In disbelief, Orion gawked with wide eyes at Aegis of the Arctic Deity's body. He tried to understand who or what he was staring at, but his actions were fruitless.
His only thought was that the individual before him was someone or something entirely different from a Pixie.
Was this the form of a Pixie who had surpassed the realm of godhood and attained divinity?
Despite already understanding the answers to his questions as he stared at 'Oberon,' he couldn't understand what he had to endure to attain such a form.
However, Aerialia froze in shock beside Orion as she observed 'Oberon' halt before them.
Immediately stepping backwards, Aerialia felt her mind failing to register the unfolding scene. Even attempting to come up with an explanation seemed impossible at the moment.
Aegis of the Arctic Deity smiled lightly as he observed Aerialia's frightened form. "I told you that this request would be difficult for the both of us, goddess Aerialia," he responded, shaking his head.
"This is impossible! How are you able to possess such a form?!" Aerialia roared with emotion, her doubts evident in her expression.
She scowled at Aegis of the Arctic Deity, her broad wings outstretched, and her fists clenched, pondering the implications of his form.
"If one possesses the power of the gods, nothing is impossible. You should know that as a goddess," Aegis of the Arctic Deity responded.
His voice was soothing, sending calming vibrations through Orion's spine as he observed their ongoing conversation from the side. Confusion was etched on his expression.
"Can someone explain to me what is going on? Aerialia, why do you seem so afraid? Is there something that I am not aware of?" Orion asked.
He couldn't take it anymore. He knew something significant was happening before him and wanted to understand it.
Aerialia shifted her attention towards Orion, looking at him hesitantly. Gathering her thoughts and regaining her composure, she opened her mouth to speak. "This is not the form of a Pixie who has attained divinity. And I know this because I encountered Aerendir a few times during the 'Great War,' and he did not possess such a form."
Orion's expression was scrutinized in confusion once again. He briefly glanced at Aegis of the Arctic Deity's breathtaking, inconceivable body before redirecting his attention to Aerialia. "I still don't understand what you are trying to say, Aerialia. Can you please explain?" he said.
Meanwhile, Aegis of the Arctic simply watched. He did not want to shock anyone, so he waited until they finished their conversations.
"This is going to sound unbelievable, so I want you to be prepared before I say this," Aerialia responded.
Orion nodded. "I am prepared."
Aerialia nodded, exhaling dramatically. "Do you remember when I explained the creation of the first and second races—the Celestiarchs and Omnithrallians?" she asked.
Orion nodded. He could never forget such important information.
"Do you remember when I told you that I cannot describe their appearances; instead, it was something that you would have to see to understand and visualize yourself?"
As Orion attempted to nod in agreement, he instantly froze, his thoughts grinding to a halt. He was not slow in grasping important information from a person's tone and words.
Orion snapped his head towards Aegis of the Arctic Deity, who stared at him expressionlessly, yet it seemed so perfect, as though he was staring at an ethereal painting.
Orion gulped, then redirected his focus towards Aerialia. "Can you explain further, Aerialia?" he asked.
Aerialia nodded, noticing the faint look of understanding in Orion's gaze. "Aegis of the Arctic Deity's, or should I say Oberon's, form is exactly the same as the Omnithrallians," she said.
Within a second of Aerialia finishing her words, Orion found himself at a sudden loss for what to say. Of all the things he could have encountered, of all the revelations that Aegis of the Arctic Deity could have revealed to them as he showed them his true form, it just so happened that such a form was tied to the Omnithrallians, the second-greatest race in existence, created by the gods, and the first race to be personally wiped out from existence by their own creators.
Why?
Why couldn't it be simply a much less complicated revelation?
"I understand what you are currently thinking about, and believe me, I am as shocked and astounded as you are," Aerialia said, shaking her head defeatedly. Her eyes shifted towards Aegis of the Arctic Deity, who had been waiting silently for them to finish their conversation.
"However, if we look at things as they are now, everything is beginning to make sense. You were able to become a god because of this, right? You used the body of an Omnithrallian to transcend godhood," Aerialia asked, her emotions rising again as she waited for Aegis of the Arctic Deity's response.
Aegis of the Arctic Deity nodded in agreement, "You are right, goddess Aerialia. Even with god Aerendir's help, I still had a limit to how much I could grow because I was neither a god nor a demi-god. However, with the body of an Omnithrallian transplanted into mine—a race capable of breaking into the heavens with their own strength—my growth was limitless," he responded.
"But ho— how could it even be possible for you to find the body of an Omnithrallian? These are beings capable of rejecting and opposing the will of the gods. They are not mere beings you could stumble upon like treasures among a pile of rubbish."
"They have been dead since time immemorial, long before god Aerendir even possessed the imagination to create the skin that covers your flesh and the entire structure of your existence. It's impossible, even if you were given ten lives with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities."
"So, explain to me how you not only came across the body of an Omnithrallian but also managed to transplant it. Do you know how outrageous that sounds, even to a goddess like me?" Aerialia said, struggling to stop her emotions from leaking into her words. Her chest rose and fell heavily like the tide as she awaited Aegis of the Arctic Deity's response.
