Zodius ... the epitome of fear within him.

If you look into abyss, the abyss looks into you. Not only the shallow cover you wear as your rationality, but deep down your subconscious fears

What does a person fear the most in his life? For most people it would be death. Karl was no different but, here is the twist, he was afraid even more of 'fear' itself.

The instinctive feeling of spine numbing terror, suffocating anxiousness caused by unpredictability of even 'a minute in future', heart drowning despair of losing himself, helplessness against his odds, desperation , edginess and the ever present cold sweat over his body could all be summed up into one word Fear that is ,Zodius.

The feelings of a sheep in lion's den, of that of an ant that somebody casually squashed with their feet, was thoroughly comprehended by him.

The first true 'glance' he had at abyss, was 'Zodius'. Abyss, that makes a his worst nightmares, seem like child play.

A deep sense of dread and despair covered him. Blood stopped circulating in his body. His legs unconsciously started trembling. His heart started pounding faster than a train. His eyes partially teared up .The courage he had mustered with all his might to face the beast, died instantly.

Having an enormous skeletal structure that was over 50 foot in length, the ‘personification of dread’ had six eyes on its skull. It's tremendous body, encompassed entirely jet black scales, so much so that he was unidentifiable in darkness.

It had three pairs of draconic teeth. Humongous jaws capable of tearing apart even hardest of things without any resistance. Completing the horror was a single demonic horn on its head representing it's status as a 'Devourer'

This heart drenching sight was made all the more terrifying by it's gaze filled with insanity.

The jet black scales were sharper than sabers. The mighty horn was 'crown' for it's body symbolizing terror. Each jaw sturdier enough to grind a even diamonds to dust instantaneously.

The space around the beast was devoid of life, it appeared as an abnormality that rendered the area around him lifeless.

Thanks to the telescope he made using Kalestones and Elihemus, he was able to look at it from a considerably distant hideout. But even when seeing this nightmare from decently distanced plateau, his instincts were still screaming loudly to 'back off and live another day before coming here to die'. He truly loathed the dread he felt now.

'Oh please I am not here. Check somewhere else abyss please'

*****

10 hours earlier. 2nd quarters

"Zodius,What sort of monster is he ?.What are it's strengths and weaknesses ?. Also inform me more about the crystal called kalestone."

A youth whose body appeared to be of colloid of organic mass and crystal was now interrogating a crystal Gorilla, while being surrounded by about 500 apes. This massive Auditorium was located in the central plateau region of Fourth Quarter at 'Jiancey Asylum'. The hall of inquisition was well lit up by the a mutated gel like being called 'Elihemus'.

The presence of violet "moss" covering the entire area was the only emotional support, he had here among apes. He really appreciated the moss, which had fought alongside him

"Zodius, being one of the 'Devourers', can consummate anything and everything into his strength. This plays huge factor when you duel him. The more you sweat, drop blood or even the carbon dioxide gas breath out will be instantly absorbed by him. Every time you lose even a single bead of sweat, his power will boost up a little with it. This also includes your primary weapon Elihemus; Hence, close range combat against it ,is beyond dumb. You will need to innovate new ways of offense, to fight him.

As for the weaknesses, his massive body is relatively slower than me. The amount of hourly energy needed by him to fully control his body is about 30 pounds of kalestone. If he doesn't manage to get that during the duel, he will go berserk for about half a day and devour everything and anything in his surrounding. There would be neither guard nor strategy but pure destructive assault then.

No matter what! Kill him before that happens, or he will set you as the target, after which nothing can stop him from pursuing you, no matter where you go. Particularly there are no weaknesses on his scaly structure so unless you can pull the same 'Scythe' attack twice, you won't be able to wound his skin.

After wounding him, try penetrating Elihemus in that wound. It will stagnate his offense.

You should observe him carefully and calmly to see for suitable strategy according to the situation. If you lose your patience or reflexes for even an instant, the next instant it will be your life.

As it doesn't want to consummate a renewable resource in one go, he lets the kalestone be replenished by 'Planthonic Chamber' meanwhile he stays asleep. Every 17 days, he awakes for a day and sates his hunger.

But don't think of ambushing him during the slumber as even when he is asleep, he has very extremely keen sense of smell that will detect any changes within 300 meters.

Fighting him will be like 'fighting a time bomb' with titanic body, having means of revitalizing his health. Of course, it will be tougher than cracking iron chains with your teeth, so firm yourself for it ."

As the Gorilla continued to spoke rather dreadfully, about mightiness of devouring monstrosity called Zodius, Karl's eyes grew darker and darker and finally he rebuke

"For the love of, how is beating such abomination even possible? If his skin is resilient enough to take my strongest 'close ' range attack and he is even smarter enough to dodge the same attack twice, Doesn't that make him invincible for me.? So fighting him is pointless, tell me about the surrounding area so I can instill traps ."

" You will have to find about the surrounding area by yourself as a punishment for your stupidity. Tell me brat what do you think I am pointing out at for half an hour ? Oh let's take something more basic. Why do you think you lost the battle with us earlier ?"

What is the mistake you are talking about? Now you are starting to lose it monkey. If you don't want to tell than say so. Stop making excuses.

But I never thought you were self gratifying gorilla. But I guess that suits your image. Yeah like hell I am going to praise you.

" I didn't knew the weakness you all ape shared that is clogging of life force. Also I let my guard down for an instance and you took that opportunity to plunge me. Then I was rash with my judgements.

But I don't know what mistake are you talking about ape"

After hearing his reply, the gorilla let out a viscious laugh.

"Hahaha, you are so naïve bug! Haven't you killed anyone with your hands before ?"

"No, never with my hands but I did defeated many people using sleeping gas. And fought using gundum."

" From your memory, What do you think happened to people who couldn't escape area of crossfire between 'Gundums'?"

"They were either rescued or died under the rubble"

" Rescued? Stop joking around! The gundum fights prolonged for week's on. They didn't died of rubble, but because they couldn't evacuate seeing unforeseen disaster and 'hoped' for peace to return. They died and so will you if you are unaware of what lies around you.

You idiot, you refuse to see the basic cause of your loss. So I will enlighten you. You lost because you failed to 'ESCAPE'!

From the beginning, you neither knew how many of enemies you were faced with nor your own abilities. Ignorant about the location of battlefield or for that matter anything about your foes at all, you weren't even sure what changes may happen to you next instant.

So why the hell did you prolonged the fight ? ,instead of paying the prize for a limb or two to make an escape. It's not like you couldn't have regrown the limbs. But even if that was the case, you weren't resolved enough to make sacrifice for escape and continued an endless struggle. As an outcome, you tired out and lost.

Simply because you are not hardened enough to make sacrifice and naïve enough to exaggerate your own power, you lost.

Learn boy, in this world those who refuse to evolute in mind, die very pathetically."

After hearing the beast's heart piercing judgement, Karl was completely dazed. He felt how irrational his earlier decision was. It would be arguable to say, that the ape formation was partially responsible for giving him no leeway, to think clearly. But the crushing defeat, he faced earlier was undoubtedly due to his softness.

If only I could’ve escaped back then, If only I have hardened my heart to escape at any cost, I could've saved my body from being completely destructed by that plunging attack.

He remembered a saying he once heard from his sister Grace.” If if's and but's were candy and nuts, the everybody had a sweet life". How correct she was!

Man cannot change what happened in the past. But the present is always his domain. He, who refuses to learn from mistakes can never meet future head on .

Seeing as how conflicted Karl was because of his words, the ape encouraged,

"Lad, life isn't changed in a day or two. Contemplate your mistakes. Face your fear, stride forward with courage. Live strong, no matter how unfair the world is, strive to make everything possible.

You want to go to past, Don’t you? Then climb beyond the 'Time god' realm, in the path of cultivation."

Karl was deeply touched by the words the Gorilla just spoke. He simultaneously remininsced, the words his father once told him.

'Son In every hurdle you come across life, there is an opportunity to surpass yourself"

That’s all what he needed to renew his fighting spirit. Spontaneously, a very optimistic idea popped in his 'paradox of a mind'.

"Oh ape as you mentioned earlier, Kalestones were the fuel to Zodius. Are Kalestones a direct crystallization of energy ?"

If it was true, then the possibilities of utilizing them will be limitless. He will definitely find a way to defeat Zodius using them.

Seeing the Karl's eyes lit up, the gorilla couldn't help but sigh…. And said.

"Yeah, It’s a wave natured crystallization of energy. Don't let your head fly away, from the words I said earlier. Remember "Immortals aren't made overnight".'

****

And thus he went on making preparations for facing a demon twice as strong as that Gorilla. Now that he think about it, Gorilla was of course exaggerating his own strength.