The giant light and dark orbs shot forward simultaneously. Hades did not move a single inch.
BOOOM!
The orbs exploded with tremendous shockwaves.
"Is he dead?" Noctyr asked.
Dust and fog obscured their vision. Slowly, the fog settled. The shadow of Hades appeared, standing tall and proud, his wings held in a shielding position.
"He will not die that easily."
Hades whispered, "Velkarion—bind Vareth." The chain belt around his waist stirred. It raised blade-like chain head, examining the surroundings as if searching for prey. It locked onto the immobilized Vareth.
Vareth's hands remained pressed to the ground, maintaining the nullification field. The chain shot toward him like an eastern dragon swimming through clouds.
Mid-air, its length and thickness increased astonishingly. The blade sharpened to a needle point.
Noctyr shouted as he drew a giant, thorny stone club, "BROTHER, WE HAVE TO STOP IT!" He swung the club with full force, the motion creating a tiny vortex.
Aurethar conjured a dome of light around Vareth.
Velkarion darted swiftly, evading every swing, slipping through the gaps. Noctyr's club passed through empty air. A heartbeat later, it pierced the light shield and drove straight through Vareth's heart and soul.
"Aaaahhh!!!"
A hellish scream tore from his mouth, golden ichor spraying out. But Velkarion did not stop. It coiled around his entire body and constricted, leaching away his energy with each tightening loop.
Golden ichor painted his ragged form.
"Brother!!!"
Both giants rushed toward him, pulling at the chains. Instead of freeing him, they only worsened his wounds.
For a moment, the nullification field weakened. Metallic spikes rose from the ground, poised to strike. But before they could, Vareth regained control. Gritting his teeth in pain, he gasped, "Kill him… before the nullification… ends."
"But—"
"GO!"
Noctyr tightened his grip on the club and turned, glaring at the crater. Hades was nowhere to be seen. His eyes searched frantically.
"Where is h—" He stopped mid-sentence and swiftly raised his club to defend his head.
Clank!
A powerful blow from Hades was barely blocked. The impact was so great it forced Noctyr to his knees. The ground cracked like a spiderweb.
Aurethar shot hundreds of light arrows. Hades retracted Helkarion, beat his wings, and shot up to the cavern roof, gliding along the surface while dodging rocky obstacles. The light arrows were less agile; they crashed against the stone.
Continuous explosions echoed along the shore, raining dust.
Suddenly, Hades folded his wings and dove straight for Noctyr's head. Noctyr raised his club, its surface gleaming with dark essence. Just as Hades came within range, he swung downward.
But at the critical moment, Hades shifted his angle and direction. The sharp spike of the club only grazed the tip of his wing.
All the remaining light arrows were swept aside by the swing.
Hades glided freely, preparing to deliver a final strike to Vareth. As he began another dive, an intense, blinding light obstructed his vision—then a giant white fist, enhanced with light essence, struck him hard.
Hades crashed into the wall, embedding deeply in the stone.
Aurethar blew on his hot, white fist and snorted, "Annoying as a fly."
BOOOM!
The wall exploded. Hades leaped out, hovering in the air. Aurethar quickly shot another barrage of light arrows. This time, Hades did not dodge. He simply used his wings as a shield.
The arrows bombarded him simultaneously. When the explosions subsided, he retracted his wings and cracked his neck, wiping dust from his shoulder. Divine and demonic energy surged around Helkarion.
He glared at them. "Your cheap tricks aren't even at the level of Miramor. And you dream of killing me? Fools."
Golden and black strings swirled around the shaft, forming a helix that met at the blade's point.
Both giants gulped, their senses screaming of impending mortal danger. Noctyr charged his club with all his remaining energy.
Aurethar poured all his power into creating a stronger light shield and a storm of more numerous, more powerful light arrows.
Noctyr's club and Hades's spear charged at the same moment. Noctyr charged forward, club raised to strike. Aurethar unleashed all his arrows at once.
Hades raised Helkarion high and hurled it forward. The spear shot forth with incredible speed, leaving golden and black trails in its wake.
Noctyr gritted his teeth and swung the club with all his strength. The club and Helkarion clashed, creating immense pressure and shockwaves.
The ground beneath them began to unravel. Noctyr's muscles bulged and ruptured instantly. The earlier light arrows exploded mid-air from the shockwaves.
For a brief moment, he barely halted Helkarion. A triumphant smile began to form on Noctyr's lips but froze midway as his club, unable to endure the pressure, crumbled.
Helkarion pierced through the light shield and struck Vareth's head. It did not burst or pierce through—it vaporized his head completely.
Vareth's struggling body finally fell. Yet even then, his heart still beat. His soul remained.
As the nullification field unraveled, Hades gave them no moment to rest or react. Metallic spikes rose and shot toward them from all directions.
"Metal surge."
The metallic spikes pierced through their bodies, leaving no place untouched. The ground began to soak with their seeping golden ichor.
Hades landed before them. Demonic flame ignited in his hand as he stared into their desperate, tear-filled eyes, silently begging for mercy.
He raised his hand. "That's for hurting my subordinates."
The demonic flame burned their flesh slowly. They writhed in pain, but even screaming was denied to them. Their near-immortality would not let them die—and the demonic flame would not let them escape.
A few moments later, his hand ignited with a silver flame, burning with finality.
Just as he was about to erase them from existence, a strange wave spread in all directions. Time froze for a second. The dimension cracked, then recovered.
Hades smiled and glanced downward. The twilight flame extinguished. "You are all very fortunate. Today, my child has saved you."
Snap!
He snapped his fingers. Their shadows came alive; tentacles rose and swallowed them whole. "Enjoy your few remaining days of life."