Divine Path System

"Are you still writing that letter, father?" Abyss Princess Eva stepped into the Emperor's study and asked softly.

Haedon finished the last sentence and closed the letter. Then, he put it on his arm and it burned into his skin before vanishing.

Eva's eyes widened as she stared at him with panic. "Why did—"

"Just an emergency measure." Haedon waved his hand and stood up. The bandages all over his body unraveled, revealing his healed body that looked like a sculpted statue.

Eva still wasn't convinced. But Empress Beatrice stormed into the room and said, almost panting. "T-They're here."

Right then, the palace shook and the sound akin to a thousand claps of thunder reverberated across the capital.

Haedon's expression grew grim as he stared at the floating screen depicting the situation.

Hundreds of millions of fairies, organized in complex but highly functional formations, marched forward. They seemed endless and like a tsunami, they neared the final city of the abyssals.

The barrier outside the city was already under stress as the Fairy Sovereigns began their relentless attacks.

The only reason it was still standing was the lack of participation from the Fairy Emperor.

He crossed his arms and stared at the Emperor's Palace with a look of pity. He was giving them a few minutes of respite to say their goodbyes.

"What a kind soul." Haedon gnashed his teeth and punched the desk into splinters.

The final resistance army of the abyssals stood behind the barrier, on the walls, and above the temporarily fortified structures

The capital city only had a strong and sturdy wall. But it was mostly for show. There had never been a defense fortress in this city.

Why would there be? If the fight came to the capital, then it's futile to fight.

But now, they're fighting. Even if it's futile, even though they're doomed from the start.

Every able-abyssal gathered a weapon and stood behind the barrier, against the invader.

The capital's wall was not built for defense. But their wall—built from staking their lives—was built for that very purpose.

"For the glory of our ancestors!"

"For the last light of our race!"

"For the greatness of our people!"

The men, women, elderly, and even children chanted the military cries. Some were crying, some were whispering their final goodbyes and others were staring back at their homes for one last time.

Kacha!

A crack appeared on the barrier guarding the city.

"Prepare yourself!"

Following the commander's voice, everyone straightened their backs and clenched their weapons harder. All the noise stopped from the abyssals, even their breathing was hard to hear.

"For one last time," the abyssal commander said in a hoarse tone. His heavy but powerful voice shook the sky and reached every single abyssal. "Let us fight."

The barrier splintered into shards of glittering auras and the two armies clashed.

— — —

On the most guarded floor in the underground complex of the Emperor Palace:

"Go now." Haedon tried to smile but he couldn't. Still, he urged his wife and daughter and the bunch of abyssals behind them.

"We don't have much time." The Abyss Emperor said.

"I can't abandon them!" Eva shook her head as tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

Her words caused the expressions of the abyssals in the room to change drastically.

They were the elite of the elite. And at this critical juncture, they weren't fighting. They were going to a distant land without fairies.

…They were abandoning their people.

"This isn't abandonment." Haedon clenched his hand so tight that blood started to drip. "This is the only way our race can be saved. The only way we don't become history."

Beatrice stared at her husband with an intense gaze. He stared back with a rare seriousness.

The corner of her eyes turned wet, but the Empress sniffed her tears back and turned to the huge altar on the floor.

"Let us go." She grabbed Eva's hand and despite her daughter's protest, dragged her forward.

"Father, then you go first." Standing in front of the altar, Eva didn't go first and turned to him.

Haedon's expression darkened and he shook his head.

Eva's eyes widened and her face lost all color. "NO! You are coming with me or I'll stay! I won't leave you, father, I'll never leave you!"

"I can't. The space gate can't bear the burden of a celestial ranker" Haedon said.

It would've. If not for the destruction of the altars by Varian and Enigma.

Even recently, he planned to transfer thousands of elite abyssals. But more altars were destroyed. Now, a few dozen were already the max capacity.

To be sure, there was still a chance of the altars carrying the Celestial ranker before. The altar would collapse though. So, if Haedon went there, he couldn't return. That's why he refused.

Things were only much worse now. If he really tried hard, he could go. But he'd be seriously injured. And the altar would also surely collapse.

Rather than going there and saving his life, he decided to send his daughter and wife as well as the elites so that they could survive.

Haedon didn't feel bad about his impending death. He decided to take down the Fairy Emperor with him.

But he did feel sad about not having the chance to watch his daughter grow up.

'Maybe this is how all those human fathers that died under my soldiers felt.' He shook his head with a wry smile and started walking out.

"You'll die, father! Please don't go!" Eva's wail was heartbreaking. "I beg you! I won't ask you anything! I beg you! Please, father! Just this one thing!"

Hearing the sobs from his daughter, Haedon's heart shook and for the first time in centuries, the Emperor's eyes turned wet. But his steps remained resolute and he headed for the exit. He headed for his death.

"No! Please!" Eva's cries grew distant and the altar began to shine.

Then all of a sudden, the palace shook and a huge noise rocked the sky.

"What the—"

The dim light on the floor was gone! The sunlight was actually coming down and the sky…

"Oh shit!"

The top of the palace, all the way to this floor was plucked away, revealing them.

Haedon's face instantly hardened and he turned to the Fairy Emperor above. That man was holding an artifact. A very precious one.

If not for it, he'd have to spend at least an hour breaking through all the defenses until he got to this floor.

That much time was enough to send them all away. But now…

Boom!

As the Fairy Emperor struck with the artifact, a barrier enveloped the floor and guarded them.

"You're done, Haedon." Fairy Emperor glanced at the altar as he continued his attacks. The sky shook and the palace began to crumble. "The Zions would be very much interested in where your eight abysses went."

Haedon roared and poured out his energy to maintain the barrier. It needed all his energy. But he couldn't keep it running for long.

"Go! Go already!" Abyss Emperor yelled. "Now!"

Beatrice was about to step into the shining space portal when a message flashed in front of her eyes.

It was an ominous red floating panel.

It also appeared in front of Haedon, the princess as well as the few dozen abyssals.

[The eight abysses are destroyed. The humans now have a Celestial ranker.]

Beatrice's eyes widened and she took a step back.

"What are you doing?" Haedon asked as his face contorted in pain.

Beatrice turned to her husband and gently smiled.

"No!" Haedon panicked and raised his hand toward her. But his energy was all sucked into the barrier and he couldn't reach her.

The love of his life, the mother of his daughter, the half of his soul said in the most beautiful voice he ever heard. "For the final glory!"

Abyssal Empress flew out of the one-way barrier and clashed with the fairy sovereigns flying in the skies of the capital.

"For the last light!" The elites shouted one by one and shot into the sky.

Haedon looked at them frantically, hoping they'd stop. But they all left. Only his daughter remained.

At least, she remained.

The barrier wouldn't stay for long.

"E-Eva, I-I'll fill my power into an artifact. Y-You, go! It's just a new Celestial Ranker. He won't be able to win. With the artifact, you can defeat enemies. You live. Go!" He hurriedly pulled out an armor.

"No."

As he was about to pour his blood essence into it, her sweet but determined voice cut stopped him in his tracks.

Haedon stared at her with teary eyes. And she stared back, sniffing back her tears.

Then she smiled. "For the glory of my father." And flew out of the barrier.

Eva turned into a beautiful, innocent white bird as she fought against the fairies.

The attacks on her were ruthless and fatal. The feathers of the small bird were quickly torn apart and splashed in her blood.

And they floated down.

With the gentleness of the lullaby for the last sleep.

With the reluctance of a petulant child refusing to eat.

With the softness in the sweet smile of an innocent girl.

Haedon stared. And stared at the falling little bird that soon turned into a little girl. His little girl was bloodied and two swords drove through her heart.

Abyss Emperor forgot to breathe as his heart twisted in pain, it was as if two swords were driven through his own heart.

Boom! Kacha! Boom!

With the onslaught of the Fairy Emperor, the barrier was starting to crack apart.

But Haedon stared blankly as his little daughter crashed into the ground and breathed her last. His eyes lost all the fighting spirit. His body seemed to be losing all its strength. Even with all the power he wielded, he felt powerless.

'What am I fighting for?' The brightness in his eyes began to fade.

His vision caught the body of his wife being torn into two by the ruthless fairies. He saw the elites sacrifice their lives without any regret. He saw the fleeting pain in their eyes when the fairies crushed them and he also saw the relentless pride brimming in their eyes for taking such a courageous decision.  They weren't abandoning their brethren. They were dying for them. With them.

The land around the palace turned lifeless. No abyssal was breathing in the surrounding hundred miles.  And the capital...it was about to fall.

Haedon's mind grew darker. 'Who am I fighting for?'

There was no one left. No one he loved. His own daughter left him. For what? Just to get that legacy? But wasn't the very purpose of getting that legacy the safety of his people and family? If they're all gone, why would the legacy even matter?

Haedon lowered his head and waited for death.

The cracks on the barrier grew bigger and a lonely feather passed through them and landed right on Haedon's face.

He held it out and stared blankly.

A white, bloodied feather.

"For the glory of my father." Her sweet little voice seemed to come from the feather.

Haedon's eyes burned with light once again and he stared at the altar where she previously stood.

Gone. Just a few minutes, no, a few seconds. She was gone.

Strength returned to him even as his face contorted with pain. The fighting spirit glowed in his eyes even as blood flowed down them. 'I will...'

The barrier shook and was about to burst.

"For the glory of my father." Her voice continued to ring like an unending cheer. Carrying her boundless love. Echoing her sweet innocence.

"For the glory of my father." Haedon muttered as he stared at the body of his daughter near the palace and burned it into his memory.

Then, he walked.

Without any hesitation, like a soldier marching towards his final duty, he walked to the altar.

"Haedon! Stop!" The Fairy Emperor growled and attacked the barrier once again.

It broke apart completely and the Fairy Emperor shot toward Haedon like a flash of lightning.

The altar exploded and Haedon disappeared.