Cronus POV:

Every cell in my body tingled with anticipation. I wasn’t nervous. In fact, I felt more alive than I had ever felt before. 

I could feel the mana pulsing through my bloodstream. I could see with a clearer perspective. It felt as though the world had slowed down around me. 

I lifted my hands up and inspected them. The mana seemed to be drawing towards me. No. It felt as though it was calling out for me. Willing me to use its power. 

This is what power felt like. Not once in either of my lives had I felt as alive as I did now. Even though death was staring me in my eyes I felt no turmoil. No regret. Only the power circulating through and around me.

I glanced at my sister who was still fighting her unconsciousness. I lingered at the sight of the carefree Rigel who was now laid out with a broken body. I turned my attention to Damon. Who was the best of us, and the one who fought so valiantly to protect us all, yet, now he was helpless as waves of blood gushed out of his stomach. 

I looked all around me at the scared faces of the rulers of the mighty Vestarian Empire, even my dad looked like he was on the verge of collapse. Then my eyes ended on the sight of my friend. James was still screaming in anguish as his eyes melted off his face. 

Though Damon had saved him, James was not able to avert his gaze in time. In fact, Damon may have just subjugated my poor friend into a life of helplessness. After all, didn’t this world, no any world, feed off the weak?

“Well well, what do we have here,” Cyprian said as he took a step towards me, “I’ve seen those eyes before, I’ve seen a boy with that same cold expression as you.”

“They will be the last thing you’ll ever see,” I replied coldly.

“Those eyes,” Cyprian said ignoring my futile threats, “Those eyes are that of a killer.”

Evanii POV:

Fight the darkness. They need you. Fight the darkness. They need you.

I must have repeated these words in my head a thousand times. 

Fighting my body's desperate call for sleep, I finally awoke and was able to see the world around me. However, what I saw terrified me.

My brother stood before me as mana willed itself around him, bending to him at his every move. The aura itself was in complete and utter disarray. The darkest depths of color and the purest shades of white encircled him. He stood with purpose yet his entire demeanor resembled something akin to boredom. This feeling. This presence. This power that he emitted could only be described in one word. Chaos. 

Its potency wasn’t as strong as Damon or Cyprian’s pressure. It probably didn’t even surpass my father's. However, looking at Cronus, I couldn’t help but wonder, could he beat him? 

“So kid,” Cyprian said as though they were already in mid-conversation, “Make your move.”

Cronus’s body moved like that of an experienced warrior. He wasted no unneeded step or breath. His abilities were unmatched for his age. Not frightened by the devil looming in front of him, Cronus charged him at speeds that rivaled most gladiators. Yet, he wasn’t foolish. He knew he couldn’t beat Cyprian through boxing alone.

No instead, he feinted and before reaching arms distance he sidestepped to Chancellor Amari’s passed-out body. Then Cronus used his foot to propel the Chancellor’s glave towards his hands. Catching it effortlessly, he twirled it around his arms and entire body as if he was trying to become accustomed to it. The air itself split from the momentum of his swings.

It wasn’t a spear, which was the weapon my brother favored. However, it was the closest thing that he could find. Luckily, the Chancellors all had advanced weapons that could be concealed in everyday objects. However, despite this fact, none of them really even had a chance to draw them. It was a miracle that Amari had been able to initiate its appearance. 

Turning his attention back to Cyprian-who had stood still as he watched-he pointed the glave towards him as if daring to approach. 

“You got guts kid, I’ll give you that, but don’t be so ignorant of the difference in our power,” Cyprian said casually. 

The red devil then started casually walking toward my brother with his hands behind his back.

Despite my mind screaming at my body to stand, to help, to do anything to aid my brother, nothing moved. Hell, I couldn’t even yell out to tell my brother Cyprian only had 10 seconds left.

As Cyprian drew closer to Cronus, a blue streak drew the attention of my right eye. As it struck across the room it left a trail of scorched marble under it.

Yet, to not even my surprise, Cyprian grabbed my father's neck from behind him while in the same breath uttering, “Move, fly.”

My father's body sailed across the room as he landed back first onto the hard marble.

Using the slight window that our father had made, Cronus began his attack. Cronus aggressed while Cyprian dodged as it made for a beautiful clash of white, darkness, and blood-red aura. Despite still being significantly weaker, my brother’s sheer pinpoint locations of attacks were throwing Cyprian off guard, causing him to backstep on more than one occasion. 

However, it was obvious that something was holding my brother back. Not his age, no, he seemed to fight on the same level of a seasoned warrior. It was the knowledge of his attribute. Even if we survive this, I don’t know if I can help him. I have never seen the attribute Cronus now possesses. 

If only he knew how to use his power. 

After a few more seconds of Cyprian testing my brother, everything changed.

The wormhole-like creation appeared once again, however, this time, it was right beside Cyprian.

Seeing its presence, he muttered, “Damnit, and I was just starting to have some fun.”

That’s when I saw a look on the red devil’s face that I doubt I will ever forget. A mix of pure evil and childish pleasure. A horrifying mix of emotions.

Ending his fun, Cyprian abruptly released the full extent of his presence. 

How. How could he have possibly been holding back? Just how strong was this monster? 

My brother who was caught off guard stumbled to the floor and was unable to get up. 

Looming menacingly over him, Cyprian spoke to all who were conscious, “Let this be a warning to you all, we’re coming, the end of an era is coming, please, make it interesting,” he paused for a moment as he looked down on Cronus, “Oh, and I’ll be taking this one with me.”

“No!”

My father's desperate voice cried out as he darted toward the two. 

Cyprian-who already had a passed out Cronus in his arm-looked back at my father while smiling. Then, he stepped into the wormhole and disappeared. 

The last thing I saw before my eyes collapsed was a desperate father’s hand reaching out for his son.