As the night deepened, a sudden, unnatural stillness blanketed the forest. The gentle chirping of crickets and rustling of leaves ceased, replaced by an oppressive silence.
Orin's head snapped up, his senses on high alert. "Something's wrong."
Eira appeared in dry smokes around Orin,casting a magic that restored everyone around back on the camp site.
"Woah what was that?".Thorne exclaimed landing on his butt.
"Take defensive positions"Orin warned as everyone drew out their weapons.
With a few hand signs, a semi circular barrier covered the whole team in protection,ready for any threats outside the dome .
Before anyone could react, a fire portal suddenly flared violently, its flames twisting into a vortex of silver and gold. From its center stepped a figure, his presence commanding and otherworldly. Equinox.
The god of balance stood tall and imposing, his shimmering form exuding a power that seemed to bend reality itself. His gaze swept over the group, cold and calculating, before settling on Kaelan.
"You disrupt the balance," Equinox said fading through the dome Eira created as if it was nothing,his voice resonating like a thousand whispers in unison. "Your very existence tilts the scales of the universe,boy. You must be contained."
Kaelan took his stance, his grip tightening on his scythe. "I won't be a pawn in your game. If you want me, you'll have to take me by force."
Without a word, Equinox raised a hand. In an instant, Kaelan was enveloped in a blinding light and vanished, leaving the others stunned and furious.
"Kaelan!" Elara shouted, her voice breaking with panic.
The group barely had time to process what had happened before the surrounding forest erupted with the presence of other gods—each one radiating power and intent.
"They took Kaelan," Thorne growled, his hammer already in hand.
Orin stepped forward, his wolfish growl reverberating through the clearing. "Give the boy back,god of balance."
"You of everyone here should know the dangers of having him with you,yet you kept him as your own,beastmaster."Equinnox said before he turned to leave".
Elara shot three arrows at equinox, they stopped mid air as if there was a force field around the god of balance.He didn't even move to counter it.
"Stand your ground. We'd be dead before we even blink against the god of balance".Orin cautioned.
They watched unable to do anything as Equinox disappeared into the fiercy portal leaving the gods to do as they wish with them.
"We can't just let him take him"Draven said.
"Don't be a fool…."Kain warned "....we have insurmountable odds before us right now, pray we survive to even help him out."
As the gods encircled the group, the tension crackled like an impending storm. Their radiant forms radiated authority, and their eyes glimmered with disdain and vengeance. Zephyros, the tempest god, stood at the forefront, his expression a mix of smugness and rage.
"You mortals dare defy us?" Zephyros sneered, his voice like thunder rolling across the skies. "For your insolence and the chaos you've wrought, you will face judgment!"
The group instinctively took defensive stances, but Orin raised a hand, stepping forward with deliberate calm. His beastly eyes narrowed as he addressed the gods.
"Wait," Orin growled, his voice carrying a deep, resonant authority. "We didn't come here to provoke war with the heavens. You've already taken Kaelan. What more do you want from us?"
Zephyros laughed coldly, his form crackling with lightning. "You speak as if your words hold sway over us, Beastmaster. You harbor a creature of imbalance—his existence alone warrants our wrath. And your interference with my domain cannot go unpunished!"
Eira stepped forward, her hands glowing with intricate sigils of magic. Her voice was sharp, yet tempered with a sorceress's wisdom. "And where was your justice when you, Zephyros,attacked unprovoked? You speak of balance, yet your actions have been nothing but hypocritical."
Another god, golden and luminous, raised her voice—a stern melody that cut through the growing tension. "Enough! Balance was disrupted the moment Kaelan's bloodline survived. His mere presence threatens the natural order."
Orin took a steadying breath, his tone more measured as he continued. "If this is truly about balance, then explain why it's Kaelan's fault alone. The gods are meant to guide, not destroy. Are you not bound to uphold fairness?"
A murmur spread among the gods at Orin's words, their resolve flickering for a moment. But Zephyros's temper flared.
"Enough talk!" he roared, raising his storm-infused blade. "Your mortal words won't save you now."
One of the god,Astraea,goddess of the stars,intervened "Wait for Elderion say on this Zephyros;our act defines us."
" My act is out of bound Astraea..." The god said,his weapon gleaming for blood.
Before the gods could strike, the sky itself seemed to tear open. A radiant, blinding light engulfed the battlefield, silencing everything and everyone as they shielded their eyes from the blinding lights. The light was warm yet oppressive, pulling all—gods and mortals alike—into its grasp.
When the light faded, the group and the gods found themselves in an otherworldly realm. The ground shimmered like glass, reflecting an endless white expanse above and below. At its center stood Elderion, the king of the gods. His presence was overwhelming, his expression stoic yet commanding.
"Enough," Elderion said, his voice a low rumble that resonated across the infinite expanse. "This chaos serves no purpose. I have summoned you here to restore the balance and resolve what threatens the harmony of our existence."
The gods, even Zephyros, bowed their heads in reverence. The group, unsure of what to do, exchanged uncertain glances but remained silent.
Elderion's gaze landed on Orin first. "You, Beastmaster, have spoken with wisdom. Your words have been heard." He then turned his piercing eyes to the rest of the group. "But this trial is far from over. Your strength, unity, and purpose will be tested beyond what you have faced."
He extended a hand, conjuring a swirling orb of energy that hovered ominously between the two factions. "Your fate and Kaelan's fate remain intertwined. The balance depends on your choices, your will, and your capacity to rise above."
The radiant white expanse of Elderion's domain seemed to stretch endlessly, a place where time and space held no sway. The gods stood in a semicircle, their imposing figures glowing with divine energy. In their midst, Kaelan knelt, restrained by invisible forces, his shadowy scythe lying discarded far from reach.
From the center of the gods emerged Equinox, the embodiment of balance itself. His presence was an overwhelming force, his figure neither entirely light nor dark, a perfect blend of harmony and power. His expression remained unreadable as he stepped forward, his movements deliberate and unnervingly precise.
"You, Kaelan Darksong," Equinox began, his voice echoing like the tolling of a cosmic bell, "are an aberration. A remnant of a lineage that defies the natural order. Your very existence tilts the balance of the universe toward chaos."
The gods murmured in agreement, their approval rippling through the expanse like an unstoppable tide. Kaelan lifted his gaze, his fiery resolve burning even under the crushing weight of the gods' judgment.
"I didn't ask for this," Kaelan said, his voice hoarse but defiant. "I did not ask for any of this i'm just trying to find my purpose—to prove I'm more than what you fear."
Equinox's eyes narrowed. "Fear? You're not a fear Kealan,only an abomination across our paths.Your purpose is irrelevant. The only path to balance is your annihilation."
Without further warning, Equinox raised a hand. A torrent of energy surged forward, slamming into Kaelan's chest. The young warrior cried out as searing pain coursed through him, the divine force seeking to unravel his very essence.
"Stop this!" Orin roared, stepping forward. His voice was raw with desperation. "Equinox, give the boy a chance. He's earned the right to prove himself!"
Equinox didn't even glance at Orin, his focus entirely on Kaelan. "The balance cannot afford second chances. Mercy is not within my design."
The group struggled against their restraints, their cries for Kaelan's life falling on deaf ears. Elara's voice broke through, laced with anguish. "He's not a threat! He's fighting to protect the balance, not disrupt it!"
Equinox remained unmoved, his unyielding force pressing harder against Kaelan. The boy's cries of pain grew weaker, his body trembling under the onslaught.
Orin dropped to his knees, pleading now. "Elderion! Do something! You're the king of the gods. You can stop this madness!"
Elderion, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, he shifted on his throne seat. His eyes held a solemn weight as he addressed Equinox. "Enough, Equinox. Stand down."
Equinox's gaze flickered toward Elderion, his expression hardening. "The balance demands his destruction. You of all beings should understand this, Elderion."
Elderion's tone sharpened. "I understand far more than you think. But this boy's fate is not yours to decide. Release him."
Equinox hesitated, his form radiating tension. But instead of complying, he raised his hand again, his resolve unshaken. "You would risk the balance for a mortal?"
Elderion's patience snapped. With a wave of his hand, an immense force surged through the realm, shattering Equinox's hold on Kaelan and hurling the god of balance backward.
"Enough!" Elderion's voice thundered, shaking the very fabric of the domain. "I will not allow you to act as judge, jury, and executioner. Kaelan's trial is far from over, and his path has not yet been determined."
Kaelan collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath,his body partly burnt from the impact.The group rushed to his side as their restraints dissolved, Elara clutching his hand tightly, her tears falling freely.
"Let him be, I can ease the pain for a while"Eira says as she channeled freezing magic on kaelan.
Elderion turned his gaze to Equinox, his voice steady but firm. "You will stand down, Equinox. The boy's journey will continue, as it must. Balance will not be served by your reckless actions."
Equinox glared but ultimately stepped back, his form shimmering with suppressed fury. "This is a mistake, Elderion. You will regret this."
Elderion's gaze didn't waver. "Perhaps. But I can bear that burden."