The Earth After Rebirth

The darkness took him for what felt like a second. He was disoriented, Kiro couldn't tell where he was. But the thing he was sleeping on felt more comfortable, reminding him of his own bed.

Then, everything that happened came to him all at once. He was in a dungeon, with a harbinger whose head was the last thing he saw.

"Hubris!" He yelled waking up like he was coming out of a nightmare.

He could tell they were no longer in the dungeon. But the Hubris he'd seen was nowhere to be found, he was only greeted by Nikolai. He couldn't exactly hide his disappointment.

"So, I was hallucinating?" He couldn't believe how pained his heart felt, now that he knew Hubris wasn't part of the game his love for the hellhound grew unimaginably high.

This was also something they glossed over. Asgard was at the epicentre of worlds. Thanks to the ancient ones meddling in different worlds, Asgard was now a gateway not just for Harbingers but for every race or species that had survived their invasions.

They didn't consider it, but the dungeons were indeed other worlds. Destroyed and reduced to a nothingness that only harboured forestry and monsters.

"No, Master." A scruffy deep voice said behind him.

He needn't turn to know who it belonged to—only one stubborn beast called him that.

Kiro never thought he would get emotional over a creature that wasn't even human, but they'd been through a lot together. Their time was short but their bond ran very deep.

"Stupid Master, why did you make me wait for so long?"

Kiro remembered how time worked differently in the Underworld compared to Asgard. He half-expected an old aged hound with grey hairs all over.

'Dammit, why didn't I try looking for him sooner?' But when he turned, it was a sight to see.

His once purple flamed fur was dark as night. Not a single grey hair could be seen. The dark fur was faintly interrupted by what looked like cracks of bright orange fire.

Hubris looked as young as the day they separated. A hundred years must've passed in the Underworld but it didn't seem to affect Hubris.

"I guess you're immortal?" With all the thoughts that swirled in his mind that was the one that pushed its way out of his mouth.

He didn't know how he did it either but it seemed like at the most desperate time he jumped Hubris back to Asgard—acting as an anchor for him.

Kiro didn't know that this skill could be used like this, but it was evident he was only able to do it because he was bonded to Hubris and mostly importantly the Underworld.

"You feel stronger, stronger than I am." It was an odd feeling, he was immediately back to feeling Hubris. Yet when they were worlds apart the bond felt severed.

"Me? I can never be stronger than my master."

"Humility isn't exactly your forte don't get weird all of a sudden."

"It may seem sudden for you, but I've lived for many years. I have my own kingdom, I rule as fairly as I can. Humility is something a leader, any leader should have."

Kiro creased his eyebrows not recognising the being in front of him yet recognising him all the same.

"I guess no more hot-headed Hubris..."

"That...remains to be seen."

He laughed at that, he hadn't expected for that to change. Hubris was a stubborn pup when they met, that was something that he was sure would never change.

All the times he tried to kill Kiro were now nothing but good memories.

What surprised him more was the fact that he was able to defeat a harbinger with great ease when two guardians were about to get annihilated.

Those years he spent under weren't wasted, he had a good grip on his powers. Especially the gravity ones, Kiro was a bit jealous since he'd just lost a chunk of the power they acquired together.

But he was happy. Hubris—his hellhound—his mount. He brought him back somehow. And they were catching up, nothing much had happened on Kiro's side. The one with most stories was Hubris.

As much as he had nothing much to say, Kiro's news were the biggest. They talked amongst themselves like Nikolai wasn't there, he felt like a third wheel.

But he also didn't want to get in the way of their reunion so he sat quietly and listened to their conversations.

Nikolai couldn't believe how casually Kiro was talking to the beast in front of them. He wasn't sure how he didn't feel the same sinister energy he sensed.

He knew Hubris as an immature hound but the thing in front of them was completely different. He unintentionally had his guard up, even though he had saved them his instincts couldn't lay low.

Hubris could tell how uneasy Nikolai felt but Kiro's tale was so compelling it needed each and every one of his brain cells. He couldn't quite grasp that this world was fake.

"So this world isn't real, that's not your real body?"

"Yes. We use these pods to come here, these avatars are controlled by our real selves. I used to think you were also part of this world, not real."

"I don't understand it maybe if I saw it, it would be better. I feel bad that I don't know the real you."

"This may be my avatar but it looks like me except for the scar." Enjoy new stories from empire

"Well, my kingdom will help in any way we can. You just have to figure out how to bring them here. If these beings are taking over worlds then maybe even mine isn't safe."

Just then, an idea struck him. The harbinger may have taken his other abilities, the ability to create but his reality warping was still very much there.

He jumped Hubris here and he knew then that this was their only chance to winning the war. Visiting other worlds and forming coalitions.

Humans didn't need to do this all by themselves when other worlds were also at risk. The prospect alone made him grin from ear to ear.

This was their holy grail.

"I just need to perfect jump!" He shouted abruptly.