Omniphage of Apathy

The air grew heavy and a deep rumble shook the ruined Business Hub as if it were drawing in a long, shuddering breath.

Vastarael stumbled slightly, his body wracked with exhaustion. His essence reserves were entirely depleted, leaving him reliant on nothing but his sheer physical willpower.

Yet even with his vision blurred and his muscles screaming for rest, he pushed forward, his instincts screaming that he had to get away from the god.

Unrelenting waves of water surged toward the city from all directions. They looked like tsunamis as they swept through the ruined streets.

The god turned, his golden eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"So, this was your final attempt," he muttered, his molten steps pausing as he took in the spectacle. "A pathetic plan."

The god raised his hand and the air around him shimmered with heat, forming a shield of golden energy that the waves avoided, parting around him like a stone in a raging river.

The serpentine creatures and long-limbed humanoids that had surrounded him were not so fortunate. They were swept away, their screams swallowed by the tides. Some tried to fight, their claws digging into the broken asphalt, but the water's force was insurmountable, dragging them into the abyss.

Meanwhile, the city itself began to move. The debris of shattered buildings floated upward as if guided by invisible hands. Stone blocks rotated midair, reassembling themselves brick by brick.

Glass shards scattered across the streets flew back to their frames, rejoining as unbroken panes. Entire structures rose from the rubble, their walls reattaching, their foundations stabilizing in a symphony of reconstitution. The rising buildings groaned as they reclaimed their former height, reaching skyward like giants awakening from slumber.

Vastarael didn't have time to marvel at the spectacle. A roaring torrent of water surged toward himand he reacted instinctively, pushing his battered body to its limits.

His feet pounded against the water-slick ground as he darted toward one of the rising buildings. The wave was relentless, threatening to swallow him whole. He leapt just as the water reached him, his body soaring through the air. His boots hit the edge of a reassembling balcony, which tilted precariously before snapping back into place as if welcoming him.

The pain in his legs flared but he ignored it. Another wave crashed below, sending a geyser of spray upward. Vastarael leapt again, this time onto the skeletal remains of a spire that was still reconstructing itself. Metal beams twisted and groaned as they slid into place around him. He timed his movements perfectly, jumping from one beam to another as the structure rebuilt itself beneath his feet.

Each landing jarred his already strained body but he didn't stop. The god's mocking voice echoed through the city, growing louder with each step Vastarael took.

"Run, little prince," the god called out, his tone dripping with disdain. "Run as fast as you can. It won't save you. Nothing will."

Vastarael gritted his teeth, pushing forward with every ounce of strength he had left. The water surged below him, washing away what little remained of the monsters. Above him, the god hovered, surrounded by an aura of molten gold, his expression one of utter boredom.

As Vastarael reached the peak of a newly reformed building, he risked a glance upward. The god stood atop a swirling platform of golden energy, his cloak billowing like flames in the wind.

His serpentine creatures, those that hadn't been swept away, slithered around him, hissing in agitation. The god raised his hand and the air shimmered as a massive blast of golden light formed at his palm.

"I tire of this game," the god announced. The blast surged forward, hurtling toward Vastarael with unrelenting speed.

Reacting on instinct, Vastarael hurled himself off the edge of the building just as the blast struck. The explosion behind him was deafening, shattering the newly reformed structure into pieces once again. He twisted midair, landing hard on the rooftop of another rising building. Pain shot through his knees but he kept moving, dashing across the unstable surface as it reassembled beneath him.

The waves below continued to rise, crashing against the lower levels of the city and lifting debris with them. Vastarael leapt from one rooftop to another, each jump a gamble as the structures around him shifted and moved. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest burning, but he refused to stop.

He couldn't stop.

The god's voice rang out again, laced with irritation.

"Do you think this will save you, Vastarael? Do you think your pathetic mortal tricks can outwit me?! I am Stephos, God of Flames! You will not escape me!"

Vastarael didn't respond. His mind was a blur of pain and determination as he reached the edge of another building. He paused for a split second, his golden eyes scanning the rising chaos around him. The city was rebuilding, but it was still incomplete, the shifting structures creating gaps and obstacles that required precision and speed. Below, the water churned.

He took a deep breath, summoning what little strength he had left, and leapt once more.

Vastarael plunged into the water with a soundless splash hundreds meters above it, the cold depths swallowing him whole.

The muffled chaos of the world above faded into an eerie quiet as he sank beneath the surface. The once-burning city of Rise was now transformed into an underwater graveyard, its ruins submerged beneath the rising tides still producing water.

Vastarael's golden eyes adjusted to the dim, rippling light, the glow of distant fire blasts illuminating the underwater expanse in flashes of crimson and gold.

He stretched his limbs and took a slow, deliberate breath. The water entered his lungs like air, cold and refreshing. Breathing underwater was second nature to him.

His minor divinity of water allowed him to breathe. He couldn't help but smirk, the irony of the situation not lost on him. If minor divinities were blocked like the major ones, he wouldn't be able to do this.

He now realized how powerful a divinity was, and this was a minor one.

"Seriously, how much essence does he have to flood nine city blocks?" The god asked as he saw his presence underwater.

Because only three beings in all of Spheraphase could manipulate and create water on this scale and Vastarael was one of them.

The realization spurred him into action and summoned massive fire blasts.

"Let's see how long he tries to dodge these!"

-----

Vastarael kicked off a piece of debris underwater. The water was his ally and he intended to use it to his full advantage. Around him, the corpses of the slain monsters began to float, their essence leaking into the water like an ethereal glow.

Vastarael reached out and his Omniphage Tether instinctively activated. Tendrils of shimmering energy flowed into him, restoring his depleted reserves.

He felt the rush of power flood his veins, rejuvenating his battered body. Every cell seemed to hum with newfound energy.

He stretched his hands out, channeling his renewed essence to manipulate the water around him. The currents obeyed his will, wrapping around his body like a second skin. With a swift motion, he propelled himself forward, the water bending and surging to amplify his speed.

The underwater hub blurred past him as he shot through the depths like a torpedo, his speed breaking the natural rhythm of the currents. Vastarael wove between the ruins of collapsed buildings and shattered spires, the weightless freedom of the water allowing him to maneuver with unmatched precision.

His hands trailed behind him, leaving a faint trail of luminescent ripples in his wake.

Then came the fire.

Massive blasts of molten energy pierced the water, their heat searing even through the cold depths. Vastarael barely had time to react as the first explosion struck near him, sending a shockwave that rippled through the water and threw him off course. He twisted his body mid-motion, narrowly avoiding another fiery projectile that detonated with devastating force, vaporizing a section of the underwater ruins.

The blasts weren't random—they were precise. The god was toying with him, firing molten projectiles into the water with unerring accuracy. Vastarael clenched his teeth and surged forward, pushing himself to swim faster. The water bent around him, forming a protective vortex that allowed him to slice through the waves with ease.

The next blast came closer, the intense heat singeing his arm even through the water. Vastarael winced but didn't slow down. He darted around the crumbling facade of a submerged building, using the cover to catch his breath. The ruins groaned and shifted as the relentless waves continued to press against them.

Another explosion rocked the water, shattering the fragile structure he hid behind. Vastarael shot upward, narrowly escaping the collapsing debris. His mind raced as he tried to calculate his next move. The god's fire blasts were relentless and the underwater battlefield was rapidly becoming more treacherous.

He needed to turn the tides. Literally.

With a deep breath, Vastarael extended his arms, drawing upon the full force of his essence. The water around him responded instantly, swirling into a powerful current that lifted him higher. He focused on the corpses of the fallen monsters, their essence still lingering in the water. With Omniphage feeding him, his strength continued to build, his exhaustion fading into the background.

The underwater city glowed faintly as Vastarael's power reached its peak. He raised one hand and the water around him surged in response, forming a spiraling vortex. The vortex propelled him forward at an even greater speed, making him nearly impossible to target. Fire blasts rained down into the water but Vastarael wove through them with uncanny agility, the vortex shielding him from the brunt of the explosions.

The barrier above them, which enclosed the entire city like a giant hemispherical aquarium, shimmered with divine energy. The god had crafted it to trap them, but now it served as a container, holding the vast ocean that had engulfed the upper city.

Vastarael's golden eyes narrowed as he assessed the battlefield. The water was his element and the barrier meant it couldn't escape. That meant one thing.

This was his domain now.

Vastarael angled his body upward, his powerful strokes carrying him toward the source of the fire blasts. He knew the god was watching, waiting for him to surface. But Vastarael had no intention of giving him the satisfaction—at least, not yet. Instead, he moved with purpose, the water bending to his will as he prepared for the next phase of his plan.

°°°°°°

Now, the entire city was flooded.

Only the tallest buildings were standing like rocks on a raging ocean. And on top of them was Adelasta.

"Is he trying to drown the god?" Adelasta asked in shock as she stood on the tallest spire, panting heavily. "That won't work—"

Then, she gasped when he saw the god summoning a white fireball on his hand. Adelasta's instincts told her to run.

"No way. Vastarael!"

But he couldn't hear her, not when he was deep underwater.

She already knew what the god was planning to do. Whatever it was, it would kill Vastarael without knowing what happened to him.

But what could she do?

The god turned his head and saw Adelasta, who had a horrified expression on her face. The god grinned and dropped the fireball as of it was a rock.

"Say goodbye to your Betrothed, special child of Viaca."

"NO!"

And then, seconds later, a massive explosion erupted underwater.