Fractured Genesis

Chapter 6 : Wrath of Eryon

The Crimson Vanguard Headquarters towered over Zyvaris, its intimidating spires scraping the dark sky, casting long shadows over the city. The blood-red banners fluttered violently in the wind, a symbol of power and conquest, defying anyone who would dare challenge them.

A storm brewed in the heavens, dark clouds swirling as if answering the presence of something far greater than mere men. Then, cutting through the howling winds, the sound of thundering hooves echoed. From the shadows emerged Ashvamedha, a beast of legend, its mane crackling with embers and its hooves striking the earth like bolts of lightning. Mounted atop the majestic steed, Eryon rode forth; his gaze locked onto the fortress ahead, a storm of power emanating from him.

Standing before the imposing gates, Eryon stared at the building in a cold fury. His younger brother Kael had turned away from their home, their parents, and their shared past. Kael had chosen the Crimson Vanguard, a path defined by strength above all else—a path that Eryon could not abide. Now, Eryon was there to take him back.

With the entire Crimson Vanguard standing in his way, Eryon would have to do far more than reason with his brother. He was ready for the ultimate test. He would show them what true power was.

As Eryon stepped forward, the massive gates of the Crimson Vanguard fortress rumbled, groaning as if warning him of the power he was about to unleash. The Vanguard was known for its strength, but it had never faced someone like Eryon.

The iron gates that had stood unyielding for years were torn apart in an instant. Eryon’s outstretched hand did nothing more than whisper through the air. With a single flick of his wrist, the gates exploded into pieces, scattering across the courtyard, and the shockwave sent Vanguard soldiers flying through the air like ragdolls.

Moments later, five high-ranking fighters emerged from the shadows, stepping forward from the ruined gates. Their eyes narrowed as they assessed the intruder.

Kael stood at the forefront of them, his expression unreadable. He had long since abandoned the home that Eryon still held dear, and now he stood among his new family—the Crimson Vanguard. He had chosen his side.

The first fighter to step forward was Dorian, a tall man whose robes flowed as if carried by a gust of wind and whose golden bracelets shimmered. His power, it seemed, was derived from the sands of the earth—he could control sand with lethal precision.

Dorian raised his hand, and a violent sandstorm swirled to life around him. It gathered in a massive spiral, sharpening into deadly blades and jagged spikes that shot toward Eryon at lightning speed.

But Eryon didn’t even flinch. He stood perfectly still as the sand blocks hit him. They broke apart on impact, scattering to the winds as though they had struck nothing but air. His skin was unscathed—he was as durable as the earth itself.

Eryon raised his hand slowly, and the storm of sand reversed course. Dorian screamed as his own attack was hurled back at him, burying him beneath a wall of his own creation.

Next came Varik, a hulking brute whose body had been forged to resemble living steel. His skin was impervious to most forms of attack, and his strength was legendary.

Varik rushed forward, pounding the ground with his fists, creating shockwaves of force that shattered the stone beneath them. He moved like a battering ram, his fist aimed directly at Eryon’s chest.

Eryon, however, barely moved. With a flick of his wrist, the world seemed to warp around him. The very laws of physics twisted as Varik’s punch hit Eryon, but instead of shattering his chest, it simply dissipated. Eryon’s body absorbed the force, not a single bruise to show for it.

Varik’s eyes widened as he realized his fist hadn’t made a dent. But before he could react, Eryon gripped his outstretched arm, and in a moment of sheer willpower, Varik’s own body was crushed by an invisible force. The steel-like skin cracked and shattered, rendering him utterly defenceless.

Finally, Kael stepped forward. Unlike the others, he did not charge recklessly. He studied Eryon carefully, his muscles tensed, his breathing steady. Kael had trained endlessly, pushing himself beyond his limits. He knew Eryon was strong—but he refused to believe he was unbeatable.

Kael’s power was immense. He had grown strong under the Crimson Vanguard, and his superhuman strength was unmatched among the faction’s elite. He rushed forward with blinding speed, aiming to strike Eryon with a blow that would tear through steel.

Eryon, unfazed, raised his hand to meet Kael’s fist. But this time, when their skin connected, the ground beneath them cracked violently. A shockwave rippled through the battlefield, sending rubble flying in all directions. Unlike the others, Kael was no mere soldier. His strength rivalled even legends.

For a split second, Eryon’s expression shifted—just slightly. He could feel it. Kael had truly become strong.

But it was not enough.

Eryon’s eyes burned with an otherworldly light. Kael’s fist trembled as an overwhelming force seized his body. He tried to move, to fight back, but the very air around him had become a prison. He struggled; sweat dripping from his brow, but Eryon’s will was absolute.

"Kael, you don’t understand," Eryon said, his voice low but firm. "I’ve been away not because I ran, but because I needed to control this power. This power can rewrite the fate of world. You’ve chosen this path of strength, but you haven’t seen what true power is."

Kael’s jaw clenched. He refused to yield. Even as his body betrayed him, he still glared at his brother with defiance.

Eryon’s expression hardened. "Then I’ll make you understand."

With a final wave of his hand, Kael’s entire body locked into place. He was frozen in mid-motion, unable to move, unable to do anything but kneel beneath the crushing force of Eryon’s power.

"You think your strength matters?" Eryon asked, his tone growing colder. "There is no force in this world that can defeat me. Not your strength. Not your rage."

Kael fell to his knees, defeated by the sheer weight of his brother’s power. And as the storm above raged on, Ashvamedha let out a deafening neigh, its eyes glowing with the fire of legends, standing tall beside its master—a conqueror of reality itself.