The sky, which had been dark and gloomy moments ago, was abruptly torn open by a piercing, blinding light from above. It seemed the mortal continents were in for yet another shock.
A silhouette descended, radiant with majesty and divinity. As the figure approached the ground, the eyes of the Valkriath widened—they recognized her at once.
This was no ordinary visitor to the mortal realm; she was one of the Erythrians.
The Valkriath bowed in respect. Though they were goddesses, in the presence of an Erythrian, they were as humbled as mortals.
"Your knowledge is vast, your wisdom beyond reach, you who hold the secrets of arcane mysteries and control the fate of all existence…greetings, goddess Klythara."
Once again, the Valkriath were humbled at the sight of another divine being. Klythara, the goddess of fate and boundless knowledge, stood before them.
Her presence was unsettling, as it made the Valkriath seem less intimidating—a blow to their pride, knowing mortals would now feel emboldened.
Maerith straightened herself, looking Klythara in the eyes. The goddess could only be described as beautiful, clad in golden armor adorned with intricate patterns on a white fabric.
"With all due respect, Goddess Klythara, I believe you know why we are in the mortal continent, and I strongly advise you not to interfere with our task."
Nyxalia spoke with an edge of arrogance, earning a sharp look from Maerith to show respect. Nyxalia despised being under the authority of the fates.
Selvaya quickly apologized on her sister's behalf, seeing that the goddess was displeased. Her expression said everything. Then, with a voice as captivating as it was commanding, Klythara replied.
"I know my father, Zuryxal, issued this order, and my empty-headed brother, Thyronis, followed it blindly. But enough is enough. Mortals should look to us for salvation, yet the gods themselves wreak havoc in their domain."
"Tell me, do you not think that our titles as divine beings would be tainted by such actions? This child has lost everything; show him pity and leave this mortal realm."
This revelation was a blow to the Valkriath's pride yet again.
"But Klythara! We were ordered by the King of gods himself; we can't just—"
Nyxalia's words were cut short as the atmosphere became suffocating with a divine energy so intense it felt as if her very fate was being crushed.
Maerith, as the eldest, dropped to her knees and begged for mercy. Selvaya quickly followed, joining her plea for their sister's forgiveness.
"I will deal with Zuryxal and Thyronis myself. This is the last time I will say this: you have the Penthagorux-Divine Soul. Now, return to Astritheon; the domain of the gods."
The Valkriath did not resist further. Maerith, Selvaya, and Nyxalia hastily opened a void portal, disappearing. Before they left, Nyxalia cast a final glance at Abaddon, hatred simmering in her gaze, but it seemed fate wasn't done with him yet.
With the Valkriath gone, Klythara knelt beside Abaddon, gazing into the boy's empty eyes.
He was traumatized to the point of physical collapse. She extended a hand towards him, and with a soft mantra, she managed to pull him back to consciousness.
He looked at her, asking, "Who…are you?." Clearly in shock.
"I am your savior," Klythara replied.
But Abaddon questioned her, asking why she had saved him now. His family was gone, leaving him alone. He wanted only to die, to reunite with them.
Gradually, anger swelled within him as everything begun to replay in his head once again. He demanded to know where Klythara was when the Valkriath had slaughtered his family.
Why had she not saved them then, and now she came to preach about salvation?
"I am sorry, little one," Klythara murmured, standing. "It needed to happen; it is all for the greater good of Erythrian."
"Greater good!" Abaddon shouted in rage. "You took my family, and you call it the greater good?"
With tears streaming down his face, he slammed his fists into the ground until they bled.
"You wretched gods! All you do is take and take, and yet you call yourselves divine. I swear to make you all pay—I will repay this in tenfold!"
He rose shakily, clenching his bloody fists and screaming into the air, his voice filled with fury and grief.
"I'll make you all pay! Do you hear me? gods and humans alike! I'll kill you all if it's the last thing I do!"
The world watched in silent amusement, dismissing him as a powerless thirteen-year-old. What threat could he possibly pose?
Klythara watched him in silence and with a faint smile. She waved a hand dismissively.
"Such big words. I'll be waiting for you, for the day you make the gods pay. I really want to see how you will accomplish that."
With that, she ascended into the sky and disappeared.
Time passed, and the scene shifted to Abaddon, who was building a tombstone for his family. He gathered heavy stones and arranged them carefully. Bowing before the grave, tears continued to flow as he remembered the warmth of their smiles—a warmth that was now only a memory.
As he sat by the grave, a group of boys his age appeared in the distance.
"By the gods, I can't believe my eyes. This place is beyond repair!" one said mockingly.
"Well, I'm just glad the hero is gone. Now my father says we won't have to worry about anyone snooping through the empire's financial records." Another boy sneered.
"Enough chatter," a familiar voice said from the shadows. "We're here to end the Wolven bloodline once and for all."
It was Rhesus, Abaddon's cousin, accompanied by other royals, including Kain. These two had tormented Abaddon since he enrolled in the prestigious Elysian Warriors academy.
Taking advantage of Asher's death, they saw their chance to eliminate Abaddon without consequence.
They approached, but for the first time, Abaddon felt neither fear nor worry. He sat beside the grave, unmoved by their presence. This disregard angered Rhesus.
With a harsh kick to the stomach, Rhesus sent Abaddon sprawling, but even that didn't draw a reaction. Kain, frustrated, pinned Abaddon down, beating him over and over as the others watched.
Blood spilled, but Abaddon remained lifeless; this wasn't the defiant boy they once knew.
"He's completely broken," Kain muttered, fists bloodied. "This isn't the Abaddon I know. He was weak, sure, but his resolve was unshakable. Now…he's empty."
Rhesus, frustrated, scanned the area until his gaze fell on the tombs Abaddon had built. With a twisted smile, he declared, "I know how to bring him back."
"But Rhesus, isn't that going too far?" Kain protested. "After all, those are the tombs of a hero…your uncle."
"When I say do it, I mean without questions," Rhesus snapped. "Or do you no longer want Princess Eshla, Kain?"
Without further protest, Kain directed the others to demolish the tombstones. Though reluctant, they couldn't defy the prince. As they began, Abaddon suddenly snapped back, desperately reaching out.
"STOP IT!"
He crawled towards the tomb, trying in vain to protect it. Rhesus sneered, satisfied.
As the stones he had built for his family lay in ruins, Abaddon was left helpless. Kain watched, feeling no satisfaction in the cruelty. Rhesus, sensing Kain's hesitation, retorted coldly.
"If you won't do it, I will."
Rhesus loomed over Abaddon as he lay broken.
Abaddon screamed at the top of his lungs, why he wouldn't leave him be.but this… this was what Rhesus was aiming for. With a wicked smile, he replied.
"Because I hate you so much. You wouldn't even understand the depths of my hatred towards you, brother, but I'm glad you're back with us. I'll make sure to torture you before you die."
With a faint purple aura surrounding him, Rhesus clenched his fist and began generating electricity from his hands. He started pummeling Abaddon on the ground relentlessly. From where Kain and his gang stood, they could feel the ground shaking after every punch.
This time, Abaddon truly felt intense pain—the pain of being electrocuted under a relentless barrage of punches. Every blow was lethal, shattering bones on impact and causing immeasurable agony.
Rhesus lifted his hands high, channeling all his mantra energy to fuel the electricity pulsing through his arm. He brought his fist down, bearing the weight of a falling meteor. With a final smash, he delivered a lethal, electrocuting blow that sent dust and debris into the air.
Kain watched in horror as Rhesus straightened himself up, his fist soaked in blood. He ordered Kain to give him his sword—he was going to end Abaddon's misery.
Abaddon lay in a pool of blood, his vision blurred. Every inch of muscle in his body felt as if it were breaking down. This pain, this intensity… he couldn't stand it any longer.
'I... want to live... I want to kill you all... but it wouldn't be so bad to die, after all. I'll get to meet my family again and feel warmth again…'
This murmur caught Rhesus's attention as he held his sword at point-blank, ready to strike. He asked himself what this dying fool was murmuring about.
With all his strength, Abaddon slowly lifted his bloodied hand, pointing at Rhesus. He coughed up blood, trying to speak, but his voice seemed stuck in his throat.
Then, just like that, his hand came slamming back down, lifeless. He passed out, his gaze drifting toward Kain before he slipped into darkness.
Kain and his gang, even though they hated him, found this too much to bear. Rhesus, however, didn't care. He raised his sword to deliver the final blow.
Just before he could bring his sword down, the distant rumbling of approaching magic vehicles caught their attention.
Rhesus paused and asked what was happening. One of the boys, whose specialty was enhanced sight, under the Enhancement Class, managed to get intel.
"Incoming magic vehicles, about thirty of them are heading toward this place. By the looks of it, it seems to be a military organization."
Kain asked him to clarify what he meant and if he saw anything on the vehicles.
The boy observed carefully and replied.
"Yes, I'm sure of it. Magic vehicles are mostly used by military organizations, and I see an abbreviation… it's erm… S.T.E.E.L."
Kain, shocked at the mention of the abbreviation, exclaimed.
"S.T.E.E.L?!"
He looked at Rhesus and hastily told him they needed to leave this place immediately.
Rhesus, confused and arrogant, questioned Kain about why they needed to flee. This was their empire, and he thought no military organization could do anything to them, even if they saw him killing Abaddon.
"You don't get it, do you? The Society of Tactical Experts and Elite Legionnaires, abbreviated as S.T.E.E.L, is the biggest organization in the world. They have a stronghold in every empire, and they could crush Avalon Empire in a single night!" Kain replied.
This revelation shocked Rhesus and the gang. They looked at each other.
"You mean to tell me, this is the very organization that manufactures magic technology and other mechanical stuff like horses, chariots, energy guns, and all that?" Rhesus asked, and Kain nodded.
Rhesus looked down, visibly annoyed at the interruption.
He sneered at the unconscious Abaddon. Understanding the gravity of the situation, he didn't want to risk placing Avalon Empire in jeopardy.
After all, he aspired to ascend the throne of his grandfather. Quickly, he, Kain, and the gang dashed away from the site.
A few moments after their departure, the vehicles appeared on the Wolven Fortress mainland, floating and gliding through the now-desolate landscape like an ancient enchanted rocky structure.
The vehicles came to a halt. A tall man with short black hair, a muscular physique, and a scar on his face got out of one of the leading vehicles.
He scanned the horizon as his counterpart, less intimidating in appearance, also got out.
"General Rykage! We're awaiting your orders, sir!" a soldier saluted.
Rykage raised his hand into the air and commanded them to spread out, search, and report anything they found. They responded in unison.
"Yes, sir!"
As Rykage stood there, he couldn't contain his amusement any longer.
"By the gods… this is just fascinating, James. Just look at the destruction. It's insane. I mean, I'm a four-star Common rank, and during all my training to rank up, I never came across a Mystic ranker—let alone saw what they're capable of…"
James sighed, looking into the distance.
"I feel sorry for Asher. After all, he was our comrade. I never knew he was such a monster deep down… I just thought the rumors were overhyping him… but that scene… Rykage…" James's tone lowered as he looked Rykage in the eye.
"Do you think if he were here and we were in his situation, he would have just stood by?" Rykage shook his head, knowing Asher well.
"Nah, he would've stepped in to save us. After all, he was humanity's strongest hero. But before the gods, anything we mortals do is insignificant."
In that brief moment, a soldier interrupted them with news from their search.
"What is it? Speak up, soldier!" Rykage commanded.
"General, we found two bodies—one a young boy and the other seems to be the head commander of the Avalon Empire's elite warriors, sir."
"We also discovered the Sword of the Hero, sir! It was buried beneath the scorched ground."
James and Rykage replied in unison.
"The World Breaker sword! A legacy-grade weapon!"
Rykage ordered the soldiers to bring in the two humans they found and quickly instructed the healers to tend to them.
He and James would personally retrieve the sword. Led by the soldier, they reached the location of the World Breaker.
Minutes later, Abaddon was seen being carried by two soldiers into the healer's vehicle. Nearby, Gad, who had been badly injured by Asher's self-destruction, had lost too much blood and passed out. He, too, was sent to the healers immediately.
Rykage and James soon returned with the World Breaker, wrapped in a white cloth. They went back into the floating vehicle and began powering it with mantra energy.
Then, just like that, they left the Wolven grounds.
On a nearby mountaintop, Rhesus, Kain, and the gang watched the vehicles retreat.
With a cold, annoyed expression, Rhesus murmured to himself…
"You got lucky this time. I hope you survive, so I can kill you with my own hands next time."
Two days had passed since the incident, and Abaddon was still unconscious, despite all the rankers in the Cleric Classes with healing specialties doing all they could.
They had only managed to heal the internal and external severe injuries. His broken bones and some severely damaged areas were restored successfully, but the rest depended on Abaddon's will to fight through the pain and regain consciousness.
In the far east, the military rankers' base loomed—a grand, colossal structure that spoke for itself. The abbreviation "S.T.E.E.L." was prominently displayed at the entrance, with soldiers patrolling the campus.
The scene shifted to a room in the upper building of the colossal structure, where a conference was underway among the elite generals.
The World Breaker sword lay on the large table around which they sat, as the discussion continued.
"So, General Rykage, what you're saying is that the boy in the Cleric base is the son of Asher?" one of the elite generals asked.
"Indeed, I have no doubt. You saw him on display during the event, ranting about how he wanted to kill the gods and so on..." Rykage replied confidently.
James chimed in, asking about their next plan.
An old, bald man replied, "What can we do? Surely, James, you don't plan on keeping this child, do you? The world hates the Hero so much that they betrayed him… and you plan on keeping his kin?"
James waved off the accusation, saying, "I have no intention of keeping that child; I'm just asking what we're going to do about him."
"What else can we do, James? Sell him into slavery—he'll be of some use. As for the World Breaker, it must be sent to higher authorities for a decision."
This reply made James angry. He turned a sharp gaze toward the general, who met it with a mocking smile, letting his aura seep out. Clearly, he was challenging James to respond. James, not one to back down, released his own aura, and the conference room grew tense with each passing moment.
Rykage, using telepathy, urged James to back down.
"It seems all of them are lusting after the World Breaker. They want you to stir up trouble here to give them an excuse to take the sword to the higher-ups. Besides, they're all at the five-star Common rank. Calm down."
With that, James composed himself, frustrating the other generals, who saw that their attempt to provoke him had failed.
The meeting ended with the decision that Abaddon would be sold into slavery to the S.T.E.E.L. scientists' agency.
The scene then shifted to the Cleric base, where Abaddon still lay unconscious.
One of the military healers looked down at the boy and, in a mocking tone, said, "I don't believe this brat will make it. Why are they wasting resources on a dead man?"
As the soldier finished speaking, Abaddon suddenly gasped for air and, with an aggressive, angry tone, yelled himself into consciousness.
His golden eyes caught the sun's rays as they locked onto the shocked soldier.
"What... did... you... say to me?!"
-TO BE CONTINUED...