My Vampire Prince..-Chapter 118: Could have just gone with the truce.

Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Could have just gone with the truce.

Seraphine bit her fingers and everyone looked at the two men in the middle with more interest. Zeres was going to use his sword. The very sword he used when fighting against the devil and the now fallen angels.

The thing is, ever since that great war, Zeres had never used that sword. He had sworn it into a period of holiness and sanctification and had declared it shall only be used for matters of utmost importance.

Now he was going to use that same sacred, holy sword to win a brawl?

The idea sounded rather offensive to the gods gathered. It was clear that not all of them supported Calithar but that doesn’t mean they’d turn a blind eye to disrespect.

"almighty," Demi, god of the season called out. "Using such a sacred sword for a matter like this is an insult to your grace."

"Please consider it." he yelled in a low voice.

"Please consider it!" the other gods repeated.

Aden rasied his hand and everyone fell silent.

"Demi." The true god’s voice came out reverenced.

Demi bowed his head. "Yes almighty."

"The sword belongs to Zeres and so he can use it on whatever issue he deems fit for it. Understood?"

"Yes, almighty."

Demi sat down back. Who’d dare argue with Aden?

The supreme gods, who controlled the very matters of the universe, watched in intense silence. Only the steady hum of the black holes beyond the dome surrounding the arena could be heard, a thin shimmering veil that trapped the violent energies within.

"Continue." Aden said.

Calithar stood on one end of the radiant platform with golden dust swirling at his feet.

Every god present knew just how powerful Zeres sword was. It was a sword carved out by the almighty himself out of pure, unfiltered wurzite.

In the heavens, wurzite was considered the purest form of diamonds and so couldn’t be found on earth. Demons, devils, principalities, rulers of darkness all wanted the blessed gem. It was the reason for the great war in the first place.

Calithar’s chest heaved. His wings had folded behind him. He was given his powers back but without the mercy of god, it was useless.

Hence, the "fair fight" was a hoax to see just how worthy and desperate Calithar is for his restoration.

The edges of his wings were dusted with ash from the multiple blows hurled at him.

He dragged faintly behind him as he readied himself for one last attempt. In front of him, Zeres straightened his back and adjusted the sword of the sun in his grip. Brilliant flames licked up the blade, glowing hotter with every breath he took.

"Come then," Zeres said, voice low and steady. "Let us end this."

Calithar tightened his hold on his own sword. Earth’s power resonated through his bones, warm and grounding. He planted one foot forward and lifted his chin.

"Gladly." he huffed.

They launched forward at the same time, two streaks of white and gold crossing the coliseum like fireballs. Their powers gathered at the tips of their weapons, forming massive streams of raw energy. Calithar’s manifested as a wild torrent of emerald and amber, swirling like pure jade stons brought to life while Zeres’ erupted in pure white light, bright enough to blind any mortal.

The two beams collided at the center of the arena, meeting with a thunderous crack that shook the entire heavenly realm. Sparks scattered till the ground beneath them trembled. The pressure of their clashing power wrapped around the space like a storm.

For a moment, the two gods were locked in place. Neither willing to give in, neither able to retreat.

Calithar gritted his teeth as the strain began to bite into him. His muscles trembled. His vision wavered. He could feel the edges of his strength fraying. Not yet. Not now. He dug deeper within himself, pulling from that stubborn flame inside him that refused defeat.

Opposite him, Zeres’ expression twisted slightly in irritation. The Sun God’s power fed on dominance, and being resisted in any measure was an offense to his pride. He nad Calithar were the greatest warriors of heaven with both of them working hand in hand for the good of humanity.

The sun gives the earth warmth and the earth provides the sun an avenue to release its heat.

"Fall already you despicable entity," Zeres snapped, forcing more power into the beam.

"Make me," Calithar growled. His entire body was straining under the massive amount of energy shooting out of him.

The beams swelled, growing brighter and brighter until they became unbearable. The very air screamed out as the coliseum was shrouded under the heavy pressure both gods emitted.

The explosion that followed ripped through the arena, a violent burst of light that swallowed everything whole. The supreme gods shielded their eyes. It was that bright.

Calithar and Zeres were thrown backward, tumbling through the space.

Before the dust settled, before the echo of the blast even faded, both gods leapt up at the same time. Their swords clashed in the center, sparks raining down like shooting stars.

Zeres pressed forward first, his face twisted into a smirk. "You sly crook..." he breathed out, chest heaving.

Calithar smirked back. "Thanks. I learned it from you."

From the elevated throne, Yennae the Observer raised the golden hourglass. Its voice boomed across the arena.

"Two minutes left!"

The tension in the air intensified.

Zeres scoffed, rolled his shoulders, and sprang back into action. He swung his sword in fast, sharp arcs, each one slicing with white-hot precision. Calithar countered every move, the clash of metal ringing loudly. Each strike sent vibrations through his arms, yet he held his ground.

Zeres was a mad man when he unleashed his fury and his frustration grew. His strikes sharpened, his movements turned unpredictable. At the last moment, he twisted to the side and sneaked in a quick strike and his blade grazed Calithar’s left arm.

Blood sprayed into the air like tiny red petals.

Seraphine stiffened in her seat. Her fingers curled tightly around the armrests. She rose halfway before forcing herself down again as her heart thumped wildly.

Not now. Not after everything.

There were only thirty seconds left.

Calithar stumbled. Pain shot through his arm and buckled his knees. His vision blurred and the world tilted before he finally fell to the ground in a defeated heap. Zeres seized the moment. He thrust his sword upward and lifted both arms triumphantly.

The audience erupted into applause as divine light from his sword shimmered around Zeres like a crown.

Calithar fell. The world around him slowed and Seraphine’s heart dropped to her stomach.

Twenty seconds left.

Zeres basked in the praise, drinking in the attention as if it belonged to him by birthright. His arms stretched outward, welcoming the celebration.

Fifteen seconds.

As Calithar laid there completely weakened, his mind went blank.

Suddenly, he remembered his desperation. Why he wanted to regain his true form so badly.

Calithar’s eyes narrowed. A spark ignited in them. A stubborn flame that refused to surrender. He pushed both hands into the ground and forced himself into a kneel.

Ten seconds.

His fingers dug deep into the fractured earth.

Five seconds.

He called upon the very last remnants of his power, scraping up whatever strength remained. With a loud scream, his chest burned as he used the last bout of energy left in him.

He hurled a final blast of energy with a sharp cry.

It soared through the air, faster than Zeres could react. It struck the Sun God squarely in the back.

Zeres flew forward with a sickening thud. His sword clattered across the ground like a mortal weapon.

Zeres fell and in that same second, Calithar struggled to his feet just as the bell rang.

Ding.

Silence swept across the arena.

Then Yennae’s voice broke through.

"Calithar, the Earth God, is the winner."

A few low cheers followed. Some supreme gods nodded approvingly while others remained indifferent.

Even among the gods, disunity loomed.

Zeres pushed himself up slowly from the pile of rubble he had caused, his teeth clenched as humiliation simmering beneath his gaze.

Calithar ignored him. Still managing to stand, he began to limp.

Seraphine smiled softly, relief washing over her features. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

He walked across the arena despite his limp. When he reached the grand throne that had descended for the conclusion, he dropped to his knees. His forehead touched the ground.

"The almighty and greatest of all time, of creations and beings. Who reigned since the dawn of time. Your humble servant seeks your mercy."

Aden, the true god, lifted a hand. His voice was calm and quiet, yet powerful enough to echo through the vast coliseum.

"Very well."

Light swirled around him in gentle waves. When the glow faded, he was robed in the traditional divine attire; cloth around his waist, chest bared, and another cloth slung over his shoulder. It represented purity, authority, and the simplicity of the divine beings.

"For your boundless mercy, I thank you."

Calithar’s powers were restored which meant he could descend into the mortal world freely once more.

Joy hit Calithar like a rushing tide. Freedom was no longer a distant dream.

In the next moment, the realm shifted. The assembled gods vanished, along with Aden, Zeres, and Calithar.

They reappeared in the Hall of Ascension, the grand gathering place of the gods. Calithar moved to the line of seats arranged across two long rows. As Earth’s supreme guardian, he sat on the right side, closest to Seraphine.

Zeres, as the Sun God, took his seat too. One row away from where Calithar sat.

His sword was back in his forehead and it reminded him of his painful humiliation.

~~~~~~~~~~

After the cleansing rites, Calithar walked out of Third Heaven where the Hall of Ascension was. The sky above shimmered with pastel colors, endless and serene, far beyond what any human could fashion.

His wings unfurled as he prepared to descend to earth. He had been free from his punishment and so he needn’t go to Eryndor again. A new king would take his place and his memory would be wiped out of the minds of his people.

His earlier, forgotten abode on earth that had been abandoned was now renovated completely for him.

"Calithar!"

He stopped.

Seraphine ran toward him with quick graceful steps. Before he could speak, she launched herself into his arms. Her voice was breathless against his shoulder as she had been running to meet up with him.

"You could not even say thank you? I should have let Zeres burn your ass out."

Calithar chuckled softly. His arms circled her waist and his palm stroked her back. A small laugh escaped him.

"I wanted to give you a beautiful gift when I finally appreciated you."

"No need for that."

"Thank you for your help, Seraphine. I always knew I could count on you as a friend."

Seraphine’s smile faltered. "That’s what friends are for, isn’t it?"

Calithar chuckled and pulled her gently to himself, deepening the hug. She always smelled of lotus, the kind that could lull anyone to a deep, peaceful sleep.

A gentle cough came from behind.

Hermes approached, cheerful as always. He was a young lad with curly yellow hair and a boyish smile.

"His almighty seeks you, goddess."

Seraphine groaned dramatically. "See what you caused," she muttered slapping his back.

"Ouch!" he cried out, feigning immense pain.

Her fingers poked Calithar’s chest. "You know what? I will take the gift. If it is not good enough, I will pluck out one of your emerald eyes as tribute."

She turned swiftly and walked off, as Hermes hurried after her.

Calithar smiled as he watched her leave.

Just as he made to step off the edge of heaven again, a figure materialized in front of him.

Zeres.