After class, Kael slipped out of the lecture hall with quick steps, careful not to draw Naros's attention.
He needed to reach the library. Fast.
If he didn't find a way to hide his divine core, he wouldn't even make it through the gates of the Underworld — they would find him before his first step.
Thank the gods, the Vekto Order had one of the largest libraries in the mortal realm.
Kael moved between the towering shelves, scanning spines and scrolls, his eyes sharp, focused. Shadows flickered across the rows as candlelight danced and trembled, but he no longer noticed.
A divine core.
Suppression. Concealment.
Artifacts that could dampen the presence of a god.
Was there anything? Anything at all?
He pulled scroll after scroll from the shelves, flipping through them with hungry hands, eyes devouring line after line in desperate hope of a clue.
Time passed, but he didn't feel it.
In that moment, nothing existed but him and the parchment spread out before him.
He didn't even notice when night fell.
The library had emptied out long ago. Only a few scattered candles still flickered in the shadows, and still — he read.
Kael was so deeply immersed in his search, he didn't notice when someone stopped in front of his desk.
"Ahem."
He looked up sharply, tense, prepared for anything.
But it was Naros.
Arms crossed over his chest, green eyes narrowed — Naros wore an expression Kael knew all too well.
"Heaven's heir, do you even realize it's well past midnight?"
Kael blinked, glanced at the candles burning low on the table, then shrugged.
"Really? Oh… didn't notice."
"What are you reading?"
Kael casually slid one hand over a scroll.
"Just… world history. Preparing for the next lesson."
Naros raised a very pointed brow.
"Really?"
Kael nodded with perfect confidence.
"Mm-hmm."
For a moment, the library was filled with tense, expectant silence.
Naros slowly leaned forward, placing both palms flat on the table.
Close.
Too close.
His gaze locked onto Kael's amber eyes, sharp and searching.
"You know, Kael…" His voice was soft — dangerously so. "When exactly did you learn to lie like that?"
Kael blinked innocently. "I'm not lying."
In a flash, Naros snatched the scroll from under his hand.
Kael didn't even have time to react.
"'Concealing Artifacts'…" Naros read aloud, then hurled the scroll at Kael's chest with full force.
Kael barely caught it in time.
"Well, what a fascinating piece of world history," Naros said dryly, folding his arms as he leaned in even closer, eyes narrowed. "Come on, my friend. Out with it. What the hell are you planning?"
Kael leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, trying his best to look unbothered.
"Naros, what are you even talking about?" he said with a lazy shrug, feigning indifference. "I didn't plan anything."
Naros snorted, shaking his head. He dragged a chair over, sat down across from Kael, and leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, gaze locked.
"First of all—what the hell was that this morning?" His voice held suspicion, laced with teasing. "You burst into my room like a damned storm, hugged me like I was your long-lost lover."
Kael felt his cheeks warm slightly but didn't say a word.
"And then you cried. Loudly. Like a dying walrus."
Naros slowly shook his head, but something sharp flickered in his eyes — something cautious. Watchful.
"Second of all, you nearly drove Lian insane today," he said, snapping his fingers as if to jog Kael's memory. "Asking how to get into the damn Underworld."
Kael opened his mouth to protest, but Naros cut him off before he could utter a word.
"I didn't—"
"Shut up, liar. I'm not finished."
Kael froze, eyes narrowing slightly.
But Naros wasn't done.
"And third…" He tapped the scroll on the table with one finger. "You're sitting here, researching an artifact that can hide your divine core."
He leaned in again, his voice dropping low, steady.
"So here's the question—"
He stared Kael down, unwavering.
"What the hell do you need in the Underworld?"
Kael shut his eyes and drew in a deep breath.
"Naros, please…"
"Oh no." Naros's voice turned sharp, rough. "Now I'm getting angry, Kael."
He grabbed Kael's wrist — tight, like an iron trap.
"So talk. Before I beat the idiocy out of you."
Kael exhaled heavily.
Closed his eyes again.
How?
How could he tell him the truth?
How do you explain that the mission ahead is more dangerous than anything they've ever faced?
How do you admit… you're planning to go where no one has ever returned from?
Kael yanked his hand free from Naros's grip, heat rising in his chest like a boil.
"What's gotten into you?" His voice cracked but steadied quickly. "I'm just reading scrolls. Go to bed, Naros."
But Naros didn't move.
Then, all at once, he shot to his feet, fists clenched.
"Oh, so you're not going to talk?"
"I have nothing to say!"
Silence.
Kael was just about to turn away when Naros suddenly grabbed the hem of his shirt and tore it off in one swift motion, baring his chest.
Kael jolted, staring at him in horror.
"What are you doing?!"
Naros let out a low, humorless chuckle.
"Oh, I'm about to swear a heavenly oath."
He straightened, eyes cold — almost threatening.
"An oath that if you don't tell me the truth, I'll beat it out of you."
"You're insane!"
"And the heavens will witness it."
Kael felt his heart tighten.
"Naros, please…"
But he wasn't listening.
He bit his finger — hard — until blood welled up.
Kael froze, holding his breath.
"Stop! Are you insane?!"
Red drops trickled down Naros's finger as he brought it to his chest.
"Gods, Naros, stop!"
But Naros had already begun to draw a line — right where his core would be.
Kael groaned, clutching his head.
"Fine! Fine!" He threw his hands up in surrender. "You hear me? I'll tell you everything!"
He took a deep breath and shut his eyes.
"Just… for the love of the gods, stop."
Naros gave him a long, narrowed look, then slowly wiped the blood off on the edge of his shirt.
He grabbed the fabric, tugged it back on with zero grace, buttoning it without a word.
Then he sat down again.
"Speak, damn Heaven's heir."
His voice was cold — but there was something wild, unyielding, dancing behind his eyes.
"I'm listening."
Kael exhaled slowly, closing his eyes as he tried to collect his thoughts.
Naros rested his hands on the table, waiting — patiently on the surface, but the look in his eyes betrayed his growing impatience.
"Well?"
Kael muttered under his breath.
"Gods… just give me a second to think."
He ran a hand down his face, feeling the tightness building inside him.
"You're absolutely insane…"
"I'll take that as a compliment," Naros said with a carefree grin. "Well?"
Kael laced his fingers together on the table and leaned forward.
"Alright… This morning, I didn't wake up after last night."
Naros frowned, clearly confused.
"What does that even mean?"
Kael looked up at him — and in his eyes, there was no humor. No lie.
"This morning… I came here from the future."
Naros froze.
For a moment, he literally stopped breathing.
Then—he burst into laughter.
Loud, uncontrollable, almost manic.
"I—! I can't believe this!" He leaned back in his chair, clutching his head. "Kael, you should be the god of lies! You'll say anything just to avoid the truth!"
But Kael just stared at him.
Expressionless. Silent.
Naros fell silent.
The laughter faded, replaced by raw confusion.
"Holy hell…" His voice dropped to a whisper. "You're serious?"
Kael nodded.
Naros stared at him, scrutinizing his face like he was searching for the tiniest flicker of a lie.
"How did you do it?"
Kael leaned back slowly, arms folding across his chest.
"Chronas sent me."
"Chron—" Naros rubbed his face, shaking his head in disbelief. "Chronas? The god of time sent you to the past?!"
He shut his mouth, then opened it again, only to find no words.
"You're insane. Gods, Kael, you're completely insane."
He ran his hands through his hair, still staring at him in utter shock.
"Chronas disappeared almost two hundred years ago! And you're telling me—"
He suddenly stopped, eyes narrowing on Kael's face.
"Wait. You're not lying?"
Kael shook his head.
Naros was still trying to process what he'd just heard.
Then, without warning, he shoved his chair forward, leaning in closer.
"Tell me everything."
He blurted it out with such deadly seriousness that Kael actually blinked in surprise.
"Every damn detail."
So Kael told him.
He told him how, in ten years, a war would erupt in the mortal realm — the demons would strike first.
How five years after that, the god of darkness would rise.
How he would burn Heaven's Domain to the ground.
How even Tauren, the god of war, would fall at his feet.
How Kael fought him with everything he had… and the creature merely walked into his blade, as if it was all a game.
How the darkness swallowed everything.
How Chronas, god of time, tore him from that doomed reality and pulled him into a place darker than night.
How he offered a deal.
How Kael swore a heavenly oath — to find and save Chronas's son.
And how the god of time sent him back.
Fifteen years.
To this very day.
He told him everything.
Except for one thing.
Kael couldn't tell Naros that, in the future, he would die.
That he would be killed by the demon prince, Morgan.
That Kael had found his body in the ruins of Heaven's Domain.
That his blood had already dried once on Kael's hands.
He just… couldn't say it. Not while looking him in the eyes.
When he finished speaking, silence fell over the library.
Naros sat there, mouth slightly open, stunned — not believing a single word, yet unable to deny any of it.
He slowly ran a hand down his face, as if trying to wake himself up.
Then he exhaled.
"I definitely need wine."
The library fell utterly, hopelessly silent.
Naros slowly turned his gaze to the dying candle, watching as hot wax slid lazily down its sides.
"So… you want to find this god of darkness and kill him. Before he ever reaches full power."
Kael nodded without hesitation.
"Yes. I have to."
Naros looked at him again — assessing, thoughtful.
"And this little godling of darkness… he's in the Underworld?"
Kael nodded once more.
"That's why I need to go there."
Naros pressed his lips together and tapped his fingers against the table.
"What does he look like, this bastard?"
Kael clenched his fists.
"I don't know."
Naros raised his eyebrows, baffled.
"What do you mean you don't know? You fought him!"
Kael ran a tired hand down his face, then rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"That bastard always wore a mask. And a damned cloak."
He exhaled, feeling the anger stir in his chest again.
"No god has ever seen his face."
Naros squinted, then leaned back in his chair.
"But there has to be something you remember."
Kael paused, searching his memory for any detail.
"Well… he was shorter than me."
Naros slapped his knee with a loud clap.
"Perfect! Let's just kill every demon shorter than you."
Kael's expression darkened instantly.
"That's not funny, Naros."
His voice was sharp — almost a growl.
Naros stilled, though a faint smirk still lingered on his face.
"It's not funny at all."
Kael leaned forward, amber eyes blazing with fury.
"He killed every true god."
Naros pressed his lips together but didn't look away.
"He laughed over my father's corpse."
Kael could feel it — that same rage rising inside him, the one that had burned through him on the battlefield.
"Do you have any idea what kind of power it takes to kill the High God?"
He slammed his palm against the table, barely holding back a scream.
"And when I fought him…"
He drew in a ragged breath, fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his skin.
"I gave it everything I had. Every ounce of power I possessed, Naros!"
His eyes snapped up, blazing with fury.
"I was two hundred and five years old!"
Two hundred and five!
"There was so much divine energy in me, I could've torn the mortal realm apart!"
"But that thing—he didn't even flinch."
Kael inhaled deeply, but his voice trembled with rage.
"There were so many corpses, Naros…"
He ran a hand down his face, as if trying to wipe the memories away.
"The entire mortal realm is gone, for fuck's sake!"
A dull thud echoed through the library — Kael's fists clenched so hard it nearly split the table beneath him.
"So don't laugh."
None of this is funny.
Naros stood without a word.
No hesitation, no questions — he simply walked over and pulled Kael into a tight, grounding embrace.
Kael's fists stayed clenched, his whole body trembling.
From what?
Rage?
The fear that it might all happen again?
Or because, in all these years, he'd seen far too many people die?
Naros gave him a few firm pats on the shoulder before stepping back, giving him space.
Kael collapsed into the chair, dropping his head onto his folded arms.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
It was Naros who broke the silence.
"Alright… but what do you mean, the god of time has a son?" He frowned, arms crossed. "Did he even have one?"
Kael shook his head.
"Apparently, yes."
Naros sat down across from him, his gaze still fixed and searching.
"How could Chronas have a son, and no one knew?" He ran a hand along his jaw, clearly running through possibilities. "If he had a child, he would've had to be born in Heaven's Domain."
His eyes narrowed.
"But Kael… aren't you the only god born in the last five hundred years?"
Kael shook his head again.
"I don't know, Naros. Chronas never told me."
Naros leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against the table.
"Alright, but then… what was he doing in the In-Between?"
Kael's head snapped up.
"What did you just say?"
Naros blinked.
"Well, that place you described — silence, darkness, no magic. Sounds a lot like the In-Between."
The In-Between…
Kael straightened sharply.
Of course.
Naros was right.
That place with nothing — with absolute nothingness…
It was the In-Between.
Kael stilled, replaying the scene in his mind.
Chronas had been chained.
Bound by ancient magic.
"But I don't know what those chains were…" he muttered, still trying to process it all.
Naros tensed, arms folding tightly across his chest.
"That's strange. Really strange."
He frowned, digging through memories before speaking.
"Didn't Chronas go into meditation in his Palace of Time and seal it from the inside?"
He looked at Kael, waiting for confirmation.
"I remember there were rumors… that Chronas couldn't bear some kind of grief. So he sealed himself away."
Kael nodded slowly.
"Yeah… right. I remember hearing that too."
But now, putting the pieces together—
"Then what was he doing in the In-Between?"
He clenched his fists.
"Who chained him there?"
Naros stared into the candle's flame, as if searching for answers in the flickering light.
Then, slowly, he spoke:
"What if that god of darkness knew what Chronas was capable of… and somehow pulled him out of his palace?"
He looked up — and in his eyes burned cold calculation.
"What if he chained him in the In-Between?"
Kael inhaled sharply, fists clenched tight.
"Naros… gods."
He studied his face, feeling the pieces finally click into place.
"Then the god of darkness didn't start the war right away because he knew Chronas could rip time apart… and undo everything."
Naros went still, letting it all sink in.
Kael continued, voice low and bitter.
"What if the god of darkness had already been there long before the battle in Heaven's Domain?"
"What if he snuck into the Palace of Time…"
"And took out the only threat that could've stopped him — in advance?"
Naros shook his head, something dangerous flickering in his eyes.
"From what you've told me… that actually makes perfect sense."
He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed tightly over his chest.
"That god of darkness planned everything. He calculated every move."
He was silent for a moment, then steered them back to the core of it all.
"But let's go back to Chronas's son."
Naros narrowed his eyes, clearly hung up on one infuriating detail.
"You actually made that damn oath, didn't you?"
Kael sighed, burying his face in his hands.
"Gods, Kael…" Naros leaned forward and slammed his fist against the table. "You swore a heavenly oath — and didn't even find out who you were supposed to save?!"
Kael let out a frustrated groan and leaned back in his chair.
"Naros, my friend…"
He threw up his hands, shaking his head irritably.
"Chronas didn't have time!"
"If he really was in the In-Between, do you have any idea what it took for him just to speak to me?"
"Not to mention — in a place with no magic, no life — he ripped time apart to send me to the past!"
Naros fell silent for a moment, arms crossed as he thought.
"What if Chronas saw the war coming long before it began… and sealed himself away on purpose?"
Kael tensed, but said nothing.
"And what if his son…"
Naros suddenly cut himself off, something dangerous sparking in his eyes.
"Holy shit, Kael."
He exhaled sharply, fists clenching tight.
"What if Chronas's son is even stronger than his father?"
"What if he's the only one who could stand against the god of darkness as an equal?"
"And that's why Chronas hid him from everyone."
Kael's head snapped up as the pieces began to fall into place.
"What if no one in Heaven's Domain ever knew a new god was born… because Chronas changed time?"
"What if he erased the event from reality itself?"
"What if everyone forgot the birth of a divine core?"
Kael clenched his jaw, trying to process it.
This…
This could be true.
Kael shook his head, feeling the world tilt beneath him.
"Yeah… it could be true."
Shit.
It really could be true.
He suddenly looked up, locking eyes with Naros.
"But where do we even look for him?"
"Where, in all the gods' names, would the god of time hide his own son?!"
Naros slammed his fist on the table with a loud thud.
"Kael! He's the god of time!"
"Where the hell do you think?!"
Kael froze.
He slowly shook his head, fingers tightening around the edge of the table.
"Please don't…"
His voice cracked with dread.
"You're my best friend. Please don't say it's in the threads of time."
"Don't you fucking say it."
Naros nodded slowly.
"That's exactly what I was going to say."
Kael squeezed his eyes shut and leaned his head back.
Perfect.
Just perfect.
But Naros wasn't finished.
"One more question."
Kael grit his teeth.
"Gods, what now?!"
Naros gave a slow, wicked grin.
"How exactly are the two of us supposed to rip open the threads of time… and pull a child out of them?"
Kael dropped his head onto the table and covered his face with both hands.
"You bastard, Chronas."
He groaned into the wood.
"You absolute bastard."
Then he lifted his head and rolled his eyes.
"You made me swear a heavenly oath on a mission I can't complete in a million fucking lifetimes!"
"For fuck's sake!"
Naros burst out laughing, leaning back in his chair.
"Well, Heaven's Heir — you've really stepped in it this time."
He smirked, shaking his head.
"Serves you right! That's what you get!"
He slapped the table again, clearly enjoying himself.
"Maybe next time you'll use that dumb head of yours."
Kael groaned even louder, burying his face in his hands.
"Please… gods, let there be no next time."
And with that, Kael felt himself officially slip into despair.
At this point, entering the Underworld and finding the god of darkness — without even knowing what he looked like — seemed way easier.
Gods, so much easier than fulfilling that damn oath.
Kael let out a muffled groan.
"Naros?"
"What, my friend?"
Kael lifted his head and looked him dead in the eye.
"Kill me."
Naros burst into laughter, throwing his head back.
"HA! Oh, come on."
He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, then started ticking things off on his fingers, mockingly serious:
"Let's see. First, tear open space and reality itself."
"Then, slice into the threads of time — but gently, of course. Wouldn't want to ruin the past or the future."
"And then it's easy."
Naros stood halfway up and swept his arms dramatically.
"In the infinite tangle of time threads…"
Naros raised an index finger, eyes gleaming.
"Did you know the threads might be infinite?"
"I mean literally — a shit-ton of them."
"Find one kid."
"Pull him out."
"No big deal!"
He gave a theatrical shrug, grinning.
"And considering you have absolutely no powers related to time, this mission's basically a fairytale!"
Kael let his forehead drop to the table with a dull thud.
"Naros, just kill me."
"I'm never saving that little bastard."
"Never."
Naros burst out laughing even louder.
"Oh, come on, it's not that bad!"
He clapped Kael on the shoulder.
"Let's start by dealing with the god of darkness and stopping a war, yeah?"
He flashed a wide grin — as if the whole thing were just a silly puzzle to solve.
"Then we'll think about that oath of yours. Sound like a plan?"
Kael lifted his head, eyes utterly dead.
"My life is complete shit."
Naros nodded solemnly.
"Hard to argue with that."
Then he squinted slyly, breaking into a smug little grin.
"But hey — lucky you, having a genius like me around."
He smacked the table with his palm.
"Alright, get up. We're going to bed."
He grabbed Kael's arm and pulled him up.
"Tomorrow, we tear this library apart and find an artifact that hides divine essence."
Kael groaned and pushed himself to his feet.
"…Yeah."
******************
AFTER THE CHAPTER
Exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with Kael & Naros
Brought to you by "Why the Gods Hate Me" Productions
⸻
HOST:
— Welcome back! Tonight, we're joined by the two heroes of the latest chapter. Please welcome Kael and Naros!
Kael, first question: how does it feel to swear a divine oath without knowing who you're supposed to save?
KAEL (dead inside):
— I want to die. Thanks for asking.
NAROS (grinning, leg crossed like a menace):
— I told him. I literally said: "Don't swear to save a mystery baby from a cosmic void." And he was like: "Oh sure, Chronas, I swear on the heavens, no questions asked!" Genius.
⸻
HOST:
— Naros, how are you coping with being dragged into a mission that involves breaking time?
NAROS:
— I laugh.
(pause)
— If I don't laugh, I'll kill him.
(pause)
— And I still need him. He's got the oath.
⸻
HOST:
— Kael, how do you feel about having to find a divine child hidden in the literal threads of time?
KAEL:
— I've transcended pain.
— I'm no longer a person. I'm an emotional support tragedy.
— My job is to scream, suffer, and ask "why me?" every five minutes.
⸻
HOST:
— Naros, what's the official plan?
NAROS:
— Sleep. Then ransack the library. Then vibes.
KAEL (snapping):
— VIBES?!
NAROS:
— Yes, Kael. Vibes. Strategy through chaos. You're welcome.
⸻
HOST:
— Final question. Are you ready for the next chapter?
KAEL:
— No.
NAROS:
— Absolutely.
KAEL:
— Of course he's ready. He's not the one who SWORE A DIVINE OATH.
⸻
FINAL QUOTES:
KAEL (dramatic cut, black background):
— "If you think you're having a bad day, just remember someone out there is trying to find a divine child in the timeline. With no map. And Naros."
NAROS (winking):
— "Hey, someone had to bring comic relief to this apocalypse."