I crashed through the many layers of ground and tiles before finally surfacing high above the city. I hurriedly formed light around my feet and back to support myself in the air. I had yet to learn how to fly, so I was helpless without proper support.
I looked around at my surroundings, and I saw the bustling streets of Grandheart. Many people looked at me, wondering what I was doing; it was only natural for us to draw attention. It was midday after all, the sun still sparkled in the sky, casting its light across the lands of Kathoros.
Down in the direction of the Broken Lance's headquarters was a giant crater where the warehouse used to be. I hoped that Liliana was safe, but at the moment, I had my own safety to worry about.
Karravok soon flew up to my position. We were at least high in the sky, so our battle didn't have much risk of harming innocence, so I could let loose without worry.
"I thought you were the mighty wingless, but you can't even use one of the simplest techniques of Edicts," declared Karravok.
Karravok's four skeletal wings wrapped around his body as his eyes downturned with blatant pity and disappointment.
I vaguely knew what techniques he was speaking of; I didn't bother asking. I'd just be met with a sneer followed by mockery. I'd already grasped the type of person this devil was. Flashstep was the technique he spoke of, but I had yet to even attempt it.
I'd seen Artoria use it one time to swiftly bring me death. She refused to teach it to me when I asked, saying that it was trivial and I should be able to do it.
I didn't bother trying to beg, even though I wished to learn about it; she would have just ignored me until I went away, so there wasn't much point in trying again.
I'd noticed that she has the tendency to just walk away and dismiss something she finds pointless or boring.
"Silence? You're quite tough to stand there unfazed after my hit. But don't think I'll hold back any more!" shouted Karravok. "Edict of War, Bountiful Harvest of the Primordial Blades!"
Karravok's wings blew backwards, growing considerably, and hundreds of small shadows appeared in the sky, blades slowly rearing their heads from the shadows.
They appeared to be all swords of a pitch black colouring, their forms all emitted an ominous black mist spreading throughout the surrounding area. The swords vibrated, half released from the small shadows awaiting commands from their master.
"Oh! That's quite the spell. Do you think I could use it? I mean, come on, it'd be hard for me to block them all, so could I maybe steal it?"
Karravok's face twisted with confusion, then a creeping sense of anger grew across his brow. He most likely saw my words as mockery, but they were anything but; I truly liked his spell since I wasn't confined to the spells of Edicts, and I could easily create my own. I'd been slowly noticing this factor of Seraphian's power; I had limitless options on spells.
"What! You mock me, don't think your words will go unpunished! Edict spells can't just be made on the spot; the Primordial Blades is a spell the Horsemen of War blessed me with. How dare you think of copying such a sacred spell!" roared Karravok.
"But I'm being serious, I only hold respect for your spell. So much respect that it's now mine."
Karravok's glare intensified. He didn't respond to my words, outstretched his arm and wings in front of him, ordering the army of swords to impale me.
Just before they launched towards me, I finished the picture forming in my mind of his spell, twisting it into the light.
"Edict of Light, Gate of Elpis." I declared.
Hundreds of shimmering light portals appeared in the sky directly parallel to Karravok's own; hundreds of weapons made of pure light launched forward, colliding with Karravok's weapons of darkness.
Multiple miniature explosions roared through the sky as the opposing forces impacted with each other, producing a thunderous vibration to shake the city's core.
No matter how many weapons I sent forth, I replenished their numbers, remaking them in the portals and launching them once again.
After a minute of our war of attrition, the cloud of darkness forming across the sky started to recede, being overpowered by the shining light of my blades. I slowed the release of my blades as my vision of Karravok got clearer. It wasn't the most energy-efficient spell, and I was already reaching my limit. I doubted that Karravok could longer since it was his spell originally.
Karravok stood there, hovering in the air, his wings slightly downturned, and he was panting heavily, barely able to hold his position in the air. His spell was beginning to be undone, the sun's light slowly casting away his shadows.
I had an urge to laugh at his condition but before it could leave my mouth, a sharp pain echoed throughout my body towards me free fall into the air. Karravok had suddenly appeared and landed a staggering punch to my side but his form was still panting in the distance.
It made no sense that there were two of them, the other Karravok, who had just attacked me, closed in on me, landing another blow to my back, flashstepping behind my fall.
A mouthful of blood escaped my mouth as his next few blows impacted my body.