The World's most Overpowered Side-Character

Chapter 173: The Heart Of The Heavens.

Words she had heard all her existence...

"Beautiful, stunning, amazing." Ikaris had long gone numb to such vain titles, she already knew, while she had no doubt that there were beings out there more physically attractive than herself, as Sol had explained it would be easier to find a star inside of a star, and yet hearing these words on this day filled her to the crown of her head with joy; even as a goddess that was always revered, she never truly had a day that was all about her.

She had subjects, but over the billions of years of Atla's existence after several purges after civilization had fallen and rebuilt itself even to the day the demon-king appeared, she never once had a day to herself, something her subjects never did was give her a day, they had their own holidays and celebrated their own heroes, and sought her blessing, but she was indifferent toward them, and so she never had apostles, she never had saints, and she never had any personal connection with the Atlan people.

"Thank you." Ikaris stared at herself, blushing and laughing while her eyes watered simultaneously. "Ah, no I don't want to ruin the dress..." She held her face to the infinity ceiling and laughed again. "This is truly happening?" She asked, watching her tears float upwards. "I am marrying...

By the light I am so nervous!" She mused and they all waited silently before Renia cleared her throat and stepped forward.

"Your holiness." Renia regarded her with a curtsey, holding a small golden scroll loosely in her grasp. "Would you like to revise the event once more?" She asked, and Ikaris nodded urgently and turned giving her full attention.

"Yes please, thank you." She smiled at her while the others gave them a little space save for Eris, Dina, and Arla who joined in the revision. "You have done a marvellous job of planning all of this, Renia."

"You flatter me." Renia opened the scroll, and a slight evanescent melody started coming from inside of it.

***

"Man, this is happening for real." Sol was seated with his elbows rested on his knees and his palms over his mouth, on his left was Kris Ravenmar, the former defence lieutenant of the demon subjugation army, and to his right standing attentively all of a sudden was Sara and Adonai.

"I see you are just as nervous." Sara smiled down at him, staring at his golden hair and the rings in his eyes when he looked up at her.

Similar to Ikaris's white dress, Sol was wearing an extravagant nobleman's suit, stitched in detail by Adonai himself it exuded mana just as hers did, it was more militaristic though, giving him the impression of a well decorated soldier.

"My hands are probably sweating under these gloves!" Sol stood and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't recall another time in my life I have been this nervous, my stomach is about to fall to Arkadia again." He stared at her, but the maid and the god who stood at her side laughed at his reaction.

"How is Ikaris doing?" He asked, "I haven't seen her in over a week..." He stated, turning to his mirror and adjusting his gloves again.

"She is as nervous as you are." Adonai smiled at him.

"You don't think she's gonna call it off do you, oh shit, I've never seen ikaris lose her nerve before, what if I messed up and upset her somehow?" He turned and began pacing.

"Sol." Kris called him, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You will be fine, I do not know where this doubt is coming from but I can tell you it is unwarranted and completely invalid." He stared at him fearlessly when Sol locked eyes and seemed to almost glare.

"I agree, on both your accounts." Adonai responded before Sol did.

"You Sol Vestic, turned your sword to the heavens in her defence multiple times, even before you had the power to usurp any divine throne you held your ground against us, and do not forget, her holiness arose in your defence as well, when you almost perished at the hands of an unfair challenge she very nearly destroyed the heavens to protect you, do not doubt her love, and surely she has been instructed the same; there is no version of this evening where either of you walk away or leave the other, this is fated to be, you and her are already locked in Divine Union, the ceremony is simply a declaration to the light." He gave Sol a small bow and then raised his head again.

"Well..." Sol placed his hands akimbo and smiled, relieved. "Thanks, the two of you." He nodded at them, shaking Adonai's hand and then patting Kris's shoulder while Sara stood behind them smiling at him brightly.

It was an awkward room to say the least; he had approached Adonai all on his own and asked him to be his wingman, because sadly, all his friends were dead, it wasn't a reality he liked facing, ten years, everyone dead, and back on earth he had no friends, then here on Arkadia the closest person he could call a friend was Kris.

Grim whom he was fond of had died, and even though he hated his guts he would still think of Han being at least a distant acquaintance, or maybe Bruce, but they were all dead, that is even without mentioning Morn Castillon; the army's greatest failure and the queens biggest disappointment.

He too had died under mysterious circumstances sometime before Usami had left for earth.

His situation had highlighted something he never realised because Ikaris had filled a massive void in his life.

"Without Atla, and without Arkadia, I would have been totally alone, or dead." Sol confessed, and saw Sara's smile wane as he spoke from the heart. "I never thought about it, but these two vastly different worlds are the reason I'm not burning in an eternity of damnation and torment-"

"Good lord do not say anything like that during your reception..." Kris slapped his forehead, and Adonai laughed out and shook his head... And like that while the others helped Ikaris prepare Sol spent his time with Sara, Kris and Adonai soaking up their encouragement and preparing himself as well.

***

There was a section of the heavens that even the gods were mostly restricted from, a great limitless expanse of flat still waters where the sky and the horizon met in every direction and there was a star which stood still and cast a sunset that had lasted for the entirety of the heavens' existence, the air in that space had a peaceful allure which put all those who entered at ease, and the clear skies above it rained small illusionary beads of divine droplets in the form of flower petals which fell at the speed of snow, disappearing before they could touch anything.

In the very middle of this reflective majesty there was a small island no larger than a room, it stood alone with a single tree in the middle, a tree no taller than five metres with red leaves and a golden body which held a single silver fruit at the very top resembling an apple.

Although Dr'ul liked to call him "little brother" Adonai was the eldest, her consciousness existed before his did, but he manifested before she did.

He was the one who spent thousands of years carefully crafting the heavens, and then he spent three times that length perfecting this place.

To the gods it was the most sacred area in their realm; the heart of the heavens, only entered upon the birth of a new deity's consciousness, which had not happened in such a long time that most of them had forgotten what it looked like.

Inside of the Heart, all the hosts had been invited, seats of divine matter manifested, and for every seat a person appeared, the great expanse was morphed by its creator erecting platforms and seats upon them, three lanes creating a triangular formation around the small island with the divine tree in the middle, and appearing before that tree was Dr'ul, wearing a ceremonial robe, spreading her arms wide as the guests continued to flood around her, creating.

"What is this place exactly?" One of the foreign gods asked an Arkadian god, and the latter looked at her with a smile and gestured to the expanse proudly.

"It may be the last time either of us see this great expanse, it was built by our god of creation, Adonai; he named it Eden, the cardinal of the heavens." She responded, gesturing to the tree they all observed through the eye of the systems working together again. "That tree stands in the very centre of our reality, it has recorded all knowledge of everything that was and continues to be.

"Amazing, Adonai is truly a master at his craft." The god responded respectfully, gaining a smile from the goddess.

Melodious music invaded the space, pulling everyone's attention to the small island again as Dr'ul made a gesture with her hands and the skies above them sounded powerful horns and a great golden portal appeared.

"It is time."