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mrsgiovanna · 2 years

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Ascendance

A/N: This was meant to be released for Giorno's birthday in April lol, but that didn't happen. This is a deity AU that was inspired by the gorgeous art and idea from the wonderful @theclairedelunemiracle , I cannot thank you enough for inspiring this and for allowing me to use Aria. Also, thank you to @donvilaro for allowing me to use your OCs.

Word Count: 7.3K (oops)

Warnings: Descriptions of violence and injuries

The ancients believed in reincarnation… that the soul had taken multiple births and as a result, grew and matured in the process. Along the way, some souls had found their homes inside the essence of another, joining, and thus forming a bond that transcended the very fabric of time and space and our mortal understanding. This is one such tale, the story of a goddess who heralded the change from day to night and night to day, and the golden God who traversed the skies with blinding speeds, wielding his winged golden scepter.

Giorno was a powerful God. His reputation preceded him and the tales of his exciting adventures had enthralled both young and old alike. Gaining a reputation for being a bit of a trickster, his playful antics were offset by his righteous and benevolent nature, and he quickly became synonymous with putting his disciples first and heeding the call of those who were in need, regardless of their social standing, often doing them favours without any expectations. His aid extended to souls as well, as he had also guided recently departed souls into the underworld, and as a result had forged a strong friendship with the ruler of the underworld, Bruno and his beautiful queen Aria. Together they had ruled with an even hand, and made sure that the balance between the worlds was always maintained. There had been various rumours surrounding the circumstances under which Aria had found herself at Bruno’s side. They were so different, Bruno being subdued, mysterious and aloof at best, while Aria was the embodiment of spring herself, leaving joy and colour wherever she went, she could imbue life into the most barren of places. However, for all her beauty and grace, Aria was not one to be toyed with and did not suffer injustice and malice easily, thus invoking a part of her persona that one would rather avoid for their own sakes. With all their differences though, a glance at the pair told one all they would need to know about why they belonged together. They had balanced each other, he brought stability to her airy nature and she afforded him the freedom to think about and appreciate the abstract- a divine pair who served as the example of what love should be. Giorno had appreciated their combined wisdom, but artfully dodged any inquiry into his own affairs.

It was a day like any other, however, Giorno had risen before dawn, and used the early start to traverse his lands on his own, undisturbed, it gave him a rare opportunity to be alone with his thoughts. The atmosphere was beautiful, everything was bathed in a gentle golden glow, creating a sight so impressive that Giorno had to stop to appreciate the beauty of it all. What he hadn’t planned on was catching sight of the goddess who brought about the change from night to day. Bria was a lesser known goddess, however that didn’t mean her purpose was any less important. A being born of light and darkness, she was the only one who could dwell in both spaces and come out unharmed.

Transfixed by her beauty, Giorno found himself unable to tear his eyes away from her glowing form, her speed rivalling his own, she was gone almost as quickly as she had appeared, leaving the young God without an opportunity to speak to her or even find out her name. As perturbed as he was though, he was certain that their paths would cross once more. Bria had made her way towards her destination, oblivious to the events that had been set in motion from the simple event of her being noticed and rearranged the celestial bodies to signify the start of day. She spent much of her free time between day and night meandering about the enchanted forests she held dominion over and her home with her father, Mahin, the Lunar deity, better known as the God of the eclipse. She had felt at peace while in nature, seeing that her mother, Mira, was a celestial light sprite forged in the lava of Mount Vesuvius, thus making her neither human nor God. It was forbidden for a God to marry a lesser being, but Mahin would listen to nobody and went ahead with his plan and as a result, Bria was born. Her feet always became heavier as she approached her home. The exchanges with her father had become more draining with each passing year since Mira's death, and as she approached adulthood, she was convinced that he had hated her entirely.

The winged demigoddess' heels resounded with a light clatter alerting her father of her arrival. She was earlier than usual, her garb, wings and adornments still white signifying the morning.

She thought of slipping past him, but she had caught his attention, and would have felt guilty had she ignored him.

"Greetings, father" she said softly with a bow, which was reciprocated by a low hum and a few mumbled words, before Mahin had left the area with his vassals, barely looking at her. Perhaps ignoring him would have been better she thought, pouting to herself before going out to tend to her garden. There were a few enchanted seeds gifted to her by Aria that had started to sprout and she had been curiously tending to the seedlings wondering about what kind of plant they would turn into. She had lost track of time and noticed herself changing signalling the middle of the day. While Bria had lovingly tended to her garden, Giorno had arrived at the underworld. He had played with Cerberus who ran to him and then back to Aria, before announcing his arrival.

“Giorno, how are you today?” Aria received him with her usual warm greeting that left a smile on his face. Bruno had been reading on his throne, but joined his queen upon the young God’s arrival and extended a greeting of his own. The couple had noticed Giorno was preoccupied and quieter than usual, and decided to ask what was bothering him.

“You seem uncharacteristically reserved today… is something wrong?” Giorno considered carefully before venturing an answer to Aria’s question.

“I’m alright… I’ve been meaning to ask you… there’s a maiden, a celestial, that ushers in dawn… do you know who she is?" The couple exchanged a knowing look, amused at his awkwardness.

“We live here, a great distance away from the heavens, we wouldn’t know who she is. Why don’t you ask her yourself?” Bruno feigned nonchalance and turned his attention toward Cerberus to hide the faint smile blooming on his face.

“Don’t tease him, Bruno,” replied Aria with a laugh, “Giorno, her name is Bria. You may or may not have seen her as her appearance changes according to the time of day, she brings in the dawn, and is responsible for nightfall as well. She mostly keeps to herself though. Most people are intimidated by her father, the God of the eclipse, so they stay away from her, but once you get to know her, you’ll find she’s of a very gentle, sweet disposition.”

“I see… are you friends with her?”

“I am, we often run into each other when I summon the start of spring, and I gave her some seeds just the other day-”

“You said she appears during dusk as well?” Giorno’s eyes widened at his sudden realisation. Although he had convinced himself that he would see Bria again, he didn't think the opportunity would present itself so soon, and hastily excused himself to meet her.

Bria had once again left her abode and dwelled among the stars once more, pleased with her work as she watched the sky change colours with the sunset, she was startled by Giorno who had just managed to catch up to her. Her breath caught in her throat and when she had realised who was before her, she had bowed immediately. Giorno, had asked her to rise, and told her such formalities were unnecessary, being slightly taken aback by her gesture.

“My name is Giorno…” he choked out his words, only deepening the blush on his face, and wished he could kick himself and start over. She, on the other hand, had found the awkward way in which he fumbled through his words endearing. The demigoddess was still unsure of what the young God had wanted with her, but enjoyed the company nonetheless.

“You’re probably wondering why I’m bothering you… I’ve just returned from the underworld and had promised Aria that I would check on you…” a bold-faced lie, but it drove the conversation forward leaving no time for regret. The pair had settled in a spot close to Bria’s home and spent longer than they realised just talking to each other about many different things. It wasn't forced nor did they have any awkward silences between topics, and the more Giorno had learned about Bria, the harder he had fallen.

“As much as I’d love to continue this conversation, I must go,”

“I understand… When can I see you again?” he asked, reaching for her wrist, preventing her from leaving before she answered him.

“I’m bound by my celestial duties and you know where to find me…” she had turned around, with a coy smile, her long dark hair swinging behind her as she walked away. Giorno was satisfied with that exchange, but eyed the gloomy castle suspiciously, unsure of the reason for his unease, he turned around and went back to his own abode.

“Why were you speaking to Giorno? What business does he have with you?” slightly grimacing at his tone, Mahin didn't try to soften his requests. Ever since Mira had died, he had struggled to communicate with Bria. Consumed by his own grief, he was unable to look at her without seeing her mother, which turned him into a cold, uninvolved parent, resulting in a lonely childhood for Bria. Unsure of how best to proceed, her answer was only just louder than a whisper.

"There was no particular reason… he just struck up a conversation and we walked home… that's all,"

"I see… that will be all then," his gaze returned to a map that he was studying while Bria remained rooted to her spot. Finding the courage, she spoke once more, "Father… have I wronged you in some way, she asked, inching her way forward until she stood at an arm's length.

"No, why would you ask that?"

"Because… because of this! Ever since mother died, you barely acknowledge my existence… you can't even bring yourself to gaze upon my face. Am I that wretched to you?" overwhelmed by her emotions, she turned away to hide the tears glazing over her eyes. The soft quality of her voice laden with many years’ worth of pent up emotion moved Mahin’s otherwise steely heart.

“Bri… don’t ever think that. When I look at you, all I see is her… and I'm faced with my own failures. You're a blessing, perhaps the one good thing that will be left when I-" Before Mahin could continue, he was interrupted by an unexpected guest. Ignacio was the ruler of the sun. A fickle and unyielding God, he was uninterested in the affairs of lesser beings and wore a permanent disdainful scowl. he was aware of exactly how important he was for the survival of the universe, and grew to resent having that responsibility purely by virtue of his ability. As a result, Bria had been called upon to assist, having the ability to withstand the extreme conditions. Ever since she had taken over the regulation of day, earth and its denizens had enjoyed stability and were able to develop routines and maintain order in their previously chaotic world. He entered the room making the air slightly harder to breathe with his presence and looked down his nose at Bria before addressing her father. Ignacio was followed by his sons Elio and Niccolo, who were almost as powerful but not nearly as imposing as their father was. Bria realised the moment had passed and any attempt to see eye to eye with her father would have to wait for another day. It was still upsetting though, and she left without making eye contact with anyone else and went to the beautiful fountain in her garden that her father had built in Mira’s image. Feeling her mother’s presence there, Bria had always returned to that spot in times of sorrow, allowing her to express her feelings without judgement. Taking her usual seat, she let her fingers skim the water disturbing the clear reflection of the moonlit sky and spoke.

“I wish I could reach him… please, if you’re listening, show me a way to pull him away from the darkness…” her tears had finally betrayed her and fell down her face in sparkling streams. Inside the castle, Niccolo had grown tired of his father’s antics and had excused himself with Elio.

Being the younger of the pair, Elio had enjoyed a carefree existence, with most of the responsibility of Ignacio’s succession falling on Niccolo’s shoulders and while he had respected his father’s powers, he didn’t agree with the manner in which he had treated everyone. Elio had slipped out and gone on one of his escapades chasing after the water nymphs while Niccolo started to make his way back home until he had caught sight of Bria. He watched her drawing her knees close to her chest as the gentle breeze played with her hair. Limned by the moonlight, her burnished skin glowed and appeared as if she had been illuminated from within. He wanted to approach her, but felt as though he would be intruding on something sacred, however, his stalling had resulted in Bria noticing him first. She quickly dabbed her face with the back of her hand and greeted him with a placid smile.

"Niccolo, are you okay?"

"Me? I wanted to ask you the same… may I sit?" His voice was as gentle as the expression on his handsome face. He perched himself opposite Bria and carefully regarded her, waiting for her to start speaking if she wanted to.

"I'm sorry if I appeared rude… I-" Niccolo cut her off before she could continue with the rest of her apology.

"Please, you have nothing to apologise for… we had intruded on you. I'm sorry for his arrogance… I promise, when I assume the role, things will be better… I will be better…" There was an air of determination in Niccolo that Bria hadn't seen before, a fire in his honey colored eyes only made more intense by the way in which he clenched his jaw.

"I know… you're not like your father, you'll be a great ruler I just know it" she offered with a gentle smile before turning her attention back to the water. Had she kept her eyes on him, she would have noticed the way in which Niccolo's gaze had softened after her comment. Having grown up around each other, Bria's sunny disposition kept the young deity grounded and afforded him a safe spot to be himself. She had a way of calming his thoughts when his rage became unbearable, and before long he had found himself basing all his decisions on whether or not she would approve. What he hadn't realised yet was that he was steadily falling in love with her, imagining her at his side when he would inevitably take over from Ignacio. A few more moments of idle chatter followed before Niccolo had left. Bria had felt her tiredness tug at her eyelids and retired for the night, allowing her to have a restful, dreamless sleep before she rose to fulfil her duties once more.

In the days that followed Giorno had risen even earlier in the hopes of running into the elusive demigoddess. As expected, she had arrived daily, and with her came dawn. Taken with her glowing appearance each time, he approached her with a gentle smile and exchanged greetings, and engaged in conversations around a multitude of topics. He was intrigued by how she gracefully traversed the skies. With each moment spent together, Giorno’s feelings had intensified for Bria and in an effort to woo her, he had started to make offerings of various gifts with each of his visits to her- a shawl made from the fleece of the golden sheep (harvested himself), a pearl he had fought the ferocious Cetus to obtain, and even a gilded winged helm that he had won from Bruno in a contest to see who could subdue Cerberus the fastest. However, Bria had remained immune to his advances, she couldn’t fathom what he would have wanted with a demigoddess like her and touted the reason for his interest was his natural kindness and benevolent nature. Her ignorance had frustrated Giorno. To try and remedy his situation, Giorno had turned to his pair of confidants, intent on trying to find new ways to woo the one who held his heart.

“I swear!” he declared, pacing up and down, “she’s either as pure as the driven snow or just dense! I’m running out of options… How did he win you over Aria? What is it that I'm doing wrong?”

“You aren’t doing anything wrong… not entirely… it’s just, have you asked her about the things that she likes? I know you mean well and your gifts are very thoughtful and extravagant, but she isn’t the type to be swayed by objects, regardless of how priceless they may be… all she really wants is to be loved and accepted for who she is.” explained Aria.

“I love her already, she just can’t take the hint like a normal goddess…”

“That’s because she isn’t one,”

“Goddess, demigoddess, what does it matter? I love her and given the chance, I know she would love me too,” Aria empathised with Giorno and advised him as best as she could, and it sparked a new idea. Deciding his next gestures should be steeped in sentiment instead of his grand displays, he had taken his golden lyre with him, intent on serenading her praises with his beautiful voice, what he had found though was unexpected, but had made him understand Bria’s fears entirely.

He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but once he had heard Bria’s emotion-laden voice, he found it impossible to tear himself away.

“Why won’t you acknowledge his gestures if you feel as strongly as you do? You must know of his feelings for you by now?”

“I think you’re reading too much into it, he’s just kind… There's no other plausible reason. I’ll get over my feelings in time…” Bria’s voice trailed off as she spoke while walking with Ari through the enchanted forest.

“I think you’re not taking his gestures seriously enough, and you wouldn’t have to get over anything if you just acknowledged it and gave him a chance…”

“You’ve seen the kinds of attention he attracts, the calibre of deities that respect him… each time I get close to allowing myself to believe in his gestures, I’m reminded of my place… I … he needs someone who’s worthy…” it hurt Bria to say so, but it was something that she firmly believed. Looking at the sad expression on Aria’s face, she changed the topic before the conversation continued any further, what she didn’t notice though, was a dejected Giorno leaving the forest. He had realised that he had approached his beloved in the wrong manner from the beginning and was intent on remedying his actions to gain her favour.

That evening after completing her tasks, she had taken the usual path back to her abode, and upon entry had seen that Ignacio and her father were meeting once again. Extending a polite greeting, she had made herself scarce, not particularly partial to either of their imposing natures.

“We won’t succeed without the timelord…” added Ignacio, intent on bringing in Diavolo to spearhead their campaign, allowing them to ensure victory without expending too much effort. Bria listened quietly, being as still as possible to avoid detection while the two men had strategized the world's demise. An eternal eclipse - her father’s power paired with Diavolo’s ability to manipulate time meant that the sun would always be obscured by the moon, preventing the light from reaching earth and eventually all life would perish. Suddenly, everything had made sense- Ignacio’s frequent visits, her father’s constant brooding and mapping of the constellations, increasing his military powers exponentially… conditions needed to be perfect to execute his plan. She was startled out of her thoughts by the heavy footsteps of her father’s followers behind her and flew off to escape detection. She had to find out more information before she could try to stop him. In the days that followed, she was distant and preoccupied. Giorno had noticed this and wanted to find out what had been plaguing her.

“What’s the matter? You seem so distracted…” asked Giorno tentatively. He had been extra careful in the days that followed after learning her reason for resisting his advances. The changes hadn’t gone unnoticed, but with Bria being as absorbed with trying to find ways to thwart her father’s plans, she hadn’t thought about the situation between herself and Giorno. Seeing that she hadn't really heard his question, he gently grasped her arm and called out to her.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that…"

"I asked what was wrong, you were so far away…"

"Oh… I'm sorry, I've a lot on my mind… I'll be more attentive though, forgive me," said Bria apologetically. Unsatisfied with her response, Giorno sat her down on a comfortable spot and asked her to tell him what was on her mind. At first Bria hesitated, not wanting to burden him with her problems, but the earnest way in which he held her hand had made her feel comfortable enough to confide in him. She told him everything about her father’s plans, him involving Ignacio and Diavolo, and her fears for the future. She was adamant at stopping him but was quickly running out of time and her attempts at speaking to Mahin had not yielded the results that she had needed. In an effort to thwart his plans though, she had been chipping away and immobilising his resources, anything to delay his assault until she could figure out what to do.

“Let me help you! And I know others that will be willing to help you too. You don’t have to shoulder this on your own,”

“I’ve been working with Niccolo, he’s intent on stopping his father, Elio said he’d help as well… I didn't want to bother more people than needed…” Giorno sighed at her response, his jaw slightly squared off at the mention of Niccolo. He hadn’t crossed paths with the future solar ruler that many times, and for the most part, their exchanges had been cordial, so he couldn't understand why he had felt annoyed.

“Bria, I’ll help you through this, we can’t allow the people to perish… they are highly favoured, to be watched over by you… I only hope they will realise who is actually responsible for saving them from their demise…”

“We actually need to save them first…” answered Bria with a sheepish smile.

And thus began the most important campaign they had ever undertaken. Giorno had approached Bruno and Aria first, convinced that they would want to lend their aid. One of Bruno’s tasks was to maintain and restore balance to the realms and his task of ruling over the underworld had allowed him to see the devastation that wrathful events such as this could unleash. Sitting with Aria and Bruno, it was the first time Giorno had seen Bruno in that state, to have called him furious would have been an understatement. Bruno’s eyes had taken on a fiery glare, his determination to foil these plans became palpable upon seeing how hearing about it had affected Aria. While Giorno had coordinated efforts with Bruno and Aria, Bria had been planning their collective strike with Niccolo and Elio.

The trio had to be very careful with their meetings and found the best way to avoid being caught was to coordinate themselves with their fathers’ meetings. The amount of time that Niccolo spent with Bria was a concern for Ignacio, but that "problem" was an issue for another day. While Mahin and his war council had commenced with their planning, Bria and Giorno had brought their groups together in the underworld.

Niccolo and Elio had both felt out of their depths the further they had descended and appreciated the soft glow of Bria's eyes and skin markings, to illuminate the otherwise darkened path.

"Do you come here often?" asked Niccolo, as he watched her with an intense gaze.

“Somewhat… I sometimes come here to visit Aria, and I've become somewhat of a go between for my father and Bruno, we're almost here. Don't be scared of Cerberus, he reacts poorly to fear, okay?" Suggested Bria as the boatman took them safely across the river Styx. She had entered the palatial dwelling first calling out to Aria and Bruno, but was met by Giorno instead. Bruno had had everything laid out to allow them to have a bird’s eye view of the area they would be engaging in combat on. While their numbers weren't as great as Mahin's army, they had a dedicated band of young deities who were all willing to fight to protect humanity. Niccolo's demeanour had changed as he had advised of the weaknesses in his father's assault. It was a risky position to be in, however he, and to a lesser extent, Elio had been serving as double agents to gain as much information about how his father fitted into Mahin's maniacal scheme. Niccolo's suspicious behaviour had only further strained the fractured relationship between him and his father. Ever since he was a child, Niccolo had been the first person to bear the brunt of his father’s harsh expectations. He was well aware of the implications- his failure would guarantee his death, but there was too much at stake, and so failure was not an option he entertained. The positive of being the elder son was that Ignacio had seen Niccolo as a confidant. Much of his planning had passed through Niccolo as well so he had gone into great detail regarding the actions that would be most effective in thwarting his father’s plans. What he hadn’t accounted for, was Diavolo’s ability to see into the future. While he strategized with the band of young gods, his father and Mahin caught glimpses of his betrayal through Diavolo’s ability. Ignacio was furious, his usually radiant form had taken on a crimson tinge as a result of his rage. Mahin on the other hand felt disappointed that Bria would have resorted to such means all in the effort to thwart his plans especially with how it would have eased her burden.

“It seems our children have betrayed us…” Mahin’s voice was a whisper as he contemplated the best way to handle the situation. Diavolo and Ignacio however had been very vocal and animated about how to deal with the traitors.

“Wait…” cautioned Diavolo as he had manifested another prediction with a conflicting result.

By the time both sides had completed their meetings, it was almost time for daybreak. Giorno, Niccolo and Bria had left with a solid plan in place. There was an awkward silence as the trio had ascended back to their home, until Niccolo was hit with a wave of unease prompting him to bid the pair farewell and rushed home. Giorno and Bria exchanged a worried look, but continued to walk in silence. The more time they spent together, the closer they became, and Bria had found herself feeling more comfortable with Giorno with each passing day.

It was as Niccolo had feared, he found his father with Diavolo, both emanating menacing auras. He was accustomed to his father’s temper but dealing with the time lord had thrown him for a loop. Talking in circles, it was clear they were suspicious of him and were toying with him to get more information. By the time Diavolo had left, Ignacio’s rage had turned into disdain as he critically looked at his son with a scornful gaze.

“Where were you?”

“Out… with Elio,”

“He came back an hour ago, who were you with in the time it had taken you to drag yourself here?”

“With Bria.” Niccolo's voice sounded nonchalant, but his eyes had told a different story.

“You need to stop spending as much time as you do with that creature, you’ll have to pick a suitor at some point and having these entanglements will only hinder you,” Ignacio had shifted his gaze and didn't see the glare aimed in his direction.

"I thought Mahin was your most trusted associate, how can you speak about his daughter like that? And even more so, you have her do tasks that are actually your own responsibility… so she's good enough to do your grunt work, but not so to speak to your son?"

Elio had been witnessing the conversation and decided to intervene before Niccolo’s temper had gotten him into a situation he couldn't get out of.

“Niccolo, I need to talk to you please,” interjected Elio.

“I’m in the middle of-”

“We’re done here…” with a sense of finality in his voice, Ignacio had dismissed his son. Niccolo made eye contact with Elio who had gestured towards him and followed his brother to a secluded part of the mansion.

"What is it, Elio?"

“Okay, okay, don’t snap, you need to keep your wits about you or you’re going to ruin this for everyone. Now listen to me… I may have a way to guarantee our victory, but you have to act quickly,” Niccolo listened intently and gestured for Elio to continue.

“Well, I was fooling around with one of the fire sprites and she mentioned something-”

“Why must all your stories start that way?”

“Maybe it would inspire you? And… I like to brag… anyway, she mentioned something about the blacksmith that forges weapons at Mount Vesuvius… his gatekeeper is a wish-granting sprite who will forge you a weapon that would that would guarantee us victory,” Eyes widening, Niccolo had rushed off to his chariot in order get to the mountain before it was too late. Before long, Niccolo had arrived at his destination and had searched for the sprite, who had been watching him ascend the mountain. He had spent a fair amount of time looking around before the beautiful woman had revealed herself to him. She had burnished, bronze skin and emanated a golden glow, complimenting the scarlet hue of her hair and eyes. She addressed him in a gentle voice which had put his mind at ease.

“What is it that you seek? Tell me what brought you here,” she inquired, her eyes never leaving his form for a moment.

“I’m about to embark on a battle… one that would risk not just my own life but the one I love as well, I come in search of a boon that would direct fortune’s favour towards my will.”

“What makes you think yourself worthy of such a blessing? Surely your opposition would feel the same about their own position,” Niccolo contemplated for a moment before offering an answer.

“You’re right, my motives are steeped in self-interest, and anyone looking in from outside would feel that I’m the villain… but none of that matters… my father has been mistreating humanity since the dawn of time, he took it too far by slighting the one I love… he must be stopped before he ruins everything,”

“You goal is a noble one, but I see a darkness that resides within you that you need to guard yourself against before it consumes you… I’ll grant your wish. Fire this arrow at the battle, it will choose the most deserving wielder and grant them immeasurable power,” the spirit reached into the lava and pulled out an ornate arrow and handed it to the young god. Where he had once wavered, Niccolo was now determined.

While Niccolo had mulled over everything that was told to him while on his way to Bria, the young demigoddess had been meandering about the enchanted forest with Giorno, taking advantage of the favour that had been granted to them by Faust who had extended the sleep cycle of all of earth’s beings so they would be completely unaware of the unrest that surrounded them.

“Giorno… if you want to turn back you can… there’s no reason for you to risk that much just for me… Niccolo, Elio and I will handle it… well we can try… your friends are risking so much as well-”

“Bri, before you continue, I’d like to share something with you…” Giorno had gestured for Bria to sit opposite him. She quietly sat, encouraging him with her gestures.

“You and I… we aren’t that different really… my mother is also a celestial, but I didn’t spend much time with her…”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know, you must miss her… I- “

“That’s not what I’m saying, Bria, you flit around as if people are doing you a favour by letting you be around them, but you don’t recognise how important you are to everyone and it needs to stop”, she looked away, searching for a way to cool her rapidly warming cheeks. Gently grasping her face, he turned her to meet his gaze, transfixed by her doe-eyed stare, he felt himself drawing closer to her, close enough for their breaths to intermingle.

“Am I interrupting something?” Niccolo’s voice had resembled his father’s more closely than he had liked to admit, but glossed over that in an attempt to disrupt the moment that Bria and Giorno were about to share.

“Niccolo… no, you’re not… is something the matter? You don’t look yourself… did something happen with your father?” asked the young demigoddess, concern evident in her voice.

“Yes, but that’s not important right now, we have to leave now, your father’s army have gathered in the citadel, the time for restraint has passed, this is all out war… Giorno, alert your allies- “

“Wait, who decided that you’re leading this assault?” asked Giorno in an equally sharp tone

“Oh please, I’ve been training my entire life for this, if you get in my way, I’ll get rid of you too!”

“Please, don’t fight each other, we’re on the same side here, I’ll inform our allies I’m the fastest,” worried about the tension, Bria had left the brooding pair to their own devices while she had summoned everyone else.

Perturbed by the scene unfolding beneath her, she hastily found her way back to Giorno and Niccolo who had been steadily carving a way towards the triad of deities by force and willpower alone. Mahin’s army made up for what it lacked in power by the sheer volume of soldiers. Being severely outnumbered hadn’t seemed to faze neither Giorno nor Niccolo, who had only gained momentum as their allies had started to make their appearance.

“Niccolo, don’t tell me these creatures are getting the better of you already?” jested Elio. Unamused, Niccolo had rained down an uncharacteristically violent arrow assault taking out at least ten men with ease.

“Does that answer your question?”

“Niccolo, I didn’t…”

“I don’t have time for this foolishness -”

Bria had witnessed the altercation and had come down to placate Elio, asking him to have a bit more patience with his brother who, it seemed, was taking an immense amount of strain from his end goal. The band of young deities had been fighting their way through, all under the scornful gazes of the three greater gods. The battle had reached its boiling point. The opposing army was whittled down to just a few strong soldiers and the titan trio themselves. Mahin looked over the battlefield with a regretful expression, but shook off the feeling when Diavolo and Ignacio had signalled that it was their time to move. By this time, Bria, Niccolo and Elio had split from the rest of their group- all three had kept a keen eye on Giorno, who had been leading an assault with the aid of Bruno and Aria.

“They’ve finally made their move… are you all ready?” her exhaustion was evident in her voice, but Bria was as determined as the others to see the task at hand through. The brothers nodded in response, feeling that the deciding moment had come, Niccolo had reached for the enchanted arrow with a steely resolve. He had hoped that his plan would play out just as the celestial had advised him, however, he was plagued by an uneasy feeling that he couldn’t quite explain, nor did he have the time to dwell upon.

On the opposing side, Diavolo and Ignacio had been musing on the formers last premonition, finding reassurance in the events he had seen, they had decided to make their move and orchestrate a brutal end to the bloody battle. Ignacio watched his sons with the cruellest of gazes, imagining the kinds of retribution he would seek for their betrayal.

“Let us end this now, you wretched children have caused enough unrest, polluting our ideals-”

“Baseless, faithless ideals that need reform, I have had it with you, for eons I’ve taken this abuse, but no more, you’re dead to me… and soon you will actually be dead,” Niccolo had interrupted his father, flanked by Bria and Elio, both intent on protecting the future heir as much as they could.

“I’ll let you deal with your failed attempts at procreation, it is eradicating Giorno that I’m concerned with,” announced Diavolo as his focus narrowed in on the young deity. Diavolo had his shortcomings but his battle acumen was not one of them. Of everyone there, Giorno had posed the biggest threat to him, eliminating him would have guaranteed his success.

Giorno had been fighting through the masses, showing another side to his personality, one that was unrelenting. His sole purpose was to protect Bri and the mortals that she had risked her life for, and it annoyed him that she was so far away.

"Giorno, snap out of it! This is not the time," cautioned Aria, slaying the soldier that was about to attack Giorno in one motion. It was Giorno’s turn to save her when he blocked an attack from Diavolo with his golden sceptre.

“Finally,”

“I wouldn’t be so cocky, you’re about to keel over, know your place,”

“This? I’m only getting started,” declared Giorno with a bloodied smile before they had clashed. Elio and Bria had been tasked with subduing Mahin and Ignacio long enough for Niccolo to act.

“How do you want to do this? We should help Giorno, Diavolo is being relentless-" Bria was concerned for Giorno watching how the time lord had gone straight for him without a second thought.

"He'll be fine, stay close, the tide is about to change," Bria had begun to ask what his intentions were when she had seen him take his firing stance, towering over her, with his golden eyes trained on Diavolo. It felt as if time had been moving in slow motion as Niccolo shot the arrow at Giorno instead of Diavolo, managing to get a clear shot straight through his chest. The shock of watching her love slain had rooted Bria to her spot for a moment before she tried to dart to his aid only to be restrained by Niccolo. Her despair knew no bounds as she tried to free herself but was overpowered.

“Niccolo, how could you?! Unhand me, I need to go to him!” watching Giorno in that condition had given him a split second of doubt but he had regained his resolve when he noticed the golden glow that began to engulf him. Tears clouded her vision as she saw the crimson liquid Giorno coughed into his hand.

"I can't believe I ever… you're just like your father, a monster just like him…" her words and the fractured quality of her voice had broken his heart, but that would have to wait as the arena had quieted with Niccolo's actions, everyone present in awe of what was happening to Giorno.

Ignacio and Mahin had known that this was the end. It had been playing out just as Diavolo’s premonition had played out, Niccolo had played his part and betrayed these young crusaders… that is where his vision had ended, however, a reality they were not prepared for was Diavolo’s defeat. Giorno had managed to get back on his feet, and the golden glow that he had been emanating had seemed to materialise into a tangible humanoid being with glowing pink eyes and a crown-like head. It had acted in tandem with Giorno and had taken out Diavolo with a few well-placed hits… it had suddenly made sense to the elder deities- the reason that Diavolo’s vision had ended where it had was because of his own defeat.

Observing their surroundings, Mahin had planted his sword in the ground indicating his surrender and was quickly apprehended by Elio while Ignacio had attempted to attack Niccolo. His attempt would prove too slow for Bria's reaction as she had used her wings to shield Niccolo from the blow.

"Stand down Bri, this isn't your fight," Niccolo's aim was trained on his father this time, and his shot hadn't faltered. With a blinding explosion Ignacio’s physical form had ceased to exist, his energy however had found its home in Niccolo, effectively making him the new solar deity.

Giorno had instinctually rushed to Bria's side in the hopes of protecting her, however Niccolo's transformation was complete. Despite his radiant appearance his eyes were dark and his demeanor had changed, leaving his brother concerned over what his next actions would be.

Giorno had remained at Bria's side, and dismissed the golden manifestation of his fighting spirit, allowing the arrow to fall into Bria’s hands. Looking at the ornate arrow, she lifted her gaze to meet Niccolo’s, regretting everything that she had said to him.

"Niccolo… this belongs to you…" she said turning her attention towards him, "I'm so sorry, I wish I could take everything back… I-"

"You should keep that, it comes from the same place as your mother…" his voice had taken on softer tone, cupping her face, he continued, "as injured as I am now, what you said earlier hurt me the most… but I could never hold a grudge against you…" Giorno had attempted to interject but was stopped by Bruno who could see the danger in provoking Niccolo as he was in his current state. With a scowl directed at Giorno, the solar deity had left with his younger brother, instructing Faust to return humanity to its wakeful state once more. Giorno had made sure that Mahin was sent away, banished from his current tasks, which now fell to Bria.

A week after the conflict everyone had gone back to their rightful roles- Niccolo was ruling the skies as a benevolent solar god, Bria served as the guardian of the night, Bruno and Aria ruled the underworld and Giorno had traversed the skies aiding his faithful subjects… peace had returned to the pantheon and earth’s denizens had flourished for it. Bruno had seen the attention that the mystical arrow had attracted and on his advice, Bria had ground it into dust and scattered it about the celestial bodies, believing that it would be safer that way, it would be eons before the particles would attract each other and fall to the earth as a meteorite. With Niccolo reclaiming control of the duties Bria once performed, the demigoddess had more time to dedicate to her adventures with Giorno and the pair had found themselves completely enamoured with one another. As with most young lovers, their attention only knew each other, however, their actions were constantly being monitored by Niccolo.

“You must end this fixation you have developed on her, it’s a lost cause…”

Niccolo scoffed at Elio’s words, “nothing is lost until I declare it so… if it’s a battle he wants, I’ll do him one better and give him a war.”

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