The gods stared. Not blinking. Not breathing. Not moving. Ten divine beings and one divine beast, all watching the man who had just merged with something ancient—something they did not fully understand. The orb hovered above the marble table, its glow steady but dimmer than before, as if even it was bracing itself.
"Now then, Eiden," the orb said, its layered voice echoing through the chamber. "The real Eiden… how does it feel to be back after several years?"
Eiden didn't answer immediately. His aura radiated softly around him like fire—not violent, not explosive, but steady, controlled, and impossibly dense. The marble beneath his feet hummed, reacting to the pressure of his presence. Eiden opened his mouth slightly.
"Rise—"
He didn't finish. In a blink—a true blink, faster than thought—Larry was out of his chair. Rah was out of his chair. The gods didn't even see them move. Larry stood on Eiden's right, emerald eyes narrowed, a single claw resting lightly against Eiden's neck. A warning sharper than any blade. Rah stood on Eiden's left, his hand firm on Eiden's neck—restraining, yet not choking. His aura flared like a sun behind a veil.
The chamber trembled. The torches bent. The marble groaned. Eiden didn't flinch. He didn't tense. He simply stood there, eyes half-open, as if two of the strongest beings in Aetherion had not just pinned him in place.
"Eiden," the orb said, its voice lower now, "choose your next words carefully."
The chamber fell silent. Eiden inhaled.
"Rise of the Gods."
Time didn't slow. It stopped. Literally. The torches froze mid-flicker. The marble dust in the air hung motionless. Even the divine wind outside halted, suspended like a painting. Larry's eyes widened—not in anger, but in real fear. The kind of fear Larry had felt only once before.
Centuries ago, Larry had sat at this same table, only half-listening to the gods' chatter until a phrase cut through the air: "Chanted the Third Invocation two hundred ninety-nine times."
The orb had pulsed a warning then. "Eiden has found the Grimoire of Gods. He has discovered how to become a god as powerful as the Council… but stronger. If he were to chant the Invocation one last time, he will surpass you all. He may even surpass us—the Three Gods."
For the first time in centuries, the gods had felt a chill they had nearly forgotten.
Presently, an ignition blasted off Eiden's body. A shockwave of raw divinity erupted outward—silent, white, and absolute. Larry was thrown back instantly, bolted across the marble like a rag caught in a storm. He twisted mid-air, claws scraping the floor as he steadied himself. Rah was launched as well, skidding backward before rising smoothly to his feet.
The chamber shook. Larry's paw trembled as he pointed a shaking claw at Eiden. "You… Eiden. What you just did was supposed to be impossible! You've grown stronger in a way that shouldn't exist! You're surpassing limits that were never meant to be broken!"
Eiden's aura flickered like a star being born. He smiled—a wide, confident, terrifying grin. "I have now achieved my ultimate goal after nearly twenty thousand years. I am a god."
Morvath's jaw dropped, his mind unable to process the scale of what he was witnessing. Rah exhaled slowly, rubbing his forehead in resignation. "Well… there's no point in doing anything now. We have no other choice. He is either a member of our Council… or he dies here."
The orb pulsed, its voice heavy with the weight of the new reality. "It seems… Eiden. You have a choice. You may be declared an enemy to us all and hunted until your end… or you may join us."
Eiden didn't hesitate. "I will join you. But you will turn everyone else who is part of the Sages into a god."
The gods murmured in surprise. The orb sighed, a sound both ancient and tired. "Fine then. Rah will handle that. For now, you will find the other Sages and walk these lands."
The orb dimmed, appearing almost exhausted. "But the power you possess is unstable. Wild. Untamed. You require divine stability. Since the Council's power will not work on you, one of us must grant it in person. Do not use a single spell. Not a punch. Not a flick of mana. Nothing. Relax."
A pause followed. "We Three will come to you soon. Until then… rest."
The orb turned toward the Council. "Council, ensure the other Sages receive the robes and cloaks we discussed." Another sigh rolled through the chamber. "My mind needs clearing. This meeting will be on hold for a few minutes."
The orb went dark. The chamber fell silent. Eiden stood alone in the center—a newborn god.