Jov's Perspective (The God of Eldan)
Watching over the world of Eldan, my divine heart ached as I bore witness to the unrelenting chaos. The war between the beastfolk and Eldoans against Athos and his monstrous army raged on, leaving devastation in its wake. Countless lives were lost—brave warriors, innocent civilians, and proud leaders—all falling prey to the overwhelming might of Athos's creations.
"Tsk," I muttered, gripping the divine scepter tightly. "Athos's army grows stronger with each passing moment. This endless suffering... it's intolerable."
An idea crossed my mind—one that seemed almost too simple, yet perfectly within my power. If I, the god of this world, could not bear to see the slaughter, why not manipulate the timeline to its critical point? Why allow this prolonged agony to persist when I could accelerate events to the inevitable clash with Athos?
I turned my attention to the Creation System, the core mechanism through which I managed this universe. Its infinite threads of control shimmered before me, pulsating with raw cosmic power.
"System," I commanded, my voice steady and resolute. "Can you forward the time to the moment Athos appears on the battlefield at his full strength?"
A brief pause followed, and then the Creation System's soothing, monotone voice responded.
"Yes, host. Affirmative. Initiating timeline acceleration… Ding."
Suddenly, the fabric of the world shifted beneath my divine gaze. The events of Eldan began to unfold in rapid succession—a blur of battles, alliances, betrayals, and sacrifices. The relentless forward momentum surged through the timeline like a river breaking through its dam. Scenes of triumph and despair zipped past until, at last, the acceleration ceased.
The world before me came to an abrupt halt, revealing a chillingly quiet battlefield. The silence was deafening, broken only by the distant roar of monstrous creatures. The ground was scorched and soaked with the blood of those who had fought valiantly.
I focused my divine senses on the area and instantly recognized the ominous presence.
"This must be it," I murmured, leaning closer to the cosmic window that displayed Eldan. "Athos is here. Fully healed, at his peak strength."
The oppressive weight of his dark magic blanketed the battlefield, even reaching my divine awareness. I could sense the fear rippling through the hearts of the warriors who dared to face him. Rowena Lomius, Colerio Sapher, and the others were preparing themselves for the greatest battle of their lives.
As much as I detested meddling too much in mortal affairs, I knew my role wasn't over. For now, I would observe. The battle between light and darkness had begun, and the fate of Eldan rested on the courage and determination of its people.
..........
The tension in the air was thick as Colerio Sapher stood on the edge of the battlefield, flanked by his former Raven Squad comrades. Beside him was Damian Gothich, the strategist whose plans had saved countless lives during their glory days. His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, already analyzing potential outcomes. Standing to the right of Colerio was Elara Moon, or as many knew her, Phantom Moon, a lethal assassin with a reputation for swift, silent kills. Her expression was unreadable, but her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her dagger, ready for action.
On the other side of the conflict, in different areas of the battlefield, Darkin Vlen, the half-beastfolk warrior, readied his weapon. His feral instincts honed from years of survival merged with his tactical mind, making him a force to be reckoned with. Not far from him, Darius Borne, the muscular and stoic member of the Raven Squad, prepared for the brutal close-quarters combat he thrived in.
The Magux Academy students, assigned to support the battle, were scattered among the fighters. Bale Lomius, a promising young mage and niece to Rowena Lomius, stood beside her mentor, Colerio. Despite the fear flickering in her eyes, she drew strength from his calm demeanor.
Colerio Sapher, ever the composed figure, glanced at his student. His voice was steady, imbued with a quiet authority.
"Don't be afraid, Bale. Keep calm. Focus your energy."
Bale swallowed her fear and nodded, gripping her staff tighter. This was her moment to prove her worth.
Meanwhile, on another ridge overlooking the battlefield, Rowena Lomius surveyed the scene. Her piercing eyes darted between the chaos unfolding and the figure of her niece standing alongside Colerio. A strange pang tugged at her heart—jealousy. She couldn't pinpoint why. Perhaps it was seeing Bale flourish under Colerio's mentorship. Perhaps it was the bond they shared that reminded her of her own lonely journey.
Rowena quickly pushed the feeling aside. There was no room for personal emotions now. Her gaze snapped forward, and her breath caught in her throat.
Emerging from the darkened horizon, flanked by no one, was Athos.
The monster's presence was suffocating, his aura of dark magic pulsing like a living entity. His grotesque, squid-like features glinted in the waning light, his clawed hands radiating malevolence. He moved with an unnatural grace, as though every step he took carried the weight of doom.
Rowena's heart burned with resolve, and her voice rang out across the battlefield.
"Athos!"
Her shout was a mix of rage and defiance, cutting through the murmurs of fear that rippled among the soldiers. All eyes turned toward the eldoan mage, her commanding presence rallying the troops.
Athos halted, his gaze locking onto Rowena with a chilling intensity. The battlefield seemed to grow quieter as if the world itself held its breath.
"Rowena Lomius," Athos said, his voice a deep, guttural echo. "Are you ready to meet your end?"
Rowena's grip on her staff tightened. She glanced at her comrades and allies, drawing strength from their presence. Despite the odds, she refused to falter.
"We will see who meets their end today," she spat, her eyes blazing with determination.
The stage was set. The battlefield trembled in anticipation of the clash that would decide the fate of Eldan.
.......
On the battlefield's distant edge, the beastfolk warriors fought valiantly against the relentless horde of monsters spawned by Athos. Among them were three young beastfolk warriors who stood out despite their youth
Mandu, the wise and gentle elephant beastfolk, whose immense strength and calm demeanor steadied his companions. Raro, the nimble and cunning cat beastfolk and Lomi, the fast and agile cheetah beastfolk
These three teenagers fought shoulder-to-shoulder with their kin, striking down monsters that came in waves. However, the strained alliance with the eldoan warriors was evident.
Not far from the beastfolk stood Lyro Spera, a cheerful-looking eldoan mage from the Magux Academy with striking yellow hair. But today, Lyro's usual smile was replaced by a somber seriousness as he wielded his spear imbued with water magic. His movements were precise and deadly, cutting down numerous monsters with fluid, chantless spells.
Still, the tension was undeniable. The eldoan warriors maintained their distance, hesitant to lend their full support to the beastfolk. This lack of trust grated on Lomi, who dodged a vicious swipe from a monster before shouting angrily toward the eldoan soldiers.
"These bastards!" she snarled.
Mandu, ever calm even in the face of chaos, clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. Can't be helped. They don't trust us. We just have to wait for Chalu."
Lyro, overhearing Mandu's words, turned his head slightly, curiosity flickering in his eyes even as he skewered a monster with his spear.
"You really believe in Chalu, huh?"
Mandu nodded resolutely, his large hands crushing the head of a charging beast.
"Well, because he is Chalu," he said simply, as if that was reason enough.
Lyro's lips quirked into a faint smile despite the grim situation. He raised his spear, its tip glowing as he channeled his magic.
"Fair enough," Lyro said. "Then we just have to hold out until he comes back."
Without another word, Lyro cast his signature spell with a swift motion of his spear.
"Fire Arrow!"
Flaming projectiles streaked through the air, piercing several monsters in their path. The explosion of flames briefly illuminated the battlefield, offering the beastfolk and eldoan warriors a moment of reprieve.
Raro darted past Lyro, slashing down a smaller monster with ease, then glanced back at his friend with a smirk.
"You're pretending to be cool again, huh?"
Lyro flushed slightly, gripping his spear tightly as he cast another spell. His water magic surged around the spear, forming spiraling tendrils that struck down an advancing beast.
"Shu… shut up!" Lyro stammered, trying to maintain his composure. "Just let me be cool for once!"
Raro laughed, his tail flicking behind him as he leaped over another beast.
"Oh yeah? And what's so cool about you right now, huh?"
Lyro held up his spear, the water magic swirling around its intricate design. The spear's golden accents gleamed in the faint light of the battlefield.
"Look at this spear," Lyro said, his voice full of pride. "My father gave me this. It's so cool, you know!"
Raro paused for a split second, looking at the spear before grinning widely.
"Yeah, yeah, it's shiny," he teased.
Lyro huffed, rolling his eyes but unable to hide the grin tugging at his lips. He twirled the spear, the water magic coalescing into sharp, swirling jets around the blade.
"Fine. Watch this, then!"
With a loud incantation, he unleashed a powerful attack.
"Wave Surge!"
A torrent of water burst forth, sweeping several monsters off their feet and into the air. The attack left a trail of muddy destruction as the ground beneath the beasts collapsed under the force.
Raro gave an impressed whistle.
Lomi zipped past them, her speed allowing her to flank a larger beast.
"Less talking, more killing!" she shouted, her voice sharp but full of determination.
As the battle raged on, the beastfolk and Lyro fought with everything they had, waiting for the moment when Chalu, the chimpanzee beastfolk currently deep in training, would awaken and turn the tide of the battle. Until then, they could only rely on their skills and each other to survive.
To be continue