Descent of a God

The Battle

Arthur POV:

I activated the first phase of my dragon's will.

Aevum, the control over time. With little mastery and insight over this powerful ability, I was able to briefly stop time around me. Lady Myre had said aether could not be manipulated but rather influenced, but in my case, it felt like I was merely tapping into the influence that Sylvia once had over aevum.

Colours flipped while the purple particles of aether around me violently trembled. Uto, Sylvie and even the black spike almost lodged into my back all stopped abruptly. With Uto's last attack no longer in motion, I was able to whirl my body to avoid the full brunt of the impact.

Releasing Distortion—what I chose to call phase one—was much like letting out my breath after being underwater until the brink of drowning. I was barely able to gather my wits as the black spike flew up, leaving a large gash on my back rather than a gaping hole.

My body hurdled down, but just as I landed on Sylvie's back, Uto reacted. He flickered just beside me and struck me and my bond with his black fist.

Spiralling down toward the ground like a comet, I flashed in and out of consciousness once more. My entire body was a bundle of agony so I had a hard time discerning which part of me was exactly broken.

Without even the luxury of screaming from the pain, I desperately tried to protect myself and my bond using magic.

Change into your fox form! I cried desperately, but rather than obey, she scrunched her body into a ball, covering me with her arms, neck, body and wings. I could feel the warmth of her underbelly as she gripped me harder.

She let out a growl. 'You don't have enough mana to take the impact. At least my body will be able to block some of the force.'

Fool, I replied. Even in my thoughts, I sounded weak.

I braced myself for the impact but it never came. Rather, I never felt it. By the time I regained consciousness, I was in the centre of a crater even more exhausted.

Sylv? I tried to get up, but my body refused to listen.

Sylvie? I sent it out once more. No response.

A weak moan escaped my mouth as I turned my body to see that Sylvie's body was still underneath me, but her limbs were splayed out and there were black spikes everywhere beneath us—some broken, some jutting out of her.

"No." I shook my bond.

"Sylvie. Wake up." I shook harder.

"This isn't funny anymore. Sylvie!" I rolled off her body, scratching myself on a nearby spike.

"Sylvie, please!" My vision swam and I could feel my heart trying to burst out of my chest.

A wave of panic rushed over me, numbing me from all of my pain. I crawled desperately, trying to lodge her arm out of a large black spike. I grit my teeth, holding back sobs while trying to think of a way to help my bond.

"Aether," I muttered breathlessly as I held my hands against her body. It was a long shot, but I had to try.

I activated Realmheart once more. Every inch of my body screamed in pain from the backlash but I held on. With the particles of mana and aether visible, I desperately tried to somehow guide the purple particles into Sylvie's body.

"Please," I begged.

The purple particles of aether around Sylvie began quivering as if answering my desperate cry for help. The bits of aether swirled and seeped slowly into Sylvie's body.