Demon King of Time

Chapter 15- Demon King of Time

The Paradox was a being of twisted time. It wasn't just an anomaly like its lesser counterpart. It took a step, the equipment near it malfunctioning, then slowly rusting, finally turning to ashes as if time itself had passed through it at accelerated speed.

Devon felt the creature's focus on him, giving Shuri time to reach the Keep. He finally was face to face against a 'successful creation' as that voice had termed it. He clenched his fist, ready for any sudden attacks."Stay behind me," he told her, his voice firm.

The Paradox blurred into motion. One moment it was a shifting mass of fragmented forms, the next it was a blur of motion. Its hand shimmered with crimson energy, the air around it warping and twisting. Devon was ready, he transformed into the imposing form of Ohma Zi-O, the air around him shimmering with golden energy, and used his own fist to counter the blow. The impact sent shockwaves through the already unstable lab, chunks of debris raining down from the ceiling.

The creature showed a flickering expression of surprise. No one it had touched were able to save themselves from getting their time stolen and aging to death in moments. But this being had done the impossible. It had been able to challenge him, stand toe to toe with him, -him who had never known a true battle. A low growl rumbled from the Paradox's shifting form.

Seizing the moment of the Paradox's apparent surprise, Ohma used his Chronokinetic Combat to create several pockets of temporal acceleration and deceleration, disorienting the creature. His punch shattered the already fractured lab floor, the force sending tremors through the entire structure.

The Paradox, reeling from the shock, attacked with a fist that abruptly changed into the grotesque, scaled arm of the Abomination. Ohma used his [Pseudo-Precognition] to effectively dodge, seeing a flash of the attack before it happened. He then combined the, [Flash Forward] and [Bullet Time] to throw a consecutive barrage of punches at the Paradox, each strike landing with a pin point accuracy.

The Paradox shrieked, sprouting multiple arms and newly grown thorny roots to block the impact from those punches from doing any lasting damage.

A sudden message appeared before Ohma, projected by the Keep: "Temporal stability reaching critical threshold, collapse imminent in three minutes." Three minutes? Not nearly enough time, Ohma thought grimly.

Distracted by the sudden message, the Paradox teleported, mimicking Nightcrawlers ability, but with a disturbing twist. Instead of a clean teleport, trails of fragmented images lingered in the air, like a broken recording. It reappeared behind Ohma, its fist suddenly increasing in size to encompass nearly the entire room.

Ohma crossed his arm, bracing himself as he was dragged back due to the sheer force of the blow.

The Paradox was adapting quickly. I need to be careful, Ohma thought grimly. And I still can't risk using stasis or rewind in this unstable environment. It could make things far worse.

Before he could fully stabilize himself, the Paradox teleported again, this time appearing directly overhead, descending with a crushing hammer blow. But suddenly, a wave of energy hit it, destabilizing its form, causing it to phase through Ohma. The Paradox shrieked in confusion, its form flickering violently.

Shuri had been fighting her own battle, fending off the swarming Temporal Echoes with improvised weapons and her sharp intellect. Seeing that the mysterious, armored figure was able to engage the Paradox, she had used her hastily constructed device, a Spatial Disruptor made from scavenged parts, to emit a wave of spatial energy, destabilizing space itself. It was the only known way to interact with these beings, though It didn't stop them, it just bought precious time.

Ohma realising a moment of weakness in the Paradox's instability, decided to go full throttle, activating [Hour of Demise]. A dark gold glow surrounded him, and he used multiple temporal blasts to gain distance from the Paradox, staggering it further. "Run to the Keep" he yelled to Shuri, his voice echoing through the lab. Shuri sprinted towards the Keep, blasting the minions with her disruptor on her way.

Ohma created multiple pockets of acceleration in front of him leading up to the Paradox. He further used [Flash forward] to its utmost limit, blurring through the accelerating pockets as a golden streak. His end velocity reached a near supersonic level, the air crackling around him as he closed the distance in a fraction of a second. He unleashed a devastating punch, the force of the blow amplified by the accumulated momentum, sending the Paradox hurtling towards the nearest wall with a thunderous crash. The impact created a web of cracks across the already damaged surface.

This can be considered my first real confrontation with the creator. Ohma thought, his gaze fixed at the reeling Paradox. Will I truly not be able to do anything? The timeline had already been destroyed, and the Paradox, for all his inexperience, had been able to keep him occupied. Should I leave now? the stolen energy would be gone forever with the Paradox, and who knows when they'd meet again. A new message flashed before his eyes: "Temporal collapse in one minute." One minute.

Will I, the Demon King of Time, accept such a loss? The thought fueled his resolve. If I cannot win, so won't you. Ohma channelled all the temporal energy he could muster, drawing even on the remaining fragments clinging to the dying timeline, expediting it's destruction.

"[Time's Requiem]," he whispered, his voice resonating with power. He burst forth with the accumulated energy, forming a devastating wave of disintegration that obliterated the remaining Temporal Echoes, and sent the Paradox reeling, its form finally dissolving into nothingness. The stolen energy returned to the void.

He [Blinked] himself back into the Keep, moving it back to the Chronarium just as the lab and everything within it imploded into nothingness, leaving only the cold vacuum of space where it once existed.

The Keep was silent, the holographic display at the centre of the throne room flickered, showing the destroyed reality. But thanks to Devon's decision of destroying the timeline, the time energy had dispersed, returning to other timelines, providing a bit of stability to them…for now.

Devon leaned against the Throne, his breathing ragged. He had overtaxed his body channeling the massive energy required for [Time's Requiem]. I am so going to feel this tomorrow, he thought wryly.

Besides him, Shuri sat huddled in the corner. The room was devoid of any objects except for his Throne. Devon willed some home decor to present itself; comfortable armchairs materialized around a low table. He gestured to Shuri to sit, "How are you feeling?"

Shuri remained where she was, her gaze fixed on the holographic display. "What are you?" She finally asked, her voice hushed, almost reverent. "You erased a world to kill that monster. The Avengers, the X-Men, the Guardians…, they thew everything they had at it, and it absorbed them. And you… you ended it… alone.. like it was nothing."

"The name is Devon King," Devon replied in a grim tone. He pushed himself off the throne, wincing slightly as a sharp pain shot through his side. "But no, it wasn't easy. I destroyed the entire timeline in doing so, and now I have again lost my clue." He clenched his fists in frustration, walking towards the holographic display.

"You have to be kidding," Shuri exclaimed, finally turning to face him, her voice laced with disbelief and anger. "You erased an entire world and what you care about is… the monster?"

"That monster," Devon corrected, stopping at the edge of the holographic projection. "let us name it Paradox, is not 'just' a monster. It was made to steal time and it did what it was intended for. Your timeline was already long gone. Me erasing it returned that energy, stabilizing the other timelines. It was a desperate tactic, but it was necessary." He turned to face her fully, his expression unreadable.

Shuri stood up abruptly, pacing a short distance towards him, her arms crossed tightly. "Necessary? You call destroying an entire reality necessary? There were people there, Devon! Even if… even if I didn't know them, they were there! They had lives, families…" Her voice trailed off, a tremor in her voice. The image of the timeline collapsing flashed through her mind, the feeling of utter helplessness returning.

Devon watched her, his expression softening slightly. He understood her anger, even if he didn't fully share her perspective. "That timeline," he said gently, "was already beyond saving. The Paradox had consumed too much of its temporal energy. It was collapsing from within. My action, however, pragmatic dealt with the bigger issue."

"But you just… ended it," Shuri insisted, her voice rising again. "You played judge, jury, and executioner. You didn't even try to find another way. Now what did you want to do to me? Kill me?"

Devon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "There wasn't another way," he said, his voice low. "I wasn't going to let Paradox get away. Who knows what it was doing with the stolen energy."

"As for you," he continued, turning to face Shuri, a flicker of something akin to sadness in his eyes. "I know what it's like… to lose everything. To be alone. If you want… I could send you to another universe. One where you might not exist. You could see them again… your family. They wouldn't be your versions, but… perhaps it would ease the burden.." He offered the suggestion with a strange mix of detachment and something that almost resembled concern.

Shuri stared at him, her eyes widening in disbelief. "So now you're even playing God," she said, her voice laced with anger and disgust. "Just throw me somewhere, replace people so easily. Again, I ask you, Devon… what are you?"

Devon's expression hardened. He straightened, his posture shifting from weary to imposing. The air around him seemed to crackle with latent energy. "I am the sole thing standing between the multiverse and its utter destruction," he said, his voice resonating with power. "I am the sole being who stands between order and chaos." He paused, the golden light intensifying. "I am Ohma Zi-O… the Demon King of Time." The last words were spoken with a chilling finality, as if they were a title etched in the very fabric of reality.

Devon's expression softened slightly, though his eyes still held a distant, almost otherworldly quality. The crackling energy around him subsided, and he resumed his previous, more relaxed posture. "It's… a title," he said, his voice returning to its normal tone. "One given to me by those who… understand my purpose."

Shuri remained where she was, still shaken by Devon's transformation. The title, "Demon King of Time," echoed in her mind, raising more questions than it answered. She looked at his back, a mix of fear, curiosity, and a growing sense of unease swirling within her.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this chapter. Your reviews and comments mean a lot, so please let me know what you think. Every vote counts, and if we hit 50 power stones, you'll get double chapter!