Devon stared into the distance, where hundreds—perhaps thousands—of Oedipals loomed.
Unlike the Blue he fought, these were larger, stronger, their red scales glinting with regal menace.
Balanced in form, with human-like torsos and horned heads, they were no mere freaks but remnants of a shattered world, drawn to Devon's power like moths to a flame.
At their forefront, a purple Oedipal towered, nearly three stories tall, its cloaked form casting a shadow over the house-sized reds.
Devon moved past them with ease, his speed transcending time and space, as if teleporting through the ruined city.
He appeared before the purple Oedipal, its cloak fading to reveal its massive, horned frame.
Time slowed, and space seemed to bend under his presence.
"Your Eminence, it's been a long time, has it not?" said a human-like figure atop the monster's head, its grey eyes lifeless, its body pale.
Devon stared silently, his gaze cold and commanding.
Not whispering a single word to the abomination in front of me.
"400 years ago I met you for the first time," the monster said, voice trembling with ecstasy.
"I hated you, I hated your strength, I hated the way the entire world seemed to bend to your will, you were just a mere guard being part of the garrison unit and yet your strength back then was on par with the king, no one else knew but I did," it paused, voice cracking, "and from that hatred came reverence, I revered you, but you went ahead to ruin everything you had with your own hand, you are one of the most greediest bastard I have ever seen," the monster laughed. "Devon Veyron, the bastard son of hope, the anomaly of the place called love, what was the name you hated the most? Oh yes, they called you 'The End' and you went straight ahead to do just that, ruining everything you built, you should have listened to your conscience, perhaps things would have been different."
Devon's eyes drifted, memories of his father, mother, friends, and enemies flashing like a blood-soaked reel.
He smiled faintly, then faced the monster. "Hey Caruso, let's get this over with."
"Do what you have to do," it said, still laughing. "I know I'm no match for you."
"I see."
In a heartbeat, Devon removed his second glove.
The monster's eyes widened. "Wait, what are you—"
"Tenebrin," Devon said.
A piercing shriek shook the city, cracking pavement like glass.
When it faded, Caruso's corpse lay still, a friend lost to time.
A glowing purple orb appeared in Devon's hand, which he ingested, his power surging, veins pulsing with unnatural light.
The sky darkened, clouds splitting as thunder roared, a warning of the gods' wrath descending upon him.