Ascension of the Nephilim

There was a weird sensation around the air that Kyros could feel.

In Airom Vagat, the first one to sense it was Mezal Steele. He was already headed up the mountain along with some of the warriors that Ordeus sent with him.

"It's back? Somethings different. It's stronger... but why don't I feel Fate's hatred?" Mezal wandered.

Branze and Aron Steele felt it next.

"Oh...? Is this Fate?" Aron asked.

Branze kept his eyes closed, and his expression turned sour.

"This feels... quite different."

"Indeed. It feels that we're unlucky. But it doesn't feel that Fate hates us! How odd."

In Airom Logat, Scarlet was the first to react.

"Master Kyros. Fate's back. But it feels weird." She sent her message.

The moment Kyros saw the notifications, he gave a sad sigh, ordered everyone to stop searching, and instructed them to head towards the exit. As the knights in the Temple had already sent many items out, Kyros began to bring more things inside the Temple. The large pile of Salanite Stones that the Coven found were sent into the Temple, and Kyros could complete the Temple Quest.

"That sucks. And here I thought we would be free from Fate and have a bit of leisure." Calaminus sighed.

"I think it's not as bad as it seems. I don't understand why this happens. Will mom and dad grow stronger? I just helped them get their relationship, so that brought about a change in Fate?"

"It's weird. But it does make sense. In your past life, the Steele family managed to reach the rank of Duke even without Mezal Steele!"

"Right. The only way to explain it was that the love that birthed between my father and mother somehow made them so strong that the curse of Fate was overpowered."

"Love conquers all." Calaminus joked.

"Then since we've started it... I must as well complete their love. Although I had this inkling, I never knew that it would be this powerful... Time to call him." Kyros then focused. He needed a way to talk to his father without making her mother noticed. He didn't want to use this as it would deplete the energy in the Sealing Mountain, but he had no choice.

Kyros had felt that the further he went, the harder it was to connect with that person. But now, with another Fallen awakened, Kyros knew he could reach him.

Deep inside the Nephilim Sealing Mountain...

With the help of Branze and Aron Steele, the Golems had already accomplished shocking things. An entire tribe of Lizards was slain.

Aron and Branze had shown up the other day and were running and frantic about killing more lizards as they claimed Fate wouldn't attack them. The Golem King agreed and sent Stoph to aid them. The strategy of Branze and the skill of Aron amazed the Golems. The pair challenged lizards that would have required Stoph to use a large amount of energy to fight. But the power the two displayed and their teamwork were so strong that the two of them who were in the mid-twenty levels could challenge and kill level 30 lizards!

The knights were also amazing! After just a few days of training, they could easily fight and challenge level 20 lizards.

As the defenses of the lizard tribe's nest fell, a level forty lizard finally took action and fight, But even that battle was simple. Branze and Aron fought for the most part and relied on Stoph to land the finishing blow. That was the only time Stoph used up his life magic. 

The gains they had were so much that not only was Stoph able to recover a great deal despite him taking action, another of the Jewelled Golems was awakened as it had more than 10% of its energy once more.

The Golem King continued to process the upgrades of the Golems with contributions. The Rock Golems began to hunt on the areas around the City as some of the lizards were fleeing and hiding.

"Hmm?" The Golem King felt the call.

"It's Cornerstone! He's finally able to sense me?" Petra smiled.

Kyros gave Petra certain instructions.

"Understood." Petra immediately acted.

He had received much from Cornerstone and didn't mind wasting such energy to move.

BOOM!

The tall form of Petra moved and left the building.

Kyros told him that if he followed the following, he would strengthen Branze and would ultimately make them stronger. But it had to be done now!

Petra moved into the Temple and gave the password, and finally reached the inside.

"Golem King?!" Branze was surprised.

"Master Branze. Master Aron. You two appear to be stronger than ever!" Petra praised.

"It should be thanks to my son. Why are you here?"

"A message from Cornerstone. He says that you must have felt it too. The change of Fate."

"Yes. Was it the Temple? Because the Holy power emerged?" Petra asked.

"He says no. That wasn't the event that caused Fate to move. Supposedly, it should happen several days from now, but something happened that made Fate act now. It sensed that the Steele family was bound to rise and that Success Limiter would no longer be enough to hinder you. Or so, Cornerstone says."

"Then what triggered our fated meteoric rise?" Aron asked.

"Cornerstone lied to her mother. He said that you have always been in love with her." Petra pointed to Branze.

"That's obvious." Aron nodded.

"N-No it isn't! I don't love her!"

"After saying that, his mother's eyes grew soft, and she said that she always loved you too."

"Wha...? Really? She said that?!" Branze was not able to hide his smile.

"No, not really." Petra rejected.

"Fragmenting son!" Branze cursed while Aron laughed.

"But although she didn't say it, she did show signs that the feeling was mutual. And her acceptance of your love triggered the rise of Fate. In short, Cornerstone believes that your love for each other was the trigger that forced Fate to act. He said that the curse is quite strange. Only the Bloodline Curse for Life Limiter was activated. But the curse for Apathy of Fate was not triggered." 

Branze was stunned silent.

"Yeah. That sounds about right. Just as father predicted." Aron nodded.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Well... I sort of thought of it even before. I know that our problems were endless and that our old man had been fighting against the heavens since the start. Every success we had would be countered with numerous trials. But our old man kept at it. So all my life, I tried to look for instances to help him. I wanted to grow strong. But of course, you know all those times I failed our family in my fight. Strength wasn't enough. The truth is, me and dad I had been pinning our hopes on you. You broke common sense that even scared father and me. We sort of became used to it. So when I found the chance, I aimed not only the most beautiful girl but the most talented one."

"Diana Redblade. Why?"

"You don't know? Brother, I keep beating you in a fight. But I know that your intelligence will soon get the better of me. Our father used that as a factor to motivate me. I was supposed to be the unreachable ceiling that you sought. And honestly, I would have lost long ago had you not shared your secrets with us all. That's the only reason why I could beat you. Because you never held out on us both as to your knowledge."

"What does that have to do with Diana?"

"Are you really that lovestruck? You can't think straight with her. Let's put it this way. She managed to fight you to a draw! I thought at first that you were too love-struck to fight her. But then I realized you were fighting seriously. That's the only way you could ever get her attention, right?" Aron chuckled.

Branze was silent.

"I have been sending back to Cornerstone your discussion. It seems Lord Kyros was right. In the few time he spent with his mother, he noticed that her mother was strong. She was able to repel the attack of a level forty vampire who had the blood from a powerful being."

"What?! They fought a level forty vampire? Are they safe? Did they escape?"

"Oh. Don't worry. They already killed the vampire. It was by killing this vampire that the Temple gave the rewards of that light."

"They killed a level forty vampire?!" Branze exclaimed.

"Yes. Lord Kyros killed him. He said he now has the power to increase his strength and penetrate this vampire's attacks. With one stroke, he managed to wound the enemy and attack again critically. As to how strong his attacks are... Cornerstone said that he used it on his grandfather and defeated him. It was only then that Cornerstone's Grandfather allowed Kyros to go on his little adventure."

"Little adventure? Killing a level forty vampire is a little adventure? And are you implying that my son managed to one-shot my father and defeat him? We had to make Stoph land the killing blow to defeat those lizards, and my less-than-level-ten son managed to wound one in one strike?!"

"I am simply repeating Cornerstone's words. Even I find it unbelievable! Now back to the topic about your monstrously talented wife."

"Don't he dare call his mother monstrous! Diana would spit out blood if he hears Kyros's words!"

"Agreed." Aron nodded.

"So... about your wife. She is powerful. There is something that might awaken if the two of you become more open to your love for each other."

"What? That's crazy."

"Hmm... No. I think I get it..." Aron smirked.

"What do you mean?"

"Remember a few days ago? When I decided to fight those lizards?"

"Yes. You were very heroic, strong, and mighty. I grow tired of those praises our knights give."

"Do you know what caused it?"

"The Force Paladin theories I made?"

"Not just that. It was Kyros. The fact that he is sending her here." Aron brought out the necklace, which he treasured. It was the necklace that had Martha Bowheart's picture.

"Martha Bowheart?" Branze was confused.

"Brother... All our life, we've been fighting to survive. We never had the luxury to dream of such extravagant matters as having a beautiful wife. We didn't have any motivation to do so. If you and Diana fall in love and finally find something to treasure and protect, your drive to fight and get stronger only increases. That's what love can do!" Aron laughed.

"Master Branze. The reason why Cornerstone sent me here, at the expense of my life energy, is to ask you this. Are you truly, madly, deeply, in love with your wife?" Petra asked.

Branze was stunned at the sudden question. 

He was silent for a few seconds before finally nodding his head.