Chapter 50.2

Kevin released a breath, his energy spent, and collapsed onto the ground. He shut his eyes tightly and uttered, "Soon, this hallucination will end, and I will be released from this near-death state."

"Illusion?" a youthful voice continued his words, whispering softly and then chuckling once more. "Do you still believe that all of this is merely an illusion? No, this era is coming to its conclusion. Open your eyes... witness the setting sun."

Kevin's eyes flew open with a sudden jolt, transitioning from lying prone to standing upright in an instant. His entire body was ensnared by long vine rose flowers bristling with thorns, tightly wrapped around him from his bare ankles to his wrists.

His neck was gripped so tightly that breathing became a challenge. Sharp thorns pricked his flesh all over, and even the smallest movement caused them to scrape against his body, exacerbating his wounds.

Though unable to see his own appearance, he could only imagine the bloodless and disheveled state he must be in.

This was no longer a hazy mirage of sand and wind; instead, it was the summit of the sacred mountain from the ancient era of gods thousands of years ago. At its peak stood a temple where all the gods converged, including Phae, the God of Light.

And he was pinned to the highest pillar, no longer the bronze commander Kevin Fassbender but rather the deity Phae.

The figure who wore a constant smile stood beneath the divine pillar, gazing up at him as one would admire a priceless work of art. While bearing a striking resemblance to the God of Light in appearance, their temperaments were starkly divergent.

Even in this confrontation, it was hard to fathom that they were once identical in both looks and personality during their childhood.

"Now people will wonder, am I another version of you? A mundane iteration of your being..." the man mused with a smile, sweeping his gaze across the surroundings before emitting a sigh. "Alas, they cannot make such observations at this moment."

The God of Light atop the divine pillar scoffed and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Swallowing it down, he spoke in a low voice, "Melo—"

"Soon, even that name will be buried by me, along with you," Melo interjected, "I no longer require it, nor do I need to be distinguished from you by a name. In the new era, there shall be only one god. None are qualified to provide me with a name."

The child who had once clung to Thenis's clothing had transformed into what he now appeared to be over the course of countless years. Within those docile and bashful eyes, a silent madness had quietly taken root, unnoticed by the gods.

In the beginning, Thenis had taught him how to paint and carve, leading him to create tombstones for the gods, one after another. Initially, the greater and lesser gods had bestowed blessings and powers upon him, and in turn, he employed them to reign in the gods.

So it was that when the three prime deities denied him the godhead, he seized it for himself.

Each time a god fell by his hand, he inherited their godhead. And thus, the gods faced their imminent twilight.

As the sun neared its descent, Phae became the last remaining deity of the ancient age.

Melo pointed to an area beneath the golden-red light, where the souls of countless gods descended, cocooned within a magnificent, flame-like glow.

Yet, Phae's strength waned, for he had inherited the godhead of one hundred and twenty-five deities, and Melo now reigned supreme. Even Phae, born for light and battle, proved no match for him. Consequently, he found himself impaled upon the divine pillar.

"Truthfully, I long for the days of my childhood. The shade of the Ana Holy Lake was my sanctuary..." Melo murmured with lowered eyes, before raising his head and flashing a self-assured grin.

"Look, even now I still look up to you. So fear not, I shall not erase your existence. Future generations will recognize you, praise you, and revere you, just as I have. Does that not satisfy you?"

In exchange," Melo said, pausing to gather his breath, "you can give me one last gift."

The God of Light, Phae, was a daunting figure. He possessed the godhead of the God of War as well, which made him even more powerful and difficult to approach. But Melo was determined to have what he wanted.

"What is it you desire?" Phae asked, his voice as cold as ice.

"Your godhead," Melo said. "The one that symbolizes eternal hope and courage."

It was ironic.

The God of Light, Phae, was nailed to a pillar, yet he still wore a mocking smile on his face.

"You can still laugh?" Melo frowned. His voice was soft and slow, but it was completely different from Phae's accent. It sounded inexplicably crazy.

Phae shook his head on the pillar and said in a low voice, "Do you know why you weren't given the godhead?"

This was a question that had troubled Melo for nearly a thousand years. It was a question that had trapped him in his own incomprehension, and it was a question that had slowly fermented and eventually led to his madness.

It was a pity that the original gods had not thought of this, and by the time they did, it was too late.

Melo's face changed. "Why?!"

Phae lowered his eyes and said, "Because..."

His blood was about to soak the entire vine rose, and his voice was low, almost a whisper. The occasional choking of blood foam made it even more indistinct.

Melo stepped on the void and walked in front of Phae. The close distance made Phae's voice finally clear.

"Because..."

As the two words were spoken, a golden light erupted from Phae's body, forming countless blade-like shards that pierced through the vines and roses that bound him. The shards then flew towards Melo, seeking to pierce his heart.

Melo's face tightened as he flashed away, narrowly avoiding the shards. Phae, meanwhile, transformed into the form of a phoenix, his wings ablaze with scorching flames. He soared into the sky, disappearing in a flash.

The phoenix eventually landed on the summit of the mountain where the Temple of Light once stood. The temple had been completely destroyed by Melo, and Phae reverted to human form.

The flames on his wings coalesced into a golden longbow, which he held in his hands.

Phae stood alone on the summit of the mountain, his bow in hand. The once-beautiful world was now silent, as if he was the only one left. The setting sun sank slowly behind him, but the fallen god had long since disappeared.

Killing a god would allow Melo to inherit their godhood. Phae did not want Melo to inherit hope and courage, so he lowered his eyes and laughed.

Then, with the last of his strength, he crushed the golden-red sun-like divine bird that had broken free from his body. The bird scattered into countless light spots that floated around him, before finally sinking into the ground and disappearing.

The last god of the old era had destroyed his own godhood, and fallen into darkness along with the setting sun.