64. The Battle of Destiny, On the Ancient Battlefield

The battle between Merslin's party and Elegreon began with ferocious intensity. Elegreon's immense size and overwhelming power exceeded anything they had anticipated. His breath, like a scorching flame, scorched the earth, and his razor-sharp claws tore through the air, launching devastating attacks. But Merslin and his allied forces countered each strike with everything they had, utilizing their unique strengths.

The sky gradually darkened. The once crimson-tinged clouds shifted to pitch black, no longer a mere backdrop but an active participant in the battle. As the conflict grew more intense, the sky responded in kind, transforming as if according to a meticulously written script. The battle seemed endless.

Then, suddenly, the sky turned completely black, and an eerie silence fell over the field as though time itself had paused. In that moment, everyone—including Merslin and Elegreon—was lifted into the air. It felt as if they were being drawn into a warped dimension, pulled by an unseen force.

They reappeared on a vast land near Celesta Alteckna—a mysterious place none of them had ever seen. The ground was marked by enormous fissures and remnants of ancient power. They realized this was the legendary battlefield where the Titans and the Old Gods had fought, where the Old God was finally laid to rest. And this place was deeply connected to the dimensional rift of Luminaria.

"Where... are we?" Lisa asked in awe, glancing around, overwhelmed by the sheer force of the location.

Elena answered solemnly, "This is the battlefield where the Titans and the Old Gods fought their final war. The place where the Old God now sleeps."

Merslin began to understand why they had been brought here. "This isn't just about Luminaria. This battlefield is where it all began. This is the source of the ancient power."

Elegreon, overhearing them, smirked. "Yes, this is the resting place of the Old God. The dimensional seed I seek lies here. If I awaken its power, no one will be able to stop me."

Merslin clenched his fist. "Then this is where we stop you. If this is your final destination, it's where we will put an end to your ambitions."

The battlefield bore the scars of a previous cataclysmic war. Ancient energies still flowed through the land, and the new battle was stirring them once more. Merslin's party and Elegreon were about to engage in their final confrontation.

Elegreon soared into the sky and unleashed powerful magic. Drawing strength from the land itself, his power grew ever stronger. Bolts of lightning and flame erupted from his claws.

But Merslin and his allies stood firm. Elena and Lydia countered Elegreon's assault with ancient magic. The High Elves and Dwarves worked in tandem to break through his defenses. Merslin shouted with determination, "We will end this here and protect our world!"

Elegreon retaliated with even greater fury. "Here, I possess infinite power. Do you really think you can stop me?"

But Merslin wavered not. He had resolved to fight to the very end with his companions. The battle escalated until the very earth itself seemed to tremble, as if the soul of the Old God was beginning to stir.

At the climax, Merslin gathered all his strength. "Let's end this now!"

As Elegreon finally fell to the combined might of Merslin and his allies, chaos overtook the battlefield. The ground beneath them began to quake violently, and the sky shattered like a giant mosaic. Beyond it, a new dimension began to reveal itself.

From afar, the shape of Earth slowly came into view. It felt as though the dimension they stood in was collapsing, preparing for a complete reset. Merslin and the others realized this battle was not simply about victory. It was part of a grand, orchestrated plan to tear open the fabric of reality itself.

"What... what is happening?" Lisa cried, unable to hide her panic.

Elena tried to stay composed. "The dimension is collapsing. This is no longer our world."

Looking around, Merslin saw the cracks widening beneath them. It was as if they had been manipulated into triggering this destruction. He shouted, "We have to get out of here! This dimension is falling apart!"

But before they could act, the land and sky disintegrated completely. They were sucked into the void, swallowed by the rupture between dimensions. In that moment, Merslin understood that this was all part of someone else's design.

They emerged in a blinding light, arriving in an unfamiliar place—a realm that felt both ancient and new. It wasn't the resting place of the Old God. It was something more: the very origin of all dimensions.

Elena looked around and whispered, "This is... the source of all dimensions. Every world we've known connects here."

Merslin grasped the magnitude of their situation. "We must make a choice here. If we don't restore this place, everything will be lost."

They had defeated Elegreon, but the real challenge had only begun. The rift between dimensions was now fully open, and the danger of a rewritten universe loomed.

*****

The Betrayal of Chronos

Merslin and his companions stood in the center of a new dimension, sensing the gravity of the battlefield. This was where the tomb of the Old Gods intersected with the rift of dimensions, and they could feel that the final stage of the war was drawing near. The ground beneath them trembled ominously, and the sky darkened, as if foreshadowing the end of the world.

Then, Merslin saw a colossal figure appear before them. It was Chronos, the Titan who ruled time and space, the true cause behind all dimensional ruptures and the chaos they were facing.

Chronos looked down upon them with a cold smile. His gaze pierced through everything, devoid of emotion.

"I did not expect you to reach this place," Chronos said. His voice, deep and resonant, weighed heavily on their hearts. "But your struggle has always been meaningless."

Merslin shouted in anger, "Chronos! Was this all your doing? Why, as the guardian of time and dimensions, are you trying to destroy the world?"

Chronos calmly responded, "The world you know is already ending. Dimensions have grown unstable, time itself has become distorted. I must restore balance by initiating a full reset. And it begins here."

Elena gasped. "A reset? You intend to destroy everything and start over?"

Chronos nodded. "Yes. This world has been fractured by countless rifts and chaos. To create a new order, I must rebuild from the beginning. Your battles, your resistance—all of it has merely served to accelerate the process."

Merslin and his comrades were stunned. They now realized this wasn't just a battle for their world, but a pivotal event that would determine the fate of all dimensions.

At that moment, another voice echoed in Merslin's mind—the voice of Youngmin Kim, Merslin from another timeline. "Merslin! This isn't just about our dimension. Chronos's plan is affecting all timelines. Even on my Earth, signs of Luminaria are beginning to appear. If we don't stop this, we're all doomed!"

Then came a flood of voices—countless other versions of Merslin from different timelines, each desperately trying to stop Chronos and each having failed.

"We're all fighting the same battle! We must stop Chronos!"

"If he isn't stopped, everything will vanish!"

Amid the chorus of cries, Merslin steeled his resolve. "We must stop Chronos here and now. We cannot allow this reset to happen."

Chronos remained unmoved. "No matter what you do, this world will follow my design. The final moment approaches. Everything will unfold according to my will."

But Merslin didn't waver. He turned to his comrades. "We fight together to protect this dimension, this world. No matter what it takes, we will fight to the end!"

Elena, Lydia, Lisa, and the rest of their allies stood beside him, channeling their full strength to counter Chronos's power.

As the final battle loomed, dimensions and time itself began to shake. Chronos expanded the rift and distorted time, carrying out his plan. But Merslin's party stood firm.

In the decisive moment, Merslin made his choice. "Let's end this here. We'll stop Chronos and save our world!"

Their battle was only beginning. In this clash entangling all time and space, Merslin and his allies fought with their final hope. The outcome would decide not only their fate, but the destiny of every dimension.