Since Garon ascended to a powerful deity, a period of relative calm ensued.
As Garon was about halfway through refining the Faceless King, he temporarily paused the process, coiling in his dragon nest and resting his eyes to recover some of his mental strength.
The time was drawing near for the Pantheon to settle accounts with the evil gods, as decided during the second meeting.
The Pantheon had already agreed to target the Queen of the Empty Dark and the Earth Elemental Lord first, as they were not in the Abyss.
Technically speaking, only the Queen of the Empty Dark was an evil god among the two. The Earth Elemental Lord belonged to a neutral faction, as most elemental lords did. However, neutrality did not mean they were incapable of evil because the standards for evil differ.
During the Second Dawn War, the Earth Elemental Lord led his army to attack the Wind Elemental Plane while the Wind Elemental Empress was defending against the Primordial Wild God. This attack caused significant losses to the Wind Elemental Plane and hindered the Wind Elemental Empress from fully engaging the Primordial Wild God, resulting in negative repercussions.
In the Pantheon's definition, this act constituted "evil," deserving punishment and zero tolerance.
During the last assembly, the gods assigned specific deities to deal with the Queen of the Empty Dark and the Earth Elemental Lord based on their dominions and expertise.
The Fairy God, the Wind Elemental Empress, the Chromatic Dragon Queen, the Storm Lord, and the newly promoted powerful deity, Garon, who now wielded the power of the sun, were among those assigned.
The Wind Elemental Empress had a long-standing enmity with the Earth Elemental Lord, but to avoid being seen as acting out of personal vendetta, she was assigned to deal with the Queen of the Empty Dark. Furthermore, the Earth Elemental Lord knew how to counter the Wind Elemental Empress, reducing her effectiveness against him.
Garon, possessing the power of the sun, was naturally suited to combat the Queen of the Empty Dark, whose essence was antithetical to light.
Garon himself decided to take on the Earth Elemental Lord to test his newfound strength after his near-ascension to a quasi-strong deity.
Compared to the Queen of the Empty Dark, the Earth Elemental Lord was a tougher opponent. Among the gods targeted by the Pantheon, the Earth Elemental Lord was the hardest to deal with because the entire Earth Elemental Plane was akin to his divine kingdom.
Elemental lords could manifest power at the pinnacle of their divine status within their domains, displaying fearsome strength just shy of the Nine-faced Dragon God's level.
If they pushed their elemental plane to its limits, they could even reach power equivalent to a god of the highest rank.
Thus, the gods assembled to confront the Earth Elemental Lord were a formidable group:
- Garon Aurelian, the rising star and fervent new deity.
- Corellon, the Elven God whose divine rank had returned to nineteen, wielding dominions of war and magic.
- Silvanus, the embodiment of all nature, known as the Father of the White Oak and the Lord of Nature.
- Chantea, the Earth Mother, an ancient and powerful deity.
- Bahamut, the Metal Dragon God, once the strongest force of the Dragon Pantheon before the Nine-faced Dragon God's resurgence.
These five esteemed entities working together could challenge even the most formidable of foes and hold their own against top-tier deities.
As for the Supreme Deity and the Nine-faced Dragon God, they, as the Pantheon's leaders, would not intervene unless absolutely necessary. They might assist indirectly but would not engage directly, preserving their authoritative presence. Their mere existence as deterrents instilled fear in any who opposed the Pantheon.
Time passed steadily.
Soon enough, Garon reached peak condition, fully restored in spirit and energy, and the time for settling accounts with the Earth Elemental Lord and the Queen of the Empty Dark had arrived.
The silver dragon opened his eyes, his platinum gaze sparkling as if reflecting time and the universe.
At the same time, the Nine-faced Dragon God's gentle voice resonated.
"I will shield you all, weakening the suppression of the divine kingdom's rules."
Rules swirled and transformed into imprints that settled upon the gods.
A divine kingdom's primary defense against intruders lay in the rules crafted by its ruler. But when it came to manipulating rules, the Nine-faced Dragon God was a master.
The Supreme Deity's aloof voice also echoed among the gods.
"I shall open the gates of the divine kingdom for you."
After the Dawn War, the Earth Elemental Lord and other gods, anticipating retribution, had sealed their divine kingdoms and fortified their defenses, making places like the Palace of Sorrow and the Earth Elemental Plane nearly impenetrable fortresses.
While the Palace of Sorrow was solely the domain of the Queen of the Empty Dark, the closure of the Earth Elemental Plane severely disrupted many planar travelers, upending their plans and rendering certain spells ineffective in the material plane.
Breaking through a divine kingdom's barrier was the first and most difficult step in a siege, often requiring the combined efforts of many equally powerful beings.
In the Celestial Plane, within the Hall of Ascension, the Supreme Deity slightly moved his finger and coldly whispered.
"Sword, come forth!"
Buzz!
In the depths of the Pantheon, the Lord of Terror, whose body was entangled with chains of rules and imprinted with numerous seals of authority, had the Heavenly Emperor's Sword pierced through his heart. He let out a pained cry as the sword left his chest.
Upon realizing the sword had been removed, his eyes flickered.
Could it be that something had happened in the Pantheon? Is someone here to free me? Whatever the case, this is a great chance. When I break these seals and return to the world, I will make you both, Ai and Hao Tian, pay dearly. The Lord of Terror began gathering strength, hoping to break free from his restraints.
Alas, the imprints and the power of various divine authorities weighing him down were as heavy as countless worlds. Even without the Heavenly Emperor's Sword, he could only muster enough strength to breathe, unable to move.
Nevertheless, he wasn't discouraged and slowly accumulated power.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Emperor's Sword appeared in the Supreme Deity's hand.
The sword slashed through the air!
With the Supreme Deity's eyes sharp and his back adorned with a rotating celestial aura, the sword delivered two fierce strikes towards the barriers of the Earth Elemental Plane and the Palace of Sorrow.
Sss! Sss!
The sword marks extended for millions of miles, tearing open the barriers and leaving long, gaping wounds.
Simultaneously, streams of divine light, like meteors, shot through the gaps before they could heal, descending into the divine kingdoms.
Having opened the barriers for the gods, the Supreme Deity resumed his silent position on his throne.
The Heavenly Emperor's Sword trembled in the air and departed from his hand.
Deep in the Pantheon, the Lord of Terror, plotting his revenge against the Nine-faced Dragon God and the Supreme Deity, was suddenly re-pierced by the Heavenly Emperor's Sword.
"Argh!"
His vision darkened.
The sword's purple-gold blade repeatedly pierced his body, causing excruciating pain and draining the little strength he had gathered. It finally settled into his heart, immovable.
"Ai! Hao Tian! You two will pay for this!"
The Lord of Terror could no longer move a muscle, his vision dimming until he slipped back into unconsciousness.
By this time, through the fissures created by the Supreme Deity's strikes, the gods had reached their targets' divine kingdoms.
The Third Layer of the Abyss, Dark Void Abyss.
The incessant, maddening noise and knife-like winds filled the air.
The Palace of Sorrow, the domain of the Queen of the Empty Dark, was situated somewhere in this abyss, a place so feared that even demons avoided it.
But just now, after a brilliant flash of purple-gold sword light that struck terror into the hearts of all creatures in the abyss, several gods descended upon the Palace of Sorrow.
Unlike the lush, beautiful, nature-filled Joyous Palace, the Palace of Sorrow was dark and foreboding.
The steps were made from the tiny skulls of fairies, and the palace walls were covered with the flayed skins of flower spirits, displaying grotesque, multi-colored patterns.
Faintly, the anguished voices of fairy spirits echoed throughout the palace.
Titania, the Fairy Goddess, looked up, her face darkening with silent rage.
The sky above the palace was filled with a horrifying scene of countless fairy souls, crammed and overlapping, forming a nightmarish canopy.
The Palace of Sorrow contained innumerable bones and souls of fairies.
Although the Queen of the Empty Dark was also a fairy deity, her cruelty towards her kin was unimaginable.
Those who worshipped this evil god were often among the most wicked beings.
"The Queen of the Empty Dark excels in illusions."
"I can feel her hiding somewhere in this palace, watching us."
The Fairy Goddess suppressed her anger and spoke.
"Very well, we'll be cautious."
As she spoke, the Chromatic Dragon Queen suddenly lunged, her dragon claw aiming for the Fairy Goddess's heart.
This was just the beginning. The other gods also turned on the Fairy Goddess.
In that instant, the Fairy Goddess realized she had fallen into the Queen of the Empty Dark's illusion.
Her translucent butterfly wings fluttered, and her small body flickered as she dodged the gods' attacks.
Not just the Fairy Goddess, but each deity that arrived at the Palace Not just the Fairy Goddess, but each deity that arrived at the Palace of Sorrow found themselves ensnared in the Queen of the Empty Dark's illusions.
Despite being powerful deities, the gods were momentarily disoriented in the unfamiliar, shadowy terrain of the palace. The Queen of the Empty Dark, within her own divine kingdom, could exert power far beyond her normal capabilities, managing to ensnare five powerful deities at once.
Had this battle taken place outside her domain, she would have been at a severe disadvantage against any of these gods.
"Whoosh!"
A fierce storm, akin to a gigantic meat grinder, erupted around Garon.
The 'Wind Elemental Empress', her eyes pitch-black, controlled winds sharp enough to cut through steel, aiming her attacks at Garon.
The silver dragon, glistening with divine light, narrowed his eyes. His platinum wings unfurled dramatically, and in an instant, a brilliant white sun rose from behind him.
The blinding light emanating from the sun blurred the surrounding scenery, dissolving the illusion.
Where once there was an empty stairway of bones, Garon now saw the Queen of the Empty Dark.
She bore an uncanny resemblance to the Fairy Goddess but appeared more juvenile, almost childlike, with vacant, lifeless eyes and an aura of concentrated malevolence.
In her hand, she held a pitiable rose sprite, treating it like a ragdoll, tearing at its flesh with a childlike cruelty, her hands stained with blood.
Noticing Garon's gaze, the Queen of the Empty Dark paused her grisly game, tilted her head, and her hollow eyes met Garon's. She giggled with a chilling innocence.
"Do you want to play with me?"
"Do you want to play with me?"
"Do you want to play with me?"
"Do you..."
Her voice echoed eerily, a thousandfold more unsettling than the wails of banshees.
Not all deities possess wisdom. The Queen of the Empty Dark was one such entity, driven purely by malevolent instinct, her actions unfathomable by normal logic.
Garon remained unfazed. His sun-blazing wings lifted high, igniting with roaring flames.
Solar Authority: Solar Corona Fire!
The divine fire surged forward in a tidal wave, sweeping towards the Queen of the Empty Dark.
She raised countless illusionary worlds before her, intricate and surreal, forming barriers against the approaching flames.
At the same time, Garon employed another of his major dominions.
Temporal Authority: Time's Passage!
Suddenly, the immortal Queen of the Empty Dark began to wither. Her skin dried and her hair lost its sheen as time resumed its march upon her.
This technique was one Garon had learned from his original self, reintroducing the concept of aging to his target. Even an immortal being like the Queen of the Empty Dark could not escape this effect, a previously unimaginable vulnerability.
Though Garon's mastery over time was not as profound as his original self's, his understanding was sufficient to weaken even powerful opponents like the Queen of the Empty Dark.
Feeling her strength ebbing and her vitality waning, the Queen of the Empty Dark hesitated, then began to wail.
Her cries were shrill and jarring, like countless banshees screaming directly into Garon's mind, causing a searing pain as if spikes were being driven into his brain.
"Calm Wind."
The Wind Elemental Empress softly murmured, conjuring a gentle, green breeze that swept over the silver dragon's head.
The tormenting noise subsided, and Garon, relieved by his partner's aid, took a deep breath. Although a younger deity compared to the ancient Wind Elemental Empress, he lacked the battle-hardened prowess of his original self.
Simultaneously, the other gods broke free from the Queen of the Empty Dark's illusions one by one.
"Little thing, your illusions are impressive."
"But that's all they are."
The Chromatic Dragon Queen sneered malevolently.
"Hmph, using illusions to disturb my mind, I'll show you the true meaning of pain," snarled Talos, the Storm and Destruction God, his body crackling with lightning.
Surrounded by five powerful deities, the diminutive and seemingly helpless Queen of the Empty Dark trembled, enveloped in their imposing shadows.
"Everyone, let's keep it civil... it looks like we're the bad guys here."
The Fairy Goddess reminded them, although she immediately realized the futility of her plea, given that both the Chromatic Dragon Queen and the Storm and Destruction God were inherently evil gods.
Illusions were the Queen of the Empty Dark's most potent dominion.
However, even with the amplification of her divine kingdom, sustaining an illusion against five powerful deities simultaneously pushed her to her limits. The gods, fortified by the rule-bending imprint from the Nine-faced Dragon God, faced minimal suppression.
Thus, amidst the Queen of the Empty Dark's wailing cries, the Pantheon's righteous onslaught began without hesitation.
In contrast to the relatively smooth operation against the Queen of the Empty Dark, the battle in the Earth Elemental Plane proved to be far more challenging.
---
Earth Elemental Plane
The atmosphere was dense and heavy within the Earth Elemental Plane, as if the very air was laden with the weight of countless stones. The ground rumbled with the deep, resonant hum of earth and rock shifting in response to the presence of deities.
The Earth Elemental Lord, known for his unparalleled dominion over the earth, had fortified his plane into an impregnable fortress. Every stone and grain of sand was under his command, and the plane itself seemed to pulse with his immense power.
As the gods prepared to assault his domain, they knew this would be no easy task. Unlike the Palace of Sorrow, the Earth Elemental Plane's defensive strength lay not in illusions but in its tangible, nearly indestructible nature.
Garon, leading the charge, felt the gravity of the challenge before him. The Earth Elemental Lord could manifest his full divine power within his domain, becoming almost invincible.
"Stay alert. This terrain is his weapon," warned Bahamut, the Metal Dragon God, his keen eyes scanning the shifting landscape.
Chantea, the Earth Mother, whose connection to the earth was profound but fundamentally different from the Earth Elemental Lord's, nodded in agreement. "We must disrupt his control over this plane. Only then can we hope to challenge him directly."
Silvanus, the Father of the White Oak, extended his senses through the plane, seeking weaknesses in the elemental lord's defenses. "The heart of his power lies deep within. We need to strike swiftly and decisively."
Corellon, the Elven God, wielding both war and magic, prepared his spells, knowing that the upcoming battle would test their combined strength to the utmost.
"Let's proceed," said Garon, his voice steady but resolute. "We've breached his defenses. Now, we need to press our advantage before he can fully react."
With coordinated precision, the gods moved forward, each bringing their unique strengths to bear against the Earth Elemental Lord's formidable domain.
---
Back in the Palace of Sorrow, the battle raged on. The gods had cornered the Queen of the Empty Dark, but she continued to resist fiercely, her dark illusions and desperate attacks fueled by an almost primal survival instinct.
Despite her seeming fragility, she wielded her powers with a vicious cunning, exploiting every advantage her divine kingdom afforded her. Yet, against the combined might of five powerful deities, her defenses began to crumble.
As the battle intensified, Garon and his allies knew that their struggle against the Earth Elemental Lord would likely be even more grueling. The outcome of these confrontations would shape the balance of power within the Pantheon and determine the fate of the elemental planes.
Both battles, fought in different realms but under the same banner of the Pantheon's judgment, underscored the gods' resolve to maintain order and their willingness to confront even the most daunting adversaries.
And so, with the Pantheon's might arrayed against them, the Earth Elemental Lord and the Queen of the Empty Dark faced the full fury of the gods' reckoning.
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