Several hours ago...

Athena’s figure flashed through the structures of the flying city as she made her way towards the volcano, her senses locked onto the chaotic power that shone like a beacon to those with the senses to see it.

This power, it feels ancient, like it has existed for an incomparable amount of time, Athena thought to herself as she reached the first slopes of the volcano and started to make her way up. Her face was serious, with none of her customary easy-going attitude to be seen.

As she flashed her way up along the massive pipes and structures, she summoned out her staff and started bringing out her magic power, calling on her own Arbiter’s Mark and fusing Sethrii’s divine strength with her own. She was certain this fight would not be easy, so she had to be prepared.

The closer she got to her target, the more powerful the chaotic energy seemed to become, permeating through the area and causing strange things to happen in the surroundings. Athena witnessed rocks start to float around strangely before disintegrating into dust. The magical energy as well was acting strange, trembling and squirming as if the particles wanted to escape from here, but were unable to do so.

Insulating herself against the chaotic power with several layers of divine energy, Athena continued on. It wasn’t long before she reached her destination. Halfway up the side of the volcano was a flat area that had sheer walls on one side, and a straight drop on the other, and standing at the edge was Volaia Rellen.

Athena’s brow wrinkled slightly in confusion as she stopped a safe distance away, staring at the person she had come here to find.

This is strange…. Why is she so young? She thought to herself, not dropping her guard even for an instant.

Volaia Rellen looked like a young girl barely into her teens, with plenty of growing left to do. Athena had expected to find a woman about as old as herself, but instead it was a young girl.

Could it be that the Blood Soul Crystal had stopped her from aging? No, that should not be the case. Blood Soul Crystals are not capable of that. It has to be something about this power…

Athena was now in the thick of the chaotic energy that Volaia was releasing. It was so potent that the entire area seemed to be in a constant flux of tipping between order and chaos, as it the bonds that held everything together wanted to rip apart and dissolve into their most basic elements.

It was at this point that Athena remembered. She had studied this power before! She had come across a document in her travels that claimed that the universe itself was composed of order and chaos, two cosmic forces that were eternally locked in conflict with each other. The author of the document had claimed that these powers were the foundation of all things that existed, and if the balance tipped too far one way or the other, destruction would be the result.

Athena could not pretend to understand the intricacies of it, but from the description in that document, and what she was seeing and sensing right now, she understood that the power that was spilling out of this young girl was the primordial power of chaos! How this was possible, and what circumstances had led to this moment, she did not know, but it was too late now. She would have to deal with whatever came next.

She knew by now from Markus’s description and what she was seeing that Volaia’s body was no longer her own. Whoever or whatever this chaotic entity was, it was now in control with the fate of the original owner a mystery.

“A goddess? No… This power I sense… You are only borrowing it.”

A voice that made Athena shiver from head to toe suddenly spoke. It was a female voice, and it rippled and echoed through the air itself with indescribable power and authority, nearly driving her to her knees just from the sound! Athena reacted quickly and protected her ears, shaking off the effect and restoring her equilibrium. The voice had originated from Volaia, but she had not spoken. Instead, the voice had been projected through magic power alone.

The voice spoke again, “I know why you came here… Athena.”

Her eyes twitching in surprise, Athena watched as the girl at the cliff’s edge turned to face her. Her face was beautiful and calm, her long, blood-red hair dancing around it like a halo, and her eyes were pure swirling chaos, a pool of infinite power as old as the universe.

How did she…?!

“For those with eyes to see, nothing remains hidden,” the voice said as a corner of Volaia’s lips turned up in a half-smile.

“Who are you?” Athena asked, her body trembling as she spoke.

The voice did not answer, inferring through silence that Athena was not privileged to know. But after a moment, it spoke again, “Tell me… why do you tremble? Is it out of fear? Or is it… Excitement?”

They both knew the answer. Athena was trembling, her breath quickening, her magic energy surging, and it was indeed because she was excited! She could no longer contain it! Ever since she had first sensed this chaotic presence on the city she had been itching to test herself against it, to push her limits and see how much she was capable of!

Now that they were face to face, her desire for battle was burning, her eyes aflame with passion, and though she knew she should be going back to the others that were waiting for her, this was an opportunity she could not pass by!

“Ha ha ha…” The voice laughed, the vibrations rumbling through the surroundings like a prelude to an earthquake. “I like that look in your eyes. Very well. I will allow you to entertain me for a moment.”

Both of them brought forth their strength at the same time, and the volcano beneath them shook as power crackled and jolted through the air. The power of chaos, primordial and endless, blood-red and vicious as it threatened to unravel everything in the vicinity. And the power of a Rank 8 Amazorii warrior infused with the divine strength of a goddess, golden in color and filled with vibrant strength.

These two beacons of power shot towards the sky, the magical auras signifying that a battle of immense power was about to take place. Mere mortals could only cower and pray when faced with such forces, but would the gods care if they stepped on an ant? The answer was clear, and many times before the result had been the same.

This time the battle was on a flying city high in the sky, and not even the gods could know the outcome.