1079 Hel's...Love
Watching Fenrir was interesting. The great wolf was excited like a little puppy and showed that quite clearly. He jumped through the Slipstream portal the moment it opened and traveled across the planetary systems like he had never seen them. In fact, that might be true. Fenrir had been sealed so long, he must have missed the creation of countless galaxies.
But while Michael let Fenrir play around, Jormungandr and Hel waited patiently. To be precise, Hel was the only patient one, whereas Jormungandr couldn't wait to reunite with his children. Michael released the seals on the other Curses via the Expanse System and observed the return of more than a dozen Beast Gods. He sighed, deeply looking at a crimson and an ocean-blue serpent, and glanced at Jormungandr. The serpents looked around, and one of them charged at a nearby dragon. The Calamity Dragon, a black dragon with enough Essence to trample the serpents, was their target. Their fangs were about to tear into the Calamity Dragon as it regained its composure – it had been sealed away the longest – but Michael was faster.
He conjured two Imperial Barriers right before the serpents. Their snouts crashed into the Imperia Barriers and were nearly crushed if Michael hadn't weakened the Imperial Barriers after a second.
The serpent duo hissed in pain while the Calamity Dragon's head flicked to them. The Calamity Dragon's pitch-black eyes flickered eerily, and it gathered void flames in its maw, ready to kill the serpents without hesitation.
"I know you're angry, but how about you leave them alive? Consider it as good advice from someone who has given you a second chance at life." Michael commented lightly when he teleported in front of the Calamity Dragon.
"Who are you, puny creature? Why do you smell like the Will?" The Calamity Dragon's hoarse voice roared through the void.
"The Will is no more. I took on his job. That's why you're free now."
"What if I never wanted to be freed?" Michael shrugged. He didn't care.
"I can seal you again. I couldn't care less about you. If you don't want to stay alive, I might as well kill you."
The Calamity Dragon released the void flames upon Michael, who devoured them with the Wolf Divinity. His Divinities were still as strong as before. Even if the God Curses weren't with him anymore, their powers certainly were. In fact, he was stronger than ever, given the pristine Essence fueling the Wolf Divinity.
The void flames dispersed as Michael consumed the power of the void within them. He stored them in the storage he'd recreated when he decided to return the World Serpent's freedom.
Maybe the Void was going to be useful in the fight with the Primal.
"I know what you've done and that you deserve to be sealed in here. However, I also know that the eons must have been hard on you. You were sealed in the void not even a thousand years after the Massacre of the Beginning. The Primal must have been harsh on you and your beloved. Still, you are alive. Don't you seek revenge?" The Calamity Dragon roared.
"I don't care about the Primal."
Michael raised an eyebrow, "What do you care about then?"
"I don't care about anything! All I want is the calamity!" The Calamity Dragon roared.
A heavy sigh escaped Michael's lips, and he considered killing the Calamity Dragon on the spot. That would certainly be less annoying and time-consuming than leaving the Calamity Dragon alive. However, Hel stopped him.
"Can I take him?" Hel asked, a tinge of interest flashing through her eyes. "What do you want to do with him?" "Tame him, or something like that," Hel shrugged, "He is a challenge, and I like challenges."
Michael was unsure what to think about that, but he kept his lips sealed when Hel added,
"He is rather cute as well. I like his presence."
Michael's lips parted, but he shut them after a second. It might be better to keep his mouth shut before he would utter something stupid. But seriously? She fell in love with the Calamity Dragon? Or was she only interesting? One way or another…this promised to be interesting.
"Take care of him if you think you can handle him. If he does something stupid, beat him up. Tell me if he is too strong for you to handle. I will sever a limb or two and only regrow when he behaves properly," Michael responded.
Hel smiled at Michael, but it wasn't a kind smile. Quite the contrary, he felt Mel's smile was devious and sadistic. Somehow, he pitied the Calamity Dragon, who didn'T seem to realize what was happening.
"I'm not some sort of pet. Fuck off!" He roared, but Hel had already indicated to him to create a Slipstream portal. Death gushed from Hel, pushing the Calamity Dragon out of the void. "That was weird," Michael murmured, turning to the other Beast Gods.
"I don't really have a lot to say. I'm giving you a second chance because Jormungandr asked me to. I don't believe everyone has changed for the better, but I surely hope there won't be a need for me to meet you guys again. Please behave properly, and don't start annihilating entire planetary systems and civilizations again. Not without reason, at least."
Michael shrugged, "Do as you please but don't stir any trouble. I don't like trouble!"
He would be busy with the Primal and couldn't afford to mess with the Beast Gods. Most Beast Gods didn't say anything and disappeared through the Slipstream portals that appeared near them, but Jormungandr's children stayed behind. They hissed at Michael and were ready to attack until the World Serpent intervened with his Power Authority. He crushed the presence of the two massive serpents and roared at them, unleashing the myriad of emotions he had been accumulating for who knows how long.
Impressive.
Michael watched the serpents for a while but decided to let them be after throwing them into a massive Slipstream portal. He hurled it at the serpents and shoved them into a near-empty planetary system filled with dead stars. Jormungandr's lectures could start there, where they could inflict the least damage.
"Now that this is done…let's take care of the factories."