Orion never feared the world’s end.

  He feared his inevitable survival.

  The sky rippled with a rending power, as if it would tear apart from the mere presence of the two beings standing beneath it. Lights shimmered across the landscape, crimson reds against a divine, brilliant glow, dancing across the horizon in a deadly choreography, as if rehearsed a million times before.

  Of course, for the hero Orion, he didn’t much care if the world itself were torn asunder.

  “Tarmak, even I wouldn’t presume you to be so rash as to challenge me here in the divine realm,” the hero of light spoke with a measured rhythm, completely sure of every word. But there was an element of farce to it, like a seasoned actor perfectly playing his role.

  “Quiet, human! The Seven Lords offer you nothing, even in the temple of the gods themselves; they have forsaken you!” The King of Hell growled in response, each step landing with an earth-shattering roar. His figure stood nearly ten feet tall, clad in pitch-black armor, with leathery, tattered wings sprouting from the grotesque creature's back. A set of curled, black horns, almost forging the shape of an intricate crown, formed from the top of his head. In his hand, the demon wielded a blade forged from pure flames, extending from a blackened hilt, dripping with raw, uncontrollable chaos.

  [Soulfire Release]

  Tarmak swung his sword.

  A crescent-shaped blade of fire tore through the air with deadly precision. It let forth a bone-chilling scream as it flew, as if the souls that the demon had once taken with that very attack were still tethered to the flames.

  Orion scoffed, quietly, but just loud enough for the King of Hell to hear. He held up a single palm. The crescent flame broke against the armored hand, followed closely by a heart-wrenching shriek as the souls held within broke free. The fire continued onwards, crashing into one of the massive marble pillars of the divine temple behind the hero. A short moment passed, and it seemed as though Tarmak’s attack had simply failed.

  In an instant, the hulking cylinder of stone disintegrated, like a dry leaf crumbling to dust, firing a plume of smoke high into the air.

  When the smoke cleared, it was as if the pillar had never even existed in the first place. Stone fragments began to crumble from the structure, aching from the impact of the devastating attack. Still, Orion barely blinked, glancing down toward his palm, noting that his armor had barely suffered a scratch. He gripped the hilt of his blade from behind his back. This is it, isn't it? He thought, hints of a sad smile forming at the corner of his lips.

  “That’s not all, Orion!” Tarmak roared, wielding his weapon with two massive, war-torn hands.

  [Vanquished Souls]

  The temple's open center was illuminated by several massive beams of light, each one bordered with the same flames that Tarmak wielded.

  The divine realm began to rumble, as if the earth upon which Orion stood were uprooted from where it lay.

  From the skill's wake came a horde of towering Demon Lords, each one standing almost as tall as the King of Hell himself. Muscled creatures with sets of black, twisting horns atop their heads. Red-skinned and every bit as evil as their ruler. A single Demon Lord could likely take down an entire kingdom completely on its own.

  “You never learn, do you?” Orion laughed despite himself, knowing that he was only moments away from his final wish.

  To die.

  “You—” Tarmak began, but his sentence barely had the chance to form. His hands betrayed his resolve, shaking at the sight before him.

  With a single movement, all twelve of the summoned Demon Lords slowly began to crumple, each of their heads severed cleanly. Tarmak shifted, eyeing the hero dangerously, his gaze flashing an emotion that no being aside from Orion had ever seen grace the mighty King of the Underworld's expression.

  Fear.

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  “You see, Tarmak, it matters not whether you challenge me here, in the realm of the gods, or in the world of mortals. Even in your own domain, you could not hope to defeat me.” Orion chuckled, resheathing his powerful, glowing greatsword behind his back once more. He brushed at his shoulder guard, wiping away a speck of dust that had managed to dirty his immaculate, glistening white armor. “You’re correct, the Seven Lords wouldn’t dare to offer me assistance, even against the likes of you; they fear me after all. In fact, I suppose that their goal is for you to kill me here and now, allowing them to swoop in during my final moments to vanquish the evil at the last second, right, Valtherion?” Orion glanced casually behind his shoulder, and even though his divinity passives couldn’t quite break the concealment skill of the fifth lord, he grinned cockily as he felt the air shimmer in surprise behind him.

  “Why would the gods fear the likes of you, human?!” Tarmak roared, gripping his blade and preparing for another attack.

  “You should know better than to ask such a foolish question, King of Hell.” Orion’s voice dropped low, challenging, then tilted upwards in jest as he addressed the demon by his title. “But fear not, you and the Seven Lords will get exactly what you wish for.”

  This time, Tarmak could barely respond, tilting his chin curiously. He shook his head, then unleashed another torrent of blows. "Your arrogance knows no limit, Orion!"

  Orion allowed his face to contort into one of fear, a foreign expression for the hero, but one he knew to emulate from the countless creatures and monsters he had slain in his time. Each of the flaming strikes bounced harmlessly against his armor, but he grimaced all the same, allowing Tarmak to believe he had the upper hand.

  “No prophecy could’ve predicted this, I’d wager,” Orion whispered solemnly. He smiled, an aching expression that held more emotion than any mortal could hope to understand, then activated his most precious skill.

  [Primordial Authority]

  The world came to a near halt, although the hero could still sense the slight movement of his foe, inching desperately across space.

  Orion stepped forward, drawing his massive greatsword, feeling the weight of his weapon for what he knew would be the very last time. It was a legendary blade, forged in the heart of the dragon's rift. Despite its mythic stature, he felt little connection to the weapon, for he knew that even a basic wooden training sword would prove just as lethal in his grip. He knelt, simultaneously addressing himself and the mighty demon before him. “Since the day I was born into this world, you have been destined to be my enemy, Tarmak. Is it not a shame? To what end do you seek the destruction of this world? Why is it that the gods hate you and your kind so much? What drives you to feel such hatred?” Orion shifted his body, allowing the tip of Tarmak’s blade to center directly above the hero’s heart. He lifted a hand, activating a skill and tearing a small hole through his armor, knowing that Tarmak’s weapon alone would be unable to pierce it. He deactivated all of his numerous durability buffing skills, as well as stowing away each of his protective trinkets, rings, and other items in his inventory.

  "And why, demon, is it that you come to face me, again and again, although you’ve never succeeded, not even once? Does it not tire you to spend your near-immortal lifespan bashing your head into the same rigid stone, over and over again?" Orion continued to contemplate aloud. “Is it simply our fate? To be enemies, rivals, opposing forces of the natural order… until the day we perish?” He sighed, knowing that he would never find the answer. “That should be good enough… hopefully I haven’t underestimated your strength,” Orion chuckled softly to himself, knowing that Tarmak would be unable to hear him under the effects of his skill. Finally, the hero of light raised his blade, laying its tip gently against the chestplate of the demon before him. He closed his eyes, slowly driving the legendary greatsword forward, then deactivated Primordial Authority.

  It had been a great deal of time since Orion had last felt true pain.

  The squelch as the two weapons slid into their respective enemies' flesh was sickening; however, Orion barely registered the sound as he closed his eyes, grimacing, not from pain, but rather to make the entire incident more believable to those he knew were secretly in attendance. He didn’t quite understand why he even cared. After all, he planned to die that day. Still, it seemed wrong to leave this world with an act that essentially amounted to suicide.

  Not that I care what this world thinks of me.

  “Impossible! You saw through my attack?” He gasped, dropping his hand from the hilt of his blade, now embedded deep into Tarmak’s chest. He felt the blood dripping from his wound, a stark reminder that despite it all, Orion was nothing more than a simple human.

  The demon’s face twisted, either in confusion or pain, even perhaps both simultaneously. His eyes darted back and forth, flitting between the blade embedded within him and, surprisingly, at the blade now embedded within the hero.

  “What is the meaning of this?!” A voice cried out, and Orion immediately recognized it as that of the fifth lord, Valtherion. I knew you were watching, bastard. “Ahem,” the god coughed, attempting to hide his shock. “Hero, it seems I am too late,” he stated with a practiced melancholy.

  Way to lay it on thick, Orion scoffed mentally.

  “Worry not, it is too late for me now,” The hero bit back the urge to burst into laughter. “Carry on without me, but let it be known that I, Orion, hero of light, sacrificed myself to vanquish the demon Tarmak!”

  “Of course, hero,” Valtherion mocked, barely hiding his sarcasm.

  “What… Is… This…?” Tarmak questioned slowly, gasping for air as he took his final breaths.

  Orion shrugged, locking eyes with the King of Hell. “Death, I suppose.”

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