Book of apocalypse

Facing the Army of Sentries, the forces of the Empire covered the land, outnumbering them many times over. The Emperor’s elite army— every advanced weapon Sorin had devoted to it— was now on Earth. Yet even they seemed to pale before the Empire’s greatest and deadliest weapon, standing at their very center. The Emperor. Tall. Gray. Encased in battle suit. Upon his head, a helmet that had finally reached its final form and at last had become part of his armor. His eyes burned— red, blood-red— for the forces standing before him surpassed any he had ever faced. And yet, his expression calmed with knowledge There is no power that exceeds his own. Despite the terrifying spectacle before him and the protests of his comrades, Ethan moved toward him. Alone. To do what, in that moment, felt inevitable to him. To do what he had been chosen for. What seemed to be his destiny even back when he spent entire days in his apartment, knowing nothing of the world. Xeid. I stand before you as the leader of his army and I challenge you to a duel. If you win, you will continue on the path you have chosen. If you are defeated, your army will leave this planet and never return.” Xeid stepped closer. “Very well,” he said his voice now changed. The sheer amount of energy he was generating fractured the sound itself, and it rang out like the voice of a ghost. “If your death is the only sacrifice required to heal this planet, then so be it.” The first impact split the valley. The Emperor’s superiority was obvious. He surpassed Ethan not only in strength and speed, but in experience as well. Ethan’s armor held—for now— but a powerful, precise blow sent him crashing to the ground once more. The mask shattered. Blood burst from his mouth. Panic spread through the ranks of his comrades. Ani, Iona, and Trotsky fought the urge to help him in this unequal battle. They were held back by Ethan’s request. No matter what happens, do not interfere. This was the only way. Beaten and bloody, he pushed himself up. One knee was still on the ground. He tried to gather his strength— strength that did not come. The damage was too great. Xeid approached him. He knew the next strike would be final. He bent down and whispered: “Death is not necessary. Surrender.” Ethan spat blood. He was breathing heavily. In a hoarse, blood-filled voice, he answered: “Never.” Xeid grabbed him by the neck. Lifted him into the air as if he weighed nothing. The blow slammed Ethan into the ground with terrifying force. In Numinous, Kate, staring at the screen, fell to her knees and screamed. Arthur buried his head in his hands. Cirrus tried to calm Elizabeth. The Emperor turned his back on Ethan and began walking toward his army. He raised his hand— to signal the operation to begin. But then, the sound came from behind him. He turned around and saw the impossible. Ethan was standing. His armor was intact, as if Xeid had never touched him. This time, something had changed. His eyes were glowing white. In the ranks of the sentries, fear was replaced by hope. Kate stood up and ran outside. Soon, she stood before the luminous sphere. “What did you do to him?” she asked. S.u.n’s voice sounded, as always, with unfathomable calm. “I only helped him realize what he always was.” A pause. “Unbreakable.” On Earth, the second round began. It lasted longer. His armor cracked again. He fell again. Xeid approached once more to deliver the strike that was meant to be final. The blow hurled Ethan against the stone, leaving a scar in the ground. This time, however, Xeid did not turn his back on him. He wanted to be certain that it was over. But the impossible happened again. Ethan stood up. Intact once more. Now he moved toward the Emperor. They fought through day and night. No one knows how many times he reached the point where he should have died and then stood again. It was as if death itself refused to touch him. His inability to die allowed him to learn the Emperor’s movements. He brought he's beams into the fight. Illuminating night He forced distance. And at dawn, the first scratch appeared on the gray face. In the ranks of the Empire, this caused indescribable shock—and fear. A human had wounded the Emperor. The red glow on hes face made scar look bigger scarier than it was Xeid’s fury reached its peak. His blows shook the ground. Ethan’s armor was torn into fragments. The sun had fully risen and watched the battle between man and death. Ethan stood broken once again, bloody, waiting for him. But this time, Xeid did not strike. He stopped. His untamed red eyes were locked onto the unyielding white ones. “I cannot kill you,” he said. “This fight no longer has meaning.” “Let our armies decide the victor.” Xeid turned away. “No!”I am still alive we must fight until one of us is dead Ethan shouted. “You will leave this planet and you will not touch others again.” “Otherwise, I promise you I will be the guarantee that suffering will never disappear from the universe.” Xeid stopped. He turned back and approached him again. Now there was surprise on his face. He studied Ethan’s expression, searching for proof that he was lying. But he found none. “How?” he finally asked. Ethan wiped the blood from his face. “You know how,” he said. “You’ve seen it.” Astonishment did not leave Xeid’s face. “That’s impossible,” he said. “You are a moral and cowardly man.” Ethan agreed. “That’s true,” he said. “But the monster is always inside, waiting for its time.” “But you were wrong about one thing.” “It will not replace me" Xeid realized something something that made him look back at Ethan with disgust and disappointment. You will hurt the innocent? Ethan had look of a guilty man One that isn't proud what he has become Isn't my promise enough? My goal was to show you and everyone that looks up to you Your enemy is immortal God that can't get rid of the devil isn't a god Not a good one Even if I don't kill anyone Xeid seemed more and more dissapointed hurt even by the fact that in hes equation entered an unsolvable problem You want to protect their abilty to hurt each other so much That you are willing to become a devil? No I am becoming only thing that can stop you I have no other choice And suffering you're talking about It doesn't exist yet It might happen yes But you can't punish people for that But suffering you inflicted is real Thats the difference Xeid took step forward not to threat bUt to try to convince him one last time You forget that once it happens and it will happen there is no making it right You can't reverse what is done You can't heal loss You can't bring back the dead Only preventing it form ever happening makes sense It is the only way How blind are you not to see this Ethan spit the blood that was bothering him for a while Spare your words for others Eather we continue duel Or you have to leave Xeid tore his gaze away from Ethan’s face and lowered it to the ground. His eyes moved from one point to another, then fixed in place, as if he were calculating something in his mind. Then they stopped. He looked at ethan again Still dissapointed in him and said Until we meet again ethan He turned away. He removed hes helmet and With slow steps, he left Ethan behind. His ship was the first to depart from Earth.