Book 22: The Final End
Chapter 8: The Final End
Gabriel stared blankly at Theomandis, who was brimming with murderous intent, and murmured, "No, this can’t be. I clearly sensed your divine consciousness vanish completely. How are you still alive?" His face turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with disappointment, resentment, fear, and unease.
A flash of black light—a figure suddenly charged toward Theomandis. Instead of dodging, Theomandis spread his arms wide and welcomed the advance. A golden and a black figure abruptly merged into one. As the light dimmed, the black figure was revealed to be the fallen angel Lucifer. Gripping Theomandis’s shoulders, trembling with emotion, he was too overwhelmed to speak.
Two clear streams of tears flowed from Theomandis’s eyes. After a long moment, he cried out sincerely, "Brother."
Lucifer could no longer control himself. Tears soaked his robes as he choked out, "Brother... am I dreaming? You’re not dead." The two sighed deeply, completely lost in the joy and emotion of their reunion.
Feylina floated to Ziyan’s side. The two sisters stood together, their gazes fixed on their mother—the God King, Sophia. Sophia stared back at them, at her daughters, her eyes flickering with a mixture of shame and regret.
The Underworld King, Hades, and the other archangels stared blankly at us, who were supposed to be dead, clearly unable to process the situation.
"Alas—" A sigh echoed, and with a flash of light, the God of All appeared in our midst. His brow deeply furrowed, he looked at us, then at the rulers of the divine and underworld realms, his eyes filled with desolation.
"God of All," all the deities simultaneously bowed in respect.
The God of All turned to the God King Sophia and the Underworld King Hades, speaking calmly, "You have disappointed me greatly. You were the first I created, yet instead of guiding the divine and underworld realms toward peace and prosperity, you have constantly destroyed everything. How many innocent lives and souls have vanished because of the desires in your hearts?"
Sophia and Hades both lowered their heads.
The God of All shook his head. "All that has happened cannot be undone. Sophia, as my first child, what have you done? Theomandis is your own brother, and Feylina is your own child. How could you treat them this way? And because of you, Lei Xiang and Ziyan nearly lost their lives. Your actions have deeply saddened and disappointed me." He paused, then turned to Hades. "And you? Is power truly so important to you? I know you wish to unite the three realms and claim the energy of the three suns for yourself. Your actions have not only caused the races of the underworld to perish but have also implicated all living beings across the three realms. If you cannot see beyond power, you are no longer fit to sit on the throne of the Underworld King."
Sophia said nothing. As the God King, she actually shed tears.
Hades trembled slightly, his eyes filled with disappointment and resentment. Fearfully, he said, "I beg for your forgiveness, God of All."
The God of All ignored them and turned to the Archangel Gabriel. "Gabriel, you are also my child. Yet, for your own selfish desires, you framed your brother, causing sibling strife and indirectly causing Feylina’s death. Do you admit your guilt?"
Gabriel was momentarily stunned. Then, his eyes flickered with complex emotions. Suddenly, he roared, "No! I admit no guilt! What crime have I committed? I loved Feylina, but she chose Theomandis, who is inferior to me in every way. I refuse to accept it! I refuse! I wanted to harm them, and even if I had to choose again, I would do the same!" His emotions were wildly agitated as he continued to roar. Hearing his words, Sophia shuddered violently.
The God of All sighed and waved his hand. A seven-colored light enveloped Gabriel, silencing him completely. He stood there, dumbstruck. Sophia, horrified, knelt and begged the God of All, "Please, forgive him. All these sins are my doing. I will bear all the punishment. Please punish me instead." Her voice was filled with sorrow, tears streaming down her face.
Lucifer and Theomandis walked to my side. Lucifer glanced complexly at Feylina—after all, she was once the object of his secret affection. I knew he would never speak of it, and neither would I. We would not disturb Theomandis and Feylina’s happiness, which had been so hard-won. We all waited, waiting for the God of All to resolve everything.
The God of All said calmly to Sophia, "Now is the time for you to reveal everything. Tell them why you believed Gabriel’s false accusations and imprisoned Theomandis, and why you harmed your own flesh and blood."
Sophia’s eyes flickered with fear as she shook her head repeatedly. "No, no... God of All, please don’t force me."
The God of All said sternly, "I am not forcing you. I am giving you a chance at redemption. Don’t they, whom you nearly killed, deserve to know the truth?"
Sophia trembled violently. She looked dazedly at the God of All and said vacantly, "A chance at redemption? I..."
Lucifer said, "Sophia, I too want to know why you believed the slander and framed Theomandis back then. Even when I begged you, you refused to change your mind. You weren’t like this before. When we were first created by the God of All, you were like an elder sister to us six first-class deities, caring for us, guiding us through the divine realm. Back then, I held nothing but respect and admiration for you. All of us sincerely regarded you as the God King, our loyalty unwavering. Even during the first divine-underworld war, we supported you unconditionally, fighting with all our might to suppress the underworld so thoroughly they could not recover. If not for the God of All’s timely intervention, we might have annihilated the underworld. Why? Why did you change? The wise and discerning you became so unreasonable, even framing our own brother." Lucifer grew more agitated as he spoke, clenching his fists, black mist emanating from his body.
"Yes, Mother, why? Why all of this?" Feylina questioned sorrowfully. "Ziyan and I are both your daughters. Why did you strip us of our right to happiness and deny us the freedom to love?"
Sophia slowly stood up. She looked at the God of All, then at her subordinates—the Battle Angel Michael, the Charm Angel Raphael, and the Army Angel Soret. Their expressions also held questions; they too wanted to know why. She turned to us, sighed softly, and said to Feylina and Ziyan, "It is my fault. I have wronged you. Since you wish to know, I will hide it no longer. All of this has been a heavy burden on my heart. God of All, I do not ask for your forgiveness, but please spare Gabriel. All of this is truly my fault."
The God of All said indifferently, "Speak. Reveal the secrets in your heart. Everything will be judged fairly."
Sophia nodded. She glanced complexly at Gabriel and said softly, "From the moment I was created by the God of All, I became the ruler of the divine realm. In the divine realm, I held absolute authority as the God King. After me, aside from Hades, you six first-class deities were born. At first, I treated you all as younger brothers, caring for you, even doting on you. However, when the God of All created us, he bestowed upon us the most precious thing—emotions. Even as the God King, I too possess feelings. And all six of you were so outstanding. The Free Angel Lucifer was unrestrained and uninhibited; the Battle Angel Michael was upright and unyielding; the Charm Angel Raphael lived up to his title with unparalleled charm; the Army Angel Soret was brimming with astonishing vitality; and the Frenzy God Theomandis possessed leadership qualities. Among you, only the Archangel Gabriel lacked a distinct trait, yet he was still exceptionally outstanding. Through constant interaction, I gradually fell in love with two of you. One was the wingless Frenzy God, Theomandis." She looked at the stunned Theomandis and smiled faintly. "Surprised? I speak the truth. At that time, I truly loved you. The other I loved was the Archangel Gabriel."
Gabriel, still sealed by the God of All, was dumbfounded. He stared blankly at Sophia, unable to process this revelation.
Sophia continued, "At the time, I was in agony. As the God King, how could I easily fall in love with my subordinates? But once emotions take hold, they are impossible to discard. Later, because of the wingless god faction, Theomandis left me to lead them. As time passed, my heart gradually shifted to Gabriel. My feelings for him grew incessantly, to the point where I could barely control them. Every day, I suppressed my heart, trying not to think of him, but his image constantly flashed in my mind. The more suppressed, the more explosive the outburst. Finally, one day, I could no longer control my emotions." She gazed痴痴 at Gabriel and said sorrowfully, "Even now, you probably don’t know, do you? Yes, I kept it hidden all this time. I don’t know if you remember, but during that time you were in seclusion, you briefly lost consciousness. It wasn’t due to your cultivation; it was my doing. At that moment, I, driven by desire, lost all restraint and gave myself to you completely."
Sophia’s words stunned everyone present. Although we had suspected she and Gabriel had an unusual relationship, none of us had imagined she loved him so deeply.
Sophia looked at the stunned Gabriel and smiled bitterly. "Am I not despicable? It was from that moment that I changed, just as Lucifer said, becoming unreasonable." She turned to Feylina and Ziyan. "Children, you are both my flesh and blood, but you are截然不同. Sifeiya was indeed born from my energy, but Yunna, you were not. You... you are mine and Gabriel’s child!"
The area fell into a brief, terrifying silence. At some point, the God of All had lifted the seal on Gabriel. He rushed to Sophia’s side, gripping her shoulders agitatedly, and exclaimed, "What... what did you say? How could Feylina be my child? We first-class deities cannot reproduce!"
Feylina staggered, nearly falling. Theomandis quickly steadied her. Neither of them had ever imagined that Gabriel, who had caused their deaths, was actually Feylina’s father—and Theomandis’s father-in-law.
Feylina trembled, "No, this can’t be true. This isn’t true."
Sophia said sorrowfully, "At this point, there is no need for me to lie. This secret has been hidden in my heart for thousands of years. It’s true, first-class deities cannot directly reproduce. But when I... united with Gabriel, I stole his life imprint and fused it with mine, giving birth to you. So, he is indeed your father. Later, for some reason—perhaps as heaven’s punishment—Gabriel somehow fell in love with you, and you, in turn, fell in love with Theomandis, whom I had once loved. Selfish as I was, I grew to hate Theomandis and you—my own daughter." She looked calmly at Gabriel and asked softly, "Gabriel, tell me, did you ever love me?"
Gabriel stumbled back several steps, his body convulsing, his face pale, his lips trembling too much to speak.
"Let me answer for him," said Michael, the Battle Angel, who had remained silent until now. He looked at Sophia and sighed. "God King, you said earlier that the God of All gave us the most precious thing—emotions—which made you fall in love with Gabriel. But we too possess emotions. I can speak frankly on behalf of all the brothers, including Lucifer, who has become a fallen angel: all six of us first-class deities have loved you, at least once. But your status was so exalted; in our eyes, you were always untouchable and unassailable. How could we dare offend you? Do you know why we continued to follow you despite all your mistakes? It’s because you were the goddess in our hearts!"
Sophia looked at Michael, tears welling up like a spring as she sobbed, “It’s all my fault, all my fault!” Her emotions were unusually agitated, and she wept uncontrollably.
After a long while, Sophia gradually calmed down and said softly, “It was precisely because of these complicated reasons that when Gabriel, out of jealousy, framed Theomandes, I acquiesced. Because I was jealous too—I was jealous of Philiona. Why did both men I love fall for her? Later, because of my lies, Yunna committed suicide. At that time, I was completely stunned and couldn’t recover for a long time. What had I done? I had actually caused my own daughter’s death. I regretted it so much, but everything was already irreparable. Later, to heal the wounds in my heart, I created Ya’er and devoted myself entirely to her. When Ya’er first came into being, to avoid a repeat of the tragedy, I sent her down to the mortal world, making her a human child. I thought then, surely this wouldn’t lead to the same outcome as before.”
Sophia paused before continuing, “But who could have expected that heaven would not grant my wish? Ya’er, in the mortal world, ended up falling in love with the inheritor of Theomandes’ legacy—Lei Xiang. Later, Gabriel, also out of jealousy, captured Ya’er and brought her back from the mortal world. For selfish reasons, I sealed Ya’er’s memories, which led to everything that followed.” She looked deeply at Zi Yan, “Just now, when Ya’er, like Philiona before her, sacrificed herself for Lei Xiang, I regretted it. I truly regretted it. I had caused the death of another one of my daughters. At that moment, I really wanted to exchange my own life for theirs, but I couldn’t. Just when I had lost all hope, Father God appeared. Father God, you have brought me hope once again. This is my story. All of this was caused by me. Punish me, I am willing to repent for my sins.” As she spoke, she slowly knelt down.
Holding Zi Yan, I looked at the remorseful God King Sophia, and the lingering hatred in my heart completely vanished. Sophia’s inner torment had long since punished her. I no longer hated her, nor anyone else.
Gabriel fell to his knees beside Sophia and said to Father God, “No, this isn’t just Sophia’s fault. I was wrong too. I should also be punished. All of this started because of me. Father God, punish me.”
Father God smiled, a relieved smile. “My children, I am glad you have realized your mistakes now. However, a mistake is a mistake, and you must take responsibility for what you have done. Hades, what about you? Do you know you were wrong?”
From the moment God King Sophia began recounting her experiences, Hades had been listening in a daze. Now, hearing Father God’s question, he said calmly, “Father God, I know I was wrong.” Although his tone was not particularly earnest, I could clearly sense that his repentance was sincere.
A kindly smile appeared on Father God’s face as he asked, “Where did you go wrong?”
Hades sighed and said, “I was wrong to be so stubborn. All along, I have been striving for the pinnacle of power. For over ten thousand years, as the ruler of the underworld, I have been lonely. My goal has always been to unite the three realms, enhance my power to your level, and then leave this place to explore the outside world and discover new things. But now I realize I was wrong. There is still so much in the three realms that I have not experienced. Having lived for so long, I have never known what emotions are. I deeply regret it, Father God. Punish me, but I hope you will spare my life so that I may also experience the taste of emotions.”
Hearing his words, I finally understood—he had been moved by Sophia’s story. Had the King of the Underworld also been touched by mortal feelings?
Father God turned to Brother Lucifer and said, “Lucifer, you became a fallen angel and joined the underworld because of Theomandes. If you are willing, I can restore your freedom as an angel and allow you to return as a first-tier deity in the divine realm.”
Lucifer looked at Theomandes and shook his head. “No, Father God, I wish to remain in the underworld. When I was in dire straits, it was Lord Hades who took me in. I wish to continue assisting him.” His words shook Hades to the core, and his eyes filled with gratitude. He had not been abandoned by all! I thought his heart must be feeling very warm.
Father God nodded and said, “Good. Since everything is now clear, it is time to bring this to a close. My children, Father God will surely deliver a fair judgment to you all.”
None of us knew what Father God would do next. This was the true divine judgment!
Father God raised his arms, and a flash of七彩 light enveloped us. I felt a gentle energy wrap around Zi Yan and me. In a bright flash, our surroundings were no longer filled with七彩 energy. We appeared simultaneously in the sky above the boundary between the divine and underworld realms. Brother Theomandes and Philiona were beside Zi Yan and me, while the others floated not far away.
Father God’s慈祥 voice came from the七彩 sphere above us. “Children of the divine and underworld realms, the war has brought you pain, and all of this will now end. I hope it will never happen again. I have several announcements to make. First, I must punish Hades, the King of the Underworld, for causing this war. He initiated the Third Great War between the divine and underworld realms out of his desire for power, which is unforgivable. However, he has repented to me. Also to be punished are God King Sophia and the Angel of Death, Gabriel. They framed others out of their own desires, which is equally unforgivable. Although the victims, Theomandes and Lei Xiang, are no longer willing to pursue the matter, I must still punish you. From now on, I will cast you into the mortal world to be reincarnated as humans, enduring three cycles of life and death. Sophia, Gabriel, Hades, do you accept this?”
Sophia, Gabriel, and Hades looked at each other, their expressions复杂, and said in unison, “We thank Father God for his mercy.”
Father God said, “After you have experienced certain things, you will gain a deeper understanding of life. Only then will you be better suited to your current positions. Now, go.” A massive beam of light shot out from the七彩 sphere, enveloping Sophia and the other two. In a flash of light, the three disappeared.
On both sides of the boundary, the various races, illuminated by the Angel Sun and the Demon Sun, fell into complete silence. The most excited were the gods and divine beasts of the non-winged god system. Not only did they see that I had not died, but Brother Theomandes had also been resurrected. How could they not be thrilled?
Father God’s voice softened. “Since Sophia and Hades have accepted my punishment, in their absence, the position of God King will be temporarily assumed by Theomandes, and the position of King of the Underworld will be temporarily assumed by the fallen angel Lucifer. This will remain until Sophia and Hades complete their reincarnation and return to their realms.”
Theomandes and Lucifer exclaimed in unison, “No, Father God, how can this be?”
Father God’s hearty laughter came from the七彩 sphere. “Of course it can. This is the best arrangement. Theomandes, after my modifications, your abilities have greatly improved, and you are fully capable of taking this position. Lucifer, aside from Hades, you are the strongest demon god in the underworld and the most suitable for this position. You are only temporary, so don’t be so dissatisfied. My decision is final and will not change. All races of the two realms must obey.”
The people of the divine and underworld realms below shouted in unison, “We obey Father God’s decree!” The non-winged gods and divine beasts cheered loudly. With Brother Theomandes leading the divine realm, they would have good days ahead.
Theomandes and Lucifer looked at each other. There was no escaping their new roles. I chuckled and stepped forward, saying, “Then let me congratulate you both, haha.”
Theomandes laughed and scolded, “You brat, this position should be yours.”
I waved my hands repeatedly. “How could that be? There are still many matters in the mortal world that concern me. It’s better for you to take on this burden.”
Father God said, “Since Theomandes has already passed his God of Rage divinity to Lei Xiang, I hereby appoint him as the God of Dominance, and Philiona as the Moonlight Angel. Lei Xiang and Zi Yan will remain the God of Rage and the Starry Sky Angel. Lei Xiang, you have made great efforts for the peace of the three realms. Do you have any requests to make of me now?”
I smiled wryly and said, “Father God, what requests could I have? I only hope you will allow Zi Yan and me to return to the mortal world to reunite with our family and friends.”
Father God sighed. “You are such a good child. With you guarding the mortal world, I can rest assured. I grant you and Zi Yan the freedom to travel between the three realms as you wish.”
I was overjoyed. With this privilege, I could freely visit the divine realm to see Brother Theomandes and Brother Lucifer in the future.
“Thank you, Father God, for your mercy.”
“Very well, you have suffered enough. Go, I will send you back.”
Suddenly, Zi Yan and I were enveloped in七彩 energy. In a flash of light, everything before us turned white, and we briefly lost consciousness. Finally, we could finally go home.
...
Mortal World, Jin Yuan Continent,斯特鲁 Fortress.
Mo Yue, Zi Xue, and Bai Jian, holding a one-year-old infant, stood on the fortress walls, gazing into the sky.
Mo Yue said sorrowfully, “It’s been over two years since Lei Xiang left. Why is there still no news?”
Zi Xue held her arm and said wistfully, “Sister Yue, don’t be sad. For our sake, Lei Xiang will definitely bring Sister back. I miss them so much!”
Bai Jian planted a kiss on her son's tender, pink little face, stroked the golden divine emblem on his forehead, and said softly, "Baby, quickly call your father back! Aren't you still waiting for him to give you a name? For you, he must come back!" The baby waved his chubby little hand, babbling as if he were saying something.
Suddenly, the originally clear sky turned overcast, and a beam of multicolored light pierced through the clouds. The light seemed to connect heaven and earth, containing immense energy within.
This scene reminded the three women of the time when Zi Yan was abducted. Mo Yue stepped forward, positioning herself at the very front, quickly transforming into a four-winged fallen angel, watching warily. She understood in her heart that with her own power, she was no match for a heavenly god.
…………
A flash of light, and both Zi Yan and I regained consciousness. Seeing the scene before me, my entire body shook violently—this was exactly the斯特鲁要塞 (Stru Fortress)!
With my divine eyes, I immediately spotted the three women standing on the city wall. The one at the very front, flapping four black wings, was my beloved Yue'er. Behind her were Xue'er and Jian'er, holding a swaddled baby.
Zi Yan and I exchanged a glance, let out a long whistle, and shot down like lightning, charging toward the three women on the battlements.
Perhaps because my appearance had changed too much, Mo Yue didn't recognize me. With a sharp cry, her narrow sword transformed into a sky full of sword shadows, coming straight at me. Such an attack was useless against me. I charged directly into the sword shadows and grabbed her tightly in an embrace. Mo Yue struggled violently, her full body twisting continuously. I called out softly, "Yue'er, it's me."
Mo Yue's body stiffened abruptly. I cupped her beautiful face with both hands and said tenderly, "Yue'er, it's me! It's your husband, Lei Xiang!"
Mo Yue stared at me blankly, her voice trembling, "You... you... is it really you? Husband."
I nodded vigorously. "It's really me, Yue'er."
"Ah!" Mo Yue screamed and bit down hard on my shoulder.
The pain刺激 (stimulated) my nerves, but my heart was filled with joy. Holding Mo Yue, I landed on the battlements with Zi Yan. With a pulling motion, I drew Zi Xue and Bai Jian to my side, enveloping them completely within my broad twelve silver wings. For a moment, a sense of happiness filled my entire being. In this lifetime, I desired nothing more.
…………
"Dad, Dad, look what I found!" A six- or seven-year-old boy came running excitedly. His face was radiant with an excited smile. He was very handsome, with fair skin and beautiful, light green hair flowing behind his head. In his hands, he held a blue, ball-like object.
"Slow down, don't fall."
This running boy was my son, Lei Sibing. His name was chosen by me, meaning 'remembering Xing Bing'. Over the past few years, we had been living a peaceful and happy life.
I scooped my son into my arms and smiled. "Come, let me see what Sibing found." Seeing the object in his hands, I was startled. Wasn't this the little卡丘 (Kachu) I had found back then? Not only did it look the same, but its aura was identical too. The little Kachu blinked at me, as if greeting me.
"Dad, what is this? Can I keep it?"
I smiled. "Of course. It's called Little Kachu. You must treat it well from now on! Come on, let's go find your mothers, and then visit your three Flower Goddess aunts."
"Great, great! I love looking at all the flowers and plants. It's a pity Aunt Lan'er isn't here this time, otherwise we could sneak some nectar again, hehe."
I shook my head wryly. This son of mine, his mischievousness was no less than Big Sister Lan'er's. With my help, Big Sister Lan'er and the Dragon King had improved their skills rapidly and would soon break through their current realm to ascend to the divine world. After unremitting efforts, Pan Zong finally won the heart of the Jade Dragon. They, along with Jin and Yin, stayed in the Dragon Valley to cultivate. My mother still lived in the small courtyard in the capital, and my father-in-law—His Grace the Duke—honored our previous agreement, visiting her once a week. They were all content with their lives now.
"Husband, why are you so slow!" Mo Yue's voice rang out. I kissed my son's cheek, the feeling of happiness filling my entire being. This was the life I loved most! I wondered how the God King and the others, punished by the Father God, were doing. By now, they should have begun their first cycle of reincarnation.
…………
Twenty years later.
Tiandu Academy.
It was the final match of the Four Great Academies Exchange Tournament today, between Tiandu Academy and Xilun Academy. The format was best-of-five. After the first three matches, Tiandu Academy had two wins and one loss. They only needed one more win to claim the final victory.
The fourth match was underway in the arena, fiercely contested. The two competitors were young men. The student representing Tiandu Academy wore pristine white martial attire and was handsome. However, his face was now covered in sweat, showing he was having a hard time. He continuously used light magic to fight his opponent.
Representing Xilun Academy was a young man in black. His expression was cold and stern. Although not as good-looking as his opponent, the chilly aura he emitted held a strange allure.
BOOM — The figures separated. The student from Tiandu Academy was blasted off the stage. A white flash, and he was caught by someone—an exceptionally beautiful young girl.
The defeated youth in white wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled bitterly. "Sister Fei Ya, I'm sorry, I couldn't defeat him."
The girl called Fei Ya comforted him, "It's alright, Bai Lie. You rest well. I'll avenge you for you." So saying, she pushed off lightly with her feet and floated gracefully onto the stage, looking coldly at her opponent.
"Di Si, you can't defeat me. You'd better admit defeat."
"Fei Ya, don't act so tough in front of me. Who wins and who loses will only be known after we fight. The title of the number one academy will definitely belong to our Xilun Academy."
"Fine, then bring it on. Take this! Judgment of Light!"
"Who's afraid of you? Take my Dark Triangle!"
A white and a black light shadow collided violently in the air, producing a huge explosion. And so, a new chapter began.
(The End)