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Chapter 97 – The Collapse of Order
The battle for the heart of the Tower had begun, but it was unlike anything Erevan had ever anticipated. The Overseer's power surged, a tidal wave of energy that threatened to tear the very fabric of reality apart. It was as though every step they took, every breath they drew, was an affront to something ancient, something far beyond their understanding.
The crystal at the center of the room pulsed with blinding light, its power radiating outwards like an unstoppable force. The Overseer, now fully enraged, extended its hands, and the very walls of the chamber seemed to twist, contort, and warp under its control. The ground shook violently beneath their feet as reality itself bent and groaned.
Erevan's heart raced, but his mind remained sharp. This was it. The final stand.
"We need to destroy that crystal," Erevan shouted over the cacophony of energy that filled the room. "It's the source of everything!"
Serah nodded, her expression hardening with resolve. "How do we even get close to it? We're not exactly invisible."
Yuren, already adjusting his equipment, scanned the chamber. "I can try to disrupt its energy signature, create a temporary opening. But it won't last long."
"Do it," Erevan said, his voice steady. "We don't have much time."
The Overseer's voice echoed, a deep, guttural sound that seemed to come from all directions at once. "You think you can destroy me? You are nothing. I am the Tower's will. I am the collapse and the rebirth. I am the foundation of all things."
Erevan's lips curled into a grim smile. "You're nothing but a puppet. The real force behind this Tower is the fear of change."
With a wave of its hand, the Overseer summoned a wave of energy that crashed towards them, a vortex of destruction that would obliterate anything in its path. Erevan barely had time to react, but Serah leapt forward, raising a shimmering barrier of energy that absorbed the blast. The force of it sent her stumbling back, but she remained standing.
"We don't have much time," Serah gritted through clenched teeth. "Do something, Yuren!"
Yuren nodded, fingers flying over his terminal as he worked to manipulate the energy flows in the room. "Just a little longer… I'm bypassing the safety protocols. I'll create an opening, but you'll have to move fast."
The Overseer roared in fury, summoning more blasts of energy that seemed to come from every direction, but the rebels pressed on, dodging and weaving through the onslaught.
Erevan's mind raced. This was their moment. If they could destroy the crystal, they could finally bring down the Tower. But there was something else—something far deeper—that tugged at his thoughts. The Tower had existed for so long, and its influence was so vast. If they succeeded in destroying it, what would be left in its place?
"Do you feel that?" Yuren's voice broke through Erevan's thoughts. "The energy levels are shifting."
The room trembled as a new wave of power surged through the chamber, more intense than before. The Overseer seemed to grow in stature, its form swelling with power, but Erevan could sense a crack forming in its control. It was weakening.
"Now!" Erevan shouted. "Take your shot!"
Yuren's fingers flew across the terminal, and in an instant, the crystal's energy signature flickered and began to destabilize. A pulse of energy shot out from the center, creating a rift in the air itself, an opening for them to reach the crystal.
"Go!" Erevan ordered, drawing his blade. He charged forward, with Serah, Yuren, and the rest of the rebels following in his wake.
The Overseer, realizing what was happening, let out a roar of fury. "No! You will not take this from me! I will not be erased!"
It raised its hands, summoning a torrent of destructive energy to prevent their advance, but Erevan was already moving. He pushed past the force, the air crackling with tension as he closed in on the crystal. The power it radiated was suffocating, but he pressed on, the fire of determination burning in his chest.
With one final, defiant roar, Erevan leapt forward, his blade flashing in the light as he swung at the heart of the Tower.
The crystal cracked.
A blinding explosion of light filled the room as the crystal shattered, sending waves of energy pulsing outward. The Overseer screamed in agony, its form distorting, breaking apart as the Tower's power began to unravel.
Erevan fell to his knees, his body drained from the effort, but he smiled. They had done it. The Tower's heart was shattered, its control broken.
But as the light began to fade, Erevan's victory felt hollow. The Overseer's voice echoed one last time, a whisper that chilled him to the bone.
"You cannot destroy what is already inside you."
With that, the Tower began to collapse.
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Author's Note:
The final blow has been struck, but the consequences of their actions are only beginning to unfold. What lies ahead for Erevan and the rebels? How will the collapse of the Tower reshape the universe?
Thank you for your continued support!
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— Dorian Blackthorn
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