Klaus arrived at Higher World, his bright yellow eyes opening as the transportation process completed. His gaze swept across the epicenter of the Exalted City as he stepped off the podium.
No matter how many times he came, Klaus never grew tired of admiring the beauty of the city's scenery, even with the eerie absence of people around. He strolled along the quiet walkway, debating whether he should head straight to Sol to resume training or see if he had time to do something else first. As he walked, lost in thought, a voice soon caught his attention.
"Hey, NightShade," Tyler called out from a distance. "It's been a minute."
"Hey, Tyler," Klaus replied calmly. "Haven't seen you since the mural."
"Yeah," Tyler nodded. "Good to see you're in a better mood this time."
"Yeah. You too," Klaus said.
Tyler's expression softened a little. "Well, I try to be," he admitted. "I'm still mostly up here in Higher World than Earth, though."
Klaus paused, surprised by the comment, but he understood. "I always forget how much she meant to you," he said quietly.
"Yeah," Tyler murmured. "She was like a sister to me, as I mentioned. Kind of hard to just move on from that."
"Hey, dorks," a voice suddenly interrupted.
Both Klaus and Tyler turned to see Mia walking toward them.
"You two planning a date or something?" she teased as she approached.
"We're actually talking about how hard life's been after losing someone we cared about," Klaus replied, his expression turning grim.
Mia's confidence cracked as she realized the weight of the conversation. "Oh… uh, I didn't..."
"Yeah," Klaus added with seriousness. "Maybe next time you'll consider that."
Mia froze, visibly guilty, until Tyler suddenly broke into laughter, prompting Klaus to grin widely as well. The moment clicked, and Mia exhaled in relief.
"Okay, I deserved that," she said, a smile of her own forming.
"I'm surprised you're alone," Tyler soon said, turning to Mia. "Thought you'd be with Trent by now."
"So everyone knew about you two before I did?" Klaus asked from the side.
"I'm pretty sure even X knew before you did," Tyler joked.
"Wait... X knows?" Klaus asked, genuinely surprised.
A beat passed. "Really?" Mia said, raising an eyebrow. "You of all people didn't get the joke?"
Klaus's surprise faded. "Fair enough," he muttered.
"Anyway," Mia said, regaining her focus, "that's actually why I'm here. I'm supposed to meet up with Trent. We were supposed to meet my parents today, but I haven't seen him anywhere."
"Wow," Tyler commented. "Maybe he's nervous about it."
"That's what I'm thinking, too," Mia sighed. "But have either of you boys seen him?"
"Not really," Klaus said.
"Same here," Tyler added.
"Well, if you do see him," Mia went on, her voice raising into a mock-warning tone, "tell him he's about to see my bad side if he thinks he can dodge this. And that it's going to take a miracle before I get my parents to reschedule their plans again."
"I'll be sure to pass on the message, with the exact scary tone," Tyler chuckled. "But since he's not around, you wanna hang out with us for a bit?"
"Sure," Mia agreed. "But I won't stay long since I have to get back home soon. Don't want my parents thinking I've vanished or something."
Klaus raised a brow, a thought clicking in his head. "Wait... don't your adoptive parents know you're a demigod?" he asked.
Mia gave a small smile at the question. "Not exactly," she admitted. "It's never really come up. Plus, they already worry about me too much."
Klaus was taken aback by the answer but decided not to push further.
Soon enough, the group walked together in conversation toward the cafeteria, where they met with Iris, Siren, and Ace.
Klaus was glad to see Ace after so long, and even more relieved to see that the demigod was in a better mental state than before.
"Good to see you in good spirits, Ace," Klaus said as they approached.
"Oh, hey, Klaus," Ace replied with a smile upon noticing him. "Yeah, I still get a few nightmares here and there, but nothing too extreme anymore. It's been a whole month, after all."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Klaus added.
"Yeah, and I should thank you for your help that day too," Ace continued. "You really helped with the whole situation. I don't know how I would've handled it without your support."
"It's no problem," Klaus replied. "I'm just happy to help."
"Aww, look at my mijo being so caring," Iris chimed in from the side, placing her palm under Klaus's chin. "So cute."
"Can you not do that?" Klaus said, pulling away with annoyance.
"You know," Ace began, "thinking about how you were on day one compared to now, you really were a pretty apathetic person."
"He still is," Mia added. "Just not as annoying as before."
"Can we not talk about my past?" Klaus muttered with a sigh.
"I kind of liked him that way," Iris teased with a smile. "Teasing him was way more fun."
"Of course you did," Mia responded. "You like anything that breathes and looks good, don't you, Iris?"
"Sí," Iris agreed with a grin before leaning in toward Mia. "And that includes you, mamacita."
Iris leaned in even closer seductively, causing Mia to turn away with a flustered expression.
"Can you not do that?" Mia said, prompting a giggle from Iris.
The group chatted for a while before Klaus eventually decided it was time to go meet with Sol.
After saying his goodbyes, Klaus made his way to the Arena of Valor, where he met with XVII and requested to see his father. Shortly after, a beam of light shone from the sky, and Sol descended.
With his wings retracted, Sol walked up to Klaus. "I was surprised to hear your request to resume training so soon," Sol admitted. "I also expected you to continue under Siege instead."
"I asked Siege to train me because I wanted to learn weapon skills from the god of War himself," Klaus explained. "But... I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer training with you instead."
Sol smiled. "Well then, let us get going," he said.
After a short walk, Klaus and Sol entered the training room. Without delay, they resumed Klaus's training.
Klaus demonstrated what he had learned from Siege, and Sol helped refine the areas that still needed work, especially in defensive technique and general blade handling. Sol also used the opportunity to explain more about Klaus's abilities and how to best maintain the Sol Blade's sharpness and stability during use. Thanks to that, Klaus was able to make the blade even sharper than before, increasing its lethality well beyond that of ordinary weapons.
After nearly an hour, Klaus continued his training under Sol's supervision, practicing his strikes and the use of Absolute Light until fatigue began to set in.
"Your progress brings a smile to my face," Sol said with pride.
"Thanks," Klaus replied. "Though it's kind of annoying not being able to keep going as long as I want because of fatigue."
"Well, that is the unfortunate drawback of your mortal half," Sol explained. "But don't worry... eventually, you will shed and overcome those limitations."
Klaus raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"
"It means that one day, you will become a being composed entirely of divine essence," Sol clarified.
Klaus's eyes widened. "What?" he asked. "Are you saying... that demigods eventually lose their humanity?"
"In a sense," Sol replied. "But it is much more complicated than that. When you were younger, your mortal genes dominated your essence. But as you've grown and experienced moments that required the activation of your divinity, it began to overtake your being. That process will continue until you are fully made divine."
Klaus couldn't believe what he was hearing. No one had ever told him this was even a possibility. "Then what was the point of being mortal in the first place?" he asked.
"Even though you lose your mortality, you still retain your morality," Sol explained. "That was the main reason behind the demigod project eighteen years ago: to allow all of you to grow up as humans so that you would learn to empathize with them. If that had not been the case, like Halo and Horns, you would have all struggled to understand human life, decisions, and emotions."
Sol's reasoning was sound, and Klaus understood it well. It was not too surprising that divine genetics would eventually overpower human ones, but it was not something he had ever assumed to be true. Thinking it over, though, it made a lot of sense when he looked back at his own growth.
Klaus realized that this likely explained how he had broken through previous limitations, like being unable to move at light speed during the day, or surviving higher grades of the Solar Ball without collapsing from exhaustion. Now he understood the reason was that he had gradually shed parts of his mortality, replacing them with divinity, and that change fueled his increasing power.
Sol and Klaus continued their discussion for a few more moments until Sol abruptly paused, going quiet for a brief second. "It seems there will be a meeting among the gods soon," he soon disclosed.
"Oh," Klaus responded, recognizing that Sol had just received a telepathic message. "But would it be okay to finish our training before you leave?"
Sol stayed quiet for a moment, clearly thinking. "How about this instead," he began, "after this brief session, we will have a sparring match so that I can assess your progress."
"A sparring session?" Klaus asked. "With you?"
"Do not worry," Sol said with a smile. "I will suppress my power significantly to make the session worthwhile."
Klaus thought for a moment. "Well, then I don't see why not," he agreed.
Klaus had never considered sparring with his father before, but the idea intrigued him, especially since Sol would be lowering his strength, giving Klaus a real chance.
He and Sol continued their training for a bit longer until their attention was suddenly drawn by a beam of light shining down from the sky. The two turned just in time to see a figure descending from above. When the figure landed and stood upright, the father and son saw that it was Siege, standing tall with his gaze fixed on them.
"So you were here after all," Siege said to Sol, his voice firm as always.
"What brings you here, Siege?" Sol asked.
"I assume you heard about the urgent meeting that has been called," Siege replied. "On my way there, I figured I'd see where you were to regroup."
"Oh," Sol acknowledged. "What about Abyss?"
"He is training his offspring as well," Siege explained. "He said he will meet up with us when they are finished."
Klaus was surprised to see this side of Siege; the side that clearly cared about others. He could sense the genuine camaraderie between the three gods, and he couldn't help but respect it.
"We are just about finished here, too," Sol said to Siege. "But we were about to spar."
Siege looked at Klaus, then turned back to Sol. "You want to spar with him?" he asked, confused.
Sol chuckled. "I plan to reduce my power to match his level," he explained. "It will help him understand the kind of battles that occur among deities, and it will also help me evaluate how far he's come."
Siege didn't respond at first, then shrugged with little enthusiasm. He walked to the side, folded his arms, and faced them again. "Well then," he said, "make sure to entertain me."
Sol smiled and turned to Klaus. "Shall we begin?" he asked.
Klaus gave a nod and stood upright, ready for the spar to begin. Sol began to glow faintly, an indication that he was adjusting his divine energy, likely suppressing it. Moments later, he stood prepared.
Klaus and Sol stood facing one another, the silence between them a sign of their growing focus. Then, at last, Sol gave the signal to begin. Klaus moved instantly, closing the distance and charging toward Sol at high speed.
Klaus threw a punch, an attack Sol dodged effortlessly. He followed up with more strikes, each one forceful and fast, but Sol continued to evade them with precision, his eyes sharp and steady. Though Sol had clearly lowered his divine pressure, he still avoided the attacks with relative ease.
Their exchange continued until Sol finally moved to offense, swinging his left fist horizontally toward Klaus's head, the height difference between them making it an easy angle.
Klaus spotted the attack late, but his Perfect Precognition activated in time to warn him. He also perceived the movement at the speed of light, but considering Sol was the god of Light, his attack moved at the same speed as well. Still, Klaus managed to lean back just in time to dodge the blow, before choosing to create space between them again.
Klaus held his stance, while Sol lowered his own, eyes locked onto Klaus with a neutral expression. "Do not give your opponent any openings to assess their actions as soon as they make a move," Sol advised. "You should aim to counterattack the moment they switch to offense. That is when most are at their most vulnerable."
Klaus nodded and quickly dashed back into the fight.
Siege watched silently as Klaus and Sol exchanged blows. Sol clearly maintained a more defensive approach, but his concentration remained sharp regardless. And the same was true for Klaus.
Eventually, Sol landed a solid hit on Klaus, forcing him to stumble back. Sol, however, didn't hesitate; he closed the distance immediately and followed up with another powerful strike.
Realizing the attack might be too fast to dodge, Klaus activated his Phantasmal State ability. However, despite in that state, Sol's punch connected squarely with Klaus's chest, sending him flying back several meters with great force.
Klaus nearly lost his balance, the hit landing harder than expected. Once he'd regained his footing, a stunned look spread across his face.
"How is that possible?" he thought. "I'm sure I activated it."
But before Klaus could dwell on the question, Sol had already closed the gap. He launched a series of attacks, forcing Klaus to shift into a defensive posture. As the strikes kept coming, Sol noticed Klaus was beginning to panic.
"Control your breathing," Sol said calmly, his pace unbroken. "You cannot afford to panic when defending."
Sol's advice helped Klaus re-center himself. He inhaled deeply and began to dodge more precisely, staying alert for an opportunity. Then, finally, it came.
Just as Sol threw a punch, Klaus countered with a precise left hook before Sol raised his right forearm to block the blow.
A smile appeared on Sol's face. "Excellent," he praised. "More of that."
Klaus and Sol resumed their back-and-forth, swinging strikes and switching between defense and offense as Siege observed silently.
"Seems you're not completely useless," Siege muttered to himself, slightly impressed by Klaus's focus and improvement.
Moments later, Sol gave Klaus a curious look. After dodging another punch, he kicked Klaus away to create space, then took the opportunity to speak.
"Why do you not use your abilities?" Sol asked.
Klaus relaxed his stance slightly. "I'm trying to conserve stamina," he explained.
"I understand that thought," Sol replied, "but what you're doing is not optimal. If you wait too long to use your powers, you may end up not getting the chance to use them at all. Also, relying on them after fatigue sets in is not a wise approach."
Sol's words made perfect sense. There was no use saving his abilities for later if that period never came.
"I understand," Klaus responded, returning to his stance and charging back into the fight.
After trading a few punches, Klaus extended his left hand and formed a Solar Ball in his palm. He swung the attack at Sol, aiming to connect. But Sol dodged it with ease.
Klaus knew it wouldn't be easy to hit a being like Sol, so he came up with another strategy. He created distance again and stretched out both arms, summoning another Solar Ball in his right hand. Holding one in each hand, he increased their density and hurled them from opposite sides.
He then rushed Sol again, throwing a devastating left hook. Sol evaded it, continuing to dodge Klaus's follow-up strikes. But his focus briefly shifted, noticing that the Solar Balls were now rapidly closing in on him from both sides.
Klaus kept the pressure on, trying to overwhelm Sol with his assault and the orbs of light.
"Impressive," Sol said with a smile, recognizing the tactic.
However, as the Solar Balls drew closer, Sol created space between himself and Klaus. Then, to Klaus's shock, Sol extended both arms and caught the two orbs of light.
Klaus, expecting the explosion, had already begun stepping back, but he soon realized that nothing had happened. He watched in bewilderment as Sol held both glowing spheres without harm. The sight caught him off guard, leaving him open for Sol to seize the moment.
Moving forward, Sol struck both Solar Balls into Klaus's chest, and the moment they made contact with Klaus's clothing, they detonated.
The explosion sent Klaus flying a considerable distance, the force as devastating as they appeared. The blast unleashed a blinding light, though neither Sol, Siege, nor Klaus was affected by it due to their natural resistance.
"Amateur," Siege said with a scoff, arms folded as he watched.
Klaus hit the ground hard, his pain obvious. The front half of his shirt had been blown apart by the blast, but despite the damage, he forced himself to stand. His body ached, and confusion filled his mind, but slowly, realization set in.
Sol, like Klaus, was a being that embodied light. That was how he had held the Solar Balls without triggering them, and also why he had managed to strike Klaus even through his Phantasmal State. Klaus had assumed he hadn't activated the ability properly, but now it made sense.
As he stood, Klaus understood: this was a terrible matchup for him. But that didn't mean he was going to back down.
"Your hesitation cost you," Sol said firmly. "Never be caught off guard, even when the unexpected happens."
Without delay, Klaus rushed back into the battle.
Time passed as the two continued their sparring. Suddenly, a sound echoed through the room, followed by the opening of the portal-like door leading into the training chamber. Moments later, Abyss and Shade stepped inside.
They watched silently as Sol and Klaus remained locked in combat, neither of them reacting to the arrival of their spectators. Shade walked forward beside his father.
"Wow," Shade remarked as he approached. "They're really going at it."
"Indeed," Abyss replied with a small smile. "Your brother is truly formidable."
Shade smiled at his father's words about Klaus. "Yeah. Maybe I should spar with him too after this," he suggested.
"That would be an interesting match," Abyss said. "Though I'd like to see how your training has paid off, so it would have to wait until after the meeting."
"That's fine," Shade said, eyes following Klaus as he and Sol moved at blinding speeds.
Klaus moved fluidly between offense and defense, pushing himself against his father's overwhelming strength. He knew many of his powers were ineffective against Sol due to their shared nature, but he still gave it his all.
Soon, Klaus stepped back and quickly formed a Solar Ball over his left hand. He raised it above his head and increased its power to second grade, then quickly to third grade. The bright, massive sphere hovered overhead for a moment, and Klaus exhaled once before throwing it at Sol with force.
As the light drew near, Sol smiled, raising his left hand and swatting the orb aside with ease. It flew away at incredible speed across the endless, white expanse of the training space. But when Sol turned back to Klaus, he found that his son had already closed the distance.
Now wielding the Sol Blade in his left hand, Klaus crouched in front of his father, eyes full of focus. He had used the Solar Ball as a distraction, masking the process of summoning the Sol Blade and using the moment to rush forward, all within the brief moment his attack traveled.
Sol was impressed. Though surprised by Klaus's tactic, he wasn't caught off guard. With a wave of his right hand, Sol conjured a radiant barrier made entirely of Absolute Light, shielding himself and blocking the incoming blow.
After creating some space, Sol dismissed the barrier, but Klaus didn't slow down. He continued to strike with the Sol Blade, his movements graceful and precise.
Shade was taken aback, not just by how skillfully Klaus wielded the Sol Blade, but by seeing the weapon for the first time. Klaus had mentioned it during their time on Earth, but witnessing it firsthand was different. It was clear Siege's training had shaped Klaus into a skilled swordsman.
Klaus's attacks grew more aggressive, his frustration starting to show. Sol noticed and offered calm guidance. "Center yourself," he said, easily dodging each strike. "The more frustrated you get, the more mistakes you make. I have already seen seventeen openings and errors."
"I told him about all that," Siege muttered irritably to Abyss, his eyes still locked on the fight. "Yet he still cannot control his emotions."
"He is human, after all," Abyss replied. "Do not hold their imperfections against them."
As Sol continued to dodge, he finally glanced to the side and acknowledged Abyss and Shade's presence. At that moment, Klaus swung the Sol Blade upward, attempting to land a strike. Yet with precision, Sol grabbed onto the blade mid-swing, holding it in place before delivering a swift left hook to Klaus's jaw, sending him flying and disarming him in the process.
Klaus flew through the air at high speed, but before he could continue further, Sol appeared behind him and blocked his momentum, stopping him gently.
"Are you alright?" Sol asked, still holding the Sol Blade in his right hand.
Everything had happened so fast that Klaus took a moment to respond. "Y-Yeah," he said through shallow breaths.
"I think we should end the session here," Sol said, letting go of Klaus and stepping in front of him.
Klaus's face shifted, clearly disappointed as he dematerialized the Sol Blade. He hadn't landed a single hit, though it wasn't entirely unexpected. Sol was a god who had eons of experience, and Klaus already knew he was outmatched. Still, being thoroughly outclassed stung regardless.
"You did well, Klaus," Sol reassured him, sensing his frustration. "I could have continued, but the meeting is seemingly of great importance, and we have already spent quite some time here."
"That's… fine," Klaus said quietly.
He looked down at his shredded shirt, then glanced back at Sol. "By the way…" he began.
Sol followed his gaze and nodded knowingly. "Ah, of course," he said, raising his hand.
On Sol's command, Klaus's torn shirt began to repair itself, restoring to the simple black T-shirt he wore before the fight. But Sol didn't stop there. Keeping his hand raised, he seemed to think for a moment before continuing. Then, a long, high-quality black trench coat materialized over Klaus's shirt, buttons open and reaching down to his knees.
Klaus looked down in surprise and raised a brow. "A trench coat?" he questioned.
"It gives you a more distinguished look, does it not?" Sol replied.
"It does suit you, though," Shade added from afar as he approached.
Klaus soon let out a sigh, deciding not to argue. "I guess," he muttered, accepting his father's fashion choice.
Sol smiled at Klaus before suddenly exhaling. At first, it seemed like a minor gesture, but Klaus noticed the shift in expression from Siege and Abyss as they reacted to Sol's breath. That was when Klaus began to realize something was off.
"I didn't know gods could exhale like that," Klaus said with mild confusion.
Sol acknowledged what he'd done, as well as the reactions from the other gods. "It seems I forgot to revert my power to normal," he admitted. "Honestly, the effort you pushed me to was more than I expected, especially while juggling my constant responsibilities involving reality."
He smiled again and placed a hand on Klaus's shoulder. "I may have underestimated how capable you really are," he added. "Well done."
Siege and Abyss exchanged a glance before stepping closer.
"Is everything alright?" Abyss asked gently. "That should not have been possible without Ouroboros."
"It's fine," Sol assured him. "As I mentioned, I had reduced my divine presence during the spar."
"Oh," Abyss said, nodding. "That makes sense. You had me concerned."
"Regardless," Siege interjected, "we have a meeting to get to."
"About that," Shade suddenly chimed in from the side, "would it be alright if Klaus and I joined the meeting?"
The gods turned toward Shade.
"Are you insane?" Siege asked, clearly surprised.
"It's fine, Siege," Abyss said. "It could be a valuable learning experience for them."
"You want them present for everything we are going to discuss?" Siege asked, baffled by Abyss's agreement.
"It is not like we have anything left to hide," Sol added, showing no objection to the idea.
Seeing that Sol and Abyss were both in agreement, Siege realized he was outvoted. He sighed in annoyance. "Whatever," he muttered. "Let us just go before Zenith nags about our delay."
Siege extended his wings and swiftly flew off. Sol and Abyss exchanged a knowing smile before following his actions, disappearing into thin air after advising the demigods to regroup with them at their domain.
Klaus and Shade soon transported to the domain of the gods shortly after and reunited with the gods. As they made their way toward the meeting room, Sol gave Klaus a few more tips on managing his frustration in battle.
As they walked, Klaus and Shade also caught up, discussing the progress each had made over the past few days. They were both impressed with how far the other had come.
Eventually, they arrived at the meeting room.
Klaus and Shade followed behind the gods, chatting briefly. But as Klaus stepped into the room, something strange hit him; something... overwhelming. He turned his head from Shade and looked ahead, his eyes widening in disbelief; perhaps the greatest shock he had ever experienced.
Klaus stood frozen, as did Shade, Siege, Sol, and Abyss, all staring at the sight before them: countless golden statues filling the gods' meeting chamber.
Klaus was momentarily confused, but as he examined the statues more closely, he noticed something unsettling. Each statue resembled one of the other gods, excluding Sol, Siege, and Abyss, and their expressions were frozen in either fear or agony.
His heart began to race. The realization began to settle in: these weren't just statues. They might have actually been the gods themselves. The thought swirled in his head, surreal and disorienting. But then he noticed something else. At the far end of the massive meeting table that dominated the room stood three armored figures, each towering at about eight feet tall.
The white, endless expanse of the room mirrored the training areas Klaus was familiar with, but that was far from his concern now; his focus was on the three figures. Upon a single glance, he could tell that these figures were clearly gods, as indicated by the folded wings on their backs. Yet none of them were familiar to Klaus.
One of them stood slightly ahead of the others. He had light blue, medium-length, curly hair and wore shining silver armor. The stranger had a cold smile stretched across his face after he noticed the group entering the room.
"Looks like the last batch has arrived, Father," the stranger said, his tone matching the chill of his smile.
Klaus's heart pounded even harder as his gaze shifted from these unknown gods to something--or someone--else; the being that had just been addressed.
At the head of the massive table lay another golden statue, this one flat on its back. As Klaus focused, he recognized the statue's identity: it was Zenith. But what drew even more attention was the pair of feet resting atop the statue, feet belonging to a figure seated at the head of the table.
Klaus examined this new figure. Their exact height was unclear due to their seated posture away from him, but they were undeniably inhuman. This being wore armor too, but the color was strange; black, yet not quite. It was a color that seemed incomprehensible, as though it defied existence. The being's expression radiated quiet confidence, and in that moment, Klaus knew the truth; everything that had happened in that room was because of him.
And as Klaus pieced it all together--from the seemingly petrified gods, to the three estranged ones standing tall, to the being who sat majestically at the head of the table--it all felt unreal. But there was one thing he understood without a doubt: the truth.
The End had been freed.