Chapter 1467 The Sovereign of Death - Part 20

Far above the battlefield in the valley where gods were reminded of their most primal instincts, the corridors of the palace echoed with footsteps.

A figure walked down the corridor leading to the throne room. The portraits on the walls seemed to look at him with shifty eyes, judging his actions and wishing that he would drop dead.

Of course, the paintings were lifeless, but the man's imagination turned against him.

Severis reached the empty throne room, where he had conversed with his lord numerous times before. He stood at the same spot he always did, but his face this time was filled with fear, guilt, and hesitation.

He remembered the day before, when he was still looking through the valley for any citizens that might need rescuing. Like a bolt of lightning, the vision seized him where he met with Herlixion.

Severis has always been loyal to his lord. Furthermore, he never visited the kingdom of gods, nor did he fight against one. It was enough for him to learn that his lord has been defeated by them to understand their strength.

At the time, the First General sneered and challenged them to even threaten his lord with their meager numbers. But Herlixion reassured him that in case of their failure, more gods will descend until his lord fell dead.

There was only one way to prevent that.

Severis unsheathed his sword and slashed through the walls at the far end. Three long gashes were enough for the walls to crumble and reveal what lay behind it.

A smaller door with a knob handle.

Severis walked toward the door and twisted the handle.

The door opened.

It revealed a flower field filled with Death Lilies, the deadliest type of flowers in the universe. As soon as he stepped into the field, Severis felt… empowered. Death was never a weakness to him, but a source of power.

"Why are you here, Severis?" a voice asked him from beyond. Severis was confused, as he didn't recognize it. He walked forward until he reached the stone bench where a woman sat. "I did not summon you."

"My lord?" Severis asked and knelt on the ground as he looked at the woman. "You look… different."

"This is my real body," she turned toward him, her eyes peering through his soul and revealing what he tried to hide. "Ah, I see. You have betrayed me, Severis."

"It's the opposite," he protested. "I'm here to save you."

"You are here to save yourself, more than anything," she said as she rose from the bench. "Did you think that I would let you steal my lilies?"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Severis said as he rose as well. "Even if it kills me, I will give up these lilies to save you."

"Your heart has been twisted," she said with sadness. "Your gentle soul has been tainted. It's their doing."

"Please don't try to stop me, my lord," Severis said. "I came here first to convince you to give them what they want. We have no hope defeating the undefeated."

"You foolish man, what have you done?" she asked, realizing the implication that Severis had done this first, but something more was to come. "Don't you understand that we have Netherborne on our side?"

"I fought against him," said Severis. "I fought against both of them. Arthur is a far cry from a match to Herlixion. They are on a different realm."

"Oh, foolish boy," she said. "You fought against Arthur Netherborne."

"That I did."

She paused and smiled. "But you never fought against the King of Wrath."

"The King…" Severis muttered with confusion as if repeating the words would somehow make them familiar. "I don't understand."

"It's one thing to fight against Arthur, and another to fight against an enraged version of him," she said, smiling. "Not even the gods hope to stand against him when he's angry. That's why they never confront him."

"The gods are… afraid?" Severis asked.

"They have always been," Ozyrae said. "Now tell me… what have you done?"

"I—" Severis wanted to explain but paused, as mana swirled behind him. He turned to see the portal had already begun forming. "I'm sorry, my lord."

The Sovereign of Death didn't say anything. She watched with a grim expression as a figure stepped out of the portal. It was a woman wearing white robes and a golden set of jewelry.

The woman looked around, and her eyes landed on the two.

"Ozyrae," she said. "I've missed you."

"Noxralin," Ozyrae muttered with a frown. "I can hardly say the same."

"You were always rather reserved with your affection," Noxralin said, and turned toward Severis. "And you must be the wise man who led us to this place. Thank you, mortal one."

Severis gathered his wits and rose. "I did what you said. Take the lilies and leave this realm."

"That was indeed the agreement," Noxralin said with a nod. "But it has been so long since I've met my friend. How have you been?"

"A friend doesn't seal their friend's memories," Ozyrae said with a scowl. "You have deceived my loyal servant, Noxralin. I should've guessed that it was you."

"Nonsense," the woman said with a smile as she approached. "I simply didn't wish to kill you, that's all. Your existence is valuable for our goals."

"That's why you'll never kill me."

"And that's where you're mistaken," Noxralin said with a chuckle. "We no longer care about the balance of the universe. Our final plan is already in motion. And because of your stupidity… you will be left here to rot in this realm when it collapses."

Ozyrae was silent for a moment.

And then, she smiled.

"You can feel it too," she said to the goddess. "He's here. He's angry."

Noxralin was silent. She tried her best to appear unconcerned, but even Severis could tell that something was wrong.

"He's still too weak," she said.

"Is that what you wish to believe?" Ozyrae asked with a laugh. "How about I open a portal for him to come and meet you?"

Down below, Herlixion was living his worst nightmare. Arthur has turned into a flame-man that destroyed the weapons that Herlixion threw at him. No matter what the champion tried to do, it was futile.

His powers that he has harnessed seemed like useless against the flames of wrath. Herlixion wanted to flee, but something caught his ankles. He looked down.

Several hands were holding his foot and dragging him down. They had faces, but they sent shivers down the god's spine. He twisted his leg and broke free, allowing him to fly away from the flaming King of Arthur.

"Dammit," Herlixion said. "No one told me that it would be this difficult to kill this man. One wrong step… and I might lose my life."

"That's the wisest thing you've said so far," a voice came from above him. Herlixion snapped his neck toward the sky and found Arthur above him, with a giant gate standing behind him. "If Devaheim thinks that sending a Lesser God is enough, then they don't know their enemy well."

"Enough!" shouted Herlixion, feeling offended. "I'll show you what this…"

"Silence," Arthur commanded, and the god found himself unable to speak. "Your presence is no longer necessary in this realm."

Arthur waved a hand, and the gate opened. An infinite number of souls poured out of the gate to surround him. Herlixion waved his weapon, but it was futile. The souls dragged him down, drowning him with their wails and cries.

The god struggled to break free, but it was useless. The wrathful souls began dragging him toward the gate of wrath, attempting to bury him forever. For the first time since his ascension, Herlixion felt genuine fear.

"Unseal!" shouted the desperate god before he was dragged away.

His aura changed and exploded, pushing the wrathful souls back. They returned to his kingdom and the doors closed shut. Arthur stared down at the god whose aura was changing by the second.

Herlixion was breathing heavily with sweat covering his face. He descended from the sky and landed on the soil, but it could not carry him. The soil sank and disappeared, and he remained hovering a foot above it.

"Damn souls," Herlixion muttered to himself with a heaving chest before he turned toward Arthur. Golden lines began appearing on his face. "Now I understand why they sent me."

"Because you are disposable?" Arthur asked.

"Because I'm the only one who can survive," Herlixion said with a grin as the golden line covered his entire face. "Your tricks will no longer work on me, Netherborne. I have chosen to reveal my true form."

Arthur was silent as he descended.

"I understand," he said as his feet touched the ground. The black flames around him burned without stop. "But I remember an advice that my ancestor gave me."

"And what is that?" the god asked.

"If you kill a god in his true form, he can never reincarnate," Arthur said with a sudden grin. "I guess that's why you've been holding back."

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