Muiren's grip faltered as the ground trembled violently, giving me the moment I needed to fight back. His vice-like hands were cold, unyielding, and inhumanly strong, but desperation fueled my every move. Kicking and punching had no effect, and I was running out of options.

  I remembered my weapon was soul-bound—Titan’s Heart could return to me. Could it actually work like the legends of a certain godly axe? Silly as it sounded, I was out of options.

  "Please, Titan's Heart," I thought with all my might. "Come here!"

  A zooming sound like a falling meteor pierced the air. Suddenly, my ax came hurtling through the battlefield, biting deep into Muiren's arm just below the elbow. Black sludge gushed from the wound, vile and unnatural. With a howl of pain, he loosened his grip on me, his eyes burning with rage.

  The ax’s new form included a hammer end on its backside, and inspiration struck. Grabbing the handle, I flipped it in my grip and swung the hammer directly into Muiren’s eye. The blow was perfect—the hammer shattered the orb, and his screams echoed through the battlefield.

  I broke free as Muiren staggered back, clutching his face. He cursed, his voice a venomous roar. "You wretched brat! I’ll tear your spine out and beat you to death with it!"

  I grinned despite the odds. "Well, I think someone else has something to say about that."

  Before Muiren could recover, the ground beneath him erupted. A massive stone fist, the size of a house, burst from the earth and slammed into him, sending his body hurtling through the forest. Trees splintered, the earth quaked, and the sheer force of Zotherg’s strike reshaped the landscape.

  The ancient elemental’s full form rose from the ground, towering over the battlefield like a living mountain. His roar was deafening, a primal sound that shook the heavens. Zotherg wasn’t holding back anymore.

  Muiren struggled to his feet, his armor cracked and his body battered. He tried to fight back, but against Zotherg, he was powerless. The massive elemental unleashed a relentless assault, pummeling the god with fists of stone. For a brief, fleeting moment, I thought we might actually win.

  But then I remembered the cost.

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  Zotherg’s form was crumbling, his body breaking apart even as he fought. The ancient laws of this world forbade beings of his power from intervening directly, and the penalty for breaking those laws was death. My heart sank as I used [Soul Analyze] to confirm my worst fears.

  Name: Zotherg

  Rank: Demi-God

  Status: Dying

  Description: The ancient elemental has broken the old laws. His form is disintegrating, and he will soon wither into pure mana. The spirit of Yor already mourns the loss of her firstborn.

  "Zotherg, stop!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Why are you doing this? You’ll die!"

  The elemental’s voice rumbled through the battlefield, resonating in my very soul. "Because you are my friend, my brother. This vile creature dared to use me against my kin. I will not allow it."

  "But killing him won’t stop him! He’s a god—he’ll just come back!"

  Zotherg paused briefly, his massive form shaking with each movement. "Not easily. His vessel is unique, rare beyond measure. Without it, he will not walk this plane for a long time."

  "But what about you? What will I do without you?" I cried, tears streaming down my face.

  "You will live, Juren. You have always been destined for greater things. You stayed here because of me, but now you must go."

  "No! I can’t leave you behind!"

  "You must," Zotherg said, his voice growing faint. "Your destiny calls, and my time is over."

  I watched helplessly as Zotherg’s form began to collapse, his body disintegrating into soil and mana. Desperate, I used earth magic to dig through the crumbling remains, searching for something—anything—of my friend. Finally, I uncovered a glowing orange crystal the size of a bowling ball.

  Within it flickered the faintest light, Zotherg’s soul.

  I held the crystal in my hands, pouring my mana into it, trying to stop the leaks that drained his essence. But it was futile. Like water slipping through my fingers, Zotherg’s life force was fading away.

  "Please don’t leave me," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Please..."

  But there was no response. The crystal grew cold and dim, and I knew Zotherg was gone.

  I sat there, clutching the lifeless stone, my heart breaking.

  A bloody cough drew my attention. Nearby, Muiren lay in a heap, his body battered and broken. His arms and legs had been ripped away, and his torso oozed black sludge. Despite his condition, he was still alive, his hateful eyes glaring at me.

  Rage consumed me.

  I rose to my feet, the crystal still in one hand. Titan’s Heart flew into the other, its blade glowing with golden light. I approached the fallen god, each step heavy with fury.

  Muiren sneered, blood dripping from his lips. "You think... this changes anything? I’ll return... and when I do, I’ll—"

  "You’ll do nothing," I interrupted, my voice cold and steady. "Because you’ll never leave this place."

  Without hesitation, I raised Titan’s Heart and brought it down. The blade pierced Muiren’s chest, driving deep into his corrupted vessel. He let out a final, gurgling scream as his body disintegrated into ash.

  It was over.

  I fell to my knees, clutching Zotherg’s soul stone, and let the tears fall. The mountain had moved, and the world would never be the same.

  It could return to me, right? Like... The ax from a certain individual who likes to say "Boy! Boy! Atreus!" an awful lot. The silly premise aside I was out of options. I thought, "please Titan's Heart come here!"