★238
"Stand back, Aquila."
I murmured, my gaze fixed on my opponent.
"Even the strongest needs a hand..."
"I said, stand back."
I highlighted, my voice low but the message was delivered. Aquila didn't flinch the slightest he waved his hands summoning his throne to take a seat.
"I might be no match for her but if you lose, your pride will fall with you."
He spoke, looking down at us.
Aquila wasn't like Alter, a false being with gifted powers since creation. He worked his hardest to reach this height which is the reason behind his attitude to look down at Alter.
Alter knew this but the fact that Aquila can never beat him, is enough for him. After all, Aquila is the only one capable of standing toe to toe with him so his respect is earned.
"Come on, I can... no. I'll take on you two."
She gestured with her fingers. Aquila's crimson eyes landed on her for a second. He closed his eyes and shook his head.
"You dare look down on me?"
She spoke calmly, half-closing her fingers, and with that simple motion, Aquila and his throne were yanked forward, dragged through the void itself. He reacted instantly, leaping clear just before the throne crumpled into a molten lump of metal.
Suspended midair, Aquila summoned his celestial chains, but they disintegrated before they could even swing. A red aura flared around her sword as she traced a single, deadly arc through the air.
A galactic barrier materialised in desperation, but the slash cleaved through it effortlessly. When the light faded, Aquila stood trembling, his forearm severed, eyes wide with disbelief.
"You b..."
"Bind."
Rods erupted around Aquila, piercing through the air and slamming into him with precision. Before he could react, the rods linked together with chains of searing light, binding his limbs and locking his body in place, utterly immobilised.
"I thought I said stand back."
I said coldly. She froze, startled by my tone, but chose not to interfere.
"Give me your name?"
I asked.
"Umm, we don't have one. I'm just a newborn as you see."
"No..."
"Wait, they call us Wraiths. Call me that for now."
"Noir, the Wraith."
Wraith isn't actually a name for Noir, as in Black is the best fit.
"Whatever"
She dismissed it, dark aura escaping her body.
"My goal is to inflict the same damage Antares did."
To wipe out ninety percent of the Pond's army clearing the path for the strongest showdown."
She lunged forward, her whip cracking through the air. I caught it mid-snap and yanked her toward me, only for her form to blur, reappearing behind me even as another closed in from the front.
I raised both hands, a flash of light bursting outward, but it wasn't enough to stop her.
"Hmm."
Scythes materialised, blocking her attacks. I flicker my wrist and the tiny orbs in place erupted with thorns skewing Noir.
She glitched, spacing out, breathing heavily.
'N...not enough?'
She turned around and departed to another universe in search of Stars. Her speed was like none other, circulating countless universes in a Nest of transcend time that bore no fruit. All the universe was empty.
"I can't afford to drag this any further."
I said, appearing before her, my hand shooting out to seize her head. Lifting her effortlessly with one arm, my fingers tangled tightly in her hair.
Red eyes, blazing with hatred and fear, locked onto mine as her legs kicked helplessly, already losing touch with the ground.
'W..what's this sudden change? H...he's healed already?'
She drove her sword into my heart but I didn't flinch the slightest.
"Hit me more."
I taunted.
"I won't play any further."
Darkness, thicker and deeper than anything Ive seen before, erupted, and within it, colour began to bloom. I hurled her away, but her weight suddenly surged, anchoring her midair. The red Darkness surrounding her shimmered, now laced with threads of violet.
"I was saving the little burn I had for Antares but it looks like I need to place this puny God where it belongs. Awaken, Absolute Darkness!"
She unleashed the Darkness of the highest degree absorbing all the light. This is Belenos' world we're talking about, an Omni who excels in Divine Light. Yet, Noir's Darkness completely deactivates the light within her range.
'Interesting, I can feel the Darkness expanding, just a little more and... no, the Nest has fallen to her Darkness..'
But this feat was child's play to me. I needed a worthy opponent and as if to prove she's worth it.
I blinked, my lips curved into a smile. It was so faint that one couldn't detect it.
Aquila, who was sealed, broke free, appearing in the space where his forearm had regenerated.
"Two, three no.."
Aquila shook his head.
"There's no point in counting."
He said.
"Even I can't control past the trillions range. I'll be leaving."
His wings contracted as a portal appeared above him.
"The pressure is too much I can't even jump into the portal above me?"
He giggled and the portal moved down on its own, absorbing Aquila.
His eyes turned to meet Alter's who was waiting for his enemy to reach her peak. Throughout the thousands of spars, Alter nerve changed his expression except during the Great Dragon War and this. His lips indicated he might enjoy this.
Aquila thought as he let Alter's influence on his own portal take him out.
'I was never a match for him, I never would. But I'm proud of myself. For I am the only Star to spar with Alter.'
Alter didn't respond to Aquila's ramble but simply wanted him to leave. Aquila calculates the threat and chooses to retreat knowing it's the fastest way to get Alter will take care of her.
"Still charging?"
I flinched, immediately grasping the situation.
"Come, Polaris Lance."
Orbs of light began to form, flickering into existence before slowly taking shape. From within them, a tentacle lashed out, striking him and sending him flying.
His momentum carried him away for a moment, then it stopped abruptly. He was dragged back, pulled against his will as though caught in an unseen grip.
'Stronger gravity than mine?'
She clutched her head, her dark violet aura spilling outward, unstable yet overwhelming. From it, arrows formed and shot forward in rapid succession, tearing through the space as they closed in on him.
"Time...no...Light."
Layers of light barriers rose in quick succession, yet each one shattered the moment the arrows struck, breaking apart without slowing them. Seeing it was pointless, I pushed further, releasing my own aura and forcing myself free.
I turned back, noticing the sphere was still incomplete.
"Answer me, Luminous Guard."
Three swords and three spears formed around him, settling into a precise formation. The spears spun before him, rotating fast enough to catch and deflect the incoming arrows, knocking them aside as they closed in.
I seized one of the swords and surged forward, crossing the distance in an instant, its blade cutting a direct path towards her head.
"I'm coming home, Delta."
She said, leaving her mouth wide. I was inches from decapitating her when a silhouette responded, seizing my sword. It was the Phantom, Erebus.
He grabbed the sword but it was no ordinary Mystic Class; it was a weapon created by Belenos herself. The sword cleaved through him like butter followed by a spear which moved automatically taking off his head. I stopped but the swords didn't.
A sword took my place resuming to strike her head and a new arm outstretched and the sword began vibrating, its existence began to fade.
'Specter.'
As if it had a will of its own, the light blade darkened mid-swing, shifting to match the threat as it came down. It cut through One and continued without slowing, the edge poised to finish her.
Mouth wide open, she clicked her tongue and everything went black. My consciousness & sense faded for a second and when I opened my eyes, I was drifting in ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
To be continued...