Zeroth stood near the edge of the massive stone chamber, arms crossed over his broad chest and new shield locked to his back, watching as Thalamar and his assembled Demimage and Archmages channeled pure magical energy into Tingle’s gear. The glow surrounding the gnome was almost blinding, a swirling storm of arcane light threading through the intricate runes on his Mana Binders and the boots they had forged to contain his overwhelming power. Each pulse of energy sent faint tremors through the floor beneath Zeroth’s feet, the sheer magnitude of it setting his nerves on edge. But something wasn’t right.
Even through the chaos of magic and divine energy colliding in the room, Zeroth felt something, an unfamiliar current woven into the spellwork. His god-forged senses prickled with unease. It wasn’t just arcane power pouring into Tingle’s equipment. There was something else. Something older. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on Thalamar, and for the briefest moment, he saw it, golden threads of divine magic slipping between the familiar strands of Thalamar’s usual power.
His breath hitched. That’s not just Thalamar’s magic.
Before he could voice his thoughts, the entire chamber shook as an ear-splitting crescendo of sound erupted from the very walls, as if reality itself had turned into a divine orchestra. The noise wasn’t just loud, it was felt, reverberating through bone and soul alike. Sultry, amused, and ringing with authority, it slithered through the chamber from nowhere and everywhere at once.
“Champions,” Delores purred, her voice laced with an eerie mirth, “your time has come. No more waiting, no more preparations. You will be promptly transported to your deities in a few moments, so I strongly advise you to compose yourselves.”
Zeroth clenched his fists, his mind racing. Damn it. Not now. He cast one last glance at Thalamar, at Tingle standing stock-still in the maelstrom of power, before bracing himself. The air around him crackled.
A violent tug wrenched Zeroth from the world. It wasn’t like teleportation magic he’d felt before, there was no transition, no moment of weightlessness. One breath, he stood in the chamber. The next, he was elsewhere. His boots hit solid ground, and a wave of heat rolled over him. He staggered slightly, blinking rapidly as his senses recalibrated. His vision swam for a moment before stabilizing, revealing his new surroundings, a cave system.
The air was thick with the scent of scorched stone, the stone above seeming to swirl with an ethereal glow. The battlefield stretched in all directions, but it wasn’t a singular arena like he expected. Instead, massive shifting platforms of rock and obsidian floated at varying distances, connected by narrow bridges and sheer drops into an abyss below. The entire landscape was a fractured battleground, with new formations rising and crumbling in the distance, ever-changing.
Zeroth turned his head and saw Pyronox standing just a few paces away, claws flexing as if ready for a fight. The moment their eyes met, Pyronox’s molten gaze flickered with something akin to caution. Then, Zeroth looked forward and froze. Vulcanix stood before him, wreathed in a slow-burning inferno, his colossal form radiating raw, oppressive heat. But something was off. It took a second for Zeroth to recognize it, Vulcanix wasn’t physically present, he was just a projection.
A silent, shifting mirage of fire and shadow, flickering like a flame caught in the wind. His eyes burned with their usual molten rage, but there was an emptiness to them, like a god forced to watch from behind a barrier he could not break. Zeroth narrowed his eyes. He knew the truth now. He knew what Vulcanix had done. What he had lost. And in this moment, as he stared at the god’s spectral form, he felt something he hadn’t expected.
Awkwardness.
What the hell do I even say to him? Zeroth thought, scratching the back of his head. Hey, I know you absorbed your goddess to survive and that’s probably why you’re still a raging bastard? Probably not the best opening line...
Before the silence could stretch too long, the coliseum shook as Delores’ voice rang out once more, thick with amusement.
"Champions! Welcome to the coliseum. Your deities have been briefed. Your purpose is set. Now, let us begin!"
A pulse of magic rolled through the air as shimmering barriers formed around the edges of the battlefield, shifting and realigning in intricate patterns.
"The first round," Delores continued, "will be a test of endurance, cunning, and, of course, survival. Each of you have been scattered across the battlefield, separated from your allies. Your task is simple, make your way to your alliance’s artifact. Failure to do so in the allotted time... well, let’s just say the consequences will be most unpleasant."
A pause. Then, in a lower, conspiratorial tone, she added, "And do mind the little surprises your deities have thrown into the mix. It wouldn’t be a proper Godswar without a few... twists."
Zeroth’s stomach twisted slightly. He already had a feeling Vulcanix was responsible for a few of those so-called "surprises."
Beside him, Pyronox flexed his fingers, his molten body crackling like burning coals. "This is where the real battle begins," he muttered.
Zeroth rolled his shoulders, adjusting his grip on his axe and glancing once more at Vulcanix’s projection. The god remained silent, watching. Judging. Zeroth exhaled slowly. Whatever happened next, he’d have to figure it out alone. Because in the next instant, the floor beneath him collapsed. And everything went black.
The moment the floor gave way beneath them, Zeroth braced himself. Instinctively, his grip on his axe tightened, and he twisted his body mid-fall. His eyes barely caught Pyronox, his molten form glowing as they plummeted into the darkness.
The ground met them with a thunderous crack, stone shattering beneath their weight. Dust and debris filled the air, and for a moment, all was still. Zeroth exhaled, steadying himself as he pushed off the rocky ground. That could have been worse. Around them, a dim glow flickered along the jagged cavern walls, veins of molten rock weaving through the stone like cracks in fragile glass. The heat was familiar, a subtle reminder of Vulcanix’s influence.
Pyronox stood a few paces ahead, his body casting flickering shadows against the cavern walls. “This is… unexpected,” he muttered, eyes scanning their surroundings.
Zeroth cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders as a familiar sensation surged through him. “Yeah, well, best be prepared.” He inhaled deeply, letting the divine energy within him rise to the surface. His body expanded, flames licking at his beard as he let his full godform take shape. Lava and shadow coursed over his skin like a second layer of armor. His body felt weightless yet solid, every fiber of his being humming with power.
Pyronox gave an approving nod. “At least you finally look the part.”
Zeroth snorted. “Shut it.”
Before they could move forward, Pyronox suddenly stiffened, his body flaring unnaturally bright. His eyes dimmed for a brief second before Vulcanix’s voice rumbled from his mouth, deep and commanding.
“You will find the artifact deeper within. A crown, once meant for Aeonis himself.”
Zeroth narrowed his eyes. “A crown? What kind of twisted game is this?”
Vulcanix chuckled darkly. “Aeonis wanted a symbol of judgment. I created it for him, but he never wore it. Thought it was too much.”
The voice paused, crackling with amusement. “You’ll find it within this cavern. If you have the wit to claim it.”
With that, Pyronox blinked, his body dimming back to normal. He staggered for a brief second, then exhaled sharply. “That was unpleasant.”
Zeroth frowned. “That ever happen before?”
Pyronox shook his head. “No. He usually just gives me orders, but that was… different.” He flexed his claws, irritation clear on his face.
Zeroth sighed, adjusting his axe. “Right. Let’s get this over with.”
They moved cautiously through the winding tunnels, the cavern walls shifting between solid rock and veins of flowing magma. The heat was bearable but the deeper they went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. Every so often, a faint rumble vibrated through the stone beneath their feet.
Zeroth paused mid-step, glancing upward. “That a battle or something else?”
Pyronox placed a clawed hand against the wall, his molten form flickering. “Could be both. The gods wouldn’t make this too easy.”
Zeroth hummed in agreement, his eyes scanning the shifting shadows. “Can you sense any of the others?”
Pyronox shook his head. “No. You?”
Zeroth frowned, closing his eyes for a brief second. He focused, not on his allies, but on the presence in the cavern. Then he felt a faint pull, like a heartbeat beneath his skin. It wasn’t just any magic, it was his magic. The same power that burned within him, drawn to something ahead.
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His eyes snapped open. “I can sense the crown.”
Pyronox looked at him, intrigued. “Because Vulcanix made it?”
Zeroth nodded. “Guess having all his power shoved into me has its perks.”
Pyronox let out a low chuckle. “Lead the way then, oh mighty champion.”
Zeroth rolled his eyes but started forward, the pull of the artifact guiding them deeper into the unknown.
The cavern was eerily silent, save for the faint sound of magma trickling through unseen cracks in the rock. Zeroth and Pyronox moved forward cautiously, their steps echoing against the uneven stone floor.
Then—THUD.
A deep, earth-shaking impact reverberated through the cavern, causing Zeroth to stop dead in his tracks. A second later, a grinding noise followed, like ancient stone shifting against itself, slow and deliberate.
Pyronox tensed. “That’s not a good sound.”
Zeroth didn’t get the chance to reply before a boom erupted from somewhere further ahead, the force sending dust and small pebbles raining down from the ceiling.
“Agreed, that definitely ain’t good,” Zeroth responded, already moving toward the disturbance.
Pyronox sighed but followed. “I hate that we’re investigating this.”
As they navigated through the winding tunnels, the air grew thick with dust and the lingering scent of burnt stone. The glow of their own fiery forms illuminated the cavern as they stepped into a wider chamber.
That’s when they saw them.
Tingle and Varic, sprinting full speed out of a side tunnel, a massive plume of smoke billowing out behind them.
“Tingle! Varic!” Zeroth called out, raising his axe instinctively.
Tingle, face covered in soot, beamed mid-run. “Zeroth! Oh, good! Tingle was hoping to run into you!”
Zeroth stared as they skidded to a stop next to them, both wheezing.
Varic, brushing dust out of his hair, jabbed a finger at the gnome. “You. Absolute. Maniac.”
Zeroth raised an eyebrow. “Okay, someone tell me what the hell just happened.”
Tingle, still catching his breath, dusted off his vest. “Tingle was… not fast enough.”
“Not fast enough for what?” Pyronox asked skeptically.
“To outrun something,” Tingle answered, nodding sagely. “So Tingle blew it up instead.”
Zeroth blinked.
Varic groaned, rubbing his temples. “We could’ve just run, but nooo, someone had to ‘solve the problem’ with a massive explosion.”
Tingle shrugged, completely unbothered. “The problem is solved. Tingle sees no issue here.”
Zeroth exhaled heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Right. Remind me not to send you scouting ever again.”
Pyronox chuckled, shaking his head. “So, what was it?”
Tingle waved a hand dismissively. “Nothing of concern. Anymore.” His eyes then sparkled mischievously. “But now Tingle is here, and we have more firepower!”
Zeroth sighed, nodding ahead. “Well, lucky for you, we need to move fast. We’re heading for an artifact. It's one of the objectives in this damned tournament.”
Varic, face darkening slightly, placed a hand on his temple, his expression tightening. “Before we go any further, Ardric’s in trouble.”
Zeroth immediately straightened. “How bad?”
Varic closed his eyes for a second, focusing. “Close to the crown. Maybe ten minutes away. Feels like he’s up against more than one opponent.”
Zeroth flexed his grip on his axe. “Then we move.”
Tingle saluted. “Aye aye, captain.”
With that, the group took off toward the artifact and Ardric, now with even more urgency.
The tunnels blurred around Zeroth as he sprinted forward, the pounding of his boots against the stone floor drowned out by the rush of fire roaring through his veins. He didn’t look back, he didn’t need to. He could feel the presence of Pyronox, Tingle, and Varic keeping pace behind him, their own energy feeding into the frantic charge.
Ardric was in danger.
The urgency gnawed at Zeroth’s core, the knowledge that his brother-in-arms was facing down an unknown enemy alone twisting like a dagger in his gut. He barely registered the dark tunnels as they raced ahead, guided by Varic’s sense of Ardric’s energy and Zeroth’s own growing awareness of the divine presence radiating through the cavern walls.
Then, the tunnel abruptly widened, spilling them into an open chamber.
The first thing Zeroth noticed was the light, it was a brilliant, golden radiance pulsing from the center of the room, illuminating the jagged stone floor with a holy glow. Ardric stood at its heart, his armor burning with Luminara’s divine essence, his longsword wreathed in shimmering light.
The second thing he noticed was why Ardric was burning so brightly.
Two massive figures loomed over him, each standing at least twelve feet tall, their hulking forms radiating raw, ancient power. One was carved from jagged rock, veins of molten heat running through its cracked and weathered exterior. The other was wrought from dark iron, its towering body moving with unnatural grace, every step causing the ground to tremble under its impossible weight. Earth and metal. Golems. And Ardric was holding them both off by himself.
Zeroth’s stomach clenched as he took in the battlefield. Ardric moved like a warrior possessed, his longsword arcing through the air in streaks of pure divine energy, his every step a calculated maneuver to avoid the crushing blows of the twin behemoths. His shield flashed as he deflected a heavy stone fist, the impact sending golden ripples of force outward, but even that wasn’t enough to stop the sheer weight behind the attack. Ardric staggered back, his boots scraping against the ground as he barely managed to hold his footing.
The iron golem seized the moment, raising a massive, bladed arm high above its head, aiming to cleave Ardric in two. Zeroth didn’t think, he moved. A single, explosive leap propelled him forward, his battle axe roaring to life in his hands as flames engulfed the blade. His body twisted midair, muscles coiling with godlike power, and as he descended, he brought the axe down with all the force he could muster.
A thunderous explosion of molten energy cracked through the cavern as his axe met the iron golem’s weapon mid-swing. The sheer force of the impact sent shockwaves through the chamber, sending dust and debris flying in all directions. The iron golem reeled back from the force, its massive frame skidding a few feet, the glow of Zeroth’s flames searing deep into its surface. For a brief moment, silence filled the room. Then, the earth golem roared, the sound like grinding boulders, and the battle erupted once more.
Zeroth barely had time to register Tingle zipping past him, his gauntlets crackling with overcharged energy, or Pyronox’s flames surging to life beside him as the half-formed god prepared to engage. But before he could focus on anything else, he met his brother's eyes, burning bright. He was still standing and by the gods, they were going to make damn sure he stayed that way.
The moment Zeroth’s axe slammed into the iron golem’s blade, Varic vanished in a blur of silver light. In the span of a heartbeat, he reappeared beside Ardric, grabbing the paladin’s shoulder in a vice-like grip. Before Ardric could protest, another pulse of energy flared around them, and the two blinked out of existence, reappearing a safe distance from the raging constructs. Ardric stumbled slightly, his breath coming in heavy bursts, but Varic didn’t let go.
“Stay here,” Varic ordered, his mismatched eyes flicking back toward the battle. “I’ve got your back.”
Zeroth barely registered their escape as he refocused on the iron golem. With Pyronox at his side, the two of them struck in tandem, Zeroth’s battle axe wreathed in molten fury and Pyronox’s clawed hands crackling with embered shadows. Zeroth swung first, the axe cleaving into the golem’s forearm. The impact sent a wave of fire rushing through the metal, the once-dull surface suddenly glowing with a faint pink hue.
Zeroth’s eyes narrowed. It’s heating up…
Pyronox wasted no time following up, darting past Zeroth in a blur of molten shadow, his clawed hand ripping across the golem’s chest, sending glowing molten slashes across its surface. The iron golem stumbled back, its metal exterior warping from the heat.
A grin spread across Zeroth’s face as realization struck.
Metal heats. Metal weakens. We can break it.
He twisted his grip on his axe and nodded to Pyronox. “Keep hitting it! Make the damn thing melt!”
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the battlefield, Tingle had his own fight to worry about. The earth golem was relentless, each of its massive arms swinging like siege weapons, aiming to flatten the tiny gnome beneath its crushing weight. But Tingle was far too fast, his body infused with magic, allowing him to weave and dart between the lumbering strikes.
“HA! Too slow for Tingle!” he cackled as he ducked beneath another swipe.
With each step, each evasion, Tingle pressed small, glowing runes into the golem’s joints. Magical bombs, primed and ready, tucked into the thin spaces where stone met stone.
As the behemoth swung down once more, Tingle twisted his boot into the ground, using the force to launch himself backward. Mid-air, he spun his gunblade around, its barrel humming with arcane energy.
“Boom time,” he whispered, pulling the trigger.
A chain reaction erupted.
The first explosion ripped through the golem’s left knee, causing it to lurch forward. Another blast erupted at its elbow, sending chunks of molten rock cascading across the battlefield. Within seconds, the once-mighty construct collapsed, its entire form shattering into a pile of steaming rubble.
Tingle landed smoothly, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder. “Tingle is too good at this,” he muttered.
With one golem down, the fight wasn’t over yet. But Zeroth, grinning wickedly as the iron golem’s once-impenetrable frame continued to glow red-hot, knew exactly how this was going to end.
As the battle raged, Zeroth felt the shift in the air as Pyronox was preparing something big. The molten being took a step back, inhaling deeply, and the flames around his body flared brighter, his entire form pulsing with barely contained energy. Zeroth barely had time to brace before Pyronox thrust both hands forward, unleashing a massive beam of white-hot flame straight into the iron golem’s chest.
The air cracked with heat, the sheer force of the blast sending the massive construct slamming into the cavern wall behind it. The metal screeched and warped under the relentless inferno, its once-solid frame beginning to melt into bubbling, slag-like pools along the ground.
Zeroth tightened his grip on his battle axe, focusing on the fire within. He could feel it responding under his command. With a deep inhale, he let more of his divine power seep into the weapon.
The flames shifted. They darkened from orange to red. Then from red to a searing blue, so bright it left afterimages in his vision. The temperature around him spiked, the sheer intensity of the heat causing small cracks to form along the cavern floor. Zeroth smirked, he had never pushed his power this far before, but damn, did it feel good.
With one last breath, he surged forward, the heat distorting the air around him as he rushed straight for the restrained golem. At the very last second, Pyronox cut off his flames. The golem barely had a moment to shift, its entire body glowing a dangerous molten red before Zeroth appeared right in front of it, battle axe raised high.
“This is gonna hurt!” he growled.
With an explosive underhand swing, Zeroth drove his axe into the center of the golem’s chest. A shockwave of godly force erupted from the impact, the superheated metal splitting apart like butter beneath the sheer force of the blow. The golem screamed a horrible grinding noise before its entire form collapsed, its body splitting into two melting halves as it hit the ground. The cavern shook, steam rising from the now-ruined construct.
Zeroth exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as he planted his axe against the ground. “Well. That was satisfying.”
From the sidelines, Tingle whistled, impressed. “Tingle knew it was a good idea to stick with you guys.”
Ardric, now fully recovered, chuckled. “And here I thought I was supposed to be the shield of the group.”
Varic, smirking, clapped Zeroth on the shoulder. “You’re more like the hammer, honestly.”
Zeroth grinned at that. “Aye. But we still got a crown to find.”
Pyronox, still radiating heat, stepped up beside him. “Then let’s move.”
Without another word, they pressed forward, leaving behind the smoldering remains of the golems.