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Name: Lahi
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***
In the midst of the chant, prayer, or even declaration, specks of darkness floated above Aldric's form.
Each speck floated like wisps of light that contained the weight of the world.
As the chant continued, more and more appeared and fused. It was not a static void but one that revolved. A centrifugal force spun and spun, the void ever moving.
Even the air did not stand still as a vacuum was beginning to form with the wind being drawn in. The form-fitting cloak of the [Mantle of Darkness] billowed in the gale.
At the last moment, a fire of red light birthed in the middle of the void.
"—
Falling
Star
."
The rotating orb erupted.
An explosion of black light focused into a singular widening beam. It was as though a new galaxy was being born as space expanded from a single point while red stars rushed outwards.
Vaporising through open space and setting it alight, the supernova approached the figure in but an instant.
The opposing figure was consumed, and so was the surrounding area in an explosion of red and black light.
Peering through the smoke cloud of snow and dust, a blue light shimmered in the shadow. A brutalised creature revealed itself.
On four legs, it stood a staggering twenty-five feet. Wreathed in sparks of white lightning, it was what could only be described as a mythological chimera. With the white body of a horse, strips of a gold mane wrapped its legs and body.
The head of an eastern dragon graciously looked at him as though it could not care less about Aldric or the attack he had just launched. Even with half of its head now missing and holes littered throughout its body.
A field of dread and helplessness entered Aldric at the thought of attempting to battle it. The air around it was too sharp.
A higher echelon of existence.
With one broken, its other horn jetted out of its skull like an ancient tree branch. Aldric felt his attention drawn to it for a moment too long.
But within seconds, it had healed itself.
'This isn't a nightmare creature. Something else is goi–'
Aldric saw it. Genuine soul essence mending the wounds as though it were not a creature made of flesh.
It was an echo.
A supreme echo
A thousand thoughts came to mind, but they did not matter in this exact moment.
This wasn't the first time he was outclassed, and it definitely wouldn't be the last.
Shifting into incorporeal darkness, Aldric expanded and widened as he took more space. From a height of six feet, the shape got bigger and bigger. In that sea of darkness, a pair of red eyes shimmered in its depths.
'I can't hold back.''
From [Dire Ordinance], the transient will stretched outward into the surrounding darkness he produced. But the reach did not stop there. It turned, folding inward and extending into the very darkness that made up his form itself.
'Absolution of self'
A declaration was made once more.
–
Somewhere…
"Who are you?"
"I am…"
"Who do you fight for?"
"The person I fight for is…"
The voice was confused.
"What do you want?"
The voice became clearer and more familiar.
"Everything"
A madness burned through the voice. This was the thing it knew beyond a shadow of a doubt.
"Ahh… So be it."
–
A cascade of emotions entered the mind of Aldric, the soul laid bare as the mind and spirit's desires burst out onto the canvas that was his naked soul.
His will shaped his very body and mind.
It was utter insanity. There was a reason why the self was split into seven parts, where a balance was created between mind and body. Blasphemy against the design of the gods, Aldric's transformation connected those separate aspects to be malleable while putting his will at the wheel. Allowing his conscious and subconscious free rein over the soul and body.
A perpetual motion machine where desire fueled his will and where will directed that very desire.
The mass of darkness began to condense and collapse as a truer form emerged in the depths of Aldric's consciousness. A physical metamorphosis truly representing Aldric's chaotic soul.
The void-shaped being began to gain a clearer form, layers of taut darkness condensed and condensed. Wrapping the form even tighter, ribbons of leather-like darkness were taut against Aldric. A pair of black horns pierced outwards and a third eye emer—
CRACK
The supreme beast would not wait.
A burst of instantaneous lightning cut through the cold air. A lapse of judgment and the lightning shower had him. It cut through the still-changing darkness, and that was not all.
The beast rode the lightning. Its hooves gripping each bolt like a stairway to heaven, the mythological Kirin ascended.
Cold pain registered all around Aldric's body/soul or whatever it was that made up his form.
A loosely widened maw clutched a mass of darkness in its mouth. Its body was already hundreds of metres away.
It was not just strong physically and ability-wise, but more worryingly, it was sharp. Every movement and action contained a quality of sharpness that Aldric had never seen in a living being before.
'I can't win this… I'm lucky enough to even survive this.'
He thought as a beam of lightning tore away his right arm.
'The fucker is dragging this shit on!'
Aldric fought and fought. His will to survive shaped and directed his body while battling a creature two ranks above him.
'I just need to hold on for 3 more minutes.'
Any thoughts of defeating the creature were out of his mind. Survival was the goal. The brand new form was just a stopgap to inflate his baseline capabilities. How else could he battle against a supreme beast?
One that seemingly was not using its overwhelming advantage to kill Aldric but rather play around with its prey. Or so he thought.
It was not a transformation that would guarantee him victory. Convenient powerups did not exist.
The seconds passed excruciatingly slowly. The damage he took stacked and stacked while whatever damage he could output would be repaired in a moment. Besides the opening attack, nothing long-lasting could reach the majestic creature.
The aloofness of the creature was beginning to grate his nerves. Being looked upon as though he were the monster between the two of them.
It was not just burns from the lightning but also cuts all over his form. The lightning itself cut. For all that he tried to dodge, the lightning veered towards him as though a magnet were bringing them together.
No, it was more than that.
BOOOOOOM
The Kirin's mouth and jaw enlarged towards the ground, and it opened. Pure white light emitting from it like a miniature sun, a beam of death shot towards Aldric.
[Hyper Intuition] warned him before the attack was let off. Leaping towards the right, his new form gave him the physicality to even contend with Saints but it did not matter at all.
The world shifted to make the attack hit true. Space folded, Aldric moved or even the attack twisted, who knew. It was simply beyond the bounds of physics and the norm for this world.
This was a power that Aldric did not know about and that was going to cost him.
The lightning cut through him. Bifurcating through his shoulder and reaching the bone. Through the utterly stacked durability of the Singularity, pain registered all over his face as the force of the attack blew him backwards.
The thought of death entered his mind. As precious blood poured onto the icy ground, the form of the Kirin loomed ahead.
Anyone else would have run away, and perhaps a sane Aldric would have too. But this was an Aldric directed by will made physical.
A look of madness etched those starry eyes.
Something had clicked.
"I CAN FEEL IT! SO THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE USING!"
What it was, nobody would know but these next few moments were a feat that the collective of humanity would not believe. A moment in history that combined luck and preparation.
[Hyper Intuition] ran beyond maximum capacity while the technique of [Absolution of Self] created an iota of an opportunity.
A millionth of a millionth.
Will sparked throughout his form and concentrated around his clasped hand.
The desire to win and to evolve.
SHATTER
With a fist raised outwards, he thought.
'Fuck, I am the strongest…'
An explosion of black and red lightning engulfed the battlefield. Space distorted from the point of contact with a calamitous force accompanying it. The force of a sovereign landed on the Kirin.
Bones shattered and ligaments tore along the arm that dealt the devastating blow. As for the enemy, nearly half of their form exploded into a shower of essence, but it was not enough to dispel their physical form. Already reforming, this time it was slow. Much slower.
Seeing his chance, Aldric disappeared.
—-
In the snow of an empty city, a bloodied figure limped. Dragging blood through the pristine snow, Lichtenberg figures were blotted all over his skin. Near death would be a light way to describe the current state of Aldric.
[Helios Restraint] burned at his wounds while keeping them in stasis. Each step brought him closer to the reason why he was still here.
"I can't remember the last time I lost…"
The voice spoke, relaxed and satisfied.
Meters ahead, an unconscious Tyris lay on the ground in a pool of blood with shattered armour. Her condition was not known.
"You did well…"
The calamity that was the winter beast was nowhere to be seen. Leaving destruction in its wake. Reaching to pick her up, he stopped.
"Come out."
Four figures came out of the civilian evacuation site, all dressed as though they had weathered a calamity. With civilian clothes on, they looked like survivors.
Until they didn't.
Essence shimmered as memories covered their forms.
'Two masters and two awakened. All fresh and at full capacity against a bleeding-out me… Fuck, what is this luck?'
Aldric thought self-deprecatingly. But he knew what this all was.
VOOOOM
A white and gold sword blitzed through the sky. Shattering the sound barrier and heading far off into the distance.
"Singularity! You are now designated a prisoner of war. Resist capture and this will be your grave!"
A voice full of enthusiasm and vitality spoke. A sense of absolute pride and loyalty beaming from them.
The ultimatum sat in the cold air.
With blood dripping down his form, a shit-eating grin met the opposition.
"A prisoner of war, eh?"
***
Thanks for reading.
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Did bro just hit a black flash in shadow slave tf?
Next chapter: Saint Tyris vs Winter Beast...
See ya.