The First Move

The silence after the gods' warning was deafening.

The golden rift had vanished, but its presence lingered in the air, an unspoken promise of war. The sky no longer wept gold, yet the land beneath Aaron's feet still trembled, as if it understood the storm that was about to come.

Aaron took a deep breath. His body ached—his muscles screamed, his bones burned from the divine power he had unleashed. But he didn't regret it.

He had challenged the heavens and walked away alive.

That was proof enough.

The Aftermath of a God's Death

Selene finally lowered her sword, exhaling slowly. "They didn't attack. That's… unexpected."

Aaron nodded. "They're preparing."

Orin smirked. "Of course they are. You punched a hole through one of their own. They're not going to throw another weakling at you and hope for the best." He kicked a stray piece of the god's broken mask, watching it turn to dust. "They'll be back. Stronger. Smarter."

Aaron cracked his knuckles. "Good. I wouldn't want it any other way."

But despite his confidence, he knew one thing He wasn't ready yet.

The power he had used to kill the Lesser God of Judgment had taken everything out of him. Even now, his golden aura flickered weakly, unstable. He had reached a new height, but his body wasn't prepared to handle it.

If the gods sent their full force now…

He wouldn't survive.

A New Plan

Selene sheathed her sword, glancing at Aaron. "We need to leave. Staying here is asking for death."

Aaron frowned. "Leave where?"

"Anywhere but here," Orin said, stretching lazily. "You just declared war on heaven, kid. There are going to be consequences. Armies will march. Kingdoms will fall. And the gods? They're going to start sending champions."

Aaron crossed his arms. "So we let them come. We fight. We win."

Selene glared. "You're strong, Aaron. But even you can't take on an entire pantheon alone. We need time. We need a strategy."

Aaron didn't like it. But he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the truth.

Right now, he was injured. Weakened. And if the gods sent another force now…

It wouldn't be a fight.

It would be annihilation.

He exhaled sharply. "Fine. We move. But where?"

Orin smirked. "I know a place."

The Hidden Sanctum

Two days later, they stood before the Sanctum of the Forgotten.

It was hidden deep within the Ruins of Arcalis, an ancient fortress long abandoned by both gods and mortals alike. The entrance was a massive stone gate, covered in runes that pulsed faintly with power.

Aaron frowned. "What is this place?"

Orin dusted off a nearby pillar. "An old sanctuary. A place where those who defied the gods used to gather." He grinned. "Before they were wiped out, of course."

Selene's expression darkened. "So why is it still standing?"

"Because it's protected," Orin said. He gestured at the runes. "Old magic. The kind even gods don't mess with lightly. They can't see inside. And if we activate the right seals…" He ran a hand over the stone, eyes gleaming. "They can't enter, either."

Aaron studied the ruins. There was power here, ancient and untamed. But he could feel the truth in Orin's words.

This place was safe.

For now.

The Weight of the War Ahead

Once inside, Aaron collapsed against a broken pillar, exhaling sharply. The fight against the Lesser God had taken more out of him than he cared to admit.

Selene knelt beside him, pressing a hand against his shoulder. "You need to rest," she said softly.

Aaron shook his head. "I don't have time."

"You don't have a choice," Orin said, leaning against a wall. "Look at you, kid. You're running on fumes. If you don't recover, the next god they send is going to wipe the floor with you."

Aaron hated that he was right.

But he wasn't weak.

And he refused to let himself fall behind.

He closed his eyes, focusing inward. He could still feel the remnants of his divine battle, the golden energy burning through his veins. But it was unstable.

He needed control.

He needed more.

And deep inside, a voice whispered—

"Then take it."

His eyes snapped open.

He wasn't alone.

Something else was here.

Watching.

Waiting.

And it wasn't a god

A Forgotten Power Awakens

Aaron stood abruptly, ignoring the pain in his limbs. "There's something else in this place," he muttered.

Selene tensed. "What do you mean?"

Aaron didn't answer. He closed his eyes again, reaching deeper into his power.

And then he felt it.

A presence.

Ancient. Powerful.

And angry.

"You have slain a god." The voice rumbled through his mind like a distant storm. "And yet, you are still so… weak."

Aaron's jaw tightened. "Who are you?"

A dark chuckle.

"One who fell before the gods. But unlike you, I was not given a second chance."

A surge of energy rushed through Aaron's veins. His golden aura flared, unstable but growing. His breath hitched

This power.

It wasn't divine. It wasn't mortal.

It was something else entirely.

Orin and Selene stepped back as the runes around them flared to life, reacting to the force building within Aaron.

"I will give you a choice, Forgotten Sovereign." The voice echoed in his mind. "Take my power. Learn from my fall. Or die as nothing more than a fool who angered the heavens."

Aaron's eyes burned gold.

The gods were coming.

But now

He had a new weapon.

And he wasn't afraid to use it.