Zerion lay broken in the scorched ruins of what once was Tokyo. His breath was ragged. His limbs wouldn't move. The black blood of a god stained the cracked earth beneath him. Atlas Vale stood above him barely. His broken arm dangled uselessly. His armor flickered, systems failing. His lungs wheezed with every breath, and blood ran freely from his jaw. But he stood. Zerion coughed, a bitter smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth.
Zerion "Do it… mortal. Be a killer. Like me."
Atlas didn't answer. He raised his only working arm glowing with the final charge of the Dreadlight Core. His hand trembled, but his eyes were firm.
"You're not a god. You're just a mistake… that lasted too long." Atlas panting.
Zerion closed his eyes and whispered, "Then finish me." A long silence.
The wind was dead. The fires had gone quiet.Then Atlas slammed his palm into Zerion's chest. A massive surge of white-blue light exploded across the ruins not a blast, not rage… but a focused, pulsing wave that struck straight into Zerion's through heart. The ground hook. The sky tore open. Zerion gasped. His eyes flared wide. Then. Nothing. - Zerion's chest caved in with a sickening crunch. His skin peeled like burnt paper revealing a blackened skeleton beneath. His skull split, brains spilling out, steaming. Intestines slithered free like snakes, before his entire body collapsed into a twitching heap of gore. Ironsoul dropped to his knees. His hand fell. The god… was gone. All was silent. Until, behind him, a figure stepped out of the smoke SteelGirl bruised, limping, but alive.
She knelt beside Atlas, touching his shoulder ask. "Is it over?"
Atlas nodded weakly. Atlas: "It's over."
And for the first time in a long, long time… The Earth was quiet.
--- To be continued…