Chapter 60: Tempus Oriens

Dawn finally comes for this blood-searing war...

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T

his is an event where we will have to look few thousands of years back, when man learned his consciousness. Consciousness was the first thing a man recognize beyond his sublime logic, the first thing that had made Adam and Eve banished from heaven. Does it feel good, to have finally realize your own mind? Perhaps that was The Devil of Forbidden Tree instill while the two took scrumptious bites of the fruit. Does it feel good, indeed? Turns out, it doesn't. They were horrified of this newfound knowledge.

 

The next thing a man realize this fact that he has bare skin, limbs attached to unseen bones-- He became aware of his masculinity. Or femininity, for a woman. They felt this lingering attraction to embrace each other. This is when they became conscious of their sexuality. Such illicit debauchery sends forth a new life, seeded within the woman's womb. They did not know this at all, until she grows massive ball inside the abdomen, not quite fit of her narrow ribs. They did not know this at all, until a lump of flesh was forced out from the woman's nether hole. It has all the feature a human would be; it breathe and also cried. This was when mankind learn about life.

 

Having a consciousness means we are able to learn our surroundings. It helps us to emphasize the comprehension far beyond animal brains. Sadly, there is one drawback of having this unnatural blessing: We came to know what is hidden on the other side of everything. Learning about life and its signs portend them to death. Weariness, white-hair and woe-- Three W’s signaling the time has come. Mankind then grew to dread this closing of age. If permitted, they wouldn't even bat an eye and run as far as they can from it. But, alas, Death is guaranteed for those who had been given Life. This is when mankind learn of their very first fear.

 

Fearing Death and its crony, mankind rewired their brains to develop strength. Physical and mind strength would later became their shield against the fearsome fiend. Granted, they soon had a new complex to become the strongest; believed capable to avoid Death. Not only they began warring against each other in the name of glory, they also act as harbinger of demise to other species. Mankind grows in vast number, but also declined rapidly. At this time, they have lost the aptitude to look to other side, turning a blind eye and deaf ear. More ruination were made after mankind seized their new weapon: the Red Flower; Fire.

 

The vicious cycles have gone on and on since then, without stopping a millisecond to give room for thought. Placing everything but mankind in the edge of extinction, it hurls quietly far beyond anyone's grasp. As proverbial says, hard time creates strong men; Strong men creates good times; Good times creates weak men then weak men creates hard times.

 

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It is Qin Alve, first month of autumnal season in Gaia. The present date shows a date number already into the next. Evening clock is now past ripe, currently ticking halfway to pre-dawn. As if a casket wait for its lodger, the grousy air yields uncanny voice of lament and vengeances. The War. It started out of petty problem, over a small orb which had been upheld by an egocentric ruler. This orb, turns out, invited an unwelcomed visitor from the land of bleakness-- HOUNDS. Skydas Lustro, the man in charge of this operation insisted his right-wing extremity should (in any possible means) destroy anything which goes against the Oracle's words.

This robed figure, the Oracle-- so they called him-- foresaw countless strings of event in the future, then act to forbid them from fruition. Without any rebuttal, the right-wing trust him completely as he is the only likelihood they can attain worldwide domination. Every word he spoke, the right-wing shall obey and see to its accurate finish.

 

Our group, wanderers from the ravaged Kingdom of Vanadeus only came here inadvertently due to their surmise of questions which can be answered by Ancient Library's books. They had traveled from Vanadeus Kingdom, way down past Gingerbeet Village to Southport. They had been informed then, that the main road to Myriad was closed due to the rising of Seraphim army. Our group had to take the extensive, meandering way which took about three months. Despite the bumpy ride, everyone managed to meet each other's term, forgiven each faults and banded together again as they entered this City of Angels. Their involvement in this war, however, was far from accident. Having had known Skydas is involved, each survivor of Vanadeus' tragedy agreed to settle the score once and for all.

 

Horn of war was blown in successive manner, signaling the first step towards mayhem. Even though this supreme army of Myriad prevailed within the first rounds, their lack of wit and endurance proved to be a huge obstacle. The HOUNDS overpowered them in no time, pushing back the city defenders close to their innermost proximity. Our group, having their friends scattered all the way now-- Jadel inside the Sealed Chamber; Alma, Hameda and Banri on Divum Stratum while Reita and Thomas on Isfel Stratum-- fought bravely against one and more invader.

Their pursuit though, ceased to be as two adjutants of doom descend from their thrones: Mathius Damhorn and Skydas. With joined force, Damhorn was defeated along with his persistent minion. Things have started to look good, that is, until the conductor of mayhem rose from his stance. Skydas Lustro, with his sublime strength, was able to subdue everyone who went against him. To make things worse, his descending came in-time with appearance of the Khär-zèn who managed to infiltrate the upper Stratum-- and robbed Ölver Cahali-Zemin off his life.

 

Sometimes later on Divum Stratum. Inside the innermost chamber of the Holiness, Blythe stood indolently with stunned look on his face. His bleary orbs, wavering from stream of impulsive shock which jacked his mind. Ocular muscles tightens and twitch; ravishing the earlier scene where a gazpacho was made instantaneously from his superior's blood and flesh.

Breathe erratic, lungs gasping for more air as it starts to parch out of oxygen. Blythe recalls how terrific that scene, flashed before his foolish, incompetent bravery was. His teeth grits in curse of his own cowardice, almost grating the lips' membrane to spew red cells. His hands, trembling maliciously as he picks up the lone cane on the floor. It has been left out from the detonation magic, now positioned in align of Ölver’s remnants. Not even close to be called 'remnant', though-- as it is only a pool of red with gristly lump and shred of whites along the cordial essence.

 

"W- What just..." Blythe kneels.

"...What just happened? It is-- a dream, right?" then looks to two idle witnesses in the

door's front. "Hey, Cess... This is a joke, right? That was... A magical trick, right?

It must be..." his wobbly finger traces the cold pavement. "There's no way...

Such monster could have subverts himself here-- inside the safest building in

Myriad...?"

 

Alma felt an ambiguous intensity of looking Blythe straight to his wavering eyes; which he felt as simultaneously invasive and vulnerable to his own. He ran straight and catch Blythe's hand before the man heedless of wise act.

 

"Blythe... I'm sorry." That was all he said. "If only we came earlier, this wouldn't--"

His gasp went into a tussis pause; Blythe's eyes locked onto him, follier than the Mad

Hare's. "Cess." Voice croaky, Blythe speaks. "This is. Just a joke. Right?"

Having his words spelt autonomic ally feels piquant, as in tangy.

Confused, Alma did not answer straight. He shook his head slowly, gaze falls upon the

smeared floor.

 

"Cess... You're funny." Blythe begins a fetid chuckle, as if laughing his own misery.

"Why would a pool of blood appeared nowhere? This is just a trick of eye...

Or didn't you realize? Cess, you're slow as always..."

Through his rant, Blythe drops one-two from his left eye. Grief, sadness, regret--

All three marches along the dubious carnival of his pre-breakdown.

"No, Blythe. This is..." Alma is hesitant.

He looks to Meyer whom he received a firm nod in return.

"...This is not a joke, or magic trick. Those are... His Highness’ remnants."

 

It felt like a massive blow to Blythe's conscience. The man's eyes bulges, reds inside his white showing more than ever before he broke down into infuriated weep. His hands, curled into angry fists, slammed the floor continuously with forced might. The voice he let out is baffled at times, due to several nasty cough following his stream of tears.

Some subsequent moments after, his disheartening mourn recedes. Tough luck for Alma as he was about to stand him back; Blythe abruptly shirk his helping hand. The furious man, breath irate of fib, wore the lion cane on his reddish palm.

 

"Blythe! What are you going to do with it?" Alma asks, his voice concerned.

"Move, Cess." he grunts. "I'll exterminate each of them 'til the last!!"

 

Then Blythe rammed his friend's shoulder, rushing to the door. Failed to see this portent coming; Alma, made a blunder of his step, tried to grab at least Blythe's pleated sleeve.

 

"Blythe... Stop!" he reached.

His hand was speck too far.

Blythe forwards himself to Meyer, still standing at door's front.

"Move it." he says, again.

"No one leaves this room." Meyer replies calmly.

 

Lost his temper at last, Blythe shouts an ireful roar. "MOVE!!" his hand attempts to

remove the cane from its scabbard.

"Sir Virdigjanti!" Alma conveys his abysmal reckoning of what Blythe would do next.

"Watch out!"

Almost effortlessly, Meyer haul his glasses up in repose manner, then spin his other

hand into a beguiling evocation. "Barrier."

 

He utters softly, erecting a massive feet-height translucent wall before his presence. It pushes Blythe's stature abruptly, like a bulldozer tank. The man with lion cane staggered backward then fell down. This genuine spell should have taken great mettle of the caster's energy, yet Meyer was able to evoke it at ease.

 

"Tsk, tsk." Meyer's smile is devious. "Sir Chancellor." he says,

"Did you not even think before committing such act?"

Blythe, still on the floor flat-back, replies. "What do you mean?!"

"If you go outside... It's like a live announcement of what happened here."

"People will be in mass panic." Alma nods to him. "Blythe, please listen."

The man with the cane is still not in the state to hear logic-- proven by his teeth

gritting crankily, eyes shooting reds to both men.

"It seems there is no need to talk about this anymore." Meyer gave Alma a quick wink.

 

He seems to catch Meyer's drift.

In this situation, there is one way to prevent further dissonance.

That is, putting Blythe to sleep.

"Sorry, Blythe."

That was all he conveys to his past friend, as Kongō raised to cast the spell.

 

Using our free-view, we shall go back to Isfel for a bit to grasp the situation at hand. Smokes filling the air, corpse and blood stench bellowing the name of Death. The walls are no more-- they are even less than proud stones now. Gates have been breached, torn down like soggy, overdue planks in deserted pier.

Among the dead, there seem to be someone walking-- Rather, dragging his legs into the ruined Myriad. His green eyes reflects cavernous, thick forest growing in mountain of silence. Though usually it would give off serenity to one's mind, the hue now has glimpse of jaded will. The eyes' owner has ginger blond hair, roughly trimmed (or chopped, if we may a bit wild) by incisive blade. This person mutters but one word of his quivering mouth: Iegor. It is Vaikne Sal Blautiel, Commander of 8th Sect of Seraphim Army. One might have thought he was killed by Damhorn, but now he trod Myriad's pavement once more. As if in lifeless limbo, he drags his feet, sluggish, past the gate which now bore a gigantic hole.

 

While he trots, we saw two familiar figure, both laid on the ground with eyes closed-- Brad and Phil. Of course, Blautiel doesn't know it's them, he walked past, eyes scanning for the man he meant in his muttering. Around the Northeast-inner wall he found his man. Sitting on the ground, back pressed into the cold wall-- broad speck of blood carved deeply.

Iegor have lost most of his consciousness, he's breathing very slowly right now, like in coma. His eyes have been closed shut for a while now, resting out the pace of war he had been following. Blautiel spotted him, and dragged his hobble with every last ounce of strength he still has. Eventually he fall down, right next to Iegor who-- Oddly, followed suit with a subtle thunk noise as his head slumps.

 

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Now we are back at the scramble, where Skydas have led the battle with advantageous upper hand. He has Reita on his hand, clasped on deadly grip. Then, suddenly an arrow flew straight to Skydas' back. Much to his surprise, it lodges between the armor's joint, prospering a flesh wound on his armpit. Distraught, he let go off his prey unconsciously. Reita fell hard to the ground, along with a bold, commanding shout from the sudden savior.

 

"Release her at once!" the voice commands.

"Who the heck?!" Skydas’ cranky voice turns ire.

Laid defenseless on the ground is Thomas, warm blood soiling his stomach band.

"Bro... ther..." he gasp weakly.

 

The man who dared to attack Skydas was indeed, Ariad Kalewill. He breached past his

courage threshold to challenge this messenger of Death all by himself.

"No... Brother, run..." Thomas murmurs.

His voice has gone beyond comprehension as his mind slowly drift off.

"Thomas! Hey, get it together!" Ariad shouts while keeping his gaze fixed to Skydas.

"Open your eyes! Hey!!"

 

But the blond young man is about to pass out; when Reita who have regained consciousness sped to his aid. She quickly casts healing spell, recovering the wound steadily.

 

"Reita! You okay!" Ariad says in congratulatory tone.

"I'm okay. Don't push it, Ariad! You can't--" her speech was intervened.

"Hey, give me some more credit! I'm also a Seraphim!"

"Ariad, no!" Reita's words fell to deaf ear as Skydas launches another attack.

 

Profaning the silence like Dart Beetle, he scuds the menacing sword upwards and create three diverging long-range slash. Ariad waits patiently for the right timing, then he evades the attack successfully. His movement are that of grace; shifting from one blink step to another, like a dancer in silhouette of extravagant music.

 

Thomas, who awaits for his recovery, slips a worrisome pout despite seeing his

brother's successful evasion. "...Brother..." he mutters quietly. “It’s... No use..."

Reita shuts him. "Don't talk. You'll drain your energy more."

 

This girl, Thomas thought.

She has only been out of life-threatening condition just now, shouldn't she worry

about herself? He coughs out the remaining blood from his system, cleaning off the

nasty wound.

 

"Just a bit more." she assures him. "Sorry... I'm not as good as Alma."

"Don't say that!" Thomas frowns. "You shouldn't even--"

A distraction of speech flew by his sight: a jet-black outline of Skydas bricked past

Ariad's shirk. "Brother!!" Thomas screeches, "The right!!"

 

The older sibling flinches, his face stole a frightful glance. Jiff of trice presents itself in formidable solace, stopping minuscule of minute's head in an instant. Ariad's jaw broke open; perhaps he, too, didn't feel this presage was coming. Sword meets pike, tip-foils clashes in timely manner with audible noise.

 

One more stood before Ariad, preventing the enemy from dealing the final blow.

"Another vermin appears..." Like a shuttlecock moves after a smash, Skydas quickly

went back to his post, tongue tacks in annoyance.

"You okay?!" Lemington, the man who has just saved Ariad's lights, asked.

"I got your back!"

"Farad, no!" Reita shouts again. She knew, even with double manpower, the chance

they can positively whittle Skydas out is way below zero.

 

Despite hearing it loud and clear, the two men feigns oblivion and went to attack Skydas. It is two against one now; Ariad taking the offensive while Lemington goes from the back. Tossing away his bow and arrow, Ariad tug out another soldier sword-- bigger and sharper-- from his side hem. He flung with a lashing slice, aiming for Skydas' gut.

The high-ranking HOUNDS, 'course, know where his attack would go. Several eloquent spins proves useful to evade the attack, making the opponent smears grumbling ink on his face. Skydas seems to taking this slow for whatever reason.

 

Reita knows well: His level of strength is enough to subdue even her group at once.

Yet, why is he holding back?

 

"Try to evade this... If you can!" He said while doing a side-jump.

His body spins mid-air, sword in accordance of his limb's movement.

Upon nothingness, he generates a coiled slash intended for Ariad.

 

Lemington dashed; he intends to dissipate the attack before the spiral went overly dangerous. His ability proves par to Skydas' reduced strength, now that the twister met a pointy end then gush off into harmless air.

 

"We can win this!" Lemington assures Ariad, who, in turn gave him a thumb-up.

 

The men continues to entertain Skydas with all their might, and the battle tallied for almost quarter of hour now. Both parties doesn't show any sign of winning, or losing. Though, in fact, Lemington and Ariad seemed to be out of breath.

 

Back in the viewing seat, Thomas and Reita waits in unease of heart seeing the match.

"Brother, Mr. Lemington! It's too dangerous!" Thomas says.

"Get outta here, you two!" Reita adds to him.

"Psh, you're being a worry-wart." Skydas lets an unthinkable comment.

"Why, didn't these two just said they'll triumph against me?" A lustful smirk-- The one

he laid to Vanadia, rest her soul-- before robbing her life.

 

"NO! You two, run!" Frantically, Reita shouts.

The two only shrugs by shoulders, still insisting they can win this and that Reita should

go someplace safe with the injured Thomas.

"Wait for me inside the barrier." Ariad says, to his young.

"Brother, don't!" Thomas yells frantically.

 

Ariad still has his head turned to Thomas' direction, when-- WHOOOSH! Horizontal pounce off Skydas' sword, resulting in a transcending lethal swipe. The alertful Lemington caught this, he quickly stood before Ariad and tries to block it. Much to his dismay, Skydas grins-- One that imply ‘playtime is over’-- then open his left palm wide.

 

"Brimstone Slash!!" Within nanosecond, the projected image of blade-swoop

suddenly diverges into many parts leading their own way.

Though dispersed, the angle shoots straight to where his opponent has his temple.

"Wha- Wha- What is...?" Lemington jerks back, aside.

 

The blow meant for his head feels blur as it closing the distance rapidly. He heard people shouting his name just now, but the voices didn't reach spot-on. From the corner of eyes, he saw Ariad. Stretching both arms in a defensive stance, the man gave a resolved nod.

Out of instinct, Lemington ducked this time, and felt his hair ruffled by a mortifying breeze of the departed. What comes next was Thomas vocally screeching his brother's name, and his own blood-- gushing like springwater-river from a cross-section of his face.

 

"BROTHEEEEEER!" Clutching the headless remnant of his brother, Thomas cried

woefully while venting his frustration.

"Ariad... Blast it..." Reita, standing right behind, lips pursed into resentful grimace.

"Skydas!!! YOU!!!" foot slamming the ground, she cursed him for making

fun of Ariad and Lemington for a while in order to bail them out of energy.

 

"You’re welcome." Skydas acts dumb with comedic smirk. "Have I answered your

pondering sight now, as why did I held back?"

Upon the dot, Thomas stopped crying all of sudden. He looked up, eyes flaring in great

distress and madness within.

"Aha! Here comes the junior." Skydas prep his stance. "Come, boy. You're angry for

what happened to your brother, no?"

 

"Don't provoke him!!" Reita warns him. "Thomas, don't!"

The young man doesn't let up a movement nor response. Just his eyes, beaming with

anger and hurtful grief. Skydas laughs him of in exaggerated manner.

"What's up? Shrimp got your tongue? Ha!" He gets into a new stance swift as ace, so

does Reita. She stands before Thomas now, acting as the boy's wall so he won't leap

into harm's way.

"This is it, Skydas. You're finished!!" Summoning her courage, Reita bends forward.

 

Her body wiggles into a trance, soaking up dense matter of blasphemous darkness risen from her heart. As she feels her good conscience fading, Reita tries to evoke Varuna at once. She hoped to finish Skydas by using a combination power of her benefactor and the Darkside.

 

"Varuna... Can you hear me?" Reita asks. She got a reply, fast one indeed.

"Human child... You must not give in to the darkness."

"Varuna, listen. I need your help. This enemy, I won't be able to beat it by your power

only or my Darkside. My friends are dead, another one is in danger of getting his head

aimed next!"

 

The Heavenly Spirit stands still from his vouch. Reita then asks again, "This time only.

I don't mind how much you can give me. Even three seconds are okay.

I need to get Thomas out of here-- safe."

Varuna then gives his answer. "Granted. I shall lend you my power."

 

Outside, Skydas has lunged forward with his vicious strike.

"Antares Needle!" he shouts, sending barrage of deadly pierces along with audacious

laughter. "Hyahahahaha! You're giving up straight off the bat?!"

 

Reita stands still, her consciousness slowly fades. She heard Thomas shouting. She heard Skydas throws mocking fits like usual, with his sickening laughter. Then she heard another voice-- Not Varuna's-- seemingly happy to meet her again.

 

"Hey, you’re back." So the voice says.

 

Suddenly, her body is enveloped by streams of water thawing themselves against law of physics. Running upwards, this water-wall creates a robust defense against hammering attacks. From afar, there's that laugh of Skydas again.

 

"Heh... Sick b*****d." Reita let out a voice, murky and deep-- Not hers, or Vanadia's.

"Get a load of this!!"

 

In a jiff, the water-wall disappears, leaving out the visual of her transformation. Reita's Darkside now emerge with a complete physical shape: Jet-black clad, aligned in turquoise-colored tapestry pulsating with voluminous essence of the Sea. Her helmet streaks a gaudy design; pincer-like adornment serves as jaw protector along with the tight metal.

 

"Hmmm." Skydas suddenly stops and actually, thinking. "...You surprised me.

Here I thought you've expired yourself with all those time-bending activations."

Then he let out an amused laugh. "But it seems I was wrong! I have to report this to

Lord Mun-Khag... Hyahahahahahaha!" He sped forward.

 

Reita took her stance also, domineering in her new suit.

"Varunastra!!" she shouts boldly. Reita's acute perception has been heightened by her

borrowed power. She's now able to summon two water dragons at will, ready to feast

upon their prey. "Dragonbender!!"

 

Her attacks glanced off Skydas' protected ribcage-- Not that he minds. In return, her opponent casts a powerful strike aimed at her neck vein. Reita grinned, able to avoid the attack successfully. She blocks, Skydas jabs, she shoves, then back off. The battle suddenly paced itself that not even suitable for normal eyes to witness.

Skydas and Reita exchanging blows in evident of newfound power, evading each one's high-tier spell as if they weren't even trying. Getting absorbed in the tenseful battle has made Reita forgotten her pact with Varuna: Timed advantage. She only realized this when all's too late, when her five seconds (Which feels like almost a minute!) beep with harsh beckon.

 

"Argh! Aaaarrghhh!!" Her body twitches, muscles contracting in flimsy whimper.

Every of her cell overbore the power for too long; the result is now she can't even sit

herself.

"Not bad! But your time's up!" Skydas commends her, standing proudly before her

despite some cracks shown off his armor.

"Skydas! Don't!!" Thomas suddenly jumps from Reita's back.

 

She screams, so did he, and then there's a shrilling noise from unsheathed metal. Things happened so fast, even for us who have been following the fight since its beginning. The screams have fade away, leaving traces of white noise on relapsing ebb.

Reita covered for Thomas, who almost got skewered for his recklessness. His obnoxious predicament saves him the trouble of signing afterlife contract, sure, but not for the other party. Reita slumps lifeless beside him, bone-baring wound scrams open on her back. Though her eyes weren't closed after the impact, her crimson irises have been deprived of any light. Skydas laughs. He is overjoyed. For the first time since his arrival, Skydas has his victory medal against a long-term opponent.

 

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It is Qin Alve, first month of autumnal season in Gaia. The present date now shows an ample ten, the number often admitted as perfection. It is still green on its stalk; however, as the clock has just passed two in premature dawn.

What has left of the City of Angels now is only skirmish of deadwails lingering in bland air, fumed with occasional joshed caws of midnight crows. Theirs sounds as if vomiting a hearty laugh to those who brought calamity to their own homeland. Bewitching the obscure sky with bouncy caw-caw-caw.

 

Skydas trots along the dim alley. He's heading for the sky lift now, which has been removed without him knowing. There is only a huge crater made by the ice dragon, now inhabited by what's left of Isfel residents. He doesn't seem to care about this trivia-- His sole objective stands clear. The Green Sphaera.

 

"I will get to it fast". He hums to himself, though his tone is dissent of enjoyment.

 

Skydas has his mind full of what he had been ordered, by Mun-Khag and the Oracle. We know back then the Oracle had a private conversation with him, after Reo Macbeth exited the room. The Oracle then said, preventing the unification of the Sphaeras takes utmost priority. Mun-Khag bends to his will, so does this right-hand man of his.

 

"You." Skydas stops at the rendezvous point for HOUNDS magicians.

One of them, covered in bloodbath of her preys, bowed politely. "Take me up."

"Certainly, Sir." the mage-woman tilts her hand, evoking a transportation spell she had

used to teleport her minions.

 

At the Divum Stratum, Banri and Hameda have taken refuge inside the barrier tower. Though almost a half of its interior got damaged from the battle, everyone inside are doing well and still capable of casting recovery magic.

 

Banri rests his back, face drained from energy provision.

His tongue ticks temperamentally from long and overdue crossness to this mayhem.

"D****t all..." his lowered breath curses.

 

Couple of meters away, Hameda distanced himself from the crowds. This lanky-quiet man, legs crossed, is deep in thought while gazing off the floating land before him-- Several parts asunder. Under the dark, merciless sky with shrouded lights, oddly his silvery strands attracts people's eyes as it begin to reflect even the slightest ray. He left it untied-- Not that he doesn't care-- He's too tired. It shows from his dreary orbs.

 

"It was my decision to participate in this war", Hameda speaks in his mind.

"...But look now. Everything is in shambles. Lots of people died a futile death. The

city is no more, it's just towering rubbles waiting to fall simultaneously like a domino

bar..."

 

This once, Hameda felt a striking remorse. I shouldn't have done this. So his mind scourges, harder and harsher. Two neatly-grown brows frown deep in repentance, along with stiffening jawlines. Then he felt someone nips his shoulder crown lightly.

 

"Hey." Banri flashes his forced smile before him. His almost-unibrow released their

knot and his jaw reposes. "Banri." Hameda nods silently.

 

The older man, absence of words sits beside him. He didn't say anything, only staring at the endless bleak. Hameda closes his mouth again, after many attempts of saying something to clear the tense atmosphere.

 

"I know." Banri's abrupt reply caught him surprised, his face flabbergasts.

"...You're not the one at fault." The older man kept his stare to the sky.

"I would do the same if I were you. Heck, I've done it in the past, if you want to know."

 

"...The first raid of Southport?" Hameda calls his memories.

"Aye." Banri answers with platonic smile. "Urge for revenge is a powerful feeling.

It casts sturdy anchor in your heart to the thing you hate most." He paused.

Hameda seems to know what he is going to say next.

 

"...Without realizing, you're already on the battlefield. Clothes tattered, skin crawling

with wounds and vision getting hazy. In front of you is that most hated person. Any

possible expense you'll pay, even your life-- Even your dearest's life."

"You didn't..." Hameda tries to interject. "It's not your--"

 

The older man gets back before his talking companion, "My regret have been set in

tombstone." he said sourly, "...But yours, have not."

Hameda's orb starts to glimmer, retaining back its visage.

"Rest. This war is not over yet." Banri taps his shoulder, then set off back to his seat.

 

Hameda sends him with retaliating occhiolism. As he's just about to slips back in autistic thinking, Hameda heard a flesh-fright cry from Banri. He quickly turns around-- and saw his friend has just been zapped with lightning, out of nowhere. Hameda thought it is the Khär-zèn, back with fresh dozens of refill, but he was wrong. A familiar figure stands way across the barrier tower's ground floor, attired in clad armor akin to what he remembered from almost a year ago, in that fateful day.

 

"Banri!!" he sprints to where his friend is.

"I'm okay! That b*****d..." Banri grunts.

"Don't move. Stay here." The words coming out from Hameda indicates certain height

of both concern and assurance.

"Is that..." Banri tries to visualize his attacker. "...You be careful.

 Shifting the topic, he advise Hameda to only come back alive.

"I will." Hameda replies.

 

Skydas' laughs rattled the entire tower. His menacing eyes seem to have washed all the devotee's morale to ground one. They scrambled all the way like chased hens, forgetting why they were sent here in the first place. Most of them took refuge among the tight pillars, some went upstairs, stumbling one-two pair of staircase on the process.

 

"Ha! Look at those lambs." Skydas cackles. "Easy target for roasted meat."

Sword raised, he's about to evoke another spell.

"Back off!" Hameda disrupts his focus with intervening punch.

Eyes widen in delight surprise, Skydas comments. "My, my. Isn't it the survivor of that

kingdom we've destroyed."

 

In response, Hameda's face shows spiteful frown. He fakes it instead, by taunting

Skydas back. "You're late. Got trouble down there?"

His logic bears one notable hole; that is, if Skydas is here, chances that his allies are

still breathing in Isfel is close to minuscule.

"Not really. Khehehehe..." Skydas covers his mouth, applying a faux politeness.

 

"Tell me one thing." Hameda spoke again, chaffing his dry lips with cankering teeth.

"Why did you destroy Vanadeus? Did the Kingdom have wronged you somehow?"

Skydas bears no intention of answering. Hameda continues, "Wasn't it the

King who raised you, vagabonds, into knighthood who serves the Kingdom with

profligate compensation for a lifetime? Yet you separated yourself, one year later."

 

Skydas now laughs like a broken music box.

"What is it to gain by destroying?" Now, he gets an answer.

"Because that’s what we’ve been instructed with!"

"...The Oracle?"

"Yes. And no, actually, since I was ordered directly by Lord Mun-Khag."

 

Mun-Khag. Hameda recalls that name inside his memory bank. Could be this guy is the reason why HOUNDS exited knighthood, descend into underground world and spread terror? If so, who and what is he? Why he was able to influence this group greatly?

 

Skydas gave another faux poise. "Finished? Because I have a schedule to work on."

"I'm here to prevent it to be done." Hameda readied his stance.

"Tsk, tsk. Do any of you lacks this so-called common sense?" Skydas mocks.

"The disparity of our power have been drawn in bold line."

"Let’s see who holds the fault." Hameda locks his eyes with flawless determination.

 

The man in black clad shrugged, smiled and slowly put one foot behind another. Hinge

the height of his onto that, then he hums a tune of prelude for the deceased.

"Guess you'll have to learn the hard way, Mr. Cumbersome." so he called Hameda.

The opposite replies only with a silent run, dashing forward with back lurching into

concocted attack. "Haaaa!!" Hameda shouts.

 

His first punch grazed only some of Skydas' sturdy armor. He noticed too late that he needs to back off some space, due to the opponent's fighting nature using a double-grip sword. This time, Skydas lunges; sword moving in hateful slice. Hameda could easily avoid such bluff-- That is, if he's not drained from all-day fight with terrible foes. The thrust doubled him, expelling his weight backwards.

Hameda tripped, trying a voracious attempt to regain his balance in such impossible standing. He had to choke the attack then, which slander his innate defense. It was a heck of a slash. Hameda noticed serious amount of blood ran down his left shoulder, where those sturdy triceps are.

Fortunately, he is used to this. Fighting have been his arsenal, since he stopped business-traveling. As soon as he entered the rank of Royal Army, he had been working his fights both in advantageous situation and not. Hameda regain his posture quick, eyes with menace.

 

He passed another punch, this time he added some gimmick. "Argent Jab!"

Skydas tries to get even by casting another spell, "Brimstone Slash!"

 

Barrage of punches walloping like red mustang in scorching desert. They rammed Skydas' image as Hameda drove him back with great persistence. He even broke Skydas' spell while he's at it-- Unfortunately, that was only a bluff. The spry, smirking foe ducked under his pit. Before Hameda could even register an evasive move, Skydas thrusts deep with his sword.

This results to another body shot mauling Hameda's ribs, sending fresh ripples of pain through his torso. With faint grasp of reflex, Hameda didn't fall. Though for a moment looking like he needs to puke, Hameda manages to straighten up.

 

He goes back straight to offensive, sending another barrage. "Heat Blow!"

 

This time, his punches have been emarginated with flame-like aura which sears through enemy defense. Skydas repelled this one with side-jump hurricane he used before to omit Lemington and Ariad from the battlefield.

 

"Darn it!!" Hameda cursed himself.

"Never fight angry. Otherwise, this won't be fun!" Skydas let out a lecherous grin.

 

No one need to tell him about this.

He is mad enough for many issues, one being his fatigue that he might be not able to

stall around. Hameda tries again. He charged, this time letting out another spell.

"Heat Blow!"

 

Skydas is just about to yawn from boredom, when three arrows passed his hindsight and cracks his armor into a flesh wound. This is the opening Hameda wants. Fist flailing, he lands one fast punch to Skydas' unprotected jaw and his head whipped back, his body arched backward, all of his momentum snapping back on him like a rubber band.

Similar things happens to his foe; Skydas angrily wipes his red-smeared mouth before yanking out the arrows. He seem to have forgotten pain, as he did it mercilessly to his own body.

 

"Heh heh heh..." he chuckles, looking at Banri who somehow managed to shot a

miraculous follow-up. “You! Bad kid. Shouldn't have interrupt my fight... Die!"

 

He flew straight past Hameda-- This, he didn't intercept fast enough-- towards the defenseless Banri. One quick blow from Skydas' sword opened him up for another attack; of course his foe would obliged so. Skydas launch a top-counter, placing an overhead elbow crush to jeopardize Banri's balance, doubling him over. Another quick uppercut follow, and the archer is belly-naked to sword slash. Banri 'fraid not of his life, yet the image of Skydas' bloodlust smile, shrilling noise from his sword sent chill to the spine.

 

Just in time, Hameda cancels the attack with forceful grip on both wrists.

"You won't...!" the silver-locked man's voice stiffen. “Get moving! Banri!”

Without rest, Banri maneuvered himself out from the attack range.

He crept close to the wall, mourning this battle's most possible outcome.

"Hameda! Watch out!"

 

His warning serves as latecomer to Hameda's brain as Skydas have done a stealth attack beforehand. The wind-generated slash caught Hameda's torso, sending him backwards while opening some of his unguarded chest to eclectic wound. Skydas waste no time to close his distance, releasing another wave of attack.

The wounded Hameda could do nothing but watch as Banri took his place as the martyr. His pained cry is subdued by Skydas' manic laughter, reverberating across the field. Hameda witnessed Banri's figure hits the cold ground in slow-motion, lips shuffled some words he can only fathom by visual perception.

 

"Run... Hameda..."

 

This is absurd, Hameda's mind gallops.

He shouldn't be covering for me. Now he's hurt, collapsing to the ground. So many people died futile deaths. He repeated his self-made quote twice. Subsequently, Hameda feels a boiling rage formulated within his heart. Such feeling he hasn't feel for a long time, being the stoic-pokerfaced type. Hameda's jawline stiffen again, this time he grunts furious breath under rapid breathing.

 

"Hyahahahaha!" There goes Skydas' sickening laugh.

"Finished? Now then, I'll excuse my--"

"Hold it." Hameda stood up. Warm blood streams from his wrapped-up stomach,

soiling the near-white band. He trots gallantly as if the wound doesn't hurt him.

"You’ll pay for everything." Hameda says.

 

Thick, dense black fog starts forming around him. It quickly envelops his magic

gauntlet Dahana, giving him an unthinkable force under the pact of darkness.

"You're still on it? Ha! Just how much--" Skydas' mockery was briefed as

Hameda's light-speed punch hit his face hard it sent him flying backwards.

His body nuzzled the ground, carrying soil into his prized armor.

"Rrrngah!" he cried. Standing up, the smug smirk still glued tight despite the stink pain

all over his back. "Heh heh. So you've attained new power?! Doesn't really matter!"

 

He lunges forward, thrusting his sword in deadlier attack with six wind-slashes. Using his acceleration momentum, Skydas makes a creative attempt. Instead of piling into his opponent, he jerks to the right and swung around Hameda. Then, when he was directly behind his opponent, Skydas throws his sword suddenly towards Hameda.

This move, indeed, made his opponent flinch. While busy evading, Hameda didn't see the sword shifts eight projecting images which soon surrounds him. Not giving him any chance, Skydas goes straight commanding the projections to assault Hameda with endless hits.

 

The tall man has an idea, though. He bent low, close to the ground before breaking into a preemptive sprint. Due to the Darkside enhanced his physical ability, Hameda was able to evade all eight attacks with minimum injury. He then quickly gets behind his opponent, curling his legs into Skydas' body and angled it towards the ground. Skydas was vulnerable to attack due his autistic mode controlling the sword.

His direction of fall changed when Hameda put all of his weight into a deadly suplex. Skydas crashed to the ground. A groan escaped his lips with another sly smirk.

 

Behind, he has presented Hameda with heap of needles waiting for attack orders.

"Antares Needle!" he shouts, letting the microscopic blades run straight to

Hameda's unguarded back. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

 

With humongous roar, Hameda generates a wind-searing heat aura which he activate to dispel the needles. Skydas make use of this opening to lock Hameda into a wrestling move. He planted one shoulder, another in vicinity of his blade, to Hameda's torso.

Caught flat-open, Hameda staggered behind as the armored plate nudges his wound. The grunting yelp he holds prove the degree of his pain. Across his vision, Skydas moves in a spinning motion that got increasingly fast as he whipped arms in and out, efficiently placing Hameda into an almost futile rolling evasive slanted to his side.

 

Hameda barely had time to breath, let alone try to compromise his angled focus. His only source of cognizance is his desperate need to protect Banri, already unconscious-- Also those devotees who stand no chance to this monster. Experience speaks to him that he should roll to the left, so he did desperately, towards the tower's outer wall.

Just in time, Skydas shot his leg into a powerful kick which not only destroyed the wall's brick, but also Hameda's chance to dodge any more. Rumbling sound of rubbles fade distantly along with the devotee's shriek for mercy.

 

Most warriors, in this situation, would at least give their opponent chances to riposte themselves. But not Skydas, the most notorious man feared even by high-rankers in opposite party. With inhumane speed, Skydas ran his blade with shrilling notion. The crisp end meets hard flesh, efficaciously slicing a giant cut of meat.

Hameda's eyes bulges in horror as no pain escaped his heart, only the silent scream of dawning realization that his right arm have rolled off its place. His mind breaks in result of trying to comprehend while denying the glimpse of his right shoulder gush uncontrollable blood. Red like a river, drenching the lush field into crimson state.

Then there's his arm, where has it gone-- Hameda saw it roll further down the slope, along with one of his gauntlets. Skydas grins wide, like a chubby snob viewing his only-arrived medium rare steak.

 

"Shame!" His vexing laughter feels ravenous to Hameda's fading sanity.

The last thing he remembered would be a hard kick to his gut-wound, pulsating

innards and racing heartbeat before they went into catatonic pause.

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

Inside the Sealed Chamber, everything is dark without decent illumination. There are only few Seer attending their job on this cheerless atmosphere. They sits in circling manner, around the gigantic magic circle drawn with peculiar blue-magenta ink. Across, on the center of that circle stands a formidable plank, cross-shaped. At its body rests our friend whose name hasn't been heard for quite some time: Jadel. The man is still chained limb-to-limb, unconscious. The Seer chants mumbling prayer, keeping the rhythm tight as they evoke some sort of quelling magic.

 

From our point of view that takes the shape of bird's eye, we see Jadel breathes slowly. His chest calmly inflates and off as he take slow breaths, a trustworthy sign of being alive and well. Though, we can't be sure with his mind. The pact with Chancellor Blythe Neredzīe states that he and the Seer team shall look over Jadel's welfare while he is to be kept near the Green Sphaera.

Jadel's affinity with the verdant orb have caused quite a controversy; now that he holds an entire city's fate on his hand. Stay too far from the orb and the floating land will fall, causing a surefire of massive damage to the whole city. Staying close means his spirit resonates with Vayu the ancient Wind-God who resides inside the Green Sphaera. This, cost him his sentient, having to be suppressed by the Seer's evocation.

With no place to mediate, his providence has been decided by his friends: Staying behind. Jadel now acts as the barrier which prevents Vayu from wreaking havoc its power, keeping both the orb and Myriad safe.

 

We got a movement from the insides of Jadel's eyes. As if a REM in someone's sleep, his eyes wanders deep within the darkness. The darkness which takes over slowly, depleting every ounce of light caught by the sheltered pupil.

 

Where am I again? He thought to himself.

The last thing he recall was running from his pursuer and arrive at one peculiar room with no light, only few robed magus chanting hollow words to a pedestal. Ah, yes. A pedestal, he nods eagerly. Jadel's mind flash in dispersive spores of images of his latest memory. He remember seeing something round atop of the pedestal, then it gives eerie glow.

 

Like a radiolens-- No, fluorophil...

Jadel thinks hard to find the correct verb. Fluorescent. Glow-in-the-dark, like the firefly. What happened after I touched that orb? Jadel doesn't seem to remember any more. He shook his imaginary head in disappointment, failing a simple recall of short-term memory.

 

Suddenly, a light nudge to the back of his head felt like a twenty-stories building crashed into his skull. OUCH! Jadel winced, in his mind. It hurts! It f-in hurts! Jadel tries hard to open his subconscious eyes, trying to locate his offender. He moves both orbs rapidly, from left to right then back again.

Finally! After few seemingly useless attempt, his mind's eyes opened. He first checks himself, all clear-- No visible injury. Not naked, either. But his skin feels alien, so out worldly. He checks whether the neck pain is still there or not-- It's not.

 

Until, the offender goes on another rampage and hit him where it hurts most. OWWIEEE! Jadel lurches forward and shrunk to his knee. Hands covering for his back of head, near his spinal area. Damn, that hurts! Who did that?! He shouts. Between his hazy gaze, Jadel saw a familiar figure-- the humanoid boy with horns of the Ram.

 

"Hi! We meet again." The kid sends a jolly wave with both hands.

 

Jadel gasps in shock. Hey, kid! You're that runt who made me go awry last time! You're history! He's about to crunch the kid with elbow-lock, but his body suddenly turns sluggish. Jadel quickly slumps to the floor, as if he was chained by ball and chain suitable for a Minotaur.

 

"You're trapped here, Mister." the kid says. "A bad guy whooped your head like this.

WHAM!" he imitates the movement of someone hitting a person from back.

"Damn, you're right!" Jadel remembers his throbbing head.

"Who the heck would do that to me…? Hey, you did that on purpose, huh?!

You bumped me on purpose!!"

 

The kid says nothing but undulating his overgrown head, now looked like shaky mosaic due to the nature of this event. His childlike giggle, unlike last time, indicates he meant no harm to Jadel. Yet, the man needs to know where he stands now-- Along with the exit door.

 

"If you wanna go outside, fine by me." The kid suddenly says, reading Jadel's innate

thought. "But that person says you can't."

"Which person?!" Jadel raised an eyebrow.

 

Not even a minute after, everything is engulfed by abrupt green ray which infiltrates even the crummiest nook. Jadel covered his subconscious eyes, unable to see whatever lies across. Only a voice scentful of spring breeze that leads him to walk step by step, blindfolded.

 

"Come hither, warrior." So the voice speaks.

"Who are you?! D****t, I can't see anything!" Jadel protests.

"Do not be terrified. You are safe here." The voice says again. "Now, open your eyes."

"Heck, no! I'll burn my eyes if I did, moron!"

"Mister, trust him. He speaks the truth."

 

This word from the humanoid-kid gives Jadel one last push to do what he's told of. Upon seeing his surrounding once more, Jadel held his breath in utter shock. He saw that green guy whom he'd seen before inside the orb.

 

"Y- YOU!!" he shrieks. "You’re the guy with weird tattoo on that orb?!"

The ethereal figure before him answers calmly. "I am called Vayu, revered as the

God who rules over Six Winds blowing across Gaia."

Vayu's modest explanation only add more inches to Jadel's jaw drop. He stutters to

find the right phrase. "Do not worry, human child. I am here to help you."

 

Vayu says, looking at the humanoid-kid. "This person here..." he smiles.

"He is your other one. I see that you haven't made peace with each other."

The humanoid-kid undulates his overgrown head again.

"Some times in the future, I am certain you shall prevail over this trial."

 

Jadel finally let out his confusion along with other repressed emotions. "Screw you!

I don’t have time to listen to your rambling!" he looked around frantically.

"I have to get outta here...!"

 

With one gentle touch, Vayu taps Jadel's forehead. He beseech a foreign spell which soon puts the man into deeper sleep, far below his subconscious level. After sending him off, Vayu gave one final nod and watch as Jadel's figure drifts into burrowing depth. Jadel heard then, the humanoid-kid shouts gleefully.

 

"Until next time, Mister!"

 

Now we're back at the real world, conscious level. Skydas have breezed his way past Hameda and Banri, now he stands before a man who holds the last fort: Alma. Everyone else has been evacuated long before Skydas managed to chop their heads, into the safer room.

Meyer and Blythe formulated this strategy: Now that they are left on their own, someone needs to lure the enemy's commander into thinking he's about to get what he wants. In order to do that, Alma volunteered himself to tempt Skydas towards the Sealed Chamber, while Blythe and Meyer moves the people into safety.

The only downfall of this plan, is that Alma will be their last hope. If Alma fall, so does Myriad and everything else. Unfortunately, the man himself couldn't last much longer after few strikes delivered from Skydas' menacing sword.

 

"Skydas... No!" Alma wheezed as the HOUNDS dragged his feet into the chamber.

"Don't... do this..." he huffed. Puffed.

"So- Soul... R- Rend..."

 

He's not even in a state to cast a spell. Skydas wasted nothing of his sight to look back, only cackling his usual laugh. The door grits open with a screeching noise. Time feels like halted when Skydas march inside the room and voices of the Seer turns death scream as his sword lacerated their flesh.

 

"Heh heh heh! Finally... Finally!!" he laughs. Unable to contain his thrill, Skydas let one

garish laugh. "Hyahahahahaha!! Finally, the Green Sphaera! It is in front of me now!!

I can destroy this, and Lord Mun-Khag will surely compliment me! The world will be

saved! I am the savior of Gaia! Hyahahahahaha!!" he rattles for a while until he's

actually out of breath.

 

Panting, Skydas then reaches for the pedestal. As soon as his hand touches the orb, which is positioned just before Jadel's body, an unexpected turn of event happened. The orb flashes brilliantly, surrounding the whole room with absurdly verdant ray.

Skydas, shocked of this unpredicted outcome, backs off several steps involuntarily. He then, sees what Blythe had seen too: Vayu's figure, looking at him with locks of wrath. With the Deity Mark on his chest, Vayu spoke with his ghastly voice devoid of any emotion.

 

"Begone, evil crony. I have chosen mine warrior.

Those who is not shall release their touch from this Sacred Article."

"What is this light...?!" Skydas' voice is sunk by the vociferous light capable of subduing

even sound. "Hear. My warrior shall return Gaia to its flourish."

 

With that, Vayu casts another foreign spell. This time, it feels uncanny. The whole room starts to tremble, along with everything else in Myriad. Every stone, pebble, grass, water droplet and dollop of air seem to obey their Masters, shouting in unison to repel the wicked intruder.

Vayu continues his chant. Behind him, his Spiritual Beast. Twelve wings attached to its body, crowned atop its head are majestic horn slanted upwards. The beast screeches along with Vayu's final chant which soon calls forth colossal typhoon from nowhere. They falls to Myriad ground, hurling immense hurricanes which deflates every single thing down to dust. Their malaise comes along with the Sun's ascension, from its beauty sleep. It blares radiantly along the dredged ground, washed from any ominous portent left.

 

This is Qin Alve, first month of Autumnal season in Gaia, the tenth day. Myriad City has been salvaged of its perilous war, by the intervention of Ancient Deity. Even so, the casualties are obviously huge, both from HOUNDS' side and Seraphim's side.

 

What happens next to our group? Will they have to stop their journey, due to the massive injuries? Also, what of Myriad's people, and those who have been sent to march towards it? All will be due in the next book of ADV, A Delightful Venture!

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End of Chapter 60 and book 6!

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait! The last chapter and closing for Book 6!