Adonis stands tall as the battle around him nears its end, the last of the foot soldiers beginning to retreat into the haze of war. The smoke from bullets and missiles blankets the battlefield, obscuring the carnage. Amidst the shattered mechs and the mutilated bodies scattered at his feet, Adonis remains unaware of the mysterious figure looming over the destruction. As he surveys the wreckage, a deep voice echoes through the chaos, pulling his attention.
"Who are you? What is your name, child? You possess the strength of the gods, yet you are not one I recognize."
Adonis turns to face the source of the voice. Before him stands a towering, muscular figure, clad in radiant golden armor, with a massive shield in hand. Draped in a menacing red cape, the figure's presence is overwhelming. His helmet, eerily reminiscent of a Spartan's, is solid black with golden accents, but the face beneath it is hidden in shadows. Only two flaming red eyes, burning with intensity, are visible from the darkness within.
Adonis smiles, letting out a slow, ragged breath. "Ares," he says. "I figured the God of War wouldn't pass up a chance to face me. Agh—damn... My lungs are pierced. Looks like I'll be fighting you with just one breath."
Ares remains silent, the fiery intensity in his eyes unwavering. Slowly, he draws his sword, its sharp edge glinting in the dim light, and begins to stride toward Adonis. Undeterred, Adonis draws his twin blades, his grip firm despite the pain surging through his body. The battlefield seems to hold its breath as the two warriors close in, their steps echoing across the wasteland.
With a mighty clash, their swords meet, ringing out like thunder. Their combat skills are unmatched, each warrior countering and striking with perfect precision. In strength and ferocity, they are equals. Blow after blow, the earth trembles beneath their feet as they exchange powerful strikes, neither one willing to yield. The battle wages for hours, with Adonis still fighting on the single breath he took at the start, and Ares showing no sign of fatigue, his might as relentless as ever.
Adonis, however, knows his limits. His body begins to strain, the sharp pain in his lungs reminding him that he cannot continue this way. Seizing the moment, he takes a desperate breath. As the air fills his chest, a sound like war drums pounds in his ears, his heart beating like a war cry. His body surges with newfound strength and speed, his muscles pulsing with power. With a mighty swing, Adonis lands a devastating blow to Ares' arm, severing it from his body.
The God of War stumbles, his severed arm falling to the ground. Without hesitation, Adonis picks up the dismembered limb and impales it into Ares' chest. Not stopping there, he rips off Ares' other arm and forces it down his throat, rendering the god helpless. Yet, even as Ares collapses to the ground, mutilated and mangled, his arms torn from his body, he begins to rise again.
Adonis, enraged, grabs Ares' helmet and rips it off his head, revealing a scarred and monstrous face. With a roar, he bashes Ares' skull with the helmet, shattering his jaw. In a final display of raw power, Adonis tears Ares' jaw from his face, snapping it in half, and impales the two broken pieces into Ares' flaming red eyes.
The once-great God of War writhes in agony, his body beaten, his divine power shattered. Adonis stands over him covered in a mix of the blood of those he killed that day and his own, with that the battle finally drawing to a close. Leaning over the mangled form of Ares, Adonis speaks in a voice like a death sentence: "For your soul burns, and your body turns to ash as the flames of hell rise within you."
Ares begins to tremble violently, his flesh melting away as his body ignites in flames. The fire consumes him until all that remains is a charred skeleton, the remnants of a once-unstoppable god. Adonis drops the burnt remains to the ground and reaches for the fallen helmet, wiping the blood and dirt from it. He ties it to his belt as a trophy, then picks up his sword and shield, his body aching from the battle, and begins the slow walk back toward the bunker.
Each step is a struggle. His injuries weigh heavy on him, his breath shallow, and he stumbles several times along the way. Memories of Athena and Nyx flood his mind, driving him forward despite the pain. It takes hours, but eventually, he reaches the bunker. As he stumbles inside, his friends rush to him, horror etched on their faces.
Atlas, seeing the state of Adonis' body, quickly lifts him and carries him to a bed, following Nyx's frantic instructions. Nyx and Morri rush to gather bandages and medical supplies, while Athena stands frozen, tears streaming down her face. She fears she is losing the father she had only just begun to know. Slowly, Athena approaches Adonis, her voice shaking as she pleads with him, her words barely a whisper.
"Please, father… Pull through. I don't want to lose you… I-I just found you… P-please don't die…"
Despite his wounds, Adonis struggles to his feet, ignoring the protests of his friends. "He's back," he says, his voice weak but resolute.
The group turns, confused, to see a frail old man standing in the doorway. Adonis stumbles toward him, collapsing at the man's feet. The old man speaks softly, but his words carry an undeniable weight.
"Arise, my child, for you still have a destiny to fulfill."
Nyx's eyes widen in shock. "God," she mutters under her breath. Tana, hearing this, stumbles backward, falling to her knees in awe. Adonis slowly rises to his feet, his face a mixture of pain and confusion.
"Why do you save me?" Adonis asks, his voice hoarse. "Do you or Gabriel wish to be the ones to kill me?"
God chuckles softly. "I save you because I love you, my dear child."
Adonis looks at him, puzzled. "How could you love someone who has done the things I have?"
God turns to leave, his form beginning to fade as he steps through the doorway. "The Slayer still stands, but that is not all you are, Adonis Nox. There is more to you than you could ever imagine."
As God vanishes, leaving only a single feather drifting to the ground, Nyx rushes to Adonis, throwing herself into his arms, followed closely by Athena. They hold him tightly, relieved that he survived, for they had truly believed they had lost him. When they finally release him, Adonis walks toward two large doors at the end of the room. With a commanding voice, he declares, "If we are to become a mighty nation, we need a king."
The doors slowly creak open, revealing a vast, empty room. In his mind's eye, Adonis sees it as a grand throne room, with a magnificent staircase rising toward the heavens, each step lined with thrones for his crew, and at the top, his own.
"And a king needs a throne."