The vast halls of the palace echoed with a silence that had become too familiar to Apocalypse. His last wife had passed into the eternal sands of time, leaving him alone once more in a world that seemed determined to move forward without him. He stood by her side as she took her final breath, his expression unreadable, but his mind a storm of contemplation. They had built an empire together—his wives, his children, and himself—but now, even this vast empire of Egypt was bound by the limitations of time, a limitation he was growing ever more resentful of.
After ensuring her remains were preserved with the same reverence he had afforded his other wives, Apocalypse turned away from the tomb, knowing his next course of action was clear. The time for mourning was over. Now, his gaze shifted to the horizon and the new journey that lay ahead—one that would see him ascend to heights beyond mortality, beyond this world.
Inside his private chamber, Apocalypse began the process of packing his personal effects for the journey. The air hummed faintly with energy as he meticulously gathered the items that would accompany him aboard his time-ship. First, he retrieved the urns containing the ashes of his wives, symbols of his life's companions, which he would carry with him on his eternal journey. Then, there were the countless riches—gold he had amassed throughout his reign. Unlike the paper money that had replaced it in his empire, the gold was impervious to the passage of time, a tangible reminder of his rule's power and wealth.
He paused for a moment, running his hand over the chest filled with vast sums of gold. It had been wise to transition Egypt's economy to paper currency backed by this gold, allowing for growth and stability, but gold never lost its value. He chuckled at the simplicity of that concept. Just as he, with his immortality, would never lose value to time, this gold, too, would remain eternally significant.
With everything secured aboard the time-ship, Apocalypse's thoughts turned toward his people. They would not understand the full scope of his departure. To them, he was not just a ruler, but a god. And so, he would give them what they needed—a legend, an eternal figure ascending to the heavens. He would leave behind the eternal tale of Apocalypse, God-Emperor of Egypt, while in truth, his quest for immortality would take him far beyond their grasp.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the desert in hues of gold and red, Apocalypse stepped onto the grand balcony overlooking his people. Thousands had gathered in the courtyard below, their faces upturned toward their leader, their god. Clan Akkaba stood in the front, his divine progeny—sons, daughters, and grandchildren who had ruled by his side for centuries. Behind them, the Coven Akkaba, the mystical order sworn to protect the magical knowledge of the land. They all waited, knowing that this moment would be the last time they saw their ruler.
"My people," Apocalypse began, his voice booming across the city. "The time has come for me to ascend. I leave you not because you have failed me, but because my purpose now stretches beyond Egypt. Beyond this world."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. They had known this day would come, but now that it was here, the reality of his departure settled like a weight on their hearts.
"I leave you, my divine progeny, to rule in my stead. You are my legacy, the strongest among the strong, and Egypt will flourish under your rule.
As he finished, the sky above him shimmered with the last light of the setting sun, and Apocalypse slowly raised his arms toward the heavens. His body began to glow, dissipating into thousands of glowing motes of light. The crowd below gasped in awe, watching as their god ascended back to the heavens.
The legend of Apocalypse would live on in their hearts, but only Apocalypse knew the truth. He was not ascending to the heavens. He was simply moving forward, leaving behind this world for his quest for true immortality.
Unseen by mortal eyes, Apocalypse reappeared within the shadows of his palace. He moved silently through the empty halls, making his way to the time-ship. He had told his people that he was ascending, but in truth, he was getting ready to speak with the Coven and Clan Akkaba after nightfall— to inform them about his search for immortality, for the beings and knowledge that would allow him to stand not just above men, but above gods.