”Go… get… kids…” Deus managed to utter.
Erza got up and rushed to where Zach’s room once was, but everything was destroyed and there was no sign of Zach.
”No… no!” Erza yelled. “It can’t be!”
”Don’t worry, I have got them,” a voice said.
Erza jerked her head to the source of the voice and saw Xie Lua carrying kid Zach and Zoe in her arms. She was flying in the air while flapping her phoenix’s wings.
”I was in the market, buying gifts for Zach’s birthday, and then I sensed massive energy coming here. So I rushed here as soon as possible. I hope I got here on time. Are you okay? Where is master? Is he okay?” Xie Lua asked.
Erza was still shocked by what happened, and she didn’t have the courage to speak, so she pointed her finger at the injured Deus.
Xie Lua followed her gaze and spotted Dues, who was badly injured and missing body parts.
”Master!” Xie Lua yelled.
She landed near Erza and handed her Zach and Zoe before rushing to Deus.
”Master! Are you alright—!” Her eyes widened when she saw Deus was bleeding nonstop at a crazy rate. “Master. Don’t worry, I will get a healer! Please, keep your eyes open and—”
However, before Xie Lua could finish what she was saying, Deus’ body fell apart.
”….!” Young Zach’s face turned pale after seeing that. While the kid Zach and Zoe had passed out due to impact, although they weren’t injured.
”Erza! Get a healer! Do something! Master is… master is…”
Suddenly, the blood stopped flowing out of Deus’ body, instead, it started going back into his body. A few seconds later, Deus’ body started healing, but it wasn’t normal healing.
It was as though the flow of time of his body was reversing and returning to how it was before the meteorite hit him.
Xie Lua was shocked after seeing that, but Deus didn’t look surprised.
”Seriously, stop getting yourself into a situation like this,” an ethereal voice echoed around.
Zach immediately recognized that voice. It belonged to his favorite master— Lyda.
A few seconds later, out of nowhere, Lyda appeared in front of them.
”Lida…?” Zach’s eyes got teary after seeing her.
Deus got up and said, “Thank you, Lyda. You saved me.”
He then rushed to Erza and asked, “Are they okay?”
Erza nodded and said, “Yes. Xie Lua saved them.”
”I see…” Deus sighed in relief and glanced around the area, as though he was looking for something.
”Where is my sword?” he asked.
”I will look for it…”
[Ahahahaha! You mortal! You dare to rebel against the gods!] the malicious voice echoed again.
Deus’ face repeatedly twitched after hearing that voice. He frowned his face and glared at the sky as he said, “You coward! Show yourself!”
[Hahahaha! I can smite you in one snap. You are but a weak pest,] the voice said.
Soon, the air started taking a shape and started pulling in the rays of the sun. A few seconds later, a body was formed that was the incarnation of the sun.
”Who are you? And why did you attack us?” Deus asked.
[You dare to ask my name, mortal?! But I shall let you know since I am going to end you rebels.]
”….”
[My name is Icarus! And I am one of the four Cosmic Gods! I am the Sun God!] he declared.
’Cosmic God?! That’s stronger than my existence!’ Erza uttered inwardly.
”Why did you attack us? I don’t remember ever disrespecting the Cosmic Gods,” Deus asked with a furious look on his face. Seemingly, he was holding back his anger for the sake of the conversation.
’If I can resolve this without fighting, then I don’t mind taking some insults,’ Deus uttered inwardly.
[You wanted to rebel against the heavens, right? You wanted to undo the consequences of the second impact, right? Well, I am not going to let you do that,] Icarus said.
”But why? This has nothing to do with you. You are not part of the heavens, nor is there any connection between the heavenly gods and cosmic gods. So why are you here? I don’t understand.”
[I am here to annihilate the possible threat, that’s all,] Icarus shrugged.
’How does he know that I was going to rebel against the gods? I haven’t told anyone except for my friends whom I asked for help— oh, I see. So someone betrayed me…’
”Who was it?” Deus furrowed his brow and asked, “Who told you about my plan? Who betrayed me?”
[Hah! As if I am going to tell you that.] Icarus raised his hand and said, [Enough talking, now it is time to die!]
”Wait!” Erza yelled. “There is no reason to do this!”
[Hah?] Icarus turned to Erza and said, [Who are you to tell me what—]
Icarus stopped his words when he recognized Erza.
[You…? What are you doing here?!]
”Please, stop this!”
[Shut up!] Icarus raised his brow and looked down on Erza with an arrogant look on his face. Then, he raised his hand and summoned a giant fireball that was made with the sun’s plasma. It was so hot that the surroundings had already started melting, and its light was so bright that it almost blinded Deus and the rest.
Icarus had summoned a Sun in his hand.
[You are just a lower rank god who doesn’t even have her powers anymore. Know your place, you peasant.]
”What the hell did you say?!” Deus uttered in a demonic voice.
[Are you deaf or—] Icarus turned his gaze to Deus, but he was nowhere to be seen.
”How dare you insult my wife, you son of bitch!” Deus appeared from the sky and punched Icarus in the face.
It was the same move Zach had used a couple of times against his enemies.
Icarus was sent back flying, but the plasma ball he had summoned didn’t disappear. It stayed in Icarus’ hand, and it started aggravating after Deus punched him.
Deus glared and pointed his finger at Icarus as he said, “I will burn your fire, you ugly cockroach!”
===
Thanks, @darthkrow13, for the gift!