Ascenders Rift

Looking at his serious eyes and coldly s.h.i.+mmering sword, Evan"s party couldn"t help but feel a sense of dread for what"s to come, Evan, who raised his Void Sword as his crimson Battle Energy shrouded his body glanced at Joe as he spoke, "Joe, get ready!"

"I"m already on it!" Joe replied in a snappy manner, as he was currently pus.h.i.+ng everything, he had into his Arc s.h.i.+eld, causing it to glow in earthen colored lights.

Evan, hearing those words, glanced at everyone else and spoke, "We"ll have only one shot; we mustn"t lose it!"

"Right," Emilia, Layla, and Rick replied as they too readied themselves, their colorful energies acting as a sort of counterbalance against Fidelis"s rampant auras, forcing the ground around them to stabilize.

Fidelis didn"t know what they were planning, but he didn"t care, he was incapable of holding back his current strength despite his wishes. After gathering enough power, his claymore began to glow in resplendent lights as he raised it above his head and invoked his skill, "Aura Blade Storm!"

Following his shout, the claymore began to erupt with a power that caused the very air around it to distort as he made a wide downward slash that created a perfect arc. After this, a series of countless Aura Power sword beams scattered towards all directions, each carrying within them the might that could decimate anything it touches.

As Joe saw this, he didn"t dare to dally as he plunged the base of his s.h.i.+eld into the ground before him and invoked the skill he had been preparing, "Arc Barrier!"

Moments after, Joe"s s.h.i.+eld expanded to a size of five meters, blocking all the scenery before everyone"s eyes as it was soon covered by earthen and scarlet gold lights, respectively.

BOOM! Soon, the horrendous sounds of Fidelis"s sword energies colliding with Joe"s s.h.i.+eld resounded as stray energies went scattering everywhere. The power was so great, that the stray rays ruptured the marble, pillars, and even the distant walls at the corners of the room, breaking through them as it swept further into more distant parts of the palace.

"Ahh! I can"t block it forever, hurry now!" Joe shouted in a painful cry, as he continued to push against this s.h.i.+eld with his body while channeling more power within it.

Despite this, however, the power was too great; he was currently being pushed back by the myriad of slash waves that left no quarter in any direction. So long as Joe"s s.h.i.+eld was broken, no one would be able to escape.

Rick"s eyes flickered as his body glowed in white lights before he vanished, as both Evan and Layla looked at each other before they jumped into the air soon after vanis.h.i.+ng into a sea of threads that appeared out of nowhere.

Emilia was the first to take direct action, as her golden bow had conjured many brilliant golden arrows, each of which was the summation of her entire Spirit Power.

"Seeking Heart..." Emilia ushered as her eyes glowed in golden lights causing the world before her to dim as she identified all Fidelis"s weak points.

She then fired away rapidly, causing a storm of arrows to bolt through the Aura Blade Storm, as they made their way towards Fidelis, curving through the air as if they had a mind of their own.

Fidelis, having to use a large portion of his Aura Power to attack, had yet to conjure enough to defend himself; as such, he knew that anyone with decent attack power would be able to kill him if they hit his vitals. He glanced at the incoming rays and smiled as he lowered his stance with one arm still held before him as his claymore was now gripped in his right arm, positioned at his side with its edge facing the ground.

"Very good, but it"s not enough to best me human..." As Fidelis said this, his body glowed in small amounts of scarlet gold lights that conjured around his claymore, filling the area around him with a slight amount of pressure. He was only moments away from countering, but suddenly, something which was even faster than the arrows had arrived before him. 

In a flash, Rick had appeared directly before Fidelis"s eyes, the tip of his spear was even pointing towards the face, Fidelis looked at his and smirked as he spoke, "You again... the power of your spear is not enough to best me,"

When Fidelis said this, his arm pulled back the claymore even further, as the pressure around him grew even more intense, ready to unleash another full power swing. Yet, Rick made a playful smile as he spoke, "Right you are, but a man must also know how to use his advantages... Holy Spear Light!"

Fidelis was a bit puzzled, but right before he could make his swing. A bright light erupted from Rick"s spear, one which seemed to be even more brilliant than usual as if Rick had used his entire power. It enveloped this section of the King"s Chamber, blinding his sights as the condensed holy power caused his entire body to emit black smoke.

Fidelis smiled, ignoring the immense pain as he muttered, ""Smart, you"ve learned to use your elemental advantages against my weakness, but it"s still not enough. A warrior like myself can fight even at a disadvantage..."

As Fidelis said this, he closed his eyes as the world around him became visible in the darkness. Everyone seemed no different from colorful lights, including the arrows, which were moments from cras.h.i.+ng into his being.

Fidelis"s arm that held the claymore then bulged, showing a muscular arm as the blade"s edge erupted with terrifying power.

"Aura..." Fidelis began to invoke his second wave of the Aura Blade Storm skill, but right at this moment, he felt something strange.

Ping! With the sounds of wires stretching, it soon felt as if he was stuck in place, he found that he couldn"t even move his arm properly. Fidelis"s expression turned to one of shock as he sensed a different power, one that came from a sector that was shrouded in darkness when he used his senses.

The moment he sensed it; his body had already been wrapped by countless thin threads that gave off an unbreakable will. As if the very threads could bind both his body and spirit, holding him firmly in place.

"This... to think that I"d even forgotten your existence. It seems that your senses are far superior to my own, but even so, your powers are far too lacking..." Fidelis said with flas.h.i.+ng eyes, his aura rose even further, as he continued to perform his slash.

The threads which faced his terrifying power didn"t seem as if it was capable of binding him for long, as while they couldn"t break apart, they had begun to move along with his motion.

Breya seeing this was startled, but she only smiled and thought, "True, but my job was only to hinder you for a slight moment, they"ll take care of the rest."

Following Breya"s thoughts, her eyes swept to Fidelis sides with a smile. At this time, Fidelis suddenly felt a sense of danger from both of his sides, but before he could even react, it was already too late.

A giant crimson slash wave, and similarly large purplish beam bolted towards him, as he was already in sword attacking posture he couldn"t use the sword to defend himself. Hence, Fidelis could only use his free arm with the gauntlet to block the purplish beam.

Bang! With a loud explosive sound, the arm that blocked Layla"s beam attack was enveloped by its lights, as following the sound of flesh being sliced apart his arm holding the claymore went flying into the air, as Evan"s Execution Slash severed it.

Looking at his armless state, Fidelis had shocked eyes as he turned and noticed that Evan and Layla had unknowingly appeared at his flanks, he thought, "How did they get past my senses? My skill should have constrained them; their speed isn"t even comparable to the one who could avoid my storm blade rays..."

Fidelis pondered deeply, but soon, his eyes flashed with understanding, as his pupils s.h.i.+fted up towards Breya, he then noticed that a few threads were hanging from their bodies. He then opened his mouth to speak while gazing at the arrows that had now fallen upon him, "So, that"s how is... well played, humans... well played…"

After his words, a series of golden explosions had formed at his location as Emilia"s arrows crashed into his body"s vital points like a raging tide. The entire palace shook as shockwaves spread outwards, pus.h.i.+ng away Evan and the others for a few meters.

"Did... did we get him?" Joe said, having now managed to escape the influence of the previous Aura Blade Storm attack.

"I... I believe so," Evan said while slightly panting for breath as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Layla also stumbled over to his side while using her scepter as support. Evan hurriedly helped her to keep balance as he spoke, "Layla, you did well; you can rest on my shoulders now."

Layla felt at ease at those words; her eyes seem tired as she rested her head against his chest and spoke softly, "I don"t like this..."

Evan knew that she was referring to this place; and that these monsters had stirred up too many things she had to question.

Rick, Breya, and Emilia had also walked over; their eyes fixed onto the scene of golden lights a distance away from them with a different expression.

Soon though, the lights had vanished, revealing a figure that stood tall, one of his arms was missing, as the other had been vaporized from the elbow downwards. His flowing hair and ruined armor, giving him an air of majesty as he stood with his head raised towards the wall behind his throne. 

As if it sensed his gaze, a strange wind blew across the chamber, rustling the curtain that blocked the picture frame, revealing a sight of a handsome figure in holy armor, holding a peerless beauty with purple hair and ruby eyes.

The two seemed no different from the world"s most graceful couple. Fidelis"s eyes flashed as he stared at the picture with sadness as he spoke in a weak voice, "Finally, I... no, we… can rest at ease, my dear Carnesia..."

Not long after his words, his skin grew paler as the armors and hair turned white, moments after he became dried up white sculpture having no trace of life. Soon, the wind blew against him, crumbing his body into dust that was swept through the King"s Chamber, towards the outside world as he faded across its gloomy horizons. Thus, ending the tale of the once-fabled hero of Tusalon.