Discordant Note: Crescendo | TBATE

Chapter 287: Morningstar

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Toren Daen

I knew the moment that I had exited the confines of the castle's cage. The air was cleaner. The stench of despair and death left me. The cool mist of the night kissed my skin, soothing my aches and worries.

I couldn't see the stars or the moon as I hovered in the sky, finally free. Even without the warmth of the sun, I felt unburdened for the first time in a long, long time.

Dicathen's flying castle glided nonchalantly through the skies, uncaring of the gaping wound in its underbelly from which I'd emerged. Like the rings of a planet—or more accurately, shackles around a throat—the concentric ring of floating arches hovered uncaringly at the far borders of the castle's range. Beyond those, there was nothing but a mist that blocked out the night like a funeral shroud.

"Will you flee?" a voice said nearby. "Will you cower?"

I slowly turned in the air, calmly observing the asura that had followed me. Taci Thyestes no longer clutched his right arm, instead clenching his left where he floated in the sky. His intent radiated a more focused anger than before.

I let out a leisurely exhale. Then shrouded wings slowly grew from my back, their crystalline light glowing subtly. I raised my hand, inspecting the bloodstains all across my body where the pantheon had wounded me.

I could run now. Taci and I both knew it. I was a master of the sky and fast as a thunderbolt. Any attempted pursuit on his part would be treacherous and difficult.

I considered it for a moment, before brushing it aside. Taci Thyestes wanted a battle, and this little god needed to die. Outside of the flying castle, the innocents would not be in danger.

Wait for me, Seris, I thought, exhaling steam. Wait for me, Cylrit. I need to fulfill an Oath.

My shrouded spirit slowly grew over me like an avatar of white light. Plates of powerful mana reinforced my movements as my regalia hummed warmly on my back. Soulplume burned in my veins as my red hair shifted in a breeze. Feather runes gleamed orange like hot coals across my body.

"You spoke as if you were a master of death earlier, Taci," I said, my voice melodic in the night as my aura finally let loose. "But this isn't your domain."

The young warrior narrowed his eyes, before holding out his left hand. The air shimmered and warped, before his winged spear phased into existence. "This is just another test," he said, almost as if trying to convince himself. "Just another test."

The young asura's right arm was disabled from my earlier attack with Resonant Flow, but I could sense it slowly healing. I hadn't been able to cut at his lifeforce to deny that recovery, which meant I had a time limit.

The pantheon pointed his spear at me, gritting his teeth. Then he thrust it forward.

I leisurely drifted to the side, allowing the streak of invisible force mana to whizz past me. Taci didn't relent, however, and thrust again and again and again. His speed picked up the more he did it, his arms becoming a blur.

I weaved past every one, the winds carrying me along. I ducked and wove and danced out of the way, grimly determined. Far behind me, the night mists parted and broke from Taci's attacks, vapor swirling as they mourned their wounds.

A dozen shrouded feathers separated from my wings, before streaking toward the airborne asura like firecrackers. A few of Taci's force bullets intercepted them in midair, making them explode in a conflagration of white fire and buzzing vibration. But more than enough made it through his barrage.