Plans that were to be trampled by another plan.
This was the type of strategy that Fate and Destiny had against each other. They prepared a vast amount of plans, and each could easily be turned or thwarted should the other party gain any advantage over the other.
Two were playing with incidents, accidents, and gambles that could easily backfire against each other.
For Destiny, the Half-Fallens that were sealed in the Planesworld was one that had a set Destiny on who would acquire them. It would have been the Eldrich that would have acquired this power as they were the ones that sealed in and knew the way to free this power from awakening again.
But now, this plan was thrown out, and another replaced it.
A being that had no connection or access to that power was given the Destiny to awaken as one of Destiny's many fail-safes.
Thessalah, the goddess of oceans, had managed to gain the power to do this despite being a True Neutral!
Her disposition was important and had to be True Neutral so that the power of Fate may not work against her. But the old score she needed to settle, her war against the Charmed Fallen, was the trigger.
Now that the current status of Xermolipi is unknown and it was seen that her current host is an ally to the Nephilim, a counter plan was initiated.
Destiny favored Thessalah to gain a power that was meant to be her weapon to win a fight against a traitorous Xermolipi.
Thessalah was angry and envious, and a power similar to Zelah was right before her.
Zelah Solas derived her power from Zeal. She was zealous and passionate about her being and became impassioned about the one the Charmed Fallen took away. And though God had passed, the Zeal of Solas remained. It was even more enduring than the grave and death itself!
But Thessalah saw another power. One who was born of the very entity that was of the same kind as Xermolipi.
Calamity saw it, and he recalled this being that was unique in that she was an entity born of many contrarieties.
"Strong yet fragile. Dainty, yet wrathful. Enduring and beautiful, yet her true power is of decay!"
"Why do I feel jealous? Which Corruption is that?" Lea asked.
"Not jealousy. Jealousy comes from Zeal. Zelah was passionate about her husband. Yet her jealousy was rooted in something that was hers. She was jealous that what was hers was taken. But this power is the coveting form that spurs the souring of emotions and the decaying of morality. Envy!" Nightwing corrected.
The great hand began to slap down on the kingdom despite receiving various attacks from the people. Unlike Nightwing and Lea's Crown attack, this hand didn't hide but relentlessly moved to attack.
BOOM!
But the attacks were all in vain.
The devastating slap landed and slew many.
The residents of the kingdom could not flee, and only those at Commander levels and higher managed to evade the giant arm that attacked.
The power of devour appeared, and everyone within several kilometers of the hand began to wither.
"How?! That's the power of devouring! Is that Gluttony?! Is he back?!" Angelian was shocked.
"No. Envy was born without power among her siblings, the Phaulos. She saw everyone and raged. That rage became envy. And she acquired a portion of all the powers of the Phaulos Fallen. And ever since then, any enemy that she would envy, she would gain a portion of the power."
"Then how many powers does she have?!"
"Well, the good news is, that's not that many. Unless she envies it, she won't have it. She grew envious of her brothers and sister and got their powers. But not all Gods and Fallen she meets harness her powers." Calaminus explained.
The giant, beautiful, and perfect hand rose back up again and slapped the same location once more.
It didn't seem logical for the arm to do that, as there was no target.
"What's the bad news?" Nightwing asked.
As the giant arm slapped down, a strange power appeared.
Time began to wind back, and those that survived the slap were suddenly drawn back to their position. But this time, they could no longer evade the attack as time continued.
BOOM!
"Er… She may have taken a liking to my power." Calaminus forced a laugh.
Kyros and Nightwing separated as the two stood next to each other to watch the battle.
"It won't end with her. I can feel it. Gods and Fallen are making a move and charging toward this place. Middle is being forced so fast! Plans that were taken accounted for are moving. The era of Middle is surely coming! The world of Middle, that future where we once were, will soon manifest here!" Kyros spoke.
"So Destiny is forcing us to fight and kill Thessalah… It's actually tempting. We gain her power; we gain the powers of many!" Nightwing answered.
"Well, her current form is still… an infant. A Fallen, but an infant. I guess this is the good news."
"What's the bad news?" Calaminus asked.
"...To fight it… I might have to reveal my powers. All of my powers."
"What?!" Aron and Martha both exclaimed.
"We cannot let this goddess grow any stronger. She can find us all. The Covenant has the power of Charm. And those that have followed Nightwing will also be targets." Nightwing explained.
"Master, what do you mean you must reveal all your powers?"
"It means what it means. Kyros and I have always kept a large portion of our powers hidden. Hidden in Mystery. The curses that bound us, all except Folly and End, could now be destroyed. But we chose not to." Nightwing explained.
"Because we wanted to be hidden. Fate has set us on a path to win even while we were weak. Revealing our true power allows Destiny to estimate our strength and what is needed to fight it. Right now, all circumstances, all these battles, and victories and defeats of Fate and Destiny are forcing the Nephilim to reveal itself."
"This is insane! You guys are already going all in?!" Calaminus exclaimed.
"Destiny is not giving us much of a choice. And Fate… has gambled too much on us to win that she has lost so many battles. All those training, all those impossible scenarios, all the life that we lived were forcing the battle towards this level!"
"But you can't kill Thessalah! She is a Fallen! And now she has found another Fallen power that has imbued her own!" Calaminus argued.
"The curse of Dentro that radiates on the Midlands was not an accident. It was here by design. Fate is forcing a battle where those gods and fallen that come here can only harness so much strength. This gives us a chance. Don't you see? Fate orchestrated a battle to keep us in this weak form because she was going to push our strength to soar towards the roof and reach Celestial in an instant!" Kyros answered.
"This is it…? This is the final battle?"
"No. This is the start of the Middle. It looks like the End, but I feel that Fate is telling me we are still far from battling the true end. But this could be the final battle of the war that you remember, Calaminus."
"Rhykestorn Ever… The Greater God uprising! It's going to end?!"
"One way or the other. Either in our victory or defeat! Aron! Martha! Prepare a spell! I want the Fortress and the City brought here. Tell Demerus and the rest. They know what this battle means."
"Yes! Lord Kyros!" Martha answered. She could tell that Kyros was scared and serious, and she immediately acted.
"Nightwing… We have to work together. Darkness and Light. I know you were secretly trying to create a body when you devoured that kingdom. Did you succeed?"
"Of course. And it wasn't a secret. I just didn't say because I'd know you find out. Let's do this, then. You purge, I devour!"
Two Kyros appeared, and each had a different form.
A bright light of holy energy revealing a grand light that shone like the sun appeared as Kyros transformed into his angelic form.
Nightwing stood next to him with such pitch-black darkness that his side was night.
The two powers began to combine.
The Planesworld began to tremble, and all of the Nephilim's allies were in the locations they had heard the last call.
"Activate the teleportation sequence!" Demerus commanded.
Mechiel and Scarlet, Branze and Steele, and the rest of the Emberdons all began to answer the call.
The Fortress suddenly emerged as it warped out and surrounded the Nephilim and his allies.
Thessalah sensed the power appeared.
"Xermolipi!" She roared.
But at that moment, a strange power erupted within the Fortress of the Nephilim.
The seals and curses were all being removed.
The Rise of the Nephilim has begun!
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