Chapter 1736 Champion
Emery's head throbbed intensely as he felt himself suspended in an endless expanse of nothingness. All around him, the pitch-black void stretched infinitely, offering no sense of direction or time. The weightlessness made it even more disorienting, making him question his own existence.
Gradually, fragments of memory began to pierce the fog that clouded his mind. Flashes of intense battles, faces filled with fear and defiance, and the powerful surge of energy that had coursed through him, all began to take form in his thoughts. At the forefront of these recollections was his clash with Ezzekiel, and the subsequent infusion of the chaotic energy of Khaos into his bloodstream.
But beyond those clear memories, there was an overwhelming aura of destruction. Visions of chaos: haunting screams of hunger, landscapes of death, and cataclysmic destruction weighed heavily on his psyche.
A gnawing confusion began to set in. "What exactly happened? Where am I?" he murmured, hoping for some clarity.
As if in response to his plea, a subtle shift occurred in the void. Another entity made its presence felt. From the vast nothingness, a voice, ethereal and familiar, reached out to him, <i can help you remember.>
The voice belonged to Cthulhu, the enigmatic and ancient being Emery had come to recognize during his adventures. This mythical entity, it seemed, had borne witness to the entire series of events that had led Emery to this moment.
<It was a display like no other. A spectacle that bordered on artistry,> Cthulhu remarked, a hint of admiration evident in its tone.
Guided by Cthulhu's presence, Emery's memories began to crystallize. He recalled the bitter taste of triumph over Ezzekiel, the spectacular combustion of elven ships against the backdrop of the night sky, and his masterstroke: the release of a lethal contagion upon the elven fortress, which sealed their fate.
Cthulhu's voice resonated once again,
<I have to admit, that last one.. I was partly involved>
Despite the pride swelling within him, Emery couldn't shake off a nagging unease. The consequences of his actions were monumental, and he was unsure of the ripple effects they might have set in motion.
With this realization, a burst of clarity surged through him. His senses sharpened, and the engulfing darkness gradually gave way to recognizable sights. As the fog in his mind cleared, he found himself staring at the grand arches and ornate pillars of a familiar palace, its beauty standing in stark contrast to the chaos he had just revisited.
The ground beneath Emery was cool and hard. As awareness seeped back, he found himself reclining atop an expansive dome, surrounded by four imposing stones. The very atmosphere throbbed with power, an unmistakable aura that denoted one thing: he was within the sanctum of the Khaos Domain.
Pulling himself to his feet, Emery's gaze swept the surroundings. Everything was bathed in an ethereal glow, yet it all seemed... altered. The Domain was familiar, and yet there were nuances he didn't recall from his previous visits.
<That's because you are now one of the Khaos Champion>
Emery took a moment to absorb this before saying, "So I successfully teleported? How long was I unconscious for?"
<12 hours and yes you created a waypoint in space, it's destroyed now>
Emery nodded slowly, processing the information. "I understand."
As he took in more of his surroundings, his attention was inexorably drawn to the dome's heart. Nestled there was a crystal, pulsating with a dark allure. Its energy was magnetic, beckoning him closer with an almost sentient intent.
Feeling a compulsion he couldn't resist, Emery reached out, fingers grazing the crystal's surface. A sharp, electric jolt coursed through him, the world around him blurring, giving way to the vastness of space. In this astral projection, a looming gray nebula approached, its majesty both awe-inspiring and intimidating.
Emery recognized the gravity of the moment and gave a reverential nod. Before him was an entity on par with the likes of Gaia and the primordial wisp of Light. Like those beings, they couldn't communicate with clarity. It spoke not in full sentences but in fragmented whispers, repetitive murmurs extolling its dominion over shadows. Yet, amid this cacophony, Emery discerned its genuine sentiment.
A sense of elation, pride, and expectation filled the space. It was as if the entity was celebrating their newfound bond. Then, a vivid vision played out before Emery: four dark wisps, free-floating and seemingly lost, converged, becoming one. What they formed was a nexus of power so profound it defied comprehension.
Jolted back to reality, Emery gasped, his breath ragged. The message was clear: a desire, perhaps even a directive, for him to unite all facets of the Khaos gate. Emery's heart raced. Such a challenge was daunting, but the potential rewards? They were something he was more than willing to strive for.
Each step Emery took resonated on the ancient grounds as he moved deliberately towards the four massive stones. Their surfaces, engraved with deep patterns, seemed to tell tales of old, of times and events long forgotten. As he traced his fingers over them, the etchings pulsed beneath his touch.
One by one, the names manifested in his mind: Pestilence. Famine. War. Death. These were the four gates of Khaos, each representing a part of Khaos.
The Pestilence gate shimmered slightly more than the rest under his touch, a testament to the connection he had forged as its champion.
His thoughts drifted to Ezekiel and the War gate. Emery's voice held a mixture of hope and assertion as he queried, "So I basically won right?… Do I get that gate or... How?"
Cthulhu's response was tinged with a note of regret. <You left the battleground before claiming the gate from him.>
A heavy sigh escaped Emery's lips. The weight of missed opportunities bore down on him.
"Then is Ezekiel still alive?"
Cthulhu's silence was palpable, the very atmosphere thickening with its uncertainty. Seeking answers elsewhere, Emery turned his attention to the Famine gate. Perhaps he could tap into its energy and reach out to Killgragah like he had before. Yet, despite his efforts, there was only silence.
<Your conduit to that voice... she isn't here.>
"Morgana," Emery murmured. It was through Morgana's latent Khaos energy that he'd previously connected with Killgragah. With renewed urgency, he asked,
"Do you know where she is now?"
<I can't, But given your bond, you might be able to reach her.>
Resolute, Emery made his way out of the ruins. His destination was a particular levitating stone, one that had always held a special significance due to the waypoints Morgana had established upon it. Climbing atop, he inhaled deeply, centering himself, before invoking the [Spirit Walk] technique. His senses expanded, reaching out into the vast cosmos, seeking any trace of Morgana.
The minutes that ticked by felt like eons, and yet there was no sign of her.
Cthulhuu's voice, a soft whisper in the void, offered a possible explanation.
<She could be asleep…>
Refusing to yield to the silence, Emery lowered himself onto the stone surface, his legs folding into the familiar lotus position. The world around him began to blur as he concentrated, invoking the [Spirit Walk] once more. Determination radiated from him as he sought out Morgana's unique essence.
Time seemed to stretch and contract. But after what felt like an eternity, a pang of discomfort resonated within him. As he tried to push past the unease, a vivid image pierced through the veil: a planet, cloaked in shades of blue and green, surrounded by the vastness of space. Earth. His home.
A rush of emotions welled up. <Has she returned already?!>
Emery pushed the rising tide of emotions down.
As the Khaos champion, the domain was not just a place of power, but also a nexus of pathways. Some of these waypoints were open to him, and though some led to territories of the Magus Alliance, there was one, uniquely attuned to him.
With purpose in his steps, he leaped to another hovering stone on the far side of the domain. Once there, he settled into the lotus position again, but this time, he did more than just focus. He poured his very being into the stone, trying to resonate with its energy.
The stone seemed to come alive beneath him, and soon a familiar energy signature whispered back to him, someone very familiar to him, a memory of the distant past. With that connection Cthulhu said.
<You want to travel to that place?>
Drawing in a deep breath, Emery responded firmly, "Yes."
#####
In a distant corner of the cosmos, a desolate battlefield stretched out, littered with the detritus of war and the shadows of fallen combatants. Amongst the carnage, a single figure lay on the ground, bloodied and broken. His labored breathing was audible amidst the stillness of the aftermath.
"Emery," the dark elf wheezed, pain evident in his voice, "You may have won this round... but revenge will be mine. You will rue the day you crossed my path."
Weakly, his fingers clawed at the ground, drawing upon the lingering remnants of spirit energy in a desperate bid to cast one last spell. "Tarrasque... home," he muttered, praying to the entity living within him, "Send me back. Let me out of this cursed place."
But as he summoned the last of his strength, a menacing shadow loomed over him. Slowly, a figure emerged from the haze — another dark elf, one that seemed eerily familiar. The injured elf's eyes widened in recognition, "You... I thought you perished... help me."
Yet, instead of offering a hand, the dark figure smirked,? "You possess something of great interest to me. A secret, perhaps?"
Confusion and fear danced in the wounded elf's eyes. "What are you talking about…"
But before he could seek clarity or even utter a plea, a sharp blade plunged into his chest, piercing his heart. Agony and betrayal filled his gaze as he realized his coveted Khaos gate was slipping from his grasp.
"You.... you...? won't get away with this..."
Just before the curtain of darkness descended upon him, he heard a chilling, whispered promise, "Rest now... and fret not. For your revenge... I shall claim it in your stead."
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