If you’ve made it this far, let me take a moment to thank you sincerely. I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey so far or, at the very least, found it intriguing.
Your continued trust and interest mean the world, and I’m excited to share what lies ahead.
Happy reading, and thank you for staying with the story.
Chapter 23 – Earth vs Sky
The vast hall of the Tribunal of the Pact, a sacred and solemn place, had transformed into a theater of silent conflicts.
The towering marble columns cast long shadows, and the air, thick with anticipation, seemed to vibrate like the string of a harp.
Earth and Sky, the two rulers of Elysium, stood facing each other in the center of the hall, their figures illuminated by the faint light filtering through the high crevices.
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> Sky: In a calm yet sharp voice, "Love should stay with me. It’s evident that her free spirit, her unparalleled grace, perfectly suits my realm. No one better than I can guide her and give her the space to express her true nature."
> Earth: Crossing his arms, with a stern look, "Don’t be so presumptuous, Sky. Love needs stability, strong and tangible guidance. With me, she will know where to put down roots and find her true purpose. You cannot leave such a precious creature to your mercurial unreliability."
> Sky: Shaking his head, with a subtle smile, "That’s exactly the point, Earth. You don’t understand the importance of freedom. You want to confine her, suffocate her with your rigid principles. I, on the other hand, can offer her infinity, endless horizons. With me, Love can truly soar."
> Earth: His voice lowers, filled with determination, "What you call freedom is merely a deceptive void. Love needs certainties, a firm anchor. I can offer her a home, a place where she feels safe, where she can grow and thrive. Your offer is nothing but a mirage."
> Sky: In a more provocative tone, "You are not the one who should decide what is best for her, Earth. Love must be free to explore, to discover the world without chains. Your claim of giving her a home is just a way to control her."
Their gazes met, charged with challenge. Their words were steeped in conviction, but beneath the surface lay growing irritation. Sky took a step forward, raising his hand slightly as a faint blue spark flickered between his fingers.
> Earth: In a threatening tone, "I will not let you take her from me, Sky. If you truly believe you are better suited for her, then you’ll have to prove it."
> Sky: With a cold smile, "I’m not afraid of you, Earth. If it’s a fight you desire, I will not back down."
The hall of the Tribunal of the Pact, once a place of negotiation and compromise, was turning into an arena of verbal clashes.
The initial calm was rapidly dissolving, replaced by an atmosphere thick with hostility.
> Sky: With a sharper voice, his hands trembling slightly with restrained anger, "You’ve always been like this, Earth. Stubborn, blind in your arrogance. You think everything must bend to your will, as if you alone know what’s best. But you’re nothing more than a brute, incapable of understanding the true beauty of what Love can become."
> Earth: Eyes locked on Sky, his words roared like thunder, "And you’re just a dreamer, lost in your delusions. You bask in your supposed superiority, as if all that is ethereal is better than what is concrete. But dreams don’t replace reality, and you are nothing more than a coward fleeing responsibility."
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> Sky: With a venomous smile, raising his voice, "Responsibility? From you, who has never understood what it means to be light, adaptable? You are rigid like the rock you adore. You’ve never grasped delicacy, elegance. Love cannot be confined in your stone prison, trapped by your fears and insecurities."
> Earth: With a contemptuous sneer, stepping dangerously closer, "Delicacy, elegance… How empty your words are, Sky. You try to hide your weakness behind these ephemeral concepts. But the truth is, you’re afraid to make real decisions, to face the consequences. You prefer to float above everything, never dirtying your hands."
> Sky: His hands now glowing intensely, his tone increasingly acidic, "And you, Earth, what do you know of true power? You think brute force is the answer to everything, but you’re nothing more than a giant with a heart of stone. Love deserves more, deserves the freedom to grow and choose her own destiny, far from your suffocating chains."
> Earth: Hissing, the ground beneath him beginning to crackle, "The suffocating chains you imagine exist only in your mind, Sky. Love needs to be protected, guided. Left with you, she would scatter in the wind like everything you touch. You will not take her from me."
> Sky: With an angry outburst, "You do not decide her destiny, Earth! If you truly have the courage to challenge me, then do it! Prove if your stone heart can beat with something beyond your blind obsession for control!"
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With a roar, Earth and Sky charged at each other, their imposing figures transformed into pure force and fury. The air itself seemed to hold its breath, thick with electric tension.
Sky was the first to strike, his arm moving in a fluid arc, unleashing a lightning bolt that tore through the darkness like a divine whip.
The blinding light filled the hall, the deafening crack echoed off the columns, causing them to tremble.
The lightning streaked toward Earth at breakneck speed, ready to strike.
But Earth was already in motion. With a sweep of his arms, the ground responded to his command, and a massive wall of rock rose in an instant.
The lightning struck the barrier with a violent crash, shattering the stone into a thousand glowing shards.
Earth, hidden behind his defense, remained still, his eyes fixed on his opponent.
Sky did not relent. With a broad gesture, the sky above them darkened, and a rain of lightning bolts unleashed from every direction, an unrelenting bombardment.
Thunder roared continuously, while flashes illuminated the Tribunal.
Earth, with a roar of defiance, raised both hands, and the ground answered his call. A colossus of rock and earth formed around him, a living fortress rising like a titan to protect him.
The lightning bolts struck the golem, leaving smoking scars on its surface, but Earth remained untouched, hidden within the creature’s core.
"Is that all?" shouted Earth, and with a violent gesture, he hurled a rain of boulders at Sky.
Each fragment hissed through the air like a projectile, but Sky moved with impossible grace, dodging the strikes with swift and fluid movements.
Simultaneously, his hands conjured bolts of lightning that flew toward Earth, only to be deflected by the stone colossus.
Then, with a sudden move, Earth caused his golem to explode.
The creature shattered into a storm of sharp fragments, a rain of stone blades that descended on Sky with devastating fury.
But Sky, with a swift gesture, created a barrier of lightning around himself.
Every fragment that touched the barrier disintegrated, reduced to dust before reaching its target.
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The ground beneath them trembled, cracking under the intensity of the battle.
The towering columns of the Tribunal began to collapse, one by one, as the walls fractured and pieces of marble plummeted to the floor.
Each blow generated a shockwave that shook the surrounding world, and the thunder could be heard miles away, like the echo of an endless storm.
But for Earth and Sky, this was only the beginning.
Every move, every strike, every spark of energy told a deeper story than their spoken reasons.
Their battle was not just physical: it was the expression of opposing ideals, of deeply rooted convictions now clashing in a destructive and spectacular dance.
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They then drew their swords, Strength and Courage, their divine steel gleaming, reflecting the flickering light of the now-devastated Tribunal.
They gripped their weapons firmly, pointing them at each other, as if challenging one another with their gaze before their blades.
Silence fell over the hall, broken only by the crackling of the earth and the distant echo of thunder.
> Earth, in a deep voice filled with determination, broke the silence:
> "Whatever reasons brought you to this point, know that there is no turning back now."
> Sky, with a faint smile and a spark of defiance in his eyes, responded:
> "I never sought a way back, brother. Every step led me here, and I have no reason to turn around."
> Earth, tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword so firmly that the metal seemed to groan:
> "I could find many reasons to turn back. But none, not even the most righteous, will make me change my mind."
> Sky, tilting his head slightly, his voice sharp:
> "Here stands the benevolent ruler, ready to ignite a conflict that risks destroying everything he swore to protect. Have you truly calculated the cost of your pride?"
> Earth, with a cold, imperturbable sneer, pointing his blade at his brother’s chest:
> "I will end this dispute quickly and return to my kingdom. I will even care for your people, do not worry... they will be safe under my rule."
> Sky, bitterly chuckling, his words dripping with venomous irony:
> "Ah, my brother… how naive you are. This battle has not even begun, and you already believe it will end easily, as if it were a matter of a few blows. But listen to me carefully..."
Sky raised his sword, pointing it toward the heavens as if summoning the storm, his face serious and devoid of hesitation:
> "If you raise this blade against me, you must be ready to bear its weight. It doesn’t matter who wins, because when it’s over, our kind will be scarred. One of us will fall. And there will be no triumph without pain, no victory without sacrifice."
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Thank You for Reading!
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Teo