Chapter 96: Last Day in Haven. (Patreon)

Author's note: Next chapter is the start of the Underworld Arc, focused on the youth devil gathering with some twists.

Celestial Ascendancy

Chapter 96: Last Day in Haven.

Elias Black.

Kuoh, Japan.

Looking at Odin, I sighed. He wasn’t leaving anytime soon. He was here for answers.

Not that I could give them without mentioning the grimoire, and I wasn’t even close to ready for that.

“What do you want me to say, Odin?” I asked. Odin’s eyebrow quirked.

“Oh, I don’t know, Mr. Messiah,” the old God snorted. “Maybe start with how a dead, overgrown lion showed up next to you. Stronger than I remember and somehow using your damn holy magic. It even looks a bit different than before, which is impressive, considering I watched the bastard grow up.”

“It came out of the gate the first time I summoned it,” I replied as our gazes met. “Along with those two other idiots.”

Odin turned his head toward the menagerie the room had become. It was funny. The seriousness of the situation still hadn’t settled in. Yet, some of the girls were happily fussing over baby-sized Ash and the regal Gulltopr. The poor Kushanada looked almost offended at being ignored.

Not that I blamed the girls. There was something eerie about the Hell-guards. The two gorillas grumbled to each other before bowing their heads in my direction.

“You can return,” I said with a nod, earning a few annoyed huffs as they lumbered back toward the gate.

“I don’t even know what those things are, boyo,” Odin muttered, eyes on them until they vanished along with the door. “Every time I show up, you pull something even more absurd out of your ass. Every. Single. Time.”

“Odin,” I said, tiredness showing on my voice, “don’t ask questions you know I can’t or won’t answer. Some of this… I don’t even understand myself.”

He glanced at me, his expression softening. “Did something happen, lad? There’s something different about you now that I’m actually looking.”

Hesitating momentarily, I let out a breath. Despite my doubts, Odin genuinely wanted me to grow. There was something real in the way he needed me.

Thinking about it, Odin’s reasons weren’t far from Kernel’s. A gamble, because nothing else they knew had worked. That alone strengthened my resolve.

“Let’s just say Kernel said a few things that destroyed my pride,” I snorted.

Silence settled over the room as I organized my thoughts. I was still a bit bruised by my own expectations, but the sting had dulled over the past days.

Even when time passed without me realizing.

Explaining what Kernel had told me didn’t take long, and the reaction was… surprising, to say the least.

On one hand, Odin’s expression softened even more, giving me a grandfatherly look I didn’t know how to handle. It was… nice to be understood that deeply.

My girls knew everything about me, but they didn’t understand how much expectations affected me. That was on me, obviously, for hiding it. I wanted to be strong for them, so I carried a nonexistent burden just for that. A wrong path, now that I thought about it.

Akeno bursting into happy tears caught me of guard. A part of her always feared how my story would end, and hearing I wasn’t meant to sacrifice myself finally cracked her stress open.

I didn’t have the heart to tell her that even if I wasn’t meant to, I still would. For them. Because I loved them.

“Hel’s tits, Elias,” Odin sighed, pausing as he finished his beer. “Now I understand why you looked all moppy.”

I barked a laugh at that and tightened my hold on Akeno, whose whimpers were finally fading, feeling the hands of my other girls on my back and in my hair. Even Ash thrilled happily in Fleur’s arms.

Lucky bird.

Dumbledore’s expression was something to behold, too. There was understanding there, and he must have felt something similar during his rise in Grindelwald’s war, but even he looked a bit pale. Probably imagining the sheer scope of everything that had been going on.

“But even with all that, you’ve made your choice, haven’t you, lad?” the old God said, taking a sip as he watched me.

I just nodded.

“Then you’d better prepare for it,” he snorted good-naturedly. “You’ve reached a point where, metaphysics or not, your actions carry weight. People will look to you, boy.”

Rias looked up from my hair. “What do you mean, Lord Odin?”

Odin rolled his eye. “Oh, please. Don’t play innocent with me, you big-boobed bra…”

He didn’t even get to finish.

An orb of destruction slammed into his shin. A bolt of holy lightning scorched his mug a heartbeat later. Odin grunted more in annoyance than pain, eyeing his singed beard before snorting at the red-faced Rias, who sputtered at him cross-eyed.

Akeno’s glare crackled through her reddened eyes, looking adorable… if you ignored the holy lightning building in her palms.

My own magic reacted too, though in a more… elegant way.

The next mug that materialized in Odin’s hand looked like beer. But I doubted he’d enjoy the taste of the piss I swapped into it.

Talk about my woman again. Go on.

Wizarding magic was fun. And that wasn’t even counting the spells Mione, Fleur, Iris, and, surprisingly, Sirius had slipped into him.

It was funny. Odin obviously sensed their magic messing with him, but he pretended he hadn’t noticed a thing.

And despite the amusement, it was impossible to ignore how much the banter helped everyone unwind. Bastard. It was hard to stay mad at him when he pulled stunts like this.

“Don’t think your strength went unnoticed when you called that gate to Hell, brat,” he said, looking at me, right as his beard turned bright blue.

His eye dipped for a fraction of a second, then it narrowed in amusement.

“You’re lucky the Celts won’t act out after the bullshit you just pulled,” he continued. “The Light-Bright won’t allow it, and believe me, he’s not the kind of God you want as an enemy. Bastard is terrifying when he wants to be, and no one’s dumb enough to test him. Even the Crow bows his head around him. You have his word and respect. Try this kind of bullshit in another pantheon’s territory, boyo, and you’d be in trouble. The kind even I’d struggle to pull you out of.”

I nodded, burning his warning into my mind. Not that I had any plans, or even the ability, to repeat the creation of Sanctuary. We were lucky Odin had a relationship with Lugh and the rest. Hearing him say it that way made it painfully clear how… unwise our actions had been.

Not that I regretted any of it.  

“But the alliance could help, right?” Amelia asked, speaking for the first time.

No one commented on the way she shivered when the God’s lone eye fixed on her.

“It’s complicated, lass. And believe me, I’m not trying to offend you. It’s simply out of your league.” Odin’s reply was merciless.

I stared at him blankly as Rias winced, but even she didn’t protest. The others wore the same flat expressions.

Odin glanced around the room and facepalmed. I didn’t know why, but the worried, almost shocked look he sent me felt like a slap.

“You really need one of those girls to focus on politics, Elias. Like, yesterday. The fact that I must explain this to you lot is worrisome.”

Faces went red around the room, but no one said a word.

“The peace talks work, but don’t expect them to protect you from stupid decisions. The angels have enough trouble on their own, probably more than even I know. You’ve got no real connection with the Grigori besides the divine-dividing brat, and you know they won’t help you without something in return. As for the devils…”

Each sentence drew winces around the table, especially from the wizarding side. Still, there was no arguing with any of it.

“The devils are closest to you, but they’re in deep shit. Honestly, they’re the most troublesome faction of the three. They’re absurdly divided. The fact that they allow two breakaway factions inside their own and can’t even brand them terrorists is both amusing and worrisome. The only reason they haven’t imploded is because they’ve got two big sticks to swing around. Lucifer and the green-haired brat. And that’s without considering your existence and how much more complicated the Underworld is because of it.”

Despite Odin tearing into the devils, neither Rias nor Akeno could argue. He was right. That was the worst part.

I liked the devils. Hilarious, I know. But I did. And everything Odin said was true. Their faction was a mess, and a dangerous one.

And allying with Heaven and my mere existence didn’t help their situation at all.

“What do you suggest we do, old man?” I sighed wearily.

We were out of our depth.

“Whatever you and that thing did here works,” Odin replied, and his tone made me realize that, as bad as things could get, we weren’t there yet. “Even I’d have trouble getting into this place without your invitation.”

That was my latest perk at work.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t,” he warned, “but it’d be obvious, and you’d notice before I did. There are plenty of beings out there who can do it. It’s a good defense, I’ll admit… just not perfect.”

“I also intend to leave two Kushanada here at all times, under Sirius’s control. Just in case,” I added with a nod, feeling a bit proud. The fact that the defenses could stall a god, even momentarily, was already better than our original plan.

“Also, Ash and Gulltopr should stay here unless we absolutely need them outside,” Iris continued smoothly. “The magic in the air will help them grow faster. And that should be enough protection when we’re not here, which… will be most of the foreseeable future.”

Sirius nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t think I should be the one holding that kind of power, but I’ll make sure not to misuse it. Those two gorillas felt stronger than anything we, or the Japanese, have. Their presence alone will keep our worst people in line.”

“You could also start talks with Papa,” Fleur said, looking sad but hopeful. “I don’t like the idea of something happening to them the way it did to the Japanese.”

“Do you think he’ll resist moving, love?” I asked my flower. “News of the attack in Japan must have reached this side of the world already. They must know they’re not safe.”

“You don’t realize how proud we French can be, mon amour,” Fleur giggled. “And Papa is prouder than most. I’m sure we can get Maman and the Veela covens to move without much trouble. But Papa won’t leave unless the rest of the ministry follows, and that might take time.”

“Surely they’ll be convinced once they see what we offer, no?” Hermione asked, looking a bit miffed. The same irritation burned inside me.

There was no way they’d put pride before survival… right?

Odin laughed out loud at my expression. “Don’t get your hopes up, lad. Wizards or not, your lot is just like humanity. And if living this long has taught me anything, it’s that while humanity is a wonderful creation, they are the most arrogant lifeform in the universe. Even dragons don’t compare. Idiots, the whole lot.”

Having magic probably didn’t help our case. Hearing Odin talk like that was eye-opening.

“Well, time’s up,” Odin said, clapping his hands as he stood. “I said what I needed to say, and I can see you lads took it to heart. Keep a low profile for a few months, if not longer, while Elias and the rest work on their relationships with other factions. Don’t do anything stupid.”

He was talking to Dumbledore and the other wizards, but we all nodded seriously.

“It was good seeing you again, lad. Take care. And be ready… I can smell the rot of death pressing on my soul already. Ragnarok isn’t far.”

“Take care, Odin. And thank you. Really,” I said, smiling as I opened the doorway. “Just call when you need us. After everything you’ve done for us, we’ll be there.”

The girls waved as Odin stepped out.

“Ah, almost forgot,” he said, turning back with a mocking smirk as he looked at Rossweisse. “Gondul sends her regards. She’s quite excited to see you again, lass.”

Ross’s panicked scream should’ve been funny. Still, it sent a shiver down my spine despite not having a romantic relationship with the Valkyrie.

What finally made me snort was Odin slipping the moment he stepped outside. Every spell on him triggered at once, transforming his clothes into a clown suit, hair and nose included, as he face-planted.

Laughter erupted around the room, contagious enough that I had to join in. And even then, I thanked Odin. That couldn't happen without his allowing it.

Not that he didn’t deserve it. I was a bit upset that the bastard never touched his beer even once.

“Well, it seems we’ve got a lot to do,” I said, looking around. “But first… I think it’s time to welcome everyone to our new home. What do you all think?”

Their happy, eager grins were enough answer.

Elias Black.

Sanctuary. Five days later.

The air in Sanctuary was different after Odin left and wizardkind was left out in the open. It took… some time for people to adjust to our new reality, but no one complained about anything.

Not because we were tyrants who shut down complaints. We weren’t like that. But because there was simply nothing negative about the dimension.

It was breathtaking, and considering every breath carried the weight of the Aetherius, it was perfect.

Everything was lighter. Warmer, welcoming.

Walking through the streets with the girls at my sides, I slowed as laughter washed over us. It wasn’t loud or forced, and it was present everywhere. And it didn’t come from the children alone, which was perhaps the most shocking part.

No, it sounded natural, and it came from everyone around us.

It was probably Sanctuary’s sheer sense of safety that made it possible.

It was strange. I couldn’t even name what roused in me as I took in the sight around me.

Sirius was the first to spot us. He stood near what had once been a patch of empty ground. Simple grass I’d left everywhere so people could build what they wanted instead of having it chosen for them.

His grey hair, thanks to his age and the stress he suffered in Azkaban, was finally receding.

He didn’t look any younger. Thank God. I wasn’t sure if I could handle a change that big, but he did look better. His hair even matched mine now, fitting for a Black.

He had an excited flush as he mopped the floor with Sanctuary’s new police force.

Having access to the pair of Kushanada didn’t mean anyone wanted him to use them for simple tasks. There was a fine line between order and control, and no one wanted to be forced to use them. Especially him.

He’d grown immensely since last year. There was an authority around him now that honestly fits my uncle.

The lessons he learned from Arcturus, from time to time, surely helped. For all the grumpy bastard’s faults, his brilliance was undeniable.

And funnily enough, Sirius was a lot like him, as much as he tried to say otherwise.

“Oi! Elias, want a round with these sorry aurors?” he barked, laughing as the groaning group on the floor paled in unison.

I shouldn’t have found it as funny as I did, but I smirked at the sight. They were… a work in progress. Japan had lost most of its Aurors during the attack, and the war had left us hurting for them, too.

But one thing was clear. They tried. Hard.

The group of ten was drenched in sweat, robes clinging to them. Their bodies trembled from the strain of their last spar, and even with the panic at the idea that I might go next, they stood up.

Some of them looked almost eager.

I even felt a twinge of guilt as I told them no. But they just laughed.

“I need Sirius for a bit,” I called out to the group. “Use the time to rest. Get to know each other.”

The first days were rough. Different cultures and different languages did that. But Mione’s bright mind worked wonders. She and Latia, of all people, created an enchantment that let everyone understand one another.

Everyone in Sanctuary wore it.

That made things significantly easier, but even then, there was still a fear of the unknown. Mostly buried under hope, but it was there.

Sirius shook his head and barked a few orders before joining our group.

“What did you need, Eli?” he asked, trying, and failing, to keep a frown on his face.

He waved toward a group of children. British, Japanese, and, most surprisingly of all, a couple of centaur foals and small goblins playing together.

The children waved excitedly, their eyes fixed on me with open worship.

It was… overwhelming.

We walked, Sirius following at his own pace as he hugged Iris and joked with her. My first love had a broad smile as he squeezed the stuffing out of him.

I was happy.

But… there was something I didn’t know how to take. People noticed my group. And…

A Japanese witch bowed her head. A British auror I didn’t recognize paused his spellwork as I passed and straightened. Just… looked at me.

A centaur watching over the children in the distance dipped his torso respectfully.

Even a goblin bowed his head.

The whispers followed us until we were out of sight. They didn’t stop. Some people even trailed after us from a distance, just watching us.

But their belief pressed into me. It strengthened me. It filled me.

And I didn’t know what to do with it.

Rias was the first to catch how tense I’d grown. She squeezed my arm gently and poked Akeno, who was feeding Ash on her shoulder. The Queen pressed closer to me.

And the rest followed, their eyes filled with worry, but some kind of acceptance that I didn’t have yet.

I wondered if I ever would.

I wasn’t a god.

I didn’t want to be worshiped.

I didn’t ask for this. But these people…

They saw our actions as the only reason they were safe. They didn’t know the mistakes we’d made to make this possible… and even if they did, they probably wouldn’t care.

In their eyes, they were alive simply because of us.

And that was enough.

“I wonder if I’ll ever get used to this,” I murmured softly, just loud enough for the rest to hear.

A tense silence settled over us as we walked, broken only by Sirius letting out a warm sigh.

“The fact that you even wonder that,” Sirius said softly, “shows you deserve this more than anyone, Eli.”

“Anyone else in your place would make sure people worshiped the ground they walked on,” Iris nodded. “You’re special in your own way, and as long as you stay true to your beliefs, people will follow you, Eli. Because you are you.”

“They don’t care about you being the messiah,” Hermione said softly, but firmly. “Wizards aren’t religious. None of that matters to them. They see what you’ve done for them, and that’s enough. You can’t change how they feel.”

“That would just make it worse,” Rias giggled as she kissed my cheek. “If you take the humble route, they might worship you even more. And you’d never force them to stop, because you care about their free will.”

“And we love you for that,” Fleur said with a beautiful smile. “Never forget that, my Eli.”

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you all,” I said, smiling as something in me eased.

Of course, the beautiful moment was immediately ruined by Sirius. The bastard gagging behind his hand.

“You’re all sickeningly sweet,” he shuddered dramatically. “Thank you for taking care of him.”

Even as the girls glared at him, they still nodded with smiles.

“So, what did you need me for, Eli?” he finally asked.

“It’s time. We need to visit the Underworld soon,” I sighed. “I just wanted the final count and whether you needed anything before we leave.”

Sirius got… well, serious, as he nodded and pulled me into a tight hug. “There’s not much to say, Eli. What the devils sent will last at least six months, and the grains and animals they provided have already begun to multiply. Our magic is perfect to speed up the process. And with how fertile this place is, I don’t think we’ll have any problems, even if we convince the French to join us.”

He turned to Fleur. “Daphne’s already in France, and we should hear back soon. Hopefully, your letter convinces them.”

“That girl should have taken a vacation,” Hermione sighed sadly. Everyone dealt with trauma differently, but Daphne didn’t want to be coddled.

“I hope so too. Maman already replied. Said she’s convincing the covens to move even if the ministry won’t.” Fleur grinned. “And who knows, many of them are married to high-ranking politicians. They might make things easier.”

We shared a laugh at that, knowing how convincing Fleur could be. And considering she wasn’t even as experienced as other Veela, I wasn’t sure if I should feel bad for those politicians… or jealous of them.

“What about our forces, though? What can we expect in the next five years?” Iris asked curiously.

Sirius sighed. “It’s… a work in progress. We’re using the devils’ ranking system, by the way.”

“It’s the best measurement there is,” Rias said proudly, even as most of us rolled our eyes.

“You know Dumbledore’s whole ‘keep a low profile’ from the supernatural thing. I won’t comment on it. You know how I feel about them,” Sirius snorted. “So… it’s bad.”

“How bad?” Hermione frowned.

“In total, we’ve got a little over ten thousand people living in Sanctuary. British, Japanese, centaurs, and goblins. We’re not counting the French yet since we don’t know if they’ll accept. Out of that, around eighty percent are low-class. Students, adults who never kept up their magic, and people with little talent.”

We all winced at that number. It was… bad. Our magic was versatile, sure, but weak compared to the rest of the world. And versatility didn’t help against ‘fuck everything in that direction’ kind of spells.

“Then we’ve got a little over nineteen percent at Mid-class. Professors, war veterans, talented kids, and elders from the centaur and goblin tribes. That number’s solid. Most of them agreed to teach the next generation.” Sirius actually looked proud as he explained it.

“And the last tiny fraction is our High-class group. Most are from our side, though Japan had a couple who survived the attack. Surprisingly, even the goblins and centaurs have one or two. They all hold high positions in their own communities, and Amelia’s talking about forming a… sort of united governing body. Slow progress, but she’s hesitantly optimistic.”

“And with you controlling the only two Ultimate-class beings here, things should stay stable,” Iris nodded firmly. “It’s bad, but Sanctuary might make wizards progress faster. We could grow those numbers before the year is over.”

That was assuming we didn’t get hit with another setback. Sanctuary was safe for now. And I could open a gate from anywhere if we needed to return.

We would not fail this place. I couldn’t stomach seeing those children cry ever again.

“We’ll trust you with this, Sirius. We can’t stay here most of the time, but if you need us, just call,” I said seriously.

My uncle nodded firmly.

“Then… what’s your plan?” he asked hesitantly.

“I wanted to get something for the girls before Rias’s event starts. After that? Grab Tonks and visit the Underworld.” I shrugged. “Want to come? I think it’ll be an interesting show.”

He looked confused, but I just smiled and apparated us to Commercial Street.

Sirius Black.

Sanctuary.

If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be standing inside a glowing forge in another dimension watching Garrick bloody Ollivander work alongside half a dozen Japanese wandmakers, I would’ve hexed them for being idiots.

And yet… here I was.

The room was filled with magic. Pure, not temperamental kind you’d feel in the outside world.

Elias never explained things. But his magic in this place felt otherworldly. There was no other explanation.

Gulltopr’s mane floated neatly in the air, shining strands above the central table. Ash’s feathers expelled a holy aura that made my hair stand on end. Both ingredients rested in a bowl of runes crafted by goblins. That alone showed how different life would be from now on.

Goblins used to hoard all their magic viciously. It was different now.

The wandmakers, British and Japanese alike, handled the materials as though they were sacred relics. Honestly? They probably were.

The sheer power coming out of them was higher than anything the Wizarding World was used to.

I leaned against a pillar, crossing my arms as Ollivander examined a half-finished hairpin that caught the light like a star.

“It responds to your flame remarkably well,” he murmured softly as he looked at Fleur almost reverently. “As if it were waiting for its creation from long ago.”

A Japanese craftsman beside him added softly, “It will not burn her, or her allies, even at full output.”

Good. The girl deserved something worthy of her. In a way, I was jealous of everything Elias was, but the feeling of pride was higher than anything else.

Another craftsman lifted a ring from a frost-coated table. It was simple, yet elegant. A silvery color with three slender bands of gold running across its body.

“For Hermione Granger,” he said proudly. “It enhances focus. Her mind shines so brightly that it overwhelmed the first prototype.”

I snorted. That sounded right. The girl was scary. I was damn thankful she was so enamored by Eli.

Two armbands floated into view next. One gold, like Eli’s light, and the other the blackest of black. Tonks would lose her mind over them. I only regretted that I wouldn’t see her reaction.

“Something never seen before,” A Japanese wandmaker explained, turning them in his hands. “The gold one will amplify her holy magic; black is perfect for curses and dark magic in general.”

Then came the prayer beads.

Akeno’s set didn’t just glow; they pulsed. Each bead held a drop of light. Elias Aetherius concentrated on its utmost limit.

And finally…

The disk.

A perfect circle. I wasn’t the best at math, but even I knew nothing could be this perfect. Yet here it was. It even looked strange to my eyes.

A shade of crimson deeper than Rias’s hair, etched with lines of gold of pure Aetherius. Power thrummed from it. But it wasn’t scary. It was regal.

“What does that one do?” I asked quietly.

The wandmaker straightened, his face filled with pride and confusion in equal measure. As if he didn’t know what they had created.

“I have no idea,” he admitted after staying silent for almost a minute. “But I can feel the power inside. Be sure to let us know when you find out, Ojou-Sama.”

I wasn’t sure, but I was scared to find out. Most of the wandmakers worked like they were in a trance.

But one thing I knew was that they were beautiful, in that terrifying, magical way.

Ollivander exhaled slowly. “These are not mere tools. They are… bonds. Between magic, between people. Between Elias and the ones who stand with him.”

I almost snorted at the uncomfortable expression that appeared on Eli’s face. It was funnier since the girls couldn't look happier even if they tried.

But he earned it. He needed those girls just as they needed him.

I could only pray for their safety. Just as they worked to keep us that way.