Chapter 141: Immortality exists between life and death
Nasus struck first.

In just one heartbeat, his figure went from motionless to an indistinct afterimage. He bent his legs and leaped into the air, slashing the axe downward in a long arc. The blade hit his chest, and the iron ring of the chain exploded under the impact.

Xerath was flung against the temple wall. The stone wall broke open, and dust from the underground tomb poured out through the cracks. Huge slabs of stone crashed down from the top. Xerath rushed forward, flaming rays shooting from his crackling limbs. The flames burned Nasus, causing him to roar, and the two collided with destructive energy.

A blast of magic exploded, sweeping away the crowd like leaves in a gust of wind. The nearest buildings were toppled by the tremors of the ground. The Vekora fled in all directions, trying in vain to survive the fight between the two fighting gods. Xerath's control also dissipated, and his warriors woke up and began to flee to the edge of the city. Arcane fire appeared in his chest, radiating out without purpose.

Nasus rolled aside, dodging a stream of dazzling comets. They burned cold, but they burned just the same. He stood up in time, swinging his axe to deflect another shrieking stream of white orbs. Xerath floated in front of him, hurling lightning and laughing wildly. Nasus thrust with his axe, unleashing a withering force. Xerath's heart leaped with pain and anger, but it showed no sign of dimming.

Nasus leaped at Xerath. The two fought in midair and crashed into the Temple of the Sun. The huge impact destroyed the outer walls and the boulders on the top rolled down. They hit the ground like the heavy fists of ancient tomb guards, cracking the floor and revealing the hidden crypts of the temple. The sun disk on the roof rolled down like a copper coin thrown by a giant. The disk hit the ground and broke into sharp fragments. One of them pierced Nasus' thigh. He pulled out the sharp piece with force, and the gleaming blood flowed from the wound.

Xerath climbed up from the pile of rocks and swung out a stream of searing white fire, hitting Nasus in the chest. He groaned and stumbled back a few steps. Xerath released another wave of powerful orbs of magical energy, this time hitting Nasus in the heart. The unbearable pain made him kneel on the ground, his body covered with wounds. Nasus could take down an entire mortal army single-handedly, but Xerath was no ordinary enemy. He was an ascended being who had stolen the power of the sun god and mastered the essence of dark magic.

He looked up, the whole city was burning around them. "The one you're looking for is not here anymore. He's hiding now. You won't see him at all."

"The last of Azir's blood cannot remain in hiding forever. I will find them and erase this meaningless bloodline forever."

Nasus raised his axe, the gem on it was already covered with cracks from the huge force of the blow.

"I will do whatever it takes to stop it."

The witch-elf delivered a final, full-force blow, and Nasus was powerless to resist. Xerath’s magic lifted him high into the air and slammed him into the ruins of the temple. The boulder fell on him, and he felt his sun-forged bones break as easily as rotten wood.

Nasus roared and stood up again. A pillar of fire rose from under Xerath's feet. The witch spirit screamed wildly, letting the flames of thousands of suns engulf him.

But it was not enough. It would never be enough. The last time they faced off, Nasus and Renekton were at the height of their powers. Nasus was now a shadow of his former glory, while Xerath had grown in power over countless centuries.

Nasus gasped in the rubble. His leg was broken, and his left arm hung limply at his side, shattered from shoulder to wrist. He tried to hold himself up with his other hand, but white-hot pain shot through the broken spine. Given time, his body could heal, but he didn't have time.

Xerath floated closer to him. "I told your brother again and again of your betrayal, and of the jealousy you harbored. He cursed your name, wept, and swore to me that he would tear your body limb from limb."

“You will get what you want.” Xerath stretched his arms behind him, emitting dazzling spells again and again. Nasus fought as hard as he could, but he could not block them all.

“You have fallen too far, Nasus.” Xerath leaned in close, liquid fire dripping from his fingertips. “If it were not for what you did to me, I would pity you. Your mind has long been broken in your wanderings and self-blame.”

“It is better to be destroyed than to betray.” Nasus coughed up a mouthful of blood. “Even if you are now blessed with divine power, you are still a traitor and a slave.”

He felt Xerath's wrath, and it pleased him immensely. It was all he could do. "I am not a slave. Azir's last command was to set me free."

Nasus was shocked. Xerath was free? This made no sense...

"Then why...why betray Azir?"

"Azir was a fool, his grace came too late."

Nasus howled in agony. The broken bones in his shoulder began to come together again. He felt strength returning to the muscles in his arm, but he pretended that his arm was still useless.

“What will you do when I die?” Nasus remembered how much Xerath loved to talk in front of others. “What will become of Shurima if you become emperor?”

He tried hard to suppress the pain in his body, waiting for his body to slowly repair its injuries.

Wu Ling shook his head and floated away.

"You think I can't see that your body is healing itself?"

"Then come down and fight me!" Nasus shouted.

"I have imagined your death a thousand times," Xerath said as he ascended from the temple. "But never by my own hands."

Nasus watched him rise higher and higher. The walls, without their support, rumbled and gradually tilted, ready to collapse at any moment.

"The Desert Butcher will get what he deserves." Xerath's body shone with a light more intense than the sun's disk. Rocks and sand fell from the top. "He will use his claws to peel every inch of your flesh off, and I will be there to watch."

The witch spirit ignited a stream of white fire, which crashed into the crumbling temple wall. "But before that, I will bury you under the sand, just as you trapped me."

Xerath, blinding like a newborn star, drew the burning chain back into his body. Debris rained down like a torrential rain, the ground shook, and deadly fire fell from the sky, covering every inch of Vekaura.

The ground seemed to be about to fall apart, and the rocks beneath Nasus' feet began to spin, turning into a tsunami-like fluid to meet the waterfall of rubble. Finally, the walls of the temple collapsed, burying Nasus with hundreds of tons of debris.

(End of this chapter)