Death.
A force that bound all beings, mortal and divine. A certainty that no one, no god, could escape.
That was true until he was born.
Erebus, the God of Death, stood above all others—a being of unparalleled might whose very existence shattered the delicate balance that had persisted for eons. Wars, plagues, conflicts—every act that claid a soul only strengthened him. The death of mortals was fuel, the demise of gods an unending feast for his insatiable power.
Seated on his throne of polished bones—an intricate amalgamation of severed remains fused into a grotesque yet majestic structure—Erebus surveyed the gods assembled before him. His dark hair cascaded behind him like liquid shadow, and his cold, piercing eyes glimred with quiet disdain. The aura emanating from his throne alone was enough to humble lesser gods, its oppressive presence a constant reminder of who they faced.
Before him stood the Council of the Divine, a gathering of gods trembling with both fear and determination. They had finally dared to bare their fangs at him.
A bored smile curled on Erebus's lips as he rested his head lazily on one hand. "So this is it?" he drawled, his voice as smooth as black silk. "After all these centuries of plotting in the shadows, you've finally decided to show yourselves. I was beginning to wonder if you had the spine for it."
"Enough!" a sharp voice rang out, cutting through the oppressive silence.
The speaker was a young boy—or so he appeared. With silver hair flowing to the floor and eyes that burned with an unnatural light, Seth, the God of Corruption, stepped forward. His gaze alone had the power to pierce through dinsions, laying bare the truth of any soul. Yet even his searing eyes faltered as they t Erebus's.
"The Council has decided," Seth declared, his voice resolute but edged with tension. "Your existence is a threat to the balance of the universe. If you are allowed to continue, there will be nothing left but chaos. You must be stopped, Erebus."
Erebus chuckled, a low, mocking sound that echoed ominously through the grand hall. He straightened, his hand leaving the armrest of his throne. "Oh, Seth," he said with a smirk. "You're just upset because you'll never taste the power I wield. Let's not pretend this is about balance. This is about jealousy."
Seth's expression hardened, but Erebus continued, undeterred. "I must admit, though," he said, gesturing lazily to the gods assembled behind Seth, "I'm impressed you managed to drag this sorry lot into your little rebellion. What did you promise them? Power? Peace? Perhaps a share of my domain?"
"Your words hold no weight here!" Seth snapped, his voice ringing with authority. "Today, you will fall. We will strip you of your divinity and cast your soul into an unending cycle of reincarnation. With every rebirth, your essence will weaken until nothing remains of you."
For the first ti, Erebus's smirk faded, replaced by a deep frown. His sharp gaze swept over the gods arrayed before him, their postures stiff with both fear and resolve.
A heavy silence fell as he began to descend the steps of his throne, each footfall echoing like a death knell. The gods watched in growing unease as the most feared being in existence approached them.
"You want to destroy ," Erebus said softly, his voice devoid of mockery now. "And this... this is what you bring to the table?" He gestured to the group, his tone laced with disappointnt. "A handful of second-rate deities? Either you overestimate yourselves, or you gravely underestimate . Which is it, I wonder?"
"Do not think so highly of yourself, Erebus," ca a voice from the crowd. Gau, the God of Order, stepped forward, his stern expression etched with conviction. "We cannot allow a corrupt god like you to continue holding dominion over death."
Erebus stopped in his tracks, his dark eyes narrowing. "Corrupt?" he repeated, his tone almost amused. He tilted his head, studying Gau like one might a particularly foolish insect. "If that's your definition, perhaps I should lean into it. Maybe I'll create a race of beings devoted solely to harvesting the souls of your followers. A fitting decoration for my hall, don't you think?"
A wave of oppressive energy rippled through the air as his voice darkened, sending visible shivers through the assembled gods. Gau flinched, his composure faltering for the first ti.
"Enough!" Seth bellowed, his aura flaring in defiance. A powerful golden light erupted around him, clashing against the suffocating darkness that emanated from Erebus.
But the clash was brief. Erebus's aura surged, overwhelming Seth's in an instant. The young god's knees buckled as an unbearable pressure forced him to the ground.
"Pathetic," Erebus muttered, his voice dripping with disdain. "You dare to challenge , yet you can't even stand in my presence. Do you know what you look like right now, Seth? A worm groveling in the dirt, begging for rcy."
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Seth gritted his teeth, struggling to rise, but Erebus's power kept him pinned. His breath ca in ragged gasps as he glared up at the god towering over him.
"You know," Erebus continued, his tone almost conversational, "perhaps I am corrupt. But I'll tell you what, Seth—I'm going to show you just how deep that corruption runs."
With a flick of his wrist, a dark to materialized beside him, its cover bound in blackened bone and adorned with a grinning skull. The book seed to pulse with a malevolent energy, its very presence warping the space around it.
"Let's see how you fare against true corruption," Erebus said, placing a hand on Seth's trembling shoulder.
The mont their flesh made contact, Seth's body convulsed. A blood-curdling scream tore from his throat, a sound so raw and primal that even the most hardened gods recoiled in horror.
Dark tendrils of energy coiled around Seth, seeping into his skin and spreading like veins of shadow. His eyes widened in terror as he felt his divine essence being consud, twisted into sothing unrecognizable.
"Stop this madness!" Gau shouted, stepping forward, but Erebus's gaze snapped to him, freezing him in place.
"Interrupt again," Erebus said coldly, "and you'll be next. Not like any of you would be leaving."
The hall fell silent except for Seth's screams, which echoed endlessly—a chilling reminder of the fate that awaited those who dared to challenge the God of Death.
As the screams subsided, Erebus released Seth, letting the broken god collapse to the ground. The once-proud deity now lay trembling, his silver hair matted with sweat and his eyes filled with unspeakable horror.
"Take him," Erebus said, turning his back to the council. "And consider this your only warning. Cross again, and I'll do worse than corrupt your essence—I'll erase you from existence entirely."
With that, he ascended the steps back to his throne, the weight of his presence pressing down on the gods like a physical force. None dared to speak as they gathered Seth's shattered form and fled the hall, their rebellion crushed before it had even begun.
As Erebus reclaid his seat, a satisfied smirk played on his lips. "Fools," he muttered, his voice echoing in the empty chamber. "Let them co again. It will only make stronger."
However, as he sat down on his throne, he felt a hand pass through his chest, moving so swiftly as though held back by no resistance.
Erebus's eyes widened, shocked more than anything by the strength behind the attack.
'This can't be... Except...' Erebus thought, shocked.
He shifted his gaze to look at the figure behind him.
Seth's eyes shone with disdain as he dug his hand deeper into Erebus's chest.
He clenched his fist tightly, squeezing the heart with all his might.
'Ti,' Erebus was deep in thought. Despite the effort Seth was using to press onto his heart, he didn't even flinch or react, as though it wasn't affecting him.
"Don't tell you released that demon only to defeat ? Has your stupidity reached such heights!" Erebus roared.
He knew the power of ti. Just like him, it was a power that knew no bounds—a power that transcended the logic of normal understanding.
After his efforts to seal him away, not only did the fools release him, but they also borrowed his power to kill him!
"Do you know what that demon plans for us all? Do you know the calamity you have brought upon us all?" The more he thought of it, the more his anger surged.
But then it was too late.
"Very well... You've succeeded in angering . Seth, do you know why the others fear ?" Erebus asked in a threatening voice.
Seth felt cold sweat dripping from his young face. Since Erebus began his long speech, he had been trying to pull out his hand, yet sothing tied it there.
He didn't even hear Erebus scream!
He didn't even look fazed!
'Just what kind of monster is this?' Seth felt fear like never before.
Seth couldn't even muster the courage to speak, even after hearing the question. He was using all the strength he could muster, trying to pull his hand away, yet it didn't even budge.
"Today, you succeeded in killing ... But let tell you sothing. From the very beginning, your life has been at my fingertips. And this ti, I'll let you live, but you, my dear friend, will live as a reminder to all those who choose to offend again," Erebus said.
The clouds rumbled, coming together as a pitch darkness enshrouded the entire world.
"I will use you to remind the gods never to offend ."
That day, the world went blank!
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