God Fragment

Erik was ecstatic, he stared with love-struck eyes at Ophelia, "Big Sister, that was so cool! how did you make them explode like that?" he exclaimed loudly. Ophelia was equally excited, "I simply deconstructed their epidermis and musculature at the cellular level, and merely because it happened instaneously it resembles an explosion!" she beamed her eyes glowing happily. it seems that it was quite rare for her to find someone who showed genuine interest in her talents.

"Wow!" Erik oohed and aahed at everything Ophelia was saying. Ophelia was likewise taken with Erik and had long since picked him up and he listened to her talk as he sat on her hip with a puppy-like appearance. Meanwhile Katania was rolling her eyes, she coughed quietly to get their attention. This caused Ophelia to return to her senses and after placing Erik back on the ground, adopted a more serious expression. Erik shot Katania a venomous glare as he sulked off to the side. Which Katania ignored. "Right, I'm sure you want to know why I helped you." Ophelia began, her hands on her hips. Katania gave a small nod, she was of course curious, about more than a few things in fact. "Well, the first reason is I don't like that annoying fuck," she said grinning, revealing imperfect but pristine white teeth. "Unfortunately his father is pretty important around here and I needed a damn good reason to justify killing him." she clenched her jaw while raising a fist. Katania laughed at this, her opinion of this woman rising with each passing second.

"And second, I was not going to let him bully that cute little boy," She gazed adoringly at Erik who brightened instantly. "But I get the feeling you didn't need my help anyway," she said in a lighthearted tone.

Katania shrugged, "Still, thanks all the same, besides, my brother has a crush on you, he's your problem now." she said, pushing him forward. "This should be fun," Empress smirked. "Oh? does he now?" Ophelia smiled, "What's your name?" Erik ran forward several steps and stuck out his chest, "Erik Voorhees," he said proudly. "And how old are you master Erik?"

"Seve-Seventeen!" he stuttered, causing Ophelia to laugh loudly, "Already a man!" she smiled at him, she knelt and planted a kiss on his cheek, "Find me when you turn 18," she winked at him. Erik's face was scarlet, but he discarded his train of thought and before she could stand up, he had grabbed her face and planted a kiss on her mouth which elicited a small moan from her. Embarrassed, she quickly stood up, blushing and casting a side eye to an observing Katania who shrugged. "I did warn you." Ophelia's face became even redder, she tried to glare at Erik but her face instantly softened when she saw the adorable look in his eyes and his awkward shuffling melted her heart. "You're pretty brave, Erik." she said sternly, and tousled his hair.

Erik was feeling quite satisfied with himself although he was no longer capable of meeting her gaze.

Ophelia turned to Katania, "Where are you all headed? she asked,

Katania shrugged, "Nowhere in particular, just training." she replied quietly.

Ophelia perked up at this and with wide eyes and an excited expression she said: "My sister and I live at the Sky Above Flower school, we're actually accepting students at this time. Why don't you and Erik register?" she offered.

"Sky Above Flower school?" Katania had no interest in joining any school or sect, however Erik was already beginning to burst at the seams with excitement and quickly joined Ophelia in her pleading. Sighing heavily Katania agreed and after wrangling an excited Erik followed Ophelia toward the massive castle in the distance.

Erik had managed to entwine his fingers with Ophelia's and finding this cute she allowed him to do so.

"This brat," Katania groaned, and began complaining about the little pervert to Empress.

They soon arrived at the entrance of the castle, there were half a dozen students standing outside the gates, apparently guarding it. When they saw Ophelia their dull expressions quickly changed to lively ones.

"It's the Goddess!"

"What? the Goddess has returned?"

A huge clamor instantly erupted near the gates causing a commotion, and they were soon surrounded by hundreds of students.

Erik was, to say the least, quite jealous of all the men crowding around his woman, which elicited a chuckle from Katania.

However, Katania quickly realized she should have kept her mouth shut because now her presence was now known to dozens of horny teenaged boys who crowded around her.

"Beautiful junior sister, tell senior brother your name!"

"Junior sister!"

"Junior sister," they continued to call and grab and touch until Katania could no longer take the attention, she emanated her aura of a grade 1 Heavenly realm cultivator and the boys quickly dispersed in a panic.

Meanwhile Ophelia's eyes were shining, "It looks like I'll have to rely on you from now on," she said smiling and linked her arm in Katania's, "Just leave it to me!" Katania said laughing. Ophelia was giving them a tour around the school, "Here is where the outer members live, and where you two will be, but not to worry!" she said quickly, "with your talent you will quickly become inner and even core members." Ophelia said softly. Katania nodded to show that she understood, next Ophelia brought them to a place they referred to as simply The Tower." Katania and Erik gazed at this huge ivory tower in amazement it was covered from top to bottom in glowing symbols, and a dense aura permeated the area. "The Tower," Ophelia explained, "is our training grounds, composed of 100 floors that get smaller the higher you climb."

"Whoa," said Erik. "Yes whoa," Ophelia smiled at him again and Katania swore she heard his heart beat a bit quicker. "Cultivation base does not matter here, only talent, and the higher you climb the faster you can cultivate, it is said at the top of The Tower, on the 100th floor is the legacy of its creator and a God Fragment."

"God Fragment?" Katania was puzzled, but it wasn't Ophelia who answered but Empress, "A God Fragment, remnant of the Celestial Shard, long ago in the beginning during a time we have termed the First Age, the Gods were born. However, before they were Gods they were as mortal as you or I, but with the discovery of the Celestial Shard they inherited divine powers and ascended to Godhood.

She paused, and even Ophelia was enraptured by the story, her knowledge of the fragment vastly inferior to the Empress'.

When they learned of the power of the Shard these infant Gods waged war upon one another, they wrought great destruction upon the land and would have destroyed it had it not been for a being more powerful than they who intervened. She decisively broke off parts off the shard and bestowed these fragments upon the Gods, they became symbols of their power and entrusted to only their most loyal followers. Empress stopped speaking, "And? what happened next?!" Erik urged impatiently, and Ophelia was also leaning forward intently.

"And nothing, that's it." she stated flatly. Ophelia and Erik visibly deflated, "That can't be all there is to the story..." they lamented, "Then you two can go figure it out yourselves!" she snapped.

"Alright, alright calm down, I'm sure they didn't mean anything by it," Katania tried to soothe her sister and wrapped her arms around Empress' waist and rested her chin on her shoulder, "Okay?" she whispered cutely at her, which succeeded in pulling a smile from her as she nodded, "Yay!" said Katania and smooched her cheek. Still embracing her she turned her gaze back to Ophelia, "Bath?" she asked laconically. "Oh! Yes, please follow me!" Ophelia replied and led the way.