The city was burning, and fires that had been rained on us like water littered every street and building. The horrors had arrived, and too soon, none of the remaining gods that couldn’t leave were prepared to fight. The army, or what was left of it, was either on the walls or doing its best to keep the little order remaining at the gate to get as many through as possible.

The only thing I could do now was watch as the last city of the United Races collapsed, watch as the last of the Celariean Knights fought its form barely visible over the wall as it used its sword to cleave through one malformed horror after another.

It wouldn't last. It would fall as the others had, but it would buy us the time it could. Perhaps enough time so all the races we had managed to save would get through the last portal, but that was wishful thinking. Some wouldn’t make it.

The screams sounded in the distance of those who were trapped or couldn't manage to escape before the other portals had been turned off and destroyed rang in my ears. I’d been selfish getting my family out first, but now I was glad I had; they hadn't deserved to see this. Our history, knowledge, and experience were left to the gods, who had been lucky enough to go to the new world.

“Commander, The first of them has breached the gate. We have little time to finish the preparations for the plan.”

I turned to look at the level three hundred elf knight who had spoken. His hair was coated in blood, and his armor was battered like the two next to him. They were what was left of the Imperic order, the only three who hadn't died at the trap in Kentos.

“Very good. Finish the preparations and get out. You will be needed to keep order in the new realm. I will take care of things on this side,” I said, turning back just in time to watch the Celariean Knight have one of its arms torn off. The Sparks from the mana circuits were still visible, even here, but is managed to throw the beast off and get to it's feet. It kept fighting.

“You can’t mean you’re not coming. You will be needed on the other side! Let me do it, or one of the gods can!” He sounded desperate, stepping forward, and I couldn't fault him for it, but I had failed in my job and needed to be the one to do this.

“That was an order, Knight. Now go. I will not have you waste your life defending something that has already been lost. That goes for the three of you. Make sure any dangers are dealt with on the other side. There must be a vanguard.”

I didn’t look as I heard the reluctant clang of his salute on his armor and take off at a sprint. He was a good man, and for a second, I wished I had gotten his name as the door that led off the balcony closed.

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As it did, a figure appeared next to me. His outline was had to make, but the stars in his otherwise black form told me who he was: Void. One of the gods who should have already left and would be needed on the other side to rebuild.

“I heard there was a race on the other side of the portal that the system says they're called dragons.”

Void bowed his head. “Truly a special race. I think we will learn a lot from them and their god.”

His voice held a distortion, and with relief, I realized he was projecting himself. So he had already gone to the other side, good.

A blinding light and rumble signaled the death of the last Celariean Knight, the explosion of its core. New ones would be built, better ones, and pilots would have to be found and trained by the ones who were too injured to fight in this last battle and had gone through.

“You’re sure that they won't be able to follow ?” I asked in the moment of silence after the shockwave and wind from the explosion had passed.

“Once the gate is destroyed on this side, the remaining gods will sacrifice themselves. There will be no divinity left. No way a realm gate can be made. They will be trapped in this realm to starve and die out.” Void spat out the last words, a rare show of emotion from the otherwise neutral god.

I let out a relieved sigh. At least It would be an end for the survivors who made it through.

There was a long moment as we both stood watching the fall of everything that had been built.

The Void moved waving his hand. A pedestal appeared. On top of it was a single crystal slab, a handprint etched into it, the detonation device.

“It’s time.”

A screech sounded from above, only to be cut off as a spear of stone sprouted from the ground the size of a mage tower and shot into the air. Millions still hadn't gone, though, but there wasn't time left. “Tell them I’m sorry, all of the ones who.. who have...” My voice failed, cracking.

The projection reached out a hand, the icy touch somehow soothing. “You did as well as anyone in your place would be expected to. None of us expected them to have their own gods.”

I nodded as I reached my hand down. The crystal turned black as my hand pressed into it before it crumbled to ash. The dismayed cries of anyone who still lived on this side echoed out. Void blurred for a moment before disappearing.

The ground shook as part of the wall collapsed, and a notification appeared, but I didn't look at it; instead, I looked up.

Past the horde of monsters that moved into the breach, seven figures glowed a bright blue in the sky: the gods that couldn't leave the realm. Then they, one by one, winked out. It was a sad way for a god to go, almost disappointing but needed.

Drawing my sword, I raised it to the sky, somehow finding my voice as I shouted. It echoed through the broken city. “For the living races! For Mathon! For The Realms!”