One last circle remained, one circle before Azael finally stepped foot within the holiest of sanctuaries, the citadel of the supreme beings themselves, but to do that, he would have to pass through the last defenders, the walls within the last wall itself. He knew it would end up this way, he had been preparing himself for that eventuality, but the scale of those he would have to do battle with was noteworthy.
The harbingers of the supreme beings, those few that somehow persisted till this stage, the primes of the supreme beings, their true messengers, from which all others were merely rough clones of, and after all that, he was sure the primordials, the celestials as they were called were also awaiting him as well. He did his best to hide the excitement bubbling up within him, this was it, this was what he had dreamed of all those years he had been locked away like some vermin, deep within the bowels of the nest itself.
He gripped his scythe tighter, floating calmly towards the last circle, feeling the gaze of the aether blessed and cosmic dragon on him with every inch he pushed forward. No words were exchanged, not with the entire arsenal of the first circle pointed his way. His personified shells had been reabsorbed back into him, no use using them as decoys, the harbingers and primes knew better. Infact, he could feel them now, waiting for him, each of the harbingers holding one sector to themselves along with a prime to back them up.
He nodded satisfactorily to himself, good, he would have it no other way, let them see as he cut them down one by one, each pillar of the archailect forcefully torn away in jarring brutality. The moment he crossed the wreckage of the second circle, the artilleries of the first circle opened up, lighting the void again in cataclysmic blows. Azael moved like a wraith, wrapping himself in protective barrier after barrier of chaos aspect, weathering the attacks till he got so close to the barrier protecting the first circle that he could almost smell it.
Then came the blow out of nowhere, jarring and powerful, sidetracking him as it blew him sideways. His scythe was up, blocking the attack, but he felt it deep within his bones, staring at the figure he didn’t imagine he’d see soon enough.
“Grimswolf” he called out.
The glowing bulky feline stared at him as he pulsed with the raw power of Draulr himself, decked in golden Divinium armor along with clawed gauntlets that bled with the raw authority of the supreme being himself. The harbinger gave no response, and neither did the prime messenger behind him as well whose gaze was withering, staring down at Azael with all rage and pure anger.
The attack was as fast as it was savage, those claws that burned with the true aspect of the supreme being came down on him as it clashed with his scythe, the attack causing explosions in the void. The three danced around themselves, each blow that connected to his frame made him seem heavier and heavier, slowing him down for a fraction of a second. In a battle such as this, it was all that mattered, and Azael suddenly found himself being pummeled across the void with raw speed, his cloak doing its best to weather the blows.
He felt the emergence of another threat again, this one bearing the sharpness of a blade, and brought his scythe up to clash with this one despite his body taking the brunt of the attacks from Grimswolf and his prime messenger. Biting back a growl and staring into the cold pitiless gaze of Zane true blade and his prime, he chuckled.
“My word, the harbingers came out to play?” he taunted.
“You run ends here” the prime of edges spoke, a mythical blade in hand.
Azael chuckled, snapping his fingers as pathways to chaos itself tore open, releasing hordes of creatures unlike any other into their surroundings in their thousands. Crashing towards the harbingers. A sun blazed to life, a sun of pure aether, red, golden, and beautiful, shining as it burnt the creatures around its form in pyres of red infernos that raged across the expanse of the void.
Azael felt and saw the threat, but he didn’t recognize it, this woman holding what was obviously an actual piece of Lotes herself fashioned into a blade. He felt Apophis writhe to life within his body, warning him, that blade was bad news. The flames burnt the creatures just as fast as he could summon them, nullifying his advantage, and pitting him against the full might of the harbingers and primes themselves. He had to admit, he had expected more tension between the forces of the archailect and him, instead, it had devolved into a full-on battle of pure authority and strength.
Tearing their way across the borders of the first circle as the guns of the citadel struggled to get a lock on him, his sheer speed despite his haggard state more than enough to ensure all they saw was mere after-images of his frame. Zane true blade came at him again, his blade an extension of the sharp authority of Alastor himself.
They clashed in a shower of sparks, Azael keeping one eye on the burning blade wielded by the woman who was wrapped in the aspect of Lotes. He scanned the battlefield, wondering why he was ill at ease, the battle was going as he had expected, his forces were chipping away at the barrier of the first citadel despite its guns hammering away at their form, and then it clicked in his mind. There were no signs of the jades or Runebearers, he might have taken down their commanders, but those only accounted for two of their fire powers, where were the fabled jade elders, the few remaining arcane generals of the brigade, and the lieutenants of the Runebearers?.
He felt the changes the moment he freed himself from the encirclement, watching the large runes burning to life around him, each interconnected as they sang to life from different power sources, the fires of Lotes, the icy power of the jades and the blistering white aspect of the Runebearers. All came together in an avalanche of power seeking to restrict him, seeking to purge him from within, the harbingers stepping through the large barrier as they tore at him with all their attacks at once.
The sharp reality-cutting blade of Alastor ripped him in two, Grimswolf was there, clawed gauntlets ripping him to shreds as Azael chuckled, feeling his body return to the icy depths of chaos. Why didn’t they learn?, he was chaos itself now, it didn’t matter how much they destroyed his physical form, he would always come back, suffice to say he was inevitable.
He let himself float in the void for a few seconds, feeling his presence seep all around them as chaos extended further and further towards the first circle, rapidly eating up reality, reducing the available space for the defenders to hold the line as he spied their mechanical armored ascenders firing away at the encroaching forces of chaos, the harbingers and primes turning their attentions to his forces. The avatar though, kept staring at the spot where most of his consciousness had begun reforming, a frown on her face.
Azael faced a conundrum, taking out that creature, the one that burned with the actual flames of Lotes herself, one gotten from the ethereal realm would bring the other harbingers down on him at once, not to talk of the primes that held back his forces. At the same time, if he went after the harbingers, he would be giving the avatar of Lotes the chance to strike him from different angles. He smiled, feeling his body beginning to coagulate back into existence around him as he manifested his scythe, the avatar already swinging her blade.
Azael shattered reality around himself like a fractured glass, snatching away the authority of the archailect around him even as it weakened him, his scythe stopping the burning blade as he felt a lance of pain tear through his existence, Apophis was right, that weapon really was dangerous. Chaos seeped in between the fractures, separating harbingers and primes in groups as they were caught completely off guard.
The avatar though, proved resilient, her blade firmly lodged in the cracks as it sent pulses of fiery aspect running through the connections struggling with his hold as the flames sought to rejoin reality. Azael moved immediately, half-formed but still holding a substantial amount of power within his barely reformed body, manifesting first within the pocket Grimswolf occupied, the harbinger along with the prime of Draulr.
Azael wasted no time in striking, aware of just how formidable the harbinger of aura could prove. He felt Grimswolf resonate with the power of his supreme, and like a page of a book revealing itself, he felt the harbinger drop off whatever inhibiting the harbinger mortally fall off. In a blink, he was exposed to the full aspect of Draulr, that predator-like presence that imposed itself on reality, like the jaws of a great beast coming together to snap at him.
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Skill Name: Celestial Convergence
Description: As the harbinger of Draulr, you have the authority to invoke the true strength of the supreme being of aura for a limited period, bridging the ethereal realm of Draulr, the supreme of strength and aura, with the mortal coil. Through this sacred connection, the harbinger and the prime messenger of their patron supreme being become one, merging their essences into a perfect union of aetheric energy.
Grimswolf felt the presence of the prime within him, two minds fused into one, he was Grimswolf and he was Lugal all at once, two minds, fused into one form, and then they melded together, becoming something different, neither wolf nor prime, something unique, a perfect piece part of a supreme being, like a well-blended painting. He was power, he was aura, and his very aether sang with it, he was the extension of the true worlds’ wrath, the rage of the first planet, and he had come to deliver justice on the abomination given form.
This new being who decided to call himself simply as ‘beast’ gained a surge of raw strength, his physical prowess elevated to unparalleled levels. The aura of Draulr enveloped him, enhancing not only his physical attributes but also bestowing an ethereal glow that radiated divine power. This infusion of celestial energy empowered the beast with heightened combat skills, augmented resilience, and its profound aura that commanded respect and fear.
However, the power of Celestial Convergence comes at a cost, as the intense communion strains the mortal vessel of the beast with such power, it began to calculate. The duration of this formidable skill was limited, and upon its conclusion, the beast knew it may experience a period of vulnerability as it recovered from the profound energy exchange. That was a problem for another day, it had no idea if it could survive the battle, already clashing with the abomination that met every swipe of his claws with the scythe. Its armor burned golden, raw strength of the cosmos seeped through his form strengthening it further as every blow landed with the force of a planet and more, shaking the very fabric of reality.
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The beast was on borrowed time, that much it knew, but it had a plan, and as it began to assemble said plan, the beast began to see clearly just what the plan of its supreme being was, and it began to work towards that, every move predetermined and accounted for in an interwoven series of predictions and conclusions. He was the forbearer, he might not be the shield, that wasn’t his domain, but he was the roaring body that blocked the sight of the enemy from the wider picture, and he played his role well enough.
The reaper struck with the finality of oblivion, but the beast replied in turn, roars reverberating around him, the primal savageness of the supreme manifesting as the beast slowly felt his consciousness recede to the back, giving the presence he felt blossoming the space to manifest as it put more pressure on his form, a feral grin on his golden-haired face.
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All over the fractured reality, the harbingers and primes heard the call, they heard the orders, and though they might not be complete, they understood what was to be done at that moment, the sacrifices needed for the continuation of the battle. It was one they had been expecting, one in which the harbinger of Liakya had fallen first, succumbing to the will of his supreme. One by one, they fused with their primes, celestial convergence taking place as they blazed with the pure aspect of their supreme beings, all ether being converted solely to that aspect, changing their very existence from that of a free being of aether to a singular aspect.
They were now the embodiment of their supreme beings, the blade, the essence, the mantle, and the replacement for the wounded flame, the avatar wielding a literal piece of her supreme. They were pieces of a whole, and even though they were missing one more manifestation, they could and would work as one, as aether itself.
With the beast distracting the end, they moved, the blade cutting seamlessly through the fragments all at once with a simple gesture. There was no more need for blades, why use an instrument when the blade was the focused will and authority of the supreme itself?.
Then the flame purified the fragments, clearing the stains and taints of the great enemy, allowing reality to reunite as they prepared to rejoin the battle with the beast, it was strong, but they would be foolish to assume it could hold back the great enemy by itself.
The essence was the first through, enhancing the beast and the other manifestations as they began to come together right within the fragment where the beast fought the great enemy. The flame rushed onwards, cleansing all paths as it slammed into the great enemy, the servant of the great enemy roaring in pain as it fought to retreat.
The flame was moving again, its power while limited brought devastating damage to the aspect of the enemy, it remembered its servants, those who had died to hold the circles and it grieved with rage on their behalf, tearing across the aspect of the enemy with righteous fury. The mantle was there, deflecting all attacks against its siblings, standing as the shield, the domain it had taken when the true shield had been missing from existence.
The blade struck, keeping the reaper, the servant of the enemy at bay, allowing the flame to beat back the aspect of the enemy, wrestling reality from its jaws back step by step, pushing it back towards the debris of the second circle. Their movements were as seamless as it was coordinated, the reaper struggling even as it struck with all that it had, it was but a vessel, same as they were, except they had something it didn’t, not truly.
It was absolute faith and belief, belief in their Supremes, they had served willingly, and they had given themselves willingly, not as puppets but as true representations. The reaper knew that, they knew that, and they also knew that the candles they burnt, the mortal flesh they wore was beginning to burn at both ends. When the possession was complete, same as the beast, they circled the reaper, trapping it in runes unseen in the history of the archailect, runes they had been forging for this eventuality, trapping the reaper within an enclosed space, a space that even then reaper began to realize it could never escape from.
Its posture became stiffened, the beings, watching through their manifestations as the true enemy began to reveal itself.
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Azael felt it the moment Apophis seized control of his existence, like a large serpent wrapping around its prey, it began to push him to the back of his mind, taking control of his body.
“No,” he said.
“That was not the deal, you know that” he continued as he stared down the nightmarish existence.
Apophis chuckled, its voice like a million screams blended together into one horrifying tone.
“you’re about to go head to head with my false siblings, tell me, are you so drunk on my powers that you would willingly go to your doom?” it bit back harshly.
“I am the reaper, nothing is beneath my scythe” Azael replied.
Apophis gave a harsh laugh.
“Typical of mortals, quite quaint creatures you are, so insignificant, and yet, with the oath, I cannot hurt you, be calm, your role is not yet over,” Apophis said.
Azael understood the threat there and then, staring down the great beast.
“All you’ve asked for, I have given, the fall of the brigade, of house Dracon, and even the archailect, our goal remains one last great hurdle, the toppling of the supreme beings, we will see it through” Apophis completed.
“And then?” Azael asked.
“And then, we shall settle our debts to each other, for my will has weathered eternity, I will wash everything away in chaos” Apophis completed.
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“Impressive, truly impressive,” it said, its hoarse voice coming from the skeletal mouth of the reaper.
For the first time in time immemorial, the true players finally gathered in one place, staring themselves down as the being possessing the reaper slashed at the runes with its scythe that had grown longer. The attack kept swinging but never connecting, the being stopped.
“Infinity and fate loop” the being said again.
It shifted its gaze to the flame, a smile on its face.
“Was this your idea, firstborn?” it asked mockingly.
“Your rampage is at an end Apophis; we’ve made sure of that” the flame replied.
Apophis chuckled, shaking its head as it pointed in the direction of the citadel.
“is that what they believe?, your gullible followers who think their fables harbingers and primes are fighting and actually winning?” Apophis continued.
“Mine is an inevitability, a consequence of you ignorant children thinking you can mess with the natural order, I am the natural order, chaos is the natural order!” he roared.
“By your definition, you shouldn’t be without a consciousness, and yet, here we are” the mantle cut in.
Apophis turned to the mantle; eyes ablaze.
“I became what I am simply to combat what you are, but have no fear, I am benevolent as I am ruthless, I will grant you all a quick and painless dissolution if you kneel to me,” he said.
“you’re stuck in eternity, no matter what you do, we will cut you off from time and space, finally freeing your aspect to become what it was always designed to be, a sea of change,” the blade said.
“oh brave Alastor, that is what they call you, isn’t it?, these fragile beings, by the way, your vessels aren’t doing too well,” Apophis said.
The Supremes stared at their bodies, watching as they gradually broke down, bit by bit, the flame shrugged.
“They have served their purpose, so have we and you for that matter,” she said.
“Even now, the last of our forces push back towards the citadel, it is the birth of a new age, one made on your efforts, we thank you,” she said softly.
The great enemy roared, Apophis shrieking through time and space and even infinity. It was like a wounded animal, pushing its entire rage against the very runes as it pumped more than enough power through the body of the reaper, evolving and killing the reaper over a thousand lifetimes. The supreme beings could only stare in horror as the sheer rage of Apophis began to wear down their runes.
“I WILL NOT BE DENIED!” Apophis roared.
“a million lifetimes I have watched, not now, no longer!” it shrieked.
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The titan felt the pathway trembling, growing stronger as he fused more of his aspect along with it, watching as Ibere itself rapidly became a pathway, eyes closed as he spoke a single word.
“Josh,” he said.
The Valoris shot a beam skywards, all over the planet and system, hundreds of beams replied, the invasion force was ready, and they crept closer.
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The runes cracked, the Supremes pushing more authority into it as the void of space itself began to tremble, Apophis laughing maniacally.
“You think you were the only one to bring have a backup plan?” he raged,
It slammed its scythe into a rune, roaring.
“COME!” he commanded.
The Supremes shot backwards, tearing through space till they crashed into the citadel itself, the emptied first circles’ guns firing at the roiling mass that covered the barrier. The planet of Apophis, the source of its power manifesting in one fluid show of power.
Terror filled the minds of the ascenders and primordials gathered at the citadel, realizing that not even the powers of the Supremes come down as they stared at the bodies of the harbingers that were barely breathing, the primes nowhere to be found. None noticed the hidden smile on the face of the avatar that broke to ash completely, giving a great sigh as its life force became extinguished.
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Lotes and the Supremes opened their eyes within their realms, Lotes sighing as they stared at their sulking younger sibling, Liakya, shame, and embarrassment written all over her face.
“That was tense,” Alastor said, the humanoid silvery being said, revealing his chosen true form for the first time.
“We can only hope it works,” Draulr said, the large golden planet glowing.
“It remains one final act,” Filvux said.
“Oh, he’ll make it, he does have a flare for the dramatic” Lotes completed, a twinkle in her eyes as she stared at the bodies of the harbingers and primes before them, unconscious.
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Apophis had done it, it had accomplished its goal, and it had tricked the Supremes into giving him the last key to his plan. All those years, thousands blurring together, the abyss, everything culminated in this particular moment, the one where he finally tore his way through the citadel. He swallowed the runes of eternity, fusing them to its own rune as right behind the first circle, directly in front of the citadel, a pathway of pure chaos opened up, the corrupting runes of the supreme beings allowing its presence as it was gradually being taken over.
That was when everything went to hell. Apophis felt the spell halt as if stolen, shocked even, and then he felt a presence he hadn’t expected.
“Impossible!” he roared.
The pathway shuddered, his runes glowing brighter as another color began to fuse with it, a slight spark, like the beginnings of an ember, a flame burst through the pathway and it expanded, growing ever larger. Apophis attempted to push through, feeling restricted, not believing what he was seeing, watching as an actual planet connected with the pathway, and from it poured out thousands upon thousands of vessels, all bearing ascenders, all with the aspect of the one being Apophis had hoped not to encounter till he was done here.
He stared in rage at the being holding the pathway and connection open, blade in hand, purple and golden eyes staring down at him, the titan blade had arrived, and with him, the forces of the archailect.