章節 20: The Sanctuary Of Radiance (3)

The figure knelt by Derek's still form, tears pooling in its translucent eyes.

Though it had ascended to become the most powerful being in existence, reformatting the very fabric of the cosmos, a part of its identity remained forever intertwined with this man - its 'big brother' from a previous life.

For eons it had walked the stars, bending galaxies to its whim, yet deep within it still yearned for the simpler joys of childhood - climbing trees, running through fields, laughing together.

And now, after countless ages of dominion over the universe it had 'Overturned', that part of itself had been reawakened.

As the figure gently cradled Derek's face in its hazy hand, a sob escaped its form. An infinity of memories came flooding back - building block towers, bedtime stories, solving puzzles together.

The sheer relief and joy of finally being reunited with its other half, the companion of its first steps into the wonders of existence, threatened to overwhelm it.

Here was the Madman who had shaped the very fabric of reality to its desire, reduced to weeping at the bedside of an unconscious man.

All the cosmic power and influence at its command could not contain the eruption of simple emotions - love, longing and joy - that welled up within at the sight of Derek's face, so full of the peace of untroubled sleep.

The figure's form trembled, racked with sobs of equal parts delight, relief and grief - delight at being reunited, relief that the search spanning infinite time and space was finally over, and grief at all the ages spent apart.

Derek Raven, the author of this novel and now an extra, has dodged a bullet unknowingly.

If he were to be here instead of his double, he would be obliterated without even leaving his ashes behind. The hazy figure absolutely detested the presence of chaos.

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< Several million years ago>

The two teenagers stood back to back, surrounded by a horde of enemies.

Tara's long black hair whipped around her face as she summoned orbs of light, hurling them at the advancing foes.

The orbs exploded in showers of scorching energy, felling dozens of creatures at once.

Beside her, Mark concentrated gloves of light into his hands. Yet for every foe they vanquished, two more took their place.

Tara and Mark were renowned for their talent with the light element, said to rival that of the Ancients themselves.

For years they had roamed the cosmos, challenging powerful beings and seeking to improve their skills.

Along the way, they had earned a reputation for helping the weak and serving the cause of justice.

But their acts had made enemies of many powerful factions. Figures who craved dominion over the shadows had seen their schemes disrupted by Tara and Mark's interference.

Now those vengeful forces had banded together, sending wave after wave of monsters to destroy the teenage warriors.

Mark blasted a path through the advancing creatures, seamlessly coordinating with Tara so she could reload her powers.

They fought as they had a hundred times before, intuitively anticipating each other's moves.

Everywhere Tara's orbs exploded, Mark's healing light soothed the burned flesh of wounded allies. Working in tandem, they held the horde at bay...for now.

But Tara could sense Mark tiring. The flood of injuries was taking its toll on his reservoirs of light.

An ogre twice his size charged at him, club raised. Tara summoned the last of her orbs and hurled it with all her might. The projectile struck true, obliterating the ogre in a blinding flash.

"We can't keep this up forever," Tara said between blasts.

Mark nodded. "We need to find the source. Someone is commanding this army."

Tara focused her senses, attuning herself to the ebbs and flows of light. Through the churning melee, she sensed a dark spot - an absence of light.

"There!" she shouted, pointing.

Mark followed her gaze to a towering obsidian throne at the rear of the horde. Upon it sat an armoured figure radiating malice.

Tara grabbed Mark's hand. "Together?" she asked.

He squeezed her hand. "Together."

Channelling their combined reserves of light, they unleashed a wave of energy that blasted a path through the horde.

Together they charged toward the throne, batting aside monsters with orbs of searing light.

As they ran, Tara felt Mark's hand in hers - an anchor, a source of strength.

They reached the throne, coming face to face with the armoured figure. With a wordless shout, Tara and Mark unleashed the full fury of their combined powers. A flash of blinding light filled the chamber...then silence.

After the blinding flash of light subsided, silence fell upon the battlefield once more. Tara smiled at Mark, expecting to see their enemy vanquished.

But then, a booming laugh filled the chamber - deep and terrifying. Tara spun around to see the figure on the obsidian throne, completely unharmed.

"Foolish children," the figure bellowed. "Do you really think your paltry powers could harm me?"

Tara felt a swoop of dread in her stomach as the figure revealed himself, rising from the throne.

He towered over both her and Mark, at least ten feet tall, clad in obsidian armor. Power radiated from him, dark and ancient.

Mark stepped forward defiantly. "Who are you?" he shouted.

The giant smiled, showing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

"I am Cha'goth," he said. "Lord of the Shadow Hierarchy. Your light shows promise, young ones...but it is a candle next to my Dark inferno."

Before Tara or Mark could react, Cha 'goth raised a massive hand. Dark energy coalesced into a sphere that hurtled towards them.

Tara summoned a shield of light to block it, but the collision sent her hurtling backwards. She slammed into the stone wall, vision swimming.

Struggling to stand, Tara saw Mark blasting Cha'goth with consecutive beams of light - to no avail. The behemoth barely flinched, swatting Mark aside like an insect.

Tara realized with dread that they were hopelessly outmatched. Their combined light could not rival the power that radiated from Cha'goth's very being.

He was ancient, primordial - a being who had walked the cosmos long before Tara and Mark had even been born.

Tara and Mark blasted Cha'goth with everything they had, unleashing concentrated beams of light that scorched his armor.

But Cha'goth laughed, firing back with swirling spheres of dark energy that rocked the chamber with their impacts.

Tara summoned spears, lances and all projectiles she could imagine of light and hurled them one after another at Cha'goth, each explosion rocking his massive form.

But still he advanced, swatting Mark's blasts aside as he stalked towards the teenagers.

Mark blasted Cha'goth point blank, the concentrated light searing the dark lord's face.

Cha'goth roared in fury, slamming a massive fist down where Mark had been standing seconds before.

The battle raged on, both sides taking hits but neither gaining the upper hand.

Cha'goth's primordial power seemed inexhaustible, while Tara and Mark fought on despite wounds and fading strength.

Suddenly, a blinding light burst from Mark's body. Grabbing Cha'goth's arm, he clung onto the dark lord like a lamprey.

Cha'goth howled in pain as Mark's light burned into his flesh.

"Run, Tara!" Mark shouted. "Save yourself!" But Tara did not move, remembering the promise they had made.

With a roar of rage, Cha'goth ripped Mark from his arm and hurled him against the wall.

Tara attacked with renewed ferocity, bombarding Cha'goth with orbs of light as Mark struggled to stand.

Enraged, Cha'goth unleashed a torrent of dark energy that slammed into Tara and Mark. They were blasted across the chamber, crashing into the wall in a heap.

As Cha'goth stalked towards them, Tara used the last of her strength to put herself between the dark lord and Mark's unconscious form.

Cha'goth raised his fist, ready to deliver the killing blow - when Mark suddenly opened his eyes.

Light exploded from Mark's body in an eruption of celestial power that engulfed Cha'goth, overwhelming his darkness.

Tara lift Mark onto her back and began running as fast as she could. She had to get Mark to safety.

He had used so much of his power already against Cha'goth - he needed healing.

As Tara fled the battlefield, Mark hung on with the last of his strength.

He focused all his remaining power on burning his very essence. A white-hot light began to glow from within him.

Tara ran as fast as she could, putting as much distance between herself and the battlefield as possible.

Behind her, she sensed an immense burst of light. The shockwave rumbled across the land, nearly knocking her over.

When Tara finally turned around, her heart sunk. In the distance, where Cha'goth's fortress had stood, was now a massive crater. Tara sensed nothing of Mark's life force anymore.

Tara fell to her knees as realization hit her. The Mark she had been carrying was a light clone - a last act of sacrifice to allow her to escape.

The real Mark had stayed, burning his very essence to defeat Cha'goth...at the cost of his own life.

Tara wept for the brother she had lost, the mightiest wielder of light who had willingly sacrificed himself so that she might live.

Though Cha'goth had been defeated, Tara's victory felt hollow without Mark by her side.