Chapter 258: The God Of Fire VS The God Of Beasts

Kalthian stupidly blinked several times, seeing what Asara had done. Cutting Arkiam’s

head off meant she held the ability to steal his power, which she did.

Arkiam’s head lay there unattached from his body as he cursed damning his daughter. But as the duel winner, she now held the authority over him to keep his head separated for an eternity and not let him gain control of his body. To damn his soul to the Underworld where he would be reduced to a wraith. To roam the damned place like a lost being.

Cassandra victoriously marched over to her mate’s awaited arms. Her wings had taken a beating, and there were a few injuries on her face, her hands had been burned, but Arkiam had been unable to break her spirit. Holding her wits had made her emerge victorious.

"I got you, Malakti." Siroos’s comforting arms went around his mate, cocooning her into a veil of serenity and healing. The pride he held for how she had fought and outsmarted her father was reflected in his eyes. He didn’t need to tell her, she understood how his heart had swelled with contentedness to see Arkiam fall.

"Have you lost all your senses? Do you have any idea what an imbalance this kind of action will bring?" Kalthian seethed out, picking up Arkiam’s head and bringing it closer to his battered fallen body.

The other gods began to shake their heads and offer their opinions, some in favour some against her actions.

But Cassandra wasn’t deterred. She turned in her mate’s arms and faced them boldly. Some of the gods were from the council of gods.

"I don’t see how it’s anyone’s concern when it clearly was not when me and my mate were unjustly punished. I was left to rot for 500 years. My mate was burnt alive right before my eyes. Where were all of you at that time? Mere spectators. No one stood up for me, so hold your tongues now, too."

The head of the council of gods, the god of wisdom, spoke up, combing his fingers through his long white beard, which reached his knees.

"Asara is right. No one stepped up last time because it was a family drama. I don’t see how it is any different now. Still family drama. Arkiam has always been a cocky bastard, he shouldn’t have agreed to the duel, but he did, now he must face the consequences of his actions."

A few more nodded their heads in approval of his words.

"A duel is won fair and square. Asara holds Arkiam’s power now and has the right to take it for herself or impart it to another, turning someone into a god. It is our way, the one that has been followed since our advent. I don’t see why it shouldn’t be followed when a lady wins," the god of the sun, uttered slyly. His golden hair and pompous attitude complimented his handsome visage.

Cassandra offered a sincere nod.

The gods stood divided when Siroos swept his sharp eyes towards them all and addressed them.

"My status as a shifter was the main concern for the lot of you, it has been changed now. I joined your ranks and yet there is hostility. Maybe I should change that stance. For that, I challenge Kalthian for a duel."

Siroos’s darkened raging gaze settled on Kalthian with a challenge. Cassandra patted her mate’s chest and stepped back, letting him take centre stage.

Kalthian stiffened at the open challenge. He could sense the raw power radiating from Siroos in waves and he knew the man could turn into a dragon. With his status changed, his dragon had gained more power.

Murmurs started once again; more and more gods had joined them, hearing of how Arkiam was defeated and his fate now lay in the hands of his daughter. But now everyone focused on Kalthian. The power-hungry deities wished for nothing less but to see two bloody gods battling it out. It was imbued in nature to crave bloodshed and that’s what they wished to witness.

"I have no business with a lowly god like you. You stole my fiancée, I am not going to entertain you," Kalthian tried to dismiss him without getting involved.

Cassandra mockingly laughed, the power blazing under her skin, ready to blast him.

"Stole me? I went to him willingly because you are a sadistic prick, always have been. Even when you were reborn you kidnapped and tortured me. Almost raped me if I hadn’t awakened my powers and my mate hadn’t arrived. A person like you doesn’t deserve this status. You are a coward at heart and everyone can see that today."

Kalthian bristled at the open revelations and insults. His body glazed with carmine fire that seemed to envelop his body for he felt trapped.

Those who didn’t know of Kalthian’s crimes felt enraged at Asara’s revelation. Justice needed to be served.

"That’s no way to treat a lady. She is mated to the god of beasts. It’s his right to stand up for her honour."

God of the sun raised his right brow at Kalthian. His body glowed like the sun, letting his heat reach Kalthian just a fraction. It was different from Kalthian’s fire and burnt a million times brighter and stronger.

Kalthian shivered, understanding he had no way to escape this unscathed. He had to fight with Siroos.

’I can take him, he is nothing but a bloody shifter. Will bury him so deep that no one will even find his bones,’ he tried to reassure himself.

"I am ready. Not afraid of some wannabe god. He was given this status just to appease Asara," Kalthian growled.

Siroos had a sinister smile spreading on his face, this was the moment he was waiting for. He was not only going to avenge his mate, he was going to viscerate this man for taking all those innocent lives including Ara.

Both of them faced each other and everyone else took a step back. The God of Fire, Kalthian, had his molten-red attire glowing like embers and hands radiating oppressive heat. Across from him loomed Siroos, the God of Beasts, his fire-resistant costume was a living shield of resilience against the fiery onslaught.

"You think your beasts can withstand fire itself?" Kalthian sneered, his molten eyes narrowed as he lifted one hand and sent flames spiralling towards Siroos.

Siroos’s molten gold eyes glinted with calm determination. "Nature is older than fire, Kalthian. You burn, but I endure."

With a roar that shook the heavens, Kalthian charged, his fire leaving trails of molten light. Siroos moved with a predator’s grace, his golden tattoos pulsing as he leapt to meet the onslaught. Sparks flew as claws of divine energy clashed with Kalthian’s molten fires, the air rippling with the force of their blows.

Kalthian attacked with unrelenting fury, his flames flying through the air, each strike masterfully evaded by the god of beasts. Siroos countered his movements fluidly as he evaded the flames, his fire-resistant cloak absorbing the heat. His wolf claws lashed out, striking Kalthian in precision.

"You’re resilient," Kalthian growled, his voice like a volcano rumbling. "But even stone melts before the fire."

Cassandra watched with complete confidence in her mate, the bond taut between them as she sent strings of assurance towards her mate.

Kalthian slammed his fists onto the ground, unleashing a wave of fire that surged across the battlefield, consuming everything in its path. Siroos leapt high, his tattoos glowing brighter, and transformed mid-air. His form stretched and expanded, scales as black as night rippling over his body. Wings unfurled, massive and shadowy, and Duskborn emerged.

Kalthian faltered for a moment, his molten eyes widening. "You dare summon that beast?"

The dragon let out a deafening roar, its ruby-red eyes glowing with primal fury. With a single beat of its mighty wings, Duskborn sent shockwaves through the terrain, extinguishing all the flames in its wake.

Kalthian recovered quickly, raising his hands as molten streams spiralled around him. "Then burn, beast!" he bellowed, unleashing twin streams of fire that converged on Duskborn with deadly precision.

Duskborn soared, twisting through the air with the agility of a predator. The flames licked at its fire-resistant scales and blue shield but could do no harm. With a roar, the dragon unleashed a torrent of golden-vermilion fire, the flames infused with Siroos’s divine power. The infernal blaze collided with Kalthian, engulfing him in an explosion of light and heat.

He screamed.

Kalthian stumbled, his costume burning under the assault, molten pieces dripping away to reveal vulnerable flesh. "You think you can defeat fire with fire?" he snarled, raising his hands to summon a volcanic eruption.

Duskborn dove, claws outstretched and slammed into Kalthian before he could complete the spell. The impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield, the ground splintering beneath them. Kalthian struck back, his molten fists pounding against the dragon’s scaled hide, but Duskborn’s resilience held firm.

With a guttural growl, Siroos, still in dragon form, wrapped his jaws around Kalthian’s shoulder, shattering all the bones in a single bite. The God of Fire staggered, his hands burning with raw energy as he attempted to conjure a fiery sword.

The black dragon didn’t give him the chance. Duskborn’s tail whipped around, striking Kalthian with bone-crushing force and sending him sprawling. Before Kalthian could rise, Duskborn opened its maw wide, releasing another torrent of his fire. The flames engulfed Kalthian entirely, melting away the remnants of his attire and reducing the molten landscape around him to smouldering ash.

As the firestorm subsided, Kalthian lay broken and burnt, his molten glow dimmed to embers. Duskborn transformed back into Siroos, who stood tall amidst the scorched ruins, his tattoos glowing faintly as he strode toward his defeated foe.

"You burned brightly, Kalthian," Siroos said, his voice deep and steady. His clawed hand landed swiftly and detached Kalthian’s head from his shoulders.

With a final, piercing roar, the heavens themselves seemed to acknowledge Siroos’s victory. The battlefield grew quiet, the flames subsiding as the God of Beasts picked up the burnt face of Kalthian, turned and walked away, his fire-resistant cloak flowing behind him.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read