The city of Myrthos stood in silence for a heartbeat before Azrakor's presence shattered it. His towering form loomed above Kael and his army, an overwhelming force of divine energy that crackled like a storm. The wind whipped around them, howling with unnatural fury, as if the very elements themselves were at Azrakor's command.
Kael's mind raced, his thoughts quickening as he studied his opponent. Azrakor was no mere godly champion—he was a war god, a being of destruction and conquest, whose strength and prowess were unrivaled. If they could not defeat him, the entire rebellion would be crushed before it had a chance to truly begin.
The rebels were pressing forward, but the first wave had already begun to falter against the divine power that surged from Azrakor. His mere presence made the earth tremble, and the heavens above them seemed to grow darker by the second.
"I've been waiting for this moment, Kael," Azrakor's voice boomed again, his words carrying the weight of centuries. "You think you can topple the gods? You, a mere mortal with no place in the world's grand design? You're nothing but an insect."
Kael didn't flinch. His shadow powers pulsed at his command, darkness swirling around him like an extension of his will. "I don't need to be a god to bring you down. And I won't let your arrogance destroy everything we've fought for."
With a roar, Azrakor swung his massive spear forward, the very air vibrating with the force of his attack. Kael barely had time to react, leaping backward as the ground where he'd stood shattered into jagged stone, the shockwave from the blow sending soldiers flying in all directions.
"Stay back!" Kael shouted to the rebels, his voice commanding as the battlefield was thrown into chaos. "Focus on the other champions! I'll deal with Azrakor!"
Sera's eyes narrowed as she caught his gaze. "Don't do anything reckless, Kael!" she called out, but her words were lost in the chaos as she dashed forward, cutting through the enemies around them.
Aeron joined her, his blade a streak of fire as he carved a path toward the other gods' champions. But Kael's focus never left Azrakor. The war god's laughter reverberated across the battlefield, mocking the rebels' resolve.
"You think you can match me, Kael?" Azrakor sneered, raising his spear again. This time, the attack wasn't aimed directly at Kael but at the entire army. The massive weapon cut through the air like a blade through silk, unleashing a wave of divine energy that scorched the land in its wake.
Kael wasn't fast enough to stop it, and soldiers screamed in agony as the shockwave tore through them, their bodies incinerated by the raw, godly power. He felt the sting of their loss, but there was no time to mourn. He had to keep moving, keep fighting.
He gathered his strength, calling upon the depths of his shadow powers. The darkness around him grew thicker, more solid, until it formed into a massive, tendril-like arm that surged toward Azrakor. With a swift motion, Kael struck, the shadow tendrils slamming into the war god's side with an explosion of force.
Azrakor roared in fury, his massive form twisting as he staggered back, momentarily caught off guard. "You dare strike me?" Azrakor bellowed, his eyes flashing with incandescent fury. His spear crackled with energy as he swung it downward, aiming to crush Kael with its sheer weight.
But Kael's reflexes were sharp. He summoned his shadows again, wrapping them around him like a protective cloak, allowing him to dodge the attack just in time. The ground exploded beneath him as Azrakor's spear struck, the impact sending shockwaves that rattled the entire city.
Kael's eyes blazed with determination. "I won't back down. Not now, not ever."
He reached deep within himself, drawing on the full extent of his power. His shadow abilities surged like a tidal wave, wrapping around his body in a cocoon of darkness. From within the shadows, Kael could feel the whispers of ancient power, the very essence of destruction and rebirth. He was no longer simply a man wielding shadow; he was becoming the embodiment of the darkness that the gods feared.
"Your powers are nothing compared to the wrath of the gods!" Azrakor shouted, his spear glowing with an otherworldly light as he charged forward, his every movement shaking the earth beneath them.
Kael's vision narrowed. The time for hesitation was over. He focused all of his energy into a single strike—an attack that would either destroy Azrakor or shatter him completely.
With a roar, Kael launched himself forward, his body moving faster than the eye could follow, his shadow powers converging into a singular point. The shadows twisted into a blade of pure darkness, honed and sharpened by his will.
Azrakor swung his spear with brutal force, but Kael's shadow blade met it head-on. The collision created a deafening explosion of energy, a shockwave that sent ripples through the battlefield, knocking back soldiers and allies alike. Kael gritted his teeth, pushing harder, his body straining with the effort.
The shadow blade cut through Azrakor's divine energy, inch by inch, until, with a final cry of rage, Kael drove it through the god's defenses. The war god's spear shattered, and with a sickening crack, Azrakor's towering form fell to the ground.
For a moment, there was silence. The storm above them cleared as Azrakor's massive body crumpled into the earth, the divine energy fading as his life force dissipated.
Kael stood over the fallen god, breathing heavily, his body covered in sweat and blood. His shadow powers flickered around him, still surging, but with less intensity now. He had done it—he had struck down Azrakor, the god of war.
But as Kael looked around at the battlefield, he saw the price of victory. The rebels were still fighting, but the gods' champions were far from defeated. Azrakor was only one of many.
Sera appeared beside him, her eyes filled with a mixture of awe and concern. "Kael… you actually did it."
"It's not over," Kael replied, his voice grim. "Azrakor was just one part of a much larger picture. The gods will come for us with everything they have now."
Aeron's voice cut through the tension. "Then we'll meet them head-on. We've beaten one of them. We can beat the rest."
Kael nodded, though his heart weighed heavy with the burden of their future. The gods would not be easily deterred. But as long as they had allies, as long as they had the will to fight, they could overcome even the might of the divine.
The war for the world's future had truly begun, and the road ahead was filled with darkness, danger, and uncertainty. But Kael's resolve was unshakable. The gods had taken enough. It was time for them to be dethroned.
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End of Chapter 29