Leon's mind was still reeling from the experience that had just ended. While everyone had gone on their business in the outside world, he had been stuck within the light, being tested harshly by the Temple of Gods. He had fought battles and undergone brutal mental trials in order to prove his worthiness.
When Leon regained his perception of his surroundings, he was greeted by the sight of many extraordinary beings watching him.
"Welcome back, Leon. I am happy to see that you passed the trials set for you by the Temple." Michael appeared before Leon with a genuine smile.
"I would have loved to know that there was such a test beforehand." Leon responded as he turned to look at the Fate God.
"Being unprepared made it harder, but harder is better. You would not have made as many gains as you did if you were prepared for what was to come. Even then, the preparation you would have made would have not made much of a difference." Michael explained. "Go ahead, feel your strength." He urged with a smirk.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtFeeling curious as to why Michael was looking at him the way he was, Leon did as told. He directed his attention inside and felt for the power that rested within his core.
"Oh?" Leon was taken aback at first before he felt the excitement run through him. His Divinity level had been at roughly 28% before he was sealed in the golden pillar. But now, it had risen to an astounding 90%!
This growth was not a simple linear growth. Each leap in power was exponential and greatly increased Leon's power! If he were to fight against Alvar again, then he would instantly be able to gain the upper hand, no matter the means the Elven Emperor had at his beck and call. No amount of experience could trump the sheer level of suppression that would arise as a result of such a vast gulf of power.
If he were to fight Atrox again, the question of how he would fare was still up there, but it was a sure thing that he would not be suppressed as easily as he was before.
"You made a great deal of improvement. If you were to take part in the fight against the Elves at this point, then you would most likely sweep over all opposition you encounter." Michael praised him.
"Ah! The war, how is it going?!" Leon was struck with a sudden surprise as he recalled the war that he had left behind. "How long was I sealed?!"
"Calm down." Michael placed a steadying hand on Leon's shoulder. "It has been just over six months since you left. The rebels are still pressing forward. Helwan fell not long ago." Michael explained the situation to Leon in detail.
As he and Leon were speaking, the other Gods continued to examine Leon. Now that he had risen to a certain level, the Minor Gods could no longer appraise him as easily as before. It felt as if they were ordinary humans that were trying to peer behind a thick waterfall curtain to see what laid behind the curtain.
Only the Major Gods could peer through this veil without straining to see Leon's core inside. Even then, his core was shrouded in a light haze that made him seem more mysterious.
After some time, Leon gained a good understanding of what had happened in his absence. As he was processing all the information, Michael went on to have a short discussion with the other Gods. He would be taking Leon back to the mortal realm.
While it would be best to have Leon absorb Atrox's Divine Spark now because of how short on time they were, it would make more sense for Leon to get acclimatized to his new strength first. To do that, he would need to return to Datar and finish the war with the Elves.
Michael soon left Leon to get used to his new state and returned to the other Gods. After a short discussion, he returned to Leon and prepared to bring him back to Datar.
.
.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmWhoosh!
A heavy storm raged in the sky as the Generals of the Elven Army fought against the champions of the rebels. This time, Leon's elite summons were holding back and waiting for the arrival of any powerful opponent before they would show themselves.
At this moment, Kaladin held his chin as he looked at the other elite summons gathered around him. They were all thinking the same thing. A strange feeling had passed through their cores some time ago, revitalizing them and giving them an extremely vigorous burst of energy.
"I believe the Master has returned. There is no other reason why we would feel so revitalized." Nero spoke up, relaying his opinion on the matter.
"I believe so too. But we have no way of contacting him. We can only wait and see what will happen next." Kaladin responded just as the curtain to the room swayed, revealing the figure of Eric Kerns.
"What is going on in here? It is rare to see all of you gathered here together." The man said, examining the group of elite summons. Once again, he was struck with the sheer strength of this upstart junior that had such strong subordinates under him. He could not believe that Leon had gathered so much strength in just a year's time before his sudden disappearance.
Several pairs of eyes turned over to Eric without saying a word. It made Eric shift a bit, but with his experience, age and wisdom, the concentration of the gazes of these powerful summons were not enough to sway him. He was sure that he could hold his own, or at the very least, escape with little injuries, if they suddenly joined hands to attack him.
"We felt something from our Master and suspect that he is about to make his appearance." Kaladin eventually answered Eric's question.
"Oh?" Eric's eyebrows rose up in surprise. He had not been expecting that response.