*BOOOOM
The disc had arrived at the core...
What they saw reviled their guts so much , that nearly forced a Demigod to puke-
A sea of dead serpent like things made of writhing human women coiling around the core - acting like the parody of a circuit system.
The Core itself was but a Undulating deformed sac radiating eerie orange light, like a strange heartbeat...
On the fleshy platform attached to it lay an array made of fetuses, bones and Eyeballs.
Aavesh couldn't help but suppress the urge to vomit like the demigods as they saw a Semi liquid black throne where a Colossal Conrad sat, smiling at them triumphantly.
"Oh Dear, He - He had long started the Ascension process, he was fighting to buy time for himself!", Damien yelled in shock.
The Mythic Power erupted from Conrad like a Torrent of a Tsunami, forcing everyone to kneel before him.
'He's about to win- Fuck!', In his Biomech Aavesh cursed, but then a Black Pyramid appeared in his hand, transforming into a spear.
"Kill him Quickly - he can't move from the Throne in this process!", Master Mirror's voice reminded him.
Aavesh grit his Teeth and unleashed his Legend Mythic Power to force the Biomech to move.
Darkness clouded his mind and attempted to corrode his will, force him into absolute submission...
Yet he also wanted to live, Conrad would never the laws of death covering him.
Only one of them could survive today!
Black flames burned out of the Biomech as Aavesh ignited the Resentment Energy to supercharge the spear the in his hand!
At the same time he furiously chanted the Tri Mythic Evil Sutra to imbue the Spear with the fused Evil Mythic Powers.
Step by Step, much to incredulousness of the Demigods, he crawled as they couldn't move , his sheer will fighting against the ruinous Powers of the Dark Emperor to be.
Now he stood close in Striking Range- but he knew Conrad could deflect the spear easily.
The Biomech's eyes glowed Blue as Aavesh summoned every ounce of the Aeon Mythic Power within him to lock the Spear on to Conrad!
*Strike
He threw the black Spear onto Conrad's Heart, with Conrad grinning smugly as he raised his palm to stop the Spear mid journey.
The Spear never stopped.
It Grew in size, enough to Hurt.
*KAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
*Spurt
A Cataclysmic Explosion erupted, when Spear impale Conrad as he tried to remove it out, his wound oozing Necrotic Energy mixed With Infernal and Profane Energies.
His grip and focus on the spear now.
*Snikk
A Starlight Arrow pierced his Left Eye, The arrow attached to an energy grapple as Damien used his Full Strength to rip it out!
* Spurt
*howl!
Conrad Roared in fury as he tried to send a Destructive Dark Energy Bolt in retaliation only to Strike into a Powerful Blue Shield being Generated by Roden.
His Gaze with his remaining Eye fell dangerously on the Lawful Neutral Demigod, but now a Green Arrow Struck his remaining good Right Eye with a similar Grapple as Rachael, supported by Chu Ning'er pulled hard, moving the bloody Eye Ball halfway out-
The Pressure on everyone was increasing every second, the injuries they inflicted only made Conrad more furious!
Eitra then transformed into a Silver Dragon and unleashed his cold Plasma breathe on to Conrad's Face, freezing the half dangling eyeball almost instaneously while throwing salt into the open wound.
Seeing this Rachael and Chu Ning'er tugged even harder!
*Shatter
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH", Conrad snarled in pain as he was rendered temporarily Blind, his focus now solely split on ascending and removing the Damnable spear.
Markus then saw hundreds no- thousands of Giant Serpent like things headed towards the Spear, he understood their intent.
"That Spear cannot come off!" , He Yelled as Bright Wings of light morphed behind his back as he wielded dual swords of Flame and dove into a Furious onslaught against Fleshy Serpents.
Vishwa had heard this and his Size grew as he cast a Spell on him self.
He longed onto the Throne and Pushed spear deeper into Conrad's heart with immense amount strength, attracting Conrad's ire.
Conrad's arm stopped casting the Dark Energy Bolt and tried to deal with Vishwa, only for his Finger's to get Caught on in Eitra's Talons who grabbed them and ripped them off.
Roden gazed at Chu Ning'er and both shared a look as they then proceeded to attack Conrad's Arms at the shoulder-
"Bladed Wheel of Law"
"Maelstrom Splash of Chaos"
A Bladed wheel of Geometric Order condensed and severed Conrad's colossal Right arm while a huge Ball of Chaotic Liquid burned through his Left armlike powerful acid, revealing a Weakened Bone.
Then a volley Starlight Arrow and a Green Sylvan Arrows hit the exposed Bone, Shattering it in seconds, loosing the grip on the Spear.
Vishwa then sank it in further, but suddenly let go as Conrad opened his mouth and sent a Condensed blast of Destructive Black Energy towards him.
Eitra swooped in and Escaped with his friend from the devastating blast that had probably created a new hole out of the Planet.
Conrad's chest painfully erupted as two Pairs of Bloody arms erupted outwards and clutched onto the Spear.
Aavesh felt quite weak now, like the Biomech was already on the Verge of death-
He sighed and stood up, they were almost there- just a single chance...
He then ran and ran, with all his strength and leaped into the Spear like a Canon Ball.
*Kacha!
* BOOOOOOOM!
As if finally sinking deep enough, the Energy exploded - but not before breaking Conrad down to the Atomic Level.
*Clang
The Spear fell to the Ground.
Conrad barely let out a voice before finally being silenced forever,
"U ..nfair"
The New Emperor was dead before he could fully ascend.
"First contract completed..." , Aavesh stared at the empty throne for a few moments and then the Biomech itself withered...
It broke into decayed Liquid matter...
Everything dissolved, except for the Occupant- and a Beating Heart.
Aavesh's flashed body crawled out barely - he was nothing but a writhing mass of corrupted flesh with an amputated hand.
His vision hazy as vile liquid sprouted from his mouth.
He needed help, his body too corrupted now- he really couldn't-
' Emperor Slayer ', a chilling child like voice spoke in his mind
'Take the Throne...- You are different, He would need hours but you need a second only to Ascend, Your Power is beyond "
'He is coming '
'Make your choice soon'
Aavesh then saw a thoroughly disfigured Khorramzadeh standing a few feet away from him, maybe it was a different space but he could feel his dangerous gaze on him.
The dissolved liquid floated and sank back into Khorramzadeh's body along with the Heart of Evil.
"The Data has been collected, I thank you for completing the Contract Aavesh"
"Now step away from the Throne, You can't control it"
Aavesh didn't listen and crawled towards the Spear beside the throne, hoping for some measure of self defense.
"Look at the miserable thing you've become... You've kept on rejecting my gift, your birthright - very well, I'll strip off you- but whether you survive it or not is upto you - After all I am not killing you directly, simply exercising my rights as your Genetic Ancestor ", Khorramzadeh cruelly smiled as bloody cracks spread across Aavesh's flayed body...
Aavesh knew he would just dissolve into genetic waste in a few seconds, he gazed at the throne for a moment... And leapt for a final try at Survival.
"How futile", Khorramzadeh shook his head but his eyes widened in the next moment in shock.
All the Demigods watched on in shock as well.
The Energy from the Throne immediately merged into Aavesh, stopping the imminent breakdown of his cells.
His deformed body elongated into that of a Titan, as his Soul connected to the Dark Imperial Power within the Throne.
His skin turned pitch black and a Grey Halo of Ruin formed above his forehead.
*Pulse
*KAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A Galactic Wide cry was let out by the Cursus Infant, judgement day had come for Humanity.
*Slice
A Katana severed Khorramzadeh's Head from his body as a blood soaked Karna arrived from the void.
But Khorramzadeh frowned in annoyance and immediately disappeared with his dangling body along with his severed head.
Karna then gazed at Aavesh and then immediately stopped the Other Demigods from moving.
He shook his head and spoke," He is the Variable"
That was true.
Why did Aavesh become the Dark Emperor?
That was the Question...
Why wait for Conrad? Why did it take but an instant for Aavesh?
*Void Burning
Then they saw shattered Blue Glass shards erupting from Aavesh-
Each Shard creating a Crack in Space Time.
They felt like grains of sand before that Terrifying Aura.
"It's confirmed, shards of a Dead Autarch... You think you can control him... I pity you", Karna muttered.
And then the Wailing began.
The Monstrous Planet cried in such a Devastating manner that all humans could feel its Fear- it's Terror as they felt a Vast Presence of a Being So Powerful it could not be fathomed.
Marianne Starsong and others saw a Cold Face of an unfamiliar Man, made perfection- his Eyes Cold, Absolute and Unshakeable.
His Presence was immeasurable - they watched and waited in Bated Breathe
"Da... Dark Emperor", few Muttered as all of Illithid Hybrids stopped their massacre and gazed at the Image like prey watching the Apex Predator .
The man simply uttered a single unintelligible word and the Planet Squealed in Terror, as the Illithid Hybrids exploded in balls of flesh simultaneously.
Then an arm seemed to Grab the Cursus Infant and the Image of the Man flickers as One Eye Turns white and the Other Black.
*Snip
The Cursus Infant was crushed to death - it's soul was Annihilated.
The Image Disappeared and along with that the feeling of something controlling the Soul disappearing as well.
"Who... who was that?", someone muttered out, heart still struck with shock.
----------------------------------------------------------
Back on the Planet, the Demigods watched on as all Life was snuffed out in an instant...
The Planet was dead, There was no Soul controlling the Core Now, it would soon explode.
Surrounding the Imperial Throne the Spectres of the Wraith Knights had appeared, like angels of Perdition with flaming wings
Sam Manek walked out, clearly the Leader of the group and spoke to Karna," You know what to do- we have killed the armies of the Sea Lord and The Red Chaos Lord, it is safe to take him from the Fading Throne"
"The Eldritch won't interfere again for a few years now, but the Devil must pay a price - He cares not when or what, he simply must pay the price"
Saying that he and the rest of the Angels of Perdition burst into flames and disappeared as if not present in the Universe at all.
"A..ah", Aavesh let out a weak cry as he was returned to his original size and the throne simply turned into a Pile of rocks.
"I...", Aavesh weakly muttered, but was immediately held by Karna in his arms.
"How'd you beat them?", Karna asked with a kind smile.
"I... used... Authority given ... By Machina... That thing... Wa.. nted... Control... I used... Authority... Everything... Went black....", Aavesh struggled to speak as the red tears across his body reappeared.
"Shhhhh sleep now, I'll take care of the Rest", Karna spoke kindly.
Aavesh's tired eyes closed then- too weak now, too exhausted.
With his Demigod Powers Karna stopped the rapid biodegradation as he held Aavesh.
"I'm sorry - but you all must forget what happened here, you should know what will happen if word got out", Karna slowly replied as he gazed at the Shocked Demigods.
"Is he", Damien mouthed out
"Don't!", Karna immediately snapped and then spoke," there are things we don't ever talk or think"
All questions in their heart were quickly extinguished.
They didn't dare to confirm their speculations.
"Irolin will visit you all today, your memories will be altered to protect your souls, Vishwa give me Coral, I will take Aavesh to a safe Place where he can heal, Take care you all, You did Humanity Proud", With that he took Coral and Aavesh into his Demiplane and left through the Void.
"This Planet's about to blow - I'll give you all a ride home", Damien smiled at the other Demigods.
---------------------------------------------------------
The Turmoil continued for a few days as the Human Factions Regrouped and began a massive Counterattack against non Illithid Invading Forces ...
The battle went on for Several weeks until the Humans drove them completely out of their Territory.
The Kho Min Sector was officially declared as a Dead Sector, the Ho-Jax Sector was essentially Crippled with complete decimation of Chain of Commands of most of the Star Countries, besides the Enclave of the Imperium Federation.
Rathiel Republic no longer existed and Billions had become starless Refugees.
The Population Centers across the Human Territory were still licking their wounds after the Brutal Illithid Hybrid attack, for now the Entire Human Territory might Heavily Militarize after what had happened.
The Galaxy could only watch on awe as such a hopeless situation had been resolved just like that- with a snap of fingers.
Most importantly, everyone was speaking about that mysterious Figure, the Dark Emperor of Humanity.
His actions whether selfless or self serving, had inevitably saved the Sol Human Race.
His actions had sent rippling effects across the Galaxy...
He wasn't looked at as a God, nor worshipped due to that Terrifying Gaze which seemed to contain the Infinite.
It made them feel for the first time in sentient life that they had witnessed something beyond a God.
Something far more Primordial, almost Archaic.
the Peak of Myth.
An Autarch.