Chapter 160: Child of Fate
After receiving Flareth’s Blessing, our next destination was the Hall of the Cosmoria—the grand council chamber where the gods and goddesses gathered to discuss matters of cosmic importance called. Without giving me a chance to protest, Flareth hoisted me into his arms once again like a child. I squirmed and struggled, demanding to be let down, refusing to be carried like a toddler. But as usual, he ignored my pleas and held on tightly.
With a booming laugh, he blasted off into the skies, using his fiery legs like rocket boosters. The rush of wind and heat from his flight was disorienting, but I had to admit—this was probably the fastest way to get there. Cosmoria was unimaginably vast. Running or even flying with my own limited power would’ve taken hours, maybe longer.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. "Put me down, damn it! I can travel on my own!"
"You? Travel by foot? At your pace, we’d get there next week!" Flareth laughed again, the sound echoing like thunder.
As the landscape blurred beneath us, I decided to break the tension with a question that had been nagging at me. "Hey... why did you give me your blessing? You looked like you hated me at first."
Flareth didn’t answer right away. Then, with a bitter grin, he said, "HAHAHA! Yeah, you were annoying as hell! The moment I felt your Dark Magic, I wanted to roast you alive! You reminded me too much of that damned traitor... the God of Darkness."
His expression turned somber, laced with bitterness. I could feel the weight of the memories pressing down on him.
"That bastard ruined everything," he continued, voice now low and dangerous. "If I ever see him again, I swear I’ll burn him down to his soul. He’s the reason the war got so bad. He empowered the demons. He fractured the divine council. He tore Cosmoria apart!"
Flareth’s grip tightened slightly, his teeth clenched, eyes burning not just with fire—but pain. It was clear now. There had once been a connection between him and the God of Darkness, maybe even friendship, and that betrayal had left a scar that refused to heal.
I offered a nervous laugh, trying to lift the mood. "Well, just don’t go mistaking me for that guy, alright? I’d prefer to live long enough to become a real hero, not get barbecued before I even start."
To my relief, Flareth burst into laughter again. "Don’t worry, kid. I’m not that insane. Besides, they say you’re the Child of Fate now—the one we gods are supposed to protect. Guess that means I have to help you... even if you’re annoying."