Chapter 85 – The Storm Beyond the Night.
Four Years Later
The world had changed.
The tides of power had shifted.
And the heavens trembled.
Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis—the Queen of the Night, the Moon's Sovereign, the Daughter of the Sun God—had ascended. No longer a mere demigod, she had claimed her rightful place among the divine, transcending mortality to become an immortal goddess.
Leonhardt Valerian Everhart—the Traitor Prince, the Shadow of the Battlefield, the Man Who Defied an Empire—stood at the edge of godhood himself. A demigod, stronger than any mortal had ever been, walking a path that no human had dared to tread before.
Their names had become legend, whispered in awe and fear.
But they were not content with legends.
They sought a throne beyond the heavens themselves.
The Celestial Ascent
The night sky over the Kingdom of Aurion shimmered with divine radiance. The stars, once distant, now bowed to their queen. The moon, vast and luminous, pulsed with celestial power, resonating with the will of the goddess who had claimed dominion over the night.
Aetheria stood at the highest peak of the celestial temple, her silvery-white hair cascading like flowing light, her violet eyes gleaming with unfathomable wisdom. She no longer belonged to the mortal realm. Her very presence exuded an aura of divinity that could shatter the minds of weaker beings.
The moment had arrived.
She raised her hand. The skies trembled.
An unearthly silence consumed the world as the heavens bent to her will. The last remnants of her mortality crumbled away, replaced by the boundless, omnipotent power of a true goddess.
And then—light.
A pillar of silver and gold divine energy erupted from her body, ascending beyond the mortal plane. The skies cracked apart, revealing the boundless realm of the gods.
From the divine realm, the remaining gods watched.
Ra—the Sun God, the most powerful of the four remaining deities—gazed upon his daughter with an expression unreadable. The God of War and Peace stood in contemplative silence, while the Goddess of Wisdom's golden eyes reflected curiosity.
Brama, the Dragon God, let out a deep, ancient sigh.
"Another one has risen."
The world was no longer the same.
The balance of power had shifted.
The Night's Queen had become a goddess.
Leonhardt's Path to Godhood
Far from the celestial temple, in the depths of an ancient battlefield where blood had long since dried and bones had turned to dust, stood Leonhardt.
His once youthful features had sharpened with age, his ashen-black hair flowing in the wind, streaks of crimson gleaming under the faint light of the setting sun. His fiery red eyes, flecked with gold, burned with untamed power.
He had walked a path of blood, carved through battlefields, defied kings, shattered armies, and now—he stood at the edge of divinity.
He was no longer a mere mortal.
Leonhardt Valerian Everhart was a demigod.
And yet, he was unsatisfied.
The realm of the gods was within reach, but he had not yet taken that final step. Unlike Aetheria, whose ascension had been destined from birth, his path was one of defiance. He had no god's blood in his veins. He was born human.
And yet, he would ascend.
Not as a god's chosen.
But as the man who would shatter the heavens themselves.
The air around him crackled with chaotic energy as he unleashed his power. The ground beneath his feet shattered, unable to withstand the pressure. Flames, black as night and laced with golden lightning, coiled around him. The world trembled at his presence, recognizing him as something beyond mortal comprehension.
But he was not finished.
Not yet.
Not until he stood beside her.
The World Reacts
The news spread like wildfire.
Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis had ascended.
Leonhardt Valerian Everhart had become the strongest demigod in history, a being who stood just beneath the gods.
The world trembled at the revelation.
The empire that had branded Leonhardt a traitor fell into turmoil. The nobles who once mocked him now feared his return. The emperor himself, Aldric Everhart, felt an unfamiliar sensation creep into his chest—dread.
For years, he had believed Leonhardt's story had ended when he abandoned the empire.
But now, the entire world whispered his name with reverence and fear.
His son had surpassed him.
His son was now beyond even the reach of the empire itself.
And worst of all…
He was not alone.
Beside him stood a goddess.
Aetheria had not just claimed Leonhardt—she had claimed dominion over the night itself.
And as the world watched in horror and awe, the realization dawned upon them.
They had lost control.
The balance of power had shifted.
And the true rulers of the world had returned.
The Gods' Response
Far beyond the mortal realm, in the divine halls of the gods, silence reigned.
Ra, the Sun God, gazed down upon the mortal plane where his daughter had ascended.
He had always known this day would come.
But now, he could no longer remain a passive observer.
His daughter had become a goddess.
His daughter had declared a man as hers.
And that man…was far too close to godhood.
"Leonhardt Valerian Everhart," he murmured, his voice a blend of power and contemplation. "You stand at the gates of divinity. But will you enter?"
The God of War and Peace remained quiet, watching.
The Goddess of Wisdom narrowed her eyes.
And the Dragon God, Brama, let out a slow, ancient chuckle.
"The heavens will not remain the same for long."
The Night and the Storm
Far from the eyes of the world, beneath a sky painted with moonlight, Leonhardt stood before Aetheria.
She, now a goddess.
He, standing at the threshold of divinity.
For a long moment, they simply gazed at each other, separated by fate yet bound by an unbreakable connection.
Then, she smiled—a slow, knowing smile, filled with a promise.
"You're almost there," she whispered, her voice carrying the weight of eternity.
Leonhardt smirked, stepping closer, reaching out. His fingers brushed against hers, and the world itself seemed to pause.
"Then wait for me," he murmured. "I won't be long."
The heavens shuddered.
The gods watched.
And the storm beyond the night raged on.