Miriam didn’t respond to my comment though, her expression suddenly serious as Gabriel finally came within range to speak. I wasn’t trying to reach out with my mind myself, since I could just hear his words echo in her head, like we were on a conference call.
But his urgent tone definitely had our attention.
‘Sis, we’ve got a major problem.’
Chapter 9: Stalemate
Gabriel was flying extremely fast – like, ridiculously fast. I mean, not as rapid as what I was capable of using my special means of travel, but still quick. So, by the time he was within speaking range, he was basically stopping right in front of us only a few moments later, with the three of us meeting just above the white clouds below.
It was the same alarming rate that had allowed Ragnarok to get the drop on us the first time – the same day Amelia saved me with her telekinesis.
Gabriel’s tan skin and white hair were the same shades as Jericho’s, though unlike her, his hair was sharply contrasted against his black horns and wings, not to mention his eyes were gold. However, I immediately tucked that thought away when I saw how Miriam was reacting to me comparing her brother to Jericho, of all people, considering I had met Gabriel first.
But in a weird way, it felt like I was meeting him all over again, for the first time. After all, I had yet to meet him while being a demon.
However, unfortunately, the urgency of his news didn’t leave room for a greeting, with him instead just treating me like we already knew each other, his gaze shifting between us both as he spoke out loud in their foreign language.
“Ragnarok is out of control. He’s basically just doing whatever he wants now, trying to bend our laws to fit his own desires.”
“What is he doing?” Miriam asked seriously, her expression intense.
“He’s harmed a number of our people in his rage, and he’s even randomly taken some hostage, just so he can torture them. All in the name of justice, in his head! Just to have someone to take his rage out on!”
“Outrageous!” Miriam exclaimed, the foreign word actually being a curse. “Why hasn’t father intervened?”
“You know the alliance between them has always been precarious. He and Enkidu both have expressed their displeasure, but if it comes to a fight – if they have to use force – then you know what that’ll mean. They’ll involve all of our people, not just the three of them. It’s basically either let a few suffer, or else invoke a war that may result in massive losses.”
I finally chimed in. “Not to mention, your father mentioned there was someone who would kill me if I killed Ragnarok. Someone much more powerful than us. And that punishment might count for the Originals too.”
Gabriel knew what I was talking about, but Miriam looked at me in confusion, since I had avoided showing her the whole fight. Only now did she see the recollection of Gilgamesh’s words from both of our perspectives – even after all this time, the three Originals had rarely spoken of a creature who was more powerful than them.
She finally replied, directing her words at her brother while still looking at me. “You think father means the one who created them?” she wondered.
Gabriel shrugged, prompting her to finally meet his gaze. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Very likely though. I don’t see why anyone, or anything, else would care enough. If I had to guess, the being who made them views them as their children – creations they would seek revenge for if any of them were killed.”
“Some kind of alien?” I wondered. “Or some kind of god, even? There’s no way it’s like the God, right?”
“I don’t know,” he repeated. “They’ve never shared. But I came to warn you both. It’s best if you don’t return home for a while. If you do, I have little doubt a war would start right then and there.”
Miriam tightened her embrace around my side as we all fell silent and pensive, all of us considering the weight of the situation.
I didn’t like this at all.
I didn’t want strangers to suffer on my behalf, because of something I’d done. But at the same time, I could only see one way to stop this atrocity from continuing – kill Ragnarok. It would solve everything.
Miriam’s grip tightened even more, swinging herself partially in front of me as she looked up urgently. “Michael! You can’t! I can’t lose you!”
“But can you stomach this?” I whispered. “Letting your people suffer just to appease his wrath? He’s a monster. A true monster, even to your own kind.”
Her eyes tightened as she looked away.
Gabriel spoke up. “Honestly, even just a few days ago, I had assumed I would at least be a match for him, but I had no idea he could produce such power. At this point, there very well may only be three people who can defeat him. Our father, Gilgamesh, along with Enkidu…and then, you, Michael.”
“No,” Miriam whispered again, resting her forehead just underneath my chin, her midnight horns poking into my cheeks a little.
“What happens if we do just stay here?” I asked no one in particular.
Gabriel shrugged, with Miriam taking a deep breath, before responding.
“Ragnarok is not a man to let things go,” she admitted.
“That’s what I thought,” I replied. “He seemed like a man who doesn’t like to lose, who–“
My voice cut off as my mind began whirling a thousand miles per hour. Miriam simultaneously looked up at me in surprise as she tried to see where my thoughts were heading, seeing that an image of a vision I once had as a human just now popped into my mind – one in which a human Ragnarok had been playing an ancient game of chess.
A game.
This was all just a game to him, whether he was sincerely angry or not.
I mean, no doubt he was pissed, but even still, it was a game. One in which he expected to win, due to everyone’s cowardice – or rather, their discretion, in avoiding unnecessary deaths. No one wanted to have people die when it wasn’t necessary, but for Ragnarok, maybe that was what he was counting on.
He didn’t think anyone would call his bluff.
He knew there wouldn’t be a war. He knew his two, equally strong, brothers wouldn’t fight him and risk annihilation of most of their race. And even if he did think they’d risk it, they might not risk giving up their own lives, by going against their creator’s wishes, and thereby dooming themselves.
But what would happen if someone called his bluff?
Would it result in a stalemate?
Or would he fight a battle he knew he couldn’t win?
No sane individual would choose a lose/lose situation willingly, especially when they would lose first, with no guarantee the other party would eventually suffer the same consequence.
And, I mean, if this entity was real, how long would it take for them to seek vengeance? A century? A millennium?
And was this creature truly stronger? Would they even be able to catch me, if I was the one to take Ragnarok’s life? Could I even defeat such a being, much like I could defeat Ragnarok?
I wasn’t sure…
But, I was willing to call Ragnarok’s bluff.
“Michael,” Miriam whispered, meeting my gaze again. “I hate this too, but I already thought I lost you once, and…” She abruptly continued in her thoughts, keeping her brother out of it. ‘And you might have already died once before. I don’t want to lose you again. I can’t lose you again. You might be undoing everything your sister did to keep you alive!’
“What if I don’t kill him?” I said out loud. “Is it possible to keep him alive, but somehow imprison him?”
Miriam shook her head, while her brother became pensive, speaking up. “It’s difficult to kill our kind, at least, from what I’ve heard. I suppose if we ripped off his arms, legs, and wings, he might remain alive, but incapable of retaliating. The issue would be stopping him from eating and recovering.”
I cringed at the thought, knowing I needed to steel myself for that very real possibility.
“Okay,” I whis
pered. “So, what if I just try calling his bluff? And then, if it comes to a fight, I’ll do that – only maim him.”
“It’s not as easy as you might think,” Gabriel quickly added. “Ripping off a limb requires a ridiculous amount of force. You’ll need help.”
“You offering?” I asked seriously.
Miriam looked over her shoulder to hold his gaze. They both stared at each other, remaining silent for a long few seconds, before he sighed heavily. “Yeah, I guess I am. But if it turns into a fight, then we’ll have to make it as quick as possible, or else my father might intervene.”
“You think he’ll help Ragnarok?” I asked in disbelief.
He shrugged. “Stop us from killing him? Or severely maiming him? Yeah, it’s possible. In their perception, most of the weaker demons are essentially second citizens. Our father may not like Ragnarok’s actions, but it would likely require a significantly larger atrocity to provoke him to action.”
“Well, if Ragnarok and I are going to fight, it’s better if you keep your distance until I’ve incapacitated him like last time. The only reason I was able to dodge his attack was because of this strange ability to warp, which means anyone else he fires it at is going to die instantly.”
“What are you saying?!” Miriam exclaimed. “If I can’t stop you from doing this, then I sure as hell am not going to let you fight alone!”
“You’ll have to,” I replied gently. “Otherwise, he’ll use you against me.”
“I can stay on your back,” she countered. “I can be like an extra pair of wings to stab him with.”
“And what happens if I decided to warp, and your wings are outside of the bubble I create?” I asked seriously.
Her eyes widened in surprise, before her expression dropped. “I’d probably lose whatever was outside the undisturbed space. It’d likely get cut off, part of it traveling with you instantly, while the other part got left behind.”
I honestly hadn’t really thought out that concept, just randomly suggesting it as a possible problem, but now that realization made my stomach drop.
Certainly, I had been careful with Miriam thus far, but the truth was that anyone who was too close when I warped might be at risk of losing limbs, not just those traveling with me. I mean, it was already a miracle I hadn’t accidentally maimed someone.
But then…didn’t that mean I could use it as a weapon?
I gasped in shock, realizing Miriam had just come to the same conclusion.
I could totally use it as a weapon.
“You should still stay away,” I reemphasized. “I know you want to be there to protect me, but this is like a game of chess – most of the pieces die before there’s a victor. So, it’s best if we just start the fight with only one piece each. And with my speed, and this possible strategy, it should be a short battle if it comes to it. But I don’t think he’s suicidal, or so prideful that he’d throw away reason entirely. I think I can call his bluff.”
Miriam was about to contradict me, holding my gaze, but Gabriel spoke up.
“Add even just one piece,” he said gently to his sister. “And that’s all Ragnarok has to do – chase down that one piece that the enemy’s king doesn’t want to die, thereby distracting him.”
“You’re not a distraction,” I quickly added, before grinning playfully. “Well, you are, but in a good way.”
She gave me a weak smile, but the solemnness of what we were discussing didn’t let the slight amusement linger. After a moment, she finally sighed heavily and leaned her temple against my shoulder, letting out an exasperated breath.
“I swear, I wish you were still human so I could just tie you up.”
“Kinky.”
She abruptly glared at me, just a hint of playfulness in her eye, before her somberness returned. “Michael…” She took a deep breath. “Just, don’t die. And don’t provoke him unnecessarily.”
I shrugged. “I figured I could start with apologizing.”
They both looked at me in shock, so I continued.
“I mean, sure, he’s the one who tried to kill me first. But in his head, I was just a deer or whatever. Cattle. And me attacking him the second time was completely unwarranted in his perception, so apologizing might appease him. I just need to be careful he doesn’t misunderstand, and think I’m yielding.”
“That might work,” Gabriel considered. “Though you may have to make it public, to undo the damage to his reputation. Virtually everyone was there to witness the fight, and much of our authority is based on raw power, though there are many of Ragnarok’s lineage who would remain allegiant to him no matter who was the strongest.”
I shrugged again. “I have no problem with that. It was my mistake. I was confused.”
Miriam sighed. “Well, let’s just hope it doesn’t go to his head too much, like you suggested.”
“So then, how do we want to do this?” I focused on Miriam. “I’d prefer to just leave you here, where it’s safe.”
“No,” she said firmly. “I’m stronger than my brother, so if he can help, then I certainly can too.”
Thankfully, Gabriel chimed in again. “True, but Ragnarok is also unlikely to target me, thinking that it would distract Michael, whereas he knows that killing you might break his resolve to fight. To live.”
Miriam’s expression pained. “Then maybe halfway,” she offered. “Or maybe a lot closer. I can wait five minutes away – close enough to possibly help, if needed, but far enough away that he couldn’t just go after me in order to distract you.”
“How far away would that be?” I wondered seriously.
Her brow furrowed, before she looked over her shoulder, focusing on the pale moon visible in the blue sky. “About double the distance that the moon is from the Earth.” She met my gaze again. “Far enough that you wouldn’t be able to see me with your physical eyes, and Ragnarok wouldn’t be able to sense my presence. Honestly, I could probably wait half the distance as the moon is to the Earth without it being a problem. Even a quarter of that distance. Or a tenth.”
I just shook my head at her with a small smile, seeing a pattern in her thoughts, gradually moving herself closer to the possible fight, trying to gauge my reaction. But honestly, I felt like the moon’s distance was far enough. And if Ragnarok wouldn’t be able to sense her from that distance, then he might as well not know she was around. So that could work.
I took a deep breath. “Well, next problem then. How are we going to get there? I don’t think I can safely transport all three of us at the same time, and I don’t exactly want to make a bunch of trips, only to discover I have a limit to how many times I can warp in a day. I mean, I’m sure there must be a limit.”
Gabriel shrugged. “Let’s just fly normally then. It’ll take a little over an hour, but that’ll give us time to share more about how Ragnarok thinks, as well as time to go over possible problems that might arise.”
I met Miriam’s gaze, her eyes tight, before I nodded, speaking with a soft tone. “Okay, let’s go then.” I gave her a weak smile. “I still haven’t really flown in space yet, so it’ll be something new.”
Unfortunately, the fun she might have had otherwise, at my reaction from such a new experience, didn’t break through her worry of what we were about to do.
As it turned out, flying in space was unnerving.
I felt like someone had mentioned that it was exciting, but it was initially freaky and then ultimately kind of boring.
Okay, fine.
It was borderline terrifying not having a planet’s gravity to anchor me to reality. Not to mention the sensation of feeling like ‘down’ was above me, if I tried to imagine that there was gravity in that direction.
However, the trip was sincerely monotonous once Miriam taught me how to stretch my mind out thin, in order to sense the celestial bodies themselves. And I finally understood how the demon race kept track of time – they used the position of the unseen sun as reference!
A Gradus was exactly one degree o
f movement around the sun, which was why there were three-hundred and sixty Gradus in a Venus year. That realization made the image Jericho had given me finally make sense, being sort of like a clock with three-hundred and sixty tics – the sun at the center, and the planet representing the figurative hand, slowly making its way around the full circle.
Similarly, it was how they could fly to their home without getting lost. They could sense the planet itself, which was the primary reason why I didn’t freak out. Because by the time we were halfway there, we could barely see the Earth or Venus in either direction, but at least I could still feel them.
Without that sensation of the planet’s location to anchor me, I would have felt completely lost in the void of space.
Personally, I felt like I could have reached out even further with my mind, but I was sincerely afraid to do so, the mind-boggling distances already making me feel like I was less than a speck of dust – not even the equivalent of a grain of sand in the entire ocean.
I was thankful when Venus’ size finally began increasing significantly, looking like a white pearl floating in nothingness – completely smooth, unlike the moon. It was also strange to think that the planet looked white from the outside, due to the thick cloud cover, while it was shades of red on the surface. Miriam suspected that the hellish glow they had always known was truly a form of lightning, the turbulent sea of air generating a continuous glow of energy, with the crimson hue likely being due to the composition of the atmosphere.
Once we were fairly close to the demon world, I noticed that I could sense hundreds of individuals on the planet, all of whom were apparently family, at least in the sense that they descended from Gilgamesh, either directly or indirectly. Technically, I could have perceived the roughly seven-hundred Ryujin back in the human world, but I hadn’t paid attention until now.
Miriam and Gabriel actually had a lot of siblings, most of them much older chronologically, who then had children of their own. Which was part of the reason why the two of them were closer with each other than their other relatives, between their younger ages, lack of children, as well as the fact that they both had shot up into the ranks of Rulers while the rest obviously hadn’t.
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