CHAPTER 957: ASCENSION AND ABSENCE

When Orion returned to the Dusk Continent, the war on the Kasenna Sea was more or less over.

That wasn’t entirely accurate. A truce had been called between the top-tier powerhouses—the demigods, arch lords, and lords—but below that level, the grunts were still fighting and dying all across the sea.

The low-tier skirmishes continued because while the dragons’ leadership had withdrawn, the dragon flights had not surrendered.

They couldn’t. None of their six demigods had truly died; the beings that were shattered in the fighting had only been their phantoms. The reality was that four of the six had been critically wounded, making another full-scale war impossible for the foreseeable future.

Sensing the state of the continent, Orion teleported directly to the location of Leonidas’s coastal keep.

"Where are my bros, Leonidas and Alexander?"

Orion appeared beside Isabella. She had shed her knight’s armor for a flowing dress of violet and gold and was lounging lazily on a beach chair, soaking in the sun.

He looked down at her, his vantage point offering a clear view of the curves of her body and her exquisitely sculpted face.

"You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?" Isabella opened one eye, peering up at him. "And have you had your fill of staring?"

She deliberately arched her back slightly, a move that was equal parts seduction and mockery.

"Or were you hoping for a hands-on tour?"

Orion glanced away from the view without comment and walked over to where Makareth was sitting. Makareth had already gotten up and dragged Orion’s usual lounge chair next to his own.

Orion didn’t hesitate, offering a quick "Thanks" before sinking into it.

"The bros aren’t back yet?" he asked.

"Don’t know. Isabella and I haven’t seen them since we got back."

"And Kraken?"

"Over there." Makareth pointed to a large glass tank nearby. Inside, a mass of what looked like spongey tissue pulsed faintly.

Orion blinked. He’d completely missed it. He hadn’t even registered that the lump of flesh was, in fact, Kraken.

"Barnacle is in a deep slumber," Makareth said, his voice grim. "The Deputy Commander’s storm avatar brought him back. Bro, what the hell did you guys go through? They beat an arch lord like Barnacle into... that."

Orion shook his head. He had no idea what had happened to Kraken. He, Leonidas, and Alexander hadn’t been part of the arch lord battles.

"He was jumped by three arch lords," a new voice said. "They almost trapped and killed him."

Alexander’s form materialized next to the beach chairs. Orion and Makareth shot upright. Even Isabella sauntered over from her spot, her movements possessing a feline grace.

"I’m surprised you made it out in one piece," Orion said, staring at Alexander, his shock plain on his face. "Bro... did you ascend to demigod? How long was I in the Slaughter Space?"

Alexander rolled his eyes. "You say that like going into a coma is a requirement. My situation is... different. I don’t need the slumber. You were only in the Slaughter Space for three days longer than we were."

The mention of the Slaughter Space made Orion realize with a jolt that someone was missing.

"Where’s Leonidas? He’s not out yet?"

Orion refused to believe that Leonidas didn’t have the power to kill a demigod phantom. In the entire Champions Alliance, besides Arthas, he knew Leonidas best. The man was a total goofball most of the time, always laughing and joking around, but when it mattered, he was solid.

"Leonidas lost his avatar in the Slaughter Space," Alexander said quietly. "But his enemy didn’t walk out, either. He’s in a deep slumber now. He’ll be out of commission for a long, long time."

At first, Orion felt a surge of pride. But a moment later, the joy on his face was replaced by a bitter cocktail of loneliness and envy.

From now on, in the arch lord tier of the Champions Alliance, it was just him and the comatose Kraken. Arch lords and demigods... they just didn’t run in the same circles.

Orion finally understood how Leonidas must have felt when Arthas went into his own slumber. It was a sour, complicated feeling. Envy, jealousy, and a burning frustration—not at anyone else, but at himself for not being strong enough, for not pushing harder.

"Since you’re back, you’re in charge of the battlefield," Alexander stated. "The Deputy Commander and the skeleton are in seclusion to recover. I’ll be doing the same for a while."

With that, Alexander’s form vanished.

"Sir Alexander, wait, I still..." Isabella started, but he was gone before she could finish her question.

Orion just shrugged. He walked over to the glass tank where Kraken was regenerating and spoke softly.

"Well, Kraken, looks like it’s just you and me now, buddy. Can’t count on these other bros. They leveled up without us."

His monologue went unnoticed. Isabella was staring, stunned, at the spot where Alexander had disappeared.

The same Alexander I used to idolize as a kid... he’s a demigod now? That was a level of power infinitely greater than even her own father. It felt unreal, like her world had been turned upside down. She had never, ever imagined that one day she would have the backing of a demigod.

Makareth, meanwhile, was rummaging through his things. He seemed the most normal of them all as he pulled out a storage pouch and shoved it into Orion’s hands.

"Big boss, I’ve got some good stuff for you!" he said, too excited to even call him ’bro.’ "It’s full of dragon corpses. The Deputy Commander sent over some of the big ones, too."

Orion peeked into the pouch. The "big ones" were several arch lord-level dragons. Three of them had been bisected by a single, clean sword stroke.

"The Dragon Crucible is still under construction," Orion said, looking up. "I’ll let you know when it’s ready."

"Awesome! We’ll be waiting for the good news, Big boss!"

After stowing the pouch, Orion lay back down on the beach chair and closed his eyes, his mind racing.

In Stoneheart City, within the Titanion Realm, Orion opened his eyes on the throne. A flicker of raw hunger flashed within them.

His bros, Alexander and Leonidas, had both ascended to demigod, one right after the other. Having it happen to those closest to him hit Orion hard. It was more than just envy or jealousy. It was like a shot of pure, uncut motivation, a jolt that was both exhilarating and agonizingly urgent.

Never before had Orion felt such a desperate need to reach for the demigod realm. He had to evolve.

I will become a demigod, he vowed to himself. I will...

As he was psyching himself up, the sound of his adopted daughter Elara’s happy giggles echoed from the square outside the palace, punctuated by the playful roars of two young dragons.

Shit, I almost forgot. Today is the day of Elara’s celebration.

Orion rose from the throne and strode out of the palace.

In a gazebo on the east side of the palace grounds, he appeared beside Sylvana and wrapped his arms around her as she gazed out at the festivities in the square.

"What are you thinking about?" he murmured.

Recognizing his familiar scent, Sylvana didn’t resist, leaning back against his shoulder.