Page 339 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Skin smacked against the desk, then the floor.

Our Ignis had passed out.

Chapter 48

Aran

DESIGNATIONS

Rebirth—Day 62, hour 14

We stood in a line on the lawn of the arena.

Pipe hanging loose from my lips, I stared at the ocean. My wings were retracted tight against my spine, but it felt like boulders were sitting on my aching shoulders.

Salt burned my eyes.

The angel legion stood in a line with their wings proudly extended behind them. It was all for a show.

“Everyone here today has been blessed,” Lyla’s enchanted voice echoed across the island, and my ears buzzed. “The gods themselves have analyzed every second of the games.”

She paused. “And after careful consideration, the gods have determined that no more competitions are necessary. All teams will be given their demarcations for the war.”

The student section cheered.

Hollered and clapped.

They stomped their feet against the metal bleachers.

Lyla spread her arms wide as she said, “Every few millennia, a red giant explodes in the galaxy. It collapses in a solar system that contains a portal connecting it to realms within the jurisdiction of the High Court.”

White caps crested and crashed.

Sea-foam sprayed across black rocks and glistened maroon under the eclipse.

I didn’t blink.

I felt the weight of the kings’ gaze on me, and I made a point to not look over at them.

Lyla’s words were straight from a nightmare. “The resulting energy flow forces all portals open for indeterminate amounts of time. Centuries at the least.”

The arena was hushed as everyone leaned forward to hear better.

I leaned back.

“The High Court works with the leaders of realms to guard and protect these points of entry. This phenomenon has occurred hundreds of times in history, and in most cases, it is not a problem,” Lyla said calmly. “Until it is.”

Another wave crashed against the shore.

The tide pulled it back before it could get away.

Wind stung my cheeks.

Lyla’s voice had a dark edge. “The universe is infinite, and the location of all portals is unknown. When Red Giant 46B3 exploded three centuries ago, it forced open a portal to a realm that contained a sentient species. This opening allowed them to stream into other realms within the High Court’s jurisdiction.”

I took a deep breath.

“The species is called the ungodly, and they have infested multiple realms. Attempts to reason with them and eliminate infestations have been unsuccessful. They have taken over a realm and are on track to wipe out all civilization as we know it, if they are not stopped.”

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