Chapter 644: Ancient Evil and the Dragon
Anzeta Wasteland, Dragonblood Mountain. Though it was already winter in the Northern Lands, the towering mountain remained steaming hot.
"Roar—"
A thunderous dragon's roar echoed across the skies as a massive red dragon tore through space, emerging atop the mountain in a blaze of fire and smoke.
"Finally back."
Feeling that familiar sensation of dominion, Cassius revealed a satisfied smile and finally relaxed.
This was true security. Within his imperial domain, even gods might not be able to touch him.
As the saying goes, "A golden nest or a silver nest isn't as good as one's own doghouse." Though North Aether teemed with magical energy, it still couldn't compare to Anzeta—the land where he had grown, step by step.
After spending months on the North Aether Plains, Cassius had finally returned to Anzeta, to his familiar imperial domain.
But he hadn't come back to reminisce. He had returned to deal with something incredibly dangerous—something not even he could fully control: the Eye of Gruumsh.
Anything tied to gods, even if it was a long-detached object, held power beyond mortal comprehension. Cassius had to tread carefully.
Because he keenly sensed it: the power within the Eye of Gruumsh was awakening!
From the bloodbath birthed during the legendary battle between Gruumsh and Corellon Larethian, a horror known as the "Elf Devourer" Idyak Oridiel emerged—one of the famed three Ancient Evils.
This Ancient Evil had lurked for ages in the sludge of a forgotten level of the Abyss, feasting on elven souls and laying waste to elven kingdoms throughout recorded history.
Only by killing it on what is effectively its divine home turf can one truly destroy Idyak Oridiel. Otherwise, it would always return a decade later from the Abyss.
Even deities like the Storm God or the Elf God couldn't utterly slay it.
If godly blood could birth such a nightmare, what could its eye produce?
Cassius had a theory—perhaps it was with Moradin and Corellon's tacit approval that he obtained the Eye so easily.
In this Third Era, where the divine was cut off from the Material Plane, even Greater Gods struggled to show power. If the Eye broke its seal, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Better to let a treacherous dragon handle an evil artifact than waste dwarven or elven lives—perhaps they'd even injure one another.
Of course, this was pure speculation. After all, his identity wasn't exposed, and the Burning Ember Empire was his domain, shielded from all prying eyes.
Though it was only half of the Eye, sealed for ages by two Greater Gods, its power was still not to be underestimated.
In short, not even a sliver of vigilance could be spared.
"Let's see what kind of power the remnants of a Greater God can hold."
Cassius extended his claw into a pocket dimension prepared by his clone and retrieved the half Eye of Gruumsh, holding it in his palm.
As expected—the power surged!
"Roar—"
An overwhelming wave of evil erupted like a tide. The air filled with pitch-black war mists, screeching war cries and agonized howls tearing through the sky.
Cassius could feel the torrent of resentment battering his mind.
Chaos, evil, war, power, hatred—the domains of a terrifying divine force flooded the area like a black hole, twisting reality.
"This is..."
Cassius looked around. The world had become a scarred battlefield, filled with the stench of blood and smoke. Spears and axes littered the ground. Corpses of orcs, elves, and dwarves were everywhere.
An ancient battlefield!
In that distant age, gods still walked the earth. During that epic battle, Gruumsh, Corellon, and Moradin fought so fiercely the heavens darkened.
It lasted years, ending with Corellon blinding Gruumsh's left eye and the orcs defeated.
"Hooo—"
A distant horn sounded. Cassius raised his head. An orc god stared down at him with contempt.
Shrouded in crude, heavy black armor, the towering figure radiated chaos and evil. Behind it, the sky swirled in red and black.
Even Cassius felt the weight of divine pressure—this was a god's essence.
From its appearance and aura, its identity was clear: the Orc God, Gruumsh.
Since then, Gruumsh had ruled the orc pantheon with an iron grip—cruel, terrifying, living for war, always seeking new lands.
Under Cassius's gaze, the orc god slowly spoke: "Mortal... why do you not kneel?"
Cassius remained still, tilting his head like he was examining a new oddity.
Seeing no response, the orc god grew enraged, raised his spear, and roared, "Dragon! Do you know who stands before you?!"
"Of course I do."
Unfazed, Cassius answered, "Just a divine-tinged evil spirit playing dress-up."
"What?! How could you—"
The orc god's pupils widened in shock.
Cassius continued, amused, "Tsk. As expected from the remains of a Greater God—this disguise is nearly flawless. The divine pressure, the aura... even I was fooled. Almost."
Then he bared his teeth in a snarl, his voice rising to a roar: "But this is the Burning Ember Empire!"
Boom!
Cassius clenched his claw. The very space around him cracked like shattered glass, spiderweb fractures spreading.
The tattered sky and ancient battlefield vanished like mist.
The orc god's form twisted, becoming a sewn-together abomination on the verge of collapse.
"Who gave you the guts to act divine in my territory!" Cassius spread his wings and soared.
From his chest, the dragon core blazed. Primordial dragonblood, solar might, order, and chaotic flame surged within.
An inferno poured from him, becoming an extension of his body. In seconds, his form expanded from 60 meters to over 100.
Simultaneously, his [Imperial Domain] activated at full force, bending lightning, flame, air, even time and space.
Now, Cassius was god within this domain.
He reared his head and roared. Fire dragons erupted from the earth toward the twisted orc.
"Damn you! I am the Sleepless One, the Warlord, Gruumsh!" the orc roared back, divine energy flooding out.
Trying to intimidate the red dragon one last time.
Cassius sneered, his wings stirring winds sharp enough to rip space.
"Know the orc god's most famous title today? The One-Eyed God."
Without hesitation, he dove like a comet, wings spread.
[Imperial Domain: Burst]
[Imperial Domain: Command]
Flames, lightning, radiant light surged forth. Even the space around them collapsed into blades that stabbed at the orc.
"Roar—"
A shriek filled with venom and rage followed. Just hearing it could drive mortals mad.
The orc's body twisted further—hundreds of eyes sprouted from its head, arms, and torso.
It could no longer maintain Gruumsh's form—it was reverting to its true shape!
Born from divine malice, destruction was its instinct.
Now, even the Empire Domain began to warp—Dragonblood Mountain and Anzeta were at risk!
"Extreme chaos must be met with pure order."
Cassius didn't panic. He channeled energy through his blood vessels, glowing beneath his scales.
He inhaled deeply. From deep in his throat, silver-white flame gathered.
[Breath of Order]
With a thunderclap, he unleashed it—a comet of silver flame.
Boom!
The breath pierced the black fog, striking the true body behind.
This [Orderfire] burned away evil and chaos, restoring harmony to space.
"Why?! Why oppose me?! Why bind me?!
I am Gruumsh incarnate! A god! All who oppose me—elves, dwarves, dragons—shall be destroyed!"
Its scream shook the world.
The silver fire tore away the disguise. Hundreds of eye-covered tentacles burst from its body.
A giant, slimy eye emerged—cut cleanly in half.
The eye's body was a hundred meters wide, its tentacles stretching over a kilometer, writhing like snakes.
Each tentacle had thousands of glaring eyes.
"Ignorant mortal! I will shred you apart!
I am the Ender of All Things, Destroyer of Elves and Dwarves, the Avenger, the Half-Eye of Gruumsh—Evaniss!"
Its shrieking true name echoed with terror.
With each moment, it emitted forbidden ancient energy. One look would break a mortal's mind.
Such are the Ancient Evils—sealed since time immemorial to protect all creation.
They are not gods—but they are immortal.
Cassius flapped his wings and looked upon Evaniss—not in fear, but disgust.
He frowned. "Damn, that's ugly. Worse than that Myconid lady I saw the other day."
Cassius also noticed—the so-called Ancient Evil was... weaker than expected.
[Chaotic Evil Eye – Evaniss (Challenge Rating: 28)]
To him, it was weaker than a normal red dragon.
Compared to godlike Cassius in his Imperial Domain—it wasn't even close.
"Is it not fully unsealed yet?"
He smirked. "Ah, I see."
This Ancient Evil was bluffing to the extreme. It had poured all Gruumsh's lingering divine power into a show.
But its true form was still trapped in the half Eye.
Most would've panicked and fallen when facing the illusion, giving Evaniss its chance.
"In that case, allow me to show you this 'mortal's' power."
Cassius flapped his wings, reached out a claw—
A thousand-meter-long red talon formed in the sky and grabbed for the eye.
"Roar—"
With a final wail, the Chaotic Evil Eye exploded in midair—dissolving into black mist.