Bardi raised his head and looked toward Trigon.
At that moment, a massive rupture tore through the planet's atmosphere, creating a void that nearby air rushed to fill. It was like a sudden depression in water—an empty space instantly smoothed over by the surrounding currents.
Trigon's massive form swayed, almost as if an ordinary man had lost his balance and was about to fall backward.
Bardi and Raven's combined attack had nearly forced him off his feet.
As his body tilted, his right foot instinctively stepped back. The ground beneath him cracked and split as his foot dragged through it, sending layers of gravel rolling to either side. His spine arched, absorbing the impact, and in the next moment, he straightened—towering once again, unmoved.
The gaping wound in his chest writhed with terrifying regenerative energy. Tendrils of fresh muscle, twisting like a nest of countless serpents, wove together, reconstructing his heart. The shattered ribs reformed with deep red marrow, sprouting new layers of bone and tissue.
Blood vessels intertwined, fibers stretched, and within seconds, his heart was whole again, his flesh sealing over the wound as though it had never existed.
With nothing more than a slight pause, Trigon stood completely restored.
His six crimson eyes locked onto Bardi and Raven. The sheer weight of his presence bore down on them like the crushing expanse of the cosmos itself. The oppressive force made their bodies feel impossibly heavy, suffocating them.
Raven's face turned pale as she sucked in a sharp breath. She had known this wouldn't kill Trigon, but she hadn't expected their attack to be completely meaningless.
His power was beyond anything they could handle. The devastation they had inflicted amounted to nothing more than a minor irritation.
It was a terrifying, impossible truth.
"Bring out your weapons."
Bardi's voice was cold and hoarse, his vocal cords shredded and re-knitting themselves as he spoke.
He had seen it—Trigon wasn't even remotely injured.
Their combined efforts had failed to deal any fatal damage.
Raven hesitated, her expression conflicted. Then, clenching her teeth, she summoned a sphere of radiant light in her hands.
The orb glowed with an otherworldly brilliance—pure, sacred, and overflowing with an aura of justice. Its energy pulsed with faith, hope, and the unwavering power of divine conviction.
She handed the sphere to Bardi, her eyes full of sorrow.
"This will allow you to control the energy within your body. It will enhance your strength and amplify your power."
Her voice trembled as she forced out the words.
"It is Azarath's most powerful holy weapon. But… you will only have about a minute to survive."
This was the Lost Armor of Azarath—a relic that had guarded the planet for thousands of years. It was a symbol of prayer, faith, light, and hope, venerated by all who lived there.
It was Azarath's ultimate weapon.
For generations, the people of Azarath had only worshipped it, never wielding it. Their prayers and devotion had strengthened it over time, allowing it to accumulate vast reserves of sacred energy. Yet, as the centuries passed, its power had become so overwhelming that no one could use it anymore.
Initially, the plan had been to purify the dark energy within Raven so she could wield the Lost Armor against Trigon.
But Trigon had arrived too soon. Raven had not yet completed her purification, and there had been no time to prepare. No one on Azarath possessed the willpower or spiritual fortitude to command this ancient holy relic.
Raven had many legendary artifacts from Azarath, some powerful enough to destroy entire continents.
But only the Lost Armor held even the faintest chance of standing against Trigon.
She had not wanted to bring it out.
Because once she did, it meant Bardi was one step closer to death.
Yet if she didn't—his sacrifice would be in vain.
Donning the Lost Armor meant fighting with what little life he had left.
With Bardi's current condition, he would only be able to wield the Lost Armor for one minute.
It would push his body to its peak, unlocking his greatest strength and unleashing his most terrifying power in a final battle against Trigon.
But the price…
Would be the last minute of his life.
If Bardi didn't wear the Lost Armor, with his current rate of energy growth and mental resilience, he could survive for about a month before gradually fading and dying.
But at the same time, Raven knew how much pain Bardi was in. His mental strength was in shambles, his soul wracked with torment.
That kind of suffering tore through every cell, shattered every thought, his very essence was in agony. It was a miracle he had lasted this long.
She didn't want him to endure this any longer. She pitied him. She loved him. But she also didn't want him to sink into an abyss of endless suffering.
That was too cruel.
The choice weighed heavily on Raven. It hurt. She struggled with it.
But in the end, she listened to Bardi.
She took out the Lost Armor—and let Bardi decide for himself.
Sometimes, death was the only way to end the pain.
"I can let Earth go. I can let Raven go!"
Trigon's six crimson eyes burned with raw, insatiable hunger. A sinister light flickered within them.
He didn't want Bardi to be harmed.
Because Bardi was perfect food.
Trigon could give up Raven. He could leave Earth alone. These were trivial matters.
As long as he could have Bardi, everything else was insignificant.
Raven's face turned pale. She whipped her head toward Trigon, eyes wide with disbelief.
This—this didn't sound like Trigon.
Wherever he went, he brought only darkness and destruction.
Had he ever spared a world? A single life?
Now, he claimed he would let them go?
Was this a joke? A twisted game?
Bardi remained expressionless. His icy gaze held a suppressed pain—deeper than anything visible. His soul was being torn apart from within. Every moment, his body broke down, repaired itself, and collapsed again.
His energy surged uncontrollably, like an endless cycle of overconsumption—his insides bursting apart, healing, and then bursting again.
It was hell.
An unrelenting nightmare of pain.
So when Trigon said he would let Earth and Raven go, Bardi didn't believe him.
If he was willing to give up that easily, it only meant he had bigger plans.
And no matter what those plans were—Bardi knew one thing.
He could never allow them to happen.
He shifted his gaze to the glowing sphere in Raven's hands. The Lost Armor—his only chance to fight. One minute. That was all he had.
"I want you!"
Trigon's six eyes bore down on him, burning with undisguised desire.
"I can heal your body. I can save your life."
"All you have to do… is follow me."
"Your life, Raven's life, and the fate of Earth, all will be spared."
Trigon's voice thundered across the battlefield, reaching both Bardi and Raven.
Raven froze.
She hadn't expected this.
This was… the best possible outcome, wasn't it?
No one would have to die. Bardi would survive. Earth would be safe.
Her lips parted slightly, then shut.
She lifted her gaze to Bardi.
It was his decision to make.
She wanted him to live.
She didn't want him to accept Trigon's offer.
She wanted to stand by him, no matter the cost.
She…
She wanted too many things.
But all she could do now was leave the choice to Bardi.
And she would accept whatever he decided.
Bardi's face remained cold. His expression unreadable.
But deep in those frozen eyes, there was pain.
Because from the very beginning—there was never a choice.
Trigon wasn't trying to save him. Trigon wanted something else.
Something greater.
Bardi could see it—that raw, predatory hunger in Trigon's gaze.
It wasn't an offer of salvation.
It was the gaze of something starving, looking at its next meal.
Something ancient.
Something terrifying.
Something that had already claimed him as its prey.
A demon had set its sights on him.
Bardi's hand shot out.
He seized the ball of light from Raven's grasp.
And without hesitation, he slammed the Lost Armor directly into his own body.
"I choose…"
"To kill you."
(To be continued.)
***
For every 100 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 50+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.
Giving away 1-month free Patreon to 3 random members tomorrow. DÎscőrd link: https://discord.gg/UN2j5Cmq