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Relecta's voice quivered with fear as she stood beside Poduria, both striving to maintain the integrity of the water dome they had conjured. But Alan remained silent, lost in the depths of despair, unblinking, not a single word uttered.
"No!! Relecta, don't give up! It may seem hopeless, it may seem we can't win—"
"No," Poduria replied to Relecta, her voice filled with hopefulness as she tried to instill that in Relecta when suddenly Alan's voice cut through the despair, stern and unwavering.
"No, we can kill it. We have a chance. It's almost impossible, but we still have hope."
"What would th—tchh—that..be?" Longiseus spat out blood, struggling to stand. Despite his injuries, he limped toward Alan, his gaze fixed on the chaotic beast. Alan gestured with his eyes as he continued to watch the creature.
"Look at its size. It's decreased, smaller than when we first encountered it. With each massive regeneration, it's losing size and strength."
"So you're saying we have to keep killing it until it's too small to fight back?!" Poduria's voice crackled with frustration as she absorbed Alan's proposal, her teeth clenched in disbelief. Watching her husband and brother-in-law struggle against the beast's relentless assault outside, she felt a surge of anguish.
"Be practical, Alan! Think before you speak!" Her words echoed with desperation. "Look outside! Look at them! Do you honestly believe they can keep fighting for that long? Most of them are barely clinging to life, and you're suggesting we keep battling that regenerating bastard until it's the size of an ant?!"
Poduria's outburst unleashed the pent-up pain and fear within Relecta, her tears flowing freely now.
Longiseus, after acknowledging Poduria's words with a glance, shifted his gaze to Alan, his expression firm. "She's right, Alan. Despite the hope in your plan, we'll die long before we shrink that thing down to our size."
"We don't have to," Alan said, his tone still infused with hope despite the despairing words of his friends. He turned to Longiseus, drawing his attention. "We just have to obliterate every inch of its body, all in one go."
As Alan spoke, his voice betrayed a hint of desperation and helplessness, mirroring the emotions rising within him. "I've just realized that it's regenerating through whatever part of its core body we're leaving unscathed. And if we incinerate its whole body, leaving no anchor for its regeneration, all in one go, we can kill it for good. But the only problem is..." Alan paused, gritting his teeth as a sense of hopelessness clouded his eyes. "Even if my theory is right, I don't know of any way, any weapon, any attack that can do that!"
"I can do it," As Alan stomped on the ground in frustration and air filled with desperation Longiseus spoke, his voice cutting through the air filled with frustration and desperation. He kept his gaze fixed on the monster, its chaos obscured by the veil of water.
"You can? But how?" Alan asked, his gaze filled with astonishment as he looked at Longiseus.
Longiseus looked down, his grip tightening around his blood-stained swords as he spoke. "My sword, it's an evolved weapon, much like your friends' armor," he explained, his voice resolute. His gaze shifted to Armis, who still bore the brunt of the beast's onslaught, protecting Aurelia with unwavering determination.
"Though achieved through sheer training and experience, like his armor, it holds many abilities," Longiseus continued, raising his gaze once more. "One of them is called 'Burst of Holy Energy.' With my current physical capabilities, when I use this attack, I can obliterate a small tower, reducing it to nothing, incinerating the very air that carries its specks of dust. And I'm sure if I use this," Longiseus reached into the pocket of his belt and retrieved the vial of emerald potion, presenting it in the air, "I can amplify the strength and range of that attack to accomplish what you speak of."
As Longiseus finished speaking, he first cast a glance at the monster, then turned his gaze towards Alan, his bloodshot eyes holding a faint glimmer of hope amidst their weariness. His words carried the weight of his concerns. "But there are two problems I'll face if we choose to do that," he began, his tone heavy with apprehension. "First, whenever I perform said attack, it drains me of all my strength, leaving me unconscious in the core of the attack. Usually, I survive with a few bruises and burns, but with the scale we are aiming for, I am sure I won't survive either."
"And second?" Alan's question came swiftly, his attention fully on Longiseus's explanation. Longiseus turned his gaze back towards the looming threat ahead as he replied, "Second, if I need the attack to work, I need to be in the core of the beast, as in, inside its body for at least two minutes."
"So even after this discussion, we're still hopeless?" Poduria's remark hung heavy in the air, dread seeping into her thoughts as she began to lose hope.
"Nope," Alan replied swiftly, his tone brimming with resolve as he retrieved the same leaves from his pocket that the emerald potion was made from. Raising his gaze with determination, he looked at Longiseus and spoke, "It might sound like a stretch... but I can get you in and out of that thing, just in time, if you can trust me enough."
Longiseus's lungs filled with sudden excitement at Alan's words. Composing himself, he turned his gaze sternly towards Alan, a hint of doubt in his voice as he asked, "Are you sure, Alan? Even a moment's delay and we'll be incinerated with that thing."
"It's do or die, Commander," Alan spoke, flashing a smile at Longiseus as he popped two leaves into his mouth. Chewing them, he continued, "It'll be now or never."
"Very well then," Longiseus replied, returning Alan's smile. He swiftly turned and approached Lady Roartad, her demeanor almost lifeless. Kneeling before her, he gently lifted her chin, meeting her vacant gaze, and planted a tender, loving kiss on her lips.
After a moment, Longiseus pulled back, leaving a flush on everyone's faces. Even Alan watched in astonishment, his own cheeks tinged with color, as Longiseus returned to his side. Quickly uncorking the vial of emerald potion, Longiseus took a gulp and then tossed the empty vial aside. He nodded at Alan, who nodded back before assuming a stern expression. With a blink, Alan raised his voice, commanding, "Relecta! Poduria!"
His voice reverberated within the dome of water as he directed his instructions to the two. "On my signal, open the dome. As soon as both of us are out, close it back up. I'm counting on you two to shield everyone when the explosion occurs." Then, in a softer tone, he addressed Relecta, "My love... Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Your love will keep me safe. Promise me you'll keep others safe for me?"
"Yes, my love!" Relecta exclaimed, her voice echoing with newfound determination and love in response to Alan's words.
"Good," Alan nodded, shifting his gaze forward. A sudden shiver ran down both Alan's and Longiseus's bodies as the leaves and potion began to take effect.
Longiseus's mouth grew dry, his lips parched, as mist started to seep from the corners of his mouth. His eyes widened, the pupils dilating and merging with the cornea as mist rose from them. Longiseus clenched his fist, muscles tightening, as his aura surged, imbuing him with newfound power.
As Alan's body underwent the same transformation, emitting an unparalleled aura, he stood beside Longiseus near the veil of water. Both men lowered their knees slightly, gathering all their strength in their feet.
When Alan raised his hand, Relecta and Poduria exchanged nods and created an opening in the water dome. As soon as the outside air touched their skin, both men thrust themselves forward with incredible speed, leaving behind a boom of breaking wind and shattering floor below. Relecta and Poduria, astonished at their ascent, quickly regained their senses and closed the veil of water. Alan and Longiseus, moving with blurring speed, lunged at the destructive beast. Alan, with a bellowing voice, yelled out, "LYCO!!!!! ARMIS!!!!"
No other words left Alan's mouth as hearing their name echoed in his resolute voice was enough of them to jolt into action, fueled by rage against the beast.
Aurelia's terror-filled scream faded into a tense silence, replaced by astonishment as Armis's clenched teeth parted in a scream of anguish, his eyes ablaze with rage, devoid of any pupil and glowing red.
With a cry brimming with raw strength, Armis placed his hand on the crushing feet of the beast and began to rise, staggering but determined. Exerting all his strength, he pushed back against the monster's stomp, almost lifting its leg into the air. With another mighty push, he sent the monster stumbling to one side, wasting no time as he dashed towards Alan and Longiseus with blurring speed, leaving Aurelia behind in the crater.
With Alan's call ringing in his ears, Lyco's determination surged, his teeth clenching so tightly that blood oozed from his gums.
Gripping the ground beneath him, he summoned all his strength, channeling it into a desperate cry of anguish. From the side where the monster's foot relentlessly stomped upon him and his brother, Lyco called forth a torrent of massive stone shrapnel from the ground.
In an instant, the sharp projectiles impaled the creature's leg, eliciting a gush of blood and causing it to recoil in agony. Yet Lyco didn't halt his assault there. As the threat of the stomp subsided, he rose to his knees, still clutching the earth beneath him. With another resounding battle cry, he manipulated the ground beneath the beast, summoning shackles of rock and stone that first impaled its feet before constricting tightly, pinning the creature firmly to the ground.
With all its limbs immobilized, the beast writhed and howled in pain, its ten heads thrashing wildly as Longiseus and Alan charged toward it.
Half of its gaping maws spewed flames while the others hurled balls of acid toward the approaching duo. Undeterred, Alan and Longiseus quickened their pace, only to be shielded by Armis who leaped into action, intercepting and shattering two incoming acid spheres with powerful punches and kicks.
Meanwhile, Orioros and Leotrus joined the fray, with Leotrus hurled his knives targeting and stabbing the eyes of the heads of the monster that began to hurl acid and with precision timing, Orioros ignited the rising flames right within the jaws of the remaining heads, neutralizing their fiery assault.
Seizing the golden opportunity before them, Alan and Longiseus exchanged resolute looks before surging forward past Armis. Alan leaped into action, spinning mid-air before momentarily suspending himself. In a chillingly soft tone, he uttered,
"Reserare Scaena III, Palma Gigantis…"
With a sudden surge of energy, Alan was thrown backward by the force of his own spell. Yet, the true impact was seen as an invisible force, raw and powerful, erupted from his outstretched palm. It tore through the monster's body with terrifying force, leaving behind a gaping, bloody cavity in its wake.
Seizing his moment, Longiseus utilized Alan's body as a launching pad, propelling himself forward with lightning speed. With precision, he plunged into the gaping wound created by Alan's spell, his sword serving as both anchor and weapon. The beast howled in agony as Longiseus's blade found its mark, eliciting a thunderous roar from the depths of its being.
Closing his eyes for a fleeting moment, Longiseus drew in a deep breath before opening them once more. His voice, resolute and commanding, rang out amidst the chaos as he began to chant. With each word, a radiant white glow emanated from his sword, growing steadily brighter with each syllable uttered:
"Lord of Pompeii, sovereign of the cosmos, protector of the righteous and vanquisher of darkness, I, Longiseus Holdhearth, son of Marcius Holdhearth, beseech thee to grant me a fraction of thy boundless power. Illuminate the path before me, divine light, and purge this vessel of evil. By the authority vested in me, I invoke THE BURST OF HOLY ENERGY!"
Longiseus's chants resonated through the air, momentarily drowned out by the cacophony of the beast's screams of agony and fury. Undeterred, the creature launched all of its heads at Longiseus, but his friends sprang into action to counter the onslaught. Leotrus swiftly stabbed the necks of the beast with his knives, while Orioros made explosions that burst forth from within the creature's maw. Lyco summoned pillars of rock to impale the already trapped legs of the monster, further ensnaring it in its own demise.
On the other side, Armis, fueled by his rage, charged forward, his punches tearing through the remaining legs of the monster with devastating force. With each blow, he shattered the beast's limbs, even punching through the necks of the heads that dared to retaliate against his relentless assault.
As Arian continued to barrage the remaining heads of the monster with projectiles of air,
Alan swiftly moved to transfer the frozen-in-terror Aurelia back into the safety of the dome.
Suddenly, Longiseus's chants halted, prompting Alan to turn back and witness the sight: the light emanating from Longiseus's sword had enveloped the entire body of the beast. Their friends had begun stepping away from the blinding light, which shone as brightly as it exuded scorching heat.
Alan's sharp eyes caught Longiseus's hand moving away from his sword, a satisfied smile emerging on his face before Longiseus's silhouette disappeared into the white warm glow of light. Sensing the beast's resistance coming to a halt, Alan bellowed out, instructing his friends, "EVERYONE!!! INSIDE THE DOME, AND PREPARE FOR DEFENCE!!!"
Saying that, Alan once again lowered his knees, fixing his gaze on the center of the rapidly growing light where Longiseus awaited him. Everything around him slowed down; the air became still, his breath moving slowly along with his heartbeat. Slowly, he opened his mist-seeping eyes, and from lips that emitted the same mist, Alan spoke in his chilling tone, "Reserare Scaena X…. Nucn Aut Numquam…"
Longiseus felt the searing warmth of the attack he had invoked to vanquish the beast. Sensations of burning began as a tingling, evolving swiftly into fiery nails piercing his body.
Longiseus understood that this would be his final moment, his last sight, his team, his newfound friends, retreating into the safety of the water dome, finding refuge while he offered himself as sacrifice to save them.
It was his gift to them, another chance, another day to battle, a glimmer of hope to endure this hellish ordeal and someday emerge alive from this abyss.
As Longiseus's eyelids drooped shut, a warmth began to spread from behind them, casting a gentle glow over his closed eyes.
In that fleeting moment, his entire life unfurled before him like an ancient scroll. He saw the hallowed halls of the monastery where he drew his first breath, basking in the proud, loving gaze of his father.
Memories of his youthful coronation, the thrill of his earliest lessons at the academy, and the adrenaline rush of his inaugural duel danced across his consciousness.
Then, like a vivid tableau, he witnessed the pivotal moment when he first locked eyes with Roartad, the fiery passion that ignited between them, and the triumphant day he confessed his love in a duel won not with swords, but with his heart laid bare.
The memories flowed on, a torrent of victories and defeats, comradeship and camaraderie, culminating in the radiant image of Roartad in her wedding gown, their sacred vows exchanged, and the tender moments shared in the quiet intimacy of their chambers.
Alongside these cherished recollections stood the faces of their comrades, the Crimson Army, forged in bonds of loyalty and trust, their triumphs and trials etched in Longiseus's heart forever.
A single tear escaped Longiseus's eye, a bittersweet acknowledgment of the life he had lived and the memories he cherished.
But as he opened his eyes fully, they widened with astonishment as he beheld Alan's daring feat. Time seemed to stand still as Longiseus watched Alan leap from one exploding fragment of the monster to the next, his clothes singed by the intense heat.
Longiseus remained frozen in place, unable to move, only able to witness Alan's fearless determination. With a swift movement, Alan scooped Longiseus into his arms, and as he began to leap back to safety, time gradually resumed its normal pace.
Each leap brought them closer to safety, Alan navigating the flying debris with increasing speed and agility. Longiseus remained numb, cradled in Alan's arms, as they soared through the chaos. With each leap, Alan propelled them closer to safety, toward the awaiting embrace of their friends within the protective dome of water.
The blinding light of the explosion loomed dangerously close, but with one final leap, Alan carried them both through the small opening in the dome, landing safely inside just as the light threatened to engulf them.
As time resumed its steady cadence, Relecta and Poduria swiftly sealed the dome once Alan and Longiseus were safely inside. Meanwhile, Lyco, Orioros, and Arian sprang into action, moving to reinforce their defenses before the explosion reached them.
Orioros summoned a blazing veil of fire to shroud the dome, while Arian conjured a shield of swirling winds to add an extra layer of protection. Finally, Lyco erected sturdy walls of rock and stone, encasing the dome completely and fortifying their shield against the impending blast.
As Alan gently lowered Longiseus to the ground, Longiseus could only watch but not feel in silence when the explosion struck their fortified defenses, sending seismic tremors through the earth and shaking everything to everyone, all to their very core.
For an entire minute, the tremors reverberated through everything around them. During that time, cracks began to form even at the innermost layer of the walls Lyco had summoned, indicating that the combined shield of wind and air, along with the layers of rock and stone, had been severely weakened by the force of the explosion.
This became painfully evident when Longiseus observed Orioros and Arian collapsing to their knees. As the tremors subsided and everyone regained their senses, Longiseus's vision began to blur, and dizziness washed over him.
He closed his eyes, feeling drained. Through the haze, he saw Alan raise his hand, and with a gesture, the veil of water and the wall of stone surrounding it dissipated and crumbled. Longiseus heard multiple moans and thuds echoing through the ground, the last sounds before he drifted into unconsciousness.
When he opened his eyes again, the chamber lay empty, charred black from the explosion. Then again his eyes shut exhausted and Longiseus gave in to unconsciousness.
Alan stood tall and vigilant, his senses still tingling with the rush of adrenaline and the pounding of his heated head. His keen eyes swept over the newly revealed structure of the chamber, searching for any sign—be it a body part, a piece of flesh, or a droplet of blood—that might indicate the presence of the monster and threaten to undo their hard-won victory, make them lose hope and prepare them for certain death.
But Alan found none, nothing, null. The chamber lay silent and lifeless, its every brick blackened and charred by the intense heat and force of the explosion that had occurred within the beast's body. Longiseus was right; not even the air had survived the power of his attack, because when Alan attempted to broaden his view to ensure the absence of the monster or any signs of its regeneration, he instinctively tried to take a deep breath.
But in the charred remains of the chamber where he stood, there was almost no air at all. Alan choked, collapsing to his knees, his hand pressed against his chest as he struggled to soothe the burning sensation in his lungs.
Despite his friends calling out to him and the shuffling of their approaching feet, Alan's gaze remained fixed ahead. Ahead, towards the door leading to next floor and Before succumbing to unconsciousness due to suffocation, Alan's fading gaze caught a glimmer of light descending rapidly towards the ground near the door leading to the next floor.
Though the impact made no sound, Alan's mind supplied the triumphant clang it longed to hear. Recognizing it for what it was, Alan understood that it symbolized their triumph, the culmination of their struggle, the end of chaos, and the relief of their minds. It was the tangible result of their sacrifices in the harrowing battle—an orb. With a smile of satisfaction, Alan allowed exhaustion to overtake him, collapsing onto the floor as unconsciousness claimed him.