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CHAPTER 300

In that fractured remnant of a once-vibrant cosmos, the final bastion of hope stood gleaming in the twilight—a golden citadel, radiating defiance amidst the encroaching chaos. Here, the supreme beings of the archailect, protectors of reality itself, awaited the inevitable clash with their nemesis. The air was thick with the tension of impending doom, as primordial forces clashed with Azael, making their final stand there and then.

It didn’t matter if the various fractured realities that shimmered around them held countless thousands of their forces, or the sentient great vessel of the titan blade fired nonstop, its form the one last wall against the encroaching darkness of chaos itself.

The primordials, each an unfathomable lore and law in their own rights, fought for their very existence, releasing arcane techniques that would shatter planets at the slightest touch, and yet, it was nothing more than a distraction to the avatar of chaos.

Typhon Kairos, the King of Monsters, stood at the forefront, his monstrous form casting a shadow that seemed to devour the light. His armour, forged from the essence of legendary creatures—Apepion, Chromaticus, Leviathrax, and Infernox—glowed with an eerie luminescence. His eldritch blade, Oblivion's Requiem, pulsed with malevolent energy, ready to rend the fabric of reality itself.

He burned with eldritch light, charging head first at Azael, a baleful glowing light amidst a sea of golden power, the unspoken king of primordials. Azael’s blade clashed with his, reality rippling dangerously as he triggered one of his skills.

Primordial Aura(L):

- Description: Typhon Kairos exudes an overwhelming aura that resonates with the primordial forces of chaos and destruction. This aura strikes fear into the hearts of lesser beings, weakening their resolve and debilitating their combat capabilities. Enemies within a certain range experience diminished strength, reduced accuracy, and impaired decision-making, succumbing to the sheer dread emanating from Typhon's presence.

It slammed into Azael who cursed silently, his blade ripping violently through the aura of Typhon, attempting to destabilize the primordial when Tiamat struck, his bride and the Great Maw, exuded an aura of malevolent beauty.

Her form was an amalgamation of serpentine elegance and monstrous ferocity, her tentacles writhing with anticipation. Her voice, a haunting melody of eldritch power, resonated through the air, instilling fear and madness in those who dared to listen to the shrieking horrors who spoke through her mouth.

Primordial Enthrallment (M):

- Description: Tiamat possesses an innate ability to enthral and manipulate the minds of lesser beings. With a glance, she can impose her will upon creatures, dominating their thoughts and bending them to her desires. Those affected become her loyal servants, carrying out her bidding without question.

It was a song of subservience, once sent at Azael whose mind was assaulted by the raw aspect of the queen of monsters, his form visibly rippling. It was as much a mental attack as it was a physical battle for the avatar of chaos who struggled under the pressure both Kairos’s assaulted him with.

To their left, Wukong, the Great Sage and Monkey King, stood with an air of casual confidence. His staff, Ruyi, swung from his shoulder, its magical properties causing the staff to shape-shift at a moment's notice as it crashed into a defensive Azael who brought his blade up to deflect the attack. The sage’s eyes, twinkled with mischief and wisdom as he surveyed the battlefield with a mix of amusement and determination.

His giant golden form dragged behind it a golden island manifested as his mantle, and from its surface sprouted golden circular runes empowered by the aspect of the sage. His domineering will pressed down on the space around him as he brought his full might to bear on the avatar of chaos.

The rest of the primordials formed a formidable line. Ynas, the All-Seeing Eye, hovered ethereally, her gaze piercing through time and space, calling out predictive instructions to the primordials as they fought their way through the madness.

Defensive mythical grade constructs defended her whenever Azael’s gaze focused on her, ferrying her either to safety from the attacks of Azael or behind a random primordial, enhancing their attacks with her gaze, guiding them to hit true.

Tengoku, the Omni-Fox, flickered between forms, his multiple tails swishing with elemental energy. Lightning, flames, light and even darkness came from his ethereal tails that gathered an insane amount of aether, sanding lances of obliterating elemental attacks straight at Azael from a distance.

Rieus, the Bright Scourge, radiated a blinding light, his lance of pure energy crackling with the heat of a thousand stars. His blistering radiant form shone as bright as a sun as he too launched attack after attack from a distance, distracting as well as damaging the chaos avatar.

Varis, the Slumbering Sands, exuded a calm, timeless presence, his staff's hourglass never emptying, symbolizing the eternal passage of time. Slowing down Azael’s attacks just a fraction of a second, enough to allow an attack hit or an ally to escape one of the deadly blows of the reaper that shaved off their life force with terrifying accuracy.

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Azael, the avatar of Apophis, moved forward inch by metaphorical inch with an air of unstoppable malevolence. His form was a writhing mass of shadows and tendrils, shifting and changing with every step. Eyes of pure void stared out from his visage, promising nothing but annihilation.

Gathering one of his techniques, he wrapped his blade with the essence of chaos, the weapon burning with black power as he swung it.

* Chaotic Blade (M): Azael wields a blade crafted from the essence of chaos. This weapon disrupts the very fabric of reality with each strike, making it unpredictable and immensely powerful.

The attack tore through the space between Azael and the primordials, aiming at Typhon whose armour took the brunt of it, the sentient creatures squealing in agony. Aware of another attack coming from the sage and Rieus at once, he activated his defensive skill.

Chaotic Barrier (M): Enveloping himself in a barrier of pure chaos, Azael can absorb immense damage and reflect some of it back at his attackers.

A shimmering, unstable barrier formed around Azael, pulsating with chaotic energy. Attacks that hit the barrier rippled and bounced back, laden with even greater power of chaos, crashing into Wukong ana Tiamat who sought to take advantage of the moment, causing them both to reel back in pain.

The reaper pushed on, aware that he was pushing them back inch by inch, the encroaching darkness already beating back the luminescence of the last citadel, victory was close at hand, he simply had to take care of the nuisances in front of him.

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"Remember," Typhon's voice, a deep rumble of primordial power, echoed through the minds of his allies, "our goal is to buy time for the citadel. We must not let Azael reach the Titan Blade."

“Easy to say” Rieus retorted harshly, “no matter what we throw at him, he keeps coming, we might as well be fighting a transcendent or one of the Supremes” he added. Typhon, much as he disliked the scourge, had to agree with him. It was a losing battle, one of terrible attrition. He knew they could all feel it, the gradual erosion of their aspect, slowly, but definitely.

Yet they knew that the titan blade resurging was their only hope at recovering what remained of their reality, something that didn’t sit right with some of the primordials even as they fought a battle for their existence.

Still, Typhon stepped forward again, burning more of his aspect as he spoke to them, “And yet we must not falter, the transcendents would be left vulnerable if we fall, all hope will be lost” he said, pleading with them.

The primordials nodded, their resolve steeled. As Azael drew closer, reality itself seemed to shrink further, and the light from the citadel itself dimmed further, as if recoiling from his presence.

With a roar of renewed strength that shook the very heavens, Typhon charged, his eldritch blade slicing through the air. Azael met his attack with a burst of chaotic energy, the clash sending shockwaves rippling through the space around them. The other primordials sprang into action.

Wukong leapt high, bringing his staff down with earth-shattering force. Tengoku, in the form of a majestic fox, weaved illusions and misdirections, confusing Azael's minions that surged forward from the chaotic aspect around him like a tide of darkness.

Rieus's lance blazed a trail of incineration, searing away the corrupting influence of chaos. Varis, with a sweep of his staff, slowed time around Azael, creating precious moments for his allies to strike.

But Azael was not easily thwarted. Tendrils of darkness lashed out, ensnaring Ynas and dragging him towards the void. With a scream that echoed through the cosmos, Ynas's form shimmered and vanished, his essence consumed by the chaos, leaving behind a crystal that Tiamat seized with speed, hastily securing it away.

"Ynas!" Tengoku's voice, usually playful, was laced with anger and sorrow. He transformed into a humanoid form, his eyes burning with golden fury. "You will pay for that, Azael!"

There was no time to mourn the sudden destruction of the all-seeing eye as their once coordinated attacks began to fracture without her guiding influence. Primordials were hard to kill, their crystalized aspects representing their cumulation of experiences and existence.

With time and an unholy number of resources, they could be revived, back as ancients, but with the end of reality looming over them, Typhon couldn’t help but wonder if that was the last time they would ever see the primordial tactician.

The fight raged on, each primordial unleashing their most devastating abilities. Tiamat's Void Scourge obliterated swathes of Azael's minions, her eldritch veil deflecting their attacks.

Void Scourge(M): Tiamat unleashes a torrent of primordial darkness from her outstretched tentacles, obliterating anything caught in its path. The Void Scourge consumes light, magic, and even the essence of life itself, leaving only desolation in its wake.

It barely held back the relentless attacks of Azael, but it gave Typhon and Wukong breathing space to push on, aware that they were now entering the domain of the citadel itself, hounded by thousands of creatures of chaos that sought to swarm them. Tiamat once again activated another of her skills, aware of the dwindling aether reserves she had.

Eldritch Song(M): Tiamat's melodic voice resonates with eldritch power, capable of inducing madness and despair in those who hear it. Her haunting song weaves through the air, causing disorientation and weakening the resolve of her enemies, leaving them vulnerable to her subsequent attacks.

Her melodic voice wove through the battlefield, causing confusion and despair among the enemy ranks. The summoned creatures of chaos shrieked as they recoiled from her voice, lances of burning light and elemental power tearing into them as Metar wove like a shadow through their midsts, unseen by even Azael who barely managed to deflect his attacks.

Typhon opened his vault, unleashing unseen horrors since the dawn of his youth on the galaxy again, latching onto each of them as they struggled to go on a rampage with his beast mastery skill.

Beast Mastery (M): As the self-proclaimed Lord of All Beasts, Typhon possesses an unparalleled affinity for controlling and commanding creatures of every kind. With this skill, Typhon can establish a telepathic link with beasts, commanding them to follow his orders without question. Whether they are mundane animals or fearsome monstrosities, Typhon can bend them to his will, utilizing them as loyal allies and extensions of his own formidable power.

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Typhon's beast mastery leashed the legions of creatures to bolster their defense, while his nightmare projections his nightmare projection skill twisted the minds of Azael's followers, turning them against each other.

Nightmare Projection(M):

- Description: Drawing from the darkest recesses of his mind, Typhon can project nightmarish illusions into the minds of his enemies. By tapping into their deepest fears and insecurities, he subjects them to terrifying hallucinations that induce intense psychological distress. Victims ensnared in Typhon's nightmares experience mental anguish, confusion, and paranoia, rendering them vulnerable to subsequent physical and magical assaults.

Azael, however, seemed inexhaustible. His reality-warping powers created rifts that swallowed entire groups of primordials' allies, and his eldritch dominion made him nearly invincible.

* Reality Warp (M): Azael manipulates the very fabric of reality within his domain, altering the battlefield to his advantage.

The air around Azael distorted and twisted, reshaping the battlefield. Typhon felt the blossoming strength of the creatures of chaos as they felt a surge of power while his creatures and to an extent, the skills of the primordials found themselves being weakened and disoriented.

With each passing moment, the citadel grew closer to being overrun. The king of monsters felt Wukong, growling at the dire situation, reach out to Rieus. "We need to combine our powers. Distract him, and I'll strike.". Rieus nodded, his eyes blazing with determination. He charged at Azael, his lance spinning in a whirlwind of light. "Face me, creature of chaos!"

In that brief moment, Typhon understood just what Rieus was about to do and felt a pang of regret, steeling his composure before gathering his aspect again, forcing more power through his creatures and his mental attack on the reaper.

As Azael turned to meet Rieus, Wukong transformed his staff into a spear and hurled it with all his might. The weapon pierced through the veil of chaos surrounding Azael, striking true. Azael let out a roar of pain, staggering under the combined assault. Rieus burned his aspect bright, struggling to hold down the reaper as Typhon found himself coming up with an idea he found ludicrous.

Despite their efforts, the primordials were slowly being overwhelmed, he saw that, and as he sent his plans to Eses and Lucirion, he prepared himself.

Varis, the slumbering sands began the process, seemingly drawing on the last of his strength, creating a temporal barrier around the primordials with his golden sands, crouching to one knee, slowing Azael's advance even further. But it was clear that it could not hold out for long.

"Typhon, Tiamat," Varis's voice was weak but resolute, "you must retreat. Protect the citadel and Moyo. We will buy you the time you need."

“Leaving so soon Varis?” Azael mocked amid the storm of attacks that assaulted him, his laughter ringing out.

Typhon growled in frustration but knew Varis was right. "Very well. Fall back to the citadel!" he said, giving the command. As the primordials retreated, Varis's barrier flickered and began to collapse. He raised his staff one final time, channelling the dreams and memories of countless ages into a powerful blast that engulfed Azael.

The explosion rocked the battlefield, and when the dust settled, Varis was gone, his essence scattered across the sands of time, but his crystal held firmly in the hands of the king of monsters.

The laughter of the avatar of chaos trailed after them, Azael crowing in his victory.

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Within the citadel, Typhon, Tiamat, Ardos, Metar and Wukong regrouped, their wounds already beginning to heal thanks to their regenerative abilities. The golden walls of the citadel gleamed with an ethereal light, a stark contrast to the chaos outside.

"We can't hold him off forever," Wukong said grimly. "But we can help where we can, this battle is lost to us."

Typhon nodded. "Tiamat, focus on opening the breach. Wukong and I will handle the offence."

As Azael approached, in the distance, his form seemed larger, more menacing. Reality itself quaked as the runic barriers of the citadel itself rippled with every move he took quaked with each step, and the very air seemed to scream in agony.

Two burning existences manifested, blocking the path of the avatar of chaos as they burned with an aspect that dwarfed even those of the primordials. Eses, transcendent of cosmos glanced back to them as she burned with a terrible white and gold power.

“go” she said, “you have done your parts, let us do ours”.

The remaining primordials nodded, pooling their powers together as Lucirion began to throw runes out of his form, his power coagulating into large runic circles, each with its own source of aether.

Typhon nodded at them for one last time, scathing anger and shame written all over his visage as the broken shards of reality where their forces fought opened up to him, catching sight of Ashira battling alongside Ajax.

They pushed through, all primordials at once, bringing with them their fury unspent.

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The battlefield lay in the broken shards of reality, remnants of shattered worlds floating aimlessly in the void, dragged along by strands of chaos. Reality above and around was a swirl of chaotic energies, leaving it in an unstable state.

The Primordials had retreated to this fractured realm, leaving the defense of the citadel’s gates to the transcendents, Lucirion and Eses.

Azael stood at the edge of the battlefield, his eyes burning with the intensity of pure chaos. In his hand, he wielded a blade forged from the very essence of chaos itself, its edge flickering and warping as if it could barely contain the power within.

His benefactor, Apophis, the Supreme of Chaos, had given him this weapon and the freedom to wield chaos. But as Azael surveyed his opponents, a flicker of doubt crossed his mind.

Lucirion, the Transcendent of Runes, stood tall and resolute. His body was adorned with glowing runes, each one a testament to his mastery of ancient and powerful runes. Beside him, Eses, the Transcendent of Cosmos, assumed a humanoid form, though the aura of a true dragon radiated from him. Her eyes glimmered with the light of distant stars, and cosmic energy seemed to pulse through her very veins.

Azael’s confidence wavered just a bit as he felt the combined might of the transcendents' power. It was then that a dark voice echoed in his mind.

"Azael, you have served me well, but the time has come for me to take matters into my own hands."

The words shocked the reaper as he staggered, feeling the power of chaos resist his control for the first time. Azael’s eyes widened in shock. "No, Apophis! I can handle this! I—"

Before he could finish, a surge of overwhelming energy coursed through his body. He screamed in anger as his very essence was submerged under Apophis’s will. The chaotic blade in his hand flared, and his form began to change. The chaotic energies that swirled around him intensified, becoming darker and more malevolent.

Lucirion and Eses watched in horror as Azael's transformation was completed. The figure that now stood before them was no longer Azael but Apophis himself, the true form of chaos. His presence warped reality around him, the air crackling with unrestrained power.

"Mere transcendents, standing against me?" Apophis's voice was a rumble of thunder, resonating with the power of chaos itself. "Come little worms, let me show you the true power of chaos!"

Lucirion's grip tightened on his staff, the runes glowing brighter in response to his resolve. "Eses, it seems we no longer face Azael. We face Apophis, the Supreme of Chaos."

Eses's eyes narrowed, the light within them intensifying. "Then we must fight with all our strength. Prepare yourself, Lucirion."

With a nod, Lucirion activated his Rune of Power, the runes on his body glowing even brighter.

Rune of Power (T): Enhances Lucirion’s physical and magical attacks with runic power.

Lucirion’s hands glowed with intricate runes, empowering his strikes carrying a force beyond the capabilities of even a primordial.

Eses summoned her Astral Shield, the star-studded barrier shimmering into existence around her.

* Astral Shield (T): Creates a shield of cosmic energy that can absorb and reflect attacks.

A shimmering, star-studded bubble formed around Eses, glowing with cosmic energy, as if sparkling with the light of distant galaxies. Apophis raised his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a wave of chaotic energy. Lucirion's Rune Shield barely held against the onslaught, shimmering and flickering under the immense pressure.

"Bind!" Lucirion shouted, audibly activating another of his skills as he slammed his staff into the space in front of him.

* Rune of Binding (T): Binds an enemy with the authority of runes, restricting their movement and abilities.

Glowing runes appeared in the air around Lucirion, surging forward to bind Apophis, carrying with them the authority to bind an entire planet. The Supreme of Chaos merely laughed, the runes shattering upon contact with his chaotic aspect as it swirled, swallowing up the command.

Eses inhaled deeply and exhaled a torrent of star-like energy, her cosmic breath skill washing the space between them in a torrent of white and golden cosmic aspect-infused flames.

* Cosmic Breath (T): Unleashes a breath of pure cosmic energy, devastating anything in its path.

The attack went forth, washing the entire space between them in a searing blaze of power, heading straight at Apophis who gathered his aspect again like a cloak, enveloping himself in the chaotic barrier skill of Azael, this time with the complete authority of chaos backing his move.

The beam struck Apophis head-on, but the chaos around him absorbed much of the impact. The supreme of chaos retaliated by hurling a sphere of chaotic energy at Eses, who barely managed to deflect it with her Astral Shield.

"Destruction!" Lucirion commanded again, tapping into his authority as he drew a complex rune in the air, releasing a beam of searing energy.

* Rune of Destruction (T): Unleashes a burst of destructive runic energy at a single target.

It struck Apophis, causing him to stagger briefly, the sheer weight and power of the attack tearing through his barrier with raw force. Taking advantage of the opening, Eses called down a Meteor Strike.

* Meteor Strike (T): Calls down a meteor from the cosmos to strike a targeted area.

The transcendent of the cosmos gestured towards the sky, the shards of broken planets seized by her authority burned with golden light, hurtling towards Apophis with deadly accuracy, before smashing into him with explosive force.

It would have been enough to take out even Araman, Azael maybe, putting him on the back foot, but Apophis emerged from the explosion, his form barely damaged. "Pathetic. You cannot hope to defeat me with such paltry attacks!"

He raised his hand, and the ground beneath Lucirion and Eses erupted in chaotic energy. Lucirion was thrown back, his Rune Shield breaking apart. Eses struggled to maintain her footing, her Astral Shield flickering dangerously.

"We need to synchronize our attacks, Lucirion," Eses said through gritted teeth. "Together, perhaps together we might stand a chance."

Lucirion nodded, activating his Rune of Healing to mend his wounds.

* Rune of Healing (T): Heals Lucirion or an ally by invoking the runes of vitality.

His lips moved wordlessly as burning white runes of light enveloped both his and Eses’s forms, knitting their injuries with radiant energy.

"Very well. Might as well unleash it all, what do we have to lose?” the transcendent of runes muttered with a grunt.

With renewed determination, Lucirion and Eses launched a coordinated assault. Lucirion unleashed the Grand Rune of Cataclysm, a forbidden skill he had been nurturing for most of his life. It manifested in a tiny pinprick of power, glowing dimly as it shot at Apophis who sensed the danger in the power.

Harnessed over countless battles, gathering the explosions of stars and even suns at their initial stages of combustion. Countless runes had been used to seal it in place, keeping the power contained, a last-minute effort by Lucirion if he was pushed to his limit, and he was now.

It summoned a devastating explosion of runic-infused energy, tearing apart the space between them, eating deep into the aspect of chaos, a bright new star born as the attack swelled in size. It trapped the supreme of chaos within its blistering burning sphere as he attempted to absorb the attack, already too late to deflect it.

Simultaneously, Eses released a Galactic Pulse, a powerful wave of cosmic energy radiating outward. The combined attack struck Apophis with incredible force, crushing him within their vice-like grips. The aspect of chaos receded, forcefully torn backwards by the powers of two transcendents, the best the Archailect had to offer beneath the power of the supreme beings.

Then the explosion chained itself for one final blast, bathing the entirety of the area in its burning light before vanishing, simply leaving behind the uncontrolled swirling mass that was chaos alone.

For a moment, it seemed as though the transcendents might have gained the upper hand, that they had somehow pushed Apophis back into the depth of his aspect, but Apophis's laughter echoed through the battlefield.

"Impressive, for a moment I almost thought it would burn away my vessel” his voice came from the swirling mass of chaos that parted, revealing him. Most of his body had been burnt away leaving raw exposed flesh that refused to heal or heal slowly, a ghastly sight that truly carried the title of the reaper.

He raised his arms, and a vortex of chaos formed above him. With a roar, he unleashed a Cataclysmic Wave, a massive surge of chaotic energy that swept across the battlefield. Lucirion and Eses were caught in the onslaught, their defenses crumbling under the sheer power of the attack.

"Eses, we can't hold out much longer!" Lucirion shouted, his voice strained as he struggled to simply keep them alive, his runes flickering and dying out one by one.

"We must endure," Eses replied, her determination unwavering. "For the sake of all reality, we cannot let Apophis win."

Drawing upon the last reserves of their strength, Lucirion and Eses prepared for one final stand. Lucirion activated his Rune of Healing once more, the runes glowing brightly before waning quickly under the onslaught of Apophis’s attack, mending his and Eses' wounds. Eses summoned every ounce of cosmic energy she could muster, her body radiating with the light of a thousand stars.

"For the sake of all that is, we will not falter!" they declared in unison, both aspects of runes and cosmos resonating together to push back the aspect of chaos. The transcendents blazed to life as one as they began burning through their aspects, illuminating the citadel even more.

Eses became the true dragon, reverting to her original form. A giant serpent mass of golden shimmering scales, serpentine eyes that glowed a myriad of colours and claws that burned with the aspect of chaos itself.

Lucirion’s staff shattered, reforming itself into a glowing blue blade made of runes itself, the great lord of runes pointed the weapon at Apophis, blue smoke leaking out in wisps from his eyes.

Apophis, sensing their resolve, their authority burning to life smirked. "Then come, transcendents. Face the true wrath of chaos!"

The final clash was upon them, and the fate of reality hung in the balance.