As Max performed to break through, a few of the others watched on. It would help them immensely in the future when they came across it. Even Gaia was present. Her worried look however, did not go over well for them.
Max didn't see since he was completely focused on the breakthrough.
*Shing!* A mark on his back started to glow. The exact opposite side doing the same thing. Chastity in white and Lust in purple.
Two wings sprouted out from the two spots next. Stretching up to the ceiling. The feathers on the left completely white. The ones on the right completely black.
With a flap, the image of Max embracing Circe/Cheetah appeared before vanishing. The same as him kissing Morgen Le' Fey. The two women looked at each other before turning away. Circe gripped her fingers annoyed.
Morgen just blinked lightly. Considering she and Max were still togethor she was quite happy and had no complaints. Mala floated above with little Rose riding her back.
*Flutter!* Temperance/Endurance appearing underneath Chastity in a gray light. It's counterpart Gluttony appeared in dark brown.
The two wings appeared at the same time. Images of Max talking with John, Mala, Claire, and Orm playing with his mother Atlanna on the left. On the right, Max, Derione, Donna, Lex, Lena appeared. Having fun just staying up late and talking. Over indulging themselves in each others company. As well as always eating different food.
*Shine!* Charity and Greed appeared. Light green and a dark green the pulsed in opposite beats. The views Max had on the two were always interchangeable somewhat.
Showing Max with all the people he recruited in a mix. Giving them what they wanted and desire also gave him what he wanted. Several Xenos in deep space were shown. people that a lot of them didn't know about yet. Not that they cared.
Morgen kept a stern gaze on one person. The look she gave towards a mirrror that didnt show anything inside did not sit well with her. It was the same look Circe gave Max time from time. The look of wanting him for her own.
The woman was Lyssa Drak a sleeper agent. Only Morgen, Selina, and Claire could see her among the females. Slade and Teth-Adam were the only ones among the males.
*Shing!* The next to throbbed before appearing. Diligence and Sloth. Both in black. Everyone who signed a contract appeared before vanishing. Max showed weakness for the first time since starting.
"Kuff.. damnit.." Max coughed up some spiritual blood. It disintegrated as well as some of his vitality. The backlash from those who signed not training hard enough. Not those form his close circle and not the new signers. Others such as John, the Santa Prisca people besides Bane, (Anthony) and a few of the demons. "Slackers!"
Circulating his cultivation harder, a few elixirs appeared. Ones he saved for later to use.
"Hey, isn't that the umm.." Claire started snapping her fingers trying to remember. She was with Max when he made it. ".got it. Return of Vindication!" The hair on the top of her head lit up a little.
"Huh, when did he go to Azaroth?" Raven asked. She knew a piece of the elixer required a flower that grew there. "Did you go with him?"
"We went there during April. Went to a lot of places actually. It was very fun." Claire smiled brightly. The experience was fun as they just stepped through mirrors in disguise. "Sometime we talked with the locals, sometimes we didn't. Max was very informative when we went. Describe everywhere we went and what could and could not be eaten by us. Well people in the group anyway."
"Wait, wait, wait." Selina cut in. "You went to different planets with out me! You two suck!"
"You were stressing over your sister so.. yeah." Claire shrugged. "Did not want to bother you or your mother." As they talked, Max had downed the Elixer.
'Uggh, this is really shitty!' Max thought as he went through all the reason that went wrong with them. What moved them close to the end of the agreement. Slacking off a little was fine. But completely disregarding what you agreed to was a no. 'Gonna have to deal with that soon!'
"Calm yourself Maxmillion." Gaia said soothingly. She could feel the spike in his anger. Which pushed his Wrath up. A slight presence in the city caught her attention. The descent of Ares. The good news, he stood far away from Max's Domain so to speak. Bad news, he went into disguise right after. 'Why of all times is that grandson of mine here?'
Gaia would not go to deal with it in person. Max was a little more important currently.
*Fwoosh!* The spirtual energy gained was complete wrapped under Max's control. Fixing the problem with what just happened. The excess floated about. Unable to be used by him.
"Pretty." Rose said. Max's next wing's had come out in an instant. Patience in a dark blue. In Wrath in a dark black red. Almost twisted in a way in how it swallowed the light in the room. "Whee!" Rose jumped down from Mala.
"Rose!" Slade felt his heart freeze for an instant. Before he could reach to grab her, she stopped moving in mid air. Floating as if it was water. "She is unhurt. I almost had a heartattack."
*Sching!* Slade glowed with spirit energy. The concern for his daughter was a great trigger for him. Considering he nad doubts about caring for them all. Especially Rose considering the choice he made in a different life.
"Haaa." Slade exhaled as he stepped forward. The spiritual energy just brushed against him gently. Feeling like silk against his skin. 'Such purity. I can feel his very thoughts. He cares for her like a godchild. What the hell is a Parrain?'
"It means Godfather Slade." Max said simply. His eyes hidden by pure spirtual energy. "I am cajun remember?" He gave Max a nod. Max extended his hand as the abundant energy wrapped around Rose. "Such a fearless girl."
"Hehe, you wouldn't hurt me." Rose said. Slade moved her back to the others. "Bye bye. Nice wings. Bigger than the others."
She was not wrong. Patience and Wrath double the size as the others. In an instant, the wings wrapped around Max before vanishing. A lot of energy still in the room that moved around to create things.
"What happened?" Jonah asked. "You have four more Aspects to go through. Then you would be back at Demigod right?" Selina nodded answering as Max stared at Gaia.
"That is right. Technology makes things really easy. But wat he was doing, feels wrong somehow." Selina said. Not quite knowing why exactly. "Not the tech part but something in him."
"I couldn't push to the next Realm." Max turned to Gaia. "Why did you stop me? Or to be exact, why sabotage me?"
"To keep you from becoming a false God." Gaia said sadly. "I could feel it happening the moment you started. A side effect from the ritual and the dagger. Both contain to much of foreign material. Even if you refine it, it will cause a problem."
"Tch, what else?" Max eyes bore into hers. "I could feel something reaching towards me. What was it. Or to be exact, who?"
"Sky... the Savage one. You know enough of him to know he is a problem." Gaia said neutrally as possible. Her eyes however were sad. Part of her wanted Max to take that mantle. "I rather you do not risk your individualism. The dagger will make a great weapon all the same against others of our kind."
"Haaa, should have just said so. The small darkness from the ritual left over was enough to counteract it some. But always a chance." Max removed the remainder and the dagger from himself. Not wanting to tempt fate at all. Both were secured and handed to Gaia. Who consumed them both. As the child of Primordial Chaos, their was nothing she couldn't take into her own. "No harm no foul I guess."
"I am sorry Max." Gaia said reaching out to touch his cheek. A small brush and she left a mark. A cut on his cheek that healed in an instant. "We will talk later."
*Shine!* In a bright light she was gone. Leaving a few stunned others.
"Sooo, you look fine." Mala said. She scanned him over and found nothing wrong. "Defintely stronger. So what Realm are you currently at then?"
"Mortal Champion. Was in the moment I started. Basically go through my Aspects and push them to the limit. Reflection and a lot of other things happen during this time. Last time I spent a long time in it. But, didn't plan on it this time." Max said simply. With a wave, the residual spirit energy entered those present as well as a few glyphs on the wall. Stored for use to craft things later. "My body is a match for any Kryptonian and then some. My mind is running several things in the background. About that of several supercomputers."
"Nice." Mala's eye lit up in a fervor. "We will spar later yes?"
"Yes. But let me get things back normal first." Max felt his soul was unsettled some. A bit of disconnection of sorts. "Something may be wrong that I have to fix. Good news though. My magic has grown by leaps and bounds. Weird that the two are always off from one another."
"Hmm, I am going to bed." Selina said. She had a lot on her mind. Considering she cultivated the Cultivation as Max, the insights were a lot. She was happy for not having any thing odd inside her. 'Hmm, certain things do not need to be taken in. He did say that before. But why did he take those things in? Well, one was to keep a few people safe. The other, that dagger, ugh.'
The others all left but Morgen. She sat across from Max looking him over. Seeing all the different energy around him, both excited her and scared her.
"My son.. I am going to deal with him once and for all. His spirit that is." Morgen said simply. "I will come right to you after. Can you handle that?" Her voice slightly sad. She almost didn't want to go. But it seemed like a good time.
"I understand. Take all the time you need." Max would not try to dissuade her from ending things from the past. "Just ask if you need my help."
"I will not." Morgen got up and lifted her mask just a little. "I will handle this myself. And when I come back, we will go somewhere to have fun. Like space to visit your Sleeper agents."
*Sching!* She left using a high distance spell.
"Oh boy. Trouble most likely." Max was not dense. Certain words meant trouble. "Which one could have possibly ticked her off?" As he rubbed his chin in thought, a small image appeared in front of him.
A slight stirring distracted him for a moment. Atlas alerted him of something moving inside him. But something else pulled his immediate attention.
"Hello, Max." Noveria appeared. Why she waited till he was alone was usually a sign of something bad about to happen. "You met with trouble in your breakthrough. Knew it was gonna happen. Saw it happen already hen I went through the Source Wall."
"Tch, so gloating are we?" Max felt his anger build. Something was wrong. 'Atlas, what the hell is happening?'
'Something entered you and is reacting with your Sin. It is not the demons but something else.' Atlas had know idea what it was. A deeper check showed nothing. 'It hid from me and your senses. I have know idea what this thing is.'
"Nope." Noveria answered. Which caused Max to reach out and try to grab her. "Nice try. Yes, I am real Max. Not a message this time. Sooo no touchy." Seeing Max started to lose it, she felt bad for a moment. "You have a job to do. Not bother with me!"
*Fwip!* Max tried to snatch her from the air.
"It was all to make you.." Noveria dodged again. Max's body not working correctly. One of the reason she appeared. "Just listen to me!"
"Right after I have you in my hands!" Max tried to grab her again. But his feet felt like lead. "Dammit!" He faceplanted. Struggling to get up, his Cultivation going haywire.
"Come on! It will all work out fine!" Noveria floated in front him. But out of his reach. Weidling her own spiritual energy to keep him disrupted. "You need closer people to you this time. More than one Caldabog and more than one Maria. To keep you.. shit!"
*Flare!* Max's spirit energy went out of control as his Cultivation deviated. A blast of energy pushed her against the wall. Max's entire body shredded.
The wards in the room slightly damaged. Alerting Jonah and Mercy who was sleeping from an intense training session. They went to the room ready for trouble. The others on the floor doing the same.
"It was for your own good I left Max!" Noveria felt them nearby coming towards them. She was running out of time. Her eyes fixated on a darkness growing inside of Max. His eyes black shot as corruption took place in his soul. "If you deviate any further.."
"Max!" Mercy called. Max turned to her clawing a this face. With a tap of his foot, seals activated subduing him. "Code Red!" Mercy did a few hand gestures and smacked her hands togethor.
*Thunk!* The room was on full lockdown. Noveria left before it full happened.
"Get back here!" Max yelled. His veins ripping through his body. His very spirit trying to rip to grab her. "You owe me answers!" He raged against the already weakened wards.
"Shit.." Jonah pulled out his shooters and held them straight. Max's orders were clear. Put a bullet in him if he lost control. Which was currently happening. "..hold on now pardner. We have a lot to do still." He gritted his teeth and felt a deep fear for the first time in a long time.
"He will be ok!" Mercy yelled back. Max continued to rage. His blood disintegrating turning black. "Max! Don't you dare give in!" In Mercy's hand was a dagger and a talisman attached to her. 'I have one shot to move at the speed of a goddess to kill him. I hope I do not have to.'
The talisman was given to her by Max. Designed to give her an advantage to end things. Jonah, Claire, and Teth-Adam each had one. Those responsible for taking Max down if someone took control of him.
"What the hell is going on in there!?" Raven hit against the door unable to look inside. The others just as worried. "Talk to me dammit!"
"Something is wrong with Max!" Jonah announced. He didn't take his eyes of Max. Or what looked to be the rest of him. Watching his spirit change into a dark abomination was a disgusting sight. "Some little fairy thing shot out of here!"
"A fairy?" Raven looked at the others who just shrugged.
*Shine!* Gaia appeared in the hallway. The barrier even kept her out.
"It was his wife Noveria. Well, ex-wife." Gaia said seriously. Her eyes were stern with a little fury in them. "What she is up to, I have no idea. Such a willful Goddess."
"Wait.. but I thought she like died when they arrived. Or before they arrived as he did?" Selina asked. "That is what Max said. And she was scattered about somewhere."
"She was. Enough of her collected to revive." Gaia was still trying to figure out what was wrong with Max. Her senses were reaching out to try and probe, but no real luck. Then a slight throb from the dagger hit against her. "Oh, dear. I know what it is. Naman is an asshole. The dagger held Sageeth. It was a stupid test designed for Kal-El!"
"So we can stop him now right?!" John asked heated. Gaia gave a firm nod. "Good, what do we do?!"
"Max.. snapped your neck." Gaia said neutrally. The others looked at her like she was crazy. "He will not die from it. Trust me. As soon as he does so, drop the Barrier."
"Raaaah!" Max bellowed as he grabbed his own head. His spirit doing the same thing. "Mercy.. do not look.." He forced out. She couldn't look away. "Please.. look away.." She didn't blink. "Jonah.."
"I got it." Jonah put one gun away. And blocked Mercy's eyes. "Do it!"
*Kraaak!* Max snapped his own neck. The sickening sound sent chills down Mercy's spine. The young teen started crying. Jonah felt sick to his stomach. The barrier dropped thanks to Mercy. She started to shake violently.
"Max!" Selina burst in the same time as Gaia. The only ones to catch the sight of him before he was wrapped in Green Light. "He will be ok right? Right!?"
"Yes. But he lost his revive." Gaia said neutrally. The light faded away showing Max perfectly fine. He was just out cold. "A large setback for certain things. And will make it more important for him to get stronger faster."
"He was not supposed to fall until his fight with the Black Lantern Battery in a few years. This is way to soon." Raven said dryly. "So much is different than what I know. More people alive for one."
The look on her face caused Claire to react oddly.
"Was Max suppose to have killed some of us or something?"
"Huh? Oh no." Raven responded quickly. "Earth was attacked already by some hostile forces. Max diverted some already. Whether it was a meeting with me, or something else. He changed what I knew already."
"Code Red ended well enough." Mercy stated into her watch. The full lockdown ended quickly. She walked over checking Max's vitals and writing it down. "All things green."
"You ok?" Jonah asked. He didn't like a young person doing what she was doing. but, to much was on the line and Max and Mercy already had an agreement. "You did well."
"Yeah. Should have been there with him though. Should have been in.." Mercy started shaking again.
"You should have been sleeping still." Max sat up annoyed with what happened. His body felt wrong. "What happen, not your fault. I didn't catch and Gaia didnt catch it. If you go that self pity route, we will have a problem." Mercy looked further down. "Keep your head up dammit!"
"Umm." Mercy nodded looking directly at him. "I am sorry Max."
"You have nothing to be sorry for." Max said calmly. His eyes boring into hers. "The last time this happened to me, I killed my bodyguard. It was my own daughter at that. You, I was able to talk to you still. Able to recognize you still. And Jonah. You have know idea what that means to me."
"OK." Mercy nodded. Max pulled her into a hug. "I just.."
"Enough. You did nothing wrong. And I am very proud of you." Max hugged her tighter. "I am going to keep counting on you in the future. Can you handle it?"
"Yes. Yes I can." Mercy said demurely. "You can always count on me Max."
"Good. Now back to bed." Max looked at everyone in the room. "Go to bed. All of you. We can talk about this later." They did so reluctantly. A few of them upset about what just happened. "Gaia.."
"I know Max. I know." Gaia looked frustrated herself. "We just have to become stronger. It is all we can do." She watched the others leave. "Someone to count on goes a logn way."
"Yup. I can not believe I made such a mistake." Max leaned in the chair. The desire to drink in the forefront of his head. "I should have taken a break and just checked myself again and again before doing so. To complacent I guess. To much in a rush to rise back up."
"Because of the fight with The Son of Vulcan." Gaia stated. "Having left him alive hurt your Pride. Then Vulcan himself.. made it worse." Her eyes shined looking at him. A look of love that she allowed herself for a few moments.
"You think about every now and then?" Max asked serious.
"I do. More than I like." Gaia said looking away finally. "When you make it to Godhood, will you stay in my Pantheon?"
"Of course. Unless you rather I didn't." Max leaned up in the chair. "Always and forever. No matter what happens."
"Then hurry up then!" Gaia looked at him angry for a moment. Almost like a pouting child. "It is lonely at times. To lonely. I wish you would have become a Titan instead. But.."
"It would have cost the lives of to many you cared about." Max said simply.
"Yes. That is true." Gaia said A slight frown on her face. "Oh, your brother finally made the switch over. He went to.. Mass Effect."
"Heh, finally." Max chuckled. It was a long time since he met his actual brother. Several lifetimes ago. "Did he get the gift I had prepared long ago?"
"Yup. An A.I. and a cultivation manual." Gaia allowed herself to relax a little. "Leonardo will be something else. More calculating than you. And not riddled by Catholicism and religious guilt."
"To be fair.." Max raised his finger up. "I am a heathen, So that should count for something. Right?" Gais rolled her eyes at him. "So hard to please."
"Haha, you wouldn' want it any other way." Gaia stared at the window. Her foot tapping as she helped the wards repair. Someone was in the hallway and heard the entire conversation. 'Oh, such troublesome teens. Good thing we didn't discuss anything that mattered to them.'
Gaia and Max talked for awhile. Atlas kept running checks to see what was wrong. Preliminary results were not good. The A.I. wanted tog et stronger as well. He was unable to do anything to Noveria.
The worst part, he knew she was not trying to hurt Max. But his anger spiked to hard. Cultivation Deviation was a terrible thing to happen. But solving it, gave great boons.
.
Few Weeks Later-
.
Max start at the Academy was in a few days. The regular school started before it. Everyday they came home, he was there. Spending time with those who wanted to anyway. Mercy did of course. Selina was somewhat distant.
Claire had mixed feelings. Something bothered and she refused to talk to Max any time he tried to help her with her Cultivation.
Maria kept a dutiful watch on them both. Things were as good as they would get for now.
Max was currently in the gym training. He just finished a mental conversation with Lena and Lex. The latter having unlocked it in his mental cultivation.
"Raahh!" Max yelled as he punched the strength reader. The number pissed him off. "What the hell is going on?!"
Atlas spoke solemnly. 'Your body is rejecting... well you it seems. An irregularity in your soul and mentality. The conflict has caused your body to react. In short..'
"My body believes I am an infection. Ahhh!" In his anger, Max punched the machine again and watched how the number decreased even more. Falling back depressed, he knew what he needed to do. He just didn't want to. "Fuck!" He was still strong enough to rip steel. But unable to take a rpg directly.
*Chish!* The door opened revealing both Selina and Claire. They looked around and saw Max sitting down. Walking over they looked at the device and looked at the numbers.
"Eh, why the hell is it so low?" Claire asked causing Max to wince as if he was shot in the heart with an arrow. "It isn't even higher than your mother Selina." Another arrow to the heart.
"No kidding. Maybe it belongs to.." She thought maybe it was Pamela but she had been around in the last week. Looking at Max, her eyes went as wide as milk saucers. "No freaking way?"
Max cringed at her words. "Shut up it's just some performance anxiety. Getting up he was trying to leave. "Just a little trouble is all."
"Its ok.. everyone has that problem every now and then.." Selina said trying to stiffen her laughter.
*Chish!* The door opened and in walked John. It was rare for him to actually come around to workout. He walked over right to the machine and reset it.
"There we go. Must have needed an adjustment with those crappy numbers." John cut deep with out even meaning to. Max's shoulders sulked.
"Nope, it is working fine. Those were Max's numbers." Claire said smiling.
"No way? What's going on mate? Having trouble?" John looked over concerned.
"Its fine!" Max then left speeding up a little.
"Was it something I said?" John asked the other two. "If I didnt know any better, I would think he was having anxiety problems."
"Hahaha, yeah he is." Selina said rolling around the floor.
"See what happened was.." Claire took that time to explain what happened seeing John's face.
"Wait.. so you two thought it would be funny to laugh at him despite seeing the way he looked and what happened just recently? Here I thought I was an arse." John shook his head at the two. "Well, he might go and do something stupid now. Considering two members of his family just ridiculed him." Turning around, John started to hit the machine.
"Members of his family... I doubt that." Claire said. The moment she did, she felt a pain in her chest. Her cultivation became .. slower. "What the heck!?"
"Hey, you ok?" Selina asked coming over. She placed her hand on Claire's back and felt the erratic energy. "You are deviating.. how." Lately the two worked on getting her back to normal faster. It took only a few minutes with them working togethor. "That last Breakthrough really is hard on you."
"Thanks.. Selina. I didnt think that would hurt. Blasted manual." Claire didn't want to think about it. She also didn't want to let Max know. Having broken through and him not doing well might not be good. He was still a few Realm's higher than them. 'I rather not ask for his help.'
"Your manual.. wait you only have issue when you lie to yourself right?" John asked when he stopped working out. He looked at the two weirdly. "As for you Selina, well you have the same as Max, so there is that. Seeing as what happened, guess you are full of doubt. You two need to remember your flaws."
"Shut up!" The two said togethor.