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Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: The Flame That Would Not Die

The Void Realm had changed.

Once a cold, silent cradle of absence, it now boiled with tension and power. Storms of forgotten memories raged across shattered skies. Broken time spiraled in black funnels. The very laws of reality cracked under the pressure of the oncoming war.

At the center of it all stood Ash, surrounded by his companions — Sarina, Akarshan, Shiv, Monish, Anuj, and Shivam — each one scarred, empowered, and transformed by the journey. Behind them stood Ravanaari, the Goddess of Creation, and a phalanx of goddesses and demi-gods loyal to Ash's cause.

Akarshan walked beside Ash, his armor flickering with divine glyphs. "You're really going to face all twelve at once?"

Ash's voice was quiet but unyielding. "I don't have a choice. Their power overlaps. If we fight them separately, they'll just rewind, rewrite, or erase everything we do."

Sarina looked up at the distorted sky. "Then we'll distract them. Divide them. Give you the opening you need."

Ash looked at her — something soft flickering in his ancient eyes. "You know what might happen if I go all out."

"We've come this far," she said, placing a hand on his. "Don't carry it alone."

A blinding flash split the void.

The Council of Extinction had arrived.

They hovered in a perfect formation above a spiraling platform of dead stars. Yaatra, on his throne of oblivion, spoke first.

> "Ash, Last Flame of Creation, you may have found your voice. But you still burn alone."

Ash raised his hand.

"No."

Behind him, every being — mortal and divine — ignited their aura in unison.

Ash's mark blazed across the sky: The Flame That Would Not Die.

Then it began.

Kaag'Zuran launched a breath of rot that turned dreams to dust. Sarina countered with arrows infused with soul-bonded memories.

Thya'Reth warped possibilities around Monish and Shiv, turning their every move into chaos — until Anuj snapped time back into place using forbidden priest-tech given to him by the Time Goddess.

Vulgraan struck, and entire gods screamed as they were erased from existence — but Ash rebuilt them mid-battle with his will, their forms reborn from pure idea.

And then Ash broke from his formation — shooting like a comet toward Yaatra.

Their fists collided — and the void cried out.

Ash's left eye burned blue — the Eye of the First Memory.

His right eye flared crimson — the Eye of Last Truth.

"I don't burn alone," he growled. "I burn with everything I've created."

Yaatra smiled — but it was a sad one.

> "So it ends… just like it began. In flame."

They exploded outward — two forces destined to end each other, colliding not in space, but in meaning.

The Void Realm began to collapse — torn between destruction and rebirth.

And above all… Ash still stood.

Breathing.

Fighting.

Burning.

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