Chapter 602: The Rock of Eternity
The Legend of Nth Metal
Thousands of years ago, during the reign of Ramses II of the 19th Dynasty in Ancient Egypt, an alien spacecraft descended upon this ancient land.
Nabu, the court wizard, prophesied the ship's arrival. Prince Khufu, Nabu, and the slave hero Teth-Adam journeyed into the desert to find the celestial messenger. Deep within a canyon, they found a spacecraft bearing the symbol of a hawk and recovered a piece of metal from it.
Nth Metal.
One of the most powerful super-metals in the universe, its properties exceed even those of Amazonian metals.
Nabu used magic to forge the metal into three treasures: the Scarab Amulet, which could defy gravity and enable flight; an indestructible sword; and a gauntlet called the Claw of Horus.
The king bestowed the Scarab Amulet and the sword upon Prince Khufu. Hasshett, the jealous priest, used the sword to murder Khufu and his lover, Chay-Ara. However, their souls were protected by magic and reincarnated. The king discovered Hasshett's plot and tortured him with the sword for nine days and nights before finally severing his head.
By chance, Hasshett's soul also entered the cycle of reincarnation, destined to endlessly continue his deadly conflict with Khufu and Chay-Ara.
Nth Metal, also known as the Ninth Metal, is an extremely rare super-metal.
Beyond its formidable defense and resilience, it possesses the power to overturn science and magic. It not only defies gravity, allowing the user to fly, but can also be used to attack ghosts and specters, possessing high resistance to magic.
Equipment made from Nth Metal can also enhance the user's strength, speed, senses, reduce energy damage, accelerate wound healing, and grant immunity to extreme temperatures, among other effects.
Many legendary pieces of equipment in the DC universe contain components of Nth Metal.
The armor worn by Carter Hall (the Scarab Amulet) is an Nth Metal suit. It is because of this metal that he is transformed from an ordinary man into an all-powerful superhero.
Entering the Portal
The battle wasn't as one-sided as expected. Adone, enhanced by black magic, possessed strength and speed far exceeding that of a normal person. He felt no pain; even when his arm was broken, he immediately scrambled up to continue the attack.
The situation became a stalemate. Carter Hall was entangled by Adone and unable to break free. Hasshett, smiling, walked toward the altar, ready to open the seal of this ancient place.
Luke and Diana had been hiding within their magical barrier, witnessing everything. As the altar began to glow, Diana frowned.
"We should stop him."
"No."
Luke shook his head. "I'm very interested in what he called the Rock of Eternity."
"But..."
"It's fine. Even if he opens the entrance, it won't unseal Black Adam immediately. We just need to intervene at the crucial moment," he paused, adding, "As for this 'Teth-Adam,' what if he breaks the seal? Who does he think he is? The times have changed. This isn't Ancient Egypt anymore."
Diana: "..."
"You're taking a risk."
"I call it confidence."
Diana couldn't argue, so she just turned her head away in annoyance.
The battle finally reached its end. Carter Hall pinned Adone to the ground and broke his neck with the mace. Just as he was about to rush toward the altar, a blast of light erupted.
Boom!
A white wave of light spread outward from the altar. The stone altar split open down the middle, and a glowing blue crystal sphere slowly rose.
The crystal sphere rippled with a wave-like aura, suggesting another world beyond.
Hasshett laughed and rushed into the sphere, vanishing the moment his body touched the crystal. Dr. Sivana, the bald scientist waiting nearby, followed immediately.
Carter Hall, his face full of unwillingness, charged after them.
With all three gone, only a group of unconscious thugs remained on the floor. Luke dismissed the barrier and, with Diana, walked to the altar. The crystal sphere was right there, emitting a captivating glow.
"Ancient Egyptian magic? It looks like a portal."
Luke examined it closely, then shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know the first thing about this."
"Get in there."
Diana gave him a shove into the sphere, then followed right behind him.
Soon after the two entered, another figure arrived at the sacrificial chamber.
Barbara Minerva, the chronically unlucky young woman, experienced a rare stroke of luck. After a stumbling journey, she actually reached the destination.
The light emanating from the crystal sphere soothed her nervous mood. She followed the stairs up to the altar and screamed when she saw Adone's corpse. Quickly covering her mouth, she still woke two of the unconscious thugs. In a panic, she darted toward the altar. The moment she approached the crystal sphere, she suddenly vanished.
The Hall of Doors
The Rock of Eternity transcends space and time, a mysterious realm crafted from the stone of the planes between Heaven and Hell.
In the Age of Gods millennia ago, it was a meeting place for deities. Seven great pantheons each selected a human representative to form the Council of Eternity, intended to resist the invasions of Heaven, Hell, and extra-dimensional forces. The Rock of Eternity was also a place of sealing; demons, forbidden artifacts, and evil gods that couldn't be destroyed by conventional means were specially sealed here by the gods, never to leave.
Sadly, with the end of the Age of Gods, the Rock of Eternity faded into legend, and the Council of Eternity became a story in books.
For thousands of years, no one had set foot here—until now.
The Ancient Egyptian Priest HasshettThe bald scientist Dr. SivanaHawkman Carter HallLukeDianaBarbara Minerva
The six were scattered by the crystal sphere to different locations. Luke found himself in a long corridor. There were numerous doors lining both sides, each bearing inscriptions in an unintelligible language.
After surveying his surroundings, Luke tried to open one door. A blizzard slammed out at him. Beyond the door was a world made of ice and frost. The frigid wind cut like ice blades, making him shiver.
Luke quickly shut the door and tried to open another.
Ah!
A cry of terror rang out. Two burly men, who appeared to be in the middle of a rather private activity, squawked like ducks when the man suddenly appeared.
"Sorry! Sorry!"
Luke chuckled awkwardly and quickly slammed the door shut. Recalling the scene he had just witnessed, he couldn't help but shiver. Two large men, face to face...
Poking swords?
Fencing?
Stirring the pot?
Damn, that image is too much! I can't unsee it.
The more Luke thought about it, the angrier he got. He kicked the door open and thoroughly beat the two men, who were scrambling to get dressed, until they were unconscious.
After this cathartic release, he felt much better.
Luke returned to the corridor. His recent encounters had instilled a respect for the wooden doors. After a moment of thought, he decided to find Diana first before investigating the doors' secrets.
The Rock of Eternity is vast. The corridor alone was two kilometers long, ending in a library. The shelves were packed with various books.
Luke picked up one book. His eyes lit up when he saw the script; the book was written in Oracle Bone Script.
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