Chapter 36: Whispers from the Beyond

The skies over the Tower's ruins had barely cleared when a strange sensation crawled over Eryx's skin. The once-calm air around them began to hum with an unearthly vibration. It was as if reality itself was trembling.

"What is that?" Ophis asked, her voice quiet but laced with concern. Her usual calm demeanor had shifted into something more cautious. The Void energy within Eryx pulsed faintly, responding to an external force neither of them could quite pinpoint.

Eryx tightened his grip on his sword, scanning the desolate landscape of the fallen Tower. It wasn't just the aftermath of the Tower's collapse. This was something different, something far older. The horizon seemed to warp, twisting in on itself, and the sky flickered in a way that made Eryx's stomach turn.

"There's something here," Eryx muttered. "I can feel it... watching us."

Before Ophis could reply, the world around them darkened. It was subtle at first, like the shadow of a passing cloud, but soon the sky itself began to shift, the sunlight dimming until it was swallowed by an oppressive gloom.

Out of nowhere, a voice echoed in the air. It wasn't a normal voice—it was cold, ancient, and seemed to come from every direction at once.

"You who have torn down the Tower… you have disrupted the balance."

Eryx's heart pounded as he scanned the area, his eyes darting to every shadow. There was no one in sight, but the presence was undeniable. This voice didn't belong to any mortal or even the gods of the Tower. It was something more... something alien.

Ophis stepped closer, her hand on the hilt of her sword. "That voice… it's not from this world."

The shadows around them began to stir, twisting and curling in ways that defied logic. From the darkest corners of their surroundings, figures began to emerge. They were not physical beings—at least, not in the way Eryx understood. These creatures were formless, ever-shifting masses of darkness, their shapes constantly fluctuating between terrifying, grotesque forms.

"The Outer Gods..." Ophis whispered, her eyes narrowing. "I've heard whispers of them—beings older than the gods who created the Tower."

Eryx swallowed hard. The Outer Gods. He had never imagined he would face them directly. Stories of their power were legendary—beings so ancient and beyond comprehension that they made even the mightiest gods seem insignificant. He felt the Void inside him pulse in response to their presence, but it wasn't enough to quell the creeping dread he felt.

"Your defiance has drawn our gaze," the voice boomed again, louder now, echoing in the very air they breathed. "You stand against the natural order. The Tower was built to contain chaos, and you have unleashed it."

The formless figures moved closer, their presence warping the reality around them. The ground beneath Eryx and Ophis's feet cracked and splintered as if rejecting the gods' mere existence.

"We don't back down from gods," Eryx said through gritted teeth, raising his sword. The Void energy flowed through him, crackling with a dark, electric intensity. Ophis mirrored him, her expression cold and resolute.

"You think your power can save you?" the voice laughed, a hollow, mocking sound. "We are not of your realm. We are the Architects. The ones who shaped the worlds before your kind could even fathom existence."

Eryx could feel the overwhelming power radiating from the beings. The air itself seemed to vibrate under the weight of their presence. This wasn't just a battle—it was a test of survival.

Without warning, one of the Outer Gods lashed out, a tendril of darkness snapping toward them like a whip. Eryx barely had time to react, bringing his sword up to block the strike. The impact sent a shockwave through his entire body, forcing him to his knees.

"They're too strong," Ophis muttered, her face contorting as she deflected another blow. "They're not like anything we've faced before."

Eryx could feel the pressure building around them. Every strike from the Outer Gods warped the very fabric of space, distorting reality with every movement. His Void energy, which had once felt like an unstoppable force, now seemed fragile in comparison to the godly powers they faced.

"We need a plan," Eryx said, panting heavily as he blocked another attack. "We can't fight them head-on."

Ophis nodded, her sharp gaze flicking across the battlefield. "We have to outlast them. They're too powerful in their realm, but we might be able to disrupt their hold on this one."

Eryx glanced at her, a plan forming in his mind. If the Outer Gods weren't bound to the physical world in the same way they were, perhaps they could use the Void to destabilize their presence. It was a long shot, but it was all they had.

"We use the Void," Eryx said, his voice grim. "We disrupt their connection to this plane."

Ophis didn't hesitate. With a nod, she raised her hand, summoning the full force of her power. The air around them shimmered, warping as she began to manipulate the Void, distorting the space between them and the gods.

The Outer Gods hesitated, their movements faltering as the reality around them shifted. For the first time, Eryx saw a flicker of uncertainty in their shifting forms.

"You think you can bend the Void to your will?" the voice snarled, but there was an edge of doubt now.

Eryx grinned, despite the weight of the battle pressing down on him. "I don't think. I know."

With a final surge of energy, he and Ophis unleashed their combined power. The Void twisted and expanded, creating a rift between their reality and the gods. The ground shook violently, and the Outer Gods let out a deafening roar as their connection to the world began to weaken.

"We are eternal!" the voice bellowed, but it was fading, the gods' presence flickering like dying embers.

Eryx held his ground, pouring every ounce of his strength into the rift. "Not here, you're not."

With one final, blinding flash of light, the Outer Gods were torn from the world, their forms dissolving into the Void. The oppressive weight that had hung over the battlefield lifted, and for the first time since the collapse of the Tower, there was silence.

Eryx collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. The battle had taken everything out of him, but they had survived. Ophis stood beside him, her sword still in hand, her face expressionless as she stared at the spot where the gods had vanished.

"This isn't over," she said quietly. "They'll be back. And next time, they won't underestimate us."

Eryx nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Then we'll be ready."

The gods had noticed them. The real battle was just beginning.