Chapter 13: Aftermath
The battlefield lay in ruins, soaked in the blood of countless warriors. The armies of Dravengarde, Xeran Thalor, and Norskar had fought valiantly, but against the divine forces of Kael Atris, their efforts were meaningless. Now, with the battle drawing to a close, Kael turned his attention to the fleeing forces of Khal'Zir.
With a single command, he dispatched a formidable hunting force—100 four-winged heavenly soldiers and 10,000 two-winged soldiers. Their mission was simple: track down the deserters and ensure that none remained alive to return home and warn their leaders. The chase began immediately, divine warriors soaring through the sky with inhuman speed, their silver and gold armor gleaming under the twin suns of Varis Primus.
Meanwhile, Kael Atris turned his gaze upon the remnants of the battlefield. He knew that the generals who led these armies were powerful, but they were not the supreme rulers of their nations. Their kings, emperors, and warlords still resided in their fortified capitals, possibly preparing reinforcements. To eliminate any chance of retaliation, Kael had to ensure that no survivor left the battlefield alive.
Raising his hand, he summoned forth an immense gravitational force, pinning any wounded warriors to the scorched ground. Their screams of terror echoed across the wasteland as Kael walked through the corpses, absorbing their essence into his own being. His mana reserves swelled, surpassing limits he had never before imagined. The divine energy coursed through his veins, and in an instant, his level surged to 100. The sky trembled, lightning crackled, and an ominous golden glow surrounded him. Castellion Arisium, the celestial deity who had granted him his gifts, had acknowledged his achievement.
A voice resonated within Kael's mind, deep and divine: "You have proven your worth, Kael Atris. Now, I bestow upon you the power to create six-winged heavenly soldiers. They shall serve as your mightiest generals, capable of forging insignias of submission upon the defeated, absorbing essence into mana, and creating their own four-winged subordinates."
Kael closed his eyes, his mind overflowing with newfound knowledge. The six-winged warriors were nearly godlike, mirroring his own abilities. With their power, his dominion would expand exponentially. Without hesitation, he willed the creation of his first six-winged soldier.
From the swirling mass of golden mana, a figure began to take shape. Towering at nearly three meters, clad in radiant celestial armor, his six white wings shimmered with divine energy. The newly born warrior knelt before Kael Atris, his voice a harmonious blend of many tones. "Master, I await your command."
Kael named him Seraphis, the First of the Six-Winged. "Seraphis, your first task is to create one four-winged soldier per day within Solmara. Gather an army within my internal realm while I prepare for our next conquest."
Seraphis bowed. "It shall be done, my lord."
With his forces secured, Kael turned his attention to his celestial armada. His warships, battered but victorious, hovered above the battlefield, their cannons still glowing from the devastation they had wrought. The two-winged and four-winged soldiers stood at attention, awaiting their leader's next order. He knew that the true war was far from over. The supreme rulers of the defeated nations would not sit idly by while their armies were crushed. But Kael was not concerned. He was no longer just a conqueror—he was an unstoppable force of divinity.
With a final glance at the wasteland of fallen foes, Kael gave the command: "We return to Solmara."
One by one, the massive aircraft carriers, destroyers, and cruisers opened their rift gates, vanishing into the vastness of his internal realm. The soldiers followed, disappearing into the divine sanctuary that existed within their ruler's body. As the last of his army departed, Kael took one final step forward, pressing his palm to the earth.
A pulse of raw energy erupted from his being, disintegrating the battlefield itself. No remains would be left behind—no evidence of the war that had just transpired. To the outside world, it would seem as if the armies of Dravengarde, Xeran Thalor, Norskar, and Khal'Zir had simply vanished.
With his mission complete, Kael Atris stepped through a rift and vanished, leaving behind only the whisper of his name—a name that would soon be feared across all of Varis Primus.