The battlefield had gone strangely quiet.
Amid the enormous mountain range, where the earth had been torn apart by the battle between light and darkness, Alzwalt stood alone. He no longer looked like the Alzwalt who had descended upon Kael'Ar. His body had become something far beyond an ordinary angel. He was Supreme Light.
Eight radiant wings extended behind him, each one carrying an immeasurable presence. A golden halo hovered above his head, surrounded by eight brilliant stars. His very existence seemed to illuminate the ruined mountains without effort.
Yet what caught Alzwalt's attention was not the battlefield. It was everything else.
He could hear them. The heartbeat of creatures hiding beneath the earth, the voices of people scattered across distant continents, the cries of birds flying through ruined forests, the movement of oceans, the rustling of leaves, the prayers of those who did not even know his name.
For the first time, Alzwalt could hear the voices of all living things. He closed his eyes and beneath all those voices, he heard something even greater. Music…a distant, beautiful harmony. Heaven was singing to him. Alzwalt slowly opened his eyes.
Above him, the sky began to change. A massive circular formation of clouds appeared over the planet, rotating slowly as golden light poured through its center. Then came the sound. Trumpets. One after another, their voices echoed across the heavens.
The entire battlefield trembled beneath the sound. A column of golden divine light descended from above and enveloped Alzwalt. The moment it touched him, eight figures appeared within the light.
Eight heavenly guardians. They descended from Heaven into the lower world, each one radiating a presence that caused the surrounding mountains to tremble.
Alzwalt looked toward them. None of them spoke they simply bowed because they knew. Their new sovereign had arrived. Alzwalt slowly began to rise from the ground.
His feet left the earth. There was no force pushing him upward. It was simply that Kael'Ar could no longer contain him. His existence had surpassed the limits of the lower realms.
Alzwalt looked across the battlefield one final time. His eyes moved toward the distant continent. Continent X. There, surrounded by layers of ice, rested Britanya.
Her body remained unconscious within the ice coffin that had formed around her but she was alive. Her wounds had been healed. Alzwalt watched her for several seconds. A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Rest well, Britanya."
His voice carried across the battlefield like a soft breeze. Then his gaze moved north and there he saw him. John Standing before Sinai.
John's white mask concealed his expression, but the moment he noticed Alzwalt ascending into the heavens, his head turned. Their eyes met across the enormous distance. For a moment, neither said anything. Alzwalt smiled.
"I guess this is the last time I'll be seeing you, brother."
He looked upward for a moment before continuing, "It reminds me of when I first descended after I was created. Funny how things come full circle."
His smile became slightly more melancholic.
"But I suppose all good things must come to an end."
John stared at him.
Then, after a brief silence, he answered in his usual careless manner.
"Just go and establish your dominion over Heaven. Chill out for a while. You'll be back."
John tilted his head slightly.
"Stop acting like a wuss."
Alzwalt laughed quietly. It was exactly the kind of response he had expected from John but then John became silent. For several seconds, he simply watched his brother. Finally, his voice became more serious.
"You know what it means for our Creator to win this war, right?"
Alzwalt's smile faded slightly.
"I know."
He looked down at Kael'Ar.
"Everything in history will be surpassed."
His golden eyes reflected the entire world below.
"No matter what it is. No matter how high it stands."
John remained silent. Alzwalt gave him one final smile.
Then the light surrounding him intensified. His body rose higher. Higher. Beyond the clouds, beyond the atmosphere, beyond the lower dimensions and finally Alzwalt entered the 36th dimension…Heaven.
The moment he crossed the boundary, the gates of Heaven opened and Alzwalt saw his new domain. Heaven was not simply a kingdom floating somewhere above the mortal world. It was an immense realm constructed from light itself. Floating islands stretched endlessly across the horizon.
Rivers of luminous energy flowed through the sky before pouring into an immeasurable expanse below. Massive heavenly creatures flew between the islands. Some resembled dragons. Others resembled enormous birds made entirely of light.
Angelic beings moved through the skies, their wings illuminating the realm around them and at the center of it all Alzwalt floated above Heaven. Every inhabitant stopped. One by one, they lowered themselves. Angels. Heavenly creatures. Divine warriors. Archangels. Princes and princesses. Every being within Heaven bowed before him. Their voices became one.
"We welcome the Supreme Light."
Alzwalt slowly descended. His feet touched the ground. He looked across the countless beings gathered before him.
For the first time, he understood the weight of his new position. He was no longer merely a warrior or an angel. He was now the God of Heaven- Supreme Light. Alzwalt began walking forward.
The heavenly beings remained bowed as he passed. Then something appeared before him. Light gathered in the empty space. It condensed, expanded and formed a throne. A throne made from pure Origin Light. Alzwalt stopped before it.
He looked at the throne for a moment before sitting down. He crossed one leg over the other and rested his arm against the side of the throne. The entire realm became silent. Alzwalt looked across his kingdom. Then he spoke.
"Rise."
His voice was no longer ordinary.
It contained layers upon layers of sound. Deep, thunderous and divine. The command spread throughout Heaven. Every being rose simultaneously and at that moment, Heaven accepted its new ruler.
Far below, on Kael'Ar…Sinai stood quietly before John. He glanced upward toward the place where Alzwalt had disappeared. Then he looked back at John.
"You really took your time saying goodbye."
A faint smile appeared beneath Sinai's words.
"I'm touched."
John turned his head toward him. He smiled beneath his white mask.
"You had no choice in the matter anyway…So I'm not even offended by your nonsense."
Sinai chuckled.
"Well, aren't you smart?"
He took one step forward.
"Then let me show you something interesting."
John's expression did not change. Sinai raised his right hand. Slowly, he placed his palm over his face. For the first time, John's instincts reacted.
Something was wrong. No not wrong different. Sinai's presence began disappearing. His appearance changed. His aura changed. Even the feeling of his existence changed. Then Sinai spoke a single word.
"Identity."
The world seemed to pause. His body transformed. His height settled at six feet. His clothing became a long black robe. His hair remained still as his face became completely emotionless but his eyes .. they were empty. Not blind or dark but empty.
As if there was nothing behind them. No emotion, desire, fear, hesitation..Nothing. John stared at him. For the first time in a while, genuine interest entered his mind. An incredible aura spread from Sinai. John's smile widened.
"Interesting."
His right hand moved.
A black sword suddenly manifested within it and John tightened his grip. His white mask remained perfectly still as his ocean-blue eyes began glowing through its surface. He looked directly at Sinai.
The atmosphere between them changed. Neither moved or at least neither needed to. The battlefield itself seemed to understand that something had begun. John slowly raised his sword. His voice was quiet.
"Don't regret your actions later."
And Sinai simply stared back with those empty eyes.