Alex turned his attention to the third orb, his curiosity piqued.
The [Orb of the Unbreakable] hovered before him, its surface gleaming with a golden light.
A panel appeared in his vision, confirming his selection.
[You have selected “Orb of the Unbreakable”]
[Activating this orb grants an indestructible barrier for five seconds, reflecting all incoming damage back at its source.]
The orb’s symbol was a shield, radiating an aura of invincibility.
“Alright, Kaelios,” Alex called out, “Let’s see how this one works.”
“You’re the one that will hit me now, give it your best shot and don’t hold back!”
Kaelios nodded, his expression calm but intrigued.
Alex activated the orb, and instantly, a shimmering golden barrier enveloped him.
The barrier pulsed with energy, its surface rippling like liquid light.
Alex felt an overwhelming sense of security, as if nothing in the world could harm him.
Kaelios instantly summoned his [Destiny Swords], charging them up with all of his energy.
Then dashed forward, ready to see just how good such a barrier would be.
He had seen dozens of defense skills, each one different from the last, but not many were actually strong enough to protect from a god’s attack.
Fwish! Slash!
He swung his blades and the attack struck the barrier.
But the moment the blades touched the barrier, the strike was instantly reflected back at Kaelios with the same amount of force.
Slash! Boom!
The attack didn’t even stratch the barrier, but it was in fact so powerful that Kaelios was beheaded, his head falling onto the ground.
“Holy shit,” even Alex was surprised to see that happen, “Um… you okay?”
“Yeah,” Kaelios’ head answered, and his body grabbed it before placing it back on his neck, healing him back to full, “That’s impressive.”
The barrier lasted for exactly five seconds before dissipating.
Alex made a mental note of its powers.
Not only were five seconds in a battle terrifyingly long, but it reflected everything that touched it.
He’d need to time its use perfectly in battle, but it was the most powerful orb yet.
Next, Alex turned to the fourth orb.
This one was a deep brown, with a symbol resembling a crack etched into its surface.
A panel appeared as he selected it.
[You have selected “Orb of the Mountain”]
[Upon impact, this orb fractures the earth itself, creating jagged fault lines that pull enemies underground before sealing shut.]
“Ready?” Alex asked.
“Do your worst,” Kaelios replied, his tone light but his stance firm.
Alex launched the orb, and it shot directly toward the ground near Kaelios.
It was instantaneous, with no way to react.
The moment it made contact, the earth trembled violently.
Jagged fault lines erupted from the point of impact, spreading outward like spiderwebs.
Kaelios tried to leap away with his wings, but the ground beneath him split open, revealing a chasm that seemed to stretch into endless darkness.
Tendrils of energy shot out, wrapping around his legs and pulling him downward.
“Whoa!” Kaelios exclaimed, struggling against the force.
But the orb’s power was relentless.
He tried to teleport or undo the power.
But the moment he activated his ability, the earth snapped shut.
A deep rumble echoed through the Garden as the land sealed itself, as if nothing had ever happened.
Alex stood still, waiting.
Then…
Boom!
The ground erupted open, and Kaelios shot out, hovering in the air, looking slightly irritated.
“That one,” he said, shaking off bits of stone from his clothes, “was annoying.”
“It killed you?”
“Yeah,” Kaelios sighed, “Had to revive myself, but even then it was difficult, what’s next?”
Even after dying, he was eager to continue seeing what these orbs had in reserve.
Alex selected the next orb.
It was a deep purple, with chains etched into its surface.
Alex selected it, and a panel appeared.
[You have selected “Orb of Dominion”]
[When activated, spectral chains shoot out from this orb, binding enemies in mid-air and slowly crushing them with divine pressure.]
Alex activated the orb, and it floated in front of him, pulsing with a dark, ominous energy.
He pointed at Kaelios, and the orb responded instantly.
Spectral chains shot out, moving faster than the eye could follow.
They wrapped around Kaelios, binding his arms and legs and lifting him into the air.
The chains glowed with a divine light, tightening with each passing second.
Kaelios struggled against the chains, his expression one of genuine surprise.
“Okay, this is… uncomfortable,” he admitted.
The chains continued to tighten, their divine pressure crushing down on Kaelios.
He winced and after a few seconds…
Snap!
The chains snapped every bone in Kaelios’ body, killing him again.
They then disappeared, dropping him onto the ground, and allowing him to revive.
“That’s a nasty one,” Kaelios said, rubbing his wrists.
Next!
[You have selected “Orb of Annihilation”]
It was a deep black, with a spear-like symbol etched into its surface.
[This orb hovers above the user and continuously fires piercing energy spears at all enemies within sight until deactivated.]
Alex activated the orb, and it floated above his head, spinning slowly.
Almost immediately, it began firing energy spears at Kaelios.
The spears were fast and precise, each one aimed with deadly accuracy.
Kaelios dodged the first few spears, his movements fluid and graceful.
But the orb was relentless, firing spears in rapid succession.
One of the spears grazed Kaelios’ shoulder, leaving a faint burn mark.
He continued to dodge, but the spears kept coming.
Eventually, after exactly fifty spears came out, the orb vanished out of existence.
“So that’s the limit.”
Next!
[You have selected “Orb of the Storm”]
It was a vibrant blue, with a storm cloud symbol etched into its surface.
[Holding this orb charges it with unstable lightning, and upon release, it transforms into a roaming storm that relentlessly hunts enemies, striking them with divine thunder until exhausted.]
Alex held the orb in his hand, feeling it grow warmer as it charged with energy.
The air around him crackled with electricity, and the sky above darkened ominously.
‘This one takes time to use.’
When the orb was fully charged, Alex released it.
It shot into the air, transforming into a massive storm cloud.
Lightning crackled within the cloud, and it began to move on its own, hunting Kaelios.
The storm unleashed a barrage of lightning strikes, each one aimed at Kaelios with terrifying precision.
He dodged the first few strikes, but the storm was relentless.
One of the bolts struck him square in the chest, sending him stumbling backward.
In comparison to the [Orb of Thunder], this one didn’t stun, but dealt damage.
The storm continued to chase Kaelios, striking him with lightning until its energy was finally exhausted.
When it dissipated, Kaelios looked visibly harmed, breathing in and out loudly as scorch marks were spread all over his armor.
He healed himself afterward.
Next!
[You have selected “Orb of Divinity”]
It was a radiant white, with a sword-like symbol etched into its surface.
[When thrown, this orb marks a target, causing a celestial blade to descend from the heavens and cleave through them with divine judgment.]
Alex threw the orb at Kaelios, and it shot toward him like a comet.
The moment it reached him, it exploded into a burst of light, marking him as the target.
And a moment later, a massive blade descended from the sky, its light blinding.
The blade cleaved through the air, striking Kaelios with divine force.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the garden, and Kaelios was momentarily engulfed in light.
When the light faded, Kaelios stood there, his upper half separated from his lower one.
Next!
[You have selected “Orb of Purity”]
This one was green, with its symbol being a plus sign.
[Crushing this orb releases a wave of holy energy that not only heals but also grants temporary invulnerability to allies.]
Alex crushed the orb in his hand, and it dissolved into a wave of holy energy.
The energy washed over him, healing any minor injuries he had and leaving him feeling rejuvenated.
In fact, the energy even reached Kaelios, who’s upper and lower half suddenly linked back together thanks to the healing.
“That’s nice.”
And so, finally, it was time for the tenth and last orb.
[You have selected “Orb of Balance”]
It was a swirling mix of black and white, with a symbol resembling a scale.
[When thrown, this orb warps gravity around it, pulling in enemies before detonating in a controlled explosion that distorts space, briefly preventing teleportation and movement abilities.]
Alex threw the orb, and it shot toward Kaelios.
The moment it reached him, it activated, warping gravity around him.
Kaelios was pulled toward the orb, his movements slowed as if he were trapped.
He flapped his wings, and even tried to use his teleportation, but none of it worked.
The orb detonated in an explosion as he reached the center.
BOOOM!
And once the mist disappeared… Kaelios was nowhere to be seen.
“…” Alex stared at the point of impact with a neutral expression, “Huh…”
But suddenly, golden particles came out of the ground, and began to transform into Kaelios again.
“It completely destroyed my body… leaving nothing…” the God of Destiny’s eyes widened, “Holy shit…”
With all ten orbs tested, Alex felt a surge of confidence.
Each orb was unique and powerful in its own way, and together, they gave him an incredible arsenal of abilities.
He couldn’t wait to use them in battle.