Aldomite floated slightly above the stone floor, his new consciousness a turbulent sea. He had reached a divine level, yet the overwhelming presence felt alien—neither entirely his own nor Zechtron's. He instantly comprehended the terrifying truth: the traumatic fusion of his human core and Zechtron's ancient essence had created a whole new being, one existing with their combined, yet distinct, memories. This power is absolute, he realized, surging with a terrifying confidence as he turned toward the monster that had hurt his friend.
The Dark Beast charged, its brute instincts overriding any caution. It struck at this new 'God,' but Aldomite's strength was beyond the monster's comprehension. With a casual, swift motion, he unleashed a bolt of gold lightning that ripped through the cavern. The Beast didn't even have time to roar; it was instantly incinerated, vanquished into dust by a single, focused blast of divine energy.
Aldomite moved directly to Elise's secluded niche, a flicker of his former, human warmth guiding him. He stabilized her with a final wave of healing energy, his attention still focused on her, when a slow, chilling applause echoed through the cavern.
Arabatogon stepped into the light, his massive crystalline form casting sharp shadows. "What took you so long to Ascend, Core Essence?" the demon mocked, a triumphant grin splitting his face. It was a chilling implication—the entire sequence had been part of his strategy.
Aldomite was consumed by a righteous, divine fury. "Evil does not belong in my world," he stated, his voice ringing with composite authority. He raised his hand, the cavern trembling under his command. "For all your sins, I will end it here, Arabatogon."
Aldomite's radiant, gold energy surged, flooding the cavern, yet the great Demon General simply stood within the terrifying light, unfazed.
"Hate me more," Arabatogon purred, inviting the darkness Zechtron represented. "That is precisely what I need."
With an expression of cold, focused rage, Aldomite manifested his weapon, the divine energy shaping itself into a brilliant blade. Arabatogon brought forth his massive, ominous scythe. The battle began, pitting Aldomite's new existence—fueled by responsibility and revenge—against his ancient enemy.
The divine energy blast had failed to kill Arabatogon, instead fueling a terrifying transformation. The Demon General screamed, not in pain, but in sheer, cold vexation, forcing his body through a violent change. A pulsing oxblood-red light exploded outward, momentarily forcing back Aldomite's gold radiance.
Arabatogon's new form was monstrous—a towering figure armored in jagged, blood-colored plates fused to his demonic flesh. Thick, black horns pierced the air above him, and his massive scythe grew to a terrifying, deadly length. The energy radiating from this creature, now christened Death Omega, was saturated with the crushing essence of a true Demon King.
"Behold, Core Essence!" Arabatogon bellowed, his voice carrying a dark, echoing resonance. "Now you see my true form and power! Now, time to face death!"
Aldomite did not flinch. His Ascended form was one of divine, absolute power, and fear was now an obsolete concept. The fusion had given him ultimate discipline, but the human vengeance remained the sole engine of his boundless strength. His eyes, burning with relentless gold light, narrowed with pure Hatred. The Demon General had killed his parents and made him chose a path he didn't wanted, and for that, he would be erased.
He met Arabatogon's challenge head-on.
The Demon General was first to attack. The massive scythe blurred downward—a crushing strike capable of cleaving mountains. Aldomite did not summon a shield or dodge; he stood his ground and met the scythe with his own Manifested Blade, now rippling with focused golden energy.
The resulting collision was not a simple clang, but a catastrophic explosion of opposing forces. Gold light and blood-red shadow tore at each other, shattering the cavern floor and sending shockwaves that violently warped the air itself.
"You rely on mere divinity", Arabatogon snarled, pouring demonic strength into the scythe.
"I rely on vengeance," Aldomite corrected, his composite voice calm but glacial.
The Hatred surged—Zechtron's ancient fury magnified by Aldomite's protective rage. As his anger intensified, the golden energy surrounding him grew brighter and heavier, pushing back the oppressive red shadow. His power was not static; it was dynamic, accelerating with his intent.
With a final, explosive shove of pure will, Aldomite broke the deadlock. Arabatogon stumbled back, his red armor smoking slightly where the divine light had burned through.
Before the Demon General could regain his footing, Aldomite was already closing the distance. He moved not just with speed, but with the terrifying, flawless skill born from Zechtron's millennia of existence. He delivered a dizzying, relentless torrent of precision strikes—a divine blur aimed at the seams of the Death Omega armor.
Arabatogon roared, forced into a desperate, defensive posture. He realized with dawning terror that this new being was not just powerful; he was getting stronger with every failed attack. The Hatred that Arabatogon relied on for sustenance was now fueling his executioner.
"Hate me more!" Arabatogon screamed, desperate to maintain his power equilibrium, but the plea was useless.
Aldomite's response was a silent, devastating thrust. The golden blade pierced the Demon General's armor near the shoulder joint, not just cutting, but burning the demonic flesh with pure light.
The battle had become a ferocious display of strength against skill, absolute vengeance against ancient evil. Aldomite would not stop until the Demon General was destroyed.
The intensity of the battle was absolute, and with every passing second, Aldomite gained the advantage. His Ascended form, driven by cold fury and the desire for vengeance, continued to accrue power. Aldomite was ready to end the conflict, recalling the horrific sight of his parents' death to fuel his finishing blow—a searing, divine fire designed to annihilate Arabatogon completely.
Arabatogon suffered increasingly critical attacks, the relentless, focused skill of the Core Essence overwhelming his brute force. The Demon General, never once in his millennia of service having doubted his strength, was facing annihilation. He felt destroyed, witnessing a power he couldn't match. Reality slammed into him: the strength of the Divine Aldomite was superior to his Death Omega form. Facing and accepting his crushing defeat, Arabatogon could only watch as Aldomite prepared his devastating flames.
Just as the golden fire erupted from Aldomite's hand, ready to consume the Demon General, a new presence pierced the air. A massive, swirling portal of midnight blue magic materialized, and from it stepped another towering figure: the Demon General Latern (The Soul Collector).
Latern didn't engage in pleasantries. His eyes, burning with cold, predatory calculation, fixed on the approaching divine flames. With a gesture of terrifying speed, Latern absorbed the torrent of golden fire completely, twisting and corrupting it with his own dark essence before slamming the reversed, amplified blast back toward Aldomite.
The attack was instantaneous and devastating. Aldomite, caught off guard by the new demon's power and the corruption of his own energy, suffered a massive blow. The reversed fire was effective, tearing through his defense and impacting his fused core. He staggered backward, blood—not the red of his human self, but shimmering, gold-tinged energy—seeping from the wound.
"How dare you," Aldomite bit out, recovering almost instantly, the rage in his eyes escalating.
Latern, a master of strategy, made no move to fight. He simply held the portal open with a flick of his wrist. "If you survive that, I can't fight you now," the Soul Collector said, his voice smooth and unsettling. "But I can't let you kill our master's favorite." He let out a sharp, mocking laugh as he urged the defeated Arabatogon to retreat.
Arabatogon, his monstrous form shaking with humiliation, stared at Aldomite. "We would meet again, Core Essence," he vowed, his voice raw with hatred. "And I will make you pay for this humiliation."
With that, the two Demon Generals vanished through the midnight blue portal, leaving the cavern silent once more.
The fight was concluded. Aldomite stood alone. Even a divine being, when expending the kind of absolute energy required for such a battle, felt exhaustion. He did not give chase; the drain was too severe, and the risk of leaving Elise alone was too great.
He immediately returned to Elise, and with a conscious act of will. He knelt beside Elise. She began stirring, her eyes fluttering open. Before she was fully conscious, Aldomite had returned entirely to his normal appearance. Seeing him, she burst into tears, relief overriding the confusion as she simply registered that he was alive and safe.
"We have to hurry," Aldomite stated, his voice still heavy with urgency. He needed to find Calvin, Lipton, and the remaining students. The Demon Generals were gone, but the treachery of Hector and Desmond remained a threat.
Elise, though still confused by the devastation—the collapsed pillars and the impossible burn marks—was too grateful for his survival to question the scene. Together, they made their way out of the Secret Vault, driven by the desperate need to assist their friends and escape Almada.
Chapter 11: THE HEROIC RETURN