The energy in the coffin surged and crackled. With a deafening roar, the coffin exploded in a storm of flames, and from its shattered remains, the god erupted like a beast unchained. The sudden eruption from the coffin shook the entire room, and his aura was instantly felt by everyone. The being that emerged was twice the size of everyone else in the room and twice as menacing. His body was a nightmarish fusion of man and beast with a large muscular body of a Greek god statue gleaming with ancient magic and the snarling head of a canine. His head looked like a hunting dog with dark set eyes that glowed with yellow flames and sharp fangs dripping with cursed saliva that hissed and smoked as it hit the ground.

  The god’s laughter boomed through the chamber with a sound that sent chills down the spines of all those present. The god stretched and flexed all the muscle on his body as he yawned and tested the strength of his new body. The strength in his new limbs rippled through his figure solidifying his presence. Purposefully turning slowly towards Xaden, he said, “Ah, thank you foolish mortal. You were so receptive to all my little suggestions. You don’t know how long it felt like in there. I was guarding that monotonous lake of fire with nothing but silence to keep me company for what felt like eternity. With no way to tell the time, every day felt like it was the same day on repeat. The mind grows weary after awhile.”

  “However, it feels so good to be back in the world of the living.” He sneered.

  “I truly do miss the days where mortals worshiped us and gave us sacrifices.” He licked his lips. “The days when mortals still needed gods to fill in the blank spots in their little mysteries of life. Ah, I could feast on mortal souls on a silver platter without question.”

  His fiery gaze scanned the room. “But now, no one even remembers my name. Once your name is forgotten as a lesser god, you are as good as dead. You know what they say about the three deaths. The first death is when the body stops working. The second is when the body is buried. Finally, the third is when everyone has forgotten you. Oh, the tragedy,” he said with a falsity in his voice.

  “Well, I’m back now. Time to welcome me, Am-Heh, back in all my glory.” He said with a low menacing growl. “Ah, and I am absolutely starving.”

  Am-Heh lowered into a predatory crouch, his flames intensifying as he lunged with terrifying speed toward Xander’s lifeless form. The flames around him flared as he moved with terrifying speed. But Xavier and Astra was one step ahead of him. In perfect synchronization, they snatched Xander’s body from the ground a heartbeat before Am-Heh’s claws raked through the empty air. They scrambled backward with their hearts pounding. Their relief was unmistakable as they put distance between themselves and their pursuer. Taking no chances, Astra hefted Xander’s body on his shoulder and bolted for the door. It was lighter than he had expected. Astra made a grim mental note, “Both of those kids are really malnourished.”

  Bootstrap rushed to Astra’s side with his sword drawn to cover him against the inevitable retaliation from Am-Heh. The god’s fury blazed at their retreat, and he lunged with savage speed, jaws snapping. Bootstrap maneuvered his sword to block as Am-Heh’s terrible fangs. The sharp fangs collided with Bootstrap’s sword with a clang as spit flung from Am-Heh’s mouth. The cursed saliva sizzling on the metal as it landed. Eadrich, in tuned with Bootstrap, started to fling a barrage of cards directly at the crazed god’s head with deadly precision. The explosions rocked Am-Heh, but seemed to have little lasting effect on his divine form. The god’s body must be far tougher than mortal bodies.

  “Do you truly think your flimsy spells and forged steel will defy a god? You’re nothing but dust beneath my claws.” Am-Heh taunted.

  Switching tactics, Eadrich channeled arcane magic into the ground to shift the stones beneath the god’s feet while Bootstrap seized the opportunity to throw his full weight against the god.

  “Good, good,” Astra muttered to himself, his mind racing with ideas. If we can’t take him head-on like this, maybe we can force him into a position where we have the upper hand.

  Am-Heh started to struggle for balance. They off-balanced Am-Heh just enough for Astra to see a strong opening. Astra seized the opening, darting in with blinding speed to deliver a devastating uppercut. The impact rang out with satisfying force, momentarily stunning their divine opponent. Immediately afterwards, Xaden used some of the last reserves of mana he had to command as much fire from the surrounding candles as he could to create a scorching vortex and whirled them at the dazed god. Giving Am-Heh no time to breathe, Astra proceeded to throw one more kick at the head of the god for good measure. For one breathless moment, their synchronized assault seemed to have succeeded. But their hope was destined to be short-lived.

  With a roar of fury, Am-Heh dispelled Xaden’s flames, his eyes now brimming with rage. Am-Heh snarled and raised his arms to summon hellfire flames around him. “Pathetic! You think courage can save you? Your courage is but fuel for my hunger!”

  With another wave of his arms he ignited all the walls of the room with a wave of fire. The room was now completely on fire except for the floor. The heat intensified as Am-Heh stood up, the flames now revealing that the room was a giant tomb with ancient hieroglyphs on the walls. The hieroglyphs revealed a macabre record of countless human sacrifices made in the name of Am-Heh.

  Am-Heh laughs as he said, “It feels good to be back.” His voice filled with glee as he waved his arms at the walls. “Look around you! These walls are lined with the remains of those who gave their lives for my rebirth. My devoted followers weren’t as delusional as you thought, were they?”

  “Hmm, but it still is not enough. That boy, Xavier. His mana was peculiar. A real treat. I will enjoy eating his soul first.” He paused and tilted his head a bit like he was just noticing something. “But you all have something special about you. What spectacular souls we have here!” He said as he scanned the room looking deep into their souls. “This is the perfect welcoming party for such an occasion.”

  Everyone looked around nervously. The exits were all sealed with pillars of flames. The air was increasingly getting thicker with smoke and the heat was getting to an unbearable range. They all felt the sweat starting to evaporate from their skin.

  Astra’s mind spun as the chaos unfolded. He watched Bootstrap, the only one left standing, with a mixture of awe and dread. We’re not winning this fight, not like this, Astra thought frantically, his pulse pounding in his ears. We need to regroup, get out of here, and come up with a new plan.

  He could almost see the gears turning in Bootstrap’s head, the old man clearly thinking the same thing. Astra’s gut told him Bootstrap was about to try something desperate, but before any plan could take shape, Am-Heh’s monstrous roar ripped through the chamber. The ground trembled, and a fiery explosion erupted outward, scattering them all like leaves caught in a brutal storm.

  The blast hit Astra like a freight train, throwing him hard against a jagged wall. Pain flared in his ribs, but he forced his eyes open just in time to see the aftermath. Everyone else was sprawled out, groaning, or lying still except for Bootstrap who alone stood against the might of the god, his sword cleaving through the flames like a bolt of defiance.

  “Bootstrap!” Astra shouted, his voice swallowed by the chaos, as Am-Heh shifted its attention entirely to the lone warrior. The beast moved differently now. He was faster and fiercer, like it was done testing its prey. Astra could only watch helplessly as Am-Heh became a blur of terrifying speed, its jaws snapping down on Bootstrap’s left arm with bone-crunching force.

  The sound of the bite echoed in Astra’s ears, and his stomach twisted as he saw the gemstone clutched in Bootstrap’s hand begin to dim. Black, cursed energy pulsed from Am-Heh’s fangs, spreading like tendrils up Bootstrap’s arm. He staggered, but even then, the old man’s grip on his sword never wavered.

  No, no, no! Astra’s thoughts were a hurricane of panic and anger. This can’t be how it ends. Think, Astra. Think!

  Astra’s breath hitched as he saw Am-Heh’s gaze lock onto the object in Bootstrap’s hand, the gemstone. Its glow pulsed faintly, radiating an ancient, godlike energy that even Astra could feel. Am-Heh snarled, his malevolent eyes narrowing. He wasn’t about to let it slip away.

  “Bootstrap, watch out!” Astra yelled, scrambling to his feet. But it was too late. With inhuman speed, Am-Heh lunged forward and ripped Bootstrap’s sword from his grip, the weapon clattering across the room, far out of reach.

  Am-Heh turned back, towering over Bootstrap, his voice a venomous growl. “Your cheap tricks only delay the inevitable! I am eternal, boundless!”

  The next moment was a blur of violence. Am-Heh’s fists struck Bootstrap in a relentless barrage of brutal blows, each one landing with a sickening thud that made Astra flinch. Bootstrap staggered, blood spraying from his lips as Am-Heh’s assault forced him to his knees. Finally, with a cruel punch to the gut, Bootstrap crumpled, and the gemstone tumbled from his hand.

  Am-Heh’s laughter filled the room, sharp and manic as he snatched the gemstone and shoved it into his pocket like a trophy. “At last! Power fit for a god!” His voice echoed, laced with triumph and unbridled madness.

  Astra’s heart clenched as Bootstrap hit the ground, his once-formidable mentor now reduced to a battered shadow of himself. Blood flowed freely from the gash on Bootstrap’s arm, pooling beneath him as he crawled weakly, desperate to put space between himself and the monstrous god. But the room was searing now, the oppressive heat pressing down on Astra like an iron weight.

  Am-Heh’s aura seemed to fill the air with fire, choking out hope and replacing it with dread. Astra’s fists clenched as the enormity of the situation hit him like a tidal wave. There was no running now, no clever tricks to escape.

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  They would have to fight Am-Heh. Or die trying.

  Thinking on his feet, Eadrich hurled a few more cards at the distracted god. But this time, he had imbued the cards with the power to siphon heat rather than ignite it. The cards froze patches of the god’s skin eliciting a roar of pain. The wound did not heal. The god was by no means unkillable. Eadrich threw a couple more cards. Unfortunately, this time Am-Heh was ready and burned the card before it even reached him. Am-Heh was getting more comfortable in this fight. His fangs were now surrounded by an ominous black aura. Am-Heh ran up to Eadrich in a flash, but before he could strike the monk, Astra and Xaden ran in to tackle Am-Heh down. They used the rest of their stamina with that last tackle. However, with no more energy in reserve, they could only stand there holding on to the massive god as he struggled to get up.

  With a dismissive motion, Am-Heh peeled the cards off his body and casually tossed Eadrich and Xaden aside like rag dolls.

  “You were merely playing with embers, while I am the inferno.” Am-Heh pulled on some of the fire from the walls, concentrated it into a sphere and threw it at Xaden. The fireball struck Xaden’s leg with a deafening sizzle, flames engulfing the limb. It produced a sound like beef searing on a hot pan. Xaden’s entire left leg was consumed by the magical fire in a heartbeat. Xaden frantically worked to extinguish the blaze, desperately clawing at his burning pants, as the god laughed manically at him struggling. Xaden let out a guttural scream when he finally got the pants off. His entire left leg looked burnt and blistering. Xaden rolled to his side and did his best to pull his leg close to him. He attempted to use whatever magic he had left to try to heal or change the composition of the outer layers of skin temporarily to prevent further damage and dissipate the heat still on the outer layer of the skin. However, with basically no magic left, he desperately struggled to patch up his skin as his magic continued to fizzle out.

  Turning to Astra, Am-Heh unleashed a flurry of punches, maniacally laughing with each strike, until Astra eventually had no energy left to even block with his arms. He was too dazed, and his arms did not seemed to want to listen to him anymore as they went limp at his sides. With the heat continuing increase proportionally with Am-Heh’s mana levels, everyone started to choke on the thick, smokey air. The air grew thicker and oppressive, suffocating all who remained standing. One by one, they collapsed to their knees, overcome with despair. Astra started to realize that this was not going to end well.

  “Look at you, scrambling, bleeding, breaking. This is what it means to defy a god. Remember it, if you survive that is.” Am-Heh gloated.

  Astra’s legs felt like lead, his lungs burned, and the oppressive heat in the room clawed at his every breath. They were out of mana, out of strength, and nearly out of hope. The crushing weight of the air mirrored the despair that hung heavy in his mind. This was it, wasn’t it? The end of the road.

  But then, something shifted. The suffocating air began to thin, the oppressive heat pulling back like a tide retreating from the shore. Astra struggled to lift his head, and what he saw stole the breath he didn’t have.

  Xavier.

  Standing tall amidst the wreckage, Xavier’s once-fragile frame now radiated a calm, commanding strength. His presence pushed away the smoky air like it was nothing more than a veil. That strange, infectious aura of his, that was deemed a curse, now surged outward with purpose, extending toward Am-Heh like a defiant challenge.

  Astra could see the moment Am-Heh recognized the threat. The god’s blazing eyes narrowed, a flicker of unease breaking through his smug superiority. “I am a god!” Am-Heh roared, his voice shaking the walls. “Don’t think for a second that you can defeat me with human fear or despair!”

  But Xavier didn’t falter.

  From where Astra lay, barely able to move, he watched in awe as Xavier’s will manifested in ways that defied belief. Images began to form in the room, like shadows pulled from Am-Heh’s own mind. They started as vague outlines, swirling in the air, before solidifying into towering figures.

  Three shapes emerged. Each one matched Am-Heh’s imposing size, their presence suffocating in its intensity. The first had the head of a bird, its razor-sharp beak glinting in the dim light. The second bore the massive jaws of a crocodile, its eyes cold and predatory. The last loomed with the head of a jackal, its sharp ears angled forward like a hunter ready to strike.

  Astra caught the briefest flicker of something in Am-Heh’s demeanor. It was recognition and fear.

  The towering shadows seemed to embody something primal, something that even a god couldn’t brush aside. Astra’s heart pounded in his chest as he watched Am-Heh flinch, his bravado slipping ever so slightly.

  Xavier, who had always seemed so quiet and small, now stood as the center of their last hope. He didn’t speak, but his resolve was written across his face, in the aura he exuded, and in the shadows he had conjured.

  And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Astra believed.

  Am-Heh instinctively lowered his gaze and stammered something no one else could hear. The lesser god’s bravado crumbled quickly. The stronger his fear grew, the bigger and more fleshed out the shadow figures grew. They kept walking until they got right up to Am-Heh’s face and laid their hands on his head. They started to drain his mana with voracious speed. The room seemed to have gotten one notch cooler as Am-Heh struggled to fight the primal fear that was deeply ingrained in him.

  Lesser gods may have ruled over humans, but they were naturally fearful of the greater gods. The difference in the gods were evident in the type of mana they possessed and the composition of their souls. Greater gods each had a signature unique to them in their mana. Those that were especially gifted in sensing mana would be able to tell. Greater and primordial gods had their souls bound to their mana. Therefore, as long as there was a significant amount of their special mana somewhere in the vast multiverse, they could revived themselves over time. They were essentially immortal.

  As for lesser gods, they much like humans had a separation of mana and soul. If the soul died so does the god. Lesser gods normally had human followers give them vast amounts of mana and soul either through a ritual, sacrifice or even through prayers directed at that god. This in turn, gave the god more power and presence. When the body of a lesser god was destroyed, their soul often gets sent to a waiting room where if there was a special ritual done for them, the god’s soul could go back into a body.

  If a greater god decides to fight and kill a lesser god, the greater god does have the ability to destroy the lesser god’s soul directly ending their life. This has caused many lesser gods especially after the god wars long ago to bow down to the greater gods whenever they see them.

  Therefore, Am-Heh could not fight the strong urge to stay prostrated while Xavier’s magic is conjuring up the three greater gods that are directly above him.

  “Hey, Xavier!” Yelled Astra. “Uh, are you okay? I mean, how long-”

  Xavier cut him off and shook his head. “I… I can’t keep this up much longer,” Xavier said, his voice trembling but resolute. Beads of sweat rolled down his face. His body visibly strained against the weight of his own magic. “He took too much of my mana before.”

  He gritted his teeth. The figures he had conjured flickered slightly as their forms threatening to unravel. “This… this is the best I can do.”

  His eyes darted toward Astra and Bootstrap with desperation and determination mingled in his gaze. “Please,” he pleaded, his voice sharp with urgency. “Someone needs to finish him. Now!”

  Xaden looked at Bootstrap. He was still trying to recover from all the beatings that he took in this fight especially the bleeding arm which was still profusely bleeding. Xaden scanned all around for Bootstrap’s sword. There was only one thing left they can try.

  “Bootstrap!” Shouted Xaden. “If this really is the sword I think it is, you are the only one who can defeat him.”

  Xaden’s eyes locked on Bootstrap’s discarded sword. With agonizing effort, he dragged himself towards it, every movement sending waves of pain through his burnt leg. Xaden grabbed the sword noticing how heavy it really was for a half broken sword and passed it to Astra who had also started to walk to help him. As Astra hands the sword to Bootstrap, Xaden yelled, his voice raw from the smoke, “You don’t need to be the chosen hero. You just need to be the one who chooses to be a hero! This will be our last chance here.”

  Astra nodded to Bootstrap and laid the sword in Bootstrap’s trembling hand. Bootstrap took a moment to collect himself and with the help of Astra, stood up. Together they laboriously walked to where Am-Heh lay paralyzed.

  “You can barely stand, yet you rise again. Know your place, insect!” Growled Am-Heh through gritted teeth.

  At this point, Bootstrap hardly had the strength to hold the sword well enough to fight with it. He was quickly losing strength as he continued to bleed. Astra could see that the bite had a curse on it so that the wound could not be closed so easily. All Bootstrap had left was one good strike left in him.

  Am-Heh, finally breaking out of the fear, straightened to his full, towering height, defying his own faltering strength. A guttural roar erupted from him, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. “This will not be my end!” His voice crackled with fury, yet beneath it, there was a tremor of fear. “I have sacrificed, purified this tainted world in flames, and for what? To be cast aside, forgotten?”

  His gaze burned into them, desperation mingling with hatred. “You mortals are all alike. You take our protection and revel in our strength only to discard us like mere tools once your fears are sated!” His voice dropped, seething with venom. “No, I will not be left to die alone again.” His entire form pulsed with energy as he raised his claws toward them. “Today, you shall die in flames. And with your last breath, you will remember me.”

  Am-Heh concentrated his mana to his fist and pull the surrounding fire to it. In his last ditched effort, he wound up his fist to punch through both Bootstrap and Astra, but stopped midair. His body would not obey him. All his frustration and all his pent up emotions bubbled up to the surface as he stared straight in Bootstrap’s eyes.

  “I can’t hold this for long. Do it now!” Xander said using Am-Heh’s body.

  With a burst of resolve, Bootstrap whispered the incantation passed on to him from the legendary wizard. This time, Astra had the chance to hear what it was and felt the incantation resonate in his mind. “The night is darkest before the dawn, Let the light in me shine to banish the evil in others.” Astra felt a weird calming sensation rush through him and cleared his mind. Astra took Bootstrap’s hand and guided the sword into Am-Heh’s heart together.

  Astra’s palms burned against the heated hilt of Bootstrap’s sword as they pushed together, every muscle screaming under the strain.

  As the blade drove into Am-Heh’s chest, it drank deep of the god’s mana. Light erupted from every crack and scar across his body, burning away the darkness within him like a star consuming the night.

  “Impossible… I am Am-Heh, devourer of souls…” Am-Heh grunted.

  “Wait! You don’t know what you’re doing-” Am-Heh sputtered, terror blooming behind his bravado.

  With one more monstrous roar, the light in Am-Heh’s eyes burned out. The body slumped to the floor as Astra pulled the sword out of the chest of the dead god. The heavy body hit the floor with a thud. A strange wind blew and a small light flew out of Am-Heh’s body and disappeared into the dark corridors. With that, all the fire in the room burned out as quickly as they had came. Astra wanted to give chase to that flicker of light, but Bootstrap held him back.

  “It’s alright, Astra,” Bootstrap said, his voice steady but heavy with weariness. “The sword is designed to banish true evil, to cleanse what is beyond redemption. If he had been pure evil, the blade would have destroyed him outright.”

  “But it seems the sword judged him not as pure evil, but something more conflicted. His soul now rests in its waiting place, caught between realms for now.” Bootstrap placed a hand on Astra’s shoulder, his tone softening. “Not all battles end with destruction, kid. Sometimes, it’s about understanding what lies beneath, even in our enemies.”

  “I guess we don’t really have any strength left in us either,” Astra admitted. “In the end, I feel like we released something dangerous back into this world.”

  Collectively, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief that the fight was over. As the smoke started to clear and the adrenaline faded, Astra had just one thought. We made it, battered but alive.