Chapter 56: The Weight of Ascension

Eryx's heart still raced from the encounter with the Outer God, but the sense of victory was fleeting. As the echoes of the battle died down, a heavy silence settled over the void. The empty expanse stretched endlessly in every direction, but there was no mistaking the fact that they were being watched—by countless eyes lurking in the darkness.

Ophis was already scanning the horizon, her expression unreadable but tense. "They'll come in waves," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "That one was the first of many."

Eryx nodded, still catching his breath. The power of the Void surged within him, but it felt erratic, almost wild. He had never pushed this far before, and each battle was beginning to take its toll. He knew he couldn't keep this up forever—not without something changing.

"They aren't just watching," Eryx said, his voice low. "They're waiting for us to make a mistake."

Ophis's eyes flickered toward him, her gaze sharp. "Then we don't give them one."

Her cold confidence was both reassuring and unsettling. There was a time when he could read Ophis, when he could sense her emotions even when she tried to hide them. But now, after everything they had faced—especially after the power of the Void had altered her—she seemed more distant than ever. It was like she was becoming something else entirely, and Eryx wasn't sure whether he should follow her or fear her.

The ground beneath them rippled as if responding to his thoughts. The space around them felt more like a living, breathing entity than a battlefield. It twisted and churned, warping reality, responding to the movements of the Outer Gods. The Tower had always been strange, but the further they ascended, the more alien and unrecognizable it became.

"What happens if we reach the end?" Eryx asked, breaking the silence.

Ophis didn't look at him, her gaze still locked on the horizon. "If we reach the end," she said, her voice hard, "we either claim the power of the Void… or we're consumed by it."

Eryx swallowed hard. He had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed sent a shiver down his spine. The Void wasn't just a weapon. It wasn't just a source of strength. It was a force—ancient, unyielding, and insatiable. And they were walking a razor's edge between wielding its power and being devoured by it.

As they continued to move forward, the atmosphere grew heavier. The sky above them twisted with unnatural colors, swirling in patterns that made Eryx's eyes ache to look at. The stars seemed wrong, shifting in and out of place like they were caught in some otherworldly dance. The air itself buzzed with energy—an energy that felt like it was building toward something catastrophic.

And then, without warning, the next attack came.

A massive shadow loomed out of the void, its form indistinct but impossibly vast. It moved with terrifying speed, crashing toward them like a tidal wave of darkness. Eryx barely had time to react, raising his sword as the creature slammed into the ground before them, sending shockwaves through the air.

Ophis was already moving, her blade flashing as she launched herself at the creature. The Void swirled around her, distorting reality as she struck at the shadow, her attacks cutting through the darkness with precision.

But the creature didn't fall. It twisted and reformed, its shape shifting as it absorbed the blows. It was like fighting against the void itself—nothing they did seemed to affect it.

"Eryx!" Ophis shouted, her voice sharp with urgency. "We need to break its core!"

Eryx's eyes narrowed as he scanned the creature. He could feel the power radiating from it, but something was off. The creature wasn't just a mindless being of the void—it was drawing power from somewhere, feeding off the energy of the Outer Gods.

"There!" Eryx shouted, pointing to a pulsing, glowing mass at the center of the creature's form. "That's its weak point!"

Ophis didn't hesitate. She darted toward the core, her movements swift and lethal. Eryx followed her, the Void pulsing through his veins as he charged at the creature.

But as they closed in, the creature shifted again, its form elongating as it lashed out at them with tendrils of darkness. One of the tendrils caught Eryx across the chest, sending him flying backward with bone-crushing force. He hit the ground hard, pain flaring through his body as he struggled to breathe.

For a moment, the world around him spun, and the Void inside him threatened to take over completely. He could feel it clawing at him, demanding more power, more control. But Eryx pushed back, forcing himself to stay grounded.

"I won't let it take me," he whispered through gritted teeth, forcing himself to his feet.

Ophis was still fighting, her blade flashing as she dodged the creature's attacks with supernatural grace. But even she couldn't keep this up forever. The creature was too powerful, too relentless.

Eryx knew what he had to do.

Taking a deep breath, he channeled the Void into his sword, the blade glowing with dark energy as he focused all his strength on a single, devastating strike. He could feel the power building, surging through him, threatening to consume him if he didn't release it.

With a roar, Eryx unleashed the full force of the Void, his sword cutting through the air as he aimed for the creature's core. The impact was immediate. The energy from his attack collided with the creature's core, sending a shockwave through the void that shattered the creature's form.

The shadow dissolved, its dark energy dissipating into the air as the chamber fell silent once more.

Eryx staggered, gasping for breath, his body trembling from the effort. The Void inside him had quieted, but he could still feel its presence, lurking just beneath the surface.

Ophis stood over the remains of the creature, her expression unreadable. She didn't say anything, but Eryx could feel the tension between them growing stronger.

"We're running out of time," she said finally, her voice cold.

Eryx nodded, though the exhaustion weighed heavily on him. They had survived the battle, but it was clear that the real threat was still ahead. The Outer Gods were watching, waiting, and they wouldn't stop until Eryx and Ophis had either ascended or fallen.

As they turned to continue their journey through the void, Eryx couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into a trap—one that even the Void might not be able to save them from.