Chapter 37: Aftermath and Echoes

The silence following the battle was disorienting. The sudden absence of the oppressive presence of the Outer Gods left a gaping void, both in the air around them and in Eryx's mind. The power that had pulsed and vibrated just moments ago now felt distant, but not gone. He staggered as he tried to rise to his feet, every muscle aching from the strain of wielding the Void against something so vast.

Ophis, ever resilient, was already standing, but her eyes were sharper than before. There was something different about her—a quiet tension that hadn't been there before the confrontation. Even she, it seemed, had been shaken by what they'd faced.

"They were just testing us," Ophis murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper. "They didn't care about winning."

Eryx's gaze shot toward her, confusion etching his face. "What do you mean? We fought them—drove them off."

Ophis shook her head, the faint flicker of frustration passing over her face. "No. They wanted to see what we were capable of. They retreated not because we won, but because they got what they came for. We've drawn their attention."

The weight of her words settled over Eryx like a stone, dragging his thoughts down. The Void inside him swirled, still restless from the battle, but there was something else—something he hadn't felt before. The Void was… smaller. Or rather, the vastness of what they had faced had made the Void's power feel like a drop in an ocean.

"Their power…" Eryx muttered, the realization hitting him hard. "I barely scratched them. The Void was supposed to be enough. It felt like nothing."

Ophis's gaze was sharp as she stared at him, her voice cutting through his doubts. "The Void is enough—but not alone. You haven't unlocked its full potential. And we are still missing pieces."

Her eyes darkened, and Eryx saw a rare flicker of fear in her. "These Outer Gods—what we faced, they were just the weakest. They wanted to see if we were worth their time. And we are. But next time, they'll send more. Something far stronger."

Eryx clenched his fists. His connection to the Void had felt absolute before—unbeatable. He had conquered the Tower with it, but the Outer Gods had shown him a new level of power, something far beyond his reach.

Ophis stepped toward him, her tone softening slightly, but still firm. "We don't have time for doubt. They will come again. We need to be stronger. You need to learn what the Void truly is."

Eryx shook his head. "What do you mean?"

"The Void is vast," she said. "But it's not just a weapon. It's a part of the universe itself. It connects everything—life, death, creation, destruction. You've been using it like a sword, but the Void is more than that. It's the space between worlds, the fabric of reality."

Eryx frowned. He had felt it, in moments of battle—how the Void didn't just destroy but seemed to bend reality. But he had never understood the full scope of what it could do.

"If you can learn to harness that," Ophis continued, her voice steady, "then maybe we stand a chance."

Eryx looked at her, his mind racing. "So, where do we begin?"

Ophis turned toward the horizon, where the remnants of the Tower lay scattered across the land. The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the rubble. "There are places where the Void is strong—where reality is weaker, where the boundaries between worlds blur. Those are the places we need to find. That's where we'll learn."

"And the Outer Gods?" Eryx asked, his voice low, almost hesitant. "What if they find us first?"

"They won't come immediately," Ophis said, though her tone wasn't entirely reassuring. "They'll watch, wait, gather their strength. They don't need to rush. They exist outside of time, outside of the rules of our world. But that gives us time, too. We can't waste it."

Eryx nodded, but unease gnawed at him. Every step they took forward now felt like it was being watched. The gods they had fought had been testing them—judging them—and he couldn't shake the feeling that they had passed the test. But what did that mean for their future? What was coming next?

Ophis turned back toward him, her expression softer for a moment. "You're stronger than you know, Eryx. The Void chose you for a reason. But don't let it blind you. Strength isn't enough—you need to understand it."

Eryx met her gaze, feeling the weight of her words. There was more to the Void than power, and if he wanted to survive the coming storm, he had to understand it. Fully.

They stood there in silence for a moment, the ruins of the Tower behind them, the unknown ahead. Eryx took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. His mind raced with the possibilities—of what the Void could do, of what he needed to become, of the enemies they would face.

Then, from the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker. It was barely noticeable, but the air seemed to shimmer for a split second, as though reality itself had bent and straightened in an instant. Eryx's body tensed.

"We're being watched," he whispered, his voice tight.

Ophis didn't turn her head, but her posture shifted, alert. "Yes. They're already keeping tabs on us. The Outer Gods... they never truly leave."

Eryx clenched his fists, anger rising. He could feel it—their gaze, the weight of their presence even from whatever distant plane they occupied. It was suffocating.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked, his voice hardening. "Do we wait for them to come back and try to kill us again?"

Ophis smiled faintly. "No. We go on the offensive."

Eryx's eyes widened in surprise. "You're serious?"

"Deadly serious," Ophis replied, her tone firm. "We've been reactive for too long. First the Tower, now the gods. We need to stop waiting for them to come to us. We need to find the weak spots, disrupt their plans before they have a chance to strike."

Eryx considered her words. It was dangerous—reckless, even. But it was the only way they stood a chance. Waiting would only give the Outer Gods time to gather their strength.

"Where do we start?" he asked.

Ophis's smile faded, her gaze hardening. "There are places—ruins, ancient sites where the veil between worlds is thin. We'll start there. But the journey won't be easy. The gods will be watching, and there will be others—creatures of power, beings that have been waiting for an opportunity like this."

"Then we'll fight them," Eryx said, determination burning in his chest.

Ophis nodded. "Yes. But this time, we'll be prepared."

As they walked away from the ruins of the Tower, the sky above them flickered again, the distant shadows of something far greater than either of them watching from beyond the stars.

The gods were waiting. But Eryx and Ophis would meet them head-on.