Doron surveyed his surroundings.
There were many hardened soldiers here, determination written on their faces. These armoured troops merged into a main group as they walked along the streets, forming a powerful black current.
The soldiers varied in age, from those just in their teens to old white-haired men. There were even some muscular women amongst their ranks. Although this made them look extremely disorderly, that was suppressed by their unique auras. The struggle of the Dark Ages had awakened the cold nature in them that allowed them to survive countless life and death situations.
They shared spaces with the bugs and the beasts to eke out a living, struggling no matter where they were. The people from before these times would not be able to comprehend their thought process. Even a former carpenter like Doron was confident he could kill one of the town guards of his old village head on now.
'I have to return, I have to. For Lina!' Doron made up his resolve as he opened a large metal gate. Thinking of the figure waiting for him at home, he felt rejuvenated as he moved out.
Although he didn't know why he'd been soft enough to save her back then, Doron had found a partner who could understand him and whom he depended on as well. Their relationship was what lasted him through countless encounters that would have killed him, even doctors saying he was a man who'd climbed out of his grave.
'I don't know whether I'll live to tomorrow, but the next time… I'm asking for her hand…' he rubbed his chest, exhaling a cold breath.
"Doron!" A powerful yet skinny black hand clapped on Doron's shoulder, the impact almost causing him to fall to the ground. Doron turned around, elation in his expression.
"Big Brother Jimmy!" The person who'd patted him was a tall lanky youth. He had a cow-horn helmet, carrying a large battle axe by his side. Even if the blade was chipped, the sheer weight of this hundred pound weapon would cause others to flinch.
There were several other warriors beside him, forming a small party. Jimmy seemed to be held in high regard amongst them.
"Haha, kiddo. I knew the Lightkiller Bug acid wouldn't kill you…" Jimmy seemed extremely excited as handed a leather pouch to Doron, "Come, have a drink!"
"Ooh…" Doron salivated, taking a careful sip after he heard several gulps around him. A powerful sour and spicy taste ran down his throat to his stomach, causing him to feel much warmer than before.
"Strong wine!" the warriors around him said in envy. Any strong wines went for sky-high prices in these times. A wine pouch was akin to a second life in the frigid wilderness.
Many members of the party looked at Doron strangely, but eventually turned away after he handed the pouch back to Jimmy.
Who were they kidding? The Skullcrusher's name resounded throughout the region. Even if Jimmy looked like a pole, the battle axe in his hands had already smashed in the heads of several people larger than him.
Sometimes, survivors were more dangerous than the bugs. Just for a small bag of wheat, clean water, or even a piece of jerky, two people would fight to the death. Doron himself had encountered this scenario many times.
However, because of this, he had a good impression on Jimmy's generosity. Being able to retain some of his principles and kindness at times like this was really rare.
Even if Jimmy had wished to make use of him, there was nothing wrong with it. After all, such charisma and sincerity was rare even amongst leaders. If Jimmy wanted to use him, that meant that he had a certain value, did it not?
Doron clenched onto the fine metal sword in his hands.
"Haha… How is it? Are you still joining us for the mission this time?" Jimmy rubbed his bald head, his blue eyes shimmering with sincerity.
"No… I need supplies to tide through the cold this time. I also need to get medicine or healing scrolls, Lina's caught a cold recently and I'm rather worried…"
Doron's face turned red. Even Jimmy's party would have to sacrifice lives to get everything he needed.
"If it's like that…" Jimmy rubbed his chin.
"So I'll be going solo this time…" Doron said after some hesitation.
Jimmy grabbed his shoulders and guffawed, "I never thought that our little Doron would turn into a big man… Hahah… Very well! You can take an additional set from my spoils!"
"Th...Thank you, Big Brother Jimmy!" Doron was extremely moved, and tears almost streamed down both his cheeks.
"Don't be this wishy washy like a woman. Hurry and follow!" Jimmy hoisted his battle axe and walked out of the fortress doors.
This fortress had tall towers in the outermost areas, the central regions being fortified as well. Even if the outer portions were breached they could fall back and tighten the perimeter. The leader was at the centre, alongside the army and the Professionals. Classism had persisted into the dark ages.
Someone like Doron could only squeeze his family into the outermost unprotected regions. They were in the most danger from the beast horde, surviving the greatest casualties. This was why their homes were built like small forts.
Doron's greatest wish other than marrying Lina was to bring her to the core of the fort. Rumour had it that there were powerful spellcasters guarding the area, making it the safest place in the mainland. Each and every family had the provision of red wine and bread. Even before the Dark Ages, this was something that Doron had yearned for.
'However… The wizards, haven't they already lost their abilities to cast magic?' After all, he was still marred with guilt about the events in Old Holdman's villa.
Still, the fortress relied on magic to repel the bugs and survive, so there was no need to question its existence. Doron looked towards the outermost fortress walls.
A sturdy granite tower was present there, with traces of blood and internal fluids of the bugs. Each platform had a small black cannon perched atop it.
Bright runes glowed inside the cannon shafts, reassuring the people who saw them. This wasn't the first time Doron was looking at these cannons that reaped lives in every bug attack. Even powerful red worms abhorred them.
*Rumble!* A powerful mechanism was unlocked, drawing down the bridge as a large troop of cavalry wearing exquisite armour trotted out in rank and file, causing many mercenaries to look on in envy.
This was a regiment of Professionals, possessing astounding battle might. Once someone was drafted into the army, even if they weren't sent to the core they'd be sent to relatively safe areas and given a steady supply of food.
This was a lifelong dream to many commoners. The strongest adventuring parties paled in comparison to the soldiers, making them look like a counterfeit product. Few people, like Jimmy, didn't feel inferior to the troops, instead competing with them on the same level.
'One bug is worth one contribution point. I already have 90, so I only need ten more to enter the inner areas and become a member of the army…' Doron blazed with desire. After all, this meant that he was one step closer to his dreams!
'Big Brother Jimmy had already amassed the necessary contribution points, but because he had several brothers staying outside, he has remained there too..' Doron was extremely impressed with Jimmy.
*Thud! Thud!* The army entered formation at this moment, causing a solemn atmosphere that silenced the adventurers.
*Whoosh!* The cold wind blew, causing the Silverymoon flag held by one of the knights to flap in the wind, radiating a strange glow.
Jimmy blinked his eyes, and saw several black spots in the skies. Without knowing why, even with the absence of the sun, his eyes had grew accustomed to the darkness. At the very least, with the help of the stars in the skies— what was said to be the light of the gods' divine kingdoms— he could already see clearly in a fifty metres radius.
Those several black dots grew larger, and when they closed in, the onlookers exclaimed in surprise. It had been the figures of several wizards flying in the air.
"My people…" A female wizard wearing silver white armour spoke. Her appearance was obscure, yet her voice carried the vicissitudes of time, drawing the alarmed voices and gasps of the people.
"It's the city lord!" "Silverymoon Queen! Woo! Woo!"
Doron bowed just like the rest of the people in the surroundings. No matter what, being able to seek protection under her when the world had ended was enough for him to express his gratitude and thanks.
It's just that the queen standing in mid-air didn't have much joy on her face, seeming to have aged greatly.
-x-X-x-
The former queen of Silverymoon had become the lord protecting the human fortresses of the north. The last hope of the human race looked down on the army beneath her, a bitter smile hidden beneath her glory.
Being Mystra's blood daughter, Alustriel had once felt like the sky was going to fall when Mystra died. Even though she was a powerful legendary wizard with a trace of divinity in her blood, she knew full well that leading the humans of the north without her mother's support would be extremely difficult. The Orc Empire was looming right over their heads…
On top of that, the Silverymoon Alliance was a union of magic, led mainly by wizards. The loss of the Weave absolutely shattered their unity.
Fortunately, the orcs had come to an agreement with them due to the invasion of the Magi. They didn't send troops to wipe the alliance out.
However, the situation had turned worse after a few days. The horrifying plagues had swept their lands, and the Dark Ages had come knocking on the door.
Alustriel herself was a lucky soul. Her peak legendary power allowed her to cast spells independently of the Weave, so despite stumbling along the way like a child at first she managed to gain the ability to protect herself. Wizards under rank 20 were like unborn fetuses, unable to survive being without the Weave, but legendary wizards were at least newborn infants at this moment, able to tide through the destruction of the Weave.
On top of all this, the trace of divinity she'd inherited from the Goddess of the Weave allowed Alustriel a chance to succeed her mother as the Goddess of the Weave. The gods assisted to secure the regime of the Silverymoon Alliance, albeit barely.
Still, she had to abandon a majority of her lands and build this final fortress, holing up against the catastrophic attacks of the insects. If the orcs weren't considered, the survivors in this camp were the last lifeblood of the north.
'Am I doing the right thing?' Alustriel was a queen in an era of peace. Even in such critical moments, she was wracked with indecision.
"I have updates from the south, my Queen!" Old Mage Elminster stepped through a portal at that moment, dressed in a simple flax robe as he stood behind her like a humble follower bowing to her words.
"I've just obtained confirmation that a nest of the bugs popped up about a hundred miles south of us. The Gloomwood has been corroded by marshland…"
Alustriel's heart skipped a beat. This was definitely the worst news for this camp! She'd come to learn that the tide of bugs originated from the massive colonies of hives. The appearance of a nest in an area spelled its death, an endless wave of insects engulfing the entire land and turning it barren.
"Damn it… We put so much effort into making this place arable… We've already cleared the lands… Just one harvest…" She lowered her voice, "It's too late to move again. It took all we had to build this fortress. Even if we wanted to, the bugs are everywhere now. Where can we go?"
Looking at Alustriel's mournful smile, Elminster's heart was filled with bitterness.
"How are the wizards doing?" She seemed to make up her mind about something after a long time.
"Still training. Even the best of them can only use rank 4 spells, and this was someone at rank 20 before the catastrophe, just a step away from becoming legendary…" Elminster heaved a sigh.
They'd had to return to their roots since the collapse of the Weave, using the elemental particles of the world to gather energy from their spiritual force and cast spells. Thankfully wizards had always been performing research on the arcanists, and finding training methods in the field wasn't a big problem.
They'd set up everything pretty soon given Silverymoon's accumulated information and their talents. Even the gods couldn't resist using the arcanist inheritances in this situation. The churches didn't abolish the prohibition openly because that would tarnish the gods' dignity, but the research was no secret.
Sadly, the 'talented' wizards all turned inferior when it came to the arcanist inheritance. The convenience the Weave had afforded them had caused a drop in their quality. Only with it destroyed did many wizards begin to realise how incapable they were. With their rigid lines of thought, some older wizards didn't even acknowledge the possibility of changing their path. They were having suicidal thoughts.
In spite of Alustriel's unconditional support and Silverymoon's rich supplies, the best they could do right now was still a rank 4 spell. Detached from the Weave, the wizards now realised how hard spells were to control, demanding more ability and finesse. Many died trying to cast the new spells.
"Leave the last batch behind, but get all the rest." It took a long while for her to make this tough decision, and a teardrop rolled down Alustriel's cheek. She arrived above the army, waving them to silence.
"These bugs have taken our everything, and now they're coming for our lives." Her voice echoed throughout the region, "A vicious colony has popped up close to us, less than a hundred miles away. We're out of supplies and fortification scrolls, and we won't be able to built another city…
"Tell me, then. ARE WE GOING TO KEEP SILENT IN THE FACE OF THIS THREAT?"
Doron held tightly onto the weapon in his hands, as if that was the only way he could get a sense of security.
'So we're actually in such dangerous situation?' A silent thought of fiery anger surfaced in his mind.
"No! I belong to this place, I will never leave!" Jimmy started hitting his shield with his axe.
"NEVER! WE WILL NEVER LEAVE!" A fearsome growl shook the entire fort.
"Great! I shall accompany you all on this crusade, let us fight for our survival!" Alustriel promised.
""FOR SURVIVAL!"" The army set off in swift fury.
Alustriel kept to her promise, leading the troop from the front on her white horse. Her divinity had allowed her to maintain her power through the collapse of the Weave, so the presence of such a powerful leader definitely lifted the spirits of the army.
...
"Our team will be in charge of the patrol today." The army winded along on its way forward. Unlike a regular troop, Doron's team was a little disorganised. They weren't in high spirits regardless of Jimmy's encouragement.
The city was their last hope. If this hope was broken, even Doron would lose the courage to survive in this chaotic world.
"Come with me, Doron. Let's go on patrol!" Jimmy waved his axe, unable to withstand the atmosphere.
"Alright." Doron didn't like the stifling aura here either, so he quickly stood up when Jimmy called him.
Shrouded in darkness, the continent was full of unknown dangers. Even though many creatures had died out, unable to adapt to the new conditions, those that didn't had become much more cunning and cruel.
Doron had heard rumours of creatures from the Underdark, driders and horrifying claw monsters that wanted to use the loss of the sun to blast out from their prisons and wantonly invade the mainland. They were backed by their own pantheon, headed by the Spider Queen, Lolth.
Her decision was absolutely correct. The celestial gods had to give way to the Underdark in the Dark Ages for manpower and supplies, letting them migrate from down below to the mainland. The drow were rumoured to have built a city on the surface already.
The rumours said men were the lowest of slaves amongst the drow, alongside other species. They could be sacrificed to the gods at any time. Despite all this, a large number of wandering species were seeking shelter from the drow just to survive.
'What a pity… Lolth is an evil god, and my Lord…' Doron's eyes flashed in struggle, but he soon turned firm. Even though the gods weren't as glorious as they once were, their decrees remained meaningful enough to influence the entire prime material plane. The battle between good and evil had cast a shadow in Doron's thoughts…
-x-X-x-
"Wait a moment, look! What's that?" Doron was still indulging in his flights of fancy, so Jimmy had to pin him down to a muddy hill. A large amount of disgusting dirt entered his mouth, so rotten it could make one puke for days and lose their appetite for months.
However, Doron couldn't care less about that. He hadn't even gotten the time to clear the dirt from his mouth before he saw numerous shadowy figures approaching them at great speed.
The other party moved at great speed, reaching them almost within seconds. It was the Mounted Wolves, the nightmare of the north!
"ORCS! IT'S ORCS!" Jimmy shouted, his face warping as he saw the orcs. Their races had long been at war, killing each other even if they met accidentally.
*Whoosh!* The wolf rider arrived before them in a split second. Escape was not an option.
"Am I going to die here? Lina..." Extreme shock and fear caused Doron to turn dizzy, feeling like these were his final thoughts.
However, just as the poor souls got ready to sacrifice their lives for the north, the situation moved in an unexpected direction. The Mounted Wolves did indeed surround them, but they were not harmed. The riders instead parted, making way for a werewolf on a humongous mount.
"I am the Golden Ivory Warwolf, leader of the Mounted Wolves. I need to see your leader, right now…" he said stiffly.
Jimmy and Doron looked at each other as they heard this, feeling like they'd gained a fresh lease of life…
High up in the sky, Orc Emperor Saladin was looking into Alustriel's eyes, "The survival of the orcs has been threatened by the colonies as well. The Lord has ordered us to stand on the same side as you, facing the threat of the Magi."
"Saladin! Your hands are stained with the blood of the north! Your people are our arch enemies! Even if we're wiped out by the bugs we won't—" a wizard beside Alustriel tried to intercept them.
"This is an order by the gods…" Elminster expressed a different opinion, slowly taking a pipe from his mouth.
"My Queen..." the other wizard shouted eagerly, looking at Alustriel's hesitant face. He seemed to hate the orcs greatly.
"I'll have no more from you…" Alustriel waved the wizard off, turning to Saladin, "I agree."
"Great!" Saladin nodded, "I've brought the Thunder God's Hammer, and I'll also send out the best of the Mounted Wolves and battle orcs. You'll be grateful that you made this decision today…"
"I only hope you'll keep to your promises," Alustriel looked Saladin deep in the eye. "However, we still have been enemies for a long time. I need your army to take a different route, we can meet at the swamp."
"You did well…" Elminster sighed in gratitude after Saladin left.
"No. I feel like I've changed a lot, becoming more cruel, more of a realist…" Alustriel's reply was indifferent.
"Trust me, my good daughter, this is all part and parcel of our lives…" The Old Mage blew a ring of white smoke.
"So you thought I was a little girl for the past thousands of years? You're such a pedophile!" Alustriel stared at Elminster, an unnoticeable redness covering her face.
...
An agreement was made with the orc armies, and Jimmy and Doron took the chance to return safely to their team.
However, Doron seemed to have his reservations about something. He tried to say something multiple times, but eventually stopped himself. He waited until everyone was asleep, moving close to Jimmy and asking him in an extremely low voice, "Hey captain, are the orcs really here to help us?"
Jimmy turned his body and replied in a blurry voice, "I think so. Nobody dares to disobey the gods in this world, except those demonic beings of other worlds…"
'But aren't we still at war with them?' He wanted to say vendetta, but Doron didn't recall any good friends or relatives dying at orc hands. Many had instead been killed by the town guard or in robberies, so it seemed even less applicable.
"Understand this, Doron, politics is complicated… Alright, I'm really tired today, stop irritating me!" Jimmy turned his body again. Doron just looked over the flap of the tent, an extremely complicated emotion in his gaze…
*Thud! Thud!* The wooden wheels of the carts hit the uneven surface of the ground as they moved along, releasing dull thuds due to their heavy loads. Doron was following Jimmy aimlessly, his beloved sword hung at his waist. The dark circles were obvious under his eyes as he seemed distracted, he obviously hadn't rested well last night.
The army assembled into the dragon formation, all equipped with weapons and shields. It scared any predators away, making the trip relatively safe.
"Doron! Get back on your feet, do you want Lina to become a widow?" Jimmy patted Doron's shoulder. Suddenly, the corner of his eye shifted.
"Careful!" Doron had noticed the shadowy figure speeding through the bushes at almost the same time.
A silver ray darted past him before he could act himself, shooting from Jimmy's hand into the bushes. A shriek sounded out.
"Awesome!" "Haha, captain's the best!" "We've got something!"
Everyone gathered around, looking at Doron with green eyes as he pulled a giant rat out of the bush. There was a silver blade stuck in its skull.
"Mmm, such great meat. You're definitely treating us tonight!" Everyone's eyes glowed as they stared at the prey in Doron's hands.
Food was scarce in the Dark Ages, meat a dish only the higher classes could afford. Normal people hardly ever saw some.
"Of course!" Jimmy looked around, agreeing without hesitation, "Everyone is invited to our campsite!"
All the travellers cheer at his generosity, immersing themselves in a pool of joy. Doron looked at them with envy, 'That's right, I should be more hardworking, at least I've got to bring something back! The leaders will take care of the orcs…'
However, his determination was crushed the very next moment. A huge ball of fire shot out of the sky, aimed at Jimmy's position. A great explosion tore Jimmy's body apart in moments, charring his incomplete corpse.
Having run over to get the prey, Doron had escaped the worst of the damage. Still, despite avoiding death, a large amount of his hair was burnt even at that distance. Looking at that region swarming with victims of the disaster, his eyes glittered coldly.
"The Fireball spell… Wizard attack!" Doron knew from Holdman how powerful wizards were. Realising such powerful spellcasters were his opponents, he didn't just go up wildly to avenge his captain, instead rolling into the bushes.
He'd made the right decision, as a wave of terrifying spells followed.
Cloudkill! Summon Monster! Ice Awl! Banshee's Wail! Volley after volley of mid-ranked spells crashed down on the army, with dazzling light. The powerful spells reaped numerous lives.
"It's an attack from the sky!" Doron's eyes were wide open as he tried his best to raise his head. He saw huge pairs of wings supporting dark shadows in the air, obviously Flight of The Dragon.
The dark shadows were dressed in traditional wizard robes, but one thing was different— There was a pair of twinkling purple eyes on their dark robes, alongside a holy black emblem surrounded by a purple ring.
"Shadow wizards!" Alustriel and Elminster responded immediately. They had few high-ranked and legendary wizards on their own end— It was a slap in the face for the Silverymoon Union famed for its magic to lose in that field.
They got ready for the counterattack, but the shadow wizards retreated into a portal.
"This is just the beginning!" their leader warned before stepping into the portal.
The portal disappeared immediately. Alustriel and Elminster, who were both trying to cast Dimensional Anchor, turned a ghastly pale.
"Human wizards, why are they attacking our army?" Doron's eyes were filled with fury. He couldn't understand why they were attacking at all.
"Also... What the heck are the shadow wizards?" He thought of this new term he'd heard today. He looked at the scattered army and the burning remains of his friend's corpse, clenching his fists tightly and swearing in his heart,
'No matter what, Jimmy, I WILL avenge you!'
-x-X-x-
"Did you see it?" Alustriel didn't care at all about the mess her soldiers were in, instead turning and staring at Elminster with the most serious face she'd ever made.
"Yes…" Elminster took out his pipe, but he wasn't in the mood to enjoy it, "Black robes, purple eyes, and the purple-rimmed black badge… The Goddess of Shadows is back…"
"The Lady of the Night, Shar…" Alustriel grew fearful and troubled at the prospect of having to face the being who once competed with her mother.
"Mm… She's also built a new Shadow Weave, and although it isn't spread everywhere and can only support rank 9 spells at the most, it's still a great attraction to all the wizards below the legendary realm…"
Elminster knew well how rational the wizards were, about their realistic mindset. They were weak in faith from the start, and that had only been amplified by Mystra's death. The loss of their powers was sad and humiliating, causing many to enter deep despair. Some ignored the teachings of the gods to commit suicide!
And Shar had come to them in their darkest moments, organising the shadow wizards into a group. If they joined, they could regain their powers!
People only treasured what they had once they lost it. Learning that it would not be easy to gain their power again, those who become shadow wizards grew more devoted and passionate. Their kind could even conduct trades with demons and devils for power, subordination to Shar didn't even need a moment's thought.
Even Elminster would have been shaken by the idea of joining the shadow wizards if not for the fact that he was already at the peak of the legendary realm. Had he lost his powers with the destruction of the Weave as well, he would have made the same choice. Of course, that was if he hadn't offended Shar by his closeness to Mystra.
"These spatial fluctuations… They already have legendary wizards?" Elminster frowned.
"They came to stop us from destroying the colony. They've joined up with the Magi…" As a peak legendary wizard with the blood of a Goddess of Magic, Alustriel had a lot of information channels in this regard, far more than the others at the same level.
"The shadow wizards have joined the Magi… Does that mean Shar defected?" The fact weighed down on the father and daughter far more heavily than anything before it. Magi and gods defecting had never happened since the two races had first made contact. If Shar had joined the Magi, it would cause great pain to everyone in the World of Gods.
"Those who disobey the gods will be punished by the Celestial Hall." No matter how weak his faith was, external factors forced Elminster into becoming an absolute devotee.
"I hope so as well… Anyway, this attack exposed our shortcomings. We need more guards, and an emergency plan…" Alustriel was tired, "Please invite Saladin here, we need to combine our armies immediately, or at the least keep in contact. We can't afford another attack…"
Alustriel had just ignored the hatred between the humans of the north and the orcs, throwing away her reputation and the trust of her men with this invitation. The appearance of the shadow wizards obviously had great impact on the Silverymoon Alliance.
...
Two days later, the combined army of humans and orcs finally arrived at the swamplands. The purple silt here was putrid, streaks of green mist wafting in the air to form endless hallucinations.
The insect colonies caused the complete destruction of their environments, turning the lands into a poisonous swamp that was a haven for the bugs.
"With how fast it's growing, the broodmother will wake up soon…" Elminster pointed at a scene captured by a spell within a temporary tent, a look of concern on his face, "Once the broodmother matures, the drones and workers will begin invading the surroundings. They will breed much more powerful bugs, or even another broodmother… All information points to one thing; if we can't stop this right now, our chances of success are nil."
Alustriel and Saladin were watching from a round table, seated upright alongside human and orc officers. The subordinates were staring at each other in silence, sparks of anger in their eyes.
"That's certain. If we fail this time, the environment here will be wiped out. Plants, animals, water, food, orcs, humans… We'll all be killed as the bugs continue to make more and more broodmothers and start new bases…"
Alustriel continued slowly, "If this continues, the entire prime material plane will be gone. I ask you… No, I BEG you… Please let go of past hatred, and focus on the fight for the future!"
"I agree with the queen," Saladin looked at the orc leaders, "If you disobey, I'll behead all of you and shove your heads up your asses!"
With the great pressure of the Lightkiller Bugs bearing down on them, as well as Saladin's authoritative power, things worked out quite well. The orc leaders acknowledged his words even faster than the humans.
"How much time do we have left?" Saladin looked at Elminster.
"Twenty hours, maybe less…" Elminster blew out a few white rings of smoke.
"Then let us begin right away. The Lord is ready to descend." Numerous runes appeared on Saladin's body, "He's promised to give us more power, sending an avatar to help out in the operation."
"Thank you, for all you've done!" Alustriel stood up and bowed deeply.
...
The army prepared itself quickly under the great pressure.
"Wizards, prepare! Breeze!" Elminster took charge of the wizards, having them gather all the wind elemental particles around them.
A gentle breeze swept past the region. With the help of a giant formation and his own legendary might, he amplified the wind as he fused all the minor spells together.
"The product of hundreds of years of study into the arcane… Legendary fusion spell— Tornado!"
Strong gusts of wind quickly formed a tornado, blades of air howling as it sucked in everything around it. The storm swept across the huge swamp, dispersing the green mist and sending the endless water flying into the sky.
Once the tornado dissipated, Alustriel appeared in front of the swamp.
"Mass Summon Earth Elementals!" A ring of brown light shimmered in her hands, pulling the elemental particles and teleporting several earth elementals to the prime material plane. The elementals roared out as brown energy particles gathered into a spell.
Transmutation: Dirt to Stone!
The assistance of the many elementals allowed a large amount of brown light to cover the swamp. Soft rotting mud began to condense, hardening into granite. It forced the bugs out of the mud, into a final battle.
Loud buzzing resounded from numerous pairs of wings, a horrifying green cloud of insects approaching their position. From weak bees to powerful beetles and terrifying longhorns, the sheer size of the army caused a great commotion amongst the troops.
Standing tall amongst the insects were numerous wizards, all dressed in black robes.
"These bastards, they came to help the colony!" Alustriel flushed with anger. Even if she'd known they were working together, their actions had stepped past her line.
"You've done a great job, leave the rest to me!" Saladin stood up, moving to the front of the
"In the name of the Lord, please grant me power!" An enormous hammer with violet lightning around it appeared in Saladin's hands, an unseen power showering down upon him that caused his body to grow in a split second.
*Rumble!* The very next moment, the strongest of orcs had become a towering giant! This was the legendary spell, God's Descent!
*Boom!* The earth shook with every one of the giant's steps, countless streaks of lightning crashing down from the sky as the Thunder God's Hammer grew to match its owner.
"You bloody bugs, I will slaughter you all!" Saladin shouted, swinging the hammer down.
Purple lightning swept across the sky, covering almost everything in the region. A streak of silver shot through the darkness, bringing light and hope as wave after wave of insects were burnt to the ground. Many of the shadow wizards were wiped out by a single barrage.
"Attack!" The Mounted Wolves roared, charging into the deepest regions of the swamp as they followed the new path.
"CHARGE!" The humans were red-eyed with fury as well, fighting for their lives.
-x-X-x-
This was a battlefield of blood and fire, being fought with a dense sea of bugs.
Doron sliced another approaching bug with his longsword, splitting it apart into two. The originally sharp blade was now covered with the disgusting fluids of the various bugs, its edges chipped and jagged from use.
Any normal day this would've caused him great heartache, but at this point he didn't even have the time to examine his sword properly. The army was like a lone boat in this sea of bugs, being rocked by wave after wave of death.
Death lingered around them without end, and all Doron could do was to wave the sword in his hands around numbly, killing one monstrous bug after the last. His comrades kept falling all around him, humans and orcs alike, but he no longer had the energy to care. He pushed forward without rest, stepping over the corpses of his comrades in pursuit of their common goal: he had to destroy this nest of evil!
In this war for survival, there was no way for them to withdraw and escape. The orcs and humans formed the most cold-blooded of armies, killing all deserters without hesitation even if they were related.
"Hah… Am I going to die here?" Doron was breathing roughly, his powerless body feeling like lead.
However, just at the moment all of his stamina was about to be exhausted, as he was about to be drowned out by the sea of bugs, things suddenly grew bright once more. A golden light cleaved through the sea, allowing him to see the purple nest at the heart of the marshland.
Hymns began to sound in the surroundings, "Under the rays of the gods, all courageous soldiers shall be fearless…"
Doron immediately brightened up. He managed to find the wizard who'd killed Jimmy, grievously injured and fleeing into the distance. A surge of strength came out of nowhere as the power of vengeance gave him the strength to stand once more.
He stared hard at the wizard, evidently injured from a previous encounter. The man's black robes were now in tatters, traces of lightning burns left behind on his body. He didn't even have the strength to open a portal anymore, only able to crawl to the depths of the swamp.
Doron followed closely. The wizard obviously wanted to escape, and his path was already offset from the nest of the bugs.
"Stand right there, you darned bastard!" Doron threw the sword in his hands. The meticulously crafted blade formed a beautiful arc in the air as it pierced into the man's thigh.
"ARGH!" The fleeing wizard swayed, falling down into the smelly marshes.
"Got you!" Doron excitedly darted forward, finding the wizard lying in the dirt. He was bleeding profusely from the wound on his thigh, seemingly having fainted.
"For Jimmy!" Doron fumbled around the area, looking for the sword he'd thrown. He wanted to reveal the identity of this wizard.
However, the 'fainted' wizard suddenly revealed a scroll in his hands.
Acid Splash! Doron instinctively turned away to avoid death, but this burnt the entirety of his right shoulder, turning it into a mix of corroded flesh and blood.
"Shit!" The great pain caused him to punch the wizard's face without hesitation.
The black veil fell down, revealing the man's identity. The haggard face of an old man showed itself, looking extremely pale from the blood loss. His eyes seemed to be dead.
For some reason, even though he'd killed many times since the start of the Dark Ages, Doron felt a fire burning in his heart.
"WHY," he shouted as he grabbed the wizard by the collar, "WHY ARE YOU HELPING THE BUGS AGAINST HUMANITY?"
"Cough cough…" Wizards were naturally weaker than fighters. This one was even injured gravely, unable to cast any spells as he was still coughing up blood. Even a child could kill him easily right now.
The wizard looked slightly confused for a while, but after hearing Doron's questions he suddenly began to laugh. His pale face twisted with a smile, the blood causing Doron's stomach to churn.
"What are you laughing at?" Doron was full of ire, "Do you know how many people you killed? Jimmy, and all my other foster brothers. They have people back at home waiting for their return… Why? Why are you going against your own kind?"
"My own kind? Keke…"
The old wizard's smile widened, "Are you my kind? While I was still a high-ranked wizard, a whole bunch of people respected me, sang praises of me, and longed to meet me. However, after the collapse of the Weave, those ruffians… What did those ruffians whose souls should go to hell after death do?
"They took everything from me in front of my face, killing little Benji, and… and…" A hint of sorrow flashed on the wizard's face, "I no longer treated them as humans… When the shadow wizards found me, I joined immediately for the sake of my vengeance. I'd be willing to sell my soul to the devils for my revenge!
"Hehe… Now I've had those bastards enjoy the most painful and regretful deaths they ever could have. My purpose is done, kill me!"
The old wizard closed his eyes, and Doron froze in place. The wizard's face morphed into that of Holdman in his vision, bringing back memories of his manor and his family that stayed outside town.
The condemnation of the wizard caused him to remember his own actions, that night amidst the flames appearing once more before his eyes as if he was experiencing it all again.
"Oh… I! I…" The veins on the back of Doron's hands popped up, and his face began to twitch as if he was trying to weigh his options.
"Perhaps… we're all at fault. Blame this wretched world!" Doron recalled Lina, who was still waiting for his return. He gritted his teeth and picked up his sword.
"Come… Chop off my head and make this your achievement!" The wizard snickered and closed his eyes.
"Ha!" The sword dropped down on the wizard's head with all the strength Doron could muster,
However, it felt like he'd pierced into cotton, not flesh. Doron opened his eyes in shock, finding the sword in his hands stuck in mid-air as a great pressure enveloped him.
"Sorry, little guy. While I'm sympathetic of your plight, the camp does give out rewards based on merits…" A pleasant voice sounded, and Doron's vision went black…
...
"The gods… are already recovering…" Leylin's clone watched the collapse of a huge hive in the distance, a strange smile on his face.
"As for you, loser… I'm benevolent, I'll give you another chance…" A dark red lustre wrapped around the old wizard's body, causing him to cry out pitifully as a strange transformation occurred to him.
"Kukulkan, my Lord… You are the mighty Lord of Original Sin, the sole source of sin in the universe. You are the master of everything!" What had once been the old wizard knelt before Leylin, his grievous injuries long gone.
"Go…Go somewhere else…" Leylin waved his arms, and a dark red teleportation gate opened up to take the bowing monster away.
"This test failed, huh…" Leylin shook his head, gazing into the distance. A few orc avatars were lying there in wait.
"So, Gruumsh? Are you regretting the fact that you only sent one avatar here?" Leylin smiled as he gazed at the head of the orc pantheon. Even encircled by many gods he didn't look flustered.
'The gods have recovered rather quickly, and set up eternal sources of light in their divine kingdoms. They can send divine spells to their priests in the prime material plane already?' Leylin knew full well that without the help of the gods the Silverymoon Alliance and the Orc Empire couldn't destroy a nest.
"Night Serpent… Sinner that devoured the sun…" the gods condemned him in such seething fury that they could burn even the void itself as they descended to fight him.
"The battle's only begun…" Unfortunately, the avatar dissipated before Leylin's punishment arrived for him, leaving behind several enraged roars.
...
Baator.
"How is it?" Leylin was standing in front of Mother Core, watching the events in multiple locations in the prime material plane.
The few survivors in the mortal world had obtained great support, beginning to send troops to destroy the nearby hives. Priests were playing an extremely important role in this process.
"The counterattack of the gods is beginning…" Mother Core said with a sigh.
"That's normal, but the timing…" Leylin stroked his chin, "It's at just the right moment when we're planning for the support of the Magus World's World Will, unable to make any clones…"
"What are you trying to say?" Mother Core focused on the Lord of Original Sin in front of her.
"There's a traitor in our midst." Leylin turned solemn. Since Shar could become a Magus, why couldn't a Magus side with the gods?
"The power of sin in the World of Gods is telling me something. If we don't treat it seriously, the consequences will be dire…" Leylin looked at Mother Core in front of him, speaking sincerely, "I hope to call a joint conference of the Magi immediately."
-x-X-x-
Numerous powerful conscients gathered within a secret space, their powerful auras forming huge black silhouettes. There were a few new figures amongst them, containing unfathomable power.
*Rumble!* Space split apart at that moment, and the powers of the world and original sin entered the space.
"Everyone!" Leylin fashioned a form out of original sin, looking at the silhouettes around him. Every person here was a peak rank 8 existence!
"The gods have stabilised their divine kingdoms, interfering with our actions in the prime material plane. Even as the world combination project was underway, someone divulged our current situation."
"Keke.. So you're saying there's a traitor amongst us?" Another voice Leylin was familiar with sounded, carrying obvious hostility.
"Of course, Distorted Shadow. Furthermore, it could even be you!" Leylin stared fearlessly at the peak rank 8 Magus, exchanging thoughts rapidly.
"I can swear upon my truesoul that I never revealed any information about the plan…" Distorted Shadow looked coldly at Leylin. "Instead, Lord of Original Sin, why did you not devour the entire prime material plane and destroy the gods in one fell swoop? You seem quite suspicious!"
"The sun is one thing, but the prime material plane is a whole other matter. It's the foundation of the World of Gods, the base of all existence. Destroying it would be like destroying the World of Gods itself, not something a peak rank 8 can do." Mother Core stood up for her ally.
"I feel like the gods have begun their counterattack, and they definitely won't miss the opportunity. Please wait and see, everyone!" Leylin glared coldly at Distorted Shadow, his indifference causing the other party to feel apprehensive.
"All we can do right now is to speed up the two-world plan…" an existence surrounded by darkness spoke up, every word seemingly coming from a deep abyss. This was the Darkness Lord, a peak rank 8 existence from the Dark World.
"Our true bodies are currently outside the crystal sphere, and we can't easily dispatch them…" another figure spoke, radiating the green light of life. This was the ancient Tree of Life, a huge tree from the Life World that had harnessed the power of magic.
However, even as the numerous peak rank 8s were discussing the issue, a rumble sounded from the depths of the Abyss, as if to verify Leylin's words. A sort of sacred natural radiance sealed off the entire Abyss, numerous golden silhouettes walking out to the hymns of their followers.
"The gods! They're taking action with their true bodies!" Mother Core waved her hands, displaying a huge image that allowed those present to see the gods' lineup.
"Tyr, Tempus, Talos, Oghma, and Gruumsh… All of them are powerful gods, the Chaos Lord and Evil Filthy Eye are in danger!"
Leylin looked around his surroundings, unable to find the conscients of those two existences. As chaotic existences themselves, they grew intoxicated with the pleasure of plundering the Abyss and lost all interest in the outside world. They didn't realise the crisis they were in.
"Keke… It's rare for such strong existences to be willing to step out of their divine kingdoms…" The Darkness Lord sneered. "If we push the two-world plan back and move out together, at least half of them will fall."
Peak rank 8 Magi were equivalent to greater gods within the World of Gods. The difference was that their powers belonged to them alone, so in a fight outside of the divine kingdoms the Magi would definitely win. One had to agree that Darkness Lord's suggestion was enticing, causing a few Magi to stir.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" Leylin stood out at that moment, speaking coldly.
"Substantiate. Why? It's not easy to find a chance to eliminate so many powerful gods in one fell swoop…" As expected, Distorted Shadow jumped out immediately, speaking with ulterior motives.
"Haven't you all realized that the most powerful existences within God's World have yet to appear?" Leylin glanced at Distorted Shadow, his voice was full of disdain.
There were differences even amongst powerful gods. Oghma, for example, couldn't match Tempus the God of Fighting in combat.
Past rank 18, there were a few gods who were known for their combat. The four elemental gods were an example. Akadi, Grumbar, Istishia and Kossuth were all ancient gods, staying within their elemental planes of wind, earth, water, and fire respectively. They stood aloof from worldly affairs, holding secrets even most gods didn't know in their arsenal.
There were also gods like Ubtao, Silvanus, Jergal, and Chauntea. They were formidable beings, powerful enough to be the monarchs of their own worlds, second only to the Overgod himself. That these powerful gods had yet to appear in the Abyss caused Leylin to grow vigilant.
...
"Oh? You're here in your true bodies? Were you ordered to abandon your mouse holes and come to the Abyss?" Azure power had converged above what was once the Argent Palace in Azzagrat, forming a many-eyed giant with a blurred face. "Since you're here anyway, you shall become the foundation of my abyssal power…"
The Chaos Lord didn't seemed to be worried at all when facing numerous existences of the same rank. A majority of the eyes seemed to be filled with reckless insanity. The Chaos Lord didn't seem to even care as chaotic origin force sprag forth from the depths of the Abyss, mixing with dark energy as it spread around its giant leg.
"I've restricted its actions. I'll leave the rest to you…" A golden radiance was spreading from Oghma's body, shrouding the entirety of Azzagrat. Tyr and Tempus brought out their favourite divine weapons, rushing forth towards the Chaos Lord…
...
A terrifying storm swept through the Endless Maze, the constant rain forming a huge turbulent sea.
"Tsk… Why do I have to be paired with you?" The powerful God of Storms looked at the golden orc standing beside him, his face full of disdain.
"I should be the one saying that." Gruumsh gave Talos a look.
A palace suddenly surfaced within the maze, endless power forming a gigantic evil eye that released a skin-crawling roar: "ZzzzGrrgrgrrr!"
"The ancient Evil Filthy Eye, a Magus who once killed a greater god…" Gruumsh's eyes lit up as a bright red flag was drawn from his back.
"Only the orcs are the strongest fighters!" he roared, his body expanding in a moment as it clashed with the solid yellow eye.
The aftershocks of the battle caused the entire Abyss to tremble. The demons were intimidated by the formidable power, running about aimlessly as numerous archfiends ruthlessly cursed the gods. They hid within their castles, not daring to come out.
The silhouettes of two powerful archfiends emerged at the edge of the Abyss, one of them the two-brained Demogorgon and the other the King of the Undead, Orcus. Alongside Graz'zt, these were the three Abyssal Lords, the strongest of demons.
"The gods took action according to plan, but it doesn't seem to be attracting the other Magi…" Orcus frowned. If not for them meddling with the origin force of the Abyss and helping the gods, they wouldn't at all have been able to infiltrate into the Abyss so quickly, sealing the Chaos Lord and the Evil Filthy Eye where they were.
"..." The Demogorgon's two heads glanced at each other, surprisingly not arguing. "That's fine as well. The gods want to use the Abyss as the main battlefield, but the Magi weren't baited…"
"After the chaos is settled, the Abyss will still be ours…"
"It's rare for both your heads to reach an agreement. What else should I say?" Orcus' undead body laughed, the power of death mixing with an aura of chaos to fragment the surrounding space.
"Haha… That's right, the Abyss shall belong to us demons… Only we can stay here. No one can take it away, not Magi and not gods!" The Demogorgon parroted.
"Let's kill those gods afterwards!" one of the heads said suddenly.
"No! We shall dominate the Abyss first…" the other retorted, causing Orcus to suddenly shake his head. The unity of these heads seemed to be temporary. The chaos of the Demogorgon would be revealed once more as the threat passed.
'However, this is indeed a good opportunity…' A strange light flashed past Orcus' eyes.
The demons had always coveted the prime material plane and the gods. The Second Dusk would prove to be a great opportunity to attack.
As for their contract with the gods? Since when did chaotic evil have the concept of contracts? With their demonic natures, even the Styx could not hold them to their vows and stop the deaths of their enemies!
-x-X-x-
Currently, within the conference of the Magi.
"I'm afraid the Chaos Lord and Evil Filthy Eye won't be able to hold up, we need to send reinforcements!" Distorted Shadow shouted frantically, but then he felt awkward when nobody stood with him. After all, Leylin's words had made sense. It was impossible for Magi to take the risk to sacrifice themselves for others.
"If there's still some doubt in your hearts, maybe I can prove my point…" The power of original sin shot forth from Leylin's body, carrying traces of blood with black spots. This power that carried all the sins of the mortal world attracted numerous gazes; even if everyone here was a peak rank 8 some were shocked by Leylin's aura.
"The path of original sin… This power…" The ancient Tree of Life seemed to recall something.
The blood dripped down in the void, forming into the seven sins as it seemed to acquire a life of its own. The dense fog shrunk to form a few tall figures.
Leylin, the Darkness Lord, Mother Core, even Distorted Shadow… They were all imitated to perfection, including the energy waves of their truesouls! Such was the mercurial power of original sin. Even the faint auras being leaked by these rank 8 existences could be analysed and imitated.
'Identical auras…' Numerous rank 8s were surprised by the skill Leylin displayed, Mother Core most of all. 'He's grown stronger again. Even if it's only an avatar, one can see the changes in his true body as well. It's like he never met a bottleneck after reaching peak rank 8…'
She sent her tendrils out to gather information, finally getting to the crux of the matter. 'This is the influence of the Dark Ages? The negative emotions generated in the end times are the best nourishment for the Nightmare Hydra…'
Indeed, that was why Leylin engulfed the sun, bringing about the Dark Ages instead of attacking the gods. The Dark Ages benefitted him greatly, giving a thousandfold the power of sin he would've acquired during times of peace.
Massacre, death, greed, envy… All the deadly sins had come into play in the end times. They occurred often, and were intense when they did. Without anyone knowing the better, Leylin had actually seized the powers of everyone struggling in the prime material plane to increase his own power!
It was like he had an entire world's worth of zealots worshipping him, providing him with unending power. How could his strength not advance by leaps and bounds? The avatars that were more real than the originals crossed the boundaries of spacetime, containing violent energy.
"Kill the Overgod!" "Our glory cannot be tarnished!" "Reinforce the Lord of Chaos and Evil Filthy Eye!" Powerful conscients pierced through the sky, led by an avatar of original sin with the power of a peak rank 8 Magus. They descended upon the Abyss like several gigantic meteorites.
"Such vile power… As expected of the God of Massacre, more chaotic than the demons and more vile than the devils…" Both the Demogorgon and Orcus quivered at the edge of the Abyss. "The Magi are here! Inform the gods!"
….
"The truth shall verify everything!" Several existences were looking at the image displayed by Mother Core. The fake avatars had just arrived outside the Abyss, about to enter its depths.
A terrifying change occurred at that moment, green light brimming with the aura of life suddenly forming a cage of green vines that trapped the party. The flora of the world roared out, as if a primordial beast had just woken up.
"The God of the Wild, Silvanus… To think he's still alive…" Mother Core's face instantly became unsightly. Silvanus was second only to the Overgod, the number of Magi that had died at his hands not few.
"I didn't expect this… Even if his divine body had been crushed, he didn't fall completely…" The Darkness Lord sighed as well, looking at Leylin with a gaze of encouragement and gratification. Silvanus' appearance had proved him right.
"Wait for it…" Leylin actually grew even more solemn, perhaps even a little eager.
*Rumble!* *Boom!* The four elemental planes roared out, rippling with terrifying power as an endless stream of elemental power congealed to form a powerful seal.
Earth, Fire, Wind, Water! The elemental gods had shown themselves, their combined might causing the Darkness Lord to lose his voice.
The four elements formed a vast storm of origin force, instantly exterminating the avatars inside the cage. Not even a speck of dust was overlooked.
"No… These aren't true bodies, they're just avatars…" The Goddess of Air, Akadi, frowned. "They could even conceal their spiritual fluctuations from us… These Magi are even more difficult to deal with than the ancient ones…"
"That doesn't matter. It is our duty to safeguard the peace and security of the entire world," Kossuth the Lord of Fire said.
"At least we can be sure that they're not as strong as in the last war. This is good news…" A gigantic flower bloomed as the will of nature descended upon them. Having lost his true body in the Final War, Silvanus had merged his will with the nature of the world, growing even stronger in the process.
"As long as we exist, we will not allow the Magi to advance even half a step!" The power of nature guided the four elements, forming a solid seal in front of the Abyss that prevented the two Magi within from escaping. The elemental planes roared, pouring origin force into the seal continuously, their might causing the hearts of the Magi watching to palpitate.
"Goddess of Air Akadi, God of Earth Grumbar, God of Water Istishia, God of Fire Kossuth, alongside the God of the Wild Silvanus… To think these ancient existences were actually still alive…" A peak rank 8 Magus released a cry of surprise,
"Jiejie… Very well, very well! We can settle the the vengeance of previous war together now…" A few avatars from the corner sneered. They were all like Distorted Shadow, mere remnant wills sealed up by the gods. Although Leylin had set them free, their powers had dropped and they were currently recovering.
"These are five pinnacle existences even amongst the greater gods. Unless we mobilise everyone, we won't be able to break through the elemental planes…" Mother Core said, "On top of that, the two-world plan's defences will drop if we leave."
"It isn't just that," Leylin said without hurry.
No Magus would underestimate him now, thinking of him as a new entry to their ranks. It wasn't easy to confuse greater gods with an avatar, and being unable to see through his powers themselves couldn't he casually mount a sneak attack upon any of them? All guarantees were fake, might being the only truth.
"I noticed another existence as well…" Leylin waved his hands, and the dark power of original sin built a murky image. A golden light was lurking within the darkness of the Abyss, something Mother Core's probes hadn't managed to discover.
Seeing the genuine appearance of the god, Mother Core immediately stirred up. "That's the Earthmother, she's mine!"
"Eh?!" Leylin frowned for a moment, but quickly relaxed. 'Right. Mother Core has reached the limits of her path, unable to advance and comprehend the powers of spacetime. Chauntea walks the same path as well, so if she can devour the goddess to make up for her foundation she really will have a chance of advancing to rank 9…'
What was more enticing to a peak rank 8 existence than advancing to rank 9? Leylin could understand Mother Core's excitement, her future had just appeared in front of her.
"Silvanus is mine," the ancient Tree of Life followed. Its path of life perfectly fit into Silvanus' domain of nature.
"Haha… Very well, this is the boldness we should have! Even a greater god is restricted by their faith, only fit to become my prey…" Looking at this atmosphere, the Darkness Lord began laughing in excitement.
-x-X-x-
Two streaks of lightning crashed down in the Abyss, flashing with resentment and unwillingness. The world rumbled as a few powerful gods escaped the place, cutting a sorry figure as they assembled before Silvanus.
"Chaos Lord… Deserving of the name…" Tyr looked at a laceration on his chest, filled with chaos energy as it spread throughout his body.
The other gods weren't much better, Gruumsh the most worse off. More than half his body had been corroded, revealing dark brown skin. Golden blood and internal organs were sticking out of his body.
It wasn't an easy task to kill two peak rank 8 Magi, and even these five formidable gods had to pay the price.
"I've consumed a lot of divine force. I'll need to enter slumber for a while, and looking at the state of my worshippers it will take longer than normal…" Oghma frowned.
"You've worked hard…" A layer of green light enveloped the greater gods' bodies. Their divine force was suddenly replenished, their expressions recovering as the injuries on their bodies healed.
"I've gathered enough faith over the millennia to replenish your powers…" Silvanus was brimming with gentle kindness. He'd always been nice to everyone he met, the sole exception being the Magi.
"Those Magi can watch on as two of their own fall. They really are sinister and crafty…" The other gods said in indignation, trying to come up with some sort of conspiracy.
Silvanus waved, and the elemental power of the four planes instantly isolated their location. Even Mother Core couldn't peer in on further conversation.
Mother Core spoke up without hurry after the image was cut off, "I cannot sense the two in the spacetime river… They've fallen completely, their truesouls destroyed. Without the intervention of a rank 9 it will be impossible for them to revive…"
Magi gained the ability to revive from a single drop of blood at rank 6, and Magi of laws were like cockroaches that would revive swiftly as long as a trace of their will remained. However, greater gods were at the same level of power. Leylin could stop the gods from resurrecting, and so, too, could the gods stop Magi.
No small number of Magi of laws had fallen in the Final War. Thinking of that point, even Leylin felt his heart go cold.
'The ability to stop a Magus' truesoul from entering the river of spacetime… Even Kelemvor should be unable to perform such feats,' Leylin's face grew imposing, 'There's only one possibility. Jergal has appeared once more! Is the Final War already at that stage?'
Jergal was an ancient God of Death, the oldest god alive. Legends spoke of his weariness of his job that led him to create Kelemvor to assume his position, letting him enter seclusion somewhere in the Ghost World.
Even the ancient dusk of the gods hadn't aroused Jergal. Any existences harbouring ill will towards him could only die miserably, and as time passed his name had become a taboo secret. However, this renowned god had exited seclusion right now, participating in the Final War at such an early stage. The turn of events surprised Leylin.
It wasn't hard for numerous greater gods to kill two peak rank 8 Magi. However, it was far more difficult to wipe their souls from the spacetime river, something only the ancient God of Death was proficient in. Leylin felt like the coming battle would be intense, determining victory or death.
However, these were all results he had to achieve. All obstructions on his path to truth and eternity would be crushed without hesitation, regardless of identity or power. A dull glow shone out of Leylin's eyes…
Starting with the fight in the Abyss, the gods completed adjusting their divine kingdoms quickly, beginning their counterattack against the Magi. All gods, regardless of rank and power, turned out in full strength to purge the Magi from their world.
Although Magi of laws were stronger on average, the gods had the home field advantage. They didn't hold back on their divine force at all, using everything in their arsenals to take the Magi out.
With the foundation of their divine kingdoms, they were not required to worry about the problem of their backyard catching fire. With numerous peak rank 8s stuck working on the two-world project, the gods were pressing forward step by step, eliminating several Magi in succession.
The flames of war spread across the astral plane, extinguishing millions of lives.
Information from ancient times was spread despite the unreasonable ancient races, speaking of the Magi, the dusk of the gods, and the road to eternity. It deeply stunned the entire world.
The actions of the gods were quick and violent, like predators stalking their prey as they aimed at the weakest points to launch fatal strikes. With several powerful gods overseeing them, the gods took control of the prime material plane once more.
Numerous priests were dispatched to aid the remaining survivors, bringing food and superior weapons. The World WIll adapted the prime material plane to a life without the sun, making new edible plants that were similar to oats and rice. Alongside the mushrooms and seeds brought up from the Underdark, the humans were finally satisfied.
Hive after hive of the Lightkiller Bugs was destroyed, ceasing their suppression of humanity. Survivors started to build tall walled cities once more, establishing new towns as well as civilisation was rebuilt. Everything seemed to be heading for a better future…
Sadly, in the eyes of certain existences like the Magi, these actions were pitiful death throes. Numerous peak rank 8 Magi had assembled outside the World of Gods, within the boundless astral plane. Leylin was standing at their core.
"The major preparations are finally complete. The rest will be in your hands, Lord Leylin…" The truesoul of the Darkness Lord was a lump of black smoke with fiery red flames for eyes, flickering with the cycle of life as it moved.
"That's not a problem!" Leylin looked behind him.
The silhouette of an extremely massive world was sitting there, a short distance away. It possessed the glory of the Magi, releasing energy waves that Leylin was familiar with. The Magi had actually brought the Magus World here from across the astral plane!
A massive world had been moved into the path of another equally large one. This had never happened in the history of the astral plane. This was the arduous project that the majority of peak rank 8 Magi had dedicated themselves to, combining their truesouls for a long time to complete.
*Bzzt!* A unique attractive forces was generated as the two worlds drew close. Numerous laws distorted as they fused, spreading endlessly to form a network that encompassed the whole area.
'The mutual attraction of the World Origin Forces…' Leylin sighed in admiration, 'When the World of Gods and Magus World fuse completely, the hidden path of eternity will show itself… A prophecy from ancient times verified by several Magi…'
"Right… Now is the time for everything to end!" A faint light shone within Mother Core's eyes as she arrived beside Leylin, looking at the disc in his hands.
The combined efforts of many Magi had finally repaired the Manderhawke Plate, revealing several strange and disorderly patterns that formed one harmonious entity with a mysterious glow.
"It's started!" The Manderhawke Plate in Leylin's hands floated up, emitting a warm radiance at the boundary of the World of Gods and the Magus World.
"The End! Eternity!" Numerous peak rank 8 Magi roared, the power of laws gathering to the extreme to form turbulent rivers that represented their paths. All of it poured into the Manderhawke Plate.
With the support of such great amounts of energy, the Manderhawke Plate grew larger and larger. White light melted a huge portion of the crystal sphere, revealing the World of Gods within.
This wasn't like the small-scaled attack Leylin used to enter before. It was a direct, violent confrontation, aimed to destroy the crystal sphere entirely! A terrifying sound spread across several worlds, causing the gods of the World of Gods to lose their heads in fear.
"The crystal sphere! It's been shattered!" They felt an impending sense of doom. It was impossible to measure the amount of damage they would take when the crystal sphere collapsed.
-x-X-x-
In the underworld, within the palace of a certain God of Death. The person on the throne had the most ordinary of human faces, just that his eyes were full of vigour as they radiated wisdom.
The true identity of this god would definitely astonish everyone.
This was the ancient God of Death, Jergal! Even the Kelemvor had to greet him with respect, calling himself Jergal's student!
"The appearance of the Night Serpent has declared the beginning of the end…" Jergal sighed slowly, a trace of light seeming to appear within his pitch black eyes. "And it is when the end arrives that the light of eternity appears."
...
*Rumble!* The crystal sphere shattered like a honeycomb, smashing apart as numerous Magi of laws rushed forth. The two worlds trembled and roared, and in the midst of the chaos Silvanus led several strong existences to the border where both worlds met.
"Vile Magi! You will inevitably be punished by the gods, burning in raging flames for thousands, millions of years!" The four elemental gods roared, causing the elemental planes to reveal themselves as they released their powers in a torrent of energy that blocked the Magus invasion.
"The Final War cannot be avoided!" Numerous peak rank 8 Magi took action under Leylin's lead. Original sin, darkness, earth, life… All sorts of powerful paths combined in the astral plane, becoming a powerful force that pushed the fusion of the two worlds.
A massive fluctuation instantly spread throughout the World of Gods, overwhelming everything with terrifying earthquakes. The intense collision caused earth-shattering changes to every plane. Many life forms ran around lifelessly, seeing the beginning of the end.
The laws of the Magus World forcefully invaded the World of Gods, mixing with it in an intriguing change. The two biggest worlds of the astral plane complimented each other, agreeing to the fusion as they showed the path to eternity!
World of Gods, sea of origin force.
The World Crystal protecting the Overgod in the Celestial Hall shattered, causing an astonishingly strong existence to awaken with a terrifying roar.
"It's the Overgod! Their World Will awakened!" The expressions of the numerous peak rank 8 Magi tightened.
*Bang!* Almost instantly they saw a blurry figure wrapped in brilliant light appear before them, someone that represented everything in the World of Gods.
"Overgod…" the remaining gods saluted, "Please exercise your authority, and prevent the arrival of the end!"
The Overgod did indeed wish to merge with the Magus World to advance, However, that didn't mean it was willing to be devoured by the Magus World. There was a big difference in who had the dominant position, so despite being injured the Overgod chose to act without hesitation.
Leylin was a peak rank 8 Magus, only one step away from the ultimate realm of rank 9. Still, only after seeing the Overgod in person did he realise that all his supposed overestimations of rank 9 power were nothing. The power of space and time wasn't something he could comprehend.
A rank 9 used the power of their path to build a foundation with which they comprehended the laws of space and time, a realm the Overgod had clearly reached. Teleportation was sealed at the border of the two worlds, but the Overgod had appeared here instantly anyway. This clearly meant his comprehension of the laws of space and time were terrifying. A true rank 9 having revealed their hand, Leylin felt like all his speculations were just ridiculous.
The sea of origin force of the World of Gods rumbled with power, descending as it carried the power of the Celestial Hall. Space froze entirely, something even peak rank 8 Magi couldn't accurately describe.
Even many peak rank 8 Magi couldn't escape, and only those with the power of their own path could still maintain a stream of thought.
'Is this the strength of a rank 9? Existences below the peak of rank 8 don't even have the ability to think in his presence…' Leylin paid absolute attention to the Overgod, the A.I. Chip's light flickering frantically.
[Beep! Observed laws of space, attempting simulation…] The A.i. Chip recorded everything at lightspeed, trying to analyse the power of space from a rank 9 existence to build a path for Leylin to follow in the future.
However, the terror of the Overgod was only just showing itself. The invasion of the Magus World was put at a standstill with the stagnation of space, actually sealing off the Magus World itself!
Soon after, something even more terrifying happened.
"What's going on?" Leylin was stunned to see the invasion of the Magus World recede, the fused laws separating in what looked like a strange silent film in reverse…
'Just now… Why did my train of thought derail when the Overgod appeared… Unless…' Leylin focused on the A.I. Chip.
[Attempting to analyse law of space… Encountered unknown interference, analysis failed…
A portion of the power of space has been observed. Analyse?]
The unfamiliar information surfacing from the chip caused Leylin to feel cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
'Time reversal… Even an existence at my level was affected, my memories from a few moments ago erased…' An intense chill suddenly rose within Leylin's heart, 'This type of law… it can cause a peak rank 8 Magus to regress to their weakest state, before they even condense their own path… It can seal strength at the peak of rank 8!'
The terrifying laws of space and time were like the Sword of Damocles, hanging over them constantly.
'Peak rank 8s are proud of how they fused their truesouls with the river of space and time, giving themselves unlimited life.. However, the law of time can bring them back to their most vulnerable moment…' Leylin now began to understand why the Overgod and the Magus Will could lead numerous peak rank 8s without issue. Although wielding the power of spacetime wasn't exactly the same as holding the life and death of other Magi in their hands, it was essentially no different.
'The others didn't feel the time being reversed, they don't even remember!' Leylin sighed in secret. Even at the peak of original sin he could only vaguely sense this, and he'd needed the A.I. Chip to prove it.
'I can't deal with rank 9s right now… Let the other one handle it…' Leylin sneered in secret, sending out a signal.
The earth of the Magus World cracked open, revealing the seven levels of the subterranean world. The Magus Will in the darkest depths seemed to be provoked by the Overgod, awakening swiftly. Its power of spacetime finally freed the numerous peak rank 8s, allowing them to recover some of their mobility.
"Leylin! Come here quickly! The Overgod's powers exceed our imagination!" Mother Core screamed, "Hurry, activate the two-world plan!"
*Whoosh!* Leylin, Mother Core, Ignox and numerous Magi native to the Magus World gathered together.
""In my essence as a Magus, I call upon the will of magic!""
The entire Magus World rumbled, astonishing power shooting forth from its depths as the purple web around it was severed.
*Whoosh!* The two beings with the power of spacetime instantly broke through the spatial seal, descending at the point of contact.
"Magus!" "God!" With the two most formidable World Wills having come into contact, even without any words of instigation they would be unable to coexist.
Dazzling white light erupted, as the fabric of spacetime trembled. The two World Wills rammed into each other, the ripples from their combat able to instantly annihilate anyone below the peak of rank 8.
"Not good! Get out of here immediately!" Be it the Magi or the gods, everyone was a peasant in the face of this fight. They could only escape in panic when faced with this natural disaster.
The light grew brighter and brighter, able to blind even beings of laws. An explosion occurred when it could brighten no more, a raging torrent of energy sweeping across the borders of the two worlds to annihilate everything.
However, that mysterious radiance seemed to be doing something else as well, nurturing some sort of existence.
-x-X-x-
The two rank 9s were terrifyingly fast. They'd distanced themselves instantly during the explosion, patiently waiting for everything to end.
"What… is… this?" Leylin looked at the confluence of the two worlds, surprise flashing in his eyes. The merged area was devoured under his gaze, reaching a total standstill as the World of Gods and Magus World seemed to reach a perfect balance. They now looked like a dumbbell, the two worlds joined by this point of confluence.
He instantly moved to this new land. Everything here had originally been void, but a black continent had been formed after the blast.
"The laws of space and time have crystallised…" Scanning across the large continent, Leylin found that all kinds of laws had grown stable here, the earth more solid than magic alloy while the space was extremely stable. Even Breaking Dawns would find it difficult to fly here, forget breaking through space.
Leylin used the law of original sin to scan the entire continent, finding out its specific area. It was one tenth the size of the prime material plane, without the slightest hints of life in the rocky desert.
"Where did the Overgod and Magus Will go?" Leylin asked Mother Core who was beside him.
"This place is at the centre of the confluence between the two worlds, having a strange balance…" Mother Core truly was an existence that had survived the Final War. Her insight and abundant experience allowed her to make sense of the situation, "Although the Overgod suffered serious injuries with the destruction of the Weave, the fight between rank 9s exceeds the limit of my comprehension…
"Even if the Overgod is slightly weaker than the Magus WIll, I'm afraid they won't be able to determine a winner in a short period of time. They should currently be entangled in a dimension we cannot detect, leaving the task of the Final War to the beings of law…"
"You mean…" Leylin looked at the huge continent below them. Although it wasn't suitable for life, it did indeed serve well as a battlefield for beings of law.
"That's right… With the two worlds merging together, the devouring has reached a deadlock. The rest depends on the power of the beings of law…"
Mother Core pointed towards the mainland, "This is the final battlefield, a land of nirvana where the losers lose everything. If we can achieve a pivotal victory here, the Magus Will will be able to directly devour the Overgod… However, the opposite is true as well!"
"In other words," Leylin muttered, "The power of the World Wills are determined by their inhabitants. The victor of this battle here will determine final victory between the two beings of law…"
"Correct. With the two-world plan and our advantage of advancing first, we have a great advantage right now… Don't squander it!"
"I'm afraid beings of law aren't enough… We also need large amounts of cannon fodder," Leylin mused, "We need a regiment of Breaking Dawns led by an existence of laws to take out the lesser and intermediate gods…"
"Our reserves consist of all the Magi across the astral plane. We far exceed the opponent in numbers…"
"We'll gather our troops, mobilising them for war immediately…" numerous beings of law promised.
Leylin, on the other hand, was staring at the huge black continent. This would be the final battlefield, the land of the end. One could imagine how it would become a terrifying land of death in the near future.
...
On the other end of the battlefield, space trembled as numerous divine kingdoms descended. They formed a strange beehive-like structure, a sort of tight fortress. Numerous prayers sounded out as holy spirits prepared to defend the mainland. The gods had completely disregarded all notions of good and evil, fighting side by side.
Armies of elementals entered the battlefield, accompanied by demon lords led by the two Abyssal Lords. Massive demonic armies rushed forth.
"The divine kingdoms have descended, and all the races allied together… It seems like the gods are staking everything on this too…" Leylin sneered at the opponents' formation.
"The final battle is nigh… The scale of this war has already exceeded the peak of our past," Mother Core added.
"It seems so! We should begin with our arrangements too."
Numerous Magi of laws roared, the power of the fused laws allowing them to unleash their full strength without the World War Armour.
The same held true for the gods. However, such 'fairness' wasn't actually fair.
"Our determination to forge forward… Everything we've struggled to obtain from the astral plane shall be displayed here today. The glory of the Magi will shroud everything!" The Magi roared out loud, opening the channels to world after world.
The Dark World, Purgatory, Icy World… A steady stream of troops marched out of every one, their faces flooded with bloodthirst and determination. The weakest was at the Morning Star realm, equivalent to legendaries in the World of Gods. And that was the cannon fodder!
For the sake of the truth, to advance their truesouls, these Magi set off without hesitation. Terrifying war drums echoed throughout the astral plane!
A large ghastly castle revealed itself in Leylin's assigned area, as if a living snake that released bloodthirsty roars.
""Father!"" Two young Warlocks appeared within the huge hall, and Leylin looked at them with a gentle smile on his face. "I only planned to use my accumulations in Dreamscape and my avatar's divine kingdom in this Final War. I didn't think you'd insist on coming, the Ouroboros Clan was too weak to help."
Standing in front of Leylin were his two oldest sons, Syre and Daniel. Both of them had inherited his bloodline, benefitting from the power of the Nightmare Hydra. They were close to the realm of laws, just like him when he was at the peak of rank 6.
The early stages of advancement for a Warlock depended almost solely on the strength of their bloodline. In this regard, what could exceed the bloodline of the Nightmare Hydra?
"Are you aware of how dangerous the Final War is? Even Breaking Dawns are still cannon fodder here… What do your mothers have to say about this?"Leylin looked at his two oldest sons. They were already a thousand years old, having become ancestral figures of the Ouroboros Clan with children and grandchildren of their own.
"The records of the ancient war in the library described it well enough…" Syre and Daniel looked at each other for a bit, before Daniel stood up and spoke, "We told Mother and Aunt before we left…"
"You…" Leylin sighed. He could see a shadow of his past self in the eyes of his children, holding an insatiable thirst for the truth.
Furthermore, it was difficult for a Breaking Dawn Magus to advance to rank 7. Even Leylin had relied on frantically plundering Dreamscape and the World of Gods to make the leap successfully.
Even though Syre and Daniel had a head start with their bloodlines, they still needed opportunities over a long period of time to bloom. The World of Gods was a shortcut to this. As long as they managed to kill a true god and seize a portion of their godfire or divinity, they would be able to obtain comprehension in laws directly.
None of the Magi in the astral plane could resist this temptation. It was the reason why so many low-ranked Magi had joined despite the shocking casualty rate.
"I respect your choices…" Leylin looked at his sons, traces of gentleness within his eyes. "However… since you have decided on this path, you will have to be prepared to undertake the responsibility of your choices, regardless of the result…"
""Yes sir!"" their excited voices rang out. They hadn't expected things to go so smoothly…
Leylin clapped his hands once both of them left. Two Lords of Calamity walked into the hall, bowing slightly towards him.
"Follow behind them and protect their lives. I'll raise your quota for a hundred years in exchange." The Lords of Calamity were happy with that exchange, and they bowed and retreated.
"The protection of two rank 8s, that shall be it…" Leylin shook his head. These kids couldn't understand the cruelty of the Final War. Even with the Lords of Calamity protecting them they could lose their lives if they were unlucky enough to meet a greater god or someone of that ilk.
However, Leylin decided not to care about it anymore. He'd given them prior warnings and sent guards. His obligations were fulfilled.