image [https://i.imgur.com/9kcsRty.png]
Caleb had no time to react as the towering stained glass windows shattered, unleashing chaos within the once serene archives. Stone shards and tattered pages flew like shrapnel, illuminated by angry flames that surged through the room, singeing the hairs on his arms and scorching his lungs with hot, acrid smoke. A noxious odor of burning fabric and wood burst through the air.
For a moment, the world shrank to fire, smoke, and debris. Flashes of pain dotted his body as rock and glass bombarded him, while shock rooted him to the spot. Caleb’s eyes widened, a silent witness to the blue flames devouring everything in their path. Gripping the charred remnants of the manuscript, he felt utterly helpless.
His eyes watered as he coughed violently, the smoke spiraling upwards, only making things worse. Still, his mind raced, immobilized by the sudden onslaught.
His eyes watered as he coughed violently, the smoke spiraling upwards and worsening the situation. Despite this, his mind raced, yet he found himself immobilized by the sudden onslaught. It was the movement of the other immortals springing into action that jolted him from his stupor. The urgency of their movements and their decisive navigation through the chaos ignited Caleb’s resolve to act.
With a deep, steadying breath, Caleb shook off the shock, his survival instincts kicking in. He dove behind an upturned table, the closest semblance of shelter amidst the havoc. Clutching the book he had been reading, he knew that saving as much knowledge as he could was paramount.
Quickly, he snatched as many books as he could, tucking them under his arms and away from the violent flames. It wouldn’t be enough, but it was what he could do.
“Ammit shall feast upon your hearts for this offense!” Anubis shouted, his voice clear against the pandemonium.
Still, the destruction continued. Walls crumpled, revealing the inner bones of the archives. Styx raised her hands upwards and with a mighty roar transformed into Death. Her black robe devoured the light and the scythe in her grasp glimmered with deadly rage.
image [https://i.imgur.com/6PSqjpY.png]
“Embrace the void!” She screamed, her voice now the deep timber of destruction. “You will face my justice!”
Shinigami swept his arms wide, ephemeral smoke swirling to envelop his form. “No one may destroy this place but me!” he declared as the smoke dispersed, revealing his transformation. He stood tall in traditional black Shihakushō robes, the garb of a divine reaper. Intricate white under-kimono peeked from his collar, while the outer dyed layers bore elaborate sigils. A sheathed Katana hung at his hip, deadly intent shining in his once mirthful eyes. This oath-bound regalia marked his true nature, ushering souls to the afterlife while protecting balance.
Anubis reared as cosmic forces reshaped flesh into fur. Divine muscles rippled under ebony fur marked with gold accents, claws extending from humanlike hands now prepped for rending mortal forms. The jackal head remained, horns curving wickedly, teeth bared back from his furious snarl. As glowing hieroglyphs manifested on his skin, telling sacred stories and spells that powered death’s dark magic, he roared, “You will die here!” This almighty conduit of power made him a force no mere demon could withstand.
The Three Fates drew immense power from their domains, their transformations marking the climax of their ritual.
image [https://i.imgur.com/zIw1JBR.png]
Past’s girlish curves cracked and splintered as lichen-crusted bark crept over her face, forming a silent scream of weeping sap. Between gnarled crevices, radiant sunlight poured forth, unperturbed by the smothering husk. As the light intensified, she declared, “You have been weighed!”
image [https://i.imgur.com/UibelVW.png]
Present’s limbs elongated, her skin turning to rigid oak as rings marked the years, and fresh verdant shoots curled from her forehead like antlers. The wood groaned under its own growth, cracking open to reveal brilliant illumination. “You have been measured!” she shouted amidst the transformation.
image [https://i.imgur.com/2YuBCSd.png]
Future’s form petrified, her flesh appearing more stone than wood, with a crystalline sheen under the eerie light. Naked branches spread like wings from her back, casting vibrant, rippling shadows. As her form solidified, she proclaimed, “You have been found wanting!”
Caleb was immensely relieved to be on their side, especially considering how terrifying it was to witness the immortals harness their full power. Even the dust in the room seemed to steer clear of them, leaving the air around the gods unexpectedly clean and crisp. It was as if everything tainted instinctively avoided their pure, formidable presence.
“Well, color me impressed. Do I get a new powered up form? I am immortal now.”
Death chuckled. “Sorry, Cal. Still not a god.”
Caleb snapped his fingers. “Double damn. It woulda been so cool.”
While the haunting blue flame raged, shadowy forms took shape and slowly solidified. Caleb tensed, gripping the books even tighter as Death hissed a curse.
“Cowards!” Shinigami yelled, tossing a flaming ball of spiritual energy into the shapes. The magic smacked against the fire and sent sparks exploding across the stone and high into the sky.
Caleb kept his eyes riveted on the figures, knowing it probably wasn’t the Royal Mail. Sure enough, that incredibly handsome face materialized from the blue. Nyxen. Two dozen other figures appeared, nightmarish and unfamiliar—save for the handful Caleb recognized from his basement.
The blue fire gathered around them, licking at their forms, and spitting smoke into the air. A strange shimmer overtook the haze, almost like the darkness was alive. Beings coalesced from that smoke, the bodies were unnervingly mercurial. The undulating shadowy shapes sometimes solidified just enough to glimpse gnarled hands or melted faces.
Men seemed to be caught between the dark and light, struggling to break free, and fighting for their freedom. And that made them even more terrifying.
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A flail materialized in Anubis’s grasp. “You’ve desecrated an immortal space. I will punish you!”
Nyxen laughed, the sound drowning out the roaring of the fire. “Punished? You’re measly and weak compared to us. You cannot compete. We are not of this ream.” He thrust his hands outward. “We are from a place far more powerful.”
Beside him, Death stiffened. “You don’t know what it means to challenge death in our home realm.”
Caleb twitched nervously. He didn’t know what to do. With no magical powers and no really awesome enchanted weapons, it’s not like he could pose any real threat. He also had no idea how easy it would be for him to die.
Sure, he was an immortal, but that didn’t mean indestructible.
Nervous, he cast a glance up at Styx as she towered above him. While he felt no fear when she was in her transformed state, he remained cautious of her. Since he still contained a soul, she could easily accidentally strip it with an errant touch.
Just as the thoughts were running away with him, Past sauntered up to him. The wooden parts of her form creaking and a smattering of broken bark fell to the ground.
“Omg! You look so cool right now,” he grinned at her.
“I do really enjoy this state.” Past held out an ossified dragon spine. “This is for you.”
“Since you’re a pathetic mortal,” Present snickered.
“Pathetic is right,” Nyxen called out. “Except all of you are pathetic.”
“Stuff it,” Shinigami snapped. “We aren’t talking to you!”
“When you speak its true name, it will take its genuine form,” Future said.
Caleb perked up. “Oh! Outstanding! What is it? Astrael? Cthaeh? Brisingr?”
“Karen,” Past said.
“I’m not being a Karen. I haven’t asked for a manager or anything!” Caleb whined.
“No,” Present chuckled.
“The true name of the dragon vorpal sword is Karen,” Future said.
“Karen?” Caleb asked again, not really comprehending.
“Say, ‘Karen, grant me your strength’. Works every time,” Past said.
Caleb eyed the ossified dragon’s spine. The lumpy and bony vertebrae was unassuming and rather pathetic. The modeled colors were closer to mud ugly and drab gray than anything resembling a blessed blade.
“Uh,” he started, unsure if the Fates were pulling his leg. “Karen, grant me your strength.”
Instantly, the spine changed. Power erupted as the vertebrae shone with an azure radiance, the off-putting item transformed into a double-edged blade wrought of gleaming obsidian.
Sinuous patterns depicting ancient battles and heroes adorned the dark metal in silver veining. White-gold fire ignited on the sword’s edge, writhing hungrily, but leaving no heat. As he lifted the magnificent great sword, eldritch runes along the crossguard flared, responding to his grasp.
Though no physical weight tugged his hands, a profound sense of destiny settled upon his chest as he held this improbable weapon. Carved from death, bathed in dragonfire light, even the air seemed to ripple when he gave an experimental swing.
“Oh, I like it! I guess being a Karen isn’t all bad,” he grinned.
“To complete your arsenal,” Shinigami said, stepping closer. “This is a soul shield, crafted from a hundred million shields broken by an enemy’s blade and drenched in blood.”
“It will block most blows from true enemies,” Styx said. “There are some limitations, but it will protect you.”
“Great! Thanks!” Caleb tucked the books under a fallen chair and jumped to his feet. “I will defend my love! And our home!”
“Are you done?” Nyxen called. “Because my patience is running a little thin. I’d like to get to the destroying soon. All this exchanging weapons is getting tiresome.”
“Yeah!” Caleb thrust his sword high into the air. “Let’s get to defending!”
An eerie halo encased all the demons, and one by one they pulled menacing blue blades from their thighs. With no hesitation or delay, Nyxen shot towards Death.
Caleb scrambled to help, but Shinigami held him back. “Dude, don’t interfere. Death is way capable. You, on the other hand, suck.”
The air itself shuddered when Death flexed her power, scythe slicing through reality towards Nyxen. But before it reached the smug demon, shadows erupted around him, solidifying into a dozen wraith-like warriors. Now, instead of just one weapon flying at his beloved, there were many, each met by Death’s streamlined blows and rapid movements as she fought back fiercely.
With each twitch and twist of her scythe, blinding darkness exploded outwards, devouring in its wake. Caleb’s cry lodged in his throat as Nyxen raised his arms. His blue blade collided with Death’s attack in a shockwave of warring power.
All the muscles in Caleb’s back and arms tensed, frustration boiling that he couldn’t help Styx. With each one she sliced through, two more manifested, and she would soon be overwhelmed.
Shock waves buffeted Caleb like a ship in a storm, ancient tomes whisking violently past. He clenched his new sword and shield, squinting helplessly as Styx dueled foes. Her scythe swung again and again, each strike parried by blades of screaming fire.
“You cannot withstand Death’s fury!” Styx yelled.
Caleb was uncertain if her echoing pronouncement rallied them or herself. Because presently, this supposed lesser being exceeded her at every turn.
Shinigami vaulted over the overturned table and launched himself at a demon. They fought furiously, trading blows and magic. Caleb didn’t know what to do. He’d never been in a battle before. The closest thing he’d ever experienced was a mall parking lot at Christmas time.
Past’s thorn-lined limbs slashed viciously at the swarming shadow men and lesser demons, sap-tears spraying as she knocked back one after another. But more emerged from boiling fissures torn by the demons’ power throughout the archives. Anubis bellowed defiantly as he dueled, wielding golden flails like knuckled cestuses, the ancient relics discharging holy fire against his opponents.
Shinigami weaved entreating kidō incantations, blazing ropes of lightning herding multitudes of demons into the open maw of a transiently summoned beast. Molten stone erupted as the leviathan crushed entire squads in one appalling bite before shimmering out of existence.
“What do I do?” he whined. “What do I do?”
Before Caleb could cry a warning, a demon leaped at Death’s unprotected flank, a wickedly curved blade shimmering azure. He reacted on instinct—his soul shield angled aside the slicing blow while Karen carved a gleaming arc toward the fiend. The threat narrowly jerked away, hate-filled demonic eyes focusing on this new threat.
They traded a flurry of strikes, Caleb deflecting attacks with the ancient shield while seeking openings for Karen’s biting steel. The demon pressed ruthlessly, hellfire scorching the blessed sword’s runes as it tested his reflexes.
He stumbled under a heavy chop, pain exploding along his shoulder despite the shield taking the force. Caleb pivoted, fighting to keep the advantage of Karen’s long reach. They locked weapons, blue flames burning Caleb’s face.
“The mortal is pathetic,” the demon hissed. “I bet his bones will taste yummy, though.”
Caleb cringed. “No, I like salt too much for that to be the case.”
With a savage kick, the demon knocked him aside. He rolled desperately as Karen flew from his grip. Flashing steel filled his vision. He wrenched his shield overhead. The demon’s shriek of triumph transformed into a howl of fury as its blade lodged deep into the sacred oak, without piercing Caleb’s flesh.
He scrambled on hands and knees towards the fallen weapon before snatching it up. Energy thrummed through Karen’s hilt, bolstering his strength as he surged to his feet and slashed a punishing blow. The demon reeled as blue ichor sprayed, pressing its momentary advantage.
The Death was beside him, reaching out but not coming close. “You’re fiercer than I thought,” her deep voice glowing with pride.
Without missing a beat, her scythe carved a devastating swath through the nearest ranks before whipping back to impale his opponent. She flung the struggling demon aside. A dozen shadow men came at her now, weapons sucking in the light from the raging blue flames.
“Yet I’m still glad you’re immortal.”
Back to back they faced the endless tide, Caleb’s sword cleaving dark limbs while Death’s weapon harvested lives with every swing. He fought with renewed vigor, their combined might driving the lesser fiend’s back. But the commanders held strong, raging magic against Death’s ageless power.
Karen’s blade seared brilliantly as it sheared through two shadow men, their forms vanishing like breaths of smoke. Caleb’s gaze, electrified and intense, locked with Nyxen’s across the carnage. The lead demon’s lips peeled back into a savage grin, revealing a menacing joy. Even spattered with dots of blue blood, Nyxen’s haunting beauty was unsettling. As their eyes met, a chilling promise hung unspoken between them; this battle was far from over.