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Chapter 104 – The Keeper's Challenge
The ground beneath Erevan's feet continued to tremble, the remnants of the Nexus twisting like a broken mirror. Time itself seemed to warp as the Keeper's dark power enveloped the battlefield. Erevan could feel it—the weight of existence bending and reshaping in response to the Keeper's challenge. The air crackled with a palpable tension, and the distant echoes of the Nexus itself seemed to murmur in fear.
Serah stood beside him, her sword still glowing with that faint ethereal light, ready for whatever came next. She wasn't trembling, though Erevan could see the concern in her eyes. The Keeper was no ordinary enemy. This was a force born from the very fabric of the multiverse, a guardian of ancient laws and realities far beyond their comprehension.
Yuren, ever the strategist, was already scanning the environment, his mind working at full speed. "We can't defeat this thing with brute force," he muttered, his voice low. "We need to find its weakness, and fast."
Erevan nodded, his mind already working through their options. The Keeper was powerful, yes, but it was not invincible. He had faced beings beyond comprehension before, and each time, there had been a flaw, a crack in the armor. He would find it, or die trying.
The Keeper raised its hands, and the very air around them darkened, thickening like a storm cloud on the verge of breaking. Its voice came again, cold and void of emotion. "You are trespassers, Erevan. You have torn at the threads of reality, and now you will face the consequences. There is no turning back. You cannot escape what has already been set in motion."
Erevan gritted his teeth, his gaze unwavering. "We don't need to escape," he replied, his voice steady. "We need to end this. Now."
The Keeper's laughter reverberated around them, a sound that seemed to come from all directions, disorienting and oppressive. "You think you can end it? You are nothing but ants beneath the weight of the cosmos. Your struggle is meaningless. You cannot change what is inevitable."
Yuren stepped forward, his tone sharp. "We've changed things before. And we'll do it again. You may be a Keeper of the Threshold, but even you have limits."
For a moment, the Keeper's form flickered, as if it was contemplating something. Then, it spoke once more, its voice more ominous than ever. "Then prove it."
Without warning, the Keeper launched itself into the air, its form expanding into a black void, consuming the world around them. The space itself seemed to twist, as if reality itself was bending to the Keeper's will. Erevan could feel his feet lift from the ground, the very laws of gravity breaking as the Keeper's power reached out to pull him into the abyss.
"Hold on!" Erevan shouted, his body tensing as he used his own power to anchor himself. He reached out to Serah, grabbing her wrist and pulling her close. Yuren was already by their side, his face set with grim determination.
"This is it," Yuren said, his voice steady despite the overwhelming force pressing down on them. "We fight, or we fade into nothing."
Erevan didn't need to say a word. He could feel the surge of energy building within him, his power pulsing in time with the chaos around them. This was it—the defining moment. The Keeper might think it had the upper hand, but Erevan had faced worse. He would not let the Nexus claim victory.
"Now!" Erevan shouted.
With a roar, he unleashed his power, a torrent of energy that crashed against the void, splitting the darkness around them. The Keeper's form writhed, its features distorting as if the very essence of its being was being torn apart by Erevan's will. But it was far from defeated. The Keeper's laughter returned, louder this time, as it reformed, its presence growing even stronger.
"You are a fool," the Keeper hissed, its voice a cold wind. "This is not a battle you can win. I am the void between all things. You cannot kill what does not exist."
Erevan's grip tightened, his resolve hardening. "Then I'll make you exist no more."
With a final, defiant shout, Erevan surged forward, breaking through the blackness with the full force of his power. The Keeper's form faltered for a moment, and Erevan seized the opportunity, his fist lashing out, a concentrated burst of energy aimed directly at the heart of the dark being.
The explosion of light was blinding.
When it cleared, the Keeper was gone. But Erevan knew better than to believe the battle was over. There was no victory without cost, and the world around them was still in ruins. The remnants of the Nexus were still unstable, still on the brink of collapse.
"Is it done?" Serah asked, her voice uncertain.
Erevan stood tall, but his body ached from the effort. "Not yet," he replied. "But we've bought ourselves some time. We need to keep moving."
The silence that followed was deafening.
But even in that silence, Erevan could feel the weight of the Nexus pressing down on him once more. This was only the beginning.
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Author's Note:
As always, thank you for your amazing support! Don't forget—10 stones = two extra chapters, and every review equals one more chapter! Keep the feedback coming, I love hearing from you all. Until next time, stay strong!
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