1182 - 1191

Devouring

The path of Magi was a path of truth, each and every step wrought with peril. Many, many worlds of all sizes and powers existed in the astral plane, but few could climb to the peak. A peak rank 8 had reached the limit of all aspects, leaving no more room to grow.

The only way to advance further was to use their own bodies to nurture the power of spacetime, successfully advancing to become rank 9 Grand Magi. Fail and one would be wiped from the sands of time completely, without even a chance to resurrect.

"My path shall not stop at the peak of rank 8. I WILL become a rank 9 Magus, an immortal being that transcends all existence!" Leylin's giant figure shrunk back down to the size of a normal human being. The dark mist turned into a regal robe that draped itself around him.

"The Lord of Original Sin!" Everyone congratulated Leylin upon his return. His advancement caused waves of energy to ripple throughout the astral plane, his proclamation as the Lord of Original Sin being heard by every being of laws. There was no pretense in the congratulations of Mother Core and the rest, only containing respect for truth and improvement.

"You've waited long enough," Leylin said with an apologetic face, seeing the suppressed killing intent in the Lords of Calamity, "But now, we may rejoice. The real battle is about to begin!"

Leylin had promised Mother Core that he would participate in the Final War once he advanced to the peak of rank 8. Now was the time to fulfill that promise!

*Boom!* The perfect power of original sin spread out from Leylin's arms, turning into a crimson-veined darkness.

The Lords of Calamity avoided his gaze with fervour. Seeing Leylin seemed to remind them of their worst nightmares. The same went even for Mother Core, her large eye shifting away as she didn't dare to make eye contact.

"Innate spell— Nine-Headed Nightmare Hydra Transformation!" Leylin's body was wrapped up by the power of original sin, expanding as it morphed into the physical form of the Nightmare Hydra. As the primogenitor of the entire bloodline, each piece of his flesh was incomparably real.

*Hiss!* The Nightmare hydra spread apart its nine pairs of wings, blotting out the entire world as it vanished from the divine kingdom. The black mist whizzed through the air, roaming freely around the lower planes as he reached the Barrens of Doom and Despair.

Leylin followed the oozing river, flying across the Fugue Plane before the gods could even react. He'd reached the end of the Barrens of Doom and Despair in an instant, arriving at a large door located at the Peaks of Flame.

The Nightmare Hydra roared as its nine serpent heads spat out the powers of laws, immediately blasting the large gate into bits. It continued moving all the while, not even stopping at the entrance.

...

The gods entered a frenzy the moment the Nightmare Hydra crossed the gates. It was like a calamity had befell them.

"It's the nightmare of the gods! The Night Serpent is here!" Many avatars arrived at the Celestial Hall, their eyes filled with worry.

"The final prophecy of the Goddess of Prophecy before her fall, the Serpent of the End… Are we at the end times?" Oghma clutched his beard in vexation.

"Forget why he knows about the secret in the Barrens of Doom and Despair, do we have the time to get there?" The Morninglord was someone who believed in action.

"No… That area is the end of all things. Teleporting there is impossible even for deities, and it's the same for the oozing river and the Fugue Plane…" another greater god answered.

"Then why could he traverse those lands so quickly?" Lathander frowned, and Tyr did as well.

"Because his speed already surpasses all of us. He represents the end of everything, containing the same essence as the Barrens of Doom and Despair. He won't be suppressed by the oozing river and the Fugue Plane…" Oghma collapsed to the ground in despair. "We can only hope that the final guardian will emerge victorious…"

All the gods cast their gazes behind the door, despair and more complicated emotions filling their faces.

...

*Boom!* Past the door was a land of unimaginable heat and blazing fires. A boundless ball of fire floated in front of Leylin, radiating large amounts of heat.

"The sun…" The Nightmare Hydra roared in indignation, activating the power of Prideguard. The heat that could melt all metals didn't affect Leylin one bit.

"Let's follow the prophecies of the gods then, and end the world!" The Nightmare Hydra roared and moved forward.

"Wait, Magus!" Just as Leylin was about to take action, another massive figure walked through the door and stopped him in his tracks.

This was evidently a god, yet he took on the figure of a beast like a gigantic monster. The golden light radiating from his body was at the peak of power, and he gave off an ancient, archaic aura.

"The Father of Dinosaurs, Creator of Chult, Ubtao! You've been missing for millennia from the Church of Nature… So this is where you were all this while…" Leylin's voice sounded from the hydra's central head.

"To stop the Serpent of the End and protect the world is my calling!" Even if this monstrous god looked extremely malevolent, he actually radiated the power of justice and hope.

"Guarding the sun and protecting the world may be righteous to you, I admit. But… Defeating the entire World of Gods and winning the war for the Magi is true righteousness for me…" Leylin had nothing much to say to someone who stood on the enemy side.

*HISS!* *ROAR!* Two massive figures collided in the void, the aftermath of their collision so strong even the sun had to avoid the energy.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!* Space was destroyed in their fight, disintegrating into the tiniest of pieces as multiple worlds rumbled and roared. They hadn't felt such destructive force since the dusk of the gods.

"You are indeed a powerful god of ancient times, but your time is over. You can't compare to me in any aspect, Ubtao…" The Nightmare Hydra roared, and under Leylin's powers of original sin Ubtao's body was riddled with holes. The peak of a path's power, replenished continuously from the beings of the entire astral plane, let Leylin exceed the peak of rank 8 in power. Even Distorted Shadow in his prime would have to give way to him!

"Protecting the world is the mission the overgod gave me." The powerful beast roared out, a raging aura forming at its jaws.

"Stubborn…" The Nightmare Hydra opened its jaws, chomping down hard on Ubtao. A crimson light appeared from the vertical pupil, entering Ubtao's head.

"Ubtao!" The fortified defences of Ubtao's soul were corroded away just like that, and Leylin appeared in front of him with Seven SIns in hand.

Leylin roared out, swinging a large battle axe down on Ubtao's truesoul. A forthright middle-aged man parried the attack, using a dinosaur claw that looked like a crossblade.

"Wrath!" Leylin shouted just one word in the moment of the collision. The head of wrath appeared behind him, causing Ubtao to lose his concentration. Although his soul could not be corrupted by Leylin, a momentary lapse of awareness was a fatal mistake in such a high-level fight.

*Boom!* Seven Sins broke the dinosaur claw apart, continuing downwards as it pierced into Ubtao's skull. It carried the powers of Death and Massacre, destroying everything.

*Boom! Boom!* Ubtao's truesoul was destroyed, followed by his body constructed with divine force. An ancient god fell just like that, causing multiple worlds to weep.

"No one, no thing can stop me!" The Nightmare Hydra howled out, heading above the sun.

The sun of the World of Gods was quite different from the other stars of the astral plane. It was extremely large and hot, almost as big as a world! It was projected into multiple different planes, providing a continuous stream of energy to the Celestial Planes and the prime material plane.

It was at this moment that a dark shadow appeared above it.

"Innate spell— World Devouring!" The Nightmare Hydra body grew incomparably large, and its nine heads formed into one huge maw, hissing as a terrifying stormy black hole appeared at the Devouring Serpent's head. Heat could not escape, nor could small particles, not even light could escape this!

The black hole grew larger and larger, growing into the maw of a beast that swallowed the entire sun whole!

*Boom!* Beings of multiple worlds saw a horrifying scene— A winged serpent which covered the skies had gulped the sun down!

Lightkiller Bugs

The sun of the World of Gods represented the law of light, being the source of energy for most secondary planes. The prime material plane, the various outer planes, even the divine kingdoms of the gods had grown accustomed to harnessing its energy, making it a natural condition for many things to grow.

Such things were normally taken for granted. Only when it was lost would one experience true horror! Multiple worlds entered darkness when Leylin devoured the sun, causing many beings to weep and wail. They all prayed to the gods, but to no avail.

Lathander's face grew ashen in the Celestial Hall. He was the Morninglord, someone closely connected to the sun's glory. With the sun devoured, he suffered heavy injuries.

*Crash!* His pedestal shattered immediately as he fell down the ranks. He'd become a lesser god in an instant, about to fall if not for several other greater gods helping him.

"Argh… My sun! Dendar!" He roared in rage once his divine force stabilised, his expression contorting.

However, several evil gods looked at him in a different manner. The Morninglord was someone at odds with evil, and he offended them regularly. If not for the Magus infiltration uniting them all, they would definitely have attacked and killed him right away.

*Boom!* Multiple explosions sounded out in the Celestial Hall, as all the gods of the sun and light fell from grace. Lathander was actually lucky, several intermediate and lesser gods had just died immediately! It was like when the moon exploded, their fates extremely pitiable.

The gods in the Celestial Hall blanked out, unable to recover from the shock.

"Not good!" Oghma exclaimed, "Our plans to migrate our worshippers to our divine kingdoms… Even if we can create light and heat inside our divine kingdoms, we won't be able to fulfill the requirements… Our gates were built on the sun's energy, they'll need to be rebuilt!"

Divine kingdoms were supported by faith, but they also used several other energy sources as well. The sun was chief amongst them. Gods were extremely stingy beings, so they'd rather use convenient things like the sun and the Weave to reduce their consumption of divine force when they constructed their divine kingdoms.

With the ability to warp reality, gods could indeed create small suns in their divine kingdoms. However, this would consume divine force, a precious resource that came from the faith of their worshippers!

The prime material plane was wrought with disaster, and the Weave had been destroyed. The gods would have to struggle if they couldn't expend their resources at times like these, but Oghma had discovered that they were at a deadlock. They needed worshippers to win this war, but now they needed the power of faith to move their worshippers into their divine kingdoms… They didn't have the resources right now to do so, which meant their worshippers would dwindle as the prime material plane was wracked by disaster.

This vicious cycle was the root of Leylin's strategy, striking at the foundation of the gods and shattering it. His own divine kingdom was in Baator, and in the worst case he could just turn all his worshippers into devils. The worst that could happen was the loss of a puppet controlled by the A.I. Chip. On the other hand, the gods would have to give their very lives up!

...

Doron sat paralysed on the ground within the prime material plane, unable to bother about the belongings that meant the world to him. He was staring up at the sky, his mouth wide open.

What had he just seen? Nine heads had suddenly appeared in the sky, merging into one and swallowing the sun! And then?

Darkness! Darkness enveloped the world, causing him to strain his eyes to see anything at all. He almost felt like he was dreaming.

The camp had descended into chaos. Wailing and weeping resounded throughout the city, the end of the world that the priests had warned them off had actually arrived! The innate fear that caused was enough for a person to suffer a mental breakdown!

"Don't panic, be still!" Holy light radiated from the priests' hands, barely illuminating their surroundings. Doron saw only fear on the faces of the others, some of them scared silly. The sun being swallowed was like the skies collapsing!

"Check the teleportation gate!" the bishop ordered.

The priests went up quickly, but after several failed attempts they reported back helplessly, "Not good… The door to the divine kingdom has been destroyed. The Lord's divine kingdom has shifted as well, so we'll need to relocate."

"Then what are you waiting for?!" The bishop frowned, but very soon his expression changed again.

"The Lord has sent a decree! Stop all plans to shift the worshippers…" Fear shrouded the bishop's face as he spoke of the holy decree word by word.

"What?" The priests were shaken. All along they'd believed that the Lord's divine kingdom would save them even if the prime material plane lost the sun and headed for doom. However, the plans had been halted. It was like they'd been kicked off the ark that was supposed to shelter them from the apocalypse!

The news wasn't kept secret, spreading very quickly. The refugees quickly began to howl and clamour, with even the paladins and knights unable to maintain order anymore. They themselves could no longer determine their own future and fate! There were even some who joined the ranks of the refugees in their outburst.

"Everyone, quiet! We…" The bishop saw things go south, but it was already too late to fix the situation. The clamour grew louder and louder, eventually becoming a violent mob. Doron was caught up as well.

A wave of rioters surged forth, stomping, kicking, and cursing incessantly. Many were trampled to death under the stampede, grabbing the priests and night in despair as they used any and every weapon available to them to vent their resentment and despair. Some officials were even torn to shreds.

The mob finally lit a large fire, tossing everyone who couldn't escape inside it. The priests and knights were gobbled up by the fire as the rioters watched their struggles in happiness.

*Buzz!* Doron was at the outer perimeter of the rioters, still managing to maintain his rationality. It was at this moment that his ears picked up a large buzzing noise.

"Strange, what's that?" He raised his head, seeing a giant green bee in front of him. It opened its mouth, letting more bugs fall down.

"Argh!" The rioter closest to the fire had his face pierced by the vile bugs, each the size of a human head. Their sharp stings immediately pierced through his skin, causing him to leak blood profusely as he screamed in agony.

The wailing suddenly stopped. The bug had already pierced through his brain.

"Argh… Monster! MONSTER!" Screams resounded as everyone beat a retreat, clearing up the area quickly. Adventurers and soldiers moved forward, attacking the bodies of these bugs with sharp swords.

A corrosive green substance fell to the ground as the bugs died, but the few kills had no impact whatsoever. The bugs began to blot out the skies, with hundreds of thousands, even millions of them descending upon the prime material plane. Several Professionals were killed in a short time.

The buzzing continued to grow louder, coupling with the screams to form a sort of living hell.

"It's fire! They were attracted by the fire!" Doron's outstanding observational abilities led him to discover that there were more bugs gathered around the fire. He screamed out his discovery, dropping the torch in his hands as he ran into the darkness.

...

"Your Excellency Leylin, what do you think of this batch of Lightkiller Bugs?" A giant colony of hives had been erected within the marshlands of the prime material plane, giant green bugs swarming out from the hives.

Leylin was alongside Mother Core, looking at these bugs that blotted out the sky, destroying everything in their paths.

"This is a lower bound of the colony's strength. Once enough flesh and souls are harvested, it will evolve to produce stronger and stronger units comparable to Morning Stars and even Breaking Dawns… The strongest broodmothers could even become beings of law!" Mother Core seemed to be flaunting to Leylin.

"There's already forty different hives here. Our final target is to have them kill all the humans in the prime material plane…" she said indifferently. Even billions of lives were of no concern to an existence on her level.

"I really do have to thank you for your help." Mother Core was thankful for Leylin devouring the sun. Her innate speed couldn't let her enter the Barrens of Doom and Despair as fast or as easily as Leylin could from the Fugue Plane, so she'd only been able to watch on as Leylin completed the task.

"With you devouring the sun, our preparations are now complete…" Mother Core's massive figure appeared, and a killing intent emanated from her body. "In this Final War, we must destroy the glory of the gods!"

Darkness

Darkness! Many worlds had been thrust into a sudden darkness.

The sun in the World of Gods was the core of many planes, and it was undoubtedly essential to the growth of many beings. Days after Leylin devoured it temperatures had plummeted down to 0 degrees in the various planes. The frigid cold seeped through the worlds, affecting the prime material plane greatest of all.

Without the radiance of the sun, life had entered a standstill. The gods lost a powerful source of energy, and were rendered unable to bring more worshippers into their divine kingdom. The survivors of the prime material plane would come to call this period the Dark Ages, a time ruled by death and solitude, famine and plague, a generation where all hope was lost.

Three days after the sun was devoured the prime material plane had turned into an icy hell. Large areas of growth withered within the month, dying without sunlight to nurture them. All food supplies were depleted by the year, as famine struck the world.

However, even the weakest and smallest of lives were astonishingly resilient. The creatures of the prime material plane were like cockroaches in the darkness, eking out an existence even as civilisation was replaced by savagery. Even the beloved humans turned into barbarians.

Year 5 of the Dark Ages, where Faulen Island had been located in the past.

A portal opened up from Baator, and Leylin's figure stepped out. Although this was just a clone, the might of a being of law was still enough to shake the lands.

"It's already become like this?" His mind scanned his family's lands in but a moment. The pearl of the south was now filled with death, the grey limestone walls dusty and about to break. Skeletons littered the ground, with absolutely no traces of human life in the vicinity. Even other creatures were few and far between.

*Chirp!* Several black figures scrambled out of a pile of bones, blinking their large green eyes. Their pupils were like two jade flames in the darkness as they looked around and hurriedly left the area.

"Rats?" Leylin expressed kindness and gentility to such weak creatures that would never be able to harm him. If not, a tiny bit of his Magus radiation would kill all life here.

"Adaptation to the environment is necessary, huh?" Leylin recorded the figures of those rats in his A.I. Chip. They were ten times as large as they were before the Dark Ages, the fur changing colour from black to more grey as it grew thicker to keep them warm.

"The mutation is too fast… just a few years. Is this happening under the influence of the laws in the world? The Overgod is still unwilling to see the prime material plane perish just like that…" Leylin sighed.

Evolution normally required tens or even hundreds of thousands of years, determined by the natural environment of the creature. However, even though it was sleeping, the World Will could bring about such changes much faster, giving the inhabitants of the world a chance to adapt to their surroundings. As the rats scurried away, the change was now more evident than before.

"So the animals had their genetics adjusted to the environment… But the humans seem to be a little bit slower…" The island told Leylin enough to extrapolate to the current situation of the world. "The gods are paying more attention, it seems like they still want to migrate their worshippers…"

Leylin's motive of devouring the sun wasn't just to destroy the prime material plane. The World of Gods had a unique system of laws to it, in which the sun had played an extremely important part. Its loss was like a building losing its foundation, causing many mysterious changes like the shift of spacetime coordinates.

This affected the divine kingdoms as well. The gods fumbled to find the new coordinates of their divine kingdoms, unable to attend to the changes in the prime material plane. It had taken them years to regain their bearing, stabilising their own camps in the prime material plane before beginning to launch a counterattack.

Leylin's clone came to the prime material plane under such circumstances, exploring the changes caused by the Dark Ages and the influence of the gods on the land.

"Desolate… Incomparably desolate…" The clone retracted all the radiance of its aura, looking just like a regular wizard as he made his way towards the continent.

Even the depths of the ocean had few creatures now. Even as the perpetrator, Leylin released a sigh as he saw these circumstances. Of course, there was a limit to his sympathy, it wasn't like he'd make a different decision if the events played out the same way. The only good gods to the Magi were those who'd fallen, so they would take all measures to weaken their opponents.

...

The disorderly survivors in the mainland were unaware of the events in the southern seas, and even if they did they wouldn't care one bit. Right now, they'd already grown completely numb to everything.

Surviving and fighting were their only concerns, civilisation forgotten as savagery took its place. The glory of the prime material plane was gone in a mere few years, onle leaving behind zombies in its wake.

"I'm going out!" Doron gripped the jacket and leather armour on his body. The dirty leather gave off a putrid stench, filled with traces of blood. However, despite the number of patches on it, he hugged his buffed jacket tightly, giving him a bit of warmth in the frigid cold.

"Come back safely!" a voice sounded from the short room behind him, a pair of beautiful eyes in the doorway. The eyes seemed to fill his body with vigour and strength, making him forget all regrets as he left the hut and strode forward.

The icy winds whistled, the walls of the city encased in a layer of ice that caused Doron's memories to switch to his warm hut. However, the hunger he felt right now reminded him of something; it wasn't just himself, the lady waiting for him back home would die of hunger if he couldn't find anything.

"Damn it!" Doron cursed, clenching the only valuable item he owned, a gleaming sword, and walking forward.

He'd been living this life ever since the Dark Ages, thinking many times that this was only a nightmare. However, this nightmare was so long it caused him to weep.

He'd only found the secret of the bugs by chance back in that camp, being able to escape because he was at the edge of the mob. He'd conveniently helped himself to a dead paladin's sword then, the same sword that was now his treasure.

However, all of his luck had been used up in his escape. There was still plenty of food. Even if crops couldn't be grown anymore, they already had abundant harvests. He'd roamed through an empty village, using its resources to feed himself for over a month.

However, those days did not last. Food ran out, plague spread once more, and the bugs stole the lives of the people. He tried to join several mercenary groups, but he couldn't last for more than a month. Either the plague or the hunger took them every time, leaving him alone behind. The bugs had gotten smarter as well, attacking the humans in groups.

What terrified him was that those green Lightkiller Bugs were the lowest life forms of the beasts. Their strength had grown continuously over the years, and Doron had met one the height of a two-storey building already. It seemed like a massive red bug that crunched a paladin in one of his parties into two pieces. Several close shaves with death later, Doron had settled himself in this area.

He looked around once more in caution. This place was a normal gathering point, seeming like an extremely large refugee camp, but there were specialities to it. The walls were extremely thick, and windows were small or nonexistent. Spears were laid around the circumference, making it look like a small fortress.

After the survivors had escaped from the first onslaught of the bugs, they had depended on these defences. Some of the huts even had bloodstains of the bugs on their roofs.

A distant warhorn sounded at this moment, and more warriors walked out of their rooms and converged into a large army. The atmosphere grew stifling, and all that could be heard was the cries of the women.

Survival

Doron surveyed his surroundings.

There were many hardened soldiers here, determination written on their faces. These armoured troops merged into a main group as they walked along the streets, forming a powerful black current.

The soldiers varied in age, from those just in their teens to old white-haired men. There were even some muscular women amongst their ranks. Although this made them look extremely disorderly, that was suppressed by their unique auras. The struggle of the Dark Ages had awakened the cold nature in them that allowed them to survive countless life and death situations.

They shared spaces with the bugs and the beasts to eke out a living, struggling no matter where they were. The people from before these times would not be able to comprehend their thought process. Even a former carpenter like Doron was confident he could kill one of the town guards of his old village head on now.

'I have to return, I have to. For Lina!' Doron made up his resolve as he opened a large metal gate. Thinking of the figure waiting for him at home, he felt rejuvenated as he moved out.

Although he didn't know why he'd been soft enough to save her back then, Doron had found a partner who could understand him and whom he depended on as well. Their relationship was what lasted him through countless encounters that would have killed him, even doctors saying he was a man who'd climbed out of his grave.

'I don't know whether I'll live to tomorrow, but the next time… I'm asking for her hand…' he rubbed his chest, exhaling a cold breath.

"Doron!" A powerful yet skinny black hand clapped on Doron's shoulder, the impact almost causing him to fall to the ground. Doron turned around, elation in his expression.

"Big Brother Jimmy!" The person who'd patted him was a tall lanky youth. He had a cow-horn helmet, carrying a large battle axe by his side. Even if the blade was chipped, the sheer weight of this hundred pound weapon would cause others to flinch.

There were several other warriors beside him, forming a small party. Jimmy seemed to be held in high regard amongst them.

"Haha, kiddo. I knew the Lightkiller Bug acid wouldn't kill you…" Jimmy seemed extremely excited as handed a leather pouch to Doron, "Come, have a drink!"

"Ooh…" Doron salivated, taking a careful sip after he heard several gulps around him. A powerful sour and spicy taste ran down his throat to his stomach, causing him to feel much warmer than before.

"Strong wine!" the warriors around him said in envy. Any strong wines went for sky-high prices in these times. A wine pouch was akin to a second life in the frigid wilderness.

Many members of the party looked at Doron strangely, but eventually turned away after he handed the pouch back to Jimmy.

Who were they kidding? The Skullcrusher's name resounded throughout the region. Even if Jimmy looked like a pole, the battle axe in his hands had already smashed in the heads of several people larger than him.

Sometimes, survivors were more dangerous than the bugs. Just for a small bag of wheat, clean water, or even a piece of jerky, two people would fight to the death. Doron himself had encountered this scenario many times.

However, because of this, he had a good impression on Jimmy's generosity. Being able to retain some of his principles and kindness at times like this was really rare.

Even if Jimmy had wished to make use of him, there was nothing wrong with it. After all, such charisma and sincerity was rare even amongst leaders. If Jimmy wanted to use him, that meant that he had a certain value, did it not?

Doron clenched onto the fine metal sword in his hands.

"Haha… How is it? Are you still joining us for the mission this time?" Jimmy rubbed his bald head, his blue eyes shimmering with sincerity.

"No… I need supplies to tide through the cold this time. I also need to get medicine or healing scrolls, Lina's caught a cold recently and I'm rather worried…"

Doron's face turned red. Even Jimmy's party would have to sacrifice lives to get everything he needed.

"If it's like that…" Jimmy rubbed his chin.

"So I'll be going solo this time…" Doron said after some hesitation.

Jimmy grabbed his shoulders and guffawed, "I never thought that our little Doron would turn into a big man… Hahah… Very well! You can take an additional set from my spoils!"

"Th…Thank you, Big Brother Jimmy!" Doron was extremely moved, and tears almost streamed down both his cheeks.

"Don't be this wishy washy like a woman. Hurry and follow!" Jimmy hoisted his battle axe and walked out of the fortress doors.

This fortress had tall towers in the outermost areas, the central regions being fortified as well. Even if the outer portions were breached they could fall back and tighten the perimeter. The leader was at the centre, alongside the army and the Professionals. Classism had persisted into the dark ages.

Someone like Doron could only squeeze his family into the outermost unprotected regions. They were in the most danger from the beast horde, surviving the greatest casualties. This was why their homes were built like small forts.

Doron's greatest wish other than marrying Lina was to bring her to the core of the fort. Rumour had it that there were powerful spellcasters guarding the area, making it the safest place in the mainland. Each and every family had the provision of red wine and bread. Even before the Dark Ages, this was something that Doron had yearned for.

'However… The wizards, haven't they already lost their abilities to cast magic?' After all, he was still marred with guilt about the events in Old Holdman's villa.

Still, the fortress relied on magic to repel the bugs and survive, so there was no need to question its existence. Doron looked towards the outermost fortress walls.

A sturdy granite tower was present there, with traces of blood and internal fluids of the bugs. Each platform had a small black cannon perched atop it.

Bright runes glowed inside the cannon shafts, reassuring the people who saw them. This wasn't the first time Doron was looking at these cannons that reaped lives in every bug attack. Even powerful red worms abhorred them.

*Rumble!* A powerful mechanism was unlocked, drawing down the bridge as a large troop of cavalry wearing exquisite armour trotted out in rank and file, causing many mercenaries to look on in envy.

This was a regiment of Professionals, possessing astounding battle might. Once someone was drafted into the army, even if they weren't sent to the core they'd be sent to relatively safe areas and given a steady supply of food.

This was a lifelong dream to many commoners. The strongest adventuring parties paled in comparison to the soldiers, making them look like a counterfeit product. Few people, like Jimmy, didn't feel inferior to the troops, instead competing with them on the same level.

'One bug is worth one contribution point. I already have 90, so I only need ten more to enter the inner areas and become a member of the army…' Doron blazed with desire. After all, this meant that he was one step closer to his dreams!

'Big Brother Jimmy had already amassed the necessary contribution points, but because he had several brothers staying outside, he has remained there too..' Doron was extremely impressed with Jimmy.

*Thud! Thud!* The army entered formation at this moment, causing a solemn atmosphere that silenced the adventurers.

*Whoosh!* The cold wind blew, causing the Silverymoon flag held by one of the knights to flap in the wind, radiating a strange glow.

Jimmy blinked his eyes, and saw several black spots in the skies. Without knowing why, even with the absence of the sun, his eyes had grew accustomed to the darkness. At the very least, with the help of the stars in the skies— what was said to be the light of the gods' divine kingdoms— he could already see clearly in a fifty metres radius.

Those several black dots grew larger, and when they closed in, the onlookers exclaimed in surprise. It had been the figures of several wizards flying in the air.

"My people…" A female wizard wearing silver white armour spoke. Her appearance was obscure, yet her voice carried the vicissitudes of time, drawing the alarmed voices and gasps of the people.

"It's the city lord!" "Silverymoon Queen! Woo! Woo!"

Doron bowed just like the rest of the people in the surroundings. No matter what, being able to seek protection under her when the world had ended was enough for him to express his gratitude and thanks.

It's just that the queen standing in mid-air didn't have much joy on her face, seeming to have aged greatly.

Spells

The former queen of Silverymoon had become the lord protecting the human fortresses of the north. The last hope of the human race looked down on the army beneath her, a bitter smile hidden beneath her glory.

Being Mystra's blood daughter, Alustriel had once felt like the sky was going to fall when Mystra died. Even though she was a powerful legendary wizard with a trace of divinity in her blood, she knew full well that leading the humans of the north without her mother's support would be extremely difficult. The Orc Empire was looming right over their heads…

On top of that, the Silverymoon Alliance was a union of magic, led mainly by wizards. The loss of the Weave absolutely shattered their unity.

Fortunately, the orcs had come to an agreement with them due to the invasion of the Magi. They didn't send troops to wipe the alliance out.

However, the situation had turned worse after a few days. The horrifying plagues had swept their lands, and the Dark Ages had come knocking on the door.

Alustriel herself was a lucky soul. Her peak legendary power allowed her to cast spells independently of the Weave, so despite stumbling along the way like a child at first she managed to gain the ability to protect herself. Wizards under rank 20 were like unborn fetuses, unable to survive being without the Weave, but legendary wizards were at least newborn infants at this moment, able to tide through the destruction of the Weave.

On top of all this, the trace of divinity she'd inherited from the Goddess of the Weave allowed Alustriel a chance to succeed her mother as the Goddess of the Weave. The gods assisted to secure the regime of the Silverymoon Alliance, albeit barely.

Still, she had to abandon a majority of her lands and build this final fortress, holing up against the catastrophic attacks of the insects. If the orcs weren't considered, the survivors in this camp were the last lifeblood of the north.

'Am I doing the right thing?' Alustriel was a queen in an era of peace. Even in such critical moments, she was wracked with indecision.

"I have updates from the south, my Queen!" Old Mage Elminster stepped through a portal at that moment, dressed in a simple flax robe as he stood behind her like a humble follower bowing to her words.

"I've just obtained confirmation that a nest of the bugs popped up about a hundred miles south of us. The Gloomwood has been corroded by marshland…"

Alustriel's heart skipped a beat. This was definitely the worst news for this camp! She'd come to learn that the tide of bugs originated from the massive colonies of hives. The appearance of a nest in an area spelled its death, an endless wave of insects engulfing the entire land and turning it barren.

"Damn it… We put so much effort into making this place arable… We've already cleared the lands… Just one harvest…" She lowered her voice, "It's too late to move again. It took all we had to build this fortress. Even if we wanted to, the bugs are everywhere now. Where can we go?"

Looking at Alustriel's mournful smile, Elminster's heart was filled with bitterness.

"How are the wizards doing?" She seemed to make up her mind about something after a long time.

"Still training. Even the best of them can only use rank 4 spells, and this was someone at rank 20 before the catastrophe, just a step away from becoming legendary…" Elminster heaved a sigh.

They'd had to return to their roots since the collapse of the Weave, using the elemental particles of the world to gather energy from their spiritual force and cast spells. Thankfully wizards had always been performing research on the arcanists, and finding training methods in the field wasn't a big problem.

They'd set up everything pretty soon given Silverymoon's accumulated information and their talents. Even the gods couldn't resist using the arcanist inheritances in this situation. The churches didn't abolish the prohibition openly because that would tarnish the gods' dignity, but the research was no secret.

Sadly, the 'talented' wizards all turned inferior when it came to the arcanist inheritance. The convenience the Weave had afforded them had caused a drop in their quality. Only with it destroyed did many wizards begin to realise how incapable they were. With their rigid lines of thought, some older wizards didn't even acknowledge the possibility of changing their path. They were having suicidal thoughts.

In spite of Alustriel's unconditional support and Silverymoon's rich supplies, the best they could do right now was still a rank 4 spell. Detached from the Weave, the wizards now realised how hard spells were to control, demanding more ability and finesse. Many died trying to cast the new spells.

"Leave the last batch behind, but get all the rest." It took a long while for her to make this tough decision, and a teardrop rolled down Alustriel's cheek. She arrived above the army, waving them to silence.

"These bugs have taken our everything, and now they're coming for our lives." Her voice echoed throughout the region, "A vicious colony has popped up close to us, less than a hundred miles away. We're out of supplies and fortification scrolls, and we won't be able to built another city…

"Tell me, then. ARE WE GOING TO KEEP SILENT IN THE FACE OF THIS THREAT?"

Doron held tightly onto the weapon in his hands, as if that was the only way he could get a sense of security.

'So we're actually in such dangerous situation?' A silent thought of fiery anger surfaced in his mind.

"No! I belong to this place, I will never leave!" Jimmy started hitting his shield with his axe.

"NEVER! WE WILL NEVER LEAVE!" A fearsome growl shook the entire fort.

"Great! I shall accompany you all on this crusade, let us fight for our survival!" Alustriel promised.

""FOR SURVIVAL!"" The army set off in swift fury.

Alustriel kept to her promise, leading the troop from the front on her white horse. Her divinity had allowed her to maintain her power through the collapse of the Weave, so the presence of such a powerful leader definitely lifted the spirits of the army.

...

"Our team will be in charge of the patrol today." The army winded along on its way forward. Unlike a regular troop, Doron's team was a little disorganised. They weren't in high spirits regardless of Jimmy's encouragement.

The city was their last hope. If this hope was broken, even Doron would lose the courage to survive in this chaotic world.

"Come with me, Doron. Let's go on patrol!" Jimmy waved his axe, unable to withstand the atmosphere.

"Alright." Torren didn't like the stifling aura here either, so he quickly stood up when Jimmy called him.

Shrouded in darkness, the continent was full of unknown dangers. Even though many creatures had died out, unable to adapt to the new conditions, those that didn't had become much more cunning and cruel.

Doron had heard rumours of creatures from the Underdark, driders and horrifying claw monsters that wanted to use the loss of the sun to blast out from their prisons and wantonly invade the mainland. They were backed by their own pantheon, headed by the Spider Queen, Lolth.

Her decision was absolutely correct. The celestial gods had to give way to the Underdark in the Dark Ages for manpower and supplies, letting them migrate from down below to the mainland. The drow were rumoured to have built a city on the surface already.

The rumours said men were the lowest of slaves amongst the drow, alongside other species. They could be sacrificed to the gods at any time. Despite all this, a large number of wandering species were seeking shelter from the drow just to survive.

'What a pity… Lolth is an evil god, and my Lord…' Doron's eyes flashed in struggle, but he soon turned firm. Even though the gods weren't as glorious as they once were, their decrees remained meaningful enough to influence the entire prime material plane. The battle between good and evil had cast a shadow in Doron's thoughts…

Attack

"Wait a moment, look! What's that?" Doron was still indulging in his flights of fancy, so Jimmy had to pin him down to a muddy hill. A large amount of disgusting dirt entered his mouth, so rotten it could make one puke for days and lose their appetite for months.

However, Doron couldn't care less about that. He hadn't even gotten the time to clear the dirt from his mouth before he saw numerous shadowy figures approaching them at great speed.

The other party moved at great speed, reaching them almost within seconds. It was the Mounted Wolves, the nightmare of the north!

"ORCS! IT'S ORCS!" Jimmy shouted, his face warping as he saw the orcs. Their races had long been at war, killing each other even if they met accidentally.

*Whoosh!* The wolf rider arrived before them in a split second. Escape was not an option.

"Am I going to die here? Lina…" Extreme shock and fear caused Doron to turn dizzy, feeling like these were his final thoughts.

However, just as the poor souls got ready to sacrifice their lives for the north, the situation moved in an unexpected direction. The Mounted Wolves did indeed surround them, but they were not harmed. The riders instead parted, making way for a werewolf on a humongous mount.

"I am the Golden Ivory Warwolf, leader of the Mounted Wolves. I need to see your leader, right now…" he said stiffly.

Jimmy and Doron looked at each other as they heard this, feeling like they'd gained a fresh lease of life…

High up in the sky, Orc Emperor Saladin was looking into Alustriel's eyes, "The survival of the orcs has been threatened by the colonies as well. The Lord has ordered us to stand on the same side as you, facing the threat of the Magi."

"Saladin! Your hands are stained with the blood of the north! Your people are our arch enemies! Even if we're wiped out by the bugs we won't—" a wizard beside Alustriel tried to intercept them.

"This is an order by the gods…" Elminster expressed a different opinion, slowly taking a pipe from his mouth.

"My Queen…" the other wizard shouted eagerly, looking at Alustriel's hesitant face. He seemed to hate the orcs greatly.

"I'll have no more from you…" Alustriel waved the wizard off, turning to Saladin, "I agree."

"Great!" Saladin nodded, "I've brought the Thunder God's Hammer, and I'll also send out the best of the Mounted Wolves and battle orcs. You'll be grateful that you made this decision today…"

"I only hope you'll keep to your promises," Alustriel looked Saladin deep in the eye. "However, we still have been enemies for a long time. I need your army to take a different route, we can meet at the swamp."

"You did well…" Elminster sighed in gratitude after Saladin left.

"No. I feel like I've changed a lot, becoming more cruel, more of a realist…" Alustriel's reply was indifferent.

"Trust me, my good daughter, this is all part and parcel of our lives…" The Old Mage blew a ring of white smoke.

"So you thought I was a little girl for the past thousands of years? You're such a pedophile!" Alustriel stared at Elminster, an unnoticeable redness covering her face.

...

An agreement was made with the orc armies, and Jimmy and Doron took the chance to return safely to their team.

However, Doron seemed to have his reservations about something. He tried to say something multiple times, but eventually stopped himself. He waited until everyone was asleep, moving close to Jimmy and asking him in an extremely low voice, "Hey captain, are the orcs really here to help us?"

Jimmy turned his body and replied in a blurry voice, "I think so. Nobody dares to disobey the gods in this world, except those demonic beings of other worlds…"

'But aren't we still at war with them?' He wanted to say vendetta, but Doron didn't recall any good friends or relatives dying at orc hands. Many had instead been killed by the town guard or in robberies, so it seemed even less applicable.

"Understand this, Doron, politics is complicated… Alright, I'm really tired today, stop irritating me!" Jimmy turned his body again. Doron just looked over the flap of the tent, an extremely complicated emotion in his gaze…

*Thud! Thud!* The wooden wheels of the carts hit the uneven surface of the ground as they moved along, releasing dull thuds due to their heavy loads. Doron was following Jimmy aimlessly, his beloved sword hung at his waist. The dark circles were obvious under his eyes as he seemed distracted, he obviously hadn't rested well last night.

The army assembled into the dragon formation, all equipped with weapons and shields. It scared any predators away, making the trip relatively safe.

"Doron! Get back on your feet, do you want Lina to become a widow?" Jimmy patted Doron's shoulder. Suddenly, the corner of his eye shifted.

"Careful!" Doron had noticed the shadowy figure speeding through the bushes at almost the same time.

A silver ray darted past him before he could act himself, shooting from Jimmy's hand into the bushes. A shriek sounded out.

"Awesome!" "Haha, captain's the best!" "We've got something!"

Everyone gathered around, looking at Doron with green eyes as he pulled a giant rat out of the bush. There was a silver blade stuck in its skull.

"Mmm, such great meat. You're definitely treating us tonight!" Everyone's eyes glowed as they stared at the prey in Doron's hands.

Food was scarce in the Dark Ages, meat a dish only the higher classes could afford. Normal people hardly ever saw some.

"Of course!" Jimmy looked around, agreeing without hesitation, "Everyone is invited to our campsite!"

All the travellers cheer at his generosity, immersing themselves in a pool of joy. Doron looked at them with envy, 'That's right, I should be more hardworking, at least I've got to bring something back! The leaders will take care of the orcs…'

However, his determination was crushed the very next moment. A huge ball of fire shot out of the sky, aimed at Jimmy's position. A great explosion tore Jimmy's body apart in moments, charring his incomplete corpse.

Having run over to get the prey, Doron had escaped the worst of the damage. Still, despite avoiding death, a large amount of his hair was burnt even at that distance. Looking at that region swarming with victims of the disaster, his eyes glittered coldly.

"The Fireball spell… Wizard attack!" Doron knew from Holdman how powerful wizards were. Realising such powerful spellcasters were his opponents, he didn't just go up wildly to avenge his captain, instead rolling into the bushes.

He'd made the right decision, as a wave of terrifying spells followed.

Cloudkill! Summon Monster! Ice Awl! Banshee's Wail! Volley after volley of mid-ranked spells crashed down on the army, with dazzling light. The powerful spells reaped numerous lives.

"It's an attack from the sky!" Doron's eyes were wide open as he tried his best to raise his head. He saw huge pairs of wings supporting dark shadows in the air, obviously Flight of The Dragon.

The dark shadows were dressed in traditional wizard robes, but one thing was different— There was a pair of twinkling purple eyes on their dark robes, alongside a holy black emblem surrounded by a purple ring.

"Shadow wizards!" Alustriel and Elminster responded immediately. They had few high-ranked and legendary wizards on their own end— It was a slap in the face for the Silverymoon Union famed for its magic to lose in that field.

They got ready for the counterattack, but the shadow wizards retreated into a portal.

"This is just the beginning!" their leader warned before stepping into the portal.

The portal disappeared immediately. Alustriel and Elminster, who were both trying to cast Dimensional Anchor, turned a ghastly pale.

"Human wizards, why are they attacking our army?" Doron's eyes were filled with fury. He couldn't understand why they were attacking at all.

"Also… What the heck are the shadow wizards?" He thought of this new term he'd heard today. He looked at the scattered army and the burning remains of his friend's corpse, clenching his fists tightly and swearing in his heart,

'No matter what, Jimmy, I WILL avenge you!'

Charge

"Did you see it?" Alustriel didn't care at all about the mess her soldiers were in, instead turning and staring at Elminster with the most serious face she'd ever made.

"Yes…" Elminster took out his pipe, but he wasn't in the mood to enjoy it, "Black robes, purple eyes, and the purple-rimmed black badge… The Goddess of Shadows is back…"

"The Lady of the Night, Shar…" Alustriel grew fearful and troubled at the prospect of having to face the being who once competed with her mother.

"Mm… She's also built a new Shadow Weave, and although it isn't spread everywhere and can only support rank 9 spells at the most, it's still a great attraction to all the wizards below the legendary realm…"

Elminster knew well how rational the wizards were, about their realistic mindset. They were weak in faith from the start, and that had only been amplified by Mystra's death. The loss of their powers was sad and humiliating, causing many to enter deep despair. Some ignored the teachings of the gods to commit suicide!

And Shar had come to them in their darkest moments, organising the shadow wizards into a group. If they joined, they could regain their powers!

People only treasured what they had once they lost it. Learning that it would not be easy to gain their power again, those who become shadow wizards grew more devoted and passionate. Their kind could even conduct trades with demons and devils for power, subordination to Shar didn't even need a moment's thought.

Even Elminster would have been shaken by the idea of joining the shadow wizards if not for the fact that he was already at the peak of the legendary realm. Had he lost his powers with the destruction of the Weave as well, he would have made the same choice. Of course, that was if he hadn't offended Shar by his closeness to Mystra.

"These spatial fluctuations… They already have legendary wizards?" Elminster frowned.

"They came to stop us from destroying the colony. They've joined up with the Magi…" As a peak legendary wizard with the blood of a Goddess of Magic, Alustriel had a lot of information channels in this regard, far more than the others at the same level.

"The shadow wizards have joined the Magi… Does that mean Shar defected?" The fact weighed down on the father and daughter far more heavily than anything before it. Magi and gods defecting had never happened since the two races had first made contact. If Shar had joined the Magi, it would cause great pain to everyone in the World of Gods.

"Those who disobey the gods will be punished by the Celestial Hall." No matter how weak his faith was, external factors forced Elminster into becoming an absolute devotee.

"I hope so as well… Anyway, this attack exposed our shortcomings. We need more guards, and an emergency plan…" Alustriel was tired, "Please invite Saladin here, we need to combine our armies immediately, or at the least keep in contact. We can't afford another attack…"

Alustriel had just ignored the hatred between the humans of the north and the orcs, throwing away her reputation and the trust of her men with this invitation. The appearance of the shadow wizards obviously had great impact on the Silverymoon Alliance.

...

Two days later, the combined army of humans and orcs finally arrived at the swamplands. The purple silt here was putrid, streaks of green mist wafting in the air to form endless hallucinations.

The insect colonies caused the complete destruction of their environments, turning the lands into a poisonous swamp that was a haven for the bugs.

"With how fast it's growing, the broodmother will wake up soon…" Elminster pointed at a scene captured by a spell within a temporary tent, a look of concern on his face, "Once the broodmother matures, the drones and workers will begin invading the surroundings. They will breed much more powerful bugs, or even another broodmother… All information points to one thing; if we can't stop this right now, our chances of success are nil."

Alustriel and Saladin were watching from a round table, seated upright alongside human and orc officers. The subordinates were staring at each other in silence, sparks of anger in their eyes.

"That's certain. If we fail this time, the environment here will be wiped out. Plants, animals, water, food, orcs, humans… We'll all be killed as the bugs continue to make more and more broodmothers and start new bases…"

Alustriel continued slowly, "If this continues, the entire prime material plane will be gone. I ask you… No, I BEG you… Please let go of past hatred, and focus on the fight for the future!"

"I agree with the queen," Saladin looked at the orc leaders, "If you disobey, I'll behead all of you and shove your heads up your asses!"

With the great pressure of the Lightkiller Bugs bearing down on them, as well as Saladin's authoritative power, things worked out quite well. The orc leaders acknowledged his words even faster than the humans.

"How much time do we have left?" Saladin looked at Elminster.

"Twenty hours, maybe less…" Elminster blew out a few white rings of smoke.

"Then let us begin right away. The Lord is ready to descend." Numerous runes appeared on Saladin's body, "He's promised to give us more power, sending an avatar to help out in the operation."

"Thank you, for all you've done!" Alustriel stood up and bowed deeply.

...

The army prepared itself quickly under the great pressure.

"Wizards, prepare! Breeze!" Elminster took charge of the wizards, having them gather all the wind elemental particles around them.

A gentle breeze swept past the region. With the help of a giant formation and his own legendary might, he amplified the wind as he fused all the minor spells together.

"The product of hundreds of years of study into the arcane… Legendary fusion spell— Tornado!"

Strong gusts of wind quickly formed a tornado, blades of air howling as it sucked in everything around it. The storm swept across the huge swamp, dispersing the green mist and sending the endless water flying into the sky.

Once the tornado dissipated, Alustriel appeared in front of the swamp.

"Mass Summon Earth Elementals!" A ring of brown light shimmered in her hands, pulling the elemental particles and teleporting several earth elementals to the prime material plane. The elementals roared out as brown energy particles gathered into a spell.

Transmutation: Dirt to Stone!

The assistance of the many elementals allowed a large amount of brown light to cover the swamp. Soft rotting mud began to condense, hardening into granite. It forced the bugs out of the mud, into a final battle.

Loud buzzing resounded from numerous pairs of wings, a horrifying green cloud of insects approaching their position. From weak bees to powerful beetles and terrifying longhorns, the sheer size of the army caused a great commotion amongst the troops.

Standing tall amongst the insects were numerous wizards, all dressed in black robes.

"These bastards, they came to help the colony!" Alustriel flushed with anger. Even if she'd known they were working together, their actions had stepped past her line.

"You've done a great job, leave the rest to me!" Saladin stood up, moving to the front of the

"In the name of the Lord, please grant me power!" An enormous hammer with violet lightning around it appeared in Saladin's hands, an unseen power showering down upon him that caused his body to grow in a split second.

*Rumble!* The very next moment, the strongest of orcs had become a towering giant! This was the legendary spell, God's Descent!

*Boom!* The earth shook with every one of the giant's steps, countless streaks of lightning crashing down from the sky as the Thunder God's Hammer grew to match its owner.

"You bloody bugs, I will slaughter you all!" Saladin shouted, swinging the hammer down.

Purple lightning swept across the sky, covering almost everything in the region. A streak of silver shot through the darkness, bringing light and hope as wave after wave of insects were burnt to the ground. Many of the shadow wizards were wiped out by a single barrage.

"Attack!" The Mounted Wolves roared, charging into the deepest regions of the swamp as they followed the new path.

"CHARGE!" The humans were red-eyed with fury as well, fighting for their lives.

Counterattack

This was a battlefield of blood and fire, being fought with a dense sea of bugs.

Doron sliced another approaching bug with his longsword, splitting it apart into two. The originally sharp blade was now covered with the disgusting fluids of the various bugs, its edges chipped and jagged from use.

Any normal day this would've caused him great heartache, but at this point he didn't even have the time to examine his sword properly. The army was like a lone boat in this sea of bugs, being rocked by wave after wave of death.

Death lingered around them without end, and all Doron could do was to wave the sword in his hands around numbly, killing one monstrous bug after the last. His comrades kept falling all around him, humans and orcs alike, but he no longer had the energy to care. He pushed forward without rest, stepping over the corpses of his comrades in pursuit of their common goal: he had to destroy this nest of evil!

In this war for survival, there was no way for them to withdraw and escape. The orcs and humans formed the most cold-blooded of armies, killing all deserters without hesitation even if they were related.

"Hah… Am I going to die here?" Doron was breathing roughly, his powerless body feeling like lead.

However, just at the moment all of his stamina was about to be exhausted, as he was about to be drowned out by the sea of bugs, things suddenly grew bright once more. A golden light cleaved through the sea, allowing him to see the purple nest at the heart of the marshland.

Hymns began to sound in the surroundings, "Under the rays of the gods, all courageous soldiers shall be fearless…"

Doron immediately brightened up. He managed to find the wizard who'd killed Jimmy, grievously injured and fleeing into the distance. A surge of strength came out of nowhere as the power of vengeance gave him the strength to stand once more.

He stared hard at the wizard, evidently injured from a previous encounter. The man's black robes were now in tatters, traces of lightning burns left behind on his body. He didn't even have the strength to open a portal anymore, only able to crawl to the depths of the swamp.

Doron followed closely. The wizard obviously wanted to escape, and his path was already offset from the nest of the bugs.

"Stand right there, you darned bastard!" Doron threw the sword in his hands. The meticulously crafted blade formed a beautiful arc in the air as it pierced into the man's thigh.

"ARGH!" The fleeing wizard swayed, falling down into the smelly marshes.

"Got you!" Doron excitedly darted forward, finding the wizard lying in the dirt. He was bleeding profusely from the wound on his thigh, seemingly having fainted.

"For Jimmy!" Doron fumbled around the area, looking for the sword he'd thrown. He wanted to reveal the identity of this wizard.

However, the 'fainted' wizard suddenly revealed a scroll in his hands.

Acid Splash! Doron instinctively turned away to avoid death, but this burnt the entirety of his right shoulder, turning it into a mix of corroded flesh and blood.

"Shit!" The great pain caused him to punch the wizard's face without hesitation.

The black veil fell down, revealing the man's identity. The haggard face of an old man showed itself, looking extremely pale from the blood loss. His eyes seemed to be dead.

For some reason, even though he'd killed many times since the start of the Dark Ages, Doron felt a fire burning in his heart.

"WHY," he shouted as he grabbed the wizard by the collar, "WHY ARE YOU HELPING THE BUGS AGAINST HUMANITY?"

"Cough cough…" Wizards were naturally weaker than fighters. This one was even injured gravely, unable to cast any spells as he was still coughing up blood. Even a child could kill him easily right now.

The wizard looked slightly confused for a while, but after hearing Doron's questions he suddenly began to laugh. His pale face twisted with a smile, the blood causing Doron's stomach to churn.

"What are you laughing at?" Doron was full of ire, "Do you know how many people you killed? Jimmy, and all my other foster brothers. They have people back at home waiting for their return… Why? Why are you going against your own kind?"

"My own kind? Keke…"

The old wizard's smile widened, "Are you my kind? While I was still a high-ranked wizard, a whole bunch of people respected me, sang praises of me, and longed to meet me. However, after the collapse of the Weave, those ruffians… What did those ruffians whose souls should go to hell after death do?

"They took everything from me in front of my face, killing little Benji, and… and…" A hint of sorrow flashed on the wizard's face, "I no longer treated them as humans… When the shadow wizards found me, I joined immediately for the sake of my vengeance. I'd be willing to sell my soul to the devils for my revenge!

"Hehe… Now I've had those bastards enjoy the most painful and regretful deaths they ever could have. My purpose is done, kill me!"

The old wizard closed his eyes, and Doron froze in place. The wizard's face morphed into that of Holdman in his vision, bringing back memories of his manor and his family that stayed outside town.

The condemnation of the wizard caused him to remember his own actions, that night amidst the flames appearing once more before his eyes as if he was experiencing it all again.

"Oh… I! I…" The veins on the back of Doron's hands popped up, and his face began to twitch as if he was trying to weigh his options.

"Perhaps… we're all at fault. Blame this wretched world!" Doron recalled Lina, who was still waiting for his return. He gritted his teeth and picked up his sword.

"Come… Chop off my head and make this your achievement!" The wizard snickered and closed his eyes.

"Ha!" The sword dropped down on the wizard's head with all the strength Doron could muster,

However, it felt like he'd pierced into cotton, not flesh. Doron opened his eyes in shock, finding the sword in his hands stuck in mid-air as a great pressure enveloped him.

"Sorry, little guy. While I'm sympathetic of your plight, the camp does give out rewards based on merits…" A pleasant voice sounded, and Doron's vision went black…

...

"The gods… are already recovering…" Leylin's clone watched the collapse of a huge hive in the distance, a strange smile on his face.

"As for you, loser… I'm benevolent, I'll give you another chance…" A dark red lustre wrapped around the old wizard's body, causing him to cry out pitifully as a strange transformation occurred to him.

"Kukulkan, my Lord… You are the mighty Lord of Original Sin, the sole source of sin in the universe. You are the master of everything!" What had once been the old wizard knelt before Leylin, his grievous injuries long gone.

"Go…Go somewhere else…" Leylin waved his arms, and a dark red teleportation gate opened up to take the bowing monster away.

"This test failed, huh…" Leylin shook his head, gazing into the distance. A few orc avatars were lying there in wait.

"So, Gruumsh? Are you regretting the fact that you only sent one avatar here?" Leylin smiled as he gazed at the head of the orc pantheon. Even encircled by many gods he didn't look flustered.

'The gods have recovered rather quickly, and set up eternal sources of light in their divine kingdoms. They can send divine spells to their priests in the prime material plane already?' Leylin knew full well that without the help of the gods the Silverymoon Alliance and the Orc Empire couldn't destroy a nest.

"Nightmare Serpent… Sinner that devoured the sun…" the gods condemned him in such seething fury that they could burn even the void itself as they descended to fight him.

"The battle's only begun…" Unfortunately, the avatar dissipated before Leylin's punishment arrived for him, leaving behind several enraged roars.

...

Baator.

"How is it?" Leylin was standing in front of Mother Core, watching the events in multiple locations in the prime material plane.

The few survivors in the mortal world had obtained great support, beginning to send troops to destroy the nearby hives. Priests were playing an extremely important role in this process.

"The counterattack of the gods is beginning…" Mother Core said with a sigh.

"That's normal, but the timing…" Leylin stroked his chin, "It's at just the right moment when we're planning for the support of the Magus World's World Will, unable to make any clones…"

"What are you trying to say?" Mother Core focused on the Lord of Original Sin in front of her.

"There's a traitor in our midst." Leylin turned solemn. Since Shar could become a Magus, why couldn't a Magus side with the gods?

"The power of sin in the World of Gods is telling me something. If we don't treat it seriously, the consequences will be dire…" Leylin looked at Mother Core in front of him, speaking sincerely, "I hope to call a joint conference of the Magi immediately."

Encirclement

Numerous powerful conscients gathered within a secret space, their powerful auras forming huge black silhouettes. There were a few new figures amongst them, containing unfathomable power.

*Rumble!* Space split apart at that moment, and the powers of the world and original sin entered the space.

"Everyone!" Leylin fashioned a form out of original sin, looking at the silhouettes around him. Every person here was a peak rank 8 existence!

"The gods have stabilised their divine kingdoms, interfering with our actions in the prime material plane. Even as the world combination project was underway, someone divulged our current situation."

"Keke.. So you're saying there's a traitor amongst us?" Another voice Leylin was familiar with sounded, carrying obvious hostility.

"Of course, Distorted Shadow. Furthermore, it could even be you!" Leylin stared fearlessly at the peak rank 8 Magus, exchanging thoughts rapidly.

"I can swear upon my truesoul that I never revealed any information about the plan…" Distorted Shadow looked coldly at Leylin. "Instead, Lord of Original Sin, why did you not devour the entire prime material plane and destroy the gods in one fell swoop? You seem quite suspicious!"

"The sun is one thing, but the prime material plane is a whole other matter. It's the foundation of the World of Gods, the base of all existence. Destroying it would be like destroying the World of Gods itself, not something a peak rank 8 can do." Mother Core stood up for her ally.

"I feel like the gods have begun their counterattack, and they definitely won't miss the opportunity. Please wait and see, everyone!" Leylin glared coldly at Distorted Shadow, his indifference causing the other party to feel apprehensive.

"All we can do right now is to speed up the two-world plan…" an existence surrounded by darkness spoke up, every word seemingly coming from a deep abyss. This was the Darkness Lord, a peak rank 8 existence from the Dark World.

"Our true bodies are currently outside the crystal sphere, and we can't easily dispatch them…" another figure spoke, radiating the green light of life. This was the ancient Tree of Life, a huge tree from the Life World that had harnessed the power of magic.

However, even as the numerous peak rank 8s were discussing the issue, a rumble sounded from the depths of the Abyss, as if to verify Leylin's words. A sort of sacred natural radiance sealed off the entire Abyss, numerous golden silhouettes walking out to the hymns of their followers.

"The gods! They're taking action with their true bodies!" Mother Core waved her hands, displaying a huge image that allowed those present to see the gods' lineup.

"Tyr, Tempus, Talos, Oghma, and Gruumsh… All of them are powerful gods, the Chaos Lord and Evil Filthy Eye are in danger!"

Leylin looked around his surroundings, unable to find the conscients of those two existences. As chaotic existences themselves, they grew intoxicated with the pleasure of plundering the Abyss and lost all interest in the outside world. They didn't realise the crisis they were in.

"Keke… It's rare for such strong existences to be willing to step out of their divine kingdoms…" The Darkness Lord sneered. "If we push the two-world plan back and move out together, at least half of them will fall."

Peak rank 8 Magi were equivalent to greater gods within the World of Gods. The difference was that their powers belonged to them alone, so in a fight outside of the divine kingdoms the Magi would definitely win. One had to agree that Darkness Lord's suggestion was enticing, causing a few Magi to stir.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" Leylin stood out at that moment, speaking coldly.

"Substantiate. Why? It's not easy to find a chance to eliminate so many powerful gods in one fell swoop…" As expected, Distorted Shadow jumped out immediately, speaking with ulterior motives.

"Haven't you all realized that the most powerful existences within God's World have yet to appear?" Leylin glanced at Distorted Shadow, his voice was full of disdain.

There were differences even amongst powerful gods. Oghma, for example, couldn't match Tempus the God of Fighting in combat.

Past rank 18, there were a few gods who were known for their combat. The four elemental gods were an example. Akadi, Grumbar, Istishia and Kossuth were all ancient gods, staying within their elemental planes of wind, earth, water, and fire respectively. They stood aloof from worldly affairs, holding secrets even most gods didn't know in their arsenal.

There were also gods like Ubtao, Silvanus, Jergal, and Chauntea. They were formidable beings, powerful enough to be the monarchs of their own worlds, second only to the Overgod himself. That these powerful gods had yet to appear in the Abyss caused Leylin to grow vigilant.

...

"Oh? You're here in your true bodies? Were you ordered to abandon your mouse holes and come to the Abyss?" Azure power had converged above what was once the Argent Palace in Azzagrat, forming a many-eyed giant with a blurred face. "Since you're here anyway, you shall become the foundation of my abyssal power…"

The Chaos Lord didn't seemed to be worried at all when facing numerous existences of the same rank. A majority of the eyes seemed to be filled with reckless insanity. The Chaos Lord didn't seem to even care as chaotic origin force sprag forth from the depths of the Abyss, mixing with dark energy as it spread around its giant leg.

"I've restricted its actions. I'll leave the rest to you…" A golden radiance was spreading from Oghma's body, shrouding the entirety of Azzagrat. Tyr and Tempus brought out their favourite divine weapons, rushing forth towards the Chaos Lord…

...

A terrifying storm swept through the Endless Maze, the constant rain forming a huge turbulent sea.

"Tsk… Why do I have to be paired with you?" The powerful God of Storms looked at the golden orc standing beside him, his face full of disdain.

"I should be the one saying that." Gruumsh gave Talos a look.

A palace suddenly surfaced within the maze, endless power forming a gigantic evil eye that released a skin-crawling roar: "ZzzzGrrgrgrrr!"

"The ancient Evil Filthy Eye, a Magus who once killed a greater god…" Gruumsh's eyes lit up as a bright red flag was drawn from his back.

"Only the orcs are the strongest fighters!" he roared, his body expanding in a moment as it clashed with the solid yellow eye.

The aftershocks of the battle caused the entire Abyss to tremble. The demons were intimidated by the formidable power, running about aimlessly as numerous archfiends ruthlessly cursed the gods. They hid within their castles, not daring to come out.

The silhouettes of two powerful archfiends emerged at the edge of the Abyss, one of them the two-brained Demogorgon and the other the King of the Undead, Orcus. Alongside Graz'zt, these were the three Abyssal Lords, the strongest of demons.

"The gods took action according to plan, but it doesn't seem to be attracting the other Magi…" Orcus frowned. If not for them meddling with the origin force of the Abyss and helping the gods, they wouldn't at all have been able to infiltrate into the Abyss so quickly, sealing the Chaos Lord and the Evil Filthy Eye where they were.

"…" The Demogorgon's two heads glanced at each other, surprisingly not arguing. "That's fine as well. The gods want to use the Abyss as the main battlefield, but the Magi weren't baited…"

"After the chaos is settled, the Abyss will still be ours…"

"It's rare for both your heads to reach an agreement. What else should I say?" Orcus' undead body laughed, the power of death mixing with an aura of chaos to fragment the surrounding space.

"Haha… That's right, the Abyss shall belong to us demons… Only we can stay here. No one can take it away, not Magi and not gods!" The Demogorgon parroted.

"Let's kill those gods afterwards!" one of the heads said suddenly.

"No! We shall dominate the Abyss first…" the other retorted, causing Orcus to suddenly shake his head. The unity of these heads seemed to be temporary. The chaos of the Demogorgon would be revealed once more as the threat passed.

'However, this is indeed a good opportunity…' A strange light flashed past Orcus' eyes.

The demons had always coveted the prime material plane and the gods. The Second Dusk would prove to be a great opportunity to attack.

As for their contract with the gods? Since when did chaotic evil have the concept of contracts? With their demonic natures, even the Styx could not hold them to their vows and stop the deaths of their enemies!

Probe

Currently, within the conference of the Magi.

"I'm afraid the Chaos Lord and Evil Filthy Eye won't be able to hold up, we need to send reinforcements!" Distorted Shadow shouted frantically, but then he felt awkward when nobody stood with him. After all, Leylin's words had made sense. It was impossible for Magi to take the risk to sacrifice themselves for others.

"If there's still some doubt in your hearts, maybe I can prove my point…" The power of original sin shot forth from Leylin's body, carrying traces of blood with black spots. This power that carried all the sins of the mortal world attracted numerous gazes; even if everyone here was a peak rank 8 some were shocked by Leylin's aura.

"The path of original sin… This power…" The ancient Tree of Life seemed to recall something.

The blood dripped down in the void, forming into the seven sins as it seemed to acquire a life of its own. The dense fog shrunk to form a few tall figures.

Leylin, the Darkness Lord, Mother Core, even Distorted Shadow… They were all imitated to perfection, including the energy waves of their truesouls! Such was the mercurial power of original sin. Even the faint auras being leaked by these rank 8 existences could be analysed and imitated.

'Identical auras…' Numerous rank 8s were surprised by the skill Leylin displayed, Mother Core most of all. 'He's grown stronger again. Even if it's only an avatar, one can see the changes in his true body as well. It's like he never met a bottleneck after reaching peak rank 8…'

She sent her tendrils out to gather information, finally getting to the crux of the matter. 'This is the influence of the Dark Ages? The negative emotions generated in the end times are the best nourishment for the Nightmare Hydra…'

Indeed, that was why Leylin engulfed the sun, bringing about the Dark Ages instead of attacking the gods. The Dark Ages benefitted him greatly, giving a thousandfold the power of sin he would've acquired during times of peace.

Massacre, death, greed, envy… All the deadly sins had come into play in the end times. They occurred often, and were intense when they did. Without anyone knowing the better, Leylin had actually seized the powers of everyone struggling in the prime material plane to increase his own power!

It was like he had an entire world's worth of zealots worshipping him, providing him with unending power. How could his strength not advance by leaps and bounds? The avatars that were more real than the originals crossed the boundaries of spacetime, containing violent energy.

"Kill the Overgod!" "Our glory cannot be tarnished!" "Reinforce the Lord of Chaos and Evil Filthy Eye!" Powerful conscients pierced through the sky, led by an avatar of original sin with the power of a peak rank 8 Magus. They descended upon the Abyss like several gigantic meteorites.

"Such vile power… As expected of the God of Massacre, more chaotic than the demons and more vile than the devils…" Both the Demogorgon and Orcus quivered at the edge of the Abyss. "The Magi are here! Inform the gods!"

….

"The truth shall verify everything!" Several existences were looking at the image displayed by Mother Core. The fake avatars had just arrived outside the Abyss, about to enter its depths.

A terrifying change occurred at that moment, green light brimming with the aura of life suddenly forming a cage of green vines that trapped the party. The flora of the world roared out, as if a primordial beast had just woken up.

"The God of the Wild, Silvanus… To think he's still alive…" Mother Core's face instantly became unsightly. Silvanus was second only to the Overgod, the number of Magi that had died at his hands not few.

"I didn't expect this… Even if his divine body had been crushed, he didn't fall completely…" The Darkness Lord sighed as well, looking at Leylin with a gaze of encouragement and gratification. Silvanus' appearance had proved him right.

"Wait for it…" Leylin actually grew even more solemn, perhaps even a little eager.

*Rumble!* *Boom!* The four elemental planes roared out, rippling with terrifying power as an endless stream of elemental power congealed to form a powerful seal.

Earth, Fire, Wind, Water! The elemental gods had shown themselves, their combined might causing the Darkness Lord to lose his voice.

The four elements formed a vast storm of origin force, instantly exterminating the avatars inside the cage. Not even a speck of dust was overlooked.

"No… These aren't true bodies, they're just avatars…" The Goddess of Air, Akadi, frowned. "They could even conceal their spiritual fluctuations from us… These Magi are even more difficult to deal with than the ancient ones…"

"That doesn't matter. It is our duty to safeguard the peace and security of the entire world," Kossuth the Lord of Fire said.

"At least we can be sure that they're not as strong as in the last war. This is good news…" A gigantic flower bloomed as the will of nature descended upon them. Having lost his true body in the Final War, Silvanus had merged his will with the nature of the world, growing even stronger in the process.

"As long as we exist, we will not allow the Magi to advance even half a step!" The power of nature guided the four elements, forming a solid seal in front of the Abyss that prevented the two Magi within from escaping. The elemental planes roared, pouring origin force into the seal continuously, their might causing the hearts of the Magi watching to palpitate.

"Goddess of Air Akadi, God of Earth Grumbar, God of Water Istishia, God of Fire Kossuth, alongside the God of the Wild Silvanus… To think these ancient existences were actually still alive…" A peak rank 8 Magus released a cry of surprise,

"Jiejie… Very well, very well! We can settle the the vengeance of previous war together now…" A few avatars from the corner sneered. They were all like Distorted Shadow, mere remnant wills sealed up by the gods. Although Leylin had set them free, their powers had dropped and they were currently recovering.

"These are five pinnacle existences even amongst the greater gods. Unless we mobilise everyone, we won't be able to break through the elemental planes…" Mother Core said, "On top of that, the two-world plan's defences will drop if we leave."

"It isn't just that," Leylin said without hurry.

No Magus would underestimate him now, thinking of him as a new entry to their ranks. It wasn't easy to confuse greater gods with an avatar, and being unable to see through his powers themselves couldn't he casually mount a sneak attack upon any of them? All guarantees were fake, might being the only truth.

"I noticed another existence as well…" Leylin waved his hands, and the dark power of original sin built a murky image. A golden light was lurking within the darkness of the Abyss, something Mother Core's probes hadn't managed to discover.

Seeing the genuine appearance of the god, Mother Core immediately stirred up. "That's the Earthmother, she's mine!"

"Eh?!" Leylin frowned for a moment, but quickly relaxed. 'Right. Mother Core has reached the limits of her path, unable to advance and comprehend the powers of spacetime. Chauntea walks the same path as well, so if she can devour the goddess to make up for her foundation she really will have a chance of advancing to rank 9…'

What was more enticing to a peak rank 8 existence than advancing to rank 9? Leylin could understand Mother Core's excitement, her future had just appeared in front of her.

"Silvanus is mine," the ancient Tree of Life followed. Its path of life perfectly fit into Silvanus' domain of nature.

"Haha… Very well, this is the boldness we should have! Even a greater god is restricted by their faith, only fit to become my prey…" Looking at this atmosphere, the Darkness Lord began laughing in excitement.