Izanagi asked, deathly afraid of what the answer would be.
With a lecturing index finger, Awashima answered, “Oh, don’t worry. You two needn’t do anything. In fact, the only way this will work is if you don’t do anything. You see, we have assembled an audience today and positioned them over this very special mass of Big Bang energy. Surely you recognize the Ultimus Point below?” The spouses nodded. “Yes, well, this deposit of primordial power has the potential to turn select people into gods. Normally, it takes years of distant exposure, and only those with the correct DNA get to become gods. But when you jump right into it, surprising things can happen. We’re going to command our worshippers to do just that, and you mustn’t interfere.”
“No!” Izanagi yelled.
“Don’t do it! You will die,” his wife yelled to the audience.
But Hiruko said, “You’re wasting your time. These Faustians are fiercely loyal to us, and for the chance to become gods—and please us in the process—they’ll do anything.”
Izanagi balled a fist. “We won’t let you do this.”
Awashima gave a condescending smile. She was enjoying this too much. “Oh? I was under the impression you wanted us to be a family. Allow this to happen, and we swear we’ll leave Zero Grade and come over to your side. It will be everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“After all,” her brother added, “what are the lives of mortals compared to the happiness of gods?”
“Mortal lives matter just as much as gods’,” Izanami insisted.
“Your choices are simple. Either allow this to happen, or fight us and risk many more innocent lives. This close to the Ultimus Point, who knows what will happen?”
Izanagi’s hand went limp. Like it or not, he was giving his assent. He stared into his wife’s pleading eyes; they were just as conflicted and wracked with guilt as his.
“We cannot let this happen,” she said.
He just shook his head, unsure of what to do. No matter what they did, someone was going to die here.
Chapter VIII
“I take it you’ve agreed to our terms,” Hiruko said. “Very well.” He pointed to a man sitting closest to him. “Jump.”
“For our Holy Lords,” he said. Without any hesitation, he leapt over the railing and into the Ultimus Point. Izanagi expected him to fall quietly, but a piercing scream filled the chasm. It was twisted with pure agony, a macabre sign something had gone horribly wrong.
“I guess the energy doesn’t like him,” Awashima said with a shrug.
Izanagi couldn’t take it anymore. “Enough of this!” he roared.
“Are you saying you’d rather fight us to the death?” Hiruko said. It didn’t seem to matter one way or another to him.
“I will not let you sacrifice anyone else, even if I have to stop you by force.”
“You bore me, Otou-san ,” Hiruko said. He pointed to the next person. “Jump.”
Just as quickly, the woman got up from her seat and jumped the railing. But she reappeared a split-second later in front of the stairs thanks to Izanagi’s god-speed.
“Why?” she asked him.
“You must not share the fate of the man before you,” he said simply. He then turned his attention to the remaining audience members. “Listen to me! We are not perfect. We make mistakes, and what you are witnessing today are some of our largest mistakes. Go home and find other gods to worship.”
But Awashima raised a palm to the worshippers. An orange ball of fire engulfed them, and they were incinerated instantly. “How disappointing. I was hoping we’d bolster our numbers with new recruits. Oh, well. At least we got to punish our thoughtless
With a lecturing index finger, Awashima answered, “Oh, don’t worry. You two needn’t do anything. In fact, the only way this will work is if you don’t do anything. You see, we have assembled an audience today and positioned them over this very special mass of Big Bang energy. Surely you recognize the Ultimus Point below?” The spouses nodded. “Yes, well, this deposit of primordial power has the potential to turn select people into gods. Normally, it takes years of distant exposure, and only those with the correct DNA get to become gods. But when you jump right into it, surprising things can happen. We’re going to command our worshippers to do just that, and you mustn’t interfere.”
“No!” Izanagi yelled.
“Don’t do it! You will die,” his wife yelled to the audience.
But Hiruko said, “You’re wasting your time. These Faustians are fiercely loyal to us, and for the chance to become gods—and please us in the process—they’ll do anything.”
Izanagi balled a fist. “We won’t let you do this.”
Awashima gave a condescending smile. She was enjoying this too much. “Oh? I was under the impression you wanted us to be a family. Allow this to happen, and we swear we’ll leave Zero Grade and come over to your side. It will be everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“After all,” her brother added, “what are the lives of mortals compared to the happiness of gods?”
“Mortal lives matter just as much as gods’,” Izanami insisted.
“Your choices are simple. Either allow this to happen, or fight us and risk many more innocent lives. This close to the Ultimus Point, who knows what will happen?”
Izanagi’s hand went limp. Like it or not, he was giving his assent. He stared into his wife’s pleading eyes; they were just as conflicted and wracked with guilt as his.
“We cannot let this happen,” she said.
He just shook his head, unsure of what to do. No matter what they did, someone was going to die here.
Chapter VIII
“I take it you’ve agreed to our terms,” Hiruko said. “Very well.” He pointed to a man sitting closest to him. “Jump.”
“For our Holy Lords,” he said. Without any hesitation, he leapt over the railing and into the Ultimus Point. Izanagi expected him to fall quietly, but a piercing scream filled the chasm. It was twisted with pure agony, a macabre sign something had gone horribly wrong.
“I guess the energy doesn’t like him,” Awashima said with a shrug.
Izanagi couldn’t take it anymore. “Enough of this!” he roared.
“Are you saying you’d rather fight us to the death?” Hiruko said. It didn’t seem to matter one way or another to him.
“I will not let you sacrifice anyone else, even if I have to stop you by force.”
“You bore me, Otou-san ,” Hiruko said. He pointed to the next person. “Jump.”
Just as quickly, the woman got up from her seat and jumped the railing. But she reappeared a split-second later in front of the stairs thanks to Izanagi’s god-speed.
“Why?” she asked him.
“You must not share the fate of the man before you,” he said simply. He then turned his attention to the remaining audience members. “Listen to me! We are not perfect. We make mistakes, and what you are witnessing today are some of our largest mistakes. Go home and find other gods to worship.”
But Awashima raised a palm to the worshippers. An orange ball of fire engulfed them, and they were incinerated instantly. “How disappointing. I was hoping we’d bolster our numbers with new recruits. Oh, well. At least we got to punish our thoughtless
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