Challenges

[Unknown Timeframe]

Fires burned in every single space of the once beautiful world, turning the creatures to ash and reducing the land to nothing. The ancient ones' armies roamed freely through the worlds fueling the flames of destruction and erasure their master had brought.

Various portals that led to other worlds were continuously opened and closed all around them, the soldiers bringing tales of the destruction their master had wrought in the various planes he had visited.

Across the world, the armies marched sacking cities and kingdoms, slaying the beings, and torching the kingdoms. It was genocide on an unprecedented scale. It was the end of the world and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

*

[Current Timeframe]

Things had slowly been changing in the Furrow house. The once quiet and uneven place getting more warmth and energy. With Hilde's sessions with her doctor showing a positive result a lot of new decisions had been made.

One was Helen finally going to college. Of course, this was a situation and decision that the family had to properly think out and also decide on. Since the Doctor had given the go-ahead with a trial basis the family knew it was left to them to decide. As such the quartet were gathered that late evening after Helen's log out to eat and refresh herself.

"So what do you both think?" Their father had his arms folded as he observed them his no-nonsense look currently being activated.

"Do our certificates matter? I mean the game is soon launching the RMT system. Helen and I could totally become pro players."

"Plus it's fun and has no environmental hazard. The game terms make it a must to log out at times and eat, sleep, and exercise so we'll be healthy," Dustin added with a little smile. Both parents paused to think before the first argument was raised.

"It's still imperative, in the possibility that the game crashes or falls. You'll still be able to either get jobs or whatever". Their mother looked to her husband for agreement and smiled at his approving nod

" I guess" Dustin shrugged.

"Good"

"That went easier than I expected it would" Their mother smiled standing and heading for the kitchen.

"Of course, they're logical like me". Kendal chuckled then froze as he slowly turned to his wife. Her cheeks were stretched in a grin that held no love.

" He's dead" Dustin whispered. Helen affirmed with a nod as both made to rise and escape.

"Sit. You both." Their mother's voice froze them. "Honey, please hand over the school stuff" she ordered sweetly.

"She called him honey. He is double dead". Helen murmured. Dustin grimaced in pity for his father.

" Well. uh. Hmmmmh" he cleared his throat, snuck a side glance at his wife then focused on them. Apparently, they wanted Helen to apply to the same university that Dustin was in. As a local university, it would not need her to travel out. Even better was the fact that the school had various online classes making it possible for her to learn from home if her issues kicked in again.

After thirty minutes both children got excused to prepare to head for the school.

An hour later Helen and Dustin stood outside their home grinning at their father's exaggerated yells as he fled from his wife. Both siblings shook their heads with a wry smile before leaving.

Dustin stuck to Helen like a bodyguard while the girl took in everything. It wasn't like she hadn't seen the outside, but it was the first in a long time that she had walked on the streets without the usual paranoia or anxiety. While she did feel anxious it was because she didn't know what to expect from people and herself.

The trek was long and quite eventful as both siblings caught themselves up to date on their lives. Well mostly on Dustin's part. By the time both reached the University the sun had risen to the center of the sky, yet none were fatigued from the trek.

*

A car's backdoor tinted window slid down halfway exposing a young handsome male of Asian origins. His black eyes followed a duo as they walked away from their house and on till they turned around the corner.

"Seems you were right Job. They still live here." the male spoke to someone else with him in the car. There was no reply though while these watched the house for just a minute more.

"Who would have thought we would meet again." his palms fisted and his eyes were cold as a deranged grin spread on his cheeks.

"I'll show you." He promised silently. "I'll so show you".

*

[Plains of Mistrelon]

The cavernous mountain insides were damp with blood and gore yet not a single body. Ferocious beasts that ruled the forests and at times scoured the plains fell left and right to the blade of the Anomaly. His army overran the creatures, using endurance, durability, and immortality to gain an edge over their living foes. It was a bloody affair.

Corpses fell and rose with green flames burning in their eyes and bodies. His sword remained spotless, his flesh unmarred and unharmed. Anoma stood at the center of fierce battle unmoving at times and then suddenly making huge blade swings that took out a good number of the dying destroyers.

A thin white mist had begun pouring into the room subtly and unnoticed. None realized that as they fought the mist gained ground, flowing past their legs and staying low to reach the end of the cavern.

The golden dot within Anoma's green flames flickered, and the king turned his head silently to the left before swinging with both his left arms. The lower left arm grabbed the destroyer's head and the upper snapped its neck while simultaneously letting the green flame set it ablaze. This action brought the first change in the battle.

Anoma sensed it instantly. A life, one different from the others. He didn't understand how or why since he had barely been born two or three days ago. While he didn't understand he did know whatever it was deserved his attention.

At this point Anoma noticed two things, One being that the mists had reached the end of the cavern with its only passage being up to where he was headed and down whence he came. The mist parted in front of him and a pressure struck both him and the cavern. Anoma froze for a millisecond as he spotted the new enemy.

A one-eyed destroyer walked out of the mist on all fours. Its head shifted and snapped about like a sniffing canine, its one eye gleaming with purple malice. Its claws clacked on the ground like nails on wood.

If there was one thing Hilde had been unsure of with Anoma's birth, it was his lack of emotions. Emotions that at the moment we're not present to stall his mind or thoughts. Miasma manipulation activated the same moment Anoma leaped up and forward at the destroyer, greenish-black energy gathering into his left upper hand with speed. Manipulation was a basic skill that any being with the desire to control energy at its raw point needed. Be it mana, divine mana, aether, or whatnot.

The miasma thickened into a long shaft with a green blade at its end. Blue flames burned on the blade as he descended hand stretched back and high above his head. Anoma sensed something off as the destroyer's purple eye turned white. Then a wave of white gas struck him mid-air and down to the ground.

His armor or body remained unharmed as he checked, the only difference was the white mist that clung to his body. From his collarbone to his hip both front and behind the mist swirled without leaving. Ignoring the mist for now as he sensed nothing off about it his attention went back to the enemy. Three pairs of green eyes locked with one purple eye right before the destroyer vanished like a mist.

Anoma's sword hand rose while the one holding the finished spear angled defensively.

POOF.

The destroyer materialized from the swirling mist and clung to his back, its left arm gripping his neck, the feet holding onto his back while the right hand clawed, punched, slammed, and tried to inflict any damage upon the King. The spear spun with a practiced twirl and stabbed through the space between his upper and lower left arms. The blade barely touched the destroyer when it poofed away in mists and with a screech.

Anoma twirled as he sought the creature. It didn't keep him waiting. It appeared this time in front of him as it spread its maw wide open and took a large bite on his face. Anoma's two free arms grabbed onto it reflexively while the spear was dropped into the mist. While it took miasma manipulation to shape the energy to a desired form it was his armaments skill that kept it permanent in that state. Unlike Hilde who could control every behavior and state of her construct, Anoma inherited no such skill. Which was why he remade a new miasma weapon, a dagger of corruption that slipped into the struggling destroyer.

It screeched out loud opening its jaw in the process and letting Anoma pry it off him and slam it to the ground. His boot rose to stamp its head only to crush the ground as it vanished in mists.

It reappeared a few distance off screeching in a low voice as it bled out. Even worse for it was the obvious rot that began from the wound and slowly began spreading. The creature seemed to realize that stealth and trickery would not win this fight. It looked around to see the mostly headless and other green-eyed destroyers ripping into their living kind.

It snarled in annoyance at this, unbelieving at the fact that all of it had fallen to one entity. Through all this mental battle Anoma strode forward slowly and calmly. In his left upper hand, he now held the spear, newly forged but just like the dropped one, on the right lower arm was the dagger of corruption.

As he raised the three weapons he felt something click within him. It was almost imperceptible, hidden. But for a being who had no emotions, could detect life, and had superior battle instincts it wasn't something that could hide from him.

He had no reason to ponder hard though as the system showed him the notification.

[First Perk of the Doom Sovereign created]

[Rune of Nihility]

[A power rune made to represent the essence of nihility and losing existence. The bringing to an end of a living thing. The being who possesses this mark is set as a candidate to inherit the force it embodies]

The sword, the spear, and the dagger glowed with a black and purple hue creating specks of light that flowed to his chest and condensed into a single rune. The rune itself bore a pressure that was unlike anything the Apex destroyer had felt. Even Anoma felt his bones, metallic flesh, and mind rattle from the pressure. It was the pressure of emptiness, the weight of the empty void to be filled, a wide chasm that sought presence yet had none.

It was Nihility, or to be be clearer. Nothingness.

***

[A/N: This chapter is sponsored by Deistra. He's dropped so many Power stones that at this point I owe him chapters. Appreciate the time and stones Deistra].