Queen Of Adis

There's a famous necklace being given to every god whenever they leave Heaven, it's called, 'Three Chances.' It was just a normal-looking silver lace with three stars as its pendants.

However, a star would disappear each time a god commits a sin or disobey the rules while in the lower realms. Once all the stars were gone, the necklace would snap and disintegrate.

The necklace served as a pass and must be shown to the gatekeepers of Heaven if a god would return. A god must go back to the high kingdom once a year, else they would lose their status as a 'god' and their immortality would be taken away from them. He had no choice but to live in the lower realms and suffer just like any human being until the day he would die.

The rules that the gods must obey were very simple. They must never involve themselves in the affairs of humans; therefore, they must never interfere in their fights or hurt any beings in the lower realms.

Even so, there's one sin that would snap the necklace into pieces even if it's done once -- if they have s.e.x or a romantic relationship with those who didn't belong to Heaven.

At the moment, Vesta already lost two of her stars; the first was when she helped Haru in the Atlantis woods and the second was when he hurt a demon that came to attack Elior. If she continued to help him in his fight, her necklace would snap and disintegrate. And going back to Heaven would just be an impossible dream for her.

"It's okay," Vesta assured in resolute voice. "I'd rather lose my immortality and status as a goddess than lose you."

"No, Vesta! Please don't! I don't deserve it."

"This is my life and my power. I am the one who will decide who deserves it or not. It was all your fault, after all!" Vesta shouted as she turned her back on him. "It's because your soul was so gentle and pure amidst this world's corruption and greed, that I couldn't keep my eyes off of you. It's because you still chose to genuinely smile despite your nightmares from all your visions that I ended up admiring you.

Then, she finally turned around and gave him a melancholic smile. "And it's because you always envelop me in your warm embrace that I couldn't help but love you. However sad it may be, I am also aware that we are not meant to be."

"Vesta..." Elior's eyes watered but words seemed to abandon him when he needed it the most. "I-I--"

"You have suffered alone long enough. If there's someone deserving of everything I have... it's you. Only you." The Cheshire cat cut him off as she enveloped herself with her punitive flame.

She courageously stepped forward when two enormous beasts finally revealed their hideous faces in front of them.

Two identical Bandersnatches, with black and white fur, stood tall like a massive a.d.u.l.t bear. Their eyes were blazing in fury while shark-like teeth overflowing with thick saliva were revealed as they simultaneously opened their mouths. Their roar reverberated throughout the sewers, rendering the walls to crack and all the crawling insects and animals ran for their lives.

"Elior, I will buy you some time. Run towards the exit, now!"

"I can't live you here--"

"I am a goddess! I can take care of these pests--"

"Don't jest!" He snapped at her while he staggered to stand up.

For the first time, his gentle eyes reddened in rage as he gritted his teeth with all his might. He didn't know if he suddenly got the adrenaline rush, but he felt his blood rushed through his veins and he mysteriously found his voice back. "Heaven may have fooled all the creatures in this world, but not me. We both know that gods and goddesses are nothing more like a status created by your powerful leaders to boost your pride! They formulated myths that they are omnipotent but if truth be told, you are wary of the Delacroixs because they hold more power than all the gods combined--"

"Why are you spouting too many nonsense now when you were speechless when I confessed to you!" Vesta let out a shrill scream in exasperation.

"If I have to die, I will die alone!" He declared at the top of his lungs and with finality. Then, he finally voiced out what he truly felt at the moment, "But if you must die... I will die with you."

BANG!

When the two massive creatures lifted their hands to attack the arguing couple, a huge ball-like thing suddenly appeared out of nowhere and knocked the beasts down like bowling pins.

"Such a fancy way to confess. No wonder you never had a lover in your life." A sultry, masculine voice came and mocked him. "Who would want to talk about dying in front of a lady? Only a v.i.r.g.i.n like you would do that, of course."

However, his menacing grand entrance was cut short when two golden wisps unceremoniously followed and drifted over his shoulders, stealing his thunder with their baby noises. Their flames ignited as though they were mimicking their father in intimidating the enemies.

*Adis helplessly scratched his nose and called out to his wife to complain. "Haru~"

"I'm busy, Adis! Look after the twins, will you?" *Haru barked her order like a true tyrant wife as she was already putting healing powder to Elior's wound. "You know you will be targeted, and yet you did not bring any healing potion with you? How stupid can you get? Look at your wounds, it's already infected and you lost too much blood." She harshly reprimanded the old man and pressed his wound without warning. Her eyes welled up in tears as she was feeling relieved that they arrived just in time.

"Aaaah!" Elior cried out from the intense pain. "Ah, my child, I-I... think I just saw my soul departed from my body just now."

"You still dare to joke around?" she then shoved a tablet inside his mouth and made him drink water. "Pain is good. That means you're still alive."

She placed his arm over her shoulders as he helped him moved farther away from the soon-to-be battlefield. Once they were at a safe distance away, she made him sit on the ground. "Let's wait here. Adis said that there's a woman named Anastasia that might be waiting on the other side of the tunnel."

"What?!" Elior's eyes widened in surprise. Just a moment ago, he was eager to reach the exit. Fortunately, he took his time since the light at the end of the tunnel means death to him as well.

Feeling safe now that the Demon King was with them, Vesta sat beside him and licked his cheek while mewling like a real cat. He chuckled as he gently stroke her head.

"Don't you think it's already too late to still act like a cat, Vesta?"

"Ciel, Amira, Come play with grandfather Elior. Your father needs to work," she called out her twins but they just stubbornly glued themselves to their father.

Then, she saw *Adis whispered something to the wisps as they giggled and zigzagged their way to attack Elior with their signature body slam.

"Oof!" The pope g.r.o.a.n.e.d and coughed from the force of the momentum. "Your father is really cruel. He even taught his children to attack an old man like me."

The twins' cheerful flame suddenly became gloomy as their grandpa didn't look happy to play with them.

Being the only one who could see their cute faces, Elior was also able to read their expressions. "Oh no, no, grandfather is not mad. In fact, I am so happy right now. I thought I won't be able to see my mischievous twins again."

*Haru subsequently looked at the direction of her husband and the opponents he was about to face. She knew that her big devil was itching to go all out and purge the scourges in front of him. And she didn't have any plan to stop him either.