by Riker Kane
“And I suppose it’s good to see me, too.” A nonchalant voice made me turn my head.
“Couture.”
The leader of Malora raised his hands and summoned a fireball that engulfed one of the Golems completely. He walked up to me, a cocky smile on his lips. The man was thin, tan, and bald, wearing nothing more than a loincloth that looked like an old potato sack. You would’ve thought he’d enjoyed his time on the beach a little too much. But his abilities made you think twice about making fun of him about it.
The purple crescent tattooed underneath his left eye reminded me again he was like nobody else I’d ever met.
He kept his eyes locked on me as he cast a fireball on a Shadow he wasn’t even looking at. “You seem to be in need of assistance, Virgil,” he said, his tone as easygoing as ever.
“You might say that.”
“This appears to be only a minor inconvenience.”
More Shadows converged but they were taken out when a sudden boulder dropped from the sky and squashed them completely. I watched more stones brick more of the Shadows and clear a path for a hunched-over old man to slowly make his way toward me.
Ekko, the leader of the underground city of Chenai. His beard was a little longer and his thin hair was whiter. But his smile was still friendly, which was the most important thing. The man in ordinary linens walked up to me then eyed both Arctis and Couture.
“You two appear to be having a good time in the middle of a battlefield,” Ekko said in his slow, low tone. “I believe Virgil has more important things to deal with at the moment than reminisce about our previous victories.”
“I need a path to that fortress so I can take down that barrier.”
Arctis slammed his heavy, double-bladed steel sword into the grass. “Then we shall clear a path. Let them feel the power of the Frozen Wave!”
“Oh, so dramatic.” Couture looked up and smiled at the giant goblin. “Inspiring.”
Arctis grumbled and stomped forward to level a Shadow trying haplessly to take him down. “What are you waiting for?”
Lyra, Zafina, and Rhiannon were back to back, fighting off the Shadows along with the hundreds who’d arrived from Valen. They fought their way toward me as I proceeded on the path back to the fortress.
“Clear the way!” Rhiannon shouted. “Let nothing stand between Ultima and the fortress!”
Rhiannon. Zafina. Lyra. Couture. Arctis. Ekko. They surrounded me completely, creating a flank that took down every beast trying to pounce and every Golem in our path. We walked together. A juggernaut. An unstoppable train. A violent caravan that couldn’t be contained.
The hundreds of yards to the fortress were closed quickly and before I realized it, I was standing just a few meters away from the black barrier. The energy resonated like you’d see in a Junction gate. I almost felt like I could walk through it.
“I need to focus,” I said.
“Do not let anybody get near him,” Zafina said to the others before turning to me. “The floor is yours, Ultima.”
I gave her a nod and took a step back. I closed my eyes for a moment to take a deep breath and concentrate before opening both palms. My hands moved next to one another then fired a Dark Beam right in front of me. The energy shot out in a wide beam big enough to consume me whole. It pounded into the dark barrier with an explosion. The warmth from the energy was strong enough to make me sweat. And the impact was enough my feet sank into the dirt.
I pressed my soles into the grass to maintain my leverage and kept firing. The screams and spells and weapons clashed all around me, joining the thunder as more Shadows continued raining down.
I couldn’t pay attention to the battle around me though. I had to focus on the barrier. And from what I could tell, I was doing more damage to it than the Holy Light Cannon did. All I had to do was keep this up.
The sweat on my brow wasn’t enough to get me to stop. Neither was the increasing pace of my heart nor the strain in my muscles. My jaw clenched as my beams kept firing. Still then, the barrier seemed to be weakening as the energy was no longer as vibrant as it was a few moments ago.
I could do this. I just needed time.
“Ahhh!” Arctis’s grunt made me turn my head.
The giant goblin fell to a knee as a Shadow snatched him by the wrist but he quickly shoved it away.
The others were all doing their best to fend off the beasts. But even with hundreds from Valen fighting by my side, the Shadows coming from above were endless, outnumbering us more than ten-to-one.
Against my better judgment, I turned around and joined the fight with the Shadows.
“What are you doing?” Lyra said as she fired at another Shadow. “You must take down the barrier.”
“If you guys get overwhelmed, I won’t be able to do that.”
I fired a Radiant Beam and split open a group of Shadows then hovered into the air to blast another Golem clear through its chest. The battlefield clear in my vision, hundreds fought in a seemingly endless battle. It almost didn’t seem real.
“Either we need more people or we’re going to have to stop these Shadows from coming. Maybe if…”
I looked out toward the hillside in the distance and saw more figures appearing. I narrowed my eyes to look closer as they descended into the valley.
“Is that…”
I couldn’t help a smile coming to my face. Even from so far away, it wasn’t hard to tell who they were. Their shiny silver linens were enough to give them away.
“Nobles…”
Along with them were the black-armored clad Warriors of the Serpent. And behind them on horseback, raiders stormed down.
I landed back on the ground and noticed Lyra smiling.
“I can’t say I’m not happy,” she said. “But what’s going on?”
“It looks like Guillard pulled off that miracle we were looking for. They’re back in the fight. Operation Reconciliation…” I smiled as I thought about how proud he must’ve been right now. “Thanks, Guillard…”
Lyra pierced a stone arrow through a Shadow and regained her focus. “Get back on that barrier, Ultima.”
I turned to the fortress and moved my hands back up. My Dark Beam pounded the barrier again, making the energy waver. The barrier weakened enough, I could almost see the steel wall of the fortress clear on the other side. Even with my endurance draining, I had more than enough to keep this up.
BOOM!
Thunder cracked in the sky and made me turn my head up. I clenched my jaw in frustration as I saw a black dragon coming down. The beast was made of black bones and its face was rotting just like the last dragon we fought. And that meant I knew it was going to give us more than enough trouble, even with our numbers.
It roared into the air before lowering its head down to fire out a dark blast from its throat. The energy toppled over Shadows as well as our alliance. The dragon didn’t care, trying to wipe the entire field clear.
“Remain focused,” Rhiannon said. “One dragon is not cause for concern.”
BANG!
Another sound of thunder broke the sky. Another black dragon descended from the clouds, flapping its wings and filling the air with a deafening roar.
“I think two dragons might be a reason for concern,” I sighed.
“We will be able to handle this.” Rhiannon gritted her teeth in frustration and took it out on an approaching Shadow beast.
“I know you can. But I think I’ve got a better idea.”
I lowered my hands down and turned around. “Let’s see what we got here…” I took a deep breath and summoned my Black Viper, wondering how much stronger it would be. As soon as it appeared, a shriek filled the air and made my heart stop.
“Holy…”
It wasn’t a viper any longer. The only thing snake-like about it was its long neck connected to a viper’s head. But the rest of its body had grown to the size of a dragon, rivaling the other beasts swooping through the air. Its black body was made from the energy I summone
d it from but it still stomped on the grass to let everybody know how solid it was.
“What the hell is that thing?” Lyra stared in confusion.
“It appears to be a Wyvern,” Zafina said.
“A Black Wyvern…” The smile grew on my face as I nodded in approval. “I think that’ll even the playing field. Let’s go!”
The Wyvern flapped its massive wings and ascended to meet one of the bone dragons in the air. The beasts collided with a sound like a hundred cars crashing at once.
I took a deep breath and Zafina moved by my side. “You are exhausted.”
“It took some endurance to summon that thing but I’ve still got some left.”
My attention back on the barrier, I raised my hands and focused my Dark Beam. The battle around me had already been loud enough but now with dragons screeching in the air, I felt like I was in a blender.
I kept my eyes closed to maintain my focus. From my head to my toes, all of my energy flowed out toward my palms and into my beam.
The sound of the barrier grew louder as it wavered. I didn’t know how much longer but I couldn’t let up now. Not when I was this close.
“Come on… Just go down already…”
I washed away my frustration and regained my focus. If I had to stand here all night, I was prepared to do it.
“Almost—”
BANG!
A sudden crash filled my ears a split-second before something lifted me from my feet. The explosion forced my eyes shut as I tumbled through the air. I tried to regain my balance but the impact alone was enough to knock the wind out of me.
It was an eternity before landing hard on the grass brought my senses back to me. I sucked air into my lungs and ignored the bruises covering my body as I got back up to my feet.
“What was that…”
I looked up and saw everybody around me scattered across the ground.
“And so, he tries again, desperately clinging to his life, not realizing the little hope he has is none at all.” Romanis hovered above, slowly lowering himself to the ground. His empty black eyes widened as he stood with his hands behind his back. “Are you so eager for your death you would attempt your gambit again?”
“The only eager for death is you, buddy.”
“Yes, there are those who use humor in the face of death.”
“I’m a lot stronger than I was before.”
“As am I.”
I thought he was just saying it. But when I looked closer, I saw it. The Dark Rune he’d acquired was lodged in his chest like the Life Rune was in mine.
“I always wondered what Kreonyx’s obsession with this world was. Now I understand. There is power here.”
“The only thing you’re gonna understand is my foot up your ass!”
I fired a Radiant Beam at him and he brought up a barrier to block it. I switched to a Dark Beam and he immediately flew out of the way. Now I knew he didn’t have a barrier to counter it.
I zoomed to the sky after him, chasing him down with the wind rushing through my hair and against my face. I did my best to avoid my Wyvern battling one of the dragons as I caught up to him.
Romanis fired blast after blast behind him, making me swerve to catch up to him. But despite my dropping endurance, I kept my head down and eventually managed to get neck-and-neck with him.
I fired a Rock Burst at his side, pelting him long enough to slow him.
“Gotcha!”
The small opening was all I needed to rush close and wrap my arms around him. I used all my strength to drive him down until we both crashed into the grass. The explosion of dirt and grass around us made me go deaf for a second. The impact alone made the pain surge through me. It was like someone had dropped a bomb right on top of me.
I groaned as I rolled onto my stomach, trying to push myself to my feet. Seeing Romanis struggle, too, was enough for me to know it was worth it.
I stood up and raised my hand to fire a Frozen Jet but he rolled out of the way, firing a Dark Beam that caught me in the chest and knocked me back.
“Yes…” Romanis approached me in the middle of the battlefield. “What good is power if you don’t know how to use it?”
He raised his hand to finish me. “Do you have any last words?”
I looked to the side and saw Rhiannon streaking toward us. The Mana Dancer covered the distance faster than anybody could.
“This can’t work again, will it?” I said out loud.
Romanis turned his head sideways, his black eyes narrowed in confusion. “What won’t?”
“This!” I fired a Radiant Beam at Rhiannon right as she leapt into the air. The blast collided with her Mana dagger as she sailed toward Romanis. Zafina stood across the way, sending a fireball at the same time that Rhiannon caught. Rhiannon brought her Divine Blade down on Romanis with a forceful stab.
“No!” Romanis turned around and immediately snatched Rhiannon by the throat, holding her in the air and keeping her blade out of reach. “Hmph…” Romanis smirked as he squeezed his hand around Rhiannon’s throat. “I will not be defeated by you, woman.”
Rhiannon gritted her teeth. “But another one will.” With all her strength, she tossed her dagger into the air. I watched the Radiant Blade rotate through the sky.
Lyra rushed forward and in one smooth motion, caught the Mana blade in her bow. The string pulled back, she aimed down her sights.
“Bullseye.” Lyra loosed the Mana blade. Romanis wasn’t fast enough. Nobody would’ve been fast enough.
The Radiant Blade caught Romanis right in the stomach, sending a splatter of black blood in every direction.
“No!” he screamed out as he dropped Rhiannon from his grip. He hunched over in pain before quickly flying into the air. “Enough of this!” He squeezed both hands in tight fists and more clouds billowed. Violent purple lightning crashed into the grass, forcing everybody to take cover.
“You have not defeated me!” Romanis moved higher into the clouds, disappearing in a flash. But even though he left, he left something behind.
Another dragon began to descend from the sky. My Wyvern was still busy with the other dragon while the people had only just taken down the other dragon.
But one more dragon descended. Then another.
Lyra walked by my side and shook her head. “I don’t think we’ll be able to fight all these dragons.”
“We won’t.” I turned my head toward the voice. It was Vacindra walking calmly toward me. “But she can.”
“What are you talking about?” I said.
“She knows the ways of the Sol Lands. They are hers. And she has sensed the darkness. She is coming.” Vacindra stared at me with a deathly seriousness but Lyra and I were both confused. Even Rhiannon and Zafina didn’t know what was going on.
Vacindra ignored me, holding her hands into the air. “Warriors! Join me!”
The Warriors of the Serpent all stopped fighting and fell to their knees, putting their hands into the air like they were being held at gunpoint.
“We call on you!” Vacindra yelled. “In our darkest hour! We praise you because of your strength! Lend us your power! Vanquish the evil that threatens the land—your land! We pray to you, Aeona!”
BOOM!
Before I could say anything, a violent eruption like a volcano exploded cut me off. Dirt, grass, and Shadows all went flying into the air. I put my hands up to block the cloud of dirt covering me, my ears still ringing from the explosion.
It lasted for a few seconds before I was finally able to open my eyes. A shriek from one of the dragons filled my ears. But that wasn’t even the strangest thing.
“What…”
My eyes widened in confusion as a giant black serpent had emerged from the grass, its jaw clamped around one of the dragons. The beast flapped its wings to try and break free, spitting beams into the air but the great snake Aeona only needed to clamp down even harder to make the dragon whimper in pain again.
“Maybe I should join the Warriors of th
e Serpent,” Lyra said.
Vacindra raised an eyebrow at her, a satisfied smile on her lips.
“It will have to wait for another time,” Rhiannon said. “Virgil, you must take the barrier down now.”
I nodded and rushed back into the air. I flew through the clouds back to the fortress and focused my Dark Beam back on it.
“Let’s try this again…” Another deep breath made me regain my composure as I tore through the barrier. With Aeona taking down the dragons, I didn’t have to worry about anything else attacking me. At least, for a few more minutes. I couldn’t take any more time.
But when I stared at the barrier, I saw it finally beginning to break. A circle opened up like a wound, slowly widening and widening until it was large enough for me to walk through. My endurance was nearly gone. I couldn’t take any more chances.
I rushed forward through the barrier and made it to the other side. As soon as I did, I fell to my knees. “That did it.” I gasped a deep breath to recover.
I turned to see if anybody else had followed but realized the barrier had closed behind me.
Rhiannon, Lyra, and Zafina stood on the other side.
“Hold on,” I said. “I’ll open it back up…”
I blasted the barrier with a Dark Beam. The impact was loud. I kept it focused but noticed the barrier wasn’t shifting like it was before. Either I’d lost more endurance than I realized or it just didn’t work from this side.
“Dammit…” I looked up as if the answer I needed was somewhere there. “I can’t open this thing back up.”
“Do not open it,” Zafina said. “You must destroy the fortress. You alone.”
“I…” I looked to Lyra and Rhiannon and saw they were in agreement. They didn’t say anything. The look in their eyes was enough.
I looked back at the steel cube behind me then took a deep breath before turning to them. “I’ll be back.”
“You’d better.” Lyra pointed at me.
There was no more time to waste. I smirked and gave them one last glance before walking toward the fortress.
40: The Essence Of A God
The fortress was a solid cube made out of what looked like chrome steel. There were no windows. There were no etchings on it. There were no doors. I wondered if it was even a fortress at all.