Chapter 1604 Fan The Flames Author's Note: Unedited Chapter --------------------- Gustav watched in surprise as the playback depicted the colossal battle in space. The deities clashed with unimaginable force, their energies creating shockwaves that rippled through the cosmos. The very fabric of reality seemed to tremble under the weight of their conflict. "Not again," Gustav thought. The battle reached a catastrophic climax when one of the deities was struck down. Usually, deities were immortal but the only threat to a Deity's immortality was another deity. The defeated deity's corpse which was massive beyond comprehension, began to drift through space. The playback highlighted the sheer scale of the body, which was as massive as the combination of more than thirty planets. It was incredibly colossal. As the deity's corpse floated toward Humbad's solar system, the sun was blotted out, casting the planet into darkness. The holographic images showed the Slarkovs looking up at the sky in terror and disbelief, their world plunged into an eerie twilight. Frambultin the 45th addressed his people in the aftermath of the catastrophe. He stood on a platform within Dimension Six. "My fellow Slarkovs," he said, his voice steady but filled with sorrow, "we face a challenge unlike any we have encountered before. A shadow has been cast over our world, and we must come together to find a way through this darkness." "Chief Fraumbultin, what can we do? Our crops are failing, and our energy reserves are depleting without the sun. How will we survive?" A Slarkov asked. Fraumbultin the 45th responded with a tone of understanding; "We will use the power of Dimension Six to sustain ourselves," he replied. "We have faced great challenges before, and we have always found a way to overcome them. We must remain united and work together to find solutions." While it is well known that Dimension Six could solve any problem, the problem had to be within the vicinity of the planet and not in outerspace. This meant they couldn't ask Dimension six to get rid of the Deity's corpse and even if they could, it wouldn't work due to it being the corpse of an actual deity. So, they had to consider a different approach. Gustav watched as the construct showed the Slarkovs mobilizing to address the crisis. They Dimension Six to create artificial light sources, attempting to replicate the sun's rays to keep their crops alive. Engineers and scientists worked tirelessly to develop new technologies that could sustain them in the prolonged darkness. In one scene, Gustav saw a group of scientists gathered around a large device that emitted a powerful, golden light. "This should help keep the crops growing," one of the scientists said, adjusting the settings. "It's not a perfect solution, but it will buy us some time." Frambultin the 45th visited the laboratories, offering his support and encouragement. "Your work is vital to our survival," he told the scientists. "We must use every resource at our disposal to ensure that our people have what they need to endure this crisis." Despite their efforts, the prolonged darkness began to take its toll. The playback showed scenes of hardship and struggle, with the Slarkovs facing food shortages and energy crises. The once-thriving society was now grappling with the harsh reality of their situation. They did their best to keep working to find solutions and survive. The playback continued, depicting the grim reality the Slarkovs faced after the death of the deity and the resultant eclipse of their sun. The initial challenge of surviving in darkness was compounded by a new and insidious threat: an ashy sand-like pollution that emitted from the deity's corpse. This pollution began to spread through space, turning into a malevolent force that swallowed up orbital bodies, including moons and satellites. Gustav watched as the construct showed the spread of this pollution. It moved with a sinister, creeping inevitability, engulfing everything in its path. The Slarkovs, already struggling with the loss of sunlight, now faced an even greater existential threat. "We must protect ourselves," Fraumbultin the 45th declared, his voice resolute as he addressed the council. "This pollution is unlike anything we've encountered before. We need to act quickly to safeguard our planet." The council members and scientists came together in agreement to work quickly on a solution. One of the scientists spoke up; "We have developed barriers using the energy from Dimension Six," she said. "These barriers should be able to hold off the pollution and give us time to find a more permanent solution." Frambultin the 45th looked at the council members, determination in his eyes. "Let's implement these barriers immediately. Every second counts." The playback shifted to show the Slarkovs working tirelessly to erect the multilayered barriers. The barriers shimmered with an ethereal light, forming a protective shield around Humbad. As the barriers were activated, the ashy sand-like pollution met with resistance. The barriers held strong, repelling the malevolent force and preventing it from reaching the planet's surface. The Slarkovs breathed a collective sigh of relief after seeing their efforts pay off. Fraumbultin the 45th addressed the people of Humbad with reassurance. "The barriers are holding, and we are safe for now. We continue to seek a permanent solution to this threat." The playback showed the Slarkovs returning to their daily lives, their spirits lifted by the temporary reprieve. However, the shadow of the pollution still loomed large. Months turned into years, and the barriers continued to hold. The Slarkovs used this time to develop new technologies and strategies to combat the pollution. Scientists and engineers worked around the clock, searching for a way to neutralize the threat permanently. In one scene, Gustav watched as a group of scientists gathered in a high-tech laboratory, their faces etched with determination. "We've made some progress," one of them said, pointing to a holographic display. "We've developed a prototype device that might be able to disperse the pollution." Fraumbultin the 45th, who was present in the lab, listened intently. "Excellent work," he said. "How soon can we test it?" The scientist hesitated. "We're still in the early stages of testing. We need more time to ensure it's safe and effective." Fraumbultin the 45th nodded. "Understood. Keep me updated on your progress. The safety of our people depends on it." The scientists did try to test this device but unfortunately it wasn't as effective as they would have liked it to be. No matter how much of the sandy ash like substance they dispersed, it always found a way to replicate. It was like they were just wasting their time. Despite their best efforts, the situation took a turn for the worse. The playback showed the barriers beginning to falter, the relentless pressure of the pollution wearing them down. Cracks appeared in the shimmering shield and things were starting to get very dire. The playback showed the relentless assault of the as hy sand-like pollution against the barriers. The Slarkovs watched in despair as their protective shield continued to weaken and crack. Despite their best efforts, it seemed that all hope was lost. Fraumbultin the 45th stood in the command center, his face etched with worry. "We've done everything we can," he said to his advisors. "The barriers won't hold much longer. We need a miracle." Just as the situation seemed dire, a bright light appeared in the sky, cutting through the darkness. The playback showed a figure descending from the heavens, his form glowing with an otherworldly radiance. As he landed on the surface of Humbad, the light around him dimmed to reveal a deity who had taken on a human form. How could one tell that he was a deity? For starters, he got through the barrier with ease and past the sandy ash like substance without any trouble. Not to mention his two silver eyes that glowed like lightbulbs and the majestic presence he carried. The Slarkovs watched in awe as the deity walked among them. He raised his hand, and the ashy sand-like pollution that had been attacking the barrier began to gather into a swirling mass above his head. "Who are you?" Fraumbultin the 45th asked, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and disbelief. He knew it was a deity but subconsciously still spat this question out. The deity looked at him with kind, ancient eyes. "I am a guardian of balance who came to rectify the harm caused by the battles of my kin," he said. "I apologize for the destruction and chaos that has befallen your world." Gustav watched in amazement as the deity continued to gather the pollution, forming it into a compact, pulsating ball of dark energy. The malevolent force that had been swallowing up orbital bodies was now contained, its threat neutralized. And it had been done with so much ease that no one would doubt the authenticity of the person before them. The deity then raised his other hand, and the skies began to clear. The remains of the fallen deity and the pollution that had darkened their world dissipated, revealing the sun once more. Light flooded the planet, and the Slarkovs cheered in relief and joy. "Thank you," Frambultin the 45th said, bowing deeply. "You have saved my people..."