Novel Full Chapter 1757: Floating
Chapter 1757: Floating
The fragment blazed, flashing brightly.
Then, from its center, it began to spiral, like ripples spreading across a pond. It shrank, gradually at first, then exponentially, until a radiant katana was left in its wake. It glowed so brightly, so fiercely, that even the sun seemed to dim in its presence.
Asmerion stared at the blade like he was staring at a long-lost treasure.
He’d designed Atticus’ Starkiller specially to house the power of Solvath. Right now, the fragments were complete and together, yet not whole.
They still had to expunge every spirit within them, allowing Solvath to fully awaken. But letting that happen would be the end of him. He could not withstand Solvath at full power.
He had to act now.
He reached out to the blade, smiling like a child who had found a forbidden toy. Ilyshkara’s piercing screams echoed in the background. Attimax struggled to regain control of the body, yet it was already over.
Asmerion touched the katana, and it burst apart into radiant orbs of light. They rushed toward his arms, flooding his existence with overwhelming power.
He slowly began to ascend, arms spread wide, like a deity being born.
"Yes... yes! This is it! This feeling! This power! Hahaha! Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for this?"
Even his voice had changed, sounding less like a being and more like reality itself had chosen to speak.
"Asmerion!"
"What is the meaning of this!?"
The Avatars of Order and Ruin appeared, staring with trembling eyes. Yet their faces remained expressionless, and a profoundness not of this world clung to them.
"Ah." Asmerion turned with a delighted smile. "Elysion. Vaelos. Perfect timing. You wouldn’t believe what you’re missing."
"Stop this at once!" Elysion thundered. "We were divided for a reason! Have you forgotten what happens when a Primordial carries more than their share? The longing alone should be tearing you apart! End this madness immediately!"
"...Have you finally lost your mind?" Vaelos asked coldly. "I enjoy chaos more than most. In fact, I usually encourage it. But this?" He shook his head. "This isn’t chaos. This is stupidity."
"You have no idea what happens if this succeeds. Maybe reality survives. Maybe it doesn’t. Maybe we all explode. Maybe something worse happens. The point is, nobody knows.
"Stop. Now."
Both Avatars erupted with gold and crimson light, their weapons trembling in their grips.
Yet Asmerion merely laughed.
"Listen to yourselves. You sound like frightened old men."
"We are old men, you idiot," Vaelos replied flatly.
"Hahaha!" Asmerion threw his head back. "That’s exactly why you’ll never understand! You’ve spent so long preserving the game that you’ve forgotten how to win it."
His eyes blazed with purple light.
"In case you haven’t realized it yet, I have no intention of stopping here. Order. Chaos. All of you... I’m coming for you."
Elysion’s expression finally shifted.
"You’ve gone insane."
"Probably."
Asmerion shrugged. Then he lifted a hand and gave them a casual wave.
"Anyway. Nice seeing you two again."
"Wait—"
"Hold o—"
Both Avatars dissolved into drifting ash.
Asmerion continued ascending, higher and higher into the heavens.
The war had paused. Every attack froze in place. Every weapon hung motionless in the air. Every soul became unable to move. Each and every one of them stared at the blinding purple figure rising through the sky with trembling eyes.
Somehow, they could feel it.
The end was coming.
...
Atticus floated within an endless darkness.
He remained still, eyes wide open, drifting as though he were a corpse upon a black sea. The images of his family continually flashed through his mind.
Ilyshkara. Attimax. Anastasia. Avalon. Magnus. Freya. Anorah. Ember. Aurora. Caldor. Ozeroth. Whisker. Every one of them... he had failed.
He had raged, wept, and screamed against the hopelessness of it all. Now, with everything settled, only a deep sense of shame remained.
After all his promises. All his confidence. He had left Anorah, Ozeroth, and Whisker behind in the Middle Planes, only to end up like this.
He had failed every one of them.
The tears were endless, sobs wracking his form. At the end of the day, his boundless will and talent had not been enough to carry him all the way.
There was no point to anything anymore.
The darkness suddenly cracked. Purple poured through the fractures.
"Hahaha! There he is! He’s mine!"
"The bastard’s finally cornered!"
"Kill him!"
"No, don’t kill him yet!"
"Yeah! Let me get a turn first!"
"You’re responsible for all of this, Atticus!"
"Get him!"
"Rip him apart!"
"Look at him just standing there!"
"Still acting arrogant even now, huh?"
Thousands of people surged toward him. Atticus recognized most of them. Fragment bearers. People he had killed without batting an eye. Raziel led them at the forefront.
"Hahaha! Atticus! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this?" His eyes burned with madness. "No running this time."
Atticus made no attempt to move. It was over. Any struggle was meaningless. Despite the raging crowd rushing toward him, Atticus’ heart remained strangely calm.
Perhaps he deserved this. He had slaughtered trillions because he believed it was necessary to protect his family. Yet he failed.
He had killed them for nothing.
He deserved this. To be torn apart limb from limb. To be cursed. To be spat upon.
This was the price of failure.
Atticus slowly shut his eyes as the crowd closed in. A single tear slipped down the corner of his eye as he muttered softly,
"I’m sorry..."
Moms. Dads. Everyone...
"Urg! Why can’t I come with you?"
Atticus frowned. The screams were gone. He opened his eyes. The crowd had vanished. He was no longer floating within endless darkness, but standing in the corner of a small hut.
A purple-haired elderly man knelt before a child of about ten. The boy wore a pleading expression, while the man held a warm yet unyielding smile.
"Because your place is here."
"But you always say that!" the child groaned. "Every single time! You never let me come with you. Then what’s the point of all my training?"