SHANG LEI
I watch Trivium raise Mighty Axe.
The lightning around him is deafening—a vortex of wrath and power, the weapon glowing bright like the core of a dying star.
Erebus, chained and kneeling, snarls with blood in his mouth.
Trivium growls, "This ends now."
He raises the axe.
Suddenly—the chains around Erebus explode outward, glowing with corrupt magic. A wave of black energy pulses through the city.
I stumble backward. "No…"
Erebus stands.
Unchained.
His aura now thrums with cosmic terror—every fiber of power he have... now awakened.
He lifts his fist—and blasts Trivium with raw cosmic energy.
Trivium blocks with Mighty Axe, but the force hurls him like a missile through five buildings. The axe clatters to the street.
"Trivium!" I shout.
Emma dashes forward at full speed—quaking the ground as she runs, fists vibrating like drills.
Erebus vanishes—then reappears behind her.
Boom.
He backhands her through a skyscraper.
Charlotte rises into the air, her eyes white-red, the storm roaring behind her.
She screams, "I command the skies!"
Lightning crashes.
But Erebus absorbs the strike—his chest glowing—then redirects it at her, amplified tenfold.
She screams. Falls.
Michael flames on—becoming a living inferno, his style flame-waves circling his arms.
He bursts forward with a roar. "Back off!"
Lightning streaks behind him as he launches straight at Erebus like a human missile.
But Erebus moves like a shadow.
In one smooth motion, he catches Michael mid-air—one hand around his throat, stopping him cold. Before I can blink, Erebus spins and drives Michael headfirst into the asphalt with a sickening crack. The ground shakes beneath my feet, and a spiderweb of cracks spreads across the street where Michael's skull just hit
Erebus kicks him so hard, it sends him flying through the air like a broken doll.
Boom!
Michael smashes clean through a fuel tanker, metal ripping apart, fire bursting from the impact like a dragon exhaling flames.
Moth appears giant-sized above Erebus, both hands glowing with nanotech cannons.
"Say cheese, ugly!" he shouts.
He fires.
But Erebus raises one hand and bends the light—the beam turns and fires back at John.
It blasts him from the sky.
I gasp—raise my hands, spinning a ring of mystic symbols, casting a dozen defensive spells.
I trap Erebus in a binding cube of pure dimensional energy.
"You won't win—" I say.
He glares at me—and collapses the spell with a blink.
Then he teleports to me and slams his fist into my chest.
Everything goes black for a second. I hit the wall and feel my ribs crack.
I lie there.
Bleeding. Breathing.
Watching Erebus step through our fallen team like a god among ants.
We gave him everything.
And he's still standing.
Smoke coils around my broken body as I push myself off the rubble, blood dripping from my nose, my costume torn.
Every breath slices through my ribs like a blade.
But I stand.
I have to stand.
Erebus steps over scorched concrete like a titan reborn, his footsteps cracking the ground beneath him. Dust swirls at his feet, reacting to his very presence.
"Years ago," he says, voice deep and hollow like thunder in a tomb, "I heard tales… Epic Sorcerers. Powerful. Brave. Unshaken."
He stops a few feet from me—unblinking, eyes glowing with raw malice.
"But you… you don't act like one. I see weakness. Fear. And a man leaning on others to do the fighting."
I wipe blood from my mouth and take a shaky step forward, teeth clenched.
"You think I'm vulnerable?" I say, voice hoarse but steady.
Erebus smirks darkly.
"No."
He leans in slightly.
"I know you are."
I don't respond.
I cast.
My arms whip through the air in practiced, ancient patterns — golden light flares from my wrists, circling down like rings of power. My hands slam against the cracked earth with a thunderous boom.
Golden magic erupts like lightning across the ground — swift, wild, untamed. It races toward Erebus in jagged lines, the pavement beneath him splitting and heaving like a beast shaking off sleep.
But he's faster than I expected.
He dashes sideways, his body a blur of dark motion, then leaps—his fist drawn back and glowing with immense, raw cosmic energy.
He fires mid-air.
A sphere of pure, violent purple energy screams toward me.
I swing my hands in a tight arc—shkrrrr!—a thick, reinforced mirror shield of translucent glass slams into existence between us, just in time.
BOOM!
The impact sends ripples through the shield. It absorbs the blast—then I send it flying at him like a battering ram.
He punches straight through it.
CRACK!
The glass explodes in a million shards—but Erebus doesn't stop there. He raises a hand, the shards swirling around him in a cyclone. They morph, merge, shimmer with black light… then compress into a wide, circular disk of black energy.
He hurls it at me.
It twists mid-air and morphs again — now a giant, black cheetah with glowing white eyes, jaws open wide, racing toward me on air.
I spin, chant under my breath, draw a seal in glowing gold runes, then thrust both hands forward.
A blast of ancient magic in a circular wave pulses out—
The moment it hits the beast, it shatters into a thousand floating white feathers, soft as snow.
They fall silently.
The world stills.
Erebus halts.
His eyes narrow as he watches the feathers rain across the ruins.
Then… he laughs.
"Wow. I'm impressed."
I rise into the air, glowing faintly.
"I'm just getting started."
My body pulses—then splits.
One becomes two.
Two becomes ten.
Ten becomes a hundred.
Hundreds of me surround him in a perfect magical ring—each of us moving in sync, eyes locked on the enemy.
Erebus looks around.
Unfazed. But calculating.
All of us chant at once.
Magical chains shoot forward — glowing, hissing, and ancient. They wrap around his limbs, his torso, his throat. The pavement cracks as he resists, but the chains hold.
"Now!" I shout.
A hundred mouths utter the incantation. Flame races down the chains in all directions.
The fire hits him—
WHOOMPH!
He roars as the blaze erupts across his body, engulfing him in crimson and gold.
The heat melts metal. Shakes glass loose from skyscrapers.
"ARRGHHHH!" he bellows, a scream that splits the skies.
We tighten the chains. We pour more flame.
He drops to one knee.
His eyes flicker. Hands twitch.
Then—
A shockwave rips out from him.
Purple light floods the entire circle.
BOOM!
Every chain disintegrates.
Every duplicate vanishes.
The fire dies.
Now it's just me.
Alone.
He floats above the ground now, his aura humming like a war drum.
He thrusts his left hand forward—an invisible force yanks me toward him.
I fly like a ragdoll.
His hand wraps around my throat mid-air—tight, brutal.
I gasp. Choke. Hands flail against his grip.
"Full of tricks, wizard," he growls, almost gently, like a teacher scolding a student.
With his other hand, he yanks the golden Amulet from my waist.
He studies it, then frowns.
"…And yet, you never once used your greatest weapon."
Then, with a snap of his hand—
CRUNCH.
He shatters it.
Shards fall like raindrops around us.
"This is fake."
With a grunt, Erebus hurls me.
My body cuts through the air and slams into the concrete like a comet, rolling, bouncing, finally coming to a stop amidst smoke and rubble.
I lie there. Groaning. Barely breathing.
TRIVIUM
I rocket down from the sky—fast—spinning through cloud and smoke. Wind howls past my ears. The storm answers me. Mighty Axe turns in my grip, crackling, glowing brighter with each passing second.
Then—
I crash down behind him.
One knee slams into the earth. Fist hits the ground like a war drum. Lightning erupts, snaking outward in jagged streaks. The impact sends a shockwave rippling through the street.
The ground beneath my boots cracks like glass under a hammer. Smoke wraps around my legs as I rise from the small crater I just made. Mighty Axe crackles in my hand, alive with blue lightning, humming like it senses war.
Erebus doesn't turn. Doesn't flinch. Just stands there—tall, broad, bloodied—but undefeated.
He knows I'm here.
"I thought I'd have to tear the sky open to find you," I say, voice low.
He turns slowly.
His face… it's calm.
Too calm.
"Ah," he says. "The lightning prince."
He glances at Shang Lei's body in the rubble behind him. "You're late."
"You're about to wish I never came."
I swing Mighty Axe over my shoulder, slam it into my open palm, and roar as the heavens split open.
BOOM!
Lightning crashes down—pure, white-hot fury—flooding into my veins. My eyes blaze. My skin glows with streaks of light. My armor hums with thunderous pressure.
"Last chance, Erebus. Surrender. Or burn."
He actually laughs.
"Hand over the Amulet," he says, stepping forward, eyes glowing like twin black suns. "Or die next to your precious sorcerer."
I don't answer.
I launch.
Mighty Axe arcs, tearing through the air as I fly straight at him like a missile.
He moves fast. But I'm faster.
We clash mid-air. My axe meets his arm, and the shockwave flattens a building to our right. Glass explodes. Fire whooshes out of windows.
I twist, slam my elbow into his face, then drive my axe toward his side—but he blocks it with his bare hand, glowing with dark cosmic energy.
"You'll have to do better than that."
He uppercuts me.
CRACK!
My feet leave the ground. I flip backwards, smash through a wall, tumble through a vehicle, and roll across asphalt.
I rise instantly, spitting blood.
I channel lightning again, eyes glowing white-blue. My rage fuels the storm. Thunder rips across the sky as I raise Mighty Axe with both hands.
He charges.
We collide again—brutal, fast, no wasted motion. My axe meets his fists, my lightning meets his raw cosmic power.
He throws a punch—I sidestep—slam Mighty Axe into his knee. He grunts, then grabs my head and hurls me across the city block.
I crash through three floors of a high-rise and burst out the other side, spinning mid-air.
I scream and hurl Mighty Axe—it whistles through the sky and slams straight into his chest.
BOOOOOM!!!
The explosion engulfs the street in light and force. Dust shoots a hundred feet into the air. Flames roar.
I summon Mighty Axe back.
He walks out of the blast.
Armor torn. Chest bleeding. But, still smiling.
"You've got fight," he says. "But you're still just a boy holding an axe."
He vanishes.
Reappears behind me.
Before I can turn, his fist drives into my spine—CRACK!
I collapse to my knees.
Then his foot hits my ribs—THUD!
I fly through a vehicle and land in a heap, coughing blood, bones cracked.
"You think thunder will save you?" Erebus growls as he approaches, dark energy swirling around his arms. "I've devoured gods stronger than you."
I struggle to my feet.
"Then choke on this one."
I raise my hand to the sky—lightning crashes down—not once, but seven times, striking Mighty Axe over and over.
I charge it with everything.
I rocket toward him, lightning wrapped tight around my body. The city quakes beneath us.
I swing—once. Twice. A third time. Each strike lands with a bone-cracking crunch, the axe glowing hot like a sun.
Erebus staggers.
I snarl—and drive the blade deep into his ribs.
KRRAAAKOOOOOOM!!!
A storm explodes from the axe. The street shatters. Buildings rip from their roots. The sky flashes white.
Smoke clears—
And Erebus is still standing.
His hand grips the axe, still buried in his side.
He wrenches it out—blood spilling, teeth clenched.
Then he looks at me.
Not in pain.
Just pissed off.
Erebus slams the axe into my chest—
BOOM!
The force sends me crashing through the ground like a missile. I hit hard. Everything spins.
Before I can move, he appears above me—And his fists drive into my face.
CRACK!
Then again.
THUD!
The blows come fast—relentless. Blood fills my nose and mouth.
I can't lift my arms.
One last punch crushes my chest plate where the axe hit.
I go still.
Beaten. Broken.
Then he grabs me by the neck, lifts me high.
"The Amulet." he growls, cosmic power building in both hands now—different colors of energy spinning around him like a supernova.
"I won't ask again."
I wheeze, barely conscious.
I shake my head.
He pulls his arm back, ready to deliver the killing blow.
"ENOUGH!" a voice shouts behind him.
Shang Lei.
Staggering and Alive.
He limps forward and holds something out—
The Amulet.
"Spare him," Shang says, voice heavy with pain. "You want it? Take it. Just let him live."
Erebus studies him.
Then… he drops me.
I hit the ground like a sack of stone.
He walks to Shang Lei, takes the Amulet from his outstretched hand.
Turns it in his palm.
"Smart choice."
He doesn't raise his hand.
He doesn't chant.
He just looks into the air—and a deep red portal tears open beside him, wide and glowing like an ancient wound.
Without a word, he steps through.
Gone.
The portal seals shut with a silent shhhk.
I groan. I turn my head weakly toward Shang.
"Why… why'd you do that?" I rasp.
He kneels beside me, coughing blood, wiping dust from his eyes.
"Because your life is worth more than a damn trinket," he whispers.
"I've already lost too much."
CITY OF LIGHT
EREBUS
The obsidian doors of the palace part before me, groaning with a weight older than this kingdom. My boots echo across the polished white-gold floor, my cloak trailing behind like the shadow of a storm. The air is scented with frankincense and burning cedarwood, and the torches that line the marble walls hum with ancient energy.
I ascend the steps toward the throne room—alone.
The throne is empty.
Goliath's massive crown sits beside it, resting in silence.
I narrow my eyes. "Where is he?" I mutter to myself.
A servant, robed in gray linen and gold trim, bows low and steps out from one of the side corridors. He trembles slightly under my gaze, but his voice remains firm.
"Your Majesty, King Goliath dines with his household in the eastern chamber."
I give a slow nod. "Take me to him."
The servant turns without delay and guides me through the colonnaded halls, past stained-glass murals of wars long ended and gods long dead. The scent of roasted meat and sweet wine grows stronger with every step. I can hear laughter now—low, thunderous, and full of life.
We reach the great dining room.
The servant opens the carved oak door and steps aside.
I pause on the threshold.
The chamber is bathed in golden light from chandeliers made of suspended crystal stars. A long wooden table stretches down the center of the room—massive, dark, and carved from ancient cedar, the kind prophets once used for temples. It reminds me of the tables I've read about in old scrolls—used by kings in the days of David and Solomon.
Atop the table sits a feast fit for gods:
Roasted lamb, golden-brown and glistening with honey and myrrh.
Loaves of barley bread, still steaming.
Bowls of lentils, figs, dates, and pomegranates split open like ruby treasure.
Jars of olive oil and vinegar, cheeses wrapped in fig leaves, and wine—dark, thick, and rich—poured into hammered gold goblets.
At the head of the table, King Goliath reclines, laughter shaking his great chest. His thick beard is braided with silver, his eyes alive with the fire of power. Beside him sits Angrboda, his daughter—sharp-eyed and silent, her fingers wrapped around the stem of her wine goblet. Other family members—lords, cousins, sons—sit along the table, their voices like drums in a hall of celebration.
I bow at the door, hand on my chest.
"My king," I say clearly, "I have returned. The Amulet is in my possession."
The room falls into quiet.
All eyes turn toward me.
Goliath's face lights with joy. He rises from his seat, goblet still in hand, his voice booming.
"Verily, thou hast done that which no man else could. Erebus, thou art more than conqueror! Come, sit with us and eat, for thou hast prevailed!"
I offer a small, grateful smile, but I shake my head.
"I thank thee, my liege, but I must away. Agrona and Jabez prepare for war in the mortal realm. I would stand beside them in the fire—to ensure our enemies fall."
Goliath places his goblet down and walks toward me, his heavy steps echoing in the great hall.
He rests his hands on my shoulders—his grip strong, but warm.
"Go then," he says, voice softer now. "Go, and bring back the rest of the Infinite Weapons. Let none withstand thee. And know this—thou art no longer servant to me, but brother, and beloved friend. May the heavens favor thy path."
Something shifts in my chest. For the first time in an age, I feel it: pride that is not poisoned, loyalty that is not forced.
I nod. "I won't fail you."
With a final glance at the table, at the wine, the bread, and the royal faces watching in silence, I turn and leave the room.
A soft smile touches my lips.
The storm is about to begin.