[Episode 11] - The Final Step

Chapter 11: The Final Step

And so, the moment Garaam has been waiting for has finally arrived.
Everything was set for it and without the ArchGods to interfere, Garaam can finally end his plan.
Garaam smiles has he is about to perform the so awaited change.
“Now…the moment has come, Clarietta.”
Gareem rotates his staff, it starts glowing gold, the whole dimension starts shacking, the ground collapsing, the sky starts getting tared a part.
“So you’ve finally done it.” – says a voice coming from Garaam’s back.
Garaam smiles.
“So you came after all…
Alpha.” – says Garaam, turning back to the voice.
“At last, you came to witness me success.” – continues Garaam
“A success... indeed.” – replies Alpha
“Do not worry, those who I think worthy shall be reborn into the Change.” – says Garaam
“You really are going through it…” – says Alpha with a heavy face.
“It is too late to revert things my dear friend.
The Change is the only option right now.” – says Garaam
Alpha sighs.
“Very well then…” – says Alpha, looking disappointing.
As Garaam is about to continue with the Change, a bunch of Hands come out of the platform’s ground.
Those Hands grab Garaam and carry him further into the sky, restraining each of his limbs.
“What?!” – says Garaam, confused with what had just happened.
But Garaam wasn’t whiling to give up everything now.
With just a suing of his staff, he banishes those Hands, setting him free.
“So Alpha isn’t the only one who stayed…
Fula.” – says Garaam while ascending from the sky.
Fula shows up in her ghost form, next to Clarietta.
“Too bad Guilt is a symptom of the weak wills.” – says Garaam smirking
“Too bad I don’t only rely on Guilt to fight.” – replies Fula while summoning one of his spears.
Garaam looks upon them.
“You’re only delaying it.
Nothing more.” – says Garaam has his staff starts shinning green.
“The color is green.” – murmurs Alpha to Fula
“Yeah.” – replies Fula
Fula strikes into the fight.
According to Garaam’s staff color, Green means that if he touches anything with his staff, that thing will cease to exist, no matter what it is.
Fortunately for Fula, she is considered the fastest ArchGod, second to Osaria, the ArchGodess of Motion.
The battle, however, doesn’t get anywhere, as Fula is too focused on not only attacking Garaam, but also on avoiding the one and only game-ending hit that Garaam has to land to win the battle.
As for Garaam, despite Fula’s great speed, it isn’t hard for him to avoid getting hit, as state above that Fula isn’t totally trying to hit him.
Eventually, Garaam ends up banishing Fula’ spear at a crucial moment, right when she was about to land a hit on him, leaving her wild-open to his staff.
Without the chance of stopping her attack, the Guilt God was about to get in touch with the Void God’ staff.
Alpha appears right in time and uses his Aspect Powers.
He transforms Fula into a microscopic size being, making Garaam miss the swing.
As for Alpha, he quickly grabs Fula and teleports back to the ground, reverting her size again.
Garaam smiles as the was one step close to win.
“Why don’t you come both now?
That way we shall end it faster.” – says Garaam, confident that he can take the two of them all at once.
But before he could do anything, he gets pierced on his chest by a spear from behind.
Garaam looks behind, there was Fula, the one who shoot the spear.
“What?!” – says Garaam, surprised.
It turns out that the one Fula who was fighting Garaam, was actually a clone.
Garaam immediately falls of to the ground, on his knees.
“That spear of mine makes you heavier than anything that creation can ever allow to exist.” – says Fula
“Again.
You’re just delaying the inevitable.” – says Garaam with an angry tone, as the spear starts banishing.
But before it completely banishes, Gowan appears right in front of Garaam, and breaks the spear.
Garaam backs off.
“So what you broke it?” – says Garaam
But something is wrong.
The heavy feel from the spear is still there, even though the spear was clearly broken by Gowan.
“Now!” – shouts Alpha
Fula hurries to rescue Clarietta on the top of the platform.
But right before she gets to Clarietta, a huge amount of energy gets across them two.
The floating platform was teared in half.
Garaam’ staff was shining blue, he had banished a part of it, separating Fula from Clarietta at the time.
The energy formed a barrier around Clarietta.
Anything that would touch it, would instantly banish.
“Damn it!” – says Alpha, as their plan had failed.
“So you broke the spear so I couldn’t banish it…
Leaving a part of it inside of me.” – says Garaam
“But what if I can’t fly?
I’ll take you three on the ground!” – says Garaam while his staff starts shining blue
Blue color meant that every swing he does would release Void energy, resulting in banishing anything it comes in contact with.
And so, their fight began.
Fula would try to hit Garaam with her great speed, while Alpha would save her from getting hit by Garaam’s energy, while Gowan would think of something to set Clarietta free.

[Back to Juno in the Void]
“There is nothing to be afraid of.
After all, nothing matters, right?” – says the White figurine while absorbing Juno
Juno had already stopped.
He knew it was pointless to keep on trying to set himself free, it just wouldn’t happen.
He couldn’t outclass a Godly being, be it the Void itself.
He had accepted his fate.
To cease to exist.
The thing he was the most afraid of.
Not death itself, no.
But what should come after it, nothingness.
No thoughts anymore, no senses, no dreams, no conscious, just nothing left.
Empty, is how Juno felt death was.
And at last, his very fear had finally come.
“Shit.” – says Juno to himself while getting absorbed, without the capability of changing his fate.
As the last bit of him get absorbed, Juno starts remembering his adventure.
Not his Human life in the Human Dimension, but instead, his after-life, in the ArchGod Dimension.
He remembered his fall.
His first encounter with Arbihime and Clarietta at the green lake.
His encounter with Gowan.
The beings he had met in this once glorious Dimension.
And then, he starts remembering that this magnificent Dimension had completely changed.
The prettiness had become ugly and dying.
Everyone he had met has lost hope and had gave up.
That despite everything, Juno, he would never accomplish his promise to the Gods.
To free them.
Juno cries as he is getting absorbed, even though he knew that was pointless, he was still a Human after all.
“You and I will be –“- says the White Figurine, but he stops mid-sentence.
Something was wrong.
Something that shouldn’t even be possible to begin with.
“Wh…what are you doing?!” – says the White Figurine, agitated
It turns out that instead of Juno being absorbed by the White Figurine, the White Figurine starts to get absorbed by Juno, who starts to show up again, slowly.
“Why…how can you do this?
It is my job to carry you over!” – shouts the White Figurine angry
“I’m sorry.
I still can’t go.” – murmurs Juno
“What?!” – shouts the White Figurine, in fear
“Everyone is counting on me…
I have no right to leave them behind.” – replies Juno, as the White Figurine is half gone.
“You….
You’re a Human! How can you defy me?!
You are me!
You-….!” – says the White Figurine, in panic.
A big flash of light comes out of the Gate.
The whole place becomes full of emptiness again.

[Back to the middle of the ArchGod Dimension]
Despite their efforts, Fula had already lost her right arm to Garaam’s staff.
There is a clear difference between those ArchGods, for Garaam had been preparing for this exact moment over the centuries, while the others hadn’t.
Fula was getting out of energy, and so was Alpha.
Garaam on the other hand, had plenty of it left.
His staff color had changed, from blue to red.
Red meant that Garaam wasn’t physical anymore.
He had made himself into a spiritual being, something that simply can’t be touched neither hurt.
Thus, rending Fula completely useless.
As for Gowan, he had tried many spells to break Garaam’s barrier, but none had worked, not a single bit of his energy had disappeared.
The moment had finally come, Fula and Alpha had run out of energy.
Garaam laughs as he gets to Gowan, completely ignoring the other two ArchGods, who, without energy left, are meaningless threats to Garaam.
“Pretty isn’t it?
I shall cover this whole Dimension with it.
And then, I shall remake it.” – says Garaam, enthusiastic
Gowan sighs.
“You know I can’t fight you…” – says Gowan
“That is why you still exist.” – replies Garaam
Gowan looks to the other ArchGods, then to Clarietta.
“I’m sorry.” – says Gowan
“Well now…there is no need to be sorry.
Hyperium is the one to blame.” – assures Garaam
Garaam passes through his energy barrier.
“Now…
Let’s make creation a better place, shall we?” – says Garaam, sounding victorious.
He swings his staff, reverting Clarietta to her original state, her full body is back.
“Now…” – says Garaam as he gives his hand to Clarietta.
“Let’s make the Change.” – continues Garaam
A huge amount of fire comes in every direction, destroying the whole ground around them.
“First, you will have to defeat me, Garaam!” – shouts Harkiles, the ArchGod of Ember, who appears right behind Garaam
Garaam’s energy barrier was destroyed by Harkiles’ burning energy.
Garaam turns back with a smiley face.
“I knew you wouldn’t turn your back to this Dimension.” – says Garaam
“You always were the kind of sensitive God.” – continues Garaam
“Godo-Modo” – shouts Harkiles
Harkiles whole body becomes infused with Flames.
Only his presence was already enough to turn anything to complete ashes.
Alpha had used his last remaining power to teleport him and Fula away.
As for Gowan, he had made a seventh barrier spell around him, who would protect him for a while.
The same goes for Clarietta, now that she had her full body back.
Garaam did nothing, despite the burning flames that burn everything around him, his pride and certitude on his victory makes him feel no pain from them.
“Vulcanus obliterationem” (= Volcano Obliteration) – says Harkiles
The whole Dimension starts erupting, Harkiles was whiling to destroy everything and everyone left, to defeat Garaam once and for all!
Garaam smiles with his eyes closed as the burning flames start turning his clothes to ashes.
Garaam opens his eyes and points his indicator finger to the sky.
“Orbis terrarum fugatrix” (= World Banisher) – says Garaam with a soft voice
From a moment to another the flames are gone.
Completely gone, one could say that there was never even a fire going around.
Harkiles is speechless, for even his flames had banish.
He was now powerless.
Not out of energy, just out of flames, his power.
Garaam’ staff color went back to normal, for it takes him part of his energy to maintain each color active.
He was back to his normal form.
Just like the others, Harkiles was not a pointless threat to Garaam.
“Please.
You can still stop this.” – says Gowan, begging
Garaam looks at Gowan, who continues:
“It’s not too late to revert things!
You have the power, you can still fix things!”
But all Garaam sees, is Juno instead of Gowan.
Garaam smiles.
He walks right in front of Gowan and kicks him out of the floating platform breaking his barrier.
As Gowan falls down to the burned ground, Garaam says:
“Seems like you’ve been passing far too much time with that Human…
A noticeable mistake to relate our ideals with such inferior beings.”
With every ArchGod left defeated, the moment has finally arrived.
Garaam grabs Clarietta and takes her to the edge of the floating platform.
“Garaam…” – says Gowan, on his knees on the ground, looking above.
Garaam looks down, contemplating the destroyed Dimension.
“The final moment has come, Gowan.
Despite your efforts to stop me
Everything is about to change.
This Dimension is hopeless, just like reality itself.
Everything thanks to our Reality Gods.” – says Garaam, rising his hands to the sky
Everyone closes their eyes, accepting their fate.
Except Gowan, who looks at his old friend, who’s about to change everything.
Garaam’ staff starts glowing white, his light spread across all directions in the whole Dimension.
“Begone.” – says Garaam, as a farewell to this old Dimension.
Suddenly, something punches him on is jaw, breaking it, shattering it into pieces, sending them floating on air, knocking Garaam a bit up along with the impact.
“Wh—wha-att..?!” – says Garaam, almost unrecognizably
Gowan is shocked, he can’t believe his eyes.
“It seems like Human beings aren’t that much inferior to the Gods afterall.” – says Juno, who had punch Garaam on the jaw, thus, stopping the Change.
“Ju--Juno?!” – shouts Gowan, surprised


End of Chapter 11.