432

The Soul Gem

Randkiel's blade of heaven cleaved through the remains of God, triggering a sudden eruption of dazzling light. The corpse seemed to react with fury, transforming into a fiery energy that burst forth in all directions.

"Boom!"

The destructive energy emanating from God's remains resembled a violent deluge, shattering the Holy Palace. Celestial gold crumbled, melted, and splattered under its impact.

Forseti bore the brunt of the explosion. Despite being the mightiest presence in the hall, he was instantly overwhelmed, sent hurtling through the air by the torrent of energy.

Reacting swiftly within a fraction of a second, Forseti activated the Holy Shield technique.

Yet, he was too slow. The force had already struck him, leaving him seeing stars and subsequently blasted away.

Inwardly cursing, Forseti had sensed something amiss with Randkiel's demeanor earlier, but he hadn't anticipated this outcome—a reckless assault upon the remnants of God.

The energy released from God's remains was so potent that it nearly decimated half of the Holy Palace. Within the epicenter of the blast, nothing remained except the High Seat.

Exhausting the last two Divine Shield techniques, Forseti managed to evade damage. Nevertheless, he was propelled out of heaven by the torrential energy, landing in an unfamiliar locale.

Unsure of his whereabouts, Forseti scanned his surroundings. Heaven existed independently within cosmic space; thus, one could never predict where they might land after being cast out.

As he surveyed the terrain, a faint orange light caught his eye—a small, round stone that had formerly adorned God's brow.

The Soul Gem!

Forseti was nearly certain this orange stone was one of the six Infinity Stones.

The color alone hinted at its identity, but more importantly, it reminded him of the tales of God crafting spirits of vengeance.

God's creation of the spirit of vengeance had always struck him as dubious. After all, the law of souls was one of the universe's fundamental laws. Creating a soul was thought to be impossible.

The appearance of the Soul Gem now provided clarity to these mysteries.

Undoubtedly, God had wielded the power of the Soul Stone to forge spirits of vengeance, and possibly angels as well.

Gazing at the nearby Soul Gem, Forseti was profoundly moved.

An Infinity Stone lay within arm's reach—a relic whose power could not fail to stir any who beheld it.

Without further hesitation, he flew directly towards the Soul Gem and reached out to seize the Infinity Stone, which glowed with a captivating orange radiance.

Yet, this decision would soon become one he regretted deeply.

The moment Forseti's hand touched the Soul Gem, it emitted a brilliant orange light that enveloped him entirely, ensnaring him like a vice and stripping away his ability to move.

Startled, Forseti attempted to resist, unleashing a surge of divine flame that transformed him into a blazing white light in an instant.

However, his efforts proved futile. The Soul Gem's hold on him remained unyielding, as if striking a solid wall, rendering him imprisoned.

Simultaneously, an ethereal female voice echoed around him. "Do not attempt resistance, mortal."

"Who are you?!"

"You need not know." The ethereal voice offered no answers. "Henceforth, you shall serve as guardian to the Soul Stone."

Guardian of the Soul Stone?

Forseti stood stupefied for a moment, recalling tales of the fate that befell the Red Skull—imprisoned for eternity by the Soul Stone.

Regret gnawed at himy. This outcome could have been avoided.

Among the six Infinity Stones, the Soul Stone was unique. Unlike its counterparts, it possessed a measure of sentience and could select its wielder.

Forseti, now bereft of his Holy Shield technique, found himself powerless against the mysterious machinations of the Soul Gem.

"What do you mean, guardian?" Forseti attempted to communicate with the voice within the Soul Gem.

The Soul Gem offered no response, as if it had gone silent, yet it maintained its imprisonment over him, rendering him unable to move, adrift in space.

This ordeal continued for several hours, during which Rowe's attempts at dialogue were met with resounding silence from the Soul Gem.

Until finally, a desolate and frigid little planet loomed into view.

"This is Vormir," the ethereal female voice emanated once more from the Soul Gem.

In an instant, Rowe descended upon the small planet. Upon landing, the Soul Gem seemed to sink into the ground like water, disappearing from sight.

As the Soul Gem vanished, Forseti felt the restraints upon him loosen, restoring his freedom of movement.

"Construct an altar on Vormir," the Soul Stone commanded.

Of course, Forseti had no intention of complying. With a flick of his enchanted cloak, he ascended into the sky, intent on escaping the planet's confines.

Yet, before long, the familiar orange light enveloped him once more, stripping away his ability to move, causing him to plummet from the sky like a stone.

"Do not resist in vain," the Soul Gem's voice remained unwavering. "During your tenure as guardian, your life will not age. You will not hunger, grow weary, or suffer illness or death. Time is of no consequence to you. You have ample time to construct the altar."

"Construct an altar? How can I possibly build such a grand structure alone?" Forseti couldn't help but voice his disbelief.

"You have eternity," the Soul Stone replied calmly. "While the soul's curse robs you of freedom, it also absolves you of mortal constraints. You have all the time you need to fashion the altar."

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