Descent of a God

Beginning

|Arthur|

We climbed the stone stairs that followed the steep incline of the terrain just east of Etistin Bay.

This was another strategic advantage that our side held. The ascending elevation gave our archers and conjurers, that were able to cast at longer ranges, a field advantage without having to waste time and resources building platforms for them to shoot from. Walls for defence had been made by earth mages, and many of the archers were stringing their bows.

We reached the top of the hill just in time for me to feel the first raindrop on my cheek. It only took a few seconds before a heavy downpour ensued. Sylvie was about to lift up a wing to shield us from the rain, but I stopped her.

We're all soldiers here. We'll all fight under the rain together anyway, I said, my eyes focusing on the field of ice. Rain and fog impeded our vision, and the sound of our soldiers still marching towards the shore could be heard amidst heavy thrumming of rain.

"We will stay behind for the first wave. Scryers will have eyes on the field and General Bairon will relay information on the enemy forces for us soon after," General Varay said beside me. "There are additional forces that are on their way, some of whom are silver-core mages."

And so, we waited. I could feel the tension building and more than once I could hear a captain peptalking their troops.

'The wait is more agonizing than I imagined,' my bond sent, her bright hazel eyes trying to catch a glimpse of anything within the fog above the icefield.

I nodded, barely restraining myself from flying over and breaking hell by myself. During this time, more and more troops arrived. Some were sent to either side of the bay in order to flank, while others remained back as reserve forces.

It felt like hours had passed, all of us standing in the rain with white knuckles gripping our weapons.

Finally the horn rang.

I could see our men stiffen as the deep brassy note told them the enemies had landed.

The second horn rang, and it was then that tense air dissipated followed by the mana-enforced roar of General Varay.

"Charge!"

Sylvie and I split up, assessing the battlefield for potential threats. As I navigated through the sea of soldiers, my instincts flared and I instinctively dodged an invisible attack. The force chipped away at my armor, leaving me vulnerable to further ambushes.

I activated Realmheart, but it detected nothing. Another attack materialized to my right, but I barely avoided it by lunging forward, sacrificing some of my metallic protection in the process. Despite my years of combat experience and Sylvie's instinct, I couldn't pinpoint the attack's origin or see any mana particles.

More attacks followed, surrounding me with deadly invisible spikes. I charged up my sword, Dawn's Ballad, with lightning and ice mana and swung it in a circular motion, shattering the spikes. However, a few managed to graze my skin and one hit me squarely in the chest. Thanks to my quick thinking, I concentrated aether on the impact point, avoiding more severe injuries.

The assailant's spell was similar to Uto's, but stronger. The spikes could manifest anywhere, including mid-air, and their mana particles were invisible. My mana and aetheric defenses were faltering, and my injuries were accumulating, but I still hadn't seen the enemy.

I released pure aetheric pulses, hoping to sense my opponent's location. After a few attempts, I detected him and gathered ice and lightning mana in my palm, launching an attack. It exploded in front of the retainer, blasting away troops in the vicinity, but he emerged unscathed. He must have used the spikes to block my attack.

The retainer, towering and muscular, approached me with a heavy tread. Despite my training and experience, I couldn't help but gulp at his imposing presence.

With a flick of his hand, the retainer unleashed a devastating attack that instantly killed all the soldiers around us, including his own. I reacted quickly, using my [Static Void] ability to freeze his attacks and quickly moved behind him, aiming for his mana core with a strike from my blade.

Unfreezing time as I attacked, I was surprised to see the retainer able to keep up with my time pause as he dodged my strike with ease. I cursed and pulled my blade back, blocking his punch just in time before being sent flying.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered both aether and mana, surrounding my sword with black lightning and a frost lining infused with aether. With renewed determination, I charged straight at the retainer, cutting through his defences. He had an amused smile as he dodged my attacks easily, showcasing his surprising agility despite his huge size.

Not one to be outdone, I used the feint step and footwork techniques I learned from Kordri, increasing the speed of my attacks and striking from all sides. However, the retainer was able to block my attacks with his hands, leaving me frustrated and exhausted.

With a grin on his face, he concentrated mana to his left fist, and before I could react, his fist blurred and zipped through the air, connecting straight with my liver. Consciousness began to escape my body as I desperately tried to use [Static Void] to save myself.

"ARTHUR!" I heard Sylvie scream in my mind, jolting me back to reality. The retainer was ready to finish me off, and I realized I had no way to dodge his next attack.

As time paused, I activated the first stage of my beast will and distanced myself from the retainer, clutching my throbbing mana core burdened by the continuous use of aevum. Unpausing time, I turned around to see General Varay engaged in a furious battle against another retainer while Kathlyn was fighting another one. Tessia was also engaged in a heated battle against yet another powerful retainer. These enemies were much stronger than the others we had faced before, as they were able to fight evenly against the strongest lances.

As I readied myself for another attack, I heard a voice interrupt my focus. I turned to face my opponent, who introduced himself as Klypso, Uto's older brother and a strong retainer. He boasted of being in line for the position of the 6th Scythe, but had now set his sights on becoming the 7th Scythe. I couldn't help but feel annoyed by his arrogance.

My irritation vanished as I suddenly sprang into action, utilizing [Burst Step] to close the distance between us in a flash. My lightning-clad body raced towards him, and my blade aimed at his throat. His mana defences crumbled under the sharp edge of my sword, causing blood to trickle down his neck. I could have taken his head, but I noticed a spike hurtling towards my heart, forcing me to retreat.

I twisted my body in mid-air, employing wind magic to dodge the incoming spikes, and then quickly turned to attack Klypso once more. He caught my blade with ease, the invisible spikes covering his hand preventing me from slicing through his flesh.

In a battle of strength, Klypso proved to be the stronger opponent as he twisted my hand and disarmed me. I punched him with my free hand, infused with [Lightning Punch], aimed squarely at his jaw. But he caught my fist too, stopping it in its tracks.

My frustration grew as I poured more mana and aether into my limbs, trying to overpower him. But his smile only widened as he easily matched my increased strength. The teal blade in my hand began to crack under the pressure.

Just as I was about to be defeated, two spheres of plant and ice mana came from either side, aiming at Klypso. Tess and Kathyln had beaten their opponents and come to my aid. Kathyln quickly joined General Varay, who was struggling against her enemy.

Klypso's face darkened as he blocked the attack, and I took the opportunity to step back and regain my composure. But before I could attack again, he launched a massive amount of invisible mana straight at me. I hastily created a barrier of aether and mana to defend myself, but to my surprise, the mana morphed into a sledgehammer instead of a spike, sending me flying through the air.

"Sylvie!" I shouted out mentally to my bond, who was fighting the regalia magicians. "I'm alright, help Tess and Kathyln!" I sent her a quick message, knowing she would be relieved to hear that I was still alive.