Cain understood that the problem before them was not a lack of strength. At this point, the forces of the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe actually held a slight advantage. Their warriors were powerful, their techniques and cosmic power impressive, their artifacts fearso, and their combined might was leaving deep and dangerous wounds on the Champions of the Root, which constantly forced them to heal.
The true problem was trust.
Soone needed to enter the Heart of the Root itself-march into the world-sized tumor, slaughter the endless spawn covering its surface, clear a path for the golden hand of the Matrix, and deliver a decisive blow that would weaken the world-sized tumor and allow the Universe Will to push the abomination back.
But whoever stepped forward would be walking into certain death unless the others covered their back. If the Champions of the Root, or worst yet, the High Lord, were left unchecked, they could attack from a blind spot, and even Cain might not survive that.
And among the assembled forces, there was not a single warrior who trusted the others enough to stake their life on it.
Not even Cain, Cipher, and Uriel-who were fighting together against Godfrey with remarkable coordination-possessed the level of faith required for such a near-suicidal gamble.
Thus, the battlefield reached a stalemate, and that stalemate spelled disaster for the Nine Empyrean Suns Universe.
As Cain searched desperately for a way to break through this impasse, one of the golden gates forged by the Universe Will pulsed with light. A new figure erged-but his appearance caused imdiate
confusion among the warriors of the Empyrean Suns, for he resembled none of the Six Sacred Races.
What stepped out was a towering techno-golem, humanoid but unmistakably artificial, his body sculpted from cosmic alloy. Bright blue energy pulsed through circuit-like patterns carved into his limbs
and chest.
A blazing core burned in the center of his torso. Radiant tallic spikes crowned his head, framing expressionless, glowing eyes. Behind him hovered chanical wing-constructs that humd with the sa blue energy.
He looked like a war-titan, forged not by nature but by levying hand, a weapon built for the sole purpose of destruction and killing.
"Arkam, Anima Machinarium," sensing the confusion on the faces around him, the being announced himself.
He turned imdiately toward the Champions of the Root. His chest glowed fiercely-and in the next instant a colossal cannon-blast of blue plasma erupted outward.
The beam tore through the void at shocking speed, striking Kukulkatz and blasting the abomination far into the distance while lting chunks of his twisted flesh.
Arkam did not hesitate. He launched himself after Kukulkatz, his massive body moving with impossible acceleration, ready to rip the Champion of the Root apart.
It was more than enough to demonstrate that he deserved a place on this battlefield.
Cain felt genuine relief at this reinforcent-but the impasse remained. Arkam fought the Champions of the Root, yes, but he made no move toward the Heart. He did not risk his life by diving into the tumor's surface, and no sane warrior would bla him.
This was the problem when there was power, but there was no clear learn or cohesion.
Cain's gaze shifted toward the remaining portals. None glowed. None opened. No new allies erged.
Either the Universe Will had failed to locate its remaining candidates... or those candidates refused to enter the battlefield.
Whichever the truth, it ant Cain could not count on anyone else to take the lethal path into the Heart of the Root.
"Ahh..." The Scarlet King sighed softly, imdiately understanding the sa truth.
But he was not the type to wait for miracles.
"Damn it. I'll do it." Conviction ignited in Cain's eyes. His energy flared with renewed intensity as he searched for an opening.
If he could just push Godfrey away for a mont, Uriel and Cipher could hold the abomination off long enough for Cain to rush the Heart. He would make his energy explode one final ti once he reached it, and hope that was enough.
After a few more minutes of battle, Uriel and Cipher managed to lock down Godfrey's arms. Cain surged forward, placed his hand over Godfrey's face, and activated a Sovereign Neutral Star Collapse
Cannon at point-blank range.
The blast was devastating. The top half of Godfrey's head evaporated,
and his massive body was hurled away. Once again, the High Lord was forced to summon the life and energy of the Heart of the Root to regenerate, collapsing back into his base state.
"Now!" Cain roared, seeing his chance.
He was a heartbeat away from launching himself toward the Heart of the Root when the entire void began to tremble.
Space quaked as if sothing ancient and imasurably powerful was trying to force its way through reality. Everyone felt it-both the heroes of the Nine Empyrean Suns and the abominations of the Root. Then, with a sound like space-ti shattering, several enormous hands tore open the fabric of reality and pulled wide a new portal.
A figure stepped through.
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