Chapter 576: An End!
"Die."
It was a single command.
A single command which perplexed all the forces of Celestials that just battled at the Verittas Fortress, as it was not something any of them expected to hear from their Founder as he glanced towards them.
Many of them titled their heads to see if they heard correctly, but then their eyes began shaking as from the figure of Aldrich that they feared to even look at for too long, a golden light had begun to swiftly permeate from him!
This light caused their hearts to palpate as it did not seem warm or calming, but it held a cruel glimmer which shook them to their very cores!
"What.."
"This…!
"No!"
Pandemonium ensued as those who were covered by this light began to burn in body and in origin, screeching shouts resounding out as an unbelievable sight occurred in this nondescript region in the Light Expanse where Aldrich had teleported the Celestials who were fighting at the Verittas Fortress.
RUMBLE!
Aldrich's hand reached out as he clasped onto the neck of the remaining Star Forging Celestial that was about to fall into the hands of the 9th Infernal Lord, the shocked look of horror on the Celestial's eyes not making Aldrich falter one bit!
"Founder...Huk!"
His hand clasped tighter as he used an Authority about to near completion to decimate the forces of Celestials he just saved, those in the World Realm or below not being able to last even a second as their bodies burned flames of gold, screams resounding across the region they were in.
Not a single Celestial could escape as his Authority spread out to cover all the nearby space, many only being able to speak their grievances for a single second before they perished!
"Why…!"
"No!"
In the midst of all of this, Aldrich's eyes remained impassive as he watched the Star Forging Celestial Commander in his hands begin to fade away, a shocking sight displaying itself all around the tens of miles area as hundreds of thousands of Celestials had their lives extinguished.
"There is no underlying reason, your uses have just run out."
Aldrich spoke out slowly as there was not a single soul to answer him, only golden flames remaining in the surrounding miles that signified the lives of Celestials he had raised for years. Numerous Fate Lines descended down at this juncture as the apathetic eyes of Aldrich glanced at the ashes around him.
"Do not blame me for what I am about to do to the creatures dwelling in this little cage of yours. You have simply pushed me too much."
His cold voice rang out again as his figure carried out another long distance teleportation, disappearing from this area that bordered the Dark Expanse as he went towards a different location.
At this same time, the commands he released to the other Celestial Legions to destroy the location in the Dark Expanse they occupied were being carried out with extreme cruelty, the Celestials themselves not knowing that hundreds of thousands of beings just like them were just decimated by their Founder!
As they began destroying the lives of many in the Dark Expanse, they had no idea what fate awaited for them as they made their return to a place they called home!
The events about to occur next...were simply too horrendous, and the deaths would be simply too many. It was a cruel and sad time period, and one that would be remembered throughout history…
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In the location above the Verittas Fortress, Noah and the other Commanders began receiving news from many locations that were monitoring the occupied strongholds of the Dark Expanse by Celestials.
The news they received was of shocking cruelty, of numerous stars beginning to be destroyed as Celestials could be seen retreating!
"This…!"
"Monsters!"
Many beings growled out in pained fury as they heard this, as too many of them had connections to these places, where some soldiers even had their families still living in strongholds occupied by Celestials! Now, they were hearing that they would not even get the chance to fight back for them, that the Celestials had begun destroying stars using their World Commanders or Prime Warships, if not the more horrendous Realm Dreadnaughts.
"Snow Field Stronghold...has been destroyed!"
"The Bronze Star Cluster is…!"
Numerous shocking news rang out as the many forces in the Dark Expanse began to move and react to these news, Noah turning towards the 1st Infernal Lord that had begun speaking with a cold tone.
"It seems Aldrich is adopting drastic measures. Go, save all those that you can."
Noah's figure disappeared even before the words of the 1st Infernal Lord could finish as he teleported to the location that his identity as Crixus had a role in helping occupy, his main body appearing at the Witches Layer where three stars were rotating the last time he was here.
Now, only two stars remained as one had already been targeted by a Prime Warship, its core blasted by destructive lasers as the billions within it were wiped away!
"Wretches!"
RUMBLE!
Noah moved with a cold expression as his eyes blazed red, his figure targeting the three Prime Warships that were now aiming their weapons towards the other two remaining stars as he cast Aether Star Form and barreled towards these vessels in an instant, smashing into them and destroying all those within as he moved to save the remaining two planets.
WAA!
Baleful Aether and many other skills were employed as he moved to wipe out any of the remaining Celestials nearby, moving fast to save as many beings as he could.
As his eyes watched the already shattered star, he felt pangs of guilt for the billions lost as it was through his identity as Crixus that this Witches Layer was taken over, but never did he expect for Aldrich to command his forces to destroy conquered areas after he appeared!
RUMBLE!
Noah continued to move as he was among the many beings across the Dark Expanse that moved angrily to stop the injustice and blatant genocide currently being carried out by retreating Celestials, the fates of many creatures being affected this day as chaos freely spread out unbound!
It would be a long, painful, and sad day for many to live through, but it signified the nearing of the end of something that would have carried on for years.
If it had followed the normal route, the Last War would have lasted for a much longer period of time, with the possibility of trillions facing their deaths.
But now, less than even a month after the Last War began, the Celestials were already retreating while carrying out horrendous actions.
Whether it was through the law of ever-increasing chaos and disorder.
Or through the steering of the river of fate.
Or through the karma sowed by the multitude of creatures.
An end was coming, and a new beginning would soon arise.