NOVEL WEB The world has changed…
*Vol.2: War of changes!*
Chapter 71 – The world has changed…
Hello there, here's the chapter of the week!
Thanks for waiting, peasant!
Without further ado, enjoy the chapter!
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- Location: Jerusalem.
Pov. Thor.
Finding the guy who didn't have an ounce of supernatural blood that killed Jesus was…complicated. Although, after Jesus' death, I went after the guy I knew was Longinus right away to get the spear, but...
He simply disappeared.
I tried to track him down, and most of the city's civilians just pointed out Longinus as an aging legionnaire who was demoted to city guard when he acquired poor eyesight.
When I went to his house location, I just found a completely empty place, with only furniture and some clothes.
As if he left with only the clothes on his back...
At least I found the armor, and if the supernatural energy it was displaying was any indication, I'd say the armor had acquired some extraordinary property.
I would investigate the armor later, but what mattered was the spear.
After all, an ordinary spear had somehow injured a supernatural being.
Human-made weapons shouldn't have this capability in theory, which leads me to believe this was the result of Yhwh's intervention.
But I decided to investigate that another time, after all now I had something on my mind...
I hadn't forgotten what Skuld had said while she was helping me with plan D planning...
Fatum wanted to talk to me.
It was time to meet him, and the reason for this was probably the death of Jesus.
I've intervened in the story a few times, not so many times that I supposed it was detrimental to the timeline, but if Fatum wants to talk to me it must be something serious.
With the death of Jesus, the world will begin to change.
The supernatural will be reduced by humans to tales and bedtime stories, and humans will live in a carefree manner while being influenced by supernatural beings in the shadows.
As I thought about the situation, I soon noticed a peculiar scene...
“I beg you, take it back! I don't want it anymore!” someone said.
It was a man with long black hair and black eyes, holding some sort of leather bag and motioning for the other man to take it.
I soon noticed that the other man was an old man and had the robes of a priest and he looked displeased and confused by the action.
"What's the problem? It was the deal, thirty silver coins, maybe you want more coins? It's understandable, but a priest's word must be respected, so I won't give more” said the priest.
The black-haired man soon became... desperate.
“I didn't spend a single coin, I swear! I'm just handing it back!” said the man.
The priest glared at the man and then at the leather bag, before turning his gaze back to the black-haired man's face and smiling.
An unfriendly smile.
"Ah, now I understand... It seems that you are sorry for handing him over to the Roman authorities, don't be my young man, you did a great service for us by handing over that false messiah" said the priest.
... The guy did what?
Before my mind processed what the priest had said, I was soon awakened from my thoughts when the priest said it in a loud voice, to the crowd of people who were nearby.
“People of Jerusalem!” said the priest.
The black-haired man seemed to freeze under the looks the people were giving him and the priest as if he was embarrassed.
“A man suffered Roman justice by declaring himself a savior! He would succeed little by little, influencing the thoughts of the poor souls who were lost… But thanks to the actions of this man standing in front of me, he was stopped!” said the priest.
As strange as it seemed, the priest even looked happy... But the black-haired man looked like he was hyperventilating from people's gazes.
“Thank him! He is an envoy of justice! It is only thanks to his help... That the 'King of the Jews' is nailed to the cross on the hill next to our beloved city!” said the priest.
Oh... It's definitely him.
Pov. Third-person.
The black-haired man looked horrified, while the people around him began to congratulate and thank him, obeying the priest's words.
Every word of thanks from the people made the man look around in panic as he backed away from the priest in a frightened manner.
The priest, noticing the man's action, soon spoke quickly, though he misinterpreted the man's fear.
“Do not be afraid, although the attention of the people is a good thing and a bad thing, it is always appreciated... Anyway, I, like every priest and person in Jerusalem, have only one thing to say to you...” said the priest, before stopping to catch his breath.
It was then that the priest said a sentence that made the black-haired man's eyes widen in horror...
"Thank you... Judas Iscariot" said the priest, with a sincere smile.
The surrounding people soon also began to cry out for the name of the man named Judas; though only one person remained silent, just watching the scene unfold.
As soon as the black-haired man heard the words of thanks he did the only thing he could...
He ran.
He ran as he heard the shouts of thanks from the people of Jerusalem all the way to his house.
What no one realized was that Judas ended up being followed by someone...
In the evening of the same day, Judas left his house again, this time holding a small bag.
The man known as Iscariot soon left his house, not realizing that he was being followed, and headed towards the place where it all started...
In the forest where Judas had spoken with Jesus one last time before he was arrested by the Romans... Towards the same tree where he kissed Jesus' face one last time.
Judas just watched the dark forest with an empty gaze, until he approached the tree and dropped the bag on the ground, and opened it, revealing the contents inside...
The same leather bag and a rope.
“If I remember correctly, one of his teachings was not to attack someone else's life or even your own life, because the one who commits this sin will no longer have a place in paradise, not having the chance to be judged,” said Judas, thinking deeply as he recalled the days he listened to the man he respected the most.
Judas didn't even hesitate when he took the rope and started making a kind of loop.
"Well... I don't deserve a judgment, after all... I know where I should go" said Judas, finishing the noose and throwing the rope over a stronger branch of the tree.
Judas then pulled the rope until the noose was at a level higher than his height and tied the other end to the tree to maintain that level.
The man who betrayed Jesus then looked briefly at the loop he had made, noting that inside the loop could be seen the full moon in the starry night.
“*sigh*... Others will call me a coward and they won't be lying, after all, I'm running from my judgment; but at least this way I'll be sure to ask for forgiveness in my own way... Being tortured to the end of my pathetic existence” said Judas.
Judas then grabbed the small leather bag, which jingled with the movement, meaning that there were coins inside, and then he began to climb the tree until he sat on the same branch that had launched the rope and grabbed it, pulling the noose back to his hands.
He then stared at the noose until he took a deep breath and put the noose around his neck and tightened the knot made until it was possible to realize that it was difficult to breathe.
Judas then took out the leather bag again and saw the coins that were inside...
"Thirty silver coins... I sold him for thirty silver coins..." said Judas, without emotion.
Until Judas frowned and dropped the bag full of coins onto the ground, scattering the thirty coins across the forest floor. Judas then looked up at the moon, and there was a look of acceptance on the face of the man who was once an apostle of Jesus himself...
"... I was a fool... What you taught us was priceless, I understand that now... But it's too late for me" said Judas.
Judas then looked at the ground, noticing that the silver coins were glowing due to being illuminated by the full moon.
"May the hell greet me... So I can pay my debts to you properly... Jesus" said Judas.
Judas then closed his eyes and then let himself fall forward, falling from the tree and accepting his fate...
The hanging.
The former apostle of Jesus was still with his eyes closed, struggling due to taking too long to die because of the shape of the rope that was used.
Judas suffered for just a few seconds until he finally stopped struggling and his body just hung in the dark night in the forest, just waiting to be found by someone or devoured by something...
A figure then revealed itself from the shadows until it stood next to Judas' body.
It was Thor.
He witnessed Judas' dialogue from beginning to end, and the reason for this was mainly the person he knew what kind of person Jesus was. Remembering some of the last words Jesus said to him.
“... 'I'm not doing this because I want them to love me, I'm doing this because I love them'... You said that to me Jesus, but I still don't understand what you expect from humans” said Thor.
The thunder god immediately shook his head and then turned around, wanting to leave the forest, even I froze in place as I felt something...
Overwhelming holy energy.
Right behind him.
As Thor turned, his eyes immediately widened when he saw an old-looking man touching Judas' feet.
The old-looking man turned briefly to Thor and then the Norse god noticed a singularity...
The holy energy the man emitted was eerily similar to the little holy energy Jesus emitted.
Which could only mean one thing.
“You… You are Yhwh,” said Thor.
The man just remained silent, before turning to Thor completely and crossing his hands behind his body.
"... I don't deny that it is the name that many call me," said the man.
As soon as the man confirmed that he was Yhwh, pressure soon fell on the spot and the origin was clear...
Thor.
And he was irritated.
“So… What was it like to look at someone, who I personally can claim is the most innocent person I've ever met, and let him suffer and die at the hands of humans just because he wanted to make the 'ultimate sacrifice'? The mission that you gave him?" Thor said, with a frown.
Yhwh remained listless and just sighed.
"I know how you're feeling –" said Yhwh until he was interrupted.
“Oh, you know? Perhaps you’re right... But how about we know for sure? I might go pay a little visit to heaven…” said Thor, with a dangerous tone.
Yhwh remained silent and only responded to Thor's threat with a frown.
“I didn't come here to argue, son of Odin... But I see it will be useless for us to talk now. So, as the best course of action... I must leave,” said Yhwh.
No one noticed that on Thor's back, where the berserker mark was located, it faintly glowed scarlet...
Thor soon raged out after hearing Yhwh's answer.
“As if I would let you go!” said Thor.
The god of thunder soon pulled Mjolnir from his belt and threw it towards Yhwh, but...
Yhwh disappeared just as Mjolnir was about to make contact with his face.
*BOOM*
That didn't stop Mjolnir from ripping through the forest and causing an earthquake that alerted the nearby city of Jerusalem.
It was then that Thor's eyes glowed, signifying the use of the Viljestyrke - Archer, in order to locate Yhwh, only to give up shortly afterward when Thor did not detect Yhwh's energy or presence.
The thunder god was soon upset by the result, but only sighed in response and berated himself for the resentful impulsiveness shown.
Thor then created a magical rune that restored the damage to the region caused by Mjolnir, leaving the forest immaculate. As soon as he restored the forest, the god of thunder also retrieved Mjolnir and was about to leave, glancing briefly at Judas' still inert body and turning to leave the forest, until he stopped in his tracks when he noticed something...
"... Judas didn't have black hair?" questioned Thor, whispering in confusion.
The god of thunder soon turned to Judas and saw that his eyes weren't playing tricks...
Judas' hair went from an ebony black color to blonde, almost platinum.
It was then that Thor felt a surge of energy emanating from Judas' body.
The Norse god then created a rune that camouflaged his presence with the environment and waited for something to happen...
This didn't take long, because seconds later Judas' eyes opened again, showing bright amber eyes, the rope that was tied around his neck was broken at the same moment that Judas opened his mouth to draw air.
Judas then fell to the ground, right where the silver coins were...
As soon as the coins came into contact with the skin of Judas' hands, the pain quickly spread through the former apostle's body, which soon walked away from the place where the silver coins were.
Judas then looked at his hand, which emitted smoke from where it made contact with the silver coin and looked back at the moon.
"... I don't want to live... But you won't let me die... Is this my punishment, God?" asked Judas, putting his hands on his head in despair.
Thor just glanced briefly at Judas and was about to leave when he remembered something...
'I’m happy to give myself to my brothers, even if there are those who do not welcome me, I will never abandon them'
The god of thunder just grumbled, he knew he wasn't as benevolent as Jesus... But as an old friend and connoisseur of Jesus' personality, he knew one thing...
That despite everything... He would have forgiven Judas.
Thor, seeing the man drowning in grief and despair in front of him, made a decision...
“… HEY!” said Thor. (A/N: ready it 'AY!' – reference: A 'different Spiderman' by SiegeTales).
Thor then revealed himself at the same time Judas turned, startled by the call.
Judas looked at Thor in confusion.
"Who-?! Blood-colored hair… You're the one he was talking about,” said Judas, looking at Thor, recognizing the physical features.
The thunder god just raised an eyebrow.
“... Who said what about me?” Thor asked.
“Jesus,” said Judas.
Thor was silent and his gaze softened until he sighed in defeat.
"... What do you want to do now?" asked Thor, looking seriously at Judas.
Judas was silent, before looking down at his hands.
“I don't know… I tried to kill myself, but I was brought back… How can I pay my debts to him?” Judas asked, whispering to himself.
Thor then moved closer until he was close to Judas and held out a hand.
“You know who you were in the past, but you don't know what you are in the present and you don't know what to do for your future... I met Jesus, maybe you were brought back to life for some reason that only he knows” said Thor.
Judas then looked at Thor's hand, until he decided to grab it, then the god of thunder then pulled Judas off the ground.
“…It's up to you to find out what he wants from you,” said Thor.
The god of thunder then turned and walked away from Judas, who looked at Thor leaving until he spoke again.
“... I will mourn my master for three days and visit his tomb... But where can I find you, the one Jesus also called his friend?” asked Judas.
Thor didn't even stop walking away and only responded briefly.
"Go to the North of the world, during the winter solstice, look at the sky as soon as you hear thunder, pay attention... It's the sign that I'm close" said Thor.
Judas then fell silent, contemplating Thor's words, and then started walking in the direction Thor had left. As Thor went towards the sea, seeking to summon his chariot and travel to Fatum's home; Judas returned to Jerusalem, seeking to gather all his belongings and travel until he found the answers to the curse given to him.
What Thor didn't know was that he had just encountered someone who, in the original timeline, shouldn't have come back to life.
Fate had intervened again.
- Location: Vormir / House of Fate.
Sometime later, away from planet earth...
On a desolate planet, between two stone towers, a man who had long blond hair and closed eyes, wearing golden armor, was standing with his legs crossed and floating peacefully. This man was known as Fatum, the son of the 'dream' and the one known to dictate the destiny of all beings.
A few seconds Fatum opened a slight smile.
"It's about time... Son of Odin," said Fatum.
As soon as Fatum said the last word something happened...
*BOOM*
Something like a bluish comet fell a few meters away from the two towers of Vormir.
Time seemed to freeze when the 'comet' turned out to be Thor who was staring at the back of Fatum, who had not moved from the spot.
Thor then began to walk towards Fatum, each step echoing through the room, as Fatum uncrossed his legs and stopped floating, landing nonchalantly on the ground and turning and walking towards Thor.
The two beings stopped in front of each other, just an arm's length away, and silence reigned for just a few seconds until Fatum chose to speak.
“…It was quite an entrance… A dignified triumphal entrance I suppose” said Fatum, smiling slightly.
Thor raised an eyebrow.
“My chariot gave me the boost I needed to get here in a few seconds… Besides, I thought you were blind,” said Thor.
Fatum snorted in response.
“I'm blind... But I still see this timeline, it's complicated to explain and even if I explain it to you, at the end of the explanation you'll ask me to explain it again” said Fatum.
Thor stopped and sweated in response.
“…Okay, I won't ask about your 'vision' of the timeline,” said Thor.
Fatum nodded briefly in thanks, but Thor quickly asked the question he'd wanted to ask for a long time.
“…Now, I've lived for four millennia and I've always wanted to ask that question when did something, in particular, happen to me… Were you the one who—“ said Thor, but was soon cut off.
“Erase your previous memory? Yes, with a little help from Samsara” said Fatum sincerely.
Thor froze in response.
"...You know I'm not –" said Thor, before being interrupted.
“The original Thor from the timeline I had set? Yes, I noticed... Before you ask me why I did that instead of meeting you the answer is quite simple, you changed the future so much that it became dangerous” said Fatum.
Thor's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to ask a question, only for Fatum to speak again.
“What have you changed? Let's see, where I should start Hmm... Well, good perfect examples are that Gilgamesh's bloodline still lives, Judas became the first Daywalker, the most peaceful people in Greece didn't die and came to be called Aeolites, as well as becoming become a bunch of bloody genocidal assassins looking to satisfy their 'emperor' that is you, Ah! There is also the creation of a new Heavenly Dragon who will slay the strongest Evil Dragon and take the title from him...” said Fatum, shrugging.
As Fatum spoke, Thor's eyes widened with each word he spoke, until Thor snapped.
“Hang on! Now, wait a fucking minute! I did all that?!... And what was that 'emperor' part?!” Thor asked.
Honestly, for the god of thunder, he never quite realized the consequences of his actions, plain and simple, Fatum oddly enough was just as calm as before.
“Don't start hyperventilating in front of me, timeline changes happen, but… I only had to intervene when I couldn't 'see' the future anymore” said Fatum.
Thor raised an eyebrow and just stared at Fatum suspiciously.
“… What would the original timeline be?” Thor asked.
Fatum then opened his eyes, showing the god of thunder two unfocused, pale blue eyes, confirming that Fate was indeed physically blind.
“… Well, Issei would be the savior after defeating Regalzeva, stopping the Evie invasion, with his children being landmarks for the beginning of a new world – Yes, that's what I decided, “ said Fatum, abruptly interrupting Thor, when he saw that the Norse god was going to speak.
Thor looked angrier than usual.
"... Why?! There are over seven billion people alive at that time, why the hell would you pick one—” said Thor, until he was interrupted.
"Perverted? Don't blame me, he's the only one who can understand the message given by Chimune Chipaoti, using the Pailingual, along with having the ability, due to certain events, to upgrade the Booster Gear so that it is able to face the Evies " said Fatum.
“…Pai–Fucking–What?” Thor asked.
“… Also translated as 'Boob Translator', I know, it's a silly name… Anyway, I didn't have that many options, so I had to work with what I had” said Fatum, sighing in defeat.
Fate then calmed down and walked back to the two towers again, while being followed by Thor.
"But, with you here, Issei's transformation, the Apocalypse AnswerArms, won't be enough to stop whoever is coming..." said Fatum.
Thor raised an eyebrow.
“... Who's coming? This guy, Regalzeva?” Thor asked.
Fatum denied it.
"No... His younger brother, but don't be fooled, although he's the youngest, if you were to compare him with Regalzeva, it would be like comparing a god to a human" said Fatum.
Fatum then stopped and turned to Thor again.
"He is the 'Absolute Despair'... Melvazoa" said Fatum.
Thor was silent and waited for Fatum to continue, as he sensed the seriousness behind Fatum's tone.
"... Even with my interference... I don't even know if we can win" said Fatum.
The Norse god soon frowned.
“… How strong is this guy?” Thor asked.
"... I don't know," said Fatum, resigned.
This made Thor confused.
“Can't you see the future from that timeline? Just see and say –“ said Thor, before being interrupted.
"I TRIED! I CAN'T SEE the future once he arrives! This could mean two scenarios, in the first scenario I am trapped or even dead, but in the second scenario... There is no future for our dimension!” said Fatum, angrily.
Thor was silent and just let Fatum vent until fate itself calmed down, for the god of thunder, it was unheard of for someone who should have calm and patience to lose his composure like that.
“… Is there anything I can do?” asked Thor.
Fatum then took a deep breath and spoke.
“If I give you the key for your true form to break free if everything goes wrong and there is no more hope… You will be our 'scorched earth', or at least something similar” said Fatum.
Thor recognized that expression, but how he would be considered such a thing he had no idea...
It was then that Fatum approached Thor and held out his hand...
“What I'm giving you… It should be used as an absolute last resort; do you understand?” asked Fatum.
Though Fatum likely saw Thor's response with future vision, he knew it was a fifty-fifty chance Thor would accept it or not...
The chant destined to free the Berserker.
The god of thunder glanced briefly at Fatum's outstretched hand and snorted in response.
“I have a plan, I call it plan F–“ said Thor, before being interrupted.
“Plan F, or by your meaning 'Fuck it'. It’s consisted of forbidden seals and runes that have the purpose of trapping you and your opponent in a dimension, where you and he will fight without restrictions for all eternity, while you are inside that dimension, you will not die, because there will be seals that will constantly bring you back to life; you can only get out with the help of someone outside...” said Fatum.
Thor was silent as he stared into Fatum's grim face until he sighed in defeat...
"Well, shit... You convinced me..." said Thor, grabbing Fatum's hand.
As soon as Thor took Fatum's hand, a phrase echoed through Thor's mind, and he blinked in confusion.
"Hmm?... I, the one who –" said Thor, even being interrupted by Fatum quickly.
“DO NOT RECITE! The moment you recite the first sentence you will fall into a trance and will not awaken until the entire chant is recited, so be VERY careful when that happens" said Fatum, frowning as he scolded Thor.
“Okay, okay! For Ymir, I didn't know... Do you want to say more things? Because I honestly want to leave after hearing so much, I need to rest and think properly later about everything you have said..." said Thor, putting his hand on his face and sighing in defeat.
Fatum soon walked away.
"You can leave now... Anything I wish to add, Skuld will seek you out" said Fatum.
The god of thunder nodded in acknowledgment and soon left Fatum, summoning the chariot again. Thor then left the planet quickly, heading towards Earth, although he now had other things on his mind after the conversation...
“… What did Fatum say about the 'emperor' part again?” questioned Thor, confused and afraid of what was said.
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Well, that's all folks!
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, peasant!
The next update will take a while because next weekend is my beloved mother's birthday...
What can I say... It's a pretty simple choice in terms of importance:
My mother = queen mother.
You/Readers = peasants.
So yeah, the choice is kind of obvious.
Next update: January 22, 2023.
I'll update my other fanfic 'Son of Agni' today, since next week I'll be away and I already have 1 chapter ready.
Goodbye, peasant!