Someone flew at impossible speeds, weaving between trees, trying to keep the lowest profile it could. They would not allow themselves to be detected.

  Then, they sensed it—the pervasive power of a God of Tartarus. The world-ending being was now entering the world.

  “Well,” A broad, wicked grin came to the man’s face, “guess I didn’t come here for nothing!”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Tears ran down Melody’s face. She failed. Kraul was coming through to their world. Her world. Her home. She was going to lose everything again.

  “Don’t give up yet, Melody. That is why I was called.” A familiar voice called. “I also brought help.”

  “Huh?” Melody was stunned. The dread she was feeling was gone like it never existed.

  “Soon, I shall rise to the divine realm and kill you all!” Kraul laughed, only for it to be viciously cut off with his head.

  Lord Alexander Tulsen zipped by from the side, wielding a massive scythe that looked crafted from a starry night sky, removing Kraul’s head. “God, I love doing that!” He had a wicked smile on his face.

  He held up a golden orb that absorbed Kraul’s head and falling body.

  “What?!” Rul was shocked that someone as powerful as Kraul was killed instantly. “Who the hell are you!?”

  Lord Tulsen gave an evil smile. “I know just how to deal with a creature like you. I leave the assault to you, my friend!” He called out to someone.

  Shockingly, a familiar airship appeared and began circling the area. Upon the deck was an armored giant who looked like her armor was from modern Earth military forces. On her back was a large pack, and in her hands was a giant-sized mini-gun.

  “Say hello to my little friend!” The female giant yelled happily before letting loose.

  The bullets rained down on Rul, keeping up with his regeneration.

  A man in a hooded waistcoat and mask appeared with two women near Melody and her sister. Both were elves. One was tall with dark skin, while the other was shorter with fair skin. Both were wearing hooded waistcoats with masks as well.

  “Greetings! I’m Hephaestus, and I’m Alex’s friend. These are my associates. Ah, the wild one up there with the big gun is also with us.” Hephaestus informed them.

  “Is Ruby up there?” Melody asked, surprised at how well the airship’s giant kept Rul pinned.

  Hephaestus was shocked and then sighed while holding his head. “Dammit Alex… Anyway, yes, Ruby is up there piloting the airship. We’re here to help.”

  Melody sighed in relief and looked up to Lord Tulsen. “Glad to have you here!”

  He nodded at her. “Alright! Here is the plan! Gaia! Keep him pinned! Hephaestus! Take Melody and upgrade her hatchet!”

  Hephaestus sighed. “Damn slave driver. Fine! You two help hold that thing down.”

  The two elves with him nodded and went to fight.

  “Chains of Hades.” Lord Tulsen stated. Seven large skulls appeared around him, and harpoons attached to chains shot out of their mouths and pierced Rul’s body. Pulling taught, Melody could see a bit of Rul’s soul trying to be dragged from his body.

  “That’s it! That’s how we can kill him!” Melody cried.

  “What?” Rui asked.

  “Lord Tulsen is going to remove Rul’s soul! If we can’t destroy his body, just rip out his soul!” Melody exclaimed.

  “I can’t do more than this.” Lord Tulsen commented. “I also have to seal the breach.”

  The hole in space above Rul was still open, slowly closing.

  “That is where you come in, Melody. Go with Hephaestus to upgrade your hatchet. It is more powerful than you think.” Lord Tulsen stated.

  “Your hand, please.” Hephaestus held up his hand.

  Melody reached down and touched his hand. In an instant, she realized she was in a new space.

  “Welcome to my Haven,” Hephaestus stated.

  “Wow…” Melody looked around and saw all kinds of modern convinces. “You’re from Earth, aren’t you?”

  “Oh? Are you maybe a reincarnation?” Hephaestus asked as he led her into a large building.

  “I am.” Melody had to duck her head slightly, but standing within wasn’t too uncomfortable.

  “The hatchet?” Hephaestus stopped before a beautiful anvil and impressive-looking forge.

  “Oh, right.” She pulled out the hatchet and handed it over.

  “Huh?” Hephaestus checked it. “I made this.”

  “Really? Then you must be the person Lord Tulsen mentioned.” Melody looked outside. “Will they be okay?”

  Hephaestus chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about. To be honest, Alex doesn’t actually need your help.” He placed the hatchet on the anvil. Fire and water flowed from the forge and a barrel to the anvil. The metal of the hatchet began to heat up.

  “Wow… Um, what do you mean? He doesn’t need my help?” Melody asked.

  “To be honest, this is a test for you. I shouldn’t give any more detail than that, or he’ll get annoyed. All you have to do is see this through to the end.” Hephaestus stated as the hatchet looked red hot.

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  Taking a deep breath, an extreme level of power emanated from Hephaestus. He slowly raised his golden glowing hammer and brought it down.

  The clang of metal shook their space, causing even Melody to stumble.

  Hephaestus struck the hatchet four more times, each time causing a powerful golden light to shine from the hatchet. By the final tempering, Hephaestus stumbled back away from the anvil. Melody watched in awe as the hatchet changed its shape, slightly flattening and extending, and the head grew. The hatchet was now an elegant battle axe.

  “Whew! I think I have been forging divine objects too much lately.” He chuckled.

  “Wait, did you say divine?” Melody asked.

  Hephaestus chuckled. “Well, I am a newly ascended god.”

  Melody was shocked. “B-But I thought gods couldn’t wholly enter a world!”

  He rocked his head back and forth. “Hmm, that mostly depends on the rules established by the world gods themselves. You are not wrong. It is either a fragment or greatly weakened state when they enter a world.” He chuckled. “I had a goddess travel with me for a short time in a mortal form. There are limitations to what I can do in your world. In my Haven, I am at my full power.” Picking up the battle axe, he held it up to Melody. “Give it a try.”

  Melody took hold of the axe and could feel tremendous power from it now. “I-Is it okay for me to have this!?”

  Hephaestus chuckled. “Yes. Thankfully, you are a demi-god, or else you would not be able to wield it.”

  “Then let’s head back!” Melody cried, rushing for the door.

  “Hold up!” Hephaestus stopped her. “You need to recover first.”

  “But what about the others?” Melody asked.

  “Time here flows as I wish. I don’t have enough power yet to do higher-level time dilations, but I can manage a minute to one hour. Follow me.” Hephaestus led her out and to another area of his Haven where there were hot springs. “You can get in as you are. The water will purify, clean, and warm your body. Spend at least a few hours in there to recuperate. I’ll cook you up something filling.” Then he vanished.

  “Is he teleporting or something?” Melody wondered and stepped into the water.

  “Huh?! Who’re you!?” A beautiful woman with sapphire hair asked, seeming to wake up after falling asleep in the hot spring.

  “Oh, uh, I’m Melody.” She answered.

  The woman narrowed her eyes at her. “You’re not another wife candidate, are you?”

  “What? To who?” Melody sighed, feeling all of her tension and stress melt away as she lowered deeper into the water. It felt divine!

  “To Eric.” The woman stated.

  “Who’s Eric?” Melody kind of getting tired of the questions. She wanted to enjoy the hot spring!

  “The guy who owns this place?” The woman asked.

  “Oh?” Melody tilted her head. “Do you mean Hephaestus’ name is actually Eric?”

  The woman froze and looked nervous. “Um… no?”

  Melody snorted and stifled a laugh at the woman’s poor attempt to lie.

  Hephaestus appeared and noticed the woman. “Luna? What are you doing here?”

  “I’m… uh… just visiting.” She looked away nervously.

  He sighed. “What did you do this time?”

  “I think Eric is a nice name,” Melody commented.

  “Ah!” Luna cried. “Don’t! She’ll-!” The woman disappeared in a flash of blue light.

  “Huh? Do all of you have the ability to teleport?” Melody asked.

  “That was… something similar but different. Anyway, just ignore that.” He summoned a massive tray of food. It consisted of a beef lo mein and a couple of watermelons.

  “You have watermelons!?” Melody cried out. “I love watermelons!” She dug into the food, praising its fantastic taste. It didn’t take long before it was all gone, her hiding away some watermelon seeds for later.

  “So, just to ask, can you not change your size?” Eric, who removed his mask and pulled his hood back, asked.

  She froze, and her head slowly turned to Eric. “Wait. What are you to Ruby?”

  “Well, I’m her father.” Eric proudly stated before Melody snatched him and raised him to her face.

  “You can teach me how to change my size!?” Melody yelled.

  “Ow! Yes! Yes, I can!” Eric cried.

  Melody realized what she had done and quickly apologized.

  “It’s okay.” He fixed up his waistcoat. “Alright, let’s try it this way.” He held out his hand.

  Melody nervously touched his hand.

  “Let me know if it causes you any pain.” He said and began.

  Melody felt words and knowledge flow into her mind.

  Error…

  Error…

  Foreign world spell detected…

  Subject capable of understanding spell…

  Requesting approval…

  Waiting… Waiting… Waiting… Waiting…

  Answer received…

  Adjustment to spell required…

  Adjusting… Adjusting… Adjusting…

  Adjustment complete…

  Spell shall now become a special skill…

  Skill name shall be ‘Resize’…

  The information finished processing through her mind, and Eric pulled his hand back.

  “How do you feel?” He asked.

  “Resize.” Melody immediately tried it and regretted it. “Ack!” She forgot she was in the giant’s only section of the hot spring and swam over to the human-sized area.

  “You okay?” Eric asked, stifling a chuckle.

  Melody looked up at him and beamed. “I’m fantastic! Thank you so much! I can finally change my size!”

  Eric chuckled. “Still hungry?”

  Melody beamed. “Still!”

  Eric chuckled and disappeared to get her more food.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The battle to tear Rul’s soul from his body was still ongoing. The giant on the airship had to pause her onslaught to reload and let her mini gun cool down.

  The remnants of the anti-titan forces arrived to assist, but their damage was nothing compared to the damage being caused by Hephaestus’ family.

  On the ground, Violet was gushing over the dark elf, who was in what looked like a howitzer. The fair-skinned elf was enchanting each round fired by her companion to increase the damage.

  Each round would blow a hole in Rul, only for it to instantly heal.

  Rui looked at the battle, wanting some way to help the others.

  “Rui!” Gaia called out to her daughter.

  “M-Mom?” Rui looked up.

  Gaia had a warm smile. “Come, little sprout. Your mother needs your assistance.”

  Rui’s face turned red, and she hurried over. “How can I help?!”

  Gaia lowered a vine down to Rui and pulled her up to herself.

  Seeing her mother up close caused Rui’s heart to tighten.

  Gaia smiled. “Come, little sprout, I’ll have you-.” Rui jumped forward, hugging Gaia with her arms and legs, burying her face into Gaia’s chest. “Little sprout?”

  “Mom,” Rui said through a muffled voice. The scent of Gaia was so soothing to her. The smell was a mix of fresh soil, morning dew, flowers, and tree bark. “Mom, mom, mom, mom!” She nuzzled her face into her mother’s chest.

  Gaia kissed the top of Rui’s head. “My little sprout, I am so proud of you. Though I couldn’t answer you, I heard every single one of your accomplishments. I am sorry I was not there for you-.”

  “You were there!” Rui yelled, pulling her head back and looking at Gaia’s face. “You were always there! You heard me! I was always sure you loved me! I love you, Mom!”

  Rui felt warmth, love, pride, and happiness wash over her from Gaia.

  “I love you too, Rui. Now, will you help your mother?” Gaia lovingly asked.

  “Mm!” Rui beamed while nodding.

  Gaia had Rui turn around and integrate into her wood golem. Rui connected to the golem. She felt Gaia grow a second set of arms.

  “Rui.”

  “Yes, Mom!?”

  “Pummel that bastard!”

  A wild smile came to Rui’s face, and she began an onslaught of heavy punches, muffling the various curse words from Rul. The barrage started to inch Rul’s body backward, slowly moving them toward their goal of pulling out Rul’s soul.