Lorde ascended into the night sky, his golden form gleaming like a falling star against the two pale moons. Every raider's eyes turned upward, breath caught in their throats. High above the battlefield, Lorde bent his knees midair, his grin sharp and hungry. With a thunderous crack, he kicked off the very air itself, a sonic boom shattering the silence as he dove headfirst into the endless sea of beasts.
The Three Bones of Redmarrow looked up, jaws slack, as a streak of golden light arced across the sky.
Then—BOMB.
Lorde crashed into the ground with cataclysmic force. A blinding explosion of earth and flame ripped across the battlefield, annihilating every beast within a hundred-meter radius. The shockwave rolled outward like a hurricane. Valerius and the gathered raiders were blasted backward like ragdolls, weapons ripped from their hands. Even the Three Bones, Redmarrow's mightiest defenders, staggered, their boots skidding across cracked stone as they struggled to keep their footing.
Lorde stood at the heart of the crater, a golden titan amid swirling dust. With every casual swing of his fists, beasts vaporized by the hundreds. Each impact cracked the ground, seismic shockwaves splitting the battlefield into widening chasms. He moved like a blur of light and death, unstoppable and merciless.
Luthar braced himself against the storm of wind and force, eyes wide with terror. "How… how can a spirit be this strong?" he gasped, voice lost in the roar.
All around, monstrous creatures lunged at Lorde with claws and fangs—but their strikes passed harmlessly through his semi-transparent, golden form. He didn't even bother dodging; every attack slipped through him like mist. But when he struck back, there was no mercy, no resistance—only absolute destruction.
He plowed through the beasts in every direction, a living storm of power. He seized a towering beast fifteen meters tall by its ankle, swinging it like a club through hordes of smaller creatures. Each impact sent shockwaves rippling across the plain, pulverizing everything caught in the arcs of the makeshift weapon.
Lorde leaped skyward again, spinning in a wide arc with the colossal beast still in hand. At the apex of his flight, he twisted and hurled the monster straight down at Mach speeds. The crashing impact shook Redmarrow's walls, a rising pillar of fire and stone marking the spot where the body landed.
This was not a battle. It was a slaughter.
The beasts had no chance—no hope of survival. Lorde carved through them with effortless savagery, laughter booming over the dying roars of monsters.
From the shadows of the gate, the Three Bones of Redmarrow stood frozen, eyes wide, unable to look away. Their faces were pale masks of awe and fear.
Suddenly, Lorde appeared at the woman Bone's side, his golden body flickering into existence like a nightmare made of sunlight. "I'm borrowing this," he said with a wicked grin. He plucked her massive scythe from her stunned hands—and vanished in an instant.
He reappeared high above the battlefield, scythe raised. With a single, devastating swing, he brought the blade down in a glowing crescent arc. The earth itself split open in a massive 260-degree trench that carved around Redmarrow like a crescent moon of annihilation. Beasts caught in the path were obliterated, reduced to smoldering shadows in the blink of an eye.
The scythe shattered in his hands, shards raining down like dying stars.
Lorde flipped lazily in the air, falling backward, arms folded across his chest. As he drifted down, he looked up at the twin moons hanging over the quieted battlefield. His voice was soft, almost wistful, but carried clearly to every ear. "This place is kinda nice at night…"
He twisted, landing lightly on his feet atop the cracked terrain. Silence swallowed the world as every eye turned to the massive trench encircling Redmarrow—a scar of power carved into the land.
Auri leaned close to Zee, her voice barely a whisper. "What… what rank do you think that thing is?"
Zee stared, unable to tear her eyes away. "I… I wouldn't even guess," she breathed.
---
Lorde walked forward with an easy, majestic stride, the moonlight gleaming off his towering, golden form. A smirk curled his lips, sharp and confident. Raiders parted before him like a living tide, eyes wide with fear and awe as they scrambled to give him space.
He stopped before Valerius, his immense frame casting a long shadow over the boy. Folding his arms, he looked down, golden irises glowing like molten stars. "Forty-eight seconds," Lorde said coolly, his voice rolling like thunder. "Ten thousand seven hundred and eighteen beasts."
He tilted his head, smirk deepening. "Right now, you can only keep me here for about two minutes at best. But don't worry…" His grin grew sly, eyes glinting. "The more you use your ability, the better you'll get—and the longer I can stay."
Valerius blinked up at him, mind reeling. "But… the first time you came… you stayed for a long time."
Lorde chuckled, the sound dark and warm. "Yeah, the first time I was sent here by someone else," he said, a strange note of mischief in his tone. "So I didn't rely on your energy."
Kurgan stepped forward, eyes still wide. "It took out all those beasts… in seconds," he said, his voice hushed with disbelief.
Zee, her daggers lowered, looked between Valerius and Lorde. "Are… are all spirits that powerful?" she asked quietly.
Luthar shook his head, his eyes narrowed in shock. "No," he said firmly, voice low. "Not even close."
High above them, the Aurellian who gave Valerius his card sat perched on the battered wall, his cloak fluttering in the cold breeze. His eyes gleamed with predatory interest as he watched Valerius. "You've become even more intriguing, boy," he murmured, lips curling into a cold smirk.
Lorde turned back to Valerius, the grin never leaving his face. "Well… my time's up. Gotta get back to my game," he drawled.
Valerius blinked. "Game?"
Lorde snorted, golden eyes rolling. "What? I get to have fun, too, you know."
A swirling blue portal crackled open behind him with a deafening bang. Winds whipped across the shattered battlefield as the vortex pulled at Lorde's massive form. He gave Valerius one last, sharp-toothed grin before the portal swallowed him whole—and slammed shut with a reverberating boom.
For a heartbeat, silence hung over Redmarrow.
Then, as realization dawned, a ragged cheer erupted from every throat. Raiders screamed in joy, weapons raised to the star-filled sky. "WE SURVIVED THE WAVE!" someone shouted, the words sparking a roaring wave of celebration.
Laughter, relief, and sheer disbelief rolled through the crowd. One man raised his sword, face split in a wild grin. "That kid's a genius summoner!" he yelled.
Dozens of raiders rushed Valerius. Rough hands lifted him high into the air, tossing him up again and again as they chanted with boisterous glee: "LITTLE TWIRP! LITTLE TWIRP! LITTLE TWIRP!"
Valerius's eyes widened with each toss, heart pounding not from fear—but from the strange, dizzying thrill of triumph.
---
Hours passed, and dawn finally broke over the scarred plains. The first rays of sunlight lit Redmarrow's battered walls in a soft, golden glow. The air smelled of ash, blood, and morning dew.
At the cracked stone gate, Kurgan stood across from the tall guide—the imposing Aurellian man with the long scar carved across his forehead. The guide leaned against the wall, arms crossed, dark eyes calm but watchful.
"Thanks for waiting for us," Kurgan said, his voice gruff but sincere.
The guide shrugged, his gaze flicking out over the busy streets of people carrying beast parts. "The beast wave wasn't your fault," he said, voice low and even. "It happens. It's No Man's Land."
Kurgan nodded. "We're ready to leave."
The guide raised an eyebrow. "What of your party?"
Kurgan turned slightly, nodding back toward the stone road. "They're right here."
Mira, Luthar, Zee, Auri—and Valerius—stood together, worn but alive. Each bore their Raider ID proudly across their chests, the sigils glinting in the morning sun. Valerius's new badge gleamed brightest: Rank B. Though he hadn't swung a weapon himself, it was his summoned champion that obliterated over ten thousand C-Rank beasts. No one knew the true extent of his spirit's power—so the evaluators settled on a conservative, but still extraordinary, rank.
With a heavy groan, the great stone gates creaked open. They stepped beyond Redmarrow's crumbling walls, leaving the ruined outpost behind as they began their journey to Mazorik's entrance.
---
Night fell swiftly, shadows stretching long across the moonlit hills. They made camp beside a small stream, a fire crackling warmly at the center of their circle. Sparks drifted into the night sky as they roasted slabs of fresh beast meat over the flames.
Kurgan tore a chunk of meat free with his teeth, glancing at Valerius with a piercing gaze. "So," he rumbled, voice low, "how'd you learn to call something like that?"
Valerius shifted uncomfortably. "I… don't really know," he muttered.
Mira elbowed him playfully, eyes bright. "Don't hold out on us, Lerius! Summoning a spirit that wipes out a beast wave? That's incredible!"
Valerius looked down, poking the fire with a stick. "I'm telling you—I don't really understand how it works."
Zee's voice was soft but edged with curiosity. "Do you need a ritual? Or a chant? How did you do it?"
Valerius shrugged, forcing a smile. "I guess… I just called his name."
Luthar let out a scoffing laugh. "You just called his name?" he echoed incredulously. "And he appeared? Spirits don't just answer like trained dogs."
Auri leaned in, eyes wide and intense. "But you must know something more. Do you feel something when you do it? Mana moving through you?"
Valerius shook his head firmly. "I don't feel any mana," he said truthfully, avoiding their eyes.
Kurgan grunted, studying him. "You're saying you don't even know why it happens?"
Valerius met his gaze and nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying."
The guide, who had been sitting quietly at the edge of the firelight sharpening a knife, chuckled. His scarred face caught the flickering glow, eyes glinting. "Well," he drawled, voice deceptively mild, "sometimes mysteries are best left unsolved… for now."
The conversation drifted after that, stories of old battles and near-deaths easing the tension. They laughed softly, sharing sips of a bitter, stinging liquor as the fire crackled and stars wheeled overhead.
---
Later, Valerius slipped away from the fire's glow, crunching across frosted grass as he moved beyond the camp's edge. He relieved himself beside a gnarled tree, the quiet night wrapping around him like a blanket.
Then—a voice whispered, faint and cold, carried on the night wind:
Valerius…
He froze, eyes wide, breath steaming in the darkness. The whisper came again, soft but unmistakable, like a snake sliding across his ears.
Valerius… you are being watched…
Valerius crept deeper into the night, the voice curling around him like a phantom breeze. His eyes darted through the dark forest, moonlight flashing on wet leaves.
"Yelleen?" he whispered, his voice low, tense. "Do you hear that?"
Yelleen's voice answered in his mind, sharp with unease. "No. I hear nothing. Be careful."
But the whisper grew louder, more insistent—pulling him like a hook buried in his chest.
Valerius… this way…
He moved through the brush, feet silent on damp soil, until the forest opened to a moonlit glade. A roaring waterfall plunged into a misty pool, silver light dancing across the spray. Behind the waterfall's curtain of shimmering water yawned a dark cave.
Valerius stepped forward, heart hammering. "The voice… it's getting louder," he murmured.
Pushing past the cold sheets of falling water, he entered the cave. Its walls glistened with moisture, the air thick with the scent of wet stone. And there, suspended in the darkness, something twisted the air itself—a wavering distortion, like heat rippling above a flame.
Valerius's eyes widened. He lifted his hand, drawn by an invisible pull.
"Don't touch that!" Yelleen's voice screamed in his mind, raw with panic.
But it was too late. His fingers brushed the distortion.
In an instant, a vortex of icy darkness yawned open. Wind roared around him. The world stretched and shattered.
Valerius was sucked into the rift with a violent whoosh, the cave vanishing behind him in a blur of twisting shadows—
—and the night fell silent once more, the waterfall's roar the only sound left to mark where he'd disappeared.
---
To Be Continued...