The Divine Immortal chapter 5: A Battle of Wills (This is the unedited version)

Xerxes warps to a solitary planet in a dying solar system and Xerxes looks at the dying star. The star was a red dwarf, its moon was permanently locked in the center of the planet and its star’s gravity. The sky was permanently blood red, Xerxes looks back to the shrine in front of him and sees two giant stone gates. Xerxes saw the two handles of the gates and tries to pull the doors open. Xerxes could not pull the doors open. Xerxes then pushes the doors and the doors start to open, the big heavy doors dragged on the stone ground, and the doors made a loud creaking noise. As Xerxes opens the door, the shrine is nearly empty and nearly dark, however there is a flame in the middle of the shrine. Xerxes walks into the shrine and gets closer to the flame. The flame gets bigger and brighter as Xerxes gets closer, it’s a bonfire, and Xerxes sees a gray armored figure sitting at the pyre. Xerxes looks around the gloomy and hopeless place in search of more pyres. The figure sees Xerxes and waves to him.

“Ah hello, you don’t look empty, far from it!” The figure said respectfully

Xerxes sits down at the pyre and lays his sword down on the ground.

“What do you mean by ‘empty’” Xerxes said in confusion

“Being empty is a loss of your will and a loss of yourself” The figure said.

“Who does this affect?” Xerxes questioned

“Everyone unfortunately” The figure said

“That’s terrible, is there any way to stop it?” Xerxes asks, “Perhaps I can help”

“It is terrible but it cannot be stopped my friend” The figure said, “By the way, what is your name, friend?”

“Xerxes, that is my moniker” Xerxes names

“Xerxes, I’m quite fond of a name such as that” The figure compliments, “I am Soulis”

“Good to meet you, Soulis” Xerxes said

“Indeed, say why don’t we rest here so we can get to know each other better” Soulis asks

Xerxes, intrigued by the gloomy setting and the curious person in front of him, sits down.

“I can use some rest right now” Xerxes kindly agrees

“Please rest here my friend” Soulis says, “Why do you come here though”

“I am searching for a stone and it’s custodian” Xerxes answers

“What type of stone are you striving for, Xerxes” Soulis asks

“A geode… specifically the Soulsborne Geode” Xerxes responds

“I see but unfortunately I do not have such a stone here” Soulis bluffs

“I do not believe that Soulis, I did not come for liar, I came for the geode” Xerxes said

“If I did have the Geode then more people would have come here” Soulis answers

“If more people did come looking for the Geode, you would lie to all of them, just to protect the stone” Xerxes said, “I value your honor to keep the geode safe but it would be safer with me then anywhere else”

“What makes you think I have the stone” Soulis bluffs again

“Look at yourself, no person I’ve seen is Ravus and Canus colored.” Xerxes said, “The Geode’s kin guided me here”

“Fine I do have Soulsborne Geode but you aren’t getting it Xerxes” Soulis defiantly states, “The emptying would kill you”

“I shall persist through the emptying!” Xerxes confidently states

“Don’t do this Xerxes, this path leads to suffering!” Soulis warned Xerxes, “Arrogance only leads to more emptiness!”

“Nobody shall suffer if you grant me the Soulsborne Geode!” Xerxes heroically proclaims, “I will end suffering across this multiverse”

“Your arrogance blinds you!” Soulis warns, “I will protect this stone until the end!”

“You pose no threat to me you are just a man, I have defeated Deities and Gods to get these stones.” Xerxes pleads to him, “Hand over the Geode before death befalls you!”

“I have to defend the Geode and my people, you will find that I am much harder to defeat than what you comprehend!” Soulis retorts

Soulis got up and pulled a dark, blue moon colored greatsword out, Xerxes got up and grabbed his golden greatsword, and Xerxes took 5 steps back. Soulis ran straight at Xerxes and Xerxes points the greatsword at Soulis as he gets closer. Soulis runs straight into the sword’s tip and the sword penetrated Soulis’s armor. Soulis screamed in immense pain as Soulis tries to swing his greatsword at Xerxes but he is out of range. Xerxes steps backwards more and takes the blade out of Soulis. Soulis falls to the ground and he starts to fade to dust.

“What was he thinking?!” Xerxes concerns himself

Xerxes looks back at the pyre but the Soulsborne Geode is not there.

“How must I acquire this?” Xerxes confusingly says

Suddenly Soulis reappears at the pyre and gets back up like he was never killed, he quickly got back into position.

“So, he can return?!” Xerxes curiously says

Soulis kept silent and ran at Xerxes again, Xerxes thrusted his sword at Soulis again but this time Soulis rolls to the side of Xerxes’s attack.

“His armor is too corpulent appearing, but he can still move with great speed” Xerxes thought to himself.

Soulis’s greatsword suddenly gets covered in a dark blue magic and he swings his sword at Xerxes. A long semi-circular projectile was shot at Xerxes, Xerxes side-stepped away from the magical attack, and he quickly runs at Soulis. Xerxes thrusts his greatsword at Soulis once more and the greatsword penetrates Soulis’s armor. Soulis faded to dust shortly after. Xerxes held his hand out to the pyre, but the Geode did not appear in his hand again. Soulis re-appears at the pyre and he gets back up again. Soulis re-empowered his sword with magic and Xerxes sighs. Xerxes runs straight at Soulis again, Soulis swings the magically empowered sword at Xerxes and the magic creates the semi-circle again. Xerxes sidesteps again and he thrusts the greatsword at Soulis, Soulis rolls through the thrust and Xerxes follows Soulis’s movements. Xerxes swings his greatsword down at Soulis’s head and chops it off. Soulis fades to dust again.

“Not this time” Xerxes groaned

Xerxes waited for the Geode to spawn into his hands, but it did not. Soulis respawned at the pyre again and gets back up. Xerxes snarls and he gets into position again when Soulis re-empowers his sword. Xerxes runs straight at Soulis and Soulis finishes empowering his blade. Soulis dashes at Xerxes, Xerxes swings his blade down at Soulis, and Soulis quickly blocks the downward swing. Xerxes tries to slide his blade on Soulis’s blade but Soulis quickly kicks Xerxes back, Soulis blasted a magical sword beam at Xerxes, Xerxes quickly sidesteps, and Xerxes quickly closed the distance against Soulis. Soulis backsteps but Xerxes leaps at Soulis, Xerxes quickly tries to grab Soulis but Soulis rolled backwards through the grab. Xerxes growls and runs straight at Soulis. Xerxes quickly kicks Soulis knocking Soulis to the ground. Xerxes quickly empowers his foot with a small amount of destruction energy and slams his foot on Soulis’s chest. The destruction energy goes inside Soulis and Soulis is sent high into the air. Soulis lands on his chest and slowly gets back up.

“Do you wish to concede, I will make your death quick and painless” Xerxes arrogantly said

“I can proceed in this manner unto eternity” Soulis struggled to say

“Give me the Geode and I’ll spare you the eternity of death and suffering” Xerxes said

“No, I think you fail to understand what I’m capable of” Soulis struggled to say

“We shall see” Xerxes said

Soulis is decapitated as Soulis yet again fades to dust when he soon reborn at the pyre.

Soulis is decapitated as Soulis yet again fades to dust when he soon reborn at the pyre. Xerxes extends his hand out when Soulis gets back up.

“Enough of this childish behavior just give the geode.” Xerxes said annoyed

Soulis begins his attack anew, this time deathly dodging Xerxes’s swings, and lands a quick slicing cut at the back of Xerxes leg. Xerxes becomes more infuriated and begins to turn his sword more aggressively and skillfully. Soulis again recognizing the moves before they are done which allows Soulis to land more and heavier blows. Xerxes, allowing his anger to show, punches the ground while emitting a creation blue glow, suddenly the ground which Soulis stands upon grabs a hold of his feet. Xerxes quickly warps behind Soulis and runs him through with the colossal sword. Soulis falls to his knees and gives a dying smile.

“Phase two has begun” Soulis muttered to himself

Xerxes uses the creation stone enhance his immortal abilities to prepare for the next battle. Soulis respawns again and once again begins his assault on the intruding giant. The two engage in these endless battles for days. With each ensuing encounter taking longer and longer forcing more power from Xerxes against the ever-returning foe.

Finally, after hundreds of kills, Xerxes’s frustration hits its peak, and Xerxes slams his sword into the ground.

“I’ve defeated gods but this mere MORTAL is giving this much trouble!?” Xerxes frustratedly said, “Don’t you feel these deaths, don’t you feel this pain and torment!?”

“Of course I feel all of this you’ve inflicted on me with all your abilities and powers” Soulis said, “However I always triumph eventually which is why I am it’s guardian, nobody can surpass my willpower”

“Ah I’ve approached this problem wrong... let us battle like true immortals.” Xerxes said as he leaps at Soulis

“Wait stop!” Soulis said as Xerxes reached closer to the geode

Suddenly a bright flash of light occurred from the geode and it swallowed both men.

Xerxes awakens looking at quaint farm nestled in a empty valley, Xerxes finds himself looking without his weapons, armor, or stones. Xerxes would see Soulis appear in the farm too, Soulis did not have his weapons or armor, Xerxes saw Soulis in farmer clothes while Soulis sees Xerxes in Nammuian noble robes.

“Why did you do that?” Soulis confused, “You are in my Tarnished Sanctum… this is my homeland I bring wherever I go”

“Fighting you externally is pointless if you keep returning but I can overpower your will in here” Xerxes said

“Here my will is absolute, if I wish you to sit” Soulis said as Xerxes sits on the soil, “You will sit”

“Listen I need this geode for my grand plans to save this multiverse.” Xerxes said, “Don’t you see all of this pollution, corruption, hunger, war that all exists right now. You wield this ultimate power and will from the Geode to fix all of this, yet you are too cowardly to do what must be done”

“haven’t you figured this out, the more you use these stones, the more you lose control over them” Soulis warned, “That’s why all the guardians are chosen as they are, creation only create what’s needed while destruction only destroys what’s needed. Yet you use them without thought”

“Well just the opposite, I put all my thought, my will, my discipline into using these stone” Xerxes said

Xerxes stands up.

“How is that possible, I command you to sit?!” Soulis taken aback

Xerxes walks towards Soulis.

“I’ve bided to this sanctum for long enough, we are now in control” Xerxes said

Xerxes steps closer to Soulis, he is unable to move as Xerxes’ armor, weapon, and stone start to fade into existence back upon Xerxes. Xerxes grabs the handle of his colossal sword and runs Soulis through.

“You’ve been warned.” Soulis lightly says near Xerxes’s ear as he dies

A flash of bright lights consumes Xerxes once more and he returns at the pyre. The pyre starts to fade as Xerxes sees the Soulsborne Geode above the fading fire.

‘Use me to embrace the souls of others to discover your flame’

Xerxes slams the geode into his chestplate. He feels immense power, warmth, and guilt flow through him. Xerxes quickly warps aways.

Average bossfight experience