Chapter 791 - 792

"Fear, mortals, the deluge from the abyss will mercilessly engulf you!"

An ancient and malevolent aura permeates the surroundings, causing the entire space to tremble. As Calamity Emissary continues his incantation, the monstrous apparition emerging from the abyss grows more distinct. While it may take a while for the creature's main body to fully materialize, its mere presence is already terrifying.

The seawater churns wildly as the apparition quickly ascends, reaching heights of over 100 feet. It looms over the entire underwater city, asserting its dominance. The creature assumes a human-like form, with elongated arms extending outward, wielding an enormous sword. Its head branches into multiple heads, resembling a fusion of dragons and serpents.

Evan's heart races as he realizes that if he tilts his head slightly, he'll have a complete view of this monster. He wonders if this being could be an evil god, but the appearance alone doesn't match that description. Unlike evil gods, this creature lacks the power to influence the minds of others, which is typically a hallmark of such deities. However, this revelation isn't necessarily good news, as the monster's strength rivals that of an evil god, and Evan feels ill-equipped to face it.

If this creature is successfully summoned, it could plunge the world into chaos. Ancient wizards had accomplished many miraculous feats with magic, drawing the attention of various formidable and purely dark creatures. Perhaps it was this era of magic that led to their downfall. Evan remains unaware of why the powerful ancient wizards disappeared, but it's clear that this monster is responsible for the city's submersion.

Its arrival triggered the catastrophic explosion that caused the city's downfall, and only a true lunatic would attempt to summon it again. As this fearsome monster makes its presence known, Evan can't help but think of the ancient tale of the earth mother's son, who could raise the winds and control the elements. It was said to possess a hundred torch-like eyes and was so terrifying that even the gods dared not confront it. The earth mother's son was said to have sired many offspring, including Cerberus, the hydra, the hundred-headed dragon, the Chimera, the Manticore, the Sphinx, the Gorgon Medusa, Scylla, and the Sirens, among others. These dark creatures continue to exist in various forms, serving as the root of all evil.

In the final act of the tale, the earth mother's son is said to have met his end in Sicily, his essence transforming into a fearsome volcano, venting his anger toward the heavens. Evan shakes his head, refocusing his thoughts, and increases his swimming speed as he approaches the azure-colored rift that had flashed earlier. If there's a flash, it implies that ancient wizards' magic might remain in the area to restrain this monstrous being.

Evan must understand the entire situation before taking any action. If all else fails, he may need to find a way to escape from this place. Even if this monster arrives, it will become a problem that the Italian wizards must deal with. Evan remembers the white beam of energy from the Vatican sky. If the Italian wizards or others possess that kind of power, they may be capable of dealing with the impending threat.

After several minutes, Evan arrives at a giant stone door, one of the relatively intact remnants in the ruins. This door is constructed entirely of brownstone; only the doorframes remain. Two identical figures on both sides of the door are depicted, each towering like a Cyclops, holding a peculiar sphere.

Evan observes celestial bodies above the stone door's seal as if depicting the passage of time. He surveys the collapsed stone columns and the remnants of what appears to be a circular, grand structure. It appears to have served a temple-like function, consecrating some form of deity or spiritual entity.

As Evan swims through the front door, he notices intricate patterns on the ruins' floor, which once formed a hall. A giant statue stands at the end of the hall, though it has suffered significant damage, obscuring its true form. Only a broken flagstone remains, emitting a green glow.

Evan approaches the flagstone, covered in densely written text in an ancient, long-lost magical language from ancient Rome. He meticulously examines the text, and due to the damage, some sections are missing. From the surviving text, it seems that the individual who carved the initial inscription intercepted this knowledge from a larger statute book containing forbidden information.

The inscription describes the foolishness of mortals who once attempted to control beings of unparalleled power. It chronicles their attempt to summon this monstrous entity in the hopes of controlling it and harnessing its evil strength to bring light to their city, which had languished in perpetual darkness. However, the author finds these attempts laughable and believes they will ultimately lead to the city's destruction.

Despite this, the author has chosen to stay behind, remaining loyal to their duty of recording events. They transcribe the method used to summon this terrifying monster from the statute book. The inscription warns future readers, urging them to turn back immediately upon encountering it. The author hints at unspeakable horrors awaiting those who dare to continue.

As Evan reads, he becomes aware that the flagstone is incomplete and crucial information is missing, including the name of this monstrous entity. He continues to scroll down, and the remaining text begins to quiver. From what's left of the inscription, it appears that this creature was born with unimaginable strength and immediately unleashed a destructive force that obliterated everything in its path.

Evan furrows his brow, realizing that this section of the flagstone contains incomplete information and fails to mention the creature's name. His eyes continue down the inscription, and the text above trembles. This monstrous entity was born with incredible power, unleashing destruction that annihilated everything in its path.

With the information he has gathered, Evan decides to continue his exploration, driven by the need to uncover the full extent of the situation and take appropriate action.

Why is time exempt from the effects of other physical and magical attacks? It's because the Spiritual God governs time itself. "The god of time?!" Evan narrowed his eyes. This description is truly intriguing.

Suddenly, a powerful vibration caused the stone column they had been waiting on to collapse with a loud crash, echoing through the deep seabed.

Evan's gaze continued downward, focusing on the flagstone inscriptions:

"It thrives on confusion and destruction, the root of all evils, the harbinger of realms' destruction. Yet, astonishingly, this foolish entity has gathered many worshippers throughout history. Its followers seek the power of evil from it, aiming to become formidable. What's even more absurd is that there are avid followers who attempt to control it.

Oynya's wizards belong to the latter group—arrogant individuals who believe they can control everything. They were blessed by the ancient Spiritual God and gained knowledge of the secrets of time—power mortals could never possess. They built an unmatched magical city above the Mediterranean Sea, a marvel beyond imagination. Even the great city of Rome sought their counsel before making important decisions.

However, they deceived themselves, for the destruction of this city looms, and a great cataclysm is about to unfold...

Evan noticed a significant portion of the text had no further relevance and skipped ahead.

"It came, I saw it, and I was quickly filled with fear and awe. My body trembled uncontrollably...

It was larger than the Cyclops of Sicily, casting a shadow that could engulf an entire city. Even powerful beings like me knelt before it, pleading for mercy lest it unleash its wrath. Today, Oynya faces a new destiny of either destruction or immortality. It has agreed to assist these wizards in conquering all as long as they provide sufficient sacrifices. It will not hesitate to sow chaos and destruction throughout the world.

But I know the truth—these cunning wizards secretly struck a deal. They spent countless nights scheming, devising ways to control the ancient being they called their 'god.' They sought to subdue it by using the power of time, siphoning its magic to power the city.

As you can see from the following descriptions, Oynya's wizards once controlled this creature. This marked the city's most prosperous era. But the situation changed rapidly as they lost control over this savage entity. Instead of bending to their will, they fought back. Oynya's wizards found their time magic waning.

They were forced to weaken the summoning ceremony, attempting to reseal parts of this fearsome creature. Yet, their idea was laughable and foolish. The weakened ceremony allowed the creature to break free from their control. It took the opportunity to wield its mighty sword, and the once-powerful wizards were annihilated. The explosion destroyed the entire city, including the miraculous city above the Mediterranean Sea, sinking it to the seabed.

In its final moments, some of Oynya's formidable wizards resorted to a dark sealing technique, sacrificing the lives of the city's inhabitants to initiate time magic, sealing the monster once again.

The inscription on the flagstone wasn't finished, and Evan continued reading.

After the unrivaled post-war, the cataclysm ended, and the ancient entity retreated from this world, returning to the chaotic times. I may be the sole survivor of Oynya, and I must document this catastrophe in detail, including the method used to summon this creature. I cannot keep this knowledge from you if you ever dare to summon it!

Evan furrowed his brow. The author of this flagstone inscription, whoever they were, seemed to have gone mad. Their grammar was inconsistent, and they used unclear wording. Evan had little interest in the creature's summoning method described on the flagstone. It held no significance for him.

Clearly, this was a powerful form of dark magic, requiring tremendous energy and souls to strengthen the summoning ceremony. Thousands of years ago, the wizards of this city had summoned the creature, without hesitation, by exterminating several African cities and ancient clans to capture their souls for the ritual.

"If souls are needed, where did the Calamity Emissary obtain these souls?" Evan pondered.

As if in response to his question, the seabed trembled violently.

"Foolish wizards, offer up your souls!" The monster's voice echoed with resentment. "Welcome the return of the king of darkness!"

Without delay, all the souls within the city ruins began to float, drawn uncontrollably toward the abyss at the city's center. It was as if a powerful force were pulling them in.

Fear was etched onto the faces of the departed souls. They seemed to retain memories from their past lives, aware of what had transpired. They struggled to escape or find hiding places.

Fortunately, the force pulling them was not overwhelmingly strong, and the spirits could resist.

"But this can't go on. Should I confront him directly?" Evan wondered aloud. He had no desire to duel with the enigmatic and dangerous dark wizards near the abyss, especially now that the monster had entered this world.

Evan had recorded the summoning method of this creature for a reason, hoping to prevent its misuse. The information on the flagstone was a ticking time bomb, only revealing itself when necessary.

There was one more part of the inscription on the flagstone, and Evan quickly read on:

"I had planned to take this flagstone to Rome and warn future generations. However, life is slipping away from me at a visible pace. I can only return it to the city from the temple, seeking forgiveness from the Spiritual God. Once I die, my soul will be utterly annihilated as punishment from the Spiritual God.

To future generations: if you come here not to summon that creature but to prevent it, your time is in the temple..."