Divine Apostasy Book 11 - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Deryssa disappeared, and Ruin sat alone in the vault. Her words bounced through his thoughts, destroying every preconceived notion of power that he’d possessed. How could any entity’s strength be measured in universes. The scope of what faced him finally hit home as he sat frozen in place.

Ruin had always assumed he’d grow strong enough to counter any issues that might arise from the Outerverse. For the first time he’d glimpsed how far he needed to go.

She was joking, right? Overlord asked.

I don’t think so, Uruziel responded.

Ruin didn’t respond. He picked up the pink gem on the table and returned it to the cabinet before gently closing the doors. With a thought, he returned to his body and found himself once again standing on the crushed remains of the throne, the five towers surrounding him.

Harmony wouldn’t work until Ruin recovered some semblance of balance. Willpower however retained its effectiveness, and he used it to fold the distance between himself and the distant shore. He took a step and released his hold on the land. It snapped back and he stood a few feet from the roiling energy that surrounded the island.

Deryssa’s misery was understandable. She started their conversation hoping to use Ruin to regain her family’s glory and punish her enemies. It ended with the realization that literally every faction, realm, and power in the Outerverse would want him dead. Why did this keep happening to him? He didn’t want to cause problems; he just wished to be left alone.

Ruin’s plan had started simple: restore the Spirit locked in the Third Secret to the Universe. Multiple deities had interfered with his plans, but after the past few years, he’d gained enough power to counter them.

Blapy had revealed the Destruction Realm was critical for Ruin to accomplish the Spirit restoration. That resulted in his current predicament because a single-minded nihilist used death as the arbiter of truth.

The thought of death reminded Ruin that Deryssa had not responded to his question about her ability to recover her body. He still didn’t know how resurrection worked in this realm.

Energy slapped the shore, not in periodic waves, but in chaotic surges. The shore had thousands of dimples from the energy spray eating holes in the surface. Ruin wondered how the island itself remained intact.

Ruin’s presence agitated the area, and energy foamed. A geyser erupted, coating him in mist. His face burned as he studied the droplets melting through his hand. His body was sensitive to the potency of the spray. Ninety-nine percent of the energy was Spirit, but pockets of Soul power floated like clumps of death, and one such mass had exploded near him.

The mysteries of the vast lake needed to wait; Ruin wanted to create some distance between himself and the towers before climbing back to the Material Realm and his friends.

Willpower gripped the far shore, yanking it closer, and Ruin stepped to the other side. He quickly repeated this ten times, and the tall towers of the island faded from view. He surveyed his surroundings.

The air held the thick scent of ash, and smoky tendrils of annihilation materialized randomly but didn’t harm Ruin in his current form. A tangy burnt taste filled his mouth, reminding him of the aftereffects of Xavier’s energy attacks. Jagged obsidian spires jutted from the cracked ground, casting long shadows under the eternal twilight of this abyss.

Ruin flexed his fingers, observing his new form. His hands were larger, the fingers longer and more slender. His fingers moved with a nuance he’d never experienced, the result of greater dexterity. At seven feet tall, his frame was lean rather than athletic, muscles coiled like taut cables beneath his skin. This body felt wrong but contained undeniable power—a royal vessel forged to survive the challenges of the Destruction Realm.

The raw essence of Destruction surrounded him, seeping into his skin. The environment here responded to his presence, eager to bend to his will. With a thought, he could shape the ground, summon winds, or ignite flames. This land was his and it would obey.

Ruin paused, pushing the maniacal thoughts of subjugation away, and slowing his suddenly thudding heart. Had the Destruction Emperor Class done this to him? Perhaps his saraph body? Or maybe his Val’dor blood?

Regardless, Ruin didn’t care for the dominance he exuded with his posture and actions. He didn’t know how to fix it though.

The temperature began to fluctuate, and the air popped with excess energy. Moments later, a hissing sizzle, like water on a hot pan, reached Ruin.

Ruin's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing through the haze. Emerging from a dark canyon were figures unlike any he’d seen—twisted combinations of shadow and fire, their forms constantly shifting and flickering. They moved with a predatory grace, leaving trails of ash and embers in their wake.

"Time to see what this body can do," Ruin murmured.

Ruin shifted into a relaxed stance, grounding himself. The Bamboo Viper Steps had become part of him—forms of fluid motion and precision. But with this new physique, he needed to adjust. He felt the differences in his limbs, the altered center of gravity, and a thousand other changes that he’d never needed to consider before. His mind and muscles remembered, but the execution required a correction.

Removing the bow and quiver, Ruin set them on the ground and stepped away. After a second glance at the veins of flame essence the approaching creatures’ contained, he stripped off all his new gear and used his upper wings to wrap his chest. His lower wings did the same for his hips and legs.

Identify provided more details on the three approaching creatures.

Name: Shadow Flame Phantom

Type: Creature

Estimated Power: Tier 2 Level 4

Might: Medium

Durability: Extreme

Support: Low

Strengths: Resistance to Physical Attacks, Regeneration, Adaptation, Essence Manipulation

Weaknesses: Soul Power, Willpower Attacks, Essence Disruption, Binding Techniques

Disposition: Hostile

Description: Shadow Flame Phantoms are common manifestations in the lowest parts of the Realm. A combination of Fire and Dark essence, their forms shift erratically. They are highly resistant to physical attacks, as conventional weapons pass through them with little effect. They possess rapid regeneration and adapt quickly to attacks. Shadow Flame Phantoms are relentless and aggressive, embodying the nature of the Destruction Realm.

The Shadow Flame Phantoms towered over Ruin, their figures composed of swirling darkness intertwined with flickering flames. Their forms wavered like smoke caught in a chaotic breeze, their edges blurring, giving them a ghostly, fluid appearance. Embers faintly glowed from deep within their bodies, casting odd shadows that fell unpredictably across the shattered landscape.

They moved with an unsettling grace, silent except for the snapping discharge of energy that surrounded them. Ruin sensed their insatiable urge to obliterate anything that crossed their path, foot soldiers of the realm's inherent chaos and a terrifying foe to any unlucky enough to encounter them.

The first creature lunged, claws suddenly manifesting and slicing through the air with a hiss. Ruin sidestepped effortlessly, noting the creature's speed. Faster than expected. He countered with a swift Viper strike to its side, but his fist passed through as if hitting smoke. The monster adjusted instantly, its featureless face turning toward him. A wave of energy washed over him, and he wondered if that might be some type of fear ability.

Another beast charged from Ruin’s left, wide-open jaws revealing a void of swirling darkness. He leaped back, twisting in midair to avoid a third creature attempting to flank him. As he landed, he felt the ground beneath him give way slightly—a reminder of the realm's instability.

Drawing upon his Willpower, Ruin envisioned the ground solidifying, forming a stable platform. The terrain obeyed, hardening under his feet. Willpower could warp reality here but using it against these creatures would rob him of an opportunity to adjust his Bamboo Viper Steps to his new body.

The monsters circled him, their actions synchronized, as if sharing a single mind. Ruin's eyes remained focused forward, as he used the senses of his new body to search for patterns or weaknesses in the phantoms’ movements.

Eager to start integrating skills and abilities, Ruin charged at the creature in front of him, feinting a punch before spinning into a low sweep. His leg cut through the monster's form, again meeting little resistance. As he completed the motion, he allowed a small portion of his Willpower to surge through his leg, wrapping his physical body like armor.

The creature recoiled from Ruin’s leg, its form flickering. He withdrew the Willpower attack and flowed into the next technique, his body weaving gracefully as he struck at the creatures with combinations of martial prowess.

The speed of Ruin’s attacks seemed to take the creatures by surprise. It took them a fraction of a second to recover after each assault as their body’s reformed. He relentlessly struck with his hands, elbows, and legs, constantly swiping through their bodies.

With every second, Ruin’s strikes became more precise, his kicks more powerful. He had reached the rank of Grandmaster and perfected his human body. The previous lessons he’d painstakingly learned now highlighted mistakes caused by his new height, reach, and body composition.

Tens of thousands of imperfections clamored for attention and Ruin calmly noted them. Every repetition fixed dozens sometimes hundreds of flaws. In less than ten minutes he’d transitioned his saraph body from a threatening weapon to a lethal instrument.

Ruin knew fewer than ten people in the universe could have replicated this accomplishment. One needed to possess a complete and utterly exhaustive understanding of the Bamboo Viper and Shadow Steps to succeed. He wasn’t teaching his body to move so much as applying the lessons he’d learned from painful experience and contemplation.

The beasts responded to Ruin’s constant attacks with increased ferocity. Tendrils of dark energy lashed out from their bodies, slicing through the air like whips. He casually moved between them, his steps precise. He felt the rush of their attacks brushing past him, and the heat of their concentrated flame essence cracked the ground.

Relief filled Ruin. He’d worried his years of obsessive practice and Step training had disappeared along with his human body. Now he knew it hadn’t. He would never lose it. The Steps had become a part of him. The real him, separate from the form he took.

Ruin added Willpower to his attacks, learning the best way to integrate the power with his fighting. As the monsters converged, he slammed his foot onto the ground, releasing a surge of Willpower in a shockwave. The air shimmered as the invisible force expanded outward. The beasts, caught off guard, momentarily froze.

Ruin channeled more Willpower into his strikes, his movements a blur as he tapped his Archangel body—a seamless blend of martial skill and mental dominance.

One phantom let out a distorted howl as Ruin's palm struck its body, the Willpower-infused attack dissolving a large portion of its chest into wisps of essence. It adapted quickly, its body becoming more solid, less susceptible to manipulation by Willpower, and the other two phantoms mirrored the adjustment.

Ruin raised his hands, fingers splayed, and focused on the space around the phantoms. The ground trembled as obsidian spikes twisted upward, their sharp tips piercing the now solid phantoms, the jagged sides cutting ragged wounds in their bodies.

The phantoms thrashed against the spikes, but the stone held, forcing them to dematerialize to slide off them.

 Their forms glowed brighter, more intense, and their temperatures soared. They surrounded Ruin again, although their movements lacked the speed of their first attack. Flame essence exploded outward engulfing him, but he stood like a rock in a storm, the fire burning the air around him.

When the coordinated flame attack ceased, Ruin stood unharmed.

The three phantoms split themselves into thinner versions, and in a blink, they now numbered almost twenty.

They attacked as one, a flurry of claws, dark fangs, and surging essence. Ruin moved like water, slipping between their strikes, his body a blur. He retaliated with precise blows, each infused with Willpower.

A palm strike here, a kick there—each contact sent ripples through the phantoms’ forms.

Ruin continued to manipulate the battlefield. He created barriers, spears, and shields, integrating them into his unarmed attacks and feints.

Ruin suddenly stopped—the action so abrupt the phantoms all paused as well.

“Thank you for your help,” Ruin said out loud. “I need to leave now.”

Perhaps the eighteen phantoms understood Ruin’s dismissal because their bodies roiled, and they lunged at him as one.

Just like the phantoms had split their bodies, Ruin carved his focus into dozens of slices, relying on the Multitasking skills Overlord had learned managing Minions.

Ruin wrapped each Shadow Flame Phantom in a sphere of Willpower and clenched his right hand.

Eighteen glowing black marbles dropped to the ground.

A stack of black slivers the length of a finger appeared and Identify provided the description.

Name: Common Destruction Needle (DeN) 

Description: Currency of the Destruction Realm. Can be exchanged for experience, Class-tree node progression, skill advancements, core expansion, common goods, etc.

Ruwen looted the currency with a thought and focused on the marbles.

Name: Concentrated Essence

Description: Consumable source of Destruction, Fire, and Dark essence.

The description of the destruction needle currency reminded Ruin how much he still needed to learn about how his Class functioned. He placed the concentrated essence into Inventory. Hamma would want everything he could bring for her altar.

The thought of Hamma sobered Ruin. It was time to see his friends.

“Vex!” Ruin shouted.

Seconds later a black dot appeared far above, quickly growing larger as Vex approached him.

Ruin’s stomach knotted with fear, anxiety, and a crushing worry his temporary body would be too much for his friends to deal with.

Time to find out.