The Collapse
Chapter 34
BOOOOOM!!
The elders' balcony exploded into ruin.
Stone shattered. Wood splintered. The entire structure collapsed inward, vanishing beneath a thick cloud of dust.
For a moment-
No one moved.
Every pair of eyes in the coliseum stared upward at the destroyed balcony.
Then-
CRACK.
A sharp sound echoed through the arena.
One of the massive support columns beneath the upper level had begun to split.
A thin fracture crawled across the stone like a spreading wound.
Everyone watched it.
As if simply staring at it would stop what was about to happen.
But it didn't.
CRACK!
The fracture widened.
Then-
BOOM!!
The first support beam snapped.
And the moment it fell-
Everything collapsed.
Stone pillars shattered.
The upper floors began crumbling inward like a collapsing mountain.
"HAAAAA!!"
The hooded spectators finally broke.
Screams erupted across the arena as people ran in absolute terror.
Some rushed toward the exits.
Others stumbled over broken stone.
Some were simply too slow.
Bodies crashed into each other as panic took control.
A stampede began.
People were shoved aside.
Trampled.
Crushed beneath the desperate feet of those trying to escape death.
But at the center of the chaos-
Eidolon walked forward slowly.
Calm.
Silent.
Unbothered by the world collapsing around him.
Dust drifted through the air like ash from a dying world.
Then he stopped in the middle of the coliseum.
"...I can feel it."
His voice was low.
Almost confused.
"There's something... everywhere..."
His head slowly tilted upward.
"It's calling me."
His eyes narrowed.
"...Begging me."
The air around him trembled faintly.
"Waiting for me to use it."
Then Eidolon frowned slightly.
"...Strange."
His glowing eyes moved across the arena.
Across the terrified crowd.
Across the screaming people running for their lives.
"...It's coming from them."
His lips slowly curled upward.
A quiet giggle escaped him.
"Ha..."
Then his arms slowly spread outward.
"HAHA..."
His voice rose.
"HAHAHAHA!!"
His purple eyes burned brighter.
"IT'S NEGATIVE ENERGY!"
His laughter echoed through the collapsing arena.
"I can feel it!"
"Their pain..."
"Their sorrow..."
"And most of all-"
His smile widened into something monstrous.
"DESPAIR."
Dark energy began flowing through the air.
Thin streams of black mist drifted from the terrified crowd.
From every scream.
From every dying person.
From every broken soul trapped inside the collapsing arena.
And all of it-
Rushed toward Eidolon.
The energy poured into his body like a raging storm.
Some people finally noticed.
"The center!"
"Something's happening!"
But it was too late.
The panic only grew worse.
People pushed harder.
Ran faster.
Crushed anyone too slow to escape.
The stampede became merciless.
More despair.
More fear.
More energy.
Eidolon's body trembled with power as the darkness flooded into him.
Then suddenly-
CLANG.
Chains burst from his back.
They shot high into the air like spears.
Before splitting apart into two massive lengths.
They plunged downward-
SHRRRKKK!!
Both chains stabbed deep into the ground behind him.
Like anchors.
Binding him firmly to the center of the arena.
Holding him in place.
Waiting.
The air grew heavier.
Darker.
Even the collapsing arena seemed to hesitate.
Something terrible was about to be born.
And Eidolon stood at the center of it.
Smiling.
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