The lilac ball expanded into a vast dome that spread towards Valendor, and the black ball expanded and stretched towards the assassin.
Both figures stood in the middle of the diabolical exchange, their expressions calm.
In that moment, the atmosphere seethed, then cracked.
Long jagged dashes spread out from the sky around them, then collapsed like glass and the two figures were swallowed by it.
Suddenly, the terrain vanished– replaced by a vast space. A location called the Zonal Limbodal. A space between what is ethereal and what isn't.
Similar to voids, the Limbodal was a vast nothingness, a plane that served as a power anchor for the trait known as World Plunder which grants the Invokers and those above it, the ability to use the Insurgence skill.
Insurgence was an ability that tore through the laws of nature to implement its own laws.
The law of the caster.
For Valendor, his form was lightning which served as his law, and surrounding him was a plane of black skies and ravaging crimson lightning that ran like serpents.
Thunder quaked and worm-like bolts ran throughout.
The ground was black with deep, multiple crevices.
As for the Assassin– even Valendor was taken aback by her Insurgence.
Around her was a vast purple dome.
There was neither ground nor sky. Instead, multiple yawning purple-black holes spiralled throughout its length.
She floated in the mix like a goddess, with a surge of Ego blasting out of her body.
In between their Insurgence was a delicate line that could be broken with a wrong step.
Forms were the various attributes an Egoist possessed. They varied from elements to non-elements and were determined by traits.
'I can not view this girl as a mere assassin, but a prodigy with a rare Void form.'
He pulled his great Sword from the ground and his Insurgent stirred with the sound of cracking thunder.
'It must be the reason why she, an Invoker, can keep up with me, an Integrator… she most likely has at least a superior affinity to it.'
The assassin, sensing the man's resolve materialised two curved daggers that glinted with a black sheen.
Valendor narrowed his eyes on the weapon.
'Oh, that settles that.'
He took a step forward and his world invaded hers. That thin line shook, ready to break with a snap.
This was a battle of worlds– of personal desires.
A realm that lesser Ranks couldn't fathom unless they reached this stage, and for these fighters, it was their freeway to go all out.
They charged at blistering speed, their worlds colliding and collapsing onto each other.
Great sword met daggers and the world boomed with a cataclysmic explosion.
*
*
*
Back at the Palace, the storm had begun to subside. Armoured guards walked the courtyards– their advanced armour shimmered with a metallic shine as they controlled the citizens to a still.
Most of the work had been done in the presence of the Leaders of the Ostaria Federation. It served as an anchor of relief for most of the citizens, since their presence meant they were safe to an extent.
The festivities had not resumed as they had, but a part of it did.
Some civilians fiddled with the snacks provided. A few more formed small groups that discussed the matters, while another group– Egoists gathered with the Patrol Guardians to do a bit of watching as well.
Nothing too concerning was going on, and the attempted assassination of their Prince had not raised much of a conundrum.
Though, their questions still lingered evidently. Questions would arise naturally, but most had assumed answers wouldn't be provided at the moment.
Coupled with the occasional explosions that rang in the air from the main State, they could tell that whatever was going on was being taken care of.
And as such, their calm demeanour wasn't completely uncalled for.
At the balcony of the Royal household, the wheels of time had continued.
Emperor Regent Calyx was seated with a quiet smile on his face, his gaze etched on the fight ahead.
Unlike the majority of Nobles and even the Leaders who were present, he amongst a selective others could actually tell what was going on.
Especially after their Insurgence.
Just then, footsteps echoed beside him and his smile drew thin.
"Did you come to report your departure, Renar?"
His youngest son and child, Renar Von Aurelith stood before him with a practised neutral expression.
His hair was silver, curling down his back and stopping at his waist, while his eyes were golden.
He too had just gone through the Trance a week ago and was now heading to the Institution.
"Yes, father. I came to receive your blessing."
He replied with a bow.
Calyx slowly shifted his gaze to his son. He observed him for a second, then leaned and tapped his head.
"How spoiled you are, my son." He said with a sigh.
Ilith, the Empress huffed as she folded her arms at his words. "Please, be careful of what you say your highness, you make it sound like our son has no manners."
Calyx's usual expression nearly faltered.
"Woman…" he muttered softly, but refrained from speaking more.
Ilith Von Aurelith was the representation of royal beauty. With silver lush hair and eyes that screamed of regality, and the porcelain skin covered beneath layers of custom uniform and dresses.
Six diamond beads glowed softly from where they were placed– beneath her eyes, three each.
Her casual tone carried a kind of sharpness that Calyx was used to, but in no mood to deal with.
Renar, observing his parents' demeanour, quickly turned tail towards the exit.
"I will be on my way then."
But he was stopped by Ilith who grabbed and pulled him towards herself.
"Not without receiving mine, first."
She perked his forehead, his cheeks and finally his chin, before releasing her motherly hold on him.
The entire household seemed to exasperate at the sight. It wasn't new, but they sure as hell weren't going to get used to it.
Renar scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile, exiting the balcony with a chuckle.
"Is he taking a Proton gate?" Ilith asked.
Calyx shook his head in reply.
"I pray he goes safely, because he will have to take a MagneticChopper over the State to get to Ardent tonight. They don't let Proton Gates remember."
Ilith clicked her tongue. "Those vagabonds. They should flow with the waves of time, instead of taking us back." She narrowed her gaze. "I should give them a visit once this mess is over."
The household anonymously sweat dropped at her words.
'You just want to see your son again.'
Calyx chuckled as he turned back in the same direction.
A few minutes passed and a drumming thump echoed. The sound of air being sliced by fast-paced rotating metals and a magnetic hum that caused the civilian's chest to rattle.
Most looked up to find a black helicopter darting through the air. Flying towards the city, but many more had missed it.
The flying vehicle was quick– extremely so.
Calyx watched for a second, then completely turned his attention to what mattered the most.
'Valendor better bring results.'
He folded his arms.
'We can't afford to lose our lead.'
Orinaz did nothing else but watch and reminisce in his chair. He had his thoughts to deal with, and the growing clarity that his father had used him as bait.
The young man sighed as he looked up.
'Something must be done.'
*
*
*
What existed within the Zona Lumbrica was a catastrophic birth of lightning and void.
Within the Insurgence of lightning, torn patches of the earth and sky withered as if corrupted by decay.
Vast holes hung in the air like portraits. A flood of darkness that sucked in the explosive crimson lightning.
It tainted the land with a gluttonous edge– a warning of its purposeful bottomless hunger.
The Insurgence of void was no different. With a lesser rank and mastery of the World's Plunder trait, the Assassin had felt the brunt of it.
Her Insurgence had gone through a deliberating crack. Shrunk in form and size.
No longer were the vast black holes– they had been filled up and collapsed by clouds of lightning currents.
The lilac nothingness that had seemed pristine and ancient a while ago was now encroached by black earth with lightning crashing on the soil.
Peeling layers of the Insurgence like wallpaper.
And within the mess, the source of the destruction danced to their own tunes.
A sonic blast ensued as Valendor parried another swift attack of the assassin.
His crimson eyes darted from side to side as he traced the air for a sign of movement.
His body was riddled with scars. Fresh wounds that had healed and dried blood, but it did nothing to stop his focus.
Then in a flash, the air warped and the assassin appeared once again.
Her state was far worse than Valendor's. Her breathing was shallow, though her injuries were physically uncertain.
She ducked beneath the man's form with her daggers dashing upwards.
Valendor sidestepped, twirled and struck down with a heavy breath.
Their weapons clashed and a surge of lightning erupted. The assassin was pushed away and her Insurgence shrank.
She clicked her tongue and disappeared like mist– the void humming in response.
Valendor lifted his great sword in the air, causing his black skies to chatter in a furious onslaught.
The assassin's Insurgence suddenly twisted like paper and collapsed further into Valendor's, and a battle of authority began.
The void ate up the lightning and the black earth. It chewed on every particle with a silent frenzy.
Valendor retaliated! A rain of lightning tore down from the skies, phasing through the void and running along unpredictable currents like coiling dragons. With a sound that could chatter teeth, it left nothing unturned by its weight.
'Void is truly a powerful form on its own.' Valendor thought as he brought his Great Sword down.
'It's unpredictable and hard to contain… with such a power that grows… I won't be able to overwhelm her without taking damage.'
In a flash, the girl materialised from thin air, her body seething with a lilac hue as she swung her daggers horizontally.
It glinted towards the man's neck– open flesh, begging for a cut.