Rowan muttered, “I have spent five thousand years of lifespan just to resurrect from death, it was less than I expected and more than I desired, a Legendary State Dominator could live for 150 years, a Rift State Dominator could live until 300, Incarnation— 500, a Spirit Territory—1,000, Incandescent —1,500, Proclamation —2,000.”

Rowan had lost nearly triple the lifespan of a Proclamation Realm Dominator, and although it was for a heaven defying act such as resurrection from death, it still stung, for he could feel the wound where his lost Lifespan was torn away from him.

He could not get used to resurrection, although he would get more lifespan when he entered the Rift State, it would cost more to also resurrect him, he had barely spent a single year when resurrecting as a mortal, but at his current level he had to use 5,000 years to do so. It was a slippery slope, this ability of his, perhaps there may come a day when his powers were too much for any amount of lifespan to resurrect him.

The monstrous form of Dorian turned to him after adjusting his golden belt, “I thought you would have picked up the blade by now.”

“Would you allow me? Besides, I would rather kill you with my bare hands, killing you with a quick stroke seems too much of a mercy.”

This was all an elaborate bluff, of course he wanted to use the blade to fight, he was not a fool to disregard powerful weapons when available, but, Rowan had watched the speed the vines in Dorian hands moved, even if he grabbed the weapon, he was still too weak to fight him, he would only die and be torn apart like Rico.

He was not so much stronger with the thousands of Attributes he gained from Berserker, yet there was still a clear divide between his current powers and Dorian, if he were to judge the amount of Attribute Dorian must have in each Stat, he could place him at:

Strength–(between 30,000 and 40,000)

Agility–(between 20,000 and 30,000)

Constitution –(between 50,000 and 46,000)–

Spirit–(between 6,000 and 12,000)

These attributes should be close to accurate, and this was not even adding the boost he would gain from his Incarnation and Territory, for the present Rowan he was outmatched in every way and Rowan did not intend to spend his Lifespan cheaply. He needed a bit more time to get to Rift, and the amount of energy and soul points he was gathering every single second was astonishing.

He could understand the amount of energy he was receiving, but how was he getting so many souls, and so quickly?

Dorian laughed at his reply, dragging Rowan’s full concentration back to the deadly situation before him. Dorian gave a sickening smile, and Rowan saw the stark resemblance between this man and the Demons of the Abyss, they may have different forms, but their Spirit was the same.

Dorian replied to his question, “My lack of permission did not stop you before. Tell me, are you a lost Earth god of this planet?”

Rowan cocked his head at him, what a strange question to ask, was his unending healing a feature of an Earth god? Hearing no replies, Dorian scoffed, “It doesn’t matter if I can’t collect your life, I will collect other things that you have.”

“You don’t want to do that, Dorian.”

“Oh, why is that little Earth god?”

“Because I will kill you, Dorian.”

Dorian paused, “You nearly did a short while back, careless of me, but that is battle, always expect the unexpected. However, you bore me Earth god, or should I call you Erohim? Or any of the thousand of the weak Earth gods outside Trion that scuttle in the dark like little insects? Say, would you care to share your name with me? Silence? I see, what else do you all have but your immortality? When before the might of Trion you are all grass.”

Rowan was keeping his words inside his mind to analyze them later, however, his plan was to keep Dorian talking for as long as possible.

“I do not make idle threats, Dorian.”

“Spare me, your fangs are weak and your claws blunt, you are too weak for me to enjoy battle with you and I take no pleasure in endlessly destroying your flesh, but…”

He unexpectedly appeared beside Rowan and picked up his blade, and in his new form he looked down on Rowan as if he were an ant, arrogance poured out from his eyes, in a blur of motion he wrapped a single hand around Rowan’s body and carried him.

He was not gentle as Rowan felt him crush all his ribs, also with the flames emanating from his body, Rowan’s skin and muscles blackened and began to char.

“Earth god, I may not be able to kill you, but I promise I will collect something of yours… I always keep my promises.”

Dorian took flight with Rowan and in a short while he stopped, the flames from his hands reduced in intensity, allowing Rowan’s body to heal. He saw they were at the convoy, and were flying above it, a feeling of dread and anger began to steal over Rowan’s body.

The two beams that Dorian had fired at him, had drawn a long line in the ground, hundreds of miles across. It had torn through the convoy, destroying the gathering they were having a short while back.

A few hours ago, this was a place of celebration and laughter. The people below them had bright smiles and light hearts, for they felt safe, but the hands of fate were cruel. Dorian had reached Rowan so quickly that even if he wanted to move farther away from the convoy it would be impossible in that time frame, and so he had pushed their battle deep into the ground, but it was already too late.

There were hundreds of bodies on the ground that had been covered with white sheets. A safe estimate would put the number of people in different states of injuries at two thousand plus. They had barely managed to put out the flames from the burning vehicles, and now they were still clearing the wreckage.

There were screams, of course, and the ones who could scream were the lucky ones, so many had been silenced forever.

The shell shocked expression on the faces of the people here in the convoy here was familiar, was it so long he had seen sights like these inside the Nexus.

The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. I have changed nothing.

His eyes went around the battered convoy, looking for what? Hope? He feared he knew the reason Rico went insane and went into a rampage, but he still tried to find Circe and Nana in the crowd. He could not see any traces, intact the blast seemed to have penetrated the vehicles of both Nana and Circe.

Dorian observed the people below him alongside Rowan, he spoke, and his voice held a note of curiosity,

“Weird, you would think with the coming Great Storm and the beast calamity happening on this mud ball, these people would not stop until they were behind the safety of their holes underground, but here they are, partying like a bunch of gay rabbits.” Dorian frowned, and he looked at Rowan.

The people below were beginning to become aware of their presence above them, and shouts and commotion were starting to ripple across the crowd below, cries of “Erohim” rang out from them before a hush settled over the crowd, as the presence of Dorian expanded, and it settled like a rock on their chest.