Icarus struggled up the last stretch of rocks, and at the peak, Ingel waited for him with his hand outstretched.
After hauling him up, he turned with a sigh.
"It's really been 4 months, huh?"
Icarus nodded with a tired expression on his face. Indeed, 4 months was the time it had taken to cross the massive forest.
Had it been a flat plane, they likely would have been able to get across easily in under a month, but the vast distance and the forest full of strange creatures had stalled them for a long while.
Thankfully, now they could see the end.
Icarus' eyes flew open as he saw the edge of this continent.
It ended off in a flat plane that should definitely be cracked or damaged to some degree; however, the stone was perfectly smooth and well defined, indicating it was somehow protected from the conditions.
He had seen some fantastic creatures since his arrival in this world; however, he had never seen anything like this. He had somewhat doubted that the entire continent was actually in the sky, especially after realizing its true scale.
But beyond the edge of the flat plane, where the air shimmered, he saw a cloud drift by.
He shuddered as he took in another scene.
On the flat plane, a massive golem easily the size of a skyscraper and wide was lying on the ground; from its chest, a familiar weapon protruded.
About one month into the journey through the forest, Saarnax had fled, stealing some supplies and disappearing without a trace.
Ingel and Icarus had assumed they would find him up ahead; however, he had never reappeared, leading Ingel to curse him and Icarus to be shocked.
Saarnax had never even challenged him during that time, so it was clear Icarus's choice of not fighting him was not the reason.
Ingel's voice shattered his thoughts.
"So he made it this far?! did he..."
The pair walked across the flat plane, eventually reaching the body of the giant.
The wounds on its body appeared truly devastating, but the spear Saarnax had left was broken, showing that the battle had not been one-sided.
"but..." Icarus was still sure.
Saarnax had grown stronger than him.
"Words were edged into the giant's body."
"Human! When I see you again, I will crush you! I have no need for the spear, so take it or leave it!"
Icarus looked at the spear and pulled it out of the corpse of the giant using wind magic to lift and bring it to him. He shrugged and hoped that it would at least allow him to understand Lightning magic.
Once it reached his hand, it crackled with energy, and he began analysing it as they walked to the edge.
It was surprisingly far away; however, they hardly noticed it as the flat terrain was a joke compared to the ridiculous maze of a forest they had crossed.
about one hundred feet away from the edge, the air shimmered as they passed through, and a chill ran up Icarus' spine.
Azlat and the spear of lightning both shook and came to life with their respective elements.
a voice that sounded more like an earthquake or volcanic eruption rang out across the area, leaving Ingel and Icarus frozen for a moment.
"Return To Thee"
An actual eruption sounded, and turning, they saw the largest mountain, which was so far away they could only see about half of it had completely exploded.
Ingel's eyes were filled with a terror Icarus had not seen from him.
from the explosion of earth and magma, a long reptile arose, its scales a dark bronze, almost brown color, its body was cracked with fire seeping through said cracks.
"Ancient Drake..."
Ingel grabbed Icarus and, without Hesitation, hurled himself off the edge.
Icarus shouted in confusion and cast a shield around them as well as a spell to slow their fall as they tumbled through the clouds.
Ingel shattered the slowing spell, and Icarus angrily shouted at him, but his voice was lost in the wind that whipped past them.
They passed through the clouds, and Icarus looked down. He saw a green forest below, interlaced with several rivers; it was clearly an island-sized area and surrounded by ocean on all sides. He could also see other islands in the far distance, but with no more time to look around, he panicked and looked back up at the sky.
nothing happened for a few seconds, the clouds were almost fixed in place, hiding the massive continent, far, far above.
However, these clouds burst apart, and the wingless bronze drake burst through them. He had not seen it up close, but it was easily ten times the size of the golem that Saarnax had slain.
He remembered the words the creature had uttered, and with a grimace held the spear in his hand.
He quickly channeled all the magic he could into the spear. It crackled with insane amounts of electricity and seemed to be close to blowing itself apart.
He used the same principles as his temperature missile and fired it at the dragon with enormous force.
With the spear at the center of an already devastating attack, he was sure it would do some damage; it was a shame he had to use it before learning about lightning magic but-
The spear exploded on the side of the Drake, like an arrow hitting a steel beam, completely neutralized and deflected. The Drake's scales were beyond sturdy, and likely nearly one hundred feet thick, to the point that even though the spell and spear had both exploded, releasing their full power all at once, it had simply not even left a scratch.
With a sky-shaking roar, the dragon soared down towards them.
Frantically, Icarus tried to think of a solution.
"Ingel! it wanted out weapons. Give it Azlat now!"
Ingel grimaced and shook his head fiercely. "I would sooner die! This sword is my will to save my people!"
Icarus was shocked. "If you are dead, you won't be able to do that anyway!"
"SHUT UP! AZLAT!"
With a roar, a massive pillar of fire erupted and sent them flying away. They soared across the island, the Drake, which had no wings looked at them and roared once again.
Its mouth glowed, and Icarus shuddered, realizing that an attack they had no chance of blocking or dodging was coming.
A calamity of fire burst from the creature's maw; it was easily a kilometer in width and height, an unbelievable scale.
Icarus had not wondered what would happen if he died again; he had come back twice, but perhaps that was just a time loop. If he died again, would he return back to that day?"
He shuddered at the thought, but a moment later, he did not feel himself burnt apart, but being placed gently on the ground.
A man stood above him and Ingel, his body blocked out by the sun, his back facing us.
His shadow fell upon us, and on either side, the fire had been slashed apart. The Drake stood in the distance, gazing at the man.
"A Monster of this level on an island like this? Why on earth..."
He shook his head. Icarus made out that his hair was shoulder-length and pure golden; he wore white and gold robes, thin but illustrious, similar to...
He gasped as he remembered that day, more than 15 years ago now.
A man wearing similar clothes had brought him to the orphanage.
This man was a knight of the Holy Templorian Empire.
not just any knight, however.
Cal Yuen, the god of the sword the man who singlehandedly keeps the realm of sword comparable to the realm of magic.
Cal Yuen shook his head
"It doesn't matter; my first priority is to dispatch any threats to human life."
He stared at the Drake with fiery eyes, stepping into a stance and holding his hands together in front of him.
No, that's not it.
Icarus could barely make it out. the air itself, no. The world itself was bent to his will, becoming his sword for that brief moment.
he disapeered.
a flash in time, quicker then anything Icarus could ever hope to perceive.
the Drake was split in two, Cal Yuen stood where he had, never having moved a step.