Astral's Rise Part 10: Winding Down

"You have five minutes to prepare yourself." the gods languished in the fact that he would talk back to them. Smiling Astral would sprint straight over to Jaimie and the other, hugging all of them within his arms.

 "Well, your suit has monitored your vitals, and you are beyond healthy. Congrats!" Alexa would pop out next to Astral's head and smile. "Now you can go to a more important tactic, absorbtion. You are going to want more power in order to keep up with the three high tier combatants." Alexa showed the kill screen once again and was waved away by Jaimie.

The kill screen showed a startling fact. Despite the top five doing what seems abnormal. The others that lived outside of Anders, James, Angel Adam and Astrid had one hundred or more kills.

 "You could not try to kill the mood." Jaimie spoke as Alexa sat on her shoulder instead. She pouted and faced away from Jaimie, she needed to push him in the right area.

Astral backed up from the embrace. "She is right. But still, lemme spend time with you to unwind. Bullshit gods probably not even belonging to any of the key religions."

 "Ay, the man is back in ass beating action." Adam threw his arms up in celebration as did the twins following him in admiration. The twins would do a little dance in the background making him laugh.

 "Heh, you think? That's the man who built me. High five!" Astrid stuck her hand out as Astral connected his hand with it. Jaimie would tighten her grip on Astral.

"Whatever you do, don't die on me." She would kiss him on the forehead before they were all startled. 

The two men who had been watching him would speak in unison. "Good luck in the gauntlet, best be ready and focused for whatever the gods can throw at you." They all jumped back besides Adam, who would just pull out a sketchbook and start making more drawings.

Anders mind was foggy, from a mental assault from Titan. She would ram into Astral. Crying completely in duress. "I told him everything and it hurts." she wailed out as everyone but Adam was puzzled as he threw out a paper airplane.

Astral would embrace her and sit down with her. "What was it? What was told to who." He was holding her close while gently rubbing his hand on her back.

"He asked for everything, about you, about us, about any future plans. Whatever he could get his hands on." Anders would cry as Astral's face went as white as a ghost. All of it, how many plans have been given up to Titan.

He shook his head as he knew what he had to do now. "Everyone, switch your train of thought to any joyful moments and try to make your mind blank if you start to feel weird." Astral spoke calmly consoling his friend.

Adam looked over. "James, Angel, come over here, let's keep you two occupied." He would wave the two over and work on simple mind games. Keeping them interested in something else.

Astral would glare directly at Titan. 'If you dare fuck with them again, I will kill you.'

Titan smiled. "We will see, young one. You haven't been around long enough for me to take you seriously, but I have what I need. After I kill you, your play toys are next." The speak sent shivers down their spines as Astral smiled.

Astral's armor fluttered to life for a second as the paws and Alexa showed themselves to Titan before fading once more. 

Astral would look inward on himself. If he knows everything about Anders that does not include the industrial projects down the road. Just all of the stuff on Overlord, him and the other Astral symbiotes and the twins.

"Don't worry guys, when we make it out of this place. We will have a nice relaxing week off of any projects before we start something new." Astral spoke as Jaimie nodded with him. Adam would be playing tic tac toe with James and Angel to keep them busy.

Anders looked up. "I'm sorry Astral, I showed him all about you." 

"Yet he won't know what's coming. I still have time to tweak what I can do and what I will do." Astral spoke, picking up Anders in his arms and making her feel warm once again. "He still doesn't know of my endgame." He would kiss her on the forehead. "Neither did you, he will learn it the hard way." Astral would stretch out some of his sore muscles while he could.

"Anders, come sit here on me." Jaimie would be sitting down next to Astrid who looked at the stage. "Stay next to me and you'll be plenty warm as you watch and dissect these other people who are left." Astral would set her down as she waddled over like a small little child.

Astral would look up, each orb seemed like its own shade and color, was there really this many gods or does each religion get their own. Have they evolved so far to the point where they are untouchable or it is like their own camera to watch?

He brushed this off and would get dressed into a hoodie and sweats. Loose clothing to help hide his full bodily outline. Surprise space is cold even if he was working out.

Looking around he saw several other people crowd around the arena itself. Must be all of the survivors. All of them watching do find a flaw or weakness to exploit and take advantage of. If they can find it. It can make Astral all the easier to beat.

Losing himself in thought he would mindlessly stare into space. Watching a sun move from where it normally was. "Weird." Astral spoke to himself as Adam looked up.

"Astral, during the battle I picked up the movement of two suns." He showed him the results. 

"This moon must require upkeep then, is it powered by suns?" Astral asked as Adam shrugged. The twins playing go fish versus each other.

"Astral, report to the arena immediately. Round Six begins when you arrive." The gods had a tone of anger about their voice. Astral walked backwards waving goodbye to his friends. It was time to get serious.