Chapter 76: The Frozen Dawn and the Paradox of the Crimson Soul
The Stagnation of Light
Just as Rina's celestial power reached its zenith, the air around her suddenly crystallized. Malakor, sensing his imminent defeat, tapped into a forbidden Chrono-Void spell. He didn't attack her; he froze the very time in the space she occupied. Rina was locked in mid-air, her hair flowing like silver silk frozen in ice, her eyes glowing but unmoving. She became a living statue of starlight—silent, radiant, but completely helpless. Malakor let out a cold, rasping chuckle. "Stay there, little goddess. Witness the extinction of your world from your frozen throne."
The Mad Awakening of the Crimson King
Diari, seeing Rina frozen like a relic of the past, felt something snap. The pain from the chains, the exhaustion from the soul-drain—it all vanished under a tidal wave of pure, unadulterated madness. He stood up, his bones creaking like old floorboards. But as he rose, the air didn't just heat up; it began to glitch.
Suddenly, something impossible emerged from his chest. A core of 'Primal Void'—a swirling, violet-black energy that was the exact opposite of Rina's light, yet resonated with it perfectly. It was the missing piece of the cosmic puzzle. This wasn't just power; it was the 'Abyssal Key.' Malakor's eyes widened, a flicker of genuine terror dancing in his dark orbs. "That... that is not possible! That power was lost before the first stars were born!"
The Clash of Titans
Malakor, driven by a mixture of fear and fury, manifested a physical form made of shadows and jagged bone. He lunged at Diari. The collision sent a shockwave that leveled what was left of the house. Diari fought like a man possessed, his new violet-black aura clashing against Malakor's void magic. They tore through the walls, their battle moving into the darkened courtyard. Each strike from Diari carried the weight of a collapsing galaxy. Malakor used rare, ancient spells—summoning rains of obsidian needles and waves of soul-searing fire—but Diari, fueled by the sight of his frozen Queen, shrugged off the damage, his body healing and breaking in a continuous, horrific cycle.
The Descent into Darkness
Inside the wreckage, Rina's frozen form suddenly underwent a change. The strain of the temporal lock was too much for her physical body. Her eyes dimmed, and she collapsed into a state of deep unconsciousness, her silver radiance fading into a pale, ghostly glow.
Malakor, sensing her weakness even while fighting Diari, let out a piercing whistle. "Keep your eyes on the girl!" he commanded his demons. The remaining shadow-beasts swarmed around Rina's limp body. Their eyes were fixed on her with a predatory hunger, their talons inches from her skin, waiting for the slightest command to tear her apart.
The Vision of the Sage
As the battle raged outside, a new light appeared. On the forehead of Rina's father, the emerald mark didn't just glow; it expanded, forming a protective cocoon of vines around him. Elias, lying in the dust, felt a surge of ancient prophecy. He saw the violet-black energy of Diari and the fading silver of Rina beginning to hum in a secret frequency. Despite his broken ribs and the blood in his lungs, a faint smile touched Elias's lips. "The Paradox," he whispered. "The end is not destruction... it is the birth of something new." He knew that despite the horror, they were walking toward a victory that was written in the stars long ago.
Written by:Dlin_myth