheat Engine 64-bit...')

Chapter 2327: Demonstration