Forgotten Conqueror B2

Chapter 37- Despair

A deep freeze bloomed from the center of Vilute, covering the city in frost and devouring Tal'hrus' flames of purification. Eril's soldiers who were patrolling the city were petrified with confusion at the unnatural phenomenon, and the prisoners situated before the barracks stared with tearful eyes and hushed breaths.

Kaidus stood at the center of the frozen world, silver hair shining radiantly, and two callous eyes glowing with an otherworldly majesty. Power thrummed and vibrated around him like a thick coat of death, and lightning crackled along the ice underneath his feet threateningly.

Taking a step forward, by his will, the remnants of Eril's meager frost field vanished completely. Walking toward the Tal'hrus master, "I have some knowledge of who and what I am up against." He glared into the man's eyes. "The question is, do you?"
His encounters with the two Zavons had allowed him to gauge the abilities of the masters, and one of such caliber could never be a threat to him. Not anymore.

"Demon..." The man who had introduced himself as Eril the Frozen Edge muttered, and those around them began echoing the same word.

"... A fallacy purported by men who feared what they cannot control. What they cannot fathom. How fitting for one such as yourself to mention that very word." He calmly replied as he approached the man. Yet inside, anger gripped him as he recalled the twenty-six other times he had been sent back to the void—all because of a baseless superstition that had somehow persisted through the ages. "Unfortunately for you, your deeds end here today." He threatened and the power around him immediately calmed down.

"Asiran! Envato, belor enfarey fremas..." A roaring flame burst forth from Eril, melting the ice in a wide area around himself and creating a cloud of rising steam.

With lightning reflex, Kaidus drew the xeberite sword at his side and met the man's transparent blade head on, as he was attacked from the mist.

"Wha-?!"

"Foolish." His body overflowing with mana, he forced Eril back a few steps with an empowered push. With a swing of his sword he dispersed the mist.

The man sidestepped to his left and lunged at him again, this time attacking with a horizontal slash while muttering an incantation.

He could see the confusion and distress in the man's eyes, along with a calm confidence. Switching sword hand, Kaidus deftly parried the attack with an upward swing, and using the opening, he stepped inward to strike at the man's chest with his right fist.

Mana surged forth as Eril finished his incantation, and roots pierced through the ice underneath.

Ignoring the roots binding his legs in place, Kaidus leaned forward with his upper body and slammed a fist into Eril's side. His fist landed, but the man slashed back at him with the slim transparent sword—while being knocked away. Kaidus raised his hand into range of the sword's tip and felt a burning sensation. A small gash appeared on his forearm, and beads of blood began trickling out of the cut.

"Ha... Hahahaha!!" *Cough* *Cough* Eril was laughing as he got up off the ground, seeing the blood dripping. "The fool... *haaah...* here is you." There was a dangerous glint on his face. One filled with exhilaration and triumph as he held onto his side.

"You have sorely underestimated me if you think a scratch is all it takes." With a thought, the roots binding him were incinerated. Kaidus fell into blade form and held his sword to his side.

"And you, me." Eril grinned, sliding his hand along the side of his sword and muttered a quick incantation.

"Guh-!" Kaidus grimaced as he felt the man's mana surging through the air, and the cut on his arm flared with pain. An elongated shard of ice suddenly materialized from the wound, jutting out of his forearm.

"And now your right hand is useless." Eril sneered, falling into a stance of his own. "To think that I was frightened for even an instant."

"I see... an enchanted blade, used by a butcher to perform petty tricks." Touching one side of the shard, pain coursed through his arm.

"You fail to understand your situation, boy. Despair and regret ever encountering me, for today, I become Eril, slayer of death." The man mocked.

Kaidus' lips curved into a smile. "I allowed you to scratch me to confirm my suspicion, and you think you have won? Let me show you the true meaning of despair." He grabbed onto the shard and his arm was struck with pain once again. With a forceful pull, he yanked the shard out.

"You-!" Eril stared back at him in surprise.

Kaidus lifted his right arm, and the hole closed up almost instantly. His healing ability mended and restored his flesh, rendering the injury nonexistent right before the man. "You were already dead the moment you found me beyond that ring. Do not struggle, for there is no escape." Third form, Hing.