Chapter 2: The Day the Gods Came

The first sign of trouble came when the sky turned black.

It wasn't the storm clouds that Elias had seen many times before. No, this was different. A heavy, unnatural darkness spread across the horizon like ink staining the sky, swallowing the sun in an instant. The air turned cold, too cold for a summer evening, and the wind became harsh, whipping through the trees with a violence Elias had never felt before. The animals in the forest went silent, and even the river seemed to slow.

Elias stood in the field, his eyes locked on the sky, heart hammering in his chest. This was no ordinary storm. There was something about it—a dread in the air, a heaviness that made him want to run.

From the corner of his eye, he saw his father, Darius, rushing toward the house. His mother, Seris, was already at the door, calling for them to come inside. But Elias couldn't move. He could only watch as the darkness spread faster, rolling in like an avalanche, swallowing everything in its path.

Then, he heard it. A sound, like the growl of an animal, but deeper, more menacing. The ground beneath him trembled, and the very air seemed to crackle with raw, divine power.

"Elias! Get inside, now!" Darius's voice broke through the noise, urgent, terrified. But still, Elias stood frozen, his body unwilling to obey.

The first god appeared in the distance.

It wasn't like the stories. No towering figure with shining armor or radiant wings, no perfect form. This was something far worse. A god of destruction—one whose very presence distorted the air around it, a being cloaked in shadow, its form shifting like smoke in the wind. Its eyes glowed with a sickly yellow light, and when it spoke, the earth itself seemed to shake.

"We come for you, mortals," the god's voice echoed, cold and unfeeling. "Bow before us, or face the consequences."

The ground cracked beneath its feet, and the trees in the distance uprooted themselves, flying through the air like toys caught in a storm. Elias' heart pounded in his chest as he finally snapped out of his trance. His father had reached him by then, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him toward the house.

"Inside, now!" Darius barked.

They ran, the sound of the god's presence growing louder, closer. But it wasn't fast enough. The darkness was upon them before they could reach the door. The air around them thickened, and the once peaceful village of Athalos seemed to hold its breath.

And then, the second god appeared.

This one was different. This one was beautiful, yet terrifying in its own right. Its form was ethereal, almost translucent, its wings like those of a bird of paradise, stretching wide and glowing with an unnatural light. It hovered above the ground, eyes filled with contempt, surveying the village below.

"Flee if you must," the angelic figure said, its voice carrying an air of superiority. "But know this: you cannot escape the will of the gods."

Before Elias could comprehend what was happening, the first god—the dark one—extended a hand, and the earth trembled beneath them. The ground cracked open, swallowing the land whole. Buildings crumbled, trees were uprooted, and the very ground seemed to quake with divine fury.

"NO!" Elias shouted, as the darkness crept closer to his family. His father pushed him forward, but it was too late.

In that moment, Elias knew—knew with a sickening certainty—that this was the end.

The gods had come for them.

The sky itself tore open with a thunderous roar, and everything around Elias erupted into chaos. A blinding light flashed, followed by a sickening, bone-chilling silence.

He heard his mother's scream, but he couldn't look back. He couldn't. The moment he did, he saw the shape of the god—its dark hand descending toward his family.

A single thought burned into Elias' mind: They were gone.

His legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, his heart shattering as the world around him fell apart.

The gods had come to take everything from him.

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When the chaos finally stopped, when the silence grew too heavy, Elias rose to his feet, his body trembling. His home was gone. His family was gone. His whole world was gone. The only thing that remained was the hollow echo of destruction.

There was no sign of the gods now. The shadowed figure and the angelic one had vanished, leaving nothing behind but a barren wasteland.

Elias stood amidst the ruins of Athalos, his heart twisted with grief and fury. The villagers were gone. His mother and father… Liora. He had failed to protect them.

But one thing was clear now—he was alone.

Elias didn't know how long he stood there, staring at the remains of his life, but when the grief finally gave way to something darker, something more dangerous, he made a vow.

A vow to the gods who had stolen everything from him.

"I will make you pay," he whispered, the words barely audible, but filled with an intense resolve. "I will make you pay for what you've done."

And for the first time, Elias felt the stirrings of true power within him.