Ferax's expression had changed not because he was afraid or because he had suddenly discovered that Alzwalt was stronger than he had anticipated. It was something deeper than that. He finally understood what stood before him. Alzwalt was not merely an angel.
He was the Sole Candidate of the God of Heaven. The one who possessed the potential to ascend to the highest position within Heaven and inherit the authority of the Supreme Light and with that realization came another.
Two forces that had existed in opposition since before either of them had taken their current forms had finally found themselves standing against one another in the same war. The Supreme Light and the Abyss. They had always been opposites. One sought to create life.
The other sought to destroy it. One represented the beginning, the other represented the end and now those opposing principles had manifested through two individuals standing across from one another beneath the endless night of Kael'Ar.
Ferax stared at Alzwalt, his dark aura settling around his body like an endless shadow. A faint smile appeared on his face as he said, "It's unfortunate that some people don't believe in destiny, seeing that even before our creation, we were enemies."
Alzwalt laughed. There was no fear in his expression. No hesitation. Only the calm confidence that had remained within him throughout their battle.
"Call it what you may…" Alzwalt replied, tightening his grip around St. Alzwalt Light. His golden eyes remained fixed upon Ferax. "But this is not destiny."
His smile sharpened.
"It's just something that was left unfinished."
For a moment, neither moved. Then Ferax lowered his body. His stance changed.
"So be it…"
The darkness around him suddenly intensified.
"Alzwalt Light."
Ferax activated his Circuit.
"The Abyss — Primordial Darkness."
The shadows surrounding the battlefield began moving. They did not behave like ordinary darkness. They crawled across the ground. They spread through the broken landscape.
They climbed Ferax's legs from his feet upward, covering his body layer by layer until every part of him was consumed by darkness. The night itself seemed to answer his presence. Then Ferax disappeared.
The ground beneath him shattered from the force of his acceleration. Alzwalt's eyes narrowed. A fist suddenly appeared beside his face. Alzwalt immediately raised St. Alzwalt Light.
BOOM!
Ferax's fist struck the blade. The impact sent Alzwalt sliding backward across the ground, his shoes carving deep lines through the earth.
Ferax vanished again. A punch came from the left. Alzwalt blocked. Another came from above and he raised his sword. Another from behind and he spun and caught it. Then another and another.
Ferax had completely disappeared from Alzwalt's sight. His attacks came from impossible angles, striking from directions that should not have existed. Alzwalt's sword moved continuously. Every punch was blocked and every strike was redirected.
Every attempt to catch him was answered by the golden blade. Yet Ferax continued increasing his speed. The battlefield became filled with flashes of darkness and golden light. Alzwalt finally planted his feet.
His six golden wings spread outward.
"Enough."
Golden light erupted from his body.
"Divine Illumination."
A tremendous wave of golden energy exploded outward. The darkness covering the battlefield was immediately pushed away. The light expanded in every direction, washing across the broken mountains and shattered earth.
Ferax was forced backward.
His feet dragged across the ground as he resisted the overwhelming radiance. For the first time, the primordial darkness surrounding him recoiled but before Ferax could fully retreat Alzwalt was already standing directly in front of him. Ferax's eyes widened slightly. Alzwalt smiled. Then his leg moved.
BOOM! His kick struck Ferax and launched him across the battlefield.
Ferax tore through the air and crashed through one mountain then another. Both mountains collapsed beneath the impact. Alzwalt immediately took to the sky. His six golden wings spread behind him as he ascended into the endless night.
He raised his left palm toward the heavens.
"Revelations."
The sky opened. Clouds and darkness parted as divine light descended from beyond the heavens. A massive golden sword appeared within the opening.
It was enormous.
Its blade stretched across the sky, radiating an overwhelming celestial presence. Then it descended. The giant sword fell directly toward Ferax. The landscape beneath it vanished beneath the radiance. Ferax looked upward. He raised both hands. The golden blade descended.
BOOOOOOM!
Ferax caught the tip of the giant sword with both hands. The impact forced his feet into the ground. The earth beneath him cracked outward for miles. Ferax's arms trembled beneath the pressure as the enormous blade continued pushing downward. Yet he smiled.
"Abyssal Gate."
Darkness appeared behind him. A massive black portal opened. The golden sword descended into it. Its blade crossed the threshold and vanished. The heavens fell silent. Alzwalt looked down.
Ferax slowly straightened himself. Then Alzwalt disappeared. He descended from the sky at incredible speed. Ferax pushed himself from the ground at the same time. The two became projectiles. Golden light and primordial darkness collided in the sky.
BOOM!
The shockwave tore through the surrounding landscape. Ferax manifested a sword within his hand. The weapon was completely obsidian black. Its presence felt ancient. Its blade seemed to absorb the light around it.
He called it…Dark Lord. Ferax swung and Alzwalt met the attack with St. Alzwalt Light. Their swords collided. The sound echoed across the continent. They exchanged strikes in the air.
Golden and black blades crossed again and again, each impact releasing shockwaves that fractured the landscape beneath them. Mountains cracked. Rock formations collapsed. The earth beneath them began breaking apart. Another clash sent a massive shockwave outward.
Several mountains simply disappeared beneath the force. Alzwalt was pushed forward by the momentum. He recovered instantly but Ferax was already gone. A dark presence appeared behind him.
"Dark Sun."
Alzwalt turned. A giant black sun had appeared within the night sky. It was enormous, its darkness swallowing the surrounding stars.
Ferax extended his hand. The Dark Sun moved. Then he threw it. The enormous sphere of primordial darkness descended toward Alzwalt. His expression remained calm.
He raised St. Alzwalt Light.
"Divine Sword."
Golden divine fire erupted across the blade. Alzwalt swung upward. A massive wave of golden flames erupted from the sword and collided directly with the Dark Sun.
For a moment.. nothing happened. The two forces pushed against one another. Divine fire against primordial darkness. Creation against destruction, Supreme Light against the Abyss. Then the collision intensified.
BOOOOOOOOOOM! The battlefield disappeared beneath the explosion.
The shockwave expanded across the continent. Mountains were destroyed. The ground split. The remaining landscape was swallowed by the force of the clash. The ocean itself was disturbed. Massive waves surged toward the land.
Water flooded across the shattered terrain, filling the cracks and broken valleys created by their battle. The night sky remained illuminated by the clash between gold and black. Eventually, the two forces separated. Silence returned.
For several seconds, nothing moved. Then the water rippled. Alzwalt stood upon the surface of the ocean. His six golden wings were spread outward behind him. His golden hair flowed freely in the wind.
St. Alzwalt Light remained in his hand, its blade still radiating divine light. Across from him, high within the night sky, Ferax floated above the flooded battlefield. Darkness surrounded his body. His eyes remained fixed upon Alzwalt.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
"Let's end this, shall we…"
The darkness surrounding Ferax suddenly exploded outward.
"Circuit Embodiment — Primordial Darkness."
The night itself seemed to deepen.
Six enormous black wings spread from Ferax's back. His eyes became completely black, their pupils forming narrow slits. His presence changed. It became heavier…Almost majestic and for the first time since their battle began, Alzwalt's expression became completely serious.