Rowena's gaze hardened, her grip tightening around the orb that still radiated cold magic. "We'll see, Athos. This time, the Lomius name will finish what it started."
Athos, despite being trapped in the freezing grip of the Lactum Freeze, began to laugh—a low, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down Rowena's spine.
"What are you laughing at, you monster?" Rowena snapped, her anger bubbling to the surface.
Athos, still frozen from the waist down, looked at her with a twisted grin. "You've forgotten one thing, Rowena Lomius."
Rowena's eyes narrowed. "What?" she demanded, her focus unwavering.
Suddenly, the icy form of Athos within the Lactum Freeze stopped moving altogether. His body, once brimming with life and power, slumped lifelessly. The abrupt change in his demeanor was alarming, but before Rowena could react, her gaze was drawn to the arm he had thrown away earlier—the arm that had been untouched by the freezing spell.
To her horror, the arm twitched.
"What...?" Rowena gasped, her heart pounding in her chest.
The severed arm began to regenerate rapidly, sinew and bone twisting and reforming in the air. Flesh grew over it, and before her eyes, the arm morphed into a full figure—the figure of Athos, standing tall and whole once again. His once lifeless body, still trapped in the ice, was nothing more than a discarded shell, while his newly regenerated form smirked with dark satisfaction.
"I'm back!" Athos declared, his voice dripping with malice.
Rowena's eyes widened in disbelief. She acted quickly, casting a spell as fast as she could. "Incineratus!" she shouted, and a roaring wave of fire surged towards the newly formed Athos, blazing with intense heat.
The flames engulfed him, and for a moment, Rowena allowed herself a flicker of hope that the fire would incinerate him before he could fully recover. But as the fire subsided, Athos stepped forward, unscathed. His body seemed to absorb the magic, mocking her efforts to destroy him.
"Foolish, Rowena," Athos sneered, brushing ash off his shoulders. "Did you really think a little fire could stop me? My blood is that of Aurathos, the first calamity. This... is nothing."
Rowena's heart pounded in her chest as she took a step back, her mind racing for another plan. The Lactum Freeze had failed to contain him, and now her flames had proven useless as well. Her ancestor's magic—Belz Lomius' legacy—was being tested, and she needed to find a way to overcome this seemingly indestructible foe.
Athos took another step forward, the ground trembling beneath his feet. "You should know by now, Rowena. I am inevitable. No spell you cast can seal me for long. And now... your time is up."
Rowena gritted her teeth, refusing to let fear take hold. "I'm not done yet." she hissed, gathering energy for another spell. But deep down, she knew she was running out of options—and time.
Athos smirked, his dark presence growing stronger with every passing moment. "You can try, Rowena Lomius, but your fate is already sealed."
As Athos closed in, Rowena knew she would need more than her ancestor's magic to defeat him. She needed something stronger—something that could match the power of the bloodline of Aurathos. But for now, she had to fight, no matter the odds.
With a final determined glare, Rowena raised her hands, ready for the next strike. The battle was far from over.
............
Mandu stood in the grand hall of the Beastfolk kingdom, his heart pounding as he faced King Regulus the 5th. The imposing lion beastfolk, adorned in royal regalia that accentuated his muscular build, sat upon his throne, a fierce expression etched across his face. The flickering torches cast shadows that danced along the stone walls, heightening the tension in the air.
"So you mean to tell me," King Regulus began, his voice resonating with authority, "that a far greater threat than our rivalry with the Eldoans is looming on the horizon? And this threat is the son of Aurathos, as revealed to you in a dream by Jesus, the God of Magic?"
Mandu nodded vigorously, desperation spilling over in his voice. "Yes, my lord, it's true! Athos is powerful and ruthless. I believe he is already killing our kin."
Regulus slammed his fist on the armrest of the throne, causing the air to tremble with the force of his frustration. "Bullshit! You expect me to believe this? A dream? From a god? It sounds like the ramblings of a child afraid of the dark!"
"Please, my lord!" Mandu pleaded, stepping forward, his large ears drooping in desperation. "I know this may sound unbelievable, but—"
"Enough with these nonsense words!" Regulus interrupted, his voice booming in the hall. "What I want from you is to tell me about Chalu! Not this ridiculous talk of dreams and monsters!"
"But, my Lord—" Mandu started again, his resolve wavering under the weight of Regulus's anger.
Before he could finish, a voice broke through the tension, echoing through the hall. "Pardon me, my lord!"
Both Mandu and King Regulus turned to see Rex, a sleek, feathered courtier from the bird clan, entering with urgency. His plumage gleamed under the torchlight, and his sharp eyes darted between the two, sensing the rising tension.
"What is it, Rex?" King Regulus asked, irritation still lingering in his tone.
Rex approached the throne, holding a parchment carefully in his taloned hand. "Vassal Kenjo has sent a message for you, my lord.." he said, handing over the paper with a slight bow.
King Regulus accepted the parchment and quickly unfurled it, his brows furrowing as he read. The words seemed to ignite a new intensity within him:
My Lord, I have to stop the investigation on Chalu for a while because some monster is killing our kin. He is formidable. I am sending this message to warn you and our kingdom that a monster is mercilessly slaying both Eldoans and Beastfolk. I cannot stand idly by any longer. I am here to fight him.
-Kenjo
As King Regulus finished reading, his expression shifted from disbelief to concern. He looked up from the note, meeting Mandu's eyes with a newfound seriousness. "Kenjo speaks of a monster? A beast who threatens our very existence?"
Mandu nodded slowly, the fear in his heart palpable. "Yes, my lord. We cannot afford to ignore this. If Kenjo is warning us, then the situation is dire."
Regulus stood, his royal demeanor shifting into that of a leader ready to defend his kingdom. "Gather the council. We must strategize and prepare our warriors. If this Athos truly poses a threat to our kin, we will not stand idly by while our people are slaughtered."
Mandu's heart raced with a mix of hope and determination. Finally, the king was beginning to see the gravity of the situation.
King Regulus pointed a clawed finger at Mandu. "You will accompany me to the council meeting. Your insights may prove vital in our planning."
Mandu bowed deeply. "Yes, my lord. I believe in the truth of the vision. And I will stand by it, no matter the cost."
As Mandu followed King Regulus and Rex through the grand hall, the atmosphere shifted from tension to urgency. The fate of their people rested on their shoulders, and Mandu was ready to fight alongside his kin, determined to face the threat that loomed over them all.
................
Watching the events unfold from outside the universe, I felt a flicker of relief that King Regulus had taken Mandu's words seriously. The stakes were higher than ever, and I could only hope this fragile alliance would hold. Even as a god, the gnawing fear of impending disaster lingered in my mind.
The beastfolk and Eldoans had a history of distrust, a rift too deep for mere words to bridge. That's why I believed in Chalu—he was the one destined to unite them, but he wasn't ready yet. I could see it, the weight of responsibility already pressing down on him, even in the midst of his training with Roe, my avatar and the hero he needed to become.
As I turned my attention back to Rowena and Athos, my heart sank. Athos was a formidable force, and it appeared he would soon overwhelm Rowena. This was bad. Really bad.
Time was running out. Chalu still needed more training, and I felt the urgency intensifying. Meanwhile, I had already sent messages through a beggar I possessed, guiding Colerio and the others to Ash Minse's location. They needed to get there quickly to injure both Athos and Ash Minse. I knew they had the strength to confront Ash, but Athos was a different beast entirely.
That bastard. Even if he was defeated in battle, I knew he wouldn't truly die. His fate was too intertwined with the fabric of this universe for that to happen. Defeating him would be only a temporary setback, a mere pause in his relentless march of destruction.
I couldn't shake the uncertainty gnawing at me. Would Chalu be able to defeat Athos, or would the reverse happen? I had glimpsed two timelines in my divine visions—one where Chalu succeeded and another where he fell. The duality of fate weighed heavily on my mind.
If only I could nudge the scales in Chalu's favor, give him the knowledge or strength he needed to turn the tide. But meddling too much could upset the balance, and I couldn't risk that. All I could do was watch and hope that Colerio and the others would arrive in time, and that the bonds of trust could be forged in the heat of battle.
As I focused on the unfolding chaos, my heart raced. The moment of reckoning was approaching, and the fate of this world hung in the balance.
Suddenly the voice of the system echoed in my mind, a calm and steady presence amid the swirling chaos of my thoughts. "Host, just watch and relax. You're too anxious."
I took a deep breath, trying to follow its advice, but doubt gnawed at me. "Are you sure that vision is real?" I asked, my voice tinged with worry. The implications of those visions loomed over me like a storm cloud, darkening my perspective on the present.
"Yes, host," the system replied, its tone unwavering. "I'm afraid there are indeed two timelines, and whether one of them becomes reality is a matter of time."
Two timelines. The weight of that revelation pressed heavily on my chest. I could envision the potential paths, each branching out like the roots of an ancient tree, twisting and intertwining with every choice made. One path led to hope and unity, while the other spiraled into despair and destruction.
I couldn't help but feel anxious, each passing moment stretching my nerves taut. I was a god, and yet here I was, powerless to directly intervene in the course of events. Instead, I had to rely on the choices made by mortals—on the bonds forged in the fires of battle and the strength drawn from unity.
"Why must it be this way?" I questioned, feeling a sense of helplessness creeping in. "Can't we change it? Can't we alter the course of events to ensure a favorable outcome?"
The system's voice was patient, almost soothing. "The nature of fate is complex, host. While there are moments when intervention is possible, the broader strokes of destiny often resist alteration. Each choice made in the present ripples through time, creating the potential for different realities. The key is to understand that your actions will influence which timeline unfolds."
I closed my eyes, taking in the system's words. "So, what can I do?" I pressed, my mind racing with possibilities. "How can I ensure that Chalu becomes the hero he's meant to be? How can I help him unite the beastfolk and Eldoans?"
"Host," the system's voice broke through my thoughts, grounding me. "Focus on the present. Worrying about what may come only distracts you from the task at hand. Remember, every choice leads to different outcomes. You must trust in the characters you've helped shape."
I took a deep breath, letting the system's words settle in. The struggle ahead would not be easy, but perhaps that uncertainty was also a glimmer of hope. Each character had their own agency, their own choices to make. They were not merely pawns in a game; they were warriors in their own right, capable of changing the course of their destinies.
"You're right," I finally said, a resolve beginning to solidify within me. "I need to trust them. They can do this."
I turned my attention back to the battlefield, where the fate of worlds hung in the balance. I had to believe that in the face of overwhelming odds, unity and strength would prevail. As I watched Rowena and the others, I hoped that the bonds they formed would be strong enough to face the darkness approaching, and that Chalu would find his path in this tangled web of fate.
To be continue