Ajax felt a slight buzzing in his mind as he became destabilized, he could only stare in shock at both his father and supposed brother, Garda seemingly relishing the moment. He felt pain, and then raw blistering anger, and then, somehow, a sense of cold calm saturated his body, his mind locking up the betrayal he felt at his father for he knew he was the only child his mother had.

Meaning his father had been with another woman.

The assembled traitors to the Archailect felt the calm that came upon the Chaosborne with a tenseness that even Garda seemed to glance at the blade stuck on the chaos aspect amplifier. Ajax nodded, stepping backwards.

“So I was some sort of pawn, meant to distract the forces of the Archailect while you all hatch your plans that from the looks of it, was centuries in the making?” Ajax asked.

Rohan shrugged, a light smile on his face.

“Not all of us could cozy up to a great house of the Archailect, or train a disciple that goes on to become a legend in nothing short of a miraculous amount of time” Rohan said.

“Is that jealousy I hear in your tone, brother?” Ajax said with a smile, the last word uttered with such venom it shocked Ajax himself.

“Quite the contrary, while we knew we had to find whatever was this anathema to the abyss, it came as a pleasant surprise to realize that you had done the job for us, and quite splendidly I might add” Rohan replied.

“a fine disciple, a sad thing he has to die for the true supreme being to rise” Eldon said.

Ajax gave a short laugh.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t he just kill an abyssal lord, besides, how are you even here and not defending the world of your abyssal master, Araman, wasn’t it?” he said.

Rohan nodded, touching the crystal column.

“I admit, he made us move our schedule way ahead of time, but it was that, all part of the plan Ajax, the abyssal lords have to die for him to rise” Rohan said.

“so you played the abyssal lords?, and they all fell for it?” Ajax said.

His eyes flicked to the blade, gauging the distance between it and himself, and his eyes fell back on both Eldon and Garda, the two most important targets he had.

“Subconsciously, they all do his will Ajax, the abyss was a part of chaos, has always been, they simply live under the illusion of power, one above the rest though” Rohan said.

“Araman” Ajax replied.

“Indeed, the destroyer attempts to become the true prime lord of the abyss, quite ruthless even for one of his kind, but then again, he embodies destruction, the most connected of the aspects of the abyss to chaos itself” Rohan said with a chuckle.

“And somehow, someway, they allowed a mere mortal to guide their steps, interesting” Ajax said.

“You still don’t understand” Garda said.

“Oh, enlighten me” Ajax replied sarcastically.

Garda frowned.

“No, you’ll see it for yourself, observe” he said.

The slot for the abyssal lord of blood and conquerors, the red rune burned to life.

“The titan blade slays another of the abyssal lords, I’m impressed” Eldon said.

Ajax quietly wondered why the green rune space didn’t light up, Molrik was dead, or was the fact that it was in his possession a factor?. If that was so and seeing as it was the only theory, then that meant that whatever the schemes of Rohan and his father was, it ended with obtaining the rune of decay.

Chuckling to himself, he spoke even as a plan began to formulate in his mind.

“Something amusing, Ajax?” Rohan asked.

“Indeed, the fact that we all know that we have individual goals that clash, and yet, we stand together under the pretence of a brotherhood” Ajax replied.

Pointing to Eldon, he spoke.

“That deluded idiot over there for some reason thinks that he’s doing the right thing, that somehow, the sect of the reaping katana would rise again, did you stop for once to think about what chaos means, hmm?” Ajax asked.

“it’ll wash away the old order” Eldon replied tersely.

“Oh yes, along with reality, and we’ll all be back swimming in the primordial soup of non-existence” Ajax replied.

“And you” Ajax said, pointing at Rohan.

“you’re too smart to have one goal, sure, you used the abyssal lords and their powers as a means to an end, but I don’t believe this is your end goal” Ajax continued.

“Do enlighten us” Rohan said with a gleam in his eyes.

“The cult, father, even chaos, its simply a means to an end to you, isn’t it?, makes one wonder what you have planned for reality” Ajax said.

Rohan shrugged.

“Your delusions are- “

“Save it, your tongue is a barb, nothing truthful ever comes from it, and finally, the head of this beast himself” Ajax said, cutting in as he turned to Garda.

“The reaper himself, the one whose name is only whispered in the darkest of places, and the man who wants what his supposed patron has given me” Ajax started as Garda’s eyes flashed with rage.

“Tell me, where you even bothered that I suffered for your crimes?, that I was blamed for the sins of the father?, did you even need my help escaping that place?” Ajax said with bitterness.

“Watch your tongue boy” Garda growled.

“Tell me, what’s mother’s name?” he asked.

“What?” Garda asked, taken aback.

“Mother, what was her name?” Ajax growled slowly.

Garda paused.

“I don’t see-“Garda started as Ajax moved.

He summoned the chaos aspect that flowed through his limbs like cold metal his mantle robe flowed over him and with an outstretched hand, Voidbringer flowed into his hand from the top of the column. Garda moved with pre-natural speed, moving with a literal conceptual weight of a black hole, he met the blade of Voidbringer with his hand coated in black chaos energy shaped like intent.

Voidbringer sliced cleanly through his arm, blasting the grim backwards into the ground, Ajax moved immediately. Rohan was prepared, but Eldon moved to block the part of the Chaosborne.

A deadly mistake.

Eldon crystal eye now known as the shard warrior was one of the strongest foundations of the reaping katana school. Around him came the hazy outline of the reaper, clad in shimmering dark crystals that coated his body as well, a crystalline black blade in his hands as he called on his aspect, covering the entire realm he called up immediately Ajax moved in inky black crystals, attempting to move under the guise of the darkness. Ajax activated his reality shatter ability almost as a second thought.

Reality Shatter: Manipulates the fabric of reality, causing fractures and distortions that disorient and weaken opponents. This skill can disrupt spells, defenses, and even alter the battlefield itself.

The realm exploded as Eldon screamed in pain and to be sure, Ajax layered another skill on top, feeling the power well up from within him.

Eternal Annihilation: Unleashes a devastating blast of pure energy that obliterates everything in its path, leaving only scorched earth in its wake.

Eternal annihilation obliterated everything in its part, Eldon saved simply due to Rohan blinking in and out of existence to save him with a curse. When the smoke cleared, the column hummed with more power, as if it approved of the destruction, Eldon though, had lost an arm, staring at Ajax with hatred. His eyes flicked to where Garda seemed to be pulling himself out of the ground leisurely, with a sigh he spoke.

“You know, when Rohan told me you would be valuable, I decided to spare you” he said.

“Spare me?” Ajax said, his voice coming as a frost as the entire world became cold, falling below zero degree as the land began to solidify with black ice, black snow falling as well.

“Indeed, when I came back to this system oh so long ago and got ambushed by those pesky primordials, I came for two reasons you see” he started,

“I came to wipe out whatever remained of the taint of the Archailect, and I came to kill any traces I had of my old life, in essence, I came to end you, you disgrace of a child” Garda completed.

Ajax was already moving by the last word fell from the lips of Garda, Voidbringer tearing through the space between him and his father. Rage burned within Ajax like an inferno, seeking to consume him as the cold power of chaos somehow stoked it, empowering his every act. He had burned bridges for his father, he had done unspeakable things with the justification that he had been wrongly imprisoned, and right now, with the bitter taste of regret.

Garda dodged the attack with pre-natural grace before speaking, each word a command.

“Fulfil the oath, I beseech thee”

A thousand high pitched laughter broke around the planet as Ajax felt the true touch of chaos swell around before condensing into a glob of black inky liquid, his instincts screaming at him to prevent Garda from obtaining whatever that thing was. Voidbringer swung again, but this item, Rohan with a medallion blocked the attack despite the force blowing him backwards, pulverizing his entire structure.

Ajax cursed as he realized he had been late, watching his father swallow the liquid as he screamed in agony, in that moment, Ajax hoped that whatever that thing was destroyed his father. He should had known better, watching as Garda went from a humanoid creature to something other, Ajax taking a few steps backwards, Eldon falling on his knees, his severed arm forgotten as he cried in awe.

“The reaper!” he said.

Ajax glanced at the pitiful excuse of an elder before turning his eyes back to his father, watching as his form contorted, like an otherworldly hand seemingly stretching his entire frame, bending it to unnatural angles. When it was over, a tall, lean creature stood in the place of Garda, the skin had been peeled off his form, his eyes glowed grey light from within, silver bones glowing with black runes etched into his form, seemingly to contain whatever power he had been bestowed.

Large silver skeletal wings graced his back, keeping him aloft without the presence of any sort of feather, a black oily robe clothing his entire skeletal frame and in his hands, grasped with two hands, was a black scythe held with a silver rod. Rohan stood from where he had fallen, a frown on his face.

“It is too early, the abyssal lords haven’t fallen in their entirety, you draw needlessly from our reserves” he said,

A deep chuckle that resonated along with the planet came from the being his father had become,

“Hush child, the power of the true being goes deeper than you can even imagine, observe” the voice of Garda grim came through the creature,

The moment it swung the sickle, Ajax knew that if he didn’t pit everything he had into deflecting the attack, he’d be dead.

Soul Devourer: Absorbs the life essence of defeated enemies, restoring health, mana, and bolstering the boss's own power. This skill allows the boss to sustain themselves in battle and grow stronger with each fallen adversary. Dimensional Collapse: Manipulates the very dimensions themselves, causing a localized collapse that crushes and distorts everything within its radius. This skill creates a temporary pocket of chaotic space, trapping enemies and subjecting them to unimaginable forces. Cyclone of Chaos: Conjures a swirling vortex of chaotic energy that engulfs the boss, granting them increased speed, power, and resilience. Within this cyclone, the boss becomes a maelstrom of destruction, unleashing devastating attacks that defy conventional defenses. Chaos Incursion: Unleash chaotic energy with each strike, rending reality itself and inflicting chaos-based damage upon foes. Corrupting Touch: Taint enemies with the power of chaos, weakening them over time and draining their vitality with every strike.

Five skills layered into one graced the blade of Voidbringer, wrapping them tightly around the chaos blessed weapon, he clashed with his father and watched the planet shudder almost in pleasure from the impact. Rohan had simply passed through the same pathway he had used in getting to this place just in time before dimensional collapse sealed the very planet from incursions and pathways.

Ajax found himself blown backwards, eyes opened in shock, Garda laughing in an otherworldly voice.

“Do you hear the cries of the Chaosborne?” he asked.

“I am the Chaosborne” Ajax growled.

“Wrong child, you are one of the Chaosborne, as am I, as are those that are coming” Garda said

“Those coming?” Ajax said as a chill spread through his body.

“Indeed, the reign of Apophis comes, and the lord comes with force, prepare, make way!” Garda said with laughter.

“you’ve run mad, you’re insane” Ajax said horrified.

He glanced at where Eldon should had been, seeing nothing but black ash, a befitting end for the master, but the least of his worries. Black pathways began to open all across the planet.

“By the authority of the chaos being himself, I have been appointed not as his avatar, but as chaos lord, and my name willingly bestowed back upon me” Garda said as reality cracked and the name flowed back into the minds of uncountable trillions upon trillions of souls all across the archailect.

“Azael, chaos lord of Apophis has been born” the being that had once been his father said.

Ajax pointed his blade at his father.

“The blade advances” he whispered as he clashed with the creature, even as millions upon millions of shrieking laughter came from the pathways leading into the abyss.

Ω

The entire crew of the astral bastion staggered with wide eyes as they felt the tremor run through reality, Ishum growling.

“Too early, it is too early!” he said.

“Well they moved their schedule and we have to do ours as well” Eses replied as Xandros nodded and snapped his fingers.

She threw the vial containing the aspect of the titan blade to Xandros who caught it even as a runic circle flared beneath his feet, encapsulating him, Zane, Grimswolf and the harbingers of Alastor and Draulr.

“Be safe child” she said softly to him.

Xandros nodded, turning to Xerxes.

“don’t make a fool of yourself there, you’re a Terrangazer” Xerxes said gruffly to his twin brother.

Xandros smiled.

“Just focus on keeping the Archailect in one piece till I get back” Xandros replied.

Xerxes nodded tersely, the light flared as Xandros and his team vanished, leaving Xerxes and Eses with the restm

“Well?, do we have to beg for you to open the flame path?” sha said.

Ishum clapped his hands without a reply as a rune appeared in the void of space, a single burning one, encapsulating all Lotes had been, was, and would ever be. In the flash a large pathway appeared, coils of flaming dragons lining its edges as It opened to an impossible looking citadel, golden and burning with raw aether, and quietly, the astral bastion passed through.