The Dawn of the New World

By the time Hao Xuan reached Argham the changes were already visible. The light of the cross was covering everything and everyone in sight. It was like an all-seeing eye shining its light onto these mortals that could not bear to look away.

Hao Xuan stood atop one of the taller buildings and saw its effects reflected in the faces of these people. The younger children were almost in a trance unable to peel their gaze away.

The older generation was much more conscious of what was happening around them but even still they were not unaffected. Hao Xuan raised his arm in front of his face and noticed how his hair stood straight up.

There was bloodlust in the air.

The mortals were suffocating under its pressure. Even when not directly looking at the cross it still rested heavily on their hearts, instilling a sense of fear that they had not known since the days of old.

Hao Xuan could feel this better than most and understood its origin. It was the power of a God.

Just by its mere presence it could alter the world around it even in this state.

"Just how many people did he kill to make that? And it's still not complete?" Hao Xuan wondered.

He had seen divine artifacts before but none as potent as this. It wasn't even activated yet and still, it had put an entire city of hundreds of thousands under its hold.

The sound of billowing came from his right followed by a dark figure landing hastily next to him.

Hao Xuan looked over and saw Claudia jumping off a pair of ravens just before they turned into smoke and disappeared.

"Master! I couldn't find you anywhere!" she said trying to sound calm but Hao Xuan could hear her heartbeat thumping like a drum.

"I'm sorry to leave without saying anything. Jin Wang is a friend, he would never do anything to hurt me."

"Good...that's good."

Hao Xuan couldn't help but steal a glance at her. He usually didn't feel too comfortable with people but there was an air of intimacy about her as if they were both going through the same hardships. (Reminder, her reference image is posted in discord)

Claudia noticed Hao Xuan looking at her from the corner of her eye and blushed. She looked up at the cross, "I have never felt this kind of power before. I-It feels pervasive like there is nothing I can hide from it," she mumbled in a bid not to make things too awkward, making it awkward.

Hao Xuan looked away realizing it was quite rude of him to openly stare.

"Mhm. It's the power of a god. There is a divine spark within it that will be absorbed by its owner when he is ready to ascend to Godhood."

Claudia couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that little nugget of information.

"You speak as if you have seen it before."

"I have," he acknowledged, "I saw the birth of many a gods in another lifetime."

"What does it mean? Should we not try to destroy it? It can't be good."

Hao Xuan chuckled at the suggestion.

"He would not have sent it here if there was even a chance that it could be toyed with. If I had to guess, that cross is just one of two. Unless both of them are destroyed simultaneously it will be next to impossible to do anything. Not to mention the power that it holds is already too strong-"

He suddenly froze mid-sentence upon sensing a pair of eyes on his back. He looked back but there was no one there, and yet the feeling of being watched was undeniable.

"Dai Zhi! He is nearby!"

He could feel his presence. It felt like a ball of fire was rummaging around the back of Hao Xuan's mind.

'He is calling to me!'

Hao Xuan closed his eyes to release all his spiritual sense, letting his mind wander freely through the air.

A portion of his soul was pulled out of his body as it floated over vast stretches of land before arriving at the intended destination, a destination that even he did not know of.

He saw Dai Zhi standing alone on a small hill within the dark forest. He was surrounded by trees on all sides but what caught his eye were the numerous muscular figures slowly moving towards him through the shadows.

'The barbarians! What are they doing?!'

And just as that thought crossed his mind Dai Zhi looked straight up at Hao Xuan.

His lips curled into a knowing smile, "Even with the World Spirit helping you there is nowhere you can hide anymore. Isn't it time we met, just the two of us? I believe there is something we need to talk about."