The Defiance pushed through the storms, pushed through the host of carnage striders that still filled the night skies of the system above despite the devastating losses they had accrued, pushed through the vessels of the brigade who sent transmissions after transmissions, ordering them to stop,

Politely anyways,

Still, the behemoth of war that was the ship of the patriarch of house thousand blades pushed on, trailed by the flagships of all ten cohorts of the titan legion behind them, their destination, the barren rock where the forces of house Thousandblades, Garuda and the lone ship of what Idris knew to belong to someone high up in the ladders of the jade order. These didn’t faze him though, Idris, the champion of the titan, lord of the titan’s sentinels, grabbed his blade hard,

And smiled,

“Ship mistress Urne!” he called out,

Urne stood at attention, her eyes gleaming as she hid back a smile, her body posture brimming with pride,

“Beam me down, let me begin” he said softly,

“By the will of the titan blade” she said softly as her eyes glowed, runes blossoming to life as she barked orders,

Idris disappeared in a beam of light, the lancing power shooting straight for the planet, tearing through any flying abyssal creature that sought to block his path. He was held adrift for a brief few second, immaterial, his body adrift in the great expanse before he slammed into the ground, his pseudo ruler rank body cracking the rock he landed on. He stared into the hosts of abyssal creatures that assaulted the forces of the abyss, his eyes burning with purple power as the creatures froze in dread, and then they snarled, driven into a frenzy, the near proximity to the aspect of the titan blade driving them to madness.

∞

Gorefang battled with the jade elder, white bone axes crashing with rune covered axes, the power of the conqueror coursing through his existence. The jade elder was strong, that, Gorefang couldn’t deny, but he was flowing with the aspect of his lord, he was the direct incarnation of his lord in that moment, and for all purposes, the direct match of the jade elder. Besides, he fought with reckless abandon, smiling to himself as he took bite after bite from the legendary weapon of the jade lord, feeling the runes that had been created and tempered for years to slay abyssal creatures cut deep with but a touch.

He was the chosen of Vusal, it would take more power than the jade lord was currently pumping through his weapons to kill him, that went to show just how intuitive the jade elder was, he sensed something was amiss and was taking things slowly. Gorefang snarled, riling the aspect and aura of carnage in the air, empowering himself with the bloodshed around as his fellow elites of the other lords held down the other ancients, putting them on the defensive. He could feel the link to their lords’ pulse harder, enforcing the energies of the abyss around.

Still, he bothered for the line of dark energy that ran across reality, wary for the feeling of pure extinction he felt from it, whatever it was, it wasn’t working in the favor of the forces of the false reality, meaning it wasn’t their work. Taking a cut to his knee, he roared and slammed his axe hard on the jade lord, driving him to his knees and puking blood that burned up. Raising his axe up in anger at the insolence of the jade elder, and also because he knew he had dispatched the man quickly lest he drew on his full strength and brought the full might of the aether blessed down on them.

He felt it then, pausing as all other figures on the hundreds of battlefronts on the barren rock of a planet did, staring skywards. He watched the light tear down from a giant ship, a ship that exuded a power that robbed off him wrongly,

Gorefang took a step back before he realized it,

He heard the jade elder chuckle,

“Damned kid” he said,

Was this who lord Araman had warned them about, was that who appeared?, was this the power of the anathema that had driven his lieutenants to near madness aboard the scout carnage strider they had sent to assess the forces of the archailect?. A hundred questions assaulted him at once, but Gorefang crushed them, feeling more than seeing his fellow elites retreat to his side, eyes glued on the lance of light.

A figure stepped out, clad in gold and purple armor, a large blade with purple fires and golden runes inscribed on it, bald headed but with eyes that burned with an aspect that burned the energies of the abyss in the air. Their connections to their respective abyssal lord’s aspect wavered within them and Gorefang felt terror suffuse his body. He growled,

“impossible” Vaelus rumbled,

Pointing his blade at the figure,

“Is that him?, is that the anathema?” he asked,

“no” the ascender with a thousand blades replied,

“that’s just his champion” he said with a smile,

Then the forces of the abyss surged forward in maniacal madness, like they were drawn to the being instinctively. Gorefang roared, pushing his authority into it, willing them to halt in their tracks, few did, despite the other elites adding their willpowers to it as well, attempting to stem their forces from running to their deaths. Only the lieutenants of the various factions and some of the stronger creatures actually halted, the haze clearing from their eyes.

Gorefang gave the order, willing the link draw them back through the pathway they had opened, and it worked, till that being atop the rock spoke,

“HALT!” he commanded,

Gorefang felt what it was like to be prey for the first time in centuries, the pathway snapped close, their link to their abyssal lords thinned and the energies of the abyss in the air shook, weakening in strength. The jade lord took that moment to attack and Gorefang activated one of his emergency scrolls, one imbued with the literal aspect of lord Vusal himself. The power ran rampage through him, blating the jade lord backwards as it began to rain blood around the elite of Vusal himself. Groaning under the power, he roared, eyes alight as he awaited the man, the ancients and jade lord forgotten,

They he could handle, the man though,

His eyes glanced up to the ship above, shuddering and wondering just what manner of being was aboard the ship.

∞

Killian laughed as he and Duval watched the creatures freeze up,

“No matter how far we climb” he chuckled,

Duval gave a grunt,

“that’s not even him and that man garners the attention of everyone on the battlefield, remind me again why we don’t just throw him into every warfront?” he asked,

“Because we’d get Ajax all over again” Killian replied softly,

Then they watched the man raise the blade up, its burning blade glowing even as the forces of the abyss sought to assault him.

∞

Idris had to admit, he was enjoying this, the attention, the look of horror and revulsion on the faces of the abyssal forces, and even as they ran to him, he spoke, the power of the aspect of the titan along with his running through his body,

“CLEAVE!” he commanded,

All across the distance, entire forces of the abyss slid in two, shrieks as the command ran rampant through their numbers, ending the majority of them in but a moment. The rest ran backwards, terror lining their faces, the forces oof the archailect rallying together, and then he glanced skywards,

“By the power of the titan blade, I, Idris Geb hand, lord protector and general of the legion of the titan, champion of titan blade and first blade, condemn you unclean creatures to death by the crushing arm of his will!” he roared,

Lances of light slammed into the rocky mountain itself, revealing figures I silver mithril armor, bulky figure with murderous looks in their eyes, the Shieldborne had arrived, and from their midst stepped out their leader, a tall figure gripping a Warhammer and exuding overwhelming might, eyes burning with purple and silver light,

Josh mithril warden,

“I condemn you to death by his will of storms and lightning!” Idris continued,

More lances of light descended, this time, they were accompanied by lances of lightning, thunderstorms brewed in the air, rumblings that shook the very core of the planet. From the light stepped out the Stormwardens, clad in their blue robes and murder in their eyes, from their midst stepped out the empress of storms herself,

Annika Stormseeker,

Eyes crackling with lightning power, her spear, Asagai, vibrating with eagerness, her body rigid with anger,

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“And I condemn you, I condemn your masters, your false lords of the abyss, to death, death by the blade himself” Idris finished but with a whisper that echoed through the distance,

The final lance of light descended, revealing a figure that burned with pure aspect itself, the planet shook as the abyssal energies in the air began to burn up, the cracked and dried planet began to sprout grass, its air burning with purple and gold energies as the figure shouldered a blade whose existence weighed heavy on reality on one shoulder, burning with purple and gold fire. His other shoulder bore another blade, this one burning with green and purple fire, its very presence driving more terror into the forces of the abyss,

Dominion and Gegun,

The titan blade had arrived,

“Come, if you dare” he rumbled,

∞

Gorefang pushed the entirety of his power into tearing open a pathway, praying to his lord, to the abyss, that the existence in the distance didn’t decide to close it. That was not an existence he could fight currently, not in this form anyways,

He wasn’t sure he could in his other form anyways,

It was a different thing to face ancients or newly made primordials, sure, he would sustain life threatening injuries, but at the end of the day, they were battles he could take on, this was different in its entirety. The moment the pathway opened, a lance of crackling lightning tore it apart, burning it up as he snarled, roaring at the female figure in the distance, she smiled, a most chilling one that made him reconsider his thought of tearing her limb from limb,

And she wasn’t even an ancient or a ruler, just what was happening?,

“it’s the aspect, its very nature” Malachi croaked as he shuddered,

The affliction’s hand, he chosen of Remhu himself shuddered,

Gorefang knew there and then that all stops had to be pulled out, anything to delay the march of that creature into their core planets, and in that instant, he actually pitied what had happened to the forces of the mutator, Molrik had not gone in a good way. He stabbed his bone axes into the ground, drawing on his connection to his lord,

“a boon, I beseech of you, oh great conqueror” he started,

The air around him spat and rained blood heavily, the other elites staring on,

“By your will, carnage and wrath manifest is blessed on us, I offer a greater existence, bring down your wrath!” he roared,

And then drove the spear-like bottom of the axe right straight through his throat and heart, grinning wolfishly,

“you animal!” Vaelus roared in anger,

“Goodluck stalling the anathema” Gorefang croaked as his flesh dried up and broke apart in gruesome chunks,

The elite of Vusal had sacrificed himself to summon something, the jade and ancients with their forces retreated, pushing closer to the location of the titan blade. A large runic circle of red blood dragged itself into existence, its power creaming with bloodshed and carnage, immediately, Moyo threw his realm into existence, combating it the moment he felt the power on the other end.

One of the masters of the diamond king was caught on the outside, becoming a rabid beast, tearing at his own form in bloodlust, features warping into that of a nightmare. They all turned to the titan blade for an explanation.

∞

Moyo frowned, that was not how he had expected his arrival to go, he had expected the elites would come after him, but then again, he had seen how weak they were and wondered if all these wasn’t some way to delay them. The summoning had seemed trivial to him, but he had caught the keen awareness in the eyes of the elite of Vusal,

He had known that he couldn’t face Moyo, not with that level of strength,

And so, he had summoned someone or something that could,

NOTICE!: Apocalypse Beast

Name: Malgrakor, the Eternity Devourer

Level: Ruler rank and above

Threat Classification: Mythical class

Description:

The Apocalypse Beast, Malgrakor the eternity devourer, a creature of unparalleled horror, serves as a grim testament to the dominion of Lord Vusal, the Abyssal Lord of Gore, Carnage, and Bloodshed. This abomination defies conventional comprehension, its form a twisted nightmare composed of writhing tendrils, jagged fangs, and oozing flesh.

Abilities:

* Maddening Presence: The mere proximity to the Apocalypse Beast inflicts a maddening influence on all beings, driving them to the precipice of insanity and igniting an insatiable bloodlust.

* Unyielding Carnage: With each life extinguished in its vicinity, the Apocalypse Beast grows stronger, drawing sustenance from the powers of beings below Ruler rank. Its insatiable hunger fuels its terrifying might.

* Immortal Connection: The creature's existence is bound to a planetary connection, rendering it virtually indestructible. Severing this unholy tie is the only path to its annihilation.

* Lord's Dominion: The Apocalypse Beast represents the dark pact between Lord Vusal and the abyss itself. It stands as an embodiment of the Lord's gruesome power, serving as his herald of destruction.

* Abyssal Replication: Malgrakor possesses the unholy ability to spawn sinister replicas of itself, known as Abyssal Echoes. These lesser versions of the Apocalypse Beast manifest as grotesque, twisted reflections, echoing its monstrous form and insatiable hunger for ascender essence.

Recommended Countermeasures:

* Ascendant Power: Only those who have ascended to the rank of Ruler or attained enlightenment as Ruler possess the strength and resilience to withstand the creature's influence and challenge its supremacy.

* Forbidden Knowledge: Gather the scattered remnants of ancient lore and hidden wisdom to uncover the secrets necessary to sever the beast's connection to Lord Vusal, the master of its unholy existence.

* Allied Might: Unite the greatest ascenders and wielders of unparalleled prowess, for it is only through combined strength and unwavering resolve that the Apocalypse Beast can be confronted and the planet’s very survival assured.

Cautionary Note:

Engaging the Apocalypse Beast is a venture fraught with danger. Tread with utmost caution, for the creature's indomitable power and its ties to Lord Vusal ensure that this battle will be nothing short of an apocalyptic confrontation. Only the most determined, skilled, and enlightened heroes dare challenge this abomination and face the abyss that looms behind it.

Moyo said nothing, staring at the creature whose very existence and power smashed against his realm, but he held steadfast, weathering each blow dutifully and without flinching despite feeling the weight of it settle on his realm. It looked like something out of a Lovecraftian horror story,

The Apocalypse Beast, an abomination born from the darkest recesses of Lord Vusal's dominion, stood as a harrowing embodiment of Lovecraftian horror. Imagine a monstrous creature that defied the laws of nature and twists the mind with its unfathomable form.

Its massive body stretched and contorted in an agonizing display of aberration. Sinewy and elongated, it resembled a nightmarish fusion of nightmare itself and reality. Jagged, chitinous plates cover its hulking frame, glistening with a sickly iridescence that hints at the unfathomable depths of its origin.

Countless appendages writhed and coiled around its monstrous body, each pulsating with a grotesque vitality of its own. Some end in razor-sharp talons, while others terminate in fleshy tendrils that writhed with a life all on their own. These tendrils slithered and whipped through the air, reaching out hungrily as if with a sinister purpose.

At the center of this nightmare visage lay a gaping maw, lined with rows upon rows of serrated teeth that seem to shift and rearrange in a ghastly display of anatomical impossibility. A dark void fills this twisted maw, exuding an aura of abyssal emptiness and consuming all light and life that dared approach its voracious hunger.

The eyes of the Apocalypse Beast pierced through them all, glowing with an eldritch light. They were orbs of iridescent malevolence, each one a swirling vortex of cosmic chaos. Their gaze held an unyielding malice, a maddening allure that drew the beholder closer to the brink of insanity.

Its presence was accompanied by a cacophony of unsettling sounds—wet squelches, bone-chilling whispers, and a symphony of unnerving clicks and slithering noises. The stench of decay permeated the air, mingling with the metallic tang of spilled blood and the sickening sweetness of ancient rot.

To behold the Malgrakor in all its eldritch glory is to confront a creation that defied mortal comprehension. Its grotesque form stood as a testament to the darkest corners of the imagination, a nightmare given life that shattered the boundaries of sanity and beckons all who dared to witness its horror into a maddening embrace.

The masters turned away, groaning under the influence of its power, despite being emboldened with the aspects of ancients, the sight of the creature tore at their minds, attempting to drive them into madness itself. It wasn’t the same for the forces of the titan blade though, the aspect of the titan being more than enough to protect them from the effect, still, it left them with a biting migraine though. Josh stepped forward, his hammer glowing in his hand,

“Shieldborne” he commanded,

The diamonds stepped forwards, now ten in number, Moyo glanced at Idris who turned to josh, lips pursed,

“Lord Valoris” he called out,

Josh turned to him, eyes burning,

“don’t, each of them knew what they were walking into, they know what they are about to face” he said softly, his voice bearing a weight unlike any Moyo had ever heard,

He glanced back to the beast and saw that every single thing around its existence had died off, both abyssal and the unfortunate master to be caught during its awakening. He stepped forwards,

“Contact the defiance, rain down destruction on it” he commanded,

Idris nodded and brought out his communication device, attempting to make contact, the device fizzling before dying out, he turned to Moyo,

“interference” he said,

“No doubt from the beast, that begs the question, where are the other elites?’ he asked softly,

“Escaped when Malgrakor drew our attentions” jade elder Ingvar said,

Moyo glanced at the jade elder who had driven the fear of the archailect into him, now though, he could meet the eye of the hulking barbarian looking jade and speak,

How time flew,

“Pity, they’d be dead by now” Idris replied,

“No, it took me a while to realize, but those weren’t the elites, at least, not their real forms, those were meat suits they wore” Ingvar said,

That explained the weakness Moyo had felt from them, he watched the beast lumber towards their position, roaring at them in rage,

“Annika” he said softly,

Bolts of lightning worthy of a master on a storm path along with her wardens crashed down on the creature, bleaching the entire area white with power, blinding everyone and leaving the acrid taste of power on their tongues. When it was done, only bones were left of the multi-limbed creature, that and glowing red eyes, and then it roared without having a vocal cord, its body glowing as the very planet rumbled, its form coming back together. Moyo spoke,

“That is what you want me to throw diamonds into, that abomination” he said softly to josh,

The mithril warden gripped his Warhammer tighter in quiet rage, reluctant to back down, Moyo left him to Idris to deal with. Abyssal replication activated for the creature as its skin began to slough, dropping pieces of itself that grew into lesser forms of the apocalypse beast itself, shrieking as they bound for the realm itself, burning up as they came in contact with it while all the while pushing themselves in an attempt to pass through.

Moyo turned to josh,

“You want to do something?, protect our allies, that is my will, buy me time to take down that creature itself” he ordered,

“And how do you plan to do that?” Annika asked,

Moyo grinned, eyes alight,

“Trial and error of course, you’re welcome to join by the way, Idris too” he said and blasted out of the realm,

“we’re facing a literal apocalypse beast and his idea of killing it is to keep bashing it, what happened to blowing up the planet itself?” Annika asked with exasperation,

“Good training exercise?” Idris replied as he shot towards his lord as well,

The Stormseeker snorted, ordering her wardens to stand with the Shieldborne as she went after the creature as well, the jade elder behind her.