Aziz would have been oddly proud to bear witness to the first battle to happen between two gods after the First Extermination, if not for the fact that he literally could not see anything. Both gods were emanating blinding lights, so bright that in the colonel’s eyes, the world was just coloured by an eye-piercing white.

In fact, now that he thought about it, blinding your opponents was probably one darn good tactic; the great gods definitely thought that way too. The fear had probably driven him somewhat insane, for him to be thinking of inane stuff like this right now, but it was better than nothing.

Fortunately, what he couldn’t see was more than made up by the other sensations he felt. The world itself seemed to be quaking as the two gods fought with each other, and Aziz had already fallen onto his side. The island was breaking up too; cracks were spreading and growing on the ground. More than once, he could feel a dampness that had to come from sea water — this little isle was sinking fast.

Thunderclaps and detonations roiled across the sea in a regular beat, each of them whipping up a new bout of fear and trepidation within the colonel. He was barely aware of hugging someone, and that someone hugging him. With his senses blinded and overwhelmed, huddling together and waiting for the horrific storm to pass was all they could do.

But what was most terrifying was the resurgence of a fear buried deep within his psyche. It took everything Aziz had to stop himself from being taken over by that fear, and in an absurdly-calm corner of his half-insane mind, Aziz noted that the only way to kill a great god was somehow restrain this fear and that light.

Minutes passed. The Human God and Demon God back then had fought for days on end regularly, so this battle didn’t seem like it was going to end any time soon. Lying on the ground, ensorcelled by madness, some odd form of despair was beginning to descend on Aziz when the pressure abruptly subsided. It was like stepping into the shade after walking for hours in a scorching sun, and the colonel found it in himself to open his eyes.

He, like Marie, sucked in their breath involuntarily.

An enormous, translucent pillar towered to the skies, seemingly endless in reach. Contained with it, at their base, was the Human God and the Chanter of Innocence, but the two had stopped their fight…not like Aziz was able to see it in the first place. More importantly, however, Aziz’s earlier thoughts had indeed been proven true. Whatever this pillar was, it had a restraining effect on the debilitating might of the great gods, as evidenced by the two trapped within…and as well as the murder of the Lifespring.

Five figures were pointing items at the two gods, the tips burning with a dangerous black radiance. Aziz wasn’t a genius, by any stretch of the word, but it was painfully evident that these items were needed to restrain the incredible presence the great gods had. Without such a countermeasure, it would have been impossible to even approach a great god.

Therefore, these people, who were doing the exact same thing right now, were either the murderers of the Lifespring or had relations to them.

“I have not dealt with you yet,” said the Human God. “And you dare provoke me?”

Ripples appeared in mid-air, making the nearly-invisible pillar more visible. Streaks of black appeared in the air where the Human God’s power met the restraining pillar.

“These good people are protecting their own,” Weiwu said slowly. “I would fain not condemn them and their acts. Sooth, O divine kin, and let live your innocent children. I enjoin thee, take a step back, and I shall join thy side when the Great Divide falls.”

Aziz, who was still holding to Marie and vice-versa, took around ten seconds to parse that sentence, but he still didn’t understand what some words meant. It was a sentiment clearly shared by the Human God, who was silent for twenty or so seconds.

“The life of mortals, for your aid. Very well.” The golden light radiating off the Human God…or rather, the body he was occupying, weakened drastically. The pillar surrounding them became less and less translucent, and with a jolt, Aziz realised that that…thing wasn’t just capable of trapping and weakening gods, but also able to absorb the pressure and energies they exuded.

With nary a sound, the five figures vanished. The two gods turned to regard their departure.

“Yours?” the Preserver asked.

“I’m afraid not. Mine slumber ended but mere months ago.” Weiwu replied. His figure began to fade away.

Anren nodded, a movement very obvious, given that he was the only source of light in the night sky right now. “Remember your promise, Chanter of Innocents.”

“Done, done and done. Fare thee well, O Preserver. Let us meet in four years hence, at the Great Divide.”

The East’s saviour vanished, leaving no evidence that he once existed. The Human God looked down on the Eastern Territories, and then swept his gaze to the seas. For a moment, Aziz froze up — he could sense the great god’s gaze on him and everyone else on the crumbling island— and his heart threatened to burst from the pressure of that casual glance.

“Mortals of the East, you will do well to remember who interceded for you,” said the Human God. “He has traded his service for your lives.”

His voice strengthened. “Hear me, Orb. The Lifespring’s passing has strengthened the Great Divide, buying us some time. But as we speak, the offspring of the World’s Blight are besieging. At their current rate, the boundary between the Five Lands and the Wildlands will break apart in four years.”

Aziz trembled. He could hear the ring of truth in the great god’s words — that he, like his address to the world three months ago — was telling the truth.

“War is coming. The fight for existence will began anew, at the fulcrum of the absolute. It is time to cease your pointless squabbles and petty wars. Gather your forces and meet me in the Southern Continent, at World’s End, where it all began, in four years.” The Human God paused. “Fail, and the price will be your lives.

“And finally, wielders of Zeroth Armaments, I extend my pledge of non-aggression and hospitality to you. Join me if you value this world, and let us fight alongside each other for our very survival.”

And with those words, the Human God vanished.

Peace and darkness returned to the night. Aziz, who was still trembling, stood up with Marie, and then looked at the battalion commander. Fear was written all over her face, like him, and after sparing a few minutes to compose themselves, they began the task of regathering the troops.

The flight home was going to be a tough one, to say the least.