Chapter 42 — The Heavens
"Can you guys calm down and tell me why you all are being creepy?"
Cronac voiced as he took another cautious step backward.
Nobody answered immediately.
Instead, Asterix stepped forward with a strangely calm expression.
"Well, Cronac..."
"Shackles of the Dumb."
"Cyclones of Stagnation."
"Dome of Time."
"King Checkmated."
The moment the final words were spoken, the atmosphere around Cronac changed.
Asterix had stepped forward to explain, but his words had been nothing more than a distraction.
While Cronac's attention was on him, Raqual, Farat, and several lesser gods had already moved.
BOOM!
Chains erupted from the ground.
Runes appeared beneath Cronac's feet.
Cyclones formed around his body.
A massive dome descended from above.
Space itself seemed to lock into place.
Cronac's expression changed.
"What the—"
The chains wrapped around his arms and legs.
Several more restraints locked around his torso.
"You..."
His eyes widened.
"Damn it! Get me out of this!"
BOOOOOOM!
Before Cronac could finish his sentence, a tremendous booming sound echoed throughout the tower.
Everyone froze.
Cronac's attention was immediately drawn toward the projected screen.
His eyes shrank.
The image flashing across the projection made his expression change completely.
Raqual's eyes darkened.
The other gods fell silent.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Cronac slowly turned his head back toward the powers restraining him.
His expression was cold.
Very cold.
Then his eyes began changing.
The pupils disappeared.
A red glow spread through them.
It was like staring directly into molten lava.
The chains began trembling.
CRACKLE!
The sealing powers flickered.
One of the restraints began to fracture.
CRACK!
Raqual's face immediately turned pale.
"Oh shit..."
His eyes widened.
"Don't let him get freed!"
Several gods immediately reacted.
Different powers surged through the tower.
More seals appeared.
More chains formed.
The previous restrictions were reinforced by even greater powers.
The dome became thicker.
The cyclones became denser.
Time itself seemed to slow around Cronac.
But Cronac merely stared at them.
His eyes continued glowing.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Do you think this can hold me?"
His voice was deeper than before.
"Don't forget..."
The tower began trembling.
"I am the heavens."
BOOOOOOM!
An overwhelming pressure erupted from Cronac.
Several lesser gods stumbled backward.
The sealing powers began cracking again.
Then a voice echoed through the tower.
"Herh."
Raqual stepped forward.
"You forgot..."
His expression completely changed.
The playful, scheming, and jovial Raqual disappeared.
Something darker emerged from within him.
Something far more dangerous.
"...I am the earth."
ROOOOOAR!
A monstrous draconic aura erupted from Raqual.
The entire tower shook.
The walls cracked.
The floor beneath his feet shattered.
His aura spread through the tower like a storm.
Cronac's body was forcefully suppressed.
Raqual's eyes became cold.
His presence alone made the atmosphere feel suffocating.
"Raqual..."
Cronac's voice trembled with anger.
"You traitor!"
His rationality began slipping.
Bluish scales slowly appeared across his skin.
One scale.
Then another.
Then dozens.
His body began changing.
The restraints around him rattled violently.
Raqual's expression became serious.
"Farat!"
He suddenly roared.
"Get everyone out. Now!"
Farat didn't hesitate.
"Everyone, move!"
The gods began retreating.
Raqual's wings suddenly emerged from his back.
WHOOSH!
His body disappeared.
In the next instant, he appeared directly in front of Cronac.
His claws extended.
He was about to grab him—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
An explosion suddenly erupted from the projection.
Everyone froze.
The sound seemed to reach even the deepest corners of the tower.
Cronac's mind suddenly regained a little clarity.
His eyes flickered.
The madness that had begun consuming him weakened.
He gritted his teeth.
He stared at Raqual.
For a moment, hatred filled his eyes.
But then...
His expression changed.
He looked toward the projected image.
His eyes widened.
The scene before him was horrifying.
Entire mountains were collapsing.
Massive landmasses were breaking apart.
Seas were burning.
The oceans themselves were being consumed by unnatural heat.
Molecules were separating.
Matter was breaking down.
Vegetation was disappearing.
The world wasn't simply being destroyed.
It was being torn apart at its very foundation.
Cronac stared silently.
Raqual also looked toward the projection.
His expression became indifferent.
"Brother..."
Cronac didn't respond.
Raqual slowly looked toward him.
"I think you might be needed there."
Dark flames suddenly erupted around Raqual.
They wrapped around his body.
His wings disappeared into the flames.
His figure slowly faded.
Then he vanished completely into the darkness.
Cronac remained silent.
The bluish scales on his body slowly receded.
His eyes returned to normal.
He looked at the gods surrounding him.
Then toward the destroyed world on the projection.
"You all..."
His voice was low.
"...prepare yourselves for what just happened."
A bolt of lightning suddenly flashed.
BOOM!
Cronac's body transformed into lightning.
The bolt shot away.
EXPLODED WORLD
"Hmmm."
Nike slowly turned his head.
A portal had appeared several meters away from him.
The surrounding space distorted.
Nike stared at it with mild curiosity.
Then—
CRACK!
A bolt of lightning flashed through the portal.
The lightning began gathering.
A body started assembling from the electrical energy.
The form slowly became clearer.
A head.
A torso.
Arms.
Legs.
Until finally...
Cronac stood before Nike.
"Brother."
Nike stared at him.
"Hmm..."
Cronac glanced around.
The destruction surrounding them was almost unbelievable.
Nike suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine.
"Cronac..."
He hesitated.
"About this..."
Nike looked toward Cronac.
"That old man won't give me trouble, right?"
Cronac didn't immediately answer.
Nike swallowed.
There was something about the situation that made even him uneasy.
IN THE DEPTHS OF SPACE
Far away from the destroyed realm, two figures floated within the endless darkness of space.
Kronics slowly distanced himself from Ares.
He looked toward the destruction being projected through the strand of hair that had fallen off.
Then he grinned.
"Look, love."
He gestured toward the distant destruction.
"That mongrel was lucky as a rat."
His grin widened.
"See? I wasn't joking."
Ares, the pure-breed Neidan, calmly looked at the projection of Nike and Cronac standing together.
"Indeed."
She nodded.
"That is one lucky rat."
Kronics chuckled.
"Exactly."
Ares suddenly paused.
Her eyes narrowed.
"But..."
Kronics stopped smiling.
Ares slowly turned toward him.
"I think I heard you saying 'fucking brat' just moments ago."
Silence.
Kronics' expression froze.
A strange shiver ran down his spine.
His eyes slowly widened.
"..."
Ares continued staring at him.
Kronics swallowed.
For a split second, neither of them spoke.
Then Kronics slowly turned his head toward Krad and the others, who, for some reason, had disappeared from their thrones and gathered at a distance far away.
Another faint tremor passed through his body.
Ares' lips curled into a small smile.
Kronics remained silent.
His face twitched.
"Don't..."
Ares chuckled.
Kronics forced a nervous smile.
"Love..."
Ares raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?"
Kronics slowly backed away.
"Maybe we should..."
He glanced at Krad and the others again.
They were visibly holding back their laughter.
"...talk about something else."
Ares laughed.
For some reason, Kronics had a very bad feeling about what was coming next.