Chapter 53: The Path of No Return

Eryx's mind spun as he followed Ophis out of the chamber, his body still reeling from the effects of the Void's power. Every step felt heavier, and the oppressive silence between them weighed down like a leaden cloud. The energy that had erupted in the room had not dissipated but seemed to cling to them, a reminder of what they had unleashed.

Ophis walked ahead of him, her movements sharper, more deliberate. The faint aura that had surrounded her earlier had dimmed but not vanished completely. She was different now, stronger—perhaps too strong. Eryx could see it in the way she held herself, as if she were barely containing the power within.

But something about her felt… off. He had always trusted Ophis, fought beside her, relied on her in battle, but the connection they once had now seemed distant. She had changed, and that change unsettled him more than the enemies they faced.

"What did the Void do to you?" he finally asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Ophis didn't stop walking. "It gave me clarity."

"Clarity?" Eryx's heart raced. "What does that mean?"

She paused, turning to face him. Her expression was calm, but her eyes—once dark and sharp—now gleamed with a cold intensity. "The Void doesn't just offer power, Eryx. It offers understanding. I see things now, clearly, in ways I never could before."

Eryx felt a chill run down his spine. "What did it show you?"

Ophis's gaze was distant, as if she were looking at something far beyond him. "The truth. The gods, the Tower, even us. Everything is connected. Everything is part of the Void."

Eryx frowned, stepping closer. "And what about us? Where do we fit into that?"

She looked at him, her expression softening for just a moment. "We were always meant to be part of this. We were chosen."

Eryx shook his head. "I don't want to be part of this. Not like this."

Ophis's gaze hardened. "You don't have a choice anymore. Neither of us do."

Before Eryx could respond, the ground beneath them trembled. The tower groaned, its ancient walls shaking as the air filled with a deep, rumbling sound that echoed through the very stones around them. It wasn't just the Void anymore—the Tower itself seemed to be reacting to what they had done.

"They know," Ophis said, her voice tense.

Eryx could feel it too—the presence of the gods growing stronger, more concentrated. They had been watching, waiting, but now they were preparing to act.

"We need to move," Ophis said, turning sharply toward the exit. "They won't give us time to rest."

Eryx nodded, though his mind was still reeling. He couldn't shake the feeling that they had crossed a line, that the path they were now walking led to something far worse than anything they had faced before.

The hallway outside the chamber was darker than before, the shadows stretching long across the floor as if the tower itself had become part of the Void. Eryx gripped his sword tightly, the familiar weight of it grounding him. He could feel the Void within him, pulsing, urging him forward, but he fought to keep it at bay.

They moved quickly, navigating the twisting corridors of the tower with purpose. The deeper they went, the more the energy around them seemed to intensify, warping the air and the very fabric of the space around them.

As they reached a massive spiral staircase leading upward, Ophis stopped abruptly. "They're coming."

Eryx tensed. "Who?"

"The gods," she said, her voice steady but filled with a grim resolve. "They know we've taken their power, and they won't let us leave without a fight."

Eryx's heart pounded in his chest. They had faced gods before, but this felt different. The presence he felt now was overwhelming, a force that seemed to press down on him from every direction. He could hear distant footsteps, the echo of armored soldiers marching toward them.

"We need to—" Eryx began, but before he could finish, the first figure appeared.

It was tall, clad in shimmering golden armor, its face hidden behind an ornate helmet. The figure carried a massive spear, and its very presence seemed to distort the air around it. Behind it, more figures emerged—an army of divine warriors, their eyes glowing with the light of the gods.

Ophis stepped forward, her sword drawn, her aura flaring to life once again. "They'll die if they try to stop us."

Eryx gritted his teeth, his own sword trembling in his hand. "Ophis, this is too much. We can't fight them all."

"We don't have a choice," she replied, her voice cold. "We've come too far to turn back now."

Before Eryx could respond, the lead warrior charged, its spear aimed directly at him. Eryx barely had time to react, raising his sword to block the strike. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, but Eryx held his ground, pushing back with all his strength.

Ophis was already moving, her blade cutting through the air as she met the second wave of warriors head-on. Her movements were faster, more fluid than ever before, and the Void seemed to dance around her, warping the space as she fought.

Eryx fought alongside her, his sword flashing as he deflected blow after blow. The divine warriors were relentless, their attacks precise and deadly, but Eryx could feel the Void guiding him, his body moving with a speed and strength he hadn't known he possessed.

But the gods' forces were endless. For every warrior they struck down, two more took its place, their glowing eyes fixed on Eryx and Ophis with a singular purpose: to stop them.

"We need to get to the next floor!" Eryx shouted, blocking another attack.

Ophis spun, her blade cutting through two more warriors. "Then stop holding back!"

Eryx's heart pounded as he felt the Void inside him swell, pushing against the barriers he had tried to keep in place. He knew what Ophis was asking of him, but he also knew the price.

But as another wave of warriors surged toward them, Eryx knew he didn't have a choice.

With a roar, he unleashed the Void's power, the air around him crackling with dark energy as his sword glowed with an unnatural light. The next warrior that charged at him was torn apart by the force of the attack, disintegrating into nothingness.

Ophis smiled, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Now we're ready."

The battle raged on, but with the Void fully unleashed, Eryx and Ophis cut through the gods' forces with terrifying speed and precision. The air was thick with the energy of the Void, and the very walls of the tower seemed to warp and shift in response.

But even as they fought, Eryx could feel the cost. The Void was taking more from him, pulling him deeper into its grasp with every strike. He could feel his humanity slipping away, piece by piece.

And as the last of the divine warriors fell, Eryx realized something else.

This battle wasn't the end.

It was only the beginning.