The battlefield burned with the chaos of destruction. Harry cast a fleeting glance at the Armageddon unfolding around him, his lips tightening into a grim line. Above, the impatient deity loomed, a towering figure of infernal might, brimming with the promise of annihilation.
He sighed as he pushed himself upright, shaking off the weight of exhaustion.
'So Info was right' he mused. 'There really is a decent ritual going on here.'
He stood still for a moment, centering himself, then exhaled. "Okay then, we do it the hard way," he murmured. His voice carried the confidence of a man who had been through this before,
The world around him fell eerily silent. Three soft taps of his foot on the floor completed his Credo, and then it began.
A fable came to life in Harry's mind, a tale as old as time. 'Once, there had been a world drowning in evil. In that world, a single being rose to challenge the darkness. Disgusted by the endless wickedness, this being merged with the very essence of existence, transforming into a storm. For decades, it raged, obliterating all evil in its path, and prosperity followed wherever it went. That being was—'
"Bridge the gap across worlds, let the storm bringer take form and drown the world!" Harry's voice echoed through the air like a command to the heavens.
The very fabric of reality trembled. Thin and fragile, it tore apart like polyester under strain. The skies raged, the earth trembled, and the wind screamed in protest as the land heaved violently. A pair of massive hands broke through the rip in existence, pulling it apart with an overwhelming force.
Beyond the tear, two eyes the size of mountains glared into the mortal plane. They were fierce, glowing with an intensity that promised ruin. As the being emerged further, a maw bristling with sharp teeth and two protruding fangs became visible. Its head was crowned with majestic, feathered plumes, and earrings jingled faintly as it moved. A matted, circular neck-chain hung heavily around its throat.
Tlaloc the storm god stepped into the mortal plane. As his immense form passed through the tear, it solidified, taking on a physical presence that dwarfed everything around him. At 21 feet tall, his deep blue skin gleamed with the power of the storm. His bare chest heaved with calm breaths, adorned only by a skirt of feathers that matched his crown. He was the personification of a tempest, alive and commanding.
Across from him, the infernal war god Kokou stirred. The Orisha deity advanced, his flaming torso taking shape as two powerful legs erupted beneath him. Each step shattered the ground, a testament to his overwhelming power.
Harry's voice cut through the chaos. "Control the damage to the area and hold him back. I'll commence the ritual and send that thing back. I just need time to find the medium."
Tlaloc didn't so much as glance at him. The storm god extended his hand, and a surge of aether pooled around Harry, knitting together every wound, bruise, and fractured bone from the earlier explosion. The energy restored him to his full strength, leaving Harry momentarily stunned.
"Good luck," Harry muttered, his voice low as he bolted toward the ruins of the house. He didn't have time to watch the titans' clash. His task was clear, and he couldn't afford distractions.
Yet Kokou had other plans. The temperature soared, and gravity itself seemed to multiply as Harry sprinted. The weight on his shoulders intensified, pressing down with relentless force. He could feel Kokou's presence closing in behind him—a mountain of fury and destruction.
Tlaloc moved with purpose, his gaze locked on his infernal counterpart. Kokou's flames burned hotter as he advanced, and the ground trembled beneath his steps. Without warning, a jagged bolt of lightning tore through the sky. It struck Kokou with blinding precision, a deafening crack splitting the heavens. The infernal god staggered but remained standing, his roar mingling with the thunderous echoes of the celestial strike.
"The Orisha pantheon really is as arrogant as it's painted," Tlaloc observed, his voice calm but cutting. "And their strength seems overrated, too." He raised a hand, summoning another crackling bolt of lightning as effortlessly as breathing.
Kokou emerged from the smoke, his flames undiminished. "As imposing as they may seem, these mighty frames just make for easier targets," he spat, his form beginning to shrink. "The efficiency is non-existent when I'm this restricted."
Tlaloc remained indifferent, watching Kokou's massive body reduce to a lean, muscular frame just over six feet tall. Without hesitation, he followed suit, his own form shrinking to match. The battlefield buzzed with tension as the two gods prepared for a fight unlike any other.
Kokou moved first, closing the distance with a single step. His fist hurtled toward Tlaloc, a blur of raw power and speed. The air distorted around Kokou's fist, sizzling under the sheer display of might.
Tlaloc sidestepped, his claws raking through the air in retaliation. The very space around them distorted as his claws connected, The sound of metal against metal rang out as Tlaloc's fingers failed to scratch the infernal opponent.
For a split second, confusion flickered in Tlaloc's eyes. That brief hesitation was all Kokou needed, the infernal war god reset his stance and unleashed a dazzling left hook straight to the storm god's face..
The collision of Kokou's fist and Tlaloc's face created a shock-wave that turned the surrounding space into a vacuum. The sheer force of the blow uprooted trees and destroyed portions of the landscape, sending debris flying in all directions.
Adopting his lazy expression once more, Tlaloc spun gracefully and using the momentum to his advantage he delivered a stunning roundhouse kick, sending Kokou staggering backwards. Seizing the opportunity, Tlaloc fluidly transitioned into a wide, sweeping motion, his arms arcing through the air.
As he swung, water molecules in the air coalesced and solidified into a massive hammer, crackling with dormant lightning and emitting a deafening sound. The divine weapon, imbued with the storm god's fury, hurtled towards Kokou with unstoppable force.
Kokou, undeterred, caught the attack with his bare hands, rocked internally by the force yet resilient enough to ignore it altogether, yanking the solidified hammer towards himself, dragging Tlaloc with it. With a savage grin across his face, he seized the storm god's head with his free hand and swung downwards violently, attempting to crush Tlaloc's head into the ground. The runes on Tlaloc's body creeped on through his hand and spread rapidly causing Kokou's movements to slow to a crawl, he felt an unbearable weight pressing down on him. It was as if the very gravity of the earth had turned against him,
Bang!
Tlaloc's punched connected square on the face, The first hit that actually hurt the infernal god, a sharp stinging sensation exploding across his face. Enraged, Kokou retaliated with another ferocious punch, only to have his hand caught mid-swing by the relentless storm god.
Tlaloc leapt off the ground, wrapping both his arms and legs around Kokou's arm in a locked position. His intent was clear: "a broken hand and the win is assured."
"This much is enough."
Shrugging off the effect of the crushing gravity, Kokou simply stood up. "I was a little curious, but that's all there is to it. Tied to the concept of a storm, you cannot beat me. I, Kokou, am strife, I am conflict, I am flames, I am the eternal war."
Everything shifted. The very fabric of reality seemed to warp around Kokou, the air crackling with an ominous energy. Tlaloc felt weightless, not because of his own ability, but because Kukuo had lifted him effortlessly, as if he were a mere toy. The infernal god's eyes burned with an unholy fire, and his voice resonated with a terrifying finality. "Goodbye."
Bang! Smashed ruthlessly into the ground, Tlaloc felt the difference immediately. The infernal god was serious now. The impact sent tremors through the earth, and the ground beneath them shattered like glass.
Pulling the storm god up with his left hand, Kokou threw another punch, and this time it connected with devastating force sending the storm god catapulting across the landscape, the sound of the blow echoing like thunder across the battlefield.
Boommm!!!
The sound barrier was obliterated instantly, and the earth seemed to scream in sorrow.
"Interesting. There are a multitude of gods tied to war, but he can easily draw divinity from the concept, akin to how a higher deity would."
Kokou's eyes gleamed with a fierce, unyielding light. He didn't waste a moment. With a swift, fluid motion, he raised his hand, summoning flames that danced and writhed around his fingers. The infernal fire grew, forming a massive, blazing spear. The heat was intense, the air around it shimmering with the sheer power of the flames.
With a roar that echoed through the heavens, Kokou hurled the spear towards Tlaloc.
The spear cut through the air like a comet, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Tlaloc barely had time to react as the infernal weapon bore down on him with unstoppable force.
The whole landscape was leveled; even the clouds evaporated.
Tlaloc was in a sorry state, to say the least. Deciding to put in a little effort, his eyes shone as his body crackled with lightning. His muscles tensed and contracted dangerously. He flexed his arms, and the world trembled around him.
standing up on his feet at an abnormal position he smirked at the infernal god
"this doesn't bother me much" his skin started to glisten and he asked "Do you know how it feels to be hit with the same force as the pressure at the bottom of the ocean?"
"It's useless, that won't work on me."
" I guess we're about to find out."
One step.
Boom! Cracks appeared in the landscape, all originating from the storm god's foot.
Second step.
The ground fell deeper, unable to fully accommodate the current weight of the storm god.
Third step.
He vanished.
Kokou's eyes widened as he felt a deadly crisis. He pooled everything he had and crossed his hands in front of him in an attempt to defend.
The impact was immediate and overwhelming. Tlaloc reappeared in a flash of lightning, his fist connecting with Kokou's crossed arms. The force of the blow sent shock-waves through the air, the ground beneath them shattering further. Kokou was driven back, his feet digging deep trenches into the earth as he struggled to maintain his footing.
For a moment, everything was silent. The dust settled, revealing the aftermath of their clash. Kokou's arms trembled from the impact, but he remained standing, his eyes burning with defiance. Tlaloc stood a few paces away, his body crackling with residual lightning, his expression unreadable.
"
"You held back, storm god," Kokou growled, his voice dripping with venom. "Do you seek to insult me? If yo—"
Badum!
The sound of Kokou's words was drowned out as something colossal stirred.
Kokou froze, his body stiffening as his flames dimmed. Slowly, his form began to disintegrate, crumbling into ash. "It seems you get to keep your dignity, storm god," he said, his voice filled with irritation.
Tlaloc watched impassively as Kokou's body dissolved completely. "Your arrogance blinds you," he said coolly. Turning his hand upward and releasing the reminant energy from his last attack
It shot up violently and lit up the vast expanse of the sky tearing through the atmosphere and disappearing a streak in space
"You never stood a chance."
And with that, the battle was over. The storm had prevailed by default, and the battlefield grew still once more.