‘It’s this way.’ Exile thought to himself as he flew through the small opening. He could feel a warmth tugging at his existence, driving him to explore that small tunnel. ‘It’s got to be to the First Flame Fragment, right?’
Exile was forced to land as the tunnel became narrower. ‘The rocks are becoming smooth. Is it another inheritance?’ Ten minutes passed as Exile followed the feeling whenever he met a crossroads. Eventually, it led him to a grand opening where another set of ruins stood.
“What’s up with this place?” Exile wondered as he stared at a giant jagged structure in the centre of those ruins.
‘Why are there so many ruins beneath the surface?’ Exile wondered as he floated down to walk among the ruined buildings. ‘They look like an older form of Skardian architecture.’
A deep frown appeared on his face as he studied marks on the walls that indicated a huge battle had taken place there at some point. ‘What even is this place?’ Exile felt a lingering trace of divinity hovering in the air as he felt pulled toward the jagged structure.
However, after he took a few more steps, his vision began to swim. Sounds of battle invaded his ears as he regained some clarity. ‘What’s going on?’ A bright blue sky hovered overhead as many gods fought with what Exile recognised as Stalkers all around him.
For a moment, he thought he was back in Valheim and he had only dreamed about their escape. Until he noticed he felt suppressed by the power of the many gods around him. Exile froze as he glanced around at the bloody battle. Gods and Stalkers were dying in droves everywhere he looked.
“For Valheim!” One of the gods roared as he slammed a hammer on the ground which caused great spikes to erupt from the ground and impale hundreds of Stalkers at once.
Exile stared at the god with wide eyes. ‘He’s a dwarf! And what did he mean by Valheim? This isn’t Valheim.’ Exile’s confusion knew no limits as a Stalker leapt toward him. However, the dwarven god leapt like a cannonball and slammed into its side.
“Stop spacing out kid. You’ll die if you stand around like that.” The dwarf laughed as he clapped Exile on the back. Exile’s knees buckled under the dwarf god’s strength as he cursed. “Hm, why do I sense dwarven, skardian and warbeast divinity on you?”
Exile did not know what to say as he glanced at the dwarf god in confusion. ‘What’s even happening? What should I say?’ Exile gulped as he tried to think of a plausible excuse.
“Ah, who cares. These are strange times. What Pantheon are you from? Are you one of Jor’s? No? Maybe Allevia’s?” The dwarf asked as he helped Exile back to his feet.
“Allevia’s,” Exile replied while wheezing. “What’s going on?”
“Allevia’s, huh? Seems I’ll need to have a word with her about her subordinates poaching followers from my race. I’m Vors by the way. How do you not know what’s going on?” Vors asked as a frown appeared on his face. “Did you hit your head or something? The Fallen are trying to take Valheim. I suggest you head to the inner circle. That’s where all the lower-tier folk are.”
A grim expression appeared on Exile’s face as he studied the dwarf before he raced off. ‘Vors? The Fallen?’ An idea struck Exile about what was happening, and he did not like it. ‘It’s got to be an inheritance that mimics an actual battle for its trial.’ Exile groaned as he glanced toward the jagged structure.
‘That means Nar’Kozz took part in this battle since his horde is here.’ Exile decided to take Vors’ advice and rushed toward the jagged structure. He watched as tides of sand slammed on flying Stalkers, forcing them to the ground while the heads of other Stalkers popped when they heard the music played by another god.
‘This is brutal.’ He thought as he dodged those powerful entities locked in battle. ‘So this is what war will look like at the higher ranks.’ Exile’s eyes narrowed as he tried to memorise that scene. Suddenly, giant spikes of ice appeared on the centre building while golden flares burst in the sky over it.
Those flares turned out to be golden fireballs that rained down all over Valheim! Exile screamed as he dove to avoid one, but the flames caused him no damage. Instead, they radiated a healing aura that made the gods cheer. At the same time, that aura scorched the Stalkers caught up in it.
Exile felt a connection with those flames as he stared at their golden radiance. ‘Is this Allevia’s doing?’ Exile wondered as his gaze shot to the sky. Moments later, golden rays pierced the sky and slammed into the ground. Exile stumbled backwards as roots pierced the earth and melded together to become humanoid figures.
Exile could not help but gasp at that sight as their hands twisted into a variety of weapons. However, whatever was going on was not over yet. Dark clouds gathered in the sky as an icy rain fell from on high. Whenever one of those raindrops touched a plant golem or a player, armour made of ice spread over their body to give them protection!
Exile stared at his own body as the same ice armour formed over his armour. ‘This is so weird.’ He could feel that ice was far above his own power level. Seconds later the flashes in the sky resumed before Nar’Kozz’s body pierced the clouds to crash into several buildings!
That sight snapped Exile out of his marvelling. ‘That version of Nar’Kozz has twenty arms and is at least 80m tall.’ Exile cursed as he dashed as fast as he could. The entire sky over that version of Valheim turned an inky black as two more figures pierced the clouds to slam on the jagged structure.
From Exile’s position, one of them looked like it was covered in golden flames while the other resembled an icy comet. Exile screamed as he suddenly felt something burning on the back of his neck. Black rain fell from the sky that burned the gods and stalkers alike! ‘Shit! It slipped between the cracks in my armour!’
Exile dashed into a nearby building as he watched the black rain burn holes through the buildings. ‘What kind of spell is that?’ Exile thought with a frown as he glared at the sky. However, someone else he never expected to see descended from above the clouds while standing on a black one.
‘Amari!’ Exile gasped internally as he watched the familiar figure in the sky wearing a carefree expression.
“Gods of the Light. You should surrender!” Amari said in barely a whisper, but it reached the ears of everyone present. “You started this war, but we are willing to spare you.”
Exile recognised the figure of Allevia as she flew back into the sky her golden flames burned the inky rain trying to strike her. He watched silently from the safety of the building as he tried to understand what he had to do to pass that trial. ｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏ𝚖
“Amari of The Fallen! You are a dark god! One who brings only pain and misery to the mortal realms! We can’t allow gods like you to continue to corrupt them!” Allevia shouted back as she glared at Amari.
At that moment, a titan made of ice rose to 100m tall with a man standing on its shoulder. The man glared at Amari as icicles flew around his body. ‘That must be Jor.’ Exile thought as he studied the man. ‘These two are meant to be the most powerful gods of Skardia in history. But Amari knocked them both back and doesn’t look troubled by them.’
Exile had a bad feeling as he studied that scene. Jor launched his icicles toward Amari who clicked his fingers. The water in the air swirled to form a mirror that swallowed Jor’s spell before spitting it toward Allevia!
Allevia waved her hands, and a burst of golden flames burned the spell to nothing as a grim expression appeared on her face. Exile wanted nothing more than to watch that fight play out. However, a second Titan made of metal and rocks appeared with a dwarf laughing on its head.
“Now Vors has joined in,” Exile whispered as he studied the new titan. It stood at 120m in height and was twice as broad as Jor’s.
Vor’s titan stamped its foot, causing an earthquake to shake the entire city as ores of metal shot out of the ground. The metal ores melted into a liquid that took the shape of a mighty two-handed hammer that the titan raised into the sky.
Exile could only watch as Jor’s titan punched toward Amari, while Vor’s one brought its hammer crashing down! Just when it seemed that Amari had no way to counter the attack, a golden sphere covered him when he clicked his fingers.
Exile noticed that Amari looked disappointed with that outcome as the two titans failed to put a dent in the barrier. Vors revealed an ugly expression at that sight as he studied the barrier.
“Allevia! Do it!” Vors roared as he swung his hammer again while Jor’s titan made an icy axe and shield appear in its hands.
Allevia flew backwards away from the battle as she summoned a golden light that struck the ground beneath them. ‘No way!’ Exile cursed as a third titan with six arms made of tree roots rose from the ground to stand at 100m in height. Armour made of golden light spread over its body as six swords made out of the same light appeared. One for each hand.
‘What kind of battle is this?’ Exile thought as shock and awe spread through his mind.