The divine hall trembled under the weight of Nox'zar's presence. Shadows stretched unnaturally, seeping into the cracks of reality itself. The gods stood firm, their divine auras clashing with the oppressive darkness that bled from the Shadow God's form.
Bolthalmod, the God of Order, narrowed his eyes. His form radiated power—unyielding, immovable. He was balance incarnate, yet even he felt the strain of the abyss clawing at existence.
"You do not belong here, Nox'zar," Bolthalmod stated, his voice rumbling like a storm held at bay.
A low chuckle echoed from the abyss.
"That's where you're wrong," Nox'zar mused, his ember-like eyes burning with ancient amusement. "I have always belonged… and you have merely been playing at keeping me caged."
Then, the world shattered.
Darkness exploded from the cracks in reality, twisting into writhing forms—Silhouettes, abominations of shifting void, their crimson eyes burning with hunger.
The gods reacted instantly.
Eryndor, God of War, swung his colossal blade, cleaving through the first wave of shadows. Each strike tore through the abyssal creatures, sending howling wails across the hall. But they did not die. They reformed, limbs twisting unnaturally as they surged forward again.
Selina, her silver armor gleaming in the dim light, raised her spear of wisdom, its blade pulsing with radiant energy. She thrust it forward, and golden sigils burned into the air, sealing some of the Silhouettes in place.
But Nox'zar only laughed.
"Do you see now?" His voice slithered through the battlefield, wrapping around their minds like a noose. "Your power is fleeting. Your order is a lie."
A presence surged forward. A new force.
The gods turned as the hall doors exploded inward, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the chamber. Varek stepped through the wreckage, his silhouette framed by the carnage behind him.
But he was not the same.
His body pulsed with newfound power, his aura a volatile storm of divine and abyssal energy. His eyes, once burning with mere fury, now glowed an unnatural blue, a color so sharp it seemed to pierce through the darkness itself.
The Ashen Blade pulsed in his grip.
Nox'zar's grin faltered, just for a moment.
"So," the Shadow God murmured. "You've awakened."
Varek met his gaze, unflinching.
"No more games." His voice was cold. Absolute.
Then, the battle truly began.
The Shattered One vs. The Shadow God
Varek moved first.
With a single step, the ground beneath him cratered, his speed inhuman. He was on Nox'zar in an instant, the Ashen Blade carving through the abyss. Sparks of black fire and golden fury erupted as their weapons clashed.
Nox'zar countered, his shadow tendrils twisting into serrated spikes, lunging for Varek's heart. But Varek vanished, reappearing behind him in a burst of raw power.
His form was evolving mid-battle.
Bolthalmod, watching the clash, felt something stir deep within the fabric of reality.
"This is… different," the God of Order muttered. "His power is… breaking something."
But there was no time for doubt.
Varek unleashed a strike, the Ashen Blade howling as it met Nox'zar's core.
A deafening shockwave tore through the battlefield.
The impact sent Nox'zar skidding backward, his form flickering. For the first time, he staggered.
Varek exhaled. His stance was unshaken. His power unstoppable.
Nox'zar let out a slow, twisted chuckle. Dark blood dripped from his form.
"Impressive," he admitted, his voice laced with something strange—amusement.
Then, the abyss behind him began to spiral.
Selina tensed. "He's escaping."
Eryndor gritted his teeth. "Coward."
But Bolthalmod, watching the retreating darkness, only clenched his fists.
"No... he is planning something."
The last thing they heard was Nox'zar's voice, whispering through the void.
"You have power, Shattered One. But power alone is never enough. This is only the beginning."
Then, he was gone.
And the war was far from over.